His Gaze

Chapter VI: Expression

Over time, researchers have come to shrink away from Cyno in silence whenever they so much as see him, wanting to have nothing to do with him.
But the General Mahamatra is hardly bothered by such things.
There's more important things to have his mind occupied off, and he wouldn't let anything or anyone bother him.
Maybe.
Oh how could that possibly be.
The fierce, scary, and intimidating General Mahamatra falling in love with a petite dancer of Zubayr Theatre, who would've thought?
He didn't enjoy the feeling itself, as his mind would drift to the thought of the red haired every passing moment.

Did Nilou got home safely?
Is she getting scammed again?
What did she have for dinner today?
Is she practicing her dances at the desert again?
But one thing was for sure;

Cyno likes Nilou.
No, 'like' is an understatement.
Cyno likes other things too.
He likes playing TCG cards, he likes making humourless jokes, he also likes hanging out with his companions.
But Nilou?
He can't say that he simply likes her.

Though 'love' is also an overstatement.
He can't say he loves her either.
He's processing, and he hasn't fully comprehended such feelings.
He has never felt this way, and he doesn't enjoy it.
But he's falling.

To like someone, to appreciate their presence.
He is falling in love.

"Darling?"

...
"What?"

"Darling! What about that as the cat's name?"

"..Oh, you meant... yeah, that's a good name."
Cyno stammered, he was caught off guard by the sudden word spoken out by the red haired.
He's gone so hopeless, what happened to the intimidating, serious, General Mahamatra Cyno?

The girl gives the cat a few belly rubs while chatting with the man beside him.
He's.. awfully quiet. Nilou thought.
She does not dare to speak as he might be in a bad mood. After all, she was the one who pestered him to come and help her with a cat stuck on a roof.
Cyno noticed the dancer's disturbed demeanour, and so he speaks.
"Nilou."

Startled, "Yes..?"

"What do cats look for in a significant other?"

"What??"

"A great purrsonality."

. . .

Nilou tilts her head in confusion as Cyno continues.
"The joke is that cats look for a great personality in a partner, but when I said personality, I changed the 'per' into 'purr'; which is what cats do. They purr. It's a pun."

The girl took a second to process, immediately cracking a chuckle afterwards.
"Ahahah.. a cat pun? Seriously??"
"You never fail to surprise me with your jokes.."

"Do you like them?"

"Of course! They're confusing but.. once I understand it, it's funny!"

She smiles.
He follows.

"...You smiled!"
"So you are capable of smiling!"

"..Who said I wasn't..?"

"You smiled!!!"
"Do that again!"

"No."

"Please??"

"No."