skyshard | (no subject)

[ Aether chuckles (ok, more like giggles) at her comments, but he appreciates her attempt and sincerity. ] I'm not really lonely because I have you. Still, I have to share you with them.

It's weird seeing them look at me without any recognition, but I hope eventually they can see me as a friend, too. Besides...

[ he shifts a bit uncomfortably, now. They can't avoid the topic forever. ] if they knew me from their timeline, I'm pretty sure there would be trouble.

[ he may laugh about it, but lumine knows her brother better than anyone else, hearing the underlying tone beneath that laughter. is that why he's clearly unenthused about childe, other than the fact that they both know what he's done and what he's capable of doing? if so, then that makes it easier for her, doesn't it? ]

We've always managed to get out of trouble together, you and I.

[ except the last one with the unknown god, sure. but all the events leading up to that moment had been sketchy, at best. ]

You'll always have me on your side whatever happens, even if they learn about us. [ even if she makes an enemy of the entire world. she won't hesitate to break off relationships if she has to for the sake of her twin brother. there's no one else she needs other than him. ] After all ... I could be that person, too ...

[ it does make him feel a little better, in all honesty. To know she understands and that even now she is willing to say that. It's frustrating for the both of them, what their twin has become in their timelines, and neither of them can offer the slightest but of comfort to themselves or their sibling about it. Aether shifts to bury his head against Lumine's chest, being the shorter one having perks here and there, and hugs onto her tightly. ] You're right. Things will work out as long as we have each other.

[ that Aether can be reassured in, and it's certainly a comforting thing to be able to hold onto. ]

So....Today, we should treat ourselves and get lunch while we're out, I think!

[ she rubs his back, tucking her temporarily-shorter brother under her chin, as she sighs softly.

lumine, for one, can only comfort aether with her touch. she doesn't think there's anything she can say to alleviate his worries or soothe his concerns about everyone's recollections, especially when she's the traveler in their memories. all she can do is reassure him that she will be there for him, that he will never be alone with her around. ]

Are you sure you're comfortable going out now? You'll be okay walking around as you are?

[ and in her dresses, too ... since she can't really offer him anything else. zhongli's clothes are too big for him, and so are the ones she's managed to get for herself. ]

I'll deal. I don't want to be away from you, anyway, so going is the better option rather than waiting around for you even if I was okay with you doing all this stuff on your own. [ Aether's feeling a little clingy and it's a lot easier to get away with that as a girl than a guy, so he might as well take advantage. ]

[ she blinks at his sudden desire to leave the house and then chuckles quietly. it's not like aether hasn't dealt with her clinginess in the past month, using him as a battery of sorts to ease the growing impatience within her. so this? is only fair for him. ]

Let's get your mop of a hair fixed first, then.

[ to be fair, lumine was the one who unraveled the braids she's managed to do earlier. but she grabs the brush again anyway and starts pulling his hair up into a ponytail. ]

We should probably get something for Zhongli, too. Can't have him starving to death while he's staying with us ...

Thanks, hee~.

[ Aether nods at the mention of Zhongli. ] And maybe some good tea if we get lucky.

[ oh yeah, tea. something that doesn't seem to last for too long in this household with zhongli around. lumine almost wonders if she should start getting huge jars of it so as to never run short on tea leaves ever. ]

I saw on the network that there's going to be a medicinal shop opening in the city, and they'll also be selling tea.

[ ... which she'll have to frequent often now, aside from the docks. she puts one end of the ribbon between her lips for a short moment, tying the other end around his hair. ]

We can drop by Master Diluc's tavern after, if you want.

Oh? Great, I hope they are flavors to his liking.

Sounds good! I can
— [ wait, no, he probably can't help much at the tavern if it's busy while in this form since he's still not entirely the most graceful thing to walk on two legs (he's a complete disaster in this body, beyond being cute.) ]

Erm... lunch is good there, and we can make sure the others are doing okay if they're hanging around or Master Diluc has seen them.

[ no, you can't, aether. she's not allowing it as much as she trusts diluc and his way of running his businesses, especially if it means getting near drunken patrons. he may be capable of handling himself, but she'd really rather not break any hands or punch any faces while they're out for lunch. ]

Mm, maybe they're unaffected unlike us ... [ she hums noncommittally, brushing his hair until she's satisfied. aether's always had nicer hair, even if it's constantly a bird's nest. ] Bundle up since it's cold outside. And don't wear my shoes while you're at it.

[ heels and aether probably won't mesh well with the snow, even with her twin's steady footing. ]

I'll wait for you downstairs, okay?

Okay! [ he'll go find a pair of his boots and just idk stuff then with extra socks so he can wear them around in the snow. Not that it's much new, everything he wears right now seems not quite his size, even Lumine clothes are big despot not being much shorter. Just less... curvy in places. Sigh.

He'll eventually come down the stairs looking a little bit like an Eskimo in big layers. Lumine's right, he probably needs clothes that fit him whether he thinks it's necessary or not. ] I'm ready.

[ ... for someone whose clothes don't fit him, aether sure was able to pile enough stuff on him. see, this is why she should've gotten him something that fits when she was trying on clothes that fit her new form. a part of her wants to insist that he stays at home but, well, that might not work well now. ]

... We really need to get you something more comfortable to wear. [ she sighs, wrapping a scarf around his neck before taking his hand. ] It doesn't have to be dresses.

[ and it doesn't have to be fancy, either. especially when aether's just planning to stay indoors for now. which works to her advantage anyway, keeping people from seeing her twin brother like this. ]

This is comfortable... Ish. But, okay, [ he sighs. Is it okay to be cute, he doesn't know. ~~pretend he doesn't have to deal with being "cute" as a boy as it is!~~ ] I mean ... I probably should accept I need something to fit or I'll never look taller.

[ it's okay to be cute but only slightly, because who knows what kind of flies aether will attract if he remains this way? hopefully, not the kind of flies his brother would be too mortified to deal with in his current form. on the one hand, she'd like for him to explore the trench with her, too; on the other hand ...

lumine sighs under her breath, finding this all troublesome. ]

Hopefully, it won't last too long and we'll be back to normal. [ taller aside, there are just some things that she misses as a girl. like not having to wear pants ... ] People seem to find it uncomfortable looking at me.

[ as if she's not having a crisis on her end already. ]

What? Why? You're really handsome now! Are you sure they're not just attracted to you and embarrassed?

[ Aether will beat them up, and get away with it because he's currently a cute girl. Perfect situation too exact justice for his sibling being uncomfortable. ]

[ oh, aether. you're always going to be cute, even as a guy ... but she's not going to say that out loud, not wanting her twin to have a complex even more about what he currently looks like. it's not fair, though, that he's cuter than she is when she was a girl ...

lumine hooks her arm around his, patting his hand gently. ] I'm pretty sure it's discomfort, Ae. I know that look.

[ like the look of someone who can't seem to put a finger on it and isn't sure how to go about with it. she knows. she's worn that expression in the past, too. ]

I guess they're just not that used to seeing me like this.

Well, you are much taller now. I guess since you kick ass when you are much shorter now they're all really nervous about their tooshies.

Still, I'm sure we'll get back to ourselves soon enough! [ he really goes anyways. This cute girl thing is just not good for him. He doesn't know how to make the most of it or enjoy it at all. ahhh.

Anyway, Aether will hug onto her tightly pushing a little of his weight against her affectionately and encouragingly. ] We can get new outfits together to celebrate when we do. How about it?

[ lumine laughs when he hugs her, carefully holding onto him so they don't stumble down the street. ]

Sure, why not? [ they're not traveling as much lately anyway, and white isn't something she'd advocate as a colour to wear in this city. not when the blood pollution waxes and wanes, and she finds her dress streaked or dotted with blood that's not hers. ]

I found a place where we can get nice clothes. I also want to see if they can do adjustments ...

[ since she does want something practical too. who knows if the thing with the sleeper farms and the incident with cursed sleepers and natives happen again. she doesn't want to be caught up tripping over her own skirt. ]