#2pcanada

Animal: He'd be a moose. Any type of moose would be fair. Moose are herbivores and require roughly 30 to 60 pounds of vegetation daily to sustain themselves. They eat the twigs, leaves, and bark of deciduous trees like willow, birch, and aspen, as well as aquatic plants. Despite their large appearance, they are incredibly fast and can run up to 35 mph to outrun predators.

Moose thrive in boreal forests, wetlands, and areas with new vegetation growth after logging or forest fires. While famously associated with the Canadian mainland, the dense moose population on the island of Newfoundland originated from just four individuals introduced in the early 1900s.

I don't think I really have to explain this one much. Moose are absolutely terrifying but pretty creatures you don't want to piss off.

Mythical Creature: He'd be the Manipogo. In Canadian folklore, the Manipogo is a lake monster said to live in Lake Manitoba,  Manitoba, Canada. The creature was dubbed Manipogo in 1960, the name echoing British Columbia's Ogopogo. It is the namesake of the Manipogo Provincial Park.

Manipogo is described as being a serpentine monster between 4–15 metres (13–49 ft) long. It is described as having "a brownish-black body and at least one hump that shows above the water." Its head is sometimes compared to that of a horse, camel, or sheep, while others have claimed it was flat and diamond-shaped. Some people have suggested that Manipogo may be some kind of prehistoric creature, such as a plesiosaur, with a long neck that lives in the water.

Why am I saying he might be just another Nessy? Well he's been on his own for quite a long time, and if he'd been one of the great plesiosaurs, he'd be seen only for short periods of time. It's sort of just how he is.

Fish: He'd be a Pumpkinseed Sunfish. Pumpkinseeds are native to the Atlantic coast of North America from New Brunswick to South Carolina. You can also find them in central and northwestern USA. They have very small mouths relative their body size. The opercular flap is flexible, with a white border that has a red spot on the edge. Their pectoral fins are light-colored, ranging from bright yellow to white.

In Europe, the pumpkinseed is considered an invasive species. Pumpkinseeds are carnivorous and feed on a variety of small prey both at the water surface and at the bottom. Among their favorites are insects, small snails and crabs, worms, minnow fry, small frogs or tadpoles, and even cannibalizing other smaller pumpkinseeds. They are effective at destroying mosquito larvae and even occasionally consume small pieces of aquatic vegetation and detritus.

Matt is very tall. Like, 6’4” kinda tall. He’s got a pretty muscular build too, so if you see him in the woods, you could mistake him for a bear. Fortunately, he’s always wearing something red, be it his flannel, or Mountie uniform. He frequently alternates between the two like they’re the only clothes he owns. Under them is a plethora of scars, as if he’s been clawed by something. He’s never shown them to anybody.

Appearance is the last of his priorities. He doesn’t care to look good, and he doesn’t care that people see him and immediately go, ‘wow, it looks like he could take your head off’. In fact, he finds it useful to his anti-social nature.

Personality

He is a very introverted soul. Matt speaks only when necessary, and that’s usually when someone talks to him first. Small-talk is a big no. He doesn’t have the capacity or willingness to follow social cues, be friendly, or ‘go with the flow’. It’s a pain in the ass to force connection, and be something he’s not. Many people think badly of him for this, but he just puts a lot of value on his own time and energy.

On the outside, he’s serious and mechanical. He’s not afraid to say what he thinks, and you can’t even hold it against him because he backs it up with sound reasoning. Calm, quick-witted, and straight to the point, being around him can be stifling. But if you get to know him, you realize he does this in good intention. If you see that, he will appreciate you and be comfortable with you.

That’s why he’s so good at police work, or being out in the wilderness where he’s not the only one walking out there. He’s the voice of reason for his friends, and they rely on him a lot because of it. “So, we’re running out of gas and we’ll be stranded before we reach the next town. It’s either we turn around now, or let Mother Nature do its course. Cast in your votes, guys.”

He can be a little shit if he wants to. When you’re chummy enough, he won’t hold back on teasing you and making inside jokes. If he likes you, it’s even worse. Matt will be a menace. He’s the type to spray you with the garden hose and bully you as his way of ‘flirting’. If you get frustrated, he will just go, “what’re you gonna do about it?” with a shit-eating grin. He knows you’ll forgive him eventually, so he ensures to not go overboard.

Despite that, he is very protective. If other people make fun of you, he will get annoyed. His mindset is ‘only I can make fun of you’, mostly because he never means anything by it. (And also, it’s his thing, so everyone else can beat it.) On top of that, he tends to know enough about your plans just in case he needs to come to your aid. Otherwise, he’s always thinking of how you’re doing, and is very considerate.

Matt is super loyal. If his friend killed somebody and approached him for help, he’d immediately go, “where are we gonna hide the body?” Yes, he may be a cop, but he can make it stretch for someone he cares about—“you know what, they deserved it anyway.” Same goes for before the axe comes down. Allen is the one who would say, “I need your help. I can’t tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later, and we’re gonna hurt some people”, to where he’d just reply, “whose car we gonna take?”

Interests

It’s a no brainer that he’s an enthusiast for the outdoors. He loves going on hikes, camping, fishing, geocaching, and hanging around in places where wild animals are. It’s how he gets away from the world and finds peace away from people. Out here in the woods, by that lake, or hours away from civilization, nobody can bother him in his space. If he ever gets you to come with him, you bet your ass you’re on the top of his list.

He loves woodwork. Matt is a very hands-on person, and mechanical things just tend to agree with him. If he has spare time, he will go all out and make a cabin out of scratch.

His favorite song is ‘Instant Crush’ by Daft Punk. He’s not fond of using technology, but he likes to have something to listen to while he does stuff. If you see him by himself, he will usually have something playing in his earbuds.

He likes animals more than people. Animals tend to like him too. However, he’s not a vegetarian or anything like his brother, Allen. He doesn’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with eating meat, just the way how most people get it. Otherwise, he’s a true friend to the animals. If there were no legal barriers, he would hunt poachers for sport because he can.

Matt is okay at cooking, but he’s really good with a grill. Also, he can use a heated rock like a pan.

Psychology + romance

Befriending him is hard enough, but romance? Most people don’t get past the first stage. He’s super independent and gets on well by himself. Low-maintenance and introverted to boot, it will take more than a few run-ins before he becomes your friend. Matt has subconsciously accepted that most wouldn’t want his company, given how cold his exterior is. But if you see past that, you’ll have his attention. And it’s a good kind.

For the people he’s fond of, he has a hard time staying away from. Matt will show up at your door and take you out on spontaneous drives to his favorite spots. That, or he picks you up for a night in town. Sometimes, he won’t do anything besides being around, like sleeping over or vice versa. He never flirts outright, and he’s pretty poor with his emotions, so he fails to see that his eagerness to be around you stems from something greater than an average friendship.

That’s why he can’t express himself—he has other love languages. Acts of service and gift giving, to be precise. He won’t say he likes you. Instead, he will make you things or go to your house to fix furniture or appliances. And he never makes a huge fuss about it, either. You might even come home to him drilling away in the kitchen or toilet. When you ask what he’s doing, he will go, “your sink was leaking.” If it’s the holiday season, he only gives homemade gifts. “Hey, I made you this mini Christmas village.”

Somewhere down the line, he will surprise you with a whole-ass log cabin. Even then, he still can’t see the truth his friends do—that he’s in love with you. It’s clear that something is there, but everything feels so natural, you barely realize where your relationship is headed.

Matt will eventually get intimate, and he still won’t see the connotations behind it. There’s no dating involved in this precarious stage. Funnily enough, he treats you like there is! He will see you as much as he can, hold your hand, and give the best hugs. If he feels up to it, he would even kiss your forehead or cheek. When you get flustered and ask him why, he will simply go, “because I want to.”

How he finally realizes his feelings is through two scenarios—jealousy, or a slow-burn. If you hang out with other guys, he will eventually get a little pissy about it. If it comes down to an argument, he will finally snap and shout, “I want you!” His face will redden from the outburst, but he comes to his senses and calms down to a softer tone of voice. “If you feel the same, stay home with me.”

The slow-burn, however, involves the gradual build-up of affection that he can’t resist. It’s inevitable with how comfortable he’s grown with you to the point of it being sensual. After a long day, all he wants to do is sit with you by the fire. If there’s silence, he won’t take his eyes off you as he leans in to kiss you for the first time. There was absolutely no dating stage or textbook flirting, and yet, feeling his mouth on yours feels so right. Matt will keep at it for a few minutes before he pulls away. He trusts that the gesture is more than sufficient as a confession.

He’s a very physical lover. What he can’t say, he will express through his touch. His hands will always be on you somehow, even if he’s just talking to you. Matt always insists to take baths with you to save water, but it’s really just a ruse to hide the fact that he probably wants more affection. What can he say, making out in the water is a treat. After that, he will cuddle you to sleep while caressing your back and spine.