The Other Side of Our Hearts

What is this Path Now?

A/N: Just a heads up from here on out there will be time jumps as we move forward with the story, I'll try to make sure it's the least confusing as possible and label accordingly. 

Also, italics are flashbacks. Bolded text will be Kaveh's thoughts on any events in the moment where he already knows things, or important phrases.

Oh, and it's my birthday when I post this! WOO!

------------------------------

Kaveh never sobered up as fast as did in that very moment. 

"Kaveh?" 

There he was, sitting across from Alhaitham who was asking how things were as if it indeed had been years since their falling out at the Akademiya. He was sure it had to be some kind of cosmic prank. That he was in a humorous mood and decided to play a trick and pretend it was the night they reunited. But Kaveh had to remind himself of a few important details. 

1. Alhaitham never jokes and never pulls pranks.

2. Alhaitham's facial expressions were genuine, and the confusion on his face was clear as crystal.

3. Alhaitham would gain no benefit for lying about something like this.

Kaveh studied things a little deeper and realized more aspects to back up his theory. The scribe looked slightly younger and less worn. He hadn't been subjected by the weight and stress that would eventually come about from having to take on the role of Acting Grand Sage. He definitely gave off a presence where he was enjoying the peaceful life he strived for, seemingly more relaxed somehow without being obvious about it.

It made Kaveh's heart break. He thought back to everything since that same night when he was brought home by Alhaitham and thus beginning their co-habitation. Sure, it gave Kaveh a roof over his head and a safe place to rest. But in the end, he realized that it was an inconvenience to the scribe as those peaceful days of rest no longer seemed to exist. And with how their path together went along and events unfolded over those three and a half years, he wondered if maybe this was a chance to make things go differently. But he wasn't sure yet. 

"Kaveh!" The voice of Alhaitham made Kaveh snap back into the present moment, finding himself looking into teal eyes touched with fire. "Geez, how drunk are you?"

"What?" 

"You've been staring off into space for the past five minutes." 

"Oh . . .sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was trying to ask the great architect how he has been and when he got back into the city? But he's more interested in being in a trance."

"Right . . .yeah, I got back last night . . ."

Things were already progressing differently. By that point from his original memories of the meeting he had started allowing his defenses to break down and his turmoil flowed out of his body like water from an open dam. It seemed so crazy that he still had a hard time believing he was somehow back in that moment. It was then he realized it was a chance to try and test the waters, if it was possible to change the outcome of the current meeting.

"Anyway . . .nothing much otherwise."

"Hmm." Alhaitham hummed as he often did as a response. No change there, Kaveh thought. "But how are you?"

". . ."

"You're usually full of things to say and it felt like you never shut up. Now you barely say anything. That's now how you used to be. Are you actually ok?" 

"*sigh*". Kaveh placed his hands on the table as he lifted his head from his arms. "You hated how much I talked. So this must be nicer for you."

"What?" Alhaitham's eyebrows furrowed at the blonde sitting in front of him. "Kaveh?"