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I. To look out for one another
Those who are unfamiliar with the Avidya Forest and its diverse ecosystem can always rely on the Forest Watchers to ensure their safety. Serving as the homebase for the rangers, Ghandarva Ville is almost always abuzz with activity. There are reports to be finished, experiments to be conducted, and a whole list of commissions to be completed as soon as possible.
“As soon as you’re done taking pictures of the blooming Lunar Lotuses, have them filed away in my office. Then take out the notes to my latest experiment and leave them on my desk.” Tighnari walks swiftly across one of the many hanging bridges, a trainee ranger nodding quickly as they note down what he’s saying. “Oh, and when you’re finished with those, find Collei and do a quick sweep of the perimeter. Note any abnormalities and signs of any Withering Zones, but do not engage.” The poor trainee could barely get a word in, stumbling over their steps as Tighnari’s eyes remained laser focused on his destination: his office. He isn’t usually like this, tense and rushed to get to places, but with the amount of work on his plate he’s had no choice but to enlist the help of the anxious trainees who simply want to graduate and become fully fledged Forest Watchers.
“Whoa there, slow down.” Tighnari nearly crashes into a figure who steps into his way. You stand in the middle of the path, hands held out in front of you and eyes raised as you look between a flat-faced Tighnari and an anxious trainee.
“(y/n).” The head of the Forest Rangers clears his throat, eyes darting away from you to look around before they’re finally brought back to your face. “Did you need something?”
“Actually, yes. I’ve been looking for you.” You put your hands on your hips, staring him down with a pointed look. You can’t help but let your eyes drag up to his ears, taking quick note of the way they twitch, too alert to every little sound around. He’s too on edge, too stressed, and while you’d never outright tell him, it’s part of your job, as his friend, to take care of him when he falls into these moods. “I left something for you in your office, try to check it out when you can?” You jut your bottom lip out just slightly and nearly grin with success when you see the way Tighnari’s shoulders begin to relax and his ears perk up at the mention of you leaving something for him.
“Right, of course, I’ll go see it right away.” He turns to the trainee but you’re quicker, tugging the young ranger towards you and throwing an arm around their shoulders.
“Don’t worry, you’ve given them more than enough to do.” You begin to turn their body in another direction, gently trying to push them away. The trainee’s eyes flicker nervously between you and Tighnari, almost as if they were afraid that an argument might break out for you. But to their surprise, they watch as a soft sigh leaves Tighnari’s lips and he hums in agreement, nodding for the trainee to begin their tasks.
You watch them scurry away and bump your shoulder against your oldest friend’s. “Go easy on them. And take a break, you deserve it.” You make your leave, unaware of the way Tighnari’s stare lingers on your retreating figure a bit longer than it should. And when he enters his office, he finds a neatly wrapped botany book of the latest edition sitting on his desk. And to his delight, you’ve made little notes along the margins, filled with inside jokes and pokes at the Akademiya. Perhaps he’ll think of something to give you in return.
II. To reassure one another
“Master Tighnari! I can’t find (y/n) anywhere, I’ve searched all over Ghandarva Ville and asked around, but no one’s seen them!” Collei’s voice rises higher and higher in pitch as she bursts into his office, eyes wild and chest heaving up and down, a clear sign that she truly has been running all over the place. “They came back from their expedition yesterday looking upset but I wasn’t sure what to say to them. I thought I could talk to them today but no one’s seen them!” The young trainee continues to ramble, hands flying around nervously as Tighnari patiently waits for her to finish. When she finally does, with a heavy exhale, he offers her a small, but reassuring smile.
“I’ll go look for them, don’t worry.” He pats her head, “I’m sure everything is okay, perhaps they simply needed some time alone.” Already, he’s thinking about all the places you might be as he ushers Collei out of his office, sending her back towards her room so she can get some rest. He waits for a moment before turning away, quietly slipping away from the bright lights of Ghandarva Ville to the grassy outskirts. He follows a familiar path, one he’s walked down countless times until he approaches an old moss covered hut with a light flickering on from the roof. He finds you there, sitting with your legs hanging over the edge, back towards him when he reaches the top of the ladder. You’re half leaning against a crate, shoulders drooping as you stare ahead at Sumeru City.
“You’ve given everyone quite a scare, you know.” You flinch at his voice, sitting up instantly and turning to watch as he settles down next to you. His knee knocks against yours and he playfully kicks his feet at you.
You let out a huff, “Just wanted some space. Besides, I would’ve returned by sunrise.” Tighnari remains silent for a moment, taking the chance to look over your features. He can see the way your body tries to curl inwards, eyes downcast and hands limp on your lap. Even when you address him, there’s no hint of that smile he’s grown to be so fond of day by day.
“I don’t doubt that.” He chuckles softly and raises his head to stare up ahead at the city. “So what’s going on, talk to me. I’m all ears.” You can’t help but let out a tiny laugh when you notice the way his ears perk upright. Tighnari ignores the way his cheeks flush when he hears the sound escape your lips and settles closer to you, waiting as you collect your thoughts.
“From anyone else’s perspective, the expedition was a success. We collected enough data, stopped two withering zones, and made it back alive. But so many of us have injuries because I couldn’t properly assess the situation. It makes me question my position as a Forest Watcher, sometimes I don’t think I’m cut out for this job.” Tighnari listens without interrupting, too aware of the way your voice gradually gets dimmer. He waits until you finish, the burden finally seeping off of your shoulders and into the rising moon.
He waits for a moment, allowing you to take in the silence before speaking up again. “I think you’re a wonderful Forest Watcher. In fact, I think you’re one of the best we’ve ever had. No one else quite knows how to navigate the forest like you do, in fact, you tend to spot more things than I do during expeditions. What happened wasn’t your fault, no one was expecting a group of rogue Eremites to ambush you. I think you handled the situation as best as you could, and I know everyone else thinks so too.” You don’t reply to his words, but Tighnari watches a tiny smile appear on your lips. You don’t have to say it aloud, but when you lean closer to him, resting your head onto his shoulder, he can feel just how thankful you are for him.
III. To apologize the morning after a fight
“Archons above, you can be so irresponsible!” Tighnari snaps. There’s no teasing tone, no poking words or playful twitches of his ears. Instead he’s standing with a rigid pose, composure flying out the window as his words seem to echo in the space around you. Your home suddenly feels too small, with his presence far too overwhelming. His eyes are hard and furious, hands clenched as he glares you down as if you were an insolent child. “Apparently, I can’t trust you with anything! If you see a Withering Zone you report it, you don’t dive head first into it. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been able to handle it before, it takes one chance for something to go wrong. What if I wasn’t patrolling that area as well, what would have happened, huh?”
“I’ve handled things like this on my own before, you’ve watched me do it! Since when did you lose trust in me this fast?” You shoot back, hurt, bleeding from your words. Admittedly, trying to take on a Withering Zone wasn’t the best decision to make, but you had handled them well in the past.
“Sometimes I wonder how you become a Forest Watcher if you act like this so often.”
It hurts, more than he’ll let himself believe, as he watches your face crumble at his words. He wants to apologize, to move closer and pull you into a hug and promise you he didn’t mean any of it, especially when he sees the tears already gathering in your eyes.
“Right.” You take a deep breath and clear your throat. Your voice breaks when you say it again and you look up at him, desperately hoping the tears don’t fall. “I think you should leave.” Tighnari doesn’t move. No, he doesn’t want to move.
“Go. Please.” You look towards the door. He says your name softly, as if ready to make his apologies but you’re shaking your head, turning around so you can’t see your expression as the words start to dig deeper into you. “I don’t want you here, right now. So leave, please.” The shakiness in your tone is enough to get his feet moving, and he finds himself leading his body away from your home, away from you. And when his ears twitch when he hears the first sob break through your lips, he pauses. But he keeps going, and forces his head down, refusing to look back.
As a new morning dawns upon the forest, Tighnari is the first to wake, running through his typical morning routines before swinging over to your home, knuckles rapping against the door as he patiently waits for you to answer. He knocks again when there’s no answer, rocking back and forth on his feet, straining his ears to see if he can hear anything.
“(y/n)?” Nothing. “I’m coming in, I hope you’re not asleep!” He smiles to himself at the words, already imagining you still buried under the warmth of your sheets, groans slipping past your lips as you complain about it being too early to be up. But when he pushes the door open, he’s greeted with nothing but silence. You’re not there. It takes him a second for the realization to sink in before he’s scanning the small room, searching for any sign of you. Your travel pack is gone and bed neatly made, clearly indicating you hadn’t stayed the night. Tighnari swallows thickly as he recalls the words he had said in his moment of frustration and curses himself as he walks outside, nearly running headfirst into Umm.
“Oh? Master Tighnari, what are you doing here?” She tilts her head, hand holding a pad of paper with notes on whatever medication she was working on.
“I was going to visit (y/n), we had a disagreement last night. Do you know where they went?” He asks hopefully but his heart only sinks when she tilts her head in confusion.
“I thought they had gone on ahead and told you? She came by the medical hut last night to see if we needed any help. Turns out we were running low on Vasanti Grass and the nearest merchant is at Port Ormos. They left last night and said they would let you know since it’s rather important for us to have. It must have slipped their mind, I wouldn’t worry about it, they know how to protect themselves well.” Umm smiles warmly at him, patting his arm in comfort before she continues on her path towards Collei’s hut. Tighnari stares back at your now closed door, his heart squeezing in his chest. His apology would have to wait, but Archons why did it hurt this much to see you gone?
IV. To (try to) stop Tighnari from tripping on mushrooms
Avidya Forest is home to so many living beings, from fungi, calm and dangerous, to lurking spinocrocodiles and the many different species of flora that thrive in the environment. But Avidya Forest has also made itself home to the many Forest Rangers who adore its wilderness. And after nearly a week of being gone to barter for Vasanti Grass at Port Ormos, returning back to the forest feels like a warm blanket of comfort settling over your shoulders. The other rangers call out excited greetings, waving from their posts and asking how your journey was.
Still, there’s no sign of Tighnari, and while you knew he was busy, a small part of you had hoped throughout the entire trip that he might be waiting for you. The trip to the port had allowed you the chance to think about the relationship shared between you and Tighnari. It was a precarious dance, with precise footwork, never to step forward too much, or pull away too fast. It was shared stories beneath the sun, and whispered secrets beneath the moon, a story of two friends who toed the line towards something more. And under the light of the moon, each night you could only wonder how he was faring, and if he was thinking of you too. But you brush it off as a foolish thought, after all, you had been the one to leave unexpectedly in the middle of the night without a word or any sign of your departure. Perhaps the fight was still present in his mind.
“(y/n)! You’re back!” A smaller figure crashes into you, arms wrapping around your middle as green hair fills your vision. You can’t help but grin at Collei’s excitement, returning the warm sentiment as you apologize for leaving so abruptly. She speaks rapidly, brushing off your concerns as she attempts to catch you up on the wellbeing of everyone else over the past week. She rambles about the experiments and patrols she’s taken part of, the new skills she’s learned as an archer, and all the little things that you can’t help but laugh at when she pouts.
“Oh! I completely forgot!” Her hand grasps your wrist and she tugs you across one of the bridges, towards Tighnari’s hut. “Umm said to find you when you returned because Master Tighnari isn’t feeling well! She said something about mushrooms and you having Vasanti Grass?” You paused outside his door. Mushrooms?
Ah. Mushrooms. Tighnari and his bad habit of trying the wild plants of Sumeru.
“I’ll check up on him, don’t worry.” You force a smile to your lips in an attempt to reassure Collei. She stares at you for a moment, as if she could sense there was some unresolved tension between the two of you. “Go on ahead and let Umm know that I’ll bring her the rest of the Vasanti Grass when I’m done.” The young trainee ranger is off in a matter of seconds, calling out a wish of good luck as she stumbles away. She leaves you alone, standing outside Tighnari’s door with a wall of unsaid words seemingly trying to push you away.
“Tighnari? Hey, are you awake?” You push open the door gently. His hut is cool, no doubt from the opened windows that invite the morning breeze in. Tighnari lies on his bed, ears flat against his pillow as he groans and turns over. His eyes are hazy and his mouth parts when he takes sight of you.
His words are slow, almost slurred when he asks, “(y/n)? Is that you?” You grimace at the sight and immediately set to grinding some of the Vasanti Grass. He’ll need it when whatever he’s eaten wears off and he’s left with a headache and the groggy feeling of trying to remember what happened.
“No… they’re still in Port Ormos, I think. Hey fake-(y/n)?” You bite your lip to stop yourself from laughing. You’ll hold this over his head later when he whines about not remembering everything. “Can you tell the real (y/n) I miss them? I didn’t mean what I said, I miss them.” Your hand tightens around the pestle as you brush the grass.
“I fought a giant mushroom today because I thought I heard their voice asking for help. I thought I had lost them to the Withering.” Tighnari’s words are slower, his voice lower, and you want to believe that he sounds sad. “I can’t lose them, can you tell them that?”
You turn around quickly, a strained smile on your lips as you lift your hand to rest on his forehead, fingers itching to scratch at his ears which twitch at your movements. “Why don’t you tell them when they return, yeah?”
“Sure, I guess. I hope they come back soon, I miss them.”
V. To always forgive one another
When Tighnari wakes the next morning his mouth feels dry and his head is a mess. He pushes himself up from his bed, sleepily reaching for water at his bedside table when another hand pushes a cup into his hand. He manages out a grumbled thanks before sipping at the cool drink, closing his eyes as he tries to remember everything from the past day. To his luck, he remembers nearly everything, which is a success for his research. It means this type of mushroom isn’t detrimental to the memory, and it only prompts hallucinations. Right, he hallucinated you had come back.
“Archons above.” He groans and with his eyes still closed he swings his feet off the bed and pushes himself up quickly to grab the journal on his desk. But before he can move far, scrambled hands push him back towards the bed, snatching the cup out of his hand before it can splash all over him and his bed.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Tighnari’s eyes snap open and he has to blink multiple times for the world to come into focus. And to his shock, you stand in front of him, irritated expression on your face as you stare him down.
“You’re back.”
“What? Yes, I’m back, I’ve been back since yesterday morning!” Tighnari’s brain is still trying to process everything, his mind running to catch up with him.
He gapes at you, “Wait, since yesterday morning? So then you were actually—”
“How many times have I told you to stop trying mushrooms? You know you’re going to end up bedridden when you eat them so why do you keep trying them? And don’t say it’s for the sake of knowledge!” You snap at him and immediately apologize softly when he winces at how loud you are. His ears droop atop his head and you instantly feel bad when he starts to pout. That feeling disappears when his head shoots up to look at you, eyes narrowed in confusion before they widen dramatically.
“Wait, so the fake-you was real? You heard all that?”
“You remember all that?”
“Please tell me you weren’t there yesterday morning.” He brings one hand up to run over his face, his last few words muffled into his palm.
“Is it that bad if I was?” He can hear the hint of hurt in your tone. Silence stretches between the two of you. He shakes his head and takes in a shaky breath, readjusting himself and gesturing for you to sit down next to him. He hates the space that’s between the two of you, aware of the way your arms seem to press closer to your body as if ready to help you push up and away.
“I’m sorry about what I said the other day.” He apologizes, head hanging low. His hands sit in his lap but he can’t help but fiddle with his fingers out of nervousness. “I missed you, a lot. I know you can take care of yourself, I just get so worried sometimes. I just wish that you wouldn’t try to take everything on your own. I’m here too, you know?”
Your body relaxes, shoulders dropping as you sigh. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have tried to take it all on my own.” Tighnari nods as silence fills the tent again. It almost feels awkward, the tension still present, and he’s not quite sure how to cut through it.
“I forgive you, I forgave you the first night I left.” And just like that, the tension melts away, carried away by the breeze and out of the window. His ears straighten up again and he turns his head to smile, only to see you glaring at him.
“That doesn’t mean you can get away with trying mushrooms again. I’ve told you over and over not to, and here we are again!”
VI. To love each other forever
There are certain spots in Avidya Forest that you and Tighnari have discovered together. Secret entrances to hidden areas and quiet places that are devoid of wildlife and mortals. Atop one of the huts just on the outskirts of the forest, you sit with him on the moss covered roof with the sight of Sumeru City in the distance. The sun has already begun to set beyond the horizon, tendrils of light in shades of orange and gold spreading across the land as if trying to hang on before night falls over the nation.
“If I was a worm—”
“Do not start with another, ‘if I was a Sumeru wildlife creature, would you still love me?’” Tighnari glares up at you playfully. He lies down with his head in your lap, your hands running through his hair and occasionally scratching his ears. You can’t help but coo whenever you notice the way his tail seems to swish against the roof with delight.
“Okay, well, will you still love me in a hundred years?” You lean over him, cupping his face in your hands as you watch his features change. A smile takes over his lips as his eyes flicker between your eyes and your lips as you lean closer.
“I’ll love you forever, that’s a promise.”
You both finish his sentence at the same time, “And we never break our promises.”
“Thank you for loving me.” Your lips press against his, soft and gentle, reluctant to pull away. But when you do, you can’t help but stare down at Tighnari and the warmth that dances in his eyes. What isn’t there to adore about him?