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Kaveh was grumbling to himself as he marched back into the House of Daena, he seems to have lost an earring in his argument with Alhaitham. As he enters he hears Alhaitham’s voice, dread fills him. He doesn’t want to talk to him again so he’s quiet as he creeps back over to the desk Alhaitham had been sitting at. He’s close enough to hear what his roommate says now.
“The House of Daena is the last quiet place in the Akademiya now. I was originally planning to stay here a little longer… But there’s a chance Kaveh might show up again… Tch, what a nuisance. I’d better go somewhere else.”
Kaveh freezes as he picks up his earring that was curiously sitting on the corner of the desk with his house key. Nuisance.
With ice in his veins he walks away, not realizing he knocked over a book that got the attention of the man he was avoiding.
He doesn’t see the dual-toned eyes that follow his exit, doesn’t see the lips that part in a failed attempt to call out to him.
—
When Kaveh gets home he debates on what to do. Does he pack his things or hide in his room? Does he start making dinner or go to the tavern? He doesn’t know.
Kaveh stares at this house he’s been residing in, feeling now that it will never be his home. He sighs, it’s better to find out sooner rather than later.
He wanders through the house, picking up all of his things to place in his room while also tidying Alhaitham’s things. He didn’t want any reason to be more of a nuisance .
He doesn’t know how long he’s been picking things up when the front door opens. He meets Alhaitham’s eyes but looks away quickly, set on finishing this task before he retreats.
“I see you picked up your key, I found your earring on the floor.”
“Yeah.”
Alhaitham stands in the hall, his arms crossed. He can definitely tell something is off with Kaveh. Before he can ask what, Kaveh speaks.
“I’m done cleaning up, I’ll get out of your way now.”
As Kaveh heads to his room Alhaitham analyzes his words. Kaveh wasn’t in Alhaitham’s way, so why did he say that? Alhaitham sighs, thinking over their interactions that day. Kaveh’s door closes, strangely gently, before Alhaitham finishes his thought process. When he gets to the end of his day, he had an idea of what happened.
He walks to Kaveh’s door and taps it twice.
“I’m tired, Alhaitham.”
“Have you eaten?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Alhaitham rolls his eyes but concedes. He heads out the door once again. He’ll go get food from the tavern.
—
Kaveh sighs in relief when Alhaitham doesn’t push him. He hears the front door open then close and peeks out of his room. Alhaitham had left, maybe Kaveh’s attempts weren’t enough to be less of a nuisance. He bit his thumbnail as he fought off tears. Maybe he should start packing.
He wonders if he’s overreacting but… if Alhaitham has to gossip to outworlders about him then he must be that much of a problem.
He steels himself, wiping away tears that were ready to fall. He’ll pack his bags and he’ll be gone.
—
The front door opens again as he’s setting his 3rd and last bag in the hall. He quickly heads back to his room, ready to pretend to be busy until Alhaitham retreats to his room.
But Alhaitham doesn’t retreat to his room, he stands in Kaveh’s doorway.
“Why are you bags in the hall? You just got home.”
Kaveh winced at the word home. Alhaitham’s home, not his.
“I’m leaving.”
“Why? Where?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
Kaveh stops his mindless shuffling of personal belongings to stare at Alhaitham. Alhaitham’s not looking at him, just looking from the now half empty closet to the open drawers on his dresser to the empty desk.
“I won’t bother you anymore, Alhaitham.”
Alhaitham looks at him then, a frown on his face.
“You only bother me when you stay up all night hammering away, but I have my headphones.”
That made Kaveh angry . How could he so easily lie to his face?
“Except that I DO bother you, so I’ll be gone. I don’t have space for all my things yet but if you want the room back I can figure something out.”
“I don’t want the room back.”
It’s Kaveh’s turn to roll his eyes, but he doesn’t answer. Alhaitham holds out a bag to him.
“I brought some food home, Lambad had a dinner special, buy one meal, get another free.”
“I told you I wasn’t hungry.”
“And I told you it was a dinner special, I won’t eat it and I don’t want it to go to waste. Also I know you, hungry or not, haven’t eaten since you got back.”
Kaveh sputters, how could he know that?
“Well it’s going to waste on me, I’m just a nuisance, sorry you had to trouble yourself bringing it back here.”
Kaveh inwardly groans, the more Alhaitham talks to him the more his filter will slip. Alhaitham looks at him bewildered.
“Just eat it.”
And then he walks away. Kaveh fumes, he won’t owe another thing to this man. He grabs the bag and storms after him, slamming it on the island counter.
“I don’t want it.”
“Now you’re being a nuisance.”
“I knew it.”
“Knew what? That you overheard something that wasn’t meant for you? That you took something out of context and decided you could read my mind? Eavesdropping doesn’t look good on you.”
“So you know I heard you and you still played dumb about me leaving. You’re a jerk.”
Alhaitham runs a hand over his face.
“You’re not a-“
“Oh no, don’t back track now! Go ahead! It’s all out in the open now! Tell me how I’m such a nuisance! You have nothing to lose! Get it off your chest, Alhaitham. Tell me how awf-“
“YES. You’re a nuisance, Kaveh. You bother me, is that what you want to hear?”
Kaveh backs down then, not expecting Alhaitham to break so easily.
“Yes, tell me how.”
He whispers it, the fire burned out as fast as it had flared up. Alhaitham steps towards him, Kaveh steps back.
“You’re a nuisance because you don’t take care of yourself.”
Another step.
“You’re a nuisance because you think that you do, but the bare minimum isn’t enough.”
Another step, Kaveh’s backed against the wall now.
“You’re a nuisance because if you don’t care about yourself it means I have to.”
Alhaitham stands toe-to-toe with him now.
“You’re a nuisance because I want to take care of you but you never let me, not without a fight, not without me coding it behind some other reason.”
Kaveh gulps, uncharacteristically quiet with his hands pulled to his chest. He looks small and scared, like a child faced with sleeping without their nightlight. He looks up at Alhaitham.
“Why? I’m not worth the effort.”
“For a talented artist, you should be able to see your own value when you look in the mirror. But you never do, I guess you’ll just have to look to me to show your worth.”
Kaveh frowns as Alhaitham brings a hand up to cup his face. Kaveh doesn’t pull away but he doesn’t lean into it either.
“Why were you really calling me a nuisance?”
Alhaitham sighs before giving him a small smile.
“Because I had paperwork to finalize for my new position and I knew if you showed up I’d much rather verbally spar with you than be productive.”
“So I’m not annoying?”
Alhaitham chuckles.
“No, you definitely are, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’re a jerk.”
“A jerk you haven't pushed away.”
Kaveh softens at that, leaning just barely into the warm hand on his cheek.
“No, I guess I haven’t.”
Alhaitham smiles and steps back, returning to the island.
“Now that that’s out of the way you can eat, preferably before it cools anymore. This soup is better hot as I recall you telling me.”
Kaveh follows him to the kitchen. Eyes still shiny and cheeks still flushed but they’re paired with a soft smile.
“You got me soup?”
“I got you your favorite soup.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Alhaitham glares at him.
“I know I didn’t have to, I wanted to.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh. Now eat, I’m going to put your bags back in your room. You’re home, Kaveh.”
Before Alhaitham walks past him, he hesitates. Kaveh looks at him questioningly. Alhaitham seems to make a decision and leans over to press a light kiss to Kaveh’s forehead, setting Kaveh’s face on fire. Before Kaveh can say anything Alhaitham is walking away towards the hall.
Kaveh sighs, he has too much to think about now.