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The Scribe and the famous architect weren't soulmates.
Everyone in Sumeru City knew that the shape traced over Kaveh's wrist wasn't Alhaitham's, and that the Scribe's high collar hid a stranger's mark.
No-one had ever seen them, the real soulmates' marks on their bodies, always so carefully concealed. But it didn't take a master scholar to understand that they weren't meant to be.
Always fighting, always teasing each others, ready to make a scene at any moment.
How could they be tied by destiny?
Which red string would have connected their hands, lovingly, when all they were capable to do was arguing?
Flying plates, broken furniture, stolen wine, ever-growing tabs, stolen keys, rejected funding requests.
No-one in Sumeru City knew why the Scribe and the famous architect were dating.
As impossible as it might sound, it was evident that they were together.
A fight at Lambad's during a dinner date, a crate of wine bought as an apology, a generous funding requests approved at the end of every month.
The sheer force of a will based relationship kept their string tied.
Although it wasn't red.
****
The light squeaking of the front door cracking open caught Alhaitham's attention.
He lifted his eyes from the book on his lap and watched as Kaveh made his way to the living room and the couch he was laying on.
"You're late".
Kaveh didn't respond.
He just kneeled beside him, resting his upper body on the Scribe's abdomen.
A purr-like sound escaped his throat when Alhaitham's hand started gently scratching his head.
"Though day?".
"Mh".
"Do you want to take a bath?".
"No-", a moment of hesitation, "I... I have to tell you something, Haitham".
At that, the other frowned.
He couldn't se Kaveh's face, hidden as it was against his chest, but his quivering voice was quite worrying.
"What happened?".
"I... I met someone".
Silence.
"And?".
The architect's shoulder tensed.
"Keveh, for Archons' sake, speak. Your tongue never fails you when arguing over the tiniest of our problems, so speak now".
"Haitham-"
"Kaveh"
And then the blonde lifted his head and his face was red, eyes filled with an emotion Alhaitham couldn't decipher.
It was raw and primordial, hurt and excited, too intense to handle.
"I met them"
Alhaitham's stomach twisted violently.
A small "oh" and every bit of his feared speaking prowess evaporated in an istant.
Them. Kaveh met them.
His soulmate.
His Kaveh's soulmate.
It was bound to happen. He knew it.
They both knew it.
That was a silly little game, being together. Seeking each other's hands, lips and smiles; all fabricated illusions of love, created out of thin air and fragile like spiderweb strands.
They had agreed ad waved a rope of their own. A thick one, tied firmly to their hands.
It was resistant, unnerving and beautiful at the same time.
It was alla they had and all they desired.
But it was not red.
Despite all the murmurs and whispers of the people, they, as prideful as ever, persisted; and if those arrogant scholars and ignorant citizens wanted to believe their relationship to be short lived since "it's not conventional", well, let them be.
Say what you want. See only your own, artificial truth.
Afterall, blind eyes can only trust their easily deceivable mind.
What happened behind closed doors was not their concern anyway.
They were perfectly fine like that.
But a soulmate is on a whole different level.
A soulmate is concrete danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Alhaitham's eyes darted up, meeting Kaveh's anxious ones.
"And-", he cleared his voice, "what do you intend to do about it?"
He tried calming his trembling hands.
What if Kaveh had chosen them? What then?
He would've been alone. Again.
His peaceful, cushy house all to himself. Empty.
No papers scattered around, no empty mugs left on the table, no screaming, no whining. No laughing, no cuddling, no kissing.
No coming back to a warm, soft body embracing you and saying he's missed you.
Ah, Kaveh had really rubbed off on him, hadn't he?
He loved his peaceful life, his routine, his stable job, the quality time he spent reading, working out or tinkering with crystals and light reflection.
His life was perfectly organised. Pleasantly monotonous.
But then he did that one thing that changed it all.
Why did he offer to share his place with Kaveh? Why risking compromising his precious routine for a broke senior with a bad attitude and an ego that matched his own?
Maybe he secretly strived for change while not wanting to do it himself.
Maybe the past admiration for the famous Kshahrewar senior hadn't completely faded away.
Maybe it wasn't important to understand why.
Focus. Focus!
Kaveh wants to go away. I can't let him go.
I can't-
"Haitham!", Kaveh's sudden exclamation quieted down his racing mind.
They locked eyes and Alhaitham frowned at the other's soft gasp.
"Wha-"
Kaveh suddenly held his hands, gently caressing them.
"Your hands are trembling", he murmured.
Alhaitham chastised himself mentally.
Fool. I'm such a fool.
I let him see to much.
"No, they are not", he said evenly.
"And your eyes are red, like you're about to cry".
"The light is making you see things there are not here".
Control your emotions. They'll hurt him. They'll expose you.
Kaveh huffed.
"Haitham", and it came out softer than ever.
"Haitham, are you afraid I would abandon you?"
Alhaitham blinked once, twice.
Then, he spoke very slowly, his frown deepening with each word.
"I'd understand it if you did".
Kaveh's eyes widened.
"You-!"
"Rationally speaking, we are talking about your soulmate, your perfect partner, destined to you by the Archons themselves.
You would undoubtedly be much happier with them, it's scientifically proved.
We knew it was a possibility when we agreed to...go out.
And I- I too would eventually find mine", and he scratched his neck unconsciously as he delivered the last sentence.
"Stop it"
Alhaitham jumped slightly at the harsh tone.
As Kaveh placed the other's hand on his own marked wrist, his irises were burning flames.
"I am yours", he declared, pressing Alhaitham's fingers against his mismatched mark.
"And you-", he covered the Scribe's neck with his warm palm, right on the figure staining his immaculate skin.
He glared at it with tremendous hatred.
"You are mine".
"I don't care about my soulmate, I don't care about yours. This mark here? I don't want it.
My perfect match? I don't want it either. I want my arrogant, cocky, beautiful, absolutely genial, unnerving, cute Haitham. Nothing more, nothing less.
And you're lucky I know you so well; hearing your previous words, someone else would have accused you of not caring at all", he concluded with a smirk.
Alhaitham rolled his eyes, hiding a smile behind a hand. Kaveh chuckled.
"On e more serious note, Haitham, remember, I'll be yours as long as you'll want me".
Their foreheads touched, fingers intertwined.
"Yeah", the Scribe whispered, "understood".
Nodding approvingly, Kaveh leaned forward and placed a kiss on Alhaitham's mark. Then he nibbled at the sensitive skin and bit down hard.
"Kaveh-!".
As he retreated, the architect smiled proudly, admiring his work.
"There. Now you can't see it that clearly anymore".
Alhaitham scoffed.
"Then give me your wrist".
"Oh ho- Possessive, aren't we?".
"Stop talking and do as I said".
"Ah, always so bossy", he whined, "Bullying your poor, humble senior so cruelly".
"Well then, I guess this junior will just leave now. After all, I am but a feeble scholar, I can't compete with master builder Kaveh from Kshahrewar".
But, as Alhaitham started to get up, Kaveh immediately throwed himself at him.
"Wait- no! Stay here! Haitham-!", he whined, peppering kisses all over the other's face.
"Alright. Unzip your pants".
"Aye sir".
"Dumbass".