#{{ and don't even get me started on his father. his father crying??? kaeya feeling like he disappointed him?? }}

[frozenambiguity]

Literally the first song in that playlist:

I can hear the sound of a heartbeat before it goes out Won't ever leave my memory of bloodshed all around And I can see a tear on my father's face before it falls out Oh, my enemy, how could I have ever let you down? Oh When all these trees saw us grow Cut our teeth and make our bones right here We'd play with shields made of stone Share our dreams and sit our thrones Be still, 'cause I see smoke up ahead and I got steel in my hands We will return like warriors, I swear, that we'll find glory up ahead Tell me: Where is my home? I don't recognize the faces anymore, no Where is my friend? The one I've known since I was only just a kid

[kaeyacollection]

Who's ready for my Master Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss Crepus Theory!!

I originally posted this over at Hoyolab and people there seemed to really like my favorite joke theory that Crepus just tries to gaslight the whole of Mondstadt right after obtaining Kaeya

Majority of this will be the same but with little tweaks for the wonderful tumblr audience

This joke stems from Kaeya's introduction:

and the use of the word "rumored"

Cause it's not like it said beyond Teyvat or the seven nations just Mondstadt

And I mean like c'mon how many families are living off the grid in Mondstadt

(Actually... Don't answer that I forgot Glory's boyfriend is just

Out there in the bush with Razor...)

Initially I had the idea of Crepus walking around the markets one day carrying Kaeya with Diluc beside him running into Varka who asks:

"Who's the boy?"

"You mean my son?"

"Not Diluc the boy you're carrying"

"I have two sons? You know this??"

But then the Caribert quest came out mentioning Kaeya ran away from home near immediately and was dragged home by Crepus just as fast and it became even funnier

Cause imagine you're by the docks one day and richest man in town gets off the boat with no cargo but instead a tiny child you may not have seen before that Crepus seems to be very cross with at the moment and threatening to turn him into a leash kid if he runs off again

In a small town that loves gossip do you know how fast that information is spreading? Cause I do and Varka's knocking on Crepus's door 30 minutes later like:

"Is this what we're doing? We're just taking kids now?"

Both paths lead to Varka asking where Kaeya comes from and getting hit with a

"I think you're a bit too old to still be confused about the birds and the bees Varka"

Varka getting frustrated to the point he just starts demanding Kaeya tell him what's up

Love to see him following in his fathers footsteps of stressing Varka the fuck out

And upon hearing how his birth father left for juice and didn't return Varka went

"Good! That was ALL I needed to know!!"

Follow ups on if his father intended to abandon him or got lost in the storm and needed a search party?

Don't care!! You weren't kidnapped!!

Welcome to the knights! 🤝

Which bringing it back to it only being a rumor

In a town of alcoholics, who's gonna call out the one guy with the winery?

Here's some add ons that got sparked from the comment section 😘

Bonus panels would have included Varka showing up with Rosaria one day mimicking Crepus about "wHaT you ForGot I haD a Kid" sparking a trend within the community of just adopting random children to the point posters are made saying "In Barbatos name: See a child Take a child"

Alice seeing it and pulling a "when in rome" tucking both Albedo and Diluc(who is yelling he is an adult) under her arms and telling Klee if she ever sees someone in need of a mom let her know she'll send over the paperwork right away

And then the last bonus: Venti wakes up, walks in through the gate while playing a tune, and stops when he sees the poster, not sure if he needs to start yet another revolution, or if this one is fine actually

I imagine the posters had to be taken down because visitors were losing their kids left and right and the solution of parents pinning a note saying "not dead & still want custody" to their kids shirt didn't catch on but the saying still lives strong in the hearts of Mondstadt's citizens I mean look Bennett and his 27 dads Mondstadt may have a lot of orphans but the demand is even higher

Comment on original post:

"I have a headcanon where Kaeya fooled first Crepus, then the rest of Mondstadt but.this is too funny!! I want to see this happening!"

Which prompted one of my new favorite lines at the end:

"Wait by fool Crepus first do you mean like Crepus finding him out in the storm bringing him inside to ask him where he lives and Kaeya's just

"? I live here? You adopted me? Are you feeling okay?"

Cause I'm absolutely cry laughing over this that's so good but that also means when Kaeya runs away Crepus is just

"hey no no l'm not misplacing you a second time come home" "

[lilisgardensblog]

genshin men with a baby

context: you two agreed to babysit a baby together and this is how they act (almost all genshin men)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Diluc, Neuvillette, Tighnari, Al-haitam, Zhongli,Baizhu, Kazuha,Albedo

He will be very careful with the baby. Hide all the scissors and anything that could possibly hurt in some way the little human. Confused and trying his best. If the baby starts crying all of a sudden, would probably be scared a little, before realizing there's no time to lose himself, the baby needs him. He'd warm up some milk and feed the baby. Would struggle a bit at first, but eventually succeeds in changing the diapers. 10/10 the best fathers, literal green flag.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Kaeya, Cyno, Childe, Lyney,Itto,Venti, Kaveh

He'd be more relaxed. Treats the baby like his little brother (even tho the child isn't even his) and would freak out that he lost the child as the baby is asleep in his crib for a long time. If the baby starts crying, he'd tell him jokes (or lyney would show him a magic trick) and will succeed in making the baby laugh. Diapers? Would try and miserably fail so better you do it before the whole baby table becomes a mess.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Xiao and Scara

Probably the most confused when it comes to a baby. "Why is it so small? Did he make a sound in his sleep? Does he have nightmares like I do? Is he gonna cry? Should i bring him an extra blanket? How do I hold him? Can he walk? Can he talk? Is it gonna attack me? Would he still be here if I accidentally sleep? Nvm that I don't need sleep. What if I can't do it? What if-" he'd hit you with all these questions in the spam of a minute and you'd have to stop his train of thoughts before he panics and leaves you alone with a baby. You reassure him and show him the baby's toys and all the stuff he has. He'd be lost at first, but eventually gets the hang of it and actually cares dearly for the baby. Sad when you return him to his parents.

--------------------------------------------------------------

(if you have any requests feel free to ask, i'll gladly write it)

[dandelion-wings]

Kaeya dares glance back once at the door to the cellar, but Adelinde had closed it behind her. The front door is closed too, and Diluc is still too close to risk trying to run.

"Kaeya," Diluc says, and, unexpectedly, kneels down on one knee, just as the knight had. "I know it's difficult to trust me. But I have no desire to punish you for anything."

His face is all twisted up. He takes a deep breath like he's going to say more, then stops and stares with those fierce, burning eyes.

Maybe this is a trick, too. Maybe all of this has been a plot to get him to confess. If it is, though, he doesn't see the point. They could force it out of him just as easily. Which means Diluc has some other motive in mind.

"Why are you protecting me?" he asks. "What do you want?"

"I want you to be safe. That's all."

Kaeya blinks back tears of pure frustration. "Why?"

"Because I care about you." Kaeya's disbelief must show on his face, because Diluc's expression twists up even more. "Kaeya, I... made some bad decisions, some time ago, that damaged my memory. I don't recall well what must be recent for you, but I do know I wasn't best pleased at first to share Father. Is this difficult to believe because you remember me as unkind, or," his throat works, "do you have another reason?"

"I don't even *know* you!" Frustration and anger come spilling out, overriding all caution. Kaeya would rather they torture him than keep treating him like an ignorant child, easily tricked by fake kindness and false blessings. "I'm not your Kaeya! Stop *pretending*."

"No one here is pretending. I know you don't recall being here long, but for the people of the Dawn Winery-"

"I've never been here before. I've never met anyone here before. *I don't know you.*" Kaeya's eye is burning; he can feel a shameful dampness on his eyelashes. "I'm not stupid. If you want something, tell me. But don't make me keep acting like I'm your Kaeya when I'm not."

He hears his voice crack and hates it. Diluc is staring at him in utter bewilderment, the twisted expression replaced with blank shock. Kaeya scrubs hard at his eye. Bad enough to cry at all; worse yet to cry in front of an enemy.

"You're right," Diluc says after a moment. "You're not our Kaeya. He would never be so straightforward."

There's something odd in his tone, but the shock is fading from his expression. Kaeya dares to push just a little bit further.

"If you want your Kaeya back, you can let me go and tell the Knights I escaped. I'll find the Mage again. It already told me it would take me back. I'll make it switch us. You'll get him back, and I'll-" Kaeya's voice catches again and he swallows. "I'll be back with my father."

"Your father-" Diluc starts to say, his voice odd and rough.Then he cuts himself off, shakes his head, and rises to his feet. "Never mind. I suspect Lisa intended to track that Mage down herself. If we want to fix this, we should be there when she does."

Kaeya quails at the thought of that lone Mage facing two Vision-armed knights. Dead, it can never undo this. When Diluc holds out a premptory hand, he takes it.

"I'll make sure you're home when this is finished," Diluc says quietly, and Kaeya almost wants to trust him.

Stuck at the hospital with only my phone and rn the sickfic WIP isn't appealing, so why not start a new phone WIP? >> This concept originates from a longer idea @theabysscomeshome and I had once (wherein this episode feeds into a relationship shift), but rn I'm just focusing on baby Kaeya.

---

"This must be confusing for you," says the red-haired man crouching in front of Kaeya. It's the first sensible thing Kaeya has heard anyone say since he woke up under this terrible open sky.

He doesn't say that, of course. He only nods. Giving anything away to these people would be a bad idea.

It's a good thing, in a way, that he'd woken to see the woman standing behind him before anything else. Her, and the sky above her, and the symbol of the Ordo Favonius--their ancient enemies, the crusading scourge that followed the first disasters of the Cataclysm--emblazoned upon her armor. She had seemed to take both his scream and his frantic grab for the sword beside him in stride, though she had wrestled the weapon away. She'd claimed to *know* him.

Kaeya knows no Knight of Favonius, but as long as he goes along with her claim, she seems disinclined to kill him. So he can't do anything that will prove her wrong.

"I thought that he would be more comfortable here at the Dawn Winery," she's telling the red-haired man now. "He's been very shy, and I think being around so many armed knights is frightening for him."

"He was afraid of knights when he first came here," the man agrees. Which means he thinks he knows Kaeya, too. "We'll look after him until your alchemists come up with a solution."

"Thank you. I know he'll be happier with you."

Kaeya stiffens when she puts a hand on his shoulder, but all she does is squeeze. When he looks up, she's smiling at him.

"We will work tirelessly to repair this," she tells him. "For now, simply enjoy your time here at the Winery."

Then she turns and walks away, leaving Kaeya here in this softly-lit room with the man looming over him even crouched to his height. It's still better than being surrounded by Favonian knights.

"Has Jean explained the situation to you?" the man asks.

She'd told him that she knew him as an adult, that he was a captain under her, and that some Abyss Mage had ensorcelled him in a fight. She'd told him that he was her best friend. Kaeya doesn't believe any of it, of course. But *she* does.

His own best theory, right now, is that the Abyss Mage switched them somehow. Why, he doesn't know. How his name can match her friend's, and furthermore how he can look enough like the man she knows for her to believe it, he doesn't know either. But Mages are capricious; that one snatched him from where he slept at his father's side while he slept and substituted him for this Mondstadtian Kaeya seems more likely than becoming a Knight of Favonius. Or, worse, the *friend* of one of those butchers.

Kaeya just nods again.

"Then I won't try to pretend that I'm Father. Not that there would be any point in that. I am Diluc. I'm simply fifteen years older than I was when you arrived."

He seems to expect some kind of answer, so Kaeya nods a third time.

The man nods back. Then he stands, abruptly, to his full height. It takes all of Kaeya's efforts not to flinch. If the knight thought he would be happier here, then surely the person she thinks he is wouldn't.

Passing Kaeya, the man--Diluc--opens the door. "Let's go find Adelinde. She can get your room set up and feed you. I'm sure you're hungry."

That's the second sensible thing Kaeya has heard anyone say today, so he follows.

[the-ragbros-are-okay]

can i just say that i am EXTREMELY unwell especially after kaeya visited dawn winery

lisa knew EXACTLY what she was doing when she told kaeya that he was the perfect person for the job so props to her bc if i can't reach through the screen and start their reconciliation arc then damn am i glad to have lisa start it for me

kaeya saying "...But I haven't been back there in a long time. This could be quite difficult to accomplish in just a single trip" they are missing each other and yet they won't talk to each other :( they are dumb <3

ALSO lisa saying "...and you know how diluc thinks better than anyone." YES HE DOES!!!! YES LISA HE DOES!!! YOURE SO RIGHT FOR THIS!!!!!! even though she's trying to extort diluc she's starting their reconciliation arc <3

kaeya saying that he'll head out right away with nearly no hesitation is so. he misses diluc so much :((((( also he was glad to have the traveler going with him bc going by himself would be so nervewracking and and and

walking up to dawn winery and paimon asks kaeya a question but he's so lost in thought that he just doesn't hear her. hey what if i cried. because. the last he was there was probably That Night, at least it seems that way from how he's talking

also can we just appreciate diluc's face when he sees kaeya:

this isn't disdain, it's just general annoyance at him and they're brothers, your honor

kaeya immeditely commenting on how cold diluc was being and then proceeding to follow it up with "...almost enough to make me feel unwelcome here, master diluc" because the last time kaeya was here he WAS unwelcome, at least, diluc really made it seem that way. and, for a time, maybe he was unwelcome

kaeya certainly believes he's always been unwelcome, which is shown later in the scene (we'll get to that)

"Don't forget that this is my home, too. I'm fairly certain that taking a trip home during festival season is a universal custom, common to all the cultures of Teyvat." NOTICE THE PRESENT TENSE HERE. "this is my home, too" damn right kaeya, it is, and even if he just said that to get on diluc's nerves, it at least WAS his home. one that he's felt unwelcome in for four years

kaeya being like "bitch the knights r poor and youre literally the wealthiest person around" and diluc is like "okay so what smh" they are BROTHERS

"everyone's just doing the best they can for Mondstadt" for Mondstadt. kaeya saying that to diluc's face, basically telling him that he's doing this for the good of mondstadt, and defending the knights of favionius in the process??? yes king, slay

kaeya guilt tripping him has me ROLLING ON THE FLOOR

"Anyway, speaking of the knights, everyone dearly hopes that you'll rejoin our ranks again one day. Then we'll be one big, happy family again."

TALKING ABOTU BEING A FAMILY AGAIN. AND A HAPPY ONE AT THAT. kaeya's telling diluc that everyone misses him and wants him to come back and then not-so-subtly sneaking in the part about family... i am. crying. he also looks SO happy while saying that??? that's such a sweet smile :(

"give that silver tongue of yours a rest" diluc knows EXACTLY what kaeya's doing and i think if kaeya kept saying things like that, diluc would be more likely to cave in, and diluc doesn't want that bc he still has these walls around him. also diluc just knowing kaeya's doing that on purpose shows how much he still knows him

diluc giving the knights wine :))

also yes paimon stay sober <3 please

okay the interesting part here that the traveler and paimon mention:

klee talks about razor finding his mother, since she's thinking about her mother all the time and loves her so much, and she wants razor to feel that same love from a mother that she has

kaeya talks about razor growing up too fast, and that he's still looking for his father. that. that is self explanatory. plus with the way he's saying it directly to diluc, i--

anyway, onwards

THEN DILUC SAYING THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT KAEYA'S SAYING, I"M

"Always eager to help, and never forgets to return a favor. That's the Master Diluc I know."

this quote is interesting for multiple reasons. for one, it shows that when kaeya thinks of diluc, he sees the part of diluc that he knew when they were kids, which carries over to say that he doesn't think about That Night, and that he doesn't blame diluc for what happened then (which is only proven more by Hidden Strife)

DILUC ASKING THEM TO STAY FOR A MEAL AND KAEYA DECLINING BC HE DOESNT THINK HED BE WELCOME

ADELINDE COMING UP AND SAYING "NO STAY HERE" BECUASE DILUC WAS JUST GONNA GIVE UP ON TRYING TO SPEND TIME WITH KAEYA probably bc diluc thinks kaeya resents him for what happened and he doesn't want to push too far :(

kaeya. diluc himself invited you. they are so dumb <3

adelinde cares for him so much and him breaking out of his normally silver tongued ways and just saying "oh, uh..." bc he doesn't know how to respond to that!!!!! he's learning that he's welcome there and that they still care about him and that they want him to be there and to stay!!!!

DILUC AHAHHAAHH "What happened to your swagger? Lost for words?" diluc coming in with THE best line so far. that brotherly jab <333

kaeya immediatley being sheepish and looking kinda embarrassed at his own slip up and then diluc guilt tripping him back with "surely you wouldn't dream of disappointing adelinde?" as if kaeya was already having a hard time saying no to diluc hsjhsghskfd

they all had dinner together at the table just like they used to :)))) i am filled with SO much joy at this

also the fact that kaeya and diluc were bantering at the dinner table PLEASE my heart cant TAKE this

yes!!!! yes kaeya you can and should come back more in the future

you KNOW kaeya was giggling n shit when he left Dawn Winery like. yeah

[certified-thoma-simp]

Yes let the 10 year olds roam Liyue that's a good idea

Notes: So um. I tried writing something?? I really REALLY don't know what I'm doing but I'm trying to learn. Join me as I struggle

word count: 4150

Kaeya and Diluc visit Liyue as children and get very lost

KAELUC DNI

Crepus would be back soon. He said so.

That’s why Diluc wasn’t worried. His father had told him to be a good boy and wait there with Kaeya until Madame Ping could come and watch over them, and that’s exactly what Diluc planned to do.

Father would never lie to him. Even if the sights and smells were all new and overwhelming, he knew his father trusted him. That’s why he wasn’t worried.

The weather in Liyue Harbor was gorgeous, but that wasn’t enough to distract the young Ragnvindir’s from the seeping panic of being left alone. Everything felt different here, and Diluc didn’t like the change. He knew better than to complain, his upbringing wouldn’t allow such behavior, but change always made him anxious. He craved the familiarity of his home town, where everything was routine and made sense.

He missed Jean and her new baby sister, even if all Barbara did now was cry and make his ears hurt. He missed Adelaide too, though he was sure if she was here she’d lecture him about how this was a “new opportunity” and he should “try and embrace it”. Diluc even missed his father, though he had seen him just a minute ago and knew he’d be back soon. His father sometimes left him alone back at home too. It made Diluc a bit anxious but Crepus only when he felt Diluc could handle things.

That must mean his father believed he could handle things now, too.

That’s why he wasn’t worried.

Everything would be fine.

The surrounding people of the city conversed quickly, making the two boys feel infinitely smaller than they did in their hometown of Mondstadt. The rapid Liyuen chatter brought their eyes in every direction, as if just focusing hard enough would allow them to understand the foreign tongue. When that was ultimately unsuccessful, Diluc simply gave Kaeya’s hand a squeeze and took a step closer to the younger boy. Kaeya was right here with him.

That’s why he wasn’t worried.

Kaeya immediately reciprocated the action and moved to cling onto his brother's arm. Try as he might, he couldn’t mask the shakes that wracked through his body as he remembers the first time a father had left him. How many more times would he have to go through this? He felt a tear prick at his eye. It wasn’t fair. Now he’d brought Diluc into his messes too. Master Crepus never would have left if it was only Diluc with him.

Diluc noticed his brother shaking and willed himself to block out the new sensations that felt so overstimulating. Taking care of Kaeya was his priority. He had to be the best big brother, after all. Because if he started crying from all the new noises, who would be there for Kaeya?

The Knights of Favonius were never worried when they were protecting Mondstadt.

That’s why he couldn’t be worried.

“Shhh Kae, it’s okay, Father will be back soon, and Madame Ping will take really good care of us!” He promised, trying his best to sound confident like Crepus. His Father always seemed to know just what to say to make Kaeya feel all better. That just meant he had to be more like his father.

Kaeya sniffed and rubbed at his eye, willing himself not to cry; not here. He didn’t want to make things harder for Diluc, who was also shaking, if less visibly. A nod was all he could muster, but his attempts at a smile weren’t ignored. Diluc felt himself stand a bit taller. He was the best big brother, after all, and the best big brother would help out.

This confidence, as fake as it was, pushed Diluc to begin dragging Kaeya forward into Liyue harbor. “When you get lost, don’t move, wait for an adult” had been long forgotten, the desire to protect and show his younger brother around far more prominent.

What would Crepus do?

Crepus always knew what to do, so Diluc did his best impression of his father. Father would ask for directions in the charismatic way he always did. Nothing Diluc couldn’t handle.

Making his way over to the nearest shop, he puffed out his chest. Father would be proud of him for handling himself like an adult, he was sure. He was practically a grown up already. Maybe he’d even prove to be old enough to learn about those “taxes” all the adults keep talking about.

“Don’t you worry Kae, I’ve got you” he claimed, dragging the blue haired boy in tow. Taking care of Kaeya would be a piece of cake.

All confidence Diluc had dissipated almost immediately as he finally approached the nearby shop. The man seemed to be selling food; Diluc recognized a few of the items as things he had seen in Mondstadt. The white grainy stuff was new though. Was it like sand? He’d have to ask father later. For now he stood squarely in front of the stall and asked in his best adult voice,

“Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to my father?”

“Shen me?” His confidence faltered at the confused look the shopkeeper gave him.“Ni neng zai shuo yi bian ma?”

That definitely was not in Mondstadtian, Diluc concluded. Which made sense, now that he thought about it, and definitely made things harder. Maybe if he talked slower?

“Excuse me… I need… to find… my father… please…?”

“Dui bu qi xiao peng you, wo zi hui jiang li yue hua,” the man answered with an awkward smile, before returning to his work.

Diluc squeezed Kaeya’s hand as he felt the anxiety setting in. He definitely couldn’t do this, what was he thinking? He was going to let father down and disappoint everyone.

In a panic Diluc regained his grip on Kaeya and dragged him out of there to a nearby bench. He needed to recollect himself. For Kaeya’s sake.

Kaeya who hasn’t spoken a word since Crepus had walked away. That was another thing Diluc was beginning to worry about. He knew the boy was quiet when he was anxious but he had never been this silent.

Before he could check in with his brother, the little Ragnvindir’s were approached by an elderly woman of whom Diluc did not recognize. The stranger wore her graying hair in a low bun and smiled at the boys with kind eyes. It eased the boys' tensions a bit, but the two remained on high alert.

“Ni men mi lu le ma, xiao huo ban?” The woman asked, a warm smile on her face.

Diluc tried to remember his Liyuen lessons. His father, while teaching him the importance of diplomacy, had hired a tutor to come in and teach him the language of the neighboring city. Diluc had always excelled at his lessons, and yet here he was, face to face with a Liyuen woman and he couldn’t remember a thing he had learned.

“U-um, wo-wo m-ming zi si, uh, Di Lu ke, um,” the redhead stuttered, trying to form a coherent sentence. His father would be disappointed in his inability to speak fluently, he was sure, and that thought served only to sour his mood further.

The older women chucked a bit. “A, ni men bu jiang li yue hua,” she says, bending down a bit to meet his eyes. “That’s quite alright, my child. I speak your native tongue.”

Diluc felt relief over taking him, before becoming embarrassed at how he’d surely butchered the language and accent. He’d have to remember to ask father for more lessons.

At least Kaeya wasn’t laughing at him, though he had the suspicion he had considered it.

“I’m sorry, I’m looking for my father, could you please help me find him?” He asked, almost successful in keeping the shake out of his voice. The woman reached out to pat him on the head, which he flinched away from before leaning in to. Headpats were how father told him he did a good job.

“Of course, young one. That’s why I’m here, after all. Master Crepus sent for me to take care of you until he was done with his meetings.” The old woman said, her smile warm and comforting. “I’m Madame Ping.”

Diluc jolted back. “You’re Madame Ping?”

“That’s right, my dear. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, young ones.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Diluc affirmed, turning back to Kaeya. “See Kae-Kae? I told you everything was gonna be alright!”

Kaeya flushed a bit at the nickname. He still wasn’t fully used to Diluc and his energy but his kindness was hard not to get attached to. He managed a nod, words still caught in his throat. Maybe one day he’d be good at talking, like Diluc was.

“Alright then children, you’ll be in my care until Master Crepus returns.” Madame Ping said, taking both of their hands. “How does a tour sound? I’d love to tell you all about our history.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Crepus hasn’t planned for this. He knew he had a meeting to discuss business regarding the winery with some Liyuen business owners, but having a run-in with the fatui was definitely not in the schedule. Nothing he couldn’t handle, of course, but it definitely threw a wrench into things. He wouldn’t have brought his sons had he known this would happen. It was a good thing the both of them were plenty capable.

“Are either of you going to tell me why you insisted on meeting me while I was trying to have a pleasant outing with my sons?” He inquired, a faux businessman's smile gracing his face.

“So sorry for the intrusion, but believe me when I say this encounter will be worth your time,” one of the fatui agents answered with a smirk. Crepus did not falter.

“As wonderful whatever business offer you have in mind surely is, I really must decline,” he said curtly, already rising to leave. “My boys are waiting for me.”

A fatui agent blocks his exit, directing him to turn his attention back to the speaker.

“With all due respect, Master Crepus,” they say, pulling something out of their coat pocket, “I believe we may have something of interest to you.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Mondstadt didn’t have flowers like this.

Wind Wheeled Asters and Cecilias, sure, but nothing like the Qingxin and silk flowers that you found here.

Madame Ping had started their tour off by taking the two boys to Wanmin for some lunch. It was a difficult process, considering only one of the members of their little group could actually read the menu, but they managed to pull through and successfully order.

Diluc promises to try things. Father taught him to always try to be open minded, so he wanted to try his best, even if some of the things made his mouth feel funny. Madame Ping had described the funny feeling as “spicy,” saying she would try and get something with fewer seasonings so he would be more familiar with it. He doesn’t know what this means but he nods along anyway.

The meal goes better than expected, considering neither of the two recognize any of what they’re eating. It’s relaxing enough to get Kaeya talking again, which lifted a bit of stress from Diluc’s mind. ended up tugging on his sleeve to ask him to order more of the spicy stuff Madame Ping had earlier. Of course he complied, anything to make Kaeya more comfortable. He was the best big brother, after all.

Madame Ping ended up ordering him a simple chicken dish, which came with the white grainy stuff (that he learned was called “rice” and was pretty good) and a funny green thing Madame Ping called “Asparagus” (which he promptly handed off to Kaeya, who devoured it immediately).

It was then that Diluc noticed for the first time how happy Kaeya looked when he’s eating. Kaeya didn’t eat the same way he did when he first came to the Dawn Winery, there was a calmness to him now, a small smile creeping on his face.

Diluc remembered the first night father had brought Kaeya home. He didn’t remember exactly what Adelaide had made, but the way Kaeya’s eyes widened as he shoveled down spoonfuls of food stayed vivid in his memory. He decided then and there that he would never let Kaeya feel that hungry again.

Nothing less should be expected from a future Knight of Favonius.

After their meal Madame Ping took the boys shopping down by the waterfront. She had suggested they buy a gift for Master Crepus, which fueled the boys with excitement while also reminding them how much they missed him.

The world always felt a bit dimmer when father wasn’t there with him. Sometimes it felt too hard to be brave when Diluc couldn’t hold his hand.

It was a good thing Father would be around for a long time, Diluc wasn’t sure what he would do without him.

Looking for a present proved to be harder than either boy had imagined. Everything they saw was so new and absorbing, they ended up being unable to choose with the overwhelming variety of options, leaving them feeling disparaged. Their dad didn’t expect a gift from them, of course, but they had locked on to the idea and felt leaving empty handed would be a failure of the outing.

“Hm… why don’t we go to my favorite flower patch?” Madame Ping had asked. “I’m sure you’ll like it, little ones. I can teach you how to make a present for your father there.”

Which led them to the flower field they were currently sitting in. Madame Ping had described it as her favorite place, singing its praise as they walked over to their destination. She told stories of how she had made flower crowns to show her affections back in her youth, and promised to teach the boys should they choose to join her.

Diluc fumbled through his flower crown. He wasn’t the best at it but his progress thus far wasn’t insignificant. Kaeya’s flower crown lay upon his head, providing even more motivation to the young boy. Kaeya had seemed quite proud of himself when he managed to complete his crown, shyly gifting it to Diluc who was over the moon to receive a gift from his new brother. If only Diluc were having the same luck with his own flower crown.

Kaeya had noticed his struggling (it would’ve been difficult not to) and took the opportunity to cuddle next to his brother and offer his assistance. His fingers were smaller, a bit more nimble than Dilucs. It helped him to weave the delicate stems with ease while successfully breaking Dilucs heart once more.

No one's fingers should be that thin.

Everything about Kaeya was thin, from his fingers to the way his cheeks were hollow. Not nearly as much as they were before Kaeya had come to live with them, of course, but compared to Diluc’s round face and slightly stocky figure, the difference was even more noticeable. He wondered if Kaeya saw it too.

“You have to be more gentle, ‘luc,” Kaeya explained, bringing Diluc out of his spiraling train of thought. He questioned what his brother was talking about before noticing the flowers he had crumpled in his hands.

Oh.

Had he really been that distracted?

“Oops, thanks Kae-Kae,” Diluc said with an awkward laugh, embarrassed. He knew better to get lost in his thoughts like that.

“Here, um, watch me,” Kaeya offered, putting his hands over Dilucs. “You don’t need to pull very hard. Like this, see?”

With Kaeya’s hands guiding his own, the whole process felt much more natural. Kaeya seemed confident for once, mumbling instructions as he helped bring the flower crown to life.

“I think you’re going to make father very proud,” Diluc complimented. Kaeya only hummed in response, but due to their close proximity he could feel his brother's cheeks warm. He giggled as Kaeya turned away, hiding his face.

He really did have the cutest little brother.

“Oh, a Glaze Lily flower crown, excellent choice,” Madame Ping commented. Diluc felt Kaeya freeze in his arms. “That will make a fine gift for Master Crepus. Did you know singing helps them flourish?”

“We can sing! Right Kae?” Diluc said. “We do it in the church choir all the time! Would that help?”

“I believe it will. Why don’t you two give it a try?”

Kaeya nuzzled into him, squeezing his hand. Diluc wasn’t the best at social cues, he knew, but that was a pretty clear “no” to him. “Hm, maybe not then.”

“That's quite alright,” Madame Ping reassured. “Whatever makes you most comfortable, my child.”

Diluc smiled back, before hesitating. “Father will be back soon, right?”

“Of course, little one. I’d presume he’s on his way now.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

“…what exactly did you say this was?”

“We call them Delusions,” the Fatui agent said with a smirk Crepus could hear. “They’ll grant you the power of a vision, despite not being a holder”

The “Delusion” was held out in front of him, its power overwhelmingly enticing.

Crepus turned his head.

“I have no need for such items. Perhaps you have the wrong man, I’m merely a winery owner,” he said, coming out a bit more tight than anticipated. Crepus could swear he heard an agent snicker.

“Ah, perhaps we do,” the agent purred. “You’re free to leave, Master Crepus.”

Crepus forces a smile, professional as always, before turning to leave. He’d been away from his children far too long and didn’t want to think of how worried they must be.

“Ah, Master Crepus, before you go,” the agent interrupted, cutting him off before he could leave. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you said you had sons, did you not?”

…

Goddamnit.

“You would be correct,” he said, turning to face the fatui for what he hoped would be the last time that day.

The fatui stepped closer, holding the delusion in front of him. Crepus looked away.

“Would you not want strength for your sons? So they can protect themselves?”

“I’ll have you know both of my boys are perfectly capable of protecting themselves,” Crepus countered, tone level. He wouldn’t give in to temptation.

The fatui agent laughed and Crepus felt his teeth clench. “Hm, perhaps. But our strength alone does not compare to those who have visions. Not having one could close doors of opportunity. We wouldn’t want that for children with potential like theirs, would we?” They dangled the delusion in front of him once more and he could not help but to look. “Master Crepus?”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Today had been a long day.

Kaeya nuzzled into Diluc from where he was sitting on his lap, half asleep after having his hair played with. It caused Diluc to smile.

The world was a little easier to face with Kaeya by his side.

Focusing on his little brother made it easier to ignore the stress of being left by Crepus. Kaeya looked at him like he was a knight, a hero. Diluc never wanted that to change.

Even with that, it was impossible to ignore the now growing anxiety that began to fester in the back of his mind. Father had said he would be back soon, he said so, but now the sun was beginning to set and he still hadn’t returned; it was making Diluc nervous.

Madame Ping had moved the boys to wait in her teapot, having noticed how their heads began to droop. The day had been overexerting for the both of them, and she wasn’t one to push when it wasn’t necessary.

She had reassured them when they first entered that Crepus would come back, a clear confidence in her voice. The hope had been that reassurance would follow suit, but unfortunately the two were still riddled with worry.

She’d be sure to give Crepus a talking-to when he returned.

And he would be returning, even if she herself had to get involved.

But things didn’t appear to be quite that dire, so Madame Ping returned to planning out her lecture, shaking her head at the thought of Crepus. Oh how that man gave her trouble. She’d surely lecture him for that, too.

She’d pulled from her thoughts when her eyes landed on Diluc, who blinked himself awake at least 27 times in the past minute. Despite his clear exhaustion, he continues his battle with sleep, pushing it off at every turn. Always a fighter, that one. The intrinsic need to protect fueled from deep within him. He’d make a fine knight one day.

She held in her giggles for the sake of the young boy's pride as he once again snapped his head up from half sleep. There was a determination in his eyes, one that would be a bit more admirable if it were for a more Noble cause.

They heard the door open, causing the redhead to bolt up, accidentally pushing Kaeya off his lap and to the floor. The younger boy didn’t seem to mind, with how quickly he rebounded to face Crepus.

“Father!!! You’re home!!”

“M-master Crepus!”

Crepus sighed into a smile that didn’t meet his eyes. There were his boys; his strong willed, adorable, innocent boys. Oh, the lengths he’d go to keep them safe. “Hm, I take it you missed me?”

Diluc bounded over to him, throwing himself into a hug. “I missed you so much father! You said you’d be back soon but you were gone the whole entire day!!”

It was impossible to hold in a chuckle at the pouting on display by his oldest son. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, puffing his cheeks in mock irritation, almost able to control a bit of his excitement. Crepus hopes he never changes.

The difference in his sons was ever amusing, how one could have some much energy while the other seemed nervous to dip his toes out of the shadows. Even now, with visible relief and excitement in his eyes, his youngest son doesn’t make a move to get within arms length. He’d have to fix that.

“Oh, but it seems Kaeya didn’t miss me at all, how sad…”

Kaeya paled. “N-no! I did, I swear! Please don’t-”

Crepus let out a hearty laugh, shifting his grip on Diluc so he could wipe a tear from his eye. “Not to worry, Kaeya. I’m only teasing. Now come here and give your father a hug.”

Perhaps he was going to hell for teasing such a skittish child. Perhaps he didn’t care.

If Kaeya didn’t want to be teased, he shouldn’t make his reactions so adorable. It’s only fair, Crepus reasons to whoever from Celestia might happen to be listening.

Even with the invitation, Kaeya still hesitates to approach the rest of his family. Crepus won’t force him into the hug, which he hopes Kaeya knows, but he still can’t help but feel a pang of guilt at how obviously his son seems to still feel like an outsider. He wonders if this is a tribute to all the mistakes he’s made as a parent.

He’s sure he’s made millions. He doesn’t want to make more.

“Come here,” he offers an arm out to Kaeya, painfully slowly. “I need a hug from both of my sons after today.”

Crepus is sure his arm will cramp if kept in this position for a moment longer, but just as he begins to accept defeat, Kaeya takes his hand and pulls himself into the hug, squeezing as tight as Crepus imagines he can, that being, not very.

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed with love when holding his children like this. He’s pretty sure Kaeya’s started crying with the damp feeling on the left side of his chest, and if the buzzing feeling on the right is any indication, Diluc’s started talking about… something. He’s too muffled in the embrace for Crepus to make whatever it is out, he’ll have to ask again later.

He lets out a happy sigh once again. Yep, those are his boys. A chatterbox and a crybaby, and he couldn’t be happier.

“Well then, I think we ought to be going,” Crepus announces as he stands, a boy in each arm. Diluc erupted into giggles nearly loud enough to cover Kaeya’s squeak. “It’s awfully late for you two, isn’t it?”

“Nope! I’m still wide awake,” Diluc says between giggles.

“Not sleepy at all?” Crepus questions, mock astonishment in his tone. Diluc nods indignantly. “Alright, if you say so. I still need to get home to put Kaeya to bed, say goodbye and thank you to Madame Ping.”

They wave and head off, carriage surely already ready to record them home.

Madame Ping, in a moment of benevolence and mercy, decides the lecture can wait until next visit. For now, she’ll let him put his boys to bed.

[jade-parcels]

Hello!! I started following you recently and I have to say I ADORE your headcannons! I'm kinda addicted to reading them now I love the way you write the characters!

I hope you don't mind me asking something:

I recently read the ones about how the characters would react in an argument and I was wondering how they would react if Y/N didn't forgive them or ended up breaking up with them? :0

I'd love to see a headcannon about this, ofc you don't have to if you don't want to or if you're too busy! Tysm if you read this! :)

Not forgiving them after an argument/breaking up with them

Referencing these posts: 1 and 2

With: Xiao, Kaeya and Childe

I will do more parts for this if anyone wants them!! But writing everyone at once is a bit draining 😅

—————————

Xiao:

Xiao is extremely self deprecating so every time you two fight he expects you to break up with him

But when you actually do?? You can clearly see his heart break, he almost wheezes from the immediate pain in his chest. What is this feeling??? Why is it so intense??

He’ll respect your decision, he did snap at you pretty badly this time, he doesn’t blame you for wanting him to go away. He could never truly be mad at you…He’s angry at himself

Xiao will disappear from your sight only to reappear in front of one of the Geo Archon’s statues. He kneels in front of it and rests his forehead on the marble base

“Why am I this way…What do I do? How can I change?” Xiao won’t cry, he hasn’t cried in decades, but he still feels like shit “Why do I always end up alone…”

From now on he’ll avoid you like the plague, it’ll be impossible for you to even catch a glimpse of him unless you call out his name, which he doubts you’ll do since you’re so upset with him

Kaeya:

He’ll feel terrible…He’s doing his best here and to have you not forgive him feels pretty shitty

And now you’re breaking up with him too? The icing on the cake really

He doesn’t want to fight so he’ll purse his lips and pack up his stuff wordlessly

Kaeya’ll camp out in his office at the knight’s headquarters and drink until he passes out :/

All his life he’s been left behind. His father dumped him on Diluc’s doorstep, Crepus died, Diluc tried to kill him and kicked him out. Over after over he’s been kicked to the curb so part of him knew this would happen. It doesn’t matter if it’s his fault or not, he’s upset either way

He writes countless drunk letters to you that never make it to your doorstep, instead they’re thrown in the fire once he’s sober. He misses you terribly, he’s truly sorry too :( he loves and respects you so he’ll do his best to stay out of your way from now on

You’ll notice that he isn’t dating around the way he did before you and his jokes and laughs seem a bit more forced than they used to be…

Childe:

Extremely bitter if you don’t forgive him. It doesn’t matter that he just wandered around for hours while thinking about his actions, taking time to calm down- he’s now no longer calm about it

“What the hell do you mean? I was just kidding around earlier! C’mon, let’s talk this out like adults” he says that as he throws the adult equivalent of a tantrum :/

Ajax doesn’t have many friends, especially in his line of work. He pretty much just has you, his parents and siblings so he does noooot want to lose you

If you break up with him it’ll be even worse, he’ll sit on your doorstep all night long and even sleep there so when you have to leave in the morning for commissions, he can stop you so you can talk

He doesn’t ever give up but after some persuading from Zhongli and his superiors in the Fatui ranks, he’ll finally leave you be. But as a result of his heartbreak he’ll become even more ruthless on the battlefield.

You’ll hear all about how the 11th Fatui Harbinger wiped out a whole clan of treasure hoarders in the middle of the night without warning, photos of the blood covered soldier will be in the local newspapers and he’ll write to you to make sure you saw, that’s his way of trying to impress you

‘I’ve gotten stronger as a result of that terrible heartbreak you caused. I hope we’ll get to spar again soon so you can see me in action, love’ oh boy…