#less of a weight hanging over kaeyas shoulder

[kaeyapilled]

i thjnk that in the end what bothers me about a lot of ragbros reconciliation fan content is that it seems to treat their making up as a single event. as if they just need to have one heartfelt conversation and apologize and hug each other and then they will be officially reconciliated. as if they wouldn't need to rebuild their relationship slowly! (as if they haven't already started to, albeit tentatively). as if they wouldn't need to first let go of old grievances, both the big ones and the little ones. let go of the guilt they place on both themselves and on each other. it cannot possibly happen in one night! it's learning to talk to each other again until it isn't awkward anymore. until the smallest annoyances stop bringing back all the bitterness to the surface. it's learning to open up to each other again! this time with no awful secrets between them! it's discussing those secrets! discussing their shared grief and making an effort to understand the sorrows they do not share. i cannot stress enough how much i want you to understand it needs to be a very painful very saddening but also very hopeful and maybe cathartic process

[ccaptain]

@predvestnik​ asked:  ‘I actually thought you’d be happier if I stayed gone.’

  kaeya alberich's rage is never violent.

  as much as it's a blaze, there's no fire. there are no corpses left in his trail, there's no site of the accident that he releases his anger upon. no- there's almost never violence. it's not the end game.

  kaeya's rage is akin to his vision. cold and cutting like the most bitter of winter, a layer of thick frost coating his demeanor. he demands that the victim of his anger begs for forgiveness- and, usually, he succeeds in obtaining it. those who have slighted him come crawling, head low and terrified to have angered him.

   it was sudden; there were no more letters. no more presents. no more, nothing to hang onto. no longer a ginger mop showed up at his door, in his kitchen, smile bright as the sun.

  kaeya felt the grief in every bone of his body. the pain punctured the very marrow, left him aching and jaw-slacked at the loss. he went numb, ice clinging to every fiber of his body to try and ground him.

  there was no anger this time, just numbness. how could he be angry with a corpse? shades of purple blossom under his eyes, and he finds himself moved by an unwillingness to have life keep testing him over and over. stubbornly, he lets himself decay in loneliness, drowns himself in alcohol to keep the distress at bay. in public, he's perhaps a little less talkative- nothing to worry about.

  nobody is privy to his inner turmoil. only the floor stiffening his shoulders, and the alcohol poisoning he steadily inflicts on himself each passing day.

  he's dead. he must be dead. there's no way that he'd abandon kaeya like this, there's no way.

  he imagines ajax's corpse, mutilated beyond recognition, in a frozen tundra: the snow around him colored crimson with his blood, proof of how hard he fought to return to kaeya. and when he died, he would have died with the regret of not being able to say goodbye to him.

  he must be sure of it.

  at night, when there's a knock at the door, a mug that scents heavily of alcohol quickly follows by crashing on the floor, the arms of the unkept captain are thrown around a too familiar figure, dragging the gray-dressed harbinger inside.

  ' i thought you died━ ajax, i thought━  gods... '

  kaeya clings to him with desperation. when the ice breaks, so do the floodgates, harsh sobs spilling past hard clenched teeth and a jaw clicked shut so tight, he wouldn't be surprised if a few molars cracked.

  the reply comes automatically, before words sink in. ' don't you ever, ' he grinds out, voice loaded with a thick sort of anger. cryo mist starts to form little crystals in the other man's shoulder for good measure, ' assume... things... about me. again. '

  a pause. a sniffle. whatever needed to sink in does, and the ice shatters under the weight of it.

  ' ━you... what? '

  ( when there's already so much on someone's plate, the brain actively kicks in a protective mechanism; it won't register until a few seconds have passed that ajax meant to leave him. that he tested kaeya, just as kaeya never tested him, blindly trusting into him until the very end. )

  once the realization kicks in, he wants the pain to rip him apart, disfigure him- that he was right to mistrust. it undoes him as fast as a whirlwind, letting the negative in his brain take over the wheel. digits digging into the other man's back and a sharp intake of breath are the only warnings before kaeya plunges into the water at an alarming speed. 

   there’s the dull sensation of having been struck with a blade. he would have preferred it.

  the cruel harbinger everyone has warned kaeya about will be happy to know that he has a very broken young man in his arms. he cares not if he stains the uniform with his tears, for he's long past caring. the past few months have been a dull blur- even now, the young man no longer knows if the territory he previously felt pacified in can still be thread. if he left once, what prohibites him from leaving again? he broke a promise. what stops him from doing it again?

     safe, true or false? there's no longer floor to scrabble for purchase, the walls of paranoia closing around him. there's no one to pry those open, and kaeya has grown tired of saving himself from being crushed.

   ajax could have undergone some turmoils- but nothing justifies leaving, when there was a promise to never do so.

   kaeya longs to be vulnerable. there have been many days where the only vulnerability that he showed was to the four walls of his apartment, and nobody else. kaeya longs to let his emotions go, to let the mask drop again just as ajax shows up- but he doesn't know what came back from harbinger duty. this must be tartaglia, the eleventh harbinger.

  ajax would never hurt him so. as a logical conclusion, this must be another person. another person entirely.

  kaeya longs to be vulnerable. but he just can't- this is still a battle, and the winner has yet to be decided. he must be frost and stone both to prevent being hurt again.

  so, when he speaks, there's ice that wants to break on the surface.

  ' don't leave again. '

  and it's not a plea; there's nothing soft in it, nothing tender. his voice carries the frost and the want for obedience the tsaritsa must have when things go awry, when she's disappointed, when there was no longer room for soft love. it carries the tiredness of a failure that kaeya didn't needed, and it carries the exhaustion of waiting, the grief of imagining. how tartaglia will respect this is out of his hands, but it’s an order he can’t disobey to.

   it’s him, or his duty. in his hurt, kaeya is merciless: there’s no other option. 

  ( he wants so badly to surrender- to just let it go, to be held with no thoughts. how do you punish someone who already punishes himself, who knows that they deserve it?

  tartaglia is determined not to let him have another victory.

  kaeya would have liked to let him win, if he only found a way for it to be painless. )

[munumono]

Falling asleep on their shoulders on a train || Genshin Men X GN Reader

modern au

warnings: none, no proof read

characters: albedo, childe, diluc, kaeya, kazuha, scaramouche, thoma, xiao, zhongli

Albedo : He didn't realise at first that you were asleep on his shoulder. He was too occupied to notice. Scrolling through the documents on his laptop, he suddenly felt a weight on one of his shoulder. He looked to his side to see you, peacefully sleeping on his shoulder. He looked at you for a whole minute, deciding whether to move or not. But well, you looked so peaceful that he didn't want to wake you up. He looked at his laptop, sighed, and turned it off, carefully. He took his phone out to lower the ringtone just in case it rings and wakes you up. He lowered himself to make it comfortable for you and gazed at the scenario through the glass window on the opposite side, taking in the silence between you two.

Childe : He was going through his phone that he felt a weight on one of his shoulders. He looked to the side to notice you, in deep sleep. He was planning to wake you up but he noticed your little snores, which would be a lie if he says he didn't find it cute. Letting you sleep on his shoulder, he kept scrolling through his phone. The next station arrived as the sound of the announcement woke you up. Oh dear, how embarrassing, you thought. Before you could say anything, he gave you his phone, "You can keep be the apology for later, can I have your number before you get off the train?"

Diluc : As there were no seats available, he was standing while talking on his phone about some work. As he was speaking, he felt a weight pushing him forward. He thought it was someone trying to break through the crowd, so he looked at his side. You were hardly trying to balance your very self as you leaned on to his shoulder, in deep sleep. Diluc stiffened at the contact. He tried to wake you up but the movement caused while waking you up, made you lean even closer to him while resting your head on his shoulder. He immediately tried to cage you so you wouldn't fall, which, apparently looked like he was hugging you. Embarrassed would be very least compared to what Diluc was feeling at that moment. Poor man, he even thought what if you wake up and think he is a pervert. The voice on the ongoing call kept calling his name. He took his phone close to his lips as he whispered, "Adelinde, can you inform others that I'll be late for the meeting? I can't get down on the next station, apparently."

Kaeya : Kaeya, himself, was leaning back onto the seat while trying to take a small nap. Last night's hangover and all didn't really give him enough time to sleep and, here he was, taking a small nap on a train. Kaeya is a light sleeper, so when he felt a weight on one of his shoulder, he was quick to react. Kaeya stared at your figure leaning dearly on his shoulder in deep slumber. He thought to wake you up but hesitated to disturb your peaceful sleep. So, Kaeya, out of no choice, decided to take a nap too. It will also be much better if you wake up and see him asleep, that way you will be less embarrassed, he thought. Well, you woke up to missing your station.

Kazuha : Kazuha was reading a book, full of poems. He did realise that beside him on the seat, there was a person who was in deep slumber, you. Kazuha and you were both strangers but also not. You both used to get on the same train and get off the same train, together. A relationship where you both met each other every single day but never talked to. Kazuha was reading the poems that he noticed something. Beside you two, there was a third person on your side. Slowly, you were leaning on their shoulder in deep slumber. Well, Kazuha wouldn't have bothered much till the stranger you were leaning onto started to wrap their arm around your sleeping figure. Oh dear, the way Kazuha glared at the stranger was enough haunting to them for few nights while going to bathroom alone. Kazuha coughed, eyeing the stranger as he gestured with his fingers 'they're with me'. The stranger was quick to remove his arms around your figure while Kazuha inched closer to you, carefully making you lean on his shoulder instead. He slowly removed some hair stances on your eyes, and layed his head onto your head lightly, reading his book, as you both waited for the next station.

Scaramouche : Scaramouche wasn't having it. You were sleeping on his shoulder for the past thirty minutes. He seriously wanted to wake you up and he actually did, just to get no response from you. He stared straight, facing the opposite side of the train. He looked so pissed that he even made a child on the train cry from his glare. Giving up, he sighed. He was going to get off on the next station. The next station arrived, he was about to get up while not really caring about your sleeping figure leaning on him, that he noticed something. A stranger on the opposite side of the train, facing you both, as he stared creepily at your figure. Oh dear, the moment the stranger realized they were getting stared at by someone, only to meet Scaramouche's typical death glare, they were so close to wet themselves. Scaramouche didn't stop though. He kept glaring at the stranger as if they were nothing but a piece of dirt. Which ended up with the stranger getting down on the current station even though their station was after few. Scaramouche stayed, not feeling assured that you'll be safe in your deep slumber, missing his station. You woke up after a while, to find a purple haired man looking at you with such disappointment which made you apologize not only at that moment, but, the rest of the journey.

Thoma : It was busy and crowdy on the train. Thoma stood straight with plastic bags filled with stuffs hanging on his arms as he hold you still while you laid your head on his chest being in deep slumber. You both knew each other since you both stayed nearby, barely interacting than just a 'good morning' & 'good evening'. How you ended up like this starts like this, you were standing on the train as you gave your seat to an old lady since there were no seats available. You were pretty exhausted, sleepy, every single word which is the opposite of relaxed. Thoma, being on the same train, took notice of your figure slowly dozing off to sleep. Well, you would have hit your nose or so if he didn't dash in front of you to carefully make you lean on him. Thoma stayed like this for a few minutes till the next station arrived and the crowd got off, leaving enough seats. Thoma, being the gentleman he is, carefully made your sleeping figure sit while taking a seat beside you. Carefully inching closer, making your head lean on his shoulder, he relaxed his strained muscles he got while standing for long enough. Do accept his invitation for dinner at his house after you wake up and instead of accepting your apology he throws this invitation <3

Xiao : Oh please, he is so stiff at the contact as you were laying your head on his shoulder, taking a trip to dreamland. First of all, Xiao doesn't even know who you are. He saw you for the first time on this train. Seeing your packed bag, he assumed you were visiting someone in another city, but, where does you sleeping on his shoulder part came from? He is, not at all, moving. Staring straight on the empty seats in front of him, he's just wishing for you to wake up. Of course, he won't wake you up, if he really did then he won't miss his station which was literally the last one the train stopped at. He didn't know how to move. Bonus, you kept snuggling unconsciously on his shoulder because, it was comfy✨. You woke up to missing your station, which was apparently the second last station in the list. The train all empty, and mind you, you woke up to the Ticket Examiner calling you up since it was the last station and all passengers have gotten down except you two, you and Xiao. You looked at the guy beside you who had a frown on his face as he crossed his arm looking down not saying a word. 'Tsk' was all you heard. Well don't worry, you both took another train, this time, you were fully awake.

Zhongli : How long has it been since you fell asleep? Oh, well, you might not know but Zhongli does. It's been hell lot of time. But the man, as calm and collected he is, even when a random stranger is leaning on to his shoulder in deep slumber, he didn't react. Zhongli, understood how tired you might have been since you basically fell asleep on a stranger's shoulder. He didn't move an inch, just in case he wakes you up. Maybe the calm and collected man has lost some of his calmness, resulting in a flustered mess (still collected though mind you) when an old lady commented on both of you, "Such a lovely couple you both are. I had my time like this too, with my husband, before we both got married." Ok but, it would not be justice if I say you both, Zhongli and you, looked any less than a couple. God, date already <3. Ok facts aside, Zhongli did tell the old woman that you both were not dating, which he got a reply, "Oh, my apologies for assuming that. But, saying from experience, you both should give it a try if you both happen to be single, haha." Ok but that's facts. You woke up to see Zhongli, with red tint all over his cheeks. You immediately apologized for your doing. Don't be surprised if the next day you see the same man waiting for you in the train, keeping a seat for you.

note: might have lost creative brain juice for zhongli's part <\3

[satoruin]

➣ genshin men who would be dilfs

pairing: diluc, kaeya, thoma, & childe w/ gn! reader

warnings: very suggestive but nothing explicit, alcohol consumption in kaeya’s part

notes from lee: *sees no dilf content*, fine i’ll do it myself; uh pretty much single dad + not married scenarios since i’m not a fan of cheating, wrote this on full brainrot mode so hopefully makes sense

diluc:

like father like son

diluc definitely takes after crepus in the sense that he is a total dilf and single father

he has a cute little red headed girl that run around the orchard that is almost a carbon copy of him

he doesn’t have the time to take care of her with his growing responsibilities so he hires you to do it rather than the clueless maids

is still one of the top elegible bachelors in mondstadt too

diluc has just checked in on his little girl, who’s fast asleep in her room, before coming down the stairs to talk to you. he sighs as he makes his way down, pulling off his gloves in a hasty manner. “again, i’m so sorry. work in the wine guild has been backed up, but that’s no excuse for me return home as late as i have.”

it wasn’t the first time it had happened but it was the latest, diluc always made sure to come back before the sun was fully set. but honestly it’s what you were expecting when he hadn’t returned. “it’s no problem really and your daughter is such a delight.”

he sighs deeply yet again, pulling off his overcoat and draping it over the chair. “still i feel bad for making you stay this late. it’s too dark for me to let you walk home alone and i-,” he pauses mid thought and takes off his top coat, leaving him in less layers you’ve seen before.

“would you mind staying over?” the sudden break of silence startles you along with the idea of stay over at the winery.

“as long as i can have a change of clothes i take the couch.”

you’re fine with the arrangement, but it seems diluc isn’t as he takes your hands in his, “please, i have more than enough room for two in my bed.” your nod is all it takes for him to drag your flustered self up the stairs behind him. you’ll find out if he understands the weight of his words when you get to his room.

kaeya:

might not even have any kids to consider him a dad, but is fatherly enough towards the kids in mond to be considered one

looks as good, if not better, as he did when he was younger but has definitely aged like fine wine

still hangs around the bar and buys drinks for the people he finds interest in

would probably liked to be called daddy in bed

a lazy arm slinks over your shoulders and there a sudden weight accompanying it. “hey darling, fancy seeing you here,” kaeya drawls out. if it were anyone else you would have pushed the older man away but it’s the calvary captain, mondstadt’s middle-aged heartthrob.

one drink leads to two and before you know it you’ve landed yourself within his grasps. he flirts with you easily, every compliment and innuendo are cliche and have probably been used on more than just you, but it makes you laugh.

you can’t seem to help but fall victim to his charms as he ensnares you easily. he leads you out of the tavern, you willingly following as he chides a goodbye to the barkeep. “to yours or mine?” he asks in a sultry tone, the look in his eyes even darker than before paired with a vicious smirk.

thoma:

the nice dad everyone secretly has a crush on

but like he’s not just nice, he’s also fairly good looking for being an older dude

would stay-at-home with his kiddos but he has to work as a single dad

would coach a club sport for them too, just very supportive in his kid’s endeavors

is semi-aware of the way people look at him, at least you think

thoma pokes his head around the corner to find you sitting on the floor with his kids seated near you, a sight that makes his heart happy. “i’m leaving now! bye kids, bye (y/n)!”

you usher them towards their dad with a ‘say bye to daddy’ and he can’t help but feel his gut twist in a way it shouldn’t.

after his kids are done hanging off of him he looks over to you, “call if you need anything and i mean anything.” he shoots a wink your way before disappearing behind the corner. you know he’s left when you hear the thud of the door as it closes.

did he really mean anything?

childe:

somewhat similar to kaeya in that he doesn’t actually have kids himself but is a typically fatherly figure

also would be a sugar daddy

but doesn’t look for a traditional sugar baby, but rather one that keeps him on his toes and would spar with him

is still very much in shape despite his age (and excessive aging due to his delusion)

likes to pretend he’s still in his early 20s when he’s clearly not, taking on the same mannerisms as he did then

but it would end up as a relationship-esque thing since he doesn’t want to get attached but it’s an exclusive thing between you two (and he’s certainly already attached)

“babe, i want to spar,” childe calls out and his voice echos throughout the house. “i wanna try out the new gear i got you.”

his silent footsteps lead him right behind you. with his hands on your waist, he tucks his chin into the juncture between your neck and shoulder. he can feel the vibration as you talk, saying something like, ‘let me go, so i can change’

a boyish smile overtakes his face as he mumbles into your neck, “just change here, it’s nothing i haven’t seen.” childe can feel the heat that creeps up you neck as he starts to pepper kisses along your neck, occasionally stopping to suck for only a moment before moving on.

he can hear the whimpers you make despite your protests. “i think i’d like to spar in the bedroom this time, dear,” he whispers in your ear before lightly biting your earlobe. he makes his way towards the room, knowing you’re right behind him.

honorable mention to zhongli but he’s a ggggilf with possible more g’s since he’s like 7000 y/o

[manias-wordcount]

Sharing (Kaeya, Diluc)

Kinktober 2021 Day Thirty: Cuckholding

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

Hands stall on your hips. A breath tickles your neck. Your silky white nightgown is just barely pulled above your thighs. Teasing the man in front of you. Teasing the man behind you. 

 “This changes nothing.” Diluc murmurs on your skin. It’s not directed towards you but you can feel the weight of his words with the harsh way he bites them out. When you crane your neck to look back at him, you’re met by his bright red hair hanging over his face. His head hung low, facing the soft bed beneath both your knees. It’s as if he couldn’t bear looking at you- a sense of guilt coming in too strong before anything could even begin. It’s as if he couldn’t even bear looking at him. “Nothing.”  

You wondered how he was able to get this far with such a heavy burden burning on his chest. How he stripped you of your panties, quietly requesting that you keep on your little night slip for his enjoyment. How he was able to rid himself of his pants and stroke himself before placing his dick on your tongue and letting you suck and lick until your heart’s content. How he was able to bury himself in between your thighs- sucking and licking at your most intimate parts until your legs were shaking and you couldn’t name not one person in the room- not even yourself.

 But this wasn’t your business. You were a peace offering. A toy. Toys don’t talk. Toys are just played with.  

 They’re shared.

 “Naturally,” You turn your head back in time to see a charming smile spread across Kaeya’s face. “I just don’t mind you indulging in her...nothing more, nothing less.”

 The bedroom is a sacred place. It’s a place to recharge- to relax and recover. It is often that you find yourself in the most intimate positions while in the bedroom. Maybe you’re the type that falls asleep on white sheets. Lips slightly parted and hair spread across a perfectly fluffed pillow. The type that dreams of nice things. Sweet things. And of a world of nothing but purity. 

 Or maybe, you’re the type that sees the bedroom as the one place to lose control- whether it be with yourself or your partner. To ravish them or to be ravished. To love or be loved upon. To be driven to edge and back just in cruel torture that some just can’t help but desire. But it was safe. Intimate. Personal. That was the bedroom to you. That was its holiness. It’s a sacredness to you. But then you met Kaeya. 

 And Kaeye showed you that the sacredness was meant to be shared. 

 Diluc practically snarled behind you- grabbing a fist full of your hair and pushing you forward. You fall on your hands but he’s quick to push your shoulders down, arching your back for him. You spot Kaeya from across the room, your eyes wide at his blood brother’s sudden roughness. You always thought of Kaeya being the passionate one. He had a certain penchant for covering your neck with bites after all. But to you, Diluc was always so sweet. So gentlemanly. You’ve never seen him as nothing more than the polite Winery owner who with a body you just couldn’t help but be attracted to. But he was your lover’s brother. Someone you thought you could never have. 

 And yet that someone is behind you now- slipping his dick inside of you and fucking you from behind.

 The first initial seconds take your breath away. You're stuck gasping for breath as your eyes flutter close. You should have expected the stretch. You were already made familiar with his size when you attempted your best to suck him off. But while he wasn’t as long as Kaeya, he certainly was thicker. 

 Not that you’re truly complaining, of course. 

 “Careful now, you’ll break her.” Kaeya keeps his voice light as he crosses his legs in the chair he’s situated in. One hand is propped up on the armrest, showing as if he’s disinterred in all that’s going on. In reality, he’s watching you two intently, eyes narrowed like a hawk. In his hands, you spot something that instantly has your body growing warm. Your panties. Your used panties hands hanging lazily in his hands- all too close to his face. If you didn’t feel as good as you did right now, you swear you would have died. “Don’t take your anger out on her. Unless...I misread that look in your eyes every time she walked your way..?”

 Diluc doesn’t respond as he places both hands back on your hips and pushes your nightgown up your waist. The air is cold as he exposes more of your body to the elements and Kaeya’s prying eyes. You don’t know how he’s able to ignore his brother like this. How he’s able to fuck you like there’s no one watching. How he’s able to fuck you like you’re his.

 “Mmmm...Diluc…” Your voice is quiet as you moan the redhead's name. His grip on your body tightens, but he doesn’t once stop the slow roll of his hips into yours. It’s well-timed and it’s deep. Pulling more than halfway out before slowly pushing back in, forcing you to feel the stretch- the drag of his cock through your tight, velvety walls time and time again. “Please...please…”

 You’re begging. Pleading for something but you don’t know what. Do you want him to move faster? To rough you until you can’t stand it? Or do you want him deeper? Slower? Or really…

 You just want to see him.

 He’s not like Kayea. You know he’s different. It’s hard to tell they were even raised together as brothers with how different they are. They’re polar opposites- you know that just by hearing the way they speak. But your mind can’t help but wander to all the times Kaeya fucked you in this position. How many times he had your head down, ass up for the entirety of the night. But the way Diluc holds you. The way he takes care of you. He’s different. And you just want to see it. You just want to see him treat you differently.

 He doesn’t tease you until you give up. He doesn’t tease you until you cry. Instead, he fucks you like he’s dignified. He fucks you like you’re dignified. As if you’re someone special- not just a whore in a white dress whose heart belonged to someone else.

 “Fuck-” Across the room, you hear Kaeya grunt out a curse. You turn your head as best as you could while still being pressed against the mattress. From the odd angle, you’re still able to make out a shape between Kaeya’s legs that’s more than recognizable to you. It’s practically familiar at this point. It’s the dark-skinned male’s erect cock. You can see Kaeya slowly stroke himself, his eyes slipping closed as he takes a whiff from your underwear. You choke out a breath at his desperation, never once seeing him pleasure himself in such a way. “Move her hair. I want to see more of her face-”

 “Shut up.” Diluc bites back immediately but follows his request anyway. “I don’t take orders from you.”

 “Just fuck her,” Kaeye growls out, his princely facade dropping. The bark in his voice causes you to shiver and clench around Diluc’s dick unintentionally. The redhead rewards you with a sensual groan at your sudden tightness, and you’re practically mewling when his warm hand makes contact with your back and takes a handful of your hair to get better a better angle when with every thrust inside of you. Your mouth parts in a silent moan and you can’t help but imagine that it’s your lips coming to open themselves eagerly for Kaeya’s hard cock. “And do it right.”

 “I am.” Diluc challenges back, breaking the usual rhythm he set for you only once to prove his point. The choked sob you let earns you a few murmured words of praise. Somewhere in that hazy mind of yours, your lower lips flutter as a ‘good girl’ comes from his deep, deep voice. “If I wanted your opinion Kaeya, I would have asked for it.” 

 “You know, it was awfully generous of me to offer her up to you.” The Cavalry Captain seethes, his gritted teeth and his twitching arm the most visible signs of his annoyance under that calm facade of his. His hand is still stroking himself between his legs, his eye constantly flickering towards your fucked out expression as your sweet moans fill the room. “You know I’m never too keen on sharing my women, brother.” 

 “Then give her to me.” The Winery owner is quick with his sharp rebuttal. “If you don’t want to share her, brother.”

 Kaeye laughs dryly before shooting something back at Diluc but you’re becoming too fucked out to care. At this point, why does it matter who gets you today and who gets you tomorrow? You’re just a hole for them to fill up. A willing, soaking, sloppy whole for them to have. A peace offering for two men to exchange in hope of bettering a relationship. Dumb whore with one purpose. To be a toy. 

 A toy for two brothers so they can learn how to share.

[omiscurls]

hi!! could i request a diluc x fem!reader angst where they were childhood friends, and when reader gets a fiancé, diluc tries to confess his feelings but reader rejects him, gets married and moves from mondstat, and every now and then diluc sends reader letters (apologizing, asking how readers day was, hoping they come back). thanks!

unrequited

plot: reader rejects the character

contains: diluc

warnings: angsty and like one curse word, that’s all

diluc was a cute kid.

as the heir to one of the most wealthy and powerful families in mondstadt, he was polite not only to his senior, but also incredibly nice to his friends, as well. different that most boys his age, he didn’t go around yelling dumb, inappropriate jokes, and didn’t take pride in making girls feel bad.

he was always sweet to those doing worse than him in class, be it theory or sparring, and acted like an absolute saint to his adopted brother.

naturally, how could one not adore a kid like that? how could the mondstadt girls not line up to see him each time, how could the boys not want to play with him? how could anyone resist, when he had that charm to him that seemed to draw people near almost against their free will?

finally, how could you not take pride in the fact that out of all those over-the-top girls who fought over each other to talk to him, out of all those boys that never failed to bug him in each little scrap of his free time, he chose to try and get close to you?

you didn’t understand it at first, but it seemed like he genuinely wanted to know you, his eyes looking as though they were studying your expression at all times, a warm smile welcoming you each time you passed him by.

his words were careful and his sentences always strained, as if he struggled to talk, but a sense of honesty and genuine sympathy always seeped through his words, confusing your little childish brain, but also forming a warm and fuzzy feeling inside your chest. 

over the years, not only did you finally answer to his advances, but also befriend the kid. his rare smiles were reserved for your eyes only, and his mind opened up before you each and every time you talked, no restrain and limitations between you two. 

he’d sit behind you in class, sometimes passing you notes with an answer to questions you didn’t know, or a funny note about the teacher, or just simply asking if you want to hang out after school. 

you’d go to windrise and sit under the tree, talking for hours about the most useless of things, about what you thought the clouds looked like, but also your futures, your dreams and hopes. 

he’d explain math to you before every exam in the dark rooms of dawn winery, hair pulled up and tea made for the both of you, looking at your struggling with unmistakable patience and affection, but what could you know? you were kids, barely even teenagers. why would you think anything of the way he said he’ll “always be there for you” after some simple math tutoring? how could you analyze his kind stare that you never saw him wear for other people? 

and so you didn’t. 

he’d sit with you on the counter of his kitchen, carefully caressing your back as you wet his shirt with tears, quietly telling you that “they didn’t deserve you anyway” after your first ever heartbreak. to hell with the fact that his own heart was breaking a millimetre more with every word he spoke, if what he said calmed you in any way, he’d talk all night, going on and on about how you deserve the world, and nothing less. 

you held his hand at his fathers memorial service, letting him tighten his grip on your fingers harder every time, you wiped away the tears, you listen to his sobs and pleas when the two of you were alone. you offered solace to him over the next painful months, you justified every word he hurt kaeya with, only to make him feel better about himself. 

to him, you were like an angel sent from above. you restored the faith he had lost in the world, you stuck by his side and lighted up his days one after the other, how could he not adore you?

how could he not fall in love? 

and trust when i say, he did really try to avoid it. he tried pushing his thoughts away, he tried focusing on something else, tried avoiding you, tried everything. no matter what he did, his mind circled back to your smile, and unconsciously he smiled as well, even if the next second he’d look in the mirror and wipe it off his face as if it was a crime to smile. 

diluc was a cute kid, and he grew up to be a polite gentleman, whom you called a friend. and as any polite gentleman, he wouldn’t dare do anything to loose the honor you had given him, so he stayed silent. stayed silent since his in-class notes, through talks about the future, through your breakups, through all the times you had been there for him. in no universe would he ever mention how the weight was lifted off his shoulders every time you as much as looked his way, how all the clouds went away at the sound of your laugh, and how he was ready to do anything in the world to keep you happy. 

somewhere in his mind, perhaps he thought you had somehow known all along, and would reward his efforts to not complicate your life with his emotions with loving him back, but how could you know? how, if he kept it a secret that well? 

in the end, his own plan backfired on him, and he realized he had lost when you ran through his door, tears in your eyes, but a smile on your face, showing off a ring, shining in sunlight, resting on your finger.

if he ever thought “they didn’t deserve you” hurt him, “i’m so happy for you!” stabbed his soul a thousand times more painfully. 

to normal people of mondstadt, there was no change in behavior from the gloomy and serious owner of angel’s share, but a few noticed how heavy his presence was, how desperately he blinked back the sheen layer of tears, glistening in the candle light while he was serving drinks, and you were off somewhere in the back, laughing with your lover by your side. 

he had lost his chance, and now there was no way in which he could get you back. no way at all. all his life, he had built up a hope inside that one of these days, he’ll get a happy ever after, and lived with that thought through all the bad moments that came along the way, and now these years of carefully building this scenario came crushing down with the realization. 

in a desperate search of any relief, he came to the conclusion that the only thing to be even remotely at peace with himself was to... simply just tell you. 

so there he was, right outside your door, the watch on his wrist striking ten in the evening, stars shining brightly on your doorstep, as you appeared before him, merely a nightgown shielding you from the cold air of the night, a soft smile adoring your lips from the moment you realized it was him. 

“diluc? what’re you doing here this late?” you said, grabbing a coat from behind the door and closing it behind you. a foolish hope sprung inside him when you joined him outside, as he stared at you with a little grin, working up the courage to speak up. 

“there’s something i wish to tell you about” he merely whispered, gesturing you to come with him.

the walk to windrise was longer than the ones you remembered from your childhood days, and the sharp air nibbled on your skin mercilessly, to the point your legs hurt a bit when you reached the tree.

diluc turned your way and spoke for the first time in what felt like forever, but was thirty minutes.

“i hoped not to burden you with the secret i’ll share with you now, and i’m sorry for whatever bad outcome it might cause, but… truth is, i can’t keep it to myself anymore, and if i want to have some peace for myself, i have to trouble you with it.” he said quietly, settling worry in your gut.

“you can tell me anything” you assured calmly “your secrets are always safe with me”

he took one last look into your caring eyes, feeling a little better just having you smile at him, and took a breath before spilling.

“i might’ve been in love with you for the last ten years” he said calmly “and i know this is hardly the time, i really do, but i just-“

“what?”

you looked at him in surprise, blood audibly pumping through your veins as you tried to comprehend what he just said.

“i do understand that you’re engaged, but-“

“do you? do you, really?” you said bitterly, making his heart sink in regret. “because to me it seems like i waited for you all those years, i hoped, and i prayed, and i wished, and after i finally, finally gave up, you decide to mess with my emotions right when i thought i had them figured out?”

diluc was stunned. so you felt the same way about him, once? he could’ve had all he hoped for? he didn’t even comprehend the rest of your sentence fully, focusing on how you just admitted to having feelings for him somewhen in the past.

“no, i’m not trying to mess with you, I’m-“

“but you are! honestly, diluc, i knew you were somewhat insensitive, but this is blatantly cruel! what- i don’t- why didn’t you say this to me earlier?”

“i wish i did, but to me it seemed like you were always chasing someone else, and i didn’t want to-“

“bother me? is that it? you didn’t want to bother me so now you decided to try and mess with my relationship? god, i- i need to be alone right now. sorry.”

and with that you were out of your usual childhood spot, leaving him alone under the tree that shared both of your secrets and plans for so long.

a longing stare pierced through your back as you ran back to mondstadt, not going home right away, but trying to find a spot where nobody would find you.

“fuck” he muttered. he was familiar with the feeling of loss, but the fact that it was nobody’s fault but his own made it a hundred times worse.

diluc was a cute child, and grew up to be a polite gentleman. so he was there to apologize to you on countless occasions, ready to beg forgiveness for his recklessness and lack of thought, but you were never there to hear his pleas.

and so it went on, a huge wedding covered the streets of mondstadt in white while he stood in the sidelines, his friends said goodbye to you as he watched from a safe distance. you left, and so did every remaining proof of his embarrassment.

nevertheless, he sent countless letters, no address on the envelope, save for the name of the city, hoping that one of them would eventually reach you. sorrow and tears almost spilled from the words written in a tidy cursive, but he never had any certainty about wether they reached you or not.

and while he hoped you forgave him,

he knew you didn’t.

[l0vew0rm]

dance with me ( eula lawrence )

synopsis: fate has a funny way of granting your wishes when you least expect it—like a dance with the infamous reconnaissance captain of the knights of favonius. pairing: eula lawrence x gn!reader word count: 1.9k warnings: alcohol consumption  inspired by: dance with me by beabadoobee

a/n: just a small piece i’ve been meaning to write for my beloved main. <3 i’ve loved eula ever since getting her by chance and i’m glad i finally got to write something for her. (bonus: this fic is loosely connected to my previous work wine so if you manage to catch the small reference i’ve written in you’re cool and i love you)

the knights of favonius had decided to host a banquet and an accompanying ball to celebrate the arrival of a diplomatic delegation from fontaine, and unsurprisingly, eula was nowhere to be found.

“i have no time for such frivolous affairs,” was the spindrift knight’s sharp and honest reply to your question of whether or not she would be in attendance. “and besides, seeing as my reputation has a habit of preceding me, i’m quite sure the acting grand master would be content to send me off elsewhere where i can’t sully the good name of the knights by simply being there.”

while you weren’t necessarily surprised at her response, it still didn’t make it any less disappointing for you to hear it, nor was it any less disappointing for her to not be there among the crowd of knights and diplomats you’d been surrounded with all night. despite this, you tried your best not to let it get to you, even if your mind did occasionally linger towards the thought of the spindrift knight, among other things.

shaking your head, you try to distract yourself by surveying your surroundings. glancing upwards, you’re met with the brilliant light of two golden chandeliers that hang from the ceiling, warmly radiating a bright yet soft glow that accentuates the elegant attire that your fellow attendants are currently wearing. at the opposite end of the banquet hall is a string quartet seated atop a small stage, providing mellow background music to the abundance of excited chatter being exchanged between knights and diplomats alike. in the back of your mind, you’re very briefly reminded of all the fairytales you used to read as a child of grand balls filled with beautiful princes and princesses, but your thoughts quickly dissipate the moment you feel your shoulder be tapped and a familiar voice hum low in your ear.

“good evening, sir kaeya,” you greet the blue-haired cavalry captain with a smile and a raise of your goblet. “i trust you’ve been having a good time tonight?”

kaeya playfully tsks at you. “how many times must i tell you that we’re well past the need for such formalities?” he grins, though he returns your gesture by raising his goblet of wine—which you note is practically filled to the brim to the point of overflowing—at you. “though to answer your question, yes, i have been having a lovely time indeed.”

“that’s good to hear.”

the two of you start exchanging chit-chat, and continue to do so for some time. kaeya’s halfway through telling you about his curious encounter with a drunk lieutenant earlier in the evening when he pauses at the sound of the string quartet beginning to transition into a waltz. it only takes one shared glance between the two of you before the captain graciously extends a hand to you with a smile on his face.

“care to dance?”

you smile back at him, and take his hand. “i’d love to.”

after placing your goblets elsewhere, the two of you proceed to the center of the banquet hall, taking each other’s hands and beginning to dance to the music of the string quartet. everything should have seemed perfect—the atmosphere was merry, the crowd was lively, and you and kaeya were dancing gracefully across the room like a pair of professional ballroom dancers. but despite all that was happening around you, something just…

“is there something bothering you?”

you blink up at kaeya, his star-shaped pupil looking upon you with concern. “pardon?”

“i apologize, since i know it’s rude to assume,” kaeya begins, but the sudden shift to a shit-eating grin on his face tells you he isn’t one bit sorry for what he’s about to say next, “but you’ve seemed pretty preoccupied all night.”

“it’s nothing, i just—”

“you miss the reconnaissance captain, don’t you?”

kaeya’s grin only grows wider at the sudden flush that overtakes your face. “i knew it.” the cavalry captain watches you try and stammer up excuses, but after a minute of nothing but gibberish escaping your mouth you decide it’s better to give up and give in. “i wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t attending tonight, but i… i wanted her to. i wanted…”

“you wanted her to dance with you?”

“as if she’d ever dance with some amateur like me,” you try and joke, but it falls flat with the weight of your somber tone.

“you’d be surprised to know how eager she is to do so, actually,” kaeya nearly fails to suppress his laughter at the sight of your eyes widening to the size of saucers at his remark. “eager in her own vengeful little way, of course.”

“and how do you know that?”

“i just do.”

you’re just about to start going off on a tirade before the sound of the cathedral bell rudely interrupts you—that, and the suspicious smile that lights kaeya’s face hearing it.

“ah, just in time,” he says, and you quirk a distrustful brow at him. “what? don’t you know what time it is?”

“no?”

“why, if i recall correctly, the reconnaissance captain and her scouts should be back from their mission at around this time. i could be wrong, but seeing as i was in charge of having personally arranged the mission in question…”

“and what do you mean to accomplish by telling me this?”

“that’s up for you to decide.”

the music comes to a stop. kaeya gently lifts your hand to kiss it goodbye. “farewell. i hope you have a pleasant rest of the evening.”

“kaeya, what—”

with a playful smile and a wink, kaeya walks away, leaving you and disappearing into the crowd.

after downing a few more goblets of wine to quell the growing unease in your chest, you decide to call it quits for the night.

outside, the streets are quiet, almost eerily so, with not a single sound to be heard except for the evening breeze whistling a bitingly cold tune. you express your gratitude towards the few passersby you encounter by waving politely at them—at least, to the best of your ability considering your slightly tipsy state.

you continue onwards with your walk to nowhere until you find yourself at the plaza. you wander over to one of the many stone benches in the area and take a seat, sighing in relief at your legs finally being able to catch a break from all the stairs you had just climbed. the warm glow of the street lights surrounding you, lovely as they are, are dim; so dim, in fact, that you fail to notice the sight of a shadow approaching you from the corner of your eye.

“and here i thought you were above some dimwitted drunkard too inebriated to care about their safety being exposed out in the open. hmph. to think i taught you to be better than this.”

you nearly fall over in shock at the familiar voice that interrupts the slow slurring of your thoughts. “eula?”

“who else would it be?” the spindrift knight huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she draws nearer to you. you pray to barbatos that she assumes the flush on your cheeks is from the wine and not the fact your heart is threatening to beat out of your chest at the sight of her.

“but really, just what are you doing out here by yourself so late at night? aren’t you supposed to be attending that banquet over at the goth grand hotel? gods, i practically made a fool out of myself barging in there unannounced just to look for you! and the fact you had the audacity to worry me when i couldn’t find you… mark my words, i’ll make sure to—”

“you… looked for me?”

“what? just what kind of question is that? did you think that i wouldn’t look for you?”

“...no?”

“hmph! preposterous! absolutely outrageous! the fact you’ve had the audacity to not only wander off elsewhere without me to protect you, and for you to assume my actions and feelings unprompted… you’ll pay for this!”

you chalk it up to the alcohol meddling with your brain, but in that moment, the wildest idea pops up in your head. a wide, dopey grin etches itself onto your face as you lift a hand out to the reconnaissance captain standing before you.

“say… what if i paid for my transgression with a dance?”

the look on eula’s face instantly makes you regret your words. this time, in addition to your flushed cheeks, the blood in your veins runs ice cold with dread and embarrassment, and you quickly withdraw your hand from her reach to sheepishly rub the back of your neck with it.

“or maybe we could just settle the score with some good ol’ sparring, hah… m’sorry that i asked you that so boldly, i know that you don’t take kindly to—”

“i’ll take it. let’s dance.”

you blink. “what?”

“you wanted to pay for your misdeeds, yes? i accept your means of payment. now get up. let’s dance.”

“but i don’t—”

“know how to dance? then i’ll teach you.” you once again chalk it up to the alcohol, because you refuse to accept any other explanation for the sudden soft shift in eula’s tone. hesitantly, you get up from your seat to approach her, gingerly holding her gloved hand and trying not to let your breath audibly hitch at the feeling of her hand on your waist.

“grip my waist a little tighter,” eula instructs you, repositioning your hand against her side. “i won’t break. now follow my lead. one, two, three, one, two, three…”

the first few minutes the two of you dance is painfully awkward. all of your previous grace and elegance from that earlier dance with kaeya have all but disappeared, your dancing skills reduced to nothing and your movements limited to stiff shuffling and careless swaying. eula seems to catch on to this, judging by the way her grip on your shoulder tightens ever so slightly—not enough to cause significant pain or discomfort, but enough to steady you as the two of you waltz across the plaza together.

eventually, the two of you manage to fall into a slow and steady rhythm, dancing along to the sound of your shoes clacking against the cobbled plaza floor. impulsively—you make a mental note to apologize to her for it tomorrow when you’ve sobered up—you lean in and bury your face into the crook of her neck, pressing your bodies together closer than you’ve ever been.

“i… have something to confess,” eula tells you, and you hum into her shoulder.

“mm?”

“i wasn’t supposed to return from my mission until dawn, but i requested i be able to return early, because i…”

eula’s hand lets go of your shoulder, and her arms slowly begin to wrap around you in an uncharacteristically warm embrace.

“i wanted to dance with you.”

your breath hitches, but it quickly melts away as you smile into her shoulder. for a moment, you’re tempted to say it—the three words you’ve longed to tell the beautiful reconnaissance captain you’ve loved since the moment you laid eyes on her—but in the end, you choose to sink deeper into her arms.

“thank you.”

eula lets out a disgruntled huff, but the look of love and care in her sunset-colored eyes says otherwise.

[deprecavi]

Following Aether up the path toward the Dawn Winery, Kaeya couldn’t help wondering how the blonde had convinced his brother to allow use of the property for a game that involved people running about with little concern for their surroundings. It was well past nightfall as well, indicating Diluc would likely not be around, considering his usual nighttime activities. Aether’s power of persuasion was indeed formidable. Kaeya was not surprised to see Zhongli had also agreed to another round, the other man giving him a small nod of greeting as he, Eula, and Aether joined him. The fourth player was nowhere in sight, but Aether went inside for a moment and returned with Diluc, much to Kaeya’s surprise. Maybe Diluc’s stipulation for use of the winery grounds was that he would be a player and supervise the event. 

“It seems we will be on the same team after all,” Kaeya commented to Zhongli as Aether instructed Diluc on the expectations of a hunter. “I hope you’ll do a bit better hiding than you did in Springvale, hm? You too Eula,” he added, nudging his fellow captain with his elbow. She rolled her eyes at him but gave him a small smirk of challenge. Zhongli also smiled and nodded. Kaeya observed the vineyard, noting the numerous barrels scattered among the grapevines as potential hiding places. 

Aether had also come up with something new for this round, similar to the invisibility token but without the limited application. It would allow them to, for all intents and purposes, appear as one of the lanterns Diluc had around the winery. Kaeya was looking forward to testing that one out and was already considering potential hiding places, though as he glanced up at the sky he realized the illusionary lantern’s light would potentially give them away with how late it was.

Satisfied that Diluc was ready, Aether climbed into a good vantage point and signaled for the rebels to head into the field to hide. The trio split up, all heading in different directions. Kaeya rounded the manor, ignoring Moco and Hillie trying to catch his attention, though he made a mental note to see what they needed after the game. Activating the lantern token, Kaeya wished he had a mirror to see the effect as he scaled the side of the building and positioned himself in front of one of the lit windows to blend in with the lights from inside the manor. He realized almost immediately that if he had to hang here for the entire duration of the game, his fingers were going to cramp, but he carefully balanced on the window ledge anyway.

He heard Aether give the signal for Diluc to start the hunt and saw his brother making methodical checks of the low perimeter wall around the winery, verifying that each lantern was in fact a true lantern. He went right under Kaeya without noticing him, absorbed in his task. Neither Eula or Zhongli were in the area of the wall either, as Kaeya didn’t hear any announcements for them getting captured even when Diluc was out of sight. Diluc was back on this side of the building again, now checking with the sensor Aether had given him. It pinged under Kaeya and Diluc looked around in confusion. 

“Is this thing broken?” he heard Diluc muttering, shaking the device once and trying it again, prompting another ping. Kaeya suppressed the urge to laugh as Diluc looked under the tables and around the barrels, never once looking up at the window or walls. A third ping with no discernable rebel made Diluc stuff the sensor in his pocket in annoyance and head out into the vineyard. Kaeya’s fingers were indeed starting to cramp now, but he stayed put. If Diluc never looked up, he’d never notice Kaeya.

Aether announced the arrival of the usual favor and Kaeya saw Diluc change directions out in the vineyard and go for it. A beam of light marked Kaeya seconds later and he swore under his breath, dropping from the window immediately and releasing the guise of a lantern in preparation to run. Of course his brother would target him specifically. Diluc rounded the corner of the building, victory in his eyes as he came toward Kaeya, who took off at a dead sprint, leaping the low stone wall into the vineyard. 

“Kaeya, if you crush my grapes I will fucking kill you,” he heard Diluc holler after him, but he didn’t waste the breath on a reply, hurdling two rows and dashing up a third, the irritating light above his head still giving Diluc a clear view of where he was even if he wasn’t in direct line of sight. He hadn’t even stirred the leaves in his leaps, though it had been years since he’d gone jumping over grape vines. He and Diluc had used to chase crystal flies in the vineyard, competing to see who could catch the most. One flitted past Kaeya as he ran, a reminder of those long ago pastimes. 

Kaeya glanced back over his shoulder and saw Diluc still chasing him, though he’d lost some ground by going around the first two rows of grapes rather than leaping over them as Kaeya had. With this bright beacon illuminating him, it was unlikely Diluc would leave him alone to search for the other two rebels. Kaeya caught a glimpse of them both up on the winery roof, looking down at him as he leapt over another row of grapes, neither in disguise at the moment while Diluc was so clearly focused on him. He clambered back over the low wall onto the winery’s patio area, eager for more level ground to sprint on. Diluc followed suit, though he veered the other way, clearly trying to circle the building and cut Kaeya off. Kaeya had always been faster than Diluc, but Diluc had learned some tricks to catch him in other ways, though they didn’t always work.

Kaeya realized Diluc’s current plan almost too late, seeing Diluc round the corner of the building ahead of him as he circled it himself. He quickly changed directions, nearly skidding and falling but barely managed to keep his balance. The pillar of light marking him thankfully dissipated and he leapt back over the wall into the vineyard, triggering the invisibility token Aether had given him. He ducked behind a barrel directly next to the low wall, crouched with his heart pounding in his ears, breathing hard from the exertion of his sprint. The token wore off quickly, as usual, but it had done its job. Diluc had lost track of him, if the muttered swearing from a few feet away was any indication. 

Kaeya realized he wasn’t the only one who had noticed Zhongli and Eula on the roof as Diluc turned back to the winery and began to scale the building. He moved at a crouch, keeping the wall between him and Diluc until the building was between them instead, heading back toward his original hiding place. The capture notices for Zhongli and Eula were fairly close together, indicating the two hadn’t gotten far when Diluc joined them on the roof. Diluc was surveying the grounds from the roof now as Kaeya inched his way back up onto the window, lantern guise back in place. He knew the time limit was getting close, he just had to slip under Diluc’s radar for a little bit longer.

Diluc jumped from the roof on the same side of the building Kaeya was clinging to, glider wings spread. Kaeya realized Diluc had spotted him from the new vantage point and groaned inwardly at the thought of another round of sprinting through the vineyard, but prepared to drop as Diluc clambered onto the small deck railing that put him at nearly the same level as Kaeya’s window. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Diluc growled as Kaeya dropped, and he took a flying leap from the railing, tackling Kaeya to the ground with such force that the wind was knocked out of both of them and Kaeya wouldn't have been surprised if he cracked a rib on impact with the ground. Kaeya wheezed as Diluc pinned him in place with a triumphant expression, trying to catch his breath. Aether joined them with a laugh, displaying the remaining time as less than ten seconds.

“That was a close round!” he announced. “Victory goes to the hunter!”

“You can let me up now” Kaeya grumbled, struggling for air with Diluc’s weight still mostly on his chest. Diluc stood and dusted himself off, not bothering to offer a hand to help Kaeya up, but at least Aether had the courtesy to do so. Zhongli and Eula joined the trio as Aether began to pass out the special coins he’d created for his game, though Kaeya had yet to discern any real purpose for them aside from potential bragging rights for having a lot of them.

“That was impressive,” Zhongli commented, though he was complimenting Kaeya, not Diluc’s victory. “I did not expect you to evade him for so long with the beacon marking you.”

“Neither did I,” Kaeya admitted with a pained laugh, wincing as he checked himself over for bruises. “Though I couldn’t help notice you two just watching instead of hiding.” Zhongli had the grace to look momentarily abashed, but Eula just shrugged.

“Your skilled evasion drew the hunter’s attention and I confess I was caught up watching the pair of you to the point of forgetting my own objective temporarily,” Zhongli stated. Kaeya chuckled.

“My ‘skilled evasion’ seems to have earned more ire than warranted, my ribs will be sore all week.” Diluc pointedly ignored the remark, thanking Aether for his time and heading into the vineyard to check for damage to his precious grapes, though Kaeya hadn’t really seen Eula or Zhongli go into the fields. Diluc wasn’t likely to take his word that he hadn’t done any damage himself in his frantic leaps to get away. He still didn’t understand what had prompted Diluc to accept Aether’s game being hosted here at all, but supposed it wasn’t really his place to ask, not any more. 

Kaeya excused himself and headed back toward Mondstadt, fully intending to pay a visit to the cathedral for his sore ribs. If he was going to accept another invitation to Aether’s game in the future, he wanted to be able to run without wincing. Still, it had been kind of amusing to see Diluc tearing around after him, a nostalgic moment that let him forget the walls that lay between them now for a bit. It was worth a little pain for that brief return to happier times.

[albrich]

@fluminas​​ : she is in pieces, less-than-there and easily consumable because even empty this home / this house / this place is a prison and barbara did not survive this long by being herself. “ sure. take it, ” she says of the book in her brother’s hand. “ take whatever you want. ” didn’t her father, after all? the faster she finds what she’s looking for — the deed, the deed, the deed — the faster they can leave, / the faster she can be rid of the restless ghosts lingering at every door (there, where she was eight and asked why she couldn't see her sister and learned what the consequences were for such things. at the study, her governess' grip on her shoulder too-tight. her childhood bedroom, still locked from the outside). but the sun is already hanging low in the sky and will they be able to make it six hours home? " i'll be finished here soon. "

        KAEYA HAS WATCHED HER ALWAYS ——— watched her / watched over her : his little baby sister. from the moment that his gaze had first set upon her and she had smiled so widely at him / no, that’s a lie / there had been something WONDROUS about her then, certainly, but he had been recalcitrant and distant and listless / furious / mired in despair. then she had been barbara and they had been NOT—KAEYA—YES—KAEYA ( a name which they have not been called in years / centuries / eons / lifetimes, lost but not forgotten, screamed in the shadows of his dreams ) and this tireless affection and instinct to protect had not yet been fully formed. hardly so. barely so.

        he had only been HALF—TAKEN BY HER, then, toddler nearly child as she was. it’s far more correct to say that they have watched over her ever since he had caught / words on the wind words carrying words devout and firmly spoken in a softhearted voice / HER DEFENSE OF HIM, his eyepatch, telling others to leave him alone. they are the same ——— isn’t is to very difficult to exist here, dear sister? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS BURNING PAIN? no, not quite, but it’s ( ... ) similar enough.

        small hands that reached for him. wide eyes that met theirs, luminous and full of light. little feet that chased after him as they darted their way through the vineyards, laughing loudly / raucously / his heart overwhelmed with love. frightened tears that stained his shirts, those small hands that reached for him clutching him so tightly. soft flaxen hair slipping between his fingers / time slipping away between their fingers. her laughter whenever he would make it snow ( again, again !! i can’t believe you don’t have a vision / [ an aside, internalized ] darling sister i don’t need a vision you don’t need a vision no blessings from the gods will save you now ) atop her head. the echoes of her sobs whenever it seemed as though ghosts / monsters / HER FATHER were plaguing her.

        they watch her closely / he has found himself her PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER / something like a knight to her princess and how humorous that is, indeed. he’s watched her closely especially now, especially on this trip, even as he carries idle often one—sided conversations, speaking about nothing and everything and the vastness in between : NONE OF IT REACHES HER / SHE’S TOO FAR AWAY / BABETTE LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME COME BACK THERE ARE GHOSTS HAUNTING YOU AND THAT’S NO WAY TO LIVE / TRUST ME TRUST ME DON’T TRUST ME AT ALL. this is a haunted place, a hallowed place, a demonic place. these halls are half—familiar and kaeya feels no remorse taking from the collection of novels that the pegg family had amassed over the generations and piling them / asking idly if he can have them and here, look : a ghost walks beside him / a ghost of his sister—dear.

        it’s as though she’s leagues away, buried far beneath the earth, set into the casket that seamus’s fucking body should be in / will be in. so often it appears she’s made of light and here she is made of shadows and specters, physical body hardly put together held together together at all / if he were to reach out and touch her she would simply DISINTEGRATE, fade to nothingness, without even bidding them goodbye.

        ( he despises seamus pegg, hopes dearly that he’s rotting wherever he may be and if he has the misfortune of being ALIVE that he never returns ——— kaeya hates him enough for BOTH OF THEM. hates him enough for dozens hundreds thousands of people. )

        her back is turned and thus he looks at her truly / no smile upon his face no amusement alighting their features / A SEVERITY AN INTENSENESS THAT SO OFTEN HERALDS TROUBLE. but not for her. never for her. ( how strange it is, to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that duty drives you and you were born for your duty and know that you shall complete it no matter what comes to pass ——— save us save us save your people save our society and bring us anew ——— yet there lie two immovable HEARTSTRINGS, unbreakable / and you know that you could never cut them free. the terror of love. the agony of love. ) ❝ you’re right, barbara ——— it’s hardly as though he can miss these things... i don’t think they’ve been open in decades, ❞ there is a lightness to his tone that stands in conflict to the drawn tenseness of his expression, the set of their mouth, the slight furrow to their brow. ❝ though his organizational skills leave something to be desired. ❞

        THERE ARE GHOSTS HERE / DO YOU THINK ONE OF THEM IS OUR SECRETS / DO YOU THINK ONE OF THEM IS YOUR DAMNED FATHER WHO I CAN BURY AGAIN / DO YOU THINK ONE OF THEM IS YOU AND CAN I GUIDE YOU FREE?

       ❝ you know, ❞ they set the book that they had taken upon a pile of others and cross the room towards her ( remembers lightning cracking and thunder rolling and her quiet tears and her small hand in his as they walked to the kitchens together, hands swinging, a secret to take to the grave ), leaning over her from a conscientious distance, watching her rifle through papers, looking seeking desperately searching for the deed, for the key that will release her from this iron wrought cage that has been growing smaller and smaller and smaller still, forming itself to her body and threatening to send it out to sea. well ——— it’s NAIVE to think that this will free her truly. only barbara can free herself.

        soon. soon.

        the words hang in the air as they watch her / her bowed head / and then he raises his eye to the desk proper, brows furrowing more at the sight of that ugly statue kaeya had always hated and seamus had always loved ( poor taste, through and through ) and he keeps his gaze on it as he pulls at a locked drawer. ❝ i’ve always hated this statue, ❞ they tap their finger against the lock and freeze it and / shove the statue over in one fluid movement, not even bothering to watch as it crashes to the ground and breaks into pieces ( is this how you broke barbara, seamus? is this what you did to her? no ——— no, you did it in increments. slowly. steadily. ) instead : they pull at the drawer again with a sharp pull, hears the locking mechanism break as it pulls open, wood splintering ever so slightly.

        BARBARA STILLS at the sound of the statue breaking / kaeya rifles through the papers in this drawer, perfectly aware that he could’ve simply asked barbara for the key and ——— ah, ❝ putting the deed to the manor beside clergy papers? amazing, how he had no idea what he was doing a great deal of the time, ❞ they take the paper from the drawer and set it on the desk and / look down at barbara who is not looking at him / instead she’s looking at her knees her hands the floor the carpet and THERE ARE GHOSTS HERE. lingering at the doors in the halls upon the walls convalescing around her. making her small.

        barbara isn’t meant to be small.

       ❝ ready to go? ❞ he holds his hand out to her, palm up, remembers with VIVID CLARITY every time that she had taken their hand, her palm growing and growing but always dwarfed by his. remembers how she held him / how she carried them to shore / supporting their burned charred decimated body / weeping. crying for him.

        i will not cry for you, sister, but here : i will carry you home.

       ❝ i think we can make it back to mondstadt and have you back with peony before midnight, ❞ could they? unlikely, truly ——— but before DAWN, surely / kaeya knows how to rush journeys. they’re rather skilled at it, after all / he can hardly have travel take up the majority of the time he’s away from mondstadt, after all. ❝ even with the extra weight, ❞ of course they’re taking a great deal of the library with them. DEAD MEN CAN’T READ, AFTER ALL / though truly, even if seamus were alive, kaeya would take these off his hands, anyways. remorseless.

       ❝ unless, of course, you would like to destroy a few more things in the manor, ❞ it’s a casual suggestion, tone going almost light again as her hand slips into his / they’re almost surprised that they can touch her / that she isn’t half—faded as she looks. ❝ is that terrible tapestry still hanging in the hall? we could improve it by tearing it to shreds. or that vase, you know the one, it looks as though it’s in agony ——— impressive, that pottery could look like it’s in AGONY, ❞ they continue listing random ugly little trinkets and decorative pieces he knows perfectly well that are in this corpselike place / these petty juvenile acts of destruction / childlike for a child.

        ( kaeya, personally, would much rather burn the family portrait. you’ll never touch her again, seamus. never. )