Nicknames: Zac, Shepard, - An joke regarding Zac's tendency to leave awkward situations
Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 21
Birthday: April 22nd
School: Mayte University
Hobbies:
- Cello -- Zac loves music, and while he was originally given his own Cello to learn and practice because it would look well for him in a 'future professional capacity' - he quickly learned how soothing it was to play. The emotions that could be carried in the music, the structure of rhythm and beat, and even the challenge of more complicated pieces.
Chess -- While it could be considered more an obsession than a true hobby, Zac is deeply studious about the game of chess. Perhaps one of the last things that his otherwise estranged father contributed to his life was a book on chess moves. As it fits in his Mother's deep focus on ensuring that her Son will have a well-rounded and marketable set of skills to apply to his resume, he was able to continue to study the game. Partaking in tournaments for prizes and even simpler affairs like playing games within the Park with whoever wishes to.
Art -- Zac’s enjoyment and, in fact, skill at drawing isn’t one you’d likely know about casually because of his family’s fuel belief that nothing would ever come of it. However, he enjoys sitting down and working out quick but surprisingly accurate drawings of locations or objects especially. He tends to favor places and things over people, not because he can’t but because the objects never argue that they don’t look like that. Contrary to his own expectations or those of his Mother - art was what landed him his current internship; his detailed sketches caught the notice of one of the people he now works for and is currently both a hobby and part of his workweek.
Pros:
"I've got this" - Dedicated: While he doesn't trust easily, expecting the better part of his interactions with other people to be fundamentally ‘transactional,’ he’s starting to trust more. Those people who make it past his ingrained suspicions will find a good listener who’s willing to devote time and energy to assist them and protect them. Likewise, if he’s working on a task, he will try and ensure that the task is done as perfectly as possible. Failure means repetition, and that means he’s failed.
"I see." Observant: Zac is very into the small details of life, picking free the hard facts or little clues, details that he thinks may be relevant at a later time catch his attention and may even find their way into a note. He tries to find the little things and patterns.
"Don't mention it." Altruistic: He wouldn’t admit it, but he does try and help out others when he can as a means to counterbalance the way he was raised. He tries to do so in ways that give him as little contact with other people as possible for the most part, helping shelve books at the library, playing chess with seniors in the park (including coffee and doughnuts) - cleaning cages at the local shelter. He deflects any attention from these acts as beneficial to himself over what it gives to others, though.
Cons:
- "I don't understand" Oblivious: Zac can be so caught up in the details that he misses the bigger picture. Social cues, popular culture, and the like can fly over his head to a general look of helpless confusion, ending with others amused and frustrated.
"I'll get to it; let me finish here." Neglectful: While he’ll pour himself into assigned duties and sometimes into assisting other people. He can get so caught up in what he’s doing that he’ll forget to take care of things for himself. More likely to apply to situations of self-care than anything that would be considered a ‘goal.’
"What else can I do?" Diffident: Zac tends to see his value relating to what he can do rather than who he is. While it’s a struggle he is aware of, it will not be easy for him to overcome. His ability to complete tasks well or to help others are still deeply ingrained in him as a measure of his value.
Tidbits:
- Single Parent home --
Zac's father left when he was perhaps 6 years old, leaving him with a career-driven mother who was ill-prepared to have a child and the result of the attempt between her and her Husband to save a rapidly failing marriage.
She raised Zac the only way she understood, to prepare him for a career that would be at least as good as her own. She has always been emotionally distant and views her son's greatest skills to be measurable in the tasks and skills he can perform on command.
He moved out when he was 18 and has learned to become more self-reliant, but he also learns that he can rely on others.
- Atrocious Notes -- Zac uses what he would call his 'personal shorthand. A sort of hastily jotted method of taking notes that is half doodle half 'it might be short hand'. Hard to tell because for all that he can make a beautiful drawing of a park or still life, his handwriting - even longhand, is atrocious. The fact that he has shortened it for expedience and detail did it no favors at all.
General Appearance -
Eyes: Pale blue
Hair: darker purple-blue.
Height: 5’6
Dress: Prefers neutral to dark colors, sometimes mixing in earthy shades and blues for accents. Little of what he wears is designed to stand out, except for a few t-shirts and his indulgence in ear piercings. His wardrobe guilty pleasures include a black t-shirt with white ‘paint’ style print of a ‘Z’ in a roughly shaped box and a ‘4th doctor’ scarf.
