#ALHAITHAM BANNER SOON I WILL HAVE HIM

[rintoki]

would you dubcon alhaitham w me🤩🤩

unspeakable things huh.... *slides u a pen and paper* kicking my feet giggling rn bc I also want to ruin him in every way possible

AJDJAJND I WANNA DESTROY HIIIMMMNN

naur bc smth about him ……………….,., just so submissive and breedable ……………….

the kind of face that makes you wanna see it twisted up in indescribable pleasure, getting fucked so good that smartass mouth of his can’t even form words. choked up and only pathetic whimpers can be heard.

wanna tie him up all pretty, face down ass up, all on display. tease his pretty little hole until he grunts in frustration and tries to thrust back against your fingers, only to be met with a sharp slap to his ass. wanna watch his fists clench and unclench, his toes curling in efforts to remain patient as you slowly massage his walls; expertly touching every spot inside him except the one where he wants to feel you the most.

how hard he’s squeezing your fingers, hips twitching impatiently when you pull off completely. every second he can’t feel you passing excruciatingly slow, with only the sound of his heavy breathing to be heard as his swollen cock hangs heavy between his thighs, tip pearly with precum.

[inkykeiji]

Have you pulled for tartaglia yet??👀

yes!!! and i got him!! now, however, i am saving every possible gem for ayatoooooooo

[versadies]

in a world of boys, he's a gentleman! (various x gn!reader)

SALUTATIONS. in a world of boys, he's a gentleman!

ADDRESSED. alhaitham, zhongli, wriothesley, and neuvillette (x gn!reader)

STAMPS. the little things they do around you that remind you that chivalry is not dead <3

CONTENT. ooc!neuvi (?), ooc!wriothesley (?), fluff/no-angst, established relationships, possibly cheesy (i like cheese), and possible grammar errors. some of the things mentioned can be applicable to others!

POST-SCRIPT. can you already tell that these four own my heart? i love them sm ( >-< )!!! also made new banners for a change hehe

LINKS. masterlist \ taglist

Although ALHAITHAM is someone who prefers to focus greatly on himself and prioritizes his own well-being over others', that does not mean he is selfish nor inconsiderate. Which is why it is not far-fetched for someone like him to do the little things that proves the fact that chivalry is not dead.

Though of course, he does it in his very own way. You just have to be very observant to notice it. 

For instance, whenever you two are sitting in front of the table, he’d cover the edge whenever you lean down to get something that fell from the table, ensuring that you don’t bump your head from the furniture and get hurt. 

Another instance is when you’d rant on and on in his presence, thinking he’s not listening to you due to his earpieces that’s used to cancel out meaningless noises. When in reality, he’s actually listening to you —  because to him, your words are always something of importance to him whether he’d admit that or not. 

It doesn’t even matter if you’re talking about your day, complaining about prices, or even expressing your concerns over things you shouldn’t even be concerned about; he’d listen without a word if not necessary, because if it’s important to you, then it’s important to listen about it. Though of course, the only exceptions are when you’d actually talk about something he doesn’t care about, such as gossip.

Meanwhile, in the bustling marketplaces of Sumeru, there’s bound to be scammers preying on oblivious consumers, and Alhaitham sees to it that you won’t fall for such things. It’s partially one of the reasons why he always tags along with you whenever you shop for groceries or for other things.

If a scammer tries their shot, they’ll only be greeted by a stern warning glare from the scribe as you look through the displayed products, only for your lover to drag you to a more appropriate stall that’s much better than the suspicious one. 

During the later stage of your relationship when you moved into his humble home, he made sure to have enough space for your things, and even sacrificed some of his own possessions for the sake of yours. 

Speaking of sacrifices, there are also times when he’d sacrifice his leisure time that he values in order to hang out with you. Despite your assurances that he doesn’t have to spend time with you if he wants to be alone, he doesn’t care and still hangs out with you anyway. 

In his perspective, it’s not a sacrifice, because spending his spare time with you is much better than spending it alone. 

It’s the little things that remind you that he does care. Though, you couldn’t help but try and confront him about his actions since you want to hear it from his mouth. 

When you do though, you’ll only get a deadpan look from him and a few words:

“Isn’t that the bare minimum of what boyfriends should do anyway?”

ZHONGLI is no doubt a traditional gentleman when it comes to not just you, but also towards anyone around him. Of course, you’re still special in his eyes. After all, you’re his darling gem who is above any other treasures that he’s come across in this lifetime.

He always checks up on your well-being with care and tenderness that often causes your legs to become jelly-like. He never fails to bring heat to your face from how sweet he is!

Like your average traditional gentleman, Zhongli gives you his coat as soon as he sees even a slight sign of you feeling cold from Liyue’s breeze, caressing your arms with his glove-covered hands while he’s at it. Not that you’re complaining, especially from how good his cologne smells from his coat that just made you a little in a daze.

He’s willing to open doors for you to enter first, no matter your gender. He doesn’t want your hands to get dirty from door knobs that have been through things that only Celestia knows what, so he insists that he shall open them for you. In a way, it sounded a bit over the top, but how can you say no to such a kind man like your lover?

He sees to it that you’re the first one to be seated before him, pulling out a chair for you before sitting next to you. It’s almost essential for him to sit next to you, as if you’re a light that he finds himself drawn to. 

When it comes to eating together, he offers you a bite of his meal that he either made or ordered, wanting you to try the delicious meal that’s made with precision and passion and appreciate it with him (though it usually ends up with him giving you more bites of it like a grandma would to her grandchild). Whenever he does this, he makes sure to blow the food first before giving it to you, not wanting your tongue to get burnt by accident. He even goes as far as putting his hand beneath the spoon to ensure nothing will spill on you and your clothes. 

Traveling is also to be expected when you’re with Zhongli, with you two visiting different areas of Liyue for a variety of reasons such as work, vacation, leisure time, etc. Whenever you two travel, he’s always there to give you a hand, especially when climbing up and going down. 

He’ll even go as far as putting his coat down on the ground for you to sit on to avoid your clothes becoming dirty should you two ever need a break, not wanting you to get too exhausted from your trip. 

Of course, we cannot forget how Zhongli has a sharp memory, so he knows the exact day for your relationship milestones and would never forget it. Expect him to celebrate things such as your first date-sary, monthsary, first kiss-sary, and the list goes on until you eventually tell him that most people (if not all) wouldn’t celebrate most of these things. 

That doesn’t stop him from greeting you with such occasions though ^^

It’s clear to see that the consultant loves you dearly and wants the best for you. The same goes to his dear friends and peers around him, and you couldn’t be all the more grateful to have such a man like him as your lover. In fact, his amber-hue eyes that you always seem to lose yourself to shines much brighter when he’s kind. 

“Why are you smiling? Is there something on my face?” He’d ask you when he catches you admiring him from your place. 

“Nothing. I just want to admire how perfect my boyfriend is.” You sigh dreamily, looking at him happily. “How are you such a perfect spouse?” 

He chuckles in response, now putting down his tea. “I beg to differ. Especially since the most breathtaking person in front of me is more worthy of such title.”  

It’s no lie to everyone in the Fortress – both inmates and guards alike – that WRIOTHESLEY adores you, even if he wouldn’t outright admit it. Though his words are nothing but silent, his actions speak louder. Out of the very few people that the duke trusts, you’re the one that comes to mind, and the same goes for you towards him. He’s quite honored that you trust him enough to let him become your spouse, and what better way to express that than actions? 

You’re rest assured that he always has tea saved for you whenever you come and visit his office. When you do, he always makes sure to pull out a chair for you to sit on, pour your cup with your drink of choice before pouring his tea on his own cup. 

For a man such as him, he’s observant and is quick to notice when someone is uncomfortable – in this case, you. As soon as he takes note of your discomfort or uneasiness, he is quick to comfort you and assure you that all’s well as he either swiftly takes you away from the scene or finds a way to help you go through it. 

With that in mind, Wriothesley understands if you find yourself preferring the world outside over the Fortress of Meropide. He gets it! He’s content with you just visiting whenever you can. He knows not everyone would be keen on staying in the stronghold prison for a long time, especially when they have no reason to besides visiting their spouse. 

Unless you’re an actual criminal, then that’s when you entirely have no choice but be stuck in the fortress and with him until you’re free to go. 

Speaking of criminals, danger lurks everywhere in Fontaine. You certainly can’t blame your lover for being quite protective with you, often telling you through his letters to be careful with going out at night and to not fall for any scammers or tricks by possible criminals that are still out there. He’s aware that you’re more than capable of protecting yourself from danger, but it doesn’t stop his worries even for one bit.

It’s not common for the Duke to come out from the Fortress and visit the city. When he does, there’s a huge chance that he’s seen with you, holding your hand as you two go on with your day as a couple. He does not show affection in public much, but that doesn’t mean holding hands would hurt! 

To others, he always seems so calm and collected on his own, but in comparison to how he acts with you, he’s much more content and relaxed, as if he’s in a utopian paradise that he feels at peace in as your laughter and voice soothes his unfaltering spirit. 

Should you ever ask for a mora of his thoughts from how distracted he was during your time spent together, you’ll only gain this response:

“Hm? Oh, forgive me for being distracted. You don’t have to worry about it.” He’d say casually, hiding the fact that he’s simply distracted from thinking about how much he wants this kind of experience to last forever.

Given that NEUVILLETTE is unfamiliar with human customs and feelings, the same goes for his unfamiliarity in the romance department. He didn’t think he’d end up courting someone, let alone form a personal relationship – especially since he avoids such things. However, you’re somehow an exception.

His experience in the court is unfortunately not enough to help him with his goal in winning your heart, yet somehow, he finds himself in a relationship with you. Though inexperienced and busy, he still has his perks that makes it up – such as his mannerisms.

Just like Zhongli, he’s quite a traditional gentleman. Not only will he help you sit down by pulling out a chair and remove your coat, he’d even make sure that none of your clothes, accessories, and even your hair would get caught in the furniture’s ornamentation to avoid the same inconveniences that he goes through in his daily life. 

He tends to hold your hand when the two of you go through the seats of the Opera Epiclese to watch a performance, dragging you to the best seat in the middle of the front row as he helps you become comfortable. After watching your first performance together, he never thought that watching a performance could be so enjoyable when you have companions to share the joy with. Where were you in his entire life?

On another note, Neuvillette is the type to carry your bags whenever the two of you go shopping or when he sees you holding something heavy, wanting to ease your burdens and struggles swiftly as he insists that he should help you. You should be able to have your hands free like a dove in his perspective. 

It shows that he’s willing to help you with anything you need, whether it’d be giving wise advice, getting something, lending a shoulder for you to cry on, and anything else so long as it eases your struggles. 

Given that he’s still exploring human customs and feelings, he entrusts you to guide him through it, and this means that he’s open with new things that he hasn’t tried before so long as it doesn’t clash with his busy schedule. 

He doesn’t mind doing particular activities with you, be it pot-making, watching documentaries, playing classic games, and the list goes on! If he has you by his side to try everything, then he’s okay with it all. 

Speaking of activities, Neuvillette has taken a liking for walking in the rain. He even fantasizes about going out into the rain, wanting to feel the raindrops pouring on him as he walks down the streets of Fontaine. 

Despite enjoying such joys, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t consider your comfort with the weather. Knowing how humans are with not wanting to become wet from the weather, your lover is there to help you in holding an umbrella that he’d bring should he hear any forecasts of rain beforehand. 

He makes sure that the entire umbrella is on you and stays that way, and he simply wouldn’t forgive himself if he sees even a few drops on your clothing that he could’ve prevented despite your assurances. 

If you ever expressed your concern of him getting drenched and possibly sick from the rain, he’d simply reassure you that it’s nothing to worry about, telling you that he does this very often whenever it rains. 

“Don’t worry about me, ma moitié.” He says with a tender gaze as he continues to walk side by side with you, holding the umbrella above you. “I will not get sick easily from the weather, nor do I mind having my clothes drenched. I want you to worry about yourself more.” 

PENPALS. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @ragnvdnr @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @mrkamisato @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @ladycoleigh @034ven @dear-dairiess @owozi8 @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @nejibot @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque @crowbird @lordbugs @flowersforayato @headintheclouddd @estelwrld @giyusimpsassemble @irethepotatosblog @moonlightaangel @alice0blog @shotosbrainrot @sniffoat @chihawari @mxsomn @kuni-kuzushii @jiminscarmex @mitsukii14 @ylimeprive @sachispet @loreleis-world @sn-owo @starforecasts @someonetookmynamelmao @ceylestia @astrequa @ymikkos @reallysporadicarcade @melodyyamino @dudufodd @somberrock @yevenly @lemontum @nghing @shaiah @miss-lady-witch @yashe @imkaaayy @badlywrittens @0rah-s @totallynotaraidensimp @garlicforthewin

[dustofthedailylife]

Cereal Debates

→ Masterlist || → Taglist

Pairing: Alhaitham x (gn!) Reader

Summary: You get the urge to tease your boyfriend every once in a while. And today was another day like that. And what better way to do that than to bring up the age-old question: Is cereal soup?

Tags: Crack, a bit of fluff toward the end

A/N: I wrote this like a possessed woman when I thought about the idea. Especially since Alhaitham HATES soup... and don't we all want to rile him up at times? I sure as hell do, especially since he made me lose three 50/50s on his banner now -.-

You sat on the sofa in the living room, flipping through the daily newspaper and eating a bowl of yogurt with fruits for breakfast. 

You suddenly hear the floorboards in the direction of the bedroom creak and not too long after you could hear a yawn and some feet shuffling towards the living room.

“Good Morning.” Alhaitham groaned sleepily. 

He rubbed his eyes and squinted as soon as he was faced with the morning sun falling in through the windows. He had always been somewhat of a morning grump and to be honest, it sort of made him look cute.

The disheveled hair and clothes, the imprint of his pillow still on his cheek, the sleepy expression, and the frown as he slurped his coffee in silence every morning. It took all your willpower not to jump and squeeze him tightly. No one would think someone like Alhaitham could manage to look so adorable, but you had proof he did.

“Good Morning! Slept well?”

“Mhm.” He hummed briefly before vanishing into the kitchen without another word. Like mentioned before - morning grump.

You could hear him press the button on the coffee machine before a familiar buzzing sound could be heard from the same device. He seemed to also get himself something to eat since you could hear him clink some bowls together.

Not long after, he emerged from the kitchen with a steaming cup of black coffee and a bowl in hand and sat down at the dining table.

When you decided to join him, your eyes couldn’t help but fall onto the bowl. It was a bowl of cornflakes that he was expressionlessly shoveling into his mouth.

You amusedly bit your lip because you knew he usually hated everything soup-like, and cereal was no exception to that. And you sometimes couldn’t help but want to tease him a little. And this morning the perfect opportunity presented itself to you.

“Never thought I’d see the day you'd eat soup out of your own volition.” You smirked, knowing full well that you said “soup” and not “cereal”.

“We had no more bread left.” He explained with another grumble, putting another spoon full of cornflakes in his mouth before suddenly pausing in his movement and looking back at you completely irritated. “What did you say?” He inquired horrified, with his mouth still half-full.

“I said, I never thought I see you eat soup voluntarily.”

He knitted his brows further before gulping and pointing at his bowl. “This is cereal.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of what it is. I have eyes. Cereal can be considered a soup-like dish.” You stated matter of factly as you bit back a smirk. 

You pretended to go back to eating your yogurt and reading your newspaper but you could see his completely shocked and low-key annoyed expression from the corner of your eye.

“Cereal is not soup. Cereal is cereal.” He grumbled.

“Is that so?” You raised an eyebrow in amusement.

“Yes. Soup is a liquid food, especially with meat, fish, or vegetable stock as a base and often contains pieces of solid food.” He recited the definition he knew, only Archons know where, from. Suppressing laughter became harder and harder by the minute, especially seeing how serious he was taking this debate all of a sudden.

“Especially with meat, fish, or vegetable…”, you pondered putting an emphasis on the first word. “So that means it is mostly cooked that way but not always. So milk can serve as a base just as fine. And technically if you use soy milk or pea milk it would count as vegetable stock, no?”

You could see the muscles in his jaw tense as he gazed at you, thinking hard of what to reply. You could practically see the gears turn in his head before he started to smirk triumphantly. You knew him well enough to know that he must’ve come up with, what he thought was, an irrefutable argument.

“There is something you just said. Cooked. No heating in the process of making a bowl of cereal whatsoever. It’s served cold - therefore it isn’t soup.” He leaned back in the chair with a self-satisfied grin, expecting you not to be able to counter his argument further.

But he shouldn’t count the chickens before they’re hatched.

You stayed silent for a minute and already had a counterargument in your head from the get-go. You just wanted to wait until he took a sip from his coffee before you dropped it.

“Explain Gazpacho then.”

You could see his eyes widen and train on you over the rim of his cup before he put it back on the table with a loud thud. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking annoyed once more.

“What about French Vichyssoise? Also not soup according to you, just because they’re served cold?”

“Okay, I get it.” He grumbled once again, before pondering for a brief moment. “But all of these soups have something in common.”

“Oh? Please enlighten me, Grand Sage.” You continued your teasing.

“It’s Acting Grand Sage.” He emphasized, lightly rolling his eyes with a huff. “But anyway. Soup isn’t sweet. Neither of the ones you named is sweet. They’re savory. Cereal is always sweet.”

He smirked at you once again, fully believing he now had you cornered.

Wrong.

“Ginataang Bilo-Bilo, Koldskål, Zenzai…” You started listing sweet soup dishes from all over the world, watching how his face showed an ever-so-slight hint of surprise as well as horror.

“Now you’re just making things up.” He huffed.

“Want me to show you the soup recipe book we have over there on the shelf? Not that you ever looked at it.” You replied with a teasing lilt.

He had his hand clutched so tightly around his spoon by now that his knuckles were beginning to turn white. You knew he hated losing arguments and battles of wits and this wasn’t going in the direction he had imagined at all. Much to your amusement, however. You could practically see little clouds of steam rise from his head because his brain was racing at a million miles per hour. You just knew he was wrecking his brain to come up with a counterargument once again.

“Okay.” he finally said getting up and grabbing something from the kitchen. He came back with a triumphant smile as he placed a raw, unpeeled potato on the table in front of you.

“What’s this?” He asked, motioning in your direction.

“A… potato?” You replied in confusion, unsure where he was trying to go with this.

“Correct.” He nodded, putting one finger on his chin after placing a bowl of dry cereal right next to it and looking at you expectantly.

“That’s cereal.”

“Also correct.”

“Alhaitham, I’m not sure I follow.” You raised an eyebrow at him, still highly amused about how invested he was in this crack debate.

“A potato is a condiment you can make soup from. But a potato by itself is just that - a potato. You have to prepare it in a special way in order for it to become soup. The same goes for everything else you named. Cereal is always cereal, whether it swims in milk, water, broth, or nothing at all.”

“Okay, fair. Can’t refute that argument.” You admitted with a nod, hearing a small sigh of relief from the other side of the table.

You were no longer able to hold back your laughter now that you looked at his borderline exhausted and relieved expression.

“What? Don’t tell me you still have a counterargument?” He inquired as his eyes widened.

You shook your head. “No, I don’t. You should see your face right now though, it’s hilarious. I was just trying to tease you a bit, I didn’t think you’d get this invested.” You wiped a tear out of the corner of your eyes as you continued giggling.

“You–” He grumbled playfully as he clenched his jaw before he started smiling. “Come here!”

He got up from his chair and lifted you out of yours, walking over to the sofa, and throwing you down it together with himself. He started tickling your sides while holding you tightly to his chest so you couldn’t escape his playful attack.

Out of breath from laughing so much you leaned your forehead against his chest before snaking your arms around him.

“I love you, you dork.” 

“I love you, too.” He replied, lifting your chin up and pressing a featherlight kiss on your lips. “Even if you start arguments about soup with me first thing in the morning. You’re lucky you’re so cute.”

Do not repost, copy, translate or edit - © dustofthedailylife || reblogs, comments, and asks about Genshin or my fics are always greatly appreciated and motivate me! Maple dividers are mine - do not copy.

[maaarshieee]

Okay so: How about giving Wanderer, Pantalone, Dottore and Alhaitham flowers 👀

Pick some flowers for them. What's their reaction? Put them in their hair too. Make them a flower crown!

⎯⎯ ୨ Flowers For You! (HCs) ୧ ⎯⎯

ੈ♡˳ Alhaitham, Dottore, Pantalone & Wanderer x Gn!Reader *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ Masterlist *ೃ༄

author's note ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

THEY'RE INFESTING MY MIND RN,, THEY'RE ALL SKRUNKLIES,, ty for the request this is ... so soft... omg,,, FINALLY NEW BANNER FOR WANDERER BC OF THAT BDAY ART HEHEHE,, ok i might've had brain rotted too hard on pantalone esp bc the song "call out my name" came up from my playlist while writing him..... have a good day/night!! <33 oh! noticed were mutuals,, got an emoji for ur mutual tag ?? hehe,,

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ cw: canon typical violence, longer than i anticipated, injuries, made up flowers on wanderer's part

"What are you doing?"

"Decorating!" Was your only reply.

Inside the library that Alhaitham often resides in, with piles of books on his table, legs crossed as he read peacefully, you stood behind him, hands raking through his silky hair.

A while ago, you entered the library with a bright smile on your face, a bunch of flowers gathered in your arms. Alhaitham was pleased with your sudden visit, even if his outward appearance was of annoyance, choosing to 'ignore' your existence instead.

Huffing humorously at his attitude, you greeted him cheerfully, giving him a quick peck on the cheek (where he subtly leaned his body to the side to chase your lips for a longer kiss) before placing down the flowers you'd freshly picked from the forest during your forest ranger patrols.

You often brought him flowers after finishing your patrols, always dropping them wherever he was so he'd usually be walking home with a bouquet in his hands. He didn't particularly mind, in fact, he absolutely cherished them, especially when you always put so much thought and effort into them.

Each day you bring a new bouquet, they'd be bundled in different shades of green crepe paper, ribbons, and various designs you could think of, and you do it all by yourself. Even so far refusing opinions from others, pouring all your creativity and adoration for him into each bouquet. You even pick a diverse variation of flowers that would mix and match, then you would list off the meanings of each flower, its anatomy and the role plays in the ecosystem, basically info dumping him.

And each time, Alhaitham would close his book, leaving a bookmark on the page he was reading, and turn his head to you, listening to every word you say and even engaging in a deep conversation with you about biology. In each conversation, each discussion, he learns something new about plants, and he's able to bask in your loving presence, watching your hands fluidly move with your words, noticing the way the corners of your eyes crinkle from the big grin on your face. It's always the tiniest details that warm Alhaitham's heart.

But today was a little different, he supposes. As soon as you got close to where he sat, he took note that you hadn't brought him a bouquet this time, which earned you a raised brow from him. All you responded with was a small mischievous smirk on your lips as you put down the flowers you had gathered that day onto a chair next to him and got behind his back.

Alhaitham hadn't expected you to visit him that day since he had told you he'd be pretty busy, that's why he had a lot more books on his table than usual. And yet here you are, with a plan brewing inside your pretty little head that Alhaitham would just have to let himself fall victim to. It was distracting, sure, but it's you.

So he didn't tell you off and instead allowed you to bury your fingers into his hair, tenderly massaging his scalp and running your hands through his fluffy hair, softly humming a tune near his ear. Soon, you began to put flowers into his hair, playing with his hair and silently giggling behind him.

All the while Alhaitham immersed himself in the books he read, not minding your pestering one bit. As long as you didn't completely distract him from reading, he would let this (and many others things) slide.

From there, you compared Alhaitham to a cat, holding back a snort at the comparison. Whenever you pulled your hands away from his head, he would chase your touch subconsciously, yearning for more. When you still your hands in his hair, he would turn his head to look at you questioningly, an unimpressed glint in his eyes.

And while Alhaitham hasn't spoken a single word after the question he had asked a few moments ago, you could tell that he was enjoying this more than he could let on. His tense muscles had relaxed, leaning back on his chair and, from time to time, you'd catch his eyes flutter close before he'd blink to pull himself out of his sleepiness, he even had a small tugging at the corners of his lips.

He didn't make a move to take out the flowers you had put into his hair once he got up from his seat, returning the books from their respective shelves. Internally chuckling at the image of the blank-faced scribe walking around with flowers littered in his hair, you decided to play nice and reached up to his hair to remove them.

Only for your hands to be swatted away by Alhaitham and receive a halfhearted glare from your dearest lover.

It was quite endearing that Alhaitham did not give a care to anyone who saw him with a head full of flowers, and hair a little messy from all your playing and rubbing, but he ignored their stares, his eyes only focused on you as you walked side by side back to your shared home.

"Hey, Dottie," Hearing your voice from the doorway of his personal office, Dottore paid you no mind and continued to write on his whiteboard with a few other segments behind him. A few segments gave you a brief glance, before returning to the tasks they were assigned with. "Hey Dot, Dottie, Dotdot," You continued annoyingly, listing away all the nicknames you could think of at the top of your head, getting more absurd when you're slowly running out of ideas.

With a sigh, finally popped back the cap of his marker and turned to look at you, only to see you holding a bunch of baskets in your hands and... 2 of his segments holding similar baskets but with flower crowns on their heads. Truly, what a sight to see. You hailed all the way from a couple nations you had to stop by for your mission only to come back and immediately cause some shenanigans inside his laboratory.

Dottore couldn't help the sigh that escaped his lips once again as he started walking toward you, eyeing the flower baskets the 3 of you held that were filled to the brim with various flora he was quite familiar with. Letting you put down the baskets on a table, he turned his head to the 2 segments trailing behind your back with a scowl on his face. "You may leave," He orders, before adding. "And take those off."

To his surprise, they hesitated to follow his order, hands froze in midair as if they were contemplating whether to obey or not. Now that greatly irked the Doctor, seeing that 2 of his creations had the gall to not obey right away in front of him, only to be calmed down by you by putting a hand on his shoulder. "Oh c'mon, leave them be. They're just flower crowns, let them have it." You reasoned, gesturing to the 2 segments to move along while Dottore had his attention on you.

With a smirk taking over your features, your hands settled on your hips when you jerked your head in the direction of the baskets you had brought proudly. "Besides, I got you a lot more." Dottore narrowed his eyes at you, dismissing the other segments present inside his office more, taking a few steps closer to you, arms crossed. "What exactly are these?"

You passed a basket to him and he took it, observing the contents of it before widening his eyes slightly, hands now caressing the leaves and petals of the flora you've brought to him. "My recent mission had me running around Teyvat for a bit, so I grabbed everything I could." You explained, eyeing one corner of his office. It had pictures of flora he needed for his experiments, a definitive list of everything he wanted that are plant-based to set a project onward and help with his research. "Be it mythical, illegal, rarest of the rare, or the most expensive, nothing escaped me."

A big, maniacal grin soon blossomed on his face as he further examined the multiple baskets, small giggles emitting from him here and there. Satisfied at his reaction, you proudly crossed your arms and your smirk grew. "My my, whatever is the reason you've become so generous?"

With a mere shrug, you walked behind him, laying your chin on his shoulder as you watched him eagerly sort through the flora you'd given him. "Just wanted to further our research, is all," At that, his movements paused and his grin faltered, head turning to look at you. You blinked at him, before realizing what you'd just said.

"Well, also because I wanted to spoil my dearest partner." You tried to save yourself, though it was the actual truth. Dottore seemed to think your words over, before menacingly smiling at you. "Oh, so they get one of those and not me?" Was he serious? You stared at him incredulously. Well, you guess you couldn't blame him. You mistakenly had told him the gift you had prepared for him was simply for your experiments, not for him.

But you couldn't help it. You let out a small, breathless chuckle before digging your hands inside one of the baskets that held flora that isn't much required for your experiments and began to work for your hands. Dottore watched you while you twisted the stems of each flora, organizing the petals and making them look as pretty as you could, tying them up neatly.

Dottore had pursed his lips as he observed, his expression growing sour when he peeked outside of his office to see a majority of the segments outside had flower crowns on their heads. They all seemed to be containing the joy they had upon receiving a flower crown, while the unlucky ones that doesn't have any were sulking and glaring at the luckier segments.

It seemed to upset Dottore, even more, to see he's one of the unlucky ones, unintentionally beginning to sulk like the rest of them. You had to hold back your laughter when you saw a big frown on his face, eyeing angrily at his segments but you opted to explain yourself to avoid his wrath.

"I thought you'd be satisfied enough with all the stuff I got you, so I didn't make you a flower crown." You said, earning Dottore's attention once more as you kept adding the prettiest flowers you could get your hands on, "I'd imagine you wouldn't want others to see you with such things on you so..." Finalizing the flower crown you made just for him, you turned to face him once more, a sheepish smile on your lips.

"But I suppose I was wrong, making my lover feel jealous." Dottore scowled at your words, opening his mouth to deny it but you just shot him an amused look, presenting him with the flower crown. Compared to the ones you've made for the segments, you put a lot of thought into the flower crown you made for him. It wasn't as messy, considering that you were frequently on the run during your mission whilst you made them.

"I'm sorry my love... Is this enough to earn your forgiveness?" Gently placing the flower crown on his head, pulling back a strand of his hair behind his ear. You then gave him your best puppy eyes on him, knowing full well that it wouldn't work on him. Despite this face, you still liked doing it, putting your hands on his chest.

Dottore didn't speak, only cupping your cheek with his gloved hand. He didn't like the fact that he has a flower crown on his head, but he suppose that he could tolerate it just for you since you made it for him after all. Since it was an act of seeking forgiveness.

How thoughtful of his lover. To bring him so many important materials for his research and make him a flower crown. And you easily got the message that he had forgiven you when he pressed a small, fleeting kiss on your forehead.

The Regrator has it all. He is rich, very rich, so of course, he does. So you can't help but feel a tad insecure whenever you think about giving him something.

You? A mere adventurer who does commissions for a living and even often helps the people around you for free?

How do flowers you've picked while you were doing commissions in a different region compete with the literal huge gardens Pantalone has at the mansions he has all over Teyvat? Every time he brings you to one of his 'vacation homes', you always find yourself lost in the beautiful paradise of flora that he owns.

It's the thought that counts, you argue with yourself. While it's true, it doesn't stop you from hesitating whether to even give the bouquet you've prepared for your dearest lover. Maybe you shouldn't have if you were being honest. Pantalone, in your eyes, was the embodiment of elegance.

He was gorgeous; the smile that's always etched on his lips makes your palms sweat, especially when they're always so genuine whenever they're directed at you. Skin fair, face as refined as smoothed jade. His expression was a balanced mix of sharp frostiness and a polite gleam of warmth, both authoritative and welcoming.

Immaculate and pristine clothing could only be worn, from his coat, gloves, and even the material of his glasses; all were top quality and handmade by professionals amongst professionals. With each calculated step, his entire being is the epitome of wealth.

So who were you to sully the beauty he has with simple flowers that you've handpicked from the forests you've roamed in? Sure, you've cleaned them as much as you could, but giving him flowers that weren't grown in quality gardens- you'd be ruining his image!

Clutching the DIY bouquet you've organized the flowers in, you almost sank to your knees as you continued to mull over your decisions, sulking right in front of Pantalone's office door. It has been 20 minutes since you arrived and the guards stationed near his office have been pitifully glancing at your predicament.

Just as you were about to take a step back and throw the bouquet you'd made, deciding to just do more commissions and earn more mora (and not use the mora he kept giving you) to buy him something more presentable and pleasing to the eye, Pantalone opened the door.

You froze in your spot, but the grip on the bouquet you held tightened to the point it would've been broken. Pantalone was shocked to see you just standing motionlessly at his door, not expecting you to have you back so soon.

Immediately, Pantalone's expression softened and his smile widened. His shoulders relaxed and his body felt lighter just at the mere sight of you, and the feeling of laughter bubbling up his chest when he saw your stupefied face.

You fought the urge to bolt or throw the flowers in your hands to an unsuspecting guard and pretend as if nothing had happened. You stood your ground, no matter how hard your heart was beating against your ribcage when his eyes traveled down, catching sight of the bouquet.

Pantalone's face evidently brightened at the sight of it, the corners of his lips curving upwards. "For me?" He says in a fond tone as his hands reached for the bouquet, but you instinctively flinch back, surprising Pantalone. You quickly stuttered out; "I-I... yeah, yeah it is..." You learned your throat, averting your eyes from him and shamefully bowing down your head.

"But, well, you shouldn't take it. I just picked them in the forest when I was back in Sumeru because when I saw how pretty the flowers were, I thought about you... They're not high quality, so I can just buy you better ones—" You didn't even realize you'd begun rambling, so you were cut off abruptly when Pantalone took the bouquet from your arms anyways, caressing the petals with his gloved hands, his smile never leaving his handsome face.

Then, he gently grabbed your chin and lifted it up with his index finger and his thumb so you'd look at him eye to eye. Before you could say something, he captured your lips against his, tilting your head slightly to the side to deepen the kiss.

Heat exploded on your face, eyes widening at the sudden kiss but you indulge yourself in it nonetheless, kissing back fervently and clutching his coat shakily. You let out a small noise when Pantalone licked your bottom lip, satisfied at the delectable sight of your red face, before pulling away a little.

"I absolutely love them, my dear." He muttered against your skin, taking a step closer to you. "I'm delighted that even when you're out on your travels, you still think of me, so I will cherish these flowers you've given me, for they remind me of your love for me."

Those words sent chills up your spine, and you couldn't suppress the smile forming on your lips and the sigh of relief that escaped through your nose.

"Now, why don't you tell me more about these flowers?"

As a seasoned adventurer, you've equipped yourself with various knowledge of anything that could help you in your survival in the outside world. Perking up at his request, you eagerly nodded at that as the words spilled from your mouth whilst Pantalone led you inside his office, shutting the door close.

And thus the beginning of you always bringing him a fresh bouquet of flowers every time you come back from your commissions, then recounting your wide knowledge of flora to your lover.

And every time, Pantalone would listen intently, learning how to care for the flowers as per your instruction if it meant he could listen to your voice more with such enthusiasm, quell your feelings of inferiority in your relationship, and ignore his piling paperwork to spend more of his time with you.

The Wanderer never really understood the sentiment of giving flowers to your lover. So what if they gave you flora? They're just plants that look pretty and usually smelled good. It was a romantic gesture, others would say. It shows the thoughtfulness you had for your lover, it's why you'd gift them flowers! But would it still be counted as very thoughtful if it's such a common thing lovers do to one another?

He doesn't truly get it, so he had absolutely no idea how to react when you came back to the camp you set up for the night, a wild grin on your face with a bunch of cuts and bruises on your body, your hair one big mess and your clothes were torn and dirty, though you cradled a bunch of flowers in your arms protectively. Well, besides being concerned for your entire being and getting absolutely mad at your lacking self-preservation.

"Just what were you thinking, picking flowers near a Hilichurl Camp without your weapon!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" He scolded you whilst he cleaned your wounds, intentionally adding pressure enough to make you wince and hiss in pain to both stops the blow flowing out and punish you for your foolishness, deathly glaring at you.

But you merely had a sheepish smile on your lips as you watched your lover fuss over your wellbeing, wrapping you in bandages and scolding you like a mother whose child had run off to do whatever. To be fair, he had warned about the Hilichurl camp near yours, and that you both agreed to leave it be for now since it was late at night already, but when he told you to grab more firewood, you still went to the Hiluchurl camp unarmed all because some 'pretty flowers' caught your eyes.

Offering you a fresh set of clothing, he let you get dressed whilst he went back to cooking, eyeing the bundle of flowers you left near him. Just why did you get through all that trouble for a bunch of flowers? You can buy flowers at multiple flower shops all over Teyvat! He doesn't understand at all, grumpily huffing under his breath.

You told him that those flowers were for him, that it was worth the trouble. It took all of his willpower to not smack you with the wooden ladle he had in his hand, only gritting his teeth and glaring at you. But for some reason, you were extremely unbothered by your injuries, only apologizing to your partner for worrying him. You kept caressing the flowers with a big grin on your face, features softening as you admired them.

So, he had to ask. "Is there any other reason why you had to get these for me?" He crossed his arms, eyeing you warily. You never ceased to caress the damp petals of the flowers, only scooping them back in your arms and giving them to him.

"They remind me of you." At your answer, he raised a brow. How does a bunch of flowers remind you of me? "I read in a book once that these rare flowers symbolize new beginnings, a fresh new start, and hope." You started, sitting close to him and leaning your body against his, staring up at the night sky. "They grow in an unhealthy environment and start off like wilting little buds of flowers, but the more it grows, the more it blossoms into a beautiful flower."

Slowly, his eyes trailed down to the flowers in his arms, piecing them together bit by bit in his mind. He held the flowers closer to him as he continued to listen to your words. "In the midst of burnt forests, these flowers usually grow at the heart of the disaster, sprouting beauty in hapless surroundings." You finish with a sparkle in your eyes, now gazing at him fondly.

Trying to hide his expression with his hat, he merely responded with; "Hope and new beginnings truly fit this flower then." Though his voice was steady, the same couldn't be said the same with his body, which lightly trembled. Your hand found itself in his, lacing your fingers together. You were relieved that he didn't pull away from your hold, only squeezing your hand as he hugged the meaningful flowers in his arms.

These flowers greatly reminded you of him. Not only because of its appearance, but also what it symbolizes. You admired him as if he was the flowers that you picked near that Hilichurl camp, marveling at the beauty of his new life, the hope in his eyes, and his will to finally live without the strings that were attached to him.

The Wanderer may never get why other couples would give each other flowers; may never understand what's so sentimental about it, but he now knows why you chose to give him those flowers... And it meant quite a lot to him.

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[suguru-getos]

okay…. Kaveh Thirst.. he needs a good reward after a long stressful week ;__; i'm too weak for this man i want to give him a hand while kissing him when he's tired and sad, letting him relax and know that he's absolutely loved bc he deserves it!! maybe even tease him a bit tbh. this is a very fluffy thirst istg im so sorry wwwwww

pls don’t be sorry my blog’s name is kaveh’s banner name 🤭 pls be my bestie bc let’s share kaveh together i love that man sm🥲🤍 he makes me feel in awe of his personality every single day.

warnings: drunk kaveh, drunk sex 😏 fluff & comforting words cause he’s just super nice

You opened the door to a stumbling, drunk Kaveh held by his ex-roommate, Alhaitham. “Alright, Kaveh. You are home now.” He glanced at you, helping Kaveh inside and on the bed, “All yours now.” Alhaitham chimed, passing you a friendly half-smile and leaving.

You knew Kaveh absolutely loved hanging out with people, sometimes it got a bit too much given his tight knit schedule. You didn’t mind though, he had his priorities sorted & you never, ever felt that you were left out, or drifting apart.

You walked back towards the bedroom, bidding farewell to Alhaitham. Kaveh was sleeping peacefully, your heart pounded right at your chest whenever you looked at him. Awestruck with the fact that he was yours… forever if need be.

“Kaveh. Goodnight.” You cooed, leaning in and kissing his forehead.

“Don’t go—” Kaveh mumbled, pulling you atop him in a drunken haze. “Don’t you ever, go…”

You smiled tenderly, glassy eyed at the pure innocence Kaveh carried. “I would rather die…” you cooed, kissing his forehead, inching towards his lips and softly kissing him. The supple skin of his lips felt exhilarating to you, especially when Kaveh kissed you back with a much needed fervor. “I love you-”

Kaveh was a mumbling, drunken mess, hands messily touching you all over, cupping your breasts, cupping your ass, caressing your waist, rubbing your back, holding your asscheeks and letting you feel his semi. “Look at what you do to me—”

Kaveh panted, groaning out when you straddled him, humping him while you both were fully clothed. “Argh- baby-” Kaveh groaned, eyes widening; a contrast to his initial droopy, dizzy gaze.

“Let me- Let me have you….” Kaveh sounded so gorgeous whenever he would express his need. Just like now, eager to feel your cunt wrap around his cock.

How could you not comply to your man? He had left you wet enough with the makeout session, however… despite being drunk enough. Kaveh stopped you when you tried to sit onto his erect cock. “Lube yourself up baby…” his observations were always on point. Sometimes baffling you to no end.

Soon you both were left panting messes, moaning each others name, kissing each other while Kaveh leaned against the headboard, hugging you snug & rutting himself inside you. “Don’t let any of me escape. You understand?” Fuck— whenever Kaveh’s politeness faded into orders, that’s when you came the hardest. He was well aware of thr fact, smirking at the sudden clench of your walls around him.

“…and, you will ask for permission, right Princess?”

[wri0thesley]

J3 “I can’t control how I react when your eyes wander.” - to commemorate his banner, a piece for al haitham pls 🤤🤤 dendro daddy is a lot more jealousy than you give him for, and he doesn’t take too kindly when you favor cyno’s company than his.

cw: jealousy, possessive alhaitham, not sfw implied, alhaitham hurts reader not-quite-accidentally (heavy grip on arm), babytrapping implied.

“I can’t control how I react when your eyes wander.”

Alhaitham would not consider himself a jealous man. Jealousy is a foolish emotion, after all; if one is beginning to envy another, they ought to take steps to rectify what it is that they are missing in order to cover. In most aspects, Alhaitham has been able to make himself a comfortable life that he enjoys - one in which he is far more used to jealous eyes on him (for his nice house, his reasonably prestigious title, his good looks and his intellect and the vision that hangs upon his shoulder) than feeling the green-eyed monster himself.

Even you - carefully brought to his side, carefully built up to a partner (insofar as someone so much less rational than himself can be; still, he knows it would please you to be thought of as his equal) - he procured with the minimum of effort. He has read about relationships; knows the proper way to go about it. You liked nice restaurants; he offered to take you to one. He saw the research you were struggling with and offered to help. Your eyes lingered just a fraction too long on the musculature of his shirt - he began to buy them tighter, in order to show his assets to their best advantage. And before you had even realised you were being courted, Alhaitham's arm was possessively around you and he was staring down any who felt entitled to your time with a look of infinite boredom that soon scared them away.

He thinks back on this now; as he looks at you across the tavern, sat with his friends and not the ones that you no longer have.

("They're not good enough for you," Alhaitham had said to you, his hand on your arm. His tone was not conciliatory - it rarely is - but you had read his words as concern and not jealousy. "They'll only drag you under. Here. Come sit with Cyno and I.")

He'd been surprised but not upset about how well you had taken to Cyno; there, Alhaitham thinks, is a man who can be trusted. A man of proper morals. He had been glad you had gravitated to him and not Kaveh, despite the fact the blond was always around (he would have to see to that, soon; the spare room ought to be in use, in the future, for the final part of Alhaitham's plans--).

Until that evening, when he had seen how close your thigh was pressed to the General Mahamatra's beneath the table. How closely you leant in. How you laughed at one of Cyno's unfunny jokes, head tilted, mouth prettily open and lashes laying against the soft curve of your cheeks that only Alhaitham should be permitted to touch, to covet, to want--

"Never mind that," Alhaitham says, to the young man serving drinks. "I'll just take these two." His tone is uncharacteristically sharp; Alhaitham might not be the most polite of men, but he's rarely out-and-out abrasive in such a way. The two drinks are clutched in his hand as he strides across the room, barely paying heed to the whispers that follow in his wake. He slams one glass down in front of Cyno, and the other in front of Kaveh (though the architect has had two glasses already and is three sheets to the wind--).

Alhaitham speaks your name, his voice like brittle glass.

"We'll be going now," he says to you, taking hold of your arm without waiting for an answer. "You've been sleeping badly, you should have an early night." You open your mouth to respond, but Alhaitham digs his fingers in harder, and only a soft squeak of pain escapes.

"We could carry the conversation on another time," Cyno begins to say, and Alhaitham notes with dislike that the Mahamatra's cheeks are flushed dusky bronze. How has he never noticed before, how desperate Cyno is for connection? No. He's going to have to do something about this; he cannot quite sever all working relationships, but cold-shouldering the other man and ensuring that you do not meet up with him again should do the trick--

"Alhaitham," you say, your voice a little breathless, and he realises he's fair dragged you onto your feet. "You're hurting me."

(A bad choice; a good boyfriend does not hurt. Alhaitham sometimes wishes that he could - thinks you would be far more agreeable if you had a real fear of punishment hanging over your pretty head - but . . . apparently this is a truth he is alone in.)

"Apologies," he says, letting go of your arm. "Still. We should go home." He imbues the word with a finality; uses some of that authoritative tone that he knows from past experience you are weak for. You sway there for a moment, dithering - caught between Cyno and him. Another bad omen.

Alhaitham is the obvious choice; the logical choice for a boyfriend, for a life partner. He can provide for you in a way Cyno never can, out traipsing about the desert and Sumeru on various calls. Cyno is too busy for you; Alhaitham will, when the time comes, be able to take reduced hours and be at home for you and the future.

But your rationality, thankfully, wins out. You smile at Cyno and wave your hand as you clamber over the chairs to stand by Alhaitham's side, as the Scribe draws you away and out of the tavern. As the two of you walk back to Alhaitham's house, you fill the air with meaningless chatter Alhaitham doesn't care about; other tavern-goers, people who aren't his friends, people Alhaitham doesn't care to know about. All that your chattering does is serve to fan the little flame of jealousy in his stomach.

As if Cyno weren't enough - as if it weren't enough you were draping yourself over him and giggling and giving him bedroom eyes the kinds of which should be reserved only for Alhaitham's gaze - now you bring up all of these other people? Jealousy knots itself into a twist in his heart. He has never been so glad to hear the click of his key in the lock, see the mess of books of his living room--

And he wastes no time in making sure you remember who you belong to. Before you can draw breath, Alhaitham's lips have crashed against yours, his firm chest pressing you against a wall and the well-muscled arms pinning you beneath him. His kiss is hungry and messy, his lips cool; teeth biting at your lower lip as if he wants to devour you whole. He does want to devour you whole, in a way - wants to keep you to himself so you can never stray from him and he can have you in his heart forever, a keepsake only he can look at.

(When he had first begun this, he'd considered it; simply taking you away from your life at the Akademiya and locking you in his house, breaking you to heel until you looked at him the way an obedient dog looked at its master. In the end, this plot was not suitable; Alhaitham wanted you to come to him of your own accord.)

(And besides; too many people would ask questions. Your kidnapping would have been a logistical nightmare.)

Alhaitham pulls back, breathing heavily - you stare up at him with your own lips swollen from kisses and your eyes blown wide.

"What's gotten into you?" You ask him, and though there's a touch of accusation there, Alhaitham has learnt you well enough to both see and hear the other tell-tale hints to your feelings. The hitch of your breath, the slight elongation of your final vowel. The almost imperceptible squeeze together of your thighs. You have always liked him to be a little forceful.

"I'm sorry," he says, and he makes himself give you a smile. "I can't control how I react when your eyes wander."

Your gaze widens in surprise.

"Cyno? Oh, I wasn't . . . It's not . . ." Alhaitham is close enough he can sense how heat comes rushing to your cheeks. You swallow. You're embarrassed to have been caught out like this, he surmises, as you try and pull the threads of your deception around yourself. You crack a weak joke instead. "Ah. If you're going to react like this maybe I should try flirting with other people on purpose?"

He answers you with another rough kiss; a slide of his palm about your hip, dragging you against him so you can feel the hardness in his trousers. A tug towards the bedroom.

Alhaitham thinks about ways to keep you here; to trap you so that your eyes never wander. To ensure you're far too busy for such frivolities as flirting with people who could never provide for you what it is Alhaitham could.

As he breaks the kiss to open the door to your shared bedroom, his eyes linger on Kaveh's door, and he suppresses a smile.

What a perfect space that would make for a nursery.

[oh-my-may]

hi hi hi!

Wanted to pop in rq to talk about recent game stuff again :)

I played Cyno's story quest! After noz liking his first one, I gotta say that with this second one they really stepped up the game and I'm glad about that. I feel like Sumeru kinda got thrown under the bus after giving us some of the most important in game lore when it comes to Khaenri'ah and Irminsul. I've seen lots of people talking about how they didn't like Sumeru as much, criticising the Archon Quest etc.... which I never understood. The desert expsnsions were vast and did get on my nerves a bit but since I love the exploration process it wasn't a huge problem for me. The AQ of Sumeru is my second favorite because you can really see the change in comparison to the other nations... even the story quests of characters were largely really good - Nahida, Tighnari, Alhaitham, Wanderer getting a whole Interlude Quest...

Just Cyno's fell kind of flat following the "old" pattern of the quest somehow completely shifting focus to some NPC and barely having significance to Cyno. THE SECOND QUEST HOWEVER. So good. It really falls in with other recent story quests (that I have all enjoyed): involvement of other playable characters that we as pöayers care about, interaction between beloved characters, spinning in some big lore that ties to the characters and thid time IT ACTUALLY IS ABOUT CYNO. HIS BACKSTORY. HIS ORIGIN. YESSSSS.

I think people should experience the quest for themselves so I don't want to talk abput the plot too much but just... so many Sumeru characters made an appearance and it was so nice to see them again :(( i miss them. It was about time we visited Sumeru again, there has been a suspicious lack of Sumeru content throughout the Fontaine patches, whereas other nations got bigger events etc...

SETHOS MY BELOVED. I can NOT wait for his release. And the fact he's gonna be on Clorinde's banner <333 my collection of electro characters continues. Really like his character design (especially his hair omg???) and generally think it's so interesting of hyv to introduce this story... him and Cyno being two parts of one whole thing but growing up so differently... yet somehow understanding each other when they meet face to face... HIS EYES ARE SO CRAZY TOO LIKE??? HUUUUH???

The cutscene of their fight be my favorite now (not counting Archon or Harbinger fights). IT WAS SO LONG??? EPIC?? The way they were so similar with using the power?? The parallels? Insane.

So yeah... I really enjoyed it. Hopefully Sethos gets a Hangout event soon. I'll definitely build him when he comes out. However I wasn't able to watch the 4.7 livestream (yet) because of my horrendous work times yesterday... gonna do it this evening after work I think. Definitely excited to finally get Clorinde tho <33 depending on how nice she is to me I might try snd get her weapon too ... but I at least have enough pulls atm to get her no matter what (and hopefully some Sethos too...)

So far so good! I actually took some screenshots during the story check it out!

[yinses]

all and half pt. ii

in which your soulmate is the one person you can achieve true pleasure from 

alhaitham au! x f!reader wc: 10k+ rating: 18+

masterlist

a/n: made it before the banner ended! hope you enjoy the last installment ☺️

when you had sent a courtesy pending text of your imminent arrival, alhaitham had replied with a passcode to get you through the lobby. it was a grateful gesture as it gave you a few extra moments to fortify your resolve as you tapped left and right in the elevator. 

your plan was simple. to just explain how you expected nor wanted anything in return. the sex was great but you were not going to be tied to someone because of it. you hoped the grand scribe had a similar outlook as well.

following the familiar hallway, you knocked twice then the door opened and he was in front of you. you eyed him briefly, he was dressed down today in cream slacks and an olive green sweater. you were sure he was regarding your barely put together expression as he stepped aside, gesturing for you to walk through. 

you walked into the apartment and looked around, only noticing slight differences in the light. 

you stare curiously into ceiling high window panel behind alhaitham rather than directly. the queasiness had returned, but when you forced your gaze to the man who was forever titled as your soulmate, you felt yourself lose another layer. 

all the while alhaitham observed you quietly, arms crossed as he leaned his hips back into the spine of his couch. 

“is this where i offer you something to eat or will you think it’s a date?”

the remark was low, not snarky but it doused fire on the dainty wings fluttering within.

“would you be cooking it or does the grand scribe salary come with a private chef?”

alhaitham raised a brow,” depends on if you have too many pesky allergies to make it worth the trouble.”

“interesting, that’s all it takes to make you quit.”

he cocked his head but said nothing more on the matter. “i didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

you pursed your lips,“so you’re the really a big head of the akademiya”

“i don’t know if i should be flattered or not that it took a business card to be recognize.”

“you should just be flattered that i went home with you.”

“i suppose i should, given my soulmate found me attractive even before i gave them the best night of their life.”

that sobered you up.

your mouth pulled in a shallow sneer, “just because we’re possibly soulmates doesn't mean our fate is sealed.”

alhaitham blinked in a flicker of emotion before his features schooled back into a mask of indifference, “might i remind you, we are most certainly soulmates. you might be determined to deny it but i’ll admit you gave anyone who came before you a run for their money and thats not an easy task.”

your scowl deppened. “so what now, have you picked out a ring?”

he intoned lowly, “sweetness, no offence, but you didn't exactly become tolerable until i got my fingers between your legs.”

your gaze narrowed, but the man only shrugged off the threat,” so no, i’m afraid you’re free to accept other offers.”

“so you don't want anything from this?”

“what do you want?”

the image of a heat flushed alhaitham flashed into the forefront of your mind and your hands shook slightly at the memory you’d been trying in vain to forget for the past twelve hours. 

the tang of copper jerked you out of your thoughts with the burn of the broken skin of your bottom lip. the action wasn’t lost on alhaitham as he eyed you wearily. 

“we don’t have to do this today. there is no timeline it.”

his voice was soft, gentle even as it licked against the fraying edge of your resolve. it was too personal … and more frighteningly it did something to you, shaking you at your core and making you feel less balanced than the foundation you’d arrived on. 

you never considered yourself to be particularly weak. despite the akademiya priding itself on the very guidance of the archon, you had strove to get yourself admitted for the sole purpose of proving them all wrong. 

you were fueled by pure stubbornness, much to your mother’s exasperation. 

it was the very woman who you relied on to remain strong. stronger than any thing the institution or the rest of the world could throw at you. 

more resolute than the temptation standing before you. 

but you did have one flaw. 

the very determinate factor that welcomed you into the akademiya despite your research intentions. 

curiosity.

“i want to be sure.”

and then you closed the distance, pulling alhaitham down into a kiss.

he's not easy to draw under, not even with audible consent and desirable hands. it's prominent that you're reaching for something, perhaps your sanity or preferably self-respect.

you decide they both taste similarly inviting against the curl of his tongue. just when you think you've drawn him into a dance, he pulls away, hand seizing your forearm to keep you in place when you tense in preparation to flee.

alhaitham crooked a finger beneath your chin to draw you in for a reassuring peck and once more to hold your gaze. when he broke away, he said, "you're an adult, so i wont presume to make decisions for you. but are you sure?"

he was right to ask as you were the one who went running first, only to return just as the cold seeped from your feet and warmth bled into your lips.

the uncertainty was palpable but edible as you chewed through the racing thoughts. the desire was there, no doubt under any other circumstances would you have not pursued this man after he'd so eagerly returned your advances.

he wanted the reminder but you just wanted the taste. the forbidden fruit that held as many promises as it did curses. you wanted to know what you would give up before you walked away from the opportunity again.

and if he was willing to give you the chance, you'd take it.

your fingers curl at the back of his neck, though there is no give under your resistance. it's not until your lips purse into a pout that he cracks a hint of a grin.

"brat."

your brows knits determinedly, as you tug again," kiss me."

and he does.

it's a slower pace than before, explorative rather than desperate. solely from the press of your mouths, you could feel your overhanging reservations melt away. his hands swept down to guide your legs up by the backs of your thighs, drawing you down the vaguely familiar hall until you found yourself pressed down into the sheets.

he was addicting in a way that was arguably human and a sign of a deity. from the was he shoved pillows to the floor to give himself all the room he needed to get lost in you.

you were still learning about the man, but you were certain that he did nothing in halves.

alhaitham was different.

you gasped wordlessly because oh, oh, that felt so good

you were starting to lose control over your mind when he grabbed your hips with his firm hands and slammed into you with such force until it took your breath away. 

you forgot about anything before him, all for a second there. 

alhaitham fucked you, yes, he fucked you good in bed. or against the wall. bent over the counter. he fed you endlessly with so much fervour until you struggled to catch your sanity, feeling it dwindling down to zero. his abrasive nature, just like a hard cut diamond, dragged friction against your loins, filling up a reservoir of hunger pangs you hadn’t realised went neglected before. the thought of it alone made you feel greedy given the arrangement you’d had until now.

but this felt too damn good to compare.

you’d know kaveh for some weeks before the arrangement. he flittered in and out of the akedemiya enough to draw your attention. it took a short few nightly occasions for you to decide he was worth your time.

but whereas you had grow to learn kaveh, alhathaim felt like unmapped terrain ready to explore. he was saturated with fresh experiences and willingness to make you forget about the home you knew.  

kaveh would take one of your breasts in his hand, lick on your nipple and nibble on it–or bite, depending on his mood, really, before moving on to the other. his hands would always stay stationary at one stop, concentrating all he had to that point alone so that he could make you feel so good. 

his lips would always be latched somewhere so that he would not have to say anything to you about the waning passion between the two of you. your bodies knew the dance still, but the art was shallow. 

lips on your breasts, lips between your thighs but no lips of devotion for you.

 his movements were somewhat predictable at times because after he was done with foreplay, ensuring that you were properly aroused before taking it to the next step, he would slide into you and take you to heaven and hell at his own pace.

alhaitham was different.

he couldn’t give a flying fuck about nibbling on your breast or any pansy actions like that. his hands would constantly be on the move; one moment he would be roughly palming your breasts, squeezing too tight until pain bled into pleasure. 

one moment they would be running through your hair to stimulate you. another moment they would be between your legs and rolling your clit to make you black out in pleasure. 

and black out you did. 

it reminded you of the first time he took you, he made you faint because his movements were brash and ravenous, slamming into you and changing his angles ever so often. he picked up his speed when you tightened impossibly around him and slowing down when you came in an euphoric bliss before adopting a pace twofold to his own completion.

tonight, he did the exact opposite where he would tease you with shallow thrusts in the slippery heat, cocking an eyebrow arrogantly when you thrashed underneath him to make him go faster, and getting rougher and rougher when you wanted him to slow down a little to avoid yourself from burning up.

and his mouth.

“you like that?” or “harder, huh? tell me what you need, honey” 

occasionally: “who took care of you before this? you poor baby, you feel like a virgin.” or “ha- can’t even hold yourself up, lay here.” 

and his personal favourite: “dirty, dirty, sweetness. who would’ve thought you’d be so much of a slut. ” 

other times, he would not say anything at all and proceed to smash his lips against yours, all teeth and unchained lust, tongue sliding perfectly against yours and swallowing all the muted sounds you could make.

alhaitham was exceptionally efficient with his mouth, just like how good at plucking your strings with his fingers. methodical while latching to your earlobe and brushing against your temple to kiss it briefly there. the trail continued over your pulse point and down to your pebbled nipples.

 his sweaty hands lovingly ran over your body and appreciated your hidden curves. alhaitham mapped fire along your skin, burning away anyone else’s touch; hiked your legs over his shoulders so that he could fit in better and never once did he stop doing so.

you couldn’t breathe.

oh no

ou squeezed your eyes shut as you felt tears of pleasure trailing down your cheeks when he shifted some way somehow to render you incoherent. all that you could do was to cling onto him for dear life, taking the pleasure train into the abyss. loving how he catered turmoil of emotion still simmering from the loss, all to make sure that you didn’t crack at the frail seams of your euphoria.

it was frightening to come to terms with everything you’d fought against. to feel every theory singing against your nerves and warming your face under the trail of your tears. 

sex was meant to be good, but it wasn’t suppose to bind you. certainly not to a single person. for what archon would subject it’s people to such cruelty by only looking at the physicality of a relationship.

 not that you would die from an orgasm, but there was more to life than that. 

it felt good.

alhaitham felt good against your body too.

when your nerves tightened just like a taut bow and you threw your head backwards on the fluffy pillow and opened your mouth in a sharp scream. the feeling when everything faded away to red as your toes curled and your body trembled in release. 

alhaitham, too, sharply plunged in and out again, meshing his addictive-tasting mouth to yours. his hands now roving against your wrists and holding them tightly into place as he dominated you purely without giving you a chance to turn the tables on him. you quicken his impending climax as you shifted a little in place and clenched around him, hard, to watch how he screwed his spitfire blue-green eyes dark and shut. it left you willing and able to swallow his grows against your uninhibited lips, “you … you make me feel ...so good,” before collapsing on top of you, spent.

during this moment, you could almost pretend that it had all started with him. that nothing came before or had a place after. 

and it was a dangerous thought indeed.

petting his back. laving his hard muscles with trace of your fingers. you admired how well built he was, favouring a strong life outside of the akademiya. your body was desperate to fancy that he was yours and you were his.

but your heart could not lie.

it wasn’t enough. it couldn't be.

minutes afterwards, when alhaitham rolled away from the puddle of your combined release, he mulled over how jumbled up everything seemed. he ran a hand through his tousled locks, wondering how everything ended up to this. 

he was not blind enough to notice that in your vulnerability, despite eventually coming to him, he did not forget how dismissal you were upon the discovery of you both. it was true he did not hold the regard of the archon’s binding fate above all, that it was still very possible to be choked by the fated thread that connected you. still there was no denying that the gods go something right when they decided to match your soul to his. 

alhaitham sighed and cursed under his breath when he recalled how you were beneath him. you were the template of everything he’d aspired to have but could never withstand his pride and indifference. 

for the first time since scoffing at the prospect of discovering the love of your life through intimacy, he was willing to play with the idea of it possibly being the door to something more. in any event, he wasn’t ready to settle just yet- to think about a stable home with kids. and yet all he could sense was-

wanton.

 insanely erotic. 

insanely wanting everything from him and leaving nothing behind. 

you were, he realised, trained to fit what was needed. he could tell from the way you eyed him before making a move, as though gauging what type he wanted for his partner tonight, taking your role as it was and acting it all out on the bed. being who you needed to be. he supposed it made sense for someone who wasn’t your soulmate, who needed a routine over pushing the boundaries of predictability. 

 in his case, he was still temperamental; just as soon as you thought he wanted someone equally assertive in the play, he attacked you with a heated kiss and swallowed all of your complaints just like that. no wishy-washy lovemaking under dim lighting with you being a virgin and him being a gentleman. it was all lights from everywhere, cum on your face and glamorous fucking.

now, he paused for a moment, took a step backwards and tapped his fingers against sheets.

it was all about you today. all, everything, the entirety of the world. his analytical brain could not stop scrutinising you even further as he realised that despite all of that good screwing, you’d never said his name. 

you were loud, and loose with your body. hands to rove over his and draw him closer. now that he had many good rounds with you, alhaitham frowned when he knew that he could almost read you. you wouldn’t dare to claim him but he could read between the lines…

…the expressions you made during the span of the act.

sexy.

wanting him.

unrestricted.

that was all he needed.

he shuddered when he realised he could be hard again if he gave it too much thinking. that was when you recovered from your exhaustion, pushed away all the sheets he draped over your stained body and crawled over to him, bed dipping with each of your moves and him fixated by your sensual movement. you stopped in front of him, on your knees. inquisitive eyes meeting his, as your lips flexed into an innocent smile that was unmarred by such filthy acts earlier.

the sun would remain hang for a while longer, the world undisturbed by the actions of two. there was still time to make sense of it all. clear a path of clarity for you both to finally address what was between you.

alhaitham shook away the exhaustion and pushed you back into the bed, throwing one leg over his shoulder before ramming into you ruthlessly. the heat consumed him, licking up his veins and gushing madly in his urgently pumping heart. as he looked at how you writhed underneath his body and he knew you mewled for more. that was when you made that expression again, one that was mixed with pleasure and want only for him and getting more than what you asked for.

but you’d come to him and for now he’d remind you why that was the best decision of your life.

it had taken effort, more so on alhaitham’s part than yours, to peel you away from the bed. he dug somewhere deep to carry both you towards the bathroom. a shower was out of the question. though he refused to admit it, that last bought of passion had worn him out. 

what he did utter, was what kind of wonders a hot bath could do for aching muscles. 

and to that you had to agree. 

sprawled across, with legs open to either side of his, the two of you were more than welcome to the low hanging mist of heat that surrounded the bathroom. it had taken a bit of manoeuvring to decide on a level of comfort. the two of you new each other’s body quite intimately but this was a new stage to explore. alhaitham took up much of the space, he also conveniently owned it, so negotiation began and ended with him. 

now he was content, grumbling and complaining about a past memory as he leaned back against the edge. with a low hum, he stroked at the water lapping at your stomach. your heart hitched but you refrained from flinching as his breath dusted your ear,” feeling better?”

his chin was damp and still managed to tickle the shell. yet you followed it, rolling your hair into his inquisitive nose. “mhm. can remember the last time i enjoyed a bath like this.” showers were efficient and you craved the contained heat and steam that embraced your body. but this was a different kind of comfort that you gratefully sank deeper into. 

seemingly unable to resist and hardly insatiable hands reached for you, tweaking nerves and arousing sensitivity. biting through a gasp, your nails bit into his muscled thighs. his voice was rough, worn down to a decibel above hoarse,” perhaps we can weasel this into our future discussion?”

your lips pursed. right the conversation you had meant to be having before you’d all but jumped the man. alhaitham hardly seemed miffed though. he wielded the word ‘arrangement’ like it was both an offering and an escape. there were a lot of things to talk about, even morso now with new revelations. you had resigned yourself to that after he’d wringed your third orgasm out of you. the man had to carry you to your destination, for now you were at his mercy. 

a blessing-curse as it was a necessary battle to address, even if it felt like an uphill one. it felt like a reasonable distraction as you leaned for ward to reach for the washcloth. alhaitham was patient through your half-hearted scrubbing as you collected your thoughts. 

“what i had with ka- my previous partner was easy.”

‘because they weren't your soulmate’ hung between the both of you but fortunately alhaitham did not voice it. 

setting the cloth aside, you leaned back and stretched your body out. if a man was going to run you a hot bath, the least you could do was enjoy it. 

“i never believed in any of the one true orgasm propaganda. because if a relationship is built solely on that, whats the point of love?” you scoffed bitterly. it festered the idea that anything could happen, but the moment you fell back in bed together it was all mended and well. it was bullshit, a fantasy with no precedence. 

you weren't an expert on love, but you knew enough to know that people need more than the warmth of a bed against their back to make them happy. 

“...your parents?”

you didn't know what was funnier, that he would assume such a cliche reason for your deferment or how unsure the confident man sounded as he stepped into undiscovered territory. 

“no, my parents are actually happily married.”

“oh.”

“but they're not soulmates.”

“so they never…”

“no, they did. or at least my mom did. neither of them really talk about it much anymore. but i know that she found her soulmate before getting into a relationship with my dad.”

the water shifts as alhaitham sits up intrigued. 

“she was vague but it was obvious that what she had before was the best time of her life. she said it made her feel fulfilled in ways she couldn't describe.”

your mind conjured the memory of living in a household where both parents were there to dote on you with affection. a home where you slept soundly because echoed affection and not hate. you grew up on the foundation of love without fate. 

“but with my dad … she said it was so obvious. just right in front of her , not some astral sign that she had to decipher. she loved the way he spent his mornings holding her to help power him through the day and how he spent his nights remembering her as if she never left. with her soulmate it was easy yes, but with my dad it felt like something worth achieving.”

you went quiet for a moment as your eyes traced the dewy condensation clinging to the tiled walls. for years you backed up your aversion to fated couples with scholarly evidence and witness statements. but this was one of the few times you brought your past into it.

the ‘passion’ your mentor needed from you was always hidden in the truth of it. and the anger. the faces of your past who called your family a farce. the stories they told to excuse why your parents had just ‘settled’ … for you. 

“i guess … it just made me believe that life was more than an orgasm.”

“but you still like sex,” alhaitham replies evenly.

you can't help but laugh at the low drawl. “yeah, yeah i do. i like sex with you and i liked it before too. i’ll admit, its a bit overwhelming at first but my mom was right. satisfying the body is important  but the mind is equally as paramount to remain in balance with yourself.” the water trickled back into the pool when your shoulder rose in a shrug. “you’re a whole person without your soulmate. so you should be at peace with yourself before offering it to someone else.”

“a wise woman. i think i’d like to meet her.”

“i think she’d want to meet you too.”

it was a losing battle in vain to hold back a smile as you turned to face him. alhaitham’s hands followed the motion, assisting and aiding stability. he met you in a kiss as heated as the bath water. tongue flicking at his lips, your hand dips beneath the water in search of his.

his eyes narrow in juxtapose to the soft widening of your mouth to form an ‘o’. shifting your hips into his touch, you lean in for another kiss. the implication was enough to answer as he swallowed the taste of it.

you went to pull away, content to accept his practised caress but alhaitham had other ideas, determined to mould your fingers into one as he slid them against your walls for a slick ride. the flesh was tender and sensitive but you still sang eagerly for him.

he accepts your nuzzles, allowing you to contain the soft moans and giggles into the damp crook. he took you along for the ride, showing you his trade and hinting at your weak points until you were panting in tune with his pulse.

alhaitham taps his forehead against yours, non-verbally brushing against permission with his cock against your entrance. he gave you a brief control of the reign, handling the balance as you fully seated yourself on his lap, chock full of cock.

the pace was steady, the environment too fickle for the frantic and erratic sessions you had come to now. you were still helpful, however, squeezing and sucking in his girth whenever he dared to pull out. there wasn’t a rush but the passion swelled undeterred by the change.

alhaitham’s grunts in surprise when you meet his upward thrust, hips grinding against the head. motivated, you did it again, and again. and again. until his hands clasped down at your waist.

“i agree the sex is good. but even after the orgasm fades away, i find myself still curious about you.” the rhythm remained unhurried, but it got deeper with increased precision. you gave up on the fight to stay upright, slumping contently against his chest to enjoy the ride as pleasure builds at the base of your spine.  eyes pinching at the sensation until it overtook you, the orgasm washing through you fluidly.

“i want to learn more, if you’ll let me.”

whimpering pitifully, your body flowed with the waves as he continued his onslaught in search of completion. a hand grasped at your hip, rooting you as his own circled, cock still buried deep in your hot channel. just when overstimulation threatened, he let out a long groan, body stiffening before collapsing beneath you.

fortunately, his head caught the rim, nestling him there to keep him from slipping further into the lukewarm water. “hm, sweetness,” the nickname was doused with lethargic thoughts and tinged with praise, and it warmed you from within. his hand found your chin, turning it to him to receive his lips. “but let’s agree that we have a bit more chemistry to address before we can think of anything other than sex.”

opening your eyes seemed like too much work, but your mind was inquisitive if not a touch mischievous.

“or we can handle that now if you want? i can always shower again after.” it was a bluff, you could barely find strength in your thighs to squeeze, let alone stand.

the water muffles the firm slap against your bum but the intention was there.

“that’s enough out of you.”

“just to set the record straight. are you cooking for me because i'm your soulmate or just to prove that this isn't special treatment by being your soulmate?” it was both a jest and the most you’d spoken in confirmation of the decided fact detailing your fate. 

alhaitham’s voice was dry, though he chose not to turn to face you. “i’m thinking about poisoning said food. how does that factor into your theories?”

unable to resist, you laugh. if the way the muscles of his shoulders lax at the sound, it was safe to assume he discovered the hidden humour as well. 

after the bath, the two of you had lounged atop the comforter for nearly half an hour while your bodies dried. most of it was spent recuperating, the other part chatting over meaningless details of your life. you were just delving into the histories of the scarlet king when your stomach intervened. 

you would have been satisfied with takeout, but unsurprisingly alhaitham was picky about his tastes. he moved first, rolling out of bed to pick out a pair of sweats before tossing you a second pair and one of his shirts. 

he now stood comfortably sauteing vegetables shirtless. you should be concerned about the popping oil so close to his exposed skin, but if he didn't have any complaints you weren't going to dissuade the view. 

it served as a perfect conversation starter anyway. 

“do you work out?”

“what makes you ask?” he asked blandly.

your gaze roved over the sewny muscle and healthy girth wrapped around his biceps. if he was part of the matra, you could probably find some reason. but he was the head of the mahatma and that left you with loose ends. 

but of course, the bastard wanted you to admit the real reason for your curiosity. 

you waved dismissively at his body even though he couldn't see the gesture,’' you’re mildly fit,” you offered, trying to sound disinterested by it all. 

but alhaitham was wiser, if the smirk on his lips was anything to go by as he twisted his head to regard you. “there is a gym downstairs. i sometimes drop in when the stress gets too high.”

he must be a high risk stressor if the way his muscle jumped even at the slightest flex was anything to go by. 

“i … suppose that’s a healthy outlet.”

“granted, things are different now.” he didn't give you the time to speculate. “i have you to help.”

but he didn't stop there, moving the pan away from the fire before approaching. the very arms you admired bracketed your hips as he leaned over you.

“i can pretend you’re another roommate. get you in for free.”

then the bastard wiggles his brows, proving that he knew where your line of thought was going. 

rolling your eyes you pressed your palm against his chest, but he didn't budge. 

“is that the only perk you can expect for sleeping with the grand scribe?”

alhaitham watched you quietly before dropping his head to steal a kiss. he nibbles at your still sore, puffy lips, one, twice and pulls away. “among other things.”

shaking your head, you retaliate by kicking out to firmly smack his retreating ass with your foot.

“care to explain?”

“stay the night and i might.”

it’s not often a sharp cry from your own mouth is what shatters the haze of sleep as you rouse. it’s disorienting at first, because you can’t recall any bad dream to shock you out of the realm of slumber. 

awareness comes to lip a foamy sea, each sense lapping at your nerves lazily. the first wave is the brush of sheets against your shoulder, followed by the warm glow of the sun blanketing your eyelids, the fine hairs littering your body standing at attention in call of the sound of the soft gasps bubbling past your lips. 

the final wave crashes through your disorientation as you inhale sharply, eyes bareilly recognizing alhaitham’s head below your navel. there is a low rumbling snicker in his hum as he acknowledges your wakefulness. a chiding tsk comes at its heel when your hip bones press into his palms. he’s nice about the first warning, pressing you back down firmly, propped on his elbows with his face between your legs. 

your voice is trapped somewhere between a whine and a whimper, voicebox crackled with sleep as you try to sound out his name. 

“for a moment, i thought i might be out of practice.”

it’s a jest of course, because he was the last person who would ever be out of rhythm when it came to strumming the tune of your arousal. the humming vibrations pluck more chords, shooting the pleasure through your clit and up your spine. it was long decided that the man was a menace, but this just proved there was no point and time safe from him.

it was certainly a lifetime to look forward to.

his tact is equally messy and refined, yet still a league above sloppy as he took your clit into his mouth, teeth grazing the sensitive tip. he lets out a grunt when you dig half-moon crescents into the meat of his shoulder, a promising accompaniment to the red lines still streaking his back. 

a familiar sensation coiled at your navel and curled your toes. alhaitham reacts to the song of his name, pushing your hips up further so he could thrust his tongue inside you. 

alhaitham expressed gentleness as he pressed a lingering kiss to your hip before kissing his way up the path to your chest until he reached your nape. you quiver at the ticklish touch, breath spilling from your lips. when alhaitham laughs, low and quiet, you can taste his self-satisfaction. 

he returns to the top of the bed, curling you into his body heat before you could protest. he’s getting too good at reading you, already prepared when your mouth opens wide in a yawn. his hand slides into the weight of your hair, coaxing you steady onto the road you were already headed down.

your brain is too foggy to come up with anything more than indistinct mumbles against his skin, voice muffled by the promise of sleep to form audible clarity. alhaitham continues to stroke your hair until your breathing shifts and you begin to store softley.

you come to several hours later, plastered comfortably to the fine threaded comforter and the man who paid for it. part of you was still trying to drift back down to wakefulness unassisted. without the familiarity of your home, there was no confident recollection of where your phone could be. 

from what you could tell, the sun had fully spilled into the bedroom, eating away at the shadows and teasing the fraying edges of morning. the scrunch of your nose and twist of your head is what alerts alhaitham as his hand comes down to card through your hair.

“ ‘seems i wasn’t the only one who had my fill at breakfast. tuckered you out, hm?”

you're quiet for a moment longer, trying to blink the sleepiness from your eyes. you blame the languid lax of your body on your slow comebacks as not even a sound of defiance comes to your aid. even the thought of it is whisked away by the press of a kiss to the curve of your jaw. 

grinning, you shift onto your elbows to stare up at him. 

“must be nearing lunch then because i’m starting to get hungry again.”

alhaitham’s brow raises in question and you feel the spark rear its head again.

“for food, ‘haitham.”

“food is trapped by it’s scope of nutritious value which can come in many forms.”

“i want steak.”

“spoiled already.”

“you haven’t complained yet,” you groused as you shifted around and sat up. a squeak leaves you as you stretch your arms above your head. softer you ask,” is that a problem?”

the two of you had circled the discussion of expectations last night but there was still much to be addressed. you weren’t seeking out a happy ever after, but you weren’t going to deny the sweet promise of the orgasms he could provide with a simple flick of his tongue. 

gnawing on your bottom lip, you observed alhaitham as he reclined lazily on the bed with his arms bent behind his head. you hardly knew him for seventy-two hours and you were already thinking more about him than you did kaveh. it was both frightening and thrilling. 

your fingers twisted uneasily in the upturned edge of the blanket,”when we first met you said..”

“—when we first met i had been trying to hide away in the port away from the akademiya and yet found another pretty little student under my nose. and a petulant one at that.”

you open your mouth to speak but he continues.

“then we proceeded to have the best sex of our lives and had but a few moments to come to terms with it. i stand by what i said then, i wasn’t planning to prepare a proposal. i did not have any expectations for you then and nor do i now.”

you chew at your lip as he speaks, a tumble of trepidation bursting at the seam. he was speaking honestly; words truier than your own conciousness. though it felt jarring to your current reality as you soaked in the same bath, skin plastered against one another.

it was funny how easy it was to feed into sanity of actuality.  for a moment, you would have traded the future for the present of this moment.

but alhaitham continued on, drawing you back down from the billowing steam blowing smoke in the mirrors of your mind

“expectation breed misconstrued limitations. we’re led to believe all our lives that soulmates are the ends of all. but it should still be a choice. you are more than just an orgasm. though i will admit that you are a rather exquisite one.” alhaitham tsks softly as his thumb wipes away a stray tear. 

“so we won’t build—something—off what we accomplish between the sheets. if you want to explore more then we will do so out of bed.”

it wasn’t a promise but an extended offer. he was willing to see what could come of this, if you wanted it too.

alhaitham eventually gets you out of his bed for the third time since you entered his apartment. he tells you he wants to take you out in the port, wanting to show you more of what ormos had to offer. and you weren't planning on denying him but the question of clothing had outlived its excuses. 

staying inside had abandoned the use of undergarments but you weren't as daring in public. you met in the middle by borrowing another set of his clothes to see you to your own flat, with the intention of packing an overnight bag to see you through the rest of the weekend. 

it would be another day of no expectations, just wandering curiosity. 

you had just stuffed the last of your laundry into one of his spare tote bags when you finally entered the main area to find him waiting by the front door. alhaitham settled for casual again, clothed comfortably in a loose shirt and pants. his face a vision of calculated boredom as he twirled a jingling set of keys around his ring finger.

it would have been a passable notion, had a particular ornament not caught your attention as it swung freely. you recognized the minature furry beast as the mascot of the kshahrewar school. but that wasn't all that plagued familiarity.

with a hand at your side, alhaitham escorted you through the entrance before turning to lock the door. it wasn't until he stuffed it into his pocket that your curiosity broke through the surface.

"close with the kshahrewar?"

the man hummed, more of an acknowledgement than a question though you took it as permission to continue.

"the keychain. it has a lion."

alhaitham glanced down at his pocket as an afterthought,"oh. its my roommate. he leaves his keys around. it happened to be the closest so i took it."

you had a feeling there was more to that, but you also recognized that they were all adults.

still ... there was something about it.

"are you going to wait here to return it to him or are you coming?"

rolling your eyes, you shed the trickling interest as you quickened your step to enter the elevator.

alhaitham played the part of a patient chaperone until you arrived in sumeru city. he assured you there, however, that he had more than enough to keep himself occupied while you freshened up at home.

with the confidence that he would stay out of sight while you gathered your things, you prepared to give the man who had both made you food and made you laugh in equal measures the chance you’d given anyone else interested to get to know you. 

you always knew port ormos had a lower density of students. partially because of the fare it took to make it here, leaving only ambitious researchers to tally the costs. you only bothered for a quiet drink, but alhaitham convinced you that there was even more to offer.

lunch consisted of cheap sandwiches and walks along the harbour. together you filled each other in on snippets of your lives, alhaitham clearing up quite a bit about the rumours surrounding his name.

“i still can’t believe they considered you for a sage role. no offence.”

alhaitham threw you an insincere glare and took another mouthful. he chewed over his thoughts then spoke, “it was a rash decision on all parts to fill the sudden vacuum.”

right … the ethics scandal that had unseated four sages during your second year. there was still plenty of speculation about the root of the problem, but the institution as a whole seemed to sweep the mess under the rug. it felt like it had been over in a blink of an eye, though the schools who had lost their seat had been in a bit of a scrabble at first.

alhaitham had to have just recently graduated at the time. you jest, but it was a high seal of accomplishment to even be recommended, least alone actually chosen.

you made a vague gesture with your food,” and the almighty alhaitham felt himself too far above the lowly displies.”

he scrutinises you with a squint,”you’re sounding oddly alike to my roommate.”

alhaitham had only mentioned the mysterious man twice, but you gauged that the relationship wasn’t rainbows and butterflies. though as much was expected from two grown men sharing a living space. 

“but no, i just don’t enjoy delegating.”

you snort, recalling just how much the man enjoyed giving you instructions over the last few days. 

to this, he grinned. 

rolling your eyes, you stepped into his path to nudge him with your shoulder, only to have him return the sentiment and remain in your space. the two of you walked comfortably together, bodies brushing without friction. 

“i suppose in a way it saved us grief. you truly would have been insufferable.”

“you graduate this year, right?”

“yep, as soon as i finish this thesis.”

he hums noncommittally. while you had dumped your ideals on him, you had refrain from discussing its interwovenness in your research. while his opinion would no doubt be insightful, you felt it was something that needed to rely on your resolution alone. 

“well, i doubt your sage plans to retire anytime soon. so what are your goals after?”

you can’t help but laugh at the notion. there had been times that you’d come close to making her wish she had. 

still the future, the part outside of the obvious, wasn’t something you’d planned for much. there were promising fields growing in time-sensitive commodities. you had thoroughly enjoyed partnering with the amurta students to design efficiency products to help preserve the future by learning from the past. 

it was something you didn't mind sharing. alhaitham was patient while you delved into different projects you had accumulated over the years, mentioning your favourites and less desired. when you finished, he was quiet, face contemplative before eventually speaking. 

“i have an …. acquaintance who graduated from the amurta. he specialises in rainforest preservation, but he might have better insight.”

you smile, a little touched that he’d offer. 

“yeah sure. you can give me his contact and i’ll reach out.”

“tighnari has a habit of not responding to emails. likes to use the excuse of poor reception.”

your brain short circuits. 

alhaitham was a notorious name, but you needed additional evidence in order to weed him out from the rest.

but tighnari. 

you didn't have to have a particular interest in biology to have known about him. 

alhaitham’s gaze flickers to your face briefly at your silence, expression comically dubious with unshrouded judgement. 

“are you …blushing?” he groans low and notably exhausted. “please don’t tell me you’re one of those fans.” 

the way he says it is with such thinly veiled disgust that you can't help but be offended. 

pursing your lips, you press your finger against his chest, “he’s a new-age genius, haitham. it’s hard not to admire that.”

and so what if you had sat in on a few interest seminars before regulations were put in place to limit the seats to amurta only students. the man was a legend. 

“he’s a nerd.”

“were all nerds.”

he rolls his eyes but does not dispute that. when he resumes his step, you file in behind. 

you keep pace quietly,

then can’t help but mutter.

“you’re still going to introduce me, right?”

alhaitham makes a show of lengthening his steps and you can't help but laugh.

he keeps you involved from early afternoon until the light begins to darken on the horizon. the conversation flowed from studies to hobbies, infiltrating the critics of literature and tackling the fears of heights. it was a comfortable exchange with mounting intrigue and curiosity until the interruption your stomachs fractured the small dome you’d both built under reality. 

it was you who came up with a place for dinner, eager to share a bit more of yourself in the language of food. hole-in-the-wall restaurants always had a mixed bag of customers, but you were confident enough that the two of you would manage a fair amount of privacy. 

having no reason to decline, alhaitham neatly shuffled into the booth across from you, attention drawn to the small carvings etched into the wooden panels of the walls. the doodles varied in levels of imagination, but the central theme mirrored the depiction of the local legend of the aranara. 

the restaurant itself, the vintage lyre, prided itself on hosting a cosy atmosphere that welcomed and cultivated musical talents. the music tonight was a smooth lullaby hanging off the notes of a moon-veiled night. 

“i’ve been here before,” alhaitham eventually supplied. the pinch of his brow gave the impression that it had not been for awhile. 

the dim lighting took some getting used to, but you came to appreciate the effort it took for others to peer at neighbouring tables. the ambiance was meant to encourage auditory senses oversight, coupled with the light green afternoon to mimic a forest. 

it was quaint and worth the trip when you could spare the time to get out of the city. 

speaking of—”what made you leave sumeru city? the commute isn’t terrible but wouldn’t working for the akademiya make it more convenient to stay close.”

alhaitham kept his gaze on the menu as he spoke,”what i do can be completed remotely when needed. i still do a fair amount of research and prefer the distance.”

your brow arched quizzically,” seems a bit hard to ‘scribe’ if youre too far away to hear.’’

“what exactly do you think my job entails?”

shrugging, you slide your own menu aside, confident in your order. “i dunno … transcribing meetings? overseeing the flow of information.”

alhaitham threw you a dry look,” i’m honoured you think so highly of me. i’m afraid the job isn't as luxurious as you think. i’m not required to be present at most meetings, nor is my input taken into account.” he continued with a short laugh,” my interests are more rooted in my research. the job is merely a title of convenience.”

you were still learning about the man, but there had to be more filling in the gaps he left open. 

“so why not solely put your time and resources into just research. you wouldn't ever need to go to sumeru city if you didn't want to.”

“because my job gives me access to those resources.”

looking up, he sighs quietly at the perplexion on your face before sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest. 

“by controlling the flow of information, i'm also aware of it. i am given access in order to manage and archive it. i provide my time and make the most of it while i’m there.”

a quiet ‘huh’ escapes your lips, both impressed by the simple genius and his willingness to share such a thing. truly, it was an ideal position for someone seeking knowledge. most people would soak in the shallow prestige of the role but alhaitham dug into the soil for the true treasure. 

you withhold your follow up question at the arrival of the waiter. alhaitham gestures for you to go first before placing his own order. when they leave he nods, encouraging the inquiry. 

“so you have no interest in going for a sage role?”

“not the slightest,” he stated, exhaling slowly. “they pay me enough to mind my own. i’m content with the relationship we have.”

you thank the waiter when the return with the drinks. 

“at least you aren’t scared of commitment.”

alhaitham doesn't laugh but his eyes shine with mirth. “when there is a benefit, yes, i’m willing to go all in.” he then sipped his drink, pursing his lips before giving the contents a swirl with the straw and trying again. “at the moment our goals align and that’s enough for me.”

“because you’re just a feeble scholar,” you echo, surprising yourself by recalling his words from that night. 

“feeble and handsome,” he intoned mildly. 

the question itches at your throat. one certain to spiderweb the delicate glass you had both enjoyed yourself under, but the point of this weekend was to test it after all. 

“and how does a soulmate fit into your other goals?”

alhaitham sat back in his seat,”you would fit where you feel comfortable,” he replies, not bothering to ghost your title. for a moment he was quiet, head cocked to the side as he regarded you. though you couldn't see the intricate detail in his eyes, you imagine he’s settling into that calculating role. the one that ran circles in under a second, running through algorithms and scenarios before coming to a conclusion. 

“ i don't plan my life around soulmates.”

though it likely wasn't intended, the slight felt directed at you. in response, your nose flared slightly, a treacherous lump manifesting in your throat. “ i don’t plan anything around soulmates either. i live my life and expect whomever i'm with to do the same.”

“so why do you assume everyone else doesn't have the same inclination?”

“i don't speak for anyone else, “ you defended tersely.

“no, but you have a way of trying to construct your walls around your ideology. it makes it rather hard to feel welcomed.”

“i’m not trying to offer any promises,” you utter crisply. you're slowly regretting leading back into the conversation, trying to force your bitterness away. it would be so much easier if this man just was not your soulmate. the implication of him being your fated match continued to flare up your natural response to deflect despite your interest. 

alhaitham regarded you quietly before asking,” what do you wish for in return?”

the question gave you pause. you vehemently protested what you did not want. not the fabricated life predestined the day you were born or the perfect cookie cutter life at home. you’d spent so long filling detailing one side of the list without giving much thought to the other. 

what did you want?

your gaze lingered distractedly on the slow condensation rolling down the side of your up. the path was determined, always downward, but often one droplet would be pulled in one direction or the other. it was a fixed destination, but the abrupt coming together and leaking apart left you wading in the sea of possibilities. 

“i want to graduate,” you began, thoughts already drifting to the fresh excitement of meeting tighnari and cultivating your minor research into preservation. 

“i’d like to travel … maybe to liyue.” you’d learned about the lantern festivals while in your early years from an exchange student who had made loose plans to meet up if you ever went. 

“and i want a pet.” maybe a dog or perhaps a cat. your landlord hated anything that wasn't human. 

when you looked up, alhaitham was watching you patiently. eyes blank but open. when you didn't speak further, he took up the mantle. 

“well, i would like to discover new knowledge. crack open a new dataset and challenge what we have noted.” his dull nails tapped against the table,” thanks for asking by the way.”

unable to resist, you crack a smile. slowly he returns it. 

“i’d also like to travel but towards the desert. the akademiya overlooks the value there but i think more is hidden under the sand.” he stops, thoughtful. “not sure about pets, never asked for them growing up. but tighnari would often stress out our resident advisor with his terrariums. it was an irrational fear. tighnari would never let something grow out of his control.”

they were all loose whims with no timeline or point of direction. eventually, you’d both grow old and reflect on your choices, but for now the variables were flexible. what you made of them. 

but alhaitham wasn’t finished. 

warmth bloomed in your belly as his hand reached out, fingertips brushing against the back of your hand until you turned it over and offered your palm. from there he slid through the gaps, taking your hand in his. 

“but right now, i’d like to date you. spend more days like this and see what comes of it.”

whatever it may be with no expectations or obligations. 

untethered desire and curiosity. 

“i mean i’d also like to take you to bed again later but i thought you’d appreciate a more vague response.”

a huff of a laugh blew past your lips before you could stop it. there was no denying the alhaitham had a bizarre effect on you. he was blunt and clung to the density of rationale to keep him rooted. it was so ordinary human, a trait you would find in anyone. yet with him, you couldn't explain why it made your head feel dizzy and breath hard to catch.

as true as it was the night you met, you were attracted to alhaitham. he was as fit as he was intelligent. factors that you had not been actively seeking, but if you had, he would have been an interesting swipe. 

as it went, he was here before you now, propositioning you in away that made you feel equally safe and wanted. 

your food hasn't arrived yet, but you felt like you could enjoy more of opportunities like this, tucked away from society.

“how do you feel about carawan ribat?”

alhaitham’s grip flexed in tandem with is pinched brow, but he pushed through the hesitation,”it’s hot but street food is good.”

“that’s good to know, i’ve never been. i suppose i’ll have to leave the planning to you then.’

alhaitham’s slow grin sent your gut aflutter with treacherous little butterflies. you were grateful for the table separating you both, hardly confidently in your own ability to keep your hands to yourself. the shadows of the restaurant were convenient but too much action would bring attention. 

he was daring, however, bringing your joined hands to his mouth for a brief kiss. your skin bloomed with heat at the touch, lip bitten at the slow drag of his lips before he set them down. his thumb circled the spot of the kiss, massaging the imprint into your skin. 

“it would be best to go after your dissertation. we can spend a week out there if you’d like.”

you would like that very much, eager to explore what was between you. 

but for now, a mischievous grin pulls at your lips as you return a similar gesture with your own thumb.

“ —but.”

alhaitham groans, already familiar enough to be sceptical of the saccharine words dripping from your tongue.

a smart man indeed. 

“only if you keep your promise to introduce me to tighnari.”

he arched an eyebrow again but his snarkiness was absent as he countered your offer with another; unbearably smug to boot. 

” what if i put cyno on the table?”

you blanche. cyno was another name that needed no clarification. it made sense that is alhaitam had been part of tighnari’s class, he would have also been in the same one as the general mahamantra. 

weakly you shake your head, prepared to give up that whole generation. one look at your face and alhaitham threw his head back.

his answering laugh resonates deeper than anything you’d ever felt. 

late into the night, the two of you had lay awake, soaking in the warm even breaths fanning across one another’s skin. if there was one trait you had come to appreciate about alhaitham, was his ability to hold conversation. whether it was a challenge or a discussion, he had an art of feeding into dialogue in a way that prompted you to respond. 

in the privacy of his room, he whispered promises. so many detailed explanations of what he was doing and would do to you. it was a product of desire and even greater inspiration, indirectly prodding you.

the next morning, you decide to return the favour.

alhaitham rises early, but you’d fallen asleep with a plan and woke with a purpose. 

“haven’t you ever wanted to sit back? let someone else do the talking for you?”

his answering hum is low, already too familiar, but ends with an undertone of questioning. it was the second time waking together, pressed against each other’s body heat and soaking it in. 

alhaitham’s breath remains even despite the slow running of your hands stroking the length of his thighs, settled comfortably between them. your fingers trace invisible lines, though you imagine them as threads tethering your souls together. it’s the only way it can be explained how a simple touch makes yours tremble.

“if i left it to others, nothing would get sone.” there is humour in his voice, hidden amongst the valley of curiosity. he’s never witnessed you like this. focused solely on him but in a leading role. he is deftly stripped of his sleeping clothing, yours falling cohesively behind. understanding is more prevalent now and he goes to slide touch up your sides, but you stop him.

“just let me do this for you.”

practiced control can only assist for so long before he begins to feel his muscles jump as your caress smooths over his abdomen. he wants to look, the need to grapple for the reins, yet he can’t resist the urge to sag under your petting. lips brush over his chest, riding the soft thudding beneath his sternum. and your hands, always moving, never stopping; arching over his broad shoulders, following the curve of his hip, tickling the dip of his collarbone.

“sweetness-…” you quietly tell him to hush, but there is no need. the gentle glide of teeth against the skin of his throat already bowing him before the altar of submission. alhaitham’s breath catches, swallowing thickly under the soft kiss they press there. a velvety groan keens highly, and your sinful delicious lips twist into a playful smile as you pull him under.

nearly half an hour later, alhaitham is the one rendered boneless as you grin with glee at his state. he makes a grumbling protest, pawing at your smugness. his efforts double when you evade him efficiently, going as far to roll to your feet as you scoop up a stray shirt with your heel and pull it over your head.

it was nice to not be the one left listless for once as you calm alhaitham’s attempts to coax you closer with the promise of a quick return and caffeine. he lets you go with a huff, your laughter coating the halls as you shuffle towards the kitchen. 

the morning sun was just beginning to filter through the shadow space between the window blinds, giving the stretch of the common space a dim glow. there were still plenty of shadows hiding while the could, still clinging to the coolness left from night. 

they were all familiar to you after a weekend.

except for the huddled one already taking your place by the coffee machine. 

the shriek escapes your lips at the same time the figure turns, but it was too late to realise the stranger wasn’t one at all. the familiar tangle of golden hair and stupefied expression. 

“kaveh…?” 

the facts stack loudly as they click into the place, the absolute fabled fantasy turned reality of your life finally coming in full circle. because of course your soulmate was the infamous incorrigible housemate of your ex-bedmate. to think that kaveh’s insistence on sparing you the cold front by staying at your place was the whole reason you’d never met.

you wanted the laugh at the audacity fate had in playwriting your fate. 

kaveh was just beginning to mouth the start of your name when the kitchen light sprang on and you both froze, startled by the additional overhanging stark glow.

alhaitham stood in the doorway, sweatpants hung low on his lips and fist curled in preparation for a fight. his gaze swept over the pair of you, and the implication that he’d rushed so quickly at the sound of your fright twisted something in you that you weren't sure how to comprehend. 

eventually, his fist uncurled when he found no threat in your vicinity. it was kaveh who bounced back first, eyes widening when he tried to take it all in at once. “wait … you two? how did you even meet…?” realisation colored his face. “no….”

you can see the indecisiveness in those vermillion eyes, face calculated as he juggles the visible evidence with his own disbelief. apparently knowing parts of the party went a long way with assisting critical thinking. 

and still he wanted to be absolutely sure before accepting the reality unfolding in front of him. 

you watch as his gaze roves over the wrinkled- very much not your button up. unable to be patient, your lips part to help him out but he holds up a hand instead, clearly trying to process his thoughts. 

you barely flinch as alhaithamn’s chest warmed your back. he reached around for his coffee, returned to his otherwise unbothered state despite his half dressed appearance.

kaveh catalogues this all with barely restrained cynicism.

“as untoward it would be for me to judge you for jumping into another bed after only a week—my roommate nonetheless—”

“you hopped first,” you supplied dryly, already not enjoying the direction. pointing out that you didn’t know they were roommates would hardly work in your graces. 

“—ah ah! this is my emotional turmoil not yours.”

you roll your eyes but gesture for him to continue. 

he makes a show of it too, shedding his wide eyed disbelief for a painted sneer at alhaitham. 

“and you, ruffian. couldn’t wait to get rid of me for your nefarious acts. what happened to the no overnight guest rule?”

“that was rule for you. this is my house. i do what i want,” alhaitham drawls smoothly. 

you can’t help but snort earning you a much deserved glare. 

“right, so i’m supposed to just believe you two had such a wonderful time that you not only stayed the night but exchanged clothes?”

“....kaveh”

“—uh-uh still not done. and my roommate of all people. to think i got you used to such class just for you to fall into the grasp of barbarism.” 

alright, you were getting equally tired of the dramatics and the interruptions. 

his gaze returns to your attire then over to alhaitham’s no doubt bored face.  

all the shades of kaveh and alhaitham’s dynamic begin to blend for you, giving you a rather vivid perspective of them both. kaveh had always referred to his roommate in thinly veiled expletives, giving the impression of a crude arrangement. 

but from the lack of tension emitting from alhaitham, it was apparent that their ties ran deep enough to foster something tangible to keep them rooted together despite the odds. 

“you heathens are soul mates, aren’t you? naturally fate would hand me that plate.”

knowing you both to some degree, it shouldn’t be a surprise that kaveh was able to come to the conclusion. 

you’re just dumbstruck how he made it his problem 

his blonde fringe whisps across his face as he leaning closer, “i know how you are about soulmates. he must have locked you in this tower. blink once for ‘yes’ and twice for ‘save me’.”

you let out a low, taut exhale. “kaveh, seriously?”

he leans away, mirroring your folded arms. “to think if i hadn’t discovered my own, this could have been a very different morning.”

his declaration gives you a pause. that was true. while you weren’t establishing anything permanent with kaveh, the convenience had started to grow on you. there was a real possibility that this could have been a very different morning. 

a realisation that alhaitham was taking oddly well. curious you crane your head up to gauge his stance on the matter, but all you received was a spare raised brow as he tilted his cup back to his lips. 

“which leads to one unfortunate conclusion. now i measure your fears, this really is the worst thing that could happen to me.”

alhaitham intercepts wryly, “i can guarantee you that what she just experienced was the very opposite.’’

you saw distaste colour kaveh’s features before they once more resumed an air of vexation as his attention darted to the silent party. 

“archons, you're going to be insufferable about this aren't you. and you're just going to let him?”

you could have shrugged, had the weight of alhaitham’s arms come to curl around your shoulder. 

“at least you’ll have to believe them when she says i’m better in bed. not that it was ever a debate.”

“so … this is your final theory.”

taking a deep breath, you nod, too nervous to speak.

it had taken you three more weeks of deliberation and near meditation to settle your wide ranging thoughts into a cohesive conclusion. along the way, you discovered more about yourself and eventually loosened the reins holding on to your future. 

the funny thing about taking your gaze off the future for a bit, allowed you to appreciate all the finer details of the present. along the way, your thesis became less about changing the perspective of others and more about discovering your own. 

your mentor gleans your paper once more. they spent the better part of an hour reading through your final report, offering her last thoughts before you sent it in. 

“i think this is the most complete your thoughts have been.”

the breath that leaves you sags the tension resting in your shoulders. for the first time since entering the office, you manage a small smile. the expression draws a similar one from your sage as they regards you evenly. 

“i never worried about your direction, archon knows the world tilts better when the axis is challenged. but i worried more about you. i felt that it was important that you took this in the correct stride if you were determined to make it your belief.”

they gives you a speculative look.

“something changed but i’ll accept it simply as it is for the better. if you’re sure that this is your final stance on the matter, than i’ll give it my approval.”

you think about your parents and their desire to make the most of what they had, continuing to reap the benefits of the future. 

the reality of it all wasn’t quite as easy or as romantic as you’d imagined as a child. you were sure your parents overcame many hardships to establish what they held now. 

what you and alhaitham had would never be like your parents. it could be better or maybe worse. 

what you did know, was that it was a choice. one you made and always dreamed of having. 

and that alone made it worth it all and half. 

[kazuhaplscomehome]

so 👏 i destroyed my pity earlier cause i pulled on Yaes banner for shits and giggles even though i was saving up for my husband and i immediately started screaming and complaining

(i love yae but i am a kazuha wanter that wants become a kazuha haver as soon as possible)

so sagau where the allogenes, in my case Yae, hear us complain when we get them on banners

cause i'm convinced that Yae would be all salty but would try not to show it

like "Oh? Is that so? Well, sooner or later they'll understand that me joining the team has more merits than the Kaedehara kid. Jealous? Of course I'm not jealous! Why would you even suggest that!"

and Yae wouldn't even be the worst

imagine pulling for idk any 4 stars and the Wanderer comes home. If he could reach out of the screen and yell at the player he sure as hell would. Don't be alarmed though, he's just trying to cover up for the fact that he's terribly afraid that you don't want him on the team

"What do you mean no? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUD RATHER HAVE THAT CRYO KID FROM LIYUE? That's pathetic! I am not salty! I could not care less!"

and aside from those who would act like a four year old that didnt get any dessert, youd also have the other side of the coin

example number 1: Bennet.

He"d be so sad and dejected, and he would absolutely blame it on himself.

"I mean it makes sense... I wouldn't want me either..."

poor baby would be feeling depressed, cause its one thing having npc's not wanting you around and its another when its the creator that doesn't want you on the team

another allogene that fits into this category is Collei

once she hears the disappointment that your voice is laced with, her shoulders slum and her eyes get teary. the only difference between her and benny is that she'd try to hide it

"No, I mean it makes sense! I... I am not good enough, that's why... But that's okay! I just need to do better..."

(istg if you hurt my babies ill hunt you down, they are both too precious)

so up until now we have those who are salty and get annoyed that you dont appreciate their greatness, and those who blame themselves for not being good enough, and then you have Kaveh

If this post is a coin then Kaveh is the line you try to balance the coin on

he'd be so annoyed by your reaction but internally he'd be beating himself up

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'oh...'! HONESTLY! THEY WOULDNT EVEN RECOGNISE TALENT IF IT HIT THEM STRAIGHT IN THE FACE!"

meanwhile inside his head: "I guess it makes sense... A burden is a burden no matter with who is carrying it..."

and of course we have those who couldn't care less (cough Alhaitham cough) and those who don't make a huge deal out of it and just smile saying that "it's okay, they were just excited" (the loml, Kazuha)

Yeah anyways I've been thinking. Feel free to elaborate or add stuff :))

[anotherferalrat]

Genshin mains r wild ngl

In my long quest to finally settle on one team, I've switched from being a Kaeya main to Kaveh with the new banner (dont question me, i dont kno what im doing actually<3)

AND AS SOON AS I PULL HIM, I DONT HAVE ANY FUCKIN MORA EVER

I DIDNT KNO WHEN I TOOK HIM ON THE TEAM I WAS ALSO TAKING ON HIS DEBT???

I hope my Alhaitham is happy bc i did it for him that mf-

[lovelynim]

So… I’m gifting this drabble to @keru0​ to reward them for their amazing effort and work in finding that Shoto clip that caused a fuss around here not long ago, heh. Hope you enjoy your prize ~

Also, big thanks to @/dailyalhaitham for the little sticker used in this banner ~

Alhaitham closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to ignore the other man ranting next to him.

“Are you listening?!" Itto pouted, crossing his arms. The scholar leaned back into his chair, to look up to the oni.

“Unfortunately, yes, I am,” he snapped back, frowning. Aether told him that the Serenitea Pot was a calm place where he could enjoy some peace, after all, most of the time, the people there would go out on missions along with the traveler. But, this one guy - Itto, if he remembered correctly - managed to get on his nerves quicker than Kaveh after a few bottles of wine.

Eying the oni again, Alhaitham tried to recall how, exactly, he got wrapped up in this situation. It was something about… his looks? He couldn’t care less, honestly.

“And I already told you, it’s not my fault,” the scholar sighed, hoping to end that soon.

“How come it isn’t?! As soon as you stepped here, the only thing everyone does is to compare us, saying you have bigger muscles and all!” Itto cried out in frustration, still clearly mad at Alhaitham. “And  it’s clearly not true- like, come on! Just look at it,” the oni insisted, reaching for the other’s chest and squeezing it. However, instead of a firm muscle, Itto was rewarded with a surprised - and somewhat embarrassed - squeal.

Alhaitham was caught completely off guard, never expecting someone - besides Kaveh, of course - to be so shameless and blunt like that. “W-what are you doing?” The scholar protested, pushing Itto’s hand away from his body.

“Hm?” Itto pouted, genuinely confused. Wasn’t feeling each other’s muscles a thing bros would do? “Uh… feeling your pecs?”

Alhaitham was either too stunned to speak or shocked by the idea of that being something ‘usual’. Regardless, he didn’t react in time and, before he could notice, Itto was already holding him by his wrist, using his other hand to feel his triceps, slightly pressing his thumb on the spot right above his armpit.

“W-woah, it’s really defined…” Itto muttered to himself, moving his thumb in little circles in a massage-like motion, noticing how it was a little stiff.

“I-Itto- hng! Lelehet me gohoho!” Alhaitham pleaded, using his free hand to try pushing the man away while trying to free his wrist, but it was to no avail.

“Eh? Why?”

“Behecause y-you ahare tihickling me!” Alhaitham roared, greeting his teeth, trying to block that silly smile to grow further. That sentence struck Itto like thunder. The oni smirked.

“Oho? I guess you are not that strong, then…” He muttered and, without further announcement, tackled Alhaitham from his chair down to the ground. After sitting on the back of his legs, Itto resumed the - now intentional - tickling.

“NOHOhoh!! S-stohOHop it, IttohOHOHo!” The scholar cried out amid laughter, banging his fist on the wooden floor as the other squeezed his waist. He was way too to be simply pushed off, which meant he was pretty much stuck at his mercy.

“Already? ~ Guess I’m still the strongest around here, right? After all, how are just a “feeble scholar”, how could you even compete against the Arataki Itto, the supreme, the one and-”

“JuhUHust lehehet me goHOHo, archoHOhons!” Alhaitham pleaded, interrupting the other’s teasing as he could only hope that the oni would spare him.

“Hehe… not before we show everyone around here who is the strongest,” Itto teased as he made sure to fill the room with Alhaitham’s cackles.

‘I should have stayed home’, the scholar thought, while trying to argue his way out of that situation with the proud oni behind him. Archons, that would take a while…

[hawberries]

Hi, i noticed you started playing Genshin Impact! Are you enjoying the game so far? What are your favourite characters? Do you have a team you play the most? :) (you dont have to answer i am just curious haha)

hiiiii! yes i did unfortunately start playing genshin… i honestly have some lingering issues with the gameplay (mostly the artificially inflated playtime everywhere, and the ipad controls continue to be a chore) and the gacha is, you know, infamously what it is, but there's lots of very nice things about it also and i'm clearly still playing! there is much to enjoy, the open world is very beautiful and a lot of care is put into the characters' idle animations to give them a lot of personality and charm >:3

my favourite character is Gorou obviously, so i maybe do have to keep playing this game until he's 90/90 triple crowned with cracked artifacts and such… i would like to realise my dreams of DPS Gorou… that is basically my main goal in this game 😊

(after Gorou my favourite character is Paimon. she is so cute and wonderful and my best friend in the whole world. iN THIS HOUSE WE RESPECT PAIMON.)

as for teams, i got Jean on Itto's banner, i got Ayato by accident while trying to get Sayu (😒) (but it's okay i've forgiven him now), and i recently lucked into winning the coin flip on Alhaitham… at the moment i mostly run around with Ayato, Yanfei, Kaeya/Razor and Yaoyao for overworld farming, but my besties squad for exploring is Gorou, Yanfei, Alhaitham (for his big jump) and Sayu 💕💕 right now my Ayato and Yanfei are especially powerful because they're non-burst-reliant, low-skill-gap DPSes who make mob clearing easier for me, a fake gamer with no skills. i haven't been brave enough to really make progress in the Abyss yet but i'm working on my Xiangling and i will be adopting Xingqiu from the lantern rite so perhaps soon…!!

i'm also joining the ranks of the people who have been coping for Baizhu to become playable since the game launched. btw. and Kaveh obviously. every time my Haitham looks at his gay little keychain i am comforted by the thought that he is literally also waiting for Kaveh to come home 🤧🤧🤧

[enden-k]

With the anon that said, like a good couple days a go, how you are so lucky (bc of jing yuan only 10 pull) , I notice there is two types of youn luck:

Alhaitham (and zhongli if I recall correctly, and honorable mention to heizou) : mhm you think it will be that easy? How bold... I would like to see you try

Childe, Kaveh and Jing Yuan: *out of breath * Esteemed Sir! * still trying to catch their breath * We heard you want *deep breath * our presence as soon as possible *another deep breath * HERE WE ARE! Hope we didn't keep you waiting!

AKJBKCJ FER PLS I CAN SEE KAVEH RUNNING AND WHEEZING FR 😭💚

zl was difficult but at least i was lucky on some of his constellation pulls.

haitham? haitham was a nightmare.

my haitham is C2 - i lost every single 50/50 on his banner. my upcoming constellation pulls for his rerun really make me scared. that mf sent me a diluc every single time on his banner last time (my diluc was already C6 at that time so it rlly was pain), if i get more dilucs im going to post bald haitham again istg (i hate him sm)

kaveh was the luckiest ever. literally the first pull i did and i C6 him so easily within 80 saved wishes or so, i feel so loved 🥹 (i love him sm)

(i know once bbg blade comes out he will be a pain as well, i just have his feeling. thats why im saving up already and skipping luocha and silver wolf (i have zero interest for both of them anw LMFAO))

[dustofthedailylife]

I'm having a roommate brainrot about Alhaitham and Kaveh meeting reader's childhood best friend(He or she has a crush on them) and the boys are jealous of the person that is stealing reader's attention

It's okay if you ignore this idea I just simply stayed up all night and got kaveh and Candace on baizhu's banner (I also lost my 50/50 pulls on keqing)

I love your roommate brainrots also can I use this idea so I can make a fan fiction? If that's okay with you of course!! No pressure!!

Your lovely Geo anon♡

(≡^∇^≡)

[-> Roommate AU brainrots]

Hello!! :3 Sorry to hear about your 50/50 loss ;_; but at least you're guaranteed whoever you want next. Also, yay congrats on getting Kaveh! <3

And I mean, I can't stop you to write a fic yourself with the concept, but I honestly don't know how I'd feel if it's derived from what I wrote about it so far since I plan to write a fic with what I wrote myself still and I'm currently in the planning stages of that 😅

Anyway, as for your brainrot! They'd both get so jealous about it, that's for sure!

Maybe your childhood friend was abroad for a long time for their own projects and finally returned to Sumeru. So you both haven't seen each other for several years at that point.

As soon as he is back you and him have a lot to catch up on and naturally spend a lot of time together. He missed you a lot too and frequently sent you letters as well - because aside from appreciating you as their best friend, he has a crush on you. Oblivious like you are you have no idea though.

He invites you out for lunch and dinner dates, goes on shopping trips or day trips with you, and generally clings to you like a bloodthirsty tick. And to you, those trips and dates are nothing more than just spending some time with an old friend, but o him they aren't.

The moment Alhaitham and Kaveh spot him with you for the first time they're seething. It's blatantly obvious that he sees more in you than just a friend. Of course, they're scared you could fall for him as well since you knew each other for so long already after all.

I could imagine Kaveh would be the one who would carefully start to ask questions about the guy (he's being very suspicious with his questions after a while. Lord help me).

And then there is Alhaitham who'd, blunt as he is, just directly ask you if you like the guy.

"Are you in love with him?" "Huh, what? Who?" "Your guy friend who keeps coming over." "What, no! He's just my childhood best friend."

Kaveh would go and argue with Alhaitham that this is not how you'd find something like that out. You can't simply just go and ask someone something like that!

[apollos-olives]

omg fellow prospective al-haitham main... started playing in may and haitham was my first 5 star and he's so fun to play. haitham, bennett/xiangling, barbara, and lisa for the cheapest possible hyperbloom team. currently saving up for kaveh rerun (IT WILL HAPPEN) and for nilou !!! hopefully. currently on the inazuma aq part ii but tbh i really want to get to sumeru... its interesting to talk to another "new" genshin player bc everyone else ik who plays genshin has either been playing since release or already quit (understandable). who else do u have on ur account !!!!

habibi ily anon but i am most definitely not a "new" player. i've been playing since probably 1.3 😭😭 but it's been very off and on so i've quit a bunch of times and have come back to it a ton. but good luck on the inazuma archon quests!!! that shit beat the fuck out of me and i don't think i've recovered tbh. and good luck on getting nilou and kaveh! nilou is rerunning very soon so i hope you get her.

for me, my biggest flex most likely is having aloy and kaveh. i got kaveh on accident over a year ago when he first showed up, and i didn't really give a fuck about him so he's been sitting at the bottom of my characters list for a year 😭😭 i never knew he was the rarest character until i started playing again a couple months ago. and almost no one has aloy since she was a limited free 5 star character at the early stages of the game, so only real genshin veterans have her 🫡. as for my other characters, i have pretty basic ones. diluc, qiqi, chongyun, kujou sara, ninguang, etc. the only limited banner characters i have are just alhaitham and kazuha.