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“…What are you planning?” Moze asked, eying where Jiaoqiu was typing something on his phone suspiciously. There was a subtle smirk upon the salmon fox’s lips, and it was causing Moze to feel uneasy. Jiaoqiu didn’t answer, which only made him more suspicious. “Jiaoqiu, what are you doing?” Some kind of urgency entered his voice as he tried again and Jiaoqiu’s ear twitched. Finally, a reaction. Jiaoqiu turned around and there was a mischievous light in his eyes as he regarded Moze sitting there on his bed, and Moze just felt more uneasy.
“‘Nari and I had this idea,” he admitted, almost sheepishly, and Moze immediately narrowed his eyes. What had the two of them been concocting? Moze didn’t exactly know ‘Nari all that well, despite being Jiaoqiu’s boyfriend, and it just made Moze feel more suspicious. “I may have mentioned that you tend to get closed off around new people, so, he suggested you meet one of his friends, to help you with that?” Moze tried to not let the sudden wave of apprehension that overcame show and he sent Jiaoqiu a glare.
“You’re setting me up on a date?” He deadpanned, causing Jiaoqiu to blanch. Jiaoqiu then let out an awkward chuckle before regaining the colour in his face.
“I never said it was a date, Moze, just that you will be meeting one of ‘Nari’s friends. Also, hey, who knows, you might even end up liking them,” he hummed, ears twitching, but Moze wasn’t buying his tone. He hadn’t even met this ‘friend’ yet, and Jiaoqiu was already insinuating that he would like them? Had Jiaoqiu forgotten he didn’t particularly like social interactions? Let alone ones with strangers? “Nari says he’s a bit of a dork at times,” Jiaoqiu added, looking pointedly at Moze, who felt himself start to warm under that knowing gaze. So what if he liked to clean a bit too much? Was there an issue with that? Jiaoqiu turned away from him to look at his phone.
“Hey, I never agreed to this,” Moze attempted. “What’s so special about this particular friend that you had to get me alone with them as opposed to meeting them on an outing with you. Jiaoqiu, do you even know this ‘friend’? How can we be sure he’s not a Borisin in disguise? Or something or other? Even worse! He could want to arrest me or something.” Jiaoqiu merely flicked an ear, deadpanning himself.
“Borisin are an old tale, Moze. Plus, they’d want nothing to do with you, me, on the other hand… anyways, besides the point.” He looked at him. “Anyways, stop worrying! You’ll like him, I swear this on my life. ‘Nari would swear it on his life too. Trust me.”
No, Moze didn’t think he quite trusted Jiaoqiu in that moment. Jiaoqiu’s smirk was all too familiar, it was his scheming smirk, the kind he might make when spiking a dish full of… some herb Moze hadn’t really cared to learn the name of, to prank a higher official or bad customer that might have pissed him off too much. It was the brand of Jiaoqiu smirk that just invoked mischievousness and amusement. Something Jiaoqiu’s boyfriend, was also quite bad about at times, though Tighnari didn’t poison anyone, at least as far as Moze knew. “No,” Moze found his voice again, though the smirk never left Jiaoqiu’s face. “How can we know this guy won’t kill me or mutilate me?” Jiaoqiu actually scoffed.
“That makes him seem like a wild animal,” Jiaoqiu hummed in amusement. “He’s nothing like that, I promise. ‘Nari may care for wild animals sometimes, but, this person you’re meeting isn’t a wild animal. As I said before, he’s a dork. You really will like him, I’m sure of it. However…” Jiaoqiu turned around and dug into his bedroom’s cupboards, pulling out a book of some nature, and then turning back around as if he’d rehearsed the whole conversation. “You do need to delve into some ‘forbidden knowledge’, as Nari puts it, before you meet this guy though. Nari sounds so cute when he’s exasperated. Anyways, he has bestowed upon me some of this so-called ‘forbidden knowledge’.”
“Drop the theatrics, Jiaoqiu, what did he give you? What is so ‘dorky’ about this very specific person I’m meant to meet? Cut to the chase.” This earned a chuckle from Jiaoqiu and Moze almost wished Feixiao was here instead. Although, he was technically the one intruding as this was Jiaoqiu’s apartment. Maybe he could simply just slip out again like he slipped in… especially since Jiaoqiu had used this opportunity to reveal his scheme. Or well, he and his boyfriend’s scheme. What was so great about Nari’s friend? What was so great that they thought they could be good friends?
Was it because Moze didn’t have a lot of friends?
Was this all a ploy to get him to be more social?
Why? When it goes against his job description? Assassins must work al-
“Puns,” Jiaoqiu’s amused voice broke him out of his thoughts, Jiaoqiu’s yellow eyes shining with mischievousness. “Nari says he has quite the funny bone, once you get to know him,” he hummed, eying the book his hands. “He especially loves puns. Try a few if you want to make a good an impression. Nari has given me this book to help you out a bit.” Jiaoqiu walked over to him and placed the heavy book in Moze’s lap. “I hope that book will help you create a few puns.” Moze gazed down at the book
He likes puns? Pfft, what a loser.
However, a strange feeling gripped him then, an odd, light, fuzzy twinge, and an unexpected amused-yet-fond chuckle escaped him. He hadn’t even met the guy yet, but, Archons above, he was such a loser. Suddenly feeling Jiaoqiu’s breath on his cheek, Moze shot up and regained his neutral expression, shoving the book off to the side. “I never agreed to this,” he reiterated. “I don’t see the point in having a secret meeting for us to meet.” However, he blinked when he noticed how Jiaoqiu was smiling at him.
“I heard that,” Jiaoqiu commented, ears twitching. Moze felt himself heat up, but sent a confused look Jiaoqiu’s way. “See? You’ll like him! And I promise, he won’t want to kill you, he might even find out you’re a dork too!” Moze narrowed his eyes.
“Jiaoqiu-“
“Just trust me.”
~
Moze found himself looking around Lambad’s café, mainly out of boredom, but also out of anxiety. The supposed ‘friend’ hadn’t arrived yet, and he was getting antsy. More and more this was starting to seem like just an elaborate prank and no friend was coming at all. He did trust that he would show up soon, Jiaoqiu did like to play pranks, but a prank of this caliber was one Jiaoqiu stayed away from. He was more of the spiking food prank variety, not the setting up a no-show friend variety. Moze wasn’t even sure why he was here in the first place. He really hadn’t wanted to be here, but… after hearing that whoever this was liked puns and jokes…
Something had made him want to come, despite his earlier reservations, and if anything else, it would be a good lunch.
He looked around the café again. There were other people there, but they were very spread out, and… was that Jiaoqiu in the booth near to him? What was he doing here? Was it just coincidence? That they just so happened to be in the same place at the same time? Then Moze noticed the black ears sticking out of the booth in front of Jiaoqiu.
Ah, so it wasn’t malicious, they just so happened to be in the same place.
Thought it was still a little weird. He could even pick up on parts of their conversation, and though he tried not to hear, he did hear their current conversation. He decided to just listen in anyways, seeing as the friend wasn’t here yet anyways. Surely he wouldn’t leave him alone? “He says he’s running late,” came a voice from Jiaoqiu’s table, sighing. “So he won’t be alone forever. Said his job went long, working with a very uncooperative witness. On his way now.” The voice, Moze didn’t recognize, but from the way he was speaking, he seemed to be reading off of something.
“I’m sure Moze doesn’t mind,” Jiaoqiu hummed in response and Moze was suddenly alert. They were talking about him? Why? It sounded like they were observing him too. Which was strange, why would they need to observe him when they were focused on each other? A phone ping was heard and then Jiaoqiu could be heard speaking again. “That’s sounds promising,” he added, with a smirk. Black Ears nodded and then a smile could be heard in his voice.
“Yep. Parked. Tell him I’m sorry for being late.”
Moze turned his attention back on the doors, and the conversation beside him faded away. Anxiously, he looked for any sign of Nari’s friend arriving. He usually wouldn’t be this anxious about something so trivial as meeting a stranger, but Moze was on edge for very understandable reasons. He still wasn’t sure if this guy would want to kill him or even do anything to mutilate him, so he was on edge.
But, when the white-haired man finally walked into the café, panting as if he hadn’t driven here at all, hair disheveled, and uniform askew, Moze felt more on edge. This guy was a police officer, clearly, he hadn’t even changed out of his uniform, and when he straightened, he walked with the air of a general of an army. Yet, Moze, also felt… sort of light as he stared, unblinkingly, at the police officer in front of him. Yet, despite the formality of everything about the man as he sat down across from him, the light in his visible eye was friendly, and amused. His skin was tanned, as if he’d lived in the desert for most of his life. “Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m Cyno.”
Immediately, Moze felt that familiar sickening anxiety wash over him, and he went basically mute. What should he say? Should he make a pun? His hands clawed at the puns book as if trying to dissipate the sudden rush of anxiety. Cyno merely looked confused, watching him intently, and it only made Moze squirm more. No fault of Cyno’s own, Moze just hated being the center of attention. Subconsciously, he reached for his hood and pulled it down his head. A coping mechanism, really, but if it would help breaking the ice with Cyno. “Hi. Moze,” his speech was stagnated, and he reprimanded himself. Cyno snorted, clearly amused.
“So this is what they meant by, ‘closed off’,” he commented, and Moze looked at him. “Hm, I think Cyno you, actually.” Moze blinked, did Cyno know him already? Where could he have possibly- “You’re quite a well-known assassin, are you not? Yet, you only really kill the really corrupt ones.” Moze relaxed slightly.
“Even an assassin has morals,” his tone came out guarded. “Sometimes you can tell when people just have a vendetta and want to take the ‘easy way out’ of their problems. Usually, killing innocent people whose only wrong was wronging them. I find myself unable to do that. I cannot fathom killing someone innocent because some fucker has issues they can’t sort out. It kills me to do,” the sentence slipped out, but Cyno’s eyes started sparkling in joy. Despite Moze’s reservations, Cyno’s glistening eyes seemed to awaken something in him.
Archons above, why was Cyno so attractive?
Wait what?
Ignoring that, Moze looked back at Cyno. “I mean, it does, I don’t like killing inno-“ Cyno put his finger on Moze’s lips, causing him to warm up.
“Don’t explain the joke, Moze, it then loses its luster.” Moze eyed Cyno’s police jacket before looking back at him. “Oh? Oh right.” Cyno took off the the jacket, and his work shirt underneath didn’t scream ‘police officer’ to him, leading to him relaxing more. “Sorry about that, you probably thought I was interrogating you,” he joked. “It’s my fault, really. I decided to work today.” Cyno then smiled at him and went quiet, almost as if prompting Moze to speak next.
“Is your work via commission as well?” He asked quietly and Cyno just shrugged.
“No, I have work days where I’m required to be there. Sometimes though, there is a little bit of fun, mainly chasing down the criminals and such. Those moments are few and far between though, I have to pass time through other methods.” Moze was mildly intrigued and he leaned forward in his chair.
“How do you spend your time? Mine is spent with Jiaoqiu scheming and attempting to teach me how to cook. And trying to get me more friends than just him and Feixiao. Though… I’ve also attempted playing trumpet before. I’m not very good at it.” He shrugged. Cyno’s eyes lit up and Moze could almost hear the sigh from Black Ears beside him. Cyno dug into his backpack and pulled out some sort of card deck, producing dice from seemingly nowhere. He then placed the cards out on the table and Moze immediately recognized it. “Genius Invocation..?” He eyed the one card, depicting some sort of wolf boy. The character almost looked like himself, just more feral and with whiter hair. Cyno, on the other hand, became a different man. His eyes were sparkling like a child’s and Moze was almost frightened by how impassioned he’d suddenly become.
“THE Genius Invocation. THE Trading Card Game. I have every set, every expansion, every card. I’m not a bad a player myself,” Cyno said, sounding vaguely egoistical, however the change was so sudden, it caused Moze to snort, eventually melting into an actual small laugh. Cyno seemed surprised yet pleased, and he looked down at the cards. “The one you’re eying is Razor, by the way. His backstory is that he was raised by wolves. Some of the little stories on the back, are actually quite interesting. I even hear they’re coming out with a set set in space.” Moze blinked.
“Set in space? Isn’t Genius Invocation meant to be fantasy related?” Cyno nodded his head too fast, much like a child might, and he then picked up one of the cards.
“Sure, but being set in space is another kind of fantasy, no? That’s why they call it science fiction.” Moze blinked.
“How did you find out about the new expansion though? Didn’t the latest one just come out? Did you look at.. whatever they’re called. I think, leaks?” Cyno gave him a strange look. Moze thought for a second that he must’ve offended him, but he didn’t think he had. “I didn’t think a police officer would break the law,” he deadpanned. “And I should know about breaking the law.”
“Your friend Jiaoqiu was approached by the makers, Tighnari told me,” he replied. “Before you ask, I’m not sure why. I mean, they approached me when they wanted to make a card surrounding me, and now they approached Jiaoqiu.” Cyno dragged the card of some witch back and forth on the table, before stopping and picking it up, showing the purple witch in all her glory, Moze assumed. “You seem to know a lot about this stuff,” Cyno’s voice was quiet, interrogative, and curious. The childlike passionate light in his eyes had faded now and he was simply smiling at him.
Moze, however, felt a spike of anxiety again, but not enough to make him go mute. He pulled down his hood, as he felt himself blush, and he looked away. “I’ve heard… of it…” he paused. Should he really tell Cyno about this? It was embarrassing enough already, and seeing as Cyno was clearly passionate about this game, almost frighteningly so, he wasn’t sure if he should admit it. Or… there was another way…
Using his free hand, Moze wrestled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it, doing all three of security things he had in place, then he navigated over to the results of last year’s tournaments, and silently slid his phone over to Cyno’s side of the table. Just a little side project he’d been doing, nothing more. Just something he did in between his valid clients. He then pulled down his hood and waited for Cyno’s reaction.
But Cyno, didn’t react. Audibly at least.
Instead, Moze heard the chair move away from the table. Great, he’d offended him. He should probably leave, that way, he wouldn’t embarrass-
Moze’s world suddenly had light as his hood was pulled back and he looked up to find Cyno smirking down at him, his visible eye obstructed. Then, a laugh bubbled from Cyno as he stared down at him. “You mean to tell me, you’ve been ranking up championships under everyone’s nose without me even knowing you? Wow, Moze, it kills me, simply murders me, that I didn’t notice.” He knelt in front of Moze. “Master Raven, tell me your ways,” He joked and Moze felt himself snort.
Dork.
Unaware of the growing fond smile on his face, Moze rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah whatever.”
~
“That went well.” Moze jumped at Jiaoqiu’s voice. He’d been too focused on watching Cyno leave, his touch on Moze’s phone still warm. Moze whipped around to find himself face to face with Jiaoqiu and Black Ears, who Moze then immediately recognized as Tighnari. So… this was their little scheme, was it? To get them to have a chat. Moze made his expression neutral.
“I guess, he’s… nice.” For some reason, even saying simply ‘nice’ seemed hard for him to say without immediately going a little red. It was fucking annoying, in his opinion. Tighnari’s ears twitched.
“I’m just glad you didn’t try to kill him at first glance, because he was late. He usually isn’t, I swear. But, he had a bit of an issue-“
“Don’t worry about it, Tighnari, it’s not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s Jiaoqiu’s.”
“Hey!” Jiaoqiu protested. “Anyways, you seem to really like him. That’s good.” As Moze began to blush he pulled down his hood.
“He’s fine,” Moze retorted, earning a laugh from the two foxes behind him. But, then, Moze’s eyes once again found the contact saved simply as ‘ 🐕 ’, and he smiled slightly.
Cyno’s such a dork.