Work Text:
Of course Kaveh's newest client would manage to get arrested for tax evasion, just before the final draft for their luxurious personal library was complete. Just his luck.
Kaveh slinks back home in utter disgrace, loose slips of paper trailing behind him. His morning had been booked full of meetings with construction teams and lumber outsourcing, but it had all been cancelled as a result of the commissioner's downfall.
He's alone when he returns home, sky overcast and pockets empty of mora. The only mercy is the faint jingling of his keys- for once, not mistakenly taken to the office by the Akadeymia's scribe.
He's barely had the time to take off his shoes when a familiar figure staggers over the threshold, sending them both crashing to the floor in a tangled heap of capes and sashes.
Kaveh looks down in shock at the mess of gray hair, just barely registering the feeling of the hooked nose poking against his exposed chest.
Kaveh's housemate is notorious for valuing his personal space, avoiding physical contact like the plague, and hasn't so much as even brushed Kaveh's shoulder without good reason in their last 6 years of living together.
That very same man is currently collapsed on top of him like a sack of rice, completely motionless.
“... Alhaitham?” Kaveh whispers incredulously. “Why aren't you at work?”
Something's wrong. The scribe's clothes are oddly damp, and there's a sickly sweet scent emanating from them- almost like rotting fruit. It's a far cry from his usual fragrance of dusty books and pine.
Alhaitham lets out a muffled groan. His skin is abnormally hot, practically burning in every place it makes contact with Kaveh's own. His breathing sounds ragged, as if the very act of dragging air into his lungs is painful.
The scribe manages to push himself into a sitting position, hair matted with sweat against his forehead. A pair of cold hands slide through the holes in the front of Kaveh's shirt- then press down on his pectorals and squeeze, neatly-trimmed nails digging into sensitive flesh.
Kaveh lets out a high-pitched yelp, shoving the invading hands away. “Ow! What the fuck?!”
His roommate pants quietly above him, eyes wide and expression slack.
There's a strange pink film covering his iris and dilated pupils, almost like a cataract. If Kaveh didn't know any better, he might think they were contact lenses.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Kaveh demands, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Have you completely lost it?!”
“I need-” Alhaitham licks his lips, looking entirely lost. “...I need you to leave. I'll explain later.”
It's only then that he notices the (rather large) bulge currently pressed against his own crotch.
“...Um.” Kaveh stammers, ears flushing. “You're, ah-”
“Get away from me.” Alhaitham hisses frantically. His biceps are shaking, almost as if holding back from touching Kaveh further is physically painful to him. “I'm not- fuck, you weren't supposed to be home yet. You're not safe here.”
Concern quickly overpowers Kaveh's confusion.
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what's going on! Do I need to call a doctor? Are you dying?”
“I was helping Cyno.” Alhaitham grits out, pointedly avoiding eye contact. “We confiscated some contraband potions from a seller in Port Ormos, but- ngh- one of the Matra accidentally dropped a crate, all the bottles shattered. It splashed on me. Everyone else was unharmed. Now, please go away.”
Bile rises in Kaveh's throat. “Illegal potions… This pink stuff, your clothes-! Are you poisoned?"
Alhaitham looks down at him, bright magenta eyes burning with something Kaveh has never seen in them before.
“...You could say that, yes.”
Kaveh grabs his roommate by the shoulders, hauling him to his feet. Alhaitham groans quietly at the sudden contact, but otherwise doesn't protest.
“For archon's sake- and you walked all the way back to the city with your clothes soaked in it? Are you out of your mind?!”
“I didn't have any spares with me.” Alhaitham grumbles, leaning heavily against Kaveh's shoulder as the architect leads him into the bathroom. Alhaitham's skin is feverishly warm, and the scent of dead flowers intensifies as he rests his head on Kaveh's collarbone.
Kaveh clicks his tongue in disapproval. “Still, it's been in contact with your skin for even longer now! You should've stripped the second you walked in the door.”
“I don't think that would be a good idea, considering I… Ah…” Alhaitham mumbles. His headphones lay forgotten around his neck, and his entire neck is flushed red.
Kaveh settles him on the toilet seat before quickly turning away to run the bath. The sweet stench of decay only grows stronger as steam fills the air.
The architect snaps his fingers expectantly.
“Alright. Clothes off. Now.”
“So demanding.” Alhaitham grumbles half-heartedly. He begins the process of painstakingly peeling off his shirt nonetheless. Bright pink stains mottle his tanned skin, sticking the sheer fabric to his pectorals.
Kaveh watches him, concern fluttering in his chest as his roommate struggles to pull his compression shirt over his head.
“Does it hurt? The poison, I mean? It seems to be making your skin much more sensitive than usual.”
“I'm not in pain.”
“Then what-?!”
“The potion was an aphrodisiac.” Alhaitham snaps, looking deeply irritated. “It’s meant to assist with conception for creature hybrids like Valuka Shuna and Katzlein… It's not life-threatening, but I am currently overdosing thanks to the sheer amount that idiot splashed on my pants and shirt. Happy now?”
Well, that was better news than Kaveh expected. It wasn't going to kill either of them, and certainly explained why Alhaitham was so cagey around the topic.
In fact, it was potentially something that he has the ability to help with, if only at the cost of some of his pride.
The sight of Alhaitham crouched over their toilet in misery is enough to convince Kaveh that it's worthwhile. As much as they may argue, it wouldn't be right to just leave him to suffer.
It's just that his means of doing so were…
Kaveh's face flushes bright red with embarrassment, and he coughs awkwardly into his fist.
“I have some, ah… personal inventions in my room. That might, um- they might be able to help you relieve yourself.”
Alhaitham grits his teeth. “Is there a catch?”
Kaveh averts his eyes, heart hammering within his chest.
“...You should really only use them under supervision, since they're linked to my Vision as a power source. B-but if it's too awkward to do that in front of me, you can just go to the urgent care clinic-”
Alhaitham practically hisses at him, a wild look in his pink-tinted eyes. A clammy hand darts out to circle Kaveh's wrist, clenching around him in a vice grip.
“This is a medical emergency. Privacy be damned- if you have a solution on hand, then hurry.”
Kaveh pulls back in alarm, waving his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine! I'll be right back. Archons…”
-
By the time Kaveh returns from his bedroom, Alhaitham has discarded his undergarments and slipped into the bath- but by no means is he relaxing. The scribe's entire body is drawn taut as he hunches over in the tub, like a bowstring about to snap.
The water has taken on the same strange pink tint as Alhaitham's irises as the potion rinses off his skin, yet the symptoms clearly hadn't gone with it.
Alhaitham's cock smacks against his abdomen, stiff and leaking profusely. The head is an angry red, almost purple, and painfully swollen. Kaveh shudders at the sight of precum oozing from the untouched tip.
Although he's sure his old friend would never admit it, he must be suffering quite a lot. Kaveh's fingers unconsciously clench around the vibrator in his hand.
“I, uh- should probably warn you that this has been used. It's clean now, of course, but I don't know if you're okay with that. It's also waterproof.”
Alhaitham looks up at him in utter desperation. The scribe's hips are giving pathetic little half-thrusts into the water, but it's almost as if he's too overstimulated to even try masturbating.
“...It's probably best if I help you out, at least for the first time.” Kaveh adds on quietly, flicking the vibrator to the first setting. A low hum fills the bathroom, echoing off of the tiles. “It can be uncomfortable if you're not used to the settings.”
Alhaitham stares at the toys in the architect's hands, eyes glassy with arousal.
Kaveh kneels next to the tub, heart hammering in his chest. The oval-shaped vibrator buzzes against his fingertips as he rolls it in his palm to warm it, the soft silicone surface alive with Dendro energy.
“May I?”
Alhaitham nods tersely, throwing an arm over his flushed face.
Kaveh plunges his forearm into the water, carefully taking hold of his roommate's aching cock. The vibrating silicone traces gently along bulging veins, drawing a low gasp from the scribe. Kaveh’s fingers skim over the reddened tip, which just barely pokes out above the surface of the water.
For a moment, there is no sound in the bathroom aside from muted mechanical whirring and Alhaitham's increasingly ragged breathing.
Kaveh unconsciously shifts his knees, trying to get into a more comfortable position on the tiled floor- and the vibrator's pace stutters, responding to its master's lapse in concentration.
Alhaitham orgasms quietly into Kaveh's hand, head thrown back in a silent cry of relief.
Kaveh watches in shock as ribbons of creamy white spurt over his fingers, slowly drifting away into the warm bath.
His roommate leans back against the tiles, eyes squeezed shut and jaw slack with pleasure.
The scent of rotten fruit turns fresh and flowery as Alhaitham's spend dissolves into the water, almost like a spring garden in full bloom.
It's intoxicating. Far better than any candle or incense could ever be.
It takes a moment for Kaveh to find his voice again.
“...Oh.”
Alhaitham shivers, sinking further into the bath. “Mmmgh.”
“That didn't hurt?” Kaveh can't help asking. “I know you said it's not painful, but I-”
“Feels good.” Alhaitham croaks out, opening his eyes once again. The rosy film over his iris seems to have dissipated slightly- Kaveh can just begin to make out traces of familiar teal and orange peeking out from underneath the pink.
Alhaitham's dick twitches against the forgotten vibrator in Kaveh's hand- somehow rock hard again. Maybe it had never even softened at all.
“...Th-the potion- appears to be affecting my refractory period.” Alhaitham chokes, glancing up at his roommate.
(If Kaveh didn't know any better, he'd almost think Alhaitham looked nervous.)
“You'll be wanting another one, then?” Kaveh murmurs, petting the tip of Alhaitham's penis with his thumb. The scribe convulses, curling in on himself at the sudden contact.
“Please- fuck, please-”
“You don't have to beg.” Kaveh reassures him, a rush of pity finally breaking into his voice as he moves the toy back into place. Alhaitham keens, rose-tinted eyes rolling back as Kaveh rests the edge of the vibrator against his shaft. “It's okay. Just let me help you. You don't have to worry about anything else tonight.”
“Senior.” Alhaitham moans, eyes sparkling with tears- and oh, if that doesn't make Kaveh's own cock twitch where it lays trapped in his pants.
The architect cups his cheek with his spare hand, swiping away the moisture from Alhaitham's eyes. “What are you thinking about that's got you so worked up?”
“I- I thought about inviting you to do this before.” Alhaitham murmurs, completely dazed. “Just you…”
Heat roars in Kaveh's gut, but he tries his best to ignore it as he crosses his legs to conceal his fattening dick. “You have? Then this isn't so bad, right?”
Alhaitham grits his teeth as the vibrator kicks up a notch, breathing heavily through his nose.
“I didn't- ngh! Mean for it to go like this. I'm not…”
Kaveh strokes his jawbone with the pad of his thumb, willing the taut muscles to relax. At this rate, Alhaitham was at serious risk of cracking a tooth. “Hey, it’s okay. You can't help it, and I don't mind.”
The scribe lets out a raw sob, glossy tears finally spilling over the edge as he curls in on himself, clearly overwhelmed.
“You don't understand. I wanted- I wanted to ask you. Not just take it.”
Shame is an emotion Kaveh rarely sees on his best friend's face.
Something in his heart cracks, and he leans in to press a kiss against Alhaitham's quivering lips.
“Oh, Haitham. You poor thing… You know I would have always said yes to you regardless, right?”
Alhaitham's toes curl as he comes again, moaning sweetly into Kaveh's mouth.
Kaveh waits patiently for the scribe's body to stop twitching, slowly tapering the vibrator's movements down.
Trails of white once again sink into the rapidly cooling water, turning the surface milky. Alhaitham's face falls forward into the crook of Kaveh's neck, panting heavily.
Kaveh removes his hand from the bath, wiping it on a towel before moving to embrace his roommate. His skin is still feverishly hot, but the strange pink stains left behind by the potion are long gone with the running water.
Alhaitham lets out another faint sob, face still buried against Kaveh's collarbone.
“...Haitham?”
“Fuck.” Alhaitham rasps, wearily gazing up at his senior. His misty eyes are still slightly discolored from the aphrodisiac- but after two strong orgasms, it's more of a 50/50 between teal and pink. “I’m sorry. I should've just gone to the Bimarstan.”
Kaveh strokes the scribe's damp gray hair, gently scratching along his scalp with his fingernails. “Come on, be reasonable. I’m the one who offered to help in the first place, right? You have nothing to apologize for.”
Something in Alhaitham's jaw relaxes minutely, but his gaze is still downcast. “...I suppose.”
Kaveh winces, embarrassment burning deep within his chest.
“Also, I should probably let you know now… I don't exactly have a problem with watching you get off. Kind of the opposite, actually.”
Something shifts in Alhaitham's expression, and he chokes on some strange noise that might be an attempt at a laugh. “I don't think I've ever seen someone look so serious whilst announcing that they're horny.”
“I- I’m sorry!” Kaveh stammers, waving his hands in panic. “I know I shouldn't find the whole aphrodisiac thing hot, it's weird, you're probably suffering-”
A sharp sigh of relief. “No, I'm glad. I loathe the very idea of doing this with someone who doesn't fully reciprocate.”
As humiliating as it is, Kaveh scoots back to expose his swollen crotch. There's a prominent wet spot at the front of his pants, where the pre-come has leaked straight through his undergarments. “Does this help alleviate your concerns?”
Something in Alhaitham's expression turns almost voracious. The pink tinge in his irises intensifies, turning them almost the same shade of red as Kaveh's own.
“I want that in me.”
Kaveh almost chokes on his own spit. “Wha- Excuse me??”
“Is that not where this conversation was headed?”
The architect flounders, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Are you sure?! I didn't think- I guess I just assumed you would be the one topping if we ever got to this point...”
Alhaitham sighs through his teeth, slumping against the edge of the tub. The hazy red of his irises has faded back into a beautiful magenta, but it's clearly going to take more work to return them to normal.
“If you think I have enough energy at the moment to do anything else other than lie in bed, you are sorely mistaken.”
“F-fine.” Kaveh stammers, heart beating frantically within his chest. “But do you even know how to prepare? I'm not sure how frequently you do this sort of thing, so-”
Alhaitham reaches between his thighs almost absentmindedly as he stands up from the bath. Kaveh scrambles back with a yelp of surprise as lukewarm water splashes over the rim of the tub and into his lap.
“Wh- Hey!! These pants are dry-clean only!”
Alhaitham ignores him, nonchalantly sinking two fingers into his hole. “The potion seems to have saved me the trouble of prepping. How convenient.”
“What's that supposed to mean?!” Kaveh sputters, desperately avoiding eye contact with the very hard cock currently hanging only a few inches away from his face.
Alhaitham withdraws his fingers with a faint groan. There's a wet shine to them, but it's an entirely different texture from the water droplets currently sliding down his muscular body.
“...I read an article the other day about how an Amurta scholar invented some formulas to make self-lubrication possible for men. I wasn't aware it was on the market yet...”
Kaveh pauses, flabbergasted. “How did they even-? Actually, never mind. I don't think I want to know.”
Alhaitham stares at the slimy substance dripping from his hand, clearly lost in thought. “It's some sort of temporary biochemical change, from what I recall of the paper. It was invented specifically to make colonoscopies and similar exams a little easier on the patient… makes sense that they would add it to a potion that’s supposed to increase libido.”
“Glad to see you're back to your usual over-educated self.” Kaveh mutters under his breath. “But that doesn't mean you're stretched enough to take me or a dildo.”
The scribe shrugs. “I don't know. It feels pretty loose back there.”
Kaveh glances away, cheeks burning. “You- archons, I forgot how direct you can be. But I'm serious, you’d much rather be safe than sorry! A torn ass is the last thing you need right now, trust me.”
Alhaitham winces, nose wrinkled in disgust. “...Point taken.”
The architect sighs, grabbing a soft towel off the back of the door. “Come here, I'll dry you off.”
Alhaitham's body becomes strangely stiff as Kaveh dries his hair, shaking excess water from the silver-and-mint curls. He's being extra careful, making sure to only pat the towel against erogenous zones instead of rubbing- but tremors still shake the scribe's entire body every time Kaveh makes contact with skin.
Alhaitham's breathing grows more and more labored as his roommate works his way down. When he finally reaches the scribe's pelvis, the gray-haired man arches his back against the sink with a broken wail.
“Ah~ K-Kaveh!”
Droplets of white splatter across the tiles between his shaking legs, nearly reaching the architect's shoes.
Kaveh looks up at him in shock. Alhaitham is bright red and shivering, a hand clapped over his mouth in a vain effort to keep quiet.
“Oh my god.” Kaveh stammers, quickly averting his gaze from the sticky mess on the floor. “Did you just-?!”
Alhaitham exhales heavily through his nose, steadying himself against the counter. His eyes, now more teal than pink, are swimming with tears of overstimulation. And as much as Kaveh can hardly believe his eyes, the last few beads of cum dribbling from his twitching cock are plenty of proof that his roommate just came untouched.
Kaveh jumps up to support his shoulders as the scribe staggers, completely exhausted. “Ah, sorry! I should've been more careful-”
“It's fine.” Alhaitham rasps, squeezing his eyes shut in resignation. “You didn't know. Just help me to my room.”
-
It's only when they're laying in Alhaitham's bed, side-by-side, that Kaveh's sappy side really starts to emerge.
To someone as sentimental as Kaveh, sex isn't nearly as simple as just getting each other off and going to sleep in separate beds. He likes to kiss, and cradle, and hold.
Worst of all, he likes to talk. A lot.
(It kind of pisses off most of his partners, which explains why Kaveh never managed to make it past second base with any of them.)
(It's a good thing Alhaitham is used to his yapping.)
The man in question rolls onto his back, cockhead flushed and curved against his stomach. Kaveh's really not sure how in the world he's not cumming dry at this point, but the sticky precome leaking from the head is evident enough.
To no one's surprise, Alhaitham releases again the second Kaveh finally slips a finger inside his ass. His dick throbs as Kaveh strokes him through it, glazing his chiseled muscles with a healthy amount of semen.
“You were right earlier.” Kaveh murmurs, sliding his fingers along the velvety walls as the tremors fade away. “You are loose back here. I could almost just slip right in…”
Alhaitham curls in on himself with a dry sob, shuddering. “Please, archons-”
“Do you want me or a toy?” Kaveh purrs, sliding the pad of his index finger over the fleshy knob he'd identified as Alhaitham’s prostate. “I promise I'll make you feel good either way. As many times as you want- no need to rush. We can call off work tomorrow, and just sit here all day. Me spoiling you, while you just lie back and make a mess of yourself...”
The walls around Kaveh's fingers clench down, and Alhaitham's eyes roll back with a bone-deep groan.
Kaveh watches in rapt fascination as the scribe paints his abs white for the 5th time that night, his entire body spasming.
(Alhaitham's eyes had returned to their usual coloration after the fourth, the pink haze completely gone from his system- but both scholars were a little too preoccupied to notice.)
“Beautiful.” Kaveh murmurs, running his spare hand through the scribe's hair. Alhaitham gasps when Kaveh's palm brushes over the shell of his ear, for once uncovered by his headphones. “You're so handsome like this… I wish I could sketch you right now.”
“Next time.” Alhaitham croaks, eyes fluttering shut. Kaveh's cock twitches, a thrill of excitement running down his spine.
“Wait, seriously? You promise?”
Alhaitham gasps as Kaveh pumps his fingers, pressing them hard into his prostate. “Y-you can fuck me while I read in the evenings, and bring your sketchbook. Just for us.”
Kaveh moans wantonly, blood rushing to his dick. It's not like he wasn't already hard, but something about the idea of listening to his pencil scratching away in combination with the sounds of Alhaitham bouncing on his cock…
“You’d really model for me? Even when we're doing that?”
“Yes.” Alhaitham breathes against his neck, voice low and gravelly. “And I'd write down everything I felt to accompany your illustrations. We can- we can make our own little book.”
Kaveh gulps in anticipation as the scribe's teeth graze over the sensitive skin of his Adam's apple- but he doesn't bite down. Not yet.
“...I'd carry it in my sash, right next to my music player. No one would ever suspect a thing.” The scribe's eagle eyes are sharp and hungry, like a bird of prey. “You know I like to read in public. No one ever looks over my shoulder- they'd probably just assume it was some boring physics textbook, since the cover would be discreet. But you… you would know.”
“Fuck.” Kaveh whispers, flames of shame and arousal licking up his spine as he withdraws his fingers with a filthy squelch. “That’s weird. You're weird. You're so weird.”
Alhaitham presses his lips to Kaveh's neck, smiling coyly. “Oh, but you like that, don't you? I can feel you getting harder.”
He cants his hips upward, grinding against Kaveh's swollen dick- and the architect lets out a muffled wail as the weeping head slips inside Alhaitham's ass, covering his mouth with his hand.
Alhaitham bites down on his throat, just hard enough to bruise as he leans forward, fully seating himself on Kaveh's cock.
“Ooh, fuck…” Kaveh whispers, head spinning with pleasure. Alhaitham is so warm, so wet, so tight-
He thrusts further inside on instinct, bucking his hips deeper. Alhaitham throws his head back, eyes unfocused with pleasure as the swollen flesh grinds into his prostate.
“Ah~!”
Kaveh bows his head, trying his best to focus as he slides back out, resting the crown of his cock against Alhaitham's sensitive hole.
His roommate whines beneath him, voice unusually high and breathless. At this point, they're going to get a noise complaint- but Kaveh can't bring himself to care.
“I forgot a condom.” Kaveh realizes aloud, eyes widening in alarm. “I- you-?”
Alhaitham rolls his hips encouragingly. “I don't care. Continue.”
“But- are you sure?”
The scribe rolls his eyes impatiently, locking his legs around Kaveh's waist. The architect slides further inside with a surprised yelp.
“It's not like I can get pregnant through my ass, Kaveh. And I'm sure if you had any diseases, you would've already complained to me about it."
A moment of silence. Kaveh pants heavily, head swirling with arousal.
“...Besides, I don't mind it.” Alhaitham adds on, uncharacteristically shy. “You, coming inside me… I want to know what it feels like. Just this once.”
Kaveh leans forward to kiss him again, cheeks flushed and bright. Alhaitham breathes into it, the minty taste of his toothpaste mixing with the flowery scent still lingering in the air.
Kaveh frantically thrusts deeper, nailing his roommate's prostate. It almost feels like his mind is full of cotton, ready to blow away with the smallest breeze.
“You're close.” Alhaitham gasps, eyes glazed and unfocused. “You don't have to hold back. I can take it.”
Kaveh groans, little zaps of electricity racing down his spine. His pace turns sloppy, desperately pushing himself as far as he can reach.
“Just let go, senior.” Alhaitham whispers, ears flaming red as he grips the sheets for dear life. “You've always liked to sign your work.”
Kaveh slams inside as far as he can reach with a choked-out cry, hips stuttering. He can feel his cock pulsing as it releases, marking every inch of Alhaitham's ass. It's like his entire body is bursting into flame, thousands of tiny fireworks flaring to life along every nerve.
Alhaitham's fingernails sink deep into his back, leaving thin red lines in their wake that will surely show when Kaveh wears his favorite shirt tomorrow.
(Perhaps, like the mark on his neck, it's intended to be visible.)
Kaveh just barely registers the sensation of Alhaitham's cock twitching where it is sandwiched between them, adding to the tacky mess pooled on his stomach. The scribe's toes curl as he arches his back, grinding against Kaveh’s abdomen for as much as the architect can give.
Kaveh sighs in relief as he pulls out, sticky cum dribbling from where his cock meets Alhaitham's flesh.
Alhaitham looks up at him, oddly smug for someone who has just had six orgasms in a row.
“...I didn't know you were such a quick shot. We may have to procure a reasonable dose of those potions if you're going to last for more than five minutes next time.”
Kaveh gasps in mock offense.
“You! How dare you insult your poor senior, after I went to all the trouble of helping you!”
Alhaitham smiles hazily, holding his arms out in invitation. “You'll forgive me, won't you?”
Kaveh relents instantly, curling into his roommate's arms.
“...Of course. I always do.”