Chapter Text
Quick heavy steps drum against the sidewalk as Tighnari wipes his sweaty hands onto his pants for the upteeth time. He tries to calm himself by listening to the city around him. He hears the soft thump of his heart, the wind whistling between people and cars, the noisy chatter that fills the streets. He finds focusing on the little things in a place overwhelming as a Sumeru city and brings him a sort of serenity that reminds him of the calm that lies in the forest.
With a clearer mind his steps slow and he allows himself to think.
Unlike most, Tighnari’s inner monologue isn’t his own but monotone and serious voice, quite opposite of his own. He’s heard of rumors of soulmates and how his voice is lost in his lover’s head or something childish like that. Although the innate desire for some to find love sounds appealing, the thought of his inner monologue actually being a person, let alone soulmates being real, is far from logical. Not to mention his so-called ‘lover’ must be always grumpy or an old man. Which is… less than appealing.
Tighnari arrives at his destination, taking a deep breath to take it all in. His monologue reads aloud,
‘Sumeru Ink. Tattoo and piercing shop.’
How creative
Suddenly cold dread washes over him.
No. It’s definitely not the fact that the first time he wants to do something rebellious, he decides getting a tattoo is the perfect thing to do…right?
Coming from a family of mostly scholars, it's not common to get tattoos to say the least.
Still Tighanari finds himself walking down the sidewalk to the tattoo parlor that is conveniently not too far from his dorm.
As his friend, Venti, would say “Go big or Go get wasted” Which knowing his friend, the latter would be done anyway.
Calm down Tighanari, it’s only a little ink.
His inner monologue rings in his ear. This voice is not his but rather the voice that lives within his thoughts. The voice is rather serious sounding with it being slightly gravely with monotone inflection. It reminds Tighanari of the smell of the warm dry breeze from Sumeru deserts. He would occasionally encounter this breez on particularly windy days, when winds from the deserts would flow into the city he grew up in.
How about calling Venti? On second thought don't do that…how are we even friends?
Tighanari sulks wishing Collei wasn’t feeling sick today or rather regretting his doubtlessly reckless decision. However the opointment was already made and he always finished what he started
_
Tighanari is greeted the sent of cold air and disinfectant spray. The Tattoo shop is well lit with lilac colored walls, minimally decorated with modern chairs and a pot of fresh Glaze lilies that sit on the receptionist counter.
Tighanari makes his way to that counter seeing a rather tired looking woman with long deep purple hair.
"Your first time?" She lazily states, not giving him the time of day to look up from her book.
At this Tighanari turns his nose up with a dissatisfied “hmph”. Though ironically takes note of the way his ears seem to hug his head and how his tail tries to hide between his legs.
Nice going, you look like a kicked pup.
This thought comes across a little harsher than intended. The steady seriousness of his inner monologue would certainly have most people at least a little nervous.
The, corpse-like, receptionist finally looks up at Tighnari giving him Tighanari a booklet containing choices and ideas for tattoos. He goes through the process of looking for a tattoo although he already knows what he wants, a Sumeru rose, but Tighanari takes it upon himself to consider his opinions.
This is permanent after all.
With newfound confidence Tighanari walks back to Rosaria telling her that he wants a Sumeru rose on his shoulder.
Tighanari opens his mouth to make a, left handed, remark about the flowers on the front desk counter when he's hit with a sence of…dasia vu?
He hears an almost familiar voice, and foot steps coming form, what he assumes is one of the back rooms, down the hall far before the figure in question is in sight.
The figure, a guy- actually a kinda hot guy, walks around to corner and the 'almost familiar' voice becomes something he knows all too well.
The man in question wore his, mid length, white hair in a messy ponytail, his side bang just long enough to completely cover his right eye and- shit. Why is the guy with his inner monologue one of those hot people who wear those fitted turtle necks…
I could honestly die happy now if I didn't have to finish my studies.
In this moment Tighanari realizes he looks like a drooling dog with a treat waving infront of them with. His mouth still open form his atmempt in commenting on the half dead flowers, and eyes blown wide from what he let's himself believe it’s just more extreme deja vu.
Probably just my mind play tricks on me.
It's only when the man ask him a question does Tighanari break from his haze and come to a almost frightening conclusion.
He just might share a voice with a random hot tattoo artist. Which honestly at least it wasn’t a middle aged man with three kids.
"Hello?"
Yep. That's definitely the same voice.
Crud flowers…
Tighnari quickly assesses his situation and dicides he'll stay silent and his tattoo artist will be ready ant minute know. He'll never have to see this man again, which admittedly is a little disappointing.
"He's a little nervous. It's his first time." Rosaria remaks. She gives Tighanari more of a smirk than a smile but he'll take it.
"If you are not ready to take on this commitment then I recommend you don't."
The white haired man states sternly in his familiar voice.
Tighnari knows it's supposed to be reassuring but he feels more like he's being schooled.
Although he isn't a firm believer in soulmates, and could care less about his inner monologue, Tighnari never expected his inner voice to be an actual person…
In the tattoo chair the air only gets thicker.
___
"I’m Cyno. How about I lighten the mood?”
Tignhari’s hand fidgeted nervously in the chair. He wouldn’t dare meet Cyno’s cold gaze, but the man continued on anyways, his familiar monotone voice making Toghnari only more uncomfortable.
“How many tentacles does it take for an octopus to laugh?”
Tighnari couldn’t tell if the nausea came from the obscurity of the moment or the cringe that comes with a bad joke, but he needed out.
Now.
___
Though Cyno was long gone, and probably didn't follow him at all, Tighanari ran until the frigid air pierced his lungs.
Tighanari let out a tired sigh as swung open his dorm door, and dragged his feet into the door, toeing off his boots. Too out of breath to care if his shoes were in the middle of the floor, he went straight to his room and plunged face first into his pillow.
Flowers…I’ve never been so embarrassed.
Deciding it's best to think of anything but what just happened, Tighnari tends to his ever growing stack of assignments.
Today's To Do List:
•Study for plant pathology exam
•Check out textbooks
•Finish essay
•Clean up for new roommate
"Roommate?"
"Shit, no! Roommate!"
Tighanari looks at his notes placed randomly on the floor and his plants wildly scattered on the windowsill. Thus, he scrambles for his phone, praying his new housemate's arrival will be delayed.
.•.•
—>Hey I'm actually leaving work early today so I'll be there an hour early
.•.•
Tighanari reads the message aloud. Then again. Then slower. Silently he hoped that it would simply disappear.
The phone lights up with a new message a time reading 4:47
.•.•
—>So 5-ish?
.•.•