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On Kaveh's faithful day of birth, he requested Tighnari to help him explore the forest.
He apparently needed some inspiration for a type of building he had to plan for a client.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do on your birthday?" Tighnari tilted his head as his ear twitched. He had already made all the preparations, and now that Collei was an official Forest Ranger, he could trust her to take care of things in his absence.
"Yeah, plus, I think it'd be nice to connect with the core beauty of the world." Kaveh smiled warmly and clasped his hands together.
Kaveh was really special to Tighnari, especially in regards to the fact that he was one of the few people who understood the forest and respected it.
Tighnari didn't mind treking into the forest with the architect at all. Infact, the thought made his heart beat a little faster, though he couldn't tell why.
The Forest Watcher just didn't know why he didn't choose any other day for this. Did he not want to celebrate his birthday or something?
In truth, everyone seemed really busy and he didn't want to bother anyone by making it seem like they were obligated to celebrate his birthday. It's not like him being born was a grand deal anyways.
He also felt a bit bad asking Tighnari to do this for him because he was always loaded with work.
"Sorry, this is probably really annoying. You had to put aside your duties for the day and..." He sighed.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise!"
Tighnari quirked an eyebrow up at him "This doesn't bother me at all, Kaveh. It's actually pretty nice to have an excuse to leave Gandharva Ville for a while." The long-eared man chuckled.
"Ah, I see." Kaveh scratched his head and looked a bit sheepish for assuming all of that.
The pair then went on into the forest. It had been a while since Tighnari took this route, he noted. More vegetation had popped up since then and it was a bit harder to navigate. Were rangers not patrolling this area? He had to investigate this later.
Meanwhile, Kaveh had stars in his ruby eyes as he seemed akin to a child staring at the beautiful flora and fauna in awe.
"It's so... beautiful."
Tighnari felt a bit warm inside seeing Kaveh so delighted. It matched the expression he had when he first stepped foot into the Avidya.
The blond then suddenly leaned down and touched something. It was a Padisarah, and a vibrant one at that.
They were quite uncommon in this area.
"I love these flowers so much..." He spoke softly.
Tighnari leaned down with him too. "You can pluck it if you want."
Kaveh immediately got flustered. "Huh?! But isn't that... wrong? To take something from nature?"
"Well..." Tighnari leaned his head further down and inspected it. "The root seems a bit weak so sooner or later the wind will erode it from the grass anyway. If it means so much to you then you can take it."
The architect had a soft blush on his cheeks now. All that from a flower, huh? He was a true romantic at heart. Kaveh's slender fingers gently gripped it and plucked it out, and then brought it closer to his eyes and inspected it, his lips curved upwards.
It was a wonderful sight really. Tighnari's own lips slightly parted and he let out a longing sigh.
"You're... really beautiful." He found these words slipping from his mouth before he could stop himself.
"What was that?" Fortunately, Kaveh didn't hear him. Or that's what he assumed.
"Ah- the flower... It's beautiful." Tighnari coughed and got up.
"Anyways, we should go ahead. I got something to show you that you'd really like."
They both walked and walked, admiring the natural world until they ended up at the edge of the landscape. An eye-catching sight of a waterfall was present.
"Wow..." Kaveh sighed softly.
"It's as if the colors have all blended together to form something amazing."
Kaveh's eyes then landed to the small area that Tighnari had set up. It was akin to an Adventurer's campsite. In such a densely forested area, it was all that could be managed after all.
"Didn't want you to end up not celebrating your birthday, even if it's just the two of us." Tighnari spoke.
"T-thank you." The architect seemed way too happy seeing just a humble area for eating.
The Forest Watcher found himself admitting something now.
"Kaveh... I-..." He picked something out of his pocket.
"It's a birthday gift for you."
The architect took it. It was a bracelet made of Padisarah petals tailored to his hand size.
"Oh...! Thank you so much!" He spoke, feeling flustered all of a sudden and wore it. It felt as though it was made to suit his aesthetic tastes.
"How did you know I liked these flowers though?"
"Um, you're kind of always wearing Padisrah scented perfume" He chuckled.
Kaveh chuckled too.
They both then sat down to eat in the small area in front of the colorful and bright waterfall.
"Tighnari, I think this... was a birthday well spent for me. I'm glad you took me here." He then leaned in and kissed Tighnari's cheek.
"....!!!" Tighnari's tail may have started swishing really fast and his ears may have gotten more upright but that totally didn't mean he was flustered.
He was definitely not blushing right now either. He really hadn't expected the gesture of affection. Could it mean that his feelings were reciprocated?
And at that quiet, peaceful moment, all he could muster out was:
"H-happy birthday, Kaveh."