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Alhaitham doesn’t think much of silencing Kaveh by crowding him up against a wall, these days.
Of course, he does think of it sometimes, when Kaveh keeps prattling on about how Alhaitham is “just as awful as the furniture you keep buying. Honestly Alhaitham, would it kill you to take me with you when you decide to go furniture shopping?”
And, “Why are you even buying random furniture, Archons above. You are trying to annoy me to death, aren’t you?”
And, “What even is that?! Are you serious???” that one time Alhaitham had come back home with a – frankly oversized – Prototype Aranara statue the Traveller had insisted on gifting him, and just hadn’t corrected Kaveh’s assumption that he had bought it in Port Ormos specifically to spite him.
And on and on.
Clearly, it’s inevitable thinking about it during those times, with how animated Kaveh gets about Alhaitham’s crimes against “Interior Design as a whole, humanity at large, and your Architect roommate specifically, ‘Haitham.”
Apart from that, Alhaitham is doing fine.
Mostly.
Well, he has it under control.
So he's caught off guard by the sight of Kaveh home from Lambad’s Tavern earlier than usual – not drunk, for once, but pleasantly tipsy; flushed-cheeked and loose-limbed as he stands barefoot and dishevelled in Alhaitham’s kitchen, drinking a glass of water. His shirt is askew, revealing even more soft skin than usual, the pins in his hair are lopsided, and he looks as warm and pliant as Alhaitham has ever seen him without being fully intoxicated.
Alhaitham’s mind stops entirely for about thirty seconds. His heart, too, seems to be having some trouble.
Then, out of nowhere, comes a barrage of images featuring a pliant Kaveh wearing nothing at all, which is… quite the sight, and… very distracting. Alhaitham can’t help but wonder if Kaveh would still be as languid and malleable if Alhaitham walked him back against one of those “awful purchases that should have never seen the light of the day, Alhaitham, let alone be in this house,” and pinned his wrists above his head, and nosed at the juncture of his neck and his collarbone before pressing a lingering kiss there.
He wonders if Kaveh would let him.
He wonders if he would arch.
The image is remarkably distracting and not at all good for Alhaitham's peace of mind.
He's warm all over, stomach lurching, when Kaveh sees him.
“Oh, ‘Haitham,” he says spiritedly, putting his glass down. “There you are. I’ve been meaning to talk to you. I need to replace my bed, it really is awfully uncomfortable. I’ve had enough of waking up with a backache. I was thinking tomorrow we could go and choose a new one?”
To which Alhaitham, still reeling, responds: “No.”
“No?” Kaveh’s heckles start to rise. “What do you mean no? I’m not asking you to buy it for me, you asshole. I was just asking you to come with me when I choose a new one, since this is your house, as you keep reminding me. But you know what? Fine, never mind. I don’t need you to join me.”
“No,” Alhaitham says again, deciding on the spot to commit to his position and locking eyes with Kaveh. This is familiar territory. “That bed is perfectly fine. Your problem is that you keep staying up all night, making a ruckus, and then falling asleep at your desk. I spent Mora on that bed and you will not be throwing it away because you want a new one on a whim.”
“Aren’t you always bragging about your financial independence?” Kaveh snaps. Predictable as always. “And now you’re bothered by an old uncomfortable bed that I’d be replacing with a newer and better one?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Alhaitham says, folding his arms to his chest. “You’re not throwing that bed away, Kaveh.”
“Then we’ll sell it! I’m sure there’s someone out there who’d love a cheap bed! I’ll add a note in some of the message boards across Sumeru.”
“Let me be clear –” Alhaitham says, trying to keep his gaze away from Kaveh’s flushed skin and wishing Kaveh would stop talking about beds when Alhaitham can’t help but imagine pushing him down onto one. “I bought that bed and I want to keep it. You’re not getting rid of it.”
“Well, you try and stop me if you’re so determined!”
“I will,” Alhaitham says. “You bring in a new bed, I will set it on fire.” He probably won’t, but Kaveh has no way of knowing that.
“Ugh, you – !” Kaveh says, looking even more flushed than before. All his relaxation is gone and he’s vibrating with anger. “I hate you. Well, then. I’ve had enough for now. I’m going to sleep in that stupidly uncomfortable bed. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
“We won’t,” Alhaitham says. Now that he has said no he’s going to stick to it, even though that means that they’re going to argue, which in turn means that Alhaitham will want to manhandle Kaveh and… well; and that was the scenario he’d been trying to avoid in the first place.
But then, they’re probably going to argue anyway, so Alhaitham goes out the next morning and buys the most atrocious sofa he can find.
He’s staring at it thoughtfully, considering that that was a rasher decision than intended, when Kaveh comes in, sees it, and loses it. So… heh. Nevermind. Worth it after all.
“You bought that thing,” Kaveh growls, “but won’t let me buy a bed? Which will be in my room, where no one will see it, and will anyway be far more tasteful than anything you ever brought into this Archon forsaken place?”
“Precisely. You’re free to buy your own furniture when you have your own place.”
“I hate you,” Kaveh says through gritted teeth. “I don’t understand what your problem is, you’re doing this on purpose.”
“Think whatever you want,” Alhaitham says. “I don’t want a new bed.”
“You don’t have to use it!”
“But it will be in my house.”
“You know what? Fine. Then, for my precious back’s sake, I’m going to sleep in your bed until you cave in.”
Alhaitham snorts. “No, you won’t,” he says, because Kaveh stays up until early morning while Alhaitham goes to sleep as early as he can make it. There’s no way Kaveh can steal his bed.
“You watch me,” Kaveh growls, leaving the room and slamming the door.
~*~
That night, Alhaitham is already in bed when Kaveh slips into his room, lifts the bedsheets, and slides in beside him.
Curses.
Alhaitham hadn’t thought this was what Kaveh had meant when he said he was going to sleep in his bed. He had expected Kaveh to try and take possession of the entire bed, lock Alhaitham out of his bedroom perhaps. Not… sleep with him.
Slight miscalculation on his part.
Kaveh must have just showered, because he smells of Zaytun Peach body wash and that Lunar Lotus shampoo he insists on spending an outrageous amount of Mora on. His breath is minty and fresh, he’s wearing his Kalpalata aftershave, and Alhaitham has to push away the thought that he shouldn’t be so well acquainted with Kaveh’s toiletries – and that he probably shouldn’t be entertaining the thought of eating him whole right now.
Instead, he turns his head and asks, “What are you doing?”
“Told you. I’m going to sleep here until you let me buy a new bed. At last I won’t break my back. Your bed is comfy, you bastard.”
“You’re not sleeping here,” Alhaitham says.
“Yes, I am.”
“You are not. I’ll get you out of this bed, Kaveh.”
“Oh?” Kaveh looks amused. “And how do you plan to do that, oh Great Scribe?”
Alhaitham is annoyed enough that he considers hitting him with a mild Dendro attack, but he’s left his Vision on the desk on the other side of the room and honestly, he doesn’t trust Kaveh not to retaliate by unleashing Mehrak on him and slicing his bed in half with his claymore.
So, there isn’t much else to do, really.
Alhaitham throws the covers away, grabs Kaveh, and flips them over until he has Kaveh trapped under him.
“Well?” he mocks, looking down at him. “What now, oh Light of the Kshahrewar?”
Kaveh’s breath visibly stutters out of him as he stares up at Alhaitham. His gaze flickers down to Alhaitham’s lips for a split second before he looks up again.
Alhaitham's breath hitches. His voice betrays him by coming out rougher than usual as he says, “Ready to go back to your perfectly decent bed?” He’s counting on Kaveh being too annoyed to notice.
Kaveh’s eyes narrow. “Two can play this game, you know.”
“Oh?” Alhaitham says.
One of Kaveh’s hands is suddenly on Alhaitham’s hip, the other sliding up slowly over Alhaitham’s chest until it reaches his right nipple, rubbing it gently through the fabric of Alhaitham’s night shirt.
Alhaitham’s stomach swoops. “I –”
Kaveh smirks, which normally makes Alhaitham want to retaliate, but then cranes his neck up and presses a kiss on the corner of Alhaitham’s mouth while sliding a hand under Alhaitham’s shirt, and Alhaitham forgets what he was about to say entirely.
“What are you doing, Kaveh?”
“Making you stop whatever it is you’re doing to get me out of this bed,” Kaveh says, cheeks slightly flushed as he lies back down smugly.
Well, then.
Alhaitham follows Kaveh down and kisses him.
Kaveh freezes for a split second, then lets out a moan and melts under Alhaitham, hand reaching up to cup Alhaitham’s head, keeping him close. Oh. Alhaitham takes both his wrists holds them in one hand before pinning them above his head.
“What – Hey!” Kaveh’s eyes go wide. He struggles for a couple of seconds, then groans and goes completely quiet when Alhaitham leans in and presses a small kiss on the side of his neck.
“You’ve got to be joking,” Kaveh murmurs.
Alhaitham smiles and tightens his grip. He presses a wet kiss under Kaveh’s jaw, then another, and another. He can feel Kaveh’s heartbeat rabbitlike under his lips.
Kaveh whines, his thighs coming to circle Alhaitham’s hips and pull him down until their groins are flush against each other.
Alhaitham is shocked enough that he pulls away from Kaveh’s throat, but Kaveh uses the opportunity to pull him into a kiss instead.
Alhaitham's eyes fall shut. Kaveh is hard. Alhaitham is hard too, but he knew that already. Kaveh, however, is a revelation. He rolls his hips slowly, testing his reaction, then pulls back to stare down at him.
Kaveh looks flushed and belligerent when he says, “Don’t stop, you absolute –”
“Mmh,” Alhaitham says. He leans down again to lick a trail of kisses down Kaveh’s throat, feeling him arch and shiver.
Oh. He does arch, then. Both of Kaveh’s wrists are still in Alhaitham’s grip and he’s lying there helplessly, taking all Alhaitham is giving him, and –
Alhaitham comes back to himself.
He swallows and pulls back, flopping down next to Kaveh and throwing an arm over his eyes.
“Fine, you can have your new bed,” he mutters. “Go to sleep, Kaveh.”
“What –” Kaveh splutters. “How – You’re stopping now?”
Alhaitham doesn’t reply.
“I swear to all the Archons, ‘Haitham, if that was your idea of a joke –”
“I’m not going to make you –” Alhaitham starts. Stops. “And for furniture, of all the most –”
Kaveh sits up. He pries Alhaitham’s arm away and looks down at him. “Really?” He looks annoyed.
Alhaitham stares back, trying not to be sidetracked by Kaveh’s pinkened cheeks. “What?”
“For someone so smart, you are an idiot sometimes, you know. I just told you not to stop.” He chews on his lip for a moment. “Do you want to stop?”
“That’s not in the least relev–”
“Just answer the damn question, ‘Haitham.”
Alhaitham looks away, clenching his jaw, and fixes his gaze on the ceiling. “No,” he says. “I don’t want to stop.”
Kaveh lets out a shaky breath. He crawls on top of Alhaitham and sits down on him, his ass impeccably positioned against Alhaitham’s erection.
“Kaveh –” Alhaitham chokes out, a hand flying to Kaveh’s waist. “I just said you can have –”
“I heard you,” Kaveh huffs. Then, in a way that sounds almost fond, he adds, “Idiot.” And leans down to kiss him again.
Everything is wet and hot after that. Alhaitham is transfixed by Kaveh’s weight on him, by the way he cradles Alhaitham’s head to lick deeper into his mouth. He lets Kaveh get rid of his shirt and trousers, does the same to him, peels everything off and throws it away. Kaveh is flushed all over when he lies down on top of him, kissing him and rolling their hips together until they’re both leaking and frantic and Alhaitham is grabbing his ass helplessly, wanting him closer.
“Are you going to prepare me,” Kaveh murmurs in his ear, “or should I do it myself?”
Alhaitham groans and flips them over. Kaveh’s wrists are in his palm again and he moves them above Kaveh's head, before bringing their groins together and leaning down for a kiss, hot and deep.
It isn’t enough.
Kaveh opens his legs wider with a moan, kisses Alhaitham back frantically arching up into him, trying to roll their hips together. Alhaitham lets him do it once, twice, then pulls back.
“Keep your hands there,” he rasps, squeezing Kaveh’s wrists once before releasing them, and watches Kaveh shudder all over.
Alhaitham reaches out for the bottle of lubricant on his night stand.
He knows he loves Kaveh, that is the problem. If they keep going – if he opens him up now, if he does slide into him – how is he going to watch Kaveh leave for Lambad’s every night without knowing if he’ll come back before morning? If he’ll come back with someone? Though he never does. He goes to their places, Alhaitham assumes, probably lets them have their way with him against the entrance door, head tilted back, cheeks flushed, before relocating to their bed, heedless of Alhaitham who has opened his house and his heart to let him in, who had wanted to let him in, and just didn’t have the social grace to really know how to do it like a normal person.
His eyes land on Kaveh again, who’s looking at him pink-cheeked and expectant, chest rising and falling, wrists where Alhaitham has put them. Alhaitham’s eyes move down his body, watching him flush darker all over. He’s leaking already, they both are, but it looks so good on Kaveh that Alhaitham’s mind goes fuzzy. Before he knows what he’s doing, he’s leaning in and taking Kaveh in his mouth, swirling his tongue around him to taste him.
“What – Fuck. ‘Haitham –” Alhaitham sucks him down, swallows him, then presses a wet kiss on the base before moving down, pressing his tongue against his hole.
Kaveh buckles up with a shocked cry, but his hands still don’t leave the spot Alhaitham put them in. Gods. Alhaitham wants to reward him. Wants to ruin him.
Above all, he wants to keep him.
“I can’t believe –” Kaveh groans and Alhaitham parts his cheeks wider and jabs at him with his tongue. “Fuck,” Kaveh pants. “‘Haitham.”
Alhaitham’s tongue keeps working him open, keeps making his back arch and his legs tremble.
“I –” Kaveh pants, opening his legs wider, rolling his hips to meet Alhaitham’s tongue.
Alhaitham gives it to him, reaches up to pinch a nipple, just to hear Kaveh keen. He pinches it again, harder.
Kaveh lets him, his cock jerking hard, his hands still where Alhaitham put them. He’s trembling.
When Alhaitham finally pulls back, it’s only so that he can coat his fingers in lube and pet Kaveh’s hole gently a few times before sliding one finger in. Then, he leans down and takes Kaveh’s cock in his mouth again.
“Celestia and all the Archons above,” Kaveh whines, leaking all over Alhaitham’s tongue. “‘Haitham, if you do that I’m not going to – ah! – last.”
Alhaitham hums. He sucks him down harder and adds a second finger.
Kaveh writhes, helplessly.
“You can grab my hair,” Alhaitham murmurs between sucks and Kaveh’s hands finally move, practically fly to his head, his fingers digging in to keep Alhaitham’s head where he wants it, and he arches into his mouth gasping, “‘Haitham.”
Alhaitham can’t help but keep his eyes on him, watch his face closely. He lets Kaveh fuck his mouth a few times, Alhaitham’s fingers still sliding in and out of him, opening him up, then he pins Kaveh’s hips down.
“Enough of that,” he says, kissing Kaveh’s thigh. “Let me.”
“You’re so –” Kaveh groans, pulling at Alhaitham’s hair again. “Hurry up then, will you?”
Alhaitham licks around his cock again, curls his tongue. “I don’t think I will,” he says, because he doesn’t want to stop, and moves down to slide his tongue into Kaveh’s hole again.
“Fuck,” is all Kaveh seems able to manage while Alhaitham works him open with his fingers and his tongue.
By the time Alhaitham kisses his way up Kaveh’s body – his torso, his chest, his throat – Kaveh is a moaning mess, writhing and incoherent.
“Good,” Alhaitham says, hovering close, mouthing at the soft skin under his jaw, “You’re so good, Kaveh.” Kaveh groans and pulls him up into a messy kiss.
Alhaitham reaches for more lube, coats himself with it.
“Where did you learn –” Kaveh pants. He coaxes Alhaitham closer until he’s right between Kaveh’s thighs. Alhaitham mouths at his throat, pinches a nipple as he positions himself. “Who did you do this with? I’ve never seen you with anyone – Gods, ‘Haitham.”
“Why? Are you jealous?” Alhaitham teases. He hasn’t really done this before, but he can follow his own whims well enough, he has a lot of practice doing that in every area of his life. And he knows himself. And he knows Kaveh.
(He also reads, more than anyone – has read enough to know how this works. Has bought lubricant, has used it on himself. And he might have used an illegal knowledge capsule once.)
“Ugh – You – ! If you don’t get inside me right now –”
“Yes?” Alhaitham says, mockingly, biting down Kaveh’s throat. “What will you do, Kaveh?”
Kaveh shivers and visibly swallows. He struggles for a moment, then melts under him completely and lets himself be kissed again.
“I will –” he starts. But Alhaitham pinches the other nipple and kisses him silent again. “Fuck. I will –”
Alhaitham pushes in. Kaveh’s arms fly around him, his fingers on the nape of Alhaitham’s neck, sliding into his hair.
Everything is tight and hot and Alhaitham is losing his mind.
“Kaveh,” he says, shivering. “Kaveh.” He’s suddenly not sure he’s going to last.
Kaveh groans and arches so Alhaitham can’t help but slide in a bit faster. He manoeuvres Alhaitham’s head down so that their foreheads are pressed together.
“‘Haitham,” he murmurs when Alhaitham is fully inside and quite gone already, and Kaveh cranes his neck up for a kiss.
“Can I move?” Alhaitham manages into the kiss. “Kaveh.”
“You better,” Kaveh answers, kissing the corner of his lips, nuzzling his cheek.
Alhaitham gathers his wrists in his hand again and pulls them over his head, so that Kaveh is splayed under him, sweaty and flushed, eyes locked into Alhaitham’s. Alhaitham rolls his hips.
They find a rhythm soon enough, Alhaitham distantly wondering if he’s hurting Kaveh’s wrists, but whenever he squeezes harder Kaveh welcomes the gesture with a full body shudder and a desperate mewl, frantically clenching around him.
Alhaitham is so close.
He abandons Kaveh’s wrists to stroke Kaveh to completion, and Kaveh sobs, hands reaching for Alhaitham’s hair, pulling him down to lick into his mouth.
“I’m going to come,” he gasps. “Haitham. I’m going to come.” And spills helplessly between them.
Alhaitham captures his mouth in a kiss, his own orgasm ripping through him, radiant and devastating.
~*~
When he comes to, he finds himself pressing small kisses to Kaveh’s throat. Kaveh’s fingers are tangled in his hair, moving gently in circles.
“You’ve destroyed me,” Kaveh says. “I don’t think I can walk.”
“Mmh,” Alhaitham says. He presses another kiss. “Good.”
“Seriously, when did you become a sex god? As if dealing with you wasn’t difficult enough.”
Alhaitham slides out of him and plops himself down next to Kaveh, sweaty and sated.
“What do you care?” he says. “You go out all the time.”
“What?” Kaveh says distractedly. “Of course I go out, what does that have to do with – Wait. Do you think I go to Lambad’s to find people to – ?”
Alhaitham looks at him, then away. His jaw clenches. “Isn’t that the case?”
“No,” Kaveh says, vehemently. “Archons, is that why you’re always so unbearable when I come home late?”
Alhaitham stares at the ceiling and doesn’t reply.
“I haven’t –” Kaveh sounds tetchy. “As much as it pains me to admit it, I literally haven’t been with anyone since I moved in with you.”
“What?” Alhaitham startles. “Why?”
“Why do you think?” Kaveh says, annoyed. “Stupid wishful thinking.” He swallows after that, looking like he regrets saying it.
“Oh,” Alhaitham says. “I – Well. I suppose it’s only fair for you to know that I had never done that before.”
Kaveh freezes. “What?! You hadn’t – ? But – Just now, you were so –”
Alhaitham turns to look at him. “Is that so surprising?” he says. “I know what I like. And I know you.”
Kaveh shuts his eyes. “Archons. W-Why do you always have to make things so difficult for me.”
Ah.
Alhaitham looks away, trying not to feel too disappointed. “Just because I love you, it doesn’t mean that I expect you to reciprocate, Kaveh. That’s also obviously not a condition for you living here. I would have hoped that was already abundantly clear.” His voice might have come out unsteady, but he can’t be sure. There’s a knot in his throat.
“You what?” Kaveh looks like he’s having a stroke. “You – ! ‘Haitham.”
If the change in his tone is any indication, he probably caught sight of Alhaitham’s face. Alhaitham doesn’t want to know what he’s seeing there. He keeps staring at the ceiling.
“Archons above,” Kaveh murmurs. “Alhaitham. I’ve been in love with you since the Akademiya.”
Alhaitham’s heartbeat falters. What?
“I was already in love with you when I moved in,” Kaveh says tetchily. “I was in love with you throughout all those times you left for your expeditions in the desert without saying anything – not even leaving a note! – and I didn’t know whether you were alive or dead! I was in love with you when I left for my own expeditions and tried to get you to come along, or… or rushed back home as soon as possible, because I missed you, you asshole, you and your stupid, arrogant –”
“Oh,” Alhaitham says, something clicking in his brain. “And… when you bought all that coffee, out of nowhere?”
“And when I… yes,” Kaveh groans, sheepishly. “I thought… We never do anything but argue, and I thought tasting new varieties together might… It doesn’t matter. As I said, wishful thinking.”
Alhaitham’s heart is thumping in his chest. He leans in and kisses Kaveh, watches his eyes flutter shut. “Me too,” he says. His cheeks feel warm.
“Mmh?” Kaveh murmurs, eyes still closed.
“Me too,” Alhaitham says. “Since the Akademiya.”
Kaveh’s eyes fly open. “W-What. Wait. Really?”
Alhaitham looks away, his whole face feels hot now. “Surely you know I wouldn’t joke about something like that.”
Kaveh is looking at him like he’s never seen him before. Alhaitham suddenly doesn’t know if he can handle any reply to that, so before Kaveh can say anything, he says, “Wait here, we’re still messy,” and gets up to head to the bathroom. He cleans himself up and comes back with a warm, wet towel for Kaveh.
“Let me,” he says.
Kaveh flushes and nods.
“I wish you had said before,” Kaveh says, staring at the ceiling as Alhaitham wipes his chest. “We could have –”
“Does it really matter? We have a much better chance to make it last now. If you want.”
“If I want,” Kaveh sounds a bit hysterical. “I want to see you try and get rid of me.”
“I wouldn’t,” Alhaitham says. “I’ve been trying to keep you, Kaveh.”
Kaveh lets out a noise and closes his eyes. “First, you can’t say things like that. Second, that doesn’t even make sense. You’ve been trying to annoy me at every. single. turn.”
“Well, yes,” Alhaitham says. “And keep you. What did you think I was doing? I’ve let you move in. I pay for your things.”
“You buy the worst furniture known to man and wouldn’t let me buy a bed!”
“That was a mistake,” Alhaitham says. “I didn’t mean to say no, you just caught me by surprise.”
“What do you mean you didn’t – And how did I catch you by surprise, exactly? I was just standing there!”
“Well, I wasn’t expecting to see you. You’re never home that early. And you looked –” Alhaitham presses his lips shut.
Kaveh's gaze sharpens. “I can’t believe you. You started all that drama because you were turned on? What about that fucking sofa?”
“Ah,” Alhaitham says. “Yes, that I did buy to annoy you.”
“You – ! Wait. Is that why you keep antagonising me all the time? Because you’re turned on?! Honestly, I don’t know why I put up with you.”
Alhaitham turns on his side to look at him. “Because you love me?” he says with a smirk.
Kaveh flushes. “Idiot,” he mutters but scoots closer to press himself into Alhaitham’s embrace.
“The good news,” Alhaitham says burying his nose in Kaveh’s hair and breathing him in, “is that you won’t actually need a new bed, now.”
“What? Hey!” Kaveh says against his chest. “You can’t take it back!”
Alhaitham’s lips quirk. “Who says I can’t?”
“For Archon’s sake, ‘Haitham... Wait. Are you turned on again?”
Alhaitham’s cheeks warm up. “What if I am?”
Kaveh lets out a noise. “I can’t believe – Well. We’ll have to do something about that, then. I’ll have to… yes.” He presses a kiss to Alhaitham’s chest. Alhaitham’s heart does a little somersault. “I wish I had known that arguing is your idea of foreplay. Makes things much more interesting.”
“Does it?” Alhaitham says – because he can’t really deny it.
“Still an asshole,” Kaveh tells him with feeling, but then he’s laughing helplessly and kissing him.