cashewlater | ic inbox @ hotel caelum;

[ the other receives a gentle whack of the fox's fluffy tail before the fox leans over right after and flops onto his side atop the jackal. his head tilts up, taking in the sunlight with a softer huff. ]

Probably but I prefer you the way you are naturally.

[ even if a jackal cyno is quite fluffy and cute. ]

[ tighnari's little furry body flops right across him, and cyno would smile if he were capable of it, like this. it feels nice to have tighnari close like this, warm up against him, smelling good and familiar..

with a soft hum, cyno curls his body around him. maybe he'll allow himself to enjoy this, for a little while. ]

Well.. I'm glad you feel that way. Cute as you are like this, I feel the same way.

[ for a moment, tighnari hesitates, to feel cyno curl around him but eventually his body relaxes and he curls up against him - slotting them together like perfect puzzle pieces. gingerly, he buries his face a little into white fur, ears flicking back. ]

Keep calling me cute and I'll bite you.

[ which is said with a roll of his eyes, tail thumping against him. ]

I'm sure Collei wouldn't mind us looking like this.

[ cyno hums his satisfaction. it's been awhile since he last felt so.. relaxed, so at ease and comfortable. it's rare that his guard is ever down, even on vacation, but tighnari's presence always makes him feel safe, and secure. ]

Oh, she'd have a field day.

[ a chuckle rumbles in his chest, cyno's ruby eyes half-closed, the tip of his tail twitching back and forth. and hey, it's not his fault you're so cute!! ]

I'm sure she would want a hundred pictures.

Without question.

[ they know collei very well. while she would of course likely fret and be concerned, once she's sure they aren't in danger - she would certainly have a field day. ]

Oh dear. Imagine if word got out? Photo proof of the intimidating General Mahamatra as a raggedy canine...

[ an airy tease as he props his chin on cyno's back, nuzzling his cheek against fur. nari refuses to think he's cute tyvm! ]

Raggedy?

[ cyno's deadpan voice has about 3% more force behind it than is usually does. lifting his head, his eyes narrow. ]

What do you mean raggedy?

It means exactly what it means.

[ shoves a paw into white fur to try and ruffle it. look! ]

I'm not.. raggedy..

[ he's pouting!! ]

[ oh, big baby pouting... ]

You just rolled in the grass, look at all these sticks and grass stuck in your fur!

[ peeks at him, is the baby upset... noses his cheek a little. his tone is still light, nudging him beneath his chin after. ]

You know I'm only teasing you.

[ he's such a big baby. ]

I'm just.. well seasoned.

[ he's a little mollified by the cuddling, though, and he huffs through his nose when tighnari nudges gently at him. cyno noses him right back, then drops his head again, lifting a big paw and setting it between tighnari's ears. ]

Yet you threaten to bite me for calling you cute.

...Well seasoned?

[ what does that even mean. what are you, a jackal meal dish? prepared well done and well seasoned?

he indulges with the returned nosing, tail thumping a bit before ears flick back at the big paw and he's whacking at it with one of his own paws. ]

And I still will.

[ well seasoned!! that's all tighnari needs to know.

those tiny paws smacking at him though.. adorable. a chuckle rumbles like a growl in his chest, and he removes his paw, nudging his nose against tighnari's cheek. ]

That hardly seems fair, you know.

[ he would like more answers, thank you.

ears perk forward at that sound, before they quiver back a little with that received nudge. he tilts his head with a purr-like sound coming from him. until it cuts short as a laugh rumble emits. ]

Cute compliments get overused in my case, what with the ears and tail.

[ but also because he truly doesn't know how to react to cyno calling him cute. ]

Well.. I suppose that's true.

[ tighnari gets called cute often, and even if it's true, it must get a little old. like people calling cyno scary. he's used to it, but sometimes it upsets him.

he drops his head again, resting it in the grass, still curled around tighnari. cyno hums, content, the sun warming his fur. ]

All right. I won't call you cute.

[ .. even if he'll still think it. ]

[ for a moment, tighnari watches him, seeing the contentment that fills the white jackal as he relaxes further from where he's curled around the fox. he contemplates it, thinking about it for a moment and...

in the end, if he really thinks about it - ]

...If it's you, I don't mind.

[ because he knows cyno does not necessarily mean it with ill-intentions or anything. the man is always honest and says whatever is on his mind. tighnari still isn't sure how to feel about it but it isn't a bad feeling, in any case he's sure he himself won't mention this again, so he's fine with leaving it at that. instead, he leans up to rest his own head atop cyno's own while he takes in their surroundings again. catching the sight of distant birds flying overhead with chirps in song. ]

Would you like me to watch you over again while you nap?

[ if it's you, i don't mind.

cyno's eyes open a little wider, his gaze unfocused, fixed on the middle distance; those words make his heart flutter, though he's not sure why - no.. no, he knows exactly why. quiet, intimate closeness with tighnari always makes him feel this way; cyno's heart swells with warmth, and yet it aches as well, heavy in his chest with all the things he's left unsaid.

then tighnari's head rests atop his own, and cyno exhales in a slow, soft sigh, the tension bleeding out of his body. ]

Mm.. now, that's not fair either. Why don't you get some rest, this time?

[ there's some relief that cyno does not push on it, only because tighnari is unsure what there is to say about it. cyno has always been one of the few special cases. which is precisely why his heart drums gently in his chest at being this close, pressing against his warmth as it envelops him in soft comfort.

however, he also knows he cannot push too hard or much. knowing there is still a line they both cannot cross over. or rather, a line he himself certainly avoids crossing. but to feel cyno relax against him has him relaxing himself. ]

I'm not the one drifting so close to sleep. [ his gaze grows half-lidded with minor amusement, peering at the large mushroom-like trees that cover them in this peaceful spot. ] I can rest once we get back. You still owe me a tour, after all.

Mm.. well..

[ a fair point. he would suggest that they both nap together, but he's far too cautious of a person to allow something like that. they're in a strange, new place, and while everything seems and feels peaceful to cyno, that doesn't mean it will remain that way. both of them sleeping is just asking for trouble.

but cuddled close like this, with the scent of tighnari's warm fur filling his senses, with the sun warm overhead and the sound of the lapping water.. how can he resist the lull? ]

All right. Just for a bit.

[ just long enough for him to enjoy this uncomplicated closeness for what it is, to allow himself to indulge in tighnari's nearness long enough to set it to memory properly. his eyes close, and cyno exhales a heavy, satisfied sigh. ]

[ tighnari knows full well the kind of person cyno is. he's the type to always sleep with one eye open - if tighnari can offer the man more moments to sleep more peacefully, to allow his trust in tighnari to watch over.. he doesn't mind. it's precisely why he encourages it.

quietly, he nuzzles into the ruff of cyno's neck fur, it's brief and featherlight until he props his muzzle along cyno's back after with a slight shuffle closer. that purr-like sound comes from the fox again but much softer now. quieter, as if conscious of it now. ]

Mhm. I'll wake you if something happens.

[ outside their changes though, it seems pretty calm of a floor so there shouldn't be anything. he hopes, anyways. ]

[ closeness with tighnari is easy, has been easy for a long time, for years now, yet it's somehow even easier when they're in this shape. perhaps it's easier to ignore the underlying feelings that simmer beneath the surface when they're simple animals, but cyno thinks he might miss this when it's gone.

all the more reason to appreciate it now. that sweet little purr noise soothes him, and cyno's body is soon beginning to go more and more still, until at last his breathing evens out into something smooth and relaxed. he always sleeps well, when tighnari is around.

left undisturbed, assuming nothing happens in the grove, it'll be at least an hour before he stirs. ]

[ as soon as cyno is completely asleep, tighnari merely relaxes himself to a gentle lull. but he doesn't fall asleep or doze off. however, he does feel a bit restless and before he knows it he starts to gingerly groom the other's fur. careful and gentle enough that he doesn't stir or startle cyno awake. mostly to get rid of any clinging stick debris or grass.

fortunately nothing really does happen. tighnari neither moving from this spot to explore further or moving at all. but he does perk when cyno starts to stir, lifting his head and peeking to inspect the jackal's face. ]

Awake already?

[ cyno can't smile, but he certainly looks fond when he looks into tighnari's face, blinking blearily. he stretches his front arms out, toe beans all separating as he grunts. ]

Mm.. I'm not good at sleeping for long periods.

[ he's a restless soul. but he rumbles softly as he nudges his nose against tighnari's soft, furry cheek. ]

Ready to get moving?

[ or they could keep cuddling he's fine with that. ]

[ a light bob of the fox's head at that. ]

Makes sense.

[ in cyno's line of work, napping for very short periods is logical. ears twitch forward at the rumble, eyes closing at the light nudge of that nose against his cheek. the ends of his tail swishes again before he tilts his head to gently touch their noses together. a soft boop!

the contact is brief though, pushing to stand and hop over cyno to approach the basket of shrooms. ]

Yeah, I'm ready. Do you want to continue exploring this floor? Or should we head back? I think we've gotten plenty so - I'd be fine with either.

[ oh hey, there's a lot less grass in his fur than there was, now.. huh.

anyway, cyno stands and stretches his front half luxuriously, then his back half, before he shakes all over from nose to tail, still warmed by their little nose boop. his tail sways behind him, before he's picking up the crystals in his mouth again, and depositing them into the basket beside the many shrooms. ]

Mm, we should probably head back for now. We'll start getting hungry, soon.

[ it's nearing dinner time! and they don't have any rations. once again, cyno dips his head to put it through the basket's handle, looping it over his neck. ]

[ mystery... who could have done that...

one ear flops to the side with a tilt of his head, before they perk again with another nod. ]

Ah, that's true. Then we'll head back to your room?

[ he offers a little peek to gauge if that idea is fine, but with the basket secured by cyno does he start to trek back the way they came in. fortunate the path here is still paved through so going back won't be too difficult for him.

excuse this small fox as he trots on back with his tail held high like a flag. come come, let's go. ]

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