Work Text:
Layla had to get this done tonight. It was the 13th of February, and the stars weren’t being the least bit useful to her at all. All she would ever be blessed with is the page being covered with some extensively researched essay related to the holiday or any aspects of it, which wouldn’t do her much good in terms of trying to be romantic.
Though, Alhaitham is kind of the type to be seduced by someone’s brain and not their heart. Theoretically, she could actually give him a full-fledged essay on Valentine’s Day and he would be absolutely smitten. She knew better than to let Celestia take hold, though. If it’s anything she learned from the research that was apparently done, it’s that her message wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t from the heart. An essay that somehow spawned before her in the middle of the night wasn’t from the heart.
She had no choice but to think. It should be easy, but it was proving to be an awful task for two reasons: one, she was starting to fall asleep on herself, and two, the lack of energy made it almost impossible for her to think straight. Whenever she thought about Alhaitham in this state of mind, her thoughts would wander all over the place as if she were some lovestruck maiden drunk at a bar.
Well, if that’s how she thought about him, then maybe she should let Alhaitham know that, right?
Layla grabbed her quill and started sloppily writing away at the blank piece of paper. She only hoped that the end result would be somewhat coherent and that Alhaitham would interpret her message properly. Alternatively, she could splatter down a paragraph that resembles more of that of a salad recipe.
If that was the end result, then so be it. Alhaitham might find some charm in that. He finds her charming, and she sleeps for 20 hours a day, so it wasn’t a total improbability.
After a few minutes of writing, she no longer had the ability to form a coherent thought, so Layla sat her pen down and slid the card off to the side. She hoped that the cosmos wouldn’t decide to proofread it against her will ruining the intentions of her original message. Exhausted, she laid her head on the table, relieved to have finally finished her surprise for Alhaitham, and didn’t even last five minutes before falling asleep.
“Hm? What's this, might I ask?"
Layla was awoken by the feeling of a large, familiar hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw with her sleepy eyes, Alhaitham looking down at her. His eyes were gentle with a shine of curiosity, as something had piqued his interest.
Then, she remembered. Before passing out at her desk, Layla scribbled down whatever came to mind to give to Alhaitham as a valentine. She hadn’t had a chance to read over what exactly she wrote to him as a precaution in the event of anything too...embarrassing. In a way, she was leaving her fate to the stars after all.
"Uhh...you mean the card?" she asked, sleepily.
Alhaitham nodded his head in response. Layla looked on her desk for it, thinking she had it stashed away from the stars for the night, but it was laying out in the open on the side of her desk. She hoped that the stars didn’t feel like playing a clever trick and decide to warp her thoughts, but she also hoped that it was at least semi coherent and they made some…necessary changes as well.
She grabbed the card and handed it to Alhaitham. No use in attempting to proofread it now.
"Here," she said. "I apologize in advance for what I probably wrote while on the verge of unconsciousness."
Alhaitham took the ink scribbled card and glanced at the pen strokes, as if he were trying to translate its meaning. Then, much to Layla’s dismay, he began reading it aloud.
"Alhaitham chest big. Alhaitham heart bigger. Good man. Quiet. Great naps together. Love that guy."
At least…it wasn’t a soup recipe? Even that would’ve been less embarrassing that whatever that was, though.
Layla's eyes became as wide as they could for someone with her degree of sleep deprivation. Her fears were not helped when Alhaitham smiled ever so slightly while allowing himself a laugh for the first time in a while.
"So uh....happy Valentine’s Day? I think?" Layla said, unsure if she had slept through the night.
"It is indeed, which is why I’m here to see you right now. I wanted to give this to you personally."
Alhaitham handed Layla a beautifully decorated envelope, closed with what she recognized as the seal of Kaveh's construction company.
"Kaveh insisted in contributing to the aesthetics, so I had no choice but to oblige. The words, however, are mine and mine alone."
Layla gently peeled the envelope open, careful as to not ruin Kaveh's design job. Inside was a beautifully decorated card, with drawings and cutouts of various Sumeru flora. It was likely Kaveh’s job as well, seeing how Alhaitham was better with words. She opened up the card and read aloud what he had wrote.
"Like Polaris guiding my way through the night,
“My love for you will always shine bright,
"The Sumeru roses bloom only for you,
"Through winter and summer, they forever grew.”
Now Layla sort of felt bad. Alhaitham worked with Kaveh to create her a beautiful work of art, and all she had to show in return was some sleepy drabbles? Maybe she should’ve sought out the assistance of the stars to make something at least somewhat sensible.
“You wrote this yourself, didn’t you?” Alhaitham said, still looking at Layla’s card.
“I…think so…”
“I can tell. This is exactly what’s on your mind, isn’t it? Not the ‘stars’ speaking for you?”
“Uhh…”
“You look as if you have seen a ghost. There is no reason for such fear to be struck into your heart, as I find your truth thoughts quite endearing.”
Her…true thoughts? Layla was too tired for this. She was always too tired for this. She continued staring at Alhaitham as if she were caught red handed.
“I’m so used to reading your thoroughly edited works that it’s refreshing to have a glimpse into your own thoughts. Its quite adorable.”
Layla was at a complete loss for words. She pulled her hood down over her face as far as she could in order to avoid eye contact with him. No matter what she did, she could not escape the embarrassment of her sloppily made card and Alhaitham’s unusual fawning over it. Layla shut her eyes tightly to further ignore Alhaitham.
“I look forward to seeing more of your writing like this, dear,” Alhaitham said, gently stroking her on the back. Layla remained unresponsible, with her hood still being held over her head and eyes shut tight. Alhaitham took quick notice of this, and gently lifted up her hood.
“Hmm? Are you perhaps asleep?” he asked.
Alhaitham received no response, confirming his suspicions. He couldn’t be mad, as he expected nothing less, and so he dragged a chair from the other side of the room to sit by her until she woke up, however long until that may be.