Meet “Cassius” Casimiro Fausto Gallegos
- Character Name: ”Cassius” Casimiro Fausto Gallegos
Although Cassius is not his name, it’s what he’s gone by since moving to the United States. When he transferred into the high school in Olympia, his English class was studying Julius Caesar. Nobody could remember the name Casimiro, so everyone began calling him Cassius. The name stuck, and Cassius ended up sort of adopting it as his name.
Cassius has an insecurity in regards to people knowing his actual name, as the general reaction from Americans was that it was considered a weird name, or too hard to remember. It’s become a sort of shame for him to reveal his actual name, so Cassius is what he goes by.
- Age: 17
- Hometown: Olympia, Washington
- Ethnicity: Colombian
- Looks Like: Cassius is a towering man standing at six feet and four inches tall. He has short, scruffy, and black hair that usually looks unkempt. His skin is quite tan due to his heritage, even though he lives in the cloud and rainy state of Washington. He has hazel colored eyes with flecks of jade green that are slightly deep-set in his face. Cassius has well toned muscles, putting him in between husky and slender at a comfortably toned physique. Mind you, he isn’t overly muscular, just moreso toned overall (like Justin or Trent). His sense of style is fairly simple, consisting of loose-fitting band T-shirts and skinny jeans.
Seven months prior to audition for TDVG, Cassius was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, a condition that causes chronic muscle soreness in the mornings, as well as fatigue and anemia. Although symptoms are worst in the morning, they can occur in the evening as well, and sometimes completely at random, which is a setback to Cassius when he is trying to compete.
At the time of auditioning, he is currently awaiting results of a test that will determine if he has temporal arteritis, a condition that some people with PMR tend to develop. Although PMR can go untreated and eventually go away after two years or so, temporal arteritis is much more risky, as it may cause blindness if left untreated.
- Personality: Cassius seems very stoic and unfeeling person at a glance, and he isn’t always one to readily show how he’s feeling, but looks can be deceiving. He’s very in tune with how others are feeling, and although he’ll give no outward clues, the emotions of others often influence his own. If the people he’s around are happy and laughing, he’ll relax and be easygoing with them. If the people around him are sad, he can’t help but slip into a sorrowful mood with them. This can be both a gift and a curse to him, as he’s learned over the years. Cassius won’t tolerate bullshit; if there’s any gossiping or underhanded behavior, he’ll step in and get to the bottom of it. Other than that sort of situation, he generally stays out of other people’s business. He knows that people have secrets that need to be kept, and won’t press people to tell him things he probably shouldn’t know. Cassius is a man who does not hold back when the situation depends on him. He will take the stand, step forward, and give it all he’s got and then some. His biggest weakness is that he cannot bear the thought of letting people down. He strives to be the rock and foundation people can rely on, so when he falters or cannot keep his promises, it pains him greatly. Other weaknesses are that he can be indecisive, and that he can be quick to make assumptions and slow to forgive. If you hurt him, he won’t soon forget it.
Despite how badly his last relationship turned out, he maintains a deep respect for his ex, which was one of the reasons why he broke up with her. He didn’t want people to know the truth and for it to ruin her reputation, so he is raising the child with nobody being aware of who the mother is accept for his family and hers. In general, he could be described as a feminist.
He has an aversion to romantic/intimate relationships due to the consequences he reaped of his prior relationship of that nature. It’s not that he lacks a desire for that sort of intimacy. He rather craves it, in fact. However, he doesn’t let himself get too close out of fear, and this can cause pent up stress, anxiety, and emotion. Thus, he’ll act even more rash and hasty than normal from time to time, especially when he tries to become close with someone.
Due to his PMR, he is quite sore in the mornings and late evenings in particular, making physical challenges quite strenuous at those times of day. In addition, his symptoms can sometimes worsen at random, providing an unpredictability to things and giving the chance that an any point in time he could become fatigued and thus have trouble with physical tasks.
- Self-Title: The Hidden Passion
- Favorite Color: Fiery Red
- Favorite Video Games: Super Smash Bros., Pac Man, King’s Quest V
- Logo that represents them: A Wavelength/Lifeline in a Heart
- What is your character’s end-goal: Cassius is a single father; he accidentally knocked up his (now ex) girlfriend when they were both fifteen. She was an honor roll student with an endless list of possibilities in her future, while Cassius was always fairly average in terms of school. Therefore, he shouldered the task of raising the child and keeping it a secret to all who the mother was (Save for his family and the mother’s family). Cassius is only seventeen, though. He doesn’t have the money to raise a child. His family barely had the money to raise him, and although they mean well, they simply can’t help him provide for his daughter. Cassius needs the million to adequately raise his daughter and give her the life she deserves.
In addition, due to a recent diagnosis, he needs money to treat his PMR and temporal arteritis. Although important to his health, he considers them secondary objectives after obtaining the money to care for his one year old daughter.
- Why Should This Character be in Season 3: I feel like Cassius is so much more than the “tough guy with a heart” trope. In fact, he’s actually not that “tough” of a tough guy, though he may come off as such. He’s got passion in spades, and if he has a clear goal in mind, nothing can stop him. He also has room for development, coming into the competition knowing only what he’s been through on the small island of Maui. While he has the drive and the means to get far, he doesn’t quite know where he’s going, just that he needs to get there. This season can put him in the right direction to find his destination alongside other competitors. His passion and dependability can be used to help other characters develop concurrently with himself, making him a versatile player. Plus, if a more dramatic character starts anything, he’ll step in and do his damnedest to end it, even if it’s not his place to step into a conflict. This can cause even more conflict much to his dismay.
((Art is by willfosho))
