Kaveh found himself alone in his study, brooding as another long day of work came to a close. He sat at his desk, fingers absently toying with an expensive pen, but his mind was preoccupied with thoughts and feelings he'd much rather ignore. With a heavy sigh, he glanced at the unfinished project laid out before him, the design far from perfect, and set the pen down with a frustrated frown.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face with both hands, trying to shake off the mounting sense of frustration. The room was quiet, the only sound was the ticking of a clock on the wall. Kaveh considered pouring himself a drink, the thought of alcohol briefly offering a reprieve from his worries.

It was then that the door to his study opened, followed by the sound of light footsteps. Kaveh didn't need to turn around to know who it was—Aether. His frustration deepened as he closed his eyes and prepared for the conversation he knew was coming.

Kaveh's grip on the armrest of his chair tightened as Aether wordlessly stood behind him, the latter's presence was a gentle but unwelcome invasion. He could sense Aether's worried gaze on his shoulders, no doubt taking in the stiffness in his frame and the tension in his movements.

“What do you want?” Kaveh asked gruffly, still refusing to look at his boyfriend. “I'm busy right now. I'm in the middle of a new project.”