#[ welcome to my first small post about kaveh KJHDSHJD many more to come but i UGHH LOVE HIM ]

[aequitaes]

spoilers for the new event

Kaveh: sad ending Vs happy ending

Based on the alternative cut scenes we are given at the end of the event, and I'm blaming @sicsemper for this one for making my brain go off again this morning. Admittedly I have been speaking about this behind the scenes anyway but, ahem - time to Go Off iGuess.

There is much to be said about Kaveh's expressions, reactions and emotions. However, in this post, I am primarily aiming to focus on the ending of the event in regards to the traveler vs Alhaitham.

At the end of the event there’s a variety of cutscenes, in which the traveler can choose to tell Kaveh about the investigation for Sachin (after the quest for dori, in aura village where you hear from the villagers the kind of man Kaveh's father was.)

As the puzzle pieces clicked around his father, under Sabin's influence, it dragged him out into the desert. When presenting him with such news, his initial reaction is [SEE HERE] and his reaction is akin to what Layla said, something about him looking dead inside (thanks girl, super cheerful! ABJSJD) and his body language and how he reacts — his entire thought process is down, and depressive and you can already see he’s BiG overthinking. The way he holds his head, and the tone of his voice is clearly upset. And not in a way that the traveler can console him in the same way.

For the duration of the discussion, even the way he speaks about the diadem [SEE HERE ] ALSO [HERE] is clearly more saddened and closed off. His tone is entirely different from what we see when Alhaitham delivers the news. And so, despite their bickering, it's quite clear to see -- that there is that level of support that the "roommates" give each other. [THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY SO I -- ] He’s probably blaming himself for wanting to wear the diadem as a child — he told the traveler so. He watched his father enter, lose, and become depressed in the end. Needless to say, all of this breaks a piece of him and it’s quite obvious with this ending that it’s the ‘sad’ ending of the two (it was the one I had — 😭😭😭 poor bbby)

And, it's not as though Alhaitham enjoys seeing Kaveh sad either [ another post for another day, see event part 1 when Alhaitham quickly changes the topic to save the bickering at home, though he pokes him about it in other ways ]

But now, if we look at the same news being delivered by alhaitham, when kaveh doesn’t quite have the pieces just yet, but he calls haitham out by saying (paraphrasing the next few parts) “I don’t believe his research alone would’ve been enough to pique your interest” and goes on to waffle about though “alhaitham’s philosophy disgusts him, but egoism and nihilism are not the same”. Like he already knows something is up, despite being slow to click on — he knows alhaitham, and he knows he’s not telling him something. Truth be told, would he have come at him so aggressive had haitham of been present with their friends that night at the tavern?

Nope. He literally starts the convo off with “where were you? Were you reading in some hidey hole? "Okay wifey pls calm down. (Kaveh internally: I wanted you to be there) [ side note : the internal thoughts of nahida when kaveh says he’s going to order extra food for alhaitham Vs when the traveler says ‘kaveh paid for everyone tonight’ and alhaitham knows kaveh would’ve packed some for him and took his leave ——- iJust uGghhhh them. Point aside — ]

So then, when it comes out, the words Kaveh speaks is near enough identical. [SEE HERE] But, look at his body language and though there is no sound attached [video via youtube] the tonality is entirely different. It's realization and acceptance vs blame and guilt. From when the traveler speaks with him, he acts as though this is another burden to carry on his shoulders. Which, as we are aware, is largely like his father and felt the need to support his mother after the passing of his father, but I digress.

As Alhaitham continues, and kaveh realises the research went deeper than just an interest of the scribe -- that he dug deeper to find out more about his father, it entirely changes the matter. It's not simply a 'news delivery', it extends further and expands on that. Again, when it comes from Alhaitham -- given their past and present, it means more. To briefly note, considering their fallout at the end of Alhaitham's story quest in the library, Kaveh takes it upon himself - as he does in dramatic fashion - to begin packing in a huff. Yet, when all is said and done and the ceremony is over. Who is it that he wanted to spend time with despite saying at the tavern "Alhaitham can do what he wants--" Uh huh, yet he packs up food for him OK HUN (: [ SORRY I JUUUUUST <3 THEM ] AND following that, no further mention of him moving out comes to fruition. Whether this was ever a solid set in stone, but - hoyo pls i beg you to call him out again at a later point. Kaveh told Everyone that he was moving out, and that was his plan, so -- i Need paimon to ask him if that's still on the cards PUHLEASE. In truth, I can only imagine the reaction to be something like "I have other projects that need my focus right now. Though Alhaitham continues to annoy me to death... it is at least a shelter, and a home." Though it is 'alhaitham's home', it's pretty clear Kaveh views it as his own - but he probably won't say that in words. ANYWAY -

When alhaitham actually rounds off and brings it back to them — in the terms of long giving up on the battle of who’s right and who’s wrong, and even when he teases at the end (menaCE I TELL YOU) and says “one more time please” (: to being thanked — That is what kaveh is used to. This routine of two intellectuals that are finally agreeing to disagree yet — somehow it’s lighter than the tragic news itself. The entire scenario in which the news is delivered is just lighter than vs the traveler, yet Alhaitham doesn't change or doesn't desperatly throw it in his face. But [ as spoken to with mika ] had he not delivered it then, he would've told him at home - it was just an unlikely run in. it’s just … kaveh is left more so thinking about alhaitham and like ‘uGh You’ and also ALSO thinking about that alhaitham went and found these things out FOR HIM (has he realised the script was left like that for only kaveh to be able to read, deliberately just yet — ?? Stay tuned) that he was thankful, and that alhaitham being there actually made this situation not as ugh as we see him in the sad ending. [SEE HERE] his body language, his response entirely more open and different and his tone is actually one of "Well, at least it's done now!" as opposed to, sad and defeated and "never again" with the traveler. Who don't know Kaveh like Alhaitham does, so by no discredit - they wouldn't know how to comfort him in the same way.

To summarize: Kaveh reacts different on all accounts, except when it is Alhaitham who speaks with him. It's definitely the 'happier' ending of the two. Buuuut, knowing Them it won't take long before the next round of bickering kicks in SHDJDDH

TL;DR -- I juuuuuust think they should kiss