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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[ do they haaaave to get out of the bath? it's so nice and warm and intimate.. those kisses to his ears and the gentle massage has him rumbling deep in his chest.

but yes, of course they do. collei may already be waiting for them, and cyno realizes he's.. going to have a bit to explain, when the two of them exit tighnari's bedchambers together. collei is more than old enough to understand romance and what it means, and fond as she is of tighnari, he can only imagine that she'll be pleased, but still. cyno has never had a partner as long as he has had collei, not since her mother disappeared on them the moment her eleazar became apparent.

but he'll face all of that in a bit, once they're at that point. for now, he dips his head and rinses out his hair and ears, before.. he gives a good shake, splattering water droplets everywhere. ]

[ there's a lingering distant worry when he thinks about likely explaining to collei what is different between cyno and him now... not that collei hasn't warmed up considerably to tighnari by now, and tighnari definitely would do anything to continue to protect her. to help her. she's an important factor in his life now as well and of course having her approval is important but. he's never been in this position before, so he isn't sure what to expect.

it really feels as if he's falling into something blindly, with no insight on what is to come or happen. it's a bit terrifying - but observing cyno before him, he has a comforting feeling that everything will be fine. and even if things don't go how they may want it... it won't change how he feels, that he intends to continue helping them.

the sudden shake and splatter of water droplets have him sputter and break out of those thoughts, grabbing the nearest towel to toss onto the jackal's head with an exaggerated huff. ]

At least dry off properly.

[ he's not at all surprised when tighnari gets prickly with him, and a soft, amused chuckle issues from beneath the towel thrown over his head. ]

Sorry.

[ he's not that sorry..

but he does as he's bid anyway, carefully standing and squeezing the water from his hair and tail before he's stepping out of the bath, and rubbing himself down with the towel, pressing it to his fur to wick away the moisture. ]

Are you ready to face Collei?

[ they might as well discuss it.. ]

[ there's another soft huff, but it's light-hearted. not entirely as fussed as he may have come off. he focuses on properly drying off himself, taking a towel himself to rub majority of the clinging moisture away until he reaches for a brush to get through any detangling. an ear twitches at the coming question and he grows quiet.

it's a valid thought. and definitely something they should discuss. so, it isn't as if he's against it, but there's a flicker of some hesitation. he may as well be honest. ]

As ready as I can be. [ ... ] But, I am a bit worried. Do you think she'll accept me wanting to be in both your lives more than I already am?

[ will she think that he's trying to take her father away? it's far from it, and of course he realizes some of his worries and concerns are in hindsight a bit ridiculous. but consequently cyno would know his own daughter best so if he wants to get some insight, better now than ever. ]

[ cyno can understand tighnari's worries, his apprehension that things may not go well.. he himself has worried, as well, that this will be too much for collei, that it will displease her.

but he knows his daughter. knows her heart. she has hinted before that cyno should seek a new partner, that he should find love and happiness, and she is incredibly fond of tighnari, of the little cozy family like thing they have built here. niggling insecurity whispers that she will despise them both for it, but.. his heart and mind know better. smiling, he reaches to brush the hair from tighnari's face so he can cup his cheek. ]

Honestly, I think she'll be delighted. She adores you, you know. And she cares about both of our happiness.

[ leaning in, he bunts their foreheads together, then dips in for a slow, soft kiss. ]

[ that hand reaches out and tighnari meets it halfway, head tilting as hair is brushed aside and bringing his own hand to settle on cyno's own from where it rests on his face. ]

If that's what you think, I believe it. [ his tail thumps lightly in his own lap, ears folding back in a clear contentment. ] Of course her happiness is important to me.

[ more so than his own happiness. but he has learned by now how collei cares and wishes for the happiness of her father, of those she cares about, so he knows cyno is right in that aspect. a soft hum sounds when their foreheads bunt and meet that kiss. there's no heat in it like the night before, just a soft warmth that he takes and takes. ]

..We'll be okay. [ he murmurs against that mouth, nudging their noses together in a gentle nuzzle before peeking up at him with his two-toned gaze. ] Now, give me that tail of yours. I'm not done with you yet.

[ tighnari is so incredibly warm, so gentle and fond and kind.. cyno feels his heart swell, his chest constricting with impossible fondness, the depth of his love so powerful that it threatens to swallow him up. everything feels so right. this is correct. he hadn't been looking for love, hadn't needed anyone but collei in his life, but now that he's met tighnari.. it feels as if a hole in his heart has been filled.

their kiss fills him up with a pleasant heat, nothing needful, only comforting, and cyno's smile is gentle and soft, entirely, heartbreakingly genuine. ]

.. right. The tail.

[ cyno takes care of himself well enough, sure, but certainly not to the point that tighnari would prefer, and he hardly minds more of the fox's attention. so he pulls back, tugging tighnari by the hand back into the bedroom where he can sit himself on the bed. ]

[ tighnari almost feels weak at the sight of that genuine soft smile, knowing full well that he would do just about anything to protect it. tempted to feel that smile against his lips in another kiss but there will be more time for that later. they'll have.. more than enough time for everything now. that mere idea sending an almost fluttery sensation in his chest. ]

Yes, the tail.

[ when cyno moves, tighnari is there to follow, though he slows just a bit to quickly reach and gather some of their thrown clothes to pile onto the bed. cyno will still need to go back to gather his belongings so, best to not lose these for now. fortunately, he remembered to pluck the essential oils for tail care from the bathroom before they left it so he can dive right in.

he lathers his fingers with some of it, flopping that white tail onto his own lap to start threading fingers through and easing into the fur. ] Best get used to it if you'll be staying here.

[ cyno sits on the mattress, one padded foot pulled up beneath him, resting his hands on his ankle as he drops his damp tail right into tighnari's lap.

he's not necessarily unused to this fussing - tighnari has been known to follow him around with a brush before, plucking leaves and twigs from his thick tail, but this is a little different now, isn't it? this is more intimate. softer. gentler. this is after sharing an amorous night together, which has changed everything.

cyno shivers when those fingers dive into his tail, his eyelids already dropping low. ]

Oh, I'm well aware.. [ he says, through a chuckle. ] I'll have the softest tail of any jackal in the world.

[ plus one damp tail given! fingers threading through to ease any knots, tangle, providing that extra care and attention. it'll dry just fine on its own so he doesn't need to worry about that. but this will at least provide it a much more healthier shine. ]

Of course you will. No other could even come close to compare.

[ confidence as expected when it comes to tighnari and his trust in his concoctions and other products. but.. he doesn't want to distract on what's important, making sure to work efficiently. ]

..I'll try not to take too long.

Mm..

[ feels good. tighnari's fingers in his fur are gentle, but firm, working out the tangles and combing away any compacted undercoat, of which there is.. plenty, really. it's been awhile since cyno has had the time to do some proper grooming, so there's a fair amount of fluff in there ready to be brushed out.

but it's nice, he likes the feeling, the sensation of the comb and fingers moving through his fur. soon enough his eyes are closing to better appreciate it all. ]

Take your time.

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