Chapter Text
Kaveh was a marvel to Alhaitham. It was never particularly romantic, yet platonic was far too small of a name. He’d spent years of his life trying to figure it out- hours upon hours of the scribe’s life dedicated to only thinking about his wonder of a friend. He knew some things. He knew that Kaveh made the world around him brighter, objectively. He’d been told so by many. (People much preferred the version of Alhaitham when he was around Kaveh.) He knew that Kaveh needed him. The man was absolutely brilliant, one of the most prestigious architects in his generation, and yet when he was alone he was nothing more than a mess. Bitten nails and tangled hair. It was more than once Alhaitham had found the so-called prodigy hunched over his desk, peacefully napping on his latest work, drool staining the hopefully unimportant blueprints.
And he knew, most of all, that he wasn’t alone in his admiration. Kaveh was the personification of radiance. Charm and wit and cunning nature got him farther than raw talent alone. Heads turned when they walked together, Kaveh babbling on about something or another and Alhaitham patiently listening. They were an odd pair. Oil and water. Alhaitham sometimes wonders how he’s gotten so lucky, to share his life with someone who was so adored by everyone including him.
An abrasive call from the living room interrupts his allotted time for thoughts on Kaveh for the day.
“Alhaitham?” The voice yells, loud yet when he doesn’t answer immediately it calls once more, louder than necessary. “Alhaitham!”
In lieu of a response, Alhaitham stands and walks out of their room and into their shared living space, beautifully decorated thanks to Kaveh. It’s dark outside yet candles and various eccentric lamps create the kind of mood lighting that made Alhaitham sleepy. He never understood why Kaveh hated the normal lights so much but he didn’t have the energy to dig into that argument.
Kaveh tilts his head over the back of the couch to look back at Alhaitham. Honey blonde hair spills over the deep green fabric and ruby eyes stare straight at him. He stays oddly silent, staring with a scrutinizing look that made Alhaitham shift his stance uncomfortably.
“What do you need?” Alhaitham mutters calmly, staring back with a gaze more confident than how he felt. He felt his palms grow clammy and his heart race just a little faster.
“Come here.” Kaveh says sweetly. It’s odd for both of them. For Kaveh to call and Alhaitham to listen so obediently. Alhaitham walks towards him and Kaveh looks back down at what he was doing before, honeyed locks following after him and resting on his shoulders. The scribe leans over the back of the couch to look with him.
Alhaitham liked him like this, unbound, usual hairstyle undone and tired under eyes not meticulously covered by makeup. He felt real, tangible, like the Kaveh that made him trip over his own two feet when they were younger.
“What do you think of this?” He asks, his voice still soft to accommodate for their quiet surroundings. Anything too loud would break this odd spell they were under. Alhaitham leans over the couch and looks at what he’s being asked- it’s a sketch, of something Alhaitham can’t quite make out. A piece of furniture of some sort he’s sure but Kaveh’s inconsistent and messy lines didn’t help him much in deciphering it. “It looks good.” Alhaitham mumbles anyways.
Kaveh starts rambling about what he’s conflicted on with his current project and immediately Alhaitham’s mind wanders elsewhere. He watches Kaveh speak. Watching this way his lips form words, notices the slightly crooked tooth in his mouth. The out of place strands of his hair that he’d fix any other time, the light freckles that spanned his cheeks to the bridge of his nose. The way the light from the candles hits the contours of his face..
Apparently he’d been asked something because Kaveh has stopped speaking and is staring back at him with an odd look.
Alhaitham blinks, looking down for a moment to clear his mind and then back up. “I’m sorry, what?” He mumbles.
“I haven’t said anything.” Kaveh responds after a moment. “You’re staring, it’s odd.”
“I am not.”
“You quite literally just were. You can’t lie to me. Is there something on my face?”
Alhaitham’s eyes deliberately travel his face. He reaches a hand up that makes Kaveh flinch and tucks a piece of hair behind his ear. Kaveh’s brows furrow at the oddly tender action. He feels like if he breathes, god forbid speaks, this moment will be broken.
Alhaitham’s hands rests hesitantly on his cheek, his fingers brushing lightly against the skin. Kaveh feels faint. He gulps, blinking rapidly as if this were a dream and it might all go away. He wonder, why tonight? Why this moment, when he looked his worst, did Alhaitham want to start this with him? He could have picked any time. There are plenty of moments that would’ve been perfect for something like this, maybe when they went on a trip or-
Kaveh’s allotted time for thinking about Alhaitham for the day is interrupted when Alhaitham pulls away from him. His has to bite his tongue, hard, to keep from yelling out in immediate protest.
“Goodnight, Kaveh.” Alhaitham mutters, as cool as ever, and Kaveh wonders if he’d ever get over it. The nervousness he felt around Alhaitham when they were like this, quiet and comfortable. How was he always so damned calm? How dare he be.
“Goodnight Alhaitham.” His voice is back to annoyed for reasons Alhaitham couldn’t decipher for the life of him.