Alhaitham X You - Tumblr Posts
I Wanna Be Yours
(alhaitham x gn!reader smau)
status: finished!
summary!
you recently got in touch with your old friend Kaveh, who helps you look for apartment to move into. it just so happens that the spot next to own apartment is free. and you have no idea that his roommate is incredibly attractive. as time goes on, you start to run into him more and more…
⋆·˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚
parts!
1. you shouldn’t have to!
2. meet my annoying roommate
3. bus boy
4. thankful for the rain
5. wait what?
6. what are you afraid of?
7. a friend to never lose
8. denial
9. a strange feeling
10. confession
11. nothing else or something more
12.if you told them how you felt
13. cat fight
14. soft spot
15. caught in 4k
16. You
17. if only he knew
18. no show
19. all that matters
20. couples activity
21. nothing without you
22. familiar feelings
23. expect the unexpected
24. operation: communication
25. strangers
26. misunderstandings
27. yours
28. everything
29. side story one
30. side story two
ੈ✩‧₊˚
notes!
-HELLO MY LOVES 🫶 it’s happening!!! i’m so excited to make this smau for you guys <3
-more parts will be added! i just have to come up with all these titles 🤞😭
-yes this is inspired by the song by arctic monkeys 💕
-will probably be a modern/college au
-i will make a taglist! so lmk if you want to be in it~
IT’S COMPLICATED … 🧩 | an alhaitam x reader smau
synopsis. y/n works as the social media manager at port ormos co., a famous (and very lucrative) company! They worked hard to get this promotion…but after seeing their latest hookup is actually their boss, things get a little complicated!
pairing. alhaitham x gn! reader
genre. business au, modern au, rich boss trope (is that a thing?), slightly suggestive, comedy, fluff, romance
starring. the shrinking middle class 💪😔, library buddies, twitter mutuals
notes. any images of couples are meant for visual purposes only, and not meant to attach a body type, gender, race, or physical appearance to the reader. other ships may be included 👀. reader goes by they/them! my ass has also never worked at a company…so. don’t expect accuracy. plsplspls reblog this!!! i worked sooo hard on it 🥺
trailer 1 | trailer 2 | trailer 3
episodes.
act one — denial
first day on the job 💰
OH NO HE’S HOT?!?
maybe it’s a crush…
A TRANSFER?!
my girl (gone, gone, gone)
extras tbd…
act two — distance makes the heart grow fonder
back in town?
here is how i find you
such a night we had back then
did it mean anything?
what are we?
extras tbd…
act three — simply a business relationship (right?)
keep it a secret
other episodes tbd…
taglist. @ilyuu @aliain + open! send an ask/message or reblog asking to be added ;)
— 7:51 p.m. ft. alhaitham
— warnings: none
— author's note: an alhaitham word vomit and this may or may not be related to something i'll be doing in the future hehe.
“excuse me, is this seat taken?” you ask with a nervous smile gracing your lips as alhaitham’s mind swam with different ways of saying yes – when in fact it wasn’t – to try and avoid having to share a table with some stranger. but in the end, when his eyes fell on the book you’re holding, the tight grip on your bag straps, and that desperate glaze your eyes held he ended up relenting. “it’s yours.” he says plainly as you scuffle to sit down. it wasn’t long before another laptop was set on his table, just across from his own.
you were undeniably flustered; your eyes not so discreetly peeking at him, how your pen nearly kept falling from your grasp, not to mention how you kept your lips in a firm line. it wasn’t that hard to come to the conclusion that you may have something for alhaitham, but he made no comment; if he did, it would be akin to opening a pandora’s box. you were quite a chatterbox after all.
surprisingly though, you had not uttered another word to him after you sat down and let a soft thank you stumble past your lips. after a few glimpses at alhaitham – all of which he caught on to leaving you to hide behind your laptop screen – he himself would take note of the items you had laid on his table. your laptop had multiple stickers of different characters from different franchises; a big coherent mess, he concludes. the notebook that laid on the table held haphazardly written notes, messy scribbles of black and green ink – the same black pen was in your hand being spun around like a rollercoaster – painted the inside of each page, sometimes there were little doodles in the corner. eventually you had taken out a black case with your glasses in them; he had noticed you getting too close to your laptop screen so his assumption of your poor eyesight was correct. but what caught alhaitham’s eyes the most was the annotated book by franz kafka that you had been flipping through all this time.
“letters to milena.” he softly muttered. alhaitham was sure you wouldn’t catch it, but in the blink of an eye, you were staring at him with widened eyes. the moment your eyes met, you ducked your head back behind your laptop screen with a nod. your fingers nimbly flipping to another page that was annotated with a burgundy book tab. “literature assignment. our professor requires us to write an essay about a book of our choosing each semester.” alhaitham hummed in acknowledgement and with that, the conversation ended.
the two of you stayed in the comforts of the library for another twenty or so minutes before you started to pack up. alhaitham’s eyes followed your movement as you put away your laptop first, then your notebook, and finally your book tucked neatly on your arms as you flashed him a small smile. “i’ll see you around!” you whisper-yell at him with a wave of your hand. alhaitham simply nodded, not even bothering to wave back, but his eyes did follow your figure as you made your way out of the library when you turned your back on him. letting out another sigh, he pocketed the glasses case you had left on the table as he started packing up.
“how troublesome.” he said gruffly. putting on his headphones – putting the music at max volume – and slinging his bag over his shoulder he left the library.
–
“how do you lose a pair of glasses in the span of less than twenty-four hours?” you turn to glare at your friend who was making sure you didn’t trip and fall face-first on the ground. “i swear i’m not this forgetful, okay?!” he just snickered while you groaned, a hand dragged itself down your face as he led you to the art room. you let out a slight scream when you nearly tripped over your own feet as you tried to rack your brain to try and find where you last put your glasses. letting out another frustrated groan while your friend laughed, you sulked your way to the art room.
“there you are!” kaveh, the art club president, exclaimed with what you presumed was a wave. “good morning senior.” your friend greeted the blonde man. to your and his surprise, kaveh had suddenly handed you a black case that looked oddly like the one you were looking for. when you had taken it from his grasp, you let out a small gasp of surprise as you saw your glasses.
“where’d you find them?!” you ask while putting them on, letting out a breath of relief as everything finally started to clear up. “a friend of mine found it in the library.” your brows furrowed in thought. you do remember wearing them in the library yesterday when you were writing your essay. so that means–
both men looked at you in confusion as you started slightly jumping around the room with giggles bubbling from your throat and bursting into tiny little laughters. plopping yourself on the ground, hiding behind the case, you then lay on the cold floor – much to kaveh’s dismay. both of them urged you to not lay on the floor, but you just kicked your feet and giggled, opening the case again and holding it close to your chest.
kaveh just sighed as he urged your friend to start working on a project. “we’ll be back later. try not to go crazy now.” the blonde man said, amusement lacing his voice as he closed the door on you.
a little voice in your head said that it was a logical reason to giggle over.
‘don’t leave your things behind.
– A.’
seems like you’ll be writing another love letter to this particular senior that has won over your heart.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
– love’s thesis.
pairing: alhaitham x gn!reader
premise: the most logical thing to do when you find out your pretend lover is actually your soulmate? conduct a research and fall in love in the process.
– warnings: inaccurate/unrealistic depictions of college, modern au.
– author's note: i write one long fic for alhaitham and suddenly that old project i have for him back in april is suddenly back. | ~5.9k words.
to say that alhaitham was royally fucked would be an understatement. he was behind three lectures, had a major paper he’s yet to touch, and now, with the sudden appearance of his soulmate mark, he wasn’t sure what to tackle first.
alhaitham let out a long exasperated sigh, hand coming to drag down his already tired face as he irritatedly tapped on his table. the white screen of his laptop blinded him as the clock ticked, a constant reminder that he was losing time if he didn’t type out at least a sentence to his professor–or to you. a low grumble left his lips when he closed his device and left his room to get another cup of coffee. mind swimming with how he was going to approach you, or if he was even going to say the implications of having your name written on his forearm.
when he reached the living space of his apartment, there you were, in the same position and predicament as him. you looked up from your books and gave him a weary and crooked smile. eyes sunken and hair a mess but all alhaitham could see was how the lamp light on the coffee table illuminated your features. the pounding of his heart was back and all he could offer you was nod before going to the kitchen. this was stupid, he reminded himself. how could the person he’s been fake dating for sheer convenience be his actual soulmate. you, who dreams of fairytales and happily ever after, his soulmate? alhaitham scoffed in disbelief as he waited for the coffee machine to finish his drink.
his mind was torn; alhaitham’s rationality screaming at him to just be honest and tell you now but the more curious side of him wanted to test out this soulmate thing. from the corner of his eye, he sees you stretch your arms over your head and let out a tired sigh. books and papers and devices scattered on his floor as you push your hair out of your face. up until a few hours ago, you were nothing more than a footnote in his life, but now as his eyes took another glimpse over the inking of your name, alhaitham begins to wonder if offering to be your fake boyfriend was also part of fate’s plans.
just then, when the coffee machine finished his drink, an idea popped into his mind. something that would quench his curiosity over the idea of soulmates and finish this thesis he’s yet to even start on. and it would only take 4 steps.
--
STEP 1: THE PROPOSAL
this was abnormal behavior for alhaitham. he has never felt so nervous and antsy in his life until now. alhaitham never felt his palms sweat when the panelists grilled him during his presentations or when he nearly fucked up a speech because he had 2 hours of sleep prior. he concluded that it must be the left over adrenaline from stealing kaveh’s concealer to hide your name on his forearm.
he wasn’t ashamed to have you as his soulmate, it was quite opposite now that he thinks about it. you were a proud scholar like him. the only difference was you were in vahamuna and him in harvatat. but that didn’t deter you from engaging in academic banter and debates with him. alhaitham just felt a bit unsure how to approach the topic of soulmates with you, especially when he was the first one to lay down the boundary that everything is purely for convenience and that no feelings should be involved.
“i’m very confused,” your voice cuts through his inner dilemma as you skim over his proposal paper. “is it really okay for me to assist you in this research? wouldn’t faruzan or maybe someone in harvatat be of more help?”
“my topic delves into relationships. seeing as though you are my lover,” alhaitham pauses and he didn’t fail to pick up on the blood rushing to your cheeks when he called you his lover. “you’re my best option.”
there was an amused glint in your eyes when you shook your head. you slowly packed your things and handed his proposal back to him. “this is giving me major deja vu.” the grin on your lips and playful tone also took him to memory lane when he first proposed to this fake date situation.
“i’m assuming this is a yes?” he raised a curious brow at you. the two of you falling into each other’s pace as you left the library.
“it’s a yes.”
STEP 1: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2: RESEARCH AND ON FIELD EXPERIMENTS.
once his paper was given the green light, he offered to start when you reached his apartment. having nothing to do, until your groupmates replied to you at least, you entered his space and sat yourself on the floor. opening your laptop while alhaitham went to the kitchen to get you something to drink and munch on, you can’t help but feel so at home. alhaitham notices this every time so he makes a mental note of your behavior for later use.
hours passed and after many coffee drinks, wingstop takeouts, 10 minute power naps, an unintended pillow fight, and blasting random songs to keep you both awake and sanity intact, you and alhaitham decided on a few experiments to conduct on his research.
STEP 2: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.1: EMOTIONAL SYNCHRONY UNDER EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES.
“alhaitham, where did you get that…?”
the gray haired man looked up from his tablet and nodded towards your direction. his eyes glancing over to the heart monitors that were now present in his living room. “the local hospital.”
“you really are full of surprises,” you let out an amused chuckle. dropping your stuff beside the coffee table and sitting next to him, he hands you the many wires of the heart monitor. “how did you even get these to your apartment.”
he got up from his seat and crouched to the level of his tv, not answering your question. sorting through the many movie discs he had rented out for the both of you to watch and test the level of emotional synchrony. “what would you like to watch first?”
alhaitham had never whipped his head back faster in his life when he caught you raising your shirt. showing off your midriff as you attach the wires to your chest. he felt his temperature rise as you answered a simple anything to his question. this was ridiculous, his mind echoed, he’s seen you in a bathing suit when you and his friends went to the beach. alhaitham didn’t understand why he felt so flustered. shoving a random cd into the cd player and taking the remote, he sat back down on the couch. he just prayed that you don’t question the sudden flush on his cheeks.
one horror movie, three romcoms, one tragedy, and one thriller later, you both decided to take a break.
“any progress so far?” you ask with a tilt of your head.
he hummed in response. “remarkable to say the least.”
alhaitham hands over the tablet to you while he detaches himself from the heart monitor. he made his way to the kitchen and took out two cups from his cupboard. “the study we found last time stated that close companions tend to copy the other’s emotional response under emotional stress.”
“and?” you take the cup he offered gingerly and took a sip. it was coffee, made just how you like it. “how did we do?”
he took a sip of his own and took the tablet back.
“almost perfectly in sync. fascinating isn’t it?”
he tried his best to not show any signs of whatever he was feeling. as remarkable this was, it was a bit scary. and alhaitham didn’t know what to make out of it. he knows that not all soulmates end up together, in fact, a study that was conducted five years ago proved that only a small margin of soulmates live long enough to meet their other half. and an even smaller margin of soulmates actually worked out. it was only the first experiment, the first trial, but alhaitham could feel the arms of inevitability and uncertainty wrap around his ribs and start breaking each bone one by one.
just by this one experiment alone, when he offered you a tissue to wipe your tears or when you leaned on him for support because of your laughter, alhaitham felt the inevitable pull towards you.
STEP 2.1: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.2: COMMUNICATION AND INTIMACY EXPERIMENT.
it was a busy day at lambad’s cafe. the establishment was housing many students who were all running on little to no sleep and coffee pumping in their veins. project month was proving to be hell on earth for the students. final research defenses and projects were usually held in this time and sometimes the following week would be their finals. it’s a brutal battle against time and insanity, those who don’t have proper time management are almost guaranteed to repeat the year if they receive a single mark that’s below the passing grade.
“geez, busy as always.” you said, scrolling through your phone.
“i’d be more surprised if no one was busy,” he replied. “kaveh is practically living in his lecture hall.”
you let out a laugh as you put down your phone on the table, face down, as you take a bite off of your snack. “okay, my turn to ask a question.”
“shoot.”
this was today’s experiment. communication and intimacy by using the famous “36 questions to fall in love” as your starting point. in every relationship, not just soulmates, communication needs to be present or else it’ll fall apart sooner or later. conversation let’s people see parts of another they tend to hide. alhaitham wanted to scratch this experiment from the process, but after the last one, he wanted to try if there were any unpredicted outcomes.
many studies have already been conducted on this, alhaitham shouldn’t have a problem finding a supporting article for his thesis. but after just a few questions, he began to think of this experiment as an excuse to get to know you more. he’s not sure if it’s the soulmate thing playing at his mind to get to know you but he suddenly had the urge to absorb every information about you like a sponge. a painful want to know you inside and out; a need to be able to completely explain you to someone else.
“question 27: if you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.”
alhaitham mulled over the question before giving his answer.
“my indifference and wanting to keep most things private does not equate to me not caring about them.” he let his tongue roll over his lips, suddenly feeling parched with the way you were staring at him. “i have high walls, but that doesn’t mean they’re there to ward everyone off. i’m very particular with who i let in, so if they truly want to be my friend, i’d advise them to try until i welcome them in.”
a smile tugged at your lips and alhaitham felt he could finally breathe. “your turn.”
“question 33: if you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? why haven’t you told them yet?”
you let out a hum and leaned back in your seat. “never telling the people i care about that i love them.”
“why haven’t you told them yet?” he asks, crossing both his arms over the table and slightly leaning forward.
“i don’t know…” you say honestly. a foggy look in your eyes as you stare at the ceiling. “maybe i’m scared it won't sound genuine enough.”
alhaitham wanted to argue that everyone you care about knew that you love them dearly. he was one of those people after all. whatever label you have now was certainly fake, but the vulnerability and care you had for each other wasn’t, and he would die on that hill.
“well you shouldn’t,” his voice cut through the quiet atmosphere. he hoped that it didn’t sound too harsh. “if they cared about you, they would know whether you're being genuine or not.”
if someone told alhaitham’s younger self that the walls he’d built up would crumble in just 36 questions, he wouldn’t have believed it. he still finds it hard to believe when you both exit the cafe and go your separate ways. but all he can do is accept it. through those questions, he learned more about you–your dreams, values, cherished memories, and vulnerabilities you shared with him first.
ahaitham concluded that this experiment was worth keeping. he felt more connected to you than ever.
STEP 2.2: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.3: RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM.
admittedly, this wasn’t in the original list of experiments you and alhaitham had planned but decided to go along with it. the akademiya regularly held a research symposium and had one or two students present preliminary research to batches of students. this year, he was asked to do it and he dragged you to be his partner because who else would he ask. certainly not kaveh.
“do your best! i’ll be backstage if you need anything.” he simply nods at your support and walks to the stage. before beginning, he takes one last glance at you. he didn’t know what urged him to do it, but after seeing you flash him a thumbs up and an encouraging grin, he let a small smile loose before looking towards the batch of students that won’t give a single shit about what he’s saying.
roughly 45 minutes later, alhaitham stepped down the podium and bowed. applause echoed throughout the hall as he made his way backstage to find you. the next batch would be listening to you after all. he stopped in his tracks when he saw you happily chatting with a student he didn't recognize.
“you’re presentation is next, do your best!” he excitedly said. alhaitham narrowed his eyes when the unfamiliar boy rubbed the back of his nape, a flushed tint reaching his cheeks. “maybe after the day’s over we can go get some coffee?”
how strange it was. ever since your name appeared on his forearm he’d started feeling so many new emotions that he normally wouldn’t imagine feeling. it was an ugly feeling, he concluded. alhaitham didn’t like how relieved he felt when you declined the boy’s invitation and when you caught sight of him, he felt his heart beat rapidly in his ears when you skipped over to him. he already knew why he felt a sudden surge of pride take over him when you drag him further back stage to review your presentation, completely ignoring the other boy.
it was for research, so why did his arm wrap loosely around your waist like second nature?
STEP 2.3: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.4: CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION.
you were the one who coined this idea after a quick chat with kaveh. for once, the blonde man had an insightful opinion and offered to schedule you and alhaitham to a quick session of painting on your next day offs. now here were the three of you, inside a painting studio with other students in the art department of the akademiya, seated in front of a white canvas and a tray of colors.
from the corner of his eyes, alhaitham took notice of how you and kaveh animatedly chatted. the same ugly feeling he felt that day backstage came back in full throttle. clicking his tongue, he shifted his focus back on the instructor’s voice and followed his instructions. every once in a while, he would take a peek at you and feel something bloom inside his chest when caught a glimpse of that determined look on your face. by the time he looked back at his canvas, he felt the wind inside his lungs be stolen away when he realized he used your colors to paint.
different shades and strokes of your favorite colors invaded his senses. his own mind playing tricks on him because he could’ve sworn you were peering over his shoulders, hands wrapped around his waist and your chin comfortably set on one of his shoulders. alhaitham felt the ghosts of your warmth and couldn’t help but crave it.
he snapped out of his daydreams when the instructor’s assistant approached him. she was the same age as you and with just one look, alhaitham concluded that she was interested in him. it took all of his will power to not roll his eyes when she complimented his work and not subtly ask for his number. thankfully, she was called back to the instructor’s side. he felt a shiver run down his spine when the girl looked over her shoulders and winked at him. he was most definitely not coming back here ever again.
when the class finished, alhaitham had successfully painted 3 canvases, all with your favorite colors and things that reminded him of you. a successful experiment if he does say so himself.
meeting up with kaveh near the exit they both engaged in small chatter. the blonde architect complaining about how he’s burning through his concealer faster than he expected because of the lack of sleep. alhaitham made sure to just hum and nod here and there to not give himself away that he was the reason why kaveh’s makeup was running out.
“i swear! this school wants its students six feet under before they graduate.”
he tunes out the complaints of his senior and mindlessly scrolls through his phone. tapping his foot impatiently when the assistant from earlier started making her way over to him. scoffing in annoyance he was about to drag kaveh out the door and wait for you outside but an arm tangled with his and started tugging him.
“good job today!” you grin at alhaitham with both your arms interlaced with the other.
taking a peek over his shoulder, alhaitham caught sight of the assistant girl scoffing and rolling her eyes. he shifted his focus back on you, eyes meeting anyone and anything but his. an amused smirk was present on his face when he felt your hand tighten its hold around his bicep.
“jealous?” he teases.
you roll your eyes and grip his arm tighter. “maybe.”
STEP 2.4: COMPLETE.
--
STEP 2.5: COOKING.
the constant ticking of the clock and the tic tac of keyboards was all alhaitham could hear. it was almost midnight and the two of you had decided to pull another all nighter together. at this point, the two of you had been working on his thesis for almost a month now, and alhaitham is still yet to come to a conclusion.
he definitely feels something for you. but there was an uncertain part of him that wonders if his feelings are truly genuine or if the idea of being soulmates was hindering his unbiased thinking. you look up from your laptop when you hear him stop typing and softly ask him if he’s alright. alhaitham wanted to answer no, he was not in the slightest bit alright. but he needn’t open his mouth to reply because you already stood up and invited him to the kitchen.
“let’s cook something to eat. we’ve been ordering too much takeout lately.” there was a sheepish grin on your lips as you opened his fridge and took out some ingredients. “what do you say?”
alhaitham didn’t really have a choice when you’re already started preparing. and even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to say no. when it came to you, he always found it hard to decline your invitations and advances. so now here he was, helping you cook buttered noodles at 11:57 p.m. with your playlist softly playing in the background.
he’s read a study about how cooking tends to deepen relationships between people. alhaitham wonders if this will also happen with what you and him have now. he didn’t really have think too much of it because once he hears you hiss from accidentally touching the pot with boiling water, he’s already by your side. a gentle hand guiding yours under the faucet running with cold water as he lectures you about being careful. you only laugh and say he’s worrying too much. patting him on the arm, a silent message to release your hand, alhaitham lets you continue your duty of cooking the pasta as he grates the cheese and prepares plates.
something about this fragile moment has alhaitham’s mind swimming with possibilities for the future. all he could think about is how nice it would to come home to you after a long day of work (he already does this, he just won’t admit it). crashing into your arms without care as he prattles about his day, his head on your chest while your hand gently strokes over his hair. listening intently to whatever he had to say because you loved listening to his voice.
“haitham can you help me drain the water?” before you could even turn around to face him, he's already behind you. his larger hands held your smaller ones and helped you guide the pot to the sink. alhaitham doesn’t miss the burning of your ears and he’s overcome with the urge to tease.
“why so quiet?” he asks with a playful lilt to his voice. “are you that tired?”
he hears you scoff and grumble. that fuzzy feeling swimming inside his chest again as you duck under his arms and sit yourself on his dining table. he raises a brow at you but you only raise the hand that touched the boiling pot.
“my hand is hurting again?”
“are you serious?”
“deadly serious.”
alhaitham knew you were horsing around but he only chuckled with a shake of his head. in the end, by the time it reached 12:12, the two of you were eating happily. no small talk or conversation was present but neither of you minded. all you cared about was being in his presence and alhaitham would give it to you even if you hadn’t asked for it. he looks up from his plate when he hears you chuckle and sees you tiredly swirling the food on your fork.
“we’re not getting any sleep tonight aren’t we?” there was something dreamy about the way you looked right now. evidently tired, hair a mess and flying in any and every direction, and your eyes were droopy. you looked so at home -at peace- and alhaitham wonders if it’s because you two were spending time together.
“you ask that as if it’s the first time we’ve done this.” you laugh at his reply and look at him. a certain emotion in them that he can only recognize as fondness.
alhaitham concludes from this unscripted experiment that he wouldn’t mind cooking with you every night.
STEP 2.5: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.6: VULNERABILITY AND TRUST.
today marked the last week and final experiment of alhaitham’s thesis. the both of you decided to leave the “scariest” experiment for last so you wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable. after all, being blindfolded and led to some unknown place wasn’t something normal couples would do on a daily basis. yet here you were, trusting him completely with your safety as he holds your hand leading you somewhere.
“you doing okay there, haitham?”
this was dangerous. alhaitham shouldn’t be walking backwards. but he couldn’t snuff out his desire of seeing you under the setting sun. he could bump into something and fall, compromising this experiment, but just this once, alhaitham let himself cheat. disobey his own rules. he’s already broken multiple ones so what’s one more?
“i should be asking you that,” he pauses when he hears you chuckle. “i’m not the one blindfolded here.”
“aww don’t worry haitham. i trust you won’t kill me.”
“you don’t know that.”
“do you even know how to hide a body?” alhaitham was about to reply when you cut him off. “nevermind you probably do.”
alhaitham didn’t bother to stifle a laugh at your sudden confession. and you laugh with him. when his back bumps into a metal pole, he takes it as a sign to finally turn around and walk the correct way. it hasn’t been a minute yet he’s already missing the sight of your smiling face.
“tell me a secret, haitham.”
“why?”
“this is a vulnerability and trust experiment. tell me something you haven’t told anyone.”
he takes a minute to reply. after much contemplation, alhaitham thinks it’s time to tell you.
“i’m scared of my soulmate.”
“why are you scared?” your voice turned quiet. it sounded more like an inaudible murmur.
“you already know i’m not one for relationships,” he hears you hum. “but recently their name appeared on my forearm. it was unexpected, in fact, i didn’t even think it was possible.”
“why would you think that?” you sound almost hurt. alhaitham didn’t like it.
“soulmates are too unreliable. you’ve certainly seen the multiple studies on them right? most soulmates don’t even get the chance to meet their other half.”
“and yet here we are,” he chuckled and intertwined your fingers. “doing a study on soulmates and testing the potential emotional synergy they might have.”
“i have a strict framework for my life. i built it with facts and logic. soulmates simply don’t fit into that framework. the idea of someone having such a profound impact on my life, someone i didn’t choose– it feels like i’m losing a battle against fate.”
“you can’t fight fate, haitham.”
“and who said i was fighting it?”
alhaitham sighs, running a hand through his hair. “i’m scared that they’ll grow tired of this logical thinking of mine. what if they no longer want to understand me? what if we mix like oil and water?”
“you’ll never know unless you try,” you squeeze his hand in reassurance. “sometimes, you need a little unpredictability in your life. so what if they don’t understand you immediately, most soulmates don’t even get together when they first meet. relationships take time and effort.”
alhaitham turns to look at you again, studying your expression. there’s softness in his eyes, he can just tell. “what about you? what are you afraid of?”
you stop walking entirely but not once did your hand slip away from his. “i’ve been afraid of soulmates too. what if my soulmate isn’t a good person? what would happen to my dreams of getting married and that happily ever after?”
alhaitham feels his heart beating inside his ears when you tug off the blindfold. when you meet his eyes with such a lovesick expression, he feels weak in the knees and throat drying up faster than the sands in the desert.
“but what if your soulmate is better than you imagined?” there was a smirk on his lips when he takes a step forward. “what if he’s standing right in front of you as we speak, telling you that he’s willing to give the happily ever after you’ve always wanted? all you needed to do was wait a bit longer.”
you let out a laugh and tug him closer. chest to chest, hand still holding each other. “do you think so?”
“i know so.”
“will he finally tell me what he’s planning with these experiments?” you lean forward and alhaitham feels his heart lurch forward.
he presses your foreheads together. closing his eyes to stop himself from laughing at the sight of you on your toes to reach him. “i can’t say. it’s hard to put into words.”
you pout and hit him on the chest. “and why not?”
“i’ve never felt such deep affection for someone until you.”
STEP 2.6: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 3: WRITING.
it took a shit ton of self control to stay away from you after his confession. he locked himself in his apartment, leaving you and kaveh to sleepover at tighnari’s since he wouldn’t the door for anyone (this is a lie, he always opens the door for you when you bring him food).
now he’s around 75% done with his paper, and it’s taking longer than expected. his idea of locking his phone in the closet on do not disturb was going well.
the days continued to drag on and alhaitham scowled at himself for feeling so much yearning for a person he’s going to see tonight or in the following week. he missed the sound of your laughter and comforting presence as you both chased deadlines. but he was determined to finish this thesis tonight or tomorrow afternoon if he accidentally fell asleep.
as he expected, there was a knock on his front door. he frowned at how quickly he stood up. with a sigh, he went to the door and leaned on one of the walls with both his hands crossed over his chest.
“haitham, i know you’re in there!” you shout, voice muffled by the door. “you can’t keep hiding there forever! that’s kaveh’s job.”
alhaitham let out a snort as his hand hovered over the doorknob. “i’m working.”
“then work with me. i bought us takeout,” you said, tone teasing. “and i’m not leaving until you open the door.”
with a sigh he relented. knowing deep down that you were deadly serious and he didn’t want to be the cause for a potential cold. when he unlocked the door there you were, your tote bag hanging on your shoulder while your arms held plastic bags of food. the mere sight of you has his mood brightening but he tried his best to keep it neutral.
“it’s late.” he said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably when you wrap a single arm on his waist.
“and yet here i am,” you didn’t even wait for him to tell you to come in. you’re already dropping your things on his couch and sitting down on the floor. “you’re place is a mess.”
he rolls his eyes and sat next to you. “thank you, i’m trying to copy kaveh’s workspace.”
a laugh rippled through the space as you handed him his portion. “don’t be mean to him! he’s trying his best.”
you let alhaitham take a few bites before you leaned your head on his shoulder. eyes soft when you smile at him. “i missed you.”
“i missed you too,” he admits, wrapping one arm around your waist and pulling you impossibly closer. “but i need to finish the paper.”
“oh fuck you!”
you scowl at him and let out an annoyed huff as you take a bite of your own food. you don’t get to savor it when a firm hand takes hold of your chin and pulls your face to alhaitham’s. your lips meet briefly before he’s nestling back on his seat. a cheeky grin on his face when you feel your cheeks burning.
“forgive me?”
STEP 3: (KINDA) COMPLETED.
--
STEP 4: CONCLUSION.
alhaitham let out a sigh of relief as he left the presentation room, loosening his too-tight tie. the sun was high, indicating that it was around afternoon now. the defense took longer than expected due to the panelists’ questions, and the knowing looks of headmaster nahida and rukkhadevata. he shivered when he recalled how he barely escaped miss nahida’s clutches.
he speedwalked down the corridors of the akademiya, keeping a firm grip of the extra copy of his thesis. those countless hours spent trying to perfect it was finally over and it proved to be worth all the effort. he had no doubts in his mind that he got a good mark. but now, he had one final thing he needed to do.
a warm breeze greeted him when he stepped outside. he closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warm afternoon sun ease his nerves already knowing where to go next. he needed to find you.
and find you he did. the moment he opened lambad’s cafe doors, his eyes by habit, searched for you in your usual seat by the window. half of your face hidden by your laptop screen and a coffee cup in your hand. the sight brought a smile to his lips, and for a moment, he didn’t move and let the scene in front of him be printed into his mind.
taking a deep breath, he walked over to you. “mind if i join you?”
you looked up, not surprised but still happy to see him. “how did it go?”
“well,” he said, sitting down across from you. “a lot more intense than i thought, but i did alright.”
“alright seems like an understatement,” you say in amusement, closing your laptop as your eyes flicked over to the papers he held.
alhaitham was struck with the feeling of deja vu. this scene in front of him mirrored the time where he first proposed the idea of partnering up for his thesis. now, here you both were, sitting across from each other with his finished thesis.
you raised a knowing brow at him. “what’s this?”
“the final version of my thesis,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “i wanted you to have look.”
“i’m honored.” you say with a big smile.
he nodded and took a deep breath. “there’s something i’ve been meaning to tell you.”
you hum to signal him to continue as you flip through the papers and skim over his hard work.
“during my presentation, i talked a lot about the impact of relationships. how it affects someone’s behavior, both consciously and subconsciously. i talked about you.”
you suddenly look up, eyes wide. “what did you say?”
“that emotional synergy doesn’t only apply to soulmates. it’s for everyone. even before your name appeared on my forearm, you and i already shared a connection that felt deeper than most soulmates had. from pretend to the profound truth; you’re my soulmate.”
you blinked at him, trying to process everything he’s said. “you really talked me?”
alhaitham nods, a small smile on his lips when he leans over and flips you to where his experiments come into play. “i did. i talked about our relationship, even when it started as pretend and for convenience, had impacted my life significantly. how i always seem more relaxed and focused when you’re by my side. i couldn’t imagine my life without having you in it the more time we spent together.”
he paused, taking another deep breath. “when i first saw your name on my forearm, i couldn’t believe it. it complicated things severely. but the truth is, you’ve always been my soulmate, even before the mark appeared.”
you take his hand in your and intertwine your fingers. and alhaitham couldn’t help but feel his heart quicken when he sees his name written on your wrist. “you scared me for a while, you know?”
he leaned forward, cupping your face in his free hand. “you don’t have to feel scared anymore. it’s real, even without the marks, it’s always been real. i want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
you let out a shaky breath and smile. “i love you.”
“i love you too,” he murmured, thumbs brushing against your tears to wipe away the stray tears that fell. “more than words can express. i have never known anything else but loving you.”
STEP 4: COMPLETED.
--
BONUS:
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
Hello, sorry if this request doesn’t make sense but I was wondering if you could do headcanons for Tighnari, Alhaitham, Cyno, and Kaveh (you can just pick one if that’s to many) with a reader who has a younger sister who’s like 14 who that they take care of since they don’t have parents, thank you for your time
A/n: Hello! My apologies for this taking so long, some things ended up popping up. But, I do hope you enjoy these. Just them interacting with your sister. Wholesome stuff. I didn't include Kaveh in this one, simply because I don't feel too secure yet in writing him, but once I know him better I'll see to do a follow up 👀 These are not completely proof read
Characters: Tighnari, Cyno, Al-Haitham
__________________________________________
Tighnari:
- Tighnari is arguably the best when it comes to dealing with anyone young. He's got the patience and the needed gentle, but sturdy hand. It's like this with pretty much any kid he comes across, but seeing how close he is with you he takes this even more seriously
- He's caring with your sister from the start, politely introducing himself to her and starting a relaxing chit-chat with her while you go about your business if you're in a rush. He really doesn't mind watching over her as long as he's not in a pinch with the rangers and patrols
- She reminds him of Collei, in a way. He doesn't quite understand why but he pinpoints it onto their shared curiosities for his work. Both girls seem to linger at his back and watch him (and his ears) as he handles plants and papers. He indulges them a little, having them believe that he has not noticed on their clear spying
- Tighnari shares his knowledge with your sister, he enjoys it truly. He loves to share the knowledge that may as well help an individual out - and if your sister decides she wants to be a ranger or some form of biologist, you have Tighnari to blame, or thank. He brings out some specimens to show her if a physical presentation is necessary, or he recommends books for her to read if she's willing to delve further into the subject
- Isn't surprised when she eventually asks to pet his ears or rub his tail. He could practically hear her thoughts when she first met him, but she seemed to refrain from asking on the first meeting. Tighnari would bow down slightly or instruct her to climb up higher if she is really short, and even if she tugged a little, he wouldn't seriously scold her, just warn her not to do it again. Tighnari gives her a small warning just to not be too rough beforehand and that "It's just like any dog or cat's ears", but your sister just seems to find his ears the most special
- It is also no issue if your sister has to stay with him for some time, nights or even weeks if Mora is tight, he would help you both out in any way he can. He has Collei to keep your sister company too, since there is so much he can do as an older person in your sister's life. Collei and she seem to get along very well, so there is no issue regarding their friendship
Cyno:
- Now, it takes Cyno quite some time to come around to have the time to meet your sister. So all she knew about him was what she could hear from merchants or Akademiya students. All the terrible rumors also stick, so it's no wonder when she appears to be too nervous to meet him when you brought it up. She would need some confirmation and encouragement that, no, General Mahamatra is not as the boogeyman most describe him as
- Cyno may come off as unfeeling on the first go, as he is the man of analytical mind and one that isn't too in-tune with his emotions naturally, but also since his job does not allow for such soft sympathies. So the conversation may feel a bit tense or awkward when he sees that his ways are pulling too hard on the reins, and that your sister is tense or even uncomfortable
- He would definitely crack several jokes to cheer her up, and somehow- miraculously - your sister feels at ease when Cyno rushes to tell the jokes and explain them. Her laugh brings a wave of relief to Cyno, he may even mutter something and just exhale loudly before indulging in some food to take a reprieve. This man has the best intentions - please, give him a hand, he is a bit slow with sentimental things
-Now, for later interactions between him and your sister, they all become a lot more casual and friendly, your sister would put a lot of trust in him. If his reputation was not enough to guarantee reliability, the friendship they build over time is. She is much more often with him, and some may look weirdly at your sister and Cyno if they see her talking her mouth off about some off-topic with him wearing a faint smile as they go to find you
-It is a cute sight honestly. And also - Cyno has a habit of picking up small trinkets on his way. It can be anything small as a crystalized shard from the dunes, or some luxurious looking missing vase from the forest, and he brings them all back to you and your sister - giving more romantic gifts to you behind your sister's back
Al-Haitham:
-Is the most jaded out of these three. He is not easily affected by emotions, and as such he can come off as quite rude to others around him, or too strict or too stern. It takes him the longest to get the gist of the kids these days, but he does try. He is incredibly understanding despite outwards impressions, and he understands the struggles you both are going through and he does try his best when he ends up with your sister in his care
-Taking the analytical approach all the time proves not to be affective all the time - and this is something Al-Haitham gets to understand later down the line as he gets closer to your sister
-Similar to Cyno, he attempts to remedy awkward situations with some form of jokes, but his humor at the start just is too stern for a child. His jokes needs more working on than Cyno's. But Al-Haitham is adaptable, and he picks up the humor of the kids at that time and slowly this goes into his advantage when he tells these jokes and funny riddles to your sister
-He is quite protective of your sister from the get-go. Seeing as she is an important part of your family, the last of it, he takes it very, very seriously that your sister is safe and out of harms way. Although the other two on this list are also very defensive of your sister, they are much more calm about it and more casual
-Al-Haitham is very observant, and when you sister is in his care he always has his eyes on her, he makes sure she stays in his field of vision where the space is clear and if any changes happen that could be harmful - he would know
- Just as willing to lend his hand in academic knowledge on all sorts of topics. If you woke him up in the night to ask him about all sorts of academic positions within the Akademiya and what they all do, he would break out into an explanation without any questions, and would go to sleep right afterwards. So if your sister came to him for help, he would do his best to simplify the knowledge so she can better understand. He is very open to any questions, but if your sister did end up asking some silly question he would give her a silly answer before elaborating further, unless she caught onto it herself
_______________________________
Ⓒ n0tamused. Do not repost, translate, edit, and/or copy any of my works. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.
Hello, sorry if this request doesn’t make sense but I was wondering if you could do headcanons for Tighnari, Alhaitham, Cyno, and Kaveh (you can just pick one if that’s to many) with a reader who has a younger sister who’s like 14 who that they take care of since they don’t have parents, thank you for your time
A/n: Hello! My apologies for this taking so long, some things ended up popping up. But, I do hope you enjoy these. Just them interacting with your sister. Wholesome stuff. I didn't include Kaveh in this one, simply because I don't feel too secure yet in writing him, but once I know him better I'll see to do a follow up 👀 These are not completely proof read
Characters: Tighnari, Cyno, Al-Haitham
__________________________________________
Tighnari:
- Tighnari is arguably the best when it comes to dealing with anyone young. He's got the patience and the needed gentle, but sturdy hand. It's like this with pretty much any kid he comes across, but seeing how close he is with you he takes this even more seriously
- He's caring with your sister from the start, politely introducing himself to her and starting a relaxing chit-chat with her while you go about your business if you're in a rush. He really doesn't mind watching over her as long as he's not in a pinch with the rangers and patrols
- She reminds him of Collei, in a way. He doesn't quite understand why but he pinpoints it onto their shared curiosities for his work. Both girls seem to linger at his back and watch him (and his ears) as he handles plants and papers. He indulges them a little, having them believe that he has not noticed on their clear spying
- Tighnari shares his knowledge with your sister, he enjoys it truly. He loves to share the knowledge that may as well help an individual out - and if your sister decides she wants to be a ranger or some form of biologist, you have Tighnari to blame, or thank. He brings out some specimens to show her if a physical presentation is necessary, or he recommends books for her to read if she's willing to delve further into the subject
- Isn't surprised when she eventually asks to pet his ears or rub his tail. He could practically hear her thoughts when she first met him, but she seemed to refrain from asking on the first meeting. Tighnari would bow down slightly or instruct her to climb up higher if she is really short, and even if she tugged a little, he wouldn't seriously scold her, just warn her not to do it again. Tighnari gives her a small warning just to not be too rough beforehand and that "It's just like any dog or cat's ears", but your sister just seems to find his ears the most special
- It is also no issue if your sister has to stay with him for some time, nights or even weeks if Mora is tight, he would help you both out in any way he can. He has Collei to keep your sister company too, since there is so much he can do as an older person in your sister's life. Collei and she seem to get along very well, so there is no issue regarding their friendship
Cyno:
- Now, it takes Cyno quite some time to come around to have the time to meet your sister. So all she knew about him was what she could hear from merchants or Akademiya students. All the terrible rumors also stick, so it's no wonder when she appears to be too nervous to meet him when you brought it up. She would need some confirmation and encouragement that, no, General Mahamatra is not as the boogeyman most describe him as
- Cyno may come off as unfeeling on the first go, as he is the man of analytical mind and one that isn't too in-tune with his emotions naturally, but also since his job does not allow for such soft sympathies. So the conversation may feel a bit tense or awkward when he sees that his ways are pulling too hard on the reins, and that your sister is tense or even uncomfortable
- He would definitely crack several jokes to cheer her up, and somehow- miraculously - your sister feels at ease when Cyno rushes to tell the jokes and explain them. Her laugh brings a wave of relief to Cyno, he may even mutter something and just exhale loudly before indulging in some food to take a reprieve. This man has the best intentions - please, give him a hand, he is a bit slow with sentimental things
-Now, for later interactions between him and your sister, they all become a lot more casual and friendly, your sister would put a lot of trust in him. If his reputation was not enough to guarantee reliability, the friendship they build over time is. She is much more often with him, and some may look weirdly at your sister and Cyno if they see her talking her mouth off about some off-topic with him wearing a faint smile as they go to find you
-It is a cute sight honestly. And also - Cyno has a habit of picking up small trinkets on his way. It can be anything small as a crystalized shard from the dunes, or some luxurious looking missing vase from the forest, and he brings them all back to you and your sister - giving more romantic gifts to you behind your sister's back
Al-Haitham:
-Is the most jaded out of these three. He is not easily affected by emotions, and as such he can come off as quite rude to others around him, or too strict or too stern. It takes him the longest to get the gist of the kids these days, but he does try. He is incredibly understanding despite outwards impressions, and he understands the struggles you both are going through and he does try his best when he ends up with your sister in his care
-Taking the analytical approach all the time proves not to be affective all the time - and this is something Al-Haitham gets to understand later down the line as he gets closer to your sister
-Similar to Cyno, he attempts to remedy awkward situations with some form of jokes, but his humor at the start just is too stern for a child. His jokes needs more working on than Cyno's. But Al-Haitham is adaptable, and he picks up the humor of the kids at that time and slowly this goes into his advantage when he tells these jokes and funny riddles to your sister
-He is quite protective of your sister from the get-go. Seeing as she is an important part of your family, the last of it, he takes it very, very seriously that your sister is safe and out of harms way. Although the other two on this list are also very defensive of your sister, they are much more calm about it and more casual
-Al-Haitham is very observant, and when you sister is in his care he always has his eyes on her, he makes sure she stays in his field of vision where the space is clear and if any changes happen that could be harmful - he would know
- Just as willing to lend his hand in academic knowledge on all sorts of topics. If you woke him up in the night to ask him about all sorts of academic positions within the Akademiya and what they all do, he would break out into an explanation without any questions, and would go to sleep right afterwards. So if your sister came to him for help, he would do his best to simplify the knowledge so she can better understand. He is very open to any questions, but if your sister did end up asking some silly question he would give her a silly answer before elaborating further, unless she caught onto it herself
_______________________________
Ⓒ n0tamused. Do not repost, translate, edit, and/or copy any of my works. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.
After Hours
Synopsis: Alhaitham has multiple, very good reasons for not liking to stay after office hours. You're one of them. Word Count: 4.8k Tags: Female reader x Husband!Alhaitham, Spoilers for the archon quests, Fluff, Domesticity, Slight angst, Pregnancy, Morning sickness (pretty heavy on the morning sickness but nothing graphic, just mentions of puking + inability to keep food down), Pregnancy woes, Established relationship, kind of hidden pregnancy, Alhaitham is 27 in my head and so is the reader A/N: listen. LISTEN. I don't normally write pregnancy but I had this idea and HAD to let it out. There is nothing hotter to me than a smart, dependable man with a stable, cushy job that's utterly in love with you. I'm a gojo writer, but damn. Alhaitham has me feeling some sort of way.
"Given the recent developments, there are many researchers wondering about what will happen to their funding. Acting Grand Sage, do you have any-"
"I'll be taking my leave now."
"H-Huh?"
Alhaitham clears his throat and stands, his chair dragging against the floor. From high-profile staff at the Akademiya, to esteemed researchers searching for an answer, Alhaitham casually shrugs off the bewildered, confused stares they give him.
"It's 5PM," he says nonchalantly. "You can find me at my desk tomorrow morning at 9."
"B-But we're not done with the meeting-"
"Goodbye."
"Wait-"
"My work for the day is done," Alhaitham hums, effectively cutting off whatever it was that was about to be said. Silence befalls the room, tension growing in its stead. "Haven't I already made my stance on this very clear?"
For all that is said and done, at least they knew how to stop talking when he displays his displeasure. Maybe being the Acting Grand Sage wasn't that bad after all. There were very few that would dare challenge his authority.
"But Sir, our meeting just started..."
Maybe not.
"Well, you should have started it earlier." Alhaitham doesn't miss a beat, neatly gathering his documents into a pile for his assigned assistant to take away. There's a tiny smile on his assistant's face, the young, interning scholar finding the entire exchange amusing.
Alhaitham fails to see what could be soooo amusing about working past official office hours.
5:01. Alhaitham clicks his tongue.
"Acting Grand Sage," a scandalised voice begins, but the person he's referring to is in a rush. Alhaitham should be out of the Akademiya by now. He can't risk being late. "It is imperative that you give us the necessary instructions so that Sumeru can still function as per usual..."
He tunes the voice out. It's past 5. He doesn't have to listen.
If they could handle themselves under Azar's so-called leadership, they can handle themselves under no supervision for the next sixteen hours. Sure, years worth of rampant corruption was difficult to erode without work, but it wasn't as if staying past 5 would magically fix everything overnight.
Alhaitham would tell them to go home and leave it for tomorrow... But it's now 5:02 and he's running behind on time. Simply being within the House of Daena was a pleasantry he was not willing to give for even a second longer.
"A-Alhaitham!"
He walks past the old man, past Cyno, and he's out of the door, out of the Akademiya, in mere moments.
The passing scholars greet him, all up to date with the change of hands after the atrocities of the previous Sages had gone public. Various pairs of eyes linger on him. Seemingly overnight, he had become known to the public as one of the core few that had freed Sumeru's Archon and foiled Azar's plan.
A mighty accomplishment in the eyes of the people, indeed.
It doesn't take long to get to the Bazar, where his task at hand was. He's done this tons of times before, but with every passing day, he only seems to get pickier with the produce before him.
Yoghurt, Tomatoes, Ginger, Butter...
"Oh, honey..."
He looks away from a ripe tomato and into the eyes of an older auntie who stood next to him with a fond look on her face.
"You're going to stare a hole into that poor tomato at that rate."
Alhaitham has no idea who she is. Silently, he returns his gaze to the tomato pile and narrows down the select few that had passed his earlier inspection. He'd grab them, pay, and leave.
"Ah ah!" The lady laughs, interrupting his process. "Come, dear. Have these tomatoes instead," she says, offering him her basket of tomatoes. "It's the least I could do for the Grand Sage."
"Acting Grand Sage," he can't help but correct.
"Yes, yes, the Acting Grand Sage. Honestly, what does it matter! Come! Have these. I have a good eye for tomatoes, you know?"
Alhaitham can't help but agree. The tomatoes are perfect. If his departure hadn't been halted, even for those few minutes, he would have gotten to them first. Ripe, juicy, no blemishes whatsoever, fresh... They're good. Declining is the first thought that comes into mind. He has no need to owe anyone any favours. But how can he when he remembers who was waiting for him back home?
"Ahhh, don't be shy!" The auntie shoves them into his own basket, where a few ginger roots sat alongside some cloves of garlic and some extra spices. "You've done so much for Sumeru! This is the least we could do."
She doesn't seem malicious. Or looking for anything in return.
"...Thank you, then."
And that special phrase unleashes hell on earth. The moment the tomatoes make a touchdown in his basket, he gets swamped by the aunties and uncles at the bazar.
"Here! Have some fish!"
"Oh! Oh! Here's some preserved vegetables! Take these, too!"
"Acting Grand Sage! My mama told me to give this to you!" "Me too! Here! Here!"
It's comes and goes as abruptly as a tidal wave. There's not even a chance to reply to anyone, or reject anything. Before Alhaitham knows it, he's decorated with new groceries. Everyone who had gifted him something was long gone, walking away like nothing had happened.
For the first time in a long while, Alhaitham feels awkward standing alone in the Bazar.
"I'll take these..." Alhaitham says, sliding his personal basket to Housein. It's a little difficult to get his mora pouch out while holding so many items, but he manages. It's not like he can just abandon everything at the side of the pavement. There were too many prying eyes.
"Oh, they'll be on the house, Mr Alhaitham!" Housein grins, declining the mora. The produce seller looks pleased with himself. "The Bazar technically owes you for helping to oust Azar! Now the theatre can continue their performances!"
"I insist-"
"Really, it's alright!"
"No, I-"
"Alhaitham! Oh, my sweet boy!" Someone grabs his arm, whisking him away before he could get Housein to accept his mora. Greying hair frames the old lady's face, and Alhaitham recognises her in an instant.
"Auntie?"
"Yes, yes. Come," she ushers him, giddy with excitement. "I have some things that you'll appreciate."
"I don't think that's necessary," he sighs, nodding at the bags he was already carrying. He had fish and chicken slung over his shoulder. Not to mention the countless fresh produce in each bag... "Can it not wait until our next visit?"
"Nonsense," she swats his arm. "You will like what I have!"
Rationality and knowledge cannot override the cultural traditions and norms ingrained in each Sumeru citizen from a young age. Alhaitham follows the former Amurta researcher up to the hospital she now worked at during her retirement.
Dutifully, the Scribe stands in wait, ignoring the stares and awed whispers of the people as the old lady rounds the corner of the reception desk to dig through her stock. Save for a couple of patients and their attending physicians, the Bimarstan is quiet today.
"Here," she hums proudly, brandishing a bundle of pouches. They're beautifully embroidered, with patterns that he could easily identify to be from some of the Seven nations. "I got some supplements for your wife."
The mere mention of you has the tips of Alhaitham's ears warming. The lady might be old, but her eyes are still sharp as ever. She chuckles, patting his arm appreciatively, and some of the staff familiar with you and he smile to themselves, knowing something many did not.
"You two are so adorable," she sighs wistfully. "Come, I'll explain each one to you."
"Thank you."
The old pharmacist explains each supplement in great detail. There's a whole assortment available, from powders, to tea bags, to roots, and to pills and potions from each nation. All of high quality.
"I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Alhaitham says, setting down his groceries to pull out his mora pouch. Once again, he's declined.
"If you really want to repay me, then go take better care of your wife," she tuts. The old lady always had a soft spot for you. "It's not healthy to make her worry so much."
The reminder brings forth a surge of emotions that he gingerly represses for now.
"Of course," he bows deeply, "I will. Thank you."
"Ah, I shan't hold you up anymore. Off you go!"
Neatly packing his spoils for the day, Alhaitham bids his farewell and walks off in the direction of his home. Though, unfortunately, it's not fast enough to escape the various food stall owners...
Returning home is no easy feat, not when you're lugging home months worth of groceries. Still, as with anything thrown his way, Alhaitham manages. He's careful with his keys, making sure they don't make too much noise lest you wake from your slumber or worse, run to greet him. And - Oh.
"Habibti," he says, greeting you out of habit even if he can clearly see that you're asleep on the couch.
As quietly as possible, Alhaitham shuffles his way into his house along with all the groceries. It's almost feels like he's a thief in his own house.
The groceries are set on the floor, in a neat pile that he'll sort out later. The citizens were well-meaning, but he needed to do another check to make sure nothing was tainted. He braces himself when the bags crinkle against each other, but you don't wake. Good, he thinks. You needed the rest.
Shoes off, his hands washed, any fatigue laced into his muscles dissipates the moment he comes to stand in front of you. Alhaitham leans down to brush aside stray strands of your hair away from your forehead. His fingers ghost over your soft skin. You looked glowing.
"Good evening," he greets softly, lips pressed against your forehead. You stir, but he soothes you back into dreamland. His palm smooths back and forth between your waist and where your bellybutton was, and he smiles himself when he sees the corner of your lips curl up.
Gently, he plucks your hands from the knitting needles Kaveh had gotten you. The half-done blanket resting on the swell of your belly is removed, set neatly on the coffee table with the rest of your colourful balls of yarn. Alhaitham easily carries you, slipping his an arm under your back and the other under your knees.
Though he wants to tuck you back in bed, he knows you well enough to place you into the comfy armchair he had gotten instead. He leaves, only to return from your shared bedroom with a fluffy blanket to keep you warm. Tucking you in is an terribly short affair. Parting from you takes a lot of willpower.
In the time you're asleep, Alhaitham busies himself around the house. The groceries get checked, washed, and put away, and he takes a much needed shower. He's halfway through sweating the minced garlic and shallots when you finally wake, your tiny, sleepy voice making its way to him.
"Haitham...?"
The fire goes out.
"Yes, habibti?" He pulls his apron off, walking out of the kitchen. Warmth pools in his chest when he takes you in; how your blanket slides off your shoulders; how your eyes blearily search him out.
"Welcome home," you say dazedly, arms open and raised up to beckon him in for a hug. Alhaitham closes the distance in less than a second, pulling you in.
"Mm," he hugs you tight, mindful of your baby bump. His hand splays out protectively over your tummy, and a light giggle erupts from you as you bask in his warmth.
Getting down on one knee, level with the evidence of his, and your, love, he looks up at you and asks, "How was your day, habibti?"
"I was working on the baby blanket," you tell him, gesturing at the knitwork on the table. "I was thinking of making a few."
"It's going well?"
You nod, happily engaging him in conversation before he carefully nudges open a new door of conversation. One that you understood, but didn't like. High on pregnancy hormones (and on stress), he distinctly remembers you crying to him in the middle of the night, telling him that it felt like you were being interrogated whenever he wouldn't let up on the questions.
You had subsequently thrown up dinner.
And promptly fell back asleep on him.
Thus, the small talk.
"Did our baby give you any trouble today?" He asks gently, a hand gently circling your wrist. One finger traces unintelligible symbols against your skin as the other pressed against your pulse.
You shake your head slowly as he counts in his. "Just some nausea."
"And lunch?" He asks, switching hands. "How was lunch? What did you have?"
You shake your head sadly. "Couldn't keep much of it down. Baby bird didn't agree with it."
"They didn't?" Alhaitham frowns, a contemplative look on his face. "I see. Did you drink-"
"Did I drink the tea you made?" You raise a brow, completing the question for him.
"...Yes."
You were catching on. And fast. Silently, he pulls your hand towards his face to kiss the back of your palm, hoping that it would throw you off.
"Did it help?"
"It did," you tell him. The suspicious look you had softens. "It was very good. Helped with the nausea for a bit."
"I see. And did you-"
"Haitham," You admonish gently. "Stop being such a worrywart. I've been taking care of myself. These things happen. It's normal."
"Yes, habibti, I'm aware, but you're already in your second trimester. I just want to check if-"
Accustomed to this, you cut him off with words he can't ignore.
"I'm hungry."
"You're hungry?" He pauses. He supposes that you're bound to be, considering what you had just reported about lunch. "I just started cooking, but the people at the Bazar gave us a lot of food."
"Really? That's nice of them. Why?"
"As thanks," he says vaguely, squeezing your side. "There's a lot of it. Tandoori chicken, Curry, Kebabs, Wraps... Is there anything to your fancy?"
"Mm, I guess," you half-heartedly answer. "Then why are you still cooking?"
"You said you wanted Butter Chicken this morning."
The name of the dish makes your mouth water, the reminder perking you up. The baby nestled deep in your womb agrees.
"Grab something light," he says, recognising that expression of yours. You looked pleased to smell his cooking wafting through the air, only just realising it after the grip of sleep had loosened its hold on you. "I only just started."
"Okay-"
"Sit down. I'll grab it for you. What do you want?" Your husband urges you back into the chair. It begins, once more.
"I don't know," you roll your eyes at him, "I have to get up and see what there is, don't I?"
"I already told you what there is. If it helps, there's Samosas and-"
"I want to look for myself," you interrupt. "I'm pregnant. Not incapable."
"The doctor said you need to be careful."
"The doctor said that I can move around. That I should move around."
"Within reason," he adds, grumbling, just because. Helping you stand after your complaints, you hold him, hugging his arm tightly, and Alhaitham watches you waddle towards the kitchen with him in tow.
He never expected the pregnant waddle to happen so soon. Archons, he hadn't expected you to look so cute, either. You were partway through your second trimester and he can't imagine how it'd be like in your third.
"Oooh," you coo, and he gets dragged back into reality. "There's Baklava?"
"And Panipuri." He says, hovering over you. If he thinks about it, he's almost like a little fly... Even his colours matched. With the way you're looking at him, you must have thought of the same thing. "And Custard. And Cakes. And-"
"Oh! Pudding!" You excitedly nab the Padisarah Pudding out of the cooler, clapping. Alhaitham lets out a low chuckle at your delight, reaching over to grab you a teaspoon so you could enjoy your desert.
"Now sit," he tells you, guiding you to the kitchen island, where there was a chair. He had gotten Kaveh to design and make one for you as part of his rental agreement. "You can watch me cook."
"You're not letting me help again?"
He shakes his head. From temporarily stepping down from your work as a researcher, to repeating dreams, and to Alhaitham having to go away for a mission, you had been stressed out from all the back-to-back changes. Only recently had you been discharged from bed rest after the news that he had gone insane from consuming forbidden knowledge and was exiled had caused you to faint in the middle of Treasure Street.
Alhaitham prides himself on his rational decision making skills, but keeping you in the dark to the happenings in Sumeru's political sphere had been by far the worst decision he had ever made.
You had fallen sick, carrying a fever for five days and five nights as the doctors at the Bimarstan worked around the clock to keep you stable. Luck had been on your side for you to have been found by one of the physicians. He had almost...
Alhaitham shakes his head, focusing instead on the metal band around his finger. Cooking was the least he could do for you after everything you had to handle.
Ignoring the pang in his chest, he resumes cooking. The wok sizzles, and you're happily munching away on your pudding, offering him a spoonful here and there as his ingredients go in in a methodological order. He tosses in peeled and boiled tomatoes, spices, and marinated chicken cubes from last night.
"It smells so good..."
"I know."
"But why aren't you making more?" You ask, leaning over so he could feed you a test bite of the creamy dish. "Is Kaveh not coming home for dinner?"
"It's none of our business, habibti," Alhaitham hums. "Kaveh can freeload food elsewhere."
"Haitham," you giggle. "That's not very kind."
"What? Letting him stay here rent-free is kind enough. I don't have to feed him, too."
"You're making him build our nursery," you remind him. "And baby-proof the house."
"It's part of the rental agreement."
"Still," you huff, watching your husband roll up his sleeves before portioning the dough for your naan. "At least leave him some food."
"He can have whatever we can't finish. Can we agree?" He says, rolling the dough out into flat circles. "We have too much food from the people, anyway. He can have those. The Butter Chicken is yours. You don't have to share."
You're swayed.
"...Fine."
He graduated from the Haravatat. To put it loosely, he's a linguist. A knack for words comes with the job.
"Good," he hums, handing you a bowl of melted butter so you wouldn't feel left out. You stir it with a clean spoon, mixing in garlic paste and chopped coriander.
It's peaceful. Serene. The sizzling in the background is nothing but homey, nothing but comfort. Alhaitham loves it when you sing to him while he cooks, but today he settles for a spritely summary of one of the books he's gotten you.
"Thank you, Haitham."
"Of course," he leans over to peck your temple. After serving you a hearty plate, Alhaitham finally sits with you to eat. "Anything you need."
"What would people say if they knew I had the Acting Grand Sage at home like this?"
"They'd praise me," he deadpans. His own plate lightly clinks against the table. "Especially if they knew the main reason why I helped."
"Show-off."
Wanting to keep his cushy job at the Akademiya may have been what had spurred him to take on a core role in the planning of rescuing Lesser Lord Kusanali, but apart from that, he was not about to leave a year's worth of fully-paid, fully covered paternity leave in the hands of some old man that woke up and decided that he wanted to play god.
Even now, it still sounded ridiculous in his head.
Alhaitham and you were only aware that the Grand Sage had something sinister cooking up, but nothing had been concrete. Investigating further was on the top of your priority list until you were faced with the possibility, and eventual confirmation, of your pregnancy.
Being so unexpected, the news had hit the both of you hard and fast. After both of your priorities needed a complete upheaval, it was a scramble to decide the next course of action.
Having you step down from your work as a result of the rough start to your pregnancy had been hard to hide from the prying eyes of Azar, his minions, and gossiping researchers. The walls of the Akademiya had ears. The barest wisps of whatever Azar was planning that had gotten back to you gave you the impression that they had wanted you to join in on the later stages of their scheme.
Recuperation may have been the main motivator, but the likelihood that a blunt rejection would spur on heavy retaliation had been a major reason why you were urged, and convinced, to take a medical leave of absence as early in as possible. As quietly as possible. Your weakened constitution had only spurred the advance of this plan.
Your sudden request for long medical leave had formed the basis of a well-known rumour that you were adamant on not acknowledging, not when you had suspected Alhaitham to be on Azar's hit list. Few knew of your marriage to him, only that you were in a relationship with the Scribe. He can only imagine what types of words were said behind closed doors.
Those days had been tense. Your act—though it wasn't really an act at all—was convincing, but the Sages seemed adamant on having you stay on. They had even questioned Alhaitham about your supposed illness. Half-truths made the best lie, and when Alhaitham only had the truth to tell them, they had no choice but to turn to other avenues.
Thankfully, the rumours had all died out when Tighnari was invited by the Sages to check on you.
Your long-standing friend had done you a favour that day. Under the watchful eye of the sages, the three of you had shared a look that Tighnari easily interpreted. A strongly worded letter of recommendation for medical leave had been issued, and you were immediately granted long leave. The rumours were put out in an instant. On account for your contributions to the Akademiya and to academia itself, your leave had been fully paid for as well.
Alhaitham makes a mental note to send the forest ranger some gifts again after everything dies down. He's been thinking of taking you on a short trip to Pardis Dhyai so you could visit some old classmates and colleagues. Maybe some crates of wine for him and his subordinates would suffice...
"If you revealed everything, I think they'd have a heart attack first," you muse, picking up your spoon. Looking at you now, it's almost as though your pregnancy had been nothing but smooth sailing. You looked so peaceful. Happy and content and glowing.
"I love your cooking," you sigh between bites, taking meaningful chomps out of your meal. Eyes falling shut to savour the taste, Alhaitham can't help but chuckle at the blissed out expression you made.
It's not rare for Alhaitham to cook for you, especially after finding out that you were expecting, but the way your eyes always light up, glimmering with stars? It makes him wonder just how good his food is to you for you to always react like this.
"Good?"
"Mhm!" You nod happily, shoveling the Butter Chicken coated garlic naan into your mouth. The flatbread was cooked to perfection, just the way you liked it. Too busy with your food, you don't even bother with a conversation.
Alhaitham sits back, watching you eat, making sure that his unborn child enjoys his food, too. It was early on in your pregnancy that he realises just how picky his child was. Coupled with morning sickness, any food that wasn't made by him, your body would reject. He had been tense those weeks, pouring over countless texts in the library trying to find a solution that would guarantee both you and your child's safety.
He had tracked your food intake, just to see if there was any sort of pattern that would emerge. To his surprise, one did. The only meals you could hold down were either those made by you, made by those close to you, or his. The latter worked the best. Alhaitham still has that nutrition table in his office, updated to this day.
Really, it's a wonder how people hadn't realised that you were pregnant. After Sumeru's political situation began to calm, he hadn't bothered hiding it. What did people think he ordered maternity dresses for? Even now, the number of people who knew of your pregnancy was few and far between. Cyno, surprisingly, was one of them.
Oh, well.
After seeing that you showed no sign of nausea, he finally picks up his spoon.
"Shall we go for a walk later tonight?" He asks after swallowing a bite of his food. "The weather is nice today."
Before getting swamped by the citizens, he had been thinking that it would be good to bring you out. So far, the only interactions you've had were either with him, the doctors, the stray cats that would visit, or with Kaveh. Although you hadn't complained, he knew that you were getting lonely.
"Really?" You ask excitedly, biting into your coated naan. "Where to?
"Anywhere you want," he says, pouring another ladel full of butter chicken onto your plate. "But we'll take it slow, okay? You haven't been out in some time. I don't want you to overexert yourself."
You chew slowly.
"I'm not weak."
"I never said that."
"You're implying it."
"I did not."
After a bit of back and forth, in which he could tell you were thoroughly enjoying, he remembers something that Housein had told him earlier in the day.
"I believe Miss Nilou is performing tonight. Would you like to watch?"
"Really? I'd love to!" Compared to him, you had always had a deep appreciation for the Arts. It's been some time since you've seen a live performance. Eyes shimmering, you ask, "Can we go get some sweets at the Bazar, too? The baby's been craving it."
You didn't have to pull the cravings card to get it. Alhaitham would have gotten them for you regardless.
"If you'd like," he agrees. "I was thinking that we could get some more books, as well."
"What," you snicker, "the library you have isn't enough for you?"
"It's good to broaden your horizons. And I mean to get books for our child."
"Hm? Why?"
"Aren't you the Amurta scholar?" He quips. Then his voice grows softer. More gentle. "...I read that our child can start hearing in the second trimester."
The look of confusion on your face turns into a fond smile. "I'm not that far along enough, Haitham. That only happens later."
"Better now than never, don't you think?"
"Are you going to be reading to them, then?" You ask, resting your chin on your palm, a smile on your face as you tease him. "Are we going to have bedtime stories now?"
"Of course."
His bluntness takes you off guard, but Alhaitham fails to see how shocking this revelation can be. Why wouldn't he be reading to his child?
"Oh," you say dumbly. "I... Yeah. That's a good idea—Ah!"
Alhaitham's spoon clatters to the table at the sound of your punctured gasp. He's by your side in an instant, looking over you once, twice, thrice, as you hold onto your stomach, eyes blown wide open, pupils dilated.
"W-What?" Adrenaline rushes through his veins. "What's wrong, albi? What's the matter? Are you alright? What hurts? Stay here, I'll call for someone right now-"
"No," you whisper, grabbing his hand to stop him from running off. They tremble in your hold, and he swallows tightly past the lump in his throat. You stare silently at your belly, and Alhaitham, at you.
"Albi," he insists. "My love. Don't scare me. C'mon, we need to... go..."
Palm covering his, you guide his hand to your belly.
Alhaitham, the Scribe of Sumeru, the star of the Haravatat, for the first time in forever, is at a loss for words. Every letter and every syllable he's come to learn dissipates on the tip of his tongue, his mind blanking out into nothingness. Within him, synapses fire off rapidly, capturing everything about this moment. Everything refocuses onto what rests below his palm.
There's a tiny flutter. One that grows more insistent.
"Haitham... I think our baby is trying to say hi."
Bimarstan: Hospital in Sumeru Habibti: Term of endearment meaning Darling Albi: Term of endearment meaning My love
A/N: bc of this fic i'll have to make a new masterlist and update my pinned aaaaaaa okay goodbye it's time for me to return to my studies (and to gojo) [i say this but tell me why i wanna write about the time cyno found alhaitham at the bimarstan with reader...]
©shiinleaf Do not plagiarise, use, translate and/or share my content outside of Tumblr in any way, shape, or form. Likes, reblogs, and comments are greatly appreciated if you enjoyed!
— how to woo the acting grand sage 101
wherein you pull out all the stops in an effort to persuade alhaitham on why he should date you, only… he woos you instead?!
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 7.8k wc, fluff, (attempts at) humour, angst if you squint, reader gets ill from overwork in one part, slight spoilers for 3.2 archon quest (brief mentions/recap of end events)
A/N : reader is struggling but they’re trying their best, alhaitham is a (smitten) menace and bad at feelings (kinda); the embodiment of u fall first, he falls harder (i just think we need more energetic/cute readers with haitham TヘT)
It wasn’t anything special. Really. Just you, your first day jitters, and the calm boy beside you in his Haravatat beret; the same one as yours.
Perhaps he’d noticed your flitting eyes, your shifting feet, or your wrung hands that swung gently in front of your robe-clad body because, when your eyes met (and, oh, what pretty eyes he had), he gave you a small nod. Of what? Comfort? Acknowledgement? Salutations?
You couldn’t tell, and you couldn’t ask. By the time you regained your senses he’d already walked off, the blank space beside you feeling strangely empty.
It wasn’t anything special.
But to you, that one, singular moment was all you needed; the comfort it gave was immeasurable, your first day jitters nonexistent.
Keep reading
— it’s the small things with you that matter most
just some day-to-day snippets depicting how it’s like to be in a relationship with alhaitham.
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 4.4k wc, fluff, (attempts at) humour, slight crack, established relationship, idiots in love
A/N : HAPPY BDAY BELOVED HAITHAM !! smitten clingy sappy menace haitham is my lifeline huhu 〒▽〒 (this is also just me once again advocating cute/energetic readers with haitham TヘT)
(can be read as a standalone or viewed as the post-happenings of [how to woo the acting grand sage 101] ^^)
Navigating through a relationship with Alhaitham isn’t as hard as one might think.
The transition from friends-who-pined-for-years to lovers was a lot easier than you’d like to admit. While there were some significant changes to adjust to (read: Alhaitham’s sudden surge in displays of affection), your dynamic pretty much remained the same.
And while you’ve had your fair share of ups and downs, most of your more serious fights happened before you got together. Considering how long you both have known one another, it wouldn’t be an understatement to say you know the other like the back of your hand — understanding minuscule hints and mannerisms anyone else wouldn’t notice — and so, most disputes are settled before they can even surface.
Most of your fights wouldn’t drag on for long as you’re both pretty open to discussing the root cause and where you both were in the wrong. That and the fact it’s hard to be apart from each other under bad terms, as you’ve come to realise after the particularly bad argument you had two months ago (Kaveh demanded you both stay at your house so that he didn’t have to witness your intensified displays of affection after reconciling).
More often than not, your subject of disagreements are petty, typically resulting in revoked privileges of affection from the victim. That usually results in both sides being depraved and cranky (well, more so than usual in Alhaitham’s case) until the revoked privilege is, uh, unrevoked,
Well, it’s a good thing you both rarely argue!
Keep reading
— a little too late
in which alhaitham comes to terms with his inner emotions regarding you.
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 1k wc, implications of one-sided pining/unrequited love, kinda angsty?? no fluff though aha..
A/N : my contribution to @spiriteddreams’ a studio ghibli valentine’s event with the prompt the heart’s a heavy burden !! ive been churning out too many haitham fluffs so have a semi-angsty one for the balance <;//3
while he may not be of the amurta darshan, matters of the heart isn’t something unfamiliar to alhaitham. he’s memorised its components, the anatomical structure, what can be considered a healthy heart and what can’t be, its functions, the inner workings of blood flow and (de)oxygenation, and so on and so forth. all the important, factual information one would ever need when studying the organ is readily at his disposal.
as for its emotional value and it “skipping a beat”… well, isn’t it just down to adrenaline? the excitation and early contraction of the atria is the most common explanation, after all.
so naturally, this reaction of his can be boiled down to the released hormones accelerating his heart rate, the abnormal beats drumming in rapid succession would obviously be the cause of his short breath, thus creating the chain reaction of chest pain, lightheadedness, and the occasional “above what is deemed normal” temperature.
it’s obvious. it’s simple. it’s the natural way of life. it’s…
inconceivable, he thinks. for what reason does his heart need to act in such a way? he sees none, and he certainly can’t think of one (especially not through this all-consuming ache constantly bubbling from within).
and so he resorts to the most logical choice at his disposal; you.
you’re someone in tune with the inner-workings of the heart on a more emotional level — someone whose judgement he trusts over those he’s constantly surrounded with. if there’s anyone who can give him a logical answer which doesn’t make him want to tear his hair out, then it’s you.
you’re not hard to find, and certainly not easy to miss. his eyes effortlessly track your movements and, in a moment of reprieve only conveyed through the recognition alighting your expression upon catching his stare, his heart leaps to his throat; palpitations ring through his ears. there’s a sensation which toes the fine line of pain and euphoria. it nestles within the crevices of his thumping organ before spreading across the expanse of his skin, its surface burning under the weight of your cheery gaze.
the world comes to a standstill.
perhaps he’d been out of it for too long — why else would you suddenly dominate his sight, brows furrowed and lips pursed at his silence.
your lips part; his gaze flickers at the movement. “are you alright? you seem out of it.”
shrill sirens blare within his conscience, blood thrumming under his warmed skin. an answer sits at the tip of his tongue (one of reassurance in that he is fine — never been better, in fact) but a lodge wedges itself down his throat, reducing his speech into nothing but unintelligible gapes and heavy gulps. in spite of his efforts, there’s no string of coherency pushing past his lips. instead, there’s a gnawing desperation which runs deep, one that has alhaitham struggle to hold back the indescribable urge to pull you close and spill repressed sentiment from the depths of his heart.
ultimately, he finds himself succumbing to a war he’s long since lost when your head tilts at him.
“i feel terrible,” he murmurs, knuckles white and strained fingers digging into where his sternum rests, a futile attempt to reach in and claw into the rapidly pounding organ gnawing away at him from within, “like there’s a heavy weight on my chest.”
it’s hasty, rushed, and far more desperate than he was expecting to come off as. but it was beyond his control, the emotions running rampant within his system clouding his rationality. his gaze doesn’t stray from you, lips parting to force out phrases he never realised were in his repertoire. “i feel as though i can’t breathe. when i look at you, talk to you, feel your presence by my side, all sense of logic i possess disappears and makes me into a fool. i…” he trails off, teeth digging into his bottom lip. a part of him screams to not say the next words, and yet the larger, critical aspect of his mind ignores these fleeting emotions. “i dislike this feeling.”
his stomach sinks in tandem with the faint dimming of your eyes. it’s odd; why aren’t you laughing off his worries like usual? are you, perhaps, feeling as sick as he?
(the silence suffocates him more than anything he’s experienced before.)
contrary to his rampaging thoughts, you smile, repressed and solemn. “a heart’s a heavy burden; sometimes, we just have to accept what it’s trying to tell us, no matter how painful or unpleasant it may be.” and just like that, you fade from his sight, the only indication of your presence being the half empty cup and your scent which lingers like a taunt.
body set aflame, alhaitham discovers his heart is capable of further distortions. for instance, he’s never experienced such constrictions before he witnessed the light in your eyes dim, nor the dread which pools at the pits of his stomach as you stood from your seat and turned away, head spinning and chest caving in as your figure begins to fade further and further away from him — somewhere far beyond his reach.
what was that? why didn’t you answer in your usual cheery manner that has him suppressing smiles left and right? why did the captivating twinkle in your eyes grow dim? were you really feeling sick as well? if so, why didn’t you tell him beforehand; had he known, he would have…
oh.
lips agape, alhaitham remains seated as he can only watch you grow distant from him — the minuscule glimpse of your strained smile dissipating into a tight grimace burns his retinas.
there’s a vague realisation which dawns on him in that moment, one that has the vice grip around his beating organ clamp even tighter with his senses numbing; he’s the cause of your strained smile dropping to a frown.
what crawls from the very depths of his stomach is unpleasant, strenuous convulsions following in its wake as the true nature of these vivid reactions within his body come to light.
“ah,” a chuckle devoid of emotion escapes him, the fingers tugging at his roots does little to ground the guilt which plagues him. “you’re such a fool, alhaitham.”
(perhaps if he’d been a little quicker — a little more in tune with his emotions… would he still be here with a heavy heart and a lack of you?)
general taglist : @tiredsleep @hannas16 @volexis @ladycoleigh @sea-of-dandelions @fandangotales @absolutely-rational @starforecasts @lilikags @astranne @irethepotato @usertsubaki @anarile @yanderealm @kamiiyaka @myaaki @daphluc @nachotrash @hhaithamos @devilishduckling @obsidiannero @hadesaedes @duhsies @garlicforthewin @sassyglassesbunny @uchihaeirin @leena-shii @sammybeefangirls @falling0ut @angelkazusstuff @raingoboomboom @fr0-gy @veiias @lifiore
(bolded urls means u couldn’t be tagged, so try checking ur settings/if u typed the url correctly !!)
(if u would like to join my general taglist, then pls fill out this form !!)
I Wanna Be Yours
(alhaitham x gn!reader smau)
pt.14 soft spot
prev / masterlist / next
“why did you tell him to stay away from me anyways?”
“Umm hello?? do you not see how he treats me?”
“Kaveh…he has not said a single rude thing to me, i think he just has it out for you”
“Okay well we do have some unresolved issues—but that’s not what we’re here to talk about!”
Kaveh quickly takes out his heavy textbooks and plops them on the table in front of you, along with some loose papers covered in notes.
“While we wait for this bastard to come out of his room, please help me with whatever this is”
You were extremely confused about this whole situation. Kaveh’s homework was one thing, but what was going on with Alhaitham? I mean it’s normal for Kaveh to complain to you about him, but this time seemed a lot different. Was it because of the song i sent him? He didn’t seem too weird about that though.. Maybe i said something else that could’ve upset him?
“okay so you want to use this formula…and then divide these in half…”
“But that gives me a negative number”
“how did you get that??”
“By doing what you said!”
“do you pay attention at all during class?”
“Yeah…well-“
“Shut up Kaveh i’m trying to study.”
There Alhaitham was, slowly creeping out of his room, not expecting you to be sitting in front of Kaveh. You smile and give him a small wave as he stands there dumbfounded.
“Oh now you’re quiet” Kaveh scoffs.
“You didn’t tell me y/n was coming over.”
“Since when did you care??”
Kaveh turned to look at you, and it was obvious that his eyes were saying something along the lines of- see? he DOES have a soft spot for you
You shook your head in denial. I mean if he did have a soft spot for you…maybe he wouldn’t mind studying with you and Kaveh?
“Alhaitham why don’t you join us? i don’t know how to do this but i think you could help Kaveh on this problem”
“Oh no no no we are doing perfectly fine without him! Theres no need to-“
“I can help.”
a/n ~ i literally would love to be besties w kaveh like he is such a mood and he looked so good in the new trailer too AND CYNO AND SCARA LIKEEEE 😩😩
taglist! @deathkat657 @iamfakeu @deepinballs @im-bili @mmm-alhaitham @levisbebe @zyphyrr @escapeis @certaindreampost @kaoyamamegami @roxerisacc @rifran @makimakimi @dxstopiaa @fanfictwarrior @aizawassbitch @imkaaayy @sad-t-an @aeongiies @aixaingela @ilyuu @xiaossocksniffer @idolautism @m0ckin9bird @letthewindlead @apparentlycursed @no3hg3nshin @mimooyi @yjwkisser @hunnyuwu @kunikuzi @orphic-musings @fluffyxcloudz @sicut-sol @mochi-owos @roguebox @tiddieshakeshownu @honeyney @mykyoon @1999mercury @x4ndr @cindywasneverhere @kentuckyfriedchildren @wonderland-fan @1-clementine-1 🫶
— how to woo the acting grand sage 101
wherein you pull out all the stops in an effort to persuade alhaitham on why he should date you, only… he woos you instead?!
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 7.8k wc, fluff, (attempts at) humour, angst if you squint, reader gets ill from overwork in one part, slight spoilers for 3.2 archon quest (brief mentions/recap of end events)
A/N : reader is struggling but they’re trying their best, alhaitham is a (smitten) menace and bad at feelings (kinda); the embodiment of u fall first, he falls harder (i just think we need more energetic/cute readers with haitham TヘT)
It wasn’t anything special. Really. Just you, your first day jitters, and the calm boy beside you in his Haravatat beret; the same one as yours.
Perhaps he’d noticed your flitting eyes, your shifting feet, or your wrung hands that swung gently in front of your robe-clad body because, when your eyes met (and, oh, what pretty eyes he had), he gave you a small nod. Of what? Comfort? Acknowledgement? Salutations?
You couldn’t tell, and you couldn’t ask. By the time you regained your senses he’d already walked off, the blank space beside you feeling strangely empty.
It wasn’t anything special.
But to you, that one, singular moment was all you needed; the comfort it gave was immeasurable, your first day jitters nonexistent.
Keep reading
kissing you
cw: very suggestive themes, slight yan content with wanderer, self indulgent, overall fluff, afab!reader in some parts (overall, gn! terms used, reader wears make up/dress), terrible flirting. minors dni, mdni. user has a vision.
characters: kaeya, diluc, wanderer, arlecchino, al-haitham
kaeya has been staring at your lips for awhile now - as you talk about something that you ran into while out doing some sort of investigation. it's starting to make you nervous, the way he remains silent, bent down, his eye on your lips and his head tilted to the side.
"captain? are you listening to me? this this hilichurl camp set up nearby and -"
"yes, yes." kaeya says with a wave of his hand. "i'll have some of my people get on it." he pauses now, leaning in closer. you can smell his cologne. "say, did you get a new shade of lipstick?"
"i-uh, yes?"
"hmm." he gently cups your chin with his fingers, tilting his head to the side as he gently kisses you. "aw, it's not flavored this time."
all you can do is stutter before he bends in to kiss you again.
the fall night is warm, you're warm as you wrap your arms around his as the pair of you exit the manor for the night - the party goers dispersing and it's time for you to head home as well. the abundance of wealth diluc has always surprises you, on top of all his connections. he tells you about something, maybe it's another compliment in the list of all the creative ways he tells you how much he loves you, you're not sure but you're tired.
"shall i accompany you home tonight, my love?" diluc asks as he helps you into your carriage. "you are certainly more than welcome to also stay the night."
"ah, but we certainly cannot have rumors flying around just yet." you say with a tired giggle. playing hard to get is one of your favorite things to do - he seems to enjoy the chase some, at least.
"then," he gently takes your hand into his gloved one, those red eyes that always look into your soul and beyond, look into your own, as he presses a kiss to the back of your hand. "get home safe, okay? if you encounter any trouble, do not hesitate to return."
you smile, taking your hand back and bend down (silently delighting into the new height advantage the carriage gives you) and kiss him on the cheek.
"have a lovely night, diluc." yet it takes one more kiss to pull you out of the carriage and back into his manor.
he is irritated, agitated more like, with his pacing back and forth. you sigh and watch him, legs crossed and elbows resting on your thighs. you're getting dizzy at this point, but his frustration is honestly really funny.
all that had to happen was someone complimenting you today and he loses his mind. the entire day, he's been sulking and pouting and grumbling.
"hat guy," you call to him, gently. "are you okay?"
he stops in his tracks, staring dead in your eyes. "no," he grumbles. "i am not." you huff a laugh and shake your head. it's like you blink and he's blocking your view of well - the rest of the living room. you're not exactly sure what's happening, but your shirt is being pulled down and his lips are pressing against the tender skin at the juncture between your shoulder and your neck.
and he bites. you yelp a bit, but he doesn't pull away until there is a bright red mark there.
"you're mine, don't forget that."
"you never let me forget." you grumble as he pushes you down, his teeth sinking into more of your neck.
you are wholly naked after getting out of the bath, and sitting between arlecchino's legs, on her bed, as she brushes your hair. she admires every inch of you, on a daily basis. whenever you ask about her doing your hair, she simply tells you that she enjoys it and should she not pamper her loved one? so you always drop the subject and lean into this momentary peace in her chaotic life. the candle flickers some, its flame casting a gentle glow in the bedroom.
a clawed hand rests on your thigh and you peek at the full length mirror, she's set the brush down.
warmth blossoms through you as she kisses the back of your neck, trailing kisses down along your spine until she reaches midback. after a moment, she's tugging at your hair, forcing you to lean your head back as she kisses you on the lips.
"you're very beautiful." she murmurs.
"you tell me that often." you tell her with a little giggle. she hums softly.
"not often enough." she declares, her hand reaching for the brush again. "i believe i should praise you more. you are a good girl, after all." your face reddens at that and she looks even more pleased. another kiss is pressed to the side of your neck before she resumes her previous task.
you talk too much, al-haitham has told you many times - you like to visit him in his office at lunch every day, just to ramble on and on. you like to think he's listening, but with his eyes always glued on his book, you're never sure. but that never stops you (nor does it ever stop kaveh, the poor man sometimes stresses himself out over his roommates indifference). oh, you do this to annoy him most of the time, but lately, it's just scheduled and expected.
"and can you believe-"
your words are cut off when his lips meet yours, your eyes widen when he pulls away. you're stunned as you sit down on the comfortable couch, trying to comprehend what just happened.
"do you hear that?" he asks you after a moment.
"no. what should i be hearing?"
"the sound of sweet silence." al-haitham finally answers, and you finally look at him, while his eyes are glued to the book, he has a smug look to his face. oh this asshole.
— how to woo the acting grand sage 101
wherein you pull out all the stops in an effort to persuade alhaitham on why he should date you, only… he woos you instead?!
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 7.8k wc, fluff, (attempts at) humour, angst if you squint, reader gets ill from overwork in one part, slight spoilers for 3.2 archon quest (brief mentions/recap of end events)
A/N : reader is struggling but they’re trying their best, alhaitham is a (smitten) menace and bad at feelings (kinda); the embodiment of u fall first, he falls harder (i just think we need more energetic/cute readers with haitham TヘT)
It wasn’t anything special. Really. Just you, your first day jitters, and the calm boy beside you in his Haravatat beret; the same one as yours.
Perhaps he’d noticed your flitting eyes, your shifting feet, or your wrung hands that swung gently in front of your robe-clad body because, when your eyes met (and, oh, what pretty eyes he had), he gave you a small nod. Of what? Comfort? Acknowledgement? Salutations?
You couldn’t tell, and you couldn’t ask. By the time you regained your senses he’d already walked off, the blank space beside you feeling strangely empty.
It wasn’t anything special.
But to you, that one, singular moment was all you needed; the comfort it gave was immeasurable, your first day jitters nonexistent.
Keep reading
✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。10:07 PM — AL-HAITHAM.
al-haitham asks you to marry him before he even realizes himself what he’s just asked. it’s a random tuesday night. you’re in worn out pajamas, he’s still got slight damp hair from his shower, and the both of you are curled up on the couch.
you’re rubbing his chest and his arm’s wrapped around your waist when you murmur, “we should get a place with more windows.”
he raises a brow, turns to look at you and scan over the side of your face. it’s familiar, the way you look so pretty under the dim light, on the same couch against the same walls in the same living room. but it’ll still feel like the first time even if it’ll be his last.
“is the design of our current home not up to your standards?” he asks, making you giggle.
“it’s nice,” you hum, “but it needs more windows. and a bigger kitchen. and maybe a backyard.”
“this home is conveniently close to our place of work,” he argues, fingers creeping up from under your shirt and rubbing circles into your hip. it’s soft—your skin, it’s warm and familiar under the rough pad of his thumb. it’s a touch that’s routine enough that you don’t squirm in surprise anymore when he finds your bare skin, and then he wonders for a moment if there are other routines waiting for him.
maybe he’ll watch you wait for him through the window as he comes home. maybe you’ll dance in the kitchen as coffee’s being made. maybe there’ll be picnics in the backyard as the sun sets. maybe, when you have a new house but the same home, he’ll find more of you in the walls and the corners of every room.
“haitham,” you huff, “a little extra walk won’t kill you. we should find our dream home.”
“our?” he asks after a moment, like he’s shocked. you only nod against his chest.
“of course, silly,” you chuckle, “i certainly won’t be house shopping with the general mahamatra—”
“we should get married,” he blurts.
“what?”
“my grandmother left a ring,” he instantly explains, “it’s a very nice ring, i promise. you won’t have to worry about having a bare finger—”
“that’s not what i meant—”
“and it can be a small ceremony,” he assures, “it shouldn’t take much planning. but if you’d like something fancier, i don’t mind either, it’s your wedding day just as much as it is mine—”
“that’s sweet, but wait—”
“and if you’re worried about time off for the honeymoon, as the former acting grand sage, there’s still a few strings i can pull for us both. i hear inazuma is nice during spring, so that gives us—”
he’s rambling. he’s figuring it out right here and now and it’s the last thing you expect of him, not having an elaborate plan—and it takes you by surprise. but he’s breathless and his eyes are wide and his chest is warm and his arm is still wrapped tightly around your waist.
and you couldn’t dream of saying no.
“you think you want all this?” you ask gently, “with little old me?”
“there’s no one but you,” he mumbles, holding you closer. and if there’s a slight bounce in his knee as he waits for your answer, you pretend you don’t notice.
“so you want to get married?”
“i want to marry you,” he corrects, “i want you. marriage is just the means of how.”
“okay,” you say with a hitch in your throat. after a moment of silence, you let out a shaky chuckle, eyes watery as you meet his. “okay. let’s get married.”
“okay,” he nods slightly, swallowing thickly.
“and we can have a house with more windows,” you add.
“and a bigger kitchen,” he agrees.
“and a backyard.”
“maybe a bigger study,” he adds thoughtfully.
you grab his face at that, with enough desperation that his cheeks are squished in your hands as you turn him, pressing your lips to his. you taste him, feel him pass through you as a breath of air, hear him ring through your ear as a muffled grunt.
he’s a part of you. he’s every inch of you. he lingers on your skin and knits into your bones. he’s yours now and somehow….somehow he’ll be yours forever.
“i’m going to get married,” you sniffle. “how exciting.”
“i’m going to marry you,” he murmurs, like he’s still processing the fact that you’re here, and his, and you’ve said yes.
“i love you,” you giggle, pressing your forehead to his.
his eyes close and his arm squeezes you gently. “i’ll always love you.”
edit: everyone stop fucking commenting about the authors note it was a joke and the comments are getting old :/ why don’t you actually leave feedback on the fic itself for once and show writers some support as you consume content
you people don’t fucking understand how insanely in love with him i am i want to make a fur coat out of his pubic hair and wear it on a cold winter day idc
✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。MAD — AL-HAITHAM.
contents. alcohols consumption (drunk! al-haitham), post argument, fluff, ft. kaveh a real one for dragging home a heavy ass muscle man
al-haitham is good at holding his alcohol—at least, he is unless you’re in the middle of an argument. if you’re both arguing, then he seems much less likely to stay sober.
tonight for example—you open your bedroom door when kaveh (not so quietly) awakens you with his incessant knocking, grumbling under your breath as you reach for the door knob and twist. before you can even fully open the door, a very drunk and very heavy al-haitham is handed to you to hold steady.
“here, he’s your headache now,” kaveh huffs, crossing his arms, “i was supposed to be the heavy drinker of tonight,” he glares at al-haitham (who doesn’t help himself any further when he glares right back), “my day was far more stressful.”
“what draft are you on with this client?” you ask sympathetically.
kaveh flares his nostrils as he grumbles, “six!”
“maybe seven will be the charm,” you hum, chuckling, “i’ll get this headache of mine to bed.”
“please do,” he nods, “and i wish a terrible hangover on him in the morning too.”
with that, the door is shut, and you hear kaveh walk off and slam his as he grumbles some more about the drunk mess in your arms. at least you and kaveh have that much in common tonight—a shared irritation for the akademiya’s ever so charming scribe.
(truthfully, it’s hardly an accurate description at the moment—al-haitham’s charms are currently little to none after earlier.)
“you’re not doing yourself favors,” you turn your attention to you boyfriend, who stumbles a little as he buries his head into your neck. it’s a tad bit adorable—but then you remember the know-it-all attitude from earlier and decide you’re mad again. “disrupting my sleep for your lightweight habits isn’t a good way to apologize.”
“not a lightweight,” he slurs—and then he pulls away and pouts, “still mad?”
“yes.”
“are you sure?”
“very.”
“‘s not nice,” he huffs, burying his face back into your neck.
you can feel the way his lips are curled into a pout as they kiss your neck, and even though you’d like to say you have better self control, you can’t help but wrap your arms around him. it’s just to keep him from falling, you reason—just because you’re mad at him doesn’t mean you want him to potentially fall and break something, and that would only mean taking care of him more, which you do not need right now.
“you know what else wasn’t nice? telling me i’m wrong when i’m right,” you huff, “and then arguing that i’m wrong even though you know i’m right.”
“said i was sorry,” he almost whines—drunk al-haitham has at least a few perks. one of them is how much more affectionate he is, peppering kisses along your jaw until he finds your cheek. “you’re soft,” he hums, “love you.”
“you smell like beer. go to bed,” you grunt, trying (and failing) to pull away and guide him to the bed. you don’t make it two steps before he’s latched back to your body.
“say it back,” he gasps, “say it.”
“al-haitham,” you groan, “you can’t be serious—”
“haitham,” he corrects, “supposed to call me haitham.”
“would you like to sleep on the couch, haitham?” you ask with a dry smile on your face, eyes narrowed as he shakes his head. he tucks it into the crook of your neck, sighing happily as he inhales your scent.
“no, ‘s not good f’my back.”
“your back is the least of your concerns right now,” you mumble bitterly. “okay, let’s get you undressed.”
“you’re not mad?” he brightens up immediately at your words, taking them entirely out of context. his lips lean in to press against yours as his hands snake under your shirt, making you huff and slap his hands away as you turn your head and force his lips to meet your cheek.
“oh, i’m still very mad. don’t even think you’re getting anything tonight,” you scold.
for the nth time tonight, he pouts. and truthfully, you’re only human at the end of the day. if the akademiya’s usually stoic and composed scribe—who happens to be your equally as stoic and composed boyfriend—seems to pout this many times in one night….well, it would make anyone’s resolve crumble. even someone who’s angry after an argument—someone much like you.
“you’re a lot cuter when you’re drunk, you know that?” you giggle, poking his cheek lightly. he hums, nuzzling the tip of his nose against your skin as he leans more weight into you.
“aren’t i always cute?”
“not when you’re stubborn.”
“‘m cute,” he argues, “y’think ‘m cute, right?”
“no,” you grin, just to tease him. it’s a bit fun—pulling those wide eyes and curled lips from him, pulling that slightly crestfallen look that only a drunk al-haitham would let you witness.
it’s not too mean to let yourself indulge in this just once, is it?
“don’t be rude,” he slurs, “love you. say it back?”
“say please,” you tease, chuckling as your fingers thread through his hair.
he seems to brighten when you offer him a bit of affection, leaning into your touch as he sighs happily. “please,” he says politely, pressing a kiss to your skin before adding, “‘m sorry,” for good measure.
“how sorry?”
you plan on dragging this out for as long as you can—is it morally correct to take advantage of your drunk boyfriend? perhaps not….but no one is perfect, and you’re no exception.
“really sorry,” he mumbles, squeezing your hips.
“sorry enough to do the dishes for the week?”
“mhm,” he nods.
“kaveh’s too,” you add, with a satisfied grin on your face.
he nods, mumbling a quiet, “okay. kaveh’s too,” without question.
“how much do you love me?”
“a lot,” he says slowly, and by now, he’s leaning enough weight in you that you can tell he’ll fall asleep any moment. so you chuckle, pulling him along slowly before letting his body hit the mattress.
“this is my side of the bed,” you mutter with a roll of your eyes, but he doesn’t seem to hear you as he closes his eyes and sighs when your hand cups his cheek and rubs the warm, flushed skin. “do you love me more than you love being right?”
“mhm,” he hums, half awake as his eyes droop, “say it back now.”
“i love you too,” you finally crack, leaning in and kissing his lips briefly, “even if you’re rude and impossible.”
“‘m still cute,” he rebuttals, “right?”
“oh yes,” you giggle, “the cutest.”
“good,” he nods. and then his eyes close, and he’s snoring lightly, cheek still pressed against your hand.
you’re supposed to be mad, maybe even give him the silent treatment for a bit—but then you watch him sleep peacefully, the smallest of smiles pulling at his lips when your fingers thread through the sweaty locks of hair. regretfully, you can’t stay mad, not when it’s al-haitham—and especially not when it’s drunk al-haitham.
“you’re such a headache,” you mumble, kissing his forehead before joining him on the bed and tucking into his side.
and when he wakes up in the morning, with what is hopefully the awful hangover kaveh wished upon him, you’ll make sure to remind him of his agreement to do the dishes. kaveh’s too.
if u try to tell me al-haitham isn’t a clingy and affectionate drunk, ur wrong. he’s so babie after he drinks
Sumeru men when your sister/best friend tries to convince them to dump you for her.
Yes, I absolutely love topes like these. It gives so much room for drama or fluff or however the writer wants to take it. I decided on a less angsty/dramatic approach this time. Hope you're fine with that.
Characters Included: Alhaitham; Kaveh; Cyno; Tighnari; Scaramouche/Wanderer
Word Count: 4,1k
Also, Part two of this is out now! Read here
Content: Gender neutral reader; she/her pronouns for your best friend; she tries to convince them to dump reader; some cursing; Scara being refered to as Kuni(kuzushi);
Thanks for the request, hope you like what I made out of it!
Alhaitham
He would not even notice that your friend is seeing him like this
I honestly think that if Alhaitham were to ever be in a relationship with someone, he would be so whipped for that person
Alhaitham is a very logic driven man, he doesn't concern himself with feelings or other peoples opinions on him
So when he notices that he does feel something for you, he is as shocked as you are, once he finally decides to tell you
the early stages of your relationship are very rocky, Alhaitham has to learn a great many things about all this
you guys have many ups and downs until you finally find a way for you both to work together and it only got better ever since
you really didn't think much of it when you introduced your boyfriend to your friendgroup and one of the girls kept eyeing him
everyone, including you, knew that Alhaitham was a very beautiful man, so it was a common occurence for people to look at him
but she kept doing it, always eyeing him up and down, yet she never tried anything
until one night were you and your boyfriend went out with the rest of your friendgroup
"I'm going to use the bathroom. Be back in a minute.", you said to Alhaitham before you stood up and made your way over to the other side of the restaurant.
The atmosphere was pretty lively inside and everyone was talking among themselves. Everyone, except for one other person. Your friend had been eyeing Alhaitham this entire night again. He always tried to ignore it, but it was becoming rather annoying for him.
As he was about to say something, she suddenly scooted closer to him, right beside him were you were sitting just a minute ago. Then, she leaned in closer to him while she started to slowly stroke his arm.
"So, what do you say we ditch all those other losers and go back to my place?" She smiled at him while saying this and it only made Alhaitham resent her even more.
"No, I'm good.", he said, grabbing her by the wrist and pushing her hand away from him.
"Oh, come on. I know you want me. You keep looking over to me, every time we meet. Besides, I could give you so much more than that bitch (name) ever could."
She tried to lean in even closer, as Alhaitham was still holding her by the wrist. At this point, he was completely fed up with her. Without warning, he stood up from where he was sitting, gathering the attention of their entire table, but he didn't care. He had been dealing with her disgusting behaviour for far too long.
"No, you can not. And frankly, I'm not interested in cheating on my partner. Not now, not ever and especially not with someone as cheap as you are."
By the end of his little speech, you returned back to his side. You only heard what Alhaitham has said since he stood up, but you had a pretty good picture about what had happened in your absence.
You just looked at her dead in the eyes as you said: "Consider this friendship done. I don't want anything to do with you anymore."
And with that, you and your boyfriend gathered all of your stuff and left the restaurant together.
You later found out that all your other friends also distanced themselves from her, apologizing to you and Alhaitham for not noticing anything sooner.
But the two of you were just glad you didn't have to deal with her anymore.
Kaveh
He would make an entire scene about it
This man is dramatic incarnate with mood swings of hell accompanying him
I mean, we all witnessed his personality first hand in the archon quest. No one can tell me this man is not dramatic as fuck
anyways..
Kaveh believes you to be to most beautiful and most perfect person to have ever walked this earth
So for you, a being of absolute perfection in his eyes, to be in love with him and willing to be in a relationship with him?
Archons, someone please catch him because he is sure he's about to pass out on the spot
thinks of himself as the luckiest guy alive to have scored you. He has no clue on how he did it, but he sure as hell wasn't complaining about it.
You better believe that no one would ever come in between you guys. He would never allow anything like that to happen
It was a slow day for him at the Academya. Kaveh had been reviewing sketches all day long until now, yet nothing has been good enough for him until now. It wasn't like he had any deadline to retain, but this whole process of trying to create something new has been taking far too long for his liking and he felt like he was starting to go mad.
The walls of this office felt like they were slowly closing in on him, trying to bury him beneath them. Worst part was, that he forgot to make himself something to eat, so his stomach had been growling for a few hours now, demanding something to eat.
Yet Kaveh refused to stand up and get something before making at least a tiny bit of progress on this matter at hand. He had always been a very stubborn man, often neglecting himself for his work. You have been scolding him a lot for this behaviour, yet it was difficult for him to let go of it. He was just too used to it at this point.
A knock on his open office door brought him back from his thoughts. He looked up, a part of him hoping to see you there, standing in the door. He felt a little let down as he recognised the figure to be your best friend. The confusion came only a few seconds later.
"Huh? Can I help you with something?"
"Well, not really..", she sheepishly said as she approached him, confusing the man even more. Why was she acting this way? Thinking back, she never acted like that when he interacted with her before. What changed?
She stopped as she stood in front of him, shyly handing him a neatly packed box. "I noticed that you haven't eaten anything today, so I got something for you."
He looked at her, confusion finally turning into understanding. But he didn't want to make a scene, especially not with someone you considered a friend, so he tried to let her down gently.
"Sorry, I'm not really hungry right now." That he didn't want anything from anyone that wasn't you, he left unsaid.
"Oh come on. You haven't eaten the entire day. I'm trying to show you that I can take care of you, better than (name) can. They don't care for you, or they would be standing in my place."
Now absolutely furious, Kaveh was practically sprining out of his chair. Screw friendliness, no one was allowed to talk about you like that. And he was sure to tell her that.
"How dare you say something like that?! Aren't you supposed to be their friend? What kind of friend goes around talking about the other behind their back like that?
No, I want nothing to do with a personality like yours. That is disgusting. I'm not about to cheat on (name)! Why would I do something like that to the most wonderful person I ever met? And besides-!"
Kaveh was now in a full blown rant. He didn't even notice your friend running out of his office with tears in her eyes. Unbeknownst to her or your boyfriend, you were standing outside his open office, a lunch box for him in your hands. You heard the entire thing and your also saw your friend, well former friend, running out of his office. She didn't notice you though.
As you went inside, your boyfriend noticed something moving and when he saw you walking towards him, he immediatly went to you and started gossiping about what just happened while happily munching on his lunch that you brought him.
Yeah.. Kaveh was definitely whipped for you.
Cyno
Cyno is a very stoic lover
at least that's what other people think of him since he very rarely shows any form of emotion
so it's only natural for people to assume that he would be the same when entering a relationship with someone else
well.. those people would be very wrong about their thinking
Cyno, when in private or surrounded by others that he trusted, would become a somewhat expressive person
he still wasn't outright affectionate with you or proclaimed his love for you anywhere he went, but he was trying his damn hardest for you to show you that he loved you
that inculded trying to be on good terms with your friends and family
Cyno isn't the most social and outgoing person, but he tries to get along with the people that are important to you
he sometimes turns to them when he needs advice on what would be a good gift for you or stuff like that
moments like these would be the times where your friends can clearly see how much you actually mean to him
One of your friends has always been a drawn to closed of people who become lovestruck with their significant other and apparently, she decided that she wanted that for her as well. And in her mind, it just HAD to be your boyfriend, Cyno
He was on his way home after a long and stressful day at the Academya. Cyno couldn't wait to get home to you, to taste your cooking and just hold you in his arms again. It was all he needed to charge him back up again. Yet it seemed that fate had different plans with him today.
"Uhm, excuse me?", he was stopped by a very soft spoken voice a little bit behind him. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to find your best friend standing there, looking at him like she wanted to tell him something.
"Can I help you?", he asked, sounding rather cold but he couldn't help it. He was exhausted and he just wanted to get this over with and get home.
"Well, I just needed to talk to you. I was chatting with (name) the other day and they told me that they have been cheating on you with someone else. I'm so sorry but I just had to let you know!"
For a second, his eyes widened in absolute shock.
You? Cheating on him?
That couldn't be. You would never...
After the initial shock, his rational side took over Cyno again and he took a deep breath before turning to your best friend again.
"Thank you for telling me that. Have they also told you when this event happened?"
"Oh.. yes, they did. They said that it was like three days ago."
And now, Cyno was utterly confused. He remembered that day well. It has been a very slow day at work. So slow in fact, that after lunch he took the rest of the day off and went home to spend it with you.
You were still in bed since it had been your day off and you decided to sleep in for once. You were pleasantly surprised to see your boyfriend back so soon and you two spend the entire day in bed.
So Cyno was now obviously confused by the statement that your friend made. It was obviously a lie, but why would she feel the need to lie about something like that? Didn't she know that accusations such as these could very easily lead to a break up?
While he was still pondering in his thoughts about the meaning of this, your friend saw this as her chance to get closer to him. She walked towards Cyno, slowly putting her hand on his arm and leaning her head against his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry you had to find out like this. Why don't you come with me? I can help you get over them..", she whispered and that's when Cyno got his answer. The reason as to why she would accuse you of cheating on him.
He immediatly recoiled from her, which seemed to surprise her.
"I don't know how you got that impression, but I would never choose you over them. The fact that you would sink to such lowly methods makes me even more sick.
Now, I suggest, you stay away, from me as well as from (name). I don't want to see you near them ever again. And if I find out that you spread any more lies about them, I will personnaly hunt you down and bring you to justice."
Your friend ran away quickly after that and Cyno could finally return home to you. You noticed that something was off about him and after a nice dinner, he told you all about the encounter he had with your best friend. Well, Ex best friend would be a better term from now on.
That night, you cuddled up closer to Cyno and thanked him for always looking out for you and protecting you.
Tighnari
As we all know, Tighnari is a fennec fox, and fennec foxes mate for life
So Tighnari would only date with the intention of marriage and a life together in mind
something like cheating would never even cross his mind
he would be over the moon if he would find someone that he would want to spend his life with in the first place
you can consider yourself very lucky if Tighnari falls for you
he is very conscious about that side of him and I think he would very much avoid dating for a long time in his life until he met that one person he is sure is meant for him
nothing in this world could ever convince him to leave you once he has made up his mind
of course Tighnari would talk to you about all of that before he would enter a relationship with you
for one to make sure that you were both on the same page, as well as to give you a way out if you were not up for all of that
those were also aspects about his life that he did not share with just anyone
especially regarding things about the fennec fox part of him. only very few and trusted people knew about certain things, like his mating habits
so of course, someone who had no idea about him and how his instincs work, would never fully understand
Tighnari has been looking forward to this day for so long now. You would finally return to him after weeks of being separated because of your studies. While he was understanding about it, he couldn't deny that he missed you greatly.
His more animalistic side has been crying for his mate for a few weeks now and the only form of contact you two had in that time has been through letters you sent each other. Tighnari has been treating each one of them with the upmost care, since it was the only thing he got to recieve from you.
So obviously, the day of your arrival back in Ghandarva Ville was a big deal for him. He has been antsy this entire day, very quick to jump when someone has been calling his name, always anticipating it to be you. Even Collei noticed his change in behaviour, but since she knew where it came from, she didn't worry too much about him, knowing that it would die down once you were finally back. The rangers would just have to deal with it for the time being.
In fact, everyone was very much excited and glad that you would be returning back soon, since they hoped it would finally help with Tighnari's extreme mood swings. They got especially bad the last few days. Well... everyone except one person was excited..
A person that you considered a dear friend was very much not happy about it. If it were her, she would be happy if you just died in a ditch and never returned, so she could take Tighnari for herself. She always had a thing for the Master of the forest rangers, but then you just had to get in the picture and take him for yourself.
She thought that now, while you were gone, it would finally be her time to make her move on him, to get him to see that she was so much better than you could ever be for him. But it was like Tighnari wasn't even paying attention to her. Not to her riskier outfits that she wore and not to the things she was saying to him.
It's like she didn't even exist in his world. Like she was just a nuisance passing through. So, if she really wanted something to happen, she would have to make a deciding move right now, before you returned.
And so, she made her way over to Tighnari's hut, not really sure what she would do, but she knew that she had to do something.
Upon entering, she saw the man sitting on his desk, scribbling on some papers in front of him.
"Tighnari?", she spoke and the man looked up at her, the hope in his eyes quickly washed away as he realised who it was. That did not sit right with her, but she tried to swallow down the fury welling up inside her.
"Yes? Do you need something?", he asked, sounding agitated.
"I do, in fact. I wanted to talk to you about something."
Sighing, Tighnari now turned towards her, facing her with a slightly bothered expression, while gesturing for her to continue.
"It's about (name). I want you to choose me over them. I'm so much better than them and I could make you happy. They even left you alone for weeks on end while I have been here with you, trying to get you to notice me. Tell me, what's so special about them? What do they have that I don't?"
It was silent for a few seconds while she waited for an answer from him. She thought that the silence was something good, that he finally saw her for what she could be for him. But when she raised her head to look at Tighnari, the look of utter disgust on his face told her a different story.
"Well, there are many things that you don't have, but we can start with your disgusting personality. (Name) would never even dare to think of themselves as better or above other people. The fact that you think yourself better than them makes me sick.
Now listen closely.. I will never choose anyone over (name). I promised to take care of them an I will see to it that I uphold this vow. So get out of here before I completely loose my temper."
Without another word from her, she ran out and left a very strained Tighnari back in his hut. He was still sorting through his thoughts when a few minutes later, you walked in, greeting your boyfriend after a long time apart.
Tighnari was instantly overjoyed, forgetting all about the events that happened prior to this. He welcomed you in his arms again and refused to let go again. He did not work anymore on that day, and instead spent the rest of it cuddling with you in his bed, talking about all the stuff that happened while you two were apart.
As for "your rival", she got transfered back to the Academya where she would continue her studies, far away from you and Tighnari. But neither of you cared very much about that.
Wanderer/Scaramouche
God, the patience you would need to get into a relationship with him
he never had a very good influence in his life after Niwa and the people from that village, so you will have to be patient and understanding with him
He is trying his best, but it's difficult for him to feel vulnerable
he always considered his feelings as a sign of weakness, so he can't just easily accept them now
It's a process and he will need your help to get through it, even if he would never ask for your help out loud
his pride is in his way quite often, but he tries to tone it down
I see him as a very protective and clingy lover
He would want to be by your side at all times. He tells himself it's to make sure that you don't betray him, but you both now it's because he's starved for any kind of attention and affection you give him
for wanderer to get into a relationship, he would have to really, really trust you, otherwise he would not even consider the thought
so of course he would never consider the possibility of a relationship with someone who was practically a stranger to him
The Wanderer was currently out on a run to get some errands for you. Even though he protested, said you shouldn't have forgotten stuff that you obviously needed, his words were betrayed as he was already on his way to the door.
The thing is, you wanted to cook for him today but silly little you forgot to put a few things on your shopping list that you would need for the dish you were planning to make.
So, your boyfriend, chivalrous as he is, went out to the Grand Bazar to get them for you. He planned on a quick trip, only purchasing the things he needed to, so he could return as quickly as possible.
"Hey, Kuni!"
But fate seemed to have different plans with him, as he heared this joyful voice almost scream his name. He turned around to see a friend of yours running towards him, her arm in the air as she was waving at him.
"What do you want from me? And who told you you could call me that?"
Truth is, he never really liked her. She always looked him up and down and the way she was talking to you never really set right with him. But, he refrained from saying anything, not wanting to upset you or anything. Now though, he wished he wouldn't have acted so friendly with her.
"Aww, come on. Don't be so grumpy, Kuni. I know you like it when I call you that."
Did she... try to sound seductive right now? Judging by the way she was clinging to him and batting her lashes at him, he would guess that yes, she was trying to seduce him. Not that he would ever agree to any of it, but he wanted to see how far she would be willing to go.
"Yeah, you're right.. I do... like it.." Every fiber of his being wanted to recoil from her and throw up in disgust after he said those words. It felt so wrong to him, but it seemed that she didn't notice that.
In fact, she looked delighted to hear those words leave his mouth. "I knew it. I knew that you would come around. It was obvious that (name) wasn't the right person for you. After all, they can never do anything right, wouldn't you agree? Honestly, I'm just glad I stayed friends with them long enough to get to know you. We match so much better, don't you think?"
Ohh, now she was in for it. He would not just stand here and allow her to disrespect you like that. Not on his watch.
"Now listen here, you little bitch. I know you did not just say that about someone who consideres you to be a friend. I don't know how you got the idea that I could ever be into you, but you're very wrong.
So get that into your thick skull, I will never want someone like you. And I suggest you better leave (name) and me alone from now on. Unless of course, you want to find out what I can do to make your life a living hell.
Now, run along, and never come back."
Suddenly frightened, she slowly backed away from him before turning and bolting away like the devil itself was chasing after her.
The Wanderer only sighed as he finished up with the shopping list and returned back to you like nothing had happened.
The next few days, you noticed that your friend avoided you like the pest, but when you went to your boyfriend to ask if he knew if anything had happened, he merely shrugged his shoulders, pretending that he didn't know anything.
Why is he so hot and simpable!!! Don't judge my made up word!!!!
Swell (Alhaitham)
TAGS: Alhaitham/F!Bunny!Reader, smut, breeding, fatherhood, pregnancy
Iɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴᴅs ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟᴏᴡ ᴏғ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ ɪʀʀᴇsɪsᴛɪʙʟᴇ.
Keep reading
✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。RIGOR — AL-HAITHAM.
contents. mild injuries (al-haitham), established relationship, fluff, really bad banter, al-haitham is left handed because i say so
notes. literally just 2k embarrassing words of you taking care of al-haitham after he’s injured from a trip to the desert. yeah.
“that stings,” al-haitham hisses, glaring at you—which earns him an equally as harsh glare back. “why don’t you just pour the entire bottle of antiseptic down my arm at this rate?
“don’t yell at me,” you hiss back, scowling as you dab at the (already clean) wound some more, “i’m not the one who came back with this. why didn’t you get it checked?”
to your utter dismay, al-haitham comes home from a visit to the desert injured. gravely.
well, truth be told, it’s not really grave. that’s just how you see it because anything beyond a scratch is enough to throw you into a fit of panic. he’s not really used to coming home to someone fretting over him like this—standing between his legs as he sits on the edge of the bathtub, dabbing ever so gently at the small (and hardly deep, he’d like to point out) cut on his arm.
running into eremites is an inevitable part of most visits to desert ruins. usually, al-haitham manages to come back unscathed, but sometimes, things don’t always go accordingly. in his defense, he’d thought he’d be able to dodge the blade of the eremite he happened to be fighting. al-haitham has the precision and athletic ability to not only manage, but excel at dodging things that are thrown at him. but still, even he has his moments of miscalculation, and just by a hair, he feels the sting of a blade’s edge tearing through the surface of his skin.
it’s unfortunate, but it’s not a big deal—at least, that’s what he thought. apparently, but not unusually, you have a tendency to disagree with him on most things.
“i was going to check it myself,” he says simply, “it would’ve been fine.”
“oh, i didn’t realize you graduated in linguistics and biology,” you raise a brow.
al-haitham is a well rounded man—he reads books from just about any subject so long as it’s informative and offers him new knowledge that can assist him in being well versed in any topic. more importantly, al-haitham rarely loses arguments, and in order to be able to always win said arguments, his understanding of most subjects is required to be thorough.
he knows how to treat a small wound or two, especially with as often as he lands himself in small fights as he explores ruins.
he looks up at you with an unimpressed stare as he mumbles, “i’ve taken at least a few classes from every darshan.”
“i hate you,” you huff. he exhales tiredly.
“it’s only a cut,” he argues, “there’s no need to be so worried—”
“i’m always worried,” you sigh, staring dejectedly at the injury littering his arm. no one should ever leave a mark over his skin—unless it’s you, and that’s only in a very different context. “does it hurt?” you ask quietly.
a small part of him feels guilty that he’s worried you over his well being, that he’s come home harmed even the slightest bit and disrupted your peace. but the larger and more rational part of him reasons that injuries of this nature are common and inevitable in trips to the desert like this, and he’s skilled enough to ensure that nothing serious ever happens.
still, for your sake, he mumbles, “no.”
it’s a bit of a white lie—it does sting a bit, and the antiseptic you pressed just a few moments ago didn’t exactly help, but admitting to you that he’s in any sort of pain is only opening up more avenues to making this into a larger deal than it really is.
al-haitham is fine, and he’s doesn’t need anything for the slightly inconvenient but not serious laceration on his skin. he’s sure of that.
but then, you cup his cheeks and press a small kiss to his forehead as you murmur, “my poor baby,” with a small pout, “i’ll feed you dinner, okay? they got your left arm.”
he wants to tell you that his motor skills are good enough that he can function with his non dominant hand—being left handed in a world catered for right handed individuals forces you to acquire functionality in both hands. but before he can open his mouth, you kiss down his cheeks, tracing your lips along him until they map out his jaw.
it distracts him for a moment, making hie eyes close and his breath hitch as he lets your warmth settle into the deepest crevices of his skin.
“don’t worry, haitham, i’ll take care of you until this heals,” you murmur sweetly.
and just like that, al-haitham is a bit conflicted now. in his two plus decades of life, he has always been an independent and capable individual—more than most his age. he doesn’t need the assistance of anyone, nor has he ever really needed the assistance of anyone. but you’re making it very hard to resist with the way you’re doting on him with affection.
“i’m fine,” he tries to argue, “really—”
“i should run you a bath,” you mumble, cutting him off. he gets the strong feeling you’re taking more to yourself than him. “and i’ll wash your hair for you too.”
even with the self control someone like him has, even he can’t help but sigh in content when your fingers slip into his hair, stroking through the strands and scratching gently at his scalp. it’s a bit nice—he has to admit that being taken care of, even as minimally as fingers in his hair, is nice.
“you don’t have to do all that,” he mutters.
“i don’t want you moving that arm,” you huff, “would it kill you to stop acting high and mighty for once? most people would take advantage of being spoiled.”
“i don’t enjoy taking advantage of others like most people,” he shrugs.
“you know what i mean,” you glower, rolling your eyes.
it’s a common understanding to most that al-haitham is a bit difficult—you don’t think you ever remember a time where he hasn’t been. he’s stubborn and always believes his views to be correct, and he’s not ashamed of arguing his point no matter who it is. you’re surprised that mouth of his hasn’t landed him in trouble yet—although, you suppose he’s not exactly in the good graces of most at the akademiya.
and as the akademiya’s acting grand sage, you admire his unwillingness to back down. but, as your boyfriend and the man you love, you wish he’d just compromise sometimes—and maybe let you wash his hair and hand feed him dinner for a bit as you nurse his injury back to health.
just this once….and maybe just a few more times later on too. you don’t ask for much, you like to think.
“i’ve gotten injuries like this before,” he reasons, “i’ve survived.”
you look at him with that delicate look of yours, the one that makes him feel like maybe he’s been living his life wrong this whole time. that it only became correct once his life involved you.
he thinks that’s might just be the case when you grin slightly, pinching his nose as you lean down, pecking his forehead and mumbling, “you don’t always have to just survive. you can indulge a bit, you know.”
“is that so?” he raises a brow, his good arm snaking around your hips.
“yes,” you hum, “if you give it a try, you might just enjoy indulging here and there,” you grin, stroking a thumb over his cheek as you admire his features, relearning every curve and every angle of his face. you don’t think you’d ever get bored like this—just standing in your bathroom, staring at him. you think you could comfortably stay right here like this forever.
maybe longer.
“i see,” he says slowly. al-haitham has always had a strong sense of control. but that was before you—he’s now forced to admit that his resolve is a bit weaker, just a bit shakier after you’ve come along. “does this begin with washing my hair?”
“and feeding you dinner,” you nod, tracing your thumb over his brow, letting it wander along the hook of his nose. “do you want me to kiss your arm better too?”
“is that really going to help?” he asks in amusement, making you giggle.
“oh yes,” you tease, “it was in a class i took from amurta. you probably didn’t take it—it’s far too rigorous for you.”
“oh,” he nods playfully, “of course. you’ll have to excuse my lack of understanding. not everyone can be as advanced as you.”
“here,” you grin—and it’s wide, and it’s warm, and it’s far too bright to ever be dimmed by the light of your bathroom as you stare at him, “i can demonstrate if you want. hands-on learning is always the best.”
“i must ask—have you ever learned hands-on like this with anyone else?” he raises a brow.
“and if i have? would that make you jealous?”
“perhaps a little,” he admits, fighting desperately to keep his own smile hidden. it’s hard not to smile when you’re around—how could he not when you swallow the sun with your lips every time they curve upwards in that honeyed way that they do?
“don’t worry,” you giggle again—and god, he thinks, he really loves that sound. he watches you lean down and kiss softly along the edges of his wound, tracing the cut slowly as you say, “you’re my only academic partner now.”
“i’m most grateful.”
“well?” you peck his shoulder, “a kiss helps, doesn’t it?”
“it does,” he chuckles quietly, “maybe you can show me a bit more.”
he’s given into you completely by now—you can tell by the way his body is relaxed on the edge of the bathtub. you can tell by that easy grin plastered on his usually blank face. you can tell by the way he leans into your touch every chance he gets. you can tell by the way he asks you to kiss his wound some more—the same wound he didn’t think you needed to care about.
but you always care, and he’s starting to understand you always will. so he stares at you hopefully, expecting just a few more presses of your lips.
so you do, kissing along his arm, peppering scattered pecks along his shoulder, pressing your lips gently along the column of his neck as he sighs softly and closes his eyes.
maybe being taken care of isn’t so bad—maybe he’s been missing out all this time….but then again, he thinks it’s just that he’s always been missing you. like he was born to find you. like he was made to be yours and you were made to be his and you both were made for each other if nothing else.
if nothing else, al-haitham is glad to be yours.
“does it still hurt?” you ask after some time.
“just a little,” he lets himself admit, “it’s nothing i’ve never dealt with before.”
“you really worried me you know,” you breathe quietly, making him squeeze your hips in reassurance, “don’t hide next time you’re hurt.”
“and will you kiss me back to health if i tell you?” he hums, leaning his head back to let you kiss his jaw easier.
you smile against his skin, letting your touch linger for a moment before you mumble, “of course, it’s only the best treatment. only those who take rigorous classes would know that.”
“good thing i have you to teach me.”
“yes, you’re really quite lucky,” you say with a cheeky smile.
there’s a warm bath waiting for him after this. and a hand fed meal. and perhaps a few more gentle kisses. but most certainly a lifetime of you—that much he knows.
i feel like i’m borderline violating myself by posting this bc it’s so self indulgent but here u go
✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。MAD — AL-HAITHAM.
contents. alcohols consumption (drunk! al-haitham), post argument, fluff, ft. kaveh a real one for dragging home a heavy ass muscle man
al-haitham is good at holding his alcohol—at least, he is unless you’re in the middle of an argument. if you’re both arguing, then he seems much less likely to stay sober.
tonight for example—you open your bedroom door when kaveh (not so quietly) awakens you with his incessant knocking, grumbling under your breath as you reach for the door knob and twist. before you can even fully open the door, a very drunk and very heavy al-haitham is handed to you to hold steady.
“here, he’s your headache now,” kaveh huffs, crossing his arms, “i was supposed to be the heavy drinker of tonight,” he glares at al-haitham (who doesn’t help himself any further when he glares right back), “my day was far more stressful.”
“what draft are you on with this client?” you ask sympathetically.
kaveh flares his nostrils as he grumbles, “six!”
“maybe seven will be the charm,” you hum, chuckling, “i’ll get this headache of mine to bed.”
“please do,” he nods, “and i wish a terrible hangover on him in the morning too.”
with that, the door is shut, and you hear kaveh walk off and slam his as he grumbles some more about the drunk mess in your arms. at least you and kaveh have that much in common tonight—a shared irritation for the akademiya’s ever so charming scribe.
(truthfully, it’s hardly an accurate description at the moment—al-haitham’s charms are currently little to none after earlier.)
“you’re not doing yourself favors,” you turn your attention to you boyfriend, who stumbles a little as he buries his head into your neck. it’s a tad bit adorable—but then you remember the know-it-all attitude from earlier and decide you’re mad again. “disrupting my sleep for your lightweight habits isn’t a good way to apologize.”
“not a lightweight,” he slurs—and then he pulls away and pouts, “still mad?”
“yes.”
“are you sure?”
“very.”
“‘s not nice,” he huffs, burying his face back into your neck.
you can feel the way his lips are curled into a pout as they kiss your neck, and even though you’d like to say you have better self control, you can’t help but wrap your arms around him. it’s just to keep him from falling, you reason—just because you’re mad at him doesn’t mean you want him to potentially fall and break something, and that would only mean taking care of him more, which you do not need right now.
“you know what else wasn’t nice? telling me i’m wrong when i’m right,” you huff, “and then arguing that i’m wrong even though you know i’m right.”
“said i was sorry,” he almost whines—drunk al-haitham has at least a few perks. one of them is how much more affectionate he is, peppering kisses along your jaw until he finds your cheek. “you’re soft,” he hums, “love you.”
“you smell like beer. go to bed,” you grunt, trying (and failing) to pull away and guide him to the bed. you don’t make it two steps before he’s latched back to your body.
“say it back,” he gasps, “say it.”
“al-haitham,” you groan, “you can’t be serious—”
“haitham,” he corrects, “supposed to call me haitham.”
“would you like to sleep on the couch, haitham?” you ask with a dry smile on your face, eyes narrowed as he shakes his head. he tucks it into the crook of your neck, sighing happily as he inhales your scent.
“no, ‘s not good f’my back.”
“your back is the least of your concerns right now,” you mumble bitterly. “okay, let’s get you undressed.”
“you’re not mad?” he brightens up immediately at your words, taking them entirely out of context. his lips lean in to press against yours as his hands snake under your shirt, making you huff and slap his hands away as you turn your head and force his lips to meet your cheek.
“oh, i’m still very mad. don’t even think you’re getting anything tonight,” you scold.
for the nth time tonight, he pouts. and truthfully, you’re only human at the end of the day. if the akademiya’s usually stoic and composed scribe—who happens to be your equally as stoic and composed boyfriend—seems to pout this many times in one night….well, it would make anyone’s resolve crumble. even someone who’s angry after an argument—someone much like you.
“you’re a lot cuter when you’re drunk, you know that?” you giggle, poking his cheek lightly. he hums, nuzzling the tip of his nose against your skin as he leans more weight into you.
“aren’t i always cute?”
“not when you’re stubborn.”
“‘m cute,” he argues, “y’think ‘m cute, right?”
“no,” you grin, just to tease him. it’s a bit fun—pulling those wide eyes and curled lips from him, pulling that slightly crestfallen look that only a drunk al-haitham would let you witness.
it’s not too mean to let yourself indulge in this just once, is it?
“don’t be rude,” he slurs, “love you. say it back?”
“say please,” you tease, chuckling as your fingers thread through his hair.
he seems to brighten when you offer him a bit of affection, leaning into your touch as he sighs happily. “please,” he says politely, pressing a kiss to your skin before adding, “‘m sorry,” for good measure.
“how sorry?”
you plan on dragging this out for as long as you can—is it morally correct to take advantage of your drunk boyfriend? perhaps not….but no one is perfect, and you’re no exception.
“really sorry,” he mumbles, squeezing your hips.
“sorry enough to do the dishes for the week?”
“mhm,” he nods.
“kaveh’s too,” you add, with a satisfied grin on your face.
he nods, mumbling a quiet, “okay. kaveh’s too,” without question.
“how much do you love me?”
“a lot,” he says slowly, and by now, he’s leaning enough weight in you that you can tell he’ll fall asleep any moment. so you chuckle, pulling him along slowly before letting his body hit the mattress.
“this is my side of the bed,” you mutter with a roll of your eyes, but he doesn’t seem to hear you as he closes his eyes and sighs when your hand cups his cheek and rubs the warm, flushed skin. “do you love me more than you love being right?”
“mhm,” he hums, half awake as his eyes droop, “say it back now.”
“i love you too,” you finally crack, leaning in and kissing his lips briefly, “even if you’re rude and impossible.”
“‘m still cute,” he rebuttals, “right?”
“oh yes,” you giggle, “the cutest.”
“good,” he nods. and then his eyes close, and he’s snoring lightly, cheek still pressed against your hand.
you’re supposed to be mad, maybe even give him the silent treatment for a bit—but then you watch him sleep peacefully, the smallest of smiles pulling at his lips when your fingers thread through the sweaty locks of hair. regretfully, you can’t stay mad, not when it’s al-haitham—and especially not when it’s drunk al-haitham.
“you’re such a headache,” you mumble, kissing his forehead before joining him on the bed and tucking into his side.
and when he wakes up in the morning, with what is hopefully the awful hangover kaveh wished upon him, you’ll make sure to remind him of his agreement to do the dishes. kaveh’s too.
if u try to tell me al-haitham isn’t a clingy and affectionate drunk, ur wrong. he’s so babie after he drinks