Perfect Butler

12

"What did you say?" Kaveh stood up so fast that his chair fell behind him. Alhaitham promptly went to set it back in its rightful position. He hated these spontaneous breakfasts with the queen. She had a way of getting on Kaveh's nerves which she then blamed Alhaitham for. 

"Your wedding is less than two weeks away," she repeated herself. 

"That's ridiculous! It's way too fast, mother!" Kaveh's voice wavered. He didn't know how to convince her to push the wedding back. He wasn't mentally prepared to be married yet. It would ruin everything with Alhaitham! 

"Did you know about this?" Kaveh looked over his shoulder at Alhaitham who said nothing. "Is this why you've been so gentle?" he muttered to himself so his mother wouldn't hear. 

"Right then," she patted her lips with a napkin and placed it down on the table. "Now should be as good of a time as any to inform you that you'll be needing to select a personal knight to replace your butler once married." 

"What?" Kaveh stood up straight, tensing. 

"You don't honestly believe you can keep a commoner around forever, do you?" she stared at him, and he returned the gaze to her soulless eyes. "That's not going to fly when you're king, Kaveh." 

"But...he's perfect at his job!" Kaveh gestured to Alhaitham. The very same man who didn't even break posture for a second during these long breakfasts! 

"And your personal knight will also be perfect at their job," she smiled. "It's a requirement." 

"Alhaitham is better than any of those idiots currently training to be knights and you know it!"

"Kaveh," she spoke, icy cold, "don't make me wish I'd let them kill him." 

"What are you talking about?" Kaveh stumbled back, barely able to catch himself. "He said he was bullied a bit but..." 

"I saved his life," she got up out of her chair, "don't make me take it away because of your foolishness." She motioned with her hand to shoo them away and the two, out of habit, exited as usual. 

"How many fights did you get into while in training?" Kaveh spoke cooly. 

"Just the one," Alhaitham replied. Neither one of them took a step forward from the closed door. 

"Right, of course, let me rephrase the question so you'll answer it," Kaveh grabbed Alhaitham's shirt and slammed him up against the door. He glared up at his stoic face. "How many times did they beat you up without you retaliating? Why did my mother say she saved your life?" 

"About a week after I initially started training, they were relentless with their verbal abuse which then shifted to physical since I showed no signs of wearing down. I knew I couldn't fight back or I'd lose my spot so I didn't. At one point the attacks were too much they may have proved fatal if the queen wasn't making her rounds to the training grounds." 

"You should've fought back sooner," Kaveh's voice cracked as he let go of Alhaitham's shirt. 

"I want to be your knight, Prince Kaveh," Alhaitham replied. "It's impossible for me now but that desire was too strong to give up." 

"That wish isn't worth your life, Alhaitham!" 

"What life is there without you, my prince?" Alhaitham slowly and carefully placed his hand over Kaveh's to grab it. "I was going to be content being your butler for the rest of my life if it meant I could just be by your side. Our time is short together. The queen will see to that." 

"No..." Kaveh's eyes watered and Alhaitham glanced down both directions of the hallway. He clutched Kaveh's hand and led him back to Kaveh's room while skillfully avoiding any eyes of the servants. 

"You can't leave me!" Kaveh burst out into full-on tears now. 

"It's going to be okay," Alhaitham said this more for himself than Kaveh. "Who knows, maybe you'll even grow fond of Princess Candace once married. You'll need..." Alhaitham's words were stuck in his throat. He didn't want to think about Kaveh being a parent. Especially without him. "... an heir..." he forced out.  

"Don't do this to me. Don't be the servant right now. Just be Alhaitham. Please...just..." Kaveh wiped his tears away as best as he could. "Be honest." 

"'Be honest' he says," Alhaitham ran his hand down his face while letting out a long sigh. "Very well," he resolved himself. Alhaitham closed the gap between them and grabbed Kaveh's shoulders firmly, slamming his lips into his. Kaveh stumbled backward and tripped over his desk chair, colliding with the floor. Alhaitham hovered above him, lips still on him, with his hands skillfully undoing Kaveh's clothes. It took 0.01 seconds for Kaveh to become flustered. He wasn't used to Alhaitham being so forward. He didn't think it possible. He didn't realize how much Alhaitham had been holding himself back. 

"I don't want you to get married," he whispered into his skin as he kissed down Kaveh's neck. "I don't want you to have kids with someone that isn't me," he said brushing his lips against Kaveh's nipple. "I want you to be mine, Kaveh." 

Kaveh blinked and Alhaitham was standing beside the door as if the situation never happened. His face was stoic, as per usual, and his clothing was tidy. If it wasn't for the fact that Kaveh was half naked on the floor he would've thought the whole thing a fantasy from the start. Kaveh sat upright and closed his shirt, overlapping the sides and hugging himself. His face was even redder than before. 

"Say it again." 

"Say what?" 

"Say my name again." 

"I say your name all of the time, Prince Kaveh." 

"No, no, no!" Kaveh waved his hand with each 'no' brushing the 'prince' away. "No 'prince'! My name!" 

"I can't do that." 

"Yes, you can. You just did. Do it." 

"It's too informal for a person of my status." 

"Alhaitham!" Kaveh closed his eyes tightly while he raised his voice. 

"Kaveh." 

He opened his eyes to see Alhaitham right next to him, whispering his name into his own ear. How was he able to move so quickly without being heard? 

"One..." Kaveh wheezed, "one more time, please." 

"Kaveh."