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

XLIV

"It hasn't even been that long and you're already leaving us? I'm hurt, dearest." But the smile on his lips betrays his pouting tone.

You scoff, your own content smile on your face. "Give me a break Kaeya. We've already been staying here for two weeks just resting and recuperating. I haven't even taken a single commission."

"It's a good thing you're not overworking yourself." Diluc's eyes are narrowed into a gentle glare, one that contains hidden worry more than anything else.

"Commissions are not that hard." You rolled your eyes. "I could do them by the time I got here."

"We wouldn't have let you, and you know Venti would've used the winds to corral you back home."

You sighed at the truth in Kaeya's words. "Yeah yeah. I get it."

"So, what's going on in Inazuma?" Kaeya leans his elbow against the bar counter, resting his chin in his palm.

You shrugged. "We're going for information and to see the cherry blossoms."

"You're not going for anything dangerous?"

"Alright." You sigh and throw your hands in the air. "I don't need the speech again. I'm not doing anything dangerous, it's just reconnaissance."

"Reconnaissance is dangerous." Diluc said flatly.

"I don't wanna hear it. Either we have nice goodbyes now so Aether, Ariel, Paimon, and I can set out early tomorrow, or I walk out because you both are being mean."

Kaeya huffs. "Caring about your well-being isn't mean, dearest. It's sensible."

"I thought he was the sensible one." You pointed to Diluc who only looked at you with a deadpan expression.

"No, he's the one with the stick up his ass."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm the responsible one-" He carries on despite Diluc's incredulous glare. "That's looking out for you."

You finally smile, touched by the sentiment of the two men who gaze at you with worry, but never stifle you. It makes you realize how, next to Venti, they were truly in the dark about when you first fell from the Jade Chamber. Two months asleep, in bad condition, with hardly any word, only knowing that you were hurt and couldn't do anything about it.

Abruptly, it hits you how grateful you are to have such people as friends. To have not only Kaeya and Diluc, but Venti and Xiao and Jinfeng and Aether and Ariel to care for and be cared for by, was beyond anything you had in your first life, which was filled with a semi-estranged relationship with your parents and acquaintances to distant to truly be called friends.

"Thank you," you say sincerely, maybe too suddenly serious for what the conversation was. "I really appreciate it."

The two looked at you with shock. Kaeya softened first, smiling genuinely and pulling you into a loose hug. "Just don't go getting yourself kidnapped again."

You scoffed playfully and pushed him away. "Am I ever going to live that down?"

"Unfortunately, not." Chimed Diluc. "It will be used as leverage for the foreseeable future."

You gaped at the redhead and turned back to Kaeya. "Stalker! Control your bartender! It sounds like he's gonna blackmail me."

"I don't know how you function." Diluc drawled. "You're more dramatic than him sometimes." Diluc gestured to Kaeya, only for said man to put a hand to his chest in faux hurt.