Overtime in the Akademiya
Contains spoilers to the Sumeru Archon Quests
Tw: none
Fluff
900+ words
Masterlist, Alhaitham's Birthday Special
Today has been rough for everyone in the Akademiya, just like all of the passing recent days.
After the whole overthrowing Azar, a Fake God situation and disconnecting Akasha Terminals, Akademiya couldn't be a bigger shamble. Even when they tried their best to appear as if nothing serious happened.
Huge delays of many deadlines, changed expectations, new forbidden research topics and the masses of students running from one corner to another were saying otherwise. Driving mad both students and staff working themselves to passing out trying to find some balance to hold on to.
This time has been especially exhausting to the new appointed, Acting Grand Sage - Alhaitham.
With the working hours long since ended, the desk lamp in the biggest office was still glowing, acompanying it's user who was working overtime again, trying to get a hold of the situation and resolve it quickly.
No one envied the new appointed Head, maybe some of them did at first, but after seeing the state of an ever rational, machine-like stoic scholar in such a mess, they quickly abandoned their wish and idea altogether. None of them wanted to be in his skin now...
As if his horribly dark eyebags and disappearing from everyone's eyes, locking himself in the office all the time wasn't showing how messy everything had been lately.
All of the support from the Dendro Archon was greatly appreciated and very much needed, as Alhaitham wasn't being able to clear his desk from the papers alone. No matter if he worked non-stop day and night, he couldn't see an end to it, and yet the amount of them only seemed to increase over time.
The repetitive routine never ended and haven't let anyone working on them to take a single break, and so more help was needed.
Volountiers - mostly students working on less-confidential files who wanted to obtain extra credites, hoping that they would help them with their graduation and those who have already graduated - hoping to ensure their stable and more superior positions in the new Akademiya in the making.
And yet all of their work, all of these helping hands, eyes and smart brains wasn't enough, it would never be enough, and Alhaitham knew that all too well, but all of their efforts were appreciated and rewarded nonetheless.
At this point, he would take most of the student body to help if they volountered, no one has ever saw him so desperate and stressed before.. And only Celestia knew how many times Alhaitham and other scholars cursed Azar in their minds - some even out loud.
This night again, Alhaitham fallen asleep on his desk in the middle of filling another crucial paper, with his hands placed on top of each other as he placed his head on them in the opposite direction from the still working lamp.
The sleeping man got suddenly woken up in the middle of the night, seemingly out of nowhere, as he started hearing voices from the side of his office. His first reaction was to stand up and go to see the source of the sound. As he stood up he was immiediately hit with a wave of dizziness, but still took his swords despite that and prepared to sneak-up on the intruders.
When he thought about finally going to check out the suspicious noise, he saw a little cupcake with a single white candle and green frosting, with sugary letters saying "Happy Birthday!"... At that he slightly lowered his weapons, more calmed down, but still cautious nonetheless.
It is today, huh? He completely forgot, Alhaitham shook his head smiling slightly and sighing. In the next few second he got serious once again, walking with his dual swords towards the source of the noise, hearing familiar laughter behind the mini-wall made from a bookshelf.
The next thing that Alhaitham saw had relaxed him entirely, as he quietly shook his head at the newcomers antics, with a genuine smile and the feeling of the pressure being taken off his chest.
Right in the middle of the so-called relaxation room in his office sat his friends: Kaveh, Cyno and Tighnari. All of them laughed happily at his reaction, clearly enjoying his expression and their succesfull surprise, as both Tighnari and Kaveh made a high five and Cyno was smirking at the taller man. At that he only just rubbed his eyes from still lingering sleepiness and looked at them for a while.
Soon after he put back his swords, another weight had been added onto the couch, with the man sitting close to everyone. Some of them started to chat about some light things, while the others continued to lighten his workload, just like before he joined, sometimes chimming some light remarks into the conversation as well.
Their laughs and happy conversations had surrounded the Grand Sage office up till the rise of the dawn, and when everyone had fallen asleep, Alhaitham - unnonticed by the rest covered them all with blankets and changed positions of some of them, to lessen their possible pains afterwards.
With another happy yet tired sigh he also placed himself on one of the couches, falling asleep comfortably and peacefully, just like before all of this mess started. In that moment he was very thankful for having companions like that, going out of their ways to help him out and be with him from their own will and initiative.
What strange friends he has, he thinks with a gentle and tired smile. He's feeling glad, as he drifts off to a dream land...
