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One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine tomatoes were lined up on the kitchen counter. Kaveh stared at them with crossed arms, trying to figure out why exactly his daughter had started randomly bringing vegetables home.
"Azizam," he murmured, frowning as he stepped into the living room. "Mehrak came home with nine tomatoes. Do you know what it's for?"
Alhaitham looked up from his book with a hum. "Cooking."
"Is this her way of telling us she's craving tomatoes?" Kaveh tapped his chin. "I guess I'll use them for dinner tonight."
"I'm cooking tonight."
"Oh?" Kaveh leaned down to give him a forehead kiss, searching his face for clues as to why Alhaitham of all people would pile more chores onto his own plate. He was usually as lazy as humanly possible. "Thursday is my day, though."
"Can I not cook for my husband and my daughter?" Alhaitham asked, pulling him down for a proper kiss on the lips.
"If you insist."
Kaveh smiled as he too sat on the divan, sprawling his legs over Alhaitham's lap. Those two were clearly scheming, but he wasn't quite sure what they were scheming. "I found it odd that Mehrak was going around so much, and bringing random vegetables home. I followed her to see what was happening, and a bunch of our friends kept giving her things to bring back? I mean, a book, snacks, even some soup! Do you know what's going on? I'm worried."
"You worry excessively, my love." Alhaitham chuckled as he smoothed Kaveh's frown away. "Perhaps she's starting a secret vegetable trafficking system."
"She can't even reach the sink without stepping on a stool," Kaveh deadpanned.
"Neither can the Dendro Archon."
Rolling his eyes, Kaveh stood up to return to his commissions. "You worry too little. Is something going on? I mean, tomatoes are so random!"
"It's for tomato rice for dinner. I asked her to bring them."
"Oh." Kaveh squinted. "Why so many?"
"We have guests."
"We do?" Kaveh instantly scoured his brain for something he might have forgotten — a dinner party? A hangout? Who was coming? He couldn't remember. Wasn't today a Thursday? He cocked his head. "Am I forgetting something?"
"Yes."
Scoffing, Kaveh poked Alhaitham's cheek. "Care to elaborate?"
"I'm waiting to see how long it'll take you to remember," he replied, lips twitching as he stood up. "I got you something to wear for the dinner party."
Kaveh instantly perked up at the mention of a gift, eyes glimmering. It wasn't exactly rare for Alhaitham to flaunt his 'financial freedom' by acquiring all sorts of needless presents, and now that they were married, Kaveh supposed he could accept without putting up a fight every time. "Let's see if your aesthetic eye managed to pick something passable this time."
"How daunting it is to present a piece of my own design to the Light of Kshahrewar himself."
Alhaitham removed a small box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a pair of golden earrings with dangling rubies in the format of padisarahs. They glinted under the streaming light pouring in through the tinted windows of their living room. It was breathtaking in its intricacy, and Kaveh's lips parted at the sight.
"Haithoomi…" he breathed, cradling the jewellery in two careful hands. "You… Gods.."
"I've got you speechless?" Alhaitham taunted, caressing his cheek.
Kaveh instantly closed his mouth with a scowl. "Yes, speechless at your financial irresponsibility. This is— too much. Way too much. How much did you spend?"
"It matches your wedding ring."
A delicious heat crawled onto Kaveh's face as he attempted — and failed — to bite down a smile. "That's not an answer."
"Does it pass your aesthetic assessment?"
"In all criteria other than price," Kaveh retorted, setting the earrings down on the coffee table before pulling Alhaitham into a hug. "But thank you, idiot. I love you."
With a gentle hand, Alhaitham cupped his cheek and brought their lips together once more, kissing with careful purpose as he held Kaveh close. "I love you too, my angel."
The way his fingertips softly caressed Kaveh's skin as if every embrace was their first and last always made Kaveh's mind go a little hazy, not quite believing his luck even after all their time together. Sometimes, waking up and blinking away a dream, he remembered, with awe, that this was his life now: a loving husband in the form of the best friend he'd been pining over for years, and a daughter who he loved more than his heart thought possible.
As if on cue, he heard a patter of excited little footsteps rushing though the floorboards and the swing of the front door. They pulled back from their sweet kiss to see Mehrak immediately hiding something behind her back.
"Hi, dove," Kaveh greeted, raising an amused eyebrow. "What's that in your hands?"
"Nothing!" she exclaimed, growing a wide toothless smile before dashing into the kitchen.
Kaveh crossed his arms before turning back to Alhaitham. "You're teaching our daughter to lie."
"It's a necessary skill most scholars often employ. I'm preparing her for the Akademiya."
"Alahiatham." Kaveh looked at him as seriously as he could muster. "Tell me what's going on."
"We're having a dinner party," he replied without missing a beat. "She just brought dessert. So go work on your designs if you intend to finish something today. You have two hours before everyone arrives."
"But why did you invite people over on a Thursday? I can't be hungover tomorrow, it's a weekday."
"Pity." Alhaitham leaned close to his ear. "I bought your favourite Mondstadtian wine."
Kaveh 's eyes widened. "You're lying."
"When do I ever, hayati?"
"All the time," he retorted, crossing his arms at the amused twinkle in Alhaitham's eyes. "Well, fine, since no one in this household tells me anything, I'll go get my work done before this dinner party. You could've told me beforehand, you know. Great husband you are."
"You're the one who forgot."
"I would not forget something like this!"
Alhaitham snorted. "Perhaps old age is getting to you, senior. Your memory is failing you. Have you looked at the calendar today?"
"Obviously!" Kaveh exclaimed, then tried to remember today's exact date. His mind supplied nothing. "Probably."
A giggle sounded from behind him, and he turned to find Mehrak peeking over the doorframe. Placing his hands on his hips and trying to suppress a smile, he squinted at her.
"What are you laughing at?"
"You!"
Kaveh chuckled. "What's funny about me?"
"I can't tell you."
"I see." He looked back at Alhaitham, then at Mehrak again. "Neither of you get any kisses until I find out what's going on."
That made Alhaitham frown. "You wouldn't be so cruel."
"I'm horribly evil," Kaveh replied in a fabricated hiss, and Mehrak laughed. He growled in her direction and bent his hands like claws. "I'm scary."
"Terrifying," Alhaitham chuckled. "Now go finish your work. Mehrak and I will start cooking."
By the time Kaveh left the shower, he could already hear bubbly conversation drifting in through the corridor. Latching on his brand new earrings, he smiled at the mirror. He wasn't sure why Alhaitham had given this to him today, but he was certainly grateful for the gift — it was the perfect complement to his wedding ring. After he was done pretending to be annoyed at his husband, he would make sure to pay back the present in smooches.
"Ready?" Alhaitham asked, peeking over the door.
"Almost."
"You look gorgeous," he murmured, embracing Kaveh from behind and pressing a sweet kiss to his earlobe. "And you're my husband."
"That's right," Kaveh replied with a chuckle, leaning back onto him. "Now, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
"Sure. The book she brought is a gift Mehrak and I picked together, the soup was made by Tighnari, and the snacks are from Sethos. The tomatoes are premium quality Cyrus gifted us."
Kaveh rolled his eyes. "You know that's not what I'm asking. Why is everyone doing this, and why are we having a dinner party?"
"I already knew you were oblivious, my love, but this is certainly a new low." The audacity! Alhaitham smiled, then kept talking before Kaveh could retort. "Did you look at the calendar?"
"No." What day was it? Eighth? Or seventh?
"Today is a special day," Alhaitham started grandiosely, and Kaveh squinted his eyes at the prolonging of his suffering. He wanted to rush Alhaitham, but that would probably only make him take even longer. "A very important day indeed."
Kaveh raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"The birthday of the love of my life," he added, kissing Kaveh's cheek.
Blinking, Kaveh processed the words for a couple seconds before it hit him: it was true. Today was his birthday. Ninth of July. And it had entirely slipped his mind.
"Gods," he mumbled, watching his cheeks grow red in the mirror. Alhaitham had a slight smile on his lips. "Oh, Archons. I forgot."
"But we didn't," Alhaitham replied. "Mehrak!"
She instantly rushed into the room with a beam, then hugged Kaveh's legs. A card was hanging between her fingers. "Can I get kisses now?"
She looked ridiculously adorable in a dress Kaveh had never seen, and her hair was braided with green ribbons and red hair clips. His chest bubbled with warm affection.
"Of course you can, eshgham!" he exclaimed, feeling his eyes water. He brought her into his arms and showered her face with smooches until she was laughing delightedly. "You'll always deserve all the kisses in the world."
"I wrote a birthday card for you!" she added, shaking the paper in her hands. "Well, papa wrote it. I can't write so much because it's hard."
"Aw, thank you so much." He wiped away a tear. "You two are the sweetest."
"Everyone came over to celebrate with you. They're in the living room," Alhaitham said gently, pulling the both of them into a hug. "Surprise, I suppose. It wasn't meant to be that surprising, but it seems our genius completely forgot his own day."
"I'm dumb," Kaveh whispered, sniffling. He felt so warm all over that he had to double check that the sun had already set, and Mehrak and Alhaitham were looking at him with gazes that were nothing short of adoring. He had never felt this incredibly lucky in his life.
"No. Papa says you're the smartest person he's ever met," Mehrak interjected, raising her chin. "I agree with him."
Kaveh smiled, feeling more tears escape his eyes. "I'm so happy I get to spend today with you two."
"We'll always be here with you," Alhaitham replied, caressing the crown of his head. "We're family, remember? Happy birthday, nouri."