Amory Lux Gauthier

Lux Gauthier is a baker in Moemoea Cafe.

Shortly after finishing his culinary arts degree, Lux finds himself moving to Mers and working at a certain in-turned-cafe. Though pompous and narcissistic, he's surprisingly hardworking when it comes to his craft, spending nights working on recipes and asking for feedback from his friends and coworkers.

Personality
Something that people might notice in the blond is that there is a striking difference with his disposition depending on the social context. Around strangers who he'd want to have a good impression on, he can be frequently seen with a gentle smile and a friendly aura. Around people he doesn't see the need to really impress, he can be mostly silent, the smile there when he's genuinely amused or when he's mocking something (or someone). In both situations, he chooses his words carefully (depending on his relationship, anyway, as he could be looser with his words if he's close to the person he's conversing with or if he doesn't see the need to pick words) and is usually alert in the shifts and moods of people around him. He adapts to what the social situation requires him to be.

In the workplace, especially the kitchen, however, Lux can be quite distant as he prefers keeping to himself and his work. He hates being disturbed when he's obviously focused on something, and would not hesitate to let you know with a glare or a quick remark. People he had previously worked with couldn't usually fault him for this, though---he has an eye for even the smallest detail, and he makes sure that his works are nothing short of perfection.

He tends to frequently make narcissistic remarks, much to his close friends' annoyance. (They are either annoying or amusing; there's no in-between.) While these remarks are actually jokes half(?) of the time (but who knows when he's actually kidding and when he's not, really), he can be quite arrogant and stubborn, sometimes acting like he's better than everyone else (this may be due to his upbringing). He does not easily handle criticism, needing some time to reflect on the constructive remarks, but he knows when to hold his tongue if the comment is from an authority figure.

Personal
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Biography
Coming from a considerably powerful political family in Aere, Lux was born and raised with a golden spoon in his mouth. Growing up, servants were always at his beck and call, and anything he wanted would be instantly given to him. He was enrolled in only the most prestigious schools in the city and had been primarily acquainted with people of the same social class. On top of his studies, he also had to learn how to act around important people and impress them.

He also learned at an early age that masks were needed to be worn if he wanted to survive in the world filled with ulterior motives and pretenses. The first mask was worn in front of his parents' colleagues, then to his peers, and, eventually, another mask was created to be worn in front of his family, especially his younger siblings. It didn't help that his parents had been emotionally absent most of the time. Fortunately, he found solace in his grandmother's company.

His grandmother, who did not concern herself with his parents' affairs, was the first person who showed him the art and delight of making sweets. His interest in baking started from there, which carried on to his teenage years (although it was more of a secret, in fear that his peers would mock him for it). When the time came that he needed to choose what he wanted to be, it was one of the rare times when he stood his ground and told his parents he wanted to become a pastry chef, far from the career choices that were expected of him. They were completely against it, but he had his grandmother's full support. Behind his parents' backs, she sent him to Braun to study at a culinary school headed by a renowned baker his grandmother was acquainted with.

Studying at Braun was ''liberating. ''In a place where no one knew him as the son of a politician, he no longer felt compelled to always keep up an act and excel at things he had no interest in. He was exposed to a different lifestyle and to different people which needed a lot of adjusting on his part, but he found that he didn't mind it one bit (although it didn't necessarily show). Lux learned and studied diligently, and after a few years, he was considered fit to work professionally.

The patisserie he wanted to work for required him to come up with something new in order to be hired. He created new baked desserts for the shop but was promptly rejected after a single bite of the head baker, telling him that his work was "uninspired" and "lacked heart." He refused to accept the rejection at first---how does one even taste the lack of heart in food?---but when he attempted to try again, he realized his muse had started to evade him; he was no longer as enthusiastic as he was back then. He eventually decided that maybe he needed a break---he could do a little traveling and maybe try out the confectionery offered by different cities, and maybe then his muse would return.

He told his grandmother about this plan, leaving out the bit about how he took the rejection, with one of the ultimate goals was getting to Casco. She greatly encouraged him to stay in Mers for a few days, saying that maybe it would help him out as it had been dubbed as the "the town of beginnings," and wanted him to stay at a certain inn or at least pay it a visit. Lux looked it up and found that the inn no longer existed, renovated into a smaller cafe. While he was there, he was handed a flyer and found that they were also hiring bakers. Normally, Lux would shrug it off as he had his sights set on working in prominent patisseries, but with the deep regard his grandmother had given the inn, Lux let curiosity get the best of him and applied for the job. He needed experience in a professional setting, anyway, and something to add to his resume would never be too bad. (Finding the little town charming had absolutely nothing to do with it.)

Lucas Flintwood
''“The most frustratingly adorable (and adorably frustrating) man I've ever met. He gives the best hugs (and cuddles and kisses and...)”''

His not-so-secret boyfriend who he not-so-secretly adores, Lucas turned into someone he cares about more than he's comfortable with admitting after a strange turn of events---not that he regrets it the slightest bit, but he would've liked a heads-up before everything started (he did; he just failed to acknowledge it early). Recently, he finds that he has been a little more optimistic, which he knows is likely Lucas's influence.

Marcelline Viola Bell
"The closest person I have to a best friend. You could say we've been through thick and thin."

From schoolmates to lovers to exes and to friends, these two have known each other for years. Surprisingly, however, these two weren't aware that they were about to share the same workplace. Though Lux silently and vocally judges her questionable life choices sometimes, he acknowledges the woman's maturity, confiding in her most frequently than anyone else.

Augustus Lambell
"Dependable. He can be a bit too soft and too nice for someone his size. It won't hurt if he learns to be a little more domineering."

Even after the Talaen's departure, Lux occasionally visits his and Sydney's home, relieved to know that the once-timid man is doing well with his girlfriend (who seems to act as his wife at this point). Although he doesn't see him as often now, Lux thinks of him as his good friend.

Sydney Dear
''“Everyone's older sister... or mother. Don't let her looks fool you, though, she can be mildly threatening when crossed."''

She's someone he kind of gets along with. Most of the time. (Or not.) Well, it would be a lie if he says he dislikes interacting with her. He finds it amusing teasing her (usually about her vague yet not-so-subtle relationship with Augustus) due to how she reacts. He sees her as a comrade when it comes to wanting to maximize one's sleep time.

Suzy Hase
"Cute and innocent yet mature at the same time. (Maybe it's her height, still.) She's very trustworthy in the kitchen."

Perhaps due to their several similarities (counting their similar work ethic and their educational backgrounds) and their years spent working at the cafe, Lux finds that there's a sense of camaraderie between the two of then, even while they seem to tread that line between "work friends" and "comfortable friends." He sees her as a little sister at times, although he sometimes senses that she treats him as a little brother as well.

Jane Doe
"I do not know this person enough to have an opinion about them."

Nothing to say here.

Trivia

 * He fidgets with his braid/the bead on his braid when he's deep in thought or anxious.
 * The green glass bead had been a gift from his grandmother, a lucky charm of sorts, and he always wore it around his neck during his time at Braun. He only started wearing it in his hair a year before coming to Mers.
 * He dislikes the sound of his first name---he was frequently teased about it when he was a child.
 * He has a notebook filled with his recipes that worked out, accompanied by painted illustrations and watercolor calligraphy.
 * He can be clueless with several "commoner things" due to his privileged background. (He's learning, though.)
 * Due to a childhood experience he considers "traumatic," he may or may not run away at the sight of a nearby cat. Unfortunately, this extends to both cat Nicaens and cat Talaens---he'll limit any interaction with cat-related individuals to what is only necessary.
 * He refuses to call anyone by their nickname unless he's personally given the verbal permission to do so. Using nicknames to refer to people connotes a certain kind of closeness, after all.
 * His fascination with places and their cuisines can be linked to his grandmother, who used to tell him stories of her travels during her time as an anthropologist. Traveling around to sightsee and to study food production is still in his bucket list.
 * He's also surprisingly quite open with receiving constructive criticism when it comes to baking--some of his mentors back in culinary school were quite harsh with giving feedback. Gordon Ramsay kind of harsh. If it's a negative comment about his work and it makes sense in his head, he'll take note of it and will probably ask for more comments. Certain instances would be exceptions, however.
 * Surprisingly, Lux isn't really interested in throwing huge parties to celebrate his birthday (or other occasions where he's the celebrant) due to some mildly(?) bad memories during his childhood. If possible, he'd spend it with people he likes.