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"Kaveh! I'm home!"
Alhaitham's loud voice echoed through his and Kaveh's shared apartment as he threw his keys down on the table.
To his surprise, there was no response.
"Hello?" he called again, expecting some sort of snarky, obnoxious quip in reply.
Silence.
Frowning, Alhaitham marched through the house, searching for his normally talkative roommate.
He wasn't lazing around at his normal spot on the couch, a pile of dirty dishes behind him waiting to be cleaned. He wasn't in the bathroom either, throwing up whatever terrible meal he ate off said dirty dishes. Nor was he slouched over his newest designs at the dining table, those same dishes stacked up (still uncleaned) next to him.
Kaveh really needs to get to those dishes.
Alhaitham was about to give up with a sigh of defeat before hearing a small noise. He turned towards Kaveh's bedroom door, muffled noises coming from inside. He leaned his ear to the door, careful not to make any noise.
*Cough, cough*
Kaveh's pained coughs and hacks were just barely audible through the door.
Hesitantly, Alhaitham reached out to twist the doorknob but paused before entering.
He never went in Kaveh's room. Kaveh never went in his. That was just the way it was. Entering his room would mean crossing unsaid boundaries they've put between them. Entering Kaveh's room was like entering a part of him.
...Or maybe Alhaitham was just overthinking as he always does, and walking away to leave his roommate to die wasn't the best idea in the world.
The door pushed open and he peered into the room, clouded by darkness. Alhaitham was careful as he stepped in, acting the way one might when entering a lion's den. Luckily for him, Kaveh was no lion.
A few more coughs pushed their way out of Kaveh as Alhaitham sat directly next to his sleeping figure on the edge of the bed.
"Kaveh?" he asked softly, both wanting and not wanting to wake the architect from his slumber. Kaveh's brow was furrowed, even as he slept. Without thinking, Alhaitham reached a hand out to brush away a piece of hair that had fallen into his face.
Shit.
Alhaitham froze, his hand still resting in Kaveh's hair. The action felt invasive. Too intimate, like a dirty little secret between the two of them (despite the fact that Kaveh would have no recollection of this when he awoke).
"'Haitham?" a soft voice mumbled, pulling Alhaitham from his trance. "What are you doing?"
Alhaitham realized that his hand was hovering over the spot where he had tucked away the strand of hair. "Ah," he said, clearing his throat. "I was checking your temperature, obviously." It was not, in fact, obvious, but it was better than the truth.
He felt a rush of heat as he pressed his palm to Kaveh's forehead. "Kaveh, you're practically burning," he exclaimed, keeping his voice stern to suppress the shock.
Despite his sleepy state, Kaveh still managed to tease him by saying, "Really? Thanks, you're pretty hot yourself...I suppose."
Alhaitham rolled his eyes, giving a little flick to his forehead. "Shut up. It's a shame to see that your flaming fever has done nothing to subdue your feeble attempts at humor."
"Harsh, coming from a man who has never once smiled at anything other than a book," Kaveh spit out before another fit of coughing overtook him. After he calmed down, he added, "And they're all nonfiction, too."
Alhaitham decided to spare himself the argument and stood from the bed.
"Where are you going?" Kaveh asked quickly. "I was just teasing."
"Don't get worked up, I'm just going to grab some medicine," Alhaitham reassured. He chose to ignore the way his stomach did a small flip at Kaveh's concern.
Alhaitham walked out of his room and into the kitchen. He swiftly shuffled through the cabinets, shoving fruits and spices out of the way in search of a small bottle.
"Aha," he muttered. He grabbed the bottle along with a spoon and headed back to Kaveh's room.
"Took you long enough," Kaveh said as he returned. He was still tucked under the covers of his bed.
Alhaitham inhaled sharply, biting his tongue. He decided to let Kaveh have a pass since he was sick.
He twisted the bottle open and poured the dark purple syrup onto the spoon.
"Do I really have to drink that?" Kaveh asked with a pout. He wrinkled his nose like someone had put a dead fish underneath. "You know I hate Harra fruit."
"Open your mouth," Alhaitham ordered, gripping the spoon and holding it up to Kaveh's mouth.
"Alhaitham," Kaveh gasped, faking shock as he dramatically pressed a hand to his chest. "Surely a fine young man like yourself would have the decency to take me to dinner before asking such crude things."
Alhaitham ignored his comment, rolling his eyes. He was used to this kind of teasing. Kaveh would make a sly remark as quickly as he would snap at him. Alhaitham brushed them off, but he couldn't help the inkling of curiosity that crept into his brain.
"Funny. Now, sit still and open wide. You're fidgeting too much."
Of course, only Alhaitham would have the audacity to criticize Kaveh while quite literally spoon-feeding him.
"Fine," Kaveh grumbled. He reluctantly opened his mouth wide enough for Alhaitham to slot the spoon in.
As soon as he tasted the syrup, he started coughing and tried to push away the spoon with his tongue. Alhaitham kept his grasp strong, reaching for Kaveh's chin and tilting it up with surprising strength for a scribe.
The dark lighting hid Kaveh's blush as he was forced to swallow the medicine by Alhaitham's hand cupping his face.
Once Alhaitham was sure he had drunk it all, he released Kaveh's face and set the spoon aside.
"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" he asked with a smirk.
Kaveh was too preoccupied with running his fingers over the place on his jaw Alhaitham had grasped to reply.
Alhaitham noticed this and frowned, feeling a slight pang of guilt. "Sorry, I didn't mean to grab you that harshly. I should've been more gentle."
Did he like apologizing to Kaveh? No, never. He would never admit defeat to that lazy brat. But Alhaitham has never once wanted to hurt him.
Noticing his staring, Kaveh snapped his head up to look at him. "No, no don't worry about it. I...I didn't mind."
Alhaitham didn't want to think about the possible meaning behind those words so he stood and brushed off his pants (like there was anything there).
"I'll leave you to get some rest."
Before Kaveh could respond, he raced out the door and shut it.
Shit. Why is his heart beating so fast?
❁❁❁❁
Three hours later and Alhaitham is slouching over his copy of The Lay of Al-Ahmar on the couch.
His hearing aids were turned down low, making him unaware of the footsteps approaching behind him. A hand tapped his shoulder and Alhaitham jumped in his seat.
"Alhaitham?" Kaveh asked with a hoarse voice, standing wrapped up in a blanket next to the couch.
Alhaitham quickly adjusted his hearing aids. "Hm? I'm reading, what is it?"
Kaveh rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm so sorry for interrupting you. I swear, it's like you have some sort of book fetish," he grumbled the last part under his breath, the words just barely making it to Alhaitham's ears.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked, glaring.
"Nothing," Kaveh replied quickly. He cleared his throat. "I threw up."
"What?" Alhaitham exclaimed, praying he hadn't heard correctly.
"I threw up. On the bed."
Alhaitham sighed. Of course. This day was just getting better and better, wasn't it?
"I'm sorry, Haitham. I tried to reach the trash, but your cooking is as stubborn as you are and just tumbled right out of me onto the—"
"Spare me the details, please," Alhaitham interrupted, nearly gagging at the thought. "What is it exactly that you want me to do about it?"
With a rather sheepish look on his face, Kaveh said, "Uhh...I was hoping that maybe you could help me clean it?"
"And why should I do that? It's your mess,"
"Please, Alhaitham? I'm sick, remember? You wouldn't force your sick roommate to clean up vomit all alone, would you?" Kaveh begged.
Alhaitham sighed once more. "Fine," Overlooking the gross mental image Kaveh's words created for him, Alhaitham couldn't refuse when he asked so nicely. It tugged at his heart in all the ways that made him weak. "Grab the mop."
Fifteen minutes later, and not a trace of last night's dinner was left in Kaveh's room. The sheets had been replaced and Kaveh had collapsed onto them almost immediately, laying in the same position Alhaitham had left him in earlier. Only small slivers of the red evening sun slipped through the window.
The two hadn't spoken the entire time, with Alhaitham being too focused on cleaning and thinking about a draft for his newest essay that it was almost like Kaveh wasn't there at all.
At least, that's how Kaveh saw it. Yes, Alhaitham was thinking about his essay. It was on a really interesting topic, okay? But Kaveh's presence had never once escaped his mind. It was like there was this huge image of him in Alhaitham's brain that was always in the way of everything else.
Just as Alhaitham was about to close the door and leave Kaveh alone, he felt a tug at his wrist.
"Hm?" he hummed, turning around to face his roommate.
"Stay?" Kaveh asked, tone soft. He had a sad, almost pleading look on his face. A look that spoke volumes. A look that Alhaitham's heart heavy.
Normally, he would've insisted that he had more important things to take care of. But...
"...Yes," he spoke. "Of course."
He was hesitant as he stepped into bed beside Kaveh, but the smile on his face made it worth the embarrassment. As he sat down, Kaveh reached for his arm and yanked him underneath the covers.
"Ever heard that patience is a virtue?" Alhaitham grumbled.
Kaveh scoffed. "My apologies, O Great Scribe. You're slower than a Sumpter Beast,"
"Shut it. I'm doing something nice."
"Come on, you love me." Kaveh teased.
He teased. It was a joke, and yet the words still made Alhaitham's breath hitch as he snuggled further into the warmth of Kaveh's bed.
Kaveh shuffled closer to him, slow and stiff, almost as though he were hoping Alhaitham wouldn't notice the way he leaned his head against the back of his shoulder. Warmth blossomed where their two bodies met. It made him want to feel more of the warmth, made him want to wrap Kaveh in his arms and never let go.
Fuck it. Alhaitham thought. He turned around to face Kaveh and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close to his chest.
He expected the sudden closeness to take Kaveh by surprise, to anger him and push him away. Yet it was Alhaitham who was surprised upon feeling Kaveh's hand brush his waist and hold them there, pressed together.
This was definitely not good for Alhaitham's heart. It was practically pounding its way out of his chest. He wouldn't be surprised if it flew out and into Kaveh's palm.
It made no difference either way. Little did Kaveh know, he already held the beating muscle by its strings.
"Alhaitham?" Kaveh was staring up at him, soft puffs of breath coming from his mouth.
A mouth Alhaitham had dreamt of many times before. A mouth with the most beautiful words and an even more beautiful laugh. A mouth that angered him, a mouth that fought back. Lips, pink and light. Quick. It was not easy to leave Kaveh speechless. Alhaitham wanted to swallow that mouth, to eat it whole.
And it was right there. It was practically screaming, "take me!"
"Alhaitham?" Kaveh asked again. Alhaitham realized he had been staring at his lips this whole time.
"Yes?" he mumbled, almost breathlessly. It was too much. Too much tension, too much quiet.
Kaveh's expression cracked into a grin. "You're staring,"
"Hmm," He hummed as though he hadn't noticed it. "That I am."
"Why is that?"
"I'm not sure," And it was true, he wasn't. Alhaitham wasn't sure why he wasn't running away this minute and apologizing for liking him the way he did, either. He wasn't sure why his fingers were brushing Kaveh's hair behind his ear the same way they were earlier that day.
Most of all, he wasn't sure why Kaveh leaned his head into the touch.
Silence passed between them before Kaveh spoke. "Alhaitham?" he asked for a third time. It was slower. Those lips were closer, their taunting unwavering.
"Kaveh." Alhaitham replied. A name for a name, a confession for a confession.
He leaned in, his mouth finally, finally brushing against Kaveh's own. It was gentle, but not hesitant. When Alhaitham imagined this moment (and yes, he's imagined it many times), he always thought out every little detail. What would it feel like, where would he put his hands?
All those thoughts leave his brain. The feeling of kissing Kaveh washes over him, it fills him. He simply lets himself...be.
Kaveh kisses him with the same craving that burns inside Alhaitham. They pull each other closer, Kaveh's arms around Alhaitham's waist forcing their torsos together. Kaveh groaned as Alhaitham slid his tongue past his lips and whined when he nipped his bottom lip.
The two pulled away gasping and Alhaitham used the moment of separation to flip Kaveh underneath him. Kaveh gasped as a hot tongue licked a stripe up his neck. His hands grasped Alhaitham's hair tightly, more kisses being pressed into his neck.
"Please," he gasped, arching into Alhaitham's mouth on his body.
"Please, what? Tell me what you need, Kaveh," Alhaitham said, his hands beginning to roam Kaveh's hips.
"F-" Kaveh's interrupted by a gasp when Alhaitham squeezes his sides. "Fuck you, you know exactly what I'm asking for."
"Oh? Did you mean something like this?" He rolled his hips against Kaveh's, drawing a low moan from the both of them. The friction, the heat. It's too good.
Kaveh can't help but rock shallowly against the other as Alhaitham plants his kisses further and further down his collarbone.
When his hands fumbled with the hem of Kaveh's shirt, Kaveh exclaimed, "Wait, wait!"
Alhaitham paused immediately, looking up with concern. "Is everything alright?"
Kaveh groaned in annoyance with himself. "Yeah, it's just...I'm still sick, Alhaitham. If you keep touching me like this, my sickness will spread to you too."
"Do you want me to stop?"
"Archons, no. I never want to stop, I want to feel your hands on me for the rest of time,"
Alhaitham was too flustered by the words to reply.
"But," Kaveh continued, "I don't want your misery to be my fault. I don't want you to be miserable at all, actually. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Let's stop, we can finish another time," Alhaitham reassured him. "Besides, you need sleep. You look like you're about to pass out."
"Well, I am pretty sure you just sucked my soul out of my mouth,"
Alhaitham laughed, a true laugh. "Do you expect me to apologize for that?"
"I never said I didn't like it," Kaveh said, smiling up at his roommate.
Alhaitham stood reluctantly, preparing to leave Kaveh to sleep. Just as he was about to shut the door, Kaveh hastily called out to him.
"Wait!"
Alhaitham turned around to see him still laying on the bed and holding the blankets up.
"Join me? I know I just said that we shouldn't fuck because I'm sick, but you can just lie facing away from me," Kaveh spoke with a pleading tone. Then, with a more embarrassed look on his face, he admitted, "Honestly, I just don't want you to leave."
"I thought you'd never ask," Alhaitham replied. "And I'll lie right beside you."
He got back into bed and pulled Kaveh close to him, close enough that their breath mingled and he could feel the heat radiating from the other.
As the two drifted off to sleep, Kaveh whispered to him. He whispered so quietly that Alhaitham would not have heard him if it weren't for the utter silence filling the house, "I love you."
Alhaitham smiled and held him tighter. "I love you too, Kaveh."
❁❁❁❁
Kaveh was the first to wake the next morning. It was rare for him to rise before his roommate, his lover now, he supposed. Though he had a feeling that Alhaitham had slept the best he had last night than he had in months.
When Alhaitham did awake, it was to Kaveh staring at him. His gaze was soft despite his sharp red eyes.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," he spoke.
Alhaitham yawned, bringing a hand up to his face and rubbing his tired eyes. Instead of replying, he leaned in and placed his lips upon Kaveh's.
The kiss was brief, but not rushed. They kissed as though they had all the time in the world, as though the small room that was Kaveh's bedroom was their little world.
When they finally broke, Alhaitham said, "Good morning to you, too."
Kaveh chuckled lightly, reaching up to cup Alhaitham's face with tender hands. "Would the mighty Scribe spare this poor architect another kiss?" he mocked teasingly.
Alhaitham rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to glare. "Hmm," he muttered, pretending to ponder the question, "I'm not sure. What could a poor architect offer me in return?"
"I suppose you'll just have to kiss me again to find out."
"You do realize that you're just asking me to kiss you for free? That's not how an exchange works,"
"Is that a problem, me getting a free kiss?" Kaveh scoffed. "Well then, I guess these lips will have to be saved for another Scribe to feast upon."
As much as Alhaitham hated to admit it, the thought of Kaveh with someone else—let alone another Scribe—struck a nerve. He grabbed the hand that was cupping his cheek and pinned it to the bed, taking Kaveh by surprise.
"You're not still sick, are you?" he questioned, not really caring for an answer.
"Not in the slightest."
Alhaitham leaned down for another kiss, and this time they did not hold back. Soft kisses and rough touches filled their house as the rest of Sumeru slept through the sunrise.
Many more I love you's were exchanged that morning.