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II

When Alhaitham woke up, he remembered why he was usually careful about how much he drank. A splitting headache was making it hard to even open his eyes, and his throat was burning. He felt like shit.

When he finally managed to open his eyes, he found a water bottle in front of his face that he eagerly took, drinking almost half of it in one time. Looking down, he also noticed a pack of pills for his headache. He hinted at a smile before taking one and falling on the mattress again.

He breathed in his perfume, hiding his sight with his hands.

"Fuck."

He knew most people tend to forget what happens when they're drunk. He apparently couldn't be blessed by such. Just two words kept repeating in his mind over and over again: "He knows"

He wanted to keep it a secret. When he first saw him at the pub it was a coincidence, but he couldn't keep himself from coming again and again, everyday. And the only time he didn't, his body did it for him.

He lowered his hands and looked at the ceiling, wondering what to do from then on. How to face him. When the pills lowered the pain in his head, he decided it was time to get up. Kaveh was long gone from that room, and Alhaitham could look around, if he wanted to. He wondered how many time Kaveh had let a stranger in his house, without even keeping them in check. He was more annoyed than jealous at Kaveh's excessive trust.

He head downstairs to find the pub closed, with just the light from outside illuminating the room through the half closed shutters. The sign on the door had "open" written in red letters facing towards him.

He looked around, unsure about where he could go without Kaveh there. He couldn't hear or see him from the stairs, at least. He walked through the tables, letting his fingers wander on the colorful plastic chairs. Kaveh had already cleaned them.

The only place left was the kitchen, if he was in the pub. He went towards it, hesitating at the side of the counter, worried about overstepping into the kitchen. He leaned towards the kitchen, searching for him. It was so small that only one person could stay there at the time.

Alhaitham heard the sound of the door opening and saw Kaveh walking towards him. He didn't look at him, not even when he had to pass in front of him to go to the kitchen. Their bodies didn't touch, Kaveh being careful not to make it happen. But Alhaitham still smelled his perfume, causing his brain to stop working for a second, after which Kaveh had already put space between them.

"I'm sorry for last night." Said Alhaitham in a neutral tone, recomposing himself.

Kaveh looked at him, regretting it right after and turning again towards the kitchen: "It's fine. You can leave after eating breakfast." He hesitated before continuing: "I can lend you some clothes if yours are too..." He left the words hanging.

Alhaitham suddenly realized how bad he smelled of alcohol, so he just nodded, preferring to spare himself more embarrassment.

After a quick shower, he found the clothes Kaveh left him on the mattress. Wearing them, he was awfully aware of his scent mixing with Kaveh's on the clothes. And of how tight the shirt was, making the shape of his muscles visible under it.

Kaveh noticed, too. The moment Alhaitham went downstairs and they saw each other, a red blush covered his cheeks and ears. He coughed, showing him to seat on one of the pub tables, where there were already two empty plates, ready to be filled.

Kaveh waved his hand towards a cup of coffee: "You look like the black coffee type, but there's milk and sugar too, if you want."

He thanked him and sat down, taking the coffee as it was.