Work Text:
Thud!
Alhaitham woke up with a start.
The thud was followed quickly by a groan from his roommate.
Probably Kaveh doing late night work again and walking into a wall in the dark.
Again.
The scribe resolved to go back to sleep and ignore his roommate. Kaveh was always staying up obnoxiously late, keeping him up. Alhaitham had talked to him about it countless times, citing the side effects of living life on low sleep (complete with peer reviewed sources straight from the akademiya ), but Kaveh still worked himself to the bone straight through the night. Alhaitham wanted Kaveh to realize the harm he was doing to himself, but Kaveh only saw this as an attempt for Alhaitham to be right.
He could hear the blond’s shuffling footsteps and soft mutterings heading down the hallway, followed by a dramatic huff.
A moment passed before more shuffling footsteps were heard. A soft knock came to Alhaitham’s door.
He sighed, “Kaveh? What could you possibly want this late?”
The door creaked open and Kaveh stood just outside, peeking his head in. “I…may have accidentally deleted my bed.”
Alhaitham frowned, but remembered Kaveh telling him something about accidentally deleting a treasure chest while out helping the Traveler. Lumine thought it was funny, but Kaveh was devastated. He had hoped that chest would cover some of his rent for the month. Not like Alhaitham charged him all that much in the first place (and when Kaveh forgot to pay, Alhaitham coincidentally forgot to mention it). He didn’t want to drive someone as beautiful and naive as Kaveh to room with someone else who might have unsavory intentions.
Though…Alhaitham realized how hypocritical that thought was every time he caught himself staring at Kaveh for far longer than was normal. But it wasn’t his fault his senior was the most attractive person in all of Teyvat.
Alhaitham caught himself in his thoughts and asked, “And?”
Kaveh stepped into the room and Alhaitham’s brain malfunctioned. His roommate was wearing only a long white shirt. Just long enough to come above mid thigh. Hair loose, long legs on full display - Alhaitham could feel his heart skip a beat. Even in the dark, with minimal light coming off of the vision on Alhaitham’s nightstand, Kaveh was drop dead gorgeous.
The object of Alhaitham’s affections crossed his arms–the hem of his shirt coming up a bit on one side–and stepped closer. Alhaitham wished he had turned a light on so he could see better. “Listen, I don’t want to ask this any more than you want me to, but…let me sleep here tonight. I have to be up early to meet with a client and all of your books are on the couch, so I can’t sleep there.”
Yes yes yes yes yes yes!
Alhaitham wanted to shout from the rooftops. Of course Kaveh could sleep with him. Any time.
But he couldn’t just say that. He had maintained aloofness for so long that if he enthusiastically consented to Kaveh sleeping in his bed the architect would think he had been replaced by an impostor.
He had to feign indifference.
“Can’t you just throw a blanket on the floor?” Alhaitham asked, keeping his tone as neutral as he could. He wanted nothing more than to throw the covers open and welcome his long time crush right into his arms. But Kaveh…well, Alhaitham didn’t think the architect was ready for that.
Kaveh thought Alhaitham hated him, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, they had many disagreements, as well as a friendship ending fight, but Alhaitham had been deeply and madly in love with the blond for years. Back in their akademiya days, Alhaitham had spent hours writing the perfect love notes that never saw the light of day.
“Are you serious?” Kaveh asked indignantly. He uncrossed his arms and put his hands on his perfectly tiny waist, “I could be happily sleeping on the couch if it weren’t for your books, so this is on you.”
“Then move the books,” Alhaitham said, knowing that without Mehrak, Kaveh didn’t have the strength to lift piles of books that big. And Kaveh wouldn’t risk deleting them like he had deleted his own bed.
In a mock tone that was probably supposed to be an impression of the scribe, Kaveh said, “Leave my books alone, Kaveh. You’ll damage them, Kaveh. I’ll put them away when I no longer need them, Kaveh.” Jumping out of his impression, the blond huffed, “Oh my god, just move over I need sleep!”
Anything for you, my love.
“Fine,” Alhaitham said, scooting to one side of his bed.
Kaveh lifted the covers and even in the dark, Alhaitham could see Kaveh’s beautiful ruby eyes flit to his bare chest. A chest that Alhaitham had spent many long years perfecting after seeing Kaveh basically drool at the sight of a well muscled chest in their school days. Alhaitham had very quickly become acquainted with the gym in hopes of attracting his beautiful senior’s attention.
It seemed to have paid off at least a little, judging by the way Kaveh’s eyes lingered and his mouth opened just slightly.
Alhaitham could feel his heart speeding up again.
Kaveh snapped himself out of his daze and scooted into the bed, leaving himself on the very edge. Alhaitham used every ounce of his willpower not to watch Kaveh’s long legs slip under his covers.
“You better not disappear this bed too,” Alhaitham said, shutting his eyes to resist the temptation of just watching Kaveh like some sort of creep.
Kaveh sounded annoyed when he said, “I left my vision in my room with Mehrak.”
“Good.”
“Yeah.”
Goodnight, love. I hope you sleep well, Alhaitham thought.
This was a mistake.
Alhaitham lay perfectly still, completely awake.
Kaveh snored lightly beside him, having spread across the bed into Alhaitham’s space.
This would have been more than fine if the architect hadn’t put a leg over Alhaitham’s legs and an arm straight over his chest. He was so close that the scribe could feel Kaveh’s soft breaths against his shoulder.
This was the best night of Alhaitham’s life and he could do nothing but lay there in fear of waking Kaveh up.
Tha man he was madly in love with was right there sleeping next to him, completely unaware of how incredibly beautiful he was–unaware of what this did to his junior.
Alhaitham resisted the urge to just turn to his side and wrap Kaveh in his arms.
…He could say it was just a coincidence.
An accident that had occurred in sleep. That he wasn’t aware of his body and just so happened to pull Kaveh right into his arms.
But he didn’t.
Couldn’t risk Kaveh waking up and demanding Alhaitham move his books immediately off the couch.
Kaveh sighed and scooted himself even closer, his chin pressed against Alhaitham’s shoulder and the soft breath that had already been a lot to handle became a problem. Kaveh’s whole body pressed into Alhaitham’s side. The hand that had been resting gently over Alhaitham’s chest squeezed the pillowy muscle of his pectorals as Kaveh’s legs stretched further over his own.
Alhaitham stared directly at the ceiling, willing his heart to slow down and the blush to creep away from his entire body.
Kaveh had no idea how much he affected the scribe.
Alhaitham wanted to simultaneously stay in this moment forever and to jump out of the window and into a cold fountain.
The light of dawn began making itself known outside of his window, but there was not a single chance he would be getting any sleep. Not with Kaveh so close.
Alhaitham resolved himself to a sleepless night and instead chose to use his energy to memorize the feel of the love of his life sleeping curled up into him.
He had to find a way to delay getting Kaveh a new bed.
At some point Alhaitham had to have drifted off, because the next thing he knew, Kaveh was sitting bolt upright in bed, his cheeks a deep red.
He enjoyed the view for a moment as Kaveh stared straight ahead, before he also sat up and said, “Morning.”
The architect’s eyes flashed over his chest for a moment as the covers fell away from him, but before Alhaitham could even process that as a victory, Kaveh glanced at the clock on the wall and sprang from bed, “Fuck! I’m gonna be late!”
He ran off quickly, leaving Alhaitham only with the warmth of the mattress next to him.
Alhaitham sat down across from the traveler in Lambad’s Tavern after helping her complete a commission.
Lumine ordered basically every item on the menu, which had Paimon squealing in delight.
“So,” she said cheerfully, “What has you looking so tired today?”
The happy-go-lucky traveler’s smile was warm, as always. She wasn’t the world’s most perceptive person when it came to feelings (completely unaware that every eligible bachelorette in Teyvat was vying for her attention), so Alhaitham felt comfortable telling her at least part of the truth. “Kaveh made his own bed disappear and woke me up.”
“Oh? Well, if you’d like I can make him a new bed in my teapot. It would only take a day or so,” she shrugged.
Alhaitham leaned forward, his expression growing cold. “That won’t be necessary.”
Paimon shivered, “Uh…Paimon is going to…get more drinks!” The little floating fairy flew away, reading the room much better than their traveling companion.
Lumine waved him off, “It’s no trouble, really! I’ve got plenty of resources and–”
“That won’t be necessary,” Alhaitham repeated, this time more forcefully. He couldn’t have Lumine pulling a brand new bed out of a teapot and taking away the best thing that had happened in his life.
Lumine seemed to catch on this time, frowning, “I…it really wouldn’t be a problem, but…I guess I can’t guarantee that a bed from the teapot could even be taken out, so…”
“If you see Kaveh, don’t mention the teapot.”
Lumine nodded, “Yup. Okay. Will do– won’t do, I mean. Gee, I think I heard Paimon calling!”
The traveler scrambled away. Alhaitham smiled to himself in triumph.
Kaveh couldn’t afford a new bed right now, and Alhaitham would find any excuse he could to not get him one.
Kaveh came home from his long day of work to find more books on the couch.
Alhaitham had only added one or two, but they were the heaviest he could find. He sat on one end, legs crossed, casually reading. Without looking at the architect and said, “Dinner is on the table.”
“Ugh, yes!” Kaveh sighed, placing Mehrak gently on a chair at the dining room table. “Let’s eat!”
Alhaitham went to sit down for dinner, taking his book with him, but putting it down on the table.
They had a system. They would eat dinner together and catch up, which usually just meant Kaveh going off about his day and Alhaitham not paying any attention, just watching the love of his life enthusiastically rant.
This time, Kaveh started off by asking, “How did your commission go with Lumine?”
“It went well. Nothing but a few stray slimes.”
“Hmm, then why did she run away from me?” Before Alhaitham could pretend to be surprised by this news, Kaveh put his hands up in confusion, “I saw her at the market and went to say hi, but she said something about having to leave immediately and ran away. Like literally ran! She can teleport if it’s an emergency, but she just took off out of the market!” Leaning back in his chair, Kaveh said, “So that’s why I thought maybe your commission didn’t go well.”
Alhaitham shrugged, “No, it went perfectly fine.” It wasn’t on him that Lumine had fled instead of just making polite small talk and excusing herself. There were definitely more tactful ways of avoiding conversation.
“Weird,” Kaveh mirrored Alhaitham’s shrug. “Anyway, I need to tell you about this absolute cretin of a client I had today!”
Alhaitham leaned forward, ready to zone out and watch Kaveh’s gorgeous, expressive face.
After dinner, Alhaitham bathed and read for a while before bedtime approached. This time he was determined to sleep at least a little.
He very purposefully didn’t put on a shirt before he went to knock on Kaveh’s door. He had his pajama bottoms on and that was enough. He usually would have had a shirt on until he was really ready to settle into bed, but he wanted to see Kaveh’s eyes linger with actual lights on this time.
He knocked on the door and got a hum in response.
“May I come in?”
“Yeah,” Kaveh droned.
Alhaitham opened the door to Kaveh’s room–weirdly empty without a bed–and found his roommate leaned over his desk, working. He didn’t look up, which Alhaitham found immensely disappointing. “It’s time for bed.”
Kaveh sat up straight, “What? But I just started…” His words trailed off as he looked over at Alhaitham. Those gorgeous eyes swept over the scribe’s chest, words forgotten.
Alhaitham didn’t blush by sheer force of will. “It’s time for bed. If you’re sleeping in my room, you’re going to follow my sleep schedule. Bathe and brush your teeth.”
“Wh…” Kaveh looked like he had a thousand things to say, but his eyes kept darting back to Alhaitham’s muscled chest.
“You can finish your work tomorrow once you’re well rested.” Alhaitham leaned against the door and looked on expectantly.
“Like right now?” Kaveh asked.
“Yes. Right now. Unless you really want to sleep on the floor.”
The blond pouted, “Fine.”
“Good.” Alhaitham waited in the doorway until Kaveh got up and grabbed his pajamas–this time taking some pajama pants, much to Alhaitham’s disappointment.
Once it was clear that Kaveh was actually going to get ready for bed, Alhaitham went to his room. He lay down in bed and picked up a book, waiting.
Kaveh walked in and without a word got into bed next to Alhaitham. The scribe put his book away and lay back as Kaveh made himself comfortable.
“Goodnight,” Kaveh said, turning away from Alhaitham and scooting as far away as he possibly could.
Alhaitham hoped that once again Kaveh would turn around in bed and he could experience the bliss of having the blond cuddled into him. “Goodnight.”
Alhaitham woke up with Kaveh already awake and sitting up. He was blushing again, but the scribe hadn’t had the chance to experience whatever he was blushing at. Hopefully it was more cuddling.
Still, Kaveh looked well rested, and that was a win in Alhaitham’s book.
“Good morning,” he said, sitting up and stretching his arms up.
Kaveh’s eyes were glued to Alhaitham’s muscle through the whole stretch. “Uh-huh.”
“Did you sleep well?”
Kaveh ran a hand through his messy blond hair, “Yeah, actually. Is this how it feels to not be sleep deprived?”
“You really shouldn’t sleep where you work. It’s not good for you,” Alhaitham said, knowing the sources for these studies, but keeping them to himself. It didn’t seem like the appropriate time to brandish his knowledge. Not with Kaveh looking so cute.
Kaveh sighed, “We don’t exactly have room for an office.”
We would if we turned your room into one and this could become our bedroom.
Alhaitham shrugged, “Just a suggestion.”
The next night, Alhaitham did the same thing. He went to Kaveh’s room and reminded him that it was time for sleep.
The night after that was the same.
A few days of Kaveh being blissfully well rested later, the man walked to the breakfast table where Alhaitham sat drinking tea and announced, “I’m going to look for a new bed with Nilou after work.”
Alhaitham could have cried. Dread pooled in his stomach, but he feigned indifference as usual. “Okay. Can you afford a new bed?”
Kaveh crossed his arms, “I’m just going to look so I can know how much to save up!”
The scribe held back his sigh of relief. He hadn’t really gotten a chance as good as that first night to really appreciate Kaven being in his space. He needed to stay up a bit longer to truly experience whatever had Kaveh blushing every morning.
Alhaitham couldn’t let on how much he didn’t want Kaveh to get a new bed, so he took a sip of his tea and opened his book, “Alright. Good luck.”
Kaveh invited Nilou over after their shopping adventure. They had picked up some dinner, and sat around the dining table eating together.
“So how went the search for a new bed?” Alhaitham asked, hopeful that it was a complete bust. He really didn’t know how much a new bed cost, but whatever it was, he hoped it was too much for Kaveh to afford on his own.
Nilou smiled, “Not a single bed met Kaveh’s needs.”
The architect blushed fiercely, “I liked that one with the pretty headboard!”
“It was the most expensive bed they had,” Nilou said, sipping her tea.
The blond pouted, “If I’m going to get a bed, it might as well be comfortable! Besides, the bed we looked at was basically the same one Alhaitham already has, so I know it’s comfortable.”
Nilou perked up at that, but at the intense look Alhaitham shot her, she changed the subject entirely. “We did see some very cute pillow covers!”
That got Kaveh excited, so he went off about the pillow covers. Alhaitham didn’t particularly care, but he did pay enough attention to know what shop they were at and what they looked like. Apparently the sale of these covers helped raise money for the local orphanage, so of course Kaveh was on board.
But he didn’t have enough money for them.
When the most beautiful man in all of Teyvat excused himself to go to the bathroom, Nilou immediately asked, “So how does Kaveh know what it’s like to sleep in your bed?”
Alhaitham figured she could see the giant pile of dusty books on the couch and it wasn’t worth lying. “Where else would he be sleeping?”
Nilou’s smile turned into a grin, “I see.”
Alhaitham tried the same thing he had with Lumine. A cold look and a firm, “You’re not going to tell anyone about this.”
Nilou didn’t budge. Her grin remained.
Kaveh came back at that moment and both of them looked towards the gorgeous blond. “Well, I’m beat! How about we try again at a different store next week?”
Nilou put a finger to her chin, thinking, “I don’t think I’ll have any time next week, unfortunately.” She glanced at Alhaitham and winked, “My, it is getting late. I’ll leave you two roommates to your business. Have a good night!”
She excused herself quickly and all but skipped out of the house.
Kaveh raised an eyebrow, “Weird. She told me she had plenty of time next week.”
Ignoring that statement completely, Alhaitham said, “Well, it’s getting close to bedtime. We should get ready.”
Alhaitham tried his best to stay up again, but his body was too used to sleeping at a particular time and he once again woke up with Kaveh already awake and sitting up.
He cursed his punctual sleeping schedule.
That first night he had been woken up after already being asleep, but Kaveh wasn’t waking him up with what he assumed was more cuddling.
He was disappointed by this all day, right up until they met Tighnari and Cyno for their monthly TCG game.
Alhaitham wasn’t really involved in the game itself. He watched on and made sure the rules were being followed. The games always ended up as Tighnari and Kaveh attempting to beat Cyno together.
It never worked, but they tried.
The game was going well so far, Alhaitham not truly invested in the outcome. He had gotten drinks for the whole table. Three alcoholic beverages and a tea for himself. He had gotten himself a type of tea which should help keep him awake a bit longer.
Everything was going great until Cyno rolled his dice and said, “So when were you two going to tell us you’re sleeping together?”
Alhaitham froze as Kaveh spat out his drink.
Both of their faces went red.
“Cyno!” Tighnari chastised, kicking the matra under the table.
“That’s what Nilou said. Am I wrong?”
He aimed a challenging stare at both men.
Kaveh waved his arms frantically, “I–n-no! Well yes, but no! Not like that! Alhaitham, tell them!”
It took the scribe’s brain a moment to function. He pulled himself together and said, “You’re not wrong about the statement, but very wrong about the sentiment. We are not sleeping together, we are simply sleeping in the same bed.”
Tighnari looked at them both as if they’d each grown another head. “Are you serious?!” He frowned down at the table, “I thought Nilou was joking!”
Cyno shook his head, “No lie can hide from a matra. I just wanted to make sure of it myself.” He played a card and said, “I use my skill, ending the game.”
Kaveh got up suddenly, his face beet red, “I think it’s time we leave. What a great time. Nice seeing you.”
The blond stumbled out of his chair and speedily walked away.
Alhaitham willed his legs to move, but he was too focused on Kaveh’s reaction.
Was that a good sign?? He couldn’t tell.
This was not his area of expertise.
“So why are you sharing a bed?” Cyno asked, leaning over the table and giving Alhaitham a stern look.
Lies didn’t get past Cyno and Alhaitham wasn’t a liar.
Seeing as his legs weren’t moving, Alhaitham willed his mouth to. “Kaveh had some difficulties with his vision where he accidentally deleted a few things from existence. He deleted his bed, so he is sleeping next to me for the time being.”
Tighnari also leaned over the table, “So you’re telling us right now that you and Kaveh are actually legitimately sharing a bed? Nothing more.”
Alhaitham thought of the cuddling very briefly. “No, nothing more.”
Tighnari and Cyno exchanged a long, meaningful look.
The forest ranger raised his eyebrows. “Right. Wow.” He got up and walked over to Cyno, “We should leave.”
Alhaitham’s legs felt stiff as he walked home.
That had definitely made things worse.
He didn’t technically lie to Cyno about there being nothing more than just sleeping, but the way the two had reacted…Alhaitham was afraid that they had drawn the wrong conclusion.
A conclusion Alhaitham wished was correct, but it wasn’t. There was really nothing more there, no matter how much the scribe wished it.
Walking into their shared home, he found Kaveh struggling to lift a pile of books off the couch. Panic froze his insides.
Kaveh didn’t want to share a bed anymore?
Alhaitham’s brain had a hard time processing the image in front of him.
“Kaveh, there’s no need–”
“Yes there is,” the architect struggled to lift one of the piles and half of it fell to the floor. “Damn it! I’ll clean that up, I promise, just…help me move these, would you?”
Alhaitham’s legs carried him closer, but instead of picking the books up and putting them on the floor, he put them back on the couch, “There’s no need for this. We have a perfectly good bed and the couch will hurt your back.”
Kaveh’s beautiful ruby eyes glazed over, “That’s fine.”
He took another book off, but Alhaitham simply put it back.
“Stop! This–!” Kaveh cut himself off and slumped onto the floor, his head leaned against one of the book piles. “This isn’t easy for me, Haitham.”
Alhaitham’s heart picked up speed, “What isn’t? Sharing a bed?”
“Yes!” Kaveh covered his gorgeous face with his hands, “I know it’s just sharing a bed for you, but for me…”
Alhaitham swallowed dryly. “It’s what?” The slight tremor of Kaveh’s shoulders sent both fear and hope into the scribe’s heart. “Kaveh, talk to me.”
The blond shook his head, “Forget it. I’ll just sleep on the floor.”
He got up and started walking, but Alhaitham moved before his brain caught up with what was happening. He stood up and grabbed Kaveh’s wrist. He knew his usual stoic face was nowhere to be seen. “Kaveh, what is it to you?”
Those beautiful, tear-filled ruby eyes looked anywhere but at the scribe. “I don’t feel the same about you as you do about me. Sharing a bed was…a nice way to fulfill some dumb fantasy. It was pleasant, but now people have the wrong idea and it’s scary. I can’t do this to you anymore–can’t do this to myself.”
Alhaitham’s grip on Kaveh’s wrist didn’t budge a single millimeter. “How do you feel about me?”
Kaveh tugged at his wrist, then frowned down at the ground. “Let go.”
“No. I need to know.” Alhaitham let himself feel the sheer panic of the moment. Let it wash over him as he let his mouth run away from him unfiltered. “If you don’t feel the same, then I will leave you alone, but I don’t think you’re aware of how I feel about you.” He stepped a little closer to the blond, “I feel that my life without you has less joy. I feel like every time I’m with you, I’m home. You’re more brilliant than the afternoon sun, more beautiful than any other being in the whole of Teyvat. I cannot find the words to properly express how much I want to spend every remaining day I have with you.” He let go of Kaveh’s wrist and said, “If you don’t feel the same, that’s fine. I will learn to live with that, so long as you’re happy, but if you feel even a fraction of what I feel for you, then…”
He ran out of words–had no idea how to finish that sentence.
The blond finally looked at him, eyes wide, dumbstruck.
Alhaitham let himself say the words he had been thinking for years. “I love you.”
Kaveh smacked him right in the shoulder. “Idiot!”
Before Alhaitham’s heart could wither away, Kaveh wrapped his arms around the more muscular man. “Kaveh?” he asked.
Sniffling, the blond said, “Shh, let me have this.”
Alhaitham wasn’t sure what this response meant, but he took the opportunity to hug Kaveh back. Just in case he was reading this wrong, he memorized the feel of Kaveh’s warmth pressing into him. He rested his chin on Kaveh’s shoulder and breathed deeply.
“Does…what does this mean?” Alhaitham asked.
Kaveh pulled him closer, “I can’t believe you said it first!” He was still crying, but there was an ounce of fondness in his tone.
Alhaitham couldn’t process what he just heard. “Said what?”
“I love you!” Kaveh pulled away just enough so they could look into each other’s eyes. “I love you, Alhaitham. I feel like my life has less joy when I’m not with you. I want to spend every day that I can by your side. You make me feel like I’m home.”
Alhaitham’s head spun. “Oh.”
Kaveh yawned, “ And you fixed my sleep schedule, so while I would love to stay up and hold you for hours and hours, I’m super tired. It’s later than we usually go to bed.”
Alhaitham couldn’t help the pure joy on his face. “Good. Let’s get ready for bed, then.”
They scooted into bed together, this time so close that their shoulders touched.
Kaveh took Alhaitham’s hand and said, “So, I was thinking…what if we put a big–floor to ceiling–bookshelf against the far wall? We could put a little sitting area for you to read in across from my desk.”
Alhaitham squeezed Kaveh’s hand, “You’ve been planning the office?”
Kaveh laughed a bashful little laugh, “Yeah. I drew up a quick plan too. I can show you tomorrow if you’d like.”
“I would love to see it.”
A bright flash of green surrounded the room.
Their backs hit the floor.
It was just them, the pillows, and blankets.
The bed was gone.
Kaveh groaned, “Fuck.”
“You didn’t fix the issue?”
“No, I…I was busy!”
Alhaitham took a deep breath. “I guess we are buying a new bed. Only after we see Nahida about this disappearing nonsense.”
Kaveh sighed, “…can we get the cute pillow covers?”
“Yeah. Let’s get the cute pillow covers.” Alhaitham turned to Kaveh and pulled the blond unashamedly into his arms. “That’s a problem for tomorrow. Goodnight, love.”
Kaveh cuddled into him, a bright smile on his face, “Goodnight.”