Work Text:
Isn’t it kind of terrifying how a person, who was once a stranger, can without warning mean the entire world to you?
Kaveh knows, somewhere deep inside, that he already has all he ever wanted. He has a place to live (even if he technically doesn't own it), a job he enjoys (most of the time) and food on the table (which he cooks most of the time!); all in all, it’s a comfortable life. Yet none of that is what matters most to him, no it’s the one thing he would give up everything for is the thankless roommate he holds in his arms: the insufferable Scribe of the Acadamiya, Alhaitham.
There's no one more annoying than this man. He knows how to turn any words Kaveh says into a teasing remark in a second. His wit was beyond compare, and yet he only uses it for something as petty as getting Kaveh riled up. Alhaitham could have become a great author, a song writer, he could have at least tried something more than a secretary’s job!
But it was all for naught. This man was as uncreative as they came, lacking even the most basic sense of fashion or taste in decor. All he had were creative solutions to problems and some of them were… questionable at best.
These thoughts play in his head as he cradles Alhaitham’s sleeping form a little closer, gentle fingers caressing over his cheek, combing back some strands of grey hair. He feels the soft and soundless breaths on his wrist as he withdraws his hand.
He hopes that they can forever stay like this, the easy and pleasant life, no matter how much teasing it may involve, Kaveh knew that life would remain interesting by Alhaitham’s side, and that is where he planned to stay.
Kaveh bends forward a little, noting that Alhaitham is a bit heavier than last time he rested on top of him, or perhaps Kaveh was just getting exhausted from a long day too. One arm supports Alhaitham’s back and the other snakes its way under his knees, pulling him up into his arms like a bride.
“Mm…” Alhaitham hums, inhaling a little deeper and faster than before, a sign that he was starting to wake up, “Where… are we going?”
He sounded adorable when his voice was laced with sleep, searching between the thirty-some languages he spoke to find the words he was looking for. Kaveh could never hope to answer him if he started to speak some of the dead languages, only the common Teyvat and local Sumerian or Sign Language could he hope to understand and thankfully Alhaitham’s half-asleep speaking was understandable this time.
Kaveh would have answered him, but knows there’s no hope to do so with his hands full. Alhaitham usually takes off his headphones - or rather hearing aids with built in music player - when he wants to nap. Now Kaveh could only answer him in sign language, but it’s difficult to sign and carry someone at the same time.
One of Alhaitham’s hands reach up to his ears, finding it to be bare and lets out a humming sound as he concludes, “Right.”
It’s rare for him to speak without wearing hearing aids, but Kaveh has heard it plenty of times before. He feels honoured that he’s one of the very few people Alhaitham does speak with in this manner, it’s strangely intimate to be allowed to hear the difference in his voice when he can’t hear himself talking.
Alhaitham then looks up at Kaveh, likely aiming to read Kaveh’s lips but he only mouths one word, “Bed,” and nods to the bedroom.
“I just slept,” Alhaitham says.
Kaveh chuckles a little and loves the sight of the small smile that forms on Alhaitham’s lips, knowing that he could feel the vibrations of the laughter and it made him feel at ease too.
He then sets Alhaitham down on the side of the bed, letting him sit up as he stands in front of him, parting his legs as he steps between them. He smirks as he signs to Alhaitham, “I know, you slept on me.”
“Did you mind?” Alhaitham signs back.
“No, but I hope it gave you some energy back.”
“For what?”
Instead of answering it verbally - or whatever the sign language equivalent of that would be - Kaveh pushes Alhaitham down onto the mattress and hovers on top of him, leaning in close to steal a quick kiss before pulling back just enough to mouth, “Take a guess.”
Can't you understand?
Oh, my love
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is right here in my arms