Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Streaks of blazing red paint the horizon, bleeding through the leaves and basking Gandharva Ville in a gentle light. The night rolls closer, and Tighnari finds himself patiently waiting for Collei to return from her patrol.

Ever since her case of Eleazar had been cured—truly, unbelievably, cured —he has found himself a bit more comfortable with giving her longer patrol routes. Granted, that is also partly due to the fact that for the most part, the Withering has all but dispersed. The number of active dangers in Avidya Forest is now lower; therefore, Tighnari will allow her to go deeper into it without supervision.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t worry, though. Archons, there’s a certain ache in the back of his neck from how stiffly he holds his shoulders on the days Collei is out. In the past few weeks, there have been a few incidents in which the lingering aches left behind by her Eleazar have flared up, making the trek more tiring and difficult for her. 

Tonight, especially, his worry feels as if it’s a clot in his bloodstream. He—and Cyno, by extension—have an appointment early the following morning all the way in Sumeru City. Tighnari has to set off to spend the night with Cyno, and he’d like to at least see Collei off to bed before doing so. She didn’t seem upset when he had informed her, but Collei is rather good at hiding her disappointment. Still, through time, Tighnari has learned several of her tells. 

It isn’t often they spend time apart, especially after her arrival in Gandharva Ville. In actuality, Tighnari is certain he can count the number of times they’ve spent the night in separate places on one hand—all while still having enough fingers left to draw back his bow. 

“Collei is due back soon, right?” Kamran asks, his attention focused on the stove he stands at. An array of plates, some with food and some without, sit at a table next to him. Tighnari’s lips press together, twisting. Surely, his worry isn’t that discernable, so it’s more probable that Kamran is merely trying to figure out the serving proportions. It is his turn on meal duty, after all. 

“Yes. Any minute now,” Tighnari responds curtly. As the words leave his mouth, he recognizes her familiar footfall. It’s off in the distance, close to the outskirts of the village. It’s slow and awkwardly paced. She must be exhausted.

It’s good that Kamran seems to be finishing up, then. They can eat together, he can get her any medications she may need to amend her sore limbs, and then he can leave for the city after she has gone to bed.

“Will you two be eating in your hut, per usual?” Kamran further questions. The fox watches him carefully plate the food. His hands shake ever so slightly, and Tighnari can’t help but resist the urge to lecture him on standing for too long, and how he needs to take breaks for his blood circulation. The amount of times he’s seen people collapse from that careless mistake is agonizingly high. 

In any case, “We will, yes.” Then, Tighnari gets a better look at what Kamran has prepared. “A request, if possible. Collei won’t admit it, but she isn’t very fond of mushrooms. Could you ensure her portion has none?”

Kamran pauses in his work. “I, ah… yes. Of course.”

From the nearest four-leaf-sigil, Collei lands on the bridge, taking a second to get control over her balance. She has a hand wrapped around the strap of her bag and exhaustion written in her eyes. Still, there’s a smile that splits her face – a bright smile that has grown to become one of the most precious things in Tighnari’s world. Collei says she doesn’t like it, but Tighnari can’t fathom why.

It’s a beautiful representation of her growth. 

“Hi, Master Tighnari,” she greets warmly despite how tired she most certainly is. Tighnari pulls his attention away from Kamran, making his way closer to Collei. Tentatively, she takes his hand, leaning into his side. 

“Welcome home, Collei,” he whispers to her. She completely melts. He adores these moments, where Collei not only withstands but welcomes his touch. It’s taken time—a lot of it, truly—for her to get to this point. He recalls when she had first come to him, a skittish little thing, not too dissimilar to a frightened kitten. She bared her teeth and only barely allowed for him to touch her for medical purposes.

She had absolutely despised touch, in every sense of the word.

Yet, now, she excitedly holds his hand and droops against his body without much of a second thought. Hugs are a rarity, though, and when they do happen, it’s typically initiated by Collei and meticulously planned so that the embrace she gives will pin the recipient’s arms at their side. He doesn’t mind the lack of embraces, actually. The fact alone that she can let down her guard enough to go boneless against him tells him plenty. Still, she thinks that he hasn’t noticed her little trick to enduring hugs, so Tighnari doesn’t mention it.

If it allows for her to feel safer, to feel comfortable, he will never mention it. The progress she’s made is far too much to measure against his pride. 

His fingers find their way to her hair, gently playing with the strands. It’s grown a lot—Collei’s always talking about wanting her hair to be as long as Amber’s. Today, she pinned her side bangs away from her face with an assortment of clips; most of them gifts from Kaveh. All of them are, actually. Archons, that man truly does love spoiling her…

Tighnari can’t argue, though. Collei deserves it all, and who is he to deny anybody of giving it to her?

“Here,” Kamran comes closer, two plates in hand. Collei pulls away, but Tighnari steps forwards to accept them both. For a split instant, Kamran nearly drops them. Tighnari barely has enough time to lurch forward and grab them securely. The other ranger simply stands there, frozen, staring at the meals he had just prepared. “I– sorry, I don’t really know what–”

“Take a break,” Tighnari can’t stave off the edge to his tone this time. Kamran drops his head, nodding quickly. He steels himself, twisting his words into something kinder. “You can’t work like this; you must be patient with yourself. Thank you for cooking.”

“Yeah, of course. Uh… enjoy,” he says quietly before heading off toward his hut. He doesn’t even take any of the food for himself. Still, Tighnari has said all he needed to say; Kamran is an adult plenty capable of making decisions. The time he has now is dedicated to Collei. 

They walk in silence to Tighnari’s hut, habitually taking their seats in their small dining area. Tighnari slides Collei’s plate over to her—as asked, there is not a mushroom to be seen atop it—and digs into his own. 

Meal duty never exactly produces stellar meals, it’s hardly anything one would find at a place like Lambad’s, but it is efficient and simple. It hardly ever tastes bad —partly because Tighnari had personally removed Shirin from the rotation, not that anybody complained or retaliated. His soup is well seasoned (by definition: not spicy, mostly with salt), and the fried rice has enough flavor and texture to keep him satisfied. 

Collei on the other hand simply goes straight for her soup – she brings spoonful after spoonful carefully to her lips. It’s silly, but Tighnari notices how her hand doesn’t shake. He’s so insanely proud of her.

They eat in silence for a few more minutes. Collei’s nearly done with her soup, while Tighnari has almost finished the rice on his plate. 

“So…” Collei trails off, using her spoon to mix the liquid in the bowl around in a clockwise circle. “What’s your appointment with Cyno all about?”

Ah.

The appointment.

“Mm,” he hums noncommittally, unsure how to best avoid the question. It isn’t that he wants to keep secrets from her; it’s nothing of that caliber, no. It’s more so that… Tighnari doesn’t think it appropriate to explain it to her without Cyno with them. When a couple decides to serve a child adoption papers, it’s typically in good taste for both of them to be present, no? The plan is to come home once the brunt of the legalities are sorted out through the meeting, and to then bring the papers home for Collei to sign if she’d like. From there, Cyno would simply bring them back into the city with him to be properly filed with the Akademiya. 

The only reason Tighnari refused to go through this process sooner was due to his distrust of the Akademiya’s motives, but, now that things are being cleaned up, and the administration is in hands he trusts, he has no further qualms with legally claiming this girl in front of him as his own.

In his eyes, she has been his daughter for years. He doesn’t require a document to tell him that. However, Cyno’s a rather sentimental one and had insisted. He thinks it as solid proof, to Collei especially, that they truly love and want her. That they aren’t going to get up and leave her. It’s a promise, a pact, a truth. 

Knowing her anxieties, and having no current reservations, Tighnari has no reason to disprove or disagree. So, “You’ll find out tomorrow when we get home. I promise.”

She pouts, and Tighnari has to fight every bone in his body to keep himself from caving right then and there, telling her about the entire plan he and Cyno (mostly Cyno) had concocted. “Is it something for my birthday? Or – you two aren’t getting divorced, right? Oh, don’t be getting divorced…”

“It’s July, and no, I assure you, we are not getting divorced,” Tighnari can’t help but laugh at her inquisitive nature. She’s adorable, truly, in the way she so easily lights up with her questions. Actually, he has to wonder if it was the General Mahamatra she picked it up from. 

“Okay, okay,” Collei acquiesces, finally. She stops her mindless swirling, finishing off her soup and pushing her attention onto her serving of fried rice. “Is everything alright, though? I want to help.”

“Everything is more than alright,” Tighnari assures. Collei’s cheeks puff out as she chews. She’s an incredibly considerate kid, and he’s forever indebted to fate for placing her into his life of all the places she could have ended up. “How was your patrol today?”

Instantaneously, she lights up, covering her mouth with her hand as she begins to speak – lowering it once she’s actually swallowed her food. “It was really good! I made it the whole way, and even got everything on the schedule done! All of the lampposts are in good condition, but one of the ones closer to Vimara Village needs a new lightbulb. I can do it on my next patrol! Ahm… oh!” Her smile widens. “I saw some baby foxes! They were so cute, Master!”

“I’m sure they are,” he agrees, her exuberant joy something contagious. Then, he hums thoughtfully. “You know, I don’t believe I’ve ever shown you photos from when I was a little one, have I?”

She shakes her head vigorously. “No, you haven’t.”

“Hm,” he mumbles, polishing off what remains on his plate. “I don’t have any here with me, unfortunately. My parents surely have an entire collection, though. They’d love to meet you, that is if you’re interested. I’m certain my father would be ecstatic to share those photos with you if it was something you wanted.”

“They would?” Collei parrots with a light tilt of her head. “I, uhm… why?”

Tighnari blinks. They’re pushing into the territory of what exactly the terminology of their relationship is—something Cyno had all but begged Tighnari to wait for his presence to do. So, he instead clears his throat. “Because you are important to me, and therefore, are important to them.”

“Oh. Okay,” she nods, pushing the rest of her plate away from her—she’s only had a few bites of rice. “I think I’m full for the night.”

His eyebrows furrow in concern. Collei usually eats everything she’s given, and it’s not that her portions are ever outlandishly big. After her patrols, she’s typically garnered a decent appetite. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I just—my head’s starting to hurt a little bit. I think I’m just really tired,” she waves it off, voice a bit strained. Her hand wobbles with the movement, it does nothing to ease Tighnari’s worry. “I think if I eat more, my stomach might get upset. I’ll have a big breakfast tomorrow, promise!”

He’s already standing up, stacking plates, and mentally cataloging the medicines he already has prepared and ready to go. Tighnari’s decently convinced he has a remedy for headaches, and he definitely has something already stocked up that will soothe an upset stomach. “I’ll write to Cyno, we can reschedule, I’ll stay—”

“No! It’s okay, you don’t have to do that,” Collei stands abruptly, she’s gripping the table. “I’ll be okay, really. I’m sixteen. That’s plenty old enough to be alone when I’m just a little bit sick, and besides, I’m really probably just tired. I promise that I’ll get lots of rest, and I know where you keep your medicines in case I do need anything in the morning. Please don’t ruin your plans for me.” 

Please don’t make me feel like a burden, her eyes tell him. 

“Collei…” Tighnari trails off. On any other day, he would brush it off and insist regardless. But, it had taken months of waiting to get this appointment, and he has no idea how much longer they will have to wait if it is rescheduled. Tighnari has to admit that Cyno’s enthusiasm about the adoption has managed to get to him. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure,” she says firmly. Then, she giggles softly. “Go to your appointment so you can tell me about it later, okay?”

Against his better judgment, Tighnari agrees. “Alright.”

“Okay. I’m going to go to bed, I think,” she mumbles, pushing off of the table. She’s a bit clumsy and unsteady on her feet, but that isn’t exactly something out of the ordinary for her when she’s tired and aching. Still, Tighnari finds himself at her side, taking her hand, and helping to guide her back to her hut.

Once perched on her mattress, she pulls off her boots, setting them carefully on the ground. Cuilein-Anbar sits next to her, as well-worn and loved as ever. He pulls Collei’s nightwear out of her dresser, handing it off to her. She accepts it with a quiet thank you, her eyes drooping more and more with each minute that passes. 

“Goodnight, Collei,” Tighnari presses a soft kiss to the crown of her forehead, which she instinctively leans into. His hand brushes through her hair again, and it only takes him a few seconds to remove her hair clips and set them on the bedside table. If she falls asleep with them in, her headache will certainly get worse. That done, he heads towards the door, turning to give his girl one last look. “Rest well. Please take care of yourself.”

“Mh, okay,” Collei’s voice comes out weakly. She’s busy removing her shawl and sleeves. “Goodnight, Master Tighnari. I love you…”

Tighnari’s eyes snap open as if he’d been hit head-on by a sumpterbeast. The two of them tend to live in the comfort of implications – they don’t tend to say words like love, or daughter, or father, but their actions say it for them. This is the first time Collei has ever told him rather than shown him. Tighnari can feel his heart already turning to mush. With a gentle smile, he returns it. “I love you, too, little one.”

He allows the curtain to swing shut behind him, and he returns to his own hut in order to gather the last of his belongings for his trip. It won’t be anything tedious, the only reason he’s spending the night is merely because the appointment is very early in the morning, and Tighnari would prefer to be well-rested for it. 

After double-checking his bag’s contents, he makes a quick stop at the communal kitchen, setting his and Collei’s plates beside the wash basin. Then, Tighnari finally sets off toward Sumeru City.

The sun has now long since set, and the evening chill sets in. Avidya Forest sleeps, the only noises coming from restless insects and the bristle of wind through the abundant flora. It’s calm, and Tighnari enjoys it.

Nature has always called to him. For as long as he can remember, he would spend his time playing amongst the dirt and the trees. His father would often take him to entomology conferences in hopes that Tighnari would garner an interest in the topic, but he had always been more fascinated by the vegetation that made up the majority of the insects’ diets. 

One of his father’s favorite stories to tell is about a particular Father’s Day when Tighnari had barely been a day over seven, and he had excitedly put together a miniature terrarium as a gift. His father had looked intently for whatever insect Tighnari had found for him, only to eventually realize there wasn’t a single one inside of it. There were only plants, particularly an abundance of ferns that had been dug up and replanted into the jar from their backyard.

Tighnari’s ears twitch. There’s the sound of a light impact somewhere behind him in the forest. It’s nowhere close to him, though, and nothing follows it.

It’s highly probable that one of the night patrols is in the middle of something. Furthermore, it isn’t his duty at the moment to investigate—if it wasn’t one of the patrols, then surely, one of them will soon be on it. He trusts his rangers, just as they trust him. They are plenty capable of doing their jobs, and of doing them well. 

Within the hour, Tighnari has passed through the gates to Sumeru City, and maneuvers through the winding streets with precision. At the late hour, not many people are still out, especially near the Akademiya. Students are either resting or studying in the House of Daena or their own rooms; at least that is how Tighnari distinctly remembers it being during his time there. 

Cyno’s apartment isn’t too far from Alhaitham and Kaveh’s, just a few branched-off streets away. Tighnari almost expects to be able to hear the bickering of those two as he passes by, but even they know when to not be a public disturbance. (Or at least, what times it is inappropriate to be one.)

Upon arriving, he raps his knuckles against the door. It opens briskly.

“What? You’re knock going to just come in?” Cyno says with a lopsided grin as he leans against the doorframe playfully. He’s donned a set of baggy clothes for the night in stark contrast to his usual uniform—a relaxed state that few get to see him in. Tighnari sighs and offers him a roll of his eyes in response. The jokes simply get more and more ridiculous. As Cyno steps aside to allow him in, he starts up with an explanation. “Did you get it? It’s a play on the word not, because you knocked on my door instead of—”

“Yes, I got it,” Tighnari cuts him off. Cyno locks the door behind them. Then, he brushes past, entering his small kitchen and pulling something out of the cabinet.

“Have you eaten yet?” he asks, voice soft. Tighnari’s lips split into a smile. He sets his bag down on the couch and catches up to where Cyno stands. Wrapping his arms around Cyno’s waist, Tighnari tucks his head into the crook of his husband’s neck. For a moment, Cyno doesn’t move, but he then places his callused hands atop Tighnari’s. “Hey.”

“Hey,” the fox-eared man parrots, absorbing Cyno’s warmth like a plant takes in the sunlight. They stay like that for a few minutes, taking in one another’s presence, and basking in it. Twisting away, Cyno pulls him in for a delicate kiss. 

Cyno exhales, his eyes warm as a smile of his own sets over his sharp features. “So… are you hungry?”

“No, I’m alright, thank you,” Tighnari shakes his head. He steps back, pulling off his gloves and setting them down on the counter. “Collei and I ate together before I left. She’s quite eager to know what our appointment is about, you know.”

“Did you tell her?” Cyno asks lightly. 

“Of course not. You wanted to be there,” Tighnari responds quickly. He moves to cup Cyno’s cheek with his hand. “She asked me if we were getting divorced. I assured her we weren’t, of course.”

Cyno barks a laugh at that. “Certainly not. I would hope a couple soon to be divorced wouldn’t be adopting a child. Hm. You know, that could be quite an ironic joke – I think I may work it into one. We can tell it to—”

“I don’t believe that is going to be necessary,” Tighnari snorts, pressing his forehead against Cyno’s once again. He lets out a soft sigh. “Archons. She’s such a good kid, I’ll be forever grateful to you for bringing her home to us. Can you believe that I haven’t had to help her with any of her letters in months? She’s come so far.”

“That’s phenomenal,” Cyno hums lightly. His hand finds its way to the small of Tighnari’s back, sending goosebumps racing down his spine as his tail sways back and forth. “So… she’s doing alright?”

“Yes.” Tighnari’s smile can’t help but widen, canines on full display. “She still has some moments—I was debating rescheduling, she was feeling a little sick after dinner—but overall, she’s having more good days than bad days. There was a time when I was worried she would only decline further and further. But…”

“But she isn’t. She’s safe, and she’s healthy,” the General Mahamatra finishes succinctly. Then, his lips tug into a frown. “She wasn’t feeling well?”

“Just a headache,” Tighnari elaborates. “I offered to stay with her, but she didn’t want me to. So, she went to bed and promised me that she would rest throughout the day if she still felt ill. Knowing her, she probably won’t, but I trust the other rangers will take good care of her. How was work?”

“Hm. It was alright. The Matra are currently working on apprehending somebody who broke into the House of Daena the other night. Some texts were stolen, but it will be dealt with soon. I had other priorities,” Cyno responds, setting loose Crystalflies that flutter in his stomach. The grip of the shorter man’s hand on Tighnari’s back tightens. “You’re sure you’re not hungry?”

Tighnari blinks, eyes tracing over the muscles of Cyno’s arm. The rest is hidden away (unfortunately, his oh-so-helpful mind supplies) by the shirt he wears. Picking up on his implications, Tighnari’s mouth splits into a sly grin as he leans in close to Cyno’s ear. His voice is hardly above a whisper. “You know, now that I think about it, I suppose that I wouldn’t mind a little snack.”

The effect is instantaneous. Cyno’s cheeks flush a furious red, his eyes open wide and his lips sit slightly parted. “I, ah, okay—uhm, alright—”

“Must I take you to your own room?” Tighnari teases. Cyno stumbles, nearly falling onto the counter. He laughs at that, light and airy, while the shorter man only grows redder. “I mean…” he eyes the surface behind him. “I guess this works as well if you’re that desperate.”

“Tighnari,” Cyno chokes out, horrified. “No, no—my room is fine.”

Archons, Tighnari has missed this man. Carefully, he takes Cyno’s hand, guiding him away from the kitchen and down the hallway to his bedroom. The door to Collei’s sits slightly ajar, and through the opening, Tighnari can see everything Cyno had lovingly put together for her to have whenever she spends the night. A soft blanket, an abundance of fairytale stories from Mondstadt, and a small Aranara toy only start the list of what he’s gathered for her. 

He makes sure to close the door as they pass by. 

…

The appointment went well, despite its mundanity. Tighnari and Cyno supplied their documents and certifications, gave their statements regarding their reasoning for wanting to adopt Collei—it was not too dissimilar a process to a thesis defense at the Akademiya—and then received the paperwork for the final step of the process. 

Theoretically, all they have to do now is to get Collei’s signature, which they’ll ask her for tonight over dinner. Cyno had even written to Lisa asking for the recipe to one of Collei’s favorite dishes from Mondstadt, some fried radish dish that Amber had introduced to her while she was first there. Unfortunately, it seemed that Sumeru didn’t have much Mond cuisine to supply.

People bustle through the streets, many of them Akademiya students focused on purchasing supplies and materials for their research. Tighnari finds himself lagging behind Cyno as he astutely searches for the proper ingredients for their meal. 

It’s heart-warming to see him so focused on something as simple as the quality of what radishes and spices he gets. In his role as the General Mahamatra, it’s easy to miss how truly sentimental of a man he is.

“Do you think she would prefer whole wheat flour? Or, perhaps she’d like it better with rice flour…” Cyno mumbles under his breath, but Tighnari still picks up on it. It was most likely intended for his ears alone. Cyno looks up from the two different bags in his hands, turning to face him. “I read the other day that rice flour, when mixed with cornstarch, is much crispier when fried compared to whole wheat flour alone. Would she like that?”

“I think that you may be overthinking this,” Tighnari laughs softly, plucking one of the bags out of Cyno’s hand and moving towards the merchant. “Thank you, we’ll take this.”

“You mean, wheat will take this,” Cyno wiggles his eyebrows, much to Tighnari’s dismay. The fox-eared man mouths a quiet apology to the merchant, making quick work of counting out the mora due before Cyno can dive into an explanation.

“What’s next on the list?” Tighnari says distractedly, more so trying to get Cyno to hop onto a new train of thought. He looks down at his list – a small piece of paper with neat, tiny, handwriting – and purses his lips. “We’ve already gotten the radishes and spice, is there anything else in the recipe?”

“No, we’ve got everything,” Cyno shakes his head. “I was thinking that we can perhaps get her a small gift as well, though?”

“I’m not opposed,” he shrugs, eyeing their surroundings in search of a shop or a stall that might cater to Collei’s interests. She doesn’t care too much for clothing since she wears whatever is easy to move in, and her jewelry is rather minimal. Hair decorations are more so Kaveh’s thing, and she’s still working through the books Alhaitham had gotten her for her birthday. “Did you have anything specific in mind?”

“Well, since you’re asking, there’s a new Genius Invokation TCG expansion pack that she could add to her deck,” Cyno says, voice gentle. Countless people walk past, yet spare him not a single glance. It’s an amusing image, is all: the General Mahamatra is out of uniform, shopping for groceries, and talking about a card game. It’s far from the fearsome image of him that is ingrained into the scholars of Sumeru. “We could play tonight, have a small tournament, the three of us.”

Tighnari hums thoughtfully. “We could. I trust you already know where this expansion pack is being sold?”

“And if I do?” Cyno responds, to which Tighnari only laughs, shaking his head lightly. His fingers weave themselves between his lover’s, holding on loosely as Cyno leads the way to whatever section of the market has what he’s looking for.

Given that Collei doesn’t play as often as Cyno, they elect to weigh between a few different expansion packs. After all, the newest isn’t the only one she doesn’t have—not for lack of trying on Cyno’s part—and they have plenty of time for her to build up her deck. They barely have time to compare the first few decks before somebody is running toward them. Tighnari only needs a few seconds to recognize the person as Amir, looking extremely disheveled, and practically about to collapse onto the ground.

“General– General Watchleader,” he gasps, choking on air as he sucks in breath after breath. Tighnari’s spine straightens, and he holds onto Cyno’s hand just a bit tighter. Amir does not often call him by that title, rather, he often uses Tighnari’s first name. 

Something is wrong.

Cold, jarring, fear trickles through his blood, gripping his heart and squeezing the air out of his own lungs. He’s terrified, terrified of what could have possibly sent Amir all the way into Sumeru City to find him. Still, the man coughs and sputters, struggling to find his composure. Cyno’s hand squeezes back.

“It– It’s an emergency,” Amir finally manages, doing absolutely nothing to soothe Tighnari’s fear. Just what is the emergency? It— “Collei.”

Cyno’s expression completely shifts in a matter of seconds. From something gentle and concerned to absolutely nothing at all. He squares his jaw, eyebrows leveling, and sets his shoulders back. He’s prepared to be the General Mahamatra. “What of her?”

“Collei,” Amir repeats, wiping the sweat off of his face with the back of his sleeve. Tighnari forces himself to take a deep breath, in and out. “She—she’s gone.” 

The world stops. His throat is dry, much too dry. Perhaps he’d stumbled into the desert, and started hallucinating, because he must not have heard Amir properly, there’s no way. 

“I-I’m sorry, Tighnari. All of her stuff is still in her room. Her shoes are still next to her bed. She’s—she didn’t run, she’s just gone.”

“No,” Tighnari shakes his head. “No, no, she can’t be. Have you checked the tree hollow? Maybe she had a nightmare, and I wasn’t there, so—or, or perhaps she’s in my hut. Have you checked there? She can’t be gone, that can’t happen.”

“We’ve checked everywhere,” Amir says slowly, his words measured. “Collei’s missing.”

Archons.

This has to be another nightmare, this can’t be happening. Cyno’s hand in his feels all too real, though, and Tighnari knows that no matter how much he hates it, he is currently living in reality.

He shouldn’t have left her. He should have stayed with her. If she wasn’t feeling well, then perhaps she wasn’t able to even fully recognize her surroundings—did somebody take her? Somebody had to have taken her if her shoes were still there. How did nobody notice? There are always at least two of the night patrols, surely one of them must have seen, much less heard something?

The would’ve, could’ve, and should’ves are racing through his mind, Tighnari just can’t. He can’t. Collei’s been taken from him and he wasn’t there to even try to save her, or even know, and she must be so terrified–

No. No, he doesn’t have time for this. He has to reel it all in, has to find her, has to save her—

“Have you found any leads yet?” Cyno asks sternly, monotone. The only sign of the fear coursing through his veins is in the slight tremble of his hands. “Anything that can give us a direction to look into, no matter how small?”

“I– no, not yet,” Amir says in response, swallowing thickly. He’s finally gotten control over his breathing, but he still drags in deep breaths. He’s afraid. They all are, Tighnari reasons. “Nasrin was the first to notice anything, Collei didn’t show up to get anything for breakfast, so she went to go check on her, but—”

“She wasn’t there,” Cyno summarizes. Amir nods.

“Yeah,” he murmurs quietly. His eyes cast over the ground, a distinct and palpable guilt exuding from his demeanor and expression. “She… wasn’t there.”

The papers in his satchel feel like the heaviest thing in the world, all of a sudden. “We have to go back. We need to look for her, we need to find her. Have you any idea how long she’s been gone for? It’s improbable that not a single shred of evidence was left behind. Sag, have you tried using Sag?”

Cyno cuts in, squeezing Tighnari’s hand. It’s hardly the comfort it typically is. “We can walk and talk. For now, we need to move. Time isn’t on our side.”

Tighnari and Amir wordlessly agree, setting a fast pace en route back to Gandharva Ville. In all honesty, Tighnari is pretty sure that the only reason he isn’t running is because he’s well aware that he doesn’t have the stamina for it, and doesn’t want to waste a single second taking a break that he certainly doesn’t deserve.

“There was nothing any of us could find,” Amir speaks up. “Sag lost her trail in the woods. We think whoever—we think that her scent was masked. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. They knew who they were dealing with. When she was taken… we don’t know if it was last night or this morning. Her pajamas are on her bed, and we can’t find her dress anywhere. But her shawl and sleeves are still set aside…”

He draws in a sharp breath and walks just a bit faster. 

Shoes on the floor, her shawl and sleeves set aside. That’s exactly how he left her. 

Tighnari should have never left her. 

“And nobody heard anything?” Tighnari finds himself asking quietly. Collei’s a fighter, she isn’t one to go down easily. Even feeling sick and tired, she would have put up a significant struggle. She would have screamed and thrashed, she would have fought back, and the rangers would have heard.

“No,” Amir responds, voice breaking. “We didn’t hear anything. It was quiet for the whole night. It was—it’s like she disappeared into thin air.”

At that, they fall into an uncomfortable silence. Cyno doesn’t ever let go of his hand, though, which Tighnari finds himself eternally grateful for. Unfortunately, the fear doesn’t let go, either. It creeps up his spine, crushing him beneath its weight.

He has to find her. 

Gandharva Ville is miniscule in the distance. It’s not close enough. Evidently, it isn’t even safe enough. Tighnari’s failed her, he failed her and he didn’t even know it. What good is he as a guardian if he can’t even—

“Tighnari,” Cyno drags him out of his train of thought, voice firm yet soft all the same. “Don’t do that. We’re going to find her, and she’s going to be alright. There’s no time to play the blame game.”

“Alright,” he breathes, although both of them know he’s not going to stop. He just… he can’t. Not until he has Collei safe and sound and in his arms. Still, he repeats that empty word all the same. “Alright.”

The silence takes over again.

“This is where Sag lost her trail,” Amir interjects, gesturing towards an offshoot from the main path. The area in and of itself doesn’t appear to be particularly disturbed. If anything, the plants could be written off as tousled, but there’s absolutely nothing—especially not of Collei’s—to be seen. She was here, but it’s impossible to discern.

It’s only maybe eight or so minutes away from Gandharva Ville. 

Less, actually. 

Collei always needs a little more time than the other rangers to travel, but Collei isn’t here . To anybody else, it’s closer to a five-minute walk. 

A five-minute walk away from the village, and nobody heard anything.

“We can come back to it. Let’s start at her hut,” Cyno says after scanning the area with a scrutinizing gaze. They continue at their brisk pace, although Tighnari keeps an eye and ear out the entire way—just in case. If she left something behind, if she’s out there, if she’s calling for him, he’s going to find her. 

Gandharva Ville is quiet, not peaceful, as they arrive. Nasrin and Shirin are hovering over maps, discussing quietly amongst themselves—not quietly enough to evade Tighnari’s ears—about potential routes that could have been taken as means of avoiding last night’s dispatched patrols. Meanwhile, Kamran and Iraj are checking on the general surroundings, looking for anything that could have been left behind: by Collei or her kidnapper.

He even spots some rangers who aren’t stationed in Avidya Forest joining in on search discussions and preparing for patrols. Sumeru’s Forest Rangers have always been rather intertwined, but Tighnari had never had to see a reason for them to be so collaborative in his time with them. 

Tighnari doesn’t have the time to check in or introduce himself. No, his sights are set on Collei’s hut. He pulls away from Cyno, latching onto the four-leaf-sigil and landing quickly on her deck. Nothing on it is disturbed, or even out of the ordinary. Her plants point towards the sunlight, unable to even see that their caretaker is missing.

Inside of the hut is the same story, to a certain degree. It’s disturbed, only because Collei clearly never finished what she had been in the middle of doing. Her nightwear is still folded neatly, just as he had handed it to her. The only thing that had changed since he had left was that her earring and leg band sat atop the rest of her daywear. 

Cyno stands beside him, but Tighnari is frozen to the spot. Collei had barely done much else after he’d wished her good night. Had they been waiting for him to leave? Who would have even known that? His throat is tightening up, air is growing more difficult to draw in. 

He should have stayed. 

But, still, the realization pulls on dozens more questions. If this had happened shortly after he left, somebody had to have been around to witness the events that transpired. To the Lesser Lord, she’d gone to bed early. Unless—

Unless he’s going about this the wrong way. 

Cyno takes a step closer to her bed, scanning over everything left behind on or near it. “Tighnari. What have you figured out?”

“This is exactly how it was left last night,” he responds vacantly. “She—it must have not been too much longer after I set off. But… she went to bed fairly early. It doesn’t make sense for nobody to have seen anything. And, on the off chance that whoever took her was simply that slippery, then there are plenty of rangers close enough to have at least overheard the struggle.”

“And based on how things were left in here, it can be surmised that there was no physical altercation,” Cyno pauses, thumb against his chin as his brows crease with thought. “So, she must have been asleep already. But—”

“—she’s a light sleeper,” Tighnari completes his thought, taking another step closer to his lover. “She would have screamed or caused a ruckus if anybody tried to touch her without her knowledge. They could have tried to drug her, but she still would have struggled. Somebody would have heard it and investigated.”

His heart aches at the thought of his girl desperately struggling to fight somebody off. 

“Collei must have already been drugged,” Cyno blurts out. Tighnari stiffens, ears going ramrod straight as he snaps his head in Cyno’s direction. The General Mahamatra is still staring at her empty bed. “If she was, then she would not have stirred when somebody came to take her away, and they could have waited until a later time when fewer people were up to sneak in. She must have gone unconscious just after you left.”

“Are you implying that she was drugged right under my nose?” Tighnari asks sharply, expression stoic. 

“I’m only suggesting that her being drugged would explain how easy this was,” Cyno mutters. Tighnari hates that he’s right—this was easy. He made it easy, in some way that he can’t even begin to comprehend. “You mentioned that she wasn’t feeling well, right?”

“Yes, she wasn’t,” he whispers under his breath, the gravity of the situation dawning on him. He simply can’t fathom how it could have happened. “Archons, I-I was with her from the moment she returned from patrol, though. How could she have possibly gotten drugged? It was only the two of us, and I certainly didn’t do it. We—”

“What?” Cyno turns to him. “What is it?”

“We ate dinner together,” Tighnari says, chest tight, like an over-inflated balloon on the verge of explosion. He replays the events of last night in his mind—she had gotten home, already tired due to her patrol. He’d welcomed her back, she’d taken his hand and melted into him, and then they had gone off to have their meal. There’s nothing there. She was on a solo patrol, she knows not to eat suspicious items, especially from strangers. The only thing she did eat was: 

“Her soup. With dinner. She felt sick only after—” he has to hold back his own bile, realization crashing over him like an impending flood. He had sat down with her and didn’t do anything. Didn’t even know. “—it had to have been her food.”

It’s the only thing he can remotely even think of that could potentially support Cyno’s hypothesis. Collei had been fine, aside from her exhaustion, upon getting back to Gandharva Ville. 

And, if that is the theory they’re working off of, then that would imply…

Archons. There’s a despicable, moronic, villainistic, rat amongst his people. Tighnari can see it clearly in his mind, now—how Kamran’s hands had shaken, how he had nearly dropped the plates. And, with further horror, Tighnari processes how he had made it easier. He’d asked that Kamran adjust the recipe for Collei, ensuring that they wouldn’t have mixed up the drugged portion with what was intended for him. 

He hadn’t been overworking himself; he hadn’t needed a break. No. He’d been scared, and nervous. Kamran had drugged Collei. 

“Tighnari.”

He seethes, fangs bared and claws drawn. “Kamran. I am going to kill him in the most excruciating way possible.”

“Tighnari.” Cyno grabs his wrist, grip tight and unrelenting. “You need to take a breath, you can’t kill him, we need to get information; answers. As far as we are concerned, he might be the only person we know of who has intel on Collei’s whereabouts. We need to keep a clear mind and go about this as efficiently as possible. You’re sure that he’s the rat?”

“Kamran was on meal duty last night,” Tighnari says, pulling his wrist away from Cyno. “And he doesn’t get along with Collei. I didn’t think he would go as far as to—” he cuts himself off, reconsidering that train of thought. “I don’t have time for this. He’s even pretending to help with the search. I’m going to drag him—”

“No, you’re not,” Cyno huffs. “He’ll run. We have to get him by surprise and make sure we’re in a place he’s cornered in. I’ll get answers.”

“I’ll do it. I’m more than capable of this, Cyno, this is Collei,” Tighnari presses. “Kamran is— was— my ranger, he knows to fear crossing me.”

“Clearly not enough to stop him from drugging our daughter,” Cyno reminds him. The fur on Tighnari’s tail bristles. “Face it. He doesn’t respect you, he sure as hell doesn’t respect Collei. He isn’t going to start now. We’re wasting our time on this petty argument, we can only get answers once we have him.”

Tighnari can’t help but feel as if everything is crumbling beneath him. Collei is missing, he’s arguing with Cyno, and all he can do is huff haughtily and follow Cyno out of Collei’s hut.

Finding Kamran again shouldn’t be as easy as it is. In Tighnari’s mind, he should have realized he would be found out as soon as he and Cyno arrived. He should have been consumed by shame, hiding away, but instead, he has joined Nasrin and Shirin in going over the maps while the two of them had been investigating inside Collei’s hut. It’s sickening . He drugged Collei, and now she’s somewhere where Tighnari can’t find her, and Kamran is pretending to care about it all. (The urge to claw out his chest cavity, to see if he even has a heart, is increasingly difficult to ignore.)

“Nasrin,” Cyno speaks up as they approach. “Could you please go check in with Amir? See if he has any other ideas with the dogs.” 

In any other circumstance, Tighnari would be swooning over how well Cyno knows his work and the people he does it with. But, at the moment, Tighnari is both too worried about Collei and frustrated with Cyno to do that. “Shirin—do a medicinal inventory. In the worst case scenario, we must be prepared to treat serious injuries.”

That one’s… a bit of a stretch. Cyno is well aware that even Tighnari wouldn’t hold out on bringing Collei to the Bimarstan if the situation was grave enough. Still, it gets them alone with Kamran. Perhaps, though, alone might not be the best option, considering there is still the desire for blood coursing through Tighnari’s veins—not that he particularly cares. 

Behind him is a ledge, not a single four-leaf-sigil in sight.

“Kamran,” Tighnari forces out, the name bitter on his tongue. “You have one minute to tell me everything that you did. Where is she?”

He pales. “What?”

“Collei. Where is she?” Cyno steps in, brandishing his spear and holding it at a threatening angle. Kamran is forced backward, closer to the ledge. “You drugged her and told her kidnappers exactly how to sneak through Avidya Forest undetected by the Forest Rangers, no? Where has she been taken?”

Tighnari growls, sharp canines glistening in the morning sunlight.

“Look, I’m sorry, I was cornered, and they forced me to do it—”

“Cut the bullshit,” Tighnari snaps, lunging forward and pinning Kamran to the ground—he calls for his bow, pointing an arrow directly at his forehead and drawing back the string completely. “Where the hell is she? Who did you sell her out to? What did you give her, you fucking imbecilic rat?”

“You’re fucking insane!” Kamran exclaims, his eyes wide though he dares not move his body an inch—not when he’s one wrong jerk away from an arrow through the head. Cyno grumbles under his breath but makes no effort to pull Tighnari off. “She—they said they were going to take her to some old lab in the desert, I don’t know where.”

“Who said that?” Cyno demands, his voice powerful and firm. Everything that Tighnari currently feels that he is not. A few of the nearby rangers are finally noticing the commotion. “I asked who said that.” Flickers of Electro dance across his fingertips, filling the air with the distinct scent of ozone. “It would be wise to answer.”

“Some—some Fatui,” the man confesses, clenching his eyes shut in preparation for impact. It doesn’t come. Tighnari thinks it would be much too quick for what he deserves. Fatui. He fucking sold Collei out to the Fatui. Tighnari was under the impression that The Doctor no longer had any interest in her, that he had moved on to far more sadistic and sickening projects—projects that while horrid, still did not need Collei. “She gave me a million mora, she just—she just needed me to slip it into Collei’s food. I don’t know what she gave me, but that’s all I did, I swear— she did the rest!”

“Collei is a child,” Tighnari spits venomously. “Had you no reservations about practically serving a little girl to the Fatui on a golden platter? You’re just as horrible as them, you are far from innocent, and you’re lucky that I care more about Collei’s safety than killing the likes of you.”

“Tighnari,” Cyno hisses. “Calm down. We have what we need, but we have to ensure that he’s secure before we set out. The lab—I have an idea of where we might find her, it isn’t far from Caravan Ribat.”

“Oh, General Mahamatra,” somebody drawls from behind them. Tighnari turns to find Nasrin returning from her task with Amir in tow. There’s pure rage in her eyes, mirrored by Amir and all the other rangers in the general proximity. “We can take care of him.” She takes a moment to crack her knuckles. “You two go and find our girl.”

That’s all the comfort Tighnari needs. He lowers his bow, standing up, and potentially stepping on Kamran’s hand as he moves. It doesn’t truly matter.

“We’ll be back,” he spits. “And you better fucking pray that we find Collei safely.”