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Diluc arrived back in record time. Jean is surprised to have him back early as he is, quick to bombarde him with questions and concerns. He’s more dismissive than usual at first and swiftly changes the topic to asking for the whereabouts of his brother. Jean notices almost immediately at that point how flushed he appears at the topic of the message, confusion and secondhand embarrassment pooling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of what contents could have had someone as esteemed as him…embarrassed.
“I apologize for prying, Master Diluc, but I am curious as to why you seem so aloof to the topic at hand.”
Diluc, not helping his case, only goes pink in the face in response. Jean has so many questions.
“Let’s put it this way,” He begins. “The message I intercepted and then had to return to the intended recipient wasn’t a threat nor anything that was the direct buisness of the knights.”
“What was it then?” She asks in return, still thoroughly confused.
“It was a love letter!!” Diluc blurts in response, ears the color of his hair as he very directly refuses eye contact with the woman across from him.
Jean has to cover her mouth to hide her immediate shock, that then turns to an overwhelming feeling of humor. The first few giggles that escape are successfully hidden, only making themselves known to the winery owner when they turn to genuine, boisterous laughter. Jean can’t help herself. The poor good willed Master Diluc taking all that time to intercept a message to their friend only to stumble on the intimate contents of a love letter, from a Harbinger no less, and then still have the responsibility of returning the message to the intended recipient after the fact. Jean chokes on air, leaning over in her seat and still covering her face in an attempt to stunt her amusement.
When she looks up again, Diluc is bright red all around. Almost as if the universe is blatantly against him today, the Cavalry Captain chooses now to let himself into her office with his work for the day.
Kaeya takes a moment to assess the situation for a moment, Diluc choosing now to make eye contact with Jean over him, while the woman only finally gets a hold of herself.
“Good-” She interrupts herself with one final struggle for breath. “Good afternoon, Sir Kaeya.”
“What the devil happened?” He immediately asks, ignoring all formalities.
Jean looks straight at Diluc, who looks blatantly like he’s begging the Archons to strike him down at this very moment to free him of his torment. Fortunately for everyone but him, they don’t. Diluc is instead left with no choice but to explain this ordeal all over again.
“The message you tipped me off on wasn’t a threat or any worry to any of us.”
Kaeya looks as confused as Jean had earlier.
“What was it then?”
“Oh, for Archon’s sake, I intercepted a LOVE LETTER from a Fatui Harbinger to our friends and read the very intimate contents of said love letter and then had to deliver it all the way to SUMERU for it to reach its intended recipient!!”
Kaeya blinks once, twice, and then bursts into uncontrolled laughter. His laughter causes Jean to lose a hold on her own self-control and spiral with him, the room filled with the overly boisterous and dramatic laughter of the Acting Grand Master and Cavalry Captain. Diluc decides to have no more of it, turning to storm out of the room.
“Master Diluc-aha, Wait!! I still need a written report on the incident.”
“WRITE IT YOURSELF!!” He shouts back, taking the opportunity to promptly bolt out of the Favonious Headquarters.
He arrives to the winery and gives Adelinde a dismissive greeting before shutting himself in his room and sinking into his bed, content to stay there as long as it takes to recover from the overwhelming embarrassment of this entire situation.
At the same time, far off in another nation, Ajax crushes the Sigil of Permission in the palm of his hand.
The first thing he notices as he does is how much the sensation feels like falling. The next thing is the sensation of grass beneath his feet, soft like he hasn’t felt since setting foot in the icy plains of his homeland.
A large mansion is to the right of him, a bird-like creature at its door. He approaches to get a better look at it only to be startled as it speaks.
“Hello there, I assume you are the one Ms Lumine is expecting.”
“That I am.” He replies, excitement building in his stomach.
“Please head inwards, one of her companions will let you in shortly.”
When he knocks, it’s not long before a young girl with braid’s tied into a bow at the back of her head peeks out the door, eyes widening at the sight of him before her head disappears behind the door once more.
“Mr Thoma!! Miss Lumine’s boyfriend is here!!”
Ajax goes red in the face at the title, not given much time to dwell on it before a taller young man with blonde hair and a horned headband opens the door.
“Hello there,” He says warmly. “Come on in, I'll take you to where Miss Lumine intended for you to meet.”
Intaking a breath, he enters the home, immediately taking sight of the girl from before over the stove, clearly cooking something as another young boy with icy blue hair stands beside her, a much taller woman who resembles him watching over them with a fond smile. When the other two look over at him, the woman gives Ajax a glare that sends shivers down his spine.
“Don’t mind miss Shenhe,” The man says with a laugh. “I’m Thoma, by the way.”
“Ajax.”
“I’m aware.”
Thoma leads him up the central stairs to a big door, knocking twice on it.
“Miss Lumine, your guest is here.”
“Come in!!”
This is it, Ajax realizes, excitement and an overwhelming flurry of other emotions pooling in his chest as the door creaks open.
He doesn’t realize how much he’s wanted to see her till she is before him in all her beauty, standing before the desk in her room and smoothing the creases of her dress as she looks up at him with a look that only makes his heart flutter even more.
“Hello Ajax.”