Chapter Text
This is the life Kaeya Alberich has grown used to. Some days are good days, days when the sun reminds him of the blue skies of his childhood, days when Mondstadt opens up before him like a sweet flower, days that end in the Angel’s Share tavern, Diluc sliding a bottle of Death After Noon towards him with a grudging sigh. Some days are not so good — Kaeya wakes with an icy headache throbbing through his skull, and he isn’t sure if it's from overusing his Vision or from drinking himself nearly under the table. These are the days when everything is dimmer, days when his sword is a little heavier, his smile is a little harder to force. Days when Diluc levels a look of unguarded disgust at Kaeya across the bar counter — or worse, days when he looks right through him. Kaeya knows today is one of those days before he even opens his eyes fully. The sun is streaming through the open window, blinding him as he swings his legs out of bed and gropes for the curtains.
“Archons,” he mumbles. Why did he leave the window open last night? Vague memories of scaling the side of his building — quicker than using the door — bubble to the surface, but Kaeya pushes them away as he shoves the window closed and stumbles to the bathroom. His hair is a complete mess, he notes with a quick glance in the mirror, but more concerning, he’s wearing a long, dark coat that is most definitely not his .
Kaeya splashes some water on his face, scrubs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to search through the hazy memories of last night. He remembers a bar, and alcohol, his old friend. He remembers the warm almost-summer night turning the air thick and turgid. He remembers the hazy gloom of the Angel's Share, the sweat shining on Diluc’s brow as he worked, remembers Diluc draping his heavy coat over his arm and carrying it to the backroom. He remembers stealing through the window sometime after midnight, and maybe it was a dare, maybe not. Regardless, Kaeya is currently wearing Diluc’s coat. Kaeya stole Diluc’s coat.
That’s a problem. But, Kaeya realizes with a glance out the window, it’s a problem he’s going to have to deal with later. He’s late for work. Judging by the sun, he should have been in Jean’s office half an hour ago.
Jean hates it when Kaeya climbs the buildings. She thinks it’s unprofessional. Out of respect for her, Kaeya takes the time to actually walk through the door to her office, a sheepish apology of a smile already fixed in place.
“Well, well, well,” says Lisa as soon as he sets foot in the room. “The Cavalry Captain. How honored we are that you’ve chosen to grace us with your presence.”
Kaeya ignores her. “Jean, I—”
Jean waves away his apology preemptively. “It’s okay, Kaeya. You’ll need to make up for lost time, though.” She stands up and offers him a piece of paper. “We’ve got a lot on our plate this morning.”
Kaeya sighs and takes the paper. “What’s the problem?”
Jean lists the issues off her fingers. “Hilichurls, like usual. Treasure hunters on the outskirts of town. Slimes scaring away local game. Sightings of an Abyss Mage near the bridge, but we’re not sure if those are fake. And some local commissions.”
Kaeya forces a smile. “Great! What are we waiting for?”
“You,” says Lisa smugly. “Jean has to entertain some diplomats this afternoon, so you’ll be on your own.”
“What?” Kaeya squints at Lisa. “What about the other knights?”
“Already busy with their own tasks,” says Jean with a sigh. “You did show up late.”
Kaeya groans. “There’s no glamor to this job,” he says to no one in particular. “Don’t let the fancy title fool you. Mondstadt doesn’t even have any cavalry to captain.”
“Let’s go, Captain,” Lisa says, and gestures towards the door. “You don’t have all day.”
Kaeya knows better than to ask Lisa what makes her so busy that she can’t take a minute to help, but he can’t resist making a face as he trudges out of the office. Another day of busywork. How perfect. Maybe if he’s lucky, something more interesting will happen, like a dragon attack, or a reckless wind glider.
Jean’s list of tasks lays out his duties in her neat handwriting. “Hilichurl encampment 120m from the front gate, blocking side road,” the first item reads, and Kaeya sighs and tucks the paper away as he heads through the town center. Venti is standing on the edge of the fountain, strumming his lute and humming to himself, braids bobbing. He waves as Kaeya passes by and jumps down to greet him.
“Good morning! Why the long face?”
Kaeya hadn’t realized he’d been making any particular face. “Work, as usual. Nothing you need to worry about.” Venti lives a carefree, easygoing life. Kaeya envies him. “It must be nice to be a bard.”
Venti laughs, a tinkling youthful sound. “You’d think so,” he says playfully, “but it’s not for the faint of heart. One second someone’s tossing an overripe sunsettia at you because they hate your song, the next you’re being chased down the street by an angry cat. And worst of all, I can’t find a place that will serve me a good drink after a hard day!”
Kaeya laughs. “Not even from Diona?”
Venti pouts. “Margaret told her to cut me off. Oh!” He brightens up. “Speaking of drinking… I spoke to Master Diluc earlier.”
Kaeya feels something in him tense a little, the way it always does when someone mentions Diluc’s name. “About what?”
“Did you stop by the Angel’s Share last night?” Venti plucks out a short, absent-minded strum of notes. “Someone stole something of his. Maybe you saw them?”
Kaeya winces. “Uh.”
Venti blinks up at him, eyes shining. “I’m sure Master Diluc just wants it back, no questions asked!”
“I’ll ask around and see if I can turn up any information.” Kaeya scratches the back of his head, wishing Venti would stop looking at him like that. “Did he ask you to speak to me about this?”
“Mm… not exactly.” Venti shrugs. “Why? You two have a fight or something?”
“Or something.” Kaeya can hardly remember a time when they weren’t fighting. Well, what they do isn’t exactly fighting — it’s just kind of a perpetual cold shoulder, with a snarky remark or two traded back and forth every now and then in a way that could almost be mistaken for banter by someone who didn’t know them at all. It’s not fighting, exactly. It’s Kaeya spending every free hour he can manage at the Angel’s Share, watching Diluc from across the room and trying to work up the courage to go over and say something, knowing he never will. Not like this, not in the middle of a crowd, not while he’s working . It’s Diluc’s eyes cutting into him every time Kaeya tries to smile at him, on those days when it’s dark and cold and he’s lonelier than ever, days when the space between his table and the bar turns into a yawning gulf the size of Dragonspine and twice as freezing. It’s not exactly fighting. It’s more like standing in the exact center of a bonfire and freezing down to his bones.
“Well.” Venti pauses. “He didn’t mention you by name, but he did say he thought it was strange that the Knights of Favonius have been so frivolous lately. Said they had too much time on their hands, and no idea how to spend it.”
Kaeya quirks an eyebrow. “You can tell Master Diluc, the next time you see him, that the Knights of Favonius have their work cut out for them.” He fishes the list of tasks out of his pocket and holds it up. “Jean keeps us running day and night.”
“Hey, I’m just the messenger!” Venti twirls, a mischievous grin on his face. “You should tell him yourself, after you catch the thief.”
“Right.” Kaeya is sure Venti knows what he’s done, but he shrugs anyway. “Master Diluc really should be more careful with his belongings. Some of these things never turn up.”
Venti laughs. “Maybe he has a point about the Knights.”
Kaeya rolls his eyes. “Don’t you have a priceless artifact to vandalize? I have a job to do.”
“Right, right.” Venti bounces back towards the fountain with a wave. “You really should talk to him! I’m sure he’d love to hear from you!”
Kaeya waves back and then turns to head towards the gates. Not a chance in Snezhnaya. He’ll leave the coat in Diluc’s backroom this evening, and it will all be forgotten.