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Every couple had their own small courting rituals, and Kaveh and Alhaitham were no exception.
Their love was built out of dozens of habits, barely noticeable gestures, and strange yet dearly cherished quirks.
While Alhaitham preferred quiet care — keeping an eye on Kaveh so he wouldn’t overwork himself, reminding him to eat and sleep, subtly monitoring his well-being — he also, without telling him, began studying architecture and everything connected to it, just so that one day he could hold a conversation worthy of Kaveh.
Kaveh himself was the type of person who would loudly and passionately declare exactly what he had done for his beloved, how much effort he had put in, and how hard he had tried.
But they found their shared refuge in an unexpected little thing — taking baths together. Only there could they truly relax and care for one another, slowly and without unnecessary words.
At first, Kaveh had been outraged.
What do you mean, taking a bath together?!
Alhaitham had completely lost his sense of shame!
But after the first time, it was Kaveh who started insisting on the ritual, even though it still seemed strange to him.
Even despite the fact that Alhaitham patiently explained that he wouldn’t look at him naked if Kaveh felt uncomfortable.
And yet, it wasn’t easy for him. He couldn’t help looking. Kaveh was too beautiful.
And now — as usual.
Alhaitham sat in the bathtub, submerged in warm water.
The surface was covered with foam and the petals of a very fragrant flower. The scent hit his nose sharply at first, but over time he grew used to it. Kaveh had insisted on the petals because he loved the smell so much. Alhaitham kept his hands dry so he could finish a few more pages of his book. His headphones rested on the edge of the sink, and the towel he’d come in with lay nearby.
He waited.
Waited for Kaveh to gather his courage and decide to join him.
And, of course, it didn’t take long.
The door opened quietly, and Kaveh stepped into the bathroom. A white towel was wrapped around his hips, another held in his hands.
Quickly closing the door, he cast a hurried glance around and, making sure his roommate — no, his beloved — wasn’t looking, dropped the towel and carefully lowered himself into the water.
They settled at opposite ends of the tub.
And as soon as Kaveh was there, Alhaitham closed his book and, without looking, placed it farther away on the floor so it wouldn’t accidentally get wet.
Now nothing distracted him from what mattered.
— I’ve been meaning to ask… why do you bring two towels? — Alhaitham finally broke the awkward silence, his gaze fixed on the surface of the water.
Kaveh blinked in surprise several times, as if the question had caught him off guard, then indignantly raised his eyebrows and parted his lips.
— One is for the body, the other is for the hair. That’s obvious, — he huffed, with his usual note of irritation, as if the topic were embarrassingly elementary.
Alhaitham gave a barely noticeable hum.
He shifted his gaze to Kaveh, and Kaveh, catching it, suddenly softened. The corners of his lips curved into that familiar, slightly mischievous smile — the one that appeared whenever he was about to do something impulsive and completely ill-considered.
Without a word, Kaveh scooped up some water with his palm and splashed it toward Alhaitham.
Droplets scattered across his face and shoulders, warm drops sliding down his cheek.
Alhaitham instinctively flinched, tensing his shoulders and briefly closing his eyes, clearly not expecting the move.
— Kaveh… — he drew out, a quiet warning in his voice.
Kaveh only grinned wider and burst into laughter, clearly pleased with the effect.
Naturally, Alhaitham wasn’t going to leave that unanswered.
He silently scooped up water and, just as precisely and almost lazily, splashed it back at Kaveh.
The water hit his face, warm droplets scattering across his cheeks and forehead, while several petals that had been peacefully floating on the surface got tangled in his light hair and stuck to his skin.
Water streamed down his neck and shoulders, tracing thin paths across his chest.
Alhaitham allowed himself a brief, self-satisfied smile as he watched Kaveh rub his eyes blindly, muttering under his breath and trying to blink the water away.
— Now you really are being careless, — he remarked quietly.
By the time Kaveh finally opened his eyes, Alhaitham had already moved closer, rising easily onto his knees and settling between Kaveh’s legs as if it were the most natural decision in the world.
Too close.
— You’re careless, Kaveh, — he repited with that calm, teasing tone that always threw the architect off balance.
He gently removed one petal from Kaveh’s lashes, then another from his hair, barely looking at his own fingers.
Kaveh, visibly flustered, turned his gaze aside.
— Like you’re one to talk, — he muttered, trying to preserve what little dignity he had left.
Alhaitham only hummed softly.
When he was done with the petals, Alhaitham lingered for a moment, studying Kaveh’s face.
He was unusually quiet now — lashes still damp, cheeks faintly flushed, his expression uncharacteristically calm.
In moments like these, Alhaitham always caught himself looking longer than he should.
— So, — he asked softly, looking straight into his eyes, — what are we washing your head with today, Kaveh?
There was that rare gentleness in his voice, one he allowed only with him.
Kaveh looked away, as if the question required serious thought, and after a couple of seconds replied:
— Let’s… use the lily-scented shampoo.
He said it casually, but the corners of his lips still twitched.
— Mm, — Alhaitham responded shortly.
He lifted himself and reached behind Kaveh toward the shelf behind the tub.
Too close.
His chest ended up almost right in front of Kaveh’s face, and Kaveh involuntarily held his breath. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks, which he immediately tried to hide by stubbornly staring into the water.
Alhaitham, as if unaware, calmly squeezed some shampoo into his palm, rubbed it between his fingers, and gently touched the light strands.
Warm foam spread through the hair as he began to massage Kaveh’s scalp slowly and confidently.
Kaveh closed his eyes, relaxing almost instantly, and let out a quiet breath.
He definitely liked this more than he was willing to admit out loud.
After letting the shampoo sit for a couple of minutes, Alhaitham gently touched Kaveh’s chin.
With a light, almost imperceptible motion, he tilted his head down and said softly:
— Close your eyes.
Kaveh obeyed, albeit with a barely audible grumble, and Alhaitham began rinsing the foam away with warm water, carefully making sure not a single drop got into his eyes.
He did it once more — methodically and without haste, just as he always did.
Shampoo had to be applied twice.
When the last of the foam finally washed away, Alhaitham returned to his spot, leaning his back against the edge of the tub.
Now Kaveh was between his legs.
— Now… — he began thoughtfully, — what are we washing… you with today?
Kaveh lifted his gaze to Alhaitham’s face, already reading the familiar smirk there.
— Can we use the lily shampoo too?
Kaveh raised an eyebrow slightly.
— You mean… MY lily shampoo?
— Yes, — Alhaitham replied, utterly unfazed. — Why not? I have thick hair too, you know.
Kaveh snorted quietly. Turning around, he reached for the shelf, squeezed some shampoo into his palm, and just like Alhaitham had done moments earlier, rubbed it between his fingers.
Then he carefully touched the gray hair.
His movements were a little awkward, a bit too deliberate, but sincere.
Alhaitham relaxed almost immediately.
He closed his eyes, letting Kaveh massage his scalp, and for the first time in a long while, allowed himself not to think about anything at all.
The pleasure of this ritual was mutual.
Kaveh gently tilted Alhaitham’s head.
— Close your eyes, — he said softly, already slipping his hand under the stream of warm water.
He rinsed the foam away slowly and carefully, making sure not a single drop got into his eyes. His movements were a little clumsy, but surprisingly tender — filled with that same earnest care he put into everything he truly valued.
When the last traces of foam were gone, Kaveh froze.
He suddenly realized he was just… staring.
At Alhaitham’s turquoise eyes — calm, deep, with diamond-shaped pupils the color of sun-warmed sand. His favorite eyes. The ones he lost himself in far too easily.
Kaveh slowly placed his palms against Alhaitham’s cheeks, gently brushing the pale skin with his fingertips, as if checking whether this was real or only a dream.
He leaned in first, slowly. Almost hesitantly.
And Alhaitham, as if sensing his intention, leaned forward to meet him.
Their lips met in a quiet, soft kiss — brief, but painfully sincere.
Butterflies traitorously fluttered in Kaveh’s stomach.
He closed his eyes, barely holding back a smile.
Oh… how he loved this man.
Pulling away, Kaveh gave a crooked smile.
He was clearly a little nervous — it showed in everything: the way he looked aside, the way his fingers curled, the way he hurried to reclaim his usual sharpness.
Alhaitham noticed.
He slipped one hand out of the water and gently touched Kaveh’s cheek, soothingly brushing his thumb along the skin.
His gaze remained calm, almost impassive, but the gesture was far too gentle to be accidental.
With a small nod, he suggested:
— Sit here.
Kaveh hesitated.
Just for a second — as if weighing the consequences of agreeing. But then he turned and settled between Alhaitham’s legs. His back almost immediately pressed against Alhaitham’s chest, and the contact sent a brief shiver through him.
The silence grew heavy.
— Alhaitham… — he began quietly.
— Mm?
— Do you have a boner?
Alhaitham froze for a moment. He blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting such bluntness, and looked away, as if the question were indecently inappropriate.
— What makes you think that? — he replied dryly.
Kaveh cleared his throat, flustered.
— Well… something is pressing against my ass…
Alhaitham’s shoulders tensed slightly.
— You can move back to your pla-
— Absolutely not!
Kaveh blurted it out far too quickly and far too loudly, realizing immediately how it sounded.
He froze.
Alhaitham slowly looked at him.
Kaveh, sensing it, slowly lifted his eyes as well.
Their gazes met.
One second. Two.
The pause hung between them — too thick, too awkward.
Kaveh tried to endure it. Honestly tried.
But failed.
The next moment, he sharply turned away and burst into laughter, covering his face with his hand.
— Oh Archons, I’m sorry, — he breathed through laughter. — That came out… awful.
His shoulders shook, the laughter far too loud for such an intimate silence.
Alhaitham only sighed, briefly closing his eyes.
— You're incorrigible, — he said dryly. But the corner of his mouth was still curved into a smile.