[ Cipher will never admit to how her heart squeezed upon finding the gifts. Nor will she speak a word of the way her lip trembled until she had to bite it to stop herself from smiling. Idiot. Moron. Maybe she's growing soft.
The flowers are in a vase, tucked away and safe in her room, and when she finds Phainon next (wherever he may be. even if he's in his room, she'll still saunter in uninvited. old habits die hard; she's never had to knock before, why would she now?) she's clutching the cat plush to her chest. ]
[ Phainon doesn’t expect to see Cipher waltz into his apartment and go straight to punching him, but maybe he should have (even if it doesn’t hurt that much).
He deserves it, and he knows that. Their argument had been stupid, and all because of his own self-doubt and pathetic thoughts. There’s no reason for him to have been so blunt to her, and he does regret it. Rubbing his arm, pretending it’s more sore than it is, he tries to hide his smile as much as he can. ]
[ Cipher's face scrunches up, and she hits him again. This time, it's less of a punch and more like the balled up fist of a child throwing a tantrum. It's barely a smack. ]
Don't. And listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once. [ She looks to the ground, her voice small. ] I'm sorry, too.
[ Their argument had been stupid, but Phainon doesn't need to place so much blame for it on himself like he always does. Cipher was just as blunt. Rude. Stubborn. She blew up on him for something that wasn't even his fault. ]
[ Reaching out, he moves closer, drawing her into his arms.
This isn't something they did, really. Not in this cycle, or many of the millions that came before. Cipher kept her distance for what she felt was a good reason, and he recognised that. It doesn't mean he doesn't want to do it.
[ Cipher lets herself be drawn in, doesn't resist. It's unusual for them, sure, but it's not unwanted on her part either.
It takes her a moment to reciprocate, but she eventually does. Her arms sling around his waist with the cat plush still tight in her hold, now held against Phainon's back. She breathes into his chest, sinks into his warmth. ]
Had to make sure you knew this little one made it home safe.
[ Phainon's hand ends up settling on the small of her back, the other hooking around his fingers to he can keep holding her close. It's gentle, soft, and he feels so much better for having repaired this little rift between them.
It was such a stupid argument. All of this has been stupid. He and Mydeimos are fine now, so doing the same with Cipher makes him feel more grounded. More settled. It's a positive he can't ignore.
[ They're fine. They're fine. Cipher is sure she'll get frustrated with Phainon again, because that's just her relationship of respect and one-sided jealousy with him, but she knows better now how to navigate it. She won't take it out on him.
At least not by arguing. She will still tease him. ]
Not yet. Genius takes time!
[ Cipher shifts. She props her chin up on his chest to look at him. ]
[ The problem is that Cipher can see through lies better than anyone he’ll ever know. Phainon can lie to himself as much as he wants, but he won’t be able to lie to her. She’ll see through to the heart of him and call him out every time, and he can’t avoid it.
Even if he needs to, for his own sanity.
Lifting his hand, he pets at her hair absently, smiling down at her and keeping his other arm tight. ]
My heart is wounded. [ But her laughter is nice, and Phainon can feel himself relaxing a little, softer around the edges.
It’s comforting, feeling some of his tension and anxiety bleed out and away. He can put aside the Deliverer for a moment, try to be whoever Phainon is underneath.
Scratching her head absently, he grins. ]
Will you tolerate my cooking, or should I ask for something to be delivered?
[ Uh oh. Cipher is not immune to head scratches, as was obvious from their initial reunion. The sensation lulls her into a relaxed smile. Her eyes close.
For a moment, anyway. They snap back open because - ]
Your cooking?? [ She assumed Mydei did all the cooking. ] Now that would be a treat. Just remember that I'm a carnivore, okay??
[ She grins, all teeth, her canines glinting. Please don't feed her a salad. ]
[ Who do you think he is, he thinks... As he reassesses in his head and has to make sure that he makes a meatier salad than he had intended, his fingers petting at her as he thinks. It'll be fine, they have enough in the apartment right now, and Mydeimos won't mind at all.
[ She thinks he's a guy who only knows how to make rabbit food. ]
Is that okay?
[ It's markedly unusual for her to ask when he's probably come home to her already lounging on the couch or in a sunspot uninvited. She's mot even sure why she's asking... maybe because she actually does want to.
She tightens her hold just a smidge, telling on herself. ]
[ She's been told that before, and still ruined it every time. She'll try not to this time.
Cipher swallows the little sound of relief (and gratitude, and anxiety, and a billion other emotions she can't name) that tries to escape her, but does nothing to quiet the purr that rolls from her chest. ]
Sappy. Yuck.
[ She returns to her original position, with her cheek resting on Phainon's chest. ]
[ The purr is sweet, and very endearing. Phainon has to do his best not to get too soft about it, knowing the edge that’ll bring back to Cipher. Instead, he squeezes her a little tighter, his one arm still comfortably looped around her as the other stays in her hair.
After all these lifetimes and all those cycles…
Has he ever embraced her before now…?
It makes him swallow. ]
You can take my bed, and I’ll have the sofa. It’ll be no problem.
[ And, maybe it's this place that compels her to do what she does next, because she normally wouldn't: Cipher leans up and kisses Phainon's cheek. Just his cheek, nowhere near his lips, but it's still more affectionate than she's ever been with him before.
Then she pats the same spot and pulls off. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. ]
He thinks back over his lifetimes, the cycles that haunt his every waking step, trying to remember if he and Cipher were anything like this before. It's hard to parse through them all, to ignore the cries of loss and the deaths of his friends, but... He doesn't think so.
It makes him blink, but then he smiles, nodding his head. ]
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a response
Date: 2026-01-28 04:00 am (UTC)The flowers are in a vase, tucked away and safe in her room, and when she finds Phainon next (wherever he may be. even if he's in his room, she'll still saunter in uninvited. old habits die hard; she's never had to knock before, why would she now?) she's clutching the cat plush to her chest. ]
Hey.
[ And then she punches his bicep. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-01-28 10:07 am (UTC)He deserves it, and he knows that. Their argument had been stupid, and all because of his own self-doubt and pathetic thoughts. There’s no reason for him to have been so blunt to her, and he does regret it. Rubbing his arm, pretending it’s more sore than it is, he tries to hide his smile as much as he can. ]
Good afternoon, Cipher. It’s so good to see you.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-29 12:05 am (UTC)Don't. And listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once. [ She looks to the ground, her voice small. ] I'm sorry, too.
[ Their argument had been stupid, but Phainon doesn't need to place so much blame for it on himself like he always does. Cipher was just as blunt. Rude. Stubborn. She blew up on him for something that wasn't even his fault. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-01-29 06:14 pm (UTC)[ Reaching out, he moves closer, drawing her into his arms.
This isn't something they did, really. Not in this cycle, or many of the millions that came before. Cipher kept her distance for what she felt was a good reason, and he recognised that. It doesn't mean he doesn't want to do it.
Carefully, he rests his chin on her head. ]
I'm glad you came.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-30 03:07 am (UTC)It takes her a moment to reciprocate, but she eventually does. Her arms sling around his waist with the cat plush still tight in her hold, now held against Phainon's back. She breathes into his chest, sinks into his warmth. ]
Had to make sure you knew this little one made it home safe.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-30 06:52 pm (UTC)It was such a stupid argument. All of this has been stupid. He and Mydeimos are fine now, so doing the same with Cipher makes him feel more grounded. More settled. It's a positive he can't ignore.
Breathing out, he smiles. ]
Have you given them a name yet?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-01 11:14 pm (UTC)At least not by arguing. She will still tease him. ]
Not yet. Genius takes time!
[ Cipher shifts. She props her chin up on his chest to look at him. ]
You have any ideas?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-01 11:17 pm (UTC)Even if he needs to, for his own sanity.
Lifting his hand, he pets at her hair absently, smiling down at her and keeping his other arm tight. ]
You’re asking me? I’m no genius.
[ A soft hum. ]
We can brainstorm over dinner.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-01 11:55 pm (UTC)But I won't say no to dinner! Your treat, of course~ [ They don't have to worry about paying here, but it's habit. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 10:45 am (UTC)It’s comforting, feeling some of his tension and anxiety bleed out and away. He can put aside the Deliverer for a moment, try to be whoever Phainon is underneath.
Scratching her head absently, he grins. ]
Will you tolerate my cooking, or should I ask for something to be delivered?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 09:11 pm (UTC)For a moment, anyway. They snap back open because - ]
Your cooking?? [ She assumed Mydei did all the cooking. ] Now that would be a treat. Just remember that I'm a carnivore, okay??
[ She grins, all teeth, her canines glinting. Please don't feed her a salad. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 09:16 pm (UTC)[ Who do you think he is, he thinks... As he reassesses in his head and has to make sure that he makes a meatier salad than he had intended, his fingers petting at her as he thinks. It'll be fine, they have enough in the apartment right now, and Mydeimos won't mind at all.
He'll just complain about the food.
Leaning back a little, he laughs softly. ]
Do you want to stay over?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 09:34 pm (UTC)Is that okay?
[ It's markedly unusual for her to ask when he's probably come home to her already lounging on the couch or in a sunspot uninvited. She's mot even sure why she's asking... maybe because she actually does want to.
She tightens her hold just a smidge, telling on herself. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 09:36 pm (UTC)Yes, of course.
[ Phainon holds her a little closer, leaning down again to touch his face to her hair. ]
Wherever I am, Cipher, you will always be most welcome at my side and in my home.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 10:15 pm (UTC)Cipher swallows the little sound of relief (and gratitude, and anxiety, and a billion other emotions she can't name) that tries to escape her, but does nothing to quiet the purr that rolls from her chest. ]
Sappy. Yuck.
[ She returns to her original position, with her cheek resting on Phainon's chest. ]
But thanks.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 10:33 pm (UTC)After all these lifetimes and all those cycles…
Has he ever embraced her before now…?
It makes him swallow. ]
You can take my bed, and I’ll have the sofa. It’ll be no problem.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 12:05 am (UTC)Cipher snorts. ]
We've seen each other's boobs. We can sleep in the same bed.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 07:50 am (UTC)[ It’s not worth the argument. Shaking his head, he squeezes her again. ]
Fine. But I’ll be the big spoon.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-16 04:12 am (UTC)[ And, maybe it's this place that compels her to do what she does next, because she normally wouldn't: Cipher leans up and kisses Phainon's cheek. Just his cheek, nowhere near his lips, but it's still more affectionate than she's ever been with him before.
Then she pats the same spot and pulls off. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. ]
Now let's see what you can do in the kitchen!
no subject
Date: 2026-02-16 10:00 am (UTC)He thinks back over his lifetimes, the cycles that haunt his every waking step, trying to remember if he and Cipher were anything like this before. It's hard to parse through them all, to ignore the cries of loss and the deaths of his friends, but... He doesn't think so.
It makes him blink, but then he smiles, nodding his head. ]
I think we have some fish that we could use.