cyeli-no

@cyeli-no

she/her | certified cymp

92 posts

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cyno (genshin impact)

cyno angst alhaitham truly loves cyno: Includes platonic and romantic bffs/qprs cyno and dehya general maha-martyr: Self-sacrificial Cyno

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Cyno really should've died as a child. He has a strong will, always has, but for a child to house a divine spirit? Hermanubis should've ripped him apart and yet he lives, although not for lack of the spirit trying. The earliest memories Cyno has are of pain brought forth as divine judgement for the hubris of men to think it can be bottled away. Still, it grows fond of the young boy, someone so good to those he believes has done no wrong. He allows his body to get ripped apart because of unknown, innocent people he believes deserve to live.

So, Hermanubis offers him a deal; Cyno's sense of justice is enough to balance the scales and ease the power practically killing him. As long as Cyno continues using Hermanubis' powers to pursue justice, he will not come to harm. Of course, that also means that if Cyno uses it for anything besides justice, he will be hurt.

One day, Cyno is placed in a position where he has to judge people.

[Mar 16, 2023]

Cyno: Chronic Pain Headcanon/Fic Idea

It is not uncommon for Cyno to suffer physically because he is constantly getting hurt. He is used to pain and feeling tired, so it doesn't faze him when he starts feeling extremely tired after missions. He believes it is mostly just from all the work he has had to do recently; overthrowing a government, helping support the new government, constantly overseeing the desert affairs, taking care of straggling scholars who threaten the peace, etc. Overall, he recognizes how little time and energy he has for himself and associates his recent shortcomings with that.

However, all of his close friends begin noting how disarranged Cyno is. Al-Haitham makes note of how sloppy some of his recent work have been, but his concerns are thrown out because none of the other matra can be trusted with those serious missions quite yet. Candace asks him to stay in Aaru Village during one of his visits because of how pale he seems, which Cyno refuses with a promise to relax when everything becomes less hectic. Everyone constantly makes comments about his condition.

One day, after a meeting with Dehya, Al-Haitham, and Nahida, Cyno is told to take a break. Cyno tries to argue, but when he stands, he can barely see in front of him. His world tilts on its axis, the man stumbling as he reaches out to grab anything to keep him steady. His legs give out and his arms are too weak to even hold him upright anymore. He can't hear over the rush of blood in his ears and the gasping breaths leaving him trembling.

Worried, they demand he explain everything. He reveals the pain he has always viewed as normal and how they have been heightened recently. He gets intense headaches and migraines that do not disappear for days on end, he can't stomach most foods because of the constant nausea, standing too quickly or for too long leaves him either winded or dizzy— the list continues to grow longer and longer.

Nahida insists he sees a doctor, but Cyno does not feel comfortable or safe around the Bimarstan doctors. Naturally, Dehya drags him to Tighnari and despite Cyno trying to tell them that it is normal, everyone refuses to simply agree that his constant pain is acceptable.

The issue is, there is an obvious thing that makes Cyno an outlier in comparison to the average patient. Hermanubis and its possession are two things they are unable to account for.

I think they would make him to take breaks, but he gets more and more antsy when he is left to his own thoughts. He isn't used to doing nothing, but he feels guilt for being the reason his loved ones are suffering. He forces himself to listen to them, to believe he deserves to be taken care of. But, he quickly learns that isn't the issue. He doesn't mind being loved (debatable because of how bad he is at accepting affection and how quick he is to doubt his importance in their lives). It is simply because being taken care of is not mutually exclusive from not doing anything.

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Nahida: Prioritizes the overall state of Sumeru over individuals Cyno: Prioritizes Sumeru and all of its people over himself Al-Haitham: Prioritizes people/things he cares about over the general population

[Mar 20, 2023]

Cyno: De-Aging Fic Idea

In my opinion, de-aging fics can be used to to show how deep a character's problems are rather than just exposing all the childhood trauma they have. It feels too easy, sometimes, when a character is forced to open up about themselves and everyone "heals" the trauma with the child.

[Mar 20, 2023]

Cyno has never feared death. His body is nothing more than a vessel and he has always understood the promise to protect that lays heavy on his shoulders. His oath rests deep in his bones, brittle from years of strain and injury, aching from scabs that healed over but not through.

Still, he will drag himself forward, towards the next mission, towards the next person, because he is a protector and a defender. He seeks justice, the dormant spirit provides him with extra strength to walk past anubis' attempts to guide him towards the underworld. He cannot falter, will not, with his mind filled with his ideals. His job is to serve and protect the people of Sumeru and its Archon; he cannot afford hesitation.

If he hesitates, who will look out for his nation?

The weight of Sumeru is sometimes as light as a feather in comparison to the concern and stress of his family and friends. Under Cyrus' pained gaze, never completely able to hide his frustration at the growing number of scars, he startles when he realizes he feels regrets. He doesn't wish his father any harm and his injuries cause emotional distress. Unluckily, he has never been the most in tune with how to handle emotions, his or others. He stops revealing his injuries around as much and avoids Cyrus when it is bad enough where hiding it is impossible.

Lisa's worries are not as gentle as hands tending to wounds. It is angry, electricity dancing on her skin and shocks emitting from her fingertips. Usually, it is at the people who hurt Cyno despite his reassurances he can take care of himself and has already brought them for judgement. Sometimes, it is at Cyno himself. Irritation comes naturally at his insistence to be reckless and self-sacrificial. Unlike Cyrus and Kaveh, she makes Cyno's skin prickle with physical discomfort because her vision sparks with her arguments. Hiding becomes easier with time.

Kaveh is the worst at covering up his disdain and panic when he sees Cyno in pain. He feels too much, cares even more, and Cyno cannot help the way his body drags at the sight of Kaveh's frantic tenderness. He tends to wounds better with experience, experience Cyno gave him. It became a habit for all his loved ones to have medical supplies on hand, just in case, and none was more obvious than Kaveh. Despite his friend's insistence to allow him to look over his injuries, Cyno doesn't like revealing it all. He is always left empty, even after the blood stops flowing freely out.

Compared to his other two friends, Tighnari has the most experience prior to Cyno

[Apr 7, 2023]

Cyno and Kaveh: Friendship Headcanon

I am a firm believer in Lisa-Cyno-Kaveh Akademiya friendship.

Cyno enters the Akademiya with knowledge of how scholars view him.

*Genshin leaks: Kaveh voicelines*

Cyno Fic Idea: Hearing Thoughts and Jokes

Summary: In which Cyno somehow (when in doubt, ley line explain it out!) gets cursed to hear every single negative thought of the people around him. He knows his friends don't like his jokes, but when all he can hear is how bad they are and how much his friends think it ruins the mood or is annoying, it slowly begins to hurt him. He used to justify it with the belief that it lightened the mood (it usually does, to an extent), but he can't lie to himself when their voices are in his head.

Relationships: Non-explicit romantic relationships, all Cyno friendships

When Dehya finds him, he the blood has already stained his face and dried. His clothes, although dark in color, are visibly discolored where splotches of liquid must have soaked through. His grip on his staff is tight, standing amongst bodies, and she can see his vision illuminating from behind.

She calls out to him as electricity races up the weapon, turning towards the sound despite having felt her presence a while ago. He is positioned to fight, weapon poised to strike, but she can't tear her eyes from his face.

It was terrifying, people said, to see the General Mahamatra in his element. The remnants of his hostility continue to leak after the battle has finished. She has heard people call him a monster more times than she cares to count. But, standing before him, the familiar sense of danger does not pump as adrenaline in her veins. How can it when he looks so small and tired?

He is expressionless, darkened eyes narrowed as if on prey. Where the eremites beside her see a beast, she sees the hollowed remains of her friend. Exhaustion from battle, and probably much more she is not privy to, has worn him down already. She forgoes his title to greet him with his name, discarding wariness for bone-aching understanding.

He has given so much, she knows. Too much with few places to rest his mind and body and soul. So, when he lowers his weapon and his guard, surrenders his control to Dehya, she accepts it with all the pressure that crushes him.

He breathes out, lets go, and knows

[Apr 14, 2023]

Trust is is given sparingly, but difficult for Cyno to retract.

His trust is much more delicate than people realize, it leaves him open and vulnerable to everyone he gives it to. For a stern and strong General Mahamatra, he is weak to the people he cares about and has been hurt by it more than he will admit.

Al-Haitham doesn't realize it when he first does it, making a jab about his predictability and how the sages exploited it. He was trying to make a point about how he should diverge from his habits, but it hits somewhere deeper. He lashes at Al-Haitham, but the idea that he is unworthy of trust does hurt.

Tighnari

[Apr 14, 2023]

Cyno being hurt while recognizing the people who love him worry and don't like him being hurt. But, he can't not get hurt. The best he can offer is to avoid them when he is hurt to limit their stress. He wants them to be comfortable and happy, and his presence is unnecessary if it means it will get in the way of that.

Al-Haitham and Nahida are difficult to hide it from. He works under them and they are among the few who will be told right away if Cyno is injured seriously. Still, he usually avoids mentioning anything minor.

Cyno, who lays motionless on the ground of his office, doesn't know who to call for help from. He can't move, blood

[Apr 15, 2023]

I hold Cyno-feeling-loved very close to my heart. I just want for him to he loved by the people around him. He knows he's intimidating and can be intense, so the feeling of being loved is so foreign to him. It's strange when he looks back at his childhood, where he was less than a human and closer to a doll, and compares it to the present.

He was never anything more than a vessel for the spirit dwelling in him, and he realized he was worthless to people when his agony was ignored or laughed away. He was considered lesser for being from the desert, looked down by almost everyone he met as a child. In fact, the sages only took interest in the spirit, willing and eager to rip his body apart to study him (and, he later learned, to replicate him). He had no allies until he met Cyrus, and he was still one in a vast crowd of people that threatened to suffocate him.

He didn't meet Lisa until he enrolled in the Akademiya. Despite being admitted early, the scholars still scorned him. She offered him respect, but never comfort. She was a warm person, of course, but had the tendency to burn ablaze. Her anger at others burned him in the crossfire and she was never the best at healing wounds. Still, he can deny how nice her love was. She is physically powerful, different from those powerful in status, and she was the first to use her strength to protect him. He basks in the fire; he is from the desert, after all, and a little heat never scared him.

Kaveh is more vocal about his emotions. Where Lisa only displays her anger, Kaveh loudly declares his panic and worries. It is strange seeing someone else vocally express their feelings. Cyrus, as much as he cares, is not the best at expressing it verbally. Kaveh doesn't hold back in anything,

[Apr 15, 2023]

Cyno Headcanon: Anger

Cyno knows anger to be hurtful and terrifying. The anger of men who are more powerful than oneself allows them to cause harm without consequence. So, as when he became General Mahamatra, it was important for him to not react on anger. He seems intimidating because of his expression, but he learns to control his feelings during a case. He cannot afford to be angry and make a mistake.

He feels the anger of scholars and eremites when he does his job, has dealt with anger from sages who do not like how he conducts himself, knows the anger from friends and family of convicted criminals; he knows anger like he knows the desert. It burns hot, unrelenting, and is merciless to people stuck on its path.

But, he knows how to navigate anger just as well. He is careful in every way he conducts himself, to deescalate situations and refrain from his own anger. Every move, even if not outwardly noticeable, is calculated.

Then, he meets Lisa. Lisa displays her annoyance and anger without much filter. She has flowery words and may not be as direct as Cyno, but she is honest. She doesn't shy away from declaring her anger. He watches her anger towards sages who have disregarded his wellbeing, at scholars who demean him, professors who disrespect him— even at Cyrus once. He can recognize the anger in her, but it isn't directed at him. How can he navigate something so foreign?

It keeps happening and it leaves him lost each time. Tighnari angrily bandaging criminals who curse Cyno's name and going as far as to threaten them, Kaveh quick to confront people who speak poorly of Cyno from rumors or otherwise, it just keeps happening. He once hears from one of the forest rangers that Collei reprimanded someone for claiming Cyno was a corrupt man after the events of the Archon Quest.

He does not hear all the stories and sometimes they come in the form of rumors. Dehya refuses to tell Cyno why they fight some eremites or sends a few scholars back unconscious, but it always returns to him in the form of whispers. Nilou nearly starts her own fights or people become socially outcast if she puts in a bad word. Faruzan is not above verbally attacking people for being stupid.

Candace and Al-Haitham's anger are not as obvious. Everyone else is a fire that burns, but theirs comes in the form of poison. It is slow and painful and destroys the deepest parts of someone. The chance of an antidote, of being saved, hovers over their heads as if it is within reach.

Candace interrogates people, uses the skills Cyno helped her practice, and leaves them fumbling when every answer they spilled is used to convict them. She tricks people until she gets answers, utilizing their doubts of the people they work with. Personal information given in a moment of weakness is used to drag answers out. Maybe she does not seem as scary as Cyno, but she is just as deadly. She is not above physical fights, either, if needed.

Unlike her habit of focusing on their professional life, Al-Haitham attacks every facet of them. People who submit stupid complaints about Cyno are publicly scorned. Each line is ripped apart with proof and logic until there is not even a question to doubt whether Cyno is deserving of the complaint. Al-Haitham looks into them and usually finds incriminating information. He singlehandedly has the power to destroy their reputation and their social life, and he is not above it when they anger him enough.

He's confused when he confronts them, not sure their intentions and they all are quick to brush it off as nothing he needs to worry about. It takes a while before conversations with Nahida and Cyrus helps him realize that their anger towards others is because they hurt him. It takes even longer for him to understand they don't like him hurt because they love him.

They love him and go out of their way to look out for him.

[Apr 15, 2023]

Cyno doesn’t cry easily or often. Even his closest friends have not seen him cry. Tighnari cradled him in his arms after Taj’s death, but his eyes remained completely dry.

The first time he cries, he doesn’t realize why it is happening. Al-Haitham says something, but in the rush of wind piercing his ears, Cyno can’t remember it clearly. He said something. It must've been important for the Acting Grand Sage to demand his time and presence. But, as Cyno stands with his vision going fuzzy around the edges, he can't seem to even form thoughts. The floor beneath him seems to wobble, his body floating in a cold haze—

Al-Haitham’s touch freezes his skin, his head lifting groggily, as if he will be able to make out anything. Apparently, the man calls out to the general repeatedly. Worriedly, Cyno’s mind supplies as his body jostles under the pressure against his shoulder. The full body tremors are enough to make his legs give out, as if made out of putty. He nearly hits the floor if not for Al-Haitham’s haste to catch him. He is crying by the time the other can steady them.

Cradled in the man’s warm embrace, the first tear trickles down his cheek slowly. It takes a few seconds before more continues to flow. (Al-Haitham never told anyone how tightly Cyno clung onto him. His hands trembled against the coat, but his strength was still second to none. Al-Haitham wouldn’t have been able to pull away, even if he tried. He didn’t want to, either. He just held Cyno tighter, held his motionless body closer as unrelenting tears flowed freely. He tried calling his name as if that would reach Cyno wherever his mind had wandered to. It didn’t, and Al-Haitham will probably never reveal the panic he felt.)

He is silent as he cries, his breathing barely changes. Al-Haitham strains to hear anything and if not for the fact Cyno’s chest rises and falls against Al-Haitham, he probably would’ve panicked. (He did. He really did despite what he told everyone. Even under Cyno’s scrutiny, he maintained a story where he was taken care of quickly. Only Nahida, the one who found them, knows differently.) Al-Haitham is careful as he holds Cyno’s hand to his chest, breathing out steadily in the hopes the man will follow his lead.

It takes a long time, maybe an hour or two, before Cyno comes back to reality. He whispers Al-Haitham’s name, the Acting Grand Sage quick to respond. But, that is it. Cyno’s eyes close and he passes out. If not for the tear stains, Al-Haitham would think Cyno is sleeping peacefully.

It happens a few more times. It is an overwhelming thing to be touched and held with such care. Still, at one point, Cyno finds himself dragging himself to the Grand Sage’s office after a particularly bad mission. He needs his entire body weight to manage to push the doors open, and he is welcomed by darkness.

It’s heavy, heavier than the weight of Al-Haitham’s arms. All he can manage is to tumble to the floor like a house of cards. Laying in the darkness, he can’t stop the thought of how the cold floor does not bring him the same comfort. But, if he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine the familiar feeling of the man he sought out.

Drifting into a land of dreams, he barely registers the nagging voice telling him that he must be forgetting something. But, it’s impossible to think as the lingering warmth he feels seeps out and onto the ceramic tiles, taking the last of his mind with it. His final, barely lucid thought, is a blasphemous prayer. It isn’t to the desert pantheon or to Lesser Lord Kusanali. Instead, he calls for a man who can't even hear him.

The next morning, Al-Haitham is rudely awakened early by Nahida’s demand. It is urgent and he isn't ready to start another insurrection. He knows their Archon does not call something an emergency lightly and there is an undeniable panic he feels when he hears her declare it because of Cyno. He is by Cyno’s bedside when Nahida fills him in on everything.

A scholar had been staying late in the House of Daena to prepare for a research paper. On her way out, extremely early in the morning, she found a trail of blood leading through the Akademiya. She was quick to call the matra and that is when they found Cyno on the floor. Aarav, Cyno’s second in command, was the one to find him and he was able to hide his status from everyone besides Nabil and Shohre

[Apr 18, 2023]

Cyno doesn't seek comfort in other people often. It's selfish to place that burden onto people he loves, often opting to take care of himself in the only way he can. He will choose to

[Apr 18, 2023]

Cyno Fic Idea: Time Travel AU

Cyno believes he is self-sufficient and content in his lonely life until he finds himself surrounded by people. Even before overthrowing the government, he had people who loved him. Cyrus, Lisa despite her distance, Tighnari, and Kaveh. Collei is an uncertain addition, bur he trusts they all care about him to a certain extent. Still, having friends is different from having allies.

He lost a lot in the wake of Azar's schemes, but he gains people who are more important. His Archon, Nahida, and an Acting Grand Sage who values his opinion, Al-Haitham. In the desert, he has Candace and Dehya. They are all reliable and he places value on their existence in his life.

[Apr 20, 2023]

Cyno Fic Idea: Soulmate AU

Summary:

Relationships:

Triggers:

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