Severn🐌

they/them lovelovelove tighnari (I pretty much only write abt him) Fics+Art! Pls don’t request nsfw or dm me unless I do first :)

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign Fauna🪲⛈️

A Slowburn, multi-chaptered, Tighnarixgn!reader fic!

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), angst, blood, arguments, panic attacks, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings...

Let me know if I missed anything!

Author’s note: I cooked on this one, I can feel it. I hope you guys enjoy!!!😼

Word count:~1k

Last chapter<—Read this first!

—————————Chapter 6——————————

(Tighnari POV)

I haven’t seen y/n in ages. I went off near the camp to give them space, but I wasn’t exactly sure of where I was going.

I was in a rush.

Now, I stand in a clearing. A different one. The trees just as tall. Vines just as thick. Insects buzzing nearby in the plants. I’m sure I was marking my trail as I went. I remember it so clearly.

Little notches in the bark with my arrowheads.

Yes. I did. So why don't I see any of them? The sun beat down on me. A taunting reminder. I took a deep breath to steady myself. Then stepped forwards.

“..this tree. I’m sure I left a mark on it,” I said, circling around the bark. In the corner of my eye, I saw one. Exposed bark. Sap dripping out of its wound.

It was on the entirely wrong tree. My brows furrowed. This is wrong, I thought. The bugs droned on. A dull, humming chirrup. Endlessly repetitive in my ear.

I approached the marked tree. A few steps off from where I thought. My boots snapped small twigs underfoot, each one like a little firecracker.

“Maybe… maybe I wasn’t thinking clearly. Maybe I just got turned around. Yes,” I said, trying to follow where the mark led. This is wrong. It echoed in my head. I pushed it down.

I found another mark. More sap. Little ants biting at it. Getting stuck. Trapped, then drowned. Bugs droned in my ear. I shook my head, shooing them away. I must be on the right track. I’m finding more marks.

I step forward. Twigs underfoot snap. Firecrackers. There were no more marks. The sun beat down on the back of my neck. Dead end. I groan, carving into a stone to block off the path. Not this way.

I turn back. I try different routes. One by one, I start losing track. All of them led nowhere. All of them seemed to have a direction. None of them followed through. This is wrong.

No.

I refuse.

I turn. The bugs are so loud. So loud in my ears. I can’t… I can’t hear anything else, it’s—

I step back.

Firecrackers.

Snap, crackle, pop. Underfoot.

I cover my ears. This is wrong.

My tail lashes. It hits something. I feel something hot in my chest and my bow meets my hand. I draw. I turn.

“Stop! just stop this already!” I shout. Chest heaving. My muscles were tense. Ready to fire.

My vision unclouds.

Just… a tree.

…

I sit down. Y/n is alone right now. I can’t be losing my mind if I want to get back to camp. I can’t.

I close my eyes. In and out, I breathe. The bugs get quieter. That’s right. Y/n is alone. I need to stay focused.

Focus.

I left camp. The trees look too similar. The camp sits near water.

Find the creek.

Then follow it until I find the camp. Yes.

—————————————————————————

(Y/N POV)

The more you think about it, the worse it gets. Blowing up at Tighnari, of all people? Really, this wasn’t the best decision. You knew Tighnari wouldn’t be mad. But you also knew that he would probably remember this… for a while.

Before.

How you longed for it.

You took a deep breath, sitting up. You didn’t want to think about leaving yet. Didn’t like the implications. Lying on the ground, however, wouldn’t help.

So you stood up and looked around. There had to be something you could do to help. At least for now.

Your stomach growled.

Maybe… you could make weapons? Boil some more drinking water? Your hands rested on your hips. The fire was still going but who knows how long that would last… Maybe firewood?

Your stomach growled…

Again.

Yeah. You had to find food.

•

•

•

So, it turns out, finding food when you have no idea what anything is is much harder than you thought. You hadn’t even seen any animals… just… weird large bugs for the most part.

So you sat back down and got to thinking. How do you know something is safe to eat? You see something eat it, and it doesn’t die. Duh.

And what around here shared enough of the same anatomy to eat something that was safe for you?

Probably… the birds?

You look up in the canopy. Too far away.

Maybe you could make a slingshot and shoot some birds out of the air? Have some meat? Then again, contracting a foreign parasite now was a whole other hell you couldn't deal with.

You chewed on your lip.

Your best bet would be to find a fruit-bearing tree.

You stand, gather yourself, and bring that pot Tighnari had made from yesterday. For now, your only goal was to find food.

Your eyes flit back to the spot where Tighnari had walked off for the umpteenth time.

He would scold you for going out defenceless.

…

You turn around and start rummaging through the stone scraps. You remembered from one of Tighnari’s seminars that making weapons was… easier than you’d expect.

You take a deep breath. Finding a hardy, heavy piece of stone, and then? You take your heavy metal flask, starting to whittle away at it.

The flask clanged and vibrated through your arm with each strike. Chipping off a particularly sharp piece. You watched as it fell to the side. Clattering into the grass among the other discarded pieces. You lift the flask to strike again and—“OUCH!”

Your eyes shot down to the sting and saw a shard of speckled granite piercing into your palm. Sticky black-ish blood oozing from the gash. You sigh.

•

•

•

After a couple minutes of struggling, you found yourself with a knife—albeit shoddy—and a cloth bandage to cover your wound. You hadn’t dressed a wound since your training days.

…Not too shabby.

Now all that was left to do was find food. And Tighnari.

____________________________________________

Y/N’s journal, day 2

About 3:45pm

I think this is the first time I’ve been away from Tighnari for more than 5 hours since we got here. I keep finding myself glancing at the spot he left from. And… I keep getting this nagging feeling. I kind of cringe every time I think of what happened this morning. But another part of me thinks he should be back by now.

Am I just getting dependent? I should wait for him to get back. I’ll do what I can for now.

_____________________________________

Taglist: @ilovehaitham1245 @metamorphspectra @woofwoofwolf @orieleyfushi

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Happy day! I have returned!😼

And I’m currently writing chapter 6. It’s gonna be a doozy. And it’ll be from Tighnari’s POV. Here’s a little snippet so far!! (Subject to change)

—————————————————————————

I haven’t seen y/n in ages. I went off near the camp to give them space, but I wasn’t exactly sure of where I was going.

I was in a rush.

Now, I stand in a clearing. A different one. The trees just as tall. Vines just as thick. Insects buzzing nearby in the plants. I’m sure I was marking my trail as I went. I remember it so clearly.

—————————————————————————

Hopefully it should be done in a day or two😛

Lmk if you wanna be tagged!!!

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign Fauna 🍀🌿

A Slowburn! Tighnarixgn!reader fic

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost) later on in the story, light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can’t talk about simple things like feelings…

By: Severn :D

Word count: ~900 (Revised!!)

———————Prologue——————

The wooden door of your hut clicked shut as you made your way out for a trip with Tighnari, your coworker. The invitation was rather sudden, a quick ask after the two of you had finished patrolling together. You could still remember how bluntly Tighnari had asked you:

"This area requires some deeper research. But... it seems the sun won't be out much longer," he said, looking off into the distance before his eyes wandered back to you.

"How about you and I return tomorrow, instead?"

He was curt and disciplined, with a professional distance to him. Though, you couldn't expect much less from the head forest watcher. You noticed that Tighnari always had an odd way of getting what he wanted, with the akademiya practically begging for him, his path was open to limitless possibilities. But... whether through sheer stubbornness, or a stark intelligence, he remained here in the Avidya forest.

In fact, that intelligence was why he was able to keep the forest rangers so well educated—spreading "forbidden" information from the institute was a given for him. And yet? Despite all the knowledge Tighnari had given, time could only tell if it was enough to get him out of what was to come.

•••

The sun beat down heavily on your face when you left for the morning patrol. Sumeru's heat has no contenders. The scorching rays accompanied by the cricketing of cicadas only reminded you of the hot sweat creeping out of your skin. You reached for your satchel, carrying a large thermostatic water bottle, some granola bars, and a rudimentary med kit that Tighnari insisted every forest ranger carry.

Only Irminsul knows what he'd do if he found out a forest ranger didn't have them.

You pulled the heavy flask up to your lips, taking a quick swig of water. You stood by the side of the path, swinging your feet and kicking at the pebbles. Something about the air told you it was going to be a long day.

"Ah, good," called a polite voice, approaching you. There stood Tighnari, clad in his uniform with his satchel on his side, bow and arrows on his back.

"I hope the weather isn't treating you too harshly?" Tighnari asked, chuckling softly and offering a gentle smile. You could only sigh.

"You know, if you can get past it, today's a lovely morning. The sun's shining bright, and the sky is clear and blue. Most of the withering zones in the forest were cleared yesterday, as well." He said, still flicking as he walked ahead on the route leading out of Gandharva ville. You managed a small begrudging nod.

"It's... lovely. But heat isn't a small obstacle."

You said, following closely. Your hands rested by your sides, swaying absentmindedly as you and the man walked side by side. The sky was clear, painted a brilliant, deep cerulean. Dappled with fluffy clouds and the sound of gentle bird calls overhead.

Finches, phoebes, and sparrows all gathered about the small treetop village in harmony. Gravel crunched under your boots as you strode. Warm, humid, air weighed on your lungs. It was the signature feel of the rainforest—something you'd been growing accustomed to after the few months you spent living here for your training.

Soon, after a few silent minutes of walking you both arrive at the waypoint. It was shrouded with vines, engulfing the structure and wrapping around it. As if digging into the stone. It glowed a faint, ominous blue. Most likely because your nerves were twistung your senses. Your first time using a waypoint.

Tighnari stepped up to the statue and looked on at you expectantly. Swallowing down your nerves, you placed your hands over the crumbling surface.

Thereby commencing the trip that would end up altering the both of you for ages to come.

How—or rather—why, hadn't been revealed yet.

But what waited beyond that threshold... was anything but expected.

—————————————————————————

Y/N's journal- Day 1

6:30am

Today, Tighnari, the senior forest watcher, asked me to go on an extended patrol with him. I must admit, I wasn't exactly thrilled to go on the trip. Honestly? I would've preferred staying at home with the fans or even battling a cryo slime, though... I doubt they'd be out on such a hot day like this. I dread for later this afternoon—it'll only get hotter. But... since Tighnari asked me to accompany him, it'd only be rude to decline now. I suppose just a few more hours in the sun wouldn't hurt.

But I'm packing extra sunscreen just in case.

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Check this out!! New and improved prologue!

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign Fauna 🥀❄️

A Slowburn, multi-chaptered, Tighnarixgn!reader fic!

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), angst, arguements, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings... Let me know if I missed anything!

Author’s note: hey hey hey!! I’m back with another banger before finals come out so I don’t disappear for the rest of the school year… I also revised the prologue so feel free to check it out!

Word count: ~1.3k

Last chapter—Read this first!

—————————Chapter 5——————————

“We have to start packing as soon as possible so that we can leave quickly in case that predator returns,” Tighnari instructed as the two of you took down the tarp and started packing the supplies into it. The air hung heavy with words left unsaid. None of you wanted to name it.

The potential loss of the waypoint meant losing your only hope of getting home. There would be no returning to Sumeru. No seeing Collei, Cyno, Kaveh, or Alhaitham again for your weekly TCG match. That’s why this decision was something you both just couldn’t bring up. Your lives, the ones you’d built, hung in the balance of this decision.

You couldn’t help but remember. Despite yourself, you did. Cyno’s godawful jokes. The smell of spices and incense in the air. Morning patrols through a familiar forest. Birds chirping as they always do. Helping the visiting scholars stay safe. Keeping order under Tighnari’s control. You missed your hut. Four walls and a roof. Safety from the outdoors. Your first home since you left your parents.

Your hands fell to the sides, and you swallowed hard. Your throat felt tight. It stung and choked you as you breathed. Your cheeks felt warm and hot. Vision blurry.

Suddenly, you ripped away from the tarp. Kicking up dirt and leaving the hot tears in the grass where you stood. You walked straight to the old fire, setting yourself down and exhaling. You wiped your face, running your hands through your hair. Your whole life. Ripped away in a moment. You were upset. Angry, even. But honestly, who wouldn’t be?

It was already your second day living in a completely different dimension. There was no wrapping your head around how you got here. No use in trying to rationalize or find a way back home. Just thinking of the things you’d need to do in order to get back made your head pound.

This entire time, you had been telling yourself that everything was fine. That you and Tighnari would survive. That you’d return. But deep down in the pit of your stomach… you knew the truth.

It was a lie. The biggest lie you’d ever told yourself.

Your jaw clenched. A hot chill went down your spine. You pounded the ground with your fist as if it would help. An angry heat bubbled in your chest. You bit down onyour tongue, feeling your eyes well up with tears once more.

You and Tighnari were dead to the world.

And…

If you were already dead, then what was the point of trying to survive?

•

•

•

“Y/N?” Tighnari called, snapping you out of your daze. Your head whipped around to face him.

“I need you. Are you with me?” He crouched beside you, hand on your shoulder. His expression was serious. Your jaw clenched tight. But you listened.

“I finished packing the stones, pot, fire starters, and materials for our sundial. I need you to help me figure out where we’ll go now.”

Go? No.

“Tighnari, we haven’t talked about this yet,” you said curtly, “We don’t know what’s out there.”

“What if the moment we step out of this clearing, the predator is there waiting for us? We could barely find the stream. What makes you so confident that you think we’ll make it out of here?” You shouted. Birds left their perches. And Tighnari was left shocked in front of you. Eyes wide. Brows furrowed. His tail flicked. You didn’t care enough to think why.

You looked down at your lap. Breathing heavy. The silence between you stretched; filled only with the sound of wind whistling through the trunks of trees.

You were so angry. Angry at the situation. Angry that you were so vulnerable. Angry that you let yourself enjoy the little moments. Angry that Tighnari had even asked you to go on this patrol in the first place.

You were just starting to live your life and now everything you knew had been ripped out from under your feet. And—what—you were just meant to cope with it? Survive—knowing full well that you might be in for a horrible life—with no guarantee of ever returning from this world?

You let out an angry growl, ripping your face away from his achingly soft gaze. You couldn’t bear to face him. You knew he was hurt. And the thought of you hurting him stung more than you wanted to admit.

“Leave me,” You hissed.

Tighnari tensed. Then, he stood and walked away.

•

•

•

You sat there for a long time. Laying in the grass. It swayed and curled up around you. It felt weirdly calm. But, in your reflection, you couldn't help but feel guilty. Extremely so.

This entire time, Tighnari was helpful. He patched up your scrape. He heated hot stones. He offered to let you use his tail to stay warm. He even shared his tarp with you. The only other person here with you. And you had just exploded at him.

Now what were you gonna do?

—————————————————————————

Tighnari’s official patrol log, day 2.

At approximately 10:30am.

I… have no idea what to do with Y/N. They… they yelled at me earlier. I think I understand why. They feel unsettled about this world, and so do I. Despite myself, I wish I could help them. But… they also told me to leave them. We need to leave sometime today. I still don’t know where we should go. All my thoughts seem fragmented. Yet, all of them lead me to the same conclusion. If Y/N cannot resolve themselves soon… we will be at greater risk of danger. I’ll… try to speak with them in a couple hours. I can only hope they feel better enough for us to work out a way to leave and still remember the way to the waypoint.

At the moment, however, I'm sitting with that interesting flower I saw yesterday. The one that reminded me of a nilotpala lotus.

I wonder if I’ll ever get to bring my research back home.

—————————————————————————————————————

Taglist!: @woofwoofwolf @ilovehaitham1245 @orieleyfushi @metamorphspectra

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Are you ok? I hope you have been, don’t forget to take care of yourself and rest!

Yep! Still alive… just went through like the worst cramming month of my life… and finals r coming up too… sob

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna 🌞🌻

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn! reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings... Let me know if I missed anything!

Authors note: happy early lunar new years!:)

By: Severn :)

Word count: ~1k

Last chapter ‹- read this first!

—————————chapter 4—————-—————

It wasn’t until the sound of unfamiliar birds singing in the distance that you realized you were alone in the hammock. Tighnari, though he was there last night, seemed to have woken early.

Carefully, you sat up; Paying close attention to how your weight sat in the tarp so as to not fall over. The sun was high in the sky, and it cast warm beams of light through the canopy.

Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, you examined the area, searching for Tighnari. It couldn’t have been past noon.

Slipping out of the tarp and onto the ground below, you dusted yourself off. Stretching side to side. Oddly, you felt more well-rested than usual compared to most nights. Could it have been something to do with…

…nevermind.

The campfire was out, the air was humid and warm once more, and there were a few odd, rounded sticks lying around.

“Snap! Crackle,” went leaves underfoot as the ranger stepped back through the underbrush. He carried another pile of similar twigs, tail and ears a bit damp as if freshly washed.

“Morning,” said Tighnari, a focused expression on his face. He came over to his pile, setting the twigs down carefully before glancing at you and your confused expression.

“I’m gathering materials for a sun dial. I figured it’d be a large help to us.”

You nodded, walking over to the campfire and taking a seat next to it. Your second day in this unfamiliar world… how could this truly be the new reality?

You closed your eyes, leaning back on your palms, and breathed in the air. Deep breaths. The air was heavy and humid, but not as unbearably hot at Sumeru. You wondered how Collei and the other rangers back in Gandharva ville were coping, looking for the two of you.

Were they doing alright?

When you opened your eyes again, Tighnari was in front of you. He looked into your eyes for a moment before letting out a small, knowing sigh.

“I find it helps to rinse off in the stream we found yesterday. I already marked the path, just follow the etches in the bark.”

“…”

“..don’t be long,” He said, patting your shoulder before getting up and finding his arrows to whittle the twigs.

• • •

Taking a dip into the stream-water, you rinse yourself off. The water is cool and clear, not too cold, but not warm either. Luckily, it was warm weathered, and the water was soothing in its coolness. Cupping the water, you scoop it over your shoulders. That’s when you noticed a small… moving object. It was caught on a rock, and flowing wildly.

You took a closer look.

It was a small piece of fur from Tighnari’s tail—deep teal-green. While imagining him sitting exactly where you are now… you felt your face heat up. Quickly, that warmth was rinsed away into the current by your hands.

You really should calm yourself.

Finishing up quickly, you return to the camp. Walking and checking the trees for the marks Tighnari had made. Your feet crunch against the foliage underfoot. You look off into the distance through the trees.

Distant shadows of vines and trunks passing you by.

…Far away, you hear a faint call. Like a shriek. It was ghoulish, high and rumbly. Vibrating through the air and the cavity of your chest like it was trying to rattle the air out of your lungs. Rising in pitch only to trail off in stutters like a cruel, mocking laugh.

You start, listening closer to see if it’d happen again.

.

.

.

Silence. Complete and utter. Not a single animal, you included, dared to take a breath.

Alarmed, you start slowly walking back to the camp, trying to avoid the leaves on the ground.

When you get back, ducking under a branch, you spot Tighnari. Listening hard. His ears were swiveling to try and triangulate the sound once more. Maybe farther off. He shot you a quick glance, acknowledging your arrival even though he knew you were already there.

“…”

Minutes passed before he let out a small sigh and settled himself.

“…that… that was unnerving,” he said, turning to face you.

“Did you hear it?”

You could only manage a nod.

“..it was so… foreign. That shriek sounded like some sort of animal. And it didn’t sound in pain… but wow. Do you think it was some kind of… territorial behaviour?” You said, examining his expression.

He hummed, brows furrowing in thought as he looked to the side.

“I noticed the forest was oddly silent. That could mean it’s a predator at the very least. I don’t believe I’ve heard anything like it back on teyvat.”

“We… really aren’t anywhere… currently documented. Aren't we?” You said, finally voicing that creeping suspicion you’ve been carrying on your chest.

Tighnari stiffened. Then nodded.

“I… suppose so. Though, I can’t confirm.”

You both look at each other with this knowing ache.

You would have to find somewhere else to set up camp. And risk the possibility of getting lost, abandoning the leyline.

It was only a question of when.

—————————————————————————

Y/N’s journal, day 2

About 9:35am

I’m… sort of worried. I know that there's a territorial animal hanging around, the safest bet would be to leave and find somewhere else to go. But i’m also worried that if we leave the leyline area, we won’t be able to find it anymore. What if people come to rescue us but we’re gone? Or worse, we got lost and something happened…

I can’t bear the thought.

I want to go home.

_____________________________________

Taglist: @ilovehaitham1245 @woofwoofwolf @metamorphspectra

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Hi guys…. I’m alive🥹

Alive and writing chapter four of foreign fauna!! YAYAYAYAY!!

Here’s a sneaky peek:)

“You closed your eyes, leaning back on your palms, and breathed in the air. Deep breaths. The air was heavy and humid, but not as unbearably hot at Sumeru. You wondered how Collei and the other rangers back in Gandharva ville were coping, looking for the two of you. Were they alright?”

Be back… soon enough with the full chapter!:)

@ilovehaitham1245 @metamorphspectra @woofwoofwolf

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna 🌿☘️

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn! reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings... Let me know if I missed anything!

Authors note: I’ve been dead to the world for a month.. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence!

By: Severn :)

Word count: ~2k

Last chapter ‹- read this first!

—————————chapter 3——————————

“Stupid burrow…” Tighnari grumbled, tossing a heavy stone attached to a stick off to the side. You couldn't help but snicker at the way his ears pressed flat against his head.

It had been a couple hours since Tighnari and you started working on a burrow so the both of you could have a safe spot to sleep. The sun looked like it was just about to set, and yet the two of you were still homeless. The ground, covered in leaf litter, was far too slippery and non-viscous. Each time you dug a hole, it would inevitably fill.

“It seems like we can’t dig a burrow, and the ground is too loose now to dig anymore, we might create too much loose mud and destroy our only clearing,” you murmur. Searching for a solution, your hand comes up to your mouth. Biting your nails as you think.

“..do you have any tarps in that bag? A large sturdy leaf—even?” You looked over at Tighnari who was now searching in his bag.

“A tarp?”

“..I do. But only one.” He answered, pulling it out.”

“I trust that, as a forest watcher, you at the very least have that?” He raised an eyebrow, examining you. And maybe judging you.

Your silence was deafening.

His jaw resisted the urge to drop.

“Not even any rations or cooking supplies? A compass, maybe?”

“…”

“..I… wasn’t expecting a full patrol.” You admitted sheepishly. Looking away.

He eyed you. Hard. Staring daggers into your forehead since you insisted on looking down.

“..unbelievable.” He threw his hands up in the air and walked away a few paces before circling back.

“So-so what are you gonna do? You don’t have a tarp—but I do. I can make a hammock, but you? You’ll be without. Unless..” he paused.

“..no.”

You shivered. And it wasn’t from the cold.

..cold? Your eyes snapped up. Examining the leaves around you. That humid hotness you’d felt before was settling into an eerie frost. On all the leaves. You saw flowers slowly closing—petals retracting. Gods, you really needed that hammock.

You looked over at Tighnari to check if your eyes weren’t deceiving you. Tighnari is already alert, ears pricked and tail so absolutely still. He observes the rapid drop in temperature around you as the sun sets. The bugs stopped chirruping, birds retired to their nests.

This silence, almost parallel to the one you’d caused mere hours ago, was light years apart from the one right now. You shuddered out a breath and watched as it formed a small cloud right before your eyes.

“..it seems this rainforest is temporal. We need to hurry and make that hammock.”

“But what about me?” You asked, eyes wide.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

The both of you worked diligently. First things first, the both of you struck up a fire using Tighnari’s supplies. He took a couple wayward stones he’d gathered beforehand from when he found the shovel stone. Warming the smooth stones, he placed them over the fire and let them sit. In the meanwhile, you took some excess rope made from the vine and started fashioning a hammock, securing it between two trees.

Tighnari carefully used two twigs to drop the hot stones into the leather sac of water the two of you had collected before. Boiling the water and making it safe to drink. Then, he took a couple more stones and heated them just enough to become warm.

“Y/n, can you add some dry leaves inside the hammock? Nothing sharp. Just something enough to insulate. I’m making hot stones to keep us warm while we sleep.”

You nodded and walked off to collect foliage from the area.

Hold on a minute, us? really? It seemed that even after all his disbelief and attitude.. he really wasn’t going to leave you out in the cold. After a couple minutes, Tighnari approached you. You were crouched over on the ground gathering dry leaves.

He tapped your shoulder and handed you a warm stone. Gesturing to his stomach. Of course. He’d slipped the warm rock between the layers of the stomach covering he always wore—the one that he suggested you implement into your forest ranger uniform. And now you knew why. You dropped the makeshift hot pack into the pouch and sighed a little. Instantly warmer.

“..thank you.”

———

Eventually the two of you settle for the night. Snow falls gently outside, you and Tighnari both sit back to back in the hammock.

“I don’t see weather like this very often.” He whispers. His eyes focused on writing something in his patrol log—a habit he kept most every day.

“…are you cold? You can tuck your hands into my tail if you need.” He offers, looking over his shoulder at you. His eyes held that gentle look again. You couldn’t help but look away.

“I should be fine, thank you.”

“Despite all the urgency.. this place is actually very beautiful.” You whisper, looking out over your small camp. The fire crackled gently on the ground. You feel Tighnari take a deep breath.

“..yeah.”

“Goodnight, y/n.” He says softly, laying down and pulling his hood over his head.

“..goodnight, forest watcher Tighnari.” You whisper back, laying down as well. Crossing your arms and nestling into Frye leaves you’d collected. It was oddly warm, and the touch of your backs against eachother was ultimately the most sustaining part of it. You closed your eyes and nestled quietly into the tarp.

Your breathing evened, and slowly but surely.. you fell asleep.

————————————————————————

Tighnari’s official patrol log—Day 1

Time: late evening. (We really need to make that sundial.)

I’m curious to know just what caused this temporal climate in the forest. In the avidya forest, we rarely ever see snow. I wonder if this occurs every night here. If so, rhat would mean that mẹ and y/n have been dropped somewhere near teyvat’s poles. Tomorrow, me and y/n will need to make more rope vines—we’ve used the better most of it on this hammock and the rope we used for exploring. We need to mark and clear the path to the stream as well. I wonder if we’ll have enough rations to last us long enough to be found. If found. This eco system is very, very intriguing. And despite myself, I can’t seem to stop pausing to admire the many differences.

I can’t fathom just how underprepared y/n was for this trip, though. If we get back, I think they’d do well with some formal re-training. Or at the very least a lecture about what to bring no matter the circumstances.

—————————————————————————

Tag list: @metamorphspectra, @woofwoofwolf , @ilovehaitham1245

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna❄️🍀

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn! reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), Fire, light angst later on, and clueless who can't talk about simple things like feelings... Let me know if I missed anything!

Authors note: I know I know I shouldn’t write when I don’t have the juice. But the juices are flowing. This chapter makes me very joyful.

By: Severn :)

Word count: 280

Last chapter ‹- read this first!

—————————chapter 3.5————————

..Oddly, that night wasn’t as cold as the weather would suggest. You and Tighnari were asleep back to back, your breathing soft yet audible, while Tighnari’s was near a dead silence. His tail flailed every now and then. The fire Tighnari nurtured slowly crackling itself into oblivion while the snow put it out. Bit by bit.

You let out a small huff, turning to lay on your back. Small bits of leaf litter crumpling under your weight. The hot stone you kept over your stomach supplying you with a surprising amount of comfort. If you ever got back to Sumeru, you’d absolutely have to use this trick on the occasional colder day.

The hammock you’d been sleeping in lightly caves under the weight of you both. Its walls gently nudge you to lay on your side once more. And so, subconsciously, you did. Coincidentally landing you sleeping face to sleeping face with Tighnari.

You felt a delicate aura of evergreen pine, cold mud, and faint honey lightly wash over your body. Instinctively, you lean into the gentle sensation. And without realizing it, you ended up nestled in Tighnari’s arms.

It was warm. And plush from the thick fabric of his hood. His tail draped over your back. The moon shone brightly that night, gently streaking through the high canopy. Tighnari, in his sleep, gently and loosely held around your waist.

You hadn’t felt such a comfort in a while. And most likely, neither had Tighnari. His tail wagged, slightly but insistently. It itches your leg. And like any good self preserving human, your sleeping form turned back to face the other way.

Leaving you both none the wiser in the morning.

—————————————————

Tag-list: @metamorphspectra, @woofwoofwolf, @ilovehaitham1245

[ramshornsnailstorm]

I’ll sit in silence

Tighnarixgn!reader fluff/comfort fic.

(Taking a little break from foreign fauna to write comfort because I feel a bit down lately.)

—————————————————————————

You lay silently in bed, turning pages in your book but not really reading. Just distracting yourself from what you knew was the truth. Your expression was neutral. Your eyes calm. But your hands had this light tremble about them, every now and then you had to pause to take a shaky breath. And you thought Tighnari wouldn’t notice? Really.

He approached you silently, sitting next to you without an ounce of hesitation.

“Your heartbeat is elevated. Your pupils are dilated. And your hands are trembling.”

“So, either you’re very happy with your book, or you’re hiding something from me that is making you so upset it triggers your nervous system.” He said, speaking so casually that you might’ve thought he was commenting on the weather.

“Don’t even try to lie—I hear your heart.”

“So tell me, Whats on your mind?” He tilts his head. Ears flicking with intrigue. His hand gently yet strategically placed over yours. His eyes were gentle yet unyielding. But you didn’t have the words.

You only leaned forwards, hoping he’d allow it when you’d fall apart in front of him. You could only hope he’d rub your back and tell you it was okay. You knew it was a hard thing to ask—not many people would shoulder a burden just like that, least of all Tighnari. You could tell that unless you were at least somewhat dear to him, he would remain curt.

So now, with your forehead pressed into the middle of his chest, you were testing that theory. Almost expecting him to push you away awkwardly. You couldn’t expect him to give you what you needed.

Just as you were about to pull back and examine his face and see if he was upset, Tighnari’s arms, which before rested on his sides, came up to hold you there. Gently holding you together. Or maybe just giving you a space to fall apart in.

Your breath shuddered and you felt your nose start stinging when your vision blurred. Your hands tentatively grasped a ball of Tighnari’s shirt, testing just how much you could take before he’d inevitably push away.

But he didn’t. He held you there and cradled your head and watched your face to see if the silent weight on your chest was lifting yet. You couldn’t help but press closer and squeeze him tighter. But you pulled back almost immediately. Afraid to take too much. Why would he even hug you in the first place? What have you done for him in order for him to give you this space? It felt vulnerable and scary.

“..will you tell me what’s wrong or do you just want to stay like this?” He asked quietly. His voice was smooth and caring. Almost like a caretaker. Almost like he cared.

“I don’t want to talk… can you just stay..?” You whispered back. He nodded and stroked the back of your head.

“Have you eaten..? How’s your sleep?” He asked quietly, trying to figure out a potential cause for your stress and unhappiness. But he realized he was prodding once again. So he laid off a little. He focused instead on quelling that tremble in your hands. He took them in his own, and rubbed some warmth into them.

“Just take a moment. We can talk when you’re ready.” He said softly, gaze fixed on your fingers.

“I’m always here waiting for you.” He said determinedly. Looking into your eyes and smiling slightly.

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna 🌿☘️

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn! reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings... Let me know if I missed anything!

Authors note: I’ve been dead to the world for a month.. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence!

By: Severn :)

Word count: ~2k

Last chapter ‹- read this first!

—————————chapter 3——————————

“Stupid burrow…” Tighnari grumbled, tossing a heavy stone attached to a stick off to the side. You couldn't help but snicker at the way his ears pressed flat against his head.

It had been a couple hours since Tighnari and you started working on a burrow so the both of you could have a safe spot to sleep. The sun looked like it was just about to set, and yet the two of you were still homeless. The ground, covered in leaf litter, was far too slippery and non-viscous. Each time you dug a hole, it would inevitably fill.

“It seems like we can’t dig a burrow, and the ground is too loose now to dig anymore, we might create too much loose mud and destroy our only clearing,” you murmur. Searching for a solution, your hand comes up to your mouth. Biting your nails as you think.

“..do you have any tarps in that bag? A large sturdy leaf—even?” You looked over at Tighnari who was now searching in his bag.

“A tarp?”

“..I do. But only one.” He answered, pulling it out.”

“I trust that, as a forest watcher, you at the very least have that?” He raised an eyebrow, examining you. And maybe judging you.

Your silence was deafening.

His jaw resisted the urge to drop.

“Not even any rations or cooking supplies? A compass, maybe?”

“…”

“..I… wasn’t expecting a full patrol.” You admitted sheepishly. Looking away.

He eyed you. Hard. Staring daggers into your forehead since you insisted on looking down.

“..unbelievable.” He threw his hands up in the air and walked away a few paces before circling back.

“So-so what are you gonna do? You don’t have a tarp—but I do. I can make a hammock, but you? You’ll be without. Unless..” he paused.

“..no.”

You shivered. And it wasn’t from the cold.

..cold? Your eyes snapped up. Examining the leaves around you. That humid hotness you’d felt before was settling into an eerie frost. On all the leaves. You saw flowers slowly closing—petals retracting. Gods, you really needed that hammock.

You looked over at Tighnari to check if your eyes weren’t deceiving you. Tighnari is already alert, ears pricked and tail so absolutely still. He observes the rapid drop in temperature around you as the sun sets. The bugs stopped chirruping, birds retired to their nests.

This silence, almost parallel to the one you’d caused mere hours ago, was light years apart from the one right now. You shuddered out a breath and watched as it formed a small cloud right before your eyes.

“..it seems this rainforest is temporal. We need to hurry and make that hammock.”

“But what about me?” You asked, eyes wide.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

The both of you worked diligently. First things first, the both of you struck up a fire using Tighnari’s supplies. He took a couple wayward stones he’d gathered beforehand from when he found the shovel stone. Warming the smooth stones, he placed them over the fire and let them sit. In the meanwhile, you took some excess rope made from the vine and started fashioning a hammock, securing it between two trees.

Tighnari carefully used two twigs to drop the hot stones into the leather sac of water the two of you had collected before. Boiling the water and making it safe to drink. Then, he took a couple more stones and heated them just enough to become warm.

“Y/n, can you add some dry leaves inside the hammock? Nothing sharp. Just something enough to insulate. I’m making hot stones to keep us warm while we sleep.”

You nodded and walked off to collect foliage from the area.

Hold on a minute, us? really? It seemed that even after all his disbelief and attitude.. he really wasn’t going to leave you out in the cold. After a couple minutes, Tighnari approached you. You were crouched over on the ground gathering dry leaves.

He tapped your shoulder and handed you a warm stone. Gesturing to his stomach. Of course. He’d slipped the warm rock between the layers of the stomach covering he always wore—the one that he suggested you implement into your forest ranger uniform. And now you knew why. You dropped the makeshift hot pack into the pouch and sighed a little. Instantly warmer.

“..thank you.”

———

Eventually the two of you settle for the night. Snow falls gently outside, you and Tighnari both sit back to back in the hammock.

“I don’t see weather like this very often.” He whispers. His eyes focused on writing something in his patrol log—a habit he kept most every day.

“…are you cold? You can tuck your hands into my tail if you need.” He offers, looking over his shoulder at you. His eyes held that gentle look again. You couldn’t help but look away.

“I should be fine, thank you.”

“Despite all the urgency.. this place is actually very beautiful.” You whisper, looking out over your small camp. The fire crackled gently on the ground. You feel Tighnari take a deep breath.

“..yeah.”

“Goodnight, y/n.” He says softly, laying down and pulling his hood over his head.

“..goodnight, forest watcher Tighnari.” You whisper back, laying down as well. Crossing your arms and nestling into Frye leaves you’d collected. It was oddly warm, and the touch of your backs against eachother was ultimately the most sustaining part of it. You closed your eyes and nestled quietly into the tarp.

Your breathing evened, and slowly but surely.. you fell asleep.

————————————————————————

Tighnari’s official patrol log—Day 1

Time: late evening. (We really need to make that sundial.)

I’m curious to know just what caused this temporal climate in the forest. In the avidya forest, we rarely ever see snow. I wonder if this occurs every night here. If so, rhat would mean that mẹ and y/n have been dropped somewhere near teyvat’s poles. Tomorrow, me and y/n will need to make more rope vines—we’ve used the better most of it on this hammock and the rope we used for exploring. We need to mark and clear the path to the stream as well. I wonder if we’ll have enough rations to last us long enough to be found. If found. This eco system is very, very intriguing. And despite myself, I can’t seem to stop pausing to admire the many differences.

I can’t fathom just how underprepared y/n was for this trip, though. If we get back, I think they’d do well with some formal re-training. Or at the very least a lecture about what to bring no matter the circumstances.

—————————————————————————

Tag list: @metamorphspectra, @woofwoofwolf , @ilovehaitham1245

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna ☘️🌿

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn! reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost), sharp objects, blood, (briefly,) light cursing, light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can't talk about simple things like feelings...

Authors note: sorry for the later chapter, guys.. school is a murderer to all writing.

By: Severn :)

Word count: ~1k

Last chapter ‹- read this first!

——————Chapter 2——————

The forest’s lush flora scraped against the fabric of your clothes as you and Tighnari, the forest watcher, scouted the area around where you’d both landed. The ground was soft and slippery below your feet, the atmosphere chalked full of excess oxygen you forgot the modern world simply didn’t have. You looked up, the sun shining with a great effort through the canopy, trying its hardest to touch down with no avail. It was bound to set soon.

“Hold on tight to the rope now, y/n. It wouldn’t be fun if it got cut and we were stranded even farther out.” Tighnari reminded you, drawing you back from your examinations. As the two of you walked, Tighnari led you both, bow in hand to push away tall branches. You passed through the woods looking to see if you could manage to forage any sort of food on the way as you searched for water. Tighnari had already gathered a few things here and there that he’d use later.

“Let’s pause here. Listen for a stream,” you suggested. Tighnari nodded curtly before stopping in his tracks. Ears flicking in order to listen better for any nearby water sources.

“..I hear running water. Eastward. That’s not far from here, let’s head out.” Tighnari reported, taking you both farther in. Soon the trees cleared and the underbrush parted to reveal a clean spring, complete with a waterfall. It looked fairly clean. Though you couldn’t be so sure. You both looked around for something to bottle the water in.

“..I have a flask in my satchel here… but it’s still full.” you offered up, trying to figure out what to do.

“Best leave it untouched, then.” Tighnari responded, waving you off. He took out a small leather sack from his side, empty and waiting. Then, putting it to the stream water, he filled it up slowly.

“When we get back, we should start a fire and get some shelter going. Rainforests like this are often highly populated so we’ll need a safe place to sleep.” He chatted idly, before standing.

“You have the rope?”

A nod. Then you both started retracing your steps while thinking of just what you could use to sleep in.

“Should we try to find a natural structure, or burrow into the ground for a colder sleeping place during the day?” You said, still following the man. His hair was mussed from behind and his tail was getting matted from all the tumbling you two had been doing the day before. His clothes were slightly soiled with mud, as well. You couldn’t help but reach out and smooth it down. And he froze mid step. Then, a bit awkwardly, he turned to face you.

“..ah. Y-your hair was standing up, I just wanted to smooth it down. Sorry.” You said meekly. Glancing at him with guilt.

“…no, no. Don’t apologize. Just.. ask next time.” He said, giving you a small intelligible look before turning back around.

“…”

“Let’s continue.”

You both walked back time now passing just a little slower in your embarrassment. So embarrassed in fact that your free hand swung carelessly. Something you wouldn’t often pay mind to. But not here. Not now.

Your arm moved forward with the pattern of your feet before suddenly grazing against a sharper branch and ripping a large scratch on your forearm. Stinging an angry red that crawled out of your throat as a yelp.

And the forest went quiet.

Buzzing stopped, birds silenced, everything fell to an eerie void of sound. You gave Tighnari an alarmed look.

“..Shht.” He whispered. Dropping low as his eyes scanned the area. He pulled you both into a shrub, his arm draped across your shoulder, head peering outwards as he looked for the cause of the sound. He knew that you, your yelp more specifically, could’ve been the reason why. But your call might’ve attracted predators, and he wasn’t going to fight with a predator who’s never been documented before.

“..come.” He looked to you, signaling you to continue your trek home by keeping low to the forest floor and staying calm.

Eventually, you both finally found your way back, the clearing with the waypoint a sight for sore eyes. Still, you and the ranger knew better than to ease just yet. And waited for the wildlife to go back to its usual sound profile.

Gathering the rope, you sat down and wiped your face, breathing out a heavy sigh. Closing your eyes. Tighnari started a small controlled fire and started boiling water. Just when you thought you’d rest your eyes for a few minutes, Tighnari came over with a damp cloth and a disinfectant from his bag. One moment, you were relaxing and just glad to have made it back. The second, an invasive textured cloth dabbed carefully at your scrape.

“Ow! Shhit..” you cursed under your breath, as the towel stained an irony red.

“I’d suggest you quiet down a little, your blood and that loud mouth of yours is perfect for attracting unwanted guests.” Tighnari mused as he soaked the cloth with disinfectant and cleaned your cut once more. You bit your tongue in bitter compliance. Hands clenching at the grass beneath you. He sighed softly and rested a hand on yours to still you as he wrapped your arm carefully in a light gauze.

“..done,” he breathed, visibly relaxing.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” He said, looking into your eyes. His gaze was protective and almost caring. His touch, though calloused, was attentive. He seemed so much.. softer than you’d noticed previously.

Snapping back to the present, you shook your head, no.

“…”

It seemed he struggled to follow suit.

“..right. Then… let’s get started on that burrow. While you were resting, I found a good stone to use as a shovel.” Tighnari stood from where you were, dusting himself off and finding a good stick to fasten to the stone. Silently, you watched him walking away and wondered if you’d ever seen eyes that gentle before.

—————————————————————————

Y/N’s journal, day 1

Around maybe 5:30?

We went out to get water so far today, and I got a cut on my arm. It hurt pretty bad, but it hurt worse when Tighnari was patching me up…

But that’s not on him, he was actually pretty gentle? I mean, I know that’s sort of his job to take care of people. But I haven’t seen someone look at me so nicely before. It must be nice getting treated by him. Anyways, Tighnari’s starting to figure out how to make the shovel now. Looks like he’s struggling, so I’ll help him out.

[upon the page, there's a small doodle of a forest ranger with a plush tail and soft ears fiddling with a rock, a stick, and string. The figure’s ears are pressed back flat and he wears a grumpy expression on his face.]

—————————————————————————

Tag list: @metamorphspectra

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign fauna ☘️🌿

A Slowburn, multi chaptered, Tighnarixgn!reader fic.

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost) later on in the story, sharp objects, suffocation, light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can’t talk about simple things like feelings…

By: Severn :)

Word count: ~1.4K

Last chapter <- read this first!

——————————————Chapter 1——————————————

Something was off. Wrong. You and Tighnari travelled through the waypoint, but even though you were teleporting as usual, it was taking… way longer—As if travelling farther. You and him were stuck in an empty void. Only It wasn’t so empty upon closer inspection. Stars and cosmos and meteors flew by. You were lucky none of them close enough to hit you. Without gravity, your bag started slipping off your shoulders. There was a constant sense of movement. A permanent vacuum of air in which you couldn’t breathe.

Panicked, you shot a glance at Tighnari, equally as concerned, his brows furrowed and eyes examining every inch of the area, trying to find a way out. But there was none. Only miles of stars and debris. Far as you could see.

The seconds ticked by slower than ever.

6…

7…

8…

9…

You couldn’t hold your breath any longer.

10…

Your vision started blurring.

11…

Your body urged you to take a breath.

12…

…and just when you thought you couldn’t hold onto your consciousness any longer, you and Tighnari popped out the other side of the leyline as normal.

Thrown into a patch of tall grass, you gasped and coughed for air. As if mocking you for your helplessness, the ground seemed to double onto your state by knocking the air out of your lungs once more. Oxygen couldn’t reach inside your lungs fast enough. You gasped and wheezed for minutes before finally settling.

And when it finally did calm, you melted into the grass. Closing your eyes. Breathing deep. That was all you needed for now.

“What.. what happened?” You said once the world stopped spinning. You couldn’t imagine what went wrong on your own. Not for this.

“..I’m… not sure.” Tighnari whispered back. He sounded.. unsteady. Something you’d never heard before.

You sat up, looking at him and the area you were both stuck in. His ears were pressed flat in alarm. Eyes narrowed and darting over what you were now in the middle of. A clearing in a forest. Tall grass, trees higher than the cloud line. Vines thick enough to be pillars. And the atmosphere was a chilling humid fog. A far cry from the unbearable heat you’d been submerged in just seconds ago. You couldn’t believe your eyes.

“Are we.. in the avidiya forest? I’ve never seen trees this tall there.” You said, standing and running your fingers over the bark. Then, you glanced back at the waypoint. Cracked. Missing entire pieces of stone. Vines overtaking it just like the one back home. They were digging into the stone, growing through fractures and causing problems. That.. must’ve been what had happened to the waypoint back in Sumeru. You couldn’t see any fractures because the vines covered everything—oh, you knew something was off!

“No.. I believe not. This is somewhere else entirely. I-I’m not even sure we’re still in Teyvat.” Tighnari answered, examining the plants around the area we were in.

“Don’t wander into the forest—you’ll get lost and not even I will be able to find you.” He shot you a knowing glance before examining the veins on a nearby flower for a clue of their whereabouts.

“Look here.. this… isn't native to sumeru at all. Nor any other nation…”

“...fascinating.” Tighnari said, his eyes a little brighter now. He snapped open the clasp on his bag, pulling out a leather journal and writing about every detail on the flower.

“I-if we brought this back to sumeru, imagine what discoveries could be made.. so many undiscovered species of plants...” He said, tail flicking in interest.

“…Forest Watcher Tighnari?” You interrupt quietly. He flinches and turns to you.

“R-right. Yes.” He straightens himself, putting his journal back into his satchel.

“We should prioritize water and shelter first. But…we can’t wander far, otherwise we’ll lose the waypoint and get lost…” He clicked his tongue, tapping his fingers on his thigh. His eyes scanned the clearing for supplies. You followed suit.

Around you, there was grass around 45inches tall, the flowers Tighnari had been looking at. The thick vines… fallen trees.. sunlight streaming through the canopy and faint bird calls in the distance. His eyes fixed on a vine particularly close to the ground.

Wait.

The vines…

If you could manage to cut off a thin strap…

Yes! That would make finely for a rope. In which you could tie to the waypoint and trace back your steps once you’ve finished!

“Tighnari!” You looked at him. He nodded curtly.

“Boost me.” He took an arrow out of his quiver, holding it like a knife. His eyes trained on the winding, sturdy material.

You got one knee, putting your hands together and interlacing your fingers, creating a stable platform for Tighnari to step on. His boot ragged with grip so he wouldn’t trip on the slick mud in the rainforest dug into your palm, but nonetheless you, absorbed his weight as he jumped up. He stabbed the arrow into the vine as he fell, then dragged the arrow down and cut open a large strip of the vine.

Working out the tip, he jumped once more and cut another strip. Then when you were both free and the arrow was pulled out, you both grabbed and pulled a piece of the cut vine, furthering the amount of rope. Soon you had around 5 meters of vine cut out. Tentatively, Tighnari wrapped the strip of vine around the waypoint.

“This should do fine for some exploring.” He nodded, securing the rope around his waist. “You hold onto the vine. Make sure it stays taught in case it cuts on something along the way.”

You hummed in agreement before gathering up the excess rope and handing it to Tighnari for him to drop as they went. Finally prepared, you could now venture into the forest to look for supplies. But you both had to be quick.

The night was bound to approach soon.

—————————————————————————

Tighnari’s official patrol log—Day 1

Time: Around noon. (We need to make a sundial later.)

After me and Ranger Y/N were thrown out of the waypoint, we arrived inside a forest boasting thousands of trees that are almost as tall as the Divine Tree in Sumeru, a tree so large that an entire village was built under it for shade—More on what that could mean for this eco-system later. I've come across a flower resembling something very close to Nymphaea Caerulea, or nilotpala lotuses—flowers that only bloom at night. Though this flower is cream coloured and boasts large, thick bowl shaped petals. Similar to flowers pollinated by beetles. It emits a strong smell. I wonder what I could learn from

(The text cuts off there. Seems the watcher was interrupted.)

————————————————————————

Tag list: @metamorphspectra

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Foreign Fauna 🍀🌿

A Slowburn! Tighnarixgn!reader fic

No established relationship, coworkers to lovers, mentions of displacement/estrangement (getting lost) later on in the story, light angst later on, and clueless dimwits who can’t talk about simple things like feelings…

By: Severn :D

Word count: ~900 (Revised!!)

———————Prologue——————

The wooden door of your hut clicked shut as you made your way out for a trip with Tighnari, your coworker. The invitation was rather sudden, a quick ask after the two of you had finished patrolling together. You could still remember how bluntly Tighnari had asked you:

"This area requires some deeper research. But... it seems the sun won't be out much longer," he said, looking off into the distance before his eyes wandered back to you.

"How about you and I return tomorrow, instead?"

He was curt and disciplined, with a professional distance to him. Though, you couldn't expect much less from the head forest watcher. You noticed that Tighnari always had an odd way of getting what he wanted, with the akademiya practically begging for him, his path was open to limitless possibilities. But... whether through sheer stubbornness, or a stark intelligence, he remained here in the Avidya forest.

In fact, that intelligence was why he was able to keep the forest rangers so well educated—spreading "forbidden" information from the institute was a given for him. And yet? Despite all the knowledge Tighnari had given, time could only tell if it was enough to get him out of what was to come.

•••

The sun beat down heavily on your face when you left for the morning patrol. Sumeru's heat has no contenders. The scorching rays accompanied by the cricketing of cicadas only reminded you of the hot sweat creeping out of your skin. You reached for your satchel, carrying a large thermostatic water bottle, some granola bars, and a rudimentary med kit that Tighnari insisted every forest ranger carry.

Only Irminsul knows what he'd do if he found out a forest ranger didn't have them.

You pulled the heavy flask up to your lips, taking a quick swig of water. You stood by the side of the path, swinging your feet and kicking at the pebbles. Something about the air told you it was going to be a long day.

"Ah, good," called a polite voice, approaching you. There stood Tighnari, clad in his uniform with his satchel on his side, bow and arrows on his back.

"I hope the weather isn't treating you too harshly?" Tighnari asked, chuckling softly and offering a gentle smile. You could only sigh.

"You know, if you can get past it, today's a lovely morning. The sun's shining bright, and the sky is clear and blue. Most of the withering zones in the forest were cleared yesterday, as well." He said, still flicking as he walked ahead on the route leading out of Gandharva ville. You managed a small begrudging nod.

"It's... lovely. But heat isn't a small obstacle."

You said, following closely. Your hands rested by your sides, swaying absentmindedly as you and the man walked side by side. The sky was clear, painted a brilliant, deep cerulean. Dappled with fluffy clouds and the sound of gentle bird calls overhead.

Finches, phoebes, and sparrows all gathered about the small treetop village in harmony. Gravel crunched under your boots as you strode. Warm, humid, air weighed on your lungs. It was the signature feel of the rainforest—something you'd been growing accustomed to after the few months you spent living here for your training.

Soon, after a few silent minutes of walking you both arrive at the waypoint. It was shrouded with vines, engulfing the structure and wrapping around it. As if digging into the stone. It glowed a faint, ominous blue. Most likely because your nerves were twistung your senses. Your first time using a waypoint.

Tighnari stepped up to the statue and looked on at you expectantly. Swallowing down your nerves, you placed your hands over the crumbling surface.

Thereby commencing the trip that would end up altering the both of you for ages to come.

How—or rather—why, hadn't been revealed yet.

But what waited beyond that threshold... was anything but expected.

—————————————————————————

Y/N's journal- Day 1

6:30am

Today, Tighnari, the senior forest watcher, asked me to go on an extended patrol with him. I must admit, I wasn't exactly thrilled to go on the trip. Honestly? I would've preferred staying at home with the fans or even battling a cryo slime, though... I doubt they'd be out on such a hot day like this. I dread for later this afternoon—it'll only get hotter. But... since Tighnari asked me to accompany him, it'd only be rude to decline now. I suppose just a few more hours in the sun wouldn't hurt.

But I'm packing extra sunscreen just in case.

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Tiggy doodles 🙀

I Js wanted to show a few doodles I did of tighnari and give a teeny bit of info on a wip i’m thinking about starting.

Little info.

Like,

Broken leyline. Uh oh. Teleport. Wrong. Uh oh. What happens next? Scary. Uh oh.

Survival.

Errrmm

Co-workers to lovers. UH OH.

….

…

Slowburn. Uh oh.

Tighnari x reader of course.

[ramshornsnailstorm]

The unveiling🪻🌿

Angst+comfort!! Tighnarixgn!reader

Established relationship

NO MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

Word count: ~1.1k

Cw: emotional distress, low self worth/self deprecation, relationship conflict, guilt self blame, EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION+SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIOUS ATTACHMENT, fear of abandonment

—————————————————————————

The door clicked shut. Tighnari stepped into the room. His expression froze the moment he met your gaze.

You knew it was too good to last. It was something you did. Your fault. Missing the unveiling of your own husband’s new discovery. A different breed of flower that no one in Sumeru had seen before. So interesting, with the glow of a lantern lower and the delicacy of a padisarah. And yet apparently not enough for you.

“You.. weren’t at the ceremony, were you?" Tighnari’s voice asked. Upset. In that small quiet way that you could tell meant he was trying not to let it show. Trying to rationalize your not being there. Be okay with the fact that you missed his ceremony because he wasn’t the sort of person to be upset over something like this. He should’ve been more concerned about you. And yet he couldn’t help but feel sad you weren’t there for him. And that made him upset.

You could see it in the wrinkles on his face—just a tad more defined and weary. Feeling it in the unnerving stillness of his demeanour, as if you tried to cover a disturbed pool with a tarp to pretend the water was level. He wasn’t okay. And it was your fault.

“I..”

“… I’m sorry.” You said softly. You were flooded with guilt, washing up over you and crawling up your spine and making you sick. You looked at his eyes, obviously hurt.

“N-no, really, I’m sure you had a good reason. Right? What’s wrong, y/n?” He said, trying to be sweet. Look how you were making him mask away his sadness. He didn’t even trust you enough to show how much it hurt.

He was still dressed in his suit. You couldn’t help but imagine him on that large stage, in front of the entire Akademiya, searching the crowd for your face. Only to turn up empty-handed. You were horrible.

You stood, as if the bold gesture would help build the momentum to get the words out of your head. The two of you were meters apart. Him at the entryway, you at the couch. Where you’d been.

“I don’t know what washed over me, I just—my-my legs, they couldn’t.. wouldn’t…” your words escaped you. Stumbling over yourself trying to justify this. But all you could muster was a heavy nothing.

“…it’s ok.” He said softly, walking over and hugging you. You couldn’t tell if he was trying to comfort you or himself. As if hugging you might clear his guilt, like having you here now after all might make up for your loss from before.

But you knew it in your bones. You were wrong. He was rationalizing. And you were accepting it as if you hadn’t been at fault.

So you pulled away—undeserving.

Unknowingly leaving him without you. Again.

“No. This.. I'm sorry. This is my fault. I’ll own up to it. I‘ll make it up to you.” You searched his eyes for an answer. Once mossy and honey-like like now simply grass and sugar. Emptier and wearier than you’d ever seen them. Answer enough. Better than the silence. You took his hands.

“Please.. just tell me how you feel. I’ll make it better. I’m really sorry I wasn't there. I regret it so much.” You begged. Trying to be vulnerable because the thought of him leaving… stung. More than you could bear to imagine.

He brought you over and sat down with you on the couch. The cushion deflating under both of your weights. Dust pluming into the air. You hadn’t been cleaning either.

“..I… felt sad. I wanted you there. Will you tell me how come you weren’t?” He said quietly, trying to articulate his thoughts the best he could.

“… I’m not sure why. I had my keys in my hands and I was dressed and ready to go. But then I couldn’t get up from the couch. I sat down and then I went on my phone and I just… gods.. I’m so sorry.”

“I-I don’t mean to sound lazy, you mean way more to me than my phone—I swear! Just.. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Why can’t I do anything?” You said, getting caught up in your head. Your hands fell into your palms. Letting out a shaky breath.

“..I promise I really did want to go.”

…

The room buzzed, tension and disappointment filling the air.

You let out a breath.

“I’m sorry.” You say once more, peeking up at his face. He was processing.

He blinked. Licked his lips. Shifted his stance.

“wait.. so… so you didn’t come see me. Because you were on your phone? You didn’t show up for me just because you sat down and somehow couldn’t—“ he huffed, slicking back his hair, ”you.. I needed you there. I wanted you to see me.” He patted his chest trying to make his words seem as big as they felt. But he saw how you were still somewhere else. Not here with him— not mentally.

“You’re.. unbelievable, y/n.” He said, his ears pressed flat to his head as he looked at you with that heartbroken expression. His eyebrows furrowed as he said your name. As if just uttering it hurt for him to say.

“This discovery meant so much to me. And I wanted to share it with you. And everyone.”

“Do you know how—“ he stopped himself, knowing you couldn’t help it. But he was upset, too.

He turned away, pacing. Trying to settle everything.

“Please.. don’t go. Don’t leave me, I still need you,” You whispered meekly.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t make it. If I could do it over again, I honestly swear I’d come. Won’t you please tell me how it went? Can't you please just let me be there now? I promise I’ll be there this time. I swear.”

He paused. As if he’d heard something he hadn’t anticipated. Then he turned around to face you.

“Go..?” His expression softened, as if he finally had the missing piece as to why this was bothering you so much.

“Oh, love… no. I wasn’t ever going to leave you. I’m just.. upset is all. I love you. I want you to be here with me through everything. That’s why I was sad. I could never just..” He stepped forward, hand cupping your face.

“..don’t be afraid of that.”

“Ok?” He scanned your eyes. He looked... lighter now. He really did feel better. He did forgive you. And you could tell he meant this.

His voice steadied, shoulders relaxed for what might’ve been the first time today.

“No matter how upset you make me. Whether I show it or not. I never want to leave you. I’ll always try to work something out. Because you mean everything to me.” His thumb rubbed your cheek. You felt.. better. And you closed your eyes. Letting yourself finally accept this. Just a small bit for now.

“Do you want to try that hug again?” He said softly, looking at your expression. Your eyes opened slowly, and then you looked down in thought.

And you nodded.

…

“..I named it after you, you know.” He said with a small smile, pressing a kiss to your eyelid.

—————————————————————————

Author note: erm sorry I got impatient guys so like I posted it early. But it’s like a 73% yes so I don’t rlly think it’s change and I was probably gonna post it no matter what at some point

Uh

To the person who wanted to be tagged: it’s here 😈 @meiyisha

[ramshornsnailstorm]

Guys i’m scared… what if the angst fic actually sucks and i’m clickbaiting you