Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

● 

It had all started when Tighnari and Kaveh found themselves inexplicably overcome by boredom.

Just passing the time, the two omegas swiped through one of the countless service-alpha applications on their phones, looking through the alpha's profiles and what they had to offer. Without giving it much thought, they treated these applications like a catalog, casually browsing through the top-rated alphas and offering their own critiques along the way.

That had been an hour ago.

Since then, they embarked on their journey from the top and gradually descended the rankings, before finding themselves intrigued by the alphas with the lowest ratings. It wasn't very long before they became fascinated with exploring the realm of the lowest-rated service alphas- and especially with reading their negative (and often very heated) reviews.

For Tighnari, the entire experience had evolved into something like a guilty pleasure, as he found a certain amusement from reading the negative reviews written by annoyed omegas. Their frustrations were vividly expressed in their messages and reviews, which only added an extra layer of entertainment to the browsing experience.

“Look at this one,” Tighnari shows his phone screen to Kaveh, the blonde glancing over in his direction. “His knot was so small that it couldn’t even fill me. It slipped right out.”

"Oh, you think that's bad? Listen to this review I just read." Kaveh giggles, clearing his throat for added effect before he starts reading aloud, his voice laced with amusement.

“All throughout my heat, he couldn’t even make me come once. I couldn't even even get it up because he smelled like rotten garlic,” Kaveh reads aloud one of the random reviews for an alpha, bursting into laughter, “Oh my god, this is brutal. Knowing you, I bet you couldn't even last a single day with one of these one-star alphas.”

“As if you could,” Tighnari laughs, rolling his eyes. “You’re so picky when it comes to your alphas.”

"What?!" Kaveh gasps dramatically. “I am not!”

"Oh please, you totally are. You have a very specific type, Kaveh." Tighnari giggles when Kaveh violently shakes his head in protest. "Come on, are you seriously telling me that you'd actually hire one of these random alphas, let alone spend your heat with them?"

Kaveh gives a casual shrug, a confident grin on his face.

"Yeah, if they're hot, then I wouldn't really care." Kaveh takes a deep breath and meets Tighnari's gaze playfully, his tone challenging. "But you? Nah, I don't think so. I doubt you could survive your whole heat with one of these alphas."

Oh?  Tighnari's eyebrows shot up with intrigue, his curiosity piqued by the challenge. He ponders for a moment before responding, a playful smile dancing on his lips. 

"You know what? Let's just settle this and see who gives in first," he declares, leaning back and savoring another sip of his wine. He watches as Kaveh follows suit, downing his entire glass in a single gulp, their competitive streak amped up by a blend of alcohol and excitement.

"Alright," Kaveh grins. "I'm in."

And so, with that simple challenge, they set themselves on a curious yet dangerous path. The thought of going through an entire heat cycle with a one-star alpha felt kind of risky, even potentially disastrous.

And yet, in their tipsy states of drunken euphoria, it seemed like the most perfect idea to pursue. 

Before they knew it, the two omegas had become immersed in their browsing, completely losing track of time. It wasn’t long before Kaveh was leaning in close again, draping himself over Tighnari's shoulders and eagerly showing the smaller omega the alpha displayed on his screen.

"Look at this," Kaveh slurs slightly, pointing at the screen. "I already found the most perfect alpha on this entire app. Isn't he gorgeous?"

Tighnari squints, trying to make out the alpha's face. Instead of a clear photo, his profile picture showcased the alpha’s body instead of his face. 

"You can't even see his face properly," he mutters, shifting his gaze to the name displayed. "His name is... Hai?" Tighnari reads it aloud, his eyebrows furrowing in recognition. "Wait, isn't that kinda like the nickname you used to call your old roommate or something?"

“Yeah, but that’s a common name to begin with." Kaveh rushes to explain. "There are probably hundreds of other people with that name in Sumeru.”

Right. Tighnari chuckles, eyeing Kaveh with amusement. "Oh really? Do tell me about all the other Hais you've met."

Kaveh's cheeks flush red, a little pout curling on his lips.

“It doesn’t matter! You know I'm bad with remembering names,” Kaveh holds up his phone again, showing him the alpha's profile picture. “But seriously, who cares about that anyways? Just look at his body- he's perfect."

Tighnari's attention shifts back to the photo, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of the alpha's chiseled abs and well-defined features. He lets out a noticeable exhale.

"And you're absolutely certain he's got just one star?" Tighnari laughs when Kaveh nods enthusiastically. “Are you actually going to book him?”

“Yeah, duh. He looks good.” Kaveh sighs dreamily. “He doesn't even have a bio or anything- he's a total mystery.”

Tighnari raises an eyebrow. So he was only showing off his appearance?

“What are his reviews like?”

Kaveh presents his screen, showcasing the prominent red rating front and center.

“Um.” Tighnari blinks. “No offense but, uh… he seems like a walking red flag.”

Kaveh shrugs.

“But he's hot.”

Tighnari glances back at the picture. Sure, he could admit that Hai was attractive, but he definitely wasn't his type. Now that he really looked at him, the more he seemed like Kaveh’s type, more so than anything else.

“You do you.” Tighnari muses. “But you should still be careful, y’know.”

Kaveh lets out a sigh.

“Look, it's fine, I get it. Personally, I don't think he's a bad guy, and judging from the reviews he got, it just sounds like he doesn't want hundreds of people throwing themselves all over him, which is reasonable. If he doesn't want any commitment, then I’ll abide by his rules.” Kaveh shrugs, averting his eyes. “It's not like I'm looking for commitment with some random service alpha either.”

Tighnari exhales softly.

“If you say so.” he mumbles, glancing down at his screen. “I honestly don't know how you found him so quickly. I'm still looking.”

“Still? I told you that you were picky.” Kaveh laughs when Tighnari playfully rolls his eyes at him.

Undeterred, Tighnari continues scrolling through profile after profile, searching for someone who matches his preferences. And just when he's about to give up, his eyes widen as he comes across a new face— an incredibly attractive individual with striking white hair.

And unlike Hai, this person's profile offered a wealth of information, which put Tighnari at ease.

Wait, what? Tighnari quickly clicks on Cyno’s profile picture, still processing the sight before clicking to enlarge the photo.

And then, his eyes lock onto the unmistakable pointed ears on top of the man's head.

At long last, he’d found another canine. 

A jackal, from what Tighnari can tell, his snow-white hair blending in nicely with the fur around his ears. Unlike Hai’s thirst trap of a profile picture, Cyno’s full face is shown- unsmiling and facing forward with a stoic expression, his red eyes piercing and intimidating.

“Oh wow,” Kaveh raises an eyebrow, craning his neck over to look at the screen. “You finally found another fox?”

“Not a fox.” Tighnari corrects him. “He’s a jackal.”

Kaveh blinks. 

"Um, how can you tell?" Kaveh starts, still fixated on the picture. "To me, his ears look somewhat similar to yours."

Tighnari shakes his head.

"His ears are a bit shorter. They're also wider," Tighnari points back to the screen. "Plus, he specifically mentioned being an Aureus on his profile."

"An Aureus?" Kaveh repeats, wracking his brain. "Oh, right! Isn't that species originally from the desert or something? Won't you have trouble with that?"

"Mhm," Tighnari sighs. "It might be a challenge if he lives in the desert, but his profile says he's currently in Sumeru City."

"So he's local," Kaveh muses, "What's his name?"

“Cyno.” Tighnari glances at his profile again. Unlike Hai, it showed he was rather new to the entire process- but his ratings had tanked him completely.

Kaveh peers over to read some, amused by the whole ordeal.

Kaveh's snort finally breaks the silence.

"Wow, he has garbage ratings too," he remarks, finding amusement in the situation. "Looks like both our alphas have it rough."

Tighnari glances back at Cyno's profile, a little frown tugging at his lips. Maybe he was being biased, but something about Cyno didn't strike him as a bad person, despite the unfavorable rating.

"Yeah, but unlike that Hai person, Cyno just started doing this. He only has a few reviews," Tighnari argues, pointing at the limited ratings. "I don't know, maybe these omegas who hired him don't really understand him or something."

Kaveh shrugs.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's never experienced the warm and loving company of another canine before, let alone a Valuka Shuna," Kaveh playfully jabs his side with his elbow. “You could fix him, Tighnari. I believe in you.”

And for some reason, that's all the motivation he needs to hear.

Without a moment's hesitation, Tighnari's finger confidently clicks on the request button, sealing the deal. The sound of the button being pressed echoes through the room, coinciding with the clink of glass meeting the table as Tighnari downs another drink.

● 

When Tighnari finally wakes up, he finds himself in a state of severe hangover. It's a struggle for him to keep his eyes open, let alone lift his head.

As he tries to piece together the events of the previous night, his memory remains hazy. He vaguely remembers being with Kaveh, but how did he end up back in bed? Did Kaveh bring him home?

With great effort, Tighnari reaches for his phone, squinting as he unlocks it. He notices a few recent messages and pictures from Dehya, mostly updating him on how Collei is doing. Tighnari tries his best to express his gratitude for taking such good care of his daughter, typing with difficulty before hitting send. 

And just as he is about to close the messages, he notices a new message from an unknown number at the top. In his drowsy state, he opens it, nearly dropping his phone on his face when he reads its contents.

Tighnari stares at the new message for what feels like an eternity, a flood of memories from last night finally rushing back to him all at once. He rubs his eyes, struggling to believe what he's reading. It wasn't just a dream then- Cyno was a real person.

Slowly, Tighnari sits up, his head still heavy as he tries to clear his thoughts. After a few more moments, he gathers the strength to respond. He pulls his knees up to his chest, takes a deep breath, and hits the send button, anxiously awaiting Cyno's reply.

And within a few more seconds, Cyno's replying.

Tighnari’s cheeks burn up. Oddly enough, there was something mature about the way Cyno responded. Maybe he was overthinking it. 

Cyno's reply arrives promptly once again.

Tighnari's heart flutters as he hastily types his response, feeling a warmth spreading across his cheeks.

And then, an incoming call breaks the silence. Tighnari's heart skips a beat as he sees it's from a private number. Without hesitation, he answers, eagerly waiting to hear Cyno's voice on the other end.

"Hey, it's Cyno," Cyno's low voice resonates through the phone, causing Tighnari's head to spin.

Oh Archons, that voice was not what Tighnari was expecting at all. His head spins with delight.

Why did none of his reviews talk about how attractive his fucking voice was?! He stays perfectly still, his heart racing when he hears Cyno move around on the other end, clearing his throat.

"Um, is this the right number?" Cyno asks again, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "Hello, Tighnari—"

“Sorry,” Tighnari blurts out, cutting him off suddenly. “I’m here.”

Another pause ensues, and Tighnari can hear Cyno exhale on the other end.

"Hey," Cyno's voice lowers in volume, feeling almost intimate. "It's nice to finally have a voice to match the face."

"Yeah, it's... it's good to hear your voice too," Tighnari nervously replies, his words coming out in a soft, slightly breathless tone. "I must admit, it's even better than what I imagined."

There's a brief pause on the other end, and Tighnari wonders if he might have said too much or come across as too forward. But thankfully, Cyno's deep chuckle fills his ears, easing his worries.

"That's funny. I was thinking the exact same thing about you." Tighnari's heart skips a beat at Cyno's words, his cheeks warming up. "It's as pretty as your profile picture."

"Oh, stop that." Tighnari laughs gently. He attentively listens as Cyno moves around on the other end, the sound of other people catching his attention. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, but are you at work right now?"

"Yep." Cyno pops the 'p'. "Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure that it isn't an issue to talk to me while you're at your job?" Tighnari wonders. "I don't want to cause any issues for you while you're working, or..."

"It's alright, don't worry. I'm the head of Sumeru's police department." Cyno reassures him, his voice exuding confidence. "Nobody can tell me what I can or can't do in my free time."

"Oh." Tighnari feels a little dumb. Duh. "That's good. You're really lucky."

"I suppose so." Cyno lets out another chuckle, the pleasant sound soothing and comforting to Tighnari's ears. "But enough about me, what do you do, hm?" Cyno's genuine interest reverberates through the conversation, causing Tighnari's ears to twitch with intrigue.

"I'm an herbalist," Tighnari declares with a touch of pride, his smile widening as he catches the impressed sound from Cyno on the other side.

"Wow, you're smart." Cyno murmurs appreciatively. "Let me guess, you were an Amurta student at the Akademiya?"

"Mhm," Tighnari affirms, his tail curling around his body at the sound of Cyno's impressed reaction once again.

"So you're smart and pretty." Cyno sounds a little thoughtful. "Are you sure you meant to hire me as your alpha?"

"Stop that. There's no need for flattery," Tighnari giggles, rolling his eyes. "It's getting a bit cheesy."

Cyno laughs again.

"Well, maybe I can make up for the cheesiness by asking you something genuine." Cyno muses. "Are you free tonight? If you are, I could take you to a new place in the city. From what I heard, there's a new vegetarian shop that's known to specialize in delectable mushroom dishes."

Wait- he knew his favorite food? Tighnari blinks. Had Cyno read his profile after all? A mix of curiosity and warmth fills Tighnari's heart, touched by Cyno's attention to detail.

"I'd love to come with you, Cyno." He says, his heart quickening when he hears Cyno's voice on the other line again, the smile audible in his voice.

"Great. I can come to pick you up, or if you prefer, you can meet me at the Sumeru Station at six," Cyno suggests confidently, his words stirring a flicker of excitement within Tighnari. "If you don't see me, simply inform the guards at the front that you have my permission to enter my office."

Tighnari swallows. He can't help but feel a surge of arousal coursing through him, ignited by Cyno's commanding display of power. Naturally, he can't help but find the allure incredibly enticing, his tail wagging eagerly behind him in response.

"Sure, yeah. I'll meet you at the station then," he replies, his voice wavering slightly. There's a blend of anticipation and uncontainable excitement in his tone, impossible to conceal.

"Alright. If that's what you want," Cyno drawls, his low voice laced with a captivating blend of nonchalance and subtle flirtation. "I'll see you there, Nari."

Fuck.

Feeling a rush of flushed panic, Tighnari hurriedly ends the call, his cheeks burning with a vibrant flush. His heart races with a newfound intensity, beating faster than ever before.

Archons, above. Just what was this alpha doing to him?!

● 

As Kaveh's eyes flutter open, the dim afternoon light floods the room, revealing a ceiling above him. He takes a moment to fully awaken, stretching his limbs and emitting a loud yawn before playfully kicking out his legs on the bed, wincing as his head throbs with a reminder of last night's drinking. Gradually, his gaze wanders around the inn's bedroom until it finally settles on the digital clock, its illuminated numbers drawing his attention.

He has to do a double-take at the sight of it, a jolt of disbelief coursing through him.

"Holy shit," he mutters, astounded by the realization that he has essentially slept away the entire day. Slowly, Kaveh shuffles towards the bathroom, splashing cool water on his face and confronting his disheveled reflection in the mirror. His eyes catch sight of a few fading hickeys on his collarbone, remnants of an encounter with one of his past flings. A hint of annoyance flickers across his face as he swiftly brushes his golden hair to conceal them from his sight before he dries his face with a fluffy towel, reaching up to braid parts of his hair away from his face. 

When finally satisfied, Kaveh steps back, admiring himself and acknowledging his beauty with a sense of self-appreciation. He looks at himself, reaching out to straighten out the clips in his hair one final time before turning away. Ready to start his day, he heads towards the door, intending to gather his belongings to check out of the room.

And yet, Kaveh's eyes are drawn to his phone resting on the mattress, its screen lighting up a few more times with incoming notifications. Letting out a weary sigh, he walks over to his phone, reaching out to pick it up.

Who the fuck could be messaging him? Another alpha? 

An ex?

God, Kaveh really didn't want to think about it right now. The last thing he needed was to get an even worse headache.

As Kaveh unlocks the screen, his attention is immediately drawn to a new message notification from an unfamiliar number. Intrigued, he opens the message, his eyes eagerly scanning the screen. The sender's name, Hai, triggers a flicker of recognition within him as he reads the message sent.

And as promised, there's a fucking attachment accompanying the plain, business-like message, urging Kaveh to click and explore its contents for himself. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, he finally taps on the attachment, causing the document to open before his eyes. As he scrolls through its contents, something within the contract immediately grabs his attention, causing his breath to suddenly catch in his throat.

Kaveh's jaw drops as he gazes at the address neatly written on the first line of the contract. It feels as if a bucket of ice has been poured over his head, jolting him with a mix of shock and disbelief as he stares at it. His eyes remain fixated on the familiar house number and every detail, the weight of realization sinking in.

Surely his eyes must be deceiving him- because there was no way that this was actually happening to him. Kaveh frantically rubs his eyes, desperately seeking an alternate explanation and hoping for a different reality to materialize instead.

And yet, there was no denying it.

It was fucking Alhaitham's address.