These two characters are a package deal. In any RP where I use them, they will both be more or less main characters.
28 years old
Mikhail wasn't born deaf. His neglectful parents allowed him to run a dangerously high fever for three days before taking him to the hospital, and although he recovered with no serious brain damage, he was then deaf. At three years old, with no hearing, Mikhail clung to his twin brother Tristan and the two became even more inseparable. At school, no one was allowed to look sideways at Mikhail or Tristan would notice. Preferring to keep his hands clean, Tristan would then tell Sitka, their feral little sister, and she would make sure the situation was taken care of. Later on, they attended the same college, where an incredible teacher recognized Tristan's talent and gave him additional time. The man became a prolific artist, and with the constant pushing of his brother, was able to have his work shown in galleries around New York City.
Age 28
Tristan stole $20 from his parent's drug stash when he was seven to buy an electric keyboard from a pawn shop. They didn't find out, and they also didn't find out about the keyboard. Only Mikhail knew that his brother's fingers itched to play, and at school he forged his mother's signature on a form that allowed him to stay after school and practice. As he got older, he spent all of his time playing, usually with Mikhail hanging around in the room, drawing in his notebook. The rest was history. His teacher helped get him a full ride scholarship, and so he went to a fine arts college. He worked his ass off, partially funding Mikhail's studies since his brother only had a partial scholarship. Now he is a master pianist, performing around the world for private audiences of royalty and the fabulously wealthy. He lives in the same apartment as his brother, the next unit over, and still lets very little be known about his private life.