Chapter Text
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Life is peaceful these days, It's been about seven months since he's taken Kaveh in, and he's fallen in a mind-numbing routine.
It's simple, loud, nothing like his quiet life prior to taking Kaveh in.
Call him sentimental but he enjoys Kaveh's presence more than he can say. Even the disadvantages when it comes to it.
Such as Alhaitham inviting Kaveh to go out for a drink with him, Tighnari and Cyno.
He doesn't know the others very well, other than Kaveh, he didn't interact much with the other scholars of the Akademiya. He's heard of, and see Tighnari, their interactions are usually minimal.
And Cyno, the general Mahamatra. He can't say they're very familiar, mostly through work they meet.
Well, it's a good day to meet his 'mutuals' is something he would never say.
He was entirely planning on Kaveh leaving so that he can lock the door, take his headphones/hearing aids off and read.
Then Kaveh hit him with
"Alhaitham! Now that I think about it, unless it's for work you barely leave the house, are you going to come?"
"No" He simply replied, albeit blunt but he isn't very used to going out, and he doesn't want to meet anyone.
"Well, I do take no for an answer, you're coming along"
Okay, maybe that wasn't the entire conversation but that's about as short as he can put it.
Now he's stuck having to actually tidy up his God forbid he does) especially his sprout
Not the plant kind, just a cuter way of saying ahoge. See, his hair is very soft and all, but there's this mysterious little strand of hair that sticks out on the top, his grandmother used to call it sprout, because it looked like a little plant. These days it still stands tall on his head; he'll never live it down. But now that he has to tidy up, he has to at least attempt to put it down. But unless he wears a headband like a six-year-old, that isn't happening. He stands Infront of the mirror with a comb, trying to brush it down, but every time it sticks right back up. Well fuck him and his hair.
He'll go out like this, it's fine. He'll find a way to excuse himself, yes, that's it!
Oh, how he would regret going.
Lambad's Tavern was a lively place, people bustling in at all hours, especially on happy hour, he wouldn't call himself an alcoholic but he enjoyed wine. That was likely the only plus point in going there. The walk was fairly short, they live close to Lambad's, and Kaveh gave him a once over.
"Why is your ahoge even taller than usual?"
Uh, he may have fucked up and done something but that's- that's not the point.
"Um...because my hair grew out, obviously?"
Great going Alhaitham, that's SOOO believable, anyone with decent eyesight could tell that it was an inch shorter yesterday.
"Ohh, huh I actually have never seen you get a haircut, I used to think that was a wig in my student days"
Excuse me, WHAT?
Alhaitham hopes he's lying. He doesn't care what people think, but him being...bald? Foreign news to him apparently.
Also, this proves that Kaveh is blind, how come he didn't come to the realization that his ahoge was taller that just last night? Nevermind, he's got a bar to go to.
Alhaitham gave Kaveh a weird look and Kaveh looked away. The two walking in utter silence
...
They reach the tavern shortly after.
The moment they find an empty table is the moment the realization hits Alhaitham:
He's gonna be paying the bill.
Not a crazy revelation, his wallet is always bled dry whenever he's out with Kaveh. He hopes Kaveh's 'friends' can pay their bills.
Tighnari and Cyno aren't here yet, he assumes they're running late.
This is boring, he could turn off his hearing aids and close his eyes for a moment. He doesn't enjoy loud spaces, but maybe that's because he isn't used to hearing.
To put it simply: he's bored.
Super bored
"Kaveh? Do your friends plan on coming at all?"
He didn't mean to say that, well he did. That was just. Whatever. It doesn't matter but Kaveh's friends are running late. He hopes they aren't anything like Kaveh's Akademiya friends.
"What do you mean- Of course they'll be he----"
Kaveh is interrupted while Cyno walks up to the table with a subtle wave, and behind him is who he assumes to be Tighnari.
Long fox ears, dark hair, green highlights.
Yeah, that's probably Tighnari.
"Sorry for running late, we got caught up in something"
Tighnari spoke suddenly, his tone slightly apologetic but otherwise worried.
"Oh it's no problem! I know you're busy these days"
"You are bad at accepting apologies"
Cyno remarked bluntly, then his eyes went over to Alhaitham, who was trying his best to evaporate.
"Alhaitham? Why are you here?"
Cyno spoke with a sudden glance towards Alhaitham.
Before he got the chance to answer Kaveh spoke up.
"He doesn't socialize at all, I thought if it would be good if he left the house once in a while"
"Huh, I didn't know you two were friends"
"Oh! We've known eachother since in the Akademiya!