Disaster - Chase The Mirage
pairing -> Cyno x Adventurer!Reader x Tighnari; poly
word count -> 2,490 words
themes -> injury, healing, angst with comfort, disliking scars
(masterlist) (next) Two Akademiya giants, infatuated and hooked to a simple adventurer from the Adventurer’s Guild. But their love is powerless in comparison to the danger you face daily.
It started off as any other normal day, and that was why Tighnari wasn't expecting anything.
There were no Withering emergencies he had to tend to, no adventurer dumb enough to bite another mushroom, no incidents in the patrol routes he'd assigned.
It was so peaceful and pleasant, so much so that when the rain suddenly poured as expected of the forest's unpredictable weather, it didn't bother him.
He embraced the petrichor, gazed at the droplets hitting his face like a soothing massage from nature. In the middle of Ghandarva Ville under the sky's shower, he had found peace with himself.
Which is why when his ears picked up the sound of familiar footsteps and saw the approach of his cloaked lover, he gave it no deeper thought, even throwing a smile.
It only fell when Cyno didn't smile back.
That was his first sign, and when the hairs on the back of his neck all stood, each warning became apparent from focus.
The persistent stench of something metallic despite no signs of injury on Cyno, the way his eyes were darkened even after he had pulled down his hood, and the last evidence he needed was the red stains under the general's nails.
He reads the singular word that moved his lips for the rain (and the ringing in his ears) blocked his ability to hear.
"Bismartan."
And he fled without waiting for him to follow.
It was only when he saw your unconscious form surrounded by doctors and healers did Cyno gave him the liberty of the truth.
There was a commission in the desert that you accepted, to accompany a Fontaine merchant group through the desert. At one point of the relatively safe journey, the caravan had to detour upon the sight of camping Eremites.
Past the ruin golem in the Valley of Dahri.
A child of a merchant couple strayed too far from the path in hopes of getting a closer view of the Khaenri'ah technology, and the moment he was in the vicinity, the golem identified its target and shot. In that moment, you pushed the kid out of golem's area of reach.
If not for the fact that he was stationed by Caravan Ribat by that time, he wouldn't have heard the full story.
He remembers seeing the caravan scrambling through the entryway, one merchant cradling a body covered in cloth, in a color that failed to hide the red seeping through. The commotion caused the Corps of Thirty and his entourage to check up on them.
"Please, where is the nearest hospital?! We're in an emergency!"
"What happened here? You don't look like you're from around here, and Bismartan is hours away."
The moment he lifted the cloth to see the damage, everything around him seized to exist.
He was shouting orders, taking you in his arms the next, and soon he found himself sprinting through the forest with the fastest merchant trying to catch up.
"I'm sorry." Tighnari's ears twitched, slowly raising his head from looking at the floor to Cyno.
"What are you saying sorry for?" But he knew why, he knew better than anyone.
You were in the desert, Cyno's territory. Long ago they've had an agreement to keep you safe whenever you crossed either of their territories, to look out for you when the other couldn't.
"For not being there." Looking ahead, the sound of the doctors and nurses scrambling inside became clearer, your breathing too if he would focus. Tighnari wanted to comfort Cyno, but right now all he wants is to close his eyes and forget everything.
Forget this reality.
Forget the world that dared to hurt you.
"It's not your fault."
But he desperately wants to blame someone.
A week had gone by before the doctors finally allowed Tighnari's insistence to discharge you for him to take care of in Ghandarva Ville. While you're not in critical condition anymore, you were still resting 24/7 due to the medicine sedating you.
The forest ranger felt more at ease having you near for him to tend to than to check up on you everyday, trekking through the forests just to reach Bismartan. In the comforts of his home, as he lays you on his bed where you'll be staying for the duration of your stay, he sighs a relief.
"Will they... be okay?"
Cyno turns away from the sight to look at the person peering through the entrance shyly, urging Collei to get inside after getting permission from the general. There they stood side by side, a respectable distance from where Tighnari was silently stroking your bandaged hand.
"They'll be okay." With a shaky sigh, he closed his eyes.
It isn't long before Ghandarva Ville fell into a new routine during your period of rest. Even tho Tighnari made himself as available as he could be, the forest rangers knew he would rather be in the headquarters than outside doing mindless patrols.
Rangers took more tasks, watchers started leading more, and Tighnari's workload easing up. Everyone can feel the unrest in the village but none dared speak up about it, not wanting to sour their chief's already stale mood. They can see it in the way his ears droop, his eyes twitch, his sighs ever so loud.
No matter how much he tries to deny it, he was teethering on the edge of sanity, irritable more than usual.
Cyno, the General Mahamatra, had also been sighted frequently. Unlike before when he'd only visit for important matters or for dinner, this time he was more present than ever before. Half of his time would be used to stay by the village with Collei, assisting in whatever way he could.
Rangers had the rare chance to witness Cyno clearing a Withering Zone by himself, and the many miracles after of him tending to forest ranger work. It wasn't long before they realized his intentions. He was taking up a part of his lover's work so he can focus on nursing you back to health.
Sometimes, if they don't see Cyno, it would be Tighnari out and about to keep the forest rangers together.
But after an incident where the Akademiya paid him visit on a day he was at his limit, the rangers started to appreciate Cyno's presence more when they watched their head forest watcher bare his teeth in warning.
Collei had also been pushing herself to her limits yet carefully maneuvering herself to not overwork to the point of bed rest. This wasn't her first time taking charge for Tighnari, but this was a time that she was needed the most.
Perhaps it was because she knew Master Tighnari and Lord Cyno best, knew that they needed the support more than anything, that she would go to great lengths to be there for them. Collei would be seen entering and exiting Tighnari's hut the most, either to fetch something or to send the reports the others may have.
Every time she leaves their head's dwelling, she would look a little nervous. But Collei would always shake her head and pat her cheeks, the determination quickly brightening her violet eyes as she walks away to her destination.
"This is the third time this week."
Cyno sighed after making sure you were sound asleep once again. Tighnari only sighed by his desk before his hand crumples up the letter he was writing.
The people of Sumeru do not dream, but despite hailing from a foreign land, nightmares won't stop plaguing your sleep. It was only recent that you've become more acquainted with the waking world due to the lowering of your dosage. And after a month, the trauma of the incident still follows you where they couldn't be of help.
Leaving a kiss to your forehead, Cyno made his way over to Tighnari who was starting a new letter.
"You've been here for too long." Leave it to the forest ranger to put things so bluntly. Even if Cyno knew he meant to talk about how he's needed by the Matra sooner than later, it still pained him.
"They can wait, (Y/N) needs us." His hand lands on his lover's shoulder, lightly squeezing it. "And so do you."
The quill in his hand fell from his grip, tainting the unfinished letter and the extra parchment underneath with dark splotches of ink. Tighnari can't even begin to describe what he's feeling right now but he knows he's been scared this whole time, something that Cyno had picked up long ago.
"I can't - I can't finish this letter." Cyno was quick to hold his trembling hand, squeezing it with reassurance before pulling him off the chair for a quick hug.
"I'll take care of it, go rest, I can see the bags under your eyes even in this lighting."
Only when he saw the forest watcher take his spot next to your resting form did he finally turn back towards the ruined table, cleaning up the mess, and picking up the quill. Hearing the soft snores of another did he finally sigh out heavily.
"I'm not sure if I could finish this either." But he starts the first stroke anyways, trying his best to steady his writing hand.
'Dear Uncle Cyrus,
may this letter find you well. There's something that you need to know...'
You can't help the shiver that wracks your entire body despite the fact that you've dealt with this everyday now. And every time, whoever it was between your lovers that spreads the cold aloe vera on your burns, would pause and ask if you were alright.
"I'm okay." You try your best to reassure them with a smile, but they would simply sigh and go back to spreading the balm.
It was like you woke up in a new world where your lovers were replaced. And while you'll never know what had transpired in the day of the accident and the period following up to your consciousness, it was undeniable that the damage wasn't just on you.
The critical injuries were tended to thanks to the vision wielder healers of Bismartan, yet the fact that almost every inch of your body was covered with bandages was testament that you didn't exactly escape scot-free.
Collei would look at the bandages with distant recognition, before assuring you with a bounced back smile that things will get better.
It will get better, it's just a matter of when.
Not just for your body, for yourself, for the itch of adventure - no. Slowly sitting up from your spot on the bed, your gaze wanders to the sleeping faces of your boyfriends. As gently as you could, you cup their cheeks to stroke at the darkening circles under their eyes.
They look so exhausted. Maybe more than you. Who knows what they've been through while you were gone?
"Don't worry about us, focus on your own recovery."
For every pain that shot through your body, there would always be a soothing presence by your side.
For every trip or stumble, a guiding hand immediately steadies you.
So you try your best to smile through it, anything to give back and reassure your lovers that things are going as well as they could. That the nightmares don't bother you, that the uneventful days doesn't eat away at your sanity.
But Cyno and Tighnari are your lovers for a reason.
As you stand in front of the full body mirror, bandages removed to be replaced soon, they do not miss the way your eyes linger on every glaring red patch of skin. Look so distant as your eyes roamed your form riddled with the scars of your sacrifice.
Do you regret your decisions?
As Cyno urges you away to shower, Tighnari picks up the mirror to tuck it away in a corner that you won't have to see.
And then one morning, as you were stretching by Ghandarva Ville with Collei to get rid of your bed cramps and for her to alleviate her Eleazar, familiar visitors passed by looking for you.
You willed yourself to breathe as you watched the Fontaine kid hesitantly take steps towards you, eyes unwilling to meet yours but still trying his best to brave the distance. Cyno and Tighnari weren't there at that time, weren't there when the parents of the kid you saved came all this way to thank you.
"We wanted to thank you for saving our child that day, but we weren't sure where to find you until recently."
How you didn't see this before when he was definitely smaller baffled you, but you were surprised when the kid pulled out a bouquet of pink tulips from behind him. "Thank you for saving me, and I'm also very sorry..."
Get well soon, taking the flowers in your arms, you knelt down to be at eye level with the child. He was pulling the beret down to hide his face which made you smile.
"Thank you, I'm glad you're not hurt." When you do catch a glimpse of his stare, you followed it to a scar on your arm formed by a cut from flying debris. "Those are my battle scars."
"Huh?" Thankfully it was fully healed and in the scarring phase. Pulling your sleeves to show the scar, you traced the discoloration almost lovingly.
"Adventurers always take on dangers to help people, did you know that?" The way his hair bounced as he shook his head yes was endearing. "We get scars all the time, and this one right here, is my scar for successfully saving you. This is proof of me doing a good job and I'm proud of it."
Smiling at the kid, you ruffled his hair with the beret, his mood brightening at your words. More words were exchanged as you asked the boy to be more careful, and to stay safe now that they're leaving Sumeru for another region.
Cyno and Tighnari were surprised to see you outside and waving at someone in the distance, a fulfilled smile on your face as you hugged the bouquet tightly, the dark blue beret on your head almost slipping off.
"And where do you think you're going?"
You had just finished tying your boots up when Tighnari came in the hut, staring at your green and white uniform with obvious distaste. When you reached for the beret instead of the standard adventurer's hat however, it was swept away by Cyno and out of your reach.
"Hey, I need that!"
"Just because you're fully recovered doesn't mean you can go straight back to work." Confused, you heard the shutters of the hut close as Cyno pulls your tie loose. "What if you're not fit to work yet?"
"But you've been monitoring me for a week now, I'm in good condition! H-Hey, wait a minute-!"
The next day, Collei watched you exit Tighnari's hut with shaky legs, huffing and groaning about the soreness preventing you from doing commissions.
You're not fit to work yet, it seems. Especially when your boyfriends now have the liberty to be as clingy as possible.
I'll be honest with you, I had no idea where this was going. But also fun fact, this chapter was referenced in the first one!
@ireallylikehamsters