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It was appalling, how clueless they were. Inexcusable, really. It sickened him to his very core.
Kaeya’s leg bounced absently as he watched Jean and Diluc from across the courtyard. The two knights were embroiled in a heated discussion over battle tactics and the advantages their respective chosen weapons held over one another. As per usual, those out and about did their best to ignore them – Very few people would ever stay within distance in fear of being roped into the debate.
To an outsider, their talks would often seem hostile or argumentative. They partook of them with enough frequency that some believed they outright hated one other. Kaeya held his own belief that those people needed to better their observation skills – And that his brother and friend needed to get some better hobbies.
There was no enmity between the pair – Only a shared love of their training. Passionate discussions of war and weaponry and the Knights’ Code were all far too normal a sight for those who lingered around the two, namely himself. If one paid close attention to them, they could make out the excitement and enjoyment written on the teens’ faces; yet so many people heard their fervent disagreements and took it as a sign of hostility.
If anything, they were hopeless flirts; and it frustrated Kaeya to no end. How did no one else see what was happening between the two? Was he the only one with common sense around here?
His wavering attention was reeled back by the sight of Jean and Diluc parting ways. Kaeya leapt to his feet and chased after his adopted brother as Jean disappeared into the main building.
“Please tell me you’ve reached some sort of consensus,” he joked, slowing his pace at the redhead’s side. “You’re only scaring more people every day with your ridiculously involved discussions about artillery.” Diluc rolled his eyes, but gave his sibling an amused smile.
“We don’t aim for agreement, Kaeya,” he explained. “We enjoy the debate. There’s a nuance to these things, you see-”
“What I can see are two people who spend more time with each other than they do their own steel,” the dark-skinned teen interrupted. “That’s quite the feat, considering our positions.” Diluc’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
“Oh? I hadn’t noticed. That’s a fair bit, if you’re right…” The sincerity in his voice made Kaeya want to roll his own eyes. A prodigy Diluc may be, but certainly not for his social awareness.
“I am never wrong when it comes to these matters, I’ll have you know.”
“Which matters are those?”
“Oh, you know - The ones where I tell you and Jean that there are much better ways to utilize your tongues.”
The redhead missed a step when he heard this, keen balance the only thing preventing him from a fall forward. His face turned the color of his hair as he looked at his offender in disbelief. “Kaeya! That’s-! That’s indecent!”
“What? All I’m saying is I’m getting bored watching you two prattle on like you’re militia textbooks in mating season. Do us all a favor already and ask her for a date. Or a bed. Whichever you think should come first. Just make sure it isn’t you coming first.”
“Kaeya!”
It was astounding how easy it was to fluster the winery heir. A few comments and he’d already buried his face in his jacket. It was a nice reminder that his older brother was, in fact, still a young man at heart – Innocence and all. Diluc cleared his throat and threw his jacket over his shoulder once more in an attempt to act like his cheeks weren’t hotter than his flames.
“Whatever you think is going on between us, I’ll have to respectfully disagree,” he said, voice deceptively level. “Jean and I are just friends. We like talking with each other, and we share a common interest. That’s all there is to it.”
“I’ve heard that one before,” Kaeya replied with a snort. “Mark my words, you two will be an item within the year.”
“If you say so.”
Kaeya hadn’t expected that memory to surface so many years later. With all the chaos that followed Diluc’s promotion, he’d no reason to continue pestering the man for reasons of inanity. Had he not been privy to the sight in front of him, the long-ago conversation may have stayed buried for all time; but the fact of the matter was he was in the middle of some serious déjà vu that he was unable to turn away from.
Seeing knights in the tavern was an incredibly common sight. Seeing the acting grand master in the tavern was rarer, sure, but not extraordinary. Seeing the acting grand master in the tavern talking amicably with its disgruntled owner, however, may as well have been a fever dream.
The Cryo user watched in nothing short of awe as Jean lightly conversed with Diluc at the bar. The redhead seemed remarkably engaged in their idle chatter, even content to crack a sarcastic joke here and there, making Kaeya question whether or not someone had spiked his drink. Putting this all down to a drunken hallucination would make more sense.
As wild as the scene in front of him was, Kaeya couldn’t deny how refreshing it was to see his former brother acting normal for once. Or how easy on the eyes Jean looked tonight, in her semiformal blues. He wondered if Diluc noticed that as well.
The two of them shared a toast to something Kaeya didn’t catch. As they downed the last of their drinks – Grape juice and cider – Jean got up and gave her server a parting wave. Diluc nodded in acknowledgement and immediately set to wiping down their empty glasses. His countenance reverted to normal as soon as the acting master was out of sight.
This was bizarre.
Kaeya took his own glass with him as he sauntered up to the bar to speak with its owner. “My, such an unusual sight I’ve been treated to tonight. Am I going to see this more often from now on?”
“Jean coming by isn’t that spectacular,” Diluc replied, not even bothering to look up from his cleaning. The faintest hint of a smirk pulled at Kaeya’s lips as he sipped his Death After Noon. There’s the attitude he was used to – Curt and colder than he could ever be.
“Seeing you act like a normal human being is, however. I couldn’t help but notice how engaged you were in the conversation. Did you two decide to relive your arguments about weaponry?”
“Hardly.”
“Shame. I miss seeing the mind-boggling attempts at flirting you two used to do.”
“It wasn’t flirting,” Diluc said matter-of-fact. “Even if we were to have discussions like that now, it still wouldn’t be flirting. We’re just friends.”
“Which is mighty odd considering your stance on the Knights of Favonius nowadays,” Kaeya remarked through his next sip, “but I already knew she was a special case.”
“Just. Friends,” the bartender repeated. “That was the case back then, and it’s the case now.”
“Hmm. I wonder if you even know the difference.”
“What difference?”
“Between friends and lovers.” Kaeya graciously ignored the look of utter annoyance he was receiving. “I know you don’t have that many friends, and certainly no one you’re close with like you are Jean. So perhaps you don’t actually know it yourself.”
“You must be joking.”
“Think about it. You’ve always seemed to legitimately enjoy talking with her no matter the ridiculous topic, haven’t you? And you’ve never once denied her a favor, even if you wanted to.”
“It’s called being polite.”
“And,” Kaeya continued with emphasis, “every time she’s near, you instinctively stare right at her.”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“You stare, Diluc. You really stare. I’d be embarrassed for you if I didn’t find it hysterical.”
“I think that’s your last drink of the night. You’re starting to lose it.”
“Perhaps I am.” Kaeya chuckled as he slid his empty glass over to Diluc. “Oh, by the way… Jean seemed awfully dressed up tonight. Any ideas as to why?”
“Some of her family is visiting. That’s all.”
“Oh. Well, that’s positively boring.”
“You asked.”
“Yes, and I was expecting a much more exciting answer than that. I thought perhaps she was enticing you with the promise of a date.”
“I’m sorry you’ve lost your cognitive function, then – Assuming you had any to begin with.”
“My, you’re caustic. Should I go fetch Jean again? She seems able to tame you rather well.”
“How many times do I have to say-?”
“Yes, yes, ‘just friends’. You say it so much it’s started to lose meaning.” Kaeya slid off of his barstool and traipsed to the door, vaguely aware of his own inebriation. “I’ll be back tomorrow to pay off my drinks. In the meantime, have at some self-reflection, why don’t you? A little thought goes a long way.”
“You’re correct. Try it sometime.”
Kaeya shrugged the comment off and waved halfheartedly as he disappeared into Mondstadt’s night.
If yesterday’s scene was bizarre, today’s was outright otherworldly.
If there was one thing Kaeya would never expect Diluc to do, it was come back to the Knights of Favonius headquarters for anything other than a life or death situation. Even where taxes and reports were concerned, he usually sent Charles or Elzer to take care of business. That said, it was impossible to mistake the scarlet hue of the man’s wild mane mingling inside the grand master’s office – As well as the quiet laughter the two were sharing.
The sight, probably not meant to be shared with anyone but the two, rendered Kaeya speechless. As was his nature, however, he didn’t stay this way for long.
The Cryo user made a dramatic show of pushing the door wide open and calling out, “Grand Master Jean, there’s some equipment orders that need- Oh? What’s going on here?”
As expected, Jean and Diluc all but jumped at his intrusion and immediately ceased their conversation. To their credit, they would’ve done a spectacular job of masking their surprise had their interruption been anyone but him.
“There is such a thing as ‘knocking’, Kaeya…” Jean sighed heavily. Kaeya merely flashed her one of his winning smiles.
“My apologies,” he said blithely. “The door was slightly open so I assumed nothing important was going on inside. Perhaps I was wrong…?”
“Just some business,” Diluc replied first, curt as ever. “I was about to leave.”
“That so?”
“Yes, it is.” The winery owner gave Jean a silent nod before heading out, pointedly refusing eye contact with Kaeya as he left. The blue-haired man’s smile stayed firm.
“My, I appear to have soured his mood. Did I come at a bad time?”
“No, not at all,” Jean answered, returning to her desk chair. “Master Diluc only came by to drop off a book I’d left with him. Given its rarity, Lisa would’ve gone manic if I didn’t return it by tonight.”
With a knowing hum, Kaeya asked, “Was it related to your usual conversation topics by any chance?” Jean’s brow creased.
“I’m… sorry? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about all the times you used to argue with him over the viability of one-handed swords? I certainly haven’t.” A look of realization passed over Jean’s features. Her hands immediately flew to cover her mortified expression.
“Oh, why did you have to remind me of that?” she moaned. “And after I’d blocked all of that embarrassment from memory…”
“Embarrassment? Surely not. There’s nothing wrong with a friendly debate here and there, even if you two did get, ahem… quite heated at times.” Kaeya chuckled shamelessly as he added, “Unless the heat itself was the problem, of course; but I can assure you I found your conversations very enlightening.”
“Why did you come here again?”
Ah, there it is. He’d wondered when Jean’s topic-changing skills would be showing up. Dealing with awkwardness was not her forte. Kaeya sauntered over to her desk and handed her the folder he’d been carrying under his arm. “A few of the other captains wanted your signature on these equipment orders. The stuff we have has been getting more and more battered as of late.”
“Oh, yes. Of course.” Jean’s demeanor instantly changed to that of professionalism as she took the folder from her captain. Kaeya kept silent as she scanned its contents and signed off on the necessary papers. Eager as he was to continue amusing himself, he was supposed to be here on business – And who was he if not a man that knew balance between the two?
“Much appreciated, Grand Master. The last thing we want is our knights to hold back in their training because they’re afraid of breaking something.”
“I’m only disappointed I didn’t notice the need for replacements sooner.”
“Well, you are a rather busy woman. Your eyes can’t reach more than one place at a time.” Unable to rein his cheekiness in, he continued, “Color me surprised, though, seeing you meet Diluc’s last night. That was quite the event.” Jean’s right hand jerked at the comment, causing her signature to stretch over the edge of the paper. It took all of Kaeya’s willpower to hold back his laughter. The blonde looked up at him with thinly-veiled apprehension.
“Pardon me, captain?”
“I didn’t hear any of your conversation, don’t worry,” Kaeya reassured her. “I only saw the two of you getting along as if you were both trainees again. I was so drunk I thought I’d gone back in time!”
“We were only catching up,” Jean mumbled, looking down at her misfired signature in disdain. “It was rather nice talking to someone outside my work and family for once.”
“So when’s your next date?” Jean shot her coworker a glare.
“It was hardly a date,” she insisted. “I stopped by because I needed a break from some family matters. Talking to Diluc wasn’t planned – I didn’t even know he was working there until I walked in.”
“In that case, I’ll let you in on his schedule. In case you were wondering, he takes every other day at the Angel’s Share to give Charles a break. A kind gesture, wouldn’t you say?” Kaeya smiled innocently. “Unfortunately, that means he won’t be there tonight.” Jean rolled her eyes as she handed the request folder back to him.
“Thank you, but I wasn’t planning on going out tonight – And I definitely wasn’t wondering about his work schedule. We’re friends, and that’s all.”
“Could’ve fooled me, with the way you actually get him to laugh.” Kaeya gave her an innocuous wave as he took the folder and made for the door. “Thanks again for your signatures. You’ve done the ranks a great service.”
“Just leave, Kaeya.”
And leave he did, grinning to himself the entire time.
Once is chance. Twice is coincidence. Thrice is a pattern. This is what Kaeya told himself when he saw Diluc and Jean sitting outside the Angel’s Share together.
It wasn’t nearly as shocking as the first time seeing them together had been, but for them to be out in broad daylight was the epitome of odd. Kaeya debated heavily on whether or not he wanted to keep back and listen this time or not. On the one hand, eavesdropping could prove fruitful and might give him an understanding as to what they were doing; but on the other hand, the urge to bother them was increasing with every second he watched.
The moment he saw Diluc take Jean’s hand in his own, however, he made his decision.
“My, aren’t you two getting close!” he cheered loudly. The two in question instantly turned to their approaching guest with varying expressions of frustration and surprise. Kaeya put a hand to their table and leaned between them. “And here I thought you two were just friends?”
“We are,” Diluc said flatly. “It’s not a date.” It was difficult to tell if it was a lie. The redhead’s expression was deadpan as always, yet he refused to give up his hold on Jean’s hand. The acting master shook her head.
“I asked Master Diluc for some family-related advice,” she explained evenly. “He thought it might be best to sit down and talk about it. That’s all, Kaeya.”
“You’ve got an awful lot of family-related things popping up lately.”
“I’m a Gunnhildr. There’s a lot to worry about.” That was true. The prestigious families always had a lot riding on their youth. Kaeya was immensely glad he wasn’t one of them. Whatever demands the clan had of Jean must truly be a pain if she was choosing to engage in conversation with the least conversational person in Teyvat.
“It’s not out of the ordinary to want to help a friend,” Diluc added, “though I can imagine it must seem strange since you don’t help people unless there’s something of interest in it for you.”
“Ouch. Really know how to cut me down the middle, don’t you?”
“Really know how to get on my last nerve, don’t you?”
“Touché.”
Kaeya departed from the conversation rather quickly this time around. On top of getting no real answers from either party, if the Gunnhildr clan was putting pressure on Jean for some matter or another, it was none of his business anyway.
Then again, he thought wryly, it was hardly Diluc’s business either.
Kaeya was officially unsure if he had turned into a sleep-drinker or not the past week. He’d experienced no hangover or dry mouth, true, but what he was seeing outside of his dorm window was enough reason to second-guess himself.
Despite it being early morning, Diluc and Jean were both out and about in the courtyard below. Together. Again. This was the fifth time in a row he’d woken up and seen them chatting as if nothing else in the world mattered. Had he been transported to another dimension without realizing it? The past two weeks would make far more sense if that were the case, unlikely as it was.
It became even more confusing when this time, unlike the last few days, he witnessed them hug. Kaeya was lucky the glass didn’t break from how hard his face was pressed against the window.
Just as quickly as it’d happened, Jean headed back to headquarters and left Diluc behind. For a moment, the cavalry captain legitimately assumed he’d hallucinated the entire thing… but then Diluc turned directly towards his window and gave him a shrug. As Kaeya’s brain processed the disbelief he was currently feeling, his former brother mouthed out the words he’d come to hate:
“Just friends.”
Kaeya’s only response was to throw him the bird and return to his morning routine.
They had to be messing with him. They had to be. There was no other way the scene in front of him made a modicum of sense otherwise. How was he supposed to enjoy an after-training drink with this appalling sight in front of him?
None of the other knights walking in took notice of what was happening at the bar. They definitely saw it, as it was impossible not to, but they refrained from comment and didn’t so much as stutter on their march to the tavern’s empty tables. Perhaps they were too afraid to ask, or were just as shocked as he currently was; Kaeya couldn’t blame them for either. After all, what were you supposed to say when you saw the Acting Grand Master publicly perched on the richest man in Mondstadt?
The image of Jean sitting on Diluc’s lap filled Kaeya with an emotion he wasn’t sure existed up until that exact point in time. He had no name for it. Shock? Disgust? Hysterics? Try as he might, he could think of no word to properly describe what he was feeling.
“If you’re not going to order something, get out.”
Diluc’s voice reeled Kaeya from his shellshock. It was appalling how casual he still sounded despite the fact that there was a beautiful woman wrapping an arm around his neck. Was the man even human?
“Is something wrong, Kaeya?” Jean asked, voice laced with genuine worry. “You seem pale.”
“You must be joking,” Kaeya replied flatly. “What in the world are you two doing?” Diluc and Jean looked at each other in confusion. The former’s answer did nothing to sate the Cryo user’s curiosity.
“Relaxing, mostly. Is that strange?”
“You cannot seriously be asking me that when Jean is sitting on your goddamn lap.”
“I can, and I am.”
Instead of waiting for a better answer, Kaeya’s stare wandered over to Charles, who was tending to the bar despite Diluc’s presence. He gave the man a silent look of incredulity that was met with a nonchalant shrug and nothing else. “Not my business,” was the older man’s unhelpful reply. “Will you be having the usual, Master Kaeya?”
“Double it,” the captain muttered, following his fellow knights deeper into the tavern. Even if it unsettled him a fair bit, he’d be damned if he let Diluc and his weird relationship with Jean cut into his drinking time.
“The lap sitting might’ve been a bit much,” Diluc said under his breath. Jean hummed.
“You think so? I thought it was perfect. Tell me you didn’t enjoy that look on his face as he walked in.”
“That is… not what I meant; but I concede that seeing him knocked off balance for once was… pleasant.” Jean studied Diluc in confusion.
“Are you alright…?” she asked softly. With Kaeya no longer near, the redhead’s voice seemed strained and his eyes became focused on the wall beside them. The abrupt change startled her. Perhaps he was sick? As the knight adjusted herself in an attempt to make eye contact with him, Diluc let out a sharp breath.
“Please stop moving around,” he grunted, voice pleading for her cooperation. Jean immediately did as such, freezing up as if petrified. For a moment, she was afraid that she’d somehow hurt him with her movement; however, the noticeable tinge of red to his features bespoke a different answer.
The realization caused Jean’s own cheeks to feverishly flush alongside his. “O-Oh… I… I see. I’m sorry, maybe I should-?”
“Don’t,” Diluc interrupted in a low voice. “I fear I’ll have worse to contend with if you do.”
“That’s true, but… We can’t sit like this until Kaeya leaves, can we? He could be here until closing…”
“…And he probably will, as is his nature.” The tavern owner let out a sigh and glanced over at the table his former brother had situated himself at. As luck would have it, the man was already deep into his cups and sitting with his back to the bar. A plan immediately began forming in Diluc’s mind. “How much do you trust me, Jean?” The blonde’s eyes widened at the question.
“Quite a lot, but you knew that already… Why do you ask?” Diluc gave her a small smirk.
“I may have something on par with your lap-sitting idea, if you’re still keen on helping me drive Kaeya to his wits end.” Jean couldn’t help the playful smile that spread across her face.
“I can play along.”
“Good, because it starts now.” Without another word, Diluc leaned his head back and waved his employee down. “Will you do me a favor of locking up tonight, Charles? I’ll take your next shift to make up for it.” Charles’s surprise was uncontained. It was his shift tonight, wasn’t it? Why wouldn’t he be the one closing shop? A rather odd request, coming from the man who had assigned him the shift in the first place…
All questions died on his tongue, however, when he saw the vaguely masked look of mischief on his boss’s face. He didn’t know exactly what Diluc was planning, but given the whisperings between him and the acting grand master, he didn’t mind playing along. “Certainly, Master Diluc,” he replied. “Will you be taking your leave, then?”
“That’s correct. My friend here seems to be getting tired, so we’re going to retire before it gets late.” Diluc slid off the barstool without warning, eliciting a small yelp from Jean. Her grasp on him solidified as he made his way to the entrance, both arms snaking around his neck and shoulders instinctively. Despite her initial fear of falling, Diluc’s hold on her was remarkably strong – So much so that he’d barely shifted her as he opened the door.
“Have a wonderful evening, Master Diluc,” Charles called over. Diluc shot the man a grateful look over his shoulder before exiting the tavern and kicking the door closed behind him. All the while, Kaeya’s uncovered eye remained glued to the bar even after the two had left. The wine glass in his hand went temporarily forgotten.
“… What the hell just happened?”
“You could’ve told me that’s what you were planning! For a second there I thought you were going to drop me!” Jean’s annoyed pout only served to amuse Diluc more.
“What fun would that have been? Besides, you should know by now that I’d never let you fall.” The words left his mouth faster than his brain could process them, leaving both adults warm with embarrassment. Diluc coughed awkwardly. “Err, anyway… I hope that wasn’t too much on my part.”
“N-No, not at all…” Jean mumbled, staring at the road in front of them. The cobblestone was particularly interesting tonight, wasn’t it? “Anyway, it wasn’t worse than my idea ended up being…”
“It wasn’t terrible. I just… wasn’t expecting to curse my choice of pants…”
Silence overtook the two as Diluc continued his walk. Jean closed her eyes and rested her head against her friend’s chest, willing herself to think of anything but how awkward the night had turned. It turned out to be harder than expected, with the amount of whispers she was hearing from the passersby they encountered. She groaned. Why were there so many people out after sunset?
“Do you want me to drop you off at the dorm?” Diluc asked. “I… didn’t have much of a plan after this.”
“Will you even be able to? Given your, um… problem.”
“I can evade wandering eyes if I’m alone.”
“Are you sure?” The lack of confidence was shown only through the frown that’d etched itself into Diluc’s features. Jean sighed. “Don’t take me to the dorm. For starters, I’d rather not chance Lisa seeing us. She can be worse than Kaeya if she feels so inclined. Not to mention it’s one of the more populated places in the city… Do you really think you can escape notice? It’s still fairly early in the evening, you know.”
“Suppose that’s true,” her carrier mused. “And it would be rather questionable in the eyes of an onlooker, seeing me come out of headquarters with an erection…” Hearing his words caused Jean to blush even deeper in mortification. Why she was the one feeling embarrassed, she couldn’t fathom.
“W-Well… Do you have anywhere to go?” she asked, willing the full-body warmth she was feeling to disappear. “An apartment, perhaps? Or do you still stay at the winery every night?”
“I have a small place I stay at whenever I have a shift the next day,” Diluc explained, “but I didn’t want to impose on you anymore than I already have.”
“I don’t mind going there with you,” Jean insisted. “I may be a little embarrassed on the walk home, but I’ll at least be in a better position than you.” Diluc made a noncommittal sound from the back of his throat.
“If you’re certain-”
“Diluc, I’m really not the one in need of help right now. I’m certain.”
“… Alright.”
Their walk continued on quietly for the next while. As they entered the more residential area of Mondstadt, Jean took it upon herself to try guessing which house was his. They were all rather banal, which she assumed was the point – Diluc didn’t strike her as a person who appreciated random people appearing at his doorstep.
They finally stopped at a house with a red tile roof, the last in a group of several others. Diluc set Jean down on her feet at last and began fishing for his keys. Jean tried very hard not to think about how disappointingly cold she felt without his body heat.
The lock unlatched without issue. Diluc pushed the door open and gave Jean an apologetic look. “Under any other circumstances I’d brew you some tea as apology, but…” Though his sentence trailed off, Jean understood his meaning. She shook her head and waved off her bashfulness.
“N-No, it’s fine! You don’t have to apologize for anything. A-Anyway, I won’t impose on you any longer.” A bit more courageously, she continued, “Maybe save the tea for another time? I can bring by the next volume of Bows and Crosses, if you’d like.”
Diluc nodded in agreement almost instantly. “I’d like that. And… I hope the rest of your night is an uneventful one.”
“You and me both.”
As the two exchanged final goodbyes and Diluc disappeared into his abode, Jean couldn’t help but wonder what they had gotten themselves into. Whatever it was, she hoped she’d come out of it with some sanity left.