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...  alright.  if  you  say  so.  of  course  –  hang  on.  [  he  goes  to  the  bag  as  asked,  returning  with  the  pills  and  water.  ]  do  you  want  to  wait  until  they  kick  in  before  we  keep  going?

@paradisaeas,    no.   no,   we  don't.    i'm  fine.   i  am.   (..)   i  have  pain  killers  in  my  bag.   will  you  bring  two  to  me?

i  will  worry  about  you.   always.  be  honest –  do  we  need  to  go  back?

...  are  you  ready?   i  –  sorry,  you  don't  have  to  answer if  ..  if  you  don't  want  to.

@paradisaeas,    i  had  figured..   when  we  were  both  ready,   we'd  discuss  it. 

fair  enough.    ...  i  know  we..  haven't  really  talked  about  it  either  –

i  /  know /  –  [  he  swallows  thickly,  guilt  already  crawling  its  way  all  through  his  body,  tears  pricking  his  eyes.  he  doesn't  allow  them  to  fall.  he  shouldn't  be  feeling  like  this  anyways.  ]  i'm  trying.  i  am.  i  don't  ..  don't  know  why  it's  like  this  today  again.   ..  right.  i'm   sorry.  have  -  have  a  good  day,  then.

@paradisaeas,   ..     kaveh,   i  love  you.    you  know  this.    i  love  you  more  than  perhaps anything  else,    but  farah—-    she  does  need  you.    she  /misses/  you,   kaveh,   and  while  i  may  understand  your  reasonings,  she  doesn't.   (..)   go  on  and  rest.   i  will  drop  her  off  with  cyno  on  my  way  to  the  akademiya.    

she's  been  asking  for  you  for  hours.  she  wants  to  build  her  tower  but  refused  to  do  it  without  you.  hi,  azizam.  how  was  work?

@paradisaeas,      mm.    was  i  missed?   hello,   little  miss.   hello,   hayati. 

stop  guilt  tripping  me!  i  would've  entertained  your  request  if  you  just  asked,  kitty.  if  you  want  to  sleep  alone,  go  ahead,  but  i  know  you'll  be  cold  without  me  beside  you.  you  really  can't  wait  half  an  hour? 

@paradisaeas,     you  want  to  see  my  dead  in  the  middle  of  the  forest.   you  hate  me.   i  suppose  ill  have  to  sleep  alone  tonight,   won't  i?

i  know  you.  this  is  a  ploy  to  earn  my  affection  and  it  won't  work.

/   !!!

move  the  tail,  haravatat.  [  he  bites  back  a  smile,  lightly  flicking  one  fluffy  ear  atop  his  lover's  head,  pulling  back  to  move  off  alhaitham's  lap  when  the  tail  in  question  remains.  ]  looks  like  i  should  get  back  to  work.  what  a  shame.. 

@paradisaeas,    ..   you  wouldn't  dare. 

mm..   do  you  want  to  keep  making  out  or  not,  mister?  i  can  go  back  to  my  blueprints ~

she  helped  me  build  a  very  tall  tower  in  her  nursery.  you  can  come  see  it  later  –  better.  i still  feel ...  unfavourably  about  me  physically,  but  less  like  not  seeing  either  of  you.  so  i  should  be  able  to  spend  more  time  and  look  after  her  like  you  have,  i  just ..  i  don't  know  how  reliable  that  will   be  for  the  moment.  i'm  sorry.  it  must  be  frustrating  to  have  to  deal  with  this  too.

@paradisaeas,   mm..    hello,   hayati.   did  mama  take  good  care  of  you  while  i  was  gone?   i'm  sure  he  did.   mama  is  wonderful.   mwah.   how  are  you  feeling?

..  she  is.  come  here  and  say  hi.  i  still  think  she  looks  rather  like  you  too.   look  who  it  is,  sweetheart.  it's  baba.

well,  i  doubt  /  that /  but...   [  pause,  he  lowers  his  gaze,  swallowing.  ]   ..  show  me  then.  

@paradisaeas,   i  believe  it's..   normal,   but  even  if  you  can't  believe  it,   i  mean  what  i  say.   i  always  have.   i  think  you  were  the  most  beautiful  while  you  were  carrying  farah.. 

whenever  i  look  in  the  mirror,  i  just  ..   i  don't  know.  i  can't  see  it  no  matter  what  i  do.  it's  ..  so  stupid  of  me  to  be  bothered  by  it  so  much.

upsetting  things?  you  look  like  you've  seen  a  ghost.

@paradisaeas,     ..    i  was  thinking  of  my  grandmother  and  my  parents.   that's  all.

not  if  somethings  wrong.  talk  to  me.