escordvi | [closed] 🌱🏛️ quiz, vol. 01

[Though the words are mostly for Kaveh himself Alhaitham lets out a sound to show his agreement to that statement. What they've managed has at least allowed him to handle travel between the leviathans, but anything beyond that is always going to be a gamble at best, wholly dependent on the environment and weather conditions. A calm cruise is tolerable, but if its going to be rough and choppy, not to mention the smell...

...just remembering it is almost enough to make him gag again. Alhaitham's expression tightens, making a displeased noise from the back of his throat and tries to curl himself up tighter, stomach churning with the threat of throwing back up what he'd just taken in.

Archons, he hates this so much.]

Hey-hey, easy...

[Kaveh will once again resume rubbing a hand down Alhaitham's back, trying to soothe whatever it is that's triggered the man's nausea again.]

Deep breaths, it's alright...

[While he's pretty sure Alhaitham can manage, he is still gesturing at Mehrak to bring over a bucket. Just in case.]

[Kaveh's touch provides a great deal of relief, and the tension in Alhaitham's shoulders melts away as Kaveh rubs a hand up and down his back. It is frustrating, how he never really gets sick in Sumeru, but now here all it takes is one bad ride out to sea for the rest of his day to go exceptionally sour.]

...ugh. [Another discontent groan here, partly from his discomfort but also due to the thought of losing another day where he could do something else he'd have liked instead of lying in bed. Not that staying in bed isn't something he dislikes, but he very much would prefer to do it on his own terms instead of being forced into it.

With Kaveh continuing to stroke his back, it's only a matter of time before Alhaitham leans into the comfort that it provides, uncurling just enough so that he can tilt himself closer and press up against the other man's side.]

[Kaveh hums a little bit as Alhaitham leans into him, hand moving from up his back into his hair, effectively cradling his head a bit while he does it. Sleep might be the best remedy until this passes, but Alhaitham's bad mood won't be fixed anytime soon if he has to waste all day not even reading.]

I suppose I'm finally repaying all those nights in the bathroom after the tavern, huh?

[Alhaitham tilts his head when he feels Kaveh moving his hand over to cradle it instead, relishing the touch and the comfort that it brings. Normally he doesn't make an effort to seek out touch like this, but... it is helping, and Kaveh has always provided a measure of comfort in any situation. This is simply an extension of it, especially when there is little else in this place that can soothe him in the same way.

...he really misses his bed back in Sumeru.

At Kaveh's words he lets out a slight grunt, mumbling right after.] You have a lot to make up for, then.

[Kaveh snorts, and reaches to pull his sketchbook over with his other hand, balancing it on his lap as he pulls out a pencil to start idling doodling, thinking on ideas that might help...it's just how his brain works, okay?

He's very glad he's ambidextrous, because it means he can just ruffle at Alhaitham's hair while doodling.]

If I can't figure out a solution for this, it's going to go very quickly. Especially if Cid needs us to take a longer trip at any point.

[Alhaitham does not mind it at all. If anything, the sound of his sketching is nice, and gives an added measure of comfort in a way he can't quite vocalize in words, especially when its compounded by Kaveh's hand ruffling through his hair... that's nice.]

We don't necessarily have to be there. [Comes the mildly petulant response to that. Cid already has everyone else from his world and others, surely he won't need them too, right? They can just stay here and he doesn't need to suffer through more bouts of seasickness.

(He knows, of course, that he will still go regardless, because Kaveh isn't going to say no when asked and Alhaitham isn't going to let Kaveh go off by himself in this place of so many continued unknowns.)]

You don't know that we won't need to be there, either.

[He huffs, and leans his head gently against Alhaitham while he doodles, thinking to himself.]

And you're not going to let me go explore on my own, no?

Given your tendency to run headfirst into danger, somebody has to keep an eye on you.

[He says this out while relaxing further, finally feeling well enough to fully uncurl, stretching his legs back out as he shifts to rest more comfortably against Kaveh. That also means that his vision no longer obscured, so he can now see what his senior is in the middle of sketching out.]

Last thing we need is for some other creature to kidnap you because they think you're its mate or something.

I wouldn't--

[He starts to protest and then closes his mouth. He can't...actually deny the possibility.

As for what he's doodling, well, it's the Divine Tree itself...seems Alhaitham isn't the only one who'd rather be home right now.]

...Well, I got something for that, but you'd have to let me sit out and grab it.

[Ah, the Divine Tree... Alhaitham can't help but stare at it for a bit himself. Two months in this place and he finds himself missing the oddest things that he'd once taken for granted; he wonders this is what Kaveh had felt, during the time where he'd been by himself here. Frankly, Alhaitham doesn't think he'd have fared as well had he been in his senior's position—half the reason why the stress of being in such an unfamiliar place isn't as bad as it could've been is because of Kaveh's presence. That much, he is well aware of.

He huffs lightly when Kaveh tries and fails to retort, then is somewhat surprised when he hears him say that he has something for this. He's not exactly sure what Kaveh has in mind, but he doesn't see any real reason to deny him this since he does feel a lot better at this point. So he hums and pulls himself away allowing Kaveh the freedom to move, though while his senior goes to take whatever it is Alhaitham uses that time to shift so that he's lying down now instead, feeling decent enough to finally be completely horizontal.]

[Kaveh reaches over to the side table to pick up the package he set there, and open it up to reveal the paired bracelets within it. Simple gold and silver with only a few stones worked into the band...ruby and jade. He passes one over to Alhaitham.]

They say these bracelets can locate one another. Seemed...prudent, after Ocard.

[And, Kaveh doesn't say, he wants to give them both the reassurance of knowing the other is still here.]

[The crinkling of paper gets Alhaitham's attention, and he turns to lie on his side so that he can see Kaveh unwrapping the small package in his hands. It only takes a few seconds for him to be done, and soon enough he's revealing what's inside—a pair of bracelets, fairly simple in design even with the stones that adorn it. As far as he can tell it doesn't exactly mesh well with Kaveh's usual styles, which only makes him more curious as to what made him get it.

The answer to his question comes soon enough when Kaveh speaks as he passes him one of the bracelets. Alhaitham takes it, bringing it close so that he can examine it better.]

Have you tried it out? [He asks after finishing his cursory examination of the bracelet in his hand. As far as he can see there's nothing to suggest anything like what Kaveh had said actually being possible... but at this point they've seen a fair bit of otherwise impossible things, so he's not going to discount the possibility entirely. If this does work... it certainly would be useful, in more than one way.]

No, they were delivered just this morning.

[Still, he takes the moment to fasten it onto his right wrist...there's a warm that emanates from the stone, the strange tingling feeling that accompanies magic.]

...There's definitely some kind of magic in these gems. It's warm...

[Alhaitham watches as Kaveh puts on the bracelet, an inquisitive look coming onto his face thereafter as he sees how his senior is reacting. It piques his interest enough that he puts his own as well, blinking as soon as it's securely fastened because he, too, now feels that strange tingle that he's come to associate with magic. But more than that...]

It's... [Alhaitham starts, then trails off because he needs a minute to try and find the right word to describe this strange feeling that has sprouted within him once he'd gotten the bracelet on. This warmth, an inexplicable tugging in his chest, this sense of feeling complete. It's new, yet somehow also familiar at the same time. Very strange indeed.

Still, none of those thoughts give any sort of clarity on this, so after a while Alhaitham simply shakes his head.] I'm not sure how to describe it. It's like knowing where my wallet is at any given moment.

Your wallet?

[Kaveh makes an offended little hmmph, though he's not really that mad.]

Content to have me be the breadwinner here? Maybe I should start--start making you do the cooking and cleaning, then.

[Do not call him a househusband, Kaveh. Don't. Do not. Don't do it.]

[There's an amused little sound from Alhaitham here at Kaveh's response.]

I could, but then you always complain that I never do it the right way.

[For both cleaning and cooking.

...but really, he hasn't minded at all that Kaveh has been the one who brings in the dough here. It clearly makes him happy, and gives him some much needed confidence as well. It's one of the good things that have come with being here, since there isn't any debt or actual rent for him worry about. Hopefully that confidence will follow him back to Sumeru when the time comes.]

Because you don't. Better start learning, Haitham.

[He reaches over and ruffles the man's hair, which between that and the nickname makes it pretty clear Kaveh's mostly just feeling playful.]

I shouldn't be surprised you jumped at the chance to be pampered.

[Alhaitham snorts this time, but its fond, and its impossible to ignore the way his chest grows warm. It's never hard to feel a measure of affection for Kaveh, but that's how its always been; his senior has always been good at drawing people around him, no matter the situation.]

After all the work I've had to do as Acting Grand Sage, one would say that the break is well-deserved.

[Never mind the fact that its already been a while since he stepped down even before they came to this place. Its the principle of the matter here.]

How long are you going to keep using that excuse? How long is Lord Kusanali going to let you keep using that excuse?

[That's it. The scribe is receiving a headlock and right over onto the bed.]

But you're right, you should be resting.

[Alhaitham instinctively goes to grab Kaveh's arms when his senior drags him into that headlock, though he makes no real attempt to struggle out of it, only huffing out another amused sound.]

I would be, if a certain senior of mine isn't so busy being childish.

[Despite the words his voice is warm and fond, and his eyes all too easily betray is amusement at the situation.]

Oh, I bring you gifts to make you feel more at ease, and you call me childish, now? If you weren't sick I'd show you childish--

[As it is he should probably not lick a man in recovery.

Next time, though.]

[It's easy to forget how terrible he feels when Kaveh is being so entertaining, and even easier to give into the urge to needle his senior some more even though its completely unnecessary.]

Is the Light of Kshahrewar going back on his word now? I didn't think a little obstacle would be enough to put him off.

[Alhaitham is very amused right now. His eyes are practically sparkling with mirth.]

Oh, that's it, you asked for it.

[RIGHT. Just gonna lick up this man's cheek like the paragon of maturity Kaveh clearly is.]

[Since Alhaitham had been more or less ready for it he isn't really bothered by what Kaveh does, especially when they've done far more than leave spit on each other at this point. The huff that he lets out more or less says just as much without any words.]

Is that all? [He asks, expression now challenging. Come on now, Kaveh, surely you have something better than this juvenile display.]

[closed] 🌱🏛️ quiz, vol. 01

u_u pets from kaveh... the best remedy...

the cure-all...

yes... the one that will solve everything...

he's doing his best anyway.

his best is more than enough

u3u

u3u world hard... kaveh soft and warm...

tucks alhaitham into bed....

holds out arms for kaveh to join...

time for the blanket burrito x 2 combo

the best combo

mawwaige...

🥺🥺🥺

🏳‍🌈❤

🏳‍🌈💖💖💖

💖💖💖😭🙏

💖💖💖🥰🥰🥰

😘

😘💞

oh they are silly

they are so silly... and in love

married and they still don't know they're in love.

truly doing everything backwards

absolutely every step wrong and yet

and yet they made it work somehow

annnnd hurtling towards sin

menace vs menace

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