A Smile on His Face, A Trick Up His Sleeve

by TomatoIsFruit

Summary:

Lyney and Lynette wait for their younger sibling to arrive at one of their latest performances; Lyney reflects on his role as the oldest sibling.

Notes:

This is incredibly self indulgent, made in the midst of my Lyney obsession. I would be surprised if any of this follows canon since I'm going off of nothing but officially released content and my own theories, but it was fun nonetheless!

I use they/them for Freminet here bc they are enby in my heart.

Also, I roll with the theory that the siblings are from Arlecchino's orphanage and are essentially being raised to join the fatui (although that's only touched on slightly here). I have no idea how they'd refer to Arlecchino, but I figured an ironic "mother" could work aside using her harbinger title of the Knave.
Edit post 4.0:
Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected Arlecchino to be referred to as Father but it is truly the greatest option. We're in a very blessed timeline to have a gender nonconforming evil genshin woman she is everything to me

Lyney hummed, adjusting his hat in the mirror.

"Any word from Freminet?"

Lynette shook her head silently, stirring her tea.

He frowned slightly at his reflection. "Mm. We'll give them five more minutes."

"They haven't sent a letter."

He turned to his sister with a casual shrug.

"They probably forgot, or maybe the robot got stuck somewhere. You know Freminet, they never send letters with the post."

Lynette made a barely audible hum in response as she held her tea in front of her, her eyes glazed over as usual. He hated the far off look they held. The way they seemed lost in some distant past, as though they'd witnessed something too horrible to look away from - it unsettled him.

Of course, he would never blame his sister for it. There was a time, too, when he noticed the far off look in his own eyes...only for a moment, of course, before he understood that he couldn't let himself slip into the same dispair. (He was the oldest. It was his job to keep a smile on his face, a trick up his sleeve, if only to keep his siblings from giving up entirely...)

He had mourned the loss of life in his sister's eyes the moment that it left, so when their younger sibling had started to drift, too...

Lyney bit the inside of his cheek, fiddling with his cards as he glanced at the clock.

Freminet had always been the outlier- it was hard not to be, compared to twins- but they'd at least still had that childlike wonder once. Even if they weren't a natural performer like Lyney, or a strong fighter like Lynette, Freminet had passion.

Lyney rarely saw his sibling smile recently, and although they'd mentioned finding a particularly well funded research mission the last time they spoke...he still worried.

The clock ticked as he shuffled his cards again and again. Lynette set her teacup down with a clink.

Where were they?

Tick, tick.

Lyney sighed and set the cards down.

Freminet wasn't coming. And the show was scheduled to have started 10 minutes ago. 

Lynette looked at him blankly. "She won't be happy."

Lyney waved her off nonchalantly, though his heart seemed to stumble at the thought. His sister was right, of course- The Knave - Arlecchino - Mother - would definitely have choice words for him if he delayed the show any longer. Possibly a few choice actions, as well...

Pulling himself together, he grabbed his deck of cards and stuffed them into his hat. A muffled meow came from below the brim in protest.

"Oh, hush-" he mumbled playfully, sending Lynette one last smile before he stepped past the curtain and onto the stage.

Show time.