#note taking 📑

[scribe-not-sage]

As the morning sun breached the horizon, its warm tendrils began to stir the room. Kaveh, enveloped in the remnants of sleep, groaned at the intrusion of light. The gentle embrace of dawn did little to coax him from his slumber. The sunlight, attempting to paint a golden tapestry on the room, received only a begrudging acknowledgment in the form of a discontented murmur from the reluctant sleeper. -@ask-kaveh-official

[Haitham groaned slightly at the sunlight, his head still tucked against Kaveh's chest. At some point during the night, he had wrapped his arms around Kaveh, holding him a little closer.]

[scribe-not-sage]

"Haitham. Err... How about we... take a walk through Paris Dhyai's gardens?"

"...It's a date, to be clear."

Sure.

[scribe-not-sage]

It was warm, unusually warm and cozy. Kaveh's eyes fluttered as he slowly stirred awake.

<When did I fall asleep? I don't remember going to bed and why is my pillow so firm?>

He opened eyes, blinking sleepily as he looks up only to find Haitham, fast asleep.

<....Haitham?...>

Kaveh frowned in confusion, still hazy from his sleep. He looked around and his widen slowly in realisation that he had fallen asleep on the scribe!

< Oh shit. OH FUCK. What did I doooooo?????>

Kaveh's cheeks heats up as he panicked on what to do.

< Maybe I could slowly get off him? And pretend it never happened? >

Wrong. He couldn't. Haitham's arm was wrapped around his waist and one of Haitham's leg was hooked around his own.

< Shit. I am so screwed. Oh Archons, just end me already.>

Kaveh continued to wonder what to do, his cheeks dusted with a pinkish hue.

< and does he have to look like a perfectly carved sculpture even in his sleep? The archons truly are unfair! >

- @ask-kaveh-official

[It seemed Kaveh's movements stirred Haitham, as he brought his free hand to rub his eyes. As he grazed his earpieces, he groaned and slid them off. As he rubbed the back of his ear, he opened his eyes, looking down at Kaveh, staring at him for a moment as he processed what happened.]

[scribe-not-sage]

"Alhaitham!"

Kaveh practically barged through his door, a little out of breath and with a classic heart-shaped box of chocolates in his arms. "God... why didn't you tell me it was Valentine's day already?! I almost missed it! Here, take these."

I didn't think you'd want to do anything for it.

[He hesitantly took the box of chocolates, flashing a small smile.]

Thank you.

[scribe-not-sage]

...

I think the most amazing thing about Alhaitham's ironic question "How has realizing your ideals gone for you?" is that yes, on the surface, it pierced through the heart of Kaveh's feelings at the time and forced him to reflect on whether he still had enough belief to keep going, but--BUT--

This is also Alhaitham subtly asking: "Was your life better without me?"

Kaveh left their friendship because of his ideals.

Kaveh's attempts to realize his beliefs began in earnest during his argument with Alhaitham, who challenged him back then by suggesting that Kaveh didn't honestly believe in his ideals and was just pursuing them out of guilt and a desire to punish himself for his father's death.

Kaveh's attempt to "realize his ideals," therefore, spans the exact amount of time he and Alhaitham have been separated. When Alhaitham asks about Kaveh's attempts, he's asking very specifically about the course Kaveh's life took when he was no longer in it.

How did it go for you? Were you happier? Was it worth it?

I truly believe that Kaveh will be able resolve his conflict with Alhaitham--and come to understand Alhaitham's actual feelings--when he realizes that, in that exact moment, he should have turned the question around:

How did realizing your ideals go for you, Alhaitham?

Was your life better off without me?

No.

[scribe-not-sage]

It was unusual for the architect to stumble into the Grand Scribe's office unless it was to expedite an approval for a request. However, this time, Kaveh seemed to be walking towards Al Haitham's desk with a pep in his step. As he reaches the desk, he places a sizeable bag of Mora on the table. "Rent. Until two months ago." Kaveh grins at the scribe. -@ask-kaveh-official

...

[scribe-not-sage]

After patching his hand up, Kaveh looked at Al Haitham, still keeping a good distance from him.

[Are you okay?] -@ask-kaveh-official

[Haitham stared at him for a moment, before leaning back and tipping his head back.]

'No.'

[scribe-not-sage]

"Aaagh... I can't... believe him!"

Kaveh stormed into the living room, a hand running through his hair. "Haitham!"

Despite his tone, it wasn't his partner he was mad at - not this time, at least.

What?

[scribe-not-sage]

We're not having children.

you and alhaitham are thr gayest peope I’ve ever seen… I’m sure your children will be very cute too

"C-children?!"

[scribe-not-sage]

Kaveh stood up from the table, paying the tab to Lambad. He waits for Haitham and signs to the scribe.

[Ready to head home? You can take off your ear pieces once we are home]

-@ask-kaveh-official

[Haitham nods, heading towards the door as Kaveh pays.]

Not like you to pay.

[scribe-not-sage]

Kaveh entered the house later than usual, his shoulders were slumped as he placed the keys on the dish near the entrance. Mehrak seemed to be carrying a huge box alongside it as Kaveh walked in. He headed towards the living room, finding Al Haitham seated with a book, nothing out of the ordinary. He places a small pouch on the table in front of him and places a note beside it.

Components for your ear piece. They all still fit your standard design. If you need any help fitting them back in, let me know.

There was a small doodle of a desert fox on the corner of the note. With that placed, Kaveh heads to his room - @ask-kaveh-official

You work too much if you collapse the second you get back.

[Haitham opened it up, looking at the various parts.]

[scribe-not-sage]

"Haitham?"

Kaveh peeked his head around the doorway to Alhaitham's room. "Can you do me a favour?"

That depends what the favour is.

[scribe-not-sage]

Kaveh is not my husband who the fuck told you that?!

"As much as I still love Fontaine, I've been sort of coming and going to Sumeru. I'm still scared to travel beyond that... but the people in Sumeru have all been very kind to me. I... I don't know if they'd consider themselves my friends, but I still enjoy being around them."

"Um, let's see... There's Tighnari, the Scribe and his husband, Nilou, and also a lady who escorts me around the edges of the Desert. Her name is Candace, she says she's marked out a route that's much safer and quicker for me to travel through. She always insists on going with me though."

"... I still struggle to be around people for too long, but it really eased Lyney's nerves about me travelling alone when I told him I met some people over there who could 'look out' for me."

[scribe-not-sage]

The door squeaked open as Kaveh entered. He clicked his tongued.

"Gotta get that fixed." He grumbled.

He placed his keys in the dish beside the door, on top of the shoe rack and he headed to meet Haitham.

"Hey. I am back!!" He whispered as approached the living room with a bag full of food.

-@ask-kaveh-official

[Haitham was lying with an arm over his eyes on the sofa, his earpieces still on the table, though he had taken his coat off, with the cable between the earpieces and the small box curled on the table with the earpieces and the box at either side.]

Hm?

[scribe-not-sage]

Haitham, how would I, mmm… hypothetically… kiss a man?

~ @sumerus-light-of-kshahrewar 🪶

You're asking if I'd kiss you, aren't you?

[scribe-not-sage]

Hey, just for clarification, you fully knew about the closet plot, yes?

Oh, not this again.

Yes, I was aware of the plot, intentions, and reasons for its existence.