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There was something so exciting, so exhilarating about keeping a secret that only you and one person knows.
Teyvat's leylines—already an enigma to most—pump with every secret that no ordinary people would know. The sun sets, and the moon rises because of the lies etched into every crevice of the world.
Another day is promised because the world’s mysteries are waiting to be solved.
And Tighnari, a scholar at heart who is always so curious about everything that he doesn't know even after he left the Akademiya, couldn't give a fuck about the gospel truth the Archons are trying to hide.
Truth kills. It was one of the first things the Forest Watcher learned when he became an Akademiya student.
“Do not risk your life for the truth.”
Students who try and dare to break that number one unspoken rule always end up punished, whether by the institution itself or due to unexplained circumstances.
Tighnari chose to live blissfully unaware—in his own world full of secrecy.
His secret may not be as magnificent as the theory that the stars are fake or that Judgment Day is upon Teyvat, but it was to him.
Because who would've thought that the Forest Watcher of Gandharva Ville was dating the Acting Grand Sage?
No one. Absolutely no one, and that was the fun of it.
Only a few people are aware that they know each other, and even fewer (none, actually) know that they love each other.
The couple was not hiding it because they were ashamed of each other or they were scared of people judging them. Does it even look like Al-Haitham or Tighnari cares about what other people say about their relationship? They simply chose not to because who one dates isn’t a topic people should be concerning themselves about.
That somehow includes hiding it from friends too, even if they have every right to know. Al-Haitham was the one who suggested it. He can be a little shit when he wants to be, and it was always humorous.
"Let's hide it from your friends," he said (it was laughable how he said 'your' as if he wasn't included in the friend group that Nilou had created), "Wouldn't it be interesting? To see their reaction when they find out?"
And an intriguing suggestion it was that Tighnari couldn't help but agree.
He could already imagine the faces they'd wear when they find out.
A couple of months passed by, and no one noticed a thing. They were simply good at hiding it from everyone, even Collei, who had been seeing Al-Haitham visit Avidya Forest more often despite his duties in the Akademiya.
"Oh, maybe they have work to do together!" she had thought, and went on her merry way.
A dinner hosted by Tighnari in Gandharva Ville wasn't uncommon. When the rare chance that the others, specifically Candace and Cyno who came from the desert, are in the city, it's expected that all work would be pushed aside. Everyone would be finding themselves in Gandharva Ville, eating their hearts out at the delicious dinner Tighnari would prepare just for them.
It wasn't different from the dinners they had, no matter the place. It was lively as ever, and the Forest Watcher had lost count of how many times he had to scold Dehya and Kaveh to shut up. They always laugh so loudly.
"Pass the rice, please," Candace asked, holding her hand out for the bowl just out of reach. Collei quickly reached out to help with a smile. "Thank you."
Kaveh was already drinking his second glass of wine, rambling on to Cyno who sat beside him, effectively shutting him up from telling any jokes as the General was forced to listen. Nilou and Dehya were talking about new skincare products as they eat, sharing their tips and tricks. Al-Haitham, ever so recluse and quiet, had finished his meal and was reading his book by the table. He was not spared from Tighnari's scolding, telling him to put the book down and eat more and how rude it was to be reading while everyone else was still eating.
Soon, the conversation became large enough for the whole group to chime in, mainly about their work and funny stories in their daily life—and Kaveh has a lot to offer, thanks to living with Al-Haitham for free.
Tighnari watched everyone, simply basking in the joy and presence of his close friends. He could get used to this, and it was always disappointing when the night ends too soon and every one of them has to go back to their responsibilities.
And when he felt Al-Haitham's fingers lock together with his from under the table (thank the Archons they sat together), his heart flipped, and heat rose to his cheeks far quicker than he had wanted.
Months of dating and yet he's acting like a shy maiden, how ridiculous.
Cyno prepares his joke just as Tighnari squeezed the Acting Grand Sage's hand, three times to say "I love you". It takes a moment until Al-Haitham does the same, just in time for the table to groan in unison at the boring joke laid out by the General Mahamatra.
The full moon was already glimmering amidst the night sky and yet the cheery atmosphere never faltered. However, despite Tighnari's love and admiration that he holds for his friends, he can still be overwhelmed.
The Forest Watcher excused himself and stepped out of the main hut, welcoming the cool zephyr that brushed his cheeks and nipped at his nose. The gathering got a little too noisy for his liking, so he took a minute to step out and focus on the silence that nature provided.
It didn't take too long for Al-Haitham to step out as well, arms already around the fox's waist, chin between his long ears. Also overwhelmed by the noise, the man didn't say anything as he willed himself to relax with Tighnari's body heat, eyes shut tight.
If anyone were to ask how the two ended up dating, they simply would've shrugged. In reality, they share many similarities from different angles. And, they've found comfort in each other's arms, retiring into one's body warmth when the noises or the entire world become too overwhelming.
"Tighnari," his deep voice snapped the fox out of his little reverie, pulling back and leaning up to look at the man with a hum.
Fingers grasping his chin, multi-colored eyes darted to glance at the fox's lips, plump and colored with his natural lip gloss. Just as Tighnari treats his fur with the greatest care, every part of him receives the same care.
Al-Haitham loves kissing his soft lips.
"Can I?"
Tighnari snorted. They've kissed multiple times, and yet Al-Haitham never fails to ask first, it was adorable. With a smile, Tighnari leaned forward and pressed his lips against Al-Haitham's, answering his question.
No one would look for them for now. Everyone knows they'll need a moment to recuperate their energy and take a break lest they overload from the noises overlapping one another.
And everyone knows not to bother them when they do.
Cyno, Kaveh, Candace, Dehya, Collei...
But apparently not Nilou.
The loud gasp was enough to capture everyone's attention (wouldn’t everyone be on alert if they heard a lady gasp so suddenly?), followed by rushed footsteps to see if something was amiss. By the time the couple had pulled back—annoyed at the interruption and yet embarrassed that they had been caught kissing—everyone had already seen them.
Nilou had both hands over her mouth, eyes apologetic for ruining their moment, Dehya was biting back a loud laugh as if she couldn’t believe it, and Candace was smiling at the two like a proud mother. Did she notice? Definitely not, but love warms her heart, and who was she to act like the two committed a great sin? Collei seemed to finally understand why Al-Haitham visits so much, Kaveh was about to go on a rant about how they didn't tell him /anything/, and Cyno... Tighnari's best friend... well, there's a reason why he's feared by everyone.
Within a minute, the couple was sitting by the end of the dinner table, sitting together while the others were on the opposite end. This was an interrogation. It didn't help that Cy- no, the General Mahamatra, made an appearance. He was the most intimidating of them all, standing behind the group, and yet you could see his presence clearly, arms crossed over the other, and ruby hues piercing the couple's souls.
This was the first time Tighnari acknowledged the terror that Cyno could inflict as the General Mahamatra. Even when he was being investigated as a student disobeying the law back in his Akademiya days, he never was terrified nor intimidated by his presence. Not that he had any reason to, as he was as honest and obedient as he could be.
(Though Tighnari finds it amusing that he was the complete opposite of what he used to be after graduating from the Akademiya, but that wasn’t something to be wistful about. Definitely not at this moment.)
“Wait, wait, wait, can we first ask how you two ended up together?” Kaveh seems sober now, as expected when he’s suddenly hit with the fact that his close friend and roommate slash enemy is dating.
Al-Haitham crossed his arms over his chest, stubborn. “Why should we answer that? It’s none of your business,” it’s the truth, but Al-Haitham had only said so to piss off the architect.
And he was successful. Kaveh gritted his teeth, “You know what? Stay quiet, Tighnari’s going to answer all our questions.” he barked out, glaring daggers at the scribe who seemed unaffected by it.
Candace sighed before heading off to make some new tea with Collei’s help, “This will be a long night.”
“Tighnari? Answer the question or I swear to the Dendro Archon that I will scream.”
Seeing as he had no other choice—it was already late, there were people already sleeping nearby, and Kaveh would scream—Tighnari decided to indulge them with answers. “...We started dating after a few months when Azar was exiled. We officially met and talked as soon as he was appointed as the Acting Grand Sage to thank me for my participation and apologized since I got hurt. The rest is history.”
Truth be told, Tighnari was wary of Al-Haitham when he visited the forest. He had gotten way too used to sages personally visiting him to try and convince him in taking a spot in the Akademiya. That, and with everyone’s words and gossip circulating the Grand Scribe, it was natural of him to be cautious. Even Cyno and Kaveh disliked him.
“That was so… long ago! What the fuck?!” Kaveh exclaimed, apologizing when Nilou nudged his side for cursing. “And you two kept it a secret?! And we didn’t even notice?! Did you have at least any hints, Cyno?”
Surprisingly, the scribe was kind and gentle when they first met. Their interaction was civil, and Tighnari understood why others may have found him hard to get along with.
“It’s so hard to imagine Al-Haitham be… in love though,” Dehya laughed, a hand under her chin as she tried to imagine what Al-Haitham would look like being romantic. Is he the type to send flowers? Chocolates? Write love letters? “Who confessed first, eh? Was it romantic?” she asked, grinning.
It was almost natural for Tighnari to blush at the mention of confession. Similar to a Nilotpala Lotus illuminating in the dead of the night, bound to happen.
This made Dehya grin, giggling behind her hand that Candace had to tell her to stop it when they returned. “So! Seems like it’s important since Tighnari is blushing. Who confessed first, hm? C’mon, tell us, it’s the least you could do for hiding your relationship!”
Al-Haitham glanced at the fox, noticing the way his long ears were slightly bent in an effort to hide the redness of his cheeks. The corner of his lips raised into a slight smile, biting back a laugh. So, he was still embarrassed about it? How cute.
There was no confession. No romantic admission of feelings, no heart-wrenching “I love you”s directed to one another.
It was raining—Al-Haitham always made sure to remember every tiny detail of that day. Lightning would flash every second and thunder would echo throughout the entire forest, loud enough for other animals to scatter and cry. For someone who had developed a fear of lightning, Tighnari insisted on traversing through the storm just to help a panicked mother whose child had run off to who knows what.
Al-Haitham was lucky he caught him just in time, visiting Tighnari became a weekly thing as an attempt to avoid his responsibilities once a week. Through Collei, he had learned about his fear of the storm, another deep scar left by the God created by the exiled sages.
Despite the storm that raged on in the Avidya Forest, Tighnari prioritized his role as a Forest Watcher first above anything else. Even if every flash of light made him flinch and his scar throb painfully or if the loud boom of the thunder made his ears buzz uncomfortably, he powered through the heavy rain, calling for the lost child.
And the Acting Grand Sage followed, calling out the fox’s name louder than the pitter-patter of the rain. The road was more slippery than usual, and fungi and Eremites were covering every edge of the forest, making it more dangerous than the two had thought.
“Tighnari, come back,” Al-Haitham exclaimed, “It’s dangerous and you’re not in your right mind. You’re scared. Come back to Gandharva Ville, let the others handle this.”
“I can’t! The kid is still out there. It’s dangerous. My job is my priority, not my fear,” he replied in frustration, though even Al-Haitham could hear the slight tremble in his voice.
In response, the world cried harder, the wind howling in an attempt to make it harder for the two. Al-Haitham cursed to himself, ignoring the fact that mud clung to his boots or that he was drenched head to toe.
Tighnari didn’t even bother watching his step or pace, his brisk walk turning into a jog until he started to run. It didn’t matter that he almost slipped, he needed to find the child quickly that his safety and health were no longer a concern. To Al-Haitham, it was. His arm reached out, grabbing Tighnari’s wrist and pulling him back before he could tumble forward the cliff he almost looked past.
“Al-Haitham! Stop it, let me go—”
And to stop him from being idiotic, he cupped his cheeks and shut him up with an awkward yet long kiss. Lips against lips, teeth bumping against the other, they kissed and kissed until Tighnari momentarily forgot about his fear and worries.
For a moment, the rain had calmed down, and even streaks of the sun hiding behind the dark clouds seeped through for a quick moment.
Tighnari could hear his own heartbeat, overlapping the sound of the rain and thunder. It was cold, yet Al-Haitham’s touch and kiss were so hot that it felt like he was kissing the sun instead. And, very faintly, he could hear Al-Haitham’s heartbeat, so loud, so fast.
And no matter how slow and sweet and romantic it was, the situation didn’t call for a kiss.
The two pulled away, basking in the afterthoughts for a moment. Tighnari’s forest hues were wide and blissful. Al-Haitham, ever the rational man, was quick to clear his throat after snapping out of his stupor. He still had Tighnari pressed close to him, clothes sticking to their skin, and yet they felt their body warmth so close—like gentle fire hugging them.
The Acting Grand Sage’s hold on him wasn’t removed, holding him so tightly that he would kiss him again if he could. But, he stopped himself, and with a whisper that he knew only the fox would hear, “Go back to Gandharva Ville. I’ll handle this.”
“Whoever confessed first shouldn’t matter,” Al-Haitham soon replied, despite the little smirk that adorned his lips. It was an unspoken secret of theirs.
“You two are so boring,” Dehya groaned, “I’ll assume it was Tighnari then.”
A chuckle, “Hah, sure, if that helps you sleep at night.”
Collei, who had been quiet the whole time, gasped. “oh, I didn’t know Mr. Al-Haitham could laugh… Is this the effect of dating master Tighnari?”
Even Cyno couldn’t help but snicker at that.
Kaveh sighed dramatically, wiping away tears that weren’t even there. He was so happy for his junior. Who would’ve thought that he’d get into a relationship first before him? “And you always shame me for being so interested in romance, and yet look at you… so in love that it makes me sick!”
“I, for one, think they look good together,” Nilou chirped out with a smile, “Sure it’s a little surprising but knowing their personalities? I suppose it works out.”
Candace nodded in agreement before pausing, “Though, I wonder what made you two fall in love with each other… Collei said Tighnari’s focus has always been on his job, after all.”
Both the Dendro users were unsure when or how they started seeing each other in a romantic light. Tighnari supposes it was a natural process; the way a Jamun tree will eventually bear its fruits in spring and summer. To Al-Haitham, it was as simple as thinking—or perhaps it was fixed in nature; a blooming love bound to happen no matter what path one takes.
Regardless, it was instinct for them—to be in each other’s presence and warmth, even when neither was talking. Should Al-Haitham need an escape from his work, the Gandharva Ville always welcomes him with open arms. Should Tighnari need to talk and talk, whether about his work and the people he met or new botany findings, Al-Haitham lends an open ear and his own opinions and criticism.
Both their relationship was… deeper, special, than the other friendships or relationships they had with others.
And the kiss from that stormy day seemed to be the answer they were looking for.
“It happens,” Tighnari had recovered from his previous embarrassment, eyes closed as he replied. “Now, are we done here? It’s late and I’m already tired of dealing with you all.”
The rest booed, mumbling to themselves that Tighnari easily heard. Was their relationship that interesting? Even Collei looked excited, already preparing the questions she’ll ask once morning arrives. She knows that Tighnari wouldn’t ignore or brush her questions away, he has developed a soft spot for her after all.
“Ahem, I still have something to say.”
Ah yes, Tighnari’s best friend since his Akademiya days, Cyno.
The General Mahamatra.
Al-Haitham’s number one hater, aside from Kaveh. He couldn’t wait to hear what the Mahamatra has to say regarding their relationship, it was bound to be entertaining—even Dehya was already instigating a supposed fight.
“Tighnari,” Cyno, for once, tore his attention away from the Grand Scribe and looked at the Forest Watcher, “Do you really have shitty taste in men?”
Nilou covered her mouth in shock, not expecting such a question from Cyno. Kaveh and Dehya burst out laughing and Candace could only sigh from the two’s reaction. Collei… well, Collei expected this.
“I—”
“That one guy from the Vahumana darshan who’s not even good-looking and has a boastful personality and now… this guy?” Cyno questioned. He somewhat accepted the news faster than Tighnari expected (and with no violence too, how surprising) but the mention of his ex-lover made his skin crawl.
The fox hissed, suddenly embarrassed, “Shut up! I thought you forgot about that!”
Curiosity piqued, Al-Haitham glanced at the two, tilting his head. “I didn’t know you dated someone from the Vahumana darshan.”
Cyno snorted, “Well, considering their relationship, Tighnari wouldn’t even—”
“Shut up,” the fact that the two managed to be civil for one second was shocking enough, but at the expense of Tighnari’s embarrassing past relationship? Absolutely not. The fox sighed and rubbed his temples, already done with this ‘interrogation’, “It’s late. We’re done here. You can all rest in the spare huts nearby.”
A mixture of whines and complaints echoed, followed by a shush by both Tighnari and Candace. “We’re going to question you both again tomorrow, whether you like it or not.” Kaveh grinned.
“Do it and you’re no longer welcome here.”
Dissatisfied with their interrogation, the group walked towards the exit—with Collei leading the rest. She knows where the huts are after all, aside from Cyno. Nilou and Candace had offered to stay and wash the dishes or clean the table, but Tighnari simply let the group get their rest before a long journey back home tomorrow.
They bid their good nights but as Al-Haitham walked towards the exit, stuck behind the group, Tighnari grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. Surely he doesn’t think he’ll stay with the others when he can sleep beside the fox.
Cyno noticed this action, even if his back was turned to the two, and signaled for them to keep quiet as if they were going to—
A glare was enough for Cyno to turn back around, hiding his cheeky smile. A contrast to the flustered expression that Tighnari sported.
What a stressful day. If it wasn’t the idiots walking in Avidya Forest, it would be his friends.
“Al-Haitham,” Tighnari mumbled, one ear twitching once he focused on the silence. “Wash the dishes.”
“No please or ‘I love you’ first?” the Grand Scribe teased, a slight smile on his face once he heard the fox scoff. It was too easy to tease him, and Tighnari always produced the cutest expressions when he was irritated. “No need to get mad. I’ll wash the dishes,” he soon said, knowing an angry Tighnari is still someone he doesn’t want to come across.
The Forest Watcher sighed and turned to face the scribe, “Good. Now go on, the chores won’t wait for you.”
Al-Haitham smiled (it truly was natural to do things he usually doesn’t do with other people when it comes to Tighnari) and wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing a kiss on the spot between his fluffy ears.
“I love you.”
“...I love you too.”