Changeling

28 | It/Its

Changeling spends most of its time at home, indoors. It works part-time at the same bookstore as Augustus, but usually maxes out with one 1-2 hour shift per day, only ever works max three days a week. Never goes anywhere without its dog-ear headband and a pair of sunglasses, even inside the house (doesn't wear them to sleep only because it risks breaking them).

Straddles the line between "Therian" and "Furry" -- more likely to call itself a furry, though. Wolfdog. Has commissioned Tiffany extensively for art of its fursona and collects it all in a binder in protective sleeves -- occasionally breaks them out to hang up as posters. It doesn't really have a "gender"; it identifies primarily as "wolfdog". Encyclopedic knowledge of wolves kicking around in its brain. Will bark/growl at people, especially when overstimulated/exhausted. Will bite if it feels it's warranted.

Big fan of horror, particularly of the video game variety. Mostly plays big name games (Silent Hill, Resident Evil, etc.) on Playstation, but occasionally dips into PC indie horror as well. Voted most likely to get extremely pissed off if you don't share its exact opinions about game experience/lore.

Also pretty into Yu-Gi-Oh. Likes the Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's show the most. Has worked pretty extensively to build up a deck, but ventures out to play only rarely since it finds the venues overcrowded and overstimulating. Tolerates playing Bakugan with Augustus so that Augustus will play Yu-Gi-Oh with it in exchange.

Changeling has a flat affect and a relatively monotone voice, with a slightly nasal pitch. Usually sounds pissed off, even when its enjoying itself (most common speech tags would be "scoffed", "sneered", or "growled"). Usually looks pissed off too, even when it doesn't mean to (although, to be fair, it does often mean to). The ear-headbands are a comfort item, it will not go anywhere without them; usually wears a tail clipped onto its belt loop, but that one has some more wiggle room. Desperately wishes the ears were real -- experiences tangible dysphoria about this.

Pretty hypersensitive to all sensory input. Never goes anywhere without sunglasses on since it's pretty photophobic, and tends to get overstimulated if there are too many moving elements in its field of vision. Largely touch averse -- only makes occasional exception for Augustus, and more occasionally, its mother. Can't stand wearing full length pants or long-sleeves, not even during Winter, because it hates the sensation of the fabric brushing against its skin. Pretty severely agoraphobic -- can only tolerate being out in public for a couple of hours at a time, maximum; partly due to sensory sensitivities, but largely due to agoraphobia. Prone to meltdowns when it gets overstimulated, but can almost always recognize when its building up to a meltdown with enough warning that it can leave to calm itself down before going fully over the edge into one.

Is extremely hypervigilant and very aware of how it is perceived by others while out in public, but cannot suitably mask or adjust its mannerisms to something 'less strange'. Constantly feels like it's being stared at and judged, but no matter what it tries, has never been able to mask its Autistic traits, and so by now has largely given up on the notion of even trying. For example, it is deeply aware that its ears are eye-catching and that people find them 'strange' and may stare or make comments about them, but since the ears are a comfort item Changeling finds necessary to function, it has to just resign itself to wearing them and facing the consequences. Mostly, this manifests as a low-level, directionless Anger -- if you always feel like a cornered animal, you're always going to feel the instinct to bite. This makes them very blunt with a low frustration-threshold; every interaction is one Changeling wanted over five minutes ago. Changeling dropped out of high school early in its Junior year due to the amount of bullying it was subjected to. Its mom homeschooled it until graduation.

Doesn't actually visibly stim much. Most notably engages in Posturing / Deep pressure stimming behaviors. Almost always has its arms crossed over its chest; holds itself extremely stiffly because it likes the sensation of that muscle tension; holds hands in 'strange' positions, usually by folding its fingers over themselves; and usually sits with its legs contorted underneath itself. Genuinely enjoys working out for much of the same reasons; does have to be careful to temper excercise in order to avoid pushing itself too far. Has a ten pound weighted blanket from when it was a kid, and recently saved up to get a twenty pound one to match its adult weight; tends to use both simultaneously. Will brush its fingers over the fur on its ears and/or the shaved hair on the sides of its head as an idle texture seeking, and when it is wearing a tail, will twine the shape of it through its fingers to self-soothe.

Changeling lives at home with its mom. They get along very well, and will set aside time to make sure that they're spending at least a little bit of time together every day (usually watching shows like Criminal Minds or House M.D. together while they eat dinner). Changeling has given its mother permission to continue using the name she gave it when it was born instead of its preferred one -- it is comfortable with her using that name for it. It is less comfortable with her unwillingness to use its pronouns, but not enough to endure an actual argument about it. It is largely aware that her reluctance comes from her inability to see the "it" pronoun as anything other than negatively dehumanizing, and can't quite articulate its preference for that in a way that she would be able to understand, so it lets it go. It doesn't pay rent, but does chip in for other expenses (like groceries and the occasional repair-work). Tries to help out around the house when it can, but most chores/errands are done by its mom.

It met Augustus at the Gamestop while being subjected to its mother's determination that it should spend more time out of the house. Typically, these enforced outings are unmitigated failures, but this one in particular happened to work out. It tolerates close contact from Augustus more than anyone else, even occasionally full-out cuddling with her for brief periods of time when it feels up to it. In a way, Changeling finds Augustus' ability to be comfortable with other people's misunderstandings/dislike of her enviable, but also thinks she should be on guard more -- a little bit considers itself her guard dog, because if she won't adequately watch her back, then someone has to do it. It is very familiar with and aware of Augustus' difficulty in advocating for herself, and so often steps in to help her with enforcing boundaries and other tasks. It feels that they are very Compatible in this way, since Augustus loves to feel taken care of, and Changeling loves to feel self-sufficient and competent. Augustus is arguably the only person Changeling feels truly accepts it as it is -- it cannot articulate the depth of the feelings it has about her for this. It also thinks that Augustus is unbearably lame, but would bite anyone else who tried to make that argument.

Tiffany and Changeling have known each other since they were kids. They were friends when they were very young, but when Changeling's behavior started earning it more ire from its classmates, Tiffany cut that connection off. They reconnected after Changeling dropped out of high school, and Tiffany came to apologize for her hand in that decision, and she was its only friend for several years. It had valued that friendship, but since Changeling does not enjoy texting, they began drifting apart when Tiffany happened to move further away, and their connection continued to deteriorate after Changeling met Augustus. Their friendship was valued while it existed, but in hindsight, Changeling thinks it wasn't a very good one. Tiffany had good intentions, but was also never quite able to kick the subconscious tendency to Look Down On Changeling for its Autism and inability to mask or live independently. It still appreciates that she was there when she was, but is grateful that it was able to meet Augustus and develop a friendship more based in actual mutual respect. They do still talk on occasion, but it is fairly rare.