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Alhaitham was limply hanging on Kaveh's shoulder. Kaveh kept dragging him forward, away from the city.
The whole Sumeru was burning behind their backs. Painful screams of it's citizens can still be heard even from here. It feels like hell. Nobody saw it coming.
Kaveh is crying. Alhaitham can't deal with it right now. He has a bigger problem looming over him that he has to think of. That gush of blood flowing from the huge open wound in his stomach that he ineffectively tries to cover with some clothes. He needs to take Kaveh somewhere safe before this thing drains him completely. He needs to rest first. He's so tired.
"Can we stop here for a moment, please, Kaveh." Words feel icky on his tongue with that metal taste to them. Kaveh frantically nods, gently helping Alhaitham to sit on the ground. Alhaitham can't sit, he needs to lay down. That he does.
"Alhaitham, your hands." Alhaitham makes an effort to open his eyes and to look up at Kaveh. Kaveh is holding Alhaitham's hand in his own two. He didn't know Kaveh was holding it. He didn't feel it. "They are so cold. Are you.. are you dying?"
"Hm." Alhaitham tries to squeeze Kaveh's fingers a little. It took more energy of him than he thought it would. "It's okay. Yours are warm," he's just assuming, "you can warm mines up."
He sees Kaveh's face, covered in tears and smears of blood. Is it Kaveh's blood or his? He hopes it's his.
Sudden coughing fit makes him gasp for air, his whole body trembling.
He tries to move his legs a little. He can't.
*Oh. I guess we're not going anywhere.*
He still needs Kaveh to be somewhere safe, need to make him leave. Easier said than done.
"Kaveh, listen," he starts, teal eyes meeting crimson, "I need you to–"
"No!" Alhaitham sighs at Kaveh's protest, his face scrunching up in pain, "I'm not leaving you! Please, don't do this to me!"
"Kaveh–"
"What am I going to do without you, I can't even–.. we–.."
Alhaitham listens to Kaveh's crying and barely intelligible mumbling, Interrupted by sniffs and sobs.
Kaveh looks so beautiful.
"You are so beautiful."
Kaveh looks at him in disbelief. Alhaitham smiles at him.
"Why? Why are you saying that? Are you dying?"
"No, I'm not."
"You think I'm stupid?!"
"I think you're the smartest person I've ever known."
Kaveh laughs, almost hysterically, smudging the mess on his face while trying to rub the tears away but they keep coming.
"You're so cruel. Don't make me say it. If I say it then.."
Alhaitham knows what he's talking about.
"I don't what you to say it. Not yet. That would be so unromantic of you." He chuckles, and it makes him cough again. "Say it to me when we return home, alright?"
"Alhaitham, our home is gone.."
"You will build us a new one, right? Of course you will, you are the renouned architect, light of Kshahrewar.."
"Alhaitham, stop.."
"And then, when we are at home, clean and warm, eating your favorite soup, bickering about scattered books again. Then I will listen to what you want to say, Kaveh." Kaveh shakes his head, face hiding behind the palms of his hands. He can't stop crying.
Alhaitham can't stop crying either.
"Kaveh? Alhaitham?"
Behind the blurred curtains of tears he sees some movement and hears the steps.
Alhaitham looks up at Cyno. General takes a quick look at the scene in front of him. It takes him less than a second to understand the situation.
"There's a cart down the hill, we're evacuating people. Kaveh, I need you to go with me." Thank Archons, Kaveh will be safe. Thank you.
"What about Alhaitham? We can't leave him!" He clenches Alhaitham's hand again.
Cyno lets out a deep sigh and looks at the pale man on the ground.
Alhaitham turns back to Kaveh.
"Kaveh, listen to me carefully. I need you to go with Cyno–"
"No, no, please–" Kaveh shakes his head again, dirty hair sticking to his face. New streams of tears running from his eyes as he stares back at Alhaitham.
"Don't worry about me, mhm? I will catch up with you later. I just need.. a little rest."
He does need a rest. He wants to sleep.
Kaveh only starts to cry harder, almost howling like an animal in pain. Alhaitham can't handle seeing him like this anymore. If it continues like this, he won't be able to resist and will say those words himself. If he says them, then it's over. There will be no hope anymore. He can't take that away from Kaveh.
He looks at Cyno again. Cyno nods silently.
He walks to Kaveh, gently touching his shoulder, before taking his arm in a firm grip.
"Let's go."
"NO!" Kaveh screams, but general's grip is strong. He tries to resist but Cyno keeps dragging him away from Alhaitham. General's eyes meet Alhaitham's. He can read a silent 'thank you' in the movement of chapped lips.
Kaveh keeps screaming, his voice ringing in the night air. Alhaitham slowly turns his head to the side, to look at their figures distancing away. He doesn't let himself blink. He knows that if he does, he won't be able to open his eyes again. He can't waste the last chance to look at the love of his life. At his Kaveh.
The words 'I love you' stuck with the lump in his throat.
Kaveh's and Cyno's figures finally disappear in the dark. After some time, he stops hearing Kaveh's screams.
Alhaitham makes the last effort to turn his head and looks at the sky. He's so tired. He wants to go home.
Alhaitham closes his eyes.