Work Text:
Kaveh steps off the bamboo raft at Yilong Wharf, relishing in the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet.
It’s been a busy week for him. It started with his monthly check-up from Tighnari, who supposedly detected more stress than usual. “You’re not getting any younger, Kaveh. Maybe it’s time to settle down, take a breather.” Kaveh merely waved away his words. He was urged, and further threatened, to take a vacation before his health truly took a turn for the worse and, knowing he wouldn’t ask for leave from Madam Faruzan himself, Tighnari put in a form for him that was approved in no less than 3 working days. When he asked her about it, Faruzan said she was “pleasantly surprised” he was finally taking time for himself.
However, almost as much of a workaholic as he, she recommended him for one final commission before he went on holiday, claiming it’d be “on the way”. He took that to mean it’d be in Sumeru, so that he could still make the easy trip from Bayda Harbor to the wharf at the foot of Mt. Mingyuan without much fuss. Not Qingce Village. In Liyue.
The trip from Sumeru City to Qingce Village was not an easy one, the pain in his legs only lessened by his client's glowing smile when he showed her his blueprints. From there, he took a cart into Chenyu Vale, accompanied by a lot of walking, and here he finally is in Yilong Wharf. He waves to the boathand as they part from the pier, and nearly collapses when he tries to take a step.
He takes hesitant steps forward, a group of workers nearby shooting him sympathetic glances. The feeling of pins and needles disappears quickly, though his joints still ache, and he weaves through town guards and merchants, the cobblestone path uneven under his feet. The smell of lotus and wet stone hangs heavy in the air, and he can hear the pounding of the waterfalls close by. In the slow ascent of the elevator, he mentally notes the amount of water wheels they use, plus the elevator’s pulley system which is incredibly similar to Port Ormos’, writing it in his pocket notebook to tell Madam Faruzan about it.
The upper area of the town is positively bustling. There’s a stage play happening on a large stage in the middle of the town square, two men parrying each other’s obviously rubber swords, and many people hurry past him with large crates in their arms. Stall vendors and store owners call out, the smell of tea leaves and smoked fowl catching his attention. His feet move by themselves and before he knows it, he’s settled into a small table with his Chenyu brew and tea-smoked squab, watching the dramatic retelling of a popular children’s tale.
Eventually, he goes to check-in to his accommodation, a small house at the top of a shared staircase, unpacks his things and takes a moment to take in the view before stepping back out into the streets. The sun is setting so, pulling his cape tighter around himself, he sits down in an empty chair a short ways away and watches a stage opera that nearly brings him to tears. He doesn’t understand Liyuean or its many dialects but the girl’s tone, the sadness in her voice, it’s enough to make him dab at his eyes discreetly. With a final trembling note, lanterns flicker to life overhead and float through the air. Children around him gasp and start to chatter loudly, mixed with the sound of enthusiastic applause, but all of Kaveh’s attention is on the lanterns that hang in the sky like stars. From where he’s sitting, they disappear behind a row of maple trees, but the red leaves beam like dancing flames. Kaveh sighs in content and orders a steaming hot cup of tea.
The next few days are a blur.
So caught up in his work in the weeks leading up to his vacation, he completely forgot Liyue was nearing its Lantern Rite festival. He ventures out of the town in the first couple days, staying out of the way of preparations. He treks up to Yilong Dais to light incense for good luck in his career, takes photos of the Jademouth in the sun, the cloud, and the rain, and joins a three day trek to visit Chizhang Wall and Mt. Lingmeng, stopping in Qiaoying Village to learn about the origins of Chenyu adeptea. Kaveh takes photos of everything: ruins, trees, Jademouth, the steep drops along the side of the road. Though his legs are screaming in pain, he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
In the evenings, he winds down with a strong Chenyu brew and pulls out his sketchbook and watercolours to paint the scenery. Fireflies float around in little clusters, shining like gold in the air, and the stars have never been brighter. In the distance, he can hear the cheerful squeals and shouts of people playing in the river. With a full view of the milky way, he photographs it, paints it, burns it into his memory. With a wistful sigh, he wonders if his mother sees the same night sky he does, he wonders if his father can see him from all the way up there.
When the main day of the festival arrives, Kaveh packs away his sketchbooks and pencils to join in with celebration. He braids his blond hair and pins it up, swipes kohl over his eyes and a pink tint over his lips. Stepping out on the streets, he drinks alcohol that burns all the way down, and sings songs with complete strangers. When the moon is high in the sky and everyone is slumped into chairs, having tired themselves out from celebrating too hard too early, the young opera singer takes to the stage once more and sings so beautifully that tears streak down Kaveh’s cheeks by the time she's finished. A stranger seated next to him hands him a tissue, giving him a knowing look. “Ms. Yun has that effect.”
They introduce themselves, though Kaveh can’t quite remember their names. It’s on the tip of his tongue, really! He starts mentally referring to them as Ponytail and Freckles, one of them having split-dyed brown and red hair in a short ponytail, while the boy he had his fingers entwined with had pale skin with extremely pronounced freckles. A tan girl takes to the stage, playing a loud rock song, and Ponytail pulls him and Freckles to their feet, insisting they loosen up a bit. They dance into the night, cheering on Ponytail who flips, somersaults and windmills into the early dawn.
Another handful of days pass as Kaveh finally visits the waterfalls, buys trinkets and other small items for his friends back home, and gives himself headaches thinking about all the work waiting for him in Sumeru. Floating along the Bishui River on a bamboo raft he’d rented out, he gazes up at the towering jade pieces, the sun winking at him from behind, and sighs quietly.
Sunset approaches quickly, the pink and orange sky making the glow of the Jademouth even more vibrant, almost otherworldly. Kaveh steers himself to a small bank and anchors his raft, dumping his satchel on the ground and lying down in the soft grass to watch the clouds float by. Staring up at the bell tied to the Jademouth, he remembers a local legend - “if you pray to the Jademouth, it will grant you luck in love”. He overheard it from one of the boathands while renting out his raft, and Kaveh wants to believe him - the Jademouth can't be this imposing with nothing else to it - but its just a legend, that's all it'll ever be. Interesting, but not likely, he thinks. He hears a splashing sound and frowns, glancing out at the river but seeing nothing. He must be going crazy, all of his late nights and shots of fire-water have finally caught up to him.
He closes his eyes, throwing an arm over his face. A soft breeze rustles the grass around him, the sound of the river lulls him into a daze, and he dozes off.
When he awakes, it feels like too short of a nap. He cracks an eye open, noticing how dark it’s become, and pulls himself up, scrubbing at his eyes drowsily. His hair has come undone, braid smacking him in the face when he looks around. There’s another splashing sound, closer, louder, and he sighs, glancing out into the river. He doesn’t expect to see a pair of curious eyes staring back at him, shimmering the colour of clearwater jade.
“Ah!” Kaveh jolts, heels digging into the dirt. The man darts underwater, also startled by Kaveh’s shocked cry. Hesitantly, Kaveh crawls closer to the water’s edge and peers into the water, blinking at the glowing teal eyes staring back at him. He resurfaces, squinting at Kaveh warily, and rests his arms on the grassy bank.
“W-What…” Kaveh murmurs, eyeing the other man curiously. His silver hair drips onto his shoulders, tan skin reflecting the soft light of the Jademouth. He’s covered in teal scales that flash crimson when he shifts, his ears are spiked, adorned with dangly shell earrings, and a long tail stretches out behind him, ending in a large frilly tailfin that floats atop the water peacefully. Kaveh glances away, covering the bottom part of his face with a hand. He feels his cheeks heating up, no doubt the flush is spreading over his ears and down his neck. Clearing his throat, he peeks over at the (mer?)man from the corner of his eye. “What are you?”
“How inane.”
Kaveh whips his head forward, openly gawking at the other man. One of his hairclips falls into the grass, which unravels his hair more until it sits loose on his shoulders. Ignoring the way the man’s voice gives him goosebumps and makes his arm hair stand on end, his blood boils. Behind the big, shiny doe eyes, there’s a glint of something smug. Kaveh huffs, pushing his hair out of his face with a flourish and frowning down at him. “Inane? Me? I’m simply asking you a question.”
“A foolish one. Do you not have eyes?”
“My eyes work perfectly fine, thank you!" Kaveh huffs, affronted. "Archons, what an attitude…” He mutters, choosing to look away and watch the reeds sway in the breeze instead. His attention is snatched away when the merman adjusts his tail, the water bubbling and swirling with every small movement as it rests just under the surface of the river.
“Attitude?” His eyebrows furrow slightly, and his nose scrunches. He looks genuinely confused, like he doesn’t know what Kaveh’s speaking a different language. He pouts unconsciously, and Kaveh has to look away before he does something stupid like kiss a stranger. Wait, what? He looks back up at Kaveh, gaze unwavering. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You can’t be serious.” Kaveh groans. He originally came out onto the river to relax, lay in the grass of a lone bank and listen to the sounds of nature surrounding him. Instead, he’s gotten stuck with an overgrown fish with an extremely unfair face and a terrible attitude. He peers at the other man from under his eyelashes, rolling his eyes at the neutral expression on his face. “Ugh. Whatever.”
Kaveh flops back into the grass with a grunt, taking a deep breath and gazing up at the stars. Chenyu Vale, and especially Bishui RIver, has the least amount of light pollution he's ever seen while travelling, the moonlight washes over him so brightly. He breathes deeply, the smell of wet stone and incense reaching him even from the middle of the river. Scattered lanterns drift overhead, a remainder from the night's festivities, and the little jade charms that hang from them jingle softly. A quiet gasp catches his attention and he glances down at the water’s edge, noticing the way the other man’s mouth parts in awe as he watches the lanterns float through the sky.
“Have you ever seen a lantern before?” Kaveh asks, peering over at him curiously. Wide teal eyes land on him again, and Kaveh’s eyebrows twitch. How is it possible for someone to have such big, expressive eyes with the most deadpan expression he’s ever seen?
“Those are lanterns?” He says it carefully, like he’s testing how the word feels in his mouth. Kaveh nods and he hums. “I’ve heard of them but no, I’ve never seen one. I don't come to the surface often. You have seen them before?”
“Uh, occasionally. I’m not really from around here.” Kaveh scratches his nape, glancing away. When he looks back, the top half of the man’s body is on the grass. Kaveh watches him crawl closer warily, deciding to shuffle forward to the water's edge before the other man ends up fully beaching himself.
“Where are you from?” He asks. Kaveh stutters, hesitant. “Stop thinking so hard. Do you not know where you live?”
“Of course I do!”
Kaveh begins telling the other man about Sumeru, about Port Ormos and all of the renovations he played a part in designing, about his small one-bedroom house near the river. He talks about the arch bridge with a view of the ocean, the lighthouse, which has since become a heritage site since it was fixed up, and the second floor of his favourite tavern which has seen many lonely nights from him, all overseen by the Light of Kshahrewar. The other man’s eyebrow has a questioning arch, and when Kaveh elaborates, he hums quietly.
“What? What’s the issue now?”
“Buildings should be finished when they are first created, no? Why spend currency ‘renovating’,” he uses air quotes, which further irks Kaveh, “when the building should already be completed?”
“Well, because people might be unhappy with their house’s layout, or they might lack the space they need, or getting around may be inconvenient. The port’s bridge was built due to traversal concerns, and the tavern had to be renovated to have a second floor due to max capacity.” the merman nods, seemingly accepting the explanation. Kaveh sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That, and I wouldn’t have a job if not for the renovations.”
Swiftly moving on before he has to create more explanations, he mentions his childhood and his parents, his love of architecture from his mother and his love of photography from his father, and how he moved to the port after his mother moved away to Fontaine. he doesn't mention the sleepless nights, the wet patches he would cry into Tighnari's jacket, the way the Palace crumbled in his hands. The silver-haired man listens with rapt attention, asking questions and nodding along while Kaveh rambles on about his life. He says that the water in Fontaine is supposedly very cold and Kaveh agrees, swallowing the lump in his throat.
The moon climbs high into the sky, the stars twinkle silently, the river laps at the shore like it wants to listen in. Kaveh talks and talks and talks. He eventually lets his name slip, which the other man asks him about. "What is that?"
"What is what?"
"A Kaveh. What is that?" Kaveh tilts his head in confusion. He hadn't told the merman his name, how does he know that? With a start, he realises - he never introduced himself.
"Oh! That's my name. My name is Kaveh." He stumbles over his words in his haste to get them out. He feels the fierce flush that licks at his cheeks, spreading down his neck and over his ears. The merman hums, saying his name over and over until it flows from his lips unstilted. "Um. What's yours?"
"My name? Alhaitham." Kaveh is surprised that his name is so... normal? Alhaitham asks him another question about Sumeru, which devolves into an argument over whether Sumerian water quality or Liyuean water quality is better. Alhaitham is stubborn, frustratingly so, and after his last extremely uncalled for comment, he notices the way Alhaitham’s eyes droop and the way his words slur when he talks.
“Are you tired?” Kaveh murmurs, not wanting to startle him. Alhaitham groans, shaking his head. Kaveh hides the beginning of a smile behind his hand, not wanting the other man to see how amused he is, lest they start bickering again.
“How are you not? It's so late.” Alhaitham squints up at him, eyebrows furrowed. Kaveh’s hit with the urge to smooth out the crease between them with his thumb, and let his fingers smooth back the damp locks of silver hair that hang in his face. He crosses his arms to prevent reaching out. What is wrong with him tonight?
“Magic?” Kaveh chuckles. Truthfully, he's a night-owl, but he's unsure whether or not Alhaitham knows that term and the man's unrelenting curiosity probably won't let Kaveh leave until he fully explains himself, which could take hours with all the side conversations they'd started from completely different topics. Kaveh stumbles to his feet, pulling his satchel over his shoulder. Alhaitham watches him, slowly crawling back into the water. Kaveh clambers back onto his raft, lifting the makeshift anchor and letting the current pull him into the middle of the river. “You should get to bed. Say, do you, like, sleep in a giant clam or something?"
“Don’t be ridiculous,” is Alhaitham's automatic response. Kaveh laughs loudly, unrestrained, and Alhaitham suddenly looks a lot more awake than he was seconds ago. Taking the oar from the front of the boat, Kaveh prepares to move forward but nearly falls forward when his boat jolts. He turns to see Alhaitham holding onto the back of it. Kaveh blinks, it's almost like he's... glowing?
“What are you doing? I thought you were tired, you should go home.” Kaveh frowns. Alhaitham’s eyes dart around frantically, like he’s looking for something. “Alhaitham?” He startles, gazing up at Kaveh. Their eyes lock, vermillion searching teal-crimson swirl. Alhaitham breathes out slowly and hesitantly reaches out for Kaveh, his webbed fingers wrapping loosely around Kaveh’s ankle.
A series of vibrant colours, bright flashes and blurry images appear in rapid fire, speeding past like a whirlwind behind Kaveh’s eyes. Him and Alhaitham eating dinner at the pier together, him and Alhaitham pressing in close with an inch between their faces, him showing Alhaitham his newest commissions, Alhaitham meeting his mother. White petals, fluffy pink clouds, purple padisarahs woven into Alhaitham’s hair. He stumbles, falling backwards onto his raft with a thump. Alhaitham lets him go, looking equally as dazed.
“W-What was that…” Kaveh groans, holding his head in his hands as he curls into a ball, knees touching his forehead. Alhaitham’s head appears next to him, a grimace plastered across his face. They lock eyes and Kaveh’s head pounds. Alhaitham reaches out hesitantly before laying his hand on Kaveh’s side comfortingly, a calloused finger brushing the sliver of skin from where Kaveh's shirt has ridden up slightly. They gasp at the same time.
Kaveh on a skiff, Alhaitham swimming below, his scales reflecting the mid-summer sunlight. Alhaitham weaving a crown of shells and scales, placing it upon Kaveh’s head with the fondest look he’s ever seen. Alhaitham pulling him in by the waist, calloused fingers rough against his bare skin. Swimming with Tighnari and Cyno, the latter with floaties around his biceps while Alhaitham tries to teach him to tread water. A picnic date at the water’s edge where Kaveh made matching waterproof lanterns for the two of them so that Alhaitham can take it underwater with him. Alhaitham comforting a sobbing Kaveh with a firm hand between his shoulder blades, biting his lip to hold back his own tears. Kaveh with a shiny Trishiraite ring on his finger, Alhaitham grinning boyishly next to him.
The images blur more and more until they fade into each other and disappear, though they linger in the back of his mind like memories. Kaveh sucks in a deep breath, focusing on the solid warmth of Alhaitham’s hand. Slowly, Kaveh pulls himself up. Alhaitham is already looking at him. They stare at each other for a while, wearing matching frowns. They’d only met a handful of hours ago, but now they’re seeing the life they’re supposed to have together. How is he meant to deal with any of this?
A gentle green mist showers over them, floating closer like tiny fireflies. When it touches Kaveh’s skin, it pops and leaves a shimmer on his skin that leaves him feeling warm. He gapes, watching it flow from the giant jade bell tied to the Jademouth. Beside him, Alhaitham breathes out in awe.
“The Jademouth’s Blessing. I’ve heard of this.” He gazes up at it in wonder, eyes sparkling as he takes in the glow around them.
“What?! Isn’t that just a local legend?” Kaveh squawks. He gets overwhelmed often, from clients that push their expectations on him or from the bustling crowds that Sumeru holds on its streets. At the end of the day, at least he knows that he can decompress in bed, his cat Mehrak laying on his back as a grounding weight. Now, he’s in the middle of a river, far away from home. He can feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes and his hands are starting to tremble. Alhaitham must hear his sharp inhale because he turns to Kaveh, eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“No, a lot of couples get together here. Apparently, many people pray to the Jademouth. It seems to work.” Alhaitham murmurs, the crease between his eyebrows getting deeper as he notices how red Kaveh’s cheeks are and the way tears threaten to fall from his eyes. “Are you… okay?”
“No! Of course I’m not okay!” He explodes, hands flying up. His tears start to fall, streaking down his cheeks. “This is all happening so suddenly, I only met you a few hours ago! How are you so fine with this? This is crazy!” He rambles, voice cracking. Alhaitham’s eyes soften. He rests his arms on the edge of Kaveh’s raft, gazing up at him gently.
“Why are you so scared?” He reaches up and thumbs away a falling tear, which only makes Kaveh cry harder. Kaveh bats his hand away, though Alhaitham keeps trying to get closer - touching a human, someone with warm, dry skin and a steady pulse, is new, fascinating.
Kaveh sniffles, hiccupping jerkily. “Are you serious? We barely know each other!”
“And that is… a bad thing?”
“Yes! H-Humans need a connection before they- they-” Kaveh stammers, face flushing red hot. Alhaitham’s hand rests on his knee, a grounding weight.
“Before they mate?”
“Yes! Wait, no! Ugh, stop it!” Kaveh lets out a sob, covering his mouth with a shaky hand. He pushes Alhaitham away and turns his back to the merman, though Alhaitham merely reappears in front of him with a quiet splash.
“I’m not doing anything. You’re winding yourself up unnecessarily.” Kaveh scoffs weakly, shuffling away a few inches. Alhaitham’s hand rests on his ankle, thumb rubbing gently over the bone. Kaveh shivers, wrapping his arms around himself. His scales scratch an itch Kaveh didn't know he had and he thinks, is this why I've been so crazy tonight? A boy, really?
“Listen, I… I haven’t really done anything like this before.” Kaveh sniffles, wiping away a stray tear and shrinking into himself. “And now I’m supposed to, what, fall in love with you? I can’t do that.”
“I suppose we are more different than I originally thought.”
Kaveh glances up at Alhaitham from under his eyelashes, flinching when he meets his steady gaze. His heart thumps wildly against his chest, and his cheeks flare uncomfortably. When he doesn’t say anything, Alhaitham continues.
“Most mer are mated young. Soulmates do not exist in my culture, so this is new to me as well." His hold tightens around Kaveh’s ankle and pulls him closer. Kaveh yelps at the sudden strength, planting his hands on the floor of the raft in panic. "I am also unsettled, but perhaps we can work something out."
“Something? Like what, you want to get married?” Kaveh huffs, eyes narrowing.
“Married? I would not be against it, it would be an honor to take you as my betrothed.” Kaveh stammers, his entire body growing hot. Alhaitham’s lip quirk up, his eyes shining with thinly veiled amusement. His scaly fingers tap against Kaveh’s skin teasingly. “I am merely joking. Rather, I was hoping you would be able to teach me about how humans work.”
“How humans work? What, like we’re robots or something?” He reaches down to brush Alhaitham’s hand away, but Alhaitham grabs him and entwines their fingers together tightly. Kaveh tries to pull away but the other man tightens his hold, gazing up at Kaveh unwaveringly. Under the moonlight, he almost seems to glow brighter than the Jademouth, his scales shimmering distractingly and his vibrant teal eyes piercing through Kaveh’s soul.
“Kaveh.” Alhaitham’s voice is a deep rumble, and Kaveh gulps, mouth clicking shut. The hair on his nape stands on end. “I barely know you, but I would like to. Will you allow me that, at the very least?”
His fingers twitch in Alhaitham’s hold. Scales scratch lightly against the back of his hand, but surprisingly, it’s a pleasant feeling. His skin is cold, and a little damp, but Kaveh has always run too hot and maybe, he should welcome the feeling. Kaveh inches forward, kneeling in front of Alhaitham and properly reciprocating his hold. Alhaitham’s eyebrows shoot up and he gazes up at Kaveh expectantly. The blond sucks in a deep breath and squeezes Alhaitham’s hand once, twice.
“I-I suppose. You would have to come back to Port Ormos with me, though. It’s a very long trip, are you sure you would be up for it? I can’t see you everyday, and it’s extremely busy. Plus, the weather is not as nice in Sumeru as it is here. It’s humid, and- I, um…” Kaveh’s rambling trails off when he notices how fond Alhaitham’s expression is.
“I would get to see your ‘renovations’ with my own two eyes, yes?” Kaveh nods jerkily. “Then I will accompany you. Your artistry, your knowledge, your beauty, it has piqued my interest.”
“M-My beauty?! What are you-” Alhaitham smirks and presses his lips to the back of Kaveh’s hand, before letting him go and delving back underwater. Kaveh cuts his sentence short with a choked squawk, flopping backwards onto the raft while Alhaitham pushes him along the river. He covers his face with his hands and mutters curses under his breath at Alhaitham, who merely chuckles behind him. The green mist still floats through the air, mixing with clusters of fireflies that hover over the water. Kaveh is probably supposed to feel blessed, having not only seen the Jademouth's Blessing with his own two eyes, but also having been the (unwilling) subject of it's power, but he just feels exhausted and vaguely sticky from wherever the teal firefly-bubble things popped on his skin.
He thinks about going home with Alhaitham. He’s going to have to dig out old photos of his builds to show the other man - the Palace of Alcazarzaray, the second floor of Lambad’s Tavern, the library in the desert. Not only that, but he’s going to have to move his meetings around and stop spending so much time by his lonesome at the bar - he has a new someone in his life now, whatever they are. The next time his mother visits, he’ll introduce them to each other, as well as Cyno, Collei and Tighnari. Maybe they'll all get along and Kaveh can have his own dysfunctional little family.
It's a pleasant thought until he realises - he's actually going to have to introduce Alhaitham, who has supposedly captured his affections, to his friends that thought he was just going on vacation. He's going to have to introduce Alhaitham to Tighnari. Kaveh groans loudly, flinging his arm over his face. Alhaitham curiously peeks over the edge of the raft at him, then dips back into the river to continue steering them back to the wharf when he doesn't get an answer.
How is he ever going to explain this?