Sweet Obsession || Alhaitham x Reader

Chapter 18

☘️

You returned home after a long and exhausting day of tedious work. Rather than your occasional reading of reports, you had interacted with a lot of people who had suggestions, questions, and interviews for you. You never thought of yourself as much of the social type, so you were fairly timid throughout the day.

Closing the door behind you, you didn't hear anyone in the house. You figured Kaveh was out which he shouldn't be, and that Alhaitham was still back at the Akademiya.

Just as you were going to your room, you heard a harsh knock at the door.

Raising a brow, you cautiously approached it.

"...Who is it?"

"Y/N? Is that you?"

You didn't recognize the voice. Also, they referred to your first name, which was odd. You refused to opened the door, wondering if Reza had somehow found out where you stayed and sent one of his minions to you.

"Who are you?" You asked, slowly grabbing a knife from the kitchen.

You pulled it behind your back and took a step away from the door.

"I'm sorry to come so late... but is Kaveh there?"

You questioned his statement. "...No, he isn't."

"Ah, alright then. I seemed to have left my briefcase here when we were going over his designs... do you mind passing it along to me?"

You remembered that Kaveh had a guest in your room last night. Because of this, you quickly stepped into your room to search around.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, besides your messy bed. You walked out and entered Kaveh's room, and there you saw a brown suitcase lying on his bed.

You grabbed it, the strange lightweight feeling of it pulling onto your grasp. You walked back to the door.

"...It's a brown suitcase, right?" You asked.

"Yes! That's the one."

You examined the name tag on the case.

"...Apu?"

"That's me." The man said.

You quickly opened the door to reveal a muscular man dressed in casual attire standing there. He was shocked to see you just as you were to him.

"Apu!" You smiled and brought him in for a hug. He held you back tightly, laughing in joy and surprise.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" He exclaimed, stepping back to look at you.

"Archons... does everyone all of a sudden look different now?" You giggled.

Apu was one of your classmates who tended to cling to you sometimes. Although he expressed his feelings for you at one point, you politely turned him down. It didn't stop your friendship from continuing, however.

"It's been years. Of course I look different!" He laughed. "How have you been?"

"Besides being exhausted from work and constantly approached by people... I've been fine." You said.

"Ah, that's right. You're a Sage now." Apu looked down at your clothes. "...You look really good."

You smiled. "Thanks."

"Oh, my briefcase." He looked down at you holding it. You handed it to him, and he tucked it under his arm.

"I didn't expect you to be the one Kaveh had mentioned to me." You said.

"Ah, yeah... I plan on making a shop for the locals here. That's why I tasked Kaveh with the design..." He spoke.

"How did it go?" You asked.

"Eh, it was alright. But until I somehow find the mora for it, I'm going to put it on pause." He replied.

You giggled again. "It was nice seeing you."

"You too." He smiled widely. You returned the same expression and stepped back inside the house, preparing to close the door.

"Oh, Y/N..."

You looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you'd like—"

"Who is this?"

Apu's words were interrupted by Alhaitham's presence. He walked up to the both of you, holding a book and card in his hands.

"Ah, Grand Sage. It's a pleasure to meet you." Apu bowed slightly, but Alhaitham was looking at you.

"Oh, this is Apu. You don't remember him?" You asked.

"Apu..." Alhaitham quickly stole a glance at the man. "Oh. Yeah, I know you."

"Aw, this feels like a small class reunion." You cheered.

But Alhaitham was not amused. "You should head back. It's late."

Apu nodded and sighed. "You're right. But Y/N, I was going to ask you..."

You looked at him. "What is it?"

"If you'd like to get dinner with me tomorrow night, as long as you're not busy."

You thought about your schedule for the next day. "Hm... I should be free around 8."

"Great! You can meet me at Lambad's Tavern, then." Apu smiled and blushed.

You smiled back. "Alright. See you then."

With that, Apu bowed to you and walked off, while also giving Alhaitham some sort of strange look.

Alhaitham looked at you. "...You're actually going out with him?"

You shook your head. "It's not going out. Just a little reunion with an old friend."

"But we have work to do tomorrow." He stated.

"Yeah, but I'm sure it won't last long." You replied.

Alhaitham's head throbbed. He gripped the book and card in his hands tighter, walking off.

"Alhaitham?"

...

Alhaitham had made his way towards the Palace of Alcazarzaray. He slumped down on the bench, resting the book to his side.

His thoughts were too occupied by Apu.

Opening the card once more, he read it over and over until he felt himself calm down.

Alhaitham found himself relating back to that night. If only Reza hadn't hurt you...

...you would have been his.

But now you're going on a date tomorrow with someone he didn't like.

Not that he ever conversed with Apu or even got to know him, but because he was taking you out on a proper date before Alhaitham even got the chance.

Angrily, he closed the card and groaned, trying to tune out the world and listen to his music.

But he couldn't erase his mind of your lips and your touch.

His jaw clenched, and he felt himself growing more and more tense as thoughts of you and Apu together boiled his blood.

Alhaitham had never felt this way. He may have had certain feelings towards Kaveh when you clung to him, or when you would constantly be flocked around other male students, but this was... different.

He sighed, leaning over to place a hand on his forehead.

His mind ran a racetrack as he thought of Apu being the one kissing and touching you rather than him.

This new feeling of jealousy...

He didn't like it.