[name_f]Naomi[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] Edgeley (8) is on Candy’s softball team and she is in her year at school. She looks young for her age and is often mistaken for being twins with her 7 year old sister. She is raised by her single Dad who has a company to provide for [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her 3 siblings. [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] often goes round to Candy’s house when her Dad’s busy at work, and they practise their softball in Candy’s massive garden.
5 Likes
(tw: death of a family member)
[name_f]Keziah[/name_f] " [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] " [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] Edgeley (12) is Naomi’s older sister. She is rather protective of [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and everytime she goes to [name_f]Candy[/name_f] & [name_m]Iolo[/name_m] 's house to play softball, she reminds her of the safety measures that need to be taken while playing. She is also very smart and has an enterpreneurial spirit - mowing the lawn for neighbours or pet sitting to add to her allowance and be able to buy clothes for herself. She loves fashion but doesn’t want her dad to be the one to spend money on her whims, as she’s painfully aware of how hard it is to raise 4 children while being a single parent. She helps out in the house a lot and is arguably the most responsible of the bunch - her older brother is known in the whole school to rebel , smoke and vandalise property , while her other brother - younger than her but older than [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] - has to be asked 3 times to help out before he quits playing Minecraft and actually does something.
[name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] comes from a religious family and she finds herself regurarly praying that God helps her dad find a new wife after the tragic loss of the 4 children’s mother. She remembers her quite vividly and always cries when she realises [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her younger brother only have vague memories of their mom. Some of Naomi’s maternal family argue that she inherited the most from her mother - both the enterpreneurial spirit that her mother had while selling her homemade candles & soaps online and her incredibly bright smile along with a positive approach to life against all odds.
6 Likes
[name_f]Hestia[/name_f] " [name_f]Essie[/name_f] " [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] Edgeley (16) is Kizzy’s older cousin who regularly comes to babysit the siblings due to their cousin closest in age - ‘the troublemaker’ as their grandma is known to call him - being the child of a single parent themselves who received a lot of support from their late aunt. Using they/her pronouns, Essie’s mother is the youngee sister of Mr. Edgeley, who became pregnant in her first year of college at a party to a guy who selfishly refused to take any accountability for their child and went as far as to claim there were numerous potential fathers’ - until his own friends turned against him for his behaviour. [name_u]An[/name_u] agreement was maid between him and Essie’s mom that child support would be paid in exchange for his reputation not being tarnished, and while [name_f]Essie[/name_f] had some contact with him when they were younger, spending time together was evidently a chore that caused them to dislike the visits as it was evident they weren’t really welcome. Their dad has offered to attend their graduation when it happens and to fund their college tuition which [name_f]Essie[/name_f] has decided to accept, solely on the grounds of how it applies less pressure their mom financially.
A prominent member of the school’s arts department, [name_f]Essie[/name_f] wants to major in visual communication, while continuing their hobby of sculpture and collaging on the side. They and [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] also share a close bond due to a mutual love of fashion, with [name_f]Essie[/name_f] giving their younger cousin first pick of all their old clothes, knowing it stops her from feeling guilty about asking their uncle for new stuff. [name_f]Essie[/name_f] has mastered the art of thrifting alongside their friends and is planning on teaching [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] when she’s a little older, but their uncle regularly comes with them and their mom if he’s buying things for his kids. In contrast, [name_f]Essie[/name_f] and their cousin closest in age don’t share much of a bond at all, often arguing as they consider it selfish how he never seems interested in spending time with his siblings, and they’ve gone as far as to have rows at school when Essie’s particularly bothered by how much pressure’s being placed on Kizzy’s shoulders, knowing she’s too young to endure so much stress.
5 Likes
(tw: death of a family member , medical negligence)
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m] [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] Edgeley (17) is [name_f]Essie[/name_f] 's cousin and [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] & [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] 's brother. He is called “the Troublemaker” by their grandma and really earned that nickname - being known to smoke, undermine the authority of teachers with snarky remarks and nightly go out to the city to meet fellow graffiti-painting rebels , who are nutorious for criticizing the current mayor of the city for not developing enough infrastructure in the city and not staying true to the promises he made in the election campain. Therefore, [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] and his buddies are wanted by the local authorities but they are good at staying uncrecognisable by always being hidden , wearing hoodies and knowing which areas of the city are poorly lit.
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m] has not the best relationship with his father and doesn’t help out in the house because of it. He wants to just be free and not grow up too fast because of the tragedy that struck. Rebelling and acting as if he didn’t care helps him escape the reality that he, the oldest child, remembers their mom the most and remembers the surname of the doctor because of whom their mom died due to medical negligence. Sadly, he never got justice and escaped to Venezuela shortly after the tragedy. [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] wishes he could have revenge on him , but knows seeking vengeance will only destroy his mental health further.
[name_f]Essie[/name_f] , his dad and his grandma often tell [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] that he’s just an ungrateful brat and refuse to be encouraging to him which only drives him further away from his family. If it wasn’t for [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] , [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and especially his younger brother - who looks up to him the most - he would have run away from home long ago. Recently he got a girlfriend who he feels understands his position and is quietly supprotive while also holding him accountable for his actions and reminding him that no mater the current conflict with his dad, he still loves him and as soon as [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] starts putting more effort into being an active member of the family life, it will pay off. She works at a pizza place as a delivery driver due to the driver’s license she recently got. While [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] doesn’t have one yet, he is considering getting employed as a waiter to be able to support his family financially.
5 Likes
tw: parentification, neglect
[name_f]Elise[/name_f] [name_f]Avalon[/name_f] McCune (18) is Thomas’s girlfriend of four months who’s been proving to have a positive influence on him. Growing up with a single mother who based her entire happiness around being in a relationship, [name_f]Elise[/name_f] was forced to act as a parent to her three younger siblings frequently, all the while enduring the stigma of coming from a low income household and lacking many of the basic school items she needed, with teachers taking pity on her and not chastising her for this. This is where her empathy towards [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] and his siblings come from, not due to him having undergone similar experiences exactly, but as she understands how trauma shapes people and especially why [name_f]Kizzy[/name_f] feels a need to act as a surrogate mother to her younger siblings.
Life changed for the better when Elise’s paternal grandmother finally tracked down her granddaughters (Elise and her sister closest in age, who’s now 14), and - in an act of kindness that surprised even the then-15 year old girl - applied to adopt all four children, even Elise’s younger siblings who have a different father to them. This allowed her to finally begin living her life without the stress of cooking, cleaning and washing clothes, although [name_f]Elise[/name_f] got her job to help prepare for true independence, and also because driving’s a freedom she loves now she uses her gran’s old car. [name_f]Elise[/name_f] also opted to change her surname to that of her grandmother’s, as she and her mom have had no real contact apart from the occasional phonecall since she left, with her mother promising to change and prioritise her children, but [name_f]Elise[/name_f] remains skeptical based on the cycle of her childhood.
4 Likes
[name_f]Merida[/name_f] [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] McCune (14) is Elise’s little sister who looks very young for her age but has only just turned 14. [name_f]Merida[/name_f] loves reading and sewing, something their grandma has taught her. [name_f]Merida[/name_f] loves her 11 year old brother and 9 year old sister but she prefers time alone after being shut with them in a tiny room for so many years of her life because the three were forced to share a room. She hates scary things. She plays basketball with her friends especially her best friend [name_u]Joe[/name_u] who is very sporty.
4 Likes
[name_u]Paxton[/name_u] " [name_u]Pax[/name_u] " [name_u]Cassio[/name_u] Imbriale (11) is [name_f]Elise[/name_f] and Merida’s only brother, technically their half-sibling, hence his surname being different to their own. [name_u]Pax[/name_u] was always the most outgoing and arguably wild of the four, having constant energy for soccer, climbing or arguing if it felt necessary to him. He would always question their mom’s authority due to how she never provided any guidance or assurance to her children and sometimes threatened to run away, only for [name_f]Merida[/name_f] to quickly step in, beginning him not to go. These were empty threats [name_u]Pax[/name_u] used to try and gain more affection and affirmation from their mother, which often worked - but only in the short-term before her latest boyfriend came along and the children were pushed aside yet again. He didn’t always like [name_f]Elise[/name_f] being the voice of authority - especially as his other older sister was much more gentle, while [name_f]Elise[/name_f] had to be tough to get him to listen - but respected her more and more as he grew up and was able to see how much she did to provide for everyone: often at the expense of herself.
When [name_f]Glenda[/name_f] McCune stepped in to take custody after tracking down her late son’s daughters, Pax’s self-confidence and boldness were truly challenged, temporarily fading away entirely. He was terrified - and more importantly, certain - that [name_f]Glenda[/name_f] would leave him and their little sister to be taken into care as they weren’t biological relatives, likely to be split up based on how they were also half-siblings. [name_u]Pax[/name_u] never knew much about his own father, other than he wanted nothing to do with any children he fathered: as [name_u]Pax[/name_u] also has paternal half-siblings, albeit they’ve never met as his father was in this area very briefly before returning to the coast. When [name_f]Glenda[/name_f] offered to take all four children though, he actually went into a state of semi-shock; not quite able to react to her kindness properly in the moment, until they’d settled into their new home, and [name_u]Pax[/name_u] personally crafted her a thank you card.
Basketball has also become something [name_u]Pax[/name_u] enjoys, although not as much as soccer, swimming and climbing, as he isn’t that tall yet and knows this puts him at a disadvantage. He also often teases [name_f]Merida[/name_f] gently about her friendship with [name_u]Joe[/name_u], insisting that the two will fall in love and get married, something she always goes bright red at hearing (until [name_f]Elise[/name_f] tells him to drop it). Being scared is something [name_u]Pax[/name_u] readily enjoys: having inherited a Goosebumps collection from one of [name_f]Elise[/name_f] and Merida’s cousins, which he avidly reads every night. Halloween is his favourite holiday and this year he wants to go as some sort of demon, although [name_f]Glenda[/name_f] has made it clear he isn’t going to be too nightmarish, in case he frightens his little sister terribly. [name_u]Pax[/name_u] has also recently been diagnosed with ADD: something that didn’t surprise [name_f]Elise[/name_f] and [name_f]Merida[/name_f], who suspected as much given his energy and poor concentration at times, but their mom could never be bothered to take him for an assessment unlike their gran.
4 Likes
tw: mentions of armed robbery, imprisonment
Bailey-Autumn ’ [name_f]Bibi[/name_f] ’ Thurron-McCune (9) is the youngest of the four siblings and by far the most happy-go-lucky, in spite of all the difficulties she’s been exposed to in her life. Bibi’s father was the only one genuinely interested in building a relationship with his child, hence her gaining his surname, however circumstances would mean she also was raised without him present. Bibi’s dad had a long history of being involved in robbery prior to meeting her mother, but when she was just a month old, he was arrested for his involvement in a local armed robbery: one that shocked the community and even the siblings careless mother was horrified at these events.
Subsequently, [name_f]Bibi[/name_f] had no contact with her dad - her mom banning it in one of her few acts to protect her children - in spite of him trying to write to her from prison, and the reputation placed on her shoulders led to quite a lonely childhood. Aside from her home life being chaotic as [name_f]Elise[/name_f] - a child herself - was trying to hold things together, [name_f]Bibi[/name_f] was quite lonely as most of her classmates were instructed to stay away from her, in spite of her friendly and sweet nature. Thankfully, [name_f]Bibi[/name_f] has one close friend - her best friend who’s remained even now she’s living with [name_f]Glenda[/name_f] McCune - who also has a father in prison and the two girls are inseparable, sharing a love of marine animals that they’re always talking about.
3 Likes
Tw: Murder, family issues, imprisonment, abuse, care system [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] Jenkinson (10) is definitely the more mature one of the two friends but her maturness derived from looking after her younger 5 year old twin sisters and keeping her household together while her parents argued over her older brother being murdered, and shortly after her Dad was arrested for the murder of her brother. She then lives with her abusive step-dad and her mother and her 5 year old sisters until the three of them are placed in foster care.
5 Likes
tw: domestic homicide
Seon-mi " [name_f]Juno[/name_f] " [name_u]Kim[/name_u] (44) is [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her sister’s social worker. As a dedicated CPS worker, [name_f]Juno[/name_f] was paired with the Jackson’s due to her own background. [name_f]Juno[/name_f] grew up in [name_f]Chicago[/name_f] in a middle class apartment block with her parents and older brother, her family being very loving, but their next door neighbours were another story. Moving in when [name_f]Juno[/name_f] was eleven, she soon began to notice the wife of the couple would often be wearing very heavy makeup as she moved about the building, barely leaving her apartment anyways, and always seemed especially nervous if Juno’s dad tried to talk to her - as if it could be misconstrued as something inappropriate. Many residents suspected the woman’s husband was subjecting her to violence and abuse but in spite of Juno’s mother calling the police at one point when she saw their neighbour crying on the balcony, nothing was ever proven as she refused to press charges, and hospital reports were explained away as ‘little accidents’. The situation ended in tragedy, sadly, when the woman was killed by her husband after he became convinced she was having an affair, and he would be arrested while [name_f]Juno[/name_f] was at school - with her coming home to police everywhere and her parents had to sit her down to explain what happened in a manner appropriate for the twelve year old girl.
This incident shaped [name_f]Juno[/name_f] into the highly compassionate, understanding and patient social worker she is. She’s very empathetic to [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her sister’s trauma, careful to not overstep boundaries or seem as if she’s coming between the siblings, something she knows [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] in particular would resent. [name_f]Juno[/name_f] has managed to ensure the girls are placed in the same foster home: run by a couple who she’s personally friends with - a genderfluid person who uses they/he pronouns and their husband - whom specialises in caring for siblings. The Jenkinson’s are the only children living with them right now to ensure they get appropriate attention, care and time necessary, but she makes sure to visit frequently.
Juno’s remained close to her family throughout the years. She lives close by to her elderly parents and frequently visits, often taking her own children to spend time with their grandparents. [name_f]Juno[/name_f] and her husband have two children of their own: a teenage daughter and pre-teen son, whom she’s ensured remain close to their Korean heritage, while their dad makes sure they’re involved in his Chinese culture. [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her sister’s came round with their foster parents to celebrate the Lunar [name_u]New[/name_u] Year and have food with [name_f]Juno[/name_f], which was the first time they seemed more relaxed following their placement, especially the younger girls who have bonded quickly with their foster parents. Due to the circumstances of their brother’s death, [name_f]Juno[/name_f] knows the upcoming trial will be potentially devastating for [name_f]Naomi[/name_f], and is preparing to face the likely issues this event will bring.
5 Likes
Maturity warning: This character is dead but not murdered, although living a life of being unwanted and forgotten. Also he is the son of Juno’s former neighbors and has references to Naomi’s aforementioned father.
[name_m]Trevor[/name_m] [name_u]Vern[/name_u] [name_m]Bellamie[/name_m] (6 [name_u]July[/name_u] 1989 - 22 [name_u]December[/name_u] 2012, aged 23) was the son of Juno’s former next-door neighbors growing up, growing up from the infamous couple, but at the time he and [name_f]Juno[/name_f] didn’t know each other well. He was only 1 year old when his father was in police custody. After his father was convicted, he was taken into foster care and ended up remaining there until adulthood. The rest of his family never contacted him and he felt like it wasn’t their fault but rather his father’s fault they never contacted him out of pain over what happened with his mother. Still, he wished he wasn’t so isolated. He had no funds for college so he was forced to spend his adulthood in a job he didn’t like in a neighborhood that was old and somewhat broken-down although he was fortunate enough to have a 2-story home. He lived between an old lady who people-watched but never talked to anyone and a man who loved socialising but just never with his neighbors because he thought they were uncool. Although he was rather irritable with being “unwanted” as a person, he felt good knowing he could use his adult life to help kids and make their lives better. In his early twenties, he decided to go to community college and take classes in sociology and child development before going to university and getting a degree although his biggest concern was the possibility of taking a student loan and digging into deeper poverty by loan debt. Still, he felt he needed a good job and felt there was something potentially wrong with the houses on his street but loved his city. He stayed within the same city he grew up in and saw a man harassing a boy who appeared to be his son. He tried to tell him off but the man grabbed his son and drove away in his car before he could do anything. He used this time to write down everything he remembered from the man, son, and his car in case the information could be used again. He also saw [name_f]Juno[/name_f] again when strolling around town and learned of her own job as a social worker at CPS which he admired. She learned that he was the baby of her former neighbors growing up and was noticeably traumatised remembering how scary and dangerous their relationship was. He told her that he was safe and okay and that he deeply feels awful for the pain his late mother went through. That moment, he stopped feeling so angry that he never had any close bonds and started feeling lucky that he wasn’t killed by his father. [name_f]Juno[/name_f] respected his new thoughts but believed he still deserved to be cared about. She taught him about her job and what he would need to finish in school to get there, knowing he was interested in following a similar path. She also heard he was discussing details from a man who was being cruel to his son before they drove away and [name_f]Juno[/name_f] encouraged him to keep finding more evidence and report it. Later that year, he worked as a teaching assistant at an elementary school and had some very real conversations with children at the school. He worked closely with [name_f]Juno[/name_f] as well, reporting any abusive issues the children had to her.
On [name_u]Winter[/name_u] Break that [name_u]December[/name_u] 2012, while [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] was watching the night sky, he heard his social neighbour having a [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] party and heard a familiar voice of one of the guests. He went on the balcony of his house and got a closer look. The guest was the infamously dangerous father and noticed his son was at the party too along with a baby girl, who turned out to be a young [name_f]Naomi[/name_f]. Trying not to cry on the balcony like his late mother had been seen doing, he decided to film the father to get evidence. He filmed the father yelling and trying to hurt the boy, before locking him in the backyard of the house in the cold. He had gotten the evidence he needed to get the man convicted but while trying to turn back and go back inside his house, the balcony railing broke, and he fell down two stories. He was still conscious and felt no pain, but the old lady neighbor saw the fall and encouraged him to lie down anyway. He limped back inside the house and lied down on a bed. The old lady was glad he rested up and an hour and a half later, she knocked on his door to see if he was better. She got no answer and creaked open the door and said “Hello?” She went to the bedroom on the first floor and saw him in bed but noticed he had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. She called a physician, who pronounced him dead. Turns out he was unable to feel his injuries due to an adrenaline rush but he had actually been badly injured internally and succumbed to the untreated injuries. She hoped he had died peacefully but feared he may have felt the full impact after the adrenaline wore off and the agony made him unable to move from his bed, leaving him stuck there in pain until he died. However thanks to her, he was still able to give kids the gift of life by being an organ donour and the police were able to rule his death an accident. After his death, the city realised the houses on that street were too old and very unsafe and even if the balcony didn’t give in on him, other residents on the street may have died decades later from the lead paint that many houses had. While his house didn’t have it, the old lady’s house had black mold and many of those houses with toxins were also taken down and rebuilt. His house was free of toxins but had very little stability so it was remodeled and updated. Years after many of the people were forced to move out for safety concerns, the new houses were finished.
So what happened now? Unfortunately things have gone horribly wrong for [name_f]Naomi[/name_f]’s family due to her brother abused by his father eventually being murdered by him and she and her siblings being cared for by [name_f]Juno[/name_f] and her friends who hold them in their foster home so luckily she and her sisters are in safe care and are not in danger. And for [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] [name_m]Bellamie[/name_m] himself? Due to having no contact with his family, he never had a funeral. However [name_f]Juno[/name_f] remembered that fateful day years ago when Trevor’s mother died and personally paid to have him buried next to her. For many years however, he was mostly forgotten even by people on the street he lived at, since many residents left when the houses were redone and didn’t return. The person living in his now-remodeled former house is actually the prosecution lawyer for the upcoming trial. This lawyer didn’t know at the time of the death in the home since she purchased the home over three years after the death occurred and the seller didn’t have to disclose it. She only found out after her kids insisted, “Our house is haunted by a ghost!” The lawyer didn’t believe in ghosts and even the people on the neighborhood who did believe in ghosts said that no one was actually going to get possessed and that it was a harmless ghost. One of the neighbors, the old lady, who returned to her house after the house fixes, was having memory loss and one day found Trevor’s cell phone in her house. She must have taken it with her by mistake while leaving his house after he was found dead. However she forgot he had died and went to the remodeled house to return it to him, thinking he still lived there. She left the phone on the doorstep and the lawyer later found the phone in confusion as to whose phone this was. The phone was cracked but still worked. But what stunned her was the video of Naomi’s father abusing his son and that the phone showed the video was from 2012. She was appalled by the fact that the video was filmed but never reported and believed the filmer was doing it for entertainment purposes before learning the filmer died before he could report it. It greatly bothered her that [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] the filmer had to die because had he survived, Naomi’s brother could have survived as well. But finding the video would be important now because this would add steeper charges and added counts of abuse to the trial and would bring justice closer. The couple currently raising [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and her younger twin sisters agrees and like [name_f]Juno[/name_f], also places flowers on the Bellamies’ graves alongside Naomi’s older brother.
4 Likes
Arwen Matilda Gately (10) is Trevor’s daughter, who was born a month before his tragic passing, although he wasn’t even aware of her conception: he and her mother met at a party, although Arwen’s mom was more of a plus one and knew she’d be returning to New York for school a few days later so they decided against trying to pursue anything and wrote it off as a casual hookup. It was four months later Arwen’s conception was discovered as signs of pregnancy took some time to emerge, and by then she’d lost contact with the friend who invited her to the party, meaning she had no means of contacting Trevor. Part of her didn’t want to truthfully, as the fear of rejection or being called a liar in regards to paternity was overwhelming, due to something similar happening to Arwen’s godmother - whose younger daughter is her best friend.
Luckily, her parents were incredibly supportive and never judged their daughter for her predicament, instead aiding with childcare so Arwen’s mom could help get set up as a job in tech repair using her programming degree. She and her daughter have always been close though, with Arwen sharing her mom’s affinity for technology, although video games are her passion: especially vintage point-and-click adventures she found on her grandpa’s PC.
Now she’s older, Arwen does have more questions about her paternity, but doesn’t want to bombard her mom with questions as she’s scared of hurting her or dismissing their bond. Being around friends with dad’s prompts her wondering, but the answers scare her, as the idea of facing a negative reaction frightens her considerably - and her wish to trace her routes is something only her best friend is semi-aware of. She’s a sensitive child herself, having a strong attachment to her family, friends and pets - namely her beloved Jack Russell Muppet, who Arwen convinced her mom to adopt after they saw him advertised at a local shelter, with specifications regarding his appropriateness for children. Some people think she’s a crybaby on how anything unpleasant upsets her, and Arwen struggles with this as she wants to be seen as grownup, but she can’t hide her feelings, especially as her interest in the environment and animal rights grows with time. For her most recent birthday she got a new bike and loves going round the neighbourhood or to her grandparents, finding more confidence in this new form of independence granted.
@CherryBomb50 With the tragedy of Trevor’s life I wanted to add a little bit of further light! Hope it works 
4 Likes
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m] “Des” [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u] Gately (62) is Arwen’s grandfather. He is a retired [name_f]Marine[/name_f] and never went by Mr. Gately formally, instead going by Col. Gately because he was a colonel and he believes anyone serving the military should be allowed to use their titles outside of combat even if they were still a private (Pvt). However he is very chill informally and simply went by [name_m]Des[/name_m] most of the time informally. He knows his daughter grew up a lot without him because of his service in the military but always enjoyed being able to come home. Now at 62, he is retired per the mandatory retirement age, having retired on his 62nd birthday in [name_u]July[/name_u] of last year. He and [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] [name_m]Bellamie[/name_m] were ironically both born on 6 [name_u]July[/name_u], but [name_m]Des[/name_m] was born 30 years earlier. His parents are very elderly and he visits them from time to time too in their nursing home. Des’s maternal aunt is the old woman who lives next to the prosecution lawyer for the trial. He sees her sometimes too but she unfortunately doesn’t remember him very well due to memory loss. When [name_m]Des[/name_m] thinks of someone falling and dying from complications of the fall, he thinks of an old person falling in their house, not a 23-year-old falling from an unstable balcony. [name_m]Des[/name_m] doesn’t know [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] existed, let alone was the former next-door neighbor of his aunt. Des’s parents have recently gotten into chess and love strategic mind games to help their brains and are very good at chess, proving you can’t be too old to learn a new skill.
Despite being in the military, he was still able to continue paying for childcare for his granddaughter [name_f]Arwen[/name_f], just like he had in paying for child support for his daughter when she was growing up. He was very astute and always kept his promises and never made a promise if he didn’t 100% believe it would be kept. He valued trust and wouldn’t ever do anything to break that trust. [name_m]Des[/name_m] loved [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] and always enjoyed how beautiful and sweet she was and was overjoyed to see her and have her in the family. He knows [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] fears for him when he is overseas and he fears for himself as well but wants her to enjoy childhood while she can and gives her gifts a lot. Des’s main worry is that he fears [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] won’t remember him or see how much he loves her when she and the rest of his family are always on his mind. Thankfully this isn’t the case given Arwen’s family attachment and [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] would never stop loving and supporting him, calling him her “hero”. [name_m]Des[/name_m] sometimes worries about Arwen’s biological father and why they’ve never met but feels he has no place to judge since he was often away during his daughter’s childhood, although he never wanted to lose contact and the family knows this. He lives nearby her with his wife and she bikes to their house a lot, making him proud she is growing up with this new independence and sees how far she’s come. [name_m]Des[/name_m] personally wishes the best for the Thurron-McCune and Jenkinson siblings. He spends most of his life with his family and is thankful he gets to see them and know how great they are. He is learning more technology from his daughter and granddaughter, after all you’re never too old to learn a new skill and his parents proved that.
@kitkatcookie [name_f]Queen[/name_f]! I love it! [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] is so adorable and it definitely works, it fits seeing that [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] is a lonely person but he isn’t hateful and loves children and that she is very family-loving, tapping in that he wishes he was with a stable family. I also like that [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] isn’t a [name_m]Bellamie[/name_m] as it would give negative associations to Arwen’s paternal grandfather and that her birth story keeps with the fact that [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] is mostly forgotten but still has a semblance that people still care about him and want to know him. [name_f]My[/name_f] only gripe is the fact that you’re going to need a bigger trophy case for your now-3 MVP awards. 
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[name_f]Claudia[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] Gately (33) is Des’s daughter and Arwen’s mother, as well as Trevor’s brief love interest. Having been a history student at the time she became pregnant, [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] managed to finish her degree before gibing birth, although any future plans regarding her career were put on hold as she wanted to prioritise motherhood. [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] struggled with not reaching out to tell [name_m]Trevor[/name_m] about what had happened - not only because she didn’t know how to find him but tragically, she only worked up the courage to go looking after his untimely death, and the shock is something she still has a hard time comprehending all these years later. Everything she’s learned about her daughters’ father give the impression he would’ve embraced [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] and been an active presence in her life, causing a lot of guilt for [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] who still hasn’t figured out when to speak to her about this.
Working at a local museum as an exhibit organiser and junior curator, [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] visits her parents regularly, even when Arwen’s at sleepovers or school, feeling incredibly grateful for all they’ve done for her and helps out around their house with tasks to give her dad a break in particular. Her dad’s reliability is something [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] especially admires and she does her best to uphold this now, as does her younger brother. She also has a half-sibling from her mom’s remarriage who’s non-binary and, in spite of the age gap, they’re close thanks to [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] offering them a lot of advice based on her own experiences; although she’s closer to her stepmother (Des’s wife) than her stepdad - something she keeps close to her chest to avoid any disputes, as her brother was very antagonistic in the early days of their mom’s new relationship.
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Maturity warning for aforementioned death by medical negligence.
Simon Will Gately (31) is Claudia’s younger brother, Des’s son, and the half-brother of their non-binary half-sibling. Like Claudia, he is also not looking for a relationship and also tends to be busy with the family life. Simon is gay but has only has one serious relationship when he was 28 and dating a 36-year-old doctor. Turns out the doctor was straight and was purely using him. This doctor was also responsible for the death of a woman due to his medical malpractice and fled to Venezuela to avoid criminal charges. After finding out from Thomas Edgeley and his family, Simon immediately said he was breaking up with the doctor only to find he wasn’t around and was in hiding. He thanks the Edgeley family for warning him and feels sorry for their loss, memorialising her every year on her birth date, death date, and Mother’s Day in honour of her children left without a mother. He is trying his best to support his own mother on Mother’s Day despite the fact that he used to despise his mother’s new relationship with his now-stepfather. However that was a long time ago and he is grateful for his non-binary half-sibling from that marriage and has been for many years. Still, sometimes his mother and half-sibling feel he loves his stepmother more than his mother and feel strange that he says “Happy Mother’s Day” to his stepmother too.
Remembering what Arwen asks every Father’s Day about whether or not she has a father, this made Simon think. No, he wasn’t going to tell her anything as he knew it wasn’t his place to discuss, but more so about his “children.” Simon was technically not a father by legality but was by biology. This is because he was a sperm donour and had learned two children, twins, were produced by his donations. He secretly wants to meet the twins even if he knows they won’t call him “Dad” or do anything children traditionally do with parents. However, their half-sibling suggests not to do it yet and it would make things awkward, which Simon agrees, because the mother of the twins is a distant cousin of Simon’s stepfather.
Thomas was created by @moonwriteen.
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[name_u]Dorian[/name_u] [name_u]Odysseus[/name_u] Amstell (17) is the maternal half-sibling of [name_m]Simon[/name_m] and [name_f]Claudia[/name_f], who’s done their best to provide their older brother with advise given his slew of difficult situations. For the most part, [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] was protected from the animosity between their dad and [name_m]Simon[/name_m] growing up, but they have more awareness of the conflict than people were aware of for quite some time…and are very understanding of both sides. They’re the first person to admit their dad isn’t the easiest of people to get on with: he’s gruff, not naturally warm, and tends to get offended on the behalf of his wife easily - having been very hostile towards [name_m]Des[/name_m], something [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] admittedly finds more embarassing than anything else.
A passionate arts student, their interests are primarily based in music and metal sculpture - combining in the industrial metal band [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] belongs to: ctrl shift alt; being the drummer. While they know their niece [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] would love to come and see them perform, Dorian’s honest about the fact their sound isn’t for everyone, nor do they want to expose their niece to the not always child friendly lyrical content they produce.
To make up for this, they have written songs just for her, and take pride in being considered especially cool by [name_f]Arwen[/name_f]: helped by the fact they have more cultural reference points similar to her. Gaming especially is something they share in common, and [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] can spend hours playing adventure point-and-clicks with her, having an especial fondness for mysteries which they’ve never been able to explain to others. Their dad has also taught [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] more about working on cars - tying into their love of metalwork - and they fixed up the one they drive, which has strengthened their bond. It’s no secret their dad didn’t always understand Dorian’s interests, especially the more abstract art they’re into, but having a bonding point means the world to them, as they were afraid of becoming distant from him.
~
@chamwue
@A.B.Galaxy
@wandering_willow
Completely forgot about this one so wanted to invite ya’ll over too!
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Erik Jesse Roland (17) is a fellow member of Dorian’s band ctrl shift alt as the bassist and is the maternal cousin of Elise, Merida, Pax, and Bibi. Erik’s parents are nice to him but try to shelter him from his aunt, their mother, and Erik can’t figure out why. Erik is still kind to his cousins and contacts them over phone and video chat as much as he can. As much as Erik wants to know about his aunt, he’s decided not to talk about her to them, as he doesn’t want to make them uncomfortable. Still, he’s always been there to talk when they need it. Erik tried not to resent his parents for leaving him out of the loop and admits he used to feel uneasy around Dorian’s father, but is respecting and understanding him more. There’s another ctrl shift alt band member with amazing parents and Erik considers these parents like coaches or mentors to him.
Elise and Bibi were created by @I_meme_it.
Pax was created by @kitkatcookie.
Merida was created by @lemon_swirlxx.
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tw: racism mention (not graphic)
[name_f]Talise[/name_f] [name_f]Javiera[/name_f] [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] de la Hoya (17) is the lead guitarist of ctrl shift alt and the one with the aforementioned amazing parents. The kindness, supportive nature and unconditional love of the [name_m]Hernandez[/name_m] de la Hoya’s stems from poor circumstances: they’re both first generation immigrants from Mexico and [name_f]Argentina[/name_f] respectively who endured a lot of prejudice and racism while settling down with their family; ranging from microaggressions to outright intolerance. This led to them wanting to create an environment for their children which encouraged self-acceptance, tolerance of others and pride in their culture, which has driven Talise’s own approach to other people; as well as how they’re not afraid of calling out social issues in their lyrics. [name_f]Talise[/name_f] uses they/she pronouns which their parents are incredibly respectful of and they’ve thankfully been embraced by their extended family too, which was a shock but one that helped with a lot of anxiety [name_f]Talise[/name_f] battled regarding their identity. Some of the bands songs feature bridges sung entirely in Spanish which isn’t just Talise’s vocals: they’ve taught the lead singer how to pronounce every word perfectly, and will happily step in if needed.
Being the younger of two children, they also grew up idolosing their big sister: a veterinary science student who wants to work in zoos, improving the care and living conditions for the housed animals. Talise’s parents help train service dogs and adopted a retired retriever named [name_m]Rusty[/name_m] when they were 14, who’s the one being [name_f]Talise[/name_f] will skip band practise for, as it’s impossible to say no to his pleading gaze whenever he wants an extra walk. Sometimes they worry about seeming like they take their home life for granted and make sure to show appreciation for their family at every moment, crediting numerous songs to them. Aztec history is also something [name_f]Talise[/name_f] has a preoccupation with - the past in general fascinates them - and appears in several logos for the band that have been shopped around; but currently they’re still deciding on what they prefer and feel the chaos fits the band quite nicely for now. [name_f]Talise[/name_f] is actually friendly with [name_f]Elise[/name_f] - Erik’s cousin - and has some awareness of her background, which is what led to her joining the band thanks to a recommendation from [name_f]Elise[/name_f] when the others were searching for an experienced guitarist.
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Alejandrina “ Aly “ Ysadora Hernandez de la Hoya (44) is Talise’s mother and a service dog trainer, originally born in Mexico. She is a naturalised citizen and despises anyone who thinks she is “illegal”. It’s racist to assume anyone is illegal without proof and it’s given her lots of compassion for other cultures. She’s got high ties with the Latin American community. She is also open to learning about other cultures, being long-distance friends with Juno Kim of South Korean culture married to a man of Chinese culture. Aly finds Juno an equally caring and compassionate person and adores everything she’s done for Naomi Jenkinson. Naomi J. has been doing a lot better mentally lately and Aly is so proud of her and Juno!
From her daughter Talise and through Erik, she knows a bit about Elise’s family and has used her compassion to support them during hard times. She’s learned of the Edgeley family, in which Elise is dating Thomas Edgeley. Thomas and his sisters Kizzy and Naomi E. and their other brother have been very devastated and highly affected by their mother’s death by medical negligence. The doctor, now 39 years old, is currently in hiding in Venezuela. A mutual friend of Aly and her husband, who currently lives in Venezuela, is currently tracking down this doctor in a plan to get justice for the Edgeley family. Their cousin Essie is super supportive and has helped instill hope in their cousins that justice can finally be served.
Given Aly and her husband’s sweet nature, it’s rubbed off on their children and Aly is happy that Talise is helping Elise and being great buddies with her. She’s also happy Elise has helped Talise as well at putting themself out there and inspiring them to join the band ctrl alt shift. Erik has even considered Aly and her husband like surrogate parents to him, which makes them both proud and grateful. She adores everyone in the band and has helped them feel like better people. Aly is also proud of her older daughter‘s desire to help out the animals and give them better and fulfilling lives. Aly was always going to accept Talise’s identity and so was her husband and other daughter. Aly wants people to know they can come to her to tell her anything.
Juno and Essie were created by @kitkatcookie.
Naomi J. and Naomi E. were created by @lemon_swirlxx.
Thomas and Kizzy were created by @moonwriteen.
@kitkatcookie With the tragedies of the other 11-20 characters and from your own inspiring ways of hope, I gave some good spirits for everyone else in that block. I swear every 10 characters makes a new theme for this game and it’s not even intentional, it just flows in place like that. Characters 1-10 (Meg - Naomi E.) were just the cool starter family-builder characters, 11-20 (Kizzy - Trevor) were a much darker and more tragic group, and this group (Arwen-Aly/whoever ends up being 30th) is basically the happier hope for the 11-20 characters along with fabulous funkier personalities. Can’t wait to see what the 31-40 theme ends up being.
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