cashewlater | for @suffusion

for @suffusion

[ the forest is quiet.

cyno knows these woods like the back of his hand. he knows all of sumeru, has trekked nearly every inch of it - nearly - for he fears no beast, nor the darkness of the unknown. his work takes him all over the land, through the deserts and forests alike, and though he works for no one, he does not hurt for mora, for cyno is the most gifted hunter and tracker in sumeru. no quarry has ever escaped him, and he has never failed to deliver on any job. this job will be no different.

it isn't an easy hunt. not only is this area of the forest unfamiliar to him, but his prey is sharp and smart, with an incredible sense of hearing. cyno's footsteps are all but silent, but the sensitive ears of the witch can detect him even at his most stealthy. it's fine. he's brought in difficult prey before. if stealth could only get him so far, he has other methods, though he must take care - should the rumors prove true, this witch is powerful, tricky, wise, and cyno could easily find himself on the wrong end of his quarry's wrath. but he was ready for a fight, if it came to it, and it would.

for five days he simply watches. listens. the witch hears him, he knows, but cyno is well hidden, and cannot be found. he scales the trees and watches from the branches, stock still, his clothing camouflaged, his pale white hair tied up and rubbed with charcoal to keep it from standing out. for hours he sits, vigilant, watchful, learning the witch's patterns and strengths, behaviors, taking their measure, and even that is not easy, but cyno learns over time that his adversary favors the bow and dendro magicks, that they know the forest well, and make use of all of its parts. in the end, cyno can only hope to overpower them by force and speed alone, striking fast, getting in close before the bow can be drawn on him. it'll have to be enough, with the element of surprise unavailable to him. but he'll use the tools he has.

his eyesight, for example, sharp in the night. his keen sense of smell. his own good hearing, and his powers of observation. his patience.

cyno strikes in the night, when the witch is far from their hut, gathering samples of bioluminescent moss. he's fast as a bolt of lightning, moving comfortably in darkness, taking them from behind and knocking them to the loamy earth, with his spearhead at their throat. ]

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[ tighnari ferries them through the forest with ease, showing them the way through the twisting paths and even off of them a little bit, though he's always cognizant of collei's condition and never pushes her, which cyno not only notices, but deeply appreciates.

of course, the girl is full of energy now, likely feeling better than she has felt in months after the treatment she received, so after a little while her interest began to outweigh her shyness. bright eyes and bushy tailed, she would pepper tighnari with question after question, clearly very interested in the flora and fungi of this deep forest, as well as the seelies in the distance, and what animals they came across. seeing her so invested in something made cyno's heart swell with happiness and pride both, even if it showed little enough through his stoic demeanor.

but soon enough tighnari is seeing them back toward the homestead, which is good and well, because collei is beginning to tire, though she bravely fights her fatigue.

i want to know how to make potions like you and papa..

cyno chuckles, mussing her hair as they step back inside. ]

She's always been interested in what I do, but honestly, I think you're the interesting one now, not me.

Ah, potions are a good essential to learn. There are so many uses to them.

[ tighnari's tail sways up and down as he comments on it, a wider smile on his lips while his eyes gleam a little. the satisfaction in preparing his concotions has always been something he enjoyed. especially when he began to research and find new potions to create and work with.

the fox continues on, oblivious to the seelie that follows right behind him that dances along with his tail. ]

I can show you the one I've put together for you.

[ his ear twitches to the side at cyno's comment, glancing over with a bit of surprise until he shows him light amusement. ]

...Her father will always be the most interesting one. Don't worry too much, Cyno.

[ tighnari moves over to his desk to refill his wares, setting away his stock of flora and other miscellaneous things until he starts to pull out what he'll need for the potion he put together for collei. ]

[ cyno offers a nod of agreement. though they might use different ingredients, potions are also a specialty of his own, having studied under a spantamad scholar for many years. collei knows the basics, at least, that much cyno has taught her, but he has no doubt that she will learn much and more beneath tighnari as well, given the amount of time they will have to spend together, and the revitalizing nature of the forest. collei is already behaving with more curiosity and energy than she has in a long, long time.

it's why cyno knows.. this is the right choice. painful, yes, but.. necessary.

at tighnari's comment, however, cyno huffs a sound like a thin laugh. ]

I doubt that.

[ dads are cringe, after all!!

after some time further, cyno sighs softly, and drops a hand onto collei's head, ruffling her hair and rubbing her soft ears, before he's kneeling to be on her level again, looking into her eyes. ]

.. so what do you think, sweet pea? Think you can stay here for a little while, and let Tighnari get you all better?

[ cyno has to fight to keep the sorrow from his voice, focusing instead on the hope that tighnari's presence brings, on the possibility that this could really work, after years of searching for a cure. collei looks somber again, biting her lip and clasping her hands.

you'll.. visit? all the time, right? ] All the time. [ and.. and you'll promise i'll be okay here? ] I promise. Mister Tighnari knows what he's doing, and I trust him. Think you can trust him, too?

[ collei's eyes shift to tighnari again.. and she nods. ]

You should give yourself more credit.

[ dads truly are cringe!! but so far, from what tighnari has seen, he is really everything to her. cyno has nothing to worry about. it's what he thinks anyways while the other man checks on his daughter after a moment of going through some of his concoction-making.

even after everything - cyno was surely taking the time to reassure himself as well. the young witch may not be capable of requesting the man stay here along with her, but at least they both know where she will be. they can meet with one another whenever he wishes, while tighnari ensures her safety here. as her gaze flickers over to him, tighnari offers a reassuring smile.

it's.. a lot. to have trust from another. but it's enough that they trust him with something like this, trust the nature here to do what it can to help. the seelie sways in a circle where it stays adrift with a series of chirp. tighnari's ears flicker back and he brings a hand over his chest in his own promise. ]

I promise we'll do the best to our ability to do what we can. You can trust me on that.

[ they can trust that he will do that much here. though, he's determined to try and get her back to him as soon as he can. but while she's here.. he can mentor her along, guide her with her element usage - yes.. she'll definitely be fine here. ]

[ and this dad is the most cringe of all dads.. even if tighnari doesn't know that yet. but his observation is, at least, correct; the two of them are very bonded, very attached, after all, they're all the other has in the world, which is what makes the idea of separation so difficult.

but.. cyno trusts tighnari, trusts him fully. perhaps he shouldn't, but deep down he knows he can, knows that tighnari is nothing if not straightforward, honest, and compassionate. he'll look after collei, and she'll live a vivid and full life here, learning all the things she's always wanted to learn, thriving in an environment that well and truly suits her.

and tighnari's reassuring smile seems to be the balm to the bruised soul, for collei soon nods, looking from tighnari's smile to her father's eyes. .. okay. i'll stay. but only if you promise it isn't forever, and promise that you'll visit a whole lot.

and at that.. cyno smiles. ]

I promise.

[ a promise made will always be kept.

many months pass, and when tighnari looks back on it's a bit surprising just how quickly it actually has come by. at this rate it'll be a year before they know it.. and the fox knows it isn't really the wish for cyno and collei both for her to be away for that long but... her progress has been going very well, all things considered. any attacks from her illness seem like a faraway distant memory. she's healed quite well, between the concoctions that tighnari makes for her along with the visits deeper into the forest to find the center heart of the woods. collei may not be able to hear the nature's words, but the treatment is always warm and gentle. like the comforting warmth embrace of her father.

tighnari deals with any negative side effects it may inflict upon the forest itself, handling it himself. though it's a part of his duties as the forest's guardian... he cannot bring collei close to those withering sections. he knows it may be a bit disappointing when she can't help him during those times, but he always reassures her that she helps so much in other ways. she learns quickly too. helping her get the hang of her dendro element, guiding her along with teachings and research to familiarize the forest like he does. at this rate, she will be able to guide cyno through the woods without tighnari's aid. it warms his heart to see how well she thrives with all that energy and curiosity.

he has been mentoring her in other ways as well, with reading and writing... encouraging her to write letters to her father. at first it meant to be a surprise for cyno, for something to have him look forward to as the dusk bird makes it way from the forest and back with a new letter every time when cyno cannot afford a visit. eventually, tighnari began to include his own letters. just to share collei's progress in his own words, how their dream of collei being completely cured is more than just a simple hope. it'll happen sooner rather than not at all.

cyno's visits come and go when he has the time. tighnari knows that, depending on his job, they can extend for quite a long time if he needs to travel far for them. but he keeps on his promise, visiting when he can, tighnari feeling a sense of pleasant warmth and joy when he comes by. happier when tighnari gets to see collei brighten up and ready to show everything she's come to learn. after all this time, how much the two of them have managed to worm themselves into a space in his heart. enough so that it.. aches just a little to think one day they'll no longer be here. but he never dwells on that sadness, focuses on the brighter end of things. focusing on his research and being the strength and support they need.

it's been a while since cyno's last visit, so tighnari has left the pair to catch up in collei's room and instead focuses on organizing his stock while he jots down the new specimen that cyno has brought as a gift for him. he stands by his desk, magnifying glass in hand while he admires the pattern and bloom of said floral. it's always so exciting to see something new... something that grows outside these woods. his tail is wagging happily along, ears perked high as he admires it some more. now and then listening to the distant chatter of collei's excited voice and cyno's more gentle one. ]

[ being without collei was far, far more difficult than cyno ever could have imagined.

he was used to being separated from her at times, to working long hours sometimes, even traveling far from the city on his hunts, but always she would be there when he returned, ready with a smile and a hug, eager to hear his stories and receive whatever interesting gifts he'd plucked up for her. but now..

now he comes home to an empty house, to silence where her voice once filled, and chill loneliness where her warmth had been. he takes his meals alone, in silence, and he fills the empty space in his heart with work as best as he can, visiting at every possible opportunity, and those visits soon become the highlights of his life, the moments he works toward. seeing collei always fills him with joy, but.. tighnari, too. as the months pass, they get to know one another better and better, and it isn't long before cyno is bringing both of them gifts when he visits.

it feels right in a way that he doesn't have the words to explain. it feels like family, and appreciation, and love, the three of them together, and cyno can't help but marvel quietly at the thing they have built together. he was right to trust tighnari, to spare his life and protect him, not only because he is saving collei's life, but because he is an incredible, captivating person who makes cyno's heart kick up into his throat with every smile.

with a few days to spare now, cyno visits the moment he's back in the forest; it had been a few weeks since last he saw them, and he was more than desperate for their company. collei tells him of her exploits, of all the things that she has learned, and her energy is so powerfully good that he can hardly believe she is the same sick little girl he once knew. truly, she is thriving here, as if she was meant to be doing exactly what it is that she is doing. but soon enough the sun is dipping below the horizon, and collei is yawning, dozing, so cyno puts her to bed with a kiss to her brow and slips back into the living area, where tighnari is bent over the yellow cactus flower like a man possessed.

a soft smile slants his mouth, and cyno approaches, carefully settling his hand against the small of tighnari's back. ]

.. you like it?

[ he truly is a man possessed.

it can't be helped... when given something so new, how can he not be excited by it? cyno introducing something that exists outside these woods to him - when tighnari would not have been able to see for himself otherwise. he would probably be stuck here for hours if not for cyno's now presence. distantly he's aware that collei must have gone to sleep, they both had a bit of a busy day.

even so, the touch has him pausing suddenly, ears perking straight up until they lower back a little in faint embarrassment. though he tries to push past it, clearing his throat a little while he gingerly sets it down. ]

Ah.. I do. [ he's so acutely aware of that hand against his back, his tail dropping to sway slowly from side to side.] I'd like to research it thoroughly but, I almost want to save it.

[ what a dillema. maybe it's because he himself wouldn't be able to get another specimen like this on his own. and... it's a gift from cyno. for once, he wants to preserve and save it above all else. ]

[ cyno is thinking about it, too - about how easy it is for him to touch tighnari, about how warm the witch's skin is beneath his clothing, about the way it makes tighnari smile in a way that makes cyno's stomach tighten and flutter. yet he doesn't pull away, at least not yet. ]

Do whatever you like with it, I can always get you another. They're relatively common this season, when the cacti are flowering.

[ and he's certainly in the desert often enough to find them easily. cyno lingers for a moment, his thumb rubbing faint, shallow circles around the dip of tighnari's spine, before he finally draws away so he can lean comfortably against tighnari's desk, his arms crossed loosely over his abdomen. ]

As far as I'm aware it's edible, but has no useful medicinal properties, so there's no harm in saving it, for now.

[ one ear flicks, and he tilts his head. ]

Someday, I'll take you to see them with your own eyes.

I wouldn't say no to another.

[ the words sigh out softly, an almost breathy sound as he feels that faint rub along his back. it gets rewarded with a slight shiver from the fox and a quiver of his tail. though he tries not to be too distracted by that touch - the moment he even considers leaning into it does it move away. it's probably for the best. there are often lingering touches between the two of them, fleeting and light. tighnari knows it's because they have since begun to grow comfortable around one another. and yet the way it gets his heart racing a little, lighting a small fire in the depths of his chest that yearns for just a bit more... he buries it deep lest he get too distracted by fleeting thoughts. before he really acknowledges it.

as cyno draws away and leans against his desk does tighnari give quirk of his lips. anytime cyno shares his own knowledge regarding his dabbling in potion making it always has him leaning right into it. pleased to share information. ]

That's good information to know for now.

[ his gaze flickers briefly to the flower until it gazes over to scarlet red. there's a little distant look, heart clenching. it's an offer that he would like nothing more than to accept. one he would he happy to be excited about, to look forward to but. with how things are... now those are more to be faraway dreams. still, he doesn't want the man to think it isn't something he doesn't want. because he does. deep down, he would like nothing more than to travel with him and see more of what there is to find.

gently, his tail brushes against cyno's leg. ]

Will you now?

Then another it is, then.

[ cyno isn't a fool, nor is he particularly naive - he knows what's happening here, he knows that something is growing between them that neither one of them could have expected - and yet, perhaps they should have. from the moment their eyes first met there has been something there, after all, something warm, something soft, something that resonated between the both of them nearly from the beginning, from the moment tighnari's hood fell back and cyno saw those beautiful brown-green eyes of his. when he feels tighnari shiver, he knows that the fox is feeling what he is feeling, knowing what he is knowing.

and yet, despite it all, neither of them seem willing to make the first move. so much seems to stand between them, and there are more important things than dalliances and young attraction - like collei's continued care and education. besides, with cyno's busy schedule..

well, tighnari simply deserves better. but that doesn't mean that cyno doesn't feel it, that his eyes don't linger overlong on tighnari's face, his gaze soft around the edges, that when that warm tail brushes him, cyno responds in kind, his own tail flicking along tighnari's. he tries to ignore the thing that is burgeoning powerfully between them, but with each and every visit it grows more and more difficult. ]

Yes, I will. Whenever you're ready.

[ because he knows full well that tighnari is bound to this forest, and will not leave it so long as it is in need of him, so long as the withering makes its boughs ache and its leaves sicken. he has an obligation and a loyalty to his work here, just as cyno has to his own, and cyno wouldn't dare to interrupt that. but perhaps one day tighnari will find the key to healing it all, and find the freedom to step away from these trees to see the world, at least for a little while. cyno will be waiting when he is. ]

I'd love to show you the desert, where I was born. Its days are inhospitable, but its nights are beautiful.

[ when their tails brush along one another, the corner of tighnari's eyes crinkle as he smiles wider. this time his tail swishes again but with a playful thwap of his own against his. he really can't help finding such comfort in cyno's company. like they have done this same song and dance once before. even though he knows that's impossible. after all, tighnari could never forget someone like cyno. hadn't been able to forget him after their first encounter. ]

Whenever I'm ready, huh? [ contemplating hum ] Even if it takes a long time?

[ it's said quietly, as if it was an afterthought. though it is anything but that. he's always thought about how exploring outside the forest would be like. fleeting thoughts now and then before everything... but after taking care of collei, after meeting cyno? they are much more apparent now. a faint wistfulness to the tone of his voice.

he steps a little closer to cyno, so that their sides touch briefly while he himself continues facing his desk. as if idle movement while he looks over the flower once more to keep his gaze leveled on it rather than cyno's own watchful scarlet red gaze. ]

..It sounds amazing. I would like nothing more than to be able to see it with you. [ a slight side glance to him, gaze bright. ]

[ the touch of fur to fur is enough to send a light, near imperceptible shiver down cyno's spine, followed by a wave of heat, but his flush does not show well on his bronzed skin, thankfully. tighnari has learned by now that cyno does not smile easily, but he is smiling now, warm and soft, in a way that reaches his eyes. ]

Even if it takes a long time.

[ he echoes, with a shallow nod. even if it takes many, many years, he will show tighnari the world beyond the borders of this forest. avidya is breathtakingly beautiful of course, and it will always feel like home to tighnari, surely, but there is an entire vista to be discovered past the embrace of its boughs. he'd be honored to be the one to introduce tighnari to the rest of the world.

tighnari draws closer, close enough that cyno can feel his warmth, and catch the floral scent of his hair and fur which has, by now, become very familiar. what he wouldn't give to bury his face in tighnari's hair right now. their eyes meet, and cyno's gaze softens, holding tighnari's without wavering, caught in the glimmer of his eyes. ]

We'll do it, then. I'll wait as long as you need.

[though cyno's stony exterior seemed very apparent in their first meeting, even the second time had been similar as well... he had never really thought he'd see such a smile directed his way. especially a smile of this kind. a smile he almost wants to reach out and touch. his heart flutters at those words, turning his gaze down with another contemplating hum.]

You're willing to wait that long?

[ for someone like me? tentatively, he leans a little against him rather than it being a simple brush. his tail hangs low, ends twitching while his ears fold back into the depths of his dark hair. someone like cyno, who seemed icy and cold for an exterior and yet... so kind, warm, gentle inside... surely he deserves better. tighnari didn't have a lot of freedom- he could be happier elsewhere.

even as he confirms that he'd wait as long as tighnari needed... thumbs rub soothingly along the petals of the yellow cactus flower, imagining it to be the huntsman's bronzed skin instead. how warm his face would likely be beneath his touch and yet he does not fall into such curiosity or temptations. he merely keeps the familiar distance that neither seems to wish to breach. ]

Is that a promise? [ this time, he turns his head with one ear flicking forward, lips quirked in what seems to be an airy light tease. as if joking when he asks. after all, there's no way he would promise on something like that, right? it's silly to even consider. ] Just kidding. You don't need to answer that.

[ the tension between them is sweet as sin, and cyno leans into it without thinking, his eyelids lowering as tighnari draws in nearer still, nearly leaning into him. does he think cyno is a font of self-control? that he can stand to have tighnari so near without reaching for him? cyno's body tightens up, his jaw working as he clenches his teeth. ]

Yes.

[ an answer to both questions, though tighnari had attempted to brush off the second, cyno needed him to know it was true, to understand how valued he is, how close cyno feels to him. long visits and countless letters have built this thing between them slowly but surely, and now it threatens to erupt, the molten magma of cyno's affections roiling beneath the surface, eager to burst free. the movement of tighnari's fingers snatches his attention, cyno's gaze flickering down, then up again, his hand coming to rest against the top of the desk and then, after a moment, his rough fingers brush tighnari's. ]

It's a promise.

[ tighnari is worth waiting for. ]

[ perhaps he does. or maybe he wants to test what.. this is a little. if he's the only one feeling how strongly drawn he is to the other man. the distance growing shorter ever so slightly with their words quietening nearly to a whisper. as if meant for only one another. an ear flicks idly, cradling that flower until he sets it inside its own encased glass for temporary protection.

he only just draws his hand back to rest on the wood when cyno's own fingers brush over his. when they do, his hand carefully turns over so cyno's touch end up over tighnari's palm. he watches their hands for a moment, their bodies being close enough that his tail hooks a little around cyno's own. ]

Really?

[ when he lifts his head again, bright hazel meet with those scarlet red and find they're a lot closer than he had initially thought. it sends his heart in a tumble, racing a bit rapidly in the depths of his chest. and yet, instead of leaning away, instead of stepping back to put some space between them - he stays where he is, fingers curling around cyno's own.

his other hand raises, sweeping some strands of white hair aside as fingers brush over cyno's cheek. ]

Then, I'll be sure to check up on that promise when the time comes.

[ cyno's heart is in his throat.

gods, he feels foolish, like a young idiot in love rather than a reasonable, level-headed adult; tighnari makes him feel like a young man again, in the throes of his first romance, like a reckless first-year buck in spring. his face and ears feel warm, his heart fluttering like a pinned crystalfly beating its wings against his ribs. one would think he was sixteen years old again. it's embarrassing, really.

thankfully tighnari cannot read his thoughts, though they are partly visible in his eyes, and in his body language as he swallows thickly, opening his mouth to speak.. until tighnari's warm fingers brush his skin as he pushes cyno's hair aside. goosebumps sweep down his forearms. ]

Good. See that you do.

[ despite himself, cyno leans his head aside, until his cheek presses to tighnari's warm palm, his eyelids flickering low. ]

Tighnari, I - [ he starts, then hesitates, struggling to find the words. summoning his ferocious boldness, cyno slips his fingers through tighnari's, his free hand lifting to tighnari's wrist, thumb coasting along the delicate skin on its underside. ] You have.. no idea how grateful I am to know you.

[ It's strange. how tighnari knows for a fact he has never felt this way towards anyone, just a warm buzzing feeling that sparks up in the other man's presence. and yet how it also feels as if it's always been there. to think there had been a time where he didn't cradle these emotions so gingerly close to his chest.

ears perk forward as the other man starts, hanging on nearly word. his tail curls more firmly around cyno's own, finding his hand that holds his cheek to be just as warm as he thought it would be. a thumb brushes over skin, tracing the area close to his eye. there's that temptation again. a lingering desire to bring that face closer to his, and yet settles on merely keeping his hand there. ]

...You know, the forest here often speaks tales of fate. I never quite understood what it must be like. [ when those fingers intertwine with his own does he gingerly squeeze that hand back. his ears flutter back at the thumb ghosting over his wrist, a shiver making its way down his spine as he takes in a quiet breath.

his words come to a pause, swallowing again before he continues with a light tilt of his head. ] But I think I do understand it now.

[ which is to say, he does feel the same way. that he was grateful that cyno was here now. that whatever led up to the moment of their meeting, he is grateful for it too. ]

[ at that, cyno chuckles - it's a soft sound, quiet, almost like a gentle exhale, his eyes softening around the edges. ]

Fate, hmm..?

[ cyno isn't sure about his feelings, when it comes to things like fate, and destiny. he prefers to think that his choices matter, that he is walking his own path, yet at the same time there is something incredibly romantic about the idea that they were perhaps destined to meet, that all the strange nostalgia between them means something. that the breathless flutter in his chest isn't a simple, silly crush, but something more, something meaningful.

tighnari doesn't pull away, so cyno closes his eyes and allows himself to drink in the fox's calm, comforting presence, leaning his head forward until their brows touch, their breath mingling. ]

So you think this is fate, then? I tried to kill you, lest you forget.

[ cyno's smile curves, his hand sliding down tighnari's forearm to drop away, landing at his side to gently scoop him nearer. ]

The people accused me of being bespelled by you. Perhaps they were right.

[ their foreheads meet in a gentle knock, causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle with mirth. the distant so close he can feel the other's breath with his own. feeling it in the light puff of a chuckle that escapes the jackal. the warmth that dances beneath his fingertips, that he cradles close is akin to the touch of sunlight on his skin.

tighnari did often think that only a few things seem to be set in stone. even if he has had a decision on some of the things that have happened throughout his own life, but with this... how else could he explain this feeling? burning warmly, a gentle fire coaxed that only gets stronger with each meeting.. with each word. a sensation that it has been here much longer than they've lived. though evidence says one thing, his heart feels another. of course, he is the kind of person that likes to find the knowledge to support his findings.

whatever it is, it is something he cannot ignore. just as he's scooped closer, his hand at that cheek trails into white locks of hair. ]

You in fact did try to kill me. I vividly remember every detail down to how it felt to have your claws wrapped around me.

[ his tone has an airy touch to it, featherlight and teasing. the moment then had been a shock to him, grew a deep dreadful fear he had not thought he would ever feel. and yet, here he was being held by the most gentlest of touch. a strong complete different contrast to that day. his brow gently raises when those that sent the man his way get mentioned. ]

Did they now? Certainly it would be an easy feat for a cunning fox like myself to put you under such a spell.

[ tighnari knows he did no such thing, his interests and duties as a witch of this forest would never dabble in such crafting. but he plays along nevertheless as his gaze twinkles with amusement.]

[ this feels so right. so natural. tighnari fits perfectly in the curve of his arm, as if he were built to be there, and their tails hook together in a way that feels both intimate and sweet, that warms his blood. a puff of breath, and cyno smiles mildly; he remembers it too, how tighnari yielded beneath the power of hermanubis, so strong, and yet so fragile beneath his crackling, powerful claws. but he hadn't been able to do it, hadn't finished the job. he had weighed tighnari's heart on the sacred scales that day and had not found him lacking.

tighnari's slim fingers slip into cyno's thick, pale hair, and he closes his eyes to better drink in the sensation, a sound like a purr rolling in his chest, low and rumbling, contented. ]

Mm. You certainly make it seem effortless.

[ tighnari overcame him with ease, tangling cyno in his web until he went slack with compliance, bending to his will. cyno may be the more physically powerful, but tighnari has him on his knees, aching and begging, leaning into his warmth with silent urgency. what a beautiful feeling it is, to be falling in love. he doesn't fight it.

nudging his head forward, cyno drags his mouth along tighnari's cheek, feeling the too-soft texture of his skin. ]

'Nari.. [ his voice, by now, is a whisper. the nickname comes for the first time, but he says it easily, the sound rolling off of his tongue. ] Would you indulge me?

[ that hand raises higher, thumb smoothing over the shell of a furred white ear. an area that seems so vulnerable to allow anyone to be near. which is why he is careful, gentle, testing a little to see if cyno will allow it. though, quite frankly, cyno has been allowing a lot of things more and more. but he wants to be sure. needs to be sure for himself. the rest of his fingers rub over his scalp in a massaging gesture. ]

I almost wonder if I'm under a spell myself.

[ as he drinks in his warm company, finding just a small taste was enough to almost break the dam. to have the arm fitted against him, slotting their bodies close together, and a tangle of tails that have no interest in dentangling one another from. tighnari has most certainly fallen in love, but the thing is he has fallen quite hard.

his head tilts with a fluttering close of his eyes, ears folding back with a hum that emits from the back of his throat. the almost tickling sensation of lips along skin that have his body nearly melting to it. his words sound breathy when he manages to find his voice. ]

Anything. [ for cyno, he would allow him to indulge in anything. he would give and offer him whatever he desired, especially now. especially as a warmth blossomed under his skin, while his nerves feel alight when sound of that nickname reach his hearing. at this point, there was nothing tighnari wouldn't give him. ]

[ anything, tighnari says, and cyno wonders if he means that, for there is so much that cyno could take, greedy as he is for tighnari's love, his touch. but there's one thing he wants above all else, and without another moment's hesitation, he takes it.

they're so close now that it hardly takes any effort at all to turn his head just enough to press their mouths together, kissing tighnari sweetly and almost chastely, but fully, their lips slotting together as perfectly as all the rest of them. at the touch, his pulse immediately spikes, a surge of affection raging in his breast as his arm tightens, pulling tighnari flush against him. his free hand slides behind tighnari's nape, cradling his head and neck in his rough palm as he tilts his head, and presses for more.

cyno feels dizzy, his head full of static cotton. the brush of tighnari's thumb against his ear makes him shiver visibly, his breath rushing and his heart leaping. tighnari is touching a delicate, tender place, but cyno is allowing it, as he allows everything that tighnari requests of him, for there is nothing he would not give him.

rubbing his thumb in circles against the space behind tighnari's jaw, cyno rumbles low in his chest, the sound rolling into their kiss, and when at last he breaks away he still remains close, their lips still touching, breath mingling, his nose butting up alongside tighnari's like an affectionate pup.

for now, he says nothing. there's no need. ]

[ the press and fullness of that mouth against his own has a soft surprised sound emitting from the fox. however, tighnari does not pull away, he melts into it as he has to every single of cyno's touch. one hand gingerly cradles that soft ear into his palm, thumbing along the curve of it while he buries his other hand in soft white locks of hair. his body reacts as if he's a man parched and has had his first drink in days.

it's all so new to him. and yet cyno guides him into it, pressing until every curve of his body is slotted against cyno's own. it sends a thrill through his body, a heat pooling at the depths of his stomach that has his body shivering. tighnari feels every single breath that gets taken by the jackal, sharing everything with him.

his face feels incredibly flushed beneath all the adoring affection, cheeks heated with color having blossomed on his cheeks. a more than notable red that shows on his skin. fangs lightly graze along cyno's lips as they break away, finding the temptation to kiss again. to take even more. it's a feeling of greed and need that he feels so strongly in every single inch of his body. yet there's something instinctual that craves for more. affection and love bubbling in his chest when their noses butt together, causing the corner of his eyes to crinkle with mirth. being this close, tighnari can hardly hide the purr that rumbles from his throat. the way his tail sways even from where it is tangled around cyno's own.

it's that same need that has him nuzzling into cyno, a silent request when he lightly nips at the man's bottom lip. fingers tightening just a fraction in white hair to show that he wants to keep him here, just like this. aware of the firmness and warmth of the man's body flush against his own. there are no words but they don't need them anyways, it is said silently in every touch between them. ]

[ cyno wouldn't call himself terribly experienced, even if this is not his first kiss, but in the grand scheme of things it might as well be. the sheer power of attraction he feels between them is enough to take his breath away, and cyno craves more of it, just as tighnari does.

so they remain close, drinking up one another's presence, starved for love and affection, gorging themselves on each other. tighnari begins to purr, and cyno's mouth curves into a soft smile at the sound, his own chest rumbling as he gave an affectionate chuff, his tail tightening around tighnari's.

after a moment, cyno pulls back just enough to look tighnari in the face, cradling his jaw against his palm. ]

Mm. I could get used to this.

[ he looks pleased, content in a way that cyno rarely ever is. nestled here in the depths of the forest, he feels safe in a way that he never feels anywhere else. but he wants more, still, so after only a moment's time he kisses tighnari again, a little more firmly this time, with more confidence, but no less tenderness. ]

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