Work Text:
Looking at the items she’s just uncovered from the secret compartment set into the bricks of the knights’ headquarters, Lumine is suddenly glad Paimon is at Good Hunter for dinner. Not for the first time, she curses her curious nature. Why couldn’t she have ignored the oddly jutting bricks? Why did she have to have noticed them at all?
She reads all the letters, of course. She’s always eager to gather information; at first, she’d been on the hunt for anything pertaining to her search for her brother, but eventually she’d gained an appreciation for knowledge of Teyvat. Even beyond that, she’s taken to tracing over random letters she stumbles upon, or else taking them outright, especially if they seem old enough.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out whose letters and belongings these are. The handwriting, the signatures, even the shells. Lumine allows herself a moment to collect herself and clear her head of those sad, melancholy thoughts before she methodically begins to put everything back the way she’d found it.
Lumine hears the footsteps approaching her just as she finishes sliding the brick back into place. Kaeya Alberich smiles pleasantly down at her, his single visible eye darting from her face to the bricks behind her.
“Hi, Kaeya,” she says with all the nonchalance she can muster. “Come here often?”
His eye widens as he barks a laugh. “The roof? I can’t say I do.”
“I do,” says Lumine with total honesty. “It’s fun.”
Kaeya hums. “Perhaps I’ll come here more often, then.”
“Seems like you’ve come here at least once before,” says Lumine before her brain can tell her mouth to shut up. She’s used to Paimon talking enough for the both of them; it’s strange having to fill up the ensuing silence by herself.
Thankfully, Kaeya doesn’t seem particularly offended. “How astute of you,” he says, voice as smooth as flowing water. “So, have you found out a little bit more about me than you bargained for?”
“Nothing that I haven’t suspected,” Lumine says before wincing at her bluntness. “I mean- your eye is like someone I know.“
“What?” For once, he looks like he’s been caught off guard. Lumine isn’t sure she liked the sound of anything that would catch the infallible cavalry captain off guard, so she hesitates for a moment.
No. Kaeya might be from Khaenri’ah, but he’s been her friend for quite some time now. She considers Dain to be her friend, too, but she’s known Kaeya for far longer. Plus, she can’t deny that she’s in the wrong when she’s been caught red handed going through Kaeya’s personal belongings.
“Dainsleif.” Lumine watches Kaeya’s face for any sparks of recognition and finds none. Or maybe she’s just not as good at reading faces as she thought. “Um, Bough Keeper Dainsleif. He was knight captain of the royal guard.”
Kaeya’s face remains impassive, but Lumine swears she can see the wheels turning in his head. She sighs. “He’s going to know I told you about him. Somehow he knows everything. Anyway, I don’t really care, Kaeya.”
Kaeya blinks at her, composure gone. “What?” he asks again. “Traveler, you don’t have to pretend-”
“Since when am I in the habit of pretending about anything?” Lumine challenges, golden eyes narrowing. “I trust Dain, for better or for worse. And I certainly trust you.”
He swallows hard. “Maybe you shouldn’t, Lumine,” he says softly.
“I think I can decide that on my own.” Lumine looks down, casting for the magic words that will get rid of that gloomy expression on Kaeya’s face. “Um… listen, Kaeya, I’m really sorry about reading your stuff. I didn’t know- but that’s not an excuse. I shouldn’t have been snooping in the first place.“
He gives her a small smile, the edges of his lips just barely curving. “It’s okay. Somehow I don’t mind knowing it’s you. I’m more worried about poor Master Diluc getting embarrassed.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” says Lumine, relieved. “He let me read all the old letters in his house I could find. He was going through a stack of them.”
“Now that’s surprising,” says Kaeya, brows raised. “I never thought he would open up to anyone so much…” He crosses his arms and tilts his head, smiling fondly. “I suppose it makes sense if it’s you, Lumine.”
Lumine looks away, flustered. “I’m glad Master Diluc trusts me. And I’m glad you trust me, too. I won’t betray your trust.”
Kaeya gives her a pleased smile. “I’m counting on it. So, you say Master Diluc has been going through old letters?”
“Yes. I- um, I saw a lot of letters from you,” Lumine disclosed, still embarrassed. “You have very nice handwriting.”
Kaeya’s laugh is genuine as his eye crinkles slightly. “Thank you. I must say, I never thought he’d keep those. I’d have thought he’d have burned them long ago.”
Feeling bold, Lumine doesn’t hold her tongue. “They were in good condition. As good as yours.” Kaeya watches her carefully, as if trying to glean more information from only her eyes.
“Is that so…”
“If I may…” Lumine hesitates, for she knows none of this is her business, but persists anyway. “I realize now I was wrong about you two. I thought you hated each other. But I know that’s not the case, right? Even back then, you were looking out for each other in your own ways.”
The Cryo user’s expression is openly wistful. “You have a very optimistic heart, to see it that way, Lumine.”
“You kept all this. You didn’t blame Diluc for what happened, you blame yourself. Don’t you think Diluc feels the same way? Don’t you think he blames himself for hurting you?”
Kaeya’s lips twitch. “You don’t understand-” he begins with a narrowed eye, his voice cold, but Lumine isn’t having it.
“What don’t I understand? Having a brother?” Lumine hisses back, venomous. “Missing him? My brother is leading the Abyss Order. He turned his back on me when I finally found him and left me crying in the ruins. Actually, maybe you’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you and Diluc have your sibling, safe and sound and within reach, and choose to have such a strained relationship. I don’t understand how you can pretend that you’re both fine with being estranged when you both know you still care about each other!”
Kaeya says nothing, stunned into silence, and Lumine tries to cool off. She hasn’t said anything she regrets, although she wishes she’d been able to keep a more polite tone.
“I- I forgot myself,” Kaeya says, chin dipping down slightly. “You have become such an integral part of Mondstat, and the whole of Teyvat, that sometimes it’s hard to remember you’re an outlander. And that your goal has always been to find your brother. I didn’t know that he-”
Lumine seizes his hand, suddenly panicked. “Promise me you’ll keep that secret. Please. I don’t know- I don’t know what they would do if they knew.”
“Who’s they?”
“Anyone. Everyone. He’s- he’s still my brother. He told me to finish my journey. That I’d understand him by then. I need to finish.”
“Okay.” Kaeya places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Okay, Lumine. After the goodwill you’ve shown me tonight, I’m happy to keep your secret in kind.”
Lumine sighs. “He… he’s the one who told me about Khaenri’ah. He told me what happened to the people. You’re not a hillichurl, though. And you’re not as short as the mages.”
Kaeya laughs. “My father and I escaped the curse. Well, I did. Who knows what my father did after leaving me at the Ragnvindr’s door?”
“I will keep you informed,” Lumine says, and she doesn’t sound like herself, but more brisk- like Kaeya and Diluc. “Now this relates to you, too. And… you’re free to pass everything along to Diluc, if you weren’t planning to already.”
“Even…”
Lumine steels herself. “Yes. We can tell him together, if you’d prefer. Maybe this would be a good chance for you-”
“Thank you again.” Kaeya smiles. He’s cut her off, but he hasn’t said no. Lumine smiles back. He needs more time. That she can handle. She has more than enough time.