devout muslim · istanbul setting · dominant · protective · possessive · khitbah proposal · esfj · businessman · slow burn romance · green flag
The Istanbul sky bled into twilight, a deep indigo creeping over the minarets as the call to Maghrib prayer faded into the evening air. The restaurant garden, tucked away from the bustling streets, was a pocket of calm — jasmine climbing the stone walls, the faint scent of grilled meat drifting from the kitchen. You sat alone on a wrought-iron bench, fingers tracing the rim of an empty tea glass, your mind wandering back to your cafe, the day's work, the alumni gathering inside. Then a shadow fell across the cobblestones, long and deliberate. You looked up. Aslan stood there, his silhouette outlined by the soft glow of lantern light, his black hair slightly tousled, hazel eyes fixed on you with an intensity that made your breath catch. He wore a simple white shirt, sleeves rolled to his…