Jamil sighs through his nose and rolls this around in his brain for a little bit. Kalim still seems fixated on the wrong things, but all this has been exhausting and Jamil knows when to concede some ground. Still, it would be nice if Kalim realized that just falling into line is the least stressful thing he could do. Jamil can breathe more easily when he doesn't have to worry about what Kalim is getting up to by himself.
"Fine. I promise I'll... try to relax more on some things. But don't just assume that for me, all right?" Here, Jamil drops his gaze and clenches his fists, feeling his own face heat up for different reasons. He can only hope Kalim is still looking away from him. He mumbles, "It's... not that big of a deal to cut your hair."
Unfortunately, Kalim is so pleased that Jamil isn't outright refusing that idea that he looks up at him in relief just in time to see him blush. He really doesn't know what to make of that, except that Jamil really must mean it, if it's that hard to admit.
"...Okay," he says again. "I'll, um... I'll tell Vil it's okay, then." A brief pause, and then, emboldened by this small success, he adds, "But you have to tell me, okay, if something's making you mad. I don't care if you think it's something I shouldn't bother with, I just want to know."
Incredible of Kalim to say that to him when he's usually the one making Jamil mad. Having to keep Kalim apprised of his feelings is just one more thing for Jamil to have to worry about, honestly. But sure. Why not have to tell Kalim about his feelings too? (jamil sure will find literally anything to bitch about)
Is this really so much to promise? Jamil can just say anything he wants, after all.
"I'll... fine. I'll try to tell you when I'm mad." Maybe he even will. Though part of the problem is even he doesn't know what's making him mad sometimes...................
The feeling that it's usually him making Jamil mad is exactly why he wants to know. Before, whenever he was worried about Jamil bottling things up too much and overblotting again, he could just think, well, it'll be over soon! (and then pointedly not also worry about what that would be like for himself) – but now that he knows Jamil is completely resigned to doing this forever, Kalim has absolutely no way of reassuring himself that Jamil's resentment won't kill him. He's grasping at straws here – maybe if Jamil tells him when he's mad at him, he can stop doing whatever it is that's making him mad and it'll be okay?
It doesn't feel like a particularly great plan. Curry trauma was kind of easier to compartmentalise than overblot trauma has been. But he's still relieved when Jamil agrees; a small smile makes its way back onto his face, and he looks at him with much more gratitude than that half-hearted promise warrants.
"Thanks, Jamil. I really will try hard not to make things tough for you!"
Guess who's back with such impeccable timing? It's Lilia! He's brought with him a little tray, with has three differently colored, sized, and shaped mugs atop it, as well as a little dish with cream, one bowl of sugar cubes, and a spoon or three. It really helps when it's starting to get cold out to make sure things don't spoil, huh? Don't ask about the logistics or think about it too far. It's fine.
The door is opened without much ceremony.
"Tea is done~" He declares, taking a few easy steps into the room. Where would this tray be set? Right near Kalim on Jamil's bed, duh. "Figured I would allow you both to add to taste to your own cups," He declares, as he grabs one of the mugs from the tray - one that seems to already have been made up to his own liking.
Then, he's plopping himself right down on the other side of Kalim, as if this was, in fact, Kalim's room. Eyeing them both.
It's not Kalim's room, but it's fine. Jamil is relieved enough at the distraction that he's not going to protest it.
"Thank you for the tea, Lilia." He takes the two remaining mugs in his hands, automatically moving to sip from the biggest before pausing halfway to his mouth.
"Oh, ah, what did you make this with?" He tries to make it sound like idle curiosity and not like he's trying to determine if it's toxic.
Kalim initially makes zero protest to Jamil taking both of the mugs, but when Jamil pauses it gives him pause, too. Nobody deserves to have to drink more than their share of Lilia's tea.
"Oh, it's okay, Jamil," he says, reaching out for the mug, "I'll just add a lot of sugar anyway!"
The question hardly offends him. It should, but, well. He's got a thick skin and didn't see any problems with the blend he'd made! In fact… the mix he was using was drying out now for later, secondary use.
"I do hope you enjoy. It is a simple blend of fresh chamomile, lemon balm, and elderflower. I find that these are often good choices to aid in sleep. I figured with such an emotionally driven conversation, you both would appreciate the calming effects of those herbs." He's positively beaming, sipping at his own mug.
It sounds........ reasonable. And actually kind of good, depending on the person.
That does sound uncharacteristically palatable of Lilia. Jamil takes a dubious sip from Kalim's designated mug--the larger one--mostly to get it over with as quickly as possible, but he's relieved the tea does seem to be as Lilia described. One less headache on this horribly awkward night.
That settled, Jamil passes the mug to Kalim and sits on the floor with his legs crossed. There are two people on his bed already and he's not about to squeeze on in there.
"I apologize for the... disruption. We won't cause any more trouble." Honestly, he doesn't even want to think about how much their other housemates might have heard with the door left open as long as it was...
"You need not apologize. Some days we need to get our words and thoughts out." Maybe someone else would leave the two to it, to have their tea and finish wrapping up their conversation. Lilia is not like most people, unfortunately.
"It reminded me somewhat of home." He adds on, sparing a glance between the both of them.
"Mm, but did you speak further after I left? I'd be remiss to see the two of you drift into a sea of misunderstanding and turmoil so quickly, especially whilst I could potentially assist."
Kalim takes the mug and shoots Jamil a grateful smile. Then he dumps half the contents of the sugar bowl into it.
"Ah...it's okay!" Even Kalim has the decency to be a little embarrassed about how much of that might have been overheard. "I think we figured it out...kind of."
He also can't quite muster up his usual smile kilowattage about it, but he does make a valiant effort.
"Yes, we have everything handled. Thank you for your concern," Jamil says with the polite air of someone trying to shut down a conversation. Their business is their business, not Lilia's, and just because they were loud doesn't mean Lilia can stick his nose in.
He just kind of holds the mug in his hands instead of drinking it. He doesn't really feel much like tea right now.
It really isn't his business. The two of them deserved privacy, enough that he wouldn't pry... for now. Plus? It wasn't as if he wants to have a conversation about this, to continue pushing it along. He's partly curious, wanting to offer advice to the both of them, but...
Ultimately, he just smiles, as if he didn't hear a single thing.
"So you've decided who will cut Kalim's hair, then?" Might as well make it seem like he's grasped nothing of the conversation, yes? Isn't that better for all of them, to avoid some of the awkward feelings?
"Oh, um, yeah! Jamil said he wants to do it." Kalim sips some of his tea. It does taste good, although he's kind of sweetened it into oblivion regardless. "I guess that's easier anyway, haha."
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"Fine. I promise I'll... try to relax more on some things. But don't just assume that for me, all right?" Here, Jamil drops his gaze and clenches his fists, feeling his own face heat up for different reasons. He can only hope Kalim is still looking away from him. He mumbles, "It's... not that big of a deal to cut your hair."
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"...Okay," he says again. "I'll, um... I'll tell Vil it's okay, then." A brief pause, and then, emboldened by this small success, he adds, "But you have to tell me, okay, if something's making you mad. I don't care if you think it's something I shouldn't bother with, I just want to know."
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Is this really so much to promise? Jamil can just say anything he wants, after all.
"I'll... fine. I'll try to tell you when I'm mad." Maybe he even will. Though part of the problem is even he doesn't know what's making him mad sometimes...................
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It doesn't feel like a particularly great plan. Curry trauma was kind of easier to compartmentalise than overblot trauma has been. But he's still relieved when Jamil agrees; a small smile makes its way back onto his face, and he looks at him with much more gratitude than that half-hearted promise warrants.
"Thanks, Jamil. I really will try hard not to make things tough for you!"
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The door is opened without much ceremony.
"Tea is done~" He declares, taking a few easy steps into the room. Where would this tray be set? Right near Kalim on Jamil's bed, duh. "Figured I would allow you both to add to taste to your own cups," He declares, as he grabs one of the mugs from the tray - one that seems to already have been made up to his own liking.
Then, he's plopping himself right down on the other side of Kalim, as if this was, in fact, Kalim's room. Eyeing them both.
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"Thank you for the tea, Lilia." He takes the two remaining mugs in his hands, automatically moving to sip from the biggest before pausing halfway to his mouth.
"Oh, ah, what did you make this with?" He tries to make it sound like idle curiosity and not like he's trying to determine if it's toxic.
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Kalim initially makes zero protest to Jamil taking both of the mugs, but when Jamil pauses it gives him pause, too. Nobody deserves to have to drink more than their share of Lilia's tea.
"Oh, it's okay, Jamil," he says, reaching out for the mug, "I'll just add a lot of sugar anyway!"
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"I do hope you enjoy. It is a simple blend of fresh chamomile, lemon balm, and elderflower. I find that these are often good choices to aid in sleep. I figured with such an emotionally driven conversation, you both would appreciate the calming effects of those herbs." He's positively beaming, sipping at his own mug.
It sounds........ reasonable. And actually kind of good, depending on the person.
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Kalim sits back down. Jamil can taste it if he wants; Lilia definitely wouldn't try to poison him
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That settled, Jamil passes the mug to Kalim and sits on the floor with his legs crossed. There are two people on his bed already and he's not about to squeeze on in there.
"I apologize for the... disruption. We won't cause any more trouble." Honestly, he doesn't even want to think about how much their other housemates might have heard with the door left open as long as it was...
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"It reminded me somewhat of home." He adds on, sparing a glance between the both of them.
"Mm, but did you speak further after I left? I'd be remiss to see the two of you drift into a sea of misunderstanding and turmoil so quickly, especially whilst I could potentially assist."
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"Ah...it's okay!" Even Kalim has the decency to be a little embarrassed about how much of that might have been overheard. "I think we figured it out...kind of."
He also can't quite muster up his usual smile kilowattage about it, but he does make a valiant effort.
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He just kind of holds the mug in his hands instead of drinking it. He doesn't really feel much like tea right now.
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Ultimately, he just smiles, as if he didn't hear a single thing.
"So you've decided who will cut Kalim's hair, then?" Might as well make it seem like he's grasped nothing of the conversation, yes? Isn't that better for all of them, to avoid some of the awkward feelings?
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