[Alhaitham's brows furrow, his brain stalling at the notion of being cute. To have it sealed with a kiss to his nose was like insult to injury. They were barely past the accepting of the relationship, and Aether was already teasing him. Personally, he wouldn't have it any other way, but that was also embarrassing to think about.
His eyes were close only momentarily before they were fluttering open once more, seeing Aether come in and closing them yet again. The contract was sealed with the warmth of lips over his. Haitham leaned into the kiss and the comfort of Aether being so much closer than he had been in a long time. His arms remained where they were, content to hold him as they were and linger in that kiss.
His patience (and worry) rewarded him. He was properly claimed.]
Are there any secret crushes others have on you that I should be worried about?
[He teased, pressing slow and light kisses against Aether's lips, his forehead pressed against him. If someone was going to threaten him in the teapot, he figures he should have a warning first.]
[ Aether suppresses another laugh as Alhaitham's lips brush over his; he wants kisses much more than he wants to express his own amusement, but it's hard not to be amused by the scholar's line of questioning. Is he worried that someone is going to attack him in the teapot...? Really, now! ]
If I knew about them, they wouldn't be secret, now would they?
[ Oh, he's definitely playing coy. Aether's perfectly aware that more than a few of his friends might be interested in him — but if they are, then they're not the types who would profess that interest out loud, much less duel Alhaitham for his hand, and the scribe has "won the race," so to speak, by being a bit quicker than the rest to stake his claim. Plus, as previously mentioned — Aether's wanted to claim him, too. That's the more important factor here.
He settles his head on Alhaitham's shoulder, smiling a little smugly up at him, curled up quite comfortably on his lap. ]
I don't think there's anything that you need to worry about... I mean, who could be more impressive than the former Grand Sage of Sumeru?
[ Well, the Iudex of Fontaine and the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine are fairly distinguished personages... but they don't have secret crushes on Aether. At least, the traveler's pretty sure they don't. ]
[Alhaitham stared Aether down, knowing very well that he was playing coy with an answer like that. Alhaitham wouldn't be surprised if he had half of Teyvat giving him the stink eye after this. If he were going to openly state his feelings, it would be that he didn't care if anyone got upset. The only thing he cared about was Aether and having them there as close as he was.
And when Aether curled against him and teasing him, it made him tighten his arms around him, heaving a heavy sigh. He's been claimed by an adorable brat.]
The Iudex of Fontaine with that soft and shy demeanor. A fiery but quiet wine mogul. A revered Yaksha that shows up purely to see you and then vanish. Half of Inazuma's political sphere.
[ He counts them off as if he had been paying attention to who passed through the teapot with a little more attention than he previously mentioned, though his tone was flippant. Aether was in his arms. Why would he care about anyone else at the moment.
His head turned, brushing his nose against the side of his face, leaning his forehead in against his hair.]
Is that how you're going to mention me to your friends now? I guess I'll have to tell everyone you're My Traveler. [His words were warm, breathing in their closeness.]
[ Surprisingly enough, Aether does get very flustered about this, slowly turning a light shade of pink as Alhaitham stares him down with brilliant turquoise eyes. Xiao having a crush on him, he's been aware of through the years, and it's true that he's pretended not to hear Ayaka's bold proclamations here and there — but, no, surely not Neuvillette and Diluc too... surely not? Is Neuvillette really soft and shy around him? Has he never thought about this before... ]
Y-You've got the wrong idea! I'm not that popular...!
[ He is, but the traveler looks cute like this too, finally the one being teased rather than the one doing the teasing. Apparently, Alhaitham's found the key to turning Aether into putty beneath his palms. His soft cheeks are warm against the scholar's nose. ]
But I do like the idea of being your traveler...
[ A slightly bashful giggle escapes him at this proclamation. Oops. ]
[Alhaitham waits until Aether's sputtering and eventual giggles were over, not even aware of the smile on his own face. Aether truly was cute like this, giggling and curled into him, embarrassed by his on popularity. It was virtually impossible not to place a kiss on his cheek when he was flustered like this. ]
There was a day when I counted seventeen people who came and went through the teapot including myself.
Not to mention the times Cyno likes to remind me he's allowed to call you his partner, although he was purposefully being annoying at those points.
The teapot's just a good place to hide away for a little while.
[ Aether's cheek is soft enough that Alhaitham's nose and lips can just sink into it when he moves in for that kiss. It makes the traveler giggle again, soft and lovey-dovey, and when the kisses are over, the blond sort of flops comfortably onto Alhaitham's shoulder again.
He looks up at Alhaitham adoringly and hums an Aranara tune, faintly familiar, perhaps from the deepest half-forgotten recesses of the scholar's childhood memories. He strokes Alhaitham's fine cheekbone again, smiling. ]
Something tells me you're going to turn into a possessive menace. I kind of like that, though.
[The Aranara tune was familiar to him from other children talking about it or seeing them. He can remember Kaveh mentioning them when they were younger, specifically. As for him, he figures he was humbled by life too fast to have seen them like others did. Yet, hearing the tune on Aether's lips brought him back to those simple years of reading by himself while waiting for his grandmother to come home.
He couldn't imagine all the sights Aether's seen, both bad and good. Yet, to still contain enough whimsy to have interacted with the Aranara directly made him more fond.]
I haven't done anything yet and here you are calling me names.
[Alhaitham prefers to think of himself as patiently possessive. He waited to know if Aether felt anything for him while making himself available, and it worked. If the pay-off included getting to remind everyone else that Aether returns those feelings, who was he not to cash in on those benefits?]
Although if you really are into the possessive boyfriend thing, I can lean into it.
[The scribe grins, nuzzling against him while petting his hand down Aether's back. He never thought of himself as the type for affectionate gestures, but being with Aether like they were made it so easy to lean into.]
[ That devilish grin feels like a victory, resounding in Aether's heart. He thinks back to when Alhaitham was a much more reserved man around him, and feels unbearably fond, thinking of how he's slowly discovered the scholar's varying expressions over time. ]
Especially when you're being "bad." It's very attractive. Remember when you did that thing to turn your eyes red and you yelled "Azar!" and clawed at him...?
[ As dramatic as that scene was, it's incredibly funny to think about now and realize that Alhaitham was just faking it the whole time. Why'd he tiger-swipe Azar like a big cat, too?
Maybe he is just a big cat. Aether laughs and nuzzles his nose into the nook where Alhaitham's jaw meets his ear. ]
If you listen to everyone else, I'm always some varying degrees of 'bad'. Especially Kaveh.
[It wasn't on purpose, but sometimes there were some people that acting a certain way toward yielded the best results. It was Kaveh's own fault for being just a great debate partner that showcased a tone of different emotions every time. It was great.
Aether was a bit different. He had the ability to volley back and forth with him. Even if he didn't fully understand the subject, Aether was usually able to keep up, and that meant everything to Alhaitham.]
Well, if you must ask, it was because I couldn't fight him in a true fight without testing how generous Cyno was going to be with assault charges. Azar is as delicate as a scholar with a bloated ego can get, so swiping at him menacingly had to do.
The acting really was what had to sell it.
[ He recalled the events while petting Aether's hair, leaning against the top of his head.]
If you ever need someone with experience acting like a cat, I guess I am at your disposal.
[ Aether smiles again. True, yes, Cyno would have been utterly uncompromising about pressing charges wherever it was warranted; true, yes, if Alhaitham had actually landed a real blow on Azar, he probably would've knocked the old man out.
Still. The traveler rubs beneath Alhaitham's chin, as if he's petting a cat, even as he's the one being petted in turn. ]
Oh? So I can get you to purr for me? Or should I be the one purring for you?
[ He lifts his voice slightly, affects a rather convincing catlike tone: ]
Meow, meow.
[ ...Blame that one woman in Sumeru who keeps teaching him how cats speak. ]
Oh? If you're the one being a cat this time, Maybe I can pet this gorgeous cat until he purrs instead.
[At this point, Alhaitham was already planning to do just that. Teasing him about how good and eager he was to perform only felt fitting, giving how much Aether had loved teasing him since they got there. He deserved to be treated like a cat.
So Alhaitham pets him, running his hand over blond hair, smoothing it in place and scratching lightly at his scalp. The hand trailed down the back of his neck, dragging his fingertip around until he could caress the back of his finger over Aethers jaw and give him chin scritches.]
You're even good at pretending to be a cat. Is there anything you can't do?
[Although usually he would be teasing, in this case, he sounded almost fond of his particularly large lapcat.]
Let me think. [ Aether makes a show of pretending to think, and then says — ] I can't read your Haravatat linguistics papers.
[ A giggle, a laugh at his own joke. A sigh that sounds almost suspiciously like a purr. As much as the traveler teased Alhaitham about being cute earlier, Aether does seem to greatly enjoy being treated like a cat himself, and he keeps looking adoringly up at Alhaitham, like a little golden kitten that keeps pleading for more attention, more pets, more scritches. Who would have thought that the great savior of Sumeru, Nahida's chosen, the First Sage of Buer... would be someone who would be perfectly content to be Alhaitham's lapcat?
Wonder upon wonders. Aether sinks into Alhaitham's embrace still more firmly. ]
Well, I can... but they're so very dense and difficult to parse...
[ He's only being softly whining; he's clearly not very serious. If it were a matter of life and death, Aether would most certainly get through even the most esoteric of Haravatat textbooks. But. ]
Actually, the ones you write are okay. The ones you like to read, though... those would take me a while to digest.
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no subject
His eyes were close only momentarily before they were fluttering open once more, seeing Aether come in and closing them yet again. The contract was sealed with the warmth of lips over his. Haitham leaned into the kiss and the comfort of Aether being so much closer than he had been in a long time. His arms remained where they were, content to hold him as they were and linger in that kiss.
His patience (and worry) rewarded him. He was properly claimed.]
Are there any secret crushes others have on you that I should be worried about?
[He teased, pressing slow and light kisses against Aether's lips, his forehead pressed against him. If someone was going to threaten him in the teapot, he figures he should have a warning first.]
no subject
If I knew about them, they wouldn't be secret, now would they?
[ Oh, he's definitely playing coy. Aether's perfectly aware that more than a few of his friends might be interested in him — but if they are, then they're not the types who would profess that interest out loud, much less duel Alhaitham for his hand, and the scribe has "won the race," so to speak, by being a bit quicker than the rest to stake his claim. Plus, as previously mentioned — Aether's wanted to claim him, too. That's the more important factor here.
He settles his head on Alhaitham's shoulder, smiling a little smugly up at him, curled up quite comfortably on his lap. ]
I don't think there's anything that you need to worry about... I mean, who could be more impressive than the former Grand Sage of Sumeru?
[ Well, the Iudex of Fontaine and the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine are fairly distinguished personages... but they don't have secret crushes on Aether. At least, the traveler's pretty sure they don't. ]
no subject
[Alhaitham stared Aether down, knowing very well that he was playing coy with an answer like that. Alhaitham wouldn't be surprised if he had half of Teyvat giving him the stink eye after this. If he were going to openly state his feelings, it would be that he didn't care if anyone got upset. The only thing he cared about was Aether and having them there as close as he was.
And when Aether curled against him and teasing him, it made him tighten his arms around him, heaving a heavy sigh. He's been claimed by an adorable brat.]
The Iudex of Fontaine with that soft and shy demeanor. A fiery but quiet wine mogul. A revered Yaksha that shows up purely to see you and then vanish. Half of Inazuma's political sphere.
[ He counts them off as if he had been paying attention to who passed through the teapot with a little more attention than he previously mentioned, though his tone was flippant. Aether was in his arms. Why would he care about anyone else at the moment.
His head turned, brushing his nose against the side of his face, leaning his forehead in against his hair.]
Is that how you're going to mention me to your friends now? I guess I'll have to tell everyone you're My Traveler. [His words were warm, breathing in their closeness.]
no subject
[ Surprisingly enough, Aether does get very flustered about this, slowly turning a light shade of pink as Alhaitham stares him down with brilliant turquoise eyes. Xiao having a crush on him, he's been aware of through the years, and it's true that he's pretended not to hear Ayaka's bold proclamations here and there — but, no, surely not Neuvillette and Diluc too... surely not? Is Neuvillette really soft and shy around him? Has he never thought about this before... ]
Y-You've got the wrong idea! I'm not that popular...!
[ He is, but the traveler looks cute like this too, finally the one being teased rather than the one doing the teasing. Apparently, Alhaitham's found the key to turning Aether into putty beneath his palms. His soft cheeks are warm against the scholar's nose. ]
But I do like the idea of being your traveler...
[ A slightly bashful giggle escapes him at this proclamation. Oops. ]
no subject
[Alhaitham waits until Aether's sputtering and eventual giggles were over, not even aware of the smile on his own face. Aether truly was cute like this, giggling and curled into him, embarrassed by his on popularity. It was virtually impossible not to place a kiss on his cheek when he was flustered like this. ]
There was a day when I counted seventeen people who came and went through the teapot including myself.
Not to mention the times Cyno likes to remind me he's allowed to call you his partner, although he was purposefully being annoying at those points.
Now I can just tell him you're mine out loud.
no subject
[ Aether's cheek is soft enough that Alhaitham's nose and lips can just sink into it when he moves in for that kiss. It makes the traveler giggle again, soft and lovey-dovey, and when the kisses are over, the blond sort of flops comfortably onto Alhaitham's shoulder again.
He looks up at Alhaitham adoringly and hums an Aranara tune, faintly familiar, perhaps from the deepest half-forgotten recesses of the scholar's childhood memories. He strokes Alhaitham's fine cheekbone again, smiling. ]
Something tells me you're going to turn into a possessive menace. I kind of like that, though.
no subject
He couldn't imagine all the sights Aether's seen, both bad and good. Yet, to still contain enough whimsy to have interacted with the Aranara directly made him more fond.]
I haven't done anything yet and here you are calling me names.
[Alhaitham prefers to think of himself as patiently possessive. He waited to know if Aether felt anything for him while making himself available, and it worked. If the pay-off included getting to remind everyone else that Aether returns those feelings, who was he not to cash in on those benefits?]
Although if you really are into the possessive boyfriend thing, I can lean into it.
[The scribe grins, nuzzling against him while petting his hand down Aether's back. He never thought of himself as the type for affectionate gestures, but being with Aether like they were made it so easy to lean into.]
no subject
[ That devilish grin feels like a victory, resounding in Aether's heart. He thinks back to when Alhaitham was a much more reserved man around him, and feels unbearably fond, thinking of how he's slowly discovered the scholar's varying expressions over time. ]
Especially when you're being "bad." It's very attractive. Remember when you did that thing to turn your eyes red and you yelled "Azar!" and clawed at him...?
[ As dramatic as that scene was, it's incredibly funny to think about now and realize that Alhaitham was just faking it the whole time. Why'd he tiger-swipe Azar like a big cat, too?
Maybe he is just a big cat. Aether laughs and nuzzles his nose into the nook where Alhaitham's jaw meets his ear. ]
no subject
[It wasn't on purpose, but sometimes there were some people that acting a certain way toward yielded the best results. It was Kaveh's own fault for being just a great debate partner that showcased a tone of different emotions every time. It was great.
Aether was a bit different. He had the ability to volley back and forth with him. Even if he didn't fully understand the subject, Aether was usually able to keep up, and that meant everything to Alhaitham.]
Well, if you must ask, it was because I couldn't fight him in a true fight without testing how generous Cyno was going to be with assault charges. Azar is as delicate as a scholar with a bloated ego can get, so swiping at him menacingly had to do.
The acting really was what had to sell it.
[ He recalled the events while petting Aether's hair, leaning against the top of his head.]
If you ever need someone with experience acting like a cat, I guess I am at your disposal.
no subject
Still. The traveler rubs beneath Alhaitham's chin, as if he's petting a cat, even as he's the one being petted in turn. ]
Oh? So I can get you to purr for me? Or should I be the one purring for you?
[ He lifts his voice slightly, affects a rather convincing catlike tone: ]
Meow, meow.
[ ...Blame that one woman in Sumeru who keeps teaching him how cats speak. ]
no subject
[At this point, Alhaitham was already planning to do just that. Teasing him about how good and eager he was to perform only felt fitting, giving how much Aether had loved teasing him since they got there. He deserved to be treated like a cat.
So Alhaitham pets him, running his hand over blond hair, smoothing it in place and scratching lightly at his scalp. The hand trailed down the back of his neck, dragging his fingertip around until he could caress the back of his finger over Aethers jaw and give him chin scritches.]
You're even good at pretending to be a cat. Is there anything you can't do?
[Although usually he would be teasing, in this case, he sounded almost fond of his particularly large lapcat.]
sorry for the delay!!
[ A giggle, a laugh at his own joke. A sigh that sounds almost suspiciously like a purr. As much as the traveler teased Alhaitham about being cute earlier, Aether does seem to greatly enjoy being treated like a cat himself, and he keeps looking adoringly up at Alhaitham, like a little golden kitten that keeps pleading for more attention, more pets, more scritches. Who would have thought that the great savior of Sumeru, Nahida's chosen, the First Sage of Buer... would be someone who would be perfectly content to be Alhaitham's lapcat?
Wonder upon wonders. Aether sinks into Alhaitham's embrace still more firmly. ]
Well, I can... but they're so very dense and difficult to parse...
[ He's only being softly whining; he's clearly not very serious. If it were a matter of life and death, Aether would most certainly get through even the most esoteric of Haravatat textbooks. But. ]
Actually, the ones you write are okay. The ones you like to read, though... those would take me a while to digest.