[Alhaitham x Kaveh: One Shots(?)] Through The Torn Pages And Crumbled Buildings

Replay.

Summary:
When all things come to a near end, would you wish to replay it again? To remember? To feel? To love once more?

⚠️ Warning:
Mentions of death. Proceed with caution.

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The world was empty, cold. Dark clouds hung on the sky, covering the once lively sun. Droplets of rain befell onto the turquoise feather cradled in the trembling fingers of the gray haired man. In his defeated eyes, life did not shine. Life did not live there as it used to. He could only look at the crumbling world around him. His crumbling world. The man could only shut his eyes as he sat at the roots of an old tree whose leaves fell all too soon.

When his eyes fluttered open, the storm was no longer. The birds chirped and sang their little songs of joy. The tree stood tall, leaves adorning a healthy green. His hair was not fully gray, but a lighter shade. His hands held an open book, its pages flipping from the wind.

In the distance, feet stomping heavily onto grass was heard. A spot of blond came into view. Slowly did it enlarge till he saw a blond haired man with a sour expression standing in front of him. "Haitham! Why in Teyvat are you here again?! You do know it's tough to come up this hill, right?!"

"Kaveh, I was merely resting before you came along. What could you possibly need this time? If there is nothing to discuss, allow me to read my book in peace without you interrupting." Alhaitham rolled his eyes before tearing his gaze away from Kaveh and returned to his book. It was a rather interesting one and he had calculated that it would take him two hours and thirty five minutes without disturbances in his way. Though, he might need to add a few minutes in. Kaveh was inevitable.

"I- you! Damn it, Alhaitham! Stop being so rude to your husband! Show me some respect, would you?"

A smirk made its way to his lips. "Marrying an intolerable person like you is already respected."

"Haitham! Whatever, here. Take it. You didn't eat lunch today." Kaveh said as he pushed a plastic container towards Alhaitham in which he accepted. "There's a chicken cutlet in there imported from Inazuma. They call it 'Chicken Katsu' or something like that. Thought you'd like it."

Alhaitham raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you're using my Mora again?" He opened the lid as Kaveh was on his insult rampage. To say the scent was good was an understatement. The crispy chicken cutlet along with the rice made Alhaitham consider why he hadn't proposed to the blond earlier. He picked up the plastic spoon nestled between the food and the container, and ate with Kaveh abruptly stopping his rant to look at his face.

"How is it?" He sat down by his husband's side, hand holding up his chin as he squinted his eyes and stared down at the container.

The man chewed and swallowed, spoke. "It tastes... lovely, unlike you." Setting aside the container, his hands reached out for Kaveh's shoulders, drawing him closer.

"Excuse m-?!" A pair of lips met Kaveh's own, and was pressed against Alhaitham's chest. His back was wrapped with the Scribe's arms, warm, inviting.

"Your shrieks harm my ears even though I'm deaf."

Bewildered by the unexpected insult, Kaveh scrunched his face. "We were having a moment!" He huffed. "For Archons' sake, stop being so rude!" Alhaitham only replied with a chuckle. His hands made their way to the blond's hair, ruffling them, indulging in their presence until he let go. Alhaitham lifted the yelping Kaveh up and plotted him in his lap, disregarding the protests his husband had made.

Out of breath, Kaveh dismissed the thought of another anger-filled insults. It was going to be futile anyways. Alhaitham would always shut his hearing aids off and ignore him for the better part of the day. He stayed lying against his husband's broad chest, hearing the soft beats of his heart and the occasional gentle puffs of air grazing against his revealed neck. Kaveh sighed.

"Wish this moment could stay forever, Haitham! It's so peaceful. What a nice day. Hey, what if the Akasha Terminal could store memories? We could keep on replaying this once we're older. Wouldn't that be fun?" Kaveh said as he leaned back and twirled his husband's light gray hair with his fingers.

"Dreams don't always come true. It is best to stick to reality, Light Of Kshahrewar."

"I know, but what if?" A curious gaze and smile dawned on Alhaitham.

"It might be a possibility. However, it is a rather foolish move to tinker with the Akasha."

"It isn't foolish! Archons damn you, Haitham!"

He scoffed at the childish-like behavior. "Archons damn you as well." There was no angry response this time, only a groan and a little laugh through amused lips.

Alhaitham looked back at his husband, hands gripped as he saw Kaveh flickering from existence. A blue screen appeared in front of him. It asked a simple question.

The day was no longer shining, it had returned to storm and lightning. Water and broken sobs mixed, damping his gray hair and the remains of Kaveh's past. The tree they once sat under became barren of its leaves once more. It had ended. Kaveh was no longer in his lap, his smile had vanished. Beside Alhaitham was not his book nor the container, but an upright stone with words delicately engraved.

His fingers traced the dusty yet beautifully carved words on the stone. "Kaveh, beloved friend and husband." He continued to guide his hands down until it met with a sentence he wished had never read. "Death by murder during a desert expedition."

How long has it been? Years? Decades? Alhaitham couldn't remember. His days as the Akademiya's Scribe was long over. He twisted the silver ring on his middle finger, noticing the wear and little scrapings on the ring. Had it been really that long since he passed?

The blue screen appeared in his vision. It asked a simple question. Alhaitham gently kissed the tear-soaked feather. He answered.

"Replay."