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Alhaitham startled, head jerking backwards almost hitting the back of the chair he was sitting on and Cyno immediately pulled away.
Teal-orange eyes met crimson in a shocked stare.
Alhaitham, due to being caught off guard (which didn’t happen often mind you), completely missed how Cyno’s whole frame subtly shrunk due to the prolonged silence on his part.
Just a moment ago the General was moving about Alhaitham’s study, checking out his collection and books and carrying on with a conversation both of them started a few weeks ago. Alhaitham was finishing personal research on one topic and answering Cyno’s remarks about something completely unrelated and he missed how the other man was suddenly next to his desk and leaned down so smoothly Alhaitham didn’t even notice anything until it was already too late.
And now all that confidence was slowly oozing out into the atmosphere.
“Did I miscalculate?” Cyno whispered, more to himself than to the other man in the room, his voice slightly cracking on the last syllable.
Alhaitham blinked a few times and finally closed his mouth with a click of his teeth before a frown of contemplation marked his features.
Cyno’s face fell.
“I was wrong.” He choked out and made an aborted move which Alhaitham recognized as Cyno’s attempt at making a beeline to the exit.
Usually, it was to catch a criminal and Alhaitham was certain that Cyno was more than capable of running for days to catch an offender but who said it wasn’t possible for him to use that if he so desired to escape an uncomfortable situation.
And this was shaping to be one of those instances.
Cyno only managed to shift a bit on his feet before Alhaitham’s higher brain functions returned and he caught Cyno’s wrist in his own iron grip and held him in place.
“Wait.” Alhaitham’s thumb found itself pressed into Cyno’s pulse which beat hard and fast just like his own heart in his ribcage and if he focused hard enough, he could feel the beat of Cyno’s own through his wrist.
Although, logically he knew it had to be just the rush of blood in his own ears.
He loosened the hold on Cyno’s wrist and tugged at his arm.
Cyno reluctantly let himself be pulled back into Alhaitham’s space but he eyed the open window of Alhaitham’s office as a means of covering all his bases. He was still ready to spring out of the room at breakneck speed if needed.
Alhaitham couldn’t have him do that.
“What was that?” He asked completely dumbfounded and Cyno looked at him as if he grew another head.
“A kiss.” Cyno answered simply, his cheeks coloring a lovely shade of red.
Alhaitham frowned trying to order his jumbled thoughts. The feel of Cyno’s soft mouth over his own was still lingering on his own lips like a phantom memory and it was difficult to think.
“No.”
“No?” Cyno asked in confusion.
“Not what I asked about.” He grumbled, unhappy with the answers Cyno was providing and annoyed that he wasn’t following his train of thought as quickly and precisely as he always did.
Cyno couldn’t help but snort.
Alhaitham looked at him and his frown as well as shoulders relaxed, while the uncomfortable tension between them slowly melted away.
“You did.”
“....ah.” He had to reluctantly agree.
“Oh dear. Did I break you?”
Alhaitham sighed and tugged harder at Cyno’s wrist, catching him off guard for a moment and using the sudden movement to deposit the General onto his lap.
“Hardly.” He snarked back. “Now. The actual question. Why did you kiss me?”
Cyno stared at Alhaitham in defiance, his cheeks turning redder and lovelier.
“Because I wanted to.”
Haitham hummed with a nod.
“And why is that?”
This time Cyno frowned at his obvious teasing.
“I liked you better when your brain wasn’t working.”
“Just answer the question please?”
Cyno rolled his eyes.
“If you can’t figure out something so obvious then you’re not as brilliant a scholar as I thought you were.”
“Hm. So you think I am brilliant?”
“Not anymore.” Cyno shot back, his eyes stormy for a second before his gaze softened and reflected the vulnerable mix of emotions under his bravado.
Alhaitham took in that expression and heaved a sigh.
“Apologies. I am…not used to being the object of someone’s affection. Nor did I expect you to be…interested in me.”
Cyno blinked.
“Wasn’t I clear enough?”
Alhaitham blinked back.
“Maybe I really am not that smart.” He mused and Cyno had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing.
He shifted in the taller man’s lap and looped his arms around his neck, bringing their faces closer together. Alhaitham was happy to note that his confidence was back.
“I will try to be less subtle then.”
Haitham felt more than heard the words against his lips and when Cyno kissed him this time, he was properly prepared.
Cyno hummed happily when Haitham cupped the back of head, face angling and lips sliding to the corner of Haitham’s mouth.
Cyno kissed him again and again and again and Alhaitham reciprocated every time.
Because he could.
Because he wanted to.
And because it was obvious why.