Where the Heart Lives [haikaveh]

16

"It sounds like a good opportunity for you," Alhaitham leaned forward, folding his hands so tight he cut off his own circulation. 

"What?" Kaveh swung his head around. "What are you talking about?" 

"I'm sure you could pull it off. You're downplaying your abilities quite a bit," Alhaitham stared at the floor. 

"What are you saying? That I should accept the job?" 

"You don't want to stay here forever, do you?" 

"Would...would that be so bad?" Kaveh's breath hitched. 

"The longer you stay here the worse your reputation will get. I mean, seriously, you're staying with the ex-soldier who only knows how to drink his sorrows away after he lost his fiance. People are going to talk." 

"Who cares about that?" Kaveh knelt down and placed his hands over Alhaitham's. "I like staying here with you." 

"You should..." Alhaitham removed his hands from Kaveh's. "You should take the job." He wouldn't meet Kaveh's eyes. 

"Why are you insisting like this?" 

"Because....I-" Alhaitham tried to blurt it out but once he saw Kaveh's face the words were stuck in his throat. He couldn't do it. 

"Alhaitham...what's wrong?" 

Alhaitham gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve. "Do you really think I'm so kind as to let a freeloader live with me forever?" he snapped. "How are you going to pay me back? Clean my house? Cook? Fix my stables? Do you think that's what I want? Do you think that's enough?" Alhaitham stood up and grabbed Kaveh's shirt, picking him up and pushing him against the wall enough to make him lose his breath. 

"Alhaitham...." Kaveh whispered, trying to get back the air. Alhaitham's leg slid between his, pushing up against his crotch. Kaveh's body tensed, sliding down the wall which only pushed Alhaitham's knee further into his crotch. He slid his hand under Kaveh's shirt, clutching his chest.

"Are you going to pay me with your body?"  

"Stop...you're not like this..." Kaveh cried. "Why are you doing this?" His body shook, not because he was afraid, but because he couldn't stop from sobbing. 

Alhaitham stepped back and hid his face in his hand. "Fucking hell," he stepped back so far he bumped into the fireplace. The sword that was lodged above it fell, grazing his shoulder before clamoring to the ground. Alhaitham fell to his knees. 

"Are you okay?" Kaveh stepped forward. The place where the sword hit was bleeding. 

"You're asking me that?" Alhaitham seethed. "Why didn't you fight back? Or hit me?"

"You're not that kind of person. There must be some sort of reaso-" 

"And what if there wasn't?" Alhaitham snapped. 

"Alhaitham, you're bleeding." Kaveh knelt down in front of him to check his shoulder. Alhaitham swatted his hand away. 

"Get out." 

Kaveh tried again, ignoring Alhaitham's slap. 

"Get out, I said!" 

Kaveh grabbed Alhaitham's wrist and pinned him to the ground. He kicked the sword away and held both of Alhaitham's hands together above his head with one arm. Kaveh pulled Alhaitham's shirt open and checked the wound. 

"It's not very deep. You might not even need a bandaid but I can't trust that you'll clean this yourself." Kaveh pressed his lips to the scratch and licked it, sucking the blood and spitting it into the fireplace. He continued to lick Alhaitham's wound until he was satisfied it was somewhat cleaner. 

"I'll accept the job if you want me to that badly. I'll be out of your hair tomorrow so at least give me some time to pack some stuff up." Kaveh didn't wait for an answer and stood up to go into the kitchen and get some kind of meal ready. 

Alhaitham remained on the floor. He rolled onto his side and grabbed his shoulder, ears slightly red remembering what just happened. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. His plan to get Kaveh to hate him and go off to accept the job hadn't quite worked. He should apologize but if he did...then what? Would Kaveh still leave and accept the job?