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scars adorned Alhaitham's back along his shoulder blades, almost like he once possessed wings that could fly him up and into the sky where it was no one but himself along the clouds. He was free and happy but those wings no longer adorned his back he was no longer free forever chained to the ground along with the cruelty of humanity walking the same ground as him.
Humanity was cruel even to its own kind, especially those who could not meet their impossible standers, some even themselves couldn't reach even if they tried.
Humanity was cruel to everything; nature, animals, people they did not know and even their own pears. Anyone who held power either abused it or withheld it there was no one Alhaitham knew of that would willing help someone without their own gain, that's why it was so confusing for Alhaitham to meet Kaveh, a student at the Akademiya.
Those in the Akademiya only cared for their own research and gaining knowledge, they craved success to gain power and status but Kaveh wasn't like that he had wanted to do good he said he didn't care about gaining money and fame but his words weren't worth much, humans have always lied to gain favor from others.
He spent his Akademiya days avoiding people because they only ever wanted something when they talked to him all except Kaveh he always came to talk to him but he never really gained anything but he still stuck around, however somewhere along the way they drifted apart, and Kaveh stopped trying to talk to him, maybe he gained what he wanted in the end or not, that had always puzzled Alhaitham.
Alhaitham had some what expected it, people don't stick around when they don't gain and leave when they do gain what they had wanted.
Alhaitham had heard about Kaveh's huge achievement on the construction of the palace of Alcazarzaray, Alhaitham had assumed Kaveh probably held mountains of mora after such great success. He truly did not expect to find that exact same man sleeping under a tree just outside the city, with all the money from the project you would think he would have gotten a hotel or something but no he was under a tree in the damp night with nothing but a strange briefcase.
Alhaitham had thought of just leaving him there to sleep but sudden pain bloomed around his shoulder blades prompting him to move towards Kaveh, kicking his foot to wake the sleeping man.
Alhaitham watched as Kaveh had stirred before his eyes shot open instantly grabbing his weird briefcase, Kaveh had looked ready to run but he paused when he took in the face Infront of him before he had even got to his feet
"Alhaitham? what are you doing here?"
Alhaitham's face was blank as ever when he replied not sparring a second to answers Kaveh's question, straight to the point "why are you sleeping under this tree Kaveh"
Kaveh looked away as the struggled to answer "I...um, I'm... star gazing..?"
Alhaitham didn't know what had possessed his feet to move cause the next second he was sitting down next to Kaveh, their arms pressed together as he looked at the night sky, the sky's he used to belong to.
Kaveh looked at him for awhile and eventually turned up to look at the stars as well. Alhaitham wasn't sure how long had passed till Kaveh spoke the truth to Alhaitham's earlier question "I got kicked out of my apartment because I couldn't pay the rent"
Alhaitham didn't move his gaze from the sky "you had built that palace, that should have been more than enough mora to keep an apartment"
Kaveh looked down at his lap as he fiddle with his fingers "I wasn't funded the amount of money I need so I, I used my own money to complete the project"
Alhaitham felt his heart stutter in his chest Kaveh had used all his money just to complete a project, he had not gained anything infect he had lost so much and all for what. perhaps Kaveh wasn't that bad, maybe he was different from the others but... why would he choose to be different? with that last thought Alhaitham pushed him self off of the ground and stood finally taking his eyes off the sky and looking right into Kaveh's eyes, his eyes looked sad, like an abounded puppy on the streets.
Alhaitham had taken a few steps when he realized Kaveh wasn't following. Right, humans need communication, turning around Alhaitham saw Kaveh with his arms wrapped around his knees, with his face buried into his arms "come here Kaveh" Kaveh lifted his head up from out of his arms looking at Alhaitham with a raised eyebrow, his eyes where glossed over.
Alhaitham let out a short sigh when he saw Kaveh wasn't moving, he walked back over to Kaveh and grabbed his bicep pulling him up from the ground and continued walking the same direction he had been going before, not letting him go. Kaveh stumbled a little before he started to fall into step behind Alhaitham by a few.
Alhaitham knew he was probably going to regret being this nice to a human.
Alhaitham had led Kaveh all the way to his front door as he was grabbing his keys Kaveh finally spoke up "Alhaitham why are you taking me to your house?"
Alhaitham gave him a brief look and then opened his door dragging Kaveh inside "Alhaitham?"
He dragged him all they way to his bedroom he had planned to let Kaveh stay here till he could afford his own place or maybe he would end up paying rent here either way there was one current problem Alhaitham didn't have a spare bed sure he had couches but they where not much better than sleeping on the ground.
Alhaitham closed the door behind them after they both entered his room. He made his way over to his dresser and brought out a pair of pants to sleep in as he made his way to the bathroom attached to his room, as he was about to close the door he reminded himself that humans need communication so before he closed the bathroom door he added "grab something in that draw to sleep in"
Kaveh was dumbfounded he starred at the door Alhaitham just went through as if it would give him an answer on what just happened. One second he was sleeping under a tree the next he is in his juniors house being told to change into pj's.
More time had passed then he had thought cause well he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea, Alhaitham opened the door of the bathroom leaving in only a pair of loose pants
Alhaitham paused "you haven't even chosen something to wear"
Kaveh completely ignored Alhaitham as he asked once again "why did you bring me here Alhaitham?" Alhaitham walked over to his dresser looking for something for Kaveh to wear "you can sleep here till you find proper housing, I do not have a spare bed"
Kaveh didn't respond but Alhaitham heard foot steps coming closer he couldn't really see Kaveh from this angle but he had assumed Kaveh wanted to choose something for himself to wear but when the foot steps ended just behind him he called out "Kaveh?"
Just as he was about to turn around he felt hands on his back fingers tracing his shoulder blades he unconsciously flinched, stiffening seconds later from the hand that wasn't leaving the contact on his shoulder blades exactly where his wings used to be and now where scars laid instead.
Kaveh was in complete shock but for more than just one reason not only was his junior now letting him stay at his home and giving him clothes to sleep in but what shocked Kaveh was the scars that adorned Alhaitham's back they where huge they stretched all from the top to the bottom of his shoulder blade with a span of around 3 inches or more, they weren't fresh but you could see how deep they truly went, how long ago had he gotten them?
Kaveh's hands trailed along the scars only snapping out of it when he heard his name being called "Kaveh" there was no difference in his tone from when he spoke to him at the tree and now but he retracted his hands immediately like he was just burned, Alhaitham just gave him a place to stay and the first thing he does is invade his personal space, the scars are probably a sensitive topic too.
Kaveh had taken several steps back and brought his hands down to his side and started spluttering out apologizes "I'm so sorry- I- I didn't mean too, if you want me to get out ill go right now, I'm so so sorry I-"
Alhaitham cut him off before he could continue "Kaveh"
That shut him up instantly as he waited for what Alhaitham had to say "I'm not kicking you out, its fine. now go change into this" Alhaitham had tossed Kaveh loose pants and a shirt
"but I-" Kaveh started only to get cut off once again "Kaveh just shut up and take it, you don't have to wear the shirt if it leaves you uncomfortable"
Kaveh gave up on trying to apologize and walked into the bathroom to change. Alhaitham should have know Kaveh would notice the scars but since he started walking him here he had completely forgotten they where there, he was too busy thinking of assisting Kaveh.
Plus he never really wore shirts to bed they where uncomfortable, rubbed his skin the wrong way and made the temperature weird but the main reason was that it truly reminded him he no longer had his freedom from the ground, some days he could forget he even had them but when he was left alone with his thoughts he could only ever think about how weightless his back felt, and sometimes when he did distract himself his mind would drift off, leaving an aching sensation over his back.
Kaveh had been so distracting that he hardly thought about it, it was kind of like a relief, he could have probably even made himself believe they where still there. There was a small quirk of his lips when he thought about it, maybe Kaveh is different.
Once Kaveh had exited the bathroom Alhaitham has already in bed with the cover over himself and his earpiece removed showing his slightly pointed ears in the dim light of the bed side table that was now on in favor of the main light.
Kaveh slowly made his way to the other side of the bed quietly getting in. He tried to go to sleep but all he could think about has Alhaitham's scars, there was so many possibilities of where they came from, some things he imagined more gruesome than others.
Kaveh heard a sigh from said man, Alhaitham turned his body around so he was now facing Kaveh "I can hear you thinking, don't beat around the bush out with it"
Kaveh flushed from being so obvious, however the topic at hand was hard topic to discuss even more so considering he is in bed with his junior that's half naked that just picked him up from the streets.
Before he could even start formatting a plan to breach the topic Alhaitham cut him off before he could even speak "is it about my scars?"
Kaveh froze for a moment, not trusting his words he gave a short timid nod. Alhaitham let out a small sigh "There was a race known as Stymphalian's they where people that could take to the sky, they where believed to have gone extinct most people believe they weren't even real just folk lore. I am a descendent of this race, when I was little I had wings on my back"
Kaveh couldn't believe what Alhaitham was saying there was no way they where real, of course he had heard about them but there's just no way. In mythology books Stymphalians where just like normal people except they had a wings that where an expand of five to ten meters and it also stated how stronger they where, no human could have that much physical strength, it was said Stymphalian's could rival that of the power of a vision wielder, no wonder Alhaitham has such big muscles- no bad Kaveh this is a serious matter no mind wondering
"what happened to them? if your comfortable saying" there was a small tug upwards on Alhaitham's lip Kaveh caught before it went into a deep frown "my parents needed money and someone from our small village spoke about me to these researchers, they offered my parents a heftily price to take me in for a while"
Kaveh's eyes grew wide "they- they didn't do take the offer right? right Alhaitham?" the horror that grew on Kaveh's face when Alhaitham's frown grew the slightest bit downwards remaining silent.
Alhaitham opened his mouth to continue when he was suddenly pulled into a tight hug "its okay you don't have to tell me the rest" that's all Kaveh said before he carefully and gently started circling his thumb along the scars.
Alhaitham melted into the embrace, slowly encircling his arms around Kaveh in return. just before sleep consumed Alhaitham's conscience he had one final thought, Kaveh is different, he isn't bad, in fact he is too good for this world.