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Cyno didn't think it'd come to him so easily.
Sure, despite his stoic expression most of the time, he did smile from time to time. Making someone groan in frustration when he explained his own jokes was always a delight. Teasing the Official Scribe of Akademiya was also one of his favorite pastimes. However, those smiles didn't feel like this one on his face right now. He never had his face soften with bliss on it’s own like this. This smile had caught him off guard. He wasn't even aware he was doing it until halfway through the performance.
The figure in front of him was twirling and moving with such fluidity and elegance that he couldn't keep his eyes off her. At the celebration feast after they saved Sumeru she encouraged him to find happiness and smile every day, she even made him promise. He had accepted, mostly because of simple politeness. How could he refuse when she looked at him with those glimmering eyes that looked like they held every star in the sky? But now seeing her in front of him, bright red hair flowing with each turn like flames that joined her dance and gentle hands that posed perfectly to accentuate every move, completely lost in her performance, he felt a strange warmness spread through his chest. Suddenly he was away from the city and the crowded bazaar. Watching Nilou get lost in her art was mesmerizing. Her passion was apparent in every step. He felt a gentle smile creep up on his lips and he felt genuinely at peace. The feast and the excited chatter around him, the bustle of the bazaar in the background, they all seemed to melt away, leaving only the stunned general and the dancer who looked like a fairy straight out of a fairytale on the stage. As the music slowed and her dance came to an end he found himself to be clapping before he even realized he was doing so.
"I hope you enjoyed the performance, I wanted it to be good enough to thank every one of you" said Nilou, trying to catch her breath.
"Good enough? It was amazing Nilou!" Exclaimed Dunyarzad, "I'm so happy I got to see your performance after I missed the one at the Sabzeruz festival"
"I can see why the people adore the star of the Zubeyr theater so" added Alhaitham, "You're quite skilled at what you do"
As the compliments kept piling up Cyno's brain couldn't really formulate a coherent thought. That was until Nilou's eyes finally found his.
There was a certain look in those eyes. A look that he couldn't quite put his finger on, no matter how great he was at reading people. She looked kind of nervous, maybe a bit giddy with excitement.
"Well, how did you like the dance General?" She asked, a hint of enthusiasm in her voice. There were tiny beads of sweat barely visible on her temples, her chest rising and falling as she tried to regulate her breathing. The light sheen of sweat made her glow under the lights of the stage, reminiscent of an angel. No, he thought, even angels would be envious of her beauty right now.
"General?"
Ah shit, he had forgotten to actually give her an answer and had been staring at her face silently for some time now. Her happy expression had turned into one of worry and disappointment. His brain scrambled to find an answer to her question.
"It was..." He struggled to find the right words. "incredible." he managed to finish the sentence. Though he felt the compliment wasn’t enough for such a spectacular performance. "It was impossible to take my eyes off of you." he mumbled without thinking. As he registered what he just said a blush crept up to his cheeks. Averting his eyes, he lifted his arm to his face to cover it up. Seeing the flustered man in front of her, Nilou let out a soft giggle. "Well General, if you enjoyed it so much I could set aside a ticket for you for my shows from now on.” She panicked for a moment and started stammering. “If you'd like to come watch me again, that is. I know how busy you are. I’m sure you have more pressing issues to attend to. It was silly of me to ask, forgive me." It was her turn to blush now. "I just... Really enjoyed performing for you. Seeing you in the audience gave me courage. I'd love to have you here again."
At this, Cyno turned towards the girl with surprise. Seeing the girl get shy and fidgety was an amusing sight. It was hard to acknowledge that the nervous girl in front of him was the same person oozing with confidence on stage just a moment ago. He chuckled lightly and answered the girl. "I'd love to come watch you again." Just the thought of watching her dance made his chest grow warm again. "I can't make it to every show because of my duties but I'll try my best to come as often as possible" I'd cross the whole desert in an hour if it meant I can watch you again, he thought. At this, Nilou beamed brightly at him. Her smile nearly made his heart beat out of his chest.
They were suddenly interrupted by Mr. Zubeyr calling for Nilou. "Coming right away!" She answered back and turned to Cyno again. "Ah, sorry I have to go. But I'll keep my eye open for you in the audience next time, okay? I hope I get to see you there again. Goodbye for now!" With that, she hurried off the stage. As he watched her run off, a gentle smile crept up to his lips again. Well, he thought, if I get to see you so often I guess it'll be easier to fulfill my promise.