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Traveling away from Mondstadt for business wasn’t unusual for Diluc. What was/ unusual, however, was for Kaeya to be accompanying him.
Diluc was going to Sumeru to speak with some local merchants about trade routes and business deals, and other such things that Kaeya didn’t care to pay much attention to. Normally such things were handled by employees, but Diluc was never one to like to delegate tasks. If he could do it himself, he’d rather do it himself. Besides, in recent years he had been no stranger to travel.
Normally on such trips Kaeya was left at home, but since the beginning of their relationship Kaeya couldn’t stand being left in Mondstadt while Diluc was gone for upwards of a week for these trips. He had begged Jean to let him go, making the excuse that Diluc should have a Knight of Favonius escorting him on his trip, obviously. Jean had simply laughed and said that if he wanted to go so badly, he could take some time off of work. They both knew full well that Diluc had no need whatsoever for an ‘escort.’
On the path to Sumeru City, Kaeya couldn’t help but be tense. He could swear he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He felt as though they were being watched by countless eyes hiding amongst the trees. Diluc, however, hadn’t seemed to notice a thing and carried on without any concerns.
All of that had led them to now. Diluc and Kaeya were sitting at a table with a prominent merchant in Sumeru discussing importing wine to their restaurant, the one they were currently seated in. The food was delicious and they were seated at an outside table with a scenic view, and all of it was complimentary as thanks for making the trip out here. Kaeya could understand now why Diluc enjoyed going on these business trips himself.
Kaeya struggled to focus on the conversation, but his attention was drawn to movement nearby. His eyes widened as he saw a small green creature jump up and wave at him, trying to get his attention before going back into hiding.
“Is something the matter?” Diluc asked him, noticing that Kaeya had been distracted by something.
Kaeya cleared his throat, standing from the table and dipping his head to their hosts in apology. “I hope you’ll excuse me for just a moment, there’s something I need to take care of. Please, carry on with your conversation, I’ll be back in just a moment.” He promised.
Diluc looked concerned, but didn’t press on the matter, instead returning to the conversation with the merchants. He knew Kaeya wouldn’t hide anything important from him and trusted him completely.
Kaeya wandered from the table and steered away from the main paths of the city, approaching the green creature he had spotted before. It didn’t seem to have malicious intentions, whatever it was, but it could always be a ploy to lure him to a false sense of security, so he kept his wits about him. If it proved to be dangerous, he would dispose of the threat and return to Diluc’s side.
He crouched down, pushing away the leaves of a fern to look for the creature from before. It let out a little “eep!” as it was spotted, backing away from him.
Kaeya tilted his head at the creature, observing its appearance. It almost looked like a living vegetable, green with leaves sprouting from the top of its head.
“Well hello there.” Kaeya greeted the small creature. “What are you doing over here?”
The creature took a deep breath, puffing out its chest in order to make itself look brave. “Aramori is Aramori! Aramori was trying to reach sweet fruits from tall tree, but Aramori isn’t good at climbing…” They said sheepishly.
“Blue nara is tall! Aramori hoped blue nara could reach high fruit for Aramori! Been trying to get blue nara’s attention for a while, but blue nara never leaves scary red nara…” They said with a shudder.
Kaeya chuckled at that. He assumed he was this so called ‘blue nara’ while Diluc must be the ‘red nara’ in question. “Oh? Diluc isn’t all that scary. He may have a frowny face, but he’s a big softy when you get to know him.”
“Red nara smells of smoke and fire… fire tells plants to wither and fruits to burn.” They shuddered. “It makes forest red and hot. Bad for Aranara, very bad.”
“So I suppose you must be one of these ‘aranara?’” Kaeya surmised. He had heard the name once or twice on their way up here, but the existence of aranara had seemed to be a common legend rather than a real creature. How interesting…
“Blue nara is smart! Aramori is an Aranara! Aranara live in the forest! Aranara play in the leaves and eat fruits!” They said happily, before frowning. “Oh… but Aramori cannot reach the sweet fruits…”
Kaeya couldn’t help but think that this creature reminded him of a child. He had always had a soft spot for children, goodness knows how many times he had played pretend with Klee. He couldn’t find it in himself to possibly deny this innocent creature.
“I can help you reach them.” He said. “No need to worry, you just need to show me where this tree is, alright?”
The Aranara lit up at this, overjoyed to hear it would finally be getting its fruits. “Aramori will show you!” They said, before running off.
Kaeya followed it down the path until they reached a lone sunsettia tree. He picked two fruits off of it, sitting down and passing one to Aramori and taking one for himself.
Aramori twirled happily with the fruit in its hands. “Thank you blue nara! Aramori knew you were a good nara! Big like big nara, but with heart like small nara!”
“You can call me Kaeya.” Kaeya said, giving the Aranara a smile as he took a bite out of his own fruit. “I also like fruit, so I suppose we have that in common. It tastes best when it’s freshly picked.”
Aramori nodded, hugging its own fruit close to its tiny body. “Nara Kaeya is very smart! Sweet fruits taste sweetest off of the branch! Bad fruits on ground are no good…” They said, and Kaeya couldn’t help but think that if they had a nose, they’d be wrinkling it. He chuckled at its cute expression. In a strange way, it reminded him of Diluc, though many things did nowadays.
Kaeya finished his fruit, tossing the core aside at the base of the tree and brushing himself off as he stood up. “I have to go return to my duties, but it was nice to meet you Aramori. Enjoy your fruit, don’t eat it too fast or you’ll get a stomachache, okay?”
Aramori nodded. “Aramori will heed your words, kind nara. Aramori will tell the other Aranara that nara Kaeya is a good nara! Aranara will protect nara Kaeya!”
Kaeya couldn’t help but wonder if this was going to turn out to be more trouble than it was worth in the long run.
—
Kaeya had explained everything that happened to Diluc after the meal. Diluc had jokingly made a comment about it being good that Kaeya had playmates to keep him occupied while he worked, and Kaeya had huffed and pouted in response.
Over the course of the next few days, Kaeya kept running into more and more Aranara. They’d ask him to pick fruits or flowers for them, sing songs with them, or other such menial tasks. Kaeya couldn’t help but feel like he was babysitting an entire forest full of children.
Meanwhile, Diluc hadn’t seen more than a glimpse of these creatures from afar. They were frightened away as soon as he approached and it was obvious Diluc was hiding his disappointment.
One night, while Kaeya and Diluc were in their shared hotel room, Kaeya had begun tossing and turning with nightmares. His nightmares had lessened once he began sleeping in the same bed as Diluc, but they’d been with him all his life and he suspected they’d never truly go away. It was just something he lived with.
He saw visions of his destroyed homeland. Khaenri’ah’s ruins, and the monstrous creatures that now inhabit it. The creatures that were once his own people.
He smelled fire. He tasted ash and tar, and heard screams. Nothing but screams.
What he didn’t expect was to see an Aranara here, singing a comforting tune nearby.
The vision faded, replaced by the blue skies of mondstadt and the smell of grapevines.
He woke with a start only to come face to face with an Aranara sitting on his chest.
“Oh! Nara Kaeya is awake!” Aramori exclaimed. “Aramori was worried! Aramori saw nara Kaeya tossing and turning and entered nara Kaeya’s dreams to chase bad thoughts away.”
Kaeya groaned, rubbing at his face. “...Thanks.” He whispered. “It’s no big deal, I get those dreams a lot.”
Aramori tilted their head in concern. “Was Nara Kaeya’s home plagued by Marana?” It asked.
“Marana?” Kaeya asked.
“Marana is where forest dies and plants wither. Mushroom kin become angry because they lose their home, like the creatures in your dream.” Aramori tilted their head, confused. “But nara Kaeya is not angry like angry mushroom kin. Why is that?”
Kaeya chuckled at that. “That’s because I have a home.” He replied.
“Where is nara Kaeya’s home, if not Marana from dreamland?” Aramori asked.
Kaeya tilted his head towards Diluc, sleeping peacefully beside him. “He’s my home. I don’t need anything else.”
Aramori seemed even more confused than ever at that, turning to look at Diluc. “But if red nara is blue nara’s home…” He said, seemingly trying to make sense of something.
“...How does blue nara fit inside the red nara?”
Kaeya wheezed at that, doubling over in laughter which knocked Aramori off his chest and startled him into leaving. Through his fits of laughter, he heard Diluc groan from beside him as he woke from his sleep.
“What are you making such a racket about in the middle of the night?” Diluc asked.
“N-nothing, nothing. It was just an Aranara. Go back to sleep, Diluc.” Kaeya said between fits of laughter.
Diluc grumbled, but was too tired to ask any more questions. He went straight back to sleep, and Kaeya went back to bed shortly after. His dreams were free of nightmares for the rest of the night.
—
“Kaeya…”
Kaeya awoke to a panicked whisper of his name. He hummed in confusion, lifting his head to look over at where Diluc slept beside him.
Diluc was frozen in place, covered in sleeping Aranara and staring at Kaeya helplessly.
Kaeya struggled to stifle his laughter with a hand. This had to be one of the most adorable things he had ever seen.
“It’s not funny, help me-” Diluc hissed at him, going stiff as his slight movement caused one of the Aranara to stir.
“I suppose they aren’t scared of you anymore, Diluc.” Kaeya pointed out, amused. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“Not like this-!” Diluc protested.
The Aranara who had stirred awake yawned, stretching and sitting up on top of Diluc while all the others remained sound asleep, snuggling into Diluc as though he was their nest.
“Aramori told us the red nara is the blue nara’s home!” The Aranara chimed in. “We thought, ‘if red aranara is blue aranara’s home, he can’t possibly be scary!’ Red aranara is warm… not like fire, but like sunlight on warm rocks…” it said contentedly as it laid back down on Diluc’s chest.
Kaeya blushed as he was outed for saying such sappy things. Diluc visibly softened.
“I’m your home, huh?” Diluc asked as he sank back into his pillows, resigned to his fate. He gave Kaeya a warm smile and chuckled softly.
“Is that bad?” Kaeya asked nervously, scooting closer to Diluc on the bed.
“Of course not. You’re my home too.” Diluc said softly as he relaxed into the bed once again. “Apparently these Aranara have gotten a little too comfortable, however.” He said with a sigh.
“They aren’t wrong though. You are very warm.” Kaeya pointed out, amused. Diluc rolled his eyes at that.
The two of them stayed in bed and chatted most of the morning, unable to bring themselves to move and wake the sleeping Aranara.
—
As nice as it would be to return home, Kaeya was going to miss all of these little creatures. They had certainly made his stay far more lively. By now, he practically felt like they were his children.
“We’ll have to return here to say hi to all the Aranara again.” Kaeya said.
Diluc nodded. “I’m sure we’ll have many opportunities to return, given that our deal was a success. We need to establish trade routes and keep in contact with our business partners after all.” He pointed out.
“And keep in contact with our new friends.” Kaeya added.
Diluc chuckled. “That too, yes.”
Diluc heard music coming from nearby and turned back to look at Kaeya in confusion.
“Do you hear that?” He asked.
“Oh, that was just me. I was humming.” Kaeya said. Diluc raised an eyebrow at him, obviously able to tell he was lying.
That’s when he saw a green, leafy head pop out of Kaeya’s bag.
“Kaeya.” Diluc started. “Why is there an Aranara in your bag?”
Kaeya chuckled awkwardly, unsure of what to say. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Nara Kaeya is bringing Aramori on adventures! Aramori will try new fruits and learn songs carried by the wind! Find sourcesong and make other Aranara jealous!”
“Kaeya. We can’t bring him.” Diluc said.
Kaeya pouted at that. “Why can’t we? He wants to learn more music. I figured what better place than Mondstadt’s taverns?”
“Kaeya. No. You are not teaching the Aranara drinking songs.”
“What’s a drinking song?” Aramori asked, poking their head further out of Kaeya’s bag. “Do you sing it to the water to make it run clear and taste fresh?”
“Sort of. You sing it to make the wine taste better.” Kaeya responded.
Aramori tilted their head. “What is wine? Is it a fruit?”
“A very good fruit.” Kaeya replied with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Diluc crossed his arms, tapping his foot on the ground. “Put them back, Kaeya. You aren’t getting them drunk. We shouldn’t take creatures away from their natural habitat.”
Aramori pouted. “Nara Diluc is strict, like mother Aranara who watch over the nurseries.”
Diluc’s eyebrow twitched at that, and Kaeya snickered.
“Alright, alright.” Kaeya relented, taking Aramori from his bag and putting them on the ground. “I’m sorry little guy, I can’t take you with me. We’ll come back to visit though, okay?”
“If Aramori can’t go with red and blue nara, Aramori will find land of wind and song alone!” Aramori declared, running off in what was decidedly the wrong direction.
Kaeya chuckled at that and Diluc sighed fondly before they continued their walk down the path to Mondstadt.
“If we have kids, I’m naming our first child Aramori.” Kaeya declared as they walked.
“Don’t you dare.” Diluc said, narrowing his eyes at him as Kaeya laughed.