#like i like nahida in /theory/

[wyvernne]

i wish we were in the cooler timeline where baizhu was the dendro archon

i was waiting for changsheng to be the dendro archon or sm 😭

[jolynejay]

I really do love how the world of Genshin Impact, of Teyvat, is set up to guide the Traveler to godhood and make them a "good" god at that.

Because one thing is for sure Celestia is limiting the world - it is paraded as the highest of high ideals to achieve but all it's appointed Archons are named after demons. As a metatextual reader this creates an immediate discrepancy between the "heavens" imploying "demons" to rule humanity. Furthermore, Venti calls Celestia's waters foul, its fruit bland. A front that looks all nice and shiny but is rotten at its core.

And while somehow the Traveler's Sibling was made part of the world and conversely is under the laws of Teyvat's existence, the Traveler themselves is not. They are an outsider unbound by the rules and affected differently than the inhabitants of this world.

And as they set out to find their Sibling (notably, GUIDED by Paimon whose irl mythological counterpart is also a King of Hell), they traverse the world and meet its Archons. Along the way they learn, consciously or not, what makes a "good life" and how the gods all try to enforce their ideals - their dreams. One after another, the gods, the lands, the world itself imparts their dreams of a good life upon the Traveler.

The kind but apathetic Traveler that from the beginning only ever cared for their lost Sibling, not for the world of Teyvat. The blank slate that continues on without a single dream of their own. This Fallen Star, who has traveled hundreds and thousands of worlds before, learns what it means to live and to care for the future of this world.

And so their journey slowly teaches them:

In Mondstadt, they learn of the importance of Freedom as one of humanity's highest ideals - thus always to tyrants. Deep down we're all meant to be free.

In Liyue, they learn that for society to function properly there needs to be a social contract between the people, the gods, nature itself. Because "even the wind cannot blow on forever." Freedom cannot exist without Order.

In Inazuma, they learn that linging to the past will only serve to make the world stagnant. Order is all well and good but trying to conserve the past will only prolong grief and suffering. Change is inevitable - the only thing to ever be eternal - and dreams the catalyst.

In Sumeru, they learn that history is written, it is malleable. But while it may sometimes is better to erase pieces to lead to a brighter future, you can't erase history to escape responsibility and accountability. To know ourselves and others well is the most difficult and meaningful work to do. Knowledge is a blessing and a burden - and we bear the responsibility to hold ourselves and others accountable for the actions and paths we choose.

And the Traveler's journey continues on, even as they suffer, have to learn how to handle their own emotions, and decide for themselves what they want the future to be. And they continue to learn until the day of their ascendancy...

When their wishes, their dreams, become strong enough to reach the False Heavens and the Starry Abyss.

[azalen-draws]

Saw this precious redesign and I immediately got hit to make a drawing for Nahida's birthday

Made by [insertnamehere] on the clock app, it's super cute! I wanna kiss her little forehead *cries*

Damn, those pixels lmao, ooooh, and [Insertnamehere] didn't do it, but I gave her light green eyelashes! I don't like using pure white so I just lightened the green on her hair

(I feel like I made her forehead mole too big 🚶🏽)

[allykakamatsu]

The Scarlet King/The Nobody Scholar

Aka, Alhaitham is seriously going through it in the au and it is a very good thing he has some good friends despite his attitude

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

Elaborating on before actually I would like to talk about how Dainsleif hasn't actually said anything bad about Venti (and Nahida now), meanwhile he has taken a more passive agressive tone in Zhongli's and actually calls out Ei in their collected miscellanies. I'd say that with Nahida it's understandable because she hasn't had any involvement, including now that she's taken Rukkhadevata's place, but with Venti it's a bit more confusing.

Dainsleif: A huge statue, a grandiose Cathedral... The people of Mondstadt clearly spent a great deal of resources and energy to construct them.

Dainsleif: But how aware of this was the Anemo Archon on receiving this gift, and how much did he give back in return?

Paimon: Faith doesn't ask for anything in return though, does it?

Dainsleif: Hmph, as long as the gods have a clear conscience about it all, there's nothing I can say about it.

And I have to note that, at least in the english dub, Dainsleifs voice doesn't imply any malice towards the Anemo Archon. In fact it sounds a lot softer until after Paimon's response. ( Video 31:06 to 31:34)

Dainsleif: Correct, and just as our little friend said... I might say something bad about the Church at any time.

Dainsleif: When a non-believer steps onto holy ground, the result is never pretty.

Dainsleif: I have never received the favor of the gods in the past. I don't see any reason I would need it now or in the future, either.

After that bit of dialogue he says this about him not wanting to enter the church, which I find interesting! He says the church, rather than just the anemo archon. Usually this would be one in the same but in Mondstadt's case it's important, because the church as a whole has *nothing* to do with Barbatos (which is a whole 'nother subject that would be fun to discuss). Barbatos for the church is essentially just a name they place their faith in, because no one has seen him for 1000 years. He also doesn't single out Barbatos in his comment afterwards, or in any comments about the seven afterwards.

Dain's comments on Venti in his collected miscellany are also interesting.

"As we all know, poetry and language flow like the wind... Venti captures this spirit in his ballads. Flora and fauna he sings seem to have a life of their own, and transport us to the moon and the stars. This self-proclaimed "Best Bard of the Mortal World" gets his strength, his unwithering inspiration, from the wind. But what Venti seeks in life, is not eternal fame for his ballads. Rather he'd be happy with a cup of wine and a lyre to sing the marvelous stories of the world. Yes, that would make Venti the Bard very content indeed."

(Thank you to the person who wrote all these down by the way)

He doesn't even take the opportunity to insult the anemo archon the entire miscellany!!!! In fact the closest he gets to that is his comment about Mondstadt not seeing him for 1000 years earlier, but that's only because he's making a comment about how Venti appeared during the cataclysm by saying for him it's "only been half that time". Later on in Ei's miscellany he makes a point about the archons being born arrogant, but for Venti's he points out the reason Venti sings isn't for the fame, but to share the stories of the world.

Meanwhile in Zhongli's collected miscellany:

"While Liyue Harbor grows restless on the eve of disaster, as the host of the rite of parting, Zhongli still calmly goes about his work. The world around him may be descending into chaos, yet he remains unperturbed, sipping his tea and watching a good show. Quite the fascinating character. As Liyue faces the turbulence of change, does he believe it is none of his business? Or is he also a player of this game, acting behind the scenes? It may be some time before the answers finally emerge... But no matter, for time is not something I lack."

Here he comments about Zhongli's decisions, and taking into account his tone of voice... not the fondest.

The Raiden Shoguns collected miscellany:

"Neighbouring the Dark Sea, Inazuma has witnessed many a war. For the pursuit of Eternity and the prosperity of Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun stuck stubbornly to her path, but what let some bloom, made others wither. There is no gain without the pain of loss. When facing their fears, Archons and mortals are all the same, yet Archons are born arrogant — by attempting to grasp the heavenly principles, she brought a disaster upon mortals. Perhaps, some may say I'm overstating what happened, but... I'm just speaking from experience after all."

Here in Ei's he just goes and talks about her decisions and the results they had.

And then in Nahida's miscellany we get this:

"Humans often place gods on a pedestal, awestruck by their unfathomable power. Very few ever come to the realization that gods are not the rulers of Teyvat, but merely another form of living being in this world. A god who lacks strength may have little to no advantage, even over mere mortals. Even I have no spiteful words to say about a god such as this. I will leave her be. Perhaps the God of Dendro will continue to propagate herself for as long as Irminsul continues to exist. As for the significance of Irminsul to the whole of Teyvat... I will leave that for those not under this world's control to discover for themselves."

This is the one other time Dainsleif is nice about a god, though with his comments here he actually says it aloud.

On another note, Dain says that "A god who lacks strength may have little to no advantage, even over mere mortals. Even I have no spiteful words to say about a god such as this". I have to wonder if this has anything to do with Venti's statement about being the weakest among the seven, and if that's why he continues to stay neutral with his comments on Venti (even if Venti's word isn't the most reliable here).

Anyway, the question is why Dainsleif maintains this neutral/somewhat positive? stance towards the anemo archon (other than the possibility above). He has every opportunity to comment on his absence or choices, but doesn't. We still don't know much about Venti's actions during the cataclysm but we know he was there in Khaenri'ah. I wonder what exactly went on...

[rebecca-lotto]

warning long post ahead

one of my theories during the sumeru arc was that ' Nahida is the secret lovechild of The Tsaritsa and Greater Lord Rukkadaveta '

and that is part of the reason why the tsaritsa made her "celestia can get fuckin' obliterated" plan and went on the warpath was 'cause they made her own daughter the new dendro archon.

but tbh , after the reveal that nahida was essentially spawned in via some homestuckian-esque tomfuckery , this should elaborate on what i mean..

i legit think that this could be a better sort of background for al haitham instead.

the main points still work : rukkadaveta and the tsaritsa fall in love and their child is born , archon war shit happens; the tsaritsa , wanting a peaceful life for her child hides them in sumeru with the hopes that her son's own cryo powers don't manifest cuz she sure as shit doesn't have the time to deal with a struggle for the throne in addition to her big plan.

yeah i do go the headcanon that the Snezhnayan royal family (tsaritsa and her predecessors) are capable of wielding cryo without the aid of the gnosis or a vision.

(TL;DR ,one of the tsaritsa's ancestors fucked the cryo sovereign and now the whole royal family is kinda dragon-y)

'sides , al haitham does have a similar-ish color scheme reminiscent of spruce trees.

so it kinda fits better.

[2amtechnicolor]

general "alht was supposed to be the dendro archon" theory timeline

genshin is concepted, 3 male gods planned (anemo, geo, dendro), 4 female (electro, hydro, pyro, cryo)

venti (male anemo) is the first banner released, does decent numbers in part due to being the first banner in the game (and also having a pretty damn good kit for launch content)

genshin 1.1 is released with the final liyue archon quest "a new star approaches". in it, ganyu states that the dendro archon is a "he"

zhongli is released in the back half of 1.1, to controversy due to his "weak" kit. cn players gathered enough backlash to change not only zhongli's passive talents, but for resonance as a whole, buffing it to the best resonance at the time of playing, arguably until hydro res was reworked. these issues cause zhongli's first banner to sell worse than it could.

1.4 - venti rerun. did very get good numbers for a rerun, but part of it was that people who didn't have rolls earlier or missed venti could roll again. his kit was also still considered very good at the time.

1.5 zhongli rerun. does mediocre despite zhongli's buffs and being considered pretty broken

2.0 ayaka release. the most hyped beta character release after xiao. almost beats rerun venti, but stops just short.

2.1 raiden banner

that huge spike is only 2 days of revenue

9/02/2021 - barely 2 days after raiden's banner released, Kusanali's pronouns in "a new star approaches" are changed to "she/her" or equivalent in international translations.

[the-fandom-crossroads]

Who is that mysterious voice? 3.6 Trailer Theory!

3.6 is right around the corner! The Livestream today promised Nahida's Story Quest Part 2 and a New Area linked to Khaenri'ah! This post will be breaking down the lines in the trailer to try and figure out who is talking and what they are talking about. Please follow for more theories like this!

"I come from an ancient race. We have existed for a very long time. Possibly longer than any records in existence." -Fem voice through a recording filter.

"The history of Dragons Dates back to the very beginning of Tevyat." - Nahida

"D-dragon King?!" - Paimon

'We were victims of the Apocalypse but we also became the Apocalypse itself." -Fem voice recording continued

The way these dialogue lines are ordered we are meant to see the recorded voice as being a Dragon. Back before the Archons, Celstia, and even the Primordial one (credited with creating humanity) the Dragons and Vishaps were to soul inhabitants of Teyvat. There were Seven Sovereigns, the strongest of the dragons each channeling one of the 7 elements like the Archons do now.

The Primordial One was formed and overthrew the Dragons forcing them to flee into the Vishap Realm or Light realm at this time the Abyss or Dark realm was also created. Two realms separate from Teyvat itself.

The reason a Dragon from this time would be from before records is because a being called "The Second Who Came" challenged the Primordial One. The victor of this war wiped all history from before the war including the ruling of the dragons.

But I believe this is a misdirect. This is our Dragon King

"Both of you have only existed for a fraction of what you know as time, yet you call yourselves lords of this land by leaning on heaven's glow." - different unknown voice

"Is there anyway to avoid fighting them?" - Nahida

The new Dendro Dragon is the Dragon King we will be fighting. Nahida's VA in the livestream goes on to describe it as corrupted and sick. Explaining why Nahida is hesitant to fight them.

This Dragon King is most likely from that ancient time before the Archons were created and that is why they call Nahida and the Traveler young.

So who is speaking at the beginning then? The way I see it there are 2 options or the 2 options are the same person.

Option 1 survivor/recording from Khaenri'ah

The new area revealed in the livestream is said to be one of the main battlegrounds of khaenri'ah vs celestia. Like I said the voice has a recording filter on it. What ancient civilization had recording technology? Khaenri'ah. What is shown while the voice speaks? The inside of a Ruin Golem. Specifically a zoom in on a static monitor screen.

"We were victims of the Apocalypse but we also became the Apocalypse itself."

This line cements it for me. Celestia used Abyssal energy as the curse they placed on Khaenri'ah. The Abyss/Apocalypse was tossed upon the citizens of Khaenri'ah. They became corrupted by the Abyss and are now the Apocalypse for current day humans.

But there's a hole in this option

"I come from an ancient race. We have existed for a very long time. Possibly longer than any records in existence."

When you look at the history of Teyvat Khaenri'ah isn't that old. Enkanomiya and the nation from Dragonspine are older. The Royal "WE" here can't be Khaenri'ans and it can't be humans in general. As mentioned above Dragons and vishaps lived on this world long before humans were created.

So I have an Option 2 a Seelie

The Seelie race like Enkanomiya and Dragons dates back to before the history wipe caused by the "Second Who Came". That is when Seelie were at their strongest. When they built large palaces and had larger, humanoid forms. But the Seelie civilization fell during the fighting and the Seelie were weakened to the forms we see today.

A red Seelie will be our Guide in this new area. We just spent the last world expansion with a Jinn that had survived the degradation of her race. Why not a Seelie next?

The Seelie Race is certainly ancient and most likely existed before records of the world were being recording in Irminsol. If you're older than the tree you're older than recorded history. The Seelie Race did fall in what can be considered an Apocalypse since it completely destroyed their civilization.

The only Hole is the "becoming the Apocalypse" line. Seelie are just harmless guides now not bringers of the Apocalypse.

That's why I think it might be both? A seelie the survived the fall of the Seelie civilization only to witness the fall of Khaenri'ah. The Red Seelie mentioned above? It's going to be our guide in the new area said to be the battleground between Khaenri'ah and Celestia. Yes Seelie's guide travelers to treasure but why does this seelie know how to guide us through these ruins?

Who knows what we'll find buried beneath these sands? Guess we'll have to wait until 3.6 to find out! But what did you think of my theory? Who do you think the first voice is?

[plumeriacosmos]

what if paimon’s an archon too lol. archon of the omni element if we’re gonna be following genius invocation. its pretty farfetched theory tbh, and probably wrong on all accounts, but hey just throwing something out there. there has to be a reason why she’s named after a demon from ars goetia lol. idk

[makelemonade]

how people find out you’re dating them

pt2; cyno, diluc, thoma, neuvillette

SUGGESTIVE

Cyno

He probably keeps it a secret for 2 weeks until Candace, Alhaitham and Tighnari sniff it out- literally. But in the end it’s not them who find out it’s you.

His jokes change.

Like, insanely.

There’s no more horrible puns- well, there are sometimes, but his humour starts to change to multiple different types of jokes and Candace is the first to notice.

She has been at his side for YEARS protecting the desert so when she actually laughs at his joke for the first time her heart literally drops from shock because did she actually just laugh!!?!?! At CYNO’S JOKE?!

She brings it up with Alhaitham and Tighnari and even they are surprised and of course because they’re nosy people, they decide to figure it out. 

Alhaitham keeps an eye on Cyno whenever he’s in the Akademiya for work. He noticed the way Cyno is always in a rush which before he never was. It’s almost like Cyno has something to do, he thinks.

That’s when he realizes and brings up the idea to them that what if cyno is seeing someone? Tighnari feels a little betrayed knowing they are best friends and that cyno tells him everything but he does slightly agree with the theory. 

He agrees with the theory once he smells expensive products on cyno. Cyno used to never once care about his hair or how nice he smelled given the fact he’s in the desert a lot but he smells a lotion on him one day and realizes that 100% Cyno is seeing someone.

They just have no idea who.

One day they’re talking about it in Alhaitham’s office within the Akademiya, and Nahida comes in one day.

“What are you all talking about?” She asks innocently, eyes peering up at all of them as she hops on Alhaitham’s desk to sit on. 

“We think cyno is seeing someone.” Alhaitham answered.

Her eyes lit up. “Oh right! Y/N!”

“We don’t kno- wait what?” Candace stares at her shocked.

Nahida just giggled. “He dreams about her a lot.”

They all immediately run out of the office and nahida starts to think maybe she shouldn’t have revealed that. 

Diluc

kaeya.

For months now people have noticed that Diluc was taking less time at the bar and was always rushing to get home. He was more talkative and he was even fighting less with Kaeya.

It creeped Kaeya out if we’re being honest here.

So one night you’re hanging out with Kaeya and Venti at the bar while Diluc is working and it’s a pleasant night for you all! 

Venti was singing, strumming the lyre! Kaeya was making jokes and Diluc was laughing at them! It was- wait what? 

Kaeya doesn’t realize until later that night that Diluc laughed at one of his jokes. 

At the end of the night you tell the others you’re going to stay and help Diluc clean up since Charles was off for the night and they pay no attention to it. Kaeya doesn’t either- the only thing he wants is answers.

So one hour after closing, Kaeya bursts into the bar thinking you’d finished helping up Diluc and you were already gone.

But instead he found you bent over the bar, skirt PUSHED up and Diluc right behind you and Kaeya immediately turns back around, knowing his question was already answered.

Of course he immediately tells venti, but not what he saw. He does not want anyone knowing he ever witnessed that even if it was for 0.5 seconds.

Thoma

He starts to deny his help whenever people in the city ask him for something and it’s so shocking that it reaches Ayato through gossip and he HAS to talk to Ayaka about it.

Thoma is an incredible and amazing man; he’s always willing to help out anyone and everyone at every second so of course it’s a shock when he starts denying and is rushing home.

“Is something wrong with him? Is he upset? Is he sick?!” Ayaka has never seen Ayato panic like this about his best friend.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Ayaka giggled. “Maybe he’s just realized that his kindness is taken much advantage of. Personally I think it’s great.” 

“Or he has someone to return home to every night.” 

Both the siblings yelped and their swords were out in an instant, pointing at whoever snuck into their conversation.

Miko was unphased, putting both her hands on the swords and lowering them. “Apologies, it wasn’t my intention to sneak up but it was surely my intention to eavesdrop.” She grinned.

The weapons were away in an instant and Ayaka started to question. “What do you mean someone to come home to?”

“Have you not noticed his need to rush his duties everyday?” Miko asked, and giggled when both the siblings looked at each other with a “no I have not” face. “Wow; I hardly ever see him and even I know of his current actions! Well, if you two are really so keen on trying to figure out what’s ‘wrong’ with him; he has a lover. A secret one, at that, and it seems as if he just really wants to spend the night with them after a long day of work. I’d assume his lover is Y/N, the one who works for me. You have noticed his frequent trips to the shrine, haven’t you?”

The two siblings just stared at each other in shock before they were both running off in different directions; Ayato to find out any information on who you were and Ayaka running to find Thoma to demand answers.

In truth, Miko just saw the two of you kissing on your break in a hidden spot and you both still had no idea she had seen. 

Neuvillette

THOSE DAMN MELUSINES. 

They’re adorable; the cutest little things ever and it’s so cute how he takes care of them but you can never trust them with a secret because they will pass it on to EVERYONE. 

It’s when they do their usual rotations within the buildings; Guard the doors.

In full honesty it was yours and his fault for being, well, quite loud that even though his desk was far from the doors, the Melusine’s could still hear everything and it was insanely embarrassing but they were immediately talking about it and were shocked when you walked out of his office 2 hours later, pretending it was some random meeting.

The next day, one of them- Sigewinne- comes up to him in his office and he gives her a gentle smile. “Good morning, Monsieur Neuvillette!”

“Good morning, Sigewinne. Would you like anything?” He opened one of his drawers which was full of m��lusine-appropriate snacks.

Sigewinne shook her head. “No thank you, Monsieur Neuvillette! Thank you for offering! We were wondering if Mademoiselle Y/N was coming today?”

He looked at them confused. “Uhm, I believe she is for another meeting in a few hours. Why?”

“Just so then we’ll know when to give you two privacy, Monsieur Neuvillette!” Sigewinne skips away and it takes a few seconds for him to fully process what she meant and becomes mortified.

You’re insanely confused when all the melusines greet you and say hi to you and ask if you want anything when you come in. 

[stardustdiiving]

I was much more experimental with how I previously wrote Wanderer since I started the fic as a way to explore him and Nahida (it kickstarted my hat radish hyperfixation lol) and I think I kinda wrote myself into a corner bc I kept overwriting him as a result of trying to nail down how to characterize him

That being said. I still don’t really know exactly how I want to characterize him…I kind of have so many detailed thoughts about hat radish it’s very hard for me to stay focused and untangle it (often I wish I could rely on visual mediums like comics or something, I see myself more as visual artist than a writing one after all). I think a big thing I struggle with w/ Wanderer is how to balance his capacity for compassion but the fact he’s kind of insufferable (said with affection). Its very hard to write his POV and not have him go on disdainful/cynical tangents about everything he doesn’t like, which can break tone, pacing, or be more “tell not show” than I mean it to be

when it comes to hat radish specifically this is even more of a problem because one thing I think is crucial for writing hat radish in a way that feels believable to me personally is balancing the fact their chemistry is immediately obvious and endearing, but also that Wanderer is prickly + not outwardly affectionate. If he’s too mean to Nahida its not right…but if he’s too nice to Nahida it’s Also Not right. This part of their on screen dynamic is like my favorite thing ever so i just don’t feel satisfied with my writing at all if I don’t hit it. And I think it’s hard if I overwrite Wanderer with too many cynical tangents bc while that is generally what I believe he’s thinking to some degree, it just feels I’m hammering the same points over and over and it’s hard to pull him out of it when a circumstance comes where he’d reasonably be less Filled With Wanderer Typical Distain And Asocialness. So that’s the angle I’m currently trying to approach the fic from

I’ve been retailing the earlier chapters of pattern recognition since I felt so stuck on chapter 4 and it’s been going v well I think….i feel a lot more confident I’ll be able to wrap up this fic soon

[finisnihil]

Zhongli is interesting to me because he’s very much an outlier among the other Archons.

All the Archons have some sort of “twin” except Zhongli. Ei and Makoto, Venti and the Nameless Bard, Nahida and Rukkadevata, and Furina and Focalors. One could argue Guizhong is his “twin” but I heavily disagree because the Archon “twin” is directly related to the identity of the Archon. Ei and Makoto were twins, Nahida was a new iteration of Rukkadevata, Focalors and Furina are the divine and the human sides of the same person, and Venti directly took on the identity of the Bard. Adding on, the “twin” usually dies. All this implies two possibilities. Zhongli either never had a “twin” or his “twin” was already rendered deceased long ago. Either way both of these imply he’s different from the others on a level we don’t know.

Next: his draconic motifs. His Exuvia form was a dragon (some translations I’ve seen Half-Dragon, Half-Qilin) and his character design is very heavily based in this draconic identity. Further still, no other Archon so far has this motif. They are associated WITH dragons sure, Venti and Dvalin, Nahida and Apep, Furina and Neuvillette, but no other Archon is depicted with both divine and draconic motifs. There’s theories about Zhongli being or related to the Geo Dragon Sovereign for a reason. In his ascension voicelines he comments on his power growing stronger which isn’t unusual that’s the point of them but the giving up of his Gnosis makes his odd because it almost seems like the removal of the Gnosis was suppressing an aspect of his power, possibly a draconic power. Even when his divine identity was mostly shed his draconic aspects remain.

Finally, the cubes. All the other Archons in their statues have a circle motif. Venti and Rukkadevata/Nahida old some sort of orb, Makoto/Ei has her circle behind her and Focalors/Furina holds a sword with circular designs. Zhongli, however, holds a cube. Not just any cube either, a cube that is reminiscent of the Heavenly Principles who kidnap the Traveler’s Sibling at the start of the game. Add to this Zhongli weird connections to Celestia/The Heavenly Principles, his weird motif with the sun and the whole sun chariot lore, his Archaic nature and unknown origins, it’s extremely odd.

Zhongli is one of my favorites because he definitely knows more than he’s able to tell and he’s so different in the pattern of the Archons. Anyways feel free to give thoughts, have a great day, mwah!

[haunted-xander]

Since people seem to really like my vision requirements illustrations, I figured I could elaborate on my theories/headcanons!

(EDIT: Since people keep mentioning it in the tags of the illust. post, so just to be clear, I am well aware Archons don't hand out visions personally😅 it IS however heavily implied they have a subconcious effect on who gets one, even if they have no active say. It's why no electro visions where granted during Inazumas vision hunt decree, for example)

Anemo: Purpose.

Anemo users have been unsure or hesitant about how to live their lives or what to do at some point, but all ended up finding something to strive for. Venti found purpose in rebuilding Mondstadt after Decarabian fell, to make the nation a place that the nameless bard would've loved to live in.

Jean found purpose as the Dandelion Knight, Xiao found purpose in serving Morax, Wanderer found purpose in freedom etc. Everyone has something they find fullfilment in.

Geo: Determination.

Geo users have a set path and/or ideal they live by, something they will not budge on no matter what. Zhongli is solid on his contracts, the written word is law and cannot be allowed to go broken, regardless of circumstances. His path is one of mutual agreement and fairness, to ensure everyone and everything gets their due.

Ningguang walks the path of Liyue's pillar, Noelle walks the path of self-improvement, Itto walk the path of acceptance etc. They are determined in their ways and will not bend them.

Electro: Protection.

Electro users all have something/someone they hold dear, and will do anything to ensure it's safety and longevity. Ei loved her sister more than anything else, and would've done anything to keep her safe and alive. Her actions in Inazuma was her terribly misguided way of "protecting" it from erosion, to keep the nation her sister loved so much in prosperity in her place.

Sara wants to protect her people, Keqing wants to protect Liyue's prosperity, Fischl wants to protect her imagination and fantasies etc. They hold things close to their heart and will do anything to protect it.

Dendro: Understanding.

Dendro users are seekers of knowledge and wisdom, wishing to understand the world around them and all that lives in it. Nahida wants to understand people, for wisdom means nothing when it can't be put to practice. People aren't something that can easily be comprehended by textbook knowledge, they must be observed extensively first-hand to even begin to understand.

Baizhu wants to understand the secrets of immortality, Kirara wants to understand human society, Collei wants to understand how to help others etc. They earnestly search for ways to expand their world.

Hydro: Duty.

Hydro users tend to have a strong sense of responsibility and personal principles they live by. We don't know enough about Furina to say for sure what her deal is right now, but I speculate her duty is closely connected to the Heavenly Principles, and that she views herself as Celestia's "executioner" so to speak.

Ayato's duty is to the yashiro commision, Candace's duty is to the desert-dwellers, Childe's duty is to the Tsaritsa etc. They have solid loyalties and set principles they work by.

Pyro: Passion.

Pyro users are full of love and passion for what they do, dedicating themselves whole-heartedly to their chosen field. We know very little about Murata, so it's hard to say what she's like. As the God of War I assume she has a passion for battle? Who knows.

Yoimiya is passionate about fireworks, Bennett is passionate about adventuring, Diluc is passionate about defending Mondstadt etc. They have a profound love of life and what is in it.

Cryo: Contradiction.

Cryo users are at odds with themselves, rife with inner conflicts and clashing desires. The Tsaritsa is described as an archon with no love for her people, and has been noted to have grown cold post-cataclysm. Her harbingers, most notably Childe, say otherwise, though. She's not unloving, but she is disillusioned and vengeful. Her hatred for Teyvat and Celestia is at odds with her love of her people.

Rosaria is conflicted with her lifestyle(s), Ayaka is conflicted with her status and wants, Kaeya is conflicted with his loyalties etc. They are torn by irreconcilable opposites.

[tinartss]

some of tin's fav haikavetham fics (fic rec list!)🍓🍓

hello all i've always wanted to make a fic rec list and i feel like i've collected enough hkvh fics to make one now LOL most definitely i am forgetting to include a lot but here are a few of my faves!

notes:

check tags before reading👍

most if not all are sfw bc that is my vibe

sorted from least recent -> most recent

was gonna add little comments to each but i'm now realizing that would take up a huge amt of space so. just know that all of these changed the trajectory of my life. thank u fic authors for all u do🫶

then who? by heartslogos (T, 27k)

“Let me,” Kaveh would say with his eyes, his head, his hands. Let him what? Let him in, let him speak, let him stay, let him touch and see and listen — All of the above. Has it not always been so, the two of them like this, Kaveh and Al-Haitham? Kaveh: not quite asking, not quite taking. Al-Haitham: not quite answering, not quite offering. - Al-Haitham has been confined to bed-rest for a month. Kaveh assists. Al-Haitham recovers, they both do.

Asked and Answered by heartslogos (T, 55k)

It begins in the House of Daena, or at least, Kaveh thinks that that’s where it should begin. If one were to trace the flow of events backwards, it would lead to this moment. If Kaveh were Al-Haitham, he would insist on going further back. Further. Further. Further. All the way back, to the literal beginning of all of time and creation, possibly. But Kaveh’s brain only has enough room for so many creations at any given moment, and the works of others — while inspiring — historically don’t get students passing grades. Or even grades at all. When thinking about one’s relationship with their soulmate, it seems natural to think to a first meeting. A first introduction. Well. This can be said for any relationship. It all begins with that first brush — a name, given; a silhouette, glanced; a voice, heard.

the truest forms of love by heartslogos (T, 29k)

“Nahida said that the moment you touch the seeds is the moment you must stop speaking,” the Traveler says to him, standing between Al-Haitham and the door of the simple, small hut that is to become his and Kaveh’s for the foreseeable future. “Is there anything else you want to say?” The beak of the swan is foreign, cool and strange. Al-Haitham struggles not to flinch away from it as it slides along the side of his jaw, his cheek — imploring and fretful. One last and ineffective plea. Al-Haitham feels the warm weight of solid muscle around his neck, his shoulders — the fidget of wings, the beat of a heart. Al-Haitham’s fingers sink into soft feathers and the bones and muscles of a bird shift against his hands as he holds Kaveh close. What is there to say? Why bother to say something to someone who cannot say anything back? “Stand aside,” Al-Haitham says, slowly lowering Kaveh to the ground. “The sooner I begin, the sooner it ends.” - A story loosely based on the fairy tale of "The Six Swans".

house of cards by luminvies (T, 21k)

There is a scrap of parchment he'd created and abandoned all the way back when the two had been attending the Akademiya together. Sometime between then and the first month he has to move in with Al-Haitham, the list gets crossed out, scribbled over, crumpled up, carefully unfolded again, and revised. The working title for his tireless troubles: Ten Reasons You Cannot, Under Any Circumstances, Fall In Love With Al-Haitham.

…And how Kaveh falls anyway.

through the grapevine by katarasvevo (G, 3.8k)

Theories are passed around in the form of whispers: Professor Alhaitham probably said something that angered Professor Kaveh. Professor Kaveh, unable to let the insult slide, decided to take revenge by interrupting his precious class time. A prediction goes around that in less than ten seconds, Professor Alhaitham will proceed to offend Professor Kaveh even more with a tactless comment, which will lead to Professor Kaveh and Professor Alhaitham murdering each other. The whole class will walk out today without needing to write the test, having been traumatized by the tragic demise of the two professors. It is not a very pleasant line of thought, but it is sadly the only logical outcome.

In which everyone is convinced Professor Alhaitham and Professor Kaveh are sworn enemies, unaware that their relationship isn’t at all what it seems.

the kübler-ross model on romance by luminvies (T, 10.8k)

Kaveh smiles up at the stranger. "Sorry, he's right! I am taken. By him. But he doesn't know it yet." What. "Wait, what did you mean by that?" Al-Haitham asks faintly. "Oh, that?" Kaveh scoffs. "You're a little dense. Obviously, I meant exactly what I said. I wouldn't want to be kept by anybody but you." "But we are—" Al-Haitham trips over his words, trailing behind Kaveh as he walks purposefully through the city. "We aren't. Together. Neither of us has confirmed anything of the sort." Kaveh gives him a derisory look. "And what, we don't act like it? Some things don't have to be put into words to be understood. Ah, I forgot. Haravatat. You probably wouldn't accept anything else any other way." "It is not logical to make assumptions without empirical evidence." "You scholarly types," Kaveh mutters. "Always so particular."

So. Al-Haitham is in love with Kaveh. This has got to be somebody's fault.

Cue the five stages of grief.

The Fall by heartslogos (M, 131k)

In the third generation of Lord Sangemah Bays when all is but a dream, Lord Kusanali, from their divine seat in the Sanctuary of Surasthana stirs and reaches their hands to the sky. They arrange their fingers to capture a square of sky, humming and singing to themselves as they put the patch of star and moon and cloud through the divine calculus before they translate it into the tongues of men to be made knowable, and perhaps even understandable — and with great fortune, actionable. “Summon the court,” Lord Kusanali says, “The Third Face of God has spoken. Hear the Word through me and make your peace. For the God Kings only ever speak thrice on any given subject.” The court of Sumeru crowds the Sanctuary of Surasthana. “That which waits in the Palace of Alcazarzaray can only be absolved through a union of souls and an exchange of hearts, a lifelong journey that ends only in death.” Lord Kusanali translates. And then, beatific, “What you need is a wedding.”

set alight by celestialfics (T, 2.3k)

Since he was young, Alhaitham has followed a self-imposed, unspoken rule not to touch other people unless strictly necessary. Over the years, there have been two exceptions. One was his grandmother, whose side he would cling to as she read him books on the living room couch. She would pet his hair, and he’d lean into the touch, not unlike a kitten blissfully being groomed by its mother. The other exception was an Akademiya upperclassman named Kaveh.

transparent night by kurigohan_to_kamehameha (G, 9.4k)

“Sir, kindly do not obstruct us,” says the matra sharply. “We are in the midst of carrying out an arrest.” “An arrest?” repeats Kaveh, incredulously. “You’re arresting him? You’re arresting him? Why, what in Teyvat has he done?” The Archon Rescue Operation is going as smoothly as it possibly can — that is, until Kaveh returns prematurely from his desert trip, and runs into Alhaitham at the absolute worst possible moment. Of course he would.

this is what happens in the absence of small-talk by pencanze (T, 17k)

Haitham and Kaveh, whose travels are leading them in opposite directions, meet as strangers in a caravanserai—a travelers’ guest house. Because even opposite directions have a point of intersection or overlap, don’t they? Some might even call that point a headfirst collision. And another thing about opposite directions: they still run in parallel, even long after they’ve crossed.

trishna by kurigohan_to_kamehameha (T, 8.2k)

Down the seventh-floor passage in Vahumana, past the statue of the sage Zolfikar, and behind the third door from the left; inside a small, abandoned seminar room in the Sumeru Akademiya is a mirror cursed to show the viewer their heart’s deepest desire. Kaveh’s father smiles at him, slowly, so Kaveh can see it happen; the corners of his mouth quirk upwards and his eyes twinkle. He’s moving, alive. Kaveh hasn’t seen his father smile – not the expression itself, preserved in an old Kamera shot he kept in his sketchbook, but the very action of smiling ��� in almost ten years. An Alhaitham/Kaveh X Mirror of Erised AU

if they ask my gain from this world’s harvest by patchy (T, 16k)

In the silence that follows, Alhaitham seems to interpret the end of the conversation. He takes a step back into his bedroom and starts to shut the door. “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” Kaveh forces out, his voice cracking embarrassingly. The door pauses in its trajectory. Kaveh takes a deep breath. “But this is the last time,” he continues in a lower voice. “I’ll be out of your space by the end of the month.” Alhaitham pushes open the door.

The House, The Home, You and Me by sonotfine (G, 11.9k)

Alhaitham's books-hoarding situation continued to grow out of control. Kaveh magnanimously decided to offer to build a new house for him, with enough space for his ego and the books too. This was fine by Alhaitham. And, of course, he wanted it to be a house for two. -- On moving out of the old, moving on to the new, and moving forward together.

what it means to point true by luminvies (T, 9.8k)

It is biologically impossible for a man to replicate technological functions. As much as Kaveh (and colleagues) like calling Al-Haitham an index of niche and generally insignificant information on legs, he will never quite live up to the title. Here's a novel one: people must have taken to thinking of him as a human compass because they always seem to come to him when they're looking for Kaveh.

is that what I look like? by kurigohan_to_kamehameha (T, 3,8k)

Alhaitham grows a beard. Why? Who knows.

Three or Four (Or Possibly Five) Easy Steps to Living Harmoniously With Your Roommate by Bgtea (T, 28.7k)

The truth of the matter is, Kaveh has no idea how to read Alhaitham. He prides himself on being an expert at understanding people, his empathetic heart lending him the capacity to relate deeply with those around him (oftentimes to his detriment). But with Alhaitham, there is nothing for him to read; no clues from his cool expression for him to grasp. The man appears stoic all the time even during their petty bickering. Honestly, when was the last time Kaveh has seen the man do anything except smirk or frown? Does Alhaitham feel happiness? Has he ever seen the man laugh? Kaveh's mind is drawing a blank on the latter and it...bothers him deeply. -- Kaveh devises a plan to get Alhaitham to smile by being aggressively nice to the man (and also maybe if he makes Alhaitham happy, he can score a discount on his rent or something). Alhaitham thinks Kaveh ate some mind-altering mushrooms and is, understandably, confused and mildly afraid.

in weal and in woe by kurigohan_to_kamehameha (G, 26.7k)

“Oh, right – Alhaitham.” Kaveh claps a hand to his forehead. “Cyno, if you see him at the Akademiya tomorrow, don’t mention this to him, would you? I haven’t told him yet.”

“Told him?” Cyno asks slowly, a wary glint in his eye. “What exactly haven’t you told him?” “That I’m getting married,” Kaveh grimaces. “I wanted to tell him myself – I suppose I do want him at the wedding after all, you know – but I didn’t get a chance yet. You know what it’s like, trying to have a conversation with him.” It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Kaveh is a single man. That's about it, really. or: the one in which Kaveh gets married, but not to whom you think.

the hypothetical shore by heartslogos (T, 10k)

When Al-Haitham was still a student in the Akademiya he wore his hair long. As long as Kaveh’s is now, perhaps a little longer than that, even. But unlike Kaveh's, Al-Haitham’s hair was just as quiet as he was, just as cool — like a stream of silver water, fresh from the mountain pass. To this day Kaveh remembers the exact moment he thought he might be falling in love with Al-Haitham and that, perhaps, it might not be such a terrible thing.

de insomniis by liyuen (M, 32k)

Kaveh and Alhaitham live together. Nothing ever happens. Nothing ever hurts. But sometimes, when Kaveh watches Nahida idly finish her homework, he gets the feeling that he’s forgetting something important.

Kaveh must have fallen asleep at his desk again, the morning light hitting his eyes like a slap. He blinked at the soft green blanket over his shoulders. When he stumbled into the hall, Alhaitham was sitting in the living quarters with his back to him, soundproof earpieces alit. He had a stupid moment where he wanted to call out to Alhaitham. What would he even say? ‘I’m having some trouble.’ ‘Is the blanket yours?’ ‘You were right, I’m in over my head.’ ‘Can you hear me out?’ ‘Help me. Please, help me.’ Stupid. He yawned and went to stumble his way to the kitchen. From his periphery, he thought he saw Alhaitham turn towards him with a look like he wanted to say something. But that, too, surely was just a very nice dream.

The Importance of Interruption by theSealby (T, 8.6k)

Years. It has been years, yet it could’ve been yesterday they were sitting side by side, thigh to thigh, eye to eye, filled with a contentment that their future selves have lost. Maybe it would be enough to have that again. Maybe correctness has no place here—has never been the ultimate goal between them—and Alhaitham finds himself asking a very different question than intended. “How would you like to come home?” ✥ Alhaitham loathes interruptions. (All except one).

To Dream in Shades of Green by Intensely_Reading (T, 55k)

“There are three suitors who you can romance in this game. You must complete all your requirements with one of them." “Who are the three potential suitors?” Kaveh asks warily. “Your three suitors are Tighnari, the blunt Palace Chamberlain; Cyno, the standoffish Captain of the Royal Guard; and Al-Haitham, the acerbic Duke of Vultur Volans.” There's a new invention from the Yae Publishing House that turns a user's dreams into light novel stories. Kaveh has the (un)fortunate pleasure of being one of its first users. Too bad it dumped him in a romance game.

The Theorem of Narrow Interests by lumielle (M, 36k)

Kaveh clicks his tongue. “Well, I hope you are also aware that with all these requirements, you don’t get a set (A+B), or even (A+B+C). Yours is a set comprised of the entire Sumerian alphabet!” Kaveh has had enough of Alhaitham always loitering around the house. In an attempt to get Alhaitham to go out more often, he jokingly tells him to start dating someone. Much to Kaveh’s shock, Alhaitham agrees—and promptly assigns him as his personal matchmaker. And even though Alhaitham’s requirements for his ideal partner are annoyingly specific, Kaveh refuses to back down from a good challenge. He’s confident in his abilities—that is, until his own feelings start getting in the way…

Precipice by viiparyas (M, 37k)

Lately, his heart staggers at a precipice, just one breath from toppling over. Into what, he doesn’t know. After everything, after everything… He can’t help but melt easily into the intimacy between them, whether it’s by his design or not.

Kaveh has won fame and renown through Sumeru, witnessed the dissolution of a corrupt government, traveled from the trenches of homelessness to the pinnacles of a fairytale paradise. And yet something deep between his ribs screams, more, more, more.

or, Kaveh discovering what he truly wants and finally reaching for it. (Spoiler alert: it's Alhaitham)

nazar by pencanze (T, 13k)

It’s like they’re in a globed world of their own, trapped within a glazed bead. Shatterproof, soundproof, impregnable and unbreakable to anyone else—anyone besides themselves. (On superstitions, friendships, and other things that shatter.)

case study of the scribe by Jazer (T, 25.5k)

"The consequences of obtaining knowledge is the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. "

In which Alhaitham realizes that a peaceful existence does not have to mean a lonely one.

People keep coming to Al-Haitham when they want to know where Kaveh is. Al-Haitham would be lying if he said he didn't know why.

silviculture by sunsmasher (T, 13k)

Kaveh’s face is bright, young, flushed, freckled, happy. He’s wearing an Akademiya uniform and is as tall as the last time Alhaitham saw him (fifteen minutes ago) which means he’s an inch or two shorter than the last time Alhaitham saw him, because the uniform boots are heeled. He’s staring at Alhaitham with the aforementioned flush spreading like dye over the silk of his cheeks. “Kaveh,” Alhaitham says. “Don’t freak out. I believe I’ve been displaced in time.”

spitefully yours by luminvies (T, 6k)

Dear Al-Haitham, I propose that we meet this Friday at sundown on the southeast edge of the city bordering Avidya Forest. This is a marital engagement. Please come prepared with your sword at the ready. With spite, Kaveh Al-Haitham sets down the letter, letting out a long sigh. After all, isn’t the answer to dealing with domestic disputes not marriage? Isn’t that entirely contradictory to the issue?

Kaveh sends Al-Haitham martial summons to sort out their issues. Unfortunately, he makes a small error in the letter.

The Art of Misunderstanding by Anonymous (M, 7k)

"Kaveh didn't consider himself to be vain. Yet he was becoming increasingly, upsettingly aware that most associates would disagree. Vanity, by definition, refers to an inflated sense of self-importance and pride in oneself. A vain person may believe themselves to be the best in the room. They may find it absurd that all eyes do not fall on them the instant they make themselves known. A vain person may put themselves on a pedestal, believing themselves objectively skilled in their field. And though Kaveh had trust and confidence in himself as an artist, he was caught entirely off-guard to hear that others thought of him as vain." ------ AKA, Kaveh misunderstands when he overhears an upsetting conversation between old classmates. His assumption is that they are attacking his character and commenting on his personality. In reality, they're talking about his looks. Everyone picks up on it, save for Kaveh himself.

Illness, Drowning, and Other Minor Inconveniences by EulerIHKH (G, 11k)

Faced with a uniquely difficult client, Kaveh is reluctantly forced to look for help in the one architect he considers more capable than himself: his mother. But soon enough, the turmoil of Kaveh's personal life begins to seep into their professional correspondence, forcing him to reevaluate his career, relationships, and identity.

love haitham and kaveh....love these fics....so many talented writers...thank you authors <33 def missing a bunch bc my organization on ao3 is horrendous but i can update this or make another list at some point....also i would highly appreciate any recs tyy🙏

( + bonus not rec but self promo of a hkvh fic i tried my hand at writing last summer but never shared oops. here she is if you're intrigued

a comedy of errors (T, 6.7k) )

[luxthestrange]

G.I Incorrect Quotes#90 THERE'S TWO-

They were roommates + Baby Archon au...They multiply-

You and Kaveh were strolling around Port Ormos

Y/n: I just think that in a parallel universe, blorgons are- hold on-

Baby!Kunikuzushi*Was left in a basket in the sea, crying his tiny heart out as he wiggled trying to get outta the blanket*

Y/n*Grabs the basket* a baby...I wasn't expecting this

Kaveh:...Guess we'll have to support it

Y/n: I guess I could do another kind of job, maybe at beans & more and more, I'll probably have to work double shifts, but-

Kaveh: Oh, I see, While you're off, climbing the ladder at Beans & More, I'll just stay home and raise him and Nahida alone!!! That's fine. I'll just give up on my dreams!?!

Y/n: Here we go...

Kaveh*Tears up and sniffles with a pouty face* What? He needs to learn a strong man can cry!?!

Baby!Kuni*Blinks seeing a big man crying*...

-Back at Home-

Alhaitham*Currently with Nahida on his lap reading her a book of string theory, smiling seeing her slapping his hand if he tries to turn the page before she is done*

The door is kicked open and you coming in holding...a baby up in the sky with Kaveh throwing petals around you

Y/n: GUESS WHO BECAME A BIG SIIIIISTER!?~...like we pratice lil one~

Baby!Kuni*Sucking on his thumb, but then he raises his arms up with a smug war cry*GAAAAAAAH!

Nahida*Gasps happily seeing at that*!!!

Alhaitham:..PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME YOU TWO KIDNAPPED A KID AGAIN-

Part 3 of:

[the-fandom-is-now-my-life]

Hi 👋🏻 are you taking requests for the creators child AU.

Could the child be Alhaitham's or maybe Diluc's.

Thank you

The creator had

Such a smart child

WC: ~900

This feels more like a collection of head cannons but enjoy!

I believe Nahida would be able to dull the hit to the archons enough for them to not have a public outbreak like in other scenarios, so most of the gossip around is from people of sumeru.

“Stop speaking like that of the acting great sage! The matra will get you punished if they hear you talking like that”

“I'm not claiming anything! I'm just saying it's weird how much time he spent around them”

“They were reviewing the structure of the akademiya”

“Sure, and my wife and I were just studying so many years ago”

“Profesor…”

"that is why my daughter was finishing highschool when we both published our thesis. We were 38 but you get the point"

"professor please... Stop..."

It has been a running rumor for a few months, but nobody really believes it, the stone faced great sage and their welcoming grace? No, never, impossible. There are scholars attempting to refute it but their attempts are short-lived as a few months later you settle back in sumeru, and your lazyly hanging robe you wear now is pushed slightly forward around the abdomen, just enough for it to be an untold fact.

“Why am I returning? I guess it just felt right, given everything” slowly after the theory took traction.

On the later months the baby gets calm whenever he is read books, the kicking stopping for as long as anyone recited paragraphs of dense knowledge, it was a common occurrence for you to tag along thesis defenses, something that professors enjoyed the opportunity of chat you up and students suddenly put delays because of sickness on masse.

“I wonder why they are all so nervous to defend their statement! I don't even ask them questions for them to be scared of me!”

“I think regardless of what you did or didn't do any of them would be at ease”

“And I heard they sit through thesis defenses and lectures because the child is calm hearing long speeches”

“I heard that too! I even heard that once they summoned one of the great sages to read a book so they could fall asleep”

“Really! Could it be…” the teen girl looks at her friend mischievously “great sage al haitham?” Making her friend look away feigning not knowing.

°•°

“I'm extremely sorry for calling you so late, Haitham” you lay on your bed, back flush against the wall. The covers on your lap make little to cover the almost watermelon sized bump “I attempted to read to see if he calmed down on his own but when I stop he starts kicking up a storm”

Alhaitham drags your vanity stool to your bedside, a soft creaking sound coming from the friction between the woods. He just hums as he skims the bookshelf “don't fret so much, it's only natural for me to do this” his fingers dance softly caressing the spines of various books ranging from Inazuma novellas to published investigation on bird care “what has been working best? Early language dictionary? Transcripts of old manuscripts?”

“alchemical botany has been doing alright”

“great, it's coming out to be a spantamad or amurta. I'm sure Tighnari and Cyno will be elated with the news” he rolls his eyes and pulls out a leather bound book with vine engraving.

“Aww, is someone jealous?”

“I'm just saying that something like ‘development of runic language during the last 300 years’ might be more interesting” you just snicker “weren't you attempting to sleep? Close your eyes”

You side down the pillows with a smile on your lips “fine, if you don't want to read alchemical botany why don't you use the white book?” as he glances over he read the simple title ‘weight distribution in columns depending on materials’ and sighs heavily.

“Spantamad might not be so bad.”

There is a small whisper in the last few months that the child could be meant to be one of the great sages but the matra keeps it down when someone starts with it.

When he is born Alhaitham reads to his son some of the books he kept from his parents.

The one year old is perched on his lap, leaning against one of his arms while they both look at the book, one of them reading attentively the words and explaining some concepts while the other is attempting to fall asleep.

“I doubt he is truly listening to you”

“You would be surprised by how much the biology faculty showed children can learn before school”

“I believe they meant before the 5 years mark, not 6 months”

Maybe even wants you to do something similar, it could be an essay, thesis or even storybook but he would want it to have some banter between you two or little comments like “it's good that you remembered to spell correctly postganglionic fibers, I don't have to correct you anymore”

He uses kaveh as an underpaid nanny just plopping the toddler on his lap and leaving without saying a word. He does stop when his son's drawings start to feature more houses and structures than people.

“Are we sure he is mine?”

“For the sixth time, yes. He is a carbon copy of you”

When your baby grows he is the smartest of his class, reciting everything his father read to him since before his birth, even if he refuses to acknowledge it al haitham is really proud of his son and his little shelf with math Olympics medals or the certificate he got from the first place in a writing competition.

Even then the moment your son turns 18 and has to decide what branch he wants to go into is the hardest week of his life, dreading the possibility of another architect in his life. He is quite happy when he choses spantamad, even if he would have like him to go for haravatat.