pocketbrows's Links
[ SIBLING ] Out of Oskar's 9 siblings, Atalie is the one he has always been closest to—in age, and just in general. The two were near inseparable growing up, and that fact remains as Atalie ran away from home to join Oskar in Theracarcus. Unfortunately, Atalie can be over-bearing, at times sticking her nose where it doesn't belong in terms of Oskar's personal life.
[ SISTER ] Atalie sees Oskar as an example of the best of us—a person who has good in their heart and makes the world a better place simply by being in it. She wants to preserve this good at him at all costs... even if that means hiding the truth from him.
[ NIECE ] Atalie gladly looks to Kai as a replacement paternal figure after seeing the weakness in her own father. She admires Kai's strength and his ability to not let himself be ruled by his emotions. She recognizes his manipulative nature, but sees herself as being able to maneuver around it.
[ UNCLE ] Kai is grateful to have Atalie as a ward. But he is grateful for entirely selfish reasons, as Atalie makes for a fine long-term test subject. Kai is molding Atalie to be the perfect disaster—a tyrannical, powerful, and power-hungry young woman.
[ NEPHEW ] From Kai's initial hostilities in response to the Emilios' taking a ward, Oskar quickly saw the type of man his father's brother really was. Oskar sees Kai as manipulative and unfeeling and isn't afraid to call him out on it.
[ UNCLE ] Kai sees Oskar as someone who is too soft and emotional; yet at the same time Oskar is perhaps the one person he really can't control. Because of this, Kai tends to ignore or disregard Oskar entirely.
[ UNCLE ] Audemus tends to look down on Atalie, seeing her as somewhat infantile, stubborn, and as having poor judgement. She is still his ward, however, and he provides and cares for her. That doesn't mean he has to be nice about it.
[ NIECE ] Atalie tends to look down on Audemus, seeing him as a hypocritical and abrasive bastard. The two make a game of waging petty warfare on the other; generally being passive-aggressive and dismissive.
[ HUSBAND ] Audemus is the primary breadwinner of the family unit, and relies on Kai as a sort of anchor to stability and sanity in his life. He admires his husband's genius as Kai admires his. Their relationship is not founded on love—as both reject the notion—but it is instead founded on a tactical union and a sense of mutual respect. Audemus is in the habit of regularly resurrecting his husband. Make of that what you will.
[ HUSBAND ] Kai makes good use of the rank and privilege he gained by marrying into noble, prestigious blood. In exchange, he made a lifelong vow to look after and protect Audemus. Kai fairly recognizes Audemus' brilliance, but has also correctly pinpointed the man's many, glaring vulnerabilities... and he isn't afraid to poke at them. Kai isn't scared of Audemus, though. He'll always bring him back.
[ NEPHEW] Oskar generally looks up to Audemus as a proxy father-figure, increasingly so as he grows older. He wants a better, happier life for his uncle. Even in the face of Audemus' dismissive, distant demeanor, he fundamentally understands that his uncle's capacity for emotional regulation leaves something to be desired. He takes their stilted conversations in stride, and cherishes those rare moments he can get the man to let his guard down even a little.
[ UNCLE ] Audemus appears distant and aloof but quietly cares a great deal about Oskar. Over the past 6 or so years, he has slowly, tentatively grown into the role of a guardian figure. It's hard for Audemus to acknowledge and express his own emotions, and so his feelings rarely come out in conversation. But the fact that Audemus is even willing to occasionally indulge Oskar in idle chit-chat is already a big step forward.