Red roses. Yellow buttercups. White lilies. Purple lilacs. Blue hydrangeas.
After confirming the seed orders, you store them away on the shelf with the others. There's hardly any available space left for the thirty packs that you just received, which shows just how many seeds there are present.
You move onto the next task that's written on the note: water all the potted plants. Cursing under your breath, your gaze sweeps around the room, already dreading the job of watering the numerous plants. Like the seed packets, there are so many plants; you guess about a hundred, possibly a bit more.
And then there are several plots out in the garden too...
Now you can finally understand Sucrose's pain. You type a quick message to her:
Sucrose ♡
You
HELPPPPPP
Sucrose
You can do it! I suggest turning on some music to make the watering process more enjoyable.
You
Is that how you survived??
Sucrose
Well... no. I was listening to a podcast about creating successful experiments.
You
If you know a podcast that teaches you how to survive being the Secretary of the Botany Club, lmk :,)
Sucrose
If I can do it, you can too! I'll drop by after class to check on you and help out with the rest, okay?
You
THANK YOUUUUUU VICE PRESIDENT
Sucrose
Anytime ♡ Until then, survive for me!
You smile at the encouragement and prepare the watering can, filling it up with a good amount of water. Might as well start on your task now while you still have some kind of energy left.
"Hmm... what is this about surviving? Rather dramatic, don't you think?"
Your grip on the watering can loosens slightly, and you quickly steady yourself, hugging the can close to your chest. The water sloshes inside and splashes your shirt, along with spilling out onto the floor.
Turning around, you meet the club's President. He has his arms crossed in a leisurely manner, his long ears up and alert as always. You're surprised to see him since class should be in session right at this moment, but here he is: seemingly relaxed and unbothered by the time.
More than that though, how long has he been standing there, and how did you not hear him enter the room? You closed the door when you walked in, so the gentle chiming of the bells should've made his presence known.
It seems you were too busy texting Sucrose to hear anything... Tighnari have mentioned about your lack of awareness whenever you're too immersed in whatever it is that you're doing.
The fennec fox male hums in thought and moves to observe a nearby potted plant. He touches the soil, taking a pinch and rubbing it between his fingers.
"Quite dry," he concludes before dusting the soil off his fingers.
Then he eyes the object that's resting against your chest. His ears twitch a bit. "I believe the watering can should be constantly moving around, otherwise water won't come out."
You almost want to pinch away that faint smile present on his face, but you know his sassy comments are all harmless and in good nature. A non-sassy Tighnari would be odd to see, anyway.
"Here," he says as he reaches over to get the can from you, placing it on the table behind him shortly after.
You watch as he walks to the sink that's behind you and rips a piece of paper towel from the roll. He faces you and quietly starts to pat at your shirt, pressing the paper down for a few seconds before lifting the paper up and repeating the steps for the other wet areas.
It's a sweet gesture, but... the close proximity makes the situation appear much more intimate. You're afraid he can hear and feel your fast beating heart; surely you should move away and insist on drying yourself, but moments like these are rare, and you don't mind this.
Or so you say.
Just as Tighnari is about to press the paper against the place where your heart rests, you quickly grab his wrist, stopping him in place. He finally looks at you, not at all concerned by the short distance between you two.
The botanist asks, "Is something the matter?"
There is no way you're going to let him know the truth—how your heart is currently soaring over something so simple and innocent.
"No, just... I can do the rest of the drying myself. You must have things to do, after all. Thanks for getting most of it," you say, keeping eye contact to hide your nervousness.
Tighnari stares at you for a moment longer, his expression inscrutable. The silence is stressful, and his intense gazing isn't helping your heart calm down. Why isn't he saying anything? Moving, even?
He drops the paper towel and slowly moves his gloved hand to your forehead, his feet stepping a little closer to you. He's so close that you can feel his body and warmth, so warm that you feel suffocated in a pleasant way.
You feel his fingers brush against your forehead as if he's moving some hair strands away. His face inches closer as the scent of his cologne greets you, his eyes narrowed slightly.
The bells suddenly chime.
"(Y/N), are you—wah...! S-Sorry, sorry!"
The door slams shut. At the same time, you move away quickly as he leans back, his fingers pinched together as if he has something caught.
"You had a bug on your forehead."
-♡-
First AU one-shot with botanist Tighnari. I adore school life AUs, so I'll definitely do more of them.