#c: zekai arslan

[stigmvtas]

🌻 a worried text. mikhael 💀 an urgent text. lydia

🌻 a worried text. CONTACT: Archibald Jr. mikhael [8:42pm]: you're so fucking stupid you know that?? mikhael [8:43pm]: pick up your fucking phone mikhael [8:44pm]: did you block me?? mikhael [8:45pm]: PICK UP THE PHONE 💀 an urgent text. CONTACT: zekai or whtvr unknown number [2:11am]: JULES DID NOTHING WRONG!! unknown number [2:11am]: IF U DO NOT ABSOLVE HER OF WHATEVER SINS U THINK SHE'S DONE U WILL BEGIN COUGHING IN SEVEN DAYS!! unknown number [2:12am]: MARK MY WORDS

[oculiaperticlausi]

— INTRODUCTING ZEKAI ARSLAN

welcome to marina, ZEKAI ARSLAN ( cis man, he/him ) ! they are a TWENTY-SIX year old who has lived over on LOCKE ROW for WHOLE LIFE and works as a RADIO HOST. everyone says they look a lot like EMRE BEY. what do you think? — ALYSSA, 29, PST, SHE/HER.

b a c k g r o u n d ;

Zekai was the youngest of six children, labeling him as the baby of the family.

Although he was the baby of the family, he fought his way up to the top to make his siblings realize he was not a force to be reckoned with.

His father had a business in town, one that he wanted to take over was the eldest son.

But it didn't stop his father from pinning the two boys against one another, making sure Zekai felt the disappointment any time he let him down and would listen to his father brag about how much better his brother was.

It caused a rift between the two boys, the two of them constantly feeling like they were being compared to one another.

It brought out the rebel side of Z, the side of him that broke hearts and pissed off teachers.

He was that kid in school where if you needed something, he was the kid who could get it to you. Whether it was food, drugs, or electronics.

When he was fifteen, his brother was killed in a car accident. His father for weeks was a terror around the house, constantly keeping Zekai under a magnifying glass because now that his heir was gone the next boy would have to do.

It was hard to grieve, hard to allow that sadness to sink in because his father wouldn't allow him to be weak in a moment like this.

After a few months, his mother was done. She told him his father he had to leave so he packed up all his things and left Marina Heights.

It was almost sad how relieved, Z was.

He kept on his ways, being the guy anyone could buy anything from, the one who wouldn't let a relationship keep him down and even his career he went into. He has his own freedom and that's the way he plans to keep it no matter who can't stand it.

c o n n e c t i o n s ;

woman who can't stand him — isabella marino

sisters (4) — sera arslan

best friend —

friends — viktor samuels, donovan mercer

hookups — gabriel leone

exes —

[jacoboh]

closed starter for @zekaiarslan

location: jake's place

Watching the screen of defeat flash over his TV screen, Jake sighed, leaning back on the couch and picking up the blunt the two had been passing back and forth since Zekai showed up. He knew things were a little weird still between the other and his girlfriend, but it wasn't that much of his problem especially when it wasn't like they were all hanging out together. "When'd you get so shit at this game, man? You used to carry," he let out half-jokingly, passing the joint to the other end of the couch after taking a hit.

[rebeccastevens]

for @zekaiarslan

location: deadlights

Becca would've taken the alternative of having to serve a sweaty old man than the man in front of her. She knew in many ways, she was a little naive, secretly innocent when it came to the idea of romance, so when her and Zekai had hooked up, it hadn't taken long for her guard to drop and her to be blind in the moment to who he was. A dick. Standing behind the bar, she knew that now. "What can I get for you?" she asked blandly, any hint of a smile dropping from her face.

[jacoboh]

"Wouldn't you rather me be honest? We can hug it out later," he responded, lightly chuckling after the fact. It was because Zekai was his friend, his good friend, that he didn't want to sugarcoat the situation the other was in. Jake knew if it were him in this position, he'd want someone to be upfront with him. Being in love with your best friend who had a child with another man that was also romantically in the picture wasn't exactly a great scenario. At his question, Jake feels at a loss, pausing and trying to think of an answer that incited any kind of confidence. To be fair, he'd never really fought for a girl either. Things between him and Kat had been easy, and it wasn't like his experience went past that anyway. "You have to... tell her how you feel. Be honest, even if it's hard." That sounded good. Especially good considering he had no idea what he was talking about. "Pretending that everything is fine won't help you. Don't tell her that she has to decide, because it might make her feel overwhelmed... considering everything. It's just about making yourself an option. But she won't know you're an option if you keep how you feel to yourself," he added, pausing for a moment. "You could get her a gift or something. Something to say that you want more. You've already proved that you can be there for her, maybe you just need a romantic gesture."

"Could you not have a point, Jake?" Zekai mutters, dropping his gaze to the controller in his hand. He taps his finger against the side of it as he listens quietly to the words leaving the other man's mouth. Sometimes it's kind of ironic for him to say Jake is someone he considers a best guy friend simply because him dating Kat and Kat hating his fucking guts. Imagine how great that wedding would be if he showed up to it. "Easier said than felt." It was one of those situations where he knew that night shouldn't have happened because he was now one hundred precent certain he couldn't stand on the sidelines again and watch the Bella and Dante show. He did everything he could to stuff it down the first time but now the things he knew about his best friend... Well, it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be something he could stomach and it was a hard pill to swallow because the day KK was born he knew there wouldn't be a single thing that would prevent him from doing anything for that little girl but could it be something he handles gracefully if Bella and Dante make it work? Pick up where they left off three years ago? He turns his head to look over at Jake, nodding his head. "Yeah, another solid point." He exhales. "How does..." He clears his throat. "How does the whole fighting for someone thing go?" Given he's never done it once in his entire life.

[jacoboh]

"Haven't you already ruined your friendship by sleeping together?" he asked, and though his words were blunt, he meant it sincerely. "I don't think it's you being a pick me guy. Sure, you probably could've had better timing, but none of that means you're not entitled to feel what do." Of course, it was tough, everything about what he heard Zekai was going through was tough, but he could relate to how hard it was to express your feelings, and how holding things in felt like the safer option. "You said you wouldn't be able to stand on the side if she got back together with Dante. Doesn't that mean you'll lose her either way?" It couldn't be easy sticking around for someone who was with someone else, and Jake had to think that it would only really make the other unhappy. "It does suck. And to be honest... you're fighting a losing battle. But if she means something to you, then you don't really have a choice but to fight anyway."

Zekai leans back against the couch, holding the controller in his hand as he exhales. "All it's going to do is ruin my friendship with her. She..." He exhales. "I can't put her in that situation. I can't stand there and be a pick me guy." He shakes his head a little as he moves to put the controller next to him as he shrugs his shoulders. "Or she rejects me and it's awkward as hell after. I don't only lose Bella but I lose..." KK. Honestly, she was probably what saved him from being a complete douche bag and that feeling also created some sort of guilt inside of him because how could he feel that way about someone else's kid? He brushes his tongue along his lower lip. "The whole situation sucks, Jake."

[jacoboh]

The one thing in life Jake had always struggled to relate to was relationship drama, and how to deal with feelings that made you uncomfortable. It was fortunate that he really did want the best for Zekai despite what happened, thinking that he made a bad decision years ago that Jake wouldn't ever try to defend, but it didn't make him a bad person. "Why not just be honest with her?" It felt like the easy option, thinking that it wasn't really as complicated as the other was making it out to be. "Dante being the father doesn't have to change things. Sure, they'll have to work things out because it is a big deal, but it doesn't mean they have to get back together. If you like her, you shouldn't just force yourself to sit on the sidelines without giving yourself a chance." Jake was looking at this logically, thinking that in this love triangle, someone would win and someone would lose, and in every scenario, Bella would always lose too.

Zekai holds the controller in his hand, exhaling when Jake tells him if he wants to talk about it that he can. All he can do is count his fucking blessings that the man next to him still wants to be his friend despite what he did ten years ago with Adee behind Kat's back. He turns his head to look over at him, tapping his finger against it. "I slept with Bella." He leans back against the couch. "The same day Dante found out he's the kid's actual father... after I slept with her I left her in bed to get punched out by her ex." He turns his attention back towards the screen. "I told her nothing changes between us but I don't know if I can keep that promise and stand off to the side if her and Dante get back together."

[jacoboh]

Jake glances at Zekai, wondering if something was wrong with his friend. He can relate to the sentiment, having a string of shitty days, letting out a sigh. Though his life had been on the up as of late after going through so many awful things, the accident, and losing those close to him. He knew what it was like to feel like crap more than anyone now. "If you need to talk man, I'm here," he spoke, setting the controller down. "Or if you wanna get drunk or high and not think about it at all, we can do that too," he added, dry chuckle leaving his lips. If it were him, he knew he'd choose the latter, but judging by the way Zekai's demeanor looked, Jake just felt like giving him the option.

Zekai leans back, stretching his legs out as he focuses on the screen. He furrows his brows as he realizes he's losing again. His fingers clicking the buttons on his controller as he exhales. He reaches for the joint and places it between his lips, shaking his head. "I don't know... Must be off my fucking game or somethin'." Turns out his brother's in town, his dad is nonstop calling him because he assumes his brother left the family business without someone to run it and well... He slept with Bella after telling her nothing was going to change between them when it had.. completely. "Let's say it's been a shitty few days."

[jacoboh]

end.

"Wouldn't you rather me be honest? We can hug it out later," he responded, lightly chuckling after the fact. It was because Zekai was his friend, his good friend, that he didn't want to sugarcoat the situation the other was in. Jake knew if it were him in this position, he'd want someone to be upfront with him. Being in love with your best friend who had a child with another man that was also romantically in the picture wasn't exactly a great scenario. At his question, Jake feels at a loss, pausing and trying to think of an answer that incited any kind of confidence. To be fair, he'd never really fought for a girl either. Things between him and Kat had been easy, and it wasn't like his experience went past that anyway. "You have to... tell her how you feel. Be honest, even if it's hard." That sounded good. Especially good considering he had no idea what he was talking about. "Pretending that everything is fine won't help you. Don't tell her that she has to decide, because it might make her feel overwhelmed... considering everything. It's just about making yourself an option. But she won't know you're an option if you keep how you feel to yourself," he added, pausing for a moment. "You could get her a gift or something. Something to say that you want more. You've already proved that you can be there for her, maybe you just need a romantic gesture."