#pining alhaitham

[starcurtain]

Another Haikaveh Fanfic I Want to Read

It's a 5+1 compilation but it's just all the super soft, embarrassingly domestic moments Alhaitham is daydreaming will happen after he and Kaveh finally get together (he is certain this is going to happen someday)... Plus the timeskip where the best one actually comes true, of course!

[meru90]

hc that haitham was a lil blushy mess😣and then 🗿🗿

[windwheeler-aster]

matchmaker to the rescue!

summary: nahida helps you and your crush, one of sumeru’s luckiest men, get together

masterlist

pairings (separate): tighnari, cyno, and alhaitham x reader

reader info: uses gender neutral pronouns, is a sumeru citizen, reader is slightly insecure, in some parts reader works as at the akadeymia (alhaitham and cyno), and reader is not traveler

word count: 575 words per character’s section (2 mins~ each)

genre: romance, matchmaking, mutual pining

format: drabbles

warnings: self-doubt/insecure thoughts implied for reader but not described

a/n: i’m trying something new with the drabble formats!!!!!! also omg hi!!! (also,,, kinda wanna make this a series with all the littles, hehe,,, would anyone wanna see that...?) 

it’s so obvious that tighnari likes you. 

he is all smiles and sass whenever he’s with you, witty quips rolling off his tongue with ease in your presence. tighnari’s lips pull into a grin when you snap back at him with something equally as witty, always making him laugh into his hand. and, despite how much he tries to still it, his tail wags wildly when you laugh. he just thinks the sound of your laughter is precious, alright?

now, to any passer by, it’s so painfully obvious that he likes you. why else would he be taking trips into sumeru city everyday if not only to see you? cyno teases him all the time when he sees you two together, always making flirty gestures and a knowing look whenever you look away. and even collei, sweet and oblivious, asks tighnari about it. often things like why his tail was wagging so hard. or even why his ears perk up like that at just the mere mention of your name. the poor forest ranger can barely handle it, clutching onto his face or ears as his friends tease him. 

was it really that obvious? he asked himself at night, hugging his pillow tightly. if cyno and collei know... then wouldn’t they know, too? tighnari clutches his pillow tighter, a pang of sadness hitting his heart. 

then why haven’t they said anything about it?

unfortunately for tighnari, you are as completely oblivious to his feelings as he is to yours. it’s not at all that you don’t like him, though! you just... can be a little dense sometimes, and mistaking your enjoyment of being with him as purely platonic. and vise versa.

and nahida sees this as she strolls the streets of sumeru. she accidentally hears tighnari’s racing thoughts of overanalyzation of his words, how he holds himself, of tighnari in general when he is around you. and when she looks over to you, nahida is sad to hear many thoughts of self doubt.

sure, she had many projects waiting back for her in the akademiya. but surely something as trivial as getting you and tighnari together wouldn’t be too much?

and sure enough, it isn’t!

sending dreams to both you and tighnari helps bring you two closer together. sure, tighnari ends up waking up incredibly flustered after each one. even if it was just about you two hugging, tighnari using you as a pillow as he sleeps, or whatever simple and fluffy thing that entered his dreams. it definitely affects how he sees you, as he is incredibly nervous and awkward around you. he can’t even look you in the eyes now!

for a moment, nahida worries that she’s interfered too much. however, she notices how you, albeit shyly and hesitantly, begin to make some moves on tighnari. complimenting the small things he does, like how lovely his eyes look in the late evening as the sun sets. or how you teased him for how much his tail wagged whenever you said something kind. and the dendro archon rejoices when you ask him out to eat, even if it’s just a “simple dinner between friends.” she knows what you’re doing, and she’s quite proud.

some time later when it’s announced that the two of you finally started dating, nahida is in great spirits. she’s much more talkative and bubbly as she has meetings with the akademiya scholars, almost tempting her to throw a festival of love in celebration of your and tighnari. that is until she remembers that love is the tsaritsa’s domain. oh well.

cyno is amazing at keepings his feelings from you hidden.

you’re a scholar at the akademiya, one that is often visited by the general mahamantra on the dendro archon’s behalf. whenever you two talk, he keeps his replies curt. he nods along to whatever you’re saying, sometimes interjecting something half-heartedly to the conversation, with a dazed look in his amber eyes. it worries you that you’re boring the general mahamantra, but cyno reassures you that he’s not. he’s just tired, that’s all.

so why does he always act tired? you think.

little do you know, cyno does like spending time with you. he enjoys visiting you everyday, whether or not nahida asks him to. he loves the little amounts of knowledge you share on a topic when he asks you. and he does like you, because how could he not? like, seriously? you’re you, one of the most talented, amazing, downright precious, attractive, and intelligent person he’s ever met. why would he not like you?

however, with his title, cyno makes a lot of enemies. it’s best for him not to involve you in any sort of danger. even if it’s a matter of your safety, it pains cyno so much when he sees your hurt expression when he pretends to disregard whatever you just said. he’s internally screaming at himself, desperately wishing he could just grab you and hug you so tightly that the hurt and pain he’s caused is squeezed out of you. 

just as he thinks that, however, the sumeru archon accidentally pears into his thoughts when she passes you two by in the akademiya. she’s a little shocked that cyno felt that way about you, and even more shocked when she hears your cruel thoughts about yourself, going on and on about how cyno would never like someone like you. nahida smacks herself so hard on the head that it alerts cyno, which lets him leave swiftly to take care of the dendro archon.

but nahida doesn’t stop thinking about the two of you together, even whilst she’s in the middle of meetings or while she’s talking with cyno himself. 

how could two people like each other so much but don’t know it? she asks herself. 

finally, after enough pondering, nahida begins to plant the seed of her elaborate plan to get you two together. hopefully.

first, it starts with mentioning your name to cyno as he escorts her on a walk throughout sumeru city. she’s internally delighted to see a subtle smile form on his lips at the mere mention of your name, even if it disappears soon after he gives a vague description of you. but after enough prodding, nahida gets a genuine compliment about you from him. she smiles at the general mahamantra, and cyno is left wondering what is so amusing to her.

then, she sends sweet dreams to cyno of you. sweet days spent together, making breakfast for you while you’re still in bed, waking you up with a sweet kiss and an even sweeter greeting. making you laugh, or sometimes groan, at all the ridiculous jokes cyno has to offer. enough sweet moments with you that makes him wake up, craving for more of that sweetness, craving for your presence in his life once more.

eventually, cyno begins to lower his guard and warm up to you. it’s definitely something to grow used to, as you first thought it was all some cruel prank at your expanse. but once you realize that cyno’s nods and interjections in your conversations were now genuine and sweet, you began to warm up to him, too.

nahida was delighted when she saw you and cyno together, casually holding each other’s hands as you strolled through the marketplace. she’ll make sure to offer her congratulations to cyno later, right after she congratulates herself for such a success. 

haitham acts so casual and friendly that you would never think he’d like you back in that way. 

he leans over the desk that separates you two, listening intently to whatever you’re talking about. although, his gaze does glaze over a few times and his eyes drop down more than once. you falter, slightly, but haitham is very quick to reassure you to continue, perking up and looking at you with genuine interest as a very subtle blush takes over his face. 

please tell me they didn’t see me checking them out, haitham prayed, silently.

haitham thinks his crush on you is so obvious that he does everything in his power to not let anyone know, yourself included. and it’s not at all that haitham is ashamed of liking you. if anything, haitham wants nothing more than to show all of teyvat that he cares for you! he’s truly, madly, and deeply in love with you. however, he’s a little embarrassed at how quickly he fell for you. what if he comes on too strong and scares you away? what if you don’t feel the same way? what if you hate him and he didn’t realize it?

so, haitham wants to give himself some time before he asks you out, however long that may be.

and yet, haitham’s so well thought out facade is easily found out by nahida. all she needed to do was look at how earnest haitham looked at you as you two browsed the shelves of the akademiya’s library. but, just to make sure, nahida let your and haitham’s thoughts grace her. and she was delighted to discover that you both truly did care about each other, even letting out a small giggle. however, at the pace you two were going, haitham probably wouldn’t have asked you out until the hairs on his head were... greyer.

so, nahida sends some dreams haitham’s way. 

he gets these tortuously sweet dreams about you. watching you over the top of his book as you read in the same room as him, more than content with just coexisting with him in the same space. sharing space with you in general, whether that be in the kitchen making food or laying down together on the couch. his personal space is now your personal space too, and haitham is more than content with that fact.

but when he wakes up, haitham is quite sad to find out it had all been a dream. a part of him craves for those moments so badly that he begins to plan out a confession.

nahida tries not to act too happy when she hears news of the scribe and you getting together. internally, she’s overjoyed and can’t wait to see your romance blossom further. however, externally, she gives haitham a smile whenever she sees you walking him to work, holding onto his hand as you wish him well at the akademiya.

maybe the dendro archon should try match making more often.

taglist:

@x-zho  @cxlrosii @i23kazu @tiredsleep @ireallylikehamsters​

(send an ask to be added or removed)

thank you for reading 💖 all forms of interaction to my posts are appreciated 💖

[lexsssu]

Fortunate (Alhaitham)

TAGS: Alhaitham/F!Reader, fluff, fatherhood, motherhood, domestic fluff, family fluff, pregnancy

If one were to ask the scholars of the prestigious Akademiya what their thoughts were about Scribe Alhaitham settling down, most would call the asker a madman for even suggesting such a thing. While he had both many admirers and enemies alike, the one thing they could all agree on is that the scribe is a man too wrapped up in his own pursuit of knowledge to even look at a woman and see her more than anything aside from a being of the fairer sex.

Not to say that he was unaware of what happens behind closed doors between two consenting adults, but rather that he simply found no deeper interest in them, unlike his other peers.

His brooding good looks are wasted on him, as evidenced by the trail of broken hearts and wistful sighs from the womenfolk he passes by on normal days when he’s not holed up in a library or the confines of his own room. Simply put, Alhaitham is a man who isn’t chained down by any of his base desires, once again setting him apart from the common man.

That is why it comes as a shock to the entire population of the Akademiya and even Sumeru City as a whole when he arrives one day from another trip outside the city. While that in itself is still within the norm, the companion he brought along with him and the state she was in had thrown everyone for a loop.

As Amurta’s jewel during your time as a student, all the while being the first female beastkin to enroll in decades, you were a relatively well-known figure then. And even after graduating, you’d still occasionally visit the city when called by your master, Sage Naphis, or if you needed to borrow some references from the library.

It was no secret that you were close friends during your schooldays, seeing as you were the only person Alhaitham willingly accompanied outside of schoolwork. Chancing upon the shining stars of Haravatat and Amurta together wasn’t a surprising sight then, and it shouldn’t be one now.

But what threw everyone for a loop was the heavy swell of your belly as you stepped into the city, hand in hand with none other than Alhaitham himself. Even the most ignorant fool could understand the situation, what with the way the scribe’s eyes frequently turned to you even when you weren’t looking at him.

It spoke volumes of how protective he was of you, especially with your delicate condition. Although his admirers were blessed with a new side of the scribe, there is no denying that there is no more room in the aloof scholar’s heart.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

“Ugh, I knew we shouldn’t have brought this up with you…”

“I thought my answer was quite engrossing—”

“...Haitham?”

The speed at which Alhaitham turned at the sound of your voice made the other three men blink in surprise at the sudden action. And before they could make any other movement, the scribe had already scooped you into his arms and sat back down on his seat with you settled on his lap.

“...’m sorry for crashing your party, guys. Atem woke me up and wouldn’t let me go back to sleep without finding his daddy first…”

Your soft bunny ears hung down in shyness as the apples of your cheeks shone as red as those grown in Mondstadt’s Dawn Winery, hands resting upon your belly bump.

Tighnari, Cyno, and Kaveh couldn’t find it within themselves to feel even a little annoyed by your sudden presence. Why would they when you were their friend before you married Alhaitham?

“Don’t waste your time on such frivolous worries, eayni. Worrying yourself ragged over pointless issues isn’t good for your health or our son’s. I have no qualms if you’d prefer to return home together right now instead.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

It never ceased to amaze Kaveh how different Alhaitham acted around you or when anything concerned you. Between the two of them, he was supposed to be the one with his head in the clouds and with an eye for romance. Yet somehow, Alhaitham beat him to the punch when it came to settling down.

While he was still finding ways to pay off his debt and rise from the pit he’d fallen into, the scribe was already nearing the birth of his firstborn. And from the looks of it, you never seemed to be lacking material things or affection from your husband.

The tender words, touches, and looks the other man gave you were almost tooth-achingly sweet.

It also doesn’t help that he may or may not have found you a very attractive woman and was considering courting you before Alhaitham swooped in.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Tighnari was the first one to realize that you had mated with the scribe, no thanks to his keen sense of smell that all beastkin share. The way Alhaitham’s scent practically enveloped your whole body was more than enough for the forest ranger to surmise the current state of your relationship.

You were his cute little junior, someone he’d vowed to guide both to your master and to himself as a fellow beastkin. Had you not chosen to mate with Alhaitham, you’d have most likely found mates in one another instead.

As friends who also shared a senior-junior relationship during your schooling, your clans would have most likely tried to broker an engagement between you two. Tighnari wouldn’t be opposed to it, not when he was already good friends with you, making you the best possible choice instead of being thrown some other random female.

He had no doubts that if neither of you harbored any feelings toward the other by then, such romantic affection would certainly be cultivated along the way.

But by Celestia’s will, that wasn’t the path your lives would take, and as a good friend and upperclassman, he can only give his sincere blessings and continue watching over you.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Before he was General Mahamatra, Cyno also started as a humble student of the Akademiya. But even during his school days, his unyielding principles and relentless pursuit of what is right above the blind quest for knowledge scared most of the other scholars.

Not you, though.

You saw not just the face he showed to the world but also the one he never thought anyone would care to see. Beneath his titles and reputation, he is still Cyno, a human who tries his best to make his friends laugh and put his subordinates at ease.

Is it any surprise why he cared for you so deeply? And even if you’d chosen to tie yourself down to Alhaitham of all people, Cyno will stand guard over you.

It’s the least he could do, after all.

Perhaps, in another life, the gods will see fit to bless him with more than just your friendship.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Unaware or perhaps even choosing to ignore the weight of the other males’ stares, the scribe devoted himself entirely to ensuring your comfort. Although, with how you settled yourself comfortably on his lap and grabbed his Genius Invocation TCG cards, he didn’t need to make any further inquiries at the moment.

Placing his chin on top of your head, he nonchalantly scanned the cards in your hands before whispering his suggestions into your ears. Throughout the rest of the night, Alhaitham obediently and happily served as your chair and cushion.

Fatherhood suited him, he thinks.

[yoiyoms]

🌱🏛 what doesn't kill me makes me want you more

just a silly little thing that i decided to tidy up and colour- cruel summer by taylor swift fits a little too perfectly imho

no text version:

[mintjeru]

sometimes i make myself sad thinking about the kvthm fallout text is lyrics from "who knew" by p!nk

open for better quality | no reposts

[genshingarbage]

So, uh, this is just some mindless drabble type stuff that sprouted for my sheer love for Al-haitham lmao, not me with the C1 Al-haitham whaaaaaaat??? Lmaoooo, but yea, this is just pure smut for the sake of smut, so uuuhh? Yea, enjoy, I guess? Lol also fair warning, in my mind Al-haitham is only cold and distant at work and to those he doesn't really trust, with those he trusts he's a giant sweet goofy teddy lmaooooooooo - Mod Diluc

My Business Not Yours.

||NSFW||

Al-haitham x Reader / Smut / One-Shot

The voices inside saying to turn tail and run, not to bother the man, leave him be and that you're just going to annoy him, after all he had stopped showing up at the Akademiya for a while now, and you had already clued in as to why; it was no secret, to you anyways, of the man he shared his home with, how close they seemed to be too. Where ever Al-haitham was in that building, Kaveh was right behind him, as if joint to hip.

You swallowed down the thick lump that was in your dry throat, nervously tugging at the bottom of your shirt that hugged around your body, your skin paling as the thoughts in the back of your mind began to grow increasingly louder the closer you got toward Al-haithams home.

Of course you liked Kaveh, pray he don't misunderstand! He's never done you any ill, and not once has he been rude or dismissive of you, whenever you use to visit he was so chatty and engaging toward you, it almost could've been mistaken for him enjoying anyone's company other than his own boyfriend's. Because they were boyfriends, they had to be. It just made sense in your mind.

But it didn't stop the little pain that nestled into your heart everytime you thought on it for too long, whether you wanted to admit it or not, you had fallen for Al-haitham, pathetically hard might you add. It wasn't your intention too, of course not, The Scribe was merely tutoring you as the Akademiya were low on staff as of late. He always kept discussions, work related, and professional.

Until as of recently, that is however, roughly two months ago, if you were to try conjure an estimation exactly of when he suddenly became a little more informal toward you, making jokes, asking more personal questions, ones that were on the level of what friends would ask. And with this sudden change of behaviour spiked a change in your way of seeing him, feeling for him.

You originally thought he was single, for he'd never mentioned the existence of Kaveh before, not for the entirety of the year you've known him. But he was if anything, a private man, kept to himself on almost everything and anything, so it shouldn't have been a surprise to you when he asked you round one evening for a few drinks, and some light chatter, to suddenly be introduced to this man who unbeknownst to you, and the rest of Sumeru City it would seem, had been settled here for some time now, in Al-haithams home.

But surprise you, it did, and you'd be lying if you didn't have to choke down the raw disappointment and heartache that swelled within upon the realisation as you smiled politely and introduced yourself to Kaveh. But still, you didn't blame him, of course not. You weren't entitled to Al-haitham in any sense of the word. The man can love who he wants, and Kaveh was a charming man to boot, not to mention friendly and sweet. You just got your hopes up is all, silly of you to do so in hindsight now, but what can you do? You're only human.

Still, it had been three weeks since Al-haitham had last been seen by anyone from the Akademiya, and that was unbefitting to The Scribe, other students and colleagues began to chat and spread rumours that he'd chucked his role in, but you knew better, no way in all of Teyvat would he quit his job, one, not unless for immensely good reason, and two, not without showing face and telling you, you hoped...

That is why you now stood here, hand clenched tightly around a case of yours, and his favourite alcohol shipped all the way from Mondstadt, the type you both enjoy when chatting the night away and killing time, knuckles whitened from your tightening grip as your other hand, clenched in a fist raised up toward the expertly designed door. Nerves gnawing away at your sanity and the burning desire to give up on it all and go home, but despite all the sirens going off in your nervous brain, your hand subconsciously knocked all the same.

Knock, knock, knock.

Nothing.

...nothing.

......still nothing.

Was he not home? It would be just your luck, after all, that he be out the one day, the exact time you come by to visit.

Knock, knock-

You jumped slightly as the door suddenly clicked opened. You hadn't heard him approach from within. How silent must he have been?

"Hello Al-" your voice died down in its happy greeting instantly, at what you saw before you.

Al-haitham hung against the door, drowsy, silver hair dishevelled, eyelids half closed, clothes wrinkled and... exposing parts he probably wasn't aware of, or by the lack of enthusiasm on his face, didn't care of.

"...Haitham" your meek voice finished your greeting that had partially died on your tongue.

He sniffed casually as his eyes opened more, revealing those oddly coloured pupils you could fall for again, and again, as he clocked it was you, his demeanour relaxing instantly he lazily turned and began to walk away from the door he now left open.

"Y/N, what brings you here." He asked in a monotone voice, though it didn't sound like a question, more so a statement.

You took it upon yourself to warily step inside his darkened home, closing the door gently behind you. Glancing around, you softly sighed. You'd feared this outcome. He'd been dumped, hadn't he? It's the only reasonable excuse as to why he's been absent, and now being here, seeing him so hopeless looking. Kaveh would've greeted you by now, but as you expected, the blonde never revealed himself.

"You've uh, been absent for some time, I grew worried is all Al." You continued to glance about realising; Kaveh's paintings and various other decorations were gone. Almost all that was him had disappeared without a trace. Your heart ached, not just for Al-haitham but also yourself, for you'd began to grow a bond with him too, seeing him as a dear friend.

"How thoughtful." He merely spat out, laced with nothing but sarcasm, his mood was sour, and it filled the place with tension. He slumped down on the stool in his kitchen that faced his island in the middle, resting his chin boredly in his palm, which was propped up by his elbow on the hard surface. His eyes darting to you and then to your hand.

"For me?" He questioned properly this time, albeit in a muttered tone, making you draw your attention back to him. Seeing his eyes on the dandelion wine case in your hand, you blushed softly at your forgetfulness.

"O-oh yes! Sorry, I thought maybe we could, uhm, I don't know, chat, I guess? And catch up." You hated how timid you sounded, but it was natural for you to be so around him at this point. He was intimidating even when he was not trying to be.

"Chat?" He mused lowly before huffing aloud, "Sure, haven't seen you in weeks. It would be nice to know how you've been, at least." He finished. You blushed harder at his confession, but he paid it no mind for his eyes were already off you and glancing ahead of him, at, nothingness, blankly.

You made your way around the kitchen island and placed the case down. You were nervous around him, sure, but once in is home, you found it second nature manoeuvring around and making yourself busy. Grabbing some glasses and pulling one of the bottles out, popping the cork off and steadily pouring the glasses out with the beverages. It just felt right and easy to go around his home and have it feel like it was part of you now.

Once filled you slid the glass across the surface to his open palmed hand, he gripped it and began to sip it instantly, it concerned you how fast he was consuming the liquid, but you'd just decided to keep a silent eye on him for now. Taking a small sip yourself, you tried to seem natural with the questions you had bubbling at the surface, wanting to ask them for minutes now; "So... Kaveh?"

"Gone." Short, curt. You expected that response.

"As in?" You replied.

"As in, not coming back." He finished.

You nodded to his words, swirling the glass in your hand as the other rest against the kitchen surface, before adding; "Am I allowed to know why?"

"Disagreement." Elusive again, he clearly didn't wanna talk about it, and you weren't in any position to press further either.

"I see..." You stated flatly, "I'm sorry." You felt obligated to say it, but his solemn look as he nodded slowly in appreciation to your care made you realise why it felt like an obligation in the beginning.

He held out the now empty glass, a silent request for a refill, so you did, placing the bottle back down once finished. He bought the glass back, but this time, he took a more tame sip before placing it down.

"How's work?" He suddenly questioned.

"Boring." You scoffed softly, to which he chuckled gently in response. It felt nice to hear him make that sound, even if it was only briefly.

"You meeting the deadlines?" He continued.

"Of course, I had you as my tutor for a year, remember?" You jested.

His brow furrowed as he sat up properly now to look you in the eye, "what you mean, had?"

The question caught you off guard because, in all honesty, you hadn't realised you'd used past tense. You looked up at him now, your eyes no longer transfixed on the coloured liquid swirling in your glass, gaze locked with his expectant look.

"I- well, uh, I just, people have been talking-"

"Saying what." He demanded.

"Well, that, uh, uhmm, well... that you've chucked the position of Scribe in, that you uh... aren't coming back to The Akademiya..." You finished shakily as if a student being interrogated by her teacher.

He let a sigh draw out his mouth slowly as he shook his head, eyes scanning up to the ceiling of his house as he muttered below exhausted breath; "Archons have mercy."

You stood there unsure what to say next as he just huffed out at nothing before feeling his gaze on you again, the weight felt instantly by you, your eyes shooting back to him to focus now.

"I'm just taking a small vacation Y/N, don't listen to them idiots when it comes to anything to do with me." He stated before taking another sip of his drink.

You nodded, affirming your understanding to his words as you chuckled; "I had a feeling you wouldn't quit your job over a break up anyway." You let out a soft laugh as you took a large sip of your own drink in hand.

His eyes nearly popped from his head at your words, however, as he set his glass down and stood from his stool now; "a what? I'm sorry? Did you say breakup?" The disbelief in his tone had you taken aback again, your tongue really was running loose right now wasn't it? You had a right mind to cut it out.

"I- I," you stuttered, unsure where to take the sentence formulating in your mouth now.

"Y/N... did you think me and Kaveh were..." he looked at you, brow quirked up in utter disbelief still.

You placed your glass down and sheepishly nodded your head as you scratched the back of your neck awkwardly.

You expected him to shout, to yell, but instead, he let out a boisterous laugh, guttural too. It rose from the truthfully deepest parts of his chest. You couldn't help but chuckle slightly yourself, seeing him laugh so giddily, it was contagious.

The tears swelled in his eyes and threatened to spill as he laughed so hard from your assumption before finally wiping his eyes and sighing aloud, coming down from his high.

"Y/N!" He said loudly but not in an angry way more of 'I can't believe you' joking kinda way, "I'm not gay?! What on earth gave you that idea?" He snickered again, his lips curving up into a wide smile. You opened your mouth but quickly shut it, wanting to save grace and not make yourself more of a fool.

"I- well, I don't know! Maybe the fact you had a man living in your home in secrecy for one! Sheesh, you can't blame me for thinking you two were an item. You bickered like an old married couple every time I came around to visit archons sake!" You lifted your hands in a gesture akin to 'help me out here'.

However, his smile faded when the realisation of the fact Kaveh had come back into play hit him, and you mentally yelled at yourself again for ruining the mood.

"I'm sor-" you instinctively went to apologise as the sad face he now had hurt your heart so desperately, but he waved his hand, dismissing your words.

"No, it's alright, don't be sorry, it's funny you assumed we were together, but no, we are just g- we were just good friends." He smiled at you as if to be reassuring to him saying he's alright, but the look of brokenness didn't help him in that effort. "We hadn't seen eye to eye for a while, and it was only a matter of time before, well, this," his hand gestured to the lack of Kaveh's decorations and designs, and presence "finally happened." He sighed, reaching for his glass again and taking another large swig.

You remained silent for what could you possibly say right now that would be of any comfort? He'd lost a once dear friend, and you'd now realised you'd lost a blossoming friendship too, and it stung you bad, so you could only imagine how much it hurt for him. The way he downed his drink made you happy you'd bought it in the first place, though you wasn't one to agree with drowning sorrows with alcohol. It helped every now and then, at least.

You stretched out, allowing a loud huff to leave yourself and effectively kill the silence that had begun to drown the room in tension; "Come, no more sad talk, let's take the drinks to the sofa and have some catch up time, I've missed my drinking buddy." You smiled warmly, and he simply smiled and nodded back.

-

The night quickly went by with you both talking about work, discoveries you'd made, ideas he'd been sitting on, interests and further hobbies you'd both decided to reveal to one another, reminiscing on past funny moments when working together, joint dislike towards certain colleagues and disagreeing with many of The Akademiya's methods in pursuit of knowledge.

It was moments like this that made your heart swell harder and reminded you why you'd begun to fall for him in the first place. You both clicked together over every little detail. You either complimented each other perfectly with your agreements on matters or delicately accentuated your differences in debates on others. Either way, you were both puzzle pieces that perfectly placed together in any jigsaw.

From both yours and his humour to your hobbies and interests, it didn't matter. You just enjoyed the company of each other over everything, you were comforted in his presence, and he was comforted in yours. There was no need for further questions or desperate attempts to create conversational topics, they fell from you both so naturally, and even more so once the alcohol had finally began to take root in your mind and his.

Cut to fifty-seven minutes later, and you're both closer with one another than how you'd oringally started out tonight, figuratively and literally. The jokes becoming more daring with underlining tones you couldn't quite take as anything more than flirtatious banter right now, and your tongue becoming even more looser than before.

-

You couldn't stop laughing, not with how Al-haithams drunken impersonation of one of your more annoying work colleagues was so spot on! Right down to the way he always flicks his hair as if he's a famous scientist known world wide.

"Pffthahahaha!" Your tears fell from your eyes freely as you couldn't stop laughing. You'd broken into such a giggle fit it even caught Al-haitham in the midst of it beginning to wheeze himself, you both sat on his sofa, the light basking you in a relaxing glow as the nightsky had claimed territory above Teyvat outside now.

You tapped his knee gently pleading for a time-out to catch your breath, though he'd stopped impersonating a full minute ago now and so you both were just clutching your stomachs and wheezing like two utter mad men as the alcohol sent a pleasant buzz down your spine.

Once the laughing had finally begun to die down, you found yourself just staring at him, your head cocked to the side and resting in your palm as it pressed against the back of the sofa. He breathed in deeply to regain some slight composure before looking at you, cocking his head playfully at you now.

A small smile crept onto your lips uncontrollably, and your words fell effortlessly from you; "you're just a big goof ya know that?"

He gasped mockingly as he turned to place his glass down on the small coffee table stowed away at the side of his sofas' arm rest. Turning his attention back to you, "so rude Y/N."

You giggled, rolling your eyes, your other hand loosely holding the glass at a slight angle, the wine inside close to spilling out if you were to tip it anymore so; "No, honestly, I use to be so afraid of you, worried I'd make you unhappy with my work, or you'd not even bother to grace me with your attention ever. You came off so cold and distant..."

He began to nudge himself closer to you, subconsciously maybe, but you weren't finding it anywhere in yourself to complain right now.

"That so?" He drawled out in a smile, "makes sense, I suppose, I do tend to keep everyone at arms length. Can't trust people that well from The Akademiya, even so-called colleagues." He finished slowly. His eyes locked with yours, "Why'd you stick around if I was so unwelcoming?" He questioned.

You shrugged as you broke the joint gaze to bend round and place your own glass down now, feeling your mind become ever so slightly dizzy you had little foresight left, which gave you the reasonable reaction of putting the glass out of harms way, turning back round you noticed Al-haitham had moved even closer now, and the proximity had began to make butterflies flutter in your stomach ever so slightly, but the alcohol made good distraction of said feelings.

His eyes searched yours for something. You were unsure of what, but they were definitely searching and searching deeply, too. Neither of you spoke now as your eyes were lost in one another, till he finally broke the silence; "I wanna kiss you." It was sudden, and so crystal clear you couldn't even pretend to have not heard it. Your cheeks burned as you suddenly felt hot and entirely trapped by him. Your throat ran dry all too quickly, and you swallowed down a lump that had begun to form; "i-... okay..." is all your drunken mind could respond with, for it seemed much easier to follow your hearts wants and desires now that you'd drowned yourself into intoxication.

He shuffled closer slowly, his eyes burning into yours before dropping to your lips, his tongue swiping across his bottom lip subconsciously, your mind was moving at a thousand miles a second right now, but the only thought that stuck out from all the rest was how unbelievably sexy he looked right now, as the redness dusted over his cheeks became more visible, and the slight huffs of his breath became more audible, as the air grew hotter and more tense as he drew in closer, his arm spreading over you to lock his fingers into the armrest beside you, effectively caging you in, his other hand cupping your cheek softly but firmly, angling your chin just right and then-

A relaxed sigh escaped your mouth only to be swallowed by his own as his lips pressed gently into yours, his tongue seeking permission to enter inside your mouth, to which you eagerly granted him, your eyes had closed instantly upon the feel of his lips meeting yours, and he slowly closed his eyes a few seconds after, the kiss now deepening as his tongue danced around yours and laid claim to your mouth with his dominance.

You felt your mind going light and fuzzy now, the kiss drifting you further into a dreamlike buzz. You so hopefully wished to never wake if it were just a dream all along. The breathing that exited both your noses were louder than usual as the intensity of the kiss grew more feverish, the wheeze of your lungs be pushed to their limit began to sting, and it must've been doing the same to the scholar above you as he then slowly, albeit it reluctantly, removed his lips from yours.

The string of saliva that connected both your lips snapped once he took a somewhat bated shaky inhale, his eyes never leaving yours once you'd finally reopened your eyes to catch your own breath. His thumb absentmindedly began to stroke sweet circles against your jawline and cheek, and you found yourself happily pressing further into his touches.

"How long?" He questioned, though his voice was more hoarse and rough now.

You looked into his eyes, knowing what he meant instantly, for you could see the same want spread across his face that you were also clearly painted with too.

"Several months now." You replied, honestly.

Still looking at you he began to manoeuvre you both softly, guiding you down, back pressed against the sofa chair, him now looming above you, the light that lay suspended in the air from his living room ceiling being blocked from directly shining in your eyes by Al-haithams towering figure above you now.

"Is your assumption of my relationship with Kaveh the reason I've been getting zero response from you with my advances?" He asked earnestly. His eyes make you feel naked with how intensely they stare at your every detail.

"I... I suppose so, yes." Your mind couldn't think straight anymore. You were in such a proactive position with the man you'd had a burning desire for months for now caging above you, alcohol having now also dammed your senses and sunken your defence, and he was interrogating you? When your mind clearly hungered for something else right now.

He chuckled softly as if it was all a big joke the world had been playing on him from the start. He lowered his face abruptly and placed warm, open-mouthed kissed against your neck and the juncture between where your neck and shoulder connect, eliciting a breathy moan from your numbing body.

"You nosy little minx," he began to gruff the words out through intakes of air between his onslaught of sensational wet kisses that marked all over your neck and shoulders, his hand gripping the top of your shirt to lazily pull it further down to reveal more skin for him to revel in. "That was my business, not yours," he nipped at a specific soft spot on your neck that made you hitch your breath under his magnifying pleasure. "Because of your sniffing around, you conjured up false accusations, and it cost me," you began to pant harder as his kisses grew more heated and possessive in their nature to mark up your skin and lay claim to you.

"Al-...mmhaahh- Al-haitham," your voice was soft, barely above a whisper as you shakily moaned his name out, a plea, a beg, you wasn't sure what, but your instincts could only give you strength to say that one word, however as he hungrily bit down on your neck you couldn't stifle the proper moan that slipped from your lips this time.

"Make more of those noises for me," he sounded drunk on his lust, and you were in the same ship as him, his lips and tongue were made by the devil, they had to of been, to elicit such sinful sounds from your very own mouth. His fingers clutched tightly on your shirts fabric. It was only a cheap, flimsy thing you'd thrown on in your haste to come see him today, "this, is in the way," he practically snarled the words out as a loud tearing sound echoed throughout the spacious living room, a blush burning at your cheeks now as you felt the temperature change, you hadn't worn a bra either-

"Temptress." He stated in a frenzied manner as he dipped his head down past your neck now, you cried out in sheer overwhelming pleasure as his hot mouth encased round your nipple, sucking on it fervently, his tongue flicking it around between the clasp of his teeth inside. Your hands slipped through silver locks, so silky to the touch, you giggled to yourself inside, as depressed as he was, he always made sure he was well pampered, such a pretty boy.

Your eyes closed as you got swallowed up to all the burning sensations that engulfed your body right now, his tongue, lips, teeth made sure to bite, kiss and suck any and all flesh that held his attention, while his hands left delicious squeezes and gropes all over your thighs, slipping underneath your arching behind to properly feel your rear too, he made sure to leave no part of you undiscovered by him.

"Tried so damn hard," he continued to growl hoarse and roughly as he bit against your fleshy mounds that were now glistening in slight sweat, "to make you realise my obvious want for you," he panted heavily as he began to shuffle about again, your body too weak and overwhelmed to resist anything he'd do to you now, but as you felt your legs being lifted and the feel of your pants being roughly pulled down you mewled in excitement as to what's to come.

Though your mind was hazy with the thick fog of arousal as the room slowly began to permeate with that smell of sex, your hands slid up his body, squeezing into his firm muscles on his arms, your mouth watering slightly as you took into consideration the sculptured frame of perfection that hungrily stripped you as if you were the marvel to behold here.

"Feeble Scholar, my a-ass." You breathed out to which he once having finally thrown your pants on the floor bent back down closer to your mouth to properly hear, "what was that?" He panted out his request, his face so flushed with his burning desire for you. "Yo... you can't blame me for having... doubts, how could I have ever expected to... engg... have a chance with you? You're so... perfect." You confessed your insecurity to the whole ordeal that had been burning at the back of your mind since the moment you began to pine after him, alcohol really was a dangerous thing you'd drunkenly realised.

He sat up, an almost flustered amusement painting his face as he lulled his head back, lazily running a hand through his silver hair, looking as if in thought, before sniffing in sharply through his nose and lowering his head back down to burn his gaze back into yours. You suddenly felt that naked feeling again, and it wasn't because you were in nothing but your dampening panties underneath him, no, it was that look he gave again, as he burned every detail of you into him, as if blinking would make you disappear so he wouldn't dare too.

"I won't be held responsible for this," he muttered out as you felt a tug at your waist and then heard another snapping sound. You gasped about to voice a complaint over one of your favourite panties now being ruined, but instead, you choked on your words and hiccuped a moan out instead. His long fingers deftly shoved into your now soaking entrance, two push inside which caused you to shudder hard under him and writhe around, his grip on your hip kept you in place however, bruises were sure to show tomorrow from his hold.

He began to scissor you open in an expertly way that left you speechless and mewling with delight, his thumb pressed against your clit and stimulated it simultaneously with quick and fast circular motions, your eyes beginning to water as your body wracked with pleasure as if small sparks of electrocution ran through your very veins, the heat pooling below rapidly now. "Heh, that's it, keep singing for me Y/N, keep," he began to spread his two fingers wider inside you, stretching you open deliciously past your normal limits, "making, those, faces." every word he gruffly barked out with that hot underlining tone of lust was accentuated with the spread of fingers lodged deep inside you.

You felt your climax barrelling into you so suddenly, the way your body tensed under him, your eyes rolling back as you cried out, the gush of your own slick and juices coating his fingers and hand, dribbling down to his wrist, he merely smirked as he watched you unravel beneath him, a gift for himself, so beautiful and alluring, he continued to scissor and thrust his fingers slowly inside you as you rode down from your incredible high.

He then leaned down beginning to pant harder, he sounded out of breath, much like how you sounded right now too, your face flushed red from cheeks to nose and ear tips, he wore the same expression, both of you intoxicated by far more than just alcohol. You had so many thoughts and words wishing to be voiced aloud but you found them dying on your tongue with every attempt, the sensations causing too many shudders and delectable thrums of ecstasy up your spine.

It wasn't long at all till his mouth was on yours again, another hot, sloppy make out between you both, tongues twirling with each other as air was squeezed from your lungs, teeth clattering in the transaction but it meant nothing to you, feeling him on you like this, devouring you, it felt good, so good, and so right, you submitted yourself wholly to him and he could sense it in the way your body relaxed and fell pliant beneath him as he continued to domineer the stinging hot kiss between you both, a muffled groan leaving his throat only to be swallowed hungrily by you in return.

"w-want you..." you whimpered softly while catching your breath.

"You're gonna have me." he concluded as he sat up and swiftly removed his tight emerald green vest that often left nothing to the imagination of his amazing physique.

You hesitantly lifted your hand up, the intrusive thoughts of wanting to explore every crevice of his skin, every ridged bump along his six pack down to the sharply carved V-line that disappeared beneath his unbelievably tight trousers. But your hand stilled, as if worried or more so, undeserving to feel such a beautiful being like him. He merely scoffed incredulously to your hesitancy, gripping your hand firmly and placing it flat against his abs, your cheeks flaring red as he guided your hand along those said tempting ridges and bumps, feeling the divine skin underneath you.

"We are past shyness of touch dear, stop looking at me with such hunger, and start actually acting on it," he chuckled in a far too sexy way above you as he knelt between your legs that were now hung either side his own legs. His hair a cute mess, his lips wet from your constant need to suck the air from one another, his eyes glossy and coated over with soul damning lust.

You let your hand continue to explore his abs before slowly sliding up and over his pecs, across his toned chest, he truly was stunning, so well built, he lies when he says he doesn't work out, no one gets a shape this godly without putting effort in, but you would reprimand him for lying later, now is worship time, your other hand began to join you in its neediness to explore him and he chuckled airy like toward you, his brow raising in amusement making him look like a smug god before you, "You really like what you see huh?"

You scoffed with the first sign of confidence you'd had since this whole crumbled down fiasco transpired, "Wouldn't you if you was faced with such an unremarkably sexy person?" you quipped back, he then swiftly gripped your hands and bought them to his lips, soft gentle kisses pressing into them as his eyes locked with yours once again, a smile pressing into your hand from his lips as the hot breath fanned against them as he spoke, "I am." is all he rebutted back at you before guiding your hands up and above your head, locking them together with one of his own, his strong fingers clasping round your wrists.

You blushed hard at his compliment, suddenly he has such a way with words, so suave and smooth out of nowhere, you were use to the cold distancing from before, and then the goofy and sarcastic man after, but this new side of him was just as welcome as all the ones you'd seen before, any side of him you would accept as part of him, just as you knew any side of you yet to be revealed would be seen no differently by him.

You blinked the tears away that swelled in your eyes from the overwhelming insanity of all that was taking place currently, sniffing softly as you tried to regain composure, the buzz of the dandelion wine and the heady scent of sex clouding your judgement so easily, your focus was redirected down south sharply however, when you heard the sound of his zipper ringing out, your throat suddenly felt too dry as you swallowed in anticipation.

You didn't even notice the cocky smirk on his lips as he watched your shining eyes focus solely on his fingers under his trousers away from your prying sight, he couldn't deny the desperation frothing inside him to feel your walls clenching around him however, so in one swift movement he pulled the front of his trousers down and with it the spring of his nearing eight inch cock bounced out in all its well trimmed glory.

Your eyes bulged wide at the sight, Archons he was massive! ...was, ...was he gonna be able to fit inside you? Suddenly you wasn't so sure as you looked at the pretty shaped pink head weeping plentiful of its precum, the thick girth and more than generous length, so heavy it was that even with how hard he was to the thought of taking you, the blood pumping down south couldn't properly lift the darn thing, it stood straight out and drooped ever so slightly.

"Holy fuck Al, you're ma-massive." You choked your words out with little care of modesty, you were worried and impressed, and you wasn't gonna deny it to him. He laughed, properly, full of warmth and genuine amusement, it gave you that giddy feeling again to see his sweet smile with no filters. "Relax Y/N, if you don't think you're up to it-" he was being polite, you knew that, but the look in his eyes was obvious, and you also knew he didn't mean it, he wanted you, bad, and you're anything but a liar, your mind could hardly even catch up to your current thoughts as you blurted out shamelessly, "No, fuck me-"

He squeezed your wrists in his grip tighter, to the point that you'd almost forgotten he still had them caged above your head, his eyes simmering into a darker shade as his lust consumed him, his expression looking ravenous and hungry now, "Thank fuck you didn't say no, I need you, so fucking bad," he snarled the words out beside your ear to which you mewled at as you felt his thickness now rubbing against your slick covered walls, your hole clenching around nothing in desperation to feel full.

Just as his head began to prod and poke at your entrance, sending tiny shivers rippling all over your muscles, for some reason, completely lost to you, your mind thought about the condition of his clearly expensive furniture. "W-wait! Your s-sofa..." your voice was so unsteady now, words became harder and harder to force out, you just wanted to make animalistic sounds of pleasure, pleasure he kept sinking you further into. He shook his head as his hand released over yours and placed firmly beside your head, the other now on the other side too, caged beneath him once more, just how you'd grown to like it apparently. Your hands reflexively shooting out as your hands dug into his muscular arms, flexing beneath your squeezing fingers, you squeezed tightly, trying to ground yourself to him, to anything, just, to feel as if you wasn't drowning, but oh, you were.

"May come as, a haaah... surprise to you, Y/N," his voice strained as he began to push his thick girth deeper, and deeper inside you, spearing your insides and stretching you unfathomably around him, your juices spurting out in unbelievable amounts, coating his cock in a shiny layer of slick as it continued to bury deeper inside you, your voice gone entirely now, replaced with heavy pants, whines and mewls, your brain frying all that's coherent. "But I don't give, a shit, about my sofa, ahhh f-fuck meeeerrngh, right now." he snapped his hips forward suddenly to finish bottoming out inside you fully, your stomach looking slightly bulged to his sex driven mind, but he could just be high on endorphins right now.

Upon feeling his tip press and kiss against your cervix it forced a combined moan from the pair of you, you'd never felt so fucking full, you'd only had sex a handful of times, but you didn't need to be a slut to realise no cock would ever have this man beat, he remained still, his thick veined cock lodged deep inside your spasming and tight walls, his eyes fluttering shut as he sucked a breath in harshly trying to steady his control, "fucking...hell Y-Y/N, you're so bloody tight mmnph.." you panted heavily, your tongue lulling out as you did, he couldn't help but to lean down and kiss you with a searing hot passion, your fucked out expression did something wild to him and if he had any less self restrain you'd be fifty-shades fucked out your fucking mind right now.

Your tongues danced with each other in nothing but a messy exchange of saliva, muffled moans and whines at his testing little thrusts, short and slow, but he was so deep that he was already making you see stars, you pulled away to breath once again, your lips shiny from your messy and continuous make out sessions, "well sorry, but did i-it ever occur to you, you're too f-fucking deep," you hissed as he suddenly rolled his hips into you causing him to rub and press against several of your sweet spots, your shuddering and spasming causing him to shudder as well, both of you cursing to high Celestia and back in unison as he then breathily chuckled against your ear, "nah, you can take more feisty thing," he mused.

Before you could question what he meant though he began to thrust fully into you now, slow but continuous and deep, your eyes squeezed shut as you began to moan loudly with wild abandon, he had no neighbours anyway so what'd you care? "S-see? taking me so well, good girl, haah." his voice was deep, strained, rough and hoarse, everything and all things that make him sexy to you at any given time, he was all in one at this exact moment, and his praising made your mind go fluffy and flash white behind your eyes, he realised it instantly with the way he almost came from your sudden squeezing and sucking from your ever so tight fluttering walls.

"ahh, fuuucckk, you like that baby? mmh?" he tilted his head as he sat up, his hips flushed against yours still, but now knelt between you sitting up he could probably admire the picturesque form you currently were in, sinfully gorgeous with how thoroughly fucked out your face was, your eyes half open, filled with lust and want, your cheeks red, your skin glistening with more sweat, panting and mewling, you were utterly divine to him right now, he laid his hand flat against your stomach slowly, pressing the bulge that he could certainly conclude was actually there now.

The way he pressed down on your stomach made you stutter out a sobbed moan, he was making you feel more full if that were even possible, he pressed against his own cock that was wedged so deeply inside you now, "mmh, I never did realise, just how... small you were, fuck, compared to me Y/N." he bit his lip harshly and you somehow found the energy to chuckle, though you were becoming rapidly more lightheaded, "telling me you have a size kink now, h-huh?" he smirked at your jab as he rolled his hips roughly against you again, causing your eyes to roll back and let out a wanton moan, "what was that, my little good girl." You mewled in response to the praise, the pet name if you will, your walls fluttering vigorously around his length again causing him to bite his lip once more to remain composed before beginning to trust at a steady pace now.

You couldn't believe you both were just idly revealing kinks while he was actively impaling you. But like you'd come to accept, opening up to him really was easier than breathing at this point. And breathing was suddenly becoming harder for you too, with how he continued to spread you open, rearrange your organs and insides to mould into the perfect sleeve for his cock, and his cock alone, he was burning his girth, his length, him, inside you fully, and you knew you weren't gonna forget the feelings he gave to you, and you didn't want too.

Your eyes had closed what, ten minutes ago, twenty? …forty? You really wasn't sure, but his pace hadn't let up, the battering of your poor insides was starting to ache you, you'd already came again and he'd just thrusted you through it into utter overstimulation, his lips trailing your neck, your shoulders, nibbling your ear, marking your chest, overstimulation was clearly another one of kinks, but with the way your tears spilled so gratefully and the delicious burn of your battered inside built you quickly to another encroaching climax, maybe... you were also into over stimulation, hmm.

"Fuck... Y/N, sorry but, I'm close..." if you were able to form anything of coherent audibility right now you would tell him to shut the fuck up with the whole 'sorry' sorry for what? Idiot. If he thought he was under performing right now... he needed a serious talking to, but as you felt his cock begin to twitch wildly so deep inside and the way he showed no signs of slowing down or pulling out, you started to realise why he may have said sorry...

"w-ahh wait, wa-wait, Al...mmhp, Al, you aren't s-seriously going to, to..." he shook his head as he pressed himself down onto you, his chest pressing against yours, your breasts rubbing against his chest as his hand flatly laid over your mouth, so big it was his fingers had to part to let your nose have an airway to breath through as your eyes widened to your sudden forced silence, "shhh, be a good girl, take it, take it all Y/N, Mmph...," he rolled his hips before beginning to rut into you, his hand sliding between your bodies and hurriedly swirling circled motions against your swollen clit and with that your eyes rolled back as he sent you over into another blissed out orgasm that flashed your sights white and your hearing just ringing out.

"Ahh fuuuck, yes, just like that baby, just like that, keep cumming on my cock you slut." you couldn't say anything, even your moans were muffled into near silence, your harsh breaths through your nose as your head went fuzzy and utterly fried from overstimulation now to the point of being fucked dumb, your nails scratching down his back leaving marks, eliciting a sharp hiss and growl from Al-Haitham as he continued to rut hard into you, "f-fuck, I'm cumming baby, I'm cumming, take it, take it a-all, arrghhh!" his head lulled back as he groaned out and then you felt it, spurt after spurt of hot thick ropes of his cum painting and smearing your insides, filling you to the brim, the squelching of your ridiculously soaked and battered entrance around his throbbing and twitching cock, hungrily your insides sucked and milked his balls dry till his shallowed thrusts into you and the twitching of his cock had nothing left to give.

He dropped down onto you, careful not to fully crush you under his weight, both of you panting heavily as he slid his hand from your over your mouth up into your hair, softly petting your scalp, the affectionate gesture made a warm swelling feeling inside you, that or you know, the bucket load of his cum and cock still deeply buried inside you. It was only once the haziness began to leave and you were left post thoughts after sex that you began to chuckle before breaking into a fit of laughter, his eyes had closed from exhaustion, but opened slowly to your laughing fit, chuckling himself and lifting his head softly before the contagious laughter caught him too, causing him to break out laughing as well while dropping his forehead against yours, both of your eyes watering with joy filled tears and overwhelming emotions.

Once the laugher died down and you were both now just sniffling with slight chuckles his eyes sunk downward then back up into yours, "Darn, the sofa's ruined now." he snorted to which you giggled at childishly, then the silence took over fully and you both lay together, eyes locked on one another once again, "I like you too Y/N." He boyishly smiled at you to which you rolled your eyes before a smile couldn't help but form too, "I would hope so" you returned.

-

After your pillow talk to one another you both got up and cleaned the mess up as best you could, he offered you first shower to clean yourself but you decided it was easier to just shower and clean together, you both continued to chat and joke, somewhat naughtily in your washing up time, but managed to come out of it actually clean. You didn't further discuss his prior feelings toward his ex-friend, it was his business not yours after all, though it saddened you to think you may never see Kaveh again, people come and go unfortunately, and in all honesty, no one knows what the future holds do they? Optimism is best suited in these saddening times to keep one going, and you wanted him to remain positive, you wanted to help relieve some of his sorrow and tension and you felt the mood had finally lifted and unbelievable progress had been made, the man you'd been crushing so hard for, reciprocated your feelings fully and it left you warm and fuzzy whenever you thought about it.

You stayed the night, to which more less than innocent things took place in his bedroom with you, no surprise there, he had amazing stamina and recovery time you'd thoroughly figured out during this endeavour. But the next morning you ate breakfast with him and continued to bask in the comfort of just being around him, to which he fully and equally returned the mutuality of. But alas, you did have work back at The Akademiya, so with a chaste farewell kiss you bid him goodbye till the next time you had time to come see him, assuming he still wasn't ready to come back just yet, which you were fine with, at least you had closure to his absence and could tell your colleagues to shut up with their bickering and rumour spreading.

-

The sun was rising bright above Teyvat as you were inside Al-Haithams office giving it a quick clean over, it was growing dusty from the lack of attention it had received for weeks now, it had been a couple days since you and him, took the next step in both of yours relationship, so to speak, and you couldn't help but already be missing him, did it make you petty? Probably, but at least you felt somewhat closer to him in here, in his office, and the excuse of spring cleaning kept everyone's suspicions at bay.

"Missing me so much already are we?" His voice came from behind you suddenly, causing you to jump near out your skin, whipping round fast eyes wide before resting your hand on your chest calming your nerves, "Archons Al, don't sneak up on me like that."

He quirked his brow as he set down some various documents and paperwork onto his desk turning to you, "Me? You're the one skulking about my office stalker." he squinted his eyes in challenge but you knew better than to raise to it, "Am not." or so you thought.

He smiled as he glanced around realising you had been cleaning his office during his absence, "Thank you though, honestly, for taking care of things while I was too busy moping." He turned back to his papers beginning to organise them in order of projects in dire need of attention on top, with the less urgent ones beneath.

"Well, everyone needs their time and space Al, even the amazing Scribe." you smiled warmly as you finished the left over areas that needed cleaning, gasping softly when you felt hands suddenly squeeze your hips and spin you back around, your hands dropping the cloth as they rested quickly atop his broad and firm shoulders, meeting met face to face with Al who stared down at you, your cheeks flushed red, you were in public was he mad?!

"Al?! Not here you mad man!" You whisper yelled to him trying your best to have a serious and scolding expression but he merely chuckled an kissed the tip of your nose lovingly, "Whatever happens between us in this office, is of no concern to others." he flatly stated as he began to trail kisses down your neck, your core beginning to pool with heated arousal and neediness for the man against you, a sigh of content seeping from your lips as your eyes fluttered softly, "What do you plan to do to me in here AL..." your voice was soft and laced with nerving excitement and anticipation.

He lifted his head to let his eyes capture yours once more, his breath hot against your lips as he whispered seductively, "That's my business, not yours."

[it-happened-one-fic]

Only Love - Alhaitham

Author Notes: This fic has been sitting in google docs for quite some time now, but what with Christmas coming up fast, I'm running into trouble finding time to write and/or edit anything so I'm going through my backlog. This fic was written while I listened to "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" by Paloma Faith. As per usual, reader is gender-neutral. I hope you enjoy.

Type: Gender-neutral/ pining/ romantic

Word Count 595

Alhaitham let out a sigh as he lay back on his bed. The door was safely shut in the hopes of dulling the racket Kaveh was currently causing as he banged away at his latest project. 

Alhaitham was alone yet again, though, in the solace of his room. Usually one of his favorite places to be.

Alone, unbothered, and actually able to concentrate on whatever he pleased without fear of being interrupted. And yet, Alhaitham could not focus.

Instead, his brain kept clinging to you. Bringing up images of your face during previous experiences and posing random, inconsequential questions about you and your goings-on. 

Such was the source of his current mood. Not depressed or solemn, but also not one of comfort or pleasure. If he had to name the feeling, he would say confusion came closest, or perhaps frustration.

Alhaitham had a feeling that he knew why you lingered in his mind for such a length of time after any meeting the two of you shared. And it never failed.

You would interact with him for only a short time, smiling all the while like he was a dear companion as the two of you chatted before you both, inevitably, parted ways. 

You strolling away to continue your day while he…. He was trapped with thoughts of you that almost seemed to be a source of his current frustrations.

Alhaitham did not dislike you. In fact, it was far from it. He’d found that he quite enjoyed your presence.

 When you left, he longed for your return. And when he saw you, there was a certain pleasure that seemed to be unmatched by other sensations.

Logically, you shouldn’t have such an effect on him, and, logically, he knew he did not require your presence to exist in a perfectly healthy state. But Alhaitham also recognized that this was a perfectly human reaction to have, just like he knew exactly what feeling it was that consumed him when it came to you.

If Kaveh could peer into Alhaitham’s head at this moment, the architect would be squealing with delight. Either at the suffering the Akademiya’s Scribe was currently going through or at the fact that it all seemed like something out of a cheesy romance movie.

Alhaitham huffed out a bitter laugh. To think that he’d decided early on he would never become consumed by such folly that turned rational men into fools. And yet here he was, stretched across his bed and staring up at the ceiling with only one thing on his hopelessly addicted mind. You.

You and your bright smiles. You and your clever wit. You and your consistently charming ways. You and the way you seemed like something built specifically to drag the Akademiya’s great and much disliked scribe, who till now had seemed unshakeable, to his knees.

Yes, Alhaitham knew exactly what this feeling was that you inspired within him. Because only love could hurt, consume, and distract like this.

But Alhaitham had also learned his lesson well already. He was, after all, a fast learner.

Bittersweet. That was the flavor that this love had taught him, and he was ready to move on to simpler days. And for that, there was only one solution.

So Alhaitham sat up, having made up his mind about what he knew must be done. 

If you were going to plague him with thoughts of you, then he would do the same to you. After all, there was only one cure for the fascinating affliction that was you. So he would achieve that cure.

[crepus]

Hey bro, is it gay to consider you my mirror? a reflection of myself? So similar and yet so different that my world view is challenged and expanded by being next to you? we were friends but our differences outweigh our similarities, I still want you to be next to me because you make me change and evolve and I hope I can be the same for you

[nomelwelloy]

Alhaitham & Kaveh drabble | light angst

It's a quiet Friday night. Kaveh is draped over the back of the sofa, transfixed on his sleeping roommate’s face.

The dim glow of the crystal lamp dusts a soft yellow glow across Haitham’s face. Even in his sleep, he is largely expressionless, save for the occasional movement under his eyelids and the briefest twitch of his brow. His book rests on his chest with his finger still between the pages of where he’d stopped before sleep stole him away.

Despite his alcohol-hazy and fatigue-fogged mind, Kaveh recognises the title as one of Haitham’s newest reads, picked up at the start of the week- amongst three other titles. Was he a speed-reader? How many words did he capture at a glance? Kaveh wonders, when Haitham reads, if pictures form in his mind, or are abstract ideas contained in the shape, weight, and sound of the words.

He touches his forehead with his fingertip, as though he can connect to his thoughts and reach somewhere beneath his stony facade. Alas, there is no way to read Haitham, no matter how hard he tries; He is a blueprint Kaveh may study ten thousand times, but never be able to figure it’s labyrinthine layers, always stuck at sharp angles and convoluted diagrams that lead to nowhere.

Kaveh’s eyes trace over Haitham’s lips, and his hand follows in its wake. His finger trails along his cupid’s bow, thumb sweeping over the swell of his bottom lip.

Kaveh bites down on his own lower lip, teeth worrying the already broken skin as an undeniable ache to press his own against Haitham’s blooms in his chest.

It’s a familiar feeling, one that has not surfaced for a long time- deadened by the belief that Haitham did not see him as anything more than a broken bird he saved out of pity; the snuffed out Light of Kshahrewar now crawling in soot and ashes.

Albeit this, the old flame flickers to life in his chest, weak but alight. And it is that which forces him over the edge of the sofa, leaning in as close as he dares to. A lock of hair comes loose from his ponytail and it gently sweeps across Haitham’s cheek. His trembling fingers are digging into the sofa seat and he struggles to balance on the balls of his feet.

Without warning, Haitham stretches, his eyes fluttering open in slow blinks. Kaveh falters and fails to recover in time, and he teeters over the sofa.

A series of grunts and curses and more groans follow as Haitham is pinned under him and tries to get Kaveh’s elbow off his chest.

“What the hell are you doing?” Haitham hisses, struggling to breathe with Kaveh’s knee still on his stomach.

“Shit, sorry,” Kaveh mumbles, scrambling to get off but his limbs have turned to jelly and he’s not doing much except fall over Haitham again.

“Stop moving,” Haitham tries to grab him by the elbows but Kaveh isn’t listening and accidentally knees Haitham in the groin. Haitham hisses with a low curse and tightens his grip on him. “Stop,” he growls, the flash of irritation in his tone reflecting in his eyes.

Kaveh’s tongue turns to stone and all he can manage is wordless gaping. He’s perched atop Haitham and straddling his lap, and Kaveh’s cheeks grow hot at the realisation, but he’s bound by that single word that forces him to remain obediently still. “Sorry,” is all he can manage.

Haitham breathes sharply, brows furrowed while he regains his composure. “If it’s that game where you try to walk the shortest possible distance from the door to your room, I swear-”

“Can I go now?” Kaveh asks, vaguely aware of how distant his voice sounds form his body- disembodied, he recalls the word to be- his mind is elsewhere too, trying to distract from how close they are. His heartbeat pounds in his ears and all he can feel is that warmth radiating from beneath him, separated only by a few layers of fabric.

Kaveh manages to stand, swaying unsteadily even with Haitham’s help, before he quickly shuffles away from him. He’s halfway to his room when he realises his hair tie has come loose, and he glances over his shoulder to the sofa for it, but his mind goes blank when their eyes meet.

Haitham drops the hair tie in his hands on his way to his own room, but not before shooting him an odd look. When Kaveh refuses to meet his gaze, however, he eventually bids him goodnight and disappears behind his door.

Kaveh grips the hair tie in a death grip, teeth worrying his lip as he wills himself not to cry. What had compelled him to attempt a kiss of all things, he could not fathom- least of all Haitham’s serious lack of reaction. Had he actually read him wrong this whole time, or was it just in his head?

His colleagues often touted liquid courage as a supposed help with matters such as these, but perhaps it was that Kaveh lacked any at all in the first place.

[kavvueh]

Happy to share my work for the 2024 Haikaveh serverversary event!!

The Flicker

by @kavvueh

When Al-Haitham hears of a Fontainian court magician arriving in Sumeru whose ideas are novel, he confronts him about his methods. Their interactions spark a rivalry - and perhaps a bit more than that - as they try to figure out each other's tricks. But everything changes when Al-Haitham performs The Flicker for the first time.

I had so much fun writing this for my giftee, their prompt was incredible and I watched The Prestige multiple times thanks to that. Please check the fic out and do mind the tags! 🥰

Read it here on ao3!

[shuuenka]

haino band au

oh who's that? bassist and vocalist flirting on rehersal?

[astrobolical]

When the truth spills forth-

Content Warnings: Pining, Alhaitham’s version of fluff, Kaveh’s obliviousness, mentions of their history

I wasn't sure if I was gonna post character x character, but here we go. Why not?

I adore these two, especially Kaveh, and think they deserve the world. We all know they’re married even if they don’t know it (Alhaitham does, Kaveh might not).

Living with one’s heart on their sleeve, laying their emotions bare for the world to see, it was something incomprehensible to Alhaitham. What benefits could it bring? What could it do but bring you troubles and eventual pain? Yet Kaveh was exactly that, brilliant, bright yet incredibly transparent. Almost unbearably.

His eyes told the world his truth, no matter what he tried to hide. It was tiresome to witness, Alhaitham could only imagine it was exhausting to exist in such a state. Kaveh persevered, however, regardless of how haphazard that perseverance was. Every step he took forward held the danger of tumbling back down the rocks he’d dragged himself from. He’d come so far, yet it was clear how much he was truly trying to balance, and the impact it had on the architect.

Alhaitham knew that their situation was only contributing to Kaveh’s unfortunate circumstances, for reasons far beyond the scribe’s control. No matter what he said or did, Kaveh would see the world in a vastly different way than himself. Alhaitham, contrary to his roommate’s belief, was happy with their arrangement. It had become his norm, an expectation to come home to Kaveh fussing over some new decoration, hearing his chastising and endless complaints. As blunt as Alhaitham was in return, it was never out of malice. 

He’d always cared about Kaveh, in his own way. Even in the past when they’d gone their separate ways— what he’d said had been the truth, spoken only to try to make Kaveh see reason, see how the way he was going would end in his detriment. Softened blows or flimsy words were not Alhaitham’s forte, he had always been brutally honest with Kaveh regardless of the consequences— perhaps more honest than he is with anybody else. 

While he could walk away from the majority of people within Sumeru without a second thought, Kaveh was someone who held a value he couldn’t measure. To Alhaitham Kaveh was something to ground him, keep him thinking, and surprise him at every turn. Kaveh was everything Alhaitham was not, just as he was everything Kaveh was not. A balance that was uniquely them. Something that couldn’t be replaced, something that Alhaitham had no desire to lose, even if Kaveh was blind to it.

Just like when he’d spoken his truth all those years ago, Alhaitham had been there again for Kaveh when he was needed. Despite the distance between them, the unyielding silence that had persisted. Alhaitham’s home had become Kaveh’s, despite his senior’s protests. Though it had begun as a way to keep his senior’s head above the proverbial water, Alhaitham had quickly come to adjust to their situation. Faster than anyone in Sumeru would likely believe given his reputation. 

The noises he would normally drown out were welcomed when they were Kaveh. His space being invaded was only okay when it was Kaveh. 

It was simply because it was Kaveh.

But he knew that if he voiced this to the architect he’d freeze. His mind would go into overdrive, working to its breaking point and creating problems that didn’t exist. He’d find a way to blame himself for a misfortune he didn’t cause. He’d burn away internally until he couldn’t withstand it anymore, succumbing to his own negativity and self doubt, and he, inevitably, would flee the situation in a vain attempt to make the situation ‘better’. 

So the scribe remained quiet about the way he felt, keeping his actions subtle, behind the scenes. He continued to chastise and speak bluntly with Kaveh as he always did-- just a tiny bit more forethought to his words so that he didn’t give Kaveh too much to think on.

In some ways, Kaveh was like a skittish desert fox. Eager, curious-- oddly adorable-- yet incredibly easy to frighten, startle or deter. 

If it was anyone else, Alhaitham would have declared them not worth his time and efforts, left them behind to continue their lives without him… but this wasn’t anyone else. 

So he lived, ignoring his growing affections, keeping the same distance that Kaveh seemed to need. When he’d find himself covering a sleeping Kaveh, passed out on his desk, with a blanket he resisted the urge to press a kiss to the top of his head, to indulge in the impulses he held deep down. Because if Kaveh knew, he feared that Kaveh would choose to leave. 

So when he returned home and was greeted with the sight of boxes in the entryway Alhaitham’s first reaction was fear. His normally rational mind, ever-calm and logical gave way to the feelings deep in his chest-- surely Kaveh hadn’t found a place so suddenly? Why? Alhaitham grit his teeth, his jaw clenched as he made his way by the boxes, he could hear Kaveh deeper within the house and he made his way there without a moment’s hesitation.

Kaveh’s room was in disarray, furniture moved about and out of place, the architect standing in the middle going through drawers that hadn’t been opened in months. “Kaveh?” He questioned, leaning in the doorway. His expression gave away nothing of his internal turmoil, stoic and calm as always.

“Oh.” Kaveh looked up, almost sheepishly as he looked around at the mess. “I didn’t think you’d be home so soon. Don’t worry, this will be packed up soon and you’ll have your precious space back.” He spoke more calmly than Alhaitham anticipated, expecting a level of defensiveness over his actions-- Kaveh would never truly apologize to the scribe, nor would he bring himself to thank him for anything he does. “I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”

“Why?” 

The question left his lips with the same brashness as the day he’d destroyed their friendship, but Kaveh just looked at him, a confused expression settled on his face before he rolled his eyes. “Seriously? Come on, it's not like I need to explain myself here.” 

His back turned he began to go through the drawer he’d been looking into again, ignoring Alhaitham’s stiffened form in the doorway. Alhaitham’s mind worked quickly, almost in a panic as he debated what to say. I think you do. You’re just going to leave like this? Can you even afford the place you’ve found long-term?

But he bit them all back, instead stepping forward and making his way through the room. He felt too warm, his heart racing against his chest. “Are you just going to stand there all evening?” Kaveh quipped, never turning to look at Alhaitham again-- perhaps if he had Alhaitham could have better controlled what he did next. Stopped his hands from reaching out, stopped his arms from encircling around Kaveh’s shoulders that rapidly stiffened. Stopped himself from pressing his forehead to the man’s hair. “What are you doing?!” Kaveh’s own hands found his forearms, confusedly pressing against the offending appendages that gently held him.

“Stay.” He breathed, feeling overwhelmed by his own movements, like the room was too warm, their bodies too close but yet not close enough. The truth he’d hidden for so long edging dangerously close to the ledge, teetering towards the dangerous abyss of making it known, letting it out into the world and risking it all coming crashing down. “Stay.” He repeated, for once unsure what else he could possibly say.

“Wha- What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?!” Kaveh was stiff in his arms, but his protests were light, clearly more perplexed than anything, not that Alhaitham could blame him. He, too, wasn’t sure what he was doing. “What do you mean ‘stay’?!” He grumbled. 

“Don’t leave.”

“I got that! Don’t leave where, Alhaitham?” Kaveh’s voice was becoming higher in pitch, cracking in the middle of his sentence.

“Here. Don’t move.” Alhaitham didn’t dare to let go-- he’d trapped his skittish fox within his arms, and if he let go now he was sure he would flee to hide within the sands. “Don’t leave.” 

There was a tense moment of silence between the two men before the architect finally wriggled free of the younger’s grasp, turning to face him before he realized how little space was truly between them. Instead he was face to face with a solemn looking Alhaitham, his back trapped against the dresser he’d been emptying. 

His eyes were wide, his face as red as the fabric he wore and Alhaitham knew he didn’t want to go back to coming home to an empty house. He couldn’t return to a time before their tentative reconciliation. 

Kaveh’s mouth opened, but no sound escaped, instead he closed it once again, eyes averting to look anywhere but his roommate. The silence was palpable, tension growing between them in a way they’d never experienced before. “Where did that even come from?” He finally muttered, bringing his arm up and shielding his blushing face with his hand, as if the red didn’t peek through, moving back towards his ears. 

“I want you to stay here.” Alhaitham reiterated, despite the unknown situation, how little he’d thought this one through. How unlike him this was. “I know you feel like you’re a burden to me, but I want you here, Kaveh.” 

“W-what the hell? Come on, Alhaitham quit joking around--” 

“I’m not joking.” He closed the distance between them more, barely a breath apart, almost close enough for Kaveh to feel his racing heart. He reached towards the hand that covered his roommate’s face, pulling it away and looking him square in his ruby eyes. “Kaveh, you don’t need to leave. Please.” 

“Alha--” 

“Kaveh.” He interrupted, leaning down just enough so their noses touched. “I…” 

All the days of silence, protecting Kaveh’s peace of mind in his own way. Withholding the truth that would send the architect running. Everything he’d held in came rushing forward as he was faced with the reality of Kaveh leaving. It was a reality he knew could happen, he’d expected it to come up now and then, but somehow with it being so real in front of him it was frightening. Every carefully hidden gesture, every snide remark covering a look of endearment, everything was coming undone in just a few moments. 

Alhaitham knew there was no returning from this, no turning back from what he’d begun. He could only hope and pray that Kaveh could handle his truth. That his skittish fox would find a way to not blame himself for this somehow. To not hate himself. To accept the truth for what it was.

“I love you.” 

Kaveh’s mouth was agape, eyes wider than before, breath coming out in ragged puffs as he undoubtedly fought down whatever panic was rising in his own chest. Sputters of attempted responses left his lips but formed no words. The distance between them was filled with nothing but silence and an inexplicable static-- like a spark waiting to ignite something further. 

“You-” He whispered, voice failing once again. “You… you can’t be serious... Don’t make a joke of something like this, I thought you… that you’d be better than that!” 

He moved to leave, to flee just as Alhaitham knew he would, but the scribe gripped his shoulders. “I’m not joking, Kaveh. I’m being serious.” 

Watery red eyes met turquoise, as if searching for any hint of a lie from the man who was holding him. Yet from the expressions on his face Alhaitham knew that the reality of his words was beginning to settle in. “What the hell…” Kaveh murmured, looking away when he was seemingly satisfied. “That’s not fair at all…” 

“Not fair?” Althaitham questioned, voice low, trying to keep himself calm, to retain a sense of logical reasoning, to keep himself steady in the revelation of what he’d just done. 

“You always just say whatever you want, it’s not fair.” Kaveh huffed, pushing against his shoulders in a vain attempt to gain some space. 

“Is there something you want to say to me…? Just say it.” Alhaitham dared not to let himself hope, he’d long since accepted that his feelings were one sided, that there was little to no chance to repair what he’d broken in the past, let alone further it. “Just say what you want to say.” 

“It’s not fair!” Kaveh whimpered, biting his lip. “Even things like this you say so casually.” Kaveh stopped his pushing, instead Alhaitham was shocked as the blonde moved forward, resting his forehead on Alhaitham’s shoulder in defeat. “Even something I should have said first.”

Alhaitham hugged Kaveh close, long hair tickling his nose as he nuzzled his face as close as he could manage. Quickly discarding his headset when they hindered how close he could get. It felt like a dream, like he’d wake at any moment and find himself back to square one waiting for this day to come again where he’d face losing Kaveh. The only person he could bring himself to have this close, to invade his space, to hold. 

They remained like that for a long, restless minute. Only the sounds of Kaveh’s hands gripping onto Alhaitham’s clothes, of his little whimpers as he let himself be overwhelmed with the situation. The thundering pulse of Alhaitham’s racing heart in his own ears. 

“So… you’ll stay?” He questioned, barely willing to break the quiet atmosphere between them, the calm in the midst of whatever storm they’d begun. 

At this Kaveh did push him back, abruptly and far more roughly than his initial attempts. Alhaitham could see the tear stains on his cheeks, how red his eyes had become and the watery shimmer of tears still threatening to fall. “I wasn’t leaving! You moron!” He hiccuped, gesturing wildly to the messy room. “I was going to put things in storage!” 

Alhaitham blinked, slowly, as the words settled in his mind. “What about the boxes in the entryway?” 

Kaveh glared at him as he wiped away his lingering tears, and Alhaitham felt relieved--it was still the Kaveh he knew, things hadn’t entirely blown up like he’d worried about. “They’re for you. God knows you could do some spring cleaning.”

Alhaitham nearly laughed, a breathy huff escaping him at the sheer audacity of the situation. “Ridiculous.” He muttered, ignoring the indignant retort Kaveh threw back his way in favour of bringing him back into his arms. “You’re ridiculous.” 

“And yet you… love me.” Kaveh whispered, his nose just barely missing Alhaitham’s at their new proximity. 

Alhaitham didn’t bother to answer vocally, simply staring with the same, bored gaze he always gave the architect. It earned him a smack to the shoulder and a huffy, embarrassed man in his arms. “...I… love you, too.” 

Alhaitham was the one to breach the shallow distance between them, pressing a chaste kiss to Kaveh’s lips, enjoying the noise of surprise that graced his ears as he pulled away. Adoring the way that Kaveh chased the sensation. Alhaitham denied him the press of his lips, a smirk on his face. “Well, shall we do some ‘spring cleaning’ then?” 

“You’re an ass.” Kaveh groaned, but didn’t protest-- if Alhiatham really was willing to help him with the daunting task of cleaning their home, he surely wasn’t going to argue the point. 

They laxed back into a comfortable rhythm, if a little tense with that spark that remained between them. Perhaps remaining a little too close to one another, their skin brushing more than they ever would have allowed before.

Some things had surely begun to change, but Alhaitham felt relieved to know that his truth was shared with Kaveh, and that the two of them would work through whatever turmoil faced them in the future. Together. 

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

pt.2 of snippets for the seventh, and final, chapter of Change is Impurrative! (this is a mammoth chapter so i felt it deserved two posts oops)

Summary: Upon inadvertently transforming Alhaitham from a cat back to a human by somehow fulfilling an unknown desire, Kaveh is confronted with the question he’s tried to smother for years – why did Alhaitham allow him to stay? Why was Kaveh here?

Upcoming in this chapter: Kaveh and Alhaitham uncover misconceptions they hold of the other because they talk!! like, really talk!!! finally!! <3333

[alonstars]

i cant fucking breath PLEASE HELP ME FIND THIS ALHAITHAM X READER FIC, enemies to lovers (bcs of a book that oc was trying to borrow but haitham grabbed it first so they agreed that oc will have it for 36 hours only and return it to haitham in the library but then they start hanging out more ang blah blah blah THEY DRINK AND HAVE SEX but oc is insecure and asks haitham to stop mid way and RELIGIOUSLY AVOIDED him for 1 month !!! after a month of haitham yearning he looked at the records of research recently passed to him and found oc's research in which they propose going to fontaine AND BOOM they're gone for another month blah blah time skip they return to pass their research except haitham was too busy and was missing oc TOO DAMN MUCH to realize it was them passing their paper and only realized when they said his name !3&1!2&1@ he had to wait for his work hours to finish and visited oc THROUGH THEIR WINDOW ???? with dinner and they have a very awkward dinner, next thing they know haitham is confessing and hallelujah they're making babies the end) or smth, please i'll die if i dont finish this shit im not even kidding

i'll give u guys welkin or smth if u find it for me (NOT GUARANTEED IM BROKE BCS OF HSR)

[bloody-bee-tea]

An urge

Ever since having read Ereana's "The Green-eyed General" the thought of Alhaitham and Layla being friends won't leave me alone, so thank you for giving me this wonderful friendship <3 

Alhaitham is going over yet another Grand Sage application when he hears Cyno approach his office. His steps are quiet–usually enough so that he wouldn’t be heard–but his bare feet make a very distinct sound on the floor. Distinct enough that Alhaitham can pick up on it, even through the usual bustle of the place.

He raises his gaze just as Cyno steps through the door and his appearance leaves Alhaitham speechless.

“You wanted to see me?” Cyno asks, not quite standing at attention when he reaches Alhaitham’s desk and it takes Alhaitham an embarrassingly long moment to find his voice.

“You’re not dressed for work,” he finally gets out, his mouth suddenly dry and he wonders if he failed to properly hydrate today.

Cyno looks down at his own body; he’s not wearing his arm guards and even his headpiece is gone. Instead he’s wrapped in a soft cloak, the hood not even pulled up. But most notably he has his hair up in a ponytail instead of open around his shoulders and somehow Alhaitham can’t take his eyes off the curve of his neck.

“It’s my day off. You asked me to take it. Pestered me about it, for days, even. Did you forget?” Cyno asks, slightly tilting his head.

“Your vacation days are piling up.”

“So you’ve said,” Cyno gives back with a small smirk and Alhaitham forces himself to focus on literally anything else than the exposed skin on Cyno’s neck. 

It really shouldn’t be this distracting.

“What is it you need me for?” Cyno asks again, though he’s clearly not too bothered at having been called in by Alhaitham on his day off.

“Nothing important. It’s your day off, it can wait,” Alhaitham waves him off and adds the application he currently holds in his hand to a stack.

Alhaitham has his favourites, of course, but he wants Cyno to go over them as well; Alhaitham will step back as Acting Grand Sage and return to his old post as Grand Scribe, meaning he won’t have to deal with the Grand Sage every day–Cyno on the other hand will have to work closely together with the new Grand Sage, so he should be allowed to give his input.

“So you did forget,” Cyno says, almost smugly, and Alhaitham narrows his eyes at him.

“It temporarily slipped my mind,” he corrects him but it only serves to deepen the amused look on Cyno’s face.

“Normal people call that forgetting, Alhaitham,” Cyno informs him, the laughter evident in his voice, even if it’s not on his face.

“What? You’re saying I’m not behaving like a normal person?” Alhaitham asks, keeping himself busy so he doesn’t have to see the look Cyno no doubt sends his way.

“I’m saying it’s nice to see that you are just as human as the rest of us,” Cyno shoots back and then straightens up. “But if you have nothing urgent to discuss with me, I’ll be heading out. I was looking forward to some TCG games today.”

“Enjoy those then,” Alhaitham dismisses him and he manages to not stare after Cyno for exactly two seconds before his eyes are drawn back to his figure.

It’s strange, to see the ponytail swish in time with his steps and Alhaitham can’t quite drag his eyes away from the hairline he can make out.

He refuses to feel caught when Cyno turns around to wave at him just as he’s about to turn the corner and instead nods back. 

It makes no sense that Alhaitham feels as caught off guard as he does about Cyno’s changed attire and he quickly attributes it to the fact that he’s not used to seeing Cyno out of his usual work clothes. New things always catch his attention after all, and things will go back to normal once he sees Cyno a bit more often like that.

Alhaitham is sure of it.

~*~* ~

Things do not go back to normal.

Alhaitham somehow manages to talk Cyno into taking all of his piled up vacation days and on those days Cyno without fail foregoes his severe look and opts for the soft cloak and pulled back hair.

And it’s doing things to Alhaitham he’s not sure he likes. Or even understands.

There is no logical explanation for why Cyno’s choice of hairstyle is distracting him so much, why Alhaitham’s gaze can’t seem to stray from the line of his neck, or the choker he still wears and his fingers itch with the urge to do something. 

The choker is a choice for sure, but it’s by far not the most outlandish styling choice in Sumeru and most importantly it’s also not new. Cyno is always wearing it and Alhaitham’s gaze doesn’t get caught nearly as much on it as it does now when he has his hair up and out of the way. 

On top of that Alhaitham is well aware of the fact that despite the spirit dwelling within him, Cyno is still very much human and humans have necks. It’s just something their biology dictates. Everyone has a neck so the fact that Alhaitham’s eyes trace the curve of Cyno’s whenever he is near makes no sense. 

And Contrary to what Alhaitham believed–hoped for, really–he does not get used to the look. Instead the urge to reach out and do something gets stronger every time he sees Cyno dressed down like this.

Now, there are a number of hypothesis Alhaitham has as to what is happening with him and he does intend to test a few of them. 

First, he has to figure out if his reaction is specifically to Cyno as a person or if it has to do with the changed hairstyle in general. So he goes to seek out Layla.

Alhaitham has never really bothered to define his relationship with Layla, which was built through happenstance and late-night talks, but he and her are on good enough terms that Alhaitham feels comfortable to ask her for a favor. It helps that she wears a hood she can take off and that she wears her hair in a style that allows her to still pull something back. 

Alhaitham figures it’s close enough to Cyno’s changes.

He finds her at her preferred table in the library, slouching over some papers. 

“Layla,” he greets her, hiding an amused smirk when she startles badly and almost knocks a big tome off the table. The entire thing probably weighs more than she does.

“Grand Scribe Alhaitham!” She hesitates for a moment. “Or is it still Acting Grand Sage? You did resign, didn’t you?”

“Word travels fast, I see,” he hums out as he takes a seat next to her. “I did resign, but a replacement hasn’t been found. Why don’t we simply go with Alhaitham for now?”

“If you’re certain,” she almost stutters out and Alhaitham would feel bad for stressing her out this much but he knows that this is just her default state. At least when she’s awake.

“I am. I am here to ask for a favour,” he tells her without beating around the bush and instantly Layla’s gaze sharpens.

“What do you need from me?”

“This request may sound a little strange but I need you to take your hood off and tie your hair back,” Alhaitham says and instantly, she slides her headpiece off.

“Sure, but why?” she asks, gently putting it to the side before she gathers her hair and pulls it back, tying it at the back of her neck, clearly not at all bothered by his strange request.

“Research,” Alhaitham shortly says, his critical gaze on her.

She looks different without her headpiece, startlingly so, but even with her hair out of the way Alhaitham is not nearly as transfixed with her as he has been with Cyno. He barely notices her neck at all; there’s nothing that draws his gaze like Cyno’s exposed neck does.

He lets out a frustrated breath.

“Is the result not to your liking?” Layla asks, clearly picking up on his displeasure and he allows himself to slump in the chair. 

It’s not as if Layla is going to judge him.

“It’s–not the preferred outcome,” he sighs out because this makes everything a little bit more complicated.

If Layla’s change leaves him without a reaction, that must mean it’s something that has specifically to do with Cyno which means he’ll have to conduct more research with him.

“Sorry,” Layla shrugs and undoes her hair before she quickly slips her headpiece back on. 

It seems she did feel a bit naked or maybe even exposed without it and it makes Alhaitham wonder all the more how Cyno doesn’t seem bothered by the lack of his headpiece at all.

“No need to apologize,” Alhaitham gives back. “Thank you for indulging me.”

Layla stares at him for a long moment and Alhaitham learned that this particular gaze means she wants to ask something but isn’t sure if she’s allowed to.

“Just ask whatever it is, we have been over this,” he tells her, and Layla shoots him a quick smile.

“It’s just–you seem tired. Are you sure that everything is alright?”

“I’m fine,” Alhaitham says, just like he usually does when someone asks this question and then he remembers that this is Layla and not some errant scholar who wants to make small-talk. “I have been a bit–preoccupied. Distracted, even,” he admits out loud and he tries very hard to ignore the fact that it’s the first time he does so.

“Something urgent?” 

“Something personal,” he shoots back and Layla groans.

“Even worse,” she decides and it brings a smile to Alhaitham’s face. “Rest here for a while, if you can,” she then adds. “No one will bother you here.”

It’s likely that she’s right about that; her preferred corner is a little bit hidden away and no one would suspect the Acting Grand Sage at her table, slumped in his chair like he is.

“If you insist,” he mutters, his eyes already closed, even though it does nothing to take his mind off Cyno’s exposed neck.

“I do,” Layla gives back just as quietly and then the only thing Alhaitham hears for a while is the soft rustling of pages being turned and feather scraping over paper.

~*~* ~

Alhaitham knows that it’s not quite right to keep calling Cyno into work on his days off and the fact that he has the flimsiest excuse for it is not helping.

But he can hardly tell Cyno the truth, so this will have to do for now.

“You can’t keep pestering me about taking days off and then continue to call me into work,” Cyno says when he steps into Alhaitham’s office and Alhaitham would agree, if this wasn’t important research.

At least important to him.

He can tell that Cyno is not nearly as upset as his words make him out to be though, because there’s the hint of a smile around the corner of his eyes and that’s all Alhaitham needs to point at the stack of papers next to him.

He narrowed the candidates for the position of Grand Sage down to three and now he wants Cyno’s input on them.

Alhaitham very deliberately did not mention this to Cyno yesterday when he was on duty, because he needs this excuse. It’s not as if seeing Cyno in his full regalia and with his hair down is affecting him nearly as much as his ‘vacation look’ does. Calling Cyno into his office only to send him away almost immediately again is going to raise questions even faster as Alhaitham’s slim excuses are going to do so he had to resort to this.

“We’ll have to make a decision regarding the next Grand Sage,” Alhaitham explains even as Cyno comes around his desk.

Cyno started moving even before Alhaitham explained, simply going where Alhaitham told him to and he very deliberately does not think about how that makes him feel. It has nothing to do with his current research and it never helps to mix things up.

“And I have to do that on my day off because–” Cyno says, trailing off at the end and raising an expectant eyebrow at Alhaitham.

“I finished sorting them this morning,” Alhaitham gives back. 

“And you are so very eager to get rid of your current post,” Cyno tacks on and it’s not even that wrong, so Alhaitham only shrugs. “Let’s see it then,” he sighs out and bends over, reaching out to display the applications on the table.

He’s very close and his neck is right there and while Alhaitham would never admit that the sight is making him feel warm all over it is why he called Cyno here. So this time, when his fingers itch with the urge to reach out, when his skin tingles with the need to slide over that delicate spine, he gives in.

Alhaitham is very happy that his gloves don’t cover his index fingers because it allows him to feel Cyno’s smooth skin as he trails his finger down Cyno’s spine. He can clearly feel every bump, gets caught on the thickness of the choker around Cyno’s neck and it’s only when he reaches his shoulder that Alhaitham notices that Cyno has gone completely still at his side.

Alhaitham clears his throat, suddenly embarrassed by his actions–and more so by the need still tingling in his fingertips–and it finally prompts Cyno to tilt his head towards him.

He doesn’t look furious, like Alhaitham almost expected him to, but rather mildly curious if the raised eyebrow is anything to go by.

“You’re lucky I’m on my day off. Otherwise this could be classified as workplace harassment,” Cyno tells him and then turns his attention back to the applications as if nothing at all happened.

What just transpired is probably still enough to be classified as harassment–workplace or not–and the fact that Cyno is clearly not going to pursue this further is certainly food for thought.

And Alhaitham is giving it some thought, at least until Cyno elbows him in the side.

“Now, kindly do pay attention to something other than whatever is currently running through your head, or I’ll have to write this down as a work day after all.”

There’s a smirk playing around Cyno’s mouth, something self-satisfied that makes Alhaitham think Cyno knows something he doesn’t and it’s almost enough to distract him again.

But his side kindly reminds him that it would not like to take another hit from Cyno, no matter how friendly and so he focuses on his flimsy excuse and points out the various strengths and weaknesses of the possible candidates.

~*~*~

Alhaitham hoped that with his curiosity sated once, things would go back to normal but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The one taste he got was more than enough to make him feel like a starving man now and he’s running out of excuses. The next Grand Sage has been approved of and with Cyno’s diligent work, there’s not really something urgent coming up that he absolutely has to come in for.

Alhaitham hates to admit it, but it might make him a bit desperate.

He barely caught a glimpse of Cyno for the last two days, even though Alhaitham knows he’s running around the Akademiya with his hair pulled back and his neck exposed.

Alhaitham wonders if other people struggle as much as he does with that vision but he doesn’t pay enough attention to the rumor mill to figure that one out.

His eyes glaze over as he reads over the report currently in his hand, and he curses himself. It’s the third time he’s attempting to read it, with even less success than the last two times. But all he can think of is how the choker had felt under his finger, how it had contrasted with Cyno’s skin and Alhaitham finds himself wanting to hook his finger under it and pull Cyno close.

It’s not appropriate, not at all, but it’s all Alhaitham can think about and he is still the Acting Grand Sage.

If he doesn’t get to abuse his power even a little bit then what even is the point.

“Call for the General Mahamatra,” he says into this office, certain that one of the many assistants that are running around will do as he says and then he tries to push his impulsive action out of his mind.

He’ll have to come up with an excuse once Cyno is there—for the other people to leave and for Cyno as well—but he’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it.

Which is much sooner than he anticipated, if Alhaitham is being honest, because barely ten minutes have passed before Cyno steps into his office.

“You wanted to see me?” he asks, clearly and loudly judging Alhaitham for calling him in on his day off yet again but all Alhaitham sees is how his throat works against the choker as he speaks.

“Everyone out,” he commands, and while everyone freezes in shock for a moment, they file out of  his office quickly enough.

“This seems important,” Cyno comments, passively watching everyone scramble out and he only turns his gaze back around to Alhaitham when the door closes behind the last person. “Should you have called me for a real reason, for once?”

“Come here,” Alhaitham says and then winces at his own tone.

He’s about to do something incredibly inappropriate. He should at least be polite about it.

To his surprise, Cyno does exactly as he’s been told and comes around the desk, coming to a stop just out of reach for Alhaitham.

Which is just as well, Alhaitham supposes because it gives him the flimsiest of excuses to get up and extend his hand.

“I said, come here,” he repeats, hooking his finger under the choker and pulling Cyno close.

Cyno resist for merely a heartbeat before he easily follows Alhaitham’s guidance along and it feels as if Alhaitham is on fire. Cyno’s steady gaze on his face is not helping.

“You’re—not reacting the way I expected you to,” Alhaitham says after a long moment, his finger still hooked underneath the fabric and he can’t quite bring himself to let go of Cyno.

He can feel it when Cyno swallows.

Cyno slightly tilts his head at him as he asks “And what reaction did you expect?”

It’s a question Alhaitham should have expected, but it catches him completely off guard. He has no clue what kind of reaction he was waiting for and it must show on his face because Cyno smiles at him.

“And they call me the savage, accusing me of not understanding feelings.”

Cyno slightly shakes his head even as his smile deepens and Alhaitham can see how it crinkles the corners of Cyno’s eyes and he’s burning with a need he doesn’t even understand himself.

At least until Cyno reaches out, sliding his hand up Alhaitham’s neck to pull him down and when soft lips meet his Alhaitham doesn’t think at all anymore.

“I see,” he breathes out when they part and now everything finally slots into place.

It does help that Cyno’s grin is the single most attractive thing Alhaitham has ever seen. Or maybe tasted, he corrects himself as he leans back in for another kiss.

“If I had known my vacation would do that to you, I would have taken all these days much earlier,” Cyno mumbles against his lips and Alhaitham finally removes his hand from Cyno’s neck to tug slightly on his hair.

“Should have done this sooner,” he admits and then drops his head down to Cyno’s shoulder, because he’s allowed to and because he can but most of all simply because he wants to.

Has wanted to since the first time Cyno stepped into his office like that. Alhaitham brushes a kiss over Cyno’s neck and allows himself a small smile when he shivers.

Really, he should have seen what this obsession was about much sooner, but that’s always easy to say after the fact.

“I think I’m in love with you,” Alhaitham whispers against his skin, trying the words out for the first time and he’s surprised to find how well they fit.

“I should hope so, otherwise I’d have to assume you just go around kissing everyone with an exposed neck.”

Alhaitham’s face burns with a sudden memory.

“I had Layla imitate your style,” he admits and he tenses when Cyno goes completely still for a moment.

“You did not!” Cyno laughs out, his body shaking with his mirth and Alhaitham relaxes again.

“Had to test different hypothesis.”

“You are such a scholar,” Cyno gently teases him, tugging on a strand of his hair and Alhaitham finds that he doesn’t mind this teasing at all.

Not when it’s from Cyno and not when it’s done with clear love in his voice.