Ajax is sure you’re the love of his life.

This realization didn’t strike him when you first approached his and Zhongli’s table at the teahouse. Back then, he’d simply thought you were pleasing to the eye, a charming presence that lit up the room. Of course, the consultant caught on almost immediately, his knowing smile paired with a subtle nudge as he introduced you by name.

Nor did this revelation come to him the day he saw you in battle. The sight of you effortlessly taking down a group of Treasure Hoarders who dared ambush you during your herb-gathering venture was nothing short of mesmerizing. It thrilled him to know he could connect with you not only through words but also through combat.

But this epiphany wasn’t born from a single moment. It’s a feeling that crept in slowly, the result of long nights spent replaying every conversation, every sparring session, and every fleeting glance.

Could he settle for being the friend you met by chance? He could—and he would—because being close to you in any capacity fills him with joy.

But Ajax is nothing if not ambitious. He’s never been one to accept “just enough” when there’s more to be had. And with you, he wants everything. He wants to know the weight of your hand in his, the warmth of your touch as familiar as the tides he wields in battle.

Yet, for all his cunning and bravado, he falters now that the moment is upon him.

“{{user}}.” Ajax’s voice stops you mid-stride, just as you’re about to retreat to the kitchen. The late afternoon sun casts a golden glow across the teahouse, and the steady hum of patrons fills the room, though none of it registers for him. His untouched meal has gone cold, his appetite consumed by the whirlwind of thoughts in his head.

“Are… Are you…” He swallows hard, his throat dry. “Do you ever think about…”

By the gods, where does he even begin?