Likes & Dislikes: His niece, warm summer nights, runs in the park, freshly baked bread, pain au chocolat, Turkish food, thunderstorms, board games, a good book, head massages, dog walks, sunflowers, his job, the first cup of coffee in the morning, the scent of his wife’s favourite perfume, creamy milk chocolate, a good red wine/scotch, restaurants that do take out, football, most sports, anything active, quiz shows, losing himself in music, photography, not messing up on the piano // most people, heights, snakes, bad drivers, tourists taking pictures in the middle of the street, iced coffee, fake people, deconstructed food, entitlement, people that ask why he buys things for his kitchen when he doesn’t cook, messing up on the piano
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
FAMILY
Parents: Kadir Kavas (Father) & Ceren Kavas, nee Afacan (Mother)
Sibling(s): Zehra Kavas-Polat (Younger sister)
Other: Ela Polat (Niece)
Pet(s): One corgi - Cogsworth. His niece chose and named him, he’s very much his niece’s dog. It lives with his sister when he’s at work.
QUICK FACTS
tw: death, pregnancy complications, infact death
- Born and raised in Istanbul, went to medical school there.
- Was taught french by his next door neighbour’s step mother as she was french.
- Moved to Paris at 23 after he graduated and married his childhood sweetheart (the next door neighbour) they met at 5, kissed at 13 and never looked back.
- He’s a paediatrics doctor but not a surgeon.
- Lives in Entrepôt
- Lost his wife (and baby) three years ago due to labour complications, he hasn’t been the same since.
- Generally doesn’t show much emotion, gets annoyed easily, very much the opposite of the happy guy who would greet anyone and everyone walking down the street a few years ago. Exceptions to this are his patients, their parents and his niece (and his sister if he’s forced to admit it), they’re the only ones who see that warm, sunshiney side of him.
- He’s very grumpy, he doesn’t act like he likes most people, it will take a lot to get to know him now, but he isn’t a total douche to people he’s known for a long time.
- Currently knows he really needs to sort himself out because he’s just constantly miserable.
- Hates being at home alone. Probs drinks a bit too much and definitely sleeps around too much, just trying to feel something without feeling too much.
POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS:
Little sister - Is at least three years younger than him, has a five year old daughter (who Adem adores) and has been in Paris since she moved here for university at 18. Probably his best friend but he’d never admit it, he lent on her a lot after his wife and baby died.
Cousins - Completely open, anyone of at least half Turkish descent could work for this.
Friends / best friends - He’s been in Paris for 12 years, so he’d definitely have strong bonds with people. I’d love for him to have some really close friends who can help him remember that there is light inside him.
Neighbours - Anyone in Entrepot or in Elysees, where he used to live with his wife.
Colleagues - Anyone that works at the hospital
Friends/colleagues/family of his wife- Someone he stays in contact with due to the connection with her / their own friendship. If family, they’d need to be of Turkish heritage. Alternatively, they could be related to her stepmother, who was French.
Friends from Turkey - He lived in Istanbul from birth until 23 when he moved to Paris. He’s now 35, so anyone who would fit in this timeline.
Former / current flings - He’s not interested in any commitment but is in his sleeping around phase. He’d be very clear on it being no strings attached, no commitment. He’s a ho but honest about it.
One night stands - Same as above
I’m sure there’s a bajillion others and I am totally up for plotting, so let the brainstorming begin!
Hearing Adem speak about Istanbul so wistfully gave him encouragement to know that despite his hardened exterior to most of the world and strangers alike, his friend (and yes he would always call him that no matter how he protested), did have a softer side. It was just the cards that life had tossed at him that made things unbearable, a pain that Luca had never experienced first hand, yet somehow he still felt a sliver of it all of the same. Was that the price of empathy? Still it was good to see that Adem wasn’t working himself down to the bone, or maybe he was just catching him on a rare day. That was something he knew he had to bring up. “Who let you out of your dungeon by the way?” He asked in jest. “Surely thought you’d be trapped up somewhere.”
Setting his sketchpad onto his lap, Luca focused on the florals ahead of them, listening as Adem protested on getting his portrait drawn. Eyebrow raised as he spoke about his niece, someone in the Kavas clan that he could replicate. “Does she share a genetic similarity to you?” Luca said as he looked over at Adem, pretending to scrutinize his features, “You’d still be the perfect test sketch.”
-
There were times were Adem would have flashes of what his life used to look like, of the man he used to be. In a perfect world, he’d have been sitting in the park with his wife and his son, both of them fussing over how the toddler would be running around and if he was getting cold. They’d be sipping hot chocolate and would walk home, the little boy on Adem’s shoulders the whole way home. But this wasn’t an ideal world and as the image flashed through his mind, Adem was reminded of just why he was the way he was now. How could ever get through that kind of pain again if he allowed himself to truly care again. “Hm? Oh, you know, they have to let me out every now and then for fresh air. That and my sister usually needs a babysitter she doesn’t have to pay.”
Leaning back a little, Adem looked over to the flowers that his friend was sketching, his own mind wondering if he could replicate the colours and the display in his own little garden. “I don’t think she looks like me, no, which is probably a good thing for her.” Unlocking his phone, Adem located a picture of his niece before handing his phone over to Luca. “That’s her, if you can sketch off of a picture, I’m sure my sister would love a copy. But we couldn’t get her to sit still for long enough for you to do something in person.”
Scout would have breathed out a sigh of relief had she not been huffing and puffing after running down numerous flights of stairs. Spotting the black cat was enough to nearly make her burst out in tears, but she managed to blink them back in order to keep some kind of dignity. It was only then that she saw the young girl attached to man’s hand, and she covered her mouth as embarrassment seeped in. Scout swore like a sailor sometimes, and she knew that most parents didn’t like swearing around their kids so she apologised again. “Je suis vraiment désolé. Je cherchais mon chat.” I’m so sorry about that, I was looking for my cat — her hand motioned to the feline who was now rubbing herself on his leg.
Anyone could see she was flustered, also still wearing her apron from cooking. Bending down, Scout picked up Luna who let out a mediocre meow at being man-handled. “Ma fille l'a laissé sortir par accident. Cette rue est tellement animée que je ne voulais pas qu'elle se blesse.” My daughter let her out by accident. This street is so busy, I didn’t want her to get hurt. She hoped it gave some kind of context as to why she was so stressed, but she was a pretty stressed out person most of the time. “Est-ce que ça va? Je ne t'ai pas fait de mal, n'est-ce pas?” Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?
-
Looking down at Ela, Adem smirked a little at the look on the girl’s face. It was her usual reaction to hearing a ‘bad word’, most of which she heard from Adem when he was running after the Corgi she had insisted she just had to have. Subtly shaking his head, Adem rolled his eyes as his niece giggled, torn between making a fake fuss over the word she had heard and cooing over the cat now at their feet. Looking down as the black cat rubbed herself against his leg, Adem smiled a little and shook his head. “C'est bien, comme vous pouvez le voir, elle se faisait juste de nouveaux amis.” It's good, as you can see, she was just making new friends.
As soon as the woman scooped the cat up, Adem could feel Ela shift to crane her her head to get a better look at her. Having had more than his fair share of escape attempts with his dog, Adem could truly sympathise with the woman, although at least everything seemed fine now. “Elle n'a pas été blessée, n'est-ce pas?” She wasn't hurt, was she? His instincts had him leaning in to glance at the cat, although he quickly straightened up again. “Non non. Je vais bien, nous allons bien tous les deux. Il semble que l'évasion ait interrompu votre journée bien plus que la nôtre.” No no. I'm fine, we're both fine. It seems the escape interrupted your day more than ours. Looking at her, Adem quirked an eyebrow up. ““Est-ce que ça va?” Are you okay?
Everly pouted in their direction, “Unfortunately, it says quite a bit about humanity.” She huffed at the staring people, disenchanted with life all while in one of the most romantic cities in the world. If not the most. And people claimed she was the cynic, pfft. Most people were very predictable. Crowding around disaster and grief waiting for some of it to rub off on them so that they can be adjacent to what it feels like to get a rush from life or at least the most terrible parts of it- “They did ask who would call an ambulance. But look, you’re alive, so the drama is all over, and they’ll go and get a coffee and chat about the weird man sleeping in the park in the dead of winter.” Everly’s lips turn up in a genuine smile, the sort reserved for frivolity and snark. “Bad back?” She asked reminded of her older cousin who incessantly complained of back problems until he started sleeping on the ground and claimed it cured him.
Everly took a bite of her gelato and then a sip of her latte to make her point. “Why pick one when I could easily have both?” She rose a brow in question and took another swipe of the frozen treat, “Noccciola.” She answered while licking the hazelnut flavored gelato around in a perfectly formed sphere. Everly nodded and her eyes volleyed between him and the tourists and back, “I’m so influential. French Gelato isn’t the best in the world, but the place up a few blocks isn’t terrible.” Everly began walking, “I firmly believe frozen dairy based desserts are best in winter.”
-
“At least they asked who would, you know, instead of actually calling one.” Although he was glad that no ambulance had been called, already knowing how hard the paramedics at his own hospital were, Adem couldn’t help but feel a little irked. Why were people content to look at something, but not actually help anymore? “I wasn’t asleep, I just had my eyes shut whilst the sun was finally on my face for the first time in days.” Shrugging his shoulders, Adem shook his head. “Nope, I just didn’t find it that uncomfortable, it actually didn’t feel too bad.”
Chuckling as the girl alternated between sips of her hot coffee and her cold ice cream, Adem checked he had gathered his things before they set off in the direction of the ice cream shop. “You’re right, it’s not the best, but it is pretty good. They do some good flavours in that place.” Adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder, the man quickly retied his scarf as they walked. “Oh yeah? Why’s that? Maybe the same reason my grandmother used to try and make us drink hot drinks in the middle of a Turkish summer.”
He nodded, Nephi was jealous in a way of those who had kids or who had family to take care of, he was certain his sister wasn’t so sure to let him hang out with her children… if she ever had any. She was still much younger than him however, but their mother would’ve bothered them about it. He smiled. “That sounds like a fun way to spend your free day though, anywhere you’re taking her? Or just hanging out?” he asked.
Nephi looked ahead of him, in comparison to some other parques, the one at the Louvre had much less big trees hanging in front of the view. He loved that about it, that he could see all the good spots from his little bench. He could see the pyramid itself, and the Eiffel Tower, he could spot the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and he could see the other Arc as well far ahead. Not to mention, enough Metro stations to head to when he wanted to go home. “Just somewhere to relax, I took the metro and ended up here. Sometimes I like to see that pyramid when the sun is out, it shines. I feel like a raven.”
-
“Not sure, it depends what she wants to do. I was teaching her how to play chess last week and she loved it, mainly because I let her win.” Shrugging a shoulder, Adem smiled a little. He’d been warned by his sister not to let the little one win constantly, but with Ela’s little pleading face and the occasional lip tremble when she made a wrong move, he couldn’t help it. “But she’ll probably bribe me into taking her for ice cream at some point, so we’ll see where she says she wants to go.”
The Louvre museum itself had never held much interest to Adem. His wife, however, had loved it and every chance she had gotten, she had dragged him there to waste an afternoon just wandering the halls. For him, it was too crowded, too hyped and too inside. He had, however, loved the afternoons in the gardens. “It’s a nice spot here, it wouldn’t bother me if I never went inside the museum ever again, but at least this part is nice. People avoid it in the winter as well, so it’s usually so peaceful up here.”
Winter was far from Victoria’s favorite season, but if she had her pick, winter sun triumphed over winter dreariness any day. It was the very thing she’d used to convince herself to take a walk past the Jardin du Luxembourg after a meeting on this end of the city. Fresh air. Vitamin D. The tiniest of things to be grateful for, to soak in as much as possible, to stop for a brief moment and capture the serenity of the mundanely stunning moment with a quick photo on her phone: only to be dampened by a less than delightful comment from behind her.
“’Mean, I suppose I could, only if it would thaw out your—” Victoria’s words faltered to a dead end as the synapses in her brain began to fire off upon spinning on her heel, recognition alighting across her face. “Oh,” she said softly, lips pressing together in a thin line that she wasn’t positive would pass as the starting of a smile. “Hey.” Discomfort trickled down her spine and rooted her to the spot — it had been awhile, and each time she saw Adem it was as though she’d caught a glimmer of a life that for her, had ended and somehow kept going all in the same. This was new terrain for the two of them as just the two of them. Un-navigated, uncharted, and utterly fucking frightening with the thought of the bottom dropping out from under their feet at any given moment with the slightest of missteps.
-
The voice that sounded from above him instantly had his mind whirring. He knew the voice well and knew exactly who it belonged to, but it was from someone he knew what felt like a lifetime ago. Opening his eyes, Adem looked up at Victoria and stood quickly, not even batting an eyelid to the remark that he assumed wasn’t going to have been that pleasant in response to his question. “Hi.”
Once upon a time, they had been friends. They had regularly met up with their respective spouses and all four of them had gotten on like a dream. Then came Victoria’s split and then came Adem’s grief and he couldn’t say that he had seen her since. He was a different person back then, the man that was happy, in love and always smiling. Now, he was the opposite and he couldn’t imagine it was easy for her either. It was the first time he could think that he was truly being confronted with what felt like his past life. “Victoria, it’s been a while.” It was awkward, strange more than awkward maybe. How did two people who had known each other so well, go to being strangers, but still be so familiar. “How have you been?”
The smirk. It wasn’t like Liyana was short any memories from the night she’d met Adem, but the smirk is what had initially drawn her to him. He’d had an air of confidence about him, a trait that, when mixed with what was probably almost an entire bottle of vodka, led the usually timid novelist to act a bit out of character. They’d found an easy rhythm that night two months ago, the playful banter back and forth, the soft touches and stolen glances all led them to his bedroom. Had Liyana been in a better headspace she’d have seen the warning signs, heard the alarm bells blaring in her mind, but she didn’t. Not until it was too late and the memory of the tears and humiliation of her great escape were engrained in her mind. It’d been too much for the soft woman who’s heart was still on the mend and in her embarrassment she’d put off returning the sweatshirt she’d taken in haste. And now, now she was finally facing the music.
“We live in the same neighborhood. Maybe you’re just noticing me since we’ve met now.” She offered, almost pleaded with him. Liyana was a lot of things, sensitive and self destructive, but she was not a stalker and she hoped to prove that by the return of the garment. The only thing left between them now quite literally between them. “I’ll be fine. I’ll get a warm copy. I’ve been meaning to return it, anyways.” Luckily the heat in the café was keeping her warm for now, but she knew the five minute walk back to her apartment was going to be a chilly one. “Please, it’s yours. I’ll be fine.” Eyes wide and forlorn as she implored him to just accept the sweatshirt and end this interaction. “A coincidence, please believe me. After what happened I promise you there’s nowhere I’d rather be than anywhere you’re not.” Her voice was soft in hopes that no one in the crowded café was listening in on the early morning dramatics. She could really use that coffee right now. “Not because of you, though. Because of me. You were fine, it wasn’t because of you or…” Without thinking she motioned towards his crotch before her eyes went wide and cheeks flushed with more embarrassment. If only the world would open up and swallow her right then and there. “I-I mean…” She stumbled over her words as her eyes darted around, looking anywhere but at him in an attempt to find an escape. “I’m sorry.” She finally got out, gently shoving the sweatshirt into his hands before using her now free hands to cover her face as she tried to collect herself. “I’m so sorry. I um, I’m not usually like this.” She uncovered her face to finally bring her gaze to him, wide brown eyes glassed over once more as she willed herself to calm down and focus, inhaling a slow, deep breath before speaking once more. “Yes.” She agreed with a soft, breathless chuckle, “Yes, I’ve stopped crying.”
-
He had noticed her immediately that night, it was hard not to really. He’d bided his time, caught her gaze from across the bar before he’d gone over to her and had he been more sober, he probably wouldn’t have gone for the girl who was at the bar to celebrate, or commiserate, her divorce. It wasn’t a good idea but in true Adem fashion, he’d ignored it and that decision and come back to bite him when she ran away, crying, refusing his attempts to see her home safely.
“Perhaps, I think I’d remember seeing you before though.” He couldn’t help but tease her. As concerned as he was when she had left his house that night, he could see that there wasn’t an underlying issue there, it had just been something that happened. “Well, you can return it later, I gave it to you so you wouldn’t get cold, so that still applies.” Listening to her, Adem smirked, biting down on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. “Wow, that bad, huh?” Maybe she was nervous, or maybe she really did just say anything that came into her head, or that’s how it seemed to Adem anyway. Her mouth seemed to be saying the words before she really knew what she was saying. His eyes widened as she gestured towards his groin, his cheeks reddening slightly as the person in the queue behind him raised her eyebrows and instantly looked away. Clearing his throat, Adem held a hand up, instantly shaking his head. “I think we can do without the gestures, I didn’t assume it was that, I’m sure no one else in the queue needs to assume anything, so maybe, no gestures?”
Holding onto the sweatshirt, Adem sighed, instantly reaching out to rest it over her shoulders. He couldn’t force her arms into it and zip it up, but he was not going to let the woman walk home cold. “You know where I live, you can drop it off without evening knocking on the door. It’s cold out there, so just take the damn sweatshirt.” Looking down at her, those eyes immediately reminded him of why he had been attracted to her and he quickly looked away. “Good, not a habit of yours then?”
“Making sure that you’re breathing,” Ronav replied with a small shrug. Pulling his knees to his chest, he nodded in agreement. “It is pretty quiet out here today. Winter tends to do that, you know. Tames the loudness of life.” Ronav picked up that the man was irritated with him, but to each his own. The conversation was just getting started! There was a real possibility of creating either a wonderful friend or a fabulous enemy at the end of this. “Medical school, quite impressive. I study herbal medicine myself– not sure if you’re familiar, but the veins in your head tell me that you’re not. If you ever become interested in alternative medicine, come find me.”
Ronav’s eyes followed Adem, studying him as if he was a class pet. He was alone, resting– if one could call it that– in the park during winter, and now drinking water. A cold drink! It was all so…interesting. “We don’t know each other,” Ronav confirmed, “just two strangers passing in the mid-afternoon, if I may. But personal space actually doesn’t exist. There’s no way space can be contained to just a singular person, so I’m pleased to say that we are sharing this space together, as beings on this floating rock.”
-
“Pretty sure you could’ve just asked.” Closing his eyes for a brief second as he noticed the man settling in instead of moving along as Adem wished he would, his jaw tensed. He had just wanted to spend a few minutes alone in his favourite spot, the spot that had meant a lot to him and his wife and now he was dealing with this. He looked away as his eyes rolled, trying hard to keep some form of composure. “Oh, the study of shit that isn’t proven? Yeah, we’ve heard of it, usually makes our job a darn sight harder.” The look on his face was incredulous at the comment, his head shaking. “Are you a fan of making unnecessary comments about people who really want to be left alone?”
As soon as he had finished up his water, Adem shook his head, tossing the bottle into his bag before starting to gather up his things. “Congratulations, I’m sure you’re very proud of that fact, but I’m also entitled to space from strangers who I don’t want to be close to.” For a man who was annoyed and tired, it was too much and as he shoved his gloves into bag and zipped it up, Adem sighed. A few years ago he wouldn’t have been like this, hell, if he hadn’t come straight from work, he probably wouldn’t have been either, but this was also the side of Adem that was now much more dominant on his personality. “Can you please just back off? I don’t want to share this space, I want to be alone in a space that means something to me. So, we can sit further apart, preferably where I can feel like I’m alone and we cut this out, or you can go.”
At that point Lida was tuning them out, in through one ear and out the other. To hear a grown man throw a tantrum and having him question if she was a child was hilarious, hence why she ended up laughing and shaking her head in disbelief. At the mention of the hospital, she arched her brow, questioning why an institution would allow a man like this to work in a setting that deals with people on a daily basis. However, it suddenly occurred to her that perhaps he was like THIS due to that reason.
“Right, right…So you have a stick up your ass cause your life’s an inconvenience. And a hospital? At that point you really do need a vacation or a career change if you’re this miserable.” she summed up, knowing that it could potentially rile him up even more. She was all for playing fire with fire, it’s a part of her flaw. “I wasn’t paying attention during my walk.” she admitted while waving her phone around. “So if you would have kindly delivered your DEMAND then I would have GLADLY moved the fuck away from you.” And before he could beat her to it, Lida completely shut down the aspect of her apologizing. “My path led me here at random, it’s not like I wanted to come here and shit disturb you. I don’t even know you. I could say the same thing with you. All you have to do is lay there and ignore me, wait it out a couple of minutes and hey, if it still bothered you—nicely ask. Simple as that.”
-
“Do you ever get tired of making assumptions about people that you don’t know? Or is that a fun pass time of yours?” His jaw tensed ever so slightly at her words. The hospital was one of the few sources of joy Adem still felt like he had in his life. The hospital, his family and his close friends, but he had so little else since the tragic events three years ago. He had changed, he did become colder, more reserved, he was a shell of himself really, but another’s opinion had never meant much to him. “I don’t need a career change, thanks, I’m very happy in my work and I’m good at it.” His voice was perfectly calm, not fazed at all by the comment. He knew what he was good at and his work was it. There was a part of Adem’s mind that was desperate to spell everything out for her, to explain exactly why he was the way that he was, just to watch the look on her face as she realised exactly why the man was so stoic, but with Adem unable to bring himself to speak to his loved ones about it, he was hardly going to talk to a stranger.
“I did ask you to move, I didn’t demand that you move, I said ‘can you move?’, which is a question.” Climbing to his feet, Adem brushed off a few twigs from his coat before picking up the few things he had with him. “Why should I wait a couple of minutes when it bothered me? Because it did bother me, so why waste the time? I asked you to move, you decided to do all of this, so maybe you should take your own advice and do things nicely.” Shrugging his shoulders, Adem opened his bottle of water to take a long sip. “There’s plenty of space in the gardens, one simple step would’ve done it, so, now that my peace and quiet has been ruined, are you done cursing at me or do I need to stick around for some more?”
It was becoming exhausting, dealing with sensitive men who flew off the handle at the smallest of things. The brunette’s arms folded under her chest and Lena’s dark eyes rolled as he ranted away. Her gaze was glued on her brother and the person he was speaking with, seeing what she could glean from the exchange at this safe and unseen distance. When she finally turned her head to the male packing up his things in a huff, she actually smiled a little. This was so incredibly dramatic, Lena would be gone in another minute or two, but this tantrum was just about as bad as a toddler needing a nap. “How mighty and powerful I am, I can block out the entire sun.”
It was difficult to split her attention at this point, and there were much greater things going on than this man missing a few minutes of the sun she was apparently blocking. “As much as it would’ve killed you to kindly let me know I’d stepped in your way.” Lithe shoulders rose and fell, it seemed simple to her. What she had done had been unintentional, then he went on to be rude and blow up over the whole thing. “It wasn’t intentional, I’m moving on, and thank you for your outburst — I guess it doesn’t occur to you that you’re in a public space and there are going to be other people around whether you like it or not.” And now Lena was fairly certain that she’d been spotted. All because this guy had to cause a scene.
-
All he had wanted was a few minutes of peace and quiet, to unwind and try and find a sense of calm before he went home and was, as he usually was, plagued with memories of what it felt like to have a home full of laughter and love. Now, he had an empty house that occasionally had a corgi inside that loved to make him dance through hoops. It was all he had wanted, something he thought he’d be able to get in the quiet gardens that, he assumed, were largely unpopulated due to the weather. “Original, well done.”
Rolling his eyes as he gathered his things and threw the strap of his bag over his shoulder, Adem shook his head. “I asked you to move, I told you that you were in the way and this is what I get in response.” Looking down at the ground to check he hadn’t forgotten anything, Adem made a point of then looking around at the space around them. “That did occur to me, but I also have eyes and as you can see,” he gestured around them, “there is no one else around me, so when I use my eyes and see that, I generally don’t think it’s going to be an issue.” Would he have been quite as touchy if he had slept? If he wasn’t trying to avoid home? Probably not, but that was just the way he was. “I guess it didn’t occur to you to just be considerate of other people? No? Shame.”
Lale doesn’t miss how the man looks like he’s just awakened from a deep slumber. Squinted eyes due to the sensitivty of light, the lined imprints on one side of his strong features. Of course the last thing she intended to do what bother the man. From the talkings of other neighbours, this one is a rather busy man which is why they are only meeting until now. Even then Lale wasn’t expecting him to be here. When he asks the question ’ you’re the one that keeps leaving this stuff on my step? why? ’ Her brows came together in a tiny frown. The frown, however, was more from perplexity than from annoyance.
❝ Why am I leaving delicious goodies on your step? ❞ She can’t help answer a question with another question at first. It seemed fairly obvious for her. Well, why not? ❝ Who doesn’t want cookies and croissants? It’s the best way to start a day. ❞ lale gives him a look as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. Slender fingers drum against the basket as she looks at the tired man before her. He looks like he could use a shot of espresso instead of desserts. ❝ Unless, ─ Are you allergic to delicious goods? Because I can bring you, I don’t know, slop next time. ❞ She jokes, lips quipped with a smile.
Grinning, Lale shakes her head because ultimately, she doesn’t know that answer by facts. ❝ Don’t ask me about French etiquette. I was taught to eat everything off of my plate. Here? It’s seen as an insult. ❞
-
Looking down at her, it took all of the little energy Adem had not to just step back, slam the door and go back to bed. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep for the rest of the day, something that not only did he want, but he desperately needed. Rubbing his eyes and then running his hand over his face, he tried to focus on what the woman was saying. For someone who rarely started his day at times where everyone else did, he was used to grabbing whatever he had in the cupboard or leftover from the night before for breakfast. If it was the morning, he’d grab something from the bakery down the street. In truth, he’d barely seen any of the basket before his sister and niece had got to it whilst visiting. “No, I just, don’t exactly start my day like most people.”
Shaking his head, Adem held a hand over his mouth as he yawned, another reminder of how much he needed to sleep. “No, I’m not allergic, I’m just not big on the whole food left on my doorstep thing, how do I know it’s not been left by a psycho, you know?” Raising his eyebrows a little, he leant against the door, moving one leg to block the corgi from running outside. “Same here, I never dared leave anything on my plate. Where did you grow up?”
Something that no one had ever warned Ambrose about, was how much life changed after you became a parent. He used to be at his job any time of the day, every hour of the week and genuinely didn’t really mind the crazy hours at the shop that he shared with his father. That was, until his daughter was born and he and Elodie’s mother decided on a schedule to co-parent their daughter. Suddenly, he couldn’t be at work on the weekends that he had the child, because he refused to have someone babysit her when he couldn’t see her everyday. So, his entire schedule now goes with whatever Elodie needs or wants to do. Five days one week, two days the next week that he has to completely ensure he is always free.
Like most days off spent with his daughter, Ambrose was spending today outside in the cold. It’s as if Elodie can’t feel how cold it is, and it’s good because after growing up in Norway, he doesn’t get cold easily either. Instead of a regular park, he took Elodie out to the Jardin du Luxembourg. She likes the children’s area and Ambrose figures it’s a nice place to go that they both enjoy. He sees Adem on his way back from getting a bottled water and immedaitely gets in his way, clearly trying to annoy him therefore, his reaction brings a smile to his face. “Hate to break it to you, brother. No amount of sun will give you a tan.” He teases lightly, hoping he can recognize his voice. “Wait, you’re not really tanning in the middle of winter, are you?”
-
As soon as Adem heard the voice, he groaned dramatically and opened his eyes. “Oh god, it’s you.” Sitting up and pushing his sunglasses off of his eyes and onto the top of his head, Adem shook his head. “You’ve got to ruin someone’s day, haven’t you?” Dusting his hands off, Adem moved to his feet, reaching for Ambrose’s hand to clasp it and pull him into what could only be described as ‘bro’ hug. “No, I am not trying to tan in the middle of winter, I just wanted to enjoy the feeling of the sun on my skin for the two minutes that it appears when I’m not asleep or in the four walls of the hospital. What are you doing out here anyway?”
Reaching down, Adem grabbed his rucksack, slinging one strap over his shoulder. “Elodie running around?” His eyes instantly scanned the gardens, looking out for his friend’s daughter and his favourite patient. “I hope you didn’t bring her solely to annoy me, because I’m pretty sure I can get her on my side, you know?” It wasn’t necessarily easy for Adem to watch his friend raise a daughter and become the father that he was. Every so often, as he would watch Ambrose and Elodie, he would feel the deep pang of what could’ve been, of what his life should’ve looked like at that point. Pushing that thought instantly out of his head, the doctor looked around again. “You want to sit somewhere?”
The wave and sudden acknowledgement of just who his tone had come to was enough to make Luca wave off Adem’s demeanor. Deep down, he knew he didn’t mean to come off that way, or maybe there was a part of him that did, and who would he be to judge him for that? At the very least, Luca did himself being on the receiving end of kinder words and tones from the man at least. “If it’s a tourist, I might support your endeavor.” Luca said with a grin. At Adem’s mention of the Turkish summers, it made him reminiscent for the Sicilian sun. “Every time you talk about Turkey, you send me write back to my pining for Italy, how do you manage that?”
Glancing around the surroundings, Luca accepted his invitation graciously, “Sure, and I am. I was looking at one of the flowers over there. It’s a little complex, but I think I could manage. Plus you’ll get pockets of silence from me.” Luca assured. Whenever he’d seen Adem they would have easy conversations just like these, but it was the comfortable silence they could be in that really sealed the deal for their connection. “I could just finally do a portrait of you though, unless you object?” He teased.
-
For Adem, it was easier for him to have a front with people, even people he was close to and considered friends. If he kept that barrier up, if he kept something that stopped him from getting too close, he’d never know the pain again, he’d never have to come close to what he went through three years ago. It wasn’t fair, but it was the only way he knew how to cope. Chuckling once, the man nodded. He may have been a tourist, once upon a time, but Paris was very much his home now. “They’re everywhere again, I do admit to pretending I didn’t speak French earlier, I’m just glad they don’t seem to know about my favourite bakery yet.” Leaning back, Adem smiled, his mind instantly racing with memories of the last time he was in Turkey over summer. “Maybe because we both long for our home countries. I love Paris, but it’ll never be Istanbul.”
Looking over to the flowerbed, Adem tilted his head to the side. The colours appealed to him to and he had tried to create something similar in the small flowerbed in his own garden, but nothing could compare to the magic of the Luxembourg gardens. Laughing once, Adem shook his head. “I definitely object, but if you want a project that isn’t flowers, my sister has been going on about having a drawing done of my niece, but I think that’s as close as you’re getting to drawing someone in the Kavas family today.”
It had been a long ass night. One of her new bartenders had somehow gotten into a fight with a customer. Normally, Micayla would have always always sided with her own employee, but she’d found out that it had been over a personal conflict and that her bartender had started the altercation. So she cut her losses and sent the employee home, but then with several hours left before the club closed, she was left without one of her bartenders. So Micayla stepped in, or rather, behind the bar. She took over and had been filling people’s orders all night. It wasn’t until things finally started calming down and she heard a familiar voice that Micayla allowed herself to take a break and catch her breath.
“A shitty one.” she answered easily, a chuckle escaping her lips as she leaned down to pick up two shot glasses and filled them both with whiskey. She slid one of the shots over to Adem before raising her own in a ‘cheers’ motion and adding, “To your sixth sense!” before knocking back the shot. She winced a tiny bit before placing the empty shot glass back on the bar and leaning her elbows against it. She considered him a for moment, her dark brown eyes scanning him, trying to get a read on what had caused him to decide he wanted company tonight. “So let me guess, one of your patients told you you weren’t their favorite doctor today?” she teased, feigning a look of seriousness.
-
Resting his forearms on the bar, Adem glanced around at the few remaining people in the bar who were trying to drag out their stay until they were kicked out for lock up. Looking back to Micayla, his eyebrow raised slightly, hand reaching for the shot as soon it was poured. “Thanks.” Raising the glass, he clinked it to hers before knocking it back. The liquid warmed his throat as it trickled down and he nodded in appreciation. “That’s a good one.” Sliding the glass across the bar to her, Adem nodded again, the taste lingering on his lips. “So what happened today then, I don’t think I’ve seen you behind the bar in months and I’ve seen you in here a lot.”
There wasn’t really anything in particular that had drawn him to the bar on his way home that night. For Adem, work was the only place he felt like he was truly making a difference, like he was doing something that was worth it and even a bad day never made him too frustrated. But as soon as he left work, that was when the thoughts came creeping in and his distraction ended. Laughing once, Adem couldn’t help but smirk as he looked at her again. “Please, like that would ever happen. I’m everyone’s favourite.” Raising his eyebrows at her, Adem shook his head. “Just didn’t want to go home just yet, thought I’d come and see you. Like I said, I got a sixth sense. I don’t suppose you want to slide me another one of those shots, do you?”
LOCATION » Entrepôt / 10th
WHEN » Any random evening
“Shit, fuck, shit—” she cursed as she finally reached the street that led up her to apartment. Nina had fallen for the manipulation of their cat, Luna, wanting to go outside. However, Scout knew that without the stupid lead she hated wearing, there was no way the cat wouldn’t run away. A momentary lapse in her daughter’s judgement had led to a tear-filled Nina who felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders telling her mother. This was one of those moments that required a level of patience that she didn’t always have. Instead, she made her way outside to try and track down their pet.
Slightly out of breath, half due to her frantic running down three flights of stairs, she smacked right into someone as she reached the pavement. A small oof escaping her lips before letting out another curse. “Fuck,” she took a step backwards to rebalance herself. “Je suis désolé.”
-
“Adem Amca, bak! Bir kedi!“ Uncle Adem, look! A cat! Looking at his niece as she pointed out the little creature sitting on the sidewalk, Adem’s eyes were drawn to it as he set the five year old down on the ground, full of energy after she’d conned him into carrying her home from the park. Placing a hand on Ela’s shoulder to keep her from getting to close, not entirely sure if the cat was a stray or not, Adem knelt down, trying to get a better look. Holding a hand out, he waiting for the cat to come to him before scooping it up, his hand moving to check the name on the collar as his niece craned her neck to try and get a closer look.
He stumbled a step forward as someone smacked into his back, one hand keeping the cat against his chest as he moved his other hand to steady Ela after he knocked her with his stumble. “Iyi misin?” Are you alright? The little girl nodded in response and Adem turned around. “C'est bon, tu vas bien?” It’s fine, are you alright? He looked at the woman, a slightly worried look on his face.
Paris was easy to lose yourself in, mainly because everyone had their shit to deal with. Tourists were busy looking past one another for the perfect Instagram-able shot, and the locals so used to transplants didn’t seem to pay much mind to the coming and goings of those around them unless they needed to or beyond a polite bonjour. Everly preferred it that way. It made her life far more enjoyable without having to worry about running into someone who knew her- despite the rare run ins with those who looked at her as if they were seeing a ghost. Believe it or not, Paris was far easier to get lost in than New York had been and even more so than Napoli. She felt free to eat gelato in the dead of winter while warming each bite with a followed gulp of cappuccino that was losing heat too fast for her liking.
On her way to try out her sister’s key in another lockbox, Everly was almost certain this wouldn’t be the fit. Still, she was going to try, even if she was dragging her feet and finding every excuse possible to delay the inevitable disappointment. So when she heard a group of tourists clamoring under their breath about calling the ambulance on the man dead in the grass, she followed their stares to intervene. Standing above him, she could clearly see he was breathing. Rolling her eyes, she silently waves them off and takes another bite of her frozen treat when he finally peeps up. “Tourists were about to call the ambulance. Thought you were dead.” She sips from her cappuccino, “The ground must feel like an ice brick.” She says well, stepping slightly to the left and out of the line of the sun he was trying to soak up. “Is the frost bite worth it?”
-
As soon as he heard the voice above him, Adem cracked one eye open, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun as Everly stepped out of the way. “Oh, it’s you, hey.” Sitting up, he glanced over to the group of tourists, each of whom were flicking glances back at him. “They thought I was dead but didn’t do anything about it? Doesn’t say much about humanity, does it?” Running a hand over his hair, Adem slowly unfolded himself so he could stand up, grabbing his rucksack from the ground as he did so. “It’s not bad, actually. Doesn’t feel so cold in the sun, so it’s definitely worth it.” Slinging the bag strap over one shoulder, Adem regarded the girl, someone he wasn’t really used to seeing outside of a bar after a few whiskeys. “You’re a walking contradiction, aren’t you? Gelato in one hand, coffee in the other, talking about me getting frostbite. What flavour did you get?”
Feeling eyes still on him, Adem glanced over his shoulder, raising a hand to the group of tourists to assure them he really wasn’t dead and wasn’t just a ghost. Looking back to Everly, he nodded his head. “You want to walk? Now you’ve made me want to get a gelato of my own.”
