text; an important survey

[indispensable]

Type: Text
Sender ID: indispensable (Alhaitham)
To: Public. So, so public.
Subject: A Survey on Romantic Relationships
Warnings: Potential discussions about sex? I guess?? But mostly this is just Alhaitham being the most obliviously shameless man alive.

This is Alhaitham.

I have a survey that I would like people to fill. There are no restrictions or stipulations to the nature of the responder. The only request is for you to be honest when filling it up.

1) Are you currently in a romantic relationship or have been in one? (yes/no)
2) If yes, does your current or previous relationship involve sex? (yes/no)
3) List down 5 to 10 words that describe what your significant other (past or present) makes you feel.
4) What is your main priority when you are with your significant other (past or present)?
5) How do you measure or recognize your feelings as love? What separates them infatuation or sexual attraction? Describe in 100 words or less.

You are free to leave your answers in this post or direct them to my inbox. I will be following up on whatever answers I feel are necessary.

Thank you for your time.

[OOC: ICly, this network post comes up about five minutes after the one Kaveh makes.]

Comments

[indispensable]

Considering the circumstances where I said those things to him, I do not see any reason for him to doubt my words.

[Wait for it...]

But I suppose I could tell it to him again, seeing as how the first time was under less than favorable circumstances.

[And also maybe the fact that it wasn't really meant to be a declaration of love...?]

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya nods.] You need to take him on a real date and say it again.

[A beat.] You've been on a date with him before, right?

[They're having sex and they act Like That, after all.]

[indispensable]

[See this blank look that Alhaitham is giving to here you now, Dehya? Do you see it?

Yeah there's your answer.]

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya stares back. The silence is foreboding.

She leans forward on her elbows.] Let me make sure I got this straight: you live with him, you've had sex with him, you two have feelings for each other, you've never taken him on a date.

[indispensable]

[There is another pause.]

Not with the particular context that you're suggesting, no.

[They've gone out together for things far too many times to count, but for a romantic occasion?? Yeah that's a negative.]

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya groans into her hand.] Least we know where to start. Okay, since you're so serious about responding to him let's make sure you do it right. [Because someone needs to save this man from himself if he's making public surveys instead of just telling Kaveh he loves him back.] What things does Kaveh like?

[indispensable]

[You don't understand Dehya the information/data gathering is important!! It's part of the process!! Trust!!

Also now there's a slight frown on his face as he racks his mind to list out what Kaveh likes... which he proceeds to summarize in his head because there is a fair bit and probably not all of them are things that Dehya may want to hear.]

Things that appeal to his aesthetics. [Makes a vague to their surroundings as he says that, because Kaveh has very much decorated their living space up to the nines mostly to what he likes (with space for Alhaitham's own contributions, of course).] A good debate. Mechanical parts that he can use. Hair oils and perfumes, though he tends to be picky about those. [What else...] Non spicy food.

[That last one is said with maybe a bit of a sulk. Kaveh's horrible sensitivity to spice is the worst thing ever, sometimes.]

[legendofthelion]

Oh, yeah, I remember that. [Fuckin' spice weenie.] Maybe there's some nice gardens around Eltrut? A real pretty spot for a walk and some lunch. Or you can't ever go wrong with a dinner date. Confessing under the moonlight's cliché for a reason, I think.

[indispensable]

[Well its probably not too hard to find a nice spot... and if all else fails there is the Conservatory in Elah... the backyard is also not too bad when its isn't occupied by potential gnomes and the plants aren't seven feet tall.]

I suppose such gestures do appeal greatly to his sense of aesthetics. [Kaveh's an Archons-damned romanticist at heart, after all, so its not a far stretch for him to extrapolate from everything else that he already knows about his senior.]

[legendofthelion]

Right! And then you still get a little privacy on a walk to talk--er, well, debate. I don't know much about any of the fancy restaurants around here, but there's got to be something that'd appeal to him. We can ask around.

Oh, and you gotta give him flowers. [This is some romance novel shit, but she's not working with much here. Anyway, she likes getting flowers.] Oh! Or a new hairpiece.

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham does know of a few food places that Kaveh does like more than the others, but majority of them are more stalls than actual establishments. Still, he supposes he could extrapolate a little and figure something out... and there are still parts of Eltrut to look around as well, not to mention a good portion of Elah (he avoids going between each Leviathan as much as he can, for obvious reasons).

But flowers though... hm... Alhaitham can't help but recall the flower crown that Kaveh idly made that one time over at Hideaway's island base, though it'd gotten lost with how distracted they ended up being (the afternoon itself had been a good one, though). Still, maybe he could return the gesture somehow? And with flowers from Sumeru, considering what Kaveh has growing out in the garden...

Alhaitham considers this as he glances in the direction of said garden, a thoughtful expression on his features.]

[legendofthelion]

[Dehya follows his gaze. Not knowing what's going through that enigma of a mind, she decides to play it safe:] Not flowers from your garden.

[indispensable]

Wouldn't he prefer flowers from Sumeru, though?

[Alhaitham doesn't even bat an eye to the fact that Dehya had more or less called him out as he asks that question.]

[legendofthelion]

I dunno what his favorite flowers are, but I know the gesture is supposed to mean you went out of your way to get something for the date. And picking stuff from the garden he's working on isn't that.

Anyway, local flowers are different or something, right? He sees Sumeru roses all the time back home! [...] Actually, I should help you pick them.

[Before he finds something in the hideous category of "unique".]

[indispensable]

[A small little frown makes its way onto Alhaitham's face at that. He understands the rationale of what Dehya is saying, but is that not even more of a reason to get something from the garden? After all, wouldn't Kaveh like something that is a product of his hard work...?

But he supposes there is also a point to be made of getting something more... unique. He opens his mouth, about to agree, but then Dehya offers to help him get something instead.]

... [The frown deepens here.] Isn't asking you to do it for me defeating the whole purpose of this gesture?

[Its not everyday where Alhaitham is willing to put in this much effort, but. This is Kaveh. He has always been worth every effort that Alhaitham gives for his sake.]

[legendofthelion]

I said I'd help you, not do it for you. [She raises her brow.] I feel like if I leave you on your own somehow you'll find some fish-shaped bouquet. And you want to do this right, right?

Most of it is going to be all on you, I'm just the second opinion.

[indispensable]

[Well Dehya isn't wrong about the idea of what Alhaitham might do... but what's wrong about that?? It'll be something unique and memorable!!

Though given Kaveh's standards in regards to aesthetics, he supposes there's no harm done in letting Dehya handle this instead.]

...I guess there's no harm in trying.

[Even he knows that this isn't the sort of thing he can rest on his laurels on for too long. Doubly so when this is about Kaveh.]

[legendofthelion]

Great. [She grins, all teeth.] So how long is your survey going to take? Few weeks? [Few days?? It seems a little excessive to her but he clearly holds it to importance if he's making the effort.]

[indispensable]

As long as it needs to be.

[Alhaitham isn't going to force himself on a timetable here. Even he knows that trying to rush this is just not going to work out well for anyone.]

[legendofthelion]

If it takes you more than a few weeks you are seriously overthinking it.

[indispensable]

[Is this really so surprising when he's trying to declare his feelings to the king of overthinking.]

I need to be certain that he will not take my words in any other way except for the one I intend them to be.

[legendofthelion]

He's already confessed to you. [Like, under duress, but a confession is a confession.] Doesn't mean someone else won't come and sweep him off his feet in the meantime. You gonna take that chance making him wait too long?

[indispensable]

Of course I won't let him wait for too long. But I also recognize that I can't rush something like this to ensure that this is something which neither of us will regret.

[Kaveh has had enough of those in his life for Alhaitham to want to add another onto his already numerous woes.]

[legendofthelion]

What's got you so worried you'll regret it? [Dehya props her chin on her hand.] Break-ups happen, it doesn't have to be terrible. Especially if you were already friends.

[indispensable]

[There is a bit of a pause here at this point; while Alhaitham isn't exactly hesitant about bringing up his old history with Kaveh, it does feel... a little delicate considering the current context of their conversation.]

Kaveh told me before, once, that he regrets having been friends with me. [...] If possible, I want to ensure that he won't express a similar sentiment if we really are to pursue a romantic relationship.

[It's hard to describe what recalling those words feel like, sometimes, in the moments where his mind decides to throw him the question of what if. For the most part he's been good at grappling them, but there are the days where Kaveh stays even more obstinate than before and a part of Alhaitham can't help but brace himself for the worst case scenarios.]