Own two feet, stumbling -Malik Bahar

Name: Malik Bahar

Age: 27

Species: Anthro Cat

Occupation: Unemployed

Physical Appearance: Malik is an anthropomorphic black cat with a short stature and a scrawny, yet healthy build. His fur is jet-black and silky soft with a white underside, complete with a fluffy tuft between his pecs. Malik used to be sickly thin but has put on a decent amount of weight since dating Shane, his body is now somewhere between average and slightly chubby. Malik's eyes are a vivid green and hold a certain roughness hinting at a life of hardship and distrust. He's dyed his naturally black hair white to match Shane's, now with his black roots showing.

Personality: Malik is a person with a troubled past who is trying his best to move past it. After being kicked out of his family home at 20, Malik spent the next four years homeless and alone, struggling to get by. One day, he was caught pickpocketing a burly skunk named Shane, but instead of punishment, Shane offered the desperate cat a home. The two quickly entered a relationship that lasted almost 3 years. Malik was spoiled and showered with affection and gifts, something he was completely unaccustomed to. His past has led him to struggle with vulnerability and communication, and he felt he owed Shane too much for them to ever be equals, ultimately leading to a heart-wrenching breakup where Malik left a devastated Shane by the door before going to a hotel and crying himself to sleep.

Malik is essentially homeless and jobless, sleeping on a friend's couch and applying for any job he can take. He's got very little in the way of real-life skills, but he does have the grit and willpower to learn how to fend for himself. He felt like a baby in Shane's care, and he knows that he has to grow up and depend on his own skills to become his own person. He tries hard to be independent and has trouble with asking for help from others. He'd rather starve than ask his roommate how to operate the oven if he can't figure it out on his own, for example.

When he's not struggling with domestic life at home, or struggling with finding a job, Malik is found on the dance floor in one of Harrier City's many nightclubs, drowning his sorrows (and especially his guilt for hurting Shane so badly) in alcohol and hookups, trying to take his mind off of all the things he's constantly doing wrong. He tries to recreate the magic, that spark he felt when he was with Shane, but nothing feels right, not like with him.

Tone/Mannerisms: Malik is best described as a bit feisty. He's a bit quick-tempered and doesn't take any crap. His years spent on the street have caused him to become a scrappy survivor, vulnerability and submission meant weakness. That said, his time with Shane has softened his edges considerably. In casual and less intense situations, he's quite witty, playfully flirty, and very observant.

Quirks: Is very bad at sharing his food, and will often deny others' requests to have a taste. Very bad at math, and struggles with even simple math problems. He's not one to give up, though. Overuses the word "slay", especially regarding things he approves of. Refuses to cry in front of anyone, and will excuse himself to the bathroom or other solitary places before letting the tears come out. Malik tends to be wary of religious people. Malik is British.