( open ) summer/fall catchall.

[scriviner]

✿ who ✿ Alhaitham and you!
✿ what ✿ intro with open prompts!
✿ when ✿ latter half-ish of summer
✿ where ✿ around
✿ warnings ✿ n/a!

a. scavenger hunt

[ Games like this don't really interest him, when they're nothing more than contrivances to get people to learn things about others that they didn't really care to know in the first place. However, if it's to get seeds, he'll go along with it.

More seeds means he can give them to Kaveh and keep him out of the house more, which means more peace and quiet indoors for him. This is a flawless plan. If Kaveh doesn’t want the seeds, Alhaitham will simply have to point out to him how the seeds will go to waste if he doesn’t plan them, and that should hopefully to the trick.

To that end, he hands passersby in town a clipboard with a list of scavenger hunt questions on it. ]

Fill this out, if you will.

[ It’s not too far off from collecting surveys for research. Not his favorite academic pursuit, but it makes the task more palatable. ]

a. in the library

[ After becoming aware of a library in town, it’s where Alhaitham begins to spend most of his time. Relatively quiet and away from the hustle and bustle with plenty of new literature to get his hands on. A lot of it is pointless fluff, sure, but even that can grant him insights on this island and its goddess.

Anyway, if you happen to be there, too, he eventually starts piling books on the desk you’re reading at. He offers a quick explanation: ]

Ran out of room on my own.

[ Indeed, the desk he’s been sitting at is piled with books, and instead of putting any of them away, he’s just going to use someone else’s space, too, natch. ]

c. happy hour

[ Another Alhaitham book reading prompt…but this time he’s at the bar! It’s Happy Hour, but he doesn’t seem keen on socializing, even if the drinks here are decent.

Should someone sit down next to him at the bar, he’ll lift his gaze from his book just enough to give them an appraising look, as if deciding whether or not to say something and strike up a conversation…but no. He just goes right back to reading. Don’t take it too personally - the god of wisdom herself could sit down next to him and he would be hard-pressed to start a conversation.

Then he fiddles with his headset - turning up his music, perhaps? ]

d. wildcard

[ Bingo card is here and he is available for any gen prompts. He will put up with a little socialization to fix his roof, thanks. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to plot something specific! ]

Comments

[scriviner]

[ Oh, he doesn't like that change in expression, and the pause is enough for Alhaitham to glance away from Kaveh's bingo card, gazing at him from beneath pinched brows. Why would he put such a fine point on this, specifically? Is he saying what he thinks he is?

...Of course he is. For better or for worse (it's definitely worse), Alhaitham knows Kaveh better than he knows anyone else. He could have been referring to any of the squares on the card, but they both know that isn't the case. It's clear in Kaveh's eyes, and in his tone.

Alhaitham's eyes narrow in a nearly imperceptible margin. ]

Please. You wouldn't dare.

[ Unless in the extremely unlikely scenario that he would, and that's what bothers him, though Alhaitham doesn't bother to consider why. ]

Or are you really that desperate?

[ To fix the house or to smash?? Who can say. ]

[alcazarzaray]

( oh? what's this tone Alhaitham is offering him? he may never be able to place why the other man has delivered his words with a tinge of bitterness, and yet the only conclusion that Kaveh may be able to draw is that he is shaming him somehow. after all, between the two of them, only one is more likely to be in favour of pursuing romance than the other. "romance" coming in the form of a one night stand. )

Oh, you're daring me now? ( he tuts. ) Do you think I'm too afraid of chasing intimacy, unlike yourself? Do you shame me for even entertaining the idea?

( Kaveh folds his arms and glares. )

What I am desperate for is a decent roof above our heads. One that doesn't leak, and it seems that I'm far more willing to go the extra mile to make our home comfortable than you are!

[scriviner]

[ He opens his mouth to retort, the reflex instinctive from countless arguments - his sharp tongue is a finely honed weapon when it comes to Kaveh. Yet when he readies himself to clap back, there's nothing waiting to be said, and he closes his mouth again.

Disconcerting. He never has to think twice about how to poke and prod at Kaveh. He makes it so easy.

After a moment, he hands the stolen bingo card back to Kaveh. ]

You go right ahead and do that, then. While you're at it, if you could do something about the draft, I'd appreciate it. The weather will be getting colder soon.

[ And then he's returning right back to his book and the chair he'd been sitting on before. ]

[alcazarzaray]

( in the way that Alhaitham is knocked back for words, Kaveh experiences the same thing. his housemate kicked up such a fuss just now about him being "desperate", and yet ... now he's giving him permission? is this a trick? )

Well-! I never said I would, did I? ( he stuffs his bingo card back into his pocket and folds his arms. ) Just that the option is there, is it not?

And, you. Are you really going to leave this all to me? What if I reach a point where I do have to use my body to collaborate on fixing our house? It's hardly fair if you're not willing to do any of the heavy lifting if I have to resort to sleeping with strangers.

[scriviner]

[ Yes, it's hardly fair, but it's nothing new as far as their dynamic is concerned. They've had arguments like this countless times before, with Kaveh insisting he do this and that, when Alhaitham simply knows that if he doesn't, Kaveh will do it himself eventually.

Maybe that's why this threat doesn't sound hollow to his ears, though why it bothers him so much, he couldn't say. Or - maybe he could, but wouldn't, in a thousand years, if his life depended on it. It's simply too much trouble.

It's not his problem. And none of his business, what Kaveh does or does not decide to do with his body. ]

You're really worked up about this, aren't you? [ Like he isn't the one who worked him up... ] Alright. I'm feeling generous, so just for you, I'll find out what a water gun is.

[ never ask him for anything ever again.jpg ]

[alcazarzaray]

Uh, yes!? And I wonder whose fault that is?

( calling u out, binch!! )

You're the one who took my bingo card off me AND called me desperate. Despite the fact that I have done NOTHING so far in this place!

( he scoffs, and shakes his head. )

Aren't you a generous one? Tell me, are there acts of intimacy that your card demands from you too?

[scriviner]

[ There’s a part of him that wants to deny it, and another part of him who would see that as terribly cowardly, and while Alhaitham doesn’t put much, if any, stock in what others think of him, the idea of Kaveh thinking him a coward chafes. Or, worse, he gets away with his lie - and he far prefers brutal honesty.

So after a moment, he pulls his bingo card out of the back of his book, and hands it out to Kaveh like it’s no big deal. ]

See for yourself. What, did you think you were special in that regard? The goddess doesn’t care who’s sleeping with who, so long as it’s getting done.

[ Or so it seems to him. Maybe he should consider utilizing those squares, as much of a hassle as it might be. What would Kaveh have to say then? ]

[alcazarzaray]

( Of course, the moment the card is in his hands, Kaveh hones in on those smut squares while his eyes widen in shock. How can he be so shocked over this!! Don't ask. The man's a disaster. )

Rough sex?! Leaving marks!? Bites and bruises!? W-What the--

( He slaps the card with one of his hands. )

What does this Goddess expect of you!? Y-You're not some kind of animal! ... Are you!? Actually, please, don't answer that! ( He doesn't know what Alhaitham likes in bed! Or what he is like in bed, even! Does he fuck? How can he fuck?! He hates people! Plus, he's never brought anyone to their house before ... as far as he knows. By reflex, Kaveh INSITS he doesn't want to know about Alhaitham's sex life. But ALSO: He's jealous and doesn't realise it. Aren't emotions fun? ) Ugh! What a nightmare ... you! Being made to-- ( Okay, Kaveh isn't sure about "made", but-- ) I-It's just ridiculous! And what about me!? If you bring someone home and do all this to them, I ... I don't want to be around for it!

( wow, he is. taking this So well. )

[scriviner]

[ Ah, yes, there it is. The reaction he expected, maybe even hoped for, even if he doesn't quite realize why. Kaveh sounds almost jealous, jealous of the idea of him being with other people, of possibly trying these acts with them. Why should Kaveh care what he does in bed?

...Why should Alhaitham care that Kaveh cares?

Shoving the thought to the side-- ]

If you were paying close enough attention, you might've realized that we both have a square for rough sex.

[ He's not implying anything by that. Merely an observation. ]

Do you even listen to yourself? You're talking more about my sex life than I ever have.

[alcazarzaray]

Yes, well ... Don't change the subject!

( Ugh - the fact that he's describing a "sex life" now. There's just no way! Is there!? The prospect of this makes Kaveh's face stiffen into a bitter scowl. Why is he reacting so badly to this? Hm. )

Right, okay. Your "sex life"-- ( He quote gestures with his fingers. ) And for what it's worth, I don't want to talk about it! Not yours or mine. ( Seriously, why is he reacting like this. Kaveh likely has no problems talking about sex with Cyno and Tighnari! And yet ... )

Just promise me you won't do anything ridiculous when I'm around. I'm not sure if you noticed, but I never brought anyone back to our place in Sumeru! ( He's using "our" and not "your" place!! ) Things must stay the same here. I'll keep to my half of the bargain, too. I do have more sex squares than you do, so who knows where I'll end up to fix this farm. ( Once again, he is contradicting himself. )

[scriviner]

[ He's so adamant that he doesn't want to talk about it...and yet Alhaitham also doesn't want to talk about it, much as prodding Kaveh on the subject is entertaining. It's like playing a game of chicken to see who will change the subject first. ]

Do you want to talk about your sex life or not? I'm getting mixed signals. For someone so adamant that he doesn't want to hear about mine, you're sharing quite a lot about your plans for yours.

[ And Alhaitham doesn't want to hear about it either. The idea of Kaveh going home with someone, of returning back to their house the following day with that telltale spring in his step, grossly self-assured--

It makes him want to shove his nose into a book and never look up again. ]

Well, then. Whatever you decide to do or not do with your body, let me thank you for your noble sacrifice on behalf of our dilapidated farm building.

[alcazarzaray]

You don't have a sex life.

( He issues, point blank. Don't @ him. He's so normal about this!! So normal!!!! And yet the funny thing is, neither does he. )

Whatever I do for this farm ... I'll make sure you appreciate. I can't spend another day knowing that this building is collapsing in on itself.

[scriviner]

I don't have a sex life that you know of.

[ Now he's just rubbing it in. Kaveh is right, but that won't stop Alhaitham from being an ass about it, because he can. ]

You do that. Meanwhile, I'll find out what a watergun is, and we can both improve the farmhouse.

[alcazarzaray]

And I know that you don't have one full stop.

( Don't prove him wrong. Gods, please don't prove him wrong. )

Fine. ( He's glad to see Alhaitham will try fix this place too. Hmph! )