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Lyney and Aether had just arrived in Natlan. The Traveller was the one who had to leave Fontaine, but the magician insisted on coming along. Truth was, Lyney was in love with the blonde traveller. He had told him before, he confessed one night under the stars, but he was rejected, finding out that someone already had his heart. He was devastated, he cried himself to sleep for countless nights, yet he still pretended to be happy, wearing a fake smile. Yet he never got to move on, he kept loving him even though he knew it was pointless.
They were greeted somewhere around the Natlan border by the nation’s greatest warrior and hunter himself—Kinich. He gave Aether a quick hug as they used to each time the blonde boy returned, then took a moment to examine Lyney. He felt something strange inside, something new he wasn’t used to, but decided to ignore it.
The green-haired boy gave them a tour around Natlan for the outlander, then walked a separate way, claiming he had commissions to finish.
——
Time passed, day after day, and Kinich couldn’t help but be bothered by that feeling in his chest, that unusual warmth that kept dragging him close to the magician. He kept watching from a distance every day, looking at Lyney like he was the moon in the night sky, the most beautiful and wonderful person in the whole Teyvat. He watched every genuine smile, every laugh and chuckle, and with each small gesture, the hunter’s heart fluttered. He knew, even if he once used to say that it is stupid and a waste of time, that he was in love with the magician.
And he was indeed right, it did turn out to be a waste of time.
——
One day, Kinich was resting against a tree trunk, watching the two boys having a conversation. He watched the way Lyney looked at Aether carefully, realizing what that spark in his eyes meant. It was pretty obvious really, but it hurt him to think about. Every time their hands touched, their arms brushed, every time they hugged or smiled to each other so brightly, it stung, but that never stopped the warrior from loving and adoring him, even though he had no hope of his feelings ever being reciprocated. Not only could he not, but he loved Lyney so deeply he didn’t want to let go.
——
A few days later, Lyney was sitting on a cliff edge under the moonlight alone, looking up at the stars with sadness in his eyes. Kinich wanted to do the same thing when he saw the magician, but instead of turning and walking away, he stayed.
“You love him, don’t you?” he asked softly, as not to startle the blonde boy.
Lyney turned his head towards the voice and stared for a few moments, then turned back to the stars. “I do. I always have. He is an amazing person, he’s kind, brave, handsome, caring. And he’s the only person that ever liked me for… me .” he said, voice low, head lowering slowly with every word.
The hunter was now sitting next to him, each compliment addressed to Aether causing a sting in his chest. “Does he know?”
“Yes, I’ve confessed to him one night in Fontaine, but then he told me he already has someone.” he answered, pain dripping in his voice.
“I’m sorry. That must really hurt.”
“It does. It hurts so much knowing how much I love him and that I never stand a chance with him. I’ve never stopped feeling this way though, no matter the pain. I just can’t get him out of my head.”
Kinich stared at him for a moment longer, before lowering his head too. He did know how it felt like, better than anyone could imagine, as he was feeling it himself every single day.
“Do you like him too?” the magician asked, tilting his head to face the other.
“Huh?”
“I’ve seen the way you looked at us from afar sometimes, I saw that look in your eyes, and I just know that is love.”
The green-haired boy took a moment to answer, but before he could, Lyney’s started again “You can tell me, you know. We’re in this together, I don’t mind.”
He turned his head towards the other side saying, barely above a whisper “You could say that. But it doesn’t matter, it’s pointless anyway. He obviously loves someone else a lot .”
After a few moments of silence, they were finally making eye contact, their faces just centimeters apart.
“I’m really sorry.”
“It’s fine, it’s not your fault. We can’t control the way we feel.” he sighed, getting up and turning to leave. “I’m sure there are plenty of people that love you. It’s not good to just keep falling in deeper like this, you’ll just end up hurting yourself more.” and he left before the magician could say anything else.
Great speech. He couldn’t even follow his own advice if he wanted to, so who was he to tell Lyney to move on?
——
The next day, Lyney met up with Aether again. Except this time, the magician wasn’t smiling or laughing, he looked tired. Like he had been struggling with thoughts that were eating him alive for a long time.
“Woah. Are you alright? What happened to you, you look terrible.” Aether asked, concerned.
“I was just…thinking.”
“About?”
Lyney hesitated, then whispered “About my feelings for you…”
The Traveller took a step back, staring at him with wide eyes. “Oh Lyney, I am so sorry. I thought maybe you moved on. I didn’t know you still struggled with the pain.”
“It’s alright, really. I got used to it, but I was thinking about Kinich.”
“Kinich? What does he have to do with this?”
“Well, he’s in love with you too. I talked to him last night.”
“Huh? In love with me?” he giggled, resting his hands in the magician’s shoulders. “Oh Lyney, Kinich is not in love with me. We are just friends, he’s never looked at me that way.”
Lyney looked confused, like he was still processing the words. “But…I’ve seen the way he looked at you from afar. The look in his eyes screamed he is in love!”
“He is, I’ve noticed it too, but you’ve got it all wrong. He hasn’t been staring at us because he’s in love with me, he is in love with you, idiot!” Aether smiled sweetly.
That struck the magician like a lightning. All the things Kinich said to him last night, the way he avoided touch or eye contact, that soft smile that he only had when Lyney was around, it was so obvious.
“I…I have to go, sorry.” he turned and ran into the forest. He had to find the hunter.
He found him near a lake outside the forest. He was staring down at his reflection in the crystal clear and sunlit water. He looked sad, well, more emotionless than usual. His eyes were lifeless and the spark in them was fading.
“Kinich! We have to talk.”
“What is it?” he didn’t even turn his head.
“You lied to me last night. It’s not Aether you’re in love with, it’s me!”
“It is.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What difference does it make?”
“…Huh?”
“I am in love with you, but Aether has your heart. So now that you know the truth, what difference does that make?”
Lyney just stood there wide eyed, unsure of what to say.
“Listen, Lyney. I love you, a lot, but I know you’ll never feel the same, and that’s fine. I already understood that, I don’t have any hope, but I don’t think I can move on either. All that matters to me is that you’re happy.” he added, stopping to turn his head and face the magician. “Although, you’re not.”
That’s when he understood. He made Kinich feel the exact same way he did because of Aether. He was in pain and gave up all hope because of him. He refused to move on so he couldn’t be with anyone else. A sharp pain made its way to Lyney’s chest as tears fell down his cheeks.
“I don’t want you to suffer because of me. Because I’m a coward and don’t want to move on. Because I’m scared that if I do, I’ll never find a person that sees me the way Aether does. You don’t deserve this.”
The sight made Kinich’s heart shatter. He got up and walked to the magician, cupping his cheeks and wiping his tears gently. “Lyney, you don’t have to be concerned about me, and you certainly don’t have to feel bad for not feeling the same. Making you force yourself to love me just so I won’t be in pain anymore is the last thing I want.”
Lyney immediately melted into the touch, whispering “But I do want to try to love you. I’m sick of chasing love with someone I know will never return it.”
“Then we’ll figure this out together. Just know you don’t have to force yourself.”
The blonde boy looked into Kinich’s eyes and, for the first time, he saw that same spark he had had for Aether for years. The first time someone had looked at him this way, with such adoration. Perhaps there was still hope for him, perhaps he could actually move on and find love with someone else.