Create a family (but it's got a twist)

[CherryBomb50]

Janessa Gracia Greer (28) is Eilidh’s best friend and little sister…in-law. At first Janessa comes off as too girly and used to not care for the outdoors but that changed when the Winslows introduced her to their horses and other animals. However it’s one lamb that’s really caught Janessa‘s eye, the smallest lamb named Cassie. Cassie isn’t really Janessa’s lamb but Janessa always treats her like a pet when she visits her. In typical Winslow fashion, even the animals have eccentric names and Cassie is short for Cassiope.

Janessa and Eilidh bond so well that although they’re not biological sisters, they have T-shirts that say “Big Sis” for Eilidh and “Lil Sis” for Janessa. Janessa’s parents are very sweet people to her and her older brother and it rubs off on them often. Janessa supports her brother and Eilidh’s marriage even though she often jokes about Eilidh marrying her brother. She adores their two children and is overjoyed at being their aunt and finds it adorable when they act like Janessa is “a princess”, which she always goes along with. Janessa works for one of the magazines Eilidh was featured in and likes to help promote Eilidh as much as she can. Fortunately the people who also work for that magazine agree and like Eilidh’s work.

[wandering_willow]

Meredith Sinead Greer (6) is the youngest child of Eilidh, and the cousin of the infamous Dodie. She has only met Dodie once, because Dodie lives in Australia and Meredith and her sibling live in New Zealand, but the two are very close regardless and often face time. Meredith has a penchant for finger painting, and often will paint canvases in her spare time. She also loves chalk and all art forms, including air dry clay, which she’s let dry in the sink- that got her in a lot of trouble. Meredith loves her big sibling and going to the park with them. Meredith just started kindergarten a week ago and she’s loving everything about it, including her kindly teacher Miss Shay, who’s always helping Meredith with her work. Meredith has a slight lisp/speech defect which Eilidh was worried about- she personally loves her daughter’s unique, charming way of speaking but was worried kids would bully her for it. Luckily nothing like that has happened so far and Meredith, who’s a gifted reader according to her stunned teachers, has progressed nicely in kindergarten- she’s even made a few friends along the way.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_u]Skyler[/name_u] [name_u]River[/name_u] [name_u]Greer[/name_u] (30) is Meredith’s father, Janessa’s older brother, and Eilidh’s husband. On first glance the liberal surfer dude [name_u]Skyler[/name_u] doesn’t seem like he’d care about parenting, but he’s as involved in his children’s lives as he can be. He’s gotten [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] as prepared as possible for kindergarten and worried she may not be prepared with being away from her parents in a classroom of people she doesn’t know. However [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] has quickly gotten super into it and loves school and her teacher, which makes [name_u]Skyler[/name_u] proud. He’s helped the bond between [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] and her sibling and encourages [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] to FaceTime and interact with her cousin as much as possible despite distance. [name_u]Skyler[/name_u] is still hugely into surfing and will never give it up and is also a massive ocean conservation supporter, giving both his children cute stuffed ocean animals from recycled materials where the money goes to a charity that protects marine life.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Felicity[/name_f] [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] [name_u]Greer[/name_u] (8) is the big sister of [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] and cousin of [name_f]Dodie[/name_f], who she adores and loves FaceTiming. [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] wants to meet [name_f]Dodie[/name_f] again, especially because of how much she loves the farm and all the animals there, especially a scruffy barn cat who she named [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]. [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] is a male, but Felicity’s parents think it’s so cute and so does everyone else so they don’t tell her- and [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] doesn’t mind being referred to as a sweet little girl. [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] isn’t as good of a reader as her little sister [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] which initially spurred some jearlousy, but [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] is also smart and her parents love her to bits. Apart from her family, [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] loves soccer and has many friends on her soccer team. She also loves her coach.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Taryn[/name_f] [name_f]Julia[/name_f] [left] and [name_u]Brett[/name_u] [name_u]Connor[/name_u] [right] [name_u]Shay[/name_u] (29) are twins and both big parts of [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and Meredith’s lives. [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] [name_u]Shay[/name_u] is Meredith’s teacher and she’s proudly single and wants to stay that way. [name_u]Brett[/name_u] is currently engaged to a surfer chick who is also friends with [name_u]Skyler[/name_u]. [name_u]Brett[/name_u] is the soccer coach for Felicity’s team and has a friendly rivalry with one of the rival coaches but outside the game, they’re good buddies and love to joke among one another. They have this not-so-secret deal that whichever coach‘s team loses the game has to be punished in a funny way. They’ve kept it away from the kids for a long time to avoid them feeling bad when their coach gets punished but after a special game, they made the punishment public for the kids…the losing coach had to stick their head in the cake. Since then the punishments have been known to the kids and they’re actually super fun and actually make the losing team feel better, not worse. One of them involved the losing team’s coach having to dye their hair pink. Another made the losing coach wear pajamas to the next game. But the funnest punishments are the ones where the kids get involved. Brett’s team lost a game so the kids on both teams got to throw water balloons at him, and [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] got some great shots! [name_u]Brett[/name_u] and the other coach don’t mind this now, they find it super hilarious and love how the kids get so excited now over who gets punished.

[name_f]Taryn[/name_f] is a cool teacher as well and often just lets her students play freely and not worry about how hard school can be. She makes it easy and just wants them to learn. She adores how well [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] is reading and progressing in her class and has made her classroom a zero-tolerance for bullying. It’s worked so well that nobody bullies anyone else and a lot of students have made friends with other students now. [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] just had a pizza and popsicle party after the students reached their goal of a collective 100 books read this month, even if most of the books were picture books and [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] was the biggest contributor. Because [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] was the biggest contributor, [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] pinned a paper gold star on Meredith’s shirt that she proudly wore all day. The students are now more motivated to read and always have a blast. [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] and [name_u]Brett[/name_u] love their jobs and wouldn’t leave their jobs for anything.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Dixie[/name_f] [name_f]Renee[/name_f] [name_u]Avery[/name_u] (28) is the fiancée of [name_u]Brett[/name_u] [name_u]Shay[/name_u], who’s also friends with [name_u]Skyler[/name_u]. She’s a surfer who’s training to hopefully represent [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]Zealand[/name_u] in the Olympics- that’s her dream, and it always has been ever since she was three years old. She’s met [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] [name_u]Greer[/name_u] and adores both of them, hoping to have a large family with [name_u]Brett[/name_u] someday. She already has children of her own, a 9-year-old girl who is a big sister figure to [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] and will often do makeovers with the two, and a 6-year-old boy who has ASD- he’s a very smart little boy who’s good friends with [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] and even has the cutest little crush on her. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] has an Instagram page which is growing in popularity- it’s mostly a fitness and well-being page though she does love to show cute pictures of her kids and some awesome surfing moves. She tries not to promote diet culture- especially because she suffered with a mild eating disorder. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] went from being a bright,happy, healthy and cheerful little girl to a teenager obsessed with a number on a scale. She’d consume 300 calories a day and stopped when she had a heart attack at the age of 15. Now, she’s back to being her normal happy healthy self.

Dixie’s kids have different fathers. Her daughter was the result of a relationship with a boyfriend that only lasted three months. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] and her boyfriend were young and stupid, and have separated, but the two are still good friends and enjoy talking and both live their daughter dearly. Dixie’s son, however, was the result of a previous marriage with a man who had a crush on her since kindergarten, and was always her best friend- the two got married when [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] was 21 and had their son 9 months later. When he was diagnosed with ASD, the two were a bit startled and shocked but loved him regardless, and vowed to make sure he had the highest quality of life possible. They were a happy family…until her poor husband was diagnosed with leukemia. It had spread, and there was no curing it. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] tried to hold it together for him when he was given six months to live. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] sat with him every waking moment in the hospital, trying to make the best of an awful situation. As he died, he stammered slowly with a blank look in his eyes, “I love you, [name_f]Dixie[/name_f], I’m not ready to die yet, we have too much we haven’t done…” [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] told him she’d always love him as he closed his eyes. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] visits his grave every day, and brings a bouquet of lilacs- lilacs were his favorite.

[name_f]Dixie[/name_f] felt a bit guilty when she started pursuing a relationship with [name_u]Brett[/name_u] as she worried her children (especially her son, who was close with his father) wouldn’t take it well- but, contrarily, they loved [name_u]Brett[/name_u]. The reason [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] and [name_u]Brett[/name_u] met was because Dixie’s oldest was on Brett’s soccer team. That’s also how she met [name_u]Skyler[/name_u]. Dixie’s excited to get married to [name_u]Brett[/name_u]- something she hasn’t told [name_u]Brett[/name_u] yet is that she’s taken a positive pregnancy test and is pretty sure she’s pregnant. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] has always wanted 4 kids, and she’s so excited that she’s possibly three (or maybe four) fourths of the way there! She’s planning on telling [name_u]Brett[/name_u] soon, she’s already told [name_u]Skyler[/name_u] and [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] about it- [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] likes [name_f]Taryn[/name_f], and thinks she’s a sweet person, considering her son is in Taryn’s kindergarten class! [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] admires Taryn’s strong, gentle personality and likes the no-bullying rule- she was actually worried her son would get bullied for his disability and different way of doing things but so far that hasn’t happened and she’s eternally grateful to [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] for this. Dixie’s happy with her Instagram popularity, surfing skill, two beautiful children and wonderful fiancée, who she plans to spend the rest of her life with.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: OCD impacts such as intrusive thoughts

[name_f]Elenoa[/name_f] " [name_f]Elle[/name_f] " [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] Langson (19) is the primary babysitter of Dixie’s children and also her maternal cousin. Sports are something [name_f]Elle[/name_f] considers herself allergic to, but this doesn’t stop her wholeheartedly supporting her cousin’s endeavour, and she keeps her older brother updated too; as he’s currently studying in Australia, where their aunt, her wife and their cousin’s live, staying with them while completing university. Thanks to their age gap, [name_f]Elle[/name_f] always considered [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] the height of maturity and knowledge growing up, asking her lots of questions about herself, and seeing her experience the pain of an eating disorder upset her terribly. She was shielded considerably by her parents - who recognised how sensitive Elle’s always been to the emotions of others - but has a good idea of what occurred, and has made it clear if [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] ever wants to talk about the past, she’s more than happy and willing to listen.

Having been diagnosed with OCD shortly after her 16th birthday, [name_f]Elle[/name_f] doesn’t fit with stereotypes as hers is primarily mental in manifestations. She worries easily - usually about travel - and it’s almost always her loved one’s who centre in these fears; irrational as [name_f]Elle[/name_f] calls them, once she’s facing intrusive thoughts they’re much harder to shake. [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is involved in therapy to help with this, but opted against university herself thanks to how stress exacerbates this cycle, and is working in the voluntary sector; specifically a children’s charity, which was recommended to her by her mom.

Although her work revolves around receptionist duties, namely answering phone calls and structuring other employees time tables, Elle’s true passion is for special effects and makeup work; almost entirely inspired by how much she loves horror media. This surprises some people thanks to her anxiety, but it’s not something [name_f]Elle[/name_f] knows she has to explain or justify: passion is passion. One of her dearest friends is an aspiring director and unsurprisingly, the duo have long been creating their own films, coming up with projects where [name_f]Elle[/name_f] also serves as the primary writer, and then scraping together funds from weekend jobs to get all they need for these visions to be realised. She’s kind of embarrassed about some of their creations now, predictably cringey dialogue is something [name_f]Elle[/name_f] can’t forgive herself for yet, but the happy memories are irreplaceable; and the pair would like to work on something once her collaborator comes home for a well-earned break from film school.

In particular, Elle’s close with Dixie’s son, who has a similar attitude towards her that she held his mother with as a child. They’re constantly talking about made up creatures together, but do not accuse [name_f]Elle[/name_f] of being into cryptozoology, as that would cause her to faint with humiliation. In spite of this, they go monster hunting together in the garden and she has learned how to convince his sister to accompany them when babysitting by offering her the role of straight man within their unofficial comedy troupe. Spending time with them has made [name_f]Elle[/name_f] more aware she’d like children of her own eventually, but this isn’t exactly going to be rushed into if she can help it. She also just so happens to be one of the few aware of [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] and Brett’s plans to have a child together once she receives news regarding her Olympic dreams!

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Tansy[/name_f] [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] Pinton (9) is the elder of Dixie’s children who [name_f]Elle[/name_f] babysits, and typically the child with more questions relating to matters like school, friends and how she can best be considered ‘cool’ by her classmates. Although she lives with her mom, brother and [name_u]Brett[/name_u] most of the time, [name_f]Tansy[/name_f] visits her dad whenever possible and they share a very close bond. His job as a pilot actually has inspired her, and she wants nothing more than to follow in his footsteps, although more recently she’s become more interested in how planes are built opposed to flying them - prompting [name_f]Elle[/name_f] to affectionately tell [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] that the T in STEM stands for [name_f]Tansy[/name_f].

Although she loves playing soccer - and also going swimming, her second favourite sport - Tansy’s undeniably a girly-girl in a lot of other ways. Pink’s her favourite colour, she has an impressive collection of dolls - accumulated from all parts of her family over the years - and she enjoys painting Elle’s nails when they’re hanging out; recently having applied varnish to Taryn’s too. The fact they both have names beginning with T is something the little girl considers a ‘sign’: that being how perfect [name_u]Brett[/name_u] is for her mom. It surprised people to see how readily she embraced the Shay’s into the family - [name_f]Tansy[/name_f] can take a while before making up her mind about others - but they passed her test immediately.

[wandering_willow]

[name_u]Milo[/name_u] [name_u]Harlan[/name_u] [name_u]Padgett[/name_u] (6) is the younger half brother of [name_f]Tansy[/name_f], son of [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] and her late husband, who took his father’s last name. He’s also in [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] Shay’s kindergarten class, and admires her- she’s inspired him so much that he wants to be a teacher when he grows up, like her. He even told [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] this, and she was very touched by this sentiment. He’s also good friends with [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] [name_u]Greer[/name_u], who’s also the object of his affections. He thinks she’s “pretty” and has told her at recess, and has even drawn her sweet little cards out of colored paper, but poor [name_u]Milo[/name_u] hasn’t actually gotten a response from [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]- she thinks he just sees her as a friend.

[name_u]Milo[/name_u] has mild ASD which impacts his way of doing things- he’ll often stim in class by shaking his hands or tapping his feet when he’s excited. Thankfully, none of his peers have bullied him or given him a hard time thanks to [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] [name_u]Shay[/name_u]. Apart from [name_f]Taryn[/name_f], [name_u]Milo[/name_u] also looks up to [name_f]Dixie[/name_f], his mother, and thinks she’s the coolest for being a surfer. He also loves [name_u]Brett[/name_u] and thinks he’s “awesome,” which [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] thinks is cute- but, she’s afraid he doesn’t quite understand that they’re getting married. [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] wants to prepare [name_u]Milo[/name_u] appropriately and has told him, but she’s scared his reaction will be different when they’re actually married. [name_u]Milo[/name_u], however, sees nothing wrong with [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] marrying [name_u]Brett[/name_u] someday soon and would be happy if that happened.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Corinne[/name_f] [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] [name_u]Padgett[/name_u] (28) is Milo’s aunt and biological sister of Milo’s late father. She hasn’t quite gotten over the death of her brother, especially since she’s been called “The [name_u]New[/name_u] Youngest”, a nickname she despises. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] was the middle child growing up, between an older sister and her deceased brother, and she’s relegated as the “youngest“ now with his death, but she doesn’t feel like the youngest and finds it inappropriate. She knows that some people say it innocently and she and her sister have also been innocently asked, “So it’s just you two women?” making her super uncomfortable in trying not to look dejected over an innocent question. Secretly she wishes [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] waited before planning her marriage to [name_u]Brett[/name_u], but knows it’s not her business. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] cried when [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] told her what her brother’s last words were; [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] agreed they didn’t have enough time as a couple and he didn’t have enough time on this [name_f]Earth[/name_f]. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] doesn’t really discuss her grief and is afraid people will take it the wrong way and although [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] has Asperger’s syndrome, she says her grief would still be the same regardless.

Despite Corinne‘s secret wish that [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] would have waited, she won’t object to the wedding and holds no hard feelings toward [name_u]Brett[/name_u]. He’s fun, he’s goofy, he’s enthusiastic, and he always makes Dixie’s day. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] has often discussed her feelings with her older sister, since she’s the only one [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] can talk to that she trusts won’t take her thoughts too hard. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] knows her brother would be alright with [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] eventually moving on if it made her happy but his last words still haunt [name_f]Corinne[/name_f]. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] herself actually adores [name_u]Milo[/name_u], she always sees that sweet part of her brother in [name_u]Milo[/name_u] and is grateful he got to have a child before he died. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] pities [name_u]Milo[/name_u] for losing his father at such a young age and knows she isn’t the only one who grieves her late brother. She supports [name_u]Milo[/name_u] in so many ways and wants him to be happy and actually feels somewhat better about Dixie’s engagement to [name_u]Brett[/name_u] because of [name_u]Milo[/name_u]. However she doesn’t realise [name_u]Milo[/name_u] doesn’t know about the wedding planning and if [name_u]Milo[/name_u] gets upset about it, it would make [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] feel worse about it. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] is a jeweler and has helped many engaged couples she knows find the perfect wedding ring but she and her sister both question if [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] would or wouldn’t help [name_f]Dixie[/name_f].

[A.B.Galaxy]

tw: teen pregnancy

[name_f]Philippa[/name_f] " [name_u]Phil[/name_u] " [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] [name_u]Padgett[/name_u] (30) is [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] and Milo’s late father’s older sister. She was really close to her brother and hates that he died so young. [name_u]Phil[/name_u] doesn’t mind that [name_f]Dixie[/name_f] is engaged as it has been a few years. Everyone grieves differently though, so she makes sure to listen to Corinne’s feelings and comfort her as best she can. She loves spending time with [name_u]Milo[/name_u] and [name_f]Tansy[/name_f] and spoils her nephew and niece rotten.

[name_u]Phil[/name_u] is a tattoo artist and loves her job wholeheartedly, though her mom didn’t really approve of her choice. The small business has five tattooists, including herself and the owner. They’re all practically family to each other and share in the little joys and disappointments. [name_u]Phil[/name_u] was grateful for them in the months after her brother died as they were a big support. She’s also an avid ice skater and loves all things related to winter.

When [name_u]Phil[/name_u] was 16 she got pregnant and though her parents were upset they supported her. Her boyfriend broke up with her a few weeks after he told him and she hasn’t seen him since he moved away after high school. [name_u]Phil[/name_u] gave birth to a beautiful baby girl the same day she turned 17 and loves her dearly. She’s very close to her daughter and the two live in a cute and cozy little apartment near a park. They’ve decorated the apartment with bright colors and tons of little knickknacks. Most people would say everything looks mismatched but they think it’s perfect. [name_u]Phil[/name_u] isn’t actively looking for a relationship but is open to that if it does happen.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Edgar[/name_m] [name_u]Thaddeus[/name_u] [name_u]Harland[/name_u] (76) is a fellow tattoo artist at the business and the eldest of the tattoo artists. He’s affectionately nicknamed “The Grandfather of Tattoos” but he’s only the biological grandfather of one of the artists. [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] was from a family of rather conservative people who were shellshocked and disgusted by his decision to ink up. They asked him how he’s going to look with those tattoos when he’s a senior citizen. Well he looks awesome and feels awesome. [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] has also come out as bisexual but not until he was 60. He knows Phil’s mother didn’t approve of her as a tattoo artist and he minds his business yet he respects [name_u]Phil[/name_u] for not leaving her passion. His least favourite thing about growing older is seeing people he grew up with dying but knows his experience isn’t the same as Phil’s and comforts her alongside the other tattoo artists. He wishes the best for Phil’s daughter and wishes he was more creative at Phil’s age or her daughter’s age but he knows they’re two amazing people. People often mistake [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] for the owner but ironically he isn’t - he was in the NZ military before retiring and working in the tattoo shop.

[wandering_willow]

Roseanne Marie “ Rose “ Alcott-Harland (76) is the partner of Edgar Harlan. Ironically, Roseanne is terrified of needles, but if she wasn’t she would gladly get a tattoo. They think Edgar looks super cool, and enjoy spending time with everyone who works at the tattoo shop. Roseanne adores the 13 year old daughter of Phil, who she thinks is so creative and sweet- they will often go out of their way to buy gifts for her. Like Edgar, Rose came out later in their life (around 70)- they’re non-binary, using she/they pronouns. They always felt distant from the label “female” despite being fine with being referred to as “she.” In high school, Rose was a straight-laced rule-follower whose only goal in life was to appease her conservative parents, but as they blossomed into a more independent person they started experimenting with androgynous clothing and really did like the way it made her feel. Rose and Edgar have known each other since they were high schoolers, and were good friends- Rose admired Edgar’s confidence and started to like him. They married at 19 and 20 years old, though Rose was only a week shy of their 20th birthday. Not too long after, they had their first child.

Rose was devastated when Edgar joined the NZ military- she was so worried about his health both physical and mental, but is so glad that everything worked out. Rose has suffered with anxiety since they were around six, and this impacted the way they raised their kids. Whenever her kids would venture out, she’d stop them and make them carry a cab of pepper spray- this was her way of protecting them. They know their behaviors back then were toxic and tries to stop them, but sometimes it can be hard to break old habits. Additionally, Rose is scared of a lot of things, but she’s trying very hard to get more comfortable with things. Rose is thrilled that they’re a grandparent and loves all their grandkids, but has a soft spot for the one who works in the tattoo shop with Edgar. She’s also a great grandmother to a few tricky toddlers, who she adores. Rose also has a pet- a very sassy sphinx cat affectionately known as the Bald Eagle.

[I_meme_it]

cw: pregnancy complications

[name_f]Iseult[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] Alcott-Harland (27) is [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and Edgar’s tattooist granddaughter, who works alongside him and [name_u]Phil[/name_u]. Due to her cottagecore aesthetic and soft-spoken, gentle demeanor, Iseult’s career path surprises a lot of people when she explains it, but she’s always been someone to reject traditional perspectives and expectations, which was absolutely encouraged by her parents and grandparents. If tattooing hadn’t turned into her biggest passion, she would have become an illustrator, and was known for frequently doodling on her school books when bored in class (a pretty common occurrence).

Unlike her cousins, Iseult’s an only child, as her mother experienced a very difficult birth and was warned another pregnancy would likely lead to the death of her, the child or both of them. This was ultimately something they accepted as they at least had their daughter, but led to [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] and her partner - who uses he/they pronouns - going through medical examinations and doing a lot of soul searching before they decided to start their own family. They welcomed their daughter 9 months ago and faced no complications, which was a huge relief to the whole family, and Iseult’s firm that they’ll be welcoming more children in time.

The two met when Iseult’s partner was on an [name_m]Erasmus[/name_m] year in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]Zealand[/name_u] - being from [name_u]Scotland[/name_u] originally, studying [name_f]English[/name_f] Literature - and she was completing her apprenticeship. Her partner’s an archivist now, he absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher thanks to his social anxiety, and his decision to move to be with [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] is something that meant the absolute world to her; as she couldn’t imagine leaving behind her extended family, who she loves dearly. They go on trips to [name_m]Elgin[/name_m], where his family are, as much as possible, and [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] has been delighted that they accept her family’s quirks.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_m]Colin[/name_m] [name_m]Evander[/name_m] [name_u]Murray[/name_u] (28) is Iseult’s husband and not exactly the most soft-spoken person. When around those he knows, he can be the liveliest person in the room. He’s very candid in his speech but will never willfully say something that would upset anyone. [name_m]Colin[/name_m] is a kind man and a wonderful father to their 9-month-old daughter, who he dotes over. He didn’t mind moving to [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]Zealand[/name_u] to be with [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] as he loves her very much. He’s gotten used to her family and enjoys spending time with them.

[name_m]Colin[/name_m] is also a bit of a role model for Phil’s daughter as she is thinking about becoming an archivist. He was babysitting her a few months back, or ‘keeping her company’ as she likes to call it, while [name_u]Phil[/name_u] and [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] were enjoying a girl’s day out, and they bonded over their love of literature. Phil’s daughter told him as soon as her mom left that she was only tolerating staying over here for the baby and because she liked his accent. [name_m]Colin[/name_m] had a good laugh over that, and the two are great friends now.

[name_m]Colin[/name_m] has a younger sister who is almost a decade younger than him. They are close though and call often. His love of literature was fueled by his grandmother, who is a writer, and his grandfather, who is an [name_f]English[/name_f] professor. Colin’s anxiety was pretty bad as a kid. School was hard for him, so after fifth grade, his mom decided to homeschool him, and his grades improved tremendously. His anxiety is still prevalent but nowhere near as bad as it had been, which is why he’d been able to attend college. [name_m]Colin[/name_m] had wanted to be a teacher but felt that it wouldn’t be best with his anxiety. He loves his job though and is glad [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] is doing something she loves too.

After their daughter was born, [name_m]Colin[/name_m] had [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] tattoo her date of birth on his wrist, as well as a ruby above it. It’s their daughter’s birthstone and what he’d called her ever since they found out they were having a girl. [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] thought it was the sweetest thing but couldn’t believe she didn’t give him his first tattoo. He promised her the next time he gets one she’ll get to do it.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Adaira[/name_f] [name_f]Paige[/name_f] [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] Murray-Harland (9 months) is [name_m]Colin[/name_m] and Iseult’s daughter, who inspired her dad’s first tattoo. She’s the youngest of the great-grandchild currently and absolutely fawned over by the whole family, especially Iseult’s parents who were uncertain if they’d ever have any grandkids - in particular her dad, who helped make her crib thanks to his expertise as a carpenter. [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] painted a mural based off her birthstone in her daughters’ nursery, something she managed to keep a surprise for even [name_m]Colin[/name_m] thanks to some carefully planned distractions. [name_f]Adaira[/name_f] can be a little fussy when left to sleep but she’s calmed more as she’s grown older and already seems drawn to the tattoos her relatives have, always wanting to grab at them when being held. One of her mum’s cousins is called her auntie too - being the person [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] always considered her sister - and she’s the main person who Adaira’s looked after if her parents are wanting some time together as a couple.

[CherryBomb50]

Uncensored Warning for deadly shipwreck.

[name_f]Luanne[/name_f] [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] Alcott-Harland (27) is Iseult’s cousin and Adaira’s aunt figure. [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] is a dancer and enjoys tap dancing for many years although her main career is a historian, having majored history in college. She has a friend who is also a tattoo artist of the shop. She’s also met Colin’s sister and is pen pals with her, with Colin’s sister seeing her like a big sister as well even though they’re cousins-in-law. [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] has a tattoo on her upper back under her neck that says, “Sister Survivor” which is related to a calamity when she was on a ferry while on a solo vacation that sunk and sadly killed all but two passengers, herself and other woman, whom they call each other “sister survivor” because they were the only two lucky enough to survive the wreckage. The two still communicate and the other woman has the same tattoo. The event has given [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] anxiety, which she’s been open about and she’s grateful for [name_f]Adaira[/name_f] who has been such a sweet little girl to her and enjoys babysitting and bonding with her.

[A.B.Galaxy]

Uncensored warning for mention of anxiety, panic attacks, survivor’s guilt, depression, and aforementioned deadly shipwreck

[name_f]Kikilia[/name_f] " [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] " [name_f]Anahera[/name_f] [name_u]Hale[/name_u] (29) is Luanne’s sister survivor. She hasn’t been on a boat in the five years since the shipwreck and doesn’t plan to anytime soon. [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] lives on the [name_u]South[/name_u] [name_u]Island[/name_u], so she and [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] aren’t able to meet often. They stay in contact through calls, texts, and video chats, though. [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] struggles with anxiety, just like [name_f]Luanne[/name_f]. It’s gotten better, and she stopped therapy a year ago. Her friends and family can tell the difference and are happy for her.

[name_f]Kiki[/name_f] had been in a relationship with her best friend turned boyfriend for six months when the shipwreck happened. She was a mess when she came home and suffered from panic attacks, intense survivor’s guilt, depression, and severe anxiety. In the first few months after coming home, she needed a lot of help. Not wanting to be a burden, she told him she wouldn’t hold it against him if he wanted to break up with her. Instead, he moved in to take care of her, and now they’ve been married for almost two years. She’s forever grateful that he didn’t break up with her and loves him dearly. [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] appreciates how much he did to help her and supports and helps him whenever he needs it.

Kiki’s dad comes from a Hawaiian family who emigrated to [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]Zealand[/name_u] when her dad was a teen. Her mom’s family is Māori, and [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] is very knowledgeable about both her cultures. She’s visited [name_u]Hawaii[/name_u] a few times and loves it there. [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] works at her parent’s restaurant and will be taking it over one day. She’s an only child but is very close to her husband’s younger brother and sister since they all grew up together. [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] is the same age as his sister and the two are great friends.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Salvador[/name_m] “ [name_u]Dory[/name_u] “ [name_m]Rangi[/name_m] [name_u]Diaz[/name_u] (27) is the youngest sibling-in-law of [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] but people tend not to think he’s the youngest because of his beard; which he quite loves. He’s also half-Maori with a Maori father and second-generation Panamanian mother. [name_u]Dory[/name_u] madly respects Kiki’s courage and strength to survive the wreck she’s overcome and also respects [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] as well and communicates with her. [name_u]Dory[/name_u] not-so-secretly is falling for [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] and she’s falling for him too, making his siblings and [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] motivate one of them to just make a move, but both of them are hesitant to go to the other island and see each other in person, not out of travel expenses and distance but simply nervousness. But somehow it might be fate that they’re meant to be together: When [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] was 12, she wrote a message in a bottle but didn’t specifically dedicate it to anyone and just wrote the date of when she wrote the message, a few tidbits about herself, and some kind words, saying she hopes that the person reading this has a great life and a great future of luck. [name_u]Dory[/name_u] found the message 7 months later when it washed up on the [name_u]South[/name_u] [name_u]Island[/name_u] and is surprised now that he’s managed to reunite with her (even if it’s just virtually) despite the fact that she never wrote where she’s from.

[name_u]Dory[/name_u] enjoys snorkeling and is a fan of calm but beautiful waters. He has learned quite some Hawaiian culture from [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] and her paternal family. He’s happy his brother found [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] and has always been inspired by his resilience and kindness. He also admires how his sister acted like a sister for [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] as well and how similar the two women are. [name_u]Dory[/name_u] currently works at a rental shop by the beach for snorkel, surf, and swimming supplies. He gets a lot of comparison to [name_u]Dory[/name_u] from Finding [name_m]Nemo[/name_m] and although [name_u]Dory[/name_u] is female and he’s male, he loves the [name_u]Dory[/name_u] comparisons and finds them wholesome. He even has a tattoo on his right ankle that has the Finding [name_m]Nemo[/name_m] quote, “Just Keep Swimming” since the best way to get ahead in life is just to keep “swimming”.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] " [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] " [name_f]Marama[/name_f] [name_u]Diaz[/name_u] (29) is Dory’s sister and Kiki’s in-law, being the middle child of the siblings. She’s also mother to a young daughter of her own, who was conceived through IVF and [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] is raising her as a single parent by choice; influenced by her coming to terms with her asexuality in her mid-20s. It was a tricky process for [name_f]Stelle[/name_f], who’d seen her brother find happiness with the friend she adores and several of her close friends also found their long term partners, but realising she wanted a family without needing a significant other helped her relax considerably; and unsurprisingly, her daughter’s her entire world. Taking the step was a little intimidating, as [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] didn’t want her brother and [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] feeling pressured to start their own family, but they were the first people to show support, and with this secured, she took subsequent steps to conceive her child. She would like to have another, but as [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] wants to adopt next time, she’s decided to wait until her daughter’s a little older thanks to the complexity of this process.

Working as a beautician - specialising in nail art and pampering of the hands and feet - [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] knows some people consider her career a little vapid, but wouldn’t change it for anything. It allows her to work from home while caring for her daughter, set hours that work for her, and she’s always the first choice when a relative or friend is getting hitched. [name_f]Stelle[/name_f] actually helped with Kiki’s wedding look - not the makeup, due to her style being much bolder than what most people want for a bridal look - and still offers to pamper her when she’s needing some TLC. The impact of the accident is something that caused all the [name_u]Diaz[/name_u] siblings a lot of distress due to [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] being to close to them, but Stelle’s grateful for Luanne’s presence in her life, as she admits she can’t fathom what happened to the same degree the other woman can. A particular pet peeve of Stelle’s is insincerity, which might explain why she can be a little brutal in her honesty.

For how wrapped up in motherhood, makeup artistry or water based sports she can seem - kayaking and rafting are especial favourites - Stelle’s by no means ignorant of how [name_u]Dory[/name_u] seems to be feeling about [name_f]Luanne[/name_f], and she’s been attempting to convince him to confess…or at the very least invite the young woman to visit them. She’s even offered to let [name_f]Luanne[/name_f] stay at her’s if it means seeing some happiness for her brother [who keeps trying to dodge Stelle’s questions when they come up]. Right now, her biggest obstacle is dealing with her daughter’s newfound obsession with getting a pet dog - one of Stelle’s best friends fosters them, as well as owning 3 of her own - but she’s unwilling to oust their tortoiseshell cat, [name_u]Shelly[/name_u], who she acquired through a friend of hers’ who works for animal services. Thanks to how nervous [name_u]Shelly[/name_u] can be around strange people, a dog’s unfortunately absolutely out of the question right now, but she has been considering a compromise by offering to get them another cat in the future [truthfully Stelle’s just more feline inclined].