iridescentmirrorsgenshin

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

ahhhh i'm sorry to hear about being trapped in writer's block hell :(( but i'm glad that this was of some inspiration to you!! believe me, your fic is highly regarded in my mind and not to be forgotten anytime soon ahahah :D

i wish you all the best with your writing!! <3

i love reading your fic thoughts!!

are there any fics you'd recommend or read where you like the way they are characterized? i'm a writer and hope i accurately represent them but i'm never sure, but it's fun to see you doing similar things (going over voice lines and scenes to get their voice down and stuff)

and i think inspiration can help!

hiya! ahh thank you so much, i'm glad you found them interesting! and i perfectly understand your struggle :( it's a ritual at this point to watch their interactions so i can get a feel of them for ongoing fics, i'm considering rewatching a parade of providence at some point as a treat <3

and !! i agree! the fanfiction community is a circle of never ending ideas, so it's amazing how we all inspire each other! for characterisation here are some that stand out to me in my mind <3

Patron of the Arts - nevergreengale, volansvultar - ongoing and (hopefully not) discontinued, but a really interesting take in alhaitham asking kaveh to be his architect for him to move in! kaveh's inner monologue is just him, i especially love his musings about altruism, and the rift between him and alhaitham. a nice mystery going on with whatever is occupying alhaitham as well!

Strawberry High - etherealnara - this IS the drunk alhaitham fic for me, i love seeing him interact with inazuma characters, as well as being competitive. the dynamic between alhaitham and kaveh here is sighworthy, you can really feel the strain towards the end!

The City of Gold and Dust - Amayax - ongoing. pov switch with each chapter, mishaps with time and a really intriguing mystery! both voices truly shine here, i particularly love the prose of alhaitham dealing with grief, and how you can feel how much kaveh means to him, whereas kaveh can feel the burden of missing something obvious, but not knowing what. the contrast is lovely!

(self-recommendation) Change is Imp(ur)rative - completed. mentioning this because this is my fav piece of work i've done for them so far! really hoping the characterisation works, this is a slowbuild into the progression of their relationship, i'm a sucker for them actually talking and what them airing their grievances could look like <3

Old Habits, New Beginnings - thvndaga - completed. amnesiac alhaitham. this is such a lovely lovely fic with alhaitham entirely forgetting himself, but knowing that he's in love with kaveh, but kaveh refusing to believe it? very addictive to read and an incredible journey!

in the market for forgiveness - chaoticloutral - this is so cute, the rising tension over the mundane, the major misunderstanding based around (1) interaction. kaveh's perspective is perfectly rationalised, and alhaitham dogging after him to explain himself! also the atmosphere here! lovely!

best of r/relationship_advice - farozaan - completed. reddit style fic, this is HILARIOUS! kaveh coming to terms with his feelings about alhaitham (but really knowing all along) and alhaitham's quiet patinece is just so ahhh it's them <3

When Sun and Moon Align - Undercover_Owl - ongoing. a time travel fic with kaveh being flung back into his days as a student, attempting to fix his vision with his inquisitive best friend/junior alhaitham, all the while alhaitham is struggling to adjust to kaveh's disappearance in present day. LOVELY! the mystery and prose are enticing, and kaveh's shifting understanding of current alhaitham is so scrummy!

To Dream in Shades of Green - Intensely_Reading - completed. this is such an addictive fic, with kaveh being involved in an experiment (courtesy of yae miko) where his dreams become light novels, only for his dream to take the form of an otome game! so fun and the development between dream alhaitham and kaveh, with him comparing this relationship to real alhaitham is so well done! and real alhaitham going about to locate the cause of kaveh's anxiety is so real <3

six ways to friday - mousiekosmos - completed. this fic is INSANE. the prose is so lovely and alhaitham's perspective makes me want to eat my hand. so rational and logical and yet completely overthinking when it comes to matters concerning kaveh. the hesitance and misunderstanding in their initial relationship is so gutwrenching, and kaveh being the one to chase it !!! i thoroughly recommend

bad days, good days - emigmatic - a wonderful oneshot, kaveh's voice really shines through here, the uncertainties and his anxieties and tiptoeing around alhaitham, while alhaitham is so patient, just MWAH.

flower of my flower - bringingglory - completed. hanahaki alhaitham time. the mounting struggle of alhaitham's rationale in not telling kaveh and seeing kaveh worry from the side culminates perfectly! a very addictive read!

Briars and Roses 'Round Your Heart - sonotfine - completed. hanahaki kaveh time. one of my fav hanahaki aus! i love love the tension building from alhaitham's side as kaveh tries to downplay the progression of his sickness. the confrontation scene lives in my head, the suspense culminates perfectly!

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Thank you so much for all the love you give these two! You really understand them and that makes me so happy. I think Alhaitham's kindness is such an overlooked trait because he seems aloof and only rational, but in reality this man just wants people to do what makes them happy, took in Kaveh and cares about the education of children especially (the way he enrolled Paimon? This guy would honestly be such a great father). It makes me sad when players dismiss him as an asshole or a redflag. While of course he has his kinda manipulative side to get what he wants, it never harms anyone who's not deserving of it and he has a big heart in the end. So thank you for seeing that!!

Hiya! Thank you so much for your ask! I’m really glad you enjoy my blog! These two have taken over my mind entirely so I’m really happy to have such a welcoming place to share my thoughts <3

Alhaitham’s kindness is something that is so special to me, you raise really crucial points!! I think that Alhaitham’s philosophy of egoism could be one of the reasons he often gets misconstrued, since the ‘self’ is prioritised above others, but this isn’t because he holds himself on a pedestal, as his story quest specifically highlights, rather it’s because he sees there’s a clear limit to how much a person can do when compromising themselves for others (or placing the opinions of others over oneself)

I think another reason why Alhaitham’s kindness can be overshadowed is because of Kaveh’s evident concern of others, and since the two fell out because of their vastly different ways when dealing with people, it can be construed that Alhaitham simply doesn’t care about others when comparing him with Kaveh, who so explicitly does. Viewing alhaitham as strictly rational in comparison to kaveh’s abundant empathy is misunderstanding Alhaitham’s character -  as kaveh states that any impression of alhaitham being strictly logical is incorrect

Just because their approaches differ, it doesn’t mean that Alhaitham doesn’t care about people. As you say, Alhaitham actually wants people to be free to choose their own paths, really he wants people to live how they want, which is laid out multiple times in his character stories, and explicitly mentioned in his teapot companion dialogue

I really like this detail in his past birthday letters of Alhaitham’s interest in the education of others, like with Isak and now more extensively with Paimon, I think it encapsulates Alhaitham’s care for others

Alhaitham’s manipulation tactics when it comes to social interaction can be a joy to witness at times, especially with kaveh when he deflects the topic from himself ahahah but this is also an aspect of his personal philosophy, where rules can be subverted by challenging the language that set them, and yet it’s clear that he enjoys interacting with kaveh, as he goes out of his way to secure these interactions :’)

Alhaitham’s role in the archon quest as a strategist has definitely raised people’s wariness of him (such as in candace’s voicelines), but as alhaitham has no interest in power, and saw only harm in the upheaval of Sumeru’s rules, he sought to overturn the plan of the sages and to free nahida. Whilst he claims his personal reason for doing so was to protect his own way of life, the happiness elicited from others is also something he appreciates <3

he's just such a well written character, i'm glad people love this guy <3333

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

masterpost

a list of my haikaveh meta in one place!

The Haikaveh Essay - Genshin Impact and Queercoding: Identifying Queercoding in Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship, 55k (Latest update: 15/07/2024) - Medium - PDF

Masterpost series of Alhaitham being endeared by Kaveh - Part 1 - The Archon Quest - Part 2 - A Parade of Providence - Part 3 - Kaveh's Hangout - Part 4 - Alhaitham's Story Quest - Bonus: Alhaitham being intolerable for attention - Bonus pt 2: Alhaitham being a romantic through actions

The Archon Quest - Camera angles: establishing Kaveh's importance to Alhaitham - The Archon Quest as a metaphor for Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship + the resolution in Cyno's Story Quest

A Parade of Providence (2023) - The ultimate analysis of how A Parade of Providence changes Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship - Miscommunication and misunderstanding: a call for change - <ask> Kaveh's reaction to The Traveller vs Alhaitham

Cyno Story Quest II (2024) - General Thoughts (Haikaveh/Cynonari) - The Improvement in Alhaitham and Kaveh's Relationship - Kaveh referring to Alhaitham's house as 'Home' and its significance - Reconciliation: Parallels between Alhaitham and Kaveh's research on The Temple of Silence and their abandoned thesis - Looking into the mirror: The balancing of Alhaitham and Kaveh's opposing viewpoints - The parallels between Alhaitham and Kaveh and Naphis and Cyrus - 'The Dead Past is the Living Present' quest title and its connection to Alhaitham and Kaveh - Analysing Alhaitham and Kaveh's body language in A Parade of Providence compared to Cyno's Story Quest II

An Odd Textual Mystery (2024) - Overall thoughts [Part 1] - Overall thoughts (analysis of the final scene with Alhaitham and Kaveh) [Part 2] - Alhaitham's curiosity around Kaveh being the catalyst for the event - How the event can relate to Alhaitham and Kaveh's past thesis - <ask> The further progression of Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship

Chromatic Ode of Candies and Roses (2024) - Overall thoughts - The scene blocking for Kaveh and Alhaitham's private conversation - The further development of Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship - Alhaitham and Kaveh as 'friends'

Miscommunication - Alhaitham's manner of expression - Port Ormos Bulletin Board analysis - The Omissions in Alhaitham's Character Stories - Alhaitham's Egoism in relation to Kaveh - Alhaitham and Kaveh's argument - <ask> Alhaitham and Kaveh complaining about each other and fandom misconception - <ask> Kaveh and Alhaitham's differing philosophies founding their friendship - <ask> How close were Kaveh and Alhaitham as students? - <ask> Who yearns harder, Alhaitham or Kaveh? (Part One, Part Two, Part Three)

Queercoding - The Double Entendre of 'Roommates': Madam Faruzan - Parallels Between Kaveh and His Mother: Companionship and Romance - Pride and Prejudice: Alhaitham's Story Quest in Relation to Kaveh - Alhaitham and Kaveh - not 'friends' but 'roommates'

Sumeru Bulletin Board Analyses - Mahamata Bulletin Board - Puspa's Cafe Message Board - Port Ormos Bulletin Board (revamped)

'Home' - Alhaitham as Kaveh's 'home' - Alhaitham and Kaveh As Each Other's Home and Family - <ask> Alhaitham and Kaveh as found family pre and post argument

Birthdays - Kaveh's letter: Home and Alhaitham (2023) - Alhaitham's Birthday art musings (2024) - Alhaitham's lack of Kaveh mention (2024) - Alhaitham's Birthday: Coffee and Domesticity (2025)

Other things of interest - <ask> Analysis of Alhaitham's Character Stories (the hidden sentiment) - <ask> Kaveh's Hangout: The implications of Cyrus knowing both Kaveh's and Alhaitham's parents - <ask> Alhaitham buying wine for Kaveh as an apology - <ask> Alhaitham and Kaveh as Teapot companions: similarities and differences

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

hello! i am kind of at my wit's end so apologies if you're not the right person to ask but i downloaded someone's document titled 'haikaveh content list' from tumblr months ago which is a wonderful analysis and recording of the pivotal moments in their relationship. it reminded me of your analyses, so i wanted to ask if you had created it or know who may have made it. you can find the document by searching up 'haikaveh content list' on google and clicking the first option on scribd, but i don't think it's the og creator :( would love to know who made it so just wanted to ask if you knew in case! anyways thank u and love your analyses!!!

hiya! ahh the haikaveh bible my beloved <3 i actually used this for references and sources for my haikaveh essay! it really is so helpful, i'm glad you discovered it! i wanted to have a username to reference since the google doc doesn't contain one, so i asked around on here and eventually was told that it was created by myusernamegoeshereig on tumblr and twitter, though I'm not sure if they're active! i hope this is helpful, and i'm so glad you enjoy my blog!! <3333

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

impressions of the heart is up on ao3!

Synopsis:

It felt right to be with Alhaitham, this resolute stranger, even if it was just to linger next to him, sun overhead, voices of patrons nearby overlapping. He would do this. But where was this hesitance springing from? Asking someone on a date, well, he must have done this before, surely, even if it surfaced as a blank. Even if he hadn’t, there was a first time for everything. The hesitance curdled, a harrowing sensation, akin to erosion in the gut of his being. Just what was this? He couldn’t recall, but no longer could he stall, with time pressing and Alhaitham’s presence threatening to separate from his side, where he was the only receiver of that pressing, omniscient gaze. “Listen,” he began. Alhaitham’s expression failed to change, and neither did Alhaitham move. Only by speaking it could Alhaitham’s mind be known. “I hope I’m not being too forward- that is, I hope I’m interpreting things correctly, but I’d like to do this again, if you’re also interested.” (An amnesiac Kaveh professes his interest in handsome stranger Alhaitham. Once recovered, Kaveh is compelled by his and Alhaitham’s mutual honesty to reveal his true feelings despite his own self-doubts.)

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Snippets from my upcoming one-shot!

Synopsis: An amnesiac Kaveh professes his interest in handsome stranger Alhaitham. Once recovered, Kaveh is compelled by his and Alhaitham’s mutual honesty to reveal his true feelings, despite his self-doubts.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

haikaveh's established domesticity and the way coffee shared between them is so intrinsically tied into their intimacy makes me ILL!!

'we' is so indicative of the way their lives have completely intermingled that it's impossible to separate them, they are a UNIT! they are a PAIR! and they have a chore roster <3 utter domesticity!!!

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

happy birthday, alhaitham! 🌱🎉

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Hello! Hope you are doing well!

Random thought I had to share: Alhaitham obtained his Vision after reading a section about language. The passages itself lean into his philosophy of uniqueness and the individual. Makes sense, with Visions bring tied to ambitions and all. But at the same time, this is language - a system people developed to communicate with other people.

There's such a neat dichotomy with the two facets of Alhaitham's character: egoism as well as social affiliation. And I think it's that dichotomy that makes Alhaitham’s character stories so interesting. There are a lot of things directly stated, as well as things implied or hidden in plain sight. The prose is written objectively rational and detached from personal emotion, but sentiments are still discernible through omission.

Kaveh's character stories get the most recognition - and for good reason when it's written so easily to empathize with. Meanwhile Alhaitham's really comes across as academic jargon at first glance. But I really feel there is as much depth in Alhaitham’s stories as much as Kaveh's. And it only just struck me why his Vision story intrigued me so much. There's no clear indication on when it happened, but I like to imagine it occurred sometime after the fallout. The passage he read affirms his personal beliefs and ambitions, and I can see the text evoking his longing to reconnect at the same time.

I don't know. Maybe I'm looking too much into it.

Hiya! Thank you for your interesting ask!

I completely agree with your thoughts on Alhaitham’s character stories, they really are chock full of detail, even more so with what’s been omitted and what has to be inferred, whereas Kaveh’s are more straightforward. I think this ties in really nicely with their individual characters, where kaveh’s empathy and sensibility shines through, whereas alhaitham’s stories are given in a rational, detached way – but like you said, this doesn’t mean they’re absent of emotion in any way. I’ve gone through some of my personal favourites in terms of potential omissions and sentiments that can be inferred

This passage gives the reason for alhaitham’s sarcasm, which I think is interesting in fleshing out his character in terms of him wanting to evade unwanted interaction, as it’s a call to question the things alhaitham says and why, and also the motives behind his bickering with kaveh. alhaitham can be seen to instigate supposed ‘trouble’ with kaveh by outright goading or teasing, such as when we’re introduced to kaveh during the archon quest, which can be seen as alhaitham genuinely enjoying his and kaveh’s rapport, and yet kaveh perceives this as alhaitham antagonising him.

it can demonstrate the difference between kaveh’s method of communication as opposed to alhaitham’s, as kaveh states that it’s come to a point where he can’t tell the difference between sarcasm and genuine praise, whereas alhaitham typically uses sarcasm as a means of deflection and evasion, but also to goad kaveh into interacting. It’s an interesting passage (for me) because it seems to directly ask for engagement to question alhaitham, which is exactly what alhaitham values as knowledge, this ability to analyse and question, which aligns so well with the alhaitham style of narrative for his character stories – of course he would invite the reader to question the information they’re given (at least, that’s how I choose to see it hehe)

additionally, this passage seems to contrast directly with alhaitham inviting kaveh to live with him, considering that his and kaveh’s relationship is described as ‘terrible’ by outsiders, and that alhaitham claims to want to leave the house of daena to avoid another interaction with kaveh, but doesn’t – it can raise the question, if alhaitham wants to avoid trouble, why does he go out of the way to include kaveh in his life?

The mirror passage is pretty damning in terms of sentiment I think hahaha, whilst there are no mentions of alhaitham’s feelings regarding their argument or how he feels at the present, it’s very evident that this is a significant, positive shift for him in what he gains by having kaveh directly involved in his life – being kaveh himself

Also, alhaitham’s mentions of home are almost exclusively tied to his grandmother’s house, and then the property he and kaveh were given due to their thesis project – a property which he moved into on his own accord, despite having inherited his grandmother’s home. I’ve discussed it’s likely that alhaitham expected to run into kaveh at some point upon moving into this once shared property (as there’s nothing really here to suggest otherwise, as the reasons for alhaitham’s move aren’t mentioned), so it’s discernible that living with kaveh has never once posed as an issue for alhaitham

I’ve talked about the line regarding kaveh’s dissatisfaction here as it essentially builds into what alhaitham considers important to the both of them functioning as each other’s mirror. as a side note, I really like the EN translation listing build up here, as if listing properties that are supposedly almost inconsequential only to amount to what is essential not only to alhaitham’s perspective as a scholar, but alhaitham as a person, with kaveh’s personal attributes listed beside his scholarly views

When looking at this passage in particular and comparing it to his character stories as a whole, it’s actually really touching ahaha alhaitham’s interactions are limited with rebutting ‘offensive’ comments spoken at work meetings he chooses to attend, and nodding at those he considers himself friendly with in the street, as well as meetings with nahida and those he is friendly with, so alhaitham being the one to invite kaveh to live with him can almost come out of nowhere, especially as there are no recorded feelings about his past friendship with kaveh, other than that he values kaveh’s intelligence and that they worked together, but fell out due to differences – which is then described as a typical occurrence in the akademiya, as if calling attention to this generalisation of the description of this event. It makes the omission here questionable, as alhaitham’s perspective of the argument, along with his personal feelings, aren’t given, whereas kaveh goes into much more detail

Additionally, alhaitham makes repeated references to avoiding prejudices and maintaining objectivity, so him valuing kaveh’s opposing perspective makes perfect sense, but alhaitham goes above this by actively considering kaveh his mirror, which aligns them as perfect equals, something that alhaitham obviously values and prioritises - kaveh is very much highlighted as an irreplaceable bond

I think this is a perfect example of alhaitham’s sentiment present but not explicitly stated. Alhaitham’s life pursuit of comfort is based upon his grandmother’s wishes for him. I find the phrase ‘he was informed’ really interesting, in that he was seemingly previously unaware that this had been arranged for him by his grandmother, in order for him to learn from other darshans, to maintain a balanced, clear perspective, like a one-sided communication from his grandmother – and this leading into how alhaitham lives by his grandmother’s advice is especially touching

Following this then, alhaitham moving out of his inherited house and into the new property (which again we aren’t given a reason as to why), and looking through the books his parents had left, supposedly for the first time in a while, perhaps even since looking through them for the first time? But as it’s stipulated that alhaitham has next to no memories of his parents, and all he knows is through his grandmother, this passage reads as alhaitham gaining a sense of them through their writing, a one-way communication. The passage ends with the encapsulation of his character stories, abiding by his grandmother’s wishes for him to pursue a life suitable for him, which I think is a really moving sentiment. there’s no detail given about personal feelings as there might have been in kaveh’s writing style, but there doesn’t need to be with all this implied sentiment, that invites the reader to engage with the text

!!! you have a really interesting take on alhaitham’s vision. I don’t think it’s farfetched to associate this with kaveh considering that alhaitham’s character stories as a whole invite interpretation, and they allude to kaveh’s philosophies very often when outlining alhaitham’s opposing views on collectivism

It does seem that alhaitham gained his vision after the argument, as he was out on a research trip, which presumably he undertook on his own, as the thesis with kaveh is the only joint project he worked on so ‘people are controlled by language under many circumstances’ is interesting to me here as it’s a rather ambiguous line, being that it can have both positive connotations (in terms of making a language unique to the respective individual, aligning with alhaitham’s individualism) and negative connotations

In relation to kaveh, this line from the tome could represent the limits of language, or rather the subjectivity of it, in that language can easily be misconstrued by another. During their argument, I see it that alhaitham’s underlying concern for kaveh’s philosophies is construed as an attack on kaveh’s character, as this tension is described as 'exploding spectacularly’, so it’s comprehensible that in the heat of the moment, intentions weren’t worded in the ideal way. In this sense, regret can perhaps be inferred here, as the restrictions of language failed in communicating himself effectively, which carries this sense of longing to connect that you mention with this dichotomy of egoism and social affiliation

Alhaitham’s character stories are so fun to tear into, there’s so many angles to take when reading them precisely because of certain omissions and implications of personal feelings – when contrasting them with kaveh’s, it becomes evident just how much emotion and how many details have been left out on the surface, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there! Thank you so much for your ask, it’s certainly given me a lot to think about! <33333

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

thinking about alhaitham going from recently orphaned to meeting kaveh and kaveh becoming the one person who knows him through and through, who he recognises as his mirror, as integral to his development as a scholar, and as essential to his happiness as an individual. knowing that their respective approaches to life are direct oppositions, but that this isn't a negative and instead is beneficial to the both of them - aligning their viewpoints can help the other grow due to considering new speculations and perspectives.

and then being rejected by kaveh due to kaveh's rejection of himself - his conforming to the collective, when his talents and abilities offer potential for more than he denies himself. kaveh rejects alhaitham as his best friend, his mirror, and he seeks to cement his ideals in his life, to realise them in full as opposed to being solely based on the guilt borne from his perceived involvement in his father's passing. alhaitham doesn't pursue kaveh because this is kaveh's decision - he said that he regretted ever befriending alhaitham, and it would be futile to impose upon this

alhaitham goes from having an essential figure in his life, to a void twice, the first time being the loss of his grandmother, and then kaveh's rejection of him. but he pursues the peaceful life his grandmother wanted for him, and when he meets kaveh again, he instantly sees through the façade kaveh fronts for other people, and recognises that something is deeply wrong. when kaveh moves in with him, he is held in contempt and through a critical lens, and kaveh believes him to be prideful and spiteful, believing that his egoism has triumphed over kaveh's altruism.

kaveh continues to reject alhaitham through this, but alhaitham desires kaveh's company regardless because he knows that kaveh is essential to him - no one else can provide what kaveh fulfils, both in company and in mind. regardless of the strained rapport between them, alhaitham enjoys kaveh. he smiles when kaveh has a quick-witted comeback, he smiles while teasing kaveh, and he goes out of his way to have interactions with kaveh, regardless of the outcome.

alhaitham knows that he and kaveh can ultimately benefit each other if they can overcome this barricade - a perception of 'correctness' between them. firsthand, alhaitham knows that being thought of as 'correct' is ultimately meaningless if it means you forfeit something you truly care about. the issue that stands between him and kaveh is not correctness, it is the unspoken, the miscommunication and misconception that drives them apart. alhaitham truly wants the best for kaveh, but kaveh cannot see this due to his perception of alhaitham. but this perception is challenged when alhaitham reveals that he looked into sachin for kaveh's sake, for a chance of closure, during a parade of providence

so going from this uncertainty as to how kaveh will interpret alhaitham's actions in a parade of providence to how kaveh and alhaitham are in cyno's story quest is so so fulfilling. it's cathartic to see alhaitham comfortable in his interactions with kaveh, rather than having to be underhanded of his comments about kaveh's misconceptions. alhaitham can openly enjoy kaveh's company because kaveh genuinely wants to spend time with him. alhaitham encourages kaveh to tell him about his day because he knows he will not be misinterpreted. their banter is completely without any kind of tension as an understanding seems to have been gained between them. it must be so liberating to be truly seen once again by kaveh, and not have every word, every action, ever intention scrutinised. kaveh accepts him, fully, through and through, and because of this, kaveh sees alhaitham as a mirror - and finally accepts it.

they work in tandem, their thoughts seem synchronised, and there is no issue in the two joining efforts to research together once more. alhaitham is openly expressive about his contentment in working with kaveh, discussing the case in their shared living room, watching kaveh sketch the emblem, smiling as he unveils a discovery, and smiling as kaveh shows interest, travelling together to inform the traveller of their findings, heading to the house of daena together, and having kaveh understand his silent request for help without even having to voice it, being asked for and freely giving obtained akademiya information to kaveh, consenting and smiling when being paired together in looking after the house of daena and researching into the temple of silence. kaveh seeks to find coffee for the both of them when alhaitham mentions it which establishes a domesticity which extends outside of the home. when alhaitham excuses himself at the gathering, kaveh knows that it doesn't include him, and he actively suggests their next activities, before heading 'home' together. alhaitham understands kaveh's notion of home (talked about here), and alhaitham assents to this, and the two leave together

to finally have their status as equals be recognised by kaveh is a huge development, and alhaitham seems so much more content now that this understanding exists between them - that their care is reciprocal. to see kaveh at ease within himself, to be more embracing and forgiving towards himself, must be so fulfilling for alhaitham, who wants nothing but kaveh's happiness. in kaveh accepting alhaitham, these past concerns of guilt and forgiveness can finally be addressed. and alhaitham will be there every step of the way, as he has chosen to do, and he knows, now, that kaveh will continue to choose him too

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

I saw you said that Alhaitham fell first but Kaveh fell harder. I have always thought that Alhaitham did in fact fall first but Kaveh falling harder? How so?

Hiya! thank you for your ask, it’ll give me the chance to clarify some things from my previous posts about alhaitham and kaveh yearning <3

In post one and post two I discussed that I thought alhaitham and kaveh have both yearned for each other but this yearning manifests in different ways respectively - like through alhaitham’s actions ensuring a close proximity to kaveh, and also actions which could help with kaveh’s betterment, compared with kaveh’s complicated feelings revolving around his and alhaitham’s past friendship, and the current, complicated state of their relationship (pre cyno’s second story quest) resulting in him talking about alhaitham often, even if it’s just to complain

I mentioned that although it couldn’t be certain, it might be that alhaitham was the one to reach out to kaveh through journal critiques after their falling out, but aside from speculation, it can be seen that alhaitham responds to every one of kaveh’s bulletin board posts – in this, there’s an active pursuit of contact from alhaitham’s end, despite kaveh effectively ending their friendship. Alhaitham believes that kaveh is his mirror, and that this is essential to have in maintaining a broad ‘perfected’ perspective, but beyond this it’s evident in their exchanges (that alhaitham very often initiates through goading) that alhaitham enjoys kaveh as a person outside of his views as a scholar

From this, I see this as alhaitham understanding his feelings (be it platonic or romantic) towards kaveh, and that these have sustained from their initial friendship back when they were students. Alhaitham actively considering kaveh as one of priorities (as heavily implied in his story quest, thank you hoyoverse for the infamous framing) shows he’s fully aware of the influence kaveh has in his life, and has long since accepted this – which can be seen in the emphasis of his character stories, that the only joint project he undertook as a student was with kaveh, painting kaveh as a sole exception

Alhaitham’s peace with his feelings contrasts sharply with kaveh, who has a much more convoluted view of alhaitham due to miscommunication and misconception, having been built over many years. I’ve yapped about the reasons for their miscommunications here, here, here, and in my original post about kaveh’s form of yearning, but overall kaveh believes that alhaitham criticises his perspective, and therefore his character, and that alhaitham invited him to live in the house in order for kaveh to give him something in return – all the while kaveh considers meeting alhaitham one of the most pivotal points in his life, and that they were close when they were friends

kaveh is ultimately seen to bicker with alhaitham to the point of upset, and complains about alhaitham when he isn’t present, overall seemingly holding alhaitham in a negative light, until moments of concern crop up, and are poignant in comparison to their usual rapport - it’s very much ‘a mixed bag’

I interpret this to be kaveh still harbouring feelings from their initial friendship, but these contrast with his perception of alhaitham after the argument, and the state of their current relationship. Ultimately, he still cares about alhaitham, but he can’t face the pain this will bring where he cared about alhaitham before, and felt ‘cut’ through, essentially betrayed, so it’s better to reject these feelings in the context of their relationship post-argument. Overall, kaveh retains his feelings, but rejects them

There’s a clear contrast between kaveh’s treatment of alhaitham pre-parade of providence and post, where kaveh is seen to actively pursue/seek out alhaitham, whereas before he mostly shunned alhaitham’s presence. I said before that I think this can be seen to mirror alhaitham’s pursuit of kaveh pre-parade of providence, which can clearly highlight kaveh’s reversal of feelings, whereas before alhaitham’s were pretty clear, in that he wanted to be near kaveh; the most evident action being that he gave kaveh a room, where this wouldn’t be replicable for anyone else

I see this mirroring of actions as equating the two’s feelings for each other, where kaveh could previously be interpreted as genuinely disliking alhaitham, this can’t be claimed now with kaveh saying ‘I’ve been searching for you everywhere’ :’)

The trope of alhaitham falling first and kaveh falling harder can have different interpretations, but for me I see it that alhaitham has long since been aware of his feelings, and has accepted them. In kaveh’s case, it’s more complicated, as it could be said that he fell first, considering that he continually approached alhaitham first in the house of daena in order to form a friendship, but these feelings reversed after their argument

From then on, I interpret it as kaveh being aware of his feelings, but struggling with them, and sought to reject them. But now that the two have reached an understanding, kaveh’s acceptance of his feelings are prominent, and are highlighted (e.g. in him seeking alhaitham out, him telling alhaitham about his day, wanting to talk with alhaitham, whereas before he actively avoided this) in comparison to where alhaitham’s affections for kaveh have remained constant, and have previously been observed

(As for my personal headcanons, since kaveh’s sensibility is something he takes pride in, I like to imagine that him rediscovering his feelings for alhaitham, and realising that their shared bond is something he can rely on, and that alhaitham reciprocates these feelings, brings him this irrepressible happiness, and he’d have the urge to see alhaitham when he could, to fully embrace these feelings whereas alhaitham is used to living with his own feelings, although they aren't of less intensity than kaveh’s - which is my personal interpretation of this trope in the fic I write)

Overall, i interpret it that kaveh and alhaitham effectively fell for each other at the same time, only that kaveh’s changed perception of alhaitham and their friendship complicated things on his end. Despite this, his feelings evenly match alhaitham’s steady constancy. It’s at the point now where alhaitham and kaveh have accepted their feelings and the role they play in the other’s life <333

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

!!!!!!!!!! THIS

okay but the fact that we hear all about kaveh's life post-fall out with alhaitham, the fact he graduated, worked at construction firms and continued taking on others' burdens, had a hard time finding solo work because of how arts are perceived in sumeru, that he went to his mother's wedding in fontaine, that he took a vacation from work because he was stifled by the environment and felt he had lost motivation and worth as an artist, was determined to complete the palace of alcazarzaray at the cost of everything he owned just to have a tangible object of his efforts and view of art only for its outcome to further emaciate him, until he meets alhaitham for the first time in years, is understood at once, has no need to don a front as he does for everyone else in his life, is listened to, is challenged once more and reinvigorated in his perception of his ideals, is offered a second chance, a home, and accepts it, although he cannot comprehend why alhaitham would offer such a thing and yet not ask anything of relevant substance in return, other than rent

all of this, and we hear virtually nothing of alhaitham's life post-fall out with kaveh, besides his graduation and his taking on the job of the scribe. his character stories omit this part of his life whereas kaveh's is full of detail and emotion, mostly suffering. the first instance we see of alhaitham in this time is from kaveh's perspective when the two meet again in the tavern, and in this alhaitham endeavours to understand kaveh once more, before offering his house - the research centre previously allocated to the both of them for the success of their joint thesis before they fell apart - to kaveh.

we don't know why alhaitham moved out of his grandmother's house and into the research centre, why he renovated it from a research centre into a livable home, only that he did so after kaveh informed alhaitham through a third party that he was not in need of a house, nor do we know his thought processes and emotions in the years spent apart - the years that are carefully documented in kaveh's character stories. the image we are presented with is that of stasis; alhaitham pursues no other close friendships, he works as the scribe, owns a nice house within sumeru, is financially secure, and functions within, and carries out, his own ideals - is content with this way of life. in this, from alhaitham's perspective, there are no details necessary to give from this time

but in inviting kaveh to live with him, his character stories tell us that what he gains by doing so is the mirror of himself, both in personality and scholarly thinking, and in this, he is able to gain an enhanced view of the world, which otherwise would be limited. with kaveh being present in alhaitham's life, alhaitham believes that his vision is perfected, whereas it could not be before, with kaveh's absence. it is in this that we hear what alhaitham has been missing in his life, and ultimately, it is kaveh, not just as a scholar, but as a person

what is omitted from alhaitham's character stories is provided in kaveh's character stories; where we hear about kaveh's struggles, we don't hear about alhaitham's. perhaps this is because alhaitham did not struggle as kaveh did in terms of realising and achieving his ideals, but instead his struggles were in silence, recognising that his vision, and himself, had been compromised because he had rejected the ideals that served to enhance his own vision, that he had inadvertently rejected, and thus had been rejected by, kaveh.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

okay but the fact that we hear all about kaveh's life post-fall out with alhaitham, the fact he graduated, worked at construction firms and continued taking on others' burdens, had a hard time finding solo work because of how arts are perceived in sumeru, that he went to his mother's wedding in fontaine, that he took a vacation from work because he was stifled by the environment and felt he had lost motivation and worth as an artist, was determined to complete the palace of alcazarzaray at the cost of everything he owned just to have a tangible object of his efforts and view of art only for its outcome to further emaciate him, until he meets alhaitham for the first time in years, is understood at once, has no need to don a front as he does for everyone else in his life, is listened to, is challenged once more and reinvigorated in his perception of his ideals, is offered a second chance, a home, and accepts it, although he cannot comprehend why alhaitham would offer such a thing and yet not ask anything of relevant substance in return, other than rent

all of this, and we hear virtually nothing of alhaitham's life post-fall out with kaveh, besides his graduation and his taking on the job of the scribe. his character stories omit this part of his life whereas kaveh's is full of detail and emotion, mostly suffering. the first instance we see of alhaitham in this time is from kaveh's perspective when the two meet again in the tavern, and in this alhaitham endeavours to understand kaveh once more, before offering his house - the research centre previously allocated to the both of them for the success of their joint thesis before they fell apart - to kaveh.

we don't know why alhaitham moved out of his grandmother's house and into the research centre, why he renovated it from a research centre into a livable home, only that he did so after kaveh informed alhaitham through a third party that he was not in need of a house, nor do we know his thought processes and emotions in the years spent apart - the years that are carefully documented in kaveh's character stories. the image we are presented with is that of stasis; alhaitham pursues no other close friendships, he works as the scribe, owns a nice house within sumeru, is financially secure, and functions within, and carries out, his own ideals - is content with this way of life. in this, from alhaitham's perspective, there are no details necessary to give from this time

but in inviting kaveh to live with him, his character stories tell us that what he gains by doing so is the mirror of himself, both in personality and scholarly thinking, and in this, he is able to gain an enhanced view of the world, which otherwise would be limited. with kaveh being present in alhaitham's life, alhaitham believes that his vision is perfected, whereas it could not be before, with kaveh's absence. it is in this that we hear what alhaitham has been missing in his life, and ultimately, it is kaveh, not just as a scholar, but as a person

what is omitted from alhaitham's character stories is provided in kaveh's character stories; where we hear about kaveh's struggles, we don't hear about alhaitham's. perhaps this is because alhaitham did not struggle as kaveh did in terms of realising and achieving his ideals, but instead his struggles were in silence, recognising that his vision, and himself, had been compromised because he had rejected the ideals that served to enhance his own vision, that he had inadvertently rejected, and thus had been rejected by, kaveh.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

How close do you think Kaveh and Alhaitham were back in the Akademiya times?

Hiya! Akademiya days haikaveh are so precious to me, so thank you for giving me an opportunity to ramble about them <3

Outside of the character stories detailing their argument, Alhaitham and kaveh’s initial friendship is most touched upon in-game in their current, informed knowledge of each other - when we first meet kaveh, alhaitham says that he knows kaveh extremely well, and kaveh describes the perceived flaws of alhaitham’s personality

there are a few mentions of their initial friendship during kaveh’s hangout where kaveh discusses first approaching alhaitham in the library, as well as them briefly discussing their joint thesis and the reason for its abandonment, and kaveh also mentions that over an undefined number of years, he and alhaitham have discussed, or ‘argued’, about kaveh’s philosophies

Also, their past friendship is mentioned in a parade of providence when alhaitham uses the language he and kaveh learnt together during this thesis in order to solely communicate with him, which creates an exclusive intimacy between the two

Outside of in-game information about their past closeness, alhaitham’s character stories outline their friendship, but only in reference to their joint project, where it’s explained that they fell out due to differing perspectives – which is similar to what he says to the traveller in kaveh’s hangout

Overall, other than describing kaveh as his ‘former friend’, alhaitham’s character stories omit any significant detail regarding their friendship, as well as omitting any detail after his graduation, other than moving into the house he and kaveh would have shared, and then how alhaitham met him once more when kaveh was bankrupt

Other than kaveh, there is no mention of alhaitham maintaining or even forming any other friendships in his time at the akademiya – and this is highlighted in his character story where it states that due to his detachment from others, he only partook in one joint project in his student life, and that was with kaveh, with kaveh leaving it up to alhaitham to decide the topic for their project

Alhaitham shares the same values as kaveh when it comes to their opposing philosophies being a strength, as the topic he picks harmonises their mirroring fields of interest. Additionally, this is highlighted in his character stories where he believes he and kaveh are mirrors of each other, and that this is essential in achieving a ‘perfected’ vision. It’s only when personal issues arise that this harmony is threatened, and that it is ‘personality’ issues, rather than philosophical issues which is the basis for their falling out

the surfacing of their issues stems from kaveh’s desire to help the others involved in their project at the cost of his efforts - this is more speculatory, but as kaveh left it with alhaitham to decide the topic, it could be that a group project wasn’t what alhaitham had in mind when agreeing to collaborate with kaveh.

in alhaitham’s character stories, there’s no mention of other scholars involved in the project, and only kaveh is mentioned as someone that alhaitham would willingly involve himself with in a joint project. For me, it seems that alhaitham initially agreed to work with kaveh, and kaveh alone, only for people to join over time, encouraged by kaveh.

(although kaveh’s character stories state that he realises that he and alhaitham handle social situations differently, he believes their differences aren’t altogether a bad thing

I think this is so interesting because when working on the group project with others there’s this heavy implication that, before this, alhaitham and kaveh were distant from other people when spending time together, as this project seems to be the first time that they’re confronted with the influence of others to such an extent, as this becomes the catalyst for voicing their concerns/issues with the way the other deals with people)

Alhaitham choosing to work on a project with someone when he never did so previously, and never does so afterwards, highlights kaveh as an anomaly for alhaitham, and shows that the two must have been very close at the time, especially with the knowledge that people in sumeru undertake research projects to form an academic family

This is also relevant in considering the theme of ‘home’ both for kaveh and alhaitham, which is most explicitly seen in kaveh’s character stories, where we learn the origin and the end of their friendship, as well as the few key details that indicates how close the two were

We can infer that alhaitham fills an integral role in kaveh’s life as he is written to have met alhaitham immediately or soon after his mother left for Fontaine, leaving him alone, and without family, in sumeru – just as alhaitham joins the akademiya after the passing of his grandmother, where he is then approached by kaveh. this implies that they fill similar, familial roles in the other’s life

Overall, alhaitham was disinclined to interact with others outside of kaveh, and his exception of kaveh when it comes to a group project shows how much value he placed in his bond with kaveh, a bond which is prioritised by alhaitham throughout their falling out, and to the present day

It isn’t certain how long alhaitham and kaveh were friends for after meeting, only that it was enough time for kaveh to form the opinion of alhaitham being his ‘best’ friend, and for them to decide to undertake a thesis together (which, as discussed, and is something I refuse to get over, can be equitable to forming an academic family, relating to the roles they have respectively taken in each other’s lives)

kaveh considered alhaitham as an ‘intelligent corroborator’ at the beginning of their joint project, which he considered to be rare, and after their falling out due to differences, kaveh believed himself to have been thinking wishfully about their compatibility

Their argument informs us how much the two actually know each other, in that alhaitham is thoroughly aware of kaveh’s father’s passing (which, according to kaveh’s hangout, wasn’t uncommon for students to know of as he recalls feeling judged because of this)

however, the difference lies in that of personal admission. Alhaitham is aware of the context of kaveh’s altruism in relation to his grief, something which other people, such as Layla, can only guess at

Whilst it isn’t certain whether kaveh informed alhaitham of any guilt he felt previously, as this supposed weaponisation of said guilt is the cause of kaveh ending their friendship, judging from kaveh’s reaction to alhaitham’s usage of this knowledge, being that of feeling ‘cut to quick’, kaveh essentially feels betrayed of the trust he placed in alhaitham - considering their implied and explicit past closeness (with kaveh's voice line stating that if he and alhaitham were as close as they used to be, he wouldn't hesitate in showing gratitude for alhaitham helping him) and their definitive informed knowledge of each other, I think it’s very likely that they did talk about these things, or enough for alhaitham to form his own understanding of kaveh’s situation

Additionally, Alhaitham is aware of kaveh’s lack of immediate familial attachments, comparing them to be similar in this sense, even though kaveh’s mother is alive and living in Fontaine, which indicates that alhaitham is aware of their lack of correspondence, and in turn kaveh’s deliberate distance from his mother

Although kaveh is described as being popular and having many friends amongst his classmates, these classmates are not mentioned by name or explored, either in his hangout or his character stories. Kaveh’s bond with alhaitham is the main focus of his character stories in comparison to the nameless friends of kaveh’s school days and post-graduation; since alhaitham can truly see through kaveh, this appears to be a bond to favour, regardless of all the unpleasantries this can bring from being innately known – encapsulated in kaveh piecing back together the thesis cover that he tore up, which signalled the end of his and alhaitham’s friendship

Beyond their initial meeting in the house of daena, and kaveh coming to talk to alhaitham which instigated their friendship, there aren’t many details as to what their original friendship looked like (only that kaveh, at first, believed them to be on the same wavelength, and to have a ‘completed’ view, only to realise that although their viewpoints differed, this wasn’t a negative, and actually strengthened their friendship), but there are a few specific anecdotes of what the two did/experienced together during their initial friendship which I thought would be fun to explore

alhaitham remembers that kaveh used to annotate books in the house of daena and even earnt himself a nickname, which he references to fluster kaveh, only for the traveller to have no clue what this refers to. I think this is a really nice detail, as it shows the history between the two, and that they both hold a deep understanding of each other outside of the traveller’s knowledge 

The other anecdote is that alongside the two learning the script from king deshret’s civilisation together (or if alhaitham knew it beforehand and helped kaveh in familiarising himself, it isn’t clear), alhaitham also read kaveh’s favourite books pertaining to ancient architecture for their thesis, and recorded his own notes, alongside kaveh’s. it’s an intimate detail I think that kaveh recognises alhaitham’s handwriting, which I presume is something that is reciprocal <3

Another thing of interest in kaveh’s character stories is an excerpt of an essay in his old sketchbook, which refers to the individual’s beliefs being prioritised over the backing of the collective, which resonates with alhaitham’s philosophies in his character stories when asserting the importance of the individual over the collective

additionally, kaveh's essay also outlines that the purpose of existence is not to solely pursue knowledge, and that it lies in people, with knowledge existing regardless of if it being understood by people - aligning with alhaitham’s character stories of knowledge not being the final destination of humankind, and that it exists externally, outside of human pursuit, in the logic of the natural world

This highlights that despite their key differences, their views can ultimately find a middle ground, which also contextualises the original founding of their friendship, and why kaveh believed that their united viewpoints were ‘complete’ before realising their fundamental differences

Overall, in their student days, i'd say that alhaitham and kaveh were each other’s prioritised bond, fulfilling roles of intellectual corroborators, mirror opposites, best friends, and family <///3 (i would love to get some snapshots into their lives as students, like the details we get about tighnari and cyno’s student days together recent events)

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Chapter Ten of An Emergency Decision is up!

Summary: Alhaitham offers to be Kaveh’s emergency contact in exchange for Kaveh acting as his. As to how things pertaining to Kaveh usually transpire, this does not go as planned, and a difficult truth comes to light.

Chapter Summary:

“Then how would you have it?” Kaveh asked, expression arranged into a careful impartiality. Unusual, for Kaveh. “If you’re against listing me as an emergency contact or next of kin, or both, now that you’re comfortable in your residency here, I’d update the housing contract to establish us both as this property’s owners. In regard to your desire to be informed, you’d remain listed as my emergency contact, however, I’d remove you as my next of kin. I’m well aware of your disposition, but ultimately, I’m against placing you in such a position where significant medical decisions are yours to make, when you deny yourself the same courtesy. Whether it’s your benevolence or personal sentiment matters little when the strain of this responsibility is taken on single-handedly, rather than shared between us.” “I see,." Kaveh sighed, eyes tracing upwards to meet his once more. “I understand where you’re coming from. If it were me in your place, I wouldn’t be comfortable with it either. Especially now…” Kaveh’s ankle was nudged. “Now, what?” A burgeoning smile threatened the sombre countenance. His foot was tapped back. “Now that we are where we are."

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Snippets 3/3 for Chapter Ten of An Emergency Decision!

Summary: Alhaitham offers to be Kaveh’s emergency contact in exchange for Kaveh acting as his. As to how things pertaining to Kaveh usually transpire, this does not go as planned, and a difficult truth comes to light.

Chapter Summary: Alhaitham and Kaveh reach a conclusion to the next of kin issue.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

I honestly love reading your analysis so much. Do you have a favorite fun fact about haikaveh? Like anything with their constellation or their past? My personal favorite is their voice actors had to redo their lines because it was too implied ❤️

Hiya! thank you for reading my brainrot posts, I’m so glad you enjoy them!! genuinely still reeling at that, haikaveh nation needs the scrapped og haikaveh voice lines, HOW was it so implied that they needed to be cut when the lines officially used are still so ???? i'm obsessed with those videos comparing alhaitham’s general exposition dialogue to when he first talks with/teases kaveh in the house of daena, the switch up is crazy, it actually makes me sick <3

I think my personal favourite facts are translation based?? I’m intrigued with the nuances the EN doesn’t cover that the original CN has! There’s a big contrast in alhaitham’s fourth character story where the EN states that kaveh is a ‘familiar face’ to alhaitham, whereas the CN states that alhaitham believes that he and kaveh know each other ‘through and through’. The intimacy here is much more poignant and I feel this aligns with what I’ve heard about the CN’s dub as well. Minimushiroom has an amazing compilation of translation facts that I love looking over <3

Joint with this is the interpretation that kaveh is paralleled with his mother, faranak, in relation to companionship. In this, it can be seen that kaveh’s relationship with alhaitham and the relationship between kaveh's parents are deliberately aligned. There are many indicators in kaveh’s hangout that he can be paralleled with his mother, with his mother’s old professor directly comparing them. Kaveh’s mother is described as having a sensitive soul, which is compared with kaveh's sensitivity. (it's also interesting to consider the CN translation of alhaitham's voice line about kaveh, were kaveh is described by alhaitham as having a ‘caring heart’.) Kaveh’s mother struggles similarly in being understood by others in her art, which is the core of kaveh’s hangout, and it’s revealed that her struggles evened out when meeting kaveh’s father.

Faranak shares that it’s companionship that should be valued over understanding, and a drawing of kaveh’s father with the paternal figures of kaveh’s current friends, directly paralleling the ending’s hangout picture, where kaveh and alhaitham sit in their fathers’ places, and where kaveh is turned towards alhaitham, rather than away. to me, this can be seen as positioning alhaitham as the most integral companion for kaveh, which parallels with the bond shared between kaveh's mother and father. alhaitham cannot understand kaveh's artistic struggles, but he can support him regardless - just as kaveh's father did for kaveh's mother. i have a post that digs deeper into this, and this is also further explored in the essay, but this interpretation is really interesting to me, since it highlights romantic connotations in the theme of ‘companionship’, not only platonic bonds. to me, it's one of the more prominent instances of queercoding for these two :')

Thank you for your ask! It was really difficult to narrow down since there’s so much about them, the writing is so intricate it makes me mad <////3