Cyrus

Appearance Notes: Pale skin with olive undertones. Wavy, messy black hair that reaches to his waist. Thin, lanky, bony build. 5’6”. Dark brown  eyes, long straight nose, long face. Tends to hunch a bit when he walks.  A small flower-shaped  scar just above his heart, and a long thin surgical scar on his left side, just below his ribs. He typically prefers neutral, nondescript clothes in dark colors, anything that doesn't stand out (and isn't in any way gendered). He chills easily and hates showing skin in public, so he almost always wears a hoodie, layering on anything else to keep himself cozy as needed. See the these tags.

History: When Cyrus's parents had him, they expected to get their ideal, perfect son, but from the get-go that was never to be. They discovered early on that Cyrus had a blood disorder called beta thalassemia major, or Cooley’s Anemia, that makes his health especially delicate and requires lifelong blood transfusions to treat. From that point on, in their eyes, he was broken, an idea he was quick to internalize. They shielded him from everyone and everything, starving him of social interaction beyond what little they themselves were willing to offer. Even when they finally decided to risk putting him in school (after a couple years of homeschooling), frequent absences, a late start, and a shy personality made making and keeping friends impossible.

His parents' neglect did not improve as he aged. They resented the financial burden of caring for him, and they berated him for not living up to their expectations of boyhood and manhood. He was distant, withdrawn, and quiet; his parents often read this as him being rude, ungrateful, and apathetic. The pressure of this exploded into teenage years filled with nonstop fighting, arguing, screaming matches; the hatred he had been shown became a very mutual feeling, enough so that he discarded the family name of "James" to become Cyrus, and enough so that, at 15, Cyrus's father divorced and abandoned him and his mother, Melinda.

Meanwhile, Cyrus finally found one spark of light in the form of a friend, Thomas. Thomas started out as a tutor and became--one sided though it may have been--Cyrus's best friend. Cyrus developed a powerful crush on Thomas; Thomas helped him discover his passion for photography and indulged his interests and, for the first time in his life, made him feel heard. It was a vital respite from his home life, since in spite of herself, Melinda blamed Cyrus as much as herself for the divorce. Her grip tightened as she tried to prove that she was a good enough mother to mold Cyrus into the man she thought he should be, and he got still more rebellious. This war of wills reached a peak in one final argument that Cyrus’s body could not take; the stress overwhelmed him, and when he woke, he found himself back in the hospital. The scare, at least temporarily, brought a truce, and a change: Melinda decided to move to a city far away, nearer to her parents, to start over.

Cyrus was alone again. Deep in his depression, he hardly had the will to fight anymore. But, at long last, things truly started to change for the better. Cyrus made a friend, one who stayed. Then, he discovered a boyfriend. He escaped his abusive mother, permanently cutting her out of his life, and finally, finally began to heal. He learned to drive and discovered freedom. He started therapy and got medication. He learned he didn't have to drown under the weight of his emotions. He learned to communicate, ask for things, and to be brave. He discovered what it it was like to be loved and love in return. He came out, in his own way. He learned to play an instrument, how he had always dreamed. After so long of so much pain, finally, he found a place where he felt safe, secure, and loved.

Characters to draw Cyrus with:

• Jay (best friend or (in royal verse) bodyguard)
• Cleo (short haired grey tabby cat, more of a mom to Cyrus than Melinda ever was)
• Tick (boyfriend) (he's a goofball) (about) (In a triad with Cyrus and Shiloh)
• Shiloh (boyfriend) (they're baby) (about) (In a triad with Cyrus and Tick)

Wishlist:

• Taking photographs
• On a stormy beach
• Cuddled in blankets
• Drinking tea
• Flipping off the viewer
• Prince Cyrus with elaborate clothes or flowers (hydrangea, white oleander, purple iris) (See Royal AU profile for design)
• Playing the bass, bonus points if he's in his performance outfit (yep this is a band au)
• As a pirate, up in the crow's nest (free reign on pirate outfit! though I recommend a vest, no shirt)