Chapter Text
"Oh, Haitham~!" Kaveh sang as he came through the door.
Alhaitham sighed. His boyfriend was in a singing mood. That almost always meant the architect had done something he wasn't meant to.
"I'm in my office."
He heard Kaveh muttering and frowned. Was there someone with him?
The door was cracked open a tiny bit and Kaveh peeked his head in, grinning from ear to ear.
Alhaitham stared at him. It was nice to see him so happy, but this wasn't his happy-to-see-you smile. This was the smile he used when he wanted Alhaitham to be nice about some stupid decision he'd made.
"What have you done? Who's behind the door?"
Kaveh frowned.
"Who said I did anything? I'm just happy to see you."
"No. You're hiding something, or you'd open the door all the way when you come in."
Kaveh went quiet, smiling again.
"Don't be mad."
The scribe took a deep breath.
"Okay. I'll try. Show me."
Kaveh opened the door to show someone clinging to his leg.
A little girl, who looked no older than three, with white hair and green eyes and-
Hang on.
He stood up, staring at the kid in shock.
"Kaveh, that's Lesser Lord Kusanali."
Kaveh laughed, picking the girl up and holding her on his hip. She looked at Alhaitham, and he stared at her, his eyes wide and his jaw half open.
"You're so funny, Haitham. She was outside, half frozen to death, so-"
"Is that your belt around her?"
Kusanali had a blue cloth around her shoulders. Kaveh didn't have his blue belt.
The architect shrugged.
"She was freezing, weren't you, Nahida? I repurposed it as a scarf for now."
'Nahida' nodded, smiling at Kaveh.
"Thank you." She whispered, and Kaveh lit up.
"Aww, no problem! We can call the matra and find your parents now, yeah?"
She nodded, and Alhaitham stared. Kaveh frowned at him.
"It's rude to stare. Come on, Nahida. Let's go find a way for you to get home."
Kaveh turned and left, and Nahida watched Alhaitham over his shoulder, her green eyes too knowing, staring into his mind.
He didn't like it.
What had she done to Kaveh?
-------------------------
Kaveh came back in about three hours later. Alhaitham had been sat at his desk, staring into space.
Lesser Lord Kusanali. In his house. Psychologically manipulating his boyfriend.
Was this because he worked for the Akademiya? Was she exacting revenge on those who had imprisoned her?
He tapped his fingers against the desk rhythmically. He didn't know what to do. Was she going to hurt Kaveh?
"Haitham." Kaveh sounded serious. He snapped out of it and met his eyes.
The blond had his arms crossed, more in the way of hugging himself than being angry, and looked worried.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"They don't have records of her parents. I got the matra round, and there's no missing children reported. No parents."
"That's because she's Lesse-"
"She's an orphan."
Alhaitham genuinely couldn't believe this. How could this idiot not realise he had the Lord of Dendro in the front room?
Kaveh looked genuinely worried for her, though, and he clearly wasn't listening, so Alhaitham sighed and let him talk.
"They said we have two options."
"Okay."
"Either we give her to the matra, and I'm not sure I trust them with a kid-"
"They're trained. I'm sure it's fine."
"-or we look after her until they can find somewhere for her to go."
The scribe paused, staring at Kaveh. He looked serious, his concern for the kid replaced with something else. Almost... excitement.
"Kaveh." He sighed.
"I don't think I can just trust them with her, Haitham."
He got up and walked around the desk, standing in front of Kaveh.
"Kaveh, you're serious? You want to keep her?" He scoffed.
"And- and she's so small, she can't go to an orphanage. Imagine how she's been living. She has no shoes!"
"A child? Here?"
"She's just small, and she seems like a nice kid, and I know it's only been like, three hours but-"
Alhaitham put his hands on Kaveh's shoulders.
"You can't be serious. Kaveh, we both have full time jobs, you're in crippling debt, and even if those things weren't true, she's literally Lesser Lord Kusanali! That's an archon in our living room, Kaveh."
Kaveh stared at him and scoffed, frowning.
"You're not taking this seriously. You keep saying that about her, and that's how I know you aren't respecting me. I'm trying to look after a lost orphan here, and you're making fun of me!"
Alhaitham shook his head.
"No. I'm not, listen to me-"
"What, she has white hair and green eyes so she must be the actual archon of Sumeru? Hah, nice one. So funny. Can you genuinely have this conversation now?" He tried to keep his voice down, whisper-shouting so Nahida wouldn't hear from the living room.
"I'm not joking. It's her. Look at her!"
Kaveh stared into his eyes, tears forming.
"I'm trying to talk to you about the possibility of us looking after, maybe even raising, a child together, and you're saying this shit! This is the one time I need you to be your usual serious self, and here you are trying to make jokes! I don't-" He sighed, looking away, and Alhaitham held his cheek gently, turning him back to face him.
"Kaveh, I-"
"Maybe she looks like her. Maybe. I don't see it. But even if she does, doesn't that- isn't that-"
He sighed again, trying not to cry.
"Isn't that just proof that... that Buer approves of us? That she, I don't know, sent a blessing?"
His red eyes sparkled with tears, and Alhaitham stared into them, conflicted.
It was her. There was no way it wasn't. He didn't approve of treating an archon like an actual child, it seemed patronising to one of the most powerful beings he could think of.
But...
Kaveh was here, on the verge of tears, and they had a chance. A chance at something they'd discussed before. Kids. A future. It was right here, and it was real. Kaveh had already grasped onto it.
He was breathing shakily, staring at him and waiting for him to say something.
Even if she was a god, even if she disappeared as quickly as she came, this was a genuine conversation. Kaveh was genuinely asking if he wanted kids.
And he did.
"...We'll try it."
Kaveh gasped, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth.
"You're serious? You'll try it?"
He paused, gathering his thoughts.
"We've been together for three years. Usually, people are married by now. They usually don't have kids, but this isn't a usual situation."
He looked down, at his feet, avoiding eye contact because of the intense anxiety he felt just talking about this.
"I know we've talked about this, and I know how much you want this, and I think..."
Kaveh held his hand, squeezing gently. It helped.
"We can take her in. I want this, I want a future, and even if it turns out she does have parents, if she can't stay, then..."
He met Kaveh's eyes again.
"I would seriously consider adoption. With you."
Kaveh blinked and tears fell from his eyes. He clung to his shirt, and Alhaitham felt himself tearing up a bit.
"Obviously, we need to sort out your financial situation, and figure out what we'll do with work and childcare-"
Kaveh nodded and hugged him tight, and Alhaitham hugged back.
"You're serious? You're really serious?" He mumbled into his shoulder.
"I am. I swear. I want to start a family with you, and I want my future to be by your side."
Kaveh laughed through his tears and pulled back from the hug, kissing Alhaitham and cupping his cheek gently in his hand.
"Okay. Okay, yeah. I want that too." He smiled and wiped his own eyes.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
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Nahida was a nice kid. Alhaitham was still very cautious, since he knew her true nature already and knew she probably wasn't staying long, but he had allowed himself to take care of her for the last week.
For Kaveh's sake. Alhaitham knew it was most likely Nahida would disappear one day and Kaveh would be distraught, but his boyfriend was too attatched for him to bring it up now.
So for now, he was looking after Nahida, even though he didn't like this. He knew she knew that.
She could transfer her consciousness and was the archon of wisdom, that meant she was probably a mind reader. She was likely entirely aware of his complicated feelings towards her. The way she stared at him all but confirmed it.
She was doing it now, the stare. The one that felt like it was inside his mind, the one that looked like she knew his soul inside out.
Her green eyes shone and he stared right into them, unnerved by her blank expression.
Kaveh was sat next to him, reading and leaning on his shoulder, and she was on the floor, her legs crossed and two wooden dolls in her hands.
Kaveh got up, closing his book and putting it where he was sat.
"I'll be right back."
Alhaitham nodded, and when Kaveh passed Nahida he bent down and patted her head. She smiled at him and he left the room.
She turned back to Alhaitham and he looked back at her.
He didn't want to risk talking to her about her identity, since Kaveh was just in the other room.
Oh, yeah. She was a mind reader. If he just thought really loud, would that work?
"Lesser Lord Kusanali."
She just stared.
"I know that you're her. I'm not stupid."
She turned to her dolls, making one of them walk along the floor.
"You've been here a week now. What are you planning?"
Silence.
"I know why you're here. I think. I'm from the Akademiya, and they're the people who imprisoned you. Listen, I'm sorry. I'll accept your revenge however you want to enact it, but you're going to hurt Kaveh. I can't watch that happen."
She paused, putting down her dolls.
He waited, and she said nothing.
"Do what you'd like to me, but please don't hurt him. He's everything to me."
Normally he'd be more reserved. He didn't particularly like showing affection in front of other people, especially someone of such power as an archon, but she'd know this anyway. He may as well remind her.
She turned to him, her eyes wide.
He heard a voice. In his mind. It felt weird.
"I'm not going to hurt him. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not here for any kind of revenge. I'm here because I want to be."
He shuddered.
"Really? I don't see how being here benefits you at all. You don't need care like a human child."
"Whoever told you that?"
That caught him off guard. He paused, frowning, and she sighed.
"I was born and got locked up immediately. I'm now 500 years old, and I still know nothing. Not compared to the other archons, at least. Not compared to Rukkadevata."
"You're the lord of wisdom. Of course you know lots."
"No, not really. Look at my predecessor. She knew so much more, and did more for her people. I had to rely on you for aid. I... think I need to rely on you once more. I think I want to be looked after for once, rather than shunned. I know it's a lot. Can you accept me?"
Alhaitham raised his eyebrows. An archon asking for help directly. Asking to be his daughter. Asking to be let into his household, into his future.
He glanced at the room Kaveh had gone into, then back at her.
Well, she'd be less trouble than a normal kid.
And she was right. She hadn't been taken care of really ever. She deserved this, he supposed, and surely the fact that she chose this household to join was a good sign.
He nodded and pulled his book from his cape pocket.
She went back to her dolls, whispering and making up voices for them.
Kaveh came back in and sat down, kissing Alhaitham's cheek and picking up his own book.
"Heya."
"Hi."
Nahida looked at them, smiling. She got up and walked over to the sofa, trying to climb on.
Kaveh smiled and picked her up, putting her down inbetween them. Alhaitham raised his eyebrows.
The little girl leaned on Kaveh, who absolutely melted and started stroking her hair.
The scribe watched him and smiled a tiny bit.
He was good with kids, and now they had one. All of a sudden, she'd appeared, and now here they were, two mortals and their god-turned-daughter.
Maybe this would last. Maybe Nahida would be alright.
She moved and leaned on Alhaitham, who paused, then put an arm around her in a half-hug and kept reading. He was a bit distracted by Kaveh staring, though.
He turned his head and found his boyfriend beaming at them, ecstatic at the fact they were getting along well.
Alhaitham rolled his eyes and smiled, and Kaveh leaned over and pecked his cheek.
Nahida held Alhaitham's large, tan hand in her tiny ones and bent his fingers, one by one, curling them into a fist.
She then started trying to pull them apart again and he clenched his fist, making her frown and try harder, then look up at him with those massive eyes and a look of despair.
He snickered, and Kaveh raised his eyebrows in disbelief. He cleared his throat and began fake reading his book, forcing his smile down and relaxing his hand.
Okay, she was adorable. He had been won over.
Being a dad wasn't so awful.