you can 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲.

[aylindmrci]

❛ 𝙿𝙰𝙻𝙴 𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙾𝚆 𝙾𝙵 𝙰 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙶𝙾𝙽 — 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗔𝗬𝗟𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗖𝗜 . ❜

𝗔 𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗬 𝗜𝗡 the unreliable narrator, price-gouging a secret's cost to cheapen your own, how an invasive species destabilizes the environment around it in an attempt to find home, penning the narrative of the collective, your life as performance art, your worth trapped up in the opinions and decisions of others, lies, strategy, illusion, and what remains of who you truly are beneath it.

biography. ✺ stats. ✺ connect. ✺ the writer. ✺ full navi.

౨ৎ　𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡.

full name: aylin dilara demirci

age + date of birth: thirty-one, born on november 7, 1994

zodiac sign: scorpio sun, cancer moon, libra rising

gender + pronouns: cis woman ( she/her/hers )

place of birth: windsor bay, oregon

current residence: coral coast

sexuality: homosexual and deeeeeep in the closet heterosexual but get enough liquor in her & she'll kiss a girl !

occupation: manager at poshed & sloshed

faceclaim: bensu soral

positive traits: intuitive, winsome, resolute

negative traits: machiavellian, vindictive, restrained

character inspirations: alison dilaurentis ( pretty little liars ), brooke davis ( one tree hill ), shadowheart ( baldur's gate 3 )

౨ৎ　' 𝗦𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗬 𝗠𝗬 𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘. '

great-great-grandparents: murat demirci & selin demirci neé yılmaz great-grandparents: yusuf demirci & nuran demirci neé aksoy

grandparents: metin demirci & aylin demirci neé tekin

parents: yankı demirci & aydan demirci neé sezer ( family 38 ) 

sibling(s): four siblings ( at this time i am headcanoning the birth order as an eldest brother, older set of twins, aylin and then a youngest sister )

cousin(s): coming soon.

pet(s): ragdoll cat named marshmallow (3), labradoodle named aslan (5)

౨ৎ　𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗬𝗡𝗢𝗣𝗦𝗜𝗦.

aylin demirci doesn't really know who she is. not really, anyways. it's never mattered much, the personalities she's wanted to try on for size; she slipped right into the roles that demanded to be filled. tucked dead between four other siblings, it was easy for aylin to go forgotten. not intentionally so, but she was a plant that demanded a lot of water, lots of soil, lots and lots of sun. she was a lot, but being A Lot wasn't savory for many, so she instead decided to be everything to everyone. cheerleader, tutor, grand party hostess, salutatorian, humanitarian, your best friend and your worst enemy, a prude and a slut, the girl you were in love with and the girl you wanted to be. being everything to everyone meant that she accumulated stories, secrets, knowledge — and knowledge was power. aylin got a high from it, knowing what was bouncing around in everyone's minds. she'd be whoever you wanted her to be, so long as she got what she wanted, and when she learned she could use it to her advantage? game over. besides, you'd want to return the favor for a friend like aylin demirci, who'd go above and beyond for you at the first heartbeat. being a friend to all meant she really was a friend to none, though. graduation meant leaving behind the little world she'd crafted for herself, and while aylin paved her own way with a smile and steel determination, nowhere was ever able to scratch the same itch of windsor bay. when it came time for her parents to retire and dip out of the family business some 8 odd years ago, none of her other siblings showed any interest in the upkeep of their share — really, they were all content to let it pass over them, let the others buy out their share, let them be free. to aylin, it did not feel like freedom. it felt like taking something laying down, and there was great discontent in that. she uprooted her entire life to come back home and slot into a managerial position at poshed and sloshed, helping to keep books, fulfill orders, and on the rare occasion, slip into a bartending role should staffing come up short one night. by no means is it what she wants to do with her life, but her conditioning has taught her that her wants never come first. they don't even come last. as far as appearances go: aylin's never once said an ill word towards being home, helping run the business that has been in her family since windsor bay's inception. if anything, she's a queen returned back to her kingdom. she is all red lipstick smiles and polite laughs and miss windsor bay, but there's a longing for more that gnaws at her bones, and she's got no fuckin' clue what more could possibly look like.

౨ৎ　 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗡𝗦.

aylin is my case study into the unreliable narrator: what is true for someone who's entire life, lies are the only way to feel good about herself? aylin is capricious, vindictive, the type of girl to hold a grudge and hold it until it suits her to drop it — if she wore her true colors, she'd be utterly abhorrent. she doesn't, though, because she has learned the art of her little psychological games. half the time she doesn't even realize she's doing it... or, does she? she certainly has her ulterior motives for why she is the way she is. she paints herself in a way that feels real, like she still sees herself as good but allows for the bit of flaw that anyone would see in themselves. maybe you believe her wholeheartedly, or only take her as face value: trust that she, of all people, spins her web so all the threads look like tricks of the light and she maintains the appearance of walking on air. either way, she's such a good manipulator, so utterly calculated and strategic, half the time even she's not sure what's true and what is merely her own creation.

i was really inspired by early brooke davis & alison dilaurentis especially — they're some of my favorite characters on television. i'm at a weird point in my own life where i'm revisiting a lot of high school tropes and thinking a lot about how these "mean girls" came to be & how it looks when that's something you never grow out of. i also think alison dilaurentis's character was tarnished with poor writing ( sasha pieterse i am ur biggest fan ) so consider aylin my years-late exploration on what it looks like when That Girl from high school grows up and comes back to her hometown.

aylin is a dragon. perhaps she is andarna from fourth wing ( i certainly see her as such ) or maybe she's smaug from lord of the rings. idk. depends on the day.

lovingly named after her father's mother, with the albatross hopefully eliciting her likeness in aylin. she could not be further from her grandmother — she is everything that aylin tekin was not & everyone who knew her knows it. or, maybe she is, and it's just a side one of them's kept under lock and key all this time.

there's a little black book that aylin keeps on her at all times, whether it's tucked in her purse or underneath her mattress and box spring, and in it is the collective of every state of affairs she's heard of around town. she keeps dirt on people for when it will benefit her, and aylin's got her hand in so many different pots she's got to keep her stories and timelines straight — a girl's got to keep a ledger of it somewhere!

wears the nazar on a golden chain around her neck and is never seen without it on; superstitions belong to children but some things are, in fact, bigger than her ( a shocking revelation ) and whatever she can do to play to the favor of the universe, she's not considering herself beneath it.

if you've a direct tie to a founding family... well, it's not unheard of for some descendants to find letters in their mailbox from an ana temel that demands burning upon reading. the meetings the letters advertise hold no consistency in their date and time, but aylin keeps the family business alive with her little underground society that she uses to keep the reins tight and nooses tighter. good luck if you ever try to bury her with it.

aylin's not the type to make underhanded comments to snipe at you — she likes to think she's got the difference between a mean girl and a bitch chasing power all figured out. talking shit behind someone's back is juvenile. she knows flies are caught faster with honey than vinegar, and for her muscles' memory, it's easier to lie right to someone's face than whisper in someone's ear what she really thinks. she's sweet 'til she's sour; she'll ride or die for you until you no longer serve her any use. when she's mad, she doesn't lash out. she simmers and waits for the opportunity to strike in a way that it'll hurt most

there's only a small, select handful of people who see through aylin for what she really is ( a manipulative bitch ) and of those few, even less see the front as just that: a front. there's a lot of fear and insecurity that roots her facade in place, but the question is, who's to blame for that? who threatens the very keeper of secrets?

when it comes to numbers, aylin is a fuckin' genius. girlie could accurately do long division in her head in fifth grade. her post-secondary education was an absolute breeze; her finance degree was too easy to complete, so she double majored in philosophy. ( she is Scary to me and i'm the one who dreamed her up lmao ) that said, her number sense is never off, so she's got a great way at making the books at poshed and sloshed look incredibly balanced even if some of it's money she's cleaning for other... less than savory things...

she is so pedantic and rigid that it's actually painful. she is not fluid like water, she's a fucking brick wall. she gets so set in her ways that it's impossible for her to see past herself sometimes.

in a dream world, aylin would ditch her role in the family business, start a nonprofit, marry a woman, and own horses. this is not a dream world.

[brendannichols]

Who: open to everyone @windsorbaystarters

Where: Belmont Park

With a sketchpad in hand, Brendan decided to spend his free afternoon getting some work done in the atmosphere of the park. There was nothing like the fresh air and the beautiful sights of the snowy mountain peaks in the distance to inspire him. He settled onto a picnic table off to the side, pulling out his pencils and other art supplies. But before he got started, Brendan felt the need to unwind with a quick cigarette. With the tip of the cigarette perched on the edge of his lip, his one hand held the lighter while the other shielded the flame from the wind. However there was no flame, just a few small sparks that refused to light up into a full flame. "Fuck," he exclaimed in frustration. Just then he sensed another person approaching the area he was in. "You wouldn't happen to have a lighter on you, would you?"

[aylindmrci]

aylin should've, by now, known any walk with aslan would end with him straining on the edge of his leash, eager to move at a pace far faster than even her most adept running shoes would allow. the last vestiges of fading color on the trees were at least pretty to look at, their curtain call as the snow in the distance gave its ominous promise to grace them sooner or later. her dog hardly gave her time to admire its beauty, incessant in his need to maintain the speed of a full run — hopefully, towards the car. no such luck, though, instead leading her right in the direction of one brendan nichols. it was as if the universe had deposited him straight in her path, a friendly reminder of his existence just when she'd begun thinking he'd fallen off the face of the earth for real this time. "no lighter, just an overeager dog looking to say hi to a stranger." an eyebrow quirked up in bemusement, the muscles in aylin's lips twitching in their attempt to remain neutral and keep from a smirk. "what're you doing out here? 's cold as shit."

[thegirlthatcriesacademia]

Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath // art by @/kosmiklia on ig // William Chapman // Virginia Woolf // Brian Andreas // artwork - flowers by Hanna Ilczyszyn // Elizabeth Kinkaid-Ehlers, Still Searching

[krithiadasu]

BEING   HOME   FOR   THE   REST   OF   THE   YEAR   MEANT   LOTS   OF   THINGS   IN   KRITHI’S   BOOK,   which   could   also   mean   seeing   shadows   of   the   past,   but   the   brunette   wasn’t   going   to   get   caught   up   in   technicalities,   right?   Windsor   Bay   was   a   small   town   and   small   towns   tended   to   have   quite   a   reserved   LGBT   community   (if   they   had   any),   so   of   course   she   would   end   up   bumping   into   exes   here   and   there.   Not   that   she   minded,   especially   since   she’d   been   out   and   proud   since   her   teenage   years.   What   other   people   did   with   their   lives   was   their   own   business.   Her   only   goal   was   to   be   happy,   healthy   and   loved.   To   be   completely   honest,   she   considered   herself   to   be   one   of   the   lucky   ones.   Not   everyone   had   the   same   loving   and   doting   parents   she   had.   Not   everyone   had   the   same   amount   of   support   she   had,   so,   even   the   Adasu   family   weren’t   ones   to   celebrate   Thanksgiving,   it   was   something   the   brunette   was   thankful   for   each   year.

That   evening   when   she   stepped   into   Magenta,   the   brunette   wasn’t   expecting   to   find   Aylin   there–but,   as   silly   as   that   might   have   been,   it   almost   felt   like   fate   had   decided   to   make   their   gazes   cross.   There   had   always   been   a   fire   in   Aylin’s   gaze.   Something   burning   strong   and   passionate,   and   something   that   Krithi   had   always   liked,   after   all,   she’d   always   been   a   passionate   person,   too.   Maybe   too   passionate   and   impulsive,   which   sometimes   contrasted   a   lot   with   her   logical   brain.   Really,   really   odd,   Krithi   was.   A   perfectly-coded   brain,   heart-shaped   and   fluffy-adorned,   all   pretty   and   pink   and   engraved   in   girly   things.   There   was   nothing   wrong   with   that,   was   there?

And   then,   there   had   always   been   Aylin,   and   there   had   always   been   some   sort   of   attraction   between   the   duo.   An   attraction   that   was   put   to   the   test   when   both   women   were   old   enough   to   make   their   own   choices,   and   damn…   that   had   been   one   of   the   best,   if   not,   the   best   summer   Krithi   had   spent   at   home   before   moving   permanently   to   Silicon   Valley   a   few   years   ago   to   kick   start   her   life   in   this   male-dominant   world   of   big   techs.   Sometimes,   she'd   still   catch   herself   thinking   about   the   softness   in   Aylin's   skin,   or   how   the   otherwise   strong   and   manipulative   woman,   folded   so   easily   under   her   fingers   and   motions.   Now   that   Krithi’d   spent   her   months   halfway   here   and   halfway   there,   she   was   under   the   impression   that   Aylin   either   avoided   her   or   hated   her   guts.   The   two   had   never   had   the   chance   to   talk   about   it,   and   probably   would   never   talk   about   it   in   a   nightclub,   but   seeing   the   brunette   there,   prompted   Krithi   to   make   her   way   to   the   bar   and   sit   next   to   her.

❝   You   look   like   you’re   having   the   worst   night   of   your   life,   babes.   ❞    Krithi   smirked   as   she   motioned   to   the   bartender   and   then   ordered   something   from   the   menu.   The   glittery   one,   just   like   her   personality.    ❝   I   mean,   I’d   be   too   if   I   looked   this   hot   and   were   sitting   alone   downing   shots.   They   taste   like   slow   death,   you   know.   ❞    But   then   again,   the   young   CEO   had   always   preferred   sweet   drinks.   Leaning   on   her   elbow   she   rested   her   chin   on   her   hand,   watching   Aylin’s   side   profile   get   painted   in   all   of   those   different   colors   from   the   nightclub   lights.    ❝   Why   do   you   look   like   someone   pissed   on   your   cereal,   pretty   eyes?   ❞

[aylindmrci]

she used to love summer time. it was the season she'd been made for — the rage of a scorpio fire hot under her skin called her towards salt, sun, sunscreen clogging her pores and a fruity drink with hints of coconut still lingering on her lips hours after the fact. krithi adasu had tainted everything about summer, which meant she was now attuned to a bitter fall or barren winter by choice. summer reminded her of the touch of a woman, and whatever softness and roses she'd indulged in led to the vulnerability of bleeding in the thorn bush. aylin demirci wouldn't let herself fall back into that. she would not bleed out at the hand of another.

she liked to think she was better than that.

krithi was a challenge sent straight from hell to try and prove her wrong.

fingering the small gold-backed nazar resting in the hollow of her neck — the only tell of whatever nerves suddenly roared to life like the ripcord of a hot air balloon surging a flame through the sails — aylin kept her sights ironed straight ahead, not allowing herself the treat of even the peripheral of krithi. no shades of pink. nothing but the steel cold of the bar and the monochromatic flow of liquor into a cup that could not slide towards her fast enough. she could actually hear the tight grind of her teeth together as krithi ordered something sparkly — perfectly suit to her personality — off the menu, the very drink aylin wouldn't go near. "i'm already dying a slow death, thanks," aylin muttered mostly under her breath, voice caustic in tone. the bartender fixed her drink in slow motion, it seemed, aylin nearly reaching over the bartop and snatching the glass out of his hand before throwing it back. krithi made her desperate and there was a part of her that loathed it and whatever phantom slimy residue crawled along her skin. desperation didn't become her. "i thought you were brilliant," aylin finally spared a few degrees of her head's inclination towards krithi. "or did silicon valley zap up the last remnants of what remained?" the liquor burned the lining of her throat. "'course i'm having a shit night. look at where we are."

[aylindmrci]

౨ৎ  closed, with love / yara aslan @yaraaslan ౨ৎ  the location ⦂ yara's home in the mountainside

few people on the face of the planet knew aylin demirci's true colors, as the golden hour in which they were visible only lasted for a matter of seconds. if you weren't standing at exactly the right place in that sliver of a window, you'd miss them, too — a calculated attempt in keeping her armor tougher than the tenderness of the bruised insides ( or what was left of them, anyways, following the severe rot spreading in her chest ). soft would never be used to describe her, and she preferred it that way. but for yara, she would be everything she did not fully understand how to be. aylin still didn't understand if it was the cacophony of her own grief, guilt gnawing on hollow bones, or the small grains of love that slipped through the tight bottleneck, but there was a softly knit cradle around the space in her life yara and emily occupied, as if lylah herself had made before her departure. an early evening off meant she didn't have much to do other than entertain marshmallow and aslan at home with the mindless flickering of channels, so aylin swung through juniper grill with more food than most people could consume in one sitting and let the winding roads take her up to the cabin. sunset was just beginning to bleed out into the color of the sky as she stepped out of the car, heading up to the door and letting her fist graze the wood grain with her usual four-rap knock pattern. "delivery," she said in a sing-song voice upon the door's opening, hopeful smile lighting up across her features.

[bellamyford]

the corner pocket. @windsorbaystarters ( 0 / 5 )

cheap whiskey stained her tongue and flowed freely through her veins. she preferred a place like this when she wanted fun without the chaos. "hey," she called out, chin tilting towards the person near the bar, "you wanna lose at a game of pool tonight?" her lips curved upwards, her grin all playful trouble and fire, a warning sign to anyone who really looked. "i'll even let you break."

[aylindmrci]

"you're cute, ford," aylin couldn't help but to laugh, the other woman's challenge calling to her like a flame luring in a moth. fire called to fire, after all, and aylin had an affinity for pyrotechnics. "didn't know they still let you play here." still, she swung her legs off of the barstool and strode towards the pool table. "you can break — only an amateur would let you set 'em up." she felt the ache in her cheeks from the shit-eating grin she adorned, the sensation of electricity thrumming in her veins like someone had remembered to plug her back into a wall outlet. that was the effect of bellamy ford: capturing lightning strike after lighting strike in the palm of your hands.

[tragedysins]

[aylindmrci]

౨ৎ  closed, with love / phoebe baker @phoebebaker ౨ৎ  the location ⦂ sunrise diner

against better judgment, aylin deluded herself into thinking that running a pick-up order from the diner to take home and eat would perhaps lessen the chances of being poisoned by a certain blonde waitress — a waitress she hadn't necessarily been avoiding, but certainly wasn't going out of her way to antagonize. after all, it wasn't aylin that had drawn first blood. she had squared it away, settled it. there were few things in life she took poorly to, and being made a fool of at her own fucking game stood among the ranks. she hadn't enjoyed it all that much either, because there was hardly anything to gain from it, except the saving of face. a shame, really. the other shame, it seemed, was that she was stupid enough to actually think she'd escape dipping into sunrise scot-free. as she walked in, bell jingling overhead, aylin found herself scanning and looking for phoebe. no sight of her, bringing the tiniest of relief as aylin strolled right up to the take-out counter. just as she allowed her shoulders to drop, she caught sight of her, and everything tightened up again. "i'm here for a pick up order," she tried calling out casually, phoebe being the only person around to even notice her presence a definite pour of salt into the cut of her pride. she was never coming back to this godforsaken diner if she could help it.

[prudencefleury]

pru swallowed down the surprise that caught in her throat as she held the other's eyes like an unspoken challenge she had no intention of shying away from. her mouth curved upwards and a warmth swirled in her stomach and color blossomed on her cheeks. "well, if the art is looking back..." she trailed off, shoulders rising in a lazy shrug, her grin growing wider.

the blonde nodded, acknowledging the request and how quickly her father would have objected such a thing. she wondered, only momentarily, what he'd thought of her leaving on a whim. thankfully, she had a strong pour coming her way that would make any answer ring hollow. "i don't like to do things the way everyone else does. that's boring." her tongue dabbed at the corner of her mouth, a bad habit and a tell she knew better than to give. it meant that she was thinking, that her mind was wandering.

when the question landed, pru's fingers curled around the glass, her attention on the perfect pour on the stack of ice before lifting again. "honestly? my dad used to pour us all expensive whiskey on holidays and i found out that it goes down easier when it's cold." it seemed small, but she hardly talked about her family, talked about her father. and when she finished, she tipped back the glass and let the swirl of chilled heat course through her until it landed in the pit of her stomach. "how long have you been bartending?"

[aylindmrci]

this was a dangerous game, rapidly devolving into something that kept her from maintaining an iron grip of the situation — the only flicker of warning she got was the sudden flare of warmth in her stomach, the very one that made her uncertain on her otherwise steady feet. aylin's chin ducked, painting the picture of sheepishness from the flattery, but really, the aversion of eyes was to try and give herself a moment for recollection. every syllable that rolled off the other woman's lips though felt something like invitation to aylin, warmth heating up her smile that held in offering. "my kind of woman," aylin found herself commenting, and if there was any sort of double entendre there, she'd act none the wiser. eyes a few shades off from the very whiskey she'd poured flickered down to where a pink tongue poked at the corner of the blonde's lips, aylin feeling her throat tighten the slightest bit. she knew tells, body language, how to work them in her favor, but trying to read it while her brain was screaming obscenities threw her off her game.

instead, her fingers immediately drifted underneath the bartop once again, grabbing an empty glass for herself and letting it trade places with the whiskey decanter. aylin poured herself half a glass of cola, splashing some grenadine and garnishing with a cherry, the roy rogers her staple when on the clock. idle hands put to work meant that she wasn't hung up on the shape of the words as they left the blonde's mouth. "expensive whiskey, huh? what was his go to?" she indulged, bringing her own glass up to her lips. one of her eyebrows lifted quizzically at the question, a small laugh reverberating in her chest. "officially speaking, since i took over my family's share of the place. manager's gotta do more than just talk the talk when you're down a man on a busy night. although when you're a demirci, you learn how to mix drinks young. those of us who grew up here used to make the ungodliest dirty sodas preparing for our future as bartenders here." she made a gesture around the speakeasy. "you see which of us excelled."

[adriansinclair]

who: @aylindmrci where: club opal

Club Opal glowed in its usual understated, stupidly expensive way. Low amber lighting, velvet seats, and the kind of curated playlist that didn't happen by accident. Adrian slipped in through the side entrance the staff usually saved for people like him, the ones they didn't want lingering in line where gossip could start.

He wasn't even two steps inside when he spotted her. Aylin Demirci, leaning against the bar like she owned a percentage of it, laughing at something the bartender said, glass catching the light off the chandelier above her. She looked magnetic. That was the thing about her, everyone else in this world tried to look effortless, she actually was. Adrian lingered there for half a second longer than he meant to. Great, unsettled already.

He pulled himself together (with the bare minimum amount of dignity) and crossed the room, sliding into the space beside her at the bar. Close, but not entitled-close, just enough for his presence to be felt, just enough to make it look like of course he belonged there. "Demirci," he greeted, voice low over the hum of conversation. "You stalking me, or are we just cursed to keep running into each other at every overpriced lounge in this town?"

He signaled for a drink, eyes drifting back to her with a lazy sweep that was not as casual as he pretended. "Though I should warn you," he added, leaning an elbow on the bar, his smile crooked, "if you're going to keep popping up everywhere I go, people are gonna start thinking we're doing it on purpose. You seem like someone who enjoys a little chaos," he said lightly. "So tell me, Aylin. Am I part of the fun tonight or just a warm-up act?" He wasn't sure which answer unnerved him more.

[aylindmrci]

club opal was far from her favorite in-town haunt, but it did the trick well enough. it was perfect enough a place to people watch, keep her friends close and those she was keeping tabs on even closer — for aylin, it was a boredom stifler, going out. the couch didn't sound as appealing as it did most nights, and at the bare minimum, she knew the drinks wouldn't be horrid. the speakeasy had refined her taste into something acquired and peculiar, but a sweeter drink painted the picture she wanted others to see, so she kept her spot at the bar and ordered specials like they were going out of style. she wasn't even sure at what point in the evening adrian sinclair appeared, like a chintzy magic trick that unfortunately, she and everyone else in the bar had fallen for. everyone else made their moon eyes, whereas she just rolled hers.

"oh, sweetheart," aylin purred, the patronizing pout of rose-red lips only adding to the natural simper. "don't flatter yourself in thinking i'd waste my time stalking you. bigger, better things to do." she reached out, patting adrian on the shoulder before spinning around, belly pressed against the edge of the bartop as she motioned for a bartender.

she was good at pretending she wasn't listening to a word coming out of adrian sinclair's mouth, but her brain was spinning through tape cataloging every word and poking holes to find where to bite down. this was the game they played, and for aylin, it was a fucking field day: whether it was the generations old hum of a little sinclair trouble that the demirci in her loved to stoke the fires of, or just the fact that someone in this town could manage to keep her on her toes, she enjoyed it more than she should. it was a heady rush, the flexing of her metaphorical fingers around his throat. all of it likely some larger-than-life metaphor, but here, under the swath of lights at club opal, it wasn't anything more than aylin playing her most favorite game. the bartender returned with another round of her champagne cocktail, aylin grabbing it by the stem and bringing the glass up to her lips.

"sorry, were you still talking to me?" she asked after a moment, angling her body ever so slightly towards adrian. her lipstick smirk immediately melted into a full-blown smile, something warm and utterly terrifying on all accounts. "i don't think anyone but you is thinking that, adrian — tell me, is this you just verbalizing what you're manifesting? because..." she paused for a moment, eyes raking his frame slow, methodically, calculated. "i'm still trying to figure out if you've even got it in you to be in the wings."

[jj-hayes]

"You know, I'm still a little stunned by the fact that I ran into you here out of all places. I would have assumed that you being here alone was grounds for disownment," JJ could not help but joke as he picked up a French fry and popped it into his mouth. Hearing the other go off about her plans for the upcoming holiday, and the logistical drama that she was currently avoiding, caused him to let out a chuckle. "Out of curiosity, how many people are in the Demirci family group chat, exactly? Our family group chat has a whole village, but my parents have complete control over the logistics of how the holidays are spent. That definitely makes everything a whole lot easier on our end." He explained as he leaned back in his seat. Unlike the majority of the families in Windsor Bay, the Hayses were a relatively smaller bunch. After his grandparents had passed away, his parents had stepped into the role of patriarch and matriarch. While the rest of his immediate family only consisted of his little sister and his adoptive daughter, Mia, he also had three paternal aunts, the uncles who married them and a grand total of seven first cousins. And that was only on his father's side of the family. He could not imagine the drama that took place in a family that was much bigger than his. "How every upstanding citizen except me celebrates this holiday, it seems. Unlike you, I actually look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving. After the past year, I definitely have a lot to be thankful for," he admitted, considering that bringing Mia home and getting through the adoption process was something that he definitely felt the need to celebrate. But JJ understood that not everyone shares the same sentiments as he did when it came to the holidays. "You know, if you ever needed a little break from the chaos, my folks will be more than happy to have you over, even if it's just for drinks or dessert or something."

[aylindmrci]

"disownment?" aylin scoffed, a short laugh escaping her. "if they disowned me, half the staff would leave — i'm the reason we haven't had to post a 'now hiring' poster in almost seven years." her left eye slipped into a barely there wink, popping another french fry into her mouth.

she feigned a moment of thinking, over-dramatizing it as her index finger drew abstract shapes in the air as if pretending to work through the numbers ( a farce in its own right; aylin hadn't had to show work when it came to numbers in approximately her entire lifespan ) before letting it fall. "seems like a million, is actually probably somewhere in the twenties. you have your subsections of demircis; we don't all actually talk or like each other. that, and i'm sure if we started combing down the leaves on the family tree's branches, there wouldn't be a building in windsor bay to house all of us." the mention of his daughter, darling amelia, actually managed to crack a real smile onto the otherwise steely exterior. "even if i don't make it over, i at least owe mia of my mom's chocolate baklava or lokum, whichever she takes to. homemade with love every year." the last bit took on a more wistful tone, aylin's lips pressed together into a smile. "or do fifteen-month-olds not jive with turkish desserts? didn't read up on the parenthood diaries."

[aylindmrci]

౨ৎ  closed, with love / sofia lang - ford @sofialang-ford ౨ৎ  the location ⦂ aylin's home in coral coast

"food's here," aylin announced as she sauntered back into the house, aslan hot on her heels throuhg the kitchen. "although, they sat it on the roof of my car instead of the steps? is that some new thing?" she shook her head, allowing the thought to dispel. "glad i got to steal you away for dinner — the inside of the collective's four walls hold you captive far too much, you know. fresh air. carbs. me: all the good stuff exists here on the outside, with the rest of the world." one of her eyes slipped into a wink as she started pulling takeout containers from grocery bags. "anything particularly story - worthy happening over there as of late?"

[aylindmrci]

౨ৎ  closed, with love / levi goldstein @levigoldstein ౨ৎ  the location ⦂ the food stop

one craving, aylin demirci's willpower, and two people left standing between her black card, the register, and the lone churro left in the display: as casually as she could manage, she sauntered a bit closer into the personal space of the patron ahead of her, catching the signature scent of cologne. jackpot. "well well," aylin crooned, the tone of her voice low and rich, espresso for the ears as each of her lashes sharpened into a point meant for poking and prodding — the grin on her face gave her away to lightheartedness, even though deep, deep down, this was no game. she'd get that damn churro even if she cited a new dirty dozen blood feud in the mix. "all that law practicing got you hungry, goldie?" amber eyes caught the light, only amplifying her playfulness.

[aylindmrci]

౨ৎ  closed, with love / naina vyas @nainaxvyas ౨ৎ  the location ⦂ corks and wine

poshed & sloshed didn't have competition, as far as aylin was concerned, hence feeling no moral conflict sitting ( skulking ) at corks & wine, wrist circling the stem of an empty wine glass. the normal slicked-back ponytail she often found herself wearing was already loosening from a day's efforts, the wisps falling in her eyes and catching on the ends of her lip gloss. the hoods of aylin's eyes lifted just enough at the sight of naina, a knowing smirk tugging on her lips. "you in the mood to try and guess what i'm going to order next?" she couldn't resist the tease, letting the wine glass rest back on the surface of her table.

[demxnte]

You gotta walk in rooms like God sent you

[bakwaaas]

as a punishment.

[vipcrhex]

WHERE : rowans kitchen WHEN : sometime before 8am on a saturday ( 3/4 ) / @windsorbaystarters

rowan had always claimed he wasn’t a “ morning person ” but anyone watching him now would never believe it. sunlight spilled through the kitchen window in soft gold, catching in the messy strands of his hair as he moved around the stove with quiet care. the smell of warm vanilla pancakes drifted through the air, sweet and comforting—almost as comforting as the small, content smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

he didn’t notice anyone else awake yet, humming softly to himself as he flipped another pancake with surprising gentleness for a man his size. when he finally looked up and spotted his guest in the doorway, his face brightened in an instant. “ oh—morning, ” he said, voice still warm and sleep-soft. “ i, uh… made breakfast. thought it’d be nice to wake up to something sweet. ” he nudged a plate toward the empty spot beside him. “…c’mon. sit with me? ”

[aylindmrci]

well, this was embarrassing.

typically, embarrassment wasn't becoming of her — she didn't get embarrassed. that implied regret, or guilt, of which she allowed into her system in microdoses at best. aylin was unapologetic, but standing in the doorframe of the kitchen, her metaphorical height was that of the salt shaker. perhaps even the grains of salt themselves. "mission accomplished," aylin mused softly, cheeks flushing as realization of rowan's gesture befell her. she shuffled into the kitchen fully, taking the seat adjacent to him. the sweetness of the pancakes hung in the air, enveloping her in a sugary embrace. "any chance these pancakes come with coffee? black. mug, iv... doesn't matter how i consume it," she attempted to joke, her fingers idly fiddling with the stem of the fork. "these look... divine."

[odettefdawson]

WHO: Odette Ford-Dawson & @windsorbaystarters

WHERE: Black Friday Sale Shopping

WHEN: November 2025

People under the illusion that Windsor Bay, the small quiet town of Oregon, couldn't possibly create a little chaos hadn't seen 4 A.M. on Black Friday post the Thanksgiving Day food comas. For Odette the plan hadn't been to come out in search of Christmas sales and Black Friday promised deals, but here she was. Several hours into her shopping the back of her car was starting to look a bit hodge-podge of anything and everything. Nearing 10 A.M. meant that Odette was in severe need of some kind of caffeine with something small to nibble on in between. At this point she'd take an energy drink and packet of crisps if that was all she could manage to find in the next five minutes. Entering the first place she could she entered the line, bustling far more than usual at this time of morning. People were practically crammed in every section and place they could find themselves. Stepping forward, two bags tucked over the crook of her arm feeling the sway of them slightly. "Cannot believe how busy it is." Brushing her bangs slightly out of her face. "No one can ever say that Windsor doesn't know how to kick off the holidays can it?" The poor next person in line probably was there just to do the same thing she was, pump caffeine and some kind of food into them, not talk to her but did a little small talk hurt?

[aylindmrci]

getting caught in black friday was a happy accident. aylin preferred her chaos in a more controlled, artistic expression, not the barbaric haphazardry of people throwing elbows over five dollar pillows that were five dollars all year long. something about the novelty, the consumerism pushed to the seam of the envelope brought people out in droves: it felt desperate this year, a manufactured attempt at inciting the madness. she was getting a start on her errands, her first stop her usual haunt for coffee — the line alone was her reminder that holiday shopping had begun. she blew out a short sigh as she occupied her small corner of space waiting for her order's completion, the person beside her evidently catching notice.

"you're telling me," aylin muttered, pushing up the sleeves of her quarter zip. "kinda wishing i'd slept in a little later to put off encountering the masses." amber eyes flitted across the blonde woman's frame. "found anything worth your trouble?" she asked, in reference to the very obvious bags odette was holding.