"Come on, nobody will notice if there's a bit less in the pot. Our friends bring each a dish of their own so there's always leftovers."
Funnily enough, he was alone at the table at the moment.
"They'll take a while. Sit. Eat something, please."
Pats the empty seat beside him.
π¨π³π―π¨π°π»π―π¨π΄.
The momentary eye contact makes his skin crawl, avoidant gaze trailing to the documents.
β¦ When was the last time he ate? He hadnβt thought about it in some time, but he didnβt π§π¦π¦π hungry.
"Ah, I wouldnβt want to intrudeβ I can get something down at the marketsβ¦ But thank you."
πππ£πππ
"Kaveh made it. Says it's his mother's recipe. Nothing much I can do to stop him once he's started."
Alhaitham's eyes stop for a few seconds on the boy's, then blinks and gazes away, back to the document he's redacting.
"Of course I didn't think you died. Welcome back."
π¨π³π―π¨π°π»π―π¨π΄.
"β¦ You thought I died?"
Says the boy who disappeared forβ¦ a while. But in his defenseβa round trip to the nationβs edge is difficult!
Staring down the other, a small crease in his brow.
βI thought you didnβt like stewβ¦β
πππ£πππ
"Oh, you are alive."
Passes a page of his book.
"There's stew in the pot, if you are hungry."
