Chapter Text
Alhaitham wasn’t sure he could stand the quiet any longer.
Well, he could endure the quiet, really. It was the lack of the occasional whine or complaint that was bothering him.
How had he gotten so used to Kaveh?
He left early for the Akademiya, with no sign of the blonde returning anytime soon. At least work could distract him for a while.
A few hours of checking through reports and sorting through a tedious issue with an irritating alumni, and he was done for the day. He stopped by one of the stalls from the ongoing festival’s booths.
It was loud, so he didn’t take his time. He bought some bread from a stall that offered free little bracelets. Alhaitham was given a red one.
He held it tight in his fingers before slotting it in his pocket.
He did well to rush, as Kaveh was at their doorstep, leaning back against the wall in a shirt that wasn't his own. He had his head in his hand, as if nursing a headache.
Alhaitham’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything about it.
He made his way inside before Kaveh could notice.
“There you are-” was the last Alhaitham heard before he shut the door behind him, leaving it unlocked.
He went to the kitchen while Kaveh stepped into the house, making himself comfortable back at the sofa. The beer bottles weren’t there anymore, and so was his coffee.
Alhaitham had disposed of them yesterday, almost out of spite because why did Kaveh even feel the need to hide his drinking? It was an irrational feeling, and Alhaitham didn’t understand it.
He set the table for the two of them, placing down reheated soup and the bread he just bought.
He didn’t call Kaveh to eat with him, usually his housemate would just sit down uninvited. He didn’t seem as enthusiastic to do so now.
Alhaitham sat in silence for a while, watching Kaveh finish up the sketch and calculations, before finally clearing his throat.
“The food will go cold.”
Kaveh gave Alhaitham a confused glance before sitting down beside him. “This is from the booths?”
“Yes. Did you see them when you went out?”
Kaveh winced, the little jab not lost on him. Alhaitham had said it purely to get a reaction, though the pain on the blonde’s face was something he didn’t expect at all. He took a slice of bread and placed it on his plate.
“Why are you asking? Did you miss me when I left?”
“Oh, I missed you plenty,” Alhaitham said, looking at Kaveh expectantly. He tore a small piece from the bread and dipped it into his soup, taking a bite. “Now will you answer my question?”
“No, I didn’t. I went straight to Gandharva Ville to see Tighnari.”
How Kaveh could still take him for a fool, Alhaitham didn’t know. They’d known each other for years, enough for Alhaitham to pick up on Kaveh’s tells without him really wanting to. Without realizing he wouldn’t come to be indifferent as before once he’d memorized them.
And memorize them, he did.
Avoiding his food and touching his sleeve was something Kaveh did when he was lying.
Still, Alhaitham said nothing.
They ate wordlessly, with Alhaitham looking up from his food a few times to see how Kaveh’s brows were furrowed, their eyes meeting briefly. Kaveh’s eyes were searching him for something, Alhaitham knew as much.
“Did you have something to say?”
“Just- You- I… I’m going to the Akademiya later to meet my client. Didn’t you have a book you were looking for?”
Alhaitham set aside his plate. “Did you want me to walk with you? Perhaps it’s you who’s been missing me all this time.”
Kaveh slumped into his seat. “Now you’re just doing it on purpose.”
Alhaitham really felt clueless now.
“We should get more of this,” Kaveh added to change their topic, finishing off the last bite of his bread. “Maybe you should be the one buying groceries instead of me.”
“Leeching off of my salary now?”
“Of course not! I’ll pay for half.”
After an hour, they were on the road to the Akademiya. Alhaitham went to the House of Daena while Kaveh met with his client.
It was quiet again, but the weight in his chest from yesterday had lifted. A little, at least. Why had Kaveh gone out drinking again? And how had it taken half a day and the entire night?
He mulled it over while looking for the particular copy of a book he had Kaveh annotate. It was on the philosophies of ‘People’s Architecture’. Kaveh’s perspectives on funding had been interesting, and Alhaitham found himself drawn back to this book every once in a while.
He traced over his name Kaveh had written. ‘Does it make sense to you now, Alhaitham?’ He could hear Kaveh saying it, a hand on his hip, his brows contorted in a mix of frustration.
It wasn’t the particular book he had mentioned he was looking for, but he checked it out anyway.
Kaveh eyed it the second he saw Alhaitham.
“You really like that book.”
He said it with almost amusement. Alhaitham could’ve sworn the man’s cheeks were a little pink.
“I plan to annotate it again.”
“Still haven’t exhausted all your arguments?” Kaveh asked, raising his brow.
“Of course not.”
They reached the stall, and Kaveh talked to the lady selling the bread they’d wanted. He didn’t bother hiding his smile when the lady handed Kaveh a bracelet. It was turquoise.