Chapter Text
The first time Alhaitham ever laid his eyes on Kaveh, he knew that he was the one.
Most of the scholars at the Akademiya didn’t interest him. They were boring, narcissistic, and pale mimics of the sages they aspired after. The matching uniforms certainly didn’t help. Among the green attire, only the hats with their respective Darshan’s symbols allowed Alhaitham to narrow down the list of people whose faces he could recall but never put a name to.
Kaveh stood out from the start. Even back when they were still students, his blonde hair was easy to spot in the sea of dark. He was loud, his voice carrying through the hallways so that anybody in the vicinity could hear him before they saw him. It was certainly his voice that first caught Alhaitham’s attention, and everything soon followed after.
He simply couldn’t take his eyes off of Kaveh. From the way his hair shined under the lights of the hallway, to the way his earrings bounced as he exaggerated his movements to the person he was talking to, even down to those alluring red eyes that demanded attention.
Just who are you? Alhaitham thought in his head. He was obviously a student, but the way his head was angled from where Alhaitham was sitting on the bench blocked him from seeing what Darshan he was from. Statistically speaking, he was most likely from Amurta as it was the most popular house but there was no guarantee that this person could be from that Darshan. He wanted to be sure, so he could find a way to see him again.
The person Kaveh was talking to was from Vahumana, could it be that he too was part of that?
Alhaitham shook his head as he turned back to his book. This was embarrassing. Here he was obsessing over a random student that simply stood out to him. He should be focusing on other things, perhaps anything other than this man he didn’t even know the name of. At the time, he was positive that this sudden infatuation would fade.
Unfortunately, he was wrong as he found himself searching for the blonde scholar everyday. It wouldn’t be until three days later would he find him again.
It was raining on that fateful day and Alhaitham was irritated that his noise cancellation earpiece had malfunctioned due to the weather. He was taking mental notes on how to improve his invention when he spotted Kaveh.
Kaveh was holding an umbrella out to a little girl who was huddled under a gazebo in an attempt to keep herself dry as it rained. The little girl offered Kaveh a smile as she walked away, to go what Alhaitham could only assume was home. Kaveh, now left without an umbrella of his own, was now under the gazebo, staring up at the sky as if wishing for the rain to stop.
That was stupid. Alhaitham thought to himself. In his act of kindness to give somebody help, he had instead created a problem for himself.
The blonde turned to Alhaitham and gave him a look. “I couldn't just let her get sick like that.” He defended himself.
Oops. Did he say that outloud? No matter, Alhaitham played it casually as he joined Kaveh under the gazebo.
“And so you’re willing to get yourself sick, or ruin all your stuff just for her?” Alhaitham asked.
“I’m sure somebody will be kind enough to lend me an umbrella. That one I gave her was one somebody else gave to me last time.” Kaveh had huffed.
“And if somebody doesn’t give you an umbrella?” Alhaitham added.
“Then I’ll run in the rain. Ugh, who are you to question my decisions anyway?” Kaveh rolled his eyes.
“I’m Alhaitham.”
“I didn’t ask—you know what? Nevermind. You clearly don’t care.” Kaveh waved Alhaitham off.
“All I’m saying is, if you’re going to offer help, you should do something that doesn’t inconvenience you,” Alhaitham suggested.
“I don’t need your advice, especially since you’re here to just mock me,” Kaveh snapped.
“I’m not here to just mock you,” Alhaitham said as he moved the umbrella from over his head to Kaveh’s. “I’m showing you how it’s done.”
Kaveh looked up to see that the two young men were now under the umbrella. When he turned to Alhaitham his face was turning red. “You—“
“No need to thank me, I’ll walk you home. Just give me the directions.” Alhaitham felt smug and relished in the face Kaveh was making. It was cute, and something Alhaitham wanted to see more.
Kaveh took hold of the umbrella with one hand before pointing in the direction of his apartment in the other. They walked mostly in silence, Alhaitham walking towards wherever Kaveh directed him to. Then, as they reached a busier part of the city, Kaveh’s face began to redden even more.
“This is so embarrassing,” Kaveh muttered.
“What’s so embarrassing about sharing an umbrella?” Alhaitham asked.
“It looks…. er, people will talk, okay?” Kaveh turned his head away with a huff, the feather in his hair smacking Alhaitham in his face.
Alhaitham was irritated by that but he found Kaveh too pretty to pay any mind to it. Besides, he knew how to rile Kaveh up now, and he had every intention of keeping it going.
“Talk about what?” Alhaitham pressed.
“Nothing, it’s nothing!” Kaveh whined.
“If it’s ‘nothing’ then it shouldn’t be something that gets you this worked up to begin with,” Alhaitham pointed out.
“Ugh! Just stop talking!” Kaveh groaned as he facepalmed, “Wait, wait! This is the building I live in. Let’s stop right here.”
They paused in front of a modest apartment building that was a few stories high. Alhaitham took note of the street address so he knew where this blonde lived.
Kaveh went to open the door of the building before pausing and turning to Alhaitham.
“You’re pretentious as fuck but…. I’ll give credit where it’s due. Thank you Alhaitham.”
“It’s no problem, and as you can see, you’re home and dry and I will be walking back to my own place dry as well.”
Kaveh’s eyes twitched in annoyance, “I’m trying to be nice and this is how you repay me? Goodnight, I hope we don’t run into each other ever again!”
Kaveh had opened the door to leave but something inside of Alhaitham called to him begging him to get this pretty scholar to stay for even a second more. He grabbed Kaveh’s hand, stopping the other in his tracks.
“You never told me your name,” Alhaitham said and it was true, up until this point he had been thinking of Kaveh as the pretty blonde scholar and he desperately wanted to finally put a name to the face he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it.
“Kaveh, and don’t you forget it! I’m going to design the most gorgeous buildings you’ll ever see one day,” was all he said before finally stepping inside and shutting the door.
Alhaitham would not forget that name, but for an entirely different reason.
A week would go by before Alhaitham would see Kaveh again, the two of them staring at each other bewildered as they entered the office of the Grand Sage, following the sages of their respective darshans.
They were called because they were to be put together to work on a project, the heads of a collaboration between their two darshans. Kaveh was displeased with this fact, his red face refusing to look at Alhaitham as they shook hands in front of their seniors. Alhaitham on the other hand was elated. It was like a golden platter had dropped onto his lap. He would not let this opportunity slip by without taking advantage of the chance to be closer to the pretty man.
Like he was currently, sitting across from Kaveh at Sumeru City’s favorite coffee shop. In front of Alhaitham, was a notepad with his feather quill ready to jot down anything of note. Opposite of him was Kaveh with his sketchbook doodling aggressively as they spitball ideas on what to do with the project.
“We need to take this seriously,” Alhaitham said as he took a sip of his coffee. Black of course, because sugary coffee is a disgrace. “Our darshans put a lot of faith in this project.”
“Of course, this partnership is like a marriage,” Kaveh responded, picking up his own cup of his disgustingly filled with sugar coffee and taking a sip of it, “and this project is our baby.”
Alhaitham made a choking noise, almost spitting out his coffee as Kaveh said that. He hadn’t meant to react like that but it was honestly his partner’s fault. Why did he say that with such a straight face?
“Oh, you don’t like the analogy?” Kaveh asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s… an unconventional one,” Alhaitham managed to say when he finally calmed down. His voice was raspier than usual as a result of his coughing fit. “A marriage would imply there was some mutual agreement between both parties and we were forced to work together.”
“Isn’t that what an arranged marriage is?” Kaveh waved him off.
“There is more to an arranged marriage than that,” Alhaitham answered bluntly, “For example, there would have to be some political gain for our families to merge and as far as I know, there is none.”
Kaveh’s face turned red with anger, “You did not just insult my family like that. I’ll have you know, there would be various benefits to marrying into my family.”
“Oh like what?” Alhaitham asked. It came out as if he was ready to jeer at Kaveh’s answer but he was genuinely intrigued. Any opportunity to know more about the blonde was one he always seized.
“I come from a long line of academics. It’s kind of in my blood—
Alhaitham released a laugh. “That’s all?”
“What? Do you have a problem with that?” Kaveh pouted as he took a swig of his diabetes-inducing coffee.
“No, I just found it funny that we have similar backgrounds.”
“Why does that not shock me? I have got to meet your parents, you know. I need to meet the people who raised such a stick in the butt.”
“You’re out of luck. My folks are gone.”
“Oh,” Kaveh frowns sympathetically, “I’m sorry…. mine are gone too. Who would’ve known we’d have that in common…”
The conversation fell silent after that. Kaveh silently began sketching his plans for the design of the houses while Alhaitham began to outline the key points of how the distribution would go. While Alhaitham was somebody who can focus on his work with no distractions, he found himself looking up every once in a while to look at Kaveh. He was just as beautiful when he was concentrating on his work, carmine eyes hyper-focused on the paper in front of him, and his face making cute grimaces as they played out his thoughts. It was an adorable sight and Alhaitham couldn’t get enough of it.
After an hour had passed, Kaveh finally broke the silence with a satisfied sigh.
“I think I have completed the draft,” he said with a grin as he turned to Alhaitham.
“So have I,” Alhaitham answered. Truth was that he already finished 30 minutes ago, and was now engrossing himself with a book.
“Wanna share what we have worked on?” Kaveh asked.
“Another time,” Alhaitham yawned as he closed his book. “I have an assignment due this week that I need to work on.”
“Oh totally, I get it. I have a project or two I should work on as well.”
“Allow me to walk you home,” Alhaitham offered as he grabbed his cape and began to wrap himself with it.
“You don’t have to,” Kaveh replied as he began to clean up his brushes.
“I insist.”
“Ugh, fine, but only because you’re persistent.”
The walk back to Kaveh’s home this time was more chatty, Kaveh carrying most of the conversation this time as he talked about some of his work with Alhaitham. He talked about the projects he liked, showing some of his sketches and the ideas he had for them. He talked about the projects he was struggling with, and the drafts he could never seem to be satisfied with. Alhaitham occasionally gave his opinion on the dilemmas, pointing things out as he listened to the ramblings of the blonde.
By the time they reached Kaveh’s apartment building, Kaveh turned to Alhaitham, a smile on his face.
“You know, you’re not that bad now that I’ve gotten to know you,” Kaveh confessed, avoiding eye contact. “You may even be…. cool.”
Alhaitham smirked, “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, this was nice. We should hang out again. Maybe this time not for academic reasons?” Kaveh’s face reddened as he twirled a strand of his hair, still refusing to make eye contact.
“You want to go for a drink?” Alhaitham suggested.
Kaveh beamed, nodding enthusiastically, “This weekend?”
“When else would we go?”
Kaveh rolled his eyes but the smile on his face remained, “Whatever. I’ll see you around.”
After Kaveh disappeared into his apartment complex, Alhaitham allowed himself to smile a little. Things were going surprisingly well for him, not many people tolerated Alhaitham’s obscure personality. Perhaps, it was a sign that they were meant to be.
Alhaitham would spot Kaveh several times around the school in the days leading up to their next meeting. Kaveh always greeted Alhaitham with enthusiasm, even sometimes going as far as dragging the junior into his conversations with his fellow friends. Even though Alhaitham hated being dragged into unnecessary social interactions, he played along with Kaveh’s whims to keep him around. Didn’t mean he would give in entirely, however.
“This is Alhaitham, he’s my partner for the housing project,” Kaveh dragged him over to his group of friends.
Alhaitham gave them a polite wave as he approached the group. They seemed to give Kaveh a teasing look as they asked questions.
“What’s it like working with him? I heard he’s difficult to get along with,” one of them, a girl from Vahumana asked.
“He’s an oddball but once you get used to it he’s not so bad,” Kaveh answered.
“And you? I’m sure you must find somebody as energetic as him infuriating to work with,” she asked Alhaitham this time.
“He talks too much, asks too many questions, is easily duped, and pours an obscene amount of sugar in his coffee,” Alhaitham replied.
“You! I give you some praise and you insult me!” Kaveh’s head was shaking from anger as he shook his fist at the junior scholar.
Alhaitham held back a laugh but failed to hold back a smile as Kaveh continued to argue with him about why his coffee was so sugary.
Although Alhaitham was mostly engrossed with the argument he was in, he couldn’t help but notice Kaveh’s friends giving each other knowing looks.
The fateful day had arrived. It was their day off from their classes and instead of working on the housing project, they would instead head towards Lambad’s tavern to drink. Alhaitham waited for Kaveh outside the place, taking the time to read a book while he waited. After a few minutes, he noticed a shadow over his text and the figure of somebody with their hands on their hips standing in front of him. Alhaitham lifted his head to find himself staring at Kaveh. He was dressed more casually than usual, even foregoing the feather in his hair in favor of a braid. He looked beautiful, but this was nothing new, Alhaitham was used to his beauty at this point.
“I can’t believe you,” Kaveh grinned teasingly. “You’re even reading at a time like this.”
“Reading enriches the mind,” Alhaitham countered, putting his book away in his bag as he stood up to join Kaveh. “You should try it.”
“I read, just not every waking moment you goof,” Kaveh argued.
“Whatever, let’s go inside.”
They settled into a booth near the back of the tavern. Kaveh immediately ordered wine for himself as they sat down.
“Have you tried their wine here before? It’s really good,” Kaveh asked as he was served.
“No, can I try it?” Alhaitham asked as he took out the menu to look at what food they served.
Kaveh nodded as he passed his glass to Alhaitham who graciously took it and brought it to his lips. It was clear from the taste that it was far more exquisite than other places in the city.
“It’s not bad,” Alhaitham agreed before ordering himself a glass of the same wine along with some meatballs.
“You’re hungry too?” Kaveh asked as he took another sip of his wine.
“No, but eating helps prevent one from getting intoxicated after a drink or two,” Alhaitham replied.
“I can hold my alcohol without having to eat,” Kaveh pouted.
That would quickly turn out to be a lie. After his second glass, Kaveh was already slurring and somehow he was not only chattier, but he was scribbling all over the napkins he had laid out on the table. Like everything to do with Kaveh, it was cute.
Kaveh slid a napkin to Alhaitham and giggled like a schoolgirl. Curiously, Alhaitham lifted up the napkin to see the content on it. It was a doodle of him, as he was currently, sitting across from Kaveh with a hand on his glass of wine. The drawing of him was relaxed, composed and looked directly at the viewer with unmatched confidence. Alhaitham’s heart skipped a beat, was this how Kaveh saw him? He took the napkin and folded it neatly before placing it into his book for safekeeping.
“You’re so handsome it’s unfair,” Kaveh mumbled as he began to scribble again on a napkin, “And you’re so annoying. You’re so— you’re—.”
Alhaitham crossed his arms teasing Kaveh, “I’m what?”
Kaveh stopped scribbling for a moment before looking up at Alhaitham. His red eyes shined under the lights of the tavern and like always, he was so captivating, so beautiful he couldn’t look away. He was so enthralled by Kaveh, he barely noticed the distance between them slowly decreasing. Maybe it was the alcohol inside both their systems or maybe it was the longing inside of Alhaitham that finally pushed them over the edge for their lips to inch closer together until they were just mere centimeters away from touching—-
Something inside of Alhaitham’s head clicked into place. Not like this. Not when they’re both inebriated. Not when he’s not even sure if Kaveh felt the same. This would only cause problems down the line, problems Alhaitham did not want to deal with.
He quickly pulled back and coughed awkwardly. Kaveh froze in place, confusion written all over his face.
“This is the alcohol speaking,” Alhaitham reasoned. “Not our hearts.”
Kaveh frowned in disappointment but he leaned back and coughed awkwardly as well.
“Sorry,” he apologized, “I guess I’m tipsier than I thought…”
“Don’t be, I don’t want to take advantage of a lightweight.”
“You!” Kaveh fumed. “I’m not a lightweight!”
“You drank on an empty stomach and tried to kiss me,” Alhaitham argued as he took a bite out of his meal.
“Those two things have no correlation at all!” Kaveh reasoned.
“Actually they do, you see—“
“Can we change the subject?!” Kaveh interjected.
Alhaitham huffed but he complied anyway, stopping mid-sentence to pivot somewhere else. He crossed his arms as he leaned back against the booth.
“What would you suggest?”
“I don’t know, anything. What’s your favorite color?”
“Green,” Alhaitham answered.
As he said that, Kaveh’s eyes came to mind and he was tempted to take back his offer. But it was already too late, he had said his answer and it would be too much of a hassle to explain why he changed his mind.
“Why am I not surprised?” Kaveh said as he gestured towards Alhaitham’s outfit that had various shades of green all over. “Cats or dogs?”
“Cats, they’re not as noisy nor needy as dogs,” Alhaitham explained.
“Boooo the correct answer is both,” Kaveh gave Alhaitham a thumbs-down. “Anybody who prefers one over the other is a red flag.”
“How so? I’m just stating preference is all.”
“Because they’re animals who deserve an equal amount of love. Simple as that,” Kaveh answered.
“But if you were to choose one to have as a pet, you would have a preference, right?” Alhaitham asked.
“Nope, they’re both loving fur balls with merits. I don’t mind either. I’ll take the first fluffy baby that I find,” Kaveh giggled in response.
“Interesting .”
Kaveh took another swig of his wine and sighed. “Moving on, how about romance? You have somebody?”
Alhaitham shook his head.
“I’m not surprised. With that personality of yours, I bet you barely even have friends. You probably have as many friends as you can count on your hand.”
“Is there something wrong with that? I prefer to have a few strong genuine relationships, than many shallow fake ones,” Alhaitham argued.
“You’d have a few more if you weren’t a prick. I bet you’d have half of Sumeru at your feet too, begging to date you because of your handsome face.”
Alhaitham’s heart skipped a beat at the comment about his appearance. He couldn’t hold back a blush as he asked hesitantly, “You think I’m handsome?”
“Hey, hey! Don’t get excited, okay? I’m just objectively speaking here. And… objectively...yes, you are quite... attractive… but! That doesn’t mean anything!” Kaveh stammered as his cheeks turned pink.
Alhaitham gave Kaveh a teasing smile as he rested his chin on his hand, “You still called me handsome.”
“Objectively! Besides I bet you aren’t interested in anything or anybody outside of your books,” Kaveh pointed out gesturing toward Alhaitham’s pouch.
Alhaitham’s hand unconsciously ghosted over the bag where he had stashed his book earlier. Normally, comments like that didn’t bother him, but when it came from the person you were thinking about marrying someday, the fact that they don’t believe you’re capable of love stung ever so slightly.
“I do like someone,” Alhaitham answered softly.
Kaveh’s eyes widened and his face lit up with a look of pure joy that made Alhaitham want to smile back just from how infectious it was. He reached over the table to lightly punch Alhaitham in the shoulder.
“I didn’t think that was possible! Who is it? Boy or girl? Are they a student? What Darshan are they in? Do I know them?”
Alhaitham huffed and crossed his arms giving Kaveh a smug smile, “Like I’d tell you. You’d spoil it before I’m ready to confess.”
“ Ugh! You’re no fun!” Kaveh whined, draping himself across the table. “Seeing you in love is something I have got to see. At least tell me if they’re a boy or a girl.”
Alhaitham chuckled as he took a sip of his wine, “In due time you’ll see. In due time.”
Kaveh continued attempting to pry out of Alhaitham the mysterious person that captured his heart but he avoided giving any information away. Kaveh had gotten so drunk, he was stumbling all over the tavern. Alhaitham had to carry him back to his apartment.
As they approached the building, Kaveh insisted he could make it back to his apartment just fine but Alhaitham insisted that he wouldn’t leave until he got to his room. Alhaitham assisted his senior up two flights before arriving in front of Kaveh’s room.
“My keys are in my back pocket. They’re gold with a lion keychain,” Kaveh said.
Alhaitham reached into Kaveh’s pocket and pulled out said key. He inserted it into the keyhole and managed to pry the apartment door open. Alhaitham then lifted Kaveh up once again bridal style and carried him inside of the apartment, ignoring Kaveh’s protests to be let down.
“Quiet down it’s past eleven, you’ll disturb the neighbors if you keep fighting me.”
“This is so embarrassing,” Kaveh muttered as he crossed his arms and turned away from Alhaitham, “You’re treating me like I’m a useless drunk!”
“You’re not, I just want to make sure you get home safely.”
“And? Here we are! So you can put me down!”
“If you say so,” Alhaitham said, immediately letting go and dropping the blonde. Kaveh’s face turned white in panic and he grabbed Alhaitham’s shirt pulling him down to the floor as well. Kaveh managed to land on his feet but he had no balance and crashed forward into Alhaitham causing him to stumble into the wall behind.
“You dropped me. ” Kaveh hissed.
“You wanted me to put you down,” Alhaitham shrugged.
“Gently! Not—“ Kaveh flailed his arms dramatically, “Whatever the fuck you did!”
Alhaitham rolled his eyes and turned to leave, “I simply did what you had asked me to do. Well then, now that you’re home and I know you’re safe and sound, I can return—
“Hold on,” Kaveh grabbed Alhaitham’s wrist, stopping him from moving any further. “Why not stay the night?”
“I shouldn’t,” Alhaitham replied, gesturing towards the tiny place. “There isn’t anywhere I can sleep.”
“You can take my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch. C’mon, it’s like you said it’s late at night and I want you to be safe too.”
Alhaitham sighed realizing he had backed himself into a corner, and Kaveh grinned in victory. Pulling clothes from his drawer. He tossed some in Alhaitham’s direction.
“These should fit you, we’re about the same size, right? Go change, I’ll pour us some water.”
How does he sober up so quickly? Alhaitham thought as he stepped into the bathroom to change into the clothes given to him. Kaveh was right, they were about the same size except Alhaitham had broader shoulders so the shirt was tight-fitting. No matter, it was only for the night. He could simply wake up early in the morning and change into his clothes from earlier and then leave.
He stepped out to find that Kaveh had a glass of water in his hand, silently inviting Alhaitham to take it.
“I won't be able to stay long tomorrow. I have assignments to do,” Alhaitham said as he drank.
“I get it. When do you plan on leaving?”
“Probably as soon as I wake up.”
Kaveh gave Alhaitham a sad smile, “Not even staying for breakfast? My Pita Pockets aren’t bad.”
“Thank you for the hospitality but I’ll be alright. My place isn’t far from yours after all and unlike you, I ate while I was drinking.”
Kaveh frowned but ultimately decided to not press further. “Alright well, I’m going to work a bit on my project before I officially head to sleep. You can take the bed while I’m working.”
“And where would you sleep?”
“On the couch, don’t worry, it’s a pull-out and is surprisingly comfortable.”
“If you say so,” Alhaitham yawned as he crawled into bed, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, and, Alhaitham?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks, this was fun.”
Alhaitham hummed as he buried himself under Kaveh’s sheets, the sweet smell of Padisarahs and wood hitting him. He found it easy to fall asleep and by the time he woke up, the sun was starting to rise. Alhaitham turned to find Kaveh asleep on the pull-out like he had said. He looked beautiful asleep and relaxed as he snored softly. Alhaitham spared him a smile, as he lifted the sleeping Kaveh up and tucked him into his own bed. For a second he imagined spending every morning for the rest of his life like this. Waking up to a sleeping beauty who slept soundly through the morning not even waking up when being carried across the room to a more comfortable position.
He resisted the urge to kiss Kaveh, settling for tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. Kaveh unconsciously nuzzled against Alhaitham’s hand seeking more touch. Alhaitham chuckled as he retracted his hand. He changed back into his clothes, quietly gathered his things, and left the tiny apartment as quietly as possible.
Their relationship evolved into something new after that night. Not only was Kaveh seeking him out more, dragging him all over campus to meet his friends and do things, but he was even touchy, boldly invading Alhaitham’s space whenever he pleased. If Alhaitham was in the House of Daena reading a book, Kaveh would take the seat next to him and press their knees together as he asked him questions, invited him out, and whatnot. When they met up to work on the housing project, Kaveh left soft touches all over Alhaitham’s arms and back as he guided him through his thought process on the layout of the buildings. Alhaitham had to admit it, Kaveh was a genius when it came to design. Everything he came up with was gorgeous and had logical sense.
“I designed some carpets we could use for the houses,” Alhaitham suggested as he showed his design.
Kaveh’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the draft. He grabbed Alhaitham’s hand and looked him in the eye, carmine eyes still sparkling as he gave compliments to the draft before suggesting changes to perfect it. Alhaitham took the criticism into account and while he didn’t make all changes based on Kaveh’s suggestions, he did take the ones that made the most sense to him and changed accordingly.
One time, Kaveh invited Alhaitham to watch a performance. Kaveh had stated that the main performer was a good friend of his and he always went out to support her opening night. They sat together in the theater to watch the performance of a red-headed girl who danced beautifully. The entire time, their shoulders were brushing and doing the more intense moments of the performance, Kaveh would take hold of Alhaitham’s hand, gripping it tightly as he gasped in shock over what had occurred on stage. By the end of the show, their heads were together, both comfortable enough with the other to be laying their heads like that. When the lights came on, Kaveh immediately broke away from Alhaitham, enraptured by the performance and joining the crowd in clapping and cheering the performers on. When the performers finally left the stage, Kaveh turned to Alhaitham.
“C’mon! Let’s go say hi to my friend!” Kaveh exclaimed before grabbing Alhaitham’s hand, pulling him up then dragging him toward the new crowd that had gathered around the performers.
Kaveh managed to part the crowd and reach the red-headed girl. As soon as she spotted them, she gave them a wave. Kaveh released his hold on Alhaitham to give the girl a hug.
“It’s so good to see you! Thank you for coming!” she said.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world! I want you to meet my friend Alhaitham,” Kaveh turned to him and gestured toward the dancer. “Alhaitham, this is my friend Nilou.”
Nilou giggled as she playfully bowed towards him, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Alhaitham. I hope you enjoyed the performance!”
“It was good,” Alhaitham awkwardly said, “You were good.”
Nilou blushed, “Aw, thank you. You’re welcome to come back anytime and watch our performances. We have a new one every month.”
Alhaitham had to be honest with himself. He was only here because Kaveh invited him and while he did enjoy the performance, he didn't see himself coming back unless another show really interested him.
“If something interests me, I’ll check it out,” Alhaitham replied.
“Alhaitham at the theater? On his own accord? I had to basically drag him here tonight,” Kaveh snorted.
“Then you should bring him more often,” Nilou giggled.
“No way!” Kaveh flushed, crossing his arms like an ‘x.’ “It took forever to get him to come this once!”
“I might go if you ask me,” Alhaitham replied.
“But would you also say no?”
“If I’m not interested or have other plans, I will.”
“He’s not coming back,” Kaveh sighed exasperatedly. “Anyways, this guy has a ridiculously early bedtime because he’s secretly an old man and we should really start going before he passes out from exhaustion.”
Kaveh grabbed Alhaitham’s hand to indicate he was ready to drag Alhaitham out of there.
“Aw, that’s a shame. I would’ve loved to talk to you some more since I rarely see you anymore Kaveh. Regardless, you’re always welcome here. You, and your friend .” Nilou said as she gestured towards their joined hands. “It was nice seeing you two!” Nilou giggled before turning away to greet somebody else.
The two of them walked down the streets of Sumeru hand in hand. Kaveh was telling Alhaitham a story about his classmate. There was a punchline somewhere along the line as Kaveh began to laugh but Alhaitham was too engrossed with the way Kaveh looked to be paying attention to the story. His mind slipped away even further as Kaveh laughed, his eyes crinkling in a cute way and his smile widening even more. He really was like a shining beacon of light, one simply couldn’t look away from how radiant he was.
The moment was quickly soured when Kaveh realized Alhaitham wasn’t paying attention. His beautiful face morphed into the adorable pout Alhaitham loved as he began to protest.
“Are you even paying attention?” Kaveh groaned.
“Sorry, your story was taking too long, my mind was wandering,” Alhaitham answered.
“Of course you weren’t,” Kaveh playfully bumped shoulders with Alhaitham, his angry pout still present. “You are so hard to impress.”
Alhaitham could argue against that. He actually found a lot of things impressive. His deceased grandmother, his favorite books, Kaveh’s entire existence, the fact that he is even holding hands with the one he loved.
“I’m impressed that your brain conjured that up.”
“Hey! That’s an insult!” Kaveh protested.
Alhaitham simply chuckled in response causing Kaveh to huff in anger.
“You’re so insufferable to be around you know?” Kaveh complained. “You’re lucky I can put up with you. Without me, you’d be holed up all day in the House of Daena reading a book.”
“And you say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Do you really prefer your books over me? That hurts, I’m never talking to you again.”
Alhaitham rolled his eyes. It’s not the first time Kaveh has threatened to never speak to him again and it certainly won’t be the last.
The rest of their walk back to Kaveh’s apartment was more or less the same with back-and-forth banter that never really went anywhere. Their hands remained joined, sometimes one of them squeezing the other’s hand in silent reassurance that despite everything, they still have each other. When they finally reached the complex, Kaveh turned to Alhaitham.
“We have to present our work to the sages next week,” Kaveh said. “Do you think we’ll get it approved?”
“They selected the two of us to be the heads of this project. They’ll definitely approve of the work we put into this.” Alhaitham gave Kaveh another reassuring squeeze.
Kaveh smiled, his eyes sparkling with an emotion Alhaitham does not recognize. “Thanks. I had a lot of fun tonight. Thanks for coming with me. Even if I had to drag you out.”
“It’s my pleasure. See you around?”
“Yeah,” Kaveh nodded before leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. “I’ll see you.”
Alhaitham froze, not expecting Kaveh to make such a move. Taking advantage of the paralyzed state Alhaitham was in, Kaveh rushed inside without another word. Once Kaveh was gone, Alhaitham’s brain began to function properly enough for him to touch the very spot Kaveh had kissed. The touch was brief but it left its ghostly mark, the memory of what had just transpired still lingering. Alhaitham’s cheeks turned pink.
Cute.
If the joint project between Alhaitham and Kaveh were to be considered a marriage, then the beginning was a honeymoon where the two researchers became close friends who got to know each other beyond their lives as students.
The day had started off like normal. Alhaitham and Kaveh sat together in the office of the Grand Sage, and the other Sages of the other Darshans gathered in the room as well. The two were just about to present all the work they had done so far on the housing project. Kaveh was dozing off, having pulled an all-nighter making the finishing touches to his blueprints. Alhaitham was well-rested having already completed what he was going to present two days prior, but he still supported Kaveh nonetheless the night before by sneaking in snacks to the House of Daena so that the ever-forgetful Kaveh would’ve had something in his stomach before heading off to sleep back at his place. Now, Kaveh was taking a quick nap, dozing off on Alhaitham’s shoulder while Alhaitham continued reading his latest book. He was sort of glad Kaveh was tired because if he was well-rested his senior would’ve been freaking out about having to present. However, as soon as Alhaitham noticed the room quieted down and the meeting seemed to begin, he gently nudged Kaveh awake. He woke up with a short yawn and stretched his arms. Before whispering into Alhaitham’s ear.
“Good luck.”
The corner of Alhaitham’s lips turned upwards ever so slightly as he whispered back, “You too.”
The meeting started off with the Sages of Haravatat and Kshahrewar who introduced the project and explained its purpose. They then introduced the two head researchers of the project, the very men who they proclaimed to be at the top of each of their respective Darshans: Alhaitham and Kaveh. After the introduction, the floor was given to them.
Kaveh went up first and displayed his blueprints, showing the different kinds of houses, apartment complexes, and other living corridors the city can work on. He then presented in finer detail the basic layout of the larger homes showing the beauty each of them had. He displayed the base furniture each of the houses would have and even gave detailed explanations as to why each piece was for the ideal house.
Even though Kaveh was nervous as he delved deeper into his presentation his love for architecture and his project shined and eventually his confidence grew. By the end of his presentation, the Sages were giving him a round of applause clearly impressed with his work. Unnoticed by everybody except for Alhaitham was the sigh of relief Kaveh released as he walked back to his seat. Kaveh gave Alhaitham a squeeze on his shoulder as he wished him good luck again.
Alhaitham’s presentation was different. He first presented his research and findings on previous housing projects and explained the pros and cons of every single path taken. He then concluded his findings with what he believed to be the best system on how to allocate housing to citizens.
“That is why the lottery-based system is the best for this. Low criteria to apply can ensure that anybody can apply which is imperative for the lower classes that are in need. Then the lottery can decide who will receive the housing. This is the fairest way to distribute the properties.”
Alhaitham had also received applause from the Sages as he returned to his seat.
“Thank you Alhaitham and Kaveh for the work you have done so far. We will be discussing your work so far and will be delivering our reviews and advice by the end of the week. You are dismissed.”
The two students left the meeting together but Alhaitham immediately noticed that something was off. Usually, by this point Kaveh was all over him whether he was clinging to his arm, holding his hand, or simply resting his head on the junior’s shoulder, he was always invading Alhaitham’s space in some capacity. This time, however, Kaveh was keeping his distance, he was quiet too as if he was upset about something.
“Are you okay?” Alhaitham asked as they walked down the hallway.
Kaveh crossed his arms, “I have… a critique about your work.”
Alhaitham nodded, “What is it?”
“I think the system you chose wasn’t the best one.”
“Oh?” Alhaitham lifted an eyebrow and looked at Kaveh curiously. He stopped in his tracks and Kaveh stopped alongside him. Thankfully nobody was around so they could afford to loiter around for a bit. “What do you suggest then?”
“A lottery-based system gives an equal opportunity for everybody, but it doesn’t give an equitable opportunity. The system should prioritize housing the less fortunate and shouldn’t focus on giving the 1% free housing when they can afford it without it affecting their pockets anyways,” Kaveh explained.
“You’re correct, the problem with this system however is determining who is the less fortunate and where the cut-off is. Not only that but by distinguishing who is the less fortunate and prioritizing them, we end up making the losers of the system the middle class who are too rich to receive adequate housing but too poor to easily afford good housing. It’s too complicated to determine these things and somebody will end up in a worse position than before. Unless you have something to suggest on how your system would work on determining these factors, the lottery system is the easiest and fairest way.”
“The lottery system is still going to benefit the rich if they’re allowed to participate. I’m sorry but with this system the rich will only get richer and the working class who get left out of the lottery due to some bad luck will only continue to get poorer. I don’t want my name on a project with this system in place. Not when you’re just too lazy to come up with the correct solution,” Kaveh argued.
“Then you should get used to it, because I’m not switching out the lottery system,” Alhaitham snapped, slightly annoyed that Kaveh was acting out like this.
They have always been honest with each other when it came to critiques, but what confused Alhaitham was that he had already shown his findings to Kaveh. Even though he didn’t show his conclusions from his research, Kaveh should’ve figured out beforehand that this was his going to be his proposal, just like how Alhaitham already knew the blueprints Kaveh had worked on. Why was he this upset when this was what they’d already agreed upon?
“But—!”
“Maybe we should stick to our respective roles and stop butting into each other’s parts. You do your part, and I do mine. That way, we don’t have to overstep our boundaries,” Alhaitham suggested.
“Is this some kind of joke? We’re supposed to be partners!” Kaveh yelled.
“Partnerships don’t mean we have to do everything together. As long as you do your part, and I do mine, the project will be a success. Now, unless you have input that’s actually substantial, I’ll be sticking to what I have planned. I haven’t put up much protest with your part after all.”
Kaveh began to tear up.
“Fine. Do what you want. But I meant what I said. I don’t want my name on this project anymore.”
“Then drop the project,” Alhaitham agreed.
Kaveh’s eyes met Alhaitham’s his eyes still filled with tears that were threatening to come down. He didn’t understand what was the big deal, this was just a silly disagreement.
“You really want me to drop this?” Kaveh asked.
“If that’s what you really want, then I’m not stopping you,” Alhaitham said. Sure, it hurt a bit to see Kaveh go, but their relationship had already evolved past this partnership. He didn’t need the excuse of this project to see Kaveh anymore.
“You know Alhaitham? You’re a really smart guy. One of the smartest I’ve ever known. But you lack basic fucking empathy and can’t understand social cues. I can’t handle this. I can’t work with you. Congrats. You’re getting what you want,” Kaveh sniffled, wiping his tears with his arm before running away.
“Kaveh!” Alhaitham called out to him and reached out but Kaveh swatted his hand away before he picked up his pace leaving Alhaitham in the dust.
His head was swimming in confusion. What had happened? Was it something he said? Kaveh had always been dramatic and took everything too seriously but did Alhaitham push things too far this time? The thing was: he simply didn’t understand what he had done wrong.
Perhaps that was the problem. Kaveh was not only intelligent but understood people really well. Alhaitham lacked that kind of emotional intelligence, rarely socializing, and never caring what others thought or did.
Maybe that’s why every relationship has a honeymoon. But just like any relationship, the honeymoon was nothing but a phase and once it ended reality would crash down onto them.
If the housing project was a marriage, then that was the moment that led to the inevitable divorce: Kaveh dropping out of the project.