[name_f]Melain[/name_f] " [name_u]Mel[/name_u] " [name_f]Anna[/name_f] Bredemeyer (24) is [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] and Cary’s mutual friend, who’s known the former since they were in their teens after her family moved from the town of Schwarzatal to [name_u]London[/name_u], and met the latter because she co-owns a small gift shop he frequents for anything celebration related. Having retained her own [name_m]German[/name_m] accent - due to speaking [name_f]English[/name_f] long before her parents wanted to be closer to her mum’s sister following her developing ME - [name_u]Mel[/name_u] immediately bonded with [name_f]Sinead[/name_f], as she was one of the few people to never treat her with a patronising attitude: something even certain teachers gave [name_u]Mel[/name_u]. Being a naturally outspoken and headstrong person, she had no problems correcting people but subsequently was mislabelled as unfriendly by a lot of her classmates, just for sticking up for herself. This confidence meant [name_u]Mel[/name_u] was never phased by Sinead’s twins protectiveness and instead commended him for it, becoming close with both O’Brien siblings over time, although [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] is the one she confides in about the upmost personal matters.
Alongside running her business - Multiple Occasions - with another member of the friend group, who she just so happens to be dating (a relationship that blossomed while the two were deciding on setting up the shop together, as the concentrated time led to them recognising an unspoken mutual attraction); [name_u]Mel[/name_u] enjoys skating, hiking and swimming in her spare time. She takes trips to [name_u]Germany[/name_u] when possible, not wanting to loose ties to her homeland or old friends she’s retained there, and a few times has been accompanied by the others. Sinead’s twin jokes [name_u]Mel[/name_u] would be a brilliant tour guide if she didn’t have a knack for business, as her ability to introduce others to her home is spellbinding, and she’s great at making you feel involved - even if her intensity can be misconstrued at times. Her childhood friend is considering moving out to work for [name_u]Mel[/name_u], as they’re looking for a fresh start following a nasty breakup and their career stalling somewhat.
[name_u]Mel[/name_u] also visits her family whenever possible, partially due to the support her cousins need with their mum’s health. She herself only has one sibling - her younger brother who’s an art student and definitely the shy one - so their large brood is a little unfamiliar to her (and she knows she’d be even more combative with so many siblings in her space), although she loves them all dearly. One of them’s also due to stay over the summer, and it’s been noticed by [name_u]Mel[/name_u] that they may have a crush on Sinead’s twin.
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[name_f]Leni[/name_f] [name_u]Milan[/name_u] Bredemeyer (22) is Mel’s cousin who’s staying for the summer. They quickly resonated with [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] as they had a history of bullying in their past- at school they were always bullied for having a lisp which was awful for them and they even sometimes correct themselves when they feel themselves speaking with their lisp.
Leni’s mom is in very bad shape health wise and they are very excited to go see [name_u]Mel[/name_u]- partially because they hate seeing their mom in pain and partially because [name_u]Mel[/name_u] is very good friends with them. [name_u]Mel[/name_u] and [name_f]Leni[/name_f] were great friends in childhood and they’re very happy to see [name_u]Mel[/name_u] whenever they can.
[name_f]Leni[/name_f] doesn’t have a full time job yet but they work part time as a lifeguard which is perfect as they have always loved swimming. As a little kid they would always insist that they were a mermaid even though they very obviously had legs.
Leni’s super excited to see Mel!! They’ve only seen pictures of Sinead’s twin brother but they are already obsessed and bracing for rejection…
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[name_m]Ruari[/name_m] [name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] O’Brien (23) is Sinead’s twin and the object of Leni’s affections, albeit he has no idea any of this is going on - for fairly obvious reasons, not to mention [name_u]Mel[/name_u] being unaware of just how infatuated [name_f]Leni[/name_f] is. [name_m]Law[/name_m] is something [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] openly has no interest in, in spite of supporting [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] wholeheartedly, and he’s working on obtaining his masters in [name_f]English[/name_f] Literature, having always dreamt of becoming a playwright. Seeing the torment his sister was subjected to is something [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] still struggles with - admitting he’s not the most naturally forgiving person at the best of times - and he does all he can to try building her confidence up, while not wanting to impose on her life. Thanks to their closeness, [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] recognises how much Sinead’s friends love seeing her and wants her to recognise this too; being unhappy about how she holds back as he feels she’s missing out on developing lifelong bonds and having wonderful times. When faced with bullying, Ruari’s response was arguing and stubbornness, refusing to compromise his identity - and his headstrong atttidue is admirable as it can be infuriating. [name_m]Even[/name_m] his best friend acknowledges his inflexibility can be maddening sometimes, as [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] is someone who prefers structure thanks to his work schedule and writing processes, but his warmth, loyalty and kindness make up for this.
Unlike [name_f]Sinead[/name_f], [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] has pursued a few relationships and his most serious one lasted just over 2 years, ending when he was twenty-one on a note that left him more heartbroken than he likes to admit. His ex-boyfriend is someone he cared about deeply and his decision that he wanted to not be tied town at a young age hurt [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] who was willing to stick it out for the long haul - but he’s never someone to hold anyone else back from pursuing happiness. A few weeks ago his ex got back in contact, just after [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] had been on a date with a fellow Literature student (who he realised worked better as a friend and they’ve joined his group subsequently ), and this rocked his world massively. He almost took his ex back until [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] became aware of things, and after speaking with [name_u]Mel[/name_u] and her partner, they convinced [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] to not accept as it was blatantly obvious his ex was doing this because they hated being single, not because they genuinely wanted to consider what [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] wanted. When he’s not working on his scripts or socialising with his sister or friend group, Ruari’s usually looking after his rescue dog - [name_f]Calliope[/name_f], a [name_m]German[/name_m] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] - or going swimming, his favourite means of relaxing. [name_f]Do[/name_f] not dare him to jump in any body of water though as he’ll do it without hesitation.
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This is [name_f]Calliope[/name_f], Ruari’s [name_m]German[/name_m] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] best friend. She was rescued from a shelter and right away she loved [name_m]Ruari[/name_m]- she also loved [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] and [name_u]Mel[/name_u] and their friend group. However, [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] can smell a yucky ex boyfriend from miles away and once bit Ruari’s ex on the hand. However, she is very affectionate towards Ruari’s friend who went on a date with him- this friend was jokingly called by [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] a “dog whisperer.” [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] also enjoys swimming and running around.
I did a dog because I’ve never seen someone do that- I don’t know if it’s against the rules or anything?!
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CALLIOPE IS SO CUTE! Calliope (and Gunnar because honestly he’s epic) are seriously my new fave characters in these games! Love how Calliope bit that yucky ex’s hand, epic win. Your vibes are fabulous. Also if you like games with cute pets, try this game! It’s got people AND pets!
Dario Giotto Madani (27) is a dog walker of Calliope and the older brother of Ruari’s infamously yucky ex. He is part of the Madani family and is a lawyer like 4 of the 6 siblings, including Ruari’s ex, a public defender, and Pascal, Sinead’s co-worker. However Dario is a defence lawyer, not a prosecution lawyer and while he’s older than Malou, Pascal, and Ruari’s ex, he’s not the first born. People wonder why Dario wants a side hustle walking dogs if he’s already from a successful lawyer family but truthfully, he just likes dogs. His family is very strict and Dario feels more free and easygoing with a dog around. Around the circumstances of Ruari and Dario’s brother being exes, he knows his brother was persuaded to get a career in law since the rest of the siblings were although two rebeled. His brother couldn’t settle down and have time for a relationship because he hd to be focused on his work. Still, it was too obvious that he wanted Ruari since he didn’t want to be single and that he just wanted a choice in his life. His older brothers Dario and Pascal tried to get him to calm down and leave Ruari alone, taking separate paths, but he didn’t want to listen because neither Dario nor Pascal was in a relationship. Who were they to say anything about relationships? Pascal told Sinead she made the right move convincing Ruari that he shouldn’t get back together with his ex and said his younger brother “will thank him later”. Dario is trying to make better amends with his brother however because he doesn’t want to be perceived as someone his bro “doesn’t want to be like”. He has an interesting connection with Calliope: his male shelter dog Nico accidentally got Calliope pregnant due to the shelter mistakenly not spaying/neutering the two dogs. Calliope and Nico have three puppies and the shelter agreed to pay for Calliope and Nico to be spayed/neutered to repay for the error. However Dario loves this and enjoys the puppies due to his aforementioned love for dogs. However he knows this is highly awkward seeing that his “dog owner in-law” is his brother’s ex-boyfriend.
Pascal was created by me.
Malou was created by @clemesque.
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tw: emotional neglect - not blurred, estrangement
[name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] [name_f]Vittoria[/name_f] Laudano (28) is Dario’s fiance who’s served as a long-term witness to her soon-to-be brother-in-law’s inability to let go of his ex and the stress it’s caused the Madani family. This is an echo of the past for [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f], as her own mother had an obsessive need to not be alone, and would frequently become more interested in pursuing ex-boyfriends than spending time with her only child. [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] ended up mostly looking after herself and still prefers independence, as she never has an easy time putting faith in other people due to her mothers’ emotional neglect. They don’t have much contact now, aside from polite birthday and [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] cards, but [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] is aware she now has a stepfather who feels very awkward at the idea of meeting her.
Dario’s parents have always been tentative about [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] as she works as a special effects artist in film and TV: a career that isn’t their ideal of stability. However, her success and tenacity have allowed her to be accepted by them - and in spite of [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] not really approving of how they push all of their children towards their own line of work. Although they haven’t mentioned this to Mr and Mrs Madani, [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] and [name_m]Dario[/name_m] have agreed in private that if their children aren’t going to be talked into pursuing anything that aren’t their true, authentic dreams. Scarlet’s suggested to [name_m]Dario[/name_m] that at least one of [name_u]Nico[/name_u] and Calliope’s puppies is sent to be given training as a guide dog, as she wants to see people benefiting in multiple ways from owning a dog: not just the happiness [name_u]Nico[/name_u] brings her and her fiance.
In spite of her unhappy childhood and estrangement, [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] knows she wants children…and now there isn’t going to be a question of waiting, as she just discovered she’s 5 weeks pregnant. No-one outside of her and [name_m]Dario[/name_m] knows this yet, as truthfully, [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] isn’t looking forwards to becoming the centre of attention - not just because she’s naturally introverted, but it’s something she’s never been used to or welcomed.
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Uncensored warning: This character is a bully.
Also for a recap on Madani family; the order is: 1) Angeline, 2) Dario, 3) Pascal, 4) Carlow, 5) Isabetta, 6) Malou. The first 5 are mine and Malou is @clemesque’s. All are lawyers except Malou and Isabetta; Angeline, Dario, and Carlow are sided in defence.
Angeline Felicia Madani (28) is the eldest Madani sibling and also a lawyer, being in criminal defence as well. She’s not in contact with her younger siblings but is closest with Dario because they’re both in the same field and knows Scarlet by his association. She pretends to be his “friend” but constantly insults him and makes him angry, which he despises. Angeline is a very toxic individual and is the main reason why Malou stays away from her family. Malou says she was a good older sister growing up who just became so wicked that she has become even more toxic than their parents. She and Pascal never talk because they are too different, with her being in defence and him in prosecution, and also because he tends to talk more with his two non-lawyer siblings. Pascal doesn’t discuss any toxicity because Angeline threatened to make his life miserable, his law firm hate him, and tell their parents how “horrible” he is at being a lawyer if he says anything bad. Ruari’s ex, one of her brothers, is her favourite person in her family because she knows he causes a lot of drama too and she finds joy in that, even if she thinks he’s an inferior public defender. She loves to be successful and enjoys being able to defend clients, but is a very expensive lawyer and loves to manipulate trials. Her parents adore her because she always sucks up to them.
Angeline knows Scarlet has been accepted by the Madani parents and she wants to “test” if Scarlet is “acceptable” enough for her, even though all the other siblings support her. She knows she can be intimidating but that’s what she loves about herself, often being rude to Dario asking him, “Why did you propose to an older girl?” despite only being one year apart and Scarlet being the same age as Angeline. She is in a relationship but her partner doesn’t want to marry her, stating, “I love her but I don’t want to get hitched to someone with a family of mostly lawyers, if we divorce then I’m screwed.” Angeline also believes that Scarlet has been acting different than usual and believes she’s “hiding that she’s a maniac” although she’d never guess it was a pregnancy, since she arrogantly believed Scarlet and Dario wouldn’t last, despite them being engaged. She tends to believe a lot of untrue stuff that she makes up in her head and is always set on those thoughts. She falsely thinks Malou’s fiancée “brainwashed her into not wanting to be a lawyer and is making her go to London”. She claims Pascal faked his asthma diagnosis to get out of the fact he was a “terrible former engineer who was going to get fired”. She also believes Ruari broke up with her brother because he and Sinead “are sociopaths”. She believes the other non-lawyer in her family “wants to get into crime and that’s why she doesn’t respect lawyers”. She loves when her brother causes drama and doesn’t care if everyone else in the family is stressed by it, finding them “weak”. She’s also bullied Leni over their lisp, ostracising herself from Leni and their friends. Leni is good friends with the 2 non-lawyers in the family and both are further against Angeline for this. The irony of her rude gossiping nature is that she started a rumour Scarlet was pregnant, although she didn’t intend it to actually be true. And what’s even weirder is people didn’t believe her and the rumour was squashed simply because she’s not trustworthy and nobody likes her.
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[name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] Meiyi Zhao (25) is a former friend of [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] and another lawyer at the firm. She works in defence, just like [name_m]Pascal[/name_m], but [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] managed to sink her claws into [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] before any of the Mandani siblings at the firm could. [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] initially believed Angeline’s claims that her siblings were all just horrible people to their older sister, but after [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] was extremely toxic to her the entire friendship, [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] broke off their friendship verbally. In hindsight, [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] wasn’t a very good friend— she often found excuses to put [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] down and even made fun of her home situation. Chantelle’s parents are going through an acrimonious divorce at the moment, and after one too many jokes at her expense, she decided it would be best to cut out [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] from her life permanently.
She has found other friends at the firm— a group made of [name_m]Pascal[/name_m], herself, and two others— and [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] feels horrible that they’re caught in the collateral damage that is [name_f]Angeline[/name_f]. Since their friendship had ended, [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] has had to squash multiple rumours about her, examples including she was only at the firm due to nepotism and that she had a sugar daddy. Her older sister, who isn’t at the firm but is a lawyer at a different firm, has heard the brunt of Chantelle’s complaining about [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] and tries to comfort her younger sister.
[name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] lives with her boyfriend and their two cats: Xiao and Da. Ironically, Xiao is the bigger of the two.
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[name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] Yanyu Zhao (27) is the older sister of [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] who serves as her main confidant and adviser. Working in animal welfare law, usually custody cases, Alyssa’s grown used to having to defend her choices - as some of her peers look down on the area she specialises in, considering it less importanf/valid - and this decisiveness is what’s let her become talented at offering a listening ear to her sister and friends. Having recently become engaged to her partner of five years, who she met through a mutual friend - as her partner opted against university for personal reasons - Alyssa’s desire to settle down more and start a family has increased the side eye she gives [name_f]Angeline[/name_f]. It never fails to disappoint her how immaturely some people choose to act, and [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] being dragged into the whirlwind of drama [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] enjoys creating, has made her not just annoyed at the older woman, but truly disappointed at how she behaves. She’s more than relieved that her sister has a strong, reliable friend group established now and is away from the toxicity, although she has joked about offering [name_m]Pascal[/name_m] the same listening ear if he ever needs to vent about [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] (and she wouldn’t say no if he did want to talk).
The divorce didn’t surprise [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f], and truthfully, she felt it was overdue. [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] and her’s teens were dominated by the passive aggressive undertones of her parents comments to each other, and although the sisters never got to the root of the problem, [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] suspected an affair might have been the cause of the increasing tension. She stopped trying to investigate when she was seventeen though, at the insistence of her best friend, who was worried about the stress [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] was putting herself through in the hope she could ease her and Chantelle’s minds - and her fiancé also continues to make sure she isn’t tearing herself apart trying to protect her loved one’s from unpleasant situations.
In spite of the literal distance between [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] and her best friend, they’ve maintained their closeness since they were both ten. The girls met in maths class after being sat together and, in spite of having very different interests, they’ve got very similar core values and tend to serve as listening ears in their families. Alyssa’s best friend is a professional ballerina - unsurprising, given dance was everything to her growing up - and frequently travels on tour, meaning they usually call or message to keep in contact daily. Although [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] is undeniably going to be maid of honour on her big day, Alyssa’s best friend has been given the title of head bridesmaid to commemorate their closeness, and also because [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] trusts she’ll be able to wrangle in the others’ if any wild behaviour starts on her hen night (as just because she’s self-controlled doesn’t mean she only befriends those with this sensibility, far from it). With only an iguana - [name_f]Mira[/name_f] - who belonged to her fiancé before they moved in together at home, Alyssa’s primary catsitter for [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] and her boyfriend when needed, and this close contact allowed her to realise the guy was terrified of her disapproval long before they met in person. This amused [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] and [name_f]Chantelle[/name_f] greatly, as the older Zhao sister is never someone to make quick judgments, and as long as Chantelle’s being treated well, Alyssa’s going to like you.
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Heyo quickie reminder Pascal isn’t a defence lawyer, he’s in prosecution with Ayame (by @I_meme_it) and Sinead. He’s actually the only prosecutor, the other lawyers of the family (Angeline, Dario, and Carlow) are defence. I’ll keep the Pascal-Chantelle friendship though. I should have mentioned that when I recapped the family and will edit that, oops! Turns out I’m editing the recap anyway, because I’m writing the final two siblings who don’t have bios.
Isabetta Marina and Carlow Orsino Madani (23) are the twins of the Madani family with Carlow secretly agreeing that an affair could have caused the divorce of Alyssa and Chantelle’s parents. Isabetta is not a lawyer, being a professional ballerina like Alyssa’s best friend. Carlow, a public defender, is mostly known however for being the ex of Ruari, which makes it hard and awkward for the family. Isabetta is twenty minutes younger than Carlow and while he doesn’t care about the difference in minutes, she does and for an odd reason. It may just be a coincidence, but the further down you go in Madani siblings, the more rebellious they are to their parents’ lawyer norms. Angeline is the eldest and will be highly toxic just to support the lawyer career, acting like the best lawyer even if it hurts others. Dario is second and likes being a lawyer, but is much more chilled and is engaged to someone who isn’t a lawyer. Pascal is third and while he tends to give into personal threats, he gets along with the non-lawyer siblings more and didn’t initially want to be a lawyer. Carlow is fourth and the last sibling to have a law career, but hardly ever lets it control his life and is focused more on dating. Isabetta is fifth and is the first non-lawyer, but doesn’t have a problem with her family. Malou is youngest and is proud to not be a lawyer, planning to move to London with her fiancée.
Carlow is currently in his own personal struggle to let Ruari go, although he isn’t trying to actively chase him anymore, instead just thinking about him constantly, to the rest of the family telling him to let him go and Angeline mocking him. The twins often talk with Alyssa over how Angeline has made it a toxic environment for the rest of the family. Ruari has discussed the pregnancy rumour about Scarlett, believing it to be false while Isabetta never mentions it because she gets over “petty gossip” quickly, not realising this one is ironically true. Isabetta often travels on tour as a ballerina and isn’t always around but much of the family agrees that she is happy and deserves to be away from the drama. Isabetta has recently become bonding friends with Alyssa’s ballerina bestie, and the two talk about everything. Isabetta is currently dating another ballerina who is a mutual friend of her and Alyssa’s best friend. Isabetta and this ballerina get along with Alyssa for this reason and are attending the wedding, just as guests and as dates. Carlow hates being single and secretly envies Alyssa, Chantelle, and Isabetta for being in relationships but won’t discuss this because he doesn’t want to start more trouble. Alyssa’s fiancé and Chantelle’s boyfriend have tried to get him out of his personal issues, and even Mira the iguana has helped.
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tw: cheating and gaslighting (not blurred)
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] " [name_f]Vi[/name_f] " [name_u]Marie[/name_u] Simmons-Brandon (22) is Carlow’s one-time nemesis and new close friend of [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] O’Brien, who went on that singular date they’ve nicknamed the “friend awakening” affectionately. Due to his inability to let go of his ex - who he dumped, as [name_f]Isabetta[/name_f] is frequently pointing out when her brother’s bemoaning tests her patience - [name_m]Carlow[/name_m] deeply resented [name_f]Vi[/name_f], a person he hadn’t ever met or heard of until they were set up with [name_m]Ruari[/name_m] by a mutual friend to help get both parties back into the dating game. From 17-19, [name_f]Vi[/name_f] dated someone who cheated on them frequently for self-gratification, and then proceeded to gaslight them into thinking they were merely being paranoid. The extra cruelty of this was Vi’s ex was completely aware they’ve dealt with OCD since they were only eleven and this can heighten their nerves anyways, but he was willing to use it if it meant getting away with his one-night stands. He was loathed by Vi’s mother and younger sister - their only family, as their father’s been out of the picture for almost twenty years (not a loss anyone’s missing); the double barrel surname being just their mom’s names, which she got from both her parents - but had a magnetic charm and sweet way with words that kept them infatuated; partly because they believed no-one would accept them quite like him.
Since the breakup, which was followed up by Vi’s ex pleading for a reunion: as while he was perfectly happy to mistreat them, he relied on them to keep him organised and in-check for university deadlines, they’ve not dated until being set up with [name_m]Ruari[/name_m]. While a different connection sparked between the pair, Vi’s incredibly glad they went, as even new friendships felt too much to take on thanks to their exes lies, and they’ve just been out with someone else who proved romantically suited - but both parties want to keep things moving slowly. [name_f]Vi[/name_f] knows about [name_m]Carlow[/name_m] and [name_m]Ruari[/name_m], and - although they haven’t got involved as they feel it’s not their place - is very relieved their friend didn’t agree to giving things another chance, as Carlow’s willingness to disregard things seemed set up for disaster once more, especially with [name_f]Angeline[/name_f] refusing to not interfer with people’s lives or choices. They suspect if [name_m]Carlow[/name_m] knows about them he’ll only have negative feelings but experience has allowed them to brush this off, as now they’re away from their ex they’ve been working to avoid excess and transferred guilt.
[name_f]Vi[/name_f] works as a bartender at a popular local spot while training to become an animal welfare worker. They’re living with their mom, younger sister and family pets currently: two rabbits named [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Flo[/name_f], as well as their beloved, elderly Sheepdog [name_u]Walter[/name_u], who used to belong to their grandparents before the responsibility of exercise became too difficult for them to manage.
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Rahal Hakim Matar (28) is Vi’s current shift manager and the partner of Angeline, he who refuses to marry her. While many would assume bar work is unacceptable to Angeline, with her ridiculous standards, she accepts Rahal’s job as he’s covering for the business he owns while a new employee is sought out, and even uses this to hold up her facade to her parents about being their ‘best’ child. Many don’t understand the two’s relationship as Rahal is a thoroughly decent person, but Angeline is careful to conceal her toxicity from him, as the humiliation of a breakup is something she cannot face. She’s also been willing to threaten to ruin her siblings lives - in most cases, their law careers - if they try informing him of her true nature, and no-one wants to risk facing her anger given how generally vindictive she is.
A second generation Jordanian immigrant, Rahal has set up several businesses celebrating his culture, and runs them with his younger half-brother, who he openly calls his best friend. Aside from his brother, the majority of the Matar family live in Chicago, which is a relief to Angeline - as she struggles biting her tongue enough around one member of her partner’s family, never mind his dad, stepmom and four other siblings: his older sister (who shares the same mother as him), youngest half-brother and two younger half-sisters. His forward focused attitude and generally sunny disposition means Rahal doesn’t open up much about loosing his mother suddenly when he was young - after a car accident involving a drunk driver - and he does have an unfortunate attitude of working through the pain.
Angeline’s siblings are more of a mystery to Rahal, as she doesn’t want him getting close to them and seeing how they react. The one he knows the most about is Carlow - who unsurprisingly has been described in only the most unfavourable of terms - and Rahal chooses to keep a distance as the idea of being wrapped up in relationship drama really makes him uncomfortable. What Rahal knows he’d like is to start a family in the next 2 years, but he doesn’t really think Angeline shares this dream, and it could lead to their relationship coming to the ending she fears so much…
Angeline was created by @CherryBomb50 
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Aziza Marjani Matar (20) is one of Rahal’s younger paternal half-sisters. She’s in a relationship with a Madani member too, dating Isabetta. She is also a ballerina and is best friends with Isabetta and Alyssa, alongside Alyssa’s best friend who is also a ballerina. Given the fact that Isabetta and the ballerinas travel a lot, they don’t have time interacting with the rest of the Madanis, so Aziza doesn’t know much about Angeline or the others. Aziza isn’t a fan of a family where 4 out of 6 members are lawyers but at the same time she knows how hard it was for Rahal to lose his mother so she supports their roles in justice and knows it was also parental pressure for them to have these careers. Pascal recently won a case where he served as prosecution lawyer to a drunk driver hitting (but thankfully not killing) another driver while Dario won a case as a defence lawyer defending someone wrongfully convicted for a non-fatal hit-and-run. She’s happy Isabetta and Malou pursued their own careers outside law and knows the most about Malou since she is not a lawyer. Aziza supports Malou and her fiancée. She knows Rahal is dating Angeline and has secretly wanted a double date but knows it’s highly unlikely given the fact that they’re always away, not realising Angeline would have shot down that idea anyway. Aziza does have a soft spot for Chicago and visits most of her family there. She’s close with her siblings and half-siblings and recently went to the bar Rahal and Vi work at just to enjoy the atmosphere and the city Rahal is from. Aziza and Vi get along great too as Isabetta gets along with Vi even though Carlow, who Aziza barely knows, does not. Aziza doesn’t know the Ruari-Carlow drama and Isabetta, Angeline, Vi, and Rahal tell her it’s for the best which she understands. Before Aziza dated Isabetta, she was used to being single and wasn’t obsessed with trying to find love with unattainable people so if she knew that Carlow was single and hated it immensely, she’d find him quite desperate. Carlow isn’t the only single Madani as Pascal is single too and he’s also not the only dramatic Madani as Angeline is dramatic too, but none of the Matars know this as Angeline doesn’t like to give out information to the Matars in case it all goes wrong with her and Rahal. Aziza is very close with her father most of all because he is a strong and loving, patient individual and is close with her mother, who she is impressed by her helping her father all the way.
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[name_f]Gaia[/name_f] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] Summerfields (21) was in the same ballet class as [name_f]Aziza[/name_f] from 6 up until 14. [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] was raised by snobby perfectionist parents who had [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] and her brother [name_u]Leon[/name_u] doing ballet, clarinet and singing and lots of studying so [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] had never had time to meet up with friends and envied how natrually popular and sweet [name_f]Aziza[/name_f] was and began teasing other girls in her class until she was kicked out at age 14 for bullying. You would of thought she would of stopped ballet, but her career took off. She auditioned for a massive ballet school and was let in. [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] tried to stop but her parents insisted. She is in a long term relationship with a rugby player and has a baby girl on the way which meant Gaia’s performances had to stop
Sorry for cutting you off!
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[name_u]Madison[/name_u] " [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] " Tomjia Aratama (27) is Alyssa’s best friend and a mentor-turned-friend of [name_f]Aziza[/name_f], who’s performed in several shows alongside [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] (who was never aware [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] figured out who she was). Like many dancers, precision and dedication are what [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] attributes to her success, although her mother would add passion helped her daughter to excel at ballet - as the moment she started classes, it was obvious they completely clicked with her. [name_m]Born[/name_m] to an American father and second generation Japanese immigrant mother, Maddy’s chose to live as partners instead of marrying and split up when she was six and her older brother was ten. Like the looming divorce of Alyssa’s parents, the outcome of her parents relationship wasn’t a surprise to [name_f]Maddy[/name_f], as there was a string of heated rows between them about moving - something Maddy’s father wanted to start over after growing tired of his job, but her mom opposed because it meant moving their children away from their extended family, and subsequently cutting off more cultural heritage their grandmother passed onto them. Maddy’s maternal grandfather died four months before her dad proposed moving and it was the blatant insensitivity of his actions that offended her mom so deeply - as while he could always be a selfish at times, this total disregarding of her grief was too much.
While she’s kept in more contact than her brother, Maddy’s semi-estranged from her dad now, after he promised to come to numerous dance shows throughout her teens and never arrived. She’d always confide in [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] about the disappointment as she knew her mom and brother were already incensed enough, going through dismay before realising this was merely the man he was, in spite of all the happy memories she maintained from childhood. Aside from dance, Maddy’s got a love for swimming, sewing and rock climbing, but being around her loved one’s is what truly makes her content. There’s always been a homebody side to her character - and she’s at her happiest lounging about in sweatpants with her Shiba, [name_u]Rei[/name_u] (who’s looked after by Maddy’s longterm partner when she’s away), when she gets time off - but travelling never phases [name_f]Maddy[/name_f], and she does have a love of photographing the natural landscapes she encounters, even though she’s by no means the greatest photographer.
With a reputation for her kindness in guiding younger dancers - having not just worked with [name_f]Aziza[/name_f] but several people across the companies she’s been employed by, it took a lot of self-control on Maddy’s behalf to not confront [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] when it dawned on her who she was briefly working with. The stereotype of ballerinas being snobby, callous and cold is something [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] loathes at the best of times, but meeting someone who took this further into persistent bullying genuinely angered her. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if [name_f]Aziza[/name_f] wasn’t a personal friend she wouldn’t have tolerated this, as dance is something [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] feels should be tied to happiness - based on all it’s done for her - and spoiling it for someone else is particularly cruel in her eyes. She didn’t say anything though because dragging up the past could only cause more problems and she knew [name_f]Aziza[/name_f] would be mortified at the thought of [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] seeking an apology on her behalf, even if the older dancer’s known for her forthright attitude and willingness to voice her opinions uninvited. What ended up happening was [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] confiding in [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] frequently about the situation and venting to her best friend helped considerably…but those who know her well noted the cool reception [name_f]Gaia[/name_f] always received from [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] who’s known for her friendliness.
@lemon_swirlxx No worries ^u^
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Petro “ Petey “ Daisuke Aratama (31) is Maddy’s older brother. Petey is a photographer and professionally photographs the ballerinas which is how he knows most of the dancers. He and Maddy‘s oldest cousin is the mother of Ayame and Sakura, and their two siblings, meaning they are Petey and Maddy’s second cousins. While Ayame and Sakura didn’t live in the same community as the Aratamas, they opposed the father trying to force them to move away. Petey and Maddy’s father seemed not to get along with them and they feared the Aratamas would never visit them if their father had it his way.
He has always been close to his word and won’t ever say he will show up to Maddy’s recitals unless 100% sure. That being said he’s gone to many recitals and loves to watch her dance. He also supports Aziza as well and considers her a great dancer and is happy Maddy has been such a good mentor to her. He is a fan of other types of photography like landscaping and is actually very good, but quite shy to show his pictures although Maddy has encouraged him to do so. She reassures him that she isn’t the best but she still enjoys it anyway. Petey has never met anyone from the Madani family, only knowing about Pascal from him being Ayame’s co-worker and only knowing about Isabetta from her being Aziza’s girlfriend. He has only briefly met the Matar family, supporting Rahal and his older sister’s sweet nature when they watched Aziza perform. He is secretly very attracted to Rahal’s older sister but isn’t deciding to make any moves yet as he doesn’t want to come off as creepy. He somewhat knows Gaia as he’s photographed her before and knows she’s not currently performing due to her pregnancy. He considers her tougher to work with photography-wise but has his beliefs that her rugby playing boyfriend and her motherhood-to-be could help soften her.
Sakura was created by @kitkatcookie.
Ayame was created by @I_meme_it.
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[name_u]Lisa[/name_u] Yoojung [name_u]Park[/name_u] (19) is a ballerina and an acquaintance of [name_m]Petey[/name_m]. [name_m]Born[/name_m] in [name_u]South[/name_u] Korea but rained in both Seoul and the U.S, [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] is fluent in both Korean and [name_f]English[/name_f] and sort of forced [name_m]Petey[/name_m] to learn some Korean words. Not out of malice though— [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] is what her friends call “golden retriever friendly” and tends to try to befriend whoever she meets, willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
She knows this attitude has come to hurt her: due to Lisa’s friendliness and naiveté, she’s been through abusive friendships and relationships alike. Her friends often wonder how [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] manages to keep her happy demeanour up so well, and Lisa’s secret is that… well… that it’s real. Sure, people can break your trust, but [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] knows that a lot of the people she meets are good people. The good always outweighs the bad, in her experience, anyway. [name_m]Even[/name_m] so, her friends and family are very protective of her: her older brother and her friend group need to approve of you first before you can even approach [name_u]Lisa[/name_u].
Her friend group, which consists of her older brother and four others, have all assigned each other dog breeds to continue the joke about [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] being a golden retriever. She finds this very funny— ironically enough [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] is a cat person and owns a white cat named [name_f]Snowy[/name_f].
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[name_f]Lilith[/name_f] [name_f]Morgana[/name_f] [name_m]Beresford[/name_m] (19) is one of Lisa’s close friends who belongs to her circle. Lilith’s assigned dog breed is whippet thanks to her notoriously fast run - most commonly utilised when public transport comes into equation - and how precisely focused she gets when it comes to her goals. The daughter of a romantic novelist, who chose to go through IVF with a close friend acting as the donor, to become a single mother; [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] jokes she’s a disappointment in many ways, as her chosen major is Theological Studies and while she loves writing her own stories, they’re never the feelgood escapism her mom specialises in. What she’s eternally thankful for is that her mom uses a pseudonym for her books - as [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] feared people identifying her at school and bombarding her with questions or teasing: either way it mortified her as she very much is someone who keeps her head down in class and just wants to complete her work in piece. It would surprise some of her peers to know how genuinely intimidating [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] can be when looking out for [name_u]Lisa[/name_u], as she was such a quiet presence in classes - and continues to be at uni - they’d imagine her more likely to flee.
Her protectiveness comes not just from how much [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] means to her as a friend - never being discouraged by her shyness or mistaking it for thinking she doesn’t want/need friends - but because [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] saw people trying to take advantage of her mom’s kindness when she was young, including a woman who’d known her for years and claimed to be a good friend. She’s confided in the group about her hostility towards this person - which became more blatant as she grew up - and how they tried to use this to create conflict between her mom and her, which while unsuccessful in the long run, made [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] quite pessimistic and withdrawn. It irriates and disappoints her how when faced with sincerity, some see a perfect chance to exploit, but her loved one’s have helped her get away from being quite as cynical as she used to be and it mostly manifests in her sense of humour now. [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] drives her own vespa - she has a standard license too but a car’s too much maintenance for her right now - and visits her mom frequently now she’s at college; inviting her friends once they’ve agreed her mother will not tell any embarrassing stories or go over her latest novel plot (as all the smut is really something [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] hates hearing anyone she’s biologically related to recite).
Like [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] she’s also a cat person wholeheartedly, owning two rescue black cats: [name_m]Tom[/name_m] - who’s one eyed from an illness and not always the friendliest - and Twitch - who’s got a nervous disposition when you first meet him but really is a complete softy. She works on-off crocheting bralettes, hats and snoods online for some extra cash, but usually can be found collecting 90s/2000s fashion mags for style inspiration or baking - as she’ll tell you sweets are always simpler once you become a vegetarian.
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uncensored tw: crime ment, abuse ment, family dysfunction, forced out of the closet
Luelle " [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] " [name_f]Margaux[/name_f] [name_m]Beaumont[/name_m] (19) is another member of [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] and Lilith’s friend group. Lulu’s assigned dog breed is chihuahua due to the fact that she’s the shortest of the group at 5’0"— and the fact that she has the shortest temper amongst them all. [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] disagrees— she’s annoyed easily, but she’s rarely furious. [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] is the youngest of five siblings and wears her badge as the "problem child: very proudly. The [name_m]Beaumont[/name_m] family are a prestigious family, and while [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] had followed her parents’ wishes to go into STEM in university, they strictly disapprove of her fashion, lifestyle, and friend choices. It has gotten to the point where [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] is disowned in all ways but officially— the Beaumonts don’t want a public scandal, after all. She’s currently crashing at a friends’ place before she gets her own place at the moment.
[name_f]Lulu[/name_f] came out as lesbian to her family at fourteen after one of her older brothers mistakenly outed her. This was the start of the end of Lulu’s relationship with her family— [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] decided enough was enough and started dressing in ways the Beaumonts disagreed with, culminating in her severing ties with her family once she was 18 and independent. She does keep contact with her older siblings though, even the one that caused her a lot of pain: he’s the reason why she isn’t cut off financially yet and still fights for her place in the family. [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] understands that it was a complete mistake, but it doesn’t take away the hurt and the alienation it had caused within her family.
[name_f]Lulu[/name_f] has deemed her friend group her new family, and thus she’s ready to fight for them at any cost— even getting a misdemeanour when she beat one of Lisa’s abusive partners out of her apartment. That is one example of [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] losing her temper, and the rest of her friends have agreed to never get [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] like that again. She still says she’d do that for [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] again, and [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] pleads [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] to not.
[name_u]Lisa[/name_u], [name_f]Lilith[/name_f], and [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] call themselves the “Triple L’s” due to their shared initials and their flaws in life— [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] for her naiveté, [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] for her standoffishness, and [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] for her impulsiveness. She jokes that they’ll never find love, but she knows that they’re all deserving of it.
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tw: severe injury - not blurred
[name_f]Ngoc[/name_f] Bich " [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] " Tham (19) is another member of the friend group, who joined thanks to her friendship with Lisa’s brother - who she met through the skate park they both frequent. Sapphire’s a trans girl from a large Vietnamese-American family and, knowing all the awful treatment [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] has faced, feels especially lucky that her own parents are nothing but generous, loving and accepting people: the sorts who embrace all their daughters friends. She’s been assigned border collie due to her very reliable nature, high energy skating style and athleticism: both naturally and by choice as she’s part of her college’s gymnastics team. Her chosen major is a combined one of biology and physiotherapy, as [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] hopes to become a specialist in working with paraplegic individuals, as her dad was paralysed from the waist down and partially on his left side after being hit by a joyrider when she was fifteen; and while he’s still retained his bright spirit in spite of the injuries, it’s painful seeing how much his life has been limited.
This has led to [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] and her siblings - her sister who’s genderfluid and brother - helping out at the family business: a boutique specialising in fair trade clothing, most of which is imported from Vietnam, as supporting their ancestral country is very important to Sapphire’s parents, and she shares these opinions. She visits her extended family whenever possible, some of whom live on rural farms, but thanks to her athleticism she excels in these environments and has extended the invite to her friends if they want to experience this.
More recently, [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] and Lisa’s brother began a tentative relationship - something that initially terrified them in case it ruined the group dynamics. He wasn’t just the person who introduced her to his best friend and the Triple L’s, but also who she’s confided in the most about what happened to her father and how the difficult situation has pained her greatly. [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] always wants those around her to be happy - sometimes at her own expense - but even she, in her soft-hearted dependability, can’t forgive the guy who was driving, as he didn’t have a license and only made excuses when tried for injuring her dad, instead of accepting his recklessness had ruined someone’s life. She’s never dated much in spite of being so easy to get along with, as [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] hates the idea of ruining her established bonds - which unfortunately conflicts directly with her demisexuality. Still, she’s undeniably happy being with him, although she’s not going to subject [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] (or anyone else for that matter) to PDA.
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