âSlightly, who cuts whistles out of the trees and dances ecstatically to his own tunes. Slightly is the most conceited of the boys. He thinks he remembers the days before he was lost...â
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Name: Sylvester Darling Nicknames: Sly -> Slightly Age: 23 Birthday: January 11, 2001 Height: 5â˛11âł Sexuality: Bisexual Occupation: Composer / musician
Slightly once had a family. His parents died when he was too young to properly remember them, but growing up in the orphanage he always liked to think that he remembered themâand knowing that heâd once had them was almost enough. What memories he did have were probably mere figments of his imagination, but as long as he believed in them, they were realâŚand it made many of the other kids jealous that he knew so much, which was a great bonus.
In truth, he doesnât know half as much as claims to, just in general. Back in the orphanage, he was always coming in last in grades on schoolwork, even when he would sneak and copy answers off the other boys. He considered himself lucky to have escaped with Peter before they could ever force him into the public school system (or subject the public schools to him) but that would change when the Darling family moved to the island.
Wendy and her brothers John and Michael were assimilated into the group as easily as if they were the missing pieces they had always been waiting for, and they were especially what Slightly had been waiting for: a family with parents that were willing to adopt a stray child. The lost boys are his brothers first and foremost, but having real parents (not the play-pretend of Wendy and Peter as mom and dad) was an opportunity impossible to deny. Of course, they put him into school, which he struggled through, being held back a few grades, until he was old enough to drop out despite Mr. and Mrs. Darlingâs protests.
Slightly is far from being the brightest bulb in the box, and heâs well aware of that, so he tries to make up for his short-comings by simply pretending to know everything he doesnât know. Honestly? It gets him by pretty well. Most people donât tend to challenge those who agree with them, so as long as he concurs with the prevailing wisdom of the moment, heâs golden. Unfortunately, heâs also often too quick to get the first word in that his opinion on a matter seems to change as soon as heâs contradicted.
The only thing heâs ever really been good at is music; heâs been playing any makeshift instrument he could get his hands on since he was young and carved his first wooden whistle while unsupervised at the orphanage. (No, he wasnât supposed to have that knife, donât worry about it.) Finding real instruments to try out was a lot easier after he was adopted. Percussion, strings, woodwinds, heâll try anything he can get his hands on.
He composes and performs his own music locally, and is hopeful that his deal with Couffaine Records will get his career off the ground, because without even a high school degree heâs honestly not qualified or fit for much else (beyond settling down and being somebodyâs trophy husbandâthatâs always on the table.) He wrote the lyrics to some of his songs, but the strongest ones have always come from his partnership with Cubby. Cubby has always been the poet, so his words and Slightlyâs melodies combined make for the best music.
Since they were too young and short-sighted to steal their official documents before running away, Slightly doesnât actually know whatâs on his original birth certificate. He knows his first name, because thatâs what the orphan wranglers called himâSylvesterâwhich was too much of a mouthful for any of the kids, so they just called him Sly and eventually Slightly. But damned if he remembers his parentsâ name. Heâs a Darling now. (No take-backs!)
Another of his closest friends outside of Peter, the lost boys, and the Darlings is of course Tink, who he also grew up alongside in the orphanage until she was adopted. Sheâs always been protective over the boys, but as the only girl in the group for the longest time, they also had reason to be protective over her. She was more of a sister than anything else. Slightly still likes to think heâs Tinkâs favorite lost boy despite his generally being nobodyâs favorite.
Though heâs realistically far from the best role model a boy could have, Slightly has worshipped Peter Pan his whole life and finds it impossible to tell him no. He would go along with every hare-brained scheme and adventure Peter wants to have, even if they have to break the rules along the way. He almost fears as much as respects him, never wanting to disappoint him.
Despite being generally full of bravado and conceit, Slightly is secretly pretty insecure about his obvious imperfections and much of his seeming unfounded confidence is really an unconscious defense mechanism.
âItâs not a cry for help / Itâs just a cry for connection / And Iâd trade my life and health to make people pay attentionâ
