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The air in Port Ormos was thick with the scent of salt, spices, and damp wood; a pleasant mix of humidity and the sea. They then pushed open the door to their rented room at the inn. The three of them had their busy separate lives, and they all paid their mora separately so they can be greeted with a decent room with a proper bed that's large enough for three people.
“See? Told you it would be fine,” Cyno said, dropping his pack with a solid thud. His sunset gaze swept the room; a single, generously sized space dominated by a large, canopied bed piled with cushions. “One bed. As requested.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Emilie murmured, her fingers twisting the strap of her bag. “Economical. Practical.” The words felt hollow. Sharing a room was one thing; sharing that vast, wide bedding with two men was another entirely. Her relationship with the General Mahamatra and the Forest Watcher was still fairly new, a delicate bloom she was terrified of crushing with an awkward misstep. That is especially since Cyno and Tighnari have been in their relationship long before she was added to the equation.
Tighnari, ever observant, flicked an ear in her direction. “Your heart rate has spiked. Is it the humidity, or the sleeping arrangements?” He asked, though the gentle curve of his smile took any sting from the clinical observation.
“A bit of both,” she admitted, forcing a laugh. “I'll go change.”
“Before you do, make sure you use the restroom before you get into bed.” Cyno said with a fair warning, “you wouldn't want to risk getting... entangled.”
Emilie wasn't sure what he meant but she'd rather take that chance anyways. “Right... I'll be sure to use it as I get changed.” And off she went.
“Must you say it like that.” Tighnari sighed with mild embarrassment.
Cyno gives off a soft smirk. “Since she's in a relationship with us, she must be more familiar with our habits. But since you'd prefer to get more technical, going to the restroom before bed will improve quality of sleep.”
“Can't argue with that.” Tighnari said, changing into his pajamas along with Cyno.
By the time they're all done, Emilie walks out, she is feeling more nervous than she was earlier.
Recognising Emilie's nervousness, Cyno speaks first. “Now then, the only issue is who gets the middle. I propose a TCG duel to decide.”
“Absolutely not,” Tighnari and Emilie said in unison.
Cyno claimed the side nearest the door, a habit from his guard days. Emilie took the middle, a silent compromise, and Tighnari slipped in on the other side where the potted medicinal herbs are. The lights were out, and the room was filled with the sound of the night.
Emilie lay rigid, hyper-aware of the warmth radiating from both partners, of the slight dip in the mattress between them. She wanted the feeling of nervousness and awkwardness to evaporate like the way the boiling waters would evaporate to steam, but this night felt like a long sleepless trial. The vulnerability was unfathomable.
“You're thinking too loudly,” Cyno murmured, his voice low mumble.
“I'm not,” She whispered back in denial. “I'm just... Acclimating.”
On her side, Tighnari let out a soft, knowing hum. “Your heart rate is elevated again. Try to relax, Emilie. We don't bite.”
“Speak for yourself.” Cyno said, the tease clear in his tone.
“Oh shush, you.” Tighnari spoke back softly, pretending to be annoyed.
Emilie felt a smile on her lips. Their familiar banter a soothing balm to her nerves. She exhaled, letting her shoulders sink into the mattress. “Thank you both... I think I'm ready to sleep.”
The two guys smile, their hearts melted knowing that they helped Emilie relax, even if it took a minor banter of theirs. Cyno's breath evened out first before letting out a soft reply. “Very well.”
Tighnari also settled in. “Good night, Cyno and Emilie.” He said drowsily, falling to a deep sleep.
Emilie listened as their breathing for several minutes while she was letting herself relax; Cyno’s a slow, deep rhythm, Tighnari’s almost imperceptibly light. She was just beginning to relax when she felt a shift beside her.
Tighnari, in his sleep, had moved; he turned towards her as he let out a soft sigh of contentment. Then, he unconsciously and instinctively slid his arm across her waist, his tail curling gently over her legs. He nuzzled his face against her shoulder, his fluffy ears brushing her cheek.
Emilie froze, her eyes wide in surprise. The renowned Forest Watcher; meticulous scholar, sharp-tongued Botanist, brilliant researcher who prized order and personal space, was a cuddler. And not just a casual one. He molded himself against her back like a creature seeking warmth and safety. He was solid, warm, and very cozy.
“Oh my goodness...” Emilie murmured, trying her absolute best not to squeal.
Then, a soft snort of laughter came from Cyno’s side of the bed. He’d propped himself up on an elbow with a wide grin on his face, his white hair gleaming in the moonlight. “Told you,” he whispered, his voice rich with amusement. “Once he’s out, he latches onto the nearest heat source.”
Emilie let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, a genuine smile spreading across her face. She carefully relaxed into Tighnari’s embrace, the last of her nerves dissolving. “He’s incredibly effective... Wait, you knew about this?”
Cyno chuckled softly, his smile widened. “He'll deny it first thing in the morning. Claims it's a survival instinct. I say he likes to cuddle and refuses to admit it.” He then settled back down, his hand finding hers in the space between them, his thumb stroking over her knuckles. “But he's been like this since the Akademiya. All sharp words until the lights go out.”
But if that wasn't cute enough, they both hear a low rumbling sound coming from Tighnari's side of the bed. Emilie who was physically cocooned in Tighnari's embrace, felt a rhythmic vibration that seemed to travel through her very bones, was almost equivalent to a gentle buzzing engine. A Tighnarian, thanks to their relation with foxes, have been known to purr when in a state of absolute bliss; and the two partners were absolutely loving it.
Emilie let herself relax completely, cocooned between them; sandwiched between a steadfast General and a secretly tactile Forest Watcher. With their scents combined in the entanglements between desert and rainforest, this could very well make for her new perfume. She closed her eyes, feeling cherished and surrounded by their warmth and their trust, and let the rhythm of their combined breathing lull her into a deep, peaceful sleep.
---
The next morning in Port Ormos arrived with a gentle sunrise and the distant calls of merchants within the harbour breeze. Emilie awoke slowly, cocooned in a profound sense of warmth. The first thing she registered was the solid, grounding heat at her back; Cyno, who had shifted in the night to spoon loosely behind her. The second, and more overwhelming; Tighnari, was still curled against her, his head nestled perfectly under her chin, and his ear twitching slightly in his sleep. One arm was still securely around her waist, while his warm fluffy tail behaved as a heavy blanket over both their legs.
Emilie blinked with a smile spreading across her face. She had never felt so comfortably anchored in her life.
As she stirred, Cyno’s arm around her middle tightened briefly in a sleepy hug before he began to extract himself with the quiet efficiency of a soldier. The loss of his warmth was quickly compensated by Tighnari, who in his sleep seemed to sense the new space and burrowed even closer with a soft, disgruntled sound.
Tighnari’s own wake-up was a gradual, grumpy affair. First, his ears swiveled. Then his nose twitched. Finally, his brilliant horizontally split coloured eyes cracked open, squinting against the light. He was met with the sight of Emilie’s collarbone and the fabric of her nightshirt. He froze.
With a sudden realisation and awareness of his previous behaviour, a telltale flush crept up his neck and over the tips of his ears. He began to disentangle himself, wanting to avoid acknowledging the previous eight hours of octopus-like behavior.
“Good morning,” Emilie said, her voice husky with sleep and amusement. She made no move to let him escape, instead letting her hand come up to gently scratch the base of one of his incredibly soft ears.
He stiffened, a shiver running through him whilst unaware he made a short mini purr like sound. “Morning,” he muttered, the word muffled. He finally succeeded in rolling onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “I trust you slept adequately.”
“Adequately?” Emilie propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at him with glee. “Tighnari, that was the best sleep of my life. You’re like a personal, sustainable heating pad crossed with the world’s most comfortable weighted blanket. I’ve never felt this cozy.”
Across the room, where he was pulling on his day clothes, Cyno let out a snort of laughter.
Tighnari’s flush deepened. “That’s… an absurd comparison. Body heat retention is a natural mammalian trait, and shared sleeping arrangements logically conserve energy and-”
“You were purring,” Cyno stated blandly, not looking up from fastening his belt.
“I do not purr,” Tighnari snapped, his tail giving a mildly irritated swish against the sheets. “That is a baseless auditory misinterpretation.”
“It was a soft, rumbly sound,” Emilie insisted, her eyes sparkling. “Right here.” She gently poked his side, and he twitched. “When I scratched behind your ear just now, you made the same sound. A mini one.”
Tighnari sat up abruptly, his ears pinned back in dignified embarrassment. “You are both insufferable. My respiratory system was simply operating at peak efficiency in a relaxed state.” He swung his legs out of bed, but not before Emilie caught the tiny, reluctant curl at the corner of his mouth.
As he stood and began his own precise morning routine, checking his gear and smoothing down his hair, Emilie caught Cyno’s eye. The General Mahamatra gave her a slow, deliberate wink.
“Don’t worry,” Emilie said, her voice warm as she stretched, still luxuriating in the residual warmth of the bed. “Your secret is safe with us. But I am formally requesting middle spot privileges from now on. For optimal sleep research, of course.”
Tighnari huffed, but when he turned to hand her the cup of water he’d just poured from the bedside pitcher, his touch was gentle, and his eyes, though still slightly exasperated, were soft.
“I suppose,” he said, with great solemnity, “if it is in the name of scientific inquiry into rest quality, arrangements can be made.”
“And once we're outside, I promise I will keep your beautifully tactile secret to myself.” Emilie beamed, refusing to take this for granted.
Tighnari paused in the middle of meticulously adjusting his glove. He fixed her with a look that was pure, unadulterated Forest Watcher severity, but the effect was ruined by the stubborn blush still dusting his cheeks and the way his tail gave a single, involuntary, fluffy flick.
“That,” he stated, his voice low and deliberate, “is a promise I will hold you to with the full weight of my authority as a Watcher of Avidya Forest. Any breach of contract will result in… severe penalties.”
Cyno, who had been leaning against the doorframe watching the exchange, straightened up. “Penalties?" he echoed, his tone dangerously neutral. “Such as?”
Tighnari's gaze never left Emilie's playful one. “Botanical duties. Extended fieldwork followed by detailed, handwritten report without using abbreviations.”
Emilie placed a hand over her heart, her expression one of mock solemnity. “A fate worse than death. I swear, my lips are sealed.” Then she grinned, the giddiness breaking through again. “On my honor as a… very satisfied customer.”
Tighnari made a strangled sound, causing Cyno to suddenly choke out a short brief of laughter that filled the room before he straightened up off the doorframe. “And before the 'customer' decides to file a formal review, we have a boat to catch.”
As they check out of the inn, Tighnari took the lead, his posture perfectly composed professional detachment. Emilie then felt a light, gentle brush against her hand. She glanced down to see the tip of Tighnari's tail had briefly curled around her wrist in a swift, hidden caress before snapping forward again as if it had never happened.
She bit her lip to contain her smile, clasping her hands demurely in front of her. The secret warmth from the night was now a glowing ball of warmth in her chest. She would keep her promise, of course. But some truths were too delightful to ever really be contained.