Chapter 23

"Senin ne kadar sevdiğimi bilmiyorsun, hayatım."

Yerenica

The soft scuff of oversized slides against marble echoed through the hallway. Too big for my feet, they clung stubbornly to my toes with each hurried step, the faintest of claps sounding as I struggled to keep up with Rezan. His grip was firm but easy, as though guiding rather than dragging me along. Behind us, Cihan and Dehrin followed or, more accurately, bickered their way down the hall like unsupervised children in a store full of fragile antiques.

"You nag more than an old teyze," Dehrin muttered.(fussy older woman.)

Cihan scoffed, feigning deep offense. "Nagging would imply I still have hope for your development, çocuk—" (Kid.)

"—I'm nineteen," Dehrin cut in flatly.

"And yet, you function like an unsupervised toddler with a death wish."

Dehrin rolled his eyes. "I swear, you act like you came out of the womb paying bills and reciting laws."

"Someone had to set an example while you were busy ramming your di- ahem...head into brick walls for fun." Cihan changed his words after spearing me a glance.

I'm not a kid.

"At least I don't wear a tie like my life depends on it."

"And yet," Cihan smoothed the fabric with a smug glance, "I still look better than you."

A small laugh escaped before I could stop it. Breathless, quiet but enough to bring both brothers to a dead halt, their heads snapping toward me as if I had just performed a miracle. Dehrin recovered first, a slow grin stretching across his face, equal parts cocky and victorious.

"See that?" he announced, smug as ever. "Made her laugh. I'm a damn hero."

"Do you want a standing ovation?" Cihan deadpanned. "Perhaps a statue in your honor?"

"Nah, hearing that little giggle is enough," Dehrin shot back, winking at me with exaggerated flair. The sheer self-satisfaction rolling off him made my face burn.

Rezan snorted under his breath, shaking his head as he led me to a hallway on the third floor. He stopped in front of a door opposite Dehrin's, turning the knob and pushing it open.

The breath left my lungs.

Sunlight poured through tall windows, stretching golden fingers across polished wooden floors. An elegant chandelier, golden with delicate glass arms hung from the ceiling, every floral detail kissed by soft morning light. Cream-colored walls stretched high, adorned with intricate patterns that hummed of timeless elegance.

Bookshelves lined one side of the room, filled with leather-bound volumes, their spines worn with age. A grand four-poster bed stood opposite, draped in pristine white linens, the carved headboard swirling like something out of a fairytale. A vintage vanity, a matching antique writing desk, and an upholstered armchair completed the space all in soft hues of ivory and gold.

A princess's room.

I moved before I could think, my fingers skimming the smooth wood of the bookshelf, tracing the delicate carvings on the vanity. My gaze drifted to the glass doors leading to a balcony, where the estate gardens stretched toward a shimmering lake in the distance. The air smelled of sandalwood and fresh linen--peaceful. Safe.

Only when I turned did I realize all four brothers were still standing by the door. Watching.

Heat climbed up my neck. "I..I- uh"

"Do you like it?" Cihan asked, his voice softer, carrying the barest hint of something cautious. Hopeful.

My eyes flicked from him to Rezan, then to Zyran and Dehrin, each of them wearing something that wasn't quite a smile but felt dangerously close. Warm. Gentle in a way that made my chest ache.

"This is..." I shook my head, struggling for words. "Mine?"

"Yours," Zyran confirmed, his voice steady, final.

"For as long as you want," Cihan added, as if daring me to argue.

I swallowed hard. "But I—"

"If you want to change anything, add your own touch, anything at all..." Rezan stepped closer, his voice lower now, careful. His fingers ghosted against my hair, tucking a stray strand behind my ear. Then, with effortless ease, he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, warm and fleeting. "Just ask, meleğim." ( My angel.)

"I don't need to change anything," I said quickly. "It's perfect. Thank you. Really, I...thank you—"

"Thanks who?" Rezan interrupted, eyes glinting with amusement.

My heart stuttered. "huh"

"Go on, küçük kız," (Little girl.) he prompted, smirk widening. "Let's hear it."

I shifted awkwardly, my face burning. "Th..thank you... abi," I mumbled.

Rezan chuckled, stepping back with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

"If you're feeling well enough tomorrow, I'll take you shopping for whatever you need," Zyran said, his voice calm but firm. "Clothes. Shoes. Anything."

"I'm fine," I said quickly. "I can—"

"Even so," he cut in, unyielding. "Rest first. Hm?"

I nodded, biting my lip to hide a small smile.

"Hey, and my room's right across from yours, so if you need anything—" Dehrin tapped his chest, flashing an easy grin. "I got you, küçük kuş." (Little bird.)

The warmth blooming in my chest was unfamiliar. Too soft. Too sweet. I ducked my head, unsure how to hold it all without breaking.

"Thank you," I whispered again.

One by one, they left, and promising to see me in a few hours until the only sound left was the faint click of the door closing behind them.

And the slow, steady rhythm of my heart.

------

There was once a girl in a storybook who lived in a house made of glass. She walked carefully, each step a prayer against the cracking floor, each breath a whisper against fragile walls. She could see the world outside, felt the warmth of the sun pressing through transparent panes, watched birds thread ribbons of sky between their wings, heard voices beyond the walls calling for someone, never her. But she did not step out. Not because she couldn't, but because she feared the air beyond the glass would shatter her entirely.

She spent her days tracing the edges of her existence, pressing her fingers against the walls just to remind herself they were real. Sometimes, she imagined they weren't. That she was free. That she was something more than a creature made of brittle reflections.

But the thing about glass is that it does not break beautifully. It splinters. It cuts.

She had not yet decided if it was safer to stay whole or bleed.

A soft rustling sound tugged me from the hollow corridors of my mind. The maid moved methodically, placing the neatly folded garments into the wardrobe with practiced efficiency. There weren't many just a few dresses, the kind that draped elegantly but felt too stiff, too refined for something as simple as sleeping.

She turned to me with a polite smile. "Would you like me to set something aside for you to wear to bed?"

I hesitated. My gaze flickered over the dresses, silks and soft cottons, yet none of them carried the comfort I craved.

"That's alright," I murmured. "I can manage. Thank you"

She nodded, excusing herself quietly. As the door clicked shut, my eyes drifted to the clock. Three hours had passed since the brothers had left me to rest. The room felt vast and unfamiliar, swallowing the sound of my own breathing. I curled my fingers into the hem of my sleeves, willing the quiet to settle, but it only pressed in tighter.

I swallowed. And before I could think better of it, I found myself moving.

The hallway was dimly lit, my footsteps soft against the polished floors. My hands curled into small, uncertain fists as I paused in front of Dehrin's door. For a second, I hesitated. Then, with all the courage I could muster, I knocked.

The door swung open a moment later, revealing Dehrin, his dark hair tousled, an amused expression settling across his face as he leaned lazily against the doorframe. "Baby?"

I shifted on my feet, suddenly self-conscious. "I—I don't have anything comfortable to wear to bed."

He blinked. Then, a slow grin stretched across his lips. "You came to me for help?" His voice was rich with amusement. "Baby, I'm honored."

My face burned. "Forget it."

He chuckled, stepping aside. "No, no, come in. Let's find you something, aşkım." (my love)

I stepped in hesitantly, taking in his room. It was messier than the others, an organized kind of chaos. A record player sat on a shelf beside a scattered collection of vinyls, some stacked haphazardly. A dark leather jacket was slung over the back of a chair. His desk was cluttered with papers and open books, and I realized, somewhat surprised, that he had been studying.

He caught my gaze. "What, shocked I have a brain?"

I bit back a smile. "A little."

Getting too comfortable, aren't we?

"Don't worry," Dehrin drawled behind me, his voice tinged with amusement. "I wasn't doing anything important."

I glanced back. He smirked but didn't tease, only tugging me gently toward the walk-in closet tucked near the far side of the room. Sliding the door open, he flicked on the light, revealing neatly arranged shelves and rows of dark clothes, leather jackets, hoodies, and jeans all organized in clean lines.

Crouching beside one of the lower cupboards, he swung it open and gestured to the neatly folded stack of hoodies inside.

"Take your pick, princess."

I blinked, the offer somehow more generous than expected. Hesitating only a moment, I reached for a pale blue hoodie tucked near the middle of the stack, fingers curling gently around the soft fabric before holding it up questioningly.

Dehrin chuckled. "Good taste."

"Thanks," I murmured, clutching the hoodie close as warmth crawled beneath my ribs. The faint scent of his cologne clung to the fabric, oddly comforting in its warmth.

His gaze softened slightly. "Anything else you need, baby?"

Then, my gaze landed on a pair of black basketball shorts. I hesitated before plucking them from the shelf, holding them up experimentally. I glanced at Dehrin, silently asking for permission.

He smiled. "Go for it, love."

I turned them over in my hands, then frowned. "These will look ridiculously dumb on me."

"Yeah?" His grin turned wolfish. "Let's fix that."

Before I could react, he grabbed a pair of scissors from his drawer and began cutting the shorts at the hem. I gasped. "Abi, what are you doing?!"

"Relax," he drawled, snipping away with ease. "I'm making them fit."

I gawked as he trimmed them to a more wearable length, then tightened the drawstrings with a triumphant look. "Problem solved."

Despite myself, a giggle bubbled up. He looked pleased.

I hesitated, unsure if I should say more. But the words tumbled out before I could stop them.

"Thank you, abi."

His smirk faltered. Just slightly. But in the next breath, his face softened, something warm and unguarded flickering behind his eyes as if the word had cracked through a layer of something hard and distant.

Before I could say anything else, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my temple. The warmth of it lingered, chasing away the cold that always seemed to sit beneath my skin.

"Can I hug you?" His voice was softer now.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat, nodding wordlessly.

His arms wrapped around me with a gentleness that somehow caught me off guard, one hand resting lightly against the back of my head as he pressed another faint kiss into my hair.

His voice was quiet, murmuring against my hair. "Seni çok seviyorum, hayatım."

("You have no idea how much I love you, my life.")

I didn't understand the words, but they pressed against me like a lullaby. Safe. Steady. I hugged him back.

-------

Later, after washing up, I stood in front of the mirror, drowning in Dehrin's hoodie. The fabric hung just above my knees, the cut basketball shorts barely visible beneath it. I turned slightly, amused by the way I looked.

A knock interrupted my thoughts. "Dinner's ready," Dehrin called.

When I opened the door, he took one look at me and burst out laughing. "You look like a mini Rezan."

I stuck my tongue out at him. momentarily surprised by own boldness.

This put a smile on his face, easing my own nerves.

We bickered all the way to the dining room. When we entered, the laughter stilled for half a second before amusement spread across my brothers' faces. Rezan smirked first, striding over.

"Well, well, look at our little trendsetter." He plucked at the hoodie sleeve playfully. "You trying to steal my look, puppy?"

"Looks better on me," I shot back, lifting my chin.

He clutched his chest dramatically. "Betrayal."

Dehrin joined in, ruffling my hair. "She's officially one of us now."

Cihan sighed, though his lips twitched with restrained amusement. "Enough, let her eat in peace."

"Aw, will you look at her trying to glare at us Abi" Dehrin chuckled as Rezan's shoulder shook with unrestrained laughter.

These fu-

No, bad yerenica.

I huffed, turning to Zyran for support. "Abis!" i whined ridiculously. ( Abis is a more childish and affectionate way of addressing your older brother)

Ew. stop this is embarrassing. My conscience took a dig at me.

The room stilled. Zyran froze, something unreadable flickering across his face. For a moment, he didn't speak. Then he leveled a stern look at the others. "Stop teasing her."

I giggled. And for the first time, I thought, maybe I could get used to this.

Thoughts

Lol give me ideas for some drama.