[ kaveh freezes the moment the blanket is thrown over his head, his attention temporarily torn away from all of the self-loathing he's doing. seeing alhaitham floods him with relief, something he intends to convey, but when he opens his mouth to do so he can only rasp his name out pathetically... his throat still unbelievably raw from what he'd been made to endure in the mansion. ]

[ he sets a trembling hand on alhaitham's. ] ...nn. [ a modest hum is as good as he gets, a tilt to even that as he breaks down crying again. he's sorry. he's so sorry. he grabs at him with his other hand, hastily burying his face in his chest as he tries and fails numerous times to pull himself together. it's not going to be that easy though. ]

'haith'm.