Work Text:
“Kill me. I know you can do it.”
Cyno places his gun into Alhaitham’s palm. The instruction comes out low and small, aware of the predicament they’re in, but it’s just as unwavering as any order Alhaitham had received before.
“That’s not how you formulate an escape plan,” He responds.
“It is now. No better way to gain trust and safety than killing Jackal, the most notorious agent from Sumeru.”
“And there’s no way Sumeru will consider that a fair tradeoff, Cyno.”
“Stay discreet.” Cyno reminds. “This mission is important; we must first land a successful infiltration at all costs, and they meant what they said. Once that happens, any new assignment they send can assist you in my place just fine.”
Alhaitham curses in his breath. Every mistake stings more than it should now because his miscalculation was almost marginal and still led them here. Now he gets to hear Cyno confirm how committed he is to this job, to an extent he didn’t want to believe was true.
“Are you sure?” Alhaitham asks.
“Yeah,” Cyno answers without hesitation. He tries to search for a sign that says something else, like the soft ember glow in his gaze whenever he unravels his truth only for Alhaitham. But instead, it’s his piercing, fiery eyes that stare back, tough and responsible like how Cyno thinks he have to be.
Alhaitham takes a deep breath. The plan would be, then, that he would tell the alerted personnel that this suspicious staff tried to tamper with the security system when he happened to walk by. His stealth reflex luckily helped him land a few gunshots— meaning he must match that testimony. And he must be ready to walk away for further questions from one of the higher officers, without seeing through whatever they would do with the body.
This is Cyno’s command, and possibly his last wish. An awful one.
“Alright. Can I at least kiss you goodbye?”
Cyno’s eyes flicker for a second, then he nods.
Alhaitham leans in fast, trying to be mindful of their time, but once their lips touch he can’t bear to leave so quickly. Cyno’s right hand finds its place on his neck, practiced from the countless times they hid in dark corners, taking a breath from each other. He locks Alhaitham close and sinks them deeper into where he wants to stay for an eternity, heat rises to his face that he hopes isn’t from the warmth of tears on his cheek because he can’t afford it.
His previous colleagues, partners, whom he used to exchange feedback, bickers and reassurance with every day just to never be seen again, whether from transferring to another confidential mission or lost to him - he didn’t dare to find out - they venture through his mind. He tries to picture Cyno as part of that reel too, but despite the only few months of them working together, they didn’t take long to be enamoured by each other’s skills, beauty and wit, then falling— maybe that’s something he shouldn’t have allowed in the first place.
But if that’s where his heart wants to be, he’s not sure, then, if he could ever feel ready to let that happen.
“If you’ve made up your mind to die here, then maybe don’t kiss me like that. I wouldn’t know where to look for more of that after.” Alhaitham says, hands still gripping on Cyno’s shoulder.
“Someday, I’m sure. Plenty of good kissers would love to have a taste of you.” Cyno still keeps his stern face, talking like he has seen it all because he’s the superior.
“Well, I’d rather both of us get out of here than go through all that work.”
Cyno finally lets out a chuckle. It makes Alhaitham feel better than it should be.
“Keep this, in case you have to do it to me,” Alhaitham puts the gun back to its owner’s sheath. “Not that I would allow it, though. We’re assigned together on this important case because we can live up to it.”
“Your words, then.” Cyno smiles, and Alhaitham does the same, trying to give each other a good face to remember by, before regaining their composure to finish the job.