The Basics!
Name: Haru Hitosashi
Birthday: July 16
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Element: Fire
Appearance!
Height: 5'11
Weight: 145lbs
Hair Color: Raven black
Hair Length: Shaggy, just past ears
Eye Color: Blue
Skin Color: Pale
Body Type: Thin
About You!
Personality: Quiet, reserved, not overtly friendly; however Haru is not a cold man. He is merely the type to keep his emotions and feelings tight to his heart, to avoid being hurt. As a child, he was subjected to some rather nasty experiences with his parents and family that caused him to shut down and pull into himself for protection from the pain and fear. This trend has continued since, shutting out people and much of the world in order to protect himself, even at the cost of making any real connections with the outside world.
Likes: Fish, in all types and forms. Fish as food, fish as pets, fish as decorations. Haru has always loved fish. The way they move, the bright colors and varied forms; the brighter the colors and such, the more he likes it. While a firebender by nature, most of Haru's family line have been waterbenders, so he inherited much of their preferences over that of his firebending ancestors.
Dislikes: People, in general. Haru has spent his entire life hiding from the world after his parents divorced; projecting the image of a 'perfect son' and 'model student'. While never 'cold', he is rarely anything but perfectly professional and cordial, never accepting social requests or invitations, leaving him basically friendless and alone outside of the few people that make the effort to approach him and breech the walls. Otherwise, deserts and places without enough water; he'd rather live on an island in the ocean than in a landlocked place.
History: Haru comes from a well off, if still common enough family. The majority of his relatives are waterbenders by ability, although his grandfather and mother are waterbenders; the skill set which he inherited. From birth, he has been held above and beyond by his family, treated as a trophy of sorts, which has caused Haru to take on the mantel of 'the perfect son', which until he was old enough to realize that his parents where fighting constantly over him and his upbringing, he was happy to be. the realization of what was happening around him, caused by his beloved parents, caused a sort of nervous breakdown in the young boy; causing him to snap and retreat into his own mind. He shut down entirely; refusing to do anything but maintain his school work and hide from the world, until his grandfather came and basically saved his life by taking him away.
He had always been close to his grandfather, and going to live with him did the boy serious good. He was able to open up again, if only to his grandfather. His social life was still nonexistent, but he was happy enough. His grandfather was a fisherman by trade, which gave Haru access to the fish that he loved, as well as a chance to spend his free time out on the water in his grandfather's boat. Haru was never able to get the hang of swimming however; for some reason he just was never able to learn. He loves the water, but no matter how hard he tried, the moment he is submerged in deep water his body goes limp and refuses to move; leaving him vulnerable to drowning.
Haru spent the better part of ten years living with his grandfather, whom passed peacefully in his sleep just before Haru's 17 birthday. Haru now lives alone in the home he shared with his grandfather, who left him the small house and the small amount of money he'd been able to save up over the years; which combined with the proceeds from the sale of his grandfather's boat and a part time job, allowed Haru to remain in the only home he ever loved.
Faceclaim: Shima - Kono Danshi, Ningyo Hiroimashita