Chapter Text
Alhaitham was back to his regular behavior. He was tense, a sick feeling in his stomach as they sat in a booth getting some food in one of the many restaurants that littered Sumeru.
Kaveh was happily eating his Selva Salad, either oblivious to Alhaitham’s turmoil or choosing not to worry about it in favor of enjoying his food.
He looked around, constantly surveying his surroundings and scowling as people glanced towards Kaveh. This was their actual first sit down in a public space, and the younger was struggling to stay calm. He knew the rational side of him understood there was no true danger here, and even that was barely enough to keep him seated.
Just then the waiter came over with a tray of water, hands shaking as he smiled nervously, Alhaitham watching him like a hawk. The waiter smiled nervously and picked up one of the cups, hand trembling as he moved to put it on the table, Alhaitham’s eyes locked in on his movements, shifting to cross his arms over his chest.
The action jumped the man, the glass slipping from his grip and falling onto the tabletop, spilling it contents over Kaveh’s salad and well..him.
Kaveh yelped at the sudden shock of being hit with water, standing quickly with his shirt soaked through, his figure already being able to be seen since the fabric was so sheer.
Alhaitham short circuited. He stood fast as lightning and grabbed the waiter’s wrist, glaring at the man as he towered over him.
“Haitham!” Kaveh gasped, the action subduing the younger long enough for his gaze to glance at the blonde, grip loosening enough for the waiter to free himself and flee. Alhaitham paid him no mind, attention fully on Kaveh now as he moved, undoing his cape and handing it to him to hide his body from view, scowling in discontent. He pulled out a hefty wad of mora, dropping it on the table, having obviously grossly overpaid, but he could compensate despite being not right minded.
The Sage grabbed Kaveh’s hand and immediately led him out of the restaurant, heading for their house. He didn’t care about anything else besides getting Kaveh dry and making sure nobody else saw him. He walked quickly, glad for the fact they were both tall, the blonde keeping up with his stride easily.
He reached into his pocket and pulled the key out when they arrived, opening the door and reaching behind Kaveh, placing a hand on his lower back and guiding him inside the house, stepping inside to block him from view and slamming the door shut. His breathing was heavy, eyes locked onto the blonde as he stared him down, as if assessing him for any signs of hurt.
Kaveh smiled hesitantly up at him, the younger’s cape held against his front covering him up. Alhaitham growled, stepping forward to grab it and toss it aside, letting out a harsh breath as he stared at the blonde’s wet shirt, plastered to his body, leaving nothing to the imagination.
“Haitham..?” Kaveh asked nervously, biting his lip. He didn’t want to spook the younger by moving too soon.
Alhaitham shook his head, reaching for the hem and grabbing it, lifting it over the architects frame and off him, tossing it aside. Stepping forward once more, so he was practically pressed against the blonde, his hands coming to rest on the bare skin of the others slim waist. Kaveh shuddered, letting out a shaky breath, looking down at Alhaitham’s hands on him, cheeks flushing with how the younger was acting now.
He let out a harsh breath, looking down at the blonde with an expression of near agony, squeezing his waist as he let out a breath. Leaning down he rested his forehead against Kaveh’s, closing his eyes for a long moment before opening them.
“I would’ve killed him..” He said it pointedly, but the architect could see the turmoil in his gaze.
Kaveh blinked a few times before his brain finally caught up. Dealing with Alhaitham was like having emotional whiplash.
“I know..I wouldn’t let you do that..” Kaveh mumbled softly, hands resting on Alhaitham’s chest, rubbing gently. He let out a sigh, groaning lightly.
“Here I thought that perhaps it’d be your turn to have these feelings. But turns out I’m not as okay as we thought I am..”
Kaveh let out a small chuckle, smiling softly. Alhaitham was just too cute.
“That’s okay..I told you this morning it’d be okay. You’ve been handling my freak outs today surprisingly well. It’s okay Hayi..we’re handling it the best we can and nobody has died, we’re okay.” Kaveh soothed, leaning in to steal a kiss from the younger, enjoying that it came to him so naturally. Plus it was stroking his ego to see Alhaitham chase his lips after he’d pulled away, subduing the younger with a firm hand on his chest to keep him from closing those last few inches.
“C’mon Kaveh..don’t tease..” Alhaitham mumbled softly, eyes staring at his lips. Kaveh smiled and let out a soft laugh, unable to deny the rapid beating in his chest as his heart threatened to burst.
“Just enough to get you to relax and calm down. Now..let me go put some clothes on, our lunch hour is almost up. We have to get back..”
Alhaitham scowled at the reminder that their work day wasn’t done and sighed out, sliding his hands up and down Kaveh’s waist before squeezing once, letting go, with great difficulty might he add.
“Fine..” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall and nodding. “Go..be quick.”
Kaveh took a moment to commit Alhaitham’s pose to memory, finding the younger to be a constant work of art, and scampered off to his room, smiling to himself. He quickly found another shirt and threw it on, fixing his hair and heading back to the Sage. Alhaitham stood when he came over, holding a hand out for the blonde to grab and lead him along.
The blonde noticed that the younger didn’t grab his cape, able to get a clear view of the others back and slim waist, and dare he say his perfect ass. Kaveh smirked to himself as he let his eyes rove over the younger who was none the wiser. He could afford to gawk at his soulmate every once in a while. Besides, with the way Alhaitham looked it would be concerning if Kaveh never admired him.
They left the house, locking it up and heading back to the Akademiya for a few more hours of work.
It would be alright. It couldn’t possibly get any worse than it already had this morning or during lunch.