Demarcus Tate

After spending the majority of his childhood on the streets, Demarcus has grown incredibly independent. Because he hates feeling dependent on others, he will never accept another’s money unless he has given them something in return. Demarcus talks with an air of authority, displaying a severe and critical attitude. For no reason other than his confident appearance, others tend to accept his word as fact without any question. In spite of his pride, Demarcus appears burdened by something in his past and does not allow himself to joke in many matters. He is easily bothered by others’ frivolousness and has the tendency to scold his peers for not taking things seriously, despite a lack of age difference. He does not smile often, even when he is happy, and earning his laughter proves nearly as difficult as moving a mountain.

Perhaps his no-nonsense attitude developed in response to his childhood vulnerability; he has learned not to allow anything to impede on his happiness after growing up in a motherless household with an abusive father. From spending so much of his life at risk of being hurt, he has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who tries to interfere with his autonomy. He is unwilling to play mind games and for this reason has abandoned many relationship prospects; though he has slept around casually for the physical pleasure, he has never found a girl who provided any emotional support until he met Wren. He does not trust or open himself up to people easily because he has been taken advantage of by others posing as kind-hearted confidants in the past.

After associating with many negative influences during adolescence, Demarcus wants to become a good man for himself. Wren is the first girl he’s ever loved – and the first person he’s attached himself to since his relationship with his mentor was ruptured – and doing things with her proves entirely different than doing them with anyone else. Because he longs to put his childhood trauma behind him, he regularly attends an anxiety support group in addition to intensive one-on-one therapy.

Demarcus is extremely observant of others and tries to interpret how people interact with their surroundings in order to predict their behavior in the future. He also has a special knack for finding lost things; he can track down anyone and anything with very little information about their previous whereabouts. Combined with the artificial intelligence of his mechanical eye, Demarcus’s talent as a seeker has led to many valuable employment opportunities. However, Demarcus operates by his own moral code which allows him to determine which jobs he should take. Due to his father’s alcohol addiction’s effects on Demarcus’s health, Demarcus dislikes all substances and can be overly judgmental towards those who choose to drink and do drugs. He has taken a life-long pledge of sobriety and views addiction as a pitiful life choice rather than a sickness.

Though he never joined any of the gangs that attempted to recruit him, Demarcus has a tough demeanor and is greatly skilled in wielding a pocket knife. He can be very intimidating and has learned how to fight and steal out of necessity. As a young boy, Demarcus often needed to shoplift meals for himself and his father, as his father rarely cooked for the family. He also learned how to fight with a knife to defend himself from his father’s frequent violent outbursts, but while Demarcus commonly fantasized about making use of his talent, he never could bring himself to harm his father. In the present day, he occasionally uses his skills as a seeker, a fighter, and a thief to accept odd jobs from crime rings, though he takes care to ensure that he learns very little about his clients’ intentions in order to protect himself from prosecution.

When he is not with Wren, Demarcus prefers to spend the majority of his time alone. Though his rugged, damaged, mysterious demeanor attracts many women, he does not return their advances. Demarcus favors keeping to himself without interference from others, seeking to maximize his own life pleasure. He never spills a secret, his own or otherwise, and will listen to what others confide in him without giving much reaction. While he is a trustworthy confidant, his emotionless personality does not provide much comfort. Demarcus can be protective at times, but he trusts Wren to be strong enough to stand her own ground and tries to respect the independence of others as much as he wishes for them to respect his own. He can be standoffish and judgmental towards others’ life choices and is hated by many, but for the most part, Demarcus is only concerned with himself.

Demarcus knows all of the best alternative hangout spots in town and loves visiting eclectic clubs and coffeeshops. He frequents underground cafes, both with and without Wren, and enjoys the people-watching opportunities they provide. He loves big dogs and wants to own and train his own Rottweiler one day, and while he sometimes considers raising children with Wren, he has no idea how he would react in a family situation. Of all the people in her life, Demarcus empathizes with Wren most, as he too understands what it’s like to have a great power at an even greater cost.