#fr.intro

bonjour y’all its sloth here! 🤠  i truly don’t know how..... this turned out so dumb long....but i don’t blame u if u skip straight to the wanted connections. basically, the rest can be summed up with: julius is an opinionated bitch who thinks he’s better than everyone ☺️ u can also peep his weheartit collection here 4 some ~vibes~!

(also i’m stealing some of this general format from other intros bc i’m too lazy to find my own!)

full name: Julius Rowe nicknames: Jules (doesn’t particularly like it, but will tolerate it from certain people and his mother), “Julian” (hate. hate hate hate. happens occasionally when someone misremembers/mishears his name, but even if its an honest mistake he WILL harbor resentment over this forever) date of birth: October 27th, 1996 (scorpio sun, virgo moon. yeesh!) age: 24 years old gender & pronouns: identifies as male, he/him sexuality: [sammie from The Circle voice] baby girl he’s gay hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana family: parents Frank Rowe and Annette Peterson (divorced), stepmother Luanne and two younger half-siblings hair: dark brown, he keeps it short with visits to an expensive hair salon in Chelsea where he treats himself once a month :) eyes: light green height: 6′0″ scars & markings: a Cindy Crawford-esque beauty mark right above his lip, and a scar between his thumb and forefinger on his left hand tattoos & piercings: no tattoos, one piercing in his right ear positive traits: astute, witty, confident, ambitious negative traits: judgmental, capricious, self-important, vain

(ok and now for some background!)

Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but it’s almost impossible to guess where he’s from— Julius has made sure to erase all trace of his "Hoosier” origins and instead, adopted the appearance, mannerisms, attitude, etc. of someone who’s lived in New York for a long time (doesn’t even like admitting that he knows how to drive, but he can navigate the subway system like he was born with it hard-coded in his DNA). Unless you’re someone who knew Julius in freshman year at NYU (when hometowns were included next to faces and names on the dorm’s ‘Get To Know Your Neighbor’ corkboard, an indignity he never quite got over) or someone who’s met his dad (who comes to visit semi-regularly and is so undeniably Midwestern that there’s no way around it), then the assumption is probably that he’s a city native or, at the very least, hails from somewhere else on the East Coast.

Nondescript childhood! His parents divorced when he was pretty young (like 6 or 7), his mom flew the coop immediately, moved to Hawaii, and now she runs some kind of vaguely-branded “rest and relaxation” center where you’re supposed to get in touch with your “inner self” by drinking smoothies and doing a lot of yoga on the beach. idk! Julius thinks it’s all bullshit. Unclear how much his mother actually believes her own New Age crap, but whenever they talk on the phone she likes to give him advice that sounds like it was lifted from one of her pamphlets (“Remember Julius, openness is essential to your well-being, you’ll never achieve inner and outer harmony without it”)— which annoys him to no end. Their relationship is contentious and full of arguments precisely bc they’re so alike (flighty, hard to pin down, too aspirational for a place like Terre Haute, Indiana) while his relationship with his dad is steady and solid, precisely because they are nothing alike. Frank Rowe is a high school football coach & gym teacher; a very sweet man, but he’s straightforward and simple in all the ways Julius is not. He has two little girls with his second wife but still keeps in constant contact w/ his son and stays up to date on all his accomplishments, reading everything he publishes, and then talks about each piece— no matter how small and meaningless, especially to a man who only watches the news and Sunday night football— with such pride, you’d think Julius is writing for the New York Times (and maybe by Indiana standards, Brooklyn Mag is basically the same thing?)

Julius leveraged his very good grades in high school & his writing for a local gazette to get accepted into NYU’s Journalism program, after which he fled the state of Indiana on the first plane outta there and moved to New York. Soon he began to realize his true calling lay in critique; not only did he have a lot to say (he was always one of those outspoken, know-it-all kids who had to give his opinion on everything) but also a talent for saying it, in a way that people found witty, entertaining and most importantly: persuasive. He can sway someone to his point of view— or at least make them look twice at their own— with just a few clever paragraphs. Julius very much liked the idea that his opinions could be monetized, but he also saw their potential as a form of social currency: a means of attaching influence to his name and gaining access to exclusive social circles where words (and by extension, the person who wrote them) could hold real, recognized value. After all, maybe you couldn’t buy a Tom Ford suit with just influence, but you could shape public opinion with it. You could tell people what to think about a new movie, or stop them from buying a book. Or launch the career of an up-and-coming musician with a favorable review. This kind of power appealed to him greatly— much more than doing a job just to earn a paycheck. Already, in his short time living in New York, Julius had come to the conclusion that power, not money, was the be-all, end-all, and having power meant you were somebody, and being somebody meant that you mattered.

The trouble was, he already felt entitled to a bright future, so he thought it'd all click into place easily. And at first, it kinda did! You can get far on attitude and determination alone, which is exactly what Julius did, post-graduation, as he waltzed into the offices of various publications with his impressive college resume (including pieces already published in many of these same publications) and his lively personality, charmingly acerbic and effortlessly witty, fielding offers before he was hired as a full-time review columnist at the Village Voice. A revered, historical institution, one that he’d admired from a distance even when he was still just a boy in Indiana, this was a golden opportunity for someone just out of college— and for almost two years, Julius was carried by his own momentum, cultivating his new-on-the-scene intrigue amongst the downtown literary set, who brought his name up in conversations and pointed him out to newcomers at parties. His devastating but elegant book reviews were frequently cited; his less devastating, but no less elegant film reviews were also widely discussed, though older, more-established critics turned up their noses at his lack of in-depth film knowledge, dismissing his reviews as “trivial statements of personal taste”. But still, for two good years, Julius was well on his way to gaining exactly the kind of reputation he wanted, all while living his twenties to their fullest. He was a fixture at parties, staying out till dawn in bars and clubs around the Lower East Side, known by his friends to often disappear as soon as a handsome new face caught his eye (while not one for relationships, he was never at a shortage of partners, and often seemed to be “dating” at least two or three people at any given time). He spent his first few years after college enjoying a lifestyle of Wildean excess, perpetually broke yet spending entire paychecks on his wardrobe— all second-hand designer clothing, obsessively hunted in thrift stores and consignment shops— and other reckless expenses, not giving any thought to the possibility that maybe, y’know, some savings might be a good idea? 

And then, two years after Julius’ arrival, the Village Voice shuttered its doors. He was left adrift, in search of not just a new job, but a new plan. He’d been counting on the prestige of the Voice to help him scale to the peaks of New York society like so many writers before him; now that this hope had been crushed like a cigarette under a boot heel, Julius was left with only the modest distinction he’d accrued during his brief time at the magazine and his wits, sharp as ever. What was important, he realized, was not to lose momentum; from charming, promising ingénue to failure was just a few, short steps, and he could not let that happen. At least, not willingly.

So he began to work freelance, completing reviews for several different publications; the likes of the Times and the New Yorker were still far out of his reach, but Vulture, NYMag, Time Out NY and others readily accepted his pieces. The reviews were well-received; his opinions still carried weight, and now they reached an even wider audience, considering the variety of sources they appeared in. Julius moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn, more precisely to a studio in Williamsburg, which at first seemed like a necessary heartbreak; it was fiscally responsible, leaving behind his old stomping grounds and moving across the bridge, where the rent was much more affordable than the three-bedroom student apartment he’d still been sharing with friends from NYU. Plus, living on your own was the true threshold of adulthood, wasn’t it? His new apartment turned out perfect in every way: close to the park, close to the train, in a location so trendy that you could eat at a different restaurant and drink at a different bar almost every night. Friends who were contemplating their own moves began to ask wistfully about rent prices in the neighborhood, or if he’d heard of anyone looking for a roommate. For a while, things again seemed to be going splendidly in Julius’ favor; he became the first to say that the closure of the Voice and his exodus from Manhattan were actually positive changes, things that had to happen in order for his life and career to continue their forward trajectory. In spite of everything, he seemed no worse for wear. He still had his talent, his ambition, and fully believed that the time would come— and soon— when he would really be recognized for them. 

But inevitably, his terrible spending habits began catching up with him. Even when he thought he was being frugal, budgeting for groceries or choosing the subway over an Uber, there’d be a sudden, extravagant impulse buy— a pair of barely-used McQueen boots, dinner at a brand-new rooftop restaurant in Meatpacking— that undid all his attempted “saving”. He’d gotten comfortable living a certain type of lifestyle because he felt like he deserved it. Now, it was hard to deny himself these things; resisting temptation had never been his forte. But, after a few months of stretching the dwindling funds in his bank account, with barely enough leftover to eat if he also wanted to make rent, Julius had to acknowledge the problem. Rent was increasing month to month. His landlord had no sympathy for the plight of a penniless writer. And even an occasional check from Frank, well-meaning but not nearly enough to make a difference, wouldn’t keep him from getting priced out. So, innocently enough, Julius proposed to his then-boyfriend Drew (now ex-boyfriend; you can guess how the rest of this goes) that they move in together, without necessarily mentioning that he was only asking because otherwise he’d lose his apartment. He didn’t think it would be that big of a deal, anyway; he saw this entirely as a matter of convenience, not a major milestone in their relationship, which he was already treating with mild interest on the best of days and complete indifference on others. Drew, meanwhile, saw through this whole scheme right away, and he did think it was a big deal— the fact that Julius didn’t was a problem. What followed was a series of explosive arguments, after which they broke up, Julius moved out of Williamsburg and onto a friend’s couch in Crown Heights, where he spent a few weeks (okay, a month) brooding and licking his wounds, reeling much more from the loss of his apartment than from the break-up.

Now three months down the line, Julius has gotten back on his feet after this most recent upheaval of his life (its possibly his greatest skill, this cat-like ability to always land on his feet). He shares a new apartment in Crown Heights with friend & former NYU classmate Nora Medina, and has found the transition back to shared living surprisingly enjoyable (rooming with Nora is undoubtedly more tolerable than living with Drew would’ve ever been, so thank god for small miracles!). He still predominantly writes as a freelance arts and culture critic, now covering everything from film, TV, books, music, and even occasional restaurants; his Twitter enjoys a healthy following for his pithy, culture-savvy tweets which demonstrate his wit in the most bite-size way, giving his voice yet another platform on which to stand out. And though this may not be exactly where he’d imagined he’d be— two years ago, if asked to predict his future, he would’ve claimed to see himself with a penthouse overlooking Washington Square Park and a novel topping the New York Times Bestseller List— Julius’ confidence in himself has not been shaken. Never one to doubt his own genius, he doesn’t have to ask himself if he’s good enough; he knows he is. So the question remains, how to make the rest of the world see this? 

(i know. that was DISGUSTINGLY long. i’m sorry :/// but now... some other bits & pieces about jules!)

headcanons:

One of those people who has to have a “signature” everything: a signature coffee order (three-shot Americano, iced or hot), a signature scent (a blend of bergamot, neroli oil, musk, and sandalwood; a personal fragrance from Le Labo— don’t ask how much it costs), smokes only a certain brand of cigarettes (Gauloises, very hard to find but he’s determined to map out all the bodegas in Brooklyn that carry them), favors a particular brand of Japanese-made leatherbound notebooks, etc. Julius really cultivates everything about himself, from his appearance, his scent, even his habits and vices. 

His style is very clean, elegant, and minimalist: favors French menswear designers like Agnés B., A.P.C., Officine Generale, lots of trousers and crisp button-down shirts, or deceptively-simple T-shirts that cost $$$. Fusses about wrinkles a lot, taught himself to sew from Youtube videos because he buys all his clothing second-hand which means repairing tears and loose stitching all the time, and has really mastered the art of dressing like he has money when, surprise surprise, he has none!

In addition to earning a living off his writing, Julius has recently also started temping. Won’t admit it to most people— it’s undignified, filing papers and making copies and fetching lattes like some kind of office errand boy. So, so beneath him. But, rent’s gotta get paid one way or another. He’s already learned that the hard way :/

Notoriously fickle. Don’t count on Julius to fully commit to anything. He’ll say he’s going to a party and then change his mind at the last minute if a better party comes along... also an apt metaphor for how he’s treated every “relationship” he’s ever had. A failure at intimacy, if not at sex, dating tends to be disastrous for him. He’ll either be completely in love or completely over it, often flip-flopping between the two depending on his mood on a given day; much like a housecat, he can go from being needy and affectionate one minute to suddenly repulsed by your presence, bristling at any touch, staring from across the room with open hostility like ‘who are you and what the fuck are you doing in my house?’ But despite his own personal deficiencies, this doesn’t stop him from displacing the blame on the other person whenever a relationship falls apart— they were too clingy, or talked too much, or left a towel on the floor of his bathroom (probably by accident) which he fixated on like it was some kind of spiteful personal attack.

If you ask for his honest opinion, be warned that you’ll get it. Julius has no qualms about saying exactly what he thinks, whether it be to a complete stranger on the subway or a friend he’s known for years, and he doesn’t soften the blow; if anything, like in his reviews, he chooses his words with expert precision to make sure the point gets across crystal-clear and leaves nothing up to interpretation. If he thinks you missed the mark with your outfit, you’ll know. If the food at this French restaurant is completely undeserving of a Michelin star, he’ll say that, out loud, not caring if the owner is within earshot (or probably hoping that they are).

(FINALLY.... some wanted connections. if you’ve made it this far, i’m sorry (again) and please stay hydrated, its a marathon not a race!)

“SUBJECTS”: Since his Village Voice days and his move to Brooklyn, Julius’ focus has shifted to reviewing mostly homegrown talent, covering local repertory cinema, art exhibitions, music releases— and since we have plenty of artists/musicians and other creatives in this group, I would loooove some plots related to reviews he’s written about their work, and what kind of dynamic has come out of that (he's known to be snobby and hard to impress, much more likely to pick something apart for all its shortcomings rather than heap praise, but occasionally, there’s a rare, glowing review in the bunch— Julius likes to be the first to “discover” something that really shows promise). So... there’s potential here for new friends/acquaintances to have been made, or people who hate his guts based on whatever mean things he’s said about them and their work. i’m open for either :)))

BRECKENRIDGE & CO: For his most recent temp assignment, Julius has started at Breckenridge & Co, basically doing menial, mindless office work filling in for an assistant or secretary (though he probably spends a fair amount of time working on his own writing, slacking on whatever he’s actually supposed to be doing). His attitude towards the whole situation is very “I’m better than this, and wouldn’t be here if I had any other choice” which might rub some people the wrong way, as might his half-assed approach to actually doing the work.... but it could also be a fun plot to have a kindred spirit with whom he can commiserate, complaining about the banality of the job, discussing office gossip, talking shit while stealing snacks from the break-room, etc.

PARTY FRIENDS (TW: DRUGS): When it comes to nightlife, Julius hasn’t given up his wild youth, and isn’t planning to any time soon. He’s a familiar face in bars and nightclubs and warehouse raves around Brooklyn, particularly on the gay circuit but really, anywhere and everywhere; he’s an equal-opportunity hedonist, going wherever the fun and free drugs are. Some possible connections include other people who are just as willing to stay up all night as he is, drinking and dancing to 4 AM last call and beyond, stumbling home at dawn to take a shower and get dressed for work, then do it all over again the next night. Another possible connection would be a dealer, or someone who’s down to share a couple lines at the club, pop a pill to get the night started; Julius is too broke to have a real habit, or so goes his logic, but he does indulge his vices pretty liberally on nights out. Even in his NYU days, he always seemed to have coke on him, a trend that continues today. Where does he get it? How does he afford it? No one really knows!

NYU CLASSMATES/FRIENDS: If your character also attended the school, no matter what their major, we can brainstorm some kind of connection— and this is completely open-ended, because Julius has likely stayed in touch with former classmates but to varying degrees, and he makes enemies as easily as he makes friends, perhaps even more easily. He’s a good friend when he wants to be (read: when the person matters enough to him), but he’s also the type to hold onto an old resentment or former rivalry till his deathbed.... so there’s potential for both negative and positive connections here!

HOOK-UPS/EXES: Plenty of these.... not uncommon for a hook-up to briefly become something more, before just as quickly turning into another ex (see: all the above-mentioned issues), but overall Julius prefers one night stands and casual sex. He’s got every dating/hook-up app under the sun, seems to be sleeping with half his gay generation, and goes on dates often, but mostly just for the free dinners— insisting on his choice of restaurant and probably ordering the most expensive wine on the menu. Whenever feelings get involved, things are bound to get messy, so Julius has come to the conclusion that it’s easier to keep feelings out of the picture entirely— better to have uncomplicated fun instead. 

ART, CULTURE & FASHION ENTHUSIASTS: For his work (but also to maintain his rep as someone with his finger on the pulse, seemingly aware of every single social event happening in New York), Julius frequents new exhibits, gallery openings, fashion shows, and usually seeks out other like-minded individuals to attend these with: people to whom he can address his snarky running commentary, all while downing glasses of free champagne and snacking on hors d'oeuvres. First Saturdays in New York means free museum entry; Julius has never misses out on a chance to visit the MOMA, or the Whit, or the Met, and it would be cute to do a plot with others who've made a tradition out of meeting up on the first Saturday of each month to do a museum day :)

Some Basics About Sonata 

Ballet of The Red Shoes: From a 1948 ballet drama film. Quick Summary a ballerina must choose between her career (constantly pushed upon her by her boss) and her romance with a composer. The story tackles both “art versus life” and “work versus love”. Sonata’s life has always been about work and art over life and love, and as the weight of those choices grows heavier, Sonata is starting to want to push back on the confides of classical music by finding and expressing their own individual creativity, sense of self, and desire to experiment. 

Sexuality: Pansexual

Personality: Sonata is currently struggling with being stiff, as in: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. They aren’t a rule breaker despite maybe wanting to be, but will make silly decisions to prove someone wrong. They can be a little too responsible, but they are desperately trying to come out of that. Their family has a rich history in classical music and they can be a bit snobbish about their interests though not on purpose. 

Likes: Good music, warm drinks, sunny afternoons, waking up really early so they have some time to themselves, showering right before bed, inside jokes, watching ballet, impromptu ABBA dance parties, good film scores, light white wines.

Dislikes: Excessive use of foul language, laziness, messy common spaces, nosiness, crowds, drinking a lot (is a lightweight), being challenged or undermined

A BRIEF HISTORY (to....be.....redacted if necessary)

Sonata was born to Augustin Lemaitre and Twyla Ward. Their father is an acclaimed composer and classical musician and their mother is a retired (due to injury, and later motherhood) ballerina (their parents met when Augustin was playing in the French orchestra of one of Twyla’s performances). 

Sonata was born in France and lived there until the age of five before their family moved to New York, where they lived five more years. Upon their parents’ divorce, Sonata lived with their father outside of New York who was financially better fit to have primary custody of them (for later reasons I will elaborate on...when I have....thought of them). 

After university Sonata moved back to New York around two years ago, and has recently gotten back in touch with their mother though unbeknownst to Augustin. Their goal was to more to NY to eventually secure a seat at an acclaimed orchestra without feeling like their father pulled strings (haha, pun). Sonata loves their dad, but deep down feels overworked and cumbersome amounts of expectation. 

They have an incredibly close relationship with their father, though they struggle sometimes to decide what it is they want versus what they think they need to want to please those around them. At what point did their life goal truly become their own? Sonata is really just.....trying to catch a thrill....

Sonata is the type to cry mid Opera. 

Sonata’s dad sends them money every month to help with expenses (they are spoiled) but they work and share an apartment with a roommate, either saving the money up in case they wake up one morning with a backbone, or giving some to their mother behind their father’s back. Oh no!

Sonata has a six year old white Persian cat named Bowie. They would die for this cat. 

They specialize in string instruments, most specifically violin (primary) and double bass.

WANTED CONNECTIONS 

The Roommate: Sonata lives in a two bedroom apt in Brooklyn. Knowing them, this apartment is pretty big and would be expensive for large bedrooms, a washer/dryer, and nice open kitchen layout. Looking for someone (gender not important!) where they would be close friends due to sharing space, and have bonded over the last two years. Most likely one of their best friends in the city! Must be cool with constant practicing and few guests!

The Regular: Sonata works as a barista part time at Bean Brew. This could be someone who comes in often and they’ve talked and what have you! Sonata will know their order perfectly (please tell me) and they may even be sort of friends!

The Jam Buddy: Sonata prefers to practice alone, but finding a like minded person in NY who loves music like they do? Iconic. They would practice or just sit and work on their own studying/sheet music/etc; would be cool cool cool. If this person is someone who could get Sonata out of their shell, I dare you. 

The Book Club Inside Joke: Sonata tried a book club once in Manhattan. They hated it. Went three times. Made a friend by quietly eye-rolling and joking about things. Both quit together, and now they hang! One of those friends you don’t know a lot about but want to/still get hype when you run into each other.

Name: Rudolf Stroebel

Nicknames: Rudi

DOB: Feb 22, a Pisces.

Age: 24

Gender/Pronouns: Cismale and he/his.

Occupation: App Developer at an unnamed startup, side hustles include working on his own app and odd jobs here and there

Hometown: Milton, Delaware

Jakob and Clara Stroebel (Americanized from the original Ströbel) settled in Delaware in their twenties, leaving behind their birthplace of Hamburg Germany, determined to make their own fortunes. They struggled with the language, the culture, and fought for years to gain respect from the locals in the suburb they chose to inhabit. Jakob built up a reputation as a naturopathic doctor, and Clara taught German after school, and they both strived to raise their young son into someone that mirrored them both internally as well as externally.

While they may have preached the value of hard work, it’s a lesson that Rudi only half heard. He excels in little beyond disappointment. His grades were always lacking, he wasn’t gifted athletically, he had no interest in his father’s work and even though it’s the language spoken at home, his German is clumsy and imperfect. He managed to get through his teen years by sliding by, relying on a quick quip and some natural charisma to ensure he could at least graduate high school on time. People tend to like Rudi, which only enables him further.

He did a year at a local community college before dropping out— he taught himself coding through YouTube videos and computer science classes taught on Windows95 felt like a massive waste of time. The truth is, he told his mother he dropped out by choice, bad attendance and incomplete assignments had him flunking out shortly after the first semester.

Rudi’s success came as a surprise, an idea he’d jokingly come up with while drinking with some friends at a bar was thrown around, and like many things, he never expected anyone to take it seriously at all. As he passed out comfortably in his bed, tucked under the hand made quilt his mother lovingly crafted, he never could’ve seen what the next week would bring.

He put the app together based on the simple idea on a Monday, and was launching the beta by the Saturday, churning it out into an overnight success. The whole thing turned out to be profitable, with thousands of downloads lining their pockets with cash. Within the next few months, he’d accidentally become a whiz kid entropnenur with enough money to move out of his family home and avoid seeking a real career for the foreseeable future.

Flush with cash, the next reasonable move was to move to the big city. He sold the app to a tech giant and got himself an apartment in Manhattan. For the first few months, everything was gravy. He had an interview with Google lined up that he assumed he’d ace, and from there he’d be living the good life until the end of time! Unfortunately, the interview didn’t pan out the way he’d hoped and now without a Plan B and without the skills to live like an adult, Rudi blew through the cash within 6 months of his initial move.

He’s too embarrassed to go back home— his parents have finally started to believe in him and disappointing them again would be killer. Priced out of Manhattan he made several moves over the last year deeper and deeper into Brooklyn. Now he shares a basement apartment with a guy named Jonathon who air dries his socks on the radiator.

Rudi’s making changes! He got a job with a startup, so the pay isn’t great but most of his work can be done at home, leaving him with tons of time to occupy coffee shops and take long walks through the city he loves. He’s also working on actually getting a college degree. He’s secretly studying to retake the SAT so he can get into a decent school. Steve Jobbing it through life apparently works best if you’re actually Steve Jobs.

Used to an easy life, Rudi’s incapable of looking after himself properly, and his new found independence is being treated like an endless kegger. He likes a good time with great friends, and he doesn’t see anything wrong with that. He’s sweet, with his heart in the right place, but with his new found fortune he’s just been granted another faucet to allow him to live a Peter Pan existence. It’s this sort of youthful optimism that keeps him charming. Perhaps it’s not untrue that children become funny when they have nothing else to market themselves as, as his wry words and surprisingly observational comments often remind people around that there is more to Rudi than just being a party animal, even if he himself doesn’t see it.

In general, he’s a good kid. He’s a good friend and helpful— kinda has a Mid-West attitude without being from the Mid-West. Easily taken advantage of and oblivious to a lot of what’s going on around him, but he’s! Good!

H E A D  C A N O N S

I. His vision has never been anywhere close to stellar. From his very early days, Rudi’s been the kid with glasses– something that swapped over to contacts as soon as he was old enough to be trusted putting plastic in his eye. He refuses to wear glasses, though towards the end of long nights he’s almost always seen cranky and irritated in smoky and crowded spaces, rubbing his slowly reddening eyes.

II. He’s been blessed with a wild mess of thick curly hair, of which no one is quite sure whom he got it from, or what to do with. His parents were flaxen haired beauties without a follicle out of place and every family picture features their son with enough wax on his head to look like a shoe shine commercial. These days he’s found it just easier to slap a beanie over his head than to try to tame his wild locks, considering it his signature look.

III. He’s been the victim of several pyramid schemes, some that he still doesn’t know about.

~'Cause now I'm in it ~ But I've been trying to find my way back for a minute ~ And the rain keeps coming down along the ceiling ~ And I can hear it                                                                                                             But I can't feel it, oh ~

+ Driven, Hardworking, Creative, Considerate

- Sarcastic, Workaholic, Neurotic

Work:  Runs  @noraskitchen on instagram, recipe tester and writer for NY Time Out magazine

Tattoos: Inner Right Wrist [x] Inner Left Wrist [x]

Scars: Marks from  little nicks cover her hands from cooking, she has a small red scar from a  cookie tray burn on the inside of her left arm

Nora grew up in North Jersey and moved to NYC after her senior year of high school to study journalism at NYU

Sophomore year she realized her desired lifestyle far exceeded her meager savings account, so she took a job at a popular coffee shop among students to make some extra cash, showing up at 5 am each morning to assist the baker preparing the daily fresh breads, pastries and bagels. 

The job peaked her interest in food, and she began her food instagram her near the end of her sophomore year called @noraskitchen, where she made tasty one pan dinners on a hot plate in her dorm room.  Initially her only followers were her overly supportive friends, but by the end of her junior year, the blog videos actually gained some traction on campus, and she had a huge influx of followers from her fellow NYU students.

Senior year she gave up a lot of partying and fun nights with friends to work in a kitchen, picking up a job at a small but popular restaurant in Greenwich Village. The job really helped develop her basic skills and techniques,  which all came into play with insta videos.  She quote, unquote, went viral right before graduation, when a celebrity found her videos and put one of her videos on their story.  The popularity that followed was quite overwhelming.

In her videos she often appears slightly frazzled as she cracks self deprecating jokes   in peak millennial humor, always very  clearly having a great time with  herself while she created delicious and usually uncomplicated food. 

After graduation, she began  to work and train in the kitchen full time under the same talented chef while she half heartily hunted for a job in journalism. She began to consider doubling down in her insta career when she got a call from Time Out magazine  who had seen her instagram, offering her a bi monthly recipe column to follow their restaurant reviews, along with alternating postings in the food & drink section on their online presence. Without hesitating she took the job, leaving the kitchen that trained her to continue the brand of ‘Nora’s Kitchen’.

Now she balances writing for Time Out and putting out daily content on her instagram.  She rarely sleeps more than five hours, and is attempting to live that life of having your cake and eating it too.  She moved to Crown Heights shortly after quitting the kitchen. She is a hustler who is occasionally manic and often stressed, but she’s always doing her best.

She has an older brother who moved to New York City a few years before she made her own way there. They meet up once a month to take the train to Jersey together for a Sunday dinner at home, and usually end up grabbing lunch together once or twice between trips home. 

After sharing her apartment with a "lifestyle blogger” who she met through  a self-marketing class for a year,  Nora briefly considered leaving Crown Heights because she couldn’t take the gut wrenching guilt of telling the  girl should couldn’t bare to resign the lease with her.  However “destiny” (a direct quote from Veronica) intervened and her ex-roommate  decided to go backpacking and eat pray love her  way through Thailand from the gram. Nora dropped Veronica off at JFK with a grin before turning around to go pick up an old friend from college, Julius Rowe, who was going to move into her newly empty room  that same night. 

She also picks up extra work at the Bean Brew to make some extra cash, baking fresh muffins, scones, pastries and occasionally bagels twice a week. 

Wanted Connections

name: rue skye laurent age: 24 years birthday: june third (gemini) pronouns: they/them hair: dark brown eyes: dark brown height: 5'8 visible markings: n/a sexual preference: pansexual virtues: intuitive, hospitable, quick witted vices: impatient, cocky, blunt

If asked, Rue wouldn’t say there was anything particularly strange about their childhood. Albeit unconventional, being born and raised on a commune in rural Pennsylvania could have been worse. No, there weren’t scantily clad hippies and they didn’t have a Jim Jones type telling them what to do. It was communal living in its’ purest form. Their father was an accountant and their mother was a biologist for crying out loud. Rue’s quick to tell people nobody made them drink any Kool-Aid.

Their days were full of playing with the other children on the commune, fearlessly exploring the nine acres of land that surrounded the giant lake house where they all lived and carrying out whatever tasks the adults requested, from helping with family dinners to mending clothes. They were home schooled until high school and their parents enrolled them to the local one in the nearby town. They did with the intention for them to expand their social life, which was admittedly difficult with a graduating class of fifty.

A naturally social creature, they were quick to find a tight knit friend group. They were interested in Rue’s background and revealed they were all social outcasts of sorts (small towns were ruthless when it came to anyone different).

It took a lot of courage and jumping jacks to finally come out to their family for the first time, knowing they were progressive in their views but still unable to shake off the anxiety. While they were surprised that their only child was more interested in presenting as a girl than kissing one, they said they’d love Rue no matter what. And they said that when they said they were nonbinary as well, and then as queer.

Communal living is all fun and bonfires until they start to share a little too much. Rue’s father is caught cheating on their mother with not one, but three other women. The two fight and Rue’s mother packs her bags to live with her sister in New York, leaving the newly 18 year old Rue to make a choice. They decide to move with their mother to the city, deciding to stay loyal to her and figuring they wouldn’t have a chance to stay in a big city again.

The city is different than what Rue was used to, the people were generally very rude and the crowds could be overwhelming. They had been to Gettysburg and Philadelphia a handful of times, but to live somewhere like that was much more different.

With encouragement from their aunt (their mother said Rue should follow their heart, which was nice, but it was time to get educated), Rue attends NYU. They get a job at a record store that they frequented over the course of a few years not too far from the apartment to start making some money for themselves, something they’ve never really done before. They always had a love for music, it was something them and their father had bonded over growing up. Six years later and Rue can still be found at Fidelity.

Tidbits

Rue practices Wicca. It’s something they picked up back in high school. They can often be found making some sort of herbal tea in the break room or talking about how much rainwater they were able to collect the night before or how there might be spirits haunting the store.

They moved out not too long ago, thinking it was time to start having their own space. They live in the neighborhood, wanting to be closer to work.

After graduating Rue very briefly attempted the 9 to 5 office job and was quick to discover it was not for them. They’re happy at Fidelity and don’t have a reason for leaving yet.

Whenever they have the chance to play something in the store it usually reflects their mood.

Connection ideas

Rue will get along with just about anyone unless they give them a reason not to. They’re a;ways nice to patrons of the store! Unless they’re a dick then they’ll probably get kicked out.

Coworkers for anyone else who works at the store!!

Family! Blood related or not as Rue considers those on the commune their family. Maybe a cheeky cousin or two since they have family from the city.

Hook ups/fwb/anything like that!! They definitely like going on dates and connecting with new people but they don’t mind a no strings relationship at all.

A ROOMMATE? Living in the city’s expensive okay.

I AM ESSY, AND THIS IS THE LAST OF MY FOUR CHILDREN, LEO CORRUCI! welcome to his world  baybee 🤪

BASICS

nicknames: theoretically leo is a nickname. but please call him anything. he’s just happy you’re here

sexuality: pansexual, can and will love anyone

traits: warm, jovial, shies away from negative feelings/experiences, naive

likes: hugs! loud music! eels! reptiles! animals in general! making noise! everything!

dislikes: fighting :( having a Bad Time :( when the bass doesn’t drop :( pop music :( 

family: daphne corruci (mother, npc)

TIDBITS

probably the most essential thing to understand about leo is that he. loves. he loves! that’s it that’s the sentence

raised by a single mother who convinced half of the town she was psychic and half of the town she was crazy (both halves were wrong), leo’s used to being around... eccentric people. and a lot of them. also people who don’t have great intentions. also people with heartbreakingly good intentions. he’s known and really truly cared about  the spectrum of humanity  and he’s Not Stopping Now

in saying that? leo didn’t have a whole lot of stable friends growing up, likely because of daphne’s... interesting... reputation. this left him with a lot of time to become obsessed with punk, metal, and screamo music, and even learn to play the drums! loud! all the time!!!!! mostly leo likes making and hearing noise. probably because he can’t handle the quiet. it lowkey makes him feel lonely :/ 

in fact the only time he likes being alone is when things are going Bad. leo loves to be around people and doesn’t really have any boundaries (will platonic cuddle and kiss !!!WITH CONSENT!!!) but has a compulsive, unhealthy need to only be happy and good to people. if he feels anything negative or senses things aren’t going well, he kind of dips to go process it alone. doesn’t want to drag anyone down because the most important thing in his life is keeping people around, and giving them any excuse to want to leave him? hELL NO! 

currently the drummer in a punk band called eraserhead! lives with his bandmates alexa cox (dubbed leo’s ‘dad’, lead singer/guitar), theo baptiste (the dumb to his ass, keyboard), and zoe levin (ex-girlfriend, bass). he really considers them family and hates it when the girls are fighting :/ by the girls i mean literally any of them. what if they all just hugged

he looks pretty hardcore punk. leather, tattoos, piercings, but, if u haven’t gathered, the least intimidating person you could ever meet. 

has no ulterior motives. literally wouldn’t have the brain power for it if he tried. always coming from a wholesome place.

has had his heartbroken... multiple times. the two most recent were zoe levin (aforementioned bandmate) and andy de luca. he’s past the zoe thing but the andy thing? still be stinging a little since she it’s not me, it’s you’d him. ultimately his outlook on love is that there’s one perfect person out there for everyone! he just hasn’t found his one yet :/ 

self designated himbo of carolina rogers

WANTED CONNECTIONS

hi !! my name is courtney and this is my human elite trash bag andrea !! she is gio’s little sister (she was adopted but that’s another story hey) and she will ! judge you on what kind of clothes you are wearing :/ she’s that :// kind of person :/ 

name: andrea eleanora de luca  nickname(s): the only person who would call her andrea is her mother, and only when she’s in trouble, otherwise it’s just andy ://  sexuality: bisexual queen  family: bart & samantha de luca (parents), aldo de luca (brother, older), giovanni de luca (brother, older) & beckett liao (nephew, younger) 

she was only a few days old !! when her birth parents died,,,, supposedly,,,, and the de luca’s adopted her, probably for some pr stunt :/ or genuine kindness out of their hearts :/ but nevertheless, a spoiled life with a silver spoon in her mouth was what andrea grew up to knew, with her big brown eyes and adorable smile, it meant she was able to get away with more than what her brothers could :// 

even from a young age, andrea was always so headstrong and competitive, she got what she wanted and it didn’t matter how she got it. in primary school she was always picked first in sports, she was ahead in her class, she was a mini regina george without everybody fanning over her rip andy’s rights :// 

with the de luca’s being nothing more than successful, it drove andrea’s need to be better than everybody around her :// sorry if you went to school with her :// with her father being a senator, andy knew she had to at least live a pristine life, keeping things behind closed doors - so she learned, she studied hard and focused on school, aced every test, just to get her father’s attention. she kept her addiction to adhd medication a secret, her string of broken hearts and lipstick stains in the closet; all with a flutter of her eyelashes and a pretty smile. 

fitting right into the de luca’s world of politics and high society, andrea got accepted into law school and it was there that her drug addiction came to a head; finally finding the confidence to confide in her mother who quietly sent her to rehab for a few months before college started on the condition that if she relapsed, she would be sent back home indefinitely. to be honest, andrea would have rather been locked away in a remote island than to go home. 

she had a taste of freedom and she wanted more. andrea completed her stint at rehab and now that she was out of the house and away from the crushing pressure of being senator de luca’s daughter it was finally time to thrive and find out who andy really was. and she... really did not want to be a law student...... yikes. but still ! andy stuck it out because she ! was not going to be the second child to disappoint their parents !! when she was around 21 she met who she thought was the love :/ of her life :/ can i call double yikes??? im calling it 

charlie was everything andrea thought love to be. he was charming, funny, smooth - awkward at the best times; andrea couldn’t help but love him completely. their love was a whirlwind of emotions - they talked about everything from how many kids, to what pets they wanted, talking about saving for an apartment after law school.... y’all they even got engaged :((( 

planning a wedding while ??? still going to law school while deciding if you even still wanted to be a lawyer was just stress on stress .... for charlie apparently; on the day of what was supposed to be Andrea’s best day was probably one of the worst, because she was left at the alter by the person who she thought she was plannign to spend the rest of her life with ! standing there staring at an empty spot where her fiance was supposed to be with her entire family ? and high society friends ? staring at her ... embarrassing 

shortly after, andy dropped out of law school and moved away. and she kept moving 

she settled into new york, she went back to school eventually and worked on a fashion degree & she’s now (soon to be) starting her own fashion line ??? if she gets her shit in line !! we love a girl who has goals 

i want to say gio and andy were close as kids but sudhejfkds lets be real andy was a spoiled kid who really only mellowed out in her late teens and by then it was prob too late !!! she lowkey misses him and wished she had someone to turn to ://

personality !!

she can be in a room full of people and still feel alone, she second guesses herself & who she is but ! she is still from a prestigious family so andy is outwardly elegant, poised, always with a smile on her face. she can be easily angered but since rehab she’s worked on letting go of a lot of shit that has the potential to ruin her. she knows her way around politics and a debate, though with her competitive streak comes her need for other medications she’s not prescribed so she tends to stay away from that. 

in saying that though ! andy can also be manipulative to get what she wants, she’s blunt & can be overly sarcastic and critical of herself & others. especially if you have no dress sense. 

in the last year or so she’s def more vulnerable and keeps more to herself, she used to revel in the spotlight but now she just kind of ? shies away from it from the last time she got bad publicity for being left at the altar :/ 

wanted connections !! 

best friends - someone who knows allllll of this mess and can still !! put up with her shit would be !! amazing. i’m talking best friends who can potentially live together in an apartment doing !! best friend things !! g vie me 

child hood friends - someone from andy’s childhood who probably ran in the same social circle as her. their families would be friends ?? u know. doctor fams, lawyer fams, ... rich fams. they don’t necessarily have to be friends now but !! someone who knew what andrea used to be like would be nice 

enemies - hell fuckin yeah. someone andrea just cant stand, y’know, it can be completely one-sided on andy’s part & your characters just caught in the crossfire, or it could go both ways. idk maybe they both went to school together skdkg f

exes: since andy was a teenager & after she got left at the alter, she left a string of broken hearts wherever she went. i’m feeling if this was after that whole thing, bc andrea’s kind of... hating the idea of love, she could have rlly done a number on your character etc.