Archive of Our Own

In the land of eternal winter, warmth is something that is a must; a warm bed, a fireplace, hot cup of coffee. Kaveh isn’t one who underestimates the weather, he is from a land where rainforests and deserts reside, and changing weathers isn't new to him. But in Snezhnaya, where everywhere you look is a blanket of snow and the sky is covered in gray clouds with no sunlight, he may as well go back home where the warmth of his humble home is cool enough for him to bundle up.

Here, the cold is something you cannot fathom yet it's a known fact that you must be prepared to have your fingertips turn pink and your nose always in a constant state of covered with snowflakes.

Why is he in Snezhnaya anyway? Well… as an architect, there’s a certain charm with how the people of the land of eternal winter design their homes. To accommodate the snow piling on roofs, they prefer to design them as pointed so that the piled up snow can fall naturally. To accommodate the lack of sunlight, their windows are made wide and pristine for natural light to seep through. As an architect, every new thing is something to discover to supply his creative juices.

The day he arrived at Snezhnaya, which was an impromptu trip, a desperate attempt to feel like he had full control of his life, he forgot about his lack of accommodations. He isn’t short on cash, but with inns fully booked with tourists who want to experience snow, he is rendered homeless.

With his hands slowly freezing over, a cup of coffee is a need rather than a want. He spots a small café, walls painted beige, a few tables, and a bar for single customers to enjoy coffee alone. The lights were warm, the walls being adorned with paintings of scenery that Kaveh is familiar with; some are scenes of wide meadowed Mondstadt, others of towering mountains of Liyue. Tables were decorated with small local flowers that Kaveh isn’t familiar with yet. Teal petals with champagne colored veining sit perfectly in the middle of tables, their heads facing the light of the window.

When he enters, he is immediately bombarded with the sweet smell of Sumeru coffee, beans he is well acquainted with; it was the smell of home. The place was warm, welcoming, enough for him to remove his stuffy winter coat.

A voice calls out in Snezhnayan tongue but he thinks that it means welcome.

“Good afternoon.” Kaveh says in Sumerian, and he spots the barista perk up from behind the bar.

Grey hair with teal highlights flew like a wisp of wind, eyes a combination of his highlights and blazing red irises. His shoulders were square–a sign of a respectable upbringing, and his arms were buff and well toned–a sign of hard work.

The barista looked at him with wide eyes that had the reflection of the snow from the streets outside, and a gentle smile adorning his lips. 

“Sumerian?” The barista says, voice low that he could feel it on the soles of his feet.

“Yes. I’m here for… well, we could say for work.” 

“Hmm…” The barista turns to make him a cup of coffee. “Sit. Warm up while you’re here.” 

Kaveh steps towards a bar stool, just right in front of the barista, coat folded at the chair beside him while his bag rests at his feet, as he sits. He rubs his hands together to warm his freezing fingertips while he blows warm air at his palms.

“Rare to have a Sumerian travel here at this time of the year.” The barista makes small talk, his back still turned towards him as he works on his coffee.

“Work at home has been daunting. I can’t find any inspiration there.” Kaveh admits, a sad smile on his face.

“Well, there are definitely beautiful sights here in Snezhnaya, albeit the only thing you see is white and more white, and maybe a little bit of cobblestone.” The barista turns with a fresh cup of coffee, a trail of steam floating towards him. “Here. Sumerian coffee. Just like how I remembered it.” The barista places the cup in front of him as he leans his arms on the bar. Kaveh smiles and the barista reciprocates, soft lips in a thin line while it curves upwards. It may have been noticeable if Kaveh weren’t sitting across from him.

“Been to Sumeru?” Kaveh says as he lets his hand rest on warm porcelain.

“I’m a native.” 

“Oh? Why leave?” 

There was silence, the gust of winter wind clashing with the cafe window. 

“I don’t have any family left in Sumeru. Hence, I left after my grandmother died.”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that.” Kaveh let’s silence fall between them, lets it float, before he continues. “How have you been faring in Snezhnaya since then?”

“Peaceful. Cold, most definitely.” The batista chuckles softly. “Mostly lonely, but customers battle that feeling.” He lists while Kaveh nods as a response.

“It’s good that you’re doing well.”

Silence floats between them again as he takes a sip of the coffee that was between his fingertips. It was just like how he remembers it, much sweeter too. It had a honey aftertaste, just like how he liked it. 

“This is delicious.” Kaveh says, his body warming up from the beverage and the memory of his rainforest home.

“I’m glad. I don’t usually have the chance to do Sumerian coffee. Snezhnayans love their coffee bitter. Makes you think that they derive their personality from the taste of their cuisine.” They laugh together, their breathing lingering between them. It was nice, Kaveh thinks.

“Well, I’m glad that you still remember the taste of your native caffeine.”

“Name’s Alhaitham, by the way. Nice to meet you.” He reaches out a hand and Kaveh smiles as he reciprocates, shaking them together. 

“Nice to meet you too, Alhaitham. I’m Kaveh.” The architect responds as their hands pull away from each other, but there was a lingering tug that Kaveh could feel, a ghost of want for proximity.

“So Kaveh… Where are you staying? If I could remember, inns are fully booked since it’s peak snow season.”

Kaveh laughs awkwardly, his hand scratching his hair in embarrassment. “Yeah so… my trip here was kinda… impromptu, so…” 

“No place to stay?” 

“Nope.” Kaveh smiles awkwardly, his lips popping at the sound of the p , an emphasis. His gaze drops to the cup of coffee in front of him, fingers wrapped on warm porcelain.

“Hhmm… stay here then.” Alhaitham had his arms crossed on his chest, a glint of mirth in his eyes. 

“What? Here?” Kaveh had his brows furrowed, leaning forward in surprise.

“What other choice do you have? Either way, I live on the second floor,” Alhaitham points at the ceiling, “and I need extra hands since there’s an increase of customers.” 

Kaveh thinks about it, Alhaitham looking at him with expectant eyes. He could just go back home to Sumeru, but the travel here was arduous. And it would be a shame to leave when he just arrived. Plus, he came here to find inspiration, and also get away from the stress of work.

“Are you sure?” He had a worried expression, one he hoped that Alhaitham could see. “I might not get to pay for rent–“ 

“That’s no problem. That’s why I suggested that you work here with me in your spare time.” Alhaitham leans one arm on the bar while he leans his head on the other. In this angle, Kaveh sees freckles dotting Alhaitham’s skin, a lone scar just above his left brow that was covered by his hair, and lips chapped from the cold weather. “What do you say?” Alhaitham continued and he had a smile on his face, and warmth courses through Kaveh’s veins, heart speeding.

He doesn’t know if the heat was from the coffee that was slowly cooling his body and the race of his heart was from the caffeine rush, or it was just a reaction from the reverent smile that was beaming towards him. 

Maybe that’s reason enough to stay.

“Alright… I’ll stay.”

Kaveh was only meant to stay for a week, 2 weeks at most, but with the amount of new discoveries during his walks, coupled with the warm presence Alhaitham provides him, he has ended up staying for a month.

It’s been a month, and his days were like this: 

Alhaitham would be up earlier than Kaveh, and when the architect wakes, there’s food waiting on the table. By 7 in the morning the cafe would be open, and both men had aprons adorning their hips.

Kaveh, being the additional staffer, has attracted more customers, either there to converse with him about his work or his time in Sumeru in universal Teyvetan tongue, or to give him heart eyes. Alhaitham admitted that many of the ladies (and some men) would visit the cafe for the barista’s looks, and some of the customers who were there for him had confessed that Kaveh was a great addition to their morning ogling. Kaveh blushed at that fact, more so that Alhaitham was the one who admitted that Kaveh was beautiful in every way, smart and but also a great eye candy. 

When the morning rush passes, Alhaitham would teach Kaveh how to brew Snezhnayan and Natlanese Coffee, and sometimes, Kaveh would teach him terms and jargons of his work. Kaveh was as attentive as Alhaitham when learning; maybe it was a trait of a Sumerian born to be curious on gaining knowledge albeit different from their professions. It felt somewhat familiar to Kaveh, a taste of home that he has always been accustomed to now being reflected in his time in the land blanketed with white snow.

When lunch arrives, Alhaitham would let Kaveh cook Sumerian, Liyuen, and Mondstadtian cuisine for those who ask, while Alhaitham brews and mixes drinks for anyone who orders. When lunch rush passes, they clean the cafe, a familiar silence shared between them. Sometimes, the room is filled with music from Fontaine, but on some days, either Alhaitham or Kaveh would hum a sweet tune. Sometimes, the tune would be familiar, and both men would hum them together, a gentle la la la echoing between them.

When dinner comes, Alhaitham would offer alcoholic drinks for customers who need to relieve their stress, while Kaveh would run around to take orders, chatter with others, and wait tables for most.

It was a nice routine, Kaveh thinks. It was comfortable, something akin to having a home. He felt closer to the land, but he definitely cannot dismiss the fact that when home was mentioned, Alhaitham was the one on his mind.

Was it love? Hmmm… Kaveh doesn’t know. He’s infatuated, that’s for sure. He desired to have Alhaitham’s time to himself, wanted to monopolize his thoughts, and receive any kind of touch the other man could offer. He wants, wants, and wants.

And Kaveh cannot dismiss the fact that Alhaitham has slowly crept into his personal space; standing close, walking shoulder to shoulder, lingering fingertips on his skin. Alhaitham would brush his hair back when Kaveh’s hands were too preoccupied.

Alhaitham would sometimes accompany him on his walks to find inspiration. He would lean towards his space to observe his hands dancing on paper. Alhaitham would caress his nape, warm his fingertips between his own palm, and even place a hand on his thigh during slow nights.

It was grounding, reassuring, that his presence in Alhaitham’s home was wanted, needed , most especially when exhaustion would blanket the barista’s being. In those days, Kaveh would light their fire, brew their coffee, cook their food, draw his bath, and take him to bed.

But this one particular night shifted the tides of their ambiguous relationship, the gravity that they tiptoed and danced over suddenly tilted.

Alhaitham was more exhausted than previous days. An influx of families and evening drunkards was their most prominent customers, and that left him steaming from fatigue. His shoulders were slumped, eyes almost closed, fighting sleep, as he steps to their shared home with dragging feet on wooden flooring.

Kaveh took it upon himself to guide the man through his nightly routine, with the addition of brewing him tea that had relaxing properties. When Kaveh was already tucking the man in his bed, almost about to step out of his bedroom, Alhaitham reaches out to grip the hem of Kaveh’s shirt, stopping him in place. 

“Kaveh…” Alhaitham’s voice was hoarse, quiet even, as he battles against sleep.

“Yeah?” Kaveh whispers as an answer, head turning towards the man on the bed.

“Stay.” The barista says, like a soft melody being sung towards him. 

Kaveh hesitated, his mind thinking of reasons why Alhaitham would say that. He looks at the barista with dumbfounded eyes while the man on the bed has his eyes closed, cheeks flush from the cold. 

“What… do you mean?” He was still hesitant, and there’s a need to reach for the hand that was gripping on his shirt and intertwine it with his.

“Stay here with me.” 

“With… you?” 

Alhaitham opens one eye and chuckles, a gentle smile decorating his lips. “Sleep beside me.” 

Kaveh blushes, but not from the cold. His cheeks paint pink with the sight of Alhaitham blushing with him. His fingertips on Kaveh’s shirt twisting in nervousness. The architect couldn’t help but smile back, his whole body turning towards him. 

“Alright… move over.” And Alhaitham does, scooting to one side as he opens his blanket cocoon to welcome Kaveh under it.

It was warm, much like the first cup of coffee Alhaitham had brewed for him, the one with the honey aftertaste. The barista lies on his side to look at Kaveh, and he feels eyes looking at him. The architect twists his head to gaze back, their eyes meeting in a secret embrace.

“Can I, uhm… cuddle you?” Alhaitham says, small and unsure, as if he thinks that the question was a bad idea. But Kaveh has been wanting this, wanting to embrace him, to touch him, to be closer than a friend. 

“Sure.” He says, no hesitation in his voice.

Kaveh immediately takes Alhaitham’s figure and wraps an arm around him, pulling him close. He reciprocates, snaking his arms around Kaveh’s slim waist and burying his head on his chest. Kaveh wishes that Alhaitham doesn’t hear the roaring of his chest; the drumroll toiling in his heart was so loud that it rings in his ear. 

“Warm.” Alhaitham tightens his embrace as he whispers on his chest. “Feels nice.”

There was a familiar silence in the air, and Kaveh thinks that Alhaitham must have fallen asleep. But the man flushed against his body shifts, his head resurfacing to look at Kaveh, the cloud covered moonlight reflecting beautifully on teal and ember red irises. 

“You know… I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now.” He says with honesty in his voice, and Kaveh cannot help but smile gently, running a hand through Alhaitham’s shoulder blades, fingertips dancing with the silent rhythm of his heart.

“Is that why you’ve been awfully clingy towards me?” Kaveh says, a grin on his face, and Alhaitham gives him a sheepish smile. 

“You noticed?” The barista flushed deeper pink, and Kaveh merely laughed at that. 

“It’s not unwanted attention, so don’t worry.” 

Kaveh lets silence float between them as he musters the courage to take Alhaitham’s hand and intertwine it with his, their palms warm against each other. Kaveh looks at their fingertips as they meld together, and he thinks that Alhaitham’s hand was always meant to fit between his. 

“I’ve been wanting to do this too.” He says, a whisper, but it was so loud between them, resonating with the winter wind.

“There’s been this… weird feeling when I’m with you. I can’t seem to comprehend it.” 

“Hhmm? Elaborate.” 

“It’s just… every time I see you sleep, I want to cuddle close to you. Every time you speak, I want to keep on listening. Every time you’re standing close, I want to take your hand and hold it against mine, maybe even let it rest against my chest.” There was a beat of silence as confusion danced on Alhaitham’s expression, as if he was finding the right words to say. “Every time you smile at me, I want… to kiss you.”

Silence was meant to be quiet, but the moment between them felt like screaming adoration. It was roaring at Kaveh’s ears, his mind ringing with the realization that his want was reciprocated.

Kaveh smiles at him as he feels a gentle sigh release from Alhaitham’s lips, his eyes gazing through the skin of Kaveh’s face, observing, as if he’s drinking up the sight.

“I’m smiling now”

“Yeah… you are.”

Kaveh searches through Alhaitham’s expression, his eyes dancing and almost reaching for ever blemish and freckle the barista has on his skin. He lets his eyes settle on Alhaitham’s, the colors of their eyes mingling like paint swirling on canvas, before he continues, his lips speaking in confidence.

“So kiss me.” 

There was a beat of hesitation, Alhaitham processing Kaveh’s words as if he was taking an exam, but when realization hits, he releases his hold from Kaveh’s hand and reaches up to his neck to pull him for a searing kiss.

It tasted like coffee, with the honey aftertaste, as their lips melded together. Chapped skin met with smooth ones, breathing intertwining between them as their hearts synchronized. It felt surreal how Alhaitham pulled him closer, so close that their legs intertwined together.

There were hands dancing on clothed skin, legs running against bed covers as it grazes on calves and thighs. There were arms tightening and releasing, nerves tensing and relaxing. There were sighs of relief and moans of pleasure. They were so much closer than the days where they stuck close to their sides, their chests flushed against each other in Alhaitham’s bed. 

Kaveh suddenly feels a soft familiar muscle trailing on his lower lip, and when he grasps for air, his mouth parting, Alhaitham deepens the kiss.

It was an exchange of infatuation, a whisper of love in between their lips. Kaveh held Alhaitham’s hair on his fingers while Alhaitham had his hand on his lower back, palm flat on his bare skin. It was too much but too little at the same time.

There was a certain kind of want that they secretly knew even without saying them; the want to touch, to meld, to embrace, to intertwine. They knew that their feelings were reciprocated, knew that they felt the same amount of infatuation, so the want they felt was the physical kind. The want for sex, to touch in places only lovers can, to delve inside, to feel pleasure, to come together. 

Kaveh wants as the room feels so hot, Kaveh shifting to hover over the other, their lips never separating. There was a moan, a grind, and a shiver, and Kaveh wants more of that. He wants more from Alhaitham, he wants, wants, wants .

That winter night shifted everything between them as their bodies intertwined. As the ground shakes, their hands were holding on each other. With every push and pull was a whisper of love. With every moan, there was a name.

And at the very end of it, when they come together in more ways than one, the earth shatters below them, the axis of their gravity tilting. The want turned to a need to give love, to show want, to provide a home.

In the morning, when both men wake with bodies still bare and flushed against each other, they both share a laugh filled with affection as they lean for a kiss. It was an amazing way to start their day, with hands still lingering on skin and hair disheveled from last night’s endeavors.

It took them a while to finally get out of bed, and maybe another round of an earthquake felt beneath them. They shared the shower together, with hands massaging scalps with soap filled fingers. When Alhaitham was cooking, Kaveh snuck his hands around his waist. When they were eating together, Alhaitham brushes a finger through his cheek with a poor excuse of “there was a grain of rice on your cheek” slipping from his lips.

When they opened the café, there was a kiss shared before they turned the closed sign to open.

During the breakfast rush, there were lingering eyes and blush of cheeks. 

When the rush ended, there was a moment of vulnerability as they shared intimate kisses at their store room. 

During lunch, there were whispers of adoration when they crossed paths. 

After lunch rush, there was hand holding while Alhaitham read a book and Kaveh sketches.

And after dinner, they shared a bottle of wine which then resulted in them under the sheets again, intertwining their bodies with their names whispering between lips. 

Their moments together got so much closer, more loving and gentle, that Kaveh forgets that he has to go back to Sumeru eventually. He knew he had to go back, he had a job to do, but he buried it in his mind six feet under. But now that he has Alhaitham in his arms every night, there’s a lingering sense of regret and guilt in his heart.

He has to tell him, but the heartbreak is something he doesn’t want the other man to experience. So he thinks; thinks of ways he can come back, gives himself reason to travel so far, wracked his brain to give himself a reason to stay.

He has a reason, and it was Alhaitham, and it was enough for him. So he waits for the right time to tell him, waits for a moment where they aren’t disturbed by customers and rush hours and intertwining bodies and lips.

But a single letter thwarts his plans.

The café was closed that day, so Kaveh wanted to go around the city to sketch and take pictures with his Kamera. It was already late afternoon when he got back, a bag of imported Valberry in his hand, fruits that he could make jam with, and new hair pins since his hair was growing longer.

He steps inside the café with a skip in his feet, a giddy feeling in his bones when he thinks about making jam with his now lover. 

“Alhaitham, I’m home! I was at the market and a traveling merchant was selling Mondstadt Vallberries! We should make jam toge-"

He spots Alhaitham sitting on a bar stool while clutching a letter in his hands. His eyes was red, his hair disheveled, and he looked pale 

“Alhaitham? Are you okay?” The barista drops the letter on the bar and looks at him with sad eyes.

“You should… pack.” He says, voice dejected.

“Wha—" 

“You can leave the Valberries behind the counter.” Alhaitham stood up as he turned away from Kaveh before he started walking towards the back that led to the stairs towards the second floor.

Kaveh steps closer to the bar where the letter lies and the words suddenly feel like a slap on his face.

Dear Sir Kaveh,

May the Dendro Archon bless your travels!

We are aware that you have filed an indefinite leave of absence to refine and relearn your skills. However, there has been an influx of clients that have been asking for your expertise, claiming that they only trust your eyes and hands for their requests.

We suggest that you come back when you are able to, but we suggest that you come back immediately after you receive this letter. The Darshan will be lending their help if assistance is needed. 

Thank you.

In haste, he drops his shopping bag to the floor and runs up the stairs, his steps heavy while his heart races. 

“Alhaitham!” He calls out as he enters their shared home and he spots the other man already in the living room with his traveling bag clutched in his hand.

“I’ll help you pack.” Alhaitham still wasn’t looking back at him, his feet working on auto-pilot as he entered their room to grab Kaveh’s clothes that were already mingling with Alhaitham’s own in the cabinet.

Kaveh doesn’t hesitate to run towards him, grabbing his hand to turn his body so they could look face to face. Alhaitham wasn’t crying, but he might as well be with how his eyes were rimmed red, skin cold against his hand. His lower lips were tucked between his teeth as if he was suppressing a sob, sometimes rolling on the skin to stop himself from breaking down.

“It’s okay, Kaveh. I knew you were here for work. I knew you eventually needed to go back. It’s okay—" 

“I’ll come back. I promise!” He says, his voice loud, as if he thinks that his words won’t reach his lover. “I’ll come back for you.”

“You don’t have to.” 

“I want to.” Kaveh releases his hold on his hand and places a gentle touch on Alhaitham’s face. “I’ll come back. And I’m staying. Permanently.”

Alhaitham was silent, as if he didn't believe Kaveh’s words that were spilling from his trembling mouth. “This is where my home is.” Kaveh runs a finger through his skin. “You are my home.”

“You don’t have to come back to me. This is your work we’re talking about. This is your livelihood.” 

“I am not just an architect, Alhaitham. I am also an artist.” Kaveh steps forward and Alhaitham takes a sharp breath from the proximity. “I am a painter; a creator of beauty. I make art with my hands. And art can be shared anywhere.” He reaches down to intertwine their hands together, then pulls it up to press his lips against Alhaitham’s knuckles. “I’ll come back. I’ll finish everything back in Sumeru City. I’ll finish all of the projects, see that its completed so that they don’t need me to come back, and then I’m coming home.” 

Home. 

Alhaitham knew that he was home for Kaveh and not just the walls he had been sleeping in.

Alhaitham was intelligent, he knows that Kaveh felt at home with the coffee Alhaitham serves because he was the one who brewed it, the honey aftertaste already his favorite. He knows that his meals are his home because he was the one who cooked them. 

He knows because every time Kaveh comes back from his adventures on the streets, Alhaitham says a welcome home and Kaveh answers back with an I’m home .

“Alhaitham…” he leans in to place a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling back to meet his gaze. “Wait for me.” 

It was silent, the winter wind outside clashing with the bedroom window. The room felt unbearably cold but their bodies were so close that he felt warmth in his skin, their proximity lighting a fireplace between them.

“Okay.” Alhaitham closes his eyes, and Kaveh leans his forehead against his, the smell of coffee with the honey aftertaste lingering.  “I’ll wait. For you.”

It’s been 6 months. 

6 months since Kaveh left Alhaitham’s home, left his coffee that had a honey aftertaste, left the bed that was eventually shared by two. Alhaitham was used to the cold of the land of eternal winter, used to lighting fire places, brewing hot coffee.

Kaveh left with all the warmth he has been craving all his life. But Alhaitham promised that he’ll wait because Kaveh promised that he’ll come back. 

The promise was what drove him to move everyday.

The promise was what convinced him to leave his cold bed, to cook breakfast for one, to serve customers alone. He was longing for the architect’s touch, nimble fingers tracing love letters on his skin, hands touching bare skin, lips that ghosted against his own. He misses the other man immensely, his heart aching when he spots Kaveh’s designated coffee mug that was placed carefully on Alhaitham’s kitchen counter. 

Alhaitham would keep the house clean in case Kaveh suddenly comes home. He always has a spare towel out in the bathroom, spare house slippers by the foyer, Sumeru coffee ready on the cafe counter. 

Each day for the past 6 months, Alhaitham would anticipate Kaveh’s return, because he promised to come back to him. 

To his home.

And when white snow was miraculously melting and the sun shines between dark snow clouds, he knew he was coming home. 

“Alhaitham! I’m home!”

“Welcome home, Kaveh.”