tw: mentions of concentration camps
[name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m] ’ [name_f]Kez[/name_f] ’ [name_u]Milo[/name_u] Halprin (20) is another member of the friend group, whose social capacities manage to rival even Freddo’s. [name_m]Born[/name_m] and raised in Seattle, [name_m]Washington[/name_m], [name_f]Kez[/name_f] comes from a Jewish family who originated in Poland, and his heritage is something he considers highly important, due to his great-grandfather having been sent to Herzogenbusch during the Second World War. He’s studying international law, with plans on travelling once he’s obtained his degree, focusing on Eastern Europe so he can visit family and also gain some much desired adventure - as his parents were quite protective of him while he was growing up, due to his older brother having Downs Syndrome and facing a fair deal of prejudice.
In spite of sometimes feeling stifled, [name_f]Kez[/name_f] has a close relationship with his parents and loves his siblings dearly, being no stranger to arguing himself due to intervening when anyone made comments about his brother. He also has an older sister who’s currently teaching [name_f]English[/name_f] in [name_u]South[/name_u] Korea and has made plans to visit her soon, with the pair of them returning to Seattle where they can celebrate their mom’s birthday as a united family again. When he isn’t attending Debate Team meetings or listening to a music collection centered around 90s dance beats, [name_f]Kez[/name_f] can be found with his friends or urban exploring, having made an effort to get them interested in his favourite hobby (even if it has had him running from trespassing charges on a couple occasions).
~
@CherryBomb50 Late post but you didn’t cut me off, I had to pause my post as I got called away!
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tw: mentioning of an abusive relationship (control and manipulation)
[name_f]Jordana[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] DeLaci (21) is Kez’s girlfriend who sometimes hangs out with the group but doesn’t want to intrude, especially as she knows how awkward it can be accommodating a couple when the thought of them breaking up is always going to plague on people’s minds. The two met when they were sixteen through an online forum designed to speak about members family history with bigotry, prejudice and actual crimes perpetrated, with [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] coming to bond with [name_f]Kez[/name_f] over the fact he spoke about confronting antisemitism while supporting and respecting the space of POCs as well. She was pleasantly surprised to learn he was actually due to attend university close to the arts school she’d been accepted into, belonging to the fashion communication course where she’s known for using muted, earthy colours to create conceptual and editorial outfits; placing an emphasis on recycling materials and using this to undermine fast fashion while not being too expensive.
Although they assumed the friendship would continue, when [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] and [name_f]Kez[/name_f] finally met in person a spark developed, one which has continued flourishing over the past two years of them being together. What reassured Jordana’s dad in particular - a stay-at-home dad who defied gender stereotypes thanks to not wanting his wife’s blossoming career in translation to be stifled - is how [name_f]Kez[/name_f] never demands his daughter’s time and respects she can get busy or make other plans; a courtesy she always returns to her boyfriend.
This fear stems from Jordana’s brother having been engaged to a woman who was incredibly controlling and emotionally abusive, threatening to run away with their young daughter or falsley accuse him of domestic violence of he didn’t choose her over his family. The couple lived in her home state of [name_u]Texas[/name_u] for two years - miles away from Manhattan, where the DuPoint family are - and almost completely lost contact with him due to her insane jealousy; thanks to his ex being close with the family still. It was Jordana’s mom who finally got him to see the engagement for what it was - a toxic cycle perpetrated by a woman never satisfied by the devotion he showed her - and now he’s living in the family home again, successfully gaining sole custody of his daughter who’s much happier too now she isn’t exposed to her mother’s outbursts and allegations.
As the third of four children, she’s enamored with all the independence and space university gives her, even in the sorority she belongs to. While [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] loves her siblings dearly - older sister and brother, as well as her younger brother who uses he/they pronouns - having them constantly wanting to borrow her sewing equipment or intruding on her time was pretty maddening, and she openly jokes her little niece is an even worse culprit (but this hasn’t stopped [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] making her a princess dress for her upcoming fourth birthday). Like [name_f]Kez[/name_f] she loves urban exploring and has gotten some of her sorority sister’s involved, an activity the society thoroughly approves of due to the edge it gives them when making a call for new members; but it doesn’t stop [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] going on special dates with her boyfriend where they check out new locations, a little ritual they consider theirs only.
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Maturity warning: Abusive relationships. Also brief SIDS and virginity mentions but all mature topics in this post are aforementioned from other posts.
[name_f]Monique[/name_f] [name_f]Lize[/name_f] [name_m]Lennart[/name_m] (24) is great friends with [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] meeting her online through [name_u]Marie[/name_u], an anti-fast fashion and pro-green fashion activist who works at a thrift shop. However it was Jordana’s brother, who got out of his abusive relationship with his ex-fiancée, who she met in-person first, since they both used to live in Texas and she was a neighbour of him when he was in an abusive relationship with his now ex-fiancée. She is the older sister of [name_m]Pierre[/name_m] and was born after her estranged older brother and her other brother who died of SIDS as an infant before she and [name_m]Pierre[/name_m] were born, making her the third of the four children of Mr. and Mrs. [name_m]Ritchie[/name_m] however she is not close with either parent and believes they did nothing to stop her toxic older brother and that she and [name_m]Pierre[/name_m], the only person in the family she talks to, did everything.
She is married and took her wife’s surname but would have changed it even if she wasn’t married. She is not a virgin like [name_m]Pierre[/name_m] but she supports his decision to change his surname in disassociation from their oldest brother, an ex-teacher’s assistant who had been abusing and harassing younger women. [name_m]Pierre[/name_m] noticed this before [name_f]Monique[/name_f] since [name_f]Monique[/name_f] still resided in Texas at the time and he told her about what their older brother was doing to the women he was having relationships with. With the help of [name_f]Sissy[/name_f], one of the women who had been in the toxic relationships, and Monique’s wife, the siblings helped get the other women out. While she wanted to leave Texas, she couldn’t get past the fact that her neighbours - that being Jordana’s brother and abusive then-fiancée, were constantly arguing during the night and she was being very loud and aggressive. She and her wife knocked on his door and begged his fiancée to please stop yelling at him and using their child against him but she threatened them both however they still did everything they could and reported everything she said and often protected Jordana’s brother at their house for the nights. Eventually her brother got a restraining order against her and so did [name_f]Monique[/name_f] and her wife.
[name_f]Monique[/name_f] and her wife currently moved out of Texas and moved to be closer with [name_f]Jordana[/name_f], [name_m]Pierre[/name_m], and Jordana’s other siblings. Monique’s wife is a WOC and bonds extremely well with [name_f]Jordana[/name_f] and her siblings and is Marie’s best friend. [name_f]Monique[/name_f] and Jordana’s older sister are currently employed at a gift shop on 12th Street.
Sissy was created by @lemon_swirlxx
Pierre was created by me.
Marie was created by me.
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Aazeen ’ [name_f]Azia[/name_f] ’ Tahseenah [name_f]El[/name_f] [name_m]Omry[/name_m] [name_m]Lennart[/name_m] (24) is Monique’s wife. A Yemeni-American makeup artist, who’s still breaking into the field and primarily gets her income from sponsorship deals given on account of her successful video tutorials; Azia’s heavily involved in fundraising and spreading awareness of the war affecting the country she was born in. [name_f]Azia[/name_f] emigrated to San [name_m]Angelo[/name_m] when she was 2-and-a-half, after her father - a journalist - was offered a job regarding covering international affairs: one he accepted due to increased freedoms a career in [name_u]Texas[/name_u] would grant him and his family. The second of five children, she was the last to be born in Beihan - where her grandparents lived until 14 months ago, when they were granted asylum to live near her parents - but culture is still highly important to her.
A fluent speaker of Arabic, [name_m]German[/name_m] and [name_f]English[/name_f], Azia’s a very practical person who admits she’s not the most academic of people (especially next to her older sister, who’s a qualified optician), but she’s great at mending clothes, putting together furniture and cooking: tasks she takes primary responsibility for around her and Monique’s home. The two met when they worked in the same department store - [name_f]Azia[/name_f] on the makeup counter, [name_f]Monique[/name_f] gift-wrapping - and formed an immediate bond. It always relieved [name_f]Azia[/name_f] how her then-girlfriend never judged her or her family: who are considered unusual by those with pre-conceived stereotypes, thanks to Azia’s mother having been raised in [name_u]Germany[/name_u] thanks to her maternal grandparents moving, visiting them in [name_u]Berlin[/name_u] whenever she can.
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[name_f]Kamila[/name_f] [name_f]Qadira[/name_f] [name_f]El[/name_f] [name_m]Omry[/name_m] [name_m]Lennart[/name_m] (27) is Azia’s older sister and proud optician. She was born in Beihan and is very close with born her Yemeni and German roots. She is best friends with Jordana’s older sister who is happy for the engagement. However with Jordana’s brother having an abusive ex-fiancée, it made the family uneasy on engagements so she never brought it up to them and Kamila’s first proposal a year and a half earlier was actually rejected, although the relationship continued, before finally getting accepted just recently. [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] loves 12th Street and enjoys seeing her sister and sister-in-law whenever she can. She is very tight-knit with her family, loving their cultural connections and teaches Jordana’s family some Arabic and German. While [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] is smart and successful, she still roots on her siblings and never acts like she’s better than them.
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[name_m]Antero[/name_m] ’ [name_m]Tero[/name_m] ’ [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] Mikkola (29) is Kamila’s fiancé. [name_u]An[/name_u] accomplished architect, [name_m]Tero[/name_m] met [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] while on a business trip from Jyväskylä - having been born and raised in the town of Parkano - where they bonded on the grounds of both speaking fluent [name_m]German[/name_m]. [name_m]Prior[/name_m] to meeting his now-fiancé, [name_m]Tero[/name_m] wasn’t too interested in relationships, primarily thanks to how he knew he’d be moving to the States for his job and forming a long distance relationship in his home of Finland seemed to only spell heartbreak for both parties.
It was subsequently a big surprise for [name_m]Tero[/name_m] when he met [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] and almost immediately fell for her - not just being captured by her beauty but the humility she carries herself with, something [name_m]Tero[/name_m] himself admittedly isn’t too used to thanks to him and his brothers having a much more competitive interactions.
Currently, the big question for the couple is whether to begin trying for children before or after they marry. [name_m]Tero[/name_m] knows he wants to start their family soon, partially thanks to how close he is with his niece and nephew (children of his older brother), but doesn’t want to make [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] feel pressured and completely respects her wishes. He’s also the first to admit they’re a little caught up right now in their new family member: their rescue dog [name_f]Posey[/name_f], a Dalmatian who’s overwhelmed with energy and incredibly affectionate towards her humans.
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[name_f]Sanna[/name_f] [name_f]Lumi[/name_f] Mikkola (27) is Tero’s younger sister and the only one in the family not sure of where to live in the future. She is proudly Finnish but has visited her brother in the States and loves how he’s cultured himself and adores his engagement to [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] while still retaining his Finnish touch. She is not a U.S. citizen but loves the American culture and is friends with the Lennarts and Sumners. She is not in a relationship but has many close American friends that she always misses when she’s in Finland. However she is very close with the Finnish culture and has a tattoo of its flag on her right arm. She can’t imagine emigrating anywhere else, not even within Scandinavia. However she lives her life supporting both sides and supports both [name_m]Tero[/name_m] in the States and their other siblings in Finland. [name_f]Sanna[/name_f] is especially close with her niece and nephew as well and she wants to stay close with both of them. She is not looking to start a family but knows [name_m]Tero[/name_m] is smart enough to make the right choice with [name_f]Kamila[/name_f].
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[name_m]Toivo[/name_m] [name_u]Idris[/name_u] Mikkola (to be born in [name_u]December[/name_u] 2022) is [name_f]Sanna[/name_f] 's soon-to-be -born nephew. [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] discovered her pregnancy in an early stage in [name_u]March[/name_u] 2022, and even though the pregnancy surprised them , they were very happy with it. It made them realise not everything in life has to or can be planned out. Sometimes life just throws things and experiences at you when you least expect it. This portrait of [name_m]Toivo[/name_m] has been done using a face-merger of the two parents in a digital art program and both of them cannot wait to see what [name_m]Toivo[/name_m] will really look like. His name means “hope” because the parents have big hopes and dreams when it comes to establishing their family, the biggest being - still - that their son enters the world happy and healthy, flourishing to become a good-hearted young man who is close with both parts of his heritage. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though they are unsure how [name_f]Posey[/name_f] will react to becoming a furry big sister ,they hope it can be sorted out with a dog behaviourist.
They already read a lot of books about pregnancy, childbirth and baby care (many being surprised that [name_m]Tero[/name_m] was the one who went on a shoping spree when it comes to those things , while [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] was still in shock due to the unexpected pregnancy). In the next few months they are planning to discuss wheather or not they will need to emigrate to Finland , so as to have [name_m]Tero[/name_m] 's family get to know the baby and help them raise him.
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[name_m]Austin[/name_m] [name_m]Coby[/name_m] [name_m]Sumner[/name_m] (26) is an employee at a baby-care store called Baby Lobby where the growing family shops. He is the oldest child of [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], and older brother of [name_f]Aurie[/name_f] and [name_f]Dree[/name_f]. [name_m]Austin[/name_m] first met [name_m]Tero[/name_m] in Finland when [name_m]Austin[/name_m] and his then-girlfriend were having a week-long couples‘ vacation there. However about 2 days into the trip, she realised she didn’t think he was right for her and didn’t want to wait until after the vacation to break up with him. She ended up leaving Finland alone while he ultimately decided making the most of his time in Finland was better than going home on an airplane with his now-ex, so he continued in Finland for the remainder of the trip. During the remainder of the trip, he met [name_m]Tero[/name_m], who got him into the Finnish culture and made him as happy as he can be to stay. [name_m]Tero[/name_m] asked [name_m]Austin[/name_m] where he was from and [name_m]Austin[/name_m] told him he is in New York City and runs a baby-care store Baby Lobby on 8th Street. [name_m]Tero[/name_m] has introduced [name_m]Austin[/name_m] to his parents, sister [name_f]Sanna[/name_f], brother, nieces, and nephews in Finland and they all like him. [name_m]Austin[/name_m] and [name_m]Tero[/name_m] became pen pals after [name_m]Austin[/name_m] came home and they stayed close. They follow/friend each other on social media.
One day [name_m]Tero[/name_m] was on a business trip and he and [name_m]Austin[/name_m] met up at Austin’s hometown which is where [name_m]Tero[/name_m] met [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] and started their relationship. [name_m]Tero[/name_m] and [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] have met the Sumners and find them all a strong and kind family doing everything they could after their father died seven years earlier. [name_m]Austin[/name_m] was happy for [name_m]Tero[/name_m] and supports their relationship, and knows that they have differed in culture and in when they planned a family, but knows from his past relationship that [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] really is a keeper and that both of them are experts at keeping a great relationship, but [name_m]Tero[/name_m] says it is all simply because they love each other. [name_m]Austin[/name_m] has since been told that [name_m]Tero[/name_m] and [name_f]Kamila[/name_f] are about to become parents, to Austin’s delight. He always lets them have deals at Baby Lobby and hopes they are able to choose where they will raise their child, even if the choice comes sudden and unexpected like the pregnancy. [name_m]Austin[/name_m] and [name_m]Tero[/name_m] have promised back when they were pen pals to never break contact and they are keeping this pact regardless of Tero’s living decision.
Aurie was created by @autumn.leaves .
Dree was created by @lemon_swirlxx .
Lynn was created by me.
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(tw: cancer)
[name_f]Donna[/name_f] [name_f]Annemarie[/name_f] Beltran (53) is the Assistant Manager of
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] Lobby . [name_u]Austin[/name_u] was rather surprised when she showed up for an interview to work with people who are all nearly quarter a century younger than her, but was surprised at how qualified for the job she turned out to be. Having worked at manager-level positions throught most of her 30s and 40s, she suffered unfair disimissal and being discriminated against on the grounds of age. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though she filed a claim against her previous emplpoyer in an employment tribunal and won, she decided not to work there anymore and that’s how [name_u]Austin[/name_u] became her employer.
She has a motherly instinct that she treats the staff of [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Lobby with - maybe because they’re all a similliar age as her daughter, who just completed her undergraduate degree in psychology a month ago. She is very forgiving for mistakes and doesn’t tolarate people coming in sick - as she says " There are families with young children out here, do you want entire preschools infected next?". However, she also doesn’t treat it lightly when one of the cashiers is slacking off or being snarky to customers.
She talked to [name_u]Austin[/name_u] a lot about their family and understands [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] 's pain - having become a widow from her second husband a month ago. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though they had no children, he was her best friend who supported her career and all hobbies she had. They loved hiking and going camping with [name_f]Donna[/name_f] 's daughter from her first marriage when they were younger , but unfortunately her second husband was very weak and couldn’t do those thinkgs in his final days - having developed lung cancer due to long-term smoking.
Her first marriage was the result of an accidental pregnancy with her daughter when she was 29 and had been dating a work friend’s brother for 6 months. Both families put immense preassure on them to quickly get married and sort out a life together, but when her daughter was four her first husband decided to tell her the truth about his sexual orientation. It turned out he was gay and had been having an affair for a year with an older man from [name_f]Canada[/name_f]. It broke [name_f]Donna[/name_f] 's heart but being raised by open-minded parents, she knew she couldn’t change that about him and decided to divorce amicably , with no fights over property and such. Unfortunately despite promises her first husband broke off all contact with their daughter - contributing only alimony for the 14 years she had left to adulthood. [name_u]Austin[/name_u] admires Donna’s wisdom and experience in life, understanding why she devoted herself to her career after going through so much. [name_f]Donna[/name_f] eventually connected to [name_u]Austin[/name_u] 's mother [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] and proved wrong [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] 's assumptions about not being able to find friends later in life. [name_f]Donna[/name_f] wishes something could spark between [name_u]Austin[/name_u] and her 24-year-old daughter , but she knows it’s ultimately the young people’s decision to make.
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@moonwriteen I love her! She is awesome and her story is great too.
Also happy April Fool’s Day! 
Going to make this character lighthearted and a prankster in her childhood, but still keeping in tune of the game for time’s sake. Also this is not a real warning so no censorship here: This character likes pineapple on pizza and this character doesn’t think the physics of the door Titanic would allow two people to use it for survival.
[name_f]Olympia[/name_f] [name_f]Mariette[/name_f] Beltran (78) is Donna’s mother. She is very open-minded and supports LGBTQIA+, having many friends who were in the community and [name_f]Donna[/name_f] is also an ally, using her alliance to soften the blow of her divorce of her first husband. [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] had always been anti-hate since she was 10, often secretly pranking her older relatives until she could cut them out for good. She did temporarily turn her grandpas against each other by mistake on Thanksgiving when she hid her maternal grandfather’s dentures in her paternal grandfather’s potato salad, causing the former to accuse the latter of stealing them.
[name_f]Olympia[/name_f] was a goofy lady, and always put pineapple on her pizza, feeling like it was the zest she needed for the day. She enjoyed having a family and having her wonderful daughter [name_f]Donna[/name_f]. [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] was a zookeeper and was fascinated with wildlife, and learned that animals could be gay and studied their behavior and mentality as well as their physicality in habitats. She always wanted to make sure the animals were happy and didn’t feel “trapped in cages”, knowing that not having enough room can end up being physically detrimental in the long run, much like if [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and [name_m]Jack[/name_m] were to share a door in Titanic. [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] and her husband raised [name_f]Donna[/name_f] to be happy with herself and to never stop putting herself out there. Her positivity rubbed off on her daughter and [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] was always Donna’s biggest supporter no matter what happens. Despite her daughter and granddaughter being far from infancy, she pops by Baby Lobby every week for the good atmosphere.
Despite her silliness, she knew when to get serious. She knows her daughter has had trouble in her life with love and marriage and always checks in every day to make sure she is feeling good. [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] loves Donna’s selflessness and true friendship with [name_f]Lynn[/name_f] and her family and is proud that [name_f]Donna[/name_f] has used her hardships to make others feel better in their lives. She also loves being a grandma and admires Donna’s unconditional love for her daughter and roots on Donna’s daughter to have a life of success.
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[name_f]Callisto[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Calla[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Acacia[/name_f] Beltran (24) is Olympia’s granddaughter and Donna’s only child. Thanks to her father having no involvement in her life since she was 10, [name_f]Calla[/name_f] made the decision to keep only her maternal name, feeling no affection towards the man who wanted nothing to do with her. While empathetic towards the fact her father was forced to live a lie under expectations - [name_f]Calla[/name_f] being bisexual herself, and grateful her mom and gran are nothing but loving and accepting - she can’t forgive him for opting to completely start a new life without her; the last phone call they ever had revealing his new partner didn’t even know she existed, and he believed things wouldn’t go well if [name_f]Callisto[/name_f] was bought into the picture, confirming she’d been rejected for someone else. This has made her weary and cautious around people those she already trusts can’t vouch for.
Working in the film industry, Calla’s an editor who mostly works on indie, horror and experimental projects, being best friends with an up-and-coming director who she met at summer camp when the duo were only 8. She shares a profound interest in animal life like her gran though, having been looking for wildlife documentary assignments more recently to continue the legacy [name_f]Olympia[/name_f] started through her work. [name_f]Calla[/name_f] has two rescue cats - both moggies of undecipherable breeding - named [name_u]Pip[/name_u] and Scrap, who she loves dearly and dotes upon; living by herself with them, although she’s only a 15-minute-walk away from her mom’s, frequently popping in to have lunch or just chat about life as it is.
[name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_u]Austin[/name_u] have met a few times but she worries he considers her shallow for being so appearance focused, having always been invested in dying her hair and experimenting with makeup. Deep down she considers it a coping mechanism for largely resembling her father, who she feels never really wanted her in the first place. Her stepfather is the man she happily called ‘dad’ and still considers him that in every sense of the word, missing him deeply and she frequently tends to the upkeep of his grave - making sure the flowers are fresh and everything’s organised neatly. Some people consider this morbid but Calla’s willing to take on the responsibility as it means her mom’s spared from reliving this over and over; as well as finding the site somewhere she can talk to her dad about whatever’s going on in life - be it her latest project, adventures of her cats or a current concern.
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[name_f]Imogen[/name_f] " [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] " [name_f]Alice[/name_f] Katzby (20) is Calla’s technical stepsister, although they’ve never met, nor do they know one another exists…yet. Mimi’s dad recently remarried, following a whirlwind courtship she’s partially convinced was a rebound thanks to the breakup of her parents - who had been civil partners for almost twenty years - which stemmed from them wanting to go in different directions regarding the future. Her dad was convinced the family should strike out and move to [name_u]Hawaii[/name_u] - where his brother-in-law has a successful restaurant - while her papa was firm about remaining in [name_f]Canada[/name_f], not just for the continuing growth of his publishing business but also due to the fact [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] (their middle child and older daughter) is pursuing her film degree right now - and a move would place a tonne of pressure on her shoulders regarding transferring universities, continuing her assignments and finding an entire new crew to work on projects with in a relatively short space of time.
Since they split, Mimi’s dad hasn’t moved away - which she’s very glad about, as while he’s very impulsive and a tad reckless, he’s always been supportive of her and very loving - but his new marriage has caused some friction among the children. Mimi’s older brother is convinced things won’t last and was also annoyed the sudden ceremony overshadowed his acceptance to pursuing his bachelor’s degree; while her younger sister had secretly hoped their parents would reconcile and firmly sees their stepfather as an outsider who’s destroyed any chances of their old happiness returning. [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] is seemingly the most accepting of this news, however she can’t help but notice how uncomfortable her stepfather often seems around them in particular (even her who tries to be polite and cordial, while intercepting her sister’s passive aggressive remarks) and is becoming convinced he’s hiding something.
She’s confided in her best friends about this - the small group of film students she grew up with in Ottawa - and Mimi’s oldest friend, who she’s known since she was two and was the first to learn of their non-binary status; is urging her to do some digging. Part of [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] feels guilty, as she knows even her papa - who was genuinely hurt by this whole situation, as he had hoped to reconcile, in spite of his stoicism suggesting indifference - wouldn’t approve of her going down this path, but she can’t shake the feeling there’s something going on here that could hurt her dad in the future. All she hopes is that the skeletons in her stepfathers closet aren’t too literal…
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Kelley “Kel” Winston Katzby (24) is Mimi’s older brother and Calla’s unknown stepbrother. As the oldest, he fit himself into the “oldest sibling” role for the most part, striving to achieve and set an example. However he didn’t like to seek attention unless it was for something important which is why he resented the ceremony overshadowing his accomplishment on his bachelor’s degree. He doesn’t really trust people other than his siblings and doesn’t think the relationship between his new stepfather and remarried father will work, and thinks they married too soon, based from his own experiences with his girlfriend.
He had some difficulties of his own with his own relationship, and while he and his girlfriend are still together, he is very uncertain that this would last. The big reason why was because he was engaged to her, the last time he told his family any big announcement in his life. However the two of them were having difficulties in engaged life and felt they were better off dating and not quite ready to marry and felt being engaged was a pressure to them. They made the difficult decision to break off the engagement, but are still dating. Kel knows this was the right move, but their relationship was never the same and neither could get over the fact they once had an engagement. They feel moving forward with dating life has been alright but they still feel maybe this was a sign staying together wasn’t the best for them. It also makes it difficult later if they do want to get engaged again or not, regardless of whether the time feels right for them, because they feel people won’t believe it will stay. What makes this more awkward is the woman Kel is dating (and once engaged to) is an older film student of Mimi’s. He feels awkward with this interference and Mimi has done her best not to let the relationship make this more dramatic for her and the film students. Mimi’s non-binary friend has done an exemplary job at keeping things at bay, which both Mimi and Kel thank. The only thing that would make things more awkward is if Kel and his girlfriend had a baby, which they never planned, but after taking multiple pregnancy tests, Kel’s girlfriend was indeed not pregnant.
In terms of Kel’s relationship with his family, he gets along with Mimi and his other sister and likes having them to talk to. In terms of his remarried father and stepfather, he wishes that they wouldn’t intrude on the one thing completely going well with him when he hardly ever makes announcements for his life and he’s still trying to grapple with it. He doesn’t think they will work out together and has told Mimi and her non-binary friend this, but is very choosy with his words on what to say given his own predicament and whether he and his girlfriend can remain. At first he used to be awkward around Mimi’s film friends but has gotten along with most of them especially her aforementioned non-binary friend, since Mimi and this friend have known each other since they were toddlers.
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[name_f]Fleur[/name_f] [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] Katzby (17) is [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] and Kel’s younger sister, as well as Calla’s final unknown stepsibling. The recent changes in the family environment have been very difficult for [name_f]Fleur[/name_f], whose main coping mechanism has been staying away from her new stepfather, who she knows considers her childish on account of how she’s handled these changes. In a lot of ways, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] takes after the siblings dad the most: she’s free-spirited, impulsively driven, quite impatient and fun-loving, but has a lot more emotional intuition surprisingly. She loves him dearly in spite of the decision hurting her and remains the closest to him, even if Kel and [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] suspect it’s because she hopes to convince him to abandon this likely doomed relationship - something that isn’t entirely inaccurate given Fleur’s tendency to act on rash whims.
A decorated member of her school’s netball team and cheer squad, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] excels socially and is very well-liked, having a large friend group, although like her older sister she’s known her best friend a long time, from gymnastics classes she started attending when she was only 5. She’s much less awkward around Mimi’s friends but tends to feel less comfortable than Kel on account of being younger and knowing she could be considered immature by them - something she absolutely hates the concept of and tries to avoid like it’s the plague. For all her popularity, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] has no interest in dating currently, although she tries her best to provide advice to Kel, or be a good listening ear at the least given his circumstances. To keep the snippy comments to a minimum, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] has taken her big sisters’ advice and spends time at Kel’s a lot, or hanging out with her friends, whose parents have been thankfully understanding of her difficult emotional circumstances right now.
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@szinkle [name_m]Just[/name_m] wanted to tag you on this one too but no pressure!
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[name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] [name_f]Lois[/name_f] [name_u]Parker[/name_u] (17) is Fleur’s absolute best friend. They have been best friends for almost 12 years now.
[name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] has been extremely energetic & spunky since birth. Her mother often found it difficult to keep track of her and swears she would literally bounce off the walls. After deciding enough was enough Jennifer’s mom decided to sign her up for gymnastics classes to burn up some of her energy which is where [name_f]Jen[/name_f] met [name_f]Fleur[/name_f]. [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] and [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] bonded over their matching leotards & decided to share a juice box during their break. After having only known each other for a couple of hours [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] insisted [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] come over for a sleepover. The next night they wore matching pajamas and drank an entire gallon of cherry kool-aid.
When [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] started high school her mother thought it was just a given that she would tryout for the cheerleading squad with [name_f]Fleur[/name_f], but [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] vetoed the idea all together. She would still stay after school though and watch Fleur’s practices from the bleachers. Now while she is waiting for [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] to get out of practice she hangs out with her friends & fellow skaters (after picking up the hobby after watching one [name_u]Tony[/name_u] [name_m]Hawk[/name_m] video on YouTube). Her and [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] typically walk home from school together, but [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] is hoping she can convince her mom to buy her a new (used) car as a belated birthday present.
@I_meme_it thank you so much for tagging me again! 
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[name_m]Craig[/name_m] [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] [Johansen] [name_u]Parker[/name_u] (47) is Jennifer’s father who used to live in [name_u]New[/name_u] Hampshire before moving back. He is still very much into [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and her mother’s life and is actually getting closer. Despite taking his wife’s last name, he and his wife have had some difficulties with their marriage but never told [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] because they didn’t want to ruin her good spirits. Although [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] was just in gymnastics, the couple often signed [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] up for more physical activities to keep her burning her energy while staying busy and not having to deal with him and his wife’s arguing. But around the time [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] was in high school, they stopped keeping it a secret and separated, with [name_m]Craig[/name_m] moving out to [name_u]New[/name_u] Hampshire. Within 8 months of separation, they decided to take a short but extra special vacation to Niagara Falls to see if they could get their marriage going one more time or leave for good and divorce. At the time they were on the vacation, [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] was spending the nights at Fleur’s house and enjoyed the fun jazzed-up times with her friend but in the back of her mind, she hoped her parents would be able to tie loose ends and come up with a mutual agreement for how to move forward.
To [name_m]Craig[/name_m], the hardest part was the airport and the plane ride getting in as the impatience added more stress. For the first two days, it was fun for them and they spent the vacation enjoying themselves. On the third day, it got serious. They talked about how they would carry on the marriage but what neither of them noticed was that the topic of divorce never came up. The two of them were talking so much about what they had to do for each other to stay married and come out stronger. In the words of [name_m]Craig[/name_m] himself, “I think we can make this work and get back together.” and his wife nodded but took a long pause before agreeing to rekindle. They realised the thing that was hurting their marriage the most was lack of communication and both promised to be better at voicing and listening to each other. On the last day, they realised how some couples just seem to throw away marriages without trying and fall into the same bad habits in relationships. While they knew some married couples weren’t meant to be and shouldn’t be together, they knew they were not one of them and they both loved each other the more they talked. [name_m]Craig[/name_m] gave his wife her ring back that she had given him when they separated and the two agreed to continue marriage.
When they returned, peppy [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] was happy for them and missed [name_m]Craig[/name_m] because she only saw him a few times within the months of separation due to him being out-of-state. The couple has spent extra time and care over the months to preserve their marriage and family and it is working out for the best. [name_m]Craig[/name_m] moved all his possessions back home and the couple is nicer and happier together with [name_m]Craig[/name_m] supporting her skateboarding interest. He doesn’t want to be the “dopey dad” who watches her and her skater friends and leaves them alone, but got her some [name_u]Tony[/name_u] [name_m]Hawk[/name_m] skateboarding video games for her birthday. [name_m]Craig[/name_m] has felt bad that he had been away from [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] due to the separation period and is considering pooling money in to get a good-condition used car for her, but will need his wife to agree before making the decision, since communication is very important and he has learned from before how valuable it is. While he and his wife want to keep this a secret for now, to avoid upstaging [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], the two are planning to renew their vows to show how much they really mean to each other.
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Jin-hwan ’ [name_u]Orion[/name_u] ’ Jang (18) is one of Craig’s wife’s employees at the hardware store she oversees as a general manager, and the not-so-secret crush of [name_f]Jen[/name_f], who’s a year above her at school. [name_u]Orion[/name_u] belongs to the school’s Photography Society, acting as it’s [name_m]Vice[/name_m] [name_m]President[/name_m] - his best friend being the [name_m]President[/name_m] - and often appears quite mysterious to his fellow club members, on account of his very private nature. This stems from his home life being complicated, but not unhappy (in spite of the cliches and assumptions he’s faced throughout life).
Orion’s mother has been in a wheelchair since he was three following a rock climbing accident when his parents were celebrating their anniversary in [name_u]Arizona[/name_u], and this has meant his paternal aunt moved in with them to provide care: a big commitment on her behalf, as it meant she had to move from Donghae-si where she was settled to [name_f]Canada[/name_f], where her brother had moved after being offered a senior lecturing position there.
Subsequently, Orion’s gone out of his way to keep an eye out for his younger siblings - brother and sister, who are fraternal twins - to make sure they don’t feel resentful or burdened by their family’s circumstances. He and his aunt share a very close relationship, with [name_u]Orion[/name_u] accompanying her on her twice-yearly trips to [name_u]South[/name_u] Korea to visit their extended family, and his culture is something he values highly, being quick to shoot down any stereotypes or assumptions placed on him or his family. This is the main time he comes out of his otherwise stoic shell, although he does make polite small talk with those outside of his small, tight knit friend group.
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@szinkle no worries! Your posts are always wonderful so we’re more than happy to have you here!
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Samir " Sam " Zayd Ajani (18) is the Photography Society President. He is the younger cousin of Kamila and Azia and soon-to-be-first cousin of Toivo in December 2022. He and his parents currently reside in the same neighborhood as Orion and Sam is planning to go to college near his cousins. Born to an Arab mother and Black father, he knows what it’s like to be different and has often times been the only one, something he’s unfortunately gotten used to. However Orion has opened his eyes to South Korean culture and what it means to Orion to be South Korean. He uses a lot of this as inspiration in photography and uses world’s cultures to guide him. Not surprisingly, he is a straight-A student at history and geography and is also smart with several other classes, breaking the stereotype that people of his colour can’t be smart.
Being friends and fellow leaders with Orion has moved him and Sam always likes to talk to Orion about his culture, for open and frank discussions about race and national origin. Sam loves to talk about African and Arabic culture as well and is strong and proud of being who he is even despite stereotypes others give him. He and Orion often see each other as “protectors” and will defend each other from cultural ignorance. Sam has no siblings but is very close to his cousins and got accepted into a college closer to them. He is also very close to Orion’s siblings because they live so close to him and he wants to make sure they feel happy and safe as well. Sometimes Sam will help Orion’s family when they need it and will do what he can as a friend of Orion and truly cares about his family as well.
Azia was created by @I_meme_it.
Kamila was created by me.
Toivo was created by @moonwriteen.
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[name_f]Megan[/name_f] " [name_f]Meg[/name_f] " [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] Lopresti (18) is another member of the Photography Society and already knows she’s going to be continuing her interest academically. Similar to [name_u]Orion[/name_u], Meg’s typically quite a reserved person, her shyness having always been present - but it worsened due to teasing she faced in middle school for her ‘unorthodox’ interests in heavy metal and counter-culture. In spite of assumptions - with some of her crueler peers nicknaming her ‘Mad Meg’ and comparing her to the [name_u]Blair[/name_u] Witch of all people - this never deterred her from self-expression and arguably enhanced it. [name_f]Meg[/name_f] was taught to never be ashamed of her individuality by her maternal grandmother (Nan as she calls her) who babysat her a lot, as Meg’s mother is a pilot and her dad’s a fireman, meaning they frequently were away and needed someone to look after her. Meg’s never been resentful of this fact as she loves her nan dearly and they’ve got a lot of similarities - with her mom joking [name_f]Meg[/name_f] is some kind of spiritual successor to her grandmother, as they even have the same Look for when they’re not impressed by someone or something.
Like [name_u]Sam[/name_u], Meg’s an only child and this has given them grounds of understanding, even if she tends to be quite distant around new people. In spite of her reserved nature, Meg’s very helpful when it comes to camera operating and editing processes, having perfected her skills while staying up at her nan’s house after her grandmother’s gone to bed. She’s frequently found in scenic woodland areas, not just practicing her photography skills but also walking her family dog - [name_m]Ralph[/name_m], their rescue Boxer dog known for his bouncing skills - and her nan’s beloved [name_u]Boston[/name_u] Terrier, Fred; sometimes inviting her fellow Society members if they’re particularly eager for natural practice or just to spend time with the dogs. Outside of the group, [name_f]Meg[/name_f] belongs to a small, close friend group mostly made up of people with an interest in the alt scene: they frequently go to small metal and punk concerts together or hang out in quiet areas discussing Gothic literature. [name_f]Meg[/name_f] admits she isn’t the most fanatical about reading the likes of [name_u]Shelly[/name_u] but is a devout reader of [name_m]Clive[/name_m] [name_m]Barker[/name_m], especially due to her being pansexual herself and feeling an affinity with a notable queer author.
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