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“Hey! You’re doing that on purpose!!”
The jenga tower stands tall in the center of their table— haphazardly so, but standing nonetheless.
The scribe seems to be unaffected by the accusation as he takes a middle wooden block and places it at the top of the tower.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” he says, feigning innocence and flashing a polite smile to the blonde haired man sitting across from him, “Your turn.”
Kaveh rolls his eyes “You know exactly what I mean. You keep taking the ones I’ve been eyeing!”
Alhaitham shrugs. “I’m just taking whichever ones look the easiest. Is that a crime?”
Kaveh huffs. “Well with you, maybe it should be. You should reserve taking the middle block for when the structural integrity is about to be compromised. Otherwise, you’re narrowing the possibile safe blocks by two every time! If you keep doing that, it makes it almost entirely a game of luck! How am I supposed to work with that??”
“Well, I’m sure the great Light of Kshahrewar can use his architectural mastery to figure it out.” He smirks.
“You’re the devil.” Kaveh deadpans. He exasperatedly surveys the tower from every angle. He was running out of places he could pick from without the tower toppling over. He tested a block, wiggling it slightly and wincing when the whole tower wobbled dangerously. He could practically feel Alhaitham smirking and he shot him a glare in return.
“Aha!” Kaveh takes a block from the side, sliding it out and setting it on top victoriously. He shoots Alhaitham a smug grin. “Your turn.”
Alhaitham gave him a small round of applause “Well played.”
Alhaitham gives a gentle tug towards an outer block amongst a group of three— one that has proven throughout the game to be unusually stubborn— and the entire tower moved with it. Kaveh jumped up from his seat, staring at the wooden blocks intently, as if willing them to lean just a little bit further to the right and cause Alhaitham to lose the game.
To Kaveh’s disappointment, the tower did not fall.
That was close.
Alhaitham waits until the tower stills completely. He tries the same block again, this time, slowly pulling it out at an angle. It begins to budge.
“NO WAY.” Kaveh gapes, wide eyed at Alhaitham as he removes the block completely. “NO! Oh my god—“
Alhaitham chuckles at Kaveh’s reaction as he holds up his prize. “Your turn.”
“This is not fair—“ Kaveh slumps back in his chair, hands on his head in disbelief. “That is genuinely insane.”
“Your turn, Kaveh.” Alhaitham reminds gently.
“Yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll show you…” He grumbles. He could just take the other outside block from the row Alhaitham took from… or…
He could try that fancy move Alhaitham did on another row.
Kaveh finds his target and focuses on slowly easing the block out of its place. He shimmies it carefully from side to side. The tower swayed, but it couldn’t break his resolve. He angles it up just like Alhaitham had, and the block was almost completely out. Just one more gentle twist and…
“Oh my god! Are you seeing this?? Alhaitham, are you—“
It tips and crashes onto the floor.
Kaveh blinks.
“You know, I think it fell ov—“
“—Oh, you think??”
— The Next Day… —
Alhaitham and Kaveh return home from a day out at the market.
Alhaitham taps Kaveh on his shoulder. “You dropped something earlier, I went ahead and picked it up for you.”
Kaveh’s eyes widen in surprise. He didn’t even realize. Though, it’s not uncommon for him to lose things— especially his keys. And his wallet. And various other items that he should really keep better track of.
“Oh! I did? Thank you— I didnt even notice I—“
Kaveh stops in his tracks. Blinking in disbelief. Alhaitham is holding out a jenga block.
Kaveh stares.
Alhaitham stares back.
If Kaveh didn’t know his boyfriend so well, he would have missed the way Alhaitham’s lips quirked the slightest bit upwards.
“Alhaitham.”
“Kaveh.”
Kaveh sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. But he can’t help the amused smile that creeps upon his face.
Kaveh shakes his head, scoffing affectionately. “Why are you like this?”
“You’re welcome.” Alhaitham places the block in Kaveh’s hand with a self-satisfied smirk, patting Kaveh’s hand just to drive his point home.
Kaveh laughs, playfully pushing him away. “Oh you think you’re so fucking funny for this, don’t you?”
Alhaitham returns to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning in closer to his face. “You’re laughing, aren't you?”
“You’re so annoying,” Kaveh rolls his eyes with a smile, leaning into his touch.
“Mhm. Love you too.”
Kaveh smiles, cupping Alhaitham’s cheek, pulling him closer for a tender kiss.
When they part, Kaveh stays close— gazing into the other man’s eyes. “Alhaitham… I…”
“Yes, Kaveh?” Alhaitham whispers softly.
“I want a rematch.”
Alhaitham dips his head down into the crook of Kaveh’s neck and laughs.
After a moment, Kaveh gives in and laughs with him.
And what a melodious sound it is.