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Kaveh knows he'll be 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 for life as soon as Alhaitham sets foot in their shared apartment.

Not that the apartment has ever been in good conditions with the both of them around, mind you, but while Alhaitham would be busy at the Akademiya dealing with the mess the sages left behind, Kaveh would stay home, tiding up 𝘪𝘧, he was in the mood for it.

Or else, like today's case, he'd spend the day painting, scrabbling idea after idea, dreaming of one of his beautiful (because archons above, even his simple sketches were 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭) creations to finally be commissioned by someone.

The Palace of Alcazarzaray is his biggest one, truly a piece of art, worthy of Kaveh's talent.

It was simply a pity, and a drop (rain) of misfortune, that Kaveh ended up in this situation, living with his enemy? akademic rival? praying the dendro archon that Alhaitham won't 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 him on the spot for dirtying his important sheets.

How it had happened, he had no idea. 

He was sketching on the small table in the living room, tongue sticked out to concentrate better and eyes focused on the paper before him.

𝖠𝗅𝗁𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝗂𝖿 𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 "𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝗋𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇".

"𝖨'𝗆 𝖽𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍" 𝖪𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗁 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖺𝗌𝗄, 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗀𝖺𝗓𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀.

"𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗍𝗈𝗇𝗀𝗎𝖾" 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾'𝖽 𝖼𝗁𝗎𝖼𝗄𝗅𝖾, 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖪𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗁𝗋𝖾𝗐𝖺𝗋 𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝖻𝗅𝗎𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌 "𝗂𝗍'𝗌..".

Kaveh shook that memory out of his head, getting all his attention back on the design of his dream's house.

It would have a simple design, nothing too extravagant, just a little house for him to live in, a small garden, and flowers decoring it.

𝘠𝘦𝘴, that was perfect, he thought, as he proudly raised his creation, contently smiling to himself.

"Wait till Haitham sees it!" he cheerfully said to no one in particular, till it occurred him.

Why would he want to show the scribe? Just so he could shove in his face that it was about time that he moved out of his house?

And Celestia, why was it 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 so much, to even think about moving out?

He has been staying at Alhaitham's place for 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 now; the apartment took some of Kaveh's shape as well, his paintings hung on the wall, his favourite flowers in vases all around the house. 

Or perhaps, was leaving 𝘈𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮 that pained him the most?

Kaveh let out a frustrated groan, everything but letting his hands fall in fists on the table "why would I even think about that???".

So, that was the moment, wasn't it?

How had he been so stupid to hit the table like that, then failing to notice one of his bottle of paint falling straight on Alhaitham's folder?

It'll be just mere minutes until Alhaitham would be home, and Kaveh could do nothing but 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 for the worst to come.

Honestly, why would he even feel bad about it? It's not his fault he left important stuff around the house! 

Yes, that was it. Kaveh had no need to apologize. Right?

𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨.

He could feel it from the faint shuffle of keys outside, a grunt accompanying it.

𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥. He was so, so dead.

"Why are you standing there like an idiot?" Alhaitham was exhausted, dealing with his roommate's shit was the last thing he wanted for today "wait, no, lemme rephrase that. Why are you standing there?".

Kaveh took his hand to his heart, acting as if he was offended "rude! But huh..welcome..home?" he was sweating. 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘴, have mercy.

The gray haired man raised a brow, looking pretty much confused at his weird behaviour "I'm gonna ask this once. Kaveh, what did you do?".

𝘈𝘩. He saw through him, didn't he?

Kaveh watched as Alhaitham put down his working bags, intently scanning the whole house, trying to find whatever mess his roommate made.

"I accidentally soiled your folder with my paint" he blurted out before he could even register it "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. But just so you know!! Stop leaving important sheets around the house!".

Alhaitham blinked once. Twice. Thrice.

𝘜𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.

"Which one?" he was trying so hard to keep his cool. The work at the Akademia has drained him enough already. He honestly wasn't planning to come home to this, when all he wanted was to take a hot bath and get 2 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 hours of sleep.

Kaveh silently moved to the living room to pick up Alhaitham's folder, before passing it to the scribe with an apologetic smile.

Okay 1, 2, 3. 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦. In and out.

"Kaveh".

At that, the blond's head snapped up "yes?".

Alhaitham sighed. 𝘓𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺. 

"Do you even have the slightest idea of how important this was? It has all the files the traveler and I collected. Yet you covered it in paint".

"I told you I was sorry? It was just an accident! Why do you have to be so stingy about it? If you didn't want anything to happen to it, then you should have brought it with you at the Akademia!" Kaveh was 𝘮𝘢𝘥 now.

"So now it's 𝘮𝘺 fault? Then I'm sorry Mr Kaveh if I'm always working my ass off and I barely get a blink to sleep that I can't even remember where I put my own stuff while you're always home lazing around!".

Alhaitham was simply 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥, every nerve in his body completely stirred up by now. It's not him talking anymore, but his nervousness.

Kaveh huffed "I told you. It's not laziness. I too have some work to do here and there, you know?".

"Then please 𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯 me, great Kaveh" Alhaitham was completely mocking him by now "if it's not laziness, then what is it?".

The blond seemed to think about it for a second, uncertainty flashing through his red eyes, before he whispered something.

"I'm sorry, what?" Alhaitham didn't know whether he should be more confused than before, or annoyed at the other for not even speaking properly.

"I 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵".

"You can't, what?".

"I can't..do anything. It's not.. it's not like I don't 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to. I simply 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵" Kaveh spoke properly, hands fidgeting while slightly tapping a foot on the floor.

The look of pure disbelief on Alhaitham's face would have made Kaveh laugh for hours, if the situation was another and he didn't look on the verge of tears.

"Wha-" the scribe tried to ask before Kaveh interrupted him.

"It's like wanting to use a torch but its batteries die before you even get to use it. Pretty much 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 right? Born to do something yet still can't do it".

Because it was true. For people like him, doing anything, even the bare minimum, would risult in a 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦, always feeling like they're running against time.                   

Yet it was funny, how he could still draw and project, as if it was as easy as breathing.

And Alhaitham has never seen such an expression on his roommate. Sure, out of the two, Kaveh has always been so much expressive, ever so obnoxious, always a toothy grin on and a pleased expression.

But this. It made Kaveh look so vulnerable, as if he was going to 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 just by looking at him for too long. And it stung, because Alhaitham has never felt the urge to engulf him and protect his roommate from the entire world.

But maybe, all Kaveh needed was to be protected 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 him.

"I don't expect you to understand" he said, finally moving his gaze from the floor "you 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 do".

And if the sad smile which Kaveh looked at him with, while closing the door of their shared apartment, burnt Alhaitham like a stab right in his heart, no one needed to know, but him, and the (𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥) quiet of his house.

-

If someone has ever told Alhaitham that he wouldn't have to deal with his roommate for more than a week straight, he'd have laughed in their face saying that it was 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. Kaveh was always at his hip, finding him even in the quietest and most remote places of all Sumeru. 

No matter what, the blond would always find a way to annoy his roommate.

Yet why hadn't he come 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 at all?

Alhaitham should be happy, to have the house to himself, no more chaos around, no more loud laughter of a drunk Kaveh, no more 𝘩𝘪𝘮.

So why did the quiet of his (their) apartment suddenly felt so loud?                                 

Why did it seem like it was so goddamn 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨? 

For whatever stupid reason, Alhaitham couldn't really pinpoint that.

(Or he knew, but didn't want to accept it).

-

"One more day and I'm seriously sending you in the forest chasing monsters away, whether you like it or not" came Tighnari's ringing voice, sideway glancing at the blond sitting at his desk.

Kaveh pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at Tighnari with big pup eyes "no. That doesn't work on me" the forest ranger said, to which Kaveh replied with a snort, dropping his act.

"Oh cmooooon Nari! Just..just a few days and then I'll-" he interrupted mid sentence because 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? What will he do exactly?     

He left the house of the only one who has ever offered to help him (for free, mind you. Tighnari offered to help but..Kaveh would rather be on the street than having to work in the forest. He was an 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵, for Kusanali's sake!).

The fox watched him silently, tilted head with a finger laying on his chin "you can't keep ignoring this, and you know that as well. Archons, you're more stubborn than Cyno" at that, they both let out a quiet chuckle "but I'm serious, Kaveh. You can't avoid this forever".

Tighnari has seen the blond in all of his vulnerable moments. When he was stressed over his Akademiya exams? Tighnari was there. When he went bankrupt after finishing the palace of Alcazarzaray? Tighnari was there. 

But he could have sworn, he has 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 seen Kaveh look like this.                                         

Eyes dull and deep, heavy, dark circles.

He's not sure whether he got a wink of sleep or not in the entire week and more he has been at Gandharva Ville with him, but he did catch glimpse of the blond sitting on his desk at night, completely immersed on his notebook, intently drawing something (or rather, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦).

And it was almost painful to watch, as the artist's hands trembled, ever so slightly. Tighnari couldn't see him in his face but he knew, that the blond has been openly 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 while drawing, chocked sobs coming out every now and then.

Tighnari couldn't believe these two grown up 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴.

"He wouldn't understand, and we'd end up arguing all over again" he was 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, to say the least "couldn't he just, listen to me for once? It always feels like talking to a fucking wall".

"Well" another voice said, surprising them both "that 'fucking' wall seems like he finally figured where you have been, so unless you want to keep running away from your problems, I suggest you start preparing yourself to have the longest conversation of your life".

Cyno was standing at the entrance of Tighnari's hut, gaze going back and forth between Kaveh and the forester ranger.

The blond looked at Tighnari who simply raised a brow at him, his words 'you can't avoid it forever' almost haunting him.

He sighed loudly raising his hands "alright alright I get it, I'll talk to him. Thank you for the help, both of you, you know I love you Tighnari, but I hope I won't have to come back here ever again. You 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 me".

Cyno let out a snort, to which Tighnari shook his head with an amused face on, as Kaveh rushed out. 

"It's not true that Alhaitham would come here, right?" the fox looked at the general mahamatra, who had his eyes closed and a posed face, a slight grin making its way to his lips.

"Precisely. He needed a push, so I helped out. Although, it's true that Alhaitham knew he was here. I've seen him a couple of times at the Akademiya and he did ask me if I knew where he was. I said nothing, but I guess he figured out everything on his own. I won't lie, he almost looked 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 when it clicked to him that he was staying with you" he sighed "they'll thank us one day".

"Yeah, they 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 will".

-

It was sunset when Alhaitham could 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 breathe in relief for having reached his last report of the day.

Just one hour and he could go rest at home. 

(Was it really a 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 anymore though?)

Only one, only one, only...who was tapping on his shoulder? He thought he was alone by now.

He raised his gaze just to see two curious ruby eyes staring at him, slim fingers pointing at his ears.

𝘖𝘩.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop turning your earing devices off when you're alone? What if something happens and you can't hear?!" Kaveh was shaking his head dramatically, but Alhaitham 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 he was concerned.

"Whatever" he said, before going back to his sheet.

He heard a gasp coming from the blond behind him "is this all you're going to tell me after not seeing me for a whole week?? Didn't you miss me?".

('yes, yes, 𝘺𝘦𝘴. Archons 𝘺𝘦𝘴, I missed you'

'I missed you too, 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮')

The scribe stopped writing to look at Kaveh once again "I'm turning my devices off again if you don't stop talking" threatens should do "please behave and let me finish my last paper, then we'll talk. At 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦".

Kaveh seemed almost surprised hearing that he took the initiative. He contently hummed, before sitting next to the scribe, taking out his sketchbook to spend the time.

-

Exactly 56 minutes later, Alhaitham closed his folder, the other hand gently moving a few strands of hair out oh his face, forehead slightly sweating.

He glanced at his roommate on his side, who was peacefully snoring with his face on his arms crossed over his still open sketchbook.

(𝘊𝘶𝘵𝘦).

"Kaveh" he called, slowly shaking the blond to wake him up "I'm done, get up or I'll leave you here" to which the older replied with a grunt, before nuzzling into his hand a little more.

Stop. Short cut. 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦.

Alhaitham retrieved his hand as if he burnt it, and he wished he actually did that, rather than thinking about how 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 Kaveh's gesture looked (and his beating heart on its way to leap out of his chest).

A soft "Hm?" came out of the blond's pinky lips, head scanning his surroundings, most likely still dizzy from his quick nap.

Alhaitham cleared his throat while picking his stuff before standing up on his way out (totally pretending he 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 get flushed) "it's getting dark, we should head home".

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥?

Kaveh looked at the scribe's back as he hurriedly approached the door of the House of Daena, a puzzled look displayed all over his face "at least wait for me you bastard!".

And if they both looked crazy, rushing out of the Akademiya, heavily panting, and laughters echoing in the soft night breeze of Sumeru City, no one but 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 (and the frightened students), needed to know.

-

"I'm sorry".

Startled, Kaveh looked up from his plate of butter chicken, slowly letting go of his fork to get all of his attention on his roommate.

"I know, I know. You're surprised I apologized first, right?" Alhaitham grinned "I know you didn't do it on purpose, I 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 overreacted".

Kaveh looked at him with a raised brow, as if to say 'only slightly?', but nonetheless, he smiled, resting his chin on his hand.

"I should have been more careful too and notice your folder being there. I was daydreaming..𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. I'm sorry, Haitham" hearing Kaveh call him by his nickname made the younger lose a heartbeat.

Back in their scholar time, Kaveh would always annoy him, following him around, bombarding him with questions and what not, and Alhaitham would rather become a sage than admit that he found the blond's company quite 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.

But still, whenever Kaveh was talking way too much for Alhaitham's patience to bear, he'd switch his hearing devices off, peacefully returning to the book in his hands.

The next time it happened, the architect kept poking at his cheeks to gain his attention, and Alhaitham was 𝘰𝘩 𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 to fight, if that's what Kaveh wanted.

But what he wasn't expecting, was to see the blond 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 at him.

When did he even learn the sign language?

And he seemed to understand what was Alhaitham's confused face standing for, because right after, he signed 'I learnt everything I could in the past month, so take that, Haitham! Now you can't ignore me anymore!'.

He seemed so proud of himself that..wait. 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮?

Sighing loudly, the gray haired boy put the book away, fully turning to Kaveh to sign better 'did you drink your brain while studying SSL that you can't even spell my name right?'.

Red eyes 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 followed as Alhaitham's fingers curled in front of his chest, trying to understand what he was saying, before he bursted out laughing.

'Oh, not at all! I simply thought it was cool to call you that!'.

Alhaitham blinked at him, turning his devices on "don't do that 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 again".

And that certainly didn't age well, because here they are, 6 years later and Kaveh still calling him that.

"That's..not really the point Kaveh. I don't care about those sheets. I wasn't 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦 with you and I..". 

Why did he feel like there was a 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘵 right in the middle of his throat?                         

Alhaitham is a great talker, ever so good at convincing people with only a few words, every sentence rolling out of his tongue like water.

Yet why was it 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 when it was Kaveh he was talking to?

A slim hand over his own made his train of thoughts come to an end, and he raised his teal eyes to look at the smiling face of his roommate.

Because Alhaitham 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 he'll never see more beautiful eyes than the big ruby pools shining ever 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 while looking at him, with so much fondness, so much respect, and full of..𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦?.

"It's okay, Haitham. 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶".

And Kaveh's smile was 𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴.               

He did not register the way he got on his feet, reaching the other side of the table, just to kneel in front of his roommate, taking his warm hands into his cold ones.

"Now, that's something" said Kaveh, giggling to himself, completely amused by the sight in front of him "I'm gonna tease you about this forever you know that, right?".

('I'll stay with you. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. And 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳. It's a promise'.)

"Shut up Kaveh, I'm trying to 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘻𝘦".

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" the blond tried everything he could to suppress his laughter, shaking uncontrollably with tears prickling at his eyes.

"You're forgiven" he says, taking the scribe by surprise "𝘪𝘧! You promise to deal with me for the rest of our lives".

('𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 stay with me. Hold me. Kiss me. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦'.)

And it all clicked. How he has never felt too bothered by the blond's company. How his presence in his own house, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, was pleasant. How their usual quarrels, their activities seemed almost 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤.

Because Alhaitham would rather make the artist go bankrupt again if it meant to have him all for himself. Call him 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩. But he would do it all over again for Kaveh.

So before wasting any other minute, he pressed his thin choppy lips into soft and plump ones. 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘺. Just the time to breathe into Kaveh's sweet scent.

But pale slim fingers were pulling at his black shirt, a sign for him to not let go.

Because Kaveh didn't want it to end. 

He wanted to curl his fingers into soft grey hair. He wanted to kiss the smirk off Alhaitham's face at every chance he could get. He wanted to kiss every inch of his body. He wanted to have the scribe hold him, at night, when he was afraid of thunderstorms, during the day, when he'd have one of his breakdowns. He wanted and wanted and 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.

('Please don't make this come to an end. Please don't let it be one of my 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 I don't want to wake up from'.)

And Alhaitham could do nothing but gently pick him up to sit more comfortably on the couch, their food gone cold and long last forgotten.

They broke the kiss to catch some breath, foreheads touching, as the architect kept giggling, legs slightly straddling the scribe's lap.

"If that is your way to apologize then maybe I should run away more often" Kaveh joked, as Alhaitham curled his blond locks behind his ears.

"No, you're 𝘯𝘰𝘵 doing that ever again" he said as he shook his head "or perhaps, did you just want to get kissed again?".

𝘚𝘮𝘶𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥.

And before Alhaitham could even add something else, a pair of lips was once again on his, warm hands cupping his face.

It was 𝘴𝘰 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦, to feel, to touch and 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, all at the same time.                   

Teeth gently nibbling at each other's bottom lip, tongues brushing ever so slightly, asking, wanting, 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 more.

And if that was what Kaveh wanted, 𝘈𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭.

-

If someone had have ever told Alhaitham that he and his roommate would stop arguing, and instead, started loving each other, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘵 how to love each other, he would 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 it now.

Because he saw it in the way Kaveh peacefully slept curled up on his side, head locked under his chin, his chest rising softly, pinkish bruises blooming over it.

He saw it in the way Kaveh 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 at him first thing in the morning, lazy kisses pressed on his neck and a quiet '5 more minutes' murmored on him.

He saw it 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, at 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, as he kept cursing himself for all the time 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 arguing, when they could have embraced each other.

Kaveh, on the other hand, was simply 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 by having achieved the scribe's stone heart.

It took him so, 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, to 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 admit that he was in love with his roommate. Because what he thought was simple adoration towards the other's smartness, was actually way, way deeper than that.

Who would have thought that a fight like that would have brought them here?

Their hands intertwined as they strolled through Port Ormos, the warm sunlights bathing them in, crashing waves and perfectly 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 heartbeats being the only noises they could hear.

And he is 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, one hundred percent sure, that whenever he'll see the sea again, Kaveh will 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 think of teal eyes, of a warm embrace, engulfing him whole; and he'll get crumbs of him, of his one and only 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.