danmolinahsu

[danmolinahsu]

closed: @benitoxherrera location: the whiskey barrel

Even though it'd only been about three months since Daniel came back to his hometown, he was already becoming familiar with some of the locals, new and old. It was one of those somber days at work, however, and he needed a drink to take the edge off. The Whiskey Barrel never failed. Plus, they had a little stray cat that he liked to check up on often for them. Stepping inside and taking a seat at the bar, he waved at Benny. "Hey," he greeted out loud. "How's everything? How's Pickle Juice doing?" It was a ridiculous name for a cat, he knew, but it was basically Benny's cat, no matter how much the man denied it.

[danmolinahsu]

INTRO— daniel molina-hsu

STATS.

full name: daniel molina-hsu

nickname(s): dan, danny (by family only)

age/dob: 35 / march 20, 1990

gender: cis man

pronouns: he/him

sexuality: bisexual

hometown: blackstone ridge, tx

district: downtown

occupation: veterinary tech at main street pet care

relationship status: single

traits: + compassionate, intuitive, responsible / - emotional, reserved, serious-minded

time in blackstone ridge: his whole life intermittently, back full-time for 3 months

fc: justin h. min

(tw for mentions of child neglect, illness, abandonment, foster system, adoption)

BIO.

born in blackstone ridge, daniel could hardly remember his early years. his biological parents immigrated from south korea and they weren't the most attentive. he contracted meningitis when he was still a baby, slowly becoming deaf in his left ear (and eventually losing some hearing in his right). that led him being put into the foster care system, and as far as he knew, his parents had skipped town. he jumped around a few foster homes, unable to connect with any of the families. the older he got, the less of a chance there was for him to get adopted.

he went to live with the molina-hsu's at age 14. it was his fourth foster home, but he didn't even unpack his bags, figuring that he wouldn't be here for long. at first, he was quiet, since he mainly communicated with asl. his foster mothers were patient, however, and they seemed rather involved in their children's lives. he grew particular close to soren roque, which made him open up some, even if they were polar opposites. with the family, daniel was able to experience a lot of new things he didn't get to do, like pride festivals and the zoo and summer trips. he even saw some doctors to get fitted for hearing aids, which honestly changed his life and it made him think highly of his foster moms. it wasn’t long before they asked to adopt him. and for the first time, he felt loved and genuinely wanted. he decided to take their last names.

with the love and care he was given, daniel shared that kindness. he was specially interested in animals, always bringing home a wounded bird or lost kitten. while he thought of himself as the responsible one of his siblings, he simply couldn't refuse to help the sick or injured creatures he came across--they brought out a softer side out of him when he was usually so serious.

he always knew that he wanted to be a veterinarian, so he studied hard in his ap and honors classes while volunteering at the local animal shelter on the weekends. after graduation, he decided to go to college in new york. it was terrifying to be away from his family for the first time in his life, but he wanted the experience of being somewhere new. there, he explored his bisexuality, meeting his partner. they got a little shoebox apartment together while he did his externship and passed the national exam. life was good for a while.

and then he got the call about soren. he needed to get home, there was no question about it. he and his partner argued about it a lot--they didn't want to uproot their life to texas, of all places, but daniel couldn't just not help his brother. once he heard that soren was back in blackstone in january, he made arrangements to leave without his partner knowing. with a poorly-written text message, he got on his flight and didn't look back.

for the first few weeks, he stayed with his moms and soren, helping around the house and taking care of his brother till he was able to get a job at the local vet clinic and found a place downtown, wanting to stay close but have his own space.

it's been 3 months since daniel left his life in new york, and even though he's carrying the guilt and shame for leaving his partner and his friends and old job, family comes first for him. they always will. he's beginning to wonder if he could truly be his own person without them.

[danmolinahsu]

CHARACTER - BASICS

Name: Daniel Molina-Hsu

Faceclaim: Justin H. Min

Age / Birthday: 35 / March 20, 1990

Gender / Pronouns: cis man / he/him

Hometown: Blackstone Ridge, Texas

Occupation: Veterinary Technician at Main Street Pet Care

District of Residence: Downtown

Time in Blackstone Ridge: His whole life intermittently, back full-time for 3 months

trigger warnings: none

CHARACTER - BACKGROUND

What is the one place your muse feels most at home, and what does this place mean to them?

It wasn't a place, but it was a person. Well, two people, actually. Daniel's adoptive mothers were his home. They meant love, and care, and safety for him. While he was the second eldest, he was an older foster child, hopping from family to family before he arrived at the household of Molina-Hsu. No one wanted a child who was hard of hearing, least of all his own parents. This was probably the fourth home, right in Blackstone, and he didn't even unpack his things, assuming that he'd be unwanted here, as well. However, the mothers were patient. He slowly got to know them, even though he barely spoke out loud. He was taken care of, looked after. Eventually he came around once he saw that they not only cared for him, but for all of their children, and any child who walked through door. They were his home, and adopting him only solidified that, so obviously he had to take their last name.

What would you say is your muse’s biggest motivation or desire, and how does this impact their decision-making?

If Daniel had to admit it, which he never would (out loud, anyway), his biggest motivation was his family. Simple as that. The years he'd been loved and supported by them more than made up for the first few crappy years of his life. Sure, some of them (ahem, Soren) were a pain in his ass sometimes, but they truly made him want to be a better person. He always felt like he had to be the responsible one, so he often took himself seriously. Maybe a little too serious. He even quit his job and moved back into town once he heard that Soren was injured. He wanted to stay close to be able to help, even if he was a little overbearing about it, but it made the most sense for him. He'd sacrifice his own life and happiness if it meant that his mothers and siblings were okay. Even if it meant leaving his long-term partner with a lazy text message, taking the first flight back to Blackstone.

Does your muse struggle to admit when they make a mistake, or are they quick to own up to it? Does it matter who they’re admitting it to, or how big the mistake is?

Whenever it came to admitting mistakes, Daniel could be extremely stubborn about it. Being the second oldest, he felt like there was no room for mistakes. He had to keep the family somewhat structured and organized for their own good. Of course, he was still flawed, but it was difficult for him to own up to it. He tended to deny or not say anything at all, keeping it tight to his chest, letting it simmer till it'd boil over and he'd have to say something. Being the closest to Soren while growing up, he was usually the one Daniel would go to if something was really wrong.

[danmolinahsu]

JUSTIN H. MIN in SHORTCOMINGS (2023) directed by Randall Park | written by Adrian Tomine

[danmolinahsu]

Justin H. Min for Contentmode (ph: David-Simon Dayan)

[danmolinahsu]

DANIEL MOLINA-HSU (justin h. min) — 35, he/him, bisexual, hoh, vet tech at main street pet care penned by b for blackstoneridge

intro / visage / musings / threads