Forget Where We Were (reupload!)

Chapter 12

Alhaitham woke up just like he always does.

Everything was in order, except for the fact that when he stepped out of his bedroom, someone was already seated on the divan. The blond's back was haunched over the table, tinkering with the mechanism before him. Mehrak showed no signs of life yet, but Alhaitham was not bothered. Kaveh would eventually figure it out. He always was able to find ways to pull off every single project he had.

It came as a bit of a surprise to him when Kaveh told him he would rather stay with Alhaitham instead of opting to rent a room down Treasures Street. Since he has lived in this house before, it would just be better if he stayed here again, Kaveh had reasoned. Perhaps it could help him remember.

The Scribe made no argument against it, so now, all Alhaitham had to do was to walk towards the kitchen and start preparing breakfast for two. It was something he rarely did before, as Kaveh was the one who insisted to cook for them both. Alhaitham knew Kaveh enjoyed cooking, so he let the architect do as he pleased.

With Kaveh sitting almost shyly on the divan, silently working on Mehrak's motherboard, Alhaitham wondered if the blond did want to cook but thought he might be imposing for doing so. For today, though, the Scribe decided just to let it be. They could take it one day at a time, after all.

Kaveh only looked up when he saw a steaming mug of coffee and a plate of selva salad being placed on the table beside the inactivated mechanism. Alhaitham sat on the divan, "I also have a plate of fatteh if you like something more filling than the salad. I also have enough ingredients for a serving of sabz meat stew, just let me know if you prefer that."

The blond shook his head, "I am okay. Thank you. I actually feel shy, considering what happened yesterday. I went here without saying anything to you, but you still took me in."

Kaveh straightened up and gave Alhaitham a small smile, "It's as if nothing happened to me. It's as if I didn't disappear for over two years and lost all my memories. Doesn't it bother you, Alhaitham? That you look at me and see someone you completely recognize from head to toe, but I am someone who doesn't really know you anymore."

"Your memories," replied Alhaitham as he took a sip from his own coffee. "Do you really want them back?"

"Of course, I do! I want to be myself again. I want to know the skills, the places, the people, and the feelings I forgot about. I want to wake up and know that I am me, that what I know about myself is complete."

"I am going to give you something," the Scribe stood up from where he was seated, walked over to the study, and went back to Kaveh holding a small box. "It's something I knew I had to find when you went missing. I couldn't rest until it was found."

Alhaitham handed Kaveh the box before going back to his coffee. Kaveh gently took the lid off and then gasped when he saw the Dendro vision resting on a cushion inside the box. The blond gingerly took the vision out, which was still blinking on and off like a malfunctioning lamp.

"Is it broken?" Kaveh inquired Alhaitham. "I mean, I don't know how to use a vision and all that."

"It's not broken," said Alhaitham. "But visions respond to their owner's ambitions, and that one was once yours. You lost it along the way and the vision was taken by treasure hunters."

"My ambition..."

"You lost your memories. It might have affected your vision. After all, it would be difficult to believe in an ambition that you don't really remember," Alhaitham watched Kaveh scan the vision. "I decided to give it to you now as it might help the recovery of your memory. The aid of elementary energy might come in handy."