Five times someone from the Akademiya thought Alhaitham and Kaveh were dating

5: General Mahamatra Cyno

Despite the generous gift of a new, supposedly more comfortable, office chair from Taj and the rest of the Matra, Cyno is never comfortable in his Akademiya office.

The least-favourite part of his job is filling out the endless mountain of paperwork that comes with every apprehended scholar. Copies upon copies detailing the arrests only to be told by Grand Sage Azar that his reports are too detailed and to simply state the facts.

A yawn overtakes Cyno and he looks up towards the small window that looks out over the Akademiya stairway, already knowing that he'll find that the sun is setting. Fortunately, he only has two more forms to fill out.

Cyno smiles. If he can finish them in the next half hour, he should still be able to make it to Gandharva Ville for dinner.

***

He finds Kaveh mumbling to himself incoherently in front of the Puspa Café signboard on his way out of the city. The Kshahrewar adjunct lecturer is pacing back and forth, pen in hand, before he yells and scribbles something onto the sign with a manic smile.

It's not unusual for Kaveh but his actions are visibly disturbing passers-by in the area, so Cyno walks up behind him and clears his throat.

"Kaveh."

"What are you doing here, Cyno?" Kaveh jumps as he says this but it's almost delayed, as if the act of jumping in response to being startled by Cyno was planned rather than a genuine reaction.

"I am on my way to Gandharva Ville to check up on one of my charges," Cyno says.

Collei is his only charge but Cyno knows Kaveh won't pay all that much attention to what Cyno is saying when the architect is in a mood like this.

Blinking rapidly, Kaveh nods and tucks his pen into his trousers pocket. "Would Tighnari mind if he had to feed one more? Alhaitham is driving me completely mad and I need a night away from his tasteless behaviour."

Cyno frowns. He doesn't mind Kaveh, but he's not spent nearly enough time with Kaveh that the artist should feel like he can invite himself to what is clearly a private dinner so easily. Unfortunately, he knows that Tighnari would be disappointed if he didn't invite Kaveh along once asked. Kaveh had been one of Tighnari's lecturers for an elective once, and the architect had asked for Tighnari's help in choosing plants for the Palace of Alcazarzaray. The two must have developed some type of friendly rapport over it.

"It's fine with me," he says.

Kaveh immediately brightens and falls into step with Cyno, chattering away about something that Cyno tunes out immediately.

Fortunately, Kaveh doesn't seem to mind or notice his lack of interest.

***

Once Collei has Tighnari wraps his arms around Cyno and rests his head on Cyno's shoulder. His breath is warm against Cyno's neck.

"You're sweaty," Tighnari says with a disapproving sniff, releasing Cyno after pressing a small kiss just underneath his ear. "And you brought a surprise guest."

Removing his hood, Cyno sits down on the small cot at the Gandharva Ville Rangers' Station and sighs. "He is difficult to say 'no' to."

Tighnari laughs loudly. "Well, Collei should keep him entertained for the time being and we always have extras."

The pot in front of Tighnari bubbles loudly as Tighnari carefully adds mushroom slices to the hot broth. Cyno closes his eyes and breathes deeply.

"We don't know each other all that well," Tighnari muses, stirring the mushrooms slowly. "I wonder if something is wrong."