( *WANDERER. )

“I am made of MORE; more than tears, more than heartache, more than ALL of this.” Yasemin Ekaterina AsliNymph ( air )Lawyer & Council Member

[yasemin-asli]

*|| STARTER FOR: @deep-calm​​​

Yasemin dreaded this night. The whole day she’d been whining to Marek about the whole thing and yet, whenever there was a negative...,there was always a positive to the air nymph and that was the whole getting ready process. She enjoyed dressing up and looking fancy, further if she was going to attend something she wasn’t entirely a fan of, she might as well look cute. After seeing how she and Marek turned out in the end, her mood lightened up as she found themselves to be quite the adorable bunch. However, her worries were still prevalent on the surface, which is why she chose to drink her nerves away. The last time an event like this happened her boyfriend almost lost his leg and well...

Shaking her head, Yasemin downed a shot of vodka for good luck before walking around to ease herself in the presence of other citizens. She needed to focus, especially with everything that’s been going on. In the midst of her walk around the manor, she caught sight of Nagisa in the flesh and immediately scurried towards him with excitement. “Ah you made it!!!” exclaimed Yasemin as she greeted him with a warm smile. “And you look absolutely stunning! Look, I got ready all by myself—do you think it’s okay? I rarely wear eyeshadow and I’m not sure if I blended it right” The fact that she said that outloud, made her second guess herself as she tried to look for her reflection in something. “Oh and how’s the transition so far? I know I’ve told Ryo this before, but honestly if you need anything, you let me know okay?” 

[yasemin-asli]

YASEMIN ASLI + The Spring Equinox Gala

[yasemin-asli]

andre marek‌:

The fae waited for Yasemin to sort her thoughts and start anywhere she saw fit. He simply leaned closer, tenderly brushing some hair aside -not because her hair needed to be brushed aside but simply because it was a tender gesture he liked doing-, and he met her eyes, willing to listen. “I know I have no opinion regarding the Council,” he mentioned, because he couldn’t even begin to fully comprehend everything the Council was facing and he didn’t have the audacity to pretend he did “but those are mostly issues that you cannot solve on your own, my love”. There were plenty of people involved there, and as frustrating as it was, it wasn’t up to Yasemin. She had her vote and her voice amongst them but at the end of the day, the success or failure of the Council resided in many other voices too. “It might help to lessen some of the stress if you channel some of that energy into what is in your hands. Be there for Ele. Be there for Seiha. Both of them value your advice and your support” he told her as his hand went from where he’d tucked some hair behind her ear to caress her cheek. “I don’t know if that would help you, but it’s what helps me. I’m too bloody restless at times and tackling small objectives eases me somewhat”.

Marek chuckled softly when his girlfriend attacked him with a hug, a sort of attack that was always most welcomed. It was somewhat amusing too, that Yasemin was probably the first person to ever think he had the ability to say ‘the right thing’. His tongue had gotten him into trouble more times than he could count, though perhaps he was finally growing out of his recklessness of old. “Well, I don’t know about that” the fae admitted with a laugh. “I’m just telling the truth” he told her as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He leaned back against the couch with an arm still draped over his girlfriend’s shoulders. “Well, you know me, I had time on my hands and plenty of energy”. That always meant going for an archery practice. These days he practiced in safer areas near the woods and not in vacant, grassy lots that he turned into training grounds like the one she’d found him in when he was still pretty new to Lethe. Marek took a sip of his cherry wine and couldn’t help but chuckle at what his girlfriend said next. “No, of course no one would suspect a thing. You have the most innocent face in all of Lethe, Yasemin. You could do anything and get away with it, which frankly, is so unfair for the rest of us” he replied in a teasing manner.

Brown hues glanced up as if she was searching for some sort of truth in Marek’s eyes. “You know, it’s okay right? You can definitely have an opinion on us even if I am a part of it.” She didn’t want him to lie or hold back just cause they were in a relationship. The town had their strong opinions about them already that her boyfriend’s wouldn’t even make a dent to what’s being said. Yasemin remained silent throughout the duration Marek spoke, his words were not only insightful, but comforting. Further, it was advice that she seriously needed to take, especially since she felt that she was on the verge of a burn out. Being overwhelmed was a bad habit that she became used to, but it was also something that she was able to control. Now this, this was a whole other level of stress. “Thank you.” she sincerely said at first. “I know...I really should re-evaluate and prioritize what, let alone who matters more...” She already informed Ele that she’d be every step of the way during the pregnancy, as for Seiha she did encourage her to meet with Imani, but she knew she’d need to check in on her after and so she made a mental note about that for next time. “You’re really good at making me feel better love. I also appreciate you taking the time to listen to me...You didn’t deserve to be burdened with that.” 

Yasemin did her best to refrain from rolling her eyes at Marek’s response, but her mood lightened up once she kissed the too of her head and after calming down, she leaned against him to enjoy the rest of the meal and wine. “And what have you been doing with said time and energy hm?” she curiously inquired arching a brow. The nymph took a long sip of her cherry wine and wore a devious smirk as she beamed with pride, “Exactly babe...Which is why for next time, the more...the merrier.” She the jokingly winked before reaching up to pat the sides of his face gently. “Besides you are an absolute charmer and I doubt anyone would suspect you either. Look at us, perfect match!” 

[yasemin-asli]

eleonor castellana‌:

Eleonor’s lips tugged up into a small smile as her friend came closer to pull her into a hug. She was so damn lucky to have Yasemin as her friend, wasn’t she? She hugged her back and let herself be cared for, be comforted. Vulnerability never sat too well with the lamia, so used to having gone through all her years in a sort of survival mode that didn’t let her weaknesses show, but she let herself put the wall down when she was with her dear friend. “I don’t want you to drop everything for me. This town needs you. And I bet Marek won’t be too happy if I steal you all the time” she said with a soft laugh that didn’t quite have much humor in it. “But thank you”. When the nymph suggested getting some wine and setting up a nice charcuterie board, the lamia had nothing to say against it. They could have gotten ahead with their girl’s night if it hadn’t been for the piece of news she unloaded on her friend, but it needed to be said.

The lamia looked at her friend with a steady expression even though she was feeling pretty nervous to learn what Yasemin made of all of this situation. She was her best friend, after all, and her input always mattered to Ele. “No, Ben doesn’t know. He was already gone when I found out” she explained, leaning her hip against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m- I guess I’m still a bit surprised about it, it’s taking me some time to process it. I never thought of myself as a mother so this has made me reevaluate some things and consider whether or not I see myself raising this child… and I do” she admitted with a light shrug. As soon as the anger bubbled up in her friend she rose a hand “Yas, don’t”. Ele let out a breath. “I knew Ben was going to leave. It’s something we discussed and- well, I encouraged him to do it” the lamia admitted. The fact that she knew he was going to leave didn’t mean she was any less heartbroken about it, but Ben hadn’t blindsided her with his departure.

Yasemin wore an incredulous look at her best friend. Is she being for real right now? “Eleonor.” Her tone was stern, but it was out of concern for her friend. She was not a burden to her and further, so yes, Yas would have dropped everything for her during a time of need. “I care about you a lot and that’s never going to change. Don’t think because my duty to this town, let alone the fact that I have a boyfriend is going to stop that.” She reached out for her hand and gave it light, gentle squeeze before flashing her a reassuring smile. 

Remaining calm as she should, she listened attentively to Ele’s response and soon dropped her tense demeanour as she sighed in defeat. “I don’t know what to say.” she admitted at first. “This is so sudden and...” She finally stopped after gaining further understanding of what had happened. “I see.” she finally said after a minute or two. Finally, her usual smile crept onto her lips as she went in for another warm embrace. “There’s no use in getting hung up on the past.” Pulling away, she chuckled softly and said, “Look Ele, you’re smart, independent, a beautiful soul inside and out. More importantly you’re a fighter and you never give up, I know for a fact you’re going to be a wonderful mother.” She then clasped her hands due to excitement and added, “And Auntie Yasemin is going to be there with you every step of the way!!! Eeek! I’m so excited for you!!!!!” 

[littlemusings]

[photo credit]

[yasemin-asli]

andre marek‌:

His hands rested on her upper arms and moved up and down in a soothing manner as she spoke about the increasingly problematic nature of her work. The fae didn’t need to rely on his Empathy to tangibly know how Yasemin was feeling, her body language and her voice did more than enough to convey it. Besides, he wasn’t ignorant of the constantly chaotic nature of Lethe or the fact that the Council struggled to maintain the town’s peace. He knew they were trying, or at the very least that Yasemin was trying, but success was difficult to attain when all the representatives didn’t see eye to eye and when others abandoned their post. It was impossible for just a few to hold the fort, after all. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked as he cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin. The fae knew that she tried not to bring talk of work to their home but he wasn’t against it at all, even less so if it took some weight off her shoulders to discuss matters that were concerning her. “And don’t worry, I see no signs of an elderly look just yet” he told her with a smile as he leaned close to give her a quick kiss. “And even if the signs were there it would make no difference to me. You only grow more beautiful in my eyes each day, my love”.

The two of them settled comfortably on her office couch and the food he brought was unpacked and placed before them for his girlfriend to dig in. He couldn’t help but grin when she went straight for the leafed bread. While it was a fairly common meal in the Fae Realm, his nymph adored it like the greatest of delicacies and that only made Marek bake it with diligence and enthusiasm every time he made it for her. “Noted. Stronger cherry wine for next time” he grinned as he poured some for himself and took a sip. “I don’t think I’d like to be responsible for getting a Councilwoman drunk during work, though”.

Yasemin pouted again, especially since her boyfriend was too kind for offering to hear her out. She didn’t want to bore him, let alone make him too worried of the struggles she faced. However, she wasn’t so sure how long she could hold onto things. “I don’t know where to begin even if I try...” She paused and thought of where to start, nibbling on the pastry, she got distracted midway, but eventually snapped out of it. “Well for starters our Council is in shambles, but that’s nothing new. There’s those shades...And then the wolves...” Just listing them off made her realize that it was just the tip of the iceberg. “My best friend is pregnant and the man that knocked her up has the freakin’ audacity to leave town!!!! And I think my daughter is having girl trouble with a werewolf! My workload is just...UGH!”  

She stuffed her face with the rest of the baked good and chewed angrily. However, her gaze softened when Marek reassured her beauty. “Mmm, babe...” she whispered as she tackled him for a hug. “You always know the right things to say. Thank you!” Being in the presence of her boyfriend surely lightened things up for Yasemin as she outweighed the good in her life. At the end of the day, she was grateful to have a roof over her head, a job, and loved ones by her side. “Now tell me about you? I want to know about your day and how things are with you...” Digging into the rest of the food and enjoying a glass of cherry wine for herself, she shook her head and said, “It’ll be our little secret! No one has to know! Besides look at me Marek. Would they suspect anything mischievous from this face?” 

[yasemin-asli]

andre marek‌:

The fae grinned as she floated over to him, quickly setting aside the to-go bag he’d gotten for her and wrapping his arms around her. Marek smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Rough day?” he asked with a soft chuckle as she buried her face into his chest. He didn’t really think that making a nice meal for his girlfriend meant he was spoiling her since he enjoyed cooking and baking, but what he enjoyed the most was seeing Yasemin being content because of it. “Well, this is clearly a win-win scenario because I love doing it” he told her before they kissed, a soft smile spreading across his lips as they pulled away. “There’s no special occasion” the fae admitted with a shrug. “It’s my day off work and I thought you’d like the surprise. I know work has been stressful for you and a nice meal might distract you from that for a little while”. What was a tasty lunch compared to a whole lot of workload and all of the town’s issues? Probably not much. But if he could help give a few minutes of relaxation to his girlfriend, he sure as hell would do it.

On cue, Yasemin did her infamous pout as she nodded in response to Marek’s question. “Days? Weeks? Months even?...I don’t know, with each passing day that goes by this job becomes more problematic.” Looking up she was trying to see something as she blurted out, “Do you see any grey hairs? You think I’m finally getting the elderly look? Wrinkles too?” She was being dramatic, but in her opinion she had every right to with the struggles that she’d been facing as a Council member. “Well I love you whole heartedly for doing this.” And with that she pulled him for another kiss, this one lingered a little bit longer than the last, but she soon pushed him away slightly as she didn’t want to get too carried away just yet. “This is a nice surprise.” she says to him with a gentle smile. Taking his hand she led him to her office couch and pulled the coffee table a little closer to them so they could lay the food on there. “There’s a lot happening as you know. Changes again and more...trouble...But this is a really nice and much needed break from from it all.” Something that Yasemin’s been improving on was not talking about work whenever she’s with him. It’s the least she could do as a workaholic, although she wasn’t sure how today would work out since he’s...well at her work. 

Yasemin went straight for the freshly baked leafed bread as it was her favourite and partially one of the reason why she fell for Marek. “Mmmm...” she hums in satisfaction while she eats it. “You know I wouldn’t have mind if the cherry wine was strong—I have a lot going on and that would have definitely done the trick.” 

[yasemin-asli]

andre marek‌:

Date: April 2021 Time: Afternoon Location: City Hall

@yasemin-asli​

It was his day off at the diner but that had in no way kept the fae from being quite active. He’d never been good at sitting still, so Marek had spent most of the morning making good use of the bow Yasemin had given him for Christmas, as well as performing some training exercises with his electrokinetic blades. He may no longer be a royal guard but that didn’t keep him from continuing to pursue the mastery of his combat skills. After a shower he’d gone to that part of the house that was his pride and joy: the kitchen. The fae lost himself in there for some good two hours before he packed everything neatly to-go and headed towards Lethe’s City Hall. “I have a delivery for one Ms. Asli” he said after knocking on Yasemin’s office door, a smile quickly appearing on his lips. “I have a berry salad, roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce, some cherry wine- don’t worry, it’s not strong. I made sure to make it extra light” he was quick to say, so she wouldn’t think he’d brewed her a strong alcoholic drink to work. “And of course, I have some freshly baked leafed bread for you”. Ever since he’d first made those little bread buns wrapped in lotus leaves, Yasemin had loved that fae food and Marek was always delighted to make some for her every now and then. Given the coming and going waves of stress from work, he thought it’d be nice to surprise her and treat her to some good homemade food.

Yasemin thinks she’s losing it. 

Currently, the Councilwoman was spinning in her ergonomic chair and humming to herself as a coping mechanism. To what though? Probably stress, but when was she ever not stressed? This was a nice distraction, especially with how dizzy she was getting. Maybe she can bring herself to become fake sick. Who’s going to get upset with her anyways? Then she thought of the citizens and how they might need her help. Guilt didn’t sit well with her as she furrowed her brows and pouted while she twirled. “Gah!!!” she exclaimed before burying her face into her hands. It wasn’t until she heard Marek’s voice that she stopped spinning and immediately sprung out of her seat. “Babe!!” Forgetting the fact that she was dizzy, Yasemin clumsily tripped over her own feet, before floating over to Marek and stumbling into his arms. “My hero!” she whined as she buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around him for a tight embrace. It was mostly for support, but his hugs always made everything better. Evidently, she was so glad to see him and hearing what he had made for her caused her gaze to soften as she looked up at him. “Marek! I am way too lucky...You spoil me too much!” She then leaned up to kiss him, but pulled away briefly to ask, “—Wait what’s the occassion?” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“The others are too young or too stupid… I love my siblings, but the lifestyle would eat them alive and then spit them out before trampling them.” Her family would do worse, but she didn’t want to think about it. She had no problems with breaking traditions; her siblings, on the other hand, were safer following them. “You’re no fun, mother.” She sighed and stretched herself over Yasemin’s lap. 

“It counts! So we don’t gossip in English, but there’s plenty to do with the animals.” She sat up. “I just hope that my father doesn’t come back anytime soon… because I do want to hang out with her… even if she smells the way she does.” Seiha wasn’t going to say that Imani smelled like an alpha wolf. She knew whenever she shifted into an animal. If it wasn’t for the fact that they were friends, then she would have stayed away. The Takanashis didn’t get along with wolves. “Ok… I’ll be going.” She closed the takeaway carton. “Can I take your door?”

Yasemin wrapped her arms around Seiha for another hug. The shifter certainly has a big heart when it came to her family. “I’m proud of you.” she sincerely says to her. “Even if you don’t think I’m fun.” A smile soon crept onto her lips once she lets go, “You’ve been doing a lot for your age. Take it from someone who’s lived a ittle over a hundred years, sometimes you’re going to have to put your own needs over others. I know I’m very bad at this advice, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that we need to remind ourselves that it’s okay to be selfish once in a while.” 

She then rolled her eyes once she heard the shifter’s defence—clearly she wasn’t buying it. “I’m serious Seiha, you need some decent humane interaction here and there...even if we’re not the best.” Although she was willing to admit that on most stressful days, especially on the job—Yas preferred animals over people. Luckily she had Snow living with her. “If anything we’ll delay his process into our borders. I don’t know, let’s focus on the now shall we? He’s not here, so hang out with Imani as much as you want.” Being affectionate as she is, Yas pulled Seiha into one last embrace before pointing in the direction of her door, “I expected you to exit that way young lady, don’t even try me.” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“He smells a different way so I would have been fine.” Her mother’s man wasn’t a problem. She never talked to him, but he seemed nice enough. Seiha doubted that he’d hurt a mouse. “Of course they weren’t expecting me. Ryo was supposed to be the leader but he ran off to enjoy a rival’s son. I just wanted to shift into stuff.” She shrugged and sighed. Yasemin was right; things changed and adaptation was important. “Mom, my brain is melting like an icicle… I don’t think I can handle all that positivity…”

“I do need a break… I want hot springs and nakedness… or maybe just nakedness and more tattoos. I want to feel free again.” She accepted the hug and then leaned against her when she at back down. “I can’t go see her… she’s busy with her werewolf pals and her brother… This is probably why I’m annoying, she’s so busy and I just sort of pop up.” Seiha then narrowed her eyes. “You know I have a social life… Not one that you’d understand…”

Yasemin sighed in defeat, it was inevitable to prevent the shifter into her home. This was her child and she always told her that she has home here if needed. “Does it have to be you two? Isn’t there anyone else in your family that can lead?”  She rolled her eyes at the complaint and waved Seiha off, “Don’t be so dramatic dear, you’re just trying to avoid the truth.” 

“You can feel free, you just need to find a compromise to it.” Yas tucked a few strands of the shifter’s hair from her face and smiled. “You’re making excuses.” she pointed out. “And shifting and associating with other animals don’t count. Go see her Seiha, I know you want to.” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“Yes, because finding my way out of my clothes is a lot harder as an ant.” That, and mice were cute. She gave Yasemin a soft smile, trying to clear the heavy air, but she could tell from the other woman’s line of questioning that she’d need to try harder. They were back to an unwelcomed topic. “It’s been ok, but my ideas haven’t been exactly stellar. The ideas that matter to me have only lead to… less than satisfactory ends…” An understatement, she thought. She continued to play with the ring, nervously pushing it into a spin around its chain. “I mean traditions happen because they work in some sense?”  She tried to keep a serious face but she couldn’t. Seiha cracked a smile. “It’s just maddening this valley of whatever the fuck this is.”

“Well, yes and no… she’s sort of the type of person who gives herself time to relax and chill out… I’m sure it fits her brand with the whole DJing thing.” She cleared her throat. “I mean DJs do that… Sort of like how DJ Khalid has his yell and he tries to look cool for a man in tracksuits.” Of course, Seiha listened to Imani’s work. Even after they faded from each other, she liked to play it while she worked. “I always had anything I needed even if I messed up… now I’m just… I don’t know.”

“You’re lucky Marek wasn’t here. Seriously dear, a heads up would have been appreciated.” Yasemin still maintained her gentle smile, in the end she didn’t mind Seiha’s company. “You’re a change that they’re not used to.” It’s an assumption. She didn’t know what goes down behind close doors, let alone the Takanashi clan held their own standards that she wasn’t fully aware of. However, she could tell that Seiha was a breath of fresh air for them, a change of pace and she knew that with more than a hundred year old traditions, change was inevitable, but more importantly unwelcome. “—But times have changed.” countered Yas. “If anything traditions should adapt and change.” 

Yasemin stared helplessly at Seiha. There was a lot going in her mind and there’s only so much she could do, but she didn’t want to overwhelm her. Instead, the nymph got up and gave her a hug. “I think you need a break. You’re not giving yourself enough credit.” Letting go, she sat back down and said, “I can see that you enjoy being in the presence of the werewolf. Why don’t you go see her? She’s your best friend and she gives you a sense of normalcy no? You’ve been working and been invested in your clan’s business, that you should have a social life dear.” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“Hope we don’t miss anything interesting.” Seiha didn’t really care if they did. Avoiding the bullshit wasn’t a terrible thing. She picked up the carton and started to eat the fried rice again. “By the way, you have a hole large enough for a mouse to crawl through.” She then turned to face Yasemin. “If it happened now… well… no… I’d miss you too much. But if it was back from when I first arrived here. Yes. Then I wouldn’t have ever met you or been reunited with her.”

Seiha knew that she was right about Imani. They understood each other and in her mind, that was what best friends were supposed to be like. “I don’t think so. She thinks I’m annoying, tells me often, that woman.” She chuckled and shook her head before reaching over to play with the ring that she kept on a chain around her neck. The shifter told people that she kept the ring as a hopeful reminder, but deep down she felt more burdened by her regrets. After all, her own selfishness was why she ended up alone. “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have that status.”

“If we did, then we’ll be sure to hear it the next day.” There’s no use in overthinking it. At the mention of the hole, Yas stared at Seiha in confusion and then it clicked. “You broke into my home by shifting into a mouse?” she asked with an arched brow. “Seiha!” However, her expression hardened the moment she heard her response to her question. Shaking her head, she refrained the question and said, “Now Seiha—We’re talking about the now and that’s exactly it. You’ve built a life for yourself and even after everything you still continue to take each day that goes by. So why stop now? Just cause of tradition? And a bunch of old people chiming into your ear telling you how you should live your life? I know you can overcome the slump you’re feeling right now.”

Shaking her head, Yasemin sighed as she leaned back into her seat. She’s lived long enough to know that people find comfort in each other once the opportunity presents itself. That’s how she sees Seiha and Imani, despite the two not wanting to admit, let alone face their emotions on the whole. “If you were actually annoying then she’d cut you out of her life completely. She seems like the type of woman who doesn’t waste time.” The air nymph had to disagree with Seiha’s response. “No, you’re more than that. Although I can see why you’d think that, it’s all you’ve ever known.” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

She liked to criticize her family for being too prideful, but she had learned how to be a proud person from them. Seiha leaned against her seat and started to mix her rice in the carton. Her pride was probably hurting her at the moment. “Yeh, well, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I need to get another and get the colours to pop again. It’s been a while.” She went silent for a moment to think about what she would say. Knowing Yasemin, the other woman would take her law degree and ask all questions deemed necessary to get to the bottom of things. Seiha sighed. “I wish I had stayed jammed and forgotten about my humanity. I wouldn’t mind being a bird for the rest of my life.” Uncomfortably, she adjusted her shirt above the scar on her chest. 

“I don’t know… I haven’t really talked to her about my father. We just don’t talk about family… Not after what happened with those shades.” She lowered her gaze. “Being a bird wouldn’t be so bad. I’d get to fly around and wouldn’t have to worry about certain rules…” She sighed again. “But it wouldn’t be too fun to not be able to hang out with Imani…”

“Mmkays, we can take the day off too.” The City Hall and their respective jobs can do well without them for a day, especially since they deserve a break too. After learning Seiha’s truth, Yasemin didn’t say anything at first. It was a heavy wish for the shifter to state and even though she didn’t know how it felt, let alone what she actually went through, she was able to understand why she’d reach that conclusion. “Now if given the opportunity to have that option of staying in shift, would you take it?” She paused and clarified her actual question, for there was a truth she wanted to know. “You’d want to leave those you have met behind? Relationships you’ve built? Like myself or Imani?” Throwing in such examples were already a given now that they were brought up.  

“It seems like you two understand each other though. It’s better than being alone.” pointed out the air nymph with a softened gaze. “Exactly, you’d be missing a certain wolf and I’m sure she’d miss your presence just as much. I feel as if you’re finding it hard to accept that you do matter, your life on the whole matters too and that you have people who see you for you rather than the status tied to your name.” 

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“I don’t know. I thought they learned their lesson after Ryo.”  She rolled her eyes at the other woman. “My father probably wants me to consider another clan’s elder or something like that. It’s a tradition, which is why I should get another tattoo. I think they’re cool and most of the other families don’t quite like having a woman this inked up!” Seiha let out a loud laugh. “… Because it’s not the right time to not do what they want…”

She looked over and frowned when she saw the way Yasemin stared at her. The silence between them spoke more than her words. “I really do miss you. It’s just been work, work, work, work, and I don’t get to see you outside of it. Small talk is actually dreadful. I almost miss the Japanese trains.” She looked away. “Yes, of course… she’s my best friend and I don’t want to lose her, even if it means pissing off my father.”

Yasemin felt for Seiha and knew that she was doing her best in balancing both her role in the Council and as a Takanashi in her own clan. However, the expectations set out for her didn’t seem fair, which is why she tries to help her out in balancing it all. Her suggestion may piss off her clan, but there was no turning back on what’s already done to them. “I’ve been wanting to get another tatt...Did you want to get one with me?” she suggested. At least there’d be something positive to look forward to. “Take them and the expectations of you out of the picture. What do you want?” 

Nodding in understanding, Yasemin sighed and said, “Mhm, I know it’s been difficult...I’m here now though.” She then gave her an encouraging smile as she tried to look on the bright side of things. “So what does that mean for the both of you?” 

[demctozdemir]

Demet Özdemir as Zeynep in Doğduğun Ev Kaderindir

[yasemin-asli]

seiha takanashi‌:

“I would have texted you if my father wasn’t watching me like those weird unblinking fish do. So nosey… and an invasion of his grown daughter’s privacy, but then again, I did subject myself to this town.” She hummed thoughtfully and gently tapped her chin with the clean end of her chopsticks. “You know, sometimes I wonder if this town’s acceptance of Shifter culture is really worth it.” While she acknowledged how tough it could be for other shifters and the privilege she had having grown up around others like her, she still thought that the outside world wasn’t as bad as people in Lethe made it out to be.

Seiha cleared her throat and lowered the takeaway to the table. “There are so many werewolves in this little… dust speck of a place… For all you know, I could be talking about the werewolf councilman.” She chuckled and then sighed. Her jokes weren’t hitting the same as they normally would have. “She has a particular smell to her that any experienced shifter would know… and she’s my friend. I’ve gotten a stern reminder about what happens between dogs and foxes.” She paused. “And I miss my mother.”

“Well that’s annoying. Why is he suddenly all up in your business?” Out of motherly instinct, Yasemin rubbed her back as a means of comfort and sighed, “It’s complicated.” She knew why Seiha would state such a thing, after all the views of Lethe’s townspeople weren’t all the same. However, the way she sees it, you have your good apples and your bad. It’s all a matter of just dealing with it. “Honestly Seiha, I know you have it in you to do what you want. I think there’s more to why you’re holding back other than your family’s tradition and honour.” 

Which is how she go to her next point. “You can’t fool me.” she deadpanned as she sat up. Yasemin wasn’t stupid either. “I miss you too dear, but we do work together and going back on the topic at hand...” She paused and gave Seiha a look, the kind of look that meant she should be telling the truth moving forward. “She’s important to you isn’t she? I’ve seen you two together a lot.” 

[yasemin-asli]

eleonor castellana‌:

A small smile crossed the lamia’s lips, infinitely grateful that her best friend was willing to be there for her. Yasemin’s kindness and unwavering support was one of the main reasons Ele had managed to stay afloat in spite of the painful heartache. The lamia felt lonely beyond words but there was some relief in knowing she was not truly alone. It didn’t take them too long to get to her home and the two of them made their way to the kitchen to see what they could use to make an easy but tasty dinner. Eleonor was searching through the pantry when her friend spoke and she turned around to face her. “It’s just…” she trailed off, letting out a soft sigh. “It’s difficult, you know?”. It was a lame way of putting it but it was so hard to put into words exactly how she felt regarding Ben’s departure. The nymph had been the very first person the lamia had allowed herself to love, to truly love, that now that he was gone it felt like he’d taken a part of her with him and that he’d also left behind part of his essence forever ingrained into her. She rolled her lips, unsure of how to say that other piece of information she wanted to share with her friend. It was best to simply say it, right? “Yas… I’m pregnant”.

Looking through her pantry, she pouted slightly and wished Marek were here to cook for them. His expertise were much needed and further, she grew accustomed to his homemade meals now that they live together. Glancing over at Ele, she felt a wave of sadness for her and made the decision to walk over over to her and pull her into another hug. Rubbing her back for comfort, she sighed softly and whispered, “I know hun...But I’m so proud of you and how you’ve been hanging in there. Further, I’m with you every step of the way. So if you ever need company, I will drop everything and be there for you.” As her best friend, it was the right thing to do and she wouldn’t have it any other way. With a reassuring smile, she gently squeezed both her arms and said, “Look, screw it! Let’s get wine drunk and binge watch all of our fave shows. I’m sure we can also make a fancy charcuterie board to go with—” And just like that, silence engulfed the room and the nymph’s expression changed. 

Did she heard that right? Pregnant. 

“Eleonor.” Silence. Yasemin had a lot of emotions going through her, but finally she realized that perhaps the way she was reacting wasn’t helpful to Ele’s situation. As such, the Councilwoman shook her head and attempted keep it together.“Does he know? Are you keeping the baby? Are you okay? How are you feeling? What’s your take on this?” So she was overwhelmed and further she was upset, upset at the fact that the man who knocked her best friend up isn’t even in town anymore. “I’m going to kill him.” she blurted out unexpectedly. “He just can’t leave you like this and with a freakin’ baby!!!”