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He wasted no time investigating why the young man who stood in front of him was seriously harmed in the middle of a warm day when there were no monster camps close to the city. An hour earlier, Kaeya had made sure the monster encampment was out of sight. He tried to think of a reason why the blonde boy could have been hurt. But given Bennett's character, he knew he was out of luck.
The tiny boy's damaged ankle was gently bandaged by Kaeya so as not to hurt him. He wanted to find out about the boy's injury but was unwilling to bother him. He, therefore, remained silent while treating the boy. Bennett seemed pleased that Kaeya did not nag him about the injury.
"Thank you, Sir Kaeya. You really didn't have to help me..." He already seemed troubled even when Kaeya was not questioning him. To ease the young boy, Kaeya smiled at him reassuringly.
"It is my duty to help you as your senior and an adult, Bennett." Kaeya cleared up, in hopes to calm the boy a little. "But I can't help but wonder... how did this happen?" Captain could not hold back his curiosity and tried to phrase his question kindly. Which, was returned by a light smile from the boy. Good, he didn't feel uncomfortable with the question. Just as Bennett opened his mouth to give Kaeya an explanation, the knights in front of the city's gate waved at the cavalry captain to catch his attention. Kaeya looked at them, resting his hand on Bennett's shoulder while scanning the possible reason they hoped to catch his attention. That was when he noticed the ginger among the knights of Favonius. He didn't recall that face in the city of freedom before.
Kaeya rubbed the shoulder of the injured boy and reassured him with a gentle tone.
"Bennett, please stay here while I go and check the problem in front of the city gate." Bennett nodded, giving him a thumbs-up along with a nice big smile.
Kaeya gave the boy a last smile before heading to the gate, where there was apparently a problem. He stood in front of the knights and raised a brow, looking the ginger up and down. His clothing was sure out of Mondstadt. He had a hydro vision on his belt, the symbol pointed out that the vision holder was Snezhnayan.
"Hello, what brings you to the city of freedom? Why do you seem to be stirring up trouble even before entering the city borders?" Kaeya meant to tease the ginger without expecting a comeback. Though, one of the knights was fast to inform him that the ginger in front of them was a fatui diplomat. Kaeya was taken by surprise when he heard this, he thought the city made it really clear that they did not see Fatui diplomats welcome in the city.
"A Fatui diplomat? Ah, yes. I guess I still hold the authority of a diplomat as well as a Harbinger. Please excuse me, I forgot to properly introduce myself since I couldn't see a man of authority before you came along." The ginger spoke to the captain before him. So this stranger was not only a fatui diplomat but a Harbinger? This was no good news. Harbingers visiting a foreign city never seemed to end on a good note, if Kaeya had to say something to this.
"I am Childe, but I also go by Tartaglia. The 11th of Majesty's Fatui Harbingers. A pleasure to meet you..."
"The Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, Kaeya Alberich. May I see your permit to enter the city?" Kaeya decided to take a serious approach to the situation after hearing that the ginger was the 11th of the Fatui Harbingers. It wouldn't be very pleasant to welcome a Harbinger in the city with open arms. Even if he did welcome the ginger, a certain redhead would be quick to go for the guy's throat... Which wouldn't be very nice.
"Ah, permit? I won't be staying long. This is merely a visit out of the heart. I am not here under the name of Fatui. I am merely here to foresee the city of freedom."
"And am I supposed to believe you, eyes blindfolded, after you had introduced yourself as a harbinger?"
"You'd prefer if I didn't tell you my occupation? I thought I was only being fair." The Harbinger shrugged, his body language was too relaxed for someone who wanted to enter a city where the approach for the fatui was not the best. Kaeya didn't have any right to fend him off, but there were just way too many things that could go wrong with this. A mental list appeared before him.
The harbinger could be bluffing when he said it was a visit out of heart. He could be hiding his intentions from Kaeya to only take The Acting Grand Master seriously. In the worst case, he could ask for a fight.
The harbinger could get the city into an unavoidable danger, he could set an ambush. He could throw them in a chaotic situation.
The harbinger could end up in a spar with a certain vigilante who despise fatui with the force of his heart's every corner.
The list threatened to expand further when he thought of the wine tycoon. Chills went up his spine, he couldn't imagine the look on his face when he found out the knight of Favonius had let a fatui harbinger roam freely in the city with no supervision.
But he was not in any position to do anything. He couldn't just not allow an entry without a solid reason nor could he spar with the harbinger in the gate where there were just way too many civils. Having considered such options, Kaeya finally exhaled a sigh.
"Very well then, you are not to stay in the city of freedom longer than three days."
"I guess, I can work with that." Childe sighed, a fond smile on his face. It nerved Kaeya to look into the dull eyes of the harbinger, his azure eyes were a depth he did not wish to travel.
"You'll have to." Kaeya spoke, brushing his hand at the knights with a smile saying "I got this." So the knights parted away from them.
"One more thing, if it wouldn't be too much to ask, Captain."
"Yes?"
"When would be the perfect time to visit the infamous Angel's Share?"
Now this was the most dangerous question the ginger could ask Kaeya. He had no idea when Diluc would start his shift tonight. This worried him.
"I wouldn't know, you will have to trust your instincts on that, Harbinger."
Kaeya saved the day woohoo...
The Harbinger walked the empty streets of Mondstadt, his eyes searching for the shade of red. He looked around, ignoring the feeling of a certain knight's eye digging into his back with each move. Childe didn't bother to point out the fact that he was, in fact, aware that Kaeya had been watching him for a while now. But he kept quiet and went on with his own business, not minding the eye watching his every step cautiously.
Childe looked around, climbing the stairs to the cathedral and looking around. He checked the path to the Goth Grand Hotel as well, just in case he needed an urgent place to stay. He really didn't come for business, he was not lying when he said so. Though, he had to admit he didn't speak the full truth as well. He was here to pay a visit out of heart, yes. A visit that was meant for an old flame.
Childe and Diluc have been exchanging letters for over a year now. After their abrupt meeting back in Snezhnaya in Diluc's menacing days, he had been wishing to see the man face-to-face again. Childe loved to spar; that was something everyone who met him came to realize at some point. But there was barely anyone who could satisfy him. However, Diluc Ragnvindr had always managed to satisfy his expectations whenever he asked for a spar when they had the opportunity to meet face to face.
Childe trailed off in his thoughts from how attractive the scars on the redhead's hands were to how ravishing his back looked when he dodged his counterattacks while wielding his great sword with a single hand. He kept walking in the city, going down the stairs, still in search of the redhead.
He might have been thinking about the spar Diluc had always given him whenever they met face-to-face, but Childe had other ideas for today's interaction. He didn't wish to spar or bandage each other's scars afterward. He wished to hug the guy's waist close to calm the lunging for the redhead down, at least for a moment. He had missed Diluc too much to waste the time together on a spar. He needed to feel those scarred hands on himself with a gentle touch, not one of brutal, inhuman strength. It's not like that wouldn't be attractive as well, but Childe had just hoped for a calm interaction this time since he missed him.
He walked the streets of Mondstadt, seeing the tavern from a distance. He really wished that the Cavalry Captain would've given him the time to visit the Angel's Share. He knew for a fact that Diluc had not been there all day. And he didn't want to cause a scene by visiting the Dawn Winery. Childe of all people knew that Diluc wouldn't appreciate the careless decision. So Childe's best shot was to wait for Diluc, see him in the tavern, and give him a nice and warm surprise. He took a wild guess that he would be working late at the tavern; it was still daytime. He had just enough time to adventure a bit. He remembered the path to Wolvendom for a minute and the fragrance of the small lamp flowers, which Diluc took a liking to. He could collect a few of those to give to the young bartender during his shift. A nice welcoming gesture, Childe thought. So without wasting any more time, he ran out of the city to Wolvendom. He remembered Diluc telling him where to find the small lamp flower like yesterday.
Kaeya watched as the Harbinger exited the city gates, walking to what he assumed to be Wolvendom. It came out strange, but he didn't question it nor did he follow the ginger. He wished to have a peace of mind.
After the sun settled down and the captain got exhausted from waiting around on thorns. Kaeya entered the tavern, Angel's Share. On most days, he would be happy to see the bartender behind the counter was Diluc. But today, he wished Charles would replace him in an instant. Kaeya didn't want to have an argument with his own brother, whom he had just recently started to get along with. And of all arguments, he really didn't want to defend a fatui harbinger against Diluc, so he wouldn't make a move to slit the throat of the ginger.
Kaeya threw himself on the seat in front of the counter, looking at the bartender's stoic face while he wiped the glass in his hand with a clean cloth.
"Hello, Master Diluc. Have something in your mind?"
"I should be the one asking that, Sir Kaeya. You look off. Something the matter?"
Kaeya got startled by Diluc's almost immediate diagnosis. Had he realized that something was off? It was just probably only the bartender's brother instincts or something... There was no way that he was aware of the current crises.
"Nothing really, However, I could really use a Death After Noon right now." Kaeya flashed a smirk at the bartender. Diluc put down the glass he had just finished cleaning in front of Kaeya and started to mix his drink.
Kaeya could only watch his brother's hands as he mixed his drink. He trailed off his thoughts while watching the older one. What would he ever do if the fatui harbinger was to enter the tavern right now? What could Kaeya do if his brother points his claymore at the guy's throat? What kind of diplomatic coincidence would they have to face? But thinking that it was a harbinger, maybe Kaeya could turn a blind eye while the bartender sparred with the other male. Of course, keeping an eye on his brother so that he doesn't get seriously hurt because of a "scum" as Diluc likes to put it that way.
Kaeya let out an audible sigh, grabbing the drink that Diluc finished pouring into his glass. He took a sip from it. Finally deciding to relax at last. Maybe luck would be in his favor and he could just ignore the harbinger who was merely here to visit out of heart. If he had been lying, then why would he go to Wolvendom? As far as Kaeya was aware, there was nothing Fatui-related there. This eased him a bit. The harbinger couldn't have sick intentions.
The tavern's door opened. Catching the pair's immediate attention. To Kaeya's dismay, it was the last person he wanted to see in the tavern; The 11th of The Fatui Harbingers.
The ginger had a messy bouquet of small lamp flowers in his hand, he had a big bright smile on his face and his clothes were definitely not in the best shape. After observing the harbinger, Kaeya turned his attention to the bartender to catch Diluc's reaction to seeing a literal fatui harbinger in his tavern. Kaeya knew Diluc was pretty skilled in spotting fatui diplomats. This one time shouldn't have been an exception of some sort.
Just as Kaeya was about to explain to Diluc the dire situation, the harbinger sprinted their way. Kaeya, startled, had to step aside only to witness the Harbinger jumping to the other side of the counter and embracing the bartender in his arms in a firm hug.
Diluc, who seemed rather shocked by this sudden interaction, could only hold the bouquet in his arms. Looking at the Harbinger's face who seemed overly joyful.
"Hello!!" He cheered, seeming way too happy to see Diluc. Who is supposed to be Childe's enemy of some sort.
"hello." Diluc softly spoke back. His voice was so little and his expression was softened. Kaeya tried to recall the last time he saw the young lad like this, but he was positive that he hadn't seen Diluc this startled before.
Childe burst a laughter, the hands that embraced the latter tightening their grip around his waist. Diluc got pulled closer to the hug, faces barely apart from each other.
"You look so adorable. I never caught you this surprised before. Is it that unbelievable that I choose a hug rather than crashing our blades?" He laughed.
The fatui harbinger he was so sure to cause trouble laughed at the wine tycoon's face like they had met in some circumstances before. The mere thought of it put Kaeya in distress. Why didn't Diluc talk? His own nerves were going to snap if Diluc's wouldn't.
"I am only taken aback, Ajax... Welcome home." Diluc smiled, looking over at the flowers and leaning on the ginger, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. His lips barely brushed the other's skin. However, both tensed at the soft touch. As if it was their first ever time touching each other. Childe wouldn't be lying if he said that all of Diluc's touches felt just like the first day's. And Diluc wouldn't have been exaggerating his words when he said he lunged for the other.
Childe tilted his head to the side, letting the bartender's waist go and rubbing the place his lips brushed on. The cheeky smile would remind one of a high school boy who just had his first kiss.
"What is happening here?" Kaeya had never thought he would be the one requiring an explanation today. But he was the only one who had to hear one. Immediately.
"Kaeya... I never thought you would be meeting him but." Diluc tried to pull himself together, fixing his posture and leaving the bouquet on the counter gently. "This is Ajax, my partner. We met back in Snezhnaya in my... troubling years." He looked in his brother's eye. It was obvious that Diluc wanted to seem stoic as ever, but his bright red cheeks betrayed him.
"A romantic partner? As in boyfriends? As in lovers?" Kaeya looked at the ginger and then at the redhead. He scoffed. "I never took you for the one to betray your own principals. For such a long time too... A Fatui harbinger, Diluc? Really?" Kaeya took another look at the ginger. He looked at him more carefully this time. Scanning the boy before him up and down. Before Diluc could mutter another word, Kaeya spoke up. He sounded offended of all things. Diluc would even dare to say Kaeya felt betrayed if he didn't know any better.
"He isn't even that good. I was pretty sure with the fact you were attracted to the same sex, starting from the day how your gaze never met the women of Mondstadt. I was even ready to welcome another lad to the family!"
"Hold on a minute. You what." Diluc seemed even more offended now.
"I don't think this is supposed to be the point here. How dare you not tell me that you already had a partner. And what's up with it being a harbinger!?" Kaeya asked the questions that he was sure Diluc didn't know the answers himself. He was only living in the shock of the moment.
Childe looked at Diluc and then glanced back at the captain. "Wait, family?"
Diluc took a deep sigh. This was going to be a long night in the tavern.
After what it felt like an eternity, but probably only a few minutes. Childe and Kaeya were sitting together while Diluc stood behind the counter.
"So that's the brother." Childe looked up and down at Kaeya. "Alright."
Kaeya sipped his drink, looking away from the harbinger. He didn't face the ginger while talking to him, he only looked at Diluc "How long have you been seeing each other?"
"Over three years. We've been exchanging letters in this last year, though." Childe sighed, looking at the captain who seemed to be trying to understand the situation.
"And how exactly did you meet one another?" Kaeya asked the question out of formality, he didn't expect Diluc to slam a fist on the counter to shut the ginger up before he got the chance to speak.
"He is not here for an interview, Kaeya. If you want to have a good conversation with him then you can have it later."
"Why did you avoid that question?"
"Kaeya. That is personal."
"I am sure that's not the only reason, right?"
Diluc sweated. It was obvious how nervous Diluc got over the question. He wanted to hide something. This only made Kaeya more nervous, just what had Diluc done..?
"He sneaked into the camp I was responsible for. He killed my subordinates and pointed his great sword at my chest. He threatened to stab me."
Kaeya listened to the ginger spilling the beans in utter disbelief. Diluc had done what.
"We sparred, I found him pretty stubborn for someone his age. I had never met a battle crazed manic like myself before meeting him."
"Ajax please--" Diluc tried to cut him off but it didn't work. The guy only kept going.
"He stabbed me, three times. One on the shoulder, the other on the thigh, and another on the chest. I broke his leg. We parted away from each other and met about... A month later?" Childe fell silent for a bit, trying to recall the exact time. "I think it was only three weeks. Your leg wasn't healed yet." He corrected himself.
"Ajax, Do not continue that story." Diluc's voice sounded irritated. His face was just the same shade as his hair. He was lost for words. Diluc looked at Kaeya who was also lost for words. They locked their eyes on each other for a bit. Kaeya was too stunned to speak and process the words. Diluc, too embarrassed to explain himself furthermore.
The tavern fell silent, Diluc was more than glad there weren't any other customers tonight. He took in a big sigh, looking at Childe who was smugly smirking with pride. Diluc really wanted to wipe that attractive smirk off of his face right now. Childe must have understood what was going on in Diluc's head because when their eyes met, his smirk only widened.
Kaeya looked at them sharing an intense stare. This would take a lot to get used to. He covered his face in his hands, defeated. Even his death after noon would not be able to help him forget this encounter.