Chapter Text
A full week and some came by already since the esteemed Cavalry Captain had seen and spoken to you. Proudly wearing your scarf on the belt of his hip, he made it a point to show off the little trinket to anyone who noticed.
"I got it from a dear friend," he'd say, "She's off to travel the world right now. It's a shame I won't be seeing her anytime soon."
Shame indeed.
If it was not for the fact that you, in Liyuean style clothing and a utility belt around your hip, are standing right in front of him. No less accompanied by the Honorary Knight, and in his recently acquired Serenitea pot.
Admittedly at first, Kaeya was ecstatic to see you. Surely in a week or so, you had much to tell of your experiences in Liyue? Look at you too, already wearing traditional outfits like a professional. Maybe you were curious about Aether's journey and wanted to ask him for tips, so he had invited you inside his abode, but then…
But then why are you not looking at him? Why is Aether calling you "Porter"? And…you're the 'friend' that was going to stay with him in his pot for an indefinite amount of time? Not to mention that you… you seem so pale.
And what is this about being Aether’s housekeeper? He thought you were supposed to see the world?
Everything that Kaeya thought was clear to him had so suddenly fogged up and blurred his image of you.
Why are you here?
Why are you staying with Aether?
Hadn't it only been a week since you presumably met Aether for the first time? Surely Aether isn't that friendly to let someone who he had just met live in his home?
Kaeya stares, and stares, and stared some more that you can't hide the subtle reaction of squirming under his pointed gaze.
You?
Who are you?
"Your room's ready, I hope that when you see it, you'll like it."
You look up from your view of the horizon out the balcony, eyes meeting Aether's as Paimon waves at you. You smile, standing up excitedly and waving at them both.
"Hey, Aether, Paimon. Also don't worry, all I care about is that I have a bathroom and a soft bed to lay in." Giggles escape you, and you pick up a fish skewer from your plate, offering it to Paimon who ate it with gratitude.
Meanwhile, Aether brings out his teapot, shining bronze and glittering symmetrical grooves lining the sides of the precious trinket.
"Some friends will be there, I'm sure you'll know who they are, given your situation. Don't be intimidated, they're nice people, I promise." Procuring the permission sigil from his back pocket, you admire the handiwork of, presumably, either Madame Ping or Tubby.
"Before you go in, though, Paimon and I made up a background for you. Just in case people start asking." Aether sits you both back down, folding his hands over the other.
"You said that you'll be taking care of anything concerning the teapot, so that means household chores, entertaining and hosting our guests, and some others, right? Paimon thought it'd be great if you were to be a doorkeeper of some sort as well." The pixie floats beside you, pointing at the sigil in your hands. "That's why this sigil looks different because you also have the authority to let people in or out, aside from entering or leaving the abode. Only the Traveler can invite people in though. Madame Ping was nice enough to make this exception for us, hehe!"
Ah, so it was Madame Ping.
"Doorkeeper? Like a Porter?" You ask, eyes wandering around as you considered it. "Okay, I guess I dig it. But are you really sure you wanna trust me on this? I mean, sure we've known each other for a week or so and I know everything about you, but you don't know much about me."
Aether shakes his head, smiling a little.
"Well, if you know me as well as you do, you'd know it for yourself not to mess around."
Wow. As much as vague threats go, that was the vaguest it could be coming from Aether, the passive-aggressive king.
"Aether, you shouldn't be saying those things, it's scary!" Paimon whines as she stomps her little foot, while Aether laughs softly.
"I was joking of course. You're an important asset to finding my sister. That day we met in Dihua Marsh, you already proved that you're trustworthy. And don't forget, Paimon, she was right. Keqing let us in on the fact that Lady Ningguang is set to make the official announcement in three days." He pats Paimon's back as a way to apologize and a way to remind her of their discovery.
"Ahaha… yeah. Anyway, I've been thinking about it a lot and the name Porter is a nice one, right? Maybe I can use it as both a work title and a nickname." You scratch the back of your head, a little embarrassed at your proposal. "Either way, it's a good idea to protect my identity, right? Not everybody needs to know my name… or something."
"Oh. Well, we did have suggestions for that because it's good to have your identity kept on the down low, especially with Fatui around. Paimon thinks Porter is way better than what we came up with, hehe.." Aether nods at this, also giving a sheepish grin of his own.
You laugh as well, wondering just what kind of names they made up for you. Then, you cross your arms in seriousness.
"To sum it all up, I'm your friend and Porter, Porter. I'm in charge of all household affairs and both of your guys' well-being inside and out of the abode, is that it?" You ask tapping your chin. "What about the reason I'm working for you? Surely I can't say that I'm from another world and I sought you out for a way home, right?"
Paimon and Aether glance at each other, shaking their heads no.
"What about this then? The first time we met, I saved your life from Treasure Hoarders. What if we just say you were so grateful and have nowhere else to go, so you offered to be what you are?"
You mull over Aether's suggestion. Yes, he did do that. But are you the type of person to do such a thing?
Yes, let's face it, yes you would, in dire situations. Honestly, you already did do that, but this "fabricated" reason is just a lightly twisted perspective of what you did. Aether saved you from being skinned by Treasure Hoarders, you explained your situation, and in exchange for lodgings and a way home, you offered services and hints throughout his journey.
It's the truth but with some parts omitted.
So that's technically not lying, right?
"Alright, that seems legitimate enough. So, in conclusion, I'm your Porter, Porter , who is basically a doorman, a service provider who is a– in a way– servant, whom you saved from death. Did I get that right?" You glance at both Paimon and Aether, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Okay, I think I'm ready to go. How does this work?" You take the sigil into your hands, holding it firmly in your fingers.
You watch as Aether faces the pot in your direction, and gestures to the spout.
"Just focus, and imagine entering a door. Do that while you're looking into the spout hole, and you'll know you're doing it right if you feel like you're spinning."
You guess that it checks out with the visual effects when you enter the teapot.
Closing your eyes, you hold the sigil tightly in your hands as you imagine grasping a doorknob, twisting it in your hand, and pushing it open. Aether’s description of “spinning” around was quite right, you feel like the floor under your feet is revolving at mach speed, and so was your gut.
You swore that if you threw up you’d dig a hole and crawl in it forever.
Thankfully, you manage to keep your skewers in your stomach as a gentle billow of a breeze greets you. Opening your eyes, you’re facing a vast, leveled green field, with little Mondstatian houses lining the path to a Mansion, where at the side floats a huge white porcelain pot with intricate designs.
Doing a circle to take everything in, you notice that it’s not only Mondstatian houses, there are also landforms like rock formations and groups, self-made mountains, and strategically placed trees to frame the afternoon sun high above the canopies. Under your feet lay stone brickwork that guided you through the fake street inside the abode, where not only residential buildings lay, but also stalls whose produce never went bad, boutiques with little books and novelties, and a forging station that you knew some of the people Aether could possibly invite would absolutely love.
As you strolled through the avenue and closer to the mansion, you notice a familiar-looking furnishing set. Wooden crates and barrels, wheelbarrows, a stall, and wooden fences that housed healthy vines which wrapped around its hooks. This was the furnishing set called “Dawn Orchard”, loved by Diluc, Venti, Rosaria, and Kaeya.
(There’s a little ache in your heart when you remember Kaeya, but you pretend you didn’t feel it.)
“Hey, ready to settle in?” Aether’s voice almost startles you, and you face him with a tight-lipped smile.
“I mean, I guess? I’m excited, really.” You can’t stop the churning in your stomach though, like something’s gonna happen. You really want to blame your anxiety for mixing worries with excitement, but what can you do when all your gut does is sink further and further like it wants to nestle into the deepest pits of the abyss?
Nothing, just following Aether and Paimon to the front door after your brief exchange with Tubby. You watch as Aether pushes the doors open, walking inside with a subtle flourish that only he can pull off.
“Everyone, she’s here!” Aether calls out from what you assume to be the living room, what with the cozy fireplace and the soft-looking couches lining the edge of the large red rug under it. “Come and meet her!”
When you hear footsteps pattering from above, you can gauge the type of people they are. Slow and heavy footsteps, light footsteps, and a mix of both. Three people. Mmm, seems Aether hasn’t upped his trust rank that much yet.
“By the way, who did you invite?” you ask him, placing your hand over his arm in a flash of familiarity in an attempt to quell your nervousness. Aether says nothing of it, opting to put his hand over yours like he knows you’re shaking in your embroidered shoes.
“You’ll see,” he whispers, smiling brightly as he watches them descend down the stairs.
And you do, seeing familiar green and white accompanied by brown and gold outfits. It was no difficulty figuring out who these were, but what was difficult was trying to pry your eyes off of their faces.
As ethereal as archons could be in-game, it feels like you can’t breathe from how absolutely breathtaking they both were in person. Elegant and refined, playful and cheeky, the beloved anemo and geo archons (or rather, ex-archons), Venti and Zhongli had so graciously blessed you with their presence.
“Oh, so this is the little dandelion from distant lands, huh?” Venti mused, skipping over to your side to appraise you, eyes raking over your form as he tilts his head. Your heart stutters at the sound of his melodic voice, even if he sounds so teasing that you feel your cheeks heat up. “I must say, I’m a little hurt that you were so eager to depart when your roots had only begun to touch the soil.”
“Come now, Venti.”
Oooh, you almost shudder at the deep rumble of Zhongli’s voice that resonated in your chest, hands clammy at the richness and weight of just three words.
“Leave the poor miss alone. Please excuse him, he may be a bit crude but he means no harm.” Zhongli places his hand over Venti’s shoulder as if silently asking him to behave. “It is a pleasure to meet you, dear miss. The Traveler spoke of your arrival. I hope our presence does not hinder your transition to living comfortably in this abode.”
Your spine tingles at the brilliance of his golden eyes. Ah, you wished you could say something to him without sounding like an idiot, but that was too hard a task when they were both just so… beautiful .
And so you helplessly peek at Aether for some aid, and he laughs a little.
“They know. It’s okay, because they know about me too.” he whispers in your ear. That was not the help you were really asking for but oh, well, Aether can’t save you
all
the time.
"Um, hi. I uh-"
Wow. That's the best you can do?
You shake your head a little trying to focus and not just gawk at Venti's pretty lashes, or stare up at Zhongli's dainty eye makeup.
The next attempt dies in your throat however, as the third and last person makes himself known to you, descending the last steps of the stairs to meet you.
Kaeya.
You blink, once, twice.
No, he was definitely there. You thought you wouldn't see him again. At least, not for a much much longer while. Your eyes immediately shoot down to his hip, where your scarf is still tightly secured next to his vision, then back up to look him in the eyes.
"Well, it seems everyone is here. Let me introduce you all to each other. Everyone, this is Porter. She's to be my, well, housekeeper and doorkeeper. I hope you all get along with each other nicely." Aether smiles brightly, and you feel your world darken just a little, with how much of a pointed stare Kaeya drills into you.
You weren't counting on this. You didn't know he was here. You feel the crushing weight of your lies and contradictions heave onto your back as he stares and he stares. Your ears tune out whatever Aether is saying, too focused on the fact that your heart is hammering in your chest.
What were you supposed to say? What were you supposed to do? Why was he here? Why didn't you figure it out from the furnishing set outside? From the telltale sound of his footsteps?
What is he thinking? Is he confused? Upset? Utterly betrayed and furious of how much of a shameless liar you are?
Of course he is, he's going to be so mad. You lied and lied and formed a bond and lied again. He will never forgive you, he won't.
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no—
"Porter."
You face Aether, taking your eyes off the floorboards under your feet.
"Let's go to your room to get you settled in, yeah?"
You dumbly nod, making sure not to look at Kaeya, because how could you?
Why should you?
Your footsteps creak against the steps, shame and guilt lie heavy on your shoulders, making you drag your feet as you ascend to the top level. Aether’s words of advice and the tour of your room went in one ear and out the other. You can’t stop thinking about the way he looked at you, you can’t stop yourself from thinking up scenarios of what would inevitably be the confrontation of your true origins.
Aether told you only a select few can know of your real story. Intelligent Abyss Mages and Fatui aside, it’s best not to share everything. Would telling the truth be better?
What good would it reap but more questions?
Oh, you can’t possibly foresee and prepare for his interrogation. You were supposed to take it easy and-
“Kaeya’s here to talk to you,”
You whip around, and true as told, he was there, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe beside Aether. You can’t read his expression, you can’t tell what he’s thinking. Is he mad? Is he hurt? Is he trying to figure you out?
What is he doing?
“I’ll leave you both to it then.” Aether dips his head and scuttles away, and you almost call out to him to make him stay and not leave you alone with your problems.
But alas, here you were, face to face with Kaeya. But more of he’s facing you, staring you down and you find it more appealing to count the threads of your shoes.
“So,” he starts, pushing himself off of the doorframe and closing the door behind him, approaching you like a Rishboland Tiger stalks its prey, circling you like an eagle eyeing a little weasel thief skittering on the ground.
“What do you think of your new home, Porter ?” The question in itself is harmless, but the intonation of the cryo user’s voice makes it all the more chilling that it makes you sweat. “Never thought that with your… self-proclaimed terrible social skills, you’d land a job offer with the illustrious Honorary Knight. In his personal abode, nonetheless.”
You try to even out your breathing. Inhale, exhale.
“You said to secure a good living space. If working for Aether means I can have both that and an income to support myself, I don’t see the issue here.” You don’t know where your sudden defensiveness and argumentation skills sprung up from, but you hoped that you could keep it up.
“Well maybe if I pointed it out, you could understand. You told me your name, and now I’m hearing you’re Porter . You told me you were off to see the world and now I’m hearing you’d be staying here to work for the Traveler as a housekeeper. And aside from that,” Kaeya stops right in front of you, leaning down to meet your eyes. “How did you ever know where to look if you were, as you said, “A caged bird from the nobility of Mondstat”, sheltered all their life…?”
You turn away from him, feeling the sting behind your eyes as you wobble from the pressure.
“It’s not that hard. I’m not stupid, and people are more helpful than you think if you ask them the right questions.”
Kaeya doesn’t let up.
And so you speak up again.
“Fine. If you really want to know how I got here, long story short, I almost died being robbed and he saved me. I told him I had nowhere to go, and so he offered to let me stay here. I didn’t want to be a freeloader so I told him I’d help out. Happy?” It was now your turn to cross your arms, but in a way of trying to protect your heart from shattering, having to use the manufactured story you and Aether weaved together from your experiences on Kaeya.
There was an ache in your chest that told you to just tell him, tell him the truth, tell him everything, but how could you? You were already digging yourself a grave so deep you can’t even see the entrance anymore. Your shoulders are sore and your fingers are blistered, the shovel blade in your hands dull and caked with dirt that you just can’t see the point in stopping now.
Kaeya calls your name, your actual name, and your heart jumps.
“Face me, look me in the eye, and tell me what you just said.”
Oh.
Trouble, you thought. You were in trouble.
Though it might be too light of a term when you can’t even see him through the blurriness of your vision, tears blocking the view of his stern gaze that had softened when he saw the droplets rolling down your cheeks.
“Why are you crying?” he asks, and you can feel his hands on your shoulders.
You sniffle, trying to stop a sob from spilling through. Try as you might, but more tears replace the ones you just blinked away.
“Because you don’t trust me.”
And he shouldn’t. Piles and piles of lies and half-truths don’t make a whole, and all you’re doing to Kaeya is feed him empty words that messily make up your image in his head.
“...You’re right. I don’t.”
More tears splatter onto the ground. That really hurts, but you deserve it.
“What are you hiding from me? Why do you feel like you have to hide it? Are we not companions?”
You almost miss the way he rubs a circle into your shoulder with his thumbs. And that makes you feel even worse, hand flying up to muffle a sob.
You want him to leave you alone, to let you simmer in your guilt in peace and postpone the obvious option to just tell him. Venti knows, Zhongli knows, Aether knows, what’s one more person?
The difference is that you didn’t lie to any of them. Lead them on in a dizzying circle, letting little rest before you spun them around like a top once again.
And so desperately you wanted to stop talking about it, stop thinking about it that you sniffle again, and blink away the remaining tears in your eyes.
“If you don’t trust me,” you start, inhaling deeply to ground yourself. “Give me back my scarf.”
Kaeya’s body jerks lightly, in a way that brings distance between your hand and the scarf on his hip almost instinctively.
“N-no.” he declares, letting go of your shoulders and taking a step back. His hand hovers over it, protectively, defensively. “Why do you want it back?”
“You said you’d give it back when you saw me again.”
Kaeya glances down at it, then straightens his posture and holds it closely, tightly in his grip.
“That is what we agreed on yes. But I’m not seeing the person I saw back in Windrise. Show me that person, and only then will I give it back.”
Your face sours into a frown and creased brows, knowing well enough that he knows you’re lying. That you’re a liar. And you can do nothing about it, but feel the gravity of your poor choices and the reality of your consequences when he finally leaves you alone, standing in the middle of your room in silence.
Either tell him the truth, or lose your friend.