#|frozenambiguity|kaeya

[protectivemuses]

Aether turns to look as the voice chimes in, reminding him he's no longer alone. Not that he couldn't tell the voice by the first moment of hearing it, aside from knowing Kaeya had accompanied him as well. Kaeya's voice was distinctive, after all. Just like each domain set up was now becoming distinctive- And along with that, becoming more of a pain in the ass. While Kaeya takes his time to overlook the parchment, Aether looks back at the valves although he can feel his brain is fried by this point.

Hearing Kaeya speak up again, he looks at the valves once again. "Color.. theory? I know the basics, but not much more than that, I'm afraid. What is it you're thinking?" Perhaps he had overlooked something in the instructions. "And if you're thinking maybe we need the elements to move the valves to open the door, I tried but it didn't work. Well, I can only get two of them, but I don't know how they'd play color theory into this unless we have to activate all three at the same time."

He didn't have cryo like Kaeya did though, so even if he had to hit all three at once, it wasn't like he could until Kaeya had gotten there anyways.

starter for @protectivemuses ( aether ) | starter call.

«If you are taking the instructions at face value and all you’re being met with is needless frustration, then that is a pretty good sign that something is amiss». Light steps echo within the room as the knight approaches the other. Domains were becoming more complicated with time. No longer were they simple rooms inciting combat with specific foes. Now, rooms and corridors intertwined, levels mixed, and contraptions and puzzles hindered one’s progress and exploration like never before. At times like these, patience was required, with a hint of critical and creative thinking. If they wanted to escape the cursed room, they would have to decode the mysterious message in the parchment.

«Give it here». Extending his hand, the knight waits for permission to retrieve the parchment from the blond. Once granted, he takes the time to investigate it thoroughly, gaze slowly scanning each word as he searches for patterns, clues, and more. Although not complicated, the information seems somewhat twisted, intending to incite confusion.

«It seems it is a puzzle we must solve, should we wish to escape this room…» Words are spoken more to himself than the other. Then, he raises his head, eyeing the far end of the room.

«Look at those valves. Is it not curious how there are three of them, and all come in different colors…?» A peek at the parchment once more, before a smile appears.

«Well – enlighten me, dear partner. How versed are you in color theory?»

[fragmented-tales]

Winter was perhaps the most common to see Master Diluc away from his business, although usually only once night had painted the sky with stars. Many would whisper that he'd been seen standing in the center of what snow rested on the ground, the grass around his being uncovered as if it had only rained.

Tonight, however, he found himself hosting a certain calvary captain inside his home as the blizzard howled outside. There was little expectation for an overnight visitor, and all preparations for warmth had been focused on his employees, leaving Kaeya to fend for himself should he get cold as the power went out.

At least, he would be left on his own, if the winery tycoon hadn't been a walking heater and secretly concerned for the man. That was how he found himself draping the coat he had been wearing all day over shivering shoulders, the fabric warm as though Diluc himself had embraced him.

"Is there reason for your visit?" There was a warmth hidden beneath the chill in his voice with a hint of hope, a tone reserved for Kaeya on days the master did not want to admit to the care that ran deep through his veins and yet wished not to push him away, proven by hands lingering on shoulders for a moment too long.

@frozenambiguity

[melodicbreeze]

Are you nice to Kaeya because you feel indebted? Because of what you did in the past? (I'M NOT DONE)

You can ask me anything and I’ll answer honestly, but only with yes and no.

This one was tricky to answer, because it was partially true... but only partially.

"No." Venti eventually decided on. While yes, he felt guilt, and part of him offered extra sympathy... it wasn't the only reason. It wasn't the majority of the reason. This was a child, abandoned in their lands, who has taken to the country as his own, defending the people within. He loved all of his children, of course, but Kaeya? He's earned that kindness a multitude of times over, even if he never had to earn it in the first place.

[ccaptain]

@frozenambiguity: «Twin, would you ever think about betraying me?» Now, he must reconsider ALL of his allies...

  -he kind of feels like he just walked into the Kaeya Council room and everything is on fire.

   ' AH? we don't... we don't betray eachother, right? '

   ' ━WE DON'T BETRAY EACHOTHER, RIGHT? '

[tenebriism]

«... How much do you remember?» To invoke a dead nation's glorious past in broad daylight may not seem like the wisest approach. At first. In Kaeya's defense, this man had been the one to confront him with what had long haunted him. It was only fair that he helped to satiate his thirst for knowledge, for something... more. 

«Tell me a story... From back then». His voice is quiet as he eyes his drink, playing with the glass's rim. Not a shy request, but a cautious one.

[ surprise, here's one for Dain too! www ]

The Boughkeeper supposes it was... expected. Eventually, this one would begin to inquire as to his OWN identity and backstory, their fates and stories intertwined more than, mayhap, even Dainsleif understood. " My memories are... selective, " he begins, CAUTIOUS as he speaks to the man with matching irises. 'Tis not that he does not TRUST Kaeya; if anything, Kaeya should not trust HIM, with how secretive he's been, and how OFT he has kept, mayhap wrongfully, to the shadows.

" One, in particular, that remains ever constant in my mind... is the day Khaenri'ah fell. I remember where I was. What I was wearing... who I was with, how my hair was styled. I remember how the sweat burned as it trickled into my eyes... how raw my throat felt as I yelled out for citizens and compatriots alike... "

Is this what Kaeya is seeking? A REMINDER of their fallen nation and a tragic recount of it? Mayhap not, but it is one of FEW memories that Dainsleif has that he can vividly recall, and retell, with confidence. Another one, more pleasant, comes to mind... just before the fall, of a life long lost to tragedy and time. A life where he knew how it felt to be human, and not the husk of the man he once was.

" I had a home... " He begins, voice quieting even more, if such was possible. He's never been particularly loud spoken, but vulnerability has seized what little volume he normally manages, " ... one with a garden. Friends who would bring me seeds to plant. A kitten who would bat and bite at the leaves... a man who would warm my bed from time to time. He would weave the blossoms into the strands of my hair, and amidst sweet bliss, I would forget they were there... only to show up to training that very next day looking like a flower myself. The laughter that would ensue... it is quiet, distant, but I do... remember it. "

All of it, gone... all of THEM... g o n e. The alcohol clutched betwixt his own fingers won't do anything--- nay, he shan't be found stumbling over himself from a couple glasses of liquid poison, but oft does he wish it would. These knights are able to forget their own hardships, however briefly, with the very thing Dainsleif currently swirls around in the glass he clutches a tad too tightly--- but that, too, is merely something else that makes THIS ailing knight less human, and more a shell of his former self.

@frozenambiguity ;;

[captivemuses]

@frozenambiguity

[zorkaya-moved]

📜~

@frozenambiguity

incorrect quotes time! — 3/7 ( accepting. )

Zarina: Do you think you’d actually notice if someone didn’t cast a shadow? Or if their limbs were just slightly too long? Or if they had just a little too many teeth? like how many times have you passed Something on the street and you just didn’t Notice It? Kaeya: Stay woke monsterfuckers ur love is out there!!!!! Zarina: Yknow what? Not my point at all in any way whatsoever, but I’m glad I could be an inspiration.

Zarina: Okay. I get it. You've had a really hard time lately, you're stressed out, seven people died- Kaeya: Twelve, actually. Zarina: Not the point. Look, they're dead now and really whose fault is that? Kaeya: Yours! Zarina: That's right: no one's.

[crownshattered-arch]

@frozenambiguity inquired: «If you could just… stay here for a while». [ for Jean! ]

⁕| Prompts for Touch-Starved Muses |⁕

This wasn't like Kaeya... The cavalry captain almost always had this bravado about him, one that Jean always speculated may be a false one. He acted so calm, so cool, as if he wasn't bothered by anything...but this request of his was completely different from how he usually acted. It sounded almost vulnerable... Jean couldn't imagine what he must be going through at this moment, but she wouldn't let him do it alone.

"Of course," she replied as she lowered herself to sit beside him. They had been friends for so long now, but she always felt that Kaeya kept a great deal of himself a secret from other people. She didn't ask why that is. She didn't need to know. His secrets were his own to keep, and as his friend, she wanted to respect him.

Jean gently placed her gloved hand on top of his. "I am happy to listen if you need to get anything off your chest... And if not, I am happy to simply sit with you until you feel better."

[pertinasities]

@frozenambiguity liked for a starter!

"What's her name?" Ajax nods towards the adorable little blonde girl as she bounces away with the Acting Grand Master. In all honesty, he hadn't expected to see the Cavalry Captain so gentle with a child. Idly, he thinks Teucer might like to meet him.

He leans against the wall, eyes dragging over Kaeya. So many mysteries for one man.

"And did your Grand Master just call her a knight? I'm starting to think Diluc has a point about you guys."

[voyage-inferno]

«You really shouldn’t be out here by yourself. This place has considerable abyssal activity, so it would be wise to step away before it is too late and there are repercussions to your well-being». {{ 🤭 }}

He knew the difference.

Sometimes, impatience and desperation looked similar, but the easiest tell was that hue of fear. A taste of electricity on one's tongue that let you know it could be time to run. Desperation had that. The kid's eyes had that. So he was here- simple as that.

The Guild was usually able to barrel into things faster, but mounting a rescue expedition to a more dangerous area always took time. Took supplies. Took enough people. Maybe he knew that. Or maybe he'd just seen the first person in a Guild uniform and asked.

Either way, he'd done his initial bit. Dropped a slip off at HQ and given the details to Kathryne. She would spread the information, help determine who would be the safest to send out. Someone would decide whether or not to enlist the Knights' aid. That was procedure.

This part wasn't so much. This part was stupid. But.

Bennett was good at stupid.

"Thanks for the heads-up Kaeya, but.. I don't think I can do that."

Nickname dropped, posture and gaze screaming just try and stop me. The Guild was fast. But he could heal himself. He could fight. He could go now. And one didn't need to be making puppy eyes to be pleading.

"Got a notice that someone needs help in there. I'm not leaving unless a bigger party comes in- or until they're out and safe."

[protectivemusesmoving]

Diluc was no idiot when it came to Kaeya's body language. Years of growing up together before unfortunate events had given him the opportunity to learn as such. But the sight of a pout on the Captain's face? It was a rare sight, nonetheless. If he were to call him out on it, Diluc knew very well that Kaeya would simply deny it.

And he couldn't have that, now could he?

So here he is, sighing and making his way to take a seat next to the Captain as a small first aid kit is set beside him and a hand extended out. "Hand. Now. You need to get it bandaged up before you go and get it infected, and I'm not letting you touch any of the tavern's counters without it covered."

To most, Diluc would have seemed annoyed. But, in a way, it was more protective than anything beneath the surface. Things weren't perfect between them, but they had sort of reconciled by now so the least he could do is help Kaeya.

Open.

If one were to inquire, one would receive a simple response: it had been a mere moment of misfortune. Or perhaps one of veiled recklessness, encouraged by bravado and adrenaline, that knew only how to guide and beg for more.

Regardless, the tempest had passed, making way for clearer skies, clearer minds. What now lies before one is a rare sight, filled with dichotomy. There is focus in the captain's gaze as he stares at his hand intently, though with no apparent shimmer. And, just a few centimeters below, remarkable sulkiness has made a playground out of delicate lips.

Pouting. Kaeya Alberich was... pouting.

This almost begs for one to rub their eyes! The esteemed captain — sulking!? No, no. Surely not! Surely, it had to be some trick of the light... ... ...!

Still.

The slash on his left hand... Stings.

[foliarlight]

@frozenambiguity : 📜 ~

Alhaitham: You often use humor to deflect trauma. Kaeya: Thank you. Alhaitham: I didn't say that was a good thing. Kaeya: What I'm hearing is, you think I'm funny.

* INCORRECT QUOTES. ( OPEN )

[cryosewn]

@frozenambiguity asked: ¥

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Would they date them: yes | no | ????? Favorite thing about them: 

" Sir Kaeya is certainly a man of both great intelligence and company. I feel that we can talk throughout the evening about many things. It is rare to find a person that I would spend much time with willingly. I am usually not that prone to speaking so much with someone, but it feels quite natural to do so with him. Though, I suppose I should not always approach him with such deep topics and a more friendly conversation amongst ourselves would be just as well too. Perhaps it is best to simply say that Sir Kaeya is an interesting and charming individual with whom I regard with a level of respect and platonic fondness. " Least favorite thing about them: 

" ... Do you ever feel that you are looking into a body of water and the bottom looks much closer than it actually is ? That is my predicament with him. The water's surface looks calm but the current underneath might be more chaotic than what you can see with the naked eye. To his credit, Sir Kaeya certainly knows how to keep both his cards and secrets close to his chest that even someone like me has difficulty getting to them. It is understandable, though. A person's deepest thoughts, pains and fears can be worth concealing from everyone, and even though I am curious, even I know that there are certain boundaries that should not be crossed forcefully. "

" Still, I suppose that would make me a hypocrite to feel slighted by someone not showing me a bit of who they are underneath. In that case, however, I fear that we might not be able to become anything more than what we are now if neither of us gives a little more. "

[tenebriism]

«How about a little game? To pass the time». Without an interesting topic to debate, this would be a long, silent journey. Having been dispatched to investigate a certain occurrence, they might as well use their time wisely.

«If you tell me one of your secrets, I'll tell you one of mine.~»

[ for Albedo! ]

" ... I was not aware that imposing upon one's privacy was considered a ' game, ' Sir Kaeya, " the Chief Alchemist softly notes, though if he's BOTHERED any by the jokingly implied invasion of said privacy, he does not show it. " I will admit, I... do house a certain level of curiosity towards you that I do not for most other people. I will bite, then. " Kaeya, after all, is something of an ENIGMA to many, as is the Alchemist who regards him.

What, though, does he reveal? And how MUCH? There is no guarantee that what he gives will be equal to whatever Kaeya opts to offer; he trusts the Cavalry Captain not to come up SHORT, in exchange, but some individual demons are... rather sizable, compared to others.

How much can Albedo TRUST Kaeya, then, and how much trust is Kaeya willing to place in ALBEDO?

" Allow me a moment to consider what secret I may place into your awaiting palms. " He sets his hefty pad of notes down, and raises a hand to his chin, humming inquisitively. The heaviest, most dangerous one, he shall keep tightly locked away until he hasn't a CHOICE but to say something ( and he hopes he ALWAYS has the choice. ) At the very least, though... he can allude to it, without Kaeya even knowing just how much lies behind it, shrouded in intentional darkness.

" The star on my neck... " He begins, tilting his head upwards so Kaeya may get an easier, clearer look at it, " ... is not a tattoo. Rather, I would say it is a BIRTHMARK, if I had to explain it in a way that will not make me out to be insane, but not a conventional birthmark that just happened to shape itself into a star. Not all is as it seems when it comes to me, and one might say this... mark is just one piece of many in a terribly fragmented story. "

That is all he is willing to give... for now.

" --- and you, Sir Kaeya? "

@frozenambiguity ;;

[captivemuses]

Childe, are you curious about Kaeya's eyepatch? Have you ever wondered about what is truly underneath it? Felt the need to untie it, so you could figure out the mystery?

"Of course I'm curious, I'm sure a lot of nosy people in Mondstat are too, but to the best of my knowledge he doesn't wear it because he can't see out of that eye. It only covers a small portion of his face so it can't be hiding some larger burns or scars. But if I were to just take that off his face without him knowing I'd more than likely no longer have a boyfriend anymore, so satisfying my curiosity isn't worth losing Kaeya over."

[lunaetis]

▸▸ [ @frozenambiguity || dehya starter call ]

─「ديهيا」─  " i wouldn't get closer than that if i were you. " the MERCENARY was casually leaning herself against the wall, not too far from this person who had been eavesdropping a group of eremites not too far from him. the fact that this stranger managed to actually get this close to the group was a feat in and out of itself. the flame-mane had most of her frame hidden behind the shadow of the building, arms crossed over her chest as azure hues flickered towards the man from the corner of her eyes.

                " judging from your attire, you're not from here, no ? " it was more than OBVIOUS, at this point, but she felt the need to point it out either way. another glance up and down what the other was wearing, and she let out a quiet, thoughtful hum. " not liyue ... doesn't look like inazuma either. " then, her gaze narrowed at a certain sigil on his person, before a smile was offered his way, voice hushed down a tone. " it's a long way from the city of freedom, isn't it ? " ordo favonius.