Chapter Text
It ends, as most things do, with Kaveh getting drunk. Except this time it’s not out of the blue, he’s not alone and he is loved. He is not the only one. It’s a hot, humid night, Lambad’s Tavern is as lively as usual. This time around, the happiness is intoxicating. Just as much as the alcohol. Seated around a table in the corner of the tavern, Kaveh forces Tighnari and Cyno to endure his complaining while they finish a round of Genius Invokation TCG.
A familiar feeling of annoyance, tiredness and vague amusement fills the air between the three as an empty chair sits next to Kaveh. Tighnari sits across Kaveh, a resigned look on his face as he nods along and occasionally looks down at his hand of cards. Cyno’s attention is solely on his cards, the seconds in his turn passing as he studies his possible moves with laser focus.
Kaveh sits in front of them, cheeks flushed from the heat and alcohol while he rants. Tighnari can only watch, his ears flicking back and forth, as the tipsy man sloppily complains about a certain scribe that is absent from their presence.
“He’s infuriating! That’s what he is. Always out working, early morning to Archons knows how late. He doesn’t even say hi when he gets back! No- ‘Oh hello love I missed you today.’ - or even a kiss! The audacity of this man. Now he’s even late to game ni-”
He’s interrupted by a hand grabbing his face and a kiss on the lips to shut him up. Cyno and Tighnari give each other knowing looks. Cyno’s, however, holds far more disgust than Tighnari’s. The General Mahamatra grimaces as Alhaitham speaks.
“Hello Kaveh. I missed you today.”
Alhaitham mutters against his lips, a grin no one but Kaveh could call shit-eating sitting on his face. Kaveh scoffs and leans back in his chair, away from Alhaitham's hold. The scribe’s hand grips the back of Kaveh’s chair, preventing him from going far. The growing blush on Kaveh’s cheeks softens the annoyed look in his eye as he glares at Alhaitham.
‘It is undeniable’ , Tighnari thinks as he watches them, ‘They are in love.’ He bites back a grin as he looks over at Cyno. The same thought seems to have made its way behind Cyno’s eyes, Tighnari decides.
“What took so long, Scribe?”
Kaveh looks up at Alhaitham through his eyelashes, a pout painting his features. Alhaitham ignores the pointed question, nodding at Cyno and Tighnari in greeting.
“Good evening. I apologize for my tardiness, the Akademiya required additional help for a certain case.”
Kaveh rolls his eyes and gestures for Alhaitham to sit by his side.
“Hurry up and sit down, you oaf. TCG’s starting soon and you don’t even have a deck.”
Alhaitham raises an annoyed brow at Kaveh.
“Patience, Kaveh. What, can’t handle a single second without me?”
Kaveh sputters indignantly, glaring at Cyno as he expertly turns a guffaw into a cough. Alhaitham relents and slips into the seat beside Kaveh, their shoulders comfortably slotted next to each other. A warm feeling rises in Kaveh's chest. Cyno whips his head towards Tighnari and the man can only suppress a groan as he knows what’s coming. He fixes the Mahamatra with a withering stare,
“... I suppose one could say…”
“Cyno. Watch your tongue-”
“Kaveh’s sub- scribe -d,”
“Cyno,”
“To such a mindset. One could even say-”
“Cyno for the love of the Archons-”
“He… Ka– ra– vehs … Alhaitham’s touch.”
Tighnari rolls his eyes as Cyno begins to chuckle and explain his joke. Across from them, Alhaitham and Kaveh are engrossed in their own bickering. Something about a bookshelf and a missing page.
“Be- Because Kaveh -”
“I get it, Cyno.”
“And- And- craves -”
“ Cyno .”
“ Ka– ra– veh ?”
“... Cyno. In the name of our Lord Kusanali. Shut. Your mouth.”
Obediently, albeit disappointedly, Cyno quiets and shuffles his TCG deck absentmindedly. Tighnari sighs and greets the newly arrived scribe with a smile.
“Hello, Alhaitham. Why don’t we start with TCG before this one makes any more ‘jokes’ .”
Tighnari shoves Cyno. Kaveh stifles a laugh before pulling out his deck, Alhiatham following suit. And there, their night begins. The four play TCG until Kaveh can no longer coherently speak, his wine glass practically stained red from the amount of alcohol that’s been drank from it. Cyno and Tighnari don’t seem to be faring any better, giggling at the TCG cards and playing a round all on their own. Even Alhaitham, high tolerance as he is, is red-faced as he stares at Kaveh.
The blonde man has draped himself dramatically over the table, fiddling with the feather in his hair. Alhaitham can’t help himself, raking his eyes over Kaveh’s face and his changing expressions like he’s never seen them before. Entranced, would be the best description for it. They look like the sun and moon, intertwined. Tighnari sighs as Kaveh begins bothering Alhaitham with his feather, attempting to tickle him as Alhaitham stares. He rolls his eyes with a grin, nudging Cyno gently. Cyno looks up from his deck of cards, annoyed at his focus being broken.
“Yes?”
Tighnari raises an eyebrow and cocks his head in the direction of the two… flirting menaces. Cyno follows his gaze, scrunching his nose in vague disgust as the two begin to bicker.
“So? Nothing’s changed.”
A laugh bubbles from Tighnari’s chest, spilling over to Cyno.
“I suppose that’s true. But look at them,”
There’s a light in Kaveh’s eyes, a twinkle that screams ‘I love you. ’. Like a black cloth, Alhaitham absorbs it. A small smile is etched onto his face as he shoots something unintelligible back at Kaveh. He chuckles as Kaveh squawks and shoves Alhaitham.
“Can you, for one second, tell me that they’re not so…”
Cyno snorts.
“In love?”
As if on cue, Kaveh plants a kiss on Alhaitham's cheek. The scribe flushes red and hides his face behind his hand as Kaveh laughs and attempts to pull him close. Tighnari leans against Cyno’s shoulder, sighing like a tired parent.
“That was obvious from the start.”
Cyno laughs, his shoulders shaking with the sound.
“You’re right.”
Across from them, Kaveh and Alhaitham seem to be in their own little world. Finally, as Kaveh gets sleepy enough that Alhaitham declares it’s time to go home, Tighnari decides to call it a night.
“They’re truly… made for each other. Aren’t they?”
Tighnari mutters under his breath as Alhaitham walks away. Kaveh waves at him drunkenly and Tighnari offers a wave back. Cyno snorts as Alhaitham drags Kaveh away, the architect whining like a toddler.
“Truly.”
The light the moon siphons.