[seeing jin ling's expression crease is already more than enough to make sizhui feel guilty, but the remark following it really seals the deal. he opens his mouth, preparing some pinched, steely answer that dies on his tongue; it tastes bitter and unforgiving because jin ling's right, it isn't fair of him to do that.
he withdraws his arm, settles the elbow between them, lets the hand splay across his ribs right over his heart. still going a million miles a minute, but he focuses on it and rewords his thoughts into something more proper before speaking.]
You— you're important to me, too. [sizhui's admittance comes easier since jin ling's said it first, but what follows is a bit more difficult to say,] Whenever I'm around you, my heart... I can't control it.
Like there's a storm raging in my chest, is the only way I can explain how it feels.
[ he's about to speak more, but he goes entirely quiet as Sizhui speaks up, swallowing lightly the more words he hears. he also feels his face go up in flames, doesn't know what to do with this information suddenly thrown at him. information he's dreamed of hearing for a while and now— what?
he opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, hands coming up and halting mid-air, eyes wide. ]
[oh no, he's said too much, hasn't he? bit late for backpedaling, unfortunately, so sizhui just holds his breath instead, clenches his fingers tight around the fabric of his robes. had they gotten wires crossed? it really did seem like ‘important’ meant something in particular—
his own lips are pressed tight while he waits, patient as ever, attention still shyly turned away until jin ling's hands raise. he blinks, spares them a glance then reaches the hand off his chest and gently touches the arm nearest to him.]
I'm sorry if I've overstepped, but... it's the truth.
[ the wires are crossed but not in the way Sizhui thinks. he tries his best to not flounder, realizes his arms are suspended in the air, and Sizhui touches him and he... he brings his other hand up to lay it on top of Sizhui, completely unaware of what to do but just going with the flow and... and...
his cheeks are hot and he swallows down a lump in his throat and clears it once, twice, takes a breath. his heart is beating a mile a minute and won't stop, so that's easier said than done. when Sizhui speaks again he quickly shakes his head and averts his eyes. ]
You didn't— you haven't overstepped. You couldn't.
[as soon as jin ling's hand comes in contact, sizhui latches on, doing everything within his power to not let the gesture seem too desperate. he tries, at the very least, but taking jin ling's hand into his own, lacing their fingers together and pressing them palm-to-palm is a lot needier-seeming than he'd expected.
but he doesn't try fighting whenever jin ling shakes his head or looks away, just lets him do what he likes, still tentatively watching despite the possible rudeness of staring. he can't help it, there's a constant, lingering apprehension he'll mess something up by going too far.]
Are you sure? [because they're most certainly holding hands right now.]
no subject
he withdraws his arm, settles the elbow between them, lets the hand splay across his ribs right over his heart. still going a million miles a minute, but he focuses on it and rewords his thoughts into something more proper before speaking.]
You— you're important to me, too. [sizhui's admittance comes easier since jin ling's said it first, but what follows is a bit more difficult to say,] Whenever I'm around you, my heart... I can't control it.
Like there's a storm raging in my chest, is the only way I can explain how it feels.
no subject
he opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, hands coming up and halting mid-air, eyes wide. ]
You... you... you just—
no subject
his own lips are pressed tight while he waits, patient as ever, attention still shyly turned away until jin ling's hands raise. he blinks, spares them a glance then reaches the hand off his chest and gently touches the arm nearest to him.]
I'm sorry if I've overstepped, but... it's the truth.
no subject
his cheeks are hot and he swallows down a lump in his throat and clears it once, twice, takes a breath. his heart is beating a mile a minute and won't stop, so that's easier said than done. when Sizhui speaks again he quickly shakes his head and averts his eyes. ]
You didn't— you haven't overstepped. You couldn't.
no subject
but he doesn't try fighting whenever jin ling shakes his head or looks away, just lets him do what he likes, still tentatively watching despite the possible rudeness of staring. he can't help it, there's a constant, lingering apprehension he'll mess something up by going too far.]
Are you sure? [because they're most certainly holding hands right now.]