Mateo Rodriguez

Quick Facts
Birthday: August 14
Age: 27 (at the start of the comic)
Gender: Cis man (he/him/his)
Sexual Orientation: Gay (100%, not flexible, but trans men are men)
Occupation: Waiter at a small diner ("Randy's")
Other Hobbies and Interests: 
Cooking
Photography
Hiking
Animals
Theology / Religion (it's a complicated relationship)

Detailed Summary
A main character from a webcomic I'm working on! For a relatively spoiler-free summary: after the sudden death of his fiancé, Mateo moves back in with his family in Nevada. Two years go by, and he's struggling to get on his own two feet again. An opportunity arises when his friend, Charlotte, was able to hook him up with an affordable apartment. The problem? Said apartment lies across the country in a small Michigan town, Lakewind. He decides to make the move, as the change of scenery would likely be good for him and his photography. And here is where the story begins.

He picks up a job as a waiter at a chill diner, Randy's, on Charlotte's recommendation. He meets a guy, Lyle, and they eventually become inseparable. Mateo has a lot of natural charisma, and a generally kind heart. Charlotte likes his sense of humor, Lyle loves his encouraging spirit. Randy (his boss) appreciates his work ethic, especially since it comes from a genuine place. On the flipside, He struggles with insomnia and bouts of severe self-hatred, both of which can have negative impacts on those he cares about. He has a great work ethic, but it's a double-edged sword because he will push himself too far if his friends don't keep him in check.

His greatest passion is cooking. Although he's completed culinary school, he does not like cooking in a professional setting. Instead, he likes to cook for those he cares about, and sometimes he makes educational cooking videos. He enjoys photography and hiking as well. He's skilled enough to even land some occasional work taking photos for people. He loves animals, primarily cats, dogs, and woodland critters. He has a complicated relationship with religion, and has an interest in theology and the social impacts of religion.

While he does not start the comic as a vampire, he does become one later on. When he does become a vampire, his primary source of blood is from blood capsules (dissolved preferably in hot chocolate) and, once they find out it's safe, from Lyle directly (traditional neck-biting style).

Related Characters:
Lyle Miller (friends to lovers)
Charlotte Eaton (friends and coworkers)
Jane Whitaker (friends)

Disclaimer: While I reference real states in the US, all the cities, towns, and locations in the story are fictional, and any resemblance to real world places is coincidental. As the story is a work in progress, details are subject to change.
Last Updated: 7/21/2023