Work Text:
Alhaitham was a patient man. Or, that's the front that he put on. In truth, he was an anxious man. Especially when it came to the time of his husband's return.
Kaveh had been out on a four week trip to analyze some place in the desert, and Alhaitham had told himself that he'd be fine! They'd been married for years, surely he could survive a couple weeks without his lover.
While some people believed that Alhaitham despised Kaveh, he truly didn't. They bickered all the time, sure, but he never ever hated Kaveh, even after their fallout many years ago. In fact, he'd loved him even more during the time of it, even though the separation had hurt.
Today was supposed to be the day that Kaveh returned. And Alhaitham could not have been happier. He had baked Kaveh's favourite meals, snacks, cleaned the house, all so his husband would be comfortable when he got home.
He also had plans, but he wasn't about to disclose them right away. (They mostly involved smothering his husband in kisses until he couldn't breathe.)
Archons, he missed Kaveh.
He never thought himself to be someone who missed people before, but this trip that Kaveh took was proving him wrong. He'd even cried out of loneliness a few times, something he hadn't done since his grandmother passed on.
Tighnari said that it was normal, as they were married and loved each other very much, and it was normal to miss your lover. He also questioned why Alhaitham was so lonely all of a sudden, as Kaveh had taken trips like this before, as had the scribe.
But none of them had been as long as a month, of course. The longest was two weeks on Alhaitham's end.
"…he'll be back soon, my friend." Tighnari had promised. "If you really are that lonely, come play cards with me and Cyno. Sometimes Collei joins us too."
Alhaitham hadn't even considered it before saying yes. He'd been alone for most of his life, except for Kaveh, as he was a little socially challenged when it came to making friends, and having any form of human interaction while his home felt so empty was nice.
So every night, while waiting for Kaveh's inevitable return, he would go over to Gandharva Ville and play cards with Cyno, Tighnari, and sometimes Collei. But it wasn't the same without Kaveh.
But today, Kaveh was finally coming home.
And the minute he heard the door rattle, he sprang up from the couch.
"HAITHAM! YOU SNEAKY FUCK! DID YOU TAKE MY KEYS OUT OF MY BAG BEFORE I LEFT?" Kaveh shouted, banging on the door in what appeared to be frustration. The Acting Grand Sage let out a chuckle.
He opened the door, Kaveh's keys in hand, spinning them around his index finger idly. "Hello, darling, had a nice trip?" he drawled, though his face betrayed his excitement at his husband being home.
"…sneaky piece of shit." Kaveh grumbled, attempting to snatch his keys from Alhaitham's hand, whom, surprisingly, simply handed them to the architect. "Thank you."
It was only a moment before the scribe pulled his husband into a hug.
"Why so clingy all of a sudden? Did someone curse you or something—?" Kaveh sputtered, pushing the sage off of him with wide eyes. "I missed you too but this isn't like you!"
Alhaitham shook his head. "Not cursed."
Cursed by you, maybe, for leaving me for so long.
"Then what was that fo—DID YOU CLEAN THE HOUSE?" shrieked Kaveh. "No fucking way."
The scribe shrugged. "I was simply bored. What, do you think so low of me that I wouldn't clean the house before my husband came home? I may be awful but I'm not that cruel."
The blond man paused. "You aren't awful. Don't say that."
The grey haired man sighed, but shrugged. "Well, I suppose I must listen to my husband."
"For once in your life!" Kaveh exclaimed.
"Now now, this is a rare occurrence, so you must cherish it."
Kaveh set his suitcase down, and within seconds, his lips were on Alhaitham's, and he was walking back towards the couch. "Missed you." murmured Kaveh.
"You…ah…beat me to the kisses." Alhaitham told his senior.
"Ah, did you have a plan? Sorry." The architect grinned and nipped at his lover's bottom lip. Alhaitham let out an undignified noise, signalling to Kaveh that he enjoyed it. "Hmm. Missed you."
The blond continued to kiss the man in front of him until he was breathless.
"Don't- stop." Alhaitham murmured, wrapping an arm around Kaveh's waist.
And so they continued to kiss.
And they ended the night wrapped in each other's embrace.
☾
"I missed you." Alhaitham whispered, confident that they were fully in private in the sanctuary of their room. "I know I don't say it much but I love you, Kaveh."
"I love you too, dipshit."