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Tighnari couldn’t believe this was happening. Cyno promised. He promised not to take his jokes to the dinner table. Not this time.
His jokes were just another level, not necessarily in a positive light. They were hard to comprehend, let alone make people laugh. Especially if they were people who were not from Sumeru!
“And so it’s on the chin. But it’s a wordplay, so the joke actually means that...”
Tighnari listened to Cyno’s explanation. He watched the confused expressions on Aether and Paimon’s faces. Alhaitham and Dehya were facepalming. Candace and Nilou were giggling.
“It’s supposed to be funny, but...” Cyno continued talking normally, not even minding the fact that his own friends weren’t even laughing at the joke.
“It’s a wordplay for Tahchin, you know, Cyno’s specialty dish Duel Soul is a variant of it,” Tighnari whispered when poor Traveler was frowning so much his forehead might just wrinkle permanently.
Aether was sitting opposite them, and Cyno was sitting right next to Tighnari, so he could hear the bad joke from way too close.
“It’s a little funny,” Nilou giggled after Cyno finished.
“I think I get it,” Aether said with a subtle smile. No he didn’t. Tighnari chuckled.
“I have a better one,” Cyno said right when Tighnari wanted to take another bite of his food, and he choked before he even put anything in his mouth.
“Cyno!” he whined, but it was Candace of all people who interrupted.
“No, let him finish,” she said. Tighnari gaped at her. She was way too amused by all this!
“So, a lady from Inazuma and a lord from Liyue meet,” Cyno started. “It’s really my best joke,” he insisted when Tighnari yawned. The hand Tighnari used to cover his mouth dropped at his side, and he glanced at Cyno. He then remembered their promise.
“Don’t you dare tell your jokes, the Traveler won’t understand anyway,” Tighnari had told him.
“Why not?” was Cyno’s response.
“Because - ah never mind. Just promise we’ll keep the dinner serious. There are some people at the table who won’t appreciate your jokes.”
“People like Alhaitham? I don’t care.”
Tighnari found it hard to convince him, and he didn’t even mind if Cyno would embarrass himself in front of the others, but he just didn’t want to cringe while eating his food this time. He wanted to treasure this dinner time with the others which was held in celebration of their successful mission and though somewhat tense and awkward here and there - to celebrate new friendships.
“Just promise me. Promise me, or else, I will tickle you,” was what Tighnari said to convince Cyno.
“Right now?” Cyno asked. It was hilarious how he didn’t even seem to mind if Tighnari wanted to tickle him then. Tighnari shook his head.
“During dinner. I’ll tickle you. A lot,” he warned. Cyno had glared at him but in the end he promised.
“I promise.”
Fast-forward to the cringe dinner party. Cyno promised, but he broke the promise just as easily. Well, Tighnari was glad to remember what the consequence was going to be. Tickling. And it definitely wasn’t going to be him to forget this so easily.
“Then she said - Hyahah!” Cyno jumped when Tighnari poked him under the table. Cyno didn’t even look at him, but he continued speaking.
“She said - ohooho!”
Tighnari had a hard time controlling his own laughter. Cyno’s reactions were hilarious.
“Hyahah or ohooho? Which is it?” Paimon sighed.
“No no, it doesn’t go like that. It’s more like - haahahah!” This time instead of poking him repeatedly, Tighnari grabbed his side and wiggled his fingers. Cyno squirmed and let out a loud barky laugh.
“Bwahhaha!”
“It’s that funny?” Dehya asked.
“It’s that funny,” Tighnari sighed as if this was just Cyno laughing at his own joke, but he continued to tickle him under the table and it was hilarious how much Cyno tried to hide this very fact while he even tried to continue telling his joke.
“Nohoho! She sahahaid, hhehehe!” He bent forward and continued to giggle.
“It really seems to be that funny,” Nilou said, exchanging glances with Dehya, who shrugged in response.
“He’s often like this. I’m sure he can finish his joke soon. Right, Cyno?” Tighnari said innocently, and he clawed more ruthlessly at Cyno’s lower side. Cyno threw his head back and howled.
“HAahahha! Yehehes!”
Tighnari sighed. Cyno’s laughter was loud but though the volume was slightly disturbing to his ears, the sound of his laugh was pleasant. Also, he couldn’t deny that Cyno was just being really cute right now.
“Is he going to stop laughing?” Alhaitham asked, sounding annoyed.
“I’m glad he can laugh at his own joke,” Aether said.
“I dihihidn’t finish ahhaah! Juhust wahahait!” Cyno weakly tried to pry Tighnari’s hand off him, but Tighnari was very persistent and continued to tickle him. And when Cyno finally managed to swat his hand away, Tighnari moved towards his knee all of a sudden and squeezed. Cyno jumped at this and gasped.
“HAh!”
“This is rather unique,” Dehya said.
“It is,” Candace agreed with a serene smile.
“So, does anyone want another serving?”
“Yes me me me!”
Tighnari watched how Paimon was the first to get more food while the others seemed eager as well. Now that everyone was distracted, Tighnari used this chance to bend towards Cyno and tickled him with both hands.
“I will give you another chance to keep your promise, is that alright?” he asked politely while Cyno squirmed in his seat while snorting and giggling uncontrollably.
“Buhuhut!” Cyno laughed.
“Well?” Tighnari said, tickling both Cyno’s side and knee at the same time.
“Okahahay!”
“Okay what?”
“I’ll stohohop!”
Tighnari smirked. “Alright then.” He finally leaned back and sighed. Cyno caught his breath and bent his head tiredly.
“Ah, he finished laughing,” Paimon said, holding her bowl with second serving of food in her tiny hands as she appeared ready to dig in.
“So, what did she say?” Dehya sighed, appearing annoyed at the unfinished joke. Cyno looked at them and blushed.
“I.... forgot,” he said, tensing up when Tighnari placed his hand on his knee as a threatening signal. Tighnari chuckled and gave him a reassuring squeeze, tickling him accidentally and making him squeak.
“Oh, that’s a pity,” Nilou said.
“You think so?” was Alhaitham’s relieved reply. Tighnari sighed in relief as well and looked around the table. It seemed no one even realized he had been tickling Cyno and - oh... He ended up locking eyes with Candace. She smiled at him.
“I like your tactics,” she complimented. Tighnari blushed. Caught?
“You do?” he asked. She nodded.
“Very nice.”
Uh. Tickling under the dinner table, nice? Tighnari couldn’t do anything else but smile.
“Yeah,” he replied sheepishly. Oh well. Tighnari smiled. It was only fair that he got a little embarrassed as well. But the most embarrassed right now was definitely Cyno. He looked at him and noticed the cute blush on his face.
“Oh, right. Can I have more too?” Tighnari added, eager to eat more without Cyno’s bad jokes in the background. What a feast!