Alhaitham X Kaveh - Love and Logic

12. Coming Into Light

"The units, they were..."
"Children." Kaveh continued Alhaitham's thought. He turned to Cyno, his voice shaking: "I didn't know she was still alive. If I had, I would have contacted the matra, I swear..."
He is stopped by Cyno's raised hand. His voice is calm and emotionless. This wasn't Cyno speaking, it was General Mahamatra: "Even if you did try to tell us, I believe Azar would have stopped you and we all know his methods."
Tighnari lowered his ears making Cyno soften his voice as he held his partner's hand: "You are not at fault here Kaveh. But please finish your story. I feel you haven't told us everything yet."
Kaveh slowly nodded, relieved the general doesn't find him guilty.
He felt Alhaitham squeeze his thigh where his hand was all of a sudden. But it gave Kaveh the strength to continue his story.

"Hello?" Kaveh felt uncomfortable entering the house without being invited, but his aunt told him to deliver the food and make sure the recipients get it. He found her instructions odd but he had to do it. He needed the money. His stomach rumbled as he walked into the kitchen, finding an older woman attacking him with a rolling pin.
"Hey, hey! Calm down, madam. I am just here for the food." Kaveh dodged her attack, stepping back into the living room.
"You won't take her! I won't allow it!" she was terrified. She believed he would do her harm. Kaveh put the food bag down and raised his hands. He knew that look. She was scared and in pain. She didn't see him, she saw something that wanted to hurt her. He's seen this pain in her mother's eyes when she got too drunk. When she saw the person she missed the most.
He slowly backed away, keeping his voice calm as he continued: "I am not taking anyone. I just came to deliver the food."
The woman lowered her "weapon", but stayed in her place. She was shaking, but it wasn't fear. It was anger.
"You look exactly like her and you're telling me you're just the delivery boy?"
Kaveh widened his eyes but stayed silent. Was she talking about his aunt? Why would she be so angry with her?
She signaled him to the bag he brought. It was high quality, Kaveh assumed to protect the food inside. The harra fruit or apples inside. He slowly approached the bag, his stomach turning. Luckily he only drank water today. The woman stared him down as he opened the bag. The bloody half-closed eyes made him throw up immediately.

"I should have known." Kaveh chuckled to himself. Tighnari shook his head but before he could disagree Kaveh continued. His voice was lifeless, and he felt exhausted, but he had no choice. He had to tell them what his family was capable of.
"I should have known because if I had so many of them would have been spared. The men she worked with. I assumed they were the way they are because that's how all men were to me. But I should have known Tighnari. The first night they tried to lay their hands on me."
The mug in his hands finally gave in to the pressure and broke. Everyone jumped, only Tighnari and Alhaitham stayed seated. Kaveh shook looking at the blood on his palms: "No... I am so sorry..."
Tighnari told Collei to get his bag and took her place next to Kaveh as he took his injured hands In his own to examine.
"Luckily your hands were already bandaged, so you only cut your fingertips this time," his voice seemed almost cheerful as Kaveh kept on whispering apologies.
Alhaitham looked at Cyno before asking: "This time?"
Tighnari nodded as he continued cleaning the new wounds and Cyno cleaned the table: "Some men attacked Collei and Kaveh while they were on a walk. She ran to the village, trying to get help but when Cyno and I reached him, the men were already dealt with."
Alhaitham rose his eyebrow: "Dealt with?"
Cyno sat back down, crossing his arms on his chest: "You don't want the details."
Tighnari finished with the wounds when Alhaiham pulled Kaveh's chair closer, making the blonde's man back press against his chest. He whispered, hugging him tightly: "You're safe. Breathe with me."
Tighnari watched with a smile as Kaveh's breathing slowed down after his body relaxed almost instantaneously. Collei whispered something to Cyno and he groaned. Kaveh looked at them before he laughed: "How much did you win?"
Collei raised her newly acquired bag of Mora with a mischievous smile. Kaveh stayed in Alhaitham's arms a little longer, trying to ignore the panic in his chest before he moved away.
"I am sorry for the mug," his voice was barely audible but Tighnari heard him. He cupped Kaveh's face, his own getting a bit close for Alhaitham's taste, and stated: "Stop apologising for everything. I know who you are. You will break yourself before you hurt someone you care about."
Kaveh shook his head: "I haven't finished the story."
Tighnari let him go and sighed: "You didn't know Kaveh. And you can't make me hate you for protecting Collei. You can hate yourself, but that doesn't mean any of us will." He stood up and took away the used bandages. No one said anything until he returned and took his place next to Cyno.
Kaveh took a deep breath. Here we go.
"After I met Terra, she told me how my aunt would come to their village, buying off children or in some cases just taking them. Lily was one of those kids, but Terra protected her. She took her in and treated her as her own. When my aunt found out about her, she tried to buy her. Of course, Terra told her to shove it and then the threats started. Terra's three desert foxes disappeared one night and a few days later I came, thinking I am bringing her food supplies. So when I saw what was happening I told Terra to pack their things and wait for me at the neighbours. I sent a message to one of the Erudites I knew I could trust, telling him to come pick them up and take them to the forest. And... I waited for them."

"Kaveh, dear, what do you think you're doing?"
The man on the floor gasped as blood poured out of the wound in his neck. She took out her sword, ready to strike her nephew. But what she saw was not her nephew. She chuckled: "I see you take after your mother. Tell me dear, how long will it take before you give in? Don't you see? We are all rotten. We kill the people that love us and we can't do anything about it. Isn't it best to just give in?"
She stepped over the dying man, smiling as if they were just chatting about the weather. There was a click and an axe came slamming down on her. She blocked it only to have Kaveh's Claymore cut into her thigh, making her fall. Kaveh watched as she struggled to get up. He wanted to end her, to cut through her neck. She deserved it. But all he could do is turn around and leave Terra's house, knowing the explosion will take care of her. Her and the eight bludgeoned bodies he left behind.

Thank you for all the comments, they mean so much.
3 more days until Kaveh <3