CHARACTER INFORMATION —
Faceclaim: Kyle Gallner
Full name: River Morgan
DOB & age: October 22nd + 38
Zodiac sign: Libra
Gender & pronouns: cis male & he/him
Sexuality: Gay
Occupation: Owns Morgan Handyman & Repairs
Neighborhood: Lakeside
Length of residency: 3 years
3 positive traits: helpful, loyal, kind-hearted
3 negative traits: pushover, anxious, timid
Bio
Trigger warnings: child abuse, violence, domestic abuse, addiction, pills
River was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His household was a chaotic one. Along with his older brother, Forrest, River was constantly subjected to his father lashing out. Their mother was a timid woman who didn’t have the nerve to stand up to her verbally abusive husband. While she was kind to the boys, their mother always kept River and Forrest at arm's length. There was never a quiet moment when they were both under the same roof. Even at a young age, River would pray that his parents would split up, just so he wouldn’t have to listen to the fighting anymore. Forrest did his best to protect River from the emotional trauma inflicting them both. He’d take his little brother out of the house whenever the fights got really ugly, distracting River with trips to the skate park.
River’s prayers were eventually answered. After coming home from school, the brothers found a note from their mother saying she had left and hoped one day they would forgive her. Their father’s anger only grew, turning his aggressions towards his sons. Forrest wasn’t afraid to stand up for himself, but River would crumble under the pressure. His older brother couldn’t always be there to protect him. River’s father would lash out on him physically when Forrest wasn’t around. He would do his best to hide the marks and bruises from his brother. He was too humiliated to tell him how cowardly he was. Eventually, Forrest caught on to what was going on and reported his parents to the police. Their father was arrested and the boys ended up being placed in foster care.
They went from one chaotic environment to another. The foster home they were placed in was packed with nine other children. There was never a moment of peace. Never a quiet place for a little privacy. River became more withdrawn, while Forrest decided to become more angry. He was constantly getting into fights at school, and the foster home. It got so bad that he ended up getting kicked out of school and moved to another home. River’s worst fear had come true. He was completely alone. Forrest promised he’d do whatever he could to get River out of foster care once he turned 18. That would have been the plan, if Forrest hadn’t been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 10 years. River was never adopted out and ended up spending the rest of his teen years in foster care.
River made the decision to go to school for maintenance technology, leading him towards a career in repair. It wasn't his passion, but it was something he was good at. A means to save up some money and start working on a new life for himself. He found work for a nationwide construction company, where they offered River a position in California. He accepted the position immediately. While he loved Louisiana, River was desperate for a change. It took a few months of adjusting before he started feeling more comfortable in his surroundings. River even felt brave enough to dip his toes into the dating pool. This led him to meeting, Shawn. Shawn was a few years older than River and worked as a chef. They were introduced through mutual friends and quickly hit it off. River still kept in touch with his older brother over the years, but they talked less and less when Forrest got out of prison.
Life was good for a while. River was thriving in his personal and business life. His relationship with his brother was still strained, but it hadn’t been completely abandoned. Things took a turn for the worst when Shawn developed an addiction to painkillers. It all started after Shawn injured his back in a car accident. He wasn’t able to be on his feet as much as used to, causing him to step down from his chef position. Shawn became depressed and relied on painkillers to numb himself out. Friction arose in the relationship, causing constant fights between the couple. Shawn’s moods were all over the place. River never knew what he’d be walking into. One day Shawn would be pushing River into walls and yelling in his face. The next, he would sob over how awful he felt for everything that was happening between them. The stress of their relationship was weighing heavy on River. He couldn’t take it anymore. He told Shawn he needed some space and planned on moving out. Shawn exploded, physically attacking River. Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. That night had been the end of their relationship.
River was lost after the breakup. He fell back to his withdrawn ways and kept to himself. It was time for another change. Time to run away from more bad memories. River decided to give Michigan a try. He planned on opening up his own handyman business and finding a quiet place to live his life. Woodside looked like the ideal spot. It’s been 3 years since River moved to Woodside and he’s in a much better place than when he arrived. He’s content, happy. While feelings of loneliness occasionally plague River, he is at least thankful to finally have the peace he’s always craved.
