Chapter Text
Kaeya
The sound of steel on steel rang sharp against the midnight air.
Kaeya twisted his blade in a tight arc, sparks flaring as he parried the strike of a hilichurl’s crude axe. His boots slid across the cobblestones, breath misting in the chill night as he pivoted, driving his opponent back with practiced ease. The creatures had been bold tonight—too bold—wandering close to Mondstadt’s walls as if they no longer feared the Knights of Favonius’ patrols.
He let his sword rest at his side for half a heartbeat, the corner of his lips curling in a faint, amused smile. “You really should know better,” he said softly, though his voice carried enough to make the hilichurl pause.
The pause was fatal.
One clean strike ended it, and Kaeya flicked the blade free of blood before turning on his heel. But his smile faded as quickly as it had come. Because the street was still too quiet. Because the night air still tasted wrong. Because someone—or something—was watching.
His hand tightened on the hilt.
“Come now,” Kaeya murmured, scanning the rooftops with a sharp eye. “If you’ve gone through the trouble of stalking me, the least you can do is say hello.”
From the shadows, a figure stepped into the pale light of the street. Red hair caught the moon’s glow, unmistakable even in the dark.
Kaeya’s expression flickered, just briefly, before he schooled it into something lighter. “Ah. So the mysterious stalker turns out to be none other than Master Diluc himself. Tell me—have you taken to following me around at night, or did fate simply feel like a joke tonight?”
Diluc didn’t answer right away. His arms were folded, gaze heavy with something Kaeya couldn’t quite pin down. “You were careless,” he said finally, voice even.
Kaeya laughed softly, tilting his head. “Careless? Me? You wound me, brother. I thought my swordplay was rather dazzling.”
“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
That earned a pause, but Kaeya recovered quickly, grin widening. “Ah, so it’s concern, then. Don’t tell me you’re losing sleep over little old me.”
Diluc’s jaw tightened, and for a moment it seemed like he might deny it. Instead, he glanced away, choosing silence.
Kaeya let the moment linger before giving a small shrug. “Well, whatever your reason, you can rest assured. I’m still alive, and I’ll be fine without a shadow trailing after me. But… how thoughtful of you, truly.” His tone was light, but his words cut sharp enough to end the conversation.
He turned, boots clicking against the cobblestones as he started toward the gates of Mondstadt. His hand brushed absently against his side as he walked, but he didn’t notice the warmth seeping beneath his glove, or the way the shallow scratch from earlier ached more than it should.
Behind him, Diluc stayed rooted to the spot, his unreadable gaze following Kaeya until the night swallowed him whole.