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After Tighnari had packed up their camping equipment, the three of them headed towards the hotel Albedo had written down in their itinerary. Tighnari approached the receptionist, bag of Mora in hand ready to make a payment. “Good evening, we’d like to book three rooms, please.”
The receptionist flipped through her guest book, a frown slowly appearing on her face. “Many apologies, sir, but it seems that we are almost fully booked due to the high influx of travelers coming in for the Windblume Festival. Would two rooms suffice for you?”
Tighnari looked over to Cyno, silently imploring his opinion. Cyno was seemingly in thought for a while, before saying, “Are there any other hotels around that aren’t fully booked?”
The receptionist shook her head, “I’m really sorry, but I think we are the only hotel left in Mondstadt City with rooms available.”
The two of them stared at each other blankly, unsure of what to say. Maybe they should take up Albedo’s backup plan and set up camp in the reception of the Adventurers’ Guild?
Before Tighnari could make that suggestion, Collei chimed in, “I wouldn’t mind camping outside if there really is no space, we have the materials, after all.”
Cyno was quick to shake his head in disagreement. “You are not sleeping outside. Alright, how about this: Tighnari and I can share a room, while you take one for yourself. Does that sound agreeable?”
Collei was still unsure, “Are you fine with that, Master Tighnari?” she asked.
Truth be told, Tighnari did not know if he could even handle being with Cyno alone. Not just because he was definitely going to be making bad puns all throughout the night, but because he had a massive crush on the other man, and putting them together in a room alone would absolutely kill him.
But instead of disagreeing, Tighnari only smiled and nodded at Collei, ignoring the cries of his racing heart. He could handle this; hopefully only for one night. Maybe tomorrow someone will vacate their room, they can all sleep separately, and Tighnari can be free from his feelings.
(Well, Tighnari had never truly been free from his feelings. Not when he has spent every waking moment of his day in Cyno’s presence.)
He handed the bag of Mora over to the receptionist as she gave them the keys to their rooms. Collei stayed in a room on the floor below theirs, and they bade her goodnight before further ascending the steps to their bedroom. When Cyno slid the key into the lock, Tighnari started praying to any god that would hear him: Barbatos, Lesser Lord Kusanali, whoever, and begged them that the room included two beds.
The door opened, and there in the middle of the room, was only one bed.
Tighnari tried his best to not look absolutely mortified at that moment. They both awkwardly shuffled in, Cyno dropping their bags on a small armchair occupying a corner in the room. The window was open, and Tighnari could smell the faint note of dandelion in the breeze.
There wasn’t much else in the bedroom, it was mostly devoid of any comfortable furniture. The room was a cozy and inviting space, with warm lighting and a relaxed ambiance. The centerpiece of the room was a large, plush bed with soft, fluffy pillows and a thick comforter. The bed was positioned against the wall, with a small bedside table on one side holding a lamp and a stack of books.
Opposite the bed was a sturdy wooden table with two chairs, perfect for reading, working, or enjoying a meal. The chairs had soft cushions that made them comfortable for long periods of sitting. The table was clutter-free, except for a vase of fresh flowers in the center that added a touch of color and fragrance to the room.
Tighnari had hoped there would be a couch or at least something he could lie on for the night, but it seemed that he would have to make do with the floor instead. Anything to avoid sleeping next to Cyno.
Cyno was already making himself comfortable, removing his headpiece and setting it down on the table. He carded through his long, white hair with his fingers, laid down on the bed and exhaled a tired sigh. Tighnari longed to join him, wanted to sit next to him and bring Cyno’s head to his lap, carding through those white locks with his own hand.
But Tighnari knew better than anyone about the consequences of forming an intimate relationship with the General Mahamatra. The dangerous nature of his job, and the heartbreak he would be inviting to himself if they ever got together. Even with all these odds stacked against him, his desires could never truly be quelled. There was just something about Cyno that made Tighnari fall head over heels for him.
“Tighnari?” Cyno called, snapping Tighnari from his thoughts. The man was already sitting up on the bed, staring right into Tighnari’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, was I zoning out?” Tighnari chuckled awkwardly, attempting to shake away the last of his thoughts. With Cyno’s eyes locked in on him, it was impossible to focus on other things.
“We should probably turn in for the night, we’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” Tighnari said, already reaching for the camping blankets and setting them down on the floor.
While he was busy with that, Cyno came up next to him, “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready to go to sleep?” Tighnari answered, perplexed.
“I thought we were going to share the bed.”
“Oh,” Tighnari tried to keep his mouth from falling agape, “You’re… you’re fine with that?”
Cyno shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t see any issues with it.”
By the archons, the absolute nerve of this man. Tighnari’s heart could not handle the stress Cyno was giving him, with the way he was so casual about offering up his personal space.
“Are you sure? I could kick you in my sleep, or slap you in the face.”
Cyno did not seem bothered in the slightest by his reasoning, in fact, it looked as if he was smiling at the thought of Tighnari unconsciously assaulting him in the dead of night. “I’m quite sure, Tighnari. You can slap me all you want, I just want you to be comfortable.”
“Alright, if you say so,” Tighnari packed up the blankets and took off his shoes, then went into the connected private chamber to change into more comfortable clothes. When he came out, he noticed Cyno had done the same, already lying under the covers. Nervously, Tighnari climbed into bed, pulling the thick blanket over his head.
The climate in Mondstadt was much different to Sumeru’s humid rainforest. Spring was fast approaching, but the remnants of winter still blew through the land, bringing a chill to anyone who was not prepared. Thankfully, Mondstadt was nothing like the eternal winters of Snezhnaya, but it was still easy to feel cold, especially at night.
Unknowingly, Tighnari had huddled towards Cyno for warmth. It was not until their knees touched that Tighnari realized how close they were.
“Sorry, I should move further away,” he apologized swiftly. An awkward silence formed in the atmosphere.
“Are you cold?”
“Just a little, I’ll be fine.”
“You can come close to me, you know. I won’t bite.”
Tighnari was so sleep-addled that he actually obliged and crawled closer, just enough to feel the warmth emanating from Cyno’s body but not touching him. They lay like that, mere inches apart. Tighnari could hear the faint heartbeat of the other man beside him, the way his breathing gradually evened out to a steady rhythm. Had Cyno already fallen asleep?
“Are you still awake?” Tighnari whispered softly.
“I’m still here,” he heard Cyno say in reply. They both turned to face each other at the same time, and ended up knocking their heads together accidentally. When their eyes met, the two of them could not hold back their laughter, gleeful sounds of amusement spilling from their mouths.
Their laughter stopped after a few moments. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of their breathing and the occasional rustling of sheets, bodies pressed so close together that Tighnari’s heart could combust from how quickly it was palpitating. He was physically tired, but the adrenaline pumping in his veins meant that his senses were heightened and his mind was wide awake.
At the stroke of midnight, Tighnari closed his eyes and reflected on his current predicament.
Cyno was his dearest friend. They had gone through their Akademiya days together, were reliant on each other, and stayed together through thick and thin. Hell, they even raised a child together.
Cyno was also not afraid to be himself when he was around Tighnari and Collei. The three of them shared such a strong familial bond that they were often perceived as an actual family by most people. It was a rare sight for others to see the aloof General Mahamatra completely relaxed, but Tighnari had grown accustomed to Cyno’s (annoying but) joking demeanor and subtle smiles.
And whenever Cyno had to leave Gandharva Ville to head back to the city, perhaps they allowed their arms to linger around each other for just a moment longer than what was socially acceptable. Perhaps, Tighnari would whisper a prayer of safety to Lord Kusanali in the smallest of voices as he watched Cyno leave. Perhaps, somewhere along the way, Tighnari allowed himself the liberty of loving the one person who was always, always there with him.
Oh. He was absolutely smitten.
How could he not be, when Cyno was so gracious to let himself into Tighnari’s heart? He had nestled into the deepest crevices of Tighnari’s soul, etched his name into the walls and carved out a room for himself in Tighnari’s heart.
He was truly and irrevocably in love with Cyno.
Tighnari opened his eyes and found that Cyno was staring right at him, his face holding an expression of tenderness. With the way he was looking at Tighnari, he tried his best to resist the urge to lunge in and kiss him silly.
“You’re still awake,” Tighnari said, shifting his body so that he lay more comfortably on his side.
Cyno only smiled, that gentle smile of his that was reserved for Tighnari and Collei only, “You looked like you were deep in thought over something, so I was waiting for you to tell me about it.”
“And what if I didn’t want to tell you about it?” Tighnari replied smugly, grinning wide.
“Then I would still wait for you.”
A beat passed, and suddenly time came to a halt. In that moment it felt like there was no one else in the world but him and Cyno.
The next thing he knew, Tighnari’s lips were on his.
There were no fireworks, no string quartet playing in the background as they kissed. But a warmth bloomed so deep in Tighnari’s chest that it hurt. It ached with a sense of familiarity and comfort and the smell of home, of humid rainforests and Zaytun peaches.
When Tighnari pulled away, he was so mortified by Cyno’s lack of action that an apology was already on the tip of his tongue.
“Archons, I’m so sorry, it won’t happen again-”
Before Tighnari could finish his sentence, he was silenced by Cyno with another kiss.
Tighnari reached out to cup Cyno's cheek, his hand wandering down to his neck to tug him closer. Cyno’s hand was on his hip. The kiss was electrifying; as if Cyno had imbued his own Electro energy into Tighnari’s body.
They kissed for what felt like hours, only pulling away to gasp for air. The moonlight illuminated Cyno’s features, his white hair swept across the pillow in an unruly manner. Tighnari let his hand card through those strands of hair, tucking a few behind his ear.
“I’m so in love with you,” Cyno said, voice dripping with so much honeyed sweetness that Tighnari wanted to drown in it.
“Me too,” Tighnari responded in earnest, leaning close to press a chaste kiss to the General’s lips. Cyno tried to reach out for more, but Tighnari stopped him before they could progress any further.
“Let’s go to sleep. We can discuss this in the morning,” he said, and almost immediately elicited a yawn after muttering those words.
Although slightly dejected, Cyno nodded in understanding, and pulled Tighnari close by the waist. Butterflies erupted in Tighnari’s stomach at his sudden romantic gesture.
“Good night, then,” Cyno said, both of them falling asleep shortly after.
That night, Tighnari dreamt of the rainforest, Rishboland Tigers, and a certain General Mahamatra.
......................
The morning sun blinded Tighnari as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the unfamiliar room around him. He turned his head to see Cyno still fast asleep, breathing in and out peacefully. A smile slowly formed on his face as he recalled last night’s events, the kiss they shared and how safe he felt falling asleep in Cyno’s arms.
Tighnari reached out to caress his face, and soon enough, Cyno started to stir from his sleep, rubbing at his eyes groggily. When he laid eyes on Tighnari, his face immediately lit up and he snuggled closer to him, inhaling Tighnari’s scent and pressing his lips to the side of his neck.
“Good morning to you too,” Tighnari laughed softly from how ticklish Cyno was making him feel. After a moment of struggling, Tighnari finally broke free from Cyno’s grasp, giggling when he noticed the pout on the other man.
“We have a long day ahead of us, you should get up too,” Tighnari reasoned.
As they both got out of bed and out the door, they took a moment to hold hands and even exchange a quick kiss, feeling grateful for the love and compassion they shared with each other. They could talk about the status of their relationship in the days to come. Right now, they reveled in their moments of happiness and joy.
In that moment, they knew they had something special, something that was worth pursuing with all their hearts.