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#//He wants the sort of hugs Crepus used to give
dutybcrne · 1 year
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When Kaeya gives out hugs, they’re almost always a little too tight. If asked, he will answer it’s because he wants to test how sturdy they are or teasingly ask if his hugs are not to their liking and offer to never do them again. Really, he’s just microdosing on the sort of hug he craves without having to ask for it.
#hc; kaeya#//He wants the sort of hugs Crepus used to give#//The kind that are tight enough to make yer spine bones crack a lil bit and squishes the air from your lungs#//But are also just so WARM bc the person's putting their all into it; like they don't want to let you go#//LOVES those sort of hugs; misses them dearly#//He realized Diluc would probably be the only person who could possibly give them; of those he's comfortable with#//Him being so strong and all#//But Kae would rather DIE than ask him for one#//The answer would absolutely be no; he's well-aware of that#//So he'd rather spare himself having to swallow his pride and be vulnerable just to be turned away; thanks#//If by some miracle Diluc were to offer though; he might either bluescreen or make the man Regret it by NEVER LETTING GO for the next hour#//Prolly bluescreen and freak out; bc whO IN THE HECK IS THIS PERSON??? THIS AIN'T THE DILUC HE KNOWS-#//It's extremely wishful thinking and foolish to hope the man ever would though#//He really likes giving hugs to His People; would do so every chance he sees open#//Knows it makes Klee squeak a little when he does; the way he used to. He finds that adorable#//She's his favorite to hug for that reason; though he's careful not to crush her too much#//The moment she wants out; he's letting go and checking in on her#//Prolly spooked her the first time he did that; felt bad enough to take her for a sweet treat and explain why he hugs like that#//Klee alone would probably know it's bc he's mimicking Crepus#//He knew telling her would basically ensure the secret would be out; but he still makes her promise to keep it
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aetherarf · 3 years
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Hi hello i saw your requests are open!! And i dont know if this is allowed but can you do genshin boys caught cheating and they played it off and later on they started to regret what they did and when they found the reader, the reader is now happy or disappeared or idk ITS UP TO YOU TO DEICIDE HEHEHEHE IM SORRY I LOVE READING ANGST SM SO ITS OKAY IF YOU WONT TAKE IT !! YOUR WORKS ARE REALLY GREAT BTW!!! (more than great i mean *chefs kiss*)
Yes I've finally gotten to this one! I hope it's angsty enough for you 😘
[[ WARNING: CHEATING, NON-LETHAL INJURY, ALCOHOL ]]
[[ Summary: Kaeya, Childe, and Diluc end up cheating on their partner... They get caught, not by their partner, but someone else. As the days pass, they begin to regret it... only for their little secret to get back to their lover...
Note, Kaeya's is longest/wordiest cuz I didn't realize I should probably be a bit more brief... Kaeya favouritism lol.
Overall Word Count: 3'602 [rip me]
Kaeya Word Count: 1'841
Childe Word Count: 950
Diluc Word Count: 811 ]]
Kaeya
Distantly, he remembers an old saying from Crepus, in response to his question-- "Why do people drink so much?"
"Well... Alcohol doesn't solve anything, but it can make you forget questions you'd rather not think about."
He understood that as he got older. Why stress, and think about things he could not control? ... Well, maybe he should deal with them, but that's easier said than done when his entire life was on the line. Every night, in the tavern, he drank to forget. Not that he'd admit that to anyone.
And, somehow, he had forgotten more than he'd like to admit. On his lap, a beautiful woman, and he was tugged to a back closet of the Angel's Share. She tasted sweet, like wine and sugar. If it wasn't for an intruder, ( despite the fact that he was the one intruding into staff-only area ) he likely would have had a far better time, to completely lose himself in his inebriation.
"K-Kaeya!" Uh oh, as his vision focused, he could see Diluc's unmistakable silhouette, with that fluffy red hair and broad shoulders. "You," he pointed to the woman, "Out." The woman, not wanting to envoke the wrath of Sir Ragnvindr, running out immediately. But, Diluc didn't let Kaeya out, not that he was fighting to get out. Instead, he walked closer.
"What have you done?" he asked, voice low and full of rage. However, Kaeya could only smile,
"What do you mean, Master Ragnvindr?" He asked, all sly.
"You cheater," he snapped, "You do know that wasn't your partner? The one you swore yourself to? They were just looking for you, you know." He was nearly yelling, forcing his voice low...
And that, that idea, the realization of everything hit him harder than even the biggest bomb's that Klee had ever made. He... did.
"Look," The world was no longer warm an fuzzy, just a little shift away from his normal reality, everything crashing down. The thoughts that haunted him when you slept so peacefully in his arms, when he would see the knights laughing and smiling together, the ever-haunting knowledge that he was alone amongst them...
The way only you did not have that odd look in your eye, of wonder upon seeing something unique, or of something alien that terrified... You only looked at him as what he wished to be seen-a person.
And here he went, fucking it all up.
"Look," he said again, tears in his eye, "You, you can't tell anyone," He all but snapped at Diluc, who's eyes widened in shock, "I-I wouldn't tell if you did it, you have to do the same for me," he promised, desperately trying to think of what to do...
"Kaeya, this isn't about me, this is about you and-and them," Diluc didn't even need to say the name, "You're better than this, I won't tell, but only if you do."
Kaeya's brows furrowed, he wasn't used to feeling so... betrayed. Normally, it was expected, but this... but this was different! Wasn't it...?
"It has nothing to do with you, I... I can deal with it on my own, 'Luc." He insisted, straightening out his back. He was only a tiny bit taller than Diluc, but he wanted to hold it over him, to prove he wasn't going to let him use him over his... his mistake.
"Kaeya," his voice was... softer. Kaeya didn't want to hear this voice, this consoling voice. Not after everything, not... not like this!
"Fuck off, Diluc," he snapped, pushing him to the wall as he stormed out, "You made it clear you want nothing to do with me, don't try now. Not like this," he demanded, seeing Diluc look at him, eyes wide... shocked.
"Fine. Get out and don't come back." Diluc hissed, voice much lower, his eyes glazed over. Kaeya almost wanted to yell at him, to keep fighting... But, no, no, he didn't. He couldn't do that here, not when he was too desperate to figure out what to do, leaving through the front of Angel's Share, slamming the door behind him.
And he ran. He didn't know why, he wasn't headed home, but he just... he felt like he was running from his mistakes, the wind biting at his face, until he finally skidded into an alleyway, his back against the wall, his hand put up to his mouth, biting at the base of his thumb to stifle the sobs that wanted to burst from his chest. It hurt, oh, it hurt, but it felt... right, it felt like he should hurt, his teeth clasping harder onto his hand, tears rolling from his eye as he roughly breathed through his nostrils, his brain desperately trying to figure out what to do, what to say, what to think... But it all only ended up in a jumbled mess, of black and red and tears and crying.
He didn't know how long he sat there, but by the time he stopped biting his hand, it felt... hot, for some reason, and as he looked at his hand...
Red. Bite marks. His teeth had sunk in so deep, his skin was broken and reddened and bloody. He couldn't even feel the pain, like when the burning fire had turned to grey, dead embers... he felt nothing, his own bodily sensations distant in an odd way.
He doesn't even know why, but upon seeing his blood ooze from his flesh, he swing his fist towards the brick, hearing it clatter against it. He stared at his hand, pulling off his glove to stare, dazed, at his busted knuckles.
Holding his fist close to his chest, he finally walked home.
If I don't tell them, he thought, I can live with it. I've lived with worse. I live with worse.
He didn't want to.
But he did that-he cheated. He cheated on the one person that could make everything feel okay, like he never hurt anyone, like he wasn't from a distant corrupt land, like he wasn't the monster he was told to be.
Should he say it? Tell directly?
...
It wouldn't matter if he told immediately or in a week. He-he trusted you'd understand, he could... He could figure it out. He just, his brain was both sinking and floating, drunk yet sober, he wasn't in his own body right about now. He was somewhere gone, and he couldn't be making any decisions.
Shambling his way home, he opened the front door... And hesitated, listening. Looking. You weren't in eyeshot or earshot, so... He could wrap up his hand before he gave everything away, or at least, his temper tantrum of sorts. He rummaged around before finding that small first aide kit, cleaning the wounds of his own cause, and bandaged up his hand... for a second, he tensed, hearing your footsteps, but he opted to finish wrapping it before you could see.
"Kaeyaaa..." You whined, "You didn't come to bed..." You walked over, hugging him from the side, resting your head on him. How sweet you were, how cuddly... As though nothing happened.
"I'll come to bed in a minute," he said, "I just need to finish this real quick."
You peeked over to look at whatever he was messing with, and woke up in an instant, reaching over to his hand as he was tucking the end of the bandage away, so it wouldn't unravel so easily. "What happened?" You asked, tenderly holding his injured hand with both of yours.
"Nothing to be worried about," he reassured, trying to hide how his voice shook, "Just wanted to patch it up."
With one hand, you gently stroked his, and then lifted it to your mouth to give a loving kiss atop it. "Are you okay to come to bed?" You asked, still tired from the late hour.
"Of course," he wanted to kiss you, badly, but he refrained. You shouldn't, Kaeya, your mouth is dirty.
The two of you walked to bed, he undressing just enough to comfortably lie down...
Feeling how you snuggled up to him, sighing in such comfort now that he was home, and how you soon became a weight upon him as you sunk back into sleep...
However, he did not sleep that night. Or the next, or the next... Or the next.
Days, truly, passed. He did not sleep, he was not sleeping, Jean even scolded him for blacking out more than once, stunned when one second he was standing, and the next he was on the ground, no memory of having fallen, with the knights consoling him.
He started staying later, he had not gone back to the Angel's Share. Many mornings, he was not there when you woke. You knew he was busy, but... this was horrific.
Eventually, two weeks have passed. He steeled his nerves, and he was going to talk to you about it. He didn't want to live like this, with this guilt and agony upon the things he could not fix--but he could fix this. He could-he could make this better.
But, as he walked into your shared home... an eerie silence. As he looked around, it felt like... a lot was missing.
Everything that was missing, from simple objects placed about to pictures on the walls, were all yours. Of you.
Save for a single picture frame, with shattered glass, and a picture of him and you, smiling. It was one of the more coherent pictures the two of you had made.
Beside it, a note.
Dear Kaeya,
A woman came to me recently, telling me of you. Of how you kissed her, and nearly slept with her at the Angel's Share. She was unaware of the fact that you had a partner, and had finally found and confided in me about this.
I don't know what made you cheat on me like this, but worse still you've been avoiding me, and you wouldn't even tell me. If I knew... then we could have talked about it, we could have gotten counseling. We could have fixed this--fixed us. But you were gone.
I don't want to hear you say it, say that you don't love me or you don't want to be with me, so I left. I'm not in Mondstadt, I've gone to live with someone I can actually trust. Please don't look for me, I need time. Your lack of communication was enough to tell me you don't care enough to fix this.
Sincerely, Your former beloved.
Tears truckled down onto the paper, and he nearly crushed it in a single fist... But, no, he couldn't, he couldn't destroy the last connection he had to you, no matter how badly he wanted to rip out his eye, so he never had to look at it ever again. He collapsed the floor, the letter, and the framed picture falling to the ground, a broken, loud laughter rung through the house as tears fells down his face, maniacal in nature...
He wanted to be alone, and gone, for a long... long time.
Childe
Childe didn't understand the meaning of 'exclusive' as well. He loved you, dearly, but to him, love was a thing to be given more freely. Maybe it was just a lack of communication, or maybe he completely misunderstood your words, but with an old friend he slept with time and time again...
When Scaramouche saw him sending off his friend with a goodbye kiss, it being a casual commoditiy in his mind, only then did he get utterly chewed out for this.
"Are you a fucking idiot?" Scaramouche snarled at him, "You're not even shameful about this, you cheater." He snapped, as though he was truly angry for you, instead of just a generally very angry person. Childe shrugged.
"I wouldn't mind if they slept with someone else," he said casually, "Doesn't mean they love me any less, you know?"
Scaramouche tried to response, but he was simply flabberghasted. "Most people don't think that way, you airheaded moron."
Childe just laughed, brushing off the shorter harbinger, before walking off without a care.
But... in the end, the words got to him.
Maybe you didn't think that way? You two had spoken of marriage, a very possible reality that he was looking forward to... But, maybe there was a... culture clash, maybe? A clash of upbringings?
He found himself wondering these things at night, when you were snuggled up to him, unaware of the whirlwind of fear in his mind.
Silently, he resolved to simply stop--It would keep you happy, a little secret he didn't mind keeping. Maybe in many, many years, he'd mention it, but... he thought that was okay. That could be the last time he'd ever do something like that...
But, as he came home... You were sitting, waiting for him.
"Please, come sit down, Ajax," that morose tone, it made his heart ache... so he obeyed without question. You looked at him, face puffy and eyes red... "Tell me the truth," you asked, his heart sinking, "Did you cheat on me?"
He froze, but... "Y-yes, but-"
"I don't need an explanation," you admitted, a small, broken smile on your face, "I knew I wasn't loveable enough."
"Wait, no, no, that's not it at all-"
"No," you interrupted, "I don't need an explanation. I'll be out by tonight," you looked down at your lap, his heart shattering into even smaller pieces,
"Babe... please, please, let me explain, I'll never do it again-"
You stood,
"If you'd do it once, you'd do it again. Don't talk to me," you hesitated, "If you want me to be happy, don't look for me ever again."
He was trying to reach for you... but, he couldn't make himself grab you, not when you so delicately shied away...
Eventually, he gave up. No amount of fighting would stop you, and... and he... he couldn't keep seeing your pain as you cried for him to just leave you alone.
Was this love? The pain of another, the terror not of considering spending the rest of your life with them, but the terror of not spending the rest of your life with them?
Before he knew it, he was staring at a mirror, shards of glass in his fist, more than a few holes in the wall and a broken door, the shattered mirror distorting his expression...
Upon walking through the house, he saw that there was... it felt so empty, without your delicate touch and presence making it a place he lovingly called home.
"No," he whispered, hoping... were you here? Did you see... whatever he blacked out and did, the tantrum he did not remember? Did he, oh gods above, oh gods, he didn't hurt you, did he?
...
But he never got an opportunity to find out.
By the time he had sobered up from his tantrum... you were gone. Only a note, left behind, Don't look for me.
Because, you both knew, if he really wanted to find you, he could. He could capture you, trap you... hurt you.
But he didn't want any of that, as much as it hurt to have you away... to make you hate him anymore than you already did was enough to drive a man to near insanity.
Even after you had been gone, he would sit, whenever he was not forced to work, to fulfil his duties to the Tsaritsa... he would wait. He would cook your favourite dishes, read the books you liked, go to the places you enjoyed...
Only after weeks of this, did it hit him that you truly were never coming home. He knew that, but... but, somehow, his heart, his emotions hadn't caught up.
For a second time, he had destroyed your shared, no... his home.
It just wasn't home without you.
Unable to endure the idea of still being here, of a place where he had held you so many times, kissed you, loved you, and suddenly you were all but gone... He tried to do anything to avoid it, to avoid that demon that desperately tried to crawl out of him, threatening to burst from his chest.
Even the other Harbingers had noticed this, how... awful he had been, how he had lost himself. Even Scaramouche, the one most openly said to be the easiest to hate amongst them all, with an uncanny talent to bring even the most pacificistic souls to pure rage, had done well to stay his tongue, never kind, never sweet, but he would give him the isolation he craved, only speaking as much was necessary.
He didn't know what to do with himself, but whenever that happened... he'd just throw himself to the maws of death and, unluckily, crawl his way back out.
Diluc
Everything felt hot and fuzzy and...
Red.
Was red a feeling? His face was red, his body burned, and he could scarcely breathe, he definitely had accidentally drunk some alcohol, but for once, the effects of inebriation hit him. However, while he couldn't understand why people would devote their lives to this sensation, he could appreciate reality being distant, when he knew if he wasn't drunk, he would have spit up the wine and some extra blood, making it an even richer red color.
A warm feeling around his dick, he saw a pretty, if not distorted, face. It didn't take long for him to explode with sensation, his eyes shot wide... and a kiss pressed to his lips.
He almost chased that pretty face, only to see it disappear, he falling to his knees, rasping for air. Moments later, he felt hands on his shoulder's, shaking him. He shot his head up, seeing Kaeya looking at him in fear, and distantly, he heard his name...
"Diluc. Diluc. Diluc! Say something!"
Diluc stared at him, and opened his mouth to speak, but he only ended up jerking his head down, coughing into his elbow, seeing blood on his black coat... Kaeya noticed, too, frozen in shock.
"What happened?" he asked, his eye wide in shock.
"I..." Diluc rasped out, and his eyes widened in shock.
He realized what he had done.
He. He slept with someone who was most definitely not the one he had sworn himself to. Some-some random woman who was likely enchanted by the prospect of a rich man.
"Diluc!" Kaeya shouted, afraid, "What happened?"
Diluc shoved himself up, his hand on Kaeya's shoulder, already rushing to run out and all the way back to the Winery-but not before Kaeya grabbed him, stopping him, strength near equally matched.
"'Luc, I'm not letting you go anywhere until you-"
"I did," Diluc was still gasping for air, "I did something terrible." He admitted, with no small amount of pain.
"What did you do?" Kaeya asked, "Don't run, don't run, you're going to choke on your own blood-"
"No!" Diluc shouted, throwing Kaeya off his arm, running on pure adrenaline, even as his face was beet red, and his vision blurred.
But he needed to confess his sins, immediately, he needed to... now, now, now!
He heard Kaeya shout, but in the end, as he had to stop just to rasp for air again, the burn of alcohol still in his throat, he heard no shouting, nothing but the sound of his thundering heartbeats in his own ears.
Finally, he got to the Winery. You saw him, shocked, seeing his red face and how distressed he was, his hair nothing short of a fluffy mess.
"Diluc," you run over, he leaning on you, just to not collapse from the lack of air, "Diluc, what's wrong?"
"I-I..." He shuttered out, sucking in a breath, "I cheated on you."
You were reeling, "You-What?"
"I-I accidentally drank wine. I was drunk, I can't..." He was still heaving, "I can't breathe... I don't... I don't know what happened, but... She... a woman, she..."
He couldn't finish, but he didn't need to.
"You cheated on me and the first thing you did was come home and brag about it?" You asked, equal parts anguish and anger,
"No," he rasped, his knees buckling as the world tried to disappear on him, "I can't..." his hand went to his throat, "Wait..."
He didn't know what happened, but he only saw flashes after that--Your tears, his bloodied hands, you leaving.
And he was alone, on the ground, barely able to breathe, to think... to do anything.
You left him.
You were gone.
And, somehow, he wasn't mad at all. Having breathed long enough to move again, he stood... and he found the half-empty bottle of wine left on the table, the wine you adored so.
He grabbed the bottle and drank straight from it, feeling his throat and tongue swell, it crashing to the ground as he fell, unable to rasp even the slightest breaths,
I deserve this, he thought, I deserve this. This is all I deserve.
...
...?
For some reason, despite his better wishes, he woke up. He lay in bed, a cool, wet cloth over his forehead... his flesh burned, and his tongue was still swollen, he unable to wiggle it in his mouth. His breathing, still, was labored, but it seemed that he was still breathing, despite everything.
He watched as Adelinde cautiously walked over, looking down at his face, "... Master Diluc, are you alright?"
No, he wasn't, but he could not even sob and cry, for he could not breathe enough to do so.
A cruel twist of fate, but he was not deserving to cry, he was the one who hurt you. You did nothing but love him.
He didn't deserve anything right now.
1K notes · View notes
shivada-jade · 3 years
Text
codename: vind
older sibling!reader
characters: diluc, kaeya ➡ mentions: adelinde, crepus, la signora warning(s): alcohol consumption, swearing, and because for some reason, older siblings tend to be shorter than younger siblings. iDK WHY but ugh, yeah you're shorter than diluc and kaeya bc you're the older sibling. ik, i hate it too
like, i wanna be a tall 6'2 woman
diluc's 5'10 so u can still be tall in the story.. just not 5'11 😢 sorry over 5'10 folks
➡ WRITTEN BEFORE 2.1 so uhh :D
notes: platonic w diluc and kaeya, duh bc ur the older sibling. sibling love!!! sibling love !! woop woop !
"Dad, I'm home!" You bellow out to the house, waving a polite hello to Adelinde who looked shocked to see you. You kick off your shoes and slide your way to the long table in the living room, swiftly grabbing an apple before heading upstairs.
Your hands graze the railings and make your way up to find your dad. Upon reaching the last flight of steps, you were suspicious with how the place was very quiet. Granted, your younger brothers are now adults, but it still felt too quiet. Maybe you expected to see your brothers playing a game of chess, maybe bickering and fencing. You were hoping to see your family after being away.
You were a part of the Fatui under the Mondstadt branch. It was and at the same time wasn't a choice to be roped into the Fatui. You got roped into the wrong group of friends and found yourself blackmailed by the infamous group.
You didn't want to join. You didn't want any of it. You've been disconnected from the world. Wiped out from the face of Earth. No one gave information to you, you couldn't learn anything about what's happening currently. The most you could do was send letters, but even those were difficult to send out. You had to do it in secrecy or you'd be in trouble.
Love, the better sibling,
[Y/N]
Or another common send off is:
Please write back soon,
[Y/N]
And your family never failed to send back letters. They asked what you're doing, where you are and how are you, still you never told them your occupation, fearful of what they would think and where your loyalties lie, so you told them you were working under an adventurer.
It's for the greater good. You remember trying to convince yourself.
You're a horrible person.
You were sixteen then. Your younger brothers were twelve. It's been 10 long years since you last saw them, and 6 years since you last received a letter back. You miss them dearly. You often wondered what sorts of adventures they did without you.
But why are you wondering about this? You knew what they did: you knew everything that happened.
You're living under a heavy burden.
"Dad?" You call out again. Maids and wine makers look aghast when they see you, and they're on the verge of fainting when you call out to your father.
Stop the act.
It's strange how the letters were suddenly cut off. The last letter you received was from Kaeya, telling you how you needed to come home straight away. You tried to, but the Fatui prevented you from doing so. A lady called La Signora supervised you directly to make sure you didn't leave.
You know...
Adelinde brushes the dust off her uniform and hurries up the stairs to catch up to you, "Dear, is that you [Y/N?]"
"Did you forget me that easily? I'm offended Miss Adelinde," you chided, but the teasing look in your eyes give Adelinde relief to know you aren't actually offended. "Miss, where's dad?"
You're sickening.
Adelinde takes one look at you and squeezes your shoulders with a smile, "I'm afraid that's not for me to say. Master Diluc should be able to-"
"Oh, where's Diluc and Kaeya?" You ponder, and the corners of your lips curl upwards. "Those two were always attached to the hip. Where are they now? Horseback riding at the vineyard? Ha! I-"
You glance at Adelinde's watery eyes and stop your babbling. "What's wrong Miss Adelinde?" You reach for her hands on your shoulders and hold them. "Ah, has father been making you work too hard? I can request him to lessen your load."
Adelinde shakes her head no. "You don't have a clue, do you? Oh," she sighs. "Please, rest yourself by the fireplace. I'll prepare tea for you." She rests her hands back at her side and scurries to the kitchen.
You frown, unsure why she's jumpy, but you follow her request and sit by the fireplace. The crackle of the fire contrasts the tense air you feel when maids brush past you, offering tea Adelinde made. You thank them, gently blowing on the drink.
After taking a sip, you place it down with a pinky to lessen the noise it makes on the table. You hear the door open, and the choruses of maids greeting someone.
"Welcome home, Master Diluc," you hear and other voices saying, "We've prepared a meal for you and your sibling, would you like to rest yourself?"
You peek from your chair, he obviously hadn't realized you yet.
Diluc's lips make a thin line and shrugs off his jacket, "Why is Kaeya visiting. Isn't he supposed to do his knightly duties?"
You have no clue why he says it like that. The venom in his voice sends a shiver down your spine. You decide this is your cue to give him a warm welcome. You stand from your seat, and open your arms in a grand gesture and waltz to your brother. "Diluc! It's been a while huh?"
You clearly see him tense hearing your voice. His head snapped to your direction with his mouth parted. The maids respectively take their leave, bowing before they do so.
Diluc looks you up and down, still not believing you're there, like you're just his imagination. His hand slowly reaches out to you as if you're a dream.
Your feet lead you closer and you grasp him tightly in an embrace.
He freezes, but slowly relaxes in your hug, reluctantly bringing up his own arms to wrap around you. You feel his grip tightening, and you feel his shake out silent sobs. His face buries in your neck, letting tears fall on your clothes.
You soothe his back, and press a kiss on his hair. "I'm home, Diluc."
He trembles, pushing himself away to look at you clearly. Why hadn't you come home earlier? He wanted to vent, he wanted to yell, shout, he wanted to know how much he missed you in your absence.
He clears his throat and coughs in his fist. "You should have told me about your arrival," he adjusts the gloves on his hands, and looks to the floor like he did when he admitted he accidentally broke your toy when you were 10.
After these years, he still looks up to you as his older sibling. Not a thing has changed.
But you couldn't help but notice one thing. You knew Diluc and Kaeya had matured, you knew they would grow taller, but shit, now Diluc's taller than you.
"I sent a letter a month ago," you began. "It should have been sent to your office in the Favonius Headquarters? That's where I send my mail after you told me about your promotion to Cavalry Captain."
You squish his cheeks with both your hands. "Because I know you're a workaholic and only respond to letters that mean business, so that's where I sent it off to. You never write back, neither does Kaeya," you pause, thinking for a moment. "Neither does dad. Tell me he hasn't gotten sick that he couldn't respond to my letters."
Diluc lifts your hands off his face and frowns. He doesn't know how to break the news to you- not when you look so excited to be home and tell of your adventures to your family, so he asks, "Did you eat yet?"
You note the frown on his face. "'What's got you grumpy," you prod. "I need to find dad first. Told him in the first letter I gave him, I'd give the first gem I find."
Diluc watches you leave him to go to Crepus' room on the second floor. He hears the thuds on the floor and the opening of the door, but does nothing to stop you. You left with a smile, and you come back confused.
"Why is dad's room empty?"
How cruel.
...
Kaeya hums, passing by Flora's shop and purchasing a Calla Lily for the sake of it. He is well aware of the Fatui that stand by corners. Whispers of the wind give him intel, and so does alcohol apparently. He leans on a wall right outside Angel's Share, watching two Fatui members drink some of the tavern's strongest alcohol, imported from Snezhnaya.
"That damn," the one with the red and black mask hiccups, lifting a mug with foam overflowing. "Damn brat's gonna snitch on us to the Knights- *hiCC* boss lady wou- *HicC* would have our heads!"
Thankfully, their more responsible Fatui friend takes the mug and switches it with their drink, water. "You're the one who let Vindicta out of your sight when you know their frequencies to escape. This is all on you, buckaroo."
One of the Fatui escaped? How peculiar.
Kaeya hums, in steady strides he shows himself to the Fatui and takes a seat from another table and sits in front of the two. "My, my, my. If it isn't the wonderful Fatui," he divuldges. He twirls his Calla Lily around his fingers, amused with the Fatui's reactions.
Their mouths drop, knowing who he is and they hastily clean themselves up by sitting straight and wiping away the alcohol from their faces. "Good evening, sir."
"Evening to you too," he places the flower behind the person's ear, flustering them. "Well? Drink up. Everything you order will be on me."
The Fatui look at each other, skeptical with Kaeya's kindness, but the drunken one accepts the offer. Kaeya celebrates in the inside as he slowly gains Fatui intel.
Though, the second Fatui whom he dubbed the "Responsible One," took a while for them to take a sip. Turns out, they couldn't handle alcohol, that's why they avoided drinking it.
"So, my dear friends," he slides a coin on the table and stares both of them down. "A mora for your thoughts? I couldn't help but notice the tense of your shoulders when you first arrived here."
Responsible One raises their mug drunkenly, and gives a pointed look, "You... you know too much. How?..." They stare at their friend and whisper shout, "Don't tell him about Vind or-" They fail to continue their sentence and pass out on the table.
Kaeya feigns a surprised face and looks at Fatui number 2, "Who exactly is Vind? I'm sure you don't mean the storm watcher up at the cliff." He coats his voice with sugar, and it seems Fatui friend fell for his kindness.
"The damn brat," they spit out before hiccupping again. "Recruited them, fed them, saw potential, gave a home, and they escaped."
Kaeya nods and pushes another bottle of wine to the Fatui's direction, urging them to continue.
"Was supposed to be one of the Agents to spy on the *hiCc* to spy on the Ragnvindr family, because *HicC* Vind was one of the best there is. They were about to be promoted Harbinger after an assignment *hiCCUpp* but then Big Boss Lady said 'End the Ragnvindr legacy,' Vindicta left without a word. They escaped."
The Fatui downs another bottle of wine. "But judging from Boss Lady's reaction, Vind did the job: killed him and placed the blame on the Knights."
The Calvary Captain knits his brows and places his hands in front of him. It laced themselves and he watches the Fatui person empty out his wine.
"I'd be careful of what you say if I were you." His lone eye glints dangerously.
"End the legacy?" Kaeya frowns. "Can I ask..." He couldn't ask why or the Fatui would stop talking to him. "Can I ask when your beloved spy did their job?"
The Fatui waves a hand, "Six years ago. After they killed that damn aristocrat's father, they tried escaping. Big Boss supervised them under their watch. 'Potential' the Harbingers always say, but I don't see the potential in them if they don't have loyalties under the Fatui. A wild card, really."
They lay their cheek on the table. The temperature drops quite dangerously. Kaeya's diamond eye glints with coldness before it turns back to warmth.
"Rumours have it," the Fatui sighs, playing with his empty mug. "The training Vindicta went through is rougher, so we were hoping they would tie their loyalties to us. We let them explore once, and they escaped under my watch. Maybe it was their assignment to leave, maybe it's not, because Boss Lady was okay with it, she said 'Vindicta will always return in our hands.' when they first escaped, and surely enough they do return. But either way, I'm fucked for letting them go missing the third time of the week."
Kaeya laughs with no soul and quickly ends the lovely 'conversation.' He pushes himself from the table and stands, "Thank you for chatting with me, it's been interesting." He tucks in the chair and glances at the two Fatui dozing, or close to dozing off.
He swiftly turns away, scoffing when he's out of sight from people. Vindicta is a dangerous card. Not even the Fatui know where their loyalties side.
Vindicta. How peculiar indeed.
One of the best Fatui, which probably meant they were payed well with respect and mora, but why are they labeled as an escapee when they always return? With someone as dangerous as a Harbinger, who do they side with- the Fatui or something else?
Kaeya has a lot of questions.
...
Diluc sits on a cushioned chair and hunches over, resting his chin on his hands, thinking.
Always thinking.
The once lit fireplace is soaked with water he splashed over. The scent of burnt wood wafts nearby. The light chatter of maids go through one ear and leave the other.
How long had it been since he last saw you?
Eternity is his answer. It's been eternity since he last saw you.
He lets out a long sigh, throwing his head back and running a hand through his untied locks.
Too much thinking for today. Diluc groans in frustration and sits back up. He turns his head slightly, seeing you in the corner of his eyes taking out boxes of things you owned from 10 years before.
It doesn't make sense to him. Why come back so suddenly after years of not seeing you? Though, you claim you sent him letters, he never got them because he closed himself off from the Knights.
"Diluc," you set down a small picture of a family portrait you took out from hiding behind many books.
You are taking this oddly well.
You're taking this too well, in fact.
This raises a red flag for Diluc. He told you the fall out of your family, how he quit the Knights, but still you're going around the place like nothing had happened.
Don't you feel any rage? Or even sadness?
He sees too many red flags and hates it- from the way you can hide things like Kaeya so easily, to the way you just suddenly appear back in his life. It feels weird. It's not easy to let someone that in quick, yet you're still his role model, so it's okay, right?
He's always looked up to you when he was younger. You never were at a loss of words and stood up for him. You were the person he can turn to when something wrong happens, but what were you doing for yourself to be gone for so long? Adventuring Teyvat could not have taken ten whole years. Where did you even stay?
"Diluc," you crouch in front of him and talk to him as if he were six again. "I'm okay, okay?"
Diluc takes a shaky breath and sits up straight. His posture resembling a king's. "I have an idea, and I would like you to help me."
You look at him in awe. The realization settles in: Diluc has grown, and you're still stuck trying to make up the past.
"And what do I help you with?"
"Finding who's responsible for father's death."
notes: had this in my drafts for a long time and i was like "wait where was i going with this..." until BAM i have the idea again so im gonna continue it
(part 2)
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persephones-wren · 3 years
Text
Together (Kaeya Alberich x Reader)
I have heavy writer’s block so I’m just writing my old drafts lmao :’)
Warnings: mentions of suicide
Genre: Angst (resolved ending)
Word Count: 1182
"Join me."
Kaeya's eyes are as gentle as ever, cunning and full of brilliance. His expression is set in a firm smirk, and it feels mocking as you kneel before him, out of breath and sword shattered at your side.
He had really gone and done it, hadn't he?
You had heard the rumors that he was really a spy for a destroyed nation. He bore the symbols of the Khaerin'ah, and Diluc attempted on his life for that reason, the very same night he got his vision.
He’d opened up about that, his home destroyed, the truth he told because he couldn’t choose, the way he got his vision. He told you as your friend. Were you two ever really friends? Was that just another part of his agenda, another bit of leverage he could use against his enemies?
Even with that revealed, in your naivete, you didn't think he would destroy part of your home. It was the place where Jean had welcomed you with open arms, the place where he had power, a place where you thought he was happy.
"I won't join you.”
"A pity," he sneers, and you glower at him. 
You need to buy a bit more time, a bit more to regain your strength and start swinging again, this time with only fists and your vision.
"You're destroying the place we called home. You think I'd join you?"
"I think you'll find that you're on the wrong side of history, sweetheart. We shouldn’t be embracing the Archons. We should be destroying them.”
You can barely process his words before you’re pushing yourself up, readying your stance as the world swims, before he’s behind you again.
The sword hilt that slams into your head has you crumpling.
"They're not coming for me, I already told you." The metal shackles bite into your skin, and your wrists already feel raw. Your voice has a defeated edge to it. How long have you been here, in this prison? Days? Weeks?
"You say that, but you're selling yourself short, love," Kaeya clicks his tongue, and your gaze towards him is disbelieving. "You're their Honorary Knight. They're going to assess their losses, recuperate, and come for you. Then you'll be the perfect bargaining chip for me. It's about time they find out I’ve made a choice, that I choose Khaerin’ah. I’m not serving an Archon anymore."
You can see the dampened, almost maniacal joy he has. You need to be careful with your words. "Kaeya," you whisper his name pleadingly, and his brilliant silver and blue eyes shift back onto you. You swallow down your tears, your weaknesses. "They are not coming for me. I do not matter to them, not as much as they matter to each other. I don't visit Mondstat often, and with the destruction you’ve just caused, they’ll think I’m dead. They’ll think I’m in Liyue, or Inazuma. Kaeya, I’ll find some way to end my life, or you’ll do it for me before anyone knows that I’m gone.” His glare softens slightly as he considers your words, a frown etched into his face.
He thinks for far too long. You wish he’d just say something, anything. The silence is suffocating.
"Oh for the love of god, Kaeya!" You shout, and reach towards him, grasping his hands in your own despite the strained shackles that nearly pull you back. Startled, he looks down at you. "Just kill me! I'm not going to be of use to you, and I swear to God I'm not going to join you. If we were ever friends, have mercy and either let me die or kill me."
You kneel to him, and you hate yourself for doing it. You grit your teeth. "Please."
He looks more conflicted now, as he stares down at you, your intertwined hands, the tears that now spill down your face.
God, you hated yourself for crying, for bowing to him. You were pathetic looking, but at least you'd die with whatever dignity you had left. A bitter laugh tears its way through your throat. Dignity. Yeah, right.
"Did you know that the gods struck down Khaerin'ah? I was but a mere child," he states, and you look up at him. This wasn’t the response you were expecting. He doesn't look at you, releasing your hands and instead turning his back to you to look outside of the prison.
"Crepus took me in and treated me as his son," he states, "but the Abyss was my true home. They cared for me. They saved my life," he continues simply. 
"They don't aim to destroy Mondstat, the part that did get wrecked- call it an accident, if you will. They aim to take down the gods that struck down our home. Parents and children. Siblings. Friends. That's what Khaerin'ah was. And that's what I want back," he finishes.
"Mondstat is my home," you whisper.
"But is it really?" he asks, and you can hear the genuine questioning in his voice as he turns around to look at you. "You've said it yourself, they aren't going to come for you. And you've always been a pawn for them, doing what they please and never giving a second thought to it, because it's them you care about. And yet, it's you they leave behind?"
He isn't wrong, you think slowly. And in your silence laid acceptance. It’s manipulation, you should know better, but- it’s Kaeya. It’s rational, logical Kaeya, who’s making more sense to you right now, overriding the loyalty you had felt towards Mondstat.
"I brought you here because you were more than a friend to me. You were always going to choose them, and they were always going to choose you, or so I thought. Here was the only place where you could be safe. I’m sorry,” he grins sheepishly, although he doesn’t really look that sorry,  “but, I hopefully won’t have to resort to such methods again.” 
"They obviously didn't choose me."
"Obviously not," he agrees. "I've made my agenda clear and I ask you again. Join me. We will bring Khaenri’ah back to its full glory."
You barely hesitate before you nod to him. "Okay.”
“Okay?” He’s looking for any sort of deception, you realize.
“Just please swear that you’ll try to keep the casualties to a minimum.”
"Of course. Thank you, sweetheart." You can almost hear relief in his voice, and he undoes the metal around your wrists. 
His arms wrap around you, and his warmth is comforting, a shred of how he used to be towards you, even as your wrists burn and you can barely muster the strength to hug back.
"I love you," he whispers. "I'm sorry if it's too soon, but we've got a lot to prepare for, and a lot of fighting to do if we're going to take down the gods."
You laugh weakly. "Only you would be brave enough to take down gods."
"It's us now, isn't it?"
"It's us," you agree quietly.
Tomorrow was going to be a new day.
A new day together.
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