Work Text:
Kaveh has a bad day at work— everything that could go wrong goes wrong. He wakes up late for a client meeting. Spills coffee on himself.
Finds out he's missing a blueprint halfway through his presentation.
Somehow he's also missing his house keys.
Just to soften the blow, he heads to Lambad's for a nice, cold mug of beer. Kaveh has always been an optimist. However bad his day gets, alcohol will surely cheer him up. But, as ridiculous as it may seem, Kaveh learns that it is possible for a tavern to be "sold out" of beer.
It starts to rain as he trudges home, and he almost laughs. He doesn't start to run, doesn't pull out his umbrella—he probably forgot to bring it out anyway—he just takes another step forward, dragging his soggy shoes through muddy rainwater.
Slowly, he allows himself to cry, because the rain will wash away his tears and drown out his sobs. It's the perfect cover, no one will ever know.
The walk home is short, but Kaveh knows it won't be a while until he's actually inside. He'll probably be left pounding at the door for an hour if Alhaitham has his stupid noise-cancelling headphones on.
Ugh. He was probably the one who took Kaveh's key, too. He always snags both by accident on his way out. This bad day was all his fault! But to Kaveh's surprise, he's greeted not by a cold, dark foyer and drawn curtains, but by warm light shining from inside the house; the front door held open by none other than Alhaitham.
Kaveh exhales, relief washing over his wet body. His next inhale is filled with the familiar scent of potpourri and Sabz meat stew.
Kaveh just about collapses against Alhaitham's unfairly warm chest. He feels a steady hand support his back. Kaveh looks up at his roommate with a weak frown.
"You took my keys. Again.”
Alhaitham brushes wet clumps of hair out of Kaveh's eyes. “I didn't take them," he argues back annoyingly, "I just mysteriously found them in my pocket."
“Besides," Alhaitham says, taking Kaveh's briefcase from him, "looks like you didn't need them after all."
Kaveh rolls his eyes, cheek still smushed against Alhaitham's pec.
“How did you know I was coming, anyway?"
Alhaitham's lip twitches upwards. He reaches a hand out to wipe Kaveh's tears away.
"I could smell the despair from a mile away."
Kaveh punches at his side softly. He would have punched harder, but something about Alhaitham makes his body melt where he stands.
He offers the meanest glare he can manage before giving in to temptation and nuzzling his face against Alhaitham's body.
"You need a shower, you're disgusting," Alhaitham says, yet he kisses Kaveh on the forehead. His lips are warm, soft, and inviting, and Kaveh wants to feel them on the rest of his face.
Kaveh tiptoes and angles his cheek upwards. Alhaitham mercifully kisses it.
"You're always so mean to me," Kaveh huffs, absolutely no edge to his voice.
Alhaitham guides him by the waist into the house, safe from the thunderstorm that's getting heavier outside.
“I think I'm allowed to be. I cooked your dinner, you know." Kaveh peeks in the kitchen. The stew is simmering on low heat, almost ready to be served.
The table is set for two, a tall bottle of wine in the middle— an obscenely expensive bottle of wine gifted by one of Dori's associates. “Woah," Kaveh says “Cabernet? What's the occasion?"
Alhaitham cocks his head sideways, not really understanding the question.
“My wife had a bad day."
Kaveh suddenly feels very hot despite being completely wet. It must be all these candles Alhaitham has randomly decided to light up around the house.
"Shut up, you..." Kaveh tries to act mad but he can't stop himself from smiling.
Alhaitham removes Kaveh's soaking wet cloak, and along with it all the weight on his shoulders.
Kaveh wants to kiss him.
He looks at Kaveh, down at his lips, and smirks.
“After you've had a bath."
Kaveh whines and stomps his foot in protest.
Alhaitham relents with a laugh—he always does eventually-and pecks him on the lips.
Kaveh then smiles and goes to the shower which was in near-scalding water and enters the living room in his linen pyjamas, all clean and rosy-cheeked.
Alhaitham brings out the stew and rests his chin in his hand as he listens to Kaveh complain endlessly about his day. He interrupts once in a while to tease Kaveh, just enough to get a rise out of him. Most of the time though, he's just listening with a dreamy smile on his face.
After dinner, Kaveh sits alone at the table, now calm, collected, warm, and content.
He swirls his glass as he watches Alhaitham wash the dishes.
He takes a sip of the Cabernet, and thinks maybe it's not so bad that the tavern was out of beer.
He walks to the living room to take his cloak to wash, only to find out Alhaitham has already taken care of it. Hmm.
Maybe it's not so bad that he got caught in the rain.
Finally, Kaveh finishes his wine and places his glass in the sink.
Alhaitham takes the chance to kiss him while he's near. Kaveh giggles at the surprise attack. After so many years, it's still hard not to blush.
Maybe... it's not so bad that Alhaitham takes his keys sometimes.