#Muse: Kaeya Alberich

[smol-sirens-garden]

Continued From {X} I @crownshattered

"I don't fully remember."

He sighed, a small yawn escaping. He loved their son more than anything but juggling him and his cavalry captain duties got a bit much sometimes. He would forget basic things even more. Especially when it came to putting down something he was holding two minutes prior.

Even now he had been running around like a mad man trying to find the blanket. He noticed it had been missing as soon as he got home from a small visit. He always liked bringing him in to see Jean when she needed a bit of a pick me up and then of course Lisa cooing over him.

Once it was found he gave a relieved sigh, taking it from her. Now he could go home and get Emmett home and down for his afternoon nap. He just had to go get him first.

"THank you dear. He is safe don't worry. I kinda wanted to be able to find it quickly so he is with Uncle Luc and Auntie Lisa. They were going to watch him at The Good Hunter. Was going to get something to go while I was at it."

He smiled, kissing her lightly.

"Still can't believe I forgot this here. I am glad I came back."

[witch-hazels-musings]

nepenthe

Warning: slight angst/ much comfort - sfw, domestic (unconditional love), character perspective | sending love to our sad boys 

character x GN reader | anthology

Includes: Childe, Dainsleif, Diluc, Kaeya

Hope.

A dying concept. One withering away slowly, painfully, until nothing but the hollow truth is left behind. Hope is debilitating - so why not let it go?

Childe

Sounds. It’s always sounds that wake him. Soft rattles, distant shouts, blood-wrenching screams he’d wish would let him rest but, alas, he could never escape what destiny kept throwing at him. Childe’s steady, heavy breathing began to ease as he captured several in his lungs. It energized the body that itched to move so he stretched his limbs and arched his back until reality came back into clarity. 

The pillow he held was wet so he pushed it away and let his face fall on the bedsheets below. They smelled familiar, comfortable. So much so that he crawled his way to the source only to find nothing there for him to touch, to pull against him, to wrap his yearning arms around just so he could hear a gentle protest. His brows furrowed and he opened his eyes. 

How come you have left me. I told you not to, didn’t I? 

Pushing up on his arms, he collapsed on bent legs, his bare arm pushing into the mattress as he yawned and shook his head. Tufts of hair slapping about in an un-brushed mess. 

‘Let me help,’ he expected someone to say but none came, and he hated it. He felt an itch, an unease somewhere in his chest that nothing could satisfy. An elongated mirror reflected his displeasure back at him. 

Scanning the room, he searched for answers. A closet left unattended, a desk where he expected to see a figure bent over and working on something he didn’t understand, a hand on a hip as it stood in the doorway, waiting for him to get out of bed already. He found nothing except an unease and a clinging scent that had no owner. 

Frustrated, he crawled out of bed. The floor was warmed only by the sun spilling in through the windows. Even the house itself felt vacant. As he headed for the bedroom door, he heard something that made him pause and, just like a wish he would make as a kid, an angel appeared in his doorway. 

“O-Oh, hello sleepy,” you beamed, your hand filled with two cups of steaming liquid. You passed by him and he smelled it; the thing he was missing. “I’ll place your cup here while you get rea-aye! Childe!” 

He lifted you from the floor not caring that you protested. Like he’d done it countless times, he hoisted you up and over him so he could practically body-slam you onto the unmade bed. His arms closed, secure around your waist while you fought with the sheets to breathe. 

“Childe!” You struggled against him, shock and awe plastered on your very existence. 

“Sleep more.” 

“What do you mean sleep more?” He pushed you forward with powerful legs while his bare and muscular arms pulled you against his chest. Your back felt so comfortable he wondered why he woke up with a pillow instead of you. “Ch-” 

“--n’t call me that.” He mumbled against the back of your neck and draped a leg over your own. “You smell good.” 

He felt you shiver, it made his heart pound, “do I, Ajax?” 

“Yes,” he said with satisfaction in his heart but hunger everywhere else.  

Hope. It holds the lifeline to a life we want to believe in. 

Hope. And it sounds like your name. 

--

Dainsleif 

His back ached so he adjusted. His legs felt tight so he uncrossed them. His hand felt empty so he reached for what should have been there. The panic in his heart rose slowly until his nails dug into the earth, void of what should have touched them. 

Dainsleif opened his eyes against his own better judgement. The sun in the leaves was brighter than he anticipated so he blocked it out with his hand. Birds sung above him, the leaves rustled gently. The world moved on but he felt stuck. 

A quiet keeper with nothing left to keep.

Curiously, he searched for signs of what was lost to him. A life he never imagined, a place unmeant for a being like him. This knowledge he knew but somewhere he refused to listen anymore, and now, now he wish he had. 

Pressure on his arm lingered, the weight of another pushed against him but his side was vacant, ready to be filled. Carefully, he lifted himself from the ground so he could wander, follow, or listen as he needed. The camp before him looked undisturbed. The barrier above him was still holding, the thick canvas rustling in the morning breeze. The fire just out of reach burned as if it had recently been lit, a kettle steaming above it. There were signs, signals. He just had to read them correctly. 

Pacing around the campsite, he noticed a set of footprints and set off in the direction they went. Dain wanted to run, wanted to sprint after them but their trail was so faint her might have missed a turn, a backtrack; one miss-step and he could become even more lost than he already was. 

A splash caught his attention and soon he reached the edge of the tree line that gave view to a babbling riverbed. There you were, standing at its bank with your hand in the stream and body perched on a rock. It appeared you were washing something, perhaps an old shirt that had wandered a journey far more dangerous than he’d ever wish upon it. He thought seeing you there would give him back the ability to breathe, but it didn’t. 

He stepped and you found him. 

“Dain, morning,” you called with a ring in your voice. The one he’d recognize above all else, the one he’d remember until all else faded. His. His one. 

When he drew close enough, he stood above you while you sat on the rock. Your hand wet from the cool river, arm exposed to the sunlight that had already started affecting your skin. He’d block it all out if he could. 

“Hey, I’m almost -- Dain?” He leaned in, his hand flush against the spring-touched stone and he captured what he knew he shouldn’t with lips that had known no other for centuries. 

Hope. It holds the lifeline to a life we want to believe in.

Hope. And it sounds like your name.

--

Diluc 

It took a while for his senses to return. For the pull of sleep to fall away from him like frost on morning leaves. His breathing shifted from steady, slow movements to deliberate ones, ones that filled his ears as if to rouse him more. Diluc could feel it all. The bedsheets beneath him, the silken one against his stomach. His hand as it rose and fell on his bare chest, twitching fingers spurring to life. He adjusted in the down-pillow and became washed in a scent so powerful it opened his eyes. 

He expected to find you there. Resting peacefully at his side. Perhaps you would face him and he could take in your radiance, or you’d have your back to him so he could be gifted with a place for his tender kiss. It was likely you’d already be awake, a book in your hand or document to review. Hair out of place but oh so perfect. He expected to see you, turning to him with a smile he’d recognize and a voice that called his name. You weren’t, and his heart ached because of it. 

Diluc rose from the bed. Strong arms flexing to keep him up-right as he scanned the room in search of something to ease his unsteady nerves. There was nothing except for the lingering knowledge you were once here. 

A shirt draped over the back of a chair. Items you’d picked out in the city strewn across the dresser her gave up trying to keep clear. The bathroom door left ajar but the wafting remnants of shampoo spilled from inside. He rubbed the back of his head, let his hands run across his tired face before they fell in between the legs he’d walk for miles on just to see you one more time. 

The world is still, but he is not. 

Diluc adjusted his shirt; memories of your fingers buttoning it closed, of your hand running down his chest. They made him smile and he shook his head in the mirror at what a man he’d become. The belt around his waist tightened, the engravement on the leather made him pause when his thumb ran over it. A gift from you. Practical, personal, something to carry you with him no matter where he wandered. You were always protecting him, in more ways than one. When he reached for his tie, he flung it around his neck knowing he didn’t need to see to put it on, and made his way down the hall. 

Maid’s bowed in respect, attendants continue on their duties while he searched, meandered; he was lost. 

A gentle melody spilled from the kitchen, drew him in. It was empty save for one soul who reeled him in like a fish accepting they’d been caught. His hands reached for their hips, his chin settled against them and elicited a laugh that filled his heart more than anything ever had.   

“Goodmorning, handsome,” you hummed, head turning to press a kiss to his lonely cheek. He replied with one of his own to your upper shoulder. “I made coffee, want some?” 

“In a minute,” Diluc spun you to face him, let his forehead rest against your own, breathed in what he was missing from his bed. 

“I love you too,” you professed as you adjusted his skewed tie while he waited for yesterday to fade so he could welcome in today. 

Hope. It holds the lifeline to a life we want to believe in.

Hope. And it sounds like your name.

--

Kaeya

The night comes unexpectedly. Each and every time he falls without knowing - perhaps it’s on purpose that goes until he forgets. Is it hard to face the truth Mr. Calvary Captain? He’s uncertain but there is one thing he knows. 

His dreams have come again. Those dreams that leave a bitter taste in his mouth until he finds something sweet to drown them out. His own twisted sense of curative measures that never last long. Licking his lips makes him grimace so he reaches for what clears his senses. 

A scared hand extends across silken sheets, searches, yearns for the warmth that should be there but finds only cold. In a flash his eyes open as if seeing will confirm that what holds him together hasn’t really left him, not yet, please not yet. What he see’s brings him no comfort; tense fingers gripping the nothingness that’s seeped in once again. He raises his head, moves to the other side of the bed. Traces, only traces are what’s left. 

Kaeya feels his heart plummet into his stomach. It stops, it all stops, and in the early morning a familiar feeling creeps back in. 

Once the abandoned child, always abandoned. 

Kaeya tears the sheets away from his legs, the cool air hits his skin: his chest, his thighs, his arms and back. He can feel the cold as much as he has command of it. A noise from behind him pulls his attention. The open window whistling as if to mock his nerves so he quickly moves to quiet it. 

His eyes adjust and start to see life where it should be. A bag dropped to the floor, contents spilling out as they often are. A jacket, a hat, it’s all where it should be but their owner is missing and he needs to see - needs to be where that heart beats. Needs to feel the gentle hand that cups his face, the one that takes his with them, the one that cares for him as much as he does them.

A noise from beyond the closed door reminds him there is still a chance so he makes his way there and hopes what lies beyond can chase away the thoughts creeping in. 

A kettle whistles, a voice floats down to meet him so when he reaches the end of the hall and sees the figure who should be at his side standing alone in the half-lit kitchen; he wonders why it’s still so hard to breathe. To ease the pain in his chest that was left by an empty side of the bed. 

When you turn to him, as if you knew he was there all alone, the face you show him is one of love and with open arms you welcome him home. 

“Morning. It’s still a bit early, did I wake you?” you say, unbeknownst to the turmoil he awoke too. You moved to the island counter, hand pressing onto the marble while the other extended to him. He swallowed. 

“And here I thought you were being loud on purpose,” he pushed through, attempting to hold onto the tease that kept him afloat all these years, “what, did you miss me?” 

“So what If I did. I’m allowed,” you played back and he was happy for it. 

He grabbed your lower back, pulling you to him as he breathed desperately, oh so desperately, across your lips, “show me how much.” 

“You first,” you hum. 

So he did. With a kiss that bent your back and brought you close to him, he showed you just how near he was to losing himself to the feeling. All his life he’s given in to the will of others but now he wishes to give it all to you; only you, as long as you are here and he can know the warmth that comes from your touch - even for a moment. 

Hope. It holds the lifeline to a life we want to believe in.

Hope. And it sounds like your name.

nepenthe :: a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow 

[baskettt]

“i’m afraid i’ll hurt you. i’m not…” his eyes only told you that he was lost, searching for the right words to convince you of his unparalleled criminality without terrifying you. whether it was the present, past, or potential future.

“i’m no good for you. being with me will only cause you hardship and anguish,” he breathed, looking into your unbothered gaze.

he begged the archons for you to listen. jeopardizing your safety is the last thing he’d want.

you sigh.

“it’s hard to separate good and evil these days.” you don’t smile, though you’re tempted. you knew he had the best of intentions in telling you, but you didn’t care.

“but it’s even harder to separate me from you,” you grin suddenly, turning towards your lover. his heart skips a beat. he wants to say something, but words die in his throat. archons, you were enchanting. “i mean,” you shrug, “for all i know, you could be a saint, dear.”

you both pause for a moment, then burst into a fit of giggles. his more flabbergasted at the absolute fantasy of your statement; like you don’t know about the horrendous acts he’d committed — the acts he’d commit even now.

“i love you.” his head snaps towards you. “regardless of who you think you are, what you’ve done, and who you’ve hurt…”

— “i will always adore you.”

CHILDE, WANDERER, DILUC, KAEYA, (or whoever else you think is befitting.)

[berryblooo]

I think it's very telling that the seemingly "random" characters brought together in Veluriyan Mirage all have a connection to a fallen nation and a secret form.

Idyia is an Oceanid who was exiled from Fontaine after the former Hydro Archon, Amrita, perished when helping save Teyvat from the Calamity. She assumes a human form to not scare people.

From a fallen nation / exile

Alternate form, disguised as human

Kokomi is a descendant from Enkanomiya. Kaeya is a descendant from Khaenri'ah.

Kokomi is theorized to be the Hydro Vishap reincarnated. Kaeya... well, that presents an even more interesting question.

Anyway, HoYoverse chose this cast of characters intentionally, and it makes me very excited to see what they have in store for Kaeya and Kokomi.

[smol-sirens-garden-tobemoved]

“Leave it to me. I got it.”

Oh...look...more problems for her to solve....

[dutybcrne]

Kaeya and Rethel both have a favorite method to ward off any potential suitors, and it’s dueling.

[resolutepath]

About Viktoriya for any fontaine muse / about Bianka for any mondstadt muse ^-^

[ ABOUT: VIKTORIYA. ] The Lady is performing again? I might just have to ask His Grace for some time off so I can see a concert... or I could say I'm going to see if the Iudex has refrained from overworking himself and call it a treatment...?

[ ABOUT: BIANKA. ] ... I remember her.

[ ABOUT: BIANKA. ] Oh that girl? Wasn't she the one that Diluc and the other socialite children used to chase away from the water fountain? I heard she certainly changed and now haunts him in her own way... but who am I to say? It could all be just rumour...

VOICELINES ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER FROM MINE.

[hyacinthian-chateau]

Hello!

Congratulations on 200 followers!!! ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎ ♡

Can I request a matchup please?

I’m gemini, ISFP and i can describe myself as a person who have trust issues, so it’s hard for me to open up to people at first. Despite of this i love affections in various expressions. Compliments, hugs, smooches - I really like to show attachment to my family and friends! Even if it seems so clingy tbh.

Sometimes i'm overwhelmed by emotions and i became rude and harsh in communication, for which I later regret. Let's says my mood always changes by unexplained reasons, yeah…

I'm a bit sarcastic and also unconsciously criticize myself by making self-destructive jokes, thanks to my past, but however my small circle of closed friends says that I mostly looks like a chihuahua - just as small, chaotic and bitey in a good way tho. Even if i more on introverted side i'm eccentric and active in some ways. I mean who one day came to work with invoices mustache and beard just because wanted to? Yep, me. A little weird me.

I have specific tastes in everything from eating french fries with ice cream as sauce to non-standard combination of clothes and colors. It maybe sounds oddly but i like strange and absurd memes, dumb puns and black humour, and i quite often use them in conversations.

I adore astrology and mysticism. Some kind of mystery of the world attracts me, gives me ground for reflection, thereby forcing me to spend almost all my free time on it, and I find it really interesting. I also like everything related to maritime culture and mythology. Warm rainy days, autumn season and evening time of day when the sun slowly sets over the horizon. And I also really like such simple little things as cute pebbles that can be found not only on the beach, but also on an ordinary street, key rings and other seemingly unnecessary trinkets.

What about dislikes? Well, at first it’s wasps. Thank God that I didn't have to come into close contact with them. In my opinion, it's better to run from a flock of geese than from a gang of wasps. The second is acute. I can't and don't like too spicy food and dishes. One day I ate very spicy noodles and my lips cried from burning for half an hour. Not a very good feeling, especially when they are cracked...

When I was a little girl, I attended every school circle, but I didn't stay in any of them due to my frequent variability in both character and interests, and it's a little difficult for me to understand which hobby has sunk into my soul more, heh. I knitted, drew, and excelled in sports - everything in a row, but a little. If singing in the bathroom is considered a hobby, then this is one of them that stayed with me throughout my growing up, ha ha. I will give preference to drawing and writing more, perhaps.

I'm sorry, if it came out quite a lot, but I was happy to share! Thank you for your work, I hope you have a lovely day! ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)

Kaeya, ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

You and Kaeya unintentionally become entangled with each other.

The Cavalry Captain is an admired figure within the City of Freedom. People who have had the pleasure of either meeting or working with him would describe him as a charismatic and skillful man who could charm anyone. And yet behind the handsome face and flirtatious smile lies much more once when you dig deeper.

Kaeya would have mistaken you for an adventurer when you first met as you dressed so differently--stylishly, if he says so himself--compared to your scholarly counterparts. In the beginning, the eye-patched man barely had the opportunity to speak to you as you were mainly either conducting an experiment, assisting both Albedo and Sucrose in the lab, or busy collecting data in the field.

At first, you've remained cautious of the eye-patched man and maintained a cordial relationship with him like everyone else, that is, until you finally snapped one day. The said man enjoyed stretching your patience as he constantly pokes fun at your shorter stature, which earns him a sarcastic response. At the same time, you attempt to avoid his attempt to use your head as an armrest. From there on, Kaeya decides that you are someone he wishes to banter with more often; He's found another person to annoy, next to Diluc.

Despite all your ribbing, the two of you get along quite well, and the navy-blue-haired male has taken the initiative to become your close associate. He is mindful and learns of your tendency to be moody, leading you to become agitated. He exercises patience and tries to cheer you up in various ways: From treating you to some Sticky Honey Roast, to telling an outlandish story that leaves you doubting the credibility of it all, or inviting you to go for a walk along Cider Lake when twilight approaches. At some point, you had suspected that he had left the Windwheel Asters on your workbench after a hectic work week.

It's sooner rather than later that Kaeya becomes a kindred soul and dubs you a 'Genius' when he gets to taste the mix of alcohol you had been concocting. The two of you also tend to frequent the various taverns with either Rosaria or Venti within the city walls. Despite his relatively high tolerance for alcohol, the sword wielder tries his best to listen when you go on a tangent about Ancient Maritime countries within Teyvat. Still, he can't seem to concentrate on your words when you look so animated under the dim tavern lights; He can't help but think you're absolutely striking as he shoots you a cheeky smile.

The slight change in the Cavalry Captain doesn't go unnoticed. Jean has caught her subordinate staring at you from a distance while you were busy speaking to Mona, a frequent visitor who became your fast friend. She's glad he's taken a liking to you but gently reprimands him when he takes too long to focus back on the task at hand. The resident librarian is also well aware of the fondness Kaeya has for you. Lisa, being the prodigy that she is, has roped several female members of the knights, which even included Outrider Amber and even Captain Eula, into creating a secret couple name if you two ever decide to get together.

The tanned man always offers to let you work within his office when he discerns the first signs of exhaustion on your pretty face. You've always been a lively person, but it's during this time that he doesn't talk much but instead lets you share what's on your mind--Whatever the circumstances are, the said man is more than happy to receive you if you ever decide to visit. By the end of your visit, he finds himself enveloped in a brief hug and a light peck on his cheek as you give him your thanks….If you ever bothered to look back, you would have been greeted by the sight of the usually confident Cavalry Captain's ruddy cheeks as he attempts to process what exactly had just happened.

It is somewhere along the line that Kaeya can't help but feel an odd sensation bubbling in his chest when he thinks about you; He's been experiencing it constantly nowadays. He's observant and calm, but he can't help but dive head first when it concerns you. He knows that despite building a façade, he unconsciously drifts toward you and doesn't understand why exactly. He's also somewhat changed as he allows himself to be genuine with his words and actions while wishing to be the closest to you. Slowly but surely, he's unsure when exactly you started to become a part of him.

There are a lot of hurdles to overcome, but your slight air-headedness whenever he tries to flirt with you somewhat dampens his spirits. Maybe he'll invite you to watch the stars at Starsnatch Cliff tonight. And perhaps even adopt a more direct approach this time around?

Huh? You say he's been acting a bit odd lately? Oho~!☆ Then you should speak to him about it if you're so worried.

Oh, but don't worry. You don't need to search too hard…

╰ ☆☆☆☆╮

[smol-sirens-garden]

This was deffinetly concerning. Sure him and Luc always had a cat and mouse relationship but it didn't stop him from caring about the other when he needed it. He wasn't completely heartless. He made sure to keep a close eye on the other even while helping customers. He knew Diluc worked hard and was bound to burn out every once in a while.

"You take as long as you need. I got this. Luckily dad taught us both a few things huh?"

He offered a rare smile, refilling Luc's water as well. Even with the juice the other should keep hydrated. If anything he would help the other home too.

"It seems pretty quiet so if you need to head out I am sure I can handle it or we can close early. It's up to you. Though either way it will cost you."

He gave his usual smirk but at the same time was joking.

Burning the candle from both ends was always likely to catch up with him sooner or later, but that didn’t stop the frustration from allowing this moment of weakness to hit so hard while he was still out in the public like this. Silently, he sat down as Kaeya helped him, just glad for the lack of smart comments. His head was spinning enough - and even the pain against his chest that was usually rather easy to ignore, seemed to be burning with a heat that made even him feel uncomfortable.

“…I’ll be fine after a short rest”. With a soft sigh, he lifted the glass of water and quickly downed it, hoping that it would help to ease that burning pressure against his heart, but of course nothing ever did help that wound. Sighing, he sat back, sipping on the grape juice and trying to urge his body into calming down. He knew he’d been pushing it, but hadn’t expected for exhaustion to hit him quite as hard as it currently was. How late was it? Maybe he should shut early - he couldn’t really ask Kaeya to cover for him the entire night.

[exittotheartscape]

A Kaeya drawing! Messed around with the line art on this one.

[smol-sirens-garden]

Continued From {X} I @crownshattered

He had been watching her for a while before he spoke. He didn't want to disturb her too much yet wanted to make sure she wasn't overdoing it. It was stating to get a bit late after all. He smiled, watching her check the mirror and slowly approaching.

"Of course you are. You always have a glow about you. More so now but I am sure it will linger after too."

He helps her up with a small chuckle, helping her to clean up her desk so it was ready for the next time. His goal was always to keep her as relaxed as possible.

"I take it then that it was a quiet day with little kicking."

He smiled, a hand going to her belly and stealing a kiss before he offered his arm to her.

"Want to pick up dinner somewhere on the way home?"

[starsummons]

the rest pt. 1

[azu21]

I have a soft spot for Albedo, he's so cute

our story

Warning -> fluff, jealousy

Character X GN Reader | Anthology

Includes: Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo (Pt2 Zhongli, Childe, Xiao)

Seguir leyendo

[dutybcrne]

          ・⊱ "Ever heard of the suspension bridge effect? Quite the fascinating concept, really. It's the idea that a sense of fear, like say, when walking across said unsteady bridge or otherwise experiencing ‘danger’ with someone else, can be misinterpreted as affection. What with one’s heart pounding so swiftly and emotions elevated to such a degree, and whatnot. Supposedly it’s a way to get someone to fall for or even simply grow more attached to you far easier."

           ・⊱ “Hm...food for thought, I suppose.”

[resolutepath]

❝ honestly, i’m always there. in my head. the scars on my body might’ve healed but i never really walked away from it. ❞ (wrio to kaeya!)

There is silence between them, held together by this odd camraderie that has crept into the night hours where they sit within the sheltered walls of Angel's Share, the sounds of Diluc cleaning filtering down from above, the background noise to their quiet vigil. He has studied the woodgrain of this table meticulously, committing each line and knot in the wood to memory, gaze increasingly more avoidant with each second their conversation broaches the precipice of too personal, too honest, too much.

Kaeya Alberich is a reflection of joy, an empty vessel that mirrors the cheer in other individuals, keeping his own feelings locked behind a curled smirk and the glimmer in his exposed eye. To pry him open would cause corrosive ichor to spread across the surface and mar his carefully cultivated image, exposing how truly anguished and jaded he really is beneath the surface.

In the end, he reaches for his glass out of habit, the crutch of his favourite drink strength enough to convince him to lift his head and meet the grey hues and offer a commiserating smile before lifting the vessel in a toast. It is too cheery for a sombre moment such as this, but were he not to laugh, then he might allow himself to drown in the unspilled tears within his throat instead, and that is not a fate he can allow. There is still work to do, a playing board to dance with the caution of one torn between two world, choosing both and neither in the same breath.

"Were it possible to walk away easily, I imagine Diluc would have a far harder time reaping profit from his wares. The tribulations of our lives give us reason to gather in the taverns for companionship..." A sip becomes more of a gulp as he lifts the glass to his lips, the familiar taste a soothing balm as he swallows. He knows his words are too light for the truth that The Duke offers, and yet bearing himself never came so easily. To this man, too, he suspects, but that does not make his throat unclog any quicker.

"We all bear the mark of our tragedies. Some are just more easily visible than others." His glass lowers and his hand settles on his cheek instead as he forces his gaze to remain upon the other when every urge in him is telling him to get away from this precipice of integrity that makes him feel too vulnerable, chinks in the carefully crafted image exposed to be seen. Fingertips brush against the edge of his eyepatch as he settles and quickly curl into a fist, lips in a smirk that lingers just on the boundary of artful and forced.

"Learning to live with them give us the stories we tell."

[resolutepath]

His fingers flex uncomfortably against the stem of his wine glass as he settles it back upon the table, resisting the urge to take another swig so soon under that observant gaze that would know his motives. Instead he swirls it again, watching the deep-coloured liquid swirl in the glass and counts the seconds it takes him to catch a full movement in silence, and then raises his gaze to meet her own ersatz smile fixed in position.

"Now you really are being too serious..." he waves away the notion of alcohol poisoning without granting it the severity of attention it deserves, head tipping as his brow furrows instead and he loses a fraction of that cool edge, dancing a line between letting the mask fall and keeping it in place. Eventually he shakes his head, then pointedly raises his glass to his lips for another sip. He knows his capabilities, and is well acquainted with his limits. Should he meet them, he will do so in the privacy of his own abode where none can witness his falling apart at the seams.

"You'd entrust your secrets to me? My, my, my, you are bold. Well, if you offer me such trust, I should be happy to hear." He considers how free she must be, blank slate as she is, to be able to so without concern for what the past must reveal. Her eagerness to do such is his direct antithesis for all he wishes is to leave the past in the withered grave he has cast it to and not think of the weight it carries nor how much it sours his thoughts. "The past means different things to different people, you may wish to dive into it, but for me it is a chapter closed. Why reread it when there is a new one to discover."

He does not drink after his words, which is perhaps testament to how much he believes in them, as much as he believes in anything. He can feel her well wishes for him and while he recognises them in their earnest way, he does not want them. What is happiness to him? But he does not voice his distaste, instead smiles at her statement, nods and drinks deeply from his glass. It isn't malicious after all, just naive.

too blunt,  was it .. ?   but,  hakuno knew better than anyone else that,  no matter how she could put it,  this was something that he  /  she could never admit so easily.  it’s easier to look at others,  to look away from the shattered pieces of her self;  even though i want to know,  i want to find myself.

—peers at him as he laughs,  and hakuno recognizes this as the kind of laughter that’s made to lighten the mood.  far from genuine,  no matter how real it may sound.  you don’t have to force yourself around me,  she’s wants to say,  but doesn’t.  when you’ve molded yourself to be the person others need,  you don’t know just what to do otherwise.  is she worried ?   … she doesn’t know.  yet feels a subtle pang of something at his dismissal of it.       ❛   there is no correlation between those two factors.   ❜       hand is dismissively waved as though refuting the statement  ( and if the action happened to gesture in the direction of a certain red - haired bartender,  well—  she needn’t say anymore ) .       ❛   please take this seriously.  alcohol poisoning is not a joke.   ❜

she can’t say much about the past,  not even knowing of her own,  but she can’t help but question it.  do you really believe that ?   the innocent gaze of the lady seems to convey the unspoken words,  brows furrow together in a rare display of emotion.  really …  she really can’t stand it.  the way he’d kill his own feelings with a smile.  why ?   were his words supposed to be advice .. ?   she can’t understand.  but she can’t ignore it like he does,  not when there’s barely anything inside her to call her own.       ❛   it may be a matter of perspective,  but i don’t think you should disregard the past like that.   ❜       your past is a part of yourself,  after all.  and maybe there lies the distinction between the two  ——  his heavy past turns him to alcohol,  to drown himself in it so that weight could temporarily float away;  hers is an empty slate,  and there’s nothing to be said for a character so lacking.      

❛   if …  if the day comes where my memories return,  i would like to share it with you.   ❜       the words are spoken quietly.  selfish of her to impose such a thing onto him,  but perhaps—  perhaps then they could reach a clear understanding without unspoken words and mere reflections.

❛   follow whatever makes you happy …   ❜       it’s echoed with a hollow voice,  mimicked words.  proper decorum is easy,  and the response comes promptly,  a small clink sounding with a toast for the sentiment she couldn’t understand.   she can’t recall the feeling of pleasure or joy,  everything just feels  …  distant,  and maybe that’s why the gaze in her eyes would remain empty as she silently mulled over this vague concept of  ‘ happiness ’.       ❛   may you find happiness,  then.   ❜       she ends up saying instead.  what to say,  exactly,  during a toast is new to her,  but a thought easily comes to mind.

i hope you can smile from the bottom of your heart someday.

( and …  she really ought to apologize for being so greedy too,  someday. )