Hair of The Vulture
Alhaitham x Lubanna
—Alhaitham is hangover, Lubanna steps in to help, and he's trying to lessen it with the hair of the dog in the form of a hug. [ Grad student AU ]
For Hug Day Yumefess 2023
#.pelukpelukmlyt
#hanna
***
Despite often hanging together at the bar near their campus, Alhaitham always drinks more than Lubanna. The Biomedical Informatics student had read more than enough literature on alcohol effects that she always feels obligated to be the sanest one, while the Theoretical Linguistic student couldn’t care less about it. Besides, he’s a heavy drinker, so he wouldn’t get drunk that easily, he argued.
So Lubanna could only purse her lips as Tighnari brought out a special drink last night. It’s a stronger one than the one they usually drink. Cyno and Tighnari drank a few sips, Kaveh tapped out after one, while Alhaitham scoffed at them as he downed two more glasses.
As the night grew old, she could only watch her friends get progressively drunker and more slurry, until even Alhaitham couldn't even answer her sarcastic remark. At that point, Lubanna gave up on watching them and arranged for all of them to go home. It took around an hour to drag Cyno from throwing more of his puns onto a bartender, and another hour to keep Alhaitham from literally breathing down her neck.
But fortunately, everything is squared, and now the day after, Lubanna tried to contact Alhaitham for their bioengineering seminar at 12. The call went through, but he didn’t pick up any of them.
After trying for the fifth time, Lubanna then decided to just stop by his apartment. She hadn’t been there this week anyway.
She took the lift and stop in front of the door before ringing the bell. After a while, Kaveh, Alhaitham’s roommate, and old friend, opens the door. He looks ready for the day, already changing into presentable clothes and tidied hair.
“Morning, Kaveh,” she greeted him, “he’s here?”
“Still in his room,” said Kaveh.
“As expected.” Lubanna sighed.
After Kaveh stepped aside and made room for her, the woman went inside the apartment. Even from the entrance, it’s nice and tidy, unlike hers. The open plan made everything feel expansive too. Walking side by side, the woman started a small conversation with a smile.
“I’m glad you didn’t drink much last night. I don’t know how you’ll fare when he's still knocked out like this.”
Kaveh groans. “Well, I know my limit.”
“Unlike him,” she answered.
Kaveh snickered, then laughed with her as they both moved to the kitchen. She put her bag on top of the counter and started putting the food she brought onto the counter. Canned foods, seasonings, and other ingredients that'll last more than a few days.
She might not live with them, but with her research contracts going well, she usually brought food for the roommates. Alhaitham didn’t care much about his environment other than his things, while Kaveh had some trouble with money, so it was a no-brainer for her to help those two.
Kaveh watched as Lubanna arranged the seasonings in the cabinets, tapping his fingers on the counter. He never really mind her buying them food, but … he’d be lying if he said he’s not feeling guilty about it.
As the man pondered, Lubanna who stole a glance can tell he wanted to say something.
“So?” she asked, not stopping her movements.
Kaveh was caught off guard by her sudden question. How does she know?! But he just sighed. Both she and her boyfriend really could know things they shouldn’t.
“... you’re sure you don’t want to move in?” he asked. “We still have a room free if you want…”
“If you have troubles with the rent, I can help, you know,” she muttered, “I don’t need to move in myself.”
The Architecture student laughed bitterly. “No, I can’t just ask for money from—”
“Buuut, I also can’t see you keep getting bossed around by him.” Lubanna moved to face Kaveh, cutting his words short. She smiled. “If moving in will help you, I'll think about it, alright?”
Lubanna was sure Kaveh was about to cry, but he ended up giving her a half hug instead. She returned it and chuckled. Even though she hadn’t known him as long as Alhaitham has, she still treasure Kaveh as one of her close friends. And to her, she would do whatever she can if she’d be able to help her friends.
After the man let go of his hug, Lubanna finished sorting their cabinets and closed everything up. She then turned to Kaveh who still stood by the counter.
“I’ll go to his room.”
Kaveh nodded. “Just be careful. He’s voracious when he’s waking up.”
“I know.” She laughed and started walking away.
When he arrived at Alhaitham’s bedroom door, she knocked on it and called out his name. But no answer.
She knocked again, once, twice.
Still no answer.
Knowing he wouldn’t answer, she decided to open it up herself. Slowly she pushed on the handle and pushed the door open.
The room was completely dark, save for Alhaitham’s phone which was emitting light and turning from all the notifications that kept popping up. And even when that phone was not far from his bed, the man laying soundly on the bed was still unmoving.
Sighing, she walked over to the window and pulled the blinds open, drowning the room in sunlight. Alhaitham groaned at the sudden brightness and pull his blanket over his head, curling inside. She walked over to the bed.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” Lubanna crouched beside his bed and forcibly uncovered his face from under the blanket. Alhaitham grunted and his forehead scrunched, his eyes still closed. “Hangover?”
“... maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said, “do you want water or something?”
The gray-haired man paused for a second before answering.
“Coffee ….”
Of course. He’d never left home without his coffee. Why would she even think he’d want just some pure water this early in the morning?
“Alright, I’ll make your coffee and toast. You need some carbohydrates too,” said Lubanna.
She stood up and turned away from the bed, but before she could take a step, a hand reached out to her and yanked her inside the bed.
“HEY—!”
Alhaitham hugged Lubanna tightly, squeezing her against his more-than-toned abs, which the woman had always wondered how he manage to keep. He usually sleeps shirtless, so she wasn’t surprised with his condition now.
“Alhaitham, let me go.”
But in answer, the man just continues grumbling with his eyes closed, seemingly in a lot of pain. Lubanna smiled wryly and reached for his hair, running her fingers through them softly. He was always so tough, so cold, but at this time, he’s so … vulnerable. The scrunched-up face, the low groan, the messy hair—she wanted to protect him, to stay like this longer, but ….
“Alhaitham,” she sighed, “I’m trying to help ease your hangover so please let me go.”
“What if I refuse?” he asked.
“Then you’d get no coffee,” she said, “and I’ll step on you until you do.”
But instead, he tightened his grip even more and opened his eyes a bit, his turquoise irises meeting Lubanna’s amber ones.
“Try me.”
“Oh, come on.” She laughed. “You really wanna do this when your body is all jumbled up?”
“Yes.”
“And when we have a seminar after this?”
Alhaitham paused at those words, before giving up, letting Lubanna gets off his bed. For the two of them, a seminar is more important than playing around like this, after all.
Lubanna hopped out the bed and cleaned up her outfit, before walking out of the room back to the kitchen.
When she arrived there, Kaveh was already gone, probably back in his room since she knew he had a class today.
Lubanna shrugged and started setting aside the ingredients she’ll need for the toast. After that, she grab a cup and reached for one of the cabinets, and took out the coffee beans Alhaitham drank these days, putting it beside a sleek coffee machine and she started operating the machine.
She ground the coffee and then put them inside the portafilter before tamping it, doing every step as she remembered from the many many sources she read.
Alhaitham was quite particular about his coffee, and Kaveh often complained about how he would make his coffee himself because his roommate ‘can’t even do that easy of a thing’. Pitying the blonde man, Lubanna stepped in and learned how to use the machine to its fullest potential and study his preferred coffees—only to discover in the end, it was Alhaitham’s plan all along to make her able to create his preferred coffee whenever he wants.
The woman was outraged of course, but at least she got to learn something new, so she quickly shimmered down, all the while planning to get back at him by ever so slightly messing with his coffee the next time she made it so it’d feel a bit off for him but he can’t pinpoint why. She had done that before, and the look on his face was absolutely worth it.
Today she won’t be doing it again though, because who knows what he’d do if she served him a different coffee. What if he threw up? Gosh, she wouldn’t want to wish that upon Kaveh’s new carpet.
As the coffee dripped onto the cup, she moves to grab the cold milk inside the refrigerator and move to steam it.
Lubanna herself didn’t understand much about coffee. She much prefers its alternatives, like tea or infused water. So whenever Alhaitham started talking about his coffee, she knew to just shut up and listen. No way she'd attempt a debate with him on that.
After a few minutes, the coffee was done and the milk was steamed. She pour the coffee first, then pulled out the steamed milk, and started creating simple latte art. Filling it halfway and then rocking the pitcher, she tried her best to create a rosetta, slowly yet steady.
Finally, she complete the design. It’s simple, of course, but it’s clean enough for her to be proud of. When she put the cup down with a smile, an arm wrapped around her shoulders, followed by something landing softly on top of her head.
“Is it done?” The masculine voice grumbled behind her, his voice still as gruff as before.
“Mhm.”
Without even a shred of surprise, Lubanna let go of the cup of coffee. She pushed it forward a bit on the counter so the man behind her could grab it easier. Alhaitham picked the cup by its rim and started to drink it.
He hummed and licked his lips. “This is better than last time,” he said, “you’re improving.”
“Last time was on purpose.”
He paused. “I thought so.”
“Nothing goes past your eyes, huh?” Lubanna scoffed. “And why are you still hugging me? You can take a seat.”
“I was just thinking about something and I’m trying it out,” he whispered in her ear. “Hair of the dog. The theory is the consumption of alcohol while having a hangover can help boost endorphins again. But we don’t have any here, and a hug like this—” he wrapped his left hand around her waist, pulling her closer until her back hit his bare chest, and he mutters “—also releases endorphin, so it’s a good enough substitute.”
A smile tugs on Lubanna’s lips, which she tried—and unsuccessfully—hide. “You know it only delays the symptoms, right? It’ll crash again as soon as you stop.”
“And that’s why I’m raising it in the form of a hug.” He took another sip from his cup. “Being addicted to hugging is better than being addicted to drinking.”
“Touché.”
A lull. Alhaitham finished his coffee and put the cup back down on the counter, but he still didn’t let her go. Lubanna who had started grabbing the bread for the toast started moving her shoulders around, shoulders occupied by her boyfriend who was restricting her movement. And she couldn’t do anything much due to sheer size and muscle difference.
So she muttered his name and shook her head.
“You’re feeling bothered?” he asked. “Are you going to let me lay down on the sofa and loss my endorphins again?”
“No, I’m not a demon,” she said, “but can you get me the butter knife, though? I can’t reach it from here.”
“Can’t it wait?” He lowered his face to the crook of Lubanna’s neck and cursed. “My head feels split open every time I move.”
Lubanna sighed and moved a few steps towards the butter knife while keeping her upper body as still as possible so as to not disrupt Alhaitham’s rest. “Then you’d better not act tough and drink too much of anything Tighnari bought again.”
She just barely reached the knife, but eventually, she also managed to grab the butter and jams and started making a toast for Alhaitham.
“How’s your last contract?” he asked, starting small talk.
“The one with the pharma?”
“That one.”
“It’s still ongoing. My last report was inadequate, they say, so—”
Lubanna continued to talk about her latest contract while Alhaitham perched on her shoulder, listening intently while inhaling the woody perfume she usually used. He was sarcastic about the hair of the dog, of course, but even when his head was throbbing with headache and he couldn’t make too many remarks, hugging her helped straightened him.
Whether he liked to admit it or not, her presence brought something serene to his life.
Suddenly, a door was opened and closed again, and footsteps came towards the kitchen.
“Luba—”
Kaveh stood still, gawking at the two lovebirds, the bag slung over his shoulder dropped down onto the floor and caught both of their attention.
“Kaveh?”
“You’re still here?” Alhaitham groaned.
Kaveh glared at the couple, especially who he can tell was pissed because he interrupted his ‘personal time’. But eventually, he moved to face his friend’s girlfriend.
“You know what? Forget about moving in. I can’t stand it if I need to see the two of you getting lovey-dovey every day.”
“Hm? Who is lovey-dovey?” Alhaitham cocked his head up, facing Kaveh with his usual deadpan while tightening his arm around his girlfriend’s torso. Lubanna herself held back a giggle.
“You can’t say that while you’re literally hugging her from behind like that!”
“No, I’m just promoting endorphins to lessen my hangover.” Even though his tone is flat, to Kaveh he still sounds like a bragging child. An annoying bragging child.
“Hugging is not a long-term solution to a hangover, Alhaitham.” Lubanna laughed before turning to face the other man in the room. “And don’t mind him, Kaveh. I’ll get out of your hair after I finish this toast. Do you want one too?”
Kaveh hesitated for a second before finally nodding. H took a seat on the stool on the counter.
“Just … one slice.”
“Okay~” Lubanna put away the bread she was preparing for Alhaitham and picked out another bread from the bag.
Alhaitham frowned ever so slightly at her. “What about my toast?”
“Yours can wait. Kaveh is clearly busier than you so he’ll get one first.”
“I’m also busy.” Alhaitham buried his face in Lubanna’s neck again.
“The seminar is still an hour away, you can wait,” Lubanna mused. She then reached for her boyfriend’s hair, ruffling it as she spoke. “And can you stop teasing Kaveh like this? You’re going to shorten his lifespan.”
“She’s right!” Kaveh booed. “You’re inconveniencing my day by acting like that!”
Annoyed by the man, Alhaitham raised his head again. “This is not teasing though.”
Then, without any cue, he lifted Lubanna’s head up by her chin, the woman speechless, caught off-guard by the gesture.
“But this—”
He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. It was only a few seconds and their lips barely met, but his intoxicating breath caused Lubanna to get lost in him.
Kaveh, on the other hand, turned red and yelped in embarrassment. Those two might be calm and collected when it comes to studying together, but when it comes to their romantic life, those facades are ripped right off.
“I-I'm going out first!” Kaveh grabbed his fallen bag and dashed towards the front door.
“Kaveh! Your toast—!”
The man ignored Lubanna’s yelling and slammed the door behind him, leaving her blinking in confusion before sighing.
“It’s all your fault, Alhaitham.” She elbowed the man behind her, and he didn’t respond, not feeling anything hurt due to his abs.
“It’s also yours.” He cupped her cheeks, causing her voice to turn muffled. “You’re not making me release endorphins fast enough, so I need to hug you longer.”
“Shorry I’hm nhot that ghood~” Lubanna went along with his joke until he released her cheeks. She then turned to face him and patted his cheek in return.
“Now, you better get ready unless you want to waive that seminar registration fee. The hair of the dog can wait.”
Alhaitham groaned. “Right ….”
Reluctantly, he let her go, but his fingers still lingered on her waist, his turquoise eyes still a bit glassy from the hangover.
“Will you stay the night though?”
Lubanna took a step forward and brushed his bangs back. The couple gazed at each other's eyes for a while, feeling euphoric—ah, right, the endorphins, the woman snickered.
“We’ll see,” she said, “I’ll help you continue your hair of the vulture testing.”