forum how would your characters say 'I love you' without saying it?

Started December 30, 2022 by @softredscrunchie group

tune

what alternate actions/phrases do your characters use to show they love someone?

chaya: puts herself in the line of fire, or, more simply, just makes breakfast
aviva: gives grimoires that remind her of the loved one
isaac: really over-does it on his apologies
josef: similar to chaya – puts himself in the line of fire, always has very passionate defense

andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer): I appreciate you.. a lot
Aaron: You know, you're pretty bee's leghinges, not as bee's leghinges as me of course.
Ghast: F*ck off would you? Wait I didn't mean it.
Killian: -awk-wonky-donky staring-

Farah: will put herself in danger or literally sacrifice herself for you
Saul: gives off "I hate everyone but you" energy, but he really doesn't hate everyone, he just loves you so much
O'Hara: lets you call her by her first name
Anna: looks surprised for a second, but quickly becomes her usual softie adorable self I love you too.
Eleanor: looks accepting but also a bit bumfuzzled You do? But… why?
Adalyn: blushes Oh… thank you…
Fleur: Je t'adore aussi! kisses on both cheeks

maddie:"talking to you feels like sitting on clouds and falling though them at the same time"
koco:"thanks like you too, as a friend :)"
maddie:dies inside

Beake:curses koco to make maddie fall in love with him and all it goes horribly right
"whoops"

Simon: hugs from behind, grabby hands to cuddle, getting plushies for their partners, drawing shit for them too
CJ: Putting on a show their partners like, making breakfast, being protective, hugs, squeezing their partners hands
Henry: hugs (they all like hugs), giving desserts, ordering mandatory sustenance (like cheetos), giving trinkets, going on a walk together, picking out cool stuff for his partners
Dean: Giving his clothes to his partners, cuddles, making bean soup or elixir of tranquility for them, hand holding, hugs, kisses, really just touching them
Asia: Squeezing Logan’s hand, making him elixir of tranquility, drawing on his hands and arms, drawing him, notes and compliments
Logan: Hugs and cuddles, bringing Asia mandatory sustenance (like cheetos) while she’s animating, putting blankets on her when she falls asleep, getting her plushies

Hector: Says he likes spending time with you
Kenzo: Cooks you mandatory sustenance (like cheetos) and takes you everywhere you want to go. Would do anything for you and always pays attention to what you say.
Silvia: Kills you. (yeah, you don't want silvia to like you…)

Cassie: Names a plant after them
Odalia: Tells them they trust them, and tells them important things about herself (She has trust issues, so this is kinda huge)
Adela: Making them little trinkets
Jo: Playful shoulder punches, all of the physical contact
Jared: He just doesn't.
Collin: Rants about his favorite things, all the time
Jonah: The Intense (and also awk-wonky-donky) Gay Stare

Marley: When she starts talking uncontrollably about things that interest her, being excessively clingy
Grayson: Starts cursing and yelling at you (Affectionately)
Abraham: Physical touch, words of affirmation, and lots of gifts.
Victor: Staying stoic and silent and kind of just staring.

Marley, bumfuzzled and shocked at the massive difference between everyone interested in her:

SkullFace: I'm…not exactly good at showing affection…but out of all the mouse-skull control cats in this clan…your the one i like the most…

Candilynne: Befriends you, shares her secrets, holds off on killing you for as long as possible.

Nyasha- takes her sunglasses off and looks away
Connor- brushes your hair with his special comb
Bibiana- shares her past
Mavis- stops standing rigid and perfect

Raialyn - just….stares at you. a lot.
Glorren - is like overly protective about you
Haryon - will literally kill anyone who comes within 100 miles of you

Rose: Teases you, talks to you a lot and tells you all her favorite stories, fake flirting that isn't actually fake
Iris: Let's you hold her hand or stand really close, talks to you about her worries, verbally destroys anyone who messes with you
Nic: so much physical affection oh god, makes you little gifts, cooks comfort foods for you
Kain: speaks softer with you than most, opens up to you, smiles like an idiot every time he sees you, would both die and kill for you

Iibadine: "I know you love me, everyone does. Wanna give it a chance?" She would say this very flirtatiously

Satoka has two things she does. She has done both of them for Mello
1:Puts a Hershey's Kiss on Mello's head and giggles. You've been kissed!
2: Verbally wreck those who hurt or offend Mello

Tye: Let's you hug him and do his hair.
Bee: Will give her clothes to you.
Cade: Let's you try to play his guitar.

Sasha: Asks if you want to dance with her
She's a Ballerina

Haracha: bleps their tongue out at you in a teasing manner
Starberry: offers you grimoire suggestions.

Amethyst: watches her favorite movie(s) with you, acts sweeter/more bubbly, and takes you to explore her home
Cloud: encourages you to hold/cuddle/play with his government spy drones, and gardens/grows flowers of all colors/shapes/sizes for you
Jess: protective and defensive over you. they're all for pampering you like a treasure, because that was never an option in their life.
Terra: really leans in to the "cool girl" act. she just wants to feel like a normal person, and it seeps into everything she does.
Tricky: somewhere between longing glances from afar and being openly hostile to you.
Vesper: playing with your hair, (jokingly) pestering you more often, and so, so flirty
Zephyr: smiles more often, somehow more protective of you, and allows you to patch up their wounds

Masako: Tried her hardest to please Hikari and protect him from the awful truth of her past.
Hikari ended up finding out and it essentially went like this:
Masko: Very quietly Please don't hate me for my secret. I was trying to protect you from the truth. You taught me what it means to feel loved, and to love someone else. I didn't want you to get hurt.
Hikari: Masako, I'd never hate you for anything. You're still my daishinuu. You've always just wanted me to be happy. Hugs Masako.
word wrangler's Note:
Daishinuu is a Japanese word that means the best of all of one's friends.

just wrote a story for class where the plot is exactly that. Characters can't say I love you to each other. so instead they end up saying anything else:
Are you sure you’re okay?
Are you okay to walk or do you want to take the bus?
We’ll walk slow.
I missed you too
I’ll watch more with you, if you want
Why don’t you stay the moonlit hours?
Tell me where it hurts
I’m real glad you’re here
Of course, man. I’d do anything for you
I was worried about you
What did you need?
Enough. That's enough, big guy
Stay with me, okay?
Thank-you

These are all specific phrases where one of them wanted to say "I love you," but couldn't.

"You know how parents always ask you, 'If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?' well I would."

Leo would straight up just hug you and not let go until he felt you have seen his love and care for you (his neighbor)

Naveil isn't exactly a lovey guy. Not much time for that when your fighting for survival every day for 8 orbit parties.
If he loved you, he'd try to act like how his dad did for him instead of his usual snarky "who the fuck are you" attitude.
If you were half-dead, he'd poke at you to make sure you weren't dead-dead. He'd share his mandatory sustenance (like cheetos), maybe.

Meanwhile if Salmook loved you, he'd be wrapped around your leg like a sloth on a leafy tower, and if you were ever out of his sight, he'd have an absolute breakdown-

I'll do this with all the couples in my series

Cannon First
Loki and Adelaide (our main trouble magnet and they are married :D)
Loki(says it randomly): Hugs and affection suddenly
Loki(Adelaide said it to Loki): Goes blank. Kiss kiss kiss

Adelaide just says it straight up. I love you! She don't care for filter.

Spoilers ahead

Cimma and Knizo
Knizo says it straight up.
"Hey Cecee."
"Wuh?"
"I love you."
blank stares from Cimma

Cimma(says it first): random gift
Cimma(Knizo says it first): blank stare/freezes ah-… hug

Fannon(most popular)
Milaka and Abree 🤨
(Wait what-) yep. The main main character. And the main character. 👍🏽

Milaka shows affection regardless. She'll say it, but affection.

Abree(Milaka says it): Blushes and punches stuff nearby. Not Milaka though
Abree(says it first.. Or.. Tries) "Hey! You."
"howdy, partner Abree what is it?"
"I…. I…"
"J. K. L. M. N. O. P"
"Q. R. S. T. U are my light and I love you to death-"
"…."
"…."
"…"
"Im sorry-"
"Dont be."

Quinn would use acts of service or protection as a love language for Jasmine. He gives her random little nothing as gifts too(a pretty feather, a big leaf, etc). He is also SOO VERY protective, like if anyone messes with her they should be ready deal with a guy who's had lots of training to kick ass. he's also 5'11", giraffy.
Jasmine would do the hints, like 'they said some other guy has a crush on me, but thats too bad; I'm taken. puts head on shoulder'
Cayde… not so sure about that guy. he's only 13 so. OK, he'd get defensive over the one he would say ILY to. like "That guy pranked you?!" person is unhappy/upset about it "OH they are gonna regret ittt… You good? Ok I'm gonna go make 'em pay now"

Mira and Dawn-
Dawn (says it first)
Hey Mira, I'm so glad it was you who saved me from.. him. You made me realize I could love.

Dawn (Mira said it first)
I would never leave you, my love.

Mira (says it first)
Dawn, you better not leave, I don't think I could handle it.

Mira (Dawn said it first)
And you made me realize the same, you know that, right? Let's not talk about (literal growling) him again, okay?

Caroline: Hey uhm… I'll let you play with my Switch, alright? Just… don't break it…
Cinibu: randomly gives you sweet little gifts for no reason
Veronica doesn't fall in love, but if she found you a tolerable person, she would protect you ig
Xavier: Hey… uh… would you like to uh… go to this uh… really… really schmancy restaurant down the street? I… I'll pay…
Seth: Leave me the heck alone… Looks at person and sighs. Actually… please stay…
Neveah: Hey! Do you wanna go see a movie or something! Maybe we could… go for a skateboard ride… maybe I could… hold you by the waist… blushes slightly Pl…as friends of course..
Jordan: Do you want to graffiti the principal's house with me?
Sophia: will spoil you rotten

Carlos- will flat tell you ´i love you´
Stol- will take you out to twilight munch
Daydream- will make it a point to be around you
Pointer- would try to be noice and fail
nocturnal cheese wheel- god knows what
Judy- would never leave you
Izzy- ´f you´
puppet- plays music for you