[name_f]Samantha[/name_f] ’ [name_u]Sam[/name_u] ’ [name_f]Embeth[/name_f] McDonald (19) is Arty’s twin and Jared’s younger sister. While she’s definitely the more reckless and impulsive twin, whose kleptomania knew no bounds until she was caught; [name_u]Sam[/name_u] is also very lonely thanks to being considered the worse influence when placed next to her brother. Growing up caught between [name_m]Jared[/name_m] telling her what to do and subsequently giving [name_m]Arty[/name_m] instructions, being incarcerated without either of them has shaken the very core of Sam’s identity, and she feels completely alone - ruminating with what her older brother said about having nothing to hide…and as time’s gone by, she doubts those words ring completely true given all he’s gotten up to (and that isn’t including Jared’s behaviour outside of the twins’ crimes).
Thanks to having more time to think about her actions and the outcome of the recent failure, Sam’s actually been considering her future more and if continuing the way of her parents is the best choice. While they escaped getting caught this time, the amount of enemies Rora’s been making has her suspecting everything will be coming to an end soon, and returning to doing the family bidding makes her feel more and more miserable the more she stews. Ironically, [name_u]Sam[/name_u] was always considered the most academically promising of her siblings - having a natural talent for mathematics that her mother shares (helping with the scams they carry out) - but abandoned things out of loyalty to her parents. Now though? That bond is slowly being broken the longer it goes without her or [name_m]Arty[/name_m] hearing from them meaningfully.
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[name_f]Nita[/name_f] [name_f]Camila[/name_f] [name_m]Delgado[/name_m] (48) is the mother of the [name_m]Delgado[/name_m] family and Sam’s “mother figure” being one of her former math teachers who encouraged her to pursue her talent in mathematics. Being a teacher, Ms. [name_m]Delgado[/name_m] is very supportive of her students having successful futures and this is why she is so troubled that [name_u]Sam[/name_u] had gone to jail. She never taught [name_m]Arty[/name_m] or [name_m]Jared[/name_m] at any point, although her sister, also a teacher, taught [name_m]Arty[/name_m] earth science. [name_f]Nita[/name_f] used to get along with the McDonald parents but now doesn’t trust them and thinks they didn’t do enough to help the twins live a lawful life. What she doesn’t know is that the parents actually encouraged them to steal the stuff to begin with. She is close with the [name_m]Rouben[/name_m] parents and is troubled by what happened to [name_f]Libby[/name_f] on that scandalous day. The [name_m]Rouben[/name_m] parents get along with her and her children however and credit her daughter [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] with being there for [name_f]Libby[/name_f] and helping her.
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Malou Francesca Madani (19) is the youngest daughter of Nita’s childhood best friend. She has known Nita and her family her whole life and considers her an aunt which has earner her the nickname “Auntie N”. She is newly engaged to her girlfriend of 4 years which caused speculation between her friends and family but knows that it’s the right choice. She works part time at a local cafe with her best friend as a waitress as well as being the cashier for the
Brindle Street Bookshop.
After Graduating, she aspires to move to London and study for an English degree wanting to become an journalist or author. She is part way through writing her LGBTQ+ Romance novel When the tide changes about her long term relationship with her fiancé.
On the other hand, she feels conflicted to become a lawyer just like 4 out of her 5 older siblings and parents are. An offer to go to law school is already waiting for her thanks to her highly successful parents being a well known name. She plans to move to London with her fiancé for college as her fiancé has family in England and her aunt would be willing to let them stay for the time being.
She has also briefly met the Rouben family a few years ago when her parents were away in Lithuania for a business deal.
Nita was created by @CherryBomb50
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Ruolan " Remi " Tsai (19) is a childhood friend of Malou and Sam’s who recently got back in contact with her after receiving a letter from Sam while she was incarcerated. Her friendship with Sam stemmed from both girls being ‘mathletes’ throughout their years of schooling, until shortly before high school when Remi’s dad was offered a new job in a pharmaceutical lab, and the family moved to save him from being displaced away from them; although Remi was never close with Arty or Jared, in spite of many people suspecting Sam’s twin harboured quite the crush on her. The McDonald’s begrudgingly accepted the girls’ friendship on the grounds Remi’s family weren’t anywhere near close enough to uncovering their scams - as her dad’s a lab-based scientist and her mom’s an obstetrician - but didn’t do much to hide their relief when the move happened, as it restored the status quo that kept Sam and Arty complacent and loyal. Their reputation for disapproving of Remi prevented Sam from ever getting to know Malou, as the idea of yet another family being pulled into this cold war of sorts between the McDonald’s and others’ was something forbade by Sam’s parents - especially as the Madani’s being lawyers directly threatens their schemes.
Unlike with Sam, Remi and Malou retained contact following the move, with her already having plans to visit Malou and her fiancé once the move happens. While she stuck to her greatest strength and is majoring in maths at university, Remi firmly supports Malou’s gift for writing and has been the most level-headed about the engagement, as her own older sister got married at just 18 and has had nothing but happiness with her spouse, who’s non-binary. She’s more than happy to serve as a listening ear to her friends’ concerns, struggles and trials, emphasising how happiness is the most important thing, but at the same time she doesn’t want to see Malou rush anything, so she tries to be moderate. This contrasts with how inherently enthusiastic and daring Remi herself is, enjoying caving, scuba diving and urban exploring in her spare time, as anything adrenaline based appeals to her, and subsequently she wasn’t considered the best source of advice on account of her daring outlook on fun - which confused a lot of people given her preference for academic subjects.
Remi’s roommate - Blake Danielssen - went through a lot of trauma and worries about her more than she openly expresses; partially as she doesn’t want to come across as patronising, and also to avoid putting more pressure on her dear friend. The two are planning a road trip together for some much needed downtime away from their studies, during which they’ll be visiting Malou and her fiancé (Remi jokes Blake is her saviour from acting as a third wheel); but it’s going to have some complexities as Blake will be spending time away from the counsellor she has sessions with. Remi has made it clear that if she wants or needs to return she absolutely should, but is giving her friend the appropriate space and not hovering too much, which she feels could ruin the mood. They’ve spent a lot of late nights staying up and discussing the varying components of Blake’s nightmares in more recent months whicy is helping, and Remi keeps this information between them at her friend’s request, although her family are aware she’s rooming with someone who’s been through a lot of pain. She’s currently debating the best way of explaining some of the sensitive details to Malou, as she really wants everyone to get along but with this and now Sam back in contact, Remi can’t help have anxiety about someone feeling pushed out.
Blake was created by @chamwue 
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Xinyi " [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] " Tsai (18) is a cousin of [name_u]Remi[/name_u] and the one who’s been offering a listening ear to Remi’s problems. Though [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] has problems of her own, she finds it a lot easier to pretend that her life is perfect even though it isn’t. [name_u]Remi[/name_u], in turn, listens to Xanthe’s problems— bringing the two girls closer than blood-bonded sisters.
[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] has a burgeoning social media influencer career that started a year ago, and currently doesn’t know what to do with it. Although she likes the attention and loves that her love for fashion is being taken seriously by her parents, [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] realised that a lot of her online “friends” were simply friends with her because of her clout. As a result, she’s cut off two-thirds of her friend group in a panic, making sure that the friends that she’s kept are true friends.
She’s rooming with her best friend (and boyfriend) whom her parents think is a female friend. [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] doesn’t know how long she can keep this secret up, though.
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[name_m]Casper[/name_m] " Caz " [name_u]Sage[/name_u] [name_m]Faulkner[/name_m] (18) is Xanthe’s boyfriend, roommate and her other confident when it comes to life’s stressors. Unlike the Tsai’s, Caz’s parents - his dad and stepmom - are aware of the couple living together, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy about this situation thanks to Xanthe’s parents still being in the dark. It’s caused some disagreements between Caz and his dad, who feels things will only be worse for his son if things get uncovered instead of [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] speaking up as a choice, but his stepmom’s mediated these situations and Mr [name_m]Faulkner[/name_m] very much likes [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f], as he recognises and appreciates her sincere feelings for his son. The couple’s most frequent visitor is Caz’s’ little brother - technically his half-brother - who’s just turned four and thinks they’re the absolute coolest, most fun people on the planet; always wanting to sleepover and have [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] paint his nails, something Caz finds ridiculously cute (not that he can admit it without getting embarrassed). Caz and his birth mother have had no contact since she walked out when he was two, after she decided her dubious acting career was more important than the family “holding her back”, and he doesn’t speak about her to anyone bar his dad, [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] and his best friend, who helped him find the apartment in the first place. The abandonment cracks his otherwise stoic, composed demeanour and is a great source of pain, which has caused him to be quite closed off for most of his life as a means of protecting himself.
Currently Caz’s studying sociology at college and working part-time at a skate shop, which offers a lot of random services including booke and coffee that he finds amusing. He’s been helping [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] rebuild her confidence following her purging of insincere friends and is close with [name_u]Remi[/name_u], who he appreciates and respects for helping his girlfriend with her struggles throughout this time. Truthfully, Caz sometimes wonders if having a complete break would help [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] even more, but he doesn’t want to dampen her accomplishments or make her feel she has to make any rash decisions - especially with her parents still needing to know about their living situation. He’s planning a break for the two of them, which will involve utilising a small beach overlooking house his dad owns, where they can just get away from everything for a brief while and enjoy some down time to clear their heads. There’s also some landscapes he hopes on painting, which is his main means of relaxing, although if anything appeals to [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] he’s happy and willing to prioritise that thanks to all of her recent stress. In spite of loving his chosen subject, Caz isn’t entirely certain about what to do next once he’s graduated, and this concerns him more than he lets on, as the future seems both far off and imposing at once to him.
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Huichen " [name_u]Henry[/name_u] " Zhang (18) is Caz’s best friend who also works at the same skate shop as him. He’s the one who introduced Caz to [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] and orchestrated their relationship. [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] and [name_u]Henry[/name_u] have been childhood friends and recently reconnected after [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] briefly ditched him for fame. Although he tries not to hold much bitterness against her, [name_u]Henry[/name_u] still feels hurt from the way [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] so easily discarded him. He knows she apologised, but he thinks the wound needs to heal a little bit more. This doesn’t mean he likes [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] any less— [name_u]Henry[/name_u] knew she’d come back from her snobbish behaviour. Caz is in the dark about this though, as [name_u]Henry[/name_u] would hate to put him between his best friend and girlfriend.
Henry’s known as one half of the ‘pretty boy workers’ at the skate shop (the other half being Cazz) so much so that in their group chat with their other coworkers, they’re often referred as such. He’s close to his coworkers and fond of his boss. He’s studying graphic design in college and is crushing on a boy whom he met at a party.
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[name_u]Miles[/name_u] " [name_u]Milo[/name_u] " [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] Tasker (19) is Henry’s crush who recently met him at a party. It was actually orchestrated and thrown by Milo’s twin sister - his ‘better counterpart’ as he affectionately calls her - who’s got mutual friends with [name_u]Henry[/name_u], one of whom works at the skate shop. Milo’s current reputation of laidback partier wasn’t always what he was known for, as in high school he was definitely a player and dated a lot of people over a short time period, never really knowing if he wanted commitment and subsequently not being the most well-liked person as he was somewhat thoughtless. Shortly before graduation though, [name_u]Milo[/name_u] decided to make amends with the people hurt by his flightiness and sincerely apologised, even becoming friends with some of his exes when they realised he’d truly changed for the better. His sister helped him muster the courage to approach these people, as she’s always been the more responsible one, and this process mended their relationship, as she used to bare the brunt of things while [name_u]Milo[/name_u] did whatever took him in the moment. Now he knows he does want to be with someone but is taking things slowly, as while flirting and charm are natural components of his personality, navigating an actual bond with someone else scares [name_u]Milo[/name_u] more than he lets on to those outside of his limited inner circle.
He and his sister are the children of two very successful people who went through a messy divorce when the twins were eight. This arguably caused a lot of Milo’s commitment avoidance as he always thought his parents marriage was invincible, so seeing them screaming about custody and alimony payments horrified him, even more so given the extreme venom both sides were willing to incorporate into fights. The twins actually ended up living with their maternal uncle and his wife for 11 months while the court battle went on, as the anger from both sides was highly inappropriate for children to be exposed to. They subsequently lived with their mom for most of the time - as she was given the family home, meaning they didn’t have to be uprooted and sent elsewhere - but [name_u]Milo[/name_u] still is quite distant from her and his dad, due to seeing how cruel they could both be. He’s currently studying graphic design and game concept art as a combined major, not knowing which one he prefers so he figured taking on both would allow him to figure this out. Unbeknownst to [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Milo[/name_u] remembers their chat at the party very well, and really thinks he should approach the other boy sometime soon…
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[name_f]Millicent[/name_f] " [name_f]Millie[/name_f] " [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] Tasker (19) is Milo’s twin sister. [name_f]Sakura[/name_f], one of Henry’s coworkers at the skate shop, asked [name_f]Millie[/name_f] to set [name_u]Henry[/name_u] up with someone as the boy kept on whining about being single. [name_f]Millie[/name_f], who’s got a part-time job in setting her friends up with people, said yes and introduced her brother to him.
[name_m]Born[/name_m] with what she considers an unfortunate first name, [name_f]Millie[/name_f] refuses to be referred to by her first name, going so far as to not even acknowledge that name when she’s out and about. She’d change her name sooner, but she knows her parents would flip out if she even suggested it. [name_f]Millie[/name_f] barely managed to convince her parents to accept her dyed hair— going through with a name change had to be done when she was absolutely independent from her parents.
The divorce of her parents gave [name_f]Millie[/name_f] commitment issues as well, but she copes with them a bit differently: instead of pursuing love herself, she will experience it vicariously through her friends. The idea of a relationship terrifies [name_f]Millie[/name_f], but she hides this fear under a cool excuse of wanting to experience party culture in university. She rarely speaks to her parents, only keeping the bare minimum of interaction so that her parents wouldn’t get worried. [name_f]Millie[/name_f] is studying visual art and political science at the same time, but regrets the latter.
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[name_f]Sakura[/name_f] [name_f]Iida[/name_f] (19) is Millie’s friend who works at the skate shop and is also involved in the matchmaking between [name_u]Milo[/name_u] and [name_u]Henry[/name_u] - granted they were motivated by wanting to stop hearing about the dating woes of their colleague. Being demisexual-panromantic and having been with their girlfriend for three years, [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] admits they can’t remember the eagerness for dating well themselves, and Henry’s dramatic approach clashed with their low-key outlook on most things, meaning usually they’re a very easygoing person. They met their girlfriend by pure chance - half-jokingly, half-affectionately calling it ‘fate’ - when they were going on a family holiday to [name_u]Kyoto[/name_u] and their flight was delayed; meeting their girlfriend while searching for a drink, and starting up a correspondence that blossomed into a long distance relationship, although the freedoms of college and the fact both they and their girlfriend have driving licenses now means their visits are much more frequent. Majoring in both creative writing and [name_f]English[/name_f] language, [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] feels the combination of subjects allows their pieces to come out smoother, as understanding etymology and the structural components of literature has increased their confidence in what they create; but they also are trying their best to advise [name_f]Millie[/name_f] about her stress regarding political sciences. [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] fully believes in prioritising what makes you happy - hence their advice to drop it - but at the same time they know about their friend’s struggles when it comes to the pressure of their parents and are trying to find a means of helping [name_f]Millie[/name_f] escape without bringing the weight of expectations crashing down on her. .
They’re the second of four siblings - the eldest technically being their half-sister from their mom’s prior marriage, as she lost her first husband only a year after they wed - and tend to serve as the main peacekeeper between their two younger siblings: their sixteen-year-old sister and eight-year-old brother. When the youngest was born there was a lot of animosity from Sakura’s sister as she’d grown comfortable being the baby of the family until a surprise pregnancy shattered this - something [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] themselves never experienced, as they don’t really have any memories of a time their sister wasn’t in the picture. In spite of having to break up petty arguments - usually because their brother’s being impulsive and their sister’s quite sensitive - they love the family they’ve got and have a good relationship with all three of their siblings; although they admit it’s different in how they interact with each individual. When they’re not working, studying or attending Millie’s semi-infamous parties, [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] enjoys knitting and cooking. They often prepare snacks for work that get shared among whoever’s on shift when they’re in, as what they make always turns out pretty damn tasty, meaning they’re used to people asking if they can try or dip into their stash - and being a typically laid back person, [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] never finds themselves minding. At home, the family have two rescue cats - moggy’s named [name_u]Lionel[/name_u] and [name_u]Boris[/name_u], who were adopted at different times but share a brotherly bond regardless of this - and the fact they miss the duo so much is causing [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] to want to get a cat of their own once they move into a student house next year. This is making finding roommates trickier, as [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] knows there’s a chance the house could morph into a zoo - something they really don’t want to see happening thanks to the stress it’ll bring (and they’ve had enough of that getting involved in Millie’s matchmaking) - so they’re weedling out the more measured personalities who’ll be able to compromise when it comes to how many pets in the household and who takes on which responsibilities around daily chores.
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tw: parental death + workplace neglect (not blurred out)
[name_f]Ayame[/name_f] Routon-Iida (24) is Sakura’s older sister and the eldest of the sibset, who’s easily identifiable on account of her double barrel surname, unlike the others. Unsurprisingly, Ayame’s surname comes from her late father, who passed away when she was only a month old after developing a sudden, aggressive form of skin cancer that turned out to stem from unsafe materials being used in his workplace - an incident that caused a huge scandal and led to his employers going bankrupt after surviving employees and the relatives of deceased one’s banded together to take them to court. This is what inspired [name_f]Ayame[/name_f] to pursue a career in law herself, specifically workplace advocacy and the rights of employees to safe environments; having now gained her degree and being accepted into her first apprentice role at a respected firm.
She’s just moved into her own place, after saving up from her job at an organic deli - which she was sad to quit upon being offered her placement - and lives with three friends, one of whom still works at the shop and keeps her update on the gossip regarding other employees and customers. Their small house is only a 25 minute walk away from where her parents’ home is and she goes to visit at least once a week, often bringing some homemade bread - as one of her good friends’ got her a machine for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] thanks to how notably picky she is when it comes to loaves she buys, a source of several in-jokes she’s fine with.
In particular, [name_f]Ayame[/name_f] has a close relationship with her 16 year old sister as she admittedly was a little envious when [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] was born - albeit not to the same extent as she was 5, whereas her sister was 8; and she also was uncertain about gaining a stepdad, after having almost 4 years of it just being her and her mom. Her reaction was more drawing into herself at first and giving him the silent treatment instead of fighting, however as Ayame’s grown older, her stepfather has become her dad in every emotional sense, and they’re incredibly close even now. He’s never tried to replace or make her forget her biological dad though, and she sees her paternal family frequently as they live in the same state, often spending part of her holiday with her cousins, aunts and uncle, with the two families having get-together’s when it works for everyone.
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Uncensored Warning: Workplace neglect and asthma.
Pascal Rocco Madani (26) is one of the colleagues at Ayame’s firm and a fellow lawyer, being one of Malou’s older siblings. However he is close to Malou and believes she shouldn’t have to be a lawyer if she doesn’t want to. He supports Malou and her girlfriend and hopes she has a great time in London. Pascal gets along better with Ayame, Sakura, and their family due to the fact that being a lawyer was a huge pressure for him in his family. He didn’t used to be a lawyer and wanted to get into engineering but also had been in an unsafe environment at his former career, developing asthma. He left the job after this as the first few months were difficult to manage and his boss threatened him not to tell anyone about what happened. His parents who were already successful lawyers pushed him into becoming a lawyer and not pursuing his dream in a different workplace, and he reluctantly obliged. He’s been very supportive of the firm he’s in and isn’t in the same firm as his siblings. He supports the Routon and Iida families and feels like they are his own family, seeing that he never felt close with his own. He considers Ayame like a sister and he is one of her friends who lives with her.
Malou was created by @clemesque.
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tw bullying
[name_f]Sinead[/name_f] [name_f]Aoife[/name_f] O’Brien (24) is another member of [name_f]Ayame[/name_f] and Pascal’s firm. Though she’s not that close to either [name_f]Ayame[/name_f] or [name_m]Pascal[/name_m], she’s cordial with them. [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] tends to not reach out to her coworkers, leading to this sort of relationship. Her twin brother wants her to come out of her shell, but [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] makes excuses like how she wants to focus on her job. In reality, she suffers from moderate social anxiety that she hides under a façade of aloofness. She has four friends (one of them being her brother) and she thinks she’ll keep it that way despite what they say.
The reason behind Sinead’s social anxiety is due to the bullying she faced during primary school. Her family moved from the countryside of [name_u]Ireland[/name_u] to [name_u]London[/name_u] very quickly, and kids around her made fun of her “nearly unintelligible” accent. While [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] still has her Irish accent, she’s made a habit of forcing a standard south [name_u]London[/name_u] accent to strangers and the like, and fears what people might think when they hear her accent. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though she knows this is an irrational fear, there’s past trauma that still makes her do this. Her twin brother is (and was) fiercely protective of her and is usually never seen without her.
There’s a new addition to the firm, though, and [name_f]Sinead[/name_f] can’t help but notice that they’ve caught her eye…
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Cary Scottie Cassel (24) is the new addition to the firm and the object of Sinead’s new affection. They are the sibling-in-law to Nouela Bandini-Cassel, who is married to Cary’s older brother. They know them and their brother are different because Cary is non-binary and their brother has a prosthetic limb. They have always defended each other and get along with Sinead’s twin brother for this reason. Cary is a roommate of Ayame and Pascal and one other person in the house. They are also close with Ayame’s family although still on great bonds with their own family. Cary never would have thought they would be a lawyer growing up but is grateful to be one and has learned so much about law from having the career. Outside of their career, they like skateboarding and enjoys visiting the skate shop. They are mutually friends with a buddy of Sinead’s but the two don’t know this friend is mutual to both.
Nouela was created by @I_meme_it.
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[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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