walking the lines

March Laurel Carter; the Boy Next Door

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THE BASICS

Full Name: March Laurel Carter Pronouns: he, him, his Birthday: November 19, 1993 Birthplace: Middleburg, Virginia Current Home: Poppy Court Occupation: Retired Olympic Show Jumper, currently an Olympic Show Jumping Coach Religion: Agnostic Atheist Orientation: Queer with no preference. Status: Single

AESTHETIC

The sweet smell of leather-conditioner

Dusting freckles on sun-kissed skin

Spitting watermelon on a hot summer day

An old Virginia southern drawl

Shy, stolen kisses

NOTABLE FEATURES

Face Claim: Froy Gutierrez Height: 6'1" Build: Lean with strong legs and defined shoulders Dominant Hand: Left Tattoos: A large color neo-traditional portrait of his show horse that passed away on his chest over his heart Outfit Clothing Style: When isn't wearing riding clothes, he opts for athletic casual, khakis with a nice sweater, or a long sleeve with jeans

Freckles peppering the bridge of his nose, the tops of his cheeks, and his shoulders

A wide smile that starts shy and unsure

Light blue eyes haloed by long, brown eyelashes

Messy tawny hair that glows gold in the sunlight

PERSONALITY

gentle, kind, & honest | quiet, melancholic, & scatterbrained

ADDITIONAL

Spoken Languages: English Driver’s License: Yes High School: Carroll County High University: Equine Management and Equine Science from SCAD Pets: Joy, a retired olympic showjumper that couldn't do the job anymore. She was gifted to him by his old coach. Showjumping Career: Best Junior Rider 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 | $20,000 Amateur Hunt Seat Metal Winner 2015 | Best Ameteur Hunt Seat Rider 2012, 2014 | Summer Olypmics Show Jumping 2016, 2020, 2024

THE BIOGRAPHY

March was a native to Middleburg, Virginia. He grew up in the country surrounded by horses. His mother was a fox hunter and always supported his interest in riding. Although his father was often busy with work as a high profile attorney, he tried his best to spend time with March and his younger sister May. After attending the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta with his mother, March knew he wanted to be an Olympic Show Jumper. He told his parents that night in their hotel room that he never wanted anything more in his entire life. His parents decided against telling their four year old that he was in fact, only four so his statement didn't hold as much weight as he thought. Instead, they used their upperclass wealth to support his dreams. Over the next several years, March trained with some of the best riders the United States had to offer.

In high school, March’s parents went through an amicable divorce. The news came as a surprise to the two Carter children because their parents always seemed happy together. Their mother, a woman who came from old money and didn't need to work, moved her two kids with her to her hometown in Carroll, California. March started as the new kid at a brand new high school much to his dismay. He was painfully shy but tried his best. 

Throughout high school, March continued his Olympic training by regularly traveling to the LA Equestrian center. After high school, March showed internationally with several big names in the equestrian business. Eventually, he went on to ride for the United States in Show Jumping. He earned several medals including gold. 

At thirty, his horse had a tragic accident that led to his euthanasia. During the accident, March broke his left shoulder resulting in nerve damage. After his rehabilitation, March moved back to Carroll to be close to his mother. He retired as an Olympic rider but has since gone on to be an Olympic level coach.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Type: Platonic Character name: UTP Character age: UTP Preferred Faceclaims: UTP Relation to your character: Best friend from high school, rekindled after the moveBrief description of the relationship: This person is March’s best friend from high school. They’ve stayed in contact through the decades and spent holidays together despite the continent keeping them apart. Now that March has been back in Charroll for a year now, he has loved having his best friend at his side!Should you be contacted before application?: Yes please! Either message me here @ tenebr1sm or on Discord @ mutachii. 

Type: Romantic Character name: UTP Character age: UTP Preferred Faceclaims: UTP Relation to your character: Future partner, can be a stranger or had a prior relationship [platonic or otherwise] during high schoo. Brief description of the relationship: March is a hopeless romantic. He’s all hand-written love notes, bouquets of flowers, shy kisses, and laced-fingers. Just because March isn’t looking for love, doesn’t mean that romance won’t strike when he least expects it. [March is queer so this person can be any gender!] Should you be contacted before application?: Yes please! Either message me here @ tenebr1sm or on Discord @ mutachii. 

“Hey,” March breathed, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Before he could say anything else, Ashton closed the distance between them. Kissing Ashton was a spring day in Virginia: a cool breeze and the sunshine warming his skin beneath an endless blue sky. It was lying in the grass, cradled by the Blue Ridge Mountains. He was home here. Oh, how he’d missed this man.

When they pulled away, March studied Ashton’s face. Tears fell in a steady stream, soaking his cheeks. Reaching for his face, he used the pad of his thumb to gently wipe away the tears. He let his hand linger there for a moment. “I know you would have driven me. I want to be awake for this,”  he laughed. No, March could sleep when he returned to Tennessee. He wanted to spend the weekend enjoying the impromptu trip. He wanted to enjoy his time with Ashton and their friends. 

“I missed you too. I wanted to surprise you!” March was beaming ear to ear. He took the glass and swirled the deep brown liquid. “I woke up this morning and just knew I had to come.” That’s what airplanes were for, after all. With the semester over, he deserved a long weekend. His work would still be there for him on Monday.“It’ll be fine, who needs sleep anyway?” he grinned, taking a sip of the martini. Ashton took his hand and looped their fingers together. He’d seriously missed this. “I can’t get over this party. Ingrid and Joel really outdid themselves,” March added.

"Color me very surprised," it was the sweetest thing ever, he shared the beaming smile with March, raising his brows as his boyfriend continued to explain, "this morning??" They had still been texting this morning before Ash taught his hockey class like nothing had changed, this sly man, "that's crazy, you're crazy," I love you so much. He wanted to utter that out loud but the music thumped throughout the building, and he rather tell it to him properly. "We can still go back to sleep when you're tired, just let me know," would Ash abandon all his designated driver duties for March? Yes. Thousand times over. To simply be able to sleep in the same bed as him. But he knew March missed his friends just as much, and he'd probably push through to fatigue to spend time with all of them here. But for now, March was his to have.

Blues peeled away from March's face only once the party was brought up to look around, if people had stared and noticed, everyone was back to partying by now, "yeah, I forget this part of town exists sometimes.. they already got married elsewhere so guess they just went straight to throwing a wedding after party." Somehow in Ashton's mind, hearing wedding, he really thought they'd still be doing their vows again and all that, but the speech Joel gave at the start pretty much was like it anyways.

March shrugged and gave Ash a small smile. Crazy or not, he was glad to be here. “I’m good for now. I’ll let you know, though,” he nodded. March’s body was still three hours ahead, and of course, it didn't help that he often went to bed early. But tonight was special, he'd push through fatigue so he could enjoy himself. Besides, the Hawkins Estate was a labyrinth of beautiful rooms, and there was bound to be a place he could nap if he needed to.

March hadn't been surprised when he'd heard the news about Ingrid and Joel. Eloping was right up Joel's alley. It was intimate and exciting and completely personal. “It’s really incredible, and getting Birch to cater was a brilliant move!” He was drooling just thinking about eating her cooking.

When Ashton leaned in, March was enveloped in his familiar smell. He smelled like home. Ash’s warm breath on his ear sent a shiver down his spine. “Lead the way,” he murmured. With their fingers laced together, Ashton led March upstairs and out onto a balcony. The view was breathtaking with the bright stars twinkling overhead. 

The compliment caught March by surprise. He'd dressed in an airport bathroom and thought his wrinkled suit was as good as it would get on such short notice. “Thanks,” he blushed, feeling self-conscious. “You look great.” Great was an understatement. Ash always looked like he was ready to step out of a men's catalog. He was stunning with those beautiful blue eyes and effortless smile.

It took him maybe too long a beat as his blues soaked in the beautiful sight of March suddenly being in front of him, cutely leaning over the bar top in a stunning suit, he thought he was dreaming for a second. Ashton choked between a laugh and a sob, stumbling out from the bar to immediately reach out for him into an embrace, oh my god this was real, hands immediately cupping March's face to capture his lips into an almost desperate kiss he's been thinking of for months. He didn't care who was watching them, who's photos and videos they might end up in, the small bubble that held them was what mattered the most. Ash didn't want to pull away until he absolutely needed to, forehead resting onto March's when their lips parted, whispering tenderly a greeting with a stupid beaming smile, "hi you.." he started to laugh with every passing second that kept telling him this was real, "I would've taken you home then."

His senses was catching up to him, pulling away just enough to give March a once over, teary blues blinking away to look him over, hands lightly running over March's face, down his shoulders and arms, making sure he was okay, real, "oh my god I've missed you. I'm dreaming, I have to be." He chuckled shaking his head, still a bit speechless and stunned in place, "what- how? when? I could've picked you up.." He finally remembered the job he was doing, turning back to the bartenders that seem to see the moment and was ready to shoo him away, March's drink being prepared and placed on the bar for him. "-do you still want that drink? The espresso might keep you up at night." He laughed, ignoring the tears falling, lacing his fingers with his partner's, silently tugging his hand. He just wanted to pull March away for a quiet moment for themselves, itching to hold him properly.

“Hey,” March breathed, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Before he could say anything else, Ashton closed the distance between them. Kissing Ashton was a spring day in Virginia: a cool breeze and the sunshine warming his skin beneath an endless blue sky. It was lying in the grass, cradled by the Blue Ridge Mountains. He was home here. Oh, how he’d missed this man.

When they pulled away, March studied Ashton’s face. Tears fell in a steady stream, soaking his cheeks. Reaching for his face, he used the pad of his thumb to gently wipe away the tears. He let his hand linger there for a moment. “I know you would have driven me. I want to be awake for this,”  he laughed. No, March could sleep when he returned to Tennessee. He wanted to spend the weekend enjoying the impromptu trip. He wanted to enjoy his time with Ashton and their friends. 

“I missed you too. I wanted to surprise you!” March was beaming ear to ear. He took the glass and swirled the deep brown liquid. “I woke up this morning and just knew I had to come.” That’s what airplanes were for, after all. With the semester over, he deserved a long weekend. His work would still be there for him on Monday.“It’ll be fine, who needs sleep anyway?” he grinned, taking a sip of the martini. Ashton took his hand and looped their fingers together. He’d seriously missed this. “I can’t get over this party. Ingrid and Joel really outdid themselves,” March added.

As he had already promised, he would stay late, he would dance with his friends, he would send them safely home, and he would help Emily out whenever she needed a break to go have some fun. Honestly, she's probably know how to have more fun than he did anyways, he was put to better use as helping hands to keep the bride and groom enjoying themselves too. They certainly had proper bartenders doing the drinks, so Ashton simply situated himself to help get them out once they were done. "Espresso Martini? We got a non-alcoholic option too." Ash pushed up his jacket sleeves so they didn't get wet as he greeted the next person coming up to the bar, "I've tried the latter only but know they're equally delicious."

It was crazy to fly out for the weekend completely unplanned, but March had to. He missed his friends and most of all, he missed Ash. Scanning the crowd, he finally spotted exactly who he was looking for. He weaved his way across, trying not to bump into anyone. With a grin, March leaned against the bar casually before clearing his throat.“I'll take the non-alcoholic option. I think I'd fall asleep if I had any liquor tonight,” he admitted. Between the jetlag and long flight, he didn't trust his ability to stay awake if he had alcohol.