paradoxical | genshin impact

28 : scary.

"A Kamera?"

You observed Kaeya in quiet curiosity as he spared you a laugh, placing a mechanical contraption on top of the table you're occupying at Good Hunter. He'd called you out for lunch to show you something interesting, but you didn't think it would be a tool your mother only ever mentioned in her stories growing up.

"Yup, the scholars from the stranded caravan sent this one over to Favonius Headquarters as a... thank you of sorts," the Captain explained, gloved fingers running across the intricate cloud patterns etched onto the side. "They originally addressed this to Albedo, but we all know he doesn't particularly care for things that don't contribute to his research so..."

"You pilfered it?" you deadpanned.

Kaeya grinned. "I pilfered it."

As your companion carefully explained how the gadget worked, Sara eventually came out of her booth to serve your meals—smiling at you in that no-good manner of hers when Kaeya wasn't looking. She didn't have to speak for you to figure out she was teasing, but before Sara could embarrass you into complete silence, Kaeya asked if you wanted to test it out.

"See, I stocked this with a few sheets of film and it should come out of the ejection slot once you click this button," he said carefully, making you snicker. "Hey, what's so funny?"

"Nothing," you insisted, but the smile that crept on your lips said otherwise. "It's just that I've never seen you look so excited about something since we were kids. Does Captain Kaeya like the idea of playing around with the Kamera, by any chance?"

Kaeya pouted before lifting the gadget to his face. "It's really cool, okay? Now hold steady. I'm gonna try and take a picture of you..."

"What? Hey, at least ask first! Let me get ready—" The flash suddenly went off, blinding you for a split second before spots started dancing across your line of sight. "—You ass!"

Honestly, you could get used to this.

It's been two months since the incident that took place in Dragonspine. Two months since Diluc confessed his feelings, subsequently making you realize the ones you harbored for his brother instead. You couldn't really tell whether or not a lot has changed because Kaeya was the way he's always been, but you felt as if you'd grown impossibly closer in that timespan. You once thought living with him in your apartment was the tightest you could get with your own best friend. But after that quick encounter with him on his birthday, in a vineyard full of crystalflies, you couldn't help but think something was different.

Kaeya seemed happier, a lot more carefree than what you're used to. The times where he would purposely let his guard down have become more frequent, as if he trusted you without an ounce of hesitation. And these days, when you looked at him, he was no longer Captain Kaeya, the most secretive man in the city of freedom, but a young man who's happily in love with—

Whoa, there. You almost got carried away for a second.

Let's start from the beginning: it's been two months since the chain of events that have led up to this moment began, but not once has Kaeya come clean about the way he felt about you.

It's not like you were expecting him to. After all, the arrangement you'd originally settled with was borne from your respective needs and desires at the time. In the off-chance that Kaeya actually returned your feelings, you'd like him to tell you about them in his own time. Just because you'd been living with him under the same roof for two months, doesn't mean you were entitled to his confession of undying love, right?

...But a small, insignificant part of you hoped he would. Everyday.

"Hm? You're spacing out again."