Work Text:
“AlHaitham!”
The scribe stormed towards his office, turning the dial on his earpiece to cancel out the noise of the fuming architect hot on his heels. He grabbed the door and pushed it closed behind him, only for Kaveh to slam his palm against the wood and push it back open.
“AlHaitham!” Kaveh shouted again, his cheeks flushed and his fists clenched at his sides. “Listen to me goddammit!”
AlHaitham went for one of his vast and various bookshelves, his breathing quick and uneven despite his collected expression. He paid no attention to the blonde shouting at him. He reached for a book, only to freeze the moment he felt a hand grab at the top of his earpiece. Before he could even reach to grab the device, they were being ripped from his head.
He whipped around, reaching to snatch back the headset, only for Kaveh to stumble back and out of reach.
“No!” He boomed, bounding after the blonde and trying to grab his device back. “Kaveh-“
The architect, in a moment of rage and spite, grabbed the wire of the headset and yanked it as hard as he possibly could, effectively ripping the cord from the port and rendering the device useless.
AlHaitham’s face fell almost immediately, just as his body froze and realization washed over him. He stared at the earpiece in Kaveh’s hands, his eyes wide with shock.
“Haitham,” Kaveh spoke, his hands shaking slightly as it dawned over him what he had just done. He laughed nervously, his anger diminishing. “I’m sorry I just-“
AlHaitham shook his head, stumbling backwards and tripping over his own feet as he clamped his hands over his ears. He tumbled over to his desk, nearly knocking his head against the edge as he squatted down and curled in on himself.
The scribe let out a guttural scream, his hands gripping at the silver hair framing his ears. Everything was far too loud. It felt like every fiber in his body was on fire, scorching his veins and filling his lungs with smoke. He could hear the wood creak under his weight and splinter beneath his boots.
He flinched when he felt a hand on his back, leaning forward onto his knees and swinging his arm around to smack off the offending touch. He didn’t realize the tears streaming down his cheeks, leaving burning paths in their wake.
“ Fuck off !” He shouted, flinching at the sheer volume of his own voice. He pressed his palms over his ears and leaned down to rest his forehead against his thighs, curling as small as he could make himself.
Kaveh froze, watching his partner as he crumbled. Truly, the architect didn’t mean to act out in such anger, he didn’t know what came over him. All day he had been fighting for Alhaitham to hear him out, to consider what he had to say, but the scribe was far too absorbed in his own work and studies. Alhaitham had been working for days, putting little to no effort to not only take care of the house, but of himself. Every time Kaveh brought it up, the younger would storm off.
The blonde set the headset on the floor, just beside the scribe’s knee. “I’ll fix them.” He spoke softly, hesitantly placing a hand on AlHaitham’s back again. “I’ll fix them, I promise. I don’t know how but I will, I swear.” He said in a bout of panic. “ Haitham .” His partner’s name poured from his lips desperately. “Look at me, please.”
Kaveh hunched over, trying to look his partner in the eyes from where he was curled in on himself. Carefully, he reached out to push AlHaitham’s bangs away from his face. The younger’s eyes were squeezed shut, his brows pinched together and contorted in distress.
“Darling,” Kaveh cooed in a soft voice, his hand abandoning the silver strands to inside wrap around AlHaitham’s wrist.
The younger reacted as if he was electrocuted, snatching his wrist from the blonde’s grasp and straightening up as if on command. He stared at the architect, eyes wide and glassy. He curled his arms against his chest, in a protective manner.
“Get out.” AlHaitham said in a low voice, his eyes refusing to meet those of his partner, almost as if he was afraid of the reaction that may cause. “ Get out! ” He shouted, eyes squeezing shut and hands coming to clamp back over his ears.
Kaveh got to his feet, grabbing the broken earpiece as he did so. He clutched the device against his chest, watching his lover writhe in agony for a moment more, before turning on his heel and leaving the office.
As the door slammed shut, AlHaitham flinched. This was torture, pure, utter, torture. He felt unsafe in his own home, and part of him even felt unsafe around Kaveh. The elder hadn’t even had a glass of wine, at least to AlHaitham’s knowledge. He didn’t understand what he had done to draw such aggression and anger out of the blonde. He had been working so hard to pay their rent, to put food on the table, to give the architect luxury, and Kaveh didn’t seem to see that.
AlHaitham just didn’t understand .
What was so wrong with being busy? He enjoyed his work, it kept him occupied, it kept him going so he didn’t have to dwell on hobbies. Sure, he enjoyed sitting down and catching up on the recent historical-fiction novel he recently picked up, but he didn’t see that as a hobby, more of a de-stresser.
So, when the elder time and time again tried to argue the fact that AlHaitham worked too much , the scribe did what he did best: tuned him out. Kaveh was quite noisy, between his chatterbox personality and his endless tinkering, AlHaitham became best friends with the soundproof setting on his earpiece. Truthfully, he didn’t mind, it usually eased his nerves and made his brain feel less likely to explode.
He didn’t understand why there was such an issue now.
He didn’t understand.
AlHaitham didn’t remember getting up, or his legs moving on autopilot and carrying him to his bedroom. Next thing he knew he was stepping out of his boots and collapsing into bed. He neglected to change into his sleepwear, instead laying in his day clothes and curling up atop the covers. He couldn’t bring himself to care. His body was practically shutting down and all he could do was allow it.
The scribe rolled onto his side, curling his arms against his chest and pushing his face into his pillow. His brows pinched together and his stomach twisted anxiously when he realized said pillow smelt of Kaveh. The blonde’s dumb floral shampoo and vanilla cologne.
He let out a shaky sigh, untucking one arm to cover his exposed ear with. Anything to try to block out his own thoughts and the noises that Kaveh’s shoes made when they came in contact with the wooden floors every time he stepped. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the onslaught of tears trying to pour out.
He fell asleep in that same position, curled in on himself and trying to contain his own misery, hoping to wallow away and never be seen again.
———
“Haitham.”
The scribe stirred, straightening his legs in a stretch before curling back up, much like that of a cat. He turned to push his face further into the plush pillow. His sleep-muddled mind was far too exhausted to care about the soft voice whispering his name and the calloused hand rubbing his back.
“Hon, you fell asleep in your day clothes again, let me help you into your sleepwear.”
AlHaitham was pliant as those same calloused hands shimmied off his trousers, replacing them with soft sweatpants, only with the coo of “Lift your hips for me…good job.”
Those hands unfastened his cape, working diligently to unclasp it from his waist and pull it carefully from under him. They then slid over his waist and up his chest, which caused the scribe to shift and barely blink open his eyes.
“Shh,”
AlHaitham made a small noise of discomfort when his shirt was pulled over his head, only to be replaced with a looser one. His gaze met that of Kaveh, whose hand brushed over his arm and pulled off his gloves.
“Go back to sleep, Haitham.” Kaveh whispered, running his hand over AlHaitham’s bicep and giving it a gentle squeeze.
The scribe’s eyes fell closed again, not having to be told twice. He curled back in on himself, now in much more comfortable attire. The last thing he felt was a blanket being draped over his body, one that had weight and heft, unlike the ones that were trapped beneath him, and a pair of soft lips against his temple, lingering for a mere moment.
“Sleep well, darling.” Kaveh whispered, taking one last longing look at his partner before tiptoeing his way out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
———
When AlHaitham awoke the first thing he noticed was how the curtains had been drawn shut and his favorite blanket had been tucked around his body. He frowned, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms before going to prop himself up on his elbows.
He turned, going to wake Kaveh, only to find the other half of the bed empty. He frowned. It was unlike Kaveh to be up first. Usually the blonde was quite the night owl, tinkering or partying into the late hours of the night and sleeping well into the afternoon if allowed.
The scribe hummed to himself, pushing the blanket off of his body and sitting up fully. He pursed his lips, unable to remember changing into his sleepwear. He must have just forgotten. As he swung his legs off the edge of the bed he went to reach for his headset, only to find his nightstand barren.
Oh.
The memories of the previous day came flooding back, filing his stomach with dread. He pursed his lips, his fingers twisting a loose thread on his shirt.
He sighed, pushing himself to his feet. He supposed he couldn’t dread the past, even though his earpiece was irreplaceable and one of a kind. What happened, happened, he couldn’t change the past, only the future. He could only go to Kaveh for an explanation of his behavior, and maybe get an apology.
AlHaitham made his way out of the bedroom, cringing at the noise the floorboards made under his weight. He itched to cover his ears, to clamp his hands so tight over his head that he would inevitably give himself a headache from the pressure. He made for the kitchen, with the intention of making himself a cup of coffee before finding where his roommate had disappeared to.
Only, the scribe stopped in his tracks when he passed the living room, finding the blonde slumped over the arm of the couch, head resting upon his folded arms. On their coffee table was his headset, along with a soldering iron, electrical tape, and various bits of wire. A few of the decorative pieces has been taken off and set aside, most likely to easily reach the hardware components.
Slowly, AlHaitham took a step closer, trying to get a closer look at his partner’s work. It was when he approached that Kaveh stirred, his head lifting and his eyes blearily looking around the room.
“Ah, you’re awake.” The blonde spoke, sitting up and yawning as he stretched his arms above his head. He pat the space beside him, gesturing for AlHaitham to sit.
Slowly, the scribe did so. He sat in the corner of the couch, his favorite part, tucking his legs underneath him and folding his arms over his chest. He watched as Kaveh picked the earpiece up with the utmost care, adjusting the cord and making sure everything was still in place.
The architect scooted closer, much too accustomed to being in AlHaitham’s personal bubble. He held the headset above the younger’s head, waiting for a nod of permission before carefully placing the device over the scribe’s ears.
“Feel okay?” Kaveh asked, earning a small nod in return. “Good, let me just-“ He turned the dial on the side, emitting a small click.
AlHaitham’s eyes widened slightly. They were…fixed. He couldn’t hear the birds beyond their windows, or the way the couch cushions wheezed with every movement. He couldn’t hear his own breathing, or Kaveh’s.
“Do they work?” He watched Kaveh say, having memorized every word and sound he made, just by the movement of his lips.
“Yeah…” AlHaitham breathed out, his shoulders slumping with relief. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders, finally allowing him to relax. He carefully took the headset off, allowing it to hang around his neck. Wordlessly, he slumped forward and rested his head against Kaveh’s shoulder.
“Good, hon.” Kaveh breathed out, wrapping one arm around his partner’s shoulders and entangling the other in those beautiful silver locks.
The pair stayed like that for a moment, taking in each other’s presence and basking in each other’s glory. Kaveh pressed gentle kisses along AlHaitham’s neck, rubbing circles between his shoulder blades.
“I’m so sorry.” He whispered. “I was out of line. I should have never broken your earpiece, I should have never touched it in the first place.” He said as he tucked his partner’s hair behind his ear. “I’m so sorry for taking away your comfort, I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I promise, I swear on my life, I’ll never do it again.”
The scribe shifted, snaking his arms around Kaveh’s waist and squeezing the elder closer. “It’s okay.” He said into the blonde’s shoulder.
“It’s not okay.” Kaveh countered. “I should have talked to you like an adult. I’m sorry for coming after you like that. I just…I worry about you, Haitham, I do. You’re exhausting yourself, and I can’t stand to see you like that. You need to rest .”
“Hypocrite.”
“I know, I know, just…let me take care of you sometimes, okay? We’re in this together, I want to help you in every way I can.” He pressed a kiss to the shell of his partner’s ear. “Okay?”
“Okay.” AlHaitham breathed out, turning his head to press his nose against Kaveh’s neck.
“Good.” Kaveh hummed, leaving back against the couch cushions and pulling AlHaitham down with him.
AlHaitham lifted his earpieces back onto his head before making himself comfortable half on top of his partner, his head resting against the blonde’s collarbone. He pushed his finger against Kaveh’s blouse, humming softly at the feeling of the fabric under his fingertip. He really did need to get up, but he supposed that a small nap couldn’t hurt. He didn’t have any deadlines to meet today, so he could push his plans back a few hours, but just this once.
Just this once he would nap in the morning sun, his lover’s hands slipping under his shirt to rub his side, grazing over his waist and eventually settling against the small of his back. Just this once he would fall asleep with a small smile gracing his features when he felt plush lips kiss the bridge of his nose. Just this once he would fall asleep counting each breath Kaveh took.
Just this once, AlHaitham allowed himself to relax, taking Kaveh with him as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep, basking in the morning sun like two lazy house cats, bonded for life.