Our Love is Not Over

Chapter 5

Alhaitham gently placed Kaveh on the bed in the guest room. Although...it wasn't like he ever had guests, so he supposed it was more of a spare bedroom. He tucked the covers around Kaveh, then stole a nearby chair from the desk and positioned it beside the bed. Leaning back in the chair, he let out a sigh.

Mentally, he unpacked everything he had heard at the tavern.

Now he finally understood the root cause of Kaveh's guilt complex. His magnanimity. His philanthropic nature.

It was all because he believed himself to be the reason his father died.

And with Kaveh's mother leaving for Fontaine, probably never to return, it seemed that now both of them shared the pain of being orphans.

In moments like these, when he was alone with his thoughts, he longed for his grandmother the most.

Had he been too harsh on Kaveh? Was he foolish to criticize him without knowing the whole story?

His grandmother would have known. She would have provided the right answers, the right course of action.

But she was gone, and he would never hear her guidance again. Should he apologize to Kaveh then? The idea immediately dismissed itself. The thought of Kaveh's smug face made him shudder. Apologizing wasn't his style anyway.

...Could he be kinder to Kaveh than usual? Maybe he could try to act as he did before their falling out.

But Kaveh probably wouldn't want his sympathy. He imagined Kaveh's voice in his head. So now you feel sorry for what you said, huh? Forget it, I don't need your pity! I'll figure things out on my own, okay!? Stay out of it.

Just as Alhaitham was contemplating how to act around Kaveh, he saw him stir on the bed. Alhaitham immediately shoved the chair back over to the desk and stood up.

He cleared his throat. "You're finally awake," he said.

"Alhaitham...? What..."

"You're in my house, the one you gave ownership of before, remember?"

Kaveh sat up, wincing and holding his head. "I'm at your...?" He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "Wait, why the heck am I in your house?"

"You drank too much, so I took you to my house, seeing as you don't have one right now."

"Right...wait, you took me back? Why?" Kaveh glared at him accusingly. "What are your motives? I don't buy that you did it out of the kindness of your heart."

Alhaitham felt a pang of hurt inside, but he managed to keep a composed exterior. He looked at Kaveh with a steady gaze.

"Believe it or not, Kaveh, I don't have any ulterior motives," he replied calmly. "You were in no condition to take care of yourself, and I didn't want you wandering the streets alone."

He paused. "I understand if you find it hard to believe that I would do something like this without a reward, but I assure you, my intentions are genuine. If you want to figure things out on your own, I won't stand in your way."

Alhaitham's words carried a touch of sincerity. He hoped that Kaveh would see it. Thankfully, the architect seemed to sense that he didn't have a hidden agenda. He looked out the wet window and put a hand on the cold glass.

"It's pouring..."

"I believe that it's going to stop in the morning. You are welcome to stay here the entire duration of the storm," Alhaitham invited.

Kaveh looked at him strangely, but he agreed. "Okay..."

"You were drinking on an empty stomach, correct? I haven't had the chance to eat dinner, either. I know it's late, but do you want some food?"

Kaveh nodded and they both walked to the kitchen. Alhaitham opened the cabinets and brought out some flour, glabrous beans, milk, and mint.

"This is Fatteh, isn't it...? Why are you being so nice to me? I don't get you. Is it because I told you about my mother and my father? Are you pitying me right now?"

Alhaitham continued to maintain his composed demeanor as he prepared the ingredients for Kaveh's favorite dish. He looked at Kaveh, his expression steady.

"I'm not pitying you, Kaveh," he replied calmly. "In the past, I...I didn't understand your situation fully. But now I do. I can't change the past or undo the mistakes that I made, but I can offer you some support and understanding."

He paused, stirring the pot on the stove. "We may have had our differences, and I may have said things I regret, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize your worth. You have your own strengths, Kaveh, and I admire your determination and compassion. The Palace of Alchazarzaray...I know I'm not a person who is usually appreciative of the arts, but it does look breathtaking. Really.

"So, no, it's...not pity. It's a genuine desire to be there for you as a friend, if you'll let me. I know we had that whole...falling out and stuff, but...if you're willing to look past that, I'd be content to rebuild our relationship."

Kaveh looked at Alhaitham, his eyes searching for any signs of insincerity. There was a part of him that wanted to resist, to hold onto his anger and pride. But another part of him longed for connection, for someone who understood. Alhaitham was the only one who saw the real Kaveh, beyond the mask of a wealthy architect living a comfortable life.

"Okay," he said. "Let's put the past behind us now."

Kaveh had always been a little too forgiving for his own good. Alhaitham internally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded his head at him. He piled the Fatteh on a plate and served it to him.

"Well then, I'm glad you're willing to give our friendship another chance," Alhaitham said, his tone measured. "By the way, you don't have a place to stay, do you?"

Kaveh, recognizing the lack of a mocking tone, knew that Alhaitham wasn't intending to ridicule him and responded in a similar fashion. "...No, unfortunately. Like I said earlier, I had to sell it to pay off most of my debt to Lord Sangemah Bay..." he sighed.

Alhaitham picked up his plate and sat at the counter before he suggested, "You should stay here."

Kaveh gawked at him for a few seconds until Alhaitham said, "You should close your mouth, you're going to catch flies."

Kaveh quickly sat himself onto the chair next to him and blurted out, "Stay here? Seriously? I mean, sure, we patched things up, but inviting me to live with you is a whole different story!"

With the way Kaveh was staring at him, Alhaitham would've thought that he had grown fungi on his head or something. He had thought that his offer was irresistible, but had Kaveh somehow taken offense?

Alhaitham let none of his thoughts show on his face and replied, "So? I don't see what the problem is here."

Kaveh hesitated, before he said, "I mean...I just...are you sure? Letting someone live with you seems kind of like a major decision. It's not one to be made on a whim."

Alhaitham scoffed, trying to sound nonchalant. "Believe me, nothing I do is on a whim." In truth, he had spent almost the entire time Kaveh was out cold from the wine carefully contemplating how to ask him, but what Kaveh didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Kaveh pondered for a moment, unsure of how to respond. After a brief pause, he finally mustered the courage to say, "Well...I guess if you're really okay with it, then...sure, I'll stay here."

A glimmer of relief flickered in Alhaitham's eyes, though he maintained his poker face. Deep down, he was thrilled that Kaveh had accepted his offer, but he wasn't about to let that show.

"Great," Alhaitham said, trying to sound casual. "It's settled then. You can consider it as a temporary arrangement until you find another place."

Kaveh nodded, a mixture of deep gratitude and uncertainty on his face. "Thank you, Alhaitham. I really appreciate this."

Alhaitham waved it off dismissively. "Just try not to make too much of a mess with all of your papers and pencils."

After that, they continued their meal silently, both appreciative of the opportunity to rebuild their friendship under the same roof.