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I. Endless Adoration in Your Eyes
Well, this takes Cyno back to his Akademiya days.
As Tighnari drags the heavy trunk out from under his bed, Cyno can’t help but wonder what he needed help with. He’d said something about his old textbooks, but nothing else. Cyno assumes they’re in that trunk.
When Cyno opens his mouth to speak, Tighnari beats him to it. “I know this isn’t why you came here, but I need a small favour from you before you leave.”
“Whatever it is, I’ll do it.” He knows Tighnari isn’t unreasonable. He trusts him.
Tighnari flips the trunk lid open and beckons him closer. Cyno steps forward and kneels next to him, peering into the box. As expected, it’s packed full of books given to students of the Amurta Darshan. He’s reminded of his own stash of textbooks, though the subjects couldn’t be more different: rather than biology and botany, rows of history and other such books from the Vahumana Darshan line his shelves.
“I’d like your help with organizing and sorting these into two piles,” Tighnari’s voice brings him back to the present. Picking up one of the books, he continues. “If you think the material it covers would be beneficial to the average person, hand it to me. If you don’t, put it on the floor next to you. I’ll give you the ones we can’t use.”
Cyno was with him until the last sentence. “We?”
“I’m considering putting the useful ones out in the open here. That way, the newer Forest Rangers can use them as reference materials in case they aren’t sure of something,” Tighnari explains. “The information in them is still accurate, and it will be easier if they can refer to the book they need instead of having to look for me or ask someone else.”
Nodding, Cyno picks up the closest book within reach and opens it to skim the contents. “I see.”
He catches a glimpse of Tighnari’s small smile from the corner of his eye. “I’m surprised you didn’t jump up to arrest me,” he teases.
“No, you’re not.” Cyno glues his eyes to the page. “We both know I can’t personally do anything if you’re not an Akademiya researcher. It’s out of my jurisdiction.” His own way of saying if Tighnari won’t tell, he won’t either. That was also his response when he first heard of Tighnari’s training courses. To this day, he’d like to sit in on one of those lectures.
He hears Tighnari chuckle and open a book of his own, each flick of the page much more frequent than Cyno’s. Leave it to the expert to know what to look for.
Comfortable silence falls over them like a soothing blanket. Cyno tries his best to live up to Tighnari’s expectations and select the best textbooks. It helps to sneak glances at the titles Tighnari hands to him before he puts them in the Not Useful pile.
A how-to guide for repairing basic mechanical beings, a thicker guide about repairing complex ones, an absolute cinderblock of a book on… gene expression? The subject rings a bell for him, but he can’t recall any details. He must have been too focused on the sound of Tighnari’s voice to hear a word of what he rambled about.
After he sets that book aside, he sees Tighnari grab one from a class he took on fish, flipping through it and stopping at a certain passage. Cyno leans over to see what’s so interesting about it.
Habitat, eating habits, how to differentiate between male and female. Standard information, yet Tighnari’s already engrossed in the passage.
Cyno flicks his gaze up at him, watching him pore over a book he studied back to front ages ago. In the back of his mind, he wonders how often Tighnari looks so relaxed. Sure, he’s in his element as usual, but he’s always running around doing this or that. Cyno’s certain that he doesn’t get the chance to clean out his room and lose himself in nostalgia very much. It’s endlessly endearing.
Ah, but Tighnari must have work to do once they’re finished. They can’t get too distracted. Thankfully, Cyno knows how to get him back on track.
“Hey, Tighnari.” Cyno sees an ear twitch and waits for Tighnari’s hum in acknowledgement before he continues. “What do you call a fish with no eyes?”
Tighnari flips to the next page, answering without thinking too hard. “Blind?”
“A fsh.”
He stops and turns to Cyno, terribly confused to see nothing but his boyfriend’s blank stare. “Uh… bless you?”
“I didn’t sneeze.”
“Then what was that?”
“It was a joke. You see,” Cyno starts, heedless of Tighnari’s growing grimace, “the word ‘fish’ is spelled with the letter ‘i’. However, when there is no ‘i’, all that remains of the word is fsh. That’s what a fish with no eyes is. See, the word ‘eye’ is pronounced the same way as the letter ‘i’, so I asked a misleading question on purpose. It was meant to confuse you if you couldn’t think of the double meaning behind it.”
“Oh,” Tighnari says through gritted teeth, “I see.”
“The fsh doesn’t.”
“Cyno—!” Tighnari buries his nose in the textbook with a deep sigh. “That was… no.”
“I disagree. It was relevant, and it brought you out of that daze you were in.” Cyno finds a book about how to identify poisonous plants and holds it out to Tighnari. “It was also good. We have a job to do, anyway. You don’t have time to read about fish all day. The ones with eyes,” he clarifies as if it’s necessary.
Tighnari almost wants to sigh again. “You’re right. Let’s keep going.” He lowers his textbook from his face and takes the one from Cyno.
Whether Tighnari appreciates the joke is of secondary importance. Mission success.
II. Fly With Me on Gentle Winds
In times like these, Cyno considers wearing shoes for once. It lasts for less than a second.
The riverbank is a little muddy, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. The cool water feels nice on his toes, a refreshing contrast to the warm sun. It keeps him alert as they search for Lunar Lotuses in broad daylight.
He’s helped Tighnari with this errand before, so he already knows what to look for. It’s a shame that Tighnari needs them so urgently. They’re easier to find when in bloom under the moonlight rather than closed buds on the water. This minor setback won’t stop him from getting those lotuses, though. He’ll do whatever it takes.
In front of him, Tighnari swoops down and carefully plucks one such lotus from the water. As he stashes it away, he looks back at Cyno. “Thank you for coming along, by the way. We’ve found more than usual in this amount of time.”
“Don’t mention it.” Cyno walks further ahead to grab another lotus. “I’m always glad to help you.”
Tighnari chuckles, giving him an apologetic smile. “I feel a little bad that I can’t join you whenever I need something from the desert and everyone else is busy. It’s not as often, but it seems a bit unfair.”
Cyno gives him a questioning look before shaking his head. “I enjoy my trips to the desert. Even if you don’t ask me to go, I’m going regardless. Helping people at the same time is just a silver lining.” He hands the lotus to Tighnari, their fingers brushing as he takes it. “Besides, I wouldn’t want you getting heat stroke on my account.”
“I know, I know. You wouldn’t want to lug me around the dunes when you have a job to do,” Tighnari says lightheartedly, waving a hand as he sets off in the direction of Gandharva Ville. They’ve collected enough herbs for the time being.
“That’s not what I meant.” Cyno follows on his heels and keeps pace with him. “It isn’t safe for you to go. I’d rather you stay in the forest. Collei would be beside herself if I brought you back here passed out and burning.” He’d be worried sick too, but he’s sure Tighnari understands that already.
And he does. Tighnari hums, turning his gaze to the sky. “You do have a point. Maybe one day there’ll be a way for me to join. I won’t rush to find it, though.”
On the walk back to Gandharva Ville, Cyno’s mind wanders. Tighnari in the desert… There aren’t as many plants to fawn over, no greenery in every direction, but he thinks Tighnari might like it there. If Cyno catches wind of any Akademiya researchers proposing a way to harmlessly increase heat tolerance, like a potion with temporary effects, he’d try to pull some strings to get them funding. For the good of Sumeru, of course.
After getting that far, he would be able to show Tighnari his home, the desert he loves so much. The cool nights under starry skies, soft sand between his toes, hearty dishes and candied ajilenakh nuts. If they come across any deadly creatures, they can both handle whatever comes their way. For once, he allows himself to dream of the improbable.
Is Tighnari thinking the same? Does he dream of the desert he can’t go to without risking his health? Or does he only think about what he can achieve and not save any energy for other matters? Cyno is inclined to believe the latter, but others would assume the same of himself and here he is, dreaming.
Dreaming so hard that they’re almost back at Gandharva Ville and he doesn’t know what Tighnari just said. Oops.
“Hm?”
“I said we don’t need to find any more herbs, so you’re free to visit Collei and see how she’s doing.”
So Cyno’s always done a poor job at being sneaky. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised that Tighnari knows. “Before I go, I have a question.”
Tighnari stops at the entrance, raising an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“What did the balloon say to the Setekh Wenut?”
A blank stare. A slow blink. “I… what? I have no idea.”
“I can’t take anemo.” The withering look he gets tells him all he needs. “You seem confused. You see, the Setekh Wenut is a creature who lives in the desert and is able to control the anemo element. The balloon is full of air already from the wenut’s anemo attacks. ‘Anemo’ sounds like ‘anymore’, indicating that the balloon would burst if—”
“No, Cyno, I get it.” Tighnari’s ears droop. “Please don’t tell me that was practice for Collei.”
“And if it was?”
“I’d tell you not to do it. She doesn’t even know what a wenut is.”
“That’s what the explanation is for.” Cyno starts walking to her hut. “I’m telling her the joke.”
“That’s not a good idea,” Tighnari calls after him.
“Yes it is,” Cyno fires back.
Ten minutes later, he wrestles with himself. It was funny, he’s as certain of that as he’s certain the sky is blue. But objectively, Tighnari was right. Now he owes him an apology.
III. What is Life Without You?
If Tighnari worked any harder, Cyno is sure he would disintegrate. As if his efforts to make him go to sleep before midnight weren’t enough, Tighnari just had to wake up early instead. This morning, he ate his breakfast quickly and zipped right back to his desk, claiming that this report had to be written by noon so he can get to his other work.
Cyno took his sweet time with his own breakfast. When he finished, it didn’t take long for him to find something to do. Now he sits on the floor with his Genius Invokation TCG deck, flipping through the cards.
He’s very meticulous about his beloved cards. Before he challenges Tighnari to a duel later tonight, he has to be sure he didn’t drop any of them during his trip. Not likely to happen, but it never hurts to check. Each and every one must be accounted for. Yes, he’s memorized their faces by now. What kind of enthusiast would he be if he didn’t?
Support cards, check. He double checks the food cards, triple checks the ones that boost his attack strength. Even one extra damage point can be the difference between sublime victory and crushing defeat.
Paimon card, check. Omni dice are always welcome. If the rolls don’t go his way, he’ll need help from every corner.
He stops when he gets to his newest addition to his deck: the Cyno card. It excites him beyond belief that he can use a tiny version of himself in his favourite game of all time. A dream come true. He doesn’t know who to thank for this, but he silently thanks them nonetheless.
Cyno pauses. On second thought…
If there’s a Cyno card, why not a Tighnari card?
Surely someone out there wanted a Cyno card so badly that they made it happen. He doesn’t know who would want that considering so many researchers are afraid of him, but the evidence is in his hands. The quiet minority that appreciates his work, perhaps.
He sneaks a glance at Tighnari, who’s scribbling away with his back to him. He needs to find out how that person commissioned a Cyno card as soon as possible. He’d kill to have a Tighnari on his main team.
A card pales in comparison to the real thing, that much is true. Cards don’t whisper strategies in your ear and they don’t wag their tails when you win. Still, it’s a nice way to immortalize people. Everyone would be familiar with a sliver of Tighnari if his likeness was included in a popular game.
Then again, he isn’t sure how happy Tighnari would be if he found out. Hmm. He knows he’s not a fan of pictures, at least, but being a minor celebrity? Does this mean that Cyno is a minor celebrity? He hasn’t had anyone begging him to sign his autograph, so maybe they’re both safe from public attention. All he’s noticed are the passing “wow, so cool” comments about the card.
It’s settled, then. After he leaves Gandharva Ville tomorrow, he’s going on a hunt.
“I can feel you staring at me, Cyno,” Tighnari’s voice pulls him back to reality. “I can’t play just yet.”
“I know. I was just thinking, is all.” This surprise has to be kept under wraps at all costs. “How close are you to finishing?”
Tighnari hums, scratching his head with his pencil. “I need to disclose the number of Fetid Boughs and Withering Branches that were in this zone, so we can hopefully gauge the severity of the remaining zones. I’m not sure how many are left, but it will be better to have an idea of how much damage and corruption there is in advance. No two Withering Zones are exactly the same. After that…” He picks up the report, scanning what he’s written. “Location, size, type of enemies, number of each, relative strength of each, among other things are already here. Just a few more minutes.”
Cyno nods. “How’s your pencil holding up?”
Thrown off by the unexpected question, Tighnari whips around in his chair to face him. He needs Cyno to see his deep confusion with his own two eyes. “My pencil.”
“Yes. It’s not broken after all that writing, is it?”
“It isn’t. It’s held up pretty well, all things considered. Why?”
“Good,” Cyno ignores the question, “because you can’t write with a broken pencil. It’s pointless.”
Tighnari sees through the joke immediately. Lips pressed in a thin line, he grabs an eraser and chucks it at Cyno. “Boo.”
Cyno catches it without a second glance. “You don’t see how it’s funny? I’ll explain. If the end of a pencil is broken, you can’t write with it because it’s flat instead of pointed. In other words, there is no reason to write with a pencil if there’s no point. You see, ‘point’ can also mean reason—”
“Yes, darling, I know,” Tighnari says sweetly as he picks up his pencil again and returns to his work. “If you keep distracting me, I won’t have time to squeeze in a round of cards.”
Cyno’s jaw snaps shut. True, getting in the way of playing Genius Invokation is the last thing he’d want to do. The bigger reason he stops talking is that pet names make his mind go blank.
It isn’t fair. Tighnari knows him far too well. But as long as he’s the only person aware of Cyno’s weaknesses… he bites his tongue for now.
IV. Hold Me Close
The other side of the bed is cold. Odd, considering it’s the middle of the night.
Cyno sighs and sits up, swiping his bangs out of his eyes. He hopes that whatever reason Tighnari’s not in bed anymore isn’t an emergency. If it is, he’s a little annoyed that Tighnari didn’t wake him up so he could help.
He strains his ears. No commotion outside. No cause for panic.
Still, he slides out from under the covers just in case. If the bed is cold, then Tighnari’s been gone for longer than a normal bathroom break.
Fireflies dance around him when he leaves the hut. He takes a deep breath of the night air to clear his head. Where to start?
His instincts tell him that Tighnari can’t be far. He must still be in Gandharva Ville, otherwise he would have left a note.
He decides to check the hut with all the medical supplies first.
After he pulls the curtain aside, he pauses.
Oh, Tighnari’s here, alright. Those ears and tail are unmistakable. And, Cyno notes as he stares ahead with laser focus, so are those back muscles.
Cyno assumes he’s grinding herbs, judging by the familiar mortar and pestle noises and his movements. Fortunately for Cyno’s eyes, he’s still in his pyjamas, including the white tank top that leaves little to the imagination. He knows Tighnari mainly wears it so he doesn’t roast to death during his sleep, but… goodness.
Well, now he knows Tighnari is okay. He’s definitely okay. So okay that Cyno is suddenly very much not.
“Need something, sweetheart?” Tighnari asks without turning his head. “I know it’s you standing there.”
“Right.” Cyno steps into the room, letting the curtain fall back into place. “I was just curious about where you went. The bed was cold when I woke up some minutes ago.”
“Sorry, I didn’t think you’d wake up so soon.” Tighnari sighs. “Or I thought I’d be back a little sooner. One of the children here is sick and I promised to bring her more cold medicine in the morning. Except the fact that I had to make the medicine slipped my mind until now. I had this nagging feeling that I should check our stock, so here I am.”
Half of his words go in one ear and out the other. Cyno manages to grasp enough to reply. “You’ve been awake this whole time?”
“No, actually.” Tighnari chuckles, setting the pestle aside. “I had a weird, vivid dream surrounding medicine. If dreams can be so useful, it’s a shame they only returned to us a few months ago. I know I’ve been missing out on some serious educational entertainment.”
At least one of them is learning from their dreams. Whatever’s going on in Cyno’s brain right now is far from educational. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s so full of thoughts about Tighnari’s back and arms that there’s room for little else.
He needs to clear the brain fog as soon as possible. Maybe a clever, relevant joke will bring him back to normal. His mouth opens and unfiltered words tumble out. “I’m planning to remove my spine.” Silence. “All it does is hold me back.”
Tighnari slowly looks over his shoulder and Cyno’s gaze snaps up to his face. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.” His eyebrows draw together purely from concern. “Do you need medicine too?”
“I… I don’t.” Cyno clears his throat. “It was a joke. If something holds you back in a figurative sense, the best course of action is to remove it. However, in a literal sense, your spine is the reason you stand up straight. Since your spine is located in your back, it holds up your back. Holds you back. Yeah.”
It takes every ounce of Cyno’s energy to keep his eyes trained on Tighnari’s increasingly exasperated expression. The result is a stare that’s a slight bit more intense than it usually is after the infamous corny joke and dry explanation combo. Like he’s daring the other person not to laugh.
Tighnari mercifully turns back to the ground herbs and keeps working. “Yeah, you’re healthy. You’d look a lot less focused if you were sick. That joke could use a remedy, though.”
Cyno doesn’t need to see the sly smile to know it’s there. “And what remedy would that be?”
“I’m sure it’ll come to you after you sleep.”
“… Are you sending me back to bed?”
“Would that be a bad thing, General Mahamatra?”
Cyno crosses his arms with a frown, looking away. “No,” he grumbles.
“Don’t worry, I’m almost finished.” Tighnari sounds like he’s holding in laughter. “You’ll be hugging my tail soon enough.”
“I wasn’t hugging your tail.” Cyno draws back the curtain and steps out. “But alright.”
He doesn’t remember doing so, at least. It’s not as if he was awake and Tighnari wasn’t in bed when he woke up.
As he crawls under the covers, he ponders this. Is it a habit of his? Maybe. Is he going to ask whether or not Tighnari was messing with him? Of course not. Either way, he isn’t any less embarrassed than he was when he first stepped into the medical hut. His face burns as he smushes it into the pillow, trying to will the heat away.
V. Steadfast Affections
Sweet ajilenakh nuts and buttery pastry roll over Cyno’s tongue as he hums in satisfaction. Baklava truly is the dessert to end all desserts, a blessing from Lesser Lord Kusanali herself. Was it originally crafted by her hands? There’s no other explanation for it.
The only thing more sublime than his dessert is the man in front of him. It’s been a while since he last took Tighnari out to Puspa Café. It was one of Tighnari’s favourite places to go as a student, and judging by how relaxed he is, it remains so to this day.
They decided to visit outside of its busiest hours so the constant loud chatter wouldn’t bother Tighnari’s ears. It suits Cyno just fine, too. He likes both quiet places and seeing Tighnari at ease. The aroma of coffee is strong but not overpowering, so none of his senses are overwhelmed either.
“I know you’ve been busy with your own work,” Tighnari starts after a mouthful of padisarah pudding, “but do you know how the others have been?”
“The rescue team?”
“Yes. And Kaveh, of course,” Tighnari adds. “I haven’t seen them all in a while.”
Cyno hums. “I doubt much has changed with Kaveh in the past few weeks. The Traveler and Paimon are doing well, I saw them recently. As for Dehya, no sign of her since after the feast.” He taps his fork on the side of his plate, furrowing his brow as he thinks. “I believe Nilou’s been getting more performances lately. I hear the students talk about it sometimes. And Alhaitham’s not the Acting Grand Sage anymore.”
“Oh?” Tighnari leans closer, a gleam in his eye. “How long did that take?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Cyno shoves a forkful of baklava in his mouth.
“It definitely matters. Or are you dodging the question for a particular reason?”
“I’m not dodging it, I’m answering it.”
“Come on, you know that’s not an answer.”
Cyno glares at him. Tighnari doesn’t budge. Scoffing, Cyno pulls out a coin and slides it across the table. “Happy now?”
“Ha!” Tighnari snatches the coin and pockets it. “What did I tell you? He’d resign at the first possible chance.”
“I didn’t think it would come so soon,” Cyno defends himself. “They’re running around like headless chickens at the Akademiya, and that’s just the remaining staff.”
“And you said it would take a month?”
“I was optimistic.”
Tighnari snorts. “Either way, it’s nice to hear they’re doing okay. It’s a shame I couldn’t attend that celebration with all of them.”
“Is it? I didn’t take you for a party animal.” Tighnari blinks so hard that Cyno can almost hear it. Oh. Fox ears, tail, animal. “That wasn’t on purpose.”
“Good, or I would have jumped across the table.”
“I know.” Cyno cautiously tugs his plate closer. His food is more important than an accidental pun. “But I’m sure we’ll be able to meet up with them again. We’ve already played cards with Alhaitham and Kaveh since then, and the Traveler won’t be setting off for Fontaine for a while, or so I’m told. Preparations and rest, and all that. Nilou should be easy enough to contact. All that’s left is something to do.”
“You have other ideas besides cards?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Cyno may know his own favourite group activity, but he doesn’t know everyone else’s. He’s not much of a party planner. “But it’ll happen. I’m sure of it. We have plenty of time.”
Tighnari takes the last bite of his pudding, tail wagging absently. “I’ll hold you to that, General Social Butterfly.”
“Very funny,” Cyno says. “Why is Geo the element of contracts?”
Tighnari’s eyes widen. “Is that a genuine question, or…?”
Cyno shakes his head. “Because they’re set in stone.”
All Tighnari can do is bury his face in his hands.
“Geo is earth and rocks, yes?” Cyno continues, ignorant of his boyfriend’s despair. “When things are set in stone, they will not change, like the terms of a contract. If the terms can change, then it is not a contract, therefore—”
“Cyno.” Tighnari peeks through his fingers, unimpressed. “Was that a joke or an explanation?”
“It’s a pun, and also reassurance.” He twirls his fork around his fingers. “I have promised to make you happy, after all. If seeing the others will do that, I’ll make it happen. Somehow.” Maybe Kaveh would like to help. He’ll have to ask.
“Hmm…” Tighnari’s hands fall away from his face and he narrows his eyes, ears flicking. “I’ll let that one slide.” A slow smile spreads across his lips. “Just this once. It’s on thin ice.”
“Better than no ice, I suppose.” Cyno shrugs with a tiny smile of his own. “By the way, have you come across anything interesting in the forest recently?”
“Oh, I did.” Tighnari perks up. “I almost forgot to tell you about it. The other day, I came across a kaleidoscope of butterflies. They looked a little suspicious. When I approached them, they moved as one in a specific direction. Sometimes they turned, sometimes they went straight. It was like they were baiting me towards something.
“I guess they got tired of me because they scattered after a minute, but the weirdest thing happened. Suddenly, a small field of flowers sprouted all around me! I’ve never seen anything like it. And—” he fumbles to take an object out of his pouch and comes up empty-handed. “Ah, I left it in my room, but I found a shiny, round object at the end of it all. I’m trying to figure out what it is.”
Cyno crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair. “Was it on the ground?”
“No, it almost looked like a fruit. It was hanging off a plant that was different from the rest of the flowers.”
“A shiny, round object hanging off a plant…” Cyno muses. “Maybe it was a seed.”
Tighnari hums thoughtfully. “Maybe. The oddest seed I’ve ever seen, but that would be fitting. For all those flowers to have grown so quickly, they couldn’t have been normal either. Now I’m wondering what that whole ordeal was about…”
Although Cyno might not be the most knowledgeable about plants, he loves listening to Tighnari ramble on the subject. The research he carries out when he isn’t working always sounds more interesting than the projects Cyno intercepts at the Akademiya. Personal bias or not, it makes Cyno love him even more.
VI. To Measure My Love For You
“What kind of berries are we looking for again?” Cyno asks, peeking through the branches of a bush along the path.
“Just the regular yellow ones,” Tighnari says from behind, plucking a handful and placing them in a basket. “They’re all over the place, you can’t miss them.”
Cyno nods, putting a few of his own in his basket. “You think Collei’s making this pie for our anniversary, or something else?”
“Definitely our anniversary.” He can hear the smile in Tighnari’s voice. “She’s worried about being too busy tomorrow, so she’s doing it today. She also wants to bake more often since it’s easier for her now.”
A kernel of pride swells in Cyno’s chest. After all she’s been through, he’s glad she can partake in more of the simple joys in life without restraint. If that includes doing the heavy lifting for a small celebration, well, he’s not one to refuse her kindness.
Plus, he gets to go on this little trip with Tighnari. He silently thanks whoever got their hands on a large portion of the berry stash for a midnight snack. He doesn’t want to be around for that staff-wide lecture.
“Do you think you’ll be busy tomorrow too?” Cyno was able to take the next two days off, but is there ever a true day off for the Forest Watcher?
“Eh, I don’t think so. While I’d like to say I could never be too busy for you, there’s always a slight chance that some hooligan will eat an obviously dangerous mushroom and be rushed over here.” Tighnari sighs. “So I’m ninety-five percent sure I won’t be busy tomorrow.”
“Obviously dangerous?” Cyno glances over his shoulder and raises an eyebrow. “I don’t know, some mushrooms are discreet about how poisonous they are.”
“Oh no, I’m referring to the ones by the ‘Dangerous: Do Not Eat’ sign I put up some weeks ago. Far too many visitors were making snacks out of those. It’s easier to stop them that way.”
“Ah. Well then.” Cyno hunts for the last remaining berries on this bush. “If they do eat one of those, it’s just natural selection at this point.”
“I can’t leave them to die, Cyno,” Tighnari scolds.
“If they don’t want to die, they should read the sign. I get it, though. You don’t want blood on your hands.” Cyno hums. “Maybe you should send me after the repeat offenders.”
“Archons, no. You’d kill them before the mushrooms.”
“Not on purpose. I’d just tell them to stop eating strange plants.”
“And they’d be scared enough for their souls to leave their bodies.”
“Whatever gets the job done.” Cyno picks the last berry and stares at it, twisting it this way and that. He straightens up and turns around. “Hey, Tighnari.”
“Hm?” Tighnari faces him, curious.
Cyno lifts the berry that’s pinched between his thumb and forefinger. “I love you berry much.”
For once, the reaction he receives isn’t a deadpan stare, a deep sigh, or droopy ears. Tighnari’s eyes widen before he snorts, covering his mouth with his free hand and whirling back around. Try as he might, he can hardly contain his chuckles.
Cyno’s heart soars. His jaw falls open. The berry nearly slips out of his hand, and he drops it in the basket before he can lose it altogether. It’s a miracle he manages to keep a grip on his basket in the first place.
Tighnari’s… laughing. Genuinely laughing. Mister “your jokes aren’t funny” is losing his mind over the simplest, corniest pun Cyno could ever hope to make. To his ears, Tighnari’s laughter in this moment is the sweetest melody.
He’s riding this high for the rest of his life. He’ll never let Tighnari forget it.
“That… that was unexpected.” Tighnari wipes a stray tear from his eye. If he notices Cyno’s stupefied expression, he doesn’t comment on it. “And sweet. I love you too.”
“I—” Cyno stops before he truly starts, unsure of what to say. His heart still beats wildly in his chest. What do you say when someone laughs at your joke? An age-old question, he’s certain. “Happy anniversary,” he settles on.
Tighnari steps closer and grabs his free hand, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. “Happy anniversary.”