cashewlater | ic inbox @ hotel caelum;

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. ]

[ tighnari leading the way! liddol fox so brave..

cyno chuckles, then pads off behind him, having no problem following along. the grass is pushed down from their previous trek through, so it shouldn't be too hard for tighnari to navigate it without cyno in front of him. but cyno will be here and ready to pick him up by the scruff, should he get himself stuck in a clump of tall grass!

soon enough, though, they're returning to the elevators. poof! cyno is cyno again. he stumbles onto the elevator, wobbly in his two feet now, and honestly were he not a well trained matra he probably would've fallen right over.

he still has the basket around his neck tho.. ]

[ pick him up by the scruff, he dares you x2.

no but their walk back is pretty uneventful, which is good in itself. to not have any dangers for them to face in this state.. it's very good. he's a bit relieved that he can see the elevators though. in this fox form his stamina seems a bit lower than he's used to. anyways, while cyno is trained enough to not fall over, this player has decided to rest tighnari's own fate dependent on the dice roll.

..which is to say the roll is low help, so while tighnari stumbles as he changes back, he is quickly falling over. cyno is free to catch him - or let him fall. fate is in his hands now. ]

[ oh nooooo.. down he goes..

but of course cyno catches him, there's no other outcome tbh, as funny as it would be for poor tighnari to fall onto his face. quickly, cyno lunges forward and snags tighnari in his arms before he can hit the floor. ]

You okay, there?

[ didn't twist a weak ankle did you?? ]

[ there he goes... to the floor the fox goes...

a breath exhales as soon he's caught, gripping at cyno to secure himself. well, he certainly saved tighnari from some shame of faceplanting the ground, even though it's pretty embarrassing to have tripped like that at all. ]

Y..eah. Ugh, that really surprised me.

[ granted, how quickly it was when he arrived, he should've known. he straightens to stand but the moment he puts pressure on his left foot he does wince. ouch. he may or may not in fact have twisted it! ]

[ ah, cyno knows that look. he's been general long enough to know when others are hiding pain, he needs to see it in his matra, after all, even if they try to hide it. ]

Lean on me.

[ he says, slipping an arm around tighnari's waist, using his free hand to press the elevator button to his floor, before he's pulling the hood of his cloak back up over tighnari's head, and.. removing the basket from his neck finally.

the doors close, and the elevator glides downward. ]

It isn't that bad.

[ he says, however he knows if he puts too much pressure onto it - it can get worse. and he'd rather avoid that if at all necessary. so he rests his hand along cyno's back before settling on his shoulder, leaning on him to settle weight more on his other foot. ]

I can carry that for you, here.

[ with cyno pulling the hood back over, he secures it a bit more with his other hand until he holds it out for the basket. it's the least he can do since cyno is helping support him here on their way back. ]

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