First Kiss
[Fic under the cut, 897 Words] [Art by the incredible @siren--squid, who has voids Commisions Open]
Wisteria's foot catches on yet another rock and they curse themselves mentally for agreeing to go on the expedition. They had been tempted to stay back with Vylad just for the sake of helping with the newly planted beginnings of a farm and to not be bothered by conversation they can't add anything to. Wincing as they stumble slightly, struggling to adjust to the rockier terrain, they try to see if they can signal to someone that they're going to head back to the boat. All they manage to catch is a budding headache due to the cluttered conversations between the others. Wisteria tries instead to look for the stark white hair, and catches sight of it at the head of the group as Travis seems to be deep in conversation with Laurance.
They let out a soft huff, Wisteria can still hear Travis asking them to join the group, just for safety in numbers he had assured them. It wasn't related to their previous conversation, at the very least they hoped it wasn't. The thought of that conversation sending a scorching feeling through their chest, something familiar and foreign wrapped in a firey bundle. It hadn't been one of Wisteria's finer moments, however there was nothing they could do to change it only hope that nothing had changed between the two of them.
They are too caught up in their thoughts to notice the man they were agonizing over seems to all but materialize next to them. "Wanna break away from the rest of them?" He offers it nonchalantly, as if nothing had changed, and they miss the dark flush against his cheeks and the tips his ears. Wisteria chews on the inside of their cheek before nodding at him, gesturing towards the presumably less rocky forest. Travis smiles before shouting to the others that the two of them are going to be checking out a different way, adding that they'll make sure to shout if anything happens.
Heading down into the forest Wisteria finds themselves enjoying the far quieter chatter from Travis as he talks about everything he's seen since he had joined the group. It had been so nice having him back and being able to know that he was okay. The fact he hadn't forgotten about than, and had even missed them by his own confession, had been shocking to learn. The fact that anyone had yearned for the day that they would see them again was enough to send Wisteria into an overthinking spiral. In the process of looking through the forest for anything interesting the two found a clearing littered with only a handful of tree's covered in purple flowers. And it isn't long at all before Wisteria has themselves sitting in a low hanging branch enjoying the gentle breeze as Travis leans against the trunk of the tree they had perched themselves in.
Travis clears his throat, and it quickly dawns on Wisteria that maybe the reason that he had left the rest of the group was to continue the conversation they had walked out in the middle of last night. He's looking at them and it takes everything within them to not look back, to not watch the disappointment on his face as he realizes they aren't who he wants them to be. "It's a uh, pretty day today?" is all Travis says however and the hilarity of it is enough to break Wisteria out of their stupor. Laughter echoes across the plain and they nod their head, "Yeah, yeah, it's nice." It's all they could say before their throat closes up again, but its enough and the smile on Travis's face is more than enough for them. The blush that races across his face and up to the tips of his ears is beautiful, a sight they wouldn't sell for all the gold in the world.
The happiness that threatens to tears Wisteria to pieces is enough to push their worries to the edges of their mind. As Travis pushes off the tree trunk to stand in front of them, his eyes seem to take in every part of them. From the blush scorching their skin like a fire, to the scars littering their face, to each and every freckle covering their body. It is almost like he's trying to commit each piece of Wisteria to memory. As they watch Travis's lips part just slightly as he breathes out a soft breath, it takes everything within them to not ruin the moment. They can't stop themselves from reaching out to Travis, allowing themselves to lean into the moment. And they lean down into him as well, as recognition crosses his face Travis smiles.
Its a soft thing, softer than anything Wisteria can remember. Not that they should have expected anything different, Travis always had a way of dulling the sharp edges of everything around them. As they pull away Travis holds on to their wrist, looking up at them with heterochromatic eyes, and Wisteria leans back in to kiss him again. This one is every bit as soft as the first, and it takes them longer to pull back from this one. Travis presses his forehead against Wisteria's and breathes out the three words they hadn't known they had needed to hear. The three words that they hadn't heard in years.
"I love you"