»» ⸻ BASICS
Name: Fidan Aksel Temel
Nickname: Fi, Dani, Aks
Birthday & Age: April 14th, 1991 & 34
Hometown: Windsor Bay, WA
Length of time in Windsor Bay: Moved to Windsor Bay around age 1 and left at 18 for university in Texas, returned somewhere around 8 years ago
Neighborhood: Coral Coast
Occupation: Owner of Oblivion Designs & architect
Gender & Sexuality: Cis female & bisexual
»» ⸻ AT A GLANCE
“What’s your family like? Are you still close, or have you blocked all their numbers?”
❝ I often wish I were closer to my father. We have a decent relationship, we can be in the same room and hold conversation, it's just—never that deep. Maybe it was too difficult for him having two daughters, he didn't know how to connect. I've just always found myself wanting more. ❞ Contemplative, Fidan sat with her thoughts, wondering if she'd said too much. Those sentiments felt as though they'd always needed to come out, to be heard, on the chance that the universe might work some magic. Unfortunately, the brunette has never been good with holding onto hope. ❝ My mother and I have always been close. She always encouraged my creativity and helped make opportunities possible for me. I'm still so fond of when I was in my teens and she'd take me into the city. Still, some of the best times. ❞ When thought ventured to her sister, the smile that sat pleasantly on her lips from the fondness toward her mother, well, it faded a little. ❝ We try to be close, my older sister and I, there's nothing bad between us. Being an adult and going through our experiences—well, sometimes that causes a distance. ❞
“Would you say you’re easy to get along/work with? Why or why not?”
❝ Yes and no, ❞ a small laugh came up, her shoulder gave a half shrug, ❝ I think that's likely the most common answer though, huh? ❞ After a beat, Fidan added, ❝ it all depends on whom you ask. I run my own business and I don't keep a large office, I have only a few employees, and I'd like to think they'd say I work hard and I'm fair. ❞ As she considered the question further, Fidan fell into a deeper silence. It was common, the brunette never felt the need to rush to fill silences. ❝ I'm easy to get along with, ❞ she answered nearly a minute later. ❝ But I also have no problem standing my ground. ❞
“Do you have any regrets? What are they?”
❝ Doesn't everyone? ❞ Now that question made her shift, and Fidan, despite not being a smoker, suddenly felt the need for one. ❝ I love that quote or meme, ❞ her hand moved in a casual flippant manner, ❝ the one that says: I want to start my life over again at fourteen. I have new ideas on how I want to ruin my life. ❞ A coy smile on her lips. ❝ Knowing what we know now—wouldn't we all want a second chance at it? ❞ The question is framed in a way that says that's exactly what Fidan wants. ❝ How different would my life be if I never went to Texas? If I'd chosen a different university? ❞
“Are you a leader or a follower?”
As the brunette eyed her inquisitive company, her fingernail attached to her thumb pressed into her bottom lip. There's curiosity in her eyes. ❝ If I had to choose one? I'd say a leader. ❞ With no real dedication to the answer and in seeing a follow-up question form in the other's expression, Fidan elaborated. ❝ I don't really want to be a leader. I go my own way and do my own thing, I stick to my vision. I guide my clients when and where needed. I'm just not really looking to be responsible for others. ❞
»» ⸻ DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER
trigger warnings: car accident mention, drug addiction, domestic violence mention, and suicide.
Even though Fidan was born in Izmir, Türkiye to Aydin and Sevda Temel, she remembers nothing of those origins. The only means she has for the history of her roots comes from the stories of her parents and grandparents when they were still around. She has since visited Türkiye in her young adult years during a pilgrimage over east in the world.
Growing up in Windsor Bay was perfect for a creative child like Fidan. It was a place the girl’s imagination could flourish, especially with the nurturing and encouragement from her immigrant parents.
When Fidan was supposed to be focusing in school on her coursework, she was busy drawing buildings and furniture from visions and ideas in her head. On the weekends her mother would take her to the flea market and a few other shops with her and they would pick up relatively inexpensive pieces for Fidan to work with. Teachers easily picked up on her sketches and the detailed plans she would make in her notebooks, something they would couple with her strong scores in mathematics, and encouraged Fidan on a path to work in architecture and design.
When she was sixteen she would take a ride into the city and photograph buildings, to the point where she collected so many great shots around the city that she amateurly published a photo book showcasing the beauty and artistry that could be found where most didn’t give more than a passing glance to.
To Fidan's surprise the book sold out in the few stores that actually carried it.
By then she was in shop classes; woodworking and welding. She devoured any kind of art class she could get her hands on as well as any type of crafts class. It wasn’t that she had the bug for art or working with her hands, it really was something innate for her. Something her father would say she got from him.
University was really where she figured out exactly what she wanted to do with her life. Professionally, at least. When she'd been just eighteen her younger sister Meliha had been in an awful accident that resulted in some brain trauma. In the immediate recovery and with significant memory loss, no good answers from doctors, while she left Post-Its of reminders around Meliha's hospital room, Fidan contemplated a future in neurology. She wanted to help. Seeing her sister's pain and suffering twisted her heart but as Meliha began to make some recovery, the artist in her couldn't resist a change from pre-med to architecture. The bachelor degree hung proudly in her office was earned from Rice University, one of the top architecture schools in the country.
By the time of graduation she had already launched her own furniture business, custom designs and perfectly crafted, the business was titled Oblivion Designs. When she popped onto the scene, taking on an offer from a prestigious firm in the nearest big city, she made quite the notable reputation in the industry.
Gone away from home for the first time, living in Houston for university, had been life changing in good and bad ways. Aside from her academic success, Fidan met a young man and fell too hard for one of the university's top sports stars. The first two years of their relationship had been a dream, something that belonged in a sweet Hallmark movie someday, but that definitely hadn't been the way that it ended.
An injury changed everything for an athlete whose whole life surrounded a sport he might no longer be able to play. Narcotic pain medications had become an addiction and when in need for a fix he'd become a monster. Any physical abuse had been rare and minor, at least that's how Fidan chose to see it, a push/shove here or there was manageable. Only, as pain medication morphed into a heroin and cocaine addiction, the violence also shifted and got worse. That's when Fidan got out, knew things were done and he needed help beyond the support she'd tried to offer. Overdoses and failed attempts at rehab were not how she wanted to finish off her experience at university. The finality of their breakup destroyed him and one day he'd shown up at her place with a gun.
Being a witness to someone she loved's deterioration, resulting in them taking their own life, had turned hers upside down. When Fidan returned home to Windsor Bay she was different. Like something dark and heavy had clung to her. Too thin, withdrawn, and despondent—the only thing that helped had been the love of her family and once a week therapy. Eventually she'd been able to put on a mask and act as though everything were fine as she began conquering a career.
Shortly after settling in at the firm in the big city, Fidan began making customs once again. The firm was giving her experience and exposure while she grew her own business on the side, and as time moved on Fidan found herself moving away from the company and more into her own clientele that she’d managed to garner.
»» ⸻ THE TANGLED WEB
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