"will You Spend Your Life With Me?"

"will you spend your life with me?"

TIGHNARI CONFESSING HIS FEELINGS TO YOU.

synopsis: of how tighnari avoids you once he realises he has feelings for you. because fennec foxes mate for life, what guarantee does he have that you would want that from him?

you were standing at the edge of ghandharva ville, explaining to a merchant the safest routes he should take, when you felt eyes on you.

you knew exactly who it was. so, you continue on explaining, ignoring the burning holes you felt at the back of your head. you turn your attention back towards the merchant, finally ending your explanation and biding him safe travels.

you sigh once he turns around and leaves, glad to be over with your planned daily tasks. as soon as you have that thought, however, an all-too familiar voice calls out your name.

"yes, master tighnari?"

your voice drips of venom, and with your eyes looking anywhere but at him, you fail to notice how he winces at your bitter reply, how his ears slowly droop and tail stop all movement (he couldn't control it from swishing once he approaches you, he hadn't spoken a word to you in over a week).

you cross your arms over your chest and look away. truly, you weren't trying to be mean, but how can you look at him? when he made you feel things, you'd never even imagined possible. when he had you wrapped around his finger, only to suddenly decide he doesn't want your company anymore?

or that's the theory you had come up with, anyways. you knew you had feelings for tighnari within weeks of meeting him, and you thought you two were only growing closer, forming a nice friendship. until all of a sudden, you didn't get to see him anymore. he was suddenly so busy, unable to meet you. all your patrols together had been altered, and it had gotten to a point where an entire week had passed without you getting as much as a whiff from this green-eyed man you adored so much.

another theory would be that you were simply irrelevant to him, and he was actually having extra workload and didn't even notice the sudden change.

but you should know better than to assume anything got past his keen eyes and ears.

tighnari clears his throat, and your grip on your arm tightens.

"a withering spot report has come in, you and i are going to deal with it." he simply says.

your grip tightens even more, feeling the sting of your nails digging into your skin. but it was all you could do to fight the bail forming at the back of your throat, the tears you can almost feel starting to gather in your eyes.

so this was it huh? acting like nothing has occurred. why would he act otherwise? you think bitterly, you're the only one with these stupid feelings.

you nod. "okey, i'll get my stuff." you mumble as you walk past him to your hut to grab your weapon.

you don't want to keep him waiting. even if your existence meant little to him, at the very least you didn't want him to think of you as incompetent.

you're quickly back at his side, and he begins to lead the way.

the treck is quiet. to him, perhaps, it was a normal silence. to you? you felt the pressure clogging your eyes, your breathing. this too much to you, to have him this close, yet so far away.

you refused to even look at him, even going as far as letting your hair fall over your face.

all too soon, though, he stops. "we're here." he says with a heavy tone.

you look up. you're both atop of a hill, looking down at the expense of sumeru forest. it's a beautiful sight, the wind gently carresing your neck, swaying your hair.

but as you turn around, scanning the horizon, you see no withering in sight.

"huh?" you let out in confusion, making the mistake of looking at him.

you fall silent.

he had already been looking at you. a heavy look on his face. his lips were drawn in sadness, his usual bright forest-green eyes focused in on you, the same way you saw him look when he was looking over a particular tough plant he was studying.

you swallow the lump in your throat, realizing how close he actually was, and realizing also, that seconds were passing, and he wasn't looking away.

"tighnari, what’s wrong?" you mumble, so low you barely even heard yourself. but you knew he heard you, what with the subtle flick of his ears at the sound of his name rolling off your tongue.

suddenly, he takes a step closer.

startling at his sudden movement, you squeal, backing away. what you forgot, however, was that you were standing at the very edge of a very steep cliff.

his hand reaches out and clasps around your wrist, a stern "careful!" escaping his lips. he pulls you roughly towards him away from the fall, and you find your face pressed securely into his chest.

you feel the heat creeping to your face, your breathing picking up. especially when you realise he wasn't making any moves to step away.

shyly, you pull away first.

"you need to watch where you're going," he says before you have the chance to speak. "seriously, (y/n), at this point, you'll end up dying a terrible death."

he was seriously reprimending you, huh? that was the most tighnari thing he could do. you sigh, ready to walk away, before he grabs both your hands with his.

bringing them up to his chest, he finally relaxes his face and smiles at you.

your breath catches in the back of your throat. you realise his smile is shy. his cheeks are tinted pink, and he was bouncing where he stood.

he seemed nervous.

"and i wouldn't want that," he continues. "because i care about you, so much."

you feel butterflies in your chest at his words, finding it hard to believe that he would say something like this, after weeks of indifference.

and because you suddenly remember exactly the effect his indifference had on you, you free yourself from his grasp, pushing yourself away from him. carefully, this time.

you don't miss the hurt that flashed on his face this time.

"you're being really mean, do you know that?" you want the words to sound confident, but they were barely a shaky whisper. your words flew freely with the soft breeze, confusing the fox boy before you.

"I-"

"no."

"no?"

you sigh. "what do you want from me, tighnari?" you finally ask. "there's no withering zone here, so why—?"

the answer you're seeking comes to you in the sound of rustling from behind tighnari.

"keep quiet," tighnari whispers, not unkindly. he turns and gently grabs your hand, leading you both to crouch down behind a large boulder.

you wanted to ask him what was going on, but it took only one look at him to keep quiet just like he had told you.

he was looking over the boulder at something, but it was the expression his face, the manner in which he was still holding your hand. there was a soft, warm smile on his face, as his fingers began to caress your own.

he looks at you with that peaceful expression and tilts his head towards the direction he was previously looking at.

confused, you follow his lead, craning yourself over the boulder.

you notice them immediately. tiny, playful, and impossibly cute. there were four of them.

four fennec foxes had climbed up the hill. the two cubs were rolling around, clearly playing together. their parents were not far away, cuddling together as they watched over their cubs.

you couldn't help the soft smile that pulled at your lips.

"relatives of yours?" you ask, offering the boy beside you a cheeky smile.

tighnari nudges your shoulder playfully. his eyes never leaves the happy family.

"they must have have wondered off from the desert," he whispers, voice low as to not alert the peaceful family. "i came across them three days ago."

suddenly, he squeezes your hand. but he continues to look ahead. "and it pains me say, but it took me to see them like this to realise that i can't stay away from you any longer."

your heart beats painfully against your chest, your face contorting into a mix of pain, hope, and something else you did not want to name just yet.

"(y/n)". he finally looks at you. his eyes were soft, the sad smile on his lips conveying his feelings perfectly. "i have made my choice to love you," he says. "there is nothing in this world i would want, if i don't have you by my side."

his whispers were so low, but filled with truth. you couldn't help but lean in, and he took you your positive reaction as a sign to continue.

he grabs your hands again, leaning in himself until his cheek rubs against yours. you let out a small laugh at the affectionate act. you'd just seen the cuddling fennec foxes doing exactly the same thing.

"and i am sorry it took me so long to tell you," he continues. "i want you, (y/n), all of you."

you open your eyes, tenderly meeting his soft gaze, "why then?" you're voice is lower than a whisper, but his keen ears hear you clearly. "why did you avoid me?"

his ears droop, fingers fiddling nervously with yours. "i want you for life, fennec couples get together once in a lifetime," he starts. "i didn't want to force you into making a decision like that."

your smile widens, as you nuzzle his nose affectionately. for a moment, until you laugh softly again. "force me?" you reply, "my dear tighnari, have you not heard of marriage?"

so this was why, you think happily. he wasn't indifferent to you, he loved you. he had chosen you to be his, the same way you had already chosen him. his place was fully reserved in your heart, and you knew nothing in the world would ever change that.

despite your playful jabs, your face falls into seriousness. "i would spend my lifetime with you," you say.

his breath catches in the back of his throat, and he holds you dearly, tightening his hold on your hands. as if you had eased all his worries, told him the exact thing he had dreamed of.

countless nights he had spent tossing and turning, thinking of you. of what he should do. he knew his instincts, if he should take on a mate one day, it would be for life. it was a responsibility he had shouldered all his life, one he didn't want to impose on you.

not when you were this lively, this young.

but one look in your eyes and all his fears were thrown out of the window.

in return he offers you the most beautiful smile you'd ever seen. letting go of your hands, he quickly cradles your face. "my dear (y/n)," he says through his smile, "what have i ever done to deserve you?"

he speaks before closing the distance. pressing his lips against yours. he sighs in contentment at the feeling, and you feel yourself flushing.

you kiss him back, without a second thought, butterflies dancing wildly in your stomach. your hands reach to wrap around his neck as he pulls you closer, travelling to gently massage his ears.

and when you hear it, you laugh, pulling away.

"what?" he pouts, chasing after your lips, but you only laugh more as you deny him.

"you're purring," you admit.

pink tints his cheeks, a defeated, shy smile briefly sent your way before you kiss him, enjoying his happy purrs. you'd never felt happier too.

and unbeknowst to both of you, as you continue kissing under the blue sky, the pack of foxes stops whatever they were doing and gaze at you, tilting their heads at tighnari, and not considering you a danger at all. after all, how can they? when even small animals just as them can feel the pure love and affection travelling through the gentle breeze.