Infuriating :: KAVETHAM/HAIKAVEH

31

The next few weeks passed in a blur for Kaveh and Alhaitham. Aziz, to everyone's relief, seemed to have learned his lesson and was now keeping his distance, intimidated by the constant death glares Kaveh threw his way. The man had been reduced to nothing more than an occasional shadow at the Akademiya, no longer a looming nuisance. However, even with Aziz out of the picture, the relentless pressure of work weighed heavily on both Kaveh and Alhaitham.

Kaveh had a mountain of projects piling up, each more demanding than the last. Every new blueprint he sketched felt like a burden, as if the joy he once found in his work had evaporated. Alhaitham, too, was drowning in paperwork, research, and endless meetings. The once-easy routine they had built together had been completely overtaken by the demands of their jobs.

By the time they got home, they barely had the energy to eat, let alone talk or spend any meaningful time together. Their evenings had become a cycle of quick meals, showers, and immediate collapse into bed. The silence between them was deafening, though neither spoke about it. Kaveh would often stare at the ceiling late into the night, unable to sleep, and he could tell Alhaitham was having just as much trouble, tossing and turning beside him.

Alhaitham's mood had grown noticeably worse. He was on edge all the time, constantly overstimulated and irritable. The smallest things seemed to trigger his frustration—whether it was an unexpected knock at his door or someone brushing past him in the hall. Everyone around him, from the scholars to his assistants, walked on eggshells, afraid of his outbursts. It wasn't like him at all, but the mounting workload had taken its toll.

One particular morning, after yet another sleepless night, Alhaitham sat in his office, scribbling notes furiously. His hand ached, but he couldn't afford to stop. The pile of papers in front of him seemed endless, and the deadlines were closing in. He was so absorbed in his work that the knock on his door felt like a personal attack.

"What?" he snapped, not bothering to look up.

The door creaked open, and Faruzan peeked her head in. "Alhaitham—"

"Make it quick. I don't have all day," he cut her off, his voice sharp and impatient.

Faruzan raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Um, ew. No. You don't speak to me like that, thank you very much." She stepped into the office fully, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now, I'm going to try again. Alhaitham, someone's waiting for you outside the Akademiya."

"I don't have time for visitors. Tell them to come back when I'm not busy," he muttered, already turning his attention back to his notes.

Faruzan smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Mmmh, no. If you want them to leave, you can tell them yourself. Besides, I think you'll want to see who it is."

Alhaitham let out a long, frustrated sigh before standing up abruptly. Almost shoving past her, he made his way out of the office. The last thing he needed right now was some unexpected interruption. But when he stepped outside the Akademiya, his irritation dissolved in an instant.

It was Kaveh.

Alhaitham stopped in his tracks, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly as he walked toward him. "Why didn't you just come to my office, baby?" he sighed, already feeling the weight of his stress begin to lift just by seeing Kaveh.

Kaveh smiled, looking up at him with that familiar, mischievous glint in his eyes. "Because I wanted to be proper for once. Plus, I didn't want to get yelled at for interrupting you, which is why I asked Faruzan to do that for me."

Alhaitham rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "Yeah, well, I almost had her send you away. You should've just come to my office." He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the man standing in front of him. "Don't you have a bunch of stuff to finish, anyway?"

Kaveh shrugged, his grin turning sheepish. "Well, Cyno reported Aziz's little stunt to the Grand Sage, so all of my projects got handed over to him instead."

Alhaitham blinked in surprise. "But won't he get all the money from that?"

"Nope. He gets a measly three percent cut. I get the rest." Kaveh's grin widened, clearly pleased with himself. "It's not fair at all, but you should've seen his face when he found out. Priceless."

Alhaitham snorted, shaking his head. "You're terrible."

"Maybe. But I brought something to make it up to you." Kaveh's expression softened, his tone playful as he raised both his hands. "Pick a hand."

Alhaitham blinked again, mildly confused but amused. "Um... your right hand?"

Kaveh pulled a bouquet of Padisarahs from behind his back, their rich purple petals blooming beautifully. Alhaitham's breath caught in his throat as he took the bouquet, a rare smile spreading across his face.

"Kaveh... you didn't have to."

Kaveh winked. "I know. But I wanted to." His usual confidence seemed to falter for a moment, and Alhaitham noticed that he was suddenly looking nervous—his hands trembling slightly, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Kaveh, are you okay? You're not getting sick, are you?" Alhaitham asked, stepping closer, concern filling his voice.

"No, no. I'm fine," Kaveh quickly said, taking a deep breath as if trying to steady himself. "Actually... I wanted to talk to you about something."

Alhaitham frowned slightly, tilting his head. "What's going on?"

Kaveh looked up at him, his heart clearly in his throat. His voice was shaky as he began to speak, but there was a determination in his eyes that kept him steady. "Alhaitham... we've known each other for so long. Since we were kids. You were always there for me, even when I didn't deserve it. You took me in when I had no mora to my name, when I had nothing. You gave me a home. You... took care of me."

"Kaveh—"

"Let me finish," Kaveh interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "I... I've never told you this properly, but I love you. More than words can describe. I love you so much that sometimes I feel like my heart's going to burst just looking at you. And I want you. Not just now, but tomorrow, and every day after that. Forever."

Alhaitham stared at him, his mouth open in shock, his heart hammering in his chest.

Kaveh's hands were shaking even more now, but he pushed on, a small smile tugging at his lips as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green velvet box. "Al Hasan ibn Al Haitham," Kaveh said, his voice shaking as he said Alhaitham's full name. "Will you marry me?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, as Kaveh dropped to one knee and opened the box. Inside was a simple, elegant ring—a perfect reflection of the bond they shared. Alhaitham's breath hitched as he stared at the ring, his vision blurring with unshed tears.

Kaveh shifted nervously, suddenly unsure. "I... I know it's a lot, and you don't have to—"

"Yes," Alhaitham choked out, his voice thick with emotion as the tears spilled from his eyes. "Yes. Of course, I'll marry you."

Kaveh's eyes widened in surprise before he let out a joyful sob, standing up and pulling Alhaitham into a tight embrace. "I love you," he whispered into his ear, his voice trembling with emotion.

"I love you more," Alhaitham sobbed in return, burying his face into Kaveh's shoulder as the weight of the moment washed over them both. For the first time in weeks, the exhaustion, the stress, and the sleepless nights didn't matter. All that mattered was this—their future, their love, and the promise they had just made to each other.