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PAST
"I can't understand you!" Kaveh yells at Alhaitham. The two were currently in Alhaitham's room. Kaveh talked about his first year at Teyvat University, but the two got off topic.
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" the silver-haired man replies sarcastically. "Get down on my knees and say 'Y/N go out with me?'"
"No, just be your usual broody self. I'm sure she'd say yes."
"That's what I'm scared of."
"Her saying yes?" your brother asks baffled.
"Yes," Alhaitham sighs. "I'm leaving for college in a month, Kaveh. What's gonna happen when I leave?"
"Long distance relationship," he suggests.
"Those hardly last."
"So you're going to suffer at TU?"
"I won't suffer," Alhaitham replies.
"To think you of all people should know bottling up your feelings isn't healthy," Kaveh says as he pinches the bridge of his nose.
"I'm not bottling up my feelings," the viridian-eyed male quickly responds. "I'm just being honest. Let's I do ask and she says yes, and something happens when I'm gone. I'm won't be there for her, and I'd feel guilty that I can't help her." Kaveh nods his head in understanding.
"So you'd rather wait?"
"Yes. I'll wait for the right time."
"And when is that gonna be?" Silence flooded the room.
"I'm not sure." The blonde sighs.
"A few years ago, your mom told me something that stuck with me. I was nervous about joining that design club in high school, so I asked my parents for advice and told them I didnt' feel confident enough in my skills. Obviously, they encouraged me.
"When I asked your mom though, she asked me why I felt that way, and I told her it just didn't feel like the right time. Do you know what she said? She said there's never a right time for anything unless we make it so." Alhaitham nods, absorbing your brother's words.
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PRESENT
"We're coming!" you yell into the phone. Tighnari, Cyno, and Alhaitham were already at the restaurant where you all agreed to meet. You were currently sitting on your living room couch, waiting for your brother. "You guys know Kaveh's beauty routine can't be interrupted."
"Hey," Kaveh calls as he comes down the stairs. "There's nothing wrong with a little self care." You laugh at your brother as he brushes some stray hairs from his face.
"We'll be there soon," you say into the phone.
"Bye!"
"Come on, we're already late," you sigh as you stand from your seat. Kaveh double checks his pockets, making sure he has his keys, phone, and wallet.
"Okay, let's go."
Together, the two of you walk towards Kaveh's car. He unlocks the door, letting the two of you in. Once he's comfortable, he starts to drive.
"Hey," Kaveh says. "I have a question for you."
"Okay, shoot."
"How's Alhaitham treating you?" he asks. A smile paints your face.
"Alhaitham is amazing," you say in awe. "He always makes sure I'm comfortable, and I do the same. He's treating me well, if that's what you're worried about." Your brother lets out a sigh of relief.
"I have full faith in him, but at the same time, I couldn't help but worry, you know. I mean, it's my best friend dating my baby sister."
"Hey," you exclaim.
"Point is, I care about you, and I don't want him to hurt you. I know he won't do that, but if he does, I'm going to fight him."
"With what?" you snort. "Your briefcase."
"It's dad's briefcase, okay?" the blonde huffs. "It's perfectly respectable."
"Sure, if that helps you sleep at night." Kaveh rolls his eyes.
"You're unbelievable."
"Says the overdramatic sibling." Kaveh let out a gasp as he glares at you. As he does this, the car veers slightly to the left. "Kaveh!" you scream.
"Sorry," he yells back, quickly straightening the car.
"Kav, please pick another time to be dramatic. I don't want to get into an accident tonight."
"We're in my car. I can be as dramatic as I please," he sasses back. You roll your eyes.
"Just get us to the restaurant," you sigh. The two of you sit in silence as Kaveh focuses on the road. The only noise is the soft hum of the radio.
"I'm glad it's Alhaitham," Kaveh says. "Sure, the two of us have our disagreements, but he really does care about you. He always has."
"Thank you," you smile. "I"m glad, too. I'm just surprised he waited that long." Your brother lets out a hearty laugh.
"He would've waited forever for you."
"Yeah, whatever," you roll your eyes.
"No, really. You just don't understand how he talks about you."
"Does he talk about me a lot?" you ask. With a goofy grin, the blonde nods his head.
"You'd be surprised," he laughs. "The way he talks about you is so endearing. It's impossible to fill a single book with all the things he says about you. You'd have to write a whole damn series. So yeah, it's safe to say, he'd wait forever to be with you."
"Wow," you whisper, unsure of what else to say. Silence once again fills the car as Kaveh drives.
Your mind drifts to the paper Alhaitham wrote about you. Six whole pages of his unfiltered thoughts. If he wrote anymore, you probably would've cried. That was the single sweetest thing anyone has ever done for you.
"Damn," you mumble.
"What is it?" Kaveh asks.
"I, uh, still haven't gotten him a Christmas present."
"What?" your brother yells as he stomps on the breaks. At least he was at a stoplight and not in the middle of the road.
"Kaveh!" you yell as you lurch forward in your seat. Thankfully, the seatbelt stopped you from hitting the dashboard.
"You haven't gotten him a Christmas present?"
"Yes," you reply. "I have a few ideas, but I can't narrow it down."
"I can help you narrow it down, if you want," he offers.
"No, you suck at keeping secrets."
"No, I don't!" the blonde defends himself. The red light changes green, causing him to keep driving.
"You do! Remember the time I accidentally broke mom's snowglobe. You swore to keep it a secret but then told her a few days later."
"I was pressured."
"No you weren't. Mom was just looking over her collection!"
"We're geting severely off topic," your brother nags.
"I'll be narrowing down what to get him."
"Better do it fast," Kaveh says. "Christmas is in two weeks."
"Don't worry, I will."
"Oh, I'm supposed to keep this a secret, but I know you're going to like Alhaitham's present for you."
"Kav! You just said you can keep a secret, then spoiled a secret!" you exclaim.
"I didn't spoil it!"
"You did, now I'm going to have expectations," you huff. "I'd rather just be surprised." The blonde rolls his eyes.
"I'm sure whatever you do for Alhaitham, he's gonna love it."
Before you could respond, you feel the car stop beneath you. You two arrived at the restaurant. The big windows of the Puspa Cafe let you and your brother look inside. You could spot Alhaitham sitting across from Tighnari and Cyno in the center of the restaurant.
"Hey, quit staring," Kaveh says. "We can go in you know." You roll your eyes as you step out of the car.
"Come on, we're already late."