Work Text:
Kaveh sits on the floor in the living room, deep in concentration as he works out the final financial breakdown for the project he’s wrapping up tomorrow.
After a long and gruelling 8 months of designing, liaising with shareholders, and handling the post-construction process, Kaveh would finally be able to consider the ‘Sumeru’s Public Library for the People’ project complete.
As the thought of the project being done crossed his mind, his pen stilled slightly. While he was beyond tired from the sleepless nights spent and the headaches from dealing with conflicting interests, this project had been something of a dream project for him. So, as much as he looked forward to wrapping it up, he was going to miss working on it.
He was able to design not just something functional, but something inspired— the project’s main sponsor, a wealthy and high-profile but incredibly down-to-earth and kind man, Mr Najjar, had a lovely vision for the library. When Kaveh heard how he wanted to give the village and desert folk a place that felt natural and organic, just like what home was to them, Kaveh— forgive his crude metaphor— damn nearly had an artist’s orgasm. The thought of exploring sloping levels and open, interconnected spaces was just too much for him to handle. His outburst of excitement at the idea had scared the socks off his dear client, who was terrified but gladdened by the architect’s enthusiasm. They quickly closed the deal, and henceforth, Kaveh got to work on a project that was as creatively fulfilling as it was meaningful.
Alhaitham clears his throat, interrupting Kaveh’s thoughts. Kaveh had almost forgotten the scribe was there, honestly, with how quietly he’d been reading on the divan opposite from him. Kaveh feels his neck muscles tense a little, expecting a snide remark along the lines of “Are you going to do your work, or are you just going to sit there and daydream?”
“Do you have any plans after this?” Alhaitham asks instead. Kaveh blinks.
“Not really, no,” Kaveh replies. “I was planning to sleep early tonight so I could wake up fresh for the final handover tomorrow, but if you wanted to go out for dinner or something, I could do that too.”
“No, I meant…” Alhaitham pauses briefly, like he’s trying to figure out how to word his question properly. “I mean, the upfront payment Mr Najjar paid you was more than enough to clear your debts and then some. With the additional payment after that… I assumed you would have some plans after that.”
Oh, right. In addition to the project being an enjoyable one, there was also the money… lots of it. Kaveh had actually thought there was a misprint in the number of zeroes when he first saw the payment details.
“To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it,” Kaveh admits thoughtfully. “I was so focused on the project I didn’t really get the chance to think about what comes next.”
“... Mm. Alright,” Alhaitham hums, and returns to his book, flipping it open ungracefully with one hand.
Kaveh looks at him a little lopsidedly.
“... Was that all?” He asks, puzzled.
“Hm?” Alhaitham doesn’t look up from his book.
“Why did you ask?” Kaveh questions. “And is that all you have to say? I was expecting some kind of unsolicited advice or irritating remark.”
“Did you want me to give you unsolicited advice?” He says, and Kaveh lets out an exasperated groan.
“That’s not what I mean. You don’t usually just ask me about my plans in life, or whatever,” Kaveh replies. “Not without reason. What was it you really wanted to know?”
“Nothing,” Alhaitham replies. “I was merely curious.”
Kaveh squints at him. He didn’t believe the man for one second. Perhaps it was something in his demeanor— a little too laid back, more than usual. A little too much effort put into looking unbothered, and a little too little eye contact. Or perhaps it was just in his head, but Kaveh decided to push a little further.
“You, just curious?” Kaveh replies with a huff. “You always say things like that to others when you just want them to piss off and leave you be. I don’t believe that one bit, and frankly I’m a little insulted that you don’t think I know you well enough to see through that.”
“What do you think I’m doing, then?” Alhaitham responds dryly.
Kaveh taps a finger on his arm as he thinks. “Ugh. I dunno. Can’t you tell me?” he groans.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Alhaitham replies coolly, but Kaveh hears the slightest hint of a smirk in his voice, and he knows he’s just being strung along for his roommate’s entertainment. Kaveh lets out a cry of unbridled frustration as he flops backwards against the divan.
“You’re impossible,” Kaveh groans. “Fine, have it your way.” He huffs and picks up his pen again, getting back to work.
He’s halfway through a calculation when Alhaitham interrupts his focus once more. He shoots Alhaitham a glare as the man begins to speak.
“Will you tell me if you make plans?” Alhaitham asks.
The grumbles and complaints Kaveh had at being interrupted yet again slowly fizzle out, because something in Alhaitham’s posture gives him pause. Alhaitham usually actually continues reading (Kaveh has never really understood how) when talking to him, evident by how his eyes continue to rake across the page. This time, Alhaitham’s just pretending to read.
“Yeah,” Kaveh replies, studying him quizzically. Invisible tension seems to release from Alhaitham’s shoulders at that, which only serves to confuse Kaveh further.
“What plans are you expecting me to make…?” Kaveh asks slowly, an eyebrow raised.
“Nothing,” Alhaitham replies. Kaveh detects a hint of defensiveness, and takes the chance to pry further.
“Really?” Kaveh says, and takes special care to inject a hint of confidence in his voice. It elicits just the reaction he wanted.
“Really,” Alhaitham says, stiffly.
“Come on,” Kaveh replies, folding his arms with a grin, knowing he’s close to a win. “We both know there’s more. Save us the song and dance, and you can go back to reading.”
Alhaitham sighs, closes his eyes, and shuts his book. Success.
“If you really must know,” Alhaitham says finally. “I was wondering if you had made plans to move out.”
… Oh. Well, that was certainly not what Kaveh expected. A spike of anxiety and insecurity runs through him.
“I haven’t yet,” he replies. “But I’ll start looking at getting my own place soon, so don’t worry about that.”
“No,” Alhaitham says quickly, shaking his head. “That’s not what I meant. You’re always so quick to assume. I told you I don’t mind you continuing to live here already.”
“Oh,” Kaveh replies, releasing his breath a little. He’s not really sure what to make of Alhaitham’s words now. He fiddles with his pen under the table as his mind whirs.
“I don’t like change,” Alhaitham replies. “If there’s going to be a big change in my currently comfortable life, I’d like to be prepared.”
Right. That made sense. Alhaitham wasn’t a fan of abrupt changes, and Kaveh moving out would certainly be a big one. Kaveh nods.
Rather than returning to his book, Alhaitham eyes Kaveh a little, like Kaveh hadn’t read between some lines that he was supposed to. Kaveh raises his eyebrows, feeling rather confused and hoping Alhaitham would fill him in. To Kaveh’s surprise, he does.
“I was also just… not eager to lose the company I keep in my life,” Alhaitham says, thumbing at a page of his book.
Kaveh can’t help the surprised expression that flashes over his face. Alhaitham’s quiet admission was… so very sweet. He flounders for words and ends up just staring at his roommate, and realises that he’s looking at his best friend. With the way Alhaitham sits there, shyly averting his eyes as he awaits a response to his vulnerable admission, he looks more like Alhaitham from the Akademiya, back when they were just kids and Alhaitham was the junior that tagged along with him everywhere, than Alhaitham the Grumpy Scribe. It registers belatedly that Alhaitham had been trying to avoid revealing that the whole time, and suddenly his defensiveness makes a lot more sense. Kaveh knows that Alhaitham cares for him, he does, but sometimes it’s easy to forget.
“I won’t be leaving any time soon,” Kaveh says gently. “So you don’t have to go preparing for any changes.” He smiles as Alhaitham relaxes. And then, because he can’t help himself, “I can’t believe you just said something so nice.”
Alhaitham huffs, and the Grumpy Scribe is back. He sticks his nose back into his book and chooses not to reply.
Before he loses Alhaitham completely, Kaveh adds, “And as for my plans immediately after this, I think dinner out would be nice. How about it?”
“Mm, sure,” Alhaitham replies. Kaveh rolls his eyes fondly.
“You’re so annoying.”
“You wouldn’t have me any other way,” Alhaitham replies. Kaveh smiles.
“I guess I wouldn’t."