escordvi | three's a quorum

Entry tags:

three's a quorum

Who: Kaveh, Alhaitham and Rem
Status: Closed
Where: An Entirely Too Small Apartment
What: Kaveh brings home a stray after a quest gone a little awry.
Warnings: None for now

[By the time they dock at ~~eltrut~~ ~~elah~~ ~~I forgot which leviathan he lives on~~, Kaveh has managed to clean himself up, get the silks stored away in Mehrak, and composed himself. Kind of. Mostly. Of course, they'll stop and pick up dinner and some books on the way back to the apartment, so it's getting late in the evening when they do walk up to the very, very tiny rooms rented to outlanders. Kaveh's started thinking maybe he should actually look into a house...

...Well, too late for that. for now, he's unlocking the door with a reassuring smile for Rem.]

Try not to take him too personally. He probably isn't upset with you.

[With that, he's going to go ahead and go on in. It's a tiny apartment, with a couch and...only one bedroom. A small kitchenette. A bathroom. And an Alhaitham.]

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[When Kaveh and Rem enters they will see—

Well.

They'll see that a certain somebody has been busy—busy doing his own work, that is, because there are a fair number of books stacked and scattered all over the smaller than average coffee table. A couple of them lie open, having been consulted and then set aside, while others are left piled to the side, though its hard to say its because they'd been read through or to be read through later.

And in the center of this mess is, of course, the very man who Kaveh has been talking about all this time. Alhaitham is settled on the couch, earpieces very much in place as he reads through the current book in his hand—an encyclopedia about Elrut. Part two of what seems to be numerous more volumes, but he'll get to all of them eventually.

If he notices that they're back at all Alhaitham makes no indication of it, continuing to read with none the wiser.]

[ Thankfully, Rem, too, will come off more or less presentable because she'd had the foresight to store an extra change of clothes in the cabin. When they reach (leviathan) land, Rem corrects her hair as best she can she can before disembarking with Kaveh. She follows him to his apartment, hands clasped behind her nervously. She's grateful for the other offering a temporary sanctuary, but his continued warnings about his roommate paint the picture a grumpy, old man hunched over books within her imagination.

So when they finally enter the apartment, she peeks out from behind Kaveh's arm to look at him and--

✔ books
✔ resting grump face
X old

--turns out, she's only two-thirds right.

Rem looks up in Kaveh's direction, unsure if she should take the initiative to introduce herself, or leave the man to his reading. She is also, privately, curious if Kaveh is going to say the thing. The whole "I'm home" thing. That thing. The thing that roommates do. Yeah. ]

[Alhaitham is very handsome and not at all old thank you very much.

Kaveh takes a look at the mess his apartment has become. Takes a look at the fact there is no space on the coffee table for dinner and hardly any on the tiny dining table. Sighs, and sets the groceries down on the counter, and takes the books from Mehrak. Puts on his brightest, sunniest smile.

And slams them down on top of the stack of books to be read with a table-rattling THUD.]

Alhaitham. We do not have enough room in here for you to turn this apartment into a miniature version of your study!

[...so we skipped greetings and right to nagging. I'm so sorry, Rem.]

[Alhaitham, perhaps unsurprisingly, does not react beyond and slow and gradual tilt of his head up to look at Kaveh, registering his presence thereafter with a blink.]

I needed the space earlier. [When he'd been busy glancing through stuff to find something that was nagging at his mind. But he's already gotten it settled, so—] I don't need it anymore, so you can clean it up to make space for dinner.

[Is he just telling Kaveh to clean his mess up for him? Yes.

Also sorry Rem he hasn't quite noticed you yet because his eyes and attention are both fixed on Kaveh. Just give him a moment and he'll get to you then.]

[ (Everything’s so cluttered… is this what happens when two boys live together… oh dear.)

She almost jumps in place when Kaveh slams his hand down upon the low table. She’s equally surprised by the reply from his roommate. So this is the relationship they have…!! They’re not arguing, no. This sounds much more like the bickering of two who have known each other for a while. How sweet.

What can she do but give a small smile? And a bow as she steps out from behind Kaveh. ] U-um… Hello! I can help clean up, too.

[Oh Rem. You are going to learn so much about boys.

Kaveh snorts, and picks the entire stack of books up, shifting them in his arms to hold a hand out for the book Alhaitham is holding with an expectant look on his face.]

Go plate up dinner, then. And actually introduce yourself to Rem, don't turn your earpieces back on.

[Despite his nagging, to Rem he is all smiles.] It's alright. You can make yourself comfortable, you already worked plenty hard today.

[Rem these are the two worst individuals you can ever look at as a reference for boys.

Alhaitham's gaze flicks over to the newcomer as she steps out from behind Kaveh to introduce herself. So this is the one who Kaveh said he was going to bring back...

He stares at her for a moment, eyes unblinking as he sweeps his gaze over her with studious intensity. It breaks as soon as Kaveh speaks up again, however, and Alhaitham smoothly turns his attention back to the other man, blinking now at extended hand and expectant look that his senior gives him.]

Hm.

[That hum is all that Kaveh gets, though he does indeed pass the book that he'd been reading onto Kaveh after having marked out where he left off, then stands up from the couch in order to make his way over to where Kaveh has placed the takeaway that contains their dinner.

Of course, since Kaveh and their houseguest have blocked off the most direct route, that just means he has to go around to get to where he wants. Not that it bothers him in anyway, of course. This apartment wasn't exactly made for two grown men to cohabit together.]

[ Rem wonders if Alhaitham knows how nerve-wracking that scrutinizing look is...!

But, fortunately, she's met a fair amount of standoffish individuals when she'd been alive. So when he doesn't introduce himself, she doesn't take it personally. She'll still extend her own. ] A-as he said, I'm Rem. It's nice to meet you! I'll stay out of your... [ Her voice drifts as he attempts to move around them. Rem does her best to back up as well, allowing him space. ] ..way. [ She finishes, her smile turning a bit award at the end.

Rem's eyes dart to Kaveh. Then to Alhaitham. Then Kaveh. This seems like something else is going on. It's like watching a cat give their owner the cold shoulder but secretly wanting all the attention.

What would be a safe topic to pivot to...? Ah. ] I... see the two of you own a lot of books! It's like the Crystarium in here. [ Idly, Rem reaches for one of the titles, curious. (And also praying it's not the dragon smut book.) ]

[Kaveh is picking up all the books--and he does mean ALL OF THEM--and placing them neatly in a stack on the...bed. Look, they don't have enough shelf space yet, that's on his to-do list, but the books do not go on the FLOOR, Alhaitham.

Luckily, the book Rem picked up is probably just the one of sailor's folk tales Kaveh got him, and so at worst it has some bawdy shanties in it.]

His collection back home is even bigger. And just as messy.

[HE KNOWS YOU CAN HEAR HIM, ALHAITHAM.]

[Alhaitham can indeed hear Kaveh, though he sees nothing about what Kaveh has said to be worth responding. If anything he misses his collection of books back in Sumeru—he only had the one book with him when he'd arrived in this world, and it alone is now stored in a very special place away from everything else.

Anyway, Alhaitham plates the food as asked, and when he brings them out onto the now cleared dining table Rem may or may not be surprised to see what Alhaitham did plate the food for all three of them. There also may or may not be a bit more food on Rem and Kaveh's plates compared to Alhaitham, but he will neither confirm nor deny it if asked.

After the food (and cutlery) is placed Alhaitham steps back into the kitchen, this time to grab each of them a glass of water which he then places down next to each plate. Once both the food and drink are both ready Alhaitham moves to settle down on his seat without any fanfare, and then starts eating without any preamble, regardless if Kaveh and/or Rem have already settled down themselves.]

[ At first, she's not entirely sure what to do as the two move about to declutter their working space. Assisting them would be her default, but as she watches them both, she notices how in sync they are. Neither bug the other to move out of their way, even in such a small space. Likewise, neither seem to need to be told what to do in order to prepare for a meal. It's surprisingly domestic, ...as if they've been living with each other for quite a while.

Rem smiles as she looks from one to the other, bringing a hand to the side of her cheek. ]

...How long have you two known each other?

[ She'll ask this as the table is set, and she'll help out when needed. But if they have everything prepared, she'll take a seat after them. ]

[Kaveh might lightly tap Rem's shoulder to guide her over to the table as he comes back, but that question does give him pause as he sits down. He's long since given up on Alhaitham's table manners.]

Oh, uh...[He glances briefly at his fingers.] At least ten years, now?

Nine.

[Alhaitham corrects Kaveh after swallowing down a bite of his food, remaining wholly unrepentant as he goes on to take a drink of his water afterwards, only bothering to spare Kaveh a brief glance before he places his glass back down and returns to his food.

Also yes Alhaitham may or may not be nitpicking because it is not ten years yet.]

[ She'll take her seat after them, reaching for her utensils. The meal looks good, but it's not her main focus. ]

Do you two live together in your world, too?

[ She just. Has to ask that, too. ]

It is four months off ten years, most people round up, Alhaitham--

[He stops his snarking when Rem asks another question. Well. No point in hiding it here, is there? He doesn't have a reputation to lose.

...It's kind of nice, actually.]

Er. Yes, we do.

[There's the slightest hint of a pause from Alhaitham the moment Kaveh answers the question, because he didn't think that Kaveh would actually say yes to that. Hadn't he been the one who did not want people to know that he was living in Alhaitham's house back in Sumeru? He'd always been so particular about it—almost desperate, even—to keep up the image that he'd crafted for himself, to always keep up the apparent prestige that people tended to perceive him with, and that had always meant keeping his housing situation on the num. So to hear him admitting it so freely is... unexpected, to put it mildly.

In the face of this sudden shift, Alhaitham in turn now wonders how much of that he is able to push further. So he does so, in the form of what he says next.]

He's my tenant. I collect rent.

[Another bite of his food, another sip of his water. Time to see how Kaveh reacts to that.]

[ Rem chews on her food, brow lifting with thought.

They seem close. They’ve known each other for a decade. They live together. One is polite and the other is reticent, but both come off as scholarly. HM WHAT SHOULD SHE ASK NEXT—

Her silence may give Kaveh the opportunity to react. ]

[Well Kaveh about chokes on his dinner, and sets the fork back down entirely too forcefully.]

You--! That's rich, given you're living in my apartment now!

[Gay, Rem. The answer is Gay.]

And I have paid my rent to you just the other day, have I not?

[Says this so very casually, right before he takes another bite of his food.]

[ She looks from Kaveh to Alhaitham to Kaveh to Alhaitham again, taking a casual bite of her takeout as they have this exchange.

Her next question is all but formed. ]

Aaaand how long have the two of you been together?

[Well.

You're gonna have to give Kaveh a minute. Because he just kind of choked on his food and started coughing. Flushed right to the tips of his ears. Oh god. Oh god he is dying.

Yeah you've gotta take this one, Alhaitham.]

[Kaveh do you really think Alhaitham is going to answer such a deeply personal question

do you

do you really

yeah no he's just gonna be sitting here and continuing to eat his food like nothing's wrong and that Kaveh isn't halfway wheezing himself to death.]

Drink your water, senior.

[He's being incredibly helpful right now.]

[ Darn, she had hope to hit 'em with the series-of-innocuous-questions-ending-with-legitimate-question tactic! It didn't quite work, but she feels as if she's gotten her answer... ish.

Kaveh's face is so red. ]

Oh, maybe that was too much to ask... [ She sets down her utensil, waving her hand. She can only imagine the impression she's giving off to Alhaitham as being nosy, so she'll relent. ]

W-we--we aren't, that's...

[He's grabbing his water glass and maybe chugging a little because...well he doesn't want to deny too hard and shoot himself in the foot before he even has a CHANCE to be brave and--wait why is he even considering Stede's advice. What's going on. Why is he thinking about leaving opportunities to--

Archons.

Kaveh kind of puts his face in his hands.]

Why don't you tell Alhaitham about the magitech we've been working on.

[HE NEEDS AN ESCAPE ROUTE.]

[There's maybe a hint of a sideeye from Alhaitham here because that is... not the violent denial that he'd kind of been expecting? Especially when Kaveh has always been insistent on the fact that they are not friends. It'd only stand to reason that since he didn't want them to be regarded as friends, then anything more would be even worse, and yet...

Still, given that they are in the presence of company, Alhaitham elects to make no comment. He simply goes over to look at Rem expectantly when Kaveh mentions about magitech, curiosity piqued. He very much would like to hear more about this.]

the first encounter

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and another one onto rem's kill count today

:]

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