[ it doesn't come naturally to him, these things associated with grooming. his fingers are better suited for the sprouts in the dirt, for the petals of flowers and the thorns of cacti growing long, and proud, and tall within the greenhouses of the akademiya so far from their native homelands. much like cyno, he thinks, as he listens to cyno's recount, his fingers reaching into cyno's hair and gently teasing out the minute tangles there. spun silver through his fingers, like wayward moonlight.
it seemed so vast, he says. ]
I've been told that the Valuka Shuna were companions to large, desert dogs that roamed the region. I've never been to the desert. I've seen pictures and read descriptions, certainly, but the vastness of it has never been something I could imagine.
[ after a moment, he offers: ]
The first time I had that feeling was when I left the Sanctuary of Surasthana for the first time.
[ that tighnari has never been to the desert before is.. not terribly surprising, given how secretive the sages are about the presence of the valuka shuna in general. cyno gets the impression that they are incredibly sheltered creatures. prisoners. dusk birds in gilded cages. ]
The desert is.. harsh, but beautiful, in its way. The days are blistering hot, the nights are bone-chilling. It does not possess the lush greenery and color of the forest, but it still feels like home.
[ in some ways, at least. cyno spent much of his childhood and early adulthood in sumeru city, and the walls of the akademiya feel like home as well. he's torn between the two. though tighnari's fingers may be unused to the grooming of others, cyno finds that he does not dislike the feeling of them in his hair, working through the tangles and snarls left behind by the clasps and baubles. ]
If I had, I wouldn't know the first thing about redcrest cacti, would I? Perhaps I'd lack so much sense that your suite would be decorated with them from floor to ceiling.
[ but there's a proud tilt of his ears as he says this, as if sharing in a secret joke. ] No, I convinced them that I could be trusted to roam. The place where I best spent my time were the greenhouses of the Akademiya. There's at least hands-on learning, there. You could touch something real.
- there. [ he smoothes out the tail-end of cyno's hair. tighnari sits back to observe his handiwork, and then, satisfied, allows cyno the return of his personal space. ] Better?
[ for all he knew, they were provided books in the sanctuary, or access to all number of things, but that seems not to be the case. cyno can't help but feel discomfited. that there are people being kept in the sanctuary, people to be gift-wrapped for the mahamatras, to be used and seen as valuables, does not sit right with him. it makes him feel uneasy.
when tighnari sits back, he takes his sweet scent with him, and cyno exhales softly, smoothing a hand back through his hair. it's still wild, unkempt, but less unruly than it had been before. ]
And yes, thank you.
[ leaning back, cyno drapes one arm listlessly against the back of the sofa. this close, tighnari will easily see the myriad scars that criss-cross his body, a tapestry of his history winding down his arms, cut across his abdomen, a story to each one. some that cyno has forgotten. ]
I grew up in the Akademiya's walls, I would have noticed someone like you. Did you disguise yourself?
[ in theory, tighnari knows scars. he'd spent six months with his ears pinned back beneath his veil pepper the brightest medical minds from liyue regarding eleazar prognoses, observing the excising of necrotic tissue from acute scaling and monitoring the long, extensive and painful healing process that followed. before that, it had been the specialty doctor from the bimarstan hand-picked to keep the valuka shunas healthy and hale, and before that - well, tighnari has always stolen knowledge from wherever he can.
cyno's scars speak of war, not illness. they crisscross his body like the unflinching grip of a claw, paler against his skin wherever nerve-dead tissue sunk into skin. he counts and loses count in the brief span of time it takes for cyno to raise his arm to the couch proper the number of individual scars that he wears much like a matter of fact statement. he wonders if he feels anything there, or if the nerve tissue is beyond repair.
tighnari slowly nods his head. ]
You would have remembered the ears. [ he says, another joke shared. ] But I'm not being facetious. With my ears and tails hidden, I look like any other human, though perhaps I may be less coffee-filled and sleep-deprived.
You resided in the Matra quarters, then. All your life?
[ he certainly would have remembered the ears. for better or worse, they absolutely stand out. cyno can't claim to know everyone in the akademiya, nor did he spend an exceptional amount of time near the greenhouses, as a spantamad student, but he nevertheless knew many, many faces, and he did not forget any of them. people watching has always been a pasttime of his. ]
No. I didn't become a Matra until I graduated.
[ again, there's that pinch to his brow that conveys his thoughtfulness, his mild uncertainty, as he seems to wrestle with a silent question. how much to tell tighnari. yet he had insisted himself that they get to know one another, and cyno's power is no secret. ]
before he is able to speak, the door's soft, silver chime interrupts them. the household staff carries in their meal: a steaming platter of vegetarian biryani, perfect, fluffy golden grains of basmati rice cradling a bouquet of saffron, cilantro and delicate sprigs of freshly-picked mint. six gleaming roasted figs arranged artistically around a sumeru rose-shaped ceramic container of a pale, white cashew dip, escorted by a crescent of assorted smoked and dried meats soaked in enough spice that tighnari's nose twitches at its scent. two, pale-white namkeen lassis stand in tall glasses rimmed with padisarah petals carefully pressed into salt-and-sugar crystals.
the head of household introduces the platter, her eyes only lingering a little upon the scandalous hitch of tighnari's sleeves, still tied back like that of a common port-side labourer. to her credit, she says nothing - the platters are placed in front of them on the low table, and the household files out in neat, orderly lines. tighnari watches the door slide shut behind them, and then, because he can, he pushes his sleeves up just a little more. ]
Food, first. [ his eyes glint. he holds out a fig to cyno. ] And then I'll tell you about how this isn't the first time we've spoken.
[ cyno isn't sure that he'll ever get used to this. being waited on. having a staff. and some of the staff, he is sure, are less than pleased to be waiting on him, an orphaned desert-dweller daring to besmirch the lofty title of general mahamatra. to say that cyno's promotion had been contentious would be an understatement. that, however, is a conversation for another time. nodding his thanks, cyno watches quietly as they file out, one by one. the door snaps closed, and cyno releases a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. ]
You..
[ cyno's pale brows lift in surprise, his sunset eyes narrowing, darting to the fig, then to tighnari's face again. ]
I'm a patient man, but you see fit to test it.
[ he drops information like that, then insists that they eat, first? cyno plucks the fig from tighnari's grasp. he does not often forget a face, but then, tighnari is still wearing his veil. ]
[ when cyno holds his breath, the entire world seems silent in return. interesting, tighnari thinks. he watches the household as if he himself is prey, not predator.
a fig for himself, and a tidbit filed away for later perusal. tighnari's eyebrows quirk. ]
You also seem like a driven man. I have my doubts that you'd eat while we talked, unless I were to wrangle a promise out of you to that effect.
[ carefully, cyno takes a bite, finding the sweet flesh of the fig tender and soft, still warm. ]
You have my word.
[ tighnari's suspicions are likely enough, but now that the food has arrived, looking delicious and smelling irresistible, cyno feels a pang of hunger in his gut, saliva pooling beneath his tongue. the fig is finished in two more bites, before cyno is leaning to scoop some fragrant biryani into a small serving bowl. he hasn't forgotten what tighnari mentioned about smaller portions. ]
[ it suddenly occurs to tighnari, sitting across from the general mahamatra with a veritable feast for the eyes and soul between them, that he's never had anyone's word before. the realisation that he doesn't quite know how to gauge it, or even what to do with it - that rankles at him in a way that he can't quite parse. but even valuka shuna are the children of sumeru. like the children of liyue, who uphold contracts at the expense of their soul, and the children of mondstadt, who choose freedom above all else, any child of sumeru would choose to seek wisdom beyond the pall of what's reasonable. even a little thing like this piques him, it has him hungry in a way that has nothing to do with food.
so, his ears flicker. he takes a bite of his roasted fig. the caramelised flesh of the fruit melts like butter upon his tongue. ]
One more thing. [ he's pushing his luck, he knows. but curiosity sits nestled in between the sharpened points of his incisors, and he's always wanted to know what it would taste like if he bit down. ] After I explain, I'm going to ask you for a favour. I would like your word [ he savours the words there like the sugary aftertaste of a well-roasted fig, slowly and with no little pleasure - ] that you would consider my request seriously.
[ this fox is certainly trying his patience, but thankfully, cyno has plenty to spare, and where others might find tighnari's audacity shameful or infuriating, cyno thinks he's simply fascinating. he speaks his mind. he's sharp, strong-willed. these are things he values in a person, and he did say that he had no interest in owning anyone. let tighnari behaves however he sees fit, so long as he is not harming himself, or others.
so, cyno is quick to nod, while he stirs his biryani to cool it, steam rising in aromatic puffs. ]
[ it's said simply. faith starts like this, he knows. tighnari pulls his tail up next to him, and begins to card his fingers through the dried meats, searching for the least seasoned slice of it to swallow. ]
You have been working on a case. Researchers from Spantamad Darshan have disappeared, all of whom have expertise in robotics and elemental fuel for artificial creations. Further more, various parts and orders from Port Ormos have gone missing as well, their disappearance tied to a series of forest fires in northern Vissudha field. You were dispatched to find the person responsible, and bring them to justice. I trust that this is more than familiar, so far?
his investigations are, of course, on the record, but while they are still open, he prefers the details of his doings to be kept as tightly wrapped as possible, lest information regarding his hunt reach the ears of his prey. that tighnari should know these things is a little surprising. he's no matra, no scribe. cyno's brows lift. he takes a bite of biryani, to keep his promise. ]
Yes. This is all correct.
[ there's no reason to deny what tighnari already knows, after all, and he's quite curious to learn just how he knows it, and how it could tie into the fact that they have somehow spoken before. he takes another bite, and listens carefully. ]
[ it's remarkable to tighnari that cyno's body language is as expressive as it is. he feels, rather than sees, the tension in cyno's shoulders, the way he examines him as if looking for a crack within a mysterious veneer. a question unasked - not for the lack of curiosity, but, tighnari thinks, of trust. he's also continued to eat his biryani.
in turn, tighnari fetches for himself another slice of roasted fig. ]
A crucial clue you found was the crushed petal of an unknown flower. Amurta driyoshes consulting on the case noted that it was a petal from a young flower of the Tacca genus, though the plant is not known for any commercial uses and its general location within that quadrant of forest is not well-studied. Knowing where to look, however, would allow you enough time to capture those involved without further sacrifices, or time allowed for them to complete their project.
Your colleague consulted with a source in order to map out the possible locations where the Tacca genus could cluster based on soil composition, weather patterns, nutrient pathways and leyline disturbances within the past year. [ his ears dip. the fig disappears between his fangs. ] I was the source. The report you read on the matter was mine. So in a sense, I have spoken to you.
[ and just like that, the pieces snap into place. the tension in cyno's expression melts away, leaving in its place a smooth, near imperceptible smile. ]
Your report was incredibly helpful. Thanks to you, I've been able to mark out several locations for possible work sites, based on a number of factors. [ terrain, space, underground cave networks. ] I should be able to scout them out within the week. I've been working on this case for a long time.
[ nearly a year, now, cyno has been tracking his prey, but it has been no easy task. it's a snake with many heads, each one cunning and quick, but all it took was a careless suspect stepping on a rare plant and tracking its petals to the city. that, and an equally cunning fox. another bite of biryani. ]
[ he's never been called incredible before. rationally speaking, each word will eventually be applied to each individual at some point in time in their lifetimes. what tighnari did was not particularly exceptional: he had time, and the wherewithal to live inside the house of daena until he pulled up each and every topographical survey done in the past decade of the vissudha river. only a slave without purpose would have the sheer time and energy to do so.
cyno's lips quirk. tighnari- well. ]
When you detain the culprit [ he says - when, as if it were a foregone conclusion, because it is. because it's the general mahamatra - because it's cyno. ] I would like to see the project they were working on before it's destroyed; the project of creating sentience.
Edited (im sorry that punctuation was going to bug me) 2023-03-29 00:37 (UTC)
[ cyno falls silent, for several moments, chewing his food, his gaze drifting away as he weighs the request given to him against possible repercussions. tighnari isn't asking to keep any of the work, or to continue it in any way, only to see it, but as sharp as he is, that could still lead to problems. what he's asking of cyno is trust. trust that he won't make him regret his decision, should he accept. trust that he will not do anything untoward with whatever information he is made privy to.
and as much as cyno enjoys tighnari, currently, he's known him for a mere hour. now, cyno considers himself an excellent judge of character - he has to be, to do his job well. he must be able to see through lies and bribes, to take the proper measure of a person in order to see to the bottom of the murky rivers of his cases. his snap judgment of tighnari seems sound enough, and were he asked to bet on it, he would say that tighnari is trustworthy. but he cannot know for sure. not yet. ]
[ the onus is on him to explain, he knows. the issue is, tighnari isn't sure how to. he's never had to, not once. nobody has ever expected an explanation of him, because valuka shuna were not listened to. he finds that he likes it, this new accountability, and the steady cast of cyno's eyes as he studies something in tighnari's expression beyond what tighnari is able to guess.
he takes off his veil. the silver jangle of the chained baubles keeping it looped around his ears slide onto the table between them. he pulls one padded foot up onto the couch, and swishes his fingers for yet another less-seasoned slice of meat. ]
I'm likely to explain it inadequately. [ he admits, ] But I know something about being created, or a born, for a purpose outside of one's control. Whatever it is, if it has sentience or not, I think someone who understands what it went through ought to acknowledge it before it's gone from the world.
[ by now, cyno is more than halfway through his serving of biryani, and beginning to feel full, so for the moment, he sets it aside. and then tighnari is removing his veil.
it's difficult not to be arrested by his beauty. cyno may be more immune to physicality than most - he has to be - but he still has eyes. he can still appreciate the world around him. all fair skin and delicate features, cyno is quite sure that tighnari is the most ethereal person he has ever seen, from the curve of his lips to the tall, proud prick of his ears. most attractive, however, is the haughtiness he carries himself with, and his razor-edged wit. nevertheless, if cyno's gaze lingers on him for a few moments more than strictly necessary, well, can he be blamed? ]
I see.
[ tighnari's explanation certainly tugs at the heartstrings, but as ever, when anyone tells cyno anything, he must consider whether or not it is a lie. an unfortunate effect of being a matra. of being the general. he does not think tighnari is lying to him, but cyno is a responsible man, he must take time to consider. ]
I'll keep your request in mind, and let you know when the suspects are apprehended.
[ it's an honest response. tighnari had only asked for cyno to consider his request seriously. he has been, he thinks, considered seriously, with the same weight that those making the same request would deserve.
it's a novel feeling, to know that he is being treated on equal footing as all of the other children of sumeru. he is pleased by it, and it shows in the dip of his ears. ]
Please do. [ he says, and means it. then: ] Are you going to finish that biryani?
Not right now. I'll have some more in an hour or so. You're welcome to some, if you'd like.
[ there's plenty more still left in the serving dish, after all. cyno reclines again, crossing one leg over his knee, both arms now resting along the sofa's back. his expression tightens again. ]
[ this topic clearly makes cyno a little uncomfortable, despite how he tries to hide it, but he's not the sort to beat around the bush. and so, onward. ]
I know what is expected of you. How one of your many duties is to see to my.. satisfaction. I need you to know that that isn't required of you, unless you -
[ ahem. clearing his throat. ]
You're even welcome to your own quarters, should that be your preference.
it's such an unexpected thing that tighnari has to pause to reorient himself. his ears cock, first to one side, and then to a confused other. there are some rapid reassessments being made right now, and he's not sure what to address first. ]
You're speaking of the duty to satisfy you sexually. [ he says, slowly. because just making it clear - is this the thing that they're not saying outright right now??? ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
it seemed so vast, he says. ]
I've been told that the Valuka Shuna were companions to large, desert dogs that roamed the region. I've never been to the desert. I've seen pictures and read descriptions, certainly, but the vastness of it has never been something I could imagine.
[ after a moment, he offers: ]
The first time I had that feeling was when I left the Sanctuary of Surasthana for the first time.
no subject
The desert is.. harsh, but beautiful, in its way. The days are blistering hot, the nights are bone-chilling. It does not possess the lush greenery and color of the forest, but it still feels like home.
[ in some ways, at least. cyno spent much of his childhood and early adulthood in sumeru city, and the walls of the akademiya feel like home as well. he's torn between the two. though tighnari's fingers may be unused to the grooming of others, cyno finds that he does not dislike the feeling of them in his hair, working through the tangles and snarls left behind by the clasps and baubles. ]
Have you lived there your entire life?
no subject
[ but there's a proud tilt of his ears as he says this, as if sharing in a secret joke. ] No, I convinced them that I could be trusted to roam. The place where I best spent my time were the greenhouses of the Akademiya. There's at least hands-on learning, there. You could touch something real.
- there. [ he smoothes out the tail-end of cyno's hair. tighnari sits back to observe his handiwork, and then, satisfied, allows cyno the return of his personal space. ] Better?
no subject
[ for all he knew, they were provided books in the sanctuary, or access to all number of things, but that seems not to be the case. cyno can't help but feel discomfited. that there are people being kept in the sanctuary, people to be gift-wrapped for the mahamatras, to be used and seen as valuables, does not sit right with him. it makes him feel uneasy.
when tighnari sits back, he takes his sweet scent with him, and cyno exhales softly, smoothing a hand back through his hair. it's still wild, unkempt, but less unruly than it had been before. ]
And yes, thank you.
[ leaning back, cyno drapes one arm listlessly against the back of the sofa. this close, tighnari will easily see the myriad scars that criss-cross his body, a tapestry of his history winding down his arms, cut across his abdomen, a story to each one. some that cyno has forgotten. ]
I grew up in the Akademiya's walls, I would have noticed someone like you. Did you disguise yourself?
no subject
cyno's scars speak of war, not illness. they crisscross his body like the unflinching grip of a claw, paler against his skin wherever nerve-dead tissue sunk into skin. he counts and loses count in the brief span of time it takes for cyno to raise his arm to the couch proper the number of individual scars that he wears much like a matter of fact statement. he wonders if he feels anything there, or if the nerve tissue is beyond repair.
tighnari slowly nods his head. ]
You would have remembered the ears. [ he says, another joke shared. ] But I'm not being facetious. With my ears and tails hidden, I look like any other human, though perhaps I may be less coffee-filled and sleep-deprived.
You resided in the Matra quarters, then. All your life?
no subject
No. I didn't become a Matra until I graduated.
[ again, there's that pinch to his brow that conveys his thoughtfulness, his mild uncertainty, as he seems to wrestle with a silent question. how much to tell tighnari. yet he had insisted himself that they get to know one another, and cyno's power is no secret. ]
How much do you know about my abilities?
no subject
before he is able to speak, the door's soft, silver chime interrupts them. the household staff carries in their meal: a steaming platter of vegetarian biryani, perfect, fluffy golden grains of basmati rice cradling a bouquet of saffron, cilantro and delicate sprigs of freshly-picked mint. six gleaming roasted figs arranged artistically around a sumeru rose-shaped ceramic container of a pale, white cashew dip, escorted by a crescent of assorted smoked and dried meats soaked in enough spice that tighnari's nose twitches at its scent. two, pale-white namkeen lassis stand in tall glasses rimmed with padisarah petals carefully pressed into salt-and-sugar crystals.
the head of household introduces the platter, her eyes only lingering a little upon the scandalous hitch of tighnari's sleeves, still tied back like that of a common port-side labourer. to her credit, she says nothing - the platters are placed in front of them on the low table, and the household files out in neat, orderly lines. tighnari watches the door slide shut behind them, and then, because he can, he pushes his sleeves up just a little more. ]
Food, first. [ his eyes glint. he holds out a fig to cyno. ] And then I'll tell you about how this isn't the first time we've spoken.
no subject
You..
[ cyno's pale brows lift in surprise, his sunset eyes narrowing, darting to the fig, then to tighnari's face again. ]
I'm a patient man, but you see fit to test it.
[ he drops information like that, then insists that they eat, first? cyno plucks the fig from tighnari's grasp. he does not often forget a face, but then, tighnari is still wearing his veil. ]
no subject
a fig for himself, and a tidbit filed away for later perusal. tighnari's eyebrows quirk. ]
You also seem like a driven man. I have my doubts that you'd eat while we talked, unless I were to wrangle a promise out of you to that effect.
no subject
You have my word.
[ tighnari's suspicions are likely enough, but now that the food has arrived, looking delicious and smelling irresistible, cyno feels a pang of hunger in his gut, saliva pooling beneath his tongue. the fig is finished in two more bites, before cyno is leaning to scoop some fragrant biryani into a small serving bowl. he hasn't forgotten what tighnari mentioned about smaller portions. ]
Go on.
no subject
so, his ears flicker. he takes a bite of his roasted fig. the caramelised flesh of the fruit melts like butter upon his tongue. ]
One more thing. [ he's pushing his luck, he knows. but curiosity sits nestled in between the sharpened points of his incisors, and he's always wanted to know what it would taste like if he bit down. ] After I explain, I'm going to ask you for a favour. I would like your word [ he savours the words there like the sugary aftertaste of a well-roasted fig, slowly and with no little pleasure - ] that you would consider my request seriously.
no subject
so, cyno is quick to nod, while he stirs his biryani to cool it, steam rising in aromatic puffs. ]
Yes, whatever it is, I'll consider it.
no subject
I believe you.
[ it's said simply. faith starts like this, he knows. tighnari pulls his tail up next to him, and begins to card his fingers through the dried meats, searching for the least seasoned slice of it to swallow. ]
You have been working on a case. Researchers from Spantamad Darshan have disappeared, all of whom have expertise in robotics and elemental fuel for artificial creations. Further more, various parts and orders from Port Ormos have gone missing as well, their disappearance tied to a series of forest fires in northern Vissudha field. You were dispatched to find the person responsible, and bring them to justice. I trust that this is more than familiar, so far?
no subject
his investigations are, of course, on the record, but while they are still open, he prefers the details of his doings to be kept as tightly wrapped as possible, lest information regarding his hunt reach the ears of his prey. that tighnari should know these things is a little surprising. he's no matra, no scribe. cyno's brows lift. he takes a bite of biryani, to keep his promise. ]
Yes. This is all correct.
[ there's no reason to deny what tighnari already knows, after all, and he's quite curious to learn just how he knows it, and how it could tie into the fact that they have somehow spoken before. he takes another bite, and listens carefully. ]
no subject
in turn, tighnari fetches for himself another slice of roasted fig. ]
A crucial clue you found was the crushed petal of an unknown flower. Amurta driyoshes consulting on the case noted that it was a petal from a young flower of the Tacca genus, though the plant is not known for any commercial uses and its general location within that quadrant of forest is not well-studied. Knowing where to look, however, would allow you enough time to capture those involved without further sacrifices, or time allowed for them to complete their project.
Your colleague consulted with a source in order to map out the possible locations where the Tacca genus could cluster based on soil composition, weather patterns, nutrient pathways and leyline disturbances within the past year. [ his ears dip. the fig disappears between his fangs. ] I was the source. The report you read on the matter was mine. So in a sense, I have spoken to you.
no subject
Your report was incredibly helpful. Thanks to you, I've been able to mark out several locations for possible work sites, based on a number of factors. [ terrain, space, underground cave networks. ] I should be able to scout them out within the week. I've been working on this case for a long time.
[ nearly a year, now, cyno has been tracking his prey, but it has been no easy task. it's a snake with many heads, each one cunning and quick, but all it took was a careless suspect stepping on a rare plant and tracking its petals to the city. that, and an equally cunning fox. another bite of biryani. ]
You're incredible. [ a beat. ] And your favor?
[ he has a few guesses. ]
no subject
cyno's lips quirk. tighnari- well. ]
When you detain the culprit [ he says - when, as if it were a foregone conclusion, because it is. because it's the general mahamatra - because it's cyno. ] I would like to see the project they were working on before it's destroyed; the project of creating sentience.
no subject
and as much as cyno enjoys tighnari, currently, he's known him for a mere hour. now, cyno considers himself an excellent judge of character - he has to be, to do his job well. he must be able to see through lies and bribes, to take the proper measure of a person in order to see to the bottom of the murky rivers of his cases. his snap judgment of tighnari seems sound enough, and were he asked to bet on it, he would say that tighnari is trustworthy. but he cannot know for sure. not yet. ]
May I ask why?
no subject
he takes off his veil. the silver jangle of the chained baubles keeping it looped around his ears slide onto the table between them. he pulls one padded foot up onto the couch, and swishes his fingers for yet another less-seasoned slice of meat. ]
I'm likely to explain it inadequately. [ he admits, ] But I know something about being created, or a born, for a purpose outside of one's control. Whatever it is, if it has sentience or not, I think someone who understands what it went through ought to acknowledge it before it's gone from the world.
[ ... ] That's what I think, anyway.
no subject
it's difficult not to be arrested by his beauty. cyno may be more immune to physicality than most - he has to be - but he still has eyes. he can still appreciate the world around him. all fair skin and delicate features, cyno is quite sure that tighnari is the most ethereal person he has ever seen, from the curve of his lips to the tall, proud prick of his ears. most attractive, however, is the haughtiness he carries himself with, and his razor-edged wit. nevertheless, if cyno's gaze lingers on him for a few moments more than strictly necessary, well, can he be blamed? ]
I see.
[ tighnari's explanation certainly tugs at the heartstrings, but as ever, when anyone tells cyno anything, he must consider whether or not it is a lie. an unfortunate effect of being a matra. of being the general. he does not think tighnari is lying to him, but cyno is a responsible man, he must take time to consider. ]
I'll keep your request in mind, and let you know when the suspects are apprehended.
no subject
it's a novel feeling, to know that he is being treated on equal footing as all of the other children of sumeru. he is pleased by it, and it shows in the dip of his ears. ]
Please do. [ he says, and means it. then: ] Are you going to finish that biryani?
no subject
[ there's plenty more still left in the serving dish, after all. cyno reclines again, crossing one leg over his knee, both arms now resting along the sofa's back. his expression tightens again. ]
There's one more thing I'd like to address.
no subject
[ says he, half-way through burying a small plate with biryani. ]
no subject
I know what is expected of you. How one of your many duties is to see to my.. satisfaction. I need you to know that that isn't required of you, unless you -
[ ahem. clearing his throat. ]
You're even welcome to your own quarters, should that be your preference.
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it's such an unexpected thing that tighnari has to pause to reorient himself. his ears cock, first to one side, and then to a confused other. there are some rapid reassessments being made right now, and he's not sure what to address first. ]
You're speaking of the duty to satisfy you sexually. [ he says, slowly. because just making it clear - is this the thing that they're not saying outright right now??? ]
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