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Cyno tries to close the door quietly when he gets in, hoping not to disturb the other three while they're most likely asleep.
He's surprised to see Alhaitham, laid on the couch with a blanket over him, eyes blearily staring at the general.
"Why are you sleeping on the couch?"
"Tighnari nearly bit my head off and I felt safer here."
"'Nari? Really?" Cyno questions.
"He hates me lately."
Cyno shakes his head moving to sit down, practically on top of Alhaitham, "He doesn't hate you, he loves all of us, maybe something is bothering him."
Alhaitham gets quiet.
"Is something bothering him? Do you already know what?"
"I...made Kaveh cry right before...but I've made Kaveh cry, or at least upset, a lot through our relationship. Tighnari knows he's sensitive and I don't have a filter, and I apologized," Alhaitham sits up, making more room for Cyno to sit with him, "I don't mean to do it, he knows that."
"Maybe this is a sign it's time to develop that filter? Especially with the baby on the way. I'd hate to have to comfort our young child after you said something rude and standoffish instead of you taking care to watch your mouth."
Alhaitham lets the suggestion linger in the air a while, not responding.
Cyno leans closer and presses his forehead to Alhaitham's temple, "I love you how you are, we all do, but it can be hard to feel loved back sometimes. I'm not asking you to completely change yourself; only to reflect on why you upset Kaveh so much...and Tighnari, even if it's less."
Alhaitham sighs, turning to press his forehead to Cyno's properly, "I can...work on it...for you three...and the baby..."
"Thank you, Alhaitham," Cyno gives him a quick kiss.
Tighnari is still angry with Alhaitham for the next couple of days, leading to Alhaitham sleeping on the couch in his own home.
Even after he's apologized properly and Kaveh's forgiven him completely.
Cyno's spent the last two nights on the couch with him just so he wouldn't have to be alone again.
"I feel like a piece of shit..." Alhaitham admits while Cyno gets comfortable in the small amount of space between him and the back of the couch.
"It's just 'Nari's genes."
"What?"
"Valuka Shuna share a lot of traits with desert foxes...including being very protective of their expecting mates...he's probably not even consciously doing this."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? "Tighnari isn't mad at you, he just sees you as a threat,"?"
Cyno sigh deeply, "You're the one who bases life on facts and logic more than anything else, does that sound logical to you?"
"No, but-"
"Tighnari loves you, but between his instincts and the fact he's more sensitive to Kaveh's hormones than either of us he's probably just trying to make the pregnancy more comfortable for Kaveh without thinking about how this might affect you or me."
Alhaitham grumbles something that Cyno doesn't try to make out, then smooths his fingers through Cyno's hair, "I know that...I just hate knowing this is all my own fault for not being nicer to Kaveh in the first place..."
Cyno rubs his hand up and down Alhaitham's upper arm gently while Alhaitham continues carding his fingers through long, white hair.
He can't conform the scribe well, but he can show him small gestures of affection, and that might be what Alhaitham needs right now.
"I'm sorry I treated you poorly because of hormones and...instinct problems."
Alhaitham wasn't expecting this.
Tighnari is sitting next to Alhaitham's head, petting his hair softly when he wakes up, and Cyno is nowhere to be found.
"I asked Cyno to take Kaveh out for a nice breakfast so we could talk."
"Without waking me?"
"We managed."
Alhaitham can't help the small laugh that he lets go while he sits up.
"I'm not sure if you were fully awake the first time I said it, so...I'm sorry I treated you poorly because of hormones and my instincts."
"You don't have to apologize-"
"I do...you already did, and I wouldn't listen," Tighnari denies.
"I don't know what Cyno told you but-"
"This has nothing to do with Cyno. I heard you two last night and I realized I was absolutely acting unfairly to you."
"Of course," Alhaitham smiles softly, "You hear everything."
Tighnari rolls his eyes, but smiles, "I'll try to be more conscious about my actions going forward."
"And I'll try to be more mindful of my words going forward," Alhaitham agrees.
Tighnari gives him a peck on the lips, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."