Noel Lautens

Full Name: Noel Lautens
Online Handle: twoways
Course: Painting/Ceramics
Dorming: Loki B-13

Noel is a pretty lanky guy. He's not too much taller than average, but he's got long, long legs, and a very fine bone structure, so he seems taller and skinner than he actually is. He likes to joke that he should be a runway model, but, being blind, that's probably not the best idea. Those things are dangerous enough for sighted people, what with all those stilettos flying around. A generally good looking guy, classically Swiss and very fair, Noel is surprisingly vain for someone who can't see his own face in a mirror; he takes good care of himself, and it shows. He's learned to take care of himself by touch (he arranges his clothing according to texture and makes sure that all similar textures are of similar color), and as a result his hair is always combed at the least and his clothing rarely clashes, though he has been known to grab two different colored socks on occasion. Just another quirk! He sticks to jeans and solid colors mostly, since that's easier to arrange, but every now and then something patterned (usually paisley) will show up in his things, courtesy of his mother.

Since he rejected a seeing-eye dog, Noel is rarely seen without his cane, except in his room and his studio. He is also rarely seen with sunglasses, as the appearance of his eyes never bothered him or his family, and he never understood why it should be a big issue. So his eyes are milky-white and blind, so what? You wouldn't make a guy without a hand wear a prosthetic just so you won't be squicked, would you?

His PB is Hinata from the manga Desire Climax.

Noel is generally shy and a little withdrawn around people he doesn't know well. It's a defense mechanism, and once he gets to know the other person, he opens right up. He's a very loyal and affectionate sort, and he absolutely thrives on touch. He's definitely a touchy-feely kind of guy, very physically affectionate, and he enjoys giving and receiving hugs and cuddles. Despite this, he dislikes being touched without warning, and there are very few people (his mother being one of them) who can do so without getting flailing in return. So long as whoever he's with gives him a heads-up before touching him, he'll be perfectly happy to shake hands, hug, or whatever, but that warning is key. The last guy who grabbed his hand for a handshake out of the blue got punched. Noel may not be able to see where he's aiming, but the stomach is a pretty big target, and sight has nothing to do with physical strength.

Born prematurely to a young, headstrong Swiss woman, Noel never felt like a mistake, though he was most certainly an accident, the product of an impetuous, if supremely enjoyable one-night stand. During his birth, however, mistakes were made, and at less than a week old, Noel developed an infection that quickly stole his sight. Though devastated by her son's handicap, Noel's mother resolved to act as though nothing were wrong, and insisted that her parents, who also helped raise him, treat him the same as any other child. Told by his mother and his grandparents that he could accomplish anything he wanted to, Noel never saw himself as handicapped at all. He rejected the idea of a seeing-eye dog, deciding that if he couldn't navigate with his own abilities that he wouldn't navigate at all. With the aid of a cane, patience, and his family, he gradually became adept at moving in the world around him.

Noel's mother, an artist, noticed early on that her son was infatuated with her various art supplies. He would happily grind charcoal into dust and 'draw' smears all over any paper she might leave out. His crude finger paintings adorned the walls of his bedroom and the front of the refrigerator. The entire family encouraged him, though no-one really believed he would develop as a painter. In reality, they only thought to give him a hobby, an amusement, so naturally, Noel's mother was stunned beyond belief when her 12 year old son produced a surprisingly well-rendered picture of a songbird she had described to him only hours before. Though clearly not drawn from life, the bird was definitely recognizable, and Noel's mother realized he had a genuine talent that desperately wanted to be cultivated. She tried to enroll him in art classes, but quickly understood that no teacher was willing to work with a blind pupil, and she took it upon herself to teach her son how to paint. Noel learned his colors by touch, as he had learned so many other things, according to the textures and temperatures of different pigments and binders. He learned the smell of different mediums and the weight of the different containers in which each one was stored. With his family he visited museums and zoos, and learned about the texture of fur and feathers, which he translated into little clay sculptures.

With a great deal of hard work, and patient teachers, Noel graduated from college with perfectly average grades. To the bafflement of those who met him, it was at art that he excelled, executing delicate ceramic sculptures and bold acrylic paintings with relative ease. Seeking, as he was, for further independence and to further his art, Countshire was a natural choice for graduate school.

Noel is a massive texture whore. His favorite possession is a plush velour lap blanket. When he gets stressed out or upset, he'll go cuddle that blanket until he calms back down. Really, he's addicted to the way it feels.

He speaks English, German, and Swiss-French.

He dislikes hot peppers and most spicy foods. Noel's favorite food is peanut butter cookies.

Noel's potential manifests through his art. Although he will never be a master metal or woodworker, he is a skilled painter and ceramicist.

Yes, his mother really did name him that because he was born on Christmas. So mean.

Donovan Whittaker

Ravel Hawksley

Rhea Jones

TBA

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Category: Character Pages