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One calm and fine morning in Mondstadt a young girl could be found, kneeled down and muttering to her stuffed plushie doll. She had spend the early hours drafting out her plan; unravelling it in on top of a barrel someone had left in one of the many alleyways behind the Cat’s Tail.
Klee smoothed out the Knight’s Of Favonius parchment paper with her gloved hand, trying her best to mimic what she usually saw her older brother doing in his office.
The roll was covered with intricate crayon doodles, her skill improving more and more each day (helped by of course, when your older brother is, in Klee’s own words ‘the bestest artist ever’) the sketches of her subjects brightly labeled, the colored lines spilling out in particular areas where she was at her most passionate.
Klee furrowed her eyebrows and made sure to take on her most strictest tone of voice - having learned this from Jean on the unlucky days when she would get caught fishblasting in Starfall Lake.
“You better listen well Dodoco!” Klee firmly spoke, giving Dodoco a slight shake. “We need to tell him off good!” Once Dodoco gave the girl a nod, Klee nodded back, clipping the plushie back onto her backpack and running off with all her might, sprinting straight towards Angel's Share Tavern, not even stopping to rub the belly of the dog outside Marjorie’s store!
Once outside the Tavern Klee sighed, she thought for sure she had woken up early enough but Diluc was nowhere to be spotted outside the area. Looking around and noticing a man dressed in Adventurer’s Guild uniform, she jumped up to him, sitting at the bare chair at his table. Before she could ask him her question, she got distracted by a cute black and white cat on the table next to the man's beer.
Stanley moped sadly as he reminisced about his old friend, with a sigh he was about to try to soothe himself and pet his cat when he realised a familiar little girl was sat at his table.
“Hmm? Oh, little Crimson Knight, what are you doing here so early?”
Klee gasped in shock, taking her face out of the cats fur. “Oh! Mr I almost forgot!” She rose her hands to her head, tugging at her pigtails. “I need to see Mr Diluc right away!”
Stanley attempted to nod, nausea getting to him as his drink started to kick in. “Oh is that so?” Stanley grabbed his forehead and waved the girl off in a random direction with his free hand. “Ah, he should be inside if it’s Master Diluc you need.”
Klee thanked the strange sleepy looking man and jumped off her chair, before pushing the door open to the Tavern Kaeya’s bedtime stories came to her head, and she remembered his wise words.
“...and the little brown baby bear asked, “Hey whose sleeping in my bed?”
Klee gasped and raised her bed covers over her face, before pouting and staring at Kaeya.
“But Kaeya what did baby bear do?”
Kaeya paused and closed the book with a smirk. “Oh but of course, what else? They had to make a surprise attack on the mean Goldilocks!”
“But why?”
“It’s the best tactical approach my little flowerbomb! Now…” He paused, making sure the young girl was still listening and hadn’t fallen asleep. “What do you think baby bear did?”
Klee pondered over Kaeya’s question, before turning her head and whispering her thoughts to Dodoco, with a nod, she turned back to Kaeya.
“Make bombs?”
Kaeya gave a small but genuine laugh. “Ah my dear, you save your stronger attacks for later, what’s most important is gaining intel, that’s observing!”
Klee smirked and ran to the side of the Tavern, spotting an open window, she climbed up a pile of wine barrels and reached the window. With her best angry looking expression - a frown - she glued her eyes and spotted Diluc.
Diluc grumbled as he set out cutting his fresh ingredients for the day, placing the lemon slices and olives in their silver containers before stretching out his back. As it cracked, he winced. He hated waking up early, even as a child, preferring himself to be a night owl and preoccupying his time protecting the town under the cover of darkness.
He grabbed the chalkboard sign for Angel’s Share and turned around to head outside, only to be frozen in place by the sight of a small blonde elf frowning through his window.
“Is…is she mocking me?” Diluc spoke out loud in particular to no one. With a sigh, he continued on his way. “It’s far too early for this…” He muttered under his breath.
Diluc opened the door and set out the sign, before turning around and waiting. When Klee continued to ignore him, he coughed.
“What has Kaeya been teaching you now?”
Klee gasped as she raised her face, having covered it with the flowerbed at the window side.
“You saw me?”
“I did.”
“H-how?”
“I have the eyes of a hawk.”
Klee sighed. “Oh, I just have eye’s of Klee…”
Diluc waited patiently and knelt down to her. “Is there something you needed, Klee?”
Klee jumped and did her best to frown again. “I’m going to yell at, okay?”
“Why?”
“B-because - because!” She started jumping on the spot, throwing out an accusing finger to him. “You need to share!”
“Share?”
“Yes!” Klee jumped down from the barrel and stuck her chin up in the air proudly. “Kaeya is my brother now, not yours!”
Diluc stared in bewilderment, he wasn’t sure where to start on this one. “Klee… Wha-”
“-And I’m going to make sure Kaeya stays happy! And doesn’t grow up to be grumpy all the time like you!”
Sick of being chivalrous, Diluc decided it was time to fight back with this child.
“Yeah? Well, what if I’m lonely?”
Klee was about to stomp on her boot before she raised her hands in confusion. “Huh?”
Diluc huffed amusement. “Yes, that’s right. Why do you get two brothers? You should let me have one. You need to share too.”
Klee scratched her head in confusion. She hadn’t made a plan for this!
“Well… well…. Oh! No! No! No!” She shook her head and pouted. “Kaeya and Albedo like being together!”
Diluc raised his eyebrows. “Together? What do you mean?”
“Together! Duh! ” She gave a quick flick of her tongue as she pulled a face at him. “Kaeya and Albedo have been spending a whole looooot of time together, and they like it! So they can’t be split up!”
“Have they now?”
Klee nodded, proud to share how smart she was, it seemed that plenty of grown-ups didn’t know a lot of the things she did, before tugging on her backpack straps. “You better be nice to my Kaeya from now on, okay! If Albedo cries, I’m telling on Jean and making her put you in the Confinement Room!”
With that, Klee began to run off in another direction before Diluc even had the chance to respond.
With a hum, he looked up to the clouds as the sun began to shine on his face. The day had seemed to perk up.
“Together huh…just as I fugured...”
Albedo gave Kaeya a strange look as the taller Captain continued to walk around his lab in a loop.
“Kaeya?”
Kaeya couldn’t hear him, far too busy in his own mind and biting down on his thumb as he continued to walk.
Albedo sighed and pushed away from his work; quickly but quietly stepping towards Kaeya with graceful steps, he placed one hand on the back of Kaeya’s waist, at his corset, the other on Kaeya’s hand, softly and slowly taking the hand from his mouth and gently kissing it with tender touches.
“If it worries you so…” Albedo paused, rubbing the back of Kaeya’s corset and raising his hand upwards, his ungloved hand travelling through the shirt and cape of Kaeya’s uniform, before resting at his face; he gently pushed Kaeya’s focus away from the floor and made him look into his eyes. “We don’t need to make anything public…” Albedo gave a small smile, though he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide that the thought did hurt him. “We can have a date at my place again?”
Kaeya let out a deep exhale, impressed with how well his angelic boyfriend soothed him, before taking in Albedo’s words and instantly feeling a lump in his throat with guilt. “Oh no! Honey no! It’s not that! I don’t care if the whole of Teyvat knows how lucky I am that I get to be with you! It’s just that…”
“...That?”
Kaeya sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “Ah…Well… I know our relationship is a rather… new development, it’s just that I feel somewhat…”
“Somewhat?”
Kaeya sighed before taking Albedo’s hands in his. “I might as well be out with it. I feel bad because I haven’t told my family.”
“Oh?”
Kaeya nodded. “The winery. Adelinde, Elzer, the staff…Oh, they’ve always been wondering if I’d ever be close with anybody…”
“Do you want to tell them?”
Kaeya nodded instantly. “Oh yes! I can’t wait to show you off to everyone, I just know that Adelinde will love you!”
Albedo smiled, Kaeya had spoken of Adelinde and the Winery often, even before they realised they had mutual romantic feelings for each other. With a slight tilt to the head, he wondered what the problem was.
“That’s not all, is there?”
Kaeya chewed on his lower lip, struggling to get the words out. “Aha…It’s… well, the head of the Manor. I guess you can say I feel the need to notify him about our arrangement.”
Albedo took his hand to his chin and thought it over.
“Manor…the head….Ah” He realised. “That man, Raginvindr? Why does talking to Diluc- Oh…”
“Oh…” Kaeya repeated lamely.
Albedo chuckled, before heading back to his desk to check on his work and that a beaker hadn’t spilled over. “Don’t worry so much about him, Kaeya.”
“That’s easy for you to say, darling! Imagine having an older brother whose entire existence seemed to exist solely for the reason to make your life a living hell!”
Albedo rolled his eyes at his lover's dramatics, having grown far too used to his theatrical lover.
“I understand it well. Your brother probably already knows.”
Kaeya pouted and made to sit in Albedo’s chair, running his fingers over the plush leather and manspreading and stretching himself in it. “Diluc may be a master interrogator, but there’s no way he would have found us out.”
“And why is that?”
“I’m very good at keeping secrets.”
Albedo nodded, and without missing a beat or looking away from his work, he replied to him. “Oh yes, I’m sure even those on Celestia could see how obvious your affections were for me.”
“Sweetheart?”
Albedo responded in a dry, sarcastic tone. “Ah, I meant, ‘how would anyone have found out you had feelings for me?’ “
“I thought I was pretty sly…”
Albedo smiled and looked over to the preserved flower bouquets on his shelf, following his line of sight, Kaeya realised the evidence.
“Among the many other vastly obvious times you flirted with me-”
“Hey!”
“-Who else would have ordered single stem blue roses to be delivered to my residence each day?” Albedo spun around and gladly accepted as Kaeya pulled him into his arms.
Kaeya sighed dreamily as he also remembered how he had confessed.
“Who knew the way to my dove's heart was to do so?” He winked at Albedo and tilted him back to the everlasting shining roses.
“One stem magically appearing at my door, 12 days exactly before my blue haired knight finally gained such courage to confess?”
Knowing that Albedo was being bratty, Kaeya smiled and knelt down to tilt Albedo’s chin up.
Albedo smirked with a deadpan expression. “Oh? Finally, feeling brave again, are we? Not so shy anymore?”
Kaeya huffed. “Will you just let me kiss you?”
“Only if you agree that you’ll use your bravery to just tell your brother about us.”
“Ugh, c’mon don’t mention him when I’m about to kiss you!”
Later that day, Kaeya held Albedo’s hand as they walked out of the Knight’s of Favonius Castle.
As they began to see Good Hunter in their sight of vision, Albedo noticed Kaeya nervously flex their joined hands, before anxiously looking around and separating them.
Realising what he had done, Kaeya looked at Albedo to apologise, before Albedo shook his head.
“It’s okay.”
“I’m still sorry.”
“I know.”
“I’m just nervous.”
“It’s alright.”
Kaeya inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Our first official lunch date.”
Albedo rolled his eyes. “Technically, we do this all the time.”
“Yeah, but this is different.”
“How so?”
“Well… now we’re together!”
“Always have been.”
“Not like that! I mean… ‘ together’ together!”
Albedo smiled. “You look like Klee when you get excited like this.”
Kaeya responded with a blush as he gave Sara their usual order for lunch. Having forgotten to check around for any certain redheads lurking around.
As Sara placed their usual orders at their table, she snuck a note subtly to Albedo who unfolded it as Kaeya was distracted.
' -To 'A',
Kaeya likes his mushrooms crispy on the outside and just about undercooked on the inside, when its tender. He prefers white chocolate to milk, and secretly enjoys country music. (As did our late father.)
- D.
Albedo, though suprised at the note, remained to keep his face stationary, to keep Kaeya from asking questions.
Later that evening, as the hunters from Springvale were heading into the town after a hard days work, and the store holders were beginning to shut, Kaeya approached the Alchemy bench and waited for Timaeous to find his order. The alchemist looked around, before checking a small pile and lifting up a book.
“Is this the one he ordered?” He asked, showing Kaeya a book with a purple looking cover.
“Yes that’s the one! I said I’d pick it up for him so I’ll take it.”
Timaeous nodded and began to pack it up, Kaeya watched patiently, and also distracted as he didn’t realise a certain falcon flying through the skies and landing above the perch of the Alchemy Workshop Store.
Kaeya jumped, startled as the familiar bird squawked down at him.
“D-Dawn? Where did you- AH!”
Diluc smirked as he poked Kaeya’s shoulder, causing the taller man to freak out.
“Dliuc?!”
Diluc called over his bird to rest on his arm, giving it a small pet before raising his arm in the air for her to fly away.
“Guess what a little birdie told me?”
Kaeya opened his mouth dumbly, but couldn’t respond, instead shrugging his shoulders and trying to play it cool.
Diluc continued. “That she spotted a certain knight of Favonius collecting alchemy tools. I wonder…who would be doing such a thing at this time of evening?”
Kaeya stuttered. “I-” His voice cracked, a nervous habit he had when he was caught; he coughed to disguise the crack. “I’m just here to pick up stuff for little Klee.”
“Ah yes.” He gritted his teeth. “Klee, of course. Not much else is there, whose interested in Alchemy? Isn’t that right?” He gave Kaeya a look. “Are you much interested in alchemical matters, Kaeya?”
Kaeya shook his head quickly and gathered his parcel from Timaeous. “Nope, I don’t even know anyone in Mondstadt! Okay bye!”
As Timaeous and Diluc watched Kaeya sprint off (and stumbling once over a step), Timaeous sighed and gave a small laugh.
“He really can’t hide his feelings when it comes to him now, can he?”
Diluc nodded. “He’s always been an idiot.”
In the late evening, when the town was dark. The Tavern was full at its peak time, filled with the usual drunkards and thirsty residents, bards already setting the mood with old tales, and members of the Guild recounting stories from their glory days.
Diluc made the usual orders for his most frequent visitors. Setting aside a tall glass for Rosarira and leaving a bottle out for Venti.
The two were in deep conversation before Venti turned around in his seat and checked the time.
“Man Kaeya really has been showing up less and less these days huh?”
“Well he has found a… new friend. Though I don’t really trust him.”
Venti giggled with an all knowing glee. “Hey Master Diluc, if Kaeya doesn’t show up anymore could I get his share?”
Diluc frowned and was about to lecture him before the door opened, the chime of the bell alerting the trio.
Kaeya looked up embarrassed as all eyes were on him.
“I uh, lost track of time.”
“And a button it seems.” Diluc responded dryly.
Kaeya smoothed out his shirt collar, before heading to the counter, as he watched Diluc prepare a drink, he stopped him before the liquid would be poured into the glass.
“I uh, I think I’ll enjoy this fine night and drink outside.”
“Outside? Fine I’ll bring it to you.”
“Oh no, no, no I see you’re far too busy for that! I’ll just take the bottle and two glasses to go.”
“Two glasses?”
“Well I wouldn’t want you to cry about a broken glass now, would I? Come now Diluc you know how clumsy one can get…”
Venti and Rosaria groaned at the lame excuse and turned away with a cringeful shame.
Diluc remained nonplussed and straight-faced. “I see, how… dependable, you are. I’ll charge you triple.”
“Hey wait!”
“I can lessen the fee I I head out to bring it to you?”
Kaeya lowered his shoulders in defeat. “Triple will be fine….”
Despite his words, Kaeya failed to realise that Diluc had never sent him a bill for that night.
Kaeya awkwardly shuffled his feet, procrastinating at the doorstep of the Winery.
“It’s alright. Take your time.” Albedo gently offered.
Kaeya nodded, and the two were about to engage in an emotional supportive speech to each other before Klee dove through their legs and pulled the door open.
“You open doors like this, Kaeya! Grown ups are so silly!”
“Klee!”
As Kaeya and Albedo ran inside to chase after the girl, Adelinde appeared and gave Kaeya a warm hug. “Master Kaeya! It’s so good to see you again! Come in, come in, we’ve been expecting you!”
Albedo sighed as Kaeya looked around. “What do you mean? How did you know I was coming?”
Diluc came walking down the steps, greeting Albedo and walking up to Kaeya.
“Have you forgotten? Adeline knows everything.”
“Master Diluc!” Adelinde gave Diluc a gentle nudge and spoke in a motherly tone. “Let us not give our new arrival here a bad start.”
Diluc snorted but still remained civil. “I suppose you’re both here for dinner? We have everything ready, is Klee able to eat on her own or will she need assistance?"
Albedo nodded. “Yes, she's’s quite capable, thank you. Where is she?”
“Right here.” Elzer arrived to the hallway with Klee giggling in his arms.
“Ah she's grown very comfortable so quick."
Diluc rolled his eyes.
"She sneaks in here as much as you two sneak around the grapevines."
The two looked at Diluc with a equal amount of bashfulness and embarrassment.
"You saw that?"
Diluc nkdded. "If by 'that' you mean the many times we saw you kissing by the grapevines then yes. We do in fact, have many windows and you can see through them."
Albedo gave a small bubble of laughter as Kaeya looked absolutely mortified.
Trying to save face, he spoke up.
"It, it was only one time!"
Diluc frowned. "The maids have already placed bets on when you'd finally show up inside the Winery instead of sneaking around."
Kaeya grabbed Klee and dashed to the dinner table, trying to ignore another motherly lecture from Adleine.
Before Albedo could take a step forwards to follow, Diluc stopped him.
"Your sister threatened me."
Albedo pursed his lips in amazement. "Do you seek compensation?"
Diluc shook his head. "I suppose this is when I would do the same, though unlike Kaeya I prefer to be more upfront and honest about my feelings."
"Which is?"
"I honestly thought you were up to something. So I had kept close tabs on you for a while now. And though I was going to give you the 'Big Brother Speech'..."
"Something changed your mind?" Albedo paused worriedly. "Ah you do still consider him your brother?"
Diluc nodded.
"If being with a Knight is what it takes for Kaeya to smile again. Then I approve. It seems you're crazy enough to stick with him, and hell… I know Kaeya's been through enough bad stuff in his life.
From what I've seen through my observations is that I can trust you to be good to him. So… thank you…" Diluc coughed and walked off. Feeling awkward being so open with his emotions.
Kaeya whispered to Albedo as he pulled a chair out for him at the table.
"What was all that about?"
Albedo shook his head. "Your brother just confessed to being a stalker."
"Hey!"