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"I think you'd be a clam."
Alhaitham hums, before Kavehs words actaully register in his head as he quickly snaps his gaze away from the pages of his book to said man, who is currently lazely slumped over on the other divan with a bottle of wine in one hand, his half filled glass in the other.
"I would be a what? " He stares like the other mans grown two heads.
"And I'd be a conch." Kaveh giggles with his reply, Alhaitham thinks that maybe his love has finally drank himself into insanity.
Instead of voicing those thoughts, he closes and sets his book aside with a sigh, he sits up straight with his arms crossed and gives his full attention to his drunk lover.
"How much have you had to drink?"
"Not that much- look that's not what's important here! Don't you agree? You, a clam and me, a conch by your side" Alhaithams response of 'you've clearly had too much to drink' is snubbed out by the mushy feelings in his chest as Kaveh slumps a bit more forward and gives him that smile that always steals away his breath, that smile that's screams fondness, love and pure joy at whatever he's directing it to. Alhaithams gone too soft for him with that smile, that smile that he's all too giddy to say has been directed at him many times now in their relationship.
"My love... what are you talking about?" He leans forward with a huff, his right hand cradling his cheek as he rests his head on his arm.
"You didn't hear me? Augh, I was saying what we would have been in our past lives, or maybe future ones." He ends his sentence with a huff, and puts the bottle and half empty glass of wine on the table between the divans.
He may have heard him, but most likely Kaveh was just mumbling his words at first, or maybe Alhaitham just chalked it up to Kaveh talking to himself and his brain tuned out his ramblings.
"What do you mean our 'past lives or future ones'?"
Kavehs sits up, and Alhaitham sees a glint in his eyes, he's getting curious as to what is getting Kaveh so worked up now.
"At the Zubayr Theater, some of the students there were putting up a play, though it was more practice than anything, short and sweet, it was amazing still.
"Anyway, It was the story of two lovers, one of them dies tragically, and their partner begs a Sorcerer to reunite them. He takes pity on them and agrees, but there's a catch. He can't bring his lover back to life, but in every next life they will be together, no matter what form.
"So he does end up being with his partner again but they're never human again. The practice performance ended there but I think in their next life they were two roses in the same rose bush together."
Alhaitham hums, so maybe this wasn't just some random drunk ramblings, it still was, but it wasn't random.
He'd read stories of reincarnation before, living multiple lives, though they almost always end with some sad or too sappy ending, he never found them very enjoyable.
Maybe because of that he's never given it much thought.
"So... I'd be reincarnated as a clam in my next life, is what your saying?"
"Well, what do you think?"
What does he think? He thinks this conversation is, well, silly.
But the smile on Kavehs face and his rapt attention being placed on Alhaitham gives him the push to think about this more sincerely.
"I think I would be a mushroom, and you, a tree."
Kaveh stills and stays silent, before he snorts and bursts out laughing, almost falling off the divan, Alhaitham stands up and goes around the coffee table to sit next to him, gently steadying him until he calms down, a smile on his own face at his lovers laughter.
"What? You saying I'd be a clam is any better?"
"Heh... Well no but it makes some sense! Look, you'd be so happy like that, in your shell hiding away from others. But a mushroom.. well that sounds a bit boring, you can't do anything, same with a tree! We'd be in the ocean with my idea, with views of the coral and fish, and the current to carry us. Clams have a lot of eyes I've heard, I'm not sure a conch has them though.. hmm..."
Alhaitham hums, "but we might be separated then, I wouldn't like that."
"But as a tree, how would I even notice you?"
"I'd be by your roots, unmoving and anchored to you, I'd be there. You might not notice me but I would be there in your shade. I don't think I would have a single worry as a mushroom, in the shade of your leaves." He gives Kaveh a soft smile with his answer.
Kaveh leans over to rest his head on his shoulder, he takes one of Alhaithams hands in his and fiddles with his fingers, bending and holding them in his grasp.
His thumb traces Alhaithams ring, silver with a single small ruby.
Alhaithams eyes traces Kavehs matching ring, gold with a small emerald.
"It does sound peaceful, but a bit lonely."
Alhaitham rests his head on his, and closes his eyes.
"I would have you, and that's all I need."
They sit in silence for a while, the only sound to be heard was their shared breaths and their heartbeats.
"Do you believe we would find each other again?"
Alhaitham isn't sure what he believes, if there's a beyond or nothing once your laid to rest in the ground.
But for Kaveh, he would believe, he would pray and he would hope that he meets him again, somewhere, somehow.
As a mushroom by the roots of a tree, large bright green leaves giving him shade.
As a clam next to a conch, in the calm ocean waves.
As a falcon with a bird of paradise, huddled in the nook of a tree.
He hopes in every life, he can call Kaveh his.
With different lives lived, to live. Moments to share, that were shared.
Memories to be swept away in the waves.
Until the first moment in time, to it's last, maybe it's ok if for only one life, they were able to share the words they wanted to say, to hold eachother closer than ever, and open their hearts.
Because in the rest, they would still find each other, and that is enough.
"Always."