Post by Arthur Kirkland on Jun 5, 2013 21:13:32 GMT 1
♚ ARTHUR KIRKLAND ♚
♕ THE YEARS START COMING AND THEY DON'T STOP COMING ♕
Name: Arthur Kirkland
Age: 27 (Though he often gets mistaken for a teenager, much to his chagrin.)
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: English
Function: Customer service
Department: n/a
How long have they worked here?: Five months or so.
♕ FED TO THE RULES AND I HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ♕
Likes: +Shy individuals. Socialization isn’t exactly Arthur’s strong suit, but his level of courtesy usually depends on the other speaker’s personality. Introverts are his forte. Diffident people tend to cause the least amount of trouble, and are regularly very outwardly polite, regardless of how they inwardly feel. Working in customer service, Arthur know by experience that a customer stumbling to return a purchase is much easier to handle than an extrovert with numerous boisterous complaints.
+Isolation. When it comes down to it, Arthur simply works best on his own. Sure, that sort of life can get lonely, but there are always sufficient ways to distract himself.
+Novels. Works ofromanticfiction, to be precise.
+Owls. He has a soft spot for feathery creatures, owls in particular. They symbolize wisdom: something he strives to maintain in himself.
+Arguing. Knowing that he’s able to one-up a person is a sort of sadistic pleasure for him. In his house, arguments are unavoidable, so why not sharpen the talent? Besides, a fresh opinion is interesting to hear, now and then.
+Tea. Call it cliche all you’d like, but he needs to drink at least two cups a day in order to function properly.
+Cigarettes. Yes, yes, Arthur is well aware that it’s a terrible habit, but everyone needs something to help them get through the day, don't they? Besides, he's always felt rather tentative about turning to other demons. Alcohol is fun while it lasts, but leaves him with a headache and memories he desperately wishes he could forget. Cigarettes take the harsh reality of the world away without leaving his brain in a mess. Ramble about side effects all you want, but you won't get through his obstinate mindset.
Dislikes: -Magazines. They contain the most pretentious and vain stories he’s ever had the displeasure of reading through.
-Reality. Let’s face it: sometimes, life can be a downright nuisance. And how enjoyable would you consider it to be when there’s such a mirifical imaginary world waiting at the palm of your hands? In Arthur’s terms, “real life” is the blistering, relentlessly painful wart on the foot of existence. He’d much rather spend his life in the corner of a library.
-Having to simplify his sentences.
-Idiots. Many people fall under this category.
-Migraines. Arthur falls sick easily, and his head always takes the biggest toll. Often times, they’ll be so painful that he has trouble moving around.
-Attractive people. What a twisted, anguishing displeasure. Watching others flaunt their beauty out to the world (or worse, “modestly” deny it) grates on his nerves like nothing else. Especially if they particularly enjoy lording it over everyone they meet. A pretty face doesn’t always have the purest of hearts, as he must regularly remind himself.
-Being caught with his guard down.
Quirks: =When graced with some free time, Arthur can almost always be found with a book or a newspaper at hand.
=Has a habit of grinding his teeth when angered.
Fears: ~That someone will somehow discover his former punk phase that lasted throughout his adolescence. He was somewhat infamous back in his hometown, and there’s no doubt a pile of blackmail material, out of his favor, uploaded to some dark corner of the internet. Just thinking about it makes him shudder in humiliation. If one were to pay close enough attention, they’d notice the faint scars from removed piercings: one on Arthur’s right earlobe and two just below his bottom lip. (Painful incident that involved an infuriated ex and a magnet. Long story.)
~Claustrophobia. Being locked into a small space (ex. closet or box) or caught inside a large crowd of people terrifies him. Arthur feels strongly as though he’ll suffocate, and his regular demeanor is quickly lost in a haze of panic. Hyperventilation may occur if he is not removed from the situation. Being physically restricted by another person can cause a similar feeling.
Personality: Outwardly, Arthur is not a very pleasant person. He’s long since accepted this fact, rather than try to change it. Ever since he was little, the young man hasn’t often been willingly cooperative, modest, social - or, to put it bluntly, happy. More than anything, he is regularly cynical, blunt, and opinionated in nature. Combine that with glaring eyes and a condescending demeanor, and you have an outlook that frightens most people away. But obviously, he isn’t all work and no play - because no one bothers to stick around him for too long, they simply never find that out.
There are good things one could say about him as well. No matter what, Arthur stands by his principles. Stick him in a room of people with a unanimous opinion, and if he didn’t think it fit, he’d fight right on back against them. Not many people can say that, can they? He’s one hell of a stubborn individual, that’s for sure. And though many might assume otherwise, that inclement attitude has room to accommodate a genuine romantic side as well. He’s barely ever gotten to experience the sort of affection he craves, though, and it endlessly frustrates him.
In fact, half the time, Arthur isn’t always as grumpy as he seems. He is capable of wit that isn’t dry, and humorous banter over sarcasm. He can be pleasant; even charming, if you catch him in the right mood. The young man makes a point of being gentlemanly during first impressions, so long the person he’s addressing is either worthy of the treatment or a woman.
However, he is much too used to fictional situations and happy endings, which turns reality as dull as a brick. Life is disappointing, and therefore puts a constant damper on his mood.
Real world people are intensely complex to Arthur, and that includes himself. He’s acquired a number of personality parallels that wouldn’t make sense for a character to have. For one, he occasionally craves the acknowledgement of others, even those who constantly anger him. Only a human quality, really, but it doesn’t change the fact that it makes absolutely no sense. He doesn’t think all too highly of himself, but will argue with anyone that insults him. He’s quick to compete with anyone on any subject, even if he isn’t confident in it. He never fails to scold a careless person, though he can be rather reckless himself. The list goes on and on.
The fact remains that if Arthur were to be completely honest with others, he doubts that anyone would continue to show respect for him. Why would they, when he’s such an apprehensive prick? Any and all of his insecurities are hidden behind a carefully crafted barrier, separating his inner thoughts from his outward actions. Yes, he’s genuinely a bitter and sarcastic young man; there are just a few shameful attributes about himself that he isn’t willing to show. Aspects such as laziness, jealousy, and kindness are stored by excuses - “I won’t waste my time with something so dull”, “I’m doing this for my sake, not yours”, etc - that sway others into perceiving him as a rotten individual. Arthur is constantly torn between trying to be honest and pushing away such sappy truths. In the end, the barrier always stays put.
♕ DIDN'T MAKE SENSE NOT TO LIVE FOR FUN ♕
Roleplay Sample:(Superhero AU. Arthur’s power is being able to project his consciousness into books.)
Arthur had done his best to ignore the interruption when he first felt it starting. This was a difficult path to tread, but with a certain amount of resistance, the projections could continue on, despite outside disturbances. They moved forward with only a small bump in the images; almost like a scratch on a record. However, after what felt like the third rough shake, Thoreau and the canoe were starting to fade out. The process of moving from fiction to reality was occasionally slow, and Arthur spent the period of time tapping his foot impatiently, wondering who the hell had found him and just what they wanted. Whomever it was, they were about to receive a fierce scolding.
Or so he had planned.
The assaulter in question was in such close proximity that it made Arthur’s heart jump. He’d crouched down to Arthur’s level with one hand on the Englishman’s shoulder, his blonde locks nearly inches from the bookworm’s face. Out of instinct, Arthur scruffed up his legs, trying to move backwards and put distance between them - he soon realized that it was impossible, as he couldn't press any further into the wall. Thankfully, the flustered feeling subsided when he noticed his peer’s near hysteria. The student's vibrant blue eyes seemed to clear when he noticed Arthur’s consciousness, but it was obvious that he was still panicked. Something like grief was spread across his face, and it struck a long-forgotten feeling in the back of the Englishman’s mind. The vague remembrance indicated that it was déjà vu, that he’d somehow been in this situation before. The obscure familiarity was unnerving.
He gulped, realizing that his throat had turned dry. The adolescent promptly shut his book and set it aside, giving all of his focus to this stranger. It was an extremely uncomfortable situation, and he felt the need to say something, at least. So with a gruff voice (scratched from disuse, as he hadn't spoken for the entirety of the day), he stated the first thing that came to mind.
“Goodness, would you relax? I’m awake now.”
Not good.
As soon as the harsh words had left his lips, Arthur cringed, instantly regretting them. Sure, the boy had rather violently woken him up, but he seemed to be at his wit’s end. It was a pitiful sight, and it tugged at a feeling deep inside of the Englishman. Despite many rumors that his previous school had started, Arthur’s heart was not made of stone. He reached forward and gently grasped at the boy’s sleeve in an effort to better calm him. The bookworm’s eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head slightly. Arthur may have been irked, but there was benevolence in him yet. His tone quickly turned from agitated to calm.
“Are you alright?”
♕ YOUR BRAIN GETS SMART BUT YOUR HEAD GETS DUMB ♕
Name/Nickname: Tea or T is just fine!
Timezone: EST
Contact: PMs are good.
Anything else?: DO NOT EAT THE SKIN OF A MANGO. TAKE IT FROM ME. I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THIS EARLIER.
