#valmuse

TW // drug mention, injury mention

🏃‍♂️ Chase Me - You have seen the wiry and odd British witch in Greywood, and you are fascinated. Perhaps it’s the accent, or the big shadowy dog that walks beside them, but you find yourself striking up a conversation with him one day at a coffeeshop or a bar. It’s... odd. The conversation goes all over and yet nowhere, all at once. But it’s enticing. And Val seems to be just as oddly enthused by you, intrigued... and so it’s a cat and mouse. Every so often you run into one another, and the jokes and little jibes begin again. Is it flirting or are you teasing? Is he interested or just enjoying watching you sweat? It’s maddening, but you find yourself craving it. Unbeknownst to you, he’s enjoying every little moment of it. After various run-ins, you’ve finally exchanged contact info, and you’re texted about a night out for drinks. Do you accept and end your little cat and mouse, or leave Val wanting?

🩸 Mark Me - You were sitting at a dive bar on one of Val’s first nights in Greywood. He had come in after a grueling day of unpacking and moving things around in an old home that wasn’t ready for him to live there yet. You both drink, and chat. You go back to his place, and you describe in detail the historical home and the old furniture left behind, whispering in his ear as you both get closer and closer. And you two are a giggling mess, a tangle of legs and sheets as things get rough, exciting... you’re holding him to the bed, and the shitty bed frame snaps. The both of you fall over and Val is cut on the splintered, broken wood. Suddenly your night of passion is cut short when an ambulance is called. Val is insistent that you go home, embarrassed. Maybe you try to stay, maybe you call it a night. You forget to get each other’s numbers... but Val gets stitches and now has an impressive scar on his forearm to mark the occasion. The next time you see him... do you strike up a conversation again? Or is it awkward between you, now that the liquor is gone and it’s daylight?

💭 Remember Me - You know that face from long ago, at least 8 years back. A trip to the UK. A stay with a coven out in Battersea, or even a fortuitously timed vacation. Val’s face was younger then, cherubic and vibrant with a rebellious streak. He was eager to show you around the beautiful town, to introduce you to family and locals during your stay. Val’s magic was hardly manifesting- inky shadows forming floating blobs, or his own shadow warping and dropping back to the earth. But Val didn’t care much about his magic- instead, your summer fling was on his mind. You both spent almost every day together, and (thankfully) Val’s mother said nothing rude, just offered an extra plate at supper. But vacations come to an end. Upon the last few days there, you heard Val speaking quietly to his mother about his magic. She urged him to work on it ‘before his vision was completely gone’. A few days later, you both said goodbye. And while you kept each others’ numbers, maybe you didn’t message back. Maybe you didn’t want to get held down to something long-distance... maybe you were both just too young and you wanted to explore your options. But now you’re both in Greywood, and it truly has been years. Val is now an author, and blind... and maybe he hasn’t recognized your voice or noticed you just yet.

✋ Assist Me - You are an independent person, someone who doesn’t take any crap... but you need cash. And Val’s assistant has been stealing money. He’s upset, having just fired one of the people he’s had to trust the most with his appointments, scheduling, phone calls, and even editing. But now they're alone and can’t get things done on their own. The publishers offered an assistant from their company but having someone from NY over phones isn’t the same as talking face to face. Enter you. Val trusts you... and despite being upset, and nervous for someone to abuse his trust again, he’s hopeful. Val’s offered you a bit of extra cash to organize appointments for them. You have the logins for their professional email and field calls. And... you’ve been doing pretty well. Val’s impressed, and has started asking you around more often to chat about his books, drink booze until late and smoke weed while brainstorming. Do you like him? Does he like you? Maybe! Or maybe you both just work amazingly as colleagues.

TW // Overdose, Drugs, Hostages, Crime

BORN: May 17, 1990

Born in Kilkenny, Ireland, to Louis and Maeve Dupont (fisherman and journalist, respectively). Val is their 2nd child (oldest sister Ruthie Dupont born in 1988)

March 1992 - Younger sister Benna Dupont born.

Val has an uneventful but fun childhood, develops close relationships with their sisters and is always curious.

2002 - Maeve Dupont gets praise for an exposé on unlawful practices in the Irish prison system. Val is inspired by his mother's work.

2004 - 2008 - High school is rough for Val. They're in with the wrong crowd and can't focus on their schoolwork. They barely graduate, focused more on fucking around and partying.

November 2012 - After a really bad overdose, Val is afraid for their future. Still living with their parents, Val has a heart to heart with his mum.

April 2013 - With his mum's help and some old teachers from high school willing to mentor him, Val applies to a residency program for aspiring journalists at Boston University.

June 2013 - Val is accepted into the program and moves to Boston, leaving Ireland for the first time since they were born.

2015 - After getting into another program for creative writing, begins to notice his eyes unfocusing, trouble reading whiteboards and street signs.

Late 2015 - Eye-doctor notices a stigmatism and has Val start to wear special prescription glasses.

2016 - Eyesight continues to decline. After seeing multiple specialists, he's diagnosed with early onset Macular Degeneration of his retinas.

Late 2016 - Val begins working on a manuscript for a middlegrade fantasy novel his mentors think he should send to agencies. This is called "Margot Sees Magic".

Early 2017 - Val's book is picked up by a major publisher and he's given a major book deal. He is now legally blind.

September 2017 - 'Margot Sees Magic' is published, and Val moves to NYC because of side journalism work and wanting to be closer to his editors.

2019 - The 2nd book in the series, "Margot Feels Magic" is published. While out celebrating, Val goes out to a few bars and strikes up conversations with Brotherhood members. After they all get drunk, he learns more about their cause and is intrigued by it. The journalism spark in their brain remains, and they exchange numbers.

2020 - Val is given an assistant as talks begin of film rights, more series, and possible world expansion for his books.

2021 - Overhearing some conversations in clubs, Val casually texts one of the old Brotherhood members they spoke to years ago. They continue to correspond as Val feeds any information they hear.

Late 2021 - Val's told that the info he supplied helped take down a traitor from within the Brotherhood who was stealing. Val feels really proud of this, that they were able to weed someone out.

2022 - Val takes on a more official role in the Brotherhood, given actual names of people to listen in on or to pick the brains of. Locations to go and sit and wait. Sometimes will work with other members to get information out of others, sweet-talking or helping get their guard down. Rarely, but occasionally, in hostage situations.