#{{ kaeya alberich. going to sleep. and not drinking away for the rest of the night; full of self-hatred. chefs kiss }}

[frozenambiguity]

There is a fond smile on his face. Perhaps a sentiment of hope has reawakened...? To be further explored. For now, the Cavalry Captain shall make his way to the city. To his own room, to be more precise, where he will be more than content to actually get some rest. He is... satisfied. Happy.

Today was a good day in the Ragnvindr household.

[genshin-scenarios]

Imagine Android AU TDH taking care of their overworked reader.. 🥺👉👈

Knowing their canon counterparts, this is especially 🥹🥹

Characters: Diluc, Childe, Kaeya, Zhongli, Ayato, Thoma

Diluc, who frowns as he sees you asleep at your desk again after insisting you'll 'be done soon'. He places a blanket over you, but after a while, picks you up to place you in bed (or at least on the couch) so that your back and neck wouldn't be sore.

It's against protocol, but Diluc does find himself taking care of your work (however much he can) for the rest of the night. He might play it off as you having actually finished your work (but you simply couldn't remember) - or, Diluc might just tell you he's done it already, so you could go back to sleep.

He tells himself that this isn't doting behavior. Just... prioritizing your wellbeing.

Childe has you call in sick (you are actually on the verge of working yourself into a fever, if you don't rest properly soon) and prepares a range of activities for you to do at home. All of which involve some form of lounging around; eating the nutritional and hearty meals he's cooked up, a TV marathon, and some two-player games that he knows will draw some laughs out of you.

He showers you with attention and gives you the time to unwind, feeling more like yourself again by the end of the way. Childe knows it's not your skill that's limiting you from finishing work, but rather the emotional exhaustion that comes with long-terms without breaks.

That's the smile he's looking for. Listening to his advice once in a while isn't so bad, right?

Kaeya brings you out on a date. Of course, it doesn't have to be solely romantic unless you'd like it to be - but the point of the outing is just to let loose and bring you around for some fun without needing to think too much.

A nice meal, a trip to the bookstore or arcade (depending on what you prefer), and of course, conversing with the ever-charming Kaeya Alberich is sure to boost your mood!

His suave plans become a little clumsy at times when certain things don't go as planned... but somehow, these fumbles earn Kaeya one of your most beautiful laughs, so he supposes he can shoulder the embarrassment just a few more times.

Zhongli's forms of care come in smaller doses. It's in the ways he checks up on you throughout the day and offers his assistance with tasks while you grab a drink and stretch your legs, to the way he asks about your day when you finally get home and collapse on the couch, eyes beginning to shut.

Sometimes, Zhongli even reads your documents to you when you can't keep your attention on the text any longer. The intention is there, but he fails to take into account how soothing his voice is - sometimes; you simply let the words wash over you and forget to comprehend their meaning. Though Zhongli is also happy to summaries said documents for you. It's also part of his job after all, much to your relief.

Ayato... is a rather convincing android.

When you protest against taking a day off, he's quick to semi-coerce you into considering otherwise by mentioning how you wouldn't want to come home just to see him dejected, would you? Who knows what he'd do if left alone for too long...

If it's any solace though, Ayato does bring you to a cat cafe. And afterwards, he leads you to a very interesting activity he's found around the city - painting by water-balloon!

It's the less-violent way of stress relief, compared to breaking glassware with a baseball bat. Dressed within the safety of a suit, you pelt your frustrations away by launching paint-filled balloons at a wall covered with white cloth. Ayato is in a matching suit and offers to stand in front of said wall so that you could make a human-impression on your art piece.

Thoma spends a day cooking and baking with you! It's themed after a certain movie or flavor profile that you enjoy, complete with a self-care routine of face masks, manicures, and a scalp massage.

It's essentially a spa day brought to your home. As a result of Thoma's careful planning, you do feel a lot more relaxed and pampered by the time night comes around. You've convinced him to let you stick some of the stickers on his face (to match with your own) as you took some silly pictures together.

While Thoma couldn't really use the same products as you, you enjoyed surfing random things on the internet with him, such as doing palm readings or personality quizzes.

"And... this line means that we're compatible!"

"Really? Then in that case - this one says you're very cute."

[ccaptain]

''Kaeya Alberich'' and his Experience in becoming a ''being'':

Now that we have thrown the bases for what a ''being'' essentially is, how it works and the hierarchy of the Fictionologist, we can talk about ''Kaeya''. Or better: we can talk about what happened before he took the identity upon himself.

He was a bright child with a different name and different looks than what he's known for now, with nothing but Gallagher and Siobhan in his life after the former came to take him away from his crumbling homeplanet and took him to the reverie, where he grew taken care of and prepared as a future Emanator.

There was a fruitful journey ahead of him trying to save humanity from a past mistake that the people of his homeplanet made. It seemed to him like a big adventure at his age. After all the preparations, I want to say that he felt ready and excited, without the jitters of fear poisoning the experience.

I really want to say that. But he was indeed a bit afraid, because it started small. Small, sudden, and a much advanced age that he predicted it would happen- so he was fully developed into his own person, when the process began. It's always more difficult when it starts at this point, when an individual has already manifested with his own personality.

Slowly, very slowly- he realized that situations that would have drawn an emotional response out of him- a startled cry of fear at a particulary horrific scene in an horror movie, a long coming-from-the-belly laugh due to his dad's antics, bursting into tears for something emotional- slowly stopped doing that. It happened so gradually, with the startled cries reduced to a jolt, with the full laughs that he had into a polite chuckle, with the sobbing simply a watering of the eyes that could be easily subdued with a small distraction.

He attributed this to a shift of interests as he was growing, starting to use logic to justify things changing with him having no power to stop them. He tried to watch increasingly horrifically horror movies, to chase funnier things to make himself laugh, and to cause himself anger- but the response was always lacking. He understood what that meant- but it wasn't, by no means, less scary to see it finally happening.

He started to lose appetite and thirst as time went on. He no longer needed food to survive, and it didn't mattered if he really ate or drank healthy or unhealthy things- he has tried to drink motor oil, to draw a reaction out of his body, and didn't left any significant effects on him except for a slight queasiness that passes fast. Three days without sleeping at night didn't affected him in the slightest, either. when he tried to go on for a week, the result was much the same. He kept experimenting with how long he could go without any sort of rest, and found out that it no longer mattered- he could have ceased sleeping all together, and still would have kept going.

Who was before ''Kaeya'' started experimenting with what his limits were, and found himself unstoppable. There was no pain in physical harm- no blood was shed from a gash or cut. He developed an amazing capacity at physical recovery, the grey materia floating around the wounded area before starting to reattach and reform it in place, with the worst wounds having to be cured by the water of the Misty Sea. He didn't knew how to react to this change- only that it was what he was supposed to happen. But, until now, it was all things that were supposed to happen, mild things he could handle.

Then, the real deterioration started. And he had no way to stop it.

In situations where he would have once known what to say, words started to slip between his fingers as he was about to say them. He found himself stopping mid-sentence increasingly often, distracted on either an object or another line of thoughts, unable to pick the previous one back up.

He was no longer able to recognize social cues given to him or shown around him unless all of his focus was on analyzing them out of people- and by doing that, he was forgetting himself and furthering the process of burning away. With time, simple sentences became mono-syllabic responses with no emotions in them. And after some more time, he only knew how to be silent and stare, deeply engrossed in analyzing behaviors he no longer recognized as his own, avid to learn those back.

Time also seemed to slow down for him- an entire night would pass and find him busying himself with any task he could do to keep his mind off things, feet constantly in movement, body consistently busy with something. Mostly reading- mostly fixing things. Mostly tidying things. Righting. Steadying. 

The exact things he could not do to himself. It was him coping with events in his life. It still is, to this day.

He had started to forget what his biological parents looked or sounded like. But that mattered little, for Gallagher as his father and mentor was all that he knew and all that he would need to know. This was the thing that worried him less- the memories of a terrifying event just before happiness came in the form of Gallagher and Siobhan and the reverie, and parties, and his mentor's creepy tricks being taught by him, and chocolate milkshakes until he was being scolded by her for drinking too many and getting a tummy ache.

He felt less and less human every year that passed.

Every month, a little less. Every week, less. Every day, even less. Instead of asking, which he no longer could do, for a comfort that he was no longer sure what it meant, he started to simply letting himself float in a mildly awed haze at how the process of becoming a non-human Emanator worked.

And when one day he rose from his bed, as he did every other morning after a sleepless night. He looked at his hands and thought that they were no longer his. This was not his body, not anymore. This was not him, and never would be again- as what that he remembered being ''him'' had left.

So it began the first stage of a ''being''.

While I make this sound fast-paced and linear, this change in who he was before ''Kaeya'' took place over many, many years- from his teenagerhood well into his adulthood in terms of human years, at the very least, and certaintly much earlier before he even considered becoming ''Kaeya'' at all- so ''it'' had no avatar to take as its identity, hindering the process of reacquiring the traits he had lost.

By now, he was simply a vague human-like shaped figure that existed, two burning, mismatched diamonds as eyes the only sign of who he was.

( one of ''it''s earliest memories is seeing Siobhan staring back at him, and falling to her knees a moment after, numb. It remembers hearing her ask what have we done to him, Gallagher? what have we done? and him quietly answering our job to her; not understanding why she sounded so sad and defeated.

This is one of the reasons that the present Kaeya avoids coming home too much. )

There's something so, so uncanny about him having lost the qualities that made ''it'' human. Many Fictionologists coming to see it thought so, too.

Despite ''it'' being assigned to the Fictionologist ''Gallagher'' ever since human, many others were curious about the newly-born ''being'' as usual. Unfortunately, the ''being'' was also curious about them as if any other ''being'' trying to relearn itself- it never brought harm to anyone, but how it moved and expressed itself were... uncontrollably creepy, and vastly different from other ''beings'' known until now, who would be still until approached and would limit themselves to staring back.

Even from afar, it would cover the distance between the curious and unfortunate soul trying to approach it by what was essentially bending reality to shift from place to place- not quite a teleport, but moving in an incredibly fast way and making the air where it stood move strangely around itself. It would stand uncomfortably close to the person, almost nose to nose, tilting its head in fast movements and angling it to avidly study their expression and reactions. Curious Fictionologists were being slowly circled around, studied by ''it'' when they wanted to be the one studying, and found it uncomfortable. ''It'' would crane its neck abnormally close to their face, admiring the changes and shifts in their expressions without a single sound- just two mismatched diamonds that felt like burns into their soul. Many human Fictionologists would walk away from the experience a bit shaken, despite having reported to sense no hostility coming from the ''being''- just a deep curiosity. But for the ones who usually studied, to be studied in return was a shock.

Despite the initial fear, it was still a ''being'' and had to learn, too. So it was allowed to stand in the shadows as long as it didn't interrupted anyone's work, admiring others at work with its head slighty tilted to the side. Admiring their reactions, their usual routines, their precision.

The ''humanswatching'' had begun.

It started with old movies, podcasts, television programs and series. It would curl on the couch and be left alone for hours to perouse various medias, one after the other. Never tired. Never stopping. One after another until it could get its hands on more. It rewinded movies endless times or played those from the middle until satisfied- until it could successfully mimick a behavior, or an emotion it liked, until it was ingrained in its brain how to reproduce it. It would parrot phrases and tones of voices for hours, if it wanted to.

( Siobhan would often sit beside it, bringing what used to be her sweet baby boy a bowl of chocolate ice cream, to get him used back to the taste. You're going to eat so much of this, when you get better at this whole ordeal.

Perhaps this is why it's still Kaeya's favorite dessert to eat. )

It was during a curious trip in the Memokeepers territory that he found a particular dreambubble. A dreambubble depicting what was known as Teyvat, a planet long by destroyed, and the lives of many people. Inside the bubble, there was a cobalt-haired individual that caught its attention. This is a story that has been explained already- how ''it'' became not Kaeya Alberich, but ''Kaeya Alberich''.

He roused from a light slumber in a body that felt comfortable, yet uncomfortable at the same time.

When he stammered to the bathroom mirror, thrown off by the sudden shift of height, a different yet familiar face was staring at him with the same, slighty surprised expression that he was sporting.

He looked at his hands, and had the thought of these hands are the hands of my good friend, Kaeya. I'd better keep them safe.

He watched the callouses over the palms of his new hands, the complex lines human anatomy drew in his new palms, digits that moved to his command- he rolled a long strand of blue hair around his fingers, marveling at the softness of it, and admired old scars that he knew the stories of. He tilted his head to admire the complex shell of his ear, the earring weighting his lobe down with a new, curious sensation. He ran a finger over the softness of his eyebrows, the slighty crooked line of his nose, the moles on what he could see of his new body- and then, he locked eyes with who was in the mirror.

An human stranger was returning his mismatched look of puzzlement among cobalt locks.

His shoulders sagged with relief.

When ''Kaeya'' exited his room and went back home to the reverie, he could speak like an human again. He had another voice and another appearence entirely, somehow that mattered so little but so much at the same time.

He looked at his father and mentor, hesitated in contemplation of what to say, and then turned towards Siobhan. He said ''I'm back, mom. I'm sorry I made you worry.''

( For once she didn't reminded him of not calling her mom. She just held him so hard she almost bruised the new skin he had. )

The aftermath is known. He was dressed fashionably by Siobhan, and sent to the journey he was so excited about as a kid, to pursue his goal.

Millennias would come to pass with ''Kaeya'' traveling among planets to learn anything he could- from human to animal behavior, from math to physics, from cooking to singing to playing an instrument, learning a sport, to fix things, to keep himself occupied when Mythos didn't signaled him the proximity of a memory to fog. He kept himself busy and always occupied, busy and always moving. He re-learned emotions. He has met with people, and came to understand many things regarding humanity. But not himself.

He is, now and until major forces strip this identity away from him, ''Kaeya Alberich'': an identity in which he's both comfortable and uncomfortable with in in a bittersweet way ad that he's familiar with- his old self has been burned away permanently, with a few problems along the way: the goal he chases is becoming empty, guided by the memories of a planet he once recalled fondly a distant, hazy dream-like thought at the back of his mind.

There's no fall back plan, no identity to come back to: becoming a ''being'' has burned who he was away forever. It's been such a long time he spent existing that he remembers nothing before the man called ''Gallagher'' took him as one of his strays, and grew him as his own son- and the adventures he underwent after acquiring his new identity. The Enigmata took everything away from him, and gave very little back but a new identity he had to discover- and powers he could have never imagined for himself.

''Kaeya'' had no choice but to take what was offered.

And even after he took what made him comfortable enough, if asked about his past, there'd be some hesitation and shame in admitting that... no, he remembers nearly nothing of it. Only the idea of his birth planet, but not his bio parents, not whatever struggle he may have had to face when the Great Catastrophe hit. All that he remembers is the present, and his journey as a ''being'' of the Enigmata.

While it may feel like something to dodge a conversation, Kaeya's expression would reveal no lie being told- nothing of the sort. Simply shame and confusion for missing memories. Worse: a ''being'' that remembers can become the worst enemy of itself. Was Kaeya to finally remember who he was in his entirety before the process of becoming a ''being'', he would simply cease to exist.

Such is the life under Mythus.

It's an... interesting topic for conversation. Perhaps in front of a campfire, with the right questions and amount of patience necessary to discuss it.

[viatrixia]

Darling Jean

pairing: jean x kaeya ft. minor jean x diluc words: 2, 767 genre: angst, break up, new moon, alcohol, childhood friends warning: implied smut note: cross posted on ao3

It’s only natural that Jean Gunnhildr and Kaeya Alberich gradually grew closer over the years as they work together to maintain peace in Monstadt while also being each other’s close confidants as they drink their nights away and reminisce over their childhood-friend-turned-estranged-acquaintance.

Yet there are times when said childhood-friend-turned-estranged-acquaintance shows up unannounced in front of Jean’s home at 3 in the morning.

And she’s never truly mastered the art of turning Diluc Ragnvindr away, even if she knows she would be forcing Kaeya Alberich to take one step back from this—whatever this is.

“Those aren’t what I think they are, are they?” A familiar smooth, velvet voice drums in the Acting Grandmaster’s ears as a kiss lands on her exposed shoulder.

The words on the report splayed across her lap is starting to look a lot like a jumbled mess of black ink and parallel lines.

“I couldn’t sleep so I thought I should review Eula’s report on the new Fatui camp they’d found set up in Brightcrown Mountains.” Jean says, not looking up from the 3rd page of the report detailing the 3 Fatui Agents and their activities for the past couple of days.

Somehow, the answer isn’t a satisfactory one to a certain Calvary Captain and he makes it known by wrapping a strong arm around her waist and rests his chin on the spot where he kissed her shoulder.

His hair tickles the side of the blonde woman’s face and she tilts her head away, unable to put more than a few centimeters between them for the hand on her hip threatens to pull her closer to him, into his taut, naked chest in a—what Jean dupes as—Kaeya Alberich bear hug.

That would distract her from finishing reading the report. And Archons know this man’s mere presence—his mere musky scent, is distracting enough as it is.

So Jean stays put. She doesn’t react nor show any sort of indication that this innocent side-hug, and chin-on-shoulder attempt to read the report in her hands, is making her heart palpitate in her chest.

“You promised you’d stop working.” Kaeya echoes the vow Jean made a few hours prior.

“I’m not working, I’m reading.” 

“...reading something related to your work.” 

“Just a little more, I’m almost done.” She tries to convince him but anyone who knows Jean Gunnhildr, the Acting Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, knows that ‘a little more’ in Jean’s books means she can go on for six hours more, perched at her Sandbearer desk and focus on her work without a single break in between.

Well, even if she’s not at her office and sitting on the gifted cushioned chair by the Grandmaster Varka upon Jean’s appointment as the Acting Grandmaster, Kaeya doesn’t doubt that she’ll have no trouble focusing in this dimly lit room with only a lantern on her nightstand, naked and covered only from her waist down with a creme comforter.

So he sinks his teeth in the aforementioned renounced workaholic’s pale shoulder.

“Ah, hey! What are you, a vampire?” Jean jolts away in surprise rather than pain, the paper she was holding just a second ago now fluttering in the air and settling amongst the rest of the report in Jean’s lap whilst her hand covers the tingling spot where Kaeya left his mark.

“I could be, if you want me to. I can be anything you want me to, darling Jean.” Kaeya chuckles, no ounce of remorse in his voice as he meets Jean’s widened, disbelieved eyes.

And that’s when she truly looks at him tonight after she escaped his arms, lit up the lantern on her nightstand and pulled out the report from the top drawer of said nightstand.

It’s a mistake to look Kaeya Alberich in the eye. 

It’s almost like she’s sinking in a dormant lake in winter, the tips of her fingers numbing as though kissed by invisible frost and her heartbeat begins to quicken in a feeble attempt to keep the blood flowing through her veins, before the ice freezes her over.

It doesn’t help that the silver moon rays pours through the open curtains and gives his bronze skin a mystical type of sheen—the kind that makes her want to run her tongue all over his body and taste every part of him.

And perhaps he can read her thoughts like an open book; or perhaps he’s simply the kind of man to take advantage of her stunned state—either way, the papers on her lap begin dancing in the air before they flutter down and settle on the wooden floor whilst the person the report was meant for finds herself trapped underneath a fine, muscular body.

Kaeya has one hand pinned on the side of Jean’s head while his other hand is on her chin, forcing her to look at him, him, him.

“I’m saddened, Jean. You tricked me into thinking I have you all to myself tonight with the way you were screaming my name just hours ago and now I have to compete for your attention with Eula?” A grief-stricken expression graces Kaeya’s face.

There’s no hiding the dust of pink on Jean’s cheeks now. Yet there might be hope for her heart—she hopes, no, she prays that Kaeya doesn’t hear her thumping heart as though it’s about to leap out of her chest.

“Archons, please don’t say ‘scream’ and Eula’s name in the same sentence when the real issue is your inability to quell your jealousy over some layers of papers,” Jean plays it off with a sigh, arms banding around Kaeya’s rigid shoulders and pulling him into a soft, gentle kiss.

She feels the way Kaeya’s lips curl into a content smile before he kisses her back more fervently like a sinner who thirsts for salvation.

Salvation, only this force of a woman can give.

But then a knock reverberates on the door, a hushed, hesitant, “Um, miss Jean? There’s someone at the door for you.” following suit.

The blonde breaks the kiss with a surprised gasp, throwing her gaze over at the door as though fearing it’s turned translucent and the person on the other side could see the position they were in; Kaeya on top of her, naked with only a measly layer of comforter draped over his waist, threatening to cascade and reveal his pride and joy to the world and with Jean underneath him, equally as exposed and unclothed as the day she was born.

The way Kaeya’s lips curve into a smile goes unnoticed by Jean.

She can take on a group of churls on her own but shudder at the thought of someone catching them sharing an innocent kiss.

As innocent as kissing while tangled up in bed goes.

“Go.” Kaeya whispers, placing a reassuring kiss on Jean’s forehead before he climbs off her and settles back on his side of the bed.

The kiss seems to be the catalyst that snaps the Acting Grandmaster from her initial shock; in no time, she jumps out of the bed and pulls on the silken bathrobe lying lonely on the ground, aptly tying the sash around her waist but in her haste, Kaeya notices the ample view of cleavage that Jean wouldn’t have let show if she had the time to check herself in the mirror.

“Elena.” Jean opens up the wooden oak door to a brunette maid in her long nightgown, the lantern in her hand illuminating her indecipherable frown.

Her eyes instinctively travel past Jean’s shoulders where she feels a chilling gaze on her yet contrary to his calculative eye, the tanned man in Jean’s bed simply smiles and waves at the maid and she quickly turns her gaze back to Jean.

“Someone’s here for you, miss. I told him you’re not accepting any visitors until tomorrow morning but he insists he sees you… it’s… Master Diluc from the Dawn Winery.”

As soon as the name leaves Elena’s lips, a frost seems to spread in the air. The maid visibly shivers as chills run down her spine.

“Lead Master Diluc to the drawing room, Elana and prepare a light snack with warm tea.” Jean instructs and the dark haired woman bows before retreating down the darkened hallway with rushed strides.

Jean pushes the door close and stands there, as though frozen by the diminishing frost, her back on the man staring into space. Then, he sighs, tanned fingers combing through his midnight hair.

There’s shuffling in the background as he pulls his black pants and white undershirt that hangs loosely off his shoulders, not even bothering to secure the first three buttons and leaving ample room for prying eyes to lick up the sight of his exposed tanned chest.

“I’ll be on the balcony.” He says without so much as a brush of their hands or a forehead kiss that Jean knows Kaeya is infamous for.

But before he can slip past the door and disappear into the hallway leading to the balcony with a chair and table where they spent their afternoon tea together, Jean’s hand curls around Kaeya’s ring and pinky fingers—they’re twice the size of her own fingers and Jean admittedly loves how her hands fit into his, but not right now.

Right now, she’s clinging onto his fingers as though he’s about to slip away from her grasp.

“Let’s go together.” Jean implores.

Kaeya pauses, staring at her sky blue eyes that are clouded with an indecipherable meaning. 

Then, he smiles, hand pulling on the lapels of the silk robe to cover the curves of her breasts purely for his own satisfaction and he thinks the bashful way she turns her gaze from him when she realizes that her cleavage is showing a bit too much, is endearing.

“I don’t think Diluc would be as receptive to my welcoming him in a house that isn’t even mine.” He murmurs, kissing the top of her head

“It can be.”

Your house too, she means.

And convince him, she may try but no amount of pleading and begging can move the heart of this man that’s been frozen over the years after that night. She’s only barely managed to thaw it with their first, tipsy kiss and body warmth but only because she’s always held a special place in his heart and she’s the only person Kaeya’s ever opened up to.

Yet when it comes to his adoptive brother, Jean knows she can never tear down the fortress of ice built around the innermost part of this man’s heart.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be here when you’re done talking.” Kaeya plants a kiss on the top of her head but this one feels obligatory as though it’s the only way to get her to run to the blazing, fiery red-haired man waiting in the drawing room at this ungodly hour and not waste another minute more with him.

Because deep down, perhaps he knows it shouldn’t be him that embraces this steadfast, force of a woman; it shouldn’t be him tasting her lips; it shouldn’t be him sharing her warmth in her bed.

It should be Diluc Ragnvindr, the man Jean Gunnhildr has held close to her heart for almost a decade and would have continued to do so if Kaeya Alberich hadn’t ruined everything and stole the woman his brother cherished just as much.

Jean obliges, her grasp slipping away from him and she nods.

“Then… I’ll go to Diluc.” With that, she walks past the doorway, leaving Kaeya to stare into her retreating back until she disappears at the steps.

“Fuck.” Kaeya curses.

It feels like his heart is physically breaking.

Who in their right mind would send the woman they love back into the arms of the man who loves her just as much?

A resigned chuckle leaves Kaeya’s lips and he lightly bumps his forehead against the sturdy wooden doorway.

“You’ve gone mad, Kaeya Alberich.” He whispers to himself.

***

Jean reaches the deep brown door of the drawing room that would have appeared light colored in daylight. There’s a yellowish-orange light pouring through the gap between the door and the floor and spills over her indoor slippers once she stops in front of the door.

The only thing she hears on the other side of the room is the crackle of the fireplace. If she didn’t know that her childhood-friend-turned-estranged-acquaintance is in the drawing room, she would have waltzed right in and sat by the fireplace and continued reading that report Kaeya’s been bugging her not to.

But Jean knows who lies behind this door and she’s taken enough time to collect herself. So she pushes the door open, revealing a slumped mess of unruly fiery crimson hair on the two-person couch and a strong smell of alcohol—beer, to be exact and Diluc never drinks beer—even from several feet away.

The bread and jam Jean ordered Elena to prepare sits untouched on the coffee table next to the teacup. With a wave of her hand, she tells Elena who’s been standing like a mannequin in one corner of the room, to leave.

“Master Diluc.” Jean greets flatly.

The aforementioned man’s head snaps up as though he’s hearing the calling of an angel, a savior, as if he didn’t just walk all the way here barefoot to seek out this angel.

She spots the traces of dried tears on his cheeks, swollen eyes and the faintest sniffle when he shoots up from his seat, patting his sweaty hands on his deep crimson jacket. And for a man who’s never cried in front of anyone, Jean suspects that something must’ve happened to leave him this rattled.

But she doesn’t mention it—she knows he’d appreciate it if she didn’t.

“Jean.” The name that rolls off Diluc’s tongue feels foreign, surreal even.

His hurried steps carry him to her before his mind even registers it but before his hands manage to gather her in his arms, he stops, balling his hands into fists and forcing them to stay put on his sides.

Scarlet eyes bore into Jean’s sky blue ones with indecipherable emotions. 

“I heard you were looking for me, Master Diluc.” She steels her aching heart and pretends she doesn’t see the whirlwind of emotions beneath a scarlet pool of fires.

At the clear line she’s setting, Diluc throws his gaze to his worn out boots, picking apart every sign of tear and wear as though he’s just seeing them for the first time.

“Yeah… I was wondering if you’d need a sponsor for the Windblume Festival. We’ve extra barrels of wine stocked up for non-commercial purposes.” He looks up again, this time, managing to conceal most of his emotions with his stoic face.

And it comes off as a surprise to Jean, how different the Diluc now and the Diluc she first saw when she entered the room are. They’re like two separate people with completely contradictory air to them.

Yet she easily pushes away her shock with a business-like attitude the way she’s used to with Diluc when they met for anything Monstadt related matters in her office.

“You’ve already done so much for Mondstadt… I couldn’t possibly ask you to sponsor the drinks again for this year’s Windblume Festival.” Jean confesses her hesitance, her eyebrows knitting together in an endearing, overly-worried, over-thinking way that only Jean Gunnhildr manages to pull off.

The sight tucks on Diluc’s heartstrings. He wishes he could push back the stray strand of hair from her face but he simply watches it hover over her forehead.

“Jean, I want to do this. To honor Barbatos and his sacrifices.”

And when Diluc Ragnvindr sets his mind to something, there’s no dissuading him.

Jean finally lets out a defeated sigh and smiles an ‘Monstadt benefits from this more than you, but thank you, Diluc’ kind of smile.

“Sucrose and Albedo are in charge of reaching out to potential sponsors for the festival, I’ll let them know to contact you through Scullion.” Jean reaches out her hand and Diluc has half a mind to grab and pull her into him in a desperate hug.

But instead, he shakes her hand.

“No need to bother the butler, tell them to come straight to me.”

“But—”

Before she can protest, Diluc shakes his head and stops her from saying anything like him having done so much, that someone as important as him shouldn’t be made to look after the little details.

“It’s my pleasure to partake closely in the handling of wine for the festival.” He smiles, a genuine one that thanks her for not turning him away despite his unbecoming visit at three in the morning, reeking of cheap alcohol and a mind almost on the brink of destruction—which she’d woven back with her kind yet unwavering eyes.

And that’s how he knows though she holds him dear, they could never return to the way they used to be; that he’d long passed up his chance to be with her for his own selfish goals despite her relentless wait for him to return to the City of Pastorals.

***

Diluc steps out of the city house owned by the eldest daughter of the Gunnhildrs. The chilly dawn air bites on his tear-stained cheeks that’s long dried. He feels his body shiver even underneath a layer of thin silken shirt and his signature red jacket—no, rather, it’s unusually chilly.

And almost as though he feels the heat of a stare on the back of his head, Diluc cranes his neck to look at the source of where he feels the stare is coming from. Sure enough, he recognizes the silhouette of a midnight haired man with a scar that runs across his right eye, his other good eye glowing as bright as the lit cigar in his hand.

For the longest moment, time seems to stop and the two find themselves stuck in a stare down as though teleported to a ripple in time, a moment where the two stood against one another under the pouring rain, weapons in hand.

Diluc could still feel the handle of his claymore dig painfully into his palm and turn it coarse.

Yet now they face each other again and the rage and devastation he felt is no more. But he couldn’t go back to the way things were.

Things…

Things have changed.

“Kaeya?” The familiar, feminine voice calling for the dark skinned man is what makes him break their stare down.

He sets his cigar on the ashtray on the two-person table in the corner of the balcony, turning his back on the crimson haired man who now has his eyes on the lock of blonde that seems to shine golden underneath the moonlight.

And for the briefest moment, Diluc could see a flash of emotion he’d never seen Jean make before in his presence; a glint of warmth in those freeing sky blue eyes, like snuggling in front of the fireplace with a mug of chocolate milk and marshmallows.

Diluc wonders how many winters Jean and Kaeya have spent together.

“Jean, it’s cold out here, let’s go back inside.” Kaeya cautions, his voice gentle, unlike his witty, bantering self whenever he’s delivering a comeback to his equally sarcastic brother.

“I was wondering if you’re hungry, I could make us a light meal…” Jean’s soft, soothing voice fades away as she and Kaeya walk back into the triple storey house, closing the glass door behind them.

And Diluc finds himself surrounded by the echoing silence yet again. Like he always has been ever since his father died and he decided to roam the face of Teyvat for his vengeance, in exchange for his heart. He treads back to his home with the orange tinted skies and traces of sunrise in the horizon.

If reincarnation isn’t simply a man-made concept to ease the heart of a grieving lover, Diluc Ragnvindr swears to himself that he would never let Jean Gunnhildr slip out of his grasp a second time.

[kokomis-gf]

❝Devils Hookup❞ -Kaeya Alberich

Warning ———-o Cheating, Infidelity, slight Diluc X fem!Reader

Kinktober MasterList ———-o Kinktober 2021

Pairing ———-o Kaeya Alberich X fem!Reader

You rolled your eyes once again as Kaeya flirted with you. “Can you shut up for one second sir Alberich” you looked at him shortly before going back to drink the wine. “Oh? Why don’t you shut me up” he twisted your words, touching your thigh softly. Your lips kiss your teeth, getting off the bar stool. “I’m leaving…” you mumbled, walking outside as he shortly followed. “Stop following, yeah?” You glared at him. As he just smirked at you. “Well I can’t let a women like you walking all alone in the dark can I?” His hand moved to your waist, holding you up. You let him touch you for once. “You know…I am your brothers fiancé..so I don’t know why you continue your flirtatious ways” you walked with him to Dawn winery, considering it isn’t that far away, staring straight at him. “Oh? I do it because I know you want me too” his hands went to take off the clothing covering your shoulder before you quickly wiped his hands off. “Please. As if I could ever want someone like you” you looked visibly repulsed by the thought but you knew you were just faking it, you just hoped he did too. It truly isn’t your fault, you do want him. But you’re his brothers fiancé and it’ll be way to late to decline the wedding. “Hmm…is that why you shivered when I touched your shoulder?” He laughed in your ear, realizing you’re at Dawn winery already. “I don’t have time for idle chit-chat, sir Alberich. Considering we’ve made it to my home. I’ll greet you good night” you tried to walk off, into your home before quickly getting stopped by him pulling you around and giving you a quick kiss to your lips. His hands were around your waist whilst you stood frozen, “…I can’t” you tried to stop yourself from kissing him back before realizing it was hopeless. You kiss him back, hands going to the back of his hair. He finally let you go, breathing harshly. He waved good bye and walked off as you looked at his back, dumbly. One hand went to feel your swollen lips, running inside of your home and making it into your bedroom. You felt red although you couldn’t see it, you sat on top of your bed. Going to lay down on your bed and sleeping with only thoughts of him.You woke up with a ginormous smile on your face before wiping it off because He was the reason for that smile. You walked off to Diluc’s home study, hoping he was there for you had woken up with an empty bed. He was there on the desk with loads of paperwork, his eyes has sunken down. “Hello, sir Diluc~” you walked towards him as he merely glanced at you. “You okay, darling?” You softly massaged his shoulders, his teeth kissing his lips. “Can you leave?” He glared at you, the exhaustion biting at you. You stopped your massaging, looking at him confused. “What?” You awkwardly smiled at him. “Leave. You’re so clingy, I won’t repeat myself” your hands left his warm body, going to leave the room before thinking. “I knew I should’ve went with sir Kaeya instead of you…” walking out going straight to Mondstadt. Diluc had been like this for many weeks and you were growing more and more tired of it. You looked at favonius headquarters building, second guessing what you were going to do before walking inside. You greeted the guards around before going to Kaeya’s office. He looked at the door before smirking toward you, forgetting the paper work he had unlike your fiancé. “Oh? And why do I have to owe the pleasure of meeting with a goddess, like yoursel-“ he couldn’t finish his sentence before you smashed your lips with his, pushing him into his desk. Your hands pulling at his hair, his hands gripping onto your waist. He kissed you without hesitation, flipping you both so he was on top. His hands pulled your skirt up so the puffy skirt was resting on your stomach. “Who would’ve thought you would’ve came here to me instead of Diluc~” he whispered into your ear, kissing it softly.

You rolled your eyes at him, pulling him closer once again to kiss him. His hand went closer and closer to your dampened clothed pussy. He pulled you closer, your wet cunt wetting his crotch, a wet stain visible. “Please…just fuck me already~” you pleaded to him. He pulled your panties down, his hands went to coddle your folds.

Two fingers went to fuck inside you, making moan like crazy. Your back arched, seeing him just smirk at you. His hands thrusted up into you faster, feeling your high finally coming. “Mhmm~ p-please” you moaned out softly. You finally came into his hands, as he pulled them out of your clenching hole. His hands went to his pants, unbuckling them and fisting himself before aligning himself with your wet pussy.

He went in slowly, making sure not to hurt you before bottoming out. His pace was slow before picking up gradually more and more. He rubbed your clit, making you squeal like a pig. Your hands gripped the side of the desk, tightly. You felt a knot in your stomach getting tighter and tighter by each thrust. “God-I fuckin’ love you~” he said as you cried out.

You couldn’t hear him or at least you pretended not to. his hand pulled the top of your dress off, your tits flouncing around. His lips went around your nipple, his smirk clear as day as he looked up you you. Your hands went to the sides of his face, bring him up to kiss you. You bit on his lip, tasting the metallic taste on your tongue. You pulled on his soft blue hair, making him groan.

Finally the knot broke and so did his as he came inside of you. He pulled out, making you wince the white substance all around your clenching pussy. The guilt rushing around your entire body, “…I-I shouldn’t have….I shouldn’t have done that” you tried to get up but was stopped with Kaeya holding you close, his face nuzzled into your neck. “Please stay…” you licked your lips, this iMessage the first time you had seen him so vulnerable. “fuck…fine. Just let me get changed” you pet the top of his head.

[xcrystalzero]

sun is up

pairing: kaeya x f!reader

summary: who knew that waking up next to a stupidly handsome cavalry captain could be so conflicting?

note: hehe. also this one is a little spicy (not very because i'm shy but still) so minors begone!

The sunlight was hitting your face from the wrong side. With a groan, you threw a hand over your eyes in an effort to block out the intruding rays. Not to much avail of course since sunlight had a tendency to seep in through any opening it was given.

It was warm too, a gentle, unfamiliar warmth that seemed to surround you, seeping into your bones and tempting you again and again with the comfortable lull of sleep.

However, your brain knew that it was morning now and no matter how tight you closed your eyes or how deep you snuggled back into the blankets, you weren't going to be able to go back to sleep.

With a resigned sigh, you let your hand fall back down to your side, allowing your eyes to flutter gently open. The sight that greeted you was no less than disorienting.

You had been right, the sunlight was coming from the wrong side of the room. Maybe because this wasn't your room. Sitting up, your still drowsy brain decided that it was time to take a look around. The room wasn't extravagant, but not quite bare either. That wasn't what caught your attention however.

On the ground just a few feet from the edge of the bed lay a pile of clothing. It occurred very slowly to your still offline brain that some of that was yours. You could see it from here, the worn pants from your Knight's of Favonius uniform and that lacy black bra you had bought a few days ago in an effort to feel just a little more sexy. Oh how you loved that bra.

The other half of the clothing however, was a bit of a mystery. Cocking your head, you identified a pair of brown boots, what looked like black gloves, and fluffy white fur collar. Those seemed familiar for some reason.

It was at that moment that you felt the bed shift slightly under you. With a soft gasp, you whirled around, drowsiness falling away in sudden panic as you prepared for an ambush.

You were not however, prepared for what you did see.

It was no secret that Kaeya was a beautiful man. From the deep navy of his hair to the physique his work as a captain had earned him, he was attractive and he knew it. The sight before you now however, was by far the most beautiful side of Kaeya you had ever seen.

His face was turned towards you, half buried in the pillow his head was resting on, silky strands of hair fanned around him in a deep blue halo. The sunlight that had so rudely awoken you cast gentle rays on his face, turning his tanned skin golden and accentuating the line of his collarbone not concealed by the covers. Perhaps the most majestic part however, was his expression. Kaeya was an expressive man and you'd seen just about every emotion, real or fake, cross his features at one point or another. Now however, all those exaggerated angles were gone and for once in his life, the Cavalry Captain looked relaxed. And then he shifted just a bit, the covers rising slightly to reveal the side of his toned torso.

Relaxed and naked apparently...

"Oh shi-" you smacked a hand over your mouth, eyes blowing wide open in horror as things actually started to register. Kaeya Alberich was in your bed. Or no, you were in his? And he was naked. And you were also definitely naked. And-

Unbidden, images of last night rushed forth and you remembered.

"My beautiful [name], would you be so kind as to join me at the tavern this evening?"

That was what had started it. A simple invitation when you really needed a drink. If you remembered correctly, Kaeya hadn't been much better considering how many bottles of wine you two had gotten through before Diluc had grown cross and kicked you out.

You remembered very well, the midnight wind in your hair and Kaeya's hand on your shoulder as you drunkenly braved the streets of Mondstat. And then somehow, you'd been at his place. You just wanted to make sure that he was safe as you knew all too well the kind of messes drunk Kaeya could manage to get himself into.

Yes, you had just wanted to drop him off. But then he was so close to you and you were breathing in his scent, that stupidly comforting scent that you'd been trying for weeks to ignore. His lips were at your ear and he was asking you something in a desperate, very un-Kaeya voice.

"Please, can I kiss you?"

And you nodded because of course you did. No matter what the logical part of your brain tried to tell you every single time you were near him, you knew. This was what you had been hoping for, dreaming of ever since you had met him. You had told yourself it was impossible, that his flirtatious words were a luxury that everyone got to experience, thrown about with no less care than a comment about the weather.

But now, those words were saved just for you. Whispers of "you look so beautiful like this" and "you're so good for me" spoken softly enough that your doubted even the wind could catch them. And then his hands were on you, cold cryo fingertips tracing up your waist and then to your back as they worked at hooks and pulled you further into him.

And your hands were in his hair and then on the clasps of his corset and the ties of his pants, yanking and throwing as though they were the things you hated most in the world. Perhaps at that point in your life, they had been. And then he had been on you, pushing you down into the bed as you arched upwards to meet him, the feeling of wanting to touch him the strongest thing you had felt in your entire life. And then he had reached down...

And... you had slept with your coworker.

It took all the self control in you not to leap out of the bed immediately as you considered your options. There was no way you could stay around until Kaeya woke up. Or, could you? Again, there was that voice in your brain, begging you to just nestle back into the covers and savor this time you got to spend with him. You had to ignore it. This wasn't anything special after all right? You two had just needed to blow off some steam and had seen each other as convenient.

Kaeya was just that kind of guy right? No strings attached, no commitments.

It didn't matter that just seeing him roaming the courtyard from your office window was enough to spike your heart rate through roof. That when he stood a little too close to you during meetings, you had to ball your hands into fists to resist grabbing the lapels of his jacket and smashing your lips into his right then and there.

"Please..." he had said. This stupid beautiful man was going to be the end of you.

"I just have to get out..." you muttered under your breath, pushing yourself into a sitting position in hopes that action would clear your thoughts. You got halfway off the bed when you heard it.

"And where do you think you're going?"

The world went cold. It took you a moment to work up the courage to turn towards the voice, eyes still wide in surprise as you did. You could have sworn that Kaeya was asleep. Everything had suggested it from the uniform rhythm of his breath to the limpness of his splayed arms.

And yet, there he was, very much awake, one visible eye glinting in amusement at your reaction.

"So the eyepatch stays on during sex..." was the only thought your brain could produce in that moment and you honestly could have slapped yourself.

"G-Good morning Kaeya..." you decided on instead, though it only seemed to amuse the man further as he too sat up right behind you.

"Good morning to you too. And to think you were trying to sneak out just a moment ago without saying anything to me..." He was close again, his breath on your ear sending a shiver down your spine. Slowly, his arms came up, sliding under yours before closing right underneath your chest, pulling you into his.

You wriggled slightly in his grip, breathe hitching as his lips made their way down, grazing against your neck. "I-I thought you'd like that better. Since this... this is just a one-time thing." The words hurt to get out and you felt Kaeya stiffen slight behind you.

Without warning, you were yanked backwards, a soft yelp escaping your lips as you found yourself nestled amongst the pillows once again, though this time, a pair of arms encircled you, caging you in with nowhere to run.

Kaeya's periwinkle eye looked down at you when your panicked gaze flew up to meet his, steady and more sincere than you were sure you had ever before seen.

"Now, is that what you really think of our relationship? I'm hurt..." He reached over, taking your chin gently in his fingers as he angled your head up towards him. "Do you want this to be a one-time thing?"

You gulped.

"No. I want you forever. I want you all the time and I just want you to want me too."

You couldn't say it. You couldn't risk it.

Kaeya must have mistaken your silence of a yes however as he retracted his hands immediately. He pulled himself off of you, settling on the edge of the bed with his back to you. It may have just been that stupid thing called hope, but for a moment, you thought that you say hurt in his gorgeous eye.

"Ah I see, well that's fine as well. For what it was, that was a pretty fun night. Shall we go get breakfast or something?" That had to be pain. He was good at hiding his emotions, but you knew Kaeya better than anyone. He was hurt.

"... no."

"Not a breakfast person? That's alright then, you're welcome to see yourself out whenever you'd like."

"No I don't want it to be a one-time thing. I want you Kaeya, for as long as you'll let me." You didn't know where the words were coming from but when he whirled to face you once more, hope in his eyes, you knew you couldn't stop. "So, please don't make me leave?"

Apparently that was all it took as you barely got a moment to breathe before his lips were on yours. It took you a moment but you returned the kiss, hands reaching up to pull him down into you. His lips were hungry, threatening to devour you if you didn't hold your ground. Unconsciously, you arched against him and through the kiss, you could feel his smile.

There was a strange warm feeling growing in your chest that only seemed to amplify the moment Kaeya pulled away, the most genuine smile you had ever seen from him plastered over his lips.

"Oh darling, you have no idea what you just got yourself into..."

note: maybe i'll write one of these for a bunch of characters... you guys wanna see that?

[teyvattherapist]

Episodic

My sister and I had a long talk about how we both suffer from dissociation earlier today cause of an ask I got. And I got inspired to write a lil smth. This is based off of my experiences for the most part so anywayss.

tags: gn!doctor!reader + Kaeya, feat Diluc + Venti, dissociation, Kaeya story spoilers, Diluc story spoilers, mental health in general.

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

Lies, so many lies, that’s all he was made up of! A liar, a cheat, a fraud, a dirty traitor. Years ago, well into his teens, he wouldn’t have cared. He didn’t give a damn whether or not the nation burned to the ground, he didn’t care if Teyvat as they knew it was ripped away from them and destroyed. But he was older now, and he cared so much. Oh too much. Torn between loyalties, his royal family who abandoned him to help them or the nation that loved and raised him. The lies stacked up, the nightly duties, the work within the shadows, the information he gave to his informants.

The lies were bearing down on him, he was being crushed, lungs screaming for air. It was almost like he was drowning except the ice above his head stopped him from surfacing for air. Kaeya Alberich could swim but he was not strong enough to shatter inches of thick ice. Every drop of water that filled his lungs, every lie that he needed to keep track of, they all froze over eventually. He was heavy, his body felt heavy, his shoulders hurt, and taking in air was a chore. He wished he’d just drown, but he kept scrambling, slamming against the ice, would anybody come-

“Are you even listening?” Diluc sighed, setting the glass down on the bar counter loud enough it shattered Kaeya’s thoughts and he lifted his head from his hand, star pupil blown as he looked around quickly. Diluc raised an eyebrow at the reaction, not expecting it from the ever composed cavalry captain he once called brother. The bar was relatively empty, Venti was asleep at a table tucked in the back. You were leaning against the wall while you did some work at the bar. Kaeya’s breathing was shaky, he realised as he tried to intake air, fill his lungs, stuff down the suffocation.

“Kaeya?” You set your quill down, concern quickly taking over your features. Diluc grabbed the glass Kaeya had been drinking from, opting to dump whatever remained. Kaeya didn’t even react to Diluc’s actions, instead he opted to look at his hands, opening and closing them, he did the action with his palms up and then repeated while looking at the back of his hands. Being a doctor for the knights, dissociation wasn’t the hardest thing for you to recognise. Approaching the situation, however, that was what became difficult.

“I don’t know how much longer I can endure this.” Kaeya’s voice was so weak, like he was testing out a tongue that didn’t belong to him. You stood immediately, Kaeya turning to you in surprise from the sudden action. You held your hands out and Kaeya looked at your waiting hands, he blinked and then looked up to you where he received a quick nod in return, a reassuring smile on your face. Kaeya put his hands into your own, his hands were surprisingly warm even through your gloves, slender fingers curling to intertwine with yours.

You gave his hands a gentle squeeze, he could feel two different sets of eyes staring at him outside of you directly in front of him. The weight of the world was so heavy and he felt himself slipping beneath the current again, it was relentless, endless, it dragged him down, the frozen lake was so dark- “Describe how my hands feel, please. What do my gloves feel like? Temperature?” You did your best to keep your voice reassuring, exceptionally kind as you crouched slightly so you could be at eye height with Kaeya who continued to sit.

The words dragged him to the surface and he struggled to remember who he was beyond all of these damn lies. There were so many lies, so much to hide, so many ties and loyalties oh how they swirled in his head. But he had to focus on the feelings of the gloves, thankful his seemed to be fingerless. “Cotton, your gloves feel like cotton.” He got a reassuring squeeze, an affirmative. Diluc snuck out from the bar, heading to the tavern door to lock it, sure an hour early, but given the circumstances.

“Okay, anything else?”

“Cold.”

“Haha, very good. Do you know your name?”

“Kaeya Ragnvindr. No, wait..” He trailed off, eyebrow furrowing. “I changed it, Alberich.” You quickly nodded, prompting him to continue. “You smell like mint and I smell like wine. Or is that the redhead? I’m not sure.”

“Both, probably.” Diluc responded casually, as if his heart didn’t just shatter hearing Kaeya say his old last name as his own once more. How long had it been since Diluc tore that family name from the navy haired captain? Diluc got closer, standing behind you, enough distance from Kaeya not to overwhelm him, but close enough he could watch.

The water still lapped at his legs, threatening, stabbing into him and trying to drag him back in. But he clawed at the sand, finding hold in the frost covered shore. “Are you back with us then, Kaeya? If not, you could try describing one of us.” You squeezed his hands again and Kaeya slowly nodded, his brain fog was lifting at least, he wasn’t entirely focused on the frozen lake anymore. When had he broken through the ice?

“Whoa, sorry- What happened there?” Kaeya pulled his hands back suddenly, gripping his head in one hand and shaking it with his signature laugh. Diluc had been frowning the entire time, and your reassuring smile vanished in an instant at his new words. “What? Don’t look at me like that, it’s embarrassing.” Kaeya smiled, turning his head to survey the rest of the empty tavern.

“You were having a dissociative episode. I’d offer a mora for your thoughts but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why.” You stood straight again and Kaeya wished you weren’t on his blind side, that way he’d be able to see without turning towards you, instead the cavalry captain eyed the sleeping Venti in the corner. “I’m not going to ask you to talk to me, but at least talk to Diluc about what’s on your mind if nobody else. It will only get worse from here.” You moved by the redhead who made no objections, and you began to gather the paperwork you had been working on.

“I promise, I’m fine. You’re worrying over nothing. And you, Diluc. I didn’t expect such concern.”

“We grew up together. Of course I’m concerned. You’re one of the few competent knights, and they need you to be on your best.” Diluc had his arms crossed over his chest, but he genuinely was trying not to seem so malicious, despite the biting words of his former brother. “How often has this been happening?” Diluc inquired, waiting for Kaeya to actually look back at them, but he never did, calloused fingers gently tapping the wooden bar countertop instead. “Okay, when did it start, then?” Diluc switched questions with a nod from you.

“A few months ago. They only lasted a minute or two, and I’d barely remember what happened. Recently the times I’ve blanked have been longer. I don’t remember what happened since coming in here.” Kaeya’s voice was quiet, low, ashamed maybe. He was so tired of it all, the lies and the burdens. He didn’t want to be a plot point or a chess piece. He just wanted to live his life, free of the whispering secrets of the dark.

“That was seven hours ago. [Name], is that normal?”

“Quite. Some dissociative episodes have been known to last years. The hours will turn to days, days into weeks. You know how it goes. I’ll bring Venti home so you two can speak.” You pulled your bag over your shoulder, heading off to grab the drunk bard from the corner. “Come on, bard. You can stay at my house.” You lifted the man easily, letting Diluc silently unlock and open the tavern door for you. The door was shut and locked once more.

“You don’t have to pretend to care, Diluc. I’m fine.” Kaeya pushed his barstool back, standing to his full height. He was exhausted, his brain fog may have been gone but his body still didn’t feel real and every step he took felt like walking on pins and needles. It didn’t help when Diluc blocked the door though, the usual bored expression replaced with something else.

“I do care, idiot. Whether or not you believe that isn’t my problem. You’re still my brother, even if we never shared any blood. Now you’re going to sit down and we’re going to talk about what happened that night, do you hear me?” Diluc lowered his arms, gaze dropping to anywhere but the captain. “Please, just talk to me. I won’t push you away this time.”

“Do you promise?”

“Obviously.”

[downfordiluc]

Kaeya x F Reader One Shot. [Modern AU].

Warning // Explicit Language. No Smut, only fluff.

Synopsis: a night filled with alcohol, dancing and feelings. 

If you rubbed your eyes one more time, you feared they may disappear inside of your skull. The display on your laptop was beginning to sear your retinas, as you watched the clock tick over to 11:30 pm. You should have left work hours ago. Having a hardass for a boss had wasn't something really had any benefits to it, other than the sizeable paycheck you took home after a long week's work; often going ten or twenty hours over your actually scheduled nine to five days.

Being able to finally click save and close the torture machine in front of you was something that you spent every working moment impatiently waiting for, and the satisfaction you got from knowing you could finally go and slump into your bedsheets was something that never really lost its novelty. And yet, tonight wasn't going to be one of those nights.

"Wanna go cause some trouble?"

You looked up blearily at the voice, seeing a tall, tan figure leaning against your doorway, one hand on his hip, and the other in his pocket. The smirk on his lips was one that you couldn't get enough of, but you'd never admit it. You'd never give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

"It's almost midnight, Kaeya." you remarked, as you shrugged your leather jacket onto your shoulders. Despite the protest in your tone, you had basically already succumbed to his plans before even hearing them, as you collected your belongings that were spread over your desk. "And so the night is only young, [Y/N], whaddya say?". This man knew he was born with a silver tongue, and had the power to persuade even the most stubborn to follow his every command. You knew this, and yet you fell victim every damn time.

"Where are we going?", you practically had a white flag waving above your head, as you walked through the door he held open, and yet you weren't fooled - Kaeya was no gentleman. He was a sweet talker, and he played the field like it was second nature to him. Life was like a game of chess, except he was always 5 moves ahead, taking piece after piece off of the board. Women were the pawns.

"Diluc's club, he pissed me off yesterday, and if my memory serves, you're not best pleased with him either.", he looked as though his plan had fallen into place, and yet it had one fatal flaw. "So your plan for revenge, is to financially provide for him by drinking in his club?". You felt as though you had his king in check - winning the game of chess - and might actually get to go home for the night. Yet that stupid smirk returned, and you instantly dropped the glimmer of hope you had grasped onto. "Money is simply an object to him, you know this. But just imagine the look on his face if he saw us both having the time of our goddamn lives, huh?". You hated to admit it, but to see that exact face you were now picturing was an opportunity you would not pass up, even if you hadn't slept for a week.

The night was bitter, biting at your cheeks as you walked down the cobblestoned alleys. No matter how much you pulled at your thin jacket for warmth, it simply wasn't the right choice of attire for the middle of February. "I know a way to warm you up." the man to your right quipped, and you instinctually glared up at him, seeing a saccharine sweet smile upon his face. You rolled your eyes and looked away from him, refusing to step into the trap that was his syrupy gaze. You knew better.

"Vodka".

You heard him chuckle at your blunt response. A soft, breathy laugh that could melt ice, and the heat that rose to your cheeks was welcoming, considering the harsh winds that felt like icicles piercing your skin. He really did have a way to make women putty in his hands, and you had never been more glad you considered yourself above that, considering you were about to get absolutely shit-faced together.

One shot turned to two, and two turned to three, as you bottomed the foul liquid, and slammed each glass onto the table with a loud clink. You hadn't done this in a while, and it had been even longer since you had done it with another person. Drinking alone was usually your style, which now you realised was actually quite sad.

"Slow down, darlin', they'll run out if you aren't careful.", he had absolutely no right to be using words like that, and even less right to witness the colour that lit your cheeks alight. Suddenly, staring at the marble bar seemed a lot more interesting.

"Mind your own business, Alberich. You said you wanted to have fun, this is how I have fun.". You knew full well the worse was yet to come. They say everyone has a second personality when they're drunk, and yours enjoyed partying like the world was going to end tomorrow. You noticed he was nursing his whiskey, and frowned at him, tilting your head to the side and resting it on your fist.

"Didn't take you to be a lightweight." you smiled devilishly into your words, watching his eyes widen slightly in surprise, you could practically see him recoil as though you had smacked him in the face. "Someone's gotta be able to walk to take you home.". The laugh you let out in response was a hearty, full one. Something you hadn't done in a while. You pushed at his shoulder, mocking him further. "Let go, have fun! Worst case scenario, we sleep on the floor. I never took you to be the boring one, Kaeya."

Enough was enough, he raised his glass and allowed the burning liquid to slip down his throat. He pulled a face before his glass made the same clink that your shots had been making for the past hour. "It's on, darlin."

"Two more shots over here, dear brother." You had almost forgotten why you came tonight, as you saw the redhead's brows almost touch, frowning as he had no choice but to stop ignoring the two of you, which he had been trying to do since you strutted into his club.

"And two for me!" You giggled into your words, as he gave you a look that you had never seen on his face. "I like your style, [Y/N]". His voice was lower than usual, probably from the assault on his throat the whiskey had enacted, but you had to admit, it sounded good that way. Too good, judging by the butterflies kicking up a fuss in your stomach. You decided to simply drown them in alcohol, as Diluc slid the drinks across to you without even muttering a word.

You must have had seven or eight shots of vodka by now, and at this point, Kaeya wasn't far behind, his jacket and tie discarded over the back of his stool, as well as two buttons on his shirt being undone. A deep v of tan skin practically begging you to stare. You had similarly discarded your jacket behind you, the alcohol flooding through your veins being what you attributed your rising body temperature to. You didn't even seem to care that all you had on was a lowcut, white tank top, which definitely left a lot less to the imagination than intended. Hopefully, the lighting was low enough that he didn't notice the lace of your bra creating lines under the thin fabric.

"Ahh, I love this song."

You didn't even seem in control of the words leaving your mouth, as a low, smooth beat filled the air around you. This song was one that you would definitely dance to in private, or if you weren't absolutely wasted. Before you even fully acknowledged what you were doing, you had climbed onto the surface in front of you and were gyrating your hips in a way that you wouldn't be caught dead doing sober. Vodka really lowered your inhibitions, a fact which was clearly evident to Kaeya, who couldn't help but stare as your hands worked their way down your body, slowly moving along to the music. He wasn't the only one staring. Pretty much the whole club was watching you let loose on the bar, ogling your figure and looking you up and down like meat on a stick. Diluc, however, could not have looked less impressed if he tried.

"[Y/N], get down from there. Everyone is staring.", Kaeya seemed almost possessive, as he extended his arm to you, trying to convince you to come down, and yet, you hadn't felt this free in a while. "You come up here! Dance with me, darlin'.". He seemed flushed at you using his words against him, but his stance didn't falter, as he kept insisting you come down from the bar. For a change, him and Diluc actually agreed on something.

"You're going to fall, [Y/N]."

"Then catch me, Prince Charming."

Your words were slurred, and it was clearly evident that you were inebriated beyond any point of logic, so Kaeya decided to take things into his own hands. He grabbed at your wrist and lightly pulled, expecting you to get the message, and finally come down. Definitely not expecting you to topple like a domino.

As your brain stopped feeling like it had just been scrambled, you noticed Kaeya's face only inches away from yours, before acknowledging that your body was pressed against his own. You'd actually fallen, holy shit, you were wasted. And yet, he had caught you. Prince Charming had really saved you - how ironic. His strong, defined muscles against your body were significantly more welcoming than the floor, that was for sure. If you weren't already completely certain that you had had more than enough to drink, you were once you caught yourself speaking.

"How about we take this somewhere more private, handsome?". You would be kicking yourself for those words once your blood stopped being what felt like 99% alcohol, and yet right now, you were biting your lip, looking up at him, barely noticing the flush under his tanned skin.

"How about we take you home?" was his response, as he tried to put you onto the floor, your legs buckling, as you sink to his knees. He sighed in defeat, tucking both of your jackets over his shoulder, and pulling you back up to cradle in his arms, using the warmth of his blazer as a pillow as you rested onto his shoulder. Maybe you were the lightweight, after all.

During the walk home, you hardly noticed the cold, between how hot the alcohol had you, and the warmth of his body heat pressed against yours. You barely acknowledged the journey ending until you felt the familiar softness of your bed under your warm body. Instinctively, you curled up onto your side, hugging a pillow, and kicking your shoes off of the side of the sheets.

"Goodnight, [Y/N]. I had fun with you tonight." Despite your vision being blurry, you could tell he was leaned against the wall the exact same way he had been hours ago at work, and you reached for his arm, tugging on his sleeve.

"Stay with me, Kaeya. Please.", you could feel yourself slowly sobering up, as your thoughts became less cloudy and your feelings becoming more lucid, and all you wanted was for him to stay by your side. Nothing sexual about it, you just wanted to feel his body heat radiating against yours as you slipped into slumber. You felt as though you could see the wanting in his eyes also, but his words begged to differ.

"I'll be on the couch." his reply left you feeling downcast, however, this was short-lived as you felt his lips lightly kiss you on the forehead, leaving the spot they had been tingling and prickling with heat. You were comforted knowing he would be there in any capacity, and that was the thought that nursed you to sleep pretending the pillow in your arms was the man who had caught you not long ago.  You knew that you had caught feelings for him in turn. Maybe he wasn't so bad, after all? Maybe he could be your knight in shining armor. The one to keep you company on what would be a lonely night drinking, and the one to hold you tight as your head pounded into the early hours of the morning. Anything would be good, as long as he was there.

[meixdoll]

The way back home.

Kaelumi Drabble. More of a character study about Kaeya.

Comfort / Stablished relationship

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In the big scheme of things, it all sometimes ends up being quite different from what you originally grasped on a smaller onlook. This was a piece of valuable information he had come to learn recently, and since then, tried to tackle smaller issues with this perspective in mind, whether they’d be snippets of chatter the wind carried to his ears, clearing a misplaced hilichurl campsite or tackle down pesky deskjob, like today.

He couldn’t get his mind around how Jean managed to do a job this tiresome and yet, at the same time, this incredibly boring. Just sorting out the reports about incidents implied reading facts through the eyes and handwriting of soldiers that sometimes gave as much importance to the details that truly mattered as one would give to the gravel beneath one’s boots. Not to be unfair to his men or anything but a lot of them had absolutely no imagination or skill to be making an incident report worth reading, and he had to at least skim trough them all. This was exactly the sort of duty he had been continuously avoiding since he was given the option of becoming Acting Grand Master. But now, in an odd twist of fate, Varka had to go through early retirement, leaving now Grand Master Jean on charge, relying as always in her right arm Kaeya Alberich, now Grand Commander of the Knights of Favonius, to alleviate some of the job involving the surprisingly heavy duty of protecting Mondstadt. One would think that a land of peace such as this one required no nonsense involving chivalry or anything of the sorts, but alas, he was there at a late hour doing some overtime reading (or trying, poor him) through some of the world’s most boring incident reports.

The bell from the cathedral broke the stream of his rambling thoughts, making him painfully aware of his body. He rubbed his good eye and let the piece of paper fall softly on the desk. No matter how much overtime he did, there was no way he would finish sorting out all of that before tomorrow, so it was probably best to leave it as was. “Heh~” he scoffed. He definitely could see the bigger picture now, after all. He had changed. And still he was no less upset with having to admit he did felt tired. Today, in particular.

The street was dark and wet when he finally left headquarters. A chill ran through his skin, making him take a sharp breath, tasting cold air and wet grass, and he stared back at the building looming over. To be frank, there was a time when it had felt like home, until it didn’t. Then again, with Master Crepus dead and Diluc not talking to him, “home” was somewhat of a really foreign thought to him, no matter where he slept. He tried to keep calling the Order’s premises “home”, and when he couldn’t, tried to get something he might call “home” to himself by buying a place to absolutely no avail. It was comfortable, but not really anything he would give a status over simply just a house. Until it wasn’t.

Kaeya disguised a little smirk behind a gloved hand, pretending to warm it with his breath, even though there was no one around. Maybe he wasn’t that different after all. He set up foot down the city stairs to the lower levels, thinking again over the recent past happenings. Being nostalgic wasn’t something very common when it came to him, and the gloomy atmosphere of late night Mondstadt after an autumn shower was perfect for lingering about sweet nothings from the past. He made it all the way to a bannister where he could see the roof of Angel’s Share tavern.

He sighed when he thought about just around two years ago, when he would stop by and get face planked on the taverns table, if his estranged brother wasn’t around. If he was, he would be happy to pester him for a bit before Diluc decided he had enough and asking Charles to replace him at the counter. Some time had passed since he was living that reality everyday, before the incident that changed everything.

Now, he was at least partially confident that he would be amicably greeted by his brother, who would try to annoy him with insisting on serving him a soft drink until he’d finally pour him a glass of wine and slip some finger food that Kaeya absolutely hadn’t ordered right below his nose.

Reconciling many years of antagonizing with each other on the heat of the battle had been the most uninteresting and corny way of giving closure to an awful chapter in their lives, and yet reminding the “don’t get yourself killed, you ass” Diluc yelled, swinging his claymore, still made the corners of his mouth twinge upwards. He then reached another flight of stairs. To the left he would be on his way to the tavern. The younger version of him would undoubtedly be on his way there already. But his younger himself was desperately trying to get back some sense of normalcy out of his brother’s cold gaze. The present himself however was sore from desk hours and so tired that he would probably fall face first on the counter with simply smelling the wine. Tonight he needed something different.

“As you did yesterday... and the day before, no?” he thought, messing with himself, just to mess with someone, really. He hadn’t changed that much. He turned to the right. Mondstadt’s night life could miss him for another day.

His house was one of the tiniest ones, but for himself and his need for privacy and away from his job was just the right fit. Privacy, specially, was something he wouldn’t have back at the headquarters bedrooms. His affairs and misdeeds outside service hours were best kept secret and hidden away. More than a place to crash it indeed had been, but not exactly of the cozy variety. Coziness was yet again a foreign concept that he heavily associated with Master Crepus´s care, small Diluc and Jean running around saying nonsense about pet turtles and the strange yet comfortable clothes he had been given after being taken in as a Ragnvindr. He hadn’t felt coziness and comfort since father’s death, hadn’t felt the homely warmth, the yearning for your own safe place being embraced by someone dear close to the fireplace after getting inside all muddy and with a scraped knee. Things change over time. But then again maybe they don’t. A clear display of that was the joy and relief he felt when he noticed the familiar glow of the lit fireplace in the living room shining through the window. Things had changed because his place was now a proper home, and hadn’t changed because no matter how short he made his absence be, he was on a constant edge, fearing coming back to an empty house, to darkness and the hard crumbles of breakfast bread he had left over the kitchen counter that morning. And every time he came back, there were signs, all over the place, that he had nothing to fear, that there was someone patiently waiting to see him closing the door behind him.

He was truly a foolish man, he sighed, and pulled the heavy auburn door open.

A jingle broke the heavy silence laced with lumber crackles, and he almost regretted allowing the idea of hanging a handful of tiny bells over the door frame, that right now, by contrast, made an awfully sharp noise. The living room opened up to his right hand, and his eye shot straight to the bundle of cushions and blankets plopped on the couch beside the window. A pair of intense gold eyes glistened, blinking a pair of times and once again after two tiny and delicate hands rubbed the sleepiness away from them. Lean legs shifted, and a book fell to the carpet.

“I wasn’t sleeping!” She said, groggily. Kaeya chuckled.

“I think I’m gonna have to scold you then, since it’s about past midnight, miss Lumine”.

Still wrapped in blankets, the girl made a little pout and raised an eyebrow at him, as a reproach for his use of the honorific, which made him laugh softly.

“That’s a very accurate impression of Master Diluc, you’re incredibly talented”

“I may not be in the need of throwing an attitude towards Sir Kaeya”, she said, emphasizing the honorific, “if he wasn’t treating me like a kid”.

Still smiling, Kaeya got rid of the heavy blue jacket and the fur collar, propping them in the couch arm rest. He sat down near her bundled feet and undid the buckle around his neck, and then took his gloves off.

“I would never do that, ace.”

Still feeling the dizziness of sleep, Lumine couldn’t get a sharp retort fast enough, and limited to a little smile, bashfully removing the blankets off her. She liked the nickname way more than she would admit, even before the familiarity with the knight grew at an alarming speed.

“Where is Paimon?”, he asked. The little bug was usually the first one at the door, sharing a thorough summary of everything she had eaten today. Her absence was pretty telling about just how late he had come home today.

Home.

Lumine suddenly jolted and stopped moving, grimacing. “Ah... about that.” Kaeya playfully tilted his head towards her. “I kinda wanted to make dinner tonight since you’ve been very tired lately so...” she only stopped talking for an instant while he scooted just a little closer to her. How ridiculous it was, she thought, that he could still get on her nerves with so little. “So I did. But...” Kaeya brushed off her face a misplaced lock of hair, and urged her to go on. “But you were taking so long she just didn’t listen and ate your share as well.” Kaeya pursed his lips, holding back a laugh. “She obviously started feeling ill, so she went upstairs, and hasn’t been back since”.

Kaeya swiftly picked the book from the floor. “So no dinner for this poor knight”, he reproached out loud in a truly pathetic voice.

Even though Lumine knew he was half-joking, she made a move to stand up, “I can fix you something quick now if you want... I’m...”

Unexpectedly, she felt the light plop of a book down on the top of her head. She swiftly threw a cushion to his chest on revenge, laughing. He was also laughing, sincerely, not the curated and affected one; truly laughing. He did that a lot, lately.

Still laughing, he softly wrapped his arms around her waist and let his weight take them both down to the couch. Lumine’s face went as red as an apple in zero seconds, but what he was really interested in, was the drumming of her heart beating faster and faster into his left ear.

It came with no surprise to her, she knew now that he was not in the least the cold, charming and cunning person he usually made everyone believe. Still, some displays of affection startled her greatly simply because of their spontaneous nature, leaving her hot faced and unsure of what she should do for a few moments. This time, however, she cradled his head softly, burying her fingers in his hair. “Was your day this big of a nightmare?” She whispered. Looking down she could only see his blue locks and his good eye closed, face buried deep into her chest.

“Nah. I got to finish like this. It’s really not bad”. He muttered, enjoying the caresses she was giving him.

The warm embrace of someone loved, by the fireplace. Somehow different but still.

It was home.

“Ah, says the handsome Mr. Kaeya” she said, jokingly, reliving one of the first conversations they had.

“Ah, so you DO have feelings for me.” , he started. She waited for the next bit, but then felt the slow and regular pace of his shoulders moving up and down, and chuckled.

This change of pace in her life was indeed pretty different to what she was expecting. But it wasn’t bad at all.

To her too, it was home.

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Thank you all for reading! This was supposed to be a Drabble to get my writing muscles stretched but it ended up being kinda lengthy. I’m sorry. I hope you like my awful writing.