#mentally i am in the house of daena along with the coffee cups haikaveh drank

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Kaveh and alhaitham working together during cyno’s story quest is driving me INSANE! Not only because what it means for their relationship in that they are both willing to collaborate once more despite the hurt of their argument and the abandonment of their joint thesis, but it’s HOW they come to work together which is indicative of their past friendship and the promise of reconciliation

When alhaitham and kaveh initially became friends, kaveh notes that although their views are ‘complete’, however their friendship only appears to be deepened when he realises that their views are different, but that this is not a bad thing – their differences in their approach to life is not a reason to fall out over, but rather it serves as a way of strengthening their relationship, as their differences enable for new discussions, speculation and philosophies. These are things to be revered and sought after, which is what causes the two to work together on a thesis, which balances these ‘two sides of the mirror’, language (alhaitham) and architecture (kaveh)

When their friendship ends, it isn’t because these things are inherently impossible to align, it is the assertion of a ‘correct’ philosophy over the other which they each believe will help the other – kaveh believes that alhaitham isolates himself from other people, actively harming him, whereas his collectivism and altruism believes in the benefits of working together, whereas alhaitham, with his individualism and egoism, believes that kaveh neglects himself in order to prioritise others, and that this actively harms him. their friendship effectively ends when the comments become too personal, and kaveh rips up their thesis, renouncing alhaitham, with alhaitham removing his name from the thesis (an analysis of their argument can be found here)

In terms of cyno’s story quest 2, the two banding together in order to research the temple of silence isn’t only relevant because they’re working together once more, it’s how they begin working together which is extremely telling. Kaveh notes the emblem on the note paper which the threat to Cyrus was written on, and he claims that he noticed it because of its unique ‘beautiful’ pattern. He draws the symbol for alhaitham, who recognises the architectural signets within ancient architecture – presumably due to the knowledge gained from his and kaveh’s joint thesis. Alhaitham recognises the emblem kaveh drew as the temple of silence’s, and this is the catalyst for the chain of events which follow

There is an inversion of their mirror motif happening here, with alhaitham identifying architecture in the symbol that caught kaveh’s attention because of its ‘beautiful pattern’ – it is kaveh seeing the beauty of language in emblems and symbols and alhaitham recognising the architecture in the symbol that allows them to uncover the temple of silence’s involvement in the matter, and this is what enables a ‘swift’ resolution of the matter, with a good outcome.

The notion of ‘correctness’, as established within a parade of providence, has been cast aside, and this enables the two to appreciate and appropriate the others’ perspective

ultimately cyno's story quest II makes it explicit that that alhaitham and kaveh are ideally supposed to undergo a reconciliation arc which will allow them to finally balance their viewpoints, as suggested in kaveh's character story 5? Which will not only benefit other people but themselves? They are complete only within each other? HOMOVERSE IM GOING CRAZY