TOMAS DE VISSER | 28 | OWNER OF BARLEY & RYE
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Full Name:Β Tomas de Visser Nicknames:Β sometimes people just call him baker boy Birthday:Β June 28, 2097 Birthplace:Β Rotterdam, the Netherlands Current Home:Β Burnington Occupation:Β Owner and Baker of Barley & Rye Bakery, once a month Market Stall Vendor for new baked goods and pastries Religion:Β Atheist Orientation:Β Pansexual, Panromatic Status:Β Single MBTI:Β INFP, The Mediator (Turbulent) Enneagram:Β Type9 Wing1, The Dreamer Alignment:Β Neutral Good Zodiac:Β Cancer Face Claim:Β Assad Zaman
THE PHYSICALS
Height:Β 6'4" Build:Β Lean, Lanky Allergies:Β certain kinds of medical drugs in painkillers like paracetamol. Hair Colour:Β Black Eye Colour:Β Dark Brown Glass/Contacts:Β sometimes Dominant Hand:Β Right Tattoos:Β none, too chicken to get one, but maybe one day Scars:Β Burn scars mostly down his arms and hands from touching hot ovens and pans Piercings:Β none, he has a lil wonky earlobes and didn't think he could do piercings Outfit Clothing Style:Β Comfy light Sweaters, linen shirts, easy to roll up sleeves, baking apron always dusted with flour, gear pants, comfy sneakers. Also has a hair band that keeps his curls away from his face when he bakes. Anything that keeps him mobile and light on his feet to stand for hours on end.
THE ADDITIONALS
Spoken Languages:Β English / Dutch / French / Bengali Driverβs License:Β does a license to rip down the town in a bike counts, he's very talented Affiliation:Β Neutral Pets:Β Lil stray kitten, name to be determined
THE BIOGRAPHY
TW: death, parental death, coma
As gentle as the sea breeze and delicate as the lily fields - the aura of the boy was rimmed with sunshine kisses. Amongst chaos, he grew resilient to the harsh realities of the world, death, radiation, destruction. But in his world in the kitchen, Tomas only needed to concentrate on himself; he knew it was improper to stick oneβs nose in another business. And so he didnβt. He was a passive, obedient boy - well, a man but that was a stretch from his first impression. Boys like Tomas were made from stardust and melted with sugar, stirred together to create something pure and angelic. He was good in many aspects. His nimble fingers always spun the newest creations with a demure smile, shyness accentuated the planes of his fragile face. He was always used to fading into the background, quietly without a sound. Forgotten into the clutter of incoherent noises. But heβd remain, always existing with a mellow smile.
The poor thing was never meant for the end of the world.
In the last two decades, if youβve heard the loud and boisterous family of seven, youβd know of the small Dutch family-run bakery down the street in Burnington, the family of immigrants surviving the only way they knew how. The lively parents once wrangled together their five children bustling around in their kitchen, making bread and pastries every day, obnoxiously loud and constantly talking over each other. And Tomas sat in the middle of it all, literally as the middle child and as the peace in a scene of absolute discord. The Vissers loved to talk over one another, they loved basking in attention. While his four other siblings were always ready to butt heads at each other, Tomas steered out of the way, keeping to himself as his voice would barely break through their noisy arguments. He was a meek child who allowed others to dictate their intent upon him. And subserviently he agreed - more so out of fear of confrontation. From the puppy eyes his sisters would use on him to the aggression of the threats his brother would throw at him, he found a quick solution. It was easy, all he had to do was shut his mouth and nod.
But before coming here, they were the exact same across the ocean in their hometown in Rotterdam, a bakery set up from their great grandparents' time, passed down to the generations, the bakery stood tall, even before world war three. His family ran their local bakery with traditional Dutch pastries. Tomas had been kneading dough for as long as he could remember, since the moment he could stand. But it was honestly boring as he watched them follow routine day in day out, never quite experimenting with colors and flavors.
No one ever notices when Tomas disappears, so it was easy for six year old him to slip out once his bakery chores were done, roaming around the streets until a waft of buttery goodness caught his nose and he found himself in a different store, an old French lady baking desserts and pastries in ways heβs never seen before. He came back everyday quietly standing in the store watching her bake until she started teaching him the techniques she knew. For two years, those were the highlights of Tomasβ day, slipping out and back in before his family ever noticed he was gone. That was it, he thought he could build a dream of his own lil shop. One day she gave him one of her books that had everything she knew and a pack of his favorite pastries, as if part of her knew of the disaster that was going to hit the town.
They all held their ground in their home for as long as they could. He was still young, barely eight years old when it happened, it was honestly all a blur, he couldnβt quite understand the disaster that befell them, one of his siblings picking him up as the family packed up and ran. He himself held tightly onto the grannyβs book and pack of pastries, wondering what mightβve happened to her. There was a ship organized to head west, get out of the Netherlands and into new land, they followed the crowd on sea, on land until EAG took in the refugees, a small bunch of them with a guide reached Burnington, registered with the government.. and life on the go seemed to finally stop. And then all they could do.. was start anew. Building another bakery with their home above it like a shophouse, selling the same breads as they always did.
Other than that, most of Tomasβ life and memories have been in Burnington, only glimpses of it still remembered from Rotterdam. You would think adversity wouldβve been overcome by being here and setting up their new life, but disaster seemed to strike here all the same, the difference was the city seemed more resilient to fighting back. Tomas often stayed in the kitchen baking, which ironically might be the reason heβs still alive, for sure something in the world wouldβve killed him by now, man or otherwise. Though a lot of times mankind can be convinced by damn fucking good pastry.
His family, not as lucky, statistically bound to run into trouble. Half a decade ago losing their mother to one of the disasters that struck the city, his father suffering a heart attack a few years thereafter, or perhaps a broken heart, lying in the Afterglow hospital in a coma as they kept him alive but that was the best they could do. Tomas hadnβt expected the bakery ownership to fall into his hands out of all their siblings, the one no one bats an eye over. But perhaps there was a small part of this that proved his existence mattered to them. Heβs been the owner for the past five years, but had always been a face in the kitchen for the past twenty, more often than not, forgotten into the clutter of the bakery. But heβd remain, always existing with a mellow smile.
THE HEADCANONS
Other than their breads and baked goods, the de Vissers take their koffie seriously, their parents had a very particular way of selling coffee the Dutch way and it hasnβt changed in years, till this day still selling it the same way with a cookie on top to go. Of all the things Tomas has ideas to improve or change, the coffee is the one thing he doesnβt touch on their menu. No matter the time of day, as long as they are open (or Tomas is still in the shop), you can get a cup of koffie, guaranteed.
In the background Tomas has been diligently studying the book he once received as a kid, learning new ways to bake, techniques all over the world though he fell in love with the french ways, layers upon layers, the intricacies of every step, ironically may seem anxiety inducing but he was where he thrived. He spends a good portion of his time after all the bakery work is done, staying in the kitchen experimenting with new pastries and ideas. Cutting a deal to rent a stall from the central market once a month to try and sell so called experimental bakes from Barley & Rye, regulars will know to look out for Tomas on the first weekend of the month to see what strange things heβs come up with that month.
Tomas loved sketching and drawing out his new dessert ideas, going around the city and sitting around town to draw. In all those years, the ideas sat on paper and nothing else, until someone urged him to try it out, squeaking up a request for a small section to sell new pastries rather than just their traditional sourdoughs and baked goods. Sometimes when he sees them sell well, peeking from the kitchen in the back, it adds a lil skip in his step for the day. Now, heβs continued to sketch out ideas, taking commissions for cake orders, catering deals, and once a month takes a stall at the central market to sell new pastries without compromising the traditional bakes in the bakery.Β
Standing at a lanky 6β4β, Tomas has a way of standing out in a crowd and disappearing into a wallpaper at the same time, often clumsy especially when the nerves are getting to him, but when he steps into a kitchen, he has a quiet grace that canβt be found anywhere else.
His favorite French pastry is the Palmier, it's the first French pastry he's tried at that patisserie owned by the sweet old lady. Upon tasting the pastry, she pointed at it and said, βPalmier.β He broke into the biggest smile he could holding onto it, trying to ask if she could teach him how to make one. And she did, asking him to follow her to the kitchen, who could say no to those enthusiastic doe-eyes? Tomas not really understanding much of it being so young but he doodled everything she did and took down all the notes, and itβs one to never forget. Now every time he bakes it for the bakery and takes a bite into the bitter-sweet pastry it brings back the warm memory of sitting in that kitchen watching her bake with such love and joy.
With his home above the bakery, there aren't too many places Tomas really needed to go to every day. But when he does visit the farms for supplies or head to the market to buy fresh ingredients, he rides his bicycle everywhere, perhaps a habit or second nature really from where he came from, it never really went away, still finding it his most comfortable mode of transport. Itβs so much more refreshing compared to driving and definitely much less stressful, being on those trains and behind the wheel always makes him nervous. Even if it takes him ages, he doubts anyone could tear him away from his bicycle.
Recently a stray little kitten had come up to the bakeryβs doorsteps and Tomas took it in for shelter, easy to say sheβs made herself right at home now, sometimes if you visit the bakery you can encounter a furry new friend that escaped from the house above to bask in the sunlight, warmth of the ovens and smell of fresh bread, but kept far away from the baked goods and kitchen, Tomas makes sure of that.
THE WANTED CONNECTIONS
de Visser Siblings: Tomasβ family is a huge and rowdy one, two older siblings, two younger siblings, when they were all younger up and moving into a new country and new home, they were all hands on deck in the family business in the bakery. But as time went by, some siblings have their own ambitions, itβs hard to disagree that de Vissers are self interested, some left the business to do their own things, some still help with the bakery, some still stay together with Tomas at their home on the floor above the bakery, perhaps feeling like you deserved ownership of the bakery instead, or more than glad that the old burden wasnβt left to you, you can do anything you want with them!
Long Time Loyal Customers: The bakery has been set up as long as the family has moved here, in survival mode they simply brought all they knew from their own roots in the Netherlands and gone back into baking to make a living and survive. Some customers have been here since the beginning and never moved, to the point their orders are memorized, carefully packed aside personally unless said otherwise. These customers may have seen Tomas and the kids grow up, seen the way the bakery goods have changed since it had been passed down to the next generation, whether they like it or not, Tomas holds their opinions in high regards.
Central Marketβs Favorite Customer: Tomas often loves going into the market just to find new ingredients to use for new ideas, and unfortunately heβs one that finds it hard to say no and comes out with more than he planned. Still the man quietly comes up to every stall to softly talk about produce and a recognizable face over the years for buying ingredients from almost every vendor. Vendors that know Tomas purely from his daily strolls in the market for fresh ingredients.
Barley & Rye Staff: Sure in the past it was easy to use your own childrenβs manual labor to run a bakery, but as they grew up, it was easier to hire staff, people interested in learning the art of breads, pastries, the family has an extensive range of skillsets in the world of baking. In the other way around, Tomas also enjoys learning from the staff that may have learnt different methods from the traditions they knew. Now as the owner, heβs more than happy to incorporate new ideas and be open to different bakes. Heβs also quite an easy boss to step over and take advantage of, if anyone calls in sick, heβll simply quietly tank the work himself, thus needing a good manager to help him put their foot down on certain things, because he certainly wonβt. But no matter what heβll take good care of all the staff.
Mentor: Tomas honestly learnt most things in life simply by observing. Never given a second thought to be taught anything specifically, for time to be spent on him. He simply.. picked up the whisk and learnt from there. But over the years, there had been mentors in life of his, in trade or in life. Someone Tomas looks up to a lot and values them almost like a parental figure.
Guinea Pigs Taste Testers: Tomas loves experimenting with pastries and sweets and bakes, while the bakery has been stood tall on tradition and never changing recipes, on the side in a small corner of the shop and sometimes setting up a stall at the market, Tomas would display a few of his new desserts and pastries on sale, sometimes raising eyebrows for a weird combination. These are people that he would go to to try his work, taste test to make sure they were good, his anxiety would make him go a few rounds just to make sure. Once confident enough in them, once a month heβll have a stall at the central market to help sell bread, and his new range of sweet treats.
Bully: Tomas is very bulliable. Sometimes people just canβt help it. A doormat that doesnβt talk back and doesnβt have a spine, you could kick him while heβs down and heβll apologize for being in your way. The only time heβs self assured in a quiet confidence is in his kitchen baking away. But outside of that? Itβs hard to not see him and feel bad for the guy on the street. Or hard to not get on his nerves knowing he never reacts.
