[ bringing the jokes into this.. shot to the heart. cyno's not sure he's capable of being unhappy in this moment, however, so he allows it to slide. their foreheads touch, and cyno's hand smooths against tighnari's bare back, thumbing at the gentle dip of his spine. ]
So am I. [ it's so easy to nudge their noses together, to breathe tighnari's air. later, perhaps, the weight of it will settle onto his shoulders, the uncertainty borne of the power dynamic between them, but for now.. for now, there's only warmth. ] You make me happy, Tighnari.
[ for now, there is only warmth - and the matching beat of their hearts, drum-quick and tender. tighnari smiles. ]
Would it surprise you to say that you make me the same? I suppose that we're well-matched in that regard.
[ his tail flicks. tighnari breathes out, and lets himself rest there in the warmth of cyno's embrace. the gala seems terribly far away; everything does. ]
[ cyno's eyelids flicker as he lifts his gaze from tighnari's lips up to the forest of his eyes, and he does not deny himself the urge to lift his free hand, to run his thumb along the soft line of tighnari's jaw. he's always been beautiful, cyno does have eyes, but here, in this moment, he is captivating. would that this night could last forever. ]
I must admit I have.. little experience. I ventured a romantic relationship once, it did not end well.
[ cyno's hand traces a linen down tighnari's jaw, and tighnari smiles into it. he is in a solicitous mood. his tail gently rests itself upon cyno's leg as he considers this. ]
Oh? You've made me curious. Who else had caught your eye back then?
[ a deep sigh. his hand drops from tighnari's face to smooth over his tail. ]
She was a Spantamad graduate, beautiful and smart. I hadn't been a matra for very long. She was incredibly charismatic, and the first person to ever show any real interest in me, so I suppose I fell quite easily.
She was using me. As it turned out, her.. husband was incriminated in a smuggling operation, and they thought that I would be easily corruptible, as a fresh new matra. She attempted to convince me to allow her into the archives.
Needless to say, I've shrugged off any potential suitors since. How can I trust that their intentions are genuine?
You were used as a tool. As if you were a key that could be applied to any lock worth trying.
[ but little by little, his tail stills. tighnari considers this as he looks first to the titian sunset of cyno's eyes, and then to the set his shoulders. ]
You seem to have made peace with it, however. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I would be furious in your shoes.
It's simply my reality. It's one of the downsides to my profession - having to be suspicious of the intentions of others. So.. yes, I suppose I have made peace with it.
[ his mouth curves, a light chuckle in his chest. ]
[ the chuckle traverses tighnari's chest. he lays his cheek against cyno's to feel its thrum. he's allowed to do so, he thinks. it is, in fact, warm. ]
[ cyno's chin rests easily atop tighnari's head, right between his tall ears. it's something else, really, how easily they've fallen together, how simple this feels. ]
.. it does. I suppose I'm far more invested in justice on others' behalf than on my own.
[ typical you, tighnari thinks. it had been easy to notice, cyno's penchant for getting angry at another's behalf. he had benefited from it. perhaps, thinking about it a different way: ]
Hm. Perhaps I should have looked at it a different way: that you got upset on your own behalf today is a step forward.
Perhaps it might have been better to have been upset over something a little more.. substantial, and less ridiculous.
[ he's still a bit embarrassed by his behavior. but he can't help but feel content nonetheless, lying here with tighnari warm against him. nudging into his hair, cyno breaths in his soft, floral scent, his thumb still rubbing gently into soft fur. ]
[ cyno's thumb trails through tighnari's fur. tighnari allows it. it soothes a part of him that he didn't even know existed, a part of him that yearns for warmth. his ears flicker, its sensitive rim brushing against the crown of cyno's hair. ]
A first step is a first step. You typically are upset on my behalf. It makes me think that I haven't been upset enough.
[ he likes, tighnari finds, cyno's smile. this isn't much of a revelation, but it is a wonder. so he leans up and kisses him again. ]
Perhaps in a lifetime, we only need to know one such person.
[ it's easy to settle into the warmth of cyno's embrace. lulled by such, it's easy to let his eyes close. the steady thrum of cyno's heartbeat is like an anchor; in his world, he knows no other. perhaps his world has grown by just a little, in a way that matters. ]
[ another kiss, warm and welcome, and cyno revels a little at the feeling, at the possibility that something mundane could feel so nice. then tighnari is settling in against him, and it is the most effortless thing in the world to wrap him up in his arms, cyno's fingertips drawing lazy circles in the dip of his spine, near the base of his tail.
he closes his eyes, rests his cheek against tighnari's hair. ]
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So am I. [ it's so easy to nudge their noses together, to breathe tighnari's air. later, perhaps, the weight of it will settle onto his shoulders, the uncertainty borne of the power dynamic between them, but for now.. for now, there's only warmth. ] You make me happy, Tighnari.
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Would it surprise you to say that you make me the same? I suppose that we're well-matched in that regard.
[ his tail flicks. tighnari breathes out, and lets himself rest there in the warmth of cyno's embrace. the gala seems terribly far away; everything does. ]
So, what now?
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[ cyno's eyelids flicker as he lifts his gaze from tighnari's lips up to the forest of his eyes, and he does not deny himself the urge to lift his free hand, to run his thumb along the soft line of tighnari's jaw. he's always been beautiful, cyno does have eyes, but here, in this moment, he is captivating. would that this night could last forever. ]
I must admit I have.. little experience. I ventured a romantic relationship once, it did not end well.
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Oh? You've made me curious. Who else had caught your eye back then?
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[ a deep sigh. his hand drops from tighnari's face to smooth over his tail. ]
She was a Spantamad graduate, beautiful and smart. I hadn't been a matra for very long. She was incredibly charismatic, and the first person to ever show any real interest in me, so I suppose I fell quite easily.
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... did she humiliate you?
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Needless to say, I've shrugged off any potential suitors since. How can I trust that their intentions are genuine?
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She took your trust and used it. That's despicable.
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[ his thumb rubs gentle circles into tighnari's tail, soothing. ]
Nevertheless, that's the extent of my experience. I've not tried again since.
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[ but little by little, his tail stills. tighnari considers this as he looks first to the titian sunset of cyno's eyes, and then to the set his shoulders. ]
You seem to have made peace with it, however. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I would be furious in your shoes.
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[ his mouth curves, a light chuckle in his chest. ]
But of course you would be. You're full of fire.
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[ the chuckle traverses tighnari's chest. he lays his cheek against cyno's to feel its thrum. he's allowed to do so, he thinks. it is, in fact, warm. ]
Does reality not bear changing?
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.. it does. I suppose I'm far more invested in justice on others' behalf than on my own.
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Hm. Perhaps I should have looked at it a different way: that you got upset on your own behalf today is a step forward.
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[ he's still a bit embarrassed by his behavior. but he can't help but feel content nonetheless, lying here with tighnari warm against him. nudging into his hair, cyno breaths in his soft, floral scent, his thumb still rubbing gently into soft fur. ]
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A first step is a first step. You typically are upset on my behalf. It makes me think that I haven't been upset enough.
Cyno, I am happy with you.
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I am, as well. I've never known anyone quite like you.
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Perhaps in a lifetime, we only need to know one such person.
[ it's easy to settle into the warmth of cyno's embrace. lulled by such, it's easy to let his eyes close. the steady thrum of cyno's heartbeat is like an anchor; in his world, he knows no other. perhaps his world has grown by just a little, in a way that matters. ]
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he closes his eyes, rests his cheek against tighnari's hair. ]
Sleep well.