[ It's Kaveh's turn to look thoughtful, his eyes drifting little by little back to Alhaitham, the concern tying his stomach in knots thankfully taking a backseat to the momentary concern he feels at the way the scribe seems to be having trouble with his wordsβ perhaps for the very first time in the entire time the architect has known him. Considering the topic of their conversation, it shouldn't be too shocking, but somehow Kaveh finds himself surprised all the same, if only because he's never seen the other man quite like this before.
It helps ease his own discomfort, giving him the wherewithal to pull his gaze fully back to Alhaitham's face just in time to hear words that make his heart skip a metaphorical beat or two, to see the scribe's face shift into something almost reminiscent of uncomfortable. And so his hand reaches out, giving up on pressing fingerprints into his own skin and resting on Alhaitham's knee instead, his smile gentle and reassuring, even if he chooses to eschew words of comfort in favor of the other man's pride. ]
Then date me, [ he says, and where the words divorced from context might appear to be imperative, there's a softness to his lyrical voice that turns them into a request. ] Be my boyfriend.
[ He's smiling, but despite the calmness of his demeanor right now, his heart is hammering loud and fast in his chest, a rhythm singing his anxiety through his veins as if afraid he's going to get himself rejected right at the last possible moment. It makes no logical sense, of course, but what emotion does? ]
If that title turns out to be the only thing conventional about it, I don't mind.
[ And if it doesn't work out, they'll deal with it then. That's the other thing he wants to say. But why speak something like that into reality when they've barely even begun? ]
no subject
It helps ease his own discomfort, giving him the wherewithal to pull his gaze fully back to Alhaitham's face just in time to hear words that make his heart skip a metaphorical beat or two, to see the scribe's face shift into something almost reminiscent of uncomfortable. And so his hand reaches out, giving up on pressing fingerprints into his own skin and resting on Alhaitham's knee instead, his smile gentle and reassuring, even if he chooses to eschew words of comfort in favor of the other man's pride. ]
Then date me, [ he says, and where the words divorced from context might appear to be imperative, there's a softness to his lyrical voice that turns them into a request. ] Be my boyfriend.
[ He's smiling, but despite the calmness of his demeanor right now, his heart is hammering loud and fast in his chest, a rhythm singing his anxiety through his veins as if afraid he's going to get himself rejected right at the last possible moment. It makes no logical sense, of course, but what emotion does? ]
If that title turns out to be the only thing conventional about it, I don't mind.
[ And if it doesn't work out, they'll deal with it then. That's the other thing he wants to say. But why speak something like that into reality when they've barely even begun? ]