Solar Eclipse

Bonus Chapter

Author's note: 

This is a third person pov for what happened at the Razan Garden in the last chapter. This chapter might come off as even more delulu than usual. And they both might feel really OOC at times, idk. But I needed to see them both comforted and if that's not gonna happen when they're in character, sorry but I'll have to make them step out of their character for a while.

Kaveh wakes up the next morning after the conversation with his long-term Akademiya friend- Nadiah. He was only able to sleep for a total of two hours and he fell asleep at five in the morning. He tried to sketch something to take his mind off of things, but it was already too late to distract himself. He was already far too immersed into the possibilities of what Alhaitham might have meant by his taunts and harsh words all these years.

He was up all night thinking about how all this time he has only allowed himself to register Alhaitham's words at a surface level. He allowed himself to get mad even at his childish attacks. In fact, he might have even been too distracted by the fun of their banter to have time to decipher the concern he has shown for him all along. He thinks that either Alhaitham is too good at masking his concerns for Kaveh, or Kaveh is too dumb. Or both.

He always felt some discrepancy between his words and his actions, when Alhaitham nags at him for spending too much mora on alcohol and then buys him ten crates of wine to apologize for something else. He carries Kaveh home so often that Kaveh can afford to confidently say "I'm not leaving until someone has to carry me out." Recently, he even left him that note saying- "Lofty ideals may provide no defense at all against nihilism, but perhaps little decisions can." For all the times Alhaitham argued about Kaveh's decisions being too heavily affected by his ideals and his kindness, this sure sounded like approval — encouragement, even — for Kaveh's way of doing things.

All this thinking makes Kaveh think back to when Alhaitham chanced upon him when he was homeless and staying at Lambad's for two weeks. After hearing all about Kaveh's woes, Alhaitham, again, saw through Kaveh's lie regarding how 'he will somehow manage to connect his ideals and his realities'; and asked "And so, how has realizing your ideals gone for you?"

Kaveh, at that time, obviously felt like it was meant to be a taunt, meant to tease him for his misfortunes being his own fault. But only now does he consider that perhaps he asked that to make Kaveh realize the reality of his ideals — if he had not already learned anything from his experiences — to prevent him from hurting any more, from falling down any farther than he already had.

Maybe Nadiah was right last night, maybe it really is time for him to take some action to change their situation.

Thinking so hard about so many incidents makes his head hurt and Kaveh leaves his room to make some coffee. Habitually, he grabs two identical cups and pours coffee in them. As if just on cue, Alhaitham walks out of his room, ready to get to work barely on time. Kaveh hands him his share of the hot drink and says, "Could we talk today? I have something I need to let you know."

Alhaitham drinks the still steaming coffee as if his tongue does not have the ability to sense temperature and replies, "Yes. In fact, I have something I need to tell you as well. What a coincidence."

He puts down his cup and says, "Meet me at the Razan Garden after my office hours. Be there on time, please. See you."

And he closes the front door behind him.

Kaveh, on the other hand, is left sweating — unsure whether it is because of the steaming coffee cup held in front of his face or because of his nervousness. He wonders what Alhaitham wants to talk about. Is it something he did? Are they going to end up in a huge fight again?