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This season of Kaveh’s life was not going to end as soon as he thought it would.
He was still stuck with Al haitham. It was like the universe was playing pranks on them.
He was still mourning the death of his his dad and missing his mom.
He was still broke.
He was still pining and in pain.
Kaveh’s back hurt- screw it! His everything hurt! After all, just minutes ago, he was tossed around, punched, mauled over, and zipped around at high speeds through the sky! Not even a sliver of mercy was given to him! No biggie, right?
Kaveh giggled. His eye twitched.
His whole body ached.
Every single step he took felt like stepping on burning hot coal.
His cape got torn off.
His clothes were scratched and dirty.
His hair was tousled and muddy.
Sachin’s ghost gave him a headache.
An overworked Mehrak whirred right behind him.
His eye bags were the size of Sumeru for archons sake! (dramatic, I know)
All in front of his damned crush! One of the- the commentators of the event… UGH! He hated loving Al haitham. It was unrequited, anyways. (Mhm, sure thang, Kaveh.)
Not like Kaveh’s worries mattered, anyways… He won. He fucking won. He was equally elated and also… Miserable? Like- Like there was a hole of emptiness in his heart.
Well, on one hand:
Kaveh finally managed to break the diadem of knowledge, which would halt suffering to several generations for the unforeseeable future. He finally won! He honored his dad, who died a bit after losing the same contest it’s your fault, Kaveh. Everything that happened was your fault. If you, yes you, you worthless scum, didn’t practically beg him to join when you were younger, he wouldn’t have lost, went to the desert, and— Y-ya, his Father would’ve been proud…
Kaveh was on the brink of tears; because of the physical and mental pain. He was limping slightly through the huge, seemingly grey crowd. No one noticed the pain of the crimson red winner and his battered, emerald robot.
He donated all the mora for a good cause, at least, but now he couldn’t move out of Al haitham’s house, which he couldn’t even pay half the rent for in the first place. (Though, Kaveh was the one who suggested paying.) Well, he did reluctantly accept a million mora from his friend, Cyno in exchange for a limited edition, shiny, gold TCG card. He used most of the mora for celebratory dinner with friends, donations, and paying off a few debts.
Kaveh was in so much agonising pain.
He needed someone, anyone.
He wouldn’t be caught dead crying and being carried around in public like some weak dolly, though.
He finally inched closer and closer to their Al haitham’s house, and he was praying to Lesser Lord Kusanali above that Al haitham didn’t steal his precious key. He fished around his dirty pockets, and for once in his life, His key was there! (Well good job, Kaveh.) He slowly pulled out the key with a shaky, scratched up, dirty hand and took a moment to admire it. The emerald and gold glinted in the hot, Sumeru sunlight, it was nearly unscathed, and a small lion keychain (that Kaveh bought from a scammer.) dangled from it; swaying in the wind. It was silly, but Kaveh thought of it as a hope. A dream. A promise.
An unspoken promise from Al haitham that was made about two weeks ago, when he suggested that Kaveh should move in. That he was going to be by Kaveh’s side, that he’d let him lean on him if he needed, and that he was a safe place to land for Kaveh. And for once… Looking at that key, Kaveh’s current pain and worries momentarily drifted away like a pumice rock on a golden shore. Maybe… It didn’t matter much, after all.
He blinked and looked around, only to realise that he had been standing at the doorstep and spacing out for who knows how long. He shook his head, urging the blush away, and he stuck the key into the keyhole. “Dumb Kaveh…” Kaveh thought as he weakly pushed the wooden door open and trudged in. He felt more comfortable. He didn’t even realise that he had staggered on the wall. Was he that weak? He felt dumb for some reason… He felt light headed. He closed his eyes and cried, slipping further down the wall till he hit the floor. Al haitham was on the divan, reading his fifth big, nerdy book of the day. He wouldn’t care about Kaveh, right? He wouldn’t even notice.
He felt dizzy. He felt like his thoughts were a pumice rock being crashed and thrown around by huge, raging, gold waves. He was hyperventilating, hiccuping, and crying, but then… He felt a large, warm, comforting weight on his shoulder. It was urging him back into reality, pulling him back onto earth. His body and sole shook, and then he slowly glanced up to see those emerald-Orange eyes peering down at him. He flinched and looked away.
”Kaveh… Look at me.” That dumb, hella cute, stoic voice ordered. Kaveh pouted and felt himself get lifted of the ground.
”He-“
Al haitham gently carried Kaveh over his shoulder with ease. He shook his head “No buts, Kaveh.” He rolled his majestic eyes.
”but I-“
Al haitham groaned. “You deserve a break. I hate to say it, but I’ll help give it to you.”
Kaveh huffed petulantly and stayed quiet as his ears turned a deep shade of pink. Al haitham was so, so annoying! If only he knew what he did to Kaveh.
”I’m fine… What about Mehrak?” Kaveh muttered after a few minutes.
Al haitham was slowly undressing Kaveh and humming. He rolled his eyes. “You just can’t shut up, can you? Fix him later. Care about yourself and be selfish for once.”
Kaveh scowled and blushed. “Wh-What are you doing now?” His voice wavered slightly. He flinched.
Al haitham sighed. “What does it look like? I’m undressing you, you idiot.” He pulled down the last article of clothing and huffed. His eyes trailed over Kaveh. His jaw clenched slightly at the sight of Kaveh’s dirty and scarred body, but he didn’t mention it to him.
Kaveh blushed and covered himself with his arms. It was futile, and Al haitham could see everything. The mixture of those light and deep scars, those patches of mud, clay, and paint, the way Kaveh’s skin was smooth in some places and rough in others, the freckles sprinkled over said slightly tanned skin, His slightly toned chest, how hypnotising his belly rolls were when he crouched over slightly, and that medium-
Al haitham looked away and cleared his throat the minute he realised he was… Admiring? Kaveh’s body. He peered back a second time, only to realise that the other man was… scared?
”Wh-what do you think you’re doing?” Kaveh pouted and looked away; his hands were wrapped around his stomach protectively. He sounded small, he felt small, too. He didn’t want this, he didn’t want Al haitham to hurt him, and judge him, and-
“Kaveh-“ Al haitham’s eyes softened. If he did that again, Kaveh might have bursted.
Kaveh sniffled and snapped. “Sh-shush! You’re just going to hurt me! Y-you don’t actually care.”
Al haitham rolled his eyes. “Kaveh… I wasn’t gonna try anything. I’m just gonna give you a bath. I- it does not mater if I care.”
“O-oh.” Kaveh blushed and glanced at Al haitham before looking at the floor and sighing. Of course he’d think something else. Just great. Al haitham held his sore hand, slowly, gently, and gingerly, he dragged him to the bathroom, and hummed.
Kaveh was laying back, breathing slow and shallow. His beautiful, shiny, blond locks were cleansed of all the dirt and fanned out, floating on top of the colourful, warm, bubbly water (he whined and insisted on at least adding one bath bomb.) Al haitham was snuggling with Kaveh, He was comfy and reading some… Water proof book made of stone. It was infuriating! Maybe a bit cute… Kaveh blushed. It was really calming… Welcoming, even. Maybe, Kaveh wanted to go like this… Death wasn’t such a scary prospect to him at that point. So, he slowly slipped his head down, and down, and down, his head was half submerged, but then, he heard something. Al haitham was listening to something on his waterproof headphones. It was quiet and muffled, but Kaveh could hear that calming, pretty, slow, distinct sound… “.في حاجات تتحس و ما تتقلش (there are needs that are felt and not told.)” a love song? One that Al haitham was humming while reading.
Kaveh raised a brow. He resurfaced, making the music a bit less muffled, and he leaned onto Al haitham’s bare side. He was confused, why would Al haitham listen to some sappy love song? He sighed. He listened to the lyrics more closely as Al haitham hugged him.
".وان جيت اطلبها أنا ما أقدرش (And when I come to request it, I can’t.)” Al haitham hummed along in the most soothing voice ever.
Okay… A sad love song? Kaveh was confused, but also, he felt jealous of whoever Al haitham felt like this towards.
”.و لو إنت عملتها بعد ما أنا اطلبها بيبقى ما ينفعش (And if you do them after I request it, there will be no use left)”
Kaveh looked up at Al haitham and sniffled. Archons, he needed to know what was up with him… Al haitham looked down at kaveh and raised a silvery brow. “Kaveh, are you okay?” He muttered.
”.في حاجات تتحس و ما تتقلش (There are needs that are felt and not told.)” The music kept going. No, Kaveh was certainly not okay. He was in pain. He wanted the ache in his body to stop. He wanted the pang in his heart to stop. Why did Al haitham care about him, anyways? He was just- just a dumb, mentally ill, free loading, good for nothing idiot. Was Al haitham even okay? Kaveh felt himself tear up.
”.توجع في القلب و مبتبانش (It hurts the heart and I won’t show it.)” Kaveh’s heart did hurt… Like a lot.
”Kaveh?” Al haitham tilted his head. He squeezed Kaveh slightly. Kaveh flinched.
”Wh-why do you care?!” Kaveh’s voice cracked and he cried onto Al haitham’s shoulder.
“.و أفضل على طول تعبانة ما بين طب أقول لك ولا ما أقولكش (And it’s better to always be tired than to decide to tell you or not.)”
Al haitham just closed his book and placed it on the edge of the bathtub. He stared at Kaveh, his brows furrowed, and he tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean, Kaveh?”
Kaveh sniffled. “Wh-why are you taking care of m-me and asking i-if I’m okay?” He took a deep breath. “I don’t even deserve to live in your house. What do you want? You can’t just do this with no ulterior motives, r-right? You’re just like everyone else!” Kaveh cried and hiccuped.
"ما أقدرش أقول لك غير كل طريقة حبك لي (I can’t tell you anything other than every way you love me.)”
Al haitham’s eyes softened. He looked worried. He placed a pruned hand on Kaveh’s bare shoulder, and it made him flinch. “Kaveh, I want you here with me. I was worried when you came home like that. I was worried while commentating the moment and seeing you get hurt without even being able to help. That’s why I’m doing this, idiot.” He feigned annoyance.
“And it’s not my house, it’s ours.” He huffed. “In fact, it’s not even a house anymore. When you came here… It became a home.”
Kaveh blushed and his brows furrowed. He looked up at Al haitham skeptically. “You truly mean it? Y-you don’t want anything from me?” He looked away. “And what do you mean, ‘our home’?”
Al haitham sighed and put a hand on Kaveh’s chin, turning his head slightly to face him. He whispered. “Kaveh, I mean it.” His gaze was intense, his pupils dilated. He had this… Microscopic smile. The smile that only Kaveh ever noticed. The smile that Kaveh fell for. “And a friend told me once that… A house can simply be a pile of wood on a plot of land, but a home cannot exist without inhabitants. The presence of people is what turns a house into a home. Y-you are my home. I love you, Kaveh… Even after our five years apart, I-“
"ما أقدرش أقول لك غير كل طريقة حبك لي (I can’t tell you anything other than every way you love me.)”
Kaveh was the friend who told Al haitham that, Archons… Over five years… Kaveh’s heart fluttered, he blushed so hard, he couldn’t breath, he was a freaking tomato. No, he was a field of red gardenias! (Jeez, Kaveh… Chill) “You, wh-what?” He giggled. He looked crazy. Kaveh.exe stopped working. No, seriously, he was not working right.
Al haitham raised a brow and huffed. “Kaveh? I just said that I love you.” He said as if it were the most casual thing to say to his roommate in the world. He shook Kaveh and took out the plug in the drain. Kaveh just giggled more and passed out.
A few minutes later, Kaveh woke up. He looked down at himself and realised that, he was in a nice, warm robe, he was out of the bathtub, and he had bandages over his cuts. He took a while to process that he was trapped in Al haitham’s big, warm, strong arms. Al haitham was in a robe, and he was braiding Kaveh’s hair. Kaveh looked behind him, made direct eye contact, blushed, and looked away.
“Stay still, will you? Braiding your hair while you’re moving is way too tricky.” Al haitham said stoically, but with a hint of annoyance.
”Y-you love me!” Kaveh sputtered.
”Yes, I did say that.”
”You love me?”
Al haitham sighed and nodded. “Lesser Lord Kusanali above, help me…” He muttered. “Yes, I do, that’s why I let you live here, senior.” Al haitham deadpanned and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. Kaveh giggled.
”wow… You love me.” Like he just realised it.
Al haitham face palmed and shook his head. He finished braiding Kaveh’s hair and hugged him, pulling him back onto the pillows with him.
”I… Don’t know what to say, honestly.” Kaveh giggled. “This all feels like a dream, you know.”
Al haitham smirked and nuzzled Kaveh’s shoulder. “You don’t have to say anything, unless, you like me back.”
Kaveh pouted. “Off course I do, idiot. I just… You just surprised me! Oi, don’t get too touchy!”
”Or what?” Al haitham said in a snarky tone. He kissed Kaveh’s shoulder and hummed. Kaveh shuddered, blushed, and giggled.
“Hey!”
Then Kaveh was attacked by a whole barrage of kisses. He pouted.
”I hate you.”
”I love you.”
Al haitham kissed Kaveh and Kaveh kissed back. Kaveh hugged Al haitham tight, and the two opened and closed their mouths in sync with each other. They separated to breath, and the were both panting, taking breaths of providence.
Kaveh giggled and cupped Al haitham’s cheek. “Cheeky bastard.”
Al haitham smiled and dug a hand into Kaveh’s damp blond hair. “Dimwit.”
they nuzzled noses and stared into each other’s eyes lovingly. Al haitham loved Kaveh and Kaveh loved Al haitham, there was no doubt about it. They slowly drifted off to sleep in each other’s soft, comforting, warm embrace. Not as roommates, but as lovers. They wouldn’t have it any other way.
Maybe this season of Kaveh’s life wasn’t going to end so soon… But it was okay. He was getting his life back on track.