for @citer

[cashewlater]

Comments

[cashewlater]

[ at this, cyno grunts his displeasure. ]

I've no need of all of.. this. It would be rude to reject it, of course, but no, it's not to my taste. [ clearly enough. ] But it is what it is.

[citer]

Make it to your taste, then. Otherwise, the resources put into it will go to waste. You might as well make do.

[cashewlater]

Make it to your taste. Like as not you'll be here far more than I will, and I want you to be comfortable.

[citer]

Do you have a second abode in the city? Or are you speaking of the Matra quarters?

[cashewlater]

Neither. I spend a lot of time working.

[citer]

You must eat. Sleep?

[cashewlater]

Of course. Still, sometimes I'm out of the city for days, or longer, if I'm tracking a suspect. Especially if they attempt to escape to the desert. Even in the city, my days are long.

[citer]

[ finally, tighnari lifts his head to take in his surroundings proper. the opulent room they're in stretches more than several wing-spans, doors with arched doorframes leading to mazy corridors upending in more rooms, and even more rooms to boot. the singular door leading to the bedroom is one that he'd explored earlier, while trying to figure out where they were hiding all the cacti.

his ear curves. tighnari stretches his toes. ]

I see. [ is all he says. ] I'll make do, then. Be sure to tell the relevant people of my newfound authority. You won't like the arguments that will break out otherwise.

[cashewlater]

I will.

[ he'd rather tighnari not be mistreated and belittled in his absence, though he gets the impression that tighnari can look after himself easily enough. ]

Are you displeased?

[citer]

[ there may be a new flower patch when he returns. there may be bodies in it. ]

Displeased? No. I was taking a measure of the place. It's smaller than the Sanctuary of Surasthana. The only thing two the places have in common is that neither were built to be lived in, but I've made do before. I will again.

[ his ears tilt back as he finishes his lassi. stomach full, he pulls his second foot up, his tail a comfortable curl around him as he smiles. ] But we are off topic. I only intended to tell you how we've spoken, and also that your contact who consulted me gave me a brief overview of what you are capable of. You were speaking of your powers - go on.

[cashewlater]

[ ah. at that, cyno needs to backtrack the conversation in his mind, a little, to remember why he had brought them up in the first place. ]

You'd asked if I'd resided in the Matra's Quarters my entire life, and my answer was no. Before that, I was kept privately by the Akademiya. [ a beat. ] For research purposes.

[ cyno, too, sets down his mostly empty glass of lassi, and reclines again, his gaze dropping briefly to that very plush looking tail, then back to tighnari's face again. ]

It's public knowledge, that a second spirit resides within me.

[citer]

[ his smile fades. tighnari's ears pull back, a quick flicker of a thing. his solemn gaze rests upon cyno, considering. ]

Hermanubis.

[cashewlater]

Yes, Hermanubis. The sages were very interested in my abilities. I was taken in by a Spantamad professor, until I was able to graduate and become a Matra.

[ tighnari looks somber, but cyno speaks matter-of-factly, his expression smooth, and easy. ]

And after that, well. Here we are.

[citer]

[ as if being researched for a spirit within you were mere fact within fiction. tighnari thinks of this for a moment. ]

Does the spirit disrupt your functioning in any capacity? Personality shifts, perhaps?

[cashewlater]

Not anymore, no. It did, once. [ a thoughtful frown. ] When I was a child, it was much more difficult to control; I've since learned the discipline needed to keep it leashed.

[citer]

I see. You must have had to work hard at it.

[cashewlater]

Mm.. I had help. I wasn't alone, not once I was taken in. Professor was very good to me, and gave me a chance that few desert-born are given.

[ cyno's gaze shifts toward the terrace doors, where the slanting light of sunset has given way to dusk, the sky darkened save for a soft glow on the horizon. ]

Are you tired?

[citer]

[ is he? tighnari finds that he doesn't know. it had been quite a day. they'd finished the food, at least. the platters stand empty; he'll bring it over to the door to be retrieved in time, and then he'd like to see the other plants in the building, to begin moving them to areas where they will thrive, rather than languish in shadows for the sole sake of people to marvel over their slowly dying forms. but that can wait. there will be time for that. there will be too much time. ]

No. [ he says, slowly. ] But overwhelmed, perhaps. It has been quite the change today. Do you feel the same?

[cashewlater]

[ cyno smiles, the curve of his mouth soft, and genuine. ]

Yes. This evening certainly took an unexpected turn. [ he certainly hadn't expected a legendary concubine to be dropped so suddenly into his lap. an opinionated, fierce, difficult one, at that. ] I know this isn't the ideal, for you. That this surely isn't how you wanted to live your life, but.. I hope you'll be as comfortable as possible, here. With me.

[citer]

[ if cyno is here, tighnari thinks. but he is smiling, and he has made accommodations on tighnari's part. he is gallant, and he is worth is word.

tighnari's own lips curve in turn. ]

And you with me.

[ heh. ] Though let's see if you revisit that opinion once I tell your household to stop spicing their meats the way they do. The amount of seasoning on it today was unacceptable.

[cashewlater]

[ for better or for worse, cyno thinks he'll be pleased with his new companion, indeed. cyno does not.. make friends easily. most are frightened of or intimidated by him. others look down on him, for being born of the desert. but tighnari doesn't seem to do either, and he has a spark to him that cyno is quickly growing fond of. yes, he'll be comfortable. ]

Well, I doubt they like me any more than they like you, so. Say whatever you will.

[citer]

[ that earns a flick of his tail. but he's warm, and full, and the day - well, it could have gone worse. tighnari nods. ]

Take a bath, then. And before you ask, I don't mind sharing a bed. They haven't prepared a second bed in this oversized palace of yours - don't get me started on what good having five other rooms is if none of them are hospitable - and I don't fancy sleeping on a couch. Do you mind?

[cashewlater]

[ a bath. that sounds.. very nice. cyno was out in the sun and humid air all day, he could use it. ]

No, I don't mind. [ though he's not used to sleeping beside a partner, he supposes he ought to get used to it. with a heavy sigh, cyno hauls himself to his feet. ] In that case, make yourself comfortable.

[citer]

Would you like me to wash your back?

[cashewlater]

I -

[ tighnari, please!! cyno's ears flush warm again, his thoughts briefly - very briefly - wandering. he's quick to tamp them down, and clear his throat. ]

That.. won't be necessary.