🌼 create a family with a twist

[wandering_willow]

[name_m]Lev[/name_m] [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m] Kostyukevic (24) is the older brother of [name_u]Marin[/name_u]. He’s working as a tattoo artist at a body art shop, though he will occasionally help out with piercings. He’s been working there for about a year now and he’s made so many friends there who don’t make fun of him, and [name_m]Lev[/name_m] really appreciates that. Like [name_u]Marin[/name_u], [name_m]Lev[/name_m] has a noticeable accent but he’s tried to hide it and mask it as he’s been bullied for it ever since he was a little kid. [name_m]Lev[/name_m] took refuge in the pages of his sketchbook- he’d draw all sorts of things, from toys to other objects but especially people- including his first crush, who lasted for three months in third grade. He’d draw her constantly, referring to her as his muse. His sketchbook was soon covered in pictures of her until she found them, terrified. Some other kid picked up the sketchbook and threw it into a trash bin- the girl rummaged through the pictures, found them to be beautiful and apologized to [name_m]Lev[/name_m] but he was already hurt. He then decided he’d never let anyone else ever see his artwork, and that it was pointless because he’d just get bullied anyway. The only person he’d ever show his work was [name_u]Marin[/name_u], who he really trusted (and still does).

When he was around 15 or 16, tattoos and body art caught Lev’s eye. His mother would definitely give him a no, but [name_m]Lev[/name_m] didn’t care. He stole his older cousin (who lives in Belarus)’s ID as his mother was residing there temporarily for her job, which his cousin thought was funny, and got his first tattoo in Belarus- a small snake on his stomach. A cobra. It was all fun and games until summer came around and he had to take off his shirt- wearing a swim shirt would make him look “like a dork” in his opinion. His mother was enraged when she found out and she took him to get it removed- he never regretted it though, not for one second. [name_m]Lev[/name_m] sees the body as another canvas to work on, just like a blank sheet of paper- but he’s always sure to check the kids’ IDs to make sure they don’t have to come back and get it removed.

Though it was Marin’s idea to write in Belarusian and Russian, [name_m]Lev[/name_m] really likes her idea and thinks it was a cool was to keep their private thoughts private and still is. Though [name_m]Lev[/name_m] now has another reason to use his linguistic expertisse- he’s penpalling with a girl in Belarus who’s his age, and he thinks he might be falling in love with her but he’s too scared to tell her. He’s planning to fly to Minsk to visit her, because that’s where she lives. The two met on an Internet forum and both were excited to meet another Belarusian, who they had so much in common with. [name_u]Marin[/name_u] and Lev’s other siblings are telling him to take it slow but [name_m]Lev[/name_m] already knows he wants to marry her…

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Yegor[/name_m] [name_m]Artur[/name_m] Domeyko (24) is an online friend of [name_m]Lev[/name_m] who resides in Grodno, Belarus. He and [name_m]Lev[/name_m] see each other like brothers due to how well they bond inside and outside their culture and for their same hair and eye colour. [name_m]Lev[/name_m] considers [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] his main confidant in helping him pursue the woman he’s falling for. [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] has told [name_m]Lev[/name_m] that he’s had felt minor negative connotations with the city of Minsk but reassures him that [name_m]Lev[/name_m] dating a woman from Minsk isn’t going to affect him. The reason why [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] doesn’t care for Minsk is because he used to date a girl his age for two years starting when he was 15 to when he was 17, when her family moved from Grodno to Minsk. They tried to keep a relationship despite the long distance but it was unsuccessful and [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] was rather torn up about it. Yegor’s ex-girlfriend has dated another guy after [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] who appeared so much nicer and more attractive, making [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] jealous. Turns out the new beau was nice to her, but really rude to everyone else and she decided she couldn’t date someone who was needlessly mean and broke up with him a year later. [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] hasn’t made any moves on her but has become a friend of hers.

[name_m]Yegor[/name_m] currently works as a hotel bellhop so he’s used to seeing people travel. He’s often talked to different people and enjoyed their cultures. His boss is a nice person but deep down, [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] and his co-workers know they’re not getting paid enough. But [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] knows it’s not his permanent job and takes in the goodness when he sees it. [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] knows a bit about [name_u]Marin[/name_u] from [name_m]Lev[/name_m] speaking about her and [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] likes listening to their music, often commenting on their music videos “Big fan! [name_u]Love[/name_u] from Belarus! ”

Although [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] is single, he’s still been falling for that woman in Minsk who left him long ago. He’s been a good pal to her and truthfully he wants to rekindle the relationship and go back to being more than friends. [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] has since taken up jewellery design and can make some beautifully custom designs and wants to do so for the woman he’s falling for. He knows the distance is what cost them their relationship last time and this time, [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] secretly vows to win her back and has even asked [name_m]Lev[/name_m] online if he should. [name_m]Lev[/name_m] told [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] that his predicament with the girl he wants back is easier for [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] since his crush lives in the same country while the girl [name_m]Lev[/name_m] wants does not. [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] reassured [name_m]Lev[/name_m] that life is short and is he wants to pursue the woman of his dreams, he should go for it and not let love slip by. Also [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] suggested they should go on a double date in Minsk just to truly bond and help each other. [name_m]Lev[/name_m] agreed and the two are mutually glad to be each other’s friends: it’s helped with a lot of the potential problems the men were worried about with dating. There is just one new problem they don’t know — [name_m]Lev[/name_m] and [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] are actually falling for the same woman!

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Inna[/name_f] [name_f]Zinaida[/name_f] Vyarheychyk (24) - pictured with her beloved dog, [name_u]Mischa[/name_u] - is the unknowing central figure in the love triangle. A new figure in the fashion industry, Inna’s working as an assistant to a successful stylist who noticed her while attending a university show she participated in, leading to the offering of an internship once she graduated, and a subsequent hiring. Inna’s always been quite an independent person, on account of her upbringing. Her parents were constantly wrapped up in their working lives, and being an only child meant she came to rely on herself, becoming especially charismatic because of how much her friends bought to her life: the more the merrier as far as Inna’s always been concerned.

Thanks to her childhood, she can be a little needy, and admits it’s why her relationship with [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] broke down. She fears anything resembling the abandonment of her childhood and while online friendships never try her too much, the intimacy of being with someone romantically causes [name_f]Inna[/name_f] to desire physical closeness as well as emotional. There’s still guilt for her about how things broke down with [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] - he’s someone she never stopped caring deeply for, blaming herself more for why things ended (not that she’s said this to him) - so hearing from him again has her tentatively hopeful they can form a strong bond of any sort.

Her friendship with [name_m]Lev[/name_m] started because [name_f]Inna[/name_f] has an upcoming show taking place in the US, and was looking for advise from fellow visual artists about the best way to introduce them to other cultural preferences, leading to them hitting it off when he revealed he was Belarusian-American. Body art is something Inna’s a huge fan of, being friends with several artists herself, ad she insists she’s got to introduce [name_m]Lev[/name_m] to them once he arrives for the visit. For how engaging and caring she is though, Inna’s absolutely oblivious to his feelings for her, as she’s a very affectionate person with everyone she’s close with.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Theodosia[/name_f] " [name_f]Thea[/name_f] " [name_f]Karina[/name_f] [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] Novik-Angelis (25) is the daughter of the stylist [name_f]Inna[/name_f] works for and has become friends with [name_f]Inna[/name_f]. [name_f]Thea[/name_f] isn’t interested in fashion as a career and never was, to her mom’s disappointment. She’s taken after her dad and recently started working at his architecture firm. [name_f]Thea[/name_f] is an only child as her parents divorced shortly after she was born and neither remarried. She suspects her dad is interested in his new neighbor though which she’s happy about if it’s true.

[name_f]Thea[/name_f] has always taken pride in her heritage and immerses herself in the four different cultures. Her mom is Belarusian-Russian and her dad is Greek-American. She often visits her dad’s family in the US and her mom’s family in [name_f]Russia[/name_f] which she enjoys to the full. [name_f]Thea[/name_f] used to dislike her long name but is perfectly happy with it now, and she likes that her middle name [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] was her late grandmother’s name as she was very close to her.

[name_f]Thea[/name_f] has talked about both [name_m]Lev[/name_m] and [name_m]Yegor[/name_m] with [name_f]Inna[/name_f] and kind of gets the feeling that both boys like her. She’s not said anything though as she could be wrong and doesn’t want to mess anything up. [name_f]Thea[/name_f] is very close to both of her parents and always has been. She tries to attend all her mom’s fashion shows and most of the clothes she owns are her mom’s brand. Besides [name_f]Inna[/name_f], [name_f]Thea[/name_f] has a few other close friends. She and one of her friends are currently trying to set up two of the others.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Cyane[/name_f] [name_u]Zoe[/name_u] Angelakis (23) is Thea’s paternal cousin, who resides in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u], where the majority of the paternal family still live. The particular branch she’s from - the younger brother of Thea’s father - is distinguished by them reverting to the original spelling of their surname: a decision taken to distinguish his electronics business from another local store with the name [name_u]Angeles[/name_u], and [name_f]Cyane[/name_f] is absolutely fine with being teasingly called the ‘hipster one’ of the cousins. She has two younger siblings - fraternal twins - but was raised closer to [name_f]Thea[/name_f] (in spite of the physical distance) thanks to there being a seven year gap between her, her brother and her sister.

Having recently graduated with a degree in photography, Cyane’s working on an exhibition in collaboration with some friends, while also serving as a website editor for several small businesses in the area where she lives. She shares a studio apartment with one of her closest friends - who she’s known since high school - and they opted to move in together after finishing uni (as the other girl attended school in [name_m]Washington[/name_m] and only recently returned to NY). When they’re not gaming or cooking together, they’re doting on their black lab puppy [name_f]Kiki[/name_f], who was adopted because both of them work from home and always have time to take care of their pet.

Unlike her roommate, who’s very sporty and always athletically preoccupied, [name_f]Cyane[/name_f] spends her down-time making jewelry, thrifting or scrapbooking. Currently she’s working on an anniversary gift for her parents with some conjuncture with the twins, although Cyane’s very much taken charge of the project as she’s absolutely the most organised one, in spite of being the joker of the trio.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for mail-order brides.

[name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f] “ [name_f]Aly[/name_f] “ [name_f]Mirena[/name_f] [name_m]Zinov[/name_m] (23) is Cyane’s sporty roommate. [name_f]Aly[/name_f] knows a bit about [name_f]Thea[/name_f] and [name_f]Inna[/name_f] but is just as unaware as [name_f]Inna[/name_f] that [name_f]Inna[/name_f] is liked by two men. She somewhat understands Belarus due to her mother also being from another former Soviet country, although her mother emigrated from Uzbekistan. Her mother and father married untraditionally; she was a mail-order bride from Uzbekistan and married Aly’s father in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u]. While [name_f]Aly[/name_f] hasn’t bothered to get involved in her parents’ marriage, she couldn’t help but lose respect for them when she learned of this at age 12. It gave off the vibe that neither of them saw each other as people: it was like he saw her as a prize and she saw him as a ticket to citizenship. While Aly’s mother became a naturalised citizen, she and her husband are separating with the intent to divorce. They didn’t see each other as “meant to be” and [name_f]Aly[/name_f] agrees, saying she feels more comfortable spending one-on-one time with a parent rather than them both together. Since the separation, her father has been more sociable and careful with spending money and her mother is staying in [name_u]America[/name_u], but is keeping her ties closer with her Uzbek culture.

Deep down, [name_f]Aly[/name_f] has always envied that [name_f]Cyane[/name_f] had a more stable family but she wasn’t mad at them and [name_f]Aly[/name_f] really liked talking to them. [name_f]Aly[/name_f] does want to repair her relationship with her parents even though she’s repeatedly said she does not support mail-order marriages and would never be a mail-order bride or marry a mail-order spouse. When they were still together, they always argued and had nothing in common. It was a shallow marriage. [name_f]Aly[/name_f] didn’t want to deal with the family drama and was an only child, so she didn’t have anyone to relate to in the matter, so she attended university in Tacoma, [name_m]Washington[/name_m] and it felt like a good break for her. However she still felt her heart was in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] and was delighted to move back and live with [name_f]Cyane[/name_f]. [name_f]Aly[/name_f] has also used sports to get herself active and relieve stress and she’s also part of a local sports podcast. Her favourite sport is basketball and she’s been a fan of basketball the longest. She’s also a fan of snowboarding and winter is her favourite season. She adores her and Cyane’s shared dog [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] who was adopted from a dog shelter her friend works at and sometimes Cyane’s siblings take [name_f]Kiki[/name_f] on walks.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Aysel[/name_f] Islamovna [name_m]Zinov[/name_m] (52) is the mother of [name_f]Aly[/name_f] [name_m]Zinov[/name_m], who was an Uzbek mail order bride. She was never in love with her ex husband and did see him as a ticket to citizenship, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her daughter to the ends of the earth. When she divorced her husband, [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] was poor and moved into a small, crappy apartment with her daughter called [name_u]Royal[/name_u] [name_m]Crown[/name_m] Apartments, though it was anything but. [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] called her older sister who lives in Uzbekistan, but she completely shunned her and shut her out of her life. They’d never gotten along when they were little kids but [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] didn’t think her sister would cut her out of her life like that. All their neighbors were ex convicts- except one woman who came from another Slavic country though not as a mail order bride- she had a son Aly’s age who made fast friends with [name_f]Aly[/name_f]. The two would run around in Central [name_u]Park[/name_u] in their free time and their mothers absolutely doted on them. This boy and [name_f]Aly[/name_f] are still friends but he’s yet to tell her about his massive crush on her which has been there since forever- for now, he’s waiting patiently for the right moment to tell her.

[name_f]Aysel[/name_f] picked up work as a baker downtown- ever since she was a little girl [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] has had a penchant for baking all kinds of unique things. She really enjoyed working with cakes and cupcakes, and she even bought the bakery from the owner when he retired. She renamed the bakery Aysel’s Kekler, which is Uzbekistani for Aysel’s Cakes. [name_f]Aly[/name_f] was very proud of her mother for setting up a business like that and raising her daughter all while being a single mom. When [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] told [name_f]Aly[/name_f] about being a mail order bride [name_f]Aly[/name_f] wasn’t pleased but loves her mother regardless and today the two have a generally harmonious relationship. She became best friends with her neighbor- they moved out of the crappy apartments and into a cute little bungalow in the [name_m]Bronx[/name_m] neighborhood together. [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] knows her friend’s son likes [name_f]Aly[/name_f] as he told her himself, and she’s encouraging him to go for it as she knows [name_f]Aly[/name_f] feels the same way.

[I_meme_it]

tw: emotional abuse [nothing graphic]

Yaromir " [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] " [name_m]Nikolas[/name_m] Hasanović (24) is the guy with a crush on [name_f]Aly[/name_f]. Like his semi-secret crush, Yarrow’s parents marriage was not a happy one, dominated by his father’s constant insistence his wife abandoned her Bosnian culture, was incredibly unhappy about his son’s name [in spite of not even being present for the first three months of Yarrow’s life as he was away on a business trip], and he even took issue with their son being raised as bilingual. Although he relented, by the time [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] was 8, he’d come to recognise the cruelty his father subjected him to: it was entirely verbal, and subsequently hard to prove when she considered reporting him to the authorities. .

Thankfully, his father’s own self-absorbtion caused him to finally let the divorce proceedings happen, and he allowed divorce proceedings to go through after reconnecting with an old girlfriend from high school. He paid off his ex to avoid any kind of scandal, and [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] was finally able to see his mom flourishing, becoming involved in gardening and flower arranging: her biggest passions, as she absolutely adores nature.

He and [name_f]Aly[/name_f] bonded thanks to a mutual love of sports: [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] recently finished his degree in physiotherapy and right now is starting his first internship, which is going very well. Baseball, running and diving are what he plays in a team capacity, but he also goes climbing and enjoys volleyball with friends when he’s wanting something more relaxing. Externally he always seems completely relaxed about everything, with a talent for making other people laugh, although some would argue it’s [name_f]Aly[/name_f] he tries hardest around. While he won’t admit it, [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] was a bit disappointed when she moved in with [name_f]Cyane[/name_f], as we all know the old saying: and they were roommates…

~

@moonwriteen
@mynameis1
@rachelheth

Tags for everyone!

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] " [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] " [name_u]Avery[/name_u] [name_u]West[/name_u] (24) is one of Yarrow’s friends. She knows about his crush and wishes he’d tell [name_f]Aly[/name_f] as she’s sure the two of them are perfect for each other. [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] loves climbing and playing volleyball with [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u], though the climbing isn’t just for fun. She’s competed in the Olympics twice in rock climbing and her second time she won bronze. Unlike [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u], [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] has a great relationship with her dad. She and her half-sister were raised by him and she’s beyond grateful for all the hard work he put in to get her through college. Her younger sister is still in high school but the two are very close.

[name_u]Charlie[/name_u] was only two when her mother and dad split up and doesn’t remember much about her. She’s often wondered why her mother didn’t stay in contact but tries not to dwell on that. Her stepmom’s quick and surprising exit from their lives when she was thirteen left a bigger impact on her and she was depressed for months after. [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] still lives with her dad and sister. She now coaches a youth volleyball team and gives rock climbing lessons at a nearby gym. [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] and her sister are super close even though she isn’t as sporty. They enjoy doing a lot of things together and [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] frequently drives her sister and her friends around since none of them have a car yet.

[name_u]Charlie[/name_u] started dating her high school sweetheart, and the older brother of one of her sister’s friends, in their senior year. They are still dating but things have been a little rocky as of late since they’re both busy with their careers. The two fought a little at first but made up and are doing their best to spend more time with each other.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] [name_u]West[/name_u] (18) is Charlie’s half-sister and the one whose friendship led to her meeting her boyfriend. Unlike her older sibling, Lucy’s primary interest is in the artistic sector: she’s a mixed media artist who does both digitial work, as well as creating felt artwork, and undeniably has a profound interest in fashion. She knows she wants to be in the industry in some capacity, but has a flexible outlook on how to achieve this, be it creating collections or working in the presentation side of them. This does make some people consider [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] somewhat vain and shallow, thanks to how much her visual styling means to her and she’s constantly discussing it with her friends, but the opinions of other’s is something she got good at ignoring years ago - specifically in the aftermath of her parents breakup; when she found herself hounded by questions from classmates more interested in understanding adult concepts than respecting her feelings.

Thanks to being younger, [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] was much more forgiving of her mother walking out - although now she acknowledges how there were always hints her mom didn’t want to have a conventional family life and instead longed for the kind of freedom only being childless can allow for - but they haven’t spoken properly since she was 14. This is because of an argument they had on the phone when [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] finally felt able to express her disappointment in the lack of contact and interest displayed towards her and [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] from someone they loved so dearly - and her mom responded by merely trying to deflect the conversation, which only made [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] go harder in trying to address things. When it was obvious an apology wasn’t coming, she decided distance was for the best.

The one sport Lucy’s fond of is diving - belonging to her school team - yet by no means would she ever consider the Olympics: not just because it isn’t her dream but also to avoid creating any tensions between her and [name_u]Charlie[/name_u]. She hero-worshipped her sister when she was a toddler and still greatly admires her, although she’ll never use Charlie’s successes for clout and only brings them up when prompted. [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] does insist on styling her sister for special dates - as she loves working with other people for her outfit ensembles - and although it wasn’t Charlie’s favourite thing at first, her younger sister’s managed to make it fun, partially by insisting they need to make it a full 80s feelgood montage (with appropriate musical accompaniment).

Shortly after she turned 16, [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] came out as gay and has been with her girlfriend for almost a year now; and yes the idea of an anniversary absolutely terrifies her, but she’s never someone to not try. Charlie’s relationship is one she finds completely adorable and even has a ship name for the couple - picked out by [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] and her friend, the little sister of said boyfriend, who she’s been close with since the girls were only 9 - but at the same time she’s realistic, serving as a listening ear when the stress began to creep in. While she’s undeniably always going to support her sister, [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] does her best to consider his side of things too, and can stay up all hours doing her best to provide insight of any sort. Wanting her own car badly, Lucy’s been applying for part time jobs and now is working shifts at a vegan dessert place, usually bringing home treats for her dad who she’s very openly affectionate towards, being nicknamed “Lucky” by him for how he says she always brings something good with her.

[I_meme_it]

@moonwriteen
@rachelheth

[rachelheth]

[name_m]Paul[/name_m] [name_m]Eugene[/name_m] [name_u]West[/name_u] (56) is Lucy’s and Charlie’s father. Paul’s life has not always been easy, and he has not been the perfect father, but he adores his daughters nonetheless and constantly worries that something will happen to them. Like [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_m]Paul[/name_m] was a very athletic child and he competed at a national level in hockey, but he became more interested in coaching and entered that profession instead.

Paul’s first marriage was very much a whirlwind romance, as they eloped six months after they met at an airport. Paul’s first wife was exciting and ambitious, and [name_m]Paul[/name_m] loved how easy it was to be happy around her. The couple travelled a lot, which suited them, as [name_m]Paul[/name_m] worked as a hockey coach for a successful team which often moved about for games. His wife often went on solo trips, sometimes for a month at a time. This bothered [name_m]Paul[/name_m] a bit, as he missed her, but he didn’t want her to feel trapped. When they began to have children, however, his wife couldn’t settle and complained to [name_m]Paul[/name_m] that she did feel trapped. He tried to do more to help, but nothing could fix it and they were divorced, with the children staying with [name_m]Paul[/name_m]. [name_m]Paul[/name_m] was deeply impacted by the divorce, but tried to keep things normal for the children. His mother moved in with his temporarily after the divorce to help out, but they ended up falling out and didn’t speak to each other for two years. [name_m]Paul[/name_m] has no real contact with his first wife, but feels guilty that she felt the way she did. Still, he wouldn’t swap his children for anything. He did his best to support his children in everything, but often worried that he would unintentionally give [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] more attention because of her athletics and competitions. He is glad that [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] has found her pathway, and although he doesn’t really understand art, he listens to her attentively and has recently framed one of her pieces and put in it in house.

[name_m]Paul[/name_m] eventually remarried after he dated a woman for three years. He was determined not to rush things, as he had the last time. He was thrilled that his children loved his second wife, and they were a family - a happy family at that. They were happily married for a number of years, and [name_m]Paul[/name_m] was shocked when she walked out without any warning. His second divorce was more painful than his first, as he didn’t see it coming and didn’t know how to react. He tried to be strong for his daughters, but even they could see how much he was struggling to cope with it. Nowadays, he jokes that he is cursed in the romance department, and refuses to get into any more relationships.

[CherryBomb50]

Uncensored warning for inconsensual outing of a pansexual.

[name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] [name_f]Marlena[/name_f] Angelakis (52) is Paul’s marriage counselor. There’s a joke she’s dating [name_m]Paul[/name_m], but there’s no romantic connection between the two and [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] is already married herself. She is the aunt of [name_f]Thea[/name_f] and mother of [name_f]Cyane[/name_f]. She resides in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] City and has also counseled [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] and her husband but deep down she knew they’d divorce. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] tends to have a sense when a couple looks like they’re going to divorce but won’t bring that up unless they ask her. As for [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] herself, she is openly pansexual despite being married to a man. She had been in the closet for quite some time until she came out at age 30 to a friend who told other friends and during a conversation between people someone who [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] did not come out to said, “Kajsa likely thinks that because she’s pansexual.” [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] asked them how she knew and everyone in the conversation said they knew. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] tried her best to brush it off and continue the original topic of the conversation but after the chat was over, [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] asked her friend why she would tell everyone that. Her friend said, “But I’m not outing you. You already came out when you told me.” [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] insisted, “Just because I come out to one person doesn’t mean I came out to everyone. Never assume someone is out to everyone unless they have already publicly said they have. It’s a process to come out and most of the time, it’s not all at once. I came out to you specifically because I thought I could trust you and it turns out, I cannot.” [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] reluctantly forgave her friend but never trusted her again and the two aren’t close, with [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] hardly ever telling her anything.

[name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] secretly thinks one of Paul’s ex-wives isn’t straight but won’t make assumptions and will never say a word about it, regardless of whether it’s true or not. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] is a very trust-conscious individual and will never break a person’s trust in her. [name_m]Paul[/name_m] has talked more openly with [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] about his issues and she has still mentored him post-divorce to help his mental health. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] has helped [name_m]Paul[/name_m] and has talked to his first wife both during and after the first marriage. However while she’s talked to his second wife while she and [name_m]Paul[/name_m] were happily married, [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] never got to talk to her post-marriage due to her unusual walk-out. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] has tried to see it through as to where she went and what she wanted but hasn’t been able to contact her. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] also loves pets and has a female puggle named [name_f]Pippi[/name_f] and a male tortoise named Spud and they’re both around her office for emotional support to her clients as well if they request the animals in the room with them.

[wandering_willow]

tw: this character is a horrible human being. the person used as the cover is not the person in description. she’s a racist, bigot and not a good person.

[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] (52) is an ex-friend of [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] Angelakis, and the one who outed her to other friends. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] had done other questionable things over the time that her and [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] were friends, but [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f], being a very forgiving and sweet person, decided to brush off the first few weird comments or behaviors. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a genuinely unlikeable person, who’s really rude to people online and offline- when [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] came out to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], she thought [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] was a nice person who could keep a secret. Unfortunately [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] proved to be an untrustworthy wolf in sheep’s clothing who’d even make off putting comments on Kajsa’s sexuality, saying “you’re married to a man” and “you just don’t seem like you could be pan,” even telling her that “liking women is disgusting” at one point. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] doesn’t actually live in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] City- she lives in Maywood, [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]Jersey[/name_u], a borough 36 minutes away from NYC. Her and her husband were having marital problems and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] sought refuge in [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f], a kind and understanding marriage counselor. At first, [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] developed a healthy friendship but [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] realized how toxic [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] was and only stuck with her because she felt bad for her. [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] regrets opening up to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] about such a big part of her identity, and wonders why she even stuck with [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] in the first place.

[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] actually grew up in Maywood, with her parents- she was a neighborhood bully, meanwhile her little sister [name_f]Helen[/name_f] was an angel. [name_f]Helen[/name_f] would volunteer at food drives in downtown [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] and donate her money to charitable causes, and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] fumed with envy. [name_f]Helen[/name_f] got so much attention from boys as she was more beautiful than [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], who was chubbier and had an acne problem, and was always glowering. [name_f]Helen[/name_f] got pregnant at the young age of 14, and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] laughed at her, calling her a slut and threatening to tell her parents. [name_f]Helen[/name_f] cried, and never spoke to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]- or anyone in the [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] family- again. She ran away, presumably to [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] City, and delivered her baby there. Nobody knows of her whereabouts now, but [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] doesn’t care where her sister is and never wonders about her.

As [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] progressed in age, her problems got more apparent- she developed an attachment to cannabis, and would travel across state lines just so she could consume it. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] developed several other harmful addictions, and her family tried to help her, but she pushed them away and now isn’t in contact with her parents, aunts, uncles, or cousins, who’ve all just given up on her, referring to her as the “lost cause” of the family. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] would always kick, scream and cry whenever she didn’t get what she wanted in toddler fashion, which became less and less acceptable as she grew older- she still often does it. When she was 20, she married a man of color because “she wanted to have cute mixed race babies-“ the only reason he married her was because he saw her as a ticket to citizenship, similar to [name_f]Aysel[/name_f] [name_m]Zinov[/name_m]. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] now has three kids with him, and all of which hate her. Two are grown adults and have fully distanced themselves from their toxic mom, but one is still only 16 and has to live with her. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has taken an emotional toll on her poor husband, who wants to divorce her but can’t. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] currently works at an accounting firm, though she’s terrible at her job and will yell at her boss on a daily basis1 the only reason her boss hasn’t fired her yet is because she feels sorry for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and things she has a mental problem.

[CherryBomb50]

Wynton Say Chan (40) is Margaret’s boss and is biracial, being of Black (South African) and Asian (Cambodian) descent. Wynton is a huge mental health advocate, always giving his employees lots of mental health days and making his work environment as comfortable as possible. He loves to play relaxing music but has told some employees about CARNIVAIL, a Florida-based metal/grunge band. It may just be his personal bias on that, he’s learned about it from his girlfriend who is the aunt of lead guitarist and backing vocalist Charity Metcalfe, but he truly believes it’s amazing talent. He had also not fired an employee in quite some time and many employees have done tremendous in this job at the accounting firm. Margaret had often played victim to him although he had done nothing wrong. What Margaret doesn’t like is that her victim card isn’t working anymore: she used to be comforted a lot by him but now that’s she done it too much, he thinks she’s not right for the job. It bothers him because he really tries to make every employee happy. It did provoke him that she compared the toxic marriage with her husband to Aysel’s marriage to her ex-husband especially since Margaret’s husband did nothing wrong and Aysel was good at heart. It wasn’t until employees reported her for her ignorance that he decided to fire her — but she doesn’t know. He called her multiple times but she never picked up. He also e-mailed her hoping she’d check her e-mail but if she doesn’t…she’s going to have to learn the hard way next time she walks in.

Charity was created by @kitkatcookie.

[moonwriteen]

[name_m]Norman[/name_m] [name_m]Daisuke[/name_m] Ito (53) is [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] 's husband - the one who she married due to wanting to have “cute biracial babies”. He is now very aware of the fact that [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] married him for superficial reasons. It especially became appearent when [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] didn’t want to change her surname to his after getting married because, quote " I don’t want the government to think I’m an immigrant, my ancestors literally got here on the Mayflower". [name_m]Norman[/name_m] was hurt by that because his American-Japanese family has been in the US since 1920s and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] knew his family history of fighting anti-Asian racism, however he blamed her words on moodiness and the stress of being a newlywed. However, it quickly became clear that she didn’t really respect him, refusing to communicate time and time again, giving him the silent treatment after arguments and berating him for having a hobby like gardening - [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] thought it wasn’t masculine enough despite only being interested in cannabis and keeping up a good image in front of her high society friends. His gardening hobby is also the reason why all of his children have floral or plant names- because [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] couldn’t be bothered to even come up with names and became increasingly emotionally distant to the children once they stopped being cute kids going to primary school and became teens struggling with problems like bullying or body image. [name_m]Norman[/name_m] used to offer a listening ear to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and pity her for not being the favorite sibling over her sister [name_f]Helen[/name_f], however he quickly became tired of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] dwelling on the past and being quick to blame others (including him) when things went wrong instead of improving herself. They tried to go to couple’s therapy however they stopped going once [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] developed the fake "friendship " with [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f] and it crossed boundaries of the professional therapist - client relationship. When [name_m]Norman[/name_m] was younger he only saw [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] as a ticket to citizenship and a chance to become a laboratory director in [name_u]America[/name_u] - he majored in Biochemistry and although lab work isn’t really his passion, at least it pays well and allows him and his family for a comfortable life. He refuses to divorce [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] untill his youngest daughter - who is currently 16 - moves out because he knows [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] would try to limit his contact with the daughter in case of divorce. He and [name_m]Wynton[/name_m] are vaguely aquatinted but what connects them are two things - being sick of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] 's nonsense and a fan of new up and coming bands. He himself is a fan of Sephirah, an alternative rock band. That’s because one of his older kids is a fashion designer in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] and works in avant garde fashion with the sister of the lead guitarist of the band - [name_m]Rook[/name_m] Freyman

[kitkatcookie]

Clover Saeko Ito (26) is the eldest child of Norman and Margaret, who unsurprisingly has nothing much to do with her mother. This is a somewhat ironic situation as Clover’s career success has caused the socially obsessed Margaret to want more to do with her: after all, your daughter getting her first editorial shoot for a popular fashion magazine would increase anyone’s interest in you. She’s been pestering Clover for information about the project, getting vague and noncommittal answers in return, with her daughter being most shocked that her mom actually thinks this is going to work. It’s even more difficult as Clover tries to be there for her youngest sister, visiting to see she’s doing okay and offering as much emotional support as she can - trying to convince Margaret to let her stay over at the apartment Clover lives in with her partner - but of course, if their mother’s around, she’s trying to steer the attention back onto herself.

Given Margaret’s nature, a lot of people are surprised by how well-adjusted and level-headed Clover proves to be. For her, designs and reading the fashion magazines she collected were the perfect escape from her mom’s antics, and she spent a lot of time with her dad or sisters’ when she wasn’t hanging out with friends or attending Fashion Society events at school [being vice president of that club by the time she was 17]. Some of her closest friends were aware of what a nightmarish woman Clover’s mom was, but she kept it quiet after one told their own parents, who questioned her when they came to pick their daughter up from a sleepover; leading to a blazing row in the driveway, mortifying Clover and her friend. This incident didn’t ruin their bond - she is grateful for what was said - but made her cautious about expressing things to people, as she doesn’t want to place more undue pressure on her dad, who she feels bares the brunt of her mother’s selfishness, bigotry and irresponsibility [just to name a few of Margaret’s glowing qualities].

Rook Ferryman’s sister is someone Clover recently became closer to after they were paired up to work on a photo shoot together and bonded due to relating over their less than ideal mothers’. Clover’s become even more expressive of how much her dad means to her upon hearing of how the Ferryman siblings were just left to be paraded around, and has given special tickets to an upcoming show she’s working on to him for safe keeping. They’re for her dad and siblings but she absolutely is not letting her mother attend, as Clover feels stressed enough about this - surprising given she’s usually collected and composed no matter what - but thankfully her mom’s not that interested because it clashes with some big party hosted by their rich neighbours. To relax, Clover enjoys yoga and cooking, having developed an especial love for Japanese cuisine which she gained from her dad. She even has cultural elements in her designs due to wanting to pay homage.

Rook is credited to yours truly

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Sakura[/name_f] [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] Ito (16) is Clover’s sister and the youngest child of [name_m]Norman[/name_m] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. She wishes she could have been born earlier and have already moved out like her older siblings but their visits to check up on her and her amazing dad help a bit. School is a lifesaver for [name_f]Sakura[/name_f]. She’s the assistant editor of the school newspaper, a cheerleader, a part of the debate club, and according to her best friend, most likely to be valedictorian.

[name_f]Sakura[/name_f] has a diverse group of friends due to the different things she’s involved in. Her closest friend is a year older and the newspaper’s editor. She was surprised to become friends with the cheerleading captain but they get along really well. Her other two friends are in the debate club and the student government respectively. [name_m]Just[/name_m] about all of them have already decided what they want to do when they grow up but [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] hasn’t narrowed that down yet.

[name_f]Sakura[/name_f] is secretly dating a boy on the football team. Secretly meaning her mom is the only one who doesn’t know. Her dad likes her boyfriend but she was not under any circumstance going to let her mom meet him. She is excited about her sister’s upcoming show and is glad [name_f]Clover[/name_f] isn’t inviting their mom. [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] loves to cook just like [name_f]Clover[/name_f] and her dad has taught her quite a few Japanese recipes which she’s fallen in love with. Sometimes she feels like a career in cuisine might be for her, especially since her dad says she can cook better than him now. [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] loves to cook for her friends too and they always say whatever she makes is delicious.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Lilac[/name_f] [name_u]Aoi[/name_u] “ [name_f]Lila[/name_f] “ Ito (25) is the middle child of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] and [name_m]Norman[/name_m] Ito. She’s a fashion model who’s become semi-famous in the industry, which was incentive for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] to spend more time with her- but [name_f]Lila[/name_f] doesn’t like associating with [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], and feels sorry for [name_f]Helen[/name_f], though she’s never met her and hasn’t really even heard about her from anyone other than her mother, who described [name_f]Helen[/name_f] as a careless whore who made irresponsible decisions and wound up pregnant and homeless because of it. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] has always been wary of everything her mother says, partially because her mother blatantly lied to her multiple times in her childhood- also because she yells at her children. [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_f]Clover[/name_f] and [name_f]Sakura[/name_f] grew up in fear of their narcissistic mom who made everything about her, and often competed with her daughters.

As a result of this all the girls grew up close with their dad- but especially [name_f]Lila[/name_f]. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] and [name_m]Norman[/name_m] enjoy listening to underrated, up-and-coming bands together like Sephirah- Sephirah is actually their favorite band. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] was a tomboy in her childhood and was “the little boy her father never had,” which made [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] green with envy. However, [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] never tried to hang out with her daughter or attempt to bond with [name_f]Lila[/name_f]- or any of them, for that matter. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] has had many body image issues through her life, and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has actually caused most of them. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] told her she looked “ugly” and “too masculine” whenever [name_f]Lila[/name_f] received a positive comment on her looks, or anyone said [name_f]Lila[/name_f] was pretty and looked just like her dad. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] was a very jealous, unhealthy woman who projected her insecurities onto her daughters- and still does.

Despite being a tomboyish person, [name_f]Lila[/name_f] loves modeling and makeup- [name_f]Lila[/name_f] would often do “runway walks” with [name_f]Clover[/name_f] styling her outfits. Once [name_f]Clover[/name_f] stole a drape from the living room window, and cut it to make a dress. [name_m]Norman[/name_m] found the situation quite funny, but [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] was horrified. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] roared at [name_f]Lila[/name_f] and [name_f]Clover[/name_f], and stormed out of the house angrily. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has done many unexplainable things regarding her daughters- [name_f]Lila[/name_f] was a straight a student with not many friends who was well known in middle and high school as a loner, but [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] wouldn’t quit and told [name_f]Lila[/name_f] she was too rebellious. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has actually driven some of Lila’s friends away, even going so far as to tell a girl [name_f]Lila[/name_f] spent time with that her outfit was slutty and she was distracting boys, and that she was “too big” to wear something like that. Luckily this friend stuck around, and found the incident hilarious. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] hates her mother and her behaviors that are unsupportive of her daughters. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] has always wanted to be a model, but her mom told her she was too ugly and skinny for it.

When [name_f]Lila[/name_f] finally conquered her fears and submitted her modeling portfolio to a big company to pursue her dream, her mother was infuriated and yelled at [name_f]Lila[/name_f]- she was bewildered when she found out [name_f]Lila[/name_f] broke into the modeling agency. She said to her daughter’s face, “how could such an ugly girl with such masculine features get into a modeling agency?” Which hurt [name_f]Lila[/name_f]. Her whole family outside [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] reassured her she wasn’t ugly, which is true- [name_f]Lila[/name_f] is beautiful, but she even now had a hard time seeing this. But now, she’s happy- she cut [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] out of her life and is now happy. She lives with a sweet beloved 8-year-old tortoiseshell cat named [name_u]Chai[/name_u], and a cream colored kitten named [name_f]Sunshine[/name_f]. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] is happily single and doesn’t want to date until she’s at least 30, referring to herself jokingly as the “late bloomer” of the sisters, but she’s super supportive of both her siblings’ relationships- she just hopes her mom doesn’t freak out on them…

[moonwriteen]

Janessa " Essie " Charlene Ferryman (27) is the older sister of Rook Ferryman. Essie and Rook grew up being quite the inseparable pair and their mom took advantage of their closeness by parading them both around local child beauty pageants although Rook was very vocal about having no desire to take part and being nervous, then eventually downright anxious at those events. Essie was pretty neutral about them and tried to do everything to better herself at the performance part of the whole ordeal, because judges would often tell her mom that Essie was " a very pretty little girl , just not very charismatic or boisterous." which was and still is a true of her to this day. She would rarely win the pageants because no mater how hard she tried, her attempts at being a “showgirl” came out as forced to judges. The one thing she was an expert in from a young age is emotionally supporting her brother - Essie was the first to spot Rook 's panic attack and went after him immediately when he attempted to flee the beauty pageant venue - then she put her foot down and told her dad about everything, which had both him and her mother fuming - for very different reasons. Essie & Rook 's father would forbid their mother from bringing his son to the contests and from then on Essie would be the only one attending them - which soured her relationship with her mother. To this day she is trying to turn things around and say " See, he’s in a band, my Brooklyn never had an aversion to performing, you and your father just decided to coddle him too much". What Essie is trying to tell her is that in Sephirah , Rook always has his boundries respected and band members who he can rely on to the point where they’re second family - which was not the case in Essie and Rook ‘s mothers’ instance - she would brush off Essie 's and Rook 's true feelings by favouring the monetary incentive, glitz and glamour of the pageant world. As much as she was dismissive in that aspect, she was not entirely narcissistic and her love of pageantry was manily due to the fact that she wanted her children to gain “people skills” while performing - she always taught them independence, with them knowing how to make food, clean their rooms, wash dishes, fold their own laundry and so on from the age of 9 onward. Essie is grateful for that to their mom because she can live comfortably on her own now that she’s an avant garde model travelling a lot aroud the world for shoots. She thinks Rook should learn to live alone as well - although she appreciates that he has a support system in the members of Sephirah , she believes that too much of a good thing is a bad thing and that him living with those people in the frontman’s mansion on top of touring and playing shows with them will eventually lead to some serious conflict which will not end well and cause a very public media-feeding drama. She firmly believes in the separation of private and proffesional lives - her current fiance , who she’s planning to have a child with after they get married, works in an entirely different sector - as an internal auditor for companies. He’s Italian-American, so being bilangual helps him find jobs and is convinent for her too since Italy is famous for its fashion and a bunch of opportunities for castings, auditions and photoshoots - she feels the most comfortable in front of a camera , but catwalks are not exactly foreign to her - not even those in Venice or Milan.

She is happy to work in New York for the time being , as an American she always felt patriotism and attachment to her country even though she knows it’s not a common thing among those in her career path, many of whom are and feel like cosmpolitans. However, within Essie there is still the small town girl vibe and humbleness - she’s not in the industry for the fame and fortune , but rather the beauty of the clothes and the fact that she sees fashion as art - that’s why working with photographers like Clover Ito - who puts her soul into her shoots and only does them for brands that refrain from claiming other culture’s traditional clothing styles as their own and give credits to POC artists. Essie and Clover bonded about the difficult relationships with their mothers - and Essie admits that Clover has it worse , as unlike her she cut Margaret entirely out of her life, having absolutely nothing she is grateful for to her. Essie still wants to give her own mom a chance but would never preassure anyone - be it Clover or her own brother, Rook - to do the same, because she knows that deciding on the extend of the parent-child relationship is an extremely personal decision which should be handled maturely by each person on an individual level. Essie never tells her mother about what’s happening in Rook 's life - all she knows is whatever the tabloids write about Sephirah - because she knows he wouldn’t want her to. Rook and Essie talk almost daily and she even arranged for the Ito siblings to meet the band through Skype next Friday - finding it extremely heartwarming that the whole family except Margaret are fans. She wishes she could work with Lila Ito on some shoots - unfortunately , she knows she wouldn’t be able to do that because she’s extremely allergic to cats and any remains of Chai 's fur would make her swell. Some of Rook 's friends from other bands - like Marin Kostyukevic - are also off-limits for that very reason. However, Essie wishes both Lila and Marin nothing but success.

Rook was created by @kitkatcookie
Marin was created by her also