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Chapter Text

Humid and extremely hot days are no strangers to the Avidya Forest, where the weather can change from day to night. When the moon is up in the dark sky, offering the inhabitants a source of light in the endless blackness of the forest, chilly yet soft winds blow non-stop. However, when the sun rises and hides the shimmering stars, warmth and humidity replace the sharp cold of the night.

Nevertheless, when Tighnari awakes to the sound of birds chirping, he thinks the atmosphere feels heavier than usual, he feels heavier than usual. As a professional Forest Watcher, he had grown accustomed to the drastic change in temperature, but he can’t shake off the feeling that something about him is off this morning.

He groans and flutters his bicolor eyes open, instinctively narrowing them as the beam of light that shines its way through his window, flooding the room with its yellowish hue, hits his face.

As he lies in bed, he tries to come up with an idea of what the problem could be, and when one does make its way into his mind, he quickly silences it and pushes it to the back of his brain, although it silently keeps gnawing at him. It can’t be that he is…

It would make sense though; yesterday’s event had been anything but pleasant, and his body is most likely showing the after effects of that occurrence. He was aware that being exposed to such an amount of Ley Line energy would bring anyone trouble, even if they possessed a Vision, yet the matter at hand back then was far more important than worrying about that fact.

He thinks it would be more beneficial not to dwell on the matter any longer, for he has better and more important things to do. With this in mind, he sits up, legs hanging off the bed. He rubs his forehead with his thumb, noticing how an awful headache had appeared, and would soon be unbearable. His body feels sore as well, his limbs ache horribly; and he definitely cannot ignore the insufferable feverous heat that seems to have settled inside him.

He curses under his breath at these symptoms, knowing it would be hard to deal with them while carrying out his normal routine. He knows he shouldn’t, but the soft cotton mattress beneath his body tempts him to lie down and continue sleeping just for a little longer. Maybe he can entrust his apprentice Collei with today’s duties and…

He shakes his head, his foxlike ears echoing such movement. The Withering Zones have been spreading at an alarming rate these last few weeks and Tighnari mustn’t ignore them under any circumstances. Who knows how many parts of the forest could get infected with such phenomenon in only one day? It wasn’t the time to allow himself the luxury of a day off.

Having made up his mind, he effortfully ignores the burning sensation that engulfs his limbs and stands up, ready to begin his day.

His sensitive ears suddenly catch the sound of faint footsteps in the distance. He keeps his eyes locked on the entrance of his hut, as the sound of shoes repeatedly hitting the cobblestone floor gets louder and louder. Expectedly, a green-haired girl pokes her head through the two leaves that cover the entrance.

“You’re awake! Morning Master Tighnari!” She enters the room and waves. “I have very important news!” She announces enthusiastically. Tighnari smiles at the girl’s excitement and opens his mouth to ask her to continue. However, his brows instantly furrow as he watches her overly happy expression drop and concern take over her features.

“M-Master Tighnari! Are you okay?!” Collei rushes over to him, worry written all over her face. He stares at her, taken aback by the girl’s keen insight.

Tighnari was never one to lie, however, being aware of the girl’s condition and its consequences when she gets too stressed, he decides not to tell her how he actually feels. Besides, he knows Collei would be against him going on patrol should she know of his unwellness, and he is definitely not in the mood to listen to Collei begging him to stay in bed with that shrill voice of hers, which would only help his headache increase.

Thereby, he offers her a feigned, yet soft smile. “I’m quite alright Collei. Why do you ask?” He must admit, he is quite curious to know how the girl had been able to perceive that something was wrong, and he fears his appearance is what had given him away.

“Huh?! Uh, well…” Collei goes silent, as she cobbles her ideas together to form an accurate description. Such silence is enough for him to decipher that she is struggling to explain how he looks without coming off as rude. With this, he realizes that he probably does not look his best. And Tighnari’s suspicions are confirmed when Collei finally speaks her mind,

“You, um, you’re paler than usual, and there are dark bags under your eyes…so I assumed that…” she averts her gaze, leaving her sentence unfinished. However, upon hearing no response from him, the girl quickly puts her arms up in a defensive manner. “Please don’t get mad, Master Tighnari! I was just worried! I promise I didn’t mean to offend or insult you!”

The man flinches as she continues to blurt out apologies, his headache beginning to spread. He quickly thinks of a way to calm her down.

“There’s no need to worry, you haven’t offended me at all, although could you please keep it down a bit? Since, you know,” he points at his ears. The girl has always known how sensitive his ears are, yet she always seems to forget about it when her emotions get the better of her.

Collei gasps as she covers her mouth with both hands, then whispers one last apology. Tighnari looks down at her with care and pats her head to settle things down.

“But seriously, don’t worry. I just stayed up for a bit longer than usual last night, guess my body is not used to a change in my sleep schedule.” He lies flawlessly. The green-haired girl smiles brightly at Tighnari and his show of affection, purple eyes shining with elation. Tighnari then lifts his hand off Collei’s head and sits down on his bed, secretly hiding the fact that it’s becoming hard for him to bear the pain in his legs.

“So, didn’t you say you had amazing news?” Tighnari asks, swiftly drifting the subject away from him and his sick state. Collei squeaks in ecstasy at the reminder, she had long forgotten why she had gone to visit Tighnari in the first place. The girl claps her hands together and beams, eager to drop the beans.

“Yes! Guess who’s coming to visit?!”

The fox raises an eyebrow and tilts his head in curiosity, “Oh? Who?”

“It’s-!”

“Tighnari! It’s an emergency!”

His gaze shifts from Collei to the brown-haired Forest Ranger who has just burst into the room. His ears twitch in unpleasantness at the man’s loud yelling, but he still pays full attention to what he has to say.

“It’s the Withering, three of them!”

Upon hearing those words, Tighnari’s eyes widen. He stands up abruptly, and his muscles scream at him for doing so. His face contorts in pain for a second, but he quickly plays it off. He walks towards his desk and starts rummaging in the drawer in search of something.

“Location?” He asks, though his concentration is fully centered on finding what he is looking for.

“That’s the worst part! They’re not far from Gandharva Ville, people who live nearby have already been affected and are suffering from its side effects!” The guy’s voice is getting louder and louder with each word that comes out of his mouth, and Tighnari’s head was about to explode.

“Could you please stop yelling?” The fox snaps at him, ears folding back against his head in annoyance. He then sighs in slight regret as he catches the sound of the Forest Ranger’s whimper and Collei’s tiny yelp.

His ears perk up when finally finds the thing he has been looking for. He takes a map out of his wooden drawer and approaches the man, who had gone quiet after Tighnari’s sudden outburst. He hands him the map and offers him a red pen. “Here, mark the exact locations while I get ready.”

Tighnari then whirls around and grabs his bow, which is hanging from his chair. He messily puts some arrows in his brown quiver, counts them to make sure they’ll be enough and nods to himself. As he slings his bow across his back, he turns to look at the green-haired girl, whose eyes have been unconsciously following his every movement, her mind somewhere else. Consequently, her shoulders tense at being addressed so suddenly and she comes back to reality with a small gasp.

“Collei, you go and help evacuate the people that have been affected by the Withering.” Tighnari obliges. The girl’s eyebrows furrow, and she opens her mouth to object, but Tighnari’s head has already pivoted towards the other guy, who is carefully holding the map he gave him. Three red circles have been drawn over the places where the Withering zones reside.

“You, whatever your name is, make sure no one else gets close to the infected area.” The Forest Ranger jumps a little at Tighnari’s sudden order, yet straightens up and nods.

“Y-yes sir!” He returns the marked map to him and runs out of the hut, pushing through the two big leaves that serve as a door.

“I’ll go take care of the Withering.” Tighnari announces, already hurrying his way towards the exit.

“W-wait!” Collei implores. He stops, listening to what she has to say. “You’re going all by yourself?! Master Tighnari, please let me-!”

“It’s too dangerous Collei.” He cuts her off. “I’ve been getting rid of Withering Zones for over a year now, I’ll be fine.” He turns his head to look at her and offers her a reassuring smile. “Now go, those people need your help, they’re counting on you. I’m counting on you.”

Tighnari can sense her hesitation. She’s worried, and rightfully so. He empathizes with her, after all, going to the Withering zones alone can easily get him killed, but he’s the only professional Forest Watcher who is in the possession of a Vision, and he’s not willing to risk Collei’s life, especially knowing her condition has done nothing but get worse these last few weeks. 

He patiently waits for his student to make up her mind and give him a clear answer. Seconds later, Collei raises her gaze and looks up at him, face full of determination. She nods with affirmation and excuses herself as she exits the hut, more than ready to fulfill her job. Tighnari follows suit.

Two down, one to go.

Tighnari walks, or rather limps, down the path that, according to the map, will lead him to the last Withering zone. He has already cleared two of them with almost no difficulty, since he had arrived just in time before the infection could spread any further and attract more dangerous monsters. Nevertheless, if his body was already sore prior to fighting against those few fungi he encountered in the Withering, then now he feels he could turn to dust at any moment. His legs can barely keep him moving, he’s beginning to feel lightheaded and his vision becomes blurry every now and then. As he walks, his mind wanders off, trying to fathom why and how he’s still functioning, and how he can keep fighting.

The grey clouds had hidden the sun hours ago, thus, the temperature has dropped, and yet Tighnari feels as if he was being cooked alive. He is sweating, and, every few minutes, a shiver runs through his body. Then, the unbearable heat is replaced by sharp coldness, only for it to fade in a matter of seconds, and for the insufferable warmth to make its appearance once more.

He hates this. For once in his whole life, he wants to turn around and go home. The constant change in his body temperature is driving him insane, and he wants to crack his skull open so that the intolerable headache disappears.

Before he can get lost in his pessimistic thoughts, he perceives the sudden change in the atmosphere that surrounds him. The air feels heavy and polluted, the flowers that once decorated the path he was walking in with their colorful petals now lie dead on the dry grass. His hand tightens around his bow as he distinguishes a newly born Withering Zone a few meters ahead of him.

He picks up his pace, takes an arrow out of the quiver, and places it across the middle of the bow with the bowstring in the arrow's nock, ready to immediately draw and shoot should any enemy appear. As he approaches the Withering zone, he crouches down and silently hides behind a big, thick root that had found its way outside the underground. He holds his breath, and his ears twitch, taking in every little sound.

Tighnari opens his eyes back, but now a glint of disbelief alongside confusion is swimming in his hazel orbs. Was his hearing sense fooling him? Had it also been affected by yesterday’s event? What he was hearing was not those oh-so-familiar tiny hops of fungi or slimes, but terrifyingly loud footsteps. It was the sound of a rusty, mechanical foot coming into contact with the dead grass repeatedly, and each time such sound reaches Tighnari’s ears, the ground shakes under his feet.

He decides to take a quick peek to confirm his suspicions and pokes his head over the root, heart pounding almost painfully against his chest. He feels his blood leave his face as soon as he sees what he’s up against.

“A-A Ruin Guard?!” He sputters involuntarily, instantly regretting it when the huge, ancient machine turns and starts heading his way. Tighnari’s eyes dart around his surroundings, analyzing his current situation to try and come up with a plan.

His gaze falls on a tall tree that stands a few meters before him. Its leaves have acquired a reddish hue, a sign of the state of decomposition it is going through. He inhales sharply, filling his lungs with oxygen, and runs towards it. He swiftly climbs it and successfully straddles one of its branches.

He draws his bow and aims at the first Withering Branch. He inhales, then exhales, making sure not to miss. A shaky breath escapes his lips as he lets go of the bowstring. The arrow, which had been previously infused with Dendro, shoots out instantly and hits the target with a sharp noise. The Withering Branch is destroyed, but not without firing one last remaining shot directly at Tighnari, who quickly gets down and wraps his arms around the branch to avoid falling.

Despite the ruckus, the Ruin Guard has yet to notice him and keeps wandering aimlessly, although it does not abandon the Withering Zone, to which Tighnari clicks his tongue in annoyance. He draws his bow once more and shoots the second Branch. Fortunately, it explodes with a small pop instead of attacking Tighnari from the distance, and he is very much grateful for that. Nevertheless, it appears that the Ruin Guard has now become aware of his presence, but still hasn’t seen him. The machine mindlessly approaches the place where the Withering Branch once grew, guided by the small dying sound it had made before disappearing.

Tighnari quickly reaches back to grab another arrow from his quiver and places it on the bow, ready to shoot the very last Branch, eager to clear this contaminated area and rush back home. He holds his breath and focuses, one eye closed to better his aim. In the blink of an eye, the arrow has already left the bow, and is traveling across the air, heading towards its target.

Tighnari smiles proudly as the last Withering Branch fades into thin air. He reaccommodates himself on the tree branch and locks his eyes on the Tumor of the Withering. He draws his bow one last time.

With no warning whatsoever, his sensitive ears twitch. Confused, he lowers his bow and turns his head towards the source of the sound. His eyes go wide and he yelps when he realizes he was just a few meters away from a Fetid Bough, which had already shot a projectile at him. Tighnari has little time to react and barely manages to dodge it. However, he is now hanging from the branch he was previously sitting on, hands holding onto it for dear life, arms supporting all his weight as he dangles there. A groan escapes his lips as he tries to climb back up, but he gasps as soon as he realizes six missiles are rapidly heading his way. He doesn’t think twice, and he lets go of the tree branch. He is unable to land properly and falls face first to the ground, hissing in pain due to the impact.

He is barely given any time to recover. The floor shakes beneath his body and he immediately looks up just in time to see how the Ruin Guard has lifted its big foot, and is about to crush Tighnari. He rolls over as the foot comes into contact with the dirt and immediately sways on his feet, but his legs give out on him, and he falls backwards. He swears under his breath and glares at his limbs, as if that was going to change anything. He drags himself away from the Ruin Guard until his back hits a hard trunk. Tighnari turns his head to see that he was now sitting against the Tumor of the Withering, although he instantly focuses his attention on the monster before him once again.

Tighnari desperately rummages in his pockets as the Ruin Guard approaches him, slowly but steadily. He sighs out in relief as his gloved fingers graze a round object. Time in this type of situations is as valuable as mora, so without wasting a second he takes out a floral bomb and tosses it at the ancient machine. The bomb goes off as soon as it hits the ground and an illusory meadow is formed, surrounding the Ruin Guard with Dendro energy, who falls victim to the flowery mirage that has been created. Beautiful and colorful, albeit fake plants begin to sprout, forming a small, green circle that stands out in the brownish and lifeless environment. The monster has completely forgotten about Tighnari and now confusedly meanders around the green area of effect, attempting to attack the hallucinations that are continuously created by the floral bomb.

Tighnari is tired, so very tired. He’s exhausted. He’s so drained, and his body hurts so much, that he has given up on trying to get back to his feet. However, he still draws his bow once again and aims at the Ruin Guard’s eye, planning to deactivate it. Nonetheless, his arms tremble, and his weapon suddenly feels too heavy. He groans in pure exasperation, realizing that the constant shaking is depriving him of being able to aim correctly. He tries taking in a few deep breaths to regain his composure, but to no avail. He has overworked himself, Tighnari recognizes, and consequently, his limbs have lost the little bit of strength they had left.

The illusory meadow is starting to dissipate, and Tighnari is given no other choice than to toss his bow aside. His eyes oscillate between the Ruin Guard before him, and the Tumor of the Withering behind him, as if trying to make a decision. His gaze then shifts to the bunch of arrows that are spread across the dead grass and he nods to himself as an idea makes its way to his mind.

He whimpers in pain as he extends his arm to grab an arrow. Once he has it in his hands, he infuses it with an enormous amount of Dendro energy. His Vision flicks into life and shines with a bright green as he struggles to his feet, leaning on the Tumor to maintain his balance, legs shaking abnormally. His grip around the thin arrow tightens, as determination fills his chest.

The arrow is forcefully stabbed into the Tumor, the sharp point piercing its hard surface. Dendro mixes with the contaminated substance that flows out of the Tumor and creates a small, greenish explosion. Little by little, the area starts coming back to life. Formerly contaminated plants, which leaves had turned red and brown, begin to recover that beautiful and vivid green they once had. As for the Ruin Guard, it falls to the ground limply, not dead, but deactivated. The floor shakes violently with the impact, and Tighnari has to balance himself in order not to fall.

Tighnari breathes out heavily, the air in his lungs escapes through his dry lips, and his muscles relax all too much. He presses his back against the now-healed Tumor and slowly slides down, giving in to his tiredness.

He looks up at the clouded, grey sky and then slightly moves his gaze to take a look at his surroundings. The grass that grows beneath his fingers has gone back to the beautiful green it once was before the effects of the Withering. The wind blows gently, contrasting the storm that approaches; it tickles Tighnari’s pale cheeks and his hair flows rhythmically with the breeze. The rustling of the leaves forms a tranquilizing melody that almost, almost lulls Tighnari to sleep.

His heart flutters happily at the sight that blesses his tired eyes, and he realizes that for what he has been fighting for this whole time, what has kept him going despite his soreness. Seeing the forest bloom back to life fills him with pride and joy, and that's the only reason he needs to give it his all, although he may have gone a bit too far this time. He sighs and smiles weakly, silently thanking Greater Lord Rukkhadevata for having bestowed Sumeru on such vast biome and lush vegetation.

The adrenaline that had once taken over his body whilst fighting has now faded completely; only exhaustion remains in his burnt-out muscles. His eyelids feel heavy and threaten to close on him, ignoring the fact that he is still out in the wild and his safety is not ensured yet.

However, to his dismay, his ears perk up. He lies there listening intently to the rhythmic sound of bare feet hitting the muddy ground. Someone is approaching, and incredibly fast. His first instinct is to summon his bow, yet his grip on it is weak, and he is well aware that he wouldn’t be able to defend himself should the person nearing him have bad intentions. For a brief second, he worries, but he soon realizes that those exact footsteps sound a bit too familiar, and that he has heard them multiple times outside his hut before.

His eyes widen ever-so-slightly as he distinguishes the oh-so-familiar, albeit blurry figure that is running his way, and the closer the person gets, the more he can hear their uneven breathing and fast heartbeats.

“Cyno…?” Tighnari whispers to himself, dumbfounded at the unexpected ‘guest’. He raises his gaze and goes quiet as he observes and listens to the man’s movements, perceptive fox ears not missing a single detail. He notices how Cyno has lowered his pace and is no longer running. Instead, his steps are now slow and analyzed, he can tell he’s carefully inspecting where he’s going to place his foot next; a wise decision, the fox thinks, for the forest and its unpredictability can mean death to those who are not wary enough.

“Tighnari?” A deep voice calls out to him, one he could recognize anywhere. The slight tint of concern that edges it does not go unnoticed by Tighnari’s sharp sense of hearing, and he catches himself worrying for his friend, for stepping into a recently healed Withering Zone is almost as dangerous as stepping into an infected one.

He forces his limbs back to work and pushes himself off the ground with a groan, eyes closed tight as he does so. He wobbles, and has to lean against the healed Tumor once more in order not to fall. His hazel eyes narrow as Cyno’s form becomes clearer. He’s approaching carefully but quite rapidly, spear in hand. Tighnari watches as the man stops moving all of the sudden, and, with no further notice, he picks up his pace yet again. This time, he is sprinting towards him.

“Tighnari!” Cyno yells, and in only a matter of seconds, he’s just a few meters away from him. Tighnari takes a step forward, yet his knees buckle, unable to keep supporting his weight, and he stumbles with a yelp. 

The fox prepares himself for a fall that never comes. Instead, his cold face meets a warm chest, and strong arms wrap around his waist.

“Tighnari? Can you hear me?” Cyno’s voice is soft and soothing, careful not to startle Tighnari, who’s thankful for that, as the painful pounding in his head has made him unable to bear loud noises.

“Sure can,” Tighnari says with a sigh and gently pushes himself away from the Mahamatra’s chest. The chilly breeze brushes his face and, for a brief moment, he misses Cyno’s warmth. He shivers at the sharp coldness that hits him mercilessly, although he can still feel feverous heat grow within his body.

“Are you hurt?” Cyno asks as he leans down to grab his spear, which he had dropped in order to free his hands and catch Tighnari.

“Just a few wounds, nothing to worry about.” He lies, though the wince he makes when he stands up straight clearly says otherwise.

Silence settles between the two, yet Tighnari can feel Cyno’s intense gaze fall on him. Sharp, ruby orbs eye him up and down, flitting over his injured body, trying to spot a major wound. He swallows dry at being so intently observed, not used to the feeling. He shifts his weight from one leg to another repeatedly, the tension between the two growing with each passing second.

Knowing Cyno won’t speak anytime soon, Tighnari whirls around, back facing the Mahamatra, and walks towards the arrows that are scattered on the grass. He inhales through his gritted teeth each time he takes a step forward and tries to hide his limping.

“You shouldn’t be here, you know? It’s still dangerous.” Tighnari says as he crouches down and reaches up to take off his quiver. Next, he starts picking up the arrows and puts them back where they once were. His ears twitch in uneasiness, sensing Cyno’s lofty gaze is still locked on him.

Cyno scoffs lightly, “you’re talking as if you weren’t covered in wounds, sweat, and dirt.”

The fox rolls his eyes. “But I’m used to this environment. You, on the other hand, barely step foot in here. The effects of the Withering are not something to take so lightly.” Tighnari replies as he listens to the sound of fallen leaves crunching beneath Cyno’s bare feet as the man approaches him. He picks up the very last arrow and places it in the quiver before standing up. However, the abrupt movement causes his vision to blur and his head to spin, black dots stain his sight and dizziness takes over him. His hand reflexively flies over to his forehead and he staggers.

Cyno is quick to react and catches him. He puts his spear away and grabs Tighnari’s arm, places it over his shoulder, then proceeds to put an arm around Tighnari’s waist.

“Woah there, are you-” Cyno cuts himself off when he looks down at Tighnari and finally takes notice of his current state. He scowls as he takes in certain details he had somehow missed before, even though the fox was standing just a few centimeters away from him. Dark bruises and bloody cuts litter Tighnari’s pale skin; his breath is uneven, chest rising up and down rapidly; dark bags surround his tired eyes, and his ears are slightly drooped. And that’s not all, Tighnari’s temperature had risen above that of a normal human.

“Tighnari, you’re burning up…” Cyno realizes, his grip on both the other’s arm and waist tightening. The fox does not have enough strength to raise his gaze and look at him, so he keeps his hazel eyes locked on the ground. He sighs exasperatedly at Cyno’s obvious remark, and at the fact that it would be impossible for him to keep denying his state of unwellness.

“I know…but I had to take care of-” His words get caught in his throat as Cyno suddenly lets go of his waist and reaches out to grab his free arm, which he then wraps around his own neck. He repositions himself and, with no previous warning, he slides both of his hands under Tighnari’s thighs and lifts him with ease. The fox instinctively hugs Cyno’s neck tightly with a small surprised yelp as he is effortlessly carried on the man’s back. Tighnari wants to protest, to tell him that he can walk back home without his help, but, even so, his sore body relaxes and lets itself be carried by the Mahamatra. He rests his chin on Cyno’s shoulder, messy white hair tickling his jaw. He can hear Cyno sigh as they step out of the former Withering Zone and onto the healthy and lively forest.

“You and your endless stubbornness again,” Cyno utters under his breath, although loud enough for Tighnari to hear. Despite the disapproval his voice holds, Tighnari somehow knows a tiny smile had managed to make its way into his lips as he spoke. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

Cyno follows the clear path back to Gandharva Ville, doing his best to avoid any sorts of monsters or wild animals that would do nothing but bring them trouble. He can feel Tighnari’s warm breath against his nape, and notices how his breathing has slowed down as well as evened. The fox’s eyelashes graze the back of his ear whenever he blinks, signaling that he was somehow still awake, to Cyno’s dismay.

“Get some rest, Tighnari. We still have a long way ahead of us.” He advises as he ducks slightly to avoid a thick branch that had grown and extended all the way to the middle of the path.

“You never told me you were coming to visit.” Tighnari says, straight up ignoring Cyno’s words. The Mahamatra hums in confusion.

“I let Collei know though, didn’t she tell you?” He wonders, to which Tighnari replies with a barely audible ‘oh’. “Did she or did she not?” Cyno asks again, curiosity beginning to rise.

“I believe she was about to tell me, but our conversation was interrupted. Next thing I knew, I had to clear three Witherings.” He explains, and raises an eyebrow at the strangled sound that unwillingly escapes Cyno.

“Three? And you cleared them all…in this state? Tighnari, have you gone insane?” His tone is not one filled with anger, but rather one overflowing with genuine concern. The fox rolls his eyes at such comment.

“I’m fine, Cyno. It’s my duty as a-”

“No, Tighnari, you’re not fine.” He refutes. “Haven’t you seen yourself? Your body has been completely drained of its energy, it’s a miracle you’re even able to form a coherent sentence. What would have happened if I hadn’t arrived? What if-”

“What else can I do, Cyno?!” Tighnari snaps. He lifts his chin off Cyno’s shoulder and glares at him, irritated, his headache worsening. “I can’t let the forest die on me, nor can I allow the effects of the Withering to affect the Avidya Forest’s inhabitants’ lives!” His voice cracks a bit, and the burning in his throat reminds him of his feverous state.

To Tighnari’s surprise, Cyno stops moving, not a word escaping his mouth. He just stands there, in the middle of the yellowish path, with a perplexed Tighnari on his back. The anger washes off the fox’s face and is almost instantly replaced by confusion. He opens his mouth to ask what had gotten onto him, but the Mahamatra turns to look at him before he can say anything. He stares into those intimidating red eyes, suitable for someone of his status. However, he catches a glint of genuine worry swimming in his ruby orbs, and his facial features soften at Cyno’s words.

“I just- I just don’t want you getting hurt…” His voice is but a whisper amongst the loud noises that can be heard from within the depths of the vast forest. The rustling of the leaves, the chirping of many birds and the sound of flowing water from a nearby creek almost, almost make Cyno’s words inaudible.

They stare into each other’s eyes for some seconds in silence. Tighnari breathes out heavily and rests his chin back on Cyno’s shoulder, as the latter returns to his previous duty. Not a single word is spoken the rest of the trek, and Tighnari can feel his eyelids closing on him, Cyno’s words still lingering in his mind. The embrace his arms have on Cyno’s neck loosens and his body gradually goes limp, finally giving in to that long-sought sleep, while feeling safe under the Mahamatra’s protection.

And no one is there to witness Cyno’s soft smile, brimming with pure love and adoration.

Chapter Text

Tighnari awakens to the muffled sound of raindrops hitting his hut’s thatched roof. Something wet and cold lies on his forehead, and beneath him he can feel the softness and coziness that only his bed can provide. He blinks slowly, eyes moving around the room to take in his surroundings. He’s home. Cyno had carried him home.

With a small groan, he reaches up to remove the damped cloth and holds it in his hand. He can hear whispers coming from his kitchen, but the drowsiness of sleep stops him from being able to make out the conversation between the two individuals that have settled in his abode. With a bit of effort, he manages to bring himself into a sitting position, back resting against the cold headboard. Such movement causes the mattress to creak, and the constant whispers that fill the air are suddenly silenced. Not so long after, two people emerge from the kitchen, Cyno and Collei.

“M-Master Tighnari! Thank the Archons you’re awake!” Collei says as she dashes over to Tighnari, who greets her with a smile while trying to ignore the way her overly-excited yelling makes his head throb. However, Cyno is quick to notice the way his ears unwillingly droop in an attempt to muffle her voice and gently places his hand on Collei’s shoulder. The girl stiffens at the sudden contact, but relaxes as soon as she looks up and sees Cyno’s soft and pleading smile. She seems to understand the silent request, her eyes flying over to Tighnari’s drooped ears, and she lowers her gaze in embarrassment and regret.

“Oh…right, sorry…” she murmurs, purple eyes locked on her hands as she fidgets with her fingers.

Cyno gives her a reassuring smile so as to let her know not to worry and walks towards the bed Tighnari’s on. He extends an open hand, then nods at the wet cloth that’s still under Tighnari’s grip. The fox looks at Cyno, then down at the object he’s holding, before giving it to the other man.

“How are you feeling?” Cyno asks — and his voice sounds so, so caring, and his red eyes that were once so menacing now brim with such concern — that Tighnari has to stop himself from averting his gaze. Instead, he bites the inside of his cheek as a result. As he sits there, in bed, sick, and under the care of the General Mahamatra who many seem to fear, he can’t help but feel somewhat vulnerable. He had always been able to take care of himself whenever he felt unwell before, thing that rarely even happened, but now he feels exposed. However, he can’t say he absolutely dislikes it — after all, being taken care of with such kindness awakens an odd feeling of comfort within him.

He can’t help the small, yet genuine smile that finds its way to his lips, which have gained their rosy color back, and are no longer as dry, “Much better, still a bit sore though.”

A sigh of relief slips past Cyno’s mouth. “I’m glad to hear that.”

The exchange of words halts there, and, instead of voices, it is the sound of never-ending rain and the clang of pans and pots coming from the kitchen — Collei had left the room to continue her cooking — what fills the silence.

Cyno quietly puts the cloth back in the bowl that sits on the wooden chair — which had been placed next to the bed — and lifts it, careful not to drop the cold water it had been filled with. He then puts it down on the floor.

Still silent, he sits down on the now empty chair and crosses both his arms and legs. His formerly stiff muscles begin to relax as the warmth and comfort Tighnari’s abode provides envelops him. He lets his eyelids hide his red eyes, and he inhales heavily through his nose. So many places in this large world, and yet it is this very hut where Cyno can be completely at ease.

He had been so worried… and he still is, but the utter preoccupation he had felt for Tighnari when he was told the latter had gone out to clear a few Witherings, in, according to Collei, a questionable state, was almost unbearable — it was consuming him in almost a venomous way, depriving his lungs of oxygen, and his mind of rational thoughts. And such devilish feeling did nothing but grow and spread, just like a Withering would infect and spread across the healthy forest. He had always been aware of how important Tighnari is to him, yet only realized how much hidden fear he had of losing him when he saw his wounded and weak form stumble in the former Withering Zone.

“Say, how long have I been asleep for?” Tighnari suddenly asks, pulling Cyno out of his train of thought, as he mindlessly fidgets with the loose end of the bandages that had been wrapped messily around his injured forearm.

Cyno casts a glance at the entrance that leads to the kitchen and catches sight of a gleeful Collei running from side to side in search of certain items. He starts talking as he turns his head back to look at Tighnari.

“Not for long, to my surprise… and my concern,” he mumbles that last part, “About thirty, or forty minutes. Less than an hour, certainly. Judging by the state you were in when we arrived here, one would think your body would force you to sleep a fair amount of time to regain its energy, but it seems that not even injured does it want to succumb to slumber that easily.”

Tighnari scoffs wryly at Cyno’s words. He was used to getting reprehended for his not-so-fulfilling sleeping schedule — although such scoldings did nothing but fall on deaf ears — but hearing it from Cyno hit differently, for some odd reason unknown to him.

“Old habits die hard I suppose, regardless of the situation.” He utters, words edged with sarcasm, earning himself a soft smile from the Mahamatra, who shakes his head slowly as he breathes out a brief laugh.

Silence settles between the two once more, though it is not an uncomfortable one, it seldom is.

Tighnari turns his head to look out the small window that sits right beside his bed. Brown flowerpots decorate the windowsill — a candle sits there as well —, and are home to a great variety of colorful and exotic flowers. Truth be told, Tighnari had never really liked the idea of having plants grow in the reduced space that pots provided. To him, flora ought to be allowed to live and grow unlimitedly in the vast place that is the forest. Despite plants lacking the ability to think rationally or feel any kind of emotion, Tighnari has always thought that a flower in a pot was no different from a fish trapped in a fish tank — both had been stripped of their freedom the moment they were born. Nevertheless, he does find such pottery quite useful when he has to do some research on certain plant species, and so makes exceptions. Plus, he can’t deny the fact that they do give the room a sense of vitality, as well as a colorful atmosphere.

He lowers his gaze to his arms, which rest on his lap. Even though a few minutes have passed since he woke up, it is only now that he realizes most of his clothes had been removed, his sleeveless turtleneck being the only thing remaining on the upper part of his body, and his baggy trousers on the lower.

His eyes flit over his arms, and over the bandages that now cover most of the skin. He feels his lips quirk up slightly, and decides against trying to fight back the smile that crawls up his face, fully aware that his efforts to do so would be of no avail.

“Collei helped me disinfect the wounds,” Cyno explains, having noticed Tighnari’s newly born interest in the bandages. The fox’s ears perk up at the sound of the Mahamatra’s voice, and he halts staring at his forearms, to instead focus on Cyno. “I— well, I did what I could bandaging them up. I may not be as experienced as you are, but I don’t think I did that badly. Sorry if I messed something up.”

Tighnari places his forefinger beneath his chin, thoughtful, and goes back to analyzing the bandages intently. He then shrugs. “There’s not much science to wrapping bandages around minor injuries such as mine; so even if one lacks professionality, the odds of messing things up are extremely low; only a complete dumbass would do such a thing.”

Cyno does nothing but blink at the information recently given to him. “I suppose I needn’t have worried then.” His gaze leaves Tighnari’s and travels its way back to the kitchen’s entrance.

“Not at all.” The fox replies. He ponders for a second, and then adds softly, “Thank you, Cyno.”

When Cyno turns to look at him — and very quickly so — a small, albeit visible crease has formed between his neat eyebrows. His arms which were once crossed over his chest fall to each side of his torso, and he blinks, perplexed. Tighnari tilts his head and cocks an eyebrow at the Mahamatra’s very obvious yet unjustified confusion.

“For what?” Cyno asks, and now it’s Tighnari’s turn to frown. His eyes flit over Cyno’s face, trying to find any sign of humor or sarcasm hidden behind what he thinks is a veneer of puzzlement, yet comes up empty-handed. Upon being so intently observed instead of being given an answer, Cyno tries again. “What are you thanking me f—”

“For everything, Cyno. Everything.” Tighnari cuts in, all the while fighting fiercely against the strong urge to facepalm. He presses his lips into a thin line to make up for the repressed aforementioned impulse, then sighs. “Helping me, bringing me here, treating my wounds… all of that.”

Cyno’s apparently-not-feigned confusion vanishes completely from his face, astonishment taking its place, as he stares at Tighnari slightly wide-eyed. He might be imagining it, or maybe it is the fever affecting his eyesight, but Tighnari swears he can see Cyno’s eyes shine brightly upon hearing his words of gratitude. However, before he can confirm whether his mind is playing jokes on him or if the Mahamatra’s usually unreadable ruby orbs had actually displayed such glitter, the latter averts his gaze and fixes in on the wooden floor beneath his bare feet.

“You— you needn’t thank me. It’s the least I can do for— for a dear friend.” Cyno replies, words tinted with a hint of hesitancy he wishes he could have avoided. Which part of the sentence had caused such slight uncertainty to slip in his voice he does not know, and he decides against dwelling on it for too long.

“Oh come on, just accept my thanks, would you?” Tighnari says, skillfully ignoring the way his face burns after having heard what Cyno uttered, disregarding the sudden heat as just another effect the fever was having on his body.

Once more, Tighnari questions if the tiny smile that sits on Cyno’s lips is but a mere hallucination product of his sickness, or if he is actually being blessed with such image right now.

And just then, the smell of cooked meat and grilled vegetables fills the air, along with the sharp sound of plates clinking as they are placed one on top of the other. Both men halt their conversation and glance over to the kitchen.

Tighnari watches as Cyno places both hands on his knees and pushes himself up. He accommodates his clothes a bit. “It seems Collei has finished cooking,” He gives Tighnari one last look and, smiling fondly — this time Tighnari is certain he’s not imagining things — adds, “You must be hungry.”

With that, he walks towards the kitchen and disappears from Tighnari’s field of view. The fox’s eyes refuse to leave the aforementioned room’s entrance, ears straightened to catch the smallest, tiniest sound. Seems that not even while resting in his own home, with two of the people he trusts the most by his side, does his body allow him to let his guard down completely.

Not so long after, an overly-excited Collei makes her appearance through the doorway holding three thin, patterned plates. Cyno follows suit, carrying a silver tray, in which sit six deliciously looking döner kebabs.

Collei’s purple eyes brim almost ridiculously. “Dinner’s ready, master Tighnari! Are you feeling any better?” She asks enthusiastically as she approaches the small dining table and puts the plates down. And once she has, Cyno — with the help of a pair of tongs he had brought with him— starts moving the döner kebabs from the tray to the plates with much delicacy.

“Yes, much better, thanks to you two.”

A slight blush stains Collei’s cheeks, and she titters with embarrassment.

“It’s nothing really… not after everything you’ve done for me,” for the first time this day, her voice is unforcefully soft.

Tighnari sighs and shakes his head. “Seriously… what’s with you two and not being able to accept a simple thanks…” He murmurs to himself.

Cyno gently puts the tongs down on the table and instead occupies his hands with two plates, one in each.

“Here,” The Mahamatra says, his voice stained with so much warmth and fondness that Tighnari has to take in a shaky breath to steady himself. He accepts the plate Cyno’s offering him gratefully with a small ‘thanks’, and places it on his lap — or rather, the sheets that cover it.

Cyno sits back down on the chair he had previously sat on and, just like Tighnari, places the plate on his lap, patiently waiting for Collei to join them with her food. She does so no more than a few seconds later, and cheerfully, albeit with extreme carefulness, sits down on the edge of Tighnari’s bed.

“Döner kebab, huh. It’s been a while since you last made this dish.” Tighnari says, looking down at the untouched food that sits on his plate.

“Well… cooking is not my forte, as you may already know, but you were asleep and Cyno was tending to your injuries. Plus, I’d realized that you hadn’t eaten anything before you left to clear the Withering Zones, so I supposed you would be hungry by the time you woke up.” She takes a small bite out of her kebab, half-lidded purple eyes staring down fondly at the food she’s holding. “I’m so relieved you’re alright, Master Tighnari. You can’t imagine how worried I was when Cyno came back carrying you on his back.” She confesses after having swallowed.

Tighnari’s attention is picked by those words and he is reminded of the many questions he’s been wanting to ask ever since he woke up. He nibbles at his döner kebab as he ponders, trying to decide which one he ought to ask first. In the end, he opts for the most answerable one.

“About that… Collei,” he starts, name rolling off his tongue in an almost accusatory way — he realizes due to the sudden nervous glint in the girl’s eyes. He clears his throat and makes sure to soften his voice when he gets to the question. “If I recall correctly, this morning you told me someone was coming to visit. You were talking about Cyno, right?”

The sound of his name catches Cyno’s attention, and he starts listening to the conversation more intently, albeit in silence. Collei’s shoulders visibly relax upon confirming that she was being asked a simple question instead of what she thought would be a reprimand.

“Ah! Yes… I was about to tell you that he had sent a letter informing us of his arrival, and that he would be coming over for dinner.”

“I arrived a bit earlier than expected,” Cyno interferes. “And when I did, a very worried Collei greeted me. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me that you had gone out to clear some Withering Zones. However, she then explained her concern was due to the fact that not only were you acting weird before departing, but also looked as if you were about to collapse at any moment.”

Collei avoids Tighnari’s gaze as she continues the explanation. “Mr. Cyno immediately urged me to tell him the exact place you had gone to, so I grabbed a map and assumed, judging by the time that had passed since your departure, you were most likely to be dealing with the Withering Zone furthest from Gandharva Ville. I then marked the path you had taken and gave him the map.”

“After examining it, I grabbed my spear and went out to look for you,” Cyno says before biting his meal. He swallows and, with his thumb, wipes off some crumbs that had settled in the corner of his mouth. “You know what happens next.”

“Just as it had started to rain, Cyno appeared with you on his back. Thank the Archons he arrived in time. I instantly looked for a medical kit in fear you had been badly hurt, but fortunately the only concerning thing was your high temperature, which was surprisingly easy to quell.”

“I see… so that’s how things went,” Tighnari utters, sentence followed by a sigh. “I suppose I kind of owe you two an apology for causing such distress.”

“Well, for starters, you could stop being so reckless,” Cyno says bluntly before Collei’s kind soul could reject Tighnari’s apology. His words carry no poisonous edge, but he does sound a bit annoyed. Collei blinks in surprise, while Tighnari sends a glare his way.

“I believe we’ve already had this conversation.” He replies, taking an exaggeratingly big — and rather violent — chunk out of his own döner kebab.

“And we can have it over and over again until I get my message across. Although I doubt that’ll ever be possible considering how stubborn you are.” Cyno folds his arms as if to show how serious he is, but his tiny smirk betrays him. He hates to admit it, but he has always found their harmless, meaningless squabbles rather fun. Nevertheless, he does want Tighnari to start thinking about the consequences brought by overworking himself before he gets himself heavily injured, or worse — Cyno shivers slightly at the thought — killed.

“Shall I remind you whose house you’re in right now? I could easily kick you out into the rain.” Tighnari threatens with narrowed eyes and an accusing forefinger. 

“You wouldn’t.”

“Want to try?”

They continue throwing empty threats and insults at each other — although most of it comes from Tighnari.

Collei watches in silence, smiling unconsciously. She tears her gaze from them to fix it on the half-eaten döner kebab she’s holding and, before she can swallow the words that have gathered in her throat, they unwillingly roll off her tongue. Her voice is soft, almost a whisper.

“I’m… glad, that we finally get to share a meal together, the three of us.”

It is not words what she receives as a reply — not words, but silence and stares. She looks up at the two men, only to find their gazes fixed on her, their bickering long forgotten, both hazel and red eyes wide. Amusement is written all over their faces, eyebrows raised higher than one would think is possible.

Nevertheless, before the feeling of abashment can settle in Collei, surprise washes off Tighnari’s eyes, and is instantly replaced with an enormous amount of keenness. He purses his lips, as if trying to suppress the huge smile that threatens to take over his usually-stern features. However, he had long lost such battle, and, consequently, his face is soon adorned with a smile that irradiates fondness.

Cyno, who has yet to overcome his perplexment, blinks once, then twice, then looks between Collei and Tighnari. The former seems to have finally realized the strong emotion her words carried, and is now hiding her face in her hands, as she shakes her head repeatedly, and whines out incomprehensible phrases one after the other. On the contrary, Tighnari has started giggling, flexed forefinger against his lips as he tries to hide, or contain, his laughter — a task hard to complete when a very dumbfounded Cyno and an extremely embarrassed Collei are sitting in the same room as him, no more than a meter away.

Such scene lasts for less than a minute, for Cyno, after clearing his throat, murmurs. “I… I too find it rather nice to be with you both, and quite missed moments like this…” He dares not look at his two friends — he doesn’t even spare them a single glance to see their reactions. Instead, his eyes have been fully locked on his bitten döner kebab.

Collei shoots her head up, her shyness completely forgotten — although her hands remain in the same position, as if they were ready to serve as her face’s hiding spot once more.

Tighnari’s smile has completely faded, and now he’s the one who has been left stunned. Hearing such kind, emotive words come from Collei was not so unusual; after all, it was not rare for the girl to unconsciously say what she was feeling out loud, even if she did grow embarrassed every time she accidentally did so. It is because of that fact that Tighnari, who talks to her almost every day, wasn’t all that surprised when Collei said what she did.

But… Cyno? The oh-so-mighty General Mahamatra who everyone thinks has the emotional range of a teaspoon; who everyone finds so lofty and fearsome; who is believed to care about himself and his goals only — that same General Mahamatra who would never voice his emotions in such a way. To hear him say he has grown fond of their company, and misses them while out on long journeys through the desert, has caught Tighnari absolutely off guard, even if he has known him for the longest time. The thought alone makes a warm feeling bloom within his chest, and he knows such pleasant warmth is no consequence of the fever.

The silence spreads for what feels like an eternity, and Cyno is given no other option than to break it himself.

“Did I say something wrong?” He asks, finally gazing up at his friends, who refuse to cease their wide-eyed staring. Collei is the first one to break out of her haze and flaps her hands in alarm.

“N-no! Not at all! It’s just that we— or maybe it was just me — well, uhm, didn’t expect you to say something so… kind,” Panic takes over her just as she finishes speaking, and she quickly adds, “W-wait! Please don’t take it the wrong way! It’s not that you aren’t kind, Mr. Cyno! It’s just that you- you don’t tend to—”

“You don’t tend to express your feelings of kindness or fondness through words, but rather through actions.” Tighnari says, finishing Collei’s idea. The girl sighs in relief upon seeing how Tighnari has taken control of the conversation. Cyno’s gaze falls on him as he speaks, and, for the third time that night, Tighnari is unable to suppress the smile that crawls up his lips as he stares into those alluring ruby orbs. “So, yeah, to hear you voice them was a surprise, a very pleasant one actually.” A beat passes, in which they do not break eye contact. “And…Cyno, I hope you are aware of how— how important and meaningful you are to us as well. How much we fret whenever you go out on dangerous missions, and how much relief we feel when we hear that you’ve returned safely.”

And, oh God, does Tighnari’s heartbeat start rising upon being rewarded with the most beautiful and honest expression he has seen on Cyno ever since the moment they first locked eyes with each other. The Mahamatra is staring at him, mouth slightly agape, eyebrows high on his forehead, and his eyes — oh his eyes — are shining oh-so-brightly; shimmering, gleaming, sparkling in such way that, had everything been dark, Tighnari would have easily confused them with the actual gemstone which Cyno’s eyes share color with.

Tighnari is no fan of exaggeration, but he truly does think Cyno looks ethereal right now. Maybe it was the fever that made him think such thing, having, somehow, affected his sensitivity, thus making him more sentimental. Or maybe — something in his chest says — just maybe, he has always thought that way, yet failed to acknowledge it until this rainy, cold night.

And there they sit, staring at each other, analyzing each other. And who knows if they would have ever stopped, were it not for a very perceptive Collei, who abruptly stands up, empty plate in hand and, with a wide grin, announces—

“I better get going, a long day awaits me tomorrow if Master Tighnari is still feeling unwell.” She heads to the kitchen to put her used plate in the sink.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? It’s raining pretty heavily outside.” Tighnari says, following Collei’s movements as she returns to the room and grabs her bag, getting ready to leave.

“Don’t worry Master Tighnari, my hut is not far from yours, I’ll probably get there in less than a minute.”

“Oh, alright then. Take care Collei, and thank you.”

“Seriously… you really shouldn’t be thanking me.” She turns to look at the other man and waves. “Goodnight, Mr. Cyno.”

“Rest well, Collei. And be careful out there.”

“Mhm! I’ll come by tomorrow morning to check on Master Tighnari.” Collei grabs the edge of one of the two big leaves and pushes it to the side, making space for her to be able to get out. She then ponders for a second, before giving Cyno one last look. “Oh and, please make sure he stays in bed. He can be rather… stubborn.”

“Collei… not you too.” Tighnari groans and rolls his eyes. Cyno, however, smiles.

“I’m very aware of that, so don’t fret.”

Collei giggles.

“Well then, see you two tomorrow!” Having said that, she steps out of the hut, disappearing onto the rain. The leaf falls back to where it once was, protecting the warm place from the harsh and cold winds of the forest like it was doing formerly.

And just like that, Tighnari and Cyno are now left alone, with only their thoughts as companions. They finish eating in silence and, once Tighnari has swallowed the last piece of his döner kebab, he finally goes along with the idea of starting a conversation.

“So,” he starts slowly, dragging out the single spoken word as his mind settles on a proper topic from which he believes a verbal interaction could bloom. “How did your mission go?”

Cyno remains silent for a few seconds, and when he finally speaks, it is not a reply or a detailed narration of his journey what falls from his lips, not an answer, but a question.

“Did you mean it?” He asks bluntly, his gaze holding Tighnari’s as he analyzes each one of the latter’s expressions.

Tighnari scowls. “Excuse me?”

“Did you mean it?” Cyno repeats, and, after a beat, he adds, “What you said earlier, about you… you worrying about me.” He can feel his cheeks grow hot, yet he does not falter and continues looking at Tighnari, anxiously waiting for an answer.

The fox blinks twice, then retakes his apparently new habit of fidgeting with the loose end of the bandages. He smiles.

“Of course I did. Are you really that oblivious to people’s love and concern for you?”

Cyno does not reply, yet his silence is enough of an answer for Tighnari, who just sighs in return.

Suddenly, the whole sky turns white, light brighter than that of the moon and stars combined. The wholeness of the dark forest is illuminated for a mere second, and such blinding shine fades just as fast as it had appeared, allowing the darkness to engulf the forest once more. The lighting is instantly followed by a deafening thunder, and both Tighnari and Cyno can feel the ground temporarily tremble beneath them.

Tighnari audibly groans. His sensitive ears droop in a second, and he pinches the bridge of his nose when he feels the long gone and forgotten headache coming back.

“Are you okay?” Cyno asks immediately after having gained his composure back.

Tighnari’s breath hitches. “I’m— I’m alright, it just caught me quite off guard,”

Cyno frowns, not fully convinced. “Are you sure? The water in the bowl is still cold, I can give you another wet cloth if you feel unwell again,” he bends down to grab said object.

And there it is again, that odd, albeit comforting feeling of warmth that originates within Tighnari’s heart and continues to spread all across his chest upon perceiving the utter concern Cyno’s voice holds.

“No, no, don’t worry, it’s fine.” He refuses with a waving hand, “it was just my sensitivity to loud noises, that’s all. I don’t think the fever has risen.”

Cyno stares at him for some seconds before hesitantly bending down and placing the bowl back on the floor. “If you say so,” 

A beat passes.

“Hey Tighnari,” Cyno calls. The fox hums to let him know he’s listening. “How is it that you got this sick? You’re not one to come down with illnesses often; not after having grown accustomed to the forest’s weather and environment.”

Tighnari visibly stiffens at the question. He halts his fidgeting, fingers frozen in place. Such reaction causes Cyno to fear he has touched a nerve, or that the other man had somehow found the query quite intrusive, or offensive. He opens his mouth to apologize and tell him to forget about it, but Tighnari beats him to it.

“It’s… well, a long, long story,” he says, scoffing slightly at the memories that flood his mind. Cyno holds back a sigh of relief upon seeing he had not angered him and continues listening. “It would take me the whole night to explain what happened in great detail. But if you want your question to be answered… In short, I spent around two hours in a place with a dangerous amount of Ley Line energy. I assume you know the effect such thing has on the human body if one does not possess a Vision. And even as a Vision holder, I’m lucky to have only come down with a fever, even if it got to a point where it was quite unbearable. So yeah, my unwellness — both the fever and the soreness — are most likely the effect the Ley Lines had on my body.”

Cyno’s perplexed expression as his brain processed everything he had just been told almost makes Tighnari laugh, almost — for the way that puzzled look is instantly replaced with an angry one pushes the giggles back down his throat. This outcome is just what Tighnari had feared before explaining and he prepares himself to be once again — probably for the fourth time that day — he would have to start keeping count, he tells himself — reprimanded by Cyno and have him remind him of his carelessness yet again.

“Tighnari,” he says, voice so cold it almost makes the fox shiver. “How on Earth did you end up being exposed to Ley Line energy for two hours?”

Tighnari swallows dry. “I already told you, it’s a long story.”

Cyno narrows his threatening, red eyes. “Well it better provide a good explanation. Because I refuse to believe someone as smart as you could truly have been so careless in such a situation, even if you are one of the most reckless people I’ve met.”

Tighnari tries his best to play cool, even when being under such an intimidating gaze. “Yeah, yeah, I promise it—” A yawn cuts his sentence in half. He closes his eyes and lifts a hand to cover his mouth. At the same time, Cyno sighs.

“You really ought to get some rest, Tighnari. I’m afraid a thirty-minute nap is not enough to make up for your overworked body.”

Tighnari rolls his eyes, but decides against denying his very obvious tiredness, so he says, “Where will you sleep? You can’t go out; it’s raining heavily and you are not familiar enough with the forest to return home safely.”

“I can sleep on this chair.” Cyno offers nonchalantly, earning himself a weird look.

“Now don’t speak nonsense. You are not sleeping on a wooden chair.”

“But—”

“No.” Tighnari places his forefinger under his chin as he thinks. “The floor is made of wood, and wood exhibits a low thermal conductivity, meaning it doesn’t absorb heat, and so, neither does it grow cold regardless of how cold it is outside,” he rants, then looks at Cyno. “Do you mind sleeping on the floor?”

Cyno shakes his head. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Great!” To Cyno’s distaste, Tighnari suddenly moves towards the edge of his bed and, with a small, yet audible groan, stands up. The Mahamatra flies to his feet when he sees Tighnari wobble, ready to catch him should his legs give up on him.

“What are you doing?” He asks, earning himself yet another weird look.

“Going to get you some blankets and a pillow?” He cocks an eyebrow at Cyno’s scowl. “What, you didn’t think I was about to make you sleep on the floor without anything to cover yourself with, did you?”

“You are in no condition to move around freely. Just tell me where the blankets are and I’ll get them myself.”

“I’m not an invalid, Cyno. I can walk a few steps.” He claims as he pushes past the Mahamatra. His muscles are no longer as sore as they were earlier, but it definitely hurt to move around. He pays the pain no heed as he walks towards the closet and takes out three blankets and a white pillow. He can feel Cyno’s gaze on him. He knows he’s alert, and ready to catch him if he falls, fact that somehow makes him feel safe.

“Here,” He hands Cyno the blankets and the pillow before heading off to turn off the kerosene lamps that kept the hut illuminated.

“Thank you,” Cyno says, lying down after having accommodated the blankets comfortably.

Tighnari settles down on his bed once more, but he doesn’t lie down. Instead, he quietly lights up the candle that sits on his windowsill alongside the flowerpots with a match he had picked up on his way back from when he went to fetch the blankets.

The sudden sound of quick scribbling reaches Cyno’s ears, and he almost jumps into a sitting position as he realizes what such noise meant. The abrupt movement causes Tighnari to snap his gaze at him and halt his writing, hand — a black pencil trapped in it — still and hovering over the notebook on which he had been writing.

“Tighnari, what are you doing?” The Mahamatra asks despite the answer being obvious.

“Writing my report on the concerningly rapid spreading of the Withering, of course. I must note down every single detail before I forget,” Tighnari resumes his writing as he explains absentmindedly. He then frowns and stills his hand when he becomes aware of the somewhat threatening rasp that hides within Cyno’s words and voice, and is quick to add, “oh, but, uhm… I’ll be finished in less than thirty minutes, so you can go ahead and sleep.”

However, his words of reassurance seem to have flown over Cyno’s head, for the latter stands up muttering a low ‘I can’t believe you’. Tighnari quickly thinks of what to say so as to avoid being lectured, but before his brain is able to formulate any excuse, Cyno unexpectedly — albeit swiftly — snatches both the notebook and the pencil from his grasp.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! Give that back!” Tighnari hastily reaches out in an attempt to get his things back, but Cyno had already begun walking towards the dining table. He places the objects on it without a word.

Tighnari angrily throws the covers off his lower body, ready to get up and claim his notebook back, but he is unable to do so, as Cyno is now standing right next to his bed, red eyes staring down at him warningly. Nevertheless — Tighnari thanks the Archons up above — Cyno’s gaze softens after a few seconds, and his menacing ruby orbs are then hidden under his eyelids as he lets out a long, heavy sigh.

“You really are something, Tighnari. Now please… get some proper sleep, okay?”

And suddenly, Tighnari feels like they’re back on the path to Gandharva Ville, back to that small argument they’d had, back to him hearing that one thing Cyno had said to him, voice almost cracking with concern while doing so. Back to the Mahamatra telling him to rest, and back to him complying after becoming aware of his friend’s worry.

He lowers his gaze and looks at his bandaged arms. The report could wait, he supposes. “Alright… fine. I’ll go to sleep, don’t worry,” he says softly, and Cyno rewards him with a thankful smile.

Tighnari blows out the candle and finally lies down. He closes his eyes and waits for the sound of shuffle or some sort that indicates Cyno has laid down as well, but such thing never comes.

Instead, he is caught off guard by the sudden shift of weight on the mattress. He snaps his eyes open, blinking twice to push the darkness away and be able to adjust his eyesight. When he does so, he can see Cyno sitting on the edge of the bed. Tighnari’s eyebrows knit together.

“Cyno? What are you doing?”

He unwillingly yelps and immediately sits up when instead of answering, the Mahamatra lies down right next to him, facing him. He looks down at him as if he were insane.

“W-what—?”

“Can’t have you sneaking off while I’m asleep, now can I?” Is the only explanation he provides.

Tighnari can’t quite see what expression Cyno has right now, for the moon and stars, which were once the only source of light at night, had been covered by the grey clouds. However, he can almost hear the tiny smirk that adorns his face.

He sighs, too tired to argue. “Wasn’t planning on doing so anyway,” he says as he lies back down, although quite hesitantly.

Thus, they’re now facing each other, ready to sleep, but neither of them closes a single eye.

“Aren’t you worried you’ll get sick as well?” Tighnari wonders after a brief moment of silence, his voice so low he’s almost whispering.

“If your fever is the result of exposure to strong Ley Line energy, then I believe it’s not contagious.” Cyno’s voice is low as well. “Are you going to tell me the story tomorrow at breakfast?”

Tighnari can’t help but giggle. “Only if you promise not to hand me over to the Akademiya,” he says jokingly, remembering Karkata and how he had decided to spare him despite it going against the Sages’ rules.

“What did you do now?” Cyno tries his best to sound serious, but he smiles despite himself.

Tighnari smirks, “I’ll let you know tomorrow at breakfast.”

Cyno exhales out a laugh. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good,” Cyno reaches for the covers and throws them over their bodies to cover them both. “Now go to sleep.”

“Geez, no need to be so demanding,” Tighnari complains, yet closes his eyes. “Goodnight, Cyno.” He whispers.

“Goodnight, Nari.”

Now that catches Tighnari unprepared, and he opens one eye to look at Cyno, pushing sleep aside. “What’s with the nickname?”

“Oh,” Cyno blinks in surprise, as if that was not the reaction he was expecting — if he even was expecting a reaction at all. “Collei kept calling you that while we were chatting waiting for you to wake up. She claimed it was a slip-up and apologized each time she did so, but I thought it was rather nice…” He can feel his face heat up. “Do you not like it? If so, I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s fine really,” he says, heedless of the fuzzy sensation that blooms in the pit of his stomach. Really, what was with him today? “It sounds nice, I like it.”

Cyno relaxes upon seeing he had not offended Tighnari. “That’s good.”

“I should let Collei know she can call me that as well. She’s way too formal, even after all this time…” Tighnari says with a sigh, to which Cyno chuckles lovingly.

“I still haven’t thanked you properly for taking care of her all these months. I’m glad to see how much she has grown.”

“You can thank me by staying alive each time you go out on a mission,” Tighnari utters, raising his forefinger to poke Cyno’s nose playfully, who laughs and returns the gesture.

“Only if you at least reduce the amount of stubbornness that seems to run through your veins,”

“Now you’re asking for too much.” Tighnari jokes lightheartedly.

“So you acknowledge it?” The fox rolls his eyes.

“Just shut up and go to sleep, Cyno.”

“I should be the one telling you that.”

“And yet you keep talking, distracting me from trying to fall asleep,” his voice is soft despite his words, letting Cyno know he does not mean any harm.

The Mahamatra chortles. “And I’m the demanding one here.”

“You sure are,” Tighnari’s voice grows weaker as exhaustion gets a hold of it. He closes his eyes. “Now for real, goodnight.” he mumbles.

“Rest well, Nari.”

This time, Tighnari fails to ignore the way his heart melts at the new nickname. Thus, as sleep finally comes to claim him, he smiles.

And there, in the darkness of the night, no one is to witness the way that smile brims with pure love and adoration.