#pronouns he/him he’s not exactly binary but very importantly a Guy while having less binary presentation and deeper identity | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

apptodays939 · 3 years

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Simple Bio For Dating App

Short Bio For Dating App

Simple Bio For Dating App For Men

Funny Bios For Dating Apps

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Guys who say “I’m not your average kinda guy” When you explicitly state that you’re not an average. Oct 2, 2018 - Examples of good online dating profile examples for men that you can use as a template or inspiration. Get an idea of what works!. See more ideas about online dating profile examples, online dating profile, dating profile.

Listing your pronouns in your social media or dating app bio may not have occurred to you if you're not part of the LGBTQ+ community. And if you're the gender you were assigned at birth (cisgender), you probably haven't given the practice much thought.But take it from your local non-binary, Black baddie: Putting your pronouns in your dating app bio as a cis person can make all the difference for trans daters. Beyond the reassurance it gives me and other gender non-conforming (GNC) hotties, this simple act can be life-saving.

Remember, most users will see hundreds or thousands of dating app bios in any given week so you have to be original. Use famous quotes and make them fit you. Use marketing slogans, TV commercials and so on. As long as the person you’re trying to attract is likely to know what you’re on about, you should be fine.

Tinder is easily one of the most popular dating apps out there. But while it got a reputation a few years back for being just a sleazy, hook-up app, the opposite is definitely true in 2019. These days, Tinder is a great place to meet someone chilled who’s up for a laugh – or your soulmate.

You're not taking up space in a community you're not a part of. Instead, you're letting gender-fluid and trans people know you're a safe person to swipe right on.

It's hard to pin down exactly how many millennials or Gen Zers identify as GNC. According to 2018 data from the Pew Research Center, 25% of millennials and 35% of Gen Zers personally know someone who goes by gender-neutral pronouns. Additionally, the data also showed that 50% of millennials and about 60% of Gen Zers believe forms and online profiles should offer more gender options than just 'woman' and 'man.'

The tides are shifting in favor of greater trans inclusion, and normalizing the pronouns conversation during first encounters — romantic, sexual, and otherwise — is a simple, yet powerful way you can participate. Step into my perspective as a non-binary femme who often gets misgendered as a woman. Because of this, I see pronouns in your dating profile as a 'green flag.' (It's the opposite of a bio that reads 'I don't kno what to write here hahaha' or a picture of you holding a dead fish in your photo gallery, for example.)

That 'she/her' or 'he/him' lets me know you're going to respect my identity and use “they” when gushing about me in your group chat. I can show up to our date wearing whatever clothes make me feel comfortable, and you won't blink. More importantly, seeing your pronouns lets me know I don't have to be afraid for my safety, especially when being intimate. I know I won't feel awkward telling you what alternate words to use in reference to my bodywhen we're hooking up, and I can say 'yes' to being your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner with less hesitation because I know you'll stick up for me, even when it's hard.

Questions like, 'Will my date respect me?', 'Should I wear makeup to appear more feminine?', and 'Should I go home with him?' can make any dater nervous, regardless of gender identity. But as a non-binary person, these questions are a matter of life and death. Non-cis people have to worry about 'trans panic' — a violent reaction toward a trans person when they come out or are outed to a cis romantic or sexual partner — on the regular. This type of violence has been widely depicted in film and TV since the early 1900s — something the Laverne Cox-produced documentary Disclosurebreaks down in detail. Violent transphobia is a very real threat that affects and ends trans people's lives everyday.

The FBI's 2018 Hate Crime Statistics Reportfound that one in five confirmed hate crimes committed in 2018 were motivated by anti-LGBTQ bias. Transphobic violence made up about 14% of the anti-LGBTQ incidents, and 2.4% of all hate crimes.If this isn't harrowing enough, gay or trans panic is widely considered a legitimate legal defense to excuse cis violence against trans people. Only 11 states —California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Washington — have banned the use of trans panic defenses.

So you can see how meeting a straight crush at a swanky bar or a cute cis match at a GoKart track doesn't always seem super fun when you're trans or gender-fluid. Mix Thomas, a psychotherapist who specializes in working with trans and non-binary people, tells Elite Daily the threat of transphobia looms large enough for some clients — especially trans-feminine ones — that they just don't date at all.

Some dating apps make being a cisgender ally easier than others. While Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble offer lengthy, inclusive lists of gender options, you have to manually add your pronouns to your bio. Lex — an app for women, trans, and GNC daters—offers a limited list of options for pronouns, but you can go back can customize that section once your profile is finished.

Grindr, which has historically been an app for gay men but has expanded to include trans and GNC daters, also offers a designated pronouns section. Alex Black, Grindr's Head of Marketing, tells Elite Daily 15% of users include pronouns on their profile. You can choose 'he/him,' 'she/her,' 'they/them,' or custom pronouns.

When filling in this part of your Grindr profile, there's a note explaining why it's so important for trans and non-binary users. This includes a warning that cis people shouldn't abuse this section with jokes. Similarly, profiles on HER, an app for lesbian, queer, and bisexual people, have a designated pronouns section. You can select 'she/her,' 'he/him,' and 'they/them,' along with 'ze/hir,' custom pronouns, or 'prefer not to say.'

If you click the 'What does this mean?' link that's displayed in this part of HER's interface, an explainer on gender identity pops up for the presented pronoun options.

HER CEO Robyn Exton tells Elite Daily 49% ofusers have added pronouns to their profiles. In 2020, OkCupid announced it was opening its 'Add Pronouns To Profile' feature to all users, regardless of whether they were LGBTQ+ or not.

Thomas agrees that cis folks adopting this pronoun practice can be helpful to trans and genderqueer people. 'It stops any assumptions about gender at the first meeting. If someone asks my pronouns, I know they see me, they want to know me, and they're not making any assumptions about who I am based on my appearance,' Thomas says. 'It sends the message that this person is in the know about trans and GNC folks, and understands how important it is to feel seen and to be accepted.'

And God, when swiping through dating apps, I'd love to match with someone who's going to make me feel seen and accepted. Along with displaying pronouns prominently,Thomas recommends educating yourself on gender identity. Ideally, they say, you should know enough to not make a trans or non-binary person feel like they have to explain themselves. (If you ask me what non-binary means while we're on a date, I'm Venmo-requesting you for emotional labor.)

Maybe this conversation seems like it's sucking the fun out of something as exciting as setting up your dating app profile. But these worries are constantly present for genderqueer people, even when we want to do something as simple as DM a cis crush on Instagram. Adding your pronouns to your bio (which takes 30 seconds at most) can help steer society toward greater acceptance and inclusion. Plus, you're letting trans or GNC people know you'd be a wonderful match for them — one that respects all parts of their gender identity. What do you have to lose?

Experts:

Mix Thomas, MSW, LGSW, psychotherapist who specializes in working with trans, non-binary, and GNC clients

Sources:

Alex Black, Head of Marketing at Grindr

Robyn Exton, CEO at HER

If you have ever been on Tinder, then you are probably trying to find someone to connect with, whether it is more romantically or more physically.

And if you are trying to find someone to connect with through a dating app, then you most likely know how overwhelming the whole process can be.

You might already be using Tinder with little to no success. Or maybe you are just getting started and have no idea how to set up your profile. Either way, you feel like you could use a nudge in the right direction when it comes to using Tinder.

A huge part of having success on Tinder and getting matches is your profile. From your picture to your bio, it is the first thing that strangers will see and learn about you. So choose your photo and your words wisely.

While it does say bio, in the Tinder world that does not mean that you should write out the story of your life. In a world of smartphones and swiping left and right, very few people have the time and attention span for that.

How To Write the Best Tinder Bios

When it comes to Tinder bios, one thing is for sure. You should not leave your bio blank. If you cannot bother to write anything in your bio, then why should anyone want to get to know you?

The golden rule of writing a Tinder bio is that it should be short and sweet. Because of this, you might not know what details to include in your bio.

Do you write about your interests? Your profession? Your favorite TV shows? Your dog? Or do you want to showcase your sense of humor with a funny quote?

You will have to narrow down the information you share about yourself so that it fits into a bio that is not too long.

So what exactly does a bio mean in this case? When it comes to Tinder, your bio should tell the other person about who you are, even if they don’t walk away knowing when and where you were born and what your childhood was like.

You do not need to give out every little detail right away. Save that for someone you actually end up matching with. Even if you do find a match, it does not mean you will have a long, meaningful conversation that turns into you getting to meet up with them.

You might get to meet this person. Or you might not. Either way, you will want to save all the small details of your life for the right person and the right time.

When it comes to a nice and simple Tinder bio, you are giving people a bit of yourself. That can mean anything from a witty joke that is totally your sense of humor to a short list of your favorite things.

Below are tips on how to write a simple Tinder bio that will appeal to other people who come across your profile. You will learn about what to avoid as well as which strategies work the best.

You will also find many examples of a wide variety of Tinder bios. These simple Tinder bio examples range from the funny and quirky to the sexy and serious.

As you read the Tinder bio examples, you will notice how short they all are. They are all short enough so that the reader does not get bored, but they provide just enough information to intrigue the reader as well.

Here are some things that you will want to keep in mind as you begin to put together your very own Tinder bio:

Be creative

There is a very well-known saying that there are plenty of fish in the sea. What it means is that there are plenty of other people out there in the dating world.

That is why it can pay off to be unique. Try to have some creativity and originality in your Tinder bio if you want to catch someone’s interest.

Whether you have a creative outlook on life or you have a creative personality, show that off in your profile. It will set you apart from the other people on Tinder.

Be unique

This one is similar to being creative in that it encourages you to showcase how you are different from all the other people in the dating pool.

What makes you special from all the others out there? If you happen to have an interest or a favorite show or movie that you want to mention, do not be afraid to reference it in your profile.

For example, if your favorite movie is Office Space and you have a quote from that movie you love, try to work it into your profile.

If you end up matching up with someone who also loves that movie, then you will have one more thing to talk about.

Write a short list

Whether writing is not your strongest suit or you just like keeping things simple and to the point, a short list is not a bad way to write a Tinder bio.

The great thing about a list is that the bullet points will make it easy for a person to quickly read. You do not have to worry about people getting bored reading your bio because it will be so short and to the point.

But what kind of information do you put on a list? You can write a general list of things about yourself, such as a cool place that you have been to or what you do for fun.

Keep it short

This can be as little as 3 words you use to describe yourself or as long as 2 or 3 sentences. One word is way too short, while a full paragraph is just too long for most people to read.

When it comes to length in your Tinder bio, you will have a hard time finding people willing to read your 10-sentence bio or your poem that is 500 words in length. Run-on sentences are your enemy.

Be confident

You get the energy you put out. If you show the world that you already think nobody will be interested in you, then that is probably exactly what will happen.

On the other side of things, if you approach things with the confidence that there is someone out there who is right for you, then you will probably get much better results.

Even if you are not a perfect 10 with a great body or if you do not always know the right things to say, you have your own winning qualities that are unique to you.

It helps to know what these qualities are. What are you good at? What do you like to do? What makes you passionate? These pieces of information, when presented well in your bio, might attract people to you.

Don’t

Be creepy or Act desperate

Whatever you do, do not say how long it has been since you have had a date. Do not joke that you will settle for anyone and do not showcase your low self-esteem.

Even if all of those things might be true, you do not want to showcase that on your Tinder bio of all places. Doing so will only repel people, not attract them.

Be cocky

While confidence is a great quality to have, especially in the dating world, too much of it can also be a bad thing.

You want people to know that you feel secure about yourself, but you do not want to come off as thinking that you are better than everyone else.

When writing your Tinder bio, remember that confidence is attractive, but arrogance is not. So have a respectful and humble tone even when you try to portray that confidence in your profile.

If you’re a guy

Mention your height if you are tall

Even if your picture shows your whole body, girls will definitely be wondering just how tall you are and if you are indeed tall, sharing that information will most likely work in your favor.

Mention where you went to school

If you went to the same school, then that can be a great ice breaker for you to talk about. There are many things you can talk about if you went to the same school from what the things you loved about it to the things that you did not like.

Mention what you do for a living

If you list your alma mater without mentioning what your job is, then most women will assume that you are unemployed. Unless you graduated recently, unemployment can be a turnoff for many, even in the world of casual dating.

Avoid hypermasculinity

With both genders, it is important to be genuine. Men often think that women prefer the super macho type of guy. That is not always true.

Also, if you are not that type of guy, then do not pretend to be. You do not have to write in your profile that you are always lifting weights at the gym or something like that if that is not you.

Be more honest about the type of guy you are. If you are more artistic, then show that in your profile and bio.

Be genuine

As mentioned above, being real is very important. While this obviously applies to any gender, women are often looking for hints that you are not who you say you are in your Tinder profile.

Do not act like you are rich if you are not and do not pretend you go out to the bar every night if that is not what you do.

If you are not romantic, then do not pretend to be. And if you are a bit of a romantic, then do not act like you are a guy who is okay with having a bunch of one-night stands.

Remember that when it comes to your Tinder profile and your bio, first impressions will help you get your foot in the door. But do not be so desperate that you lie about who you are.

So do not be fake, even on your Tinder. Try to be genuine and you might get a better chance of having good results.

If you’re a lady

Do not list your height

Even though it is desirable for men to do so, if a woman does it then it will possibly be perceived as insecure and a possible obstacle especially if she happens to be tall.

If you are a tall woman, you might be self-conscious of your height, but just see where things end up first unless you are picky enough that you only want to date guys who are taller than you.

Make an effort in your bio

If you write nothing in your bio, then it is left to the guys to message you with no information about you at all and that can be a lot of pressure.

They might even resort to using a cheesy pickup line on you. So write even one or two things about yourself and what you like so your prospective interests have some information to work with.

Do not be off-putting

Women, and even men, can be very defensive when they try to date online. They put up a defensive wall and try to act very tough or sarcastic before someone can even get their foot in the door.

Avoid writing things in your profile like “swipe left if you cannot handle this” or “I do not even know why I am on Tinder.” Remember that you are trying to attract people, not repel them.

And in most cases, self-deprecation is not attractive. Having decent self-esteem and allowing yourself to be open to new experiences is a lot more attractive.

Short Bio For Dating App

Examples of Best Tinder Bios

There are many types of Tinder bios out there. These are just a few of them and you can choose what kind of style to use based on your own personality.

One-sentence Tinder bios

-I live alone with my dog.

-I like being straightforward and people who are straightforward with me.

-Taller than you in heels.

-I have my own place.

-I like drinking a good bloody mary and watching the sunset.

Informative

-My first…

Job was at an ice cream store

CD was The Backstreet Boys

Car was a Honda Civic

Place of my own was in Atlanta

Pet was a guinea pig named Lola

-The last…

Country I went to was Greece

Book I read was Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

TV show I finished was The Walking Dead

Movie I saw was The Hangover

Concert I saw was Phoenix

Simple Bio For Dating App For Men

-My favorite…

Animal is the sloth

Food is a cheeseburger

Place to vacation is the Dominican Republic

-I have never…

Had a cavity

Broken a bone

Been on a cruise

Met a cat that I liked

-About me: I love trying new things, my adorable dog, and going camping

-About you: Easygoing, loves dogs, okay with a little spontaneity

Sincere

Funny Bios For Dating Apps

-I care more about who you are as a person than hearing about all the nice places you have traveled.

-Don’t try to impress me with what you think I will like. Just be yourself.

Funny

-Do not ask me for sexy pictures. Take me to dinner, get to know me, and then try to get with me alone in a room like a normal person.

-I am kind of hoping that your standards are lower than mine.

-Looking for my future ex-husband.

-The only thing that is lower than my standards is my self-esteem.

-Looking for my next victim.

-I have red hair, which means that I have no soul.

-Let’s be miserable together.

-I am just a prince looking for his Tinderella.

-I am Tinderella looking for her prince.

-“The most amazing girl you will ever meet” -My best friend Anna

-“Has great breath and is a pro at flossing” -My dentist

-“Will give you the time of your life” -My last date

-“An outstanding guy” -The New York Times

-“He is my hero” -The most interesting man in the world

-“Definitely a winner” -My mom

-You must be my GPA because I know that I could do better. The problem is that I am just too lazy to try harder.

-If you cannot laugh at yourself, then I will happily do it for you.

-Being a single mom is hard. At least that is what they tell me. I wouldn’t know since I don’t have any kids.

Japanese dating reddit. Posting from a throwaway here. I've been living in Japan for a few years now, dating a wonderful Japanese girl. She's been dropping hints that she wants to get married to me and I am very tempted by the idea. But I have a lot of other foreign friends who are married to Japanese women, and almost all of them are miserable. These are just my observations from living here, dating here, and teaching Japanese kids aged 18-21. The first problem is expectations. Typical Japanese husband/wife relationship is more platonic/parasitic than it is romantic and equal. The husband spends all his time at the company, the wife spends all her time at home cooking, cleaning. Why do I see so many Japanese girls on dating apps who have a boyfriend and are just 'looking for friends'? Surely there are other apps or venues available for just making friends? Help Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. Just do what works for you. Dating in Japan certainly doesn't strike me as more 'depressing' than any other countries I have been to. deleted 1 point 5 years ago edited 5 years ago. Probably try some online sites where you can be more direct with who you meet and also can vet before you meet. Three excellent, highly recommended websites for meeting Japanese people (who likely speak English) through the internet: OkCupid. GaijinPot Personals. For topics that aren't related to dating in Japan, check out these other fine subreddits.

-Looking for someone to bring to family events so that everyone will stop bugging me about it.

Dating sites for 16. -I make a great wedding date.

-I make a great plus one at family functions and weddings.

-The last guy who swiped left on me shriveled up and died from loneliness and boredom. Don’t be like that guy.

-Married with 3 kids and looking for someone to spice up my life. Just kidding. My kids are really velociraptors.

-Will send you pictures in exchange for pizza.

-A spellchecked, proofread essay in the streets, and a completely wild and unmoderated comments section in the sheets.

-Let’s meet, fall in love too quickly, and rush into getting married. We’ll have 2 kids who end up resenting us for the rest of their lives. After a year of couples counseling, our marriage will end up in a bitter divorce. One of us will walk away penniless. But we’ll always have the good memories. Especially that time we went to Costa Rica.

-I am the one that you meet before you meet “the one.” We’ll meet and have our fun but it won’t work out. But the next one you meet after me will be the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. So in a way, I am kind of like a lucky charm.

-I want someone to sleep with. And by sleep, I mean cuddle in bed under cozy blankets.

-I like to take long walks on the beach as the sun rises, until the drugs wear off and I realize that I am in an abandoned parking lot with the lights on a cop car shining on me.

-Let’s have a contest to see who is better in bed. I have been known to be a sore loser.

-I am 6 foot and 4 inches. Those are two separate measurements.

-If we go out, you are paying and not just for me. My wife is part of the deal too and I have to warn you that she is not a cheap date.

-The good news is that your parents will love me. The bad news is that your neighbors won’t.

-I am not going to be the girl that you marry. But I will be the girl that you think about 20 years down the road when you and your wife are having some boring conversation in bed. You will be pretending to listen to her, but you will really be thinking about the nasty things we did 20 years ago.

-If you like bad girls, then you have hit the jackpot. Because as it turns out, I am bad at everything.

-I have a great body and I am a fantastic cook.

-My ventriloquist dummy and I are a package deal.

Conclusion

So now you know how to write a simple Tinder bio. Each bio example was relatively short with very specific tones ranging from funny and flirty to serious.

Remember that originality is important so do not copy anything for your profile word for word unless it is a direct quote.

Let the profile examples above guide you when it comes to writing your own original profile. You can even go back and tweak or rewrite your profile if you later feel like it no longer suits you.

You get to decide how others will view you. So put your best effort in the world of Tinder and see who is out there waiting to connect with you.

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ruleandruinrpg · 7 years

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CONGRATULATIONS, MADDIE!

You have been accepted for the role of STASYA BELOV with a faceclaim change to Imaan Hammam. Admin Rosey: I think I just about screamed when I arrived to the end of your application. I couldn't believe that someone would be so cruel as to put me through the love affair of Alexei and Stasya, then rip it away as brutally as you did. So, in order to return your cruelty in kind, I thought it best to give Stasya to you so that you may suffer with the rest of us at Rule and Ruin. Maddie, I absolutely swooned over your application. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and -- most importantly -- it gave Stasya that breath of life. Everything about it was perfect, from the 'What drew you' section to the ending summarization of her and her littlest tendencies. It was perfect. You're perfect -- and I want more. You have 24 HOURS to send in your account. Also, remember to look at the CHECKLIST. Welcome to Ravka!

OUT OF CHARACTER

ALIAS: Maddie! PREFERRED PRONOUNS: they/them or she/her AGE: twenty TIMEZONE & ACTIVITY LEVEL: I’m in PST, and I’d say my activity level is a solid seven. I currently do not have wifi in my home, but I’m planning to get it soon—so that shouldn’t hinder my activity too much! I am doing some travelling this summer, but I’ll never be without my laptop. Honestly, I think I could find a way to get online even if I was six feet under, so no worries! I should be able to do replies at least every other day, but you guys will be the first to know if anything changes. TRIGGERS: OMITTED CURRENT/PAST ACCOUNTS: N/A.

NOTE: I have a Google Doc here, because the submit box always seems to fuck up my formatting. I’ve noticed it did take away all of my italicized words, so to read it exactly how I meant it to be read you can go there!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER:

Stasya Belov: the orphan, the martyr, the sparrow, the soldier, the lover, the kind.

( STASYA. ) Derived from the name Greek name Anastasia, meaning “resurrection” or “life,” the name was at first such a cruel reminder that Stasya had been given the gift of death and destruction. They loved the way it sounded on the tongues of others, like a sigh of relief or a whistle of the wind they so easily harbored, but they couldn’t justify detaching it from its meaning. They were never sure why the meaning meant so much to them—surely whoever gave them the name never spared a second thought for it—but still it haunted them. If they were life, why did blood trail behind them in the battlefield? Eventually, they learned to love their name. So many people associated it with their own gentility and rare kindness that the name took on a new meaning. It wasn’t long, however, until they were reminded of its true meaning—the one they so desperately wanted to fit them for most of their life. Resurrection. Life. Stasya often thinks the words as they lay their hand flat over their womb.

( BELOV. ) Meaning “white,” this was a name Stasya gave much less weight to. It was more of a formality than anything: no one shared the name with them—not that they knew of, at least—and it didn’t connect them to their bloodline. Instead, they found their own family. They picked up members in the dusty corners of dark rooms, abandoned streets, scarlet-stained battlefields—and they were bound to them by love, by choice, and not by name. However, being as sentimental as they are, it’s impossible to live with a name for twenty-one years and not find some deeper meaning in it. Stasya has always looked as their surname as reminder: be love. On the days kindness comes less easily, Stasya remembers the surname that will always be with them, and they remember the sentiment they assigned to it. Be love, be loved, Belov.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS CHARACTER?

A lot of things made Stasya feel like the character I was meant to play. For starters, I’m often drawn to soft characters, because I think it’s more difficult to be soft than it is to be harsh and jaded. I like to explore the struggle of staying gentle when the world is anything but. I don’t think that’s always easy for Stasya, to see the good in everything. They can’t always be wearing their rose-colored glasses. I also love the challenge of taking a character like Stasya, the Token Good Character™ and making them into a well-rounded and believable character. I think it’s so easy to take nice characters and make them into shining beacons of light, but to me Stasya is so much more than that. It’s mentioned that some of the characters, like Vasily, view Stasya as “ethereal.” Ethereal is such a one-dimensional thing to be—it’s a concept. I really wanted to explore what made this character more than that, what made them flawed. I think, at their core, Stasya is just a character who’s trying their very best. They’ve experienced so many awful things, and sometimes it’s really just a matter of trying to keep their head above water. Sometimes they’re kind to others merely because it makes them feel a bit lighter inside.

I was also intrigued by Stasya’s background. I’ve played a lot of characters with loved ones that have died, and while that’s probably because I love angst and death, I also think it’s because I’m drawn to the idea of a Before and an After. With Stasya, there is a distinct experience that changed who they were forever. There was the person they were before they met their lover, and there is the person they are now. I love to explore that development, to carry it on in-game. I think Stasya is a character that will be ever-changing, because their pregnancy is so new and their grief is so fresh. The development already set up in their bio gave me no shortage of ideas, and I think that’s the kind of exciting character everyone looks forward to playing.

I also love the contrast between who they are and the power that they harbor. I think it adds a lot of tragedy to them, because they can so easily kill but all they want to do is help. This is an internal struggle that I can really feel and empathize with. OKAY AND THIS IS LESS WELL-WORDED BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY ROLEPLAY INCLUDE A NON-BINARY CHARACTER WHO IS A PARENT. I THINK PREGNANCY IS SOMETHING OFTEN AVOIDED WITH CHARACTERS OF NON-BINARY IDENTITIES BUT IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NON-BINARY PEOPLE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RANGES OF COMFORT WITH CONCEPTS THAT ARE SEEN AS “GENDERED.” I AM NON-BINARY AND I REALLY WANT TO BE A MOTHER SOMEDAY. I JUST FELT KIND OF REPRESENTED AND I LOVE THAT. Ahem. Anyway.

I could ramble on for, like, twenty pages on why I love Stasya—but I think I’ll stop myself there.

WHAT FUTURE PLOT IDEAS DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?

( ONE. ) I would love to explore a future romance or companionship. While I’m not sure anything at this moment in time could be endgame for Stasya, I think a part of them is really desperate to feel as though someone loves them unconditionally. They might already have this in Neysa, but I think they really want something akin to what they had with Alexei. Of course, they’re in no place to replace him, but it might be therapeutic for them to be able to dote on a feel-good romance. I also think they’re a bit desperate to find their baby another parent. They know they will be an excellent mother, but they want their child to have the absolute perfect life, and they think that perfect life could have existed if Alexei, the father of the child, was still around.

( TWO. ) Throughout their life, Stasya has always been able to find compassion for everyone—even those who truly were not good people. I think a part of them can even find compassion for Vasily, though they’d still rather keep their distance from him. I’d like to explore a relationship in which Stasya truly hates someone. This hatred would really get to them; it might really tear them apart. I think The Darkling is an example of someone they might not be able to find compassion for. I’d really like to see how they handle true hatred, because I don’t think that’s something they’ve ever addressed before.

( THREE. ) There is a lot of mention of them being a “martyr,” but at this point they aren’t truly a martyr. They haven’t yet been kicked from the army or exiled for their beliefs. However, I think that might be an interesting route to explore. When news gets out of their pregnancy, surely they will not be allowed to go to battle throughout the entirety of the nine months. I also wonder what might happen to their child. Will they be allowed to keep it? What will people think when they know who the father is? I know for a fact that Stasya will not let anyone take their child. They would much rather be a mother than a soldier, and they will not lie about who the father is, either. I know they could be labeled as a traitor for sleeping with someone who killed so many of their own kind, and I’d like to discover the consequences of this. I think it might bring out a much darker side to them.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE YOUR CHARACTER DIE?:

Always.

IN DEPTH

IN CHARACTER PARA SAMPLE(S):

Baby Bird, You will hear a thousand different accounts of the kind of man your father was. Most of them will not be easy to accept, but most of them will be true. He did bad things, and he was misguided, but I don’t want you to remember him for that. I will read this letter to you every day if I have to—anything for you to accept this one truth before any of the others: Your father was a good soul. Not all killers are evil, just as not all rulers are cruel and not all soldiers are jaded. Your father was a good person, regardless of what anyone will say.

He had a great capacity for love.

“Stasya?”

They’d been half-asleep, still standing but their head resting on the bars of Alexei’s cell. Previously they were told not to get too close to him, to never tear their gaze away, but it was late and the trust they’d already put in Alexei was so much stronger than their sense of duty. They had been standing like that for half an hour—their limbs slack, their eyelids too heavy to open, completely off-guard—and the jailed man hadn’t touched them. He hadn’t done anything, really, until he broke the silence with a whisper of their name. His voice was so soft, so airy and smooth, that Stasya had almost mistook it for a breeze. After a moment, they shifted an inch or two.

“Stasya,” Alexei’s voice had managed to be even softer this time; it was such a difference from his deep, gravelly voice. Their name had never felt so safe on someone else’s tongue.

The corners of Stasya’s lips twitched upward into an invisible smile, and they wrenched one eye open to meet Alexei’s honey-sweet gaze. “Hm?”

“Who takes care of you?”

Suddenly, Stasya was awake. They pushed themself up from the wall, both their eyes now frantically searching Alexei’s expression. What was that supposed to mean? No one had ever asked them such a question. Their eyebrows knit together, just slightly, and their invisible smile turned into a vague frown.

“I mean, who…,” Alexei shook his head, staring toward the ground as though a script was there for him to read.

“You’re always watching after everyone else—who watches after you? Someone must.”

Stasya’s curls fell to frame their face as they mirrored his shaking head. “I don’t know,” they began to relax again, allowing their shoulders to settle. “The second army. My fellow soldiers. I have—I have a lot of friends, you know. A lot of good companions.”

Alexei shifted his gaze back to them, his eyes smiling. “I thought you to be quite popular.”

Their grin was less subtle now. They shuffled closer to his cell, wrapping their fingers around a bar. “I am,” Stasya watched him carefully as he finally stood and took a step toward them. Their voice was nearly a whisper as they added, “I have…a world of support surrounding me.”

The playful look dropped from Alexei’s face—a sign that he’d caught their lie. Instead of voicing it, though, he slowly reached out a hand. Stasya didn’t make a sound, hardly even took a breath, as they waited for his fingers to graze theirs. He rested a hand on theirs, palm curving over their knuckles. His hands were cold and clammy, and something told them that he wasn’t used to this kind of soft intimacy.

Regardless, the touch got his message across. I’m here for you, it said.

Stasya cautiously removed their hand from the bar, replacing the metal with Alexei. They laced their fingers in-between his, running their thumb along the back of his palm. Their eyes never once met his—didn’t even flicker to his face—but their touch easily delivered a message, too. And I’m here for you.

His grasp was so gentle, so steady and compassionate, that Stasya didn’t once remember that those same hands had brought so much bloodshed just days before.

He was strong and fearless in the name of love, and he taught me that I was the same.

Stasya was instructed to enter Alexei’s cell to interrogate him, but can’t remember now what he had said to get them to stay. It’d been two weeks, and he had yet to tell them anything significant regarding his betrayal toward the army. If this was a trial, it was on adjournment—and they didn’t mind. Maybe they didn’t know why he’d done what he did, and maybe they never would, but they’d seen his heart. They knew he was good, and they knew that mistakes didn’t define a person, and that was enough for them. Perhaps I am too forgiving, they momentarily considered, but then his lips hovered over theirs again and the thought escaped them.

“Relax,” Alexei spoke into their mouth. The pads of his fingers were running along Stasya’s bony spine, sending shivers following after them.

Stasya’s eyes remained open, looking over his shoulder and past the bars of the cage they were in. Their hands occupied themselves with his hair, curling dark strand after dark strand around their pointer finger. They couldn’t settle when they were waiting for the echo of footsteps in the hallway, for a pair of guards to find them in this compromising position and have their head for it. They were sure Alexei could sense this, too, because their back was impossibly straight and their shoulders were drawn up to their ears. The word ‘relax’ only sent them reeling more than before. Why was it always so hard to stay calm when someone wanted them to stay calm?

Slowly, teasingly, Alexei kissed his way from Stasya’s lips to just below their ear. He enveloped them in his arms then, making it impossible for their body to remain stiff. They melted into him, chest meeting his chest, arms falling to his sides. “No one’s coming,” his breath played along their neck, summoning goosebumps in its wake. “No one ever checks on us.”

The words sent Stasya’s head bowing forward. They nuzzled their face into Alexei’s shoulder, drinking in his scent. He smelled like grime and musk, but there was something comforting about it—because it was him. “If they find us together, I…am dead,” Stasya spoke into his shirt, “I’m dead. We should not be doing this.”

“Well,” he dropped his arm from their back and pressed a hand into the ground, steadying himself. “Do you want to leave?”

Stasya lifted their head, looked him in the eye. He had to know what the eye contact did to them, why they rarely managed to look at him intently. His amber brown eyes sent their heart plummeting to their stomach. He had to know. His gaze roamed their face, tracing their lips. They could feel their face growing hotter. He had to know.

Stasya shook their head. “Of course not.”

“Then you stay,” Alexei had a tendency to speak decisively, like everything was a fact, like the world was black and white. It was a flaw, but they loved it. Stasya had fallen for all of his flaws. “You have such a habit of doing things you don’t actually want to do. So just this once…stay because you want to.”

There was a moment of silence, the type of silence that settled over the two of them like a blanket. It was warm, but it was heavy. Stasya knew Alexei was waiting for them to speak, but their mind was too loud to allow for them to say anything. Why did they care so much about getting caught when they loved this man so much? Weren’t some things more important than rules, than what was expected of them? All they wanted was to stay by his side, and they couldn’t help but think that maybe Alexei had a point. Maybe it was worth it; maybe he was worth it.

“Okay,” they said finally, and returned their face to his shoulder. “Okay.”

“And if they do see us—which they will not—I will tell them I’m holding you hostage here,” Alexei sunk backward to the ground, pulling Stasya on top of him. The ground was cold and uncomfortable and covered in filth, but they hardly noticed. All they could focus on was Alexei’s heart drumming against them. How was the beat so steady? Stasya could feel their own heartbeat in their ears, a much quicker pace than his. “I’ll tell them I have been holding you against your will—and there’s nothing you could have done to resist me.”

“I would never allow you to lie for me,” Stasya tried to sit up to look at him, but Alexei wrapped an arm around them to keep them there. They didn’t try to move again. “Especially when you would get killed for it.”

There was a beat of silence—just a beat. A moment to breathe. A moment to meld together. And then he spoke, “They will kill me regardless.”

Stasya didn’t hesitate to shake themself loose from his grasp, rolling into the grime and dust and away from his warmth. There he went again. Stasya felt paralyzed on the ground, like they had suddenly become a part of the concrete. They weren’t breathing, but they hadn’t noticed. The pain in their chest was too distracting, too consuming. His stare was burning into the back of their head, and they didn’t dare glance back at him. In a matter of weeks, Alexei had managed to become one of the most important parts of their life. They couldn’t rationalize how it had happened. Perhaps they’d left the doors to their heart too widely opened, or maybe time just moved more slowly with him around.

Regardless of what they felt and why they felt it, it was there—it wasn’t fading—and Alexei had already given up hope on the feeling lasting. A part of Stasya wanted to stand up and yell at him, to march out afterward and assure the officials that he was innocent. Oh, how they longed to see him outside of those bars; how they longed to share the parts of them that existed outside of that prison. The simpler, more rational side of them kept them grounded. It told them to let life happen as it would. It told them to enjoy the moment while it lasted. It told them that nothing could go on for a lifetime.

“Please say something,” Alexei’s voice was rough and dry, clawing its way out of his throat.

“It hurts when you speak about the future like that. Like you know how it will unfold,” Stasya tucked an arm underneath their head, their back still facing him. “I cannot fathom how you—how you can just accept your death when you still have the option to change it.”

The silence this time was less like a blanket and more like steel: heavy, dense, and cold. Stasya could hear Alexei shifting behind them, could almost see him sitting up and folding into himself like he sometimes did. “I am not a good person,” he said. It was the most he’d ever admitted to them about his own morality. He’d told them about his family, about his friends, about everything he loved, but never about what might have driven him to such violence. “I am vengeful and crooked. The Grisha took my family, and so I became blinded by rage. I never stopped to think that not all of them were the same. I would have killed you, you know. Two weeks ago, I would have killed you.”

Stasya was shaking now, trying to get up but instead clawing at the ground with very little conviction. Their face was hot and newly wetted with tears. “Stop,” they were terrified. They had never been scared of him—not after holding him so tenderly on the battleground, not after seeing the truth of his soul in his eyes—but now his words settled into their bones. They’d always been afraid of people like him, even when they would have rather seen the light in those people and loved them for it. They didn’t know what it was like to succumb to darkness, to be driven mad by a circumstance they had no control over. They didn’t know because they’d always climbed over those obstacles with their head held high—they couldn’t imagine killing anyone instead. Suddenly, they felt a tinge of unsafety with their back turned toward him.

“No,” Alexei did not move. “You need to hear this. I deserve to die. I committed treason, and I deserve to die. I wanted death to the second army. I wanted to see Grisha blood paint every inch of the ground I walked on, and I wanted my family to watch from above. I am a monster. And I am selfish, because I’ve been withholding my confession all this time so I could spend as long as possible by your side. And I brought you in here, and I made you care for me, and I am a monster. If the law is at all just, they will kill me. I have known that from the start, and I still let you care for me. I still let you get used to me. What kind of human does that? I am a monster.”

Alexei was crying now. They could hear it in his voice: trembling and swollen and terrified. Stasya was still scared, but not of him. It only took a moment for them to realize that they were more afraid of how quickly their life was changing, of how attached they were to someone they could lose. They were not afraid of him. In fact, the more he went on about how much of a monster he was, the more they believed that he wasn’t one at all. Monsters didn’t feel remorse. Stasya finally found the strength to push themself up from the floor. They dragged themself over to the shivering mound of skin and bones before draping their arms around him.

“You are the most humanlike person I have ever met,” Stasya spoke into his shoulder. Alexei didn’t move. “People are built to be angry, to make mistakes—to be selfish. People are built to do ridiculous things for love.”

“I do not deserve you.”

“Maybe so,” Stasya moved their hand to his face, hooked a finger underneath his chin. They met his eyes with more conviction and bravery than they ever had before. “But I am staying, because I want to. And I will not allow you to die, because I am selfish too.”

Alexei stopped shaking, but tears continued to paint his cheeks. “You are so good.”

Inching closer to his face, Stasya took their time to kiss both of his wet cheeks. Then they pressed their lips to his. “And you are worth it.“

He saved my life. Consequently, he saved yours, too.

Stasya was crumbling. If it weren’t for the walls, they were sure their knees would collapse underneath them. They’d been instructed to return to the Little Palace. Their job in the prison was over, and they weren’t naïve enough to question why that was. If they had no job, they had no prisoner to watch over. The chances of Alexei being found innocent were slim—and that could only mean one thing. Stasya’s heart was beating in their ears, making it impossible for them to hear much of anything.

Their breath hitched when they finally made it to his cell. The guard tensed the moment they appeared. “Did they not remind you that I am meant to relieve you of duty for today?” Stasya’s voice sounded so unlike them, so caught in their throat. The guard knitted his eyebrows, so Stasya settled a hand onto his arm. They hoped he couldn’t see that they’d been crying, that they could hardly hold themself upright. “There must have been a miscommunication.”

The lie was poorly delivered, and something in the guard’s eyes told Stasya that he didn’t believe it. Still, he shrugged. There was power in a good reputation, one that everyone trusted. They rarely took advantage of this reputation, but their panic was overshadowing any part of them that might have felt guilty. “Good luck,” the guard began his descent down the long hallway. “He’s in shambles.”

While the guard made his exit, Stasya pressed their back against the wall next to Alexei’s cell. They made sure to stay outside of his line of sight, but they were sure he could hear their jagged breaths. The wall behind them kept them standing, but it didn’t steady their trembling. The silence that swallowed them whole seemed to last an eternity. It suffocated them, made it impossible to find any semblance of serenity. As they looked up at the ceiling, their vision seemed to be deteriorating. Black tunnels were enclosing in on them, cutting off their peripheral. If they kept breathing this shallowly, perhaps they could pass out. Perhaps they’d wake and realize that all of this was some fever dream.

“Stasya, I know you’re there,” Alexei said finally. His voice returned the air to their lungs. They hated how easily he could do that.

Stasya slid to the ground, their back still firmly attached to the wall. They steadied themself by setting a flat hand on the ground, not realizing that their fingers were now directly in front of the cell. Their breathing only grew louder as they attempted to gain control of it, but eventually their vision returned.

A surge of energy struck them the moment Alexei’s fingers met theirs. He hooked a pointer finger around theirs, and they almost jerked away. His hand enveloped theirs completely, folding around their fingers. It wasn’t long before they were crying again, their eyes stinging as they wept. They hated this feeling, the all-consuming love that they felt, but they still longed for it to stay.

“I cannot believe you manipulated that guard into leaving.”

A huff of breath escaped Stasya’s lips, something between a laugh and a sob. Alexei gave their hand a squeeze, and it only made their crying more uncontrollable. “I can’t—“ Stasya was hyperventilating now, trying to clutch onto words that weren’t there. “I don’t understand.”

Stasya could hear Alexei’s heart breaking in the silence. “I gave them my statement,” he said, “and I told them of everyone involved with the hate group. That is all they needed.”

“I can convince them of your innocence,” Stasya’s voice swelled. They pulled their hand from Alexei’s and instead used it to cradle their face. “I can save you.”

“The world needs you more than I do, Stasya,” Alexei said simply. Stasya began to shake their head as though he could see them. They shook their head violently, insistently, but they didn’t say a word. “The world needs you more than it needs me.”

“No, no, no—“ Stasya’s words matched the pace of their head. “Stop talking like that.”

“I am terrified, Stasya,” Alexei slid a hand out from underneath his cell, and Stasya could see his thin fingers from the corner of their eye. “I wish I could turn back time. But I can’t. Life happens the way it happens, Stas. I am lucky to have met you, but I can’t choose how this ends.”

Peeling their back from the wall, Stasya fell forward in an attempt to stand. They stumbled a few steps before reaching the other wall and flattening their palm on it. Slowly they stood, knees trembling, heart breaking. “I will speak to whomever I have to. The general, the executioner—whomever. I—I will say anything. You have seen how they trust me, yes? Perhaps they would listen,” Stasya was convinced. Their words could not have been more genuine. If there was a way to save Alexei, they would find it. They would break him out of jail if they had to. They would escape the country with him, go into hiding for the rest of their life. They would do it for him.

“Stas—“

“I can save you.”

“You already have,” Alexei slouched forward. They could feel him looking at them—his eyes were probably wide and sad and beautiful. Stasya couldn’t bear to look. “I would have died a monster without you.”

“I am going to get you out of this,” Stasya wished they could sound more confident, but their voice wavered and whimpered instead. “I don’t care if they kill me instead.”

Alexei reached his arm out between the bars as though he could touch them. His outstretched fingers trembled uncontrollably when all he felt was air. “I care,” his hand fell to the floor. “A lot of other people would care. You don’t understand, do you? You are an orphan, but so many people count on you—and so many people will continue to need you after I am gone. You were the peak of my life, but I am not the peak of yours. There are other monsters that need to be reminded that they are human. There are other people for you to save.”

Save. Stasya never meant to save him. All they wanted was to love him—those two things were very different from each other.

“If you love me, you will let me die. I want to die. Yes, I am terrified, but I know it is for the best. And if you love me, you will respect that.”

Stasya whimpered again. “I have never said that I love you.”

“You didn’t have to,” Alexei leaned his forehead on a metal bar. “You didn’t have to.”

Your father was a good person. Even if you know nothing else about him, I want you to be sure of that. He was a good man with a good heart. You come from good people. You are good, too. Don’t let anyone else tell you differently.

Love always, Mama

CHARACTER HEADCANONS:

( TO BE HUMAN. ) Stasya had never felt romantic love. They’d never felt very left out because of it, either. Their heart felt such a spectrum of love that nothing ever felt missing. Other’s stories of true love warmed their heart, and sometimes at night they did wonder when the day would come—the day they’d meet the person who would stand by them just as assuredly as they stood by everyone else. Platonic love, they would always remind themself, was just as important. It was all they needed.

Until they met him.

They’d watched him and his allies cut down their brothers and sisters in arms, the only people they’d ever been able to call family. They did as they were instructed: brought ruin to the battlefield. They were meant to kill the entirety of the small group of human traitors, meant to avert their gaze and ignore the blood seeping into the ground, to smile through the nightmares as they always did. They had their eyes carefully fixed on the sky when they heard a cry cut through the wind they’d created.

Soon, their fingers were tangled in his hair instead of tendrils of wind. They knew they were done for the moment their eyes met his, and they didn’t mind.

Over the weeks they spent with Alexei, the traitor, they came to understand why romantic love was so often spoken about. It was so much more passionate than anything they’d felt before, and it burned bright even though it didn’t last long. When it ended, though, it hurt more than any pain they’d felt before. That was the trade-off of love, they learned. For every good moment, there is an ounce of pain to come when the love ends. Someday, they might allow themself to fall in love again—but for now they can’t even imagine it.

( FLEDGLING. ) The only feeling Stasya could register the moment they discovered the life growing inside them was fear. First, it was fear for their own life: What would happen when everyone found out they loved a traitor? What of their status in the army? Would they lose their livelihood—would they become a martyr for once and for all? After a week or so, however, the fear was mostly for their baby. What will its life be like? Will someone try to take the baby from them? Will people condemn it due to its beginnings? Their fear froze them for some time. They were so scared they regretted the life inside of them.

Now, two months into their pregnancy, they have decided to allow their fear to push them forward. They will not allow anyone to take their baby bird, their fledgling, from them. Even though the thought scares them, they will not lie about their pregnancy when their stomach becomes noticeable—and they will not lie about how the baby was conceived. They’d rather live a life of martyrdom and shame than bring their baby into lies. They will do anything to give their child a good and honest life, even if that means leaving Ravka entirely.

Stasya never thought of being a parent, but they’ve been motherly for their entire life. They know they will be a great mother—not a perfect one, but so full of love and good intentions that the baby will never feel anything lacking. They intend to fill the empty space in their heart, the one their parents left, with even more love for their baby. And because they are the child’s only parent, they know this extra love is important. Most nights, they’re able to convince themself that the child will be just fine with one parent. After all, they had no parents and still managed to keep a good heart. However, there are times when their mind wanders and they think, what if I can’t do this on my own? And if I can, what if I don’t want to do it on my own?

( JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES. ) Softness is brave, but bravery is never painless. Stasya’s love of humankind and the destruction they’re capable of have been at war for the entirety of their life. They never wanted to be a soldier, but they’re good at it—and good soldiers bring blood. Sometimes, it’s impossible for them to so much as glance at the destruction they’ve caused. But they still see it. The images of the bodies left in their trail haunt them, invade their dreams at night. Most nights, they wake in a cold sweat—breathless and mindless. They toss and turn, they cry in their sleep, but when the morning comes they will smile, they will love like nothing happened.

( KEEP A WINDOW OPEN. ) Stasya is weary of romantic love, of fully and vulnerably opening up to someone, because they know how much it hurts to lose someone. Their relationship with Alexei might not have lasted long, but it was the first time in their life that they were more than a kind, good Grisha. In Alexei’s eyes, Stasya was the most dynamic and whole person in the world. They’d never been so multi-dimensional to anyone before, and they’re not sure they can allow themself to be seen like that again. Being so open means getting so close, and getting so close means there’s something to lose.

Despite this, though, there is a part of Stasya that longs to be loved like that again. They’ve had a taste of romance, and now they wish to have it back. This is why they long for a co-parent, even though they know they can raise their child on their own. Though Neysa has offered her help, Stasya can’t stop themself from idealizing a family with two parents who are madly in love. Could they find this ideal with Neysa? Could they find this ideal with anyone? Would the pain be worth it?

( THE WAR IS INTERESTED IN YOU. ) It was a day of mourning when Stasya discovered their own powers. They were young and alone. They didn’t have family to stand by their side, or even friends to help them feel like a real person. Instead, people only seemed to want things of them. Everyone wanted them to tap their full potential, but not because they believed in them. Instead, everyone believed in their power. It’s a burden that Stasya has carried with them for their entire life. Those positioned above them just want them to kill, to win the battles. They were never interested in the war, and they still aren’t.

Yet they fight. They fight because they don’t know what else to do. They bring blood to the battlefield because that is what they’ve been trained for. Sometimes, they think their deadly power is the reason they’re so insatiably kind to everyone. Sometimes, they think they have mistakes to atone for. Maybe if they get someone out of a tough time, maybe if they save enough people, their heart will stop breaking every time they hurt an enemy.

Even enemies are human. That’s something Stasya struggles with every day. They have people whispering in their ear, telling them to stand up for Ravka and to stand against those who want to see it fall. They love their home, of course, but the people fighting against Ravka are still people. They have families, and they have light in them too. This is why Stasya struggles with their power.

Most days, they find themself wishing they were powerless. Wouldn’t life be so much easier? Outside of training and outside of battle, Stasya rarely uses their powers. Yes, they trained hard to perfect them, and sometimes their training comforted them as a child. When they had nothing else, at least they could retreat to the training room and learn to fight. When the world seemed against them, at least they could find a companion in the wind they created. Now that they use it for a cause they do not believe in, however, they can’t justify their power being worth the comfort it used to bring them.

( QUICKSHOTS. )

Stasya is pansexual.

The one thing Stasya’s parents left them with is a small ornate music box. They don’t even know their parents’ first names, or why they were unwanted, but they know that the music box belonged to one of them. They don’t have many possessions, and even less prized ones, but they’ve kept the music box with them for as long as they can remember.

Stasya knows so little about their parents that they do not even know why they abandoned them. There was a rumor in the orphanage once that it was because of their powers, because of the violence that swam in their veins. For quite some time, they believed this to be true. They never rationalized how anyone could look at a baby and see something violent, but even if they’d thought of that logic it wouldn’t have eased their pain.

Stasya is prone to “emotional hypochondria,” or taking other people’s feelings on as their own. This has caused them to try to fix problems within themself that aren’t actually there.

Stasya likes to draw, particularly with charcoal. They aren’t incredible at it, aren’t particularly talented, but it does help them to process in times of emotional intensity.

Stasya loves people, but they are not an extrovert. They will often take time to themself—sometimes retreating for days at a time—and are generally very private. They don’t like the spotlight on them, and sometimes will not even accept acts of graciousness. They definitely do not do kind things for attention, as it’s often more embarrassing than fortifying for them.

As a child, Stasya was very fragile. Every person who spoke against them was a tear they cried at night—and a lot of people spoke against them. Over the years, however, Stasya learned to cope with the bullying. They learned to put themself in other’s shoes, and it helped them get over any obstacles of the day. Still, however, criticism from those they look up to or care about has the tendency to wound them. They know it often comes from a good place, but they strive so hard to be good for everyone around them that they tend to be rather sensitive.

Another reason Stasya became less prone to bullying is because they did find a place to fit in. In the Etherealki, they find people they will always be able to sit next to—no matter what. In the Second Army, they find people who will always protect them—no matter what. It’s comforting to know that, and definitely one of the reasons they will stay with the army for as long as they can.

Stasya has no label for their gender identity (other than the umbrella term: non-binary). Instead, they just consider themself a person. Though their gender expression is rather feminine, they are rather sensitive to being called a girl or a woman. It took them years to understand why their heart skipped a beat every time someone called them “lady,” and even now that they know why they dislike it, they are often too nervous to correct people when it happens. (Note: They are more than comfortable with being called a mother, as this term is less gender-specific to them and more of a role they play.)

Stasya is a very tidy person. At the orphanage, they would earn their keep by cleaning up after everyone. They find something very therapeutic about washing up, like they declutter their mind as they declutter their living space. Sometimes they even clean loved one’s rooms without asking. It is a trait of theirs that was motherly long before they discovered they would be a mother.

EXTRAS:

( PERSONALITY TYPES. )

( ALIGNMENT. ) Neutral Good ( MBTI. ) INFJ—the advocate ( TEMPERAMENT. ) Phlegmatic ( ZODIAC. ) Pisces (March 12)

( CHARACTER ANALYSIS. )

Below is a little ramble on how Stasya operates, how they interact and think and feel. It’s not a very extensive or vast review, as it mainly focuses on a few traits, but I think it will aid in understanding them:

Everyone is born soft and pure, but Stasya never grew out of it. Their gentleness and kind nature was never something they flaunted. In fact, they’ve gone through stages of being ashamed of their own softness. They will always forgive, even if it’s not deserved, and they’ve found themself walked on many times because of this. In part, their constant forgiveness is due to their poor emotional memory. In their bio, their heart is described as a fluttering, forgetful thing—and that is very true to who they are. Their heart moves on quickly, always choosing love over resentment. To them, loving is just so much easier than allowing themself to be bitter. They don’t know how to be bitter. This does tend to frustrate them, however. They do believe that everyone has some good in them, but they don’t always want to be the one looked to in order to extract that good.

Stasya has a strong sense of loyalty that extends past their friendships. This is part of the reason they fight so hard in battles. Even though they don’t agree with the morality of war, and even though the bloodshed sometimes hurts them more than they can articulate, the violence has given them a purpose. More than that, the people they’ve fought with have become their family. They never had proper figures of authority to look up to, so they have always aimed to impress those positioned above them. This doesn’t, however, mean that Stasya will heed their every order without question.

Morality means more to Stasya than their loyalty. They will follow a ruler as long as that ruler is good and just, but the moment the ruler does something self-serving or destructive to their people, Stasya sees defiance as the only option. They are not one to rebel in eccentric, publicized ways—but they do rebel. They rebel by being better. It’s for this reason that Stasya often goes out of their way to be kind to the people society is the worst to. Orphans, like them, have a special place in their heart. Martyrs, like them, always attract their attention. They would extend a helping hand in a heartbeat to someone they believe has a good heart.

One problem with this way of operating is that Stasya can be so idealistic and naïve that they believe everyone has a good heart. They aim so high, strive to make the world a better place, and they are constantly reminded of its toxicity. They are constantly disappointed. All throughout their life, they have been able to overcome this disappointment and see something worth saving in everyone. After Alexei, things have taken a turn. Surely a love so pure was meant to last. Surely nothing could be wrong with loving someone—even if that someone was human and a traitor. The world seems to be trying to teach them something entirely different, and they haven’t yet overcome their disappointment this time. Sometimes, they’re able to justify that their baby is a continuation of the pure love, and that one day the loss will be worth the gain. They haven’t been able to cling to that concept yet, however, because the pain is so fresh. They would never think to regret the time they spent with Alexei, but they do have resentment in their heart for the first time in their life.

Even with this resentment, hatred has not found its way into their heart. They are wary, yes, and they are less naïve than ever—but they haven’t let that stop them from being kind. Their gentle nature, however, has found itself wavering. They are finally learning how to stand up for themself, because Alexei taught them how. They are realizing that they have been a concept to people their entire life instead of being a whole person. They are realizing that “they are not a bird to be studied, a spectacle to be put in an exhibition and viewed.” It is a newfound bravery, but it is also a newfound roughness. They still think of others before everything they say and do, but they’re starting to think of themself, too. What do they want to say? What could make them happier? Perhaps it is their sadness making them more reckless, or perhaps their loss has just reminded them that life is too short to allow themself to wilt and still pretend to be a flower in bloom.

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#raraccepted #accepted: stasya

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