#parental neglect tw

[fasthqsav]

「 ₊ ☆ ﾟ kathryn newton, cis woman, she/her 」 INCOMING TEXT: omg hv u met SAVANNAH GRADY of the NARIZA BOIS yet ? they’re one of the crew’s street racer n actually go by PEACH. the twenty five y/o is typically seen hanging arnd body. allegedly they’re frm fort valley, georgia n hv been w/ the crew for THREE YEARS. wtvr. just watch out for them, k ? ttyl ! 「 ₊ ☆ﾟ sarah, 28, she/her, est 」

trigger warning for brief mentions of anxiety, emotional abuse, parental neglect, violence

INTERVIEW

tell the story behind your alias.

"peach," savannah spoke. "not sure if the accent gives it away, but i grew up in the middle of fuckin' nowhere in the south...pretty rural part of georgia," she explains. "when i first started workin' with the bois, my accent was the first thing that stuck out with the rest of the crew. so peach, like georgia peach. but, also like princess peach from super mario bro's and mario kart. i can see the resemblance, y'know....blonde hair and bangs. rosalina is my new favorite character to play though. i don't mind the nickname though, i've been called way worse."

you're often seen around body - what does a typical visit look like for you?

“body's? considering that i work there, most of the time i’m there because it’s for a shift of mine,” she admitted with a giggle. “even when i'm not working, i like to stop by there once or twice a week. i've been working there for a few years now so i'm close with a lot of the girls. i gotta make sure no assholes are giving them problems."

when  did  your  first  realize  you  had  a  passion  for  cars  /  racing?

"well, i kinda grew up around cars. i have fond memories of helping my grandpa fix up some of his old pickup trucks that he loved to restore as a hobby of his. we did together as a way to bond and get closer. i also had a job back home at a shop, " savannah explains some of her past living with her grandparents. "but i think my passion really started after i've seen my first few official races with the cars i've worked on. it was hard work but it felt so satisfying to see all that hard work pay off for a win."

CHARACTERIZATION

character inspirations.

peyton sawyer (one tree hill), jennifer swallows (lisa frankenstein), lane kim (gilmore girls)

playlist.

gypsy - fleetwood mac

one of those girls - avril lavigne

helena - my chemical romance

mini bio.

savannah grew up and spent the bulk of her childhood/teenage years in georgia.

the grady family grew up on a small family farm, with your typical farm animals and crops. her mother was part of a very strict and religious upbringing. this meant going to church multiple times a week, praying before every meal, volunteering in the local community, and not falling victim to anything secular. on paper, they seemed like the perfect 'white picket fence' family in their rural town.

unfortunately, savannah's mother got involved with a guy who was quite the opposite of her and a bad influence towards her. young and dumb and in love, she'd become pregnant at seventeen, her parents not approving of the situation and strongly pushing their daughter towards putting her child up for adoption. their reasoning? they wanted their daughter to have a bright and successful future and raising a baby too? that would simply be too much in their eyes.

determined to prove them wrong, her mom would be stubborn as a mule and opt out of signing off on any adoption papers. an explosive fight would result due to this, causing many nasty words to be thrown towards all family members and her mother packing up her belongings and getting the hell out. done with the toxicity of the grady family dynamic, she would rather struggle her way through motherhood than be forced to be around her parents any longer.

moving a few hours away from fort valley, the young couple would try their absolute hardest to raise little savannah. the stresses of being broke and having no other support would lead to their relationship crashing and burning by the time savannah was four.

that is when savannah would begin living with just her mother. things for the two of them would only grow more difficult, but sav's mom would vow that she wouldn’t leave her side. 

 it was not out of the ordinary for them to frequently be evicted from whatever apartment or duplex they were living at, being forced to flee for temporary housing. savannah had many different “definitions” of home. this often would vary from a friend’s place, homeless shelter, or whatever beater card they had. in spite of their struggles, she never fully resented her parents, knowing that they always were trying to provide for her the best they could.

savannah was seven years old when her mother would lose custody of her. it was shortly after her birthday, a memory that would forever be ingrained in her mind. savannah and her mom had been living in a motel room for the past few months. It had been paradise in comparison to the shelter that they had been staying at. they had lucked out, her mom getting a job as a housekeeper there, the owner learning about their situation and taking pity on them. he'd agree to offer them discounted rent if she’d promise to not be disruptive. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for them to get back on their feet and try to get a little more ahead. 

in order to make some extra income, savannah's mom had gotten a second job a few nights a week as a waitress at an overnight diner. through her work, she’d start to become involved with a regular. he was a bit of a seedy individual, someone that would ultimately be a very negative influence on her. 

one night, her mother invited her boyfriend over to their motel to spend the night, savannah being watched by someone a few rooms down. she would get extremely under the influence, inviting a few other "friends" of theirs, resulting in their motel room getting destroyed and causing a hell of a scene. the police were called and her mom was arrested. the courts would deem her unfit to continue raising little savannah, full custody being placed with her grandparents.

savannah and her grandparent's relationship was rather rough from the get-go. she was angry and confused with her new living situation, not wanting to live with someone she’d never met before. she was desperately missing her mom, not quite at an age where she could understand why she’d been arrested. so , it wasn’t much of a shock when savannah gave them hell from the start.

savannah always struggled with breaking out her shell and making friends, mostly due to moving around so much. her grandparents tried their best with introducing her to many groups within their community (their church, girl scouts, 4-h club, etc)....anything to try to help savannah blossom and try to ease the transition to her new living situation. she would manage to make a few friends, people would most likely took some pity on her. but, she would found more comfort with her own company. her biggest comfort? music. it all started when she was nine and hearing rumors by fleetwood mac on her classmate's cd player. after hearing gold dust woman, savannah commented on the song and saying she enjoyed it. her classmate let her borrow a few of her other cd's and sav felt like she was discovering gold. there was no turning back, she wanted to learn more, discover more music. this started her journey of discovering more artists/bands, the first taste of rebellion. at the same time, she felt like she was living a double life since this wasn't music they played at church?

as savannah transitioned into her pre-teen years, her rebellion and bad habits only grew. she would find her confidence and comfort with hanging out with the small crowd of misfits of peach county high. the misfits being the goths/punk/burnout kids aka the the people that didn't fall into any other so called 'cliques'.

secular music was not the only thing she was doing behind her grandparent's back. she was also sneaking cigarettes, weed, booze, and skimpy clothing to wear on her late night adventures. hiding them all in a loose floor board of her bedroom, there was no going back.

at fourteen and fifteen years old she was spending late nights sneaking off and causing chaos. chain smoking cigarettes, shop lifting, finishing off full bottles of vodka, and god knows what else. savannah knew deep down that none of these things were good to do, but she was so desperate for a place to fit in and be accepted that she was heavily influenced to do these things. half the time her grandparents didn’t know where was and it made them worried sick.

her reckless behavior would only fuel their negative relationship but she didn't care. this was the root cause for the standard occurrence of them having heated verbal arguments, causing savannah to be temporarily kicked out and being forced to couch surf with her friend group. her grandparents wanted better for savannah, trying to hold her accountable and not have a future like her mom.

when she was seventeen, she got into a nasty fight with another girl at a club while she was extremely drunk and under the influence. the fight resulted in the girl being hospitalized with a serious blow to her head. sav was sent to juvie for a year and a half due to the fight and other charges that were caught up on her.

flash forward 1.5 years, she is released from juvie and put on probation. with nowhere else to go, she had no choice but to move back in with grandparents. even though they are not proud of her past actions, they let her move back in but not without their own rules for her to obey.

she picks up a job at the local mechanic shop in town at the front desk. it's nothing fancy but it is something to keep her busy and get cash in her pocket. she had managed to get her GED while locked up, so college was an option but something that wasn't on her radar.

by the time she is twenty one, she has managed to save up enough money to feel like she can be on her own. only having only known georgia, savannah craves somewhere else she can start fresh and have more 'wordly' experiences. so, she finds herself moving down to miami without much of a plan but she'll figure it out.

found a shitty but cheap apartment not far from her bartending job at body's....eventually moving up to becoming a dancer there after being there for around a year.

she started out with the nariza bois as a mechanic, her knowledge of cars from her previous mechanic job and helping fix cars with her grandpa making it a natural fit. she felt comfortable in that position.

most recently transitioned to becoming a racer and though she had her own self doubts if the choice was right, the pure adrenaline and confidence boost it has provided her is priceless. every time she goes out on a race, it brings her back to her teenage years, her thirst for excitement and rebellion never quite leaving her.

other hc's / fun facts.

she has a THICK southern accent <33

keeps her ipod nano charged at ALL times and her playlist is hella chaotic....but mostly ranges from classic rock / emo / alternative

drives a refurbished 60's mercury comet convertible (decked out w purple interior and purple and blue stars painted on the exterior ) .... it is nicknamed the hearse mobile gjrkgjkrj

an extrovert introvert. she gets along with the bois but def has her own inner circle of friends that she feels herself more comfortable with. once you get to know her more and she feels comfy in your presence, she'll open up and be more of her weird self

is a CRANKY bitch if she does not have her morning cigarette and redbull combo

her favorite games to play are mario kart or guitar hero

her favorite candy is sour patch kids

constantly missing her alarm

she is very much a night owl.....please do not make her wake up early </3

#CERTIFIED WEIRDO ..... people in high school thought she was a witch/vampire because of her she did her hair and makeup fekjfjrkgj

her style is very....interesting....it's a mix between punk/whimsigoth/emo???? she thrifts most of her clothing to try to make her own style unique to herself. she draws inspo from stevie nicks, avril lavigne, and joan jett.

speaking of avril....she LOVES her !! currently has hot pink streaks in her hair because avril has them

she has LOTS of tattoos....mostly random stick n' poke one's that she has let her fellow mechanic besties draw on her

wanted connections. ( some ideas can be found here )

the bois member whom she met that introduced her to the crew and got her a position as a mechanic - this can be open to an import model/fellow mechanic/racer - perhaps she helped fix up your muses car and they were impressed with her knowledge of cars???

someone from the prowlers that she has BEEF with - can be one-sided or mutual

a prowlers member who talks shit about her and her hearse mobile and thinks she's a shitty racer <3

a bois member who is her designated passenger during races

bad influence

unlikely friendship

drinking/smoking buds

friends with benefits - current or former

former flings

big brother / little sister friendship

platonic soulmates/besties .... i beg

concert/music buddies ..... sav luvs to go to concerts and jam out

BOI MECHANIC BESTIES!!!!! she luvs her mechanics very much

a boi mechanic that she might have mentored when they first joined/took under her wing?

a boi mechanic that she might have iffy terms with bc they're salty she moved to being a racer?

CO-WORKERS AT BODY!!! i would love co-workers that she vibes with and some that she hates :)))

former clients of her's at body

CURRENT clients at body's ;)))

a body co-worker who acts like a work momma to her

anything else tbh !! always down to brainstorm and think of plots !

[wannabecatwriter]

It was nice to take a bath and not feel like she might pass out for once - for the past few days, Val's been feeling majorly under the weather. She was better now and pondering things.

To think that she was a married woman now and a mother - even a short while ago, she would have said it'll never happen for her. But life had a funny way with things.

Growing up with parents who never seemed to parent her much, she learned to take care of herself and not wait for them. It was necessary.

It also led to her going through life on autopilot, sometimes, taking care of everything and everyone around her, fixing problems wherever she perceived them and being a lifesaver for friends who needed one.

But what did she need? She wasn't even sure. Yes, she dated once or twice in college. But those relationships felt almost automatic, which, looking back now, she knew wasn't healthy.

If not for the mental breakdown she had that forced her to quit working at Joja, and not for her parents' behavior that followed, maybe she would still be in that cycle.

Her grandpa leaving her that farm proved to be something that really saved her life. She made great connections in Pelican Town. And found the love of her life.

Sometimes, she was still amazed that Elliott fell for her. Old Val would've friend-zoned him automatically, assuming he was out of her league. But somehow, she was so comfortable around him that they became a family.

Life sure was strange sometimes.

[maerps]

every now and again, annalise will send postcards to her father from her occasional travels. she has never received anything back.

sometimes i think about this and just cry because it’s just so fucking sad!!! she has such a miserable excuse for a father that even after all he’s done to her, after she had the chance to kill him and chose not to, he still won’t indulge her in the simplest things like sending a letter in the mail or responding to her postcards. the last words she ever spoke to him were asking him to change and even knowing he was losing her for good he still wasn’t receptive and went right back to continue his work without taking any time to consider her request. he never considers her and he never really has, but she still caught herself hoping. when she left he lost his project, but she lost her father. it takes her over a decade to work through all the trauma regarding her father and her childhood, work that’s never truly finished—and even after all of that she’ll still find herself reaching out for a connection she knows isn’t there and won’t amount to anything. she’ll get stellar marks in university or ace a debate and suddenly want to tell him—or when she finally gets through school and gets her first job as a nurse, she’ll have this urge to send him a picture of her receiving her degree. she’ll have an off day at work or maybe she sees something medically strange and she wants so badly to pick up the phone and exchange theories with him. but he was never truly there for her to begin with, why would he start now? and while it’s something annalise has presently come to accept, it’s something she still struggles with every now and again, and every time she’ll have to make herself remember “oh right, that’s not something we do.”

[noralevin]

Send 👔 for my muse to talk about their father

"My first real memory of my dad... I was five, and he and my mom were... finishing up junior year of college, I think? They both came home for a weekend before going to New York for some internship, and my dad wouldn't pick me up. Like, physically would not lift me and hold me. I asked him to, because I was five and my nanny was like, 'Nora, go say hi to daddy,' but I remember him just looking down at me like I was some alien.

I think he still looks at me like that sometimes. Sometimes, when I'm feeling real masochistic, I think about what I must look like to him. This kid he didn't want and who could've ruined everything if my family didn't have so much fucking money. I think he thinks about me more in terms of how much I've cost him through the years than anything else.

But what's so fucked about it is that I think he resents me for that, but money's also the only way he's ever known how to show any kind of affection at all. When I finished fifth grade, my dad didn't come to the stupid little graduation they held, but I got one of those little pink plastic Jeeps you can ride around in and a ladybug cellphone. He paid for my rent my first year in New York but only ever called to remind me to forward the bills.

So then it's a double-edge sword, right? He feels like I owe him because of all of this money he's thrown at me. Honestly, so do I sometimes, even though I hate him most days. It's still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this guy is the reason I have so many things, but he also wasn't even involved in picking out my name. He and my mom left it up to her parents. See the problem here?"

[helldustedstories]

Stolas never knew his mother. For all he knows, he's not even sure he has one. Paimon is the only parent he's ever known, and he was not often around, leaving Stolas in the care of the servants around the palace for long swathes of time. He spent more time with his tutors and Mr. Butler than he did with any of his actual family members.

When he was younger, he wondered about his mother, if she existed, quite a bit. What would she have been like? Would things be different if she was still around? Had she decided to leave, or had Paimon made that decision for her? Would she have loved him?

There's part of him that still occasionally asks those questions, but more on Octavia's behalf than his own. Would his mother have helped him make a good life for his daughter? Would she care about her at all? Or would he still be on his own, trying to provide all the love and care for his own child that he'd been denied?

So to say he doesn't really have a relationship with holidays that celebrate mothers is an understatement. He pulled on his mask and went through the motions to celebrate Stella, the way he was supposed to, as part of making sure Octavia had a normal childhood, but for himself, it's just another day on the calendar, another reminder of how alone he was for most of his life.

[mewintheflesh-2]

I think Mikey’s parents were a bit accidentally neglectful of him, which I think also ties into his desperate need to be acknowledged and recognised. Not that anybody in the same position as him wouldn’t also be deprecate for someone to acknowledge what they’ve done, I just think that it’s amplified even more with Mikey.

I think he had more of an attachment to his mother than father, and would oftentimes cling to her like a puppy when he was much younger. I think his mother just put more emotional investment into him than his father did. His father still loved him though, he just didn’t know exactly how to show his emotions properly as much as someone like his mother did.

I think the neglect happened by pure happenstance, it wasn’t really any of their faults, they were busy with work a lot of the time, sometimes working overtime because their job needed them there that much, often accidentally making false promises they’d be home that night before having to call home to break the news that they’d have to work late again.

They’d oftentimes make accidental false promises on other accounts. Promises to take him places, to cook him dinner that night, to get him something he really wanted. So he’d often be looking forward to something with all his heart only to have it shattered when he realises they didn’t fufill what they promised. It wasn’t like they didn’t have the money to, no, they were more than well off in this regard. It was just pure happenstance. He wishes he could blame them present day, just to have someone to pin the blame on, but he knows it wasn’t their fault, so he really can’t bring himself to.

I’m not sure about the status of his parents in the present day. I’m 99% sure they’re alive?? If they’re doing well is another question in it’s entirety.

[incaensio]

setting : on the way to the museum, after the interviews with : coriolanus snow @fatefought

kiran suggests they go together on his own lift to the museum with some other gamemakers, but constantinus has an excuse on the tip of his tongue; it is delivered with an apologetic crinkle of the eyes and a salute as means to say see you soon before hurrying to the exit, where the presidential car awaits. he catches the president and the first lady just before she takes the last step, and with a kiss to his grandmother's hand, then her cheek, connie announces he will be joining his grandparents that night because he just hasn't gotten enough of them between his run from the gamemaker seats to the presidential ones. so he scoots in, comfortably between his grandparents.

"grandsire." coriolanus snow receives a bright smile, as if connie is still that nine year old who's star-struck by a man so imposing like the president (his father always made for poor comparison; cornelius snow only gave his only child the time of the day to drag him around by the neckline like a dog, or to whimper his apologies with glazed eyes); a kiss comes too, to the cheek, still like that good natured boy but constantinus pulls himself away quicker than he had with is grandmother. his grandfather smells of death — the same putrid scent from nadia's mouth as he tried and tried to get her to breathe, to no avail (it surprises him everyday that he withstands this; a weaker person may have succumbed to the never stopping anger, but he is cold. he is a snow, after all, and knows he must bide his time, even if he loathes to kiss and pander to a murderer).

the driver takes off, guiding them to the museum; there will be some extra traffic tonight, with all the extra cars around the city going to the same place, and constantinus sucks on his teeth, his annoyance at caesar flickerman the only thing unconcealed in this car from his part. "did you like the scores this year, grandpa?" he queries, casually, as if he's not truly asking the president if he's decided to rig things this year (sometimes, gamemakers have to yield; usually, that's not disclosed between them all, only plutarch would know, but connie knows that some of those scores were not the ones he voted on).

[learningfromlosing]

Shout out to my fellow kin who grew up without having a proper birthday due to parental neglect.

They absolutely are important.

You absolutely do deserve to be celebrated.

You absolutely are special and people do love you, even if your family doesn't.

[recklessinventor]

“Funny story, actually, I learned to read and write at two or three. Much, much earlier than when I learned to speak at almost five, heh...”

[oftatteredwings]

⸻  MENA MASSOUD. THEY + THEM / have you ever     heard of  HOW SOON IS NOW by the smiths, well,     it describes DARIUS KAMAL to a tee! the 29 year old, and BELLHOP AT THE RITZ was spotted browsing     through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know     them? would you say  THEY are  more stubborn or more SELF-DISCIPLINED instead?     anyway, they remind me of hot drinks on cold, foggy mornings, 80’s inspired sports gear, a hatred for all things monochrome and always being five seconds away from falling asleep, maybe you’ll bump into     them soon! 

time in notting hill ; 3 years.

tw: parental neglect

ABOUT.

Name: Darius Kamal Nicknames: None Age: Twenty-nine Date of Birth: 7th July 1993 Birth place: Birmingham, UK Occupation:  Bellhop at the Ritz Romantic/sexual orientation: Panromantic/pansexual

Darius’s childhood started with what was supposed to be hope. They adored their home and the close knit community they were born into on the outskirts of the city. It had such potential.

Unfortunately for them, as they grew and began to figure themselves out, questioning as they reached their teens, their parents became uninterested. All they seemed to care about was how they were doing in class or what time they’d be home from their friend’s house. As for what was going on in Darius’s head or how they were really feeling inside, that didn’t matter.

It was easy for them to begin to feel abandoned, like they had no one to turn to. In the end they bonded with a teacher at their school, would hide out in their classroom at lunch times and basically avoid everyone else.

They chose college over A levels, spent two years on the stage studying performing arts. In the end it wouldn’t actually go anywhere, but they had the time of their life, spent weekends heading down to London and watching shows, making a bunch of new friends and living life to its fullest... finally.

That was what prompted the move to the big city in the end. It was an easy decision to make and anything to get away from the family that had been so keen to disown them. 

They moved in with a group of theatre friends and they spent most of their evenings working backstage at various locations around the city. They weren’t entirely sure if it was what they wanted to do with their life, but it worked for now and they were happy, an entirely odd sensation after so many years spent miserable back in Birmingham.

Eventually they found themselves in Notting Hill, completely drawn in by the colourful streets, by the carnival, by everything it had to offer.

The job as a bellhop at the Ritz kind of fell into their lap. It works for now, even if they spend multiple days a week doing doubles —- the tips make it worth it, the rich and famous handing over £50 notes after Darius drops their bags off at their door. What could be bad?

HEADCANONS.

coming soon...

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

- roommates. ( jaya, teddy. ) - theatre friends - og roommates/the group that helped them find themselves. - coffee friends. - really anything at all !!!

[maerps]

thinking about how annalise bases so much of her self-worth on how she's doing academically or in her career and sometimes even in her personal life. failures on her end are something she struggles so very deeply with, and annalise can see a failure in almost anything—even little things like a mistake in paperwork or her writing not being legible enough. they make her feel so worthless because growing up, she was conditioned to feel like her father only loved her when she did something good. she only saw him smile so genuinely when she aced a quiz or passed one of his tests or one of her tutors gave her a good mark. and that translated into annalise growing up not feeling worthy unless she's doing everything perfectly. she also struggles with receiving criticism because of this—she'll often take it, twist it, and spiral (although she's gotten a lot better about this in present times). a mistake in paperwork? she's going to triple-check everything she ever writes down from now on. she needs to work on her interpersonal skills? catch her taking night classes for months and barely resting because she's so consumed with studying and overcoming it on such an unhealthy fucking scale.

annalise would guilt herself into a coma if she could over the smallest fucking mistakes, even now, because she genuinely can't feel all right with herself if she doesn't actively see perfection or progress. and god don't get me started on how it impacts her healing journey because it's evident so much then... only a few weeks into therapy and she's breaking down because she's not miraculously cured and her past still haunts her. she thinks she's done something wrong because she hasn't been able to "fix" herself only weeks after beginning the work and it makes her feel unworthy of even healing.

[bullyberry]

Stella has been taking care of herself for as long as she can remember. Her parents didn't raise her exactly as she more raised herself. She lived with her parents until she moved to the academy in Paldea but no one would've ever guessed that by looking at the house or talking to her parents.

Stella had to fill out the forms for attending the Paldea Academy herself same with the transfer forms for Blueberry Academy. She even took herself to the airport for the flight to Paldea and Unova. Her parents have never visited her at school or wrote or called her. As far as anyone can tell Stella has no parents and her parents have no child.

[helldustedstories]

Stolas is very used to having to put on some sort of mask with pretty much everyone.

With his father, he learned to become the dutiful son who was obedient and never showed his emotions beyond what was "respectable" for the situation. He knew he meant little to Paimon beyond the fact that he was to carry on the Ars Goetia name (his birthday certainly wasn't the only time his father forgot his name), and he played that part to perfection. Stolas married Stella, despite having absolutely zero interest in any sort of relationship with her, he didn't complain about …. basically anything.

Because if he ever did, he would be belittled and put down. He was excited about getting his grimoire and learning what his job was going to be, only for that to be immediately followed up with "Also, you're going to marry this person you don't know and the picture I'm showing you is of her actively hurting her pets." And when Stolas understandably reacted to that, he was told "that's an ugly noise" and to "cease this bitch crying."

It certainly wasn't the first time his father told him something like that, and it wouldn't be the last.

He's so drawn to Blitzo at the circus because the performer was clearly excited about what he was doing, and he didn't let his failure to make a balloon horse right away get him down. Instead, he kept trying and when he made a horse without legs, he made a joke about it instead. And when Stolas laughed, he responded to him and appreciated the fact he'd gotten a response, which was also a first for Stolas.

He was already starry-eyed about Blitzo before the latter came to the house because of that tiny interaction, and then suddenly, Blitzo was there, in his house. He had liked that Stolas had laughed at his joke; maybe he could share some things of his own, share any of himself without being scolded for it! Sure, Blitzo wasn't that interested in his books, but he showed Stolas something he'd never had before: how to play games. Stolas was able to have fun and be himself without fear for the first time.

He truly considered Blitzo to be his friend, and if he'd had any way of keeping in touch, he would have.

But that was the last time he was really allowed to behave in any way childishly. Because after that point, he had to become the dutiful son again, focus on his studies. No more carefree days of playing with other children.

And when he came of age, he married Stella. He certainly wasn't interested in their marriage, but he tried very hard to be, hoping that if he put in the effort, it would change how he felt.

But once they had Octavia (when he was only nineteen), it quickly became clear that his marriage to Stella was going to continue to be one of convenience and nothing more. Stolas still tried to be a good husband, so that he could also be a better father than his had been, but even then, he couldn't really let his himself just be.

Stella continued to put him down, insulting him in pretty much any way she could think of, and he couldn't show how much it got to him. Because if he did, then that would only give her something else to throw back at him.

He tried to shield Via from the worst of it, but every year that went by, it got harder and harder to do.

Other than his daughter, he was incredibly lonely, sequestered for much of his life, and controlled in some aspect for so much of it.

It's part of the reason why, when his first friend returned, and showed interest in him, Stolas was so intrigued. He'd never felt wanted before that point, never had anyone express any sort of desire for him, and for it to be this person he'd been himself with, even if it had been twenty five years previous, is so foreign to him.

And so when Blitz is flirting and forward, even then, because he has no idea how to act in this situation because he's never been in this sort of situation before, he tries to match Blitz's energy because that's what he wants, right? And Stolas is used to putting other people's wants before his own.

But as he spends more time with Blitz, especially when they're not just sleeping together, he starts to show more of himself, starts to actually let someone see who he really is. And that's how he has the courage to stand up to Stella, to finally initiate a divorce. Because if someone like Blitz, this bold, courageous, funny, amazing person can see him for who he is and doesn't immediately push him away or hate him, then maybe he can do something for himself for once. Maybe he can make his own life better.

Because now he knows there is a better. He had been trying to stick it out and stay in the marriage, to try to provide Octavia some form of stability, but that hasn't been working, and is, in fact, actively harming his daughter. Which is even more important than his own well-being. He's going to do better so that he can also be better for Octavia, if it's not too late. The status quo hasn't been working, and Stolas is finally figuring out a way to take off his masks, even the ones he wears for himself.

[inkshine]

Headcanon: The reason Sydney learned to be such a good cook is because he refined his cooking skills when his neglectful mother wouldn't make food for him.

[incaensio]

Mockingjay: What is/was Domi's relationship with their parents like? Who in their family do they turn to for a shoulder?

for as little as she remembers her father, domitila had a nice enough relationship with him. he was a good father, and she was his only child, so she was spoiled. of course, it's been over two decades, so her memories of her father are fuzzy, distant, something heightened by her mother's adamant orders for her to move on and not suffer too much. nowadays, she thinks that distance was necessary because her father was a loser (her mother's words) and she's better off away from him; she doesn't even use his last name because of that.

as for her mother, i think miss marilia is...she is. i think in her own way she loves her daughter, and domitila loves her too, but her daughter has never been the center of her life. i think this hurt domitila more when she was younger, but she's convinced herself warm, caring, more than everything maternal love is something like a fantasy, and she's instead filled that hole with materialism. of course, she still is in contact with her mother; they share a meal at least once a month, and meet up socially more often. she's still not her mother's focus, but marilia is a meddler so domitila has to hear her complains now and then. unlike with her father's name, domitila is more acquainted with her mother's - both her maiden name and her husband's, who are older and wealthier families, whose circle has helped domitila rise up.

as mentioned above, her family is not warm nor is it close, so i don't think she'd turn for comfort with anyone. she knows better than to do it with her mother or her stepfather, and she loathes her half-sibling. she'd prefer whine and moan to a friend, even if most of hers aren't true ones, not that she'd ever admit this.

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Logan Lerman

full name: Declan James Lovelace

nickname(s) / goes by: Ducky or DJ

pronouns & gender: cis man

sexuality: homosexual

birth date: October, 31, 1990.

birth place: Ottawa, Canada

arrival to merrock: 2016

housing: suburbs

occupation: personal assistant/art director to the owner of a makeup empire.

work place: N/A

family: estranged mother

relationship status: it's complicated, single.

PERSONALITY

Ducky is as effervescent as they come, he'd bright and witty and could light up a room with a smile. Or so he likes to believe. A guy whose never shied away from speaking his mind, regardless if it comes off as tactful or not. He's fun, he's flirty, and you'll definitely know if he likes you because he'll say it to your face. Underneath all the smiles and laughs there is a boy who believes he doesn't deserve love or that he's easily replaceable, and he clings onto a sliver of hope that someone will think worthy of him enough to stay.

WRITTEN BY: Juicy (any pronouns), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: parental neglect

As the boy grew he began to notice the slew of men coming in and out of his home. At first he didn't understand why each and every time it made his mother grow more distant, but he knew that every single one that stepped out the door, took a little piece of hope from her.

School became a safe haven, where he could immerse himself into studies or whatever activity he could get his hands on. Some seemed a little too rough for Ducky, but dance, cheer, figure skating, it all sort of just clicked. All he wanted was to not be home, for a few extra hours away from that place.

Then at the ripe age of sixteen, Ducky found that he had no home, an argument, some words best left unsaid had left it at the door with all his belongings unsure of where to go from there. It had been a struggle for those few years, but with odd jobs and friends he managed to survive. Couch surfing, sleeping at shelters you did everything, until one day working at the makeup counter at the mall, one simple task changed your life. A woman whisked Ducky away into the life of a personal assistant, teaching him every trick in the book, paying for his schooling, and ensuring that he had a place to stay. Now years into this job he's found his footing and ready to take on the world, or at least the next makeup launch.