Chapter Text
KAEYA
“Hey. You look more like a zombie than me, and that’s saying something.”
Kaeya looks up to see the concerned gaze of the Acting Grandmaster. She hands over a cup of coffee, which he accepts quietly. “Oh hey, good morning, Jean.”
Jean frowns. “Are you alright?”
No, Kaeya thinks. He smiles outwardly, though it’s not quite as bright as his other ones. “I’m alright. Didn’t have that much sleep last night, that’s all. Or, well, haven’t been having the grandest time with sleep and all. I’m not slacking off, mind you!” He salutes lazily. “Just a bit slow in the mornings. You know how it is.”
(There was no proof that he’s fine.)
He turns away immediately. If Jean had looked at him any longer, she would’ve known something was up—and well, Diluc did say he didn’t need to bother himself with whatever’s happening with him. Never mind that it’s been one-and-a-half whole weeks of radio silence, he’s gone on longer. There was no need to get…freaked out about everything, especially since Jean and Diluc have been repairing their friendship as well.
Waiting is nothing to a patient man like him.
(There was no Vision to tell him what’s happening.)
“Kaeya,” Jean calls behind him. She was there when Diluc had left Mondstadt all of a sudden. She was the pillar of strength he had depended on when the investigations were happening. She was there, and she had witnessed his desperation, his anger, his hurt, his shame, his fears, his worries.
She was there when Kaeya cried. He doesn’t turn around.
“Don’t work too late,” he hears. “The Ordo doesn’t need two workaholics, okay?”
He raises his hand and waves goodbye.
Kaeya stays in his room for the whole day.
(There was a missing presence, and days were empty.)
Radio silence never feels great for anyone... but especially to Kaeya.
While there was a time that it was something that he craved, usually protected in the shadows of a certain someone, it wasn’t something that he had nowadays. Silence was a luxury, not a necessity most of the time; his life is filled with the hustle and bustle of the city, the clanging and training sounds of the Ordo, the music of the Mondstadt bards, the babble of Klee and other adventurers, and the constant and dependable gossip of the civilian population.
Kaeya would never admit it: even though these sounds filled his everyday life, there are empty pockets of radio silence that he never really thought would ever be filled by another, because Diluc is the presence that does. Sure, the contrast between the broody vigilante-bartender and the bright box of chatter back then is a sight to behold, and honestly, he’d never be able to get over that—but he knows it’s the same. Whether it was Diluc back then, who’d drag him to the Ordo’s training grounds to fight him without the Vision (Visionless fighting, as Diluc called it), or Diluc of today, who’d replace his glass with a refill, a scowl and a healthy don’t get too drunk warning, he never really minded.
Kaeya’s just glad that he’s safe. He’s glad that he doesn’t have a Vision winking out its light, because he knows that Diluc was just somewhere near reach, not lands away from Mondstadt.
It kind of spirals away from him, then, when it goes without days of having Diluc’s presence again being on his radar.
“You’re not being paranoid. He’s been inactive for a while, and even in Dragonspine he’s just mostly not doing anything.”
Kaeya sighs, thumping his head on the table. “Thank you, Rosaria. It really does help.”
“Sure. Do you want to know why him and Albedo are collaborating?”
Sister Rosaria of the Church of Mondstadt, I am ever so glad that she can see through my bullshit, every day, Kaeya thinks as he swirls his cup.
It’s Dandelion Wine, courtesy of Charles, who is slowly becoming a bit too concerned about his drinking for the night. He’d say he was an adult, and almost everyone in the city loves to drink, except Mister Wine Tycoon himself and the talented Klatzein mixologist, unfortunately both the city’s famous bartenders. Every day he thinks about why Barbatos made it that way.
The thought of who Barbatos was sours his thoughts, and he places his cup down for a moment.
“To answer, it’s for some…power limiter. Or an energy transmitter of sorts. It was hard to listen to, especially since they stayed a lot in that makeshift cavern laboratory Albedo has; the winds had been drowning almost everything out, but that’s what I gathered.”
"The winds are rougher more than usual?"
"Yes. Even with my experience..." Rosaria shakes her head. "Told Katheryne not to send any idiots to the mountain. I had to fish out a few idiots who were doing their survival tests..."
Kaeya opts to ignore her grumbling, because she'll probably be on the roll if he even entertains the idea of listening to her anecdotes. "I'm glad you're fine, Sister Rosaria. You probably stayed quite the distance from them, for them not to detect your presence. Albedo is very adept at sensing someone being in his lair... ahem, laboratory. He might just reprimand me though, if he ever caught me. Diluc would most likely punt me out for even eavesdropping in his conversations..."
Rosaria side-eyes him, looking at him strangely. “You’d think Diluc would kick you out?”
“Punt, I said punt, Sister Rosaria,” he comments. She rolls her eyes at the response. “Of course he would! You know him. Always so secretive. He’s been acting so off, even by his standards, and this is me comparing his grand arrival in Mondstadt a few years ago! Honestly,” he tips his chair back, looking around conspiratorially, as if Diluc would somehow hear him. “—you think he’s planning on an expedition? Just like Grandmaster Varka?”
“You’re definitely drunk.”
The bland tone makes him laugh.
“He’d be capable!” Kaeya finds himself defending the idiot, though he doesn’t need to. “No, don’t laugh. He can. He’s… he’s certainly got the wits and the ability to fight the claymore… he’d probably fight him to get that claymore from Grandmaster Varka, anyway. More of his style.”
“The Wolf’s Gravestone,” he hears Rosaria remark. “The red… I guess. Is this what you really want to talk about, Captain?”
“No work titles, Sister Rosaria!”
“You just called me… never mind. I'm becoming miserable just by looking at you being miserable.”
Kaeya grumbles as he rubs his temples. “The ails of being a knight, you see. I mean, you are too. It’s annoying to do that… all that patrol at night, no? Usually, you guys have some… agreed-upon routes. Now it’s just you, the Knights that have had coffee, the night owls, and the occasional excitable adventurer arriving at god knows what hour. There’s no… him, lurking, lurking…”
“You are drunk, Kaeya. I don't know what you're talking about. Also, shut up, what happened to confidentiality?”
"It bargains when the alcohol flows, Sister." He sits back on his chair thoughtfully. “Why do you think he needs a power limiter? Is it all about the… the crystalflies?”
Those damned crystalflies that just popped out of Diluc’s hands. That was not normal. The last time he’s seen someone manifest a live being like that (or as alive as crystalflies were) was with Albedo, and Albedo was a chemist, and Diluc was not.
Unless he had a moment of alchemy during his trip to the unknown. Kaeya wouldn’t put it past him, the overachieving bastard.
Rosaria, normally cool-headed and calm, looks so frustrated that Kaeya tries to tamp down a laugh. He doesn’t succeed, as evidenced by the eye twitch from her. “Crystalflies? What in Barsibatos name are you talking about?”
“It’s Barbatos,” Then, a thought strikes him. Kaeya points at her at a speed that felt like it was going through water. “Wait. Would Dahlia know him?”
“Diluc, or Bartabos?”
“Barbatos, for Archon’s sake, Rosaria!” He raises his hands. “ Everyone knows Diluc!”
“And everyone knows Bartibatos!”
“Not you, apparently!”
“Quiet down!” They both hear from Charles’ section of the bar. “Otherwise, we’ll ask you to leave, both of you!”
He mouths sorry at the bartender, who shakes his head.
Clawed fingers drag his face down by the ear. Rosaria speaks in a more subdued tone, but her volume was the same. “Does Deacon Dahlia know the Anemo Archon? As his Herald ? Probably. I don’t know how he hears the god, but he claims he does, and he’s consistent with his advice regarding the god, so,” he sees Rosaria wave her hand. “Why? You interested in getting a confessional? Ready to share the fact that you got to haggle Charles today and you didn’t bring him in the mix?”
Kaeya places a finger on his lips. “None of that. I’ll apologize to Charles later, and maybe Diluc once he gets back.” He shakes his head morosely. “Damn it. It’s not a maybe, right? Diluc will return. Nobody goes on sojourns twice, right? Twice in a decade, maybe. But in half? That’s not reasonable, right?”
“I’m not interested in this topic, Kaeya.”
“Humor me, Rosaria.”
He doesn’t know if it was the alcohol that brought him to this current state—miserable, and positively lonely, worried and anxious at the same time—but how ever he said those words, made Rosaria look at him seriously. The sharp and assessing gaze tracks him for a few moments; if he was more sober, he’d say a quip or two, but he was just tired.
The prospect of something happening to Diluc, again, and him being out of the loop, again, makes him miserable. He was one-hundred-percent miserable; Rosaria was right once more. What’s more was that—he really shouldn’t involve himself. Diluc made it clear—he should leave it alone.
Should he even leave it alone?
“Look… you two, I mean, I’ve seen you guys back then. More, nowadays,” Rosaria says lowly, and Kaeya listens attentively, pulling a cup of water to drink. She watches the movement for a second before closing her eyes. “I say. Go with your gut feeling. Did he not help you during the invasion? I don’t think he was supposed to be there, considering he’s technically a civilian.”
“Jean was convinced he’d always help when needed,” Kaeya admits. It was surprising, but also not surprising, feeling Diluc appear behind him, protecting him from a cryo lawachurl. “Blessings of the Anemo Archon, yadda yadda. I don’t think he’d leave Mondstadt, but there’s something he’s not telling me.”
“Eh, to me, it’s just him being secretive. You in the Ordo did that too, for months, mind you,” she points out. “Barbara and I only knew of the invasion days before. He’s not an idiot, so him learning about all those crimes and allegations throughout the months would naturally end up with suspicions… but I don’t think he’s as reckless as he was back then, leaving without a trace.”
“He’s not reckless, you say?” Kaeya grumbles. “I grew up as his shadow. I know he's involved in something dangerous now, that’s why he’s being so secretive. I just have to know why.”
“Why, though?”
The statement makes him blink in befuddlement. “What do you mean, why?”
“Why bother? He didn’t want you to be involved with it.” Rosaria points at him with raised eyebrows. “So, don’t get involved with it.”
“…No.”
“No? Don’t you… hm. Don’t you trust him that he’d be able to get through… whatever this is? Who knows, this is some new Ragnvindr line of business or something. Something to help with the wine process. Who knows.”
“It’s not something about the wine,” Kaeya rolls his eyes. “He’d sooner ask me for help by then, I’m more in that field. It’s… it’s about him. Something happened to him. Though.” He sighs. Backtracking through his thoughts and Rosaria’s question, he feels a heavy weight on his shoulders. “I know he’d be able to get through it. The thing is, he’s someone who likes working at night alone because of some duty. That speaks volumes about how he thinks about how he should be, right?”
Kaeya goes to the Church of Barbatos. It was the likeliest area where he would be able to meet Dahlia at the time of the day.
Ever since his meeting with Barbatos— Venti— the plaza feels weird to him. Just overlooking the whole city was the statue of Barbatos, and on top is the Church, and the actual god is just singing around with his lyre, proclaiming songs and ballads that range from holy songs to shenanigans of the gods. There was a moment from the week before that he connected that the bard he drank heavily with was the same god that his Khaen’riahn family despised, which was the internal conflict of the decade.
Then, just like Diluc with his disappearing act, Venti had not been present for a while. Apparently, he cited in his last few appearances that he was going through a creative burnout, which a lot of bards and artists heavily sympathized with.
Considering that Venti specifically told him that he’d be accompanying him with his endeavor to bring Diluc back to his senses, Kaeya’s kind of miffed that he’s alone as of the moment.
The bell tolls from the Church—a signifier that mass had ended, which means that prayers have commenced for the morning. Kaeya pushes himself off one the pillars of the plaza, before the onslaught of the mass attendees would block the steps. He leans to the side of the area, catching glimpses of the nuns—Rosaria, Barbara near each other, with the former nodding as she sees him. Dahlia appears next to Rosaria, holding a bunch of prayer books. He sees them talking to one another, and Rosaria points her chin towards the direction where Kaeya is standing.
Dahlia turns and waves.
“Hello!” He greets, smile unassuming and calm. “Good morning, my friend! Rosaria told me you wanted to talk to deacon-me?”
“Deacon-you?” Kaeya repeats, smirking. “I guess there’s a different from drinker-you?”
“Of course!” Dahlia laughs, beckoning to sit on one of the benches off the sides of the church. “Why, if you would ask me about my thoughts about Albert’s singing as deacon-me? I’d have to tell him that through the words of the Anemo Archon he has bestowed upon me, his symphonies being sung to the wind are blessings in upon itself, nourishing the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the grounds upon we walk in the city of Mond.”
“And if it’s drinker-you?”
Dahlia sits on the bench, shaking his head. “I’d tell him to be quiet. Even Barbara gets appalled by how off-tune he is, and don’t get me started on how I suspect he’s just doing that to get attention from her… I’ve had the thought to send him a surprise baptism, but a Knight might tattle on me,” he looks at Kaeya with a considerate look. “Oh, don’t tell me you’ll report me to Jean.”
“As long as you do not share about our talk today,” Kaeya smirks.
“ Okay!” Dahlia tilts his head back and huffs out a laugh. “That’s pretty smooth. Of course, Kaeya. Confessionals, testimonials, and consultations are always held in great confidentiality. No worries about me blabbing, I promise. I swear on Sister Rosaria’s name.”
He raises his eyebrows, making Dahlia chuckle. “I’m swearing on her name because she’s a… well, I’d say, her threat was quite convincing. The Anemo Archon’s Herald I am, but a true fighter I am not. I can only shield myself from Rosaria’s menacing lance. I'd be no match if she learns I broke an agreement of confidentiality with you.”
Kaeya’s slightly touched that Rosaria actually gave his concern with such gravitas, that she had threatened Dahlia, a mutual friend. Perks of having a scary nun as a friend. He nods. “Alright, how would this work? I don’t think I’ve actually talked to deacon-you.”
The statement makes Dahlia snort, though as testament to how he’s a bit more professional, he covers his face with his hand as he does it. “Well, you may start by what you are comfortable with, of course. You’ve approached me, which is the first step, and I commend you for it. I’ll also remind you that the church is not beholden to share any of what you do to the Ordo Favonius, nor does it have the jurisdiction to do so, as has been observed in years after the investigations.”
He nods again, looking at the ground.
Dahlia holds his hands together in prayer, bowing. His voice, though in a whisper, is steady and calm.
“You, Kaeya Alberich, are here, and this is a safe space. On this ground, none may pass judgment of your sins and of your tribulations. I, as the Deacon of the Holy Church of the Favonius, bestowed upon by the Seneschal Seamus Pegg and Cardinal Calvin; in the name of the sacred winds of Barbatos, who has guided every heart and soul, shall help to unburden your worries, for he is all-kind, thus saith the Anemo Archon.”
A few seconds pass. Kaeya is aware of everything that happens in those few seconds—the rustle of the trees, the lessening chatter of the churchgoers, the sounds of the Church tidying up after the mass. He thinks about many things, about how to approach this matter in the best way possible, without sounding like he was going to ask for something big.
How does he approach this? Even after all these years of handling Diluc’s more-than-confusing tendencies, there had been some pattern. Isolates himself but reaches out to competent people, still works at the vineyard and Angel’s Share despite not drinking alcohol…
Updates and protects Kaeya begrudgingly despite not-liking-him…
How does he ask, ‘ any inspiring news from Lord Barbatos on how to get Diluc from wherever he holed himself in?’
After a few moments, in the end, he just sighs. Sometimes, the best thing to do is admit defeat. “… I know that the Anemo Archon is Venti, and I’m here because of him, so this is kind of awkward.”
Another few moments pass before Kaeya looks up and sees that Dahlia’s placid expression did not change. “Yes? And?”
“So, you know?” Kaeya straightens his back. “That Venti is Barbatos?”
Diluc, Traveler-- did a lot of people know that Mondstadt’s god is just… around?
“It’d be a difficult thing to be his Herald and just pretend that I could not spot my god in a tavern,” Dahlia reckons with a smile, probably knowing his line of thought. He looks off to the side. “Though, I’d like to remind you, Kaeya, that Venti and Barbatos are two separate distinctions, but are not decidedly different. Just as I am as a Deacon and just regular-Dahlia.”
“I can hear the slight doubt in your voice; I understand that some… notions may be challenged after, but while he is not as holy as stories might make him be, he is still as loving and benevolent as he is in them. That, I believe.”
“No, it’s not—“, he couldn’t exactly say he didn’t doubt, and that he had some… problems regarding his knowledge of the Archons. He pauses, before shaking his head. “No. I know. I had… an encounter with him. With Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, and he really is different from Venti. It’s why I had to ask to meet you—he’s been gone, and I need to contact him, because of…”
A breeze passes by. Dahlia stares at him serenely, before saying, “Oh, you mean with Diluc?”
For the nth time talking to Dahlia, he finds himself surprised. The leaves were rustling as he spoke. Is that how? “Did Ven—Barbatos say that? Just now?”
Dahlia hums. No confirmation, but Kaeya lets it slide. A topic for another day. “And what exactly would you need from Lord Barbatos, especially in regards to Diluc, Kaeya?”
The wording makes him pause. It doesn’t seem like he’s privy to the details about Diluc, which, at least that seems plausible.
“Venti’s location, for one.” He frankly says. “Look, okay. Dahlia—I don’t know how much you know about Diluc and his situation, but he’s been behaving more erratically than usually, and that’s saying something, because he’s a boring man. During my encounter with Barbatos, he not-so-directly told me that he’d be assisting in tackling the issue about Diluc.”
“No other avenues to investigate, Captain?” Dahlia hums in wonder.
“No.” That’s what frustrates him. Kaeya did not have any other leads, short of asking for Vile’s intel again, whom had only expressed defeat when not being able to figure out what has been happening with Diluc, nor being able to locate Venti. His intel route did not yield to any other paths to go from. As it stands, Kaeya was at a loss on how to tackle the situation.
“Nothing short of barging into the Winery and demanding the workers there to give me some advice, but poor Adelinde and Elzer don’t need another spat between us-- the last time we were there, we had some camaraderie and good will. I’d rather that not happen, if you know what I mean.”
Dahlia regards him with a stare, and he gestures for Kaeya to bring up his hand. The deacon’s eyes were closed, eyebrows furrowed; movement under his eyelids, as if he’s trying really hard to listen to the breeze.
Kaeya follows his instruction, and blinks when Dahlia cradles his hand gently. “Oh, Child of Mondstadt, for whom the stars and skies have been fraught from your gaze, let the will that that has become the susurrus of the depths of your heart be the guiding wind upon which the Anemo Archon has entrusted upon us all; that from which you must find the strength to approach the emergence of thy conflict, on the bond that has withstood the test of erosion. Naught shall be your fear, for those whom you’ve practiced certitude, shall thy blessings be reaped.”
Then he sighs. “In the whispers of the wind shall his words be your guardian, for in the shadows, all will be brought into light, through the Anemo Archon.”
Kaeya bows his head, mulling the advice over. There is a lot to unpack there—but he tentatively says, “…Are you saying that I should just go for it because Venti is doing something in relation to it, but is somewhere else?”
Something about the twinkle in Dahlia’s eyes makes him snicker. “In not so many words, now.”
The realization of what had just occurred—about what has been happening, about how ridiculous everything was, and this—this confessional, makes him laugh.
Laugh something ugly, and Kaeya covers his eyes in frustration, and he feels himself shaking.
A missing god, and a not-so-missing, but still-missing, idiot.
“Couldn’t give me something to work with, huh,” Kaeya whispers to the wind. “Damn you.”
“He’ll probably hear that.” Dahlia murmurs in assent.
Both of them sit in the quiet. Kaeya churns the advice, over-and-over in his brain, cursing Venti, then cursing Diluc next, then cursing himself, because this is Diluc’s trip away from Mondstadt again.
And he’s alone again. There’s a thought that he’d invite Dahlia for a drink, but considering Rosaria’s disapproving stare, as well as his body actually rejecting the thought, he just stews in his thoughts instead.
After an hour, Dahlia takes his leave. He places his hand on his shoulder, murmurs a quick prayer, and returns to the Cathedral.
Kaeya stays in his spot till the moon rises.
“Klee? Sucrose—why are you here?”
“Oh, um, hi, Captain Kaeya,“ Sucrose feebly greets. She’s politely not looking at him—which is fine. Kaeya knows he must look like a war just hit him. Thankfully, he knows he doesn’t stink, but the thought lurks in his mind. “Miss Klee requested me to bring me to you… and well, seeing as Captain Albedo has not yet returned yet, I have been tasked to watch over her…”
“Oh, yes, yes.” Kaeya absent-mindedly says, and he reaches out to ruffle Klee’s hair. He smiles a little when he hears a squawk from the Spark Knight. “Thank you, Sucrose. Unfortunately I look like death warmed over, so I really do appreciate you bringing Miss Klee here.”
“O-Oh, it wasn’t my intention—”, Sucrose looks panicked, and Kaeya would’ve thought it was funny, if he had the energy to give.
“Big Brother Kaeya is just joking!” Klee pipes up immediately, derailing over Sucrose’s apology. “Come on, Kaeya! I have to give you something!”
Sucrose chooses the moment to flee. Kaeya blinks when he looks at Klee, who was currently climbing his bed.
“Careful,” he calls out, closing the door. “What’s the event? I don’t think I sent out invitations today, no?”
“Invitations…? No, no,” Klee shakes her head. “I’m here for a surprise!”
“A surprise…?”
“Yes,” Klee nods vigorously. She places her backpack down on the bed, and begins rummaging through it. “You’ve been very sad. I made you this!” She presents a ball of—
Well, Kaeya blinks when he realizes what he is, as he receives the ball. “This is… Master Diluc as an owl?”
Klee nods even more excitedly. “Yes! Mister Grumpy Owl will be here to make you less sad!”
“Oh,” Kaeya feels his heart drop.
For Klee to notice…
Nothing has changed , in his patrols and jobs; he made sure of that. He still submits reports and documents. He still conducts training and patrols. He talks with his fellow officers, helps with the delegates, entertains folks, goes to the bar and gets kicked out of the bar, plays cards, cooks barbeque skewers, and the like. There was nothing different in his routine.
“You don’t need to deny it,” Klee frowns vehemently, walking towards him—or bouncing, since she was on the bed. “I… don’t think the others have noticed, Big Brother Kaeya. I just know because I sometimes feel like that way too. Sad.”
He stares at the owl in his hands. It looks ridiculous, to see Diluc’s face plastered on the owl. Though, it’s quite impressive. “Klee…”
“When I miss Mom, I get, super, super sad, and really upset,” Klee whispers, and she holds up a Dodoco, “—I have this giant Dodoco. It’s different from normal Dodoco, because Dodoco is Dodoco, and this one is the Dodoco Mom gave me. So now, this is Mom Dodoco. I hug her at night when I miss her. Do you miss Mister Grumpy Face?”
The nickname makes him chortle. “I… he really is grumpy, no? You captured his face a lot on this.” He sits down on the bed. “How do you know I’m sad because of Master Diluc?”
Because I have to check how I’m carrying myself. How mortifying to be found out by Klee, of all people.
Klee carefully sits next to him, and leans, hugging him on the side. “You guys meet a lot in Angel’s Share. Albedo doesn’t let me go there but ever since Master Diluc made more drinks, I’ve been able to drink the fruit drinks they have there. It’s fun. I always see you go to him, and you make a lot of jokes that he doesn’t laugh at. But! He always checks if you’re still alive after you fall asleep from being too drunk.” She pauses. Kaeya just takes it in.
“I miss it when Mom checks on me when I’m asleep. She always seems to know, even when I’ve gotten really good at pretending now,” she gives a small smile. “Then she has to leave, and… I’m okay, because she is going to a lot of places that I get to see through pictures, but I miss her.” She sniffles. “I also miss you, Big Brother Kaeya. You must really miss Master Diluc.”
Kaeya bites his lip, and places the owl on the side, and hugs Klee. “I’m sorry, Klee. I’m sorry. I miss you too.” He sighs. “…and yes. Remember he left back then?”
“Yes,” Klee nods, picking up the owl. “He gave me grape juice back then. He was super nice.”
“He still is, but he has… a lot of things to do,” Kaeya murmurs. “A lot that is quite secretive.”
“Like Mom.”
“Yes.”
“Do you think he’ll be coming back soon?” Klee wonders quietly. “He needs to apologize to you for making you worry.”
Kaeya laughs. Do I think he’ll be returning?
Is this just me being afraid that he’ll leave Mondstadt again? Or is this because I had been hoping we’d continue getting better… being able to trust one another? Is this because I was hoping he’d tell me what was going on, and that I could’ve helped?
That I would help, unlike last time, when I couldn’t?
He remembers Venti’s conviction, and Diluc’s stalwart stubbornness of literally everything.
“Yeah,” Kaeya musters up, a bit more convincingly. “Yeah, Klee. He’ll come back. Then you can share with him Mister Grumpy Owl, and tell him that it’s his fault that I felt very sad.”
“Okay!” Klee agrees resolutely. “Then after, we invite him to fish bomb. I just learned he’s a pyro Vision holder like me!”
“Hm…We’ll…see.”
The scent of coffee wafts into his room first before he sees Jean.
“Oh hey, chief,” he greets, saluting. “Need something?”
“Just… checking in,” Jean slowly responds. “Here you go.”
Kaeya takes the coffee with gratitude. It’s still not the brew he likes, since he likes a little more alcohol in his coffee, and his coffees are usually on the sweeter side—but he spots the packets of sugar on the saucer, so it’s well on his end. In contrast, he spots that Jean’s is black. “Timely. Thanks. These reports about more frequent heat bursts are crazy, huh. They apparently are on a weird track, but mostly near Dragonspine’s area, no?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” Jean echoes.
A few moments go by, the scritch-scratch of the pen the only sound filling the room. Kaeya looks up inquiringly when she doesn’t speak. Her face contorts into something indecipherable, then settling onto a resolute and kind look.
“I haven’t heard about Diluc in a while,” Jean finally prompts.
“Oh, great, Mister Grumpy,” Kaeya clicks his pen. “Yes?”
Jean covers her mouth with a giggle. “I’ve heard that Klee has taken to calling Master Diluc that.”
“Yes. Very creative of her.” He tilts his head. “As for Diluc? Oh you know. Same old. I don’t know, you don’t know, who knows? Probably Albedo, whom he’s working with right now, but who knows what in Teyvat he’s told the man.”
“Albedo?” Jean raises her eyebrows. “Hasn’t he been holed up in his laboratory for the past three days? Came back from Dragonspine—and mind you, with his hair a bit shorter. I think they got singed.”
That stops him short. “What do you mean he’s been back?”
“He’s been back,” Jean repeats. “For three days. Apparently, he’s been with Diluc for a short project. Do… would you know what it would’ve been?”
Kaeya tears his gaze away from the report he’d been writing to stare at Jean, whom he finally properly looked at, ever since their last proper conversation—which was almost a month ago.
She looks pale. She looks exhausted.
“No,” his mouth feels dry, despite just drinking his coffee. “No, I—I don’t really know, Jean.”
Silence envelopes them for a few seconds, before Jean places her coffee cup down on his table, then leans forward, covering her face.
“Figures,” Jean murmurs, so silent that it strained Kaeya’s ears to hear. “It figures that no one really knows about what’s happening to him. Surely he would’ve learned to say at least something, no?”
Alarm bells blare in Kaeya’s head. “Jean—“
“Make no mistake, Kaeya, I hold him in great regard,” Jean cuts him off. “I consider him my friend. But he—I’ve been worrying about what’s happening to him, especially since I couldn’t call on Venti, whom also is not found anywhere. All we’ve got to signify that he’s alive is that Albedo is a firsthand account, and even then, he doesn’t even—well, you know Albedo.”
“He wouldn’t ask if it’s not needed,” Kaeya finishes.
Another sigh. She looks terribly exhausted. “Lisa… Lisa seems to know something, but she’s tight-lipped, telling me to trust in whatever Master Diluc is doing right now. Gods, Lisa knows something about this whole thing. Do you know something?”
“No,” Kaeya honestly replies, the short tidbit about Lisa making it feel like his heart turned into ice. “Just… just whatever Albedo probably told you.”
“All I know is that, there’s something—something different that will be happening.” Jean sighs, almost aggressively. “It’s just, here we are again, in the dark, and—”
He hears it first, before he sees it; a sob breaks out of her words, and Kaeya is already moving away from his desk to get her to the sofa.
“Albedo said he’s worried about the Frost Nail on top of Dragonspine, Kaeya,” she whispers, and Kaeya swallows at the news. “There’s something about it that has changed. That’s why he’s been hard at work. He can’t explain it, apparently. But we’d have to talk to Diluc, because he thinks it’s something connected to him—it’s something that he’d only be able to answer. Diluc had been—he seems to know something, he was so urgent regarding the device Albedo was making. Gods, why can’t he just—”
“I know.” Kaeya murmurs. He holds her hands tightly. “I know, Jean.”
He tries to muster the calm that he doesn’t feel, but by the way his hands shake, he knows that Jean could feel his upset too.
The scene was familiar—countless nights of fighting for the reputation of the Ragnvindrs, investigating against Inspector Eroch and his supporters, and reforming the knights by their own hands. Of nights where Kaeya had become more familiar with the alcohol, and where Jean had dove into piles of paperwork, in the deepest hours of the night. Weeks of Grandmaster Varka’s sad gazes, with the occasional finger wag to go home, we’ll have time.
It was ironic, because it was Diluc—then and now—who’d always berate them for doing so. The cause of their conviction, but also the result of those events. Silly of him to think that he'd be able to hide from Jean, his closest friend amongst everyone else. It was idiotic of him as well to think that it was only him who's been hyperaware of Diluc's absence.
How terribly unkind you are to those who care for you, Master Diluc, Kaeya thinks internally.
Especially for those who wait by your side.
"You sure you're up for this?"
"I am...?" Mika looks at him weirdly, then blinks rapidly, apologies plastered on his face. "I mean, of course, Captain Kaeya. Dragonspine is, well, it's not quite my forte but it is a nice place to practice cartography."
"Sure. Not what I meant, though." Kaeya nods absently. "Anyway, give him this," he gives a letter, "--then leave. Scram. Don't even begin to talk to him."
"You're making it sound that Master Diluc is a frightening lion to encounter!" Mika looks at him, then sweats as Kaeya levels him a stare. "Okay. Got it. No talking, no-nothing. Just a delivery."
"Preferable if you would tell me what he's doing, or if he has any... news regarding the nail."
"The nail?" Mika echoes. When Kaeya doesn't elaborate, he shrugs. "Okay. Do I need to read the letter out loud to him, or... oh hey, this isn't signed."
"No," Kaeya shudders. He can't even imagine how Diluc would look like. "I'm not like Grandmaster Varka. Also, that's fine. He'll know."
Mika rolls the letter and packs it in his bag. He stops at Kaeya's door.
"I... may I speak, Captain?"
Kaeya nods.
"I... have a feeling that this would be better given to him, personally," Mika murmurs. "Sorry. I'm just confused. Why not...?"
"Why not me?" Kaeya shrugs, continuing his writing. "Who knows."
Because he wouldn't like to involve me with whatever he's doing, so I have to circumvent how to assist him, Kaeya thinks as he hears Mika's footsteps grow quieter and quieter. It was the way he deals with the Dark Knight business, his fights with the Abyss Order, and his destroyed business relations related to Fatui. Besides.
He stares at a parchment with a pressed dandelion on the bottom.
I've got a lead to follow.