Hayden is 16-year-old with an effortless cool vibe. He stands at 5’8″ with a slim, toned, gymnast’s body, thanks to hours of cheerleading practice. His wavy blond hair is often tousled and sweaty. He has blue eyes. He tends to wear joggers and fitted tees with team logos. Hoodies tied around his waist and high-top sneakers complete his laid-back style. He often sports a leather bracelet and a chain necklace.
Hayden is Santiago’s older stepbrother—an athletic, somewhat aloof high school sophomore who excels at cheerleading and tumbling. While he’s part of the same blended household as Santiago, James, Camila, and their parents, Hayden tends to keep to himself and often communicates through grunts or short phrases. Santiago jokingly refers to their interactions as “surprisingly long conversations” when they last more than two words.
Personality:
Hayden is pragmatic, image-conscious, and often oblivious to the strangeness happening around him—particularly the magical events connected to Santiago. He’s focused on his own world of sports and social life, rarely paying attention to Santiago’s odd adventures or emotional turmoil. Despite this, he’s not unkind; he simply lives in his own lane, comfortable in the ordinary. His occasional embarrassment (like accidentally wearing James’s underwear and being caught mid-change) reveals his teenage insecurity and awkward humor.
Habits and Interests:
- Cheerleading & Tumbling: Hayden spends much of his time at practice, embodying physical discipline and routine rather than curiosity or introspection.
- Technology & Social Media: He’s adept with tech—helping Michael navigate accidental livestreams, for instance—and seems comfortable multitasking between his phone, snacks, and sarcasm.
- Food: Nearly every scene featuring Hayden involves him eating something—a sandwich, dinner, or post-practice snack—making him feel like the family’s perpetual motion machine of metabolism and mild chaos.
Relationship with Santiago:
Hayden treats Santiago like a younger, somewhat puzzling stepbrother. Their relationship is neither close nor antagonistic—it’s more marked by bemused detachment. Santiago often uses Hayden as a contrast to his own introspective, unlucky, and magical nature. Hayden’s grounded, nonchalant demeanor helps anchor the household in normalcy, even as everything around Santiago tilts toward the fantastical.
Notable Scene:
In The Redtip Directive, Hayden accidentally ends up wearing James’s underwear and awkwardly tries to explain himself to Santiago, who has just returned from a magical mission. The encounter becomes a humorous clash between two worlds—Santiago’s chaotic secret life and Hayden’s oblivious, human one