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The quiet of the night settled into Tighnari's living room, broken only by the soft hum of conversation between Cyno and Kaveh, both tipsy from the evening's drinks. Their voices ebbed and flowed in the cozy space, each word spoken a little looser than usual, emotions unguarded.
"Y'know," Kaveh slurred, leaning heavily on the arm of the couch, his eyes glassy but full of warmth, "life... it's complicated, right? We build things, and they break, and we... we just keep building."
Cyno chuckled, his arm draped over the back of the couch as he nodded in agreement. "Mmm, sounds like you're getting philosophical again," he teased, his own tone softer than usual, the alcohol blurring his usual sharp wit. "But yeah, I get it."
Tighnari, perched on the edge of a nearby chair, watched the two of them with a fond smile. The sight of Kaveh and Cyno letting their walls down was heartwarming, and he felt a strange sense of contentment seeing his friends like this. Yet, he knew one person was missing from this equation—Alhaitham.
With that thought in mind, Tighnari slipped away from the room and into the hallway. He pulled out his phone, dialling Alhaitham’s number as he headed toward the kitchen.
The phone rang a few times before a familiar voice answered, low and steady. "Alhaitham here."
"Hey," Tighnari greeted, keeping his voice casual, though he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Just thought you'd want to know—Kaveh’s at our place after a night of drinking. Cyno's here too, and I’m about to order some pizza. You want to join us?"
There was a slight pause on the other end. "Pizza, huh? Sounds better than paperwork. I'll be there in twenty."
"Great," Tighnari replied, his tone playful. "I’ll keep the line open for you—maybe you’ll get a kick out of Kaveh's ramblings."
"That does sound amusing," Alhaitham remarked, his voice lighter now, the sound of a car door closing in the background indicating he was on the move. "Put me on speaker. I’d love to hear."
Tighnari obliged, setting the phone on the counter as he returned to the living room. Kaveh, now in full storytelling mode, was recounting a mishap at the construction site, Cyno chuckling along with him.
"... and then the whole thing collapsed! Just like that! All my work, gone in an instant!" Kaveh threw his hands up dramatically, causing Cyno to laugh even harder. "I swear, sometimes it feels like I’m cursed!"
Alhaitham's quiet chuckle filtered through the speaker, a rare sound that Tighnari didn’t hear often. "Sounds like a typical day for Kaveh."
Tighnari smirked, glancing at the phone. "He’s still going. Might get even more interesting."
The conversation in the living room continued, touching on lighthearted subjects—projects, work, old jokes. But then, Kaveh's tone shifted, and his eyes took on a more sombre glint.
"You know," Kaveh muttered, his voice quieter now, "sometimes I really wonder about Alhaitham. That guy... he's so infuriating."
Cyno raised an eyebrow, but remained silent, letting Kaveh speak. Tighnari glanced at the phone, sensing a change in the air.
Kaveh leaned forward, his head hanging low. "I hate him," he said softly, the words heavy and raw. "I hate that smug, cold-hearted... bastard. Thinks he knows everything. Always so... so perfect and logical. Like feelings don’t even matter. Like I don’t matter."
Tighnari's eyes widened, and his hand shot out to the phone, quickly taking it off speaker mode. But the damage was done. The silence from Alhaitham's end was palpable.
"Alhaitham—" Tighnari began, unsure of what to say.
"It’s fine," Alhaitham interrupted, his voice calm, almost too calm. "He needs to let his true feelings out every once in a while. No harm in that."
Tighnari frowned, hearing the strain behind Alhaitham’s words despite the dismissal. "Are you sure? You don’t have to—"
"I’m close to your place. I’ll see you in a few minutes."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Tighnari standing there, phone in hand, a knot of worry tightening in his chest.
Alhaitham drove in silence, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The words echoed in his mind, each repetition stinging more than the last. I hate him.
He clenched his jaw, eyes fixed on the road ahead, but it was getting harder to focus. He’d always known Kaveh had strong feelings toward him, but hearing them spoken aloud, so vulnerably, was something else entirely.
Before he realized it, his vision blurred. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears that had welled up in his eyes. With a frustrated sigh, he pulled the car over to the side of the road, resting his forehead against the steering wheel.
He doesn’t mean it, Alhaitham told himself. He’s drunk. He’ll come around... eventually. Or at least tolerate me.
But the weight of those words, spoken so honestly, was harder to shake than he expected. Alhaitham took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He couldn’t afford to fall apart over this—not now. Not when he was so close to Tighnari's house.
After a moment, he straightened up, wiping the tears from his eyes before starting the car again. He’d face Kaveh soon enough. Whatever happened next, he would handle it. But for now, all he needed was to get through the night.