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[adempolat]

mack murphy​.

“It’s a neat little place,” Mack commented in return, “I never expected to find anything like it having come from New York.” She admitted to the stranger. There was a lot of neat nooks and crannies in New York City. People were always trying to stay on top of the trends, be the coolest place to go. “Work, mostly,” which wasn’t entirely a lie. The trick to working undercover was to not have too many lies within her life being a lie. She was working, as the new owner of Deja Brew. And well, ultimately, work as an FBI agent brought her to do that. “I just bought Deja Brew, needed a bit of change and figured, why not Colorado and all it has to offer. It’s a hell of a change from New York.” Also, not a lie. It was. “What about you?” She questioned in return, happy to exchange in some mindless small talk.

—

His eyes light up when she says she’s from New York. “New Yorker, huh? Lived there for a few years myself and you’re right. Compared to New York- well,  actually,” he scratched his head for a second as if trying to think of something, “I don’t think there is really any comparing Providence to New York.” he admitted with a laugh before taking a sip of his coffee. “But now, that I know a New Yorker owns Deja Brew, I might just have a reason to stop buying coffee at bars.” he winced as he set the mug of coffee down. “I umm... well, I left to take care of some personal stuff, needed to get my act together and all that. And it took me a long ass time, but I did it and I thought it was time to face my fuck-up’s head on.” It was probably more of an answer than she was expecting, it was more of an answer than he had really meant to give, but there was something about talking to someone completely unbiased about your past situation that made it easier to do so. 

[adempolat]

Serkay Tütüncü in Bay Yanlış, episode 14

[adempolat]

hank bramson​.

+++

Smug, Hank shrugged a shoulder and smiled. Hurting the other’s feelings didn’t bother him or, at least, that’s what he was trying to show but mentally made a note to appear…friendlier. 

Already finding himself a few paces ahead of the other, Hank turned around to walk backwards and slow himself. “I like the princess route? I try to attract the squirrels.” Barely able to contain the laughter, Hank shook his head. 

Another shrug to dismiss the talk of training, Hank turned back around to walk alongside the other. “So, suppose you should know. I’m Hank, uh, Bramson. Not sure you need all that but there it is. I talk to people less than I go hiking.” 

—

He laughed as he watched his new companion slowly but surely outpace him. “Well, can you please tell them to leave me alone? I mean them no harm!” he teased. Honestly, Adem tried to take a very ‘do no harm’ approach to his hiking. His goal with it was usually to immerse himself in nature so much that that the incessant buzzing in his head of thoughts about whether he had permanently traumatized his younger siblings when he had left Providence, whether he should have come back at all, whether he was just a giant failure, were all drowned out. Part of his sobriety had been assisted in that, in exploring nature and finding a coping mechanism in his hikes. He never truly went after squirrels.  

He nodded his head at the other’s introduction, wiping his hand off on his pants to get off any dirt, before extending it to Hank. “Nice to meet you, Hank Bramson. I’m Adem Polat.” Raising his shoulder in a lopsided shrug, he continued, “Figured I should give as much as I get, right?” Adem was a pretty chill guy. Sure, he was social, but he could also appreciate enjoying each other’s company in silence. But he also didn’t mind getting to know a stranger while enjoying a hike together. “And since I’ve been back in Providence, I think I’ve probably hiked more than I’ve interacted with people, so we’re a good mix.” 

[adempolat]

carla villanueva​.

.

Finding a moment of quiet alone in the middle of a party was almost impossible, and yet Carla had somehow managed to achieve that. She was hiding in a corner, a drink in hand and her eyes fixed on the performance that was going on at the time. She knew it was only a matter of minutes before her friends found her, but she was more than happy to stay there in that comfortable corner until they did. Sipping on her drink slowly, she noticed a man approaching her. For a moment she was ready to roll her eyes, already preparing the speech that she was  not interested. But his request seemed genuine and well, how could she turn him down brutally? “I think I can do that. You’ve got to tell me your name though. If your mother comes up and asks me I’d make a big fool of myself if I don’t even know that.”

—

Adem’s features lit up in relief when she didn’t immediately send him away. He hadn’t realized how creepy he could have come across until after the plea to a complete stranger had already left his mouth. Sending her a grateful smile, he immediately leaned in just a bit to make sure she heard him over the noise, “You’re a lifesaver! My mother is understandably pissed at me, but just didn’t feel like this was the best time to hash everything out.” he explained. “I’m Adem. And what might the name of my savior be?” he asked, cocking his head to the side a little. With how relieved he looked, he knew he didn’t need to pretend this was a friend he was meeting up much more at all. From where he had left his mother, it would appear as if they had known each other for a long time. 

[adempolat]

katerina delarosa​.

.

Though most of Kat’s wild nights were behind her, she couldn’t resist the allure of a big event taking place somewhere around town. The side of her that still enjoyed a night out and a good party beckoned her out of her house and over to the club for a night of drinks and revelry. She always enjoyed going to things like this, especially since it gave her a chance to mingle with people that she didn’t always see in her day to day. She’d been flitting around between different friends, taking in the bar and the various entertainment options with a bright smile. Falling out of step with one of the friends she’d been catching up with as they peeled away towards someone else, Kat took a moment to just hang back by herself for a beat and watch what was going on around her. 

Her gaze shifted from watching one of the performers to watching an older woman pretty much reaming out a younger, somewhat familiar looking man. It took her a moment to register who the pair were, having known them both from growing up around town. It felt like it had been a lifetime since she’d seen Adem around and her curiosity spiked. She realized just a beat too late that she was probably staring, but thankfully he seemed to be pretty desperately in need of an out from his mother. Lifting herself up on her tip-toes, Kat slung her arms around him as if giving him a big greeting hug. “As someone who spends a lot of time avoiding her own mother at events like this, I’ve got your back,” Kat joked, taking a step back from the hug. She kept one arm latched around him, wheeling him away from his mother and off towards the other side of the club. “She’s really giving it to you tonight.”

—

It wasn’t until she spoke that Adem even realized just who he had asked to bail him out. “Kat.” he breathed, her name coming out more as a grateful greeting than anything else. As she wrapped her tiny arms around him and hugged him, Adem couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him. Not only was his new savior someone he knew, - well, knew in the past - but it was someone he had nothing but good feelings towards and clearly she wasn’t holding too much of a grudge against him and his completely immature, asshole ways back in high school. He hugged her back, before he let her tug him away from his mother’s attack, letting his arm stay wrapped loosely around her shoulder. “By Allah! It’s good to see you!” he said as they made they way to the other side of the club. “Yeah, my mother, understandably took it quite personally when I left Providence. I really don’t mind her chewing me out, but this just didn’t seem like the most appropriate location for her to do it for the tenth time.” he explained, probably too openly, with a shake of his head. 

“How’ve you been though?” he asked, eager to change the subject as he released his hold on her for a moment so that he could take a step back and really take her in. “You look good, Kat.” 

[adempolat]

« starter for @benji-scott » location: le cirque time: sunday, june 4th 11:35pm

The club’s summer party was definitely living up to the name. The performers and various shows were pretty great. And while the night had started off pretty rough with the run in with his mother, it had taken a turn when he had finally bumped into a few friendly faces. He was just getting ready to head out, feeling like he had stayed long enough to fill up his social battery for the week ahead, when he spotted yet another person who he had definitely failed when he left town without a trace. Benji had been nothing but a good friend to Adem, looking out for him even when Adem went down a path they both knew he shouldn’t. And Adem had repaid it by ghosting his best friend. With a sigh, Adem headed towards Benji. “Hey man.” he greeted his former best friend, anxiously awaiting Benji’s reaction. 

[adempolat]

mack murphy​.

Mack nodded her head in response to his thanks. It was the least she could do as the establishment became increasingly more busy as the night went on. When she was told about this place, she almost thought it sounded too good to be true and it had taken her nearly this long to find it. Despite her arrival in town only a few weeks ago, Mack had taking a liking to getting out in the evenings for a drink. “I agree,” she smiled at him, “honestly, it took me a few weeks to even make it here. I just moved to town,” she admitted for some backstory, “and well, it wasn’t the easiest place to find but it seems to be one of the best so far.” Though she hadn’t entirely gone around to every single place in Providence Peak - not yet. 

—

“Well, I’m glad you found it. I’d say Providence’s cool points go seriously up just because of this place alone.” He shook his head at himself, before taking another sip of his coffee. “And welcome to town, though I don’t know if I can technically welcome you since I only got back a week ago or so.” With a shrug of his shoulder, he took another sip of his coffee, savoring the taste. “What brought you to Providence?” he asked, hoping he wasn’t being too chatty for a stranger she just met at a bar. But if he were being honest with himself, it felt nice to have a conversation with someone who didn’t know him from his time in this town. And nice to be having a pleasant conversation in general. His reunions with his siblings hadn’t gone so well, though that was to be expected. 

[adempolat]

aslihan fahri-bailey​.

“Okay, soooo… There is a new store here that opened up recently… Annnnnnd… It’s full of a bunch of science stuff for kids.” Asli’s eyes lit up and laughter left her lips at the excited squeal that came from her daughter. There truly was zero doubts now as to who the girl’s parents were. With a mutual love for science, Aslihan and Atlas had been able to pass that down to the six year old, something that both clearly loved. Leading the way hand in hand, the woman listened to her daughter’s ramblings. Despite still not doing so great mentally and emotionally, the anthropologist was able to fake it right now for her daughter. She knew that the little girl had become worried about her and she wanted to ensure her one way or another that she was okay. Well… as okay as she can be, she supposes. As the duo walked together to the store, the woman nearly stopped in her tracks at a familiar sight. A face she hasn’t seen since Alex was a little baby. “Adem?” she called out, unsure if it truly was him or just a lookalike.

CLOSED STARTER: skyline center // @adempolat​

—

Adem was beginning to feel like he had nothing to do. Besides trying to convince Aksel of his sincerity and the fact that he truly was back, he was still trying to build a life for himself in Providence. Something he wasn’t sure how to go about doing since he wasn’t really sure how long he’d actually be in town for. He wanted to - hoped - he’d be around for good, so that he could rekindle his relationships with his younger siblings, but if Aksel wanted him gone, there wasn’t much he could do about it. So he was in this limbo as he gave Aksel the space to decide how she was going to feel about his return. But that didn’t make his days any less boring. 

He was perusing the shops, - some new, some very, very old - of Skyline Center, when a familiar voice called out his name. One he hadn’t ever imagined he’d hear again, at least, not in Providence. Whipping around, “Asli?!” he called, quickly closing the distance between them so they wouldn’t have to shout at each other across the other shoppers. His gaze quickly travelled to the little girl holding her hand as he approached. “And this young lady can’t be Miss Alex, can it?” he shot the girl a smile, crouching down so he was eye-level with her. “I know it’s annoying when adults say this, buuut” he glanced up at her mother with a chuckle, “I met you when you were just a baby.” he explained before standing up to meet Aslihan’s gaze again. “How have you two been?” he asked. 

[adempolat]

kenny davis​.

who: @adempolat​

where: le cirque

Ken looked up to find, not Atlas, but Adem a few feet away from her. It felt like it had been a lifetime since she’d last seen the man despite it being a few years. Their last conversation had been a little flirtatious — or maybe a lot — and then he’d dipped out of no where. She hadn’t wondered where he’d gone but she was curious to know why he was back. “Look what the cat dragged in.” Ken nudged him, staying close to the bar for when her drinks would come. Her arms opened, demanding for a hug because despite everything, she considered him a friend. “You’re looking good. How long have you been back and why didn’t I know about this before?”

—

He was beginning to wonder if coming tonight really was such a good idea. It wasn’t that being at a bar really bothered him all that much, more so just that running into his mother, already drunk off her ass, hadn’t been exactly a great way to start the night. Part of him felt embarrassed to find his mother here of all places, but the other part of him was more just sad for her and the life she so clearly was desperately missing out on. Just as he was starting to consider heading out, someone who just might be able to turn this night around grabbed his attention. An easy grin immediately came to his lips. “Well, hey there, Davis!” he greeted as he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a squeeze. 

Despite the complicated nature of the very tail end of their history together, for a long time he had considered Kenny a friend. And it was nice to see a face who didn’t immediately frown upon seeing him now that he was back. “I’ve literally only been back a week or two at most.” he answered, throwing his hands up in a show of innocence. “I kinda wanted to make sure I saw Aksel first before word spread that I was back. You know how the gossip mill works in this town.” he explained with a smirk and a shake of his head. Moving to lean against the bar, he brought his gaze back to meet hers. “How’ve you been, Davis?” 

[adempolat]

nazli ertugul​.

Nazli had been so good at guarding her heart for her entire life. After her mother died, her father was a complete and utter wreck. She’d been far too young to remember it but the two talked about it as she got older. The idea of loving someone so much they become your entire world only to lose them and know that they could never come back… It was all too terrifying to her. The only love she allowed herself to cherish was the love she gave and received from her family and her friends, particularly her best friends. Anything romantic was quickly dashed before ever happening. Flings and lovers she could have for a few days, perhaps a month, before it was mutually ended was more her speed. Which was why she hadn’t been expecting Adem. She hadn’t expected how safe she felt in his arms nor the way his smile warmed her up. She hadn’t expected how his jokes, particularly his bad ones, never ceased to make her laugh to the point of tears. She hadn’t expected how natural it’d been to be intimate with him, how easily they fell into committing domestic routines together with soft kisses and easy early morning small talk. So when she’d looked over him that fateful night and had a thought, one she couldn’t dare utter out loud, she ran. She waited until he was sound asleep before grabbing anything of hers and leaving without a trace. She probably should’ve realized it when she decided to stay in Seattle after her friends asked her to come with them to Nashville and get to work on their next restaurant. She should’ve realized it after basically and unofficially moving in with him, how she ‘accidentally’ had so much of her stuff at his place. She should’ve realized it after introducing him to her father while on facetime with him. That should’ve been the dead ringer right there. Not her thinking ‘I could love you forever’.

She could love him forever… Yet her walls around her heart were far too high up to allow that.

“V-Very nice, yeah,” she agreed, nodding her head and trying to keep her heart steady. Yet he called her out. He called her out and Allah, even after all these years, he still knew her so damn well. He moved closer and she had to bit down on her tongue to stop herself from sighing. He still smelled the same but there was something different also. It made her sad. She remembered curling up against him, breathing him in with her fingers tracing his chest, how they’d either talk about anything and everything or they wouldn’t talk at all yet still remained in a state of total and complete bliss. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she cleared her throat. Cleared away her thoughts and memories of him in that moment. Even though everything inside of her begged her not to. Not to do that again. “The Silk Road,” she told him. “We… We have around two hundred and sixty-one locations worldwide with our newest location being here. We opened up back in February and we have a couple more being worked, particularly in Dubai and Cairo. And… And my uncle, Ranveer, has appointed me as the new owner of the entire Jade Palace Resort and Hotel International chain. I was just watching the Jade Palace location here for awhile for my cousin when they decided to hand the entire hotelier to me.” And another reason… Which she paused for a moment before taking a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then finally let it out. “And my son is here,” she finally said, never having told him the tale of her, Bashir, and Bodhi. Eyes scanning his and shifting again, her guilt only grew more. If he hadn’t, by some miracle, hated her before, there is likely a chance that he does now. “I… I take it you moved back here after… after Seattle?”

—

As she began to explain why she was in Providence, he had to fight really hard to keep the frown that was very much fighting its’ way onto his features from actually appearing. He hated that he had no clue about her life now, hated that he hadn’t been able to celebrate these huge accomplishments with her, hated that he shouldn’t even hate these things. He had no right to wish to be apart of her life at this point. It had been so many years since she had made it very clear that she didn’t want him to be apart of her life and any mature, sane person should have come to terms with that by now. Clearly, he wasn’t either one of those things. Forcing a smile onto his face - one he hoped she couldn’t tell how much he had to work to put it on - he shook his head in proud disbelief. “Wow. That’s really amazing how well you have done, Nazli.” While his smile was, his words weren’t forced at all. It really was amazing. He’d known during their time together that Nazli was destined for great things with her restaurant, and here she was, finally doing them. As happy as he was for her, the painful acknowledgement of the fact that he hadn’t gotten to see these accomplishments of hers firsthand weighed heavily on him. Part of him had convinced himself, in the throws of his grief over her departure from his life, that he would have been content just getting to still be apart of her life, even if it wasn’t in a romantic way. He just wanted to be there to witness her brilliance and the amazing heights she reached. 

But now, as he tried to swallow away those thoughts, as he stood there with her just a few feet away, struggling to come up with anything coherent to say, he wondered if that would ever really be true. Would he ever be able to be around Nazli and not hope for something more? 

“I mean it.” he added after a moment. “I always knew you’d take the Silk Road far. You should be really proud of yourself.” Finally, the smile he sent her way wasn’t forced. It was as genuine as the words he spoke, albeit short lived. Then she was explaining her other reason for being in Providence and he could’ve sworn in that moment that it felt like his feet had been swept out from under him. 

“Your son?” he asked, immediately wondering how shortly after Seattle, after she’d ghosted him, had she had this child. How quickly had she moved on while he had been stuck wallowing in the gaping hole she’d left in his life for months, if not years, after her disappearance? He was still trying to process this information as he reached up to scratch the back of his head, “Umm... not really, I just came back a few weeks ago. I’ve been uh... traveling.” Crazy how quickly he went from wanting to spill his guts, tell her everything he had been up to in the last several years, to suddenly realizing how very little she probably wanted to know about any of it. 

[adempolat]

mei lee​.

There was so much distance between them, even before time had swept them both into her grasp. It was like looking in one of those mirrors at a carnival, where it distorted and played tricks to confuse and alter the portrayed image. They were older now, and so much had happened, but while Mei wanted to confess to everything, she knew there were some things she still couldn’t say out loud. 

Even now, Mei was still hiding. 

The boy she remembered played in the corner of her vision, and she regarded him for a moment longer, noticing the differences and similarities. He was quite handsome, even back then. But she put those thoughts aside, focusing on the man directly in front of her, letting the memories go in favor of finding what was new. She hummed in response, sipping at the delicious brew, “What indeed… I don’t believe it was a fully conscious choice to return after college. I suppose I didn’t want to leave Kai. Or my grandmother, for that matter. She calls me the only sane one in the family, though I think it is because she tolerates me more than others rather than it being any reflection of my true state of mind." 

She smiled softly, as if sharing an inside joke before continuing, "And you? What brought you back after so long away? Or even, what persuaded you to leave?”

—

“Providence just seems to pull you back in, doesn’t it?” His statement was made with an odd mix of bitterness and nostalgia for the town he grew up in. Even when he had been in no place to return, mentally, physically or emotionally, there had been times he had felt that pull as well. “Hmm... well, has your grandmother ever seen how you get when you’re debating the merit of school uniforms for debate class? Because that crazed look you used to get might make her rethink that statement.” he teased. It felt good to be able to joke around with her again. Hell, it felt good to be reunited with someone in this town who didn’t totally hate his guts. 

But the warm fuzzy feeling of finally having a pleasant conversation quickly vanished when she asked about why he left. His smile very quickly faltered and he found it hard to meet her gaze for a moment. He should have known this is where the conversation would go after he’d asked her the same thing. Really, considering how many people in this town had been such a huge part of his past, he should have put a lot more time into thinking up a game plan for these kinds of situations. On the one hand, he hated the idea of lying to her, they had been pretty close after all. But on the other, they truly didn’t know each other as adults, and his story wasn’t exactly one you shared with someone you didn’t know well. Finally turning back to her, he went with, “It’s a long story, but I had some personal baggage I needed to deal with on my own.” he explained. “It just took a long time to feel like I should come back.” He offered a bit of a one-shouldered shrug. It was as much of the truth as he could say without spending the next two hours going into the finer details of the whole thing. 

[adempolat]

« starter for anyone ( capping at 4 ) » location: le cirque time: sunday, june 4th 10pm 

When he had first heard about the party Le Cirque was throwing, Adem truly didn’t plan on attending. Not that he doubted it would be a worthwhile event. But more so that he was a little unsure how good of an idea it would be for him to go to it. He had just gotten back to town and after his less than happy reunion with his sister, he wasn’t sure being at a night club would be particularly good for his sobriety. However, as Saturday night dragged on with literally nothing to do other than binge watch a true crime documentary on Netflix because it seemed everyone he knew in town was attending the party, Adem decided getting out and doing something would be better for him, less triggering anyways, than sitting in his hotel room alone, dwelling on his past, his failures, and complete lack of any kind of relationship with his siblings. He could handle being around being around people drinking for an evening if it meant he got to have some sort of social interaction. 

Turns out, ‘some sort of social interaction’ definitely wasn’t worth it. After grabbing a snack from one of the many food vendors, he had been making his way around the club, seeing what all the event had to offer when he’d accidentally bumped into none other than his mother. It was bad enough running into your mother of all people, at a night club on a night like this, but even worse, Mrs. Polat seemed to think their current setting was a good place to air her grievances with her eldest son. Adem knew he deserved the admonishment, but after listening to her drunkenly complain for ten minutes, he needed to get away. His gaze casting about frantically in search of anything or anyone he could use as an excuse, he finally spotted someone who didn’t seem to be with anyone else currently. “Like I said the other day, mom, I’m really sorry, but I just spotted my friend who I was supposed to meet up with. I don’t want to keep them waiting. I’ll see you later, ok?” Before she could respond, Adem made a beeline for said person, muttering under his breath, “Think you could pretend like we planned on meeting up tonight so I can avoid my mother?”

[adempolat]

« starter for @viv-fonseca » location: below zero time: 7:45pm 

After finally going to see Aksel, Adem needed a pick me up. And while there was nothing quite like a cold glass of whiskey, that wasn’t an option for Adem any longer. So he settled for the next best thing, making his way to Below Zero on his way back to his hotel. As he approached the ice cream parlor, memories flooded through him of bringing his younger siblings here. It was hard not to be overwhelmed by the memories - and the subsequent guilt they brought with them -  when you were back in your hometown like this. Shaking off the thoughts, he crossed the street and walked towards the door. Just as he glanced into the shop, a shockingly familiar face caught his eye and had Adem freezing in his tracks. 

What the hell was Vivienne Fonseca doing in Providence Peak of all places? When he’d moved out of their shared apartment all those years ago, he truly didn’t think he’d see her ever again. Now, as he stared at her for probably what was an awkward amount of time, through the glass window, he couldn’t help but hope that the choice he’d made back then had been the right one and she’d been able to focus on taking care of herself. 

With an uncomfortable smile and shake of his head as he realized he was just standing there, Adem finally made his way into the shop. “Hey Viv.” he greeted, offering her a tentative smile as he wondered if she hated him. 

[adempolat]

hank bramson​.

+++

Without so much as a water bottle for this adventure, Hank trudged along at a casual pace to stay with the other. Even as the urge to go kicked in. It was too engrained, something like hiking wasn’t a leisurely activity. It was a test of strength and endurance and he’d worked so hard not to be the bottom of the pack for all those years. Short legs weren’t an obstacle and Hank was good at staying in the middle. Unnoticed. 

“The thought crossed my mind,” Hank said flatly. There was a heavy implication that he’d both assessed and ruled out the other as a threat. “But, I have enough training. I’m confident I could hold my own. Even handicapped.” With a few rapid blinks, Hank went from as threatening as he got these days to innocent. He’d made a great life for himself being unassuming, now wasn’t the time to slip. Even if it lit this little fire in his chest, one he hadn’t felt for years and years. He kind of like the warmth. 

—

As his new hiking partner made it very clear that they were less than worried about any sort of threat Adem could pose to them, he clutched his chest in mock pain. “Ouch!” With a chuckle and shake of his head, he continued, “I’ll have you know I’ve managed to scare off my fair share of squirrels on my hikes.” As if that made him any more threatening. As they continued their walk, Adem glanced over at his companion, “Training, huh?” he asked curiously, wondering, sarcastically, of course if maybe he should be the one worried after all. 

[adempolat]

aksel polat​.

@adempolat​

Aksel had closed the record shop early tonight. Something about curling up on her couch with ramen and Netflix had been impossible to ignore. The week she’d had left her perpetually exhausted. And after the call from her father’s caseworker ensuring her that yes, Alp Polat would be released early, Aksel had zero hope of getting anything worthwhile complete. So she was home, wrapped in oversized pajamas, absently watching the television while nothing was absorbed when the bell to her apartment rang more than once. “I’m coming!” She yelled, dragging herself to the door. Aksel pulled it open to face the unexpected. Eleven years bottomed out from beneath her, and Aksel felt like her legs would buckle. Adem stood in front of her, a sight she had resigned to never witness for the rest of her life, and here he was. Aksel reached out her palm, gently pushing against his chest, “What the hell are you doing here?” She asked once she’d confirmed she wasn’t losing her mind and hallucinating. Pulling her hand back Aksel stood protectively in front of her apartment entrance. She’d moved in after their middle sister had moved back home knowing the constant fighting with their mother wouldn’t settle and needing a safe place of her own. “I mean it, how’d you even know I lived here?” She asked still not inviting him in, “I mean elevel years no call, nothing.” She whispered looking him up and down, “If you’re here for money I have nothing to give you Adem so maybe you should leave.”

—

Adem was still mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. Despite returning to Providence Peak after all this time full of determination, his confidence in approaching his younger sister began to waver as each day passed. Sure, he knew it was the right thing to do. But the idea of coming face to face with one of the four people he had failed most in his life scared the shit out of him. He had no right to put it off, no right to not do what was absolutely the best thing for his siblings as soon as he possibly could, and he knew that. But that didn’t make facing his failures any easier. 

Bracing himself as he heard her approaching the door, he still wasn’t prepared for the regret and shame that threatened to overwhelm him as Aksel finally opened the door and came into view. While he absolutely knew that he wouldn’t have been able to get sober if he hadn’t left Providence all those years ago, he one hundred percent wished that the journey to his sobriety hadn’t been at the expense of his family. Her shove was absolutely deserved, he had earned much worse, if he were being honest. “I asked around.” he admitted, ducking his head almost. Tracking down his sister hadn’t taken much time at all, just a question or two to the right people. But her assumption that he was there to ask her for money cut him deeper just as much as the anger and betrayal very apparent on her features when she looked at him. But again, it was more than deserved. 

“Look, Aks,” he reached up to tug his hand roughly through his hair, a tell-tale sign of his anxiety. “I know I can’t even begin to apologize for what I’ve put you guys through. But that’s why I’m back, to try to apologize and maybe, hopefully, begin to try and make it up to you.” His expression was nothing if not sincere and he could only hope that she could see how much this meant to him. 

[adempolat]

“it happens to the best of us” well im not the best so whys it happening to me

[adempolat]

mei lee.

“I’m not made of ice.” 

The tease was familiar, an echo to their consistent banter from school. Back when Mei was called the Ice Princess for her aloofness and got teased for her family being well off, and Adem was just another boy in a crowd of faces. Until he wasn’t anymore and he was suddenly always standing next to her, pushing her just as much as she did him. God, to be sixteen again. She didn’t miss it but she was curious of how so much time had changed her old friend. She took the offered seat, shaking her head with a smile at the consistent feeling of deja vu crawling up her spine. Mei noticed he avoided her previous question but let it slip by for now. Neither ever truly liked the other attempting to poke at obvious wounds, and they weren’t kids anymore.

 If he wanted to tell her, he would.

“I moved back in 2012, so I suppose about nine years. It is surprising it took us this long to run into each other. Unless, were you out of town?” She set the coffee on the table, offering him the second cup in camaraderie while she took a sip of the other.

—

His head dipped just a little bit, a chuckle making its’ way onto his lips again as she referenced her old nickname. It was crazy having so much history with a person and yet feeling like you didn’t even know them due to how much time has passed. The woman before him had made up a huge part of his childhood and yet, as his gaze took her in, he found himself still looking for the girl he’d grown up with. It was a staunch reminder of how much time really had passed and how much he had changed. He was sure things had changed for Mei as well. 

His brows rose as she explained how long she had been back in Providence. “Well, I guess we just missed each other.” he teased, accepting the coffee she offered with a grateful smile. “Thanks. I moved away eleven years ago and just came back for the first time a couple weeks ago.” he explained, taking a sip of the drink. “What brought you back to good ‘ole Providence Peak?” he found he wanted to fill in the gaps of their time apart quite a bit. He was definitely intrigued.