Mr Not So Perfect - Haikaveh

9

After the awkward encounter with Alhaitham the day before, Kaveh had retreated to his room and stayed there, avoiding any potential run-ins with his new roommate. It felt like the walls were closing in on him, suffocating him with the weight of the tension that hung in the air.

As the next day dawned, Kaveh knew he couldn't stay holed up in his room forever. He needed to get ready for class, but the thought of facing Alhaitham again made his stomach churn with unease.

Recalling that Tighnari usually woke up early to go to the disciplinary committee room, Kaveh reasoned that Alhaitham probably did the same. With that in mind, he cautiously opened his door, peeking around the corner to see if there was any movement.

To his relief, the room was pitch dark, indicating that Alhaitham was definitely not there. With a sigh of relief, Kaveh ventured out of his room, making his way to the kitchen.

But just as he reached the kitchen, he heard the sound of blinds being opened. "Shit," Kaveh muttered under his breath, his heart sinking as he realized that Alhaitham was already up.

Their eyes met as Kaveh entered the kitchen, and he felt a flush creep up his neck at the sight of Alhaitham's amused expression. "Well, that's a unique PJ," Alhaitham remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Glancing down at his Pokémon pyjamas, Kaveh felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. "Why are you here?" he asked, trying to regain his composure.

"It's my dorm," Alhaitham replied simply, making his way to the kitchen counter.

"I thought you needed to go to the committee room?" Kaveh said, trying to make conversation as he retrieved his mug from his bag.

"There's no meeting today," Alhaitham explained, grabbing the kettle. "Are you having some?"

"Yeah, sure," Kaveh replied, leaning against the counter.

"Tea or coffee?" Alhaitham asked, turning to face him.

"Tea," Kaveh replied, watching as Alhaitham filled the kettle with water and turned it on.

As Alhaitham prepared breakfast, Kaveh couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Despite their rocky start, Alhaitham was being surprisingly accommodating, and Kaveh wasn't sure how to react.

Alhaitham then turned to Kaveh and asked, "What do you want to eat?"

"I don't usually eat breakfast, just tea," Kaveh responded.

"That's not healthy; you should be eating a proper breakfast," Alhaitham said, concern evident in his voice.

"I know, but I got so used to not eating, and I can't be bothered anymore," Kaveh said

"I'll make it for you then," Alhaitham said, pulling out a few things from the fridge.

"There's no need, really. You don't need to worry about me," Kaveh said, attempting to decline politely.

"It's fine, I like cooking," Alhaitham insisted as he started prepping breakfast.

Kaveh sat on the chair beside the counter, observing as Alhaitham skillfully navigated the kitchen. "Do you cook often?" he inquired, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Well, yeah, I lived alone in this dorm," Alhaitham replied, his attention divided between cooking and Kaveh.

"Oh, right, it was just you," Kaveh acknowledged

"Do you not cook?" Alhaitham asked, turning to face Kaveh with genuine curiosity.

"Eh, I'm not that good at it, and neither was my roommate," Kaveh confessed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"How did you make meals then?" Alhaitham questioned, intrigued by Kaveh's culinary habits.

"I never ate home-cooked meals, only school and takeout," Kaveh shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed by his lack of cooking skills.

"You really don't understand what a healthy diet is," Alhaitham sighed, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and concern.

"I just can't cook; it's very tough," Kaveh admitted

"Maybe I could teach you one day?" Alhaitham offered, surprising Kaveh with his generosity.

"Seriously?" Kaveh's eyes widened in disbelief, a hopeful smile forming on his lips.

"Why not? We'll probably have more time now that you've moved in here," Alhaitham reasoned

"Then I can finally learn to cook!" Kaveh exclaimed, his grin widening as Alhaitham placed a plate in front of him.

"Here, I'll grab your tea," Alhaitham said

"Oh, thank you!" Kaveh called after him, genuinely touched by Alhaitham's kindness.

As Kaveh took a bite, Alhaitham watched with uncertainty. "How was it?" he inquired, waiting for Kaveh's verdict.

"It was good! I didn't expect you to be such a good chef," Kaveh admitted, pleasantly surprised by the taste.

"Thank you, I'm going to get dressed, you continue eating," Alhaitham said, excusing himself as he headed back to his room.

"Are you not going to eat?" Kaveh asked, puzzled by Alhaitham's sudden change of plans.

"I'm just having coffee today," Alhaitham replied before disappearing behind his bedroom door.

Kaveh looked at him puzzled. Didn't he just say to eat a proper meal?

Shrugging off his confusion, Kaveh continued to eat the delicious food that Alhaitham had left for him. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, the meal was too tempting to resist.

Alhaitham didn't seem any different from what happened yesterday; it was as if to him, it never happened.

Kaveh took this as a sign to never dwell on it, but as he ate, glimpses of the moment when Alhaitham's body had almost touched his rushed through his mind.

Placing down the fork, Kaveh groaned inwardly. Maybe he had taken it too far by moving in with Alhaitham just to annoy him.

900 Words