cashewlater | ic inbox @ hotel caelum;

[ fortunate for that, because tighnari would certainly be whining about the spice levels if it was too much for his sensitive taste. truly unfortunate having his sensitivity. but it's just right and he knows it must be because cyno had given it consideration with tighnari in mind.

he carefully maneuvers to rest his ankle on the end of the sofa, settling the bag of ice over it before leaning back to rest against cyno's side. one ear flops as his head tilts, squishing it a little against white hair as he hums with thought. ]

No, I'm fine for now. Thank you.

[ when your best friend slash husband has specific tastes, you find yourself planning around them without even thinking about it tbh..

anyway, when tighnari leans against him, cyno smiles and hums, a bit of his usual tension easing away. he reaches for that tail, rubbing at it idly with one hand, smoothing his fingers across warm, dense fur. it feels nice beneath his palm. ]

Mm, okay. I'll get you something to sleep in in a minute.

[ not right now, tighnari is comfortable, so cyno can never move again. ]

[ that tail quivers briefly under that touch before it settles, curling just a little so it hooks around part of cyno's arm without tighnari realizing himself. ]

No rush. Unless you're all ready to sleep.

[ certainly he's pretty comfortable already, but he can let him go if he wants to prepare himself for rest already.

though the comfort of the food and warmth from his companion is enough to relax and put him close to drifting to sleep.. he can stay up a bit longer. ]

Mm, no, not yet. Soon.

[ he is a bit tired; it had been a long day of turning into jackals and foxes! but he'd had a little nap in that lovely forest, so he wasn't exhausted just yet. just comfortable, especially with tighnari so close - the fox had a way about him that always relaxed cyno, that recharged him after difficult days at work.

today hadn't been difficult, but tighnari is nevertheless his solace. he leans his head against tighnari's, humming. ]

It was a nice day. I enjoyed that forest.

It was really interesting, I had a good time too.

[ tighnari won't argue against not going to sleep, he's quite comfortable here, especially when cyno relaxes in return against him. moving on as he considers their experience in the forest. his tail sways slightly under fingers until he reaches for the basket to take a hold of one crystal.

he's leaning back right after, tilting his head to gently bump his against cyno's to meet his gaze. they're really close like this - but it isn't something tighnari minds, as if it's second nature to be in such close proximity with his companion. ]

Got any plans for these crystals?

Not sure yet. I'd like to study them a little more closely, but I'm not sure they'd survive the trip home.

[ he hasn't yet attempted to take anything from the hotel back to their home world - it should theoretically be fine, considering they're easily able to bring items from home here, but he's still yet to try.

cyno glances toward tighnari, and.. ah, yes, they sure are very close, close enough that cyno can see the lovely mixture where brown meets green in tighnari's eyes, close enough that he can smell his skin and fur and hair, close enough that he could -

ah, no, he clamps his thoughts down. ]

Perhaps there's a laboratory around here somewhere.

Ah, that definitely is worth testing to see. I'm sure there are potentially some things we may not be allowed - imagine returning back home with something from another world. But who knows?

[ though something like this he feels may just be safe to bring. he tilts the crystal between his fingers, allowing the lights to reflect off it with a curious gleam. though he meets cyno's scarlet red gaze again and offers a smile.

before he brings the crystal to hold by the side of his head, as if comparing the crystal with his eye color. it cannot beat the color of cyno's gaze but it certainly is interesting nevertheless. ]

A laboratory, huh... Worth exploring more floors to see. I wouldn't say it's impossible. If nothing else, I know there's a workshop on Kaveh's floor if you want to make something with them.

Who knows indeed. I'll try to take one back and see what happens.

[ he'd love to be able to study them more closely, see if they're composed of anything particularly interesting, or if they resonate with any elemental energy..

tighnari lifts the crystal by his head, and cyno's brows lift a little. he blinks, but stays still while tighnari does his comparison. the rainbow sheen of the crystal is quite different from the warm sunset of cyno's eyes. ]

A workshop, hmm? That might be nice. I could fashion you a crystal earring.

[ there's some fun in experimenting with what you could possibly bring back and find. so he offers a nod, agreeing with that notion. he chuckles at the expression that settles on cyno's face as he compares before he takes one of the man's hands to gently turn it over with palm facing up. only to plop the crystal in the center of that palm. ]

An earring?

[ ears twitch at the mention, giving it some thought over. cyno certainly could... granted, cyno could gift him anything and he would ultimately cherish it. his gaze flickers down to stare at the crystal's sheen before his tail flicks up. ]

Why don't we fashion a set? So we both have something.

[ oh.. matching earrings.. ///

cyno smiles warmly, and nods. ]

That's a good idea. I'll have to talk with Kaveh.

[ with the crystal in his palm now, cyno leans his elbows onto his knees and lifts the gem higher, turning it over slowly with his fingers, watching the way the light refracts off of it and through it. it's certainly quite beautiful, that can't be denied. ]

I could make something for him, too, in thanks. Maybe a bracelet.

[ matching... hehe

tighnari hums, tail swishing more now at the accepted idea. something for them to remember this whole experience by. ]

Kaveh is surely to have some good ideas himself. And I'm sure he'd appreciate a bracelet.

[ a bracelet though... hmm. he peers closer at cyno, watching the other lean over and examine the crystal. until he leans over himself, resting his chin on cyno's shoulder while his hand reaches out to gingerly touch one of his fingers with a tap. ]

Though, I think a ring would look nice for you too.

[ it's difficult, sometimes, to have tighnari so close; does he know what it does to cyno? how it makes him feel? in some ways it's almost a cruel tease, for how close he wants to be, like holding food just out of reach of a starving man.

and yet, he sinks into it so easily, wouldn't ever give it up. the closeness they have is something special, however painful it might be, and cyno is glad to take what little he can have when it comes to intimacy with his dearest friend. still, his face warms a little when tighnari's chin rests on his shoulder, the pad of one finger smoothing over cyno's knuckle. ]

A ring, hmm?

[ he surveys the crystal a little longer. it wouldn't be difficult to cut a small piece for a setting. ]

Well there's more than enough crystal to make all sorts of things.

[ unfortunately he's a bit oblivious to cyno's own dilemma, more focused on the comfort of this closeness and the warmth that seeps from the man. he'll linger for a bit but he'll pull back eventually. he always does, knows he should. even if he himself would potentially like a bit more - he dares not cross any further.

but he does think a ring with parts of this crystal affixed in the middle.. it would surely look nice on the man's hand. he nods slightly, finally straightening to sit back against the sofa now while he takes his own tail onto his lap to comb through idly. ]

We can experiment with a few later and see for ourselves then.

[ he does feel a bit of drowsiness settle, but he doesn't mention it, merely tending to his fur quietly. ]

[ it's fine, really, for difficult though it might be to endure sometimes, the idea of being without it is much, much worse. before knowing tighnari, cyno was not an affectionate person - in fact, touch had been something foreign and terrifying for him. before he learned to properly control hermanubis, it was quite easy for him to accidentally hurt people.

in so many ways, tighnari is one of the best things to happen to him. the others, of course, being cyrus and collei. ]

Mmhmm.

[ when tighnari pulls back, cyno glances over his shoulder, then reaches to set the crystal back into the basket. ]

Getting sleepy?

A little.

[ tighnari can admit that much, he did not have a nap himself like cyno - and the warmth of him and dinner both has lulled him to a pleasant comfort that has winded him down further.

still, he makes no attempt to actually get ready for sleep. he can stay up longer if the other man wishes to talk more. in the meantime, he can continue to thread his fingers through his fur to ensure their earlier tumbling didn't get any sneaky twigs buried deep in his tail. ]

What about you?

[ ehe tighnari looks so cute when he's getting eepy.. cyno smiles. ]

Mm, a little bit.

[ he's not super tired, really, but tighnari should get some rest, cyno is more than content to do some reading in his room before bed. reaching back, he rubs affectionately at the base of one of tighnari's ears before he's getting to his feet, and moving to a nearby linen closet to fish out a spare blanket and pillow, both of which he places on the sofa beside tighnari.

after that, he's piling their dishes onto the tray and lifting it. ]

I'll wash these up, you get some sleep, hmm?

[ lashes flutter to a close when those fingers gingerly touch an ear, humming softly with a slight lean until cyno is moving away. his ear flicks afterwards, briefly missing that touch and merely peers up to watch him walk off.

his tail quietly thumps against the sofa once, pondering until he reaches to gather the pillow and blanket to start making himself more comfortable. he nods then, patting the pillow a little until he's reclining along the length of the sofa to properly lay down. ]

Mmnn, alright. Get some rest soon. Goodnight Cyno.

[ he stifles a yawn, before peering over at him with a sleepy smile. ]

Edited (I hit enter too fast!!!) 2023-11-01 14:49 (UTC)

Goodnight.

[ that cute, sleepy smile is answered by one of cyno's own, before he's padding back to the kitchen area to wash the dishes up, and put away what remains of the shakshouka and bread.

after that, he's slipping of to his room to dress down and climb into bed. it's a little while before he sleeps - thanks to his recharging nap earlier, he's not terribly tired, but an hour into reading he feels his eyelids growing heavy. not long after, he's shutting off his light and falling asleep.

since the akasha shut down and those from sumeru regained their dreams, cyno has learned to deal with the nightmares. they come relatively often. he lives a violent lifestyle, after all, and cyno has done painful things in the name of justice - while he has no regrets, there are things that haunt him. people that haunt him.

and there's so very much blood on his hands.

deep into the night, cyno falls into a dark pit. their hands pull at him, their voices cry out in pain and grief - why? why has this happened to them? - cyno tries to fight, but his limbs feel heavy. slowly he sinks into the lake of mud and blood, it fills his mouth, and in his bed he thrashes, cries out, sheets tangling around his legs like the limbs that grasp at him, pulling him down. ]

[ tighnari removes most of the heavier outer layers of his clothes, dressing down to something lighter before he fully burrows into his makeshift bed on the sofa. with the blankets wrapped around him, that earlier warmth and scent of his companion is what fills his senses as he quietly drifts to sleep. the sounds of the kitchen and distant footsteps out in the distance fading in the background.

his own sleep is very much quiet in comparison. a rather dreamless night, which is one he's quite accustomed to. he likely would have stayed completely asleep until morning if his hearing wasn't as sharp as it was. his ears twitch, something breaking through his deep sleep to stir him awake, blinking blearily into the dark as his brain tries to start and catch up on his surroundings.

...right. he was staying over cyno's room at the hotel. he sits up, shaking his head a little and looking in the direction of where he's sure he heard something. his tail flicks anxiously, not thinking much as he already pushes to a stand and carefully walks over to the room. there's a bit of soreness in his foot as he does, but he quickly ignores it while he gently knocks on the door, just to alert of his presence. ]

Cyno?

[ with that, he quietly makes his way inside, eyes adjusting to the darkness to find the man thrashing a bit in his bed. tighnari knows what it is right away - someone plagued by nightmares. it doesn't really surprise him that of all people, cyno would be plagued by such a thing. despite his stony and cold exterior, there's more to him than appearances, he carries a heavy burden and the weight of so much.

he steps over, voice soft and light on the chance the man hears him before he reaches him at his bedside. his knee presses lightly onto the mattress, a hand carefully seeking to touch the man on his shoulder as he gently wakes him. he doesn't want the man to startle awake, struggling between nightmare and reality, so he continues to talk in an audible soft tone. ]

Hey... Cyno, wake up.

[ another hand raises, touch gentle as he brushes aside white hair crowning around the man's face. trying to soothe and ease him awake. ]

[ it's perhaps a testament to just how deep cyno is in his dreams that he does not wake the moment tighnari opens the door, the moment he calls his name, for he generally wakes quite easily. no, cyno doesn't wake until tighnari's fingers brush his face, pushing back his damp hair, when his eyes snap open with a start, his arm immediately shooting upward to snatch tighnari's wrist in his hands, a sharp gasp in his throat.

for a moment his eyes are wide, pupils blown and black, as he works out just what has happened, and where he is. the scent of blood still feels thick in his senses, he can feel their hands grasping at him, cold and lifeless and so, so strong - ]

T-Tighnari..

[ awareness creeps around the edges of his consciousness, tighnari's lovely face drifting into his vision, eyes full of concern.

a nightmare. he'd been having a nightmare.. that explains the sheets tangled around his legs, and the thin sheen of cold sweat that clings to his bared skin. cyno's chest heaves as he sucks in a breath, closing his eyes, his heart pounding against his ribs. ]

.. sorry.

[ tighnari almost expects the man to lash out once he does awaken, which is why he isn't nearly as startled or surprised when that hand shoots out and grabs his wrist in an almost vice-grip. he doesn't move any further, not wanting his dear friend to feel any more threatened than he does. he waits for him to calm down enough to realize who it is that is with him.

as his name leaves the other's lips does he offer a sympathetic smile in return. he hums softly, reaching to carefully untangle the sheets from where they are. freeing him from it as he spreads it out more properly out. not tucking him back in just yet, he doesn't want cyno to feel suffocated after whatever cruel nightmare he was having behind closed eyes. ]

You don't need to apologize. It's alright.

[ he sits more properly now on the bed, gingerly brushing bangs aside and smoothing a hand over a cheek. he inhales softly before exhaling long, talking quietly as he does.]

Take a moment to breathe in and out with me, okay?

[ nightmares are a nasty thing. collei has gotten a few now and then, and tighnari has always been there to help ease her through them. so he isn't at a loss as he tries to help cyno here. he lets them both have a moment of just breathing, trying to calm him more down from that high stress. it isn't until after a couple of minutes does he look him over again. ]

You alright?

[ let none doubt the efficacy of tighnari's gentle bedside manner.. cyno calms almost immediately the moment tighnari speaks, and though his heart is still pounding, a sense of ease begins to close in around him like a warm blanket.

it was just a nightmare. he's safe. tighnari is safe. everyone is safe.

the mattress creaks gently when tighnari sits, cyno's eyes following him, and at first he does not speak for a little while - instead he does as asked, focusing on his breathing, in and out, in and out.. until his pulse slowly begins to calm, the tingle of adrenaline wearing away. cyno turns, pressing his face into tighnari's side and closing his eyes. right now he can't deny himself the closeness, isn't strong enough to resist. ]

.. yeah.

[ he says softly, one hand tangled in tighnari's shirt, holding fast. ]

I didn't mean to wake you.

I'm used to waking up at odd hours, so don't worry about it.

[ whether it be sudden forest watcher duties that need his attention or even the distant call of a chatty dusk bird, tighnari is no stranger to waking at the smallest of noises. so he is quick to reassure his friend. even if his own movements feel a bit sluggish with sleep, he is very much awake right now.

though his gaze softens as he watches cyno press closer, taking only a moment to think about it before he carefully slides onto the bed. enough so he's resting right beside him. with the thought of how tightly that hand was on his shirt, he wraps arms around cyno to pull him close. allowing him the opportunity to bury into the fox as much as he wishes.

one hand threads fingers through white hair, massaging at his scalp while his tail curls over cyno with a gentle flop. ]

You can cuddle with my tail if you'd like. That usually helps Collei.

[ something that usually helped ground her, so he's happy to offer to cyno as well. he lets a moment of silence to fill before he quietly speaks again. ]

...We don't need to talk about it. [ what he saw. what nightmares plague him. ] I can stay here for the rest of the night, if you'd like? Or just until you're ready to sleep again.

[ though he's sure that cyno may not be willing to sleep right away. ]

[ tighnari slides down under the blankets, and cyno's reaction is instant - he pushes in near, pressing his face into tighnari's shoulder, one arm coiling around that thick, fluffy tail. one might think that he'd be ashamed to need the comfort of it, but he isn't. what's good enough for collei is good enough for him.

though is pains him to know that she suffers in this way as well. he's not surprised. he and collei.. have a lot in common, but cyno would do anything to protect her even from her own dreams. she's been through far more than anyone her age should ever have been exposed to, and given how cyno was raised, he can understand her in ways that few couldn't.

thank the gods for tighnari. they're both incredibly fortunate to have him. ]

Stay.

[ he says softly, his arm around tighnari's tail tightening. ]

I want you to stay.

I'll stay then.

[ a soft confirmation, a silent I've got you. happy that he can provide the man even a bit of comfort. glad that cyno is willing to take and accept it.

parts of that tail coil a bit around that arm wrapped around, leaving his own arm around cyno a bit loose as his other hand continues to thread white strands of hair. focusing on listening to that steady breathing, the tone of his voice, easing the man's heartbeat into a steady rhythm.

it's featherlight, when he buries his nose a little into white hair, humming quietly. there isn't a tune or song in mind as he hums, mostly doing it so there is more reassurances that he's here with him. whatever haunts or plagues him in nightmares is neither here or there right now. ]

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