Create a Family With a Twist

[scarly2]

[name_f]Aurora[/name_f] “Rory” [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] Harrow (18): is Fei’s crush who she is planning to live with. [name_u]Rory[/name_u] lives with her dad and younger brother after her mum died of liver cancer when she was 15. She has a few friends at school but much prefers hanging out alone and she’s happiest when listening to music or reading. She too has a crush on [name_u]Fei[/name_u] but has never been with a girl before so doesn’t want to admit her feelings yet.

[name_u]Fei[/name_u] moved from [name_u]England[/name_u] to [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] shortly after her mum died and loves it here. Her best friend from high school isn’t going to the same college which is tough for [name_u]Rory[/name_u] as she finds it difficult to make friends due to her anxiety but is hoping that her housemates will be welcoming and similar to her.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Baojin[/name_f] Wu (58) is the mother of [name_u]Cloud[/name_u] and the triplets and the aunt of [name_u]Fei[/name_u]. Despite living in [name_f]Iceland[/name_f], she divides her time between [name_f]Iceland[/name_f] and [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] City as seeing her niece is important to her. She herself grew up in the city as the youngest of five siblings, and moved for college. However, she later met her wife in college and decided to stay with her.

[name_f]Baojin[/name_f] is very encouraging of [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and tells her to go for it- and she jokingly says “if your parents don’t accept it then I will adopt you!” She’s very close to all of her children but often finds herself at a loss with Ling, as her abrasive personality can be perceived as annoying. However, her and her wife try very hard to help Ling and inform her politely when she said something…too much. Apart from spending time from her kids, [name_f]Baojin[/name_f] enjoys baking, writing and beach vacations.

[name_f]Baojin[/name_f] works as a lawyer- she’s very intellectual and makes a pretty good salary but money doesn’t really matter much to her. What really matters to her is spending time with her kids and wife, bullying her older siblings (most of which all still live in NYC), and setting up [name_u]Fei[/name_u] with Rory!!!

[I_meme_it]

Junfeng " Feng " Wu (58) is Baojin’s brother and Fei’s father, who loves his daughter dearly and appreciates how much his sister makes time for his family. Feng and [name_f]Baojin[/name_f] are actually fraternal twins themselves - which made the triplets conception less stressful for her and her wife - with Feng being older by 31 minutes, although he’s always been the much more passive one who was happy to listen to their older siblings instead of wrestling with control. For a short period of time, Feng and his wife deliberated moving to [name_f]Iceland[/name_f] with their younger child, [name_u]Fei[/name_u], however the idea of leaving her brother behind - as he’s settled into his career and is living with three close friends - was too much for them, as well as sacrificing the time with extended family this would mean.

Working as a psychotherapist - who works primarily at in-patient facilities - Feng’s career is more flexible, meaning he enjoys spending time with his family as much as possible. He’s more resilient than his cooperative nature lets on, which he considers the most important part of his job thanks to the unpleasant lives his patients and private clients tend to have endured, being a very empathic and caring person who approaches almost everything with no judgment. The only time anyone can remember Feng putting his foot down with [name_f]Baojin[/name_f] was when he met his wife - who belonged to the same orchestra society as him at university - and forbade her from interfering in the relationship; as while he knows his sister only has people’s best intentions at heart, some things need to progress naturally.

~

@CherryBomb50 Noo I didn’t cut you off did I?

[kitkatcookie]

Chaoxiang Wu (24) is Feng’s firstborn and Fei’s older brother, who’s a bit of a mystery to [name_u]Cloud[/name_u] and her siblings thanks to the age gap between the cousins meaning Chaoxiang spent more time with the cousins closer to him in age. A natural introvert who’s reserved around unfamiliar people, Chaoxiang struggled in school until he was eight due to having undiagnosed ADHD, which meant he was often labelled as disinterested and obstructive by his teachers - not receiving much help as he did well when he could focus, so they assumed he didn’t engage in lessons out of choice. Following his parents taking him for an assessment after a disastrous parents evening which led to Chaoxiang’s mom almost being reduced to tears by the ridiculously unfair overview of her son, things improved greatly for him - but he moved school’s regardless due to the bias and attitudes of certain staff members. Programming is what Chaoxiang found himself excelling in, once he was given a fair chance and much needed understanding, which has subsequently led to him making quick progress with his post-university career - as the demand for qualified, confident tech-based people has allowed him to quickly find his niche: working as a software engineer for a marketing company one of his roommates is also employed by, granted they’re in the presenting part of things instead of being behind the scenes.

Alongside his main job, Chaoxiang also works as a tutor on the side, specifically with fellow ADD and ADHD diagnosed young people - as he wants to prevent others enduring the same harsh treatment. This is what brings Chaoxiang out of his aloof, self-contained shell, and he shows a great deal of passion for this; openly criticising the assumptions and prejudices applied, with a biting way of addressing what upsets and frustrates him the most. [name_m]Even[/name_m] around those he knows well and opens up about freely, he prefers to listen rather than jump into the conversation, and regularly serves as a shoulder to cry on for his cousins when they’re needing him to be there. While he admits he’s not the most confident in giving advice, you can always tell Chaoxiang cares and is genuine in offering comfort - usually in the form of inviting someone out for a coffee or to the independent jazz concerts he and his friends frequent: their favourite means of relaxing when they can’t go swimming or surfing at the beach.

As they’ve grown up, Chaoxiang and [name_u]Fei[/name_u] have become closer too, as the age gap felt less of a chasm once they’d both started maturing more. He’s given her advice on her upcoming rooming with her friends due to his own learning curve experiences through college: namely about how territorial people get about minor condiments - as a witness to a giant row about mayonnaise when he was in his second year. When choosing his current roommates, Chaoxiang was careful to ask friends he knows won’t want constant parties, as he goes through bouts of insomnia and knows it’d be a nightmare dealing with this due to how he’s now got a lot of responsibilities in life and doesn’t want to ruin his relationships through something that can be avoided. While he has a busy schedule between his weekly shifts, tutoring sessions and hanging out with his friends at a variety of locations, Chaoxiang makes sure to visit home whenever possible. Having heard from his dad about his aunts insistence regarding Fei’s crush, Chaoxiang is very relieved she wasn’t involved in the process of him and his partner starting dating, as the idea of a family member becoming entangled in his love life mortifies Chaoxiang more than even his cool sensibilities could hide.

[wandering_willow]

[name_m]Alexander[/name_m] [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] Jorgensen (25) is Chaoxiang’s partner and the older brother of Seb’s aforementioned Finnish girlfriend. Having lived between Finland and [name_f]Iceland[/name_f] in his childhood, he decided to settle somewhere quickly. He is studying for his masters degree as a doctor, and he’s a genius. He met Chaoxiang through mutual friends and they’ve been inseparable ever since. [name_u]Alex[/name_u] is thinking of proposing but he’s too shy and nervous- little does he know Chaoxiang is thinking the same way.

As a child, [name_u]Alex[/name_u] always felt inferior to his little sister as she was “the hot one” and he was merely reduced to “the smart one.” He often vents to Chaoxiang about his problems, only to kind Chaoxiang’s response is ‘well, I think you’re the hottest one.’ He gets all flustered afterwards, of course. [name_u]Alex[/name_u] and [name_m]Seb[/name_m] have met and they see each other as like minded individuals, both have an admiration for fiction and the arts. As a little kid, [name_u]Alex[/name_u] was the theater kid and scored the main role in many of the plays. His parents were the loudest in the audience, as they were always very supportive of him.

[name_u]Alex[/name_u] and his sister are very close now despite their past rivalries and enjoy each other’s company. [name_u]Alex[/name_u] writes to his sister a lot and receives letters once a week. She’s making lots of friends, and [name_u]Alex[/name_u] is proud of her. Unlike his sister, [name_u]Alex[/name_u] is shy and gets flustered easily, he’s very awkward and can’t talk to anyone. Well, except Chaoxiang. And his sister. Those are the only two people he’s really close to.

Despite majoring in medical studies Alex’s real dream is to become a playwright, and he has actually written many plays based on his own life. He calls Chaoxiang his muse, of course. He calls his sister, however, his appendage. But that’s all in good fun.

Goodnight everyone

[kitkatcookie]

tw: eating disorder

Matilda " Tilde " Suvi Jorgensen (26) is Alex’s older sister and Seb’s girlfriend. Tilde grew up being told by practically everyone that she had a charmed life - loving parents, natural beauty, a natural talent for writing - and nothing to complain about, however this emphasis on perfection led to her developing orthorexia by the time she was only fifteen. This emphasis on ‘pure’ eating stemmed from Tilde becoming terrified of failure, and food was the one thing she felt she could control successfully. She was merely considered fussy by her family, and it was only once she became even more restricted in her diet - coming to eat smaller and smaller portions - that her mother began to suspect something else was going on, resulting in a doctor’s appointment that finally led to Tilde’s diagnosis and her parents coming to see the full extent of her eating disorder. Tilde was always a little more distant from her parents than Alex, as she was left to her own devices more thanks to how naturally friendly and at ease she tends to be, which unfortunately meant until her diagnosis, she was less likely to confide in them about her personal problems. This thankfully changed after her ED was discovered, and she’s especially close with her mother, who’s always been the person she turns to first in a crisis, be it a friend group conflict or just anxieties she’s enduring.

Due to their unofficial rivalry, Tilde tended to keep Alex out of her personal business - instead confiding in close friends, one of whom she considers a sister in all but blood - and it led to misunderstandings that created further distance between them until they’d both grown up more. Tilde’s approach to life still puts others first at the expense of her own problems, something Seb and her best friend try to move her away from; as while they appreciate her caring, they don’t want her to neglect her own mental healrh for the sake of others. Ironically, Tilde never felt the same envy towards her brother as she knows academics are completely not for her and never will be; but she also acknowledges people praising her appearance supplemented what could have arisen had she not received so many compliments about another aspect of herself.

Now working as a music journalist, thanks to her surprising love of symphonic metal - which is very prevalent in Finland, Tilde does some modelling on the side; she’s applying for a long distance contract so she can move closer to Seb while continuing to work for the same publication, just reporting on the Icelandic music scene for the parent company that covers all of Scandinavia. Fundamentally, Seb is someone Tilde feels wholly comfortable around and embraced by, having been open with him about her past struggles and feelings she should always remain positive no matter what. She initially felt guilty doing this thanks to how his parents were utterly awful, but Seb assured her she didn’t have to diminish her own trauma just because his started at an earlier point in life. The subject of children has become increasingly prevalent as things are much more serious between them as a couple now, but Tilde’s always mindful of Margaret and Emil, as she doesn’t want to interfere with their family or seem like she’s got big expectations for Seb’s future with her. Contrast to assumptions, she has a very strong friendship with Margaret, and looks after the children whenever she’s visiting - partially so it gives Seb more time with his other female partner, while allowing time for Emil to get to know Tilde, as they share a common love of music.

Although the distance means they haven’t met in person much, Chaoxiang has reached out to Tilde before when discussing how to further convince Alex to pursue what makes him happy - as she firmly did this. She knows her brothers’ boyfriend worries a lot about seeming imposing or like he’s trying to tell him what to do, and - with her upfront sensibilities regarding her loved one’s - Tilde is always assuring him he’s not interfering, just showing his care in the best way. Thanks to the interlinks, Tilde does know a little of Cloud as well, but they’re more names that crop up in conversations due to Ling having quite the reputation at Margaret’s work.

Seb was created by yours truly

[lemon_swirlxx]

[name_f]Kerri[/name_f] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] (31) is a dietician and therapist and a photographer on the side lines. She had an eating disorder in her late teens and so she focuses more on helping people gain weight rather than lose it. [name_f]Kerri[/name_f] likes working with [name_f]Tilde[/name_f] but finds her a little difficult to work with. She lives with her wife and 4 kids, one who binge eats to deal with anxieties and one who under eats when stressed or nervous so obviously she helps them. Kerri’s eldest is a girl of 16, her 2nd eldest is a girl of 14, her 3rd eldest a girl of 9 and her youngest is a boy of 7. Kerri’s wife is a hair stylist and photographer, and they met at a photography class and Kerri’s eldest is only her wife’s step child as Kerri’s 1st was born to an abusive man now in prison who manipulated and controlled [name_f]Kerri[/name_f] and their child and continues to do so through letter’s to kerri’s eldest child.

[I_meme_it]

tw: coercive control and manipulation, family discord

[name_f]Marissa[/name_f] ’ Riss ’ [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] (16) is Kerri’s eldest child, who was born to her ex, and has a combative relationship with her mother due to his influence remaining. Moving to Finland for a fresh start is something Riss never wanted and felt her mother was being selfish by not allowing her to stay behind with her grandparents, where she could remain with her friends, and this resentment was just what her father needed to begin manipulating her into making Kerri’s life as difficult as possible. Riss has always felt like something of an outsider due to being linked to a man with an ominous reputation, then overshadowed by her siblings with their personal struggles, and her father likes to pretend he’s the only person who truly understands her.

Recently - after a particularly sneaky letter which played upon Marissa’s sense of isolation in a new environment and culture - she got into a huge row with her mother, which culminated in Riss screaming at [name_f]Kerri[/name_f] about how she had some nerve expecting her clients to be perfectly cooperative when she never listened to her own daughter. This was followed up by a refusal to apologise and Riss storming upstairs. The atmosphere in the house has been tense since this point and the letter inciting this is yet to be found, with [name_f]Marissa[/name_f] refusing to tell anyone its proper contents, even her grandma who she confides in about pretty much everything. At different points of time, Riss goes back and forth between loathing her father and wanting his approval, but she doesn’t voice this to anyone as she feels like a perpetual reminder of a negative point in life, which is reflected in how she wasn’t allowed to stay where she felt safe and accepted.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Anneli[/name_f] [name_f]Marta[/name_f] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] (31) is Kerry’s wife, a photographer and hair stylist. [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] is employed by the same journalism company as [name_f]Tilde[/name_f], and often travels throughout Scandinavia to take pictures. As a result, her family often goes on vacations to accompany [name_f]Anneli[/name_f]. [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] has actually met [name_m]Seb[/name_m], as she is friends with [name_f]Tilde[/name_f] through work.

Anneli’s hair business is more of a side job but she’d consider it to be her true passion and very much enjoys it. She’s often regarded as the best hair stylist in the region- ever since she was young [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] was always pressured to be the best at whatever she did as she was very smart and her parents lived vicariously through her. [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] is not biologically related to [name_f]Marissa[/name_f] but her brother was used as the donor for her three other kids, so she’s technically their aunt but this doesn’t impact how they see her. Her 14 year old daughter under eats when she’s stressed and her third oldest child is the binge eater, which she feels awful about. She’s always urging her children to regulate their eating habits despite being no professional.

[name_f]Anneli[/name_f] often finds herself to be stressed as a result of her two routines, which [name_u]Kerry[/name_u] tries to help her with despite failing very often at it. She tries to put on a brave face for Riss and her other children, but sometimes she can’t…

[kitkatcookie]

tw: eating disorder, anxiety

[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] " [name_f]Belle[/name_f] " [name_f]Ada[/name_f] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] (14) is the second eldest and an absolute perfectionist in every sense of the word. A talented archer, natural when it comes to sciences and well-behaved in class, [name_f]Belle[/name_f] is often compared to [name_f]Marissa[/name_f] with her being painted as the ideal when next to her combative sibling but her achievements and success come with severe imposter syndrome that manifests as anxiety. Like [name_f]Tilde[/name_f], food is a means of control for [name_f]Belle[/name_f], who goes through periods of depriving herself as a punishment when she feels she’s underperforming, or simply forgetting to eat because she’s so focused on keeping up the standards she’s set for herself. In spite of their very different natures (and technically not being biological sisters, as [name_f]Belle[/name_f] was born to [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] through IVF), [name_f]Belle[/name_f] and Riss maintain a closeness that doesn’t make sense to many apart from the sisters’: confiding in one another about disappointments, worries, hopes and dreams. The letter - and it’s influences - have panicked and upset her, with [name_f]Belle[/name_f] being terrified Riss might run away from home given how much she didn’t want to move, something she’s told her mum (Anneli) about in case a chance of this happening becomes a reality.

She experienced several panic attacks in the wake of the row and hid them from everyone apart from [name_f]Marissa[/name_f], who felt terribly guilty and promised to not abscond due to how much it would hurt [name_f]Belle[/name_f], but the younger girl isn’t convinced. While it’s painful to admit to anyone, she can’t help but wonder if Riss needs to go to her grandma to find happiness again and escape from her fathers’ influence - as [name_f]Belle[/name_f] has read the manipulative content of some of his letters and despises him (not that she says much to Riss due to her moodswings about her father). Belle’s decided she never wants to meet the man who technically fathered her because of what her mom and sister have been put through, instead loving her family dearly in spite of the issues, and she hopes her brother won’t be too affected by everything going on around him but as she’s grown up, cynicism has become more apparent in Belle’s nature. The one thing she does have is a solid group of friends at the international school she attends and they’ve helped lessen her anxiety considerably now she’s found her social place. Seeing how happy her mum is makes [name_f]Belle[/name_f] know Finland is where she wants to stay, no matter what, but some would argue it isn’t surprising as she’s always spoken the language more confidently and engaged in traditions [name_f]Anneli[/name_f] practiced in [name_u]America[/name_u].

[wandering_willow]

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[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] Suva “Ella” Mortensen is Belle’s best friend in school. Unlike [name_f]Belle[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is native Finnish but she’s very interested in [name_u]America[/name_u] and all the things [name_f]Belle[/name_f] did, as she’s a naturally curious person. [name_f]Ella[/name_f] doesn’t have many other friends in school- well, apart from [name_f]Belle[/name_f]. [name_f]Ella[/name_f] encourages [name_f]Belle[/name_f] to eat constantly and cooks her all kinds of meals just to get her to eat, as [name_f]Belle[/name_f] is the most important thing in her life, seemingly the only person she cares about. Like [name_f]Belle[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is a perfectionist but she doesn’t have eating problems or anything- but whenever she gets a bad grade she’ll cry for weeks, despite being the top of her class.

Ella’s parents are constantly pressuring her into being the best person she can be- through forcing her to come home with a perfect report card and going as far as to even bully her when she doesn’t perfect it. [name_f]Ella[/name_f] plans to leave them when she grows up, and go to college as far as possible. [name_f]Belle[/name_f] supports her and always has, as they have been best friend since [name_f]Belle[/name_f] moved to Finland.

Unbeknownst to [name_f]Belle[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f] has quite the crush on her and makes it quite obvious, writing down love poems in her little notebook dedicated to [name_f]Belle[/name_f]. She often babysits Belle’s little siblings just as an excuse to come see [name_f]Belle[/name_f], even. However, [name_f]Belle[/name_f] is completely oblivious.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Lilou[/name_f] " [name_f]Lola[/name_f] " [name_f]Claudette[/name_f] Ramage (14) is an acquaintance of [name_f]Ella[/name_f] and friend of Belle’s who also attends the international school. Unlike most other students, [name_f]Lola[/name_f] isn’t going to be in Finland long - two years max - as her family’s on military placement for her dad, his last to be exact, and they’re going back to their original home and family in [name_u]Southern[/name_u] [name_u]France[/name_u] as soon as possible now the travelling cycle is almost finished. Lola’s always a polite person but comes across a little distant and disinterested to [name_f]Ella[/name_f], not a personal slight by any means but she’s learned to not get attached too easily because of her dad’s career meaning she moves frequently, and she doesn’t want to regret being back in [name_u]France[/name_u] any more than she has to. Her friendship with [name_f]Belle[/name_f] was unintentionally formed, but [name_f]Lola[/name_f] isn’t going to cut things off, especially as she knows what her friend’s going through: both at home with Riss fighting her mom, and then her anxiety leading to not eating. Unlike [name_f]Ella[/name_f], Lola’s approach has been trying to convince [name_f]Belle[/name_f] to speak to their school’s counselor on a regular basis - as she’s scheduled for once a month sessions but has to give her consent for more, and right now doesn’t want to as it could attach a label to her among their peers.

As the eldest of her own siblings - being one of five (something she openly isn’t delighted about but makes work) - [name_f]Lola[/name_f] tends to be drawn to responsibility and has a lot of maternal characteristics for her age. She’s always helped out with her siblings, not even being asked but thanks to her sense of duty, and while it was never her favourite thing, she doesn’t hold anything against her mother (although she suspects her mum carries guilt about these circumstances unfolding, as the two final pregnancies were unplanned). [name_f]Lola[/name_f] has been less flatteringly called a killjoy, as she doesn’t have much time for immaturity or recklessness, but this opinion doesn’t phase her - then again not much insult wise ever does. In spite of not being close, [name_f]Lola[/name_f] carries some suspicions about how [name_f]Ella[/name_f] feels regarding [name_f]Belle[/name_f] due to her actions but hasn’t said anything as she doesn’t feel it’s her place to question a friend of a friend. What she has made up her mind on is continuing to encourage [name_f]Belle[/name_f] to seek out proper support, granted her means aren’t incessant or overbearing.

[CherryBomb50]

I haven’t come here in days, wow. @wandering_willow Thanks and thanks again for playing this game, sorry I haven’t posted her for days. @kitkatcookie Please know I don’t actually hate [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] even if I low-key mocked him last time I played, I actually like the way you created him and it was a good risk making a character like that. And honestly without [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] there would be no dramatic intrigue and without you, there would be no MVP.

Warning: references to Eating disorders

[name_f]Nicolette[/name_f] " [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] " Rouge [left] and [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] " [name_u]Shellie[/name_u] " [name_f]Monique[/name_f] [right] Ramage (12) are Lola’s younger twin sisters. [name_u]Nikki[/name_u], being 13 minutes older than [name_u]Shellie[/name_u], is the second-eldest and [name_u]Shellie[/name_u] is third. They aren’t really the types who like change, but love Finland and are always excited to be there. [name_u]Shellie[/name_u] is always close to [name_f]Lola[/name_f] and looks up to her but [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] isn’t the type who considers anyone “authority” and doesn’t like being led. They’re close with Belle’s 9-year-old sister, with [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] trying to be a good big sister figure and [name_u]Shellie[/name_u] supporting the younger girl but trying to make sure nobody controls her life. The twins still feel awkward around [name_f]Ella[/name_f] and [name_f]Belle[/name_f], suspecting [name_f]Ella[/name_f] might like [name_f]Belle[/name_f], but never getting in the way of that. [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] has her own situation that she is insecure about her body. She used to throw up after meals but was thankfully caught by [name_f]Lola[/name_f] before it became full-blown bulimia. This is why [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] looks up toher and why [name_f]Lola[/name_f] has been very cautious of her siblings.

[kitkatcookie]

@CherryBomb50 At the risk of sounding like a cruel creator who doesn’t protect her characters I seriously wasn’t phased by the [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] stuff - it was really funny! I only defend characters who unfairly take slack, not the one who needs a reality check!

[CherryBomb50]

@kitkatcookie Noooo, you would never be a cruel creator, you’re too wholesome aha. And yeah I too like joking about characters who need a reality check haha. But seriously FR you have such a beautifully wide range of characters and can write any type of character so well, you are a total goddess!

[I_meme_it]

tw: binge eating

[name_f]Serena[/name_f] ’ [name_u]Ren[/name_u] ’ [name_f]Kesia[/name_f] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] (9) is [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] and Shellie’s surrogate younger sister, as well as the third [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] sibling. Growing up with two older sisters renowned for things: Riss for her bravery and natural ability to pick up playing musical instruments (although only guitar, piano and cello have stuck long-term); and [name_f]Belle[/name_f] for her archery and knack for sciences, has led to [name_u]Ren[/name_u] feeling like a naturally less impressive person. She’s always been looking for her ‘Thing’ - as she calls it - a talent that isn’t shared by any of her siblings which she can call her own, but in spite of trying her hardest, she doesn’t feel anything’s clicked.

Unlike [name_f]Belle[/name_f] who dismisses the importance of food, [name_u]Ren[/name_u] places a lot of emotional comfort in it, which led to her starting to binge eat at just seven years old. She constantly wishes this wasn’t the case but when she hears another music piece Riss is working on or sees Belle’s grades at the end of term, eating is the only thing that can help her overcome the sense of inadequacy she’s attached to herself. When her parents found out, [name_u]Ren[/name_u] was mortified and hates talking to anyone about it, even her friends, as she thinks they’ll see her as pitiable.

Worst of all, anyone who’s seen Ren’s artwork - her mother’s especially - will tell you how much genuine talent and ability she has. Her poor self-esteem and lack of belief in herself is what holds [name_u]Ren[/name_u] back from realising she’s got plenty of talents alongside her drawing and painting: her sense of humour, love for her siblings, and how she’ll always make time for anyone who wants to speak to her - but this is easier said-than-done when you’re not in her position. [name_u]Ren[/name_u] used to resent [name_f]Belle[/name_f] especially a lot, as she thought her sister had the best lot in life out of all of them, but as she’s grown up more she can see that worries control Belle’s life similar to the way Ren’s negative opinions of herself dominate her own. What she hasn’t figured out is how to speak to her siblings about this…

[kitkatcookie]

@CherryBomb50 Thanks so much you’re too kind! I put a lot of thought into them so I’m so glad it pays off!

[CherryBomb50]

Maturity warning: Uncensored unsolved death of a niece, reference to a past deceased character.

Ingvar Gustav Declan (70) is Ren’s teacher and had been teaching at the international school for several years, being a former teacher of Riss. Ingvar is Swedish but had moved to Finland, although not until he was over 50. He is the paternal uncle of Anne Fletcher, a very supportive and kind-hearted family member and mother of 4. Unfortunately he had been unable to visit her frequently as she lived in America at the time as his brother moved to America before raising his two daughters Anne and Maja. Anne suddenly and horribly passed away under scary unknown circumstances and Ingvar has always wanted answers to the horrible calamity that day. Ingvar himself also has two grown daughters, one who lives in Sweden and one in Finland and could never imagine either of them dying so awfully. Ingvar and his daughters are always close and talk to each other as much as they can and both are very intelligent women. Ingvar is a constantly motivational teacher and is popular among the school and despite being 70, he’s never wanted to retire. He sees himself as a grandfather figure to Ren and has tried to get her to loosen up. Ren supports him for the most part but due to her low confidence, she is afraid her grades are dropping or that he thinks she’s not paying enough attention. One day he hopes she can find her confidence and love her beautiful artwork.

Anne was created by @Sophie_sawriter

[kitkatcookie]

mw: mentions of serial killers, murder

[Detective] [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] Kingswharf (40) isn’t exactly what you’d call a family friend but she’s on good terms with Ingavar as she belongs to the team currently investigating Anne’s death. Following a spree of near misses in the area, which concluded when [name_u]Anne[/name_u] died, [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] couldn’t shake the suspicion that there was more to this than just an increase in reckless driving and began consulting with other departments close to her own jurisdiction: this is when it became clear a string of deaths had occurred, with strikingly familiar circumstances to each of them, even if the car sighted was always a different make and model. It was difficult for [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] to convince her superiors to allow her to reach out to create a team comprising of local homicide detectives - to compare and discuss the numerous deaths - as she’s often been seen as overly keen to jump to the more unlikely conclusions, but she assembled enough evidence by herself to push for this to be put into action. Now she and four other detectives are attempting to profile a potential serial killer - but this information is highly confidental, and the family’s are just starting to be informed. [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] personally flew out to meet with Ingavar, as she felt it was important to let him know their suspicions face-to-face where she could also provide emotional support.

Although people assume Sarah’s tenacity and dedication comes from personal experience, it’s not the loss typically imagined for a detective. When she was studying criminology at university, Sarah’s close friend was killed by her boyfriend: an incredibly possessive and paranoid person who constantly accused his girlfriend of cheating or that [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] was trying to break them up. The subsequent investigation was botched so terribly, as the perpetrators’ father was a highly respected local businessman with an army of friends willing to vouch for his son’s character; [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] was actually shocked he was convicted when the trial finally happened, as she was certain police hadn’t cared enough to locate enough evidence. This is what pushes Sarah’s mentality and approach to her cases, even if some people think she’s prone to leaning on dramatics too much thanks to how she always tries to be open-minded in her work. She’s a single parent to an 8-year-old son, who stays with his granny and grandpa if she’s got to work late, and she just wants him to grow up safe and happy; in spite of his dad being infamously unreliable and the source of upset that bleeds into her worklife sometimes. The current investigation, and what’s been revealed, has disturbed [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] more than she’s letting on to anyone aside from her best friend - a mortician (who’s heard every joke and no, they’re not getting funnier) - because she doesn’t want her son being exposed to this.

[cara_murvolio]

[name_m]Matthew[/name_m] " [name_u]Matty[/name_u] " [name_u]Douglas[/name_u] Truesdale (8) is Sarah’s son, who tends to be in conflict with his dad given any day of the week. While it’s frustrating at times not having his mom around, [name_u]Matty[/name_u] understands Sarah’s job is important so there’s less disagreements between them, as the second she can spend time with him, she’s there. His dad on the other hand? They’re supposed to have weekly time together, agreed when [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and her ex split up after they realised they’d grown into very different people, however [name_u]Matty[/name_u] actually getting this time can never be assured.

His dad’s someone who never suited parenthood in spite of wanting kids, as it’s just the fun parts which appeal to him and none of the responsibilities or hardwork that goes into raising a child. It made him the favourite parent when [name_u]Matty[/name_u] was little, but now he’s grown up and is less easily bribed by gifts or elaborate promises, it’s obvious his mom means more to him. Usually he’ll talk to his best friend when his dad’s once again gone awol as he goes through similar stuff, but [name_u]Matty[/name_u] feels he needs his dad more now his mom’s involved in a very important investigation, and has no confidence his dad will be there.