Ethan Rivers

Eeth, Eethy

21

He/him

Record Store Worker

Esper

October 31

Troye Sivan

5'9"

Wiry

Steel blue

Light brown, sometimes dyed white

Short, curly

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING LABELS BEST DESCRIBE YOU?

Chronotype: Night Owl
Extroversion: Introvert leaning toward ambi
Social Type: Follower

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST DEFINING TRAITS?

• I want to be someone's pet. I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but it's not like I want someone to hurt or mistreat me. I just want someone to claim me as theirs, and only theirs, someone who's assertive and knows what they want. Someone who takes care of me, cares for me, treats me right. I've never told anyone this, but it's like... a really big fantasy of mine?

• I blush and get flustered way too easily, but I don't hide my opinions, and I'm not afraid to tell you what I want from you. ... if you ask me.

• I cannot stand the idea of having to work some shitty job for the rest of my life. Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd have no job. I know a lot of people say that, but I genuinely mean it. The only reason I do have a job is because living on your own if fucking expensive. Where's my knight in shining armor? ((Ethan doesn't hate his current job, he just hates working in general.))

• I am the kind of person who is both confident and extremely high on the self-degredation. I can order my own food, I can speak up for myself, I can tell you what I want to eat, and I generally have no trouble admitting what I want. I also don't think I deserve anything good in my life. It's a fun combination.

• How do you politely ask for someone to grab you, force you up against a wall and make out with you?

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT VALUES?

• Honesty is pretty nice. A pretty cliché thing to choose too, maybe, but I don't care. I like to know what to expect from people.

• Patience. I feel like that really gets you a long way in a lot of situations, and at very little cost to yourself.

• Acceptance; mostly of other people, but really of a lot of things. That doesn't mean stagnation, mind.

WHAT MAKES YOU THE MOST COMFORTABLE AND RELAXED?
My friends do. Being around people who are willing to take charge without abusing that power. I would say it's the fact that I can let them decide and just let me follow along with whatever, but I don't know if that's exactly right. Maybe it's just that they're nice people.

WHAT MAKES YOU MOST UNCOMFORTABLE AND ON EDGE?
My biggest fear is drowning, so swimming pools and beaches are a pretty big no for me. Sure, I can lounge with you, but that's about it. A surprisingly big number of people think they can talk you into trying out the water, or talk you out of your fear, like that's a thing you can just do? I don't understand. Also, most things that involve my dad or my dad's side of the family make me feel not very good.

WHAT SINGLE EMOTION DO YOU DISPLAY MOST OFTEN?
Contentment. I mean, it's fake most of the time, but that's what I display. Or at least, that's what I like to think I display. What I feel on the other hand would probably be... anxiety.

HOW WOULD A STRANGER DESCRIBE THIS CHARACTER?
He comes off as shy and quiet, very docile and possibly a bit submissive. Definitely someone who seems like he would rather roll over than risk any sort of confrontation. To some, he no doubt stands out as too quiet, maybe even boring. To others, his occasional deadpan sarcasm can make him appear rude and standoffish.

HOW WOULD A FRIEND DESCRIBE THIS CHARACTER?
It can take a while to really get under his skin, but once you get there, you discover a genuinely kind, gentle boy who likes helping people and loves having fun. He's more of a follower type than anything, but it's worth letting him tag along. For those who get close enough, it's not hard to guess that his dark, sometimes dry humour is a cover, above anything else.

Be warned: He has a terrible sense of direction. Seriously. Just awful.

Still figuring that out. Not Straight™

Mother: Cherise Rivers - 56, Esper
Father: Joss Rivers - 61, Human
Sister: Theodora Rivers - 33, Human
Brother: Nathaniel Rivers - 29, Esper

It's no secret that Ethan doesn't get along very well with his family. He has always had the sense that he wasn't supposed to be born, and they have never tried to convince him otherwise - not, well, convincingly. Things have changed someone since his parents divorced eight years ago, and he moved with his mother and siblings to Snow Haven, but they still aren't great. Ethan continues to feel like the odd one out.

Ethan has three best friends: Gabriel, who works at the record store as well, and the twins, Micah and Caleb.

October 31

He dragged himself through high school, and is proud of himself for not being a dropout.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Health Problems: None.
Injuries: Do the scars from self harm count? Mainly cutting, but some burning also. It's the main reason I always wear long sleeves outside, and never wear shorts above the knees.
Mental Illnesses: I have an eating disorder, undiagnosed. Food is hard for me, and sometimes it feels like it's the only thing I can control. It's especially rough when I have to eat with other people, or I am having a bad day, and sometimes I go so long without eating that I pass out.
Prejudices & Biases: The only thing that really comes to mind is that I don't believe anyone who tells me they've had a perfect childhood, or a perfectly functioning family. Sus.
Superstitions: No.

WHAT HAS HAD THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
My friends for sure. I don't know where I'd be without them. I've never been very good at making friends, so finding a group of people that just took my into their midst and decided that I was part of them has been great. They're supportive and understanding, and we have the best time together.

WHAT HAS HAD THE MOST NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
I could say it was my parents clearly not wanting me for the longest time, especially my father, but I think really it's the fact that my siblings leaned into that mentality. That they mocked and teased me about it for years, made me feel at times like I wasn't part of the family at all. Like I was just some unwelcome intruder. Yeah, that hasn't been fun.

WHAT ARE FIVE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE?

• I don't know if it counts as an event in my life, but the fact that I distinctly remember being told, several times as a small child, that I wasn't meant to be born and that my parents didn't have the energy to raise a third child has probably done a number on me.

• When my parents got divorced eight years ago, we moved with our mother to Snow Haven, and while a lot of things improved after that family-wise, my childhood had just already left its marks.

• As much as I hate working, a job at the record store definitely counts. It's how I met Gabriel and, by extension, Caleb and Micah. I do still feel lost most of the time, but it would be way worse without them.

• The death of my aunt hit me pretty hard. When we were still living in Calgary, she was the one who babysat me when my parents were busy. She taught me how to play the guitar - acoustic, if that makes any difference - and was just overall really nice.

• Not sure why this comes last, maybe because it's been downplayed so much throughout my life, but the fact that my parents don't believe in therapy. Yeah, that's probably a pretty big one, and one that has stuck with me, even now that I live on my own. They never sought help for me, and now I don't know how to seek help for myself. The epitomy of healthy. Yes.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
Surviving for twenty-one years? I don't know, I don't think I've achieved anything particularly great in my life.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR BIGGEST REGRET?
To this day, I'm still salty over being caught running away from home at fifteen. I only managed to be gone a couple of days, and I'm sure if I had planned it better, I could have stayed gone. Things are better with my family now - somewhat, at least - but I still think about how different my life would have been if I had succeeded. Then again, maybe i would have died, so. That wouldn't really have been worth it, I guess.

Ethan was born an Esper, but hasn't figured out what he was until he came to Snow Haven, and is still learning about the supernatural world.

Not to be mistaken for mind reading, Ethan knows just by looking at you what your taste in music, books, movies etc. are, and give you recommendations based on that. As far as Esper abilities goes, it's very benign, exactly the way he prefers it.