( Austin Butler / male / he/him ) well, well, well… if it isn’t JACK HAYES, the 35 year old MECHANIC, who is best known around town for THEIR SERVICE IN THE ARMY. apparently they’ve been living in SOUTHPOINT for 29 YEARS, and according to word on the street they are NEUTRAL toward the preservation / development of town. i’ve heard that they are quite HARDWORKING & TEMPERAMENTAL, and if their life had a theme song it would be DANCING WITH YOUR GHOST by TEDDY SWIMS. / ( sierra, 25+, she/her, est )
STATS ⸻
NAME: Jack Thomas Hayes AGE & BIRTHDAY: thirty-five / march 9, 1990 GENDER: male PRONOUNS: he/him SEXUALITY: heterosexual OCCUPATION: mechanic at frank's NEIGHBORHOOD: southpoint LENGTH OF TIME IN TOWN: 29 years ZODIAC: pisces sun, scorpio moon, capricorn rising
BIOGRAPHY ⸻
tw: PTSD mention, war mention, army mention, physical injury mention, injury via explosive device, divorce mention, alcoholism mention (in hcs & beyond)
The early years were a study in contrasts. Jack remembers the sprawling Southern ranch his father, Jim Hayes, had built — horses grazing on rolling pastures, cattle dotting the fields, parties full of laughter, and the impossible promise of a gilded life. But his father’s ambitious construction and real estate ventures collapsed while Jack was a preteen, leaving his family adrift in a more modest reality. Jack’s mother, Louise “Lou” Belle Hayes — once a Southern belle with dreams of refinement and luxury — worked tirelessly to hold the family together, raising Jack and his younger brother under the watchful eye of Aunt Clara, who provided stability in a suddenly unpredictable world.
From an early age, Jack learned to protect, to hold others up, to carry responsibility. He grew up tinkering with engines, fixing bikes, and exploring the red rocks of Sedona, cultivating the hands-on skills and resourcefulness that would later define him. The instability of his father’s failures carved into him a longing for control, structure, and purpose, setting the stage for the next chapter of his life.
At eighteen, Jack enlisted in the Army, seeking discipline, camaraderie, and a path he could rely on. He excelled as a mechanic, a problem-solver, a man who could keep machines — and, when needed, people — running under pressure. Before leaving, he and Summer had shared a tentative teenage romance; Jack proposed before deployment, but she hesitated. During his service, he and Summer were on-and-off, the distance and uncertainty testing their young love.
Fate struck five and a half years into his enlistment. During a deployment, an IED detonated near his unit, leaving Jack with a mangled left hand, multiple broken bones, and head trauma. He was medevac’d to a military hospital, unconscious for weeks under an induced coma. The injuries ended his active-duty career and forced a medical discharge. Even years later, Jack carries the aftermath: subtle tremors in his left hand, chronic headaches, occasional ringing in his ears, and some hearing loss. PTSD shadows him like a constant companion, a reminder of both survival and sacrifice.
Jack returned to Sedona, scarred but alive. He and Summer, tempered by time, distance, and shared longing, finally married, solidifying a bond that had endured childhood crushes, teenage uncertainty, and the trials of war.
Now, at thirty-five, Jack works as a mechanic, hands bearing the marks of battle. He rides his motorcycle to feel alive, works with his hands to stay grounded, and sometimes drinks, maybe a little too much, to quiet the memories that still haunt him. And, deep down, he's desperately clinging to the life he's managed to carve out, in spite of it all.
HEADCANONS ⸻
In his time since the army, he's developed a dependency on alcohol; he can be sober, but it usually doesn't last.
He has a Bernese mountain dog named Teddy who is his service dog, but he rarely makes him wear his vest.
He can hear best out of his right ear, so it's always best to approach him from the right — especially when he's cranking music in the shop.
He only has about 60% hearing in his left ear, and struggles in crowds. It's part of the reason why he tends to be so reclusive.
He knows some ASL, but is reluctant to use it, because that would mean admitting defeat.
He's a lefty!
... That said, both of his hands were injured in the accident that nearly claimed his life, but his left hand took the brunt of the damage, as it was nearly severed. Though doctors were able to save it and reconnect the nerves, he's not nearly as competent as he used to be. His fine motor skills require a lot of concentration, and will have occasional tremors after a lot of working hours.
He has an average of 3-4 cups of coffee a day because his night terrors & panic attacks make it impossible to sleep. Some nights are better than others, but he doesn't hold his breath. Don't be surprised if he's cranky.
He has a secret soft spot for children, especially since he and Summer never had any of their own.
Cars are his love language and his salvation. Though he can't work on them nearly as fast as he used to, it's been a consistent love of his and something he's always been able to do. It was one of the only things he ever bonded over with his father.
He's a momma's boy, but not in a bad way.
In the blast that nearly claimed his life, he lost his best friend, Davis Montgomery. They hadn't known each other prior to enlisting at the same time, but it felt like they'd known each other all their lives. Besides his hometown best friend, Davis, who he affectionately referred to as Monty, knew everything there was to know about Jack. When he would call home, Monty would talk to his mom and Summer.
he has 3 tattoos: one of a sun in his left inner bicep for summer; one on his rib cage, right side: "for those who can't;" and a wrench with the appearance of engraving with his best friend's name and dates of service.
WANTED CONNECTIONS ⸻
caleb, his younger brother: though they had the same parents, they probably have very different experiences with them, so their childhood can be a point of contention. still, there's nothing they wouldn't do for each other.
his mother, lou: he loves his mother, but sometimes harbors deep resentment for the way she just gave up on his father when times were tough; he understands she did what she did to keep him and caleb safe, but can't help but wonder if he would've had more of a relationship with his father if not for his mother's actions.
his aunt, clara: clara made no bones about her hatred of the boys' father, jim, and jack blames her for his parents' divorce, even more than his mother. despite all the sacrifices she made to help raise the boys, jack has little to no relationship with her.
other extended family: maybe his father makes a reappearance, or any other aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. he has family living all throughout the southern quadrant of the US, so it isn't implausible that they'd find their way to him in AZ!
part-time roommate: this person probably crashes on the couch when he & summer aren't on good terms. this friendship could be a positive or toxic one; do they encourage discord among the couple to have a place to crash and/or a drinking buddy when jack's fallen off the wagon again? is it a will they won't they? do they just want the best for him and try to kick his ass into shape?
best friend: a1 from day 1 and probably knows almost as much about him as summer.
frequent fliers at frank's: people who couldn't change a tire if it walked up and told them how, fellow car connoisseurs, you name it. provided they don't shout, he can talk to anyone in the shop... though he might get a little annoyed if you go 15k miles (~24km) without an oil change...
coworkers: he'll love them even more if they pretend not to notice when his hands shake.
sobriety coach: this would be someone that jack relies on when he's feeling the desire to relapse, and someone he trusts an incredible amount. that said, he probably tries to keep them on the fringes of his life, because he's embarrassed by his own lack of control surrounding alcohol.
fellow addicts: just as the title suggests; do they encourage each other to say on the straight and narrow, or do they goad each other into failure?
therapist: besides the obvious, the nature of this relationship could be interesting. is it a gypsy situation?
