Work Text:
It wasn't quite often Dainsleif would find himself roaming around Mondstadt without a goal in mind. Now that the traveler was in Mond clearing out commissions they had, Dainsleif felt more at ease with less work.
Usually, he'd be roaming around trying to track down the energy of an abyss herald. But after the events of the Chasm, he chose to flee back to Mond to stay with Kaeya until he was on the abyss herald's tracks again.
Paimon and the Traveler had kept nagging him about taking a vacation which was impossible in his book. He liked to constantly be on his feet.
If it weren't for Kaeya kicking him out of the office for the day, Dain would most likely be at Kaeya's side questioning his lack of self-care.
Another reason of being in Mondstadt was making sure the captain was taking care of himself. Dain had noted that Kaeya constantly over worked himself. Sometimes sleeping in his office in the uncomfortable chair. If Kaeya ever talked to the Traveler about someone nagging him all the time, it was probably Dainsleif.
As much as he'd love to be at Kaeya's side right now, he instead found himself in the woods next to the bridge of Mondstadt. Perhaps he had been a little too lost in thought as he walked down the trails of Mond. He remembered the traveler's experience of their first time walking into this forest and seeing the Anemo archon trying to speak to the dragon of the wind. How Paimon would explain the entire situation and exaggerate it a little.
Dainsleif and the Traveler would share their experiences at times when Paimon insisted that the three of them go to Good Hunter to get a Sticky Hunny Roast. He found out that he enjoyed sharing his experiences with the traveler. But neither of them dared to talk about the sibling ruling the abyss.
Stepping around large branches and messy bushes he made it to a nicer area where he could see the main city and the lake surrounding it. It was then when he felt a small tugging on his cape. At first his mind went to it being a hilichurl. But when he turned around noticed the familiar spark knight, he had run in to the last time he was in Mond.
"Mr Dain! Me and Dodoco need you help!" The girl stepped back and pointed in a direction. Jumping a bit in a rush.
"Our treasure is surrounded by hilichurls but big brother Kaeya said not to harm them if they are dancing!" The girl was at a loss. Her head tilted down in defeat. Dain raised a hand to his chin in thought. Looking over at the direction she had been pointed to. There was indeed a couple of hilichurls dancing around.
He wasn't one to attack a hilichurl if they were causing no harm. How could he? It was no nice feeling killing a hilichurl that wasn't causing harm. But they were not people anymore. Perhaps his experience in the Chasm has changed a few of his views on the creatures.
"Oh I know! We can just lead them away with that weird power of yours!" Her eyes brightened up from the idea. "Y'know, like that one time you defeated a Mitachurl trying to steal Dodoco!"
Ah, so she did in fact see that.
Dain didn't mean to use his power in front of her.
"Lead me towards your hidden treasure. Perhaps there is a more peaceful way." He held out his hand and she took it.
This wasn't exactly the first time he's had to deal with the little one. Turns out, she got in to trouble a lot. Kaeya would have a smirk on his face every time Dain came back to the headquarters with a very lively Klee next to him.
Dealing with Klee's liveliness was definitely not a walk in the park.
The two of them stepped up to the few hilichurls that were dancing around the small treasure spot that had looked partially dug up. He could hear a gasp coming from the girl.
"They're going to steal Dodoco's treasure! Mr Dain we have to do something!"
Last time Klee 'did something' it involved a few bombs and a very angry Mitachurl waking up.
Dainsleif didn't need a repeat of that.
Instead, he stepped towards the hilichurls to catch their attention. Their dancing came to a stop after noticing him. Their chanting coming to a stop as they stared up at the tall blonde. They made no move to attack him. Like they had been in a trance of some sort.
Klee stepped up next to him to see why they were acting so abnormally. If it were only her they would be charging at her with shields and torches.
Dain was just as confused as Klee. Maybe, just maybe, they knew who he was? Dain could never grasp on to that thought.
Suddenly, the three hilichurls turned around and walked away. The blonde elf next to him cheered and ran up to her treasure while Dain watched as they walked off. A strange experience indeed.
"Thank you so much for scaring them off, Mr Dain!" She giggled and covered up her treasure once more. Dain had finally left his trance and ruffled the girl's hair. "You're quite the trouble magnet." The girl really liked to challenge his immortal life sometimes.
"Why are you out here? Usually, you're with the Honorary Knight or Captain Kaeya." Klee noticed the odd situation. And she was right. Most of the time he was either stuck to Kaeya's side or walking around with the traveler if there were ever commissions dealing with abyss mages. Dain was quite picky when it came to interacting with people.
"Sir Kaeya had told me he had serious work to be done, and he wanted to be alone." He walked alongside the girl. From the looks of it, she was walking towards the statue of the seven. Something he loathed and hated being around.
Every time he did look at it, he questioned where the bard was now. He knew the god was now walking around as a mortal. Seen drinking wine at the tavern or playing his lyre by his own statue. Dainsleif never dared going close to that damned statue ever again. Standing next to the cathedral was enough for him.
Klee ran up to the small pond surrounding the statue and put her hands in the water. An instant reaction of jumping back from the chilly water.
"It's too cold! How do the fish live in there?" She held on to her cold hand.
Dainsleif took off the glove of his uncorrupted hand and felt how cold the water really was.
Little to say; it wasn't that cold.
"We should warm them up! What if they freeze?" She looked up at Dainsleif with urgency. He already had a feeling what she was referring to. And he was not about to get caught and lectured by the knights. He'd have to hear Kaeya's laughing for days on end about it.
"Remember, Klee. It's not honorable as a knight to blast fish." He crossed his arms. Thankfully, he was serious enough to intimidate the girl out of the thought. Of course, she still pouted. He's heard multiple stories from the knights about how the little elf would get grounded for being caught blasting fish outside the gates of the city. While Kaeya thought it was funny, Jean thought otherwise.
Placing his glove back on, he watched as the female stepped up to the pond again and pick a Calla Lilly from the water. Walking over and raising it up to Dain, "you're too tall for me to reach your head!" She ended up trying to jump to reach his height. A terrible attempt, really. To make it easier for her, he kneeled down and lowered his head.
Last time he let Klee put a flower in his hair, it was a dandelion. Though it hadn't been fully grown which meant when the wind picked up, all the small fibers ended up getting stuck in his hair. Causing both the Traveler and Klee laughing about how silly Dain looked around a bunch of dandelion seeds in his hair.
Dain spent the rest of the day trying to get those annoying things out.
"Calla Lillies are Kaeya's faaavorite flowers. Dodoco and I always pick one to bring back to Kaeya when we are adventuring." She smiled and allowed the blonde to stand straight again. Dain was known around Mondstadt for being a serious and blunt person. And they aren't entirely wrong. He was not one to hold a conversation if he did not find it useful to him. Someone was considered lucky if they were in a conversation with him longer than three minutes.
Seeing Dainsleif with a flower in his hair would be quite the shock.
"Kaeya also likes looking at the stars. One time, he was talking about this one constellation!" She raised a finger to her lips, "Ouro... ourobor..."
"Ouroboros?" Dain tried to finish for her. She beamed and nodded her head eagerly, "Yes, that one!"
The constellation that was connected to him.
"Kaeya always talks about how Starsnatch Cliff is the best place to stare up at the stars!" She remembered her small conversations with the captain while she was drawing a picture of her and Albedo. Sheets of paper out in front of her with all different kinds of drawings of the knights and the people she viewed as family.
When it came to the stars, Dainsleif knew all about them. Even if Khaenri'ah was a nation underground, the stars are what guided the people.
When the nation had fallen, he had started to lose faith in the stars above him. Losing interest in the stories that the stars held. Staring at the same ones for five hundred years until finally finding his own along with the Peacock that represented the lost prince. It was then when his eyes had lit up for the first time in hundreds of years. The peacock was not faded. It had been as bright as it could be as it showed itself over the city of Mondstadt.
He wanted to believe that it was the stars that led him back to the prince he had sworn to protect.
"Say, Klee, do you mind going to Jean and requesting to let Kaeya off the hook for the night?" An idea started to form in his head, "I think looking at the stars would relieve him from his stress, don't you think?"
The girls eyes lit up from the idea.
"You're taking Kaeya on a date?!" She jumped up multiple times, "can Dodoco and I help? Dodoco can help make food! Kaeya looooves fruity skewers." She was practically jumping out of her shoes.
Dainsleif had the tiniest bit of blush on his face.
A date?
"Apologies, young knight. I just need you to ensure Jean doesn't give Kaeya any more work. It's the most important task and I trust you with it." He kneeled down and placed a hand on her head. With this, the young elf was easily persuaded. She nodded and held out her pinky.
"I want let you down, Mr Dain!" smiling, she curled his pinky around Dain's.
"Thank you, princess. Now, shall we get this plan started?"
---
Making Klee pressure Jean in to letting Kaeya have the night off was the best idea he's ever had.
With Klee's puppy eyes, Jean had been persuaded. And fortunately for the young elf Lisa was there to help her.
There were no keeping secrets from the librarian. She had caught on to how close Kaeya was to a certain blonde. And how that certain blonde would never go to the Acting Grand Master face to face. Lisa had quickly caught on as to why Kaeya should take the night off. A soft giggle and a mischievous smile on her face. With the help of the librarian, Jean let it happen.
When Kaeya was told to stop working and go to Starsnatch Cliff for a recent abyss mage sighting he treated it as a normal commission. Leaving the city and walking the trail up the cliff. He had an odd feeling about this 'commission' of his. Most of the time other knights were patrolling the area at night and ensuring that no hilichurl came close to the bridge. Why would Klee be concerned with something on the cliff far from the city?
His question was easily answered when he spotted a certain cloaked male standing at the edge. Kaeya could laugh.
"So, my dearest knight makes up an entire plan to drag me away from my work. Do you get withdrawals from being away from me for too long or something?" He stepped closer to the Khaenri'ahn knight. Standing next to him and gazing up at the stars.
"Overworking is a more accurate description"
"Do not turn this into another lecture"
"Apologies"
The Calvary Captain let out a soft sigh. Leaning his head against his knight's shoulder. "So, when did you get Klee to help with your little scheme?" His arms crossed. Standing up straight again and looking around the cliff for any other ideas Dainsleif had prepared for him. Turns out, there was nothing truly fancy about this little meetup. In his eyes, it seemed like a bunch of effort for something so small.
"Klee asked me to help her earlier. Her helping was just a way to thank me." He was glad to have run in to the little spark knight again.
"When we were kids, you'd beg me to take you up to the surface to look up at the stars. Today, Klee told me you were still interested in them, and that this was the best place to go." He explained. "I wanted to do something nice for you. And came up with this idea."
Dainsleif turned to the speechless captain. Dain was bad at feelings, but he did his best to show how much he loved Kaeya. There was no star in Teyvat that could shine brighter than his prince.
Kaeya was a beautiful star he will gently hold in the palm of his hands. A star that he would never let die under his protection.
"Here, watch closely." He kneeled down and placed a palm against the ground. After a few moments he had lifted it and watched as a tiny sprout started to grow quickly. Kaeya's eye widened a bit as he stared at the familiar looking petals as the sprout started to open.
Their homeland was known for its art of Khemia. being able to create something in the palm of someone's hand. In this case, Dainsleif chose to create an Inteyvat. A flower only known in the kingdom that flourished hundreds of years ago. Unlike most flowers this one did not need sunlight to survive.
Dainsleif picked the flower and stood back up. Turning to face his prince and hold out the flower in his hand. Kaeya had stared at it in shock. His childhood before finding himself with the Ragvindr family had been such a blur. When he was younger Diluc would ask about his favorite flower, Kaeya would always answer with the flower unknown to the people in Mond. People would laugh it off and say it was probably just a flower he had made up in his mind.
Looking at the familiar flower now, it had felt like he was back in his homeland. With his knight by his side amongst the field of flowers.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to get better at charming me." He took the Inteyvat in Dain's hand. His fingers brushing against the soft petals. he reached up and placed it in his knight's hair. "If I had more, I'd make you another flower crown." He remembered how the two would sit in a field full of Inteyvat's and how Kaeya would weave flowers together to make a messy crown full of flowers.
Dainsleif too remembered these moments before the gods split them apart.
"Now that I have finally found you, we have all the time in the world to make up those memories." His fingers intertwined with Kaeya's. "Tonight, we relax and enjoy the clear skies." He kissed the knuckles of Kaeya's hand.
There was no place they wished to be except by each other's side. Kaeya let out a subtle hum and moved his arm to wrap around Dain's shoulder.
"Since this is my night to relax, how about a soft dance? Y'know, we never got to attend the fancy parties my mother and father hosted." Even when Kaeya tried to sneak into the ballroom he was always caught. Still too young to be dealing with politics and too young to be safe in a room full of people who wished for the crown of Khaenri'ah to fall.
Dainsleif was the one to truly got lectured for the lack of keeping eyes on the prince and letting him roam off to the ballroom.
"Whatever you wish to do, I will always follow you, my prince." He kissed the hand he was still holding. Wrapping his other arm around Kaeya's waist and guiding him step by step.
The art of Khemia was a brilliant thing. An Inteyvat trail blooming as the two of them danced. There was nothing more special than the experience of dancing in a field of flowers. Especially the flowers that reminded them of their homeland. Dainsleif could fall in love all over again just seeing Kaeya's surprised reaction. Gazing around at all the flowers that had bloomed so quickly. He knew that Albedo was able to create things in the palm of his hand. But he had no idea this kind of magic could extend this far.
Unlike Albedo, Dainsleif was naturally born from Khaenri'ah. Born with the power of a Khaenri'ahn and taught the Art of Khemia at a young age. Albedo was a creation that came to life after the fall. Albedo had not mastered the art quite yet. Even if he was created by a brilliant Alchemist.
"You never fail to amaze me, my knight." Kaeya leaned his head against the knight's shoulder. Allowing the blonde to guide him wherever he wished to go. Like a slow waltz with all sound of night as their music.
Dain held on to Kaeya like a fragile star. A knight finally being able to protect the very being he had sworn his life to protect. There was nothing that could separate the two of them now. Not even the abyss he wishes to strike down and weaken. No one will take him away from his prince again. Even if Celestia curses him again.
Kaeya was Dainsleif's everything. The loyal knight could worship his prince like a god. Hold him close in the nighttime and holding his hand in the daytime. Dain was Kaeya's moon. And Kaeya was Dain's sun. Dainsleif simply does not lack time. And through his hundreds of years of living he has struggled to find the purpose of continuing to roam Teyvat.
Now, he has his reason.
Give Kaeya the love and protection he deserves.
"There is nothing in this world that can keep me away from you." Not even the curse he's forced to bear. He will take advantage of this immortality and use to it to be with his prince.
"You are my light, a star I will look upon and protect with my very being." He gave Kaeya's hand another kiss. Seeing Kaeya lifting his head up from Dain's shoulder. Dainsleif had taken this chance to lift his hand up to slowly uncover Kaeya's beautiful golden eye.
"There is no one that I will wield my sword for except you. No one can force me to lay down my life unless it's for you." He swore his oath to the one he loved the most. "No one that will treat you like the prince you are. The prince I wish to hold in my arms and stare at through day and night." Their foreheads leaned against each other's. Their slow waltz now coming to a stop.
"And if I ever break my promise, may Celestia strike me down."
For the first time in his life, he could feel a tear drop from his eye. He did not want Kaeya to be taken away from him again. Kaeya's soft hands cupping his face as the two leaned against each other.
Feeling Kaeya's lips on his was like experiencing a supernova. It wasn't a short kiss they would exchange from time to time. But an actual slow and passionate one.
Kaeya had the taste of Dandelion wine on his tongue. A bitter yet sweet mix. In the back of his mind, he wished for more. But he could not be selfish. Not yet. The two of them had pulled away slowly. Their lips still staying close to one another's. Kaeya was the first to open his eyes.
"Then let this be my one and only order to you as the lost prince of Kheanriah" He gave Dain's lips a short kiss. "Be the one to stay by my side. Show me what it means to live a life full of love and joy. Show me that you will forever be worthy as staying at my side."
That was Kaeya Alberich's only wish. And a wish that Dainsleif would hold on to till it was his - or Kaeya's final moment in this world.