Chapter Text
A bar. The sign out front says Angel’s Share. Surely they’ll have information on Mondstat’s deaconess? I shrug. Best to try and fail than not try at all, and it can’t be much worse than wandering in the wilderness all night. I push open the door with a shoulder, breathing deeply as the warmth and liveliness of the bar washes over me. The bar is right in front of the door, tables off to the side. Two people sit at the bar, some sort of…. Nun? And some man in fancy blue clothing with a fur collar. The man working the bar spots me as I come in, a fiery redhead with long hair in a ponytail. His face is calm but his eyes spark as he looks me up and down. I approach the bar and take my hood off before speaking. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to talk to a random stranger in a hood and cloak who entered his bar in the middle of the night.
“Excuse me, I was wondering if you know when the church is open to the public again? I’ve heard the deaconess heals people and I've been searching for some herbs.”
The man stops cleaning his glass to give me a glance up and down. I guess I look trustworthy enough.
“The church reopens at 8. In the meantime there are a few rooms upstairs if you’re looking for somewhere to rest before you head back out. Of course you can stay at the bar, we close at four.”
His voice is smooth, devoid of emotion. He motions to the floor above us before casting a hand to the tables to my left. I see many patrons talking and laughing, mugs of ale in their hands. I shake my head and thank him for the information. I turn to leave before a question pops into my head.
“Do you serve snacks here?”
The bartender tenses as the man beside me laughs. I turn to get a glimpse of him. He sits to the left of the nun, an eyepatch on his face. From his color scheme I’d guess a cryo user, and the flash of light on his hip tells me I’m right. He wears some sort of suit, a cropped jacket over a dress shirt tucked into a black corset. The corset goes into pants with buttons down the side and a belt is slung onto his hips, off which his cryo vision hangs. There’s a lighter blue streak in his indigo hair. He looks quite like someone I used to know…
“I told you Diluc! A good bar should serve snacks, absorb some of that alcohol! It would make you more money in the long run anyway!”
The man speaks in a teasing tone, smiling amicably at the bartender, Diluc. Diluc seems annoyed at his patron’s words, but the dynamic between them seems familiar, if not strained. The nun gives a light scoff, watching as Diluc swipes the wine from in front of them before the other man can take another drink.
“That’s enough for you Kaeya. You’ll only give me a headache at this rate. I have half a mind to kick you out here and now.”
Kaeya? Hold on. I take a closer look at the man’s eyes. His pupils are the shape of… crystals? Stars? Stars! No, that can’t be. His eye meets mine, the expression on his face freezing. Something tells me to get out. Now. I turn back to Diluc, swiftly thanking him for his directions before I turn back towards the door and put my hood up. I push the door back open with my shoulder, welcoming the cool wind. I turn towards the street, figuring Katheryne of the Adventurer’s Guild will know of some place I can stay. The bar seems to be a little too easy access for my liking.
I hear someone exit the bar behind me and force myself to keep my pace the same. The Kaeya I knew specialized in reading body language, especially those deemed suspicious. Me walking faster after only having a feeling he’s behind me would only mark me guilty. I pass through a crowd of drunken Mondstatder’s, hoping to throw him off. The streets are dimly lit near the bar, and I’m sure having on an eyepatch limits his depth perception.
I continue making my way towards the kiosk of the Adventurer’s Guild, knowing he won’t come up behind me so readily in front of Katheryne. I don’t know his status here, but seeing how he seemed so relaxed at the bar makes me think he’s well known. I clutch the wood of the kiosk under my hands as Katheryne issues her standard greeting.
“Ad astra abyssosque. Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild. How may I help you today, adventurer?”
I smile up at Katheryne, enjoying her reliable personality. Even if she’s a bit robotic.
“Do you know of any lodging for adventurers here in Mondstat? I’m afraid this is the first time I’ve stayed in the city proper.”
Something clinks far off to my left. I see shadows move out the corner of my eye. Seems he’s as sneaky as he’s ever been, but he must have forgotten who taught him. I straighten my back and glance over at where I know he’s hiding. A single tuft of fur sticks out in the moonlight. A small smile lifts the side of my face. If he wants to play cat and mouse, we sure can. I know I’m not the only one with questions.
“There’s a few rooms available in this building behind me. Here, the cost per night is 100 Mora and you can pay in the morning.”
I thank Katheryne with a large smile before taking the keys from her. Footsteps sound off in time with mine, he’s walking around the building. Both fear and excitement battle inside of me. Kaeya’s always felt like a predator stalking his prey whenever we play this little game. But years away from home made me realize how fun that chase is.