civanguneri

[civanguneri]

Again, Civan's arms kind of awkwardly froze around Vanna's smaller frame. Not as comfortable as she seemed to be with their proximity but still allowing it. His brows dipped, nearly touching in the middle, and he did his best to keep up with her tipsy fast-talking explanation. "Prague?" Civan echoed with mild curiosity, a single word picked out Vanna's theatrics. His gaze drifted between her and the still looming impatient bartender. "Oh." There was something in his expression that shifted, confusion having melted away to a degree of relief and casual indifference. As if realizing money was indeed the problem was no problem at all. "I do." At least a little bemused, the corner of his mouth upticked into a grin. "Most people bring a wallet." He teased. A small jab he felt that he could get away with, especially since Civan was currently fishing his out of the pocket of his well-tailored dress shirt for her. "See, you should be happier to see me." The man jested, his sarcasm directed at the irate bar employee. A card was flashed between his fingers, held out over the bartop. "I can pay her tab." He hadn't even asked how much it was or hesitated, just passed over the plastic. It was tempting to ask how her father was doing, but this didn't seem the ideal setting. "You said your cousin left? You are here on your own now then?"

In her tipsy state, Vanna effortlessly fell into damsel mode, nestling against Civan's solid frame. Clinging to his chest, she pouted and shot a playful 'you tell them' look at the bartender, who was receiving a lecture about why making her clean up after herself wouldn't be a wise idea, at least not legally. Her nods came heavy, brows furrowed in concern, as the bartender rolled his eyes in exasperation, clearly annoyed by Civan.

Vanna tilted her head back to meet Civan's gaze, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and responded to his question with a sweet, charming smile. Then, with a dramatic flair, she let out a theatrical sigh, burrowing her face into the comforting warmth of his chest. "My cousin, who always picks up the tab, ditched me!" she groaned, clutching his shirt as if it were a life raft. "I don’t take much money out to drink anymore! It kept causing trouble in Prague!" The truth was, her friends overseas had created strict rules designed to rein in her party spirit, and now her cousin was just reliving the same experience.

Feeling slightly adrift, Vanna recalled that doctors are meant to save the day, right? She smiled up at Civan through half-closed eyes and, with a playful glint, asked, "Dr. Guneri, by any chance, did you bring your wallet?"

[civanguneri]

"Apologies aren't easy." Though, he doubted Sel needed that reminder. "If it helps, she avoided me for a minute too." Civan shook his head, a faint breathy half-chuckle parted his lips. "Allah knows I only stayed at that party to try and keep an eye on her." However, Alara had been particularly resistant. "She might have said something... Baba related." He'd been a teenager when his passed, but Civan supposed even someone like him was prone to wounds that never fully healed. The mention of dates earned a flash of stormy blues upwards, eyes rolled to the sky. "Yes. Unfortunately." Civan sighed, and it took a second to realize how his gripe could be interpreted. "My Anne does still try to set me up. I'm not married so that is equivocal to single in her eyes." Technically, he supposed that he was, but he was pretty sure any woman he took to dinner would be rather displeased to go back to his place and find Tanvi in his bed. Civan on the other hand was very pleased to have her there, so he simply didn't allow the dates to get far. "I'm... involved with someone." His brows knitted together, never quite sure how to describe or define Tanvi's role in his life. Which was funny for a man who liked to put everything into definable boxes when given the opportunity. "What about you?" He ventured to ask, not brazen enough to mention Wes in particular.

The brunette allowed a breath of relief to come out. While she knew that her cousin was remorseful for the actions she'd taken, it was still nice to hear that she had voiced that to other people. "She did act that way. It was crazy, Civan. It was directly in front of me and she did it on purpose. I understand more now but I didn't think her capable of that."

Then again, there was a lot she would do, and given how similar she was to her cousin— perhaps she shouldn't have been as surprised by her ability to poke where it hurt most. "I've voiced that I would never cut her off because of that but I was rather waiting for her to apologize. I fear that I would still be waiting." Part of her even wondered if she hadn't gone up to her, whether Alara would have had any intent to reach her. "I didn't believe I could find someone more stubborn than myself."

Though she knew fear had a lot to play with it as well.

It was nice to hear and she could see his perspective. "I hadn't seen it like that but I agree with you. It isn't a sign of immaturity." Perhaps some actions weren't her proudest or most mature but it was nice to have another person see beyond them and focus on the better parts of her. "Thank you, Civan." The brunette reached out to give him a side hug.

Alcohol had always been an interesting part of Selin's life. Mainly because many of her family and friends did not drink, and while she didn't drink a lot, she did partake in it from time to time. The complete restriction was where she had a problem with it. "I'll be certain to keep a bottle in my car for when I come to visit."

"That's good to hear. Have you been speaking to someone? Gone on dates? Anything?" She hoped he had a more promising love life than she did at the moment.

[civanguneri]

Under normal circumstances the teasing quip about his odd, borderline Clean Freak habits, would've earned at least some semblance of a scowl. In that moment though, her hand settled warm and gentle against his face, the urge to lean into a kiss won out. What little gap that existed vanished and Civan brushed his mouth tenderly against the familiar line of Tanvi's soft lips. It wasn't anything grand or tantalizing, just an easy natural show of affection. "Any time." He assured when Civan pulled back, cloudy blues locked on her gaze. A fresh hint of vulnerability leaked into the man's tone. "Please, always call me." The unsettling idea of something happening to Tanvi on the job lingered and followed at the back of his mind as Civan went to pull a shirt out of his walk-in closet for her. One of his older volleyball shirts that she'd threatened to steal on more than one occasion. "Here." He emerged in a blink, stood again at the edge of his bed with the shirt extended out to her. Then, with every intention of joining her, his hands moved absently to hitch and pull the clean cut navy colored shirt he'd been wearing off over his head.

The sleep she got in the car was light, but comfortable. Tanvi may have been a little cold, but despite that, being with Civan brought a level of comfort and safety that was unmatched in her life. Which was why she was so easily able to fall asleep, and when he'd scooped her up into his arms from the passenger's seat, Tanvi simply rested her head on his shoulder and pulled in a slow, deep breath; allowing a quiet sound of recognition and content as she exhaled.

It felt like all she'd done was blink and they were inside the house, her arms having lazily come up to wrap around his neck as he'd jostled her while opening the front door and kicking his shoes off. In her concussion and sleep fogged haze, she attempted to kick her own shoes off of her feet but was met with resistance she couldn't overcome so she simply curled further into Civan's arms and waited to arrive at their destination.

Once she was set down on the bed, Tanvi stretched her arms above her head and let out a small yawn. Her eyes watched him, heavy with sleep and sparkling with unmistakable affection, and a small smile graced her lips. "A shirt would be great. I wouldn't want you to have to send your bed sheets out to be cleaned, too, since I'm wearing outside clothes." She teased, a hand reaching out to gently cup his cheek, thumb stroking over his skin gently as she brought his gaze to hers. "Thank you."

[civanguneri]

"She did." Civan couldn't help the soft shadow of a cringe that furrowed the man's brows as he recalled Alara's admission, including the brazen choice of words for her cousin's send off. "I don't mean to be involved too heavily," he tried to offer. He knew Selin was a private person. "—but, if I may humble Alara some..." Civan's tone hinted to slight affectionate amusement, "She was very well aware that she acted berbat." Vulnerability was such a difficult, awful thing. None of them seemed to handle it with much grace, Alara included. "It's good you've spoken, she was... concerned you might never wish to." He was lacking in male family members around his own age here in the states. His uncle had been divorced, and his father had passed when Civan was young leaving the Guneri branch of the family here to be rather slimmed. He did not have much experience with sibling or cousin squabbles, and it was impossible to imagine how he would feel in Selin's place. "See." His head turned, holding her gaze. "Things like that. Perhaps I am biased of this, but when people feel the need to keep their emotions in check and handle their own problems... I cannot think of that as a sign of immaturity." Though, it was easy to wish perhaps she sought out support from others more often. It certainly didn't need to be him in particular. "The alcohol is a BYOB situation," a raspy chuckle stuck in his throat. "My home is still dry. I cannot say the whole New Years experience has shifted my disinterest in alcohol." Though he was non-practicing. Many facets of the religion Civan was raised with lingered and left their impression. "No other issues." It was difficult to put his finger on, objectively most things were going well. Still, was he happy? That he couldn't say.

Outside of her clients, which she could handle by phone or by sending her assistant out, there wasn't anything keeping her from leaving town for short periods of time. Especially if it meant she could explore and shop mindlessly without worrying about some of her bigger ongoing projects. "It doesn't have to be long but I wouldn't be opposed to a few days in some swanky hotel."

Her gaze flicked back towards him with a silent kind of appreciation. Civan reminded her of her brother and despite the pang that was initially felt, there was also an appreciation for the reminder of how supportive he used to be. He'd always been the first to hold up his sisters while the girls often worked on tearing each other down amidst their latest fight. "You think so? I know a few people who wouldn't say that." At least not when she was younger and working bars instead of doing anything productive with her life.

Her arms folded across her chest, features twisted into something that resembled slight pointedness towards his statement. "What exactly did she tell you about that night? Did she say that she tried to take my ex home in front of me?" Though she'd forgiven Alara for that, she wondered if she'd voiced guilt to someone that wasn't her on that situation. "You know I don't like to whine about my problems, Civan. But should that feeling ever arise, I'll come over and expect to receive advice, alcohol, and snacks."

"And the same hospitality would be returned to you."

A hand moved to rest to her chest as if he'd given her the best compliment she'd received all day. "People need to listen to me more. I'm full of good advice. So, everything is well in your life? Any other issues you'd like my input on?"

[civanguneri]

For a moment, there was something relatable— dare he say likeable, in watching the subtle way Levi seemed to puff up a bit at mention of Nia. It was such a comically human thing, even among the most reserved of souls. "No." A hard edge crept into his tone. The line in the sand between himself and Levi feeling like it was instantly drawn again. "My family would never invalidate my privacy to such an extreme, but it is disrespectful to speak ill of them when they've done nothing to warrant it." Family perhaps meant something very different to the two men. Civan's meant the world to him. There was no challenge, no burden they could ask of him that he would ever deem unworthy of his time or energy. "Simply because they cannot hear it, that does not mean one should speak... poorly." His elbows pulled in and Civan straightened from where he once leaned over the railing. "Besides, it would only be my own self-pity speaking if I did say such a thing. It's unnearned."

Considering how he mouthed off without restraint during their last terse exchange, owing Guneri slight credit where due seemed fair enough. On the other hand, the final, snide retort had the opposite effect. Usually, nearly everything the other man would say provoked the living hell out of him. That remark hadn’t. Storming off at that point on New Year’s Eve, satisfaction won out instead. Even the many who preferred despising his entire being were noticing the way he had eyes for the striking woman he could instantly spot among any given crowd. At the resort or otherwise. 

“— Yeah. She does her thing, goes around catching up with everyone she knows.” His finger directed outward towards the various set-ups, a fond tone hinted behind the words. Talking her up when an opportunity presented itself came easy. Naturally, Nia had many friends and made more within seconds every time she stepped outside. Left someone like him with glaring trust issues towards most others in sheer awe. Interesting he and his unlikely company were similar in that regard.

Levi’s brows furrowed, surveying Guneri's reaction upon his reasoning for aimlessly roaming around the event himself. "Why would it be inappropriate saying that right now? Your family have you mic'ed up or something?" Not really a shock if true though.

[civanguneri]

Civan stiffened, quietly annoyed that after all this time it still stirred something in him to talk about Mariana Cabrera. Or, more specifically, the reason things didn't work out. Pride was always such an odd, fickle thing, and Civan found that it never fully healed. You just thought it did, until you accidentally kicked over a stone and something unearthed an old sore spot. 'It just... didn't work out.' The words were surprisingly bitter to swallow, but he did. Reaction schooled back into his normal attempt at indifference. "My car? That've been acceptable." Annoying, sure, but easily replaceable. "I must admit, I did not picture you or Lia capable of such acts initially." Civan would spare the clarification that he and Nate had had a very similar conversation, mostly around Lia. "Now? I think I may be able to better imagine it." The surface level topic didn't entirely takeaway from the reassurance Holly offered. Message received loud and clear, this time. "So." Civan heaved a sigh, trying to mentally swipe the slate clean. "How about, you let me pay for this meal and we call it all a life lesson learned?" Some levity crept back into his tone, a faint smirk offered at his company. "Anything on the menu you'd recommend? No meat."

Holly’s expression softened at the mention of Mari. For all her sass and sarcasm, the woman had always been fiercely loyal to her friends. The trio had been thick as thieves since they were teenagers and when the breakup happened, Holly remembered feeling protective. Bracing for a fallout that never came. “I always considered you a friend, Civan,” she answered honestly, allowing her fingers to smooth over the table cloth. “Mari told us you were good to her and that it just… didn’t work out. That was enough for me. Lia too. We've all been through some lousy exes, so if we had a reason to hate you, we'd know it.”

This time, when her eyes met his, there was a hint of something more playful glimmering in the depths of her baby blues. “I mean, yeah, if she’d told us you were a dick, we probably would’ve set your car on fire,” she added dryly, a smirk tugging at her lips. “But she didn’t. And truthfully? I’ve never had a reason to think less of you. I appreciate you looking out for us, and for her. And I hope you know I've always had your back. It's the only reason I expected you to have mine, but now I know that my loyalty wasn't as obvious as I thought it was."

[civanguneri]

"Leave town?" Civan visibly brightened at the offer, these days he'd only ever be able to consider short trips but the prospect still had a lingering appeal. Especially if he had a safe travel companion on hand. As often as he enjoyed his solitude, having at least one designated person along meant he was less likely to be approached by strangers. "I'll keep it in mind." Truly. Cautious blues eyes side-skirted, a dry amused brow arched quietly and the man only narrowly avoided a bark of laughter at Selin's talk of being inconspicuously replaced with someone more mature. "You've always been mature, Sel." If anything, his quiet personal observation might be that she'd been too much so at times. Trying to shoulder responsibilities above her head too young. "You and Alara have spoken?" Civan reiterated with some degree of palpable relief. "Good, good." He gave a slow nod. "I'd have listened," the doctor felt the need to remind her. "Alara was in my kitchen, commiserating her New Years blunder. You'd be granted the same treatment, if you ever needed it." When the question was volleyed back at him, Civan took a moment to ponder it and let his attention briefly drift to their surroundings. "I'm fine." His answer was a little less enthused than his company, but not negative. "Your advice helped me, actually. I was forgiven by Holly."

It was a luxury she rarely had nowadays. Not the time off or the lack of care for how much she racked up on her freshly cleared credit card. It was the luxury of free hands despite the numerous purchases she'd made that day. It had been a while since she'd had a man alongside her, happily carrying her purchases without making sly comments about the amount or time she wasted shopping.

She'd need to drag Civan on more shopping sprees. Though she wasn't certain if she'd made the initial suggestion or he had. Regardless, it would happen again.

"You can always call me when you need to leave town or go on another shopping spree. I'm pretty good at distractions when you need one."

Even if it came to staying in town, Selin was confident in her skills. Maybe she could convince him to help her clean or something.

"You're lucky you're asking me that now 'cause a few weeks ago, I would have went on and on about how everything felt like it was going horribly."

Her relationship with her family was on its way up for the first time in a long time which made her feel like she could conquer anything that came at her.

"I swear, Civan, someone kidnapped me and replaced me with someone who is emotionally mature all of a sudden. I've mended my relationship with Leyla, Alara, and even Vanna." The later he wouldn't know much of.

"What about you? Her şey yolunda mı?"

[civanguneri]

Vanna's alcohol induced enthusiasm nearly knocked Civan off his feet, not exactly used to be greeted with quite that level of unblinking excitement. For a second, it almost made the man a bit envious— unsure if he'd ever in his life quite accessed a state of ( at least seeming ) carefree exuberance. "I've been alright," Civan found himself answering, caught off-guard but not entirely frozen to the spot either. Though he had stiffened in shock for a beat when Vanna wrapped around his frame. "You?" It took an elongated moment for one of his own hands to lightly fall at her back. An unimpressed brow quirked at the impatient, prodding bartender. "Calm down. She's not doing that..." Vanna looked like she might barely be able to stand, and though in the other's position he'd likely be cross too Civan defaulted to the woman's defense. "Besides, I severely doubt that's legal. She's not insured through your employer. Can you imagine the news?" His expression was stoic, tone dry and a bit haughty. "Drunk girl forced to do manual labor, falls and hits her head. Firefly Brewery on the line for her medical bills." With that Civan's sharp blues cut from the bartender back to Vanna, "Now. Is there a reason you haven't shut him up?" By which, of course, he meant just paid the tab. He didn't want to just assume she wasn't able.

Vanna was intoxicated, the effects of the evening's revelry evident in her swaying posture and slurred words. For the third consecutive night, she had ventured out with her cousin, craving the thrill of a "night out." Tonight, however, things had taken a turn. When Vanna stubbornly resisted Simon's insistence that it was time to go home — despite having clearly overindulged — he made the difficult choice to leave her behind with the hefty bill at the Brewery.

An intense argument had erupted between them, fueled by Simon’s frustration over Vanna’s relentless need for nightlife escapades. Yet, Vanna was untouchable in her inebriated state, brushing aside every attempt Simon made to probe deeper into her reckless behavior. As the tension escalated, Simon finally reached the end of his rope, unable to tolerate her dismissive attitude any longer.

Sitting at the bar, Vanna rested her weary head against the polished counter, her eyes fluttering shut as the bartender loomed over her with a scowling intensity. His frustration was palpable as he insisted she settle her tab before she could leave.

"Just put it on my tab!" she groaned, waving her hand dismissively. "I don't trust you!" he shot back, his tone sharp as he shook his hand in exasperation. "Nǐ zhēn ta ma zhāo rén fán!" she retorted, pulling her head up with a fierce look until a familiar voice pierced through the bar's murmur. 

Vanna turned, and her expression instantly transformed upon seeing Civan. A silly grin spread across her face, melting away the walls she had built around herself. "Dr. Guneri!" she exclaimed, her lips curved into a delighted smile as she spun on her stool to fully face him. "He's trying to touch me!" she cried out, gesturing dramatically at the bartender, whose expression twisted in response. "I'm kidding," she laughed, the sound bright and infectious as she hopped off the stool.

"How have you been? I hope you're doing well—" She wrapped her arms around Civan's, savoring the comfort of his presence, when the bartender's voice cut through the moment. "Hello? I'm going to make you clean the bathrooms if you don't pay this bill!" he barked, irritated.

[civanguneri]

The drive was quiet, and for him a little tense. Tanvi had confirmed something was off, something they'd talk about later, and that coupled with his fretting over her current state left him to stew. Unable to help but shoot consistent glances across to the passenger's seat of his BMW where she looked to be already drifting off. Even if she was likely medically fine, the more logical part of his brain was dulled by the uncomfortable knot in his stomach that formed whenever Tanvi looked vulnerable. Which, she did, engulfed by the seat and barely holding onto consciousness. When the drive from the hospital finally turned into the well-trimmed driveway in Briar Hills that led up to his home, Civan did his best to park and turn off the engine with little fuss. Attempting to not stir Tanvi from what was probably only a very shallow rest.

"It's just me," Civan reminded gently when he appeared on the passenger's side to unceremoniously scoop her up out of the car. With or without protest. The trek into his house done with the kind of practiced ease of someone who'd definitely done this before. Though the jostling at the door to unlock it and his need to kick off his shoes before going further inside probably stirred the woman further. He grimaced, "Sorry aşkım." He brushed a kiss atop her head and proceeded through the sunny open-window laden front end of his modern home to dutifully deliver her to his bedroom. One arm braced her back as he set Tanvi down on the edge of the bed, allowing for a break of his usual 'no outside clothes in the bed' rule. "Do you want a shirt to sleep in, or are you alright?" She was sober and likely perfectly capable, but he was fussing so Civan knelt to unfasten her shoes himself.

Despite herself and the knowledge that she was still upset with him, Tanvi leaned further into his side, head resting down on his shoulder as her body sagged a bit. She was tired from the time spent in the hospital and the events of the day, the pain medication she'd gotten when she first arrived beginning to wear off, and being tucked comfortably into Civan's side felt good. It felt right. So she allowed herself the comfort, an arm sliding around his waist as her thumb hooked into the waistband of his pants for purchase, walking in step with him out of the hospital and into the parking lot.

As she plopped herself down into the passenger's seat with a quiet 'thank you', Tanvi leaned back and allowed her eyes to close, desperate for the rest her body seemed to be craving. For a moment she remained quiet, waiting for him to get into the car before blindly reaching out and placing a hand on his thigh, chasing the comfort of his warmth as she sunk further into the seat. "I'm not hungry." Her voice was laced with exhaustion and she had to force herself to peek her eyes open and turn her head to look at him. "Unless you need to eat, then we can stop." She added, offering him a barely there smile. "But right now your bed is really calling my name."

[civanguneri]

who: @cemcerkez where: Rao Investigations.

This was not really something Civan was used to, he cooked a lot and he liked to cook for Tanvi but to make her lunch and drop by the office with it? He felt a little dumb about it, frankly, but once he was outside the office building it seemed a tragic waste to not follow through. His pride could surely survive, even if she teased him. Allah seemed to be gracious, because what Civan found when he let himself inside was that the woman was nowhere in sight. Presumably out of the office for something, which gave him a window to slip it onto her desk with a note and bolt. Perfect. Civan's looming frame was stood half bent over her desk with a pen in hand and writing on the back of a scrap piece of paper when he heard a floorboard creak. Kahretsin! Without looking up he spoke, a little let down because his plan seemed to be thwarted. "Aşkım, I was just leaving you—" as he'd spoke sharp blues flitted upwards but the face he found stood there did not belong to his 'darling' at all. Civan froze. Then, after a long, awkward beat he stood up pin straight. A little hot in the collar with embarrassment, though it was difficult to tell from his stony expression. "This... isn't suspect." Sure Civan, telling someone you're not being shady was one hundred percent a reliable way of not sounding suspicious.

[civanguneri]

who: @vanna-huang where: Firefly Brewery. Nothing about the establishment suited him, except maybe, certain live musical performances but the crowd and atmosphere was almost never worth it. Open Mic Night was especially not up his alley, but it was for the friend who dragged him along and then vanished into the thick of things to dance. Civan's sturdy frame helped to shoulder through bodies at the very least, thankful the bar itself wasn't too overrun. As he neared, the man was pretty sure that he was stepping into some kind of kerfuffle. His natural inclination would be to avoid getting involved, but as he neared an open stool where he might claim a spot it dawned on him that the woman in potential distress was a familiar one. Damn. He'd blame the circumstances for their meeting as to why he was so easily suckered in, taking a step towards her. The bartender looked at Vanna expectantly as Civan approached. 'You'll have to wait a minute,' the bartender warned him but Civan ignored the man. Gaze settled on Vanna. "It's Vanna right?" Cold blues shifted to look between her and the bartender, "Everything alright?"

[civanguneri]

who: @selinymaz where: on a short shopping trip, Charleston. Retail therapy. At least, he'd been told that was what people called it. Seeing as gift giving was one of his main love languages, it was of little surprise that Civan found something peaceful and satisfying in going shopping. Not crowded errands to the grocery, or the book shop. No. Less occupied high end boutiques, well-cared for vintage. After a few comments made as of late Civan was interested in home goods, but his company for the afternoon was made well aware he had no problems being a bag-mule if Selin wanted to shop for apparel. "No vases," Civan shook his head, gaze briefly set on a display. Half mumbling it to himself. "Too much of a pain to clean." With an idle step forward he shot a side-eye towards Selin, "Çok teşekkürler." His thanks rolled off the tip of his tongue. "I appreciate the company today. The change of scenery is... nice, sometimes." There were days he missed California. Missed the sense of just being a face in crowd, unlike in Briar Ridge where he and his family were well known. Where he tripped over people looking to quarrel too frequently, or, worse those who wanted to stick their nose in his personal life. "It's been awhile. How have you been holding up?" Too long, in fact, but Civan had a way of forgetting what time off was. There were sweeping periods of time where he didn't see anyone outside of the hospital unless they showed up on his doorstep.

[civanguneri]

"Allah, Allah. I said it was sparkly!" Despite his admittance, Holly's follow up still managed to elicit a bit of defensive exasperation. "Which it was! I thought that was... the point? I don't know." An unmistakable pout followed suit. A quiet sort of frown, that given the topic was laughable. Unable to help but latch onto otherwise irrelevant details from time to time. "It's nothing to do with money." Civan's sharp blues snapped up across the table again towards Holly, the sincerity in her tone washed away anything else. "I apologize it took me this long," he had already opted to be vulnerable. Already took to a level of humility he wasn't fond of. Might as well go the full nine yards. "Really." He adjusted in his chair, "I... never really understood why you and Lia were so... kind? To me. Especially after Mari and I called things off." He didn't think they knew the real reason as to why, and Civan would never betray Mari's trust and be the one to tell them. If they elected to think the break-up was his fault, Civan would've just taken it silently on the chin. Yet, as luck would have it, somehow he still seemed to be on good terms with his ex girlfriend's friends.

"I think you know, if Mari ever... needed anything. I'll always be there. I want to be able to assure you, in the future... it'd be the same for you." The list of people he gave a damn about wasn't long, but once you were on it there was no off ramp. Things with Mari were tinted with a bit of heartbreak he didn't like to think about, but at the end of the day he'd still always care about her.

Holly let out a laugh of disbelief, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners as the redhead leaned back into her seat. “Wait, wait—it took Sel telling you it wasn’t a compliment to realize that?!” she teased, raising a brow at him with playful exasperation. “Civan, come on. I don’t care if you dress like you own a yacht half the time, even you should’ve known that.” Her grin softened the bite of her words, clearly more amused than upset.

The woman nudged her water glass aside, resting her chin on her hand as she studied her friend a little more closely. “But for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. It means something, you showing up, even if you had to recruit Selin to give you a pep talk first.” The honesty of it was quiet but genuine, and it showed in the way her shoulders finally eased, tension beginning to melt away.

“And yes, Love Island is a reality dating show. Think lots of douchey people in swimwear, trying to form 'emotional connections' while the rest of us scream at the TV. If you’ve survived Housewives, you’ll survive this. I promise.”

[civanguneri]

Mention of their last encounter left Civan's mind wandering for a long moment, trying to remember. His head tipped aside in contemplation. "The bit about Nia?" The man was pretty sure he'd made a comment about her, something along the lines of calling Levi out for his obvious attachment to the woman. His gaze matched Levi's, skirted aside towards the crowd to look without really looking. "This does seem... more her scene than yours." Not that he knew either particularly well, but if he had to wager a guess Levi was actually pretty similar to him in temperament and social inclination. A little quiet, introverted. His girl on the other hand, well, in a way she reminded him a lot of Tanvi. The sort that could get dropped off in the middle of nowhere and make a friend. "Just an observation." Civan tacked on, hands up briefly in show of not aiming to provoke his company. Not this time. "Yes..." he'd answer, his body shifted to lean further over the banister and focus on the faint lapping of the waves on the beach in the distance. "Yes, and no. I wouldn't be here if my Anne hadn't asked it of me, but to call something for family an obligation seems inappropriate." His mother had been the main reason he was at the New Years Eve party as well, to be fair.

A bite hinted within the tranquil, breezy air emitting from the ocean below — mirroring the jilted tension. Yet, despite the way Levi’s jaw tightly fastened, he couldn’t blame the other man for having no other alternative. Almost too conveniently, festival-goers flooded every last inch of the boardwalk’s space.

“Yeah. Everyone’s swarming out here at once, acting like they don’t have a whole summer ahead of better weather.” A brief, dry scoff fell from under his breath. Considering he’d been overtly guilty of a heightened, shorter fuse during their previous New Year’s Eve encounter, he decidedly spared some exchanged words. Being out of element also didn't help.

“— You mean..here? For work? No, not for this.” A rare occurrence having a town-wide event not hosted on resort grounds. The warmer temperatures also providing the temporary pause there. For better or worse. “I mean..that last thing you said on New Year’s? It wasn’t wrong..” Levi's intent gaze found itself aimlessly roaming the passing faces momentarily once more, shoulders shrugging. “What about you? Here out of..obligation?” 

[civanguneri]

👐 what exactly is going on between you and tanvi?

"Let me know if you figure it out before either of us do. I love her, we've got a lot of history and I... I don't know. I don't know if she'd ever want more." ( @tanvimvshra )

[civanguneri]

👐 is there any medical case/surgery that changed you?

"They all do. Being able to detach makes me effective in my work, but, if I didn't care I wouldn't be in the medical field."

[civanguneri]

List three people that don't annoy you! Could you stand being in a room with them for more than 48 hours?

"Only three? The first part I can do, but if I have to be around them for more than 48 hours? Tanvi, Alara, and Nate. I picked them because the answer to the second question would be yes." ( @tanvimvshra, @alarakcplan, @nate-strauss )