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Follow The Ley Lines: Viatrix Chapter
Good Will
Lumine glanced over her shoulder as the toe of her boot grazed a crevasse on the stone stairs, her brow raised and lips pursed. “Is there a reason you’re shadowing me, Sir Kaeya?”
The quartermaster strolling behind her came to a gradual halt on the lower landing, hands perched on his hips as a coyness curled at the corner of his lips. His lilac eyes flitted to the left then the right and Lumine was almost tempted to do the same til she remembered who it was she was dealing with.
“Whatever could I have done to earn such skepticism, Lumine?” Kaeya asked, raising his hands in a deceptively helpless gesture. His earring’s blue gem gleamed as it caught on the low light with every shake of his head. “I only wished to see you home safely, nothing more.”
Lumine hummed, her arms raised to fold loosely over her chest. It didn’t take her long to know that Kaeya was the type she should keep an eye on, even when they were on the same side. His easy-going nature loosened lips easier than alcohol and lowered guards without anyone knowing, and if he were following her then it had to be for a reason.
“I would think the Knights of Favonius patrolling the streets could keep them safe enough for a nightly stroll, wouldn’t you?” Lumine didn’t miss the slight twitch in his lips and pressed on in the absence of a rebuttal. “As the Quartermaster, surely you have faith in the skills of your men. Such a lack of belief would be terrible for morale. Don’t you agree?”
While there were few souls milling about the streets and most of the windows and doors were closed and locked for the night, she felt as if there were a thousand eyes on them. Or perhaps that was the intensity of Kaeya’s gaze. He stared at her for a moment longer then allowed his eye to close, shoulders hiked in a half-hearted shrug rustling the fur stole tossed over his right shoulder.
“You’ve caught me then. A lonely soul whose only crime is the want of company.”
Lumine offered a sympathetic smile. “Master Diluc kicked you out, didn’t he?”
“Absolutely not,” Kaeya said after a short pause, too lengthy for his usual comebacks. “I just decided to leave before the night fell away from me. It wouldn’t do to be late for our excursion tomorrow, now would it?”
Lumine hummed softly then tipped her head to one side, mimicking his half-hearted shrug. “I suppose not.” She turned on her heel and started up the staircase, batting away the earlier refusal. “Join me if you like, I know you won’t leave otherwise.”
His answering chuckle is cold as is the weight of his gaze on her back but she hears the jingle of his belt and hurried footsteps to match her pace. “You speak of me as if I’m some sort of pest. Perhaps you’ve been around Master Diluc too long, what tales has he been spinning about me?”
She clicked her tongue, side-eyeing him apprasingly. “Fishing for information so blatantly, have you no shame?”
“Another wound,” Kaeya sighed dramatically, tossing his head to one side, his ponytail rippling like water as it flicked over his shoulder. “Well then, would you indulge me with one question?”
“Haven’t I indulged you enough for one night?” Lumine retorted dryly, giving a curt nod to Katheryne when she glanced up from the countertop. The young woman returned the nod then pointedly looked away as Kaeya flashed a charming smile. His mirth remaining in a warm chuckle despite the cold reception.
“I only mean to ask why it is that you’ve been working so hard lately,” he pressed, side-stepping an ascent up the next flight of stairs to peer over the ragged parchment pinned to the wooden bulletin board. He tapped a few hunting notices then snatched them clean from their places, folding them in half. “With how handsomely the Knights have been paying you, surely you aren’t hurting for coin.”
Lumine perched a hand on her hip and raised her chin as he strolled over. “I heard a saying once that closed mouths aren’t fed,” she said, ignoring his lilting hum as he held the folded parchment to her. “Paimon’s mouth is often open and we both need to be fed.” She eyed the papers then glanced up at him, reaching out to take them.
Kaeya snatched them back, holding them further, his chin raised as he hummed thoughtfully. The corner of his lips curled reminding Lumine sorely of a cat who’d caught its prey. “Where is our intrepid little fairy, pray tell…”
“With Amber,” Lumine retorted, flicking a glance toward the parchment then Kaeya. “Is this an interrogation, Sir Kaeya?”
“Perish the thought,” He chuckled and flipped the papers horizontally, holding them out to her with a grandiose bow, far too low to be genuine. Lumine rolled her eyes and plucked them from his grasp. She unfolded the papers and looked over their contents, interest piqued as she noticed the reward in blotted black ink taking up the majority of the parchment’s lower half. With the seal stamped from the Adventurer’s Guild, she felt a bit better of the potential conquest though with a quick glance, she frowned.
“It’s odd,” Lumine prefaces, folding the parchment while Kaeya strolled past her. “Tell me, why did you pick these?”
Kaeya smirked, his gaze cutting toward her, a pale hue to his lilac eyes from the amber lanterns swinging from the awning behind them. “Clearing hilichurl camps and quelling copious amounts of slimes is your specialty, is it not?”
Lumine huffed. “To some, perhaps.”
“There are the little jobs which make a world of difference, Lumine, as an Honorary Knight and the rising star of Mondstadt surely you of all people would know a little good goes a long ways.”
Lumine tucked the parchment away, ignoring the familiar aspects of the previous jobs she’d taken that week. The client’s name went unknown but the jobs were about the same. Tasks which seemed trivial on their surfaces but often led her into harrowing fights. Any lesser swordwielder would find themselves in a bind or on their way to the gates of Celestia. Perhaps the one who orchestrated such jobs was aware of that and wanted to spare the Knights the trouble. Her eyes lingered on Kaeya’s back as he ascended the steps, thumbs tucked loosely in the low-hanging drape of his belt, a jaunty tune rolled through the air catching on her ears.
“A little good goes a long ways,” he repeated once she fell in step beside him. “Which reminds me of a rumor I’ve been hearing.”
Lumine’s heart skipped a beat but she forced herself to remain calm, and her voice even. “A rumor?”
“There is a fountain nearby, one where the people of Mondstadt often give their coin to in exchange for a wish or Barbatos’ ear,” Kaeya covered his mouth lightly as he chuckled, raising a palm defensively when Lumine shot him a glare. “I don’t mean to laugh at their beliefs. Only that I wonder if Barbatos would use such coin for a night of drink or some other means of revelry.”
Lumine sighed through her nose, shaking her head. “That’s a bit blasphemous, don’t you think?”
“On the contrary, I believe it’s well in the spirit of Mondstadt, to spend hard-earned coin for pleasure and relaxation. Isn’t that freedom?”
She pretended to mull his words over, ignoring her heart’s hammering as they passed by the Souvenir Shop. A soft yelp caught her ear and she looked over in time to see Marjorie careening forward, the box of knick-knacks and bobbles spilling out of her hands. Lumine’s muscles twitched and she stepped forward to go help when Kaeya left her side in a blur, jogging past the boxed power plots, his heels clacking against the cobblestone. Marjorie gasped when she looked up, striking up conversation as Kaeya knelt down to help her gather up the items, leaving Lumine staring awkwardly.
The thought crossed her mind that he wasn’t so bad. Despite his want to know it all. But it was pushed aside in favor of continuing with her original goal, climbing the stairs and bidding a nod to the hostess of Good Hunter. Her heart thudding to a halt when she heard a splash.
So he’s here again, she thought, looking around at the dimly lit windows. The fountain pouring crystalline waters into its basin was illustrious as usual but In the middle of its as a young man, bent at the waist with his pants legs rolled to his knees and sleeves pushed back. Handfuls of glittering coin, wet and dripping with water, were shoved into his pockets. Lumine could hear his quiet counting as she approached, brows knitted together.
“… Anthony?”
The man’s breath hitched audibly and he jerked up, yanking his hands from the water and stumbling backward til he nearly tripped back onto the tiered spout. His eyes were as blue as the waters he treaded in, wide in their guilt and blinking at her in shock. “I-It’s you…”
She could see his throat bob as he hid his hands behind his back, the shoulders and sleeves of his shirt darkening in color as the water from the spout doused his backside.
“I-I wasn’t doing anything, honest.. I..”
Lumine shook her head, glancing toward the stairs. “I know what you were doing,” she interjected, seeing him visibly deflate and the flash of panic and worry in his eyes. “And I understand…”
For a moment, his expression was young and confused. “You do…?”
Lumine nodded slowly, reaching behind her and slipping her fingers through the nothingness, withdrawing with a weighted pouch resting in the palm of her hand. It bulged at the seams and her heart ached at the thought of letting it go. But she recalled the afternoon heading to Good Hunter for a meal with Paimon, hearing the soft pleas choked out between grating coughs. The young woman who prayed not to be a burden on her brother or anyone else bowing her head before the shimmering waters, tears rolling down her cheeks wiped away with a practiced hand immediately flying to her lips to stifle another wave of coughs.
“Here.”
Anthony waded over to her and shakily reached out for the pouch, staring down at it in disbelief once Lumine dropped it in his hands. “I— I can’t take this..”
“It’s better than being arrested for stealing coins from a fountain,” insisted Lumine, regretting her words when he flinched. “You won’t be able to help Anna or anyone if you’re in a dungeon.”
Anthony seemed to think the words over and Lumine thought he would try to dissuade her until he climbed out of the fountain, cradling the pouch in the crook of his arm like a child. “How.. How can I…”
“Take care of yourself, and your sister,” Lumine cut in, letting the air warm around her fingers as she dried the sheen of water dripping from his arms and legs. “Get some sleep for a night too.”
He stared down at the pouch then clumsily bowed his head, grabbing his shoes from where they were stashed behind the fountain and sprinting off. The jingle of coin carrying long after he was gone.
“So, that is the reason why you’ve been taking extra jobs…”
Lumine suppressed a flinch, not bothering to turn around when she heard the merry tap of Kaeya’s boots as he approached from behind. She should’ve known that he would’ve waited to see what would come about then reveal himself.
“Is it really wise giving your money to someone you barely know?” Kaeya asked inquisitively, an airiness to his voice as if he were truly puzzled. “Anthony is quite the hard worker but he has spent many nights at Cat’s Tail.”
Lumine sighed, shaking the water from her hands, satisfaction curling in her chest when he grimaced at the water flicked at him. “Wasn’t it you who said that spending coin for pleasure and relaxation was freedom?” She turned on her heel to face him, scowling as she tipped her chin up. “His sister’s illness is hardly her fault or his own, they shouldn’t have to feel weighed down by being unable to afford medicine.”
Kaeya tutted softly, eyeing her. “And so you sought to alleviate their burden by taking it upon yourself…? How noble.”
“A knight would know the price of noble deeds, wouldn’t they?” Lumine retorted, standing straighter as he turned toward her, smiling down at her keenly.
“Ah, and a sister would want to ease the pain of a brother’s sorrow..”
Lumine curled her fingers into a fist and lowered her gaze, her teeth clenched until her jaw began to ache. Neither of them said a word but the air shifted between them once Kaeya cleared his throat.
“Apologies, I believe I’ve taken this jest a bit too far…”
She peered up at him and to her surprise, he actually seemed a bit bashful if not regretful. His smile softer and friendlier as he gave a curt nod.
“Why don’t I make it up to you, perhaps a trip to Angel’s Share?”
Lumine weighed the makeshift olive branch against her desire to do away with the night’s posturing, but from the slight fidget at his belt and the tightness of his smile, she could forgive him this once.
“Didn’t Master Diluc kick you out?”
Kaeya chuckled and started off, rounding the fountain with Lumine in tow. “Ah, but that’s the charm of good will, Lumine… and hopefully, my short absence has made his heart a little fonder.”