#minotaur // milan bechtel

[th3houseofleaves]

well SHIT! my dad's gonna be PISSED!

but he'll bail me out anyways! anything to stay out of the headlines!

INTRODUCING milan bechtel an original character who is not based in any fandom. he is played by morgan davies.

sebastian vincent bechtel iii milan bechtel is a twenty-two year old college student, who is studying business. his real passion is art, specifically painting, but he's getting a business degree to appease his father who agreed to let him pursue art school if he at least got his initial education in something practical. he hates the thought of being in school for that long but if it means he can do what he wants in the future he'll put up with it.

he was originally born in milan, italy but he moved to go live with his father when he was a year old. he's the only child of sebastian bechtel ii and yana vasilyeva. he's cousins with the vasilyev brothers, but he doesn't meet them until they're all older. he's closest with aeron, since they're the closest in age, but all three of them are act how he wishes his actual older brothers would.

he did get his nickname because of where he was born. it was another way his biological mother made his connection to his father known, because his father – who's a well-known businessman, with an incredibly successful empire – named his other sons in a similar manner. his other sons, milan's older brothers, are all named after important places in their parents' relationship. so, when his mother decided to call him milan as a nickname, it was supposed to be a reminder to his father and his actual wife, of the affair he had that milan came from.

milan is the byproduct of a short lived affair between two of the worst people you've ever met. but he's one of the best people you could ever hope to meet.

because he was an unplanned and unwanted child – all three of his brothers were already grown and out of the house by the time he was born – his father wanted very little to do with him, even though he went through a whole mess of legal proceedings so he could have sole custody of milan and his biological mother would have nothing to do with him. (years later milan would spiral and wind up sleeping on his cousin's couch after finding out the only reason his mother even had him was so she could essentially blackmail his father into giving her whatever she wanted. or else she'd ruin the perfect image of a family he sold the tabloids.) he made sure milan had nannies to basically raise him and keep him out of the way, unless he was needed for a photo shoot that required the whole family to pretend to be as perfect as his father wished. there were times he was essentially a set piece in his father's world. this continues into his adult years and it's part of the reason he acts out so much. he wants to feel wanted.

the only person in his life, during his childhood at least, that really cared about him was father's wife, his real mom. when milan came into her life she didn't realise she wanted another child until she saw him for the first time. he made it easier to accept her husband's affair and the narrative he was spinning about them somehow having a miracle baby so late in their lives. she adored her baby and if it wasn't for her husband, who tried to encourage the rest of his family to ignore milan like he did, than she would've doted on him constantly. it was no real secret that he was her favourite (and he still is), her other sons were mostly indifferent to it, they were all fairly detached from their family.

despite how much his mom loves him, milan isn't entirely aware of it. because she wasn't allowed to constantly be open with her affection as she'd like and her opportunities to act like his mother were limited – and became even more infrequent as he got older – he assumes she doesn't care about him. he doesn't remember the days where she'd steal him away from his nanny and take him to work with her, showing him all of the things on her set and proudly showing him off to all of her staff. he doesn't remember when she'd sneak in to see him at night and read him a story before bed or how she'd run her fingers through his hair until he fell asleep, staying beside him long after he's fallen asleep just to be with him and make sure he's okay. she's the person he's most desperate to get attention from because he's scared she hates him since he's not her son, not really.

growing up how he did has lead milan to feel invisible. so he acts out. he graffitis buildings his father owns and goes on joyrides in cars he doesn't own and parties as often as possible. he's been arrested multiple times for various offenses but his criminal record is clean; it would ruin the wholesome family image that his father has spent years crafting if people found out how troubled his youngest son is. so he doesn't care what milan does, or who he's friends with, or what he takes, as long as the fallout isn't impossible to cover up. his father always cleaning up his messes has the exact opposite effect than milan wants — he wants to be seen, not swept under the rug. he wants to be more than just the youngest son, the pretty flirt that interviewers love to jokingly ask when he'll follow in his mother's footsteps and take up modeling. (he hates the way they look at him, like he's nothing more than a piece of meat.)

he's been getting better lately, especially since he's connected with his cousins. meeting them gave him a safety net and a reason to stay clean and safe. they convince him that he is a person, regardless of how invisible he feels.

and one day, a couple years in the future, they will be part of the reason he finally paints a self portrait in color; his art is so full of life and color unless he has to draw or paint himself, self portraits are always done in grays and blacks, they make him look half alive.

his mother will ask him for this first self portrait that shows the milan that she sees — she hangs it proudly on the walls of her new home, displaying it for everyone to see now that she doesn't have to hide how much she loves her youngest son.

additional link: pinterest.

template credit: @feelrush

psd credit: @jessource and garlogans on deviantart

[th3houseofleaves]

answering the prompt from @birds-of-x prompt of the day in the quotev community <3

"🌵 what is their dream road trip? alternatively – if they don't care for road trips that much – what are they normally like during road trips? if they have yet to go on one, then how do you imagine their first road trip to be like? would they thrive, would they just care about reaching their destination somehow, or would they just wish they had stayed home instead?"

answering this for KIT, DOVE, and THE VASILYEVS

CHRISTOPHER WARREN:

kit loves road trips. he doesn't have a dream road trip per say because he cares more about the quality time, traveling, and views + sight seeing than he does the actual location. when he does get to go on a road trip (say, for a mission or for fun), he's the most excited and the least prepared. he was never taught how to pack appropriately for trips so he always underpacks and he'd run out of clothes on longer trips unless they stop or someone let's him borrow clothes (which is easier said than done bc he's tall and has long legs so pants are always the most difficult bit). like he'll pack maybe two days worth of clothes thinking that'll be enough and his other necessities like a charger for his phone, his computer, a notebook, maybe a switch or something, so he'll have things to do when / if they stop and stay the night somewhere. and he'd never go on a road trip alone. ever. he might be a skilled hero who's been doing that shit for awhile by this point, but he still isn't about to travel between states or anything by himself. he knows how dangerous that can be. his favourite person to travel with is roy tbh, they vibe together so hard – if they're with other people, they try and keep kit and roy from controlling the music lmao. bc kit will play the worst music ever and roy will encourage it. dick, until they start working their issues out, is one of his least favourite people to travel with bc they get on each other's nerves. and dick won't always let him drive. which he hates. his very first road trip was with his godfather cole! he was maybe seven and cole picked him up from school that day and decided they were gonna go on a little road trip, it wasn't a long drive or anything, but it was nice. probably just to a nice beach somewhere outside of star city. it was, at that point, the most fun he'd ever had. bc they went somewhere new and cole was singing along to the radio and making him laugh and they stopped to get food n ate in the car and kit was so excited bc cole let him sit in the front seat while they ate. it's his most treasured memory.

DOVE BAEK:

dove has technically not been on a road trip... unless you count the time they ran away and hopped on a bus to central city. which was not the most pleasant experience ever. like kit i don't think they have a dream road trip destination, but i do think they've made a list of places they've heard people go to on road trips so that they could do that one day. when sparrow is a little older probably. if you count their bus trip as a actual road trip than their first one was awful. it was hot and kind of loud and they were so carsick the entire time. plus people kept looking at them weirdly bc they were a young teenager traveling on their own. they couldn't even try to lie about that if anyone asked, their behavior (& obvious lack of adult) gave them away. they were so fidgety and nervous and trying so hard to look like they weren't doing anything wrong that it was pretty clear they weren't supposed to be there. they also ran out of snacks before they got to central city and that SUCKED so bad. if you don't count that, then their first road trip is gonna be a little bumpy but overall fine. they overprepare and try to account for every worse case scenario. they bring extra everything (most everything, reenie and jason talk them out of going totally overboard). they're making sure they have an actual map in case they lose cell service and their phone won't work to get directions. they cannot read a map. they're anxious and excited all at the same time and they'd keep having to pull over so that dove can get out and see the sights or let out some energy which they can't do in the car. if they're driving (especially if it's just them n jason) they're gonna hold jason's hand bc they are sappy sometimes and they like doing that. they're most anxious if they travel anywhere with sparrow, not because he's difficult to manage or anything, but because they're a little overprotective and scared of anything happening to him. if their son is coming along then they've gotta bring someone else too. sometimes reenie, sometimes avis, jason if they can. they care about reaching their destination safely, they don't really mind where they're going as long as everyone ends up there in one piece.

VASILYEV FAMILY (sam, noah, aeron, milan, logan, thea)

this family would have the most chaotic road trips. we're talking full chaos. they're renting an rv or driving multiple cars, they're getting lost, someone is getting left behind around least once, someone loses their luggage, they get banned from at least one restaurant, aeron terrifies everyone when they drive, they almost get into an accident, and someone breaks their phone. multiple anxiety attacks ensue, at least 2 panic attacks, thea logan and milan spend part of the trip confused bc there's no subtitles when their brothers (cousins in milan's case) are talking and those assholes forget that english is the common language sometimes. milan defaces public property while sam is losing his mind trying to get everyone back together. there's one (1) arrest and it's never who they think. they make a tally every time sam looks down with their shit. thea has to wrangle logan and aeron. arson is accidentally committed. basically it's a mess. a fun, exhausting mess. all of them have gone on road trips, both together and alone or with other people. thea used to love going on drives with her other younger siblings and when she went away for college she drove with a friend and had a good time. logan didn't rlly do road trips until they met the rest of their family but she'd been on one or two, her family was more about big vacations honestly. noah and aeron used to go on trips all the time, usually to one of the next cities over to go to concerts or just get away from their house. milan didn't do road trips before meeting all of them but he did take cars for joyrides which... he considers the same thing much to his family's horror. noah is the one who jokes about wishing he stayed home when really he loves it the most. thea is the one who actually wishes she stayed home once the chaos starts. aeron is the one who keeps adding stops because they wanna see everything. milan goes along with it but he's also trying to get them to stop at bars & clubs, he's moderately successful. logan usually teams up with the two of them and causes chaos, she's almost certainly the one who almost hits something when she drives. sam is the oldest and he's trying to keep everyone together and safe and hopefully out of jail. he is so tired. sam and logan are honestly the ones who decide where they're going and usually it's a vague location instead of a set place. like maybe a national park but they also wanna see other stuff in the area or whatever. but logan's responsibility ends there.

[th3houseofleaves]

misc. scenarios / scenes i have on the brain

for various ocs but mostly dove i think.

jason and dove at some underground punk show and dove is dragging him into the moshpit because they are having the time of their life and they want to feel all that energy and they want him with them for it. with him beside him it's the safest they've probably ever been when moshing because he's Tall and Big and he's keeping a close watch on them and as much as he can they've each got a hand on each other or they're pressed close to each other. they're staying as close as possible and dove is all lit up and yelling so they can be heard over the music and the crowd and they're telling him this is the best night ever.

the first time jason actually holds sparrow because sparrow seeks him out when he wanted to be picked up. he's kind of shocked but that's only after he picks him up without thinking much about it, like it's natural. sparrow pats his face and tells him thank you like jason did more than just pick him up because sparrow is already so much like dove. and when dove sees it? they've gotta take a minute to process bc they're so full of love in that moment they can't think of anything else. before he has any idea what's happening jason has both baeks holding onto him because dove comes up and hugs him nd they're just pleased as hell n sparrow is snuggled between the both of them. meanwhile jason is still kind of processing.

the day that dove accidentally revealed they were a meta / speedster to helena. and how they tried to recover and walk that back. bonus if they try talking about how it happened (they do not remember) because they'd try and use what they do remember + whatever pops into their head to come up with a rather ridiculous story behind it.

new oc ashton graves and the first time she used magic + found out about zatanna. & if she knew about it (bc idk how common knowledge it is) her being a bop fan. i think she'd think they were cool as hell too

even newer oc kit warren being the most annoying person alive /lh. basically him using his powers to annoy like. dick or. oliver queen. bc i decided that kit wakes up each day and chooses violence (making his existence everyone's, but specifically oliver's, problem). he's genuinely not that bad but he does enjoy messing around.

a grown up aeron vasilyev interacting with both their moms. (bio mom and the mom who would've raised them) that's pretty much it

evan faulkner trying to duck out at a function he's supposed to be throwing but people keep finding him. if he wasn't literally the host, nearing 30, and allegedly a people person (he doesn't know who started that rumor), he would find somewhere to hide, including under a table like he's six and hiding from his mom during a different event bc he's so bored. afterwards he tries to convince his assistant person (? it's complicated) that they shouldn't throw parties or anything like that ever again. they tell him no. he tries to quit. they tell him no.

logan toussaint and aeron and milan forcing (/lh) everyone to have a self care & family day at aeron's house. sam's doing lesson plans with a face mask on and his hair pushed back with a headband that logan bought for him specifically (it's bright green!). milan is sitting and painting noah's nails, noah has no idea what colors he chose either. milan is keeping that secret. thea, who also has a face mask, messing with aeron's hair while they ramble about whatever comes to mind. her hair is also done up in some legit french braids bc aeron? knows how for some reason.

the moment when levi faust realises all the ways their brother cares about them. like figuring out it's rory who cuts out or obscures nutrition labels or repackages food so there's no labels except for what the food is and the ingredients. or them realizing that if rory hands them that's usually in a wrapper (like candy) that he'll usually have it open already when he's passing it to them & he manages to take the wrapper before they look at it as they can actually enjoy their treat. or how rory will save their paper and put their laptop + phone on the charger and straighten things up when he finds them asleep in their homework.

also rory asking levi for help with his french homework bc he only knows so much and levi looking at him and saying that as much as it hurts them to say it, they have no idea how to rlly read in french or explain it. it's just their first language and they can speak it but they didn't learn more than that? bc all their school stuff was done in english and they only learned french at all bc that's all their dad would use around them and that's how they learned how to talk n stuff. but it was never a formal education. both of them stare at his homework confused. levi can help with very basic stuff. they hate that

[th3houseofleaves]

sam, half asleep, walking out into his living room at 3 am bc he heard noises : what,,, what are you guys doing here?

milan, an insomniac, has his own apartment :

aeron, manic, literally owns a house :

milan : watching hgtv what does it look like we're doing ??

[th3houseofleaves]

answering the prompt from @birds-of-x prompt of the day in the quotev community <3

"🛹 what is one song that really fits your character and why? is it the lyrics, the music video, the melody, or the general vibe of the song?"

answering for AERON, LEVITICUS, KIERAN, MILAN, NOAH, EVAN, AKIRA and, FINN.

KIERAN BENNET

she calls me back - noah kahan! it fits how he felt during a fairly bad part of his life and describes his relationship with his ex. the part that's like "everything's alright when she calls me back" is line that fits their vibe really well because for awhile, his world sort of revolved around her.

LEVITICUS FAUST-LAURENT

how i survived bobby mackey's personal hell - lincoln. this one is a bit harder to explain but it does capture their vibes really well. it's kind of how they felt when they were grieving and angry because they were left on their own with all these responsibilities and it felt like they'd been left behind when they hadn't been, not really.

AERON VASILYEV

IM FINE - royal & the serpent! honestly the lyrics and the instance on being okay when you're obviously not is so aeron.

MILAN BECHTEL

medicine - artist vs poet. unfortunately this one captures his entire vibe so well. the lyrics fit him so well and tracks his struggles with addiction, his general attitude, and his father's instance on keeping up appearances even if it means hiding and enabling milan's struggles.

NOMURA AKIRA

degrade me - tx2. this one it's the lyrics and kind of the vibe. it's very much akira being angry and facetious regarding his relationship with his abuser. bc said abuser views it as a more positive, mutually beneficial relationship. it is not.

FINNEGAN SONG

always leaving - mayday parade. it's the vibes. the kind of quiet sadness about not being able to stay in one place and put down roots. bc that's finn's life. he's technically lost in time, trying to find his way back to a time where he fits in and exists with his family. he doesn't stay anywhere long enough. he wishes he could.

NOAH VASILYEV

father - the front bottoms. well... this one it's mainly the first verse. because he took that SERIOUSLY. he killed his dad to protect his brother.

EVAN FAULKNER

don't cut your hair - baby fisher. literally just the vibes and the sound?

[th3houseofleaves]

all of aeron's pets mean so much to me and they love them sm

their two cats are so so different bc they've got sunspot, who was expensive as hell and they were on a waitlist for ages before getting her

and then khoshekh they found outside in a box by a trashcan and decided he absolutely had to come home and on god that is their favourite cat. they won't admit that out loud at home so their other pets don't think they're playing favourites (aeron is secretly adorable tbh)

and they've got two dogs that are the sweetest dobermans that i still need to name and they adopted them from a shelter as younger dogs bc they figured no one else would want them since dobermans are usually seen as intimidating guard dogs. their's are not intimidating. they could be good guard dogs if they wanted to but they are easily bribed.

both of them try to go everywhere with aeron and it's so hard for them to say no.

aeron jokes that one of then likes sam more than them, it might be a little true.

khoshekh is the only one of their pets that will regularly sleep with them. he likes curling up by aeron's head nd he's always so content tht he purrs up a storm nd that soothes aeron sm

sunspot is aloof as hell and she prefers hanging out in the kitchen while aeron is cooking or laying on milan when he comes over. she's very picky abt who she likes. she really really loves lucan and that's one thing she has in common with aeron

[th3houseofleaves]

one of my favourite hcs for aeron and milan's relationship as cousins who are basically best friends / siblings

milan, who is very disorganized and messy, whose apartment reflects that, keeping an area of his apartment clean and tidy and less clearly defined as his space so that aeron when they come over, has somewhere they can be without being uncomfortable. bc he might not totally understand how aeron's ocd works but he's kind of got the gist of it? and aeron appreciates it a lot that he cares enough to do smth like that for them.

[th3houseofleaves]

funniest part of the vasilyev family dynamic is that everyone assumes sam is the token straight dude and it rocks everyone's world when he's finally like Guys? I've Been Bi This Entire Time??

he thinks it's a little funny because he really wasn't trying to hide it and he has no idea where they got that idea? (it's because the only time any of them have seen him go out with people it's always been women. so Straight.)

he tries to bring up times where he was so obvious like wearing smth with the bi flag on it (noah tells him they assumed he was a good ally) or when he's commented on how attractive a guy is (milan explains that they thought he was just Chill Like That, a very Modern guy who was comfortable admitting when men looked nice) or when he brings up an ex boyfriend (they all assumed they were Just Friends)

and sam is just ??? really guys.