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.

With Cayto’s and Lohkri’s contract coming to a close after five long months they have worked together, the viper/mage duo make their way to one last temple on their list in Thanalan’s unrelenting heat, in hopes of figuring out how to cure Cayto’s magical affliction. Things don’t go as planned, tensions and emotions start to run high, and the two Miqo’te finally start to come to terms with their feelings for one another.

Tashi/Cayto: 💜

Cillian/Lohkri: 🧡

Rating: T

🧡🧡

"Hmph," was all he could muster when Cayto told him to stay away from the candles, but his small grin didn't falter. As soon as the Keeper closed the door behind him and went to go procure some food for them, Lohkri very slowly rose to his feet. He was a bit wobbly at first, but widened his stance to ensure his balance was stable. What made it difficult was the pounding headache that still plagued him and the pain in his chest. The wound on his thigh stung only a little bit but otherwise it wasn't the main cause of his discomfort.

The viper sighed to himself, looked around the room, and noticed Cayto didn't even take his staff with him. Strange that he wouldn't. Before, that thing would stay strapped to him at all times, even when they stayed at other inns. Across the room there was a wash basin and a small mirror behind it. Slowly, he made his way over to it, the pace in his gait uneven and very sluggish, but it felt good to get up even for just a few minutes.

Lohkri pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it over to their other belongings, leaning over and gripping the ledge of the wash basin, peering at himself in the mirror. He looked like utter shite. The Seeker just kind of stood there for a long moment, contemplating everything that had happened, including the conversation he had with Cayto minutes ago. His thoughts wandered back to how upset the mage got, raising his voice at him to make a point that it clearly scared the crap out of him what happened to the viper in that temple. He still felt awful about it all. But Lohkri has never seen Cayto like this before. He makes the mage happy? It made Cayto happy that he looked up to him so much? That people could like him.

Does he truly like me...?

The hesitance, yet softness and emotion that Cayto portrayed in his words made him really think on it. But Lohkri couldn't tell if he was reading it wrong. This gave him cause to hope that perhaps there was something more going on between them. He really couldn't tell though. Cayto was as difficult to decipher as that riddle in the king's cave. It made him sigh, throwing a linen cloth into the water, then wringing it out so he could at least wipe his face and his torso so he was less of a mess when Cayto got back. He needed a bath badly. But not while he had this still fresh wound on his leg.

Once he was done wiping himself down as best as he could, grunting and growling in the process still from the pain, Lohkri looked down at the said wound. He truly wondered how in the hells Cayto managed to get this neatly wrapped while he was still in his smalls, considering the position of the wound. The more he thought on it, the more he began to feel his cheeks heat up, now realizing he's seen him in such a vulnerable state. The bandages looked as if they didn't quite need a changing yet, but soon more like. The viper went over to his stuff on the other side of the room and fished out some looser shorts so he was less indisposed around his traveling companion.