[ alhaitham prompts flatly, obviously aware that there's a lot of information missing inbetween the lines of the tale that's being spun to him. he'd maybe half-believe that kaveh accidentally ran into them - the man seemed to have a magnetic attraction towards creatures in need, even if the scribe loathes the idea of what that means about himself - and the reason the three foxes are now inside the house and not back in the desert where they belonged was casually omitted.
(as if sniffing out alhaitham's skeptical train of thought, the gregarious one of the trio still in kaveh's arms fixes the scribe with a look and barks again, almost accusatorially.)
that said, the blonde wasn't exactly a liar considering how terrible he'd be at it, and at least the part about the battle seemed to be true. the scribe was nothing if not attentive to detail and as watchful eyes scan over kaveh's body, the slight scuffs on his clothing, the skinned knuckles, the coil of a bruise only just visible underneath the cuff of one of his leggings all painted a picture of something alhaitham wasn't thrilled about. ]
You got hurt being a hero again, didn't you?
[ frowning, the taller man reaches forward and ignores the boisterous charge the architect was cradling to curl his fingers into the white fabric of the front of kaveh's shirt, gently pulling it aside to expose the left side of his partner's chest. soft skin is mottled with scratches and bruises, otherwise expertly hidden, and alhaitham might've stared unhappily, frustratedly at the marks for longer if the fox next to his hand didn't reach out and nip his palm. ]
Hey -
[ and the hand that was bitten instead scoops the desert fox out of kaveh's care, gripping it underneath its front legs and holding it up in front of him like one would with a stranger's baby. if they'd never held a baby before. and the baby had just committed a crime. ]
Didn't you cause enough of a fuss last time?
[ to the fox, not to kaveh... but, maybe also to kaveh. ]
[ Alhaitham's flat tone gives him hope that his concealment has gone unnoticed; a beat or two follows and he's just starting to think he's gotten away with it when the scribe's eyes drop from his face to the length of his body, patient and searching in a way that makes the blonde wince in anticipation— although it's an expression interrupted by a scowl practically matched by the fox he's holding, an indignant sound on his lips. ]
I'll thank you not to assume I'm some weakling who can't even handle a scorpion by myself— [ It's a strong start, but he cuts himself off as Alhaitham's hand reaches out to pull the fabric of his shirt aside, revealing the extent of the damage the creature did before he managed to take it apart. Something between embarrassment and shame crosses his face, and Kaveh's eyes drop, not wanting to see disappointment on his lover's face.
What that means of course is that he gets a perfect view of sharp vulpine teeth sinking briefly into the other man's palm. His eyes widen; before he can say anything, though, the creature is swept from his arms and into Alhaitham's—
(and Archons if he doesn't look like he has no idea how to hold the poor thing)
—and his boyfriend offers a light scolding that sounds meant, somehow, for all he new arrivals, including the returnee. And even though he's apparently in trouble, a slight smile finds his lips, and Kaveh bends to pick up the fox worrying anxiously at his ankles, pressing against him and whining. ]
It's okay, [ he soothes it, pressing a kiss to the tip of one ear. ] He's not really mad. [ He glances back up at Alhaitham. ] You're not really mad, are you?
[ Of course, he still has to tell him the rest of the story, but... that can wait for a few moments.
Meanwhile, the third fox begins a thorough investigation of one of Alhaitham's stacks of books, sniffing and nosing at the pile with a gentle thoroughness that almost looks like it wants to choose one and start reading for itself. ]
[ the scribe retorts, his tone a little clipped - kaveh did so love to fill in the blanks and dream up the worst conclusions with very little encouragement, almost as much as he liked to collect stray creatures. by no means does alhaitham genuinely think his partner is weak; quite the contrary, he's often surprised by the amount of strength stored in the form of deceptively lithe muscles and his lean build. of course, that surprise had been a largely recent phenomenon considering such power was usually most evident in their night-time activities - but, nevertheless.
the architect's head drops in shame for a moment before he tries to rewrite his expression into a smile, causing alhaitham to let out a sigh. the fox in his awkward grip had now begun to struggle, obviously unhappy with being held out like someone would a bundle of dirty washing, and after some lively squirming the scribe decides to grant him? her? their undeserved freedom. paws touch the ground and it gives alhaitham a staunch look before turning sassily away, immediately disengaging to go jump on some other surface full of delicate objects.
half an eye is kept on the one searching through the stack of books on his 'to read' list to make sure it doesn't destroy them, and then the scribe instead diverts his attention back to more pressing matters. ]
I'm not mad. [ he asserts, turquoise eyes still lingering on the marks on kaveh's skin that snaked just out of sight. ] It would be disingenuous to say I'm thrilled you're in such a condition, however. Have you even tended to your wounds properly, or did you prioritise the care of others - [ a pointed look is shot in the direction of the fox in kaveh's arms - ] over you own as usual?
[ he knows the answer to his question is probably 'no', because alhaitham has never known someone so easily distracted by the plight of others - and without really waiting for an answer, he steps to the side and places his hands at the small of kaveh's back to gently shoo him from the room. they were going to go to the bathroom, and he was going to make sure that the injuries were tended to properly because goddess knows kaveh is putting himself last on a very long list. ]
[ Kaveh has to bite his lip to stifle the snorted laugh trying to escape him in response to the haughty look the fox gives Alhaitham; he can't however stop the quirk of his lips as he observes the interaction, even if he tries to hide it by pressing another kiss to the ear of the fox in his arms.
Then the scribe says he's not mad, and Kaveh raises his head again. Naïvely, he hopes for a moment that that will be the end of it, but within a breath Alhaitham continues, and he sighs. Of course his partner would be focused on getting him cleaned up when Kaveh is right now concerned about the foxes— and of course Alhaitham would call him out for putting the foxes first, too, making Kaveh's cheeks flush a warm red. It's with another sigh that he lets the cuddly fox down to the floor, where unlike its siblings, it stays close to his ankles, even as he allows Alhaitham to usher him out of the room.
(Not like he has much choice in the matter.) ]
It's mighty rude of you to ask a question and then immediately assume you know the answer. [ He says the words, but they're without bite, with more of a frown and a sigh than anything because for as much as the other man may have assumed, his assumption was still correct— Kaveh's concern was for the creatures first and foremost, and really all he did for his own self-care was patch any places still bleeding when he returned to Aaru Village. He's not that badly hurt, after all, and he just figured he could take care of it when he got back home.
(And, well. He's home now, isn't he?) ]
Anyway— [ he continues as he's pushed gently into the bathroom, ] —they can't go back to the desert, Alhaitham. They're just young, and I think it's just the three of them, and they keep getting themselves into trouble, and they need someone to look after them. [ He's trying to keep calm, but as he speaks, more and more emotion leeches into his voice, raising it in volume and tone. ] I know it's a lot for me to bring them back here so suddenly, and I know we haven't even talked about having a family yet and here I am basically springing one on you, but—
[ He breaks off for a moment, shaking his head. ]
Can they stay with us? Even if it's just for a little while, so they can get stronger.
Is it not an improvement on assuming I know the answer without even voicing the question? [ alhaitham responds without as much as a pause, tone even but words light. he wasn't one to self-deprecate to elicit humour, so such banter could be easily chalked down to the fact that perhaps the scribe is somewhat relieved that kaveh has returned in a single piece. well, a single piece and three extra pieces. ] If not, I can simply go back to doing that. It's much more efficient.
[ they enter the bathroom - kept uncharacteristically clean, for once - but they're not alone as alhaitham sits the other down on the flat edge of the stone bath. unsurprisingly, the foxes had come along for the journey as if to make sure this new person wasn't going to do anything untoward to their rescuer, the feisty one in particular giving the scribe a pointed side-eye as it jumps up to sit next to kaveh and settles. as for the other two, they sneak around the bathroom sniffing everything, and alhaitham tries not to pay too much attention to the noise of things being knocked over in the background as the blonde continues to plead their case.
crossing his arms over his chest, he listens and watches as (and, mind you, alhaitham's still not quite sure how kaveh manages to work himself up to such a degree in the most mundane of conversations) the plight of the three animals is laid bare in great detail. raising an eyebrow at the sheer ludicrousness of the scene before him - his partner, dusty and moderately injured, choking on the emotion that the scribe might evict the foxes without a second thought instead of seeing to himself -
alhaitham lets out a short sigh as the request finally comes. it's not that he's against the idea of the animals inside the house, at least not completely - he'd never had a pet before in his life to compare such a commitment to - but it was both endearing and frustrating that kaveh still hadn't straightened out his priority list. ]
If I say yes, will you calm down and let me look at you?
[ he asks simply, turning towards the bathroom cabinet to kneel down and retrieve the first aid kit that was kept inside. one of the foxes promptly sneaks into the cabinet and lies down, causing alhaitham to frown at it before resuming his duties and opening the kit up on the floor. ]
They can stay, if that's what it's going to take. [ a brief pause, the scribe looking back up at kaveh with a devastatingly serious expression on his face; ]
[ When Alhaitham's question comes, Kaveh feels his shoulders sag in relief. Even before the scribe's agreement, the blonde knows him well enough to recognize that it's coming; he nods his own acquiescence even as the other man turns away to fetch the first aid kit, and while the fox's antics are met with a frown by his lover, Kaveh finds himself having to hide a smile behind a hand— one that becomes impossible to hide when Alhaitham actually agrees, even adds the caveat that their new charges have to stay away from the books.
He laughs gently in the face of that devastating seriousness, leaning to press a sweet kiss to the corner of the scribe's mouth before his hand drifts to idly pat the fox curled up by his side. ]
Maybe this will teach you to pick them up off the floor, [ he teases, but then his expression softens. ] Thank you, Alhaitham.
[ Because all Kaveh can wonder, truthfully and honestly, is how he managed to get so lucky. Despite approaching things in all the wrong ways, nearly breaking them in two over and over, he's found himself with the person he loves, the one person whom, despite his grumbling, puts up with the intricacies of Kaveh's character. Someone whom, somehow, is just as lost without him as he is without them. ]
Maybe, [ he says, ] this is a good time to talk about that thing from before... about having a family.
[ Except that realistically, it's probably actually not a good time. He needs to be patched up, and there are three new charges in their life who need names, and probably training, and they have to work out what food is best for them to eat, and— and— and—
And now is the perfect time, Kaveh thinks, because it's him, and Alhaitham—
He blinks, slow and sure, and the fox at his side nips at his hand, a soft pain that draws him back into reality, into the moment and away from the cloudiness of the daydreams. ]
I'm a little woozy, [ he admits, as if he hadn't just proposed an important conversation. ]
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sempiternals2023-02-11 10:39 pm
no subject
[ alhaitham prompts flatly, obviously aware that there's a lot of information missing inbetween the lines of the tale that's being spun to him. he'd maybe half-believe that kaveh accidentally ran into them - the man seemed to have a magnetic attraction towards creatures in need, even if the scribe loathes the idea of what that means about himself - and the reason the three foxes are now inside the house and not back in the desert where they belonged was casually omitted.
(as if sniffing out alhaitham's skeptical train of thought, the gregarious one of the trio still in kaveh's arms fixes the scribe with a look and barks again, almost accusatorially.)
that said, the blonde wasn't exactly a liar considering how terrible he'd be at it, and at least the part about the battle seemed to be true. the scribe was nothing if not attentive to detail and as watchful eyes scan over kaveh's body, the slight scuffs on his clothing, the skinned knuckles, the coil of a bruise only just visible underneath the cuff of one of his leggings all painted a picture of something alhaitham wasn't thrilled about. ]
You got hurt being a hero again, didn't you?
[ frowning, the taller man reaches forward and ignores the boisterous charge the architect was cradling to curl his fingers into the white fabric of the front of kaveh's shirt, gently pulling it aside to expose the left side of his partner's chest. soft skin is mottled with scratches and bruises, otherwise expertly hidden, and alhaitham might've stared unhappily, frustratedly at the marks for longer if the fox next to his hand didn't reach out and nip his palm. ]
Hey -
[ and the hand that was bitten instead scoops the desert fox out of kaveh's care, gripping it underneath its front legs and holding it up in front of him like one would with a stranger's baby. if they'd never held a baby before. and the baby had just committed a crime. ]
Didn't you cause enough of a fuss last time?
[ to the fox, not to kaveh... but, maybe also to kaveh. ]
no subject
I'll thank you not to assume I'm some weakling who can't even handle a scorpion by myself— [ It's a strong start, but he cuts himself off as Alhaitham's hand reaches out to pull the fabric of his shirt aside, revealing the extent of the damage the creature did before he managed to take it apart. Something between embarrassment and shame crosses his face, and Kaveh's eyes drop, not wanting to see disappointment on his lover's face.
What that means of course is that he gets a perfect view of sharp vulpine teeth sinking briefly into the other man's palm. His eyes widen; before he can say anything, though, the creature is swept from his arms and into Alhaitham's—
(and Archons if he doesn't look like he has no idea how to hold the poor thing)
—and his boyfriend offers a light scolding that sounds meant, somehow, for all he new arrivals, including the returnee. And even though he's apparently in trouble, a slight smile finds his lips, and Kaveh bends to pick up the fox worrying anxiously at his ankles, pressing against him and whining. ]
It's okay, [ he soothes it, pressing a kiss to the tip of one ear. ] He's not really mad. [ He glances back up at Alhaitham. ] You're not really mad, are you?
[ Of course, he still has to tell him the rest of the story, but... that can wait for a few moments.
Meanwhile, the third fox begins a thorough investigation of one of Alhaitham's stacks of books, sniffing and nosing at the pile with a gentle thoroughness that almost looks like it wants to choose one and start reading for itself. ]
no subject
[ the scribe retorts, his tone a little clipped - kaveh did so love to fill in the blanks and dream up the worst conclusions with very little encouragement, almost as much as he liked to collect stray creatures. by no means does alhaitham genuinely think his partner is weak; quite the contrary, he's often surprised by the amount of strength stored in the form of deceptively lithe muscles and his lean build. of course, that surprise had been a largely recent phenomenon considering such power was usually most evident in their night-time activities - but, nevertheless.
the architect's head drops in shame for a moment before he tries to rewrite his expression into a smile, causing alhaitham to let out a sigh. the fox in his awkward grip had now begun to struggle, obviously unhappy with being held out like someone would a bundle of dirty washing, and after some lively squirming the scribe decides to grant him? her? their undeserved freedom. paws touch the ground and it gives alhaitham a staunch look before turning sassily away, immediately disengaging to go jump on some other surface full of delicate objects.
half an eye is kept on the one searching through the stack of books on his 'to read' list to make sure it doesn't destroy them, and then the scribe instead diverts his attention back to more pressing matters. ]
I'm not mad. [ he asserts, turquoise eyes still lingering on the marks on kaveh's skin that snaked just out of sight. ] It would be disingenuous to say I'm thrilled you're in such a condition, however. Have you even tended to your wounds properly, or did you prioritise the care of others - [ a pointed look is shot in the direction of the fox in kaveh's arms - ] over you own as usual?
[ he knows the answer to his question is probably 'no', because alhaitham has never known someone so easily distracted by the plight of others - and without really waiting for an answer, he steps to the side and places his hands at the small of kaveh's back to gently shoo him from the room. they were going to go to the bathroom, and he was going to make sure that the injuries were tended to properly because goddess knows kaveh is putting himself last on a very long list. ]
Come on. You're getting cleaned up.
no subject
Then the scribe says he's not mad, and Kaveh raises his head again. Naïvely, he hopes for a moment that that will be the end of it, but within a breath Alhaitham continues, and he sighs. Of course his partner would be focused on getting him cleaned up when Kaveh is right now concerned about the foxes— and of course Alhaitham would call him out for putting the foxes first, too, making Kaveh's cheeks flush a warm red. It's with another sigh that he lets the cuddly fox down to the floor, where unlike its siblings, it stays close to his ankles, even as he allows Alhaitham to usher him out of the room.
(Not like he has much choice in the matter.) ]
It's mighty rude of you to ask a question and then immediately assume you know the answer. [ He says the words, but they're without bite, with more of a frown and a sigh than anything because for as much as the other man may have assumed, his assumption was still correct— Kaveh's concern was for the creatures first and foremost, and really all he did for his own self-care was patch any places still bleeding when he returned to Aaru Village. He's not that badly hurt, after all, and he just figured he could take care of it when he got back home.
(And, well. He's home now, isn't he?) ]
Anyway— [ he continues as he's pushed gently into the bathroom, ] —they can't go back to the desert, Alhaitham. They're just young, and I think it's just the three of them, and they keep getting themselves into trouble, and they need someone to look after them. [ He's trying to keep calm, but as he speaks, more and more emotion leeches into his voice, raising it in volume and tone. ] I know it's a lot for me to bring them back here so suddenly, and I know we haven't even talked about having a family yet and here I am basically springing one on you, but—
[ He breaks off for a moment, shaking his head. ]
Can they stay with us? Even if it's just for a little while, so they can get stronger.
no subject
[ they enter the bathroom - kept uncharacteristically clean, for once - but they're not alone as alhaitham sits the other down on the flat edge of the stone bath. unsurprisingly, the foxes had come along for the journey as if to make sure this new person wasn't going to do anything untoward to their rescuer, the feisty one in particular giving the scribe a pointed side-eye as it jumps up to sit next to kaveh and settles. as for the other two, they sneak around the bathroom sniffing everything, and alhaitham tries not to pay too much attention to the noise of things being knocked over in the background as the blonde continues to plead their case.
crossing his arms over his chest, he listens and watches as (and, mind you, alhaitham's still not quite sure how kaveh manages to work himself up to such a degree in the most mundane of conversations) the plight of the three animals is laid bare in great detail. raising an eyebrow at the sheer ludicrousness of the scene before him - his partner, dusty and moderately injured, choking on the emotion that the scribe might evict the foxes without a second thought instead of seeing to himself -
alhaitham lets out a short sigh as the request finally comes. it's not that he's against the idea of the animals inside the house, at least not completely - he'd never had a pet before in his life to compare such a commitment to - but it was both endearing and frustrating that kaveh still hadn't straightened out his priority list. ]
If I say yes, will you calm down and let me look at you?
[ he asks simply, turning towards the bathroom cabinet to kneel down and retrieve the first aid kit that was kept inside. one of the foxes promptly sneaks into the cabinet and lies down, causing alhaitham to frown at it before resuming his duties and opening the kit up on the floor. ]
They can stay, if that's what it's going to take. [ a brief pause, the scribe looking back up at kaveh with a devastatingly serious expression on his face; ]
- but they stay away from the books.
no subject
He laughs gently in the face of that devastating seriousness, leaning to press a sweet kiss to the corner of the scribe's mouth before his hand drifts to idly pat the fox curled up by his side. ]
Maybe this will teach you to pick them up off the floor, [ he teases, but then his expression softens. ] Thank you, Alhaitham.
[ Because all Kaveh can wonder, truthfully and honestly, is how he managed to get so lucky. Despite approaching things in all the wrong ways, nearly breaking them in two over and over, he's found himself with the person he loves, the one person whom, despite his grumbling, puts up with the intricacies of Kaveh's character. Someone whom, somehow, is just as lost without him as he is without them. ]
Maybe, [ he says, ] this is a good time to talk about that thing from before... about having a family.
[ Except that realistically, it's probably actually not a good time. He needs to be patched up, and there are three new charges in their life who need names, and probably training, and they have to work out what food is best for them to eat, and— and— and—
And now is the perfect time, Kaveh thinks, because it's him, and Alhaitham—
He blinks, slow and sure, and the fox at his side nips at his hand, a soft pain that draws him back into reality, into the moment and away from the cloudiness of the daydreams. ]
I'm a little woozy, [ he admits, as if he hadn't just proposed an important conversation. ]