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“Alhaitham!” Kaveh screeched out to his friend as he held Nahida with one arm whilst his other hand was holding some small box of a sweet treat.
Kaveh shoved the sweet treat into Alhaitham’s hand as Nahida and Kaveh glanced at one another with a mischievous look.
“What’s this?” Alhaitham asked, all concerned about what was going on in his two friends’ minds.
He had a feeling he knew what was going on but his brain refused to accept whatever shenanigans an archon and architect is about to cause.
“This my friend is called pocky!” Kaveh exclaimed.
“It’s a thin coated biscuit with flavoured icing!” Nahida expanded on Kaveh’s explanation.
“Alright…?” Alhaitham questioned the two in confusion as he looked at the light pink packaging in his hand. Waiting for them to explain what he needs to do with the sweet treat.
“And~..,” Kaveh and Nahida simultaneously said. “You need to go kiss Nilou!”
“But I kissed her many times…”
“NOT LIKE THAT!” Kaveh and Nahida shouted at the purposely forgetful grey-haired man. “This one is special!”
“Special in what ways…?” Alhaitham asked back.
“Apparently today is the famous pocky day that is always hosted on the eleventh of the eleventh month from Inazuma. Since Inazuma has finally opened their borders, this event has been all the craze today!” Kaveh exclaimed. “Plus there’s also a mini challenge with the pocky!” Kaveh claimed.
Oh…
Alhaitham has a distinct feeling on what the two want him to do considering he already knows what Pocky Day is for quite a while but he never bothered telling them that specific piece of information.
Alhaitham, listening as Kaveh, raved on about the pocky kiss event that is normally done on this specific day. After they’re done explaining, the two quickly run away from him. All he heard was laughter as he watched their figures fade away.
Alhaitham honestly doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at the misery of Nilou and him as they’re once again dragged into their friends' shenanigans once again.
He couldn't believe that the two had asked him to do this so-called ‘pocky kiss’ with his lover, Nilou. He has been wanting to visit her for a few months so he didn’t want to let this opportunity pass by as he headed to the Grand Bazaar.
Nilou felt a child-like hand grab the hem of her blue skirt. Looking down as she saw an elf-eared child and her white hair tied up in a ponytail whilst staring at her with a hint of mischievousness. “Hello, Nahi..da,” Nilou stuttered out to her god, still not used to calling the small child by her first name.
“Hello, Nilou!” Nahida cheerily said. “Put your hands out, please. I have something for you!”
Nilou did as told as she watched a cute looking rectangular package appear in her hands. “Uh… May I ask what is this?” Nilou said in confusion, having no idea what this vibrant pink packaging sweet treat is doing in her hands.
“This sweet treat is called pocky! It came from Inazuma and today is the national pocky day!” Nahida explained to the confused red-haired girl. “Plus….”
Nilou let out a few blinks as she noticed the teasing tone in Nahida’s voice. She listened as Nahida explained the so-called ‘pocky kiss’ event then proceeded to let out a blush when she heard the last sentence. “Have fun!’ Nahida cheerily said once more as she left the blushing girl, to go find Kaveh who was hiding behind a building.
Nahida raised her hand up as she high-fived Kaveh. “Now onto the final part of the plan,” Kaveh stated with an evil laugh. This was the least he could do to help his friend since he noticed Alhaitham has been busy working till the point he hardly has time to visit Nilou. Kaveh didn’t want to see the red-haired girl so sad every time she went up to him and asked for Alhaitham’s whereabouts. Since Kaveh finally saw Alhaitham was free for today, he decided to intervene and hope Nilou is happy with the help of Nahida. Kaveh was glad that Nahida had told him about this ‘pocky day’ or else he had no clue on when to match their schedules up.
“Now then, Nahida, should we go to Puspa Cafe for lunch?” Kaveh asked.
“Alright, let's leave them alone for the time being,” Nahida replied as she held Kaveh’s hand.
“After that, can we get yalda candies?” she questioned with a hopeful tone.
“Of course!”
Nilou felt a child-like hand grab the hem of her blue skirt. Looking down as she saw an elf-eared child and her white hair tied up in a ponytail whilst staring at her with a hint of mischievousness. “Hello, Nahi..da,” Nilou stuttered out to her god, still not used to calling the small child by her first name.
“Hello, Nilou!” Nahida cheerily said. “Put your hands out, please. I have something for you!”
Nilou did as told as she watched a cute looking rectangular package appear in her hands. “Uh… May I ask what is this?” Nilou said in confusion, having no idea what this vibrant pink packaging sweet treat is doing in her hands.
“This sweet treat is called pocky! It came from Inazuma and today is the national pocky day!” Nahida explained to the confused red-haired girl. “Plus….”
Nilou let out a few blinks as she noticed the teasing tone in Nahida’s voice. She listened as Nahida explained the so-called ‘pocky kiss’ event then proceeded to let out a blush when she heard the last sentence. “Have fun!’ Nahida cheerily said once more as she left the blushing girl, to go find Kaveh who was hiding behind a building.
Nahida raised her hand up as she high-fived Kaveh. “Now onto the final part of the plan,” Kaveh stated with an evil laugh. This was the least he could do to help his friend since he noticed Alhaitham has been busy working till the point he hardly has time to visit Nilou. Kaveh didn’t want to see the red-haired girl so sad every time she went up to him and asked for Alhaitham’s whereabouts. Since Kaveh finally saw Alhaitham was free for today, he decided to intervene and hope Nilou is happy with the help of Nahida. Kaveh was glad that Nahida had told him about this ‘pocky day’ or else he had no clue on when to match their schedules up.
“Now then, Nahida, should we go to Puspa Cafe for lunch?” Kaveh asked.
“Alright, let's leave them alone for the time being,” Nahida replied as she held Kaveh’s hand.
“After that, can we get yalda candies?” she questioned with a hopeful tone.
“Of course!”
Even after Nahida had slowly explained the concept of the so-called, ‘pocky kiss’, Nilou is still confused on what to do with the sweet treats that's in her hands.
“Alhaitham is free today so why not go find him?” Nahida teased out as she gave Nilou a wink.
Nilou had forgotten to ask Nahida where to find him. Letting out a sigh as she started to think of all the places Alhaitham could possibly be at. Honestly, if Nilou was to pinpoint a place, she has no clue where he is since he’s the type who does as he pleases and appears whenever he wants. She let out a hearty chuckle when she realised the amount of times Alhaitham had appeared out of nowhere in front of her. Being deep in thoughts, she failed to realise the said man had already appeared in front of her, staring at her until he spoke up. “Hello, Nilou.”
Nilou came back to reality as she noticed a tall looming figure blocking her view. She let out a yelp of surprise, finally noticing the said man that had been in her thoughts a few minutes ago, had magically appeared in front of her. “Hello, Alhaitham,” Nilou beamed. “I was just about to find you…”
“Oh.. I see you got the same thing as I did from a certain someone,” Alhaitham noted as he saw a pink packaging in her hand as well.
“Nahida gave it to me,” Nilou responded, confusion still evident in her tone.
Alhaitham let out a sigh. Nahida and Kaveh probably planned this through seeing how he finally had a day off from his work. “So..where should we do it?”
“Huh?”
“For the thing they asked us to do. Might as well let them have their ways just for today,” he replied with a shrug. “I have a feeling they’re watching our every move if not going to make a move soon.”
Nilou grasped his hand as he led away from the lively area of the Grand Bazaar. Each step they made, she swore she heard Nahida’s child-like laugh from behind them. Focusing on the person in front of her, it’s been a few months since she last saw him in person. She was glad she could see him in person, even if it was just for a day. She had no clue what Kaveh and Nahida was planning for them.
Apparently their destination was Alhaitham’s personal house that lingers a few miles away from the Grand Bazaar. “Best to do it at home so they can’t be wasps swarming around us when we finally do whatever they asked us to do,” Alhaitham smirked as he locked the door whilst he gave a mocking wave to the half fuming half seething Kaveh and giggling Nahida who had her magic camera out at disposal, which often does wonders in certain situations.
The first thing Alhaitham did was bring Nilou close to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and embraced her. He missed the smell of padisarahs for the past few months because he had been busy with paperworks and personal investigations. “I miss you.”
“Me too,”she responded back with a smile.
It was a few minutes later when they stopped embracing with one another. His hands still around her waist as he saw the amount of signs Kaveh and Nahida had written from the window.
‘DO THE CHALLENGE ALREADY.’
Nahida waved her magical camera around as she waited for the scene to fold out. A sudden idea appeared in her mind. “Kaveh, give me the piece of paper and marker, please.”
Obtaining the materials as she wrote out a line with the marker then shove it above her head for the grey-haired man to see. Nahida was enjoying this way too much as she let out her biggest smile.
‘DO IT OR ELSE -’
Alhaitham was in agony as he let out a sigh and finally decided to do the so-called ‘pocky kiss’ that his two friends had been raging about all day. He can’t believe Nahida was about to pull the card if he doesn’t comply and the fact she managed to rope in so many of the nation’s lovers to do this challenge within just a few hours.
“They’re threatening us if we don’t do the so-called ‘pocky-kiss’ soon,” Alhaitham said. “Why don’t you close the curtains for me?”
Nilou did as told as she noticed Kaveh and Nahida were in a bush before proceeding to draw the curtains closed, blocking the sunlight from the now darkly lit room. It was just them, away from the prying eyes of their friends. She opened the sweet treat’s packaging as she noticed there were many thinly cut biscuits with strawberry flavoured coating. On the box, she noticed a small note made by Nahida. It was the steps on how to do the ‘pocky kiss’. Following the guide as she placed one of the thinly cut biscuits between her teeth. Before she even had a chance to read the next step of instructions, her face was lifted up by Alhaitham’s fingers. Who had bit the other end of the strawberry flavoured pocky that she had in her mouth.
Alhaitham swore he saw and felt the gleaming threat made by the two people outside his window since he could feel a small amount of Nahida’s power lurking inside the room, like she was ready to take pictures of them. He wasn’t going to let his friends have their ways. Proceeding to bite onto the pocky as he placed one of his hands behind Nilou’s neck and drew her closer.
Pocky, gone as it’s now their lips touching one another.
Nilou’s mind blanked out at what happened within the next few seconds.
“Hmm…,” Alhaitham murmured out with a smirk as he glanced at the now crimson face of Nilou’s. Their lips a mere centimetres apart from one another. “The strawberry flavoured treat is sweet but you, my darling, taste even sweeter...”
Tracing her plump lips with his thumb, being entranced by her elegant and majestic visuals that he had been craving so much. “So pretty and lovely…just for me alone…”
As for Nilou, our dear girl was so close to passing out if it weren't for him holding her by the waist. Their sudden reunion and sudden kiss were all too much for her at the moment.
“Just for me alone…”
Alhaitham went in for one more long lingering kiss.
The pocky can go screw off, he thought. He has his lover right in his arms and he is not going to let that opportunity pass by considering this is probably the last time he is going to be free before work swarms him once again. He let out a hearty chuckle at the red-faced girl in his arms, who had hidden herself in his chest.
“Say, my love, why don’t we go on a date at Port Ormos in a few days?”
“Port Ormos? We can see the ocean?”
“Yes, my dear,” he said as he casually lied through his teeth.
Nilou let out a cheer as she escaped his embrace and excitedly twirls around, giving him one of her brightest smiles. “I see you at the entrance in a few days?”
“If that is what you wish for.”
A loud set of squeals were heard from Nahida and Kaveh who were hidden in the bush as they watched the scene in front of them that was happening at the front door. The sound of camera shutters were heard every few seconds.
“There…are you guys satisfied now?” Alhaitham asked his friends.
“Yes!” they chorused out.
“Lots of photos!” Nahida giggled out to them as she happily waved her magical camera around.
“That’s great to hear,” Nilou smiled out to the cheerful child.
“By the way…,” Kaveh teased as he wriggled his eyebrows to his friend. “I heard you guys have a date in a few days…”
Nilou let out a slight blush whilst Alhaitham retorted with a smile, “Don’t tell me you guys are planning to crash our date?”
“Should we, Kaveh?” Nahida curiously asked her partner in crime.
“The more the merrier! We promise to leave you two alone for the dinner date!” Kaveh cherrily retorted back.
“Fine…,” Alhaitham voiced out, giving approval as he watched the two of them high-five one another.
“Yay!” cheered the two.
“Though you guys better promise me you’ll be on your best behaviour,” Alhaitham started out at the two, knowing that they might go on a matchmaking binge once they set foot on Port Ormos.
“Yes sir~,” they replied. “We will try to be on our best behaviours!”
Alhaitham was so done with his friend considering he was so close to whipping out a frying pan to whack Kaveh if it weren’t for Nilou blocking him from committing the action. “Be glad, you’re at the mercy of Nilou or else..,” Alhaitham menacingly threatened.
Kaveh let out a cackle as he watched Nilou try her best to calm Alhaitham down.
“Nahida, my partner in crime, we have more couples to pair up to do!” Kaveh declared out loud as he hoisted her up in his arms. “See you two lovebirds later at dinner!”
“Alahitham! Calm down!” Nilou shouted in worry as she waved her arms above her, seeing that he was about to throw the pan that he got from nowhere towards Kaveh’s direction.
“Fine…you better give me a reason on why I should not throw the pan towards him,” Alhaitham chuckled out in a deadpan tone to Nilou.
“Uhh…I make it up with kisses and cuddles?” Nilou shyly whispered out.
Alhaitham tosses the frying pan back into his magical inventory as he let out a hum in agreement. “I shall take the offer then since I want to keep you all to myself for the time being.”
Pulling her back into the house with a smile as the two entered their own worlds.
Nahida let out a happy hum of a song as she waited for her photos to be printed into physical copies. A variety of colour pencils, crayons, glue sticks, markers, papers and stickers were scattered around the table as she drew in her scrapbook. Cutting the photos into the desired shapes she wanted the proceeding to stick them onto the page. She was happy with the results today.
Alhaitham and Nilou.
They made Nahida happy as she glanced at the photos she took of them this afternoon.
Kaveh gave Nahida a gentle shake. “Nahida, photos, photos!” Kaveh hurriedly whispered out to the spaced out child.
Coming back to reality as she focused on the scene in front of her. Snapping pictures using her dendro-entranced camera between the tiny gaps of the curtains that Nilou has purposefully left opened. Despite the small gap, Nahida’s photography skills was not to be underestimated considering the fact she had taken so many of her favourite couple when they weren’t looking.
She wanted a better picture of them kissing…
Noticing the look of Alhaitham’s when he stood by the door entrance as he started at Nilou with all the love and care that was rarely seen on the ice cold and brutally honest scribe. Nahida could tell from one look just how much he loves Nilou. The way he gently stares at her from a far watching her dance. It’s been a while since Nahida saw human interactions after she was finally free from her entrapped bubble.
Alhaitham and Nilou is quite an unusual combination.
A scribe and a dancer.
Despite the unusualness, Nahida didn’t mind. They’re very cute and adorable in Nahida’s eyes.
She watched as the door opened and there stood the two of them.
Alhaitham glanced at Kaveh and Nahida for a few seconds. Noticing Nahida’s slight quivering form, he decided to come up with something on the spot. He didn’t want to see Nahida sad. “Nilou, why don’t we kiss and satisfy our adorable dendro archon?” he earnestly asked. “I have a feeling she wants to take pictures of us.”
“Alright,” Nilou smiled.
Nahida happily snapped pictures of the lovey dovey couple. A few more pictures should be enough for her scrapbook of her most favourite couple in Sumeru.
Nahida drew a heart with a red marker around the picture.
She finally had a name to title this scrapbook of Alhaitham and Nilou’s photos.
Closing the book as she wrote on the front cover.
By the time she finished a knock was heard on her door. Strands of red-haired appeared in the open door gap. “Nahida, it’s time for dinner,” Nilou sweetly said.
Nahida hopped off her chair as she ran up to Nilou and held her hands. Closing the door as they two headed to the kitchen where Alhaitham and Kaveh were. “By the way, what were you making?”
“It’s a secret~!” Nahida replied with a smile. “And, Nilou, you're my most favourite person in the room!”
A loud clang was heard before a shout was heard. “Nahida, what’s that supposed to mean?! I thought I was your favourite person??? We’re partners in crime!” Kaveh wailed out. “I even gave you yalda candies!”
Alhaitham let out a cough, trying his best to cover his laugh at the scene.
Dinner was chaotic as usual for the four of them as Nahida and Kaveh continued their bickering. Alahitham and Nilou just watched in amusement since it was a norm for the two,
One thing Alhaitham and Nilou realised was, never let Nahida and Kaveh be in the same room with another couple. As their matchmaking skills were beyond their comprehension.
“So…,” Alhaitham dragged out, cutting in between their bickering, “Which couple are you guys planning to match together next?”
“Alhaitham…,” Nilou nervously voiced out as she felt the dangerous glint from Nahida and Kaveh. “Is there really a need to ask that?”
“Of course!” Nahida and Kaveh chorused out.
“As for the next couple we’re planning to match is…,”Kaveh said as he evilly laughed with Nahida.
“A little birdie told me about a certain traveler and a harbinger still refused to get together despite after two years of tension and bickering…,”
“You’re telling me that you’re planning to set up the traveler and a harbinger once you guys have the chance to visit Liyue?” Alhaitham questioned with interest. “I’m pretty sure I can arrange a holiday there…”
“Don’t you have work though…?” Kaveh inquired of his best friend.
“It can wait for a bit,” Alhaitham responded back as he waved his hand around.
“You’re letting them have too much power,” Nilou sweatdropped at him. “Just how much chaos do you want them to cause?
“As much as needed,” he shrugged to Nilou who was sitting next to her.
“By the way…Alhaitham….,” Kaveh scaringly teased as he wriggled his fingers, noticing Nilou’s slightly red face. “What did you two lovebirds do in private? Drop the details especially about the pocky kiss.”
“Mind your own business,’ he calmly threatened his friend. “Unless you want me to whip out the frying pan?”
“You can’t use my tricks back on me! I taught you that!”
Nahida let out a giggle as she watched the two men continue their usual and harmless bickering. The three of them never failed to surprise her.
She wanted to be with them forever.
Alhaitham.
Nilou.
Kaveh.
Her new founded family.
She will cherish them to bits.
It suited Alhaitham and Nilou.
The title of their scrapbook she had made since being introduced to them.
‘The Two Blooming Flowers.’
Nahida couldn’t wait to hand it to them on their next anniversary.
Letting out the biggest smile as she munch on her food, watching the three of them converse with one another.
-END-