Chapter 7: Bespoke Radiant Spincrystal
"What in all of Teyvat…?"
Alhaitham found himself standing in front of a large mansion, looking like something that belonged in Liyue rather than Sumeru. He looked around; the place was rather empty, save for a few randomly placed things – a singular stone lion (didn't they usually come in pairs?), a tree seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and a gate that served no purpose other than to be passed through. He walked away from the mansion, curious about the place he was in. Checking that the noise cancelling was definitely off, he realised that this place was actually just that quiet, only the gentle breeze could be heard. He reached up to remove his earpieces, and he stood completely still, eyes closed for several minutes as he soaked in the atmosphere.
Had he ever been in a place this quiet? One that was outside, that is. The forests of Sumeru were teeming with birds chirping, and small creatures scurrying, while the deserts were often much windier than this. Even if the desert could be as quiet as this, the temperature was not as pleasant.
All he needed was a good book and a comfy chair under the eaves of the mansion and he'd never leave this place. Although, he still had to work out what this place was. He continued on his trajectory, coming across a plot of land used for planting. Isn't that a naku weed? Right next to a windwheel aster? These two plants were from completely different continents – who had put these here? What was the point of planting them right next to each other? And why was the tree all the way over there?
Alhaitham walked a bit further to confirm his suspicions that he was currently on a floating rock, then turned back to the mansion, realising that yes, now he could see more floating rocks in the distance, a bridge connecting them to the one he was currently on.
He knocked on the door of the mansion, patiently waiting in case the occupant was currently quite far from the door. When he was satisfied that no one was coming, he gently tried the door, finding that it was open.
"Hello? Is anyone home?"
The interior was full of random items from across Teyvat, but mainly from Mondstadt and Liyue. The bookshelf caught his eye immediately, and he walked over to see what was on offer.
"Haitham?"
He paused, hand halfway to a book. "Kaveh?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I don't know, perhaps you could enlighten me? I was inspecting your new teapot and suddenly found myself here."
"Didn't you read the note? This is the Traveler's teapot."
"This?" Alhaitham echoed. "We're in the teapot?"
Kaveh explained as much as he could based on what the Traveler and Paimon had told him, but truthfully he didn't fully understand it, and he doubted he would so long as he remained ignorant about the adepti of Liyue.
"The décor could use my help," Kaveh said. "I suspect that's why the Traveler invited me in. I mean, did you see the state of the outside?"
"The random gate? The tree?"
Kaveh beamed. "So you do have an eye for this sort of thing! Perhaps you're more exteriors than interiors based on your own purchases… Anyway! I said I'd help the Traveler with anything they need when they said they'd built this place themselves, and in return I can come here and enjoy the peace and quiet."
"Are you enjoying it?" Alhaitham knew that this sort of quiet was not usually something Kaveh liked.
"Oh, well… I'd prefer to come here with someone else usually, but I was working away on something, so I didn't really notice. I thought you were the Traveler coming back." There was a faint blush on Kaveh's cheeks as he rambled on.
"Care to share? Or is it a secret project?"
"Yes and no…" Kaveh cleared his throat. "You asked me to record something for you, and I thought this was the perfect place. The Traveler even has recording equipment – they seem to have every gadget you could think of tucked away in some corner here. So, if you wouldn't mind leaving me to get on with it… And if the Traveler comes back, tell them to wait until I'm done!"
Kaveh showed him the waypoint outside which would take him back out of the pot, and Alhaitham couldn't argue when he knew he was going to get something very good out of this. He was back in his living room after a brief tingling sensation, staring down at the teapot with great intrigue. This was the sort of object that a man with greater ambitions than he would love to get his hands on. This teapot could make someone's career, and here the Traveler had just left it on his coffee table.
The sun was setting, and Kaveh was still inside the pot. The architect was a perfectionist, so no doubt he was making the best possible recording, or perhaps it really was going to be a lengthy monologue. The thought that Kaveh had fallen asleep did not cross his mind – Kaveh notoriously had trouble sleeping in empty houses.
"We're back!" he heard Paimon announce.
Alhaitham grilled the travelling duo for more information about the teapot while waiting for Kaveh to reappear. He was very interested in using it to enjoy some peace and quiet from time to time (the Traveler naturally extended an invitation to stay to him as well), but the downside was that the teapot went where the Traveler went. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up in Inazuma and have to find his own way home.
Before he could run out of questions, Kaveh reappeared.
"Oh, hi, you two!" He waved at their friends. "And this is for you." He held out a data capsule to Alhaitham. "Don't listen to it until I'm gone and you miss me, alright?"
"Huh?! Kaveh, are you finally moving out?" Paimon asked.
"What? No, I – I –" He'd just said that with an audience… "I'm going away for work."
Alhaitham nodded, completely unfazed unlike Kaveh. "Kaveh's leaving me to do all the housework and cooking by myself. I will miss him dearly while he's gone and cannot help me out." His tone was perfectly level, and had just the right amount of his usual sarcasm that their guests didn't realise there was anything amiss.
He pocketed the data capsule, removing it from the conversation, going back to where he'd left off before Kaveh returned.
ooo
Kaveh left, after a round of morning sex, and many more hugs and kisses between then and the moment he stepped out of the door. Alhaitham swore he intentionally forgot his keys so that he could come back for one last kiss.
It was very endearing to know that Kaveh liked him that much, that the thought of being separated for five days made him behave in such a sweet way. They still bickered – they never stopped – but it had been so much easier for Alhaitham to win their arguments over the past few days as Kaveh seemed to give up, not wanting to part on a bad note.
However, Alhaitham didn't feel the same way Kaveh did about this. Kaveh clearly didn't want to spend any time apart right now, and was practically clinging to Alhaitham in the past 24 hours. Of course, he was slightly sad to see Kaveh go, but that was all. There was none of the intensity that Kaveh seemed to have. Five days would come and go in a flash, and they'd be back together before they knew it. He was looking forward to having a break from their relationship in order to reflect on his feelings once more. It was hard to do that when Kaveh was constantly there most of the time, and his short commute between work and home left very little thinking time.
He had, at some points, allowed himself to think about these things at work, but he preferred to keep things separate, and these days, thinking about Kaveh at work was not always a wise choice. He could quite easily allow his thoughts to wander down avenues best kept at home.
The perfect opportunity for reflection landed on his desk a few days later. A fellow Haravatat scholar's paper had been peer reviewed and approved for publishing. All Alhaitham needed to do was archive it appropriately – a simple task, but one he took great pleasure in. There was a lot to learn just from reading the abstracts, and although it wasn't essential to do so, he often did anyway. It certainly made the job more interesting and it kept him up to date with the latest research. People complained that he knew too much about everything, but they could find themselves in the same position if they read the opening sentences of every paper that passed into the Akademiya's archives.
Reading the whole paper was not something he did often, because he could not always spare the time, especially when some papers went on and on as if their aim was to publish a book, and also because many papers that passed through his hands were of little interest to him. The presentation and diagnosis of a rare hereditary disease may be interesting as a fun fact, but ultimately he had no use for this sort of information. He'd much rather read about a new ancient language being discovered.
The Haravatat scholar's paper that piqued his interest was not about old language, but new. It proposed new terminology to help better express human sexuality. He skimmed through the paper, wondering how it would challenge the current terms in use, and what would be offered instead.
The idea of using andro- and gynosexual to describe attraction seemed like a reasonable suggestion, and he could certainly see that it would benefit certain people to use those words. It gave him pause for thought. If Kaveh was a woman, would that change anything? Assuming that everything else between them was the same, would he still feel the same sort of attraction? He liked to think so. If it was Kaveh inside, then he imagined that no matter what outer form Kaveh took, he always would have fallen for him.
Alhaitham's eyes skipped over sections that held no interest to him. The paper delved into the precise definition of bisexuality, and its usage compared to pansexuality. Maybe it's something Kaveh might wish to read about, but he also got the feeling that Kaveh didn't care to get bogged down in semantics like this.
Finally, he got to the section tackling asexuality. Here, the paper drove home the idea that romantic attraction and sexual attraction need to be considered separate, as this was the prevailing trend in people on this part of the spectrum. He liked everything to be neat and tidy, where identities aligned in a regular fashion, but he felt the paper was right. At least, he felt romantically attracted to Kaveh much more intensely than he did sexually, which might require two different words.
The term demisexual caught his eye. It was defined as someone who only experienced attraction after forming an emotional bond. Which, he supposed, was exactly how he believed he'd come to fall for Kaveh. He thought more about it. When he'd first realised he was in some way interested in Kaveh, he recalled being confused about the timing – why wasn't it love at first sight? Why wasn't it earlier? They'd lived together for months before he realised. But if his attraction to people depended on a bond, then it all made sense.
Moreover, it also explained why he'd never felt attraction before. The number of people he'd class as friends was small, and he imagined that some of them would be surprised to find themselves in that number. But did he have an emotional bond with those people? Perhaps he did with those that he'd fought alongside during the coup, but he felt that that bond was different to the one he'd formed with Kaveh. His bond with Kaveh had developed naturally over time, not thrust upon him by the circumstances.
He filed the term demi in the back of his mind and continued reading to see if the paper had more to offer. The term greysexual was immediately unappealing to him; he liked a bit more certainty than the vagueness the term offered. Despite this, the more he read, the more he felt that this was the appropriate term for his sexuality. After all, he still couldn't figure out if he was sexually attracted to Kaveh, or if what he perceived as sexual attraction to Kaveh was actually just an interest in satisfying his needs. Something he could do alone, but would rather do with Kaveh now they had a romantic relationship, and at the same time was something he wouldn't consider doing with anyone other than Kaveh.
Trying to work it out hurt his head more than any abstruse books he'd read recently. Luckily, his head lifted as he thought, and he noticed the time: only 5 minutes of the working day left. He began to tidy away everything before leaving.
Of course, despite being quite happy to get on alone, he still missed Kaveh, but it wasn't the same as how it once was. He recalled the time Kaveh had been in the desert and he'd pined away, not realising or understanding his feelings, waiting for Kaveh to return. Maybe it was easier this time because he knew Kaveh was missing him more? Or because he'd finally got his feelings out in the open and knew that Kaveh would come back to return them?
Whatever the difference was, he found it much easier to pass the days without Kaveh this time around. He was also pleased to discover that his body did not miss Kaveh as much as when Kaveh was actually here. He likened it to a plate of snacks: if someone left a plate of snacks where he was working (and meetings with certain people always came with a plate of baklava), then he would indulge, but if there was nothing to snack on, then he wouldn't be disappointed by the lack of them. In the same way, when Kaveh was not here to tempt him, he did not yearn for his touch. Well, he will admit he missed being close to Kaveh physically, but only in the sense of proximity rather than anything more. At some point he'd become quite accustomed to sitting together in the evening, usually with at least one point of physical contact.
So, it took until the day before Kaveh was due back for Alhaitham to finally play the recording Kaveh had made for him. He was extremely curious about it, but he also knew that this experience would only happen once and should not be wasted early. There was no doubt the recording would have replay value, but hearing it for the first time would be special.
He laid on the sofa, head on a cushion, with the music player resting just below his chest. His finger traced the button that would play the recording, feeling excited and full of anticipation.
"Okay, this is the final take, for real this time." Kaveh's voice had a hint of frustration in it. "Oh, I probably shouldn't have kept that in…" There was a sigh and a pause. "Actually, I'm sure it'll amuse you to know I redid this several times. The first time I started with 'Dear Alhaitham,' like I was writing you a letter, but it didn't sound right. I've decided to just say: hello, Haitham! It's the afternoon right now, I think – I'm not sure how time works in this teapot. Actually, it must be the evening unless you popped home at lunchtime and found me in here? Sorry if I'm missing dinner…uh… I'm rambling about things that will be meaningless by the time you listen to this. I do wonder when that is though. Have you woken up in the morning, sad to find I'm not by your side? Are you missing me at lunch?" Kaveh laughed softly. "Probably not – I'm sure you'll take every opportunity to eat something spicy while I'm not there. So, I'm guessing it's either early morning, or late in the evening. Maybe you were reading a book before this?"
Alhaitham glanced at the tome on the table; Kaveh knew him well. It was evening and he had the lamps turned down low, no need to surround himself with light when Kaveh wasn't here in need of it and he had finished today's book.
"I spent a while thinking about what to say, and as I mentioned, there have been several takes before this one to help me mull it over some more." He cleared his throat. "Honestly, I'm surprised I still have a voice to work with; it's quite exhausting talking to yourself all day, you know. The first take ended up being really…mushy. It was… Frankly, it was embarrassing. I poured out all my feelings about you like a lovestruck teenager writing a diary. When I listened to it back I couldn't even finish it – it was truly dreadful, and should never reach your ears, or anyone else's! I think being alone in this strange teapot dimension addled my brains the first time. It's so quiet and peaceful here, I really felt like I could say anything… Ahem, but luckily I decided to play it back to make sure it had recorded properly."
Alhaitham could hear the embarrassment in Kaveh's tone, and he dearly wished he could listen to that initial recording.
"So," Kaveh continued, "It's gone. Over-written, never to grace the world again. But, I think the take-away message should still go into the final cut." Kaveh's inhale was audible. "I love you, Alhaitham." After the harsh tone berating himself, this time Kaveh's voice was soft and gentle. "You are my rock. And that's all I'll say on the matter this time! I'm not going to say more than that. After all, you wanted to hear my voice, right? And how often do I say such saccharine things like that around you? You want to hear me argue with you, don't you?"
There was a noise, like something heavy being slammed down on a desk.
"So, I thought that perhaps I would create an argument for argument's sake that you can chew on until I return home. Now, I don't know how you feel about this topic, and I regret that I've never asked even after you brought home that terrible wood carving last month, but I've discovered some interesting evidence in this place."
The sound of pages being riffled filled Alhaitham's ears.
"What I'm holding is a journal about adventures with Aranara, an account written by the Traveler and Paimon themselves. Now, I have always believed that Aranara are the stuff of fairy tales, and I'd like to imagine you agree with me on that point. After all, you've always struck me as the kind of person that only believes what can be proven. So, I'm about to tell you that Aranara are real and live in Vanarana, and this is all supported by evidence in my hands."
Another pause.
"Actually, this isn't as fun without you here to try and immediately refute me. Of course, if you do believe Aranara are real, then I must tell you that I think they're fake and the book I'm holding is just a random one off the shelf. We can have a proper discussion about it after you've listened to this, and I'll tell you what I actually believe. Anyway…"
It sounded like Kaveh was readjusting his position.
"Are you sitting comfortably? Archons, I hope you're listening to this at home and not out and about. Wait – Alhaitham, if you're not at home, pause this now and go home! You see, when I thought about this recording, I thought about when you requested it. I'm sure you remember quite well. So, I thought you might also want… To hear something that makes your blood boil in a different way."
The next time Kaveh spoke, it was much closer to the receiver, making it feel like he was inside Alhaitham's head, and it was a whisper too. "Haitham, I miss you. I really want to kiss you."
There was a noise, like Kaveh was kissing something, and he imagined that it was probably his hand, but gods, it sounded so…lewd. It sounded wet, and Kaveh was making a pleased hum like he usually did when they kissed. Alhaitham's eyes were wide as he listened to this assault on his ears, gripping the music player tightly, but not even considering pressing pause. Oh no, he had to know what happened next.
Kaveh breathed heavily, and Alhaitham could feel his blood rushing south. "Is that enough to rile you up, Haitham? Or should I do more to tease you?" This time, Kaveh let out a small moan. "I'm thinking about you, Haitham. I'm wondering what you would do to me if I was with you now, because if you could see me, you'd notice the bulge in my pants. Are you touching yourself already? Or are you denying that this is hot? Can you really get off to just my voice?"
There was the sound of fabric rustling and Alhaitham could feel his face heating up. So this is why Kaveh said not to let the Traveler back in the teapot?! Perhaps Kaveh would come to realise that his embarrassing first time was actually less incriminating than whatever this was turning out to be!
"Ah, that's better. I don't have any lube here, so –" The sound of spitting, "- this will have to do. I wonder if you can hear me?"
Alhaitham could hear everything. What kind of recording device did the Traveler have?! It must be one of the best models going! Or maybe he was just straining his ears to pick up every little noise? But the sound of slick skin being pumped was unmistakable, unless Kaveh was using a very good prop. Whether it was real or not made no difference – the effect it was having on him was obvious! He couldn't remember the last time his pants had felt this tight without visual stimulation.
"I wish this was your hand, or your mouth…" Kaveh moaned. "Or would you rather I used my mouth for something else?"
What was he doing?! He was sucking something, moaning around whatever that something was, and making noises that should never have been committed to a re-playable recording. He had yet to misplace his music player, but he was suddenly filled with dread that had he lost it during the past week, some random person might have been able to listen to this. Kaveh could have warned him…
"Ah, I love having your cock in my mouth," Kaveh said before making more noises.
Alhaitham's hands were nowhere near his cock, much preferring to use them to cover his face. Kaveh did all of this for him. And he couldn't deny that this is exactly what he wanted when he'd made the request, but it was…too good. Kaveh had gone above and beyond to make this, when all he wanted was a short minute or two of Kaveh calling his name and saying something sappy.
"Mmm, Haitham, I want a bit of attention too. Want you to touch me – ng – yeah, like that." Kaveh's voice was breathy and needy and fuck, this was driving him insane.
Why did it feel so shameful to let one of his hands slide down his body and palm himself through his trousers? He let out a moan of his own at the relief it brought him.
"Haitham… Haitham!" Kaveh continued on, relentless. "I'm gonna come, Haitham, you're making me feel so good!" This was followed by the stuttering moan he knew was the sound of Kaveh climaxing, and – and -! Did he just hear the sound of cum hitting a surface?!
"That was amazing, Haitham," Kaveh said after breathing heavily into the receiver. "But I still need to make you come. I want to swallow it all."
His ears were once again pounded with the sound of wet lips on something, Kaveh still making pleased sounds for maximum effect. On top of that, he could hear his own soft moans mixing in, completely lost in the moment as he felt the pleasure in his gut building.
"Come for me, Haitham."
"Kaveh!" he gasped as he released, cock still straining against the clothing he'd failed to free it from.
He just about registered the sound of Kaveh swallowing. "Mm, did you enjoy that? I did." The sound of another 'kiss.'
Alhaitham caught his breath as he listened to what came next. It sounded as if Kaveh had walked away, his voice further away. "Archons, that was so embarrassing! How can I possibly look him in the eye and give this to him?" Then Kaveh's voice was close again. "I hope you like this, Alhaitham. And when you wonder why it took me so long, it's because, despite how embarrassed I feel right now, I'm rock solid. I cannot leave the teapot until it goes down."
Oh… Alhaitham had many questions about the sound effects.
"Before I go, you can delete this recording now. Pretend it never happened!"
It was over, and Alhaitham had no intention of deleting this. It was a gift from Kaveh that he was going to keep forever, and listen to many more times. He laid on the sofa, basking in what he had just heard, strangely unbothered by the wet mess he could feel at his crotch, until he felt ready to move on. A trip to the bathroom, half a glass of water, and then to bed, earpieces still on as he hit replay.
ooo
"I'm back!" Kaveh announced.
"Welcome home."
Alhaitham was before him in an instant, embracing him in a hug Kaveh had been craving. Then a hand cupped his face, looking at him with tender eyes.
"You caught the sun."
Kaveh brought them closer for a chaste kiss. "You're my sun."
"Cheesy," Alhaitham muttered against his lips. "I'll make some tea and you can tell me all about it."
Kaveh hurried to dump all his stuff in his room and change out of his travelling clothes so he could be near Alhaitham again. They sat hip-to-hip on Alhaitham's sofa as Kaveh recounted his trip and all the amusing and unlucky occurrences that happened on the way, and while he was there.
"How were things here?" Kaveh asked after.
"I think I saw an Aranara," Alhaitham said with a smirk.
Kaveh's brow furrowed. "You…wha – oh!" His face turned several shades darker. "So, you do believe in them?"
"Not at all. Does the Traveler really have an adventure log with them?"
"Yes, actually."
Alhaitham nodded. "In that case, I suppose I must believe if the evidence is there. After all, I didn't believe you would leave me with such an interesting gift, but I've heard it all. I've been itching to ask, how did you make all of those sounds?"
Kaveh's eyes were wide. "Do not ask! I won't repeat them! Forget you ever heard them!"
"But, Kaveh, I've listened to it three times already."
"THREE?!"
"I'm most curious about the cum –"
Kaveh's hand was over Alhaitham's mouth. "Shut up! I was possessed that day!"
It was easy for Alhaitham to move Kaveh's hand away. "Then I wish that you be possessed again. I barely had to touch anything to come. Your voice was that good."
Kaveh was looking away. "I'm glad. Truly. But just thinking about what I did makes me want to crawl into a hole and never look at you again."
Alhaitham threaded a few fingers in Kaveh's hair. "Why? I enjoyed it, and wasn't that the point? How can you be this shy when I've stuck my fingers into your ass?"
"Because it's… It's a permanent snapshot of me being horny until you delete it. There's something inherently odd about that to me. Would you make me a similar recording?"
"No." He would surely combust within the first minute. "Did you want one?"
"Not particularly. I'd rather that what we do happens between us, in person, in the moment." A hand slid around Alhaitham's neck. "And I missed you terribly this week. Another bug bit me, and I think you should take a look."
"Oh dear, where is it this time?"
"You'll have to undress me to find out."
ooo
"Kaveh?"
The blond was face-down on the sofa, wine bottle by the arm hanging off the edge. There was no response, so Alhaitham called again, louder.
"Haitham?" Kaveh moved so that he could check that he was correct. "You're back… I bought you food."
Alhaitham bent down to pick up the wine bottle, aware that there was still liquid in it and not wishing to spill it on the rug. "Thanks. Maybe you should get to bed." He helped Kaveh sit up, and before he could leave to grab him a glass of water, he felt a tug on his cape.
"Haitham… Are you just using me for my body?"
A deep frown settled on Alhaitham's face as he looked down at Kaveh, who was avoiding his gaze. "You're drunk, Kaveh."
"So, you don't deny it?"
"Kaveh, between the two of us, you're the one that asks to do something physical more often. If you want to stop having sex, then stop asking for it; I'm quite happy to go without, which I'm sure I made clear at the start." Alhaitham made a startled sound as he realised Kaveh was crying. "Wha – what's wrong?"
"I don't understand," Kaveh sobbed, looking very much like he was about to wipe his face on Alhaitham's cape. "You were so mean to me during the competition. You wouldn't bend the rules even just a little for me. You berated me for being a nice person. And – and – I won, Alhaitham! I won, and you disappeared! I bought everyone a nice meal, and you weren't there to enjoy it."
Alhaitham sat next to him, saving his cape by wiping Kaveh's tears away with his thumbs. "Kaveh… You asked me to treat you like any other contestant because you don't want people to know we live together, not to speak of the fact you're my boyfriend." He used that word specifically, knowing it would make Kaveh happy to hear it, and the joy was evident on his tear-stained face. "I… I have more to tell you about where I went after, but not now. I'll tell you tomorrow when you have a clear head and remember that I love you more than anyone else. Now, will you release me so I can get you a glass of water?"
"I'll come with you."
He placed his hand in Alhaitham's and let the scribe pull him up, walking unsteadily into the kitchen.
"You spent all your winnings on wine, then?" Alhaitham asked as he took a glass from the cupboard.
"No, I spent Cyno's money on wine."
"Cyno gives you money now, does he?"
Kaveh sipped on the water that was passed to him as he rambled on about the TCG card he had won, how he didn't understand how it held any value, and how Cyno had paid him handsomely for it and would not take no for an answer.
Somehow, Alhaitham managed to get Kaveh to finish the glass before directing him to bed. He unpacked the leftovers Kaveh had brought home, but he noticed they weren't leftovers at all – these dishes were all complete and untouched. So, Kaveh had bought extra just for him? He was glad he'd rushed back now.
He wouldn't usually eat this late, but it wouldn't hurt this once. The biriyani was spicier than Kaveh usually liked, as was the curry – these really had been bought just for him to enjoy. The meal was even more satisfying with these thoughts in mind.
The following day, Kaveh poured over the notes and research Alhaitham had gathered, reading closely to look for traces of his father. His fingers traced the notes in an ancient script that very few could understand.
"Kaveh."
He jolted in his seat, not having heard Alhaitham come in. "Hey. Good day at work?"
Alhaitham shrugged. "Work's work. I'm not as free as I want to be with the aftermath of the competition and the gala still on-going. How was your day?"
"I'm still processing things… You really dug up a lot."
"Naturally. I'm very thorough when it comes to things I'm interested in."
Kaveh tore his eyes away from the documents in front of him to give Alhaitham his full attention. "Are you really interested in this? Or did you only go so far because you knew my father was involved?"
"Does it matter?"
"Do you not want to tell me?"
Alhaitham sighed. "My interest in Sachin's research only extended so far as to ensure it was preserved. I hate for knowledge to be lost, whether complete or incomplete. So to that end, I endeavoured to find what I could. Ultimately, though, my main interest was in helping you to find out the truth surrounding your father's final days."
Kaveh's expression was unreadable and Alhaitham crossed the space between them, feeling too far from his position by the door. Once he was within arm's reach, Kaveh took his hand, smiling at the way Alhaitham squeezed his hand.
"Thank you, again. You didn't have to."
Alhaitham shook his head. "I wanted to, Kaveh. It's… You're happier for knowing, aren't you?"
"I suppose I am, yes. Although it's a little hard to say 'happy' at the moment. Knowing will make me feel more at peace in the long run, but right now I feel…unsettled. All these feelings I thought I'd left in the past, I'm having to face them again… It's not as easy as I thought it'd be."
Alhaitham wanted to respond to Kaveh's words, but he wanted to make sure he said the right thing, not allowing the first words that came to mind to tumble out. His pause wasn't long, but long enough that Kaveh felt the need to fill it.
"You don't have to listen to me ramble on about this. Go on, carry on with whatever you came in here for."
Alhaitham shook his head. "I came here for you. I wanted to talk to you about something." His tone was serious; Kaveh could tell this wasn't a frivolous matter. "While reviewing the Traveler's reports about the competition, I came across the reason you gave for competing."
Kaveh felt guilty immediately, but his eyes widened when he realised -
"Don't worry, the official report says that you want to buy property without specifying the type or the reason."
Kaveh relaxed ever so slightly.
Alhaitham continued, "But the Traveler, knowing I'd be editing their reports, mentioned that you wish to buy a residence, likely to move out of this house. It could just be speculation on their part, but I want to know the truth."
"It's complicated," Kaveh said. "I do want to own my own property - every architect should own something, right? Whether it's a house, a shop, a cafe, something would be nice, that I can design and change to my heart's content without a client's input." He looked up at Alhaitham, who was listening without giving any thoughts away via his expression. "I suppose I would like to have a house that I own, should anything go wrong. Being homeless is… Well, it was one of the worst things that ever happened to me, but because of it, I then had one of the best things happen to me. Do you know what that is?"
Alhaitham had a pretty good idea of what the correct answer was - and it wasn't the Palace of Alcazarzaray being completed. "Enlighten me."
"You inviting me to stay here. You may not think I enjoyed it at times, but having someone to live with is so important to me. A fact I didn't come to fully appreciate until you went on that research trip about a month after I moved in. I wouldn't dream of moving out, even if I owned another house, because it wouldn't be a home without you. Besides, do you really think I don't want to live with my boyfriend?"
"You are not always direct with your words - it could have been a roundabout way of telling me you were bored of me."
"Not always direct?! If it's you, I'm always direct!"
Alhaitham hummed. "I dunno. Were you ever going to tell me you liked me if I didn't say so first?"
"That's -!" Kaveh huffed.
Alhaitham finally moved to awkwardly sit next to Kaveh on the chair that was spacious for one, and not quite big enough for two. "I'm glad you want to stay. I couldn't imagine what it would be like if you left – who would cook and clean for me?"
Kaveh bristled, but stopped when he saw the amused smile on Alhaitham's lips.
"I know you forfeited your half of this house, but I'll add your name onto the ownership deed if you wish. Sole or joint ownership isn't a condition for your property aspirations, is it?"
"You… You'd really do that?" Kaveh asked. "You know, you won't be able to charge me rent if I'm an owner."
Alhaitham laughed. "When was the last time you paid rent? In Mora, I mean. Of course, as an owner, you would be obliged to care for the house, likely as much as you do now. I don't see things changing much. I'd only hope it makes you happier."
Would it? Maybe. Kaveh thought that the thing that would make him happiest about it would not be owning property itself, but having his name alongside Alhaitham's on the deed. It was almost like marriage… He could feel a blush on his cheeks as he thought it – they were certainly still a long way off anything like that! But if Alhaitham was willing to tie his house down with Kaveh, then marriage would surely be a trivial issue.
He shook the thoughts off, saving them for another time. "Yes, I think I'd like that. I don't think you'd kick me out, but the security of joint ownership would probably add a few years to my life."
"Consider it done," Alhaitham said. "I'll take you out for a meal to celebrate."
He'd thought about making this offer a few times since realising the depth of his love for Kaveh, but the moment had never appeared until now. It was another case of being reluctant to change how things were; up until now there had been no need to offer something Kaveh might not accept. Even though Alhaitham felt like Kaveh was more comfortable sharing in his wealth now they were 'officially' partners, giving him property and a rent-free life might seem like a step too far. He knew Kaveh found it difficult to accept certain things in life without feeling like they had to be repaid – be it an act of kindness or a valuable gift. Under no circumstances did he want Kaveh to think that this offer had any strings attached or came with any expectations above continuing to share (he used the word loosely) the household chores.
It amused him how he had changed so much since bringing this man into his house. From abhorring the thought of sharing a house or a bed with someone, to willingly giving away part of his house to someone he liked finding in his bed. This was their home, after all, and Kaveh deserved to know that it was his, always and forever.
Kaveh leaned against his shoulder. "Thank you, Haitham."
"Didn't you hear what I said this morning? Earnest thanks should be given thrice."
"Thank you, my love." Kaveh shifted to kiss him. "Thank you, Hayi."
A/N: Another classic 'I don't know how to end this fic' moment. But hey at least I managed to shove the Parade of Providence into it before the end. In terms of sexuality, is Haitham ace or demi? Idk I'm too ace to answer that. For sure demiromantic. Thanks for reading!