Chapter Text
CHAPTER 01
happy coincidence
“I just wish they’d actually listen!”
“And you think I don’t? Their lifeless bodies would be more useful to the forest at this point.” Tall, fox-like ears smacked against arching branches as their owner led a small group of rangers along a dirt path. The leader sighed. “Look. Unless you’d like to take all of this up with Lesser Lord Kusanali, you’re going to have to use a little more caution when interacting with the previous sages. I refuse to have a repeat of that Kamram incident.”
The sun was high in the sky as the group traveled along to Gandharva Ville: a peaceful, sleepy little village that was often a safe haven for travelers and researchers alike. It was where Vanara and Forest Rangers lived alongside each other and cared for the earth. A place that was easy for research to be conducted mostly uninterrupted. Recent events, however, had shaken the ville up quite a bit. The overthrown sages of the Akademiya were now spending the rest of their lives in the Avidya Forest to cultivate wisdom which left the Forest Rangers much busier, and much more irritated, than usual. So much for a peaceful, sleepy little village.
Moss-tinged wood of the bridge softly gave in with each footstep as the group continued along its path. Tighnari nodded along while his teammates unloaded their collective frustrations about the new residents. The chattering of complaints couldn’t keep him from enjoying the feel of the forest, though. Lush foliage spattered the landscape while duskbirds chirped and the dulled stomps of a galloping sumpter beast sounded in the distance. A cool breeze picked up, floating a familiar scent to him. His attention immediately shifted.
Dark tufts wiggled, seeking the scent’s matching voice while he scanned the path up towards the ranger station. There she stood. The pure, white fabric of her dress billowing in the breeze, radiant under the sun's blessing rays. His breathing stilled and an almost effervescent tingling began to spread within his chest.
It was four long days ago that Tighnari had watched the Traveler and her flying friend disappear into the blue glow of the Statue of the Seven. Three of those days he had spent at Pardis Dhyai attempting to extract terpenes from padisarahs and thinking of realistic ways to see Lumine again. And every one of those nights he had spent thoroughly studying her in his dreams.
He still hadn’t gotten used to the new ability.
“Lumine,” he called.
His pupil, the Traveler, and her floating companion all turned at his voice before breaking out into warm, welcoming smiles.
“Master!”
“Tighnari!”
“Tighnariii!”
The leader separated from his pack, picking up pace. Glass and metal jingled together with each quick step as he approached the trio.
“Hello. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. There hasn’t been any trouble, has there?”
“We can’t just stop by to see our friends?” Paimon erupted. His ears rotated back in self-preservation. “What happened to ‘Don’t hesitate to find me at any time?’” She finished with her best Tighnari impression.
“Tch,” he clicked his tongue, crossing his arms. “I do not sound like that.”
“I don’t know. I think it was pretty convincing,” Lumine teased.
A corner of his lips lifted and the tingling continued to bloom.
“The Traveler and Paimon were just stopping by to check in and drop off some henna berries from the desert, Master Tighnari,” Collei chimed in.
“I see.”
His tail swished, grip tightened, and he broke away from Lumine’s gaze.
“Excuse me,” came a mumble. A Forest Ranger wobbled toward them holding a large crate. He peered around its corner, nodding hello to Tighnari as he passed through their circle.
“It seems like the Rangers still have their hands full,” Lumine remarked, watching the man walk off.
“They certainly do,” he grumbled. “That’s to be expected, I guess. Things will eventually settle. I’m glad you’re here, though. I was about to put out a commission.”
“What for?”
“Well,” his chest nervously tightened, “As you know, with Collei having taken over many of my previous tasks and duties, I spend a lot more time at Pardis Dhyai. There are two withering zones on the path there that need to be dealt with.”
He knew this was a weak reason to put out a commission.
He knew she knew he could easily take them out himself.
But he really had been desperate to see her.
… even if it had only been four days.
“I thought the Rangers usually take care of those?”
“You are correct, but with the old sages seeking retribution through a humble life in the forest, most of our vision holders have been pretty tied up babysitting.”
“I see.” A playful gleam flickered in her eyes and her fists found her hips. “So you’re saying you need our help?”
“I don’t know if I would say need,” he drawled out, head tilting in sync with the sound. “But your help would certainly be appreciated.”
An eyebrow quirked up in response and lips soon followed. She was in.
Relief struck him, soon being replaced by an almost giddy excitement. He hid it well and it was in moments like these that Tighnari was admittedly proud of himself for it.—not everyone was as successful. He had concluded long ago that it was his Valuka Shuna side he had to thank for that.
“It’s approximately four hours to Pardis Dhyai from here,” he went on. “One zone is halfway into the trek, and the other is just outside of the research center.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Paimon shrugged.
The Traveler turned to him and asked, “When were you planning to head out?”
“I was going to hold off until the commission was filled. But. If you’re available now, we can leave directly.”
“But Paimon promised Ashpazi she’d eat his rose pudding!”
“Then how about you stay here, Paimon? It’s only a few hours. I’ll be back before bedtime.” Warm eyes fell upon Tighnari. “Besides, with Tighnari there, you know nothing bad will happen.”
A tremor rushed straight down his tail, the very tip twitching at the end of the circuit.
Some basal part of him swirled with the knowledge of Lumine having such complete faith in him. Trusting him. Wanting his protection. Wanting him.
He cleared his throat as if it would clear his thoughts. Yet another thing he had his Valuka Shuna side to thank for: delusional desire through an animalistic lens.
It was quite annoying, really.
Paimon held her chin in her hand, heavily contemplating her choices. “Hmm, okay then. But you gotta promise you’ll take good care of Lumine!!” She zoomed up to wave the tiniest finger in the Watcher’s face.
Collei's shoulders rose and fell with an easy laugh. “Master always takes great care of others!”
Tighnari wasn’t sure when it happened. His desire to be the one closest to the Traveler was realized only after the feelings had already taken root. In the months she had been in Sumeru, she had shown him parts of herself he not only adored but actively searched for in a partner. It was from unsullied admiration of the Traveler that he stumbled into a sweet fondness before eventually falling headfirst into a fervid love. He didn’t know when the fall would stop. If it stopped.
A strong yet delicate hand hovered directly in front of Tighnari. He took it, allowing the owner to assist him with a firm pull resulting in a bit of a bounce at the end. The two stood in the green aftermath of a withering zone breathing heavily, but only one was covered in grass and dirt.
“Well,” he huffed, swatting away random patches of mess from his clothes, “That wasn’t so bad.”
“What happened to those fox-like reflexes, huh?”
Chuckling, she joined him in brushing off debris. His own patting slowed until fully paused. As lips slightly parted, he let himself observe her hands on his body. They stroked over his arms, down his thigh, across his back, seeming to linger a second too long on his chest. That was obviously wishful thinking, but the trails of warmth she left were very real. Tighnari reminded himself that Lumine was only helping him as a good friend would, nothing more. After all, she hadn’t acknowledged any of his courting actions. But when did a heart ever listen to reason?
“Oh, there’s some in your hair. Come here,” she said, raising those same burning hands.
His arms raised in a way that resembled something akin to a standing rabbit as he proceeded to bend to her. Fingers deftly groomed his locks as her chest rose and fell in front of him. With a small gulp, he broke away from the view and to sneak a glimpse up at Lumine’s face. It was set, intensely focused on the task at hand. Sensing it would take a moment, he let himself indulge in a deep inhale, allowing her scent to fill him up completely. Something had changed. Her familiar smell of ozone and the slightest hint of spice had welcomed a new note: the earthy fragrance of Avidya. A sort of pride tickled with the discovery. She had been enjoying the forest enough for it to begin to fuse with her. His forest that he worked so hard to preserve. His Lumine.
No. He reminded himself.
Not his Lumine.
Since Lumine first stumbled into Sumeru, they had seen each other regularly. He didn’t trust her at first, but could anyone really blame him? It took only a short time before that trust was gained and soon the duo was stopping by to visit Collei, helping with ranger tasks, asking him questions, and the like. Oftentimes unannounced. She was already visiting more before the release of the Dendro Archon, but after the release visits increased not just in frequency, but duration. Which ultimately led to much more time spent together. Time together that provided ample opportunities for him to experience her strength, wit, and kind-heartedness, but also to see the various sides of herself that she kept hidden from the rest of Teyvat. They talked more, laughed more. There was much more teasing and, somehow, much more touching.
None of it was sexual or unwelcome. Quite the contrary, it was thoroughly and heartily welcomed. Wanted, even. The way her fingers dug into his tail when they sat together in the treetops or the way her hands slid across his arm when excitedly sharing one of her adventures…Each touch told him that she enjoyed her time with him. That she felt safe with him.
The issue wasn’t that he was uncomfortable with the comfortability, it was that it had begun to stir something deep within him. Something that had laid dormant his whole life. The more he saw her, the harder it was to keep it repressed. Innocent caresses were twisted into feelings much less pure. Thoughtless comments to vulgar fantasies. And soon, primal instincts sprouted up, darkly whispering demands his mind feared to yield to, but his body yearned for. The issue was that she shouldn’t feel safe at all.
Goosebumps rose when he felt her palm glide down the back of his head, trailing down his neck.
“Okay. I think I got it all,” she announced.
Tail anxiously waving beside him, he rose back up. An inhuman sound caught in his throat. He swallowed it down.
“Thank you.”
“Try not to fall with the next one,” she winked.
He exaggerated an eye roll and brushed his dark ears forward, giving one a firm tug.
“A guy trips on a mushroom once…” he muttered and they resumed their trip to the Garden of Meditation.
xx