Archive of Our Own

The stars are bright overhead, the night sky peeking out between the canopy of the Sacred Tree, the leaves above black in the dark of this pleasant evening sky. They're side by side, returning home from a spontaneous dinner at the tavern. Although they both only had a cup of wine each, the evening had went along comfortably, they'd even gotten dessert. It has been surprisingly easy to resist the urge to order more bottles recently. Kaveh doesn't need to wonder why that is.

Kaveh's eyes are directed at those glittering stars, the moon hidden behind the sacred tree so that the only light hitting them is the dim shine of the street lamps. Alhaitham's eyes are downturned, watching his own feet as he walks and seemingly rather content with that. He isn't answering, but that's to be expected with a question such as this.

Taking his eyes off the sky, Kaveh looks to his partner, his expectant silence alone enough for Alhaitham to know that there's an answer to be given to Kaveh's question. He doesn't look up at he speaks.

"You're asking a question, but you know exactly what kind of response I'll give you. There's no point to that."

Lifting his head, Alhaitham's eyes lock on to Kaveh, meeting his gaze. His eyes are strangely youthful in the dim, golden light of the street lamps. There's no displeasure, despite the rejection of Kaveh's question. Alhaitham's tone is even and mild as he continues.

"Seeing as you're the one who's considered this topic at all, what is your answer? Do you think we're lovers in every universe?"

Lips spreading into a grin, Kaveh's exhale through his nose is simultaneously fond and exasperated. Romance is always a roundabout thing with this man, even when be does indulge Kaveh's whims. It's the same every time Kaveh throws these odd little ponderings at Alhaitham, it's either something unexpected or entirely disappointing (He hadn't been happy with Alhaitham's response to whether he'd still love Kaveh if Kaveh was a worm, although he'd been charmed by the bizarrely thoughtful and pragmatic hypothetical planning out of worm Kaveh's custom made dirt home. But Kaveh had been pleasantly surprised that Alhaitham had began peeling the bulle fruit that Kaveh had asked him to peel for him without hesitation or even a comment, handing the peeled fruit back to Kaveh and returning to his book.)

"I think such a question lacks a fundamental consideration and skepticism of the existence of multiple universes parallel with this one, and the entire hypothetical of it hinges on a multiverse theory which we have no practical way of proving, making the mention of "every" universe pointless. We have no measurement of what "every" entails as long as we lack an understanding of how many hypothetical, observable universes there even are. Were we to know of other universes how can we ascertain that we are including every single one? And how can we know that reality exists on the same principles as this one? In addition to that, expecting us to be lovers in every iteration of other universes in the hypothetical multiverse is a statistical impossibility. Not only could we, even as soulmates in every universe, encounter an endless amount of obstacles preventing us from even meeting and becoming lovers. With thousands, millions, truly infinite potential universes and timelines, it would be feasible for universes to exist in which one or both of us never existed, or existed at too different times to ever cross paths. So at the very least the question should specify that we're only talking about universes in which we both exist and have a realistic probability of meeting at all. And that is without taking into consideration that there could, by that measure, be universes in which we may not even be existing in a physical or sentient form enabling us to be lovers or understanding the concept of if at all. With all that in mind, I believe that, as romantic as the thought may be, the logical answer is no, I don't think we're lovers in every single universe. Assuming that multiple universes even exist, it would be statistically impossible, or at the very least extremely improbable."

Alhaitham considers Kaveh's explanation in silence, not missing a beat as he nods thoughtfully. Without the courtesy to even twitch a muscle in his neutral expression, he speaks.

"I see. Well I think we're lovers in every universe."

Laughter bursts from Kaveh's lips and he shoves at Alhaitham's shoulder, sending the man stumbling just a little to the side from the playful force, although he seems to be allowing it and playing up the stumble just a little with a low, closed mouth chuckle of his own.

"You brat, you're so annoying!!" he laughs, waiting for Alhaitham to steady himself and fall back into step with Kaveh, seamlessly catching Alhaitham with an arm around his waist as he tucks the other man close to Kaveh's own hip and continues walking up the winding path of Sumeru City like that. Alhaitham's eyes are pointed at the starry sky as well and the smile hasn't left his face, small as it is and mirrored by Kaveh's wider one. It brightens up the night.

"Fine, I concede. I think we are too."