#ive written way too much fluff by now its sickeningly sweet

[love-marimo]

The Theory of Everything (Alhaitham x Reader)

Sumeru city is as bustling as the pitter-patters of rain in its forests. Scholars, merchants, adventurers, thespians, performers and even commonfolk are in harmony with each other ー whether they seek refuge, or a deadline to follow through, or they simply want to entertain themselves and the passersby ー there seems to be a place reserved just for anyone and everybody else. Perhaps that is why it is called the city of wisdom ー it gathers people from all walks of life together to share their knowledge, woes and experiences through their own poem and song.

And you found it perfect. Sumeru is your home, and for sure even wanderers feel their hearts fill with the warmth of belongingness once they step foot in the city.

So when the skies' hue meet the melodies of the Dusk Birds, you gleefully make your way to the Akademiya, where a certain stoic scribe awaits, albeit deniably, for your presence.

Alhaitham heaves a long sigh. Another long day, he thinks to himself. He had just finished signing documents submitted by the scholars of all Darshans that were filed 1-4 days prior. On top of that, he had to attend a meeting with Spantamad researchers in their planned expedition in the deserts of Sumeru.

So, to say that he wants to relax at his home and continue reading one of the science fiction books you gifted him (he loves it very much, thank you)… is an understatement.

Since his working hours are coming to a close, he decided that he'll take a minute or two to relax before heading home. Leaning back on his chair, he rubbed circles on his temples and closed his eyes.

For a while, he seemed like a content cat, enjoying his solitude.

So when he heard your loud voice greeting the scholars who are on their way home, as if he practiced this a thousand times (he didn't, he genuinely just doesn't want you seeing him slipping up), he immediately grabbed his pen and a few papers to pretend that he's doing something productive.

Which he does ー he always does, and you always tell him that he doesn't seem to notice it.

"Is he still here?" You ask, and a faint voice replies to you just outside his office.

"Good! Take care on the way home." You replied before opening the door to his office.

Alhaitham doesn't know how to respond, you always surprise him and it's always at times when he would much rather be alone.

But can he blame you? You always end up bringing much better company than his own solace offers.

Again, he's too aloof to admit it to you, but he enjoys being with you. He wishes you seek him like this forever.

"Knock, knock~" You smile, voice suddenly as gentle as the breeze. As if you knew how to read the room, you quietly walked towards the chair in front of his desk.

"Hello." Alhaitham fixed the papers and placed them back where they came from.

"You were pretending to sign them just now, weren't you?" You leaned your chin on top of your hands.

Alhaitham lets out a breathy laugh, as if he surrenders to your receptive eyes.

You laugh with him as well, getting up to walk behind his chair.

"Close your eyes." You say, and he does so. You fish your pocket for the ointment you bought from a travelling merchant from Liyue.

He wishes you don't see the smile plastered on his face, lest he'll wish for the ground to eat him alive.

"This one is made from the extract of Silk Flowers, Glaze Lilies and Lotuses. I hope you don't mind the fragrance. This was from a merchant from Liyue. He said it's good for headaches. Too bad you didn't get to visit his stall. It was amazing, really. He even sells this beautiful reddish silk robe. I didn't buy it of course, I've been saving up for the new novel series of this author I've been hearing about for a while. Though I really wanted it…" You rambled, and he finds your soft voice pleasant. It was as if he was listening to a songbird sing him to sleep.

You massaged his temples with the ointment, and a comfortable silence befalls between the two of you.

"You know you could be doing other important things right now." He finally says.

You flick his forehead.

"Are you implying that I'm wasting my time when I'm with you?" You bite back.

"You do nothing whenever you come here."

"Well, what do you do when you come over to my place? Nothing, so do not talk me out of visiting you in the Akademiya. Besidesー"

"I commend your promptness. You come here just right after I am through with my working hours." Alhaitham holds back a laugh.

A pause.

"Besides, I am well liked by the scholars and sages here ー is what I was about to say… Unlike you." You smile, awaiting his response.

"…Can I see the ointment?" Alhaitham changes the subject, a silent acceptance of defeat. You laugh and hand it over to him.

Wrapping your hands around his nape, you rested your chin on his shoulder.

"Feel any better now?"

"I like its mild scent. Did you buy a perfume version of this?" He asked.

"I did. I'll wear it every time I come to Surasthana. I can finally smell like the flowers there." You chuckle, stroking his hair.

"We should go." Go home, is what he meant.

"Perfect! I was about to invite you to come to the Razan Garden." A misinterpretation, coming from your end.

"And stay there until you fall asleep on me? You seem to treat that place as your second bedroom." In truth, he really doesn't want to go. He is exhausted and he wants to finally be able to do nothing and fall asleep.

Yet here you are. The bluish glow of the flowers in bloom blend in with the color of the starry night sky.

"Ta-da! They're in full bloom. I tended to these flowers for months. What do you think?" You cheered.

"Impressive. Here, rub the ointment on your wrists. You told me you want to smell like flowers." Alhaitham returns the ointment to you and you smile.

You both take a seat on the bench to admire the city.

Alhaitham stares at your figure, engulfed by the tranquility of the sanctuary ー both the place and the being, which to him is you.

"Haitham, do you believe in gods?" You were staring at the stars.

"I do. I believe that gods and humans should be treated as equals. I do not see the point of bowing down to such deities… Offerings made for their honor… I believe it encourages pride and self-righteousness amongst the devotees themselves, whether they are aware of it or not." Alhaitham replies.

"What if they didn't exist?"

"Then we will inevitably create ones among us."

You pondered about his reply for a moment, and he admires the way you put your fingers on your chin. How adorable, he wishes to tell you.

"Why?" You face him and seated yourself in between his thighs, head resting on his chest.

"Humans are dogmatic creatures who seek order. Even if we evolve into a society who does not serve a ruler, we will still follow a set of laws, either implemented by us or the gods themselves." He replies, and when you fall deeper into your thoughts, he adds,

"We each define order in different ways, but in the end we will always seek the common ground. No matter how stubborn one is, they are bound to seek people who are similar to them, but of course this isn't always the case."

You gather your thoughts and Alhaitham kisses your cheek.

"I haven't thought of that before."

"I'm surprised. You've read too much philosophy and fiction. I thought you'd be into these things more than I am."

You brow twitches and you look up at him.

"Is that an insult?"

"I am only describing what I have observed."

You sigh at his reply, now it is your turn to accept defeat, and to that he chuckles.

"Do you know why I love to travel a lot?" Alhaitham hums in reply.

"I want to discover the edge of Teyvat. Even if in reality, it's the last place I'm going to step foot into. To know the stories and secrets of different nations… fuels a beautiful passion in my heart."

Alhaitham suddenly hugs you tight. Was it out of endearment? Fear of not seeing you again? Admiration? You didn't bother reading too much into it, for all you know it could be all those things all at once.

So you enjoyed his presence and held his arms in return.

"We are as old as the stars. The iron in our blood… the nitrogen in our DNA… do you find it bittersweet that what embodies our lives were once in the hearts of dying stars?"

Alhaitham ruffles your hair, satisfied with your rhetoric.

"And once we pass on for the next generation to take place, the cycle continues." He agrees.

The noise of the city echoes beneath you.

Beautiful. That is one word that Alhaitham would describe you and being around you.

You could talk and ponder about anything and you never get tired of asking him questions that even he doesn't have a definite answer to.

He enjoys it. He enjoys pondering about life with you.

"You sure love to think about the General Relativity and Quantum theory by relating the cosmos and human life." He describes.

"I don't think it's supposed to be that way. Quantum theory mostly deals with atoms and particles."

"I know. I was just trying to create metaphors."

"Well…aren't they scientific?" You attempted to pull a joke.

"That's very funny." He says sarcastically, and you laughed.

"Hey, Haitham."

"Yes?"

"If you believe in gods… do you believe in my beauty?" You sat on the railing and you wiggled your brows at him expectantly.

He sighs. He doesn't just believe in it, because it's the truth. And what else are you supposed to do with the truth?

Being with you feels like time speeds and slows down altogether. He always finds himself wishing for it to last, yet he also wants it to be over to save room for a new moment with you.

"Stop asking pointless questions." He reprimands.

"But, Haitham~ I want to know."

"You already know the answer to that."

"Eh, I want to hear it from you. I cannot have my own mind drown in my delusions."

Alhaitham laughs. "Well, that happens. You like to think about farfetched things."

"That's not funny!" You pout.

Alhaitham looks into your eyes and smiles at you.

"I believe in it."

Your eyes light up, gesturing for him to continue his answer.

"I believe in your beauty. The theory of everything is nothing compared to the moments I share with you." You may or may not sense it, but his heart was beating out of his chest. It's a wonder how he managed to say that without breaking character.

"Hehe, that's more like it." You smiled and peppered kisses on his face, to which he chuckled in reply.

He doesn't want to say it out loud, but you make him want to believe such a unification of the larger and the microscopic aspects of the world and the cosmos. You make him want to stop questioning everything.

He will give you the world and bend the laws of nature if you so wish. But you're too fickle-minded and frankly, he'd rather not do that too.

He loves you and himself enough to not do such ruthless things. He likes the comfort of his current life and where it's heading.

Especially because you're in it, so he'd prefer not to cause unnecessary disturbances to ruin your relationship.

The summer night's winds course through your bodies. You shiver slightly in his hold.

"We really need to go home now." He finally decides.

"Sure, I really just wanted you to see the flowers I worked so hard on maintaining." You say casually, yawning, as if you didn't have a deep conversation just a while ago.

Yes, you truly are fickle minded. Alhaitham smiles to himself.

ー Lolita