Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Act I: The First Light

Description:

After Kaeya wins 5 nights with the Chief Justice of Fontaine— Neuvillette— rumours about their relationship status spread around Fontaine, resulting in chaos…

Chapters Arrangement:

-Chapters 2-7: Acquaintance

-Chapters 8-10: Breaking The Ice

-Chapters 11-16: The Rumours

-Chapters 17-18: The Cause

-Chapters 19-22: The End of a Beginning

Characters (in order of appearance):

-Kaeya

-Klee

-Furina

-Neuvillette

-Traveller

-Paimon

-Wriothesley

-Clorinde

-Sigewinne

Chapter Text

Kaeya loves Klee.

She was like his sister, and he would do anything for her. When the little Spark Knight wanted ice cream, he would bring her down to a dessert place. When she asked for him to play with her, he would mentally reschedule the entire day’s routine to fit “playtime” into his already busy schedule.

In return, Klee would bless him with her cheery smiles and warm his heart from time to time. It was a great trade, given that it was getting more and more difficult for Kaeya to find happiness in mundane routines.

However, Klee can prove to be a headache from time to time. Her innocence meant curiosity for many of the world’s wonders, and this was one of those times.

Blast fishing in Fontaine is illegal, not to mention, a declaration of war. Don’t get him wrong, Kaeya wants to indulge Klee in her shenanigans, but too much was at risk and he would rather deal with a crying and whining Klee than have Mondstadt be drowned in torrents of water.

“Please please, big brother Kaeya! I haven’t been to Fontaine before!” Klee pled with her puppy eyes (she knows that it ALWAYS worked).

Kaeya was a strong man, but he wasn’t nearly as strong enough to deflect Klee’s secret weapon.

“Klee, if we go blast fishing in Fontaine, you won’t be in solitary confinement, but in Fontaine’s huuuge prison! Where you can never get out!”

Klee recoiled in fear and looked down sheepishly. “But… Mommy said that Fontaine is a nice place…”

Kaeya’s heart clenched at the sight and sighed.

“…But. If you promise that no explosives are involved, we can go to Fontaine. That means no blast fishing either,” he decides.

The girl clad in red perks up, eyes sparkling as she squeals. Without much thought, she readily agreed and even made a pinky promise.

It wouldn’t be easy to convince Jean that they wouldn’t do anything that would strain diplomatic relations, but Kaeya would do anything for Klee. Even if it means promising Jean to stay out of trouble.

—————————

“Come on, Neuvillette! It won’t be that bad!”

“Lady Furina, might I remind you that we have new trials daily? Justice never stops.”

The hydro archon pouts, resting her elbows on the Chief Justice’s desk.

“But I already promised our dear citizens! You wouldn’t want to disappoint them, would you now?” She whined.

Neuvillette frowns. He sighs, before deciding to give the unsatisfied archon a chance to speak. “What did you promise them that requires me to be free for five days?”

Furina smiles cheekily, “Well… since you’re so curious~”

Neuvillette frowns in worry (for himself) as a mischievous grin spreads across her face, mismatched eyes sparkling and sharp. Whatever it was, it must have been something that he would never agree to if given the choice and freedom to decide.

“There will be a box near the Adventurer’s Guild and anyone who wants to try their luck can take a slip of paper from the box. One lucky winner will be given the chance to hang out with the great Chief Justice of Fontaine!”  Furina cheers with excitement.

“For… five days.”

“I wouldn’t say five days, more like five nights.”

“And you did not think to ask me for consent before using my status to promote and promise the citizens that I would agree to this.”

Furina shrugs, “It will be fine! Besides, if anything happens, you can always postpone a night to another day. Oh, and I must say — I have never seen my dear citizens so excited before!”

Another sigh escaped Neuvillette as he brought a hand up to his temples and rubbed it. He cannot imagine this going well, especially since he was not interested in establishing any personal relationships. It could very well cloud his judgement and affect Justice in Fontaine. He has a job to do, and he needs to do it right.

Lady Furina, he thinks for what seems to be the thousandth time, was a pain in his back.

Chapter Text

The two knights reached the Romaritime Harbour a couple of hours earlier than their planned time, mostly because Klee was cooperative during the whole journey and the spare time that Kaeya had set aside to factor in some time to eat was not necessary at all.

Recommended by a Melusine they met at the harbour, and they took an Aquabus to the Court of Fontaine, which was said to be the “heart” of the nation. Soon enough, they were met with the tall and abstract architecture of the buildings in Fontaine.

By standards, Klee should already be vibrating in excitement and getting ready to introduce some explosive to the nation’s grounds, but she was well-behaved. Having said that, Klee still tended to run around freely when excited, and Kaeya, as her caretaker, ran after her while she hopped from store to store.

“Look at that robot! It’s so cool! Why don’t Mondstadt have them?” She asked curiously.

Kaeya would tell her about the budget and financial issues that the Knights of Favonius are trying hard to conceal, but it would ultimately result in Klee being more curious questions about confidential affairs would be raised. In no way will Kaeya be able to survive the absolute devastation on Klee’s face if she ever found out. It would have to wait until she was older.

So, he settles for an easier, half true, answer.

“Maybe in the future, Klee. Who knows, maybe we will get an even cooler robot.”

As expected, the Spark Knight grew interested and more excited than she already was.

At the corner of his eye, he could see movements. Many people were crowding around an area which he assumed to be the Adventurer’s Guild. Klee caught notice of this as well and pointed at the crowd, inquiring about the commotion. And of course, she ran off again, prompting Kaeya to follow along.

“What’s this about?” He asked no one in particular.

Still, a woman took the initiative to respond, “It is said that there are about 500,000 different paper slips inside, and one of them contains a token.”

“The token grants one the privilege to spend five nights together with the Chief Justice of Fontaine,” another woman added.

Five nights with the Chief Justice? Now he’s curious.

“Five nights as in… overnight?” He inquired.

“We would call it evening since it is valid from five to twelve the next day, but the word ‘night’ makes it sound more worth it!” One of the women squealed.

A stunned gasp and a tug of his scarf made him look down at the little red sunshine. Oh no. “Come on, big brother Kaeya! You should try it! Give it a shot!”

It wouldn’t hurt to take a slip but,

1. He wasn’t even from Fontaine. It would be wrong if a foreigner got the token instead of a native or one that had been in Fontaine for a long time.
2. What about Klee? The token only grants this opportunity to the one who managed to pull out the lucky token, so that automatically means that Klee would not be involved.
3. He doesn’t even know who the Chief Justice is. Sure it would be nice to discuss diplomacy but he doubts that either of them would be interested.

Overall, there was no positive side to this.

“We can help you take care of Klee!” A chirpy voice cuts his thoughts and he quickly turns around at the familiar voice.

Why does everything fall into place so perfectly like I’m in a story, he deadpans? It feels… unreal.

“We were already in Fontaine. And you were saying out your thoughts this whole time,” the traveller explains.

“Oh.”

“Besides, it’s just in the evening. You can Klee and hang out for the first half of the day!” The fairy suggests.

The traveller and their companion were certainly reliable, but the experience would not be the same for Klee.

The Spark Knight, so innocent and understanding, grinned widely.

“Go for it, big brother Kaeya! It’s not guaranteed that you will have it, and if you don’t, then we can try other new stuff. If you do, then we can try new stuff in the morning!” She reasons.

“Don’t worry, Kaeya! Paimon and the traveller are reaaaaally good tour guides! Not to mention, we can keep her very safe as well!” The traveller nods at Paimon’s comment.

Well. It was a one-in-500,000 chance anyway. If he does get “the one”, then their (his) plan would have changed. But this trip was for Klee, and if she enjoys it, it doesn’t matter if the traveller was the one who would bring her around… right?

Another thing was that Kaeya would have the opportunity to talk with the Chief Justice and hopefully establish a stronger diplomatic relationship with Fontaine.

With the encouragement from his friends, he steps up to the box and reached to take a slip.

Katheryne smiles at him and explains further, “A letter ‘A’ represents loss, and the token will have ‘V’ written on it. Good luck!”

The slips of paper feel soft on his hand, and he takes one of them, unfolding it.

He doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the letter ‘V’ on his slip.

Chapter Text

Neuvillette was sure that one-in-a-500,000 chance was a great deal and nobody would get it in three days, which was the time frame the lucky draw ran for. Of course, Celestia must hate him, because not only did someone manage to draw it, but it was barely three hours since the unsealing of the box to the public. Who is even that lucky?

He had even personally counted all 500,000 of the paper slips and made sure that there was only one. The letter “A” did not even look like a letter anymore.

He’s not normally one to question coincidence, he had a fair share of it after all. However, this was absurd.

His immediate line of thought brought him to Lady Furina. It would not be right to blame her, but she did agree on behalf of him without even so much as asking him if he was okay with it.

He sighed, filing one of the documents into a file. The first instruction states that five nights would automatically start from the next day of the day the token was picked up.

Lady Furina, who knew next to nothing about his schedule, had kindly helped to arrange all meetings for the next five days after 5 p.m. to another date. It did help save him time as he did not need to do it himself, but he has his months planned out. One extra meeting in one of the longer days would result in… inefficiency.

Unacceptable.

Neuvillette tries to regulate and control his emotions. It wouldn’t be very nice if it started raining just minutes after the lucky token had been picked up.

He calls for help from the Melusines, requesting that they provide him with more information on the “chosen one”. Ever so reliable, they came back rather quickly,  reporting to him whatever they found out.

The person who drew the token… was not from Fontaine. The Melusines provided him with a picture of the man, and something stirred within him when he saw the blue-haired man. If he was not wrong, his clothes looked very similar to that of Mondstadt’s clothing. His appearance was also rather striking, and Neuvillette was led to believe that this man was the Knight of Favonius’s Cavalry Captain.

Neuvillette wouldn’t lie; The Captain was attractive. The eyepatch seems to fit him, and the Chief Justice of Fontaine briefly wonders if it had something to do with an injury. Considering that he was who Neuvillette would be dedicating his evenings to, it wasn’t that bad. It could be someone who would wish harm upon him or someone who was filled with arrogance and greed. According to what he read and heard of before, Kaeya Ragnvindr was none of that. Sure, he was a flirt, but Neuvillette doubts it was to find someone to sleep with.

He doesn’t know why he trusts him — in a way he trusts that he would not have to take action against the Captain — but something about the other just screams deja vu.

Another thing that the Melusines brought up to him was that Fontaine was not happy. Many could be seen visibly upset, and the Chief Justice of Fontaine worried that things would escalate into something more.

“Thank you, Aeife. You have been a great help,” he smiled.

The Melusine blushed slightly, rubbing the back of her head shyly, “I’m glad to be of assistance to you, Monsieur Neuvillette. Ah, do you need anything else?”

“No need, thank you for your hard work.”

Aeife nods before turning away and walking out.

With the silence of the room, he allowed some time for himself to think and process it all. It wouldn’t be good if his speculations about the citizen’s reactions were right. He’d better head down to the Adventurer’s Guild before anything escalated. Besides, it would be nice to arrange the meeting venue and timing with Ragnvindr.

Chapter Text

Oh, how quickly the encouragement from the citizens of Fontaine turned around.

Some hid their disappointment and frustration well, while others were on the aggressive side. Kaeya didn’t get why everyone was so upset. They were the ones who told him to “give it a try” didn’t they?

“Eek! Why’s everyone so angry-?” He heard Paimon screech out.

There were more people gathered around the Adventurer’s Guild than when Kaeya first tried his luck, and there was yelling everywhere.

“He got the token, and he’s not even from Fontaine!”

“Is that even allowed?”

People were badgering Katheryne for answers as well, and the group of women who had explained the process to him were sobbing at the corner for their so-called “lost chance of getting together with Monsieur Neuvillette”.

The traveller raised their sword, getting ready to strike down those who dared make a move. Klee was huddled behind him, shaking in fear and confusion.

He kneels and pats her shoulder.

“Klee, are you alright?”

Klee looked up at him and her sad eyes broke something inside him.

“Big brother Kaeya, why’s everyone upset?”

He doesn’t exactly know why either, but he still tries to comfort her anyway.

“It’ll pass, don’t worry. How about let’s-“

An enraged shriek cuts him off and the Traveller instinctively steps in front of the two knights with their sword raised, acting as a barrier.

It came from a woman, and she seemed the most upset out of all of them. A feat really, considering how everyone else looked like a terrorist had stepped into a housewarming party uninvited. A middle-aged woman, hair unkempt but had eyes so sharp that they could pierce through diamonds.

“We don’t mind if it was anyone else, but YOU! You hardly know anything about Fontaine and Monsieur Neuvillette!” She turns to look at the Traveller. “What, you’re going to cut me down for standing up for myself and Fontaine?”

The Traveller narrowed their eyes, “Should you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to.”

Their companion swayed, rushing to their side and tapping on their shoulder with urgency.

“You can’t do that, Traveller! She doesn’t have a weapon on her and according to Fontaine’s laws, you could be jailed for a long time!” The fairy reasoned.

Huh. Since when was Paimon the sensible one? No matter. Kaeya protectively gestured for Klee to hide behind him as he got ready for combat (without his sword, of course).

The first move was initiated by the woman, who charged forward, but an authoritative voice stopped everyone in their tracks.

“Cease all combat. There is no need to fight.”

A simple line. It was delivered with such a precise and powerful tone, that even Kaeya knew that it would be stupid not to obey.

The woman shuddered, taking a step back.

“Monsieur Neuvillette,” she greeted, “We didn’t mean to-”

The newcomer, supposedly this Neuvillette, raises a hand and the woman immediately cuts off her sentence.

“Please refrain from phrasing your words in such a way. You do not represent Fontaine.”

Kaeya decides that he likes Neuvillette already.

He wasn’t surprised when the Traveller and Paimon greeted him with casualty, saying how fortunate it was that he arrived in the nick of time. They travelled around Teyvat and being the Honorary Knight, Kaeya would not be surprised if they made friends with the Archons themselves.

Neuvillette turns to him, and oh. He’s handsome alright. Charming, polite, and absolutely his type—

“Kaeya Ragnvindr. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

—somewhat his type. He could feel the wince from the Outlander and their companion, and he would be lying if he said it didn’t make him flinch as well.

Kaeya what now?

“With all due respect, I’m afraid that you have gotten the wrong person, Monsieur Neuvillette.”

Chapter Text

“With all due respect, I’m afraid that you have gotten the wrong person, Monsieur Neuvillette.”

Neuvillette raises an eyebrow, “I am fairly certain that you were the one who drew the token, no?”

“Uhh… I think what Kaeya meant to say was that you got his surname wrong,” Paimon helpfully explains.

The Iudex looks over to the knight for confirmation. Upon noticing how tense and uncomfortable the silence grew, he feels a little bit guilty. Had the documents been wrong? He was pretty sure the information was up-to-date unless something happened that was personal or concealed from the public.

However, he had made the Cavalry Captain uncomfortable when unintentionally addressing him as something that the other wasn’t comfortable about. That was a mistake on his part.

Neuvillette bows, igniting shocked gasps from the citizens in the area. He could understand why. He doesn’t need to do it and it wasn’t very much like him to, but he’d seen many humans do it over and over again when apologizing. He’d thought to do the same.

“I apologize, Sir…”

“Just Kaeya is fine.”

“I apologize, Sir Kaeya. It was not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable in any way.”

Kaeya slightly relaxed (he was still tense, but it was better than before), nodding.

Chatters start to fill the air again. Ah, the crowd’s getting restless. He steps forward, addressing Fontaine as a whole as he speaks in a calm, calculated but stern tone.

“Sir Kaeya has drawn the token. Therefore, he deserves every right to have the next five nights with the Chief Justice. There are no rules which state that foreigners are not welcomed.”

The chatters start again and Neuvillette feels the need to step in further.

“Do not pursue this matter anymore, or I will personally bring all of you to trial for public harassment.”

The crowd quietened down, and one by one, they left the Adventurer’s Guild and proceeded with what they were doing previously.

Everyone sighed in relief, tension being lifted off their shoulders. He apologized to them on behalf of Fontaine, and Sir Kaeya, the Traveller and Paimon seemed to shrug it off, saying that it happened before in other nations.

That made him concerned for the other nations’ citizens and their rights. Do they even have laws? What if someone commits a terrible crime and the authorities turn a blind eye to it? He mentally adds a reminder to his list to read up more about laws in other nations.

A kid’s voice surprised him. It did not sound like Paimon. He looked down, where a girl with pigtails clad in red looked at him with admiration and adoration (at least, that’s what he thinks. He’s still not entirely sure how emotions work).

“Are you Mister Cheeve Justice? I’m Klee, and I think that you were reaaaally cool just now!”

Klee. An adorable name for an adorable little girl. She somehow reminds him of one of the Melusines…

“Thank you, Klee. It’s very nice to meet you.”

(His heart melts when Klee giggles happily as she is recognized by her newfound ‘idol’.)

“Neuvillette, what are you doing here? Did you need help from the Adventurer’s Guild?” The Traveller politely asked.

Ah right, his former objective.

“I wanted to talk to Sir Kaeya.”

“Hm? Me?”

“I don’t believe I have formally introduced myself. Neuvillette, Chief Justice of Fontaine. You may simply call me Neuvillette.”

Sir Kaeya smiled, reaching out to shake his hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Neuvillette.”

Neuvillette could tell that it was a little forced. He doesn’t know why Sir Kaeya feels the need to do that, but he feels like it is better to leave the subject there.

“Would you still like to go out with me?”

Sir Kaeya’s face reddens. Did he say something wrong? Maybe he did, but the Captain did not elaborate further and replied with an “I’ll consider”. Well, it’s better than nothing.

“Very well. Should you accept, please write a letter to me and pass it to any of the Melusines in the Court of Fontaine. Be rest assured that the letter will be in safe hands and delivered to me personally.”

When the other nods, Neuvillette takes it as his queue to leave.

It was only when he returned to his office and settled back on his chair did he finally realised what was so strange about Sir Kaeya.

“His eye is… strangely familiar. Just where exactly have I seen it before?”

Chapter Text

With all that drama out of the way, Kaeya was finally, for the first time since he drew the token, allowed to process everything.

He would very much reject the offer because of all the possible new drama it would bring, but Klee was insistent that he “go have a fun time”. It wouldn’t exactly be “fun” if it was about diplomacy.

The Traveller and Paimon agreed to take her to other parts of Fontaine via the teleport waypoints during the evenings. It’s not like he doesn’t trust them. The duo was easily high up on his “to-go” list and he wouldn’t even blink before entrusting them with several top-secret missions.

The thing about the two heroes of Mondstadt was that they were a magnet for trouble. With Klee, trouble was always present and lurking in a corner, but with the Traveller and their companion? He’s afraid that Fontaine might end up looking like a burnt Sumeru.

Or… maybe he’s overthinking it and it wouldn’t be that bad.

Neuvillette isn’t all that bad either. Sure he triggered some trauma at the back of his mind that Kaeya wholeheartedly denied, but the Iudex didn’t know. And, he did apologize sincerely. If Kaeya was honest with himself, maybe he’d want to get to know Neuvillette more on a more personal level outside of diplomatic relations.

“I’ll do it,” he says, and everyone cheers.

Now that that’s out of the way, the next thing to do would be to write a letter to the Chief Justice of Fontaine. Using Klee’s Dodoco-themed notepad (he’s pretty sure it’s custom-made), he writes a simple letter to inform the other of his agreement to meet up for the next five nights.

The Traveller helped him pass on the letter to a Melusine with a cute, blue cap.

Meanwhile, they took a stroll around the Court of Fontaine, going into almost every toy store that they saw. About an hour passed before a Melusine eventually reached out to him again. It was a different Melusine, so Kaeya could not thank the one earlier for helping him to deliver to letter.

“For you, Sir Kaeya!” The wondrous creature chimed, passing on an envelope.

“Thank you, I appreciate the hard work.”

“You’re most welcome!”

After the Melusine left, Paimon and Klee excitedly bugged him to open the letter, which he did.

The letter was written in neat, slightly cursive handwriting.

“Sir Kaeya,

I have received your letter; Thank you for your response. I am excited happy to learn that you have accepted my invitation, and it is a pleasure to be able to meet up with you for the next five evenings.

Let's meet up tomorrow at Café Lucerne, 5 p.m. Then, we can discuss further as to what we should do next.

Rest well for today. I assure you that whoever dares question or attempt to hurt you in any way will be brought to court by me. These acts of harassment will not be tolerated on Fontaine grounds, especially if they are targeted towards you.

I look forward to meeting you again tomorrow.

Neuvillette.”

Paimon squeals by his ear and the Traveller merely chuckles. Was this how the Chief Justice wrote all his letters? The way the letter was worded was quite peculiar, not to mention, the third paragraph. Maybe that’s how Neuvillette offers comfort and assurance.

Anywho, Kaeya finds himself smiling as well. He couldn’t wait for the next day, something that he hadn’t felt ever since the fateful day when he lost everything.

—————————

“There, your letter is now perfect, Neuvillette!” Furina exclaimed proudly.

“I am most grateful, Lady Furina. I would not have known how to write it if not for you.”

The Hydro Archon grins wider as she goes on about just how great she is. Neuvillette, at other times, may have been annoyed or agitated, but she had been a great help in helping him write parts of the letter. The third paragraph was the one that he had the most difficulty writing about, but after Lady Furina suggested and helped to change some sentences, he found it better.

He wanted to make a good impression on Sir Kaeya, after all.

Chapter Text

The first half of the day was spent with Klee in toy and clothing stores. It was fortunate that Klee did not want a lot of things and even if she did have a few favourites, most of them were cheap and pretty affordable. He managed to convince the young knight to pick out a new outfit for herself as a memento (She was more than happy to wear it on the spot when Kaeya claimed that it looked nice on her).

Nearing the evening, the Traveller and Paimon met up with them and Klee was left in their care. Kaeya lectured Klee about safety rules and dos and don’ts, in which the young child beams with reassurances that she (and her surroundings) will be safe.

With a final goodbye, Kaeya leaves for Café Lucerne.

It’s a few minutes past five when he reaches, having lost his way for a bit, and finds Neuvillette already seated at a table. He approaches the man with a practised smile.

“Sir Kaeya. You have arrived.”

“Sorry for being late, did you wait long?”

“No, you arrived just in time,” Neuvillette flashed a tiny smile that made Kaeya’s heart flutter unusually.

He stands up and encourages Kaeya to take a seat directly opposite him, and he returns to his seat.

Neuvillette introduced him to several dishes that Café Lucerne offers, some including Conch Madeleine and Crepes Suzette. The Iudex was fond of the homemade coffee, carefully brewed using Fontaine’s fragrant ingredients (At least, that’s what they say. Kaeya is confused as to why other ingredients would be needed in coffee).

Kaeya ordered something relatively simple but great. A drink produced and manufactured from Fontaine, Fonta. Maybe there were ingredients in Fonta that were slightly alcoholic, given that Kaeya feels extremely* good and happy after a few sips.

Neuvillette seems to take notice of his expression and smiles fondly. Even if the Dragon doesn’t admit it out loud, the Captain was exceptionally adorable when he smiled.

“Did you know that Fonta can be produced in many different flavours? If my memory proves reliable, there’s even a mint-flavoured one.”

A snort forced orange Fonta out of Kaeya’s nose and he snickered.

“Can’t imagine that’d taste nice,” he breathes in and out to cool down when his face reddens from laughing.

His laugh is contagious and Neuvillette could feel the edges of his mouth tweak up a little. He doesn’t, though. It would seem… improper.

“I once had a guest who thought that mint-flavoured Fonta was the best drink he’d ever tasted, let alone the best Fonta flavour…” he adds.

And that made Kaeya laugh hysterically again. What the man doesn’t know is that his laughter was… doing things to the other.

For the first time in what seemed like decades, the Chief Justice of Fontaine laughed.

—————————

About a few hours later, the men left their seats and went around the Court of Fontaine.

They shared stories about the things they found interesting, the people that they had met or had to deal with at work. Considering their high positions in each of their respective communities. It was simple — some people were just too arrogant to be open-minded, and some were just plain unproductive. It was through their shared laughter that they found safety and solace in each other’s presence; something that both the Chief Justice and the Cavalry Captain hadn’t allowed themselves to feel for years.

Though their conversations never touched on anything sensitive that could jeopardize their jobs, it was enough for them. To be heard and to hear.

There was one thing strange, though. Whenever Kaeya shared something that was related to his personal goals and feelings, there would be a slight drizzle. When they moved on to something lighter and happier, the drizzle cleared up and the afterglow in the sky was as bright as day. Kaeya wasn’t the smartest guy around, but he was pretty perceptive. At least, perceptive enough to avoid Lisa’s burning gaze for some time after forgetting to return an overdue book.

He knew that the rain was somehow caused by the emotions that Neuvillette was feeling, but he didn’t know how to approach him about it. Maybe he doesn’t have to and they could stay the way that they are. Kaeya was no stranger to secrets, after all.

Neuvillette would mention it when he wanted to, and for Kaeya, that was enough.

Most of the time was spent on a tour around the heart of Fontaine, with Neuvillette introducing the shops’ history in great detail. They even went into alleyways that led to other shops. One of the alleyway shops featured limited edition TCG-Invokation cards, and Kaeya made a mental note to bring Klee there the next day.

At around ten, Neuvillette suggested to retire for the night. Although there were still two hours more before their arrangement ended, Kaeya readily agreed, saying that he wanted to go for a hike early in the morning anyway.

“Thank you, Sir Kaeya. Today was the greatest fun I’ve had in a long time,” Neuvillette says at the foot of the rental apartment Kaeya stayed at for the trip.

“Don’t you think we’re a bit too close for that right now, hm? Please, just Kaeya is fine. Let’s leave the formalities in formal settings.”

There was a look of understanding in Neuvillette’s eyes as he nodded, and they went on to plan their meeting venue for the next night.

— [ DAY 1 , END ] —

P.S: I FINALLY KNOW HOW TO ADD PICTURES!!! Anyways, here is a Klee with her new dress :)

Chapter Text

“…And he laughed at what I said. He laughed. And his smile, his laughter… all of it was perfect…”

Wriothesley was frankly, tired of the Chief Justice’s constant rambling. When Neuvillette had said that he needed help for a certain emergency, the Duke didn’t know what he expected.

Not this, though.

He was told that he was needed for certain “advice to keep diplomatic relations alive”, and Wriothesley honestly wasn’t even good at it. The white-haired man was a gazillion times better and more knowledgeable when it came to diplomatic stuff, so he was confused as to why he was needed. Then the “diplomatic relations” just turned out to be a crush.

Neuvillette, the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex, the probably Hydro Sovereign, has a freaking crush on the Cavalry Captain of Mondstadt.

The worst thing was, that Neuvillette wasn’t admitting to it. He was deflecting everything with claims of it being “inappropriate”, and Wriothesley decides that enough is enough.

“Look, I mean it in the nicest way possible, I am 100% sure that you have a fucking crush on that Kaeya guy.”

And Neuvillette had the balls to look offended.

“But—“

“It. Is. A. Crush.”   

…And now it starts to rain outside. Well, shit. He wasn’t qualified for this.

Wriothesley sighs as he pats the other’s back comfortingly. He feels bad for the other, but it needs to be said. Well, and maybe he had enough of the constant emotional breakdowns when Kaeya’s appearance was mentioned. Enough was said for a vivid picture of this Kaeya person to be formed, down to the smallest detail.

He doesn’t know how Neuvillette could measure the precise centimetres of the chest window in Kaeya’s outfit, the materials and date each piece of the article was created, calculate the amount of sunscreen that was put on with one night. It’s honestly impressive; another reason to respect the Chief Justice.

“How can it be a crush when I have hardly seen him at all?” Neuvillette groans miserably. Kind of like a sad otter.

Wriothesley was a lot of things but he wasn’t a bad friend. It would not be very nice to tell someone who is in denial “Hey, the person you are obsessed with is the one you have a crush on” and not do anything to follow up with it. So, the next best thing he could do to support his distressed friend was to:

1. Get him together with the Kaeya guy
2. Help him sort out his feelings
3. Distract him from this topic

— Not in any particular order.

He really should get back to work, but he doesn’t trust Neuvillette to not spiral down a rabbit hole and not overthink.

This was why Wriothesley didn’t like concerning himself with such personal matters.

—————————

The Traveller and Paimon had commissions to do in the morning, meaning that it left Kaeya to bring Klee on the morning hike. It was still quite early, so he could understand why Klee was not as bright and bubbly as she usually was.

Klee, with her newly bought dress, held onto Dodoco as they tracked up the hills near the Court of Fontaine. Even while tired, Klee insisted on joining the hike. She yawned every once in a while, stopping to admire the Rainbow Roses scattered around the fields to replenish her energy.

There were many flowers that Kaeya did not know of yet, despite hearing stories of flowers in Fontaine from Flora countless times before. Maybe he’d ask Neuvillette that night. Surely he’d know more about those flowers.

As they hiked upwards, they heard voices near one of the run-down buildings. Klee pulled Kaeya along as she ran towards the source of the voice to investigate, despite Kaeya’s warnings to be cautious in case of danger.

Luckily, it was just a girl talking with a cat. Which was weird, to say the least. The girl looked upset, commanding the cat to “sit” with a pompous tone.

“Come on, kitty! You want the treat, don’t you?”

The cat, seemingly not interested, meows and leaps away.

“H-hey—“ the girl starts, but is interrupted by an upset hiss from the cat.

Ah, that must be the alleged Hydro Archon, Focalors.

Kaeya resists the urge to chuckle.

Chapter Text

After the cat escaped from the Archon’s prying eyes, she sighed and groaned in frustration.

“Lady Furina, don’t be upset. Wild cats are typically more aggressive than domestic ones.” A smooth voice says.

Furina jumps, startled, before coughing to cover up her yelp of surprise.

“I-It was intentional! You see, that cat was attacked by a few Treasure Hoarders. Naturally, I, Focalors, have the responsibility to protect her citizens from any danger, and that includes animals as well.”

“Wow really? That’s so amazing!” The little girl in a red dress squeals in amazement.

Furina thinks that she likes this child. She was very attentive, knew her worth and possessed the level of excitement that the Archon wished the citizens had. Sure, Fontanians are excitable but it was only for courtroom dramas! What about her? What about their own great, invincible, brave Archon Focalors?

The voice spoke up again, and Furina finally got a look at the man who startled her earlier.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here, Lady Furina. What brings you here to Marcotte Station?”

Isn’t that the man who won the token? So he’s the one that Neuvillette— oh. OH.

“Sir Kaeya! A pleasure to meet you! I hope that Neuvillette didn’t say anything bad about me now did he?” She grins innocently.

Sir Kaeya was probably shocked by the sudden question because he immediately blushed. Could Neuvillette be talking about her, or was it something else? Oh, maybe the stubborn old man’s secret unrequited crush wasn’t unrequited at all!

“You knew about it?” The foolish knight asks.

Furina smirks, “Of course, I do, why wouldn’t I? Besides, I was the one who came up with this splendid idea! —with some other Fontainians. So, how was the first night hm? Kissed him yet?”

Before the horrified man could reply, the little red girl interrupts with another squeal.

“Big brother Kaeya and Mister Cheeve Justice are getting married? Hooray!”

“Klee, no—“

“Oh but of course, little one!” Furina giggled in frenzied eagerness, “I’d say, they love each other so much it hurts to look at them straight in the eyes!”

The child congratulates a stunned and horrified Kaeya, and Furina counts this as a success for the first step. Neuvillette was too cowardly to face his feelings, so as a responsible Archon, Furina would be his wingwoman.

This, she decided, was the best idea that she could ever come up with. She pats herself on the back for a job well done, and now all she needed to do was give the Chief Justice a little push and voila! She’d create the best romance drama of all time! Oh, what a genius.

—————————

When the Traveller met up with Kaeya to pick up Klee, they were met with someone completely different from the usual Kaeya.

He looked drained out and dragged his feet like a smushed banana, a stark contrast between the confident, flirtatious, charming man that he was.

“Kaeya, are you alright? You seem… off,” Paimon comments, worry laced in her words.

“Did you know that big brother Kaeya is getting married? The Great and Mighty Her Majesty said so!” Klee says with elation.

Paimon felt like the wind got knocked out of her and tumbled backwards, even the Traveller flinched with wide eyes.

“M-m-married? W-what?! And who even is this ‘Great and Mighty Her Majesty’?!” The fairy shrieks.

Kaeya sighed and rubbed at his temples.

“I’m not getting married. It was an off-hand comment by Lady Furina.” The troublemaker’s name was said with gritted teeth and a pained sigh.

Realization dawns upon the two Teyvat Travellers, a cheeky smile and a knowing expression replaced the shocked one.

Klee mimics their expressions with a smug one of her own, probably thinking that her message was made clear and her point across.

Meanwhile, Kaeya deadpans, eyes blinking with a hint of tiredness to them as he wills himself to not scream right there and then.

He had to make sure to not make Klee worry.

And if he had to conceal how he felt for it, he’d do it a thousand times over.

(As much as his body allows him to).

Chapter Text

Neuvillette could tell that something was wrong with Kaeya when they met up during the evening. Maybe not “tell”, more of “sense”.

Kaeya looked and behaved the same as he did the day before, but something was off. In his mental office, he kept files on Kaeya’s physical appearance, from top to bottom, in detail. There wasn’t anything out of place in particular, but the atmosphere was much more tense. Words hung heavy in the air and Neuvillette finds it out of place to speak unless prompted to.

Luckily, he did not have to wait long.

“We are looking at specialities of Fontaine for today, right?”

Neuvillette nods, “That is correct. Is there something else that you would like to do? We can make changes to our plans if you’d like.”

The Cryo Vision bearer responded with a shake of a head and then pulled the other along to the fields of flora.

While strolling through the fields of green and scattered rainbows and pastels, he gave a brief history of each type of flower they passed by. Marcottes, Lumidouce Bells, and by the shore, Romaritime Flowers and Pluie Lotuses.

Several Lumitoiles can be spotted hiding in the thin blanket of the first waves that washed on shore. It was soft to the touch and gave off a soft, luminescent light that ignited the coastline.

“They’re beautiful,” Kaeya comments, gently caressing the tender creatures.

“Like you,” Neuvillette wants to say.

“They’re one of my favourite things in Fontaine,” he settles for.

Kaeya’s chuckle was sweet as he replied with a fond tone, “I can see why. With something as ravishing as this, it’s bound to be loved by many.”

..And Neuvillette felt that weird feeling again. He doesn’t know how and what to call it, but Wriothesley’s advice was to address it as feelings of affection and love until Neuvillette himself figured it out. Something about what his friend had told him got him thinking: Is he really in love with Kaeya? Is it possible for someone who lacks empathy and understanding of human emotions to be in love?

” You don’t have to go that far yet. Having a crush on someone does not necessarily mean that you are in love with them. Maybe you just admire him and care for him a lot? Take it easy, Monsieur Neuvillette.” Was Wriothesley’s words of advice to him. So crushes are similar to infatuations, and they might be temporary. As long as he was aware of his feelings kept track of them and did not let it escalate, maybe it would go away.

It’s not that having a crush on Kaeya was bad or anything, it was just that he couldn’t afford to develop feelings and get into personal relationships with him being Chief Justice of Fontaine. Fontaine and Justice will always come first, but some part of him wants to put the Mondstadt dweller on top of that list.

Neuvillette is tied down by his role, his duty, his existence and his being. He had been diligently dedicating himself to his duty for centuries, and to be swayed by a person he met barely three days ago.

It scares him.

“Neuvillette? You there?”

His dilemma was staring right into his eyes and face close enough that their noses could touch. He turns away slightly.

“I apologize, Kaeya, I zoned out for a while. Was there anything that you’d like to ask me?”

Kaeya furrows his eyebrows and sighs. Once again, he took Neuvillette’s hand in his and guided him to a patch of grass on the field near the shore.

When they settle down on the grass patch, Neuvillette brings himself to try asking again, “I’m sorry. Please speak your mind, I will listen.”

“It’s nothing, okay? I’m just… thinking about things.”

Ah, something was bothering the Captain as well. Hmm, he would work with that.

“Would it be okay if you… Share it with me?” He asks patiently.

Kaeya ponders for a moment.

“…If only you share with me about what you are thinking.”

The Chief Justice finds himself conflicting. He wanted to open up to Kaeya and in turn, have Kaeya open up to him, but after discussing it with Wriothesley, the warden suggested keeping it a secret until Kaeya had warmed up to him. Neuvillette did not want to lie to Kaeya either.

However, something was troubling with Kaeya, and Neuvillette would do anything to wipe that frown off and replace it with his usual smirk.

“I accept,” he finally decides.

He notices the slight tremble in Kaeya’s hands, and he puts his ones over them as reassurance. Neuvillette shifts closer, concern in his eyes.

“I think you need to know this,” Kaeya starts, “People think that we are married.”

Chapter Text

“W-What…?” Neuvillette paused, “People think we are… what?”

“Married,” Kaeya repeated with a straight face.

This is… troublesome. If a rumour did end up spreading and as soon as the Steambird get their hands on it, things would be extremely difficult to salvage. Knowing just how dedicated Steambird’s journalists and reporters are, there was a 70% chance that at least one of them caught wind of it.

That led to the next big issue. The citizens. They were already not happy with Kaeya being the one who drew the token, only backing off because he’d told them to. As much as he could, he tried to shield Kaeya from the hatred and anger-filled eyes of the citizens as they hung out on the first day. It was natural for anyone to be worried about their dear Chief Justice, given that Kaeya was a knight himself and was quite experienced in combat.

Neuvillette cannot — or does not — want to imagine how the citizens will react to the news of marriage.

“Your dear Archon started it,” Kaeya huffs, folding his arms.

“I apologize for the trouble she caused you,” the second-hand embarrassment took over his senses.

Kaeya sighed, gripping his fluffy white scarf and bringing it closer to his chest and his expression twists with worry and a hint of regret. “Please don’t apologize. I did not stop her from spreading it.”

“Kaeya…” Neuvillette wanted to reassure and comfort the other, not expecting that the insecure man would blame himself, “I do not know what transpired, but what I do know is that it must have been a misunderstanding. Please, do not blame yourself.”

Even if it turns out that Kaeya was somehow guilty of spreading the misleading rumour, Neuvillette would fight even the Oratrice for a Not-Guilty verdict. It was against his morals and sense of Justice, but an unexplainable voice in his head tells him that he shouldn’t trust what was said on the very surface. Something was wrong, and it would take a lot more evidence and investigations to properly conclude the case.

Besides, Lady Furina was involved. Even if she wasn’t mentioned, he would still have suspected her involvement somewhere in this. It was like whatever she laid her eyes on would eventually crumble away and be brought to court for a Guilty verdict. The possibilities of what would happen should the Archon invest her time and interest were endless.

Kaeya did not seem to believe him, but his posture was noticeably relaxed. That was good, one step at a time. There were a lot of things that they needed to uncover, like the severity of the situation currently and what the rumour was perceived to be.

If Neuvillette was being truthful, the rumour did not bother him at all. He revelled in the thought of being… close to his “crush”. However, his more rational side disagreed, stating how his reputation would be affected and as the symbol of Justice in Fontaine, such matters would cause confusion and ultimately, discord. He was also doing it for Kaeya, who was troubled by this.

Maybe Kaeya didn’t like him at all and was just playing along because he needed to please the citizens of Fontaine. Maybe their first night together was a one-time thing, and he hadn’t enjoyed himself. Whatever it was, Neuvillette understood that Kaeya didn’t feel the same way he felt about the Captain.

—————————

He shouldn’t show weakness and vulnerability in front of anyone. Especially in front of Neuvillette. No one likes emotional people, hell, he doesn’t like emotional people.

Kaeya does not know what to make out of the rumours. Of course, he liked Neuvillette, who doesn't? The Chief Justice is incredibly intelligent, respectful, selfless and gentle. In just one night with him, Kaeya feels like bursting the dam and starting a five-hour rant on his life story. His not-so-great biological father, his adoptive father, his estranged brother, his struggle with choosing sides, his crushing sense of responsibility, his deteriorating mental health, his— There were simply too many to list.

Neuvillette doesn’t seem like someone who would judge him, but who knows? He thought that Master Diluc would be a little more understanding, but not everything would simply fall into his hands. He doesn’t blame Diluc, unlike what he forced himself to believe the first few days after their fight. This time, it wouldn’t be just a fight between two brothers, it would be a strain in relationships between two whole nations.

But he wants to trust Neuvillette. Surprisingly, he already did. He was planning to open up more this evening, but nothing ever went right ever since he set foot in Fontaine.

Chapter Text

“So you’re saying… that a rumour is currently spreading among the citizens, about the marriage of Monsieur Neuvillette and the Cavalry Captain from Mondstadt?”

Clorinde nods firmly.

“…And the people are outraged.”

Another nod.

Sighing, Wriothesley mentally slaps himself a couple of times, thinking up possibilities and plans. Part of his job as the Administrator of the Fortress of Meropide was to solve problems. He was expected to come up with ways and solutions to tackle issues, including rumours. What’s different about this case was that the rumours weren’t just plain rumours about the Meropide, but about two figures with high-standing positions.

He could deal with the convicts' gossip, having much experience as a former convict himself, but the entire Fontaine population? Clorinde might have a better chance at it than he for sure.

“We require your assistance, especially when Monsieur Neuvillette is currently on the outskirts of the Court of Fontaine and heading back,” Clorinde explains.

Right, this was supposedly the second night for the two. Oh, how things escalate so quickly in a single night. He couldn’t leave his post, though. It was his responsibility to oversee the Fortress of Meropide, so unless it was for official businesses, it would be difficult to leave. Still, this was somewhat of an emergency, as the rage of the citizens may turn into aggression, and the Duke worries if there will be enough space to house all of them.

He stood up and requested for Sigewinne and several Gardes, telling them briefly that he was going to the Overworld for “official businesses”. Sigewinne, being the perceptive Melusine she is, knew that there was more to it, but did not push further. She wished him luck and assured him that the Fortress would be in safe hands.

When they returned to the surface, there was a commotion near the Fountaine of Lucine. Gardes, Melusines, and citizens alike were gathered and shouting over one another. Some were very aggressive as they started pushing and raising their hands. Before they could do anything, Clorinde was already amongst the crowd, sword raised.

“Stand down,” She commands, “All of you.”

She turns to Wriothesley, nodding as he runs past the crowd and takes off into the fields. As discussed, he would meet up with the Chief Justice and the Knight of Favonius’s Cavalry Captain to escort them to safety while he assessed the necessary damage controls.

While on his way, his name was called and he paused, turning to the familiar voice.

“Wriothesley! Hey!” The white fairy waved over to him, along with the Outlander. With them, an unfamiliar child stood beside them, drooping her head low.

He made his way over to them, asking if they needed something.

“Fontaine’s in a mess! People are shouting and everyone’s—“

“Got to cut you off right there. That’s why I am here and not down in the Fortress. If you just wanted to update me on the situation, Clorinde’s got it covered,” he interrupts with a stern frown.

Paimon makes a shocked gasp and fumbles over her words, while the little girl speaks up.

“I am so sorry… this is all Klee’s fault. She said things that are not true…”

“Klee…” Paimon looks at her with a sympathetic expression, “You weren’t the one who started it!”

“If there is nothing else, I will be on my way now,” Wriothesley announced, silently taking note of what the girl said.

With no further objections, he continued his way to the location Clorinde gave him, which was just outside the Court of Fontaine. Although he would love to question the girl further as what she said suggests that she was the one who spread the rumour, his current objective was to ensure the safety of Monsieur Neuvillette and Kaeya. Though it was not part of his job and duty, he was still somewhat serving Fontaine in a way. Besides, if hundreds of people are going to the de facto jail, he might as well try to refrain fights from breaking out and further damage to Fontaine’s infrastructures.

He sees them from afar, a crowd starting to form around the two with angered expressions. One dared to raise his weapon behind the blue-haired male, the knight unsuspecting of the man behind him.

Wriothesley sprints, faster than ever. His Cryo froze the weapon when his fist collided with it, following through with his punch as he sent the attacker a few feet back and into a tree.

Who he presumed to be as Kaeya spun around with an amused and shocked expression, which Wriothesley returned with a flirtatious wink.

Chapter Text

Chatters filled the air as the crowd backed away from the three. A storm was starting to kick in, thunder rolled from the surface of the darkened skies, completely blocking the moon and the reflected moonlight. The once calm and cooling night with a comforting breeze soon turned into a storm soup.

Had Neuvillette not been aware of his current feelings and irritations, he might accidentally sent waves and torrents of waves down in Fontaine like tornados in monsoon periods. Though the anger from the citizens was not targeted towards him, it targeted someone far more precious. A national treasure. His light. His Kaeya.

“Neuvillette.”

Kaeya says his name with a stern warning, but also soft and reassuring. It’s as if he knew about his connection to the weather in Fontaine. (Though, he wouldn’t mind if Kaeya knew. It would be nice to let the other know how much he loved like him whenever they were together. The sunny skies say it all.)

The people surrounding them were starting to get aggressive by the minute as Kaeya refused to leave his side. Neuvillette kept him close and gradually summoned Hydro at his fingertips. He wouldn’t hesitate to engage in combat should anyone step closer.

They were calling him by his title, by his surname, pleading him to step away for his safety. As much as he appreciated their concern, it was insulting to an extent. Did they not trust in his abilities to keep himself safe? Or did they think that he was naive enough to get tricked? He was the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex, one of the most powerful figures in Fontaine's history. They did not seem to understand that.

Before he could take another step, a figure rushed towards them and deflected a strike that was meant for Kaeya. The weapon in the attacker’s hand clashed with the pavement with a loud clang and the attacker was sent flying. Neuvillette was prepared to unleash the accumulated Hydro, pausing when he took in the figure.

“Let me handle them, Monsieur Neuvillette. Take Kaeya and find somewhere to lay low first, and I’ll meet up with you shortly after,” the  Fortress Administrator says with a low growl.

At that, Neuvillette snaked his arm around Kaeya’s thin waist and brought him close protectively, ready to flee on command.

“How do you know where to find us?” He inquired.

Wriothesley smirked, eyes glistening with confidence.

“With one heck of a beauty magnet like Sir Kaeya, surely my intuitions will lead me right to you two. After all, you’ve gotten me attracted~” He sends a teasing wink in Kaeya’s direction.

Was Wriothesley… flirting? With Kaeya? Neuvillette’s heart clenches with jealousy and it is the first time he ever felt that way. It wasn’t like he was with Kaeya or anything, but he did feel strong emotions that made him want to strangle the Duke in a friendly way. Or not in a friendly way? In a menacing and threatening way—

He snaps out of his thoughts as the Knight pulls him along as they escape through a gap in the crowd. All further comments from the people were instantly quietened, probably from Wriothesley’s cold, intimidating stare. He lets the hand on his take him to wherever, and it leads him to a Fatui camp.

For the first time, he gets to see Kaeya in action, using his Cryo Vision to assist him in freezing the Fatui in place or slowing down their movements. The skilled swordsmanship caught his eye as well. How the blade was manipulated and swung so easily, each strike and move was controlled and planned. He did not need to intervene as Kaeya took them out as fast and easily as a tidal bore would to unsuspecting leaves that got caught up in the streams.

He feels soft hands on both his cheeks as he realises that he’s staring right into the stars and abyss.

“My apologies, Kaeya. I had spaced out.”

Kaeya sighs, “It’s the third time tonight it happened. I can tell that something is bothering you, and either you tell me what it is or we are stuck here in the open with the storm brewing right above us.”

It’s you, he wants to say, I think I am in love with you.

“I… I cannot tell you. At least, not now. Please, I seek your understanding.” Neuvillette takes Kaeya’s hands into his own.

Kaeya frowns slightly, removing his hand and walking towards one of the tents of the Fatui camp. Neuvillette could hear a slight mumble of “forget it”, and just like that, he was left alone out in the open.

If Fontaine experienced one of the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in history with a mix of lighting and thunder, no one would know that it was because the Hydro Dragon Sovereign’s heart had just been shattered.

Chapter Text

His hands were smaller than he’d remembered. He also felt weak in the knees, body aching all over. The pain in his body felt familiar like it belonged there. It was a feeling that one would have after experiencing it for a long time. He supposed, that the pain was chronic, and he’d felt it his whole life.

He’s running. Taking off as fast as his legs would bring him, to somewhere he didn’t know. It’s all so confusing because it was something he never experienced, but knew fully well. It was like looking into someone else’s life, but that life was also your own. There was no logical way to explain it.

“Eitel, you scumbag! Come back this instant!” Someone was calling him. His name was… Eitel? Right, that makes sense.

There were shouts and screams all around him as he felt himself pushing people aside as he made his hasty escape. He doesn’t understand why, but he knows that he needs to get to The Palace. His feet kicked up sand and dust as he ran towards a place that felt all too familiar yet new.

He reaches The Palace’s territory but heads towards their backyard instead. He felt like he knew the route by heart as if it was a daily routine. The moment his feet felt the soft grass against his soles and toes, he collapsed under a tree, the tomatoes in his hand rolling on the ground.

He managed to catch his breath after a couple of minutes, shoulders relaxing until a soft voice whispered into his ear.

“Eitel~”

He jumped, startled, as he scrambled away. The same voice broke into laughter and he could feel himself getting red with embarrassment. The person across him has wonderful dark blue hair, brownish-tan skin and deep, purple eyes that gradually fade to a greyish hue.

Aspen , his brain helpfully provides.

The young heir to the throne, Prince Aspen was respected worldwide for his generosity and kindness. He could see why. Such an angel needs to be protected at all costs. He found himself wondering if Aspen knew about how much he adored him. He would grovel at the Prince’s feet willingly, put his life on the line and sign up as a bodyguard, kill someone if anyone dared upset the royalty.

And those eyes, it’s utterly impossible to not be enchanted by them. If one looked close enough, they would see tiny snowflakes and stars in the eyes. How did he know that? He was close enough—

“Eitel! You’re spacing out again!”

Like something struck him, he felt his head pounding at Aspen’s words. Spacing out. That was odd. He heard it somewhere before, didn’t he?

“###########? You there?”

“It’s the third time tonight it happened. I can tell that something is bothering you, and either you tell me what it is or we are stuck here in the open with the storm brewing right above us.”

Storm. Rain. Tears. Water. Fontaine. Kaeya.

—————————

Neuvillette jolts awake, heart thrumming against his chest like drums in a Lion Dance festival. He could taste his sweat— the bitterness and saltiness of it dripping down his forehead and onto the soft mattress below.

Around him, the room was dark with no light source, the only light being the moonlight that entered through the small gaps of the tent. He was in a tent in the Fatui camp that Kaeya found, and not on the grass and the hypnotizing mist of cherry blossoms was nowhere to be found.

He looked down at his hands. They were bigger, and he didn’t feel pain all over his body.  He remembers who he is, the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex, the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, Neuvillette. Eitel was a name that unheard of and unfamiliar. He wasn’t Eitel.

Then, what was that?

Chapter Text

Kaeya was not able to sleep that night.

He felt horrible for leaving Neuvillette out in the rain like that, and even more so with how he dismissed the other so easily. Neuvillette had something on his mind that caused him to space out for so long and so many times, but still, the Iudex would not share anything.

As much as he would like to blame it on Neuvillette, Kaeya knew that it wasn’t the case. Some things just can’t be said.

The rumour and the commotion were taking a toll on his fragile mind, and he felt even worse when it started to rain heavily. Raindrops were pounding against the tents and he knew exactly why it suddenly got so heavy.

Archons, Kaeya hated himself.

All he wanted was to get up and apologize to the devastated man, but his pride wouldn’t let him get up. He felt a tear roll down and he slapped it away. If he let more fall, there was no way to control it.

It wasn’t the ideal place to brood, given that the tent reeked of sweat and blood, presumably from the Fatui who had inhabited the tent. The unfamiliarity and suffocating atmosphere ironically lulled him to sleep.

—————————

When he got up the next day, Neuvillette was already up.

Guilt was gnawing at him from the inside out, and he knew what he had to do. He just had to… figure out how to do it. The Chief Justice was a straightforward man, but not on the subject of feelings.

Kaeya first went for the “pretend-nothing-happened” approach, where he greeted the other man by the campfire.

It would go four ways.

1. Neuvillette goes with the flow and pretends that nothing happened last night (even though he clearly would have).
2. Neuvillette would confront him and tell him how hurt he was.
3. Neuvillette would dismiss him and ignore him forever.
4. Neuvillette would start attacking him.

The last was the least plausible, but it was a possibility. He mentally prepared for all the possibilities, until a fifth option popped out of nowhere.

“I am sincerely sorry, Kaeya. I did not mean to hurt you,” Neuvillette says.

“W-what? Why are you apologizing? I’m the one who hurt you—“ Kaeya blurts.

“Well, I should have at least told you something.”

“But some things aren’t meant to be said—“

“I was being rude—“

“Oh for Archon’s sake!” Kaeya facepalmed, “Let me say what I want to say, okay?”

Neuvillette slightly hung his head low and nodded, looking away from him.

“I… I’m the one who has to apologize. Some things aren’t meant to be said, and can’t be said. I have some of my own too, so I know that. I did not mean to… dismiss you like that. I just want to let you know that I understand and I’m sorry for the way I acted.”

There, he finally got it out. His chest felt a lot lighter like a weight being lifted off. Only a bit, though. About a few grams, but hey at least it’s something.

He feels Neuvillette’s slender fingers on his chin as he’s forced to look up at the silvery eyes. Their faces were so close, their nose almost touching. Kaeya did not feel comfortable, but it was oddly alluring. Their lips are inches away from each other before the other breaks the silence.

“I could never blame you, Kaeya.”

His name was spoken so tenderly and affectionately that it made Kaeya blush furiously. He broke the tension and looked away, getting his emotions into place before turning back. Neuvillette was now further away, a safe distance.

“I just… want to apologize. It doesn’t matter if you blame me or not,” He says.

A smirk appeared on Neuvillette’s face, a new expression that Kaeya had not seen before.

“Try that in court, it wouldn’t stand.”

Kaeya laughs at the attempt at a tease. It wasn’t bad for a first try, but it didn’t make much sense. To him, anyway. Maybe to Neuvillette, it made the most sense in Teyvat. He feels his stomach flutter as the genuine laugh rips his heart out and makes his head hurt. It was the same… happy feeling from their first night together.

Only Neuvillette could make him laugh with his dumb teasing and horrible attempts at pick-up lines. He hates the happy feeling, but he could get used to it. Just a little bit.

Chapter Text

When Wriothesley entrusted the Fortress of Meropide to her and a few other Gardes, Sigewinne was expecting anything. So far, she did a great job of making sure that no major fights broke out and everyone was going about doing their daily activities. The Gardes were capable and were doing as they were told, so Sigewinne didn’t feel the need to step in.

She still did her part as the Head (and only) Nurse, went around the Fortress to detect any signs of fatigue in the convicts and brewed concoctions for replenishing energy and fast healing. What worried her wasn’t Fontaine’s de facto jail, but what was happening in the Overworld.

Clorinde had requested the Administrator’s help, which wasn’t uncommon, but His Grace left in such a hurry. There was no doubt that something of importance and emergence transpired.

Her suspicions were confirmed when the Hydro Archon of all people visited the Fortress of Meropide. (Although, it was less of a visit, and more of a pity party).

“My dear little Melusine friend, you are the only one that I can turn to! Are you honoured to be of such importance to your Archon?” Lady Furina beams, inching closer to her every second.

Despite her confident outlook, Sigewinne was a Melusine, and Melusines specialize in emotional and physical analysis. Lady Furina, despite how she was desperately trying to portray herself, was fearful and nervous. The Nurse wasn’t a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but she was still a doctor. As a doctor, it was her duty to help those in need to the best of her abilities.

“Lady Furina, I understand your concerns, but it would help me a lot to know more about what you need and how to help you if you tell me what’s going on,” the Melusine tries.

The woman flinched, stuttering and tripping over her words, “C-Concerns? What concerns could I, Focalors, the Hydro Archon, possibly have?”

Sigewinne couldn’t help but sigh, “Even Archons can have their worries. Are you in any sort of danger? If so, I assure you that the Fortress of Meropide will extend our services and offer you protection.”

Lady Furina was not at all calmed by her words, opting to stay silent instead of saying anything. She was visibly nervous now, her already racing heartbeat increasing its pace. It was to the point that it was as if she was running a marathon for three hours straight.

“Furina? You’re here as well?”

Sigewinne turns and she feels a portion of her worries fade. “Traveller, and Paimon!”

“Sigewinne!” Paimon squeals, waving her tiny hand in the air. The Traveller waves slightly as well.

She’s quick to notice the young girl by their side but doesn’t know how to start mentioning her. She could feel intense guilt and sadness and a little bit of worry.

Their presence somewhat startled the already nervous Archon, leaving her to take a few steps back in trying to conceal her presence. The two travel companions did not let her get away, however. Lady Furina was not given any mercy, being chided by the two with an angry fairy floating about and a disappointed blonde with their arms akimbo. This left an opening for Sigewinne to approach the child.

“Hello, I am Sigewinne, the Head Nurse of the Fortress of Meropide. You seem troubled, is something the matter?”

The child looks up at her, faint traces of tears in her eyes.

“My name is Klee. Big brother Kaeya brought me to Fontaine, but Klee messed up so bad and caused big trouble…” The girl, Klee, says.

“Could you tell me what happened? I promise I won’t judge you.”

And that was how Sigewinne came to learn of the most ridiculous rumour in Fontainean history.

Chapter Text

It took some time before everyone had settled down and gathered at the cafeteria.

The Traveller and Paimon were seated a table away from Lady Furina to prevent them from snapping again, and Klee was beside Sigewinne, comfortable with her new friend. It was the Nurse’s idea to get everyone to the cafeteria so that they could properly discuss the pressing issue.

Sigewinne suggests that they start from the very beginning to find the root of the cause and see if there was anything they could do to stop the rumours from spreading, to which everyone agreed. Furina mentions how she first started the misleading rumour but did not tell anyone about it.

“Why would you even say that?” Paimon asks, stomping her feet in the air.

Furina, probably still traumatized from Paimon’s 20-minute scolding, shakily clears her throat. “Can you blame me for wanting to help my dearest Neuvillette get together with the person he most definitely has a crush on? Being the helpful Archon I am, I did it to give Sir Kaeya a little push.”

“That’s not how you do it! You can’t just- just- Ugh! Paimon doesn’t even know anymore…”

“What happened next?” Sigewinne politely cuts in, directing the conversation back to the topic.

Klee spoke next, swaying from side to side nervously. “Big Brother Kaeya and I were going back to meet the Honorary Knight and Paimon, when we ran into someone who knew about what Great and Mighty Her Majesty said.”

She hums, thinking a bit more to herself before speaking again. “She was interested in it, so Klee told her all about it! Even though Big Brother Kaeya told me not to…”

The two adventurers exchanged worried glances, inquiring more about who Klee had talked to. Excitedly, the Spark Knight rambles about how an avid supporter the woman was and how she wanted to know about everything in detail. This made the Traveller and Paimon more nervous, going into the specifics of the woman’s appearance and personality.

“Wow! Does the Honorary Knight and Paimon know about her too? That’s great!” Clapping her hands cheerfully, Klee’s eyes sparkle for the first time since the night before.

“It’s not a good thing, Klee,” the Traveller says with a nervous frown.

“Yeah, that means that Charlotte got her hands on the rumour and wrote an article about it to the Steambird!” Paimon adds.

A slam on the table brings their attention back to the Hydro Archon. “Aha! So this means that little Klee was the one who spread the rumour!” She exclaimed, folding her arms while looking at the Spark Knight with a smirk.

Sigewinne and the Traveller mentally prepared themselves for the incoming squabble between the two debaters in the room, talking louder and louder in an attempt to get their point across. Klee, amidst this, returns to her gloomy state while the Traveller tries to pacify Paimon with bribery (Food always works on Paimon, no matter the situation).

In the end, Furina surrendered and was forced to not comment further on the matter unless told to, and Paimon was put on a so-called “restraining order” so she couldn’t do anything to Furina. It was weird that they even had to do this in the first place, but given the situation, it would be optimal for everyone to get along.

Now that step one was out of the way, they proceeded to step two, initiated by Sigewinne. “By the way, why are you here in the Fortress of Meropide? I understand the situation quite well, but why here?”

There were a few dignified hums, and Paimon spoke again. “We needed to talk to Wriothesley about something and thought that he was back. He left in such a hurry the last time, we couldn’t properly talk to him about anything.”

“I apologize, but His Grace is not present at the moment. I believe that he is still in the Overworld. If you’d like to, I could help you relay the message to him once he is back,” Sigewinne offers, to which the two travel companions agreed without much thought. She turns to Furina, “Lady Furina, what about you?”

“U-uhm… well… my dear citizens are… upset, to say the least. They… ah… grew a-aggressive.”

“They tried to attack you?” Asks the Traveller.

At the Archon’s silence, everyone exchanged looks. It seemed like the situation was a bit more dire than they thought. If they wanted to alleviate the anger of the Fontaineans, there was one way to go about doing it.

“Let’s end it the way it started,” the Outlander says, gaining confident nods from everyone.

Chapter Text

Lunch was eventful, filled with chatters and exchanges of stories.

The weather was great too. The skies were clear and not a single cloud was in sight. With the heavy rainfall reported just the previous night, it would only be natural if Fontaineans thought that the world was ending due to its drastic fluctuations. What most of them didn’t know, was that it was because Neuvillette is in a good mood. Spending time with his newfound friend is always an enriching experience that Neuvillette held close to his heart.

He would suppress the strong emotions (pity and worry) that welled up in his chest when Kaeya mentions Klee. The reason why the Fatui campsite was chosen instead of a stable cave was because Kaeya did not want to travel too far away from the Court of Fontaine. He was worried about Klee.

“Klee admires you, so much so that she gets nervous whenever she catches a glimpse of you,” the Captain would tease with a smirk as Neuvillette’s cheek was dusted with pink.

“I am… unaware that someone held me in such high regard,” he responds, tearing his eyes away from the light purple ones.

A bit more was shared about the fun-loving Spark Knight. About her shenanigans, her unusual talent for making explosives, and a couple of theories about why she would be granted a Pyro Vision as if Mondstadt had not been threatened to fall in the hands of her Jumpty Dumptys. It was going well until Kaeya asked him for his stories.

Neuvillette stared at his salad, thinking about the things that he could tell the other without it being too confidential. His go-to conversation starter was the talk about water and how they are different in each nation. However, the Traveller and Paimon both commented on it, saying that they were not able to fully understand what he was saying. He didn’t want to bore Kaeya, he wanted to talk about something that the Knight would understand and relate to.

The thing is, he doesn’t know what.

Fortunately for him, the blue-haired man gave him an opening to start with.

“Tell me about Wriothesley. He’s an interesting one.”

Wriothesley, huh? The Duke was commendable at his job and responsibilities, but this was the only topic that Neuvillette felt reluctant to touch on. He doesn’t know why, but the urge to send the Administrator back down to the Fortress of Meropide was unbearable.

“Wriothesley was once a convict, sent to the Fortress of Meropide to serve his sentence. It has been some time since then, and he has shown to be quite the capable Administrator, even earning the title of Duke,” He shares.

Kaeya hums in awe, “He’s quite the charmer too, I must say.”

Neuvillette pauses.

“You think that Wriothesley is… charming?”

“He’s not bad. Has a couple of pick-up lines up his sleeves, has a handsome face, and even has buns for cakes. A real hit, honestly,” the Cavalry Captain says as he drinks his water.

He was caught off-guard. Did the Administrator bake cakes for Kaeya? Why were pastries mentioned together with Wriothesley’s characteristics? As far as he heard, there wasn’t a bakery in the Fortress.

“Did you eat his cakes?” He asks with pure curiosity.

Kaeya spits out his iced water, coughing and hacking. He quickly reaches out for him, lightly patting his back to help regulate breathing.

“D-don’t put it like that, Neuvillette,” the man coughs.

Was it… because of what he said?

“My apologies but I do not understand it. If his cakes do bring pleasure to you, I can also try baking some of my own for you.”

It does not make things better it makes it worse. Out of the blue, a bottle of water was forced into Kaeya’s hand, and an all too familiar voice soothingly whispered reassurances.

Speak of the devil.

Neuvillette was not one to hate, but he hated the way Wriothesley’s fingers were caressing Kaeya’s back so delicately. He hates the way Kaeya’s face turns red when the newcomer whispers into his ears. (What he doesn’t know, is that the Captain was red from all that coughing, not because of the hushed whispers).

He would talk with the Duke later on.

Chapter Text

Kaeya left the campsite, saying that he needed fresh air to calm himself. That left an opening and an opportunity to confront Wriothesley about his actions.

“Wriothesley.”

As expected, the Administrator turns to him with a playful smile. “Monsieur Neuvillette! Not even a ‘welcome back’ and you are already baring your fangs at me eh?”

Neuvillette sends him a stern glare, eyes narrowing at the bluish ones. That alone should be enough to convey the message, “Get away from Kaeya”. He is confused as to why he is so… possessive, but he doesn’t care. Kaeya being touched and talked to so seductively like that by someone else irks him, his instincts telling him to eliminate all that dared make a move.

“Calm down, calm down. He’s yours, I’m not taking him away from you. So, jealousy huh? That’s new.”

“…I am not jealous.”

“Right, right. I believe you.” Wriothesley’s tone turns serious, crossing his arms. “Anyway, I have important news to share. It involves Sir Kaeya, so he’ll need to be here to hear it as well.”

A firm nod. Neuvillette takes a seat on one of the makeshift log benches, sighing as he gazes sadly at the walls of the Court of Fontaine. “Sorry for the trouble,” he sincerely apologizes.

There was a thump next to him and the log dipped slightly as Wriothesley took a seat next to him. He wore his signature nonchalant expression, but his eyes sparked with genuine concern. “Don’t worry about it. You should thank Clorinde, she’s the one handling the damage control.”

Neuvillette made a mental note to thank Clorinde when he got back. Now that the uproar had more or less calmed down, it was presumably safe for him and Kaeya to return. According to Wriothesley, the Gardes and Melusine officers distributed warrants to aggressive civilians, and even Miss Navia stepped in to lend her assistance. Lady Furina was also reported missing after several raging citizens threatened to harm her.

“Why was she threatened?” He asked, seemingly confused as to why they would attack their own Archon.

Wriothesley shrugged. “Dunno. Something along the lines of ‘Focalors supporting the marriage of Monsieur Neuvillette and Captain Kaeya’. If you ask me, I’d say that you are more important in their eyes than the Hydro Archon. Those fools.”

While waiting for Kaeya to return, Neuvillette was told about the current situation in the Court of Fontaine in more detail. While the disappearance of Lady Furina was concerning,  the Chief Justice worried more about his job. It will take months to hand out all the sentences and hold all the necessary trials. He got a feeling that the next few months would be tiring.

It took another fifteen minutes before the awaited man returned to the camp, face noticeably less pale and shoulders relaxed. He sat on a separate log, listening attentively to the important news that Wriothesley had to share. Throughout the entire information dump, Kaeya listened closely, face neutral and brows furrowed in concentration.

“Sir Kaeya, I understand if it is too much for you. The people of Fontaine will not welcome you back with open arms, and the child you came with will receive somewhat of the same treatment.” A sigh escaped Wriothesley’s lips, eyes focused and lacking its usual nonchalance. It was not something to joke about, after all.

Neuvillette turns to the Knight, worry and sympathy written all over his face. “Kaeya…” he whispers to him, extending his hand towards the other.

Kaeya inhales, eyes closing as he reminds himself not to overthink. He “Klee is with the Honorary Knight and Paimon. She… will be safe. As for me…” Don’t cry, Kaeya. Control your feelings. “I will go to Inazuma.”

Chapter Text

Neuvillette’s eyes widened, feeling his heart-shattering. “There’s no need to go that far, Sumeru is a great shelter—“

“I have thought it through. I know that it is a little extreme, but I have connections in Inazuma. There are people there that are willing to take me in until this matter is fully resolved.”  Kaeya reasons. Although there was no need to go that far just because of a silly rumour, his options were running out. Inazuma, as far-fetched as it sounds, is his best option.

He had been to Sumeru before, even helping out a friend in his play. Therefore, he was recognized there. If he were to show up and Sumeru had already gotten her hands on the rumour, he would be bombarded with questions here and there. They may not be negative, but there is no doubt that he would be on high alert during his stay.

Liyue seemed reasonable enough, but there was something about it that Kaeya didn’t like. The ever-so-bustling atmosphere appealed to Kaeya on some days, while on other days, he preferred a slower-paced lifestyle. Especially with his head feeling like a packed Aquabus, Liyue would not be optimal for him to process things through.

Mondstadt was the nation he was trying to avoid at all costs. Not to flatter himself, but he was considered extremely well-liked in the God of Freedom’s land. There was no doubt that (mostly) everyone would take his side and should they be mad, their disapproval would be targeted towards Neuvillette. He can already imagine the questions that he will be asked, and not to mention, he’d left without Klee. If anything, Mondstadt was out of the option and should not be considered.

Natlan and Snezhnaya are… well, unexplored. He hasn’t had the time and opportunity to research more about them, and Kaeya hates not knowing.

Inazuma, on the other hand, was an isolated nation. It was calm and did not share with Liyue the same bustling atmosphere. Additionally, he had his network branched out to Inazuma, thus forming certain diplomatic relations with organizations that could help him out. Considering all the factors, he settles for Inazuma, although he doesn’t exactly know how to relay these thought processes to Neuvillette and Wriothesley.

Neuvillette stays quiet, eyebrows knitted slightly in worry (and was there a little bit of sadness Kaeya sees? Why would Neuvillette be sad about him leaving?). This allowed Wriothesley to share his thoughts. “Very well. We will continue to investigate this matter, and resolve it as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we hope that Inazuma can bring you peace and comfort. Feel free to reach out to either me or Monsieur Neuvillette should you encounter any problems, we will do what we can to assist you.”

Kaeya gives him a genuine smile, sorrow filling his heart as he thinks of their farewell. Damn it, he shouldn’t have gotten too attached to the two. He’s not very good at goodbyes.

“I don’t know where the Traveller, Paimon and Klee are, but can I ask you to pass on this letter to me? I’m afraid I can’t wave them goodbye,” he chuckled sadly, handing the letter over to Wriothesley.

The Duke nods and immediately pockets it, not even curious about what it is about. He tucked it away in one of the pockets of his coat that was hanging from his shoulders, delicate and careful not to crumple it.

When Kaeya looks back at Neuvillette, he feels sorry for not being able to explain everything to him. Neuvillette was his friend, and he had done so many things to make Kaeya the happiest man alive. With him, he could talk about anything. With him, there was no need to feel afraid. But it is with him, that Kaeya feels the need to get away because of how his heartbeat fastens.

There was no need for words. 

Neuvillette takes his hand and places something in it. It was some sort of pendant, its smooth edges glistening in the sun. Rainbow reflected into his eyes, the deep, ocean blue holds a significance in his heart. It was as if saying— like the ocean, he will never be left alone and will not disappear from this world. Like the ocean, his home will forever lie near the shores.

“I still do not understand why you feel the need to run away, but I will keep you safe. Kaeya, I will never leave you.”

Kaeya holds these words close to his heart, locking them away and hoping to forget them.

He bids Neuvillette and Wriothesley farewell, not bothering to return to his rented apartment to take his belongings, and left for Inazuma with a little bag of food supplies, Mora and medical tools.

“Kaeya, from now on, I’ll be your big brother and you’ll be my little brother! I swear from the bottom of my heart that no matter what happens, I’ll promise that I will never leave you.”

Kaeya hoped that he could forget Neuvillette altogether.

Chapter Text

“Why do you keep risking your life to come see me? Why not just accept my offer and work here as a servant?”

Eitel smiled, left arm still as his friend wrapped the bandage around his arm with care. He had been running from the Royal Guards and some shopkeepers again, having stolen several small trinkets and trespassing on the Palace’s territory. Being a commoner, he was a great thief. Due to the corrupt and strict dictation in the Kingdom, those without high-standing statuses would be left to die. As such, many resorted to theft and prostitution, with many selling their lives to the rich to become slaves.

The small trinket he’d stolen wasn’t for himself, however. It was for Prince Aspen, his friend and heir to the throne.

Eitel owed the young Prince his life; Aspen had saved his sister from execution. Since then, it was his hobby to run around the Palace gates and enter to meet the others, knowing how lonely it was to be alone.

“You said that you always wanted one, so I got it for you,” He says, retracting his now bandaged arm.

Aspen gave him a disapproving frown and a shake of a head. “Have you forgotten who I am? I can afford it, you don’t have to steal! Not to mention, you can’t overexert yourself to steal something for me.”

“You can afford it, but it doesn’t mean that you are allowed to get it.”

“You—!”

Aspen couldn’t finish his sentence, words stolen right out of his mouth as he stared disbelievingly. He turned away, blue hair swooshing with nothing but elegance.

There were a lot of things that he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to put them into words and say it out loud. It was one of the things that Eitel took note of when he decided to steal something.

The commoner knows why Aspen is mad. The Prince would turn a blind eye to smaller thefts of basic living necessities such as food and water, often compensating the stall owners with large sums of money. That was probably why some stall owners welcome such “thieves”, locating their businesses near rural areas. What he wouldn’t ignore was unreasonable thefts for one’s pleasure or benefit.

“Come on Aspen… I promise to cut down on my crimes…” Eitel pled, joking yet sincere.

The blue-haired boy sighed. “I still don’t get why you would want to live such a lifestyle when I offered you a place at the Palace. Why?”

Simple. As much as he’d want to stay with Aspen and live a more luxurious lifestyle, there was something else that he had in mind. He would only be granted the role of a servant to the Royal Family and with time, he could even be promoted to a butler. Especially with the Prince’s request, being Aspen’s servant wasn’t an impossible goal.

That wasn’t his goal, though.

“I want to be a Knight. Not just any Knight, your Knight. I want to earn that position on my own through The Royal Trials. Once so, I’d be able to protect you.”

The Royal Trials was a trial set up by the Royal Family to recruit guards, soldiers and knights for men. It was infamous for the number of fatalities as well as its sadistic nature. There were several years where no one managed to pass the Trials, all participants meeting their fate on the battlefields. The deaths were not mourned but celebrated. To the people, it showed how much dedication and determination the men had when it came to protecting their country.

With widened eyes and a sharp gasp, Aspen immediately responds with worry and fear evident in his voice. “The Royal Trials? You’re gonna die! Do you know how difficult it is to pass that? It’s either win and get the job or die. It’s a suicide mission!”

“It’s okay. One day, I will be strong enough to be a knight, and I’ll protect you.”

Eitel was shaken back and forth by Aspen’s two tiny hands, trying to knock some sense into him. “Are you hearing what you are saying? Are you okay? Do you need help?”

Rocking back, Eitel laughed, doubling over. He clutched at his stomach while trying to stifle his laughter, the bandaged hand reaching up to hold his friend by his shoulders. He adored how much Aspen cared for his safety, especially with his chronic condition that made his body weak. It was natural to be concerned for anyone who wanted to take part in The Royal Trials, but it was something that he wanted to achieve. Aspen was not impressed, pouting while he looked away.

“Come on, Aspy, don’t you have something you want to accomplish too?” Eitel managed to calm down and regain his composure, changing the subject to not upset Aspen further.

The Prince thought for a while, humming while he thought. “I wanna go out and explore the world. Be an adventurer who can encounter and fight everything! But that’s… impossible.”

“Hm… maybe in your next life, you can be reincarnated as an adventurer! Legends have it that your biggest sins will pass on during reincarnation, but you’re the kindest and most amazing person I know. Surely the Gods would fulfil that wish.” Eitel points out, shuffling closer.

“In that case, I want to be reincarnated together with you so we can still see each other.” Aspen holds the stolen trinket close to his heart, igniting a spark in the thief’s eyes.

At that moment, Eitel thinks that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Aspen as well. He snatches the trinket, finds a small, pointed twig and carved something at the back of it. A bit of a scratch here, another scratch there, he presents these carvings on the palm of his hand.

Aspen takes it and smiles when he sees their initials carved out in an enveloping heart shape.

Chapter Text

Act II: Dusk and Dawn

Description:

The news of the rumours does not stay just in Fontaine; it becomes an international breaking news. The rest of Teyvat reacts to it as Kaeya escapes to Inazuma.

Chapters Arrangement:

-Chapters 24-30: They Know

-Chapters 31-36: The All-For-You

-Chapters 37-?: Liyue Encounter Arc

Characters (in order of appearance):

-Diluc

-Venti

-Rosaria

-Jean

-Lisa

-Albedo

-Zhongli

-Wriothesley

-Neuvillette

-Furina

-Kaeya

-Xiao

Chapter Text

The dimly-lit tavern of wooden walls and pale, warm lights was as lively as ever. Both first and second floors were teeming with drunkards, their peals of laughter and gossip audible. With the influence of wine and alcohol, many would fail to control themselves and let loose, thus the incessant boisterous chatters.

Mugs and wine glasses alike clinked against each other every once in a while, followed by a loud whooping and cheering. Some come to drink their problems away, some to celebrate birthdays, and some casual drinkers. There were also a few who arrived to have a space for themselves to play poker or gamble, and occasionally, bards recited their poems or chimed a lovely tune about the history of Mondstadt.

Sometimes, these would aggravate Diluc. How loudmouths are unable to keep their matters confidential and eventually get in trouble; How he has to put up with constant whining and brooding because they somehow managed to lose their 34th wife; How loud the others can be that just irritates him; How certain bard never pays for what he drinks.

Though, he doesn’t complain much. It keeps his business running and Angel’s Share runs on an ecosystem of Mondstadtians. Charles usually also takes the night shift because he has better tolerance and patience, but Diluc is more than capable of handling it. (Even though he doesn’t say it out loud, Charles knows that Diluc takes the night shift at times to give him some time off).

“Another one please!”

Ah, there was one of his top ten headaches.

“No, you’ve had enough. It’s not like you’d pay for it anyway,” he says, taking a mug from the rack and pouring in the reddish substance.

Venti, cheeks flushed with the amount he drank in an hour, groans and throws himself across the bar table. The bard whines his name over and over again in an attempt to get him to give in.

Diluc sighs, forcefully slamming the mug down onto the bar table, startling and frightening the patron who ordered it. He scowls at Venti and gives him a stern glare. “Either shut up or get out.” He was in a bad mood today and the green man certainly isn’t making it better.

“You’re no fun…” Venti pouts, “Don’t you wanna know what Sir Kaeya has been up to the past week? Come onnnn~”

So now he was using Kaeya as bait for more drinks? It angers Diluc because he knows that he will give in. He leans back and crosses his arms, scoffing as he takes time to consider.

His estranged brother had not visited Angel’s Share for a week now (NOT that he was counting), and from the accounts of several drunken knights and now the bard, he was pretty sure that the Cavalry Captain was away from Mondstadt. The intention was unknown but it wasn’t his business to care anyway.

“Oh, everyone knows that, Master Diluc! I’m talking about the spicy stuff, the Tea! Something about… hmm let me see… marriage?”

And Diluc almost drops the wine glass in his hand. He choked, wheezing as he rested his elbows on the bar table. Coughing, he takes a few moments to compose himself. “What?”

Venti grins innocently, giving him puppy eyes.

“…Wine for Tea,” Diluc decides after a while.

“Wine for Tea!” The other repeats, upbeat and drooling over the new glass of wine.

As soon as the new patron was gone with her wine in hand, Venti wagged his finger to tell him to come nearer. As Diluc hears Venti’s hushed whispers, his blood turns colder and colder the more he listens.

What have you gotten yourself into this time, Kaeya?

When he asks how he had heard of the news so quickly, Venti chuckles as he downs his wine with a satisfied sigh. Maybe Diluc was seeing things, but he swore that the turquoise eyes glowed. A mysterious breeze that lightly caressed his hair was the response that he received.

…Right.

He wished to cut down anyone who dared to even dream of laying their hands on his (not-anymore) brother, even if it meant declaring war with the Land of Justice. He had technically already been put on Snezhnaya’s red list, and he was willing to have his name printed and carved into Fontaine’s.

However, Kaeya had left Fontaine and gone to somewhere that not even Venti knows about. Until he did some investigations himself, there was no telling whether Kaeya was safe in the new location or not.

Venti catches on his concentrated and worried expression and stops smiling himself. His eyes were sharper and more focused, something that a regular happy-go-lucky Venti wouldn’t have. It was the look of an Archon who was ready to do whatever to protect his people.

“Don’t worry, Master Diluc. On Barbatos’s name, I swear that nothing will happen to Captain Kaeya. I will personally make sure of that.”

This was one of the rare moments when Diluc wholeheartedly believed the bard’s words.

Chapter Text

When Venti left the tavern, most of Diluc’s customers were gone as well. It was a little over midnight, meaning that he could close up Angel’s Share until the next morning. 

He grabbed a mop, soaked it with water and twisted it to get the access water out. He starts with the second floor and moves down to the first. Aside from a couple of puddles of spilt wine and alcohol, the tavern was fairly easy to clean. 

(It was all thanks to the rules he made to make his and Charles’s job easier. Anyone who drank to a certain extent would be chased off so they wouldn’t cause any trouble.)

The last two patrons greeted him goodbye, supporting each other’s weight as they both trudged out. There was only one person left, and that was Sister Rosaria. Rosaria practically lives in Angel’s Share, spending most of her time here. She was twirling with her little crucifix necklace thingy (he hadn’t gotten a chance to ask her what it was), sipping on her drink. 

“We’re closing up.” 

Rosaria’s eyes shift to his and pushes her glass to the edge of the table as she stands. “I will get going then.”

Even though she was a regular customer, Rosaria didn’t exactly stay for long— not longer than the closing time, at least. Today, she stayed a bit longer than usual and that was enough to raise eyebrows but not enough for Diluc to care. 

He finishes cleaning up the last patch of uncleaned floor, rinsing the mop and putting it back in its original place. When he approaches Rosaria’s table with a cloth in hand, he spots a slightly crumpled yellow paper slotted into one of the gaps of the wooden table. Curious, he picked it up and read its contents. It should be fine— Rosaria was a careful person and never left anything behind… unless it was intentional.

“Jean will be waiting for you at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.”

Ah, so that’s what it was about.  Diluc sincerely hoped that he wasn’t in any sort of trouble. Not that he’d care, he just hated angering (disappointing) Jean. 

He leaves his sticky note and sticks it on the counter, leaving a message for Charles who would be working the morning shift. 

Upon reaching the Headquarters, he heard chatter from multiple different voices. His suspicions were right when he was greeted by Jean, Lisa and Albedo. He hadn’t expected that Lisa and Albedo would be present, given that Rosaria failed to mention their names in the little note. Though surprised, he doesn’t let it distract him as he greets them. 

Jean snaps out of her worried expression and replaces it with a relieved one. “Master Diluc, thank you for showing up.” 

“Given that Sister Rosaria was that indirectly passed on the message, I assume that it’s something of importance?” 

The three others exchange looks, none of them daring to utter a word. Their nervousness was contagious and Diluc felt himself getting concerned. The tension seemed to be dragging on forever.

“Let me explain. Captain Kaeya and Klee have left for Fontaine and their leave report was that they would be gone for five days. It has been over a week and they still have not returned.” Thank Archons for Albedo’s initiative!

“It is unlike Kaeya to be gone for such a long time and not report to any of us at all,” Lisa adds. 

Yeah, because Kaeya is getting married and chased out of Fontaine, that’s why! It would be easier to just tell them whatever Venti told him, but convenience wasn’t always the right answer. Knowing Jean, she would freak out and try to resolve this on her own. The best way to approach any kind of situation that included Jean would be to simply tell half-truths. Just in case she found out. She wouldn’t be able to tell him off if half of it was the truth, right?

…Damn it. He was starting to think more like Kaeya. 

“He wrote to me yesterday, saying that he would continue to travel for a while longer.”

“What about Klee?” Jean asked.

“…I assume that it’s the same for her as well.” 

Diluc was trying to hold his hair together. Klee had gone with Kaeya to Fontaine, but the drunkard bard didn’t say anything about her.

“Hold it.” Everyone’s head turned to the Chief Alchemist. “Why would Kaeya write to you? I know for a fact that he rarely does, and if it concerned his wellbeing, he would tell at least one of the knights as well.” 

Who does Albedo think he was? He doesn’t know Kaeya like Diluc does. He didn’t even come close. “Excuse me? Why wouldn’t Kaeya write to me?”

“He’d rather write to anyone else but you. Not to be rude, Master Diluc, but you don’t know Kaeya as much as you think you do,” Albedo wastes no time in rebutting. At this, Lisa covered her mouth, amused at how this turned out while Jean’s jaw dropped. The Alchemist had his neutral expression on, but his eyes held an unusual confidence that was usually absent. 

Diluc had a feeling that Albedo knew something that he didn’t, and also about the fallout of the two Ragnvindr brothers that fateful day. The fiery red-haired man refused to believe in everything that was said, though. Deep down, he still cared for Kaeya even though he always refused it to be the case. Kaeya, with that intelligent brain of his, knew this. Whatever Albedo said was bullshit and there was no need to sympathize and understand such outrageous accusations. Diluc knew Kaeya better than anyone else. 

Before he could counter, Jean stepped in, authority and firmness clear in her tone and voice. “Gentlemen. We are all concerned for Kaeya and Klee, so please, there is no need to start an argument over the smallest things.” 

“He started it,” Diluc mutters, hoping to get the Geo Vision user to snap. Not unexpectedly, Albedo did not comment further and kept silent. 

The Acting Grandmaster sighed, rubbing her forehead as she took a step forward. “We shall wait for a couple more days and if they do not return, we will investigate what happened.” 

For the first time in twenty minutes, everyone agreed.

Chapter Text

Typewriters were invented some decades ago, several being imported to Liyue over the past few years. Many preferred using them as their fingers would hurt less and the fonts printed were much neater.

Zhongli preferred the traditional writing style— by quill and ink. He’d been writing since the early dawns of time and it carried many memories with it. Not to say that the Fontainian invention was terrible, though. He liked it when his colleagues used typewriters for their documents because some of their handwriting could be illegible. Squiggles here and there, a cancellation or two, and the paper would end up looking like an art exhibition piece.

The feathers of the quill in his hand ruffle against the wind, and small traces of Anemo purposefully led the gentle breeze into his study. It’s familiar and carefree, and Zhongli knew who exactly came to visit.

“No need to sneak around, Venti.”

The breeze swirled, creating a spectacle of glowing turquoise. A humanoid figure rests on his windowsill, jade eyes staring right into his amber ones.

Venti laughs heartedly, fingers itching towards the quill in Zhongli’s hand. Already used to the God of Freedom’s antics, Zhongli shifts his arm away and avoids all subsequent attempts of his quill getting picked up.

“Using quills again? Typewriters are so much more efficient!” Venti sends him a judging look, “Although, the Knights of Favonius still use quills for some reason.”

Venti was an avid supporter of typewriters because, in his words, it was “cool” and “went easy on your fingers”. Zhongli had seen the bard’s letters and, he decided, that his handwriting was even worse than his colleagues. If what people say is true about a doctor’s handwriting, Venti may just very well be a doctor.

He returns to writing his report. “Why not propose the idea of typewriters to them?”

“I did! I love Mondstadt, but they said ‘Lord Barbatos blessed us with quills and ink, so we will honour him by treasuring our blessings’. Sometimes, I think that they’re too religious, you know? At least Liyue’s more chill.”

Usually, Zhongli doesn’t mind indulging in his old friend’s ramble, but he was busy today. The past few days, there was an influx of customers who needed the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour’s services, much to his dismay and much to Director Hu’s joy. Business is business, she told him with a cheery smile. It was rare to see her genuinely happy and he was happy for her, but not when they were working for a funeral parlour. More customers meant that the number of consultations he needed to attend increased, thus piling up on his desk.

Zhongli knows that the Anemo Archon helps his nation in his way, but he does not work and has a job as Zhongli does. Venti did look a lot less enthusiastic than he usually did, so something was on his mind.

“You are not here to talk about quills and typewriters, I assume.”

Venti brings a leg over the windowsill and lands on the other, jumping into the office like it was his. “Nothing gets by Morax, I see. Very well then, I shall go through the trouble of expressing my woes to you with a song—“

“There is… no need for a song. Also, I am just Zhongli.”

Venti’s lyre vanished with tiny Anemo sparks. He clears his throat and adjusts his posture awkwardly. “F-For sure! Tell me, what do you know about the marriage scandal in Fontaine?”

“Marriage scandal?” That piqued Zhongli’s interest. Apart from the Primordial Sea incident, Fontaine does not have much to go around. When one thinks of the Fontaine, one would immediately think of the impressive inventions and talented visual art performers that resided in the Nation of Justice. That is, up until the Primordial Sea incident. It caused an uproar even beyond the walls of Fontaine. Many were shaken by the sheer horror of the prophecy becoming a reality.

A marriage scandal could not have been worse. But Barbatos was never one to talk about idle chit-chat with him, whatever it was. The marriage scandal must have had significance then. He shifts his papers aside and turns to Venti, giving him his full attention.

Venti takes that as a cue to continue. “Our dear Sir Kaeya and Fontaine’s own Chief Justice, Monsieur Neuvillette, are getting married. Crazy, I know! That’s probably what Fontaineans thought too because they, well, started to get mad with Sir Kaeya.”

Zhongli’s frown deepens, expression darkening as he asks one question to confirm his fears,

“They attacked him?”

Nodding, the bard shifts uncomfortably. “It’s alright! Sir Kaeya escaped Fontaine but we don’t know where.” He knows how protective the ex-Geo Archon was when it came to Kaeya. Ever since Zhongli knew of the existence of the young Khaenriahn child, he’d watch from afar. Zhongli knows of Kaeya’s abandonment at the Dawn Winery, knows of the fight between the two brothers, knows of the sleepless nights where the Knight cried himself to sleep. It was torturous enough that Zhongli had to restrain himself and not send a meteor to crush Ragnvindr.

The consultant rarely gets angry or even upset but when it comes to Kaeya, anything is possible. Venti may not know the full story behind the scandal yet, but there was a need to make sure Zhongli did not destroy Fontaine (before the truth was revealed).

Zhongli sighs, fists clenching in his lap. He should have kept a better eye on Kaeya. After a while, he had stopped trying to look into his life. Maybe if he did, this would not have happened.

A while back, he had met Monsieur Neuvillette, also known as the Hydro Dragon Sovereign. Of course, Zhongli knew of him already, but it was nice being able to meet “Neuvillette”. The white-haired man was a gentleman and kind at heart, wanting the best for everyone. It appears that he is also quite emotional and curious about humans. Neuvillette would never hurt Kaeya, but the people of Fontaine are protective of their dear Chief Justice.

“If you’re so worried, why not write Kaeya a letter to ask him if he’s okay?” Venti suggests with a smirk.

“You know that I can't do so. Kaeya has not yet met me and I am not allowed to contact him at any cost until we meet on his accord.”

“Fine, fine. What about Monsieur Neuvillette? Maybe he knows.”

Zhongli considers this. He couldn’t talk to Kaeya unless they met by fate, but he could write to Neuvillette. “…I will do that, thank you for your suggestion.”

Venti returns the smile. “All for our Kaeya.”

Chapter Text

A few centuries have passed since the end of the Khaenri’ahn war, yet the impacts are still very much present. For Morax, it was the guilt that ate him up from the inside.

He had to do what he had to. He would mercilessly destroy the Land of Sinners, sending meteors, asteroids and huge blocks of land down. The sky would roar with dark clouds and high concentrations of Electro, the winds were strong enough to form typhoons and the ground would quake.

Gut-wrenching screams of the innocent and guilty were washed away by the torrents of rain. He’d always remember how he willed himself to not cry; that he had to stay strong. Celestia was to blame. Khaenri’ah had it coming for them. They sought something that was forbidden.

The guilt would always persist.

Because he’d been the one to kill thousands. He’d been the one who showed no mercy. It was his duty, it was Celestia who ordered it, but it was he who executed it.

Yet… there was a little one that only had a small portion of him cursed. The baby was Khaenri’ahn, that’s for sure, but he was mostly free of the curse. That little one was who he came to learn the name of, Kaeya.

Kaeya was a stunning child. Despite all the hardships that were thrown at him— abandonment by his biological father, the death of his adoptive father, and the loss of his entire adoptive family that fateful night— he still stayed strong. The young Khaenri’ahn kept on living, kept on surviving.

That spark that refused to die out had awakened something in Morax, one that he would eventually take to heart and become just the mortal, Zhongli. When Kaeya cried, he cried along. When Kaeya laughed, he let out a slight chuckle. When Kaeya worried, he left subtle hints for the young adult to pick up.

Zhongli wanted to meet Kaeya. He wanted to tell the other how strong he had been, how even though the purpose of life was obscured, Kaeya was doing just fine.

Venti came into his office while he was working, telling him about the marriage. It was with the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, no less. Though sceptical, deep inside he felt happy. Worried, but happy.

Until the bard came to the part about the aggression of the people of Fontaine. His child… attacked?

His letter to Neuvillette was fairly short, congratulating him but also asking for the full story. What Venti had heard may have been twisted, so asking Neuvillette for the full story would be wise to do.

Zhongli sighs, taking a sip of his osmanthus wine while he passes the letter to Venti. Venti gives him a confused look. “For me?”

“No,” The consultant said, “Help me deliver it, please.”

Venti groans and snaps his finger, the letter gone with the wind. It would most likely be sent to someone who would be able to help deliver his letter straight to The Iudex’s office.

“Thank you.”

“Next time do it by yourself, would you? I can’t deliver all your letters to you! I do it for free! No Mora, no service!”

Zhongli sets down the glass on his desk while he takes a yellow file and starts flipping through it. Venti watches on with bored eyes, staring at the pages with hundreds of words written on each page. Fortunately, he kept his lyre away, letting Zhongli work in peace.

All good things must come to an end, and so does the silence a few minutes later.

“Zhongliiiiii I’m so bored! Diluc’s working at the tavern today and he had banned me for the entire day! Can you believe it? Also, did you hear what I said about the delivery fee? Hey Zhongli?”

Gloved fingers went up his temple and rubbed it. “I would appreciate it if you allowed me to work in peace and silence, Venti.”

“But I’m bored— oh wait, there’s something in the breeze~”

The green bard curls his fingers around the bout of the breeze gently, an envelope forming on his palm. “Huh, you got a reply already? That was fast.”

Zhongli’s interest was piqued, grabbed the envelope (with a surprised “hey—!” from the other) and quickly uncovered the letter inside the pristine white envelope.

Venti watches from beside him while Zhongli’s eyes are trained on the neat words in the letter. The more time it went on, the more the former Archon frowned and the more the Anemo Archon could feel the ground beneath him shake.

“What does it say?” He inquired, hands reaching to grab the letter for himself.

“Monsieur Neuvillette says that… he had never loved Kaeya…?”

Chapter Text

Wriothesley really shouldn’t be touching things that look suspicious. He had been called to the Palais Mermonia to help out with the damage control.

He’d returned to the Fortress of Meropide a while back and found their Archon, the Traveller and Paimon, as well as the little red girl Klee in his office. Sigewinne explained everything, how Charlotte from the Steambird was the one who wrote the misleading article.

Lady Furina was sent back to the surface with a few Gardes by her side so that she could stay with Monsieur Neuvillette, and the Traveller and Paimon agreed to bring Klee to Inazuma.

“Won’t sending her back to Mondstadt be a safer option?” He had asked.

“We proposed that idea… but Klee wanted to see Kaeya. We will make sure that she’s safe and then return to Fontaine to resolve this issue. Don’t worry, Your Grace!” The fairy had reassured him (which wasn’t reassuring at all, but the Traveller seemed insistent too).

The crowd cleared up and Wriothesley managed to talk to Sigewinne after quite some time. The poor Melusine was exhausted, but she still insisted on helping out. While he did his paperwork, the Nurse shared with him her observations.

One, Lady Furina was still shaken up, so she had sent a memo to Neuvillette to be “gentler” when treating her; Two, the Traveller and Paimon were still upset with Furina’s lack of consideration when she started that rumour and; Three, Klee was remorseful.

“Why would the child be remorseful? Yeah, she did let it slip to the press but she didn’t know.”

Sigewinne nodded, “That’s what I tried to tell her. No matter what anyone said, Klee would do anything to decline it. In the end, she just started to switch topics and avoided talking about it altogether. I’m afraid that this will affect her mental growth…”

Wriothesley pat her head gently, giving her a small smile and reassuring her. The Head Nurse tends to overthink whenever she is concerned about someone and he took it upon himself to bring her back whenever she did.

“Trust in the Traveller and Paimon.”

Sigewinne smiled back.

Back at the Palais Mermonia, there was an envelope sitting idly on the Chief Justice’s desk. He was briefly informed that Monsieur Neuvillette was away at the moment and would return in about ten minutes.

Now, if the letter was an ordinary letter, Wriothesley wouldn’t give it a second glance. However, it wasn’t. It was laced with Anemo and it vibrated slightly against his fingertips. This wasn’t some ordinary letter. If it somehow posed a threat to Neuvillette, Wriothesley would rather himself bear the consequences instead. What if it was a threat letter? Fontaine was still unstable when it came to emotions, so there were people out there who held a grudge or something.

Gingerly, he opened the unsealed envelope and took out the letter inside. The letter was written in perfect cursive, one that he would never understand why people would spend years perfecting cursive handwriting. It was a little more perfect than Neuvillette’s and the ink was perfectly controlled in each stroke. One could even say that it was printed, but Wriothesley had a hunch that it was handwritten.

The contents of the letter were… questionable. The tone was polite but there was a hint of anger.

‘Perhaps you had miswritten your previous letter, but may I ask that you clarify what you meant by “I have never loved Kaeya”?’

…Okay. He definitely should not be reading this letter. At least now he knows that it’s not a threat letter, right?

“Wriothesley.”

“Monsieur Neuvillette, you’re back.”

“Indeed I am, and it appears that you are unjustly going through my things.”

Wriothesley chuckled nervously, handing over the letter to the white-haired man without hesitation. “I wouldn’t say ‘unjustly’, I thought it was some kind of threat letter. There were Anemo traces found on it, so I thought to check it in case it was harmful or something.”

Neuvillette’s eyes widened at his words, quickly reading the letter for himself. There was an incredibly awkward and uncomfortable silence while the letter floated with a slight breeze down to the floor.

Wriothesley took in Neuvillette’s expression, something that he had learnt to do to his advantage in controlling certain convicts. Body language and expression can reveal a lot about somebody, more so when they are keeping a secret. The Iudex was hiding something, and he seemed rather dazed and absent. From irritation to fear, Wriothesley noticed. Certainly unusual. If he were to guess, it was about what was said in the letter. Perhaps it was something Neuvillette didn’t want him to know about.

“So… are we going to talk about this or—“

“You saw nothing, right?”

The voice trembled and it was so soft, no one would have guessed that it was from the Iudex. Archons, Neuvillette was trembling. Wriothesley winced when cold hands gripped his shoulders. “You saw nothing, right?” The Chief Justice repeated, this time louder and more assertive.

The Duke slapped the hands away. He used his own to get Neuvillette to look at him, his blue ones meeting the fear-filled silvery ones.

“Neuvillette, get a grip! What’s going on?” He urged.

Neuvillette closed his eyes as he broke eye contact, stepping back.

“You need to go.”

Chapter Text

“Huh? Y-Your Grace, could you not get in? I’ve sworn that I saw you entering…”

Wriothesley sighed, giving the little Melusine a small smile. “There’s no need to worry, Monsieur Neuvillette just needs some time to collect himself. I’ll wait out here.”

From the way Sedene stayed by his side, he could tell that she wasn’t convinced. After all, Melusines can sense human emotions and can identify them much more accurately than any human can. These abilities made them more empathetic and they were even dubbed “Celestia’s Angels” at one point (those who refer to them by that title most probably used that because of their “wings”). However, it could be… slightly annoying at times, such as this instance. Wriothesley appreciated the concern, but he’s not too sure if Neuvillette would feel the same.

After about two minutes of meaningless waiting, he was escorted to one of the chairs further down the corridor. Of course, he’d refused, wanting to be as close to the office as possible just in case the man behind the door needed help. Sedene was nothing but stubborn, insisting that he take a seat.

“Waiting like that will get you nowhere, you’ll only be tired out!“

“I’ll be fine.”

“Your Grace, I’ve been working here for years. I know what Monsieur Neuvillette is like. I may not know what happened exactly, but what I do know is that he wouldn’t let you in anytime soon. Please take a rest and I will call you when it’s time.”

With eyes like that, how could Wriothesley refuse? No one dared to order him around because of his status, so it came as a surprise when Sedene insisted that he sat down. It was quite refreshing to have someone who didn’t look at him as some sort of deity or mystical being. He smiled and pat her on the head gently as he would to Sigewinne. “Very well, I leave Monsieur Neuvillette in your care then. Please ensure that he doesn’t do anything rash.” The Melusine nodded with resolution, determination in her eyes.

Usually, he wouldn’t stay in one place for too long (except for the Fortress of Meropide) and would rather take a walk around. However, it was pouring outside and the storm was relentless. As much as he hated sitting down for too long, he’d like it if his clothes and hair were dry.

Now that he thought about it, he had overheard a bypass comment on how it had been raining non-stop for the past week. It was to the point that drains were no longer able to contain the heavy load and the Court of Fontaine plaza was flooded. However concerning it may be, it did keep citizens away from the gathering and encouraged them to stay indoors. That made his job easier, given that there was less fighting and fewer news-breaking incidents. The bad part about this was that it meant that Neuvillette hadn’t been as well as he pretended to be.

Wriothesley wrote a letter to him, four days after Kaeya’s departure, to check in. Neuvillette had responded with his usual polite and formal tone, stating that he was doing fine (although there were at least 2 trials held in a single day). Even Sigewinne was concerned. She had made several trips to the surface, bringing along a basket full of fruits and her homemade concoctions. Something was bothering the Iudex and it seemed apparent that the man in question hadn’t talked to anyone about it.

The reason for the low moods was unknown, but if Wriothesley were to guess, it would have something to do with Sir Kaeya. The day the Knight left, Neuvillette talked to him about how he felt like he was responsible for this mess. That he should have never agreed on the Five Nights Hangout thing.

”It’s not your fault, Neuvillette. Lady Furina had signed you up for this without your permission. And you had a wonderful time, didn’t you? No one had expected this to happen!”

“Are you blaming Lady Furina now?” Neuvillette asked with a deep frown, “She was just trying to help me make a new friend.”

Wriothesley was fuming. Not to the point where he would use his fists, but he wanted to slap the other awake. He took a deep breath to calm himself, not wanting to say something he would regret. “Why are you so insistent on wanting to blame someone? I am just trying to get you to understand that no one is to blame, and that includes you.”

No matter how hard he tried to convince him, Neuvillette wouldn’t listen. It was like the Chief Justice wholeheartedly believed that he was in the wrong. It was unusual since Neuvillette was usually level-headed and would think through everything with a calm and collected mind. Just what made him so erratic and emotional all of a sudden?

Like the other two times that the Duke had attempted to hold a conversation with the white-haired man, he was cut off and chased out.

Wriothesley let out an exasperated sigh. There was so much work piling up on his desk and he’d barely even touched it today, and he had an emotional and self-deprecating on his hands. Great. Just great. Just what he needed.   It wasn’t like he could just leave too. He could, but his heart told him that Neuvillette needed someone and the thought of abandoning his friend in his time of need made him want to punch somebody. He did owe the Chief Justice a debt, after all.

He let his mind wander as he tapped on the surface of the long table, ignoring the surprised looks he was getting from the people in the Palais Mermonia. Good lord, he sure hope that Neuvillette would get his shit together soon.

There was a gentle tap on his shoulder and when he looked up, eyes of two different shades of blue were staring at him. “U-Uhm… h-hi…”

Lady Furina was trembling and stuttering all over the place. He didn’t know why the usually smug and confident (under pretence) lady was nervous around him. “Lady Furina,” Wriothesley smiled, greeting her as he stood, “Can I help you with something?”

“W-Well… if you insist, I don’t mind telling you.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, you know?”

“Q-Quiet! Let your divine Archon speak!”

There it was — the Lady Furina that he knew. He smirks, letting her continue with what she wants to say.

“You must have noticed how it has been raining incessantly for the past week, yes? There’s something wrong with Neuvillette, and that man wouldn’t speak to me about it, no matter how much effort I put into starting a conversation. He shuts me out every time! Seriously, who would dare do that to me? So, anyway, maybe you should go talk to him.” Furina said with a serious expression. She kept her voice low in order not to attract anyone’s attention and stir up yet another misunderstanding.

“Yeah I know about the rain, but what does Monsieur Neuvillette have to do with anything?”

Furina crosses her arms and frowns, her voice raised louder. “Do not feign innocence, Duke! You know exactly what I am talking about. You are no fool, and I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped acting like one.”

“Alright, alright.” He sighed, the smile on his face faded and turned into a tired grimace. “Did you think that I haven’t tried talking to him? No matter what I did, he always cut me off and kept everything to himself. That’s why I’m here and not in his office.”

Ah, he feels bad now. Furina looked down and guilt was written all over her face. Personally, Wriothesley found the whole rumour situation to be amusing, aside from the factors that made it not amusing (COUGH COUGH, Fontanians COUGH). He had never blamed Lady Furina for any of this. Sure, she did start it, but she didn’t have the intention to let it fester and spread. While others blamed and criticized her, the administrator felt bad for her.

Lady Furina had probably already suspected what was going on with Neuvillette. If they were to say it at the same time, he’s pretty sure that they would end up saying the name of a certain Cavalry Captain of Mondstadt’s Knights of Favonius.

“Lady Furina, I don’t know if anyone told you this, but none of this is your fault. It’s no one’s fault, got it?” Wriothesley said firmly, wanting to reassure the distressed woman.

Furina paused and her eyes met him, and for a split second, Wriothesley could’ve sworn that there was appreciation in those eyes. It disappeared as she turned away with a huff, her arms akimbo. “Who do you think I am? I do not need your pity, nor do I need reassurance.  Keep those for Neuvillette, and beat some sense in that sulking idiot’s brain. Now if you would excuse me, I have matters to attend to.”

There was no need for words as she left, and Wriothesley found himself smiling. He made his way back to the reception and smiled at Sedene. “So, ‘Please take a rest and I will call you when it’s time’, eh? Help me open the door, I’ve got someone I need to knock some sense into.”

Sedene returned the smile and hopped off the working station. “It seems like you’ve found something that you needed. Very well, follow me, Your Grace.”

Chapter Text

There was tension in the air as both men stared at each other in silence. So many things needed to be said, yet none of them could muster up the courage to say anything. There was a big elephant in the room but it seemed as though they were trying to avoid talking about it like it was a taboo. At least, it was for Neuvillette.

Wriothesley cleared his throat, eyes darting back and forth as he tried to come up with a conversation starter. He didn’t want to jump right into the main point, given how distressed and fragile the usually serious and cold man across him was.

“Are you feeling better?” He asked, taking a sip of the tea brewed by Sedene.

Neuvillette looked down at his teacup (filled with water instead of tea) but didn’t reach for it. What was so interesting about his water anyway?

“…Yes. Thank you for giving me the space and time that I needed to collect myself. I am sorry for the sudden… breakdown.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get right into it, then.” Before the silver eyes could look away, Wriothesley followed up, “You can’t run from it forever, Neuvillette.”

Caught red-handed, Neuvillette tensed and quickly looked away, suddenly finding interest in the wallpaper. He did not want to have this conversation, especially right after his supposed breakdown and vulnerability. He trusted the Duke as a friend, a working partner and a confidant. He had shared some of his troubles with the other man, like his complicated feelings for Kaeya, for example.

Kaeya.

He didn’t want to remember or think about Kaeya. Someone who stepped into his life all of a sudden and tilted his whole perspective of life. The complicated and unnecessary feelings that the Captain forced down his throat and got him in a chokehold, only to leave when the deed was done.

Neuvillette was fine. He was fine even after Focalors was executed in front of him, he was fine supporting Furina and helping her with her “Archon duties”, he was fine when he woke up in a cold sweat after a rough nightmare about his two past friends.

How dare Kaeya come into his life, smack him and his feelings around a couple of times, make him feel euphoric, and leave. Deep down, he wanted to hate Kaeya for everything.

But he couldn’t.

And that made him loathe his “crush” even more.

Wriothesley stared blankly at him, expressionless as he took another sip of his tea.

“…That’s the reason why you ‘hate’ him? Because he made you happy and left?”

Neuvillette scoffed. “Not because he left. I understand why he needed to go, but I don’t know why he felt like he needed to curse me.”

A tired sigh escaped from the administrator’s lips. There was no way he was dealing with this. This better be a nightmare or he will commit a felony. What happened to the normal Neuvillette he knew? If anything, the Chief Justice should have been swooning over his crush, getting drunk over water and complaining about how much he missed Kaeya.

But no, Neuvillette somehow managed to be unpredictable and have the silliest mindset ever. That’s a feat, considering that convicts had broken the law for extremely dumb reasons.

“Curse you?” Wriothesley raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure that’s just called ‘happiness’ and ‘joy’. I still don’t get why you suddenly… hate him. Weren’t you smitten over him a week ago?”

Neuvillette levelled the smirk with his scowl. “Please do not imply that. I was confused about my feelings, and I refuse to be manipulated any longer.”

Manipulated? Kaeya? Wriothesley doesn’t know Kaeya on a personal level, but he would bet his life that the two were blushing high schoolers who were out on their first date. The reason why people believed in the rumours in the first place (other than the well-written and very convincing article) was because of how lovey-dovey they were. It was rare to see two people so in love in this era.

“Are you hearing what you’re saying? What happened to you, Neuvillette?”

“I have told you everything you wanted to hear. There is nothing I can do if you do not believe me. I did not take you as a person who would force your opinions on someone.”

Hurt flashed on Wriothesley’s eyes for a moment but it disappeared as fast as it came and was replaced by anger. The forgotten teacup clattered as the Duke slammed a fist on the table, standing up. “So, I can hit on Kaeya, right?”

“Do as you please.” Neuvillette’s glassy eyes betrayed his words and intended message.

“You know, people are worried about you. I would gladly get out of your hair, but I promised someone that I’d beat some sense into you. Until you tell me the truth, I will keep coming back.”

“I have told you everything you wanted to know. Just leave me be, Wriothesley.”

Wriothesley was halfway out, stopping in his tracks when he heard that. He didn’t bother turning around.

“I’ll believe you when the rain stops.”

The door closed with an audible clack.

Chapter Text

One week ago…

After he left the Court of Fontaine, Kaeya found himself stranded in the Erinnyes Forest.

There were very few locals around, the area teeming with aquatic creatures, Hilichurls and Clockwork Mekas. Every once in a while, he’d have to fight off a couple of them, leaving him bruised and battered all over. Food supply was running low and the bandages and medical supplies were in short supply. The situation seemed grim enough to the point where Kaeya had a passing thought that he wouldn’t make it out alive, let alone to Inazuma. His combat abilities and survival instincts were what kept him alive, for he would have given in to the exhaustion and injuries.

Hunting wasn’t particularly bad. In any case, it was the taste that was bad. It wasn’t his fault, by the way. Those red crabs were not as yummy as they looked! After getting a severe stomachache after his crabby meal, Kaeya would objectively avoid them.

His legs were aching and his joints were screaming, yet he had to keep moving onward. With only a stained, half-torn map in hand, he set his sights on Lumidouce Harbour. His eyepatch stuck to his skin with a mixture of blood and sweat, and he couldn’t deny that his head hurt from where it bled.

This wasn’t good. He was losing too much blood and his stamina was depleting rapidly. If he didn’t find someone real soon, he would succumb to his injuries.

He can’t die here.

He can’t.

Not when Klee was still waiting for him to return. Not when he had a pile of paperwork waiting in his office. Not when he hadn’t told Diluc that he was sorry. Not when he hadn’t confessed his love and appreciation to Neuvillette.

Unfortunately, willpower alone wasn’t going to be enough. He could will himself to continue on his journey with gritted teeth and choked sobs, but he couldn’t win against the physical pain and injuries that tormented him. It was about time he gave in, and as much as he desperately tried to prevent it, his black spots appeared in his vision and everything faded to black.

—————————

When Kaeya awoke, he still had that splitting headache. Sure he still felt like someone put him in a blender like he was a Sunsettia, but it didn’t feel so life-threatening anymore.

The grass beneath him didn’t feel like grass, and it felt a lot more like soft bedsheets that he missed.

Wait. Soft bedsheets?

He jolted awake, heart beating out of his chest as he looked around frantically for signs of danger. Instinctively, he reached out for his sword to find it missing from its original place. Wincing in pain, bruised feet stepped onto the cold, wooden ground. His senses heightened when someone he didn’t recognize entered the room.

It was a man (presumably) in his 50s and his eyes drooped downwards near the end. A fluffy coat hung on his neck, it reminded Kaeya of his own that wasn’t on him.

“No need to be so hostile, boy. I’m not here to hurt you,” the man assured, putting both hands up.

“Who are you? Where am I? And where’s my sword?” Kaeya scrambled for a pair of scissors left on the table.

The man sighed, hands falling to his sides. “Ya can call me Guru. As for where ya are… this is my cabin and it’s where I live. I was out huntin’ and found ya lyin’ on the ground, bleedin’ out to your death. Your belongings are on the ground beside the bed, by the way.”

Kaeya’s eyes snapped to the floor and there it was, his backpack and his sword. “Oh.”

So this man saved his life? Fresh bandages were wrapped around his head and abdomen, some on his legs and his arms as well. The material of the bandage was much softer than the bandages that Kaeya had on him like it was made for comfort instead of survival. The way the bandage was wrapped around him was also done with care. It wasn’t too tight to the point where it was suffocating and it wasn’t too loose that it could easily be removed.

Guru wasn’t intimidating, nor did he look like a predator waiting for his prey to let their guard down. However, it may just be an expert act of friendliness and he was a wolf behind sheep’s clothing. For now, there was not much that Kaeya could do except to sit back down on the bed, hand hovering over his sword.

“How do I get to Lumidouce Harbour?”

“Lumidouce Harbour? Why there?” Guru sat down on a chair next to the bed with an eyebrow raised.

Kaeya hesitated. It wouldn’t hurt to tell his saviour, but he wasn’t used to sharing his plans with roles that weren’t involved.

He told Guru. He needed all the help that he could get and there was a chance that the man knew, given that he was a local.

“Ya know, Lumidouce Harbour is for tradin’. Even if ya get on a transport and goods ship, it only goes to Sumeru and Liyue.” Guru folded his arms, giving Kaeya a pointed look.

Kaeya’s frown deepens. “Please, Mr. Guru. I just need to get to Lumidouce Harbour. I can figure out the rest by myself.”

Guru’s eyes flitted to his face, and a moment of silence passed between them. The clock on the wall ticked. A sweat dribbled down his face as he watched the thinking face of the old man.

…

…

Then out of nowhere, Guru starts laughing loudly. His boisterous laugh startled Kaeya a little, his hand now gripping the hilt of his chest sword.

“I like ya, boy. The spark in ya eye reminds me a lot of my younger days.” He slapped a hand on Kaeya’s shoulder (which he flinched at) and grinned widely, teeth showing. “I’ll not only bring ya to the harbour but to Inazuma too. Take your things, we leave in five.”

With that, Guru left, stepping out into the blazing morning. A small smile appeared on Kaeya’s face as he packed up slung the fluffy coat over his neck and packed the extra bandages on the table into his bag.

He didn’t trust Guru fully, but Kaeya would cooperate as long as he got into Inazuma safe and sound.

Chapter Text

The Lumidouce Harbour has a unique infrastructure, the upper levels of the port can only be reached by a singular lift that takes decades to reach. It was similar to the Romaritime Harbour, just a little less crowded. As it was used for trade and business, most people there were occupied with their work.

“Follow me, I’ll lead ya to my vessel,” Guru mumbled, leaving Kaeya to catch up to him.

They made it down the waterfall using the lift and there, Kaeya was amazed by the sight before him. Similar to Liyue Harbour, ships were found all around, out in the sea and near the docks.

“I didn’t know you had a ship,” Kaeya mused.

Guru laughed wildly. “Sure ya don’t. You’re lucky I’m the one who found ya. Big ruckus back there in the heart of Fontaine so I’m not sure if anyone would be as kind as me.”

They boarded a medium-sized vessel big enough for a few hundred people to fit in. It didn’t look like a transport ship nor did it contain boxes of goods. With maps and posters everywhere, it looked more like a pirate ship than anything else.

The floorboards creaked as two additional passengers boarded.

“Boss! You’re back!”

A young teenage girl rushed towards them with a salute, offering to carry their baggage. She was short and had a lean build, but the heavy items of baggage were easily hefted on her shoulder as she walked to put them away.

A fond smile made its way to Guru’s face as he ruffled her tied-up hair. “How ‘bout ya help our guest settle in? I’ll go check in with the others.”

The girl saluted once more before making her way to the awkward Kaeya. She extended her hand and gave him a friendly grin. “Hiya! The name’s Nagisa. I’m the boatswain, so feel free ta come ta me for anythin’!”

Unlike around Guru and most other people, Kaeya found himself letting his guard down a little when conversing with Nagisa. Maybe it was her innocence and enthusiasm that made her generally much more friendly and approachable than many others.

After introductions, he then accepted the offer to bring him around the ship for a mini tour. The tomboyish girl spoke of the different parts of the ship with nothing but pure admiration and love.

When they passed by the control room, he could make out some of the crew discussing the best trajectory of the ship to make it to Inazuma fast and safely. At least Guru wasn’t faking about helping him. Not yet.

“And here’s the hangout room! After our shifts, we come here to drink, relax, talk to each other or just do whatever the hell we want. Since you’re part of our ship temporarily, we’ll give you some lighter jobs and shorter shifts.” The boatswain explained, handing a bottle of what appears to be Snezhnaya’s Firewater.

Kaeya received the bottle and popped its cap off, downing a quarter of it in less than a second. He can’t remember when’s the last time he had a drink. Even though Firewater wasn’t his ideal to-go alcohol, he would take whatever he could get. Instantly, he felt less tired and more refreshed. His nerves were calmed and his injuries almost seemed nonexistent.

He looked over to Nagisa, who was picking out a bottle for herself. “Aren’t you too young for alcohol?” He half-teased.

The boatswain turned to him with a deadpan. “I’m eighteen.”

“Mhm, but you drank way before you turned eighteen, didn’t you?”

“Ack! W-Well… who cares? I’m a pirate, so I can do whatever I want.”

Kaeya’s raised an eyebrow in amusement (he wasn’t surprised because he already had his suspicions). So they were pirates. Pirates in Fontaine— The City of Justice? That’s unheard of. Sensing that the awkwardness had returned, Nagisa hastily changed the topic.

“Why’d you wanna go to Inazuma anyway?” She inquired as she took a seat on the lounge sofa.

“Peace,” Kaeya replied after long seconds of thinking.

Nagisa glanced at him with curious eyes. She placed her bottle on the table and leaned back into the sofa, letting out a hum in acknowledgement. “I was born in Inazuma and lived in Konda Village. My father was never in the picture, but all I needed was my mother and my brother. Life was peaceful and the only thing that I needed to worry about was not finishing the carrots on my plate.”

Her expression darkens as she continues. “Then the Vision Hunt Decree came. My brother, who had a Vision at the time, was immediately hunted for his Vision. Of course, my brother was never one to give up easily, and he fought for the custody of his blessing from the gods. My mother was unfortunate enough to get caught up in the scuffle. In the end, my brother’s Pyro Vision somehow backfired or something, and everyone was burnt to a crisp.”

Kaeya sat straighter and his grip on the Firewater bottle tightened. Nagisa may not know it, but what her brother had wasn’t a Vision. It was most likely… a Delusion. A Pyro one at that. He swallowed his saliva and took another swig of the alcohol. Ah, screw it. He couldn’t escape the memories and guilt, even on a pirate ship.

“I’m sorry, that must have been horrible,” he whispers with guilt weighing heavily on his heart. He knew how the young adult felt, and he knew it on a personal level.

Nagisa managed to smile. “It’s bad, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I lost my family but found a new one who loves me just as much. Boss— no, the entire crew helped me escape Inazuma. I still miss my biological family, but sometimes, things happen because they have to, and that’s fate.”

Her eyes held a spark and sharpness to them as her smile widened. “…But that doesn't mean we can’t find our path in life just because of fate. Fate is what can’t be controlled, but destiny can. I think Boss and everyone else taught me that.”

For an eighteen-year-old, her words hit home and Kaeya was left reflecting on his own life. He had tried so hard to change fate, but he was never successful. Maybe instead of trying to change fate, he can control his destiny.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Nagisa shrugged. “Who knows? My instincts told me to, and my instincts are never wrong.”

The remaining of the Firewater drops onto his tongue and he feels himself get tipsy. Kaeya stood up and pushed the bottle to her as he waved goodnight, heading for his (the crew’s shared) bunkers.

Chapter Text

The next morning, the ship was already sailing and they were in the middle of the sea.

Kaeya made his way to the main deck and was greeted by Nagisa and another man he didn’t recognize. The man had a bandana tied around his head and his spiky brown hair was protruding out at the top. He gave Kaeya a welcoming smile and shook his hand.

“All-For-You’s Master Gunner and Engineer. You can call me Piper.” The man had a hearty smile as they exchanged greetings.

“All-For-You?”

Nagisa gave him a curious but confused stare. “That’s our crew. Ya know how pirate gangs have awesome names? Ours are as cool as ‘All-For-You’! Or the AFY if you want.”

Piper, who went to haul two wooden boxes, was equally as confused. “Did Captain not tell you that?” Nagisa offered to take one of the boxes and lifted it with ease. Either the boxes were light or both of them were just really strong.

“No,” Kaeya responded simply. He didn’t know what he signed up for and whether this was all a ploy to abduct him or something. The drink he had the day before certainly helped calm those nerves temporarily, but he’d woken up groggy but much more aware. This whole situation just seemed off. There was no way Guru would have helped him without ulterior motives.

He subtly used his Vision to feel his weapon’s presence.

Nagisa and Piper exchanged glances.

“We’re headed to Qiaoying Village in Liyue to stock up on supplies, then to Inazuma,” Piper helpfully explained, to which Nagisa nodded in agreement.

Kaeya still had his suspicions but decided to not pursue it. Nagisa had been genuine with him (probably) and Piper seemed like a really friendly person (he hoped). Most of his uneasiness came from Guru and Guru alone.

The boatswain broke the awkward silence that followed with the mention of breakfast in their dining hall. Kaeya was grateful for the change of topic and he could use some food to take his mind off things. He doesn’t know when he’d last eaten, apart from a chocolate-filled bread with “whipped cream” on top (it suspiciously looked and tasted like mayonnaise).

All-For-You’s dining hall lights were brighter than it was the day before when Nagisa showed him around. It wasn’t the warm, orange-hued lights, but a bright and sharp white light. If Kaeya’s head didn’t hurt so badly, he would have enjoyed the brighter contrast more.

There were several others at the decently built dining table, and Kaeya came to learn of their names, hobbies and roles in the crew.

Tianqi was a doctor from Liyue. He was the crew’s doctor and oversaw everyone’s health. Kaeya didn’t like doctors, opting for healers instead because healers were much more straightforward and would not fuss over his injuries as much as doctors would (the exception being Barbara). The crew’s doctor knew a fair bit about using Visions to heal though, so that was something Kaeya would approach him for.

The navigator and politics expert was a shy one. What surprised Kaeya wasn’t his overly fidgety and introverted personality in a crew of rambunctious people, but his knowledge of the world at such a young age. It was also impressive, given that it was difficult to get hold of news when out in the sea. After several coaxing from the other crewmates, the boy finally introduced himself as Koe.

Last but not least, there was a Melusine who adored cooking. Wait, a Melusine?

“I didn’t know that there were Melusines outside of Fontaine,” Kaeya remarked.

The blue and pink pastel-coloured Melusine, whose name is Mari, refilled his glass of orange juice. “I had personally asked Monsieur Neuvillette to allow me to sail around the world. It didn’t even take long for him to agree to my proposal, given that Captain takes care of me.”

Kaeya’s heart filled with warmth at the mention of Neuvillette. He remembered that on their second night out, the Iudex had shared with him about Melusines and how capable they were. During the day when Kaeya took walks with Klee, he would spot some of these wonderful creatures on duty, sorting out some sort of argument between citizens. Klee had grown fond of them and wanted a Melusine friend.

He wonders how Klee is doing. Certainly, she would be angry at him for leaving her, but that little sunshine couldn’t be mad at anyone even if she wanted to. At best, she would feel sad but determined to find him.

And Neuvillette. The Chief Justice had shown him what affection and warmth felt like — a feeling that Kaeya found himself wanting more. There was no doubt that Neuvillette had some feelings for him, it was quite obvious. Not to mention Wriothesley acting as his wingman. In less than a week, he’d made so many fond memories, some with the help of the rumour situation too.

However, Kaeya could not go back. To protect everyone and himself, he may never see Neuvillette again.

It was his fault they ended up like this. If only he’d not let his feelings get the better of him, he could have avoided this altogether. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the pinkish eyes that were staring at him.

“When we stopped by Fontaine to restock on supplies, I ran into my friend who was also a Melusine. She told me how Monsieur Neuvillette was so… what was the word… enamoured by you, Sir Kaeya. Since then, I’ve been wanting to meet you,” Mari spoke as she set the jug of orange juice on the table. “It’s been a long time since Monsieur Neuvillette had experienced such a positive feeling.”

The Knight wanted to argue. “But I—“

“The rumour was just a rumour, but it was born because of the way he had looked at you, Kaeya. I am positive that if the people didn’t notice a positive change in Monsieur Neuvillette’s behaviour, they would have ignored the rumour entirely,” Koe added.

The other crew members had confusion written on their faces. It was a fairly recent event, after all.

“That’s right, boy. Wallow in self-pity however ya want, but no one can deny how smoochy-woochy the Chief Justice has gotten because of ya.” Large hands clasped onto his shoulders, making Kaeya jump in surprise.

A resounding greeting of “Captain!” (and a singular “Boss!” from Nagisa) rang through the dining hall). Kaeya pried the intrusive hands off him. Guru doesn’t seem to mind, taking a seat between Tianqi and Koe. Kaeya had never been so relieved that he chose to sit between Nagisa and Piper.

“Pancakes with three squirts of honey for breakfast? As amazin’ as ever, Mari!”

“Thank you, Captain!” Mari replied with glee.

Guru turned back to the table. “I believe it’s time for an introduction—“

“Already done that,” Tianqi said.

“Ah. That’s good because I’ve got news.”

Chapter Text

Qiaoying Village looked a bit different from its description in the travel guide, but it was a positive kind of difference. The waters were as clear as the windows of the Knights of Favonius HQ after Noelle’s daily cleanup and even the sky looked like an artist’s painting. It was not a view that one could witness without being a local.

As Kaeya’s dirt-stained boots touched the ground for the first time in days, he took a moment to adjust to his surroundings. His body felt like it was still swaying from the relentless waves of the sea.

“First time getting on a boat?”

He was handed a mint candy, which he immediately popped into his mouth. The catering mint flavour, amplified by the fizzling of the candy, calms his nerves instantly.

“Thank you.”

Tianqi’s expression was kind when he offered to carry Kaeya’s travel bag. However, his thoughtful initiative was politely refused.

“As All-For-You’s doctor, it is my responsibility to look after everyone’s safety and health. Chenyu Vale is a little bit different from most other parts of Teyvat, so if you’d like, you can stick with me while I get some supplies.”

“You should go with him,” Piper suggested, “Our doctor knows this place the best. With him, you’ll never have to worry about getting lost. Meanwhile…”

Their eyes followed an overly enthusiastic Nagisa using a twig to find small animals.

“You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with me, Kaeya. Just come back here to meet up tomorrow.”

Kaeya shook his head, taking a deep breath to calm his anxiety that was slowly creeping up. “I’ll follow you if you don’t mind.”

Yellow eyes widened a fair bit with surprise before they immediately softened.

Piper took his leave while pulling along a bubbly Nagisa, and began to lead the way to gather supplies and herbs.

—————————

Mari watched on as the other crew members dispersed. Her small hands tightened around the basket of freshly picked fruits and placed it on All-For-You’s kitchen counter.

“Captain, can we talk?”

The Captain in question sets down his bottle of beer, attention turning to the Melusine chef.

“Not saying that I disapprove, but why did you decide to stop at Liyue Harbour for a week? It’s a bit too long for a stop,” Mari asked, her eyes meeting the other’s hunched back form.

The slow pitter-patter of a leaking tap filled the air, being the only thing that kept the silence from being too unbearable. Mari returned to her food preparation, getting the hint that her question was stepping over the line. As she was about to apologize, Guru’s deep voice cut her short.

“It was not my decision. If ya are curious, ask lil’ pipsqueak,” Guru shrugged.

“Pipsqueak— you mean Koe?”

“Yup. He didn’t tell me much either, just yapped about a fairy tale or something. Hm, maybe ya would know…” the man continued, “Do ya know the tale about Eitel?”

Mari let out a low hum while she tried to recall the oddly familiar name. She had heard of it before, and it was most probably because of Koe too. The boy loved to read stories, but he enjoyed sharing about them more. Since Mari was the only one available most of the time (the rest just weren’t into books, she guessed), she had been told many stories. If she thought hard enough, maybe she’d remember.

Then, it clicked her.

“Ah, yes! Eitel was the mighty hero who saved his kingdom from the sinner! He is a very admirable boy.”

Guru grinned. “Good, good. Then ya should be able to figure out what that lil’ pipsqueak is thinkin’ because I can’t.”

Mari did not remember much about the story, only remembering the main plot of the children’s fairy tale. The decision of the extended stop at Liyue Harbour was probably due to Koe’s knowledge and understanding of the tale. She didn’t know how they linked together, but she knew that Koe was the expert in this field.

Still, it was a little bit suspicious and she couldn’t shake off the thought that the story of Eitel had forewarned the navigator about a tragedy in the future.

—————————

“There, we got everything we need for the next month or so.” Tianqi removed the stem from the mint. His basket was half-full of mints, sweet flowers and other species of plants that Kaeya could not recognize. Supposedly, these were enough for an entire crew of what — five or six people? Kaeya was skeptical but seeing that the AFY crew were still breathing and kicking, he did not comment on it.

The reason why Kaeya decided to follow this Liyuen doctor was surprisingly lack of any definitive motive. Guru was staying on the AFY, along with the Melusine and the navigator. He couldn’t pinpoint the reason why he felt so uncomfortable with the Captain, but he suspected that it was something to do with the other’s piercing gaze.

Completely unlike the Captain, Tianqi lacked the calculating look. He was sharp, but not judging. Between the two, it was obvious which of them Kaeya was more comfortable with.

Another reason was the recent news that Guru had shared a few days ago before they docked at Qiaoying Village. The original plan was to stop by Liyue Harbour for a day to rest and then continue the journey to Inazuma. That plan was rudely disrupted by the announcement of an extended stop at Liyue Harbour, for nearly a week.

What if someone who recognized him saw him? Surely Liyue Qixing has heard of the rumour, so what if they had a negative opinion about it and decided to kick him out of Liyue?

Everything was overwhelming and it all came at him at once. Remembering what he learnt from Neuvillette’s unofficial lesson of “healthy coping mechanisms”, Kaeya decided to walk around and get some fresh air. Although it wasn’t optimal to walk it out with someone he barely knew, Kaeya found himself slightly trusting Tianqi to not question him.

“When do we have to get back?” Kaeya found himself asking.

Tianqi looked up from rearranging his herbs. “Tomorrow noon. We’ll need to find somewhere to stay for the night.”

Kaeya raised an eyebrow, “Can’t we just go back to the ship?”

“…ah, right. We haven’t told you about AFY’s tradition yet. During short stops like these, we usually do not go back to the ship until an hour before departure. It’s something that Captain made to get us to ‘explore the world’.”

The grass caressed their ankles as they waded across the sea of nature. The fields were tall and damp, a stark contrast to Mondstadt’s choice of shorter, dryer plants.

Daisies and Glaze Lilies lit up the path to an empty spot near a large tree. As the sun dips down the horizon, gloom falls over the skies and tiny sparkles dotted the black canvas.

Two sleeping bags were rolled out. Barely ten minutes later, gentle snores could be heard. Kaeya glanced over at the doctor, then at the starry sky. This reminded him of the time he had spent a night at a Fatui Camp with Neuvillette.

It was also the first time he let himself acknowledge his feelings of… love. 

“Neuvillette… I wonder if you’re looking at the same moon as I am,” he mumbled, hoping that the wind would carry his words to the Land of Justice.

Kaeya allowed himself to hope for a few more minutes, before shutting his eyes and drifting off to the land of dreams.

Chapter Text

“Can you teach me how to use my Vision to heal?”

Tianqi paused in the middle of rolling up his sleeping bag to turn to Kaeya.

“Sure, I’d be happy to. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the reason for your sudden interest?”

Kaeya shrugged, dismissing it as innocent curiosity and ‘the more the better’. His experience after his abrupt leave from Fontaine gave him a stern reminder of his capabilities. Yes, he was a strong fighter — one of the strongest and most skilled in Mondstadt, actually — but durability and endurance were his weak points. He could predict attacks and strategize for ways to defeat an enemy, but it also heavily depended on his emotional and mental state.

He wouldn’t deny that Fontaine affected him. It stirred up some foreign (forgotten) feelings inside him, so it was a contributing factor to his countless bruises and wounds.

He kneeled picked up his sleeping bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“I know a little bit about healing,” he added. Tianqi nodded in acknowledgement.

The two gathered the remaining scraps of their mini makeshift campsite, depositing them into the nearest bin. Although warm, Qiaoying Village was comfortably breezy. It made their hike up a hill to a place further away from the population less taxing.

The place they picked out was a space between a rock wall and a tall bush. Tianqi first conducted a lesson on the theory of healing and then gave Kaeya a series of assessments to accumulate data on the Cryo Vision.

“Your Vision type is more suited for offence, but I’m sure if we work on it, you will be able to heal better in no time,” Tianqi said while smiling.

They started with forming small, controlled icicles. Then, the formed icicles would slowly lose their edge gradually. This process lasted until the icicle turned into a smooth, spherical-shaped ice.

However, it was not as easy as expected. Due to Liyue’s climate — warm and humid — the ice wouldn’t wait for Kaeya to slowly chip off the edge. Like the rebellious thing it was, it melted within minutes.

“How is this going to help me to learn how to heal? This feels like Vision training instead,” Kaeya muttered with a frown.

The doctor clasped his hands together and adjusted his spectacles. “It’s all about control. You expressed your interest in on and off-field healing, so we are working on your patience.”

“My, my. Doctor, are you implying that I don’t have patience?”

“I don’t doubt that you do,” Tianqi laughed, “But being patient and using patience to control your powers are two different things.”

The teasing smirk on Kaeya’s face doesn’t drop despite his change of mood. Something nostalgic crept up and he immediately worked on creating another icicle before he could overthink.

For the rest of the morning, Kaeya spent his time learning the basics of healing with the AFY doctor. Tianqi even took out his own Anemo Vision when he deemed Kaeya ready for the next step. When inquired about the jade Vision, Tianqi laughed it off, saying that he rarely needed to use his Vision, thus not finding the necessity to take it out. Of course, as keen as the Knight was, he sensed early on that it wasn’t so simple.

Still, as he always did with everyone else, Kaeya didn’t question it.

—————————

The sun hung in the sky like a Ruin Guard core on fire. The atmosphere got denser and heavier, applying a higher pressure to those who roamed around the area.

The familiar sway of the All-For-You’s vessel on the water was comforting, though by that time, Kaeya was beaten. He went back to his bunker and his heart stopped.

His mini pouch wasn’t on the bed where he had left it.

His eyes swept across the room, flipping things over and crouching on the floorboards to check for the missing pouch.

Relax, Kaeya.

He closed his eyes and attempted to use his Elemental Sight to detect it. He’d coat his items with a thin layer of Cryo for situations like this.

It’s not in the bunker.

His line of panicked thoughts was stopped by a gentle tap on his shoulder.

“I think you’re looking for this,” the young boy standing in front of him offered.

Kaeya scoffs bitterly, snatching his pouch back into his possession. “Ever heard of not taking things that do not belong to you?”

Koe doesn’t smile, nor does he frown. His expression remains indifferent and expressionless. “It looked suspicious, so I took it and made sure it didn’t contain any flammable or explosive items.”

“Am I not trustworthy enough?”

“Don’t know. Besides, you don’t trust us either, Sir Kaeya.”

Instantly, Kaeya’s impression of the other improved. The boy was honest — too honest for his good. However, it was a quality that Kaeya admired since it was something he lacked.

“You’re not wrong. Don’t go taking things without asking first, yeah? If you’re so curious, just ask, and I’ll give it to you. It’s only fair.”

The navigator bowed and turned to leave. It wasn’t clear if he took the advice to heart, but that was not the main thing Kaeya was concerned about.

Kaeya opened the pouch and reached for the pendant stashed inside. The comforting aura of hydro calmed his senses instantly.

Good, at least the pendant is safe.

As for the pouch… starry eyes narrowed at the loss of the layer of Cryo that coated the pouch protectively in its icy embrace.

Chapter Text

From the day they left Qiaoying Village, Tianqi has been kind enough to continue coaching him on using his Vision to heal. Kaeya, though still somewhat not trusting the All-For-You crew, started to warm up a little to the doctor. 

Kaeya told him about his home back in Mondstadt. How the bright and cheerful Spark Knight would draw the whole Favonius family during her solitary confinement hours; how Albedo’s mood would improve slightly after sharing with him about the newest discovery; how Rosaria and Venti, his drinking buddies, would bet on the silliest of things just to get each other to pay for the drinks. 

Tianqi listened with warm eyes, adding positive comments to the happy memories shared. 

In exchange, he shared his stories with Kaeya. That was how Kaeya had come to learn about Liyue’s annual Lantern Rite in-depth and the meaning behind the traditions. Tianqi had even gone out of his way to promise Kaeya that he’d take them to the Xinyue Kiosk for some Liyuen traditional food when they reached Liyue Harbour. 

“I’ll introduce you to Mr. Zhongli as well. He knows everything about anything, like a walking encyclopedia.”

“Ah… I will be looking forward to it then,” Kaeya responded with a smile. 

As the door to the meditation room got slammed open with an excited Nagisa calling them out for lunch, Kaeya dropped the icicle sphere in his palms and went to the dining hall. 

—————————

“We will reach Liyue Harbour in approximately thirty minutes, please stand by and get ready for docking,” the navigator announced from the speakers. 

After lunch, everyone set out to different parts of the vessel. Kaeya, who was not expected to do anything at the moment, decided to follow Mari to the storage room. It was better to do something to take his mind off the impending arrival. He helpfully lifted three boxes of canned items into his arms, alleviating the weight on Mari’s little hands. 

“Thank you, Kaeya. I do appreciate the help.” 

Kaeya gave her a small smile and followed her to the main deck, where they deposited the items near the main exit. He’d helped her out with several other boxes and a few bulky bags, the concern for her little build being strained at the back of his mind. 

“What are all these for?” Kaeya asked out of curiosity. They didn’t move anything around when they docked at Qiaoying Village, so it was unusual for him. 

“Trade. We need to get everything ready because once we dock, we need to set off immediately or Lady Ningguang will be charging us for loitering.” 

Kaeya frowned. “Didn’t know that Liyue is so strict with this.” 

“Meh, that’s just how it is. Liyue Harbour is one of the busiest ports in Teyvat, after all. Every second counts,” Mari laughed, “Now, would you like to go alone or with someone? I can tell that you’re very nervous.” 

Inwardly, Kaeya winced. Of course, he’d forgotten that Melusines are highly empathetic creatures. Since when had he let his guard down to disregard something so obvious? He made a mental note to work on it again once he was alone.

“I don’t know. I haven’t made my decision.”

Mari hummed in understanding. “That’s fine. You still have some time to think about it. Oh, Koe asked if you would like to follow him for this stop.”

Kaeya paused and turned to the little Melusine.  “…Not that I am opposed to it but did he say why?”

She shook her head apologetically, “I’m afraid not.”

He nodded despite the numerous unanswered questions in his head and thanked her for informing him. After Koe had taken his pouch without his permission and removed the layer of Cryo on it, the young boy was on his watch list. 

As the sounds of chatter from Liyue Harbour became more audible, the crew cheered and gathered on the main deck with their travel items in hand. Kaeya glanced over at Koe and was not surprised to see the boy already looking back at him. 

“Ah, I cannot wait ta eat at Xinyue Kiosk again!” Nagisa shouted and took off, eagerly stepping off the vessel and into the streets (and Piper, once again, chasing her with an exasperated sigh). 

Tianqi handed Kaeya some mints and waved goodbye, saying that they would meet three days later to explore Liyue. 

Guru went to fill out the arrival document that a Millelith gave them and Mari gave Kaeya a hopeful smile.

“The All-For-You will never let anyone hurt you, Kaeya. If there is anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You are one of us — even if temporary — and we will do everything we can to protect you.” 

The reassurance was sweet, but Kaeya did not need protection. It would be rude to respond with something like that, however, so he simply returned the smile and thanked her for her thoughtfulness. 

In any other circumstances, Kaeya would have said what was on his mind in his usual straightforward manner. He was getting soft, and a part of him hated it but another part felt like it was okay. 

Again, he would have to sort them out later. 

His soft gaze hardened when met with Koe’s eyes. 

“Shall we go?” Koe started. 

Kaeya took in a deep breath and stepped off the boat. 

He just hoped that no one would recognise him.

Everything will be fine. 

Chapter Text

Weeks earlier…

Jean’s a few days was twelve days. Twelve long days, where Diluc could not find peace. He knew that the others were itching to do something, but as per Jean’s orders as the Acting Grandmaster, no one could make a move. The Knights of Favonius… always so inefficient.

Diluc found himself worrying to the point of exhaustion and collapse, and he was half-threatened by Charles to take a few days off. Not that Charles could do anything, of course. However, Diluc was raised by the humble, respectful and courteous Crepus Ragnvindr so it was in his blood to respect Charles’s wish and he took a few days off.

That doesn’t mean that things were going to stop there. Until he found *his brother* Kaeya, that is. During his so-called resting period, Diluc had sent people all over Teyvat in search of the missing Knight (though, he couldn’t say that it was successful. No information about Kaeya was reported).

While the patrons at Angel’s Share did not decline, many asked about Kaeya’s whereabouts in which the fiery man glared at them with enough scariness to drive them away.

Rosaria didn’t show up as often, but she was probably busy with her work as well.

As for Venti… When the bard dropped a bag of more on the counter and demanded a good drink, Diluc was up and over the counter within seconds.

“Where did you get this? You stole them, didn’t you?” He accused with a ferocious glint in his eyes.

“Whaaaaaat? No! Do you think I’d stoop that low and steal from my people? Pssssshhhh!”

“Where. Did. You. Get. This.”

“Alright alright fine!” Venti relented, knowing that the only way to escape from second-degree burns was to tell the (half) truth. “I have a friend in Liyue who is rich as heck. He gave me some allowance, okay?”

Diluc frowned and narrowed his eyes in scepticism. “You’re not telling me the whole truth. What did you give in return?”

Venti considered tricking Diluc by talking in a weird accent, but of course, Diluc wouldn’t let him go unless he was satisfied with the answer. In Venti’s defence, he put up a great fight before giving up: “I told them about the situation in Fontaine, alright? He already knows about it so I just… added on, you know?”

The scandal was not something privy to the walls of Fontaine; it became international news in a week. From his network, Diluc was informed of scholars in the Akademiya in Sumeru researching more into this topic and looking into “the psychology of Sir Kaeya of the Knights of Favonius”. Utter bullshit in Diluc’s words. There were also reports from Natlan and a bulk of them from Liyue. So technically, he couldn’t be angry at Venti for sharing international news.

But it doesn’t make it any less infuriating, though.

He retreated behind the counter and started making glasses of dandelion wine and apple cider. Venti had the gall to smirk at him while Diluc glared back.

“Come on, Master Diluc! Don’t be so grouchy. Come with me to Liyue; A little birdie told me that Sir Kaeya and little Klee will be arriving there in a week~”

Diluc slid over the mug of finished apple cider. “Your little birdie. It probably got shot by an abyss mage’s icicle.”

The bard gasped in shock and put his hand over his heart to feign hurt. “How rude! Surely the land of Freedom didn’t teach you to be this savage towards a little bard!”

“But you’re not just an ordinary bard,” the taller man commented, “How do you know this information is trustworthy?”

“You see, Master Diluc,” Venti’s hurt expression was gone, replaced by an all-knowing smile.

“That little birdie is too, a child of Freedom. Besides, wouldn’t an Archon want his children to be safe and sound?”

—————————

When asked if he wanted to tag along, Albedo simply shook his head, not even glancing away from the conical flask. It was as if the question was so ridiculous that no consideration needed to be made.

“I must decline your offer, Master Diluc. I’d admit that without you, Mondstadt would lose another pillar of defence. If I were to go…”

Diluc nodded in understanding. He had a feeling that Albedo would decline his offer; though the alchemist was undoubtedly worried, he was one of the more capable ones who could defend Mondstadt. With their Cavalry Captain and Spark Knight gone, there was a rise of abyssal creatures sightings as well as arrogant groups of people who thought that they could take over the Land of Freedom.

Alongside Jean and Lisa, Diluc trusts Albedo to protect the city. Even though the Knights of Favonius are still inefficient in his eyes, some people wouldn’t let their beloved city fall.

Before he left, Albedo called out to him another time, stopping him in his tracks.

“When you find Kaeya and Klee, do not give in to your emotions.” He was now staring straight at Diluc with a stern, firm glare. “Do not chase him away again.”

The wine tycoon didn’t bother answering as he made his way out and closed the door behind him.

————————

A few days later…

The night they planned to set off for Liyue Harbour, Diluc was responsible enough to inform his close friends and acquaintances of his little trip.

Charles was more than happy to bid him farewell, assuring him that the tavern would be in good hands. Jean and Lisa both wished him a safe trip and (somehow) convinced him to write to them about the progress of the search.  Albedo and Rosaria had the same reaction: distant and nonchalant. …Not like he expected a reaction anyway.

Adelinde had the most unexpected reaction. She hugged him tightly and Diluc swore that he felt his shoulder pads get a bit wet.

“Please bring young master Kaeya back to us.”

Her words made Diluc’s heartbeat increase a little though his expression remains the same, neutral one.

He met up with Venti at Windrise. The bard was on the Barbatos statue’s hands, strumming on his lyre with graceful fingers. Venti caught his gaze and smiled, leaping off the hands and onto the platform.

“Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Wriothesley was filling up some documents when there was a knock on the door. After he said to enter, the door swung open. He was far too busy and tired to look up at who had entered, but the light footsteps indicated that it wasn’t the guards.

“Ah, Sigewinne. Got mail for me?” A small smile graced his lips as the Melusine dropped the pile of unseen mail on his desk.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Your Grace,” she panted, “I had to run a few errands on the surface and well... the flood didn’t make it easy.”

Ah yes, the flood. It had been pouring for weeks with no signs of stopping. It was like a certain Judge was trying to drown Fontaine in rainwater. Fortunately, there wasn’t a prophecy that illustrated another tragedy this time. Clorinde began working more on the surface, rarely dropping by the Fortress to update him on the progress of the city. Sigewinne offered to fill in for her, but there were more prisoners and therefore, more patients.

All in all, stress levels were at an all-time high and Wriothesley found himself working overtime with no breaks. His weariness proved to be a hindrance when fights broke out. More scars littered his body with each fight, which was never the case since he was graced with the title of “Duke”.

He wondered if Neuvillette’s sense of responsibility returned to him yet. He wondered if the Chief Justice looked outside and saw how the streets of the Court of Fontaine turned into water theme parks for children. He wondered when everything could return to the way it was.

Sigewinne seemed to understand his thoughts (she always did, that’s the scary thing about her) and went to get two cups of tea for him. He thanked her for her concern and picked up a mail from the pile.

“I got word that the Traveller and Klee had reached Inazuma safely and are currently under the protection and care of the Yashiro Commission.”

“That’s great. We needn’t be too concerned for their safety, then. What about Kaeya?”

At the pause, Wriothesley glanced up from his mail. Sigewinne frowned and had a contemplative look on her face, as though she was reluctant to tell him. Before he could shrug the matter off, she began to talk once more.

“The All-For-You has arrived at Liyue Harbour, but there was an unforeseen extended stop there. Mari doesn’t know all the details either, but it seems like Kaeya is nervous about it,” Sigewinne said.

Of course, he would be, Wriothesley thought. Liyue was frighteningly close to Mondstadt and Liyue Harbour is one of the most — if not the most — renowned harbour in Teyvat. He did tell Kaeya to keep in touch, but the Knight hasn’t written to either him or Neuvillette (at least, not that he knew of). Maybe Wriothesley should be the one to take the first step. Kaeya may be facing troubles that he couldn’t share with the AFY crew.

“Thank you, Sigewinne,” Wriothesley said with a nod, “How is Neuvillette?”

Sigewinne shook her head in disappointment. He already knew the answer, but her gestures confirmed all he needed to know to plan for the next step.

He thanked her once again and dismissed her so that she could return to her duties. From the shelf beside the study, he picked up his umbrella and left his office.

—————————

Seeing Neuvillette in the rain wasn’t an uncommon sight. The Chief Justice tended to do that when he got lost in thought. Just outside the Palais Mermonia, Neuvillette was looking out into the distance, eyes lacked their usual sharpness and it was replaced with a dull, emptiness.

Wriothesley approached him silently, moving his arm slightly so the umbrella could shield them both from the rain.

They didn’t say anything for a while. The silence that stretched between them, accompanied by the pitter patters of rain descending onto the flooded ground, was peaceful.

“Is it wrong?”

The silence was broken by a vague question that only Wriothesley could understand.

“It is not in my place to answer,” he answered, “But you must have your reasons that made you feel that way.”

“Why does it feel like I never want to see him again? Why does my heart ache whenever I think about him? It’s hate, isn’t it?”

Wriothesley turned to face the white-haired man with a solemn expression. He’s not very good with feelings, but he’d heard it before. Some prisoners even shared their experiences with him. Yes, it may be hate, but —

“It may also be love.”

Neuvillette narrowed his eyes and turned away.

He already knew that.

“Hey,” Wriothesley started, trying to get the other man’s attention. “You and I both know that it’s the latter. Why are you trying so hard to deny that? Could it be that you are afraid of being hurt? Or are you afraid of hurting him?”

Ouch, that was brutal. He had enough of Neuvillette’s avoidance of the topic and decided that the only way to get to him was to be as blunt as possible. To lay out everything.

He turned and walked away, not expecting the other to answer. However, he could make out a small, broken voice.

“Hating someone is easier than loving someone.”

A line that Wriothesley himself knew all too well.

—————————

Meanwhile, at the Wangshuu Inn…

“He’s here,” the Anemo Yaksha announced with a grim expression. “Are you going after him?”

“It’s alright, Xiao,” Zhongli reassured the shorter male, “We will meet him when the time comes.”

Xiao scoffed, plucking a leaf off a branch from the tree he was sitting on top of. Zhongli smiled fondly at the shorter male. Despite his show of nonchalance, he knew that Xiao was just as excited to meet Kaeya as he was.

Chapter Text

“…Do you know why I wanted you to come with me, Sir Kaeya?”

Seated across Koe, Kaeya pretended to look through the menu full of traditional Liyuen teas.

“I assume that it has nothing to do with the time you stole my pouch without permission?”

Koe’s gaze remained firm despite the other’s sarcastic tone. Who knew the shy and socially awkward navigator could be firm when he wanted to?

“No, it’s not.” As expected, Koe avoided the topic altogether. Now that he thought about it, isn’t this situation similar to the villains in children’s storybooks? Klee had requested him to read her a bedtime story about a hero and a villain, and Kaeya very much felt like the interrogated hero.

“I am protecting you, Kaeya. Believe me when I say that I do this with the best intentions at heart.”

Kaeya scoffed.

“Please trust me,” Koe insisted.

“You have done nothing but put me on guard,” Kaeya growled. He took in a deep breath and collected his thoughts before adding, “But I am an understanding man. I will hear you out.”

The navigator looked taken aback, not expecting to be heard out so easily. He cleared his throat and nodded, pushing aside the hundreds of words and phrases of “please trust me” synonyms.

“I know this may be very confusing for you,” Koe started, “but there is a legend five hundred thousand years ago that illustrated a catastrophe. I guess you can call it a prophecy.”

A prophecy? Something like Fontaine’s one then. Kaeya wouldn’t blindly believe the other, having experienced many situations like these in the past with interrogations. Prophecies are one of the easiest excuses to make up, given that nobody knows if it is going to happen or not.

However, the mention of a prophecy does sound intriguing. At least it’s an interesting excuse. Kaeya nodded, a sign for Koe to continue.

“Five hundred thousand years ago, a young prince turned against his kingdom, in search of greater power. His greed for power led the world into discord, leaving the world damaged beyond repair. I hypothesise this will happen again soon.”

Okay… so the destruction of the entire world. Not very believable, but then, there isn’t any evidence suggesting that it isn’t.

They were promptly interrupted by a waitress taking their order, which they were served almost immediately.

“So… what exactly did the prophecy say? And why now?” Kaeya asked, sipping on his green tea after the waitress left.

“This timeline, which we call K-046, is the first blink since the destruction of the world five hundred thousand years ago, the L-598. That means that this timeline is parallel to L-598 and the same large-scale destruction will befall the world.”

“…I don’t understand.”

“I-it’s alright… I don’t understand it fully either…”

Although Kaeya didn’t understand everything that was said, he did pick out a few phrases and linked them together.

So in summary, something terrible that happened five hundred thousand years ago is going to happen in this timeline once again. Judging by how serious Koe seemed to be, the events must be happening soon. However, one question is left unanswered.

“What do I have to do with this?”

Koe sucked in a breath. “…The prince did not act alone. He needed help gaining power. In this case, his allies are…”

Somehow, Kaeya understood that implication immediately.

“The Abyss Order.”

“Right,” Koe confirmed, “And you’re the prince, Kaeya.”

—————————

”…Give me time to process everything.”

Koe nodded in understanding and gave him space to leave, his cup of tea left half-finished. The air around them grew denser and Kaeya felt like he needed to remove himself from the place before he ended up suffocating.

Kaeya thanked the younger boy before stumbling his way to the exit. He turned right and made his way through the streets, not caring where he would end up. All he knew was to get away. To somewhere where he could breathe freely once again.

Unsurprisingly, he ended up in a place he didn’t know. He hadn’t been to Liyue as frequently as others expected from Mondstadt’s Cavalry Caption, so his getting lost was not uncommon.

Whenever his mind wandered back to the conversation earlier, he slapped himself on the face to bring himself back to the present. Pain is usually effective in giving reminders to himself.

A quiet yelp rang in his ears and Kaeya found himself on the ground. His head lurched and he willed himself to focus. Soon enough, his vision returned to him and brown and gold robes faded into sight.

“Are you alright?”

Kaeya looked up and was met with amber eyes that were filled with concern. Had he just… bumped into someone? So the yelp came from him? How embarrassing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you,” Kaeya was quick to apologize to the stranger.

Now with his vision fully returned, he could see the other man’s features. For some reason, Kaeya felt his heartthrob when he took in the other’s appearance. He looked vaguely familiar, but Kaeya couldn’t put a finger on what exactly it was. He had seen him before, like deja vu.

“It is alright. No offence, but you look a bit stressed out. Could I take you somewhere to rest for a bit?”

“No, no. It’s fine. Thank you for your concern.”

Kaeya quickly got to his feet and brushed away the dust on his scarf. The stranger seemed to want to protest but kept his silence and nodded.

“Please, be careful. Should you need anything, feel free to approach Katheryne of the Adventurers’ Guild or drop by at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. Just ask any locals and they will bring you there,” the man said with a gentle smile. He seemed so polite… to the point where Kaeya could mistake him for Neuvillette.

“Thank you for your… help, kind sir.”

Kaeya slid past the stranger and continued on his journey to nowhere, red and flushed from embarrassment. This time, he made sure to open his eyes and watch his step.

Chapter Text

Kaeya decided for himself that the best thing for him was to get out of Liyue Harbour for the time being. It has become something like a war zone, where he fought to navigate the area and avoid anyone who laid their eyes on him.

He went around the Harbour with careful steps, hiding in dark corners and spaces. He must have looked ridiculous to anyone who didn’t know what he was trying to do. Eventually, Kaeya ended up somewhere where there were tiny lily pads on a well-placed pond. That’s when Celestia heard his call for help.

A brochure! On the ground! With instructions on how to get to another place in Liyue!

Swiping the brochure off the floor, he went to a corner to look through the details. The heading was bolded in orange and the background was a picture of what seemed like a tall structure. Wangshuu Inn, the brochure helpfully introduced, a place for comfort and relaxation.

[Do you want to get out of the bustling, fast-paced life of Liyue?]

Yes, most definitely.

[Do you feel so overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion?]

That’s what Kaeya is.

[Do you feel the need to let everything go and set yourself free?]

Of course!

[If you answered “yes” to all three questions, let us help you! Plan your next rest stop at Wangshuu Inn and get the rest you deserve! Instructions on how to get there are stated below.]

Call him a kid, but Kaeya was beyond excited. Maybe it was the relief of finally being able to escape from the stares from locals glaring into his soul, or the promise of proper rest that made him eagerly rush towards the direction of the inn. Maybe both. He still had a few days to himself before his planned meeting with Tianqi, and he wanted to spend that time alone and without disturbance.

He arrived at the Wangshuu Inn relatively fast. He went up the elevator and straight to the check-in counter, where he was greeted warmly by the receptionist. With the room key in his possession, Kaeya deposited his baggage (the small bag he carries around with him) and headed to the balcony.

“You could see the whole of Liyue from here!”

“The world is pretty small, isn’t it brother?”

Not so far away, a pair of siblings were chatting away while taking in the sights. A few years ago, Kaeya would have said the same. Between him and Diluc, he was usually the more vocal one when it came to appreciating nature and the world, and Diluc mostly complained, but would always support him nonetheless.

He remembered being allowed on the hands of the Barbatos’s statue for the first time and marvelling at how he was able to see beyond the walls of Mondstadt from there. When he was younger, everything was so carefree and he could live.

Now, though, the colours seemed to have been sucked out of life and the world doesn’t seem to be as vibrant and colourful as it once did.

Kaeya smiled to himself, watching the two brothers beside him pick out random things they saw from afar.

Just then, a cold chill went down his spine. A presence spawned behind him out of nowhere, lurking and watching him from the large tree. The unmistakable breeze of Anemo, the sharp, piercing eyes that bore into the back of his head.

What was watching him was trained in stealth (though Kaeya* himself had his fair share of similar skills, so he could pick out where the target was located), not unlike an assassin. But there was no sign of hostility or danger, nor did the presence seem interested in harming him in any way. It’s just there. Like a curious puppy watching his every move out of interest.

His hypothesis was made, and Kaeya decided to ignore it and took the elevator down to the ground floor for a much-needed drink.

—————————

“Hey, Piper, what do ya think of Kaeya?”

Piper raised an eyebrow. The young girl had enthusiastically run around all over Liyue Harbour, purchasing this and that from every shop she stepped into. Nothing Piper said or did slowed her down. Eventually, Nagisa tired herself out and was pulled to a tea shop to rest up.

Once the sugar rush was over, she would ramble on about anything and everything before she gained back the energy to run around again. This time, however, she was quiet until she popped that question.

To him, the new passenger was distant and kept his cards close to his chest at first, but slowly opened up as time went on. Everyone seemed to enjoy his presence; Nagisa even went to him for advice. Though new, Kaeya was part of their family. And, as long as he doesn’t hurt anyone, Piper thinks highly of the other.

“He’s nice,” Piper settled for, “Why?”

“Koe said he might not go with us anymore…”

“What do you mean?”

“I like Kaeya, Piper. But if… if Kaeya chooses ta not go ta Inazuma anymore, does that mean I will never see him again?”

Piper wrapped an arm around the younger girl, bringing her to his side for comfort. Nagisa was never one to express her true feelings through words, even more so about someone else. He ignores the possibility of Kaeya staying behind in Liyue Harbour and chooses to focus on the girl beside him.

“Even if he does not travel with us anymore, it doesn’t mean we won’t see him again. He may come to visit,” he tried.

Nagisa sniffled, rubbing her nose.

“Mm, I guess so.”

They sat together, watching as the sun set and the afterglow spills over the horizon. The tea, long forgotten, rested in their teacups without a ripple.

A loud clang interrupted the serene moment as both crew mates jumped at the sound. They both instantly looked to the source of the sound. A girl…? Boy? clad in green and a scowling man frantically fussed over a broken teacup that was shattered on the floor.

“You and your itchy fingers! I told you not to touch it!”

“H-How do I know it will break this easily?! N-Not to mention the display case is so fragile!”

“Well if you listened to me this wouldn’t happen in the first place!”

“Gentlemen,” Piper cleared his throat. The two figures instantly tensed up and looked at him. The one in green started sweating while the man just huffed and looked away.

Nagisa frowned and crossed her arms. “Ya gonna have to pay for that. Don’t even think of runnin’ away!”

“W-Wait! Let’s talk it out!”