Just Some Kovalantos Headcanons
Didi has a broad taste in music and is adaptable, able to get with just about anything, BUT I think she particularly enjoys rnb. On her commute to work, vibing at home, or reading through paperwork. I think Anita Baker and MJ are like on top of her list, but she appreciates the contemporary stuff, too.
Julie mostly keeps her space silent, but I think she likes jazz with a good beat to it and select pop/indie songs. She has a more abstract taste in general, I think, but it can't be too abstract or else she can't focus and it just gets annoying. Mostly listens while doing the drudgery of investigating, like research and paperwork.
Didi can dance, but is shy. Julie has all the coordination but none of the inspiration and fails to dance alone, but with Didi, she is able to follow her lead and relax into something.
Julie speaks Russian. It's technically surzhyk, a combination of Russian and Ukrainian, but it leans so heavily Russian it's more like a quirky Russian than full-on surzhyk. Didi speaks Spanish and has a lot of fun teasing Julie with it, knowing Julie gets flustered at not knowing what she's saying and being very suspicious of her tone. Julie practically only speaks Russian when prompted by someone else, she'll only initiate it around family. Didi will speak Spanish at leisure with whoever but tries to keep to English at work. She'll let loose a menacingly sharp string of Spanish when irritated or angry, and her coworkers know not to bother her when they catch her grumbling in Spanish and pressing the coffee machine buttons too firmly.
Didi's family is devoutly Christian (the family name is just... wow), and she was the one to wreck that tradition. She has an abnormally high moral code and even believes in having spiritual practice, just doesn't necessarily believe the Holy Trinity as being "that's all, that's it, the end." She has no siblings but a handsome handful of cousins. Her coming-out was a stressful ordeal, but her mother embraced her through it all even as it created division between her and her siblings (Didi's aunts & uncles). Didi is on loving terms with her family and they know they can go to each other for anything, but they are distant both geographically and philosophically and see each other regrettably little. She wishes she spent more time with them and makes plans, but work always takes precedence.
Julie only has her sister, niece, and mother now, her mother being an only child and their unknown extended family being in Ukraine. Their family has a hands-off approach to life ritual and religion, and they basically never talk about it. They kind of have an unspoken agreement on a nuanced philosophy of a white-leaning gray morality... Also, Julie's coming-out is fairly uneventful, no one bats an eye. It's barely a coming-out, she just mentions she's seeing a girl and they go "oh, okay, that's happening."
Julie and Didi agree what's good is good and what's not is not, so...be good dammit wtf.
Julie's mom's arrest gave her more than trust issues; she is loathe to rely on anyone else for anything, hating the feeling of being incapable of helping herself. She takes survival classes, weapons handling courses, self defense classes, is CPR certified, wilderness first aid certified, fire safety certified...you get the picture. She is adamant about taking care of herself when sick or otherwise deposed and it actually makes her anxious when Didi tries to dote on her in any way. She learns to let her, but only up to a point.
Didi doesn't necessarily lavish being doted on, but it's very nice to be the one being lifted up for a change. She thinks Julie's effortlessly intense support is one of the hottest things about her and sometimes asks Julie for help with something just to watch her tackle it and beam with self-satisfaction when Didi thanks her for a job well-done.
(Julie also generally does not like others to se her weak. When she's sick, she hides away. When she's tired, she applies heavier makeup and drinks more coffee. When she's tense, she steps out the room to stretch and comes back. It's a major adjustment to share space with Didi and be uncomposed around her.)
Revisiting Julie's long list of certifications, a big one is navigation competence and swimming competence (in case she ever needs to be at sea...of course). She started Olympian training for gymnastics after high school and had a good trainer that got her access to a pool Michael Phelps used to train at. She learned from the best swimmer in the world and had a good friendship until something happened that no one knows but them. It wasn't that bad and Mike still has friendly affection for Julie after everything, but you know Julie...it's complicated.
Didi's grandfather on her father's side owned a ranch and the family used to have big family dinners before Didi came out. The kids were put to work while the parents cooked, and whenever Didi visited, she would practice riding and minding the horses. In one of their more ambitious outings as a couple, Julie and Didi go on a glamping trip at a state park that has horseback riding. Didi enjoys having a skill that Julie doesn't, and takes special pleasure in Julie's pleasant delight at the surprise.
