⦁ Put up for adoption as a baby since his parents weren't ready to have a baby when he came he was given to an orphanage in Amarillo before his parents went back home out of state. Milo spent most of his childhood trying to gain external approval from the people around him. Milo spent a lot of time trying to help take care of the younger kids {even when they didn't like him. Some went as far to try and beat him up. It is hard to win against strategized 4-year-olds}. The caretakers at the orphanage would give passing thanks when he'd help but it was otherwise a position he wormed himself into and made it 'expected' for his help. He technically has a younger brother named Gregory II 'Gary' Johnson and his biological parents are named Frances and Gregory I Johnson.
When Milo was 15 an older woman named Tamica Washington came in and decided to adopt him. She had been adopting children for a long while before Milo- most of them growing up to be successful in the long run- and decided to take a chance on Milo since he didn't fit her usual adoptee. Milo was given the choice to keep the name he was christened with or take Tamica's surname- and Milo, believing he could find this 'Latis' family- decided to keep it just in case. Milo's skills with child rearing came in handy when living with Tamica and all of the other children. She had the money and resources to care for all of them.
⦁ Milo left Tamica's estate when he was 18. He didn't stay away for very long, though, as he accidentally got into some rough times with locals. Tamica gave Milo some money to move to another city where the consequences of his actions couldn't find him at 20. He had to wait until the heat died down to move. He was too scared and ashamed to tell Tamica he had been roped into drug dealing by being naive with his 'new friends' manipulating him. Milo got a shitty little car that was meant for impounding from one of his brothers and hopped around from motel-to-motel. During this time Milo would scope out the local scene and do odd jobs. It seemed that bad people flocked to Milo like flies. In the time when Milo was on the road he became ordained as a priest for a shotgun marriage between mafia kids, became a professional mourner, counterfeit bill painter, golf ball diver, loaded dice tester {planted for betting, wasn't compensated when lost}, line cook, pinsetter, gas station attendant, and junkyard part retriever; These jobs had no training and paid Milo like shit.
⦁ It was in 1978 when Milo was struck with a golden idea. After seeing multiple job listings over the years and never applying {partly because of his lacking confidence and the erectile dysfunction from his brief stint as a 'moonshine tester'. Milo had to go to the hospital multiple times}. Milo Latis was going to open a pornography studio. And it was going to be the best god-damn porn studio out there or he was going to die trying to get this off of the ground. Milo spent the next year planning out what he had to do to make this actually possible. He had to get back in touch with some of his past bosses on what he would need to do. Most of them laughed in his face about it and refused to give him any tips. There was, however, one person that helped. Milo was referred to Ronaldo 'Ronnie, Ron' G through one of his past bosses and Ron actually knew how to help. Ronnie started by giving Milo some 'pay me back when you're famous' money to give Milo a foothold, and would keep giving him money out of pity and guilt. Guilt for lying to Milo about believing that his porno thing would work out. Milo was having trouble on what to name the project up until it came time to buy the lease. Milo flubbed his name really bad, butchered it to hell and back, then found he actually liked the look and 'mouth feel' of Milano and just tacked on 'Productions' after it. Milo swore to be more creative when it came time for the actual porn.
⦁ Milo was not good at casting calls. He didn't know how to advertise them without getting questioned by police and gave up almost immediately {and after so many close-call coercions}. Milo went for the tactic he knew best: walk up to people and start chatting. Sadly, Milo is not a very charismatic man. He had stopped in a random bar- which he soon found was a gay bar- and practically begged Tom to join in his dream. It was ugly and really unsexy. Tom joined though, so who was the real winner?
The next person was Debora. Debora was at the grocer when Milo cornered her and began chatting her up. He laid on some thick compliments and at the mention of her lack of job he said he had one that had 'really flexible hours'. Milo was still partially off the high of getting Tom hired. Debora agreed reluctantly and Milo practically beamed at her when she sighed 'yes'.
Then was Dawn. She was walking down the street and Milo had to try and keep pace with her. Dawn had tried going into a few stores to lose him but Milo was shockingly good at finding her in crowds {a trick from his odd jobs}. Dawn shut him down many, many, many times and snapped that she had an interview the next day with a local office. Milo meekly asked if she'd consider his job if that one didn't work out. Dawn rolled her eyes and called Milo pathetic, but didn't have time to say 'no' before he shoved a hastily made note on a napkin in her hand and went the opposite direction of the police. Dawn gave in and told herself that this Milo guy would be her holdover until she got her real job.
Lenny kind of forced himself into Milo's nonexistent applications. Milo had decided to settle down for his Milano project and started renting out a trailer in a trailer park. Lenny was his talkative neighbor that always smelled like rank drinks and cigarettes. Lenny just kind of followed Milo to work and noticed that the job listings were open. Lenny was moreso an absorption than a proper hire. Milo didn't really want to tell him 'no' since he kind of needed as many 'yes's as possible- and Milo didn't have the heart to disregard Lenny calling him a friend. Milo doesn't really have friends.
Next up was Jamie. Jamie had the 'hot look' that Milo wanted oh-so desperately for his business. Jamie was new in town and looking for a job anyway! Milo may have seen a bit of himself in Jamie due to the on-the-road air that Jamie gave off. Milo thought that it sounded too self-absorbed to think like that. When Jamie shared that he'd done looser things when strapped for cash Milo beamed and gave him an immediate tour. Jamie was allowed a room in the building if he wanted it- now that was Milo projecting his desire for a stable place onto Jamie. Jamie stuck around though.
Fev was down in Texas to do some sightseeing- difficult when alone- when Milo spotted Fev's sketchbook. Fev hadn't really cared if Milo was creepy or not and shared some of his sketches with Milo. It was around this time that Milo was having some trouble with branding and DVD case designing and noted Fev's tenacity. Sure, it was more colorful than Milo was expecting, but maybe that's what Milano needs. A pop of color in this flesh-tone business. Milo gave Fev his information on another napkin and gave Fev a wink. Fev had awkwardly taken it and then left. Milo deflated and was sure he'd never see or hear from Fev again. Fev had called up his uncle Nicolaos and talked it over. What was better: a guaranteed job that kind of sucked, or a job that may never happen? Fev then called Milo up and accepted his offer.
Marc was up next. Milo found him while hanging around an airport parking lot. Milo did that to pick up random bags that were left behind by people who clearly didn't need them when he spotted Marc. He rushed up and introduced himself, gave a whole speech, and Marc cut into him with a seriousness Milo hadn't seen since he tried to start up MP. He gave a shaky {newly designed} business card to Marc and told him to call up if he needed a job. Marc had half a mind to rip it in half in front of Milo but he just wanted to get away from Milo. After around a month Marc dragged his sorry ass into Milano and gruffly stated that he would take up the offer. After some uproar from literally everyone else Milo shook Marc's hand and welcomed him to the family. Everyone told Milo to never call them a family again.
⦁ The whole crew is rounded off in 1979. Mostly. Milo couldn't keep a videographer to save his life so he kept using his word-of-mouth method and had a revolving door of directors and recorders. It was a decent split between 'artistic dreamers' and 'creeps'. There was one perfect, golden, goddess-like director who did her own video though. Her name was Juba 'Jade' Perkins. She made everyone feel comfortable, got good shots, and knew how to change her vision for the better. When she was done for the day the actors gave her their warmest thanks, sad that she'd probably never come back, and wished her well. Milo started trying to beg Jade into staying- he'd pay her more, she could take weeks off at a time, he'd wash her motorcycle and pay for gas- but Jade had better things to do. She was going to go on with her life and go get groceries for the day. Milo got on his knees and cried hard when Jade let the door close behind her. Everyone else in the room was freaked out since that was the first time they'd seen Milo take off his shades.
⦁ Milano Productions offered straight, gay, and lesbian sex as well as attempts at pin-ups and magazines. The magazines took too much time and money that Milano just didn't have so they stuck to movies. Most of their sales are to local sex shops but the products aren't very successful. Fev played around with posters again in the mid-to-late 80s but Milano crashed and burned to the ground before they could come to fruition.
⦁ If anyone is the most recognizable it would be Jamie since he's usually loitering around- Debora might faint if one of her son's friend's parents came up and confronted her about it, Dawn would threaten whoever it was and then hide away in Missouri with her family to lick her wounds, Lenny would take it in stride and offer a 'free night', Tom would immediately lose interest if anyone came up to him at the bar and talked about his work, Marc would refute and deny until his last breath.
⦁ In late 1987 Milo gets a cease and desist letter because of the 'Milano' name. Milo really, really, really starts to lose his shit about this. Fev walks into his office when Milo is mumbling to himself and trying to figure out who the hell could still want his head. Fev tells Tom {"penny for your thoughts?"}, which is then overheard by Lenny, whose loudmouth alerts Dawn/Debora/Jamie about it, and Marc is the last to learn since he walks in after using the john. Everyone starts freaking out around Milo and at Milo himself, which only makes things worse, and it almost gets to the point where fists are swung. Everyone goes home early for the day {mostly to go cool off} and Milo is stuck to spiral on his lonesome.
Later at night Ronnie comes into his office and notices the letter. Milo is begging for more time to pay off his multiple debts and Ron, sadly, removes his hand from off his shoulder. Ronnie's left and right hands come in and Milo fucking runs. He hops in his car- fuck the trailer, fuck everyone else- and hits the road yet again. The only safe place he can think of is his Mama's place. The same woman he'd call every night on the phone vaguing about his 'success' like how his siblings are rich and successful. He comes home with his tail between his legs and Tamica {reluctantly, Milo is a grown-ass man} lets him back inside.
Ronnie didn't take long to find him though. Ron went up to the manor and knocked politely, coming off as a 'concerned gentleman' who needed Milo for a brief spell after the turn of the year. Tamica tries to politely refuse his entry but Ron talks his way inside. Milo sees Ronnie and bolts out the window- climbing down a tree to get away from Ronnie. After Ron's not-so-subtle hints as to what 'successful business' Milo owned Tamica shouts out the window that Milo is never welcome back to her house and to never think of her again. Milo has to get a new car after this to try and make sure Ronnie doesn't snake him out. Milo gets a 1979 teal green Dodge Diplomat and repacks all his shit inside- it's faster and has more space.
⦁ Milo goes back to what he does best. Motel hopping. He gets halfway across Texas before February of 1988- very impressive for a guy that started running mid-January. Milo makes sure to make himself invisible along the way. He shares his name with less and less people. Dyes his hair and keeps it in a ponytail. He starts acting paranoid that Ronnie could, feasibly, find him at any point in time. Milo stops dressing the same in an effort to hide. In late February Ronnie finds Milo on the street and has his goons drag him into an alley and beat him to a pulp. Ron promises that he won't go after any of the workers since his loans were only for Milo. Ronnie may also have hinted that he was the on that sent the letter.
Milo is left to bleed out in an alley cold and alone. Milo got a {viewer left, his right} black eye, a blow to the temple, lost a molar, dislocated {viewer left, his right} shoulder, and shattered {viewer right, his left} knee. Milo had swallowed his gum as well. Milo finds a pack of Camels in a nearby trashcan and tries to get one last smoke in before going cold. It either works and he smokes the whole thing, he lights it and takes one puff before croaking, or the matches in the trash weren't useable so he can't even have one last cigarette.

⦁ Kevin {Father} and Angela {Mommy, not 妈/Mā} weren't necessarily ready to have a child, but Tom happened anyway! Surprise baby! Most of Tom's toddlerhood was uneventful, most of it was spent with his mother as his father stayed on his chair watching television. Kevin did cook dinner, though, and looked after Tom when Angela went out for groceries. When Tom was old enough to hold a conversation in an intelligible manner Angela began taking him to the new Chinatown and Asian Markets of Hollywood, California. Many of Angela's friends mistook Tom for a girl and this was encouraged since he wasn't really a talker. They thought she was a very polite young girl. However, Angela forbade any Mandarin inside the house. The Gao family were all about being American and Americanizing themselves- Kevin was in the army after all. How much more American can it get? Angela started leaning into Tom 'being her daughter' and began playing dress-up with Tom. As Kevin was on shore leave she picked up more dresses, hair bows, and even helped Tom grow out his hair. Since Tom got used to 'this is just how things are' since his questions were generally ignored, Tom figured that this is just something that happens and is normal. Kevin came home to a pansy in place of his son though and got pissed. He got angry at Angela, but it was mostly targeted at Tom. That was the first exposure Tom had to 'homos'. His father called him a faggot around the corner.
Tom then had buzz cuts, all blue clothing, jeans, everything a boy his age should be doing. He was also 'banned' from going to Chinatown and markets with Angela. Kevin also forced him into baseball and would stop sending his son letters. Angela was used to getting a letter a month, so when Kevin changed to sending a letter every two months she thought he died. Tom focused on school and baseball, football, whatever sports his mother took him to. His grades were good- they had to be- but Tom didn't seem to connect with the other boys. He graduated highschool with no real problems. His attendance was imperfect- he had a habit of skipping- but his grades were perfect. Tom could have become a social scientist with a focus on social history if Kevin hadn't forced Tom out of the house under the guise of his imperfect attendance. Kevin was still convinced and enraged- since Tom was 10- that his son is a transvestite wimp. Tom had no qualms on leaving that night. He had already packed a go-bag, the pitcher on the highschool baseball team told him about that idea, and hefted it over his shoulder. Angela cried and held onto Tom. Kevin pried her off her son, and she clung to Kevin as Tom slammed the door.
⦁ Freshly 17 in 1953, Tom went to the only places he knew of. He coasted around the local parks, spent time at the library, and had packed all of his money to grab food at the Valley Plaza. He still never quite came back to Chinatown despite people being racist and asking him for directions. Tom had gotten a crappy hotel room that was more grimy than he would have liked. The occupants were nice and even offered- when he was of age- to host him in their rooms. That was Tom's first real interaction with other queers. He never gave sexuality or attraction the time of day, so sure, he's gay. Why not. He keeps going with men, so it makes the most sense. Tom didn't have a 'steady' source of income since he just went to Valley Plaza for a job. He was being followed by some mall cops and ducked into the closest store to apply for a job. It worked since the malls were still so new, and Tom ended up a Gold's Gym employee for a couple of years. Tom was the receptionist-slash-janitor since they needed one less hand.
Tom had met a few other people while working at Gold's, a few of them recognized him from the hotel, and offered to take him drinking. Tom went along and found that people would just go there to get sad and drunk. Tom also started to pick up smoking in this time. There was a guy that really got Tom's attention... An older man, with slick black hair and a big grin. He lit Tom's cigarette with the light of his own. Cupped Tom's face to do it. He handed the young man his leftover matches and Tom saw him all the time at the gym. He eventually asked Tom if he wanted a more stable place to stay {"What, you don't find gunshots to be the new-age rain?"} and brought Tom home. With his five other roommates. Tom was welcomed to his 21st with shots and a room full of yelling, sweaty men. It was unconventional to say the least. Tom kept to his room most of the time and helped out by taking the trash out and going to the laundromat. It wasn't... Bad. It definitely wasn't bad. It was probably Tom's favorite time in his life.
After that, though, a few of the guys got sick. Tom packed his things and left to go bar diving once his crush fell sick. Tom had a license at this point so he could drive and everything- he'd bum around a guy's house for about a week before finger-saluting his way into obscurity. He traveled his way up Cali in this fashion. Drive a bit, sleep with a stranger, crash at his place, rinse and repeat. He would take advantage of the 'free shit' such as showers, laundry, and food. Tom did this until he was 27 in 1963.
⦁ When Tom was nearing his 30s his little charade stopped working. Nothing was guaranteed. Communal living was a sore subject he never, ever wanted to approach again. As he became less of a 'hot, young commodity' in the queer circles he frequented, Tom decided to just hunker down at yet another shit-hole and keep his head down. This time he chose an apartment complex. Tom didn't have the same luck as last time and struggled to find another job. He became a chain smoker during this period of his life and almost lost his mind working at a bar.
Tom had actually gotten plenty of pointers and tips from bar hopping for so long- and after all of his late-night friends drank with him. He poured with confidence and didn't give a shit what people ordered. He also knew how and when to cut people off, which was very helpful. He had to work at reduced pay since he didn't have a liquor license, but Tom did play plenty of pool to make up for it. Most of the 60s were Tom sleeping during the day, working nights, staying up until the sun rose, and grocery shopping Mon-Thursday. Most nights were full of poorly thought-out decisions and the 'mornings' were sore and too bright.
⦁ Life was this way until 1977. After over ten years of serving without a permit, 41-year-old Tom is left jobless yet again. The bar shut down. All his old acquaintances were out of town or 'out of town'. Tom made his way up Cali toward San Jose and eventually found a new job. A cook for some showbiz Pizza Time Theater place. It is one of Tom's regretful decisions. It was too sticky, too loud, and there were way too many kids. His coworkers were too young and too chatty. Tom kept a rather admirable home-bar stocked during this time and would drink until he couldn't feel anything anymore, an old habit picked up from his father. He thought the animatronics were inventive and new, he particularly liked the star of the show. Felt he could relate. To which Tom immediately disregarded since he's a grown man, and that is for children. Tom knew his place was to stick to the kitchens and make crap pizza.
Eventually though, there was soon talk of moving headquarters to Texas. Tom was one of the selected few that were told to move with the location- partially because it had slipped between the cracks that Tom has no qualms about moving, and picks up his shit yet again. Tom didn't really want to move this time. He liked California. He was familiar with it, at least. But he was guaranteed a house 'just in case he wanted to start a family' and happily agreed. Who would turn down a free house? And so, once all of the legal technicalities were through, Tom quit working for the rat and became unemployed yet again. Tom was preparing to coast and re-settle down, maybe get a bartender license, when someone new propositioned him.
⦁ Tom had been hanging around the local queer bar to get some semblance of 'normal' back underfoot- and to pick up some more pool money and pool honey's- when some scratchy, patchy guy came in. Tom didn't give him a second thought other than the walk-in-the-door quick scan. As Tom went and got some more drinks for his group the stranger slid up beside him. He was... Very talkative. Tom didn't share much of himself {it was like pulling teeth for Tom to give up his name} and tried to leave. The stranger followed, though, and kept trying to talk during the game. Some of the guys started to get agitated and couldn't focus on their shots. Tom rolled his eyes so hard before shoving his cue to one of the new players so he could drag the stranger into one of the booths to shut him up.
The stranger, Milo, said he was looking for some 'actors' for some 'mature movies'. Tom saw through this and got offended that Milo wouldn't just call it what it was: porn. Tom didn't say that he had recently quit but Milo seemed to smell it on him. Milo tried to describe the perks of the job as flexible hours, above minimum-wage pay, and when the movies sold Tom would get a large cut since he was one of the starter people. Tom said that would be a stupid decision later on if, and only if, Milo managed to hire more people. Milo agreed and tried a new angle. Complimentary food and drink, bought and brought by himself, to the studio every day. Tom asked if it would be store bought or home cooked. Milo could feel Tom slipping from his fingers and eventually shot over the table to grab his hands and beg.
Tom felt grossed out when Milo started crying and agreed. To shut him up. Milo brightened instantly and wrote out his information with a dying pen on one of the table napkins. Tom pocketed it and left Milo at the booth. Tom's group watched as Milo sipped water before leaving. They tried to ask Tom what that was all about but were met with the 'any more questions and I'll stop playing' stare.
⦁ Tom found he could make it to work on foot- a plus for saving on gas money- and went in on the following Monday. Tom tried to knock on the door but found it unlocked. It swung open and the familiar stench of nicotine wafted through the air. Everything had that yellow stain only hardcore smoking does, but Milo wasn't smoking when Tom found him. This building does seem pretty versatile so it must have had plenty of lives before this Milo business. Tom walked in on Milo talking with a more cleaned-up man. Tom nodded to Ronnie G as he left with his left and right hands. Tom tried to ask what was up with that, but at Milo's hurried words, he shrugged and lit up. Tom still had the muscle memory of putting out a match even as he uses a lighter.
Tom looked around the place and found that Milo did in fact bring food. Sure, that Ron guy and his team got to it first, but there was still enough to make a sandwich. Tom ate as Milo kind of talked and explained at him about his goals for the business. Hire more stars, get a designer for a snappy logo, get in touch with local sex shops and videographers, and figure out how to market this shit and get rich! Tom asked Milo if he had any plans for any step of the process. ... Milo coughed and waved a hand. It was bound to work itself out!
⦁ Tom was cordial when Debora joined. He tried to comfort her in his own way: complaining and smoking. He gave a forewarning that it would probably take him a... 'While' to get it up because he doesn't swing that way. Debora gasped and asked Milo if he even asked what Tom was willing to do- because he sure as hell didn't do it with her. Milo pointed out that the thought hadn't occurred to him. He thought it would be like... Just another part of the job? Debora and Tom quickly got along about the complaining. Besides, it would take a long time for the sex-ball to get a-rolling if this is the level of professionalism Milano Productions offered. Tom nearly went into a coughing fit when Milo beefed his signature that badly. But it was snappy and stuck.
Dawn was in the middle of fixing-slash-berating Milo about his legal documents when Tom walked in. He knew he was going to like her. That, and they were around the same age. A plus since Dawn was about ten years Tom's senior.
Lenny, however, was not a big thrill. He reminded Tom too much of the young men at the bar trying to go home with him mixed with the middle-aged creepers of his own bracket. He didn't mind the compliments but would tell Lenny to back off of Debora and Dawn when they didn't have the energy to tell him off themselves. This was usually done in a 'smoke break' tactic to get Lenny out of the building as well.
Jamie wasn't a big surprise. Milo seemed like he'd poach someone younger. Not, like, eighteen young though. Old enough to drink. Tom and Jamie are the 'sit in silence and be cool' brothers. They don't talk about much and they like it.
Fev was a big surprise though. Milo found someone, who didn't throw away his little napkin, wasn't going to be an actor, and fills in that creative marketing niche Milo was searching for? Hot damn. Fev is cool. Tom had seen him around when he was cruising with that little friend of his. Anthony? Didn't matter, all he knew is that he had to help them both into a cab after a rowdy night. Tom knows Fev doesn't remember him but he likes it that way.
Marc was a change of pace that Tom was not expecting. Thankfully, or unthankfully, he took the Lenny heat off of Tom and Jamie as it was soon directed all on Marc. He also didn't mind having sex with Marc. He was the closest to Tom's type and, secretly, Tom was kinda into the tan line stuff. He's secretly thankful for Dawn's snarky comment way back when Marc first joined.
⦁ 1979, Tom aged 43, is when Milano officially 'opened its doors'. It wasn't very successful. But because of Milo's determination and guilt, he paid everyone way more than he should have. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but for being an independent business it was very good. This lasted until 1987 when Fev comes from the skinny little hallway leading to Milo's office with a shocked face. Tom asked what happened and found out the business was tanking. Hard and fast. Tom asks if he's getting bullshitted when Lenny comes in, repeats it louder, and soon the break room is the new hotspot of chaos. Marc yells it the loudest which causes Milo to come out of his office finally all haggard and shit-looking. Everyone is yelling and asking questions, a few are starting to get mad and blame each other before turning to Milo. He tries to reassure everyone that after this week's pay period, he'll solve it.
Milo promptly went missing without a trace over the weekend. Everyone tried to call him, page him, fucking something, but Lenny was keeping the 'Milo hauled ass' to himself partially because he didn't want to admit it. Tom backhanded Lenny hard for that, which lead to Jamie grabbing Tom and Marc holding Lenny back when he tried to go up after him. Dawn swatted the back of their heads and forced them to calm down. Tom decided that if this was it, this was it. He started to repack his shit to move back to California. Besides, he's in his 50s, not like he's going to wait around for some mystical, magical new thing like he's back in his 20s. He's a grown-ass man that doesn't wait around for anyone.
⦁ Tom moved at the beginning of 1988. He didn't say any goodbyes. Not like any of them were going to keep in touch after all, they were just coworkers. Tom doesn't want to mention Milano to any place that's hiring, so he just put down 'bartender' again. Maybe this time he can get that license. Tom landed in San Francisco and started going through the motions to do this shit correctly this time. Once he was done he went out and got that job. It wasn't the same as before, too many young people for Tom's liking, but it pays the bills.
Tom had incidentally moved in next to a family. He didn't mind as long as the kids stayed on their side of the fence. He did not like hearing them yell though. The girl- Holly?- seemed like a menace, but the mother seemed to baby and cater to her every need. That sucked for the older brother. Tom was soon acquainted with Jacob though as the kid started visiting Tom. A lot. Tom would let him over- grouchy about it the entire time- since the kid seemed like he needed a break from taking the fall for his sister. He'd bring out a pitcher of lemonade for himself {secretly for Jacob as long as he brought a cup over} and would make some snacks. Healthy ones though. Like... Fruit. And vegetables.
⦁ Tom's 50-60s were actually pretty good. He was still just as 'active' in the queer scene as he was through his entire life. Plenty of nightly friends. Tom would prefer going to their place, though, because Tom wants his space. And maybe a barrier between his lives. Work, personal, and... Neighbor. Tom would never admit that he didn't mind being there for Jacob- after all, he was just some kid- but it was a change of pace from the other pessimistic people his age. Tom actually got to see Jacob and Holly grow up. Holly moreso by watching her hop into a friend's car and drive away, she didn't want to talk to the old man next door, but Jacob seemed more than happy to spend his afternoons with Tom.
⦁ But it wouldn't last forever. Since Tom was 'active' for so long and forcibly ignored when his past partners either fell off the face of the earth or had a memorial service, Tom kept on pushing without condoms. He just liked the feel and didn't need some plastic getting in the way or whatever the hell it was. During all the AIDS awareness Tom forcibly ignored it. He would disengage from guys talking about AIDS, he'd refuse condoms {or in extreme cases, refuse to penetrate}, and would look the other way when it came to awareness.
So it wasn't a big surprise when Tom found out he had HIV. Because he pushed so many people away and sectioned himself off, Tom had no-one to confide in. Tom started to pull himself up by his bootstraps. He dug his hole deeper and started going out less. Eventually, Tom submitted himself to a hospital. Because of Tom's prickly exterior and unfriendly attitude, and self-isolation, nobody came to visit him. Jacob was worried though, but it's not like he could tell his parents 'hey I'm gonna go check up on the old gay guy I've had a crush on for years while he's in the hospital!', they'd flip their lids.
Tom dies in the hospital. Part because of his developed HIV/AIDS, but also because the staff just wasn't treating him well health wise. Jacob had found out about Tom's passing in the paper after his dad was done reading it. Jacob had tried to go over to Tom's house before then and now knew why it didn't work. Jacob snuck in through the back door to see if there was anyone to call- nobody was showing up to the house and it was freaking him out- and found out that Tom didn't have anyone left that he was close with. Jacob tried to put together a funeral but he didn't have the tools to do so.

⦁ The Bakers, Edwin and Payton, were ready and excited about a baby when Debora was born. Payton and Ed made sure that Debora grew up with as many kind words as possible. They praised, congratulated, and celebrated as many accomplishments as possible. This lead to Debora having an okay sense of self but with many, many doubts. Debora kept oscillating between mild confidence and insecurity. Since she had no 'negative feedback' the kind words became hollow in comparison.
Debora's parents were also very heavy-handed with their love. It was a bit like choking in your favorite drink. Debora loves her parents, yes, but when they both admit to wanting to dress her up all the time like she was still a baby and treating her younger than she is, it gets uncomfortable. But she can't ask them to stop.
Debora also got to visit some of Payton's family back in Ireland. Debora caught some of the accent- it twinges some of her vowels- but she still sounds very American. The O’Clery family love and adore little Debbie and give her all kinds of gifts whenever she visits.
⦁ Most of Debora's childhood feels like it was 'glossed over' while simultaneously being extended. When Debora was ten she was being treated like she was eight, and when she was fourteen she was being treated like she was twelve. Debora still learned plenty of important things like how to cook, clean, laundry, but it was all supervised. Every single time. It became... Even more overbearing when Debora started highschool. She could deal with her parents in middle school- but when her peers started talking about smoking and driving permits, Debora realized she couldn't relate to them anymore.
Debora was not a popular kid but she got by. Well, as best as she can get by after starting puberty. She was a late bloomer- a trait from the Baker family- and then she couldn't be left alone. Since Debora has always been a bit chubby she was teased, bullied, and harassed by the other girls. The boys only saw one part of her but generally kept their distance. No guy wants to be seen with the fat girl after all.
⦁ One summer in 1963 the Baker family took a trip down to the Gulf of Mexico. It was just a fun 'summer long trip' for the Baker family to change up their routine. Once getting down to Beaumont, though, Debora realized her swimsuit {from a couple of years ago} didn't fit anymore. Her parents took this as an opportunity to go take her shopping instead of letting their 16-year-old daughter go out and buy it herself. Then again, her parents weren't exactly encouraging her to get a job or her license, so they had to buy it for her. Debora wanted to get something more 'adult' but her parents found an adorable yellow ruffle swim top with a matching skirt. Her parents asked if she liked it and she basically whimpered out 'yes, can we go to Crystal Beach now please?'
The beach was very crowded. There were people, cars, and just so much noise. Payton and Ed left Debora to set up their spot as they got some snacks from the nearby pier. Debora got a brief reprieve from being treated like a child and relaxed. Not much but her shoulders weren't tense anymore. Once the towels and umbrella were set up Debora sat to put on sunscreen. That is when she saw him. A beautiful-- The most beautiful man Debora had ever seen. He was wearing a white speedo- way too tight- and he was sunburnt all over. He had this big grin as he was running to catch a ball his friend threw. His hair was thick and curly. He was also covered in hair. He had just... A handsome face. Debora gripped the sunscreen bottle too hard and splurted out practically half the bottle into her palm. She didn't even notice since her wide eyes were on the stranger.
She cussed under her breath and tried to fix her mistake but gave up. Debora really, really, really wanted to go up and talk to the stranger. He looked around her age! How had she never seen someone like him before? Debora sighed in defeat as he ran back to his friends just as her parents came back. Not like she can do anything now. She gave a weak grin and offered some sunscreen to her parents, who laughed it off as her being worried about them. Debora didn't reply. The rest of the trip was spent thinking about that stranger.
⦁ Debora saw him a couple of times- he primarily went to the beach in his cool car. It was probably his parents since it was a tad beat up, but that didn't matter. It was the boy inside the car that Debora cared about. She liked to imagine the boy whisking her away in his car and never coming back on the nights down in Beaumont.
It was a couple of years before Debora saw Gary again. 1965, just after her 18th birthday, the Baker family took another trip down to the Gulf. Her parents hung back a bit more- their daughter just graduated, after all, and she's thinking about boys!- but not too far. Debora still had the same swimsuit since she didn't outgrow it. Debora tried to remember the same spot she was at before running into a taller guy hard enough that she fell back on her ass.
Debora tried to apologize and get up but there was a warm feeling in her chest as the man tilted her chin up. It was the same stranger. He actually apologized and helped her up. He finally gave his name as Debora tried not to freak out. Debora was very flushed and very clumsy the entire time she spoke with Gary, but he seemed to like it. Her parents stayed out of her business {they saw it as a 'summer fling'} and Debora got to learn about Gary.
Gary was from Louisiana and came down to the Gulf with his buddies during the entire summer. Debora was shocked that his parents let him do that but he said they didn't care. He was 18 now, why should they?
⦁ Debora shyly asked if she could write him letters. Gary agreed and wrote down his information- with a heart!- and gave it to Debora. He winked and gave yet another flirty comment before his buddies dragged him back to the car. Debora felt the need to hide the note from her parents because they still saw her as sixteen. Debora was already trying to think of things to write to Gary about until she got back home to Seymour. Debora lied and told her parents that she found a penpal through the highschool just before graduating, so then began the budding romance between Gary Johnson and Debora Baker.
Debora spent most of her time- now at her job- thinking of Gary. Everyone knew she was smitten from coworkers to customers but nobody knew who she was thinking of. Her parents were the last to catch on. When Debora was 20 in 1967 her parents sat her down for a talk. Debora got worried that they read the letters between herself and Gary, but they instead began talking about how Deb needed to find a husband. Or someone to take care of her. Her parents loved her, of course, but she was an adult now. Debora hesitantly revealed that she was dating her 'penpal' and her parents celebrated. Ed teased and called her sneaky while Payton spun Debora around.
Gary's next letter was about how he thinks his parents are buying him a car for his next birthday. A new one. His father was looking at magazines. Debora got excited and asked if he wanted to come up and visit, but Gary came back harder and teased that he was going to steal her for a summer back down to the beach. No friends, just the two of them. Debora practically screamed with joy.
⦁ Debora tried to get the courage up to talk with her parents about the plan. It took the entire year. But, the first day of summer in 1968, 21-year-old Debora tried to talk to her parents before there was a knock at the door. It was Gary. He drove from Sulfur LA all the way to Seymour TX. Gary greeted Payton and Ed before giving Debora a big hug and tossing her over his shoulder. Her parents were in shock and couldn't really say anything as their daughter was hauled off into his Mercury Park Lane that still had that new car smell and fuzzy dice on the rearview mirror. Debora tried to ask about her clothes, her stuff, anything, but Gary told her that she was going to get some new clothes on the trip down.
⦁ Debora remembers this trip fondly. It was one of the most exciting times of her life. Everything was so full of color and life. Most of her interactions with Gary followed that same pattern. Debora mentions something offhandedly and Gary just gets it done without any warning. Gary was always full of surprises- partially because he doesn't talk about anything he's doing for the surprises. Debora had her first kiss and first time with Gary.
They moved in together in 1970 to another neighborhood in Seymour. Debora helped Gary move his stuff over from Sulphur, helped decorate the house inside and out, and Gary did as much as he could. Gary chose a place with a spacious garage for his car hobby, Debora got to choose what flowers and bushes go in the front/backyards, and the two of them chose wallpaper and flooring. It was a project they worked on together and with love. It was almost like a test run for a having a kid in an abstract way.
One day Debora asked when they were going to get married. Gary promised a fall wedding, then a spring one, then settled on telling Debora that he was going to surprise propose soon. Debora accepted this since Gary was so good with surprises.
⦁ Debora got pregnant and they both freaked out. Debora wasn't ready for the changes that pregnancy would do to her body, nor was she prepared to care for a small little baby, but Gary was freaked out because he wasn't ready to be a father. He internalized this and tried to be a rock for Debora as morning sickness took up most of her time. Eventually their first son, David, was born in March 1971 when Debora was 24. Debora knew as soon as she held her son that she was excited to be a mother. Gary still had some apprehensions but he tried to be supportive.
Ed and Payton were not... The most elated that Gary and Debora still weren't married. They had all that time to get hitched and nothing? Debora had to sit Gary down and tell him that she wants to be married. Gary waved her off with the promise of a surprise proposal that he was still workshopping. Debora tried to restate that it was for her as much as it was for her parents. Gary said that he was working on it.
By the time 1973 rolled around and Daniel was born Debora kind of... Told Gary to propose. Soon. Payton and Ed could only hold off so long before getting the papers themselves. Gary did propose. He knelt down after a date night- Payton and Ed forced their way into the house to babysit- and Debora said yes. It wasn't the most romantic but it was enough for her. Gary slid the ring on her finger with a kiss on her cheek. He promised a spring wedding. ... Or next year fall.
⦁ Gary then left in 1974. He said that he was off on a job to make some more money for the wedding, and Debora wrote letters, but he eventually stopped telling her where he was going. Debora was broken up about it of course. Her parents had to help with the house and the boys while Debora... Took some time to herself. Her parents didn't mind helping their little girl out or her boys. It took a while, and Debora pushed herself to be more okay than she was, and swung harder into being a mom. After all, she needs to be. She has to look up the schools to send her sons to, which jobs pay well, she has to buy a car, she has to pawn the ring Gary gave her for gas money-- It isn't a good time to be Debora Baker.
But she is trying anyway. She doesn't like how her life so far has been 'child, girlfriend, mother' but it was what she was given. Her fast food job was the only reference she had because she was on Gary's income. Debora starts working at drive-in theaters and gas stations in the 70s. Her late 20s were spent working and mothering. Most of that is just a blur, but she made sure to take plenty of photos for her baby books. She wanted to share it with David and Daniel when they were older and to prove that the time had passed. Debora felt like she had to put the few pictures of Gary with the boys in there for the sake of honesty. It hurt but it was a real event that happened. After all, if not for Gary, they wouldn't be alive.
⦁ Debora tried to find more things to keep herself occupied. She focused on gardening, cooking, sewing to fix her sons' clothing, a couple of teaching skills to help her sons, just anything to fill the time and to get a sense of self back. She was more than a mother. She was more than a drive-in ticket booth worker. She was a person.
⦁ One day at the grocery, while picking up some food for a family event, there was a stranger that came up to her. After working at the drive-in from 1974 to 1978 she knew how to talk to strange men. He was talking about movies or something, complimenting her, and it was kind of like a diet version of Gary. He had a similar grin. Sure, the stranger's grin was more begging while Gary had that cool air, but it was the first time Gary popped in her head after trying to forcibly forget about him.
Debora was on her day off and mentioned that she really needed to get some shopping done, but Milo- he finally introduced himself- mistook it as a sign of unemployment. He cornered her by the produce and spoke about his new gig. An offer that any sane person would take up. Milo was offering Debora to be in front of the camera- a star. Debora chuckled and tried to poke his flawed logic, but when Milo said that she would look beautiful in front of the camera, about how it would love her, she hesitated.
... Not like it would be that bad, right? Debora sighed and accepted.
⦁ Debora was not impressed at the location of this little 'movie' place. She was greeted with the smell of nicotine and just gray. Brown and gray carpet. She met her new coworker, Tom, and spoke a bit with him. Tom said that Milo was pretty passionate about this porno business but it won't start up for a while. Debora asked what the hell Tom meant by 'porno business'. This was movies, right? Film movies? Tom got quiet and offered Debora a cigarette. Debora could tell this was going to be quite the something.
Debora liked Dawn. A lot. Dawn was the closest thing Debora had to a friend. They talked with ease and Dawn even offered to hang out outside of work. Debora and Dawn got to see some real movies for free- and eventually they would let Tom, Jamie, and Fev tag along once they were all together- and make jokes about how Milo could be doing better. Debora never really let her drive-in job go since she was mostly working nights there.
It was a rainy day when Lenny met Debora. He immediately shortened her name to something stupid. Lenny overheard Milo 'workshopping' porn actor names for everyone and started calling Debora 'double Deb' and Debbie. It made Debora really uncomfortable but Lenny just... Seemed like the type of guy to do his own thing. Uncaring of what others thought of him. ... That was kind of like Gary. {just when you think you're at your lowest point, a blonde man--}
Jamie was a curveball. He was actually pretty. Debora was shocked that Milo convinced him to join. She still doesn't know how he did it. Jamie is nice to Debora and she helps by making him some meals every now and again. She knows how to cook after all, healthy meals at that, so why not help those around her that need it?
Debora treated Fev the same way she treated Jamie. A bit odd, way out of Milo's wheelhouse, but a pleasant young man. She slips up once in a while but Fev definitely acts like a man. He smokes, he cusses, and he drinks hard enough to get hangovers after the weekend. Debora has given Fev some of her hangover tips from her teen years.
Debora tried to be nice to Marc. She really did. He was just so... Picky. He never refused her meals {he even thanked her} but he was still prickly. Debora helped him clean out his car one time. He had a lot of fast food wrappers and the car practically smelled like a McDonald's fryer. Debora swore to keep it to herself while trying not to giggle.
⦁ The year Milano opened its doors was the same year Debora turned 32. Part of Debora's stipulation while working there is that her schedule fit around her sons' lives. It took around an hour or two for Debora to get to work after dropping her kids off, and Debora was going to try and pick them up every day as well. She would have weekends off as much as possible, she'd say when her D&D had sport events, and Milo couldn't really grow enough of a backbone to say no. Or he was too scared to lose Debora.
When the boys are in third or fourth grade they express an interest in riding the school bus. The nearest stop was a bit of a drive from the house, but she relented. Debora did promise to drop them off at their stop and watch them get on the bus every day though. This stopped around middle school when David and Daniel were embarrassed that their mom was still treating them this way. Debora wasn't ready for that but she understood the want to grow up. Debora then got a lot of free time for Milano.
⦁ There was also a brief 'stint' where Debora tried to go out on a few dates. A few nice, single men {save for the one who lied about being single} asked Debora out. When her parents heard wind of this they had bought Debora a cute and trendy new outfit. It was an outfit intended for a teen girl or a young woman, not a... 38-year-old woman. It consisted of a sweater-dress made to sit baggy on a slim figure, not stick against her body, along with shiny tights and flats. Debora didn't have the heart to reject it- hell, she was still wearing her maternity clothing since they were the only things that fit anymore- so she wore it on her dates.
Debora would do her hair and makeup to try and match the pink outfit. With her already red hair and pinkish complection. Debora would just feel... Silly. Before every date she would debate on pretending that there was an emergency like one of her boys got sick. They were 14 and 11. They needed a mother! And a father.
... Anyway, Lenny had happened to ruin a few of her dates. Somehow. He just so happened to be wandering around the mall with some friends {Lenny had friends? How?} and called out for 'Double Deb'. Debora paled instantaneously. His friends, bless their hearts, were trying to get Lenny to keep moving but he slung an arm around Debora's dates to keep talking with his big mouth. He shared way too much and made the fact they were 'coworkers' in 'plenty of movies' way too obvious and Debora never got a call back from her dates.
There were also misunderstandings where Debora would find a guy at a bar, start talking, and how the hell is Jamie here. He walked away from his drink to do that stupid 'I'm a man' subtle intimidation. It was never directed at Debora though!- That was for the men at the bar who admittedly weren't the most... Impressive. Debora would try to make Jamie go away but it never worked.
Debora has refused to speak to both Lenny and Jamie for a week at a time after their little stunts. Not to mention the single time Milo tried to get Debora to come on in a weekend by finding the park she took her sons to. Was there an important shoot? Yes, but Dawn was out of town and Milo just needed a woman in the shot. He seemed more skittish than usual but Debora was too pissed to fully realize this.
⦁ Around the beginning of 1986, when her sons turned 15 and 13 respectively, the boys begged to be able to join a friend's family for a summer road-trip. Debora had a long talk with the parents on every single detail of the trip. She wanted to know where they were going, what roads they were going to take, how they were going to keep five teenage boys fed, where they were going to stay for however long-- The parents tried to help Debora calm down. They had it handled. Besides, Debora would have plenty of time to herself, right? All moms want a break to be themselves again. Not to mention take care of the husband she definitely has- it'd be like the boys never left!
Debora tried to take it easy. Focus on work, put more time toward her hobbies, but as spring turned to summer she got so worried. Debora hasn't ever really lived alone. Properly alone. She did go from living with her parents, to living with Gary, to taking care of two babies. It was a productive summer for Milano since Debora felt the need to be doing something with her time. Even if she didn't like what she was doing. Dawn, Jamie, and Fev could definitely tell that something was up, Tom kept to himself but could feel it in the air, meanwhile the other three couldn't get their heads out of me-me-me land to notice.
Debora had come home one day to find Marc, Jamie, Fev, and Dawn in her house. Anthony was in the kitchen. Dawn sat Debora down, started putting curlers in her hair, as Jamie started channel surfing beside his {not} husband Fev. Marc was trying to find a board game that six people could play. It was the first time Debora could come home to a full and lively house- absent of the itchy silence it had gained- and be taken care of. With a firm hand of course, Anthony was called over to help cook and clean. They had set up a rotation of things to do that lacked Debora's name.
Debora didn't know what to do. It was actually... Nice. She could focus on her little photography hobby. She took plenty of candid shots of everyone. Debora could garden without worry. She could sew clothing out of new patterns that should actually fit her thanks to Fev buying fabric-slash-donating what his family gave. And, since Debora didn't work at the drive-in anymore, she could genuinely sit down and enjoy her time. Marc and Dawn would go shopping for groceries. The house was alive with the sounds of people that didn't need Debora up and on her feet.
It was so nice, in fact, that Debora lost track of the days on the calendar. David and Dan knocked on the door with their friends and friend's parents on the doorstep. They were greeted with everyone asleep in the living room and a slobby looking transvestite opening the door. Everyone was shocked silent staring at each other until Dan threatened that he hadn't gone in his room. Fev game a strained chuckle and shook his head with a helpless shrug. Dawn shook Debora awake, who fell asleep in one of Jamie's shirts, and ran to the door. She hugged her boys tight in a way only a mother can give. She smelt like a mix of four colognes and a new perfume. It was really scary for them. Debora helped bring their things upstairs to their rooms- kept clean and untouched.
The parents began thinking that Debora was a deviant. She had multiple men in the house- and at least one woman?- so it was obvious what she was. They even found her 'movies'. Debora was... Quickly ostracized. It basically happened overnight. Debora hadn't put the pieces together for the rest of the year. It felt like a knife wound in her sternum.
⦁ 1987 was just an awful year. Debora lost any semblance of friends, couldn't get a date, her sons started to shun her in the house, and her parents' health began to fail. Payton started developing some pretty severe fevers and Ed got lung cancer. The whole year was scary and it certainly didn't help when Milano got a cease and desist letter that sent Milo spinning out of control. Of course, Debora only found the papers once everyone had scared Milo off, but it was clear. The business was tanking. Dawn relented that there have been some money problems. Bankrupt and dead. That is the thrilling end of Milano Productions.
⦁ Debora hung her head and went back to the drive-in. They said she was too old and 'too much of a risk'. She tried to work at the grocery store, they ignored her application. Any local job was one Debora couldn't attain. She needed to help pay for her parents' procedures and still support herself and her boys. It is a bit humiliating at 40 years old to have your 16-year-old and 14-year-old make more money than you. Debora even tried to apply to local antique shops and even they wouldn't take her.
Debora had to find a job. Now. She wasn't willing to move- this is the house her and Gary started a family in, one where David and Dan had friends in school, where her parents were. Debora felt like she was sinking from 1987 to 1999. Her 40s and early 50s were scraped by on pennies and prayers.
⦁ Debora eventually found work. She became a janitor for a church about three-hours from home. Yes, Debora was 53, but finally. Something stable. Her sons left home as soon as they were both 18. Debora hasn't seen them in years. She swears they aren't avoiding her, they are just travelling for their well paying and successful jobs.
Debora spends most of her time now sitting in front of the television and worrying her hands until the skin is rubbed raw. Nobody from Milano kept in touch. Not even Dawn. Debora cried her heart out when she found the paper that had her obituary. It was a rainy day.
⦁ Debora had started hoarding newspapers, boxes, trinkets- but she made sure to never fill David and Daniel's rooms. Those were off limits in case they ever wanted to come back and see their mother. Debora did see them once! It was such a nice day. Debora had just turned 64 when David and Dan took her to a park to talk about rehoming. Debora asked if she was going to live by them, or if they were moving back to Texas? ... They said she was going to live in an old folks home.
Debora was shocked. She can still take care of herself. She still has a job. She still has a house. She kept their rooms for them! If they'd just step inside--
David and Dan said the nurses were going to collect her on December 25th. They drove Debora back to her house- the brothers kept silent in the front seat as they forced Debora to sit in the back silently. Debora got out and tried to ask if they'd like to come in for lunch but they drove off as quickly as possible.
⦁ ... Debora's final years weren't anything to write home about. Well, actually, her home was repossessed by the city. David and Daniel didn't even take the baby books that she left on their beds. David was strongarmed by his wife into bringing their children to Debora. She was so happy to know that she was a grandmother- never mind that they range from six to ten- but the kids looked scared to see her. They cried. Dan's family came to visit once as well! The kids were too scared to touch her.
Debora passed in the home. There was a funeral because that's what you do. The two Baker families showed up. Debora didn't have anyone they could invite, but they did do it in the old church Debora used to work for. The entire staff had changed by that point so no-one could really go up and say anything meaningful. She was cremated, again because that is what you do. Nobody wanted her ashes.

⦁ parents were constantly moving around so he got used to seeing people for, like, a few months before redoing everything. was homeschooled during prepubescent years. went into the public school system in middle school- actually got along really well with the other kids! he took this as a sign that he's good to go like this for the rest of his life, leading to Lenny being immature at times.
⦁ Finds men and women very attractive- men built like Marc or Tom and women stacked like Debora. Lenny also has a big thing for European accents.
⦁ somehow got lucky enough to get a funny license plate. he plays it off as chance but he paid money for his truck to say 'wee eeee'

⦁ She does not find anything attractive romantically or sexually.
⦁ big family person, her little niece Lottie is her favorite
⦁ fairly close with Dick, still jealous that he's the oldest since Dawn heard the story on how Goldie got to inherit the butchery. Joe is fine but she does feel a 'sisterly duty' in the fact that she had to mini-mom him when Goldie and Benjamin weren't really looking. Dawn likes Joan in a slightly more impersonal way, but she can't just push her sister away, that's just not how it's done in the Doe family
⦁ used to play a marble game {set a marble in its lane, pull a hitter back, and let it go through two loops} with Dick, then taught Joe how to play it. when visiting, Dawn managed to drag all four Doe children to play when Joan was little
⦁ Dawn with parfumerie is the pocket full of sunshine scene from Easy A. She doesn't really want to read it at first, but it is a required reading for her class, and eventually television doesn't scratch the same itch. So she picks up the book. Again and again and again until she has read it enough to sob and curl up while muttering 'that is so me'

⦁ left a few weeks after his Bar Mitzvah, April 12th 1970, and never planned on coming back home. parents were very off-hands about jamie and then rocketed the other way for vera, being way too overprotective. they chose vera's suitor but she ended up liking him so happy all around!
⦁ never found out about sister until like 2000 when she reconnected once their parents died. Jamie was awkward and unsure on what to do since he essentially had no family for most of his life by that point. he tries but Vera tries harder- she invites him to her family gatherings on her husband's side.
⦁ when vera and her husband have a son jamie is like '...ah fuck it, this kid can get my good boots. shows good will.' the kid has a big falling out/fight with vera and todres, at the point where the kid calls their parents by their first names, and throws the boot on the goodwill counter. the boots migrate up to missouri for marjorie to find and buy. noam transitions to nonbinary in their teen years.
⦁ He has lost most sexual attraction over time, sees a body as a body and sex as transactional. He does give hickeys when drunk.
⦁ never learned how to drive. wouldn't mind getting a motorcycle

⦁ ghislaine wanted to do ballet at five but got nervous because of the other kids, so marc was forced sent to go do it with her for the first day. ghislaine stopped after the first year but marc kept going and eventually was a teen ballerino
⦁ Loves being sadistic, sexually or casually. He will also be very 'bratty', annoying, in bed.
⦁ was a ballerino from age 8 to 19
⦁ Milo found Marc lamenting in a bar and offered him a job since 'American ballet' didn't understand the credits he achieved back in France. Marc treats himself as a golden child gone wrong. Marc was also applying to multiple jobs but kept getting rejected
⦁ will be blunt in his thoughts on France's superiority over America. will not shut up. Lenny is the only one who likes this

⦁ Gets going by piercings and muscular bodies. Fev also preffers to have his anatomy called 'pecs' and 'dick'.
⦁ prefers to go cruising with Anthony, but won't stop a group-up at a bar with Jamie and Tom for hankey-code night
⦁ designed the Milano logo, company cards, and does the DVD casings. Milo kept Fev around since he was impressed by Fev's artistic abilities and knew nobody else would be willing to work for him
⦁ goes gambling after getting his paycheck. he does gambling at people's houses instead of casinos. this never ends well so anthony helps wake his ass up before the nausea comes back. fev then goes into work on monday when he was this close yet again to getting out of this stupid job