Character

Untreated depression is one goddamn son of a bitch. Every day is like hell, fighting your entire being just to get out of bed and eat something because you've gotta survive somehow. You always want to cancel all your plans because you feel terrible, but then you feel even worse because you've just cancelled all your plans. It's an unwinnable war made up of a terrible domino trail of barely-winnable battles. So yeah, life's not going super hot for Rorial right now. You wouldn't pick up on it just by looking at him, though, and he runs away from or completely clams up at any conversation pertaining to mental health. So instead, the problem lies undetected, slowly festering and eating away at what's left of Rorial's life.

Life with an untreated mental illness is honestly almost like living undercover. You're constantly dodging questions, making up passable answers on the fly, trying not to get yourself into situations where your cover is sure to be blown, and just generally feeling like you're under attack and in enemy territory all the time. Rorial greatly appreciates all everyone around him is doing to try and get him out of his 'funk', but he suspects that there's something deeper hiding underneath. He really doesn't want to talk to someone about it, though, because admitting weakness on Alternia is a surefire way to get yourself culled. He's surviving, so according to him, there's no real need to escalate the situation at the moment. He's fine, really, he promises.

Abilities

FANCIFUL FASHIONISTA: Rorial's certain that he's been hanging around too many tailors, because he's started to gain the ability to tell between well-made and mass-produced garments just by sight. Regardless, there's still plenty of benefits for him, like being able to dress himself well and fix his own clothes. He's learning new skills every day, and it's actually kinda fun to see yourself getting better at something. All his friends say that they're going to get him to start making his own clothes, but Rorial thinks he'll just stick with the small repairs and tiny projects for now. He'll still show up to the fiberarts hangouts, though; nothing can drive him away now unless they kick him out of the sewing circle!

CONCEAL, DON'T FEEL: Rorial has the very exceptional skill of concealing himself to appear perfectly fine and mentally healthy to those around him. Even if you're actively looking for signs that something might be off, he's gotten pretty damn good at disguising his tells and throwing nosy people off of his scent. He's a fairly private person anyways and doesn't tend to attract needless attention to himself, so most of the time it flies completely under the radar. Even though he only wears long sleeves, he dresses it fashionably so no one notices that he's hiding scars. Rorial may be hurting like absolute hell on the inside, but he's definitely still not going to let you know about it- at all costs.

Notes

• Rorial has recently learned how to operate a sewing machine and made himself his first pillow. He hasn't stopped using it since the day he made it.
• The stars on his face are birthmarks, not tattoos. He gets a lot of unhinged Skylar fans in his follower feed because of it.
• Rorial gets another piercing every time he feels like he wants to jump off a bridge; he then tells himself that his life can't end until it's healed.
• His lusus once told him to "always think about where you'll be in the future", so he set the watch on his wrist four hours ahead and has never changed it back.
• Rorial paints his nails according to how he's feeling that day. Blacker/darker means more depressed.

Relationships

Maelys Alyise [ Blithe Blueblood Beloved ]

Maelys is Rorial's self-appointed mentor and crisis controller. Maelys seems to be all the blueblood that Rorial isn't, and that's why she's here to convince him that he is just as capable as she says he is. Rorial, meanwhile, just thinks she's working meaninglessly towards a lost cause.

Hadara Dracma [ Busy, Beautiful Bestie Blue ]

Rorial thinks Hadara has got to have, like, four extra arms hiding somewhere, or something equally as crazy. Just how does she manage to actually do all the stuff she does in one day? Rorial doesn't think he'll ever have her figured out, but she's quite fun to be around regardless.