Chapter Text
For the Love of the Dream Weaver
༻ ❦ ༺
A tall figure stands at the entrance of the Sanctuary of Surasthana. The sound of his boots hitting the floor echo throughout the round chamber of symmetrical, geometric shapes. He had been shown this place in a vision before, but to simply stand here in person among the large, green arches, to feel the swell of divine energy in the air like this could make anyone feel small.
Alhaitham, however, isn’t here to feel small. He isn’t here to feel anything. He is only here to complete one task, and one task alone. He walks down the bridge and to the very center of the sanctuary.
Everything in this room feels so dreamlike and surreal, that he wonders if he is in yet another dream. But as soon as he reaches the center of the chamber, belief and doubt collide within him in a discordant clash. Alhaitham stops at the breathtaking sight before him.
“There you are,” he whispers.
༻ ❦ ༺
Inquisition
Today began like any other for Alhaitham, or so he thought. His morning did, at the very least.
Beginning his morning at precisely 5am, he drinks his water, washes his face, eats breakfast, and does his morning workout. If he is finished early enough after getting ready for work–which he usually is–Alhaitham takes time to read in peace.
He locks the door with his key. Alhaitham double checks himself before leaving for work.
‘Something is missing,’ he notices.
Beep.
He checks himself again, but everything is in order. It must be a mistake. How odd. He continues on his way to work, ignoring the feeling.
As the Scribe of the Sumeru Akademiya, Alhaitham conducts his duties succinctly and as efficiently as possible. There are no exceptions and no leniencies, especially in an academic environment where integrity is a core tenet. His work is renowned by sages and students alike for its precision and accuracy.
And yet, some feeling nags at him. He frowns, noticing that he is five minutes later in filing through proposals than usual.
B̶̦̩̹̼̪͍̙̖̎̋̓̆̏̎̔̉́͘Ê̷̼͗͒́̆͠E̶̫̼͎̘͛͜P̷̨̘͖͍͉̟̄̀
He continues his work anyway.
The workday ends without incident and Alhaitham makes his way back. Leaving exactly at 5pm, he turns up his noise canceling headphones, disregarding any students or professors that try to bother him with anything work-related.
He continues on and settles down for the evening with dinner and a book.
Hours pass.
Alhaitham wakes to knocking at the door. Setting down his book on the divan, he sees a familiar silhouette through the stained glass. The silhouette knocks again, sounding even more impatient. He sighs.
“I’m here. By all means, keep knocking if you wish, but it won’t make me go any faster.” He hears an exasperated sigh at the other side of the door and smirks to himself.
“Alhaitham!” The muffled, familiar voice sounds annoyed from the other side of the stained glass and wood.
“Can I help you?” Alhaitham nonchalantly asks. His eyes are still bleary, but he is not too tired to tease.
“What do you mean ‘can you help me?’” The young man before him stands at the door with his hands on his hips. His tone is indignant and his bright red eyes gleam like desert trishiraite stones in the light. “You took my key again, didn’t you?!”
Alhaitham lets him inside before all of Sumeru can hear them bicker. The scent of padisarahs and sweet wine wafts off the man’s blond locks and crimson cape as he walks past hastily. A floating briefcase follows behind him with a simple, but happy expression on its facial screen in its center.
“Your key?” Alhaitham scratches his head and looks around. “Oh yeah, it’s right here.” He points to the silver and gold keys tangled in a small wooden bowl by the side table. The tiny lion attached to the golden key smiles with a similarly simple, happy expression like the owner’s briefcase.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had it? I had to return to the client’s house to ask to look for it!”
“Kaveh, you didn’t tell me where you’d be today.” Alhaitham follows his roommate into the kitchen. “Besides, I was here to open the door for you anyway.”
“I–” He stops in his tracks and thinks for a second. The realization dawns on him and he lets out a sigh. “No, you’re right. I didn’t. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine.” Alhaitham says. Kaveh sits at one of the stools at the kitchen counter with a sigh. “Have you eaten yet?”
“I did. The client kept me late, so they invited me to dinner. Did you?”
“I did.” Alhaitham nods and reaches for the cupboard. He hears Kaveh talking to Mehrak, his robotic briefcase. She lays out a hologram of green light that looks like a floor plan.
“Will you hand me the pistachios since you're there? It’s in the cabinet to your left.” He points with a delicate finger.
“I know where it is.”
“Yeah, you said that last time and you handed me the coffee beans instead. They’re not even in a similar container–”
“Drink your water,” Alhaitham responds, handing Kaveh some water inside his favorite glass.
He sighs, conceding. “Thanks.”
“Mhm,” Alhaitham nods and heads back to read his book.
A while later, he hears footsteps approaching. Kaveh seems more relaxed now and flops himself right next to him on the divan. “Done with drafting?” Alhaitham takes a moment to look up and ask as Kaveh gets comfortable and leans on him.
“Hm, with the floorplan, yeah. I still have to draft the experimental structure I was working on last week.”
“And I’m assuming I’ll need to wear my soundproof headphones to bed if I am to get a good night’s sleep?”
“Sorry, but this is the only evening I have time to do it. I’ll try not to make too much noise.” He can hear Kaveh pout a bit and he relents.
“Just don’t stay up too late doing it, okay?”
“By the way, what are you reading?” He feels Kaveh scoot even closer. He feels the warmth of his cheek on his shoulder.
“It’s a book about the Mandela Effect and its impact on society through the lens of a–” Alhaitham stops mid-sentence after hearing a snort from the head on his shoulder. Peeking over, he sees that Kaveh is out like a light. Not a snort, but a snore. With a sigh, he gently adjusts Kaveh’s head to a more comfortable position and continues with his book.
Time passes and Alhaitham wakes up on the divan, book in hand. Looking around, he feels like something is missing again.
B̷̰̭̫̾͌͒̒͌́̆E̶̦͉̿̈̈͂͑͂̾͜Ë̵̼́̽̕P̷̫̼̖̲̝̦̘̙̳͑̍̓͌̐̌͌
Nothing looks to be out of place. He checks the time on his Akasha Terminal. It’s almost time to sleep anyway. After more exercise and a shower, Alhaitham gets ready for bed. Before getting under the covers, he reaches for his soundproof headphones. It is only after placing them on and laying down that he realizes what he had done in error.
‘Weird, why would I do that?’ he wonders to himself. Alhaitham places the headphones back on their stand and slips back into bed.
Alhaitham immediately remembers why when he wakes to the sound of a loud crash and a cascade of thuds. Kaveh is doing something loud enough to hear from the other side of the wall in his bedroom. The subtle hiss of a curse reaches his ears and Alhaitham is immediately up.
“You okay in there?” Alhaitham asks after giving a few knocks at Kaveh’s door.
Silence fills the air, save for the subtle sound of someone's breath hitching.
“Kaveh?”
“Sorry for the noise. Uh, no need to come in!” Another thud. “Ow,” he hisses.
“...Are you sure?”
“D-don’t worry about it!”
“Will you open the door? I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m okay!” He insists. But Alhaitham knows better. He hears the subtle inflection of doubt in Kaveh’s voice and immediately places a hand on the doorknob.
“I’m coming in, Kaveh.”
“You don’t have to–”
“I want to.”
“Well, stop that!”
“Huh–” Alhaitham opens the door to see a mess of books scattered about the room and all over Kaveh’s bed. In the midst of it all, Kaveh is half-buried in a pile of books. To add insult to injury, another book falls on him the moment the door is opened.
“Alhaitham, I said you didn't have to come in!”
“Did you just tell me to stop wanting to come into your room to check on you?”
“ That’s what you’re going to ask me right now?!” He indicates the heap of books surrounding himself.
“I just did, so yes.”
“You are so impossible sometimes,” Kaveh grumbles as he removes books from himself. They hear beeping from beneath the pile of books. Mehrak fights her way through the pile and begins to gently levitate some books out of the way with her green light.
“Then I’m just about as impossible as you are good at making messes at odd hours,” Alhaitham jabs back lightly as he carefully removes a book from atop his roommate’s head. This earns him another sigh. “Are you hurt anywhere?” Briefly glancing at the marked-up open pages of the history book in his hand, he closes it and places it aside. He examines Kaveh once more before he helps dig him out.
“I think I’m okay. Though, if you count my dignity, then I'd say that's the biggest injury of tonight.”
Alhaitham snorts a tiny laugh as he helps Kaveh up from the floor. “Can't disagree there. What happened, anyway?”
“I was trying to reach for something up there on the bookshelf, but I lost balance and took a bunch of the shelf with me,” he says, looking to the floor dejectedly.
Alhaitham nods as Kaveh’s explanation lines up with their current surroundings. “Be careful next time,” he chides, which earns him an eye roll.
“I know. Anyway, thank you. Now go ahead and get back to bed. I know you have work in the morning.”
Instead of obeying, Alhaitham stands there, thinking as he surveys the cluttered room.
“...Hello? Teyvat to Alhaitham?” Kaveh looks the man up and down a few times before an answer is given.
“That won't do…” Alhaitham mumbles to himself. “If you try cleaning all of this up tonight, I won't be able to find any peace.”
“Oh, uh… I'll be very quiet then.”
Alhaitham shakes his head. “You need to sleep. You're obviously sleep-deprived.” Gesturing out to the exit of Kaveh’s room, he says, “C’mon, get ready for bed.”
“But I–”
“Mehrak and I will take care of it. Go.”
After a while, Kaveh returns, obediently, he is ready as instructed. Coming back to his room, he sees that Alhaitham had stacked all the books onto his bed in neat piles. In the corner of the room, Mehrak is in her charging deck, already in sleep mode.
“Oh, thank you for your help, I can take it from here.”
“Your bed is full.” Alhaitham says thoughtfully.
“That’s okay, I’m glad you put it there instead of on the floor. I’ll just put it away now–”
“That will take too much time.” Green eyes peer deeply into red eyes, and Kaveh’s breath hitches. “We need to sleep.”
“I’ll be quick.”
“Stay in my room.”
“Huh?!”
“It’ll be easier for both of us this way.”
“Oh, I don’t want to impose–” Kaveh is visibly blushing. “The divan is–”
“I insist.” The man gestures to the exit, but Kaveh is frozen in place.
A garble of mumbles and incoherent words leave Kaveh’s lips until Alhaitham has had enough. He scoops Kaveh up from where he stands. He hoists him up by the thighs and leans him on his shoulder. “Alhaitham–” Kaveh exclaims, but doesn’t resist. Careful to make sure his head doesn’t hit the doorframe, Alhaitham shuts the lights, closes Kaveh’s door, and brings them next door to his room.
“You can put me down now,” Kaveh says as Alhaitham brings him inside.
“I will,” he replies as he continues walking them to his bed. The room is similar in size to Kaveh’s. All of the furniture placed opposite of his, as if the two rooms were mirrored. Unlike Kaveh’s, though, everything is neatly placed and the temperature feels just right for a warm Sumeru night.
“It’s fine, I can walk. I know where your–” Kaveh isn't given time to finish, for he is gently placed on the bed. He sighs and shakes his head.
“Move over, please. I quite like that spot.”
Without a word, he scoots over. Alhaitham shuts the lights and heads back to join him.
“Excuse me,” Alhaitham adjusts the covers around them. Kaveh moves in, but faces away from Alhaitham. “Is this okay, Kaveh?”
“Yeah. Thank you. I’ll clean it up as soon as I can. My mess, I mean.”
“Hm.”
Kaveh is prepared for some kind of snarky retort. Instead, he hears Alhaitham move. In an instant, a strong arm wraps around him. “Oh–”
“This is to make sure you don’t run off to make more noise.”
Kaveh snorts. “Sure it is. Luckily for you, I don’t plan to.”
“Mhm.”
Kaveh moves Alhaitham’s arm off of himself and he doesn’t resist. Alhaitham moves to retract his arm, but to his surprise, it is reclaimed by Kaveh. “Just wanted to move a bit," he whispers. Alhaitham feels him come closer and bury his forehead into his chest. “Is this okay,” he asks as he places Alhaitham’s arm back around himself.
“...”
A moment passes in silence until Kaveh feels a leg wrap around his own legs, pulling him in closer.
“It is now. Extra noise prevention insurance.”
Kaveh lets out a little laugh. “You really are impossible, you know”
“You too. Now goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” he softly replies.
Alhaitham pretends to sleep. Instead, he takes this moment to savor having Kaveh in his arms like this. They had done this before many times, but for some reason, this time feels different.
It’s been quite a while since they slept in the same bed. Alhaitham is no stranger to nights of bringing a drunken Kaveh home and putting said drunk to bed. Nor is he a stranger to waking to find Kaveh sneaking into his bed, shyly and wordlessly asking to be held the way he is being held at this very moment. There were nights such as this one, where Alhaitham would bring a sober, but sleep-deprived Kaveh into his bed, only to impose a decent amount of sleep upon him as well. It had become an occurrence that happened often, but not regularly.
Even so, this time doesn't feel the same as it should. Alhaitham tries to understand what is so different about this one time. Something is missing. Like he’s here, but he isn’t. Whatever is happening, it’s going to drive him insane unless he–
B̴̛̛͓̞̩̩̗͎̭͔̯̈͑͂͛̉̀̃̒̊̔̓̄̋̌̀̎͘̕͠͝ͅĘ̶̝̤̬̟͖̻͖̻̠̪̤͈̣͎̦̞͇̑̍̄̅͠͠ͅͅȨ̴̧̛̠̳͈̙̜̺̠͖͕̩̖̼͍̮̞̈̏̓̋͆̈̓͂̀͒̒̊̃̉̑̂̚̚͜͝͠͝P̵̨͚̯̜̘͒̓̏̈́̃̈̿̏́̓̊̅̓̈͠
Alhaitham wakes at precisely 5am. He drinks his water, washes his face, eats breakfast, and does his morning workout. If he is finished early enough after getting ready for work–which he usually is–Alhaitham takes time to read in peace.
He locks the door with his key. Setting out for work, Alhaitham double checks himself before leaving. Feeling like he is missing something, he checks himself once more.
Perhaps it's–
B̸̡̫̻̻̙̖̗͚͎͌̾̈́Ė̶͎̟̻͙̞̪̺̈̑̃̚͝ͅE̶̡͇̎̎͗̐̍̏̊̽̕̕͝P̵̧̢̼̖̱̱̪͙̹͓̰̙̀̔̄̀̑͛̍̽̉̄̈͘͝
Alhaitham is worried for no reason. It must be so, considering every necessary item on himself is in place. He heads to work.
“So you're saying you feel like you’ve been forgetting something important?”
Alhaitham nods. “Have you noticed anything similar happening with you recently?” Standing before him is the General Mahamatra of the Akademiya, Cyno.
The young man is shorter in stature, but undoubtedly his equal in his stern, authoritative demeanor. He wears a dark headdress shaped like a jackal on his silvery white hair that goes down past his shoulders. His red-orange eyes flicker with consideration as he tries to recall anything to answer his friend's question.
“How long ago did you first notice?”
“A few weeks ago, maybe longer.”
“If it's repeatedly happening to someone like you, then perhaps it's truly something worth investigating.” A hand is placed below his chin as he ponders. “Unless something’s happening with your health.”
“Unlikely. Everything went fine during my physical examination last week. I had Tighnari check the notes as well and he said there was nothing that stood out to be of concern.”
At the mention of Tighnari, Cyno’s expression lights up for a brief moment and softens. Remembering himself, he nods and takes a moment to think.
“If he says so, then it is,” Cyno nods resolutely. “I’m not sure if there's anything else I can do to help at the moment, but don't hesitate to ask.”
“Thanks,” Alhaitham nods and the two move to part.
However, Cyno stops in his tracks and turns around. “Also,” he adds abruptly. Catching his attention, Alhaitham looks back up from his files. “Speaking of him, Tighnari and I will be at Lambad’s tonight if you'd like to join us again. Maybe that will help.”
“Hm.” Alhaitham nods in agreement. Looking back down at his papers, he responds, “Ok. We’ll be there at 8.”
A few awkward seconds pass before Alhaitham looks back up to the general to see that he is frozen in his tracks, lost in thought.
“Is something wrong?”
“You said ‘we,’” Cyno speaks carefully. “What did you mean by that?”
“Hm.” Alhaitham is surprised by his own words. A look is shared between the two. Cyno throws his gaze around before going back to Alhaitham.
“Maybe you meant you'll be there with us. Is everything okay?” Cyno makes a subtle, but noticeable motion.
“Yeah. Perhaps I’ve been sleep deprived lately.” Alhaitham understands as the man gives him another look. “I'll have a rest before we meet at Lambad’s.”
‘Turn off your Akasha,’ he motions carefully to his own and turns it off.
Alhaitham follows suit before Cyno quietly speaks.
“We have a few minutes before anything may look suspicious.”
Alhaitham nods.
“I’ve had reports and a case of some tampering with the Akasha system. Last week, we apprehended a scholar for trying to pass off someone's work as her own. She tried using the work of an Akademiya alumnus who passed away years ago. She somehow erased any memory of them from the system and subsequently, peoples’ memories. She was thorough, but not thorough enough.”
Alhaitham is surprised, but remains silent and focused.
“The way we found out this person was even erased at all was through a few accounts of people finding physical evidence. Things like a sample of their writing left in a library book or an old memento left behind. The evidence of the deceased jogged the memories of their family, so they were able to prove the erasure.”
“Have there been any other cases? Suspects?”
“It’s still too early to confirm any other information right now, but I think you should consider this regarding that feeling you’ve had lately.”
A grave look is on Alhaitham’s face. “So you’re saying…”
Cyno nods. “Check everything. Anything you could have possibly hidden or stashed away that only you would know about. Try recalling without your–”
Before he could speak, Cyno moves to turn the Akasha Terminal back on and taps it twice to indicate what he means.
Alhaitham nods in response.
Cyno motions quietly to Alhaitham and leaves without a word.
“See you tonight.”
Heading back to his house at the end of his shift, Alhaitham walks with his usual leisurely pace. Outwardly, at the very least.
Bringing his mail and deliveries inside, he enters his front door and lets out a heavy sigh. Cyno could certainly be right. Could the Akasha Terminals be used to erase traces of someone like that? What other motives could there be beyond academic fraud? How else could others benefit from making people collectively forget an entire person?
The idea of it was quite unsettling, but the more Alhaitham thought of it, the more that empty feeling of forgetting something made sense.
Only now he knows that it isn't a matter of ‘what,’ but a matter of who .
Alhaitham turns off his Akasha Terminal. Such a device is so normalized and depended on throughout Sumeru, so of course people wouldn't question it. This perfidious little device and the extent of its capabilities are quite concerning, to say the least.
The people of Sumeru–especially the scholars–are almost entirely dependent on such a tool. It was only a matter of time before someone would figure out how to abuse such power.
There is plenty of time before his meeting at the tavern tonight, so Alhaitham decides to do a thorough search of his own house.
Starting with his study, Alhaitham skims through every book in his collection.
After a thorough search of the kitchen, the living room, the guest bedroom, and his own room, Alhaitham decides to take a break.
“Alhaitham,” he wakes to a voice softly calling him.
“It’s you,” he grumbles and wills himself to focus. “Kaveh,” he blurts out. Alhaitham isn’t sure why, but he has an inkling that the way he said his name must have made the young man standing before him blush.
“Hm? You’re acting like you didn’t just see me earlier.”
“I didn’t.”
“Oh, um–” he looks a bit nervous for a brief moment, but does his best to brush it off. “Anyway, you’re going to be late to Lambad’s if you don’t get ready soon.”
“You’re going with me, right? They’re waiting for you too.”
“Of course! I’d love to–” Kaveh stops himself. “Oh, but I have work to do tonight. And I still haven't cleaned the mess in my room.”
“Do it another time, you need a break.”
Kaveh hesitates. “But my uh, draft is due tomorrow.”
“No it’s not.”
“Huh?! How would you even kno– Wait, why are you giving me that look?”
“What look?” He mumbles.
“Don’t give me that,” Kaveh huffs. “What, is there something on my face?”
Alhaitham shakes his head. He would never tell Kaveh that he was trying to take in as much as he can before he forgets.
“What is it, then? You’re acting weirdly. Are you okay?” The worried look in Kaveh’s eyes draws the man closer. He grows increasingly nervous as Alhaitham’s turquoise-amber eyes gaze at him so intensely. “Did… something happen?”
“Yes,” he nods. “I finally figured out the answer to something very important.”
“Oh, is that so?” Kaveh nervously chuckles. “May I ask what?”
“I’ve felt like I’ve been missing something lately and it’s been bothering me. Quite a lot, actually.”
“Oh,” Kaveh tenses for a second. Alhaitham wonders why, but chooses not to speak on it. Did he regret asking? What is making him this uneasy? Before he could turn to walk away, Alhaitham’s words stop him in his tracks.
“It’s you. ”
“What?” Kaveh freezes like a sumpter beast in the headlights. Before he could escape, Alhaitham gets up from the divan to take his hand. “Alhaitham, what–”
“ You are the answer, Kaveh.” He softly whispers as if he is telling his most intimate secret. “Are you real?” Kaveh takes one look into his eyes and is suddenly faced away. Alhaitham’s grip on his hand isn’t tight. Even so, Kaveh doesn’t move his hand away, while still refusing to look back at him.
“Don't say something so cheesy! Wh–why would you ask me something like that?” Kaveh asks so nervously, that it only furthers Alhaitham’s suspicions.
He pulls Kaveh in with little effort. They face each other now, but Kaveh hangs his head, still refusing to allow Alhaitham to see his face. “You feel so real standing here in front of me. I’m holding your hand, and yet…” As he speaks, he carefully entwines his fingers with Kaveh’s. “It’s like you’re here, but you’re not. I feel like I see you every day, yet at the same time, I feel like I’ve been missing you so much for so long, that it aches .”
Kaveh’s breath hitches. “I–I don't know what you're talking about.” His voice is hardly a whisper as he avoids eye contact. “I’m right here, aren’t I?”
“You’re a terrible liar, you know.”
Kaveh moves away, but Alhaitham moves closer. “What gave it away this time?”
At this, Alhaitham raises an eyebrow. “You get nervous and hesitate when you lie. You try to get away like you’re doing right now and you can’t look me in the eye when you know I’m right.”
Kaveh is stunned into silence.
“What happened to you, Kaveh? Why can I only see you when I’m asleep?”
Kaveh finally looks up, fear is so very apparent in his eyes. “Alhaitham,” he says woefully. “You really are too smart for your own good. Please don't.”
“Kaveh,” his face darkens. “What happened to you? Are you in danger? Are you even alive ? How can I find you?” Alhaitham is now gripping Kaveh’s forearms, afraid to let go.
Giving a resolute sigh, Kaveh shakes his head. “Don’t worry about me. It’s been so long, anyway. I don’t think things could ever go back to how they were anymore.” Kaveh releases himself from Alhaitham’s grip and leans in.
“Kaveh?” Alhaitham asks cautiously. His arms hover protectively around the man’s thinner, less muscular physique.
“I’m sorry about tonight.” He rests his head on Alhaitham’s shoulder and holds him for a brief moment. “I let too much slip this time. I’ll be more careful.” A sad smile is on his face.
Alhaitham could feel his stomach twist. “What do you mean by that?”
“Go on, now. You’re already running late to meet up with our friends.” Kaveh gently moves to wipe something from Alhaitham’s face and then reaches for something on his ear.
“Kaveh, wait–”
B̸̢̨̙̜̥͎͎̞̯̹̗̪̺̯͈̰̲̈́̿̇̑̉ͅẸ̷̛̜̠̹̫̘͈̣̤̭͉̪̜̯͈̊̑͆̃̇͒́͊̂̓̈́̇͐̾̕̕͜͜Ę̸̛̹͖̖͍̯̽͗̎͒̀̔̔̏̈́̕Ṗ̴̧̢̢̢̺̗̗͈͙̺̞̬̦͛̋̄̇͂͗̑̾͂̕͘͜͝ͅ
Alhaitham jolts awake from where he sits on the divan. His Akasha Terminal alerts him of the time and he slowly stands up in a daze. Something happened just now, but he doesn’t know what.
Looking around the room and then down at himself, he sees a drop of liquid fall down onto the floor. ‘Oh,’ he realizes as he wipes the other tear running down his cheek.
Trying to recall what he may have dreamt about to make him so upset, Alhaitham fails to find a conclusion. For some reason, though, he could have sworn he was just feeling the warmth of someone else on him just now. Something important just happened, but–
B̵̨̛̖̳̰̺̳̬̙̪̣͖̖͚̯̯̭̼̉́͊̿̐̇͋̉͛̈́͂͐͐Ę̵̫̟̳͔̱̣̹̲̝̘̭̠̊̒̃̎̿͌̈̎̍͊́͒̕̚ͅȨ̶̡̼̙̱̳̲̳̮͕̺̩̩̇̊̂̂͛͂̀̅͂̾͜ͅͅP̸̧͖͉̜̦͔̯̙̺̪̩͖͚̺̟͇̲͚͗̀̆̈́̽̎̉́͘.
"That's impossible,” he says to nothing, to no one. ‘I live alone.’
Alhaitham spends the evening with his friends, Cyno and Tighnari. Everything goes normally until the owner of the tavern, Lambad, approaches him with a confirmation receipt for an order he had previously made a while ago.
“Thank you,” Alhaitham signs the merchant copy and casually takes his own copy. Lambad walks away before the others at the table speak.
“I didn’t know you made bulk orders,” Tighnari’s large fox ears tilt along with his head.
“Not usually.” Alhaitham looks at the receipt. The details are certainly legitimate and signed by himself about three months ago. “I certainly did, though. It was delivered to my house earlier today.”
“What did you order?” Cyno asks.
“Two crates of wine, apparently.”
The two pause and look at him oddly. Alhaitham places the paper on the table for them to look at as well.
“I didn’t know you liked wine that much.” Tighnari looks up from the paper then to his two companions.
“I don’t. I don’t even drink at home. But I do remember ordering this a few months ago and this is certainly my signature. It must have been for someone else.”
“Have you been seeing anyone in the past few months? Do you know anyone who you’d give that wine to?”
Alhaitham shakes his head. At this, Cyno and Tighnari look at him and then to each other.
“This brand isn’t very easy to get a hold of either,” Cyno adds. “This person has to be important enough for you to go out of your way to get two crates.”
The three of them look at the empty seat at their table and suddenly feel very uneasy.
“Did you look into the issue I told you to look into?” Cyno asks in a low voice.
Alhaitham nods, indicating the receipt. “This helps confirm it too.”
With a nod, Cyno continues. “Nari and I were talking about it as well.”
“I think what Cyno says is most likely the case too,” Tighnari adds. “Alhaitham, maybe you should go home.”
“Let us know tomorrow if you find anything,” Cyno solemnly adds.
Alhaitham nods, leaving without another word.