Thistle Dodderson - District 12

Name: Thistle Dodderson
Age: Seventeen
Gender: Male
District/Area: District 12
Appearance:

Thistle is a charming young lad and easy on the eyes. Nothing about him screams for anyone's attention, but that doesn't stop people from looking, or whispering about his shocking resemblance to his handsome father, Vick. If Thistle were to describe himself he'd say, "I'm just another guy from the Seam."

Thistle stands at 6'' and weighs about 155 to 160 pounds. He isn't a bulky kid, however, his muscular body does not go unnoticed. Years of lifting heavy packages in both the baker and butcher shops have taken their toll on Thistle's body and have molded it into the slender, muscular form that it is now. Thistle also has a knack for jogging; it helps him maintain his strength and keeps the extra calories he sneaks from the bakery at bay. Thistle's skin tone is arguable. Some say extremely pale, others say peach. The consensus is that he is both. His color depends on the season really, for in Winter he is extremely pale, while in Summer he's a light bronze and peach tone. A couple of scars line his careful hands, as do some burns, but their minor in comparison to a large, tan birthmark that covers his left shoulder blade. Aside from that his skin is pretty clear with the exception of a few beauty marks on his face.

His face is almost an exact replica of his father's, save for the color of his eyes and the shape of his lips; those are distinctly his mother's. Instead of having gray eyes, like Vick's, Thistle has dark, chocolate colored eyes that always seem to have a slight brightness to them no matter the situation. Atop his head rests a mop of dark, brown curls that he, if he so choose to, manages with water and a small brush. His hair is thick like his father's but instead of smelling like the coal mines, Thistle's hair–even his body–smells of either baked goods or raw meat. Usually it's the former, while his hands take on the latter. It's no matter though, in a year he'll be smelling like coal anyway, that is unless he's reaped.

Wardrobe wise Thistle wears whatever his father has outgrown. Being so close in size to Vick comes in handy, but working various odd jobs and being an only child allows Thistle to splurge, even in small amounts, on a pair of jeans or a shirt. Little energy is put into dressing himself since he has his mother to look after; her sickness requires all of his energy, but one day Thistle knows that she'll be free of it. The only token that Thistle carries is on his neck. It's a silver necklace with dog tags at its end. It use to belong to his great-great grandfather, but its worth or even its significance is unknown to Thistle. Still, he wears it everyday.

[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]Personality:

Thistle believes wholeheartedly that nothing is more important than a person's personal happiness and well being. For this sole reason he never goes a day without smiling or trying to make someone feel better, or singing. Life's too short and far too precious to waste. Everyday is a gift and should be treated as such.

Thistle's kindness knows no boundaries and it is because of this trait that he can somehow become everyone's best friend or confident. He enjoys helping others and putting their needs before his own. Although he does his best to try and find solutions to everything, he sometimes lacks faith in his own judgment. He's too concerned about helping a friend that he worries over making a mistake and leading them in the wrong direction. Still, he manages to squeeze out the right words and finds that even being in the presence of someone who's miserable helps.

One of Thistle's major weaknesses, besides ignoring his own needs, is the trust he easily places in people. It's not wise to assume that everyone can be trusted, however, Thistle believes that in every person there is goodness, even in the people of the Capitol. At home in District 12 it's easy to carry this kind of attitude since there is no imminent danger, but were Thistle thrown into the arena it would be realistic to assume that he'd probably die after a day. This does not mean that Thistle is physically weak, quite the contrary. Sure he'd have some trouble figuring someone out, but in the face of danger he'd learn how to protect himself.

When it comes to women Thistle has been raised as a gentlemen and often finds himself at a loss for words. He's rather shy around girls, but whenever their in need he'll somehow find a way to come to their rescue. It doesn't hurt having a nice singing voice either. Maybe one day he'll catch someones attention, but for the time being he's quite content being on his own with his mother and father.

[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]History:

Seventeen years ago Thistle Dodderson was born on the hottest day in July. His mother, Saede, fainted the instant he entered the world, but soon recovered the second she heard his first gurgled cries. Even as a newborn Thistle displayed the characteristics of a survivor. In his first few years he battled sicknesses like pox, measles and scarlet fever. Somehow he overcame each obstacle and he did so with a wide smile on his face and a small glow in his eyes.

By the time Thistle turned six all of his sicknesses seemed to magically disappear. For a few years things were easy going in the Dodderson household. Thistle attended school, Vick worked in the coal mines, and Saede cleaned some houses and shops in town. Although they consumed meager meals there was always something to put out on the table. Thistle never felt hungry, nor did he understand what it felt like to be full. Still, he was better off than a lot of kids in the Seam. It wasn't until Thistle's tenth birthday that life took a turn for the worst. Vick was injured in a coal mine accident and was out of commission for half a year. Without his father's pay it was difficult to put food on the table, so Thistle did what any son would do; he went off to work.

Thistle found various odd jobs to carry out in town, but his favorites became helping around the bakery and butchery. Soon enough he found himself there everyday after school. It became a routine, cleaning out the shops, wrapping up loaves of bread or meat, and sometimes he'd even deliver the goods to a customer's house. Thistle's little pay kept the family afloat though it wounded Vick's pride to have to watch his boy work at such a young age. Once Vick healed he told Thistle that he could quit his work, but Thistle argued otherwise. He had grown found of the people he worked with. He finally felt a sense of purpose and he didn't want to lose it.

Vick returned to the mines and the family returned to small meals set out every night on their table. Thistle did his best to keep up with his studies and struggled a bit in mathematics, but he pressed on for he knew he'd disappoint his parents if he failed. While at work Thistle discovered another passion of his; singing. Neither of his parents could, but soon enough their small home was filled with his sweet, melodic voice. Saede couldn't have been happier, but her happiness was cut short by a terrible fever and sore joints. Sixteen years old and Thistle took up the task of caring for his mother. Sadly he had to give up on school, but he figured it didn't matter since he'd be in the coal mines soon enough. For a year Thistle has managed to balance his duties at home to his mother and at work, while also saving some time for himself and his hobbies.

Fate has been kind to him and has kept him from the reaping. In a year he'll be safe, but then he'll be off to the mines, that is if he so chooses to go. Life in the bakery and butchery has been great so far. Oh the weight of choices, damn them.

[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]Codeword: Odair
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