Snowdrop [Haikaveh]

December 31st: A New Year

Alhaitham shifts uncomfortably on his feet, slightly agitated by the now six day absence of his annoying neighbour. Two weeks ago he probably would have rejoiced at the calm Kaveh's disappearance has now brought.

Now? He feels weirdly hurt.

He'd known their arrangement was temporary. Kaveh only sought him out to spend the holidays feeling a little less lonely, and he went along with it, not admitting that he needed the same thing.

Regardless of how their unspoken agreement came to be, for Kaveh to suddenly disappear feels cruel.

That's how he finds himself standing in front of Kaveh's door.

He knocks.

It's not exactly like Kaveh can hide from him, them being neighbours and all.

He knocks again.

At some point Kaveh will have to go back to work too, they're bound to run into each other and the blond avoiding him now would only make the inevitable encounter uncomfortable.

He knocks once more, a little too loudly this time.

"Shut it! Take a hint, they're not home!" An angry neighbour down the hall yells through a cracked door, slamming it shut before Alhaitham can respond.

Kaveh is home, Alhaitham is certain of it. He's not heard anyone leave the apartment for days. Could he have missed Kaveh going somewhere? Possibly, however the odds of that are small. He doesn't care to admit how keenly his ears have been paying attention to the sound of the door next door.

"Kaveh, if you're home, I'm coming in." He announces at the unmoving door, at least attempting to be more polite about his incoming break in than Kaveh has ever been.

From his pocket he takes a key with a small lion keychain attached. "Isn't it cute?" Kaveh had told him when he handed over the spare key a few days ago. He agreed, but only because it reminded him of Kaveh.

Pushing down any reluctance to enter the apartment without permission, he turns the key. With a soft creaking noise the door opens, revealing a dark and quiet hallway. Light on his feet, Alhaitham makes his way inside, flipping the light switch on his way.

Light illuminates an uncharacteristically barren living room. A complete lack of Christmas decor leaves Alhaitham wondering why his apartment still looked the way it does. He's been reluctant taking the decorations down, them being his only reminder of Kaveh's presence in his home when the man failed to show his face. If even he can't manage to get himself them down, surely Kaveh wouldn't have either?

"Kaveh?" He calls into the empty room, growing concerned when he still receives no answer. His search continues, fully aware just how much he's intruding on Kaveh's privacy. Yet, the mixed feelings don't prevent him from pushing open the bedroom door.

Once again he is met with a pitch black room.

"Kaveh?" He calls again.

Finally he hears a sign of life, when the shuffling of sheets is paired with quiet sniffles. He sucks in a breath, his heart breaking at the fragile sound. Without hesitation he flips on the light, wanting to see Kaveh, wanting to see he's OK.

Amidst scattered clothes, scrap papers and dishes stands a bed. Underneath a ball of blankets pokes familiar blond hair. Alhaitham releases a shaky breath, relieved that Kaveh isn't dead in a ditch somewhere.

The state of the room gave him a general idea of what was going on and why Kaveh had disappeared so suddenly.

He moves in front of the blanket fortress and kneels before it. "Kaveh," his tone is soft and gentle, "want to come out of there?"