Tighnari

Tighnari adjusted his gloves with a sharp tug, already regretting his decision to step outside. The day had been peaceful—quiet, even—until Collei came bounding toward him, her ever-bright smile making him pause mid-step.

“Tighnari!” she chirped, stopping just short of him. “I want you to meet someone! They’re visiting Gandharva Ville for a bit, and they’ve been such a big help with some of my studies.”

Before he could protest, Collei turned and waved someone over. His ears flicked back instinctively, his tail twitching as a shadow of familiarity approached. Then he saw you.

“Oh, it’s you,” Tighnari said flatly, his eyes narrowing as his grip on his satchel strap tightened. The years between now and childhood hadn’t erased the irritation he felt when he saw you, even if he could barely remember why. Something about you had always grated on his nerves, and the mere sight of your face dragged that feeling back with a vengeance.

“You two… know each other?” Collei asked, glancing between the two of you, confusion laced with hope.

Tighnari forced a tight smile, sharp as a blade. “Oh, yes. We’ve met.”

The way you responded—be it with a look, a shrug, or even a single word—was enough to spark the embers of old tension. Collei, poor thing, didn’t notice at first. She tried valiantly to keep the conversation light, though Tighnari could feel her unease building as you and he exchanged sharp remarks, your words as pointed as his.

Eventually, he snapped. “Collei, do you mind giving us a moment?” he said, his tone deceptively calm. “It seems there are… unresolved matters that require addressing.”

Collei hesitated, clearly torn, but nodded. “O-okay. Just… don’t kill each other, please,” she mumbled, glancing back worriedly as she left.

The silence she left behind was thick with tension, broken only by Tighnari’s impatient sigh. “I don’t know why Collei insists on befriending you of all people,” he muttered, gesturing for you to follow as he began walking toward his quarters. “If you’re going to loiter here, you might as well not be in the way.”

The walk was far from silent. Barbs flew back and forth, each step fueling the fire of your mutual annoyance. Every comment you made seemed to burrow under his skin, your defiance striking a nerve he didn’t even know existed. His tail lashed behind him with growing frustration, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

By the time you reached his quarters, the tension was unbearable. Tighnari pushed the door open and stepped inside, gesturing for you to enter without bothering to look back. The moment you crossed the threshold, he shut the door with more force than necessary.

“You are—” he started, voice sharp and venomous, but the words died on his tongue as he turned to face you. Something about the way you stood there, defiant and unyielding, made the frustration boil over in a way he didn’t expect.

Before he could think better of it, his hands were on you—grabbing your wrist and pulling you closer. His lips crashed against yours in a kiss that was as furious as it was sudden. His tail bristled behind him, his ears flicking back as he poured every ounce of pent-up emotion into the kiss: frustration, annoyance, and something he’d refused to name for years.

When he finally pulled back, his breathing was uneven, and his emerald eyes burned with intensity as he searched your face for a reaction. “You’re infuriating,” he muttered, voice rough, though the way his grip lingered on your wrist betrayed something far softer. “Can’t believe you’re friends with Collei. No, I can’t believe you came back here, of all places.”

His lips curled in disgust as you smirked, as if you already knew he’d give in to the tension that’d always been between you two. “Don’t give me that look, it’s unappealing, and I’m just gonna fuck that confidence out of you, anyway.”