pinned !!
❀ *ﾟ michael b jordan. thirty-one. nonbinary. they/them. demisexual aries. ⇝ looks like donovan ‘ donnie ’ barlowe blew in about two & a half years ago and never left. they’ve proven themselves to be genuine & understanding, but being flighty & distrustful is their downfall. it’s only fitting that what a catch, donnie by fall out boy is playing when they leave the motel, where they live on the RV lot. rumor has it that they began fighting illegally to make ends meet, wonder if that’s why the assistant manager at giant food store & up-and-coming boxer moved out of their place in ashburn, virginia.
( trigger warnings for abuse, homelessness, mugging, mentions of violence / fighting. )
name: donovan ‘ donnie ’ barlowe. age: thirty - one. birth date: april 10th, 1990. orientation: demisexual, demiromantic. hometown: ashburn, virginia. occupation: assistant manager at giant food store, up - and - coming boxer. siblings: older half - sister. relationship status: single. children: none.
aesthetic: dirty punk shows, busted lips and bloodied teeth, running on two hours of sleep in three days, a rush of adrenaline.
BACKGROUND.
— the funny thing about donnie’s life growing up is that, despite all the bullshit, they’d still consider it pretty fucking boring. almost expected, even. they never knew their parents, having been handed over to their grandfather before they were two years old ; and that man did his damnedest to make donnie’s life a living hell. — no matter what they did, it was never good enough. they were never good enough. every harsh blow and slurred word thrown their way left a sense of emptiness, a void they weren’t sure could be filled. and emptiness caused restlessness. they wanted to go. they didn’t know where, just ... somewhere. anywhere. — it started gradually, their staying out late. until they began staying out the entire night all together. it wasn’t much, but it was something. for a little while, running around late at night, without a single fuck to be given, filled that void. the second their grandfather found out, however, that hole in their chest was torn open again. — as if all that shit wasn’t enough, as luck would have it, one of their nightly outings turned sour. and really, they figure that’s what they get for hanging around the seedy skate park when they thought they were alone. nothing puts shit into perspective like a knife to the throat while a stranger takes all your shit. — it made them feel weak. helpless. more than their grandfather ever did. and yeah, something kinda changed in donnie that day. sparked something within them, and gave them something to pursue. something to distract them from all the shit. boxing was their best bet. training. hell, they were still young, but they could at least start.
— when they were sixteen, they found out about their half - sister. by chance, something they had heard in passing when they weren’t supposed to, whispered words among other family members. and those whispers weren’t enough. it wasn’t easy, finding their sister, but it was worthwhile. — the first time they met, donnie was nearly scared shitless. every other experience with family hadn’t been great and so, they’d set their expectations low. maybe it’s because they were so low that they were blown completely out of the water. their sister was the first person to show them genuine kindness. to ignore all the other bullshit and treat them like family. — at eighteen, they moved out of their grandfather’s house and into their sister’s. working odd jobs in an attempt to help out. it didn’t feel like much, it didn’t feel like enough, but at least it was something. — living with their sister gave them the chance to get serious about their training. although she didn’t necessarily approve at first, it was obvious to see just how passionate they were about it. after so many years of being beaten down, it was time for them to take their stand, and who was she to deny them that ?
— restlessness hit again around twenty - five, and donnie found themselves packing their bags. they had enough money saved up to handle themselves for a little while, and that was all they needed. things were different now. they could actually take care of themselves now, y’know ? it wasn’t about running from something anymore, but to it. they just don’t know what they’re running towards yet. — they spent years couch surfing, hanging out in bars and seedy clubs that housed people donnie could consider family. it might not have seemed like much, but despite it all, it was the first time they felt they truly belonged somewhere.
— the move to point pleasant was never meant to be temporary but after three years, they haven’t left. they don’t know if they’ve found what they’re running to. they aren’t sure if they’ve found the place they truly belong yet, but it’s something. it’s something, and that’s what they keep telling themselves. they have family here. the people they care about are here. is it so bad if they decide to stay a little while ?
TIDBITS.
— donnie met cyrek when they were young, at a punk show, and the two clicked instantly. ever since, cyrek has been donnie’s ride or die. if there’s one person in this world that donnie would trust with their life, it’d be cyrek. — donnie looks up to heather as much as they do their sister. they had sought her out once they were serious about their training, unable to imagine anyone else as their mentor. even if they give her absolute hell sometimes. — they’re very, very heavy into the punk scene and have been since their teens. it’s where they’ve met some of the best people in their life. it’s the kind of lifestyle they always wanna be a part of, it makes them feel at home.
