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Kaeya’s day starts as always.
The cool autumn air of Mondstadt enters his bedroom through the open window, rustling his curtains and his cerulean hair. He tugs on his usual complicated attire (something Albedo will always poke fun at him for; it’s not his fault he wants to be well-dressed, is it?), taking a quick glance in the mirror.
Kaeya reaches up to run his fingers over the rough scar over his right eye as it stares unblinkingly back at him in his reflection.
Most people in Mondstadt know by now not to question Kaeya’s eyepatch. Whenever someone does ask, he tells them a different story each time.
“I lost it fighting the Snowboar King in Dragonspine.”
“My grandfather is a pirate, and I inherited it from him.”
“Albedo poked me in the eye with his paintbrush.”
(Albedo isn’t a big fan of that last one.)
So as always, he pulls the eyepatch over his cloudy eye, giving himself one last once-over in the mirror before he heads out.
The locals of Mondstadt smile and wave at him as he walks past, and some of them even nod by way of a greeting. Kaeya’s eyebrow furrows. He knows he’s respected in Mondstadt — he’s the Cavalry Captain, after all — but this is a bit much, even for him. But he takes it without complaint, nodding and smiling back.
The Knights of Favonius Headquarters is merely a few minutes walk from his residence, and he pushes the doors open to enter the main room. Albedo is there when he walks in, as well as some of the other knights talking amongst themselves around the room.
There’s a large crate in Albedo’s arms, filled to the brim with what Kaeya assumes are alchemy equipment and other knickknacks only Albedo would find interest in. Noelle trails behind him, holding another crate of Albedo’s things.
When Albedo sees him, his pretty turquoise eyes light up as he cracks a smile.
“Good morning, dear alchemist,” Kaeya says to him once he’s made his way over. “And good morning to you, too, Miss Noelle.”
Noelle gives him a small bow, a smile tugging at her features.
“As to you, Cavalry Captain.” Albedo smiles at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. Then he gestures with the crate in his hands. “Will you follow me to my office once I’ve settled all of this?”
Kaeya nods, wondering what Albedo could possibly have in his office. “Of course, sunshine. Do you want me to help with all this?”
Albedo shakes his head, his light-colored fringe moving with him. “That won’t be necessary. Just… follow me.”
Kaeya trails behind Albedo and Noelle as they carry the boxes to Albedo’s office upstairs. Noelle gives them both a small curtsy and a smile before she leaves, going off to train. (She has always been a resilient one, Kaeya thinks.)
Albedo unlocks the door to his office with a key from his pocket, opening the door and nudging the crates in with his heel. Kaeya leans against the doorframe, watching as Albedo rummages through a crowded closet full of bits and bobs and other things Kaeya doesn’t recognize.
Once he’s done, Albedo gestures over to him, beckoning him to come into his office. When Kaeya does, Albedo holds out his hands, presenting a flower pot with a blue Mistflower planted in it.
“I’ve been experimenting with this one for a few weeks now,” Albedo says, a small bit of pride in his eyes. “Condensate from a Cryo slime helps preserve the plant and makes it last longer. This plant won’t die for many months.” He offers it to Kaeya. “For you.”
Kaeya’s eyebrow furrows as he takes it. “What for?”
Now Albedo looks equally as confused. “Your… birthday?”
Birthday?
Kaeya blinks at him. “…Albedo,” he starts slowly, “what day is today?”
“The thirtieth of November,” Albedo says, concern written on his expression. “Kaeya, are you feeling alright?”
A surprised, breathless laugh escapes Kaeya’s lips. “I forgot my own birthday.”
Albedo stares at him before bowing his head to rest it on Kaeya’s chest exasperatedly. A long, tired sigh leaves him.
When Albedo straightens again, Kaeya cracks a sheepish smile. Albedo gives him an exasperated look, one that Kaeya has been long familiar with.
“You should get back to your work,” Albedo says, taking Kaeya’s free hand and rubbing soft circles into it with his thumb. It’s a habit he picked up long before they ever knew each other, Kaeya had noticed; he would often see Albedo doing it to Klee when she was upset.
Kaeya grins. “Ah, well… you’re more fun, anyway.”
Albedo gives him that look again, and Kaeya retreats, his hands up in surrender.
“Alright, alright. Look, I’m leaving.” Kaeya makes a big show of turning around and walking off when Albedo catches him by the hand not holding the plant. Kaeya turns, eyebrows raised.
Albedo pulls gently at him until they’re about face to face again. He’s slightly on his toes to ease the height difference, Kaeya notes with a small smile.
“I thought you said to get back to work,” Kaeya says, tilting his head to the side a little and leaning over to set the flower on Albedo’s desk.
A smile tugs at Albedo’s lips as he laces their hands together. “You’re more fun, anyway.”
Albedo leans in to kiss him, swallowing the laugh that bubbles out of Kaeya’s lips. Kaeya’s free hand finds its way to rest by Albedo’s hip, pulling him closer. He nips at Albedo’s bottom lip and Albedo pulls away, surprised.
Kaeya notices a faint flush that dusts Albedo’s cheekbones. He files that information away for later.
“Happy birthday,” Albedo says softly.
Kaeya just smiles.
When Kaeya arrives at his office a few minutes later, his desk is covered in gifts and other trinkets people had left there.
He smiles a little as his eyes rake over the pile, instinctually dissecting the information.
Kaeya takes his time to open them and read the little letters they had written to him, delicately cutting open the envelopes and brushing his fingers against the dried ink.
Lisa had gotten him a small notebook and a nice pen, accompanied by a concise yet sweet letter wishing him well. Jean left him a few dandelions and a crystal core. Her note invites him to make a wish.
A piece of paper lies on his desk, with a drawing no doubt drawn by Klee. As Kaeya inspects the drawing, he can tell she had drawn it with some of Albedo’s fancy pastels. It’s a drawing of him, her, and Albedo, all holding hands.
On the back, Klee had written a little note for him (albeit with some words misspelled) wishing him happy birthday. Kaeya makes a mental note to hang it up in his bedroom later.
Kaeya sifts through the rest of the gifts, until there is only one left.
A wine glass sits at the very end of the desk, a silk red ribbon tied in a bow around the base. Kaeya picks it up curiously. He recognizes the label; it’s a Dawn Winery brand of wine, but he doesn’t recall it ever being sold at Angel’s Share.
How strange.
As Kaeya continues to scrutinize it, he finds a little folded piece of paper the size of his hand attached to the ribbon. Inside is a note written in a handwriting he never thought he’d see again.
Kaeya,
I’m sure you think I’ve forgotten your birthday by now. Try not to finish this in one night.
Happy birthday.
Diluc
Kaeya stares at it for a few more moments, processing the words on the paper. He brushes his thumb over the red ink (how predictable, he thinks), smiling.
Diluc still has terrible handwriting.
Diluc sits at his desk in the main room of the Dawn Winery, the tip of his tongue between his teeth as he dips the fountain pen into the inkwell.
The candle flickers at the end of his desk, lighting up the dark room. One of the curtains had been left open by Adelinde, leaving the dark, starry sky unveiled.
Tomorrow is Kaeya’s birthday.
The reminder had been resounding through his mind since that morning, following him like a shadow as he completed the tasks for that day.
His hand is poised above the paper, ready to write, but somehow he cannot think of anything. Or perhaps there is just too much to say.
After a few moments of thought, he starts to scrawl his message onto the page, careful to make it readable. Despite his efforts to keep his handwriting legible, he knows Kaeya will find some way to poke fun at it.
Diluc’s message is not long. He knows if he wrote more it would end up much too long, so he stops there, signing his name at the bottom in his clumsy script.
He hopes, bitterly, that it is enough.
(He is not sure what he will do if it isn’t.)
Jean is waiting for him the next morning at the door of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Diluc stares up at the building, Kaeya’s gift in his hands, something turning in his stomach.
He never thought he’d be back here.
“Good morning, Sir Diluc,” Jean says, a small smile on her face. She turns a little pink when she catches her mistake. “Ah- Master Diluc.”
Diluc waves her off. It’s been quite a few years now, yet Jean still treats him like one of her knights. “Master Jean,” he greets, nodding his head by way of a greeting.
“He hasn’t arrived at work yet,” Jean says as she opens the door, and it takes Diluc a moment to realize she is talking about Kaeya. “You can slip into his office now before he gets here.”
“Thank you, Master Jean.” Diluc falters for a moment, unsure of what else to say. “…Look after Kaeya for me.”
Jean nods, her kind smile on her face. “I will. Now be quick, he’ll be here soon.”
Diluc manages to slip into the office of the Cavalry Captain, the office he held many years ago. It’s not much different from how it was when it was his, which is quite odd. He would have expected Kaeya to decorate it more. The only things on the wall are a few picture frames of a child’s drawings and the Knights of Favonius insignia.
Perhaps Kaeya just never got around to it. Strange, nonetheless, but Diluc pays no mind.
He holds the wine bottle, Kaeya’s gift, by the neck. It’s a Dawn Winery brand of wine, one that Diluc had always meant to sell but had never made it to the shelves. He hopes it is to Kaeya’s tastes.
A red ribbon is tied into a bow around the base of the bottle, Adelinde’s doing, of course. Diluc sets it onto Kaeya’s desk among the other gifts, trying to push it to the corner where Kaeya will find it last. He pulls his short letter out of his pocket and carefully attaches it to the ribbon.
Diluc takes one last glance around the room before he leaves, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Not much has changed, he supposes.
Angel’s Share is busy, as usual.
Kaeya gives a nod to Charles, the bartender working that shift. He is the bartender people see most often at Angel’s Share, with Diluc only working the shift on occasion.
“What can I get you?” Charles asks, turning to get a glass from the shelf.
“A Death After Noon, if you will, Mr. Charles.” Kaeya finds a seat at the bar, handing Charles a few Mora.
Charles hums in affirmation, getting to mixing Kaeya’s drink. A few of the patrons wish him a happy birthday, and Kaeya gives them one of his easy smiles and thanks them.
The door to the back room of the tavern opens softly with a click, and a familiar red-haired bartender steps behind the counter.
“I can take the rest of your shift,” Diluc says to Charles, giving him a pouch of Mora. “You may go home now.”
Charles nods, hanging the towel by his belt on the rack on the wall and exiting where Diluc entered. “Good night, Master Diluc.”
Diluc slides Kaeya’s Death After Noon across the bar to him. “Your drink, Sir Kaeya.”
Kaeya takes it, murmuring a quick thanks before bringing it to his lips to drink. Diluc’s gift is still on his mind. It’s been years since their falling out; what made him send him a birthday gift today?
The amount of patrons starts to wane as the hours pass. There’s a new drink in Kaeya’s hand by closing.
A quick glance at the clock tells Kaeya it’s quite late now, later than Albedo would like him to be out. He downs the rest of the glass in one swallow and sets it on the counter along with a few Mora.
“Thank you for the drinks, Master Diluc,” Kaeya says, getting up and walking to the door.
Diluc just hums. “Happy birthday.”
Kaeya’s eye widens, glad that Diluc cannot see it. The shock wears off enough that Kaeya can give a response.
“Thank you, Master Diluc.”
Albedo is waiting for him outside the tavern when he leaves. “Is everything alright?” he asks him, because by now he knows Kaeya well enough to tell. It is quite impossible to hide anything from Albedo.
Kaeya sighs, and then tells him about Diluc’s gift. Albedo’s eyebrow furrows the way it does when he’s thinking.
“I think you both will heal on your own time,” Albedo says finally. “This is just the first step. Of many small steps, I’m certain.”
Kaeya nods, swallowing as he laces his fingers with Albedo’s. They walk through Mondstadt in the twilight in a comfortable silence. Kaeya sneaks a glance at Albedo every now and again.
Eventually, they make it to Kaeya’s residence, and he fishes a key out of his pocket to unlock the door.
“Stay the night,” he says to Albedo, who gives him that sort of look.
“You know I can’t.”
Kaeya cracks a smile. “But you should. And it’s my birthday.”
“Bribery.” Albedo raises an eyebrow. “An unusual tactic for the Cavalry Captain.”
“Unusual but effective.”
In the end, Kaeya proves himself to be quite convincing.