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Two young boys peered through the bars of the railing, looking down at the people gathered in the ballroom. From their perch on the second floor, the boys could watch as the guests mingled with one another, though it wasn’t very interesting.
“Mm… don’t like these parties…” The boy with blue hair and one eye spoke quietly to his brother.
“Me neither, there’s nothing to do. So boring.” The one with unruly red curls replied, sighing dramatically. His hands fiddled absentmindedly with the buttons on the cuffs of his sleeves. Still looking down at the ballroom floor, his eyes rested on one of the waitresses.
The woman had a tray of appetizers that she offered to the guests as she made her way around the room. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Kaeya, look,” he whispered, tugging on his little brother’s sleeve, “Don’t those look good?” His lips curled into a mischievous smile.
Kaeya nodded, not saying a word.
“Let’s go get some!”
-
Kaeya followed Diluc’s lead as he weaved his way around the guests, heading for the waitress holding the platter of food. The clatter of dress shoes hitting the tiled floor and sounds of conversation filled the large room.
“Excuse me,” Diluc asked her, “may we have some food please?”
“Oh, Adeline has been looking all over for you two! Where have you been?” She asked.
“Upstairs, Dad’s parties are boring.”
“Your father was worried about you. Come now, let's go find him.” The waitress turned to leave.
“May we have some food first? Please?” The redhead asked once more.
“I was told you had a snack before the party started. Anymore and you'll spoil your dinner.”
“Kaeya didn't though.”
She turned to look at Kaeya, as if she had not remembered that the little boy was standing just off to the side, hands politely folded behind his back. She looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. From his shoes, to his vest, to the sleeves of his shirt that were too long for his arms, to his eyepatch.
Kaeya cocked his head to the side. He hadn’t said anything at all, why was she looking at him like that all of the sudden? Was he supposed to say something?
“Okay, here. Just one though, Mr. Crepus won’t like it if you don’t eat your dinner.” The waitress’ smile returned to her face. Kaeya picked up one of the appetizers. He didn’t know what it actually was, but Diluc was right, it looked good. It smelled even better.
Just as the waitress had disappeared amongst the guests, another woman approached them. Adeline, the head housemaid, was walking towards Diluc and Kaeya with a stern look on her face.
“Oh no- quick! This way!” Diluc pulled Kaeya along with him, who had only just enough time to shove the bite-sized snack in his mouth.
-
The boys ducked and weaved between women in poofy skirts and men in suits as they crossed the mansion’s ballroom. When it wasn’t being used, Diluc and Kaeya would play tag in the large room, taking turns chasing each other around until they were both out of breath. As it turns out, it is much more troublesome to run when the room is filled with tables and dozens of Mr. Crepus’s friends and colleagues. Kaeya nearly tripped over a woman’s dress, and Diluc almost bumped into people on multiple occasions. He apologized as he and Kaeya continued to run hand-in-hand.
In all honesty, they had run much farther than they needed to. Adeline never actually followed in pursuit, but at least Diluc couldn’t say he was bored now.
“There!” Diluc pointed to the buffet table. It had a long white tablecloth draped over it that just barely touched the ground. A perfect hiding spot.
They crawled under the table, but not long after Diluc left to go to the restroom. Kaeya didn’t move from the hiding spot, instead waiting for him to return.
Footsteps approached, surrounding the table that Kaeya was sitting under. He shut his eye and held his breath, trying to be as quiet as possible. The last thing he wanted was to get in trouble. He couldn’t hold his breath for very long, but Kaeya did realize that the people standing around the table were just getting food from the buffet. He could hear the clatter of silverware, tongs, and plates from above.
“Mm, that pie looks wonderful.” Somebody at the buffet said.
“Oh yes, Crepus is excellent at choosing his caterers.” Another person spoke.
“You know, I heard that he fired a cook because his son didn’t like their cooking.”
“Ah, typical.”
“Really?” A third voice chimed in, “but Diluc is such a polite child.”
“A picky eater though.” Somebody laughed.
“I gather the other one is too. Have you seen him? He’s so frail-looking, needs to eat more.”
“Who do you speak of?”
“Oh, you know, the little one with the eyepatch.”
“Ah yes! That one…” A man’s voice trailed off. Kaeya thought that the man sounded as if he took a bite of a lemon and was spitting out the unpleasant taste.
He didn’t care too much about the adult’s conversation going on above his head, but it was hard not to listen when he was right there.
“Crepus’s other son sure is… interesting.”
“Oh, don’t sugarcoat it. He doesn’t belong here. He’s not even the man’s son.”
‘Doesn’t… belong?’ The thought bounced around Kaeya’s head.
“Exactly,” one of the voices from earlier said, “he’s a charity case.”
Someone snickered in response, and Kaeya felt his heart drop. He didn’t actually know what a charity case was, but judging by the sour sound of the words it likely wasn’t anything good.
“He’s so shy, nothing like the Ragnvindrs, even after two years of living with them.”
“And he is exceptionally strange. That look on his face…”
“I do hope that Crepus’s real son doesn’t pick up any bad habits from him.”
‘Is there really something so strange about me…?’
“Yes, and what do you suppose happened to his eye? I’m beginning to think that Crepus really did take him in off of the streets.”
“Well he’s clearly not from around here. You don’t have to look twice to figure that out.”
It’s true. Kaeya wasn’t from Mondstadt. He had been left outside the Ragnvindr mansion by his biological father. It was pure luck that Mr. Crepus took him in… but was it really that obvious to everyone else?
“I think it’s quite nice, actually. Crepus’s generosity truly knows no bounds.”
“Not when it comes to his prices, that’s for sure.” A roar of laughter erupted from the group of people gathered by the buffet.
“Indeed, that man has enough Mora to take in dozens of stray kids.” Somebody quipped.
“It is so lovely how Crepus has taken in that pitiful child. Raising a child and paying for one are much different affairs, you know. It takes time and energy. Not that you would know anything about that, Mr. Lawrence.”
Someone scoffed. “Well there will certainly be trouble for the young lad if he can’t learn the most basic of etiquette. Not to mention that accent he has when he talks. Half the time, no one can understand the words that come out of his mouth.”
’Do I really…?’ Kaeya wondered.
“Indeed, I’ve never heard an accent quite like that. Doesn’t sound like any language I know- perhaps it’s a dialect?”
“Pardon the intrusion, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, and I’m awfully curious to hear your thoughts on a similar matter.” A voice that sounded high and lofty said. It was distinctly unlike all the other voices.
“Ah, good evening Frederica.”
“Likewise. Now, tell me, don’t you all think that our dear Mr. Ragnvindr looks far more tired than he used to?”
“Well, when are you referring to?”
By now Kaeya had lost count of how many different people were here, and with the sounds of footsteps coming and going it was even harder to discern.
“I don’t know… say, two years ago?”
“Well, now that you mention it…”
“Whatever do you mean, Frederica?”
“Well, I’m inclined to believe that the little boy he’s taken pity on has something to do with it. As if he's sucking the life out of him like a leech.”
‘A leech?’
“That is rather far-fetched. You and Crepus don’t get along to begin with and everyone knows that, just say it outright.”
“You know how children can be, it’s probably just that.” At this point, all the voices began to blur together and sound the same.
Under the table, the little boy was quietly sniffing, tears welling up from behind his eyepatch and streaming down his cheeks. Kaeya covered his ears so as to not hear anymore of the conversation.
He may not be related to the Ragnvindrs, but ever since Mr. Crepus and Diluc welcomed him into their house, they treated him… well, not like family. Not like Kaeya’s real family treated him. They treated him a lot better than that. Like more than another one of those ‘chess’ pieces that Diluc likes to play with.
At least, Kaeya thought they treated him like that, but he doesn’t always understand all the words he hears, especially from grown-ups. Sometimes the sounds get lost and distorted in his brain, sounding like gibberish. Other times it’s a word that the tutor had taught him, yet never fully grasped.
Had he actually been causing trouble for them all this time? He never meant to…
Or worse, had he been ungrateful? A leech? Taking advantage of their kindness and generosity?
He didn’t even know what a leach was but it sure didn’t sound good.
Kaeya shut his eye tightly, hands still over his ears. He could still hear the muted noise of conversation, though, and not even the smell of good food eased the young boy’s worries.
-
The tablecloth lifted and Diluc slid on his knees underneath, pushing forwards a plate with a slice of pie on it.
“Back!” He announced proudly, “Adeline caught me and asked what I was doing so it took me a while to get away from her and then of course I had to grab some pie and then- wha? Kaeya?! What’s wrong, why are you crying?” Diluc gently pried his brothers’ hands away from his face. “What’s wrong?” He asked again.
Kaeya avoided Diluc’s gaze, instead looking at the floor, trying to wipe away tears that kept coming back.
“Can you tell me what happened?” He asked, this time using a softer tone of voice.
“Leech…” The word fumbled out of his mouth, screwing up his face at the way it sounded. “Grownups. They said I was a leech. Said I am strange. And did not like the way I talk.”
Diluc’s face shifted from concerned to angry. “What?!” He cut himself off, seeing how the younger boy winced at the volume. “Sorry. I meant to say that I don’t understand why they would say that stuff. None of that is true.”
“I know I don’t talk the right way.” Kaeya interrupted.
“That’s ok, you’re still learning. Even I don’t understand all the words that Father says.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Diluc’s smile radiated a comforting warm feeling that made Kaeya almost believe him, but doubt still gnawed at him.
“They said I don’t belong because I’m not Mr. Crepus’ son.”
“That’s not true either,” the redhead held one of Kaeya’s hands in his own, “Mr. Crepus is my father, and you’re my brother, so that means Mr. Crepus is your father too! That’s how family works.”
He cracked a small smile, thoughts of hope were renewed in his mind from Diluc’s words. “Really? Even though I’m not related?”
Diluc nodded, “Yup! Father said that you don’t have to be related to be family. Which means we’re family and that we’ll be brothers forever!”
“Forever?”
“Yes, forever.”
“Promise..?”
“I promise.”