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Alhaitham wasn’t quite sure at what point he had fallen for his senior. Perhaps it was when they first met, when Kaveh had been all too eager to approach him and talk with him. Or perhaps it was later, when they had their falling out. When Alhaitham, for the first time I’m his life, said something he wished he could take back. Maybe he had always liked Kaveh, and that cursed argument had been the moment he realized he didn’t want to lose Kaveh. But he had, and there had been nothing he could’ve done to fix their broken relationship.
At least, until he saw his senior drunk at Lambad’s one night. Kaveh had built quite a reputation for himself at the time. The Light of Kshahrewar. Perhaps one of the best architects in Sumeru history. His work on the Palace of Alcazarzaray had been extraordinary, and no one could deny Kaveh’s work ethic. People from all around Sumeru would discuss him for months after the Palace of Alcazarzaray had been completed, and with those conversations, came the rumors.
Plenty of people spread gossip about Kaveh, about how he sunk himself into a hole of debt just to finish the commission. Alhaitham would’ve liked to not believe the rumors, but he knew his senior all too well. Kaveh resented failure, couldn’t stand it. His need for achievement was too overpowering, causing him to lose any sense of conscientiousness. If it meant his own success at a task, Kaveh would gladly work himself to death. Anything to finish what he started.
So, it hadn’t been much of a surprise when Kaveh expressed his life’s struggles to Alhaitham. It has been easy to get him to open up considering how much alcohol he had consumed that night. Alhaitham didn’t need to ask any questions. It was as if Kaveh had been waiting for him, as if Kaveh was ranting to someone he’d known for years. As if their argument at the Akademiya had never occurred.
That night, Alhaitham saw an opportunity to mend the rift between them. He didn’t hesitate to offer his senior a place to stay. Though not wanting to be too charitable, he added on the stipulation that Kaveh would have to pay rent. After all, he wasn’t sure how Kaveh felt about him. Especially after their fight, when he slapped Kaveh in the face with reality. Your commiseration stems from nothing more than your own desperate need to keep others close. He had said to his senior. You’re afraid of losing them, so you do what you can to keep them close. Even at the cost of yourself.
He had been harsh, but that was what Kaveh needed. For weeks before he had been trying to get Kaveh to slow down and stop taking on the workload of others, but, stubborn as always, Kaveh refused to heed his advice. He ended up overworking himself to the point his writing for their thesis was illegible—nothing more than incoherent babbling, a menagerie of words scrambled together on a page. That was when Alhaitham realized Kaveh needed a wakeup call.
When Kaveh accepted Alhaitham’s offer to stay with him, Alhaitham felt relieved. Knowing Kaveh didn’t harbor enough hatred towards him to reject his offer took a huge weight off his shoulder. Perhaps they could go back to what they were. It was only the start, but they were slowly repairing their broken relationship. Alhaitham was fully aware it would take time, but for Kaveh, he would wait an eternity.
Months passed after Kaveh moved in. It didn’t take long for the arguments to start. Knowing Kaveh, it was likely he thought Alhaitham had some ulterior motive for letting him stay with him, or perhaps Kaveh thought Alhaitham didn’t want to be friends with him. In any case, Kaveh lashed out at him often. Whether it was the décor, or Alhaitham’s demeanor, Kaveh found a reason to start an argument. Alhaitham didn’t let it bother him. He was content with Kaveh being so near.
Somehow, Kaveh ended up doing a bulk of the house chores. Alhaitham didn’t mind cleaning or cooking dinner, and he had never told Kaveh that would be something he’d have to do in order to stay there. And yet, Kaveh would have dinner prepared before Alhaitham returned home from work, he’d do the dishes, and keep the house organized. It felt domestic. Alhaitham wasn’t going to argue with Kaveh on that point. If his senior wanted to do the chores, Alhaitham would let him. It meant less work for him.
But he knew that the reason Kaveh was doing that much was because of his fear of losing Alhaitham. Kaveh was an open book. One look and you could tell exactly what he was thinking. Alhaitham was aware that Kaveh deeply appreciated him as a friend and didn’t want to lose him. If his actions, which were contrary to his words, weren’t an indication of that, then his drunk ramblings certainly were. When drunk, Kaveh had no filter. There was no need to ask any questions, not when Kaveh would go on drunken tirades and spill his deepest secrets to Alhaitham.
Which is actually how they got together in the first place. One night, Kaveh, drunk out of his mind and rambling, accidentally confessed his own feelings for Alhaitham. The worst thing of all, ‘Haitham… his senior had slurred, arms hanging over the armrests of the couch, is that I care so deeply for you, but I can never be sure how you feel about me.
Alhaitham knew he had been truthful, but he still didn’t believe it. It had only been after the next few accidental confessions that Alhaitham came to accept Kaveh’s feelings. Their relationship changed after that. They were unofficially together for a while, but Alhaitham tired of waiting for Kaveh to admit his feelings. He was sure it would never happen, as Kaveh would be too afraid of rejection and losing Alhaitham again to ever dare.
It was time for their weekly dinner at Lambad’s tavern. Since Kaveh had moved in and taken over the job of cooking dinner, on nights he didn’t feel up to it, they’d instead go out to eat. Alhaitham’s treat, as always. Kaveh wouldn’t be able to afford to pay his debt, rent, and fuel his alcoholism if he also paid for their weekly dinners.
In typical Kaveh fashion, the blond was spending far too long on ensuring his appearance was perfect. Fretting over every last detail. His braid was too loose. His feather out of place. There was a wrinkle in his shirt that needed to be ironed out. He couldn’t find the matching earrings for his necklace. While Kaveh’s attention to detail was usually something Alhaitham found endearing, at that moment, he was growing impatient. He was famished—work was too busy that day for him to have any downtime for lunch.
Kaveh had been taking so long getting ready that their timeslot for the reservation at Lambad’s Tavern was rapidly approaching. If he took any longer, they’d miss it. Usually Lambad’s didn’t hold any reservations, but because they were regulars who came in on the same day at the same time each week, an exception had been made. Alhaitham didn’t want to ruin his rapport with the tavern, nor did he want to ruin all sense of punctuality. Being late was simply not an option for him.
He poked his head into Kaveh’s bathroom, intent on giving him a reminder to hurry up or they’d lose their reservation. Without thinking, he spoke monotonously, “Hurry up, Kaveh. It’s been a few hours since I’ve last eaten, and I really don’t want to miss this date.”
Without waiting for a response, he walked off. As he left Kaveh’s room, he heard the sound of several objects hit the tile of Kaveh’s bathroom. Shortly after, his senior came bursting out of his room, his braid loose, messily thrown together. His cheeks were flushed red, his eyes wide as he stared at Alhaitham, stuttering over his words as he tried to speak.
“Y-You… Alhaitham!” There was a blend of astonishment and embarrassment in Kaveh’s voice. “What… What was that?!”
Alhaitham pulled his cape on, securing it into place. With the usual monotonous tone and deadpan expression, he replied, “What was what?”
Kaveh’s face somehow got even redder, his voice raising, “You know what I mean! What you said. Don’t mess around with me, Alhaitham!”
“Oh. I told you to hurry up.” Alhaitham replied nonchalantly, grabbing his set of keys off the key holder.
Before he could walk out the door, Kaveh was in front of him, blocking his way. His face was still red, his eyebrows furrowed. Red eyes stared daggers into Alhaitham’s.
“That is not what I meant, and you know it.” Kaveh huffed, hands on his hips. “You called this a date.”
Expression unchanging, Alhaitham simply cocked his head to the side, “Is that not what this is?”
Something about Alhaitham’s candidness threw Kaveh off. He was taken aback, unsure how to respond. Silence filtered through the room for a moment.
“Why would you think it’s a date?” Was eventually his response.
A small smirk formed on Alhaitham’s lips. He was going to just ignore Kaveh and carry on to Lambad’s. His growling stomach made it very tempting to. But perhaps now was as good a time as any to admit his feelings.
“Do I need to spell it out for you? We both know you’re smarter than that, my senior.” His voice held a hint of smugness. “If I must, I suppose I can. I’ve grown tired of waiting for you to confess.”
Kaveh’s expression shifted to confusion as Alhaitham spoke.
“I care about you, Kaveh. I have for a while now. And I know you feel the same. You tend to talk quite a lot when drunk.” He briskly moved past Kaveh, not giving him a moment to respond. “Now are you coming with me or not? We’ll be late otherwise.”
It took a few moments for Kaveh to process exactly what Alhaitham had said. But once he had, he was quick to follow his junior out the door, nearly shouting as he spoke, “Fine, but when we get back, we’re having a conversation about what exactly you mean! You hear me, Alhaitham?!”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything else.” Alhaitham replied simply.
A frustrated groan left Kaveh, “You are impossible, you know that?”
The smirk turned into a smile as Alhaitham replied, “I know. Now let’s get going.”
—
“I’m sure Kaveh would love any ring you pick out.”
Alhaitham ran a hand down his face, his attention shifting from the rings in front of him to his fox-eared friend. While there was a chance Tighnari could be right, there was a small voice in the back of his head saying it was wrong. Never before had Alhaitham ever felt this stressed in his life.
With an aggravated sigh, he replied, “Kaveh has exquisite taste. He hates the items I pick out for house décor. Says they leave an ever present stain on the beauty our house could achieve.” His eyes scanned the various rings in front of him again. There was certainly not a lack of various types of rings, and that was exactly the problem. Perhaps he should’ve done research before showing up. He wasn’t sure what the different styles were called, or which ones were considered the most elegant. “… What would make this any different?”
Before Tighnari could respond, a voice from behind the two spoke, “I guess you could say his words have been… Ringing in your head?”
Simultaneously, Alhaitham and Tighnari turned to stare at Cyno, deadpan expressions on their faces.
“Get it? Ringing in your head? Because you’re looking at rings?”
“Cyno, now is definitely not the right time to be joking.” The tone of Tighnari’s voice held a hint of disappointment. “This is a big decision for Alhaitham, and it clearly has him stressed.”
“Alhaitham doesn’t get stressed over anything.” Cyno replied. His gaze shifted, looking Alhaitham up and down. “Everyone knows that.”
If anyone were to pass by and glance at them, it would certainly appear as though Alhaitham wasn’t stressing over what ring to get Kaveh. The truth, however, is that there is an ever-present turmoil, his mind racing at the thought of what ring he should get his lover. This was a big decision, and Alhaitham wanted to make sure that Kaveh would love the ring he chose. He ran a hand down his face, an exasperated sigh leaving him.
“Fuck. Kaveh is going to hate any ring I pick.”
Perhaps he should just resign himself to his fate. He knew Kaveh well enough to know that their tastes would not align at all. Kaveh enjoyed being flashy and always wanted to appear posher than he actually was, so perhaps a more embellished ring would do? But on that same note, Kaveh didn’t enjoy going overboard. He wanted to paint the picture of sophistication and wealth, without appearing to flaunt it. So maybe something simpler?
A hand rested on his shoulder, an attempt to pull him from his thoughts. His head turned to face Tighnari, who’s expression softened as he spoke, “Just get Kaveh whatever ring you think is fine. If it comes down to it, you guys can always come back and pick out another for him later on.”
That was an option? How was Alhaitham supposed to know they could just come back later if Kaveh wasn’t satisfied with the ring he chose? It did enough to ease his mind, at least. He hadn’t considered that a possibility. His eyes shifted back to the rings, landing on a simple oval shaped one. It was elegant enough, he supposed, but not over-the-top. The band wasn’t too thick, but not too thin, either. It would be easy for Kaveh to wear while working and be comfortable as well.
“This one will do.” He decided firmly.
His friends nodded in agreement, Tighnari speaking up, “I think that’s a good choice. Kaveh will love it.”
Alhaitham sure hoped his senior would love the ring. Already, he was second guessing his decision. But it was too late. Before he knew it, he handed mora to the seller, and was out the door. The box the ring was in felt heavy in his pocket. Did he really make the correct choice? He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t be sure. Usually he was calm, calculated when it came to things. He had no problem reading Kaveh and understanding what he would like. But all of that rational thinking and understanding of his lover was thrown out when it came to picking out a ring.
Now there was just the problem of when to propose. Which was likely to be just as difficult as picking out the right ring. Alhaitham was not the romantic type. In fact, he was the exact opposite of Kaveh. His senior was a hopeless romantic who enjoyed candlelit dinners and big gestures. Kaveh loved flowers and gifts and doing little things to make him happy. Meanwhile, Alhaitham was perfectly content with just being around Kaveh. They could be sitting in absolute silence and Alhaitham was happy with that. He felt no greater comfort than being in the presence of Kaveh.
As he walked home, his mind was racing. He felt as though if he waited any longer, he might not ever propose. The ring was already burning a hole in his pocket. But he also didn’t want to rush it. Alhaitham was not impulsive by any means, but a small part of him wanted to rush home and propose tonight. He chuckled at the thought. It would be just like him to do that, wouldn’t it? How would Kaveh even react to that?
Should he plan it out instead? In a few months, they’d be going on vacation to visit Faranak in Fontaine (which was totally Kaveh’s decision. Alhaitham would prefer to visit somewhere a little quieter and less bustling, maybe Inazuma or even Mondstadt). But a few months felt too long to wait.
It would be just like him to propose now. Maybe even comical. Would Kaveh get angry at him for not making it more romantic? Or would he laugh, perhaps respond with You’re impossible, Alhaitham! Perhaps both? Alhaitham was aware that Kaveh enjoyed how terrible he was with romantic gestures. Maybe Kaveh would love it if he proposed today.
Before he could settle on a decision, he was in front of his door. He stood in front of it, pondering for a moment. He couldn’t spend too long outside—he always arrived home at the same time, punctual as always, and he didn’t want Kaveh to worry. But going inside meant making a decision—get the proposal over with now or wait until their vacation in Fontaine.
Slowly, his hand came up and gripped the doorknob, turning it. The proposal could wait. Surely it could. He could hold off a few months, wait until Faranak could be present. Kaveh would love to include his mother, he was sure of it.
He walked inside, letting his coat slide off his arms before hooking it on the coat rack nearby the door. Peeking into the living room, he didn’t notice Kaveh on the couch, nor did he see him in the kitchen.
“I’m home.” He announced, realizing Kaveh was likely in their room. Almost immediately after announcing his arrival, their bedroom door opened.
“You’re home early.” Kaveh noted. His eyes scanned Alhaitham, almost studying him. “Did something happen? Are you okay? You were supposed to pick up more spices on your way home.”
Fuck. Alhaitham forgot about that. Kaveh had the day off and was doing some meal prep this morning when he realized they had run out of some spices. But since it wasn’t grocery day and Kaveh wanted to get some much needed household chores done, he didn’t think he’d have time to stop by the store. Alhaitham had told him not to worry about that, that he’d do it once he got off work. His mind had been focused on other things, such as the ring that now felt heavier than iron.
“I forgot.” He answered simply, perusing the bookshelf nearby for a book to read.
“You don’t just forget things, Alhaitham. That isn’t like you.” Kaveh walked up to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Something is wrong. You can’t trick me. I know you too well for that, you know.”
Alhaitham sighed, shoving a book back where it belonged. He wasn’t good at this sort of thing. Having someone that was able to read him like Kaveh could was difficult. It was welcome, because it was Kaveh who could read him like an open book, but it was still hard to deal with.
He was silent for several moments, thinking to himself. There was no good excuse he could give his senior. It was very unlike Alhaitham to forget something as trivial as going to the store to pick up something that was needed, and there wasn’t much that would have caused him to forget. Kaveh knows that was well.
He really dug himself a grave with that. Oh well. Now’s as good a time as any.
“I’m fine, Kaveh.” He replied, turning to face his lover. For a moment, he hesitated before continuing. If he was going to do this now, he at least wanted to attempt to make it more romantic. “I’m fine, because I’m here with you. My roommate, my best friend, my lover, my everything.” Surely that was cheesy enough for Kaveh, right?
It must have been, because Kaveh’s cheeks turned pink in response. His voice went up several octaves, “You... That was the cheesiest shit I’ve ever heard, you know that? B-But you can’t use flattery against me! Something is wrong, and I’m going to-”
Before Kaveh could even finish speaking, Alhaitham was pulling the box out of his pocket, not even bothering to get down on one knee. Kaveh was about to yap his ear off, and though he greatly loved how much Kaveh cared about him, right now, he wanted to shut him up so he could propose.
It worked exactly as intended. Once the box was open, Kaveh fell silent, his eyes wide as he stared at the ring, his gaze moving between it and Alhaitham. The room was quiet for several minutes before Kaveh finally spoke.
“Alhaitham. What- Are you- Is this... Are you proposing to me?” His red eyes flitted to Alhaitham’s, searching for confirmation. When he realized Alhaitham was being serious, he let out a laugh. “It amazes me how incredibly horrendous you are at this stuff. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I couldn’t think of any time that honestly would’ve been the best time to propose. I was considering doing it while in Fontaine, but I don’t think I could’ve waited that long.” Alhaitham replied sincerely. “I hope you like the ring, by the way. It was difficult to choose which one to get. It’s okay if you don’t, I know that our tastes are quite different. We can always exchange it for anoth-”
He was cut off by a pair of all too familiar soft lips pressing against his. The kiss was short, only a few seconds in duration before Kaveh pulled back, his soft hand resting on Alhaitham’s cheek. There was nothing but adoration in the blond’s eyes as he looked at Alhaitham.
“Of course I love it, ‘Haitham.” His voice was gentle. “I would’ve loved any ring you picked out.
“Are you sure?” Alhaitham replied. He knew Kaveh was telling the truth, it was incredibly difficult for his senior to lie. Especially to him. But he wanted to be absolutely sure
“Yes. I am.” Kaveh answered, pressing another soft kiss against Alhaitham’s lips. “I do like shiny things, and I know I have refined tastes in jewelry. But, honestly, I’d marry you with paper rings if that was what you had chosen.”
Relief flooded through Alhaitham once Kaveh finished speaking. It meant a lot to know that Kaveh would have been happy with any ring. He should have listened to Tighnari. It would have saved him a lot of grief and unneeded stress. And maybe he could have done a proper proposal had he known. There was no use dwelling on that now, though.
“So is that a yes, Kaveh?” He asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
“Yes, Alhaitham It’s a yes. It always has been a yes and always will be.” Kaveh replied, a smile on his face. “There’s no one else in Teyvat I’d want to spend the rest of my life with.”
Alhaitham slid the ring onto Kaveh’s finger, giving him a quick kiss before responding, “Good. Because you’re stuck with me, senior.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Kaveh replied.