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[veardant]

@forestwatcher

❝ You've reached Tighnari. If this is an emergency, hang up and call someone else. If you're in need of non-emergency care, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I'm able, or you can try swinging by my cottage. ❞

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mailbox;

[veardant]

Action

[lordjackal]

[ Honestly, Cyno didn't sleep after that last message, or at least he didn't sleep very long. He waits until at least sunrise to leave his own cottage and go to Tighnari's, letting himself in -- because of course he does. ]

[veardant]

[ of course he does.

he'll be greeted by the scent of breakfast cooking - eggs and sausage and bacon, as well as diced potatoes with chopped onions and green peppers. there's also the aroma of brewing coffee. tighnari is in his kitchen, working, but he hears cyno coming, naturally. ]

In here. How did you sleep?

[lordjackal]

[ The food smells delicious and he's suddenly aware of how hungry he actually is as he comes to the kitchen and sees Tighnari there. He doesn't regret what he ended up revealing last night but he is a bit annoyed and jealous still. ]

I didn't really. Did you?

[veardant]

I did. It was all right.

[ he kept waking up, over and over again, but it is what it is. he can function on little enough sleep. tighnari pours them both a mug of coffee, before he's tipping the potatoes and veggies onto a serving dish. ]

Would you carry those to the table?

[lordjackal]

[ Cyno understands and he doesn't press about the other's sleep. After all, Tighnari had given him the same breadth of space about his own. He's already moving to bring things to the table. It's easy to fall into the same wavelength as Tighnari.

No matter if they are often busy anymore they have known each other for a very long time. Setting it down on the table he looks back at Tighnari. ]

I meant it.

[veardant]

[ it's true, they work well together, reading one another's body language easily and effortlessly. together they carry everything to the little kitchen table, and tighnari is about to sit, when cyno speaks.

he purses his lips. ]

I know you did. You don't say things you don't mean.

[lordjackal]

[ Cyno is quiet, taking in the other's expression for a moment and waits for him to finish sitting before he does as well. He leans back in the chair, his eyes never wavering from watching Tighnari, waiting on him to make the next move, honestly. ]

[veardant]

[ tighnari sighs. ]

I'd hoped to speak after breakfast, but I should have known you'd want to get straight to the point. [ a beat, and tighnari folds his hands. ] You must know that I have feelings for you, yes? That I have for a long time.

[lordjackal]

[ Cyno could have surmised that but there is no reason he sees that they can’t talk as they eat. ]

I know you care for me as a friend, as someone who also cares for Collei.

[ Perhaps he has been too obtuse to see more than that. ]

[veardant]

[ another, heavier sigh. ]

Cyno. Are you being purposefully obtuse? I thought that what we felt was mutual. That we both understood.

[lordjackal]

[ Cyno exhales and finally averts his gaze. Truly, only Tighnari could really throw him off center. He reaches for the coffee but only rubs his fingers on the cup. ]

I have never been certain of your feelings.

[ Perhaps it had been easier. ]

You have been the only one for years.

[veardant]

[ cyno looks away, and tighnari's brow knits. he reaches forward, toward cyno's hand around his coffee mug, smoothing his fingertips along cyno's knuckles. ]

I had thought my feelings were quite obvious. Not obvious enough, I suppose.

[ tighnari smiles, warm and easy and reassuring. ]

You have no idea how much I've missed you. How much I needed you.

[lordjackal]

I might have been refusing to see in case I was wrong.

[ Cyno meets him halfway on that. He relaxes a little as the other's fingertips move along his knuckles, settling a bit more and meeting the other's eyes again. His smile... it's good to see. ]

I can only imagine. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you.

[veardant]

[ he's quick to shake his head. ]

It's all right, I didn't say that to try and make you feel guilty, only to let you know how important you are to me. It was difficult, being without you.

[ he thought of cyno often, on lonely nights and hard days, but he would not have wanted him there. reverie was a terrible place, better that cyno was safely away from there. ]

.. nevertheless, you weren't wrong. You were refusing to see it. I've had strong feelings for you for some time now. I would have acted on them, but our jobs kept us apart so much..

[lordjackal]

I know that you didn't.

[ Cyno assures but he still wishes that he could have been there all the same. That Tighnari had to face all that without him by his side angers him more than it makes him feel anything like guilt. ]

And you didn't think it could work?

[veardant]

[ at that, tighnari's expression tenses a little, and he withdraws his hand, glancing down at his plate. he has a feeling that they are not going to be eating while talking after all, but he does at least take a sip of his coffee. ]

I don't know. I didn't want you to have to choose between time with me, and time with work. I also didn't want to potentially put your job at risk, if a relationship with me could have been seen as a conflict of interest.

[lordjackal]

[ Honestly, Cyno hadn't expected it to get tense like this when he had begun the conversation. He instantly misses Tighnari's touch but he leans back and takes a drink himself.

Cyno frowns. He doesn't like that Tighnari was making those decisions for him instead of with him. ]

You don't need to make decisions like that alone. We always work well together, we could have...

[ He sighs, crossing his arms as he studies Tighnari. He supposes for the time being it's a moot point. ]

[veardant]

That's not entirely fair, you know.

[ tighnari crosses his arms as well, his brow furrowing. ]

Why didn't you come forward about it, then, in that case? It's a two-way road. I won't apologize for thinking of your needs.

[lordjackal]

[ Cyno glances away because... touche. ]

In the future, let us figure it out together. Like... now.

[veardant]

[ the set of tighnari's shoulders eases, and he takes another drink of coffee. ]

I can agree to that. I'd like that.

[lordjackal]

Good.

[ Cyno uncrosses one of his arms and reaches for his cup, thinking of taking another drink before reaching for some food instead. ]

There are no excuses here.

[veardant]

[ the atmosphere still feels a little tense, tighnari thinks, but at least cyno is seeing to his food, so tighnari supposes he ought to, as well. ]

No excuses?

bow chicka threeway

[veardant]

[ from here. ]

[ tighnari would have plenty to say about that weakness, were he to understand ren's thoughts. being social and requiring love are not weaknesses, but strengths; perhaps someday ren will find it in himself to understand that as well, to allow himself to enjoy what comes naturally to so many living beings.

nevertheless, here they are, and tighnari tugs him gently by the hand to lead him away, while his free hand slips into his pocket for his phone, typing with one thumb while his other hand lightly squeezes ren's. ]

I'm just letting Cyno know.

[ On the way home. I'm bringing company. Can you make sure the sheets are clean?

because yes, it's that sort of company. the walk back to the cottage is quiet and short, tighnari's fingers slipped through ren's the entire way, and when they push through the door into the cozy home, ren will find a warm space greeting them, a fire burning low in the hearth, the air full of the scent of books and soil and green things. ]

Cyno?

[lordjackal]

[ The text confuses Cyno at first and he has a few questions but he decides to hold back on them, trusting Tighnari. After all, they’ve had some discussions about things and the idea of Tighnari bringing someone home isn’t completely out of nowhere. So he quickly moves on from looking over his TCG cards and theory crafting some new ideas to go check their room to make sure the sheets are clean and well tidy a few things up as well.

By the time that Tighnari walks in the door he’s coming down again and raises a brow at him before looking to who their guest is. ]