Escapism

~Prelude~

Prologue

~

"Its been a long time Kaveh."

"What do you want? Come here to mock me? Go ahead, I doubt that you can say anything that will make me feel worse than I already do."

"Come on. lets get you home."

~

At a young age (17) Kaveh lost his father, and ever since his mother went into grieving. Leaving for Fontaine, she left now college age Kaveh alone.  

After achieving his degree, he was now millions in debt after the construction of Sumerus botanical gardens/greenhouse (Palace of Alcazararay) +college tuition fees

With the money he received from his fathers hard work, he used this to achieve a dream he had envisioned since he learnt how to hold a pencil,  a palace fit for a king. 

Soon he woke up. Kaveh was left homeless and practically living in a tavern outside town to drown his sorrows and grievances in hard liquor, substance abuse and short naps leaning atop a bar. 

~

Al Haitham, a gifted man, mentally, physically, knowledgeable in all aspects. Has never had to really "try" for anything in his life. He was just naturally talented. Quiet, observant and yet not matter how hard he tried,

Human emotion was beyond him.

Calculations, Rationale, Logic. 

All of which are a bases on how he processes situations. Yet when it comes to human emotions, he is clueless, a newborn infant in comparison. 

After college, he was practically gifted his job of being a scribe for court hearings, but that was only what he declared a "side hustle". Being a Chief Operations Officer for the Academia's internal affairs, Al Haitham had everything handed to him on a silver platter.

~

Having Kaveh as a roommate in college was a curse, but just as much, a blessing. The time they spent together, Al Haitham conducted a little research of his own to better understand human emotions, His (unwilling and clueless) Test subject? Kaveh.

This desire to learn how the human brain works arose after being told that he was, "too stand-offish, too cold, too insensitive, not understanding-" the list was endless.

However Kaveh was a complex human, one, that for Al Haitham, a man with no prior knowledge on how to deal with sensitive beings, had even more trouble understanding.Yet they were incredibly close.

Best Friends even, but like either of them would admit it.

~

After College, and once he was of age, Kaveh spent his fathers inheritance to proceed a project that was originally going to be government funded but got cancelled due to a denied loan request, this project was the ace in the hole for the architects of Sumeru academy, specifically Kaveh, the lead designer.

However out of guilt, he spent said inheritance making this project come to light.

Al Haitham did not agree. He thought it was stupid, pointless, completely idiotic. 

Kaveh should have spent those funds building his life, not something that looked good for his name. Of course they clashed on this. This argument ended with Kaveh holding back tears. How was Al Haitham supposed to understand? He was praised all his life for everything he did, he didn't have to do anything to prove his worth. He was perfect.

That was the last time they saw each other.

Shortly after this argument, Kaveh received a message from his mother, who had left for Fontaine when he was just starting college.

"Kaveh, I have married a man in Fontaine. I will not be returning. I am leaving this life behind. Goodbye."

Try as he might to find her, contact her somehow, he couldn't.

That was it. 

Kaveh had just lost everything that he held dear. Everything.

And soon, the world collapsed right in front of his eyes. And all he could do was watch.

Drinking was the only way he could quell his thoughts, the lightheaded feeling he gained when he downed a half glass of whiskey, helped him escaped the weight that seated itself in his mind.

Bringing us to present day.

Sitting at three in the afternoon on a Wednesday.

Once again drowning his sorrows in liquid amber. Hunched over a water stained, dark oak bar, located twenty minutes outside town, listening to the muffled commentary of a soccer game on a distant TV.

Key: 

~Crimson~: Kavehs point of view 

~Cerulean~: Al Haithams point of view

Not specified after "~~~": Both Characters.