||SMUT|| One Night Stand (CynoxAlhaitham, AlhaithamxKaveh)

TCG Night

"Alright, it seems I've won again," Alhaitham announced, laying down his cards with a quiet confidence. His gaze was steady, his expression unreadable. "Pay up."

Cyno groaned and, with a reluctant push, slid a leather bag of mora across the table. "This losing streak is killing me," he muttered, resting his chin on his hands. His silver bangs bounced with the motion, brushing against his eyes. He swatted them aside in frustration but they stubbornly fell back.

"Oh?" Alhaitham raised an eyebrow, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a sip. "Unusual for you to lose so easily. Perhaps we should raise the stakes. Keep things interesting." His eyes flicked toward Cyno, probing. "Why are we here anyway? A private meeting, just the two of us? Without Tighnari or Kaveh?" He set the glass down and leaned back. "I'm flattered, Cyno, but this doesn't feel like your style."

Cyno hesitated, fingers idly shuffling through his deck, the cards a distraction. "I'll admit," he said, voice softer than usual, "I came with... ulterior motives."

Alhaitham's eyebrow arched higher, intrigued. "I assumed as much," he said dryly. "Out with it."

Cyno's gaze dropped, settling on Alhaitham's chest as he twirled a lock of his silver hair between his fingers. His mind raced, searching for the right words. "So?" Alhaitham's voice cut through his thoughts, impatient.

"How about one more round," Cyno suggested, swallowing nervously. "The winner... gets to top the loser." His voice trembled slightly, but he met Alhaitham's eyes.

For a split second, surprise flashed across Alhaitham's face before it melted into something far more calculating. His lips curled into a smug smile. "I don't oppose."

Cyno's cheeks warmed, but he kept his face composed. Alhaitham, of course, could sense the spark of excitement. Without a word, Cyno retrieved his best deck, the same cocky grin now mirrored on his own face. "Glad to see you're on board." He extended his hand, and Alhaitham shook it, their eyes locked in silent challenge.

"Play, set, and win!" Cyno declared, standing up with a triumphant laugh. "I knew if I held back earlier, you'd underestimate my final hand."

Alhaitham's jaw tightened, but he forced himself to remain composed. "You think I didn't notice?" he muttered, though Cyno's victory was undeniable. The General sat back down, crossing his arms with a smug expression of his own.

"Well then," Cyno said, feigning nonchalance as he coughed into his fist. "I know a decent hotel nearby."

Alhaitham groaned and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple as if weighing his options. "Not like I have a choice now, do I?"

After settling the bill, the two stood and left the bar. Alhaitham followed a step behind Cyno, a strange smile playing on his lips. It didn't go unnoticed.

"You're planning something," Cyno said, glancing over his shoulder.

The smile vanished, replaced by Alhaitham's usual unreadable expression. "Concern yourself with what comes after," he said, his voice low and steady, laced with a quiet threat.

Cyno didn't flinch. He was used to that cold gaze, the calculating tone. If anything, it only made the anticipation grow.