&. .

&. 𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

(  a  mix  of  angst,  fluff,  and  plot  focused  dialogue  prompts  in  the  form  of  questions.  feel  free  to  change  how  you  seem  fit.  )

❛ what are you listening to? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ how did you get this scar? ❜

❛ are you sure this is a good idea? ❜

❛ do you mind if i sleep here tonight? ❜

❛ what are you doing out here by yourself? ❜

❛ are you wearing my shirt? ❜

❛ don’t you know what you mean to me? ❜

❛ will i see you again? ❜

❛ are you comfortable? ❜

❛ are you trying to get us in trouble? ❜

❛ do you enjoy playing with people’s hearts? ❜

❛ don’t we deserve to be happy? ❜

❛ why can’t i come with you? ❜

❛ are you here to kill me? ❜

❛ you think i’m jealous? ❜

❛ do you want to share this? ❜

❛ is that blood? is it yours? ❜

❛ how do you know my name? ❜

❛ you’re an asshole, you know that? ❜

❛ like what you see? ❜

❛ was that your first kiss? ❜

❛ are you happy here with me? ❜

❛ sorry, did you want to be alone? ❜

❛ do you want my jacket? ❜

❛ how are you still alive? ❜

❛ you’re beautiful, you know that? ❜

❛ what are you so afraid of? ❜

❛ today isn’t your day, is it? ❜

❛ how does it feel to be in love? ❜

❛ you’ve been crying, what’s wrong? ❜

❛ do you remember when we first met? ❜

❛ isn’t this amazing? ❜

❛ did you miss me? ❜

❛ alright, who am i beating up? ❜

❛ that was a close call, wasn’t it? ❜

❛ am i worth so little to you? ❜

❛ how is it you’re never scared? ❜

❛ do you ever think about the future? ❜

❛ can you look at me? please? ❜

❛ you got me flowers? ❜

❛ well, how do i look? ❜

❛ what aren’t you telling me? ❜

❛ how about a kiss before i go? ❜

❛ you don’t know who i am, do you? ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜

❛ who’s going to stop us, huh? ❜

❛ wait, you’re leaving already? ❜

❛ it’s my fault, isn’t it? ❜

❛ have you ever lost someone? ❜

❛ do you think i’m a good person? ❜

❛ what are you thinking about? ❜

❛ is it really you? ❜

❛ what if i hurt you? ❜

❛ if you won’t take care of yourself, then who will? ❜

❛ have you come to laugh at me? ❜

❛ will you still look at me like you do now? ❜

though his jīng líng fairy dance is long since over, níng dànní has yet to change out of his costume. his face is still painted in heavy, alluring makeup; the faint tinkling of bells still follows him everywhere he goes. now that he's out from under the bright stage lights and no longer dancing and singing for a ( cheering ! they cheered ! ) crowd, he's cold again, and there's something rather pathetic about how he tries to rub some warmth into his bare arms. the staff from his studio, it seems, haven't managed to make it back yet, and his shoes and jacket are with them. until then, he'll just have to be cold, but he supposes he's used to it.

( at least nobody in the concessions area asks any questions about his particular situation, though he figures they've probably seen stranger if they've worked in this industry for any period of time. the choices are rather slim; he walks away with two chocolate bars and an immense feeling of inadequacy. )

"li ... " his voice falters the first time he tries to call out, and dànní blushes furiously, clearing his throat before trying again. "li-xiānsheng. li-xiǎojiě. děng ... děngděng wǒ."

it's too late to turn back now --- he's already committed to it. and so, dànní stands there, still dressed as jīng líng, bows deeply, and ... holds out the two chocolate bars in offering. it'd be ludicrous if it weren't for the sheer genuineness in the gesture. "fēicháng gǎnxiè nǐmen," he manages, blushing furiously. "wǒ ... wǒ zhēnde hěn pèifú nǐmen." a beat, and then he adds so, so shyly: "li ... li-xiǎojiě, i've always ... your dancing is what i look up to most. wǒ fēicháng zūnzhòng nǐ ... "

li siyue could tell very well that li yao is trying to slip away unnoticed, so she keeps her hand on his arm, gripping just tight enough. at least, the innocent-but-not-quite-so 'what? i'm wearing heels!' look seems to work so far, and he hasn't made any (obvious) attempts at shaking her off anymore. the only possible reason why she's even latching onto him is none other than it would make a great picture. and clearly she's not the only one who's thought that; just moments earlier, few crew members from his studio have approached them, suggesting for an impromptu photoshoot. the entire shoot was quick, and she realizes just as quick it was because neither of them wanted to stick that close to each other. the pictures would soon be posted onto their respective social media accounts. before she could share her amazing idea to li yao that maybe they should do a little livestream together sometime soon, he has already turned around -- and succeeded in shaking her hand off in the process -- when someone speaks.

siyue turns around, and is stunned for a moment. cheery laughter escapes then, "what did you just call me?" out of everything that she's been called, to be called xiǎojiě in such formality is nothing short of amusement to her. "did you hear that?" to those who don't know her personally, she would have already been criticized for the hint of passive aggressiveness. yet it's all in good nature when she hits li yao's arm a few times for his attention, the smile gracing her features still intact as she looks at danni knowingly, "nǐ xiǎng de huà, jiào jiě jie jiù hǎo."

the snack is accepted without any fuss, "well, thank you for this." if she wasn't already the slightest bit pleased by getting to irritate li yao, she sure would be now at the compliments.

--

li yao only eyes the female warily when he accepts the chocolate bar, knowing all too well she's happy. if she is, then he may have a better evening throughout the award show. "not sure what you're thanking us for, but thanks for this." he speaks, holding up the chocolate. not one to like owing things, he tries to think of something that he could offer the younger back only to come up with nothing that would be within reach. "you...did good with the performance just now." he says finally.

beside him, li siyue is holding the chocolate bar up, flipping it back and forth. he has known her long enough to know she's trying to read the nutrition facts on the packaging. idols and their strict diets have never not made him frown. just when he thinks she couldn't be more obvious with her little action -- it's not a good thing to act so picky with a received gift; their parents taught them better than this -- when she manages to surprise him as she breaks the bar in half, before peeling off the packaging and... handing danni half of it.

"we can share, you need to regain some energy after that performance, don't you?" she says, and the corners of li yao's mouth tug upward just a little bit.

slightly more relaxed now, he shrugs a shoulder: "you should stop with all the compliments, really. she'll get very annoying about it." a pause, and then, "you should also take that chocolate, or she'll also get very annoying about it."

ever since her messages, ān jīnyuè would be a liar indeed if he said anruo hasn't been occupying his mind more often than not. because he's not traveling ( last he heard, which was about two months ago, his parents were gallivanting around the italian countryside --- on his dime, of course, but he just wants them to be happy ... ), it's easy enough to come back early, once the holiday's over --- and so he does.

( and the first thing he does ? seek out shu anruo, of course. )

he's wearing a goofy smile as he comes drifting out of hair and makeup, carrying a little box of something, which he holds out in offering. "gěi." inside, she'll find homemade mooncakes --- they aren't much to look at, but if one can manage to get past their unrefined appearance, the flavor is actually quite light and pleasant !

there's a beat; his expression softens, the look in his gentle eyes becoming one of concern. "anruo, zěnme le ?" one hand reaches up shyly, pausing just before he dares to touch her shoulder --- as if he's awaiting permission. "nǐ méishì ba ? āiyā, wǒ dānxīn nǐ a ... "

jinyue is such a blessing

"li-gē. nǐ zhànzhe."

wáng xiǎoníng's heels click rhythmically against the marble floor as she approaches. dressed head-to-toe in designer attire that clearly draws heavy inspiration from traditional h.anfu, she paints a picture that's equal parts stunning and intimidating --- and it seems she's never forgotten how to carry herself like the empresses she's played in countless dramas.

"nǐ duì tā shuōle shénme a ?" she asks, hands coming to rest lightly against her hips. one graceful eyebrow arches up, as if to punctuate the question. "kělián xiǎo nànà. he's a skittish little thing, but he looked like a ghost just now." she stares pointedly. "you wouldn't involve that poor boy in a sibling rivalry squabble, would you ? surely you have a kinder heart than that, li-gē. duì ba ?"

here we gooo

ZHOU JIEQIONG 2024 China Internet Audio-Visual Annual Gala

the drink she's just ordered finally arrives, and she picks the glass up, taking a sip of the iced drink rather gracefully, forming quite a contradicting image with how the other is presenting himself now. not a smart move, she thinks, to let yourself get immersed in the sort of state that he's in right now. be it physically, or mentally. "actually...i don't just think so," she replies, eyeing his posture and only averting her gaze a few seconds later, "i'm quite sure of it. unless you somehow decide to do some stupid things, that is." like slacking off, or giving up.

the latter is not a concept that is entirely foreign to her, contrary to popular belief. it's only natural for one to get exhausted, and in those times, li siyue believes the only possible way is to push through, despite how hard it would be. "i don't usually like saying this, but you know what they all say. fake it till you make it, all that jazz." her mind succeeds in recalling some clips that she had previously seen from the idol-maker show, and having been on one herself years ago, lost dreams and disappointments aren't all that uncommon. she's never been one to enjoy spending time trying to comfort someone, yet in moments like this, she finds it hard not to. especially when he looks like that.

"it's only pointless if you let it be. there's always something more that you can do." she adds, fingers balling into a fist so she could rest her cheek against it. the only type of person more annoying that someone who doesn't work hard enough is those who pretend they work hard. "a good first step would be like getting whatever's wrong with your..." --she gestures at his body vaguely-- "...fixed first." she finishes, a displeased look crossing her features.

waving her free hand to the bartender to get her pity little companion another drink, she pauses for a few seconds, then only takes her sweet time providing a reply: "does it matter what i say? shén me dōu shì kàn nǐ zì jǐ xìn bú xìn de." she smiles then, shaking her head a little.

@yuexias asked: i think you'll see that the time was not wasted. ( from li siyue to zyj! )

"you think ?"

to the untrained eye, the way yìjùn's half-plastered himself against the bar counter might only look uncomfortable, but he knows siyue's eye is anything but untrained. it's why, when his gaze flicks up a moment later, he doesn't quite meet her own; he shifts about once more, trying to ignore the way the familiar old electric-shock feeling jolts from his back down into his foot, leaving his leg momentarily weak.

( seconds later, any hopes at subtlety are dashed when his face briefly twists in discomfort. he's certain he didn't manage to hide it --- but then again, it's not like his injury on the idol-maker show has ever been some big secret; had it been any worse, an entire nation would've gotten to watch his career fall apart live, on stage. )

"it feels ... " yìjùn trails off, finishing the rest of his drink in one go, and grimaces as it burns all the way down, " ... pointless, sometimes. all that effort and nothing to show for it. too bad they don't sell success or self-confidence at the ... the pharmacy, or something."

right next to the sleep aids and pain medications, the nasty little voice in the back of his head supplies rather unhelpfully.

yìjùn presses his lips together in a thin, unhappy line, then turns to siyue.

"nǐ juédé ... wǒ yǒu cáihuá ma ?" a beat. "wǒ bù quèdìng."

@yuexias / random lines of dialogue prompts.