Bram Kappel
Name:
Bram Kappel- yes, like Bram Stoker. The name is admittedly a bit bizarre for most people attending Warren High, but, as he is constantly assuring people, it's fairly common in the Netherlands.
Age:
Sixteen-years-old
Sex and Sexuality:
Bram is, without a doubt, of the male variety, regardless of those pictures of him playing the princess in a primary school play that his Uncle loves to bother him with might say. He's also bisexual, although his attraction to others is few and far between.
Species
If you were to ask what species Bram was, he'd stare at you blankly until you became uncomfortable and walked away. He is without a doubt human and, as far as he knows, that's the only humanoid thing that exists.
Appearance:
Bram, for the vast majority of his life, has perpetually looked like he's just rolled out of bed that morning. His dark brown hair is a perpetual mess of curls and strands that stick up no matter what he does, and his bright green eyes are perpetually tired looking, no matter how awake he actually is. At 5'9, Bram is not especially tall, but fits somewhere in the average for a boy his age. His body is lithe, built like a gymnast with wiry muscles from tennis and track. His face, quite in contrast to his lean body shape, is actually soft and rounded making him look younger than he actually is, so much so that people, despite his height, mistake him for around thirteen or fourteen. For all of its softness, however, he doesn't look like the friendliest person around. Instead, his default facial expression looks more like he's perpetually unimpressed with you, your talents, and everyone you know. His clothes are a bit eclectic, changing from day to day. Sometimes he wears loose t-shirts with cardigans, the sleeves pushed up well past his elbows with well-worn blue jeans. Other days might find him with an athletic attire, basketball shorts paired with a team t-shirt from one of his many old activities. It really all depends on what he grabs out of his wardrobe this morning and we do mean just grabbed. He has much more important things to do than actually think about his outfits.
Abilities:
-While maybe not as physically strong as his peers, Bram certainly did work to earn his lithe build. Even from a young age, he's been a fan of tennis and is exceptionally good at it. He's also quite good at track and enjoys running for all of the freedom and exhilaration is brings, especially after long days of being stuck in the classroom.
-Another noteworthy talent that Bram possesses is his brains. Like any human student invited to attend Warren High, he's exceptionally gifted in his intellect. Bram's main talent involves science, especially biology, which is excellent considering he'd love to become a veterinarian when he's older. He's also quite knowledgable in history, especially when you delve into the realms of myths and legends, a knowledge that he uses to be an excellent storyteller.
-Bram is an excellent cook; growing up in and around a working cafe, it was a skill developed after watching his uncle's chefs and. After all, it's just science right? Add x amount of y to mixture z and, voila, you get hotsput
-Like many people in the Netherlands, Bram has been exposed to many languages, whether they be from school, his own travels, or from the tourists who frequent his uncle's cafe. So, he is fluent in Dutch, his native tongue, and can speak passable German and a little bit of French. Despite having learned English since primary school, he speaks it with a heavy accent.
Likes
-Hearty food
-Gardening
-Animals of all kind
-Fantasy books
-Science magazines
-Tennis
-Running, jogging, walking… Whether exploring or simply following the usual track, he finds it soothing
-Travelling
Dislikes
-Math; he's not particularly bad at it, he just finds it so boring
-Rugby
-Being looked down on
-Mushrooms
-His accent when speaking to non-Dutch English speakers
-Alcohol; He's tried some before, offered up by his uncle, and he's fairly convinced that it is the most vile substance in the world
-Heights
Habits
-Tugging on his bangs when he's anxious
-Bram becomes very flustered when honestly complimented
Fears
-Heights
-Ghosts- He likes telling ghost stories, but would never go into a haunted house. Maybe he doesn't believe in them per say, but he would rather not take any chances.
Personality:
Contrary to the rather off-putting, serious look perpetually sprawled across his face, Bram isn't nearly as unpleasant as first impressions might imply. However, that is not to say that he is without flaws. He has a hard-working personality, working on his studies, his job, his sports- anything he chooses to devote himself to with an incredible tenacity. With this dogged determination, however, comes the tendency to overextend himself. If he's trying to improve on one subject, something has to slip and, more often than not, that something is sleeping or eating. It was easier to avoid back home, with his uncle to remind him to go to bed or to eat, but here, without that constant reminder, he has to struggle not to lose himself. Ironically, of course, this is in complete contrast to his own protective tendencies, where he's usually the one mother-henning his friends and worrying after his family.
It might be due to his upbringing, or it could just be a natural trait, but Bram is an incredibly open-minded individual. Oddities that are off-putting to most people, he accepts with a simple nod of his head. It's not that he's being particularly kind, it's just that he's long since believed that you can't really judge someone before you've gotten to know them and that little things like OCD or sexuality don't define a person. Then again, his ability to accept the strange will certainly be put to the test with the introduction of differences far more bizarre than the oddballs he calls friends back home.
Of course, for all of his acceptance, Bram is incredibly blunt, speaking his mind with only the occasional hesitation. He doesn't like speaking in riddles and means what he says, even if it's not the most pleasant thing to hear, regardless of if it's true or not. However, despite his brutal honesty, Bram does know how to be kind. Although his more gentle side is usually devoted to animals and family, he has been known to comfort people who are truly upset, lending a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen.
In general, Bram has a calm sort of temperament, not easily excited or impacted by things. However, that's not to say that nothing can break his serene behavior. Compliments, at least those honestly given, are enough to make him incredibly flustered as is flirting of any kind. His temper comes out when he sees bullying and, even if he won't be of much help, he does step in and unleash a verbal attack, words sharp and to the point. As for smiling, well, he's been known to do that too, but only when he's incredibly comfortable with his surroundings.
History/ Other:
Bram's story begins not with him, nor his mother, or even his father. Rather, the story begins with his uncle, Lucas Kappel. Now a prosperous owner of a small cafe in Lisse, Holland, it can be assured that his life was not always so simple. Kicked out of his family's home at seventeen after Lucas confessed to his very conservative family that he was, in fact, gay, he spent the majority of his young adult life trying to scrape by, working at least two and at most four jobs at once just to keep a(leaky) roof over his head and warm enough clothes on his body. He had no driving force, nothing to cling to and find hope. That is, until his youngest sister, Lotte, appeared with a rounded belly and a desperate plea.
Her highschool sweetheart had gotten her pregnant, and, while both would have preferred to keep the child, showing the same judgement that had driven their son from their home, Lotte and Lucas' parents gave her an ultimatum; get rid of the child or she was on her own. She had no prospects to speak of, her boyfriend surely couldn't support her, but she didn't want to give her child to some stranger. So, she came to the only person she knew to- her big brother. Lucas, although hesitant to involve a child in his life, finally agreed when his parents begrudgingly agreed to give money to him each month to food and clothe their bastard grandson.
When the baby was born, it wasn't Lotte or her sweetie or even her parents who named him, but Lucas instead. He decided on Bram and, once the adoption papers were signed, Bram Kappel was officially the adopted son of his uncle. This gave Lucas the motivation he needed to move forward in life, for the sake of the green-eyed child who'd become the center of his entire universe. Life improved for them both because, while parenthood was difficult, all of the joy that came from it more than outweighed the issues. Lucas finally bought his own cafe, which flourished in its place near Kuekenhoff, the beautiful flower garden that tourists came from around the world to see.
Growing up, Bram was well aware who his real parents were. Lotte and her boyfriend eventually broke up, but both kept in check with their biological son. Life could be difficult, of course- he was teased for his guardian -after a few fist fights(although he won perhaps one or two) that died down on its own- and Bram, even as a child, had to stand up for his uncle in front of his grandparents, but, overall, Bram wouldn't change it for the world.
To say that Bram had been excited when the opportunity to attend Warren High presented itself would be a complete lie. He didn't want to leave his uncle, his friends, his comfortable home because, even though he enjoyed traveling, the thought of being stuck somewhere with strangers in the middle of nowhere was repulsive. But, at Lucas' insistence, he begrudgingly agreed to go in order to advance his academics and have a glowing mark on his resumé.
Name:
Bram Kappel- yes, like Bram Stoker. The name is admittedly a bit bizarre for most people attending Warren High, but, as he is constantly assuring people, it's fairly common in the Netherlands.
Age:
Sixteen-years-old
Sex and Sexuality:
Bram is, without a doubt, of the male variety, regardless of those pictures of him playing the princess in a primary school play that his Uncle loves to bother him with might say. He's also bisexual, although his attraction to others is few and far between.
Species
If you were to ask what species Bram was, he'd stare at you blankly until you became uncomfortable and walked away. He is without a doubt human and, as far as he knows, that's the only humanoid thing that exists.
Appearance:
Bram, for the vast majority of his life, has perpetually looked like he's just rolled out of bed that morning. His dark brown hair is a perpetual mess of curls and strands that stick up no matter what he does, and his bright green eyes are perpetually tired looking, no matter how awake he actually is. At 5'9, Bram is not especially tall, but fits somewhere in the average for a boy his age. His body is lithe, built like a gymnast with wiry muscles from tennis and track. His face, quite in contrast to his lean body shape, is actually soft and rounded making him look younger than he actually is, so much so that people, despite his height, mistake him for around thirteen or fourteen. For all of its softness, however, he doesn't look like the friendliest person around. Instead, his default facial expression looks more like he's perpetually unimpressed with you, your talents, and everyone you know. His clothes are a bit eclectic, changing from day to day. Sometimes he wears loose t-shirts with cardigans, the sleeves pushed up well past his elbows with well-worn blue jeans. Other days might find him with an athletic attire, basketball shorts paired with a team t-shirt from one of his many old activities. It really all depends on what he grabs out of his wardrobe this morning and we do mean just grabbed. He has much more important things to do than actually think about his outfits.
Abilities:
-While maybe not as physically strong as his peers, Bram certainly did work to earn his lithe build. Even from a young age, he's been a fan of tennis and is exceptionally good at it. He's also quite good at track and enjoys running for all of the freedom and exhilaration is brings, especially after long days of being stuck in the classroom.
-Another noteworthy talent that Bram possesses is his brains. Like any human student invited to attend Warren High, he's exceptionally gifted in his intellect. Bram's main talent involves science, especially biology, which is excellent considering he'd love to become a veterinarian when he's older. He's also quite knowledgable in history, especially when you delve into the realms of myths and legends, a knowledge that he uses to be an excellent storyteller.
-Bram is an excellent cook; growing up in and around a working cafe, it was a skill developed after watching his uncle's chefs and. After all, it's just science right? Add x amount of y to mixture z and, voila, you get hotsput
-Like many people in the Netherlands, Bram has been exposed to many languages, whether they be from school, his own travels, or from the tourists who frequent his uncle's cafe. So, he is fluent in Dutch, his native tongue, and can speak passable German and a little bit of French. Despite having learned English since primary school, he speaks it with a heavy accent.
Likes
-Hearty food
-Gardening
-Animals of all kind
-Fantasy books
-Science magazines
-Tennis
-Running, jogging, walking… Whether exploring or simply following the usual track, he finds it soothing
-Travelling
Dislikes
-Math; he's not particularly bad at it, he just finds it so boring
-Rugby
-Being looked down on
-Mushrooms
-His accent when speaking to non-Dutch English speakers
-Alcohol; He's tried some before, offered up by his uncle, and he's fairly convinced that it is the most vile substance in the world
-Heights
Habits
-Tugging on his bangs when he's anxious
-Bram becomes very flustered when honestly complimented
Fears
-Heights
-Ghosts- He likes telling ghost stories, but would never go into a haunted house. Maybe he doesn't believe in them per say, but he would rather not take any chances.
Personality:
Contrary to the rather off-putting, serious look perpetually sprawled across his face, Bram isn't nearly as unpleasant as first impressions might imply. However, that is not to say that he is without flaws. He has a hard-working personality, working on his studies, his job, his sports- anything he chooses to devote himself to with an incredible tenacity. With this dogged determination, however, comes the tendency to overextend himself. If he's trying to improve on one subject, something has to slip and, more often than not, that something is sleeping or eating. It was easier to avoid back home, with his uncle to remind him to go to bed or to eat, but here, without that constant reminder, he has to struggle not to lose himself. Ironically, of course, this is in complete contrast to his own protective tendencies, where he's usually the one mother-henning his friends and worrying after his family.
It might be due to his upbringing, or it could just be a natural trait, but Bram is an incredibly open-minded individual. Oddities that are off-putting to most people, he accepts with a simple nod of his head. It's not that he's being particularly kind, it's just that he's long since believed that you can't really judge someone before you've gotten to know them and that little things like OCD or sexuality don't define a person. Then again, his ability to accept the strange will certainly be put to the test with the introduction of differences far more bizarre than the oddballs he calls friends back home.
Of course, for all of his acceptance, Bram is incredibly blunt, speaking his mind with only the occasional hesitation. He doesn't like speaking in riddles and means what he says, even if it's not the most pleasant thing to hear, regardless of if it's true or not. However, despite his brutal honesty, Bram does know how to be kind. Although his more gentle side is usually devoted to animals and family, he has been known to comfort people who are truly upset, lending a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen.
In general, Bram has a calm sort of temperament, not easily excited or impacted by things. However, that's not to say that nothing can break his serene behavior. Compliments, at least those honestly given, are enough to make him incredibly flustered as is flirting of any kind. His temper comes out when he sees bullying and, even if he won't be of much help, he does step in and unleash a verbal attack, words sharp and to the point. As for smiling, well, he's been known to do that too, but only when he's incredibly comfortable with his surroundings.
History/ Other:
Bram's story begins not with him, nor his mother, or even his father. Rather, the story begins with his uncle, Lucas Kappel. Now a prosperous owner of a small cafe in Lisse, Holland, it can be assured that his life was not always so simple. Kicked out of his family's home at seventeen after Lucas confessed to his very conservative family that he was, in fact, gay, he spent the majority of his young adult life trying to scrape by, working at least two and at most four jobs at once just to keep a(leaky) roof over his head and warm enough clothes on his body. He had no driving force, nothing to cling to and find hope. That is, until his youngest sister, Lotte, appeared with a rounded belly and a desperate plea.
Her highschool sweetheart had gotten her pregnant, and, while both would have preferred to keep the child, showing the same judgement that had driven their son from their home, Lotte and Lucas' parents gave her an ultimatum; get rid of the child or she was on her own. She had no prospects to speak of, her boyfriend surely couldn't support her, but she didn't want to give her child to some stranger. So, she came to the only person she knew to- her big brother. Lucas, although hesitant to involve a child in his life, finally agreed when his parents begrudgingly agreed to give money to him each month to food and clothe their bastard grandson.
When the baby was born, it wasn't Lotte or her sweetie or even her parents who named him, but Lucas instead. He decided on Bram and, once the adoption papers were signed, Bram Kappel was officially the adopted son of his uncle. This gave Lucas the motivation he needed to move forward in life, for the sake of the green-eyed child who'd become the center of his entire universe. Life improved for them both because, while parenthood was difficult, all of the joy that came from it more than outweighed the issues. Lucas finally bought his own cafe, which flourished in its place near Kuekenhoff, the beautiful flower garden that tourists came from around the world to see.
Growing up, Bram was well aware who his real parents were. Lotte and her boyfriend eventually broke up, but both kept in check with their biological son. Life could be difficult, of course- he was teased for his guardian -after a few fist fights(although he won perhaps one or two) that died down on its own- and Bram, even as a child, had to stand up for his uncle in front of his grandparents, but, overall, Bram wouldn't change it for the world.
To say that Bram had been excited when the opportunity to attend Warren High presented itself would be a complete lie. He didn't want to leave his uncle, his friends, his comfortable home because, even though he enjoyed traveling, the thought of being stuck somewhere with strangers in the middle of nowhere was repulsive. But, at Lucas' insistence, he begrudgingly agreed to go in order to advance his academics and have a glowing mark on his resumé.