Love Bites (Alhaitham x Kaveh)

Chapter 6 - Haven

-Kaveh's POV- 

It was yet another slow night by myself at the tavern. There wasn't any particular reason why I was there, but I just wanted to have a few drinks. Even if I wasn't currently undergoing the mental torture I'd go through when embarking on a new project, I didn't mind a drink or two to pass the night. Specially if it meant I'd not have to deal with Alhaitham with a sober mind. 

As I waited for my drink to be made and delivered to my table, my eyes travelled around the tavern, examining the renovations I'd help Lambad make quiet a long while ago. He'd often offer me drinks for free since he'd seen how miserable I was because I was homeless for a while, and I had to give him something in return. I could say I was proud of my work because Lambad seemed to like what I'd done. And I just wanted to see my client happy. 

All of a sudden I heard the tavern doors open and my head automatically turned to its direction to see who'd just walked in. My eyes grew wide as our eyes met, making me sit up properly.

"Kaveh!" 

It was two of my friends from Kshahrewar when I was still a student in the Akademiya. They both came to my table and we greeted each other with a warm embrace. I invited them both to sit with me, and once they'd done so, they also placed an order for some drinks. 

We began catching up on what had happened during the past few years, and we took turns to say a few words about with our lives and careers. Expectedly, they weren't having much of a better time than I was, since being an architect isn't as easy as others may think. We wouldn't just sit on our asses and make bags of mora. Although, I was delighted to know that they at least had some savings that they were using to keep their lives going and that they weren't completely broke like me. 

When it was finally my turn to speak, I pretty much told them all of what was going on but sugarcoated some aspects- and of course, completely left out the living with Alhaitham part. Of course, they complimented me for bringing to life the Palace of Alcazarzaray, my magnum opus, and I was more than happy to talk about all the good things about it, leaving out the fact that it made me lose all my money and practically left me on the streets.

 I suppose I was being too obvious about my troubles because one of them asked me if I needed any sort of financial help and that they were eager to lend me some mora to sort myself out. I immediately shook my hands in front of me, dismissing any of their offers.

"Regarding finances, I'm quiet alright at the moment...But thanks for offering!" I let out a nervous chuckle, remembering how Haitham was pretty much paying for my needs, and with the little mora I made from time to time, I'd pay for rent and, well, drinks. Among other odds and ends. The last thing I needed was to be in more debt. 

"Where are you living at the moment, Kaveh? Can we visit? We'd love to see the house of the most renowned architect of Sumeru!" One of them exclaimed in a dramatic tone, and the question sent trickles of sweat rolling down my back.

"Well...I'm keeping that a secret at the moment. You know, so that my clients don't come to my home at any time they want. I usually set a meeting place for them, not at my home." I made up and explained. Thankfully, it seemed to work as they nodded in understanding. 

"That aside...Have you found somebody to..." 

"Marry?" 

One of them began and the other ended the sentence for him. My lips parted in surprise and I stared at them, not knowing what to say. The question was so sudden and out of nowhere, and it was something I hadn't even thought of for a very long time.