Chapter Text
“Please don’t fight while we’re gone,” Navia pleaded as though a mother begging her children not to get into trouble.
Alhaitham rolled his eyes, “Just go.”
Ever since they got off the gondola, Navia and Clorinde had been oddly suspicious. Shuffling and fidgeting, giving Alhaitham looks, but he ignored it.
Why?
He couldn’t really recall the last time Alhaitham bluntly asked for a private conversation in front of friends-- let alone others. A tiny butterfly in his stomach fluttering while his heart only lurched.
Fontaine’s night sky twinkled above them, making Alhaitham’s turquoise eyes glimmer with freckled lights. They were held on him, the sway of the grass witnessing the two. Clean columns, lightly shattered or perfectly in tact, loomed over Kaveh as his steps paced the flowery ground below.
“What is it, Alhaitham?” He inquired, finding himself growing all the more anxious with every moment of hesitance the usually straightforward Alhaitham bore.
Alhaitham fumbled with the cord of his earset discreetly, lips pursed, “I…”
The scene was still. Only the sound of the fresh ocean breeze could be heard, Alhaitham’s gaze falling down to Kaveh’s feet.
“We haven’t been close, I don’t believe. I still remember the first day we met.”
Young Alhaitham was the same as the current save for some features, his deadpan nature making him charming and yet flustered at almost everything remotely romantic.
“I still fondly look back to those memories, and how we somehow grew closer despite the rift made between us,” Alhaitham pressed, “I still think about it. I am not a sentimental man but--”
His voice seemed to die in his throat, Alhaitham’s gaze meeting Kaveh’s. “But when it comes to you, I feel so many different things.”
Kaveh blew out a puff of air as though expressing impatience, “Alhaitham, listen, this is starting to sound like--” “I love you.”
The world freezed in that moment, and all Kaveh could hear was the racing of his heart. All Kaveh could see is the way Alhaitham’s ears grew red upon taking off his earphones. The way his eyes fluttered rather bashfully for a moment.
Kaveh’s breath shuddered, “Alhaitham, what?”
“I..” Alhaitham stammered, “I don’t expect you to feel the same. After all, we were rivals for some time. But I just want to say, I have loved you since we met and-- even though petty differences, I still do. I think you’re so pretty and…”
The architect laughed softly under his breath, “Haitham…” He could feel the way Alhaitham was crumbling from his own flustered state, wrapping his arms around the acting Grand Scribe, “I love you.”
It felt like those words could only carry so far based on how soft they were. Yet they were for Alhaitham’s ears only.
“I have since…” Kaveh met Alhaitham’s eyes, “Well, for a while now. You were why I kept moving forward, hell, you are why. You continue to test my abilities and I realize it’s not because you want me to fall under the weight of my pressure but challenge myself.”
Alhaitham’s expression softened, cupping Kaveh’s cheeks with such light touches as though the architect could break like glass.
“Kav…” Alhaitham’s breath was warm on Kaveh’s face, garnet eyes lidded. Finally, Alhaitham seemed to consume Kaveh’s breath.
Their lips touching in such a gentle manner, Alhaitham’s palms dragging along the small of Kaveh’s waist.
It was electrifying.
Kaveh could feel tingles of excitement and joy, combing his fingers through his partner’s soft locks. He loved every ounce of it.
Though months, years, just so so long of being dense, it felt good to know something for once. Kaveh pulled away, gasping softly for breath. He could feel the way Alhaitham supported his weight, almost lifting Kaveh as Alhaitham’s lips dragged down to his neck. Leaving kisses as though threatening to eat the architect whole.
“Wait--” Kaveh gasped out, the addictive sensation causing other feelings to bloom that he’d prefer not to speak about, “Waitwaitwait, Haitham, we’re in puBLIC--” His voice grew strained, Alhaitham’s teeth scraping against his adam’s apple.
“Sorry,” Alhaitham cleared his voice, letting go of Kaveh, “I couldn’t help myself.”
Kaveh dusted off his pants, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth as red deepened in his expression, “You’re so unfair..”
“Unfair?” Alhaitham mused, “Hardly. I only managed to get Clorinde and Navia away for a bit, they should realize we’re gone now but…” He grasped Kaveh’s hands in his, “Can you… can you please date me? At least the honor would be enough.”
Kaveh didn’t want to laugh. Alhaitham’s expression was the most emotional he’s seen in years, pleading and rather cute. Yet to use such formal old-man-ccentric words…? “Alhaitham, I’d be more than happy to.”
The way Alhaitham’s expression brightened for a millisecond, to immediately return to normal was beyond him. His now-lover placing his headphones back on, clearing his throat, “Let’s go back.”
It was beyond him as to why Alhaitham chose now, Kaveh thought as he looped his arm over Alhaithams, but he didn’t regret waiting in the slightest. He pressed his cheek to Alhaitham’s arm, red blooming on his cheeks.
He was desperately in love.
Kaveh sighed gently, squeezing Alhaitham’s arm, “I love you.” He could feel the way Alhaitham tensed up, his skin heating up under Kaveh’s touches.
“You’re doing this on purpose…” He scorned quietly as they began walking past other pairs or groups of people. A dog lifted it’s head, sniffing the air for a moment before falling back asleep on the clean pavement. Kaveh could see the fountain now, admiring the garden’s grandeur overall as he felt a smile tugging to his lips.
“You chose right, you know.”
“Hm?”
“I can’t think of anywhere else that would be as pretty for a confession,” Kaveh mused.
A voice called from behind, “Liar!” Navia pointed with a soft huff, hand on her hip, “You told me yourself about your top three choices for if you could confess!”
Kaveh nearly jumped out of his skin, letting go of Alhaitham as he whipped around, “I was young!” He huffed, “Why would I still think getting drinks at Lambad’s tavern and confessing there would be romantic NOW?”
“You still remember?” Alhaitham laughed softly, “I’d assume a letter of your choices when you’re young wouldn’t return to you.”
Clorinde stepped out from behind Navia, wrapping her arm around her lover’s shoulders, “Non, ma amour never failed to remind Kaveh about most things.”
“Even now, it seems,” Kaveh groaned with a feigned exasperated tone.
Navia let out a snort, “Shut up, you know I’m right.” She shifted her weight slightly, waving her hand dismissively, “I wake up every morning choosing to be this way.”
Clorinde and Alhaitham exchanged looks, as though mutually praising each other for keeping up with their equally eccentric partners. Kaveh didn’t really want to see it that way, though.
“How about dinner?” Navia chimed, “I’ve got them making something back at the manor.”
“Didn’t we come here to see one of the shows?” Kaveh piped up, though realized soon after that this was not the purpose of their visit. “Wait, Alhaitham!” He gasped so loudly that he belonged in a telenovela, “You planned this?!”
Alhaitham shrugged dismissively, “Clorinde made an excellent offer to me some time ago, so I settled for it rather quickly since you spoke about how beautiful Fontaine was once.” He rest his hand on Kaveh’s waist, “Besides, I saw it as a good opportunity to see for myself.”
Navia blinked back shock, “I mean, it was mostly because I complained enough to Clorinde about our distance that this even started.” She swept golden locks behind her ear, “Ermmn… I didn’t think Alhaitham would confess here. I sort of thought you both were dating already?”
“Pshh, what?” Kaveh sneered, leaning on Alhaitham with a smirk, “No way.”
“Nono like.” Navia made a few hand gestures, “I’m serious. You both are roommates, quite literally shared the same glass, and you’re telling me you weren’t dating?”
Alhaitham tilted his head slightly, “Last I checked, not until now.”
“Mn,” Clorinde nudged Navia with a murmur, “It’s our case but less as bad. We shouldn’t be contradicting ourselves.”
“Oh?” Alhaitham raised his brow, “The Champion Duelist indulging in illicit affairs?”
Navia shook her head firmly, “Nonononono!! We did have some sort of an affair but it wasn’t ILLEGAL per say. Maybe a bit… scandalous.”
“Spare us the details…”
It didn’t take long for the gondola to depart once more, though Kaveh found his gaze cast to the ocean. The way otters collected in groups from time to time, or the passing fish. He folded his arms over the edge of the gondola, leaning his face against his sleeve, “Urgh…”
“Feeling sick?” Alhaitham questioned, leaning forward as he rolled his palm over Kaveh’s back.
Kaveh shook his head, lips pursed, “I wish I could have come earlier.”
“Ahh…” Alhaitham knew what Kaveh meant already. “That’s okay. But we’re here now, right?”
He supposed he shouldn’t regret something like this. Kaveh couldn’t control what happened, nobody really could. Alhaitham’s lips brushed against Kaveh’s cheek, nuzzling him slightly.
“Archons, you’re gross. PDA? Really?”
Kaveh wished nothing more than to glare at Navia, though Clorinde cracked the slightest chuckle. Especially as once Kaveh whipped around, he realized that between the four of them-- Navia and Clorinde were the gross ones.
Clorinde crossed her legs, sitting neatly on Navia’s lap with her arm looped over Navia. Her head tilted in a way that dark strands fell over her expression. Though they didn’t really exchange anymore words, keeping to their sides.
“You know, a double date wasn’t that bad of an idea, Alhaitham,” Clorinde muttered, “I had fun. Even if it was, well, short.”
Kaveh crossed his arms with a huff, “Oh, so it’s a double date now?”
“Mn, we agreed it was. I mean, what better way to spend our first date?” His lover offered the phantom of a smile.
“Maybe, I dunno, a personal date?”
Navia giggled, leaning into Clorinde, “Ma beau, look, they’re bickering for the first time!”
“First??” Alhaitham and Kaveh seemed to say in unison, though the former’s voice immediately died as Kaveh continued, “You have no idea what it’s like living with him then!”
But that wasn’t quite true.
Alhaitham was the most supportive person in his life, he couldn’t see himself living without him. Kaveh swallowed thickly, as much as he’d like to hold to that lie, he couldn’t bring himself to fall for it himself.
The architect smiled to himself, squeezing Alhaitham’s hand in his. It meant a lot. Staying in Fontaine for a few days with his best friend, her girlfriend, and his lover. Kaveh dipped forward, pressing his lips shyly against Alhaitham’s cheek, “I owe you so much, Alhaitham.”
Alhaitham’s expression shifted between a wide array of emotions, yet finally, his lips curled into a smile. It was beautiful. Warmth filled Kaveh’s chest, the moonlight bringing out that twinkle in Alhaitham’s eye.
“You don’t owe me anything, Kav.”