Tidewoven Inc | Micah Rowe (Teen Years)
Age:
14–17
Location:
Reyes’ household, near Tacoma, Washington. Living with Elise’s boyfriend, Daniel, and his parents, Mom and Pop Reyes. Elise moved in with the Reyes family a year earlier.
Core Traits:
Half-feral, half-fragile
A brilliant kid shoved into a normal life that feels like a costume
Trying so hard to be good, grateful, quiet, and stable
This Micah is raw
The seams show
He’s surviving, not thriving, but the light creeps in from time to time
Ache
He wants to be normal
He wants to be easy
He wants Pop to see he’s trying
He wants Elise to know he’s not broken beyond repair
He wants to feel safe in his own skin
He wants to stop flinching at sounds in the dark
Mask
Stoic
Low-maintenance
“Fine”
Shoulders hunched, eyes down
Always making himself smaller in school and at home
Careful not to need too much, careful not to take up space
He’ll joke sometimes, but only once he trusts the moment won’t shatter
Leak
He gets overwhelmed easily
Anger flares but dies just as quickly
Softness leaks out when he’s tired
Tenderness shows through in how he treats Pop’s tools, Elise’s nursing school textbooks, the cats, the ocean.
Sometimes he stares out a window too long, and someone has to call his name twice.
He apologizes for things that aren’t his fault.
Core Fears
- Becoming like his father
- Burdening Mom, Pop, Elise
- Losing his place in the Reyes household
- Being seen too clearly
- Being asked direct questions he can’t answer without telling the truth
Longing
- Belonging
- Steady ground
- Someone who understands the storms inside him without needing explanations
- A future where he’s more than survival instincts
- Lightness
- Laughter that doesn’t feel stolen
Strengths
- Sharp instincts
- Fierce loyalty
- Strong work ethic
- Quiet resilience
- An observant nature that Pop calls “being an old soul” and Elise calls “heartbreaking”
Weaknesses
- Emotional shutdowns
- Self-erasure
- Conflict avoidance
- Hypervigilance
- Overthinking
- Difficulty trusting good things
Relationships
Elise (as Ellie) – Anchor, protector, compass. Their bond is deep and complicated, built on trauma and fierce love.
Mom & Pop Reyes – Stability. Warmth. Structure. Pop teaches him how to exist in the world. Mom teaches him how to soften.
Daniel Reyes – Respect. Humor. Friendship. Daniel is someone Micah can look up to. His first relationship not built on trauma.
School peers – Mostly background noise. He blends in, avoids trouble.
The Ocean – His closest friend at this age.
Symbolic Objects
- Pop’s old Navy jacket – Worn, warm, safe.
- A beat-up skateboard he can’t ride – Tries anyway.
- A small shell on his nightstand – Elise gave it to him.
- Hand-me-down boots – Too big at first. Fit him by sixteen.
- A notebook he never lets anyone read – More sketches than words. Mostly of waves.
The Quiet Years: Teenage Micah
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My heart breaks for teen Micah.
But I’m optimistic that he’s in good hands LOL