Work Text:
The weather outside was pleasant, neither too hot nor humid, with a gentle breeze flowing through the air. Perfect for a short walk through the city.
However, certain people did not have the luxury to enjoy such a nice day.
The house was dim, curtains drawn tight and blocking out the light from outside. All was silent, except for a few suspicious thuds that could be traced back to the bathroom.
"Haa.... Mm..."
Alhaitham groaned in pain, his brows furrowed as he looked down at the mess he'd created.
The towel he was holding was soaked in white fluid. His hands too, sticky from the same substance.
"Ngh! s-strange.... Why isn't it stopping?"
The scribe gently continued to massage himself, wondering if he was doing anything wrong.
In front of him sat an open book turned to a particular page.
The title read "Self Care For Lactating Mothers".
"Ugh ...this is ridiculo- *hiss*"
Trembling from a mix of pain and sensitivity, Alhaitham thought back to when it all started....
———————
It was just another boring day in the Akademiya.
"ALHAITHAM!"
Never mind.
Alhaitham didn't even lift his head as he replied,
"And to what may I owe this visit from the Light of Kshahrewar himself?"
Kaveh narrows his eyes in annoyance and scoffs, lowering his voice to a whisper-yell,
"Don't patronize me. You took my keys again!"
The scribe raises an eyebrow but doesn't look up, continuing to read the document in his hands.
"Then maybe you should stop leaving it in places it shouldn't be."
Kaveh rolls his eyes ready to retort, when his gaze travels down, spotting something that makes him freeze.
"....Alhaitham...um...."
"What? Cat got your tongue? Speak up Kaveh."
"That! I- well! You... um.... Uh..."
Alhaitham holds back a sigh and finally looks up, wondering what's gotten his chatty senior so speechless.
He notices how the Architect's adam's apple bobs up and down as he swallows, attempting to say something but unable to get past whatever was stuck in his throat, his eyes seemingly glued to a particular spot on Alhaitham's chest... but before he can follow that gaze, Kaveh looks away, clearing his throat as he replies.
"...Nothing. It's probably because of the cold. Maybe you should wear your coat properly."
Leaving those words, Kaveh turns around and speeds out like his heels are on fire, completely forgetting his purpose for visiting in the first place.
"....I'm not cold though."
For the first time in a while, Alhaitham is genuinely confused.
Instinctively, he reaches out for the coat hanging off his shoulder only to shudder in place when his hand accidentally grazes a certain area.
He looks down in surprise and immediately understands why his usually unreserved roommate behaved the way he did.
Two little tents were poking out of his skin tight black top, right where his nipples were.
It was...odd to say the least. Alhaitham wasn't cold, and he definitely wasn't aroused. Recalling the shudder from earlier, he furrows his brows further. He generally wasn't this sensitive either.
"...."
Lightly pulling on his coat and making sure his chest area is covered, the silver haired man fixes his appearance and settles down to work once more.
.......
"Tsss-"
Alhaitham pulls his skin tight shirt away from his chest, hissing as the fabric rubs over his sensitive nipples.
About an hour ago, his chest had started to feel sore. It had gotten to the point where even a simple touch had him flinching.
He'd ended up clocking out of work early (with the excuse that he felt under weather) and was now attempting to examine himself in the privacy of his bathroom.
Looking in the mirror, Alhaitham notices how his chest seems to be a little swollen.
He presses the area around his nipples (the place that was most swollen) and scrunches his eyes shut at the jolt of sensitivity he feels.
Gentler this time, he touches the area once more, feeling a slightly wet sensation....
He snaps his eyes open.
"What the-!"
The ever stoic man stares down at his chest with wide eyes.
...Milk.
Milk was coming out of his nipples.
He was lactating.
.
.
What the actual fuck.
———————
Back to the present.
Its been three days since then.
Alhaitham has yet to talk to anyone about his newfound ability to produce milk.
Now it was obvious that such an abrupt change in his anatomy definitely wasn't normal. So he did what he did best: Research.
The Scribe had gone through all the possible causes for his current condition, researched countless books and finally narrowed down his theories to the only thing left when none of the others checked out.
Around a week ago, Alhaitham went to investigate a certain damaged leyline at the Traveller's behest.
He felt nothing wrong at the time, but it was very possible that he may have been afflicted with something that transformed a part of his biology. After all, It wasn't completely unheard of for people to have some sort of aftereffects from dealing with damaged Ley lines in the past.
It was also common knowledge that such afflictions were usually temporary and rarely caused changes that disrupted a persons lifestyle. Hence, people tended to forget that they existed in the first place.
An oversight on his part. A miscalculation.
...And now Alhaitham was facing the consequences.
Up until yesterday, it was still alright. His chest was getting more sore by the day but it was fine as long as he didn't touch it. The scribe simply assumed that it would go back to normal sooner or later and didn't bother to do anything about it. It wasn't like milk was leaking out of him anyways.
Not even 24 hours later, he was forced to eat his words.
Earlier this afternoon, Alhaitham was in his office at the Akademiya, going through his paperwork and rejecting numerous poorly put together research proposals when he felt.... it.
A dampness on his chest.
Alarmed, he'd tried to wipe it off with a towel.... But there was no point.
His chest continued to leak milk like an overflowing dam, getting worse and worse as time passed.
Twenty minutes later, unable to hide it anymore, and getting increasingly concerned about being found in such a state, Alhaitham covered himself with his coat and nearly ran all the way back home.
(Perhaps he should consider himself fortunate that he didn't pass by anyone he knew on his way back.)
Which brings him to his current situation.
Following the instructions written in the book he borrowed (he was well aware of the strange looks he got while checking it out but was also too occupied to care) regarding how to reduce breast discomfort, Alhaitham attempted to massage himself.
He gingerly milked his chest (breast?), trying to relieve the pressure in them....
.... Ten minutes.... twenty minutes.... An hour....
It. Wouldn't. Stop. Leaking.
Bruises were beginning to form in the places he touched and every squeeze was starting to feel like torture.
"Ngh..."
But the milk refused to stop flowing.
Alhaitham didn't even notice when his eyes began to blur.
He whimpered. Normally, the pain alone wouldn't have been bad enough to stimulate his tears but he hadn't slept well in the past few days either. (Both from the soreness of his chest and having too much work to do before transferring the remains of his work as an acting grand sage to the new sage.)
The combined physical and mental stress, with the current situation, and his own shame for making such a stupid mistake in the first place, were enough to nearly push him to the point of crumbling.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), his downward spiral was interrupted by a knock on the bathroom door.
"Alhaitham? Are you in there?"
Alhaitham froze.
Had he been so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Kaveh open the front door?
Speaking of Kaveh,
The man in question had just gotten back from the Akademiya.
As for why that was....allow him to explain.
These past few days, Kaveh had been in the desert for one of his projects. He'd returned to Sumeru city this afternoon, only to realize he'd forgotten his keys once again.
So he did what he usually does and went to the Akademiya, where Alhaitham would usually be at this time of day.
However, when he couldn't find the man in his office, a passing scholar told him that the scribe went back home early and even seemed to be in a rush.
In all the years he'd know him, Kaveh could count on his fingers the number of times his junior was in a hurry. Even if he was, he'd never allow his impatience to be known to others around him. That was just the way Alhaitham functioned.
Clearly, something made him break routine today.
With a bit of apprehension, Kaveh made his trek back home hoping that he was simply overreacting and it wasn't as bad as he thought.... but all of his flimsy self reassurances went straight out the window as he opened the unlocked door to a dark, seemingly deserted house.
Kaveh called out to his roommate, getting no reply.
Concern spiking, the architect started searching for him all over the house, and began to feel the first vestiges of panic creeping in as his search came up empty.
Just when Kaveh was about to call out for his junior again.... he heard a low whimper.
Heart dropping to his stomach, the blond followed the sound to the bathroom, finding the door locked.
"Alhaitham? Are you in there?"
There was no response.
"...Haitham, If you don't respond I'm gonna break down the door."
A pause. Then shuffling noises, and finally, a low voice.
"Stop overreacting Kaveh."
Listening to the slight unevenness of his own voice, Alhaitham holds back the urge to curse.
Meanwhile Kaveh on the other side of the door scoffs, both relieved he'd found his roommate and worried at the faintly perceivable tremble in his voice.
It seems something really is wrong.
"Overreacting my ass! I went to the Akademiya to find you, only to hear that you suddenly rushed back home! Do you know how worried I was when I got back?! Didn't you hear me calling you? Don't try to hide from me Haitham!"
"I'm not."
"Is that so? Then why won't you open the door?"
Silence.
"I knew it. What is it this time? Did you get hurt again? I swear to the archons if you're bleeding out in there-"
"No I didn't."
"Didn't what?"
A sigh.
"I'm not hurt."
"Oh really?"
Kaveh narrows his eyes.
Probably sensing his disbelief, Alhaitham clicks his tongue.
"Is it that abnormal for me to unwind in my tub in my bathroom after a long day at work?"
"You left work early today."
"...."
Once again the scribe could not reply. It was true that he left early. He'd normally still be at his office at this time of day.
Kaveh grumbles and runs a hand through his hair.
"...If you have nothing else to say then open up. Or don't. I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?"
"To get Tighnari. I heard he's in the city today. Might as well call him now instead of later. You know how he gets when we get hurt..."
A thump.
"Kaveh, wait."
Kaveh bites back a triumphant smirk (he mentally apologizes to Tighnari for using his name in such a context.)
Alhaitham gives a resigned groan.
"...If I show you that I'm fine, will you stop bothering me?"
"Hah. If that's really true then sure."
"...Fine."
The lock clicks open.
"...."
Kaveh waits for a few seconds, then carefully opens the door.
Peeking inside he sees a shirtless Alhaitham sitting on the edge of the tub, with his back facing him.
However, before he can get distracted by the view in front him (and damn was it a good view), his thoughts are interrupted.
"As you can see, I am fine. Have your worries been put to rest now?"
Snapping back into focus, Kaveh remembers his real reason for being here and doesn't listen to his roommates nonsense.
Instead, he walks right upto him and attempts to grab his arm, but the younger man flinches away.
Kaveh halts, bites his lower lip.
He reaches out again, slower this time, carefully placing a hand on the man's shoulder as though he were skittish kitten.
Alhaitham tenses, but doesn't reject his touch again.
"...Haitham. Would you turn around so I can see you?"
"No."
"Haitham please... Let me see what's wrong."
"No."
"Alhaitham—!"
Frustration building, Kaveh surges forward and accidentally slips on a discarded towel (huh, why was that there?). Instinctively, he grabs onto whatever he can find to avoid falling.
In the process, his hand slips off Alhaitham's shoulder, sliding forward to his chest.
Caught off guard, Alhaitham whimpers at the touch.
The air between them to seems to freeze.
Kaveh blinks. Once. Twice.
He touches Alhaitham's chest again.
"Ngh!"
Alhaitham smack's a hand over his mouth to muffle the sounds coming out of him, before whipping around to glare at Kaveh over his shoulder.
It's only then that Kaveh sees his juniors face.
Alhaitham was always gorgeous but by the archons, seeing him like this: cheeks flushed, tears clinging to his long eyelashes, and brows furrowed in aggreivance.... Kaveh felt like he'd just been struck in the heart.
Belatedly, he realizes that his junior was whimpering in pain.
That revelation is enough to bring Kaveh's mind back into focus. Now was not the time to get flustered by the man he's been in love with since his Akademiya days. (This beautiful, insufferable man that had somehow completely occupied his heart. Not that he's complaining.) That could wait for after they'd addressed the current problem.
"Haitham what's—!"
Kaveh doesn't get to finish his sentence, feeling a wetness on his fingertips that were still in contact with Alhaitham's chest.
Immediately, he lifts his hand up, half expecting it to come away red... and slightly relieved when it doesn't.
Wait, then what was—
He looks down from his position above his roommates shoulder, instantly getting an eyeful of the 'feeble scholars' ample chest and promptly stiffens at the sight.
"....is that.... Is that what I think it is...?"
Alhaitham sighs heavily. He can't say he's surprised by what just happened. His senior would often get what he wanted in the most unexpected of ways.
".... It is."
Kaveh's eyes go comically wide as Alhaitham turns around completely. There wasn't much of a point in hiding now that Kaveh had found out.
"..I'm lactating Kaveh."
The architect stares at him blankly and Alhaitham quietly waits for his brain to reboot so it can process his words properly.
Kaveh makes a sound somewhere between a muffled squeal and a wheeze once he finally manages to catch up with the situation.
Alhaitham would've been amused had he not been occupied by the growing ache in his chest.
Shivering as more milk flows, he feels more than sees his seniors intense gaze as it follows the rivulets of white liquid trailing down his abdomen.
Alhaitham's cheeks flush for an entirely different reason than earlier. He clears his throat in an attempt to redirect the architects attention.
Kaveh blinks, breaking out of his reverie, and speaks.
"So... I don't suppose you're going to tell me how this happened?"
Having expected the question, the younger man sighs softly and nods.
He recounts the events from a few days ago, reiterating his theory regarding the cause and effect of his current situation.
Towards the end of his explanation, Alhaitham drags a hand through his silver locks, clutching at them with an air of exhaustion, as he concludes,
"I was careless."
Seeing his normally confident junior like this, Kaveh feels a twinge of pain in his heart.
Making a split second decision, the architect decides to throw away his inhibitions, and kneels down in front of the love of his life (though the stubborn man in front of him doesn't know it yet).
He reaches out a comforting hand to caress Alhaitham's cheek.
The silver haired man stalls for a moment in surprise, but barely a second later, Kaveh notices the tension leave his shoulders as he leans into his touch.
Smiling softly, Kaveh gazes into those beautiful teal eyes.
"Hey... it's okay to make mistakes Haitham. No matter how rational you are, in the end you're only human. You can't possibly account for everything that can go wrong. So don't blame yourself alright?"
Alhaitham takes a deep breath, holding it for a while before exhaling, his whole being relaxing as he does.
He smiles back at his senior, a silent thankyou on his lips.
Kaveh shakes his head in response, laughing a little.
At the confused tilt of Alhaitham's head (so cute!), Kaveh elaborates further.
"I was just thinking that it's usually the other way around between us. You're the one to always tell me these things.... Albeit in your own insufferable way."
Alhaitham huffs a laugh at that.
"I'm glad my 'insufferable ways' have helped then."
Kaveh rolls his eyes but the smile remains on his lips.
That is, until he remembers something important.
"Wait, how long did you say it's been since this started?"
A pair of red eyes sharpen, locking onto Alhaitham like a predator cornering his prey, and the younger man can't help but avert his gaze guiltily.
"....three days."
"Three days?! Alhaitham, you kept this to yourself for three whole days?? Weren't you the one who took a few courses in Amurta back in our student days? You should know better than me what happens if you leave ur condition as is!"
Alhaitham winces slightly but doesn't refute his senior. He was right after all.
Seeing him appropriately regretful, Kaveh eases back a bit with a sigh.
"Alright, what's happened has happened... but it hurts doesn't it? How long have you been here? Look at these bruises.... How could you be so rough with yourself?"
Kaveh assesses the state of his juniors chest with furrowed brows and pursed lips. His eyes shine with pain, as if he can feel his juniors discomfort.
Alhaitham finds himself staring at the man in front of him, and suddenly has the urge to kiss away the wrinkles in his brow.
(His gentle, empathetic, senior with his huge heart. Always putting others before himself, feeling their pain as if it were his own.
Although it got out of hand sometimes, it wasn't a bad habit. If anything, it was one of the reasons why Alhaitham fell in love with him. He was his mirror. His other half.)
A trickle of milk down his abdomen refocuses his attention however, so the scribe gathers his bearings as he replies.
"They haven't stopped leaking since earlier this afternoon. I've tried following the books instructions..."
He gestures to the book on self care that was now discarded on the floor a few feet away.
"....but it's not working. My chest still feels heavy and the milk won't stop... ugh. I feel like a cow."
Alhaitham whispers the last part under his breath. Kaveh hears him regardless and stifles a chuckle.
"Well, looks like we need to figure out another way to help you then."
Kaveh narrows his eyes in thought.
How could he help? What could he do that Alhaitham hasn't done already?
....An idea pops into his head. One that makes the architect blush... but also stimulates a certain want in his chest.
"Haitham, what if... and I'm just putting this out there, so you don't have to agree... "
Kaveh looks up at Alhaitham. The eagerness in his gaze must not go unnoticed since the Scribe raises an interested eyebrow, urging him to continue.
"....What if I suck the milk out instead."
Silence falls, and it's Alhaitham's turn to blink blankly as his brain processes his seniors request.
He stares into those carmine eyes, reading the sheer determination radiating in them.
Clearly, the man had already made up his mind to do anything required to help him. Not to mention, if Alhaitham read his gaze right, then Kaveh personally seemed to be interested in this specific idea.
".... Okay."
Kaveh jerks in surprise not expecting him to accept so easily.
"Okay? You're alright with it? Are you sure you thought it through? I'm not trying to force you—"
"Kaveh."
Kaveh's rambling comes to a stop as Alhaitham reaches out to tuck a stray lock of blond hair behind his ear.
Teal eyes look at him with so much trust that Kaveh can't help but feel breathless.
Knowing that the blond understood him without words, Alhaitham lifts the corner of his lips in a small soft smile.
Still, he says it out loud for good measure.
"I trust you."
Kaveh breaks into the sweetest smile Alhaitham has ever seen on him.
"Good."
———————
They move to the bedroom as per Kaveh's suggestion.
Alhaitham makes himself comfortable, stuffing pillows behind his back as he leans against the headboard.
He'd forgone his shirt, only wearing the pair of silk trousers he usually wore to bed.
Kaveh stands at the doorway and takes a moment to admire the scenery in front of him, then, he joins the silver haired man in bed. He himself had removed all of his accessories, having changed out of his dirty outdoor clothes into softer indoor ones after freshening up a bit.
Leaning half of his body onto Alhaitham's, he slides down until his head is level with his nipples.
"Then, I'll start now. Tell me if you feel uncomfortable okay?"
Alhaitham nods and reaches down to hold onto Kaveh, one arm going around his shoulders and the other entangling itself in his blond hair, as it guides him closer to where he wants him.
Kaveh huffs in amusement at his impatience, but follows his movements nonetheless.
He gently licks the pink bud in front of him, feeling Alhaitham shudder in oversensitivity.
Kaveh takes his time trying to get his junior accustomed to the odd sensation as he runs his tongue over and around his nipple lapping up the remnants of milk from earlier.
It seems to work since he feels Alhaitham relax into the pillows as time passes, muscles loose while he allows his senior to take the lead.
Placing a hand on his flank, Kaveh caresses Alhaitham's side in reassurance and doesn't delay any longer.
He takes the nipple into his mouth, being careful not to let his teeth scrape against the sensitive muscle, and starts with a light suckle.
Alhaitham's breath hitches audibly.
Reflexively, the scribe tightens his hold on Kaveh's head.
In response, Kaveh pauses and attempts to move away to ask if he's alright, but Alhaitham holds him in place.
"I'm fine. Just.... It feels.... weird. It doesn't hurt though. You can keep going Kaveh."
Alhaitham strokes the older man's hair, communicating his acquiescence through actions as well.
Kaveh hums from where he's still latched onto Alhaitham's breast and continues.
Suckling lightly as first, he tastes a trickle of sweet liquid. Kaveh swallows, pleasantly surprised by the flavor and steadily increases the force of his sucking until the trickle turns into a flood.
Alhaitham raises a hand to muffle the gasps coming from his mouth. The feeling of his chest getting lighter and less sore after days of suffering was absolutely heavenly.
As the minutes pass by, the pull on his nipple no longer feels weird. Instead, Alhaitham is come over by a sense of tranquility.
Sensing that the younger man had gotten used to the pace, Kaveh begins to suckle in earnest, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of sweet milk.
There is a comfortable silence between them. The newfound act of intimacy settling the two into a sort of trance.
…A while later, when the flow of milk starts to decrease, Kaveh shifts.
He wraps an arm around Alhaitham's back, the other hand coming up to gently squeeze leftover milk from the breast in front of him.
The blond slows down, unlatching once he's sure the breast is empty. He looks up at his junior with the purpose of checking on him, only to see the most breathtaking view.
Alhaitham gazes down at him with hazy eyes, features lax and open in a way Kaveh hasn't seen since his student days. He seems to be on the verge of sleep, clearly relieved by the release of pressure on his chest (it was only half done, but still) that must've been bothering him for the past few days.
Kaveh is unable to stop himself from surging upwards to drop a kiss on his forehead.
Alhaitham, for his part, is so far gone that he doesn't react beyond blinking his heavy eyelids.
Laughing quietly at his adorable juniors attempt to stay awake, Kaveh tenderly covers those drowsy eyes with a large palm.
"Sleep. I'll take care of you."
There is a short pause while the words register. Then the younger man nods, reassured by his seniors presence and far too tired to think as he allows himself to rest.
Kaveh smiles at his roommate (now sleeping soundly), admiring the rare softness for a bit before getting back to work.
He suckles on the remaining breast as well, emptying it of milk like he did for the other one, being extra gentle so as to not wake his dozing roommate.
Once he's done, the architect wipes down Alhaitham's chest with a warm wet towel and dresses him in a clean shirt. He carefully adjusts him to lie horizontally and tucks him into bed.
Satisfied at last, Kaveh makes to leave the room when a tug on his shirt stops him in his tracks. He turns, heart skipping a beat at the sight of Alhaitham sleepily clinging onto Kaveh's shirt, squinting his bleary eyes up at him.
"...stay."
And how could Kaveh possibly refuse?
The architect doesn't hesitate to join him in bed, drawing the man into his arms as he settles in for the night.
———————
Over the next week, it becomes a sort of routine.
Every night, Alhaitham would allow Kaveh to nurse, emptying the milk in his breast so that it didn't get sore. Neither of them were surprised to wake up together in the same bed in the following mornings. If anything, both of them slept sounder in the presence of the other than they did alone.
Also, having visited Lesser lord Kusanali at Kaveh's persistent nagging, Alhaitham had been given permission to work from home until his body returned to normal.
The conversation itself was not as embarrassing as he thought it would be. Their archon needed only one look at him before smiling gently as she proceeded to herd him out of the Akademiya with an order to rest.
(She'd obviously noticed that the scribe had been overworking himself and took this as the perfect reason to give him some time off. Although she knew he couldn't stop working all together with the current state of affairs, she still told him it was better to do so from the comfort of his home.
She also mentioned that his condition would wear off on its own. When that would be however was a mystery.)
Presently, Alhaitham reclined on the sofa, book neglected on the table, and Kaveh suckling from his breast, as he pondered upon the new revelations he'd had due to recent events.
He discovered that these feeding sessions of theirs had a fascinating perk. The entire process was almost cathartic. A therapy, both physically and psychologically, not just for himself but Kaveh as well.
For example, there was a day that Kaveh came home late, tired and drained from another difficult client.
For some reason, the first thing he did was to ask if Alhaitham needed help with his chest. The silver haired man was slightly taken aback, but did not deny him, even though his chest didn't feel full yet.
And then, he watched. He watched as his beloved senior melted into his embrace, losing all the tension in his form as he suckled to his hearts content.
Alhaitham had held him close, warmth blooming in his chest like a bonfire at night.
Interestingly, even after their session, Kaveh was much more at ease. His shoulders were no longer slumped from the weight of his work. Instead, he seemed rejuvenated, his usual confidence and charm back in full force.
In a similar manner, the Scribe felt more at peace during and after a round of nursing as well.
Lately, he'd been working well past his normal timings, (what with documents piling up now that he wasn't able to be physically present for meetings) resulting in his mind being far too active to rest.
It was on days like this that Kaveh would show up in his office, reminding him that it was time for their nightly ritual (for that's what it had become at this point) in a subtle attempt to get him to leave his desk.
Kaveh would lead him into the bedroom (the one they'd been sharing over the past few nights), asking him to wait as he fussed with the pillows and blankets until the Kshahrewar graduate deemed them comfortable enough to settle the scribe down.
And then, he'd hold him gently. Big hands callused from handling rough materials, touching him almost reverently as they slid around Alhaitham while Kaveh nursed.
Alhaitham would find himself relaxing, a feeling of contentment washing over him as he gazed down at his senior, cozily tucked into his chest.
At some point, he'd fall asleep, waking up the next morning to clean clothes and his roommates arms around his waist.
These were just a few of the numerous instances that supported Alhaitham's earlier hypothesis.
The second thing that had become more obvious during the past week, was their affection for each other.
The two of them had always cared about the other, much more than ordinary roommates or a senior and junior should. They themselves were aware of it, but perhaps it was past insecurity speaking.... Neither of them was sure about the others feelings no matter how clear it was to anyone who knew them personally.
However, all of that changed with the intimacy of their newfound situation.
If at one point both of them were still in question about the others thoughts, causing them to toe around the topic, then such an unease no longer existed.
Now all that was left was the final step.
Alhaitham ran his fingers through the Kaveh's hair, taking off the pins to make room for his fingers to massage the other man's scalp.
Finished nursing at some point, Kaveh looks up at Alhaitham from his position, arms wrapped around his waist and legs entangled together.
Crimson eyes lock with teal, Kaveh's gaze brimming with barely concealed affection.
Alhaitham stares at him for a bit longer, and unable to help himself, leans down to drop a tender kiss on his seniors forehead, much like Kaveh had done all those days ago.
Kaveh stills. A moment later, it's as if his mouth moves faster than his brain.
"I love you, Haitham."
Alhaitham blinks. Then, a small smile blooms on his face.
He pulls Kaveh up for a kiss, a short but sweet touch of their lips, before replying,
"I love you too, Kaveh."
And as Alhaitham melts into his seniors touch again and again and again, he wonders....Maybe miscalculating once in a while wasn't so bad after all.
———————
Epilogue:
"Really?"
Kaveh asks with a mischievous smile.
Alhaitham raises a brow in question,
"Really what?"
Kaveh grins, hugging the scribe closer as he elaborates,
"Do you really love me?"
Alhaitham huffs fondly, seeing through the architect immediately, but plays along with him anyways,
"Would I let someone I didn't like do any of this with me?"
Kaveh laughs at his lovers characteristically factual response,
"That's true. Only I get to see my beautiful junior like this."
Regardless of whether he’d seen it coming or not, Alhaitham can't help the blush rising to his cheeks.
Kaveh laughs again as he leans in for another kiss.
It tastes like coming home.