Work Text:
Kaveh can only imagine how ridiculous he must look, sitting on the divan with his eyes closed and a giddy smile on his face, hands clasped together eagerly. His knees bounce in anticipation as he feels Alhaitham’s footsteps draw near, before the cushion dips beside him and his legs are pulled into his lover’s lap.
Warm fingers trace over the back of Kaveh’s hand, over the divots and peaks of his knuckles, before gently flipping his palm up.
“You still haven’t told me what this is for.” Kaveh laughs as he feels Alhaitham’s touch glide over his hardened palm, before he gently lifts their hands and presses his lips to Kaveh’s fingertips. It’s at that moment that Kaveh wishes for nothing more than to see the expression on his junior’s face, but he had promised to keep his eyes shut, so he waits.
Alhaitham brings Kaveh’s hand back down into his lap, running his fingers up and down his skin in the same manner as before.
“Do I need a reason?” Alhaitham asks in response, and Kaveh swears he can hear the tease of a smile through his words.
“We just don’t usually give each other surprises like this. Not without an occasion, at least.”
Alhaitham circles over the jut of bone in his wrist before flipping it over and following the creases on his palm. His touch trails over Kaveh’s skin gingerly, as if he's trying to commit every inch to memory. Alhaitham doesn’t handle Kaveh with tenderness out of fear that he might break — he cradles Kaveh's hands as if they are a gift from divinity itself, as if the years of calluses from sketching and silvery scars from construction mishaps are something worth revering.
“I don’t need an occasion to tell you I love you, Kaveh,” he murmurs.
“I know that!” Kaveh is quick to shush his junior, failing to hide a grin from breaking across his lips. No matter how often they’re said, hearing those three words sound like they’re being spoken for the first time, with how sweetly, naturally they spill from Alhaitham’s lips. The flush of his cheeks are reflex enough, just as how Kaveh always repeats the words back to his lover. “I mean, should I keep sitting like this, or were you only planning on giving me a hand massage?”
A pair of lips find the back of Kaveh’s hand once again, featherlight in their touch, but not in what they convey. “Patience is a virtue, my dear senior. But when have I ever denied you?”
A retort dissolves on the tip of Kaveh’s tongue as he hears the rustle of fabric, followed by the light clink of something knocking together. Something is drawn out of its packaging, and before Kaveh can ask about it, he feels a light tap on his palm.
“No peeking,” Alhaitham lightly reminds him.
“I promise,” Kaveh replies, squeezing his eyes closed even tighter to make his words all the more convincing. The sight must be funny enough, because it draws an amused huff from the younger man.
Alhaitham takes his hand again, only this time he brings Kaveh’s fingers together, squeezing them in his hold. Kaveh lets his hand be maneuvered into a pinch, before he feels the rim of something hard — metal? — being slipped past his hand. The slide isn't uncomfortable at all, and he’s sure it has to do with how carefully Alhaitham guides his hand through the material, which almost feels like it was designed to fit. The cool metal rests on his wrist, and only then does Kaveh realize that it must be a bracelet.
Only Alhaitham doesn’t stop there — after two, three, four, he continues to stack them, each addition joining the previous ones with a jingle as they knock against each other. The bracelets are thinner and sound lighter than the typical circlets he sees on display at the bazaar, but they feel no less sturdier. Once his wrist is sufficiently decorated, Alhaitham coaxes Kaveh’s other hand into his, adorning the opposite side in the same jewelry. The sound of each bracelet being slipped on is like a steady, light melody, similar to the song of a wind chime on a breezy summer’s day.
Kaveh’s arms are drawn out in front of him when there is no more jewelry to be added to the stack, bracelets clinking together as they are moved. The silence that stretches in the room must mean that Alhaitham’s admiring the sight, and the anticipation of seeing what his junior does brings Kaveh to break the stillness of the moment.
“Can I look now?”
Alhaitham hums in affirmation as he lets go of his hands, which Kaveh brings in front of his eyes as he slowly focuses his vision. His jaw immediately falls open at what he sees.
Over his wrists hang a stack of vermillion bangles, some of them thicker than others, embedded with various jewels and colored stones. A small bell dangles from one of the bracelets, ringing with each swing of his hand as Kaveh inspects them from every angle. When he holds his arms out in front of him, the gemstones wink back every time the bangles rock side to side.
As he draws his head back to admire the jewelry from afar, Kaveh notices a pattern traced into the arrangement of bangles and their gems. A Paradisaea glimmers back at him from both arms, with wings spread broad as if it were mid-flight, and a fierce ruby stone for eyes. With each sway of the bangles, the bird of paradise almost looks to be flapping its wings, fluttering in gold around Kaveh’s wrists. He traces along the stack of bracelets with his finger, over each ridge and indent in the design of them.
“These are…” He starts, breathless with the effort it takes to find a word that even begins to capture the brilliance that embellishes his arms. He turns to Alhaitham. “Gods, Alhaitham, these are gorgeous . How could you even think of getting something like this?”
His junior’s gaze is fixed on the bangles, watching them with the rapt attention a Rishboland tiger gives to a flock of dusk birds. He draws his wide, teal eyes away from them and to his senior, with an adoring softness that makes Kaveh’s heart clench.
“If they’re not to your liking, or they don’t fit correctly, let me know. I can always take them back and— mmh! ”
The clinking bangles work to muffle Alhaitham’s words as Kaveh cups his face, pressing their lips together and effectively silencing his lover. Alhaitham stills at the sudden gesture before meeting him with equal vigor, pulling Kaveh closer and slotting their lips together. Kaveh smiles against his mouth before pressing another peck to his lips, pulling away with a grin.
“They’re perfect, Haitham. Where did you get them from? Archons, they were probably so expensive, too…”
Alhaitham laces his fingers with Kaveh’s, pulling his hand up and allowing the sunlight beaming through the room to catch on the bracelets. He kisses Kaveh’s shoulder, and then brings a hand up to tuck golden bangs behind an ear and presses another kiss to his cheek. “They’re custom made, but the specifics don’t matter, Kaveh. Just as long as you like them.”
“I love them. I love you,” Kaveh beams, looping his arms around Alhaitham’s shoulders and pulling him in for a hug. Even though they usually saved the most extravagant gifts for special occasions, Alhaitham had clearly taken the time to get the bangles made and present them to him. Kaveh just might be the luckiest man in Teyvat, to have a cute junior with a cushy office job that allows him to spoil Kaveh like this.
He kisses Alhaitham’s cheek once, then twice, and a third time as a thank you before both men lean their heads together to fawn over the extravagant jewelry. Kaveh draws over the outline of the Paradisaea and Alhaitham follows, listening attentively as his senior points out every small detail in the bracelets, lauding the craftsmanship.
Maybe Kaveh’s eye for aesthetics has finally rubbed off on his junior. Either way, he doesn’t need to be a renowned student of the arts to admit how delicate the ornaments are, a beautiful reminder of the man who loves him and who he loves back tenfold.
He just isn’t aware that the rest of the city would share the same sentiment.
————————
Kaveh keeps the bangles on throughout the week, save for when he bathes and sleeps (if Alhaitham managed to roll his “feeble” body over Kaveh’s arm and crush the bracelets, devastation wouldn't even begin to cover half of their disappointment). They play a lovely sound every time he moves his hands, whether that’s when he brushes his hair over his shoulder, or gestures about as he and Alhaitham discuss the latest topic making rounds on the Akademiya’s message boards.
Even now, as Kaveh strolls to Puspa Cafe for a meeting with a client, the tinkle of bells and bracelets punctuate every step and swing of his arms. But it’s only as he nears the establishment does the dreamy haze around him fade, and he sighs, remembering who he’s meeting with today.
Being the accomplished architect he is, Kaveh is proud to have reached a point in his career where he’s managed to take part in a breadth of projects that decorate his resume, and a diverse clientele to match. Unfortunately, that clientele also includes those whose attitudes are a little less pleasant than the sight of fresh parchment, and a quill to match.
Kaveh wouldn’t go as far as to say that this client is his least favorite, however.
(He’s absolutely sure this client is his least favorite.)
Ranjit isn’t all that bad — Kaveh wouldn’t have signed onto the project otherwise, and he’s getting compensated adequately for his time and the countless revisions asked of him.
The problem lies in Ranjit’s denial of Kaveh and Alhaitham’s relationship.
It’s common knowledge that the two are together — Kaveh lives with his junior after all, and the nation of wisdom has been witness to their many quarrels and affections and lovers. Apparently, that fact isn’t enough to stop Ranjit from inviting him to dinners, or leaving trailing touches when they exchange writing utensils or shake hands.
(Alhaitham had offered to intervene in case Kaveh didn’t want to put his career at risk. In his words, it wouldn’t have taken much effort to find a flaw in the way Ranjt conducted business — an unrenewed permit that just so happened to come to the Akademiya’s attention, perhaps — and have his construction proposal sidelined while the paperwork was sorted out. It took a lot of reassurance from Kaveh to convince his junior that the hassle wasn’t worth it, and that he would find a way to deal with the situation if it got worse.)
Kaveh mentally prepares himself as he spots the familiar head of brunet hair, sitting at one of the tables in front of the cafe, who immediately springs to a stand as the architect comes into view. With a strained smile, Kaveh sets blueprints down on the table and nods his head in courtesy.
“Ah, if it isn’t the Light of Kshahrewar himself!” Ranjit’s shrill voice pierces his ears, and it takes all of Kaveh’s effort not to viscerally flinch. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me!"
“I’ve only been working on the revisions we discussed last time. In fact, I think we can enter the next stage of planning once you look over them,” Kaveh replies, careful not to encourage any of his client’s lucrative ideas. He clears his throat before rolling the blueprint open across the table, bangles chiming as he smooths out the kinks in the sketch.
“Why, but of course! I’m looking forward to seeing what that brilliant mind of yours has been able to do with the concept that I came up with. We make quite the team!” Ranjit flashes a smile that looks completely out of place on his face, as if the muscles aren’t quite used to being manipulated into that position. “Really, we should be—”
Before Kaveh can make the suggestion that they take a look at the numerous offensive capabilities his brilliant mind fit into his mechanical briefcase, the man in front of him suddenly pauses in the midst of his words. Ranjit’s eyes are fixated on the table between them, eyes wide in disbelief, and Kaveh can only pray that his early morning (or more accurately, late night) cup of coffee hadn’t made it all over his draft without him knowing.
Only, when Kaveh looks down, the sketch is spotless, save for his hand that lies on top of it. But no — when he checks again, Ranjit’s expression is still fixated on that spot. When Kaveh makes a show of brushing his hand over the parchment, his client’s eyes follow.
“Is… something the matter?” Kaveh asks cautiously, more confused than wary.
“No, I—” The other man scoffs, dragging a hand across his chin as he barks a dry laugh. “Of course. I just wasn’t aware that… Nevermind. Let’s carry on, then.”
Kaveh has almost half the mind to call over a patrolling member of the Corps of Thirty to check on his client, but ultimately decides against it, instead choosing to take his seat. Ranjit mirrors the action, and both men begin to discuss the project that sits in front of them.
Perhaps that’s the most jarring part about the entire ordeal. The rest of the meeting goes smoothly, and despite asking way too many questions about the type of material Kaveh hopes to outsource and what the fees for that would be, Ranjit doesn’t make any mildly-nauseating comments about Kaveh’s love life. In fact, he’s oddly quiet, and Kaveh hopes he isn’t on his way to losing a client so far into the commission.
Once the final notes are made, Kaveh begins to collect his materials from the table. Tucking the blueprint under his arm, Kaveh holds out his hand as a symbol of goodwill, and that of a successful collaboration.
“I’ll be sure to have the final revisions done by the end of the month, and then hopefully we can begin construction. Thank you again for meeting with me today,” he nods, waiting for his gesture to be reciprocated.
Except Ranjit only stares at his hand.
No, not at his hand.
The bangles.
The realization suddenly dawns on Kaveh then, that Ranjit has an aversion to his bracelets, enough to drop his flirtatious advances in favor of treating Kaveh like a stranger — which isn’t unwelcome , per say, but out of character enough for it to be jarring. What is it about Alhaitham’s gift that elicited such a reaction from someone that barely knew Kaveh? And that too, someone who was singing his praises up until an hour ago?
The question haunts Kaveh as he walks back home, even as he steps through the front door and drags himself to the washroom to freshen up before bed. He makes his way to the bedroom, where Alhaitham sits on the bed with a book in his hand. Alhaitham immediately perks up at the sound of Kaveh’s bangles, signaling his presence, and watches as his senior slowly removes them and carefully sets them down on the dresser.
Kaveh climbs onto the bed and Alhaitham opens his arms, allowing the older man to lie on top of him, burying his face into his shirt. The arm that isn’t holding a book wraps around Kaveh, skittering under the cut of his blouse and smoothing up and down his back.
He presses a kiss to the top of Kaveh’s head, who feels his heart flutter in response. “Did your meeting go well?”
Kaveh grunts before propping his chin on Alhaitham’s chest, looking up at him. “Ranjit finally stopped with the comments. You know, those ones.”
“Oh? Did you finally put your claymore to use, then? Or are the dark circles under your eyes what finally drove him off?” Despite the tease of his words, Alhaitham speaks with no malice, swiping his thumb under Kaveh’s eye affectionately.
There was a time when any comments about his sleep schedule drove Kaveh to irritation beyond Teyvat’s comprehension, but now, his chest warms with the knowledge that his junior cares for him enough to notice, and to understand that inspiration strikes at the most ungodly hours.
“What? N-no, I…” Kaveh feels his heart sink a little, seeing the corner of Alhaitham’s lips tick up at his expense. How could he possibly say that the bangles he was gifted had something to do with it? Even worse, what if Alhaitham took that to mean that Kaveh thought they weren’t pretty?
(Which is far from the truth — Kaveh doesn’t think he’s seen anything more beautiful than the jewelry, paling even the finest gems and the most gorgeous views in Sumeru. Even though they may seem like ordinary bangles, they have Alhaitham’s touch all over them, in every sense possible.
And Kaveh knows he’s not the only one who shares that sentiment. Every time they’re together he catches Alhaitham’s eyes on his wrist, watching the scarlet bangles glitter against his skin. And when Kaveh walks between rooms, the light clink that follows is almost like a signal of sorts to his lover, who immediately goes to where Kaveh is and buries himself in his senior’s hold.)
So no, Kaveh couldn’t possibly tell him the truth.
“I’m not sure,” he settles on instead, choosing to keep the discovery to himself. Kaveh knows it’s going to keep him up for the rest of the night, anyways.
“As long as I don’t have to keep competing with him for your favor, I suppose it’s not all that bad.”
“Hey! Shush!” Kaveh frowns, and Alhaitham only laughs, a husky rumble that reverberates from his chest. “You know it’s not like that. I’m only yours.”
“Thank you for the confirmation, senior,” Alhaitham smiles, leaning down to place a light peck on his lips. He quickly drops his book on the nightstand and turns the lamp off, casting the room in a sea of darkness. Before Kaveh can protest, Alhaitham is turning them both over in the bed, pressing their bodies close as they slip under the covers.
Much to his surprise, Kaveh sleeps steadily that night, the soft snores beside his ear doing much to calm the race of his mind.
————————
“No, we are not getting a Sumpter Beast-shaped vase for the sitting area!”
Alhaitham slowly sets the glass ware back down on the table before giving a solemn nod farewell to the shopkeeper. He joins Kaveh’s side as they set off towards the next stall lining the bazaar’s path, intertwining their hands as they do so.
Weekly trips to the city’s Grand Bazaar are one of Kaveh’s favorite things, he thinks — if it’s not to restock the groceries, he and Alhaitham will still take the time out of their day off to stroll around the city, sharing a plate of kebabs or choosing what trinkets to take home.
(Most of Alhaitham’s suggestions are vetoed. Unfortunately, financial freedom doesn’t come with a tasteful eye for decorating, as Kaveh has learned through observing his junior.)
And it fills him with a warm sense of domesticity, knowing that this is how they’ve chosen to spend their time, in the life that he and Alhaitham have built together.
Alhaitham leads them both over to a fruit vendor, whose stall is decorated with a mosaic of produce local to Sumeru. He picks up a Zaytun Peach, turning it over in his hand before looking over at Kaveh, eyebrow raised in a silent question. Kaveh nods, smiling, and the younger man turns to the stall owner to ask for a bag of the fruit.
Surely the sight of the Akademiya’s scribe haggling with a merchant over produce is enough to draw eyes from those around them, but the city’s residents are well acquainted with the pair’s undertakings. Just as how the House of Daena falls silent when the two walk in, deep in debate, or when the table on the second floor of Lambad’s Tavern remains empty until Kaveh saunters in with his junior trailing behind, there is an unspoken recognition upon seeing both men together.
Kaveh and Alhaitham. Kshahrewar and Haravatat. The scribe and the architect.
He looks past Alhaitham, suddenly entranced by the scarves and shawls swaying from across the bazaar. With a tap on his lover’s arm as notice, Kaveh wanders over to stall, eyeing the colorful embroidery on the stack of fabrics. He smooths his fingers over a cream cloth, lined with intricate beadwork of sunset and teal shades, resembling the types of murals found in one of King Deshret’s many temples. Kaveh recognizes the style of artwork from excursions to the desert during his student days, and knows of a certain scholar whose eyes would look mesmerizingly bold against the shawl.
“Kaveh? My, you’ve grown so much since the last time we saw you!”
He looks up from the pile of textiles to see three elderly women approach him, with deep smile lines and grayed hair that tell of many days spent under the Sumerian sun. Kaveh remembers the women from the renovations he did in Vimara Village, when floodwaters had damaged the homes along the river. Having studied alongside Kaveh’s parents in the Akademiya, they had insisted on sending him home with enough home-cooked meals to feed him and Alhaitham for weeks as a thank you for his efforts (which of course, were free of charge).
“Auntie Noor, Auntie Faridha, Auntie Hala,” Kaveh bows his head in greeting, letting his hair be ruffled and cheeks pinched in different directions. He smiles the soreness away. “I didn’t expect to see you in the city, and at the bazaar, no less.”
“Hah, he thinks we’re still young enough to be called aunties!” says Auntie Noor, the more zealous of the three. She gives him a kind smile, one that conveys an earnest fondness.“I hope you’ve been taking good care of yourself, Kshahrewar.”
Before he can open his mouth to respond, Auntie Hala quickly pries Kaveh’s arm away from his side and holds it out between them, eyeing the bangles that sway and clink on his wrist. “It seems like he has someone to do that for him!”
The ladies gasp, huddling closer to take a look at the jewelry, vermillion glittering in the daylight. As they fawn over the bangles, Kaveh realizes that he actually forgot he had them on. He had grown so used to wearing them for the last couple weeks that they seemed like an afterthought, as if the twinkle that played with every rise of his arms was simply a part of him. Aside from the many compliments, and even some odd congratulations , Kaveh almost overlooked how novel the bangles are.
“Ah, well, they were a gift from Alhaitham,” he admits sheepishly, despite having repeated the matter countless times over the last couple weeks. The aunties give each other knowing smiles, much to Kaveh’s confusion, before erupting into hushed giggles.
“I can’t believe the day’s already here! Oh, you must be so happy!” says Auntie Faridha, clasping his hand in between both of hers.
“Of course, the bangles he chose are absolutely gorgeous — custom made, I think he said.” Kaveh can’t stop himself from smiling, listening to the aunties ooh and ahh at his words.
…What day exactly is she referring to?
“What a lucky man. My husband only gave me his sister’s hand-me-downs!”
“I didn’t even get any. Suits my husband right for ending up the way he did,” scoffs Auntie Noor, clicking her tongue. The other two women nod and murmur in agreement, but Kaveh only tilts his head, lost. The cluelessness on his expression must be obvious, because Auntie Faridha beckons him closer.
“…Eaten by Spinocrocodiles,” she whispers. Kaveh offers a sympathetic hum of his own.
Auntie Hala clears her throat, interrupting the conversation. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us!
“It’s only been a couple weeks. I’ve barely told anyone,” he nervously laughs, not being one to brag about his achievements — at least, the smaller ones. If it were about constructing a palace, he wouldn’t shy away, but showing off a gift his lover had given him? Kaveh prefers to keep that aspect of his life to himself.
Now that he thinks about it, the amount of attention he’s gotten over the bangles is a bit… unprecedented. It isn’t unusual for Kaveh to walk around wearing jewelry, nor is it new information that he and Alhaitham are together. But the influx of well wishes for the both of them certainly isn’t something that Kaveh has adjusted to, even after parading the bangles around for weeks.
The aunties only nod their heads, as if Kaveh said something completely reasonable. “You must be taking good care of each other, yes? Work isn’t getting in the way of anything?”
Kaveh smiles. “Yes, we’re both doing well. After all, Alhaitham is my junior, so looking after him falls to me.”
The women croon over his words, and Auntie Hala pinches Kaveh’s cheek, shaking his head in every direction imaginable as she speaks. “Ah, young love! You two take me back to the days before my joints started to creak, when me and my husband would stroll around the village, whispering silly words that would lead us together years later.”
“Hmph! If my husband had a single romantic bone in his body, wouldn’t the Spinocrocodiles have grown much more amicable after eating him?”
Fair point , Kaveh thinks to himself.
“Wait!” Auntie Faridha suddenly interjects, lifting the shawl Kaveh was looking at off the shelf and pressing it into his arms. “This is from us. May you and Alhaitham lead long, happy lives together.”
The three aunties beam at him, and it's a miracle Kaveh’s eyes don’t immediately begin to well with tears. “Oh, but I couldn’t possibly take th—”
A familiar click of boots start behind Kaveh and steadily grow closer, before coming to a stop beside him. “Surely you’re not bothering the aunties from completing their shopping, are you?”
Alhaitham grins, holding a bag of fruit in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. The sight is unfairly endearing, and is also the only reason Kaveh doesn’t respond with his own retort to Alhaitham’s tease.
“Not at all! They gifted us this wonderful shawl, and I was just telling them we couldn’t possibly accept such a precious gift.” Kaveh holds the fabric up to Alhaitham, running his thumb over the beads and embroidery that decorate the canvas like the first streak of daylight in dawn’s sky.
Alhaitham lowers his head to greet and thank the aunties, who don’t hold back in showering him with their affections. A flurry of hands come up to pat the side of his cheek, comb through his hair, and inspect each of Alhaitham’s face to make sure he’s been eating well. And much to Kaveh’s amusement, his junior revers in the attention, smiling as his skin is pinched and pulled.
“Don’t worry about us. We only want to see the two of you happy!”
“You’re like our sons, after all,” Auntie Noor nods, the rest of the women mirroring her smile.
“Then you must come over for lunch next weekend. We would love to have you in our home,” Alhaitham offers, and Kaveh enthusiastically nods in agreement.
“Then you’ll have to tell us everything! Oh, both your parents would be so proud of the two of you,” Auntie Faridha adds, holding her hands over her mouth, bittersweet. Kaveh turns to look at Alhaitham, trying to blink the sudden mistiness out of his eyes.
Both men bid the three aunties farewell after giving them profuse thanks, and promising that they’ll continue to take care of themselves and each other. Kaveh runs his fingers over the shawl once again, reflecting on the women’s words. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
Kaveh looks up to catch Alhaitham’s expression, and pretends that he doesn’t notice that Alhaitham isn’t looking at the shawl — his soft eyes are fixed on his senior, the smallest of smiles appearing on his lips, and Kaveh suddenly wants nothing more than to kiss them numb.
“So is that aranara-shaped paperweight,” Alhaitham adds, cocking his head towards a stall boasting an assortment of crudely carved wood figurines. The younger man sets off in its direction without waiting, leaving Kaveh standing behind with his mouth agape.
“Hey! Wait! We are not getting that!” Kaveh rushes after Alhaitham, the scarf billowing in his hold as he tries to prevent his junior from making a grave financial mistake.
————————
Monthly trips to Gandharva Ville have become somewhat of a tradition for Kaveh and Alhaitham.
When the demands of their careers start to ease up, it isn’t uncommon for the pair to meet with Cyno and Tighnari, whether that’s in the form of TCG nights or to simply share gossip they’ve picked up over the days. Only this time, their monthly rendezvous is at Tighnari’s place in the forest, who insisted on cooking a meal for all of them. Even though a last-minute work obligation prevented Alhaitham from joining them today, he insisted on sending over a box of pistachio cookies they had picked up at the bazaar, which Kaveh now holds between his hands as he makes his way over the wooden pathway. He brushes the leafy covering out of the doorway and steps into the house, immediately greeted by the faint smell of earthy incense wafting through the air.
“Mr. Kaveh!” Collie runs over to him, bangs bouncing up and down as she rounds the center table to stand in front of him. The Trainee Forest Ranger seems much more mature than when Kaveh last saw her, fuchsia eyes lacking the timidity from when Tighnari first took her under his wing.
She peeks over Kaveh’s shoulder. “Mr. Alhaitham isn’t with you today?”
“It’s nice to see you, Collie. Alhaitham has some work he needs to catch up on, but he sent over some cookies.” He gestures to the box in his hands, watching Collei’s eyes light up as she accepts them.
“Alhaitham chose to work? That’s unheard of, even for the scribe,” Tighnari calls out as he enters the room, wringing his hands on a towel. Kaveh offers him an apologetic smile.
A sudden gasp draws the attention of both men, turning to look at Collei, who stands with her hands clasped over her mouth. She slowly reaches out to hold Kaveh’s hand in hers, eyeing his bangles with fascination. “Where did you get these?”
“Oh, Alhaitham gave them to me a while back,” he responds sheepishly. Kaveh sets the box of cookies down on the table and places his other hand into Collei’s waiting one, who traces along the bangles with her finger, listening to them jingle. She looks up at Tighnari wide eyes, and the Forest Ranger wears the same expression, mirroring each other.
“They’re pretty, aren’t they?”
“And you didn’t tell us?” A third voice calls out, this one belonging to the General Mahamatra, who leans against the doorway behind Kaveh. Has he been there this whole time?
“Yeah, where was our invitation?” Tighnari teases as he approaches them, admiring the ruby jewelry.
Kaveh smiles, looking between his friends. “Invitation for… what?”
An awkward silence blankets the room, much too thick for Cyno’s halfhearted cough to save his case. Collie looks up at both her mentors, and they look at her, and then each other, and Kaveh wishes he had the ability to read minds because they certainly seem like they’re having quite the silent conversation.
“Aren’t those worn when someone gets mar—”
“Collei!” Tighnari interrupts with a sound between a cough and an inhale, giving her an overzealous clap on the shoulder. “You should probably make use of this time to study those… Sumpter Beast flu remedies we talked about! You can never be too prepared, you know.”
She stares at the Forest Ranger blankly. “But Master, there’s no flu for—”
“Ahem! I think it’s imperative you look over it right now, actually.” Tighnari gives her a firm smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and after a moment, she gasps in realization.
“O-Oh! Yes, I should go do that right now!” She waves farewell to Kaveh, Cyno, and Tighnari, each who pretends not to see her run headfirst into the doorway as she scurries outside.
Such must be the life of a Trainee Forest Ranger , Kaveh thinks to himself.
“Kaveh… why don’t you recount everything that’s happened since you got those bangles?” Tighnari speaks slowly, dragging a chair out from the dining table and gesturing towards it. Cyno comes to stand beside him, and Kaveh prays that he never commits a transgression in the forest, because the sight of Sumeru’s most terrifying men looking at him like that is enough to make him shiver.
He hesitantly takes a seat in front of them, and starts from the top — he tells them how Alhaitham surprised him with the gift out of the blue, and how he’s worn them everywhere since then. After some prying, he also recalls the mix of reactions he’s gotten about the bracelets, including the endless waves of congratulations, and even the more snide remarks, much to his surprise.
“So... what does that mean?” Kaveh looks at them in anticipation, still very much confused as to why the topic is so important to his friends. He’s only met with blank stares, and a sudden sputtering noise from Cyno, who immediately slaps a hand over his own mouth. Cyno’s palm does little to mask his laughter, which gradually gets louder, to the point where his eyes begin to overflow with tears.
Tighnari narrows his eyes at the General Mahamatra, shaking his head.
“So, let me get this straight,” Tighnari continues, turning to address Kaveh and trying his best to ignore the jittery man beside him. “Alhaitham, your partner of many years, gifted you a very gorgeous and very custom set of red bangles. And you’ve been wearing them continuously, getting congratulated left and right and receiving well wishes on your relationship, and the client that has been notoriously flirting with you suddenly stopped after seeing them. And none of this was concerning to you?”
“...No.” Kaveh answers slowly, dragging the word out.
Cyno erupts in laughter, hysterically crying as he presses his forehead to the table. Gasping between bursts of unintelligible words , he pounds his fist against the table, cackling like he was making up for years gone without it. Kaveh and Tighnari watch in silent horror until Cyno’s hiccups even out and he rises from the table, wiping his eyes.
“So you never thought about popping the question ? Or do you and Alhaitham never really engage in discussion about—”
“I think that’s enough,” Tighnari says with a twitch of his ear, while Cyno tries to steady his breathing. “You haven’t brought any of this up to Alhaitham?”
“N-no! I don’t even know what the problem is!” Kaveh holds his hands out in front of him, watching the bangles glitter and sway against his skin. A sick, nameless feeling claws inside him. “Are they not pretty?”
“Kaveh — no, they’re beautiful, I…” Tighnari sighs, burying his face in his arms.
That damn Haravatat , he hears Cyno mutter off to the side, having finally sobered down.
Tighnari stretches his hand across the table, taking Kaveh in his. “Just… if it bothers you, maybe you should try talking to him. You two owe each other that much.”
Cyno nods in agreement. “I’m still waiting for Tighnari to buy me fancy gifts, too.”
“Was the Cor Lapis-plated Casket of Tomes not enough for you? I need to start buying you custom jewelry as well?”
“Would it hurt to shuffle your options up sometime?”
Kaveh groans, almost missing the scuffle of feet under the table and the sound of Cyno’s yelp, trying hard to protect his ankles.
————————
Despite being in love with one of Haravatat’s most accomplished scholars, it’s nearly impossible for Kaveh to find the courage to speak with Alhaitham.
That’s not entirely true — he and Alhaitham have reached a level of comfort that he doubts can be replicated, even in their next lifetime. Kaveh doesn’t shy away from telling Alhaitham his choice in decor is abhorrent, or from complimenting the way he prepares coffee every day. It’s that level of trust between them that makes it easy, that allows Kaveh to start each morning smiling, in his junior’s arms.
But as he replays the events of the last month or so in his head, Kaveh isn’t sure how he’s supposed to tell Alhaitham about any of it.
How would he even start?
I’ve gotten strange reactions to the gift you so lovingly chose for me, Alhaitham. Our friends staged an intervention for me because they found the color of my bangles so repulsive.
“I can hear you thinking,” Alhaitham murmurs beside his ear, tightening the arm he has wrapped around Kaveh’s waist. “Go to sleep.”
Who knows Kaveh better than Alhaitham?
He acquiesces, letting his eyes flutter shut in hopes of having sleep’s hold take over. Kaveh doesn’t expect it to come soon, however, having just slipped under the covers with a racing mind.
How does he make sense of the overly-enthusiastic reactions to his bangles? He recalls the dozens of passersby in the city — friends, clients, merchants, even the aunties who had showered him and Alhaitham with enough blessings to last their next life. The shawl they had gifted the lovers is folded neatly atop the dresser, waiting for an occasion to be worn.
The bangles that Kaveh wore paled the ones their husbands had (or hadn’t) bought for them, the women said.
And then there was his client Ranjit, who looked at Kaveh like he had grown a third arm for drafting blueprints. He left the meeting with a simple nod farewell, not bothering to invite Kaveh out for drinks or bombard him with a nauseating amount of compliments.
What did Collei say the other day? Aren’t those worn when someone gets…
“Alhaitham?” He calls out into the dark room, earning a half-asleep grunt in response. “I think… the entirety of Sumeru is convinced we got married.”
“I wouldn’t blame them for thinking so,” Alhaitham says behind him.
“Hm. I guess you're right.” Kaveh settles back into Alhaitham’s hold and closes his eyes, content with an answer.
The moment of repose is short-lived when Kaveh leans over to turn the bedside lamp on with a click , not giving either one of them time to adjust to the bright light flooding the room. He turns over to look at Alhaitham, whose eyes are tightly squeezed shut, not unlike that of a disgruntled cat. “What do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean?”
If Alhaitham ever started to answer Kaveh’s questions directly, Sumeru might as well become the nation of impossibilities.
Kaveh props himself up on his elbow, chewing on his bottom lip as he gathers the courage to speak. “The bangles , Alhaitham.”
He immediately feels guilty for the way his junior’s eyebrows knit in concern. “You don’t like them?”
“No, I—” Kaveh sighs, coaxing Alhaitham’s hand out from under the blankets and into his. He gently traces his thumb over scarred knuckles, back and forth, until he pieces his thoughts together. “You know I love them. I just didn’t expect people to congratulate me — us — over them, especially like we got married. Which we haven’t… yet.”
Alhaitham silently considers his words. “Does that bother you?”
“I appreciate the sentiment, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t think of what the bangles have to do with it.” Kaveh glances at the bracelets in question, stacked on top of the dresser in a perfect cylinder. He thinks about the way Alhaitham has always insisted on slipping them on for him in the morning, and how the daily routine between them always culminated in back and forth kisses, like an unspoken conversation between the two. Kaveh wouldn’t change anything about them, no matter what the reasoning could be.
Alhaitham blinks. “Well, before the Archon War, it was popular in some Sumerian cultures to wear them after one’s marri—”
“So you knew! And you didn’t say anything!” Kaveh gasps, scrambling to sit upright. Alhaitham looks equally as surprised as he does, which is almost laughable, but Kaveh’s shock supersedes his ability to poke fun at anything right now.
“I wasn’t trying to hide anything on purpose from you, Kaveh. I bought them because I thought they would look lovely on you — that much is true. It was only when the merchant offered me a newlyweds’ discount did I realize my oversight, but I knew I wanted to give them to you either way.”
Alhaitham’s eyes flit to the wall, the flush of his cheeks obvious in the warm light of the room. “The practice of wearing bangles during and after one’s marriage has been losing popularity in Sumeru, so I didn’t think it would be that much of an issue. But… I will admit, there was a thrill to teasing the idea, even if it held no merit, or wasn’t to your knowledge.”
He looks up at Kaveh, large teal eyes that are so reminiscent of the Haravatat junior he met all those years ago. “It might have been selfish, but it doesn’t change what my intentions are.”
“You could’ve just asked!”
“Will you marry me, Kaveh?”
“Not like that!” Kaveh pushes Alhaitham’s shoulder, though not nearly hard enough for it to hurt. He crosses his arms in mock annoyance. “Ask me properly.”
The smile on Alhaitham’s face immediately eases the rapid beat of his heart. He tugs Kaveh closer, almost toppling the older man on himself. “Then, if your schedule will allow it — which I know it does — let me take you to the highest point in the forest, which just so happens to have a perfect view of the Palace of Alcazarzaray. I’ll bring your favorite fruits, and the wine, and all I ask is that you bring yourself and those lovely bangles you have. There’s a very important question I’d like to ask.”
Kaveh grins so wide that it almost hurts, and he tries to ignore the waver of his voice as he speaks. “You’re a terrible man, Alhaitham”
“You love a terrible man, Kaveh.” Alhaitham slides a hand up to tuck a bang behind his senior’s ear.
“Not even close. I’m going to marry a terrible man.” Kaveh laughs, leaning down to kiss Alhaitham. His lips, slightly chapped, press against Kaveh’s in gentle, saccharine movements, supplying the words neither of them can bother to verbalize. Alhaitham hooks his hands around Kaveh’s waist to pull them closer, and as the kiss deepens he can’t help but laugh, thinking about all it took to get them here.
A question. A thesis. A key, a stack of bangles, and a promise.