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Kaveh woke up and knew instantly that today was going to suck. The morning light streaming in from his windows was too bright; of course he had forgotten to close his curtains last night. Kaveh groaned, the blaring of Mehrak’s alarm making his ears ring unpleasantly.
What time was it? Why was Mehrak beeping so loudly? Why did his bones hurt so badly?
Kaveh opened his eyes. Well, attempted to open them would be more accurate. The light from his windows blinded him as he sat up. Kaveh let out another pathetic groan as Mehrak flashed her LEDs at him, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes and taking stock of his room.
Papers from last night’s drafting session littered his desk, crumpled newsprint sheets overflowed in the trashcan, and just about every pencil he owned was snapped in half. Kaveh made a mental note to stop by an art supply store in the Bazaar on his way home.
Mehrak beeped again, this time more incessantly, catching Kaveh’s attention as he tried his best to process the trauma of waking up in such a state. She flashed a number at the architect, which he realized must be the time.
10:28AM.
10:28AM.
10:28AM!
“SHIT!” Kaveh screamed, scrambling out of bed as he processed just how late it actually was. He had a consultation with a new client on site in half an hour, which was nearly twenty minutes from the center of the city. Kaveh tried his hardest to ignore the ache in his bones as he threw on a blouse; he didn’t have time to properly iron it – and it's not like the client would notice anyway.
“Mehrak, grab my drafting supplies and the blueprint tube from the study!” He called out, rushing into the bathroom to see if he could even attempt to salvage his hair. Mehrak chirped cheerfully in reply, floating from Kaveh’s room and down the hall to the study. A green glow shone through the open study door as Kaveh took a look at himself in the large bathroom mirror.
He sighed, trying to blink the lingering sleepiness from his eyes as he grabbed a hair brush. He didn't have time to do his usual hair style of braids and clips that kept his hair artfully out of his face, so instead he would simply have to settle for an attempt at taming his mane.
Kaveh decided against his morning skincare and instead rushed into the kitchen. He didn't have time to brew a cup of coffee. Maybe he could stop by Pupsa cafe on his way to the construction site, he thought. Just as Kaveh decided that was his plan, Mehrak came floating down the hall with his drafting box and blueprints in her anti gravity field, reminding him that he did, in fact, have a meeting to get to.
Mehrak beeped at him, flashing a sad face across her display and reminding Kaveh of the time.
10:30 AM.
Before Kaveh could congratulate himself on getting ready in two minutes flat – a new record, thank you very much – he spotted a mug left on the counter. Mehrak beeped again, more urgently this time as Kaveh stopped putting on his shoes.
“One moment, Mehrak, Alhaitham left his dishes out again.” Kaveh said, exasperated as he hopped on one foot into the kitchen. The mug wasn't empty like he thought, and not only that, it was full of coffee. From the smell, it seemed to be Kaveh’s favorite blend, one he and Alhaitham had picked up earlier this week. A small note laid next to the mug, and Kaveh read it as he took a sip of the drink; too bad he couldn't enjoy it properly.
You didn’t wake up when I called.
Good luck at your consultation.
-A
Even though the coffee had long gone cold, Kaveh felt his heart skip a beat at the gesture. Taking one last sip from the cup, Kaveh dumped the rest into the sink (mourning the good coffee as he did) and rushed back to the entryway. He could apologize for adding to the unwashed dishes in the sink when he got home.
Kaveh checked himself one last time in the mirror, straightening his blouse and drawing his cape over his shoulders. He smiled at his reflection, hoping he didn't look as tired as he felt. Mehrak beeped one last time, more urgent than any warnings before. He turned to the suitcase, taking the blueprint tube and grabbing onto her handle. Making a point to grab his keys before he left, Kaveh locked the door behind him and stepped out into the midday sunshine. Doing his best to ignore how the light burned his eyes and his joints protested against his pace, he made his way towards the construction site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today really did suck. Not only was Kaveh late to his consultation (he had to stop and reset his hip which decided this was the perfect time to pop out of place), he also forgot the blueprint he’d stayed up all night working on. It had been perfect, accommodating all of his client’s requests while still achieving the original vision. Kaveh had to silently mourn the loss as he presented the previous draft. It's not like the client — a wealthy Fontanian merchant who wanted to build a summer home outside Sumeru City — ever noticed, but Kaveh did, and if it was anything less than perfection, Kaveh wouldn't be able to live with the thought of disappointing his client.
Not only has his blueprint been forgotten, Kaveh was no longer able to brush off the ache in his knees and weakness in his muscles by the time he left the job site. The earlier pop in his hip meant Kaveh had spent most of the meeting leaning against the scaffold, smiling through the ache as his client talked. And the sun had only gotten brighter as the day wore on, and he felt the beginnings of a migraine tickling behind his eyes grow stronger by the minute.
By the time Kaveh finally left, the sun was low in the sky and he could barely stand. Gritting his teeth, he practically dragged himself up the ramp near Lambad’s. Maybe taking a moment to sit and rest would help. He could spare a moment of respite – it's not like he was cooking dinner tonight and Alhaitham could wait until after he caught his breath.
Collapsing on a bench outside the tavern, Kaveh sighed, leaning back and letting his body relax.
Everything hurt.
Every bone in his body ached as he sat, protesting against nothing in particular as Kaveh shifted. Kaveh spent a while trying to find a position that wouldn’t make him grimace from the pain, and when he did he let his entire body relax. Usually, he was able to handle the underlying ache that always accompanied him, but for whatever reason his limbs decided today was the day to go on strike.
Mehrak chirped at Kaveh with a worried look displayed on her face. She floated onto the bench, facing Kaveh and projecting the shining green image of a cartoon cane followed by a question mark.
“No thanks, Mehrak, I don't need my cane. I just need a minute to rest, you know how I get when I’ve been standing all day.” Kaveh responded quietly, scanning the street in front of him. Noticing Kaveh’s distress, Mehrak released the projection and went silent beside him.
Kaveh had only started carrying a cane in Mehrak’s inner compartment after Tighnari practically forced him to. The architect had collapsed on his way to Gandharva Ville during an especially bad flare up, and was only able to make it thanks to Alhaitham’s insistence on joining him for the journey. Riding piggyback into the village with Alhaitham had been utterly humiliating. Kaveh tried his hardest to forget just how gentle Alhaitham had been and the concerned look in his eyes that didn't leave until after Tighnari determined that Kaveh was just tired. He convinced himself the look in Alhaitham’s eyes was pity, and not something that bordered on concern because why would Alhaitham be concerned when Kaveh was fine 90% of the time?
From then on, Tighnari and Alhaitham conspired to make sure Kaveh always had a mobility aid on hand in case he needed it. Even if Kaveh felt like he could push through, both his roommate and his best friend frowned upon it. And as hard as Kaveh tried to ignore the looks from them, the idea of disappointing them always made him cave.
Kaveh groaned as he stretched on the bench outside Lambad’s, letting the sounds of the tavern fill his ears (and pointedly ignoring how it made his ears ring along with the headache that was creeping up behind his eyes).
“I don't need my cane right now,” Kaveh breathed, as if saying it out loud would speak it into existence. “I’ll be up and moving in a few minutes anyway.”
When the sun had finally set behind the Great Tree that the city was built on, Kaveh finally stood. His legs continued to ache as he took a few steps from the bench he’d sat on. Alhaitham would definitely be home by now, and was probably making dinner. He was hungry, Kaveh realized. Of course he was, he had forgotten to eat while meeting with the morning’s client, and he’d had about two sips of coffee before rushing out the door. Kaveh would normally blame the forgetfulness on his absolutely abysmal time-keeping skills, but it's not like the client had offered him lunch and the job site was too far to trek into the city without him collapsing on his way back.
In a much better mood but in no less pain, Kaveh started back up the ramp towards his home. Once he got there, he could eat a meal and maybe open that bottle of wine he bought a few days ago. He could even take a bath, one with the salts Tighnari insisted he use whenever he felt like absolute shit. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. He would wrestle the bad day from the hands of fate and make the most of the few hours he had left.
But of course, the universe had other plans. Kaveh felt his left leg give out before he hit the floor, hands smacking onto the cobblestone and sending stinging pain up his wrists.
“Damnit!” Kaveh spat in frustration, crawling to his knees as a few passersby looked on. He glanced up at several of them as Mehrak beeped around him, already scanning him for injuries. Kaveh lifted his hands from the pavement, skinned and sporting a few cuts, but aside from that, he got lucky. At least he hadn’t dislocated his wrist like the last time his legs gave out.
“I’m fine, Mehrak, just give me a second.” He sighed as Mehrak continued to float near him, concern displayed on her pixelated face.
Kaveh attempted to stand, his knees screaming in protest as he got up unsupported, only to feel his legs wobble beneath him and threaten to send him tumbling to the pavement again.
More people still looked on, Kaveh realised in horror, as he took a few small steps up the ramp. Mehrak beeped at him again, getting his attention as that same cartoon cane flashed across her screen, this time with a sense of urgency. Kaveh shook his head, determined to get home on his own. He couldn't pull out his cane now, especially with so many onlookers watching the scene unfold.
Kaveh blinked back tears, his joints threatening to give out as he made it to the platform between ramps. Finally, Kaveh was able to lean against the railing, letting his hands and shaking legs rest. He smiled politely as people finally started to look away, the spectacle of his tumble no longer interesting now that it had seemingly resolved itself.
Wiping his eyes, Kaveh sighed, looking up with dread at the singular ramp he still had to climb to get home. He didn’t know if he could do it. Kaveh wasn’t one to give up when presented with a challenge, but right now this felt like an impossible task.
Again, Kaveh wiped tears from his eyes. Everything hurt, his head was starting to pound from the migraine he’d been fighting all day, and he just wanted to go home. His knees protested from simply leaning against the railing of the platform, how was he going to make it all the way up the ramp? Kaveh just wanted to go home and forget about how awful his day had been. Nevermind there was absolutely no way he was going to make it home in time to avoid concern from Alhaitham, who had a serial habit of coming to find him whenever he was home later than normal. At least he could ignore Alhaitham’s comments on his health, instead of humiliating himself in front of strangers.
Letting out a sigh – a lump in his throat forming and mascara from yesterday definitely running – Kaveh pushed himself off the railing. It took more effort to drag himself to stand, and Kaveh bit back a sob from just how badly he ached. There was no way he was going to make it home, he should just resign himself to sitting on the ground until his bones decided to cooperate. Who knew how long that was going to take – Kaveh could sit all day and his knees would still hurt when he moved. There was no winning for him, and especially not in public where others around could see just how hard he was struggling.
“I thought you promised you would start using your cane when you were in pain.”
A voice that sounded all too familiar broke Kaveh from his spiral. He looked up to find Alhaitham standing in front of him, a takeout bag in his hand and disapproving look in his eyes. Kaveh instinctively shrunk away from that look, frowning as Alhaitham stepped closer. Mehrak chirped in greeting, display screen smiling as Alhaitham gave Kaveh a critical once over.
Kaveh tried to straighten up, standing as tall as he could without his spine feeling like it would snap from the strain. “What’s it to you,” Kaveh snapped, wrestling the wobble out of his voice as if he hadn’t almost been crying.
“Tighnari asked me to remind you that you need that cane, and I’m only doing what he told me to.” Alhaitham shrugged in response.
“Well Tighnari isn't here, and I’m fine. I just need to rest for a minute.”
Alhaitham hummed in response, shifting the paper bag from one hand to the other. “The food is going to get cold, let’s go home.” Alhaitham held out his hand, looking at Kaveh expectantly. Kaveh scoffed, crossing his arms. He didn't want Alhaitham’s help, and he certainly didn't need it to make it up the singular ramp to their shared home. He could do it on his own, after a short rest.
“Go on ahead, I’ll just rest a little bit longer and join you soon. If the food gets cold I’ll just heat it up when I get back.” Kaveh said, purposefully dismissive of the olive branch he knew Alhaitham was trying to extend.
“No.” Alhaitham said, matter of factly, as if he was talking about the weather. The sky is blue, Alhaitham won't go home on his own, and Kaveh probably did need his help. Of course, admitting that Kaveh could use a hand in making it home would open up a can of worms that he very much was not ready to tackle. Like how Alhaitham always seemed to know when he was in pain, and was by his side when Kaveh needed him most.
“What do you mean, no?” Kaveh snapped, shocked at the way his own heart flipped as Alhaitham settled on the railing next to him.
“You aren’t going to make it home on your own—”
“Ouch.”
“So I might as well wait with you until you're ready.” Alhaitham said, placing the takeout bag on the ground next to his feet and pulling a paperback book from his belt pouch. He opened it as Kaveh stared at him in disbelief. He didn’t even know how to begin unpacking the implications of what Alhaitham was doing. Alhaitham standing next to him would make them even more of a spectacle. They were famous in the city for their lively debates, and seeing them standing next to each other in complete silence would definitely raise some eyebrows.
Kaveh stared at Alhaitham as he read, warring with himself on exactly what to do. He could still feel the eyes of passersby on him, trying to glean anything from the strange scenario they were witnessing. Kaveh could feel his ears burn –from embarrassment or anger, though, it was hard to tell. He wanted to go home, the food from the paperbag at their feet smelled heavenly and Kaveh really was hungry. But he also knew he wouldn't be able to make it home on his own, and it wasn't like Alhaitham was leaving anytime soon. The scribe was known for his patience, and if it proved a point, Alhaitham could wait here with Kaveh all night.
Kaveh took in the scribe’s demeanor. His shoulders were tense and he held onto the book in his hand with a grip that was more forceful than normal. Not that Kaveh had a catalogue in his mind of Alhaitham’s body language, but Alhaitham was obviously wanting to go home. The tenseness in his brow and shoulders spoke of a long day at work, and Kaveh could hear the faint hum of music from his headphones.
If Alhaitham wanted to go home so badly, why was he insisting on waiting for Kaveh? There was no reason for him to stay, Kaveh could make it home after a while to rest and Alhaitham could just leave his meal on the table for him to heat up.
Alhaitham turned his head, making brief eye contact with Kaveh before returning his gaze to his book. “If you insist on staying here any longer, people will start to ask questions.” Alhaitham said, completely unprompted and unbothered, again stating it as if it was fact.
Oh yes, Kaveh knew what he was doing. Trying to rile him up and make him move. And unfortunately for Kaveh, it was working. Kaveh’s eye twitched, crossing his arms before looking at his feet. His legs still felt like they would give out if he attempted to climb the final ramp, and aside from the food at his feet and the book he had produced from his pouch, Alhaitham’s hands were entirely free.
“Fine. If you want to go home so badly and you don’t want to leave me alone, you might as well put those stupidly big muscles to use and carry me.” Kaveh said before he could realize exactly what came out of his mouth. He didn't know what made him want to shrivel up more, the comment on Alhaitham’s muscles (they were stupidly big, and incredibly attractive in a way Kaveh did not want to think too hard about) or that he had just asked Alhaitham to carry him.
Before Kaveh could panic and take back his statement, Alhaitham sighed, pushing himself off the railing and picking up the takeout bag and handing it to Kaveh, who took it without a second thought as he was too busy rolling in his metaphorical grave. Alhaitham knelt on the ground back to the architect, looking back over his shoulder at Kaveh expectantly, raising an eyebrow in a silent challenge. Either Kaveh takes his offer or they would go back to standing in awkward silence.
Kaveh felt a piece of his pride wither, adjusting the bag of food and turning to Mehrak.
“Mehrak, please carry the extra supplies.” He instructed, in a tone that made it seem like he was writing his own obituary.
Ignoring the way his knees protested, Kaveh positioned himself on Alhaitham’s back, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and clasping his hands around Alhaitham’s neck. Alhaitham stood slowly, and Kaveh tried his hardest to ignore the way he could feel Alhaitham’s back muscles shifting from under his cloak.
“Comfortable?” Alhaitham asked after rising to his full height, shifting Kaveh in his hold and starting up the ramp before Kaveh could answer.
“Sure, whatever.” Kaveh mumbled, willing the embarrassment of being carried by Alhaitham into their home into the furthest corner of his mind. Thinking too hard about this would only make him second guess the offer, and Kaveh knew he wouldn’t be able to make it home by himself.
Kaveh tightened his hold on Alhaitham’s shoulders, giving himself the brief moment to bask in the rare contact between them. It's not like they touched very often, and when they did it was usually because Kaveh was a touch too tipsy and forgot about the unspoken distance between them. Alhaitham was warm, burning like a space heater against his skin. Kaveh pointedly did not think about how nice it would be for Alhaitham to wrap his arms around the architect, and most definitely did not feel his cheeks burn with an unmistakable blush from the thought.
“Mehrak, open the door please.” Alhaitham said, and to Kaveh’s shock they had already reached their front door. Kaveh felt his heart sink, but as the robot opened the door (with his key, not the one Alhaitham had hanging from his belt) Alhaitham didn't let go of Kaveh.
Alhaitham passed the kitchen, and made his way down the hall with Kaveh to his bedroom. Pushing the door open with a creak (Kaveh made a mental note to grease the hinges when he could walk), Alhaitham quickly deposited Kaveh onto his bed. Unmade from his abrupt start this morning, Kaveh felt his ears burn at just how much of a mess his room was. Not like Alhaitham would care – the scribe was notorious for leaving book stacks around their home. Still, Kaveh could almost hear Alhaitham scolding him about the clothes on the floor and the trash can full of paper. It's not like Kaveh didn’t want to clean, he just rarely had the energy, and even when he did it was normally used to work on commissions instead of doing house work.
Kaveh set the bag of food next to him on the bed, looking at Alhaitham curiously as the scribe removed his cape and gloves. Leaving his arms bare, Kaveh could truly appreciate just how well built the scribe was. Of course, the thought of it made Kaveh want to curl up into a ball and bury himself forever, but that's besides the point. Alhaitham was too busy kneeling in front of Kaveh to allow for Kaveh’s brain to spiral any further, and the scribe was too busy removing Kaveh’s shoes with a reverence Kaveh had to actively deny.
After removing Kaveh’s shoes, Alhaitham actually made eye contact with the architect. Standing with a soft groan and grabbing the bag next to Kaveh, he began to walk towards the door.
“Change into something comfortable, I’ll bring you your portion in a few minutes.” Alhaitham said, plucking the bag of food from beside Kaveh and exiting the room without leaving room for debate. Leaving Kaveh entirely on his own to process what the hell just happened.
Now that he was sitting down on something soft and Alhaitham was no longer holding all of his attention, the ache in his bones returned. Kaveh groaned, laying back on his bed and feeling a few vertebrae in his spine pop as he stretched. The headache that had been brewing all day hadn’t gone away, and gods was he tired. He could probably roll over and fall asleep if he had the energy, but the idea of sleeping in the clothes he had spent all day sweating in made him sit up.
Thankfully, his dresser wasn't far, and while it was stuffed full of clothes, he managed to pull out a comfortable shirt and shorts. Slowly and without standing, Kaveh changed, throwing his discarded day clothes in the direction of his laundry bin. He could worry about that later, when his stomach was rumbling and he could feel the tiredness behind his eyes.
If the noise in the kitchen was anything to go by, Alhaitham had already finished heating up their dinner and was probably waiting for him. Kaveh attempted to stand, leaning against the door frame as Alhaitham appeared in the hallway. A tray with two plates was balanced in his hands, with a glass of water and a steaming cup accompanying them.
Alhaitham looked up at Kaveh, eyebrows furrowing. “I said I was going to bring dinner to you – are you so instant on exacerbating your joints that you’ll ignore those instructions?” Alhaitham said, with a tilt of his head that spoke of silent concern.
Kaveh shook his head in reply, pushing off the door frame and making his way down the hall towards Alhaitham. “No, I heard you correctly, I just don’t want crumbs in my bed. Let's just eat in the living room if you’re so instant on treating me like I'm fragile,” Kaveh replied with a bit more bite than he intended. Passing Alhaitham, who still had their meals in his hands, Kaveh entered the living room and sank into the cushions of his divan. Alhaitham may be awful at decorating, Kaveh thought as he felt his entire body relax, but he sure was good at picking out cushions.
Alhaitham thankfully didn’t protest Kaveh’s request, and instead followed the architect into the living room. Setting the tray down on the coffee table and passing the plate to Kaveh, he sat across from the architect.
“Whatever you say,” Alhaitham said after serving himself his meal, “As long as you don’t strain yourself too hard.”
Kaveh waved his hand in response, dismissing the comment as he started to eat. The food of course was delicious, and satisfied the lingering pain in his stomach from forgetting to eat all day. The pair ate in silence, the occasional clink of ceramic mixing with the ambient sounds of the city outside the window. The sounds and good food were slowly lulling Kaveh into a sleepy sort of mood, exhausted from the day and the flare up taking a toll on him emotionally. Eventually, Kaveh leaned back into the divan, plate empty and cup of tea (that Tighnari said had medicinal properties, although how Alhaitham knew that though was a mystery to him) drained.
Kaveh sighed, content on falling asleep right here on the divan. Good company and good food always made him like this, and it didn’t help that even after sitting down for so long, he was pretty sure his knees would protest if he tried to stand.
The clink of glass hitting wood snapped Kaveh from his thoughts and he sat up to look at Alhaitham across from him. The scribe was already cleaning up their meal, piling the dishes and cups onto the tray between them.
“I hope you plan on washing those after you’re done, it's your week to do the dishes.” Kaveh commented, more as a tease than anything else. Alhaitham huffed in response, which to anyone else might sound upset but Kaveh knew was more similar to a laugh.
“Can you make it back to your room?” Alhaitham asked after piling their dishes onto the tray. He stood above Kaveh with an expectant look in his eye, forcing Kaveh to crane his neck to meet the scribe’s gaze.
“What? Looking for another excuse to carry me again?” Kaveh replied, making the corner of Alhaitham’s lips twitch. Kaveh’s ears burn from the comment.
“So what if I was? Would you even let me?” Alhaitham said, hand on his hip and staring Kaveh down like it was a personal challenge.
“I already let you carry me once today, who's to say I’ll do it again?”
“And if I asked nicely?”
“I don't think you're even capable of asking anyone nicely, let alone me.” Kaveh said, his ears continuing to burn as the two faced each other.
Alhaitham knelt beside Kaveh, evening their heights so they could properly make eye contact. Alhaitham only held the architect’s eyes for a second, but that didn’t stop Kaveh’s heart from doing that little flip it did whenever the two were close.
“Please?” Alhaitham said it so softly Kaveh would have missed it if not for the movement of the scribe’s mouth. Kaveh could feel his cheeks burning, he was probably bright red from the proximity of the two, and goodness this wasn't good for his heart.
Kaveh didn't reply right away, too wrapped up in the very real implications of what Alhaitham was asking. The idea of having an excuse to be close to the scribe again almost made Kaveh miss how Alhaitham started to stand. The scribe raised an eyebrow, raising to his full height and holding out a hand for Kaveh to take. Kaveh rolled his eyes, pushing himself off the divan and taking Alhaitham’s hand.
Alhaitham didn’t pick Kaveh up again, as if sensing that being carried for a second time today would only humiliate the architect further. He did, however, lead Kaveh to his bedroom, hands still intertwined.
Kaveh let go of Alhaitham’s hand as he sank into the mattress. He tried not to think about the way their fingers had fit together perfectly and how the calluses on Alhaitham’s fingers felt comforting in a way he couldn’t properly put into words.
Kaveh shifted as he curled up on his side, getting comfortable as Alhaitham pulled an extra blanket from underneath the architect's bed. Kaveh was too tired to berate Alhaitham for knowing where he kept his heated blanket, and instead chose to watch as the scribe plugged the blanket in. He leaned over Kaveh, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders and turning it on. The two made eye contact as Alhaitham leaned over Kaveh, and they were so close Kaveh could make out the individual specks of gold in Alhaitham’s two toned eyes.
Before he could properly appreciate the moment though, Alhaitham stood, taking another one of Kaveh’s many blankets and pulling it over the architect, properly tucking him in for an early night.
Kaveh watched him, admiring the scribe’s dedicated focus to making sure Kaveh was comfortable. It would have made Kaveh laugh, if Alhaitham’s wouldn’t question why he was laughing. Eventually, Alhaitham decided Kaveh was sufficiently tucked in and stood properly.
He made a point to close Kaveh’s curtains, extinguishing the remaining light from the room. Alhaitham crossed the room, standing in the doorway before turning back to Kaveh one last time.
“Let me know if you need anything, I’ll keep my headphones on.” Alhaitham said, reaching for the door handle to close the door.
Kaveh rolled his eyes, making a show of wiggling in his blankets to display just how comfy he really was. “I think I’ll be fine, but I’ll let you know.”
Alhaitham hummed in response, again close to a laugh, closing the door halfway. “With your track record, I doubt it, but whatever you say.”
Kaveh let out a soft laugh, his eyes growing heavy as the heated blanket slowly warmed his bones. He pulled the blankets up to his ears, gazing at Alhaitham silhouetted in light from the hallway.
“Make sure Mehrak makes it to her charging station in the study for me?” Kaveh asked, just as Alhaitham was going to close the door. He didn’t want Alhaitham to leave just yet, but he also knew he couldn’t ask him to stay.
“I will.” Alhaihtam replied, going to close the door again.
“Oh and wash the dishes too, I forgot to wash a coffee mug this morning and it’s probably gross by now.”
“I’ll wash the dishes.” Alhaitham was smiling now, it was hard to see but Kaveh could make out the faint hint of an upturned lip.
“And the leftovers should go in the fridge,” Kaveh continued – something about the back and forth making his heart flutter, but it was probably just his body fighting the sleep that would overtake him soon.
“Goodnight Kaveh.” Alhaitham said with an air of finality, warmth from his voice spreading over Kaveh like an extra warm blanket.
“Goodnight,” Kaveh replied, yawn cutting his sentence short as he closed his eyes. The ache in his bones was finally subsiding, as if his body knew Alhaitham would be there if he needed him. Kaveh heard the door close, the squeaky hinges no longer bothering him as he settled into his bed. The sound of ceramic in the kitchen and the buzzing of his fan lulling Kaveh into a restful sleep, knowing Alhaitham was on the other side of the door if he needed him.