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The ballroom music resounded throughout the building as you tried to enjoy yourself at the annual Favonius Gala.
Every year, Jean, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius held the Favonius Gala, a prestigious ball bringing together the elite of each region of Teyvat in one celebration of peace, unity, and alliance. The Adventurer’s Guild, the Qixing, and even the Fatui were invited, though they didn’t usually attend.
And yet there he was. Tartaglia, the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger. Your ex. Waltzing elegantly with a beautiful traveler from another world to the melody of Swan Lake.
You didn't think he’d be here, but a gut feeling for the past few days kept telling you that you shouldn't have come. And with good measure too, for the accidental glance your former love caught with you as he spun his partner into a final dip caused that gut feeling to culminate into a medley of panic, jealousy, and regret. Not being able to stay in the same room as the harbinger any longer, you clumsily made way for the exit.
Your vision blurring, you felt yourself bumping into some plates. “S-sorry…” you tried to get out.
A familiar voice tried to ask you something, but it sounded distant. “Oh! It's okay! A-are you okay, y/n? Do you need some water?” It sounded like Noelle.
“N-no, I-I have to go.”
You hurry to the entrance, the ballroom music ringing in your ears louder than ever before, almost as if it was mocking you.
“Wait! Where are you going, y/n?!” Klee, the impromptu receptionist yelled as you ran out. Her new friend from Liyue, Qiqi, slowly peeked behind her, letting out a soft “come back…” as she also watched you frantically leave.
Once you got through the heavy entrance doors of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, you felt your heart beating out of your chest. You needed to escape the crowd or else you were about to have a panic attack, and instinctively you headed for the cobblestone lighthouse. Out of breath and your feet already blistered from your heels, you trudged up the stairs.
Unexpectedly, you arrived at the top to the sight of another member of the party already there.
Leaning with one leg on the stone wall and arms crossed, he turned his head. “Oh, hello, y/n. What brings you here?”
The eye-patched Cavalry Captain of Mondstadt, Kaeya Alberich. Not in his usual uniform, but in a gorgeously tailored black suit with silver decals all over his vest. His back was topped with a beautiful azure blue feather accessory with accents of gold.
Of all the Knights, you were the most surprised to see him here, away from the party and not already slightly tipsy and dancing with someone he so easily charmed his way to the ballroom floor.
You thought about how to answer his question, attempting to catch your breath. “I… needed a breather. It got a little bit too much in there.”
“Oh? Well, I surely don’t mind company,” he said, voice smooth and alluring. He looked back to the distance, the night sky a deep blue that mirrored his icy pupils. “Care to talk about it?”
His voice brought you some comfort. You didn’t mind his presence, so you decided to stay and accompany him. A short silence ensued after you stood next to him and placed your elbows on the railing.
“I knew what I got myself into coming here.” You admitted after catching your breath.
“Mm. How so?”
You sighed, coming to terms with your feelings. “I guess I wasn’t as ready to see someone else in Childe’s arms as I thought I was.”
“Hm.” He hummed.
“Bennett kept trying to get me to come with him tonight, but I only finally accepted earlier today because I felt bad. He kept insisting it would be fun even when I said it didn’t seem like my scene but…” you sighed again. “I'm not even wearing the right dress for this gala. Mona and Fischl just helped me put this together last minute but this is the best they could do with whatever I had in my closet. I’m sticking out like a sore thumb while everyone is covered in precious jewels. Not to mention I couldn't even try to get drunk because Diona and Diluc were arguing at the bar while Venti drank half the alcohol!”
He chuckled. “Hm. I guess my brother didn’t anticipate a certain bard’s capacity for alcohol, especially free, fancy alcohol.” He turned to look at you, processing the frustration and disappointment in your face.
“Yeah… and it didn't help that Childe was in the middle of the ballroom dancing with another girl to my favorite ball dance song.” You sniffled, feeling water form at the corners of your eyes. “That was our song. We would always dance together. He would always teach me different ballroom dance moves he learned as a child in Snezhnaya. Now I just… I can’t even listen to a symphony without thinking about him.”
Kaeya’s usual smirk turned into a slight frown, a rare occurrence for the Cavalry Captain.
In an attempt to forget about your ex, you tried to divert the subject to him.
“So, uh… what about you? What brings you here? I didn’t think you’d miss out on a party and a chance to dance with some Mondstadt damsel.”
“Oh, y/n. You know me too well.” He laughed, then paused.
“I come up here often. Usually to patrol, but tonight I guess I just needed some space, too. Thankfully, Amber found another friend to dance with. She’s quite the klutz when it comes to ballroom dancing and I was tired of her stepping on my new shoes.”
Both of you laughed lightheartedly at the thought of the sweet outrider’s lack of dancing skills. I guess you can’t be the champion of everything.
You stood in silence once more, still having difficulty trying to forget about Tartaglia and the memories of your relationship threatening to resurface.
“Come here,” Kaeya patted next to him as he sat on the floor. You looked at him with slight confusion, not understanding at first due to you being lost in your own thoughts. Kaeya noticed, laughing at your obliviousness. “Sit with me. Don’t be shy, I don't bite,” he teased.
You followed as he said, and soon you found yourself leaning on his shoulder. He didn't refuse, instead slowly placing his left arm around you as he felt your warmth on his body.
“Oh dear, your head is burning.” He said with concern, bringing the back of his right hand up to your forehead. You hadn't even noticed until he pointed it out, but once he did you also started to notice yourself feeling very hot and feverish.
“Oh, you’re right. I guess I was just distracted, I should've known better than to run outside this late in the cold.” You blush at his touch, slightly embarrassed and realizing you made a fool of yourself running out of the gala in a frenzy for every VIP in Teyvat to see.
“Here. Stay still.” He put the palm of his hand to your forehead, gradually turning cold as his cryo vision on his waist glowed.
Removing his hand after a few seconds, he felt your head once more to check your temperature. “Feel better?”
“Yeah, thanks.” You smiled at each other before you turned your gaze back to the stars.
“Look, I know it can be hard seeing someone you love so dearly love another.” He said in an effort to comfort you.
“Believe me, I've gone through my fair share of hurt and loneliness. Too many past loves and ‘the ones that got away.’ But eventually…” he says, looking to the stars once more. “you learn to appreciate the silence.” He smiles, but it's not the familiar smirk usually plastered on his face, it's a slight smile full of nostalgia, reminiscing the past. “Being alone, doing work on my own, going solo… the silence is almost like an old friend.”
You didn't respond, but he didn't expect you to. The two of you knew that his words couldn’t erase or make you forget the hurtful past, but they helped you find temporary solace in his company.
The two of you didn’t speak again after that. Only the occasional firefly and the rhythm of his breathing under your head interrupted the silence. And for the first time in a while, you found yourself in the comfort of another’s arms, in the comfort of the silence.