Tighnari- Verdant Whisper
The midday sunlight flickered through the thick, lush canopy of Sumeru, painting the forest floor with deep shadows. The slight gust of wind carried the scent of duskwood and zaytun peaches.
You knelt down cautiously, examining several foxglove flowers. You traced your fingers along the delicate petals. The humidity of the first caused your gloves to stick to your fingers in an uncomfortable way. Sighing, you took your gloves off, wiping your sweaty hands on your pant legs.
Suddenly, there was a rustle of leaves behind you, though you didn't turn to look. You already knew who it was.
"Hmm…" Tighnari's voice drifted on the wind, almost unfortunately. "Gathering foxglove, are we?"
You smiled softly, though didn't turn to look at him just yet. "Observant as ever, Forest Watcher."
He let out a light chuckle, the sound rich with amusement. "You do realize that particular patch is mildly toxic, right?"
"You've lectured me about it twice. They're only toxic in large quantities, anyways." You replied simply, your gaze fixed on a particular one that had just recently bloomed.
"Three times, actually," he corrected smoothly. "You're in a particularly large cluster of them, in case you didn't notice." He smirked, crouching down beside you, his tail flicking once with deliberate mischief. His golden eyes glimmered smugly.
You rolled your eyes, plucking a foxglove, and examining it closer, holding it up to one of your eyes.
Without missing a beat, Tighnari reached out and snatched it from your hand, holding it out of your reach. His ears twitched slightly, and his smirk widened.
"Hey-!" You protested, swatting at his wrist.
He held the flower higher, far out of your reach. "Ah, ah. Careful." He teased, though with mock seriousness. "You wouldn't want to accidentally come in contact with any of the sap, would you? Don't act like you're not allergic to it."
You grumbled, folding your arms defiantly. "Are you planning on holding that hostage?" You asked, slightly irritated.
"Only if it annoys you." He tilted his head, lips curving into a lazy smirk. "Hmm… Maybe."
The mischievous glimmer in his eyes made your stomach twist into knots. Tighnari was an excerpt at keeping his cool - always poised, always sharp-younger. But even you knew that glint in his eyes meant trouble. The kind you wanted.
Sighing, you stood up, digging through your pockets. You pulled out a small bottle of lotion, in an attempt to hide your sweaty hands. As you rubbed a small amount into your skin, you spoke to him once more. "You know…" You hummed, stepping closer to him. "...if you don't give it back, I might have to steal something from you."
His eyes perked slightly at that, his smirk deepening. "Oh?" he asked, feigning innocence. "And what might that be?"
Hardly hesitating, you stepped closer again, plucking a petal of the bright, fresh flower that was pinned on his shirt.
Tighnari blinked. For a brief moment, his sharp eyes widened slightly. His tail flicked behind him, brushing on your leg in a slow, lazy arc, though seeming almost too deliberate. He stood up, still holding the foxglove between his thumb and index finger. His eyes flickered with amusement.
"Bold move," he mused, leaning forward, almost dangerously close. "But you do realize you just declared war."
Your grin widened. "Oh no. Whatever shall I do?"
That was all the challenge he needed.
With a mischievous smirk, he swiftly moved much closer to you, his hand quickly making a move to brush his fingers against your exposed midriff. His touch was feather-light, clearly trying to make you want more, or to annoy you, which was unlikely.
Your breath caught in your throat as a shiver ran down your spine.
"Oh?" His voice was dangerously soft, relentlessly teasing you. "Ticklish, are we?"
You took a step back, but he was faster. Tighnari's hands fully slipped around your waist, gently stroking it, his movements painfully slow.
"Tighnari," you warned, almost pleading.
He leaned down slightly, so he now was eye-level with you. His breath was warm against your ear as he spoke. "Yes, darling?" He asked smoothly, his tone low and velvety.
Your cheeks immediately flushed a soft shade of pink, incredibly flustered about your current predicament. He knew exactly what he was doing.
You tried to step back, pushing him away slightly, though his arms tightened around you just enough to hold you still. His touch was surprisingly firm but gentle, his gloved fingers gently stroking your sides, slow enough to make you want him to do it faster.
"Tighnari, stop," you said breathlessly, your hands clinging to the fabric of his tunic. The foxglove he'd taken from you had been left meaninglessly on the ground, nearby.
"Stop?" He repeated, tilting his head as he pretended to consider it. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, though." He pointed out, smirking.
You gave him a half-hearted glare, your cheeks still colored with blush. The warm look in his eyes was making you more embarrassed, and worse - was making you stutter.
Eventually, he reluctantly loosened his grip on you, though didn't let go completely. Instead, he harmlessly traced circles on your back, gentle enough to make you shiver.
"You're impossible…" You muttered, turning your head away slightly so you didn't have to look at him directly.
Tighnair chuckled softly, his nose brushing against your temple. "And you still put up with me," he teased, though his tone made him seem more genuine. "Funny how that works."
You stilled slightly at his sudden truthfulness, and with the slight vulnerability in his voice, which worried you. Just a little.
His tail lightly brushed against the side of one of your legs. You could feel his breath on your skin, though barely noticeable. You let out a slow breath, finally getting a break from his endless antics.
For a moment, neither of you spoke. There were only the gentle sounds of the forest around you, cicadas chirping and the leaves rustling. Then, softly - barely above a whisper - Tighnair leaned closer still, moving slightly to the left so his lips were mere inches from your ear.
"You're cute when you're flustered." He murmured against your skin.
You swatted him lightly in the shoulder, though he managed to catch your wrist. Tighnari lifted it to his lips, smirking. He pressed a slow, tender kiss to your knuckles, giving you all the reason to be flustered.
"Alright, alright," he teased, still holding your hand. He gently interlocked his hand with yours, holding it. "I suppose I'll surrender. For now."
You arched a brow, slightly surprised at his decision. "Oh? You're giving up that quickly?" You questioned him.
He smirked as he leaned forward once more, hovering just inches away from your lips. "No. I'm just saving my strength for the next round." He answered smugly.
And with that, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips - slow and deliberate - as if he were savoring every second of it. He threaded his fingers through your hair, his tail gently curling around your leg, brushing against the backside of it.
After several moments, he pulled back slightly, a smirk still plastered onto his lips. He caressed your flushed cheek with his thumb.
"Hmm," he mused, his golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "You do look good when you're flustered…"
