WRITER’S NOTE:

These short stories are written in unison between Tashi (@khian.bsky.social) & I. The style of writing is RP and sectioned as such. Cayto is written by Tashi, and Lohkri is written by me, Cillian.

Tashi/Cayto: 💜

Cillian/Lohkri: 🧡

Rating: M 🔞 (NSFW AHEAD!)

🧡🧡

Winter was still rather prevalent in Sharlayan. Even with spring just right around the corner, snowflakes gently fell from the bright, grey sky, blanketing the ground in a soft powder while the street lamps started to turn on and caress the walkways with their tender glow. The minutes in these wintry days still felt short, the light in the sky slowly turning to a silent dusk, but it hadn't perturbed a particular desert cat from venturing out and finishing his errands. There was usually so much hustle and bustle this time of day in the city of knowledge, but during these off season months, the seeker quite enjoyed the eerie quiet the snow brought to the streets. The comforting silence opened his mind to idle thoughts, and a strange peace that he wouldn't have gotten while still living in Ul'dah.

Lohkri flicked his ears this way and that to knock off any flecks of snow that was building up on them, forgetting to wear his hat to keep them warm and protected from the cold precipitation. The longer he dwelled here in the scholarly city, the more he had gotten used to the lower temperatures and overcast skies. He was on his way home from returning a few books he had checked out of the Noumenon, deciding to make a pit stop by the Last Stand to get himself and his partner a seasonal flavored coffee, mixed with peppermint and vanilla and caramel, hoping Cayto would like it. The viper looked rather cute standing there at the stall waiting for his order in his thick rust colored coat, gloved hands in his pockets, and his ears folded back slightly as the wind picked up and bit at his red cheeks.

With drinks in tow, Lohkri made his way back to Cayto's apartment, pushed open the front door, and set the two coffees on the entrance table so he could take off his shoes and damp coat. His hair was a bit wet and disheveled from the wind and snow, shaking his head to rid himself of any lingering snowflakes clinging to his ears. The viper had a small bag strapped to his back that contained new books, as well as his noulithes, since he'd been attempting to learn more about magic. The tutor lessons had really helped him improve his reading and writing, and the little desert rat was beginning to show a larger appreciation for the academics. Much to his own surprise. He was denied this living in the tribe down in the Forgotten Springs. And now, after living here for so many months with Cayto, he realizes how much he's truly missed. A proper education. Not that what he learned in the tribe and his culture meant less to him, that is.

"I'm home!" Lohkri shouts in the hallway to gauge where his partner may be, picking up the drinks and walking into the kitchen to glance around. Perhaps he's downstairs working still. It was almost dinner time and he was starting to get rather hungry. However, as he placed their coffees on the dining table, Lohkri's eyes caught a closed book on the other side of table where Cayto usually sat. It read: "White & Black: The Redmage." It piqued his interest, but the seeker didn't think anything of it and just took a few sips of his delicious, very sugary coffee.

💜💜

No Cayto in the kitchen, indeed. But it seems that the mage had at least already made some preparations for dinner. A covered bowl with already chopped vegetables was waiting on the counter and a pot with popotoes was ready to be heated on the stove.

Lohkri very likely has gleaned already that Cayto likes his routines and that includes the times for lunch and dinner. Of course he sometimes also just ate when he was hungry or had to adjust regarding both of their jobs and lessons. But whenever possible Cayto prefers to stick to his times for things like that.

“Give me 5 minutes. You can already start heating the popotoes if you’re hungry.” Came from downstairs but barely audible because Cayto wasn’t fond of screaming through the house. As so often, his studies must be keeping him from just going upstairs as if he was glued to his desk or bookshelves. Sometimes Lohkri had to come down and remind him that he had worked enough today. In a way, Cayto was thankful for that because ever so often time was an unimportant factor to him until his body told him it needed rest or sleep.

The mage had gotten better at also spending more time with Lohkri instead of his studies. But today he wanted to finish this book about mages in Tural. This far away continent where he heard the Warrior of Light had business currently. Even took a ship from Sharlayan to that destination. Of course, every foreign culture interests Cayto in the aspect of possible leads to his infliction.