Name: January Perseus BloomNickname: Jan. He will respond to nothing besides his first name and its shortening.
Gender/Pronoun: Male
Age: 32
Birthday: September 1st, 1987
Sign: Virgo
Gemstone: Sapphire
Blood Type: O+
Fav. Food: Cotton candy bubble gum
Hated Food: Chard (stop putting vegetables in his milkshakes, kay thanks)
School/Occupation: DCU Alumnus with a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design and Manufacturing / Currently a fashion designer
Hobbies:
Judo: A bit of a forced hobby from when he was very young and attempting to cope with debilitating panic attacks that subsequently triggered his asthma. January was kept out of his normal PE classes in elementary school, due to the excitement having adverse physical effects (anxiety/asthma) and had to make up the class in a more controlled environment. He traded playful children for stricter, albeit more peaceful, judoka in order to promote calm, restraint, and discipline in his mental well being while still developing in the physical sense that PE classes required. A few early attempts were made to pull him from judo so that he could resume the classes of a 'normal' kid, but even if he seemed fine for a while, Jan quickly regressed at the slightest of upheaval, and it was eventually decided that the stability and structure of his judo lessons were best for him mentally. Though his panic and asthma attacks have lessened with age, the fear of them prompts January to continue the practice well into adulthood, switching studios during his move to California and then back to the same one he was in during elementary school, now that he's back in Destiny City. He is a third degree black belt nearly capable of training his own class... If he had the mental fortitude for it.
Surfing: Something he picked up in California as an attempt to distance himself from the rambunctious city and its crowds because even though January is a socialite in order to be successful and provide for his family, he is not fond of people, at all, and every reprieve from them is a blessing. A few years in LA granted the Bloom boys knowledge of how to avoid tourist-trappy beaches and where they might look to find more quiet, private locales. Surfing was a new activity for them to learn and bond over together, and despite Jan's distaste for strangers and 'outsiders,' he very much enjoys spending quality time with his siblings. He is no pro, but it serves as another grounding physical activity to give him something non-stress-related to focus on. Though there are few waves to catch in Destiny City, he still enjoys trips to the "muggy and dingy" east coast and sunbathing at the reservoir.
Coloring Books: Something has to be easy, right? On days when January can be content to sit at home, he tends to busy himself with more muted activities. Though he doesn't mind cooking for his siblings, it isn't something he excels at more than the rest of them. He finds reading or watching tv to be a bit boring and not quite enough to keep him fully distracted. He has a huge disdain for chores and will put them off no matter the cost or bribe his siblings to take them on or hire a maid, if all else fails. Instead, he occupies himself with coloring. It feeds into his job a bit, so it still gives him the satisfaction of being productive, and he can put enough thought and enough physical movement into it that it keeps his mind from wandering too far without the fear of mistakes. Most of his work is completed via digital media, so he prefers coloring traditionally, but has no preference for exactly what that entails, be it pencils, markers, inks, and even crayons, of all things.
Virtues:
Maternal: Yes, with an 'm.' January has always considered himself the most 'responsible' of his siblings: a caretaker, a provider, someone with only their best interests at heart and willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to secure their happiness. He is soft-spoken and acquiescent by nature and preference and was previously very much these things when dealing with his younger siblings, cowing easily to their whims during his teen years before he had experience being away from family. His move and subsequent independence helped teach him well enough that being quiet and soft is reasonably unlikely to help him meet his expectations. As such, he has adopted a bolder personality as he's aged, with a necessitated confidence that grants him enough certainty to take decisive action. He can be ‘playful’ in his criticisms, as he doesn't usually really mean to offend anyone, family or otherwise. He is watchful and protective of people he loves, trusts, and respects and is more than willing to speak out against situations he finds unfavorable to them. When that doesn't prove to be enough, he is constantly at the ready to take the fall for someone who has his devotion.
Diligent: In keeping with his expectation that he must be a role model that can be looked up to and emulated, January strives to perform well in any task he undertakes with the utmost thought and care, and his skill set is quite varied. He is a college graduate, a judo black belt, a successful designer in a market flooded with aspiring hopefuls. Whatever it takes to achieve his ends, he will accomplish, even if the circumstances aren't particularly favorable and the exact path to those ends is littered in variables he finds displeasing. For all the anxiety he has over failing, January has had very little experience with doing any such thing, and he is unaccustomed to his best efforts not being good enough. It is his anxiety and fear and sense of inadequacy that pushes him to strive for better- the best. It is his hope that those closest to him will also pursue excellence and perfection and settle for nothing less. It is ridiculously disappointing to him, a personal assault, when someone doesn't care as much as he does about things that 'matter.'
Genuine: There is no point in saying something he doesn't mean. Even if January prefers not to be in social situations and only does so for the benefit of his job and goals, he isn't fake when dealing with others. He has no anxiety about people, only about his own person and expectations, so he actually performs decently well in group settings where the focus is on something that isn't him. He is reasonably intelligent and can be very charismatic, compassionate, flamboyant, and flirty without ever trying. He is very enthusiastic in his designer circles, and never afraid to bring up features he enjoys versus things that are just 'abhorrent.' He will tell you up front when he isn't satisfied and when he is. Though he does take a more gentle approach with his younger brothers and sisters, Jan still readily conveys the harshness of disappointment or frustration. As he is still human, he is not above attempting to hide particularly nasty emotions (mostly centered around panic and uncertainty) but his tone and body betray this with obvious shifts in posture, an unwillingness to speak, and most notably, facial expressions.
Flaws:
Complex: January is a person of conflicting needs versus desires and displayed traits versus repressed traits. He is consistently plagued by self-doubt and high expectations. He craves quiet, peace, and relaxation, but what he needs is to keep his mind and body occupied to combat ever-present crippling anxiety. It is an act of self-preservation that leads him to throw himself into hobbies and work and family with a necessity that he must succeed to some degree or risk taking a sharp turn into dark, unforgiving, and uncompromising territory. He is almost always undertaking some task, leaving little time for rest or forethought, and he must devote himself entirely if he wishes to accomplish much of anything, as he is by no means a prodigy in any regard. The amount of success January has attained in his life (college graduate, well-paying job, decent renown for his skills) could (and should!) lead someone to believe that he is a grown man with a good head on his shoulders who is capable of outmaneuvering whatever curve balls life throws at him. He has a confident stride and a dazzling facade to display to coworkers, former classmates, and any other stranger that may approach. But since January's success is born only of a wild and untameable fear of what happens when he falters, it leaves little room for balance in his life, and he hasn't the mental resolve required to 'fix' himself.
Repressed: January has always had expectations that he needed to meet. First his parents', who after realizing what a ridiculous life choice they'd made, turned to their oldest children to help care for the younger ones. As a child, January was absurdly and unquestioningly devoted to his mother. When she asked for help and expressed how important his role in their family was, he obliged to anything needed of him without hesitation. Friends and games were pushed to the wayside in favor of helping raise children and maintaining his studies. Fast forward a few years and Jan's goals evolved to encompass things more personal. He wanted to succeed, excel, be worth his own life. ...And that didn't always allow time for fun activities. Certainly never any for relaxing or sleep. He consistently shoulders the blame for all of his loved one's failures. If he had 'been there' or 'tried harder' or 'helped guide,' any mistake could be avoided. Everything is January's fault, and if only he had spent less time on himself, with his worries and fears and anxieties, he could have done something more.
Vindictive: When January is slighted, there is no return to his good graces. He can be snippy and catty in a playful way, but that is nothing like the ruthless viciousness that ensues when someone manages to actively upset him. Mistakes happen, and he can forgive minor infractions like misspeaking or criticizing him or missing appointments. He isn't heartless. But people who abandon him, deceive him, or are actively malicious towards those he cares about should be prepared for January to act maliciously in kind. Like anything else he pursues, he will be devoted to ruining those who mistreat him. Nothing illegal, intentionally, but in his society of high fashion and prestige, he has some influence, and he will wield whatever authority he has to see that for however many moments of pain he has been caused, it is paid back triple. Do not expect forgiveness. Do not expect him to relent.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Eyes: Soft pink, upturned, narrow, cat's eye. Utilizes concealer to cover any sleepless dark circles under his eyes.
Hair: Chin length, loose, messy white curls. Usually wears it down, but will occasionally clip the sides back, especially while working.
Face: High cheekbones in an oval-shaped face. Straight, pointed nose, full lips
Skin Tone: Delicious chocolate
Body Type: A tall 6'3" and slender, with vaguely toned musculature.
Clothes: He is a pretty boy who wears pretty things. Loves pink and warm colors and draping things. Gold jewelry, though he has no piercings or tattoos. Also ridiculously fond of cheetah print.
