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“I’m sorry Master Diluc, but I simply cannot accept this.” Adelinde said, shaking her head and metaphorically pushing the offered pay raise away. “I’m just a maid, and it’s quite a bit above my pay grade.”
This wasn’t the first time they had had this conversation, in fact, she was already accustomed to it years before he even took over the winery’s dealings. His father was no less determined than he.
“You and I both know you’re not only a maid, Adelinde. You have done and still continue to do much, much more than your job description requires of you.” He deadpans, his eyes narrowing.
“Perhaps that may be so, but I do not do it for the mora and I do not need it. You, and your father before you, have always paid me more than enough.” She affirms firmly and resolutely.
“Addie..” He begins weakly, despite knowing the lost cause the conversation has become.
“Do not ‘Addie’ me, Master Diluc. You will not convince me otherwise. Now then, I must continue onto making dinner, if you are so insistent on this, then perhaps you can make the table, no?” She offered, probably just to make the argument easier for him to drop.
“..Alright then.. I will.” He huffed, even if he knew it would not be nearly enough to repay for all the countless things the head maid has done for him and his family.
He would just have to find another way.
——
The first solution that Diluc had come up with was very simple: sneaking extra mora into Adelinde’s pockets.
However, every attempt has Diluc getting up and ready for the day, and (much to his ever growing despair) finding the same exact amount of mora neatly placed onto his office desk.
Damn it. Damn it all.
He’ll have to figure out another solution.
——
His second solution (or third solution, depending on how you looked at it) was to find where Adelinde kept her saved up mora and just.. discreetly add to the pile over time.
It wasn’t too hard to find, he had a good eye for hidden things. Adelinde’s house was on the winery’s property, only a measly five minute walk away from the winery itself.
It took only around twelve to fifteen minutes or so to go over, let himself in, slip some mora into her stash, and walk out. He continued the pattern every day for two weeks, (two whole weeks!) feeling an almost childishly giddy feeling at finally having found the answer to a problem that he and his own father agonized over for years.
And yet, at the end of those two weeks..
A large pouch of mora lays innocently on his office desk. He sniffs only once for his heart to sink.
It smells exactly like Adelinde’s home.
Diluc hastily poured the mora all out, counting each and every last one of them like some kind of mad man just to find the exact same amount of mora that he had been slipping to Adelinde.
He stared at it, his hands bracing him on the desk as he looked at the glittering coins. They flashed at him in the light, like they were somehow sentient and could therefore taunt him. He continued to stare..
….
“..Oh for fucks sake—“
(He had gone downstairs after picking up each and every coin and neatly placing them back into the pouch before demanding that Adelinde kept them in a somewhat crazed tone, shaking it incessantly in front of her.
Adelinde still refused.)
——
It felt the air breeze through its fur, howling harshly in its ears.
But it was not focused on the wind, nor its grating sound— No. It was focused on the hunt.
It was quick. Its prey was just in sight— it shot out a paw, claws unsheathed and reaching reaching reaching—
A shriek. The deer’s last sound before it collapsed lifelessly onto the ground. It did not even have to trap its neck in its maw, having been killed near instantly from its long, piercing claws.
The wolf howled in satisfaction. It was a mighty and worthy prey for its Mother. Its Mother that did not turn when the full moon rose high up in the sky, but was its Mother nonetheless.
It was indeed, as it thought before, a worthy prey, however it still doubted that its Mother would accept it.
Confusion bloomed in its chest. Why would its mother not accept it? Ah yes.. it had a stubborn Mother.. she did not accept its shiny things.. why did Mother need shiny things again? Didn’t look edible..
Perhaps Mother didn’t like shiny things. But Mother would obviously like such delicious meat. Little it had to simply just be terrible at gifts.
It picked up the deer tightly with its jaws, lifting it effortlessly and trotting back to its home with determination.
Making it back in no time, it hurried over to its Mother’s small den, barking at it.
After a few moments of waiting, its little Mother opened the dens entrance, blearily looking up at it.
“Master Diluc, what’s wrong.. oh..” She squinted, looking up at the deer.
Its Mothers expression grew amused. “Is this for me, Master Diluc?” She questioned.
It did not understand the language it did when it was little however, and crouched down to put the deer in front of its Mother, lapping at her hair after it set it down.
“Hmm.. It seems even as a wolf you won’t let it go, will you?” She laughed. “Alright, alright.. if you’re so insistent, then I can cook this for dinner.”
Her hand beckoned it closer so she could pet it in appreciation. “Don’t think I’ll be accepting any mora, though.”
Inexplicably, despite it not understanding, it seemed to have a small moment of clarity, and whined.
“Ah ah, do not argue with me, Master Diluc.” She wagged her finger in front of it.
It continued to whine.
——
“Did you try to simply sneak some mora into her pockets yet?” Kaeya asked.
“Yes, and you’ve already asked that before.” Diluc replied in a monotone, slightly exasperated voice.
It had been a couple of weeks after a dinner at the winery that Diluc had surprisingly offered, seemingly out of the blue. (a dinner that had gone shockingly as well as the last meal they had before) Diluc was wiping the Angel’s Share bar counter clean, pressing down more than he needed to. His anger always showed in his body some way or another, subtle or not subtle.
Things were.. getting better, surprisingly enough. All these years, and all it really took to get the ball rolling was an outstretched hand. They really are cowards, aren’t they?
Of course, it isn’t perfect nor back to what they used to be, but it’s become possible, and that’s all Kaeya has ever needed.
Kaeya had decided to stay after its closing hours, internally hoping it wouldn’t grate on his elder brother’s temper like it so often did in the past.
Diluc had only mentioned it once, and had seemed to immediately regret it, if Kaeya read his face correctly.
(“Did you really think I only stayed to annoy you? Hah.. well, fair enough.” Kaeya looked away briefly, tapping at his empty glass before continuing so Diluc couldn’t interrupt his answer:
“It’s just.. well, this is the only time we are together on a regular basis, isn’t it? That was something.. worth savoring. To me, at least.” Kaeya swallowed thickly, the rhythmic tapping falling out of its musical beat for only a few moments.
“..I never thought about it like that, I guess.” Diluc half spoke half croaked out with a guilty lilt to his voice after a few seconds of silence.
“Well, it’s not like I did much beyond annoying you, did I? So, again, fair enough.” Kaeya reminded him, before quickly switching topics.)
Eventually, their conversation shifted over to Adelinde; a praise from Diluc there, a short, nostalgic story of appreciation from Kaeya here. Unfortunately, as most conversations about the countless precious things that Adelinde has done for the Ragnvindr family go, it devolves into slightly exasperated, slightly fond stories of how that dear woman just can’t accept a damned bonus or raise!
So, here they are, with Kaeya suggesting something, and Diluc shooting it down with a deadpan ‘I’ve already tried that’.
“Perhaps into her savings at home, then?”
“Only worked for a few weeks.”
“Or, she knew all along..” Kaeya snickered.
“..Probably.” Diluc sighed despairingly.
“Well, perhaps our first mistake, Diluc, was thinking we could trick her. Maybe we need something.. simple. Straightforward, if not cunningly so.” Kaeya proposed.
“..What do you have in mind?” Diluc stopped wiping the counter momentarily, curiosity coloring his face.
“Oh, you’ll find out tomorrow, won’t you?” Kaeya dismissed with a grin, winning him an annoyed glare.
——
Tomorrow, was a nice dinner at the winery, like they had done a few weeks before. He wonders if Diluc thinks that this is going to turn into habit. He doesn’t seem brave enough to ask.
It was mostly perfect, though with a few hiccups, falling back into a typical conversation from deep into their estrangement before one of them (or Adelinde, bless her soul) righted it back on track. Kaeya doesn’t know how to feel about the fact that it’s become easier to argue with his brother than to have a simple, pleasant talk with him.
Kaeya puts his coat back on before walking towards Adelinde, shooting Diluc a smug look as he walked past.
Indeed, their first mistake was trying to trick her, instead of winning her over.
Kaeya smiles at her, wrapping his arms around her, then letting go after a few seconds and taking a step back.
“Addie, I can’t thank you enough for such a good meal. I would come by every week if I could.” He starts.
“You could.” Diluc coughs out behind him, slightly hopeful.
“As Master Diluc says, you very much could, are you thinking of a specific day each week, or would you prefer to play it by ear?” Adelinde asks, her faint smile growing larger.
“Ah, well.. Addie..” He sighed, looking at both of them wilt. “I simply couldn’t dare bother you like that, I know very well that you like to go all out for guests, I couldn’t put such a strain on you like that.” He finished, his tone becoming ever so sly at the end.
“It would be no problem, Master Kaeya.” She caught onto the lilt in his voice, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“Oh no, I would feel too awful.. I mean, you’re hardly paid enough as it is for all that you do, how could I ever?” He prattled on.
“If only.. if only you were paid more..” He said dramatically, looking into the eyes of an incredibly unamused maid whose knowing eyes flickered between him and Diluc.
“Are you attempting to bribe me, Master Kaeya?” She deadpanned.
“Me? Bribing? Why, I am a Knight of Favonius, even more so, the Calvary Captain! I could never bribe someone..” He pressed a hand to his chest theatrically.
“Besides, don’t you think it’s more of a.. trade than anything?” He fluttered his eyelashes.
“Master Kaeya.”
“Addie.” He grinned.
A few moments of silence, of anticipation. He could feel it rise within himself and knew Diluc felt the same.
Come on.. come on..
And then, a resigned expression grew on Adelinde, and she let out a sigh.
“If you are really so concerned, then I suppose I have no choice, do I?” She conceded.
He pulled Adelinde into an unexpected hug:
“No, no choice I’m afraid my dearest Addie.” He tried to train his voice into a more sympathetic one, but he sounded more impish than anything. Adelinde chuckled.
Diluc walked over to pat Kaeya on the back when the two departed from their hug. He looked like the cat who got the cream. (for free, he might add. With no effort on his part, he might add.)
“..Perhaps Kaeya would feel even better if you took some time off as well, Addie?” Diluc ventured, hope in his face.
Kaeya looked back to Adelinde, putting on an expectant, charming smile.
“Don’t get it in your head that you can push your luck, young man.” Adelinde admonished.
Oh well, as the saying goes: you can’t have your cake and eat it too.