Adrian

> When I was a man I thought it ended
> When I knew love's perfect ache
> But my peace has always depended
> On the ashes in my wake...
>
>
> Hozier, Arsonist's Lullaby

## Early Life

### Home

* adrian has been the man of the house since he was thirteen. in high school, he worked long hours after school to help provide for his three younger siblings. he’s been looking for father figures in football coaches, priests, and neighbors all his life. he wants someone to care for him and show him how to be a good man – and, if he’s being honest, he wants someone to help him carry his responsibilities.
* his father left when he was young. his family struggled financially. he deals with mental illness. he’s definitely seen people in his community fall victim to drugs, ~~untreated~~ mental illness, and the system.
* adrian was raised by his mother. his father left when he was thirteen. recently there is a new father figure in his life, david arellano, but adrian does not have a close relationship with him.

### College

* Scholarship student
* No major, no intended career path
* **Low-income college student.** Adrian and Leo shared a meal plan. whenever one of them went to the dining hall, they would discreetly shove as much food into their backpacks as they could. they carried around plastic baggies in their packs for this reason. towards the end of the semester, they would benefit from the school’s donation program. other students would donate meal swipes to students in need and Adrian and Leo would receive those swipes through their school accounts. it wasn’t much: only a few meals because there are many students in need -- but it did help as their own resources started to dwindle down.

## Personality

* **the ruler.**   *i will be happy when i provide structure to this world.*  adrian wants to create a functional community for himself, his friends, and his family. eventually, he wants this for the entire group. he could never find true comfort and stability with his biological family, so maybe he can find it with his friends.
* when the apocalypse comes, adrian’s first priority is taking care of leo and his friends and contacting the rest of his family. very quickly, that circle widens to include the other survivors at westwoods and he finds himself the group’s leader.
* his knowledge of history will help him navigate future problems by looking to the past, and his compassionate nature will draw useful allies to his side.
* he is driven by the need to provide and protect. at his core, he determines his worth based on what he can do for others. when he has no one to provide for, he lacks motivation and can even fall into a depression.
* he enjoys crowds and the energy he gets from being around a lot of people. he can be an emotional chameleon in that his mood often reflects those around him; he’s extremely empathetic. he enjoys soccer, sex, drinking, ~~and gentle affection~~.
* adrian is very sociable and makes friends easily (like his sibling leo). he is charismatic and attractive. he’s also a “cool guy,” which draws less confident boys to him (such as wesley). his drawback in this area would be his consuming devotion to his inner circle; they always take priority.
* his trust in others dwindles over time. he is heavily reliant on his inner circle (leo and wesley, then talia and others) but for most, he is able to be empathetic without becoming dependent.
* he is open about his emotions with people he deeply trusts. he is either positive, cocky, or stoic with most people. with the people he loves, however, he has trouble keeping up the facade. this difference becomes more and more severe as the series goes on; he trusts people less and less.
* he can keep his cool under pressure. he’s very good at projecting false confidence. he will, however, break down when he’s alone or with someone he is *incredibly* comfortable with.
* he keeps a journal with him and documents his life in the apocalypse. he is the group's historian.

## Occupation

* **commander:** “a good chain of command led by a commander should be able to keep everything in check. good tacticians in dealing with... bandits. it may make them unpopular and possibly marked men, but commanders need to lay down the law and keep their nerve in stressful times. commanders normally are the founders of the refuge... the lead position is something that can be easy to covet, but it is often unclear where the true power lies. it is not advisable to seek power, as internal squabbling will only destroy the effectiveness of the team. an effective leader must have leadership aptitude, logistical planning skills and good interpersonal skills.” adrian is in charge of delegating responsibilities and rationing the group’s supplies. he is especially good at motivating those around him. preceded by professor barnett.
* **communication specialist (1/2):** “prior knowledge in communications can be valuable, whether it deals with two-way units, ham, or other system. these specialists would be constantly trying to contact any survivors or trying to see if any governing body, should one remain, be planning a rescue... they are also in charge of keeping track where the scouts are located and report to the community about upcoming events or emergencies.”      intra-group communication expert.
* **shop keeper/supply manager:** “when in a moderately large or larger group, people need to set up a form of rationing to save supplies. in this situation, it is best to take a socialist approach in which all members are given the same rations if they are pulling their weight... it is suggested that this is a side job for someone who is trustworthy and fair, as well as knowing simple math. these people could end up being some of the most important in a colony, as they can regulate how much people take.”
* **historian:** “although it is a function little valued because it is not practical, it is natural that people interested in recording the events of the lives of individuals, groups or even new civilizations that arise during the apocalypse will appear over time. whether writing in private notebooks or recording videos and photos, those inspired to do so will guarantee the work of contributing to a possible future by creating a memory of facts and protecting knowledge.”
* quotes source here

## Strengths and Weaknesses

strengths

* **high emotional intelligence.** this allows him to connect with the people around him and better motivate the group.
* **physically strong.** adrian is a very fit individual who can protect himself and others.

weaknesses

* **anger.** while adrian is rarely impulsive and is often slow to anger, preferring to bottle his emotions up, his rage is powerful and damaging. when someone pulls the last straw he explodes. he is overcome by rage and there’s no talking to him. he is most angered by unwillingness to compromise and a lack of consideration for others. it leads him to make decisions he will later regret. it also fuels grudges that can be damaging to him and others; he does not forgive.

## Appearance

Adrian is over 6' with well-tanned skin and an athletic, muscular view.He has warm brown eyes and a firm, square jaw often covered in stubble.. He has loose curly dark hair that best resembles type 2C-3A.

## Relationships

### Expedition One

* Talia Grayson and Adrian work together to ensure the group's survival. They both need to be primary providers in order to feel like they belong to a group. They grow closer and begin to rely on each other until the group splits. Talia stays with Adrian, but makes her anger towards him clear. She thinks he was wrong to split with Maya Rose, but Talia alone did not have the social capital to stop the split.
* Kyra Flores is his on-again, off-again romance. They grow apart as the expedition goes on. They have different needs and different attitudes towards the group. Kyra does not feel the need to be a provider and thinks that Adrian should step back from his leadership position. Eventually, they realize they don't have much in common anymore and break up.
* Wesley Devan is Adrian's closest friend. They often fall into the hero/sidekick dynamic with Adrian being the "hero" in the relationship. They have a solid friendship. Their most intense conflict is over Everett when he opposes Adrian's policies.
* Maya Rose Morrison is his foil; they often come into conflict over leadership strategies. Talia is their mediator, but sometimes their points of view are too strong to be reconciled.
* Leo Castillo is his twin sibling. raised referring to them as his sister, but has referred to them has a sibling since they came out as non-binary. Leo now uses she/them pronouns. As the siblings go into the apocalypse, their incompatible responses to the matter cause them to drift apart.
* Everett Kim is someone Adrian considers a friend, albeit not a close one. They get along well enough during Everett's nihilist phase, but as Everett starts to take an interest in their place in the new world, the boys come into conflict.

### New Hope

* Ben: Adrian's fling and awakening to his Bisexuality.

### Original Family Unit

* Teresa Castillo: they have a very close relationship and adrian is very protective of her.
* Jason Castillo: they have a strained relationship, yet adrian can't seem to give up on him. jason is a functioning alcoholic. He leaves the family when Adrian is seven and Leo is five. the kids see him less and less as time goes on; he is not an active part of their lives.
* Leo Castillo

### Blended Family

Adrian's family unit after his mom re-married.

* David Arellano: Adrian has a distant and begrudging relationship with david. he has yet to see him as a true part of the family. teresa is in a long term relationship with david arellano. they were married shortly before the series starts. they have one son together, mateo castillo-arellano, and david has three kids from a previous relationship: jack, zoe, and olivia. adrian and leo have grown used to david’s presence, but they are still wary of him and his new role in their family.
* Jack Arellano: Adrian gets along well with his younger brother; Jack completely adores him.
* Zoe and Olivia Arellano
* Mateo Castillo-Arellano
* Dr. Antoinette "Toni" Arellano (Née Hughes)

## Trivia

* Adrian writes an obituary in his journal for everyone that they've lost
* Can rap and play soccer.
* Is bilingual (english and spanish)
* It is adrian's detailed journal that gets them accepted into new hope
* History major