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It was a normal evening at Al-Haitham's resident. Both its windows emits dim lights as if bragging to the streets outside about the radiating warmth the house hosts. Inside-as you may expect- were Kaveh and Al-Haitham. Although they've had their share of tensed up moments, tonight is not about that. Infact tonight, the tedious roommates were sharing about their day near the fire, sipping coffees and snacking on Ajilekakh Nut Crackers.
"So when you're not out drinking khamr, you pour it out on coffee?" Al-Haitham asks, his voice soothing yet mocking.
The blond slurps his now lukewarm coffee as he replied. "Yeah, yeah. Mock me all you want but these coffee beans are AMAZING. Surely, you cant blame me for merely appreciating such fine taste? Why'd we get these beans anyway instead of our normal ones? Your new encyclopedia thinks it scientifically tastes better?"
"No, not really." Al-Haitham pauses for a moment to sip again, before he continued. "You've been staying up late these past few weeks. So i decided to use my pocket money to buy us the highest quality beans at Ormos Street. If you're gonna be sick then you'd atleast enjoy it."
"Wh- what kind of reason is that?" Kaveh scoffs as one corner of his lips lifted up to mock his roommate.
"Im just saying, Kaveh. You never buy yourself something nice. Not for a coffee, not even for khamr. Atleast not this month. Why is that?"
"Are you concerned? Thought you'd be over the stars by that news."
"I did thought about the possibility of you getting more financially stable, but by that time, i would've been twice as rich as Lord Sangemah Bay."
"Is that so..?" Kaveh's golden brown eyebrows furrowed. Annoyed. "Well.. given the hearty atmosphere, i might aswell tell you before we're on each other's throats again." Kaveh said before taking another sip at his half done coffee. "I was halfway on this project, right? My clients were two colleagues. They wanted me to make a design. A home for two, they say. I did the blueprints and all-even went out of the way to search for cheaper material alternatives and bought them as a sample. But they rejected all of my designs."
"Is that why you're short on Mora?" Al-Haitham asks.
"Partly, but anyway they loooved one of the draft design i then completed, and the building process started. I was helping them deliver some of the rare materials. I even used my own Mora foor the acomodation process.. but they stopped mid way!" Kaveh shouts at the last part.
"Did they tell you why?"
"One of them was forced into an arranged marriage with a girl by their parent. Turns out they were a same sex couple who wanted to escape their family and... live together." Kaveh replied, his face looked exasperated, as if he were the one who's experiencing all those dramas just now.
"Oh.." Al-Haitham was silenced by Kaveh's story about the same sex couple. He then cleared his throat awkwardly to ease whatever Kaveh's feeling right now. "Well, how are they now?"
"Separated. I met one of them this morning-the one who was dumped. And i decided to treat him lunch. Cause i bet if my boyfriend was forced to marry a girl infront of me while my architect's watching. I'd sue for some kind of compensation too." Kaveh said, his tone heavy with resignation as he sighed.
"I bet you do." Al-Haitham answered, still having no idea how to properly respond at a time like this.
"Yeah.." Kaveh, still distressed, resting his body on the table, hoping for Al-Haitham to atleast continue the conversation.
"...To think that they fought for the luxury we have every day..." Al-Haitham mumbles.
"What do you mean?" Kaveh sat back up, his face intrigued by his words.
"You know? They were giving their life savings to have a home for two while we hang around eachother everyday thinking its really just basic needs everyone else can do and not a privillege to live with someone."
"You kinda sound like one of the couple, Haitham. With those,.. eyes of yours, the stares you give me, and everything." Kaveh commented.
"Really? A shame he cannot see the privilege of a person he's compared with right now..."
"O-kaay..? Why are you bragging about living with me all of a sudden?" Kaveh teased.
"I-im really not." Al-Haitham quickly stops in wherever his words were going at the moment. "But if i do have a wife one day, i'd much rather she act like you."
"Wha- you cant say that! Im not a national standart for wives or something! You should accept whoever she is instead of turning her into someone else!" Kaveh said, his voice were stable yet his face looks palpated at the word "wife" alone.
"Yeah, but.. you have just the perfect amount of participation in my life. You let me be inactive but still cover my needs when i need too sometimes."
"Th-that's because im paying rent to stay at your place! You're technically my landlord now!"
"Oh really? Are you suggesting i should make my future wife pay rent at my place too so she acts like you?"
"Y-you..! Thats not what i was saying!!" Kaveh grunts in annoyance, before sighing. "All im saying is, you might aswell marry me if you're willing to go that far."
"Im willing." Al-Haitham replied in a second. The words rolled of his tongue. No struggles. No hestitations.
"What?" The blond raises his eyebrows and looked at Al-Haitham as confusion, shock, and disbelief all painted with contrast colors in his face.
"I said im willing." Al-Haitham answered. His voice even sterner this time, his low, nearly careless voice sent shivers down Kaveh's spines.
"Al-Haitham a-are you..?"
"I-im sorry, did i make you uncomfortable?" The feeble scholar quickly regained his composure after bluffing out.
"No-no im not. But.. are... you....?"
Al-Haitham sighs in disbelief. He knew that this conversation would end wit Kaveh knowing a new thing about him, one way or another. "Okay. Yes, fine. I'm gay. I dont intend too be tied by sexualities, but if you wish to put on labels, that''s what i am. Gay"
"Did-did you just come out to me? Wearing that?" Kaveh points out Alhaitham's black and green shirt that has an Aranara face printed on it that he'd wore daily for comforts. Yet its very unappealing aesthethic seemed to concern the blond more that The scholar's sexuality.
"Ugh, shut up." Al-Haitham looked the other way.
"Alright, Alright! Me too!" Kaveh chuckled
"Your clothes are ugly too? Thanks for not embarassing me i guess."
"No silly! Im also gay!"
And then they kiss and liive happily ever after becauuse the author wants to go to sleep