Work Text:
Kaeya Alberich is born to die.
He wears a thin, fragile mask, weaving lies and truths together. He smiles in charm but he cannot smile for himself. He withdraws further into himself so that he will not expose his ugly truths.
For if he does, he will die.
The only man he considered a father is gone suddenly, without knowing anything about who Kaeya truly is. He trusted his brother, his best friend, with the truth, yet received nothing but a cold gaze and burning blade to the neck. He thinks back to all they have been through together, all for it to crash in one exchange.
If even Diluc doesn’t trust me, if even he turned away from me for telling the truth, who would accept me?
Jean once said, “You can trust me.” But could he truly? What reason does he have to believe that she will not push him away, calling him a traitor?
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says as he walks away, heart cracking.
He cannot tell her. He does not want to die by her hand.
He walks the line between two sides who will never stop until the other is completely annihilated. His past will catch up, and he is destined to make a choice, to follow one side and be condemned by the other. He may not live to see the end of this conflict, for once all is exposed, he will be left with nothing, reduced to nothing.
He will die by someone’s hand.
The possibilities are endless. It could be a lucky person with a grudge against him, the Fatui, the Abyss, someone from Khaenriah, his father, Diluc, Jean, Eula, Amber, Lisa, Albedo, the Traveller, Barbatos, Celestial or even himself. Yes, himself….If he took himself out, what is there left to suffer about?
Under his calm, clear mind, Kaeya Alberich is aware of all this. But even so,
Kaeya Alberich wishes to live.