Chapter Text
Walking to the Cafeteria, takeout box from Lambad's in hand, it was cold, it had been stored in their criminally tiny dorm fridge after all.
Kaveh's mind began to wander, walking past the announcements board didn't help.
There was a party this week, held by some students he's never even had a conversation with.
It should be common knowledge, even despite Kaveh's status as a Social Butterfly that him and parties DON'T MIX.
Contrary to popular belief. (A nicer way of saying it was a complete miscalculation of Kaveh's character from those who didn't even know him)
Sure they could all legally drink, but Kaveh and alcohol.. never really mixed well either.
Those in his close circle knew that very well, ask Tighnari about it. He has some HORROR stories to tell.
Moral of the story, don't underage drink kids! Lest you spend the entirety of your time at a high school party nursing your best friend throwing up into the host's bathroom toliet for two hours.
And as for Alhaitham? Kaveh's known him longer than anyone else currently enrolled in the Akademiya, and even Kaveh has never been to a party where Alhaitham has been present.
After Kaveh got back from the school cafeteria, having awkwardly asked if he could reheat some leftovers in the MIDDLE of the night (Nine o' clock at night to be exact.)
He brought up the party invitations sent to everyone in the student body, capable of sparing some of their precious study time pursuing knowledge to go to a university party.
"So that party.. Have you seen the notice for it?" Kaveh collapsed onto his dorm bed, the bed springs creaking loudly in response to the sudden weight the blond forced upon it.
Warm takeout box in hands, failing to ignore how painfully hot it was in his palms, his flinching wasn't subtle.
"I haven't. Did parties become all the rage overnight?" Alhaitham looked up from the book he had opened in his hand, tapping his foot against his bed sheets.
If he was honest, he'd say his back and neck hurt from the position he's been lying in for hours while reading.
"You know… Come to think of it, I've never seen you at a party. Why is that?" Kaveh stood from his perch on his bed, checking to see if they had any utensils in their small dorm room cupboards.
"I believe that some people aren't meant for parties, I am one of those people." The response that fell from Alhaitham's lips was vague, but Kaveh fought through his urge to demand a more clear answer.
Even as mesmerised by Alhaitham's lips as Kaveh was, he wanted a true answer. Not a demand for one, but a polite push for one should work.. fine enough.
He was too goddamn tired to start another argument.
"Clarify. What is it about parties you don't like?" Kaveh finally retrieved the knife and fork he needed to cut into the surprisingly dense wrap of his Shawarma that Alhaitham bought from Lambad's when Kaveh purposefully didn't show.
"So many people in one location means heavy traffic and noise, I dislike crowds. I dislike overstimulating noise. Simple as that." Alhaitham shut his ever so engaging book with one hand and placed it on the bookshelf by his bed.
"Well this is awkward… I was actually thinking of going— I haven't been to a party since high school." Kaveh admittedly didn't wait until his Shawarma wasn't boiling hot from the microwave after being reheated.
So to say his gums were on FIRE, even that would be a gross understatement.
"I'm not saying you can't go. I'm saying I won't be joining you." Alhaitham propped himself up on his surprisingly comfortable pillow, one hand behind his head.
"You're welcome to refuse, but I'm the only person you ever talk to. Don't you think making some new friends could be good for you?" Kaveh raised his eyebrow as high as it could POSSIBLY go, still eating his late night Shawarma, as he hasn't eaten a thing today.
"Have I ever mentioned I dislike small talk? It's all small talk at parties." Alhaitham rolled over on his side, now facing Kaveh eating a reheated Shawarma on his bed as if it wasn't burning his mouth from how hot it was.
"I get your point, you don't have to hammer it in. I just don't want to be the only person you talk to, and even then… It's complicated. We aren't even friends." Kaveh finally finished eating, tossing the takeout box in the cheap trash can by the entrance of their dorm.
"Don't pretend that we never were friends." Alhaitham softened his tone, it was clear that the topic of their falling out was a sensitive one for both parties, but it still hurt to see Alhaitham so.. soft. Vulnerable even.
It was messing with Kaveh's head, it really was. He saw that very same grey haired student following him around everywhere with a new book in his arms, staring back at him.
Kaveh wishes things were different, he's wondered for years just how far their relationship would have developed had they stayed friends.
Would they be at each other's graduations? Share a house because it's convenient for how close their respective jobs were to each other?
Would Alhaitham be the best man at his wedding if he ever settled down and got married?
No no, no, that doesn't sound right. Alhaitham and formality wouldn't mix, Kaveh doubts he'd show even if he PERSONALLY invited him.
But Kaveh couldn't deny that Alhaitham in a suit would be a welcome sight… Kaveh's only ever seen him in casual and comfortable clothing, their university doesn't have a dress code, so students can pretty much wear whatever they want.
And all Alhaitham ever wore was hoodies and comfortable sweatpants, with the only FRACTION of style being in the black boots he always wore.
He was getting lost in his thoughts again.
"You're not going to that party alone are you?" Alhaitham couldn't deny that he felt foreign.. due to the emotion of concern at the idea that Kaveh would be all alone at a party with alcohol and crowds of people.
"No. I'll ask Tighnari if he's going, chances are he'll be with Cyno. He seems to love that guy's company. I'm being replaced by my own best friend!" Kaveh said the last sentence with a sarcastic tone and spared a dumb laugh at it, even despite how it didn't have any comedic timing.
"Text me when you arrive. And stay safe. When's the party?" Alhaitham only barely glanced at the invitation on the notice board while walking by on the way to his classes that day.
"6 'o clock to about midnight. And don't worry, I'm avoiding the alcohol this time!" Kaveh prided himself on trying not to repeat the most disastrous (and only party to DATE) he's been to, in high school that is.
"Avoiding alcohol? That's unlike you." Alhaitham gave him that dumb little smirk again, leaning on his hand as he laid on his side underneath his bed covers.
"Shut up. And what makes you think you can judge me for that? I've never even seen you drink!" Kaveh sat up haphazardly, resting his weight on his hands as he turned towards his rival.
"That's because I drink responsibly, unlike a certain someone." Alhaitham turned over, his back now facing Kaveh who let his head hit his pillow in a exaggerated huff.
"Go to sleep, Alhaitham." Kaveh mumbled angrily, shutting his eyes tightly, digging his fingernails into his blanket.
"Already ahead of you." Alhaitham whispered, pulling his blankets over his shoulders to sleep more comfortably.
Kaveh didn't know why it was suddenly so difficult for him to get decent sleep lately, but he tossed and turned relentlessly, unable to doze off.
He found himself sitting up in the darkness, his attention being drawn back to the surprisingly handsome sleeping Alhaitham.
Kaveh found himself mesmerised by his rival's eyelashes and hair, he resisted the urge to reach out and ruffle his hair, a old habit taking hold of him for a moment.
Even the moonlight provided some good lighting. And before Kaveh knew it, he was grabbing his sketchbook in the dark, turning on a small lamp by his bedside to be able to see better.
Reaching for his favourite pencils, a recent buy with what little money he had left.
And just drawing whatever his mind felt like putting from thought to paper, with no real plan.
But these drawings had a pattern, they were ALL of Alhaitham. Kaveh reasoned this was a continuation of his anatomy practice for the last time he drew his rival.
But his blushing cheeks and ears told a VASTLY different story. And the growing smile on his face didn't help.
Alhaitham's personality was a…unique one that's for sure, they often clashed and fought because of their opposite views. But as an artist, Kaveh appreciated beauty where he saw it.
And Alhaitham was inherently beautiful in Kaveh's opinion. If only his personality were half as good.
Kaveh had tried to deny the level of beauty that his rival clearly possessed, describing him as "average." in an attempt to never compliment him for anything out of pettiness.
But Kaveh found himself greatly studying his dorm-mate's facial structure, the shape of his eyes, the angle of his jawline, his prominent bottom lashes… And his lips, the very lips he was so distracted by.
The same pair of lips he had dreams about kissing. It was absurd really, they bickered and argued every chance they got.
And here Kaveh was thinking foolishly about crossing the line in a relationship where they were practically strangers now.
Would Alhaitham reciprocate his feelings? Kaveh didn't want to even think about how he'd reject him on the spot even if he DID confess.
The heartbreak would destroy him, Kaveh knew it, his heart pained at the mere thought of spilling his feelings and getting a unemotional rejection in response.
That was his BIGGEST fear, and it followed him into his dreams that night, leading to more tossing and turning as he failed to shut his brain up.
Kaveh was fighting off sleep deprivation by the time he finally showed up on time to the party held at a peer's house.
Fumbling for his phone, he texted Tighnari. "Hey, I'm at the party. Are you still coming?"
Kaveh was stood off in the "quietest" corner he could possibly find at a party, plastic cup in hand.
He said he wasn't going to drink. He said that. Stick true to your word now.
The atmosphere was… fine. It'd be better if he knew anyone here truly well.
Just incredibly loud music playing and people drinking like it was the end of the world.
Alhaitham would have hated it here. Kaveh smiled at the thought, his face even flushed red, but he blamed that on the heat of the overhead living room lights he was stood under.
Why is he even thinking about Alhaitham right now? He bid him farewell that morning. Even if he expressed concern for his junior being on his own for the day, like he was some kind of overprotective… lover.
That didn't mean he had any kind of influence on Alhaitham's decisions, he's a grown man. He'll be fine.
Kaveh was spacing out, caught in his thoughts until his phone finally dinged with a new message from Tighnari.
A message that delivered some unfortunate news, confirming Kaveh's continued loneliness at this party.
"Sorry, Kaveh. Cyno's not feeling well. Will you be okay on your own?"
Kaveh didn't think before he downed his plastic cup of the alcoholic liquid he said he'd avoid.
Drunkenly replying to his best friend as his vision blurred, it wasn't THAT much alcohol. Was it? But then again, he had always been a lightweight.
Kaveh's message probably came off incredibly scuffed with how Tighnari texted him back.
"Are you drunk? Kaveh. You shouldn't be drinking at a party alone!"
Kaveh didn't even get to reply as his disoriented eyes adjusted to Tighnari's next message.
"I'm texting Alhaitham to come and get you. It's 6pm. He's surely out of class by now."
"Since when did Tighnari get Alhaitham's number?" Kaveh pondered as his intoxicated brain took WAY too long to register who was coming to drag him away from the boring party atmosphere.
Kaveh felt a PAINFUL surge in his stomach, the alcohol sent his stomach contents back where they came from and he DARTED for an available bathroom immediately, fumbling to put his phone away so he wouldn't break it in his panic to not vomit all over his peer's house floors.
Kaveh found himself crouched in front of the host's toilet, hands clenched around the bowl as he expelled the alcohol and whatever he had eaten that day.
Slumping over the toilet, Kaveh didn't stop throwing up. He was more than a little sick from the alcohol intake that's for sure.
That's where Alhaitham would find him after he showed up to the house party. His presence alone caused the ENTIRE party to die down and go quiet.
No one expected that Haravatat's most respected (yet simultaneously most disliked student because of how very little people could get past his attitude.) To be at a PARTY of all things.
Alhaitham ignored the crowd's blank stares of bewilderment, he chose to also ignore their instant whispering.
Ducking into the closest bathroom, he found Kaveh with his head so far over the toilet, that he was practically in the bowl.
"Alhaitham?" Kaveh perked up, somehow his drunken brain had already forgotten that Tighnari was the entire reason Alhaitham was here to bring him back to their dorm to rest.
"Can you stand? We're leaving." Alhaitham leaned down to lift Kaveh by the arms and drag him out of the party, luckily Kaveh had stopped vomiting at this point, so he was feeling a bit better.
Kaveh barely remembers what they even talked about on the way back to their shared dorm, he was far too intoxicated to make any conversation, so Alhaitham's attempts to lessen the awkward silence as they walked back, fell on deaf ears.
Kaveh collapsed into Alhaitham's arms more than once, his legs felt like jelly and he had a hard time keeping upright without his legs giving out from underneath him.
He always profusely apologised for it every time it happened, with Alhaitham not saying a word in response.
Kaveh got the impression that his roommate was pissed at him, and he couldn't even blame him for feeling that way, if he was angry at him.
Kaveh didn't know what alcohol did to his brain that caused him to be so… bluntly honest. But as Alhaitham was assisting him in taking his shoes off.
Kaveh interrupted him with what was at first incoherent mumbling, that quickly morphed into it's true form: A confession.
"I love you."
Those three words caused Alhaitham to flinch and visibly pause. Kaveh doesn't remember the rest of that night, he passed out immediately after letting those deeply concealed words escape him.
But he still remembers, even in his blurred vision in the dark, the most beautiful sight he's ever laid eyes on.
More beautiful than any building he's ever studied for his architecture courses.
Alhaitham's face, glowing a deep red in the dark, his ears were even the same colour. He must have forgotten to wear his soundproof headphones when he showed up last minute to remove him from the party.
Kaveh awoke the next afternoon, luckily for him it was a Saturday, they didn't have classes. So he didn't miss a class on his perfect record of being present for every class he's taken that semester.
His head throbbed painfully, when he sat up. He realised he wasn't in his bed, he was in Alhaitham's bed.
Alhaitham decided that it was his own bed that was closer to the bathroom in case Kaveh needed to get up in the middle of the night for anything. It was easier, more convenient.
Kaveh fought through his painful headache, his eyes fell on Alhaitham, sat on the other bed that belonged to the hungover blond.
Alhaitham had a cup of coffee in one hand and a open book in the other. He seemed pretty focused.
Kaveh did get momentarily distracted by how the sunlight hit his roommate's features.
"…Alhaitham?" Kaveh groggily yawned as he stood. Making his way to the other side of the room, his balance still unstable from the previous night that he barely even remembers.
"How'd you sleep?" Alhaitham put his book down, making sure not to spill his coffee. Not that he had to worry about his cup of caffeine for long, as Kaveh took it STRAIGHT OUT OF HIS HAND without asking.
Kaveh ignored how his own lips touched the very same rim of the cup that Alhaitham's did. He just needed to be awake. And he didn't want to brew his own coffee. He was too hungover for that.
"My head is killing me.. Do we have any painkillers?" Kaveh handed the empty coffee cup back to Alhaitham who stared at him with a look of "Thanks for stealing my drink without asking. How so scholarly of you."
"We do. I get headaches, and even migraines from noise frequently. I don't go anywhere without them." Alhaitham swung his legs off of his roommate's bed as they had apparently swapped beds for the day, and went to fetch the mentioned painkillers.
"I didn't say or do anything embarrassing right? You'd tell me if I did?" Kaveh looked suddenly insecure, he hasn't had alcohol since high school when he made that mistake of drinking under the legal age.
"If you count confessing out of the blue at midnight embarrassing." Alhaitham said rather calmly as he tossed Kaveh the painkillers like they were just discussing the weather.
"WHAT?!" Kaveh shrieked at the top of his lungs, ignoring how he was risking them a noise complaint at 2'o clock in the afternoon from the facility of the Akademiya.
"You really shouldn't ingest so much alcohol. It makes you far too honest." Alhaitham went straight back to reading his book as Kaveh paced back and forth like a headless chicken, all while flailing his arms.
"DO YOU NOT EXPERIENCE EVEN A FRACTION OF SURPRISE?!" Kaveh stopped in front of Alhaitham, as the younger student still took up ownership of Kaveh's bed for the time being.
"I know you better than anyone else. And besides, you were intoxicated. There's a good chance you didn't mean it." Alhaitham reasoned that the abrupt confession wasn't much of a big deal, he and Kaveh were clearly butting heads at every corner, academically or otherwise.
"And….if I hypothetically did mean it?" Kaveh pressed his hands together, pointing both index fingers towards Alhaitham who peeked his gaze above the book he was so invested in.
"Say that again." Alhaitham stared at him with an unwavering gaze, to the point Kaveh got nervous and fumbled over his words.
Like the idiot he was. The idiot he believed he was. A bumbling, nervous, idiot. A idiot head over heels in love with his academic rival.
"And if I did mean what I said?" Kaveh tried to stand his ground, he was shaking in place, his legs threatened to give out from underneath him. His stomach was full of butterflies.
"Say it. I need to hear you say it, not under the influence. I need to hear it in your voice." Alhaitham tossed his book aside, forgetting it abandoned on the floor of their dorm as he rose to his feet.
Truth be told, his hands were trembling. His ears were so red that they were burning.
"I love you." Fell from Kaveh's lips as he shut his eyes so tight, he believed he was going to disappear if he dared open them.
Kaveh didn't hear a verbal response from Alhaitham, he was expecting a sharp and harsh rejection.
"Alhaitham, if you don't feel the same way, that's fine we can just—" Kaveh opened his eyes just as he felt something… soft touch his lips. It was Alhaitham. More specifically the younger man's lips. The very same ones he had always been staring at.
Alhaitham didn't need words. Kaveh understood that, the action of kissing him was more than enough for an answer.
Even then Alhaitham still had the NERVE to sass him as they both pulled back. "Is that enough of an answer?" The younger student stared at him with such unfathomable love, decades of deeply concealed pining and yearning for his peer had finally been let free and openly expressed without fear.
"It does." Kaveh smiled like a total dork as he cradled Alhaitham's face in his hands like he's wanted to do for decades now. But never mustered up enough courage to do so.
"You sound surprised." Alhaitham commented bluntly as Kaveh reached to hold his hand and gasped abruptly.
"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" Kaveh faked offence as he squeezed Alhaitham's hand in his. Tapping his foot against the carpet.
"I've been giving you hints for years now. I'm surprised you didn't pick up on a single one of them." Alhaitham revealed his other deeply buried secret, one he was determined to take to the grave: He had been dropping hints for Kaveh to find about how he truly felt.
And Kaveh never found out. His reaction was pure gold to Alhaitham regardless. Best comedy he's ever seen, hands down. And it wasn't even scripted.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! I can't read your mind, Haitham!" Kaveh poked his index finger into Alhaitham's broader chest who shrugged nonchalantly in response.
"It's not my fault that you're dense as a rock." Alhaitham let the sarcastic reply fall from his lips as Kaveh stomped his feet in a small burst of anger.
"Hey! Don't pin this blame on me!" Kaveh was FUMING, well as fuming as a man can be once he finds out that he could have ended this slow burn DECADES PRIOR if he had just paid a overthinking amount of delusional attention to Alhaitham's every move.
"I'm not at fault here, senior. You understand that." Alhaitham crossed his arms, only letting one hand stretch out in front of him before tucking it back in between his folded arms.
"You're insufferable." Kaveh threw his head back with a exaggerated huff as he planted his hands on his hips, they were still standing too close to one another, for it to be considered "platonic" distance.
"Prove it." Alhaitham couldn't deny that challenging Kaveh was a pastime of his, a fun one he's honed to a talent by now.
"Oh I'll prove it alright! Just you wait!" Kaveh pressed the tip of his index into Alhaitham's chest as he leaned forward, his expression was of competitiveness.
If their relationship were still as hostile as it once was, maybe Kaveh would have dug his fingers into Alhaitham's scalp and pulled HARD on the strands.
But not now, not in their present. Not now that he has the love of his life standing in front of him, burying his fingers into his one true love's hair. His best friend.. His boyfriend..? Were they boyfriends?
Kaveh didn't know. But whatever they had.. It wasn't platonic. Not anymore.
"What are we?" Kaveh worked up the courage to ask as he moved to sit next to Alhaitham, on the younger man's bed. Honestly, he was shaking like a leaf, his voice was likely trembling as he asked.
"Boyfriends? Does that answer your question?" Alhaitham lifted his gaze above the pages of his oh so interesting book to lock eyes with the nervous blond in front of him.
"Boyfriends… Yeah. I like the sound of that. It has a ring to it." If by magic, Kaveh's worry and embarrassment melted away in a instant.
"I know. I do too." Alhaitham put his book aside to tackle his best friend, his boyfriend into a mess of tangled limbs, just peppering him with kisses.
"Hey I'm ticklish, you know this, Haitham!" Kaveh kicked his feet back and forth in the air as he laughed like a total lovestruck dork.
"You're not pushing me away." Alhaitham commented simply as he planted kisses all over Kaveh's face, the older man's lips being his primary target however.
"Always the smartass.. You're lucky you're beautiful." Kaveh tucked a piece of messy grey hair that was out of place on Alhaitham's face. He always thought Alhaitham's hair covered up too much of the man's rather handsome face.
"I'm nothing special." Alhaitham paused momentarily, pulling back just enough to get close in Kaveh's crimson eyes. He was nothing compared to the radiant sun incarnate in front of him. Kaveh was true beauty.
"Nonsense! Don't be so humble. It's not a good look on you, Haitham." Kaveh sat up right as he continued to play with his boyfriend's shorter hair.
"Your hair clips fell out." Alhaitham shifted where he was sitting, gathering Kaveh's messy hair, reaching for the fallen hair clips, placing them between his teeth.
"Aren't you romantic?" Kaveh laughed as he sat with his head forward, having his hair braided by Alhaitham felt… nice. It felt safe and comforting. So much so that he almost fell asleep on the spot.
"I suppose I am." Alhaitham chuckled, it was a warm laugh. One that caused Kaveh's ears to light up red with flush. Alhaitham noticed it and didn't pass up the chance to tease his partner for it.
"You're blushing." Alhaitham brought his lips to Kaveh's ear and planted a soft kiss that sent Kaveh scrambling for a retort that ultimately died on his lips.
"That's enough talking out of you!" Kaveh fumbled over his words repeatedly, struggling to not sound embarrassed as he hid his face in his hands.
Alhaitham spent the rest of the semester teasing his boyfriend and letting his deeply buried yearning and pining escape him.
Truth be told, Tighnari wasn't even slightly surprised when Kaveh nervously brought up the news that he and Alhaitham were officially dating.
Tighnari stood with his hand entangled with Cyno's. Of whom were already officially dating before Kaveh and Alhaitham were.
"About time. Took you over a decade to confess to him." Tighnari had his free hand on his juice box as he blinked blankly at Kaveh's nervous explanation of the new step he and Alhaitham took with their relationship.
"I thought you'd be happy for me, Nari!" Kaveh gestured wildly as Alhaitham crept up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist, all while in the middle of the Akademiya's halls.
"I am. Just saying I'm not surprised." Tighnari smiled while poking Kaveh with his elbow who sighed dramatically in response.
"Of course you aren't…" Kaveh deflated right then and there, his sighing continued but more exaggerated and even more dramatic than before. (If that was even possible.)
"Who came to me in the middle of the afternoon for relationship advice? Oh that's right.. You did, Kaveh. And it was all about Alhaitham." Tighnari gently reminded him, continuing to sip his drink of choice as all four of them walked down the hallway.
"I'm the last to know about everything.." Cyno lamented, despite the fact that he WAS THERE that afternoon that Kaveh went to Tighnari for advice.
"You were LITERALLY there, Cyno." Tighnari snapped his head to face his boyfriend's, much like a owl would cast its gaze upon a human approaching it in the middle of the night.
Kaveh found himself amused as he watched Tighnari and Cyno play argue, his own hand grasped tightly in Alhaitham's.
"To new beginnings." Kaveh smiled warmer than the sun itself, his gaze stuck on Alhaitham's.
"To new beginnings." Alhaitham repeated after him and pulled him in for another kiss. Despite how both men detested public displays of affection.
Their future was practically in sight.. It was full of love and domestic joy. Kaveh was very much looking forward to spending the rest of his life, with his best friend, the love of his life.
His dream career was just waiting for his contributions, buildings he could create with his artistic vision were just destined to burst with creativity and passion.