Work Text:
Tighnari’s wondering how everything started, really. But he vividly recalls, right after his graduation and getting a diploma with thickened words “Awarded Highest Honors - Amurta Darshan’s Al-Tighnari '' he had wanted to work as a Forest Watcher in Gandharva Ville. So he summons Cyno to help him move into a little hut.
Cyno was off work, and wanted to assist Tighnari with his new location around Avidya forest. Piles of boxes scatter at the front of the huts entrance, with Cyno piling the fragile items on top of a drawer. Tighnari goes over his baggage with his tiny checklist, placing it next to the bedside table once he’s crossed out everything. The hut looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale, with large leaves at the base and the roof of the house. “It’s actually quite big” He comments, already envisioning how he’d most likely decorate the place with his items.
“How are you liking it so far?” Cyno asks, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
Tighnari carefully sits on his bed, testing the weight and feel when the wood creaks beneath him. “Feels homey enough” Tighnari mentions, stretching both of his hands. The General examines the inside in silence, a smile slowly making its way on his lips. Some of Tighnari’s stuff are still kept inside boxes, but the items that came with the hut already looked like it was at least 40% decorated. “Very private, huh, Nari?” Cyno mentions, “It’s isolated and quiet unlike the dorms in the Akademiya”
Cyno had taken off his jackal helmet when he entered; his white hair framing and complimenting his darker complexion. For now, he looks a lot like himself, his silly TCG-obsessed and unfunny (Tighnari giggles…sometimes) partner, and not the judicator of Teyvat’s institution of knowledge.
“The privacy looks pretty optional though, which is nice” Tighnari moves closer to the windowsill next to his bed, flapping open the curtains and swatting the dust that had settled on the window. The hut looked similar to the ones outside, clearly a traditional structure of Gandharva Ville. The earthy greens and plant trinkets already hanging on top of his window made him look like he’d already been living here eons ago. “Big windows so I can still see the forest...and a little bit of the city”
Cyno silently chuckles, joining his boyfriend on the bed, his head popping out from the window. “This is the path I take when I go home!” Cyno adds, pointing at the barren walkway amongst the plethora of trees.
Home
“Hey” Tighnari pokes his side, causing Cyno to flinch a bit, laughing. “I haven’t been here for a day and yet here you are, already taking up my space!” It was a little past 4 pm, and the sky had taken a pretty ombre of blue and orange. Nobody has moved to turn on the lights yet.
“The journey here took me hours, Nari” Cyno groans, letting his body flop down on the bed. His composure as General gone, a childlike smile setting on his face. “The least you could do is welcome me here, to your space ”
Tighnari couldn’t help but huff. He had always been like that. He flops down next to Cyno in annoyance, purposely crashing his body next to his so he could take up the majority of the space. “Even my bed…”
“Ah” Cyno exasperates, rolling to his side so he can look at the fennec. He has one arm prompted under his head, his other arm taking Tighnari’s, shimmying his right glove off; then his other one. “How do I make it up to my favorite forest watcher?” he asks, gently pulling Tighnari’s hand to his lips, peppering the back of his palm with feathery kisses. Tighnari could already feel something brewing in his stomach.
Tighnari pulls his hand back, rolling to his side so he can detach himself from the mattress. “Cyno” he scolds. He can only elicit a louder laugh from the boy laying on his bed. “We can close the windows” Cyno suggests in a whisper, both of his brows raised in a very challenging way. They just got here… surely he doesn’t want to stain the sheets to alert the villagers of such activity this early, right? And..the bedding looks old. He needs to change them first. Not that…he wants to do said activity right now.
But Cyno doesn’t let him finish, already tying the curtains shut, disallowing the only light outside from entering the hut. Tighnari could still see the vibrance of his platinum white hair, and the glowing tint from his ruby eyes. “See? privacy.”
Indeed, off-work Cyno is laid back, like this. Very opposite from the General Mahamatra that looks over the city of scholars. No threatening aura present, but was demanding nonetheless. Cyno’s eyes wander from top to bottom, observing the forest watcher. Tighnari feels like prey; just like a fennec fox would, when met with a jackal in the wilderness. “C’mere, love ”
The first time they kissed, Tighnari recalls it was an unexpected peck, while they were at one of secluded study areas in the House of Daena. The top floor had most of the material Tighnari needed for his dissertation, in which Cyno willingly escorted. The latter wasn’t skeptical anymore, but the thought of studying alongside the Amurta Darshan felt like something Cyno needed to do. And Tighnari allowed him to.
So they gathered at one spot, surrounded by bookcases filled with studies of Teyvat flowers and Sumeru’s biological plantae. They’ve worked like this, slotted into the comfortable silence of each other’s presence. It was a familiar feat; Tighnari drowning himself in even more study materials as Cyno took some paperwork on his own, cracking jokes whenever Tighnari would mutter biological jargon.
“I’m rooting for you” Cyno had said to him with a straight face. It was…an unexpected joke. “Get it? Cause root– Greater Lord Rukkhadevata ..did you just laugh?”
Tighnari didn’t even have enough time to process it at first. His brain was fried, and hearing his jokes eased him in his many thoughts. So he giggled.
He remembers hiding his face, both of his hands reaching up to cup his temples. “That wasn’t supposed to be funny. Oh archons. ”
But he didn’t hear any side comments or teasing after that, causing him to raise his head, wondering where Cyno had gone. But the General was right there next to him, staring at him with a full smile. “You actually laughed,” He whispered. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.
Tighnari’s stomach dropped. Was he supposed to not laugh? Was he–
“May I kiss you, Tighnari?”
He didn’t have to say yes, he was already leaning in before he could. And the Mahamatra’s face was close to him, so close that he could taste and smell him all at once. Before he knew it, his cheeks were gently enveloped in the General’s hands, a light peck being placed on his lips. And another, on his forehead. Cyno took his hand, also placing another feathery kiss on the back of his palm. He was so gentle.
Right now, with Cyno’s arm extended, he can’t help but lean into his touch once again. Just like the first time they kissed.
The difference is this time, Cyno’s taking the initiative to pull him in with kisses. He starts with the extended arm, familiar lips littering the top of Tighnari’s hand. Like the gentleman he is. Contrastingly, Cyno sharply tugs at the fennec’s hips, pulling him much closer so he can stare at him.
Tighnari gasps dramatically. “Pull me like that again, and I’m throwing you out”
It isn’t that dark, he can still make out Cyno’s expressions all the same–but archons , Cyno looks so delectable right now. Though he would never say that out loud. The faint light from outside keeps his surroundings clear. “You like it,” Cyno points out, drawing invisible circles on his back. He can’t deny it.
Tighnari finds comfort that the hut isn’t all that bright, because he can feel his face heating up.
“ Love, sit on my lap?” Cyno gives another peck on his right hand, refusing to break eye contact. “Would like to kiss you better”
Tighnari's stomach flutters, and he’s silent. He doesn’t do anything but comply. “You’re so… insatiable right now, Nari.” Cyno almost moans, slowly undoing Tighnari’s agus belt, followed by his burnous, before helping Tighnari sit on his lap. He finds himself wrapping both of his hands around Cyno’s neck.
“It’s not like you can see me right now, Cy” Tighnari argues, a laugh following right after. He helps himself, taking off the rest of his hood, and Cyno hums in acknowledgement.
“ I do,” Cyno says against his lips . “ ...See you. I do ” His fingers reach out, softly tugging a hair strand.
Cyno wraps his firm arms around him, his hands slowly making their way to cushion Tighnari’s ass. His fingers squeeze around the supple flesh, with Tighnari’s body responding in arches and groans. He chases the latter’s lips as he staples the fennec into his thighs, melting into the kiss. It’s delicate, as Cyno would always do, and Tighnari can’t help but lose himself in the process.
It gets darker.
Cyno tugs the neckline of his black leotard, attaching his lips on his throat so hungrily, forcing a moan to escape Tighnari’s mouth. He cards through Cyno’s hair, tugging it roughly once he feels a bite. He mimics the bites down on his lip, in fear that a Forest watcher or a villager would hear.
“ Cyno. ” He calls out, feeling the General’s tongue on his neck, already feeling the blemishes. He’ll have to scold his partner later, but for now… Greater Lord Rukkhadevata . He wants nothing more than to get devoured by the jackal in front of him.
And so Cyno moans into his neck some more, huffing in annoyance as the leotard neckline reaches its end, just above his collarbone. “ I’m so tempted to just tear this off you, Nari. ” he whisper-complains, breaking his trail of neck bruises. Cyno’s lips found its way to Tighnari’s now folded ears, biting it–ever so slightly. As much Tighnari wants to scold him about his comment, he’s equally annoyed. Because he knows Cyno would be trailing down kisses on his collarbone right about now, if it weren’t for his top.
There’s nothing else in the room but the sound of kissing, and Tighnari feels like he’s dreaming. The people in Sumeru don’t dream, but he thinks otherwise, because Cyno’s giving him the cloud 9 people would often speak of. It’s now past 5, he thinks. They’ve totally forgotten the lights.
“Cyno” Tighnari tries again, his heart thumping rapidly against his chest. “ The bed ”
Oh right. Cyno didn’t even give him the liberty to unpack his things, much less make his bed. The current duvet was a plain old white cotton bedding provided by the village, and Tighnari thinks it’s been awhile since It’s been washed.
Wait, no. Why is he thinking about this? He needs to unpack. It’s dark, and it’s getting late.
Just as he thinks Cyno’s done marking him, he firmly grips the curve of Tighnari’s thighs, wrapping it around his waist before he manhandles the fennec. Tighnari yelps, holding on to Cyno’s neck as he lifts him up. “What are you doing ”
Cyno’s laugh booms across the room, snuggling the side of his head. “Well, I can take you right here, if you prefer ” Tighnari retreats his head, both his arms holding onto the General's biceps instead. Tighnari fights the urge to shriek. Cyno doesn’t allow him to reply, as he tries to navigate the room with little brightness. He stumbles a bit, carrying Tighnari, resulting in giggles. “Archons, General. I need you to behave ” The latter sighs as Cyno places on top of his empty desk. It was the perfect height to kiss like this, Cyno thinks. He takes note of the idea.
Cyno had always been so gentle with Nari, but here, in a more private area without all the lights, he feels like he could kiss the boy for many more years to come. He had already decided in his head that Tighnari’s new hut would be a lovely home to come back to, after journeying the zenith of the desert, and bustling streets of the Akademiya. Here, he feels at home.
Knocks.
Tighnari stays still for a bit. His bastard of a boyfriend wraps his arms around his waist, continuing to nibble on his neck. “Who is it?” He asks, pushing Cyno away.
“Ashpazi” The man replies. Ah, the forest watcher and the chef. “We noticed your lights weren’t on, Master Tighnari” he states in genuine concern, “Are you and the General okay?”