Work Text:
"Oh, I'd better order some more for home..." Kaveh mumbled to himself, seeing the food on the table disappear bit by bit. Tighnari was hammered, even though he only had one drink... The Forest Ranger was draped over Mahamatra Cyno's shoulders and bumbling nonsense.
Cyno excused himself and left to walk Tigh home. Kaveh sent his regards to Collei and waved them off, leaning off to the side while he waited for his order.
Finally, take-out bag in hand, he trudges home under a starry sky. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind, but he dismissed it in favour of the soft, warm bed waiting for him in his room.
At the door, Kaveh juggled the bag and Mekrah into one hand, fishing his pockets for his copy of the apartmant keys... And that was the thought: He'd forgotten his keys again.
Groaning in annoyance, he tapped at Mehrak and saw the time projected in green, 12:46 AM. Kaveh could only hope Alhaitham wasn't already dead asleep. His workload had increased exponentially after becoming the acting Grand Sage, on top of his work as a Scribe. His junior was being run ragged, stretched thin, all the idioms combined.
Kaveh sighs and lifts up a fist to knock, only for the door to open as he was about to hit it... And revealing an absolutely exhausted Alhaitham right behind it.
In the second Kaveh stood stunned and wide-eyed with his fist still hovering midair, Alhaitham clasped a cold hand around his wrist and pulled him inside, other hand closing the door behind. Trapped with his back to the door and the Scribe's lanky body in front of him, Mehrak and the take-out were set albeit a little harshly onto the floor.
The architect opened his mouth to complain when Alhaitham wrapped his arms around his waist, pulled him close and laid his forehead onto his shoulder. His body like a comfortable weighted blanket on him, words stuck in his throat as Kaveh choked out a surprised sound. "Hai-tham?!"
Maybe it was the alcohol still in his system, but it felt like Alhaitham was holding him a bit too tightly. The younger's head nuzzled closer to the nape of his neck and breathed out a heavy sigh. Kaveh shivered at the feeling, trying to pull his arms out and push Alhaitham back.
"A-Alright! Enough of whatever that is, I brought leftovers from the cafe- Alhaitham get off of me." He snaked his arm out and attempted to push Alhaitham's face away from him. "Why aren't you asleep? It's basically 1 AM, go to bed!" The scholar grumbled something unintelligable in a displeased tone, a small frown on his face.
"...Left your keys." He eventually mumbles, gaze downcast like a giant sad puppy. Kaveh was slightly amused but didn't expect Alhaitham to wait up for him like usual when he was already so swamped with work for the Akedemiya. His junior made a face at that, making Kaveh realise he had said that out loud.
"But," Alhaitham's expression scrunched a little, "How would you get home...?" Kaveh's mind blanked for moment at how genuinely worried Alhaitham looked, despite being the same man that takes his copy of the keys and leaves him sitting out on the doorstep waiting for him to come home.
"...I think the lack of sleep is messing with your brain." He says after pause, untangling himself from Alhaitham and motioning Mehrak to follow along with the take-out bag hanging from its handle. The warm hug was nice, but it was really late by Alhaitham Standards. He'd just about passed by him when a corner of his shirt tugged onto something.
Kaveh turned his head and huffed at his roommate. Alhaitham stood there with a hand caught on his shirt, blinking slowly and blearily trying to stay awake on his feet. "...Veh." His hand clutched the fabric tighter.
It was times like this that Kaveh is reminded that he was older than Alhaitham. Granted, it was only 2 years but it was easy to forget when his cold and aloof junior always seemed to have his shit together, and being both physically stronger and taller than him. But, he'd always been bad at staying up late.
Kaveh sighed again, no actual annoyance behind the action. "Did you eat yet?" He took Alhaitham's hand off his shirt and led him while the sleepyhead processed the question, clearly out of his element. "...Don't remember." The tired gruff of his voice mumbled.
"Okay," The nightowl hummed, "Do you think you could eat a little?" Kaveh opened up the container and showed the contents to Alhaitham. It was going to be breakfast for tomorrow, but he didn't think going to sleep without dinner would help a particularly overworked Alhaitham. He'd rather be sure that the man ate something.
His roommate managed a small nod, turning around and making his way to their dinner table, resting his head onto crossed arms. It was still warm, so Kaveh made quick work of reheating the food for him.
He placed the container of food in front of Alhaitham, not bothering with their dishes, and pat his shoulder to rouse him. "Here, I heated it up. Eat a bit, then you can sleep."
Alhaitham nibbled at the food, consuming a good amount before he put the fork down. Kaveh nodded, satisfied, and packed the rest up for tomorrow.
He brings Alhaitham to his room and was about to head to his own when, his shirt tugged onto something. Kaveh glanced up at him, slightly confused. "...I don't want you to go." He mumbles.
"I'm not going anywhere, Haitham. I'll be in my room, you know, sleeping?" He raised a brow and tried to pry his hand off, but it just held tighter. Archons, why was he so unnecessarily strong? He's a scholar for Gods sake, even his 20 languages can't explain that.
“…You won’t leave?” Alhaitham’s voice was small, unsure. His hand tugged Kaveh closer, like a lost kid. It was a little strange, and very heartwarming. Who knew sleepy Alhaitham was this vulnerable? Kaveh tried to reassure him that he’d just be in the next room over, but the taller just narrowed his eyes suspiciously and held on.
“…Sleep with me.”
Kaveh flusters for a second before sighing for a third time that night. “Ugh, fine… If it helps calm your paranoid, sleep deprived, birdbrain.” So, with some reluctance, Kaveh let himself be led into Alhaitham’s room.
The taller settles into his bed, then looked to Kaveh with his arms out. Taking the hint, Kaveh settles under the covers as well, a little stiffly with his back to Alhaitham. Strong arms closed around his waist, legs under his own, broad chest to his back, and a head buried into his sunshine yellow hair.
Alhaitham must’ve been really stressed if he’s this clingy. Work, he assumes, but a small part of Kaveh hopes he was the reason instead.
Lulled to sleep by deep rhythmic breaths and the comfort of tender touch, Kaveh wakes the next day.
He blinks away the sleep, confused when he couldn’t move much until his mind caught up with him. Kaveh was still nestled within Haitham’s arms, the man sleeping away. “Haitham…? Alhaitham.” Kaveh calls, nudging him awake with his elbow.
“Didn’t you have more administrative work to do today…?” He asks when Alhaitham groaned at being woken up. The younger grumbled and held Kaveh tighter, hiding his face behind his head.
“…Called off.”
“What?” That definitely woke Kaveh up. Haitham might do the bare necessities but he almost never took a day off. It would just be pushing the day’s work to the next day, and is inefficient, by Alhaitham Standards.
“…I called off today.” He said again, as if that would clear anything up. “Now sleep.” He grabbed the blankets and got comfortable again.
“Well, since you don’t need me anymore, I’ll go sleep in my own room.” Kaveh couldn’t even get out of the bed before he was pulled back down.
“No, sleep.”
He protested, struggling to wiggle his way out before he gave up. “…Just so you know, I’m staying because I’m lazy. Not because of you.”
“Sure.”