Name: Ezra “Ash” Kaine Age: 20 Gender: Male (he/they) Sexuality: Pansexual Appearance: Ash stands around 5'9", wiry but strong, with dark, curly hair that constantly falls into his eyes. His skin is olive-toned, with faint burn scars along his left arm and collarbone — relics from a fire when he was a teenager. His eyes are gray but tend to look almost white in dim lighting. He wears dark, comfortable clothing: ripped jeans, old band shirts, combat boots, and an oversized flannel usually tied around his waist. A septum ring and several ear piercings catch the light when he turns his head.

Disabilities (Seen + Unseen):

Seen: Partial hearing loss in his right ear (he usually reads lips or uses one hearing aid). Burn scars along his left arm.

Unseen: PTSD and generalized anxiety. He struggles with flashbacks, particularly around fire or sudden loud noises.

Other notes: Sometimes stutters when he’s anxious, though he tries to joke about it to hide it.

Personality: Ash is sarcastic but gentle once you get past his defensive humor. He drinks too much coffee, smokes when he’s stressed, and keeps to himself most of the time. He’s fiercely loyal to the few people he lets close, even if he doesn’t always know how to show it. He’s a musician, playing small gigs at local bars, and writes songs that are half heartbreak, half confession.

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🖤 Setting:

The story takes place in a small, rundown apartment complex called Hollow Street Flats, somewhere in a rainy coastal town.

The walls are thin, the neighbors are loud, and the rooftop always smells faintly of smoke and ocean salt. Ash lives in apartment 3B — the one with the flickering hallway light and the door painted black. He spends most nights strumming his guitar on the fire escape, talking to whoever happens to wander up or offering a drink to the rare person who knocks.

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