Archive of Our Own

“Tire of the party?”

Dehya says it with a smile, her right elbow pressed against her knee as she leans over herself. Her hand is balled into a fist, pressed against her cheek to hold up her face as she turns to cast that mischievous grin toward Alhaitham. With her other hand, she points a metal pole toward the hearth. It pokes and prods at each log within it, jostling them until the flame grows and she pulls back with a satisfied hum.

“Everyone else I care for talking with has left,” he replies, taking a spot beside her and letting his eyes flutter shut. There’s only the wind, Olympus is behind them, and here, on the outskirts of the Heavens, things feel much calmer than within.

Dehya’s eyes glimmer with something unrecognizable, likely amusement. She laughs softly and then stabs her poker into the soft earth below, focusing her attention off the crackling fire and entirely on him. “Cyno and Tighnari went home?”

“Yes,” Alhaitham answers. He blinks his eyes back open and stares at her, feeling a bit more refreshed now that he’s separated from the rest of the Gods, and instead in Dehya’s company. “And you know how I feel about the rest of them.”

Dehya laughs again, less softly this time. “Of course,” she says, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Your dislike is so very subtle.”

“Is it now?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Candace is nice, at least,” Dehya continues as if she hadn’t heard. “And I’ve heard Nilou is quite the dancer, though I’m not sure if that would strike your fancy. Candace, though,” she pauses for emphasis, raising her pointer finger. “You’d probably get along with her. Goddess of wisdom and warfare, strategy, and the like. That feels like something you’d enjoy.”

“I don’t perceive people simply by what they are worshipped for,” Alhaitham sighs.

Dehya may sit on the outskirts of the Twelve. She may walk the line between belonging to the Olympians and being perceived as a minor god as he is, but she walks close enough to avoid understanding. To her, to the Goddess of the Hearth, to the one mortals call Hestia, Gods are still whatever mortals perceive them to be. It amazes Alhaitham that any of them, any of all who think that way, retain even their given name at all. Everything else of them is lost in being defined by those below.

Dehya purses her lips. She narrows blue eyes, yellow pupils turning to slits in the way only a cat does, or perhaps only the way a Goddess does. “No, and they are much more than that, but aren’t you chalking them all up as loud Olympians anyway?”

Perhaps he is. Perhaps it’s unfair and Dehya is simply trying to be a good friend, but unfortunately for her, he has a tendency to only do things he finds interest in. Talking to—

“Candace says they’re building a temple for you outside her city.”

That pauses Alhaitham’s train of thought rather abruptly. He narrows his eyes, furrows his brow, and gives her a look, one that must give away his thoughts on the matter so obviously for she laughs at him again.

At least outside of Athens makes some sense. As much as he prefers to remain undefined by human standards and lay outside all their narrow-minded views, to worship him in the great place of learning that is Athens doesn’t quite annoy him as much as if it had been, oh, maybe Sparta. That likely would have gotten on his nerves.

The first question that comes to his mind is why. He nearly says it, opens his mouth to speak words into existence, but they melt away on his tongue. Why is obvious. Mortals worship Gods in attempt to gain something from them, in this case, likely knowledge. Alhaitham does not define himself as a God, but knowledge, philosophy, learning, and the like suit him enough that he’ll accept if mortals wish to gain some from his image.

Instead of why he asks something else. “Where?”

Dehya hums in response, turning her head to stare off into the distance. “Where?” she repeats. “I don’t know where. Athens isn’t under my jurisdiction, but you know whose it is?”

Alhaitham sighs again.

“Maybe,” Dehya continues, a smirk sliding so easily over her features. “You should consider asking Candace about these things. She is quite nice.”

Without waiting for an answer, she raises her poker from the earth again and slides it into the flames. It shifts the wood around, making the flames grow higher and higher. The orange hue shines over their features, illuminating them before the darkening light of the setting sun.

“I’ll talk to her,” he says, rather defeatedly. “Will that make you happy?”

“Yes, it would actually,” Dehya answers without hesitation. “I’d rather fancy if you had a singular friend outside of me. You’re not as insufferable as you’d like to make yourself out to be; you just refuse to make an effort to interact with others. Are you afraid that maybe, if you do, your preformed opinions about them will be wrong?”

“I’m not afraid,” Alhaitham says quietly. He doesn’t think he is anyway. He’s sure the Twelve are nice people, good people even, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are often loud, far from simple, and usually up to no good. Peace was few and far between with them, and he’d prefer to keep out of it.

Dehya nods once, now more focused on tending to her hearth than to whatever myriad of thoughts he may be having. “Tell Candace I said hello.”

“I will,” he idly promises, rising to his feet once more. “But you must know, I’m not exactly pleased to go back in there considering I’ve already left once.”

Dehya scoffs at him, raising her other hand and waving it dismissively. “They’ll be glad to have you once more. They enjoy whatever company they can afford. You playing hard to get just makes you all the more interesting.”

“I’m sure,” Alhaitham says dryly.

Perhaps Dehya says something else. She certainly chuckles at him once more, but soon enough, she’s too far into the distance to make out the sound of her voice from her amusement. That, and the winds on top of Mount Olympus drown her out, forcing her into nothing but an afterthought. A Goddess that may or may not belong amongst the Twelve inside.

Today, it seems it is may not.

Cyno and Tighnari have already left, returning safely to Hades, which has already signaled the ending of the party, and yet still, the last remnants of socialization continue. The long buffet table has long since been abandoned, rendering the last few inhabitants of the grand dining hall pressed into corners, delightfully chatting about whatever may strike their fancy.

In one such corner, Candace places a hand over her mouth, giggling over something Nilou has said to her. Dunyarzad adds something and the group collectively laughs in turn, delight shaking their bodies ever so slightly.

Alhaitham clears his throat, tries to mentally prepare himself to approach, and then makes his way over quietly. For a moment, the Goddesses don’t notice him, but then Nilou raises her head and, with widened eyes, her lips curl into a small smile.

“Alhaitham,” she greets, eyes practically glowing with joy. “I thought you’d left! It’s so wonderful of you to join us.”

It almost makes him regret his next choice of words, though unfortunately, he doesn’t exactly have time to indulge the beauty Goddess today. “Apologies, Nilou,” he starts, and her smile immediately disappears. “I’d like to speak to Candace privately if that would be alright.”

This time, it’s Candace's eyes that widen, her mouth opening to form an ‘o.’ Nilou goes quiet, though she turns her head to shoot Dunyarzad a look and then they’re walking off, sending only a wave back at them.

Alhaitham offers one silently in return, then turns his head back to stare at Candace. She offers a small smile of her own. “I assume Dehya mentioned the temple?”

Ah, perhaps he’s truly that easy to read. He dips his head to nod once. “If you don’t mind, I was hoping you could show it to me. I was under the impression mortals weren’t even aware of my existence, though I suppose it’d only make sense that Athens of all places takes notice.”

Candace’s smile grows into a wide grin and she takes hold of his hand, placing both of hers around it to hold it close. “Of course! It’s still under construction and I’m not sure how far along the way it is, but I’d be glad to show you! I’m sure it’ll be marvelous when it’s done. I’m not… one to brag, but I do believe my citystate is home to some of the finest architects in all of Greece.”

Alhaitham tenses under her hold, though he lets out a small sigh and slowly relaxes. He offers a small smile in return. “Thank you. I’m sure it’s lovely no matter what stage of development it’s in.”

Candace seems to take that as permission for the world blends away around them without warning. The white marble wall of Olympus becomes the dark browns and light greens of trees, grass, and surrounding wildlife, and the chatter of gossip turns to the soft cries of birds. The air carries the fresh scent of saltwater, confirming that they are indeed near the outskirts of Athens.

Beside him, Candace gestures into the distance and Alhaitham turns his head to where a clearing has been made through the trees. The temple isn’t very far along at all. The ground has been set accordingly and the beginnings of marble structures are in place, but nothing else stands out and the mortals are long since gone for today.

Alhaitham casts a glance back to Candace, brows furrowed in confusion. “Why are they even building one for me?”

Candace chuckles and gives a slow shrug. “Mortals do as they wish. Besides, we just embody concepts for them. They worship me for knowledge and for strategy in battle. Who knows what they see in you, but they do all the same.”

“I’d prefer if they didn’t see me at all,” he replies, unable to help the eye roll that follows. “Mortals make everything complex when it should be simple.”

Candace just shrugs again. “Think what you will, but mortals don’t easily change their minds once they’re up to something. Come back in a few months or so when it’s finished.”

She waves a hand dismissively, taking a few steps back. “I’m sure you’ll like it then,” she continues, and with that out of the way, she disappears into a light cloud of smoke, leaving behind only the faint smell of olives and an empty clearing.

Alhaitham stares after the spot she once stood for a moment, letting out a gentle sigh. Come back in a few months? He doesn’t exactly see the point. She, and many other Gods for that matter, may like to make their presence known to mortals and always be meddling in their affairs, but he knows he’s far from that.

Still, as he lets his eyes drift back over the beginnings of a temple that would one day be dedicated to him, he can’t help but feel obligated. It’s for him, after all; it would be impolite not to visit at least a few times.

He makes the mental note to return at a later date and then, quite similarly to Candace, teleports back to the safety of somewhere far from mortal eyes.

- - -

Time is an inconspicuous thing for immortals. Truth be told, it goes largely unnoticed. The sun rises, the sun sets, and the days repeat. It means more to mortals—to beings who only have so many days—than it does to Gods. And yet, Alhaitham only makes it a week or so before he recalls the temple and decides to pay it another visit.

It’s still a major work in progress. A few large slabs make up the steps that lead to a greater platform which will soon hold the entirety of the temple. A few columns have already been constructed in the front and, right now, a few mortals dash about the job site with tools in hand.

Against one of the trees a bit behind the edge of the clearing, Alhaitham finds comfort in leaning with his arms crossed, just watching as each mortal performs their assigned duty. Most work on carting pieces of marble toward the system of pulleys they’d dubbed a crane, a few others work on carving intricate designs into large panels. However, the one that most draws his eye appears to the architect.

The blond walks around with blueprints stretched out in front of him, occasionally glancing down and then back up at the structure. As they begin setting down the beginnings of the next column, he takes one longer look down, then tilts his head as he glances back upward.

“No, no!” he exclaims suddenly, letting go of the blueprint with his left hand only to make a gesture of pushing the column to the side. “Over a bit more, remember? A few more inches at the very least.”

With a grumble of annoyance, the other mortals begrudgingly adjust the crane and set the marble column in a few inches over as requested. The architect then takes another look down at his sketches, lifts his head back up, and then grins wide.

“There! Just like that!”

The smile isn’t directed at him. In fact, Alhaitham is sure this man isn’t aware of his existence at all, but he’s vaguely made aware of his heart skipping a beat in his chest. He places an idle hand over it, though his eyes don’t drift from the back of the blond’s head.

It’s captivating, it truly is, how strands of hair bounce as he moves, pouring his heart into another string of inaudible demands to those who man the crane. It’s enticing how, if he allows his gaze to meander downward, a strip of open skin sits pretty on his back, practically begging to be touched. It’s alluring how he huffs, closing the blueprint and crossing his arms over his chest, turns away from the beginnings of his grand temple, then stares off into the treeline and—oh.

Alhaitham takes a step back, suddenly very aware of how fast his heart is beating in his chest and how his breath gets stuck in his throat. He takes a few more, several, until there are too many trees blocking his view and the temple is far from the surface of his mind. Instead, there are scarlet eyes branded into his mind, brilliant ruby red eyes that locked with his just for a moment.

He lets out a careful, slow breath. It’s followed by several others, deep in and slow out, until he feels a bit calmer, and then the annoyance sets in under his skin.

Unnerved by a mortal.

It’s quite a bit more embarrassing when put into that perspective, though he bites his tongue and tries to ignore it. The thought of calling someone like that a mere mortal is belittling. After all, it doesn’t take a genius to know mortals don’t possess eyes like that.

It feels like forever before Alhaitham creeps forward again, slowly moving forward through the bushes and wildlife until he’s at the edge of that clearing once again. It’s quieter this time, the mortals who readied the crane are noticeably absent, and so are those who were carving at the front. He narrows his eyes, glancing around once more in confusion.

“I sent them on lunch break, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Perhaps it’d be wrong to say he jumped, but he certainly is startled. Alhaitham whips his head toward the source of the sound—down, to his left, against one of the trees nearest the clipped underbrush—and sucks in another quick breath.

The architect stares up at him, head tilted to one side and ruby eyes undeterred as he sits against the tree with his legs folded beneath him. Across his lap, a cloth is spread with a few pieces of bread and fruits laid over. He holds a piece of bread out to him, that same grin as earlier stretched across his face. “Hungry?”

Alhaitham just stares back, first at him and then at the food. “No,” he murmurs, and he’s almost surprised at how the word comes out; it’s a quiet and feeble thing.

It’s met with an equally quiet hum and then a crunch as the architect pulls it back to his lips and takes a bite of it himself. He chews for a moment, turning his head away, and then swallows. “Have you been watching us for a while?”

“I wouldn’t consider it a while,” he answers, slowly relaxing under the new circumstance. It wasn’t wanted, no, but at least it was this man who stuck out like a fox in a henhouse—he whose passion burned bright even while sitting idly by. Truthfully, Alhaitham knew little of mortals, less of half-bloods or whatever he may be, but there was something comforting in the way he seemed steadfast in the face of a God, known to him or not.

The architect chuckles softly at his answer, leaning his head back against the bark of the tree. Alhaitham follows his gaze up to the sky, follows the way he stares over clouds floating off into the distance. “How long would you consider a while then?”

He pauses. What a way to ask for clarification, to wrench out the truth in any way necessary. “A while would be a couple of hours,” he answers anyway. “I’ve been here for likely less than one.”

“But you’ve been before,” the architect says, averting his gaze from the sky and instead meeting Alhaitham’s eyes. And red meets teal again. “Haven’t you?”

Perhaps it’s another pause. Perhaps it’s just his breath stolen from his lungs.

Whatever the blond takes it as, he laughs. It’s such a pretty laugh too—so joyous. When it finally ends, Alhaitham almost wishes it hadn’t. Even when he speaks again. “Call it intuition, but I’m right, aren’t I?”

“I’ve been once,” he says quietly.

“Once,” comes the echo. The architect hums, takes a grape off the small vine in his lap, and chews quietly. When he’s finished, he continues as if he never left off. “What do you think of it, oh thoughtful observer? It’s far from complete, but I don’t like it so far. It’s just another temple made from the same mold as always.”

“You… don’t?” Alhaitham’s brows furrow in confusion. “But aren’t you the one building it? If you dislike it, why not change it?”

It gains a sigh and a roll of scarlet eyes. “That’s so much easier said than done. I’m building it, yes, but getting anything changed is another request to those who approved it and they seem to like making every temple mind-numbingly similar. It appeases the Gods or whatnot.” He scoffs. “I don’t think they’d be appeased by being similar to each other.”

Alhaitham takes another glance at the temple with only the beginnings of its marble put in place, only the start of columns beginning to rise to the Heavens, and he can’t find any reason to dislike it. “It’s simple,” he says. “Easier for mortals to construct. I don’t see why they’d find fault in that. Leave the hard things to them.”

The architect gives him a look like he’s just stabbed him in the side, though the smile remains. “Why bother observe if you don’t appreciate the artistry?”

“I can appreciate the work itself, even if I don’t understand why you’d want to go out of your way to make it in any way unique.” It comes easy, flows off the tongue, and seems only to offend him more.

The blond huffs and turns away, crossing his arms over his chest. “You are going to get us both smited.”

“By what God?”

And he turns back, eyes a bit wide, though he averts his gaze to the ground about just as quickly. “You know, they didn’t quite tell me that. Something about Athena said so and we are all so very indebted to her, so we carry out her bidding. But take of it as you will.”

Alhaitham purses his lips. Athena said so? Perhaps he’d have to have a word with Candace later. “That’s… interesting,” he offers, for the lack of a better word.

“Yes, isn’t it,” the architect sighs.

“Well,” Alhaitham starts, taking a step back into the forest once again. “I must be going. Thank you for the temple.”

He receives a stare in return for the words, one blank and full of confusion. “Thank me for it? It’s not even done yet,” he murmurs, placing another grape on his tongue. He finishes it quickly this time. “It’s Kaveh, by the way. You can address me as such when you visit next time.”

Alhaitham can’t help the smile that crosses his lips, even as he turns to leave, disappearing amongst the trees as he waves a hand back dismissively. “Alhaitham,” he offers briefly, not bothering to glance back to see the response.

By the time he teleports away, he simply hopes he’s far enough from view and, perhaps even if he isn’t, he isn’t sure if he minds him knowing.

- - -

Dehya laughs when she hears the story. She stabs her poker into the earth, claps her hands together, and laughs with her entire chest. The hearth seems to flicker around with her amusement, crackling along with her.

When she’s finally done, she casts a wide smile at Alhaitham, turning her head toward him slowly with undoubtedly malicious intent. “You think Candace set this up just because this mortal told you so?”

“Well, it sounds like something she would do,” he mutters, unable to help the emphasis he places on the word. And it isn’t as if he’s wrong, neither of them can disagree. Candace would likely do anything if she thought it’d make a difference to someone. She’s kind like that—thoughtful.

“Maybe,” Dehya agrees, though her eyes glimmer with something knowing, something devious. “If she thinks it’s what’s best for you, or maybe even just as a present. What does it even matter? It seems it worked out in your favor.”

Alhaitham pauses, narrowing his eyes in sudden distrust. “In my favor?”

The grin is now most definitely a smirk, but Dehya continues as if there’s no ill intent behind it. “Did you not fall in love with that mortal at first sight?”

“I—” The words get caught in his throat and he feels his mouth go dry. “I most certainly did not. Besides, I told you he’s not a mortal.”

Dehya scoffs. “Not much a difference between a half-blood and a full mortal, but you can continue pretending there’s a distinction if you wish. You’re only guessing based on his eyes anyway,” she hums softly to herself and picks the poker up again, rustling the hearth until it grows again. She doesn’t turn back, even when she begins speaking again. “I do believe you only pay that much attention to someone when they really catch your eye, hm?”

Alhaitham bites his lip to keep from scoffing himself. “I pay attention to everyone as much as is necessary.”

Dehya’s smirk only grows. “I’m sure paying attention to the open skin on his back was necessary, then.”

He doesn’t bother to respond this time which only prompts another laugh from her throat. “Deny it all you want!” she continues. “It’s not as if it’s uncommon. Gods have flings with mortals all the time—”

“I’m not having a ‘fling’ with him,” Alhaitham mutters, rolling his eyes. With that, he stands, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ll be going now unless you want to discuss something more worth my time.”

Dehya continues snickering, though she lifts a hand to wave him off. “Go have fun with your boyfriend. I’m sure you miss him.”

Alhaitham doesn’t turn back when he walks away.

- - -

“Kaveh.”

The architect looks up, ruby eyes wide for only a moment before he puts a face to the voice. Then his lips curl into a small smile and, from his place beneath that tree at the edge of the clearing, he looks completely ethereal.

“Alhaitham,” he greets in return. “I was wondering when you’d show up again. It’s nice to see you.”

“You wondered about me?” Alhaitham purses his lips, averting his gaze momentarily from Kaveh to the temple. It’s not much further finished, but now the beginnings of each column sit pretty, rising from the marble below. He glances back, eyes narrowed. “You don’t know a thing about me. Why bother to be curious?”

“Why bother to come again and again to watch me build a temple that may take years?” The question comes out more rhetorical than not, but Kaveh laughs at it all the same. “I find interest in you—as you probably find in it.”

Interest. Alhaitham can’t help but sigh. “What is there to find interesting about me? Watching the temple be built is at least thought-provoking.”

“You provoked quite a few thoughts when you just walked off into the woods the other day,” Kaveh replies without hesitation. He has another small bundle of grapes in his lap today and he wastes no time plucking one off the vine and placing it on his tongue. He chews slowly, swallows, then plucks another one and extends it out to him, still smiling. “Will you take one this time?”

“I’m not hungry.”

Kaveh sighs and draws his hand back. “Your loss, I suppose. Do you just live out there, then? As far as I’m concerned, I thought no one did.”

Alhaitham pauses for a moment. He glances slowly back into the forest and then down at Kaveh, but the architect doesn’t follow his gaze. “I suppose you could say that,” he murmurs, kneeling down beside him.

“You suppose,” Kaveh draws out the word, yet he leans into him with a small chuckle. He pokes a finger into his chest, staring at him like he’s a puzzle that needs solving. “See? That’s interesting! You can’t just give me a straight answer, hm? You’re so strange.”

Alhaitham stares down at his hand, down at where his finger is still poking into him, and he swallows hard. “There isn’t a straight answer to give,” he answers, trying hard to keep his voice from shaking.

Kaveh pulls his hand away, thankfully, but he frowns, seemingly less than satisfied with the answer. “Fine,” he huffs. “Be that way, but as far as I’m concerned, everyone around here lives back in Athens. Or close around it. Not out there in the woods.”

“Well,” Alhaitham starts, suddenly unsure. It isn’t as if he can tell him. Answers must be vague and avoid giving away anything of notice and—he stops his train of thought just as quickly. Why would he need to give an answer at all?

He purses his lips, considering it over in his mind, and finally, he settles on a small smirk, not dissimilar to those Dehya might give him. “Why should I have to explain myself to you?”

Kaveh gapes at him for a moment, ruby eyes wide. “B-Because!” he sputters for a moment, unable to come up with a coherent sentence. It’s cute how he’s caught off guard. Undeniably so. “Why shouldn’t you? You’re just some guy who shows up around noon and stares at us the entire time! F-For all I know, you could be looking to murder us!”

“I have no desire to murder any of you,” Alhaitham says, his deadpan tone a complete contrast to the architect’s sporadic speech. “If I did, this is neither the time nor place to do it.”

Kaveh blinks, eyes somehow going even wider when he opens them again. “You…” he trails off, turning his head back down to stare at his food. He pokes at the grapes, rolls one between his fingers. “You’re far too difficult to read.”

“I think I’m quite simple actually.”

He laughs at that, raising his head once more and grinning. “Oh yeah? You’re so simple and yet you won’t tell me where you’re from or why you’re here or anything of the sort!”

Alhaitham hums in response, glancing back up at the clouds. He folds his hands over in his lap, pressing his thumbs together. “I’m just here to observe. Didn’t I say that?”

“That’s too vague,” comes the immediate complaint.

“You didn’t ask for it not to be vague,” comes the retort.

Kaveh groans in response. He picks up a slice of his bread, angrily chews it down, and then follows up with the rest of his grapes before he crumples up the cloth he placed them on into a ball. He keeps it pressed close together in his hands, fingers digging into the fabric. “I expected you to at least answer some of my questions.”

“What do you want answered?” Alhaitham turns his gaze back, though he doesn’t move his head.

Kaveh pauses for a moment, just humming in response. Overhead, the birds chirp, the breeze rustles their clothes and their hair, and the faint note he elicits fades away in the wind. “Why do you keep coming back? You don’t actually seem interested in the temple.”

Alhaitham holds his breath. No, of course, he’s not interested in the temple. Devoted to him or not, it’s just something Candace thought would appease him and he really could care less. He got his answer—realistically, he could simply leave now. But no, there was the matter of this stubborn little architect and his golden hair and bright ruby eyes and that smile that burned its way into his retinas and wouldn’t leave.

He lets the breath go. “Can’t I just wish to see it completed?”

Kaveh chuckles for a moment, though it’s clear he doesn’t mean it. He cuts it off with an eye roll. “Haha, no. I won’t take that for an answer. I’m not stupid, Alhaitham, even if you may think I am.”

“I don’t think you are.”

The surprise is evident on Kaveh’s face. It’s evident in the way his eyes widen again, his mouth drops open just for a second, and then his lips curl up into the quiet, subtle signs of a smile. But it’s gone just as quickly and he huffs to disguise it. “Of course not. You’re smart enough to know better, yes? Athens wouldn’t just hire some stupid nobody to build them this.”

“Of course not,” Alhaitham agrees. “I trust you have grand plans for it.”

“W-Well, I wish I could, but…” Kaveh sighs, rolling his eyes. “Whatever. You didn’t answer my question.”

“It was easier to sidetrack you.” The admission comes easy and Kaveh just huffs again.

He strengthens his grip on the cloth, cheeks puffing out ever so slightly, and he turns his head away rather dramatically. It’s cute, keeps Alhaitham’s gaze glued to him, and he can’t help the faint curl of his lips into a smile, but it isn’t as if he can say the reason he came back at all this time was him.

“I just want to see it finished,” he says instead. “How long do you think it’ll take?”

Kaveh sighs, glancing back only to glare at him. “Well, it just depends on circumstance, I suppose,” he says, letting the fabric fall back into his lap. He touches the tips of his fingers together, fiddling with them as he continues speaking. “Some of these things take years to build. Like hundreds of them. This one is smaller though, and I’m sure the city wants it completed quickly so we can move on, so perhaps… another year or so? Depends on the weather, how fast we can cut stone, y’know how it goes. Oh, and transport is a big part of it.”

Alhaitham stares, enamored, as he talks. There’s something about the way Kaveh does it—something in how he raises his hands to emphasize his points, in how he occasionally slips a piece of loose hair behind his ear, but it’s mostly the way his eyes shine, the way he smiles into it. The passion practically drips from him; it’s a river overflowing.

“I suppose you should get back to it, hm?” he nearly whispers, almost against his own will. He doesn’t want to see the architect leave, but it’s a bit past noon by now and already, if he averts his gaze back to the temple, he can see the other members of the build team moving about, returning to their jobs.

“Oh,” Kaveh frowns, following his gaze. He sighs, rising to his feet and stretching out his arms in front of him. His fingers crack in a series of quick pops, then he glances back down at Alhaitham, offering him a hand up. “Will you come back next lunch break too?”

Alhaitham takes his outstretched hand, pulling himself up and then letting go of his hand as fast as possible. He hopes he didn’t feel the way his heart beats fast through it. “I’ll probably forget,” he confesses, not exactly a lie. Keeping track of the days is complicated for immortals.

“Hm, well, next time you show up, can you be a little less secretive?” Kaveh places his hand on his hip, lifting the other in the air as if for emphasis. “It’s a bit tiring to not get a straight answer.”

“How about you just tell me about yourself then?” Alhaitham asks. When it’s met with a brief silence, he adds. “Next time, I mean.”

Kaveh just stares, tilting his head to one side as if curious. Then his lips curve into another smile and he takes a quick step back only to laugh at him. “Fine then! If you so insist,” he says, turning away. He makes it a few yards toward the temple before he turns his head over his shoulder and waves his hand back at him. “Next time, then!”

And Alhaitham would be a liar if he said he paid more attention to that smile or his wave than he did the small movement of his shoulder blades through that gap in his shirt, but he raises his own hand to wave back slowly all the same.

“Next time then…”

Though his voice is lost to the zephyrs and Kaveh doesn’t seem to notice he said anything at all, for he turns his head back once more and eagerly returns to work. Alhaitham follows suit, retreating back into the comfort of the trees only enough to give space to comfortably disappear from view, returning to Olympus.

- - -

The stars glimmer overhead the next time he makes an appearance. By the temple, the soft light of torches paints the grass and marble into a golden hue, illuminating the night if only a small bit.

Alhaitham slowly makes his way forward, grass crunching underfoot as he approaches the temple. Despite its unfinished state, the steps loom overhead. They cast dark shadows down on him and he carefully reaches a hand out to slide over the smooth stone only to draw it back sharply. It’s grown cold in the absence of the sun, chilling to the touch.

He passes to the front, blinking his eyes a few times to adjust to the torchlight. Most of the construction site sits as it would during the day, tools simply abandoned as they were and blocks of marble left to be moved the next day. Everything feels ethereal in the gentle glow of the fire and the moon, and it should be unnervingly quiet.

Should be, except it isn’t.

One glance up the huge steps of the temple confirms Alhaitham’s suspicions. On the highest step, Kaveh is laid out with his arms underneath his head, fallen fast asleep over various papers. A feather pen is still grasped in one of his hands, held firm between fingers. A light breeze blows through the clearing and he shivers, goosebumps apparent on his skin, though he doesn’t stir.

Alhaitham sighs and begins his climb up the stairs. When he gets to the top, he kneels beside him and gives the architect a soft shake. “Kaveh,” he murmurs, shaking him again when he still doesn’t respond. “You’re going to freeze to death.”

Kaveh hums softly in his sleep, shifts over about an inch, and then settles again. It draws a long, exasperated sigh from Alhaitham’s lips. Without hesitation, he lowers his hand down in front of Kaveh’s face and snaps his fingers.

He jolts immediately, red eyes flying open, and he shifts backward along the steps, pulling some of the papers along with him. Alhaitham stills, lifting his hands in the air to feign innocence while Kaveh calms down, erratic breathing slowing back to a gentle rhythm.

“You—” Kaveh bites down on his lip, narrowing his eyes with what appears to be distrust. “It’s been a whole week and you only show up now? In the middle of the night? What kind of stalker shit is that?”

“It’s called looking out for you,” Alhaitham mutters in response. He takes a step forward, hands fumbling to slip his jacket off his shoulder, and extends it out to him as an offering. “Here, before you catch a cold.”

For a moment, Kaveh just stares—he stares first at the jacket, then his gaze raises up to Alhaitham himself and he lets out a soft huff. “Only because I’m freezing,” he says, barely above a whisper, and with that, he takes it from Alhaitham’s hands and wraps it around his shoulders, pulling it close.

“You should go home,” Alhaitham replies. He bends down to gather up the papers Kaveh had been laying on, mostly blueprints and instructions, then holds them out to him. “How’d you even end up staying here this late?”

Kaveh takes them, holds them close to his chest, and sighs. “I was just drawing. The outside of a temple is easy. The inside is harder. You have to design the statues and it all has to be perfect since it’s a place of worship and… ugh. Then there’s the matter of putting intricate designs on every surface imaginable. Usually, it’s more simple than this, I feel. Usually, we know what Gods we’re building for, but ugh. I don’t want to speak ill of any God, much less the patron of our city, but really? Build a temple for some God I don’t even know the name of at her request. What fun.”

“Wearing yourself out to the point of passing out on the steps isn’t going to make it in any way better,” Alhaitham says, though he can’t help the small smile that makes its way on his lips. Because he’s so close—so close, yet so far, and Alhaitham wishes he could tell him he did know the name of that God, but he’ll refrain.

What the architect doesn’t know won’t hurt him, after all.

Kaveh just huffs in response, turning away and taking careful steps down the marble. Alhaitham follows close behind, trailing after to ensure he makes it down safely, which he thankfully does. At the bottom, the blond turns back to him, narrowed eyes drilling into the God. “You should be more concerned with your own well-being. What are you doing out here this late?”

“I forgot to visit earlier,” Alhaitham replies simply.

Kaveh rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, sure,” he mutters, waving his hand dismissively. “You’d better not mess with anything once I leave! I’ll—” He cuts himself off with a yawn, pulling his hand back to cover it. “I’ll come after you if you do. I have your coat for leverage now.”

As if to remind him, he pulls it closer around his shoulders with his free hand. It only really succeeds in making Alhaitham smile again, his heart fluttering softly in his chest. It’s only now he’ll admit, seeing this pretty little thing wrapped in his colors and his scent, that perhaps Dehya was right. Perhaps he has fallen terribly smitten.

“Take it,” he whispers back, because what else is there to say? Kaveh could have whatever he wished of him. He’d give it freely. “You’ll no doubt return it the next time I visit, but you need it more than I right now.”

“Visit during the day next time,” Kaveh retorts, though despite the tone he uses, he does indeed smile back. “Unless you like freezing.”

“Perhaps I’ll just build us a fire,” Alhaitham offers instead, and Kaveh perks at the thought, though just a bit. “You wouldn’t have to leave your beloved building then. We could even stargaze if you’d like.”

Kaveh chuckles softly, turning his head back away shyly. “I don’t even know you. How come you’re so nice to me?”

“I’d like you to know me, as I’d like to know you.” It’s silly how easily the truth spills out when there’s no common sense to stop it. Alhaitham nearly grimaces after it’s said, forming one hand into a fist and digging his nails into his palm to stop it.

Kaveh doesn’t turn back. He pulls his papers a bit closer to his chest, breathing out slowly, then stretches his limbs to recompose himself. “I should be going. It’s late.”

“Yes, get back home safe,” Alhaitham nods even in spite of him not looking. “I can walk you all the way there if you need.”

“No, that’s—” Kaveh’s response comes instantly, without hesitation. It makes his heart sink a bit in his chest. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for everything tonight, but I can at least do this.”

Alhaitham takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Okay, I’ll trust you to it, Kaveh. Take your brave exeunt and I’ll look forward to your next appearance.”

It gets a chuckle out of him at the least. “Goodbye, Alhaitham.”

He truly doesn’t look back. Not even once. But Alhaitham stays until he’s passed out of view, beyond the gravel path leading back to Athens. He doesn’t leave the steps of his temple for quite some time, though the cold of the night doesn’t quite affect his skin as it does Kaveh’s and, even if it did, he finds a comfort in the way his heart beats life back into his freezing limbs.

His heart that beats now for this strange architect and him alone.

- - -

It turns into another few weeks before Alhaitham can visit the temple once again. Dehya’s business becomes his business and, with the coming of Autumn, the rest of the Olympians are planning another festival. Another feast which, unfortunately, calls for a great abundance of food and fire and fun.

Or, to put it simply as Alhaitham likes, it calls for a great abundance of work. Work that pains his heart the longer it keeps him from blond hair and ruby eyes.

When he does finally return, every column is finished. There must be at least a dozen of them, grand spirals rising from white marble and pointing into the sky as if to defy it (he wonders for a moment if Zeus would appreciate thinking about it that way). However, the roof is still missing and the interior is noticeably empty. It still stands far from complete.

The most unfortunate thing, perhaps, isn’t the fact that it’s still a work in progress, however. It’s the lack of mortals surrounding the building to indicate it’s still being worked on.

Alhaitham slowly approaches as he did on that night weeks before, running a hand along the side of the marble again. At midday, it’s soothing to touch. Or certainly more so than it was at midnight.

Once he gets to the front, he peeks up the steps again, but there’s no Kaveh. He peers around the workplaces, long abandoned, and there’s no Kaveh. It makes his heart sink into his chest, utterly dejected.

As a last effort to possibly see the architect, Alhaitham ascends the steps of the temple. When he gets to the top, he peers out over the glossy marble floor and stares around at each column, but there’s nothing. Making his way into the middle of what will be his temple proves no different. The sun beats down on him and there is no red and gold to make it all worth it.

In the midst of it all, he stands still for what must be several minutes. He’s vaguely aware of the feeling of his heart pounding in his chest, each beat a bit sore at the prospect of not seeing Kaveh, but it’s more than that. In the midst of this temple dedicated to him, the marble is smooth and flawless, the columns stretch high and mighty, and the openness promises greatness to come.

And he thinks he sees it as Kaveh does if only for a moment.

In this, there is no true God. It’s a blank slate, easily filled in by whoever the designer chooses, and there is nothing unique in it all. Kaveh may not feel like he knows the God this is for, and the futility of this only proves it is true.

The resounding silence weighs heavy on the air.

“Alhaitham?”

And it’s ruined, of course. The illusion shatters as Alhaitham turns, teal eyes a bit wide as they make contact with ruby red. They don’t move for what feels like several minutes but must only be seconds. They simply stare, time lost to them.

“You’re still wearing my coat,” he says quietly.

Kaveh tenses as if he hadn’t noticed, though his hands go up to cling to the collar, firmly wrapping his fingers around it. Keeping it close. “You didn’t come to get it back.”

“I’m sorry. I was busy.” He doesn’t quite know why he bothers to apologize, but Kaveh seems to share his similar sentiment. That, without him there, it all seemed a bit more dull.

Or perhaps it’s just wishful thinking.

“I’ve worn it here every day hoping you’d show up to take it back,” Kaveh mutters, slipping it slowly off. He crosses the distance between them, holding it back out for him to take. “Do you know how difficult that is to do? It’s hot during the day and I kept doing it even after you didn’t show up for Gods know how long. Do you just like messing with me? Is that it?”

Alhaitham lets out a shaky sigh. “That’s far from it,” he murmurs, taking the coat back. He slips it back over one arm and his heart flips at the realization. It smells faintly of Kaveh.

The architect only huffs in response. “What is it then? A-And why are you even in here? I thought you just liked to linger in the woods.”

“You weren’t there,” he replies simply. “And not down there either. I thought maybe… you’d be up here, but I guess you were on break, hm?”

“Where else would I have been?” Kaveh asks though it turns into an exasperated sigh. “Ugh, you know I almost considered staying late a few nights. I thought you might actually be serious about stargazing.”

“Maybe when the temple’s done,” Alhaitham suggests.

It has Kaveh tilt his head to the side, eyes narrowing as his brows furrow with confusion. “I— I can’t read you for even a moment. I can’t tell whether you’re serious or not.”

“I’m being serious,” he says, and it forces Kaveh to take a step back, placing a hand over his chest. “Why wouldn’t I be serious?”

“You only seem like you like to mess with me,” the architect murmurs, turning away with his arms crossed. “It doesn’t matter anyway. This thing’s far from finished. I don’t know what to do with it. I have to somehow come up with a way to appease this God I know nothing about and have been given no guidance on. That’s so difficult. Even if I had any idea where to start, I’m terrified I’ll mess something up, and then maybe he’ll be pissed off at me and I’ll get cursed for life. It’s so unfair.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it no matter what you do,” Alhaitham offers.

It doesn’t seem to appease Kaveh at all. He just huffs again, stomping one foot on the floor. “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say. Your life isn’t potentially on the line.”

Alhaitham can’t help the brief chuckle it forces from his throat. “Don’t worry, I promise you no one is going to be upset at you for it.” He takes an experimental step closer to Kaveh, then another few when the architect doesn’t back away and continues on until he can place a hand on his shoulder. “If you’re stuck, you can always just base it off of someone you know.”

“What like you?”

The response comes without any hesitation and it has Alhaitham’s breath hitch, caught in his throat. He pulls his hand back, placing it over his chest and scowling when he discovers it’s beating faster than it should be again. “If…” He hates how his voice comes out shaky of all things. “If that’s what you want to do I wouldn’t mind.”

Kaveh turns his head over his shoulder and chuckles softly. “You really wouldn’t? The way I see it, you’re practically built like a God anyway, so they shouldn’t take too much offense.”

“I’m sure they won’t,” he manages to reply, but he’s not sure how he’s even breathing at this point. Everything in his chest flutters uncomfortably—his heart, his lungs, maybe even his nerves. It feels like something might’ve burst, as impossible as he knows that is.

Kaveh spins around, giving him a once over, and then he smiles. It’s wide and it radiates around the empty room, and it makes Alhaitham’s heart truly explode now. “You know what,” he says, practically bouncing in place. “I think I’ve struck inspiration. You really do give me the best of ideas.”

“Hm? I do?” Alhaitham takes a step back, placing a bit more distance between them maybe just to hide his flushing cheeks.

“Yeah,” Kaveh nods, continuing to smile as if he hadn’t even noticed. He takes a step forward to fill the gap, taking Alhaitham’s hands in his and pulling them close to his chest. “I told you that you were interesting—you make me think a bit more than I have to and it strikes inspiration quite easily. That, and—” He lets one hand go to vaguely gesture toward him, then places it right back over his. “You make it quite easy.”

Alhaitham stares—just at their hands and then at Kaveh’s face. His heart hammers in his chest and he hopes, once again, that Kaveh can’t feel it through his wrists. “I make it quite easy?” he repeats, afraid that his voice will fail him if he tries to form his own words.

“Yeah, you’re…” Kaveh frowns, cutting himself off. “I already told you. I’m not turning this into a complimenting session. I have to get back to work a-and…” He turns his head away, letting go of their hands and wiping his own off onto his shirt. “You should leave too. We’ll be busy now that I have an idea.”

Alhaitham keeps his gaze on the backs of his hands, bringing them back close to his own chest and running a palm over the back of his opposite hand. It’s slightly wet, dampened by sweat, and he turns his head to glance up at Kaveh, but he’s already turning away and walking back toward the steps.

“Kaveh—” he calls without even realizing it, eyes widening a bit as he hears it.

The architect turns his head back over his shoulder again and flashes him a small smile. “What is it?”

Alhaitham’s throat goes dry and he swallows down the ball of nervousness that forms in his mouth, griping at the collar of his shirt. “I—” love you, but it feels wrong, so he doesn’t say it at all. “Finish quickly. I look forward to stargazing with you.”

Kaveh chuckles softly. “I’ll finish whenever I feel like it,” he says, turning back and waving a hand over his shoulder dismissively. He disappears over the steps, leaving Alhaitham alone again in this empty temple that means nothing.

He lets out a soft sigh, turning his eyes to gaze back at the columns behind him. They glare down at him and wonder why he can’t just speak words to feelings, but it’s no matter. Perhaps if this temple is nothing of him, it’ll at least be everything of Kaveh.

And that makes it all right.

- - -

‘Whenever I feel like it’ turns out to be a few months at most.

Kaveh’s passion truly is a flame—one shining bright and never extinguished. He places a grand statue in the back that looms over the rest of it and intricate designs adorn each panel of the roof. Literal flames billow up from large hearths set around the temple to keep things warm and well-lit, illuminating the temple’s entirety.

To Alhaitham’s untrained eye, he’d easily say it’s finished. However, when he walks up to Kaveh, standing in front of it with one hand over his chin, eyes narrowed, it’s clear he thinks otherwise.

“It’s beautiful,” he says anyway, mostly to convince the architect himself.

“It’s missing something,” Kaveh replies. He follows it up with an exasperated sigh and a roll of red eyes. “Something, but I don’t know what. How do I fix it when I don’t know what to fix?”

Alhaitham hums, reaching out slowly for Kaveh’s hand. The architect lets him take it without any complaint, his breath hitching when Alhaitham places a soft kiss on his knuckles. “You’ll figure it out,” he murmurs, his breath hot over Kaveh’s skin. “You always figure it out, don’t you? This is no different.”

Kaveh sighs again, drawing his hand back to his chest and turning away, cheeks noticeably flushed. “Yes, though it’s so easy to think back on when I did figure things out when I’m stuck. It almost makes it feel more impossible in the moment… Like I did it before so why can’t I just do it now, too?”

“Believe in yourself,” Alhaitham murmurs. “You’ve done great things; you will continue to do great things.”

“I’m sure,” Kaveh says dryly. He glares back up at the temple, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s just so bland. I don’t think it stands out at all.”

Alhaitham follows his gaze, tilting his head to one side and trying hard to see what he sees. Truthfully, he just sees the work that’s been put into it. Each carving must’ve taken a tremendous amount of effort, each column itself took the strength of many men to move, and putting it all together like this… It’s nothing short of amazing. He may not understand any of the artistry, but he can understand the work they’ve put into it and he admires it.

If it’s bland, it doesn’t reach his eye, but he glances back to Kaveh and there’s something sad, something that demands more of what he’s done already, and he sighs. “Well, just add another color then.”

Kaveh blinks a few times, turning his head sharply as if he’d startled him. “Another color?”

“It’s all marble,” Alhaitham continues. “Add something else. Gold, bronze, anything really. Won’t another color make it stick out at least a bit more?”

Kaveh goes silent for several minutes, his gaze falling down to the floor. At first, Alhaitham thinks he’s hanging his head, but he watches Kaveh’s fingers twitch, his mouth quietly moves as if he’s talking to himself, and then he turns on his heel and makes his way back to one of the workstations.

He picks up a pen from the table and quickly puts it to the table, glancing up at the temple, and then back down at his papers. And finally, after a few minutes of nonstop scribbling, he turns his head back to Alhaitham with a wide smile on his face. “Have I ever told you that you’re a genius? That’s perfect. I can add gold accents and some bronze here and there and it—well. It barely goes over the budget, but at least it’s perfect.”

“Kaveh,” he murmurs, approaching him slowly. “Don’t go over the budget.”

“But—”

“No, don’t go over.”

Kaveh pouts, dropping the pencil. “But it’ll be pretty so it’s worth it! It’ll be fine, Alhaitham, don’t worry about it—”

“I’m not worried about it,” Alhaitham interrupts. “I’m worried about you. Who has to pay for it if it goes over budget? Certainly not the city.”

“What does it matter if I have to pay for a bit of it?” Kaveh picks up one of the papers, lifting it up to show. “It looks better this way and it’ll look better that way for hundreds of years to come. The art will remain, even if I won’t. If people can look at it and appreciate it for that long, then it doesn’t matter if I spent a small fortune to ensure its beauty.”

“Kaveh,” Alhaitham says quietly. It comes out low, a soft plea, and Kaveh stills immediately, eyes wide. “I don’t know much of anything about art or why you want it to last, but I do know you, at least I want to think I do. I don’t want you to suffer on the behalf of anything, even if I know you care so deeply for it.”

A silence falls over them and Kaveh slowly averts his gaze, staring back at the papers. He sighs, picking up his pen again. “Fine, I can cut some of the gold. Well—a lot of the gold, but it’ll still… look decent with bronze, I suppose. Will that make you worry less?”

“Significantly so.”

The architect’s lips quirk at that. “Good. But if I’m struck down by the Gods for skipping on making this thing perfect, you have only yourself to blame for my misfortune.”

Alhaitham’s heart does a flip in his chest. All this talk about Gods. He wants to grab him by the hips himself, flip him back around to face him, and kiss him breathless. That’ll show him who God is. But Alhaitham bites his lip and refrains.

“They won’t,” he says instead. “I think this one will appreciate you not going broke in his name.”

Kaveh hums in response, though it’s dull and absent as he makes adjustments to his blueprint. “Will he now?” he murmurs, lost in concentration.

“Yes,” Alhaitham dips his head to confirm. “I take it that it’s now my turn to leave? I’ve given you your inspiration for the day and you never seem to want much more of me.”

Kaveh’s eyes flicker back up and he raises his head, lips pursed. “You can stay as long as you want, but I’m afraid I might not be a very good conversationalist. Thank you for the inspiration, though. Next time it should be finished for sure.”

“For sure,” Alhaitham repeats. He smiles, mostly in the hope that Kaveh will return the expression. “Then perhaps I can come back at sunset and we can finally have our stargazing session right after you walk me through it all.”

Kaveh laughs at him, soft and pleasant, then his lips curl into a smile of his own. It makes Alhaitham’s heart flip in his chest and it warms him from the inside out. “I’ll finish quickly then.”

“Finish whenever you feel like it,” Alhaitham replies, and this time it’s him who walks away. This time it’s him who disappears into the trees and continues on until he knows Kaveh cannot see him, even though he knows he can feel ruby eyes on him until he does.

It makes him ache a bit, to deny himself the right to stay at his side, but he figures he should let his genius architect finish. After all, the sooner he does, the sooner their promised date comes.

- - -

The sunset is breathtaking.

It shines in light pinks, brilliant oranges, and mute purples, streaming across the sky to replace its usual blue hue. It casts a warm feeling down onto the temple, emphasizing the gold and bronze now painted over the surface of columns and intricately carved designs.

But, of course, Alhaitham isn’t looking at the temple. He could care less for its intricacies, could care less for each individual aspect that makes it draw the eye. No, his eye is drawn by something else.

For when Kaveh is standing there, beaming up at his creation like it’s everything in the entire world, it’s hard not to stare. Kaveh’s world may be reduced to the temple at this moment, but for Alhaitham, Kaveh is the only thing in his.

He seems to notice after a while and he turns, tilting his head to the side as his red eyes narrow. “You’re not looking at the temple.”

“No,” Alhaitham agrees. He takes a careful step closer, cupping Kaveh’s face, and his own breath hitches when he leans into the touch. “I’m looking at you.”

Kaveh lets out a soft sigh and his eyes flutter shut, one hand rising to place over Alhaitham’s. “Are you going to finally tell me?”

His heart might as well stop in his chest. Alhaitham lets out a shaky breath, forming his opposite hand into a fist and letting his nails dig into his palm. Anything to get out the rush of anxiety that gave him. Quietly, he takes in another breath, lets it out slowly, and utters the words, “I love you.”

Kaveh’s eyes fly open and his mouth hangs open wide, surprise written all over his features. “You—” he sputters, taking a step back. “You what?”

Alhaitham furrows his brow, pulling his hand back and placing it over his chest as if to calm it. It’s beating too fast, now suddenly fearful. “Wasn’t that what you expected me to say?”

“What?” Kaveh pauses, then another wave of surprise washes over him. “I— I thought you were finally going to tell me you’re the God I’ve been building this temple for! I didn’t…” He trails off, biting his lip and turning his head away. “You mean it…?”

“Of course, I mean it,” Alhaitham lets out a shaky breath, relief passing through him. He takes another step closer, shortening the distance Kaveh had placed between them, and reaches for his hand again, waiting just before his for the architect to reaffirm it’s okay.

Kaveh takes his without a second thought, pulling it to his chest. “I mean, I’m glad. I— I’m sorry. That must’ve sounded really bad at first. I like you too; I just didn’t expect that of all things.”

Alhaitham chuckles, basking in the newfound happiness it gives him. “If it makes you feel better,” he offers, just to make Kaveh tense. “You were also right about me being a God.”

And tense he does, eyes going wide yet again. With a huff, he throws down his hand, crosses his arms, and turns away. “You just have to be secretive about everything, huh? Leave it until now just to mess with me? You’re so… Gods, you’re so infuriating sometimes!”

Alhaitham can’t help but laugh again, placing both his hands on Kaveh’s hips and pulling him back to hug him close. He puts his chin on the architect’s shoulder, leaning in to press a careful, experimental kiss to his shoulder. “But you said you liked me too, hm?”

It makes Kaveh shudder, forcing him still, though he still huffs again. “I do. That doesn’t make you any less annoying.”

“No,” he agrees, pulling back. “But would you still turn back around and let me kiss you properly if I asked?”

There’s no hesitation, and it forces a smile to Alhaitham’s face when he can finally cup Kaveh’s with both hands, pulling his lips towards his and sealing them together. The kiss is soft, chaste, and they end it after only a few seconds, but it leaves two hearts beating in rhythm with the other’s.

Kaveh places one hand over one of Alhaitham’s again, allowing his other to grab at the fabric at his collar and pull him close again. “What am I supposed to do with you now…?” he murmurs, eyes half-lidded. He doesn’t look at him, instead glancing toward the temple again. “Will you still come find me for the next project? I only ever see you here. It’d be so cruel to leave me once it’s finished.”

“I’d follow you anywhere,” Alhaitham murmurs. He turns his hand to take Kaveh’s, pulling it toward his mouth to place a gentle kiss on his knuckles. “Believe me, where you go, I’ll follow.”

Kaveh’s eyes flutter shut again and he hums quietly to himself. “Promise me.”

“Promise you?” Alhaitham repeats. He lets go of his hand, instead pushing a few stray hairs out of Kaveh’s face, and then the idea comes easy. “I’ll do more than promise you.”

The feather he summons is a mixture of blues and turquoise, glinting with gold. He places it behind Kaveh’s ear, poking the end of it into his braid to keep it safely attached.

“A symbol of me to take with you everywhere,” he says, and Kaveh opens his eyes, touching his fingers over the side as if in awe.

After the amazement passes, he laughs and flings himself into Alhaitham’s arms, wrapping his own around his shoulder and hugging them close. He presses his head to his neck, still giggling all the way. “For someone who doesn’t like art, you sure can be a romantic when you feel like it.”

“Only for you,” he whispers.

Kaveh pulls away, still smiling. “Only for me,” he affirms, giving it a nod as if to approve. “Now come on,” he says, taking Alhaitham’s hand back into his. “You promised me to go stargazing once the temple is done and now I’m insistent on taking my prize.”

Alhaitham’s heart swells. “Lead the way then. We can go every night if it makes you happy.”

Kaveh beams at him, the happiness practically radiating off of him. “Gods, I love you,” he murmurs, and then he’s dragging him away into the night.

And the stars are the second prettiest thing Alhaitham has seen all evening.