Create a family! (with a twist!) 💮

[jinxed_peach]

i already have one of these threads of my own going in addition to the several of these that i’m a part of, but they always take so long to update and i’m impatient and have so many characters in my head so here’s another one lol

rules

@CherryBomb50

Copied from the original games from @Lindseylloyd052399: I will post a picture and give a full name and age for my fictional person. I will then write a paragraph, give or take, about the person. The next poster will create a person that is related to the previous one in some way (it does not have to be by blood–it could be a neighbor, friend, coworker, anything).

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Nadine Faith Palamon {20} is a college student at Vermont State College where she is majoring in health administration and planning to one day become a health care consultant. Though her plans may soon be derailed as Nadine has recently found out that she is pregnant, and to make matters worse she is unsure of the father as she is in two different non-committed relationships currently. One with a fellow student, and another with a local artist who also happens to be a bit older than her. Both of them have been informed of Nadine’s pregnancy and one of them is much more excited at the prospect of becoming a father than the other.

Nadine herself isn’t sure what to make of things. Part of her wants to keep the baby, but the idea of facing all the difficulties that comes with parenting, and eventually finding out who the father is, sounds more stressful than finals or midterms combined. The other part of her doesn’t know what to do. Luckily she has a friend group/roommates who’ve been there for her the entire time.

There’s also the matter of telling her own mother if she does decide to keep the baby. She’s a rather strict woman who ran her household like a drill sergeant. Her ways were so strict that one of Nadine’s siblings doesn’t even talk to the family anymore. If she learns about Nadine being unmarried and pregnant without a father she’ll surely disown her and stop paying for her college, then Nadine would be really hung out to dry.

The future is uncertain, but Nadine is definitely going to need support in the meantime.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_m]Joshua[/name_m] " [name_m]Josh[/name_m] " [name_u]Cody[/name_u] Rutledge (25) is the local artist with who [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] is involved and the one much more excited about possibly being a father. [name_m]Josh[/name_m] met [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] about a year ago when she attended an art show of his. He was looking for a casual relationship as well and didn’t mind that she was seeing someone else. However, [name_m]Josh[/name_m] has found himself grappling with deeper feelings for [name_f]Nadine[/name_f]. It’s led him to wonder what will happen to their relationship if the baby isn’t his. Whatever happens though, [name_m]Josh[/name_m] is going to support [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] as he just wants to see her happy. He’s already let her know that if she needs help with anything to just give him a call.

Josh’s childhood was somewhat of a bumpy ride. Though there was never any type of abuse, his parents frequently fought about anything and everything. There were good times too, but occasionally those were tainted by arguments. [name_m]Josh[/name_m] is the middle child in his family. He has an older and younger sister. His older sister was always trying to distract him and their younger sister when an argument happened. When [name_m]Josh[/name_m] was 15, his parents decided to divorce, and custody was split 50/50. His older sister was out of the house, so it was only him and the younger sister who had to go back and forth between the different houses. [name_m]Josh[/name_m] was, of course, happy that there wasn’t any fighting anymore, but the shared custody was tiring too. He has mostly gotten over being angry with his parents and all the kids still spend time with them.

[name_m]Art[/name_m] was always a solace for [name_m]Josh[/name_m] during his childhood. He loved it and started taking painting and drawing classes when he was 8. In school, he was always a part of art classes or clubs. He entered several contests as a teen and won quite a few of them. [name_m]Josh[/name_m] was really a smart kid but that caused some trouble when he started middle school. All of his teachers put a lot of pressure on him, even if they didn’t realize it. His once high grades started going down and his mom could tell he was getting anxious about school. So when the school year ended [name_m]Josh[/name_m] started being homeschooled. The change was dramatic and he started loving school again. While in high school he started taking classes for college credit and finished high school a year early. He managed to get his bachelor’s degree in art at 21 and now teaches art classes. In addition to that, he has had a few showings for his paintings and they sell wonderfully. He has drawn and painted [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] several times and frequently calls her his muse.

[name_m]Josh[/name_m] knows that if [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] keeps the baby, and if the baby is his, and if she wants to make their relationship more serious, he would want that, without a doubt. He knows he could be a great father and has the means to provide. But [name_m]Josh[/name_m] has no idea what will happen and has been feeling a little out of sorts lately and even a bit anxious with all of these unknowns. His younger sister, who begged [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] to come to Josh’s art show, is living with him while she goes to college. She’s one of Nadine’s friends and is always there for her which [name_m]Josh[/name_m] thinks is awesome. It’s a direct contrast to the tough love he receives from her but that is just their way.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] “ Cathy” [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] Palamon (23) is a friend of [name_m]Josh[/name_m] and his siblings and is Nadine’s sister, but not the first born or the one who cut off from the family. She currently attends [name_u]New[/name_u] Hampshire State College in her final year of college and likes to drive to [name_m]Vermont[/name_m] every weekend to see [name_f]Nadine[/name_f]. She’s trying to fix how [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] perceives her, since growing up, she’s been seen as “too perfect”. She was more of the rule follower of her strict mother but at least she wasn’t ignorant or rude about other lifestyles. She attended college a year later than she wanted due to her mother forcing her to “babysit” [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] while she’s not around. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] hated this, she thought it was ridiculous and that a then-15-year-old doesn’t need babysitting anymore. However, they used the opportunity to discuss everything they could never say around their mother. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] realised she was better off without the strict guidance and [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] liked that [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] wasn’t “babying” her. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] never considered herself a babysitter and would say when their mother wasn’t around, “I’m no one’s babysitter. I’m just your sister.” She’s not as close with her mother anymore but still in her life for the most part — but doesn’t intend to be so forever.

[name_f]Cathy[/name_f] is pretty close to Josh’s siblings too, although not as close as [name_f]Nadine[/name_f]. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] doesn’t know [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] is pregnant but wouldn’t have an issue with it. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] herself had previous relationships but she herself is a virgin. At this point it’s her own personal choice and she couldn’t care less who is and isn’t. She isn’t much of a matchmaker but she thinks [name_m]Josh[/name_m] and [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] are really sweet and she adores his artwork, especially of [name_f]Nadine[/name_f]. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] adores drawing cartoons and she and Josh’s younger sister both bond over this. However she supports Josh’s style of art and finds it very beautiful. [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] doesn’t know what to think of Nadine’s other potential baby father, she doesn’t know about the “paternity triangle” and all she thinks from her lack of knowing is that they’re just friends. She’s hoping it all goes okay and knows he’s shying away from Nadine… not realising it’s because he’s possibly a father to Nadine’s child.

[kitkatcookie]

tw: mental health stigma, panic attacks

[name_m]Jonas[/name_m] " [name_u]Joey[/name_u] " [name_u]Elijah[/name_u] Palamon (24) is the brother of [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] and [name_f]Nadine[/name_f], as well as the estranged sibling of the family. As the second eldest, there were always clear issues between [name_u]Joey[/name_u] and his mothers’ approach to parenting: he was the first to push boundaries and last to conform to her strict regime, with his defiance only becoming more pronounced as he grew up and understood the freedoms his peers enjoyed more [which caused [name_u]Joey[/name_u] to despair at how controlled his own life was]. Things worsened when he began experiencing severe anxiety about failure - for how he’s never liked rules, Joey’s a natural academic, which he credits to having an excellent memory - and he handled subsequent panic attacks by skipping school, spending hours wandering to try and come to terms with his fear. When his mom found out, she was furious and had little time to comprehend the distress her son was going through, instead hyper fixating on the perception of failure: him academically, her as a mother. A cold war erupted in the house subsequently, and [name_u]Joey[/name_u] was practically living with his best friend by the time he graduated high school, at which point he officially moved out [to the surprise of no-one]. He has maintained contact with [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] - the sibling he was always closest to on account of their ages and her being the person he confided in about his fears - but keeps some distance from the others, as he dreads the day he faces his mother again after all their conflict and strife.

He attributes his happiness post estrangement mostly to the family of his best friend - who his parents tolerated [they considered said guy to have way too relaxed parents of his own, worsened by the fact their kids have ‘hippie names’ as Joey’s dad refers to them as - really they’re just uncommon nature names] - who helped him again access to therapy and medication to help with his anxiety. It isn’t always perfect, [name_u]Joey[/name_u] still experiences nerves [especially when it comes to a perceived test in life], but he’s in a much better place now he doesn’t feel criticised for having his diagnosis. His feelings towards his mother in particular are complex: there’s undeniable resentment and mistrust on his end, but he’d never go as far as to claim he hates her, in spite of not wanting her in his life. The people he thinks about most are always his siblings - especially [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] and their older brother [the firstborn] - who he feels have garnered extra pressure from their parents following him, as their achievements will help mask his ‘failings’ on account of their closeness in age.

While he once wanted to be a doctor [partly scuppered when he fell out with his mother and any financial assistance for medial school was cut off], personal experience has led to [name_u]Joey[/name_u] instead becoming a psychiatric nurse, working condensed hours so he can cover his bills and also spend time with his young family. [name_u]Joey[/name_u] and his partner - who uses they/she pronouns - have a one year old daughter, and he already is a doting father to her. He’s made a promise - to himself and his family - that he’ll never oversee her life the way his mother treated him, and no matter what she decides to do, he’ll be there for her to provide support, love and acceptance. Really, [name_u]Joey[/name_u] can admit that’s all he wanted from his own: he didn’t always expect total understanding [especially as he’s not always the most patient or easygoing of people, having an argumentative side [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] can attest to being his ‘emotional twin’ as they jokingly said], but at the very least some empathy when he started struggling and being so overwhelmed. If [name_u]Joey[/name_u] knew what [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] had learned he’d absolutely reach out, but his reputation has made her a little wary, in part because she was so young when the worst of the rows were happening [and he’ll admit he was no angel when conflict arose, not having good restraint once roused]. Although he calls himself artistically useless - with the exception of clay models, he’s made several hedgehogs for friends [his favourite animals] - he’s incredibly proud of his sisters for their talents, and has some of Cathy’s work displayed in his daughters’ room.

[rachelheth]

[name_m]Bramble[/name_m] [name_u]Cedar[/name_u] Cunningham “Bram” (24) is Joey’s best friend.

Unlike [name_u]Joey[/name_u], [name_m]Bram[/name_m] was born to very free-spirited parents, who have always very encouraging and regularly remind him to “stay true to himself,” even though [name_m]Bram[/name_m] doesn’t always know what that means. He had an unconventional childhood, as his parents were illustrators who travelled the world painting and drawing different sites. Although his parents started out as friends on their world tour, things soon escalated, and they were married with seven children by the time they settled in the same town where Joey’s family live.

As the second eldest Cunningham, [name_m]Bram[/name_m] had seen most of the world by the time they settled, and he has no desire to be uprooted again. Whilst his parents and some of his siblings are adventurers at heart, [name_m]Bram[/name_m] likes stability and the thought of a permanent home.

[name_m]Bram[/name_m] befriended [name_u]Joey[/name_u] when he was fifteen, the year his family ended their tours and settled in the town. Although [name_m]Bram[/name_m] had changed schools countless times, this was one’s permanance made the change much more difficult. He got the usual teasing about his name, and about his accent - which seems to be a mix of many of the countries he lived in. [name_m]Bram[/name_m] doesn’t remember the exact moment he and [name_u]Joey[/name_u] became friends, he only remembers them starting to talk to each other and never really stopping. Bram’s parents raised all their children to be very empathetic, and he was no different about how he reacted to finding out Joey’s situation. Bram’s parents were always happy to let [name_u]Joey[/name_u] stay over - with them having seven children, an extra person in the house never usually shook things up too much. Regardless, [name_u]Joey[/name_u] was a hit with the family and he soon became an ‘honorary Cunningham’ - if there was some family event on, everyone assumed [name_u]Joey[/name_u] would be there too. [name_m]Bram[/name_m] is glad that his family have been able to provide some support for Joey’s anxiety - he only wishes thst Joey’s own parents would appreciate what a great guy he is. He could not be more happy for [name_u]Joey[/name_u] own little happy family, and both Joey’s partner and his daughter are adored by the whole Cunningham clan.

[name_m]Bram[/name_m] works in forest conservation, which is name is very apt to, and he absolutely loves it. His role is mainly educating about conservation and he often speaks at schools about the importance of trees. Whilst Bram’s name suits his profession, the story is very different for his older brother who works in business, and is constantly complaining how difficult it is to be perceived as professional with such an unusual “hippie-esque” name. [name_m]Bram[/name_m] likes being part of such a big family, and is the unofficial favourite of his younger siblings. He’d like a big family of his own some day, but for now he is happy with his life as it is.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Huckleberry[/name_m] “ [name_u]Harry[/name_u] “ [name_m]Castor[/name_m] Cunningham (20) is Bram’s younger brother and smack-dab in the middle: he’s the 4th of the 7 siblings. He too is close with the Palamon siblings, especially with [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] who attends the same college as him. He’s in an open relationship with her and [name_u]Harry[/name_u] has other women he dates, but all of them know it’s not committed in any way. He gets called a “player” and a “swinger” which he cringes at but he’s not a heartbreaker or cheater and wouldn’t consider either, being open and honest about what he wants. He’s never considered going intimate until he went intimate with [name_f]Nadine[/name_f], but it was all consensual and respectful. He can’t help but regret it though, he was ready and it’s nothing against [name_f]Nadine[/name_f], but he realises now she is pregnant and it’s a 50/50 chance he’s the father. He’s not as excited as [name_m]Josh[/name_m] is and [name_u]Harry[/name_u] secretly hopes [name_m]Josh[/name_m] is the father. He feels the awkwardness and doesn’t want to ruin the great vibes that the Palamon siblings have with the Cunninghams. He’s grateful that his parents would be more accepting of him as a father to a child than Nadine’s mother would be at Nadine’s motherhood.

[name_u]Harry[/name_u] currently works as an illustrator himself but he’s also in support of his siblings’ careers and does feel awkward for the eldest and his business career with such a hippie first name. [name_u]Harry[/name_u] is on great terms with his eldest brother however and always admired his lifestyle. He loves his family but feels odd knowing he can’t relate and doesn’t know how he’d feel with one child, let alone many. He doesn’t believe [name_u]Joey[/name_u] or [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] knows about the pregnancy dilemma and he’s kept it quiet for the sake of Nadine’s privacy. That being said, [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_m]Bram[/name_m] do get along since [name_m]Bram[/name_m] has been the most uplifting but also the most understanding about how [name_u]Harry[/name_u] feels. Having an empathetic family has put [name_u]Harry[/name_u] in a better place in his life but he still would be relieved if he wasn’t the father…and can’t stand the suspenseful stress.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f] " [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] " [name_f]Sojourner[/name_f] Cunningham (22) is one of [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and Bram’s sisters. She’s the 3rd child and extremely close to all of her siblings. [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] finished college this year and is currently in Europe, deciding to go on a little vacation before starting her job as a middle school math teacher. It surprises a lot of people when they learn of her career choice. With such a free-spirited name and lighthearted attitude, people expect she’d lean creatively. [name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f] is actually terrible when it comes to things like that and couldn’t draw or act to save her life. She’s always loved math and loves making it fun for other people.

[name_f]Tilly[/name_f] is especially close to her two youngest siblings. They’re twins and she convinced her parents to let her bring them along on her European trip. The three of them have had a lot of fun together so far. [name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f] has always loved her name but does understand why her eldest brother feels the way he does. She goes by her full name and her nickname, allowing those she meets to decide what they want to call her. [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] was never one for relationships, her only one being for a year in college. She’s happily single but is such a romantic and loves seeing other people in happy relationships.

[name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f] was a little surprised when she learned that [name_u]Harry[/name_u] might be a father but was very supportive like the rest of the family. She’d like to be a mom someday but understands that [name_u]Harry[/name_u] doesn’t. [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] thinks she’d be a great aunt if any of her siblings do decide to have kids. She and [name_m]Bram[/name_m] have decided that they’d be the cool aunt and uncle which all of their siblings unanimously agree with. When she gets back from her trip, [name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f] plans to rent a house with three friends of hers. One of them will be teaching at the same school and they’re excited about becoming coworkers.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_f]Pacifica[/name_f] [name_u]Briar[/name_u] Cunningham ‘Fifi’ {18} is the fifth sibling of the Cunningham family, or the ‘Cunningfam’ as [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] occasionally refers to them. She also attends VSU with [name_f]Nadine[/name_f] and [name_u]Harry[/name_u], though since they’re Juniors and she’s a Freshman their paths tend not to cross too much. However at the monthly family dinners arranged by Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham (they practically force attendance because they don’t want their family to drift now that there’s only two kids living at home, they also insist it’s ‘good for the spirit and soul’ as they put it) she’s picked up on how tense [name_u]Harry[/name_u] was at the last one. She also has a feeling that [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] knows why but won’t tell her what’s going on. That’s how she knows it’s serious considering all the sisters of the family are extremely close. Whatever is going on, [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] is trying to be as supportive as she can for her brother.

She’s majoring in kinesiology at school and has a somewhat rigid plan to go to grad school after college and get her masters in occupational therapy before she’s 22. Something that her parents have urged her to let go of so she can ‘go with the flow’, however she disagrees, at least academically. Everywhere else in her life she’s fairly free-spirited like her and her siblings names seem to suggest. On weekends she can usually be found at the local farmers market or working on a new crochet project (her most recently finished piece is the shoulder bag she’s pictured with).

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Rosewood[/name_m] “ [name_m]Ross[/name_m] “ [name_u]Basil[/name_u] Cunningham (26) is the eldest Cunningham and is the most serious of the siblings. He works as CFO (Chief Financial Offer) at a business he and his friend the CEO started and he always feels awkward telling people his nickname is short for [name_m]Rosewood[/name_m] given its hippie vibe and feels the “Rose” part makes his name seem too feminine. He doesn’t want to lose his hippie charm however and wants his family to know he still loves them. He says he’ll maybe get a name change sometime, “but not this time” and he’s always kept it open-ended over whether he would change it. Some employees in the company don’t even know his first name and think he was born with the name [name_m]Ross[/name_m] — and he never corrects them!

Like [name_f]Fifi[/name_f], [name_m]Ross[/name_m] doesn’t know why [name_u]Harry[/name_u] is tense and uneasy but lets [name_u]Harry[/name_u] talk only when he feels comfortable doing so. While he’s not as much “out there” with the hippie vibe as his parents, he thanks [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] and [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] for loosening him up and making him feel happy. Deep down [name_m]Ross[/name_m] enjoys his family and is grateful that they’re not insanely strict to the point where he’d consider cutting them out of his life. He’s also happy [name_m]Bram[/name_m] befriended [name_u]Joey[/name_u] given Joey’s less supportive upbringing and he’s used this as motivation to be more grateful for what he has. [name_m]Ross[/name_m] is very careful as the world of business is a tough competitive marketplace but he’s used his business math skills he’s learned and majored in finance when he attended university, so he’s always been supportive over this choice of career. His advice to the youngeest Cunninghams is to do well, but don’t let studying and careers take over your life.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: social anxiety, adoption-based sensitive issues

Marylark " [name_f]Lara[/name_f] " [name_u]Green[/name_u] Truesdale-Easton (24) is a more recent edition to the wider Cunningham circle, being the recent romantic interest of [name_m]Bram[/name_m] [although no-one can officially be told yet, as [name_f]Lara[/name_f] admits they’re far too anxious to interact with his siblings with that out in the open]. A fellow conservationist, [name_f]Lara[/name_f] works in a different sector to [name_m]Bram[/name_m], specialising in rivers, lakes and all the animals who live in and depend on them, partly inspired by how waters always been their passion: they belonged to the swim team throughout high school and then university; loved visiting the beach to go in the sea or just watch the rolling waves; and begged their parents to let them sponsor a dolphin as a [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] present [one of their success stories, as [name_f]Lara[/name_f] admits their concentration can be lacking sometimes]. Partly named for their nana, Lara’s mum wanted them to not feel burdened by someone else’s legacy - their nana was a wonderful woman who adopted all 5 of her children, the younger three after the sudden passing of her husband, and she’s still well-loved by her surviving family - and their mama has a daring sensibility, thanks to being given a unisex name when it was much more uncommon. Lara’s their only child, adopted when they were 4 months old [as their mum wanted to continue her own mothers’ legacy by giving a home to a child in need of one], but there’s always been such an influx of cousins and extended relatives within the household, they basically have never felt like it.

It was Joey’s partner who led to the meeting of [name_m]Bram[/name_m] and [name_f]Lara[/name_f]. They both belong to the same LGTBQIAP+ community group - which specialises in setting up queer events and promoting businesses/individuals - and given their full name, [name_u]Joey[/name_u] was eager to introduce them to [name_m]Bram[/name_m], as he thought they could have something in common. He wasn’t really playing matchmaker but when the sparks clearly ignited between the pair, he and his partner weren’t exactly going to dismiss things in favour of suggesting [name_m]Bram[/name_m] attend a specific event [name_f]Lara[/name_f] had organised…and when he complimented them, their reaction told the couple everything they’d suspected was true. Having grown up in Manchester, they still joke about their accents standing out: as [name_f]Lara[/name_f] only came to the US for university, and also as their cousin had moved to be with his then-fiance [now husband], and their uncle asked if they’d pop in to give him some familiar company.

While it’s obviously off the table right now because of the youth of the relationship, as well as the personal plans both [name_f]Lara[/name_f] and [name_m]Bram[/name_m] want to work on, they’re also very keen on having a large family, thanks to all the happiness being around their cousins bought them growing up. Once the Cunningham’s know, [name_f]Lara[/name_f] would like to introduce [name_m]Bram[/name_m] to their side of the family, albeit they’ve got to get more prepared for not just travel but getting him ready for the mass of personalities and enthusiasm he’ll be facing. He has video chatted with their parents though, and it went swimmingly [pardon the pun], much to Lara’s relief. They absolutely adore their mother’s but, as they haven’t dated much - mostly stemming from social anxiety, which [name_f]Lara[/name_f] was diagnosed with at 12, after moving up to secondary school and being completely overwhelmed by the change - they know there’s a natural protective side that they don’t want [name_m]Bram[/name_m] being burdened by. How he and his family have helped [name_u]Joey[/name_u] has lessened Lara’s nerves about the proper introduction though, and they’ve expressed their respect and admiration to him on several occasions.

[name_f]Lara[/name_f] has met their biological mother a few times. She was only 16 at the time of giving birth, and in spite of wanting to keep her baby for some time, it just wasn’t going to be a feasible option, due to her personal circumstances. It hasn’t always been easy: [name_f]Lara[/name_f] does wonder if she’d hoped for them to reject their parents in favour of starting over, stemming from certain comments made in visitations when they were a teenager and now independent meetings they arrange, but their mothers’ mean everything to them, and their biological mum isn’t someone they feel they have that connection with. They still text and have phone calls sometimes, but Lara’s a little wary, as they don’t want her to get hopes up and then see things crushed when [name_f]Lara[/name_f] doesn’t want to forget about her family - something they’ve admitted to [name_m]Bram[/name_m] hurts, as they love her too, just not in the same way as their parents. At the suggestion of their counsellor, they started knitting and frequently craft presents for their loved one’s, most recently making a cardigan for their cousins’ toddler. They also frequently babysit [name_u]Joey[/name_u] and his partners’ daughter, who they consider absolutely precious, helped by the fact Lara’s pet cavapoo - Cornflake - loves the little girl just as much as them, and frequently insists on sleeping beside her whenever she’s napping.

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[name_m]Bram[/name_m] belongs to @rachelheth

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Wildflower[/name_f] " [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] " [name_f]Saffron[/name_f] Cunningham & [name_f]Bluebell[/name_f] " [name_u]Lou[/name_u] " [name_f]Reverie[/name_f] Cunningham (17) are fraternal twins and the sixth and seventh members of the ‘Cunningfam’. Despite the age difference between them and their two oldest brothers, they are still close. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] plans on pursuing a career in business like [name_m]Ross[/name_m] and he’s given her a lot of good advice. [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] on the other hand doesn’t know what she wants to do but is thinking about a career in art or conservation. Hearing about [name_m]Bram[/name_m] and Lara’s experiences have definitely inspired her. [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] and [name_u]Lou[/name_u] are the only kids in the family who were homeschooled. They started in fourth grade and enjoy it much more than going to school. [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] didn’t like the rigidity of school and her learning style was different which caused low grades. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] on the other hand suffered with anxiety and feeling pressured to succeed by her teachers. So the girls were much happier when they started homeschooling. This has allowed them to go on Tigerlily’s European trip as all their school stuff is online. They are both enjoying seeing the sights and traveling as by the time their parents settled down, the twins were still young.

[name_u]Wilder[/name_u] is more outgoing than her sister and has a wide circle of friends of all ages. She is quite free-spirited and isn’t sure if she wants to go to college but most likely will. [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] has always been up for trying new things and is learning how to fly planes which is super exciting for her. She hopes to get [name_u]Lou[/name_u] and her other siblings to fly with her once she gets her license. As of two months ago, [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] started a relationship with a guy who also works part time at a florist’s in town. He’s met the family and they all like him, even [name_u]Lou[/name_u] who was extremely protective. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] doesn’t have quite as many friends as her sister but she’s extremely close to those she has. After [name_m]Ross[/name_m] she’s probably the most serious sibling and they’re close because of this. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] isn’t interested in working for a big company like her brother though. She wants to start her own business and has been brainstorming ideas. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] is very creative and loves to paint and draw. [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] taught her how to crochet and she enjoys doing that now too. [name_u]Lou[/name_u] was happy for her sister when she started her relationship but disliked being a third wheel when she was asked to join them occasionally. This was fixed by a mutual friend of [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] and her boyfriend coming along when they went to the movies and roller skating afterward. They’ve become a foursome now and though [name_u]Lou[/name_u] had never interacted with him much because of his somewhat shaky reputation, she’s begun to like him, as a bit more than a friend. [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] knows she likes him and also knows that [name_u]Lou[/name_u] would never make the first move. She’s determined that her sister will be happy however and has made it her mission to find out if her friend likes [name_u]Lou[/name_u].

[wandering_willow]

[name_u]Penrose[/name_u] [name_m]Alejandro[/name_m] Muerte (17) is the boyfriend of [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] Cunningham. Compared to his girlfriend, [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] is very introverted and shy but admires her adventurous personality and her willingness to try new things. He loves that they both have nature incorporated into their names- [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] loves flowers, and actually picked his name out. [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] was born a girl, and his deadname was [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]- while he liked the name, he always felt really disconnected from feminity. He figured it out when he was 10 or 11- he saw someone on the internet talking about feeling like being born in the wrong body and it suddenly clicked. However, he was too shy and scared to tell his large family (he has four siblings!) for fear that they wouldn’t accept him. When he told them at 13, they were actually very supportive and offered to pay for anything he needed. He now uses a binder, and feels more comfortable in his body. When he picked his name he decided to incorporate flowers into it because he loves flowers, and [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] felt right on him. Whenever someone asks why he picked such a feminine name, [name_u]Pen[/name_u] just shrugs and says “it felt like me.”

[name_u]Wilder[/name_u] has told [name_u]Pen[/name_u] how brave he was for telling his parents- which surprised him because he has never felt like a brave person once in his life. He’s got a surprisingly low self esteem, but he tries to hide it by not speaking very much. He’s never been very popular, even in elementary school- in second grade when his family moved from Puerto [name_m]Rico[/name_m] to [name_u]America[/name_u] mid year he was expected to create an “all about me bag-“ a brown paper bag full of things all about him. [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] was excited- he gathered all sorts of stuff from his room and prepared it to show his class but when it was his turn to present, he ran and hid behind a desk, crying. He was diagnosed with social anxiety later that year much to the dismay of his family. [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] is also an introvert, and he’d love to interact with people more but more often than not finds that he can’t due to anxiety. What calms him down is going to the flower shop and arranging the flowers, and spending time with his wonderful girlfriend. He also loves writing stories and telling them, though he’s a bit too shy to read them to anyone other than his friends (who all tell him how wonderful they are, because he is really talented!).

What makes [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] even more wary of trusting people is his bad experience with a girlfriend back in 8th grade- he was a part of the gardening club and met a girl he thought he could trust. They’d do cute little dates at the bakery or roller rink, and even had their first kiss together. [name_u]Pen[/name_u] was so happy he could finally open up to someone, only for her to tell people some of his personal information. This is part of the reason [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] was wary of [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] and her friendgroup when he first met them, but now he’s very comfortable with them and would even say he loves them like a second family. They all attend the same high school, and [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] loves having classes with them. The girl who he dated in middle school has apologized to him for what she did, and [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] has forgiven her but not forgotten what she did and is still scared about befriending her again. Luckily he has [name_u]Wilder[/name_u] to help him out with any tough situations in his life, and he’s eternally grateful to her for always being there for him. [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] has also joined his high school’s writing club after school. He likes the teacher who teaches it and the group of people in the club, and he’s got high hopes for it. He’s also thinking of submitting his name to the schools annual writing competition- and his friends are encouraging him to go for it!

[jinxed_peach]

[name_f]Annette[/name_f] [name_f]Emmanuelle[/name_f] Palamon {48} is Penrose’s [name_f]English[/name_f] teacher, as well as the mother to [name_u]Joey[/name_u], [name_f]Cathy[/name_f], and [name_f]Nadine[/name_f]. She runs her family much like her classroom, with no exceptions. Though some students, like [name_u]Pen[/name_u], have managed to get close to her and earn her favors. She’s got a knack for ‘picking’ on her students who she see potential in so she tends to try and push them to reaching that potential, often pushing too hard. This is what caused the wedge between her and her children, that and the fact that she refuses to treat her children ‘childishly’ which is also why she often left [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] to watch over a young [name_f]Nadine[/name_f].

Despite the pain that it has caused her family, she has no regrets about how things went down in her household and she firmly believes that [name_u]Joey[/name_u] will one day come around to rekindling their relationship. Though her husband and children’s father, is much more realistic about the fact that he and his son’s relationship is probably finished.

Still [name_f]Annette[/name_f] tries to push her remaining children to meet their potential, mainly [name_f]Cathy[/name_f] as she sees her passion for cartoons as a pointless hobby and wishes that she would pursue her master’s degree like she herself did. Though she approves of Nadine’s choice of future career she thinks that the 20 year old spends too much time focused on her social life, of course oblivious as to why, and urges her to give all her time to her studies.

---

[name_u]Joey[/name_u] belongs to @kitkatcookie
[name_f]Cathy[/name_f] belongs to @CherryBomb50
[name_f]Nadine[/name_f] belongs to me

[CherryBomb50]

Uncensored warning for cheating, mentions of HIV, and car accident.

[name_f]Nicole[/name_f] [name_f]Perenelle[/name_f] Palamon (47) is Annette’s sister and aunt to her children. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] herself has an adult daughter of her own. Nicole’s daughter doesn’t have the same surname as [name_u]Jeanne[/name_u] since she took her father’s surname while Annette’s children took their mother’s surname. Nicole’s daughter is happy for this and wouldn’t want to be a Palamon. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] had struggles growing up, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 8 and scoliosis when she was 11. She grew up with a back brace and had to check blood sugar daily. From it, she had learned a lot about responsibility and matured faster than her sister, even though she was younger. However she was still naive to her sister and wasn’t aware of how rude she was because she never saw it.

During Nicole’s adulthood she married as a young adult and had a daughter. She had troubles in the marriage before her daughter was born after rumours spread that her husband was HIV+. She believed it wasn’t true but deep down she was worried that he gave or could give her HIV. She was immunity compromised which would make it harder for her to survive. Thankfully the rumours were not true, and he never had it, but it was another learning experience for [name_f]Nicole[/name_f]. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] did however suffer a real health scare, when she was 30, she was hit by a car. She was fortunate to not be run over, just hit, and the driver did stop, but she had to be hospitalised and it took her nearly a year to fully recover. Her husband and daughter were constantly at her side.

[name_f]Nicole[/name_f] worked as a TV news reporter and was loved by people who watched her. She said she wanted to see her nieces and nephews more but this wouldn’t be just because [name_f]Annette[/name_f] was strict. It was actually due to a work scandal in which [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] was 100% at fault. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] had cheated on her husband with a man who worked at her news station. She told him to cover for her and say she was at work with him while they were actually going on dates. They even were flirting at work which was making the other employees uncomfortable. Some of them didn’t know [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] was married since she didn’t wear the wedding ring except when with her husband. However it was her grown daughter who found out and secretly told some employees. The man [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] cheated with knew she was married, but the others did not. It became the source of workplace gossip and [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] knew that everyone hated her. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] went from a good-hearted woman who had tough struggles but learned from them to one who turned to disgusting betrayal. She may have not been strict but like [name_f]Annette[/name_f], was rude and controlling to her husband and didn’t even have the decency to be faithful. She didn’t have to bother so much with success but that’s because she and her daughter were already successful. [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] didn’t even care if [name_f]Annette[/name_f] was rude to other people now because [name_f]Annette[/name_f] was never rude to her. But [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] fell from grace and is descending further as other men have come forward to say [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] had flirted with them as well during her marriage. Nicole’s daughter, who grew up being close and believing her mother was a role model , is now beyond livid and won’t speak to her, but still talks to her maternal cousins and motivates her father to leave her. You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Veronica[/name_f] " [name_f]Vera[/name_f] " [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_m]Bridges[/name_m] (25) is Nicole’s daughter. She – more than anyone else – understands her cousin [name_u]Joey[/name_u] wanting to cut contact with his parents. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] used to look up to her mom and was both hurt and angry when she found out about the cheating. Vera’s trust and her love is hard to earn once you’ve lost it and she has no plans to resume contact with her mom. She feels terribly for her dad though and still keeps in touch with him and her cousins. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] and her husband have a daughter who just turned a year old. She refused to let her mom meet her when the baby was born and is still sticking to that. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] doesn’t feel like her daughter is missing out on anything as her husband’s parents are wonderful grandparents. Her dad has met his grandchild and comes over often.

[name_f]Vera[/name_f] published a YA romance that made the [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] Times bestseller list three years ago and is working on her second book. She’s rather well known around town, something she considers a downside. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] occasionally speaks at colleges, including the one her cousins attend, and does workshops too. Her husband is very supportive of her work and is her best critic. He and [name_f]Vera[/name_f] met their sophomore year of college and didn’t exactly get along at first. He thought she was stuck up because of her lavish childhood and the fact that she didn’t speak to him when they met. She felt he was too argumentative and mistakenly thought he’d make fun of her since most people did.

Well, he later learned that [name_f]Vera[/name_f] had social anxiety and selective mutism and she found out that he’d been bullied most of his childhood, leading to his anger problems. Neither wanted to admit these things to the other and a mutual friend ended up spilling the beans so they’d stop thinking the other was horrible. In addition to the therapy they both went to, they were able to help each other and became good friends. It got to the point that they started defending each other. The two married their senior year of college and they darling daughter came along two years later. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] and her husband are still extremely close to their mutual friend and their partner. Being such a bookworm, [name_f]Vera[/name_f] often says that she and her husband are a modern version of Pride and Prejudice. She’d read the book to him after they got engaged and he laughingly agreed.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: bullying, classism

[name_u]Royce[/name_u] [name_u]Emery[/name_u] Waldham (25) is Vera’s husband, confident and unofficial ‘Mr. Darcy’ [although if ever called that to his face he’d definitely be mortified]. Having grown up in a neighbourhood ruled by destitution, [name_u]Royce[/name_u] faced a lot of bullying from his peers thanks to never having much of anything: his mom and dad simply couldn’t afford it. He’d be accused of getting pity points when he did well academically by certain people, was considered ‘uncool’ for owning so many second-hand clothes, and didn’t have many friends because others didn’t want the same stigma being attached to them through association. For the most part he tried his best to just ignore the snobbery and cruelty of his peers, as he knew if he started fighting back physically, he’d be labelled as ‘violent and troubled’ thanks to the reputation of where he lived; so he developed his harsh way with words to get others to back off and tear down his worst tormentors to some degree. [name_u]Royce[/name_u] also tried hiding how much he hated school from his mom, as he’d chosen to go there to ease her worries about falling into the wrong crowd, as happened to several of her own friends who grew up in the area she’d lived her entire life and raised her son in.

The closest friend [name_u]Royce[/name_u] had during this time was a fellow social outcast, a young man with severe dyslexia, who was considered ‘stupid’ [and called a plethora of offensive things] by their classmates because penning his thoughts and reading textbooks was a challenge. [name_u]Royce[/name_u] was likewise undermind because of his family background, and they came to bond while working on a school project, pairing up because they had no other solid options, but in the process came to learn about each other and get on. While he’d maintained friendships with others who lived in the same neighbourhood, finally having a friend at school meant more than [name_u]Royce[/name_u] could express, as it was the suffocating loneliness that only outdid the bullying for him, constantly feeling like he had nowhere to belong. Years later, the two are still close - ‘official best friends’ as [name_f]Vera[/name_f] teasingly calls it - and he’s called ‘uncle’ in reference to [name_u]Royce[/name_u] and his wife’s daughter [in part as he’s an only child].

[name_u]Royce[/name_u] got into college on a scholarship, choosing to major in electronic engineering. He’s honest about the fact his degree was dictated by financial security in the future, as he wanted to be able to support his parents and give back to them for all they’d done over the years [including convincing him to apply in the first place, as another environment dominated by judgmental rich kids was not somewhere [name_u]Royce[/name_u] ever wanted to be again]. In spite of some considering this cynical, he does have a genuine enjoyment and interest in this field, having apprenticed for a data processing company post-graduation, and he now works in repairs/upgrades for that part of the industry; although he would like to get into designing eventually. What [name_u]Royce[/name_u] has also never lost is his quick temper and standoffish mannerisms. He admits the years of being looked down on, undermined and mocked have caused him to become naturally distrusting of others’, and anywhere he knows will be dominated by money puts him on edge. He’s much happier giving [name_f]Vera[/name_f] feedback on her writing, reteaching himself piano [he might have a go at tutoring their daughter if she shows interest] and baking bread rather than going out to schmooze with work clients.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_u]Harmony[/name_u] [name_f]Belle[/name_f] Bridges-Waldham ‘Mo’ {2} is the young daughter of [name_f]Vera[/name_f] and [name_u]Royce[/name_u]. Her favorite things to do are help her dad cook and sitting with her mom reading to her. She also loves to spend time with their next door neighbors and their gentle and sweet elderly golden retriever named [name_f]Greta[/name_f], though she tends to call her ‘Tata’ instead, much to the adults amusement. Both of her parents dote upon her and she thoroughly enjoys being the center of their world she would someday like to have a little brother or sister as two of her classmates/best friends are a set of twins who make having siblings look like so much fun to her.

She’s blissfully unaware of the drama between her mom and her grandma, as well as the issues with the rest of her mom’s side of the family. Which exactly how her mother wants to keep things. Since her biological family is a bit distanced and her father has no siblings, several of her parents’ friends have become her ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ and are as close to [name_u]Mo[/name_u] as if they were blood, if not more.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_m]Xavier[/name_m] [name_m]Philip[/name_m] [name_m]Hampton[/name_m] (25) is Royce’s best friend and Mo’s honorary uncle. He has a landscaping business which he co-owns with his fiancée. Funnily enough, she’s the mutual friend of [name_u]Royce[/name_u] and [name_f]Vera[/name_f] who got them together. She and [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] became closer after [name_u]Royce[/name_u] and [name_f]Vera[/name_f] started dating and were the best man and maid of honor at the wedding. [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] proposed a few months ago and they are currently planning their wedding.

[name_m]Xavier[/name_m] was really glad that he and [name_u]Royce[/name_u] became friends in school. He dreaded going and even pretended to be sick a few times. Though his dyslexia and the bullies made school hard, [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] now has his own business which he thinks makes it all worth it. Like [name_u]Royce[/name_u], he was never violent toward his peers but didn’t develop his friend’s harsh way with words either. Ignoring people was his way of putting up with it. Besides, since he had a friend now it was much easier.

[name_m]Xavier[/name_m] is very grateful to his parents who did their absolute best to get him help for his dyslexia. Through tutors and tips and tricks he’s learned over the years, he’s been able to not let his disorder take him over. His fiancée loves to read and quite a few date nights have been spent with him cooking an amazing dinner and her reading afterward. Some of her family think she could have done better and to be frank, [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] thought so at the beginning as well. She was livid when one of her family member’s brought this up at a dinner and called them out in front of everyone.

[name_m]Xavier[/name_m] has definitely lived up to his role as Mo’s uncle. When he found out that [name_f]Vera[/name_f] was pregnant, he stocked up on various uncle shirts and mugs as well as corny dad jokes. He plans to be a cool uncle and thinks he’s doing quite well. A few days ago [name_u]Mo[/name_u] said he was awesome and he felt happy about that. [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] hopes to have his own family someday, he and his fiancée have talked about it and she does too. He knows she’ll be a great mom

[CherryBomb50]

Arsenia Ysa Flores (53) is the future mother-in-law to Xavier and mother to his fiancée. She’s of Costa Rican descent, is a Spanish teacher at Penrose’s school, and has two grown children. How she feels about Xavier is pretty good, although ultimately she doesn’t care who married who as long as they’re good people. She’s a fan of weddings and likes to hear as much about them but doesn’t pass my judgement. She’s a pretty silent person outside her class but she’s made some very interesting bonds. She and Josh’s mother have a good side-gig making socks…and these socks are the most comfortable that anyone’s worn.

Deep down, she does have some questionable issues. The reason why she isn’t so interfering of Xavier is because she just doesn’t care. She has no real desire to form a bond with him and wouldn’t feel related to him even if they’re in-laws. To Arsenia, she’s excited about the wedding given her love for weddings but she feels after that, she doesn’t need to bond with the couple. They’re married, they can start married life on their own, and she’s already agreeing to pay for the wedding. She doesn’t have any evil tricks up her sleeve family-wise because she genuinely feels apathetic. Arsenia does have an argumentative side and has a feud with Xavier’s mother but the two stay civil when around their children for the sake of the wedding. She’s gotten some bad nicknames because of her ways but nobody ever says them to her face. Her children have heard of the multiple nicknames and so have a few of the people she works with. Arsenia’s daughter who is getting married doesn’t use them because she’s afraid her mother wouldn’t pay for the wedding if she used them. It’s not her fault she’s like this and it doesn’t mean she’s toxic…well actually it does.

Josh was created by @A.B.Galaxy.

[I_meme_it]

tw: abusive childhood mentioned (nothing graphic)

[name_f]Claudia[/name_f] [name_f]Xiomara[/name_f] [name_f]Elyse[/name_f] Sauseda (25) is Xavier’s fiance and the elder child of [name_f]Arsenia[/name_f]. Primarily in charge of speaking to their clients and an aspiring author, who primarily writes poetry as a means of relaxing and reflecting on her job, Claudia’s parents divorced when she was 6 and her sibling was 5, agreeing upon joint custody which she attributes to escaping from her mothers’ less than ideal tendencies. [name_f]Arsenia[/name_f] was very disinterested in the proceedings - treating them as a regular mundane occurrence - and [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] hasn’t let her know she’s retained memories of this, which has explained things to her as prior to the legal developments, her mother was furious and seemed completely unreasonable.

She’s confided in [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] about how her mom had a very difficult childhood - enduring a lot of neglect and emotional abuse from Claudia’s grandfather - which makes her and her sibling more forgiving when it comes to her antics. It’s also a product of [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] admitting she’s very forgiving, some of her friends’ feel she’s too inclined to accept other peoples apologies and open her arms to them, and always tries to have patience, empathy and understanding for others. While this makes her brilliant at her job (reasoning with people and having insight into their requests/demands), she’s been entangled with a few emotional vampires over the years, which has made her dad and friend group quite protective of her.

While she felt a little cowardly where her mother was concerned growing up, Claudia’s held firm about her desire to marry [name_m]Xavier[/name_m], and won’t let [name_f]Arsenia[/name_f] - or anyone else for that matter - speak poorly of him. Aside from the family dinner where she reached her breaking point about unwanted judgements, she was clear when talking to her other loved one’s that Xavier’s a wonderful person who treats her kindly but never patronises or undermines her in response to Claudia’s own nature. They were introduced through [name_f]Vera[/name_f], who attended college with Claudia’s younger sibling, and a meetup arranged by her and [name_u]Royce[/name_u] led to the introduction of [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] to her. His sense of humour charmed her immediately - as she’s quite shy about expressing her own - and even though it took a while for them to officially become a couple, they were obviously smitten from the moment they met.