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Entry tags:

(no subject)

Type: Video
Sender ID: paridisaea(Kaveh )
To: Public
Subject: !!!
Warnings: N/A for now

[The video feed opens on an empty-ish room. While the room is empty, it does have an absolutely gorgeous view of the waters off Eltrut through the glorious bay windows.]

Isn't that lovely? It'll make a wonderful reading nook, I think.

[Kaveh will turn the camera back to himself, with a bright smile.] This place will need some work, but when I saw that view, I thought it'd be worth it. Obviously, we're still getting stuff put together, so it's not really good for guests yet, but once we have things ready and some chairs that don't wobble, it'd be nice to celebrate with a little get-together, what do you all think?

[...For reasons that shall remain Alhaitham, in the back of the shot, on one of the counters, is a...statue? of what might be an attempt at a fish? It will stare into your soul. Don't worry about it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's definitely more than a few passing moments of disorientation here given how quickly everything had happened, and even then things still remain more than a little fuzzy afterwards. Thankfully Mehrak has dealt with the statue before it actually suffers any kind of damage from their childish squabble, though that will be something that only comes to mind later. For now—

—for now there is Kaveh, who's face is now suddenly inches away from his own, so close that Alhaitham can feel the rush of hot air against his own lips as the other exhales. Then there are also his eyes and the way they continue to shine brilliantly even with the shadow that Alhaitham has unintentionally cast upon him with his body. His own arms have been braced against the wall at each side of Kaveh's head in order to prevent himself from actually pressing Kaveh into it, but somehow that only seems to make him even more aware of the minute distance between their bodies, so close that just even the smallest slip would be enough to bring them together.]

I could use that time spent to test on better things.

[Its a response mostly given for the sake of it, because to stay silent would be to—he's not sure, actually. All he knows is that he has to say something that will cover the pounding that's going on his chest, the way blood is rushing between his ears, of how every inhale and exhale sounds far too loud now, the giant, mostly empty room they're in only serving to heighten every fragment of noise between them even further. Maybe that's why they're speaking so quietly now, unwilling to let their voices echo across this space.]

What is it you're supposed to be testing, the limits of my patience?

[Kaveh's eyes shutter a bit, not quite closed, but more heavily lidded, trying with all his might not to look at Alhaitham's lips and only sort of succeeding. They're so close. They're so close, all Alhaitham would need to do is lean forward.

'It won't happen again.'

...Alhaitham said that, but then why are they in this situation? None of it adds up. Maybe that's why Kaveh hasn't tried to move yet.

[Alhaitham opens his mouth, ready to give an answer to Kaveh's question, only for his voice to die in his throat when he sees the way Kaveh's eyes go half-lidded as his gaze dips down to stare at his lips. Somehow, the knowledge of Kaveh doing that sends a fission of heat through him, skidding down his spine to pool in his gut. They're so close that he can feel the heat of Kaveh's body right next to him, the warmth of him that he can still recall from their tryst not so long ago. The way Kaveh had felt around him, the look on his face that is so similar to now...]

Is that what you want me to do?

[The words come out from him before he can stop them, not having been able to give them their due consideration because of how occupied he is with everything else. He continues to stare, unable to tear his eyes away, and unconsciously runs his tongue over suddenly dry lips, swallowing audibly thereafter.]

Don't you always?

[This is bad. This is really bad. Kaveh watches that dart of tongue, tracks the bob of Alhaitham's throat with a glimmer of interest. He's not so much in his own head he can miss this tension, electric between them. Almost unconsciously, his head tips a little, waiting...

...Waiting won't do him any good. He's reading too much into this. Kaveh sighs a little bit, but pushes back on Alhaitham's shoulders, without noticing how their feet are tangled together. One wrong move would send them crashing to the floor, but he needs--he needs to stop this, doesn't he? Before he makes another mistake.]

[With pretty much all of his senses focused onto Kaveh right now its impossible for him to miss the way Kaveh's gaze snaps over to watch him, his eyes bright and glimmering with a shine so unlike anything else, and in turn only causes him to become much more aware of himself—the lingering dryness of his throat, the loudness of his own breath, the way Kaveh continues to stare, electric and bright, before his head tilts up ever so slightly, as if wanting something from him.

Somehow its that thought which strikes him deep in the gut—the idea that kaveh would actually want something from him, something that isn't just a sarcastic remark or another crate of wine or some other random, inane thing. No, this is something else; something unnamed but poignant all the same, its presence so potent that Alhaitham can feel it in the very air around them.

Kaveh wants this, whatever it is, and when all is said and done Alhaitham has never truly been able to deny Kaveh what he asks for. Not when Alhaitham has always wanted to give from the very start, to give whatever it is that Kaveh asks for, if it means he does not walk away again like he did in the past.

With his eyes still locked on Kaveh Alhaitham inches closer, ready to lean in—

—only to stop when Kaveh suddenly sighs and pushes him back with his hands on his shoulders. Alhaitham is taken aback by this sudden shift that all he can do is to let it happen.

Which, really, is the only reason why he doesn't realize the way their feet are still tangled up in each other until its too late.

Once again Alhaitham finds himself stumbling back, and the way their feet had been unintentionally intertwined means that Kaveh also falls forward. One moment they're upright, and in the very next they're on the floor, the room echoing with a loud thud as Alhaitham lands first, followed by Kaveh on top of him—

—and somehow Kaveh manages to land on him in the exact angle and force to press their lips together unexpectedly.]

[Kaveh had yelped on the way down, because of course he had, but that just meant his mouth was open when he toppled forward and--

Well.

This wasn't his intention but he wants it too much. Surely it's fine, isn't it? To just...close his eyes and lean into it a little? Even if they are in an awkward pile on a hardwood floor that will get very uncomfortable very fast. Even if it's a bad idea.

Just for a little while.]

[On Alhaitham's own end it takes him a moment to fully digest the fact that their lips are pressed together, but once that sinks in—

—its hard to say, exactly, what he feels, but despite the pain that throbs through his body from the fall Kaveh is warm and solid on top of him, and his lips even warmer than he'd last remembered, especially when he feels the most minute of shifts that gets them pressed even closer, somehow.

And Alhaitham—he has never been a selfless man. If anything, he is the furthest thing from it. If this is what he can have, then he is willing to take it.

So he closes his eyes too and lets himself sink into this momentary warmth, unwilling to breathe or even move an inch lest it somehow breaks the moment.]

[Kaveh loses a little bit of track how long he stays there, fingers curling into Alhaitham's shirt, trying to drink in something he doesn't know how to have.

Unfortunately for them both, Mehrak begins beeping in concern moments later, and Kaveh jerks back upright, suddenly and rudely reminded of the reality they're living is.]

Shit--I. Are you alright?

[Like. He should probably check for a concussion.]

[It's always surprising, how easy it is to lose track of everything else and simply focus on Kaveh. His senior has always been one who has drawn anything and everything to him, his light a hypnotic thing that draws all close, and Alhaitham himself is of no exception; if anything, he is perhaps the most gullible of them all, for he is one who barrels straight towards it without a second thought.

For all the times he calls Kaveh a fool... it really is Alhaitham himself who is the bigger fool, because despite every inconvenience that Kaveh has brought into his life Alhaitham can never find it within himself to let this go.

Much as how Kaveh lingers and drinks him in Alhaitham does the same in return; he does not dare to move his hands so all he can do is to use his senses to take in everything that he has right now and commit it to memory the best he can, to keep whatever scrap of Kaveh he can have for as long as he can. The heat of his body, the warmth of his mouth, the tug of his fingers as they curl into his shirt, the faint, flowery scent that fades with each passing day, for there is no more rainforest or Padisarahs in this place they've found themselves in. They are in a place so very far away from Sumeru and yet a part of Alhaitham doesn't really care at all, not as long as Kaveh is still here in his arms—

—the sudden beeping from Mehrak breaks the moment then, and Alhaitham startles at the noise while Kaveh jerks back, red eyes wide as he stares down and asks if he is alright.

Alhaitham takes a moment then to finally move an arm in order to reach back, running it over the back of his head where it collided with the floor when he landed in order to check for himself. There's a faint wince as his palm brushes over something that makes his head throb, but other than that he doesn't feel anything else too terrible.]

...I'm fine. [Comes the mumble, though the faint wince probably makes the words not as effective as it would've been otherwise.]

You're going to tell me that while flinching?

[Yeah, Kaveh's not buying it, and reaches out to run his hand gently through Alhaitham's hair, looking for that knot.]

Oh, ugh...we should get some ice on that.

[It is at least a safer equilibrium, to be fussing over a bump on Alhaitham's head. The waters between them are murky but at the very least, this is a level of care they can both admit to. Safe ground, rather than acknowledge what had just happened to get them here.]

[Though Alhaitham knows better than to expect just about anything to pass by Kaveh he still can't help but make a bit of a face anyway over the other's fussing, even if that soon breaks into another wince the moment Kaveh's hand brushes over the same spot where he'd touched earlier.]

Is there even anything in this house that would provide that? [He asks the question with the faintest of huffs. Its hard to be exceptionally wry at anything right now, given how his body still thrums with the memory of Kaveh's warmth on him just moments ago, or the way his lips still tingle from the heat of Kaveh's mouth. But to make mention of any of that would be to break the fragile equilibrium that's settling back in now, and Alhaitham has long since learned his lesson of what happens when he ignores the warning signs and keeps on pushing forward.]

I filled the icebox earlier, hush. Mehrak, bring it and a bag here.

[He'd made ice because he figured a cool drink after inevitably shuffling what they do have around would be nice.

Kaveh has yet to remember to get up off Alhaitham or get his hand off his head.]

A knot like this, we're lucky you're not concussed.

[Alhaitham is quiet as he watches Mehrak float away to do its newly assigned task, and once the toolbox leaves the room the silence that comes in without the toolbox's present hum feels a whole lot more prominent than before. Maybe its because Alhaitham is acutely aware of how Kaveh is still straddling one of his legs, or due to the hand that's still cradling the back of his head. Either way, Alhaitham isn't complaining.]

Mmn. [A hum, and he slides his eyes shut to better focus on the feel of Kaveh's hand in his hair. Even if its because of the bump at the back of his head, there's no denying how nice it feels to have Kaveh's fingers in his hair like this. When was even the last time he'd had this? Maybe during one of Kaveh's drunken escapades back in Sumeru, or perhaps even earlier, when they'd still been students, and affection had been something so freely shared between them without fear or uncertainty.

Would they still have that, had it not been for the project that broke them apart? How would they be, if they could've weathered the storm back then? Alhaitham is not one to dwell on the 'what ifs' of anything, but still... it is only human nature, to wonder.

...Kaveh would probably laugh at the irony of it, if he ever knew.]

[If he would only speak, there is so much Kaveh would want to tell him, about the people they are now, and the people they used to be. But as it is, he's feeling strangely nervous in the quiet, with Alhaitham so biddable, almost meek...so much like the shy, quiet junior he used to be (not that he was ever actually shy, just quiet when words seemed useless to him).

Kaveh doesn't really remove his hand either, marveling at that unfair softness. This man doesn't even use conditioner. It's truly unfair...his hair is as soft as it ever was. But while Kaveh wasn't there to see it, Alhaitham grew into the rest of his long limbs and piercing face, a devastating portrait of Handsomeness, and what has Kaveh got? permanent eyebags, scarred fingers and a crick in his back that never quite seems to fade? So much for inherited beauty.

He likes to pretend he's angry about it. It's easier that way.]

You're so subdued...did you land harder than we thought?

You're going to need more meat on your bones if you think that is enough to phase me.

[Alhaitham has his eyes back open to glance over to Kaveh as he says that, a pointed look on his face as he speaks. As unintentional as it might've been Alhaitham could more or less gauge that Kaveh is still not quite at his usual weight, and while Alhaitham knows its most likely due to the two months where he'd been by himself, he nevertheless feels the need to state it out loud.]

Wha--excuse me?!

[Kaveh's voice raises in pitch with his indignation--he may have lost a little weight, sure, but he's still perfectly healthy, and the floor is still hardwood?

Mehrak mercifully chooses to return with the makings of an icepack, which Kaveh puts together with a loud grumble.]

Unbelievable. I worry about you and all you have is comments about my weight?

[Kaveh's shrill indignation is hardly anything new for Alhaitham, though he does wince just a little since he doesn't have noise cancelling on at the moment.

For better or worse Mehrak's return means Kaveh's attention gets redirected, and Alhaitham simply watches as his senior puts together that icepack.]

You asked me how hard I fell. I was merely answering the question.

[Considering that Kaveh, you know, fell right on top of him and everything.]

There is a vast swath of middle ground between "I didn't fall that hard" and commenting on my weight, Haravatat, don't act like you aren't aware of it.

[Still, the ice is swiftly bagged and wrapped in a cloth and then gently pressed to the knot.]

Hold that there.

You weren't heavy; ergo, I didn't fall that hard.

[Sense, Kaveh. Learn it.

Still, even as he says that, Alhaitham makes no attempt to stop Kaveh from pressing that ice pack on him, even if he winces at first contact. He gets over it quickly enough though and does as asked, fingers brushing over Kaveh's own as he takes over holding the pack in place.]

Again, you could have cut out unnecessary commentary.

[Kaveh does flush faintly, but. It's more important to apply first aid then the stupid shit his heart is doing without his permission. So once Alhaitham has the icepack in place, he does finally (regrefully) stand up.

And turns.

To find he is making direct eye contact with the fish because Mehrak remembered how Alhaitham had set it.]

...Archons. You've corrupted my toolbox.

[Alhaitham glances up from where he is now sitting on the floor to see what Kaveh is talking about—and snorts the moment he sees exactly what has happened.]

Your toolbox clearly has the right idea. [Glances over to Mehrak here.] Good job, Mehrak.

[Mehrak makes a happy little beeping song! thank you, registered ally: [That Damned Alhaitham]!]

I am going to have to find flowers to try and offset this...thing.

It's not a 'thing', its a fish.

[Kaveh will soon know that the moment he tries to hide the fish Alhaitham will just bring it elsewhere to make it obvious again. Don't put down his contribution like this!!]

Have you ever actually seen a fish in your entire life?

[He's not hiding it he's trying to...counter it.]

[Hiding, countering, same difference.]

Fins, tail, gills are all present, so it meets all the necessary criteria for a fish. Surely you don't need an Amurta elective to teach you that much, senior.

action;

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action; absolutely fantastic and rational decision making.

action; the amount of braincells they lose to each other is truly exceptional

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