Archive of Our Own ^beta

t's another night at Lambad's tavern, a place that's become like a second home to Kaveh with how frequently he's here. Whether it's with Al-Haitham, a client, his other friends, or on his lonesome, Kaveh always finds himself returning here. Usually, it's him and Haitham. Progress is progress when it comes to a recovering alcoholic; this is especially true when Kaveh has only one cup of liquor to nurse tonight.

His companion stares at the cup and opens his mouth to speak.

Kaveh cuts him off.

“It's about moderation,” Kaveh states plainly, puffing out his chest as he spoons some rice. “The better things became, the more I no longer needed to rely on that sort of stress relief.”

Haitham hums in affirmation. “Helps with your finances.” He remarks. “Maybe a time will come when we don't need to give business to the barkeep every week.”

Kaveh blinks, “It's tradition!” He protests. “If anything, we should come here more often!”

His roommate snorts, covering his expression with a sip of his wine. It's the same as usual. He's really not as cute as he used to be back when they first met. He learned, of course, that was the type of person Al-Haitham was. 

It makes Kaveh wonder, though. Several years ago, he was seated in the upper level of Lambad's, alone and surrounded by emptied cups with a serving of lost hopes and dreams. If Al-Haitham wasn't there that day, if he didn't mention that he had room for him to return…

Kaveh doesn't know if he'd even be alive. Well, maybe he could've managed. Maybe Cyno or Tighnari would've taken pity on him and helped him get a new lease on life, but he'd be saddled with regrets.

Kaveh stares into his drink, going silent. Would anything change for Al-Haitham? No, he doesn't think so. He's the resilient type who acts freely as he wills, even in disparaging life events. He wouldn't become a workaholic, since his beliefs in work-life balance dominated. Maybe he'd do more research. Maybe he'd even write a book of his own. He could do all the things he wanted without having to worry about Kaveh depending on him for almost everything. 

Sometimes, Kaveh thinks even his presence is a burden in the house. He's been getting better commissions and less frustrating clients lately, especially after the upheaval of the corrupt sages at the Akademiya. Overall, under Haitham's leadership, the Akademiya started to regain the integrity it had lost to oppressiveness. The people of Sumeru now find themselves able to dream in both a literal sense and to pursue all their aspirations. 

“What are you thinking about?” Haitham speaks up, interrupting Kaveh from his thoughts. “Looks like you don't even need alcohol to start spacing out.”

“Hey! I was just… reflecting, that's all. Really.” Kaveh clarifies, clearing his throat. “It’s been a few years… since y’know.”

“Mhm.” Haitham agrees. “Why do you mention…”

“Well, I mean.” Kaveh coughs. “I mean, things couldn’t have been easy. Dealing with me and all…”

Haitham shrugs, tearing apart a piece of his pita to pop into his mouth. “You deal with me too.”

Kaveh huffs. “You bet I do. No one else would be able to stand it.”

Al-Haitham’s favorite word comes next, “So?”

“So,” Kaveh continues, trailing off. “It makes me wonder… how would your life change if I wasn’t in it?”

Haitham pauses. “No comment.” He says, and back he goes to using his pita to soak up whatever tahini was still on his plate. 

“I’m serious!” Kaveh exclaims, “Don’t tell me you think that’s a dumb question…”

“Not dumb, just not a conversation to have right now.” He returns just as easily. 

Kaveh squints. Does he want to be considerate of his feelings? Or maybe it’s because they’ve been drinking. Or that it’s Friday and they shouldn’t be having life-changing conversations on Friday. Alternatively, the answer is that yes, a lot, and it'd be better without Kaveh in it, and Haitham doesn’t want to deal with the consequences of saying that. 

His stomach churns at the thought… his insecurities scream that it’s the last one: that Kaveh is nothing but a burden. What else could it be? He doesn’t know when it comes to Al-Haitham. Despite knowing him for this long, Kaveh still doesn’t understand how to exactly pinpoint Haitham’s feelings. Like… What made him happy? Kaveh can’t remember the last time he saw Haitham smile ever since he started living with him! Especially since Haitham always kept it simple by going with the flow and only expressed his opinions when it was to be contrary. Ugh. Times like these are when Kaveh wishes that he’s a mindreader of some sort.

Despite the anxiety gnawing at him, they move on to talk about other things: about the Akademiya, about Kaveh’s trip to Port Ormos tomorrow for a consultation, and everything else but that question.

It weighs on him. 

When he wakes up in the morning, the smell of freshly brewed coffee greets him. Haitham left the pot out like always, for Kaveh to take his share and then clean up the rest. The anxiety grows as he can’t help but think of the different ways Haitham adjusts his routine because of him. Has he been imposing that much? Is it a hassle? Well, at least he wouldn’t have to deal with it for a couple of days while he was on another business trip. Kaveh grabs his mug for the coffee, taking frequent sips out of it while he prepares a light breakfast for himself out of leftovers and a spare apple. Haitham was surprisingly conscientious when it came to food and the state of all of their stock of ingredients. He wouldn’t have it if anything went to waste, so Kaveh’s gotten into the habit of repurposing leftovers as soon as possible. Maybe, in that way, he’s also adjusting how he functions for Haitham..? Yet, it still didn’t feel like it was enough.

He can’t keep agonizing over this forever. He’s got really important stuff to do, so he’ll leave that conversation for later, like Haitham wanted.

Fuck.

The consultation wasn’t much. It was about a new building within the Ardravi Valley area. Specifically, a proposal for a fishing shack for the fishermen to take shelter from the heat of the sun. It was envisioned to exist as a structure off the side dock overlooking the lake and as the home base of the Sumeru branch of Tevyat’s Fishing Association. Or rather, the home base for a woman named Loumelat. She was one of the more eccentric clients he’s had the pleasure to work with, but at least she was not making ridiculous demands.

She asked him about his Rashid, mentioning that fishing was hers. Recent developments and lucky catches had left her with enough mora, plus endorsement from the fishing association so that she could commission Kaveh. “It seems to me that designing these useful buildings is your Rashid. After all, you were the one who made the best renovations to the lighthouse!”

Either way. It made him feel better, so he planned out the scope of the project and promised to have his initial blueprint ready in a week. She assured him that there was no rush, but he did feel a little more inspired. Of course, his perfectionist tendencies mean that he’ll be staying up late again, making sure he can achieve his vision… She insisted that he try fishing for a bit, but he kindly rejected her offer and said that he had to return home. (Which was… more or less true? He focuses best at home.)

Now, he’s on the way home, pondering whether he should stop by Gandharva Ville and check in on Tighnari and Collei before returning home. Maybe he’d ask Haitham again about that question—it’s a bit important. It’s been on his mind relentlessly, like a worm wriggling its way into his brain. 

For now, though, he’s in the midst of the rainforest. It’s raining again as usual. Despite the tendency of the climate, he never remembers to bring his umbrella. He sighs, taking comfort that he could take some sort of shelter under the trees. There might be some sort of alcove he can fit into… but instead, there’s something else. It seems to be a blossom protruding in the distance. He swallows a breath, taking the time to focus and use his elemental sight with the help of his Dendro vision. That blossom seems to be exuding something, so he beckons Mehrak, and tells it to do a rudimentary scan. Its face looks visibly concerned, flashing and beeping loudly.

“Okay, wait for me.” He sighs, jogging over there, despite how much the rain drenches him and slows him down on the sloshy ground. Ugh. Ew. Mud’s all over his shoes. This is why he hates being out in the rain. “Mehrak, stay put!” 

Mehrak beeps in response, still hovering over the shining leyline sprout. Once Kaveh catches up, he glances over the blossom. He gingerly touches it with his finger, but shakes his head. Maybe he’ll ask Tighnari to come see it later… Ah, if only he brought a Kamera with him. It’d be hard to explain otherwise. Al-Haitham might even remark that Kaveh was just hallucinating. It’s not in his field of study, but he would be interested in picking this apart. Mehrak beeps again, this time taking the time to scan the organic matter. It seems to be mostly some sort of concentrated elemental energy—

Oh, shit. 

It starts to sparkle brightly, seemingly powered by his elemental powers. He didn’t expect it to react to Dendro, but it may resemble the flowers that spit out the four-leaved sigils… either way, he squeezes his eyes shut, bracing himself for what else awaits him. 

Light engulfs him and Mehrak, overloading his range of vision and all his senses. There’s a bit of a sweet scent, but mostly…

Wonder. Curiosity? Anticipation… Unconsciousness. 

When he wakes up, he’s in a different room. Kaveh wearily rubs at his eyes, a yawn escaping his lips as he looks at his surroundings. It’s unfamiliar, but familiar at the same time..? It’s certainly not the room he knows like the back of his hand, but rather some other type of housing. Akademiya housing, maybe? He remembers it vaguely from his student days…

Mehrak’s still there, thankfully. Although the aesthetic sense of the room’s decoration is congruent with how he would usually decorate a room. Its set-up closely resembles his own, but without being his room. Maybe it was more reminiscent of his childhood bedroom? That’s long gone, though, cleaned out as soon as his mother moved to Fontaine. 

Oh, but he could also be dreaming. Maybe he passed out in the rain. He wrinkles his nose at the thought, pinching himself on the arm to see if it’s true.

“Ow.” He hisses, but that seems to rouse Mehrak awake. Its eyes shift into triangular shapes, indicating its glee. “Oh, I’m alright. Good morning, Mehrak… where are we?”

Then, confusion settles in. Mehrak beeps again, but in a cadence indicating that it seems lost. Almost as if…

“Huh? This is where I live?” Kaveh blinks, but shakes his head. “No way. This isn’t my house… uhh…”

Mehrak beeps again, telling Kaveh that he ought to get up and see for himself. 

“Alright. I got a draft to work on, after all.”

Mehrak beeps again, projecting some of the blueprints that Kaveh’s currently working on—except they all look unfamiliar. He scratches his head. “I need coffee, I guess… wonder what Haitham grabbed from the market. Hope he didn’t cheap out on the beans again…”

Mehrak beeps again in some sort of confusion, but decides to follow Kaveh.

When Kaveh exits the room, he turns his head to see a familiar mop of hair. He raises an eyebrow.

“You’re up. Morning.” Cyno greets him as he’s putting on his headgear. “Earlier than usual, huh. Well, good thing. Make sure you remember your keys because I’m going out of the city for work.”

Kaveh blinks. “Where? Some student ran off there?”

“Caravan Ribat for now. That’s where he was last spotted.” Cyno looks over at him. “Didn’t I already tell you last night?”

Uhh. No. I didn’t even talk to you yesterday. Why am I here with you? Kaveh dips his head. “Sorry, I forgot… be safe, alright?”

Cyno hums in affirmation. “Don’t apologize. I forget stuff too. Anyway, I’m off. You can have everything I left here. It’ll go bad otherwise.”

“Sure… thanks.” Kaveh returns, trying to mask the sudden unease settling in him. “Uh, Cyno… one question.”

“Yeah?” He finishes adjusting his helmet. 

Kaveh hesitates, tilting his head slightly with a troubled frown. “Uh… what happened to Al-Haitham?”

Cyno scrunches his nose. “Him? That guy… I forgot you knew him. Tighnari told me that. Wait, you don’t remember?”

“Remember what?” Kaveh presses with a frown.

“He got fired from the Akademiya while you were on a trip to the desert. During the whole thing…” Cyno frowns. “If you don’t remember, you can ask Nilou. I don’t know if Tighnari decided to tell you or not… since, y’know. You’ve been pretty busy since you returned, though.”

“Seriously? I…” And it seems like the other Kaveh didn’t even think to ask! How heartless am I? Ugh, wait… no, maybe it makes sense. Did I ever make up with him? “I see. Maybe I’ll go ask Tighnari. I’m sure Nilou’s busy.”

“Tighnari’s busier, honestly.” Cyno admits. “Ask Nilou, she’ll tell you everything. Just to check, do you remember how the Akademiya got reformed and now no one uses the Akasha anymore? And that we saved Lesser Lord Kusanali?”

“Of course I know that!” Kaveh sighs, “Let me just figure out what’s going on for me. Don’t worry about me, Cyno, you have more important things to do.”

Cyno sucks in a breath, and then relents. “Right. Like I said, you can ask Nilou or Tighnari… actually, maybe just ask Tighnari if you have amnesia.”

“I don’t have amnesia! It’s… different from that.” Kaveh pinches his nose. “Okay, okay. Don’t let me hold you up! Bye, Cyno!”

“Bye. Take care.” Cyno says as a warning, opening the door and shutting it behind him. 

After Cyno’s fully gone, Kaveh sighs, sinking down to the floor for a moment. So… he has commissions to work on. He should probably work on those, but… he needs to see what’s happening here. First thing—his belly growls.

He grumbles. Coffee, right. And maybe breakfast.

It turns out that Cyno doesn’t really keep coffee in his house. Then how the hell does he function at work? Does he get perfect sleep or something? Feel well-rested all the time? It must be nice! Of course, they did have some sort of coffee maker, but it’s way cheaper than the fancy one Haitham has. Oh, it’s miserable. That means Kaveh probably had to buy it with his limited budget. Speaking of, he did find his wallet to be filled with more mora than expected. 

For a moment, he entertains the idea that his life might actually be… better without Haitham? He still has a home, although Cyno is less present at home (probably) than Al-Haitham. Regardless, it’s still a decent place. It just feels… missing? Also, he can’t help but worry about Al-Haitham’s whereabouts. He thought that guy would be flourishing wherever he was, but to think he actually got fired from the Akademiya? He needs to find out the whole story.

For now, though, he’s nursing a cup of coffee in Puspa Cafe. Judging by how the barista automatically recognized him, he figures this might’ve become one of his more usual haunts, besides Lambad’s. Well, they say it’s one of the better places to focus… Mehrak comes along, beeping quietly as it reviews Kaveh’s commissions for him. Oh, and he found some notes his other self had jotted down on the commissions. Most of these were in the secondary stage after client feedback, and as expected… there’s many changes he has to make.

Overall, things haven’t changed for the worse. That’s good news, at least. It assures Kaveh that he doesn’t totally rely on Al-Haitham for everything in his life, and he would’ve made it through anyway. Well, it doesn’t feel great knowing that it was just Tighnari’s best friend who took him in. Actually, it feels even shameful that a friend of a friend he met after graduating from the Akademiya was the one who ended up taking him in. There are some questions he has for Cyno when he comes back, the reason why Cyno decided to room with him at the very top of the mountain of questions.

Actually, how could he stand living with Cyno? He’s nicer at heart, but he has all those terrible jokes. Worse than Haitham’s attempts at jokes, which usually meant fucking around with Kaveh like taking his keys. At least Cyno would remind him to bring his keys.

He pauses, taking another sip of his coffee. Yeah, maybe this is better.

But Al-Haitham… did he really get fired from the Akademiya? Al-Haitham had to somehow weasel his way out of being the Grand Sage and keep his salary as far as he could remember! The staff at the Akademiya adored him! 

But it makes more sense knowing it was probably from the older sages… and it seems like Al-Haitham didn’t have that much stake in Sumeru City as his home. Well, that’s the kind of coldhearted guy Al-Haitham is. (He knows he’s not that coldhearted. But Al-Haitham never reached out to Kaveh. Maybe he never saw Kaveh. Maybe he also realized he didn’t want to invite any more trouble in his life, and carried on. But how's that doing for him, huh? Huh?) 

He drops his pen, letting it clatter on the table. Kaveh groans audibly, digging his fingers into his scalp and scratching it immensely. This is giving him a headache. Enough. He needs to focus.

But how can he focus when everything’s changed. Maybe this is a dream. No, wait, he already tested that. He’s pretty sure this isn’t a dream.

A cheerful voice cuts in along with the sound of clanking jewelry. “Oh! You’re Kaveh, right?” 

He looks up, blinking owlishly. “Uh… oh, Dehya! It’s a relief to see you.” He visibly calms down, and also nods toward Dunyarzad who’s beside her.

“Oh, you remember me?” Dehya flashes him a smile. “We were just at the same dinner once, I think? Cyno introduced you as his roommate.” 

That’s similar to how he met her in the past, but he was more of a tagalong with Al-Haitham, although insisting that it not be known that they’re roommates… it sounds like he didn’t care as much when it came to being roommates with Cyno? “Yeah, of course! What are you and Miss Dunyarzad doing here?”

Dunyarzad also smiles, “Well, we were just here to have a bite. I wanted to treat Dehya to a coffee. I might just get a masala chai, though…” She claps her hands together. “It’s nice seeing you, I feel like we haven’t had much chance to talk. Do you mind if we sit with you? The cafe is quite full.”

“Are you sure?” Dehya asks, “Didn’t you want to get your order to go?”

“It’s alright. I think talking to Mr. Kaveh would be more worth it.” She beams. “Oh, only if you’re not too busy…”

Kaveh pauses, but automatically nods in agreement. “Of course! I mean… let’s face it, I wasn’t going to get anything done anyway. There’s too much on my mind.”

The younger lady brightens up, reaching to pull out a chair. However, Dehya cuts in, sliding it out for Dunzaryad. “After you, my lady. I’ll grab the drinks, okay?”

“Wait, I was going to treat you!” Dunzaryad protests, but sighs as she watches Dehya already scamper off to the counter before she can say anything. “Mm, looks like I missed my chance…” She murmurs, but shakes her head. “Mr. Kaveh, how are you?”

This is where he'd usually lie. But Dehya and Dunzaryad, if anyone else, would know what unfolded while Kaveh was out in the desert. “Well, I… just have something on my mind, admittedly. I can’t really focus on work because of that.”

“Oh my,” Dunzaryad straightens her back. “That certainly would be a problem. We can talk about it if it’d help. What’s on your mind?”

Kaveh hesitates, first reaching his hand out to clear some of his junk out of Dunzaryad and Dehya’s side of the table. With his pen and notes tucked away, and Mehrak situated in the seat next to him, Kaveh takes another sip of his coffee. He exhales. “It’s kind of weird, but can you stay with me?”

She only laughs. “Trust me, I remember things that are considered pretty weird. What is it?”

“What if you woke up one day and everything’s… changed?” Kaveh asks quietly, almost secretively. “For example… if you woke up, and it turns out that you never met Dehya. You and Dehya have lived completely different lives, but you remember her. She doesn’t remember you.”

Dunzaryad frowns for a moment, staying silent as she gathers her thoughts.

Kaveh’s hands start to feel clammy, and he wonders if he should’ve said it at all. 

Thankfully, she opens her mouth to answer. “I’d be confused at first… and a part of me would wonder what sort of life she would be living if I wasn’t a part of it. But, I also think destiny works in funny ways… even if we hadn’t met earlier, then perhaps we might’ve met later on down the line. Maybe I’d make that happen faster for the Dunzaryad I took over.”

He pauses at that. Right. He could… potentially look for Al-Haitham? Maybe that’s what he meant to do when he asked about him. Well, he’d want answers from him directly, above all else. Of course he’d look for him. Then he could at least have some closure. “That’s a really good way to look at it.”

Dehya, in all her strange timing, returns with both hot drinks in hand, then setting them both on the table. “What’s a good way to look at it?”

“Dehya! Kaveh here seems to be having a problem.” Dunzaryad explains, also whispering a thanks to Dehya for the chai. “I think the Kaveh here is… not the Kaveh we know? Does that make sense?”

“Huh? More of this time loop stuff again?” Dehya scratches the back of her neck. “Don’t tell me! You’re from the future?”

Kaveh blinks, but shakes his head. “I… don’t think so? Just another time where I’m actually Al-Haitham’s roommate?”

Dehya just starts laughing. Dunzaryad nudges her, but laughter keeps tumbling from her lips until she finally settles. “Oh, sorry. That was too rich. I was just surprised! From what I remember of him, he was mostly beefing with Cyno. I mean, for good reason? But Candace threatened both of them and they shut up pretty fast. He was pretty distant.”

“He used to be the Scribe at the Akademiya, right?” Dunzaryad hums, “I think Miss Nilou said that he got fired trying to sabotage the sages at that time… something about him getting exiled?”

Now that makes Kaveh raise an eyebrow. “What? Him? So he was still helping in his own way…”

“But he didn’t cooperate with us and the Traveler in the end.” Dehya sighs, taking a sip of her coffee. “I mean, think about it. We would’ve been able to do it much easier if he just stayed with us, but… well, it looked like his mind was elsewhere. I guess? He never mentioned you, though…”

And of course he didn’t. So it looks like his reasons might be hidden… but that’s typical of Haitham. He usually kept his agenda hidden, but Kaveh had started to come close to at least anticipating some of them. To an extent, of course.

“Do… you know where he ended up?” Kaveh frowns, “So he was exiled from Sumeru City..? Uh, was that reversed?”

Dehya blinks. “I dunno about all that Akademiya stuff, but if I was him, I wouldn’t bother returning to Sumeru City. People here are pretty nice, sure, but those stuffy scholars at the Akademiya might be hostile toward him. So I’d stay in the desert and never come back!”

“Of course, you can’t do that since I’m here.” Dunzaryad teases with a light smile. “But, if I recall correctly… in Aaru Village, that’s where most of the people exiled ended up?”

“Right, right!” Dehya exclaims. “So, uh, maybe he’s in the desert somewhere? But he’s also the cushy type that couldn’t stand the desert either, so I doubt that he stayed there. Maybe he went to another nation or something. You could easily run away from your past there and start anew.”

It reminds Kaveh of his mom for a moment. It’s a long shot, but… it sits in the back of his mind. “Huh. Should I… ask Tighnari?”

“Oh, he wouldn’t know. I mean, I can ask Candace if she saw him?” Dehya shrugs, leaning back in her chair as she contemplates. “I mean, most scholars from the Akademiya venture into the desert to investigate some of the ruins from King Deshret… so that’s an option. I think Candace would’ve mentioned seeing him, though.”

“Maybe you should write to the Traveler?” Dunzaryad chimes in thoughtfully. “He’s always all over the place, still looking for his sister… so I imagine he might’ve remembered Al-Haitham. It’s been a few months since we last saw the Traveler, after all.”

Good point. Kaveh had help from Aether on his own, introduced to him by Haitham inviting him to their house, and that’s how it began. Kaveh wonders if they had a similar type of bond here, but considering that the current time wasn’t too long after Sumeru’s supposed liberation from the corrupt sages at the Akademiya… he doubts it.

But he’ll write anyway. “Sounds like a plan. Really, thanks guys… I wouldn’t have figured it out otherwise.”

Days later, Kaveh receives a reply. It’s quicker than he anticipated, considering how busy he expects Aether to be. Saving Tevyat and all that comes with big expectations, but his credo as the famed traveler is enough to make him live up to those expectations. He remembers Haitham talking about Aether, having a respect for them that he rarely showed anyone else. Kaveh would’ve been jealous, but Aether has shown himself to be a good friend too, along with his gluttonous floating friend, Paimon. 

Aether writes of Fontaine, where he actually just, incidentally, saved Fontaine from its fate.

Wow. And here Kaveh is only designing buildings and hoping it means something for someone. While it seems like the Palace of Alcazarzaray still exists in all of its glory, Dori didn’t hound him for debt payments. Cyno was even surprised at the mention of it when he first asked, saying that the Palace of Alcazarzaray project was extremely successful, and part of it was why Cyno came to know Kaveh in the first place. 

Despite that… It's not the same as saving an entire nation. He recalls seeing the news about Fontaine’s prophecy being successfully prevented, and it’s about the same as he remembered back in his original time. Is that what he should call it? It’s been more or less the same, as Cyno was still out on a business trip. He mentioned by letter that he’ll be returning soon, but unfortunately, Kaveh will likely leave as Cyno returns.

Aether mentions in his letter that yes, he did run into Al-Haitham. At the Fontaine Research Institute, of course.

Right, where else would that guy be? At the courthouse? Sipping some Fontainian coffee and eating a croissant or something? When he thinks of it, maybe Haitham was suited for a life in the Hydro Nation.

Then he thought about it again.

Nope. Definitely not. He’d be sick of the theatrics happening there. Although, it seemed like Haitham continued his somewhat-doing-good routine where he occasionally, on a whim, would help another person. It’s usually only if it’s something that made his life inconvenient, though. 

However, Aether describes the chronicles of Al-Haitham helping them solve the mystery behind the happenings of the Fontaine Research Institute in his letter. In the end, a man had lost his life, and the reporter wasn’t even allowed to publish the article. Talk about serving justice. Al-Haitham had only been a bystander in that investigation, only offering hints and taking off before he could receive recognition from the Institute.

Aether recounts that although they have parted, Al-Haitham has indicated that he still had business in Fontaine. He also remarks that he had no idea Kaveh knew Al-Haitham near the end of his letter. 

Kaveh writes back in haste, and later that night, he checks if he has enough funds to afford a trip to Fontaine. 

For a moment, his mind wanders to his mother. Faranak, who was antsy to even tell him that she had remarried. He wonders how she is—she doesn’t make a habit of writing to him. Doesn’t seem like that changed here, either. Cyno probably doesn’t even know that Kaveh’s mom is in Fontaine. 

But…

He’d never want to bother her like that. She now lives a life beyond him, and perhaps happier for it. There’s no way he can disrupt the harmony of her life just for this.

Isn’t it alright to ask her for one thing? It’s the least she can do for you.

Not to mention, Kaveh doesn’t know what this world’s Kaveh has said to her. Did he, for even a second, ask her to remember him? The thought of it bothers him, and it festers into a bigger guilt than ever was.

No, Kaveh decides, there’s no point. If I run into her, then that’ll be fine, but otherwise… what right do I have to speak with her when I’m not really her son?

So Kaveh instead requests the Traveler to at least seek Haitham out in the meantime and that he would meet them later.

Some way or another… but knowing that he’s not in debt makes him feel a little better about shelling out the money, however less than ideal it is. 

While he’d love to say he finished his client projects before he left, he… did not. He promised to keep in touch with his clients while he was away, and cited some random bullshit that he was going to Fontaine for more inspiration. Funnily enough, they believed him. Well, it’s not like Kaveh couldn’t consider it in the meantime.

As a result, Kaveh begins to set out on his self-imposed vacation to Fontaine. Maybe less vacation and more of a mission. One that he valued and needed to know before he went crazy over the fact that there is an Al-Haitham shaped hole in his life.

(And why, why did it bother him so much? It’s just plain strange to live a life without Haitham! Archons, did this mean he spent far too much time with him?)

Regardless. He’s now here at Bayda Harbor, waiting for his boat to Fontaine to arrive. Oddly enough, he thought in the past that this place was more lively… yet, it was quiet and peaceful in a way that Kaveh starts to find creepy. Although most of it comes from the knowledge that this is more of a trading port than one for travel. The reason his fare to Fontaine ended up being so cheap was because he struck a deal with a spice merchant. It’s a blow to his pride, so it’s embarrassing, but whatever works. It’s the best he can do despite his better financial conditions. 

The voyage to Fontaine is long and boring. He spends half of his time on the ship sketching or otherwise working on client commissions, and the other half daydreaming or sleeping. He’s relieved to know that he has better tolerance for travel by boat than he had assumed. No nausea!

It’s another day of travel until the merchant’s ship reaches Lumidouce Harbor. Kaveh helps the merchant unload his cargo; however, the merchant sails off quickly without pausing to rest nor did he remember to let Kaveh pay him. Although boggling, Kaveh figures he has more trouble on his hands now. (In hindsight, he wonders if he got involved in something shady…)

Some of the harbor’s employees can’t help but stare at him with mixed uncertainty and fascination. An employee approaches him, the sound of their footsteps resounding similar to that of a slime. This shorter species he’s never seen before possesses a pastel color profile resembling those of the fungi back in Sumeru, although this employee has a sky blue body. This species is bipedal, although it resembles a mix between a deer and an aquatic creature. Well, Kaveh is an aesthetician, not a biologist, so all he can do is appreciate how cute these Fontainians are. They seem feminine in appearance with a dark blonde bob and violet eyes along with some sort of rhinophores protruding from their head. 

“Um… are you part of the spice shipment?” She asks, tilting her head as her paw rubs …scratches? her chin. “I suppose sometimes we get some stragglers here… I’ll make an exception for you, sir!”

She’s adorable. She has a cute little hat and coat that he hadn’t imagined to be typical. Wow, maybe this is part of what inspires his mother to stay abroad here—all this tells him is that he needs to travel around more. “Oh, uh. Thank you very much…”

She blinks, “I’m Chourei. I’m part of the Marechaussee Phantom.”

“That is..?” Kaveh asks hesitantly, “Sorry, I’m from Sumeru. I just needed a cheaper passage to Fontaine, so… if this is illegal…”

“A special investigation unit made up of the melusine.” She explains proudly, and shakes her head. “It’s okay, you don’t seem like a bad person… I didn’t see anything.”

How awfully convenient that she’s a nice person, Kaveh thinks as he sighs in relief. “Well, thank you very much, Chourei. I’ll return the favor when I come back… uh…”

He doesn’t know the first place to look when it comes to searching for Al-Haitham. The Traveler, though, mentioned that they can meet in the Court of Fontaine, so perhaps he’d go there first.

He clears his throat, “Could you give me directions to the Court of Fontaine first?”

No, he doesn’t understand why his mother would prefer to stay here. Some of the laws and gossip here were outrageous, not to mention the lengths it took him just to get to the other side of the nation! The people, too, all acted pretty stuck up and took more interest in themselves than anything else. They held prejudices about the researchers from Sumeru and looked at him as if he was lesser than them. And there was crime rife here, too! He read through some of the newspapers with stories that struck fear into his heart at the number of strange happenings. There were scammers and impersonators, and the list goes on… should the nation of justice have so much strife?!

Kaveh pauses, realizing it’s definitely a byproduct of pent-up stress. Relax, Kaveh. You just need to adjust. The few bad apples you met along the way doesn’t speak for all Fontainians… After all, why would his mother, who he had taken after, stay here?

It’s more cultural shock than anything, he supposes. It must’ve been a rocky start for his mother, too, but she had rightfully gotten another position here that let her settle down… he wonders what sorts of buildings she was able to bring to life here. Would they be as awe-inspiring as the ones she had done and told Kaveh about when he was younger? Does… she even still design? Or is she busy taking care of a new family, settling in a new nation, and coming back home?

It’s ironic. This sort of trip would have never occurred to him in his original timeline. Despite how painful and lonely it felt, he separated himself from his mother’s affairs entirely. She resolved to heal by leaving behind her old life to start anew in Fontaine. He doesn’t treat it as abandonment, he never did, he’ll still be waiting for her at the end of it all when she’s ready to face him again.

Not to mention, he had his struggles to deal with in his current life. In that time, though, he wonders if Haitham became his family.

Maybe that’s why it feels so empty without him in his life. He had many questions about the reasons behind Al-Haitham’s departure, why he hadn’t tried to get reinstated into the Akademiya and decided to leave Sumeru altogether, and why…

He never made it back to Kaveh’s side.

Part of it is Kaveh’s fault, too; he’s sure. He never would’ve made the initiative to take the first step toward reconciliation. He would regret it, but never act on it out of his pride and his bleeding heart. One who would rather make bigger trouble for himself than impose a burden on another person. 

So, now here he is at Café Lutece and waiting for the Traveler, who he is…

Oh, he’s imposing on them. For his selfish mission. He looks at his wallet to check how much mora he has to treat Aether to some coffee, and Paimon to some treats… Come to think of it, he would also have to pay for lodging.

Goodbye to his savings. He has a little extra in his wallet thanks to that merchant leaving before Kaveh could tip his fare, but that doesn’t mean he wants to blow it all on some foreign hotel room.

After an hour of Kaveh reading his copy of one of the less noteworthy newspapers with a hand curled around a glass of water, he hears the twinkling of a certain floating fairy and the golden figure of a certain traveler.

“You’re reading the tabloid paper, Kaveh,” Aether teases upon walking up to his table. 

“That’s a tabloid? The stories in there are so interesting, though!” Paimon crosses her arms. “I knew I should’ve stuck to the mystery novels.”

Aether rolls his eyes. “Anyway, it’s nice to see you again. How’s Cyno and everyone?”

It’s surprising that he’d be lumped in with Cyno rather than Al-Haitham—it feels like a departure in the most foreign of ways. It’s funny how much one key difference can do. “He had some business himself. Doing his job and all.” He coughs. “Dehya and Dunzaryad say hi, by the way.”

“Aw! We hope they’re doing well too!” Paimon chirps, and she pauses to look over at Aether for a moment. “Oh, um… Kaveh, we were surprised to hear that you’re looking for that guy. He ditched us not too long ago to deal with all the aftermath!”

Aether shrugs, “I can’t blame him. It was pretty troublesome. He said he had an appointment at the Palais Mermonia coming up that he couldn’t miss, or it’ll be delayed by another couple of months if he’s a no-show.”

“I’m sure we could’ve worked something out with Neuvillette, though…” Paimon sulks. “Stupid Al-Haitham, if he’d just stayed with us, we could’ve helped him.”

Aether shrugs. “Well, what can you do… anyway, I think that’s supposed to be happening today. I can show you the way, and we can wait for him together.”

Kaveh sighs, taking the menu and handing it over to Aether. “Thank you, I really owe you one, Traveler. If you want to order something, it’s on me for your help…”

Paimon floats over and hums. “On you, huh?”

Aether shakes his head. “No, we’re not hungry or thirsty. Why don’t we just get going?”

Paimon pouts, but she instead snatches up Kaveh’s tabloid copy as some sort of payment for their navigation services.

They wait patiently outside the office of the Iudex, and Kaveh feels hilariously out of place. He can’t help but fidget, glancing at the intricate interior of the administrative building. It’s impressive, on the lines of the Akademiya, but much more of a governing body rather than an academic one. In the meantime, Aether and Paimon were chatting with another melusine, one who says her name is Sedene, in their brief introduction.

The door finally creaks open, revealing a face he thought he’d never see again. He doesn’t run up to him, though. That’d be weird, especially knowing their relationship was still considerably estranged in this universe.

Haitham pauses in his step, looking completely stunned at the sight of Kaveh. “Oh.” That's all he can say, despite the number of words he could realistically say.

“Seriously? That’s all you can say?” Kaveh grumbles, but then shakes his head quickly. This isn’t the Al-Haitham he knows; he probably can’t talk to him like that. He clears his throat. “I mean, fancy seeing you here.” 

Haitham’s eyes flit over to Aether and Paimon, avoiding Kaveh’s gaze. “What made you come here, senior?” 

Kaveh tilts his head and huffs. “Drop the honorific, Al-Haitham. We’re not at the Akademiya… It’s been years since that.” Despite rehearsing the reunion in his head, he can’t help but wonder if he’s acting way more familiar than he should. “I just heard you went to Fontaine and never returned. I didn't know you got fired…”

Haitham shrugs. “Let’s talk about this elsewhere.” And he pauses once more, “I asked about your mother.”

He blinks. “Wait, what? Why did you do that?” 

Al-Haitham pauses, but shakes his head. “I was asked to by one of the professors.”

Kaveh squints at that excuse, figuring he was hiding behind one of the retired professors who had personally taught his mom in her Akademiya days. He doesn’t push further, though. “And..?”

“She’s doing fine, apparently living in Petrichor.” Haitham quickly adds, “If you were thinking of visiting.”

Kaveh pauses, but shakes his head. “I won’t impose on her.”

“I see.” Haitham returns. Even his outfit has changed, taking on the attire of a Fontainian but with a blend of Sumeru’s elements. The green gem remains on his chest on full display. Kaveh scoffs internally at that, almost distraught that he’s still as attractive as ever.

Wait, attractive—no, he had better things to worry about. 

Aether clears his throat. “Well, glad that you two are reunited. If you don’t mind, Paimon and I have to get going. I have some more commissions I have to handle before retiring for the night.”

Paimon protests for a moment, but then shakes her head. “Um, Kaveh… do you have a place to stay?”

Kaveh perks up, wondering if that means she was going to offer a place for him to stay for the time being. 

“He can stay with me.” Haitham interrupts with the same audacity that Kaveh has always known, although extremely irritating. Kaveh’s indignant for a moment, ready to exclaim that he’s supposed to ask him first before deciding on his own. At the same time, he’s actually relieved that Al-Haitham had not changed, despite the dramatic change in circumstances. He didn’t act any differently toward him because they were so distant for so long.

There’s a pause. And Haitham speaks up again with a hint of bewilderment in his tone. “No objections?”

Oh. It probably was surprising for him because they hadn’t made up. Kaveh scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed. He avoids looking Al-Haitham in the eye, uneasiness creeping into his thoughts. It’s the usual questions formed from his anxiety: he’s being a burden again. Is Haitham really just that nice? He sucks in a breath, and manages, “Yeah, that’d be helpful, so…”

“Then that’s fine.” Haitham declares, looking over at the traveler. “Safe travels.”

“Right! And you two should get along now!” Paimon exclaims, looking every bit flustered, that she urges the traveler toward a speedy retreat.

Kaveh makes a mental note to thank them properly later, but for now… 

Sedene’s watchful stare makes him realize they were doing this in front of Fontaine’s administrative staff. Oh, archons above… How embarrassing. He mouths a quick thank you to her, and Haitham leads the way out of the building.

It’s not a terrible walk on the way home. Haitham has his own routine of sorts, stopping at the grocery stand for a moment to grab sundries, piling them up in his arms. Kaveh offers to help, but Haitham refuses to let him, instead walking briskly to their destination.

It turns out that Al-Haitham had been taking residence in the Quartier Lyonnais in a nice, but relatively smaller apartment unit. It, however, pales in comparison to their house back in Sumeru. Well, the home as Kaveh remembered it before this whole timeline jumping thing. He still doesn’t know how to explain this phenomenon, so he wonders if it’d be worth bringing up with Madam Faruzan when he returns, especially knowing her situation. At least she might enjoy trying to solve the mystery.

As for Haitham? Maybe he’d have some theories of his own.

They enter the unit, Haitham flicking the lights on as Kaveh follows behind. As customary, he removes his shoes, and watches as Haitham does the same.

The place is relatively clean, but so disgustingly minimalist. Not a single one of those bizarre decorations Al-Haitham would buy in sight. He looks around the room with a scrutinizing eye, trying to gauge if Haitham’s interior decorating sense has changed.

It has, or maybe it’s more like that there is a distinct lack of one. “You didn’t even bother decorating? How long does your lease last here?”

“Another few months.” Haitham shrugs, “I didn’t think it’s worth decorating.” 

Kaveh clicks his tongue, “Geez, you never learned how to treat your guests. Do I just sit anywhere?”

Haitham pauses, but nods. “Yes… I was just thinking.” He clarifies, but Kaveh rolls his eyes and lets the sound of Haitham’s voice marinate in his head. 

Kaveh then takes a seat on the sofa, pleasantly surprised at the comfort of it all.

Al-Haitham glances at him, and then turns around to walk into the kitchen. He then hears the familiar sound of coffee beans grinding to a coarse grain, and then the sound of water boiling.

Some things don’t change after all. Kaveh wonders if this is actually a habit from their Akademiya days that stuck with Haitham all this time, but he doesn’t remember a lot from those times. He’s never said he’d like to return to his Akademiya days because of how tough it became when it was the two of them working on that thesis.

Back then, they probably couldn’t even afford to buy whole beans. 

He sits there, losing himself in thoughts of how he’ll tell Haitham what happened and why he’s disturbing his peace—

Is it peace? Is Al-Haitham actually happy here? As far as he’s concerned, Al-Haitham could probably make a home out of anywhere. As long as he has his books, he’ll be able to survive. Kaveh, though, has kept his roots in Sumeru, so much that he can’t imagine leaving.

Haitham emerges from his kitchenette holding two mugs of freshly brewed coffee. He sets one in front of Kaveh, and quietly nurses his own in his hands. “Why did you come?”

Kaveh blinks, pausing before he sighs. “I needed to see you.” He stares at Haitham’s overall body language, trying to discern anything that’ll give him away.

“We haven’t talked in years.” Haitham returns with a straight face. His lips don’t quiver, but Kaveh notices that the hands curled around his mug are tense and that his arms tremble slightly. “You’re already living with the General Mahamatra. It sounds like work is stable… and Sumeru is rebuilding.”

Kaveh raises an eyebrow. “What does that have to do with anything? I mean, about Cyno. Not everything else. This… isn’t how it should be, Haitham.”

Haitham averts his gaze first, and then he takes a sip of his coffee to act unaffected. “We’re not friends.”

“We aren’t really—ugh, I mean, I guess we’re friendlier? But, this situation right now isn’t how it should be.” Kaveh repeats himself, shaking his head and leaving his mug unattended. “Haitham, can you just listen to me? I know we didn’t make up or whatever in this timeline—”

“Timeline?” Haitham places his cup of coffee down. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s complicated! I come from a time where we reconciled, sorta, but it’s more like you let me live at your house when I was swaddled with debt. You took my burden on yourself.” Kaveh explains, already feeling tears prick at his eyes. “We were at Lambad’s the day before. I asked how your life would change without me in it. You didn’t answer and said we would have that conversation another time.”

Haitham looks up at Kaveh, an intensity burning in his eyes indicating that he has something to say, but doesn’t know how to say it. He opens his mouth, but clamps it shut, remembering Kaveh’s demand for him to stay silent.

“The next day, I had a commission at Port Ormos. While I was on the way back, I ran into this… leyline, I think. Then there was a flashing light, and… I ended up in this timeline, where I wasn’t living with you anymore and I was living with Cyno instead! Cyno! I thought I’d be in the forest rangers with Tighnari and Collei if anything.” He sighs, pausing to take a quiet sip of his coffee. “Just… What happened? I know you never really liked explaining yourself or talking for that long, but… just tell me. I just need to know all the facts.” 

“The time ‘jump’ is more important. You should return to your original time.” Haitham leans over to grab his mug again. “Unless you like it better here.”

“Have you even been listening to me?” Kaveh retorts, “Why would I come all the way here and complain to you if I liked the new arrangement? I clearly don’t! It’s… it’s weird!”

Haitham tilts his head. “What makes it weird?”

“Y-You…” Kaveh grumbles, both relieved and annoyed that Haitham’s still as obstinate as ever. “It’s because you’re not there. It’s not Sumeru if you’re not there.” He clamps his mouth shut after his admission, cheeks burning a bright red as he attempts to again avoid Haitham’s eyes. He winces as he repeats the words in his head again, horrified to recognize that it sounded very much at least a confession that Kaveh misses him. It’s what he’s been meaning to communicate, but saying it becomes all the more daunting. He’s hesitant as he finally looks back over at Haitham, who’s been silent all the while.

The other man continues to ponder on those words, staring into his coffee with a hint of a smile on his face. “I see. Well, Fontaine is fine, but it’s not home.”

Kaveh’s quick to respond. “Right! I figure it could become home in a matter of time, but…” Kaveh frowns, his mind wandering to his mother again. No, no… he shouldn’t impose on her. His existence already was one that only reminded her of the worst times in her life, and a stain on her past that she flew away from. After all, it’s his fault that…

“Have your ideals been realized?” Haitham asks quietly.

It’s almost the same words Haitham had said to him on that fateful day. "How has realizing your ideals gone for you?"

Even still, he refuses to give up on them. The fantasy world where Kaveh is a world-famous architect who saved the lives of many people with his designs is still a far off dream. It’d be a miracle if he even came close to achieving it.

To achieve such a dream, he has to sacrifice what he holds dear. To ensure his mother’s happiness, he let her go. He never wrote to her. He thought it’d be better if she never heard from him.

In lieu of that, he’s found Al-Haitham, where their philosophies still clashed on a daily basis, but the times they found solace in each other were the times that Kaveh now realizes that he treasures the most. To think that this is the time in which he’s survived this long without Al-Haitham, in which everything went better for him, and…

Kaveh scoffs, blinking away his tears. “I should ask you that. Are you happy with your decisions and the life you lead now? What happened back then that led you here? Seriously, talk to me. Don’t just listen to me now.”

Haitham sighs, crossing his legs and staring directly at Kaveh. He doesn’t avoid eye contact and remains morose. “In… this timeline, as you call it, I never reconciled with you. I would see you occasionally at Lambad’s when I would buy alcohol. You were always happy hanging out with your friends. I figured that you found it more ideal that I wasn’t in your life, so I never intervened.”

“I didn’t go into debt over the Palace of Alcazarzaray? In my time, the Withering destroyed the progress made on the building, and Dori—Lord Sangemah Bay—decided to pull out. However, I wanted to finish what I’d consider the epitome of my ideals. A beautiful mansion with true grandeur and artistic integrity. I funded it out of my own pocket, and had to take out a loan from her to have it finished.” Kaveh explains, and even recalling it now makes him wince. He’s gotten… past it, but it still remains with him. “Cyno said it went fine. He came to know me from that project.”

“It was raved about. Your popularity soared once the project was completed and you were never without clients.” Haitham interjects. “None of that happened. You flourished, and I wondered if you were trying to prove me wrong. It seemed like it was more likely that you had moved on from that, and you were earnestly pursuing your ideals.”

Kaveh blinks at Haitham’s response, and something squirms inside his chest as he hangs onto each word. They’re spoken with a gentle tone, with a resigned fondness that Haitham had become more capable of in his recent memory of their co-habitation.

“I see. So, your ideals…” Kaveh pauses. He doesn’t know if Haitham might’ve developed his own ambitions in their time apart. Surely, right..? Without Kaveh there, Haitham is free to pursue whatever he wants. Then what landed him in Fontaine?

“A comfortable life.” Haitham shrugs in return. “I helped the Traveler initially in their attempts to save Lesser Lord Kusanali. I accompanied them to the desert, but when Cyno appeared to take me back under the orders of the Grand Sage, I returned. I said I had nothing to do with anything, but I found it more annoying if the Sages got out of hand, so I pulled my own methods. To be blunt, I was discovered and fired for my infractions against the Akademiya.”

“But that’s all over now. Yet you didn’t return?” Kaveh frowns, remembering that there are times where Haitham looks especially lonely. In those times, Kaveh would find it in himself to play the part of a generous roommate and keep him company. That’s the thing that Haitham never talked about, nor made known. “You could’ve. I’m sure they’d be happy to have you again as their Scribe… as far as I know, they still haven’t hired a new one!”

“I see.” Haitham repeats, gaze flickering over to Kaveh again. “You wonder why I ended up here instead. It’s honestly pretty stupid, but I had nothing better to do.”

Kaveh raises an eyebrow. “You don’t usually do stupid things.”

Haitham coughs. “Fontaine was close by. I also remembered that you told me, back then, that your mother moved here.”

“Were… you going to ask her for advice!?” Kaveh starts to rub his temples. “Good thing I came here. That would’ve been a terrible idea. You absolutely can’t do that.”

Haitham shifts uncomfortably. “Didn’t have anyone else I could ask.”

“How about the Traveler? Since you were hanging out with him so much!” Kaveh doesn’t really have it in him to be upset. Honestly, if he thinks about it, this probably means that Haitham has always been thinking about him in some way. It seems like Al-Haitham has actually been insecure over not reconciling with him this whole time…

Haitham coughs, clearing his throat. “I still think it’s worth checking out Petrichor. I’ll go back with you afterwards. In Sumeru, I’m sure you can consult your friends about returning back to your time. I’ll just grab some stuff from my house and return here.”

“You’re not coming back here, Haitham. I think you should stay in Sumeru. You don’t need to work at the Akademiya if you really don’t want to, but… I don’t think you should stay here.” Kaveh frowns. “Wait, do you have a job here?”

“No. I’m on vacation.” He emphasizes with quotation marks, although it’s more of a dry joke than anything else. “I was seeing if the Fontaine Research Institute would take on more researchers, but it seemed more bothersome to get started there. I considered getting a government job, but I’m sure not being a native Fontainian would prevent me from doing that.”

For the first time that night, Kaveh laughs.

“Come back with me.” Kaveh whispers finally. “You probably still think I don’t need you, but…”

Haitham’s breath hitches.

“I do. I’m sure the Kaveh who was here feels the same way. That he’s missing a really important part of his life. Someone who’s part of his ideals, even though he may stress over it.” Kaveh finishes, his cheeks growing red from the confession.

On one hand, at least he finally figured out the strange feeling he was having.

On the other hand…

He’ll probably have to repeat himself once he returns back to his time.

That is, if it’s even possible…

Haitham, though, looks actually flustered for once. Red dusts his cheeks, eyes wider than usual, and then a slight curve of his lips.

“I…” Haitham begins, albeit awkwardly. “I need you, too.”

The next day, they take a boat from Romaritime Harbor to the smaller settlement of Petrichor. It’s a quaint village along the sea, one that Kaveh must’ve fantasized about when he was younger. It’s a suitable town for his mother to settle in—perhaps she was also drawn in by the simplicity of the architecture here, or intrigued by the remnants of ancient civilization on the island. Either way, the people are kind and introduce themselves, but…

They sure have an interesting bias against Sumerian researchers. Archons forbid that poor scholar Chandraputra get any research done. Kaveh pities him, but Chandraputra finally lights up at the sight of them.

However, the interaction goes quickly south as Kaveh realizes there is something peculiar about him in a way he cannot quite pin down.

“Researchers who’ve gone this far for their desires have lost their way in their ambitions.” Haitham puts it rather aptly, and quickly has Kaveh move on.

The townspeople actually sing praises of Faranak when Haitham mentions her name. Kaveh, for a moment, seems hopeful, but ultimately tugs Al-Haitham away, ensuring that the townspeople don’t learn of their names at all. Kaveh wouldn’t want his mother to worry about him.

“We should leave.” Kaveh insists, “I know that she’s in a kind place after all, and that’s enough for me. She and her family will do well here, and that’s all I need to know.”

Haitham hesitates. “Your heart bleeds for your ideals. You still blame yourself for your mother’s unhappiness.”

“Yeah,” Kaveh says faintly, “So I’ll leave her be.”

Haitham squeezes his hand with a rare tenderness, but pulls away as quickly as he initiates.

Kaveh reaches back out, taking Haitham’s hand and holds it as far as the boat back to Bayda Harbor. 

When they return to Sumeru City, murmurs and glances are spared toward Al-Haitham, as in the former Scribe, has returned. Kaveh feels almost self-conscious that he’s hauling him back in, and leans in closely as they pass by the Adventurer’s Guild.

“You’re infamous.” He says as an attempt to lighten the mood.

Haitham ignores it, pulling his keys out of his bag. “It’s possible I’m going to get arrested.”

“No! They wouldn’t do that. I asked Cyno and he said you won’t.” Kaveh insists with a tightened pout. “It’s fine, and you’re fine. The Corps of Thirty aren’t going to come over and detain you.” 

Haitham rolls his eyes, but leads them both back to his house, and the moment he enters his key and turns it, Kaveh notices that same, blinding light. It encapsulates the both of them, and for a moment, Kaveh wonders if the divine has come to take him away…

Then he realizes, much more reasonably, that this is probably the same phenomenon that had taken him here in the first place. Despite not knowing the catalyst for its happenings, Kaveh feels strangely settled. Like his heart is at peace. Perhaps it’s because he knows the answer to his question now, however roundabout it was.

When Kaveh’s eyes open again, familiar surroundings of Al-Haitham’s home—their home—flood his vision. There’s the familiar scent of Kaveh’s favorite incense burning from their living room, the comfort of their couch, and…

Weary as he is, he also notes that his arm has fallen asleep and his neck feels like it’s cramping. Then he notices Haitham, glancing up from his book to stare at Kaveh.

“You’re awake.” Haitham says, in the same tone that Kaveh’s used to. It’s not the tender tone of the Al-Haitham of the other time, who felt more vulnerable about finally reconciling with him again as a result of prolonged loneliness.

… Seriously, he’s so not cute like this. Kaveh reaches out to pinch Haitham on the cheek, pulling it around. 

Haitham doesn’t respond then, either, and Kaveh doesn’t know if he’s pissed or disappointed more. Yet, he has to ask. “Was I dreaming? Did I go into a coma? Do I still live here?”

“What are you talking about?” Haitham returns flatly, swatting Kaveh’s hand away from squeezing his cheek. “You came back from Port Ormos earlier tonight and passed out.”

Kaveh blinks. “Oh, I see.”

So, it seems like barely any time passed here at all. Honestly… it’s a relief to hear that. Kaveh sighs, pulling away from Al-Haitham and leaning back on the couch. “I had a dream.”

“Uh-huh.” Haitham returns, closing his book. “It sounds like it was enlightening.”

“It was,” Kaveh grumbles, “And complicated! So, you remember that question I asked you the other day at Lambad’s?”

His roommate pauses then, glancing up at the ceiling as if he had to think long and hard for the answer. Kaveh knows he doesn’t because it’s technically only been like two days for Haitham. “Right. What, do you want to have the conversation now?”

“I mean, yeah? It’s relevant. My dream gave me a whole fable retelling of the what-ifs, you know?” Kaveh sighs, “It really felt so realistic. It’s like I was transported into an alternate universe.”

Haitham tilts his head. “Hm, so it sounds like it’s possible after all. I wouldn’t be surprised if you ran into some sort of domain made manifest by the Irimsul. It sounds like something we should look into.” 

“We’d just have to be careful or we’ll get brought back. Uh, do you think we can consult Lesser Lord Kusanali for a matter like this..?” Kaveh frowns. Well, of course he’d also want to ask Madam Faruzan for her opinion as well. “How easy is it to get an audience with her?”

“Fairly easy. Now give me a summary so I can fill her in on the situation.” Haitham gets up from the couch to one of the tables in the back, grabbing a pad of paper and ink.

“Wait, you’re transcribing it? Can’t I just, uh… beam it to her?” Kaveh sighs as he watches Haitham prepare himself to do the proper job of a typical scribe. “Fine, fine. Just don’t turn this into a novel.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Haitham deadpans, “I have no future in book writing.”

“You’re more creative than you give yourself credit for, Haitham.” Kaveh then clears his throat. “Anyway, so… this was a reality where we never reconciled. I was doing fine, never fell into debt, and I started being roommates with Cyno to save money at some point? I don’t really understand it myself…”

“I can’t imagine Cyno with a roommate.” Haitham comments with a roll of his eyes, “I feel like he’s never at his place.”

“Save your commentary!” Kaveh exclaims, clearing his throat once more as he continues. “So! He told me that you got fired by the Akademiya…”

“That would be inconvenient.” Haitham comments, despite Kaveh’s protests.

Kaveh simply glares at him this time, but continues. “Right, anyway… After talking to a lot of people, Dehya and Dunzaryad suggested I write to Traveler about your whereabouts because you apparently went to Fontaine!”

“Last place I’d like to be.” Haitham closes his eyes. “I sound out of character. Are you sure this was another reality?”

“No, you were definitely in character.” Kaveh insists, but shakes his head again. “Ugh, stop distracting me. I’m trying to prove a point and be all sentimental.”

“I’m listening, but you do realize that you’re the one getting sidetracked by my comments?” Haitham says almost a bit too smugly, causing Kaveh to lightly kick him in the shins. Haitham doesn’t even flinch.

“No more interruptions! You ended up being there for all of that stuff happening in Fontaine, including those disappearing women cases… anyway, you had an appointment with the Iudex of Fontaine to find out where my mother lived.”

Haitham opens his mouth to speak, but closes it swiftly. Kaveh smiles at his rare obedience.

“The Traveler told me of you being in the Fontaine, so I made a deal to smuggle on a cargo ship to Fontaine, and then met up with the Traveler and Paimon to find you. You then let me stay at your place, which was super minimalist rather than covered with hideous furniture. I told you to come back home and you told me about why you’re in Fontaine and then we reconciled.”

Haitham pauses, and actually raises his hand instead.

Kaveh feels like he’s teaching a class right now. He points at Haitham as a professor would. “What is it?”

“It doesn’t seem plausible in the circumstances right now, but it seems like I simply had another method. Perhaps our reconciliation would be somewhat inevitable, no matter how it went.” Haitham huffs. “Unless you’re in the mood to live with Cyno now.”

“No, I’m fine where we’re at.” Kaveh protests weakly, and inhales sharply. “Well, we ended up going to Petrichor, but we didn’t meet my mother. I wouldn’t let us ruin her happiness like that.”

“Give it time. Maybe she’ll be ready to face you properly later on.” Haitham stares directly ahead of him. “I suppose the me of that reality had his reasons for his actions.”

“He did,” Kaveh affirms, “Although they were sort of silly.”

Haitham shrugs, but he finds some humor in the irony of the statement. “That aside, it sounds like you have your answer. I don’t need to spell it out now?”

Kaveh pouts, “Well, no, but it’d be nice and would feel more genuine if you actually answered it. Come on, use your words.”

Haitham looks extremely reluctant, and even shy, but manages to articulate his thoughts. “There’s no point in thinking about the hypothetical. The truth of the matter is that I chose you.”

Kaveh blushes, burying his face into Haitham’s shoulder with a grumble. “That’s—really just like you to say that, huh?”

“And what was your answer?” Haitham asks after he coughs into his fist, although awkwardly hovering his hand over to stroke Kaveh’s head. 

“We’re each other’s family, like it or not. All we have left is each other.” Kaveh murmurs, “So a life without you isn’t really much of a life. And I realized now that’s the same for you.”

Haitham sucks in a breath, his heart hammering and betraying his composed expression. Kaveh delights in this shift, and wonders if it’s alright if he tests the waters. “You’ve always been my best friend, Haitham. So, really… I’m glad you reached out to me that day and let me continue my life with you. I know I complained about it, and it felt like you did more for me than I did for you… but now I know.”

“Don’t say it,” Haitham mutters with no true threat behind his words.

“You’re a pretty lonely kid after all!” Kaveh pinches at his cheek again, his lips curving into a smile. “Like I’ve been saying, I’m one of the only people who can handle you. So, I guess it’s actually a fair trade-off in the end.”

Haitham snorts, crossing his arms. “Well, if that makes you feel better. The conversation I was putting off involved telling you to not put too much thought in it, and take things as they are. Of course, that’s merely another difference in philosophies. It sounds like your dream explained it for me, though.”

Kaveh sighs, but fully leans on Haitham’s shoulder now, before finally letting his head fall on Haitham’s lap. He looks up at him and sighs. “The worst part is that I made a lot of great designs there that are now lost.”

Haitham bends his head down, studying Kaveh’s face intently. His finger gently brushes along the golden strands of Kaveh’s hair, ghosting the definition of his facial structure. “They’ll come back to you, probably.”

Kaveh smiles at that, his heart lighter and at peace. It’s these small gestures that tell Kaveh that yes, Haitham does care to have him in his life, and overpowers the anxiety that he doesn’t.

It’s love, certainly, but he knows the both of them are still too afraid to put a name to this relationship. For now, though, it’s fine to consider Al-Haitham his closest family.