#aspen.intro

[miscrexnts]

MICAH FAULKNER, who looks a little like RUDY PANKOW ? i hear he is a 23 year old CIS MAN who works as a EMPLOYEE AT SAWYER'S BAIT & TACKLE SHOP who has been in town for TWENTY THREE YEARS. they aren't a member of one of aspen creek's founding families. you can usually find them at CREEKSIDE HAVEN or THE BACK ALLEY BREW. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of HAND ROLLED CIGARETTES, INITIALS CAVED INTO A POCKET KNIFE, SITTING WITH FRIENDS HALF DRUNKEN UNDER A FULL MOON, THE WEIGHT OF A BLOODLINE IN DISREPUTE, THE CRACKLING OF HIS DIRT BIKE ECHOING AROUND TOWN; A SYMPHONY OF FAULTY MECHANICS WORKING IN OVERDRIVE. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through.

      `      — STATISTICS.

name : micah nicholas faulkner . nicknames : mike, but prefers micah. date of birth : september 3, 2001. age : 23. gender : cis man. pronouns : he / him. sexuality : heterosexual. birth place : aspen creek. current residence : creekside haven. occupation : employee at sawyer's bait & tackle shop. faceclaim : rudy pankow. height : 6'0". build : lean. piercings : ear lobes. notable traits : charismatic, penitent, reserved, reckless. moral alignment : chaotic neutral. mbti : enfj. deadly sin : wrath. ailments : alcoholism, cannabis dependency, insomnia, anxiety disorder & a panic disorder. likes : photography, old film, disposable cameras, dad rock, sour gummies, horror films, fishing, motocross.

      `      — A BRIEF STUDY.

(tw for child neglect, emotional and physical abuse) a study in emotional pain and low self - esteem stemming from an unhappy childhood, parents' disappointed voices in both ears reminding him he'd never be good enough, forcing their hopes and dreams on their son and then berating him when he underachieved or failed. the neighbors are used to the constant yelling and fighting, but did they know that bruises litter skin hidden by tattered baggy shirts and self - blame? because no matter how hard he tried he couldn't quite please them. a study into the progression of a child hurt by their entire world, growing through milestones all alone, tears stain dry palms as baby blue irises flicker over a past version of himself's excitement circling his birthday, now past and forgotten. the feeling of yearning from a child that studies the crowd of parents in the stands at school events until he's the last one left and they never showed up. the panicked flinching at the slam of a cupboard or door, and slipping through the bedroom window to avoid confrontation. the missed parent - teacher interviews that could have helped him excel but they already knew what to expect, no point wasting their time. a chapter of unconsciously acting out for attention, finding trouble at every corner and welcoming those encounters. faint and faded scarring from steel handcuffs that confined and forced him to take ownership of his actions, a bad seed in the picturesque town of aspen creek. he lives with a friend by the age of sixteen, only returning home when he needs something. dreams of college remain as dreams when he steps into adulthood, returning for an additional year of high school because of failure but succeeding with a bit of extra help. a study in wanting to be good but life just isn't letting him. a story about wanting to be more than what you are, to give love and to feel love, but fearing the abandonment that follows the loss of love, so you bury your true feelings in favor of protecting your already damaged heart.

[rorycohens]

hey, isn’t that AURORA “RORY” COHEN, who looks a little like VICTORIA PEDRETTI? i hear SHE is a TWENTY-NINE year old CIS WOMAN who works as a PASTRY CHEF & OWNER OF SUGARPLUM TREATS who has been in town for HER ENTIRE LIFE. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at CLOVERFIELD LANE or THE FARMER’S MARKET. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of THE SMELL OF FRESHLY BAKED BREAD, A HEART LOCKET WITH THE PICTURE OF A LOVED ONE, AUTUMN LEAVES CRACKING UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET, LOVE LETTERS KEPT INSIDE A SECRET BOX, FLOUR DUST IN YOUR HAIR. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw for infidelity, pregnancy, divorce.

FULL NAME: aurora may cohen. NICKNAMES: rory, ror. FAMILY: mayor benjamin cohen ( father ), catherine cohen ( mother ). tba ( twin brother ), avi cohen ( younger sibling ). everly, atticus, daphne & hailey cohen-levy ( cousin ). CHILDREN: june cohen ( 3 year old daughter ). PETS: sookie st. james ( pitbull ). AGE: twenty-nine. DATE OF BIRTH: february 27th. ZODIAC: pisces. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual, biromantic. OCCUPATION: pastry chef & owner of sugarplum treats.

about aurora.

Aurora May Cohen arrived in this world on a chilly February afternoon, minutes after her twin brother, to two high school sweethearts. Their mom married into one of Aspen Creek’s founding families and the couple had the privilege of raising their three kids in the best part of town, the gated community of Maple Grove. Their mom was well-studied and their father was getting ready to join the family business in politics, so you could say they pretty much had it all growing up. There’s not much to be said about Rory’s childhood other than the fact it was damn near perfect. She had loving parents and a twin brother to share every important memory with. Eventually, the youngest of them arrived and the Cohen bunch was complete. 

Growing up, Rory was always outgoing, warm and incredibly charismatic. It was easy for her to make friends but her most loyal companion was her twin brother — the two were often seen together, they were inseparable from the womb. When one was sick, the other would usually be too. When one was left heartbroken, the other would be sat by their side for days. He was her best friend in the world and that hasn’t changed one bit over the years.

Aurora is as ambitious as could be and you could say she got that from her father. Benjamin always shot for the stars, pushed by a father who was adamant about keeping the Cohen’s in politics — they have been for generations and his offspring wouldn’t let him down. Rory doesn’t remember much of her grandfather, as he passed when she was only five, but she can see the damage he’s done in Ben, who despite having a charming personality and being a loving father, could be somewhat distant at times. The Cohen family have always been present within the community, not only for the involvement with the politics of town, but also for their cocktail and dinner parties thrown at their mansion within the gates of Maple Grove. They were the example of a perfect white picket fence family. For a while, at least.

Rory supposes their troubles started when her father began his run for mayor. The fights between her parents, that once didn’t exist, became a regular thing and dinners would be interrupted most nights. She wasn’t around to see the rest of it unfold as she left town to study in Seattle, pursuing her degree in the Culinary Arts. Despite her heart telling her to stay behind for the sake of her younger sibling, she knew her twin brother would take care of them for the both of them. And she couldn’t allow her dreams to pass her by. She spent four years away but never stopped checking in on her siblings. She knew sometimes she could be somewhat overbearing but she cared too much about them. Eventually, somewhere between those four years of college, her father became the mayor of Aspen Creek with the cost of his marriage hanging on by a thread. Meanwhile, hours away from home, Aurora fell in love for the first time in her life while in college.

She fell hard and quickly, she felt as if she was in a dream, so blissfully unaware of her problems back home when she was with them. Their romance bloomed and when she had her degree in hands, she decided to stay in Seattle and the two moved in together, after spontaneously getting married. Only a few months in and she found out she was pregnant. June was born and they decided to stay in Seattle, raise their daughter in the big city. But it only took Aurora less than a year to regret that, knowing that things could be much better and less chaotic for them if they lived in a small town, as she had. The marriage took a huge blow after that, with her husband being stubborn and refusing to go with her. Lawyers were involved but the divorce hasn’t been finalized, still Aurora took her daughter with her and they moved back to Aspen Creek. 

Feeling lost, she called her brother, the one person she knew that she could trust in that moment. He booked her a flight and she returned home. Aurora didn’t really know what to do during that time and stayed with her twin brother for a few months until she was able to get back on her feet. She did eventually, though, she moved out of her brother’s place and got herself a nice house of her own in Cloverfield Lane. She started to get back in touch with her family, and her father even helped her buy her bakery, Sugarplum Treats, but the perfectly crafted image of the perfect family was shattered when Ms. Davis-Scott broke the news of the mayor’s affair. Small town news travel fast, and before they knew it, the local news started to report the entire situation. Ben Cohen, “trying to save his marriage”, was caught with his receptionist and that was the end of it. 

It’s been five months since the scandal and Rory still refuses to speak to her father, not even allowing him to see his only granddaughter. It’s been a year and a half since she’s been back and she’s still trying to deal with everything that’s happened since, between her own separation and her parents’ divorce, she’s just trying to get by. She’s slowly but surely getting control of her life back and the new addition to her family, a mixed pitbull named Sookie St. James, was the first step. But despite all of that, Aurora’s personality hasn’t changed and she still tries to see the good in people, carrying on with a smile on her face. 

[vergllas]

hey, isn’t that ANGELENE CONTI GIBSON, who looks a little like ELIZABETH DEBICKI? i hear SHE is a THIRTY-EIGHT year old WOMAN who works as an OWNER OF ELEVATE FITNESS who has been in town for TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROOVE or LA BELLA VITTA. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of A SLENDER NECK ADORNED WITH PALE PEARLS, ICY BLONDE WISPS OF HAIR PERFECTLY PULLED IN A BUN, THE FAINT SCENT OF WHITE OLEANDERS. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

𝑩𝑰𝑹𝑻𝑯 𝑵𝑨𝑴𝑬 : angelene conti, now gibson. 𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑨𝑺 / 𝑵𝑰𝑪𝑲𝑵𝑨𝑴𝑬 : none, you are to addressed by her full name, or don't even bother. 𝑨𝑮𝑬 : 38 𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑩𝑰𝑹𝑻𝑯 : 3rd of august 𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹 + 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑵𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑺: cis woman, she/her 𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑻𝑨𝑳 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑻𝑬 : married 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 : maple groove, aspen creek 𝑶𝑪𝑪𝑼𝑷𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵: trophy wife, housewife, owner of elevate fitness , co-owner of gibson & co boutique, cunty mom 𝑬𝑫𝑼𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 : bachelor's degree in anthropology 𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑲𝑬𝑵 𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑼𝑨𝑮𝑬𝑺 : italian and english

brief spark notes.

originally born and raised in washington, d.c. moved to aspen creek with her parents around the time she was 10. her parents always pushed her to be the best, but for the first couple of years, she felt like such a foreign body in north carolina, despite also coming from a wealthy family.

as much as she tried to sell a certain image, getting pregnant as a teenager ( the age may be subject to change if necessary ) really threw her off-kilter, and forced angelene to rebrand the picture she was trying to sell.

was always the type of mother who had everything under control. her clothes were never dirty, but always prim and proper and ironed to perfection, her make-up was always done and no strand of hair was ever allowed to go astray. she was a woman carved from marble, a paragon of discipline, cold and untouchable. she never baked nor did any chores, but still made sure that her house always smelled clean.

despite having a child so young, she earned a degree in anthropology and finished her education, though she never really used it for anything other than decoration.

known for many things, such as being a little blonde cunty mom, who always has her nose high up in the air. does pilates regularly, has a personal trainer, runs marathons, plays tennis, dines out and buys too many shoes at once. if you dare to cut, she's the type to bleed blue ( in a place like aspen ).

with that being said, she does very much love her daughter and attempts to show that love in any way that she can. you know, she may be a bitch to others, but she still cares for her baby too much.

truly the queen of aspeen creek's trophy wives and housewives. she even owns a business on the side that loses like 10 k per year. just kidding.

[stickseascn]

hey, isn’t that JOSEPHINE “JOEY” DAVIS-SCOTT, who looks a little like ALYCIA DEBNAM-CAREY? i hear SHE is a THIRTY-TWO year old CIS WOMAN who works as CO-OWNER OF THE CRYSTAL RIDGE WINERY who has been in town for HER ENTIRE LIFE. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at WILLOW STREET or CRYSTAL RIDGE WINERY. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of LEATHER JACKETS, SOFT SMILES BENEATH HEAVY EYELINER, AND A HEART THAT’S TOUGH BUT EASILY BRUISED. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

basics

full name: josephine davis-scott nickname: jo, joey age: 32 years old date of birth: august 21st, 1992 zodiac sign: leo sun, cancer moon, aries rising gender & pronouns: cis woman & she/her sexuality: bisexual occupation: co-owner of crystal ridge winery; manages social media for the winery and the davis-scott bed & breakfast; photographer; painter

family

mother: evelyn davis-scott father: james davis-scott sibligns: tba davis-scott, tba davis-scott, harlow davis-scott, penelope davis-scott nephews: alice reeves, teddy li, tba, tba, tba

personality

mbti: ESFP-A (the entertainer) moral alignment: chaotic neutral temperament: sanguine parallels: jess o'brien (chesapeake shores), pacey witter and jen lindley (dawson's creek), brooke davis (one tree hill)

about

she’s the youngest child in the davis-scott family and often felt a bit out of place among everyone -- her older siblings, nieces, and nephews, many of whom were born just a few years after joey herself. her house was always bustling, whether with family or the guests at the davis-scott bed & breakfast, where she spent most of her childhood and teenage years.

despite her outwardly extroverted nature, joey often felt lonely. that’s part of why amara has been so important to her ever since they met in kindergarten. the two girls have been inseparable ever since, navigating middle school, high school, and college in raleigh together, then amara’s pregnancy, and ultimately opening the crystal ridge winery side by side.

spotify wrapped

stick season - noah kahan

dirty little secret - the all-american rejects

don't tell me - avril lavigne

thnks fr th mmrs - fall out boy

the middle - jimmy eat world

hanging by a moment - lifehouse

the best of me - the starting line

disease - matchbox twenty

she will be loved - maroon 5

love song - sara bareilles

i'm a slave 4 u - britney spears

like a prayer - madonna

come clean - hilary duff

bleeding love - leona lewis

like a boy - ciara

since u been gone - kelly clarkson

i hate this part - the pussycat dolls

wanted connections / plots

exes: someone from high school or college. ideally, i’d love a dynamic similar to pacey and joey from dawson’s creek -- where jo takes on the pacey role lol. they’ve disliked each other since childhood, but things started to shift when they entered high school, and something romantic developed. however, it all abruptly ended before college. now, they've crossed paths again and are trying to convince themselves they can still be friends, but it's not easy being friends with someone you once loved.

work-related plots: people joey has worked with before, or is about to collaborate with. she’s a photographer and a painter with an impressive portfolio. she photographs events, weddings, parties—basically anything. in addition, she teaches a few free art and photography classes, particularly for kids.

some kind of enemies: joey is known for her abrasive personality. she’s outspoken and isn’t afraid to defend her ideas, no matter who she’s talking to. maybe your muse doesn’t like how blunt she is, or they have opposing views. it would be fun to have an enemy in such a small town. this conflict could be something recent or something that dates back to their school days.

[musings-ofmuses]

hey, isn’t that DAPHNE “PHE” COHEN-LEVY, who looks a little like MAUDE APATOW? i hear SHE is a TWENTY-FIVE year old CIS WOMAN who works as a SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER @ ASPEN CREEK TOWN HALL who has been in town for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at SUNNYVALE COMMONS or THE BACK ALLEY BREW. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of DANCING UNDER METEOR SHOWERS, PASTEL RETRO SWEATERS COVERED IN PATCHES, THE SMELL OF SAGE AND LAVENDER, AND THE GLOW OF THE TV PLAYING 90S VIDEO GAMES. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

Full Name: Daphne Angeline Cohen-Levy Nickname(s): Phe, Daph, Phi-Phi (Cohen family only) Age: 25 Birthday: September 3rd, 1999 Astrological Sign: Virgo Place of Birth: Aspen Creek, North Carolina *Parents: Mother (50+) and Father (50+) *Siblings: Older Sibling(s) (26+) and one Younger Sibling (21-24) Children: N/A Pets: Dionysus “Dio�� (6-year-old Ragdoll cat), Nyx (2 ½-year-old Oriental Shorthair cat), and Purrsephone “Sephie” (4-month-old Ragdoll cat) *Relationships: Ex-Boyfriend(s) (wanted connection) and Current FWB & Possible Romance (wanted connection) Scars: Three small scars from having her gallbladder removed Tattoos: N/A Other Physical Distinctions: Many prominent birthmarks all over her body Sexual Orientation & Gender: Heterosexual and Heteroromantic ;; Cis Female Occupation: Social Media Manager and Events Photographer for the Town of Aspen Creek

bullet points

• tw: mention of broken bones, medical issues, chronic illness •

○ summer was still hanging in the air as the clocks turned to midnight. at that moment, on friday september 3rd, 1999, daphne angeline cohen-levy was welcomed into the world on her exact due date. that ‘fun fact’ seemingly predicted her future, as she grew into a child that thrived off perfection and preciseness.

○ before she was able to make a stake for herself in the cohen-levy family, daphne was soon thrust into the dreaded middle child role; always feeling overlooked and underappreciated. the constant feeling of both being too old to get away with her frankly normal childhood behavior yet being too young to participate in activities her older sibling(s) could persist even into her adulthood. it feels as if she is always being told by her parents that she's not accomplished enough but she can't possibly know what's best for her because she's 'so young'.

○ since she began to talk, daphne has had some kind of nickname. in her younger years, it was phi phi (a name that has lingered in the family's lexicon much to her dismay). middle school? daph. and though daph still sticks around, for the majority of people she is known as phe.

○ even if it was only one part of her hyphenated last name, phe grew up knowing the weight bearing the 'cohen' name meant in town. it was a status symbol; there had to be a reason her mom kept it after her marriage, right? but it also carried an expectation. they were virtually the pseudo-figureheads of the town. the last thing phe wanted to do was rock the boat. this self-induced (but also slightly parentally implied) pressure fueled the girl's already existing proclivity towards perfectionism.

○ they say you're either a horse girl, a mermaid girl or a princess girl growing up but phe opted for a secret forth option: the dancer girl. thank you for the music by abba must have been written about her since it seemed that she too had truly been dancing before she could walk. phe was balletcore before it was trendy (just ask her childhood bedroom: tacky mid 00's hot pink ballerina silhouettes splashed across her sheets and any bit of merch that said 'dance' was the vibe all day, every day) . by the age of two she was placed in dance classes, and the cohen-levy parents knew they were never looking back. phe's whole heart and soul lived in dance. there was nowhere she felt more free nor more herself than in a dance studio

○ her love of dance and horribly competitive nature that thrived off the need to be the best at everything poised phe perfectly to enter the competitive dance world. she started going for titles at six with her dance company's elite team and would prove to be a reliable winner as the years went on. the girl has lost count of how many titles she has won and is currently storing at least three rubbermaid boxes full of trophies and crowns in her parents' attic (since only so many will fit in her small apartment). 'first place' was like her drug. the young girl would wind herself up into such horrible, anxious knots wondering what she did wrong if she was even a tenth of a place below first. that's why she tried to land there as little as possible.

○ when she wasn't at competition, phe was shut up in her room playing all the classic cozy games. her summer nights and free weekends were filled with whatever sims or harvest moon game was out at the time. to this day, she still can be found with a blanket wrapped around her, a bowl of chips by her side and her little virtual life on the screen in front of her.

○ she is also a blossoming cat lady. she has three currently and they are her pride and joy.

○ despite pushback from her parents, phe decided to major in dance. she hoped to continue in competitions for a while and soon transition into either performing with a ballet company or owning her own studio. however, at nationals during her third semester, there was a part in her dance where she went down to one knee. everything before that was going swimmingly; a shoo-in for first place. when that knee hit the stage though, all phe remembers was hearing a loud crack and feeling as if her entire leg had exploded. she was soon whisked away to the hospital where they discovered her kneecap had completely shattered, requiring her to get a full knee replacement. 'devastated' wasn't a strong enough word for the feelings that overcame her when she found out she couldn't dance for at least a year after the surgery.

○ but everyone in her family had one question on their minds: how did a completely healthy nineteen-year-old's knee completely shatter from a simple landing? well, after extensive and invasive testing, the culprit was revealed: systemic lupus erythematosus causing osteoporosis. it made sense; she had been feeling achier than usual (chalked up to her getting older and less flexible as she grew), got exhausted so quickly (usually blamed on lack of sleep or doing too much), and was starting to see a rash pop up across her cheeks (which was misdiagnosed as eczema). she thought the year ban on dance, though? once she heard her doctors recommend she not do any professional dancing ever again at the risk of her doing irreparable damage to herself as he condition continued to progress, the sound of her heart shattering felt louder than hearing her literal bone split open. her whole life had been planned by her since she was seven. and now? she had to start back at square one.

○ after a gap year of healing (and moping. and crying. and wallowing), phe went back to school to get her social media marketing degree at the suggestion of her parents (most jobs would accommodate her body becoming less mobile over the years as her lupus progressed). if this was the path her life was to take, it was time to throw everything she had into starting off on the right foot. getting both her BA and MA in social media marketing plus getting a 4.0 GPA both times was absolutely a coping method for losing her past love.

○ being a part of the cohen family meant getting a job at town hall wasn't the hardest thing in the world. plus, this role (that may have been made for her) was supposed to be easy. it was basically getting town news out online in a fun, aesthetic, and trendy way. her older coworkers were glad to have someone who actually majored in all of that 'tech nonsense' to deal with what they saw was frivolous. unable to do the bare minimum, though, phe has also dedicated herself to completely recoding the town's website and has volunteered to be the events photographer (a class she added on for credits in undergrad that became a side hobby for her). again, see how we used the word supposed?

○ when the shoe (aka news of her uncle's (the MAYOR's) affair) dropped, work suddenly got very stressful. she had to sift through all of the comments, deleting and banning people left and right. phones rung every hour of the day, asking for a comment. and now? now she has to do full seo damage control.

○ though she is being held together by a string with the structural integrity of one of her most worn pointe shoe's laces, phe puts on a front of complete calm and perfection. she's had years of practice, after all. does she spend nights at the bar to just get away from the chaos and let loose a little too often? maybe. but that's okay. she can keep it together just a bit longer. the gossip train can't last forever, right? .....right?

wanted connections/plots

any and all, please! she is a very new muse and subject to change so please feel free to reach out <3

[avicohens]

full name: jordan avi cohen nicknames: avi age: 25 (july 28, 1999) zodiac sign: leo gender/pronouns: cis man, he/him sexual orientation: bisexual hometown: aspen creek, nc occupation: digital media manager for the mayor's office / filmmaker financial status: upper middle class current residence: moved back in with his parents in maple grove time in blue harbor: born and raised, left in 2021, returned may 2024 family: benjamin cohen (father), tba cohen (mother), aurora cohen (older sister), ezra cohen (older brother)

a picture-perfect household, scarily stock photo-esque in department store picture frames, avi was born to a legacy family in aspen creek, north carolina with kind, loving parents and a set of older siblings who were basically his guardian angels growing up.

he has always been a ecclectic kid with a myriad of interests that his parents nurtured. everything, from drum lessons to skateboarding to painting... however, avi's one great love would always be cinema. movies were a quick and easy way to get a hyperactive young avi to settle down and get him out of everyone's hair when he was being a nuisance trying to get his family's attention— his father buried in paperwork, his mother too-occupied with her own business, his older siblings trying to get copy each other's homework. the nanny would just plop him in front of a tv with a movie on, any movie, and you'll have a well-behaved child in no time.

with that being said, his first official venture in filmmaking all started the moment his mother put a camcorder in his hand as a gift for his 7th birthday after he'd incessantly asked for one so he can recreate Ant Bully (2006) with an ant farm he'd asked for from his dad.

ever since then, he's been telling stories and creating worlds behind a lens, which was the perfect avenue for letting his imagination run wild. and while his family indulged and supported this passion of his, it became clearer, especially as he grew older, that this was meant to be no more than a hobby.

his father had tried steering his older siblings towards a career in politics, much like those that came before him, however, the twins proved more stubborn than anticipated, each pursuing their own path, leaving avi to absorb the often not-so gentle nudging from their father towards politics.

at 18, avi moved out for the first time to attend the university of pennsylvania where he majored in marketing & communications while also being heavily involved in the school's film club, often hanging out with the film students and getting involved in their projects.

shortly after graduating, avi then moved to LA where a friend of his helped him get a job as an assistant script supervisor for a tv show, working his way up towards script supervisor, then assistant director. he was halfway through principal photography of a pretty big movie when he was called back home by his mother to support the family in a time of crisis: his father was caught having an affair with his assistant (and his brother's best friend), throwing the family in the eye of a treacherous scandal.

avi had no choice but to drop out of the film and move back into his childhood home in maple grove both as a way to offer support for his mother as well as to further strengthen the image of a once great and infallible legacy family in aspen creek.

a month into moving in, avi was swayed by his father to work for him—or the town of aspen creek, to be more technical about it, at the risk of nepo baby allegations—as a digital media manager to "put his degree to better use" as his father had so kindly put it. working at the place that scandalized his entirely family leaves a bitter taste in his mouth but he does it for his mother, who had urged him to do just as his father says. it's for the good of the family, avi.

HEADCANONS.

avi is a mama's boy through and through. he's had her wrapped around his finger since day one, making it easy for him to get what he wants in most circumstances. well, within reason, anyway.

his absolutely favorite movie growing up was the adventures of sharkboy and lavagirl. his parents helped him and his siblings dress up as the characters for one halloween when he was six, with him going as max (begrudgingly) since the twins were just so sharkboy and lavagirl-coded.

he is a letterboxd troll and never posts any serious reviews, but he thinks that takes the fun out of the movie-watching experience.

avi has a few laurels under his belt (or on his head) for a short film he shot while in college called [TBD FILM TITLE LOL], a 15-minute dark comedy about a group of students hiding their teacher's dead body just hours before an exam is to take place.

he was urged to attend upenn by his high school gf/bf (who got a scholarship to the place) who wanted them to go to college together, only to get broken up with after a semester. the two remained on-and-off for a few years and now barely talk even though they're both back in town (potential wc? 👀)

loves making spotify playlists for specific moments past, present, and future. making playlists for his friends is also one of his love languages.

games a lot, though not as often as before. particularly enjoys fps games though will usually go through whatever catches his eye on steam and plays til dawn with his friends.

[joandavisscott]

hey, isn’t that JOAN DAVIS-SCOTT, who looks a little like KATHERYN WINNICK? i hear SHE is a FORTY-SIX year old CIS WOMAN who works as a VETERINARIAN & OWNER @ ASPEN CREEK’S VET CLINIC who has been in town for HER ENTIRE LIFE. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at CLOVERFIELD LANE or CRYSTAL RIDGE WINERY. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of EYES AS BLUE AS THE OCEAN, A KIND HEART HIDDEN UNDER A TOUGH EXTERIOR, UNWAVERING LOVE FOR HER CHILDREN, A FANCY BOTTLE OF WINE, CHERRY-LIKE PERFUME IN THE AIR. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw for divorce, pregnancy.

FULL NAME: joan elise davis-scott. NICKNAMES: joey, jo, joanie ( by family only ). FAMILY: evelyn davis-scott ( mother ), james davis-scott ( father ). harold finch ( ex-husband ). jennifer carroll ( older sister ), three younger siblings.  CHILDREN: jasper finch ( oldest child ), matilda finch ( 12 year old daughter ). PETS: bambi & benson ( australian shepherds ), winnie ( orange tabby cat ). AGE: forty-six. DATE OF BIRTH: april 28th. ZODIAC: taurus. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual, biromantic. OCCUPATION: veterinarian & owner of aspen creek's vet clinic.

about joan.

Joan Elise was born and raised in Aspen Creek, North Carolina — the second of five children but she had a pretty easygoing childhood. Her parents were already the owners of the bustling bed-and-breakfast, inherited from her grandfather, and the halls were always filled with the children of the couple. Joan was and still is somewhat of a daddy’s girl, following James around from the moment she could walk and that’s how she became sort of a ‘tomboy’ growing up. Whilst her mom was the face of the bed-and-breakfast and the one the guests usually spoke to, her dad was the one behind the scenes making sure things were in order. And so Joan ended up picking up and learning most of the activities he did around the place, from changing a light bulb to assembling furniture to fixing leaky faucets. From a young age, she learned how to be independent, and James was extremely proud too.

Joan would come home from school and help out her dad in anyway she could, building a strong relationship with the older man. But she had other interests of her own as well, things that her parents didn’t really understand but helped in any way they could. She was the Davis-Scott that would bring wounded animals home, from birds to dogs, and nurture them back to health. She’d volunteer at nearby shelters and, when her teenage years rolled in, her parents would send her to the stables for classes. 

She grew up a very independent young woman, usually pushing away possible suitors in order to focus on herself. When graduation was fast approaching, Joan already knew what her future would look like — she’d leave Aspen Creek for college, become a veterinarian, return home and open her own clinic. It was a crystal clear vision, but it all changed when she met the man who’d be the father of her children. She couldn’t imagine it at the time, couldn’t even imagine herself as a mother, but she fell in love deeply with him and there was no denying that they would go the distance. Harry had dreams of his own, he was ambitious, charming, the kind of man that takes your breath away within minutes and leaves you wanting more. Joan stood no chance against him. They started to date and even make plans to move away together, chase after their dreams, but before they could, Joan found out that she was pregnant at twenty-one.

The news came as a shock to the couple, her family and to everyone who knew her. Joan felt devastated but only until her bump started to show, and that feeling was quickly replaced by one of adoration she had never felt before. Plans change, she accepted that, and became excited about being a mother. Joan and Harry married a few months before their first child was born, barely in their twenties, but planning for a lifetime ahead of them.

Joan became a mother and she had the dream support system, a loving husband, but her dreams wouldn’t be put to rest. When their child was around four years old, Joan and Harry then decided to pursue their college degrees together and moved out of Aspen Creek. They found a good balance between them, neither was ever overwhelmed, and their child was able to grow in a loving and nurturing environment. They spent ten years away from home, in between earning their degrees and internships, and then eventually decided to return home.

Joan returned to Aspen Creek as a mother of two, their youngest daughter having been born only a year prior, and a professional veterinarian. The family bought a home in Cloverfield Lane, thinking about the schools and how safe the neighborhood has always been. Plus, Joan was only a few minutes away from where her parents and siblings lived. And they lived happily ever after. Until she felt a shift in the relationship with her husband. They became distant, perhaps engulfed by routine or just grew bored of each other. Perhaps they were too young when they married and both started to slowly realize that they had missed out on things, despite being very much happy with how their lives had turned. Joan already worked at the clinic, and what little time she had outside of work, was usually spent with her children. Maybe it had been her own workaholic nature that drove her husband away but alas, they decided that they would be better off as friends and co-parents. The love they had for one another wasn’t enough anymore.

She wasn’t as sad as she thought she’d be when the divorce was finalized. Of course, it had been a tough decision to make, especially when they had two kids involved, but she wanted to see Harry thrive and wanted happiness for herself as well. With a fresh start ahead of her, Joan decided to take the plunge and buy the vet clinic. It has been five years since the divorce and Joan has dipped her toes into the dating game, becoming increasingly disappointed by the amount of failed dates she’s been to. She’s regaining her confidence and figuring out how to be a single woman again, and despite it all, she’s enjoying it. Harry has since moved away from Aspen Creek but she keeps in touch, and their kids are always welcome to come and go as they please — she also realized that their camaraderie has gotten much better since the separation. 

She’s just a forty-something single mom enjoying the ups and downs of life, whilst maintaining her unique nature and relishing in her newfound freedom. 

[littlelionmcn]

hey, isn’t that STEFANO COSTA, who looks a little like MILO VENTIMIGLIA? i hear HE is a FORTY FIVE year old CIS MAN who works as a FORMER BOYBANDER/CURRENT SOLO ARTIST who has been in town for HIS WHOLE LIFE (ON AND OFF). they AREN’T a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROVE or FEEL GOOD RECORDS. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of NOTEBOOKS FILLED WITH LYRICS, CROWDS CHEERING WHEN THEY HEAR THE FIRST NOTE OF A SONG, BLURRY PICTURES ON A CAMERA ROLL, NAMELESS HOOKUPS, LATE NIGHTS & TOO LITTLE SLEEP. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

originally from aspen creek, stefano was into music from a very young age. as a teen, he was part of a fairly popular boy band called chains of fortune. by the time he was eighteen, stef and the band were touring around the world.

the fame and success was a lot for the young man to handle, but luckily, he had his bandmates to lean on. that didn’t stop the singer from partying and having a good time though, thoroughly enjoying the perks of being young and famous.

after a one night stand with a groupie during the band’s us tour, stef found out he was going to be a father. the baby’s mother didn’t want anything to do with being a mom and agreed to let stef raise their child on his own, and at the age of 20, he became a father.

after a couple more years with chains of fortune, the band decided to go their separate ways. stefano quickly started working on a solo album. it was a hit, and he went on to have a successful solo career.

being a dad always came first to him though, only doing local shows and traveling to do us tours during the summertime when his son was out of school. despite his celebrity status, stef tried to keep life as normal as possible for the both of them.

as his son grew older, the singer got back into the dating scene. after a few failed relationships, he met a woman he thought was going to be the one for him. the two settled down in aspen creek, and after a year of dating, stefano proposed, and she said yes.

all was going well for the couple, or at least that’s what he thought. a few months into their engagement, stef woke up to find an empty bed and the engagement ring with a note form his fiancée saying that she was sorry. it wasn’t until months later that he heard from her again when she showed up heavily pregnant with twins - a boy and a girl.

stefan’s ex fiancée admitted that she had run off when she had found out she was pregnant, unsure if she wanted to go through with the pregnancy. at the last minute though, she had changed her mind about wanting to raise the babies, which was why she had returned to tell stef about them.

a month later, the twins were born, who he named aria and elio. they are now two years old and are the lights of his life along with elder son.

stefano’s currently working on another album and is looking forward to what the future holds for him and his family.

[ofstrange]

hey, isn’t that ATTICUS COHEN-LEVY, who looks a little like DEAKEN BLUMAN? i hear HE is a 27 year old CIS MALE who works as a LIBRARIAN @ TURNING LEAVES who has been in town for HIS ENTIRE LIFE. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at SUNNYVALE COMMONS or SUZIE’S ANTIQUE. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of THE SMELL OF OLD LEATHER BOOKS, A WARM CUP OF COFFEE LATE AT NIGHT, MELANCHOLY THAT LINGERS, A LOVE FOR THE WEIRD AND THE OCCULT. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw for depression.

FULL NAME: atticus xavier cohen-levy

NICKNAMES: ace, atty

PARENTS: tba.

SIBLINGS: everly cohen-levy ( older sister ), daphne cohen-levy ( younger sister ).

PETS: yellow ball python named bartholomew ( bart for short ), black stray cat named lilith

THE BIG THREE: capricorn sun, sagittarius moon, aquarius rising

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: demisexual, panromantic

OCCUPATION: librarian at turning leaves, writer

LANGUAGES: english ( native ); french and german ( fluent ); spanish, russian and ASL ( studying )

Atticus has always been an awfully quiet and reserved child, had the hardest time making friendships or keeping them and preferred the company of books than most people. The only people he’d open up to were the array of siblings he’d been lucky enough to have grown up with, being the second oldest child of the family, but he mostly stayed locked inside his own brain, whether that’d be to torture himself or create something beautiful. Atty wasn’t a very social person but he found other ways to fill up that void, burying himself into studies of philosophy and literature. Whilst his siblings were out and about, he was back at home, studying and reading and absorbing all the knowledge he could. He also became fluent in French and German out of pure boredom.

His love for the occult and the unknown started as soon as he found said section tucked inside the library, the stories and myths creating a new sort of curiosity inside of a young Atticus and he became fascinated. Quickly, he became a true believer in all things that were considered “weird” or “paranormal” as they mesmerized him and is also an avid conspiracy theorist to this day. He’d often find himself in trouble in his teenage years while trying to find evidence of the things he’d read about but was never disappointed when he couldn’t find anything — as a matter of fact, that only fueled his curiosity even more.

Despite not needing or even wanting to create deep connections with others, Ace still was hugged by a deep sense of loneliness and sadness from time to time. Later on in life when he finally decided to seek for explanations, he’d find that he had clinical depression. It’s almost like his brain couldn’t properly process the good emotions, leaving him only with that sense of emptiness that followed him everywhere he went. 

Atticus then took all of that loneliness, all of that pain, and sadness and turned it into something good. He found his solace in the arts, he started to draw, write and even compose. He had begged his mother for a cello and after years of insistence, he was finally gifted one. That only made him even more reclusive, rare were the days that Atticus’ skin would see the sun.

In his adolescence, he was also faced with his questions of sexuality and the fact he was actually demisexual. He liked to be alone but the idea of having someone romantically by his side awoke something in him that he hadn’t thought of before — he wouldn’t mind having a person of any gender by his side but he just didn’t want them like normal people did. It was all too confusing for him as he had grown up with the thought that he was broken because he wasn’t like that. Until he became truly enamored by someone in high school, someone who served as a muse for him for the whole time they were together, and even in later years, and that was the first and only person he’s ever been with. Their relationship lasted for a few years until they eventually decided to part ways in their twenties. Atticus would be lying if he said he still doesn’t think about them. 

His adult years were as confusing as his teenage years but Atticus had become more aware of the person he was, accepting himself as the weirdo he inevitably became. Keeping his love for the arts, continuing to compose and write poetry, studying new languages and learning new instruments. He’s still working on his drawings, his website is filled with artworks up for sale, and has finally started to work on a novel of his own. Currently, he works as a librarian at the Turning Leaves after earning his bachelor’s degree in English. He’s the sole occupant of his small, cozy home in Sunnyvale Commons but has two pets to keep him company when he’s up until four in the morning working on a new piece. He can also be easily found at the The Cozy Nook; drinking unhealthy amounts of coffee while working, at Suzie’s Antiques; collecting vintage items, or at the woods somewhere; in the evenings, trying to connect with the nature and the supernatural beings that might live in the area.

[addiegibson]

hey, isn’t that ADELINE GIBSON, who looks a little like MADELYN CLINE? i hear SHE is a 22 year old CIS WOMAN who works as a COLLEGE STUDENT who has been in town for ALL HER LIFE. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROVE or THE COZY NOOK CAFE. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of MESSY BLONDE HAIR PULLED BACK WITH A BOW, SHORT SKIRTS, LACY BRAS, SOFT POP MUSIC. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

BASICS

full name: adeline savannah gibson nickname: addie date of birth & age: 14 november & 22 place of birth: aspen creek, north carolina zodiac sign: scorpio gender & pronouns: cis woman & she/her sexual orientation: heterosexual, spoken languages: english & french occupation: college student

BACKGROUND

addie was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and what seemed like a perfect family. she loved her parents and looked up to her mother most of all. although her family had a good standing in town, addie grew up a kind soul, wanting to help everyone she could help.

addie was one of those people in a small town that you either love or hate. she had perfect grades, was cheer captain for a competitive cheer team, and ran in the popular crowd. but no matter, she was almost overly kind to everyone in school.

genuinely, addie wsa one of those people who loved aspen creek. she volunteered for harvest festivals or local events, just happy to be included. from the outside her life seemed perfect, but obviously that was far from the case. a part of addie was always terrified to leave aspen creek.

when college came around, addie applied somewhere local, opting to stay at home rather than stay on campus. although addie got good grades in high school, college was completely different. ever since freshman year, she's been struggling with keeping her grades up. she's had to take a few of her classes more than once. addie tries her best to hide this with people under the guise that she keeps changing her mind on what she wants to do.

when addie first found out about her father's ex and the step-sibling she never knew she had, addie was absolutely shocked. she had no idea how to take this news other than in stride. on the outside, addie seems not to notice how her family's reputation has changed. a part of her feels guilty that a family member was so close and she didn't even know it.

[stayhiro]

❮ 𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙾  ❯  ━━ ( hiroshi mori . ex ferryman turned budding tattoo artist at ink riot . thirty. ) just your average frustrating to death stubborn ass with good intentions 🌊✒️ information HERE, plots/connections HERE.

written by a pile of ❮ 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 ❯ 🦴.

STAT BLOCK

FULL NAME.    hiroshi miro ALSO KNOWN AS.    hiro, stubborn ass, stayhiro on social media AGE.    30 ZODIAC.    taurus GENDER.    cismale PRONOUNS.    he/him/his ORIENTATION.    demiromantic, chemistry based (historically feminine preference, presumed heterosexual) RL STATUS.    single / it’s complicated OCCUPATION.    ferryman tattoo artist LIVING.    sunnyvale commons, aspen creek, nc FAMILY.    haruto mori (biological father, naval officer, fisherman, deceased), tiffany mori (biological mother, retired teacher),  sofia cross (step-mother, hospice worker), dylan cross (step-brother, student) RL HISTORY.    current ⸺ n/a    former ⸺ wanted connection (ex-fiancé), wanted connection (on/off ex) PET(S).    potato (dusty tan/white shorthair cat)

PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE

losing a battle with his caffeine addiction

much gossip (especially with family, regulars to his shop and friends or friends of friends) surrounding his separation with his fiancé a few years or so prior.

amateur mr. fix-it, will attempt to fix anything for anyone if they ask nicely enough about it (even if he fusses and complains about how it troubles him, he just does it anyway lmao)

a proper outdoorsman and a surprisingly decent cook

became a tattoo artist within the last 4~ years, still perfecting his craft.

very modest and self effacing about his art. still learning to let himself love his art, rather than consider it a waste of his time

self-sacrificing, self-sabotaging and stubborn to death

MISCELLANEOUS

VIBES + AESTHETICS ⸺ strong coffee, calloused hands/bruised knuckles, rolled up sleeves, gray sky drizzles, looking away to disguise a smile, well-worn/loved clothes, doesn’t believe in good luck, intimate matching tattoos, bonfire smoke from damp wood, smudged graphite pencil sketches, unstyled hair, unsent text messages, bickering as a sign of affection, beach sand, sacrifice for those you love, too sweet and too spicy foods, “don’t worry about it”, sudden subtle tenderness, stubborn to death, salt of the earth, crumpled up paper

MOODBOARD ⸺ here.

sacrificed his dream for his families peace of mind for a long time. now he feels massive guilt about finally choosing himself, and second guesses the decision every day

he chose to become a tattoo artist rather than a fine/traditional artist because he enjoys the idea of his art becoming a part of someone

more talkative and affectionate when drunk (which is why he tells most people he doesn’t drink and avoids it when he can)

daily boxing and jogging/running in his downtime

hot and cold in romance, messy and miserable ex

his favorite color is gray and stormy blue

STRENGTHS ⸺ thorough and capable, efficient, uncompromising, principled, tender, attentive, notable ability to soldier on, security seeking and offering, generally mellow.

WEAKNESSES ⸺ perfectionistic, incorrigible, stubborn, somewhat argumentative, reluctant to open up, must have the last word, slightly petulant, at times avoidant.

LOVE LANGUAGE(S) ⸺ acts of service, physical touch

BIOGRAPHY

( cw  ;  brief/vague mention of parental death )

The Mori family lineage comes from the sea. Salt in their veins, eyes steady like the horizon. A third generation Japanese-American, third generation sailor, born and raised by the seafront, and toiled to stay there. Hiroshi didn’t always plan to fall into line with the rest of the men in his family. When he was a kid, he wanted to venture off into the world, to some big city; to be his own boss, a big name artist who has art in museums, and his art on the cover of magazines. But little by little it was chipped off of him like worn paint. His families disapproval, the way his dream tore his mother and father’s marriage apart. Always fighting over where he belonged in the world. dreams aren’t worth it when they disappoint and devastate those around you, he decides. Right out of high school, he works with his father; a fisherman with the Sawyers, long time friends of the family, diligently. A young boy amongst the men of the sea. He never went on to college like most of his friends, and any art he did was only in his free time. And he might have stayed that way forever. In a perfect world, being a simple fisherman would have been enough for him, enough to make his family proud. He could continue being a simple, salt of the earth man, to take care of his ailing father and sweet mother. Continue seeing them day in and out, to work with the Sawyers. He found himself a love, a light of his life that functioned as a lighthouse (wc). She kept him grounded, she helped him forget just how unhappy and stagnant he felt. He poured so much of his unhappiness and discontent into her, and she soaked it up like a sponge. And when his fiancé then clearly would never stop asking him to finally follow his dreams, to let his father’s wishes for him go and be who he wants to be, he shrank away from her. He called off the marriage, he called off his heart. His father was elderly, the Sawyers were happy with his contributions. He didn’t want to be happy at the expense of others. So he let his love go. And he stuck to his guns.  But when his father passes away a few years later, it rocks his world. His old man died proud of him, Hiro can at least say that much for himself. But… what else is there? He can’t admit out loud that his ex-fiance is right, but he feels it in his heart. Now that he’s let the love of his life go, he can finally admit it– years late but better than never. He can admit his ex-fiance was always right.  His heart had been empty, his eyes tired, his dreams forever washed to the wayside. He can’t do it anymore. He puts in his resignation only a year after his father dies. At the age of 25, Hiro finally gives himself permission to be the man he wants to be. He presents his work to museums, he posts it online, he even goes to the ink riot to train and put himself into art. He’s a late bloomer, but he’s still attempting to let himself be happy. A difficulty. His greatest enemy is himself. Every time his mother calls with that sad, disappointed voice, every time he sees the Sawyers, he second guesses himself. Is the work he does now any more important than what he was doing before? No, but it feels better, it frees his soul. Even still…There’s a conflict within him, between his nature and his desire.

[shiiiksa]

hey, isn’t that CATHERINE “CATE” COHEN, who looks a little like NAOMI WATTS? i hear SHE is a FIFTY TWO year old CIS WOMAN who works as a INTERIOR DESIGNER & BUSINESS OWNER OF “SKIN BY CATE” who has been in town for 50 YEARS. they ARE a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROVE or LA BELLA VITTA. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of GOLDEN HAIR LIKE LIQUID SUNLIGHT, EXTRAVAGANCE IN FORM OF A SMELL, RED-TINTED SMIRKING LIPS, THE SMOOTHNESS OF A PEARL NECKLACE, FINGERS ADORNED IN SPARKLING RINGS. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw: infidelity.

cate's biography.

Catherine “Cate” Cohen was born Catherine Ann Lenoir into a humble farming family, that has worked under the Danes family for years now. At just two years old, she moved to Aspen Creek. With a deep appreciation for her upbringing, Cate blossomed into a determined young woman.

In high school, she met Benjamin Cohen, the man she believed to be her soulmate. Their whirlwind romance led them to marry shortly after graduation, eager to build their lives together. By twenty-three, Cate welcomed twins, soon followed by their youngest child. From the outside, their family life seemed idyllic, marked by lively dinner parties and social gatherings in their gated community. However, beneath the surface, Cate silently suffered with her husband’s increasing distance. As Ben entered the realm of politics, the pressures of expectation pushed by his own father began to take a toll on their marriage.

Determined to maintain her sense of self, Cate channeled her energy into her career as an interior designer. Inspired by her mother’s nurturing spirit, she balanced work and family life, striving to create a loving environment for her children. As a non-Jewish spouse in the Cohen family, she often faced subtle prejudice, referred to as a “shiksa” at gatherings. Yet, she embraced the term, using it as a badge of resilience in the face of her mother-in-law’s disdain. Ben’s mother never liked her, but Cate loved him and was willingly to see things through for the sake of their love.

Cate’s world shattered when she discovered Ben’s affair. The emotional fallout was devastating; their already strained relationship crumbled under the weight of betrayal. They were barely speaking at the time, since Ben was always busy and Cate had decided to pour her energy into her work, launching a skincare line focused on older women. She had hoped for reconciliation, believing that their empty nest would allow them to rediscover each other and fall back in love. Instead, she was left heartbroken as she watched Ben move on without her. The backlash was major and she was actually happy to see him suffer for once. 

The facade of the perfect mayor’s housewife began to crumble. Years spent trying to gain acceptance and approval evaporated, leaving her to confront the reality of her situation. Yet, through the pain, Cate remained unwavering in her love for her children, becoming a devoted grandmother to her only grandchild and supporting her son in his own betrayal. She’s essentially becoming the Deb Scott of Aspen Creek and we’re yet to see how that will all unfold. 

In a community that had once celebrated her, Cate now stands on the precipice of reinvention, determined to reclaim her identity and find joy in the chapters yet to come.

cate's wanted connections.

best friends & close friends. I’d love a group of close knit friends for her, the people that really had her back during those rougher times as she rebuild herself.

neighbors Anyone that lives in Maple Grove!

drinking buddies You know that woman has been with a glass of wine in hand since the scandal was released so anyone that can keep that energy going with her.

enemies Anyone that dislikes her!

friends to lovers Something kind of like Lorelai and Luke. The slow burn she needs as she regains her confidence in love.

friends with benefits / one-night stands A girl has needs!

clients Can be from her interior designer or skincare business!

anything!!

[zigmaldonado]

hey, isn’t that ZIGMUND ‘ZIG’ MALDONADO, who looks a little like TAYLOR ZAKHAR PEREZ? i hear HE is a THIRTY ONE year old CIS MAN who works as a FIREFIGHTER & SECRET MALE STRIPPER who has been in town for 6 YEARS. they AREN’T a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at WILLOW STREET or SUNNYVALE BASKETBALL COURT. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of A SMILE THAT CAN LIGHT UP ANY ROOM, LEFTOVER GLITTER STUCK TO YOUR HAIR, THE SMELL OF SMOKE, A SHOT OF VODKA, A BRAVE FACADE. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw for illness, cancer, fire, death.

FULL NAME: zigmund mateo maldonado. NICKNAMES: zig. FAMILY: romina maldonado ( mother ). tba ( younger sister, wc ) PETS: n/a at the moment. AGE: thirty-one. DATE OF BIRTH: august 2nd. ZODIAC: leo. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: homosexual, homoromantic. OCCUPATION: firefighter & secret male stripper.

about zigmund.

Zig was born in Fort Worth, Texas as the oldest son of a single mother, with a sister only a few years younger than him. They were abandoned early on by a father who decided he didn’t want to raise his kids anymore and left their home city. Romina was left alone with them but always made sure that they were given everything a lower-class mother could provide them. The Maldonado kids were taken care by a grandmother for the first years of their lives, and Ana Lucia did the best that she could to help her daughter in her old age, just so that Romina could get back to work. Zigmund understood from a young age that life wasn’t easy and that he’d have to work much harder than his peers to get where he wanted to. 

When he was only ten, catastrophe hit and a neighbor’s house caught fire, taking half of their home down with it. Their family was left unharmed, quickly saved by the local firefighters, but what little they had was unfortunately burned away. They moved to a one-bedroom apartment after that and Romina started working two jobs so that they could start over. A sick elderly mother and two kids under her cares, Zig could see that his mother was constantly tired and unhappy. And he promised himself that he’d give her the life she so desperately needed once he was old enough to. In his young age, he started to help more around the house with chores — cleaning, cooking, doing the dishes and the laundry. He didn’t mind it, it gave him a sense of purpose and made him into the man he’s turned out to be now.

When his teenage years rolled in, Zig had started to study to become a firefighter. It hadn’t been his initial dream but it became that quickly after the fire that tore down their home. He studied at school, and then later at home after he was done with his chores. And by the time he graduated from high school, Zig was accepted at the Fire Academy, bringing so much pride to his mother’s eyes. He worked a few years as a probationary firefighter, acquiring the needed training and experience, and has now been acting as a firefighter for seven years. He’s working his way towards a lieutenant promotion now. 

When Zig had freshly became an official firefighter, his grandmother unfortunately passed away. And only months later, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. With Zig’s new salary and health insurance, he was able to run to his mother’s aid and get her the best treatment as possible. Within a year, Romina was thankfully stable but their life in Fort Worth just didn’t make any sense anymore. Romina was tired and needed a calmer place to rest and heal, which led to Zig asking for transfer to another post and being sent to North Carolina. Zigmund and his mother packed their bags without looking back, knowing that they were leaving a bad past behind and starting fresh somewhere else. His sister, however, didn’t bulge. She didn’t want to leave her life in Texas and after a couple of fights, Zig decided that it wasn’t worth it. 

They have been in Aspen Creek for six years now. And things were perfect for a while there, until his mother’s cancer returned about a year ago and Zig had to bend himself over to get her the treatment needed. He called his sister for help, but that was a waste of time as they only screamed at each other on the phone, and that’s what lead to his secret job of male stripper. He was desperate for the money, knowing that he couldn’t just leave his mother to wither away due to her illness, so he decided to dance in the undergrounds of The Cave under the alias of Valentino and the mask of whatever’s sexy during that month.

Romina’s treatment has been working and she’s slowly healing in her own time whilst her son works harder than everyone he knows in order to keep things that way. In order to give her the life she deserves. She has currently moved to live with him in Willow Street to give him peace of mind. 

Despite a hardworking and dedicated nature, Zig still finds time to be an absolute flirt whenever he wants to. He’s grown to like his secret life, sometimes taking advantage of this hidden persona to enjoy a night out at The Cave after he’s done with his shows. Don’t be fooled by those puppy eyes and sincere smile — you’ll be laughing and before you know it, you’ll be waking up in the morning on his bed. He’s a menace, but he has a good heart and is completely devoted to his family, which balances things out. 

[ofbitter]

hey, isn’t that RIO MARTINEZ, who looks a little like SEAN TEALE? i hear HE is a 33 year old CIS MALE who works as a CHEF @ THE FRESH CATCH who has been in town for 17 YEARS. they AREN’T a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at CLOVERFIELD LANE or SUNNYVALE BASKETBALL COURT. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of A BLOODY GRIN AND A BRUISED EYE, HOMEMADE COMFORT FOOD, THE GENTLE TOUCH OF A CALLOUSED HAND, A CROSS HIDDEN UNDERNEATH YOUR PILLOW. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

tw child abuse and domestic violence.

FULL NAME: rio edmundo martinez 

PARENTS: raul and sonia martinez

SIBLINGS: joaquin, marcos and santiago martinez, older brothers

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: happily married to wc

CHILDREN: gabriel martinez ( 4 yr old son )

PETS: black lab dog named chico

THE BIG THREE: taurus sun, taurus moon, aries rising

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual, biromantic

OCCUPATION: chef at the fresh catch

LANGUAGES: english and spanish ( native )

Rio Edmundo Martinez comes from a family of fighters. Literal fighters. The Martinez’s take pride in their lineage of MMA wrestlers, that started back with his grandfather Antonio. Their name has been respected in that industry for as long as Rio can remember. 

He was originally born in Venezuela and his family made their way to America, more specifically Florida, when he was only four years old in order to be more present in the MMA world. Raul was lucky that Sonia had given him four sons and as soon as they were able to understand enough, he started to train them to become wrestlers as all the previous Martinez. And it worked for three of them but when it was time for the youngest to come around, he wasn’t into it. Rio had always been a more sensible child than all of his brothers, he would much rather spend time with his mom in the kitchen than in the backyard sparring with his brothers, which wasn’t something Raul approved in the least. 

Rio was only nine years old when the abuse started. His father would literally beat him until he’d pass out whenever he’d refuse to wrestle. And his mother, poor Sonia, in attempts of protecting her frail young boy would end up with a bruised eye too. It took years for Rio to finally understand that what was happening to him wasn’t normal. A father shouldn’t treat his son like that and a husband shouldn’t raise a hand to his wife. That’s when he started to attend the gym and around the time he was sixteen, he was finally able to stand up for himself and for his mom.

After an argument ensued, Rio promised his mom that that would be the last time Raul would dare to hurt her. And that’s when he stepped in and took care of the situation, this time leaving his father on the floor. After that, Rio and Sonia left and never looked back. They found their way to Aspen Creek, where his mom had relatives that could help them start over and Sonia was quick to find herself a nice enough job to take care of the two of them. Rio, as stubborn as he still is, decided to take a few gap years in order to help their little family of two steady themselves, picking up odd jobs for a while. Sonia wouldn’t allow him to skip college completely though and as soon as they were stable, Rio went to college to study the Culinary Arts as that had always been a dream of his.

The years passed and he stayed focused on himself, on his career and on keeping his family safe, which caused him to become somewhat closed off and reserved, something that damaged his ability of nurturing lasting relationships — which has been somewhat of an issue with his spouse but they've mostly been able to work things out. The abuse that occurred in his childhood is something that still haunts him and he didn’t leave the gym since, even taking up boxing a few years back. He hates the thought of one day not being able to protect himself or his mom in case his father would come after them.

Rio is now married to the love of his life, a real friends to lovers story, and they have a beautiful four year old son together. Despite a tough past, he tries his best to keep any trauma from getting in the way of his family, usually keeping things to himself. However, Rio definitely still has some pent up anger issues and takes part in an underground fight club in order to release that, a shameful secret that he keeps from his spouse. He's just too scared of becoming anything like his father and will do anything in his power to prevent that.

[musings-ofmuses]

hey, isn’t that CASTILLO AARGÓN, who looks a little like RAÚL ESPARZA? i hear HE is a FORTY-NINE year old CIS MALE who works as a DEFENSE LAWYER FOR THE TOWN OF ASPEN CREEK who has been in town for THIRTY-TWO YEARS. they AREN’T a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROVE or LA BELLA VITA. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of THE SMELL OF OLD, LEATHER BOUND BOOKS AND TOP SHELF REDS, IMPECCABLY TAILORED SUITS WITH MATCHING POCKET SQUARE, LUNCH MEETINGS WITH CASE PAPERS STREWN ACROSS THE SILVERWARE, CIGAR SMOKE SPLASHED AGAINST A NIGHT SKY. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through

Full Name: Castillo Vincente Aargón Nickname(s): Cas, Tio, Señor Abogado (parents & siblings only) Age: 49 Birthday: October 30th, 1974 Astrological Sign: Scorpio Place of Birth: Santa Clara, Cuba Parents: Camilo & Claudia Aargón (77 & 74) Siblings: Camilo Aargón Jr. (51), Adamina Aargón-Webb (45), and Arianna Moreno (45) *Children: oldest child ((30-33) wanted connection), second oldest child ((22-23) wanted connection), youngest child ((21-22) wanted connection) *Relationships: First Love (FC & Name TBD), The One Who Made Him Realize He Was Bi (FC & Name TBD), Iris Jane Aargón (NPC depicted by Lily Rabe) - late wifePets: Guagua (cuban slang word for "bus") - 2-year-old Bernese Mountain DogScars: One on his stomach from a childhood appendectomy, Leg scars from a car accident Tattoos: N/A Other Physical Distinctions: A small dimple on his chin Sexual/Romantic Orientation & Gender: Bisexual and Biromantic ;; Cis Male Occupation: Defense Attorney for the Town of Aspen Creek *subject to change as roles are taken

bullet points

• tw: death, grief, mentions of prejudice, miscarriage of justice, drug mention, past mention of internalized homophobia, car accident, broken bones mention•

○ wednesday, october 30th, 1974 in santa clara, cuba: a couple welcomed their second son into a bed of uncertainty. castillo aargón only spent a few months in his birthplace before his family escaped the castro regime and settled in the adirondacks of new york.

○ unfortunately, like many immigrant families, castillo's family came to the states with hardly anything and had to work themselves up from zero. his father found work in agriculture while his mother began a business with her impeccable sewing skills. from a young age, all of the aargón children (two more had come five years after their move) were pressured to study hard as their parents wanted nothing more than them to never know the struggles of not knowing if they could afford to live.

○ though the struggles of poverty were always prominent in his childhood, cas has nothing but happy memories of those years. he could never thank his parents enough for shielding his and his sibling's young minds from the stresses they went through after their lights went off at night. it's something he's tried to keep in his own journey of fatherhood.

○ in the summer of '89, the aargóns moved to aspen creek, north carolina when his father was offered an amazing opportunity to become the overseer of a prominent family's farmland. it was more money than any of them had ever seen or could even dream about, and camilo knew he would have been a fool not to take it. cas took to the move pretty well, even if he had the usual confusion of pronouncing his name or sticking up for his mother when her english wasn't to someone's standards.

○ speaking of 'sticking up for': younger cas was a bit of a rougher character. he was scrappy, unserious, always willing to cause trouble, and ready with a slick pick-up line whenever a pretty girl crossed his path. teachers never minded his fooling around because he was an amazing student (going on to become valedictorian when he graduated) still, he was absolutely told off once or twice a month for being disruptive.

○ cas was voted 'biggest flirt' for his senior superlative.

○*part of a wanted connection/plot* when he was a sophomore in high school, cas fell for a pretty freshman. she was from old money, a challenge for the young boy. however, they were soon in a 'forbidden' puppy love by the end of the school year. her parents weren't too keen on their daughter dating a boy prone to getting into brawls and who snuck into underground clubs underage. it didn't matter he was set to graduate college early due to him taking undergraduate classes in high school. his rough edges were too much for the family. but that didn't stop them. it never does. when cas was (17-20), his girlfriend found out she was pregnant. cas did what many young boys do in that situation: freak the hell out. he was a selfish kid and was only thinking about himself and his wants, so he withdrew from both the relationship with his first love and the relationship with his child.

○ at seventeen, cas' brother cam was falsely accused of selling narcotics when he and a friend were pulled over (the friend's jacket being left in the car and his stash falling out onto the floor). it was months of hell for the aargóns but their one bright light was cam's defense attorney. he fought endlessly to uncover the truth. in the end, cam was acquitted of all charges and cas was left inspired for the rest of his life: he wanted to help the countless people who were just like cam and needed just that one person who believed in them.

○ *part of a wanted connection/plot* in undergrad, cas had a very close male friend. very close. he was the reason cas realized he was, in fact, bi and didn't just think guys were objectively attractive. worrying that any future employers would find out, he bowed out of the platonic and romantic relationship. he wonders what happened to him all these years later.

○ when he met iris during his first year of grad school, he knew she was the one who was going to make him settle down. he fell in a love he couldn't describe with words. she was perfect. they were engaged within a year of dating and she fell pregnant months after. they welcomed their son five months after marriage and their daughter a year later: only mere weeks after he became a partner at his firm.

○ life was seemingly picture-perfect for the new sect of the aargóns for years. yes, cas' relationship with his first child had become non-existent but otherwise, he got everything he wanted.

○ his son came out to him as trans when he hit his teen years. cas couldn't have been more proud of him. he only had one request: to be able to have a say in the name of his son since he wanted his real name to have more meaning than his deadname.

○ two years ago, during a terrible thunderstorm, cas was at a firm party where a little bit of 'old cas' came out. he got very intoxicated and ended up needing a ride home. so, a very tired iris’ picked his happy ass up (gave him a bit of a verbal lashing) and started driving back home. in a split second, she lost control of the car and ended up spinning out. the car slid for an eighth of a mile before slamming into a tree. he walked away with two shattered shinbones yet his wife, the wife he adored and loved more than he ever knew was possible, didn't survive.

○ ever since her casket closed, cas has thrown himself into his work. he barely speaks iris’ name, is no longer the good father to his two youngest, and has lost that cas spark. he's trying to find some light at the end of the tunnel, but he may have made too comfortable of a home in the dark corners of grief.

wanted connections / plots

○ the first love ;; see above!

○ his discovery ;; see above!

○ his in-laws ;; these were members of iris' family. mother, father, siblings, cousins, ect. since her passing, cas can barely look in their faces. maybe they feel pity on him? maybe they want him to see that he has children who need him? time will only tell if these relationships can ever be mended

○ his kids ;; i will be sending a wanted connection request for all three of his kids so please be on the lookout for those! i'd love to play their dynamic!

○ a new beginning? ;; is two years too soon to be thinking about love? cas doesn't know, but there might be something between these two. it could be rocky, it could end up being the worst decision he's ever made, but it could also blossom into something beautiful. do they take the plunge?

○ you knew me in a different lifetime ;; aspen creek high school classes of '88-'92 anyone? they knew goofy cas. unserious cas. horribly flirty cas. will they even recognize him now?