cashewlater | 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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[ there's a sharp little sting in his heart when tighnari bats his hand away, and cyno is reminded of the truth - that tighnari still isn't interested, even after all of this time, despite how cyno's heart lingers there in their past. he feels the same as he once did, as he always has, about tighnari. fondness. warmth. love.

he withdraws his hand. ]

Mm. I suppose you didn't.

[ he tries to smile, but there's little enough warmth in it, little enough mirth, and cyno averts his gaze, setting aside his wine glass. ]

You're welcome to sleep here for the day if you need to.

[ his thoughts trail, not wanting to think too heavily on what could-be and could-have-beens. he has done that so much in the past, it's only torture to think it over now. instead, he focuses on his glass, setting it aside in turn. taking in the residence once more with a lingering curiosity he cannot deny. a desire to know more of his current living. ]

Hm?

[ no, he heard that right, and he looks over to meet that red gaze, his own two-toned observing him closely. of course cyno wouldn't mind, kind as ever. but... he sighs, pushing parts of his hair back before scratching idly at the back of his head. ]

It's nice of you to offer, but I don't want to intrude any more than I have already. After my earlier feed, I have more than enough energy to spend to get my way back quickly enough.

[ though.. it would be nice to save that energy instead. his mistake often is he spends too much of his energy that his hunger comes back faster than not. ]

Ah.. right. Sure.

[ part of him is so hesitant to let go of tighnari. as if, if he lets him off into the night, tighnari will disappear from his life again for another decade or two, and cyno will be left pining endlessly for his presence.

in some ways, that may have been for the best. tighnari wasn't interested the way that cyno was, and the kindest thing would be for them to separate so cyno could get over him, but.. that would never happen. decades apart had not cooled cyno's love for him, surely another century wouldn't, either. cyno is too devoted a soul, so helplessly, foolishly, desperately in love that even years apart could not scrub tighnari from his soul. he would have to carry this around forever, this ache in his heart.

he runs a hand back through his hair, glancing aside. ]

You need any for the road?

[ the idea rolls in his head some more, contemplating while his tail idly thumps against the couch. looking to the couch briefly, before around and finally settling on cyno again. ]

Some blood after the amount of wine I've had would be a sure way of getting me drunk.

[ it's said a bit amusingly, and archons know it's an even more tempting offer. but he needs to be stronger than that. he needs to refuse, so he shakes his head, a quiet assurance that he'll be fine. with that settled, he runs a hand along the top of couch with a thoughtful hum and. ]

..You wouldn't have any issues if I took up the couch for the night, would you?

[ because he doubts that cyno picked a place with two beds, and he wouldn't dare suggest joining him in the same bed. so, couch it is. ]

[ cyno shakes his head. ]

Of course not, but please, take my bed.

[ and before tighnari can argue - ]

I insist. I won't sleep well knowing you're on the sofa.

[ cyno is just that sort of man. he's generous to a fault, and he'd toss and turn all night knowing that he was forcing a guest to sleep on the couch, when he has a perfectly comfortable bed to use instead. as if the answer is already decided, cyno gets to his feet to collect their glasses, though he wobbles a bit, his head spinning. the wine has gone to his head, a little bit. ]

I see you're still as stubborn as ever, Cyno.

[ a sigh and shake of his head, but he gets it. cyno has always been this way after all. so he isn't surprised by the insistence even though tighnari had been quick to try and put his thoughts in first. his acceptance to stick with the couch. ]

Fine. I'll sleep on your bed.

[ for a moment, he watches him get up, wobbling and some concern strikes through. without another thought, he's quick to his own feet and gently rests a hand to his back. ]

Careful.. Here, let me help you with that.

[ stubborn indeed. cyno smiles. ]

Almost as stubborn as you, hmm?

[ he chuckles softly, though when tighnari rises and rests a hand against him his smile fades, his lidded eyes shifting to the vampire's face, watching him quietly, warmth lifting to his cheeks. they're so close like this.. how easy it would be to lean in, to close the distance between them again, and gods, gods, cyno very nearly does it. softened by the wine and warmed by tighnari's nearness, he dips his head, his exhale shivering -

and then the memory hits him like an icy lance in the gut - the memory of the last time he screwed up his courage to kiss tighnari. he overstepped, then. he can't overstep again. cyno's throat bobs as he swallows thickly, takes a deep breath, and nods. ]

Oh - y-yeah, sorry. I'll be fine, just stood up too fast.

for @suffusion

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