Chapter Text
En route to Gandharva Ville, Cyno had taken the lead while Alhaitham eagerly trailed behind at first. When they left Vimara Village, he was brimming with confidence that his inoculation would work out, but even Cyno’s reassurance could only do so much to embolden him.
“We just need to follow the trail, turn right on the second path and we’ll be there in a flash,” Cyno explained, his hands gesturing forward.
“It surprises me that you know the area well.”
“This place is practically my second home. I used to go back and forth a lot in the past to check up on Collei. Ah, Collei is–”
“–The girl who lives with Tighnari, correct?”
“Yes, I brought her here. With the help of my senior’s colleagues from Mondstadt, we rescued her from the Fatui. But she suffered from Eleazar so she had to come to Sumeru for treatment.”
“The Fatui, huh? It seems like she had a pretty rough life.”
“She did. That's why I hope she lives really well from now on.”
Although Alhaitham could not observe Cyno’s expression, he could hear the sincerity dripping from his voice. Alhaitham knew well what Eleazar did to its victims, what it did to his own grandmother. Still, he was glad Lord Kusanali had eradicated the disease albeit belatedly for him and his family. At least, Cyno would be able to rest easy knowing Collei would be living a more carefree life.
Taking much larger strides, Alhaitham easily caught up to Cyno. With a light pat on the shoulder, he reassured him, “I’m sure she will.”
Caught off guard, Alhaitham’s touch lit a fire in Cyno’s lungs. He could be very kind in the most unexpected moments. Cyno’s melancholy was swept away by the loud thumping of his heart. He turned to face Alhaitham and feigned a smile. Something else! He had to think of something else that wasn’t the burning sensation on his back or the swelling of his heart.
“Ah, that reminds me. My method…! It’s tried and tested with Collei. She had none of the standard vaccinations Sumeru children should receive. Tighnari tried to get her inoculated for an entire week but she would throw a tantrum each time.” While walking backwards, Cyno began to recount a more whimsical story of the past. He maintained eye contact, trying to figure out if Alhaitham had taken notice of his little stunt. “I held her hand. And you wouldn’t believe what happened next?”
“She ceased her crying…?” Alhaitham asked.
“Not only that. She became much more docile and listened obediently to Tighnari’s instructions. I did have to coax her with candied ajilenakh nuts after, but I doubt that would work on you.”
“I have never tried candied ajilenakh nuts. They are a desert delicacy and are rather difficult to obtain here. If you hold some on your person, I wouldn’t mind being coaxed in that manner either.”
“It’s unfortunate but I can only coax you with a promise. I’ll be sure to satisfy your curiosity next time, alright?”
“Alright.”
As if already trying to coax Alhaitham, Cyno’s face lit up with another smile, a real one. His eyes curved downwards into crescents, twin moons Alhaitham so desperately wished to keep to himself. He wanted to make these fleeting smiles his and his alone.
But he couldn’t. They weren’t his to keep.
“Collei!” Cyno called out, grinning from ear to ear. He was more generous with his smiles in front of her, perhaps more than he was with Alhaitham.
“Cyno! Ohh, and… umm…”
“I am Alhaitham. Cyno’s…” His voice had trailed off reluctantly before settling on a more cautious tone. “I'm his colleague. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hi-ya! I am Collei, a forest ranger-in-training. I am Cyno’s… well—” Collei hesitated with double the reluctance Alhaitham exhibited. “—it’s a very long story and I wouldn’t want to bore you. Unless, of course, you want to hear about it!”
“No need to be so formal with each other,” Cyno chimed in, giving the two a quick pat in the back.
“Collei, this is Alhaitham, a dear friend of mine. Alhaitham, this is Collei. You could say she is like a little sister to me.”
After Cyno’s more cordial introduction, Alhaitham became the object of Collei’s observation. Her eyes were seemingly in deep thought, darting away from time to time but would return to him without fail. Alhaitham, on his part acted as if Collei was not staring him down with the intensity of Rishboland Tiger hunting its prey.
Cyno sighed while observing the two. Despite his efforts,the tension did not subside. Granted, he was making two of the most awkward people in all of Sumeru speak to each other. Still, he held both Alhaitham and Collei with fond regard and had hoped they would get along well.
“Oh yes! What brings the two of you here?” Realizing the impropriety of her own actions, Collei shifted her gaze to Cyno and changed the topic of conversation much to Alhaitham’s delight.
“Is Tighnari here right now?”
“He’s still on patrol, but he’ll be back before sunset.”
“We’re here to see him. We can wait.”
“Oh right, where are my manners? Please come to our place.” Collei offered.
“No, it’s alright,” Alhaitham politely declined. He wasn’t sure if he could keep up with another staring contest with the girl.
“We should come with. I told you before they’re practically family. It’s fine!” Cyno insisted.
“If you say so,” Alhaitham replied, looking absolutely defeated. “Then, I hope you don’t mind us intruding, Collei.”
Alhaitham watched as Cyno drank an entire glass of Sunset Berry Tea in one gulp. He even had the gall to ask for a second one. It seemed that Cyno really does see this place as his second home, Alhaitham thought. But he understood Cyno’s enthusiasm. Alhaitham’s taste buds also took a liking to the amber-dyed tea. Its sour taste went well with Collei’s own twist on pita pockets.
“I call it Yearning .” Collei said, her eyes playfully glancing at the red ribbon attached to the stirrer of her drink.
“This will certainly have you yearning for more, don’t you agree Alhaitham?” Cyno declared, still roaring to go with his drolleries.
“I must agree,” Alhaitham added, indulging him and at the same time giving his own compliments to the chef.
“Do- Don’t tease me in front of a guest!”
Cyno let out a hearty laugh as Collei flailed her arms in protest. His laughter was too contagious that even Alhaitham himself let out a soft titter. His action, however, did not elude Collei’s keen eyes.
A few months back, Cyno had brought in another guest, a renowned architect from Sumeru City. Their topic of the day was the environmental repercussions of building the Palace of Alcazarzaray in the rainforest. Collei opted to join in. As a forest ranger-in-training, she had a vested interest in the matter.
Eventually, the conversation ended up being about their current guest, Alhaitham. The architect called him difficult, stubborn, and calculating, among other things. She even once heard her master reproach him, telling Lumine to be wary as he is one who operates by rationality alone. So, Collei was baffled that Cyno dragged him here to Gandharva Ville and even invited him into her home.
How much of what she’s heard is true?
How much of it was a lie ?
Her train of thought was soon broken by Cyno who began speaking as soon as he gobbled up the last of the pita pockets.
“So Collei, how are you faring these days?”
“I feel a lot better lately. Amber even invited me to Mondstadt’s Windblume Festival. It’ll be in a few months and I’m thinking of going.”
“A pleasant coincidence. I was also looking for a reason to visit Mondstadt and Lisa. Perhaps, I’ll apply for a break and accompany you.”
“This is quite concerning. We still have a lot of work to do but my General Mahamatra is already asking for a vacation.”
“Oh, you won’t approve of it, grand sage?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Cyno.”
“Huh?! Gra- Grand sage?! Yo- You’re the grand sage!” Collei yelped in surprise. “Oh Lord Kusanali, bless me! My manners!” She hadn’t realized Alhaitham held such an important position. How dare she feed the grand sage fruit tea made from wild berries she picked in the morning?
“It’s alright, Collei,” Alhaitham tried to pacify the situation. He did not mean to reveal that he was the grand sage. In fact, the position made him somewhat uncomfortable. “And that’s acting Grand Sage. I won’t be for long.”
“He could’ve been Grand Sage had he not rejected Lord Kusanali’s offer.” Cyno interjected, crossing his arms and shaking his head in dismay.
“I am simply not fit for the job.”
“I think you are.”
After calming her own nerves, Collei was able to grasp the situation. Cyno and Alhaitham seemed close enough to tickle each other’s temples. Although she still held reservations about him, she could trust Cyno to handle them. Besides, as Grand Sage, he was likely here for some official business.
“Uumm… May I inquire as to your purpose here? Is it related to your work? Ah…! But if it’s supposed to be a secret of sorts, there’s no need to tell. I don’t mean to pry…”
“We’re here to ask Tighnari to give Alhaitham a shroom spore pox shot.”
“He hasn’t had one?”
“... Due to extenuating circumstance.” Alhaitham said in a flat tone.
Cyno, quick on the uptake, realized he might have said too much. Hastily, he sought to change the topic.
“Ah right, Collei, you still recall when you got your shroom spore pox shot in the past?”
“I do. I was so scared of the syringe back then, but you were definitely scarier. Hahaha! I thought I’d get in so much trouble if I didn’t go along with Master Tighnari’s instructions.”
Collei detailed her experience passionately, expecting a chuckle or two from the men in front of her. But all she saw was the awkward glances that Alhaitham and Cyno shared.
Tilting her head in bewilderment, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
“No!”
“Not at all.”
Still, a little dissatisfied with their answer and thinking that she might have painted Cyno as too much of a villain in her story, Collei sought to remedy the cold atmosphere.
“Ah, what I meant to say is… well… Cyno is a good person. I’d hate for you to misunderstand his character, Grand Sage. He just has a scary face, is all. B- But he’s actually a really nice person!”
“I know. He is a good man.”
Collei observed him in turn. A faint smile wormed its way to Alhaitham’s face after he spoke. There was a glint in his eyes that was all too familiar to Collei.
Yearning.
It was the name she had given to the little pastry snack she made– an embodiment of her innermost feelings. What the outrider in red is to her, Cyno is to him. They both held a most ardent adoration, clear in the eyes of each and every person— except its recipient.
Perhaps, there were truths in the words of the architect and her teacher. Beyond her gaze, Alhaitham might appear to be a shrewd and calculating man– a difficult man, or even a stubborn man. Still, Collei believed in what her eyes could see.
If he yearned for Cyno and treated him well, that was good enough to convince her that just as Cyno was, Alhaitham, too, was a good man.
“I know, right?”
Collei also found herself smiling that evening.
Alhaitham was right to be scared. He sat on a wooden chair, Cyno on his right side and Tighnari on his left. He could recall agreeing to Cyno’s wishes. During their short trek to Gandharva Ville, Cyno boasted about how he was able to calm Collei down with the same method he had used on her. He could also recall the savory taste of Yearning and Sunset Berry Tea, and the sour look he and Cyno shared as Collei shed light to his so-called tried and tested method. But as Cyno revealed to Tighnari that he had Trypanophobia, everything became a blur.
Once Cyno convinced him, Alhaitham wholeheartedly believed that everything would be fine. A seed of valor sprouted in him, one that lamentably withered the moment he laid eyes on Tighnari flicking the syringe.
Everything was in fact not alright.
“Am I still allowed to opt out of this?” He asked with bated breath.
“Hey, hey. Alhaitham, calm down. We agreed to this, remember?”
Even as Cyno’s left hand intertwined with his right, a soft tremor pervaded Alhaitham’s arms. His palms were damp with sweat. He could not feel his legs at all. He had never felt so defenseless.
“We did– but clearly, I’ve overestimated myself.”
“Even if you opt out now, I already prepared everything, so you’ll have to pay for it either way.”
“Don’t listen to him. Take a deep breath. You can do this.”
“Just… make it quick.”
“Alright then. Here we go.”
As the needle approached his arm, Alhaitham jerked away and leaned closer to Cyno. Tighnari could not help but roll his eyes at the sight of a mother hawk soothing the unfounded worries of its newborn chick.
“Cyno, I really can’t. I swear. I can’t do this.” Alhaitham’s misty eyes held a sense of vulnerability that Cyno had a hard time resisting. But this was for his own good. Both of them knew as much. He had no choice but to be cruel in order to be kind.
“Don’t look at it. Listen to my voice.” Cyno said, covering Alhaitham’s eyes with his free hand. “Any books you’ve read recently?”
“The second volume of The Folio of Foliage.”
“Good. I’ve read that book too. Do you remember the hymn at the end?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Then, can you recite it with me?”
“I can.”
“Let’s start on the count of three–”
“One... two… three.”
“The path was made straight long ago by the path of a great vow; to break all chains and relieve all woes, and all things sure to know.”
Cyno exchanged looks with Tighnari, signalling him to start as well.
“The auspice of its radiant light drove foes and demons out; and amidst the rotting smoke did holy wisdom newly sprout.”
On cue, the needle pricked Alhaitham’s flesh. He tried not to pay mind to it, busying himself instead with the next lines of the hymn. Cyno counted on him. He had to follow through.
“Behold wisdom's returning light, unclouded near or far; like sunlight through the morning sky, the moon through a dome of stars.”
Feeling the discomfort on his shoulder, Alhaitham clung tightly to the other man’s hand, as if it would slip away at any moment. If he could, he would have held Cyno’s hand with both of his own, but that was a silly thought. What was the last line again? It remained on the tip of his tongue… something about lotuses.
“It’s over. You did well.” Cyno reassured.
In a flash, Cyno lifted his hand and restored the other’s sight. Alhaitham looked at Cyno and marvelled at his wisdom and tenacity. They actually managed to do it!
Cyno truly was his extraneous variable, an indomitable existence outside his contemplation.
A variable that could overturn what he himself deemed as impossible.
He recalled the last line of the hymn.
“The lotuses do richly bloom in wisdom's radiant blaze; amidst this paradise of faith, I lift my hands in praise,” he said, lifting his hands to cup Cyno’s face.
An irrational problem could only be solved with an irrational solution.
It followed that an irrational thought— could only be conveyed with an equally irrational action.
Afterall, this was worth a shot.
He was worth the shot.
Alhaitham pulled Cyno in for a quick kiss.