I See That Your Bio Says Requests Are Open, But If There’s Been A Mistake And They’re Not Then Feel

consider - yan tighnari letting you escape, purely for the thrill of the chase. what can get his blood hot better than a hunt, especially with the promise of lovely prey?

cw: non-con, dub-con, yandere. predator/prey, chasing, knotting, other animal instincts. not sfw, minors dni. reader is afab, but no gendered terms are used.

It starts out as a question of trust. You have been so sweet to Tighnari recently; stroked his tail whilst he sat with you and curled it around him, parroted back to him that you loved him, thanked him for the food he prepares for you even though you know there are things in there that should not be. So he leaves the door unlocked.

If you do not leave, he has won, and you are truly as adoring of him as your words promise that you are. And if you do . . . well. His rut is coming in (he can feel it when he presses close to you, breathes in deeply from the crook of your neck with his ears tickling your bare skin), and it will be most satisfying to hunt you down and have his way with you when he does.

Of course, you leave.

You've only been pretending to be agreeable, after all; waiting for him to let his guard down, so that you can make your escape. You're absolutely certain of it; he trusts you too much, you're sure, to think you'd really make a run for it. And the forgotten locking of the door is a cherry on top; you'd stolen one of the pins he uses to pin butterfly specimens when he wasn't looking and had been intending to pick the lock, but this makes things so much easier.

You don't bother making plans beyond 'run'. You do not wish to be slowed down by a pack of food or supplies; and the Avidya forest was your home too, once. You know what you're doing. You know where you're going - as far away from Gandharva Ville as you can. The other Forest Watchers all adore and venerate Tighnari; you will not find any help there.

It's night, and you think that this will make it easier as your bare feet pad on soft grass, as you avoid groups of Fungi and just about manage to not stumble on twisted vines. You cut your shoulder on a low hanging branch; rip the thin shorts you're wearing on a thorny mass . . . but you keep going, and that's what's important. Endurance. Making it somewhere safe before Tighnari even knows you're missing--

There's a crack of feet on the ground, snapping a twig, some feet away.

It's not him. It can't be. He's always quiet, he'd never be so clumsy as to break a branch like that . . . it's not him. You're paranoid.

(It's him).

Tighnari's blood is running hot in his veins; his fox-predator instincts (his prey drive) excited at the thought of a chase. That you are the prize at the end of it is the cherry on top; until then, he gets to enjoy himself, lose himself in the glory of the chase. He's breathing heavily as he follows your scent, utterly wrapped up in it. The smear of blood on the branch makes him whine aloud. That's his mate's scent, his mate's blood, they're near and he needs them so badly that it hurts. If they're hurt, he'll lick their wounds (before he sinks his teeth-fangs into their shoulder himself and kisses and licks and takes them all over again).

He can hear your breath, too. Smell you. Practically see the path you've taken through the woods. He's in a heated rush, but when the scent gets so strong that it makes him feel dizzy, he can't help but want to play with you some more.

He steps on a branch. Sees the way your head snaps, your eyes wildly looking about for the source of his noise. That adorable panic on your face! You're like a little mouse, all scurrying and desperate and big-eyed and pouting in fear . . .

Foxes hunt mice.

You see the shine of his eyes in the dark before you quite realise what's going on; have just turned around to try and run when suddenly all of his weight is on you, pinning you down, hands-almost-claws scrabbling at what little you're wearing as he whines right against your ear.

"Caught you," he's panting, in between dragging his tongue over your neck, the slightly rough texture making you shiver against your will. "Shouldn't have run, flower. I . . . caught you. I won."

You try and plead with him; you're in public, you're in the middle of a clearing, you're sweaty and dirty and you're scared, please, just wait until you get back - but there's a cast over his eyes, a breathless excitement in his words even as you're losing your clothes to rips and tears of his hands. You've seen this look before. He's going into a rut, and there's going to be no stopping him.

You tearfully beg anyway, your voice coming out in whimpers and squeaks - but it's just prey noises, you're just playing, and despite how sensitive his ears are to everyone else, they just twitch happily in response to you as he nips at your neck and his hand delves between your thighs to coax slick out of you. His tail is thumping excitedly on the ground.

He's absolutely gone. There's no gentle forest watcher Tighnari left in the fox-man pinning you the forest floor; there's just animal nature. You are Tighnari's mate, he thinks; the two of you have played at being a predator and its prey. You are the prey, and Tighnari has successfully caught you, and that means he gets his reward.

He's biting at your shoulders, licking at every bare skin, huffing against you as he undoes his trousers and you feel his cock press against you. Tighnari's been 'kind' enough to assist you with a few cursory pumps of his fingers, but other than that - he pushes himself into you with a high pitched whine, and you can do nothing but lay there beneath him with his body boring down on yours and take it.

You try and squirm. You try and whimper. You try and bring him back from the edge - but the rut has well and truly hit him now, and all he is doing is pumping his hips deeper and deeper into you, whining in pleasure when your body finally relents and accepts his knot--

He's stronger than he looks. He doesn't care, when it's all over and he's come inside of you three times on the forest floor and a little haze has cleared, that he's dragging your naked body back to Gandharva Ville in broad daylight. All he cares about is that he won.

In a few days, when the rut wears off, you'll be punished for running away. Punished on top, anyway, of the puncture marks from his fangs and the soreness between your thighs, the awfully full feeling of having more than several loads of his come pumped directly into you for hours on end, the scratch marks all over your hips and back--

But right now? All he wants to do is get you back into his hut and spend the rest of it with his knot buried as deep inside of you as it will go.

If you squirm more? If you struggle a little? If you simply once more kick his prey drive to its very zenith?

. . . Cute.

visions

NOOOOO I'M TAKING HIM WITH ME I'M TAKING HIM WITH ME OR I'M STAYING

Aether and Lumine can drag their asses back to Tevyat if they wanna see their older sib again because I'm staying with Wanderer 😭 give that puppet a tiny kiss

(from this and this!) the fact you chose him out of your own siblings—him, the discarded puppet who was never enough. you could have chosen to stay for one of the archons, for the people and the gods you’ve helped. hell, even one of the multitude of friends you’ve made in your travels across teyvat, but the fact that you chose him? he doesn’t quite believe it, ears ringing and heart stuttering as he asks you if you could repeat what you said. and you smile indulgently, ever so soft, ever so sweet, ever so you that he can’t help himself from falling all over again when you say, “of course i’m not leaving, silly. i promised i’d stay, didn’t i?”

he stumbles, nearly trips on his own feet as he rushes to throw himself at you, burying his face in your shoulder as he cries in relief. and you hold him, unbothered by the wetness gathering in your clothes, strong arms secured around him—real, just like the fact that you’re staying with him. staying for him.

and oh, he realizes, welcoming the warmth in his chest, this is what it means to love someone.

Theres no doubt in my mind Capitano is well-known man throughout Teyvat, and should his name not be as recognizable as his comrades, he should be known enough to have built up a sizeable list of enemies. So this rises the question, how would he feel if his darling was stolen away from him?

I can imagine it now, It was a plan so meticulously crafted down to the very last dot. His enemies have no limits in taking this behemoth down, perhaps they'd studied the dove long enough to know they like to sit in their shared garden, seemingly less supervised. Or maybe they watched long enough to know that they're weakened by the sounds of wounded animals and just has to answer the calls of an injured bird or fox. No matter the situation, by some miracle, they've been stolen away.

And it makes me wonder, which of darling's captors will live longest to see their brethren ripped to absolute shreds?

WARNING: Under the cut is a graphic depiction of violence, murder, and body horror (not against the reader)

He is used to what true fear looks like.

He grabbed one man's head and squeezed. It deformed easily as if it were nothing but a boiled apple. Of all the terrible screams that ever fell on mortal ears, none could surpass that man's animalistic cry. As soon as he releases his grip, the corpse falls to the ground, its warm blood gushing from his eyes and ears.

The rest of them tried to run away and were seen squeezing and crushing each other in their eagerness to flee, running frantically with faces horribly contorted by the fear that devoured them. Not one would manage to escape him. Capitano loomed over them, his great sword a giant in the dark that drew red patterns against the far moon as he swung.

"Y-you... you tried to warn us."

The man appointed to be your guard had curled up against the door when he heard the screams and the horrid sounds of blood and guts spilling everywhere. But the dreadful silence that followed is what droves him half-mad by terror.

He crawls towards you, unable to stand due to the tremors on his legs.

"Please... please stop him, t-tell him... tell him I never harmed you."

You look at him with pity, tears running down your face, and barely manage to whisper: "He won't listen to me."

Slow, heavy steps are heard outside.

The man nods shakenly, the impossibility of his request heaving down on his shoulders, and, coming to terms with his fate, takes your hands to his temple.

"... Will you pray for me?"

ok so maybe you're gonna get tired of the whole bodyparts academy au BUT I've been brainrotting so hard my brain is like melting out of my ears dawg... i gotta get this out of my system or it WILL consume me... you know aethers like outfit?? his abdomen area(? idk waht its called english hard lol) hasnt left my mind its just/?!?!?!?! THE WAIST????? (men and their slutty waists smh) it just looks sooo good I want to bite and like put my hands on him and just manhandle him grraravdjñ, SO LIKE just imagine academy au mc jus kind of like obsessed with his abdomen area (again sorry dont know what its called 😭) who just coincidentally has their hands on his waist like ALL the time, and im just so curious abt how aether would react, would he show off?? would he be shy??? would he be running laps and screaming??? (idk how to end this im sorry words aren't wording how they should lmaoo)

the unbelievably deep sigh i just had when I saw this ask. and yet here I am, the sucker and fool. ready to do anything for genshin men and their impeccable body measurements.

i actually wrote something like this already 😭but I wanted to cop a feel for academy aether's tummy too yknow? or maybe I just cannot control myself when it comes to the twins

you might like: teyvat! aether and his little tummy <33

oh, please. aether knows he's pretty. he is lumine's twin brother, after all! even before coming to this school he's turned heads left and right, so surely he could use his good looks to seduce the person of his dreams, right?

wrong.

whenever you snatch him by the waist, it’s protectiveness and not the perverted fondling he’d rather you’d do to him. aether is, after all, cute and petite. he looks like he can be easily overpowered by any of the students here and you just have that natural urge to protect him! you don’t know that aether can easily oneshot most of your harem members, but even if you did, what exactly would change?

when aether skips over to your side, you smile fondly at him and hug him by the waist to your side. it gets his heart pumping whenever you do that, hiding his flushed face behind his textbooks so you won’t suspect a thing. disappointment always floods his insides when you look at him like a brother and not a potential love interest. your waist is so small! you say like a naggy mother. you have to eat more!

it’s frustrating! lumine has to watch his brother scream into his pillow every night from her side of the room. she rolls over and tries to drown out his screams with a pillow.

“aether!” you one day call out to him. your bright smile once again beckons him to your side. he yelps when you slide a firm hand around his waist and pull him to your lap. his cheeks flush when hug him closer to your chest, and it takes everything out of him not to squirm. “i’ve got something to show you!” your breath tickles his ear and sends tingles down his spine. 

shuddering out a sigh, he forces a shaky grin as he tries his best to look enthusiastic. “is this about the anime you sent me last week?” you brighten up at his remembrance and chatter on and on to him. he makes his remarks too, fueling the conversation, and as it goes on your hands continue to rover about his abdomen. you’re such a mean senior, not even noticing the bright red blush on his face! was this on purpose? it has to be!

a single feather-like stroke of his abdomen sends him shuddering and keeling over. he gasps into your collarbone, hiding his blush and heart-eyed expression. “you’re so mean, senpai,” he whimpers into your skin. “teasing me like this...”

“i-i’m sorry...” the tension of the situation has now finally dawned on you, and you blush when you feel aether’s lips quivering on your skin. “i didn’t realize that...”

your words trail off as temptation seizes your hand to feel up his abdomen once more. toned as they were, the curves seemed so tiny and fragile as they fit into your hands. a lean and slender body, yet supple enough to serve as canvas for your marks...

ah, no! what kind of senior are you, teaching such lecherous thoughts of your junior! and yet... and yet...! your eyes dart to the corner, where the blonde student is currently shaking in your grasp. the cute and helpful transfer student who you viewed as a brother now looked more and more like prey in your hands. you gulp.

“i’m sorry, aether,” you whisper, sending an excited rush through his body. “but you look so pretty now...”

his tongue feels like lead as it quivers in his mouth, but when you settle him down on the couch and hover above him, he giggles like the closeted perverted maniac that he is.

“no worries, senpai ♡~” he laughs, bringing you closer by the neck. “make sure to appreciate me more okay?”

perhaps he’ll start rolling up his uniform after this, just to make the rest of your harem jealous ☆

i was working on ur request and got side tracked. thinking about yan diluc and how bad he wants his captive little darling.. jerking off to the thought of them, moaning their name, so so frustrated and he aches with want. and reader. reader hears it every time, sometimes is witness to it. how desperate he is, how obsessed he is. maybe reader is sometimes awoken by the sound of him while he sleeps next to them. maybe he does it in front of them because he won't hurt you but please, please let him look at you? holding you down while he jacks off, eyes clenched closed so he can pretend it's in you. steadily losing his resolve bit by bit. ohoho my mind is running rampant.

every day. EVERY DAY i think about yan diluc. i am so sorry to my followers but i see a pathetic aristocratic repressed man and i go AHJDVNJKFVDJNKFVkjn.

cw: kidnapping, non-consensual touching, yandere, reader wears a nightgown, diluc's saviour complex. (bondage and being fed in a Non Sexy way) dub-con/non-con.

He makes you sleep in his bed.

It's for precaution, he insists, his crimson gaze not quite meeting your own; to ensure that you're safe. He just feels more comfortable, more assured that you are sheltered from the dangers of the world, if you slumber beside him - if he slips in late at night after whatever business he attends to that has him come back smelling of blood and burning, and sees you peaceful beneath his own coverlets.

You hold your tongue; bite back the insistence that you would be safer if you were not a captive in the house of a madman, if you were permitted your freedom, if he wasn't so selfish and disgusting and monstrous. You have long since learnt such protestations mean nothing to Diluc; he simply bows his head, face anguished, and makes a quiet noise of agreement that he is a monster.

("It is worth it, though," he says, and you see the vision he wears at his hip glow for a moment, "to know that you are safe, beloved.")

One falls quickly into routine when routine is all that one is allowed to partake in. You are permitted only the smallest freedoms; most of your time is spent under Adelinde's watchful eye, trapped in the four walls of the winery, wishing you had appreciated the freedom of Monstadt when you were still able to partake in what the Anemo Archon blessed you with.

And your routine, now, includes . . . slipping on one of the expensive confections of frill and lace and chiffon that Diluc buys you to wear in bed. Spraying some of the perfume that he brings back from his trips, in the vain hope that it will drown out Diluc's own particular cedarwood and vintage wine and iron scent. Slipping beneath the covers and hoping that sleep will come easy to you, that you will not be woken by the inevitable--

You always are. The feel of the bed dipping down beside you; the soft sigh that escapes Diluc's mouth, as the covers are pulled down and you are revealed to his hungry eyes.

The nightgowns are modest; innocent, even. They are all frills and fanciful creams and ivories, georgette sleeves that drape over your shoulders, ruching and delicate lamp-grass embroidery and little ribbons in Diluc's favourite colour (red, it's always red). That just seems to rile him up more.

The feel of a hand, grazing atop of the fabric - his hand searing heat even when he does not fully touch you. The soft little groan of your name, so longing and wanting it almost makes you sick. And then . . . the sound of Diluc's own nightclothes, being displaced. The wet shlick of skin-on-skin, as he touches himself to the sight of your helpless body, whilst he thinks you're sleeping.

You have lost count of the number of times you have woken to the sounds of Diluc touching himself. Your name, gasped out through clenched teeth in heated hisses - praise for you, calling you his darling, so good for him, so beautiful and lovely . . . Calling you his. Mumbling to himself about how pretty you are, how soft and warm and tight he's certain you are as he imagines he is rutting his cock into something other than his fist.

You keep your eyes squeezed shut. You can take this; you can live with this. You can bear it, if all he is going to do is lie beside you and fantasise. You hear the whine when he comes, feel the way his back arches, the way he pants and pants and how the rhythm of his hand and the slick sounds change a little--

He always touches you with those hands, afterwards. Always pulls you against him spoon-fashion. Always drops hot kisses along your throat and drags you against him in such a tight hold you think he fears ever letting go, with his own come drying on the sheets and messing your nightgown.

(It doesn't bother him; he does not do his own laundry, and Adelinde looks at you in the mornings when she comes to strip the beds and gives you an encouraging smile. She had told you, once, when you had been new here and still railing against your imprisonment--

"Master Diluc is lonely," she'd said, sighing, "I have not seen him so happy as he is in your presence for many years."

As she had checked the tightness of your ropes, sharper eyes than one would expect of a maid had met yours.

"I don't need to tell you how much of Monstadt rely on Master Diluc," she says. "On the business of the Dawn Winery? Do you not think that a little unhappiness may be your responsibility to bear?"

"It's barbaric!" You'd snapped back. "He wants me to be . . . some imprisoned bird in a pretty cage!"

Adelinde's face sets like stone. Diluc was away that night; when she had brought up a tray for your dinner, the soup had been stone cold.

"Do you know how many natural predators birds have?" She'd asked you, a falsely polite smile on her face as she ladled the cold soup into your mouth and you had no choice but to swallow it. "Why, I've seen Master Diluc take several out with a single arrow. Perhaps a songbird ought to be glad it is ornamental enough to be spared that fate.")

You should have known that Diluc would not be satisfied with merely lying beside you, having you so close and yet not doing anything about it. The first time his other hand had crept to your thigh, pushing up the lacy hem, your eyes had snapped open.

"Diluc?" You had whispered, softly, into the night - hoping that your voice may be soft enough and persuasive enough to make him ashamed of it. "Wh-what are you doing?"

A ragged voice had answered you.

"I just . . . just let me look at you, darling. Just let me . . . touch you a little--"

Burning hands on bare skin. Diluc, shifting, so he lay on his side - big wine-dark eyes seeking you out in the moonlight filtered through the curtain as he groaned out your name.

"So pretty," he'd said, as he'd pushed the nightgown higher and higher. Bare thighs. bare stomach. The place between your thighs. A soft groan had escaped him at the sight. "Spread your legs for me. Please."

"Diluc--"

"I won't-- I won't hurt you--" He practically tripped over his tongue in his urges. "Please. I just want to look at you, darling, beloved, angel--"

. . . Just look. Just gaze on you. You sleep in the same bed, but you are - now at least - trusted to do such personal matters as bathe and undress on your own. Adelinde had helped, when you were still bound . . . but you had been good, and you had earnt your freedoms. A sob hiccups in your throat as you bare yourself to him. Your cheeks heat at how hungrily his gaze devours you.

"So beautiful," he whines, hand going to his cock - the first time you've seen it, properly. Pretty - thick, long, with a flushed ruddy tip and a gentle curve, soaking precome as his fingers wrap about it. "Please stay like that. Hnn-- Just . . . just let me think about how you feel, I won't hurt you, I promise I promise I promise--"

But just a little turns into more far quicker than people expect. At first it just just looking at you - and then--

"Just let me touch your thighs," Diluc whispers, his breath hot against your cheek as he lavishes the warmed skin with kisses. "Ahh-- hnn, they're so much softer than my hand . . . Is this what you'd feel like . . . inside?"

"Just let me settle between your legs," Diluc begs you. "Just . . . let me hold you by the hip, let me imagine I'm inside of you, darling, please, I need to--"

"Hold my other hand. Please."

"Just . . . against your thighs. Let me rut it against your thighs. I'm begging you, beloved, if you don't I think I shall simply die--"

"Kiss me--"

When he presses it against the cleft of your sex and whispers;

"Just the tip - I promise, my darling. I would never hurt you. Have I ever? Please . . . I simply need to feel every part of you--"

. . . What else can you do, a captive ornamental bird in a fine cage, but accept it? Spread your legs wider and welcome him in?

It was always going to come to this.

It is still a better fate, you suppose, than being shot down in flight.

Invertito La Giustizia

Pairing — yandere capitano x gn reader

Summary — you've never been disloyal to the tsaritsa — you have never stepped out of line, caused trouble, or tarnished her ideals, because you know better than anyone else that the one time you do will be the last.

Warnings — general yandere warnings, mild violence, vague mentions of captivity

Word Count — 1.7k

Author’s Comments — (capitano lovers come get your food!) who's a fatui fucker? yep that's right it's me. please hyv let him use the electro skirmisher model…

Within Zapolyarny Palace, there are many secret passageways. Some lead outside towards the night market, while others lead deeper into the ice, evermore closer to celestial blasphemy. Each corridor looks the same — tall icy walls, with the occasional hanging lamp for light — and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up walking in circles for hours on end. These uniform halls serve a dual purpose as a maze for those led astray (often with negative intentions), and as a trap for foolish trespassers. Which is why Her Royal Highness had all the written records of this frozen labyrinth destroyed long ago. 

“These stupidly complex passageways are going to be the death of me I swear…”, letting out a deep sigh, you press your back against one of the frozen walls, and slowly sink to the floor. Being a low-ranking member of the Fatui had its perks — a tidy place to stay with regular warm meals and hundreds of people to socialize with is hard to pass up as an orphan. Yet in all of your years here, the only friend you have is Alyona. 

Alyona, the absentee.

The chilly wind has your teeth clattering against each other, and you click your tongue in irritation. Anger fuels the strength in your legs, and you quickly stand, ready to move at a moment’s notice. You take two steps forwards before your left knee buckles under you, leaving you kneeling at the foot of a lamp. The candle’s flame sways languidly, almost as if it’s laughing at your predicament.

“I swear once I find her…!” , your gloved hands bundle into fists, stretching the thick leather till it cracks, yet you’re far too ticked off to care. Just the idea of wandering around these identical pathways for another two hours, looking for Alyona in a frozen maze, makes your blood boil with rage. Why do you have to be the one to find her again? She’s always ‘missing’ from her squadron anyway, so why do they care where she is now? Another deep sigh drags through your lips, as giving up was never an option — your legs follow your mind’s order to ‘get up and continue searching’. 

The deep passageways begin to merge and dissipate within the blink of an eye. 

“Tsaritsa, I wish I had a map. It’s so annoying to crawl around like a mindless cockroach. There’s nothing special about this place anyway, so I don’t see why — oof!” A sudden impact cuts off your stream of complaints. Whatever hit you was far too warm to be a wall, yet before you can turn to identify the object, it latches onto you with incredible force.

“There you are [First]!” It’s Alyona, her eyes brimming with excitement as she wraps her arms around your shoulders. “I was looking all over for you, you know?”, she bats her eyes and teasingly squeezes your upper arm, hoping to get a reaction.

Even though you’re exhausted and irked beyond belief, you gladly welcome her affection with a light chuckle. “That’s my line, you troublemaker! Honestly, do you even know how…” Half-heartedly, you ‌begin to give her a piece of your mind when a calm, deep voice beats you to it. 

“What are you two doing here?” 

Immediately Alyona and you stand as straight as a board. In front of you is one of the eleven harbingers — larger-than-life figures that run the Fatui like a well-oiled machine. There’s no telling what consequences might follow should you disrespect them.

“Lord Capitano, sir!”, even though your voice is still slightly hoarse from yelling, you salute first, and Alyona messily copies your action. Like a child mimicking their parent, the results are sloppy: she holds her elbow too high (it should have been level with her shoulders) and the cleanliness of her suit leaves much to be desired. Still, she hurriedly follows your actions. The two of you hold the salute like sculptures, and as your lungs burn from holding your breath, the primal urge to flee swims through your fear-induced mind. Out of all the people you could have run into, it just had to be him; ‘The Captain’ of the Fatui. As the main military leader within the Fatui, he’s well respected for his decisiveness in the field, and strategic planning off the field. To see his imposing figure standing before you, scanning your face for any traitorous signs, sends ripples of shame down your spine.

Capitano seems unimpressed by your demonstration of a proper Fatui salute, having seen an actual one at least a few dozen times per day, and moves closer instead.

“I’ll ask again.”, this time his voice is still, and the pressure he gives out is suffocating. The air around you feels thin, making you gasp for oxygen in the enclosed space. “What are the two of you doing here?”

His tone of voice clarifies that there’s no room for lies; there’s no way to worm the two of you out of this one. Your only choice is to confess, to tell him that the two of you were…

Alyona quickly lifts her head to respond, “[First] and I were heading towards the barracks, sir!” Willingly, she places the spotlight on herself — confidence oozing out of her every pore — choosing to burden herself with a major role. Like an actress on stage, she must recite her lines perfectly, as a single mistake would reveal her little performance. 

Capitano’s eyes seem to crinkle behind the darkness of his mask, and as he shifts his weight to one side, his head slowly rocks back and forth. At this moment, he has become a judge within this court of ice. One of his arms smoothly crosses itself over his torso, his large palm wrapping around his upper arm as he silently considers the validity of her statement.

“Were you now?”, his feet twitch with every syllable, almost as if the deadliest poison laces his words. He’s undoubtedly displeased with your behavior, and you’re positive that he is silently ruminating on your demise. The palpable tension in the air coils around your neck, threatening to squeeze out what little breath you still have. Yet before the depths of terror can swallow you whole, there’s a slight tug at the hem of your jacket. Alyona’s small, shaking hand had reached out and grabbed you, reminding you of the most important fact: you’re not alone. 

Courage bubbles up from deep with you, helping you find the resolve to look directly into his eyes and respond. “Yes, we were sir!”, your words come out clear, like a cleanly cut crystal. It’s a stark contrast to Alyona with her hidden right hand — still trembling from Capitano’s piercing gaze. His intense stare scrutinizes the both of you, skeptical of your true intentions.

He won’t fall for it. He knows better than to place his trust in the words of lowly grunts.

“Then…”, he pauses, visibly disappointed with your reactions, “Why are you in the Eastern Wing of the palace when the barracks are in the South Wing, Sergeant Alyona and Sergeant [First]?”, it’s only a single sentence, yet it rips away all forms of security. 

You had lied. 

To him.

Neither of you can formulate a response that will save you from the hole you’ve dug. The best that you can do is buy time with your stammering. “That is…”, you really wished you could come up with something, anything, to placate his anger. Yet, all excuses fell short on your tongue.

“Do you have no explanation for your actions, including answering a commanding officer dishonestly?” Capitano throws out one last line — morally thinner than a strand of spider silk — for either of you to hold on to. It’s a meager attempt at fishing out the truth, yet it’s painstakingly obvious that it does not matter.

“I see… very well, then.”, his baritone voice reverberates within the confined space. Mind evidently made up as he strides into your personal space. Before either of you can react, a wide, black gloved hand snaps upwards, harshly grabbing Alyona’s upper arm.

“I will tell Pantalone to transfer Sergeant Alyona to Sandrone immediately.” Alyona’s legs lock into place, while her eyes frantically shift around, looking for a way to escape from his clutches. 

“My Lord, you couldn’t possibly mean…!”

“You have tarnished the honor of the Fatui far too many times, Alyona Chepliev.” There’s no room for arguing with him, and instead of wasting her breath on excuses, she spins on her heel to face you.

“[First]! Help me, I don’t want to go to Lady Sandrone! She’s…” Yet before she can finish her pleading, an agile chop connects with the side of her neck, and knocks her unconscious. Capitano barely spares her a glance as he throws her inanimate body over his left shoulder.

“As for you…”, he silently trails off, obviously contemplating what horrible designation he should assign to you. He could leave you with Il Dottore, where he would subject you to a myriad of gruesome experiments. Or he may throw you into the hands of Pierro, who will exploit your every weakness in the name of ‘victory’. Either way, you’re doomed.

“From now on,” your teeth grind against each other in anticipation, “You will be under my command.” Your disbelief is in bold letters across your face, as you crane your head upwards with a matching pair of full-blown eyes and a slack jaw.

Capitano takes your silence as acknowledgement of his judgment, still walking a few feet ahead of you, when he continues his verdict on your transgressions.

"I will thoroughly embed the meaning of honor, to both oneself and one’s god, into you. Once you are free from the confines of your weaknesses, then I will acknowledge you as one of mine.”

“However, know this Sergeant [First]…”, swiftly, he turns on his heel, coming face-to-face with you in a blink of an eye. The encompassing air stills for a moment, sending a biting chill through your veins. One of his clawed fingers reaches out, quietly stroking the apple of your right cheek. He’s close enough to see and feel the warmth of his breath against your skin, yet it brings no comfort to your shaking figure as he gives you one final warning.

“There will be no second chances.”

© 𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧 — 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤(𝐬) 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬.

challenge

Tighnari knows you didn't mean anything by it, but a challenge is a challenge. His instincts demand a response.

minors and ageless blogs do not interact.

fem reader x tighnari, accidental dominance challenge, feral/instinct driven tighnari, dubcon, scenting, one use of "good girl", no prep, doggy style, pinning, marking/biting, knotting, brief breeding kink, creampie.

He knows you don't mean it.

The two of you have exchanged playful nips before—little catches of your teeth against skin, a little shock of pain that smooths into something silken—throughout your friendship. It's familiar. The salt of your skin under his sharp teeth almost tastes like home.

Still, Tighnari realizes, just a moment too slow—he should have warned you.

You bite down into the meat of his shoulder, sinking your teeth into the muscle with enough power to bruise, and Tighnari shudders.

It’s been years since someone has challenged his dominance. 

He knows you don’t mean it.

But his blood has gone hot beneath his skin, the rushing of his pulse filling his sensitive ears. He bares his teeth with a low growl, all rumbling summer thunder. 

You go still. You pull back from him slowly.

“Tighnari?” you ask softly. “Are…are you okay?”

He’s trembling, his fingers sunk into his thighs, trying to rein in the instincts that have roared to life in his very core. You didn’t mean it. You aren’t challenging him; he’s not a kit anymore, setting his status in the pack. 

You ghost your fingers over his shoulder, murmuring his name again, and he breaks.

He strikes quick and true, looping his lithe, callused fingers around your wrist and using the leverage to flip you over and bundle you under him. You yelp, a chirp of sound, and he tugs you back when you try to wiggle out from under him. There’s heat to you, like the sultry warmth of a summer day. He presses down against your back with another rumbling growl, your ass nestled into the cradle of his hips.

“Tighnari!” you cry out. “Hey! What are you—”

“Stay down,” he grits from between his teeth. You try to push up again, your ass brushing against his hardening cock, and he snarls. He sets his teeth into the nape of your neck, the tip of his tongue dragging against your skin, a whisper of wet heat. He can hear his own rabbiting heartbeat. There’s something twisting beneath his skin, something carved into his bones pulsing to life inside of him.

You shift. 

It feels like the promise of a fight.

Tighnari bites, sinks his teeth into your skin like an anchor. “Down,” he growls. He bites down harder, until he hears you choke out a little noise. He presses forward against you with a little roll of his hips, and you go limp under him.

He relaxes his jaw a hint. 

You don’t move.

You’re panting against the floor he’d knocked you down to. Your heartbeat reminds him of the crash of the waves against the shore. Wild and loud. He can hear each beat of it.

He can also smell you. 

It’s not the first time he’s been able to scent your cunt; it’s been on your fingers before, when he caught you between shifts. He’d heard you long before he’d scented you, the wet schlick of your fingers in your cunt practically all he could hear as he headed to your quarters. You’d just cum when he’d knocked. 

With the sound of his own name on your lips ringing in his ears, Tignari made sure to have you sign your patrol notes with his own pen. He watched as you hesitated before taking it. You could barely look at him when you handed it back, and he pressed his thumb into the small, damp smudge you’d left on the barrel. 

He thought it was a thick, sweet scent then, even when it was just lingering on his pen. But now—now it’s so heavy he can almost taste it. 

His ears quiver; his tail whips. He doesn’t think about it. He puts more of his weight on you, grinding his hard cock into the softness of your ass. He slips a hand into the hem of your loose sleep shorts and yanks them down with a low snarl. It’s hard, with you pinned under him, but his strength makes up for it. They get caught around your thighs, but it’s enough.

“Tighnari,” you hiss out. “Seriously, what are you doing?”

He sinks his teeth back in. 

You croon out a low moan, a heated song. He rocks his hips against you; your scent goes heady, lush like sticky-sweet fruit. 

He pulls back, dragging your hips up with him until you’re forced to your hands and knees. You’re pliant, letting him manhandle you as he pleases. It makes his cock twitch. 

Tighnari isn’t sure when he gets his own pants down far enough to expose his throbbing cock, too lost in the instincts that have sunk their teeth into him. He comes back to himself as he hooks his fingers around the gusset of your panties and draws them to the side. 

The cotton comes away from your cunt with a wet squelch. Your scent billows around him, and his fingers tighten on your hip. Your pussy is already glistening, practically shimmering in the lamplight. 

“Wet,” he grunts, rubbing the tip of his cockhead against your hole, coating himself in the growing mess of your slick. It catches on the rim. “So wet.”

You jolt. “Wait, wait, you didn’t prep—”

He rolls his hips, and you hiccup as you spread open around him, stretched tight over the thick head of his cock. He grabs a handful of your ass to spread you further, so he can watch himself disappear into you. 

“Fuck,” you whimper, clamping down on him. He can feel your walls struggling around his girth as he splits you open. Your back bows as he presses forward, as he bullies his way deeper and deeper into your cunt with mean little thrusts. 

You mewl when he hilts in you. You’re hot around him, pulsing as you wiggle your hips to try and ease the way he’s spreading you. He rumbles a warning, the sound rolling through him. You go still.

“Good,” he says. “Good girl.” 

You breathe out a moan at that. Your cunt pulses, fluttering around him. 

Tighnari draws back. His cock is soaked with you, your slick shining on his skin. You roll your hips back, trying to take him in again.

He snarls, setting one of his hands between your shoulder blades and bearing down. “No,” he growls. He pins you in place under him, caught between the way his cock is spearing deep and the hand heavy on your back. He wraps his tail high on your inner thigh, ignoring the way the fur starts to dampen immediately.  

He fucks back into you with a sharp, hard thrust. You yip with it, shifting under his hand. He puts more of his weight onto it, tugging your hips up with his other hand. You tighten around him, and he groans with it. 

You arch as he starts to fuck you fast, with little strokes that keeps him close, that keeps him filling you as much as he can. The sounds of your messy cunt echo around the room, each wet noise accompanied by a soft, broken moan. He drives into your pussy hard, keeping your chest pinned to the floor. 

“Tighnari,” you whimper. “Please, please—”

He curves over you, rolling his hips deep, until you’re kicking out with each thrust. He snarls and sinks his teeth back into the nape of your neck, slotting perfectly into the teeth marks he’s already left behind. 

You cum on his cock with a sound he’ll never forget, your cunt clamping down. He hisses between his teeth. It’s hard to keep fucking you through it, your fluttering walls gripping him. His knot is starting to swell, too, popping in and out of the rim of your hole with more and more difficulty. 

Sparks skitter down his spine as you spasm around him before slumping down, only his iron grip on your hip keeping them up. You’re wet down to your inner thighs now, and you tremble with each shove into your swollen, overworked pussy. Your panting echoes in his ears. 

When he fucks back in, his knot big enough to be noticeable, you whine. You lift your head and try to turn enough to peer back at him. Tighnari catches a glimpse of your profile, already fucked-out, before presses down between your shoulders again. You give in without a word, slumping back down to the floor.

He strokes in again, feeling his knot catch before it pops out once more. He snarls, grabbing your hips with both hands and grinding deep, until his knot pushes past the rim of your hole and flares wide, locking the two of you together. You jolt. 

“Fucking you full,” he growls, his thighs going tight as the knot of pleasure in his gut breaks. “Get you round with kits.” 

You twitch in his grip as he bites down on you again, sinking his fangs deeper still, as he cums. His cock kicks in you, spilling hot ropes of cum in your cunt, buried deep inside. Another moan spills from your lips. 

Panting, Tighnari lets go of your nape and laves gently over the brutal teeth marks there. He sinks down on top of you, though he’s careful with his weight. “Don’t move,” he tells you, turning both of you onto your sides to be more comfortable. “Stuck together.”

“Do I even want to ask?” you mutter sleepily.

“Dominance bite,” he says, voice hoarse. He’s still caught up in it a bit, grinding into you as he cums again. He cups at your belly without thinking. “Triggered my instincts. Knotted you.” 

“I triggered you?”

“When you bit me,” he says, licking over his bite mark again as he starts to truly come back to himself. You shiver. “Tried to assert your dominance.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Later,” Tighnari says. “You should rest.”

You try to glance at him over your shoulder. “Why?”

He fucks into you again with a mean little thrust, instincts flaring at your cry as his knot tests your limits.

“Not done yet.” 

5 (+ 1)

or five times you attempted to pet tighnari's ears and the one time he let you

tighnari x gn! reader rated: t wc: 9k+

a/n: i swear i'm not a genshin writer. every now and again one just really hits me and won't leave me alone. i'm shaking at the prospect of meeting cyno.

|1|

when you had taken up the life of a very luxurious forest ranger, you hadn’t done so with any grand goal in mind. growing up you’d never been enticed by the prestige of the akademiya. the too tight robes warded off any appeal of unlimited knowledge. 

you weren’t much of a haggler either, so market trading had never been much of an option. to be honest, in most cases you couldn't be bothered and would give away something for free if it meant getting the person out of your face.

maybe as a child you’d dreamed of theatre. promises of dancing in front of a crowd. or performing a sincere song of gratitude in honour of your generous archon. but there was a reason why only the children of sumeru dreamt. because it saved you the reality of embarrassment. 

ultimately it made sense for you to be a forest ranger. you were blessed with a vision and had the aptitude for conflict when needed. you didn't mind being outside. sumeru was a beautiful land of bountiful vegetation and fauna. you were proud to be part of the force protecting it. 

so naturally, you were destined to join their ranks. you would fit in splendidly as long as you followed the basic code of conduct.

the rules were simple:

execute every possible strategy to ensure the safety of the public

do not engage in any withering zone excavation without first reporting it

do not under any circumstances attempt to touch master tighnari’s ears.

you believed that honour should be given where it was due, and tighnari certainly earned a bulk of it in sumeru. he was as tenacious in his research as he was in his determination to cull the withering.  

it was admirable. unquestionably gave his subordinates something to look up to. it helped that he made an easy guy to work for. tighnari was an abundance of knowledge, never failing to deliver relevant facts about any form of botany in sight. 

during your initial interview he completely sidetracked himself from testing your competency in favour of dumping the equivalent of a knowledge capsule on the entire forest on you. and during the whole time all you could think was how cute.

those fluffy, distractingly soft ears he had that twitched with every emotion. you noticed that sometimes they swayed unprompted, as if they had a mind of their own. the man himself seemed oblivious to your obsession, or just so immune to the attention at this point that it hardly phased him. 

it was a shame really. 

because by the time he realised you were out of your seat, he had a split second to snatch your offending hand before your fingers to reach the fur. the utterly adorable culprits seemed to tease your failure, flickering invitingly just out of reach of your wiggling fingers. 

at least you had enough integrity to smile in the face of defeat as your future boss leered at you unimpressed. 

he spent the remainder of your now orientation laminating over the very extensive punishment policy to be expected of any broken infractions. 

|2|

it was safe to say the threat of punishment didn’t weigh too heavily on your consciousness. what you did learn, was everything more the life of a ranger had to offer. it wasn’t as though you belittled it to a simple forest guide. you were well aware of how each and every one of your colleagues put their life on the line to protect the gifts from the first of the dendro goddess. 

but you never expected your contribution to feel so satisfying. 

every day your body got stronger, gaining the resilience and stamina to endure long treks through the forest. you became more in tune with your vision, able to protect not only yourself but others from harm. unexpectedly, tighnari’s long winded tangents began sounding more appealing as you absorbed the information rather than repel it. 

with each passing day you grew into the role of a proper forest ranger.

though there was one thing you hadn’t grown out of. 

“you two will be assigned with me. we’ll patrol the southeast canopy.”

tighnari was always so serious when delegating assignments. archon’s bless him. given it was a momentous occasion as it was imperative to understand everyone’s role so that their was a fair opportunity to return home safe and sound. 

it was just he way his ears followed each command. the adorable quiver not at all equivalent to his resolute voice. even after over a year under his command, it was still so distracting. to be fair, you’d learned to control your urges. after the second attempt and a week of making sure the long row of lamps remained glowing, you had at least accepted the pressing issue of testing his patience. 

your respect didn’t go unrewarded either. over time, you learned that under those cute ears was a very interesting man. you always knew he valued his time in the forest and that the publications were not just for show like some of the akademiya graduates. but to witness his unfiltered passion for the forest was … kind of refreshing. 

it made for genuine conversations that allowed you to feed off one another. while you’d never quite match his never ending knowledge for botany, you accompanied it well with your growing love for fauna. 

in short, tighnari had become an unexpected friend. 

with very endearing ears that you still felt the urge to touch after many, many months of barely held restraint. 

it was admirable. 

worth the gained friendship. 

and yet.

collei’s shoulder knocked comfortably into yours as she hopped with glee. her joy made her unaware to the sharp gazes watching her exuberant movements for any signs of fatigue. being around collei had eventually led you to believe that something was different about her.

as a fellow trainee for a time, the two of you had grown close enough for her to feel secure in delving into more of her past. her illness wasn’t necessarily rare but it wasn’t often you met many affected with as much optimism as she had. 

there was no doubt she had bouts of pain. sometimes you would cover her patrols to give her extra days of rest. tighnari was the most observant, always knowing when she needed a break. still the girl was a refreshing take on life in these darkening days. 

it helped that you both shared a fixation with a certain pair of furry ears.

whereas she was more timid in her appreciation, you had yet to shed your bold approach. 

well, maybe you got a little smarter. 

“but i already know about the sweetwater mushrooms,” collei whispered back, confusion staining her voice. there were times like this that her charmingness rivalled tighnari. 

you resisted the urge to pat the crown of her head. 

you all knew about the infamous fungi. upon its discover, tighnari had spent nearly a month after submitting his entry into the new rainforest guide speaking all about its elements; to anyone or anything regardless how responsive. 

if it was a botanical topic the fox found it hard to resist engaging. 

leaning closer, you kept a close eye on the leading man.” i know you do but tighnari always has something more to say. i just need you to ask him about it.” you refrained from using the word distract. 

collei’s ability to lie wasn’t a favourable skill. more often than not she caved in on herself before being able to spin a convincing tail. you’d learned fairly quickly the first time you convinced her to test a new route. the two of you hadn’t found any trouble but the slight delay in return roused a few questions. and of course tighnari had been the investigator. she never had a winning chance. 

“i still don’t get why i have to ask.”

“because i need an opening to try to touch his ears.”

the sharp gasp she left out was enough to shatter the gossip bubble as tighnari turned with a suspicious frown. his gaze fell heavily on you as the culprit. 

“what are you two muttering about?”

laughing sheepishly, your hip checked subtly against the younger girl’s as you took the lead. “just about the dusk birds. their mating season is approaching.”

tighnari raised a brow, but didn’t question further. one of the ways you’d managed to bond with collei had been over the observation of the bird hatchlings. they were one of the safer offsprings you were allowed to track in your earlier days, making you very familiar with their nesting grounds. it was one of the few areas he allowed you both to wander together without supervision. 

“uh huh, well unfortunately i doubt we’ll get many sightings this low. please try to stay vilgint for any threats.”

tighnari rolled his eyes at your comical salute but was unable to hide his small grin. it only fed into your wider one. 

good. he was in an amicable mood today. you’d both need it. 

collei managed to remain cool headed despite your hanging plan as the three of you ventured through the more worn paths. travellers and students alike tended to frequent these parts, fending off most wildlife who didn’t want to be bothered. it was mostly flora that flourished, taking up any available space. 

the perfect conversation starter. 

the green haired trainee squeaked when you cleared your throat and nudged her softly. the noise caused a flicker to tighnari’s ear but he otherwise left the two of you to your devices as he examined the population of fungi. 

your gaze darted to the seemingly preoccupied man and back, to which collei gulped but carefully approached. “um, master tighnari. do you mind going over the procedure for warning travellers about fungi again? sometimes i stumble with the more insistent ones.”

you could hear a bit of truth bleed into the ploy. it was certainly convincing enough as tighnari gestured for her to come to closer as he plucked a few samples. “certainly! it’s always good to familiarise yourself. sometimes they can get a little tricky. like this one, the bell-shaped and conical caps can often confuse people. you have to really pay attention to the arch…”

archons bless him, it didn’t really take much. 

tighnari’s eyes darted briefly to you as you settled near them. his body turned to welcome you into the discussion, but he otherwise continued his deep analysis of proper measurements of cap width. the fleeting eye contact was enough for you to witness the undeniable brightness as he conversed. 

as much as you liked to tease him, the jest hardly had any weight when the man was as serious about his research. he often responded with a chide about the importance of understanding and how it promoted coexistence. and then he would give you editions of his publications for you to study. 

the first few times, after you’d baulked at the depth of the information, you’d actually managed to discover a few interesting elements. despite his ability to drone on, the passion he felt was undeniable when reading through this material. even if you didn’t retain much of the actual reading, the smile you developed lingered. only to widen when you’d witnessed the excited flicker of his tail when you’d returned the books with a few inquiries of your own. 

tighnari took your interest in the fauna populating the forest seriously, cultivating the bud of fascination and furthering it. you hadn’t developed enough academic discretion to attempt a article- not that it would have been credible without the proper education- but tighnari baubles your insights all the same, often using your tracking skills to help develop new routes during various mating and hibernation periods. 

it … really helped you feel at home. valued amongst the other forest rangers. 

so what if you occasionally found your cheeks warming whenever he complimented your new discoveries. 

“when people ask, it's important to point out as many examples as you can to help them identify. in most cases you only have their attention for a few minutes so you need to capitalise.”

you had to give it to collei, she was either fully immersed or integrating very well into the diversion. though when tighnari got like this, it was nearly one in the same. 

rolling onto your knees, you paused as those endearing astute ears twitched in your direction. tighnari hadn’t skipped a beat, however instinct was so inherent. it made for an unfair advantage, however you had desensitisation on your side. the next disturbance you made as you leaned closer hardly got a reaction as his second nature focused on the world outside your bubble. 

it was a flattering downfall that you’d happily exploit as your hand neared your objective. 

“- actually that’s a common mistake. some of the gills look similar but if you notice here..:”

oh no. 

in one fluid motion, tighnari managed to capture your hovering hand, dragging it forward under his arm to come in contact with his other. the motion dragged you flush against his back as he manipulated your fingertips against the underside of the mushroom. 

“-… there’s a coarser distinction. of course, you have to be careful when encouraging other to touch freely as some can still be poisonous.”

naturally you doubted tighnari would use you so freely as an impromptu demonstration, punishment be damned. though the way he kept your appendage hostage implied that you weren’t free from reprimand. 

poor collei chuckled nervously as tighnari held out the fungi for her to try, eyes wondering anxiously between the two of you. from your imprisonment, you were unable to see what expression tighnari was giving off, but if the tight grip was any indicator it was safe to hypothesise that it wasn’t in your favour. 

“i um- see. thank you, master.”

tighnari didn’t appear to have any ill will towards the girl which was a small grace. his tone, however, was noticeably pinched as he directed the conversation over his shoulder. 

“do you have any questions, ranger?”

yep. 

there’s the wrath. 

accepting defeat, your head careened forward into the hollow of his shoulder as you mumbled your negative with the shake of a head. Immediately you felt his posture stiffen in responses to your relaxed submission. the proximity awarded you a personal showcase of the heat crawling up the back of his neck. 

interesting. 

“well then!” tighnari forced a cheerful bravado as he brought you both to an abrupt stand, releasing you in favour of stepping forward to lead. “collei, listen closely as they recite every classification as we finish our patrol. we can make note of their mistakes so that they don’t make them again when they extensively copy them onto the new pamphlets for next release.”

it didn’t evade you how the fox refused to face you as he pressed forward. you dared to guess that the rosy hue of his neck might match the roundness of his cheeks.

perhaps some discoveries were worth the failures. 

|3|

“I really want to feature the spinokrok in my next story but I’ve never really seen one up close. dad says it’s too dangerous though.”

“he’s right. they’re at the very bottom of the ravine.”

“oh…”

“but sometimes i pass through on patrols. if you’d like, i can snap a reference photo for you!”

“really? that would be awesome, thanks so much!”

children’s happiness was truly a unique fruit of motivation, both gratuitous and frankly slightly treacherous to consume. tighnari might liken it to one of the colourful sprouts that populate the banks near the cliffside; beautifully cunning but sure to leave you with a nasty surprise.

—okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. 

but you were certainly going to be in for quite the scolding if tighnari found out that you derailed your patrols for the sake of taking a leisure photo of wildlife. in the defence of safety, the fox wasn’t as easily swayed by a childish promise. 

fortunately, you were adept enough with just about any patrol path through the rainforest by now. your experience often persuaded tighnari to give allowance for you to tend to the paths along the outskirts of the village solo. 

which you were totally doing. 

just from a view a couple hundred metres below. 

the path towards the wetland ravine was a muddy line in the undergrowth, a quieter trail that rarely gathered much traffic: traveller or wildlife. to be honest, you hardly ever saw anything other than the spinokrok’s down here. though given their diet, it wasn’t much of a surprise. 

you carefully neared the bankside, watching the position of the sun in between the treetops. you’d already bartered away a lot of your time venturing this low. while you were known for a bit of wandering, if you took too long to check-in someone would end up alerting tighnari before long. the sky was already beginning to bleed into a light orange, the beginning shades of the setting sun melting into the blue above. 

not your first nighttime return, but the light scolding would be easy enough to shake off. 

the sudden splash drew your attention to the winding river as a crane took flight. the skittish fowl wouldn’t have been alerted to your presence this early which meant that your targets weren’t far off. 

tugging the kamera from your knapsack, you followed the line of the water through the lens. 

“there you are…”

razi would be pleased with the prints of the small brood of three. highlights from above complimented the red scales nicely. curious, you swung the lens further upstream in an attempt to capture a few more. known for their meat, if undisturbed it would be easy enough to find at least another two or three. 

however as the slithering vines stretched norther further, twisting through branches on its congest to conquer vegetation, you found the rapidly darkening view to be concerning. sure enough, the once plentiful flora was beginning to shrink on itself and take on a dull shade. the distinctive red flow of the withering zone was seated right in the apex of the blistering landscape. 

“here too?”

the area was small, but this route was part of the weekly assignments rather than the more frequent. had you not come here in search of fauna, it likely wouldn’t have been discovered for a few more days. unfortunately, locating it yourself was tantamount to giving away your private detour. 

for a brief moment you debated taking the chance to report, weighing the pros and cons. ultimately, the loss of independency once tighnari tracked your impromptu route was too great of a squander. besides, it was a small devastation. you were qualified to handle it.

—except for the corrupted machina lingering just out of sight. 

the narrow lens of the kamera hadn't been able to capture the additional dangers before you neared. had you been aware, you would have attempted to at least down one before you got too close. it was a tight battle, suffering under the thick miasma while trying to cut off the source. 

you’d managed to down the bulkier of the two, but the swindling snake-like projection had been doing an annoying job of evading your strongest attacks. with your hp at threatening level, coupled with low energy regeneration, you were starting to regret your choices just a little bit. 

you briefly wondered if tighnari would scold you through the eulogy. 

the darkness blanketing the forest worked against you, as the remaining threads of daylight faded. the red glow of the withering was the least comforting form of light to rely on as you made a hasty dodge away from the blasting beam. 

“oh, crap.”

a miscalculation saw your foot caught on a fraying vine, careening your forward as you landed heavily onto the ground. the threatening wind of the machina generating energy had you sucking in a harsh breath as you attempted to stand, resulting in a sharp jolt of pain as your ankle protested. a cold chill numbed your body in the worst way as the unsettling realisation of your actions weighed in. scrambling feebly for your weapon, you attempted to shield the next blow though you knew it wouldn't be enough. 

“enshroud!”

your body jerked in alarm as a cloud of green circled the earth around you. the lack of visibility should have been worrying, had you not been very familiar with it’s caster; and the inevitable reckoning that would come. 

the first half came in the form of a series tanglevine shafts trained to track and devastate. the secondary wave wiped out the last of the threats before your savour was able to focus on the bleeding blooms. you’d never been more grateful to witness a successful clearance, as the suffocating effects of the withering abed away. it gave you just enough clear air to breath a grateful sigh of relief before it all soured. 

the second half of your retribution, was a quieter approach of wraith then you were use to. tighnari refused to look you in the eye as he kneeled before your injured limb. not that that you were trying to see the reflection of your guilt staring back at you. it gave you the opportunity to observe that he’d come alone, making you wonder if he’d been informed or had simply stumbled upon you. 

neither option was beneficial. 

the fox was obviously simmering, that much was clear even in his silence. he’d produced a small aid kit from his belt and was examining your ankle. the first sounds of annoyance permeating the air when you squeaked at the firm pressure against the joint. 

it was obvious that you wouldn’t be walking out of here. 

as if you weren’t in enough trouble. 

tighnari’s reticence preserved as he tied a stiff bow at the end of your wrapping before turning to offer his back. sighing, you accepted your fate and looped your arms around his neck. tighnari waited until your knees settled at his sides before he rose to his feet, added a second security under the weight of your thighs. 

at first you hoped to construct a plausible excuse in his silence, but after you’d practised the same redemption for the twelfth time you were starting to become more concerned about his resilience. you dont think you've ever witness tighnari hold back a scolding this long. 

unable to hold out any longer, you poked the hornet’s nest. 

“so razi has this new story idea.”

yeah you were throwing the kid under the bus, sue you. 

the first flicker of his ears was a subtle warning, but you pressed through. 

“he wanted to use the spinokroks as his next character but he’d never really been able to see one up close. and naturally it wouldn’t be safe for a child to traverse the forests. even with his father.”

there goes the second ear. 

“so being the helpful forest ranger i am under your tutelage, i offered to secure a reference photo for him. which of course—”

tighnari’s voice came quiet and strained. “please stop talking.”

you waited for him to say more, sure that he’d have more to tack on, but no other words left his lips. it was disconcerting in a way you hadn’t experienced before. you'd suffered through annoyance, frustration and some rage. 

but rarely disappointment. 

it was bitter tasting. 

it was rather telling when even the wildlife seemed to avoid the pair as you ascended out of the ravine. tighnari managed to not only reach the outskirts of the village, but did so without cracking under the pressure of your culpability. 

unfortunately you weren’t as robust. 

“tigh—”

“for every word, i’m adding a week of lamp maintenance duty.”

you squeezed your arms and legs around him in a hug, seeking out a thread of comfort through the throbbing pain of your ankle. 

“i’m sorry.”

tighnari sucked in a sharp breath as his steps halted. you could see the first glow of the lamps in the distance, no doubt a night crew lingering near to welcome the late returners. 

“you’re an idiot.”

a tight fist squeezed your heart as you shuddered against his back. 

“i know.”

“another week! i cannot believe your absolute disregard for your welfare. not only in straying from your patrols but to attempt to clear a withering zone without reporting it first. what were you thinking?”

your lips parted, voice small,” well i thought given how far off it was that no one would come across it before it spread.”

the fox was quietly shaking under you,” i’m tempted to bench you for a year for this alone. you could have been killed.”

“but i wasn’t.”

tighnari didn’t acknowledge the crackled excuse as he resumed the ascent towards the heart of the village. the conversation was over, at least for tonight. you almost felt bad for those hapless to witness the quiet fury as the leader trudged through the canopy. though the arrangement surely painted a telling story no one dared to stop or question.

upon entering your bungalow, tighnari silently backed into your bed until you took the hint.

as your arms slipped from around him, your fingertips brushed against the furry cartilage. though the action went ignored by both parties.

“rest, we’ll discuss this in the morning.”

|4|

the discussion did not come the following morning, or the rolling day as the sun rose and set. given your ailment you weren't exactly able to seek out your punishment, though the waiting game felt like the precursor. 

for the first three days, your only visitors were collie and one of the local healers. tighnari likely hadn’t banned the nervous girl, allowing her to stumble in at first light to assess your injuries. it seemed as though he also didn’t inform her of much as she tired to glean what she could. 

unfortunately, your mood hadn’t really improved from the night before, nor had your pain levels. you managed a tight smile at best, gritting through a scarce overview. the overhanging rumours were that you finally pushed tighnari to his limits. which was not too far from the truth. 

your medicine came in three intervals, and each visit was just that. umm only offer a genial knowing close-lipped smile as she applied the numbing cream and rewrapped your joints. the only news came from collei with each meal. it was never what you wanted to hear, but the sound of a voice other than your thoughts was welcome. 

you were able to keep up with light chat, the both of you doing an amicable job at avoiding the shaggy sumpter beast in the room. if the flightiness she gave off was anything to go by, then tighnari hadn’t completely cooled off. initially, you’d only probed subtly. asking about her patrols to see who accompanied her. questioning new withering zone reports to gauge who might be assigned. either tighnari had instructed her to be tightlipped or she was on as much of a lockdown as you were because the information gleaned was inconsequential. 

it wasn’t until the fifth day, when you were able to balance on your injured ankle for longer than a minute that you dared to try for more. 

umm had just finished, stepping clear of the doorway to allow collei to maneuver freely with the two bowls of lunch. the younger girl was in a lighter mood, giving you the extra confidence to push. 

you took a bite of the leftover stew first, before testing the waters. “has tighnari taken you on any deeper patrols lately?”

the girl stiffened but otherwise did not show any signs of distress. 

“not really, he’s been kind of strict with patrols lately. only seniors have been assigned to the forest floor. i patrolled the understory with nasrin yesterday though! the dusk birds are starting to nest.”

you could resist a soft smile as the girl lead comfortable into a short tangent about the different locations she’d tracked in her notebook. she loved to watch the hatching process from the birth to first flight. tighnari was often more lenient with her during this season. you were pleased to know your mess up hadn’t resulted in that being taken away.

“hopefully i’ll be healed enough to catch one of the hatchings.”

collei’s gaze flickered to your freshly wrapped ankle, “master tighnari wouldn’t say but he’s been pretty testy about ranger etiquette lately. well more than useful.”

“yeah, i was pretty stupid,” you muttered, quoting the fox’s words from that night. 

collei sat upright on the chair by your desk, responding to your despondent mood. “he’s not nearly as bad as before though. i mean that morning after he was really mad. not like loud angry, but everyone knew not to test him. but he’s calmer now”, she assured.

you assumed as much. avoiding you was likely the best way to keep his temper in check.

you watched as the green haired trainee squirmed in her seat, no doubt uncomfortable at the idea of being between the brewing conflict. tighnari no doubt tried to ease that predicament by withholding information. the least you could do was honour your half to keep from setting her off. 

“umm said i should try walking around more. i got permission to pace the platform if you want to join.”

the girl jumped at the chance, nearly losing her bowl in the process. laughing, you quickly took hers and set it on the desk with yours before standing to your feet. collei was at your side, urging your arm over her shoulder. it wasn’t really necessary but you’d never turn down the girl’s assistance. 

carefully the two of you ambled through the leaves shrouding your entrance. it wasn’t the first time this week that the sun warmed your skin. umm had urged you to test the distance from your bed to your porch on the second day with each visit there after. it helped tp press your limitations while keeping the joint from getting too stiff. but this was the first time you’d been able to venture far enough out to interact with more than the same two people for the last few days. 

collei remained diligent as she led you down the straight path, attention not straying from your gait as you greeted faces you haven't seen in awhile. the reception was overall positive, your health and wellbeing superseding the wraith that had hung over the encampment for the past week. it narrowed down the list of those you’d need to apologise to at least. 

“oh it’s master tighnari!”

your gaze snapped to her extended finger, noting the tall tuff of ears before anything else. his back was turned to you, a fortunate thing as you still weren’t sure how to face him just yet. he appeared to be conversing with a group, though it wasn’t the usual collection of rangers waiting for assignments. 

you recognized the garments however. 

collei groaned as she sagged under your arm. “its the akademiya again. when will they ever learn?”

likely no time soon, as the pressure from both the forest and threat of the ‘scarlet king’ followers continued to rise. the first time you witnessed the prestigious envoy attempting to recruit the fox, you’d been in awe. it was somewhat of an honour to be approached by anyone doning the gowns. next to the archon herself, they were the reigning power. however the prestige lost a light grace, when tighnari scoffed at the invitation. 

it was one of the occasions that you’d really come to appreciate more than just his vast knowledge. of course, you respected him as a leader but it was different to consider his understanding of plant life on a scholarly level. his tangents that he loved to rattle your ear with were published and very popular articles. 

he was something of a celebrity. a fact that you loved to tease just to see the tops of his cheeks grow warm at the admission. 

now, even at this distance, you could see a similar red dusting his fair skin. but not in the pleasant way that warmed your chest. 

no it seemed that an inkingly of your excursion still peaked his heart rate. and this wasn't making it any better.

that wasn’t good.

“collei, please help me.”

“huh? oh, wait! not too fast.”

tighnari grit through a tight smile, barely hanging onto his fangs to keep them from showing. at a young age his mother taught him that human could find it threatening. frankly, right now he wished to find out how much of a truth that was if it got these nuisances out of his hair. 

this was the last thing that he wished to deal with right now. the institution had taken a different route it seemed, sending students under the premise of studying under his tutelage. something he would maybe consider any other time than now. 

his foot tapped irritably as one of the bolder ones spoke his piece, spouting words of prose that meant nothing to him. they were all weak and obvlivious children wandering aimlessly. he had enough of those under his own watch. 

“master tighnari, i've read all your publications intensively and feel that i would be a valuable asset in your further research of the withering zones. i believe that together we can find a cure.”

tighnari barely resisted rolling his eyes. it was almost laughable. the withering had plagued them for centuries and they were still no closer to curbing it. no amount of research at this point was going to factor in. all they could do was contain, and that was a skill the akademiya didn’t teach.

breathing audibly through his nose, the fox attempted to remain cordial. “i appreciate your determination, however, i'm not in a position right now to allocate more rangers to facilitate your safety. the forest—”

“—i’ve also read intently on the local fauna and proper was to track warning signs of predators…”

tighnari really hated when he was interrupted. 

“i’m confident in my ability to spot danger before it becomes a problem.”

especially by know-it-alls who were overstepping in his domain.

the student continued on unware of the growing dangers, “i’ve brought a few of my manuscripts with me if you’d like to browse some of my speculations and hypotheses…”

tighnari's brow twitched as the student droned on. for someone who boasted about extensive research on understanding predators he was rather obvious to the one standing before him. the same couldn't be said about his colleagues who were carefully edging back. 

“if i could just get a few samples—”

the student had sense enough to notice as the plant scholar suddenly flinched, hand coming up to grasp the wrist of the hand threatening to touch the tip of his ear. it was the first time since opening his mouth that he’d taken into account the strained curl to the lips of the botany researcher. 

his gaze then flickered to the more relaxed, if not slightly sheepish smile of the forest ranger behind. they seemed otherwise unconcerned despite the death grip they'd been trapped in for … attempting to touch master tighnari’s ears?

the student felt a shudder wrack his body as the fox’s grimace smoothed into … something that he would one day recognize as a reckoning he’d be fortunate to survive in years to come. 

“apologies, you’ll have to excuse me. it appears one of my rangers feels well enough to venture off their bed rest and is due for some new assignments.” with that, the lead ranger looped the still trapped limb over his shoulder before assisting the injured ranger back up the canopy. 

“you can give your manuscripts to my trainee, collei.”

the green hair trainee in question waved timidly, unsure of how she got in this position but willing to help.” hello, im forest ranger trainee collei. please let me assist you safely out of the forest.”

|5|

“it’s master tighnari!”

believe it or not, forest rangers did get off days. while it was still heavily frowned on to use that time to exploit certain privileges to free roam the forest, there were other activities that some could get up to. 

some would use the opportunity to travel to the city or port for the market or to visit family.

others utilised their freedom to work on personal research. 

then there was tighnari who used the opportunity to research the local flora … via oral experimentation. 

your small project had been tossed aside in favor of darting out of your bungalow at the cry of fright from the green haired girl. it wasn’t the first time you’d witnessed tighnari taking his passion … to the next level. that time, curiosity had thrown him into a rather long slumber that he’d conveniently woken up from after a gratuitous amount of panicking on collie’s part and just in time for you to return with the rescue aid party. 

it was safe to say that was not the last occassion, and tighari had treated you both to several lunches to make up for the scares. 

but it wasn’t often that he was brought back to the village in a state. more often than not the ailments resolved in the time it took someone to find him or simply shaken off with no concern. 

it was enough to have you barreling unannounced through the head ranger’s door with apprehension. firm but fraying hands caught you as you stumbled through, righting your body before you could embarrass yourself. 

“don’t worry, tighnari is fine. it’s a harmless reaction to one of the fungi he consumed.”

umm brought her hands to a comfortable leisure behind her back as you peered over her shoulder. 

tighnari was lain out across his bed. it looked as though he had been tucked away intentionally, but the man had fought away the sheets in a fit. there was a light coat of perspiration doting his forehead and his skin had taken on a rosy flush. it hardly looked harmless. you’d never seen the lead forest watcher look so … unravelled. 

when was he going to learn to stop experimenting so freely?

umm gave a passing pat to your shoulder,“with a bit of rest he’ll be just fine.”

you had hoped as much but it eased some of your worries to see him at least home safe. though his predicament still tested your resolve. you would distract yourself for the time being concocting your own chiding speech. seriously, someone needed to hold him accountable. as it seemed, you were the only one daring enough to challenge the fox. 

heavily a relieved sigh, you turned to leave. collie would likely need a second dose of comfort now that you’d taken your own inventory of the indisposed ranger. umm, bless her soul, wasn’t a very convincing source of comfort. having collie help prepare your speech would do some good for her as well.

“wait, don’t go yet.”

you stiffed at the unexpected plea. the voice behind you sounded a bit stronger than it should be in this predicament, more like the fox you recognized. umm hadn’t left you with any instructions, but it was safe to assume he was meant to rest as not to rile up his heart rate anymore. something you were very good at doing.

you liked to think that the two of you were on agreeable terms thus far. you’d been a textbook ranger over the last few weeks. not testing the limits of your privileges or boundaries. it allowed for the two of you to have some nice conversations. though you doubted anything very articulate would come from his mouth right now. 

it was unfair, how adorable he looked with mussed hair, heavy eyes and creased clothes. umm had taken responsibility to rid him of the more decorative parts of his uniform, leaving him in a simple shirt and pants. the said shirt appeared to have been tugged open, revealing the lean muscles of his chest and abdomen. 

that was decidedly leaning away from cute, as you tore your gaze away and scolded yourself. 

“you should really lay back down, tighnari, i need you to be yourself when i deliver your scolding later.”

“tigh.”

“huh?”

you were shaken out of your stupor when he stood, concern triggering your fight reaction as you quickly huddled him back onto the bed before he fell. he allowed you to do so, however when he glanced up at you his olive eyes showed annoyance.

“i prefer when you refer to me as tigh.”

your mouth open and closed silently at the admission. you could never recall tighnari outright scolding you for the curtail of his name. you used it so sparingly, and only ever in the comfort of just yourselves or collei. 

he never really showed any emotion other than surprise the first time he’d realised what you said. you never assumed he’d catalogued the occurrences to feel any ownership over the name.

you fidgeted under the scrutinised of the fox, unsure of how to proceed from there. it was obvious that he was still mildly effective if the rose of his skin was anything to go by. but there was undeniable clarity cutting through the fog in his eyes. it was enough of a relief to have your shoulders sagging slightly. 

if it got him to comply and rest through the remainder of the effects, you could concede. 

“okay, … tigh. please stop eating flora so carelessly.”

it wasn’t your intention to start the chastising prematurely, but if he wanted you to talk, you’d do so. you weren’t sure what all of this he would recall, but you hoped the echoing nag of your voice would hover like a hangover next time he considered experimenting alone. you knew he only tested things with vague assumptions, just enough to ensure that he wouldn’t perish on sight. but it was still close enough calls for you to worry. 

you thought nothing of the way he snared your hands, too used to having them detained in pursuit of your goal. maybe another time you would be the one to catalogue just how frequently the two of you help hands. certainly enough to suffer from desensita-

your speech cut off with a choke as the fox brought one of your hands to the crown of his head. it was the closest you’d ever gotten to your prize, just a simple flex of your fingers and it would be yours. 

and he was just allowing it. 

“um, tigh…?”

you swallowed as his hold slid to your wrist, thumb caressing the inside. 

“it’s what you want, right?” unintentionally your finger flexed under the strain of resisting, just the casual brush against the ear causing the body to shudder. tighnari managed an even breath through his nose, but you suspected his heart was creating as much of a racket as yours was. “ i want you to. i don’t mind if it’s you.”

you sucked in a sharp breath at the omission.

it took strength that you didn't think you had, and stupidity you’d likely reflect on later that night as you regrettably pulled your hand away. firmly not thinking at all about the soft whine that left the fox’s lips at the action. 

your smile was wobbly, frail under the weight of emotions teetering at the edge. you gave his bicep a comforting squeeze before you urged him to lay back in bed. thankfully he didn’t put up much of a fight as you tucked him in. 

his lashes fluttered closed against the cool caress of his cheek.

“next time, promise.”

between one breath and the next, he fell asleep.

|+1|

tighnari woke to a low hanging sun and a heavy head. despite the warnings he opened his eyes, then immediately shut them. though blurry and out of sequence, the master ranger was able to piece together the majority of his last coherency. 

he’d been experimenting with the effects of the moonshade mushrooms. there had been reports of unaware travellers losing consciousness in the middle of the forest and waking in a fevered state. naturally, he’d taken it upon himself to test the outcome in order to properly assign warning labels in his next publication. 

the initial bout of slumber had been brief, broken by a wave of nausea and the sensation of his body overheating itself. he then recalled umm stripping away his uniform in order to help him cool down.

and then there was you.

he remembered the sound of your concern and the inkling of berating though he couldn't exactly call back the wording. he was sure to get an encore either way; well deserved. 

there was a gaping absence in his recollection, but the sensation of your hand settled between the space of his ears hadn’t escaped him. when had he gotten bold enough to daringly reach out like that? sure you’d done the same on multiple occasions but it had been in pursuit of a singular goal while he—

tighnari stared at the leaf drawn entrance of his chamber, face burning. 

but surely that could not have all occurred before noon. 

“oh good you’re awake. that mushroom managed to down even you for a full day. it's certainly something to be aware of.”

the elderly woman peered briefly through the cut of the door before granting herself entrance. tighnari sat obediently still as she flittered over his vital signs, ensuring his temperature and heart rate were within agreeable boundaries. 

she scribbled the notes like clockwork into the parchment on his desk. while his methods weren’t often agreed upon, umm saw the value in the repercussions. her diligence had help assist in multiple breakthroughs. tighnari would be sure to deliver a nice basket of her favourite tree sap candies once he was back in working order. 

amir would have certainly taken initiative to oversee assignments for the day. he would certainly owe collei a visit as well to assure her fears. he vaguely remembered her putting up a fuss when he’d been carried in, shortly before she’d been directed out leading to her alerting you. 

tighnari’s cheeks grew hot again. he refused to acknowledge the rising blush even as umm chuckled quietly while gathering up her kit. instead, he kept his eyes on the entrance as he pinned his sashes in place and equipped his vision. 

it wasn’t as if the two of you weren’t already rather close. it was safe to say he gave you more allowances than most. sure, your futile attempts to touch his ears could be frustrating at times, but more so because of the opportunities you took than the actual actions. 

despite popular belief, tighnari didn’t truly hold his ears in that high regard. it was more out of proprietary that he shied away from strangers acting out of curiosity. to be honest, he really wouldn’t mind too much if a ranger asked to pet them. but it seems as if their own misconceptions had fed into the unspoken rule that his fox-like features were out of the question. 

except for you. 

over time, the two of you managed to lapse into a comfortable game of cat and mouse. tighnari knew if he’d shown any true signs of anger you would have backed away from the start. but his tolerance had permitted you to try again and again. 

so what if the occasional punishments he placed on you deterred the others, it never snuffed your fire and that was all that mattered to him. 

it was only natural that over time constant exposure would ignite his own interest. he could recall with vivid memory the way it felt to have you pressed against his back that time in the forest when you attempted to claim your prize in the middle of his lecture. he’d made you wait there while he finished the lesson, all the while relishing in the heat permitted his back. 

had it been just the two of you, he would have let you. 

yet when he finally caved and gave you the permission you'd been seeking all this time, you’d backed out. 

‘next time’ you’d promised. 

“if you’re done laminating, once you've finished eating you can go find them. i  believe i saw them returning not long before i came here.”

umm didn’t wait for a response as she saw herself out, her amusement audible even as she descended the ramp to her own domain. 

tighnari didn’t rush the act as he finished his meal and the provided water. once he finished, his lips turned at the dimming sunlight. his schedule was all but thrown out the window for the day, though he doubted anyone expected him to contribute much. still it stung his consciousness as a leader to leave his subordinates hanging , even if they were all self-sufficient adults. at least the headache had disappeared with proper nourishment. there would be time to salvage his routine later.

the sun was positioned late in the afternoon, but the dim light still irritated his eyes. he blinked through the sting as he welcomed the sight of the quaint village operating adequately in his absence. 

he returned any passing waves and gave brief responses to their questions. for the most part everyone seemed confident that he’d make a full recovery, though he still harboured the guilt of worrying them. 

brow pinched, he waved nasrin closer. “have you seen collei?”

the purse of her mouth didn’t spell anything good. tighnari hoped her illness had not acted up in his absence. “she had trouble sleeping last night so someone swapped patrols with her. she just set off not too long ago.”

the girl sometimes had trouble sleeping when plagued with anxiousness. tighnari settled that he would confront her upon her return, for now he had one more stop. he had a feeling he knew who offered to adjust their schedule to accommodate the girl.

he found your bungalow with practised ease, delivering a single knock before you offered entrance. he found you seated at your desk, no doubt detailing the report of your finding before submission. it was a relief to see that you took a break from your typical mischievousness to conduct a seemingly uniform patrol while he was indisposed. 

“i don't suppose you came across any new interesting flora on your patrols?”

tighnari watched as your shoulders stiffened at the unexpected sound of his voice. your head whipped around, eyes assessing him carefully before you gave a timid, relieved smile. 

“i think we can all agree that you’ve had enough adventures for one week,” you noted with light scolding. 

grinning, tighnari cared little if his fangs showed, knowing you wouldn't find them threatening. your gaze followed him as he secured the leaves behind him before approaching your desk. he leaned comfortably against the wooden structure as he browsed the report. it had been routine indeed, not a single withering sighting. 

“are you sure you’re alright? you had me worried for a bit.”

tighnari’s brow rose,” only a bit?”

scoffing, you rolled your eyes,” it’s not the worst thing you’ve eaten but seeing you down for so long was concerning. collei will be relieved to see you back on your feet.”

tighnari braceed his palm against the dest and leaned into the posture,“and you?”

“i owe you a scolding. you always get onto me about being aware and careful of my surroundings. yet here you go testing unknown fungi alone in the forest. at least bring it back before you test it out so we can be there if you need us.”

tighnari waited for you to finish, eyes shining with thinly veiled amusement. you seemed to recognize it as well, huffing as you realised your scolding didn't have as much weight as the seasoned scholar. 

unable to resist, the fox reached out to run is fingers along the side of your face before letting them rest against your shoulder. he watched as your chest expanded to take in the small gasp of surprise. it was a rare moment for him to initiate contact like this, especially given the recent occurrence only yesterday. while his recollection was misty, yours was clear as day. 

“i think you owe me something else too.”

tighnari watched your reactions carefully, from the flutter of your lashes to the rapid thrum of your heart beat against the pulse under your jaw. he never shied away from a discovery the promise of a satisfying understanding driving him from one revelation to the next. 

admittedly, you’d been a gradual observation. the question at the tip of the scale all this time while he’d unknowingly researched you thoroughly with each new interaction. day and day again, you prompted him with new variables both under his control and not. it was only today that he managed to form a working hypothesis. a hesitant theory that he knew would shift everything.

tighnari watched with growing fascination as the initial shock meddling into purposefulness as your hand came into view. impatient, he couldn't resist ducking his hand to meet you halfway. the first careful touch was equally inquisitive and hesitant. each time in the past, your hand had darted out with such certainty. yet now with it all willing at your fingertips, you allowed yourself the time to explore.

he hadn’t realised his head had come to rest against your collar bone until he felt the rumbled of your laughter. you didn’t simply just touch his ears, you caressed the length form the widest part to the tip. your fingertips tickled the tufts of fluff at the base. and the light scratched you delivered against the firm cartilage had him all but melting into your hold. the burst of new stimuli tickled his nerves and left pleasant sensations.

later he would analyse the data but he was already certain about his conclusion. 

your words mussed the top of his head as you spoke, humour bleeding into your intrigue. “can’t believe it took you a year to crack, tigh.”

tighnari sagged further at the uttering of the name. you flinched, not expecting the words of response to be mumbled into your skin. gratefully, it didn't cause you to pause.

“what was that?”

your touch slid from his ears to the curve of his jaw as his head rose to meet your gaze. 

“i actually had two hypotheses I wanted to test.”

though he didn't speak more than that, he could tell you were well aware of the implications. your lips parted to respond, but no words could pass the lump in your throat. tighnari tested the waters, leaning closer enough to brush the tup of his nose against yours. when you didn't pull away, he leaned down and pressed your lips together, firmly but briefly. as he breathed in deeply,  the smell of lush forestry, sweet flora and you invaded his scenes. the scent of familiarity minding with the aroma of what he called home was intoxicating. 

your eyes shone bright with mischief as tighnari pulled away, no doubt observing the rosy hue spreading across his face. 

“i think we need to experiment a little more before we can come to a confident conclusion.”

tighnari leaned back in and nuzzled you affectionately. 

“i agree.’’

tagging upon request: @lott-the-otter @uhohitsemmy