Work Text:
Collei woke up with a light sweat on her brow. She brushed it off and got ready for the day. “Good morning, Master Tighnari.” Collie said with a smile.
Tighnari smiled back at her. He wore a black loose coverup with a familiar hood that lay on his back. “Good morning, Collei, I’m making breakfast, you can sit down if you would like.”
She sat down on the wooden seat and yawned quietly. Her skin already itched like little ants crawled around on her bones. She ignored it.
Tighnari placed the warm pancakes next to Collei. She smiled at him then took a small one from the stack and placed it on her own plate. Cyno walked out of a far room and sat next to Tighnari with a small smile.
Collei took a bite from the pancake and pushed the rest down with a bit of juice that Tighnari said Cyno squeezed the other day. She looked at Tighnari with a wry smile.
“I hate to bring this up now, but I don’t think today is a good day for me to go on patrol.” Collei said almost shyly like she was afraid to say that her skin was bothering her.
“That’s ok, I’ll let the others know, just rest and we’ll see how you feel tomorrow, ok?” Tighnari asked her in the sweetest tone that he could manage.
She nodded and stood up from the wooden seat. She walked slowly to her room. Once her head hit her pillow again, she fell right asleep.
When Collei woke up, the house was quiet and still. She rose from her bed and walked to the kitchen. There was a small container on the small wooden table that had a sticky note. She read it slowly, ‘Cyno and I are covering my patrol, we will be back soon, here is leftover diner if you want any, I hope you are feeling better. Much love, Tighnari (And Cyno)’
She smiled at the little note and opened the lid. The smell of food made her feel sick so she closed it again. Her skin felt better, more relaxed and calm. She sat on the front porch of their hut to take in the fresh air.
Collei closed her eyes at one point and let her head fall to a familiar branch near the house. She welcomed the warm breeze that brushed past her nose, the smell of trees made her fall asleep faster.
Collei woke in her bed, her pillow seemed softer than normal, she didn’t bat an eye. She shifted to her other side and saw Cyno close the door silently behind him. She smiled to herself and fell asleep again.
Collei woke the next morning with the ache in her bones now gone. She sat on the side of her bed and stretched out her arms. A yawn escaped her after she stood up and placed on the soft slippers she made for herself not too long ago.
Cyno lay on a small, recently installed, hammock that was considered their couch. He smiled at Collei when she walked out to the small living room. “Good morning, Collei.” He smiled.
She grumbled a small incoherent, ‘Good morning’ back. Tighnari was in the small kitchen boiling what smelt like ginger tea. He smiled at her and let her sit down at the table. Cyno soon sat next to her followed by a yawn.
Tighnari passed her a cup of tea that smelled amazing. “So, how did you sleep yesterday on that trunk?” Tighnari asked her after a few silent sips of the tea he made.
Collei let a small blush crawl up to her cheeks as she responded with an apologetic tone in her voice. “I’m sorry I had to burden you, Master Tighnari, I should’ve known that I would fall asleep–”
Tighnari interrupted her with a chuckle. “Oh Collei, I didn’t mind one bit, I’m glad that you got fresh air. Plus, Cyno didn’t mind carrying you to your bed.” He said as he took another sip of his tea. Collei’s blush didn’t die down as she took another sip.
Cyno didn’t say a peep while they spoke, he only basked in their presence, glad to see his small, (would you call it?) family. Tighnari noticed this and threw a smile in his direction, glad to see the normally brick faced general crack a smile.
“Took you long enough to warm up to us.” Tighnari whispered in his ear. Cyno smiled at Tighnari and flicked him on the thigh under the table as a silent, ‘Shut up’. Though Tighnari glared at him, there was no heat behind the gaze.
Tighnari took a day off the next day. Cyno was leaving soon and he wanted to spend time with him. Collei didn’t want to get in their way at this time and went on patrol.
Her skin felt much better, it felt nice to get back into the open and explore like she was used to. She prodded at mushrooms and said hi to the travellers that took the safe route.
Tighnari waived Collei off in his, (not really his) dark hoodie. When she left his sigh, he closed the wooden door and joined Cyno in their bed again. Cyno wrapped his arms around Tighnari’s waist and kissed his neck. “Is she safe?” Cyno asked, his lips still close to his nape.
“Of course she is, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight if she wasn’t.” Tighnari replied to him. He squirmed around until his eyes met the loving purple ones. Tighnari ginned and kissed Cyno’s nose.
Cyno hummed as if he approved of his statement. He brought his lips close to Tighnari’s and hummed again. “You smell like honey, honey.” Tighnari blushed and closed his eyes.
“I don’t know why I do, I haven't had honey the whole time you were here.” Tignari replied, his cheeks red like the henna berry in the desert. Cyno chuckled at him and captured their lips together.
Tighnari smiled into the kiss. After they broke apart, Cyno still smiled at him lovingly. “I love you so much, ‘Nari.” Cyno whispered on his lips. Tighnari pecked his lips again.
“I love you too, Cyno.”