With Tighnari's back now turned to him as he sits on the stool, he can't see the way Cyno hesitates, brush in hand. The smallest of smiles graces his lips. "You, too. The forest is dangerous. I know you can handle it..." Crimson eyes sweep over the twigs and leaves tangled in his hair. +

He's entirely too serious as he says his next line: "Does it bring you some 'piece' of mind?" Jokes aside, Cyno is looking around the shelves for his hairbrush as he speaks.

"Tighnari. Welcome back." ... Narrowing his eyes... Should he grab a hairbrush?

He was born ready. Cyno would defend them both to the bitter death.

Cyno tenses. The fragments of Hermanubis indwelling him signal something shady is afoot. Also, the way Tighnari's ears are twitching! It's a dead giveaway! "..."

My duties for the day are complete. Aren't you happy that I'm home early? Now we have more time to play. Come. Our eyes have locked, and so it is too late to back out now - I have a stall deck I wanted to test out against a strong opponent. It can only be you, Tighnari!

// MAIN: @phosphylax.bsky.social too lazy to make a pinned for cyno so feel free to go read flins' 💙

Yes... you already understand, don't you? (There's a glint in his eyes... Oh no... it's unmistakable.) It's time... to duel! (Whips out his Genius Invokation TCG box in all its glory.)

It's time!

Tighnari...!!

⠀ 𓄼̲      𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃 ┉┈ scholar . ⠀⠀🍃 ‎⠀

Cyno tilts his head, brows scrunching up with confusion. Why...? His glare intensifies with the motion. "I enjoy our time at the Tavern together. Among other reasons..."

"I like you." Cyno says rather matter-of-factly. "I want to see you." Maybe not all of the time... but he's pretty introverted, so that goes for anyone.

"We're friends."

"No, that's not it." Cyno appears to be glaring up at Alhaitham with one lone, crimson eye from underneath his jackal helm, but what he says next contradicts his serious expression. "I'm glad to see you."

Alhaitham...

Cyno folds his arms over his chest, mirroring Alhaitham, and coolly glares up at him over his shoulder. "Alhaitham. Need I remind you that matters of academic integrity and dishonesty fall directly under the Matra's purview? As the Scribe of the Akademiya, you have signed off on each and every +

Hmph. He was used to being treated this way by the rest of the Akademiya already... what did those insignificant comments matter to him? Justice was always worth fighting for. It didn't matter what anyone else thought, Cyno would stand his ground.

...

There is corruption within the Akademiya... How could he have been so blind?

Cyno is wordlessly on his way to report this blasphemy to Lord Kusanali.

"Not that deep...? Alhaitham, you..." He wasn't even looking at him. Probably for the better, so that he may not see the heartbreak in Cyno's eyes. "Tch." Cyno stepped away and swiftly turned around, unable to look at Alhaitham any longer. "The rules of Genius Invokation TCG are sacred. +

Cyno had no qualms walking right up to Alhaitham and intensifying that glare directly into the other's eyes. Cheating? Not on his watch. "I have my ways of catching evildoers. Or have you forgotten my role as the General Mahamatra? There will be no cheating under my watch, +

"As if I'd let you." A very bad choice of words to speak around the General Mahamatra, Alhaitham... Cyno glared daggers into his skull.

Ah... the smell of a budding new player. The tension in Cyno's shoulders eased at this realization. Anyone curious about Genius Invokation TCG was a friend of his, and they had come to the right place. "TCG means 'trading card game.' It's an acronym... since saying the words trading card game +

// i missed writing cyno

Alhaitham was a good friend. He would never participate in No Noise November if doing so meant no longer spending time with them for the entire month. It put a smile on Cyno's face, albeit a very small one.

This information was very useful and all, but Kaveh never laughed at his pun. Did he not catch it? Maybe he didn't understand it? "... Kaveh. Did you get the joke?" Cyno lifted the package of candied Ajilenakh Nuts so that it dangled in the air between them, clearly visible. +

NNN... Cyno has never bothered participating in such a pointless gimmick. Candied Ajilenakh Nuts were one of his favorite snacks. Why should he give them up?

// the pun I could tell with this is not one that Cyno would tell. god

Alhaitham would probably never realize how much this meant to him. Mostly because Cyno wasn't the best at putting these things into words, and often showed his appreciation through other means. But for a brief moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly. Maybe Alhaitham did enjoy his puns... +

Oh. The man was asking him a question. ... Cyno reluctantly came to a stop. Then, he turned around. And finally, he met Rerir's eyes with a scowl (purely a result of his own embarrassment). "It's a player tag. Have you heard of the card game Genius Invokation TCG?"

There was a glint within his eyes at that question, though his countenance remained hardened. "Do you wish to learn?"

"Our eyes have met. You should know the unspoken rules, Sinner... we will have a showdown - right here, and right now." ... Except, Cyno realized, why was Sinner not already bringing out his cards? He could have sworn he had the description of this player memorized. White hair, a magenta eye, +

"To a duel!" Brandishes his specially-crafted deck box. Pow. This is the coolest thing ever, right?

"Tch. You've decided to show yourself, have you, Sinner? By the power of the ancient spirit vested within me... I hereby challenge you...!"

// my cyno muse is surprisingly high despite not having written him in at least a year... wow

"I can't belly-ve this."

// cyno vs rerir is coughing baby vs hydrogen bomb

Kaveh...!! What a true friend... Cyno was eternally grateful to him.

"Oh." Cue awkward silence. Cyno was processing this information. Kaveh just wanted to greet him? "... I see." The General Mahamatra wracked his brain for something useful to add, not wanting to simply turn on foot and leave Kaveh in the dust if he wished to greet him that badly. +

No, wait. This was a breakthrough...! If Cyno could figure out what it was that he said or did to make Alhaitham laugh, he could replicate it whenever he wanted to put his friend in a good mood! Took long enough for that guy to open up to him. Maybe he was fearful to express his joy?

What. Did he make a joke? Alhaitham never laughed at his jokes.

"I don't believe in meta tierlists. With enough attention to the essentials of your deck's archetype, you can build around anyone's card."

"Kaveh." Cyno's usually cold eyes softened ever so slightly upon spotting his friend. Except... they filled with concern instead as he gave the blond a once-over. "Why are you out of breath?" He asked, pondering the question himself, before he stiffened. "Don't tell me... you have pursuers? +

He could have sworn he saw a silhouette in the window moments ago.

"...?" No one's home? Knock, knock. Won't someone open the door? @empyreanreflection.bsky.social