wwriothesley

[wwriothesley]

BIT OF TMI UNDER THE READ MORE:

True Wriocore is not having consumed an entire soft drink for MONTHS in fear that your cystitis will return with a vengeance, and turning to tea for comfort. Now I drink tea every day. I am scared that I'll turn into a WereThesley out of nowhere… I am having a little glass of cola now and shaking so hard I'm making the entire desk do the same in anxiety. Help,,,

[wwriothesley]

I feel like Wriothesley would be the kind of person to have skull-shaped sugar cubes and find it the funniest thing on Teyvat.

[wwriothesley]

Wriothesley trying to put Lyney more at ease by showing him a ''magic trick'' too, with a cup of tea, and he asks the magician to close his eyes and wait for a moment. Wriothesley is blind and can't see if Lyney actually trusts him enough to do it- but if the latter doesn't, he will get to see this man quickly gather a second cup of tea from under his desk, have it bump on the edge as he's pulling it up, absolutely drench his face in cold tea, blink and stand in the longest, most awkward silence ever known to mankind, and then after nonchalantly saying ''ta-dah!'' like he just perfomed the greatest trick, Cirque-du-Soleil level.

Lyney: ...so, what was the trick? Wrio: Wrio: What's that saying? A magician never reveals his secrets. You'll have to figure this out for yourself.

[wwriothesley]

𝑰 𝑯𝑶𝑷𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑫𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 .    (   sentence  starters  originating  from  season  two  of  syfy’s  ‘ wynonna earp ’ .   adjust  pronouns  as  necessary ,  heavy  warning  for  mature  themes !   )

❛  you  truly  are  a  monster .  ❜ ❛  now ,  don’t  get  all  emotional  on  me .  ❜ ❛  you  have  amazing  taste  in  underwear .  ❜ ❛  my  poor ,  brave  baby .  ❜ ❛  when  did  you  become  such  a  prude ?  ❜ ❛  it’s  called  being  a  gentleman .  ❜ ❛  how  are  you  holding  up ?  ❜ ❛  i’ll  have  you  know  i’m  kind  of  a  big  deal  around  here .  ❜ ❛  you’re  gonna  need  me .  ❜ ❛  aw ,  you  did  math .  ❜ ❛  i  need  you  to  be  okay .  ❜ ❛  you  couldn’t  stop  me  if  you  tried .  ❜ ❛  better  nut  up  and  decide  who  you  can  trust .  ❜ ❛  if  you  want  me  to  trust  you ,  you’re  gonna  have  to  tell  me  the  plan .  ❜ ❛  you  stay  put ,  okay ?  ❜ ❛  there  is  a  possibility  i  am  now  hallucinating .  ❜ ❛  it’s  my  turn ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  who  are  you ?  you  know  what ,  i  don’t  care .  we’ve  gotta  go .  ❜ ❛  somebody  has  to  pay ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  you  could  come  in  …  i’m  gonna  take  a  shower .  ❜ ❛  they  should  be  scared  of  me .  ❜ ❛  remember  who  the  real  enemy  is .  ❜ ❛  this  is  the  worst .  ❜ ❛  i  love  watching  you  work .  ❜ ❛  please  don’t  shut  me  out .  ❜ ❛  i’m  sitting  right  here ,  there’s  no  need  to  holler .  ❜ ❛  what  do  you  even  do  around  here ,  [ name ] ?  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  anything  to  say  for  yourself ?  ❜ ❛  i’m  such  an  asshole ,  i  don’t  know  why  i  brought  that  up .  ❜ ❛  what’s  in  it  for  you ?  ❜ ❛  how  are  you  doing ?  still  having  fun ?  ❜ ❛  so  many  jokes ,  i  can’t  even  choose .  ❜ ❛  THIS  is  your  breaking  point ?  ❜ ❛  this  might  be  a  shitshow ,  but  it’s  OUR  shitshow .  ❜ ❛  sometimes ,  it’s  good  to  say  goodbye .  ❜ ❛  we  never  lied  to  each  other ,  you’re  free  to  kiss  whoever  you  like .  ❜ ❛  how  do  you  do  that ?  turn  your  feelings  on  and  off  like  a  fucking  robot ?  ❜ ❛  let’s  get  you  somewhere  safe .  ❜ ❛  i  feel  like  i  might’ve  lost  the  plot  a  bit .  ❜ ❛  all  i  dream  of  is  not  having  to  run  anymore .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  wanna  die .  ❜ ❛  this  is  what  i  bring  to  the  team .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  know  if  i  should  be  frightened  or  jealous .  ❜ ❛  you  wore  suede ?  what  is  it ,  your  first  day ?  ❜ ❛  to  add  insult  to  injury ,  you’re  stuck  with  me .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  like  being  blackmailed .  ❜ ❛  i’m  tired  of  running  and  hiding  …  and  then  running  again .  ❜ ❛  we’re  buying  better  bourbon .  case  closed .  ❜ ❛  [ name ]  was  never  anything  but  proud  of  you .  ❜ ❛  oh ,  i  like  when  you’re  scary .  ❜ ❛  are  you  still  mad  at  me ?  ❜ ❛  as  long  as  you  want  me ,  i  will  be  by  your  side .  ❜ ❛  the  best  sex  is  make - up  sex ,  right ?  ❜ ❛  give  me  a  whiskey !  ❜ ❛  maybe  i  am  getting  soft ,  huh ?  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  i  have  this  gut  feeling  that  something  is  coming ,  and  it’s  bad .  ❜ ❛  i  can  get  you  whatever  you  need  except  time .  ❜ ❛  i  thought  this  time  would  be  different .  ❜ ❛  even  fury  road  has  pit  stops .  ❜ ❛  i  didn’t  know  if  it  was  your  thing .  ❜ ❛  baby ,  that’s  everybody’s  thing .  ❜ ❛  you  guys  need  to  get  some  more  hands ,  so  that  your  hands  can  stay  right  here  on  me .  ❜ ❛  every  time  i  close  my  eyes ,  it’s  the  same  nightmare .  ❜ ❛  are  you  going  to  be  this  much  fun  all  day ?  ❜ ❛  i  was  such  an  idiot .  ❜ ❛  clock  is  ticking ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  how  are  you  settling  in ?  ❜ ❛  how  long  are  you  around ?  ❜ ❛  what  am  i ,  human  tinder ?  ❜ ❛  listen ,  i  love  that  you’ve  got  your  own  thing  going  on  here ,  but  don’t  get  distracted .  ❜ ❛  you  have  my  undivided  attention .  ❜ ❛  two  shots  of  tequila  is  not  ‘abstaining’ ,  it’s  called  being  professional .  ❜ ❛  nice  try ,  but  snitches  get  stitches .  ❜ ❛  i  was  just  thinking  about  you .  ❜ ❛  some  things  never  change ,  huh ?  ❜ ❛  hey ,  watch  your  perfectly  glossed  mouth .  ❜ ❛  i’m  glad  you’re  putting  yourself  out  there .  ❜ ❛  why  is  everyone  so  obsessed  with  my  fun  levels ?  ❜ ❛  yeah ,  it’s  great .  i  could  just  scream !  ❜ ❛  not  bailing  on  me ,  are  you ?  ❜ ❛  do  you  wanna  get  out  of  here ?  ❜ ❛  you’re  drunk  and  you’re  talking  too  much .  ❜ ❛  shady  and  suspicious ,  therefore  gettin’  more  delicious .  ❜ ❛  you’ve  come  so  far .  ❜ ❛  when  you  stop  dating  psychos ,  THEN  you  can  give  me  relationship  advice .  ❜ ❛  let  him  go ,  it’s  not  worth  it .  ❜ ❛  if  that’s  broken ,  you’ll  pay  for  it .  ❜ ❛  don’t  tell  me  how  to  do  my  job .  ❜ ❛  oh ,  you  have  not  seen  harassment .  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  keep  your  head  in  the  game .  ❜ ❛  have  you  noticed  any  changes  in  [ name ]  lately ?  ❜ ❛  you  know  what ?  forget  it .  ❜ ❛  i  heard  everything .  ❜ ❛  you’ll  be  broken  enough  for  her  in  no  time .  ❜ ❛  you  look  like  you  had  some  fun .  ❜ ❛  you  are  UNDERESTIMATING  the  day  i’ve  had .  ❜ ❛  are  we  too  late ?  are  you  okay ?  ❜ ❛  i  had  him  right  where  i  wanted  him .  ❜ ❛  this  has  to  end .  please .  ❜ ❛  brave  but  stupid ,  i’ll  take  it .  ❜ ❛  okay ,  yeah ,  now  i’m  sure  i  hit  myself  in  the  head .  ❜ ❛  i  hate  you ,  [ name ] .  i  hate  you .  ❜ ❛  you  think  i’m  stupid ?  ❜ ❛  why  didn’t  you  tell  me  any  of  this  before ?  ❜ ❛  i’m  stubborn ,  i  always  take  the  hard  way .  ❜ ❛  i  wasn’t  expecting  company .  ❜ ❛  okay ,  we’ve  really  gotta  come  up  with  a  secret  handshake .  ❜ ❛  should  …  should  we  have  a  safe  word ?  ❜ ❛  this  was  not  the  plan ,  it’s  too  dangerous .  ❜ ❛  stop  it .  all  you  do  is  play  games .  i  don’t  like  your  games .  ❜ ❛  i’m  trying  to  rescue  you ,  let’s  go .  ❜ ❛  doesn’t  anybody  have  any  faith  in  me ?  ❜ ❛  how  do  you  know  you  weren’t  followed ?  ❜ ❛  i  think  you  should  get  out  of  here .  ❜ ❛  i’m  not  a  bad  person .  ❜ ❛  i’m  not  a  bad  person ,  and  if  you  know  what’s  good  for  you ,  you’ll  stop  treating  me  like  one .  ❜ ❛  the  power  of  suggestion  is  a  formidable  thing .  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  i  know  what  i  saw .  ❜ ❛  i  told  you  to  wait .  ❜ ❛  bad  news ,  they  ran  out  of  pumpkin  spice .  ❜ ❛  i  thought  tying  a  cherry  stem  into  a  knot  with  my  tongue  was  a  cool  party  trick .  ❜ ❛  you’re  not  ready .  you’ll  never  be  ready .  ❜ ❛  you’ll  never  be  locked  up  again .  ❜ ❛  whatever  you  did ,  i  want  to  help .  ❜ ❛  i’m  exhausted .  ❜ ❛  i’m  not  having  any  fun .  ❜ ❛  what  are  we  going  to  do  with  you ?  ❜ ❛  i  salted  the  rim ,  i’m  not  a  savage .  ❜ ❛  are  you  feeling  alright ?  ❜ ❛  you  don’t  wanna  go  in  there ,  trust  me .  ❜ ❛  tell  me  why  i  shouldn’t  kill  you  right  here ,  right  now .  ❜ ❛  you’re  really  mean  when  you  drink  before  noon .  and  you  drink  before  noon  too  often .  ❜ ❛  well  frankly ,  [ name ] ,  the  situation  is  balls .  ❜ ❛  horrible  deeds  have  been  committed  here .  ❜ ❛  have  you  done  bad  things ?  ❜ ❛  let’s  get  you  straight  home  to  bed .  ❜ ❛  …  i  said  i  was  sorry .  ❜ ❛  i’ll  be  anything  you  want  me  to  be .  ❜ ❛  i  might’ve  caused  some  trouble .  ❜ ❛  you’ve  got  dark  corners  that  you  haven’t  explored  yet .  ❜ ❛  i’m  not  enough  to  save  you ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  okay ,  are  we  having  a  moment ?  ❜ ❛  there’s  only  one  way  to  make  it  stop  and  you  know  what  it  is ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  history  books  will  have  no  mention  of  our  names  or  our  deeds .  ❜ ❛  i  know  you  need  space  and  i  really  tried  to  stay  away ,  but  i  got  worried .  ❜ ❛  i’ve  got  you  now ,  okay ?  i  swear  i’ve  got  you .  ❜ ❛  you’ve  made  an  enemy  this  friday .  ❜ ❛  [ name ]  would  never  say  something  like  that .  ❜ ❛  i’d  say  ‘make  your  peace’ ,  but  i  hope  you  never  find  any .  ❜ ❛  i  would  shoot  anybody  for  you .  ❜ ❛  i  knew  you’d  rescue  me .  ❜ ❛  i  have  enough  friends .  ❜ ❛  you  know ,  i’m  here  for  you .  now  and  forever .  ❜ ❛  we’re  all  on  the  same  team ,  now ,  right ?  ❜ ❛  you  can’t  just  ‘nope’  this  away !  ‘nope’  is  not  a  viable  plan .  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  take  a  day  off .  ❜ ❛  if  it  sounds  like  a  hippie  hemorrhoid  cream ,  i  don’t  want  it  in  my  cup .  ❜ ❛  you  practice  those  googly  eyes  in  the  mirror ,  or  just  …  natural  talent ?  ❜ ❛  how  did  you  get  in  here ?  ❜ ❛  stop  pushing  me .  and  while  you’re  at  it ,  stop  judging  me .  ❜ ❛  i  remember  every  second  i  was  with  you .  every  touch ,  every  kiss  …    ❜ ❛  did  i  just  pass  out ?  ❜ ❛  i  think  we’ve  been  asleep  for  a  long - ass  time .  ❜ ❛  time  is  running  out .  ❜ ❛  you  haven’t  been  paying  attention .  ❜ ❛  goodie ,  i  love  conditions .  they  really  turn  my  crank .  ❜ ❛  you’re  amazing .  ❜ ❛  you  do  not  want  to  cross  that  line .  ❜ ❛  everybody  keeps  talking  to  me  like  i’m  an  idiot .  ❜ ❛  i  know  what  i  want .  ❜ ❛  you  shot  me ,  you  bitch !  ❜ ❛  i  have  something  to  tell  you ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  you  don’t  have  to  be  like  this ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  you  know  we’re  gonna  have  to  talk  about  this  eventually ,  right ?  ❜ ❛  room  down  there  for  one  more ?  ❜ ❛  i’m  not  saying  it’s  gonna  be  okay .  i’m  just  saying  …  i’m  here .  ❜ ❛  i  am  all  in .  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  thank  god  you’re  here .  ❜ ❛  it’s  for  your  protection .  ❜ ❛  if  you  have  nothing  to  hide ,  what’s  the  problem ?  ❜ ❛  sorry ,  i  don’t  have  time  to  play  nice  anymore .  ❜ ❛  usually  she’s  a  fun  bitch ,  not  a  bitch  bitch .  ❜ ❛  wake  up .  [ name ] ,  wake  up .  ❜ ❛  evil  sniffs  out  evil .  ❜ ❛  you’re  very  nice ,  thank  you  for  that .  ❜ ❛  i  wonder  how  many  generations  have  surveyed  this  land .  ❜ ❛  i  think  it’s  starting  to  settle  in .  ❜ ❛  don’t  shoot ,  i’m  just  the  messenger .  ❜ ❛  it  was  a  long  time  ago .  ❜ ❛  you  are  kicking  ass  at  not  helping  right  now ,  you  know ?  ❜ ❛  we  should  talk .  ❜ ❛  you  are  such  an  asshole .  ❜ ❛  [ name ] ,  hey .  i  need  a  favor .  ❜ ❛  i  told  you  not  to  make  this  weird .  ❜ ❛  i  hate  doing  everything  sober .  ❜ ❛  pace  yourself ,  there’s  SO  much  more  to  judge .  ❜ ❛  you  don’t  become  [ name ]  by  confronting  problems  head - on .  ❜ ❛  just  shut  your  mouth .  ❜ ❛  okay ,  yeah ,  i  guess  i  deserved  that .  ❜ ❛  see ?  this  is  what  you  get  when  you’re  friends  with  a  nark .  ❜ ❛  step  out  of  my  way .  ❜ ❛  are  we  having  a  good  time ?  ❜ ❛  okay ,  let  me  do  the  talking .  ❜ ❛  justice  delayed  is  still  justice  served .  ❜ ❛  you  are  so  pretty  and  i  like  you  so  much !  ❜ ❛  you’re  drunk !  and  in  trouble .  ❜ ❛  this  whole  ‘lone  wolf’  thing  you’ve  got  going  on  isn’t  gonna  cut  it .  ❜ ❛  don’t  even  think  about  it .  ❜ ❛  did  you  mean  any  of  those  things  you  said ?  ❜ ❛  you’re  lucky  nobody  saw  that .  ❜ ❛  why  don’t  you  distract  me ?  ❜ ❛  this  is  only  gonna  get  worse  if  you  don’t  decide  to  help  me .  ❜ ❛  you  really  don’t  care  about  any  of  this ,  do  you ?  ❜ ❛  i’ll  be  gone  long  before  then .  ❜ ❛  so  this  is  where  it  all  began  …  ❜ ❛  it’s  hard  not  to  feel  like  an  outsider ,  even  for  me .  ❜ ❛  i  remember  what  it  feels  like  to  be  new .  ❜ ❛  hey ,  don’t  do  anything  stupid ,  okay ?  ❜ ❛  shut  the  hell  up .  ❜ ❛  at  this  point ,  i’m  no  longer  afraid  of  the  consequences .  ❜ ❛  how  did  you  come  by  it ?  the  wound ?  ❜ ❛  you’re  lying .  ❜ ❛  you  have  to  do  something  for  me .  ❜ ❛  why  wouldn’t  you  tell  me ?  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  need  you  to  make  decisions  for  me .  ❜ ❛  don’t  follow  me .  ❜ ❛  why  did  you  bring  me  here ?  ❜ ❛  i  deserve  to  be  saved .  i  do .  ❜ ❛  try  to  remember  who  you  were .  ❜ ❛  trust  me ,  we’ll  meet  again .  ❜ ❛  i  promise  i  will  never  hurt  you .  ❜ ❛  come  back  to  me .  ❜ ❛  i  don’t  want  to  hurt  you .  ❜ ❛  eyes  on  the  prize .  ❜ ❛  surely  you’ll  want  to  hear  my  offer .  ❜ ❛  sorry  i  was  a  no - show .  ❜ ❛  aren’t  you  gonna  say  goodnight ?  ❜ ❛  i’m  too  hangry  to  have  this  conversation .  ❜ ❛  it’s  okay ,  it’s  better  that  i  know  the  truth .  ❜ ❛  am  i  the  biggest  cliche  ever ?  ❜ ❛  i  know  what  you’re  going  through .  ❜ ❛  you’re  so  lovely .  ❜ ❛  you  know  what  i’d  never  do ?  tell  you  what  to  think  or  feel .  ❜ ❛  i  never  drink  alone .  it’s  sad  and  depressing .  ❜ ❛  i  would  do  anything  to  get  out  of  here  for  just  one  night .  ❜ ❛  say  something  …  preferably  encouraging .  ❜ ❛  is  this  your  thing ?  cute  but  annoying ?  ❜ ❛  i  can’t  protect  you  if  i’m  dead .  ❜ ❛  i  think  i  need  to  leave .  ❜ ❛  you  can’t  run  away  from  this .  ❜ ❛  you  repeat  this  convo ,  you  die .  ❜ ❛  don’t  lie  to  me ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  you  and  me ,  we’re  good  people .  ❜ ❛  hey ,  listen .  i’m  gonna  get  you  out  of  here ,  okay ?  ❜ ❛  sometimes  i  think  you  really  must  hate  me .  ❜ ❛  what  are  you  so  afraid  of ?  ❜ ❛  i  always  knew  you’d  be  the  death  of  me ,  anyway .  ❜ ❛  there’s  nothing  you  could’ve  done .  ❜ ❛  this  can’t  be  happening .  ❜ ❛  i  just  really  thought  i  was  doing  the  right  thing .  ❜ ❛  i  lied  to  you ,  and  i  shouldn’t  have .  ❜ ❛  i  have  never  loved  anyone  the  way  that  i  love  you .  ❜ ❛  can  we  all  just  act  like  we’re  winning  for  once ?  ❜ ❛  i  wasn’t  expecting  you  to  be  cool  about  it ,  but  the  pouting  is  getting  old .  ❜ ❛  am  i  the  only  one  who  didn’t  know ?  ❜ ❛  i  appreciate  everything  you’ve  done .  ❜ ❛  what  are  the  chances  you’ll  sit  this  one  out ?  ❜ ❛  [ name ]’s  never  gonna  forgive  me .  ❜ ❛  you  would  have  done  the  same  thing .  ❜ ❛  don’t  go .  ❜ ❛  i  learned  my  lesson .  ❜ ❛  i  should  have  trusted  you .  ❜ ❛  i  thought  it  was  your  fault .  ❜ ❛  i  plan  to  exploit  you .  ❜ ❛  just  so  everyone’s  clear ,  i’m  my  own  damn  weapon .  ❜ ❛  sorry  i’m  late ,  i  kinda  died .  ❜ ❛  mercy  comes  in  many  forms .  ❜ ❛  i  will  kill  us  both  before  i  let  you  walk  in  service  to  the  devil .  ❜ ❛  if  i  die ,  they  can’t  use  me .  ❜ ❛  i  am  so  very  tired ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  see  you  on  the  other  side .  ❜ ❛  i  care  more  about  this  than  anything  else  in  the  world .  ❜ ❛  you  are  …  extraordinary .  ❜ ❛  i’m  with  you ,  [ name ] .  ❜ ❛  are  you  okay ?  ❜ ❛  would  you  have  done  any  different ?  ❜ ❛  i  would  have  done  everything  different .  ❜

[wwriothesley]

The Wriothesley effect: When Venus was editing my pinned banner in a stream, I was super convinced there was another scene of him doing what he does in the gif, just with the shrugging a little more pronounced at the end and with Clorinde appearing at his side after, thus locating it in the cutscene before or after the arrival of Neuvillette at the Fortress.

After rewatching every single second of both of those together, the scene wasn't here. I'm still bamboozled by it.

[wwriothesley]

      some days are worse than others.

      by now, Wriothesley has learned to make peace with this. it's normal for a trauma to resurface- progress and healing is never a linear thing. life is rarely simple and linear, too.

      by now, he figured that progress and healing are more like a staircase leading home- it varies with the days, how many steps can be taken. sometimes, the stairs can be cleaned in hope that the steps will be easier- some days, the painful crash of a knee slipping under scented wax leaves a bruise and stops the progression for a while. sometimes, only a step a day can be climbed due to tiredness- sometimes, it's three in a row. sometimes, it's five steps, and one, two or three taken back.

      it's discouraging, to misstep- yet, to reach home, a person has to climb to the top of the staircase. there's no easy way around it.

      today, Wriothesley has misstepped.

      it's a quiet night, without the reassuring weight of Vautrin in his arms. it brings a small smile on his face knowing that he's somewhere happy- at a sleepover with Kaeya, the two of them preparing an hot chocolate and sharing gossips of him and his younger twin with scrunchies around their hair. after a particulary bad dream that awoke him, the thought of the two of them having fun brings a small smile to his face.

      however, this also means that his younger twin's bed is empty- devoid of the comfort of a familiar warm body.

      it's not a surprise when he hears regular steps climbing up the staircase of his office, outside of his bedroom chambers. he was about to give up staying awake when the sound roused him, eyes blinking away the last of sleep when he feels Wriothesley slip in his chambers. the depression on his mattress, the slow crawl towards him are all too familiar for him.

      he doesn't move much- merely makes space for his twin to slip in bed with him, understanding the need in this gesture. his eyes are open in the darkly lit bedroom, but as usual, he does not see. he doesn't need to, when the form curling against his back tells him everything that he needs to know.

      his twin brother has come to seek comfort. and he'll have it.

      “ it's okay, ” he says, and means every sense of this word. an hand pats down his own side, blindly looking for the other before the warmth guides him. a soft, quiet touch that can be removed at any time without offense being taken. “ take your time. ”

the time in this bedroom has now froze- when they both lack the comfort of their partners, it's only fair that they seek eachother. there's moments when he sought his younger twin out too simply to have some form of closure, a sleepy cavalry captain usually pointing him in the right direction after being tucked back in, around his younger twin's pillow.

      he turns, slowly, to further avoid fraying nerves. he isn't leaving.

      an arm is given as a support for his younger twin to lay on as he moves on his back. he can be a bit of a pillow- this is nothing new to him. 

      this is a question that he has asked himself many times too- without being able to come up with a satisfying answer, always distracted by paperwork or something or someone else being a little shit in his office.

      is he haunted, in the same way that his younger sibling seems to be, in some days? thick eyebrows frown as he mulls it for the first time in a long one- it's difficult to come up with a satisfying answer. all that he has is honesty.

      “ sometimes. a bit more times that i'm comfortable with. ”

      a pause.

      there's no sugarcoating- they both don't need it. they need sharp teeth gnashing away at the truth until they're satisfied with how bloody their muzzle has become- the truth is soothing like a meal to a starved person.

      “ what we have done is part of who we are- we'll always think about that moment a bit more than what we are comfortable with. it's at night where we relax- it's at night where it gets us the most. ”there's a brief sigh, a squeeze of warm hand against warm hand, as if Wriothesley could somehow soothe the absence of his twin's bindings. 

      “ i told you about it- but it's their last moments that haunt me the most. ” 

of course he has told him- how could he have not? you're... hurting me, said his adoptive mother, a dozen stab wounds smiling at him from her chest. why?, asked his adoptive father, soiling himself and the floor he laid on in complete, utter fear. 

      “ they haunt me too, ” he whispers this time, eyes closing on nothingness. it's almost a confession that's dissonant, with how much stable he seems all the time.

      “ but... i have a little shit of a twin that comes to disrupt my usual routine, and that makes it less haunting. ”

      that last phrase is said almost cheerfully, with fingers smoothing the bangs out of his siblings face. why would Wriothesley not distract him from the horrors? he feels a little victory on life- someone worth fighting for. 

      the memories of his adoptive parents could never, ever taunt that. he'll make sure that it doesn't happen.

@wwriothesley | i promised u the angst and here it is-

Some days are harder than others.

Even now, even after so long, they still have some twisted hold on him that he cannot shake. It's his curse, he thinks - to never be free of them. It's not enough that they've left their marks upon him. They had to sink their teeth in, leaving their venom to fester inside his mind, a pollution he will never cleanse.

It was a bad night. That's how it always starts. The dreams don't chase him as often these days, but they sneak up on him from time to time, often just at the point when he starts to believe that maybe, just maybe, that was the last one. He ought to know better by now. There will never be a last of anything.

There's no scream as he wakes - there never is. They're under his skin, crawling inside his head, but they'll never have that power over him again. He threw out the fear the moment he resolved to exterminate them like rodents. But he lies stiff beneath the tangled sheet, muscles tense, until he methodically works to loosen them one by one - a process that never fails to calm, to relax.

Sleep is a thing of the past now; he knows this as fact. He cannot, will not, submit to the oblivion of his dreams again, not when everything is so fresh and raw. It was a rough one this time - they're never easy, but this one hit hard in all the right places. The guilt sits like a lead ball in his gut, makes it hard to breathe. Normally, he would take himself to the ring, go a few rounds with a mek, channel his feelings the only way he knows how - the way he was taught.

Instead, his feet carry him in a different direction, towards the only one in the world who can ever truly, honestly, know how he feels.

The night guards know better than to question why the Duke - either of them - is wandering the Fortress at the witching hour, and he makes his way undisturbed to the central office where, in all likelihood, his twin is still asleep. The dimness of the lamps when he enters confirms his suspicion, and he considers leaving him to rest.

Archons know they both need it.

But there's a part of him that needs this - needs to seek out the comfort of a sibling the way he used to as a child. He has recollections of crawling into an older sister's bed after a bad dream, of falling asleep curled into her while she uttered whispered songs to soothe him. And suddenly, achingly, he wants that.

There's no more hesitation. His feet ascend the stairs in soft, rapid succession, carry him right to the private chambers of the Duke and to the side of his twin. Asleep, yes, but surely becoming aware of an additional presence in his private space - if not already.

He crawls atop the bed and curls against his brother's back, face pressed hard to the space between his shoulders. He can sense the exact moment his brother wakes fully, acknowledges his presence. Were he anyone else, Wriothesley is sure his twin would not have woken so gently.

"I'm sorry, Wri..." he utters quietly, voice lacking any of its usual strength. "It's..." He doesn't need to explain; his brother will know. "I just... need a minute." He needs to be free of them. "Do... do they haunt you, too?" His twin seems so much more... together than he is. They've never talked about their own experiences in any depth - they didn't need to, they understood without either of them saying anything. Yet he cannot help the question, because he needs to know.

He needs to know if it ever gets better.

[wwriothesley]

If you see Wriothesley acting like a Melusine-Bus, sometimes, that's completely normal.

He'll carry from three to four Melusines over his shoulders, and have two more holding him by the hands- and also two more wrapped around his arms, oftentimes upside down. After visiting a specific place in the Fortress, a Melusine will abandon the group and either leave an empty spot on his shoulders or arm or hand, or will be replaced by another Melusine.

They're a little grumpy that Wrio refuses to make train noises during it, but overall they're very happy with this arrangement!

[wwriothesley]

I didn't thought it was possible for Wrio to hurt me more as a muse.

i was wrong.

[wwriothesley]

Something that really tickles my brain in a good way would be having Wriothesley possessing Shneznayan heritage, without tapping on a common ''his parents were shneznayan stowaways running from the Fatui'' trope that could give his backstory much drama and explain many things. However, I will be taking an entire different approach to this.

There'll be a bit of drama regardless in how infant Wriothesley was perceived, though.

His father's name was Arseni Fedorov, and he was a fish merchant from Shneznaya, a completely normal man who had a lot of knowledge about fishing and resided in a quiet little village he helped support. His business was so successful thanks to the abundance of fishes around the nation, that he often traveled with his boat where the demands of fish requests would need him to be.

However, his real name was often replaced with a much less Shneznayan-sounding one, for the people from the nation were already starting to be looked down upon by foreigners due to the Fatui running rampant. Many times, he donned the name of Elias Fischer. And yes, he picked the last name specifically as a joke to fishing. Now you can see where Wriothesley got his dry humor from.

One of the times where he traveled to Fontaine, many years ago, he had an accidental meeting with the daughter of an influential family- Colette Aubert was bright, sunny, friendly and charming, and he fell for her so hard he almost tumbled at her feet right off the boat. She was not even a little bit spoiled despite being born and raised in royalty, and reciprocated the interest almost immediately: this funny man made her laugh and would only made her fall faster for this man with a dry humor that made her snort-giggle. Colette wanted to laugh with him for all her life.

She genuinely became something Arseni looked forward to seeing when approaching Fontaine, and soon they found themselves considering introducing him to her family to officially propose.

It could have worked: Arseni was by no means unwealthy, as his business was booming and quite talked about where there was a demand for it. In a way, Arseni Fedorov could have been considered a wealthy Shneznayan merchant; he would have been the perfect candicate for a family that wasn't quite atop of the Fontainian royalty and sat in a snug middle position.

Unfortunately, Colette's parents were already looking down on the man asking for their blessing: Arseni could have been the wealthiest man of his land- the simple fact that he made his name selling fish was enough to make their noses turn up. They had other plans for Colette, and this cut and dry man wasn't going to disrupt them. They vehemently denied their union, told Colette to expect to be married to a much better candidate by the end of the year, and to stop hanging around fish-smelling trash.

Due to this outstanding move, Colette and Arseni ran away together to elope exactly three days after these events took place.

Arseni didn't took Colette back to Shneznaya with him, knowing that it was the first place her parents and their vast web of people would have looked- and there was the very real possibility that they could have spread harmful rumors to ruin his business to try and force his hand. Instead, they settled down right under their noses- in Arseni's habitable boat, a quite spacious abode.

In their brief years together, he took Colette anywhere with him to show her the sights of Tevyat- from Natlan to Mondstadt and back to Shneznaya they traveled, but never settled down in fear that word would have gotten back to her parents. He privately ditched his Mondstadtian last name to take up Colette's one- a choice he will pay dearly for in the future. But, at the moment, it was just him, her, and their love.

And soon, a small baby on the way, too.

While a traveling life was fun, it bit them both back when Colette underwent labor- and not being able to get to an hospital in time left them little to no options: she died of childbirth complicances, and left Arseni with a small, crying baby boy with a turf of gray and black hair. He named the boy Anatoliy, ''sunrise''.

Per her request, after she begged him to never let her parents have her body back, he had her cremated and scattered her ashes in the sea.

To make bad matters worse to having lost the love of his life, it was signing a particular piece of paper with Colette's family name that marked his undoing. 

He was tracked down thanks to that- and he was threatened, quite sadistically, to at least give them their daughter's child, or he would have faced great repercussions: they would have ruined him, dragged his name through the mud, and make it impossible for him to survive if not for becoming a street beggar. 

Arseni's response was to change the last name of little Anatoliy, place him in the care of an orphanage, and head back to Shneznaya after spitting at their feet and pronouncing a very few sharp choice of words.

Returning to his homeland was the correct choice- the rumors that were being spread around couldn't harm him, where people knew this man and his way of doing things. Most people were convinced that the story the family concocted, of honest Arseni stealing their daughter and refusing to hand over their son, was a lie- this man didn't carried any son in tow, and was well known in his little village.

As a last fuck you to them, he never told the enraged family where his son was placed. No matter how hard they looked and how many spies they sent out, they never found out where Anatoliy was placed due to his last surname being changed- and the growing boy resembling his father way more than his mother. There was very little of Colette in him- the shape of her ears, perhaps the trait of her chin and nose. While, from his father, the child inherited his gray-streaked black hair, his jawline, and his striking, icy eyes- his physique too.

Colette's family never found out that the child was adopted into a wealthy family that was into human trafficking. They're still searching to this day out of pure spite- but the child has grown, and he's now administrator of the Fortress of Meropide, clueless that he's so wanted by people he never knew existed.

Nowadays, Arseni has grown old; he has hired help for his business due to his prowess in fishing declining, but business is still booming for him. He lives a quiet, comfortable life alone still in the same village, and has turned a tad more bitter than he'd like. He has not remarried, and only had apprentices for his job.

He still regrets nothing of what he did.

[wwriothesley]

A person who gets a bit too close ( or they perceive to be close to him ) to Wriothesley will have the impression that he won in life. 

People would genuinely use this manner of speaking to flatter him, and he'd thank them politely and tell the one(s) that used this expression that he hasn't won- he fought hard for everything that he has now, and will keep fighting to help what he considers to be his home. He answers politely because he understands how this must look from the outside, and that the person is genuinely happy for him and thinks they're paying him a great compliment.

In their eyes, he went from a prisoner to royalty, from a nobody who has committed a nefarious crime into an atoned, functional member of society who has contributed the most to Fontaine's growth. In their eyes, the Duke has reformed fully, and is not feared from those who don't have a reason to fear him. To those who have met him, once they got over his intimidating looks, they'll admit to find him a polite and charming fellow with a bit of a dry humor.

Wriothesley's feelings can be summed up by this Game of Thrones quote:

I've lost a hand, a father, a son, a sister, and a lover, and soon enough I will lose a brother. And yet they keep telling me House Lannister won this war.

( Though, translated in italian, Jaime rather says ''They keep telling me House Lannister won this war. But then, why do I feel so cold inside?'', which I find it more fitting for this purpose. )

Wriothesley doesn't know his biological parents, and can't remember them, thus forgetting a part of his past. He has gone through hell on Earth, endured abuse and humiliating conditions of living, and the biggest realization of his life came when he understood that he had to murder his adoptive parents himself, as the law and authorities couldn't do anything to stop their crimes.

Despite all of his efforts to heal himself, there are the bad days; where he wakes up in cold sweat and has to pry the sheets that feel like an hanging noose from around his neck.

He dreamed, and sometimes still does, of the monster that was his adoptive mother screaming and begging him to stop as he drives the hunting knife in her chest, multiple times. How her nails dug long, by now healed scars in his arms. For some reason, he can't stop thinking about her last, incredulous words, ''you're hurting me.'' as if she never believed that retribution would come, one day, in the form of her oldest livestock specimen turning against her.

How his adoptive father simply crumpled to the floor as the livestock inched closer to him, step after step, no mercy in his eyes as the man in front of him turned from a cruel abuser to a whimpering mess of a man urinating on himself and begging Wriothesley to spare him. How he asked him why?, as if he didn't knew his crimes.

It's their disbelief and incredulity that left the biggest impact on Wriothesley. Both abusers turned into confused, terrified people begging him to stop and asking him why he was doing this to them- the human mind is truly something amazing, sometimes.

He still dreams about none of his siblings stopping to wave back at him, afraid of this blood-covered demon bleeding from the scratches on his arms and with ice cold, empty eyes staring at them. He knows that he had frightened them- but, some days, it weights on him.

There are bad days, when he'll be brought tea from the kitchen, a thoughtful gentleness from Wolsei- and he'd stir sugar and cream in with a silver spoon, a part of him afraid that it would reveal a poisoned drink under his touch. In the worst days, no matter if the silver doesn't darken and crack, signaling no poison in his tea, he'd pour it down the drain and, instead, choose to make up for his unseen slight by inviting the Fortress cook for an handmade brewed cup of tea, complete with snacks and tea cakes. Wolsei feels blessed, Wriothesley feels less guilty- and all is well.

There are days that not even Sigewinne's improised therapy sessions can help him- but then, he compromises by smiling in front of one of her Desolation Shakes, as he names them, and downs one down without a protest. Despite the taste, it does work and gives him a boost of energy for the day. He's also able to down a Mysterious Meal made by her without batting a lash, as long as she caters to him a bit and puts some roasted potatoes into it. He'll clean the box without a protest then.

Wriothesley hasn't won in life. The price he paid for later ''successes'' in life was not a cheap one by any means, and he had to fight for every single thing of his. He had to fight to survive and access the position that he's in now- he is now considered royalty, a title appointed to him by Neuvillette, who knows of these struggles, and that makes him feel better about it.

Sometimes, he still think that he has to fight- but he learned that this is just a thing about life: to fight is to feel alive.

[wwriothesley]

I wish i had words for how fucking handsome and soft this man is but the most rational thing for me to do is BITE him. Not sorry-

[wwriothesley]

At heart, Wriothesley is a realist: he knows that he hasn't healed fully. He has merely learned to make peace with many things in his life, and thus has developed a better mentality.

Realistically, he knows that he had committed manslaughter at the time, and served his sentence for it- however, he knows that what he did and saw would have permanent, long-lasting consequences on his psyche, atoned for it or not. This is simply how trauma works, and the more someone denies having been affected, the more they hinder their recovery process. Logically, someone who's plagued by traumas cannot work as an administrator- so he learned new coping mechanisms and to deal with things knowing that there's very little he can do if he doesn't, at the very least, come to terms with several things.

He didn't had a choice, and didn't wanted to hinder the Fortress's administration by ending up having his mental health issues worsening, if left alone.

Wriothesley has learned to know that, while the law is strong, it's not an absolute thing. There will always be people like his adoptive parents, who go against the law fully knowing that what they're doing is wrong, and would protect themselves with any methods to avoid facing justice.

The law is not omniscient- and it being omniscient wouldn't be a good thing. Those who operate the law are only human- if given the power of absolute justice, they'd end up abusing it, as it's in human behavior to become greedy upon being offered to operate ''for the greater good''. Plus, even the law somehow can be corrupted- it's never a linear thing. Again, the people who operate around the law are only human, and humans can be tempted with their greatest desires. Wriothesley doesn't pity nor excessively blames them for human nature at it's finest. 

If there's someone at fault, these are the one who corrupt to keep the law silent- yet, it's never black and white as it could seem. A person could become evil after being corrupted by their gains- or they could be acting out of desperation. An human being has so many shades to it that it'd be impossible to truly read into the motivations of what they do without knowing them fully.

The only evil people he knew were his adoptive parents. I headcanon that they were from a very wealthy, upper class family at the moment where they started their ''business'', and could have done very well without the money- yet, they always craved more. That, and they loved the popularity that came with it- and to take their small frustrations out of their ''livestock'', aka much smaller people incapable to react and hurt them back.

Wriothesley didn't killed them for self-defense- Wriothesley killed his adoptive parents because he realized that they were rotten to the core, with no chance of ever being redeemed.

He has, by a long time, came to terms with this course of events, and made peace with the only solution he could have thought of, at his age and with his experience of the time, was execution.

I like to imagine him laying down on a makeshift chair that Sigewinne put on for him, and trying to make sense of what goes in his head by talking about it. Basically, a free therapy session for him- and a good learning-human-behavior session for Sigewinne too.

He got roped into it because she wanted to learn- but, apparently, vocalizing what he thinks helps him too. It's good for him to talk and place things together, and I believe that it continues to this day.

[wwriothesley]

@resolutepath: “What kind of plan is that?” (I'm handing you my kaeya) ( meme source. )

      “ seems to be the only one we got, ” is his effortless retort, a knowing smirk on his place. 

      smug and a bit bold to be arguing with a man who's in a position of command- but it's the same thing he could tell Kaeya. ad Wriothesley said, it's the only plan they have.

      though, to his credit- he might need a bit more of time to come up with a convincing and efficient one. it still doesn't stop the other man from playfully jabbing at him.

      “ i thought we were confronting plans and deciding which the best one was- if mine is the only one, as silly as it may sound to you, we'll have to act on that. ”

[wwriothesley]

@resolutepath: “Just so we’re clear, I know you’re lying.” (sigewinne) ( meme source. )

      ah, of course. is that a grimace of shame on the Duke's face, that his dear Sigewinne has grown to know so much with her human studies? the other half of him is proud of her consistency and learning skill-

     -the other half, is... well.

      the other half has just been busted in a big fat lie.

      “ i'll have you know that i spent all night coming up with that, ” he retorts, almost peeved. his arms cross. “ and i thought it was a very complex one. ”

      if there's one day where Wriothesley can act like an huffy brat, it's when Sigewinne acts like the adult. he doesn't make the rules.

[wwriothesley]

@daybreakrising: “Things can be replaced and homes rebuilt, people can’t.” (vautrin after wrio puts himself at risk again-) ( meme source. )

      he's listening, of course he is; even when all he can make out is a glowing outline of Vautrin, Wriothesley is listening to something that makes sense. in fact- 

      in fact, he was a bit too reckless this time. as his boyfriend stitching back a gash on his leg isn't proof of this, his skin still tingles with the phantom feeling of dryed blood despite having been cleaned. there's no need to defend himself- if he didn't happened to pass by and hear the frightened melusines calling him for help, things would have ended badly for the poor group, and a first aid was administered as a treasure hunter's knife got a bit too friendly with him.

      thank god these crooks didn't had any idea of where to strike- Wriothesley's sudden appearence sent the bullies into a panic, adrenaline-filled frenzy doing nothing against precise hits. if they were experts with a much cooler head, the knife would have sliced the femoral artery and left him to bleed out in the grass.

      “ i can't promise it won't happen again, ” he keeps it real, doesn't sugarcoat or tells lies and promises that both would know to be empty. “ however- i can be more careful... and stronger. if i dispatch the threat, it can't threaten me- right? ”

[wwriothesley]

@predvestnik: “Ah, I should’ve seen this coming.” From Neuvi, who's spilled his tea. ( meme source. )

      “ hmm? ” his tone is full of curiosity- however, his face changes into realization once he's able to smell an increase of the aroma of freshly brewed tea, now free of the teapot he was sitting in. 

      it's immediately noticeable how the event doesn't catch him off guard: all that's on his face is sympathy for Neuvillette's misstep. “ ah, yeah━ it's a pain when it happens. it's fine, love, ” a steady hand chases the toppled down teapot to fix it, saving the tea at the bottom.

      “ it used to happen to me a lot of times when i was adapting to stuff. one particular bad day it happened to me six times in a row... when i had just finished all my paperwork, ” he confesses, disappearing under the desk for a moment. a drawer can be hear sliding open and closing, and Wriothesley emerges back holding a thick roll of white paper and donning a victorious smirk.

      “ ━this is why now i invest in hyper absorbent paper towels. ha! ”

[wwriothesley]

I can open up about things that I couldn't previously open up on due to the fact that, yes, I am getting over plenty of things in an healthy way, I'm going to speak a factual truth:

As someone who has a complex trauma over ghosting and shipping both, no, your partner completely losing interest in the ship you two have and going from talking about them 24/7 to almost never mentioning them again isn't normal. And not fair towards you, if there isn't a visible explanation for it.

You're allowed to be upset about it. You're allowed to want an explanation for closure. Worse, you may have noticed that the ship is only mentioned quickly, like the other person is ripping a bandaid that was necessary to peel off, only when you're visibly upset by the changing of situation, and are trying to pull away and finding something else to do, to ship, or engage with.

This is called breadcrumbing. If I have to explain it, it's the technique of wanting to keep you around, so sometimes you're given a very small handful of serotonin-filled shipping thoughts directly from the palm of their hands. If you pay attention, it always comes when the other person can feel you pulling away from them and growing disinterested. It's an actual thing some do, to not let the other person go fully, keeping them around with this in case of need.

Here's the thing: you deserve to be communicated with, if there's an issue. You are entiled to some form of communication with your partner, and your partner is entiled to some form of communication with you. Failing to provide communication will result in your partnership with this person withering away. It's this simple.

Remember that if there's a temporary lack of interest/energy, if there's a problem, if there's conflict, you owe your partner communication. You can't skitter out of it, and the more you try to, the more it'll hurt your partnership with them. Remember that a lack of communication can be a complete friendship killer, and act consequentially.