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Layla wanted to faint upon seeing her submission was once again rejected by the Akademiya’s Scribe. It was the fourth time she’d tried submitting her form for an experimental research project involving her Rhtawist Darshan as well as Amurta. Her classmates had put her up to the task of filing the application for the joint project to witness a meteor shower in the forest but her forms always seemed to be incorrect.
She simply couldn’t understand it! Everything was filled out, no mistakes were made, and this wasn’t even one that needed funding. Just what did the Scribe have against her?
For the fifth time now, Layla was heading to his office to turn in the form to his assistant. The Scribe was rarely ever in-office due to the nature of his job. Even when he did appear for work, he was always in a rush to get home.
Layla knocked on the door before entering and was surprised to see Alhaitham at his desk. A stack of papers was piled on top of it for his review. He glanced up at Layla, his eyes searching.
“H-hello, I just came to-”
“You’re that Rhtawist Scholar with the illegible handwriting? If your handwriting has failed to improve then I’ll be rejecting your application again.”
Layla looked down at her form in surprise. She’d filled it out late at night as she had done with…all her other forms. Flipping through the thick packet of paper, she noticed that while her writing was perfectly neat and tidy among the first few pages, it slowly became…hilichurlian later on…
“O-oh.” She brought a hand to her head, rubbing away the oncoming headache. “I had no idea.”
“It seems so.”
Layla felt the urge to cry right there and then. She’d spent so long on these forms for it to be such a waste of her time. She could’ve been working on assignments for her other classes instead. What would she do? How would she explain this to her classmates?
Alhaitham stood up from his chair and gestured towards Layla. “Come take a seat.” Surprised, Layla wiped her eyes before approaching the intimidating Scribe.
Scribe Alhaitham had quite the reputation for being ruthless and unforgiving. While Layla knew how destructive rumors could be, having her own fair share of them, there was nothing about the Scribe’s nature that conveyed otherwise. Not until this moment.
Alhaitham stood beside her as she set the form down. He pointed to areas where Layla’s handwriting was particularly bad.
“I can’t read it so I can’t file it. Do you understand?” Layla nodded, dejected.
“I-I…can try again…” though she wasn’t confident she could deliver a better result. Alhaitham sighed as he pulled out a fresh new form from a nearby drawer.
“Do it again and this time, I’ll guide you.” Layla nodded before picking up a quill and began filling out the form.
10 minutes later and 2 pages in, her eyes were falling closed and nothing Alhaitham could do was waking her up.
“So the rumored narcolepsy is true,” he said to himself, “how does she get any work done in this condition?” Those were the last words Layla heard before her head fell onto a cushioned hand.
***
Alhaitham didn’t know what to make of the situation. Layla had fallen asleep on his hand and no amount of tapping on her shoulder was waking her up. Not really seeing much else of an option, he sighed as he picked up the young girl to place on a nearby chaise.
He laid her head on a pillow and placed a blanket on her.
If he had the authority, he’d gladly fill out the application himself but 1) he didn’t know the details of the project and 2) the only person that did know had passed out on his office chaise.
It was only a few minutes after he’d sat down to do his work that Layla was sitting up, seemingly back to her senses or so he thought until she began speaking.
“Ugh, poor Layla. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.” Layla? Sniffled as she groaned before turning around to see Alhaitham. “Thank you for letting me sleep here.”
Alhaitham didn’t know why but her manner of speech was different. Her voice wasn’t as quiet nor did her sentences sleepily drag on. With the rumors he’d heard during the championship, he was confident the conclusion he came to was correct.
“You are the other Layla, I presume?” She smiled stiffly and nodded before wincing and holding her head in her hand.
“Y-yes, but I’m a little out of sorts at the moment so I wasn’t able to help her fill out that form properly. I apologize for the trouble she’s caused you, Scribe Alhaitham.”
Alhaitham had read about narcolepsy as part of a mandatory health unit but he’d never come across someone with the condition before. Kaveh had mentioned Layla’s tenacity on occasion as did the Traveler, but seeing the reason behind it all was…unexpected.
“Not to worry, just rest for now.” The other Layla seemed a little surprised at the suggestion but smiled gratefully.
“T-thank you, I-” At that moment, a bout of coughing began. Alhaitham rushed over to pat her back as she struggled to breathe. “S-sorry, she must’ve caught the flu that’s been going around.”
“Stay here, I’m going to get you something to drink.” He didn’t wait for any form of confirmation before heading out the door.
It was late so the halls were empty with only a few lights on. As he walked past the different areas of the Akademiya on his way to the cafeteria, he could see students asleep in the midst of studying. Open books and a mess of papers lay on desks and tables with cups of coffee staining the pages.
He hoped none of the books got damaged otherwise he’d be filling out a bunch of paperwork for replacements when he walked in Monday morning. One student, in particular, caught his eye. As he walked closer to the young woman, he realized she wasn’t a student at all but his Senior.
Madame Faruzan seemed to have fallen asleep while tutoring the student beside her. It wasn’t uncommon to see her asleep in the Library but very rarely did she sleep with her hair still up. Being her age, she would constantly complain about balding and would participate in several hair preservation techniques.
His Senior often complained about her aging body, her aching joints, and her old ears. Whether Madame Faruzan actually experienced those symptoms was…questionable at best, nevertheless, Alhaitham removed the ties and clips from her hair. The last thing he wanted to listen to was another lecture on how to properly care for his hair. He heard enough about it from his roommate on a daily basis.
Alhaitham placed the clips and ties beside Madame Faruzan. He even made sure to smooth out her hair so it didn’t leave a dent from the tie before returning to his task.
He had no doubt Madame Faruzan was much more knowledgable and experienced in various matters than he was, as a result, such a diligent woman earned his respect. In any case, he and his Senior did not agree on everything so he hurried off before Madame Faruzan could wake up. Alhaitham picked up a cup of chamomile tea before heading back to his office.
As he opened the door, he wasn’t surprised to see Layla still asleep. Seeing her asleep on none other than Kaveh’s lap as he stroked her hair back was a little startling though. As soon as he walked in, Kaveh turned to him.
“Haitham! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. You know it was your turn to make dinner today, right? I got sick of waiting for you and picked something up from Lambad’s.” Kaveh glanced over to Alhaitham’s desk where a paper brown bag lay.
He set down the chamomile tea on a nearby end table before picking up the bag and sifting through its contents.
“A thank you would be nice!” Kaveh quietly whispered. Alhaitham picked up a box of rice with tandoori chicken before sitting down at his desk to eat.
“What’s the point? You used my mora to purchase it.”
“Only because you were late and I was starving!”
“Did you eat already?” Alhaitham asked, ignoring his roommate’s eccentricities. He tried breaking into the chicken with a plastic fork but it was quick to split in two. Kaveh laughed but groaned when Alhaitham just started eating with his hand.
“I hope you at least washed your hands. That’s my food too!”
The fact that Kaveh waited for Alhaitham to eat his fill first was nothing new. Kaveh often put himself before others, a habit that Alhaitham couldn’t decide between being endearing or annoying. The Architect would even pass out from starvation or dehydration on occasion but forcing Kaveh to eat first was a fruitless pursuit as well. Alhaitham ate his share of the food quickly.
“She’s still asleep?” Alhaitham asked. Kaveh peered down at Layla. He’d been stroking her hair back from her forehead which felt unusually warm.
“Yeah, poor thing exhausted herself trying to fill out one of your submission forms. Alhaitham sighed for the nth time that night as he set down his food.
“If she’d asked for help the first time, this wouldn’t have happened.” Kaveh looked at him with daggers in his eyes. It was just like Kaveh to be more protective over someone he’d just met rather than Alhaitham who he’d known for years.
Once Alhaitham finished his food (leaving half for Kaveh) he stood up to wash his hands.
“Finish the rest.” The blonde shook his head when Alhaitham offered the leftovers.
“I don’t want her to wake up. I’ll just eat later.”
“Did you eat anything today?” Kaveh sheepishly grinned as Alhaitham rolled his eyes.
“I suppose you plan to make your Landlord carry you back home in the event you pass out? That would require me to install a new fee-”
“NO, I’LL EAT!” Layla shifted in her sleep when Kaveh raised his voice. He chuckled when she stopped before rephrasing his outburst. “I’ll eat…just…give me a moment. I need to go wash my hands too. Oh but, I might wake her…” He gazed sadly at Layla but flinched when his stomach growled.
Alhaitham rolled his sleeves up before grabbing a handful of the rice and chicken from the leftovers.
“Before you ask, yes, my hands are washed,” he said as he brought the food to Kaveh’s mouth.
To say Kaveh was shocked would be a severe understatement. The blonde’s eyes widened, his hair seemed to visibly undo itself, strands escaping from the carefully placed clips as he gazed at Alhaitham.
“You’re going to feed me? You cannot be serious.”
“Eat. You’re heavy and I’m not carrying you back home.”
“Haitham, stop being ridiculous. I’m sure she’ll wake up soon.” As Kaveh opened his mouth, Alhaitham dipped the food inside, being sure to bring his hand under Kaveh’s chin to catch the grains of rice that fell.
Kaveh was caught in a trap, unable to do anything besides eat the proffered food. He blushed as Alhaitham’s finger traced his lip before going back to grab another handful. If it weren’t for the delicious taste and the fact that Kaveh had been starving all day, he would’ve put up more of a fight…or at least…that’s what he told himself.
The two of them sat like that with Alhaitham feeding Kaveh and Layla still asleep in the Architect’s lap.
Alhaitham was surprisingly quite good at feeding him. He always waited for him to finish chewing and even offered him water. He told Alhaitham as such whose eyes glazed over with a faraway look.
“I used to feed my grandmother when she was sick so I guess you could say I have experience with this sort of thing.” Kaveh swore he could feel his heart shatter at the confession.
“Oh, Haitham, I’m sorry I didn’t-”
“Just finish eating, Kaveh.” For once in their complicated relationship of back-and-forth arguments, Kaveh listened and allowed the Scribe to sift through memories of times long gone.
As Alhaitham fed the blonde, he couldn’t help but notice certain habits of the other. For instance, the way Kaveh would bring a hand up to curl his hair back behind his ear. How he would look up at Alhaitham after taking a mouthful of rice and how he was extra careful to not spill anything on his hand.
Alhaitham hadn’t had the opportunity to feed someone else like this since his Grandmother passed but, he found himself missing the action dearly.
When Kaveh was done eating, Alhaitham wiped his mouth with a napkin before getting up to wash his hands and dispose of the dishes. Kaveh chuckled when he reached the door.
“You know…the way you were feeding me…it reminded me of how the groom feeds his bride cake at their wedding. Have you been to many weddings, Haitham? I love how lively it is with all the people and music.”
“No, I hate weddings,” was his curt reply before exiting the room. Alhaitham was thankful for it being night. The shadows covered the rising blush on his cheeks.
He returned later to his roommate nodding off with Layla still asleep in his lap. Glancing outside, the night sky was illuminated by its many stars.
Going home now with a half-asleep roommate and a sick scholar would not be ideal. Alhaitham shrugged off his cloak before placing it over Kaveh’s shoulders and retiring to his chair.
He leaned back and let his eyes slip closed. For a few minutes, he watched his roommate sleep soundly. He could see the rise and fall of his chest and like a gentle breeze, on a sunny day, it lulled him to sleep. They’d handle the application papers tomorrow.
***
The sunlight streaming from a partially open curtain is what awoke Layla. She was feeling much better as opposed to yesterday but was a little shocked to see Kaveh beside her fast asleep. He had the Scribe’s cloak placed over him and peering behind her, she saw that Alhaitham was at his desk as well in a similar state.
His boots were placed on the desk and he leaned back in his chair with an arm over his eyes, presumably to block out the sunlight.
Carefully, Layla got up as she didn’t want to wake Kaveh. She peered at Alhaitham's desk and found the application form from yesterday. She took a deep breath before filling it out and placing it back on his desk.
“There, that should do it, Layla.”
Reaching out for the spare blanket, she placed it over Alhaitham who slightly groaned at being disturbed but didn’t wake up. She smiled at the two of them, not really sure how any of this came to be but was just glad she had people looking out for Layla.
“Alright then, time to start on that essay,” she muttered to herself before leaving.
***
Alhaitham was the first to wake up which wasn’t out of the ordinary since he was a morning person and Kaveh…wasn’t. Said blonde was still asleep with his cloak draped over him. Although he hadn’t moved much, his hair was still an incredible mess as if he’d been rolling down a hill.
Alhaitham stretched before turning to his desk, glancing at familiar handwriting. He picked up the form and smiled upon seeing it filled out neatly and correctly before placing it in the accepted submissions pile.
He walked over to Kaveh, brushing blonde hair away from his face before stepping outside to grab breakfast for the two of them. Their first meal of the day ended up being some falafels since the cafeteria had nothing else available in the early morning. He grabbed a couple cups of coffee since neither of them could live without it.
When he arrived at his Office, Kaveh had not woken up. Alhaitham set the food and drinks on his desk before sitting beside the blonde in an attempt to wake him up.
“Kaveh.” No answer. “Kaveh, I got coffee.” Suddenly the blonde’s eyes were fluttering and he was sitting up.
“Coffee you said?”
“It's coming out of your rent.” The blonde sighed.
“Of course.”
The two of them basked in the sunlight that streamed through the partially open curtain, enjoying their breakfast.
“I’ll make you something proper when we get home.”
“Mmkay.” Still exhausted from yesterday’s work, Kaveh leaned his head on Alhaitham’s shoulder. The moment only lasted for so long before Kaveh was startled.
“L-Layla, where?”
“She completed her submission and left.”
“Oh, when?”
“I’m not sure, sometime this morning I suppose.” Alhaitham took a sip of his coffee.
“Will you accept it?” He nodded his head. The blonde smiled gleefully as if his own project had been accepted. “That’s great! She can finally rest a little easier now.”
They finished up their coffee before heading home. The Cafeteria’s coffee was weak and watered down and it showed in the way Kaveh swayed as he walked and his eyes slipped closed ever so often.
Alhaitham ended up having to take his hand as he led them down the beaten path to their shared home. They got a few glances from curious grandmothers and gossiping aunties. No doubt Alhaitham would hear some ridiculous rumors come the next few days, perhaps his assistant would once again question the relationship he shared with his roommate. All of it was a less than favorable turn of events but with Sumeru being the thriving city it was where information traveled faster than a Komaniya Courier, it was inevitable.
As soon as Alhaitham’s keys were jiggling in the lock to open the front door, both men practically rushed inside so their neighbors wouldn’t catch a glimpse of their rumpled appearance returning home together.
“I think I’m going to get some more sleep, Haitham,” Kaveh said as he dragged his feet across the tiles. The Scribe nodded as he guided Kaveh to his room.
Kaveh’s room was as organized as ever save for the scattered blueprints on his desk from his most recent project. He pulled Kaveh onto the bed, removing the blonde’s cloak as he did so. His expression was glassy-eyes and his face, flushed.
“Here.” He gestured for the blonde to turn around before taking out his clips and smoothing down his hair. “Alright, get some rest.” Before he could leave, Kaveh tugged on his shirt.
“Won’t you be sleeping as well?” The Scribe shook his head.
“I have other matters to attend to. Go to sleep, you need it.” Unable to stay awake for much longer, the blonde fell asleep in a matter of minutes. Alhaitham swept his hair out of the way, gazing once again at his reddened cheeks.
He must’ve caught Layla’s flu he surmised.
Well, that delayed all of Alhaitham’s plans for the day. When Kaveh got sick, he seemed to regress in age. He’d act needy, cuddly, and behaved similarly to a child. Normally, this type of behavior would annoy Alhaitham but when it was Kaveh, it was…amusing to witness he supposed.
Alhaitham went to the kitchen to prepare Kaveh a bowl of cut-up fruit, he doubted the blonde would be able to stomach much else. He was always lecturing Alhaitham on keeping healthy, ever since they were students in the Akademiya. The irony of Alhaitham having a more developed immune system in comparison when they got older was something that never failed to put a smile on his face.
Alhaitham chopped some sunsettia, apples, and berries into a bowl. He set the bowl on Kaveh’s nightstand for when he woke up before sitting at the edge of his bed to pull out a book.
It was perhaps an hour later when Kaveh’s eyes opened.
“H-Haitham” he called out.
“I’m right here, what do you need?”
“I’m sick.”
“Noted. Do you want water?”
“Want pillow.” Alhaitham grabbed a pillow from a nearby chair. It was an ugly piece he’d intentionally bought for the blonde’s birthday. The design was colorful but tacky and didn’t match anything else in Kaveh’s room. Yet, the blonde still kept it and even cuddled with it on days like today. He handed the pillow over to Kaveh who cuddled it close to his chest.
“Tea.”
“Eat something first. I cut up fruit for you. At least have a little bit.” Kaveh sat up and reached out for the bowl, almost dropping it when the weight was more than he expected. His hands trembled as he carried it to his lap. Alhaitham picked up the fork and plunged it into a piece of sunsettia before raising it to Kaveh’s mouth. The blonde didn’t protest and bit off the chunk of fruit.
It was the second time Alhaitham was feeding Kaveh and he secretly found himself wanting to do this more often. Kaveh was quiet as he fed him. For once, he wasn’t upset or drunk, frustrated or annoyed. He was just simply living in the moment as he enjoyed his fruit bowl.
Kaveh held his hand out, pushing Alhaitham’s arm away when he couldn’t eat much more. The Scribe sighed as he helped Kaveh lean back into bed, stroking his hair out of the way.
“Get some more rest.” When Alhaitham turned to put the bowl away, Kaveh reached out for his arm.
“Stay with me, please.” The Scribe nodded before setting the bowl down and returning to Kaveh’s side who shifted to make room for him. He lifted up the blanket for Alhaitham to lay beside him.
Alhaitham was hesitant but seeing the vulnerable, pleading expression on Kaveh’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to reject the offer.
He took off his gloves, his cloak, and even his earpieces to lie next to the blonde who was quick to snuggle up to his chest. He sighed, contented as Alhaitham brought a hand up to stroke back locks of his unkempt hair.
In that moment, Alhaitham decided he liked the blonde most with his hair down, eyeliner a little smudged, but best of all, his face free of stress and needless worries.
It wasn’t long before the two of them fell asleep, holding each other.
***
Alhaitham woke up to the sound of knocking at the front door. He glanced over at Kaveh who was still soundly asleep. His complexion seemed to have improved considerably but his exhaustion was still obvious in the large bags under his eyes.
Alhaitham slipped out of bed to open the front door where a very familiar Rtawhist scholar gazed up at him with sleepy, doe-like eyes. She stood nervously holding what appeared to be a tray wrapped with cloth.
“I wanted to thank you for submitting my application. I just heard the news from your assistant today and he was kind enough to give me your address so I could deliver this.” Alhaitham scratched his head, still a little groggy from his nap.
“It was no trouble. I’m simply doing my job.” He held out his hand for the tray which Layla happily passed to him.
“It’s just some biryani and samosas. I hope it's enough?”
“Of course. Would you like to come inside for a moment? I wanted to speak with you about something.”
Layla seemed a little unsure but eventually, she agreed to step inside. He placed the food on the kitchen table before gesturing toward the couch for Layla to sit down.
“You have a lovely home! The decor is stunning.”
“No thanks to him. I’m the one that chose all of the pieces in here.”
They both turned to see Kaveh leaning against the doorway, wrapped in Alhaitham’s cloak. His own seemed to have been discarded for whatever reason, but Alhaitham believed he made a good call by borrowing his. After all, Kaveh’s shirt was practically backless…
“You have incredible taste, Senior Kaveh!”
“Senior? Kaveh, you said? Oh, what a delightful show of respect toward your elders! Sadly, not everyone is willing to exhibit it.” The blonde glared at Alhaitham who hid his grin behind a set of dishes as he was preparing the kitchen table.
“Good to see you’ve recovered,” he voiced instead of acknowledging Kaveh’s comment.
“Of course I did, I have an impeccable immune system.” Debatable Alhaitham thought to himself. Kaveh may have recovered from ailments overnight but he got sick quite easily as well.
“Come eat, Layla was nice enough to bring us food.”
“Why did you never bring me food when we were younger?” the blonde spoke as he sat at the kitchen table. Layla trailed nervously behind him.
“Because you enjoyed splashing your money on food and drinks anyway. What need did I have to buy food?” the blonde didn’t respond. Layla shyly glanced between the two of them.
“Are you sure it’s alright for me to eat with you two?” Kaveh beamed at her.
“Of course! Just be sure to sit beside Alhaitham as I’m currently nursing a flu.”
“Oh my! I hope you feel better soon, Senior Kaveh.”
“Likewise,” Alhaitham added. He tried to hide his smile at the blonde’s visible distress. Before Kaveh could continue another yelling match, Alhaitham set down the food tray and began dividing it among the three of them before sitting down. Kaveh still seemed unwell so Alhaitham made a note to save his food for later.
“S-so, Scribe Alhaitham, what was it you…wanted to discuss?” Layla inquired.
“It had to do with your…sleeping habits. Though, I’ll understand if you don’t wish to talk about them.” She waved her hands in front of her.
“N-no, I’m quite alright with it. I realize by now that my… narcolepsy is a tad unusual…oh! I didn’t cause the two of you trouble did I?” He shook his head.
Glancing at Kaveh, he could see the blonde was starting to look a little green and was barely touching the small bit of food he was given. It would be best to wrap up this dinner quickly lest Layla witness the sight of a respected Senior vomit over the toilet bowl amidst dinner.
“I just wanted to recommend you a doctor who studies the effects of plants. His name is Tighnari and you can find him in Gandhara Ville. He…may be able to provide some sort of relief for your condition.” Alhaitham was unsure of bringing the topic up to Layla since one’s health issues could be a sensitive topic for some (*cough* Kaveh *cough*). Upon seeing Layla relax and her eyes brighten, he knew he’d made the right call.
The rest of dinner was a struggle of trying to keep his and Kaveh’s bickering to a minimum as they entertained later. Eventually, Kaveh was running to their room after dinner, no doubt feeling the full effects of the flu. Alhaitham sighed as he sat beside Layla on the couch.
“Have I perhaps visited at a bad time?” Layla questioned. Alhaitham shook his head.
“My…roommate often gets sick after overworking himself.”
“Oh…oh dear, that’s quite dreadful.”
“Indeed.” He turned to Layla. “I hope you learn something from this. Don’t overwork yourself and ask for help when you need it. My aid will always be open to you, should you require it.” Layla gave him a sleepy, but genuine smile.
“T-thank you, Scribe Alhaitham. I don’t really know what to say.”
“Think nothing of it. Please, get home and get some rest. You definitely are in dire need of it.” Layla nodded her head before getting up and approaching the door. Alhaitham opened it for her but Layla didn’t make a move to step outside.
“Is there something wr-” he fell back towards the door frame as the wind was knocked out of him. Alhaitham peered down at Layla to see her hugging him.
“Thank you so much for everything, Scribe Alhaitham!” she mumbled into his chest. Not really sure what else to do in this situation, Alhaitham brought a hand to her head, gently patting her hair back.
“I’m merely fulfilling my duties as a Scribe,” but not even his roommate who was watching the two of them believed his words for a second. Kaveh smiled as he watched Alhaitham at the front of their house, allowing Layla to embrace him.
For the solitary Scribe, such actions were…unheard of. Alhaitham would never put so much effort in for someone’s project let alone invite them inside for dinner. Though he may have tried to hide it, Kaveh knew Alhaitham had been researching Layla’s condition as well. After all, the Scribe’s expertise lay in linguistics, not botany.
His behaviour caught him off-guard but it wasn’t unwelcome. It just showed how much Alhaitham had changed. Whether it was due to him finally healing from his past or a different reason entirely, Kaveh was just happy for him.
Before they were rivals and roommates, they were friends. Deep down, Kaveh wanted to see the other happy and he knew Alhaitham wanted the same for him as well. Though, it was a hard truth to admit.
Alhaitham finally shut the door, waving goodbye to Layla. Though there was no smile on his face, Kaveh knew from the uptick of his cowlick and the gleam in his eyes, the Scribe would come to miss Layla’s company just like he had with Collei.
“Join me for a nap?” Kaveh asked. He knew what the answer was before the Scribe even guided him to his bed. Alhaitham would never deny him anything when he was unwell, not even the world.
The two Scholars lay together in the bed, barely enough room to fit the both of them, listening to the other's heartbeat though neither would care to ever admit it.