Gavin

CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of: Death, Addiction, Abandonment, Toxic Relationships, & Abandoment.

Gavin was born into a loving household, but his mother left without explanation when he was a young boy. The loss was devastating for Gavin, who grew up under the shadow of his father's neglect and grief. As a teen, he found solace as a mailman, working alone and traveling throughout the city. He married on his father's insistence, but the marriage was loveless and hateful, leading him to become an alcoholic like his father. Eventually, Gavin moved on to Bluebell Valley, where he found the courage to be his true self and found peace in the small community.

Gavin was born and raised on the beautiful fields of the Ruolian Empire, filled with the sights of sunflowers and lush fields, and a large farmhouse towering over him. He was a happy child, spending his days making mischief with his older sister, taking care of animals on the farm, and making his parents proud by doing well on any tasks given.

Gavin’s father, Arthur, worked hard to run and maintain the family farm, spending his days out under the sun tilling the earth and tending to the crops. This was a physically demanding job that often left Arthur feeling exhausted and irritable at the end of every day. Though he loved and was proud of his farm, the work was rarely easy. His mother, Elara, had a far gentler occupation as a seamstress. She spent her days creating beautiful pieces of clothing and accessories to sell in the local markets. Her soft and compassionate nature was a stark contrast to that of her husband’s, however the two were a well-matched pair who balanced each other out and made a loving family.

Despite Elara seemingly loving her family and home dearly, she felt like there was something missing in her life. It was as if she had her own dreams but knew she would never be able to accomplish them due to her current life. So one early morning, Elara packed her bags and left without saying a word, leaving behind her husband and kids. Gavin’s father was devastated. His gentle and compassionate wife, whose mere presence could brighten his day, had left him. As weeks turned into months, the grief and sorrow turned into a burning rage. He blamed himself, blamed the gods, and blamed the world around him. And so Arthur became a shell of his former self, a bitter and angry man, a shadow of the strong and proud father he once was.

Gavin’s grandmother was a strong and wise woman who provided the guidance and support that he never received from his father. As Arthur became more and more absorbed in his work and alcoholism, Gavin’s grandmother was the one who raised him and his sister, Gabbi. She took care of the house, cooked the medals, and made sure that the two children had everything they needed. She also became the main source of affection and comfort for Gavin, who grew up without much parental love. Gavin’s life was filled with contradictions. He had the freedom of being able to roam the fields and forests near his home, but also had the burden of helping his father with chores and work. At the same time, he had the support of his grandmother, but also the neglect of his father.

As he approached adulthood, he found himself lacking direction in life. He didn’t get the support or guidance that he needed from his father, and his grandmother had grown old and frail. Without any real prospects, he decided to join the local postal office. It was a small job that provided him with a bit of money and the chance to walk around the city. The work itself didn’t provide much fulfillment, but he had the freedom to wander the streets without a care in the world. From afar, this would have made his childhood self quite jealous.

With Gabbi getting married and taking over the farm with her wife, Arthur began to push his son into getting married and also wanted him to get married and have kids. However, Gavin dreaded the thought of getting married, but under the pressure and constant insistence of his father, he begrudgingly agreed. He didn’t love or even like his wife, and their marriage was purely a facade and a way for Gavin to appease his father. Their marriage was cold and lifeless, as Gavin didn’t feel any semblance of affection or intimacy towards his wife, Rose. However, on the outside, they appeared to be the perfect couple.

Behind the doors, his wife was quite rude and spiteful, and frequently cheated on him with other men because Gavin did nothing to fulfill her desires. The two never had any children together, as Rose didn’t want to be tied down by the bonds of motherhood. They were both bitter and hateful individuals, who had a loveless and toxic relationship that lasted for years. The two fought often, but the fights became more rampant and intense following the passing of his grandmother. It seemed like Rose cared little for Gavin’s grief, as she skipped the funeral and went out with friends instead. The two started to drift even further apart as time went on, and Gavin’s bitterness towards her only grew.

The divorce between Gavin and Rose started over an argument that escalated into a full-blown fight. Rose had been caught cheating yet again, and Gavin confronted her about it. However, rather than apologizing and pleading for forgiveness this time, Rose turned the situation on its head and blamed Gavin for the affair. This led to a heated argument, with accusations, expletives, and furniture thrown back and forth, until Gavin finally had enough and fled the home. After he had left, she filed for divorce, and it was granted quite quickly.

Gavin soon found that living with his sister and her family wasn't that bad after all. It was a new and welcome change of pace, as he no longer had the pressure to keep the facade of a "perfect marriage" up. His sister and her wife seemed to care much more for Gavin's well-being than Rose ever did. And their young daughter, Gavin's niece, never failed to brighten his day. Arthur still made frequent visits, expressing his disappointment over Gavin's divorce. However, the time spent with his sister and niece was far more enjoyable. Gabbi would occasionally try to encourage Gavin to ‘come out’ and ‘accept who he truly is’ but every time, Gavin would pretend that he didn’t understand what she was talking about. He had never been attracted to women, and everytime he had to act romantic with his wife, he felt nothing but emptiness. He continued to hide his true feelings but appreciated her attempts to encourage him.

Gavin had been thinking about relocating for a while, and looking for a fresh start. His sister had heard about Bluebell Valley from a friend, and thought that it would be worth looking into. She told Gavin about the small community and encouraged him to consider moving there, especially with his desire to start over. After learning more about the valley, Gavin decided to take a chance and move there to give it a try. He had nothing to lose, and maybe something to gain. Who knows, perhaps Bluebell Valley would prove to be the home that he was looking for this whole time. The night before he departed on the boat to Bluebell, Gavin stopped by his childhood home; disturbed by how run down it had become, and confronted his father. He told him that he believed that Arthur was the reason that mom left them, and that he was tired of living up to his dads expectations. How could Gabbi be who she truly is, in a relationship with who she loves but Gavin couldn't? He confessed that he was always into men and because of his father's persistence of him getting married, he wasted a decade of his life married to a woman he never loved. Gavin's words stuck with Arthur, who realized that he had been unfair to his son all these years. He tried to explain himself, but Gavin wouldn't listen. His father had been there for only a small fraction of his life, and he was tired of trying to gain his approval. There was nothing left to say. Gavin left the house, got on the boat to Bluebell, and never looked back.