ALIBI! | oneshots

MY BABY, HERE ON EARTH - CYNO

LAE'S DRABBLE!

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— "MY BABY, HERE ON EARTH, SHOWED ME WHAT MY HEART WAS WORTH." -- MITSKI
— CONTAINS: FLUFF, SLIGHT ANGST, HURT/COMFORT
— CYNO X READER
— GENSHIN IMPACT
— NON-CANONICAL MATERIAL!

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Sumerian nights were never silent, the air always filled with the frequent chirping of insects, the howls of animals, and the rushing of a few tumbleweeds.

Not even those who lived in the desert were able to escape this; Cyno found himself stirring as he laid upon the makeshift mattress he'd set up in his tent. On the other hand, you slept peacefully under your thin blankets--situated on the other side of the tent. He couldn't blame you, the sheer amount of investigating and wandering the two of you had done over the course of the day was bound to tire you out at some point. He just couldn't quite comprehend why he'd been stationed to a post in the middle of the desert with you--a rookie.

Perhaps it wasn't the animals of the night that kept him awake, rather his racing thoughts were to blame. As one of the highest ranking officers in Sumeru, he was used to the dark hours of the night he'd spent fearful and in wait. The role itself put a large target on his head to those who seeked the Akademiya's demise, and the thought of dragging someobe he'd lately grew fond of into the mess did little to soothe his mind.

He snatched his staff that he'd left on the floor and stumbled out of the tent, reflecting on the interactions you'd both shared. Whether it was the lingering stares or the moments of physical contact that lasted for a few moments too long, he knew undoubtedly that the very thought of you had him stuttering over words and threw him into a flustered state.

It'd do my mind best if I stood guard for tonight. Coming to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be sleeping, he pried his eyes open and planted them onto the scenery in front of him. The desert ahead was clear and lacked inhabitants, save for the few stray, nocturnal bugs that wandered the sandy grounds at night.

Why do I feel the need to do this? He inwardly groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He wasn't quite sure why he'd grown so infatuated with you, his best explanation being your demeanor and how eloquent you were, but something about you just grabbed at his attention and refused to let it go.

Even as fatigue began tugging down at his limbs and begged him to rest, Cyno forced his eyes open and remained stationary at the opening of the tent. He contemplated wandering out and finding some eremites to beat up so he'd be more awake and attentive, before remembering that he'd need to leave his spot and leave you vulnerable. With one peek into the tent and a good look at your serene, sleeping expression, he decided against it.

Cyno didn't know how much time he'd spent standing guard by the time he heard your meek voice emerging from the tent. "General?" You croaked, peering out of the white fabric of the tent. "Why are you awake?"

"I believe I'm the one who's entitled to ask that question." He replied, keeping his eyes trained on terrain ahead of him. You mentally took note of his tightened grip on his spear, his knuckles a paler hue, and how closely he held it to himself. "It's late. A little past midnight, from what the moon's position is."

You moved to stand next to him, attempting to find what he was so focused on before giving up. "If anything, you need sleep more than I do."