Infuriating :: KAVETHAM/HAIKAVEH

29

Alhaithams POV
The week had been surprisingly better. Aziz had been keeping his distance, and for once, I managed to get some work done without constantly looking over my shoulder. Kaveh had been my rock through all of this. He was the one who made Aziz back off, the one who stood by me when I needed it most. He always did.

That night, I decided to do something for him in return—a small token of my gratitude. I planned a dinner date at a local restaurant, a place I knew Kaveh would appreciate. It was quiet, alcohol-free, and served some of the best food in Sumeru. I had already made the reservation earlier in the week, and now all that was left was for us to enjoy the night.

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When we finished work for the day, I turned to Kaveh. "Get ready for a night out," I said with a small smile.

Kaveh's eyebrows shot up. "A night out? Did something happen?"

"Just... get ready," I replied, brushing off his question with a smirk. "You'll see."

He chuckled, heading off to get dressed. I did the same, feeling a bit more nervous than I had expected. This wasn't just any dinner. It was me trying to thank him, and I wanted it to go perfectly.

As I grabbed my coat, I hesitated by the kitchen counter, where my noise-canceling headphones sat. Normally, I would take them with me whenever we went out, just in case the environment became too overwhelming. But tonight, I wanted to try being present—really present—with Kaveh. No distractions. No masking.

"You're not bringing your headphones?" Kaveh asked as he walked into the room, fully dressed and ready to go. His tone was cautious, and his eyes showed concern.

I hesitated for a moment. "I wanted to be able to be with you without wearing them," I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. It felt strange saying it out loud, like I was admitting some kind of weakness.

Kaveh studied me for a moment before walking over to the counter. He picked up the headphones and slipped them into his bag. "I'll bring them then. Just in case. Okay, love?" He smiled at me, and his words warmed me more than I cared to admit.

The pet name made my face flush a bit, and I found myself nodding, unable to form a coherent response.

With that, we left the house and made our way to the restaurant. The streets of Sumeru were quieter in the evening, and the soft glow of the lanterns made the walk feel almost magical. Kaveh's presence beside me was grounding, and for a moment, I allowed myself to just enjoy the simplicity of the moment.

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We arrived at the restaurant, and as expected, our reserved table was waiting for us. The atmosphere was calm, the lighting soft and intimate. It was the perfect setting for the evening I had planned.

Dinner was pleasant. We talked about work, about the projects Kaveh had been working on, and about the future. But the whole time, something weighed on my mind. I wanted to tell him how much I appreciated everything he'd done for me recently, but the words felt tangled in my throat.

As we finished our meals, I could feel the noise of the restaurant creeping in. The sound of laughter from nearby tables, the clinking of glasses, and the scraping of forks against plates. It all started to merge into a cacophony that made my skin prickle with anxiety. I tried to focus on Kaveh, on the conversation we were having, but my hands were already in my lap, my knee bouncing up and down as the familiar discomfort settled in.

Kaveh noticed immediately. "Headphones?" he asked softly, already reaching into his bag.

I nodded quietly, feeling a bit defeated. I had wanted to get through the evening without them, but the world had other plans. Kaveh handed them to me, and I put them on, turning up the noise-canceling feature just enough to dull the sounds but not so much that I couldn't hear him.