featheradrift | Inbox (The City)

Of course, you're just indulging me. [It's a gentle murmur that speaks the motion he can't quite make. Let him, and Kaveh allows him to care.

His gaze lifts forward. Yuu handles most of the scouting.

Alhaitham doesn't falter the whole way back. Not once across half a district and up three apartment floors. It's a safe venture. There was little chance it wouldn't be.

They stop in front of the door. Alhaitham minutely shifts his hold.] Kaveh, do you have your key? Otherwise one of you grab mine out of my belt pouch, please.

[ The Wanderer looks over to Kaveh expectantly. Even if Kaveh confirms he doesn't have the key, he's not about to reach into Alhaitham's belt pouch and put himself way too close to the scribe. There's a reason his hat is as wide as it is. ]

[ the walk back is simultaneously the longest road taken and the shortest route chosen. kaveh looks up to see their apartment building loom. the elevator is a stifling silence cloistered in the warm cove of alhaitham's arms. there is nothing to say, and everything to say, and into the silence, kaveh casts his consternation. he is just indulging alhaitham, but they've always done so for each other.

their door is a mosaicked pattern, doorframe carefully wrought to resemble sumeran patterns depicting repeating moorish-style geometric patterns. kaveh looks to yuu, then to alhaitham, and grimaces as he slips his hand into alhaitham's pouch for the key. he tosses it to yuu so he can open their door, his head tipped against alhaitham's shoulder. ]

... sorry for this, Yuu. We came to warn you, but it seems you were on guard duty in this entire time. Would you like to stay the night at least? It's relative safety, in this city.

[Alhaitham waits until Yuu unlocks the door before striding in. Their conversation, he thinks, they can have while he carries Kaveh to the divan and sets him down on it.

Then he leaves for a couple minutes to retrieve the first aid from the bathroom. He sits down next to Kaveh, unpacking it before gesturing for Kaveh to roll up his pantleg.]

[ The Wanderer catches the keys without fuss and opens the door, stepping back to let the pair enter first before he follows. He gently closes the door behind himself, ensuring it's properly locked before setting aside his hat and leaning against the wall nearby the entrance. Ever vigilant against danger.

The Wanderer considers Kaveh's offer for a moment. If he mentions that he doesn't sleep at all, Kaveh is going to kick up a fuss, isn't he? And if he rejects the offer... he'll also kick up a fuss, won't he? Despite knowing that he is a puppet, and was created by a god. ]

...Fine.

[ But he doesn't budge from his vigil next to the door. ]

[ fine, says yuu. the word is a single, drawn-out, dragged out acquiescence. kaveh knows he is being humoured. the smile he offers yuu is all the same, gratitude and relief into one. he rolls up his pantleg to let alhaitham begin tending to the cut on his leg. the blood has dried, leaving it merely exposed, paper-thin scabs crusted like gems. it reminds kaveh, he realises, of oripathy crystals. the reminder is not a kind one.

instead, he tips his chin up to yuu. ]

I'll prepare one of the divans for you. Feel free to use our apartment as you need and as you like.

[Alhaitham pops upon the aid kit. He lines up gauze and cotton pads and disinfectant and a towel, and gets to work cleaning the leg wound first. Just enough alcohol to clear the blood and bacteria, not too much pressure.]

Kaveh will feel much better with you here. [He starts, without looking up. The gauze is unwound.] Maybe he'll even sleep tonight.

[Alhaitham knows he doesn't exactly plan to. He'll stare at the ceiling until the weight of his thoughts becomes too much and then set to pace around the apartment or drink his thoughts away. Alhaitham may not sleep either.]

[ It's at this that he pauses, and then gives Alhaitham a flat look. He's on to you buddy. He knows exactly what Alhaitham is doing. And worse, he's soft enough to let it work. Because it's Alhaitham making the request, no matter how indirect it is, and because he's not lying, Kaveh probably would sleep better knowing the drifter is safe and not about to run off to get himself in trouble.

Perhaps the most mortifying of all realizations is that Alhaitham thinks he would acquiesce because he cares. But Alhaitham has always been far too perceptive, especially if it stands to benefit him, and the Wanderer's affection for him and Kaveh is certainly something he would benefit from.

His ears burn with the knowledge of being seen by the scribe, which he tries to dispel with a loud exhale of displeasure. ]

I said I would, didn't I?? Leave me alone.

[ He pushes off from the wall and vanishes into the kitchen. ]

Inbox (The City)

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