[ Great. As per fucking usual, his mouth has run off all by itself and left him to mop up the mess it's made in the process. There was really no need at all for him to suddenly blurt that out, much less once things have actually started to settle down, and yet now it's out there in the air and there's approximately nothing Kaveh can do about it.

He's kind of glad that Alhaitham isn't looking at him, because he's pretty sure that red color has started to leech back into his cheeks like some magical tell-tale highlighter. His own eyes are averted in turn, his arms folding protectively over his own chest, and he shakes his head, an embarrassed laugh on his lips. ]

Honestly... I'm not sure. I guess I don't like lying to you.

[ Avoiding the truth is one thing— he'll do that all day every day if he needs to— but actually telling an outright lie isn't something of which he's fond. Not even if it's to get under the other's skin... which happened, he thinks, given that threat to throw him out. What he doesn't get it why it was able to irritate the scribe so easily.

The peace between the two of them is tenuous enough that he doesn't think he should ask, but at the very least there's a small, stubborn part of him that wants Alhaitham to be aware that he noticed it. Maybe it's stupid, but it's something right now he can't ignore. And so it's after a moment that he turns back to him, a slight frown gracing his features as his eyes look over that strange, indecipherable expression the other man wears. ]

It seemed like it pissed you off, and if you're gonna be angry at me I'd rather it to be for something I actually did. I guess.

[ Another thing to regret the moment it's out of his mouth. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything at all—

Too late, though. It's out there now. ]