#RAAA THIS WAS NOT POSTED ON VALENTINES - 3 days later in fact

[maehwajuuuu-chu]

What was Rai and Kaeya’s first valentine day like?

Hmm, honestly it was actually both of them planning stuff beforehand and trying to be subtle about it so they could surprise each other (DKJHDH it was very much them also trying to make sure nothing would clash and also be something their partner would like — which would lead to some interesting interactions,,, for example, Kaeya mentioning cake and Rai showing up at an assassination job with the Darknight Hero (Diluc) with a baking book in hand. He'd be flipping through the pages and asking Diluc: "I did find one recipe that uses alcohol — would that be a bad idea though, he's definitely going to be drinking wine. Oh, don't mind me, you can keep strangling that agent, I'm just asking for a brother's opinion. Perhaps I should ask Adelinde instead, hm." Or it's Kaeya attempting to sneakily lower Rai's workload for the month so nothing would happen on Valentines — on a couple of days, Rai would be doing his job like usual, but would find the treasure hoarders already tied up and he'd come to visit Kaeya's office later, only to see him snoozing at his desk). On the actual day, Rai woke up quite early (4am - he actually managed to sleep early the day before) so he could manage to put the icing on the cake before Kaeya woke up. However, he'd walk into Kaeya staring back at him with a slightly sheepish grin and a bowl of chillies in his hands. While, Rai had decided to bake a cake at 4am, Kaeya had planned to cook breakfast for him at that time,, which would lead to an unfortunate clash. However, they'd just laugh it off and start helping each other out — Rai would help chopping the chillis (100% because these were the chillis that Miuna had grown and while Kaeya was prepared to make his sacrifice, Rai had decided that he would just help out — "It would be insanely hilarious to see you in a pair of goggles and a scarf, but, I think I'll just spare you today.")

Kaeya would be helping to mix the icing, before attempting to smear some on Rai's face when he's looking away, and would just snicker when his partner finally notices and wipes it off with a snort (he'd try to run off when Rai takes out a scoop and chases Kaeya around with it — safe to say, breakfast did take a while and the cake had less icing than it was supposed to — yes Zhenzhu was napping in her favourite sunspot amongst the chaos hehe). After the whole morning, Rai would take Kaeya to an escape room — specifically the high difficulty one that he had been musing about completing for a couple of months. It would be a challenge, much to Kaeya's delight; moreover, the puzzles and traps reminded him of the past ruins he had gotten trapped in with Rai in their past adventures (to be fair, the escape room was set in an old ruin - they did manage to find some treasure hidden in a secret room they managed to find,, "Say, dear, I do believe perhaps a little bonus to our prize would be delightful."

"And I thought I was the one with a criminal past here...") For dinner, they'd both have a candlelit one at the Angel's Share — with Venti's singing in the background as the sky turned into hues of orange above them before descending into deeper blues with the evening star glinting in the sky.

They'd exchange gifts during this time — with Rai receiving a dagger with an intricate handle and blade shaped into a wing, while Kaeya would receive a pair of earrings that had dangling star shaped crystals. Later on, Kaeya would guide Rai to an abandoned mansion — a place he'd recognise as a Lawrence mansion that had once hosted the masquerade that he had solved his first case with Kaeya, back when they were still enemies and constantly had a knife at each other's throat. In fact, this was the exact place where he had found Kaeya to be his match; the place that would be the start of their game of wits and blood that would continue for the next 2 years.

"This place..." Rai stepped over the broken chandelier, his eyes sweeping over the long tables and shattered ceramics. Something lights up in his expression as he turns around to grin at Kaeya, "Now, isn't this exciting, hm?"

Striding over, Kaeya pulls Rai into a waltz stance, hand eagerly wrapping around his waist. The scratchy melodies of a classical piece drifts into the haunted ballroom, weaving itself through cold air and bringing back the old warmth of memories. Echoes of dancers donned in colourful satin and elaborate masks emerge around them, laughter floating away with the distant memory. "I couldn't find a quartet eager enough to perform in an abandoned house, that was especially once a major crime scene. However, I hope a gramophone and a disc with recordings of some of our favourite albums will suffice." The moonlight shines through the stained glass, illuminating Rai's softened eyes as he presses a kiss against Kaeya's gloved hand before meeting the other's gaze. Awe and something warm seems to have settled on his face, with fond reminisence trickling in his smile. "It will be more than adequate, Star-eyes."