brocbroc
brocbroc
brocbroc
553 posts
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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red lantern
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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My neighbour totoro, 1988
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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👑Kings and Queens👑
kanej scheming away,, what rich guy r they gonna rob next??
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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“His mind took in the shell of her ear, the hair tucked behind it, that rapid pulse fluttering in her throat. Alive, alive, alive. It isn’t easy for me either.
He looped the bandage around again. The barest touches. Unavoidable. Shoulder, clavicle, once her knee. The water rose around him. He secured the knot. Step back. He did not step back. He stood there, hearing his own breath, hers, the rhythm of them alone in this room.” -Crooked Kingdom, Ch. 26
Prints available on INPRNT and Redbubble 
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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we will always be together
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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a reunion
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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my universe
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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remember the pact of our youth // since there is no me without you
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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(ID in ALT text)
some of these were conzepts i drew for @ranilla-bean fic the iconoclast. others are just me doodeling zuko in SEA inspired clothing (khemer or siam style/ so cambodia or thailand)
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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so um i hear we might be getting a donghua????????? PLEASE??? 😭😭😭 more fanart because i cant forget THEM 😭😭
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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read 泾渭情殇/ jwqs and lost my sense of self and made fanart .... political court drama lesbians own my soul!!!
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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They are married…i mean divorced…i mean married… i mean-
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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the heart bleeds
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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You're staring again, brother...
(Lyney x reader)
~
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"Brother, you're staring again"
"Huh? What? Whatever do you mean?", Lyney was quick to shift his gaze towards his sister. Grinning in faux innocence, as if he was caught red handed, again.
"You've been stirring your drink ever since we arrived. I don't think it tastes as good since you left it for too long..."
"Nonsense dear sister, it taste just fine!", he took a sip of his drink right after, a slight scrunch to his brow that quickly went away as it came. Definitely didn't go unnoticed by Lynette as she sighed as her brother's antics.
Lynette turned towards the table that had been taking Lyney's full attention. Watching as you sat with your friends and catching up.
"They kissed you just awhile ago...", Lynette sighed once more taking a sip of her tea, while Lyney visibly choked on his own drink. Coughing at the sudden words uttered to him. Though guilty of the exact accusation.
"Lynette--"
"You've been staring at their lips the whole time"
That successfully shut Lyney up, his ears immediately flare up. He was sure he was being as subtle as ever. The staring part of course was easy to spot if it's Lynette, but the exact place he was looking at??
Surely he at least looked like he was just staring at your general direction? Not hyper focused on the soft and glossy look of your lips, of how it moves and curves into a beautiful smile or laugh, of how he knew despite the flavour of your chapstick your lips would no doubt taste like the beverage you had ordered--
"Just ask them for a kiss and get on with it", Lynette's voice rang in his ears again, the unimpressed look on her face telling him his gaze may have had shifted towards you again.
"I can't just walk up there and ask for a kiss!"
"I didn't say to ask for a kiss up front, dummy. Call them to the side, somewhere a little hidden preferably, then ask for a kiss"
"That's easier said then done!"
Lyney watched Lynette as she sighed and turned away, his eyes turning confused as he sees her gesturing someone over. He assumed it was a waiter, probably to ask for another plate of dessert. His intention of scolding her fell short as your voice reached his ears.
"Did you need something Lynette?"
"I need to use the restroom. Lyney however has something to ask of you", she casually sauntered off after putting the spotlight on him.
"Lyney?"
"Uh..."
You couldn't help but laugh at the rare sight of him looking like a deer caught in headlights. For once speechless and somewhat embarrassed at whatever it is he wanted to ask you.
But you knew him well enough, or at least the looks and stares he gives you. And the one he had been giving you in particular for the last hour didn't go unnoticed by you either. You easily took hold of his hat, positioning it in a way to hide your faces from the other patrons as you leaned in.
Lyney's eyes easily fluttered close at the familiar and blissful press of your lips to his. Gentle and loving, warm and sweet as the cake you ate not too long ago.
"Better?", you had asked in a soft whisper, grinning at his red cheeks and glazed look.
"M-Maybe one more will help?"
You leaned in without another second to waste.
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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✦ ONE MORE KISS!
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✰ synopsis ; mass amounts of smooching them right before leaving/them leaving for something
✰ character(s) ; alhaitham x fem?!reader, ayato, lyney x gn!reader
✰ warnings: slightly suggestive on alhaitham’s?!
✰ notes: guys i kinda lost the plot/went insane with lyney—i wrote him a river for what was supposed to be 400 words. also not proof read bc im too tired for that.
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❈ ALHAITHAM
you eye your figure in the bathroom mirror, your pupils locked on your lips as you applied the bold red, vibrant lipstick. every angle of your lips receives meticulous attention before you smack your lips together. the nail of your pinky finger meet the corners of your mouth, cleaning up any smudges you may have left. you step back, the soles of your shoes echoing off the bathroom tiles as you take in your makeup and outfit for the day. a smile spreads upon your lips at your proud work before you exit the bathroom.
a shiver runs through your body as you leave, the bathroom being considerably warm from your presence, a sharp contrast from the coldness of the rest of your house. nonetheless, you continue towards the other side of the house-diverting your body around the odd decorations that have suddenly appeared over the many months. your eyes shift at the many tables and stand around your house, searching for your handbag, seemingly placed carelessly from late last night.
yet, there was a particularly new scent in the air as you finally spotted it. you waft it in, the smell bringing you comfort. ah, coffee.
evidently forgetting about your bag or the need to get to work on time, you make your way to the kitchen. your eyes wandering around the corner to find your lover, in a pair of shorts and a loosely fitted, black tank top. the curves of your lips turning upwards as you watch him from afar, his fluffy grey hair in front of his eyes as he sleepily sips from his mug.
alhaitham takes several moments before he recognises your presence-finding you in the corners of his eyes as he rubbed his eyes open. his hair tucked to the sides of his face before pausing when you catch his eye.
"good morning to you, too." his croaky morning voice travels across the room.
you giggle at the display. you're quick to leave your leaning spot as you step towards your boyfriend. the sound of the mug vibrates in your ear as it's placed down on the counter in front of alhaitham, seemingly waiting for your embrace.
as you close the distance, your arms wrap themselves around your lover's neck like muscle memory. the muscles in your arms receive a satisfying stretch, in which you sigh. with the little space between you two, you stare up at him— the point of your noses closing the gap between. eyes glazing over another you gaze at his crimson-turquoise eyes as he stares back into you, his gaze softer than his usual, sharp look.
"good morning, my love," you hum, your voice resembling a honey-smooth memory.
alhaitham's hand wrapped around your lower torso, one of his hands rubbing up and down your back while the other remains at rest. his body swayed to the quiet atmosphere of your home, his eyes blinking slowly.
your boyfriend eyes open once again, this time intently staring at your attire. a sudden frown now on his thin lips.
"are you leaving for work already?"
oh!
"right. unfortunately so," you voice with a bit of reluctance in your tone-your head turning away from him before returning. "um, well i had to head off in like a minute ago, so i suppose i have some time to spare."
"habibti, what do you mean you had to leave–"
before he can finish, your lipstick-covered lips are on his. the lingering, bitter taste of coffee staining his lips as your right hand leaves his neck to cup his cheek. yet alhaitham becomes the one to deepen the kiss his tongue sliding into your mouth, your tongues twining around another. you pull away from the passionate kiss, your eyes now open as you observe your haitham's expression of longing. is that puppy eyes you see?
"okayy, maybe just one more," you say, your other hand now cupping his other cheek as you pull his face towards your lips.
your first attack is his cheekbones continuing to say 'one more' before leading to his forehead and some of his cloudy, grey hair, marking him with your lips. your lips' next destination his tall nose, both the tip and the bridge. unable to hold back, your continuous giggles fill both yours and his pair of ears as your knees bend slightly from your enjoyment. meanwhile, alhaitham is bathing in the attention you're showering him with, although the growing heat against his cheeks only seems to be getting hotter.
your tiny giggles vibrate in alhaitham’s ears and in his heart as you speak, “okay, this one is the final kiss,” you declare. your tone is playful as you pull him into a kiss—a light airy one, a peck on the lips.
after, your hands slide down from his face and to his forearms, gripping them softly as you step back. you observe alhaitham, his slouched, sleepy figure is no more-now replaced with a flustered mess of a man avoiding your gaze. the rest of his body, hot and still half-asleep from your affectionate attack. a breathy laugh escapes you, staring at the many kiss marks you've stamped onto the many angles of your face.
"i suppose, my spare minute it up, how unfortunate. i'll see you when home, lovely. miss me on you day off will, ya?"
❈ KAMISATO AYATO
the light smell of rain after a shower always seemed to bring a certain amount of comfort to your soul. the world becomes a quiet place whenever it makes its entrance, humans squirm at the thought of getting spattered on without their permission. it's a fun thought, however you are the same, you are human. as you, yourself, have waited for the rain to go on its way before going out on rather cut-short list of errands in inazuma city.
even after the length of your patience no longer has to stretch, the constant, stable sound of droplets has made you rather sleepy. perhaps, you should have listened to ayato when he suggested a indoors day together, covered in several blankets and the duvet, sharing each other's warmth through the snuggling. and while you did indulge for two hours, max, you couldn't help but twitch at unsolved problems you've yet to finish. the guilt of it eating you whole as you silently rolled off your futon placed on the floor and onto the tatami mat. your footsteps light and feather like as you dressed yourself before sitting down to watch the rain.
you sigh, pushing yourself up onto your feet and turning way from the door you've been waiting to leave since afternoon. your cold feet hit the floor quietly as you make your way around the kamisato estate and into the room you and your husband shared.
your breath hitches, your body tensing at the sight of the silky, ruffled, pastel-blue of his hair. ayato's back facing away from your view, the blankets covering everything below his shoulders. perhaps it's a guilty pleasure of yours
-staring at your husband-yet it's the rare moment you stop to savour. the vulnerability of it all. the less ambitious side of him, the man who sits and has all the time in the universe for his loved ones. you love that he shares it with you, you adore it.
you take a step forward towards ayato, only for him to stir in his sleep. the sound of a soft, throaty groans eluding him followed by a series of subtle shifts in his positions. unable to keep yourself from looking, you find him continuing to move until your lover has turned himself facing you. ayato's pale complexion staring back at you as an arm escapes the covers. he reaches out, reaching to you that no longer lies by his side.
your husband resumes his seemingly agitated fusses, his breath slows as his eyes begin to open. with ayato's head slightly lifted above he squints up at you. stares up at you. confused, his hand lazily placed in your usual spot.
your lover whines, "dear, what are you doing?" you tilted your head, playing coy, "what ever could you mean, my love?"
a sigh, an unappeased one left his pink lips as his ocean deep eyes gazed at you. his pastel-blue strands of hair falling over his eyes as ayato spoke.
"i refuse to believe that you're going out, not after noon." ayato's figure more up right as disapproves of what is to come.
you only hum, "so, what if i am? and what is it you're willing to do to get me to stay?"
you slid to your knees, your knees feeling the warmth of the futon as you close the gap between the two. two pairs of eyes now level with one another, ready for a trade.
"oh? and i thought i would be getting compensation for the time i lost without you by my side. yet, you want something in return for your absence," ayato pondered.
somehow, it has become your responsibility to be as your husband's side and fairly so. he says it as if it's your duty, as if the only person in the world who can is you. and your glad your husband has a good head on him, as he would be correct. it's yours for the taking and it will always be closed for anyone else but you. that you're sure of.
"¡ suppose, i could indulge in a little compensation," you answer reaching out to ayato's chin, taking it between your index and your thumb.
and then you bring your lips quick and close to his cheek before kiss his plumb, soft skin. you pull away, yet before ayato can get another word in you kiss his other cheek, and then under his eye. your lips littering as many kisses as you can before you run out of breath.
you take a shaky inhale, your fingers shooing the hair from your face. seeing past your hand, you watch a luminescent smile seep through ayato's metal, cold exterior. his rounded cheeks painted over with pink watercolours, his eyes forever an ocean-like blue.
"there," your chest continues to raise and lower, gradually returning to its usual pace. however, with ayato your 'usual' tends to vanish with just simple touches. "is this compensation enough for you, my lord?" irony coiled around your tone.
ayato stares into you, his eyes laced with sincerity, "i believe the rightful compromise is your return, my love." your heart throbs in secrecy.
"and i will, hun. i just have to run a few errands, my mind will not rest until i have." just thinking about the return has raised a smile on your lips.
❈ LYNEY
in the many corners of teyvat the world becomes calm during evenings and nights, more bearable for some. however, not one place inside or out can replicate a fontainian night, not to par, not with the same signature. the night is soft, a comforting feeling permanently weaving itself through the dark blue. a renowned chill waves through the air as fontaine and its people are awake for an outing. while the streets aren't busy many stroll on the many streets there are to walk on, usually shopping, dining or visiting what the opera epiclese has to offer. often a show one of its kind, and tonight; lyney the magician.
in your opinion, besides trials, lyney is your favourite stage to watch at the opera epiclese. perhaps it's personal bias as he is your lover and all, yet there is a way he glows on a stage that bewitches your senses, fries your heart and mind into a frenzy of feelings. lyney was meant for the stage, whether it be big or two seats at a dinner table, he was born to be seen. that itself is a hill you're willing to die on.
however, it seems a recurring voice in your boyfriend’s head has allowed him to believe otherwise, even for a singular night. there’s hurt in your core watching it, the uncoordinated rambles leaving his pink lips and the worry in his tone making your eyebrows furrow. the bright lamp lights illuminating both of your faces, however, the intensity of them is more than enough to make you squint. yet, among the rambles you find yourself leaning against a wooden crate backstage and staring at him, his hair unnerve and frantic from constant fingers running through and his forehead shimmering from the anxious sweat.
the magician paces back and forth between two spots, the way he's twisting around in the same spot making you believe that the floorboards may give in before he stops. his thoughts racing out loud he sputters, "—how did i do this before-i swear i wasn't as nervous as last time. do you think i've forgotten something?"
"i think you're forgetting how wonderful of a performer you are, lyney," you say with an aim to comfort him.
his pitch gains height, "but your view of me is different than everyone else! what if can't manage to entertain the audience this time?"
your eyes pause in one place as you continue to follow lyney's stressful strutting. his movements coming to a stop as he plants both the soles of his boots on the ground, his toes facing you. his lovely lilac eyes solely on you, awaiting your response, hoping for a hint of reassurance. a thing that you will gladly grant over and over again.
"sweets, you know very well that you can capture an audience, even with just your smile. you captured me with it." your answer sounded with more hurt in your heart than you would put merit for. yet, you forever wish he could see himself through your own admiring eyes.
"dear, you say it as if i've taken your heart prisoner in," he trails off, his usual, playful tone slowly returning back to the world.
you push off the box, taking several steps forward, your steps causing the planks to squeak. the wood—old and beaten, unafraid of appearances and allowed to be its withered self at the expense of being only for performers, away from the rest of the world.
"oh, but you have, dear. haven't you, lyney?" there's a certain amount of swing in your step as your voice embraces a melodramatic feature.
you observe his unsure expression as you near. unsure of what you mean, unsure of what your planning mind is thinking and unsure of what you're feeling, for your mask of mist is overwhelming.
you stand close to him, only a small gap between your feet, "yet, i must confess i want my heart to be forever yours. don't hold it in the hands i've placed it in. carefully hold it next to yours as i've done with your own." your voice is soft, your fingers delicately guiding themselves to the left of his chest, a palm pressing against the frills and fabric that lay before his heart.
his hazed eyes meet your gaze as you look up, imagining the scent of lavender as you study lyney's gaze. his breath is ragged, your hand moving to the rhythm of his lungs working. your beloved doesn't respond to your request, he doesn't know how. yet, you know he'll follow, even through thin silence and a fluttering breath.
you smile, propping yourself up onto the wooden surface propped up by the wall, a large vanity of sorts. you lift a hand motioning lyney towards you.
"come, let me braid your hair," you say, the topic from before becoming something to now ponder over.
he's quick to move back into you, in between your legs as you comb a hand through his ashy blonde locks. first, a nail runs from his hairline to create a part in his hair, although most of his hair is sectioned off to the side you're not going to braid. you comb another hand through the hair, the strands soft between fingers as you section a part close to his face before splitting it into three. taking one of the outer strands, you lay it over the top of the middle strand before repeating the process several times.
"lyney, my love, could you please turn around," you request, switching hands and tightening your grasp on his hair.
your lover winces and you let out a chesty chuckle as he begins to face you with a pout. you observe the unfinished work placed on the side of his face, before eying him. a sudden urge nudges your mind, yet you indulge by placing a kiss on his cheek and then asking him to turn around for you again.
"h-hey!" he exclaims, pink slightly airbrushed onto his pale cheeks.
you tease some more, looking up at the clock in the corner of your eye; motioning to it, "you choose, you have ten minutes before you're out on stage."
you swear you heard a hushed huff as he faced away from you once again. lyney’s hair is at your disposal as you continue braid, your fingers raking through both his hair and scalp as you continue to intergrade more strands into the singular plait behind his ear. your eyes graze his bare skin—specifically the back his neck and shoulders. lips getting dangerously close, your breath caressing your partner’s shoulder before the two connect in short.
a smile widens on your lips as you feel your boyfriend slightly squirm under your touch. yet, you're inclined to kiss his pretty skin, leading from the outs of his shoulder to the point where his neck and back meet. you pepper many of your kisses until his skin feels feverish. until you have braided to 'til there is only a tuff at the end of the braid.
you tie the hair off, sweeping it behind his ear as he begins to face you, "thank you," he breathes out.
"you'll do great, i promise." you cup his cheek, "your nerves aren't out of the blue lyney, it happens."
you press one more kiss, this time against the plump of his cheek.
"i’ll see you out in the crowd, my love."
you only reply with a smile.
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do not copy of repost any of my works.
@ miokki 2024
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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LYNEY X READER : FIREWORKS BY SEA
a shallow wave ripples over your shoes. you’re wearing wet socks and denim rolled up to your knees in mid july. it smells like salt, and maybe smoke if you think too hard, and in the back of your ear, lyney’s teasing that his tricks are better by far, he’d give you your own fireworks over the sea any day. if you’d only just say the words. 
he’s so predictable. he's always splashing water onto you, then darting just out of reach. but you know exactly where he is. 
“i told you i’m not gonna,” you say. those aren’t quite the words he wants—but he’s laughing anyway as you grab him by the wrist and throw him into the wave carving into the shore. your eyes never leave the horizon.
fireworks burst over the water. quiet inhale. a delayed boom reverberates through your chest. 
you don’t need visual confirmation to know lyney’s eyes dance with amusement. and there’s always something else—at least, he’s always been like that with you—something else within his eyes that pleads with you to look, glance over, dive head over heels into some murky space neither of you knows where. 
would you? you don’t like to think about it. you never do. 
you can sense lyney smiling to himself in mirth as he shakes his head, wringing out the hem of his shirt. it’ll dry stiff and salty in a half-hour. “you’re impossible. why won’t you look at me?” 
“i don’t know what you mean.” you say it with a bright smile. and there’s a lingering taste of melon syrup when you run your tongue along your teeth. lies like melon syrup. sticky melon shaved ice. a little crunchy. 
and well, you know exactly what he means. your teeth feel a little cold if you think about it. 
a singular firework shoots up—at this point it looks more like a shooting star. like a flying fish. you’d wish on it if you had something you wanted. in the back of your mind you know lyney will, maybe for something like, love me love me love me. 
you hold your breath as you wait for the crash. it doesn’t explode. rather showers into gold and falls into the sea. fish flopping back into water. and maybe that’s a little fitting, for the two of you. a love that can be soft. a love, maybe not all there. 
“okay. but you know i’d do it,” lyney says. and the firework fades out behind a cloud of smoke. you think the boat should stop sending out low fireworks. higher ones are better. and it hurts to feel lyney’s eyes trained on yours. he’s not looking where it matters. “if you asked me to,” he says, his voice growing firm, “i’d be yours forever.” 
yet when he says it again, his eyes feel soft. “so ask me.” 
you're not looking. but you know it. you hate when he gets like this. it makes your heart wince. 
“i’ll do it,” is what you decide on. and you think it’s a little cruel, the way lyney brightens at your words. “but you know you can’t.”
lyney laughs. maybe he’s a little stung by the implication—you remember him poking at washed up sea jellies with sticks. or maybe it’s all in your head. with him, you can never tell.
“maybe not,” he says. and he’s probably shrugging, that little half-shoulder one he does. with that loose grin tugging at his lips. the one that makes his eyes glow warm. “but you never know.”
a burst of color saves you from response. the ship shoots up firework after firework. the dark sea glows red. illuminates the black waters. 
like, sure. you’d let lyney love you. 
because he likes to say things like that. after all, you love that. things like, you’re not like anyone i’ve ever met. i’ll choose you forever. i’ll be sad when you leave fontaine. when are you leaving? well, it doesn’t matter. i’ll visit you wherever home is. 
but that’s where it gets tricky. because lyney also likes to fall out of love whenever he feels like it. and whenever he feels like it is pretty damn often. 
there’s a flash of color. you sense it before it happens. he’s dragging you by the hand, pulling you forward into the shallow wave starting to recede into the sea.
boom, boom, boom—and you can feel it in the sand sinking beneath your feet. in your chest when you point to an anemo shaped firework and lyney is gazing at you with a bemused look on his face, nodding along like you’ve just done something adorable. in your heart when he wraps his arms around your shoulders and half-lifts you as another wave slowly swallows the shore.
“put me down,” you laugh, half screeching as you swat at his shoulder. 
lyney obliges for a quick second, allowing your untied shoe-laces to dip into the water pooling across the sand. the dampness of your socks isn’t so bad. more refreshing. “if you say so.”
“no don’t you dare—“
he’s quick to laugh, a teasing smile twisting at his eyes. “then hold on to me like you mean it.” lyney smiles most with his eyes, is what you think. and you’re looking at him now, looking at him with wide eyes and lips twisted into a grin. 
you always thought it’d be nice to make out beneath the fireworks. something casual. a quick kiss and dip. he’d be a nice person to make out with. you wouldn’t mind. 
instead, you’re feeling a little exposed beneath the pyrotechnics—a little like you’re offering lyney a feel of your heart as you hang your arms loosely over his shoulders.
“that’s not like you mean it,” lyney says, and his voice is quietly amused. “you know, for being so straightforward all the time, you’re not so honest.”
“do you want me to be?” you say, and you’re gazing at him with an amused look on your face. “you’ll freak out. you’re not that honest either.”  
lyney looks the most serious he’s ever been. “you know why. you’ll get bored.” 
“not if it’s you.” it’s more of an inside joke between the two of you. “you never bore me.” 
you’re interrupted by the shower of fireworks. it’s a burst of gold that illuminates the whole sky. gold. shockwave. one after the other. for the first time, it’s lyney’s eyes that look at the horizon. it quirks your lips into a sort of smile, watching the pyrotechnics burst like dancing flame in his eyes.
and it’s like. you never really know the color of lyney’s eyes. someday they look gray, someday blue, someday a little violet. if that’s even possible. you always stumble over it. if you can’t remember something so simple about a guy, you must not really like him. it makes your heart twinge with bemusement. because tonight his eyes are gold.
“you’re missing it,” lyney says, and he reaches to gently tilt your chin up toward the sky. he’s holding you with one arm still, and your laces dip into the salt, and your socks are damp, and you can feel the hem of your sleeves dripping with water onto lyney’s shirt. 
“didn’t you want me to look at you?” you say. but you oblige for once, watching the fireworks burst in the sky. the waves recede back into the sea. whisper of awe as the finale leaves the horizon lit up with smoke.
lyney puts you down. your shoes sink into the shore. 
“not really,” he says. “i just said it.”  
you roll your eyes. your hands brush at the sand on your front, an exasperated smile tugging at your lips. there’s always a hollow sort of feeling when he does that. like someone’s blown all the air out of you. but it’s expected. he’s just like that.
“the fireworks were nice,” you say. “i’m glad we watched.” 
you feel like a conch shell. washed up. one that lyney picks up and blows a melancholic tune out of whenever he wants.
you think he feels a little bad.
"don't say it like that," lyney says. and he reaches for your hand, urging you closer. satisfied, he lets you go. out of sight from the groups of people behind you, he unfurls his palm.
a little red flame shoots up between you to burst into embers of flame. it glitters and shower over his skin, and when you reach out in fear, you realize there's a warmth when the fire sprinkles over him, not a burning sear.
you glance up, stunned. there's an amused flicker in lyney's eyes. like, oh, you do care.
"i told you," lyney says. and his eyes are mischievous. a little teasing. a little soft. he keeps his gaze trained on the secret fireworks bursting from his palm, like little sparklers couples do by the beach. "if you asked me to, i'll do anything."
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brocbroc · 9 months ago
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NOT SAYING “I LOVE YOU” BACK.
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꒰warnings꒱ not proofread pls don’t yell at me *sniffles*
⠀꒲ ` synopsis . . . [char] and you tend to say your i love yous pretty regularly, it’s become a subconscious routine for the both of you; what would happen if either one of you just suddenly didn’t respond?
⠀꒲ ` characters . . . venti, diluc, xiao, tartaglia, kazuha, ayato, alhaitham, wanderer, lyney, neuvillette, wriothesley, arlecchino
⠀꒲ ` notes . . . ദ്ദി(。•̀ ᗜ^) drabbles vary in length significantly because…i’m a little unwell with astarion brainrot rn and i will not rest till i get to kiss my beautiful vampiric man — also i apologise for making some of these more angsty than intended…i couldn’t help myself haha
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VENTI — 温迪
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ venti? of all people? not saying i love you to his beloved windblume whom he’d personally resurrect ancient gods for if they asked with that sweet, melodic voice of theirs?
ʚ the only viable reason for him not replying can most likely be bottled down to him being a brat. a spoiled one at that. you give him so much affection it’s a little scary sometimes to think someone just know all of his ins and out as if they held his heart within the palm of their hand meaninglessly. so how do you expect him to be satisfied with a mere phrase when he wants you so desperately?
“i’m leaving for a commission, i’ll be back in a few hours; love you, honey.” you said per routine, fixing your hair in the mirror that stood perfectly near the doorway under venti’s request (he likes seeing how his braids look after you do them in the morning).
what you expected was a reply, but certainly not the one that followed: “alright, bye bye~” venti tilted his head back as his body slinked on the couch, his eyes scanning yours upside down with that look on his face which suggested he knew exactly what he was doing.
“goodbye, venti, i love you.” you re-enunciate, arms crossing firmly over your chest pridefully to mirror venti’s stubbornness that fell immediately upon sight of your pretty face glancing over at his. oh, he really couldn’t resist you for too long.
“i’ll say it back if you stay with me today!” he giggled, teeth on full display as he grinned widely; fully aware you’d indulge him even if for only a little while.
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
“windblume…” venti sadly slumped his head on your shoulder, leaving enough space for his eyes to glance at the book in your hands as you continued to read despite his sulking.
“i accidentally packed my schedule full with a flurry of performances…i’m afraid i won’t be able to indulge in your cuddles all day like i wanted to,” he whined, kissing the side of your neck to compensate for the lack of affection he’s going to have to put up with.
really, if he could, he’d pretend all the strings on his lyre magically untuned themselves into havoc if it meant giving an excuse to be back in your warm hold. but as a god of the wind, and one who shared the passions of music no less, it was more or less his duty to share his w with the residents of mondstadt when asked so kindly.
“i promise i’ll return to you soon as i can! no quick stop at angel’s share this time either,” venti managed a chuckle despite the inner thumping of his heart at the mere prospect of returning home to you — an experience he never thought he’d fulfil in his lifetime. “i love you dearly, my darling, i’ll see you soon~”
he leaned over the back of the couch to help reach the side of your face, lips pursing into a fish-like pout as he awaited to hear those beloved words that were always followed by a rewarding kiss. yet you merely hummed in acknowledgement of his presence and his soon departure.
who do you think you are?
venti’s brows immediately knit down together in frustration. “windblume…i said, i love you,” he leaned closer, “sweetheart…come on, say it back!” he finally nuzzled his cheek against yours, trying to elicit some sort of response from you that didn’t border on full on ignoring him. usually that slight uplift of your lips would be enough, but with the additional context that he’d be away from you for so long, venti couldn’t cope with a mere smile!
feeling a little flicker of breeze behind you, goosebumps prickle your skin and a delicate shiver runs down your spine, the little gust of wind disappearing as quick as it came. venti hooked his fingers beneath your chin, delicately forcing your eyes to meet his. “won’t you tell your god you love him?”
those gorgeous and elaborate white wings of his flutter quietly, twitching in anticipation as he excitedly awaits for what he’s been dying to hear. you sigh, leaning towards him to press the most featherlight kiss on the side of his face. “i love you too, now go along already, you’re going to be late.”
R. DILUC — 迪卢克
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ you’ve probably, unfortunately, caught him at a relatively bad time if he had completely ignored your affections. after all, while not necessarily a really active recipient, diluc is more than happy to indulge your carefree “i love yous” and kisses.
ʚ there’s no way he’d ever intentionally ignore or not reply to an “i love you”, especially one that’s so sickly sweet to his ears
“i’m going to bed, luc,” you yawn, arms stretching far out in front of you as you push yourself away from the desk that was littered with several papers stacked on top of each other in various piles that were marked by different pen colours. “you better come join me soon, alright? i love you.”
diluc hums and nods his head, eyes sunken into his skull as his fingers continue flipping the pen within his hand in a sleepy dance as he just barely managed to focus on the words that seemed to squeeze together. none of yours even register in his mind as you sorrowfully close the office door to head to your usually shared bedroom.
it only takes a little while for his brain to catch up to his heart. so that’s why he felt it flutter…
diluc immediately packs away his things to the best of his drowsy ability, hanging up his coat that he honesty forgot he still had draped on himself before he burst into your bedroom rather dramatically. panting from having rushed himself, his arms propping himself up with both sides of the door way, diluc looks away all flushed.
“…i love you as well, i’m sorry for not saying it,” he sighs in comfort as you raise a brow at him, amused at just how quickly he managed to wrap thing ups purely out of guilt that he failed to reciprocate your intentions.
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
oh. well…you’ve must’ve had a reason, right?
you wouldn’t just leave right in the morning for a commission, tell him goodbye when he declared his love to you without you repeating the same routine back to him? right?
and yet, you did; and now diluc finds himself in the peculiar position of being overly worried. he has strength, power and stability beyond imagination, but without your affection as fuel, what use are those things?
staring back at the ticking clock continuously, the wet rag in hand helping him clean up some ink that spilled across his hands as a frustrated groan escaped him. what kind of man have you turned him into that he can’t even focus on important tasks merely because you didn’t say a few simple words?
maybe that’s where the problem lies. the words “i love you” always seemed simple to you, something that diluc can admit had found himself jealous of on occasion, so now that he’s absent from something so easy, it’s a little difficult to not overthink the possibilities that the phrase has become harder to swallow for you.
diluc nearly slams his head on his desk at such a thought. he can’t lose his mind over something so silly, it’s fine. you’re both fine.
taking another meandering glance at the clock, diluc’s chair scraped across the wood as he flung on his coat, brushing it clean as he sauntered downstairs with the most grumpy expression dawn winery has seen in a while.
“honey, why do you look so upset?” your sweet voice lured him back into sanity as diluc’s steps immediately calmed down, his eyes widening momentarily as you seemed to return much earlier than expected from your travels. shaking his head, diluc sighs, “it’s nothing, my love — let’s go out for dinner, is that all right?”
XIAO — 魈
not really a surprise, honestly.
xiao isn’t necessarily known for being a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, super affectionate bunny and as much as he wishes he could just vocalise the song that plays in his heart whenever you meet his eyes, he’s unable to reciprocate your affections in a way that’s satisfactory.
you’ve grown to accept such a fact. xiao, on the other hand, hasn’t. it’s like a little itch for him that he can’t scratch but desperately wants to. doesn’t mean he won’t show his love in other more discreet ways.
there are the subtle things; like the way he ensures your favorite dish is always ready when you come over, how he lingers a bit longer during a goodbye hug almost as if he’s scared to let you go, or the times he’ll simply sit in comfortable silence with you (though, that is common), his presence a quiet yet powerful testament to his feelings.
sometimes, he leaves small tokens for you to find: a flower carefully placed on your doorstep, a hand-written note slipped into your bag that you can tell was written in a hurry due to how sloppy the handwriting looks, a charm he crafted himself hidden among your belongings that he specifically sought the guidance of zhongli from. it's in these gestures that his love for you shines through, even if the words remain unspoken.
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
there are times when xiao escapes his shell, and it’s in those quiet moments where you’re both completely alone without even the whistling of the wind to eavesdrop on you atop the comfortable slope of a mountain, that xiao verbally tells you how much he adores you. sometimes a little more poetically than intended, but he hopes his words pass through to you in the form of a flutter.
“…a vow as enduring as the sea and mountains,” xiao mumbled nervously, his hand awkwardly hovering over yours in hesitance before he sucked in a breath and decided to just give in and delicately interlock your fingers. watching as you tilted your head in confusion, xiao looked away and muttered again: “i meant that i love you.”
the silence and the little nod that followed, which was all meant as a little ploy to tease him for being so cute and flustered over a term you didn’t even need to hear on the regular, resulted in xiao’s chest to tighten anxiously. did you not feel the same way anymore? but then again, that devious smile of yours (which xiao could differentiate the style of pretty instinctively) made it certain there was a deeper meaning behind the quiet.
“it's alright," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "you don't have to say anything. i just wanted you to know."
TARTAGLIA — 公子
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ petty petty petty, absolutely done out of pettiness and just being an overall ginger brat.
ʚ you forgot to say good morning immediately after you woke up? haha, what was your name again? aw, you walked passed him on your travels even though he deliberately came over to see you? guess he’s not paying for all your stuff today… (he will, just ask).
one morning, groggy and half-asleep, you stumbled out of bed, forgetting to meekly mumble your usual "good morning, my darling, i love you" as you got up for the day. it was a small and rather insignificant oversight, but not for childe.
later that day, as you wandered through the vibrant streets of fontaine, you spotted his unmistakable ginger hair approaching. waving and smiling at your beloved, expecting some sort of hyper response back, you awaited his towering presence with a hand on your hip. he walked right past you. full on. turning your head with furrowed brows and jaw hung low, you notice that little playful, shit-eating smirk on his lips.
a little confused, you called out to him, "ajax! come back here.”
he turned, feigning surprise despite clearly having seen you (and, unbeknownst to you, having been watching you for the past couple minutes as you checked out several vendors). "oh, it's you. i almost didn't recognize you."
rolling your eyes, you walked up to him. "seriously?” both of you stared at each other in scrutiny, tartaglia fighting back the urge to squeeze you within his arms and whine at you for your negligence while you fought the urge to pull him down by his sunlit strands to coax some sense out of him. “are you mad at me?”
he shrugged nonchalantly, eyes twinkling with mischief you recognised immediately. "hmm, who’s mad? i just forgot who you were for a moment." let’s not mention the fact he has your front, back and side silhouettes memorised to the point he could trace it with his eyes closed expertly.
when you both parted ways, tartaglia making up some excuse that he had to buy some souvenirs for his siblings despite you knowing full well he was just listening to your reprimand from a week ago that he needed respite from being brutalised repeatedly, you found yourself linking pieces of red yarn together internally.
oh he’s just such a little shit isn’t he?
the sun set and bedazzled the sky in golden red hues, you walked back to your shared accommodation and a hefty amount of apologetic snacks filling your bag. normally, when you opened the door, ajax would jump at you. it was obvious from the way he sat leaned back on the couch that he was biting back that urge too.
grinning, you approached him, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration. "you know i love you, right?"
he glanced at you, his expression softening for a moment, god he really missed you so much even if only parted for a few hours at most. "hmm, do you? because i don't recall hearing such a thing in the morning."
you laughed, shaking your head at his childishness. settling yourself next to him, arms encasing around his wounded torso, you muttered a little compromise: "alright, honey. tomorrow, first thing. i promise."
tartaglia finally relented, pulling you into a gentle embrace that led to him exhaling a breath he was holding (probably a subtle way to get his loud heart to stop beating so furiously). "good. i suppose i can forgive you this time.“
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ajax had disobeyed your orders again.
even when being repeatedly asked by friends and his own lover alike, he just couldn’t behave in a way that didn’t result in at the very least, a few scratches and bruises on his freckled skin. it irritated you to no end.
irritation, of course, led to frustration. i mean, when you have to regurgitate the same instructions to someone you adore to death, it becomes exhausting. you didn’t necessarily argue about it, you simply tuned off.
sitting in bed with a book cradled between your fingertips, a mellow tune humming in the background from your vinyl as you soaked in the fantasy you were thoroughly engaged in. none of those things could unfortunately deafen the whines from ajax as he cozied himself up next to you, a silent groan slipping past his lips as he incidentally tore at one of his bandages.
“kochanie…” his nose nuzzled against your clothes as he found himself laying on your warm thighs. “i already apologised for being a dumbass, i swear i love you and i’ll listen to you properly next time.”
he purses his lips into a pout as you ignore him and continue to scan your eyes over the ink. “come on, i love you, sweetheart.” he nudged you, pinching you as delicately as possible but enough to elicit a gasp from you as you finally glance over at him.
“and i love peace and quiet, so if you could, zip it.”
surely you don’t think that was a good enough response for someone as needy for attention as ajax?
“i’m so hurt…” he pitifully grumbled, arms crossing over his firm chest as he continued staring up at you with a gaze that meant “you are not getting out of this”.
“won’t even spare a small kiss for your wounded lover? a hug? a cuddle? even just a whisper of your voice? how am i meant to live—“ you hush childe’s antics by squishing his cheeks together, forcing a fish like pout to form with his lips.
“i love you too, you’re just annoying.”
he’d take that over you fully ignoring him any day.
K. KAZUHA — 枫原万叶
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ not possible, thank you next character.
ʚ the only possible way kazuha would ever not indulge your i love yous is when he’s away to a different nation and he sends you a response letter that takes weeks to come to your hands, or if that same letter somehow gets wet or ruined while in transit and his affections get dampened and smudged
ʚ otherwise? kazuha doesn’t see the point in stubborn behaviour. if there’s a problem, though there hardly ever is, he’s under the pretence a couple should talk about it with a clear mind before making a final decision or statement — or in this case, the retraction of affection.
ʚ you’re his map, with the treasure being your heart. why would he ever choose to not tell you he loves you when he gets the chance? you already lack sufficient time with another, and kazuha prefers using the time he does have with you to show you how much he adores you (whatever way that manifest as).
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
kazuha absolutely smothers you in his love. though that usually feels more like you’re resting within the comfort of a sandy beach as soft washes of waves tickle your skin. you’re never short of a supply of affection.
that’s why a devious idea popped into your head. what if you just didn’t reciprocate?
“my heart,” kazuha’s breathy voice popped the bubble that hung over your head. “you’ve been spaced out for a while now, do you need a kiss to help you refocus?” you had to stop yourself from jumping at the opportunity.
“uh, no it’s fine, you don’t have to,” the reply made kazuha raise an eyebrow quizzically. that’s certainly not something he expected to hear especially after not seeing you for a while; but, he’d respect your choice. it’s not like he’s desperate for something so simple, you could just genuinely not be interested.
“hm…alright then, beloved.” he smiled sincerely, head falling to rest on your shoulder as his hand gently rested on the small of your back, rubbing soothing circles that mirrored the shape of the moon that cast a glow on you both. “i love you.”
he could’ve sworn he just said he loved you, so why did the winds bellow a response instead? coughing into his hand to clear his throat, thinking that perhaps you just didn’t hear him, he repeated: “i love you, songbird.”
met with silence again, kazuha simply stays quiet. he doesn’t need a reply, that’s not why he says sweet things to you like he’s writing a lyrical sonnet. he tells you he loves you because it helps write the song in his heart that beats whenever he’s near you in a much more coherent way.
K. AYATO — 神里绫人
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ this man oozes with romantic appeal. even if he’s off voyaging to a whole other nation he’ll find a way to not only say i love you, but also to say his good morning and good nights (accompanied with poorly doodled attempts at kiss marks to make up for the lack of physical touch).
ʚ when he’s upset? gods no. he could be frustrated with you to the point he needs a break, and regardless he’ll leave the room with a reminder he loves you. he doesn’t need you getting second thoughts and therefore won’t ever plant them.
ʚ he’s too busy? so? thoma has two hands i’m sure he can handle giving you letters that are merely love notes while he cleans the abode (assuming you and ayato live together separately from where he works…you can imagine how much thoma despises this errand despite his loyalty).
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
“greetings, love,” ayato’s arms slid around your middle, chin coming to rest atop your shoulder as he hums a sweet tune as if he were a bird coming back home to his nest. a rather direct analogy, since that’s exactly the occurrence.
plagued with hours of paperwork and meetings with government issues and secret organisations that god forbid you or ayaka ever found out about, ayato has missed you gravely. if he didn’t know better he’d demand this sort of sin to be classified as a national crime with the sentence being told to stay home with your spouse all day (his literal dream).
now that he’s free for at least a little while, peace alas twinkling within his eyes as they close tightly to enjoy the silence as he clings onto you, ayato does feel like all the pain and ink he went through was totally worth it. if the price he had to pay for holding you oh so tightly is simply meaningless signatures on several documents, he’s willing to waste the entire supply of ink within inazuma — he wants this reward to last as long as possible, after all.
“mm, you smell divine, are you using the flower-scented perfume i sent you the other week? i love it,” he rambled, lips pressing against your nape as you busied yourself with some crocheting, ayato’s eyes opening only to focus on the way your deft hands moved so skilfully. he’d make a comment about how he wished those hands were on him instead, but he had a particular reputation to uphold — and lewd impatient man certainly wasn’t part of it.
“more importantly, sweetheart,” ayato cooed, beginning to trail kisses around your neck and any exposed skin he managed to find, “i love you. so, look at me won’t you?”
merely turning your head to plant a kiss to the side of his jaw in a way of compromise, you otherwise remained silent. “you know,” ayato smiled devilishly, his hand beginning to play with your hair soothingly. “i bought some stuff on my travels recently, a lot of things that are meant for you, of course.”
“i can’t wait to surprise you tonight during dinner.”
that was a threat. maybe not a direct one, but you could recognise the slyness in that man’s voice soon as he mentioned buying “stuff” — things that were definitely substitutes for poison (a little far fetched, but it’s best to assume whatever he conjures up will be the worst thing possible to save yourself the trip to a hospital bed).
“i love you too.” you appeased, and his face immediately lightened, arms returning around you as if finally satiated.
ayato huffs a stifled laugh, quelling your worries with a simple: “i’ll have the staff know you’d like your favourite dish prepared.”
ALHAITHAM — 艾尔海森
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ lowkey, it’s a bit of a 50/50 with him…?
ʚ sometimes, he just genuinely doesn’t hear you. whether it’s because he’s subconsciously disassociating, overstimulated from excessive noise (it’s pretty much canon that he’s autistic, you can’t give me a character that constantly wears headphones and only speaks when spoken to and expect me not to connect the dots) or simply because whatever’s playing in his ears was a little too loud and had managed to drown out your words — these specifics are never intended, and he’s more likely to reply back if you repeat yourself (or give him some time).
ʚ other times though, is simply him teasing you. remember that one scene at the end of the interdarshan festival where alhaitham said, “best things are told thrice” (or whatever the quote was), yeah he commits to that in this scenario too.
ʚ he’ll pretend he can’t hear you just so he can see the sweet frustration in your eyes as you mumble the words “i love you” through gritted teeth. he’ll smirk it off subtly and reciprocate…after a while of course. perhaps when you’re falling asleep on his chest once you’re finally cuddled in bed together, you’ll manage to catch his hushed whisper.
the world was intent on making alhaitham break down today. he woke up without you in bed with him this morning, meaning he couldn’t brush his teeth while next to you as he passed you things that you required to get ready to start the day. from that, none of the foods or snacks he liked were available and the only option were fruits or meals he didn’t like or he weren’t in the mood for.
already feeling irritated and grumpy, him nearly spilling a vase on the books he had perfectly stacked up to binge read as he bumped into the corner of the table could’ve made him bang his head brutally on the wall. this wouldn’t have been a problem if kaveh didn’t place something so fragile and wobbly on something that’s in the way.
alas, when he finally died down for the afternoon, book in hand, a melody passing by his ear as he tried to focus on breathing, all a sudden that irritation just slowly came creeping back. the words on the page squished together like some sort of cartoon from fontaine as they began to make no coherent sense even as he went over every line twice.
to make it worse? you had just come back home.
that sounds bad, but for alhaitham it was a travesty. now he wasn’t able to at the very least embrace you in greeting in fear he’d lash out at the sudden contact. noticing the scrunching of his brows and the way his jaw looked like he’d been clenching it subconsciously for hours, you smiled out of sympathy, knowing from experience that this was most definitely another case of the domino effect of bad shit happening.
“need me to leave you alone for a bit?” you asked as quietly as possible but in an octave he wouldn’t twitch at in frustration.
he shook his head. a little surprising, but you complied with his wish and sat down on the floor next to him as he laid back on the couch as if in an impromptu therapy session. alhaitham held out his hand for you and you gently but surely placed yours on top, a delicate reminder that he was free to express whatever was on his mind when the world finally felt a little more peaceful.
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
it’s not like alhaitham really says he loves you verbally, he prefers showing his love to you though actions. after all, actions speak louder than words — what’s the point of telling you he loves you if he doesn’t have the actions to back it up?
but for the sake of the scenario, let’s imagine alhaitham decides to spoil you with one his few vocal affirmations. his hands slowly running up and down the spine of your back, chest rising and falling in slow steady breaths as you burrow yourself into his side. alhaitham was reluctantly reading a romance book that you forcefully recommended him in hopes he’d learn a few things that would make you swoon (despite him doing plenty such things already).
“i love you.” he randomly blurts, his eyes clearly having scanned over the same phrase within the page he was on since he rather quickly skipped past it once your eyes caught glimpse of it. alhaitham is a confident, sometimes arrogant, man — nothing ever truly bothers him when in regards to the words or actions of other people unless they pose a threat to someone he loves.
however, in this case, your lack of words makes his brows scrunch down, bright teal eyes now scrutinising you as you clearly try to hide away a giggle. “don’t you think it’s a little rude to not reply to someone’s confession.” he asks in a monotone voice, attention returning to the words on the page that now seemed irrelevant.
“if you want me to be like the characters in your little romance stories, how about you also commit to that yourself?” a little harsh sounding, but when faced with alhaitham’s pettiness, this is probably the most lenient he’s ever been to anyone.
WANDERER — 流浪者
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ another one that’s not necessarily surprising.
ʚ he likes using the phrase to tease or slander you, if anything. case in point: “oh i love you alright, but that doesn’t mean you get to steal my blanket in the middle of the night.” or “i love you more when you keep completely silent."
“i’m convinced you don’t love me.” ah god, not another one of your little helpless spiels again. this sort of conversation starter would normally set of a warranted number of red flags. in this case, however, both of you understood it was more like the start of a theatrical display of your pettiness.
“right, and why’s that?” scara asked unamused, face not changing from his casual stoicism as he scanned over a possibly illegal book he snuck from the library (and if this conversation goes one way you might just tattle to auntie nahida).
“you slept on the couch yesterday even after i cooked your favourite dish and got you out of that lecture kusanali forced you to attend by pretending we had chores to do,” you list off your good deeds on your fingers, your body sinking next to his on the couch that seemed more like a partner in crime than just a piece of furniture.
scara rolled his eyes. licking the tip of his fingertip to turn the page on his book, he huffed a response absentmindedly: “i do love you, but you just keep pushing me off the bed because of my cooler temperature so i got annoyed — simple as.”
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
‘oh, so just fuck me i guess?’
it’s already so difficult for him to even admit how much he cares for you, so to have such a hefty phrase leave his lips and be left with silence? he’s a little more than pissed.
scara’s eyebrows crunched together, confusion written all over his face at the sudden change in your demeanor. you’re always the first to jump at the opportunity to coddle him soon as his sour lips turn sweet, so what’s with the sudden negativity? the hostile fire that once flickered in his eyes was now replaced by a mournful sadness, and scara couldn’t help but feel like he was staring at a stranger.
his chest tightened in a way that didn’t feel good, and he found himself swallowing thickly, eyes flicking downward to where your hands swirled an ice-filled glass. guilt nipped at scara’s conscience, and he scrubbed a hand over his face, letting out a heavy sigh.
“what did i fucking do wrong now?” he spits out.
scara tends to take even the slightest joke within your relationship as a direct threat or dig at him. not because he doesn’t trust you, not even because he thinks your relationship isn’t at a secure stage — but just because that’s all he knows. he doesn’t know how to respond to something lighthearted when all that he’s felt so far in his life is extremities.
“hm? what do you mean?” you ask, the teasing tone you took on dwindling upon the quick glance at how his bottom lip jutted out nervously. did everything have to be so irrevocably complicated?
scara shook his head, exhaling a small sigh before he just let the matter drop naturally. he didn’t have time for stuff like this. he’d like to think he knows you well enough to recognise when you’re simply teasing him, but that fact alone isn’t enough to make that ache in his heart go away.
he just needs a minute break. and perhaps for you to sneak into bed with him so you can cuddle him from behind.
LYNEY — 林尼
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
it’s a little difficult for lyney to say the words “i love you” to someone who’s not technically part of his family. he trusted and loved you easily, you cared for his siblings as if they were your own and even gave up your own pride to protect him; but something itching within him tells him he has no right to confess his true ardour.
lyney is nothing but a pawn with a jesters hat, using sleight of hand to remove the idea that he’s deceptive from your mind with a few whimsical flower tricks. it’s hard to allow himself to be so vulnerable and open when he knows full well that if his father found out, the disappointment would be greater than the reward.
when he’s coated in that black circus show getup, his smile broad and stance wide with confidence, he’ll reply pretty easily! after all, he had to please his audience. but, you’re not just a stranger in the crowd. you’re his beloved, someone he waits for before one of his grandeur shows as you press a kiss to his cheek as a lucky charm that he finds himself gently touching as he slowly enters the stage.
but when he’s merely lyney, a lonely kid from the house of hearth who trembles in the comfort of the dark, your mumble of: “i love you a lot, lyney,” makes him replywith a mere widened look as if a deer caught in headlights, his pale face blossoming into a rosey pink hue as he tugged down at the front of his hat to cover his eyes.
“me too.” sometimes that reply is easier and much safer for both his heart and yours than the actual words.
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
lyney adores how easily you find yourself saying such a phrase, even a little jealous at time at both the idea of how many people you’ve uttered it to and the fact he finds himself stumbling over his own consciousness at the idea of confessing his affections back.
he’s also a massive trickster! you pull silly and harmless pranks on each other constantly, from something dumb like switching out a singular chocolate chip cookie to a raisin one to see the astounded look on lyney’s face as he bites down to something a little more sweet like lyney throwing out roses to an audience that coincidentally create a heart.
this is certainly a much crueller prank than any of the above.
lyney was a little jumpy backstage, constantly pacing back and forth with a genuine smile on his face that you’ve rarely seen, his arms constantly stretching out in front of him as he played with the leather of his gloves tediously. lady furina was going to be watching him today, it was no wonder he wanted you to help out!
well, lynette did everything, but you’re here for something lyney said he absolutely couldn’t go without. his good luck kiss.
hearing the familiar sound of the staff shuffling around their props, lyney sauntered to you with a smile as his lips tucked behind his arms innocently. “ma moitié,” lyney hums in a chipper, melodic tune, content at simply seeing your face light up once your eyes meet his, “i’m confident in my abilities as a magician, but i think you have the answer to quelling any of my nerves. care to share some of your magic wit me?”
you grin and tilted your head off to the side, giving him an encouraging thumbs up and a much less motivating: “break leg, lyney, i believe in you.” as much as he wished to coax it out of you, he’d have to unfortunately settle for the way you leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek.
yet, although he preformed flawlessly per usual, his execution even enthralling the ever critical furina who sat up in the crowd with a leg over her knee, you notice a slight hesitation in his movements, a brief moment of distraction that only you, who knows him so well, could catch. the show eventually concludes to thunderous applause, lyney and lynette taking their final bow as he nearly sprints off once the curtains draw closed.
backstage, as the crowd's cheers still echo faintly, lyney cautiously approaches you with a more serious expression. “[name],” he begins, his tone quieter, more introspective, “did I... do something wrong?”
who knew just the slight lower pitch of someone’s voice could make your heartstrings tug unceremoniously. you know it's time to end this silly prank. shaking your head, you take a step closer. “no, lyney. you were incredible, as always — lady furina seemed exceptionally impressed.” his breath catches in his throat — that’s not really what he wanted to hear. but before he could brush it all off, you interrupt his overthinking: “and... I love you too.”
his eyes widen in surprise, then soften with relief and warmth. “you really had me there,” he chuckles, pulling you into a hug. “you're quite the trickster yourself.”
you laugh, hugging him back tightly. “i learned from the best.”
NEUVILLETTE — 那维莱特
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ for neuvillette it’s less about him not saying i love you, but just how convoluted and complicated he can make it seem.
ʚ whether it’s by using outdated poetry and reciting it to you without the knowledge that the terms used completely flew over your head because they’re so old, or doing something that to him is basically more intimate than physical touch like gifting you a piece of jewellery that’s imbedded with a stone most certainly toxic to humans (he got it out of a rift from khaenri’ah when it first emerged and kept it as a little token).
ʚ this man is a dragon, he’s older than the snowy mountains of dragonspine and the deadly primordial sea itself…you can’t blame him for being a little bit over the top and traditional with how he says he loves you.
ʚ it’s all courting tactics! isn’t this what you humans enjoy? no? …maybe he should ask lady furina if she has some plays from the romance genre she’d care to share, perhaps then he could learn a much more modern way of showing his affections.
ʚ he’ll say he loves you if you vocalise you’d just prefer that but…are you sure you don’t also want this embarrassingly cute cup he made to match his dragon form?
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
the more he thinks about it, the sadder he gets. and the sadder he gets, the rainier the heavens become. neuvillette’s pen shifted between several of his fingers as the paragraphs in front of him shifted and blurred continuously.
you didn’t reply to his i love you this morning. straight after waking up he mumbled the sweetest, “i love you,” directly into your ear with that rumbling voice of his, letting his affections linger on your skin as his nose snuggled itself safely against your neck.
and what did he get in response? a small giggle and a, “should we get ready?”
at first, he merely internalised it as a mere misstep on your part. perhaps you merely didn’t hear him, you had just woken up after all you must’ve been feeling a little groggy. that managed to ease his nerves just a little, but soon as you closed the door to his office without a chance for another i love you, he slumped into his seat with defeat.
you humans are tricky creatures and scarily good at making other overthink things that someone should be most confident on.
just the idea that he might’ve done something to upset you enough for you to not want to love him so dearly as you normally do makes the skies weep to match the mourning in his heart. you best come back this instant with your arms wide open unless you want fontaine to flood over.
he may be one of the strongest beings currently alive and awake in the land of teyvat, but his heart is rather fragile when it comes to you.
WRIOTHESLEY — 莱欧斯利
꒰ him not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
much to the dismay of wriothesley, he rarely even gets to say he loves you. between managing the fortress of meropide and his countless responsibilities that range from being a guinea pig for sigewinne’s new test trials that she calls food to ridiculous requests from inmates, expressing his feelings often takes a backseat.
you, of course, understand his position, but it doesn't stop you from sending him love letters whenever you can. your letters are filled with warmth, affection, and little anecdotes about your day, hoping they bring a smile to his face during his busy hours — and they certainly do, he adores tracing your handwriting with the back of his gloved hand.
unfortunately, your letters piled up on his desk without being read. despite him desperately wanting to respond to every little i love you, he found himself way too preoccupied with other immediate matters that required his thorough attention. every time he’d open up his drawer to find a new pen to fill out a document with, he’d shamefully glance at the stack of unread papers that were littered with hearts.
each letter was one a piece of your heart — him stashing it away protectively would be a little romantic and rather ironic given his profession, but currently it felt more like he was actively giving you the sentence of a lifetime by withdrawing his affections.
no reply comes for days.
you understand that his duties are overwhelming, but a part of you yearns for some acknowledgment, a sign that your words are reaching him. however, wriothesley is determined to rectify this, he sat down at his desk after the first calm night in a while, pulls out a sheet of paper, and begins to write.
what you receive the next day isn’t necessarily anything grandiose or swooningly romantic — but it was enough; a large bouquet of your favourite roses with a special heart shaped note attached that when you latched it off simply read: “i love you too, sweetheart.”
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
alas, wriothesley finally managed to carve out a free day just for you. spending the day together ultimately meant either a completely lazy morning filled with sloppy kisses shared and your warm bodies all tangled within blankets, or a date where you bask in each other’s presence.
this time, you chose the latter. you needed a little bit of a pick me up and what better than having a romantic outing with your beloved? …where you simultaneously wished to entertain yourself with a bit of mischief. who could get away with teasing the mighty duke if not you?
a day of activities left you a little exhausted, which is why wriothesley decided to share the last few setting hours of the sun by sitting on a comfy blanket near an empty, secluded beach far from the usual hustle and bustle of fontaine.
"thank you for being so patient with me," wriothesley said, his voice low and sincere. "i know it's not easy, but you mean a lot to me."
you reached out and squeezed his hand. "aww, i understand, wrio. i’m honestly just happy we get to spend time together like this at all.”
bringing your interlocked hands up to his lips, his calloused and rough ones ridden with scars and marks that told stories of their own holding yours as if made of porcelain, he pressed a few gentle kisses to your knuckles as he mumbled a sincere: “i love you, [name].”
ah the very words you’ve been waiting to drawl from his lips. stifling a chuckle, you simply smiled and nodded, letting your hand wiggle away from his grasp as your focus drifted to stare at the crashing waves cleansing the shore.
wriothesley's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "did you hear me?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light. "i said, i love you."
you nodded again, keeping your expression neutral. “i heard you."
his confusion turned into amusement as both his brows raised in disappointment — were you seriously teasing him right now? wriothesley leaned in appetisingly close, searching your face for a clue for your intentions. "and?" he prompted.
swallowing down another fit of giggles, you titled your head at him all coyly, “and what?”
wriothesley puffed out a chuckle before his skilled hand quickly swooped beneath your knees and atop the small of your back to land you on his lap. “do you think you’re funny?” his muscular and scarred arms closed around your middle, keeping you firmly in place to face your trial.
“a little,” you muse before lifting yourself a little within his grasp, moving in to press a more than welcomed kiss on his cheek. “i love you too, wrio.”
“that’s what i thought.”
ARLECCHINO — 阿蕾奇诺
꒰ her not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
ʚ arlecchino loves you, she really does. but unfortunately for you, you’re not the age of the orphaned children she protects and therefore she finds it useless to constantly reassure you of such a fact.
ʚ surely if you want her to prove how much she loves you, you’d be less childish with it and simply ask for a real heart to be displayed in a glass box? she’s kidding (perhaps), but given the nature of your dynamic, she’s sure you’ve said the words “i love you” in this relationship enough to cover her half of the bargain.
“arle, i love you,” you muse, buzzing around her desk like a never satiated mosquito. yet instead of sucking blood you merely made her wish she had the heart to plug her ears to silence your relentless affection spillage. she wouldn’t dare. but for the love of the tsaritsa won’t you be good and just sit on her lap and remain quiet?
“arlechinnoo…” another whine as you carefully sit yourself on her desk, her pen quickly brushing over lines, the ferocity at which she held it made the point look as if she was scabbing the paper.
“yes, bunny?” she looked off to the side at you, her expression holding an air of royalty that was most likely non existent in her blood, but definitely seemed present in the way she held herself. maybe it was just that natural posture of arrogance?
“i love you…won’t you love me back?”
“my dear,” she placed the pen down and got up, a sight that made the two informants that stood opposite of the room with their heads hung low nervously hunch into themselves. she sauntered to you and encased your body against the edge of the desk, hands on either side of you.
“you’re surely irritating our guests with your constant noise,” that crestfallen expression of yours was something she wished she could wipe, but that sinful, pyre of pride burned within her like vengeance, making her merely tap her hand over your cheek to refocus your forlorn attention.
soon as you tilted your head, her hot breathy whisper mumbled against your ear: “stay quiet and i’ll be sure to spoil you.”
꒰ you not saying i love you back ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ⊹
“i’ve been issued another task within fontaine, do keep yourself out of trouble even though i have little hope you’ll commit,” arlecchino teasingly mused as she nudged your hip with hers while fixing her coat. “i love you, dear — i’ll be sure to send you letters.”
arlecchino is eerily fond of the silence that came after deafening screams. the scarlet stickiness that spreads across her grim face in splatters making her instinctively lick off that sweet residue. but right now, the silence was just a testament to how good she’s been treating you.
if you think you can get away with a silly prank like this as she’s awaiting your response like a puppy begging for a bone, you must’ve forgotten who has the collar and who has the leash.
catching your chin between her thumb and forefinger, she tilts your face upwards to meet her intense stare, stern eyes blazing with naked hunger. "i asked you to not cause trouble while i’m gone, but you’ve already decided to start, have you?”
most people would crumble beneath her shimmering eyes that spoke volumes of violence, yet deeply within your own heart you know she’d carry you over mountains of skulls that crushed beneath her callous heels if it meant getting you across into fairyland.
“admit it - you crave me just as fiercely as i burn for you." she grins before flicking your forehead with her clawed fingertips. “don’t make me repeat myself or you won’t be getting any gifts from me when i return.”
that’s the real threat you were waiting for. leaving a featherlight goodbye kiss atop her lips, you smartly respond: “i love you too, and don’t forget my favourite cake!”
she rolls her eyes, finally letting you go. “wouldn’t dream of it.”
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