Chapter Text
“You’re sure?”
“I’m certain.”
As soon as Kaveh spoke his certainty, the dam that was holding back Alhaitham’s desire sprung a leak. It washed over his mind, rendering each movement that was supposed to be intentional and thoroughly thought through into something heavy with longing and stained with love.
In a trance, Alhaitham kissed a line down Kaveh’s center, starting between his collar bones and slowly planting one kiss after the next as he traced an invisible path down the middle of Kaveh’s chest, down his sternum, and to the soft skin of his stomach. His hands roamed down Kaveh’s sides, kneading at his waist to draw out soft gasps that Alhaitham wished he could have swallowed with another breathtaking kiss.
Two slender fingers dipped into the waistband of Kaveh’s pants, asking a silent question instead of making an assumption. Alhaitham looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. “Kaveh?” He asked, voice hoarse, as if it had been scrubbed raw by the desire he was barely managing to keep contained.
Kaveh was looking down at him, a crimson blush painted across his face and creeping down his neck, creating an eye-catching background for the pattern of darkening bruises Alhaitham had sucked onto his skin before. Kaveh had said that Alhaitham didn’t know how to appreciate art, but this was a masterpiece Alhaitham wished to view for the rest of his life.
“Haitham,” Kaveh breathed his name in a voice so soft and unknowingly sultry that the flame in Alhaitham’s gut burned hotter just from the sound of it. “Keep going. I can’t— I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Kaveh’s words would have anyone thinking that he was the one who had been waiting for this; that he was the one wanting this so badly that each touch scalded his skin. Unable to resist Kaveh’s requests, as always, Alhaitham bent to his will.
He tugged Kaveh’s pants and underwear down to his knees in one action, watching for any sign of Kaveh changing his mind before removing them completely. There was no such sign, all Kaveh did was take a sharp breath as his half-hard length was met with cold air.
Alhaitham’s eyes were drawn to it—this part of Kaveh that he had yet to see. He pressed an experimental kiss to the base, praising at a low whisper, “Beautiful.”
Kaveh made a soft sound of surprise, eyes blown wide. “Haitham? What are you…?” He propped himself up on his elbows so he could see Alhaitham better, “Are you—?”
“May I?” Alhaitham looked up at him, gaze filled with so much need that he could feel it threaten to spill over.
“You…” Kaveh turned his face away so Alhaitham couldn’t see his expression, biting his lip in contemplation. “If you want to,” he cleared his throat as if giving permission was the strangest part of this situation, “Then go ahead. Just don’t— don’t force yourself, okay?”
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham said as he kissed the side of Kaveh’s length.
Kaveh’s voice hitched in his throat before replying, “Yes?”
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham repeated with another kiss. “Kaveh, Kaveh, Kaveh…”
“Haitham,” Kaveh’s voice shook.
“Kaveh, I’ll ask you again,” Alhaitham told him with a final kiss to the tip. “May I?”
“I— Yes.” The word was hardly out of Kaveh’s mouth before Alhaitham took half of his length into his mouth, causing Kaveh to knock his head back with a sudden moan.
Though Alhaitham had been so adamant on doing this, he’d never done anything remotely sexual with anyone before. Yes, he had thought about it enough, and Archons knew he had read enough books to understand methods that could potentially bring his partner pleasure, but putting it into practice… Well, with the way Kaveh was trying to muffle his whimpers, Alhaitham assumed he wasn’t doing too poorly.
Alhaitham massaged Kaveh’s hips, coaxing him to lift them up and give Alhaitham more. A shaking hand found its way into Alhaitham’s hair, stroking his hair in dazed approval as Alhaitham took him all the way down to the base.
Kaveh took a sharp breath, his gentle hand suddenly pulling Alhaitham’s hair hard as he was caught off guard. Alhaitham moaned around him as Kaveh pulled his hair, finding it oddly pleasurable despite the slight sting of pain it brought.
“Haitham—” Kaveh panted, petting Alhaitham’s hair even softer than before as if trying to apologise for tugging on it without warning. “Haitham, I— Ah, slow down— Don’t— If you keep doing that, I’ll—”
Kaveh was close—Alhaitham could gather that much from his babbling. Encouraged, he helped Kaveh to lift his hips again, trying to get him to match the rapidly quickening rhythm Alhaitham had set. His fingers tightened in Alhaitham’s hair again, drawing low groans from him as he tried to bring Kaveh to the height of his pleasure.
“Haitham— Haitham, I’m close,” Kaveh warned through shallow breaths. He followed Alhaitham’s lead and bucked his hips up, fucking himself into Alhaitham’s mouth. “Ah, Haitham— Haitham, Haitham, Haitham, I— Ngh—!” Alhaitham’s name was the only word on his lips as he finished, spilling into Alhaitham’s mouth.
Kaveh gave a few more half-hearted thrusts as he came down from his peak, melting against the bed sheets as he tried to steady his breathing. He threw one arm over his forehead, the other absentmindedly stroking Alhaitham’s hair. “Pft, what are you doing?” Kaveh gave him a crooked smile, voice hoarse. “Come on, get up, you need to spit that out… Ugh, you should have pulled off! You—”
Alhaitham obeyed, pulling off slowly. He sat back, making sure Kaveh’s eyes were locked on his as he swallowed every drop of come in his mouth. “What, would you rather have come on my face?”
Kaveh flushed again, eyes wide in disbelief, “Why, you—! That’s disgusting! Why would you swallow it?!”
Alhaitham wiped his lip, thinking as he examined the taste left on his tongue. “I would rather swallow it than spit it out. It would be a mess otherwise.”
“Since when do you care about making a mess?” Kaveh chastised him with blushing cheeks. “That can’t taste good… Why would you…? Ugh!” Flustered beyond belief, Kaveh covered his face with his hands.
“I don’t think anyone’s come would be particularly tasteful,” Alhaitham replied as he licked the corner of his mouth. Despite his words, he found himself savouring Kaveh’s flavour.
“Shut up,” Kaveh glared through his fingers. “Oh, but…” he dropped his hands, eyes darting from the bulge in Alhaitham’s pants and away again, “Do you want me to… Well, should I…? I mean, it’s only fair that I help you out since you helped me out! Ah, right…?” He cleared his throat and sat cross legged. “So,” he clasped his hands together, “What should I—”
Alhaitham laughed softly, shaking his head. “I’ll handle it myself,” he said with a smile. He got off the bed, massaging his jaw. “I’ll get you some water. Are you hungry at all?”
Kaveh’s lips had parted, eyes wide with surprise. “I— No, just water is okay, but I can get it myself—”
“Kaveh.” Alhaitham bent down and kissed him softly. “I’ll get it,” he told him again as he pulled away. Seeing Kaveh’s confused expression, Alhaitham considered what he’d just done. “...I probably should have cleaned my mouth before kissing you, huh?”
“No! No, it’s okay!” Kaveh rushed to assure him. “Well, actually— Yeah, maybe that was a little gross, but—” Kaveh cut himself off with a groan, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.
“I’ll go get that water then,” Alhaitham went to leave again, an amused smile on his face.
“Hey, Haitham?”
“Yes?” He looked back over his shoulder to see Kaveh smiling at him; a little hesitant, but warm nonetheless.
“Thank you.”
Alhaitham inclined his head in acknowledgement but didn’t reply, strangely flustered by Kaveh’s words. “We… We can continue this another time.”
Kaveh’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink as he nodded. “Yeah. Another time.”
Alhaitham sighed softly, leaning back in his chair as he read yet another poorly written application before placing it in the pile of all the other rejected papers. He was distracted. He had woken up that morning to get ready for work and Kaveh had still been sound asleep beside him, the morning sunlight filtering in through the windows to frame Kaveh in its gentle rays. The sight had been ethereal, and paired with the love bites littered all over his neck…
A knock at his office door. Alhaitham sat up, flipping through another report, “Come in.”
“Scribe Alhaitham.”
“General Mahamatra Cyno,” Alhaitham returned his greeting. “It’s rare for you to come to my office—what brings you here?”
Cyno placed what looked like yet another application down on Alhaitham’s desk. “A scholar had been trembling outside your door for five minutes with this. I told him I’d submit it to you for him.”
“How kind of you.” Alhaitham looked over the first page before putting it on top of the pile with the other rejects.
Cyno blinked once, his expression blank. “...Aren’t you going to read it?”
“There’s no name written on the application. Who am I supposed to contact if it gets approved?”
“...”
“Is that all?” It was rare for Cyno to come to Alhaitham’s office at all, let alone linger like this.
Cyno’s eyes had narrowed, looking over Alhaitham’s face as if he was studying him. “What’s got you so distracted?” He asked suddenly, crossing his arms over his chest.
“General Mahamatra, I don’t see how this is any of your business—”
“Alhaitham,” Cyno took a seat in the chair across from Alhaitham. “I’m no longer here under Akademiya business, I am here as your friend.”
Alhaitham raised a brow. “If you’re here as my friend, then why visit during working hours?”
“I’m on my lunch break,” Cyno shot back.
“I’m not.”
Cyno laughed under his breath. Half a minute passed before he pointed at the clock, “You always take lunch at noon, right? It’s lunchtime for you now.”
Sure enough, the clock read that it was noon.
“...”
Alhaitham shook his head as he gave in to yet another one of Cyno’s impromptu interrogations. “What makes you think I’m distracted?”
“You look tired, you’re tense, and you’re being more bluntly sarcastic than usual.” Cyno narrowed his eyes again, studying Alhaitham as he leaned back in his chair. “Ah, this is about Kaveh, isn’t it?”
“So what if it is?” Alhaitham knew there was no point in denying anything in front of Cyno.
“Then I’ll ask you what happened.” Cyno tilted his head in thought, “Did you fight? Is he sick? Did—”
“We slept together.”
Cyno pursed his lips, brow furrowing as if he was deeply troubled. “...Yes,” he started slowly, “You said you share a bed, so of course you would—”
“I don’t mean it that way,” Alhaitham cut him off with the clarification, “We slept together.”
“...”
“I gave him—”
“I do not need to know what you gave him.” Cyno pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed in vexation. “You… Did you two get drunk or something?”
“Why would we drink? We have a child to look after,” Alhaitham replied as if it was the most obvious explanation in the world.
“So you were both sober?” Cyno asked again.
“Yes. We were both sober and consenting adults, Cyno.” Alhaitham tilted his head, “I’m not sure why you’re so bothered by this.”
“I’m not bothered by it, I just don’t need—or want—to know about your sex life.” Cyno shook his head to himself before fixing Alhaitham with an almost concerned expression. “I’m not bothered,” he repeated, “But I am worried for you. I know how you feel about Kaveh, and I know your current arrangement with him is a bit muddled, but having sex? Have you two even talked this through?”
Cyno becoming Alhaitham’s voice of reason was not something Alhaitham had ever thought would happen, but here they were yet again. “We will talk about it,” Alhaitham said with feigned certainty. “Before the next time—”
“Next time?” Cyno cut him off again. “Alhaitham, you two can do whatever you want, it’s not my business, but making a habit out of this? You know your relationship isn’t real, right? You remember that?”
Alhaitham almost flinched, ire burning its way through his body. Of course he knew it wasn’t real. He knew he’d gone too far the moment he agreed to let Mehrak stay, let alone the fake relationship, the kissing, and now the sex. Alhaitham knew it wasn’t right, yet…
“I know that well,” he replied shortly. “And you’re right; our arrangement is no business of yours.” He softened ever so slightly, “Thank you, though, for looking out for me. It’ll be fine.”
Cyno’s expression was complicated as he stood to leave. “I sincerely hope it will be.”
Cyno’s words stuck with Alhaitham throughout the day. His relationship with Kaveh was a mess. His feelings were real, he’d known that long before Mehrak was in the picture, but Kaveh’s feelings about him? Alhaitham was more confused than ever.
The more he thought about it, the more bothered he became. Who was Cyno to say if anything was real or not about their relationship? If they were operating purely based on facts, then was Kaveh not technically his fiance? They could be married—they had the license—so what was the issue?
On the other hand, if the marriage license was ignored, it still wasn’t that unusual for Alhaitham and Kaveh to have this sort of arrangement. Alhaitham had read books and heard from others that roommates that are close to each other often make these kinds of relationships—the friends with benefits type of relationships. So, again; what was “wrong" with their relationship?
He could play with the different variables all he wanted, but Alhaitham knew that there was one factor that had not—and likely would not—change:
Kaveh did not return Alhaitham’s feelings.
It was a fact that Alhaitham had long since come to terms with, yet—
“You’re home? Welcome back,” Kaveh greeted Alhaitham at the door with a smile. “How was—”
“May I kiss you?”
“—work?” Kaveh blinked as he processed what Alhaitham had asked. “I— Well, yes, but—”
“But?” Alhaitham waited for him to finish, pulling him closer by the waist.
“But,” Kaveh continued, hands resting on Alhaitham’s chest, “Not until you tell me what’s got you so worked up.”
Alhaitham leaned in, his mouth only centimetres from Kaveh’s lips. “Can’t I kiss my husband?”
He felt Kaveh shiver at the words. “Well,” he started softly, “As long as your husband agrees, I don’t see why you couldn't.”
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham asked again, “May I kiss you?”
Kaveh smiled, purposely hesitating to tease Alhaitham before replying with a simple, “Yes.”
Alhaitham drew him into a searing kiss, trying not to smile as Kaveh moaned into his mouth. Even if Kaveh didn’t have romantic feelings for him, there was no denying that he enjoyed this.
Kaveh hummed in content, hooking his arms over Alhaitham’s shoulders and tangling his fingers in Alhaitham’s hair, massaging his scalp as he pushed closer.
Alhaitham’s hands moved up and down Kaveh’s sides, pulling him impossibly closer as he squeezed his waist, his hips, anywhere that would draw out another one of those airy, almost desperate whimpers.
The kiss grew more heated, each passing moment left them wanting more; a hunger that could be fed but never satiated.
Kaveh tugged at Alhaitham’s hair, Alhaitham pulled their hips together. Drinking in each other’s moans of pleasure as they shared one breath, they mirrored their desire.
Kaveh pulled away, slightly out of breath with flushed cheeks and lips reddened from kissing. “After dinner, should we pick up where we left last night…?”
Alhaitham felt the steadily burning flame of desire within him flare at those words. “Kaveh,” he paused, trying to phrase his intentions without startling him, “If we continue, then we’d likely—”
“Go all the way?” Kaveh bit his lip—flustered, but not anxious.
Alhaitham felt a flutter of nerves as well as he nodded.
Kaveh smiled, almost shy as he kissed him again, soft and fleeting. “I look forward to it then.” He avoided Alhaitham’s eyes as he backed away, clearly embarrassed. “Let’s eat? Uh… Mehrak is waiting in the kitchen.”
Dazed from the kiss and Kaveh’s parting words, Alhaitham stood rooted to the spot for a moment before following after him.
This time, it was Alhaitham waiting in their bedroom while Kaveh put Mehrak to sleep. He stared out the window in a daze. Was this really happening? Cyno was right—there was nothing real between Alhaitham and Kaveh. Was it really okay for Alhaitham to sleep with Kaveh even though Kaveh held no feelings for him? Earlier, he had thought it was alright because Kaveh clearly enjoyed it—he knew what he was getting into with Alhaitham, but did he know that he was getting into it with Alhaitham? Was this a bad decision?
“Haitham?” Kaveh called as he stepped into the bedroom. He held his hands behind his back, leaning against the door to latch it shut as he looked at Alhaitham sitting at the edge of their bed. “Are you alright?”
Kaveh’s top was falling off his shoulder, revealing skin that Alhaitham was jealous the sun got to kiss before he did. Carmine eyes looked at Alhaitham through dark lashes, slowly trailing down his body before making their way back up again. “You look tense.” Kaveh’s tone was soft as a breeze, stirring the desire building in Alhaitham’s gut.
Kaveh took one step forward. Two steps. Three more and he’d practically be in Alhaitham’s lap.
He took four.
Kaveh all but climbed onto Alhaitham, straddling his thighs as he settled on his lap. He rested one hand on Alhaitham’s shoulder, the other carding through Alhaitham’s hair. Kaveh tilted his head, the most delicate pout crossing his features. “Can I help you relax?”
Every drop of doubt drained from Alhaitham, completely swept by the tidal wave of want that was threatening to swallow him whole. “Yes,” he heard himself reply as he held Kaveh’s slim waist in both hands. Fingers curling in the fabric of Kaveh’s top, he added quietly, almost desperately, “Please.”
Kaveh’s lips were on his as quick as the word slipped off his tongue; his mouth hot, fast, and open. He groaned into Alhaitham’s mouth, back arching forward as Alhaitham squeezed his sides, thumbs massaging circles against his hips. Kaveh rolled his hips forward, his hum of discovery falling in harmony with Alhaitham’s breathless gasp of surprise. Kaveh repeated the action, rolling his hips to grind against Alhaitham’s growing arousal.
“You’re already hard?” Kaveh gave him an airy laugh. “How long have you been pent up? Did you even finish yourself off last night?”
Alhaitham didn’t deign any of that with a response. He shifted his hips upwards at the same time Kaveh rolled his hips down, drawing a moan from the both of them. Alhaitham looked up at him through hooded eyes. “You’re not much better,” he replied, voice low as he took in shallow breaths.
Kaveh nipped at Alhaitham’s bottom lip, soothing the sting with a kiss. “Haitham,” he mumbled, voice velvet as he ghosted kisses across his jaw. “Haitham,” he called again, pressing a kiss just beneath his ear. “Haitham,” he said a third time, nibbling at the shell of Alhaitham’s ear.
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham exhaled shakily.
“I want you.”
Alhaitham’s head dropped forward, burying his face in Kaveh’s shoulder. Kaveh had knocked the wind out of his lungs as he said what Alhaitham had been yearning to hear for years. Kaveh was so good at this. He must have been more experienced than Alhaitham—he was calmer, talking all the way through it with a voice of molten honey, yet—
Alhaitham nuzzled against his throat. He could feel Kaveh’s pulse pounding heavy and fast, his body almost shaking with the effort of keeping his heart from pounding out of his chest. Kaveh was nervous too.
“Haitham?” Kaveh’s voice was a bit more urgent, “What’s wrong? Too much? Should we—”
Before Kaveh could suggest stopping, Alhaitham kissed the side of his neck. “I want you too.” He kissed across Kaveh’s collar bone, sucking hickies onto his skin. Maybe they’d peek out from beneath Kaveh’s shirt the next day. Alhaitham wanted to see that.
His fingers played with the hem of Kaveh’s shirt, hesitating before sliding beneath the fabric, pushing it halfway up his torso. “May I?”
Kaveh smiled, nodding before helping Alhaitham to take it all the way off. Alhaitham’s hands were back on Kaveh’s body in an instant, running up and down his back as he kissed the faded marks from the night prior, making new marks right beside them.
“You’re beautiful,” Alhaitham said against Kaveh’s skin. “Beautiful here,” he kissed the cluster of freckles at Kaveh’s shoulder. “Beautiful here,” he repeated with a kiss to Kaveh’s cheek. “And especially beautiful here,” he finished with a kiss to Kaveh’s chest, right over his heart.
Alhaitham heard Kaveh’s breath hitch in his throat. He looked up, a softer, more innocent warmth rising to his chest as he took in Kaveh’s expression. He was flustered.
Kaveh muttered something Alhaitham didn’t catch, avoiding his gaze. “What was that?” Alhaitham asked, lips against Kaveh’s collarbone.
“...You too,” Kaveh repeated. Alhaitham watched his eyes widen as he scrambled to change the topic. He pulled at Alhaitham’s sleeve. “You too,” he said again. “Take it off.”
“...Get off of me first,” Alhaitham told him, reluctantly releasing Kaveh’s waist.
Kaveh crawled off of Alhaitham and onto the bed as Alhaitham stood to take off his shirt. When he turned around, he found Kaveh trying to kick his pants off. Noticing Alhaitham watching him, Kaveh froze, the fabric of both his pants and underwear bunched around his ankles.
“...Well don’t just look at me!” Kaveh stammered, kicking his feet again.
Alhaitham laughed softly, amused by Kaveh’s frazzled state. “Here, I’ll help you,” he offered as he took his own pants. Kaveh’s eyes were fixed on Alhaitham’s underwear, wide and uncertain. Alhaitham scoffed, “What, you want me to take these off now too?” He shrugged and took them off as well, leaving himself bare. He couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his face as he watched Kaveh gape at him. “What?” He asked as he pulled Kaveh’s pants off of his ankles, tossing them into the pile of their discarded garments, “Like what you see?”
“That’s not… That’s supposed to go inside me?” Kaveh asked in disbelief. “I—”
“We’re not doing anything you don’t want to do,” Alhaitham replied, parting Kaveh’s legs so he could lean forward and press a kiss to his forehead. “So tell me, Kaveh, what do you want?”
“I…” Kaveh’s eyes drifted to the bottle of oil on the bedside table. Alhaitham had put it there earlier in case they got this far, but he hadn’t expected it would actually be put to use. “I have to loosen up first, right?” Kaveh asked as he reached out for the bottle. “I’ll—”
“May I do it?” Alhaitham cut him off.
Kaveh looked towards him again, “...What?”
“Let me do it,” Alhaitham rephrased as he grabbed the bottle. “Is that okay?” Kaveh bit his lip nervously as he nodded in response. “Alright,” Alhaitham moved away from Kaveh, “Lay down, spread your legs for me.”
Kaveh laughed breathily as he obeyed. “You sure seem to have a lot of experience with this,” he joked.
“Hm, well,” Alhaitham shrugged as he warmed the oil in his hands, “I’ve imagined this many times.”
Both he and Kaveh froze as the meaning behind those words settled over them. Had Alhaitham not almost admitted to having feelings for Kaveh? Or would Kaveh just take it as a show of physical attraction and nothing more?
It seemed to be the latter. With a delicate flush covering his cheeks and shoulders, Kaveh quietly replied, “Then show me what it’s like in your imagination.”
Alhaitham felt his heart stammer in his chest, his pulse increasing rapidly. The surreality of this situation was enough to make him feel that he was in a dream. He pressed a finger against Kaveh’s entrance, making sure to meet Kaveh’s eyes before going further.
Kaveh was wide eyed with furrowed brows, biting his bottom lip like he was bracing himself. Alhaitham felt his heart soften. “Kaveh, can you relax for me?” He asked gently, circling his finger around the ring of muscle.
“I— I am relaxed!” Kaveh protested.
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham leaned in to kiss him. “Do you really believe that? Are you relaxed?” He asked against his lips.
“I am— Mmph…” he moaned softly into the kiss, reciprocating slowly.
Alhaitham set the pace, coaxing Kaveh into directing his attention onto the present moment rather than what was to come. He could feel the tension in Kaveh’s body melt as they kissed, and Alhaitham took the opportunity to slip one finger in.
Kaveh made a sound—something between a wince and a gasp—and broke the kiss. “Haitham, you—”
“It’s one finger. Are you okay?” Alhaitham could feel Kaveh clenching around him, the nervous tension flooding back into him. Alhaitham pressed kiss after kiss onto Kaveh’s lips, mumbling praises of, “You’re doing so well, Kaveh, you’re doing so well,” as he started to kiss down his neck.
Once Kaveh relaxed again, Alhaitham put a second finger in, drawing out a loud moan from Kaveh. “Ah— Haitham, I—”
“That’s two,” Alhaitham said against the jut of Kaveh’s throat. He moved his fingers in a scissoring action, completely entranced by the sounds Kaveh was making. “Does it feel good?”
“It’s… Ngh— It’s good,” Kaveh replied breathlessly. His hand had found its way to Alhaitham’s hair again, tugging gently, “Haitham, could you—”
“Yes?” Alhaitham met Kaveh’s eyes as he worked him open on his fingers, “What is it?”
“Kiss me— Ah—”
Alhaitham’s mouth was back on his in an instant, drinking in every moan Kaveh let out. He bit at Kaveh’s lip, groaning as Kaveh pulled his hair again. “Adding a third,” he mumbled against Kaveh’s lips, words slurred as he went for another kiss.
“What— Ngh!” Kaveh’s mouth fell open around a moan as Alhaitham added a third finger. “Ah— Haitham, that’s too much—”
“You’re taking it so well, Kaveh. Do you feel good?” Alhaitham asked as he curled his fingers upwards.
“I— Yes, yes it feels good— Right there,” Kaveh moved his hips against Alhaitham’s fingers, trying to take them deeper. Alhaitham hooked his fingers again, Kaveh groaned in pleasure.
“Feels good?” Alhaitham asked again as he spread his fingers. “Do you want more?”
Kaveh nodded, chest heaving as he panted. “More, Haitham, I’m close—”
Alhaitham pulled his fingers out, smirking as he watched Kaveh whine and move his hips in a fruitless search for friction.
“You’re such a tease,” Kaveh complained, the rims of his eyes reddened with unshed tears.
Alhaitham’s smirk softened to a fond smile. “You won’t need to wait long,” he reassured him as he reached for the bottle of oil again. He poured some on his hands, watching Kaveh’s eyes follow his movements as he slowly spread the oil over his length.
As if he felt Alhaitham’s gaze on him, Kaveh’s eyes flickered up to meet Alhaitham’s stare. “What is it?” Kaveh asked with a breathless laugh.
“Can’t I look at you?” Alhaitham asked in return as he placed the oil back on the bedside table. As he lined himself up with Kaveh, pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, “You’re so beautiful, Kaveh.”
Kaveh’s eyes went wide, his lips parting as if he was going to say something before biting on his bottom lip. He hooked his arms over Alhaitham’s shoulders, avoiding his eyes again. “Aren’t you going to…?” He spread his legs a bit more, silently asking Alhaitham to get on with it.
“Impatient as always,” Alhaitham teased. He guided Kaveh’s face to look back at him. “Kaveh,” his voice lost the teasing tone, falling to something husky and deep. “Relax for me.”
“I am relaxed— Ah— Mmph!” Alhaitham kissed him deeply as he pressed himself inside, but both of their mouths fell open around a shared sound of pleasure.
Alhaitham stopped halfway, trying to steady himself. Kaveh was so tight still, even after all of the prep. Alhaitham thought he was going to come right away. With shaking breaths, he asked, “Does this feel okay?”
Kaveh nodded rapidly. “Feels good, Haitham. Keep going.”
As Alhaitham continued, Kaveh drew him back in for another kiss. Once he bottomed out, he stopped moving completely and broke the kiss. “Tell me when it’s okay to move.” Alhaitham looked at Kaveh’s face—eyes dazed and cheeks flushed—and felt his heart squeeze. They were never supposed to go this far.
Alhaitham moved some stray hair away from Kaveh’s face and Kaveh leaned into the touch, smiling at him. “You’re being so patient, Haitham, it’s not like you.” He turned his head to press a kiss to Alhaitham’s palm, “I’m okay with anything, as long as it’s you, so just…” He laughed softly at whatever expression Alhaitham was making, “Why are you looking at me like that? With your eyes this wide, you look so cute— Ah…”
Alhaitham interrupted his words by pulling back slightly and shallowly thrusting back in. Kaveh had snapped the last of his restraint. “Kaveh…” he dipped his head to mouth at the underside of Kaveh’s jaw. “Kaveh, just one more question…”
“What… Ah… What is it?”
“When I finish,” Alhaitham was thrusting deeper now, his pace slowly quickening, “Should I pull out?” He angled his hips to try something else.
“I—” Kaveh cut himself off with a moan, his eyes fluttering shut, “There, Haitham, right there—”
Kaveh clamped down around him and Alhaitham groaned. Distracted by desire, Alhaitham’s focus shifted back to bringing Kaveh to his peak as he tried hitting that spot over and over again. Kaveh’s back arched, his fingers digging into the muscle over Alhaitham’s shoulder blades. “Yes, yes, Haitham, right there— Ngh… Don’t stop, more, deeper—!” Kaveh babbled on, moving his hips in rhythm with Alhaitham.
With Alhaitham repeatedly hitting his prostate, it didn’t take long for Kaveh to near his climax again. “Close, Haitham, I’m so close—!” Kaveh’s fingers dug into Alhaitham’s back, scrambling to pull him impossibly closer.
“I know, I can feel it—I can feel you tighten around me.” Alhaitham reached between them with one hand to wrap around Kaveh’s weeping, untouched cock. Kaveh gave a breathy moan of surprise, instinctively thrusting into Alhaitham’s hand. “You’re so tight, Kaveh. Feels so good, you’ve done so well—” Alhaitham rambled off praises as Kaveh whined beneath him. He lowered his head, sucking on the lobe of Kaveh’s ear before whispering, “Finish for me, Kaveh. Let me see you come undone.”
Those words were all it took to drive Kaveh over the edge. His eyelashes fluttered shut as his eyes rolled back, kiss-bitten lips parted around a cry as he spilled into Alhaitham’s hands and across both of their stomachs.
He tightened around Alhaitham’s dick more as he came before his body went loose with aftershocks. Alhaitham knew he was close too—Now that Kaveh had finished, Alhaitham was chasing his own pleasure. With the sight of Kaveh beneath him—his eyes dazed and eyelashes wet with tears—his climax was building fast.
“Haitham, Haitham…” Kaveh mumbled his name between hushed little moans. His fingers tangled in Alhaitham’s hair and Alhaitham held him with both hands on his waist. “Haitham, come for me. I want to see you come.” Kaveh was looking up at him through his lashes, and though his eyes looked far away, Alhaitham could see that his gaze was trained right on him.
Alhaitham nodded shakily. “I’m close. Kaveh, you never told me where I should— Ngh, you never told me where I should finish. In or—”
“In,” Kaveh pleaded. “Please, Haitham—come inside, fill me up…”
Alhaitham made a sound low in his throat at those words, feeling a last rush of heat curl in his stomach. “Coming, Kaveh, I— Ngh—!”
Kaveh made a sound between a sigh and a breathless moan as Alhaitham came inside him, drawing him in for a slow kiss as Alhaitham rode out his orgasm with shallow thrusts.
Alhaitham reluctantly pulled out of Kaveh as he broke the kiss, smiling slightly as Kaveh whimpered at the loss. He rolled onto his side, holding Kaveh close as he planted kiss after kiss on the top of Kaveh’s head. Kaveh hummed in content and curled in closer against Alhaitham’s chest. Neither of them spoke as they basked in the afterglow, they just followed each other’s breathing until their heartbeats slowed down together, falling into the same melody of peace.
When he could tell Kaveh was dozing off, Alhaitham tried to slip out of bed quietly without Kaveh noticing. Of course, Kaveh opened his eyes as soon as Alhaitham stood up. “Hm…? Haitham, where are you going…?” Kaveh propped himself up on his elbows to watch him.
“I’m going to go get you some water, first of all,” Alhaitham replied softly. “Then I’ll run a bath for you while I change the bedding.”
“I…” Kaveh bit at his lower lip pensively, as if he had something to say.
“Hm?” Alhaitham prompted.
“Why don’t we bathe together…?” Kaveh suggested carefully. “If you’re okay with that of course! If not, then—”
“Kaveh,” Alhaitham interrupted him before he could backtrack too far, “That’s a good idea. Let’s do that, then.”
Kaveh bit his lip again, but this time he was biting back a smile. “Okay. How about I go run the bath then and you come afterwards?”
Alhaitham mirrored his smile, “Sure.” As he watched Kaveh get out of bed, he reached out to support him. “Is your back okay? You’re shaking,” Alhaitham looked over the rest of Kaveh’s body quickly, feeling his heart race as he took in the sight of him—love-bitten and messy.
“I’m fine,” Kaveh waved him off. “We both know I’m no stranger to back pain, but…” He coughed lightly, “Could you get me a towel…?”
“A towel? What for? We already have some in the bathroom.” Alhaitham’s brow furrowed in confusion at the request.
Kaveh sighed, clearly finding the situation awkward. “I can’t get to the bathroom without cleaning up some. It’ll drip over the floor…”
Alhaitham cleared his throat as understanding washed over him. Kaveh was still full of Alhaitham’s spend. “...Right. I’ll get that for you.”
When he returned, he held a towel in one hand and a glass of water in the other. “Here,” he handed Kaveh the water first.
“Thanks,” Kaveh smiled as took a sip of water.
“Do you want me to clean the come out for you?”
Kaveh choked on the water. Coughing, he shook his head, “No, I can do it!” As he caught his breath again, he looked at Alhaitham speechlessly. After a moment, he finally spoke, his expression softening. “I can do it myself, Haitham. Thank you, though.”
Alhaitham nodded. “I just thought that since I did it, I should clean it up—”
Kaveh waved a hand at him to stop him, setting the glass of water down on the bedside table. “Don’t— Don’t worry about it, okay? Besides, since when do you clean up your messes?” Kaveh teased the same way he had the night before as he took the towel out of Alhaitham’s hand and tied it around his waist.
He stepped closer to Alhaitham, raising one hand to cup Alhaitham’s cheek in his palm. “I’ll go run the bath now, okay?” He asked softly, carmine eyes trailing over Alhaitham’s face. His gaze was filled with so much emotion, Alhaitham blinked and looked away before he got lost trying to decipher it.
“Alright,” he replied with a nod.
“Haitham,” Kaveh guided his face back to look at him. Before Alhaitham could ask what he needed, Kaveh kissed him again, soft and slow. When they broke apart, Kaveh looked at him with so much fondness that Alhaitham felt his heart flutter in his chest. Kaveh rose to his tip toes to press a kiss to Alhaitham’s cheek. “I’ll meet you in the bath,” he said with a smile before leaving the room, fussing with the towel around his waist.
Alone in their bedroom, Alhaitham finally came back to himself. The bedsheets were a mess, the room smelled of sex and sweat, and Alhaitham was suddenly aware of Kaveh’s come dried to his stomach.
The evidence of their entanglement was everywhere, yet Alhaitham found himself in disbelief. He and Kaveh had just had sex. Kaveh was waiting to bathe with him.
Alhaitham shook his head as he stripped the sheets off the bed. This truly was too much to process for one lifetime.
Kaveh leaned back against Alhaitham’s chest, knocking his head back to look up at Alhaitham. “Hi,” he finally broke the silence that had been resting over them since Alhaitham had joined him in the bath.
“Hi,” Alhaitham greeted in turn, looking down at Kaveh. He brought one hand out of the water, rubbing his thumb over a hickey on Kaveh’s collar bone. “Once we get out, I’ll help you apply some ointment to these. It’ll help fade the bruises.”
Kaveh shook his head, looking back down at the water again. “There’s no need, I… I quite like them.”
Alhaitham’s heart stuttered. “You…”
“What about yours?” Kaveh asked. “I left quite a few myself, do you want me to help you apply ointment?”
“No,” Alhaitham answered without hesitation.
Kaveh laughed softly and they lapsed back into silence. This time, the silence carried a weight. “Haitham… We should probably talk about this, right? I mean…” Kaveh trailed off with a sigh.
Alhaitham knew that the “this” in question was the sex. Kaveh was right, they did need to talk about it and what it meant for them going forward. However, Alhaitham didn’t push the topic. “Do you want to talk about it now?” He asked instead.
Kaveh sighed again, “I… Maybe in the morning, then? For now, I just want to get cleaned up and go to sleep.”
“Okay,” Alhaitham agreed easily. He pressed a kiss to the top of Kaveh’s head and promised, “Whatever you want.”