𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

XIV

“Slow your roll, Kaeya.” You walked up to him, unconcerned of the looks you were getting from Aether. “Don’t scare him away.”

Kaeya extended his hand, like the gentlemen he was, pulling you closer to him when you placed your hand in his. He wrapped an arm around your waist, giving you a reassuring squeeze, something that you figured was more for him than it was for you if the trembling fingers said anything.

“How could I not dearest? A mysterious stranger appears and I shouldn’t be worried?”

“I’ll vouch for him.” You nodded towards Aether, you still looked at you with a strange glint in his eyes, but tilted his head thankfully. “You trust me don’t ya?”

Kaeya hummed affirmatively. “Why don’t you introduce us then?”

You shook out of Kaeya’s hold to hold your hand out for the traveler. “Kaeya, these are the travelers Paimon and Aether from afar.” You switched to putting your hand out towards Kaeya. “Aether, Paimon, this is our beloved Cavalry Captain Kaeya.”

Kaeya raised his eyebrow as if to say ‘anything else?’ and you tried to project ‘later’ as desperately as you could. It seems Kaeya got the message because he relented.

“Long story short,” Amber jumped in. “[Y/n] and I were going to check out a hilichurl camp that had been reported as getting too close to the city. We met the travelers on our way when we heard Stormterror roar and he told us he was looking for his sister on our way to Mond.”

“Ah, I see.” Kaeya smiles charmingly. “Welcome to Mondstadt then, but you haven’t arrived at the best of times.” Kaeya smiled sadly, though it seems you were the only one that caught the shift. “I understand the anguish of being separated from family, and I don’t know why you’re looking for the Anemo God, but everyone has their secrets right?”

Looking at Kaeya now, his mask of faux charm covering the lingering sadness within him, it reminded you how much he was truly hurting. You tried to be a good friend for him, tried to show that he could trust you to let down his burdens and speak to you, that you would do your best to help him and care for him. It hasn't worked so far. Though you knew Kaeya’s backstory, what happened between him and Diluc, how he got his vision, and why he was abandoned in Mond, you would never confront him about something so sensitive.

You pushed him to talk to Diluc, yes, but outwardly saying you knew everything, you feared it would only hurt him and push him away. You wanted him to trust you enough to come to you, and that would take time, a lot of time perhaps, but you were willing to wait for someone you now felt so dearly towards after your time in this world.

You reached out and grabbed Kaeya’s hand, giving him the same reassuring squeeze he had given your waist earlier. Kaeya looked at you thankfully, breaking his cold stare with the traveler to shower you with a warm look and grateful smile, as if he knew you saw right through him.

“Relax,” The navy haired man, you were delighted to see his hair in a loose, low bun held together by his silver bird hair comb, “I won’t push you for more, but on the half of the Knights of Favonius, we’d like to thank you for your bravery and help just now.”

Aether waved his hands, a small blush to his cheeks. “It’s no issue, the situation was damaging and it wouldn’t have been good for it to fester.” You thought you heard him mumble ‘besides it’s not like I had a choice’ and you fought back a chuckle.

Kaeya invited the two travelers to the Favonius headquarters and on their way, he called out to you. “Are you coming dearest?”

“Nah,” You waved as you started towards the stairs. “Come find me near the gate after the meeting, I have to talk to someone first.”