#obviously they do a lot of questionable things and it's fair that people like diluc and others that have been hurt by them want to | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pochipop · 2 years

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＃ GENSHIN IMPACT !! ♡ — THE CURIOUS CASE OF DILUC RAGNVINDR (DILUC X DETECTIVE!READER).

#. synopsis! — just after arriving in mondstadt, a novice level private investigator receives a lengthy commission from none other than kaeya alberich, acting cavalry captain for the knights of favonius. the excitement wears thin, however, when the instructions are to go undercover as a housemaid and work under the formidable wine tycoon, diluc ragnvindr himself. tasked with keeping tabs on the man who seems to be quite a polarizing figure, the lines between employer and employee begin to blur as bleeding hearts come undone and walls all but crumble apart at the seams .

#. characters! —diluc .

#. warnings! — slight angst , non-graphic depictions of wounds , mentions of alcohol .

#. word count! — 7.2k .

#. alt accounts! — @ddollipop (nsfw) @yyolkchi (reblog/spam) .

#. others! — navigation & masterlist .

When you readily accepted a commission from Kaeya, Cavalry Captain for the Knights of Favonius who has quite the credibility according to most people of Mondstadt, this really isn’t what you had in mind. For starters, you expected it to be much less of a personal matter, —maybe something pertaining to his own position, investigating suspicious outlanders or tracking a particular person to bring them in for questioning. Definitely not working under his estranged elder brother Diluc Ragnvindr as a housemaid, simply watching out for the red-haired male to let his sibling know that he’s fairing okay. It’s safe to say going “undercover” at Dawn Winery was the last thing you thought would happen, but here you are, bringing Diluc yet another set of order forms (the one on top requesting an egregious amount of dandelion wine.)

Although housekeeping is far from your area of expertise, you’ve fared quite well thus far. Diluc hasn’t had any complaints about your efficiency or abilities, and your fellow co-workers have been nothing but full of praise for you since the moment you stepped in through the door. Of course, a part of you wonders if they’re only laying it on so thick because they’d like to keep the extra hands around, but for what it’s worth, their kind words likely would have been incredibly uplifting in any other circumstance. Yours is quite different, though. . .

As a private investigator, albeit a novice one who recently traveled to Mondstadt in hopes of making a name for yourself across Teyvat, the work of maids isn’t really your forte. Obviously you respect the profession and those who choose it for themselves, but your path has not prepared you for anything of the sort: and it’s a lot more work than one might expect. Cooking, cleaning, organizing, sorting through letters and documents, running about to put things in their proper places, greeting visitors who come to tour the winery, —and that’s all within a single day.

“Who needs this much wine?” You question, muttering under your breath as you shuffle through the order forms on your way to Diluc’s personal office.

He may or may not be inside, —it’s usually hard to tell. His schedule is often hectic and difficult to get a grasp on, leaving you feeling a bit guilty at the end of the day when you finally catch him and have to place a stack of papers in his hands. Though it’s not your fault, you feel guilty for adding to his obviously abundant workload. Diluc never shows any sign of blame, however. He accepts the documents from you with quick thanks and sets off again (assumedly to make his way through them before he can finally head to sleep at night.)

Thing is, Diluc doesn’t always do that, either. . .

Sometimes, you see him slinking away from the manor in the dead of night, moving quickly through the darkness. He’s cautious and observant, taking in his surroundings and being sure to avoid the eyesight of onlookers. Except you, of course, but that’s hardly any fault of his own. As far as Diluc knows, you’re just a traveler looking for work in Mondstadt that happened to be recommended for a job at the winery. He has no inherent reason to be suspicious of you, especially when you complete your assigned tasks in such timely manners.

Little does he know, you've been keeping tabs on him at the request of his brother. Every seven days, you're to sneak away from the manor and speak with Kaeya in secret, —just to assure him that Diluc is doing okay, that he isn't running himself into the ground and completely forgoing his personal needs and health.

Tonight marks the first seven days, and once the moon rises into the sky, you'll be creeping off into the night to meet with Mondstadt's Cavalry Captain in his office. He'll be expecting you.

You wrap your knuckles across Diluc's office door three quick times, calling out: "Master Diluc, I've brought order forms from the morning and afternoon."

Though you expected silence in return, as Diluc tends to be out of office at midday most of the time, he calls out to you from inside.

"Come in."

You twist the knob of the door and push it open, entering the room with your back straight. He sits behind his large, wooden desk, eyes glued to whatever he's writing at the moment. You watch and he crosses a T and dots a few Is before his crimson gaze flickers to where you stand.

He outstretches his hand and you place the order forms into his grip.

"Thank you, y/n."

The way he says your name each time when you complete a task and he thanks you for it has always been quite nice, in your opinion. You're sure he does it with all the staff members that keep up around the manor, but it's a nice touch. It allows him to narrow his appreciation to a more personalized level, rather than blanketing his thanks across the team. Diluc seems to appreciate individuals.

You make a mental note of that.

"My pleasure," you mod, "—then, I'll be off."

"Wait just a moment," he requests, voice deep and slightly monotone, but ebbing with an edge of softness.

"Oh," falls from your lips before you have the chance to stop it. "Yes sir?"

He sets the order forms you just handed him aside, lithe fingers ghosting against the glossy surface of his desk.

"Are you adjusting well?" Diluc inquires. "Not just here at your job and at the winery, —but to Mondstadt."

His question takes you by surprise. It's hardly in the description of his position to be worried about the personal lives and feelings of his employees, but the fact that he does says quite a bit about his character. At least to you, anyway.

"Yes, I think so,” you nod. “Everyone here at the manor has been exceptionally welcoming, and the people of Mondstadt are very kind.”

Diluc nods.

“I’m glad,” he says simply. “Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need something, I’ll be more than glad to help in any way I can, even if that just means pointing you in the direction of someone more qualified than myself.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, then,” you answer, offering him a coy smile.

You may well be a private investigator, but you’re also painfully human, and Diluc. . . Well, he’s handsome. He’s kind and considerate, if a bit blunt, and he’s honest (perhaps to a fault, but in your actual line of work, that serves to be a very beneficial thing.)

“Thank you.”

Your thanks is genuine, despite the circumstances at play, and the way your heart skips a little beat is also genuine (if a bit embarrassingly so.) In your defense, however, it’s hard not to get that way around Diluc when he’s so intriguing. He has a magnetizing quality, and though his general front is one of a business-oriented young man who seeks not the friendship of others, it’s starkly obvious that so much more is swimming just beneath the surface.

You close his office door behind you on the way out, pausing just outside to rest your back against the wood. A small sigh escapes your lips, and you clutch at the fabric of your uniform that sits just above your heart.

Diluc Ragnvindr is a very curious man.

Kaeya sits across from you, boot-covered feet perched up on his desk. Seeing him like this, you realize just how different he and Diluc are despite their connection (or lack thereof these days.) The younger is much more outwardly warm; almost inviting. The elder is the colder of the two, despite their respective Cryo and Pyro visions saying otherwise. Kaeya is loosely wrapped, while Diluc is wound tight. For brothers, it seems to you that they couldn’t possibly be more unalike.

“There’s really nothing much of interest to report,” you say, watching his handsome face closely for any sign of disappointment.

You don’t find any, though half of his most telling feature is hidden behind an eyepatch.

“He’s a diligent man, from what I’ve gathered. Knowledgeable about his own line of work, but also willing to be stood corrected if the need for it arises.”

Kaeya snickers, removing his legs from the desk to plant the small heels of his boots firmly on the floor.

“He can be quite proud, but it’s no wonder you haven’t seen that side of him yet,” he comments amusedly.

A small part of you wants to reflexively defend Diluc, —insist that everyone can be that way from time to time if the circumstances call for it, but you bite your tongue. After all, Kaeya is your commissioner, and the last thing you’d want to do is upset the very man paying you handsomely for your work. Even more so, he’s known Diluc far longer than you have. They’re brothers. . . You can only assume Kaeya knows about and has seen things of Diluc that you could never imagine to be plausible under the image of the man you’ve come to know thus far.

“He works quite a bit, but seems to handle himself well enough,” you add, hoping to shift the topic a bit. “If he were anyone else, I might suggest he slow down, but a part of me thinks he might do best when his days are jam-packed and there’s never a lull in his duties.”

“You’re perceptive,” Kaeya notes, although it doesn’t feel much like a compliment of your skills, but rather a blunt observation.

It felt like something he was testing you for, as if you’d just passed the first step of some unknown trial you didn’t know you were taking part in.

“My dear brother. . . He works himself to the bone,” Kaeya dramatizes.

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping, Mr. Alberich—”

“Kaeya,” he interjects lightly.

You backtrack and begin again.

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping, Kaeya,” you correct, “but if you know all of this already, then why hire a private investigator?”

Though he seems to be the flippant type, you highly doubt he’d sink low enough to hire the likes of you just to make Diluc feel uneasy in his own home. You suspect there’s something gaping between the two of them —something that’s separated them quite headily— but you also know it’s not your place to question such things. Moreover, even with that in mind, you can sense that Kaeya cares for Diluc. He may well prefer to wear a mask of flirtatious indifference, but Kaeya is much like Diluc in the way that he slips on a mask each morning to shield himself from the view prying eyes.

Maybe they’re not so different after all. . .

Kaeya laughs.

“Like I said before, —I’m just concerned about him, is all,” he answers. “He’s family. Is that so strange?”

You purse your lips before answering.

“No, I suppose not.”

The days go by smoothly, and soon turn into weeks. Every seven days, you return to Kaeya’s office in the Knights of Favonius headquarters with nothing particularly of interest to report. He seems unphased by the plateuted investigation, —as if that’s what he’d been expecting the entire time.

You don’t tell Kaeya that Diluc slips out of the manor at night sometimes.

A part of you thinks he already knows as much, but on the off-chance he hasn’t a clue, you don’t know that it’s your place to say. Though you’re technically working for Kaeya above all else, it’s hard to remove your feelings from this predicament when you spend all of your days working under Diluc rather than his brother. You don’t want to betray either of their trust, but each time you try to explain the way the red haired male sneaks off, clinging to the shadows, you can’t bring yourself to rat him out.

You fear you really weren’t cut out for this job so early on. It seemed to be an easy task in the beginning, but you’d completely forgotten that you too are human, just as they are, and your feelings were bound to get in the way. Emotions are a virtue, but also a deadly vice. They’re a double-edged sword, —one of ice, and one of fire.

“Y/n, there you are,” Adelinde says, approaching you in one of the branching bedrooms you’ve been tidying up for the past fifteen minutes or so.

“Sorry,” you apologize, “I didn’t know you were looking for me. Is everything alright?”

“Not to worry,” she brushes it off easily, “Master Diluc requested that I send you to his office, so please hurry over. I’ll finish up here in your place.”

“Oh, you’re sure? I can finish when I get back. I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Adelinde insists, taking the broom from your hands gently. “Off you go.”

Her playful prompt earns a smile from you and you quickly do as instructed. You’re a bit nervous for what’s to come considering Diluc has never called for you specifically. . . Each time you’ve entered his office, it’s been only to hand him papers, a snack, a drink, or to inform him of something important. Otherwise, your interactions with him have taken place casually in the halls or outside on the deck of the manor. Pleasantries, usually, just impromptu conversation or simple hellos exchanged in passing.

This is likely to be different, though.

You wrap your knuckles against the door, and Diluc calls out from the inside.

“Come in.”

You do, closing the door behind you.

“My apologies for interrupting your work,” he says, “but I was wrapping up these order forms and it suddenly dawned on me that you haven’t had the opportunity to explore Mondstadt, have you?”

He’s not wrong there. Between working around the manor and having to sneak away to report back to Kaeya, the most you’ve really seen is whatever lies between those two necessary destinations. Even then, most of your sight-seeing has been muddled by darkness and a general rushing from one place to the next.

“Not much,” you answer honestly, “but from what I have seen, it’s a very beautiful place.”

He cracks a smile, —something you don’t see often from him.

“It is,” he nods.

You always had an inkling that he was fond of this nation, but now you know that to be the case. There’s a little sparkle in his eyes now, one that anyone but you might well have missed. But it’s very literally your job to hone in on even the smallest details. It can’t be helped that you notice the little things about him.

“I’d hate to be the reason you don’t see at least the city properly,” he continues on. “I’ve got some errands to run in a bit before late evening falls, so if you’d like to accompany me, I’d be grateful for the help, and I’d be sure to give you a modest tour.”

His offer takes you by surprise, but you accept it readily nonetheless. You’re supposed to be gathering information about him in his day-to-day life, after all, and there’s likely no better way to go about that than to accompany him on a casual trip. This is a perfect opportunity to fulfill your duties for Kaeya in a proactive manner; maybe finally have something of note to report back to him.

Deep down, though, you know that’s not all there is to it. A part of you, for whatever reason, wants to head out with Diluc, —wants to hear him speak more when it’s directed for your ears only. Wants whatever personal attention he’ll give you. . . And you’re not sure what to make of that. You fear you know exactly where it stems from, but it’s far too early to say as far as you’re concerned. Most of all, you’d rather it be something else entirely.

Talk about unprofessionalism. . .

There’s something starkly different about this Diluc, however. He seems more at ease, less rigid and stiff as he walks the streets of Mondstadt. He even offers casual smiles to those that greet him as they pass him by. Fondness radiates from every pore on his body, and you, in all his glory, can’t help but think that it’s sweet. You doubt that’s something you can report back to his brother, but you note it, for yourself if nothing else.

“Those white flowers are pretty,” you comment, finger pointing toward the pale-colored petals atop vibrantly green stems.

The young girl selling them seems to beam with pride in the moments before she opens her mouth to speak.

“They’re called Cecilia flowers,” she tells you, “—they only grow in Mondstadt.”

“Ah, I guess that’s why I’ve never seen them before,” you reply. “Still, they’re beautiful.”

“You like them?” Diluc asks.

You nod, “I do! They’re unique. I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”

At your confirmation, Diluc stuffs a large hand into one of his pockets and rifles around for a moment before pulling out a small sum of Mora. He hands it to Flora, who readily accepts it in her small palms that seem even tinier than they really are in comparison to Diluc’s. Though she owns a popular and seemingly successful flower shop, the way her eyes glimmer with childlike wonder at the sight of currency really encapsulates her true, innocent nature.

“Can I just take this one here?” Diluc asks, pointing toward one of the Cecilia flowers you were fawning over just moments ago.

Flora nods.

“It’s all yours, but do be careful with it! Flowers are quite delicate,” she warns.

He nods in understanding, taking the plant gently into his grasp before leading you just a ways away. In this little pocket of the city, nobody is looking your way. It’s all too easy to slink into the corners and take a breather, —share a moment with Diluc that nobody else is privy to. Against Flora’s advice, he snaps the stem off a bit, then holds the flower close to you.

“May I?”

You’re not sure what he’s asking permission for, but you’d venture to say that you trust Diluc, so you give him a curt nod in a wordless response. He takes that as a go-ahead, gently pushing your hair away to slip the remaining stem behind your ear, pausing to make sure it’s secured before he pulls away and steps back. The way his eyes graze over you leaves your heart skipping a beat, feeling like some masterpiece painted by a skilled painter being admired as a finished product.

“Lovely,” he says, softly so, as if mumbling it to himself instead of you.

Your heart quivers.

As he goes about the rest of his tasks, retrieving fresh fruits from various vendors, obtaining new bottles and labels, and purchasing the both of you a quick, light dinner, you find yourself relaxing into his rhythm. He doesn’t say much, but his actions speak volumes, and you find yourself getting lost in the beat of his drum. Of course, it’s not like you can go to meet Kaeya tonight and tell him that his brother is a perfect candidate for a date, but at this point, it’s the only thing on your mind.

Not that this is a date.

That’s definitely not the case. . . Right?

Your nerves spike at the thought of it.

“I’m bartending at the Angel’s Share tonight,” Diluc says, pulling you from your thoughts. “Would you like to come? I’ll mix you something to your taste.”

The sun has yet to fully sink its way out of the sky, and you have no reason in particular to refuse him; so you don’t. Upon entering the tavern, you sit on one of the stools just in front of the bar, and Diluc makes his way behind the counter. You’re on the job —maybe even on two at once— so you request something non-alcoholic and he obliges, mixing you a fizzling fruit juice. It tastes like sunsettias and a flavor you can’t quite put your finger on, but it’s crisp and refreshing nonetheless.

“This is really good,” you compliment, taking another quick sip for emphasis.

He smiles again, and you’re certain that you’ve seen that expression on his face more times today alone than you have in the past four weeks you’ve been working under him.

“I’m glad you like it,” he replies.

You resign yourself to watching him work, mixing drinks for those that request for them. It’s clear that he’s skilled, has memorized every drink on the menu by heart, and knows exactly what he’s doing in every sense of the phrase. By the time your drink is halfway gone, the door of the tavern opens and you casually look over your shoulder out of curiosity. You nearly allow your expressions to betray you when Kaeya saunters in, but you manage to collect yourself, letting your eyes linger for a moment before laxly turning back around.

Kaeya seems hellbent on making your job (and life) that much harder, however, because he takes the seat directly beside you and angles his elbow along the bar, resting his cheek on the flat of his palm.

“The usual, Master Diluc,” Kaeya requests, sarcasm dripping from his lips.

Though you’ve been dealing with each of them for almost a month now, you’ve yet to see them interact. This is new territory. Unsurprisingly, Kaeya seems to be a bit of an instigator, while Diluc deflects his attempts at getting a rise out of him with a stone faced expression and almost mechanical movements. It’s a bit anxiety-inducing to be so up close and personal with it, but the dynamic between them is. . . Interesting, to say the least.

“Here,” Diluc mutters with a bitter edge to his voice, placing a glass before his brother.

No thanks is offered in reply, Kaeya simply swipes the glass up and tips it back, downing half of it in one fell swoop. You try not to stare, worried that seeming too familiar with Kaeya might give way to hints about the true nature of your relationship to him, —but Kaeya makes it admittedly hard to look away. The way he’s acting now is not in total contrast to the demeanor he has when you’ve been alone with him, but it’s not quite the same, either. It straddles an odd line drawn pitifully in the sand, and you’re not certain of what to do with yourself at the moment.

“I’m sure you’ve heard by now,” Kaeya pipes up again, “but Mondstadt has been buzzing with rumors about the so-called Darknight Hero.”

You doubt Diluc has been able to miss word of that. You’ve only been here for a short time, but even you have heard news of the mysterious vigilante that protects Mondstadt from the shadows. Though much less than official, Kaeya doesn’t seem particularly perturbed by the rumored existence of such a figure. . . More or less, he seems amused by it, as he often is by many things. Any and all things, actually.

“I don’t pay attention to baseless rumors,” Diluc responds coldly, eyes never drifting from the glass in his hand as he cleans the inside of it with a cloth.

Though you know you don’t have enough evidence to say for certain, you happen to believe that he’s being less than truthful. While he may well avoid the gossip that average people engage with throughout the day, you believe Diluc knows a lot more about the Darknight Hero than he’s letting on.

You might even venture to call it a rather personal endeavor.

That would certainly explain all the sneaking away from the manor that he does on random nights.

“Don’t be so uptight, Diluc,” Kaeya sighs into the latter half of his drink, “maybe gossiping a bit would do you some good. Frowning so much will frighten your customers away.”

The elder of the brothers sighs, but says nothing in reply. The younger snickers at the small reaction and tips his head back again, swallowing the rest of his drink down.

“Refill please,” he requests, to which Diluc snatches the glass away from him and does as asked with a scowl etched across his features.

He’s a bit ashamed of himself for acting this way in front of you, but Kaeya tends to bring the worst out of him, and he knows that. They both know it, in fact. You feel like you’re witnessing something that you’re not supposed to be seeing, and heavily consider finishing your drink up quickly and heading for the door. Even so, you sit still and stay silent, observing Diluc when he looks away and stealing small peeks at Kaeya, who is all too good at pretending like you simply don’t exist.

You drink a cup and a half in the time it takes Kaeya to chug four. You’re not sure whether that’s somewhat grotesque or impressive, but you keep those thoughts to yourself, and instead sit in silence as the two of them continually go back and forth with verbal spats. Kaeya starts them off, typically finishes them as well, and Diluc does his best to ignore his brother as much as he can whilst still doing his job.

“Well, I should be off,” Kaeya notes, swiping the back of his hand across his mouth. “I’ll be sure to stop by soon and pay you a visit, brother.”

As he stands, Kaeya taps his fingers against your knee. While you don’t react, you get the picture, and you excuse yourself from the bar not long after, denying Diluc’s request to walk you back to the manor. You take the long way to the Knights of Favonius headquarters this time; just in case.

Somewhere along the line, you’re forced to recognize that you’ve become more of a maid than a private investigator. This job pays well though, and with no foreseeable clients thus far, you don’t exactly have any other options. It would be impossible to advertise your services in Mondstadt now, what with Diluc roaming around, able to see flyers at any time. Not to mention that he’s paying you for your services at Dawn Winery as well, so you’re getting twice the income for the time being, and those savings will likely be very helpful down the line.

“Master Diluc,” you say, knocking on his office door with a plate of mint jelly freshly prepared by one of the maids. “I have a snack for you, if you’d like it.”

You were fairly certain he was in at the moment, but no answer rings out.

“Master Diluc?”

When you knock again, the door opens a tad and you steal a quick glance inside. Diluc is asleep at his desk, which is very much unlike him. Though you wonder if it’s best to simply leave him be and let him rest, the flush on his cheeks that you can see from even across the room leaves you worried.

The pang in your chest tells you that you’ve gotten too involved, and you kick yourself for making such a grave mistake your first time out on your own. It’s too late to take your feelings back now, so you sigh softly and all but accept your fate. Placing the plate on the edge of his desk, you place your hand against his forehead and roughly check his temperature. He’s warmer than you suspect he should be, and he doesn’t stir from the contact.

“Master Diluc,” you repeat for a third time, lightly shaking his shoulder to wake him up.

Slowly but surely, his eyelids peel back to reveal the glossy crimson of his irises. It’s clear that he’s a little dazed, and you keep your voice down, speaking to him softly.

“Do you feel unwell?” You ask, though you’re certain you already know the answer.

He blinks, looking so innocent in the moment that it’s almost startling.

“Just a bit,” he says, stifling a yawn.

This certainly isn’t the time to be thinking about such things, but you can’t help acknowledging that he’s quite cute with his hair disheveled and cheeks reddened. In your defense, you’re an investigator, and noting the small details is simply part of your job description. Maybe not the one Diluc pays you for, —but certainly for the one Kaeya does, albeit not in this fashion. . .

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping my boundaries, but I think you should go lie down,” you tell him, doing your best to tread carefully.

After that date-like evening out on the town and him slipping that Cecilia flower behind your ear, you’re uncertain of where you stand with him. You’re nowhere near naive enough to think he sees you as nothing more than an employee, but the rest is muddled from there. Is he seeking friendship? Is he after something more? Or, maybe, he’s seen right through you and is just trying to judge for himself what your true intentions are.

In any case, you know it’ll weigh heavily on your conscience if you don’t at least encourage him to go and rest when he feels ill.

You expected him to shake his head and insist that everything was fine, that he didn’t need the rest and could get on with his workday just fine, —but much to your surprise, he simply nods in agreement.

“You’re not overstepping at all,” he assures you. “I’ve been off all day, but I thought I could pull through. . . I suppose I was wrong.”

“He can be quite proud, but it’s no wonder you haven’t seen that side of him yet.”

Kaeya’s words ring out in your mind, but you still find that sentiment a bit distasteful. In fact, as things have gone on longer, this entire situation has become increasingly distasteful from your point of view. While you understand Kaeya’s motive for doing so, you wholeheartedly believe he’s going about this the wrong way. Of course, it’s likely not your place to say such a thing, but the temptation to do so grows with each passing meeting.

You’ve gotten tangled up in this mess of threads somehow, and you really want to be the one to make things right, even if you know that’s not your call.

You help Diluc to bed and inform the other members of staff that he’s not feeling well. Though they offer assistance, you insist that you can handle things yourself.

“Can I get you anything else?” You ask him as you adjust the cool cloth you just draped across his forehead.

This is the first time you’ve seen Diluc in comfortable clothes. The way loose fabric folds and caresses his skin is something akin to magical, and for the first time in your life, you find yourself being jealous of inanimate materials. A full glass of water sits on the nightstand beside his bed, and his bright hair is splayed across the pillow his head is resting on.

“No, I’m fine,” he insists, not wanting to take more of your time, but somehow wanting to do so all within the same breath.

“I’m sorry for making you go to all this trouble, y/n.”

“Not at all,” you shake your head in reply. “Please, rest well and feel better soon.”

It was nothing more than a passing cold mixed with some light exhaustion. He was almost completely better by the next morning, but something had irrevocably changed.

You were stuck staring at the ceiling that night, thinking about the way he all but nuzzled into the warmth of your palm when you went to check his temperature.

“Not to be brash, but don’t you think this is getting a little repetitive?” You ask.

Kaeya denies nothing, but shrugs his shoulders in reply.

“Maybe,” he answers simply.

“Okay. . . Then maybe it’s time to call this quits?” You press.

It’s been eighty-four days, and this investigation has proved to be completely useless, for lack of a better word. Diluc is many things, is definitely the Darknight Hero, —but none of that is anything Kaeya hadn’t known before you got there. You don’t want to be presumptuous and jump to the conclusion that he’d been playing with you for all this time, but you don’t exactly have another explanation to end with.

“I suppose that’s your choice to make,” Kaeya shrugs again, uncrossing his long, slender legs in order to lean forward and fix his single-eyed gaze on you. “You’re the professional here.”

You’re frustrated, but try your best to not let it show. You’re the professional here, after all.

“I don’t understand,” you say, voice even, but also notably cold. “What was the point of any of this? I didn’t tell you anything you didn’t already know, and moreso, everything you seem to want can’t be accomplished through me. If you want to reconcile with your brother, I can’t snap my fingers and magically make that happen.”

His face falters for a moment, surprised by your sudden questioning. Kaeya collects himself quickly, fixing up the mask that slipped ever so slightly out of place.

“Who said my brother and I needed any type of reconciliation?” He questions.

“You didn’t have to say that outright,” you answer, “it was glaringly obvious from the moment I saw the two of you interact at the Angel’s Share.”

A wiry smile works its way onto his lips.

“As expected of you, little detective.”

His comment is likely patronizing, but you don’t have the energy to care. Right now, you’re more concerned with how you’re going to break all of this to Diluc and claw at the scraps of whatever’s left. It was an invasion of privacy, and you’re far from blind to that. In this line of work, you’re no stranger to overstepping the boundaries that most people wouldn’t even dream of toeing. But this time, you’re sorry. It didn’t lead to any grand discoveries, and nothing has been settled. You might as well have been further shoving Diluc into himself, giving him yet another reason to be distrustful and look at all those around him with skeptical glares.

“I’m going to be honest with him,” you say firmly. “I won’t break our confidentiality, but I imagine he’ll put the pieces together himself.”

“More than likely,” Kaeya nods in agreement, but doesn’t seem particularly phased by that in the slightest.

“Well then,” you say, pulling yourself to your feet, “If that’s all, then I’ll be leaving.”

He raises a single hand, holding a pouch of Mora with nimble fingers.

“Don’t forget your final payment, investigator,” he quips.

Your reply of “keep it” is curt as the door to his official latches shut behind you.

Whatever happens from here will happen. You may well not like the ending, but it’s not yours to decide upon. As far as you can tell, Kaeya just wanted someone to care for Diluc without having to ask for it explicitly, —but to say that he went about it in the wrong way would be a grave understatement. With the moon hanging bright in the sky, you make your way back to the manor by way of starlight. A part of you wishes you could melt into the reflected rays of the sun and hide there, but you know that you owe it to Diluc to come clean. If nothing else, he deserves to know the truth.

Unfortunately, all thoughts of coming clean go out the window the minute you see Diluc kneeling on the ground just outside the manor, —arm wrapped tight around his abdomen, hunching over in pain with an obvious grimace written across his face. Obviously you haven’t a clue what’s happened, but you have nothing more to hide, so you rush toward him with reckless abandon and grasp at him softly as to avoid hurting him unintentionally.

“Diluc?” You question urgently, “—are you okay? What happened?”

“It’s fine,” he grits through clenched teeth, “I’m fine.”

“He can be quite proud, but it’s no wonder you haven’t seen that side of him yet.”

“You’re not fine,” you say bluntly.

His hand is covered in blood, assumedly his own. You can smell the thick, metallic scent that hangs heavy in the otherwise fresh and crisp night air.

“Here, let me help you inside,” you continue, and he obliges since he’s clearly in no position to refuse the help.

Despite his injury, the both of you make haste through the halls to the bedroom you’d been given the day he hired you as a maid for the manor. Droplets of his blood stain the sheets of your bed, but you fear you won’t be needing them for any longer anyway. You bite your tongue for the time being, knowing your admission would only add insult to injury as things are.

“I’ll. . . I’ll need you to take your shirt off,” you say, voice wavering under the circumstances.

It’s something you’d likely have preferred in a much different context, but this. . . Yeah, this isn’t what you had in mind, that’s for sure.

He hesitates, but you have a sneaking suspicion that insecurity and discomfort aren’t the reason for such. Rather, his gaze writes a story that he can’t will his tongue to, and you take a sharp breath in.

He needs help.

You offer it, apologizing when he hisses through his teeth. Pulling it off like a bandaid is less effective when holes, wounds, and limbs are involved, making that method largely ineffective. Again, it’s likely not the time to admire him, but he’s undeniably attractive and as that realization washes over you once again, you find it harder to meet his gaze.

“How bad does it hurt?” You ask.

His stomach heaves a little, stretching the gash. It doesn't appear to be very deep, but it likely feels a lot worse than it looks, especially in such an easily agitated area.

“It could be worse,” Diluc acknowledges, “but it damn sure doesn’t feel good.”

You learned very early on in your (real) line of work that it’s always best to carry a first aid kit with you. Upon traveling to Mondstadt, you certainly didn’t leave yours behind. Pulling it out from your single bag of belongings that you never properly unpacked, you lower yourself into the space between Diluc’s legs and try to avoid his eyes. You’re not oblivious enough to not realize that this is a rather compromising position.

Being gentle is hard when so much debris has fallen into a cut, but you do your best to do the least amount of harm you can. His breathing gradually settles as you work, and he feels guilty for the blood he’s gotten not only on your bed, but on your hands as well.

“So,” you speak up, finally breaking the silence that had fallen between the two of you, “this is what it’s really like being Mondstadt’s Darknight Hero, huh?”

You steal a glance at his face to find that he’s completely unsurprised.

“How long have you known?” He asks in reply, dodging your question with ease.

“I noticed early on that you sneak away from the manor late at night,” you answer. “Not that I knew why at first, and I never thought it necessary to follow you. . . But the moment I heard the other maids discussing the rumors, I put two and two together fairly quickly.”

Diluc doesn’t have it in him to be annoyed. Rather, he’s impressed at the way you seemingly solved that little case of his so easily, cracking it open like an egg above a hot frying pan.

“I think what really made me certain of it all was when you took me around the city,” you continue on. “I could tell that you truly love Mondstadt, and that you’d do anything to protect it. Which I think is admirable, of course, but. . . Seeing the fallout like this is quite sobering.”

“It usually doesn’t end like this,” he clarifies. “My mind was somewhere else tonight, and I shouldn’t have gone out. What happened was on me for letting my guard down so easily.”

“Where was your mind?” Comes your next question, although you’re not sure you’re really in the position to be asking such things.

“Just. . . Just somewhere,” he replies.

You don’t push it.

Instead, you take your time wrapping long strips of bandage around his waist that will hopefully protect his open wound from bacteria and subsequent infection. You then move on to the few open cuts on his face, which are much less severe, but deserving of similar attention. His face is close to yours, so much so that you can feel the gentle fanning of his breath as it skims across your skin. Your heart pounds in a way you fear it doesn’t deserve to as you tend to his wounds.

Although he’s sore and still dealing with dull aches and sharp spikes of pain, his hand reaches up, fingers curving around your wrist. He’s surprisingly gentle as he pulls your hand away, then transfers that same hand to match the profile of your cheek. He still smells of blood, but you catch the semblance of sweet sunsettias and a soothing, natural musk as he slowly moves a little closer.

Diluc Ragnvindr is about to kiss you.

He’s a mere pinky finger’s length away from capturing your lips in his, —and you want it so bad.

But you know well enough by now that sometimes you just aren’t meant to have all the things you want.

“Wait,” you say sharply, still keeping your voice down.

He stalls.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t. . .” you trail off for a moment. “I can’t let this go any further if I don’t tell you that I’m not who you think I am.”

Somehow, he doesn’t seem phased by that, either.

“I figured as much,” he answers, “but go ahead. I’m listening.”

His lips are still dangerously close to yours as you answer.

“My name is y/n, but I’m not just a traveler who sought work in Mondstadt. I’m a private investigator, and I was hired to work here at the Dawn Winery to keep an eye on you. I was never given specifics, and I never really found anything either, besides you being the Darknight Hero and all. . .”

Diluc sighs softly.

“Kaeya’s doing, I presume?” He asks.

“Confidential,” you reply simply, —but he already knows the answer.

Still, in spite of it all, Diluc doesn’t seem angry. Maybe you were right to assume that he knew something was fishy all along.

“You’re quite good at your job,” he compliments. “If I had been anyone else, I’m sure you wouldn’t have raised anyone’s suspicions.”

You’re worried he can hear your heart pounding now as it hammers away in your chest.

“Thank you for saying so,” you reply.

His thumb glides over the skin of your cheek, caressing it softly.

“Let’s rewind a bit,” he suggests. “My name is Diluc Ragnvindr. I’m the owner of Mondstadt’s Dawn Winery, and I’m the so-called Darknight Hero, the midnight vigilante who protects Mondstadt from the shadows. I also prefer grape juice to wine, ironically enough.”

The last bit makes you giggle.

“I’m y/n y/l/n. I’m a novice private investigator, I carry that first aid kit everywhere I go because I’ve learned that lesson of going without it one too many times, and I really hadn’t been to Mondstadt before I arrived here. As for everything else, I’m hoping. . . You’ll want to find the answers for yourself. . .”

Your eyes glimmer with hope, and Diluc says nothing in return. Instead, he leans in to seal this new beginning with an ardent kiss.

153 notes · View notes

cloudninetonine · 3 years

Text

A past that still haunts me

A/N: Hey guys, it's me (ya boi) I'm back with my still current hyper fixation Genshin Impact and a vent fic because I've been really stressed and well, it's hard living in my house :) It's a hurt/comfort fic because they always get to me and I needed to make something for myself

I am willing to do aftermath where the boys confront the abuser or do scenario but with different characters

Synopsis: You’re not a damsel in distress, you never have been and you never will be, but, well, sometimes you need a hero to rely on and that’s okay

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli and Childe

Warnings: Hints to past abuse, confrontation of abuser, violence, mentions of blood, threats, foul language

It had meant to be like any other menial day of an adventurer: sign in with Katheryne, complete your commissions, sign out with Katheryne with your payments - done and dusted.

But that wasn’t how it went, no, far from it - archons, so damn far from it.

“Thank you once again, (Name)” Katheryne’s smile was kind like usual, holding that familiar feeling of gratitude as she handed over your remission within a marked package, hand returning to the desk’s polished surface once you had taken it graciously, sending her a beaming grin back. “The Guild really appreciates your work ethic when it comes to the Ruin machines, it’s hard to come across adventurers who want to handle them anymore”

You sent her a shrug as you placed away the box “Can’t blame them really, they’re a hard bunch to handle- I was terrified of them when I first started too, but I had my vision to help me out, a lot of these folk only use there pure determination to eradicate them, gotta admire that!”

She laughed along with you politely “Have a good evening, (Name), I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

“Of course you will!” You backpedalled away from the guild reception, throwing the woman a polite double fingered salute as you did “Ad astra abyssoque as they say, my fair lady!”

She parrotted back her usual phrase before disappearing into the building, you walking further down the path of the city for your final activity for that day.

Of course, you didn’t reach that far, after all, it wasn’t that menial day you had expected, that you had wanted. Life was cruel sometimes, so incredibly cruel for no justified reason just for the sake of it all and you wished, archons, you wished you could rewind the clock and stop yourself from bumping into the body, to save yourself from all the repressed trauma bursting forth like a flurry of butterflies, well, more like moths, disgusting, ungodly, monster moths that aimed straight for the face.

“Sorry!” You yelped, too preoccupied with gathering your pocketwatch you had dropped in the stumble to see who it had been, after all, you were on a schedule and you didn’t want to be-

“(Name)?”

...late.

All of a sudden, time didn’t seem to exist, or maybe it was moving way too slowly from that horrid spike of adrenaline that shot into your bloodstream as soon as the voice registered.

You hoped to the Archons that it wasn’t, that it couldn’t, but did the gods hear your prayers?

“Oh Archons, it is you! It’s been such a long time!”

Of course, they did, they just didn’t care to listen. Ignoring the cries of your people were in fashion to them these days.

They stood there with a smile so excited it almost seemed to tear their face in half, with eyes sparkling with recognition after so many years away from them, they opened their arms welcoming you into their embrace like it was something just so normal for the two of you like you would come bounding to them like a lost puppy who had finally found their master.

The fear of your abuser dwarfed in comparison the pure feral rage and loathing to think that they even deserved to be breathing in the same space as you.

People were looking, of course, they were looking, you knew what they were doing, being bright and jovial, bringing others attention towards you both so that whatever scene you caused would be your fault like you were the bad guy. It was old tactics, of course, you wouldn’t dare do anything when you were younger, you’d just push through it, but this wasn’t old times, this wasn’t younger you, scared, smaller you afraid them, this was you now, a warrior, unwavering in battle, a person who smiled in the face of danger, who laughed at the pitiful fights that 2- no- 4 abyss mages brought to you!

To hell what other people thought, you’d stomp their head into the cobblestone if they had so much as poked you.

“Come here and give me a-”

You took a step back, mustering the deadliest face you could, but you wavered, it was only natural, no matter how much you could try to hype yourself up, this person was your first true experience of real-life nightmares, the first person to bring you true pain, no matter how many ruin guards, hunters, millachurls, mages- anything you faced, nothing could prepare you to face your first fear:

The fear of your older sibling.

“If you fucking touch me I’ll stab you-” The growl cracked nearing the end, you were always an angry crier but you were not about to fall back to this- this monster. “In front of all these people, I won’t hesitate”

Their face dropped followed by your stomach, though, the food you had for lunch sure did feel its way up your gullet.

“What’s with your language? We haven’t seen each other in four years and this is how you treat me? Your older sibling?” They laughed in disbelief because onlookers would think they were shocked, I mean, how could you speak to family like that? But they didn’t know, they didn’t know the words they had told you, the insults, the threats, those tight grabs, those beatings- they didn’t know, so they obviously didn’t know that the shock came from the fact that you had stood up to them.

You licked your lips to get rid of the dryness, but the problem you faced was that your mouth had dried out along with them, as did your throat.

Don’t let them turn this on you, don’t let them get the upper hand, you were better than them, so much better.

“You’re not my fucking sibling” You spat, feeling the air vibrate around you, a sudden shine from your cloak hinted you to the cause “You haven’t been for a long time, don’t fucking try that shit with me”

There it was, that familiar enraged spark, that look of hatred on their face, the thing that warned you about what you said had been the right thing to set them off, that they were just as easily triggered by the smallest act of rebellion just like when you were kids.

Of course, they hadn’t changed.

Evil never did.

They took a step forward but you didn’t back off, just hardened your resolve as they leaned in menacingly, as though their stupid little intimidation tactic still worked after all these years.

You told yourself it didn’t but you knew deep down that wasn’t completely true.

“Don’t speak to me like that, (Name)” Facade gone, they showed you what they really were, what they were really like after all, “Don’t you ever speak to me like that, you show me fucking respect”

Respect?

RESPECT!?

Oh Archons, you were angry, no, seething from the thought that they ever deserved respect.

That pathetic piece of shit, that gruelling pleb, mere gum on the bottom of your damn shoe-

You’d kill them, right here, right now.

You felt the familiar materialisation begin to form in your hand when another voice called out, a familiar loving one that nearly made your throat swell from relief.

“(Name)?”

Diluc

He could sense the tension. Of course, he could sense the tension, Diluc had faced this tension so many times before, he was practically the one that owned such a vibe anytime Kaeya even breathed near him for a second longer than necessary.

But being the one to witness it, to see you, the usual awkward, goofy sweetheart stare at another with such overbearing malice made him uneasy, caused his stomach to churn in ways he didn’t like, set him off in a way that was only reserved for the most chilling on moments.

Diluc wondered what exactly this stranger had done to warrant such a reaction from you.

“(Name)?” The redhead called, glancing around the many citizens of Mondstadt that watched the exchange with intrigue, guard and worry, eyes focused on the scene of this foreign stranger and fuming you, hand poised by your side with weapon particles dancing on your palm.

When Diluc finally made it over, his form seemed to curl protectively around you, hand landing on the small of your back delicately while keeping face with the person, eyes narrowed dangerously but still holding an air of civilness.

A true gentleman, even when you were close to merking some rando.

“Is there a problem?”

The stranger straightened immediately, backing up a few steps with their hands up in defence, sending Diluc a charming smile that the man could see through crystal clear.

“No problem, no problem at all” They glanced back at you, seemingly friendly despite his partner’s obvious ill intent that radiated off you in waves “Isn’t that right, (Name)?”

Diluc saw you tense up once again, the buzz from your Vision rising in volume with your obvious anger as you tightened your first, ready to just screw your weapon and go for the throat.

“If that is the case” The noble’s hand softly pressed against your back, gently but coaxing, knowing that conflict in the middle of the town centre would just bring the knights to meddle in affairs that they had no business attending “Then we shall be going”

“There’s no need to leave, after all, my sibling and I were just chatting”

He paused, shouldering a questioning glance your way but at the sight of your unruly expression, he pushed down his enquiries and once again began coaxing you away from the scene. Angel’s Share had already been open for a while, meaning the usual folk would already be settled in, but the storage room was sure to be a good place to chat and to calm you down, all he needed to do was get you away.

“We already had plans” The side glance had the stranger- your sibling, biting their tongue, brows furrowing in a known annoyance as the two of you began your way towards the pub, you still vibrating in anger. “Good day to you”

The two of you had made it a few feet when they called out once again “Don’t worry, (Name), I’ll see you again real soon”

Diluc’s arm tightened around you faster than you could react, tugging you away quickly “Diluc-”

“No, (Name)”

“Stay out-”

“Not here” Sharing a look, he softened at the shine in your eyes. “You’ll just attract the knights' attention”

You didn’t care, no, not one bit. If the knights had dared to interfere at that moment, they too would have been caught up in your blinded revenge, thrown aside or slashed down without single care just to finally eradicate the bane of your existence and you didn’t care about what consequences you brought about, you just didn’t and you made sure to tell Diluc that, as soon as you had the privacy of Angel’s Share’s storeroom, pacing up and down while he stood off to the side against the wall, watching silently.

“You had no right to get in my way!” You snapped, voice shaking from the pure emotions you were releasing “I finally had my chance, I was finally going to do it! They deserve to end by my hand, by my decision, after the years of torture they put me through! They deserved it! And you got in my way! How could you get in my way! I-”

Pushing off the wall, he slowly advanced towards you, carefully, hands out like he was approaching a wounded animal.

“I understand you’re upset-”

“I’m not upset!” You cried at him, stopping mid-step before dropping your head and tightly, grabbing your hair in your hands “I’m not upset! I’m angry! I’m so fucking angry! And I deserve to be fucking angry! I-”

The sob ripped through your throat despite you trying to hold it back, tears finally gathering in your eyes and rapidly falling down your cheeks “You should have let me kill them! I should have had the chance to rid the world of their evil! It’s not fair! It’s not- it’s not fair, I-”

You didn’t bother to fight him when his arms finally wrapped around you, just fell against him as you wept. The pent up rage, fear and sadness from years of repression taking its toll as you cried, your partner whispering sweet words as he raked his hand through your hair gently and leaned his head against yours.

“I’m sorry” His hand held your cheek fondly, ruby red staring back into your own eyes with a softness that made you melt “I didn’t know this meant so much to you, but if you’re willing to tell me, I’ll listen. I’ll always listen”

With another choked sob, you leaned into his hold “Please just hold me for now”

And he did just that.

Kaeya

The captain had promised to meet you at his office, a simple task really but with the lingering presence of Jean and the words ‘There’s so much work that needs to be done’ leaving her lips he bolted, hoping to catch you by the Guild and drag you to Angel Share for your date. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help her, it was just he had already promised you this night and Eula could have always taken his place with paperwork, her threat of “vengeance” as she liked to call it could wait for another day.

It was also due to the fact he had no intentions of filing any paperwork for as long as he could avoid it, but that was his secret to be kept.

Being the perspective man he was, he could tell straight away he had walked into something tense, surveying the surrounding people of Mondstadt who looked on in concern, the unbridled rage upon your face, the obviously intimidating lean that the stranger held over you- something was wrong and he knew he had to put a stop to it.

“(Name)?” You glanced for a single moment before your furious glare had returned to the stranger, another flag waving right in his face as he approached, “My dear? Who might this be?”

Before you could snap, lip curling in disgust, the stranger stood back to their full height, switching quickly with a fake charming smile that practically mirrored his own, holding out their hand towards him “(S/N) (Last), (Name)’s older sibling. it’s nice to meet you”

Kaeya’s smile widened and despite the glare from you that was now focused on him, he shook your sibling's hand in-kind “Kaeya Alberich, (Name)’s partner-”

He made sure to tighten his grip with his last words “And Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius”

Successfully, as he always was, Kaeya held back the smug, mocking grin that itched to climb onto his face when the neck of your sibling bobbed nervously, forehead reflecting the afternoon light as sweat gathered on their brow.

The man hadn’t obviously threatened them, surely, Kaeya was smarter than that, but then again, he could still present himself as a threat, a good one and well, his title was a menacing one when it came to the right moment. ‘Try anything and not only do I have the authority to kick your arse but the power to put you in a place many didn’t dare even step’ shortened into an innocent sentence with only 8 words.

“Cavalry Captain? That’s quite impressive” They laughed off, tugging away their hand awkwardly when Kaeya continued to keep a firm grip, his present eye focused solely on your siblings face. They glanced over to you “Quite an achievement for you, aye (Name)?”

You growled, “I’ll show you an achievement-”

Kaeya’s arm had wrapped around your waist not a second later, tugging you tighter to his side as the two of you turned, the man throwing your sibling a smile over his shoulder.

“As nice as it was to meet you, (S/B), we must be going”

And then without another word Kaeya dragged you away, heading in the direction of your home instead of Angel Share tavern, feeling your pure, unfiltered anger the whole way along with the citizens as they parted ways, rushing off from your rage.

It was only when you had returned to the sanctuary of your abode did you snap, jerking away from your boyfriend with angered strides and beginning your seething lecture towards him, moving up and down through the living room while he ventured off into the kitchen, grabbing 2 glasses and a bottle of wine.

“How dare you Kaeya! How fucking dare you! Do you have any idea what you were doing back there!? What was even happening back there!? So much for being the most observant man in Mondstadt because you seemed pretty dense to me the whole fucking time!” Your hands raked through your hair as you yelled, trying so hard to hold back the tears “I didn’t need your damn help, Kaeya! Nor did I fucking want it! Know to stay out of someone's business when it isn’t wanted!”

Logically you knew what he had done, you were smart like that and you knew Kaeya long enough to know what he was doing but your rage, fear and sadness blocked out everything in that moment, made you blind to reality, made you only think irrationally and Kaeya didn’t blame you for that. He could never blame you for that.

Though, it did hurt him to see you in this state.

“Wine?”

You gawked at him for a moment, staring at him with shock and confusion as he held out a wine glass towards you, another held in his other hand and a sweet smile plastered on his face, before your moment morphed into rage, grabbing the drink from his hand and tossing it towards the wall, the red wine splattering over the wallpaper and glass shards falling to the floor.

“Well, that was a waste-”

“Do you think I’m an idiot, Kaeya!?” You cried, not even bothering to hold back anymore as the tears fell and your voice cracked, hand pointing accusingly in his face “Is this some kind of joke to you!? Huh!? Am I a fool in your eyes!? Some sort of blubbering idiot!? Why must you- why do you-”

The second glass was placed on the dresser by you both, Kaeya’s hand coming to hold your cheek fondly while the other came to grab your hand that dangled in the air, still poised at him “I don’t think you're either of those, my dear, in fact, I think you’re one of the brightest in the whole of Teyvat, nevermind Mondstadt”

You hiccuped “Then why-”

Brushing away the wetness from your cheek, he brought your hand to his mouth to place a fond kiss on your palm “Because you mustn’t cry, (Name), don’t waste your tears on someone like them”

“I’m not crying, I’m-”

He shushed you gently and you finally relaxed, falling into his embrace with a heavy heart “-I’m not, I swear-”

Within the familiarity of your home, you wept in his arms, exhausted from the whirlwind of emotions and the scenes that had transpired that day, ready to just curl into yourself and try to block the flooding memories of history. Although, having Kaeya at that moment helped more than he could ever know, having him to rely on made it all so much easier to cope with that day.

“Tell me what ails you and I’ll listen” Brushing back some hair, he pressed a kiss to your head.

“Can..can we just stay like this for a while?”

“Of course, my dear”

Zhongli

He had sensed the incoming danger like it had been revealed in some sort of premonition. Maybe it had been a skill he had acquired after his long, eventful life, maybe it was his connection to Liyue and his citizens, but for some reason, as he sat before Iron Tongue Tian as the man recalled his tales of ancient Liyue like usual, Zhongli knew that the crowd that was forming around Wamin Restaurant had something that he need urgently attend, especially when even Tian paused his story to glance around the corner of the restaurant building to see the commotion.

When the archon had finally borne witness to the scene, he paused within the crowd, surveying the surroundings carefully. You were the centre of attention, along with another stranger, both glaring at one another with anger and disgust, though your own anger seemed to double compared to the other’s, seeing as your weapon was slowly materialising in your grip. Zhongli could also see Guild Master Lan making her way down the steps leading to the Guild reception, a worried expression on her face glancing between you and the approaching Millelith.

Zhongli made his decision, politely pushing through the crowd until he had finally made it by your side, hand being placed gently on your arm “(Name)?”

Both you and the stranger glanced at him, but he paid no mind to them, only held eye contact with you when Lan appeared by your other side, glaring at the stranger with a hardened gaze.

“Are you harassing my guild member?”

Before the stranger could respond, the Millelith had also popped in, glancing between you and them “Is there a problem?”

Zhongli had taken up your view when Lan began her take, she had borne witness for much longer than he had of course and he was certain that you were in no state to talk to the guards. Your eyes were glazed with hatred, pupils pinpricks in a sea of (E/C) and your hands were shaking, balled into fists.

If anything, he needed to try and calm you down first.

“Get the hell out of my way, Zhongli” Your teeth ground together, words shaking with anger “Don’t push yourself into my business”

“I’m sorry, my love, but I can’t do that” He tried brushing your cheek but you jerked away, glaring at his hand before glaring back at him, in no mood to be coddled “I don’t want you to do something you’d regret”

“Trust me, I won’t regret this one bit”

Zhongli held his tongue for the question that almost rolled out, knowing now wasn’t the time for inquiries when the stranger’s voice rang out, condescending and snarky as they addressed you.

“Still need people to protect you, aye (Name)? Of course, you’re still the same pathetic bitch from years ago”

You were lucky for your reputation around Liyue, for the picture of the kind and caring adventurer that had swept through the town from your years of living here because had it not been for that, you pushing aside your boyfriend and materialising your weapon to aim it at your sibling’s throat would have had you in cuffs that instant.

Lan grabbed you, tugging you away as you screamed “I’ll show you pathetic you fucker! Let me go!”

The Millelith didn’t wait to drag your sibling away, much to their cries of dismay, one sending Lan a nod while you continued to fight against her, crying out in frustration.

“Kid, you have to calm down-”

“Calm down!? No! Get the hell off me!”

Zhongli watched as you finally broke away, huffing and puffing up a storm before glancing amongst the crowd, staring at their worried and concerned faces, your own eyes tearing up before you looked away pushing past the crowd to find somewhere to be alone.

When Lan went to call out for you, Zhongli raised his hand, the two sharing a look before the archon made his way after you, his longer legs keeping a steady pace to which he could catch up to you, just beyond the bridge that led into Liyue Harbour. There were no people where you stood, just the lush green plants and great mountains of nature, a perfect place for you to let out your frustration without the prying eyes of the citizens.

“(Name)-”

“Leave me alone!” You cried, curling into yourself with your back turned to him “I don’t want you here, Zhongli! Nor did I want you back there! I didn’t need your or anyone else's help!”

You knew he was here from a place of concern, and deep down you begged that your words didn’t harm him in any way, but currently, you didn’t care, you didn’t want to care, you just wanted to be numb, numb to the flashbacks of your horrid past and numb to the feelings that were dragged along with them.

“My love, please, return with me to our home, I will brew some calming tea-”

“Tea? Tea!? Does it look like I want any fucking tea?! I couldn’t care any less about some fucking tea, Zhongli!” Spinning around on your heels, you scowled at him, not bothering to hide your rushing tears “Don’t you get it!? I want to be left alone, I-”

Two gloved hands gently encased your face, your angered expression morphing into one of shock as your partner stared down at you with glowing eyes filled with a deep-rooted love, affection, worry and so much more that you couldn’t put into mere mortal words. At that moment, everything felt as if it had melted away, only you and him were in this world, nothing else, just the two of you.

And you felt as though your heart had been lifted from the pressures of this life.

“I do not think it is best for you to be left alone” His baritone voice was always so calming, so serene and in your sane moment, you finally felt its effects “I wish to stay with you, so please, let me stay”

With a whimper, you grabbed onto his forearms and leaned your face into his hands, tears continuing to fall as your eyes fluttered shut “Okay…”

“They have hurt you deeply, haven’t they?”

Hesitantly, you nodded.

“Would you be so kind as to tell me the details?”

“I-...” Sharing eye contact once again, you whispered “Can- can you just...hold me for now? Please”

Moving his hands from your face, he engulfed you in his arms, leaning his head against yours “Of course”

Childe

The Harbinger had just left the Northland Bank, hell, he was just about to make his way down the spiral staircase but when hearing the commotion, he paused, something in his gut telling him to check just before and he was glad he did.

Glancing over the elevated walkway, he felt a fiery pit roar in the depths of his stomach, eyes narrowing dangerously at the scene; you were snarling in some other person’s face, their own face nothing short of disgust and a crowd that only seemed to grow by the minute.

Who the hell did this person think they were? Did they even know who you were? To stand so close to you, with a look of threat on their face like you weren’t about to kick their arse? Like he wasn’t about to kick their arse? How did this insignificant speck of dross not know your connections with him, the 11th Harbinger? Or did he know and was just trying his luck?

“Seems like someone has a death wish” And a death wish they had indeed.

Ignoring the perplexed glance from his subordinate stationed outside the building's entrance, Childe made his way down the steps, murderous look stitched on the whole way to the circle of civilians, the mass parting ways for the man that was Tartaglia and continuing to watch the moment in silence.

“Who the hell are you-” You both turned towards him, you in shock while the stranger stared in confusion until Childe’s hand wrapped around their collar, tugging them closer to look down at them with a deep-rooted disgust “-And why the hell are you harassing my partner?”

They fought against him, obviously, they did, but the surprise came when you saddled up next to him, grabbing his arm “Stay out of this, Tartaglia”

What? It hadn't been your request, no, you were always one to finish your whole fights you weren't "A damsel in distress after all!" no, you were so much more, so much greater but that look on your face, murderous and downright cruel- he just couldn't believe his ears.

Childe stared at you in shock while the stranger struggled, throwing him a dirty look in their attempts “Yeah, this is between my sibling and I”

Childe straightened in surprise, feeling embarrassment flood his system. Had he seriously just grabbed and threatened his lover’s family member? Oh, Archons, his judgement had been clouded by anger at the look of the scene, I mean, why would your sibling look at you that way-

“But it’s really no surprise that you still need to be babied, (Name), how shameful”

His eyes widened but not a moment later had you tackled your sibling, the crowd crying out in alarm as you threw back your fist and crushed their nose under the weight of your punch. “I’ll show you fucking shameful, bastard!”

There was shouting and a glance showed the oncoming Millelith marching towards the circle.

Being Fatui always did garner the attention of the guards nowadays, especially for him, who had tried to lure out the attention of their Archon by summoning an ancient god that nearly drowned the entirety of the harbour, so it was no surprise that they seemed to hurry in the pursuit when they noticed his appearance at the scene. However, lucky for him, your reputation as a great adventurer preceded you and throughout Liyue you were seen as a trusted and well-liked individual, meaning whatever trouble you got in, containing his meddling or not, was usually waved away due to the trust of the people.

So, without another thought, Childe tugged you off of your bloodied sibling and held you close, even as you thrashed violently, shouting at him to let you go.

“What is going on here?” A guard called, slamming the hilt of his polearm into the ground as he surveyed the area, eyes landing on the sibling before following the small trail of blood to you, still fighting against your boyfriend with threats falling from your lips “Was there a reason for this brawl? Who started it?”

As your sibling raised themselves on their forearms, they scowled and opened their mouth to respond, only for Childe to put in. “It was them, sir, they were the one that started it, (Name) was merely acting in self-defence”

The Millelith scowled at him, raising a brow and once again looking you over “Is that so?”

He addressed the crowd soon after “Is this what happened?”

And as expected, they all glanced over the sibling, then to you and piped up in agreement. It paid to be a hero, it seemed, the whole harbour returning the favour of years of helping out the community.

“If that’s the case, please come with us” The sibling cried out, anger and fear laced into their voice, trying to argue for their innocence only for the guards to grab them, hauling them away to archons know where while Childe did the same with you, slowly dragging you away from the scene and back into the bank, you screaming and cursing the whole way until you had made it to his office, finally managing to push him off and storming to the opposite side of the room practically seething.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Tartaglia!?” You cried, throwing out your arms in exaggeration “I didn’t need your fucking help! And why the fuck would you pull me off them!? I had them right where I wanted them and you fucking did that! Are you a moron!?”

“You had a sibling” He breathed, watching as you began to pace, muttering in an angered state “And you didn’t tell me”

“-after all these years I finally had the chance to end their pathetic excuse of a life and you just got in my fucking way! I’d waited too long for this moment and you fucking ruined it! How dare you, how fucking dare you-”

“(Name), why didn’t you tell me you had a sibling!?” He cried, walking up to you and grabbing your wrist to stop you “I was ready to kill them right there! And why are you talking about them like this!? They’re your family aren’t they-”

“They are not my fucking family!”

The scream echoed through the room, chilling Childe to the core as you ripped your arm from his grasp, running your hands through your hair before gripping it so tightly it felt close to being ripped from your head. But you didn’t care, no, you couldn’t, you were so angry and you needed something to keep you grounded, to keep yourself from losing yourself and getting lost in those haunting past memories.

The Harbinger felt his chest squeeze painfully as the tears fell down your face, red rimming your eyes and cheeks wet as you sobbed, chest heaving from trying to breathe “Family takes care of you! Family thinks of you in the highest light possible! They love you for who you are and they love you no matter what! That bastard hurt me, made me feel worthless and they refuse to believe they could do no wrong and I hate them! They are the bane of my existence! They are not my fucking family! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I-”

Arms were around you instantly, Childe’s face pressed into your hair as you wept, grasping onto the lapels of his suit and shoving your face into his chest to muffle your cries.

“I’m sorry” He whispered, his own eyes shining slightly “I’m sorry, I was being insensitive. Please, don’t cry”

“No, I’m not crying, I promised myself I wouldn’t-” You hiccuped “I wouldn’t waste any more tears on them-”

Then you broke off into more wails, your boyfriend holding you close and letting you continue to cry in his arms, warm and comforting until you were finally reduced to whimpers, leaning into him heavily as the remaining adrenaline in your body began to wear thin when he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Will...will you tell me about it?”

You sniffed “Later...just hold me for now, please, Ajax...”

His arms tightened protectively “Anything for you, my love”

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