Create a Family With a Twist 5/1

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Freya[/name_f] McCloud (22) is the best friend of [name_f]Makenna[/name_f], who’s known her since kindergarten- the two met on the playground after bumping into each other on the slide. [name_f]Cheerful[/name_f] [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] offered shy, awkward [name_f]Freya[/name_f] a piece of raspberry candy and she gladly accepted- [name_f]Freya[/name_f] likes candies, especially raspberry ones, so that was the moment she decided [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] was a keeper. Freya’s parents are from [name_u]Glasgow[/name_u], [name_u]Scotland[/name_u], and they moved to the USA before [name_f]Freya[/name_f] was born- however all four of her older siblings were alive when this happened. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is the youngest in a family of five, and while she’ll often joke that she hates her siblings she’d do anything for them. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] has a very dry, sarcastic sense of humor and personality and she can sometimes come off as dark or scary, but she brushes it off- “anyone who thinks her sense of humor is stupid isn’t worth hanging around anyway,” but despite these kinds of statements [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is very sweet at heart and will cry if she squishes an ant, or even a mosquito.

[name_f]Freya[/name_f] knows about Makenna’s crush on [name_m]Jeff[/name_m] and fully encourages her to go for it, but at first she did tease her quite a bit about it and laugh at her. “Oh, please,” [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] scoffed, “As if you’re not in love with that girl you work with.” [name_f]Freya[/name_f] went beet red (as she often does whenever she’s flustered or embarrassed), and ran away from a satisfied [name_f]Makenna[/name_f]. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] works at a vintage 50’s diner, she skates around and delivers food to people. She thinks there’s a cute girl there who she might like- [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] teases her to no end. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] and [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] often butt heads at times but truthfully, they love each other in the most platonic way possible. In spite of her restaurant job, [name_f]Freya[/name_f] isnt too thrilled with the prospect of working there for much longer and the only reason she’s stayed is that girl- she has to get her number.

Freya’s real passion is art- she’s been doodling anime girls in her notebooks ever since the fifth grade, and she still loves character design, it’s just that’s he has to keep making money so her, [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] and their other bestie can keep living together in their apartment, without being evicted for not paying rent. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is determined to make it to the big leagues of animation, though- she knows she can, and everyone else does too.

[kitkatcookie]

Izanami " [name_f]Nami[/name_f] " Rinzaki (22) is the final roommate and dear friend of [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f]. She’s affectionately called the ‘balance’ within their dynamic, not being as outgoing as [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] bit less shy than [name_f]Freya[/name_f], and she’s typically the most level-headed one of the trio; even if [name_f]Nami[/name_f] does worry about being seen as too stern or boring from time to time. There’s almost nothing that can phase her though, and she’ll always have her friends backs when they’re worried about something, no matter how small others may dismiss it as. This is why it’s a shock to many that she was the first one to ever contest the rules of her old apartment lease, after taking in a stray cat who she realised had been abandoned by a former resident and hiding him from the landlord. Luckily, her current lease allows for pets so [name_u]Jasper[/name_u] happily shares the space with the three girls, and enjoys all the attention he receives very much. Disloyalty is something [name_f]Nami[/name_f] has absolutely no time for - a product of how she sticks by people through thick and thin - which has been revealed a few times…and it’s admittedly scarier than you’d imagine given her usual temperament.

Working for the financial department of a local nonprofit organisation, [name_f]Nami[/name_f] opted against attending university, which was a shock to most people - aside from [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] before she considered applying, [name_f]Nami[/name_f] truthfully felt it wasn’t right for her, however telling her parents frightened her a lot. Her older sister is a pilot and her brother’s just started his own degree in physics, so she did feel she was disappointing them in not going - especially her dad who faced stigma for not pursuing higher education himself - but [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] convinced her to tell the truth and thankfully they were nothing but understanding of her decision. [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] was the friend [name_f]Nami[/name_f] made first as they both attended the same gymnastics classes when they were 10, and bonded because they enjoyed vaulting more than all their peers. [name_f]Nami[/name_f] still actively attends these lessons, as she’s proud of her flexibility, and also the energy it burns when she’s been cooped up working on accounts all day.

She’s also the only roommate currently in a relationship and not deliberating approaching a crush, having met her significant other through a work friend, and they’ve just celebrated their second anniversary. [name_u]An[/name_u] ideal date for the couple typically involves hiking or going to a pop-up event or festival where they can enjoy the outdoors and explore together - trips that tend to go on much longer than intended, but neither one of them ever complains. This absolutely doesn’t hinder [name_f]Nami[/name_f] from trying to get [name_f]Freya[/name_f] and [name_f]Makenna[/name_f] confident enough to address their respective crushes, although she’s a bit sneakier in her methods, using her own relationship as a springboard for date ideas or potential ways to express affection. Really [name_f]Nami[/name_f] just wants to see them happy, as they’re been there for her while she navigated dating and her romance, so it only feels right returning the favour.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] McCloud (23) is Nami’s work friend and the fourth-born McCloud sibling. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] loves knowing [name_f]Nami[/name_f] and her partner are still together and going strong. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] is a matchmaker to her friends’ relationships and is known to be good at this and has tried to help [name_f]Freya[/name_f]. [name_f]Nami[/name_f] is Gwynn’s biggest matchmaker confidant since [name_f]Nami[/name_f] is in a successful relationship and wants to help the girls as much as [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] does. Truthfully [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is rather shy and feels weird with her siblings knowing and [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] respects that because she doesn’t want to embarrass her. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] has also kept Freya’s crush on her co-worker a secret from the other family members but says she “can’t be responsible” if they find out any other way. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] still feels [name_f]Freya[/name_f] really does have a chance if she puts herself out there.

[name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] gets along with her family and is often the “glue” of her family, being the most calm. That’s why she gets along with Nami’s partner and knew they were perfect to match together. Still [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] isn’t afraid to ask for help and advice from others as well. Although [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] works for a non-profit organisation, she’s a fan of Nami’s sister’s pilot career and [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] attends flight school. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] wants to stay in her career and mostly pilot small planes for a hobby, but she feels this really come in handy for times when a plane would be best. Ironically she used to be afraid of airplanes as a child and [name_f]Nami[/name_f] helped her overcome this fear. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] now has a mostly-fearless lifestyle but secretly avoids duck ponds due to anatidaephobia (fear of being watched by a duck).

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] " [name_m]Seb[/name_m] " [name_u]Eli[/name_u] [name_m]Whitaker[/name_m] (23) is Gwynn’s matchmaking partner in crime. The two met in ninth grade after realizing they were both trying to set up Seb’s older sister with Gwynn’s older brother. They joined forces, it was successful, and now their older siblings are married with a kid on the way. [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] and [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] stayed friends and he is the one teaching her to fly an airplane as he works at the flight school.

Seb’s dad works in the [name_f]Air[/name_f] Force and had hoped his son would follow in his footsteps. [name_m]Seb[/name_m] likes flying but that’s it, he’d rather fly for fun and teach others than join the military. His little sister is finishing college soon though and then plans to join the [name_f]Air[/name_f] Force which his dad is thrilled about. [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] and his dad have a good relationship though and he completely respects his son’s career choice.

[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] has a girlfriend though the relationship isn’t going that well. They argue frequently which he hates and sometimes weeks go by before she’ll talk to him again. He’s feeling frustrated and has no idea what’s happening. [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] said he should have a serious conversation with his girlfriend and he plans to, right after she finishes the latest silent treatment.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: sexual assault - no graphic details but extra warning

[name_u]Dominique[/name_u] " [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] " [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] Cavanier (23) is Seb’s girlfriend, she of the infamous silent treatments. Mercurial is the best word for Nikki’s temperament, and she’s under no illusions as to how difficult this can be for others, having warned [name_m]Seb[/name_m] when they started to progress from casually seeing each other to forming a committed relationship. It was planes that led to [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] and her boyfriend meeting, as she’s just graduated university with a degree in mechanical engineering, planning on specialising in aircrafts now she’s applying for her bachelor’s degree. [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] was inspired by her mom - a mechanic who formerly worked as an air hostess before building up the urge to pursue her greater interest - and they frequently went on trips together whenever possible as she grew up; sharing an especially close bond because Nikki’s an only child and her dad had sporadic contact with her folloeing her parents split when she was 4; typically wrapped up in his own business and general lackluster paternal instincts. It’s her mom and grandparents who [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] took out for a special meal to celebrate her success, accompanied by [name_m]Seb[/name_m], and they did have a wonderful night then, devoid of arguments.

When [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] was only 15, she was sexually assaulted by someone older who she looked up to considerably, a deeply traumatising experience she hasn’t felt able to confide in many people about, including romantic partners unfortunately. Her tendency to be so rigid in arguments, and inability to back down from one, is a product of not being believed when she revealed what happened to her, having some people she cared for even trying to lay the blame at her feet for what happened. When coupled with her frustration at not being able to open up to [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] - who she does truly love with all her being, and wants to see happy - it makes her prone to becoming hyper defensive, which in turn spurs on her argumentative side. She doesn’t want the relationship to completely fall apart but opening up about what she went through terrifies [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] more than anything, as she lacks much faith due to what the past taught her.

Someone she always has, and still does, rely on is her best friend: the person who coaches her through any and all disagreements, as well as having talked [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] into applying for proper counselling once more. She grew up with a similarly poor father and the two would joke a lot as kids about the stereotypes surrounding them, continuing this even now they’ve matured and are looking towards the future. In spite of how much she encourages [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] to trust in people, she never pushes her past her limits and this is what allows her to relax so much when talking to the other girl. They play hockey together and go swimming, as well as planning a holiday to celebrate their recent milestones, which Nikki’s friend insists [name_m]Seb[/name_m] needs to attend as they’re going to be travelling with some others and feels the change in location could do good for both parties. The impending conversation is something [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] is quietly dreading, as she’s promised herself she’ll let [name_m]Seb[/name_m] know the entire story about her background, but it doesn’t make her nerves feel any less powerful…

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for drug manipulation and crime.

[name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] [name_f]Zeynep[/name_f] [name_u]Ali[/name_u] (23) is Nikki’s best friend and the girl that [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is falling for. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] is from Jordanian and Turkish descent. She and [name_f]Freya[/name_f] are co-workers at the same restaurant and she too wants to pursue other job opportunities but feels like she can’t. When she was 17, she stole from a street vendor’s kiosk during a street fair and ran away with her loot, but was caught by police. The police wondered why she would steal out in the open in broad daylight with several witnesses, but it turns out she was on drugs at the time. Although Hafsah’s parents were poor and could somewhat see why she would steal, they questioned why [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] would be on drugs because she was never the type to do that and wouldn’t waste her money on it. It gets deeper — she bought lemonade at another kiosk that ended up being spiked with drugs and she didn’t actually consent to taking them. It actually wasn’t from anyone at the kiosk who did it, it was from another person at the street fair who did it while she accidentally left her drink behind while looking at the kiosks. While [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] ended up serving 53 days in juvenile hall (it was 60 days but she got out a week earlier for good behaviour) and the stolen items were returned, there wasn’t any solid evidence that [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] was manipulated. However only recently, they caught the perpetrator who spiked her drink to begin with when he confessed it to some friends, not realising they’d turn him in.

[name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] has been very careful and feared no one would hire her due to her criminal past even if she was a juvenile while doing it. People ask her why she’d be so “careless and foolish” to leave her drink behind and [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] wants nothing to do with those type of people. [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] always knew [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] wasn’t at fault and never considered her the type to do such things on her own will and comforts her just like [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] has comforted [name_u]Nikki[/name_u]. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] has been turned down from job opportunities because of the incident so as much as she doesn’t care for her job, she’s happy simply to be accepted. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] considers herself “lucky“ that she didn’t go through what [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] has gone though but both relate to being cruelly manipulated and then victim-blamed. While [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] would never steal while sober, she understands why people wouldn’t like her and went through counselling herself after being released from juvenile hall. She was stereotyped a lot as the poor kid turned criminal but she’s done her best to ignore that. She loves swimming and hockey, she’s always missed that the most when she was in juvenile hall and enjoys nothing more than being active. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] has taken [name_f]Freya[/name_f] along but doesn’t know [name_f]Freya[/name_f] is falling for her, but would definitely love [name_f]Freya[/name_f] as a girlfriend. [name_f]Freya[/name_f] has also supported [name_m]Seb[/name_m] being there doing the activities with them, saying “Bring [name_m]Seb[/name_m]! It will be just like a double—“ and was about to say “date” before realising she and [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] aren’t a couple yet. She covered it up by saying, “We can play doubles in hockey.” [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] laughed but she wasn’t laughing at [name_f]Freya[/name_f], she was laughing with her and found it “cute”, which [name_f]Freya[/name_f] beamed at. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] likes to be lighthearted but respects that it is a touchy topic for [name_u]Nikki[/name_u]. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] has been more vocal about her bad experience since it was in public and she was nicknamed “Crazy [name_f]Street[/name_f] Fair Girl” whereas Nikki’s experience was more personal and not something people know about. [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f] supports [name_m]Seb[/name_m] a lot and knows he’s a wonderful boyfriend for [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] but wants to explore possible feelings she has for [name_f]Freya[/name_f] in her own relationship. Also she doesn’t want to intrude on anyone’s business but knows deep down, [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] and [name_m]Seb[/name_m] are right for each other.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: depressive episodes mentioned

[name_m]Marcus[/name_m] McCloud (27) is the second eldest McCloud sibling and acquaintance of [name_f]Hafsah[/name_f], mostly through hearsay though, thanks to his sister’s crush [although [name_f]Freya[/name_f] has sworn him to secrecy now she’s aware he knows]. While not the eldest, [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] functionally behaves this way for a variety of reasons. The primary one being the firstborn McCloud - who uses he/they pronouns, but has been using the latter more recently - has battled quite severe depression since their mid-teens, and [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] admittedly felt a duty of protection when it came to his brother’s well-being because of this. He hates to intrude on their life, which has been a point of contention at certain points [mostly when his brother dropped out of university, and felt [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] was hovering too much], but they love one another ultimately, and have a very close relationship in spite of some hiccups. There’s never been an identified ‘cause’ for what happened to the eldest McCloud, the depression just started to increase out of the blue, but [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] feels it’s important to keep people educated that mental health issues don’t always have an easy explanation, and sometimes manifest with little or no warning. Still he tries his best to avoid becoming a ‘walking PSA’ as some of his brothers’ friends went down the path of, as the mortification would be too much.

Working as a physiotherapist, [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] lives with his girlfriend and their friends who are also a couple. This has put some more distance between him and his siblings - not just on a physical level - as one of his roommates was disowned after coming out, and while he and his boyfriend are happy together, things blew up again when said roommates younger sibling got in touch as they’re also anticipating estrangement from the family. [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] considered asking if [name_f]Freya[/name_f] or [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] know anyone looking for housemates but doesn’t want to drag his siblings into a complex situation, given they have their own lives to focus on, and a plethora of aspirations to achieve. Knowing [name_u]Gwynn[/name_u] in particular is often a peacemaker means [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] tries to protect her from further pressure to the best of his ability, albeit isn’t obvious because of the way he goes about things.

His memories of [name_u]Scotland[/name_u] are clearer than his younger siblings, and sometimes Marcus’s old accent appears with certain words, which his girlfriend finds very charming [and he’s always bashful to be complimented about]. He has maintained a friendship with one person he knew there - who lived round the corner and saw the McCloud’s as fascinating due to being an only child - who he’s currently arranging to come visit [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] finally in the States. Being sentimental is something [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] is never ashamed about openly expressing, but he understands not everyone is this way inclined. His girlfriend absolutely is made of the same stuff though and they joke any children they have will be ridiculously sensitive, but it’s an affectionate joke, especially given they’ve just found out they’re expecting [not a planned development but given they’ve been together 8 years, the couple feel able to handle this development, partly thanks to their excellent communication skills]. [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] doesn’t have any plans on moving out with the new arrival coming as he loves living with his friends, although he has made them promise they can handle potential midnight streaming, which they’ve sworn won’t be a problem.

---

@rachelheth
@mynameis1
tags!

[CherryBomb50]

Jenesis “ Jenny “ Posie [left], Selena Skye [centre], and Deanna “ Dede “ Kinsey [right] Barlow (27) are fraternal triplets and all associated with the McCloud family in some way. They’re super close and have girls night outs every other Friday night. Jenny is pansexual, Selena is straight, and Dede is bisexual. As children they were very tight as triplets and wished they all had rhyming names (something they’re now thankful they don’t have) and wanted matches so they respectively named their hamsters Kailey, Hailey, and Bailey. However in adolescence they weren’t super close and didn’t care for the “triplet life” and making their status as triplets be their entire lives. Selena, who used to go by “Sela” growing up, stopped using her nickname and starting dyeing her hair blonde. Their younger brother Jeff also felt like he was tired of being left out since he wasn’t a triplet, was youngest, and was the only male Barlow. They’ve since found a good balance and Jeff doesn’t mind them at all. Selena still likes the blonde hair and not having a nickname and the others are fine.

Of the triplets, Jenny is the only one not facing motherhood yet while Selena is about to be a mother to Marcus’s child, and Dede is a mother to her daughter Ivy. They’re super excited for the expectant child of Selena and Marcus and are happy for her but at the same time, they let Selena and Marcus have their space and enjoy themselves. Dede believes that Makenna, her husband’s younger sister, is falling for her brother Jeff and she’s low-key wanted them to go for it and they’re a great match but won’t say anything to either of them about it to respect their privacy. While all three women love wearing glitzy dresses together, only Dede is a model. Selena works as an operator on a mental health hotline and has used her skills to help guide Marcus and his elder sibling. Selena isn’t famous like her sisters but she’s found her happy place and wouldn’t give it up for anything. Like Marcus, Selena is also very sentimental and empathetic to others’ sensitivities. Jenny has a performing career but she doesn’t use her name…or her gender. She’s a drag king under the persona Rowdy Rocx and the drag king persona uses he/him pronouns but while out of drag, Jenny uses she/her pronouns. Her drag king persona looks much different from her, sporting a fake but convincing braided beard, eyebrow piercings she only wears in the drag, a top hat, and lots of makeup done in a way resembling a male face. It’s crazy seeing Jenny have such a different appearance and more grooved-out performance as Rowdy Rocx but she adores the drag community and is good friends with one of Marcus’s roommates who has a drag queen persona. Dede, who has learned a lot about Scotland from the McClouds, has recently done some model work there and has gotten closer with the family as a result. She suspects Freya may have a crush on someone but doesn’t know it’s Hafsah and doesn’t look into Freya’s personal life with that.

Jeff was created by me.

Ivy and Freya were created by @wandering_willow.

Makenna was created by @A.B.Galaxy.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Perdita[/name_f] [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] Hanover (2) is one of Ivy’s friends who she has playdates with, and met all three triplets while attending her friends’ birthday party. The two know each other because Perdita’s mom is a model like [name_f]Dede[/name_f] [name_m]Barlow[/name_m] - known for her high fashion sense of style even when she’s not on the catwalk - who chose to have her daughter using IVF, after deciding she didn’t need a relationship to become a mother. She also had been through a stressful breakup and didn’t want to have a baby exposed to such a tense environment if another didn’t work out. Exploring is absolutely Perdita’s new favourite thing (her mom already knows climbing’s coming next), but nothing can top how much she loves the family cats: two maine coon’s named [name_u]Jazz[/name_u] and Chewie…

~

@jinxed_peach
@moonwriteen
@kitkatcookie
@A.B.Galaxy
@chamwue

[wandering_willow]

[name_u]London[/name_u] [name_f]Joye[/name_f] Hanover (15) is the frequent babysitter of [name_f]Perdita[/name_f] Hanover, and her aunt. [name_u]London[/name_u] is a lot younger than her older sister, being only 15, but despite the obvious age gap the two are very close and would do anything for each other. [name_u]London[/name_u] loves to take [name_f]Perdita[/name_f] on little “adventures-“ like going on stroller rides to the park, getting ice cream, and hanging out with London’s friends. [name_u]London[/name_u] lives in [name_f]Chicago[/name_f] with her mother- her parents divorced not too long after her sister moved out of the house, which crushed [name_u]London[/name_u] as she felt it was her fault. She blamed her sister for a month or two as she was a daddy’s girl and adored her father but soon realized it was only her fathers fault and stopped blaming her sister. [name_u]London[/name_u] admires the way her sister is raising her daughter, though she knows she’d never want to raise a child alone she thinks her sister is doing what right for her and thinks that’s an admirable thing.

Much unlike her sister, [name_u]London[/name_u] has no interest in modeling- instead she wants to be a character designer and animator when she grows up. She’s only in 10th grade, her second her of high school, but she’s already seemingly got her whole life planned out. She’s known who she wants to marry since she was 12- her best friend for life and girlfriend, who she’s been in love with for forever. The two are both a part of the school’s art club and love painting and doing all art forms together. [name_u]London[/name_u] is also a member of her school’s yearbook club- her school, Wildwood High School, is very accepting and open to all students. London’s very happy about that, her middle school barred her and her girlfriend from holding hands, but her high school banned dress codes based on a student suggestion by one of London’s friends. She’s very happy to be in an environment that accepts all students.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for temporary disappearance.

[name_u]Keeley[/name_u] [name_f]Jia[/name_f] Yeon (15) is London’s girlfriend and is making friends with the other people [name_u]London[/name_u] has befriended. [name_u]Keeley[/name_u] truly hates most dress codes and feels as long as there’s a shirt and shoes, there should be service. She also has a much older sister although some horror was brought to the community when her sister went missing. For nearly two months, nothing was known about her whereabouts until she was found. She was thankfully found safe and alive but the whole story of what happened to her when she went missing was stuff not even she remembers. Keeley’s just grateful her sister is back but finds it truly scary how she just disappeared for some time with no way anyone could contact her.

[name_u]Keeley[/name_u] herself wants to be a voice actress and always found it a way she’s entertained herself. Her dream to to voice act for a show designed and animated by [name_u]London[/name_u]. [name_u]Keeley[/name_u] also loves [name_u]South[/name_u] Korean entertainment and her voice has a Korean accent. She wants to play a Korean character and knows [name_u]London[/name_u] will design and animate the perfect one for her one day. For now, she’s also just into hanging out with friends and painting alongside the other students in her art class. The art teacher is also Keeley’s favourite teacher and has motivated [name_u]Keeley[/name_u] the most. Truthfully [name_u]Keeley[/name_u] loves her school and while she hates work, she’s at least satisfied with what she’s learned and enjoys the free liberations.

[jinxed_peach]

tw: mental illness, mentioned episode of psychosis

[name_f]Sofi[/name_f] [name_u]Kai[/name_u] Yeon [29] is the older sister of [name_u]Keeley[/name_u]. Their parents intended to be ‘one and done’ with [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] being their only child but had a surprise when [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] was in her freshman year of high school. But the family welcomed the baby with joy and [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] was very excited to be a big sister. Though things became complicated when she got older. Her mental health began to deteriorate, mostly unnoticed by her family as they were busy with the new baby.

She had things mostly under control without the help of others until recently when she went missing without a trace. There was no sign of a struggle in her apartment and given accounts of her mental health issues the police ruled it as a being a case of a runaway. Her family went on the local news several times and attempted to bring [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] home but it was mostly fruitless.

After two months the family’s phone rang. [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] had been found in the bathroom of a truck stop in the next state. She was catatonic and unresponsive as well as completely nude without any of her personal belongings. She was only identified as a nurse who was transferred to the hospital she was brought to had come from [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] and Keeley’s homestate and recognized her from her family’s news appearances. Once reunited with her family she did begin to some out of her catatonia and recognized them at least partially. From there she was placed in a mental health facility where she was treated and formally diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Though she has little memory of her episode with her daily therapy sessions she’s beginning to recalls little bits and pieces of what happened. But she’s not ready to talk about it with anyone other than her therapist at the current moment.

[name_f]Sofi[/name_f] has since moved pack into her family’s home where they can ensure she sticks to her medication plan but are hopeful that she can return to living independently in the future.

Like she sister she also enjoys art and rekindled her passion for art while engaging in art therapy when she was in treatment. She’s supportive of Keeley’s desire to go into voice acting and would love to see her little sister in a movie or TV show someday.

[CherryBomb50]

Yusuf Kareen Ali (28) is Sofi’s friend, the first to know outside her family that she went missing, but he doesn’t know how that occurred. He’s thought about what went through Sofi’s mind at the time of the disappearance and he’s glad she’s safe, completely supporting her throughout her mental health struggles. Yusuf is a deputy so he knew about this case when it opened. Ironically Yusuf’s 23-year-old sister Hafsah went to juvenile hall at 17, something people ask him about, but he knew she was innocent and manipulated. He’s not Sofi’s boyfriend, Yusuf is actually currently married. He and his wife married 2 years ago, which was the best moment of his life. He and his wife are very close and she too has been supportive of Sofi along with being a great sister-in-law to Hafsah. Yusuf is multicultural and celebrates both Ramadan and Christmas. He’s always giving great surprises for his wife on Christmas, before they were married despite having a poor upbringing. He often made her sweet knit items but after they married, he bought her special gifts while still making her stuff. She’s caught on too and made him great stuff as well and he loves what she gives him. This year he’s going big and surprising her with a dream vacation which she has no idea about yet, but Yusuf isn’t greedy and he will be happy with whatever she surprises him with on Christmas too.

Hafsah was created by me.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: incredibly dysfunctional environment [drugs, criminal activity], parental death

[name_f]Haidee[/name_f] [name_f]Stella[/name_f] McCord (28) is Yusuf’s wife and a fellow friend of [name_f]Sofi[/name_f], who’s done her best to provide support following the disappearing incident. Working as an emergency medical technician, [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] has the right personality for handling stress - she’ll be upfront that her childhood gave her this skillset - however she does sometimes worry her cool head makes her appear disinterested or emotionally detached, something her husband works hard to ensure [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] knows absolutely isn’t the case. She’s made it explicitly clear that if [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] ever needs her, she’s just a phone call away, but doesn’t loiter or coddle her friend, respecting her independence and that recovery isn’t based on those around her. Given the circumstances, she has become a confidant of [name_u]Keeley[/name_u] as well, wanting to ensure the teen isn’t too impacted by what she witnessed and experienced [something [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] admits might be tied to her life and the circumstances she was raised in, lacking anyone to turn to in such a capacity].

The Longrove household was nothing short of madness to grow up in. Haidee’s father, [name_u]David[/name_u] " [name_u]Lonnie[/name_u] " Longrove, was a prolific car thief and brawler at local bars, who allowed his drug dealer brother - [name_u]Joseph[/name_u] " [name_u]Joey[/name_u] " Longrove - to laze about the property, exposing his two children [Haidee and her younger half-brother] to clients, several of whom were openly talking about racketeering and prostitution. Haidee’s mother passed away from an overdose when she was a toddler, and while her father never spoke of it, she has vague memories of that day, something to haunt her well into adulthood given the trauma of knowing her mom would pass away because of the company her father kept. Her unofficial stepmother was often in conflict with [name_u]Lonnie[/name_u] - due to his neglectful nature, being more focused on his criminal activity - and ran out with her brother several times, only to come back as she lacked much money and didn’t want to resort to solicitation to support them. It was because of their loud arguments that social services intervened in Haidee’s life when she was nine, almost instantly taking her away from her father and sending her to live with her maternal great-aunt, the last one of her mom’s family who was alive and in a stable state to assume responsibility of a child.

Sadly, [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] lost contact with her four-year-old brother due to this, as he was allowed to stay with his mom on the grounds she testified against their father and uncle, as well as attending parenting classes and keeping herself away from criminal associates. It would be when [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] was in college that she finally managed to track him down - with the help of her best friend, a data analyst who now works in home security - and he was in quite a rough state. At seventeen, he was often threatening to run away from home, fighting constantly with his mother and feeling condemned to limbo by their childhood, remaining in contact with their dad once he was imprisoned [Haidee had the occasional phone call but was much more protected by her great aunt, and also had less time for their dad thanks to being parentified frequently]. Through her help - having a bit of a tough love approach, given how he treated his mom, who had genuinely worked hard at turning things around - he managed to stabilise his mood more, and actively began engaging with therapy after rejecting it [not wanting to be teased or mocked by his friends].

The siblings are both now in a much better place, although they don’t have any relationship with their father, who’s still incarcerated. Haidee’s more focused on what she enjoys: scrapbooking, mosiac making, pottery and going for rides on her motorbike, the first vehicle she bought solely by herself, and takes a lot of pride in. Her great aunt always spends holidays with her and [name_m]Yusuf[/name_m], as [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] adores her for everything she did: getting her into counselling, encouraging her growing desire to pursue medicine and helping find her new interests that weren’t tied to behaving like a mini adult. This year her brother and his girlfriend will also be coming for boxing day, something she’s excited for given how much happier he is now, plus it means seeing their adorable golden retriever puppy, who everyone dotes upon and spoils. [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] does have a secret of her own she’s been keeping for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] day…she’s pregnant!

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Christiana[/name_f] [name_f]Polly[/name_f] [name_m]Brason[/name_m] (79) is Haidee’s maternal great-aunt and a huge supporter in her life. She knows [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] and [name_m]Yusuf[/name_m] have surprises this [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] but she doesn’t know quite yet what they are. But she’s glad they’re in a great committed marriage and [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] has always been there for [name_f]Haidee[/name_f]. [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] herself had a fiance who surprised her one [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] with a marriage proposal, which she accepted. However he ran away at the altar during their wedding and never officially married. [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] never trusted romantic relationships and that’s where [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] was the one to step in for [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] and prove that true love is real and can last. She believes the surprises [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] and [name_m]Yusuf[/name_m] have this year for one another are super special this time around and when she finds out this holiday, she’ll be happily in support of such a great couple.

[name_f]Christiana[/name_f] adores [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] and supports her younger half-brother as well, seeing he’s now in a good and committed relationship. She can’t wait to see them all again and she’s welcoming them with open arms. She can’t wait to be 80 next year but she likes living up her last year in her 70s. [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] retired over a decade ago but stays active and busy in the community and still mentors to those who need it. She still lives at a house and not a nursing home but has recently moved into a smaller and more affordable house, granted, it’s the cutest little home with everything she needs.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_f]Nadia[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u] [26] is Christiana’s niece and the nurse who recognized [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] from the news when she came into the hospital where she’s been working as a nurse for the last few months, transferring recently as she was offered a better job title with better pay compared to her other job. She was assigned to work on Sofi’s case though once she correctly identified her she began to spend more time with her off the clock as well, sitting at her bedside while she slept so if she woke up disoriented she could help ground her back to reality, she also helped [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] communicated with an AAC board while she was non-verbal as she was coming out of her catatonia. Her co-workers advised her not to get too attached to [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] but found herself unable to stop it from happening as she felt emotionally connected to [name_f]Sofi[/name_f] due to her experience with her own family.

[name_f]Nadia[/name_f] had been raised by a single father who had also suffered from mental health issues, though his had gone largely undiagnosed. Her mother walked out on them when she was eleven since she was unable to handle her husband’s issues, promises were made to come back and visit to see [name_f]Nadia[/name_f], but they were never kept and instead she remarried and had two children with her second husband. [name_f]Nadia[/name_f] has met her half-siblings only once.

Her upbringing is a major reason she decided to go into nursing, while she wanted to go into psychiatric nursing she was persuaded by a guidance counselor to go into general nursing since it was more employable. Though [name_f]Nadia[/name_f] has recently been considering going back to school to get her qualifications for psych nursing. Seeing her father struggle made her want to try and help people in the ways she was sometimes able to help him, although more often than not he was unable to be helped by her minimal abilities as a child.

She tends to spend hours upon hours working at the hospital instead of staying home since she prefers to be busy rather than sit alone with her thoughts, she does keep a fish tank though that keep her company at home. [name_f]Nadia[/name_f] doesn’t have a lot of friends either since she tends to isolate herself but is trying to be more social. There’s a new hire at work that she’s been trying to be more friendly with, though she’s not very sure how well her attempts at being nice are being received.

[I_meme_it]

tw: incredibly dysfunctional environment [drugs, criminal activity], parental conflict, isolation

[name_m]Alonzo[/name_m] ’ Lonz ’ [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] Rewman (23) is Haidee’s younger half-brother and adjacent relative to [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] and [name_f]Nadia[/name_f], on account of his sisters’ closeness with them. The younger child raised in the home of the Longrove brothers’, Lonz was far more tied to his paternal family than [name_f]Haidee[/name_f], primarily thanks to the fact his mother allowed for contact to be maintained following his father and uncles’ convictions. She didn’t necessarily feel 100% happy about this, but as the Rewman family were much more involved with the Longroves - her late brother was the third business partner in their criminal group - she wanted to protect both her siblings and Lonz from retaliation.

Given how well-known both his families’ reputations are, Lonz endured a lot of ostracision at school. He wasn’t bullied - as people were too scared to try that - but found himself almost entirely alone once he and his mom got away. The kids whose parents were affiliated with his own didn’t associate, due to a fear of being arrested themselves, whereas his other classmates were instructed to keep their distance. This created a build up of resentment and anger towards his mother, who he felt just accepted the way people reacted towards them, and wished she had run away when he was little, being too upset and immature to recognise the way she would have ended up supporting them would have only caused more strife.

Reencountering [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] was a shock to him for several reasons. When they were young they weren’t the closest, partly because his dad refused to speak of [name_f]Elise[/name_f] McCord, Haidee’s mother, and the second her name was mentioned, Lonz was sent out the room. While he’d managed to make friends by that point, they fed into his worse tendencies. By no means were they intentional poor influences or insensitive to what Lonz went through, but they blindly agreed with his misdirected anger and lack of time spent contemplating what Lonz’s mom did for him, while not really knowing how to speak to him whenever a particularly shocking or obviously inappropriate part of his childhood came up in conversation.

While he fought with [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] relentlessly for the first month she was back and siding with his mom, her time spent maturing, reflecting and learning how to communicate her feelings with the help of her great-aunt [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] (or ‘Aunt T’ as [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] affectionately calls her, and she loves the play on words), meant Lonz actually began to listen, which in turn gave him a chance to consider what his mom had been saying all those years. For how blunt she was, his sister also ensured he didn’t spiral into self-loathing, instead encouraging him to do small acts of kindness to show his apologies for his behaviour, and when he mentioned his desire to become a therapist for children of criminals, she was nothing other than supportive.

Now on the verge of graduation, Lonz is searching for placements with the help of his girlfriend, a fellow product of a dysfunctional household who he met while briefly taking a criminology course, and who he absolutely adores. They spend their Christmases with both of their mom’s, as well as Lonz’s’ girlfriends’ sister, and already have heard that [name_f]Haidee[/name_f] and [name_m]Yusuf[/name_m] are expecting!

[kitkatcookie]

tw: discussion of an affair, deceptive lifestyle, classism

[name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f] Stephensby (20) is the younger sister of Lonz’s’ girlfriend and guest who joins the couple at [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. Having lived a quiet life initially, everything [name_f]Isla[/name_f] knew changed when she was five, and the implosion was a sudden one. Isla’s father - who frequently travelled as the deputy manager of a sales company - turned out to have lied through the entire duration of his relationship with her mother, and it was ongoing at the time of the truth coming to light. The reason why he wasn’t married to his partner was not because of a prolonged divorce process, as he’d always told everyone in the Stephensby family and local area, but because his first marriage hadn’t even reached a point of separation. Isla’s father wasn’t just travelling for business, he was using his work to go between two families: his legal wife and son, then his partner and two daughters. His diary, which unveiled the lies when accidentally discovered by [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and her sisters’ mom, revealed he even played a bizarre favouritism game; spending more physical time with his daughters because he found their mother a more agreeable personality, but he considered his son’s mother a more respectable woman to introduce to his family.

There was often an undertone of classism in Isla’s father, which was projected in subtle tones. He disliked the fact their mom maintained her long-term nickname of ‘Stevie’ [unsurprisingly derived from her surname], and vetoed certain interests or clothing the girls’ enjoyed because he considered them uncouth - which included contemporary dance classes and anything featuring sparkles. Sometimes he even attempted to mould them into tomboys, something [name_f]Isla[/name_f] considers an echo of missing his son, and he would discourage how much they loved their maternal uncle: a mechanic, of all shocking professions, which didn’t fit the airs and graces hoped for. To a degree [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and her sister feel jealousy also influenced this, as they were more similar in nature with their mom’s family and continue to be, having laid back, easily adaptable and considerate demeanours, being happy to put others first rather than senelessly push.

The truth led to their parents instantly separating, and contact was limited given the shock forced onto the girls’ in the wake of their fathers lies. [name_f]Isla[/name_f] was hit especially hard, as he’d encouraged her love of marital arts and helped sign her up for karate classes, and completely rejected him for several years, refusing to speak to him both in person and over the phone; only sending the occasional letter to voice her anger and frustration. Things are still quite cool between her and him, as she knows her decision to choose her kickboxing career over college is something he’s embarrassed by, and his consistent inability to stand up to her grandparents is deeply aggravating for [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. They’ve never shied away from blaming her mother for the shaming their son bought with his secret life, and criticise her family often, going as far as to claim she knew he was lying and went along with it hoping to extort him in exchange for silence.

[name_f]Isla[/name_f] has used this discord to assure Lonz more about his own circumstances, pointing out often how middle class lifestyles don’t assure a lack of bad behaviour, and that instead a different selfishness can be fostered. She uses her humour to handle the madness and despair her father unleashed upon her, as well as any other discord to happen [most of which revolves around her friends and their dating lives, but it’s much more tolerable than once more encountering some evasive antics her dad’s involving himself with]. Currently she still lives with her mom, but doesn’t see any point in shaming people, especially where money’s concerned. There was never much of a relationship established between [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and her half-brother, thanks to the fury of his mother about the deception, but she tends to know what he’s up to because of the familial grapevine. He’s now an investment banker - a career their paternal grandparents gush about on Facebook endlessly, leading to numerous injokes and memes being created by [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and her sister - but numbers have never intrigued her, especially when she can be enjoying true crime podcasts or tending to her collection of house plants.

[CherryBomb50]

Ember Lilimae Stephensby (23) is Isla’s elder sister and Lonz’s girlfriend. She can’t help but feel curiosity pertaining to her paternal half-brother, whom she admits for a long time that she didn’t know he existed. She is the type who appreciates self-improvement but admittedly hates looking back at herself at the end of the years. She feels like she hasn’t accomplished what she wanted and feels like she hasn’t found what she desires. Granted, she’s positive and she tries not to compare herself to the way her father described her half-brother. He has his own life and she has hers. She wouldn’t mind knowing his perspective and just the basic idea of what people do when she’s not around to see it. Ember’s main knowledge of him is from Isla, who is quite tactical with this type of knowledge.

Ember and Isla are very close due to how their father deceived them and they’ve had many secrets they’ve only told each other. Isla was the first person Ember told when she said she crushed on Lonz. Ember and Isla also cheered in excitement when Lonz told them how Yusuf and Haidee surprised each other. Ember is bonding with Yusuf’s sister Hafsah and Hafsah’s friend Nikki, given their shared major in mechanical engineering. Ember was pretty set on her major but was glad she still gave other possible majors a chance, like criminology, especially since this brought her to Lonz. Unlike Nikki, Ember hasn’t decided on her choice of career but knew since her teenage years that mechanical engineering would be in her future. This inspiration came from her maternal uncle, which she bonded with even more due to her father being so reluctant to that bond with him. She’s a bit insecure of the future and can fear the unknown, but feels better when she makes money doing what she loves — her side-gig on recycling fabrics and making accessories with them. She doesn’t mind at all that Isla lives with their mother but she wants to see if Isla can make a little pocket cash and believes Isla has a lot of creative talent. Ember and Lonz are bonding closer into their relationship, knowing they do need each other given hard times, but also because they genuinely love each other.

Nikki was created by @kitkatcookie.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_u]Marsh[/name_u] (formerly Stephensby-Marsh)[25] is the half-brother to [name_u]Ember[/name_u] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and predated them by two years before his father went off and started a second secret family where is half-sisters where born. As a child he admired his father greatly, thinking all the ‘work travel’ he did was very mysterious and important, impressing the young boy. Unaware of the classism that his father was full of.

Since his father was often gone he and his mother were very close and she shared her love for literature with him, later resulting in [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] double majoring in [name_f]English[/name_f] and Accounting in college. The world of books and stories turned out to be a perfect hideaway for him when the world around him came crashing down and his father’s second family was discovered. Ambrose’s mother took her son and fled, changing his name back her just hers. From then on [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] hardly saw his father anymore, from what he understood as a child the divorce was extremely messy and vicious. He saw a side of his mother that he had never seen before, and he didn’t like it, leading to him further receding into a world of stories.

After leaving home he’s still largely distanced himself from his family, though not cut them off for fear of something bad happening. He’s now built a life for himself with a steady job that his grandparents tend to brag about a little too much for his tastes, and a girlfriend that he’s been dating for two years, but has more recently started thinking about reaching out to [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and [name_u]Ember[/name_u] now as the anniversary of his parents’ divorce approaches. The subject of family has been weighing heavily on him these days as his girlfriend just found out that she’s pregnant. With his fatherhood now approaching he’s been reminiscing on the fact that he has been a lacking brother.