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“We ARE late.” Tighnari declared without a doubt for the thousandth time that morning while he kept nervously going around the room. Cyno had finished getting ready on his simple garments and was silently observing from a chair. “I knew we should have spent the night at yours, Gandharva Ville is way too far from Sumeru City, and our clothes are going to get wrinkles in the way and Kaveh is going to scream at us for HOURS, and-”
“No, we’re not. We have more than enough time, Nari. And Kaveh is going to be thinking of more important things today than a wrinkle in our clothes.” Cyno answered tiredly. Even if Tighnari had woken him up extra early in order to get ready and leave early, he was still panicking despite the abundance of extra time.
“You say that because even today you’re going practically naked!”
“That’s a very revealing observation, love.” Tighnari stopped going around the room to look him dead in the eyes. “You didn’t get it? It’s revealing since I’m almost na-”
“Stop. Cyno, it’s not the moment for jokes, we’re late.”
The matra stood from the chair he was resting on and approached Tighnari, cornering him on his desk, which contrary to the usual amount of research papers and books piled there, was now covered in jewelry, flowers, and things Cyno didn’t even want to ask about.
A soft kiss soothed the ranger’s thoughts for a second. “Love, it’s still early morning, and the ceremony doesn’t start until way past noon. Regardless. We’re almost ready and it will take us no time to get there, we will even have more than extra time to have lunch and fix any possible wrinkle in your beautiful outfit.” Another sweet kiss.
“But we’re best men!” the fox whined against his lips, “and they’re our best friends, we should be there to support them. Haitham is capable of canceling the wedding if Kaveh gets too insufferable, and we all know he will.”
Cyno couldn’t suppress the smile and kissed him again “Alhaitham is too intelligent. He knows he won’t be able to deal with Kaveh’s wrath if he dares to cancel the wedding last moment.” Tighnari clung desperately to him, hoping for reassurance. “They’re getting married love, they’re fully capable of dealing with each other. You’re worrying too much.”
“I worry too much.” Tighnari agreed. “But it's not my fault that they’re stupid….” and Cyno couldn’t refute that. “I just want things to be perfect for them”.
“Love,” he searched for his eyes tentatively and Tighnari looked at him with tears about to fall “Oh love, don’t cry. Everything and everyone will be ok, yes?” Tighnari looked at the floor, still not convinced. “It’s an important day and you’re stressed. I know. But I won’t let anything bad happen.” Slowly, Tighnari allowed all his weight to fall on Cyno’s naked shoulder and he slowly rubbed his back.
“Do you want to know something? I went to a nudist wedding once. It was a very revealing ceremony.” And Tighnari let out a long, long sight. “Not my best one, was it? I tried to improve it from before. Was it too forced?” Still with the face hidden in the curve of Cyno’s neck, the fox nodded. “Did it work?” And nodded again. “Good then. Then let’s go get you ready.”
Cyno thought Tighnari was beautiful. It had been the only thought on his mind since they came out of his cabin in Gandharva Ville and the morning sun reflected on the golden tidbits on his boyfriend’s outfit. From the golden earrings to the metallic decorations on his white shoes, passing through the golden braided within his hair, the pins and jewels, and the tips of the white decorational cape. It made him look brilliant as if he was lighted from within.
“You’re beautiful.” He managed to say, just once, before Collei joined them to leave for Sumeru City. He got a small peck in exchange.
Cyno spent all the travel admiring the beauty walking in front of him. Oh, how lucky he was that someone with a smile that rivaled the shine of the gold had chosen him as his partner. Oh, how beautiful was Tighnari in those garments. Those were the only thoughts on his mind, cycling in a whirl of love and warmth in his chest as they walked.
Those were too his thoughts when they left Collei at Lambad's Tavern. And when they arrived at Alhaitham and –now officially– Kaveh’s house. And when Kaveh stormed into the living room, shouting what was probably nonsense, but Cyno didn’t manage to catch what. It was still the only thing in his mind when Alhaitham sat tiredly next to him and rested his head on Cyno’s shoulder, probably overtaxed after a morning –probably days– of the same. He wondered then how anyone was being able to do anything when Tighnari was shining bright in front of them.
The thoughts turned from a whirl to a thunderous storm when Kaveh showed them around the venue: A wooden stage built on the outskirts of Sumeru City exclusively built for the ceremony, designed by no one but Kaveh himself. ‘Aesthetically perfect’ he had called it as he had shown them around, pointing to every single detail that demolished the idea of a simple wedding Haitham had asked for initially.
But Tighnari fit perfectly. The light filtered from the leaves danced in the gold as he toured the stage. The padisarahs decorating his hair and belt matched perfectly with the stage’s decoration, as Kaveh had asked for, and Tighnari looked beautifully part of it. As the perfect matching piece.
Cyno had to use a willpower that could very well have been enough to contain a god within oneself, to not grab him and kiss him then and there. To not send all his plans into nothingness and rush the night to the moment Nari will surely be in his arms.
But the day went on, the ceremony started and everyone’s focus –including Cyno’s– inevitably went to the hosting couple.
“It’s beautiful,” Tighnari whispered to him. As best men, they both had a particular view of the couple marrying on the altar. Nari was right. They both looked amazing on the stage, and it was beautiful to see them looking fondly at each other and smiling for once. Still, Cyno’s eyes went to his own partner, taking in the beauty for a moment. Kaveh had chosen the exact moment to marry when the sun started to hide and created beautiful colors in the sky. Those colors bathed now the venue and reflected in a rose gold shine on the metallic pieces decoring Tighnari’s outfit.
Everything looked blushed as their friends married.
Tighnari squeezed his hand softly and looked at him crying silently with a smile. Everyone was in fact smiling or crying, and even Cyno couldn’t hide his smile. They both knew. Oh, they knew too well how much Haitham and Kaveh had gone through in their relationship. And even if it wasn’t going to be the end of the constant bickering, seeing the couple happily married, kissing in the sunset gave them a sense of peace and stability. They were going to be ok.
Suddenly, he was pulled into a hug and felt the familiar warmth of Tighnari nuzzling on his neck. Every other day the embrace would have felt normal, natural, but that day felt electric.
“I’m so happy for them.” He mumbled. And Cyno couldn’t agree more.
The ceremony went on, and as everyone started feasting, dancing, and drinking, the hands of the General Mahamatra started to get sweaty and he grew restless.
“Are you ok?” Tighnari noticed. Oh, of course he did. It was Tighnari after all. He stopped dancing to coop his face on his soft beautiful hands for a moment.
“Yeah. It’s just too hot with so many people.” Cyno excused himself. “I’m ok.” He lied.
They danced and slow-danced. They were taken apart by the crowd and reunited again in the dance. Cyno exchanged glances way too many times with Alhaitham, and his malicious glare only made the knot on his stomach heavier. Time was too slow and too fast at the same time, and Cyno couldn’t tell if he was actually enjoying the party or if his consciousness was just floating adrift in the euphoria of the celebration in an attempt to fit in and endure the passage of time.
Eventually, the music quieted and people started gathering in the center of the venue. It was already late, and the stage was illuminated only by the moon and light-crystals colored to beautifully illuminate the area. Kaveh’s work. At Alhaitham’s cue, Cyno took his partner aside to not interfere.
With a brilliant smile and holding his bouquet, Kaveh stood in front of the crowd.
“Of course he had to do that…” Tighnari whispered. “That’s SO Kaveh.”
Cyno wanted to smile. To answer. But his throat had dried and his insides were screaming at him. His hand was hidden in the secret pocket of his pants, knuckles white with the tension of a nervous grip.
Right before Kaveh threw the bouquet to the crowd, Alhaitham took it from his hands and sent it through the air with almost exact precision to Tighnari.
“Eh?” The ranger managed to say, confused, as the flowers landed on his hands. “This. Oh, Cyno. T-this doesn’t- I didn’t mean to- Haitham, he-” Tighnari shily stuttered and tripped on his words trying to explain himself, knowing what catching the bouquet was supposed to mean. In his confusion he didn’t put two and two together on how deliberate everything had been.
“Shhhh…” he grabbed Tighnari’s hand and caressed it with his thumb. “I know.”
All light-crystals were turned off and everyone fell silent, even Kaveh who was complaining at Haitham for ruining his moment. Then, one single crystal illuminated Tighnari with Dendro-green light bringing everyone’s attention to the moment. Cyno was glad he agreed to Alhaitham’s suggestion. Green was perfect. So beautiful. So Tighnari.
“What-?” The fox started to ask, but even he fell silent when, still holding his hand, Cyno kneeled in front of him.
Kaveh’s gasp was loud when he realized what was actually going on.
From the hidden pocket, Cyno took out a little blue box. Its presence had been too heavy on his pants. Not only that but for months hidden on a drawer on his desk, the presence weighing on his heart, tight and warm. Opening the little box to reveal the golden ring with fern-like decorations was like allowing that heavy weight fly away.
“Tighnari.” His voice was cut with emotion and his hands trembled a little. Cyno had a speech planned. He really had. He even made Alhaitham listen to it countless times and refined it over and over again. He had practiced even more times than his best man speech. But as he stared at his partner, graciously sobbing in front of him, words disappeared into nothingness. “I love you.” Was the only thing he managed to say. Tighnary let out a soft cry, but his wagging tail behind him hinted everyone his true feelings, anticipating the answer to the question that had yet to be voiced. “Tighnari, love, will you marry me?”
Cyno wasn’t so sure why he had been nervous at all, because “Yeah. Yes, of course I will.” Nari quickly cleaned his tears before nervously giving his hand back to Cyno so he could put the ring on his finger. “Oh, Cyno…” his voice was silenced by the cheers of the people around him, but Cyno couldn’t care less as he stood to kiss his partner.
They kissed as if no one was watching. Soft and with purpose at first, then passionately as Tighnari wrapped his arms around his neck, not even careful with the poor forgotten bouquet. Their lips danced together, noses brushing against each other, and Cyno felt full and showered in love with every word Tighnari whispered between kisses “I love you”, “you’re my fiance now”, “oh, Cyno, you’re so perfect”, “we’re engaged now”, “Cyno, I love you so much” his voice was tiny, vaguely more than a whisper. Words without order or purpose, straight from heart to heart.
Eventually, they separated for enough time to breathe, and they rocked together to the slow music that had started playing again as the lights turned on again and people’s focus went back to the celebration, respectfully giving the couple their well-deserved moment.
“Since when?” Nari asked simply. He didn’t need to say more.
“Months ago, Haitham and I have been planning it since they chose the place for their wedding.”
“You could have told me. Gods, you must have been so nervous, are you ok?” Cyno couldn’t contain his laughter anymore, and he let it out, softly spasming against his fiancé’s chest.
“It was a surprise, love.” He said as he laughed. “How could I tell you? That is the whole point.” They laughed together and hugged tighter. “I wanted though. It was hard to hide it. Every single day. I’ve been waiting for this moment for ages.”
The answer came in the form of little kisses on his cheeks, nose, lips, jaw, chin, and lips again.
Cyno managed to see from the corner of his eyes Alhaitham holding Kaveh firmly by the waist, stopping him from ruining their moment. He thanked him silently as he kissed Tighnari again.
“I love you”.