Chapter Text
Her place was here, at this man's side, where the scent of roses embraced. Sweet and soft, shimmering like gems as the sunlight caught the morning dew. All the trials she endured, the perils she faced, led to this moment. This peaceful, calm moment where she was hand-in-hand with a man she loved whom loved her just the same. Everything hardship seemed to wash away, cleansed by the drizzle of rain.
From where she stood, she could see another in the window above. Standing tall and strong, as though he had not just endured the same hardship as she, smiling down at her with a look of acceptance. She can only smile back in gratitude, in appreciation to that undying loyalty that's saved her again and again. Within a few steps, that figure disappeared out of view and the only one left in her sights was her beloved. He squeezed her hand, pressed a kiss to her fingers, and slowly dropped down to one knee. Her heart clenched, her cheeks burned with a blush, and those seconds felt like the longest moments of her life as his gloved hand pulled from the inner pocket of his coat.
And, oh, that gem was more brilliant than even the dew kissed roses.
It was then she knew that she finally belonged.
The End.
...
Kaeya closed his phone.
"That was it?" he complained as he let himself fall back onto the bed, grunting from the sound of the metal creaking and the painful resistance. His phone bounced from the loose grip of his hand, falling somewhere to the wayside. Briefly, he considered whether or not he should simply splurge on a new mattress. Thought about the long-lasting pros, and then about the immediate cons -- all leading back to his wallet's weeping. An empty wallet, and empty stomach, was reason enough to cast that idea out the window. If he had to live with crippling scoliosis for the rest of his life so he could pay off his student loan, then so be it. Straight backs were old-fashioned anyway.
A deep exhale seeped past his lips, eyes fluttering closed to recover from the hours spent staring at a bright screen. The burn wasn't enough to distract him from his thoughts, however, as he went on an inner spiel-
'Why, of all people, did she pick a guy like that? The blandest, straight from the rulebook Male Lead there ever was.' And Kaeya certainly had some knowledge on character writing. All the tropes, the dos and don'ts. He was working to be an actor, after all, and his abilities in Drama weren't to be laughed at. "Seriously, he had no good points about him other than his 'handsome' face and being nice." Not that it was a crime to be a decent human-being, but the devotion that Jean showed her love interest didn't feel earned.
Jean was loveable -- the author made sure of that. Kaeya, along with most of the reading audience, adored her. She was strong, smart, independent. Even when she was in trouble, she would put others before herself and do whatever was in her power to overcome the impossible. There wasn't a moment in the story where Kaeya wasn't rooting for her or pleading for her safety. Well... except when it came to her love life, he supposed. That's a part of her character he questioned.
Now, if he were her, then he would've married himself off to the Secondary Male Lead instead.
"Ahh, my poor Diluc... My Uncrowned King..." Kaeya lamented dramatically, rolling over onto his belly, phone in hand once more. He pulled up one of the few illustrations that came with the webnovel, profiles of the main cast, and quickly scrolled through until it stopped on the one he wanted. A redhead dressed in black. His hair and eyes was as vibrant as the roses that adorned his kingdom, his attire of deep night adorned with soft gold made him look elegant and regal. The claymore standing straight and tall by his side, supported with a single hand wrapped around the hilt, proved that he was more than just a pretty, fair face. Gods, how can a 2D picture be exactly his type.
"Diluc~" he whined, helplessly staring at the picture with a pillow hugged against his chest. It was unfair! Despite being stoic, playing on the more serious side, Diluc was easily the better companion. He was rich, but humble and polite. Though he was raised to be a prince on the throne, he picked up the sword due to a sense of responsibility to protect his people alongside them. There were countless times where he displayed his undying loyalty for Jean -- he nearly died or got seriously injured more than his fingers could count in the span of the entire novel, for heaven's sake! Someone, anyone, change the definition of 'Knight' to just 'Diluc Ragnvindr'.
"You deserve so much better than this bland ending. If only I was there with you, I would date the hell out of you." Kaeya mused with a mirthless smile, unbelieving that he was yearning for someone who was just words on the screen. "Well... I guess I kind of am."
Another flick of his thumb and the screen swiped down to the next character. An eye that near matched his own, the appearance of star-shaped pupils being the only distinction, staring back at him through the screen made him shiver. It was ridiculous how close they were in appearance. The same shade of hair, nearly an identical hairstyle though Kaeya lacked the long ponytail that the other possessed. As well as the fancy clothes. And the sword. And the money. Honestly, it was like looking at a better, more well-off version of himself and it was a little insulting.
"...Even the name, too." he mumbled with a bit of disdain.
Kaeya Alberich was the name of this specific character, the little taste of irony not lost on him. While he does have a pretty face and a gentle smile, it was all a façade. In actuality, Alberich had been one of the Villains that drove the story forward and did what he could to impede the relationship between Jean and the Male Lead. Born into a declining family of nobility, Alberich led a life full of darkness and neglect. Though, not much else is known. Only that, eventually, both parents had died due to an incurable disease and it left him to become Viscount Alberich. With new power and what remaining loyalty was left in his house, the man strived to drag his family's name out of the dirt and back into the light of nobility. He had succeeded, but it wasn't without sacrifice nor humiliation. Nor was it without help.
While his antagonistic actions towards the couple was out of envy, Alberich was simply a pawn to a bigger scheme. With coin and the right whispers, he was easily manipulated to be the scapegoat culprit behind all the nasty plots made against the main cast. It wasn't until he had openly made an attempt on Jean's life, when failure after failure had been too much to contain and he was driven into desperation, that he was put down by Diluc's sword. That, in itself, shouldn't have meant anything. A villain got his comeuppance. But that excerpt, so brief that it should have been meaningless, stuck with him.
[ Red blossomed from his chest. Like roses, it emerged from the soil of his flesh, the color seeping through the white of his shirt and coloring it a brilliant crimson. There should have been pain, he knew, and yet all he felt was a numbing warmth. A strong hand cradled his neck, supported his head. Another trying to smother that beautiful bloom.
"Oh... Oh, Sunshine..."
And Kaeya Alberich fell back into that long awaiting darkness. ]
Now, it was strange enough to be sharing his name with a character. But, at the time, he felt an ache -- a cold upon having to essentially read what felt like his own death. All at once, he felt sympathy for the man. Not much was written of him, nor his backstory, but there were little glimpses of something more behind him than just his canon fodder status. That there was more to Kaeya Alberich than the author was willing to tell. Suddenly a character that he didn't care much for became the top of his 'unfair, wasted potential list'. He couldn't help but feel some injustice from it.
"You were just a pawn, but you had all that power." Kaeya whined as he buried his face into the pillow, feeling the dregs of sleep starting to catch up on him. The weight of burdens sank into his bones; juggling between a part-time job and college, as well as trying to make room for an acting career, the voicemails left by his father. Ah, how he wanted it all to just fade away. How he wanted to escape. And he could, just for a moment, as he rambled about people that didn't even exist. Wishing dearly that they did. "And Diluc, poor Diluc... Being left all alone like that. If I was Alberich, I wouldn't have forced his hand. If I was Jean, I would have chosen him. I would have..."
Those musings trailed off into soft mumbles, lashes fluttering as he let himself be taken by blissful sleep, unknowing of the voice that cut through faint and echoing.
"Then do what I could not."
...
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