Universe: "Genshin Impact"
Pairing: Kaeya&Lumine, Jean&Lisa in the background
Rating: 17+
Genre: fantasy, dramat, soft angst, hurt/comfort
Series: "Light&Ice"
Warnings: spoilers to game plot, headcanons, description of suffering physically and mentally
Note: Kaeya protected Traveler from Samachurls and got hurt. He knew that this day would come.
But he didn't know, how much worse it's going to end.
"Traveler!"
Kaeya knew that this moment was going to happen sooner or later. That he's going to grab Traveler's shoulder and push them away from the spiky vines coming towards them.
He also knew that these vines are probably going to hurt him. It was easy to guess, because despite everything, humans are moving slower than magic.
One of the vines cut his shoulder. Another painfully scratched the skin under his ribs.
But the real question was: Why his blood was flowing down his shoulder? Why he tried to save Traveler from becoming a skewer?
The answer was, in fact, easy. Well, it seemed that Kaeya's frozen heart, which didn't beat for anyone for more than a week and was constantly putting its owner into just short-term romances and only one longer relationship (remembered as the most boring period ever), can't melt for just one person. And then Traveler appeared in Mondstadt and this hard as rock ice literally shattered immediatelly.
Like Hilichurl's skull, which Noelle just crushed like it was only a ceramic vase.
"You're bleeding, captain" noticed Sucrose, pulling him to the side. "There are just two of them, so..."
"Easy, I'll be fine" Kaeya smiled to her like always, but the alchemist didn't believe him at all.
Especially that Traveler appeared next to them. In their eyes Kaeya could see everything, besides what they thought about him. Did they have feelings for him too? Or was it just flirting?
"Sit down, Kaeya" Traveler pushed him under the tree, using their Anemo powers, so it was easier for them.
"But I'm fine, I can walk it off" mumbled Kaeya, trying to get up, but Noelle stopped him.
How was it possible that a fifteen years old girl had so much strengh? It's strange that they still didn't let her be the Knight of Favonius.
Kaeya sighed. Screw Abyss Mages and their Hilichurls. And especially these fucking Samachurls.
"I'll heal you, captain" said Barbara, sitting beside him.
Oh, right. Barbara. He completely forgot that she was with them. In fact, she indirectly drove them to this area. They were to help her repair one of the statues of Barbatos, which the Hilichurls decided to knock over and badly damage, mostly for fun. And since they happened to have free time, Jean sent the whole mixed team together.
Barbara mumbled a few incantations, running her hand over his shoulder and left side, then stood up and smiled brightly.
"It was unneccessary, really" Kaeya sighed.
"It would be nice, if you started acting serious, captain!" scolded him Amber, putting her hands on her hips. "You and your pretending to be hardcore, how bullshit..."
"Well, she's right" Traveler grabbed Kaeya's hand and helped him getting up.
"Of course she is" squeaked Paimon. "Paimon thinks that Kaeya is terribly reckless too."
"Don't be silly..." Kaeya sighed and realised that he's still holding Traveler's hand, so he immediately let them go. "Let's go or we're going to meet the wolves."
"Or maybe we'll meet Razor!" Amber clapped her hands. "I haven't seen him for a while."
"I see him often" announced Sucrose quietly. "I often go to Wolvendom to pick some ingredients for potions..."
"We should go then, or we're going to walk around the woods during the night" said Noelle.
"Paimon doesn't want to!" squeaked Paimon and followed her and Amber, when they already started walking.
Traveler calmly followed her, looking over at Kaeya. His hair was flickering in the setting sun. He caught their sight and for a moment they stared at each other as if time had stopped. But as always, since Traveler had arrived in Mondstadt, it had only has been for a short while, dashing any hopes of a spark between them.
* * *
At first Kaeya thought that he was just tired and he overworked his muscles. His whole left arm was numb, as if he had strained it.
But with each breath he felt that the skin beneath his ribs became somewhat taut. And this strange feeling spread to the whole left side, a little to the stomach and back.
He continued to blame it on the strain, until he discovered he couldn't move his left arm at all. Only his fingers flexed slightly and that was it. He couldn't clench his fist.
"Traveler?" he grabbed their shoulder and stopped them. "I promised you that I won't lie to you ever again, right?"
Traveler's golden eyes examined his face.
"What's going on, Kaeya?" they asked.
"I can't move my arm. As if it stopped listening to me" explained Kaeya. "I don't want to make everyone worried, so can you..."
But Kaeya couldn't finish this sentence. The dull, numb feeling changed into crucial, burning from the inside pain in the blink of an eye.
He fell, almost pulling Traveler with him. In the last moment he managed to let their sleeve go.
The world flashed before his eyes. He heard voices calling his name. He tried to take a breath. He could do it, but only a little. Just like his lungs suddenly shrinked.
Tall, muscular man, laying on the grass, among petite people and a flying fairy.
He saw their worried faces. He wanted to say something, but he lost his ability to speak.
It hurt. It fucking hurt.
If he had to explain, what hurt him, his companions would hear only one word: Yes.
* * *
"Kaeya! Kaeya!" Paimon was shaking him, as if it could help them in this situation.
Barbara was sitting beside him, whispering some spells for minutes.
They've done nothing.
"I'm tired" she announced. "I just managed to make him breathe normally again."
"A poison with late effects?" Traveler looked at Sucrose.
"Probably" the alchemist nodded.
"That's captain Kaeya" said Noelle. "Even if he felt that something is wrong earlier, he probably didn't say anything, until it wasn't serious."
"It was serious enough that he tried to tell me" said Traveler.
Their heart was anxious and beating so fast that they thought that it would break.
They heard footsteps and wolves howling. They turned around sharply. Barbara didn't stop healing Kaeya, she just looked up.
"Hello, Razor" said Sucrose, looking at him.
"I heard scream. I came" he announced. "What happened?"
"We don't know" replied Noelle. "Our captain got hurt, our friend healed him, but several minutes later he screamed, fell and didn't get up anymore."
Razor walked to Kaeya. The captain’s breathing was shallow and tears were streaming from his eyes. His eyelids were shut and his muscles were tensed.
"Poison?" asked Razor.
They nodded.
"Not good. Have to take him from here. Dangerous."
"I managed to make his breathing normal, but it was the only thing I could do" repeated Barbara, taking her hands from Kaeya's chest.
"Is there anyone, who got stabbed by these vines too?" asked Traveler, sitting beside Kaeya.
"Me, but Barbara healed me and I'm feeling fine" replied Amber.
"I've met this type of Samachurl before too, but it didn't hurt me as much as him" Traveler put a hand on Kaeya's forehead.
It was warm. Like he had a fever. But he wasn’t even sweating. His body didn't do anything to fight whatever attacked it.
"I think..." started Sucrose quietly.
All of them turned to her.
"I think that the reason is Captain Kaeya's Cryo Vision..." Sucrose finished her thought.
And now everything made sense.
"Whatever it is, there should be something in the library" suggested Barbara. "We should go there."
"Have to take him from here. Dangerous" repeated Razor.
"Well, Kaeya, despite being mentally probably ten years old, is an adult, tall man" replied Amber. "No one can carry him."
"I can carry him" replied Noelle. "I'm used to do it."
"What do you mean?" Amber was confused.
"When he's drunk, usually it's me, who's taking him from Angel's Share" Noelle shrugged.
Amber just sighed.
"Sucrose, go with Barbara to Headquarters. We're going to carry Kaeya to some safer place" said Traveler, taking their hand from his forehead.
"What's the nearest place we can go?" asked Noelle, picking Kaeya up.
Kaeya hissed because of pain, so Noelle apologised to him quickly.
"Paimon is afraid that it's Dawn Winery" replied Paimon.
Traveler sweated nervously. Diluc is going to kill Kaeya for even a suggestion that he could sleep in the winery.
Or he'll burn Kaeya, when they stop looking at him just for a moment.
"It's the only place we can go" they said despite it.
Especially that Kaeya was struggling to breathe again.
* * *
Hillie and Moco were sweeping the pavement in front of the winery. They wondered, if soon they would have to clean even at night. Razor could hear them even from several dozen meters away.
"Lord Barbatos!" Moco dropped the broom from her hands, seeing Kaeya barely conscious, unconsciously leaning on Razor and Noelle's shoulders.
Hillie kept her cool and ran as fast as she could to get Adelinde. She appeared in the blink of an eye.
"Lord Barbatos..." she repeated, what Moco had shouted earlier. "What happened?"
"Captain Kaeya was poisoned" explained Noelle, adding in her mind that he was still damn heavy, but she wouldn't say it out loud.
"He is the poison himself."
Traveler sighed, when they heard this voice. Diluc stood in the doorway, crossing his arms on his chest and looked at them, like they brought a bag of crap to his winery, not his own brother.
"Master Diluc, you have to let us..." started Amber, but Diluc interrupted her.
"I don't have to" he said. "Take him to the city, they're going to take care of him."
"He's too weak for this" explained Traveler. "He can die during the travel. We need a shelter now. It's almost nighttime and if someone or something attacks us, he's going to be the first victim."
"They're right. Now dangerous. He needs to hide" added Razor.
Diluc just glared at him.
"In your dreams" snorted Diluc. "He put himself in such trouble, so he can pull himself out of it."
"He protected me!" scremed Traveler. "I thought that you're a hero, Diluc. And that you have some respect for us."
"Of course" replied Diluc, turning around. "I have respect for some of you. But not for Knights of Favonius."
"Jean helped us..."
"No. I was the one, who helped you" Diluc looked at Traveler over his shoulder. "Some unknown traveler, cursed g- bard and a woman, who thinks that she knows, how to use her Vision, but she can't do anything without my help."
Diluc backed away abruptly as amber spikes sprouted in front of him. He froze for a moment and turned slowly.
Traveler's hand was still clenched. Their brows were furrowed and their eyes were brimming with determination and anger.
"I thought that you have Anemo Vision" Diluc said every next word slower, staring at Traveler.
"I don't have a Vision, Diluc" replied Traveler. "I just can use elemental powers. And I thought that Kaeya is your brother."
"He's not my brother" Diluc snorted. "He's just a ward, whom my father found on the way to the Dawn Winery and took care of him. He's never been my brother."
Despite everything, despite constant pain, trouble with breathing and keeping the balance, Kaeya heard it. He opened his left eye and tried to look at Diluc, who was trying to enter Dawn Winery, passing over the amber spikes.
"Diluc..." Kaeya broke free from Razor and Noelle's embrace, which wasn't hard, because Razor was tired already and Noelle just let him do it. "Wait..."
Kaeya took a few wobbly steps, leaning on Traveler and Amber's shoulders along the way and stood in front of Diluc, putting a hand on his shoulder to keep himself from falling.
Traveler removed the amber spikes. Kaeya in his condition could fall on them and that would make things even worse.
"Get off me" growled Diluc. "How many times do I have to say that I won't forgive you and the last thing I need is your touch?"
"Why... are you... so stubborn... even now...?" asked Kaeya and coughed, because he could't breathe once again, which made him lose his balance.
He fell on the ground, knocking Diluc over and landing right on him.
"Well, he's going to kill him now" groaned Amber, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Stop acting like that" Diluc sounded like he was already tired of them all. "Captain Kaeya?"
Kaeya didn't answer. He didn't have any strengh to do it.
Diluc sighed, pulled off his glove and put his hand on Kaeya's forehead.
And then he realised, how serious the situation was.
Kaeya's body, since he got a Vision, was constantly colder than most people’s. Just like other Cryo users, his skin reminded him of porcelain, just soft. And Pyro users like him had warmer bodies, so Diluc rarely knew that something is really hot and got burnt even less often.
But now he could feel that Kaeya's body is warmer than his. And even if Kaeya got his Vision during their fight... Even if gods protected Kaeya from Diluc's rage... Even if their relationship was now complicated...
Diluc pushed Kaeya from himself, knelt on the floor, picked him up and got up.
"Follow me" he said, not looking at shocked faces of others. "Adelinde, make the bed in the guest room."
"Of course" Adelinde nodded and ran upstairs.
He's going to face consequences of this tomorrow. And for the next week his muscles won't stop being sore. But he'll deal with it.
Somehow.
* * *
Xingqiu was sitting in the library and reading some book, when suddenly a green-haired girl with dog ears and a short nun burst through the door.
"Lisa! Captain Kaeya was poisoned, we need books about antidotes, quick!" yelled one of them.
Xingqiu was at first mad that someone is screaming in the library, but then he realised, what this girl said.
"For Anemo Archon's sake, what are you talking about?" the librarian seemed worried and started looking through the booklists.
Xingqiu decided that it's time to come back home. Especially that he had a book about poisons in his hand. He closed it, got up and walked towards the frightened women.
"Here" he put a big, one tousand pages book on the librarian's desk. "You have one already. I'll read it another time. See you later, I wish you a nice day and getting well soon for your captain."
Then he grabbed his bag and left the library.
Mondstaters and their problems...
* * *
When library's door closed behind the boy from Liyue, Lisa gave Sucrose this book about poisons and got up.
"I have to tell Jean" she announced and left the library.
Poor, sweet Kaeya... What happened that Barbara and Sucrose were so scared? Jean told her that he once was poisoned in the past. There were even rumors that he himself dropped poison into his eye, which wasn't working since then, but why would he do that?
She entered Jean's office, knocking on the door. She was standing in front of the window and looking at the city's panorama. Lamps were slowly turning on one by one.
"Jean, we have a serious situation" announced Lisa.
"Don't start a love confession like this again" Jean looked at her over her shoulder.
"But I'm really serious this time" Lisa felt a little offended and thought that she should stop being so flirty all the time. "Hilichurls poisoned Kaeya. Barbara and Sucrose ran to me, looking like he almost died in front of their eyes or something."
"What?" Jean turned around abruptly. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm not quite sure for now" replied Lisa. "I left them in the library. I just guessed that Barbara's powers didn't work at all, if they panicked so much."
"Let's meet with them" Jean embraced her shoulders. "Our romantic supper can wait."
"Did you prepare romantic supper?" Lisa was surprised.
"No, but I wanted to take you to Good Hunter" Jean sighed, walking into the library. "Are you okay, Barbara?"
"I'm okay, but Captain Kaeya is in a really bad condition" replied Barbara, putting a book away for a moment. "Dendro Samachurls attacked him with branches. They tied me up too once, but I just felt a little dizzy for the whole day after that."
"I have similar experience" confirmed Jean.
"It was what I meant, when I said that it's probably because of his Cryo Vision" said Sucrose. "Once I read that Dendro element works different on different Vision bearers. And usually Visionless are killed on the spot by this poison."
"Is there some antidote for that?" asked Jean.
"Probably, but I don't remember, how to make it" Sucrose blushed a little. "I'm sorry. If master Albedo was here, he would know for sure, what to do. But I'm just useless."
"Don't talk like this, sweetie" scolded her Lisa. "We should send someone to him."
"You're right" Jean nodded, getting up. "Where is Kaeya, by the way?"
"Honorary Knight, Amber, Noelle and Razor took him to the Dawn Winery" replied Sucrose.
"Dawn Winery?!" repeated Jean and Lisa.
"The winery was the nearest shelter..." explained Sucrose, looking down.
"But why our poor wolf boy was there?" asked Lisa.
"He heard our screams" explained Barbara. "Well, I think not ours, but most probably Captain Kaeya's scream, when he fell on the ground. I can still hear it in my mind..."
Jean clenched her fingers on a book. She knew that death and wounds are the risk of being a knight. But despite that she felt guilty of this situation.
Kaeya was her friend. She hoped that Diluc didn't do anything stupid because of his annoying hate for Knights of Favonius...
* * *
Kaeya felt like he was floating in water.
He opened his eyes and looked around.
He didn't know, where he is. There was just a void around him.
Just then he realised that he could see with both of his eyes.
So it wasn't real.
"Oh, so you're smart. And I thought that you lost your brain in Mondstadt" he heard a voice and turned around abruptly.
He saw his biological father, who was staring at him with disgust.
"What are you doing here?" asked Kaeya. "Where are we?"
"In your mind" he heard another voice. "Don't listen to him, son. He will only talk nonsense to poison your heart."
Yes. Heart. Which just stung him.
He turned slowly. His adoptive father stood before him and smiled fondly.
"You know that's not your fault, right" he asked, not asking.
"No" Kaeya shook his head. "It's all my fault. No one's more."
"Do you see?" his biological father pulled Kaeya to himself. "You can't save him, Crepus. He's just mine."
Kaeya felt that he was falling into the abyss. It felt like he was falling for years. And then he heard another voice. More real.
"Kaeya, please, wake up!"
His back hit the ground, welcoming the pain back like an old friend.
He opened his eyes and looked blearily at Traveler, who was sitting next to him.
"I'm sorry that I pulled you back to the real world, but you started to mumble feverishly" they explained, putting a fresh compress on his forehead.
"Where..."
"In Dawn Winery. Diluc brought you here. Yes, I'm surprised too" they replied, touching his feverish cheek.
"What about... others?"
"Barbara and Sucrose still didn't return from the library. Amber and Noelle are trying to find something in Diluc's books. Razor is looking for herbs that can help you at least a little" reported Traveler. "Kaeya..."
They couldn't look at him in this condition. This always smiling, suspicious captain, who was laying powerless in bed. Only in his shirt and throusers.
Just then they realised that they could see him without his eyepatch for the first time.
There was some scar, but barely visible. They didn't think that it was the reason, why Kaeya's eye was so... blurry.
"Your eye..."
"I lied..." he whispered. "I can't see... It's because... a spell..."
"Spell?"
"Father... biological... " Kaeya closed his eyes tightly.
His mind was the prisoner of his pain. He couldn't say anything more. At least for now.
Traveler grabbed his hand. Kaeya sighed.
How long he has been in love with them?
Since he saw them? Or since this sunny day, when he got them into trouble, when he wanted to catch Treasure Hoarders?
"Everything is going to be okay" whispered Traveler. "You don't have to talk. You'll tell me about it, when we’ll find the antidote."
Their voice was trembling and Kaeya heard it. And then he realised that he did upset everyone again.
Like when Crepus found him on the road in the middle of a dark, rainy night.
Like when he fell into the river as a child and almost drowned.
Like when he dropped poison into his eye to prevent his biological father from spying on the people Kaeya loved.
Like when he was late and didn't manage to save Crepus, whom he treated like his only real father.
And many, many more times.
He's been a burden for everyone since forever. Outcast. Foundling with tan skin and weird name for Mondstadters.
People started noticiting him, when he was a tween. Started to like him. Especially because of his happy and shy nature and this charm, with which he could persuade everyone to do everything for him.
Well, besides Traveler. They were flirting sometimes, but it wasn't enough for him. He wanted something more. But all efforts were in vain.
Just a traitor for Diluc. Just a friend for Traveler.
Abyss took him again with it. He couldn't breathe.
For Barbatos' sake... He's really going to die...
"Kaeya?" Traveler slipped from their chair and sat on the edge of a bed.
They put their head on Kaeya's chest.
His heart was beating so fast that it made them tremble.
"Kaeya, please, don't leave me" they squeezed his hand tighter.
He groaned softly. Even this gesture only made him feel more pain.
They jumped back and got up. Their heart was pounding like crazy.
It ended like always. Everytime, when they tried to help someone, who they love, they were making things worse.
They wanted to comfort him, to take away his pain, not to hurt him more.
They turned around and left the room. Then they closed the door and sat down on the floor with their back leaning against it.
They covered their face with their hands and started crying. They managed to put brave face for too long. Their heart was breaking into pieces, when they were thinking about Kaeya's condition.
Their Kaeya.
Man, who visited them in their dreams many times since they arrived to Mondstadt.
* * *
Jean looked at Lisa. Her beloved librarian tried to keep her eyes open. Sucrose fell asleep a long time ago with her head on a book. Barbara still didn't seem tired and sometimes she was poking the alchemist's shoulder, but in vain.
If only Albedo was here...
"We should rest and let someone continue this task" said Lisa. "In such condition we can't do anything. I can't even see the text."
"You're right" Jean agreed with her, closing the book. "I'll tell Huffman to continue this investigation. Some other Knights should help him."
"I can't believe, you agreed with me?" Lisa blinked in shock.
Jean just nodded.
"I agreed, because I can't see the letters well myself" she explained. "I'll go to tell others. Barbara, take Sucrose to the cathedral. You should sleep."
"Of course" her sister shook Sucrose's shoulder. "Wake up, Sucrose. We have to rest."
"Ouch, my back" Sucrose winced, sitting up. "Oh no, have I fell asleep?!"
"A long time ago" confirmed Jean, getting up.
"In this case I'm going to take one more book with me and go to master Albedo's camp" Sucrose hid a book Xingqiu gave them to her bag. "And I hope that Captain Kaeya won't kick a bucket before I come back..."
Lisa looked at her sadly.
"What exactly is wrong with him?" she asked. "We were so involved in finding the antidote that I forgot to ask you."
"He has a high fever, which the body doesn't treat as a disease and doesn't even fight it" explained Barbara. "Plus breathing problems, paralysis of the left arm and actually the entire left side, because that's where he was injured. But the worst problem still is pain."
"Pain?" repeated Jean.
"It was the first time I saw him cry" announced Sucrose. "Especially from pain. Men rarely shed any tears."
Jean and Lisa looked at each other.
Their poor, sweet Kaeya...
When they wake up, they should go to him. Others can find the answer. They trusted them.
But they didn't trust the grim reaper.
* * *
When Kaeya couldn't take a breath, it was the same feeling, when his enemies tried to strangle him in the past.
Many times.
So why he remembered of Collei suddenly?
He was curious, what happened to this girl...
He felt cold hand on his forehead.
He opened his eyes and saw Traveler.
Again.
"I'm sorry that I hurt you" they said quietly.
Kaeya smiled weakly.
"You're... not pain..." he whispered. "You're like a light... shining through the ice... when someone is drowning in their own mind..."
Traveler trembled. They tried to pretend that these words didn't move them. But it wasn't true.
Especially that...
"I had such powers" they announced, taking their hand from Kaeya's forehead. "Before someone took them away from me. My sibling had them too. We were unseparable."
"Twins are always like that..." Kaeya closed his eyes and gasped for air, making Traveler flinch. "Me and Diluc... knew... each other’s... secrets... our thoughts... our dreams... And now... we know... nothing..."
"Kaeya..." Traveler sat on his bedside and leaned over him.
Their hair smacked his cheek.
"Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
They could've healed him, if they had their previous power.
But they were useless without it.
"You're worried..." Kaeya lifted his right hand and put it on Traveler's cheek.
It was hot. Traveler had an impression that Kaeya is going to burn them.
"I'm... only a burden... like always..." Kaeya put his hand down and smiled weakly. "I should have died... a long time ago... during a rainy night..."
"Kaeya!" Traveler grabbed his shoulders.
They didn't care this time that they're hurting him. He was telling them such a cruel thing that they couldn't let him.
"Kaeya, please, don't think like this" they said softly. "Please, don't think like this..."
Kaeya didn't answer them. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, which was full of unpleasant memories.
* * *
Diluc pretended to read. He also pretended to not care about the whole situation, but in fact he was helping Amber and Noelle finding an antidote.
He wanted to throw this book away. Why should he care about some medicine for boils?
"You're worried" Traveler stood in front of Diluc.
He looked up at them.
"About what?"
"About your brother" they replied, walking to him. "Admit it finally."
Diluc closed a book with one move.
"He's not my brother. I sometimes wish that he hasn't born at all."
At this moment Traveler snapped. They grabbed Diluc's shirt and pulled him to them so close, that they could bite his nose, if they wanted.
"Listen, you edgy, red, grumpy slime" they growled, gritting their teeth. "You wouldn't pick him up and carry him to the guest room, if you didn't care about him! But you agree about that one thing."
"About what?" Diluc grabbed their hands and moved them away calmly.
"He prefers to die too" said Traveler with tears in their eyes. "And if I understood well, he wished he was dead, before your father found him."
Diluc froze for a moment. He felt like his throat dried up immediately.
And then slowly, without even thinking, walked towards the stairs.
He got upstairs.
He opened the door to guest room.
And slammed it behind him.
He looked at sleeping Kaeya.
Barely alive.
Suffering.
Just like his father, when...
Diluc punched a wall.
Damn it.
He walked to Kaeya.
He sat beside him.
And then he started to think, what to do next.
Fortunatelly Kaeya opened his eye.
"I thought that you were asleep" said Diluc.
"I was... But someone closed the door loudly..." Kaeya laughed and immediately regretted it.
He felt such a strong pain that it made him sit up. He was heavy breathing, trying to catch some air. But he couldn't do it.
He felt Diluc's hands on his shoulders and looked at him with blurry eyes.
Diluc was... frightened.
Kaeya hasn't seen that expression on his face since Crepus' death.
"If they don't find antidote, I'm going to kill you. I can't just watch and do nothing" whispered Diluc, taking his hand from Kaeya's shoulder. "I can't let this to happen. I have to end your..."
"Agony?" interrupted him Kaeya with hoarse voice, before he fell on the bed again.
"Agony" repeated Diluc, brushing Kaeya's hair from his face. "And don't say such thing to Traveler. You're hurting them."
"What..."
"That you want to die" Diluc got up and walked towards the door. "Even if it's the truth and I'm the one, who's going to kill you one day."
"You're hurting Donna... And Eula too..."
Diluc stopped abruptly.
"If I die... Talk to them, okay?" Kaeya forced himself to smile.
Diluc look over his shoulder.
"As you wish" he said and left, leaving Kaeya alone.
If his pain wasn't already so strong that it counted as another person.
* * *
"Stupid books" Amber threw one of them across the hall, looking at the stairs to check if Diluc didn't return already. "There is nothing here! I haven't been reading so much in my whole life..."
"My head hurts. We should go to sleep" said Noelle, closing a book she was reading. "We won't help Captain Kaeya, if we can't read anymore."
"Herbs good" mumbled Razor, making another potion for Kaeya. "They help."
"But you should put kettle away more gently or it’ll break" scolded him Adelinde, threatening him with her broom.
"Black-white woman scary" said Razor, going upstairs with herbal potion for Kaeya.
Adelinde puffed her cheeks. Moco and Hillie chuckled behind her back.
"And what are you doing?" Adelinde hushed them with a cloth. "Go to work, now!"
"To be honest, I don't know, if my head hurts because of too much reading or because she's yelling so often..." whispered Noelle with embarrassed expression, making Amber laugh.
Then they both yawned. They really have to go to sleep, before they fall asleep with their heads on books and wake up with ink on their faces.
* * *
Kaeya woke up, but his body didn't want to listen to him. More and more. He has used to the fact that he couldn't move his left arm already. But both legs and right arm also started getting numb.
Razor brought him some brew. It helped just a little. It helped him to think clearly at least. And decreased pain a little. But it wasn't enough. It was just some medicine to keep him alive, until they find some antidote.
Razor helped him sit up and gave him a cup. Was it just lukewarm or Kaeya had such a high fever?
"Do... something... for me..." he whispred so quiet that Razor could hear him only because of his upbringing. "Traveler..."
"Bring them?" asked Razor, getting up.
Kaeya just nodded slightly. Razor left, leaving him with his brew.
Kaeya closed his eyes. He felt like his mind started to give up. This pain was making him lose his sanity.
"Kaeya?" Traveler walked into the guest room. "Razor told me..."
He looked at them. They walked to him slowly, trying not to cry.
Kaeya's hair was a mess, just like him. He had tears in his eyes. His right hand was trembling a little. His left arm remained motionless, hanging limply along the body. Traveler even had the impression that Kaeya had bitten his lower lip several times, because they could see that it was bleeding.
"Traveler..." Kaeya carelessly put down the cup with the brew.
The rest spilled onto the duvet, filling the room with a herbal scent.
Kaeya put his right hand on Traveler's shoulder, leaned towards them, kissed their lips and fell on the bed again.
Traveler blinked.
What has he done?
"Kaeya..." they started, looking at his closed eyelids. "Why..."
He wanted to answer, but he just mouthed it. His voice gave up.
Despite this, Traveler understood, what he had said.
"I love you too" Traveler leaned over Kaeya and kissed his dry lips.
If it was a fairy tale, this kiss would heal Kaeya and everyone would live long and happy. But it wasn't a fairy tale.
And even if Traveler kissed him, he fell asleep for a really long time.
Probably forever.
* * *
Adelinde opened the door, when she heard knocking on it. She saw Jean and Lisa behind them.
"Good morning, Acting Grandmaster Jean, good morning, miss Lisa" Adelinde smiled fakely.
"Good morning, Adelinde" Lisa smiled back, but her smile was real. "We came to..."
"If you want to see Kaeya, it's in vain" said Diluc, walking to them with a glass of wine.
It wasn't a good sign. Diluc didn't drink often. In fact, he's never done it. He didn't like alcohol's taste and he had low alcohol resistance. Everyone was making fun of him because of his winery's owner position for this.
"What are you talking about?" Jean was frightened.
Was she late?
"He's been asleep for a long time" Diluc sipped his wine. "I'm afraid he's in a coma already."
Diluc turned on his heel and left, mumbling something under his breath, but Jean and Lisa didn't hear it.
"Paimon doesn't like this situation..." Lisa looked at the direction of this voice.
Paimon was sad and vissibly upset.
Jean walked inside. Amber and Noelle were sleeping, cuddling. Razor curled on the floor. Someone covered him with a blanket, probably Hillie or Moco.
"Paimon, sweetie, where is Traveler?" asked Lisa.
"Traveler is upstairs. Paimon wanted to stay with them, but Traveler wants to be with Kaeya alone. Poor Kaeya has been sleeping for a long time and he cried so much before he fell asleep..." Paimon cuddled herself. "Paimon really doesn't like this situation..."
Jean walked upstairs and knocked to the door of guest room. She didn't hear an answer, but she walked in.
Traveler was sitting on Kaeya's bedside, stroking his hand. He was sleeping on his side. His breath was very shallow.
"In one world I had visited a long time ago, doctors were putting uncounscious patients like this" explained Traveler, not even looking at Jean. "He woke up three hours ago last time. We tried to wake him up with Diluc, but we couldn't."
"Diluc tried..."
"Yes. And I had an impression that he tried not to cry and since then he gave up completely" replied Traveler and it was the first moment they looked at Jean, making Dandelion Knight realise in what condition they were.
Traveler's face was swollen from stress and lack of sleep. Their eyes were a little red and they were very pale. Traveler dropped Kaeya's hand and hid their face in their own.
Lisa walked in. She looked at Traveler first, then at Kaeya and sighed.
"My poor cuties..." she said, pulling a handkerchief. "My cuties..."
Jean sat next to Kaeya and held his rough hands. He didn't even react.
Lisa hugged Traveler, who started crying immediately. All emotions they bottled up exploded in this moment.
"You love him, don't you, cutie?" asked Lisa, wiping their eyes with her handkerchief.
Jean looked at her, confused. What was she talking about?
Traveler answered finally, but it wasn't an answer Lisa expected.
"He loves me too" they said.
And then Lisa realised that she could've been in Traveler's place and Jean could be laying on the bed. And it was so horrifying that she started crying too.
Jean looked at Kaeya's sleeping face.
Is it even possible that one of the bravest and smartest men she knew, is going to die so easly?
She suddenly heard the door slammed on the wall. She got up to check, what's going on downstairs.
This woke everyone up, even vissibly drunk Diluc.
Sucrose and Barbara entered the winery.
"Acting Grandmaster, Master Albedo brought us an antidote" announced Sucrose.
The feeling of relief spread around the Dandelion Knight's heart.
* * *
The first thing Kaeya felt, was some wet warm magic. Only after a moment he recognised Barbara's powers. He opened his eyes slightly. Two pairs of strong hands sat him up on the bed.
The pain was unbearable.
"You have to drink it, Captain Kaeya" he heard Sucrose's voice. "Before you faint again."
But he didn't know, what he was suppoused to drink. He had opened his eyes, of course, but everything was so blurry like he had poison in both of his eyes.
Well, this toxic magic probably spread all over his body...
"It's not going to work, he's completely out of contact..." he heard Amber's worried voice.
"Give me this antidote" he heard Traveler's voice this time and looked up to find them.
And then he felt Traveler's lips on his own.
Bitter-sweet liquid was poured into his mouth. Traveler moved away from him and he swallowed the potion carefully, to not to choke on it.
And then he felt like all the pain was swimming away.
"Kaeya?" he heard Lisa's voice.
He blinked.
"Maybe he's in shock?" suggested Noelle.
"I would be in shock too" Amber shrugged.
Kaeya blinked again and looked at everyone present.
He expected to see only people he was on a mission with, or Razor still holding his arm, but what Lisa and Jean were doing here?
"Hey, sweetie" Lisa smiled to him fondly. "How are you?"
"...just very tired" he answered probably the most honestly in his whole life. "And it still hurts, even if just mildly..."
"I'm sorry, but this antidote is just temporary" explained Barbara. "I mean, it works, but you have to take it for a long time, before that poison stops working."
"I can take it regurally, I don't have memory problems like other people with Cryo vision" said Kaeya and sighed.
His lungs were finally full of air. He thanked his ancenstors for Art of Khemia in his mind.
"We should let captain Kaeya rest, then" suggested Noelle. "Don't you think so, Acting Grandmaster Jean?"
"You're right" Jean put her hand on Kaeya's shoulder. "Don't scare us like that again."
"I'll try, but I can't promise anything" Kaeya smiled to her friendly, but still weakly.
"Sweet dreams, cutie" Lisa waved her hand and left with others.
Only Traveler stayed. They walked to the bed and sat next to Kaeya.
"I can't believe you scared me so much" they said.
"I scared you so much I got tired because of it."
"You said it already."
"I also said that I love you."
"Nope. You just mouthed it."
"Details" Kaeya leaned to Traveler and kissed them. "I heard your answer."
"I'm glad you did" Traveler cuddled to him.
He embraced them. He had trouble with lifting his left arm, but he managed to do it.
"Jean is right. You can't scare us like that" said Traveler. "Especially me."
"I'll think about it~"
"Kaeya!"
In this moment the door to the guest room opened abruptly.
"Paimon really tried to stop him" whined Paimon, following Diluc, who almost fell, but he leaned against the closet.
"Kaeya" he mumbled, visibly drunk. "You're an idiot. But alive idiot. So I can punch you. But maybe tomorrow. After everything stops hurting me and I get over my hangover."
Paimon caught Diluc's ponytail, when he fell on the floor, but it was in vain, because she was too weak.
Kaeya and Traveler looked at each other, at Diluc, who started snoring, and laughed loudly.
Nah, he wasn't worried at all. Why would they think that?
* * *
After a week Kaeya was already feeling good. He knew that he now has to drink antidote for months and has to do only office job...
...which he couldn't promise...
...but for now he had enough strengh he could go back to his house.
Maids led him to the door. Traveler and Paimon were waiting for him.
Diluc was talking with Elzer outside. When he saw Kaeya, he just glared at him.
"You know that I didn't forgive you" he said.
"I also know that you still care about me" Kaeya smirked slightly.
"Oh, shut up" Diluc snorted and returned to his interrupted conversation.
"So everything got back to normal?" asked Traveler, walking next to Kaeya.
"Well, not exactly" Kaeya shrugged. "It seems I can't seduce people anymore."
"Do you want to be stabbed with spikes?"
"Traveler, please, you're threatening me with that as often as with throwing Paimon into a soup."
"Paimon is not emergency food!" squeaked their companion and flew away.
Kaeya just laughed.
"I have to go to Liyue for more time than only for ingredients for Xiangling" said Traveler. "I have to find my sibling."
"And I have my duties" said Kaeya. "When do you plan to leave Mondstadt?"
"Probably in two days" confirmed Traveler. "If I want to find Geo Archon, before he goes back to Celestia..."
"I understand" Kaeya looked at the sky. "But let me make your day the best day in Mondstadt, since you got there."
"I've been waiting for it" Traveler smiled to him fondly. "So, is this my new commission, Captain Kaeya?"
"Yes. And you'll get a reward" Kaeya embraced them and moved closer to himself.
"And what will be this reward?" asked Traveler.
"You'll see" Kaeya kissed their forehead.
* * *
The day was windy, so Kaeya decided to use it. After the visit in Good Hunter, he took Traveler to the highest building in Mondstadt. They jumped from it and flew on the windgliders practically around the entire city and surrounding area.
They saw Amber on a patrol and Noelle shopping at the market. Jean and Lisa, leaning against each other, sat on a bench, watching the sky. The librarian waved to them, her girlfriend seemed tired by their carefreeness tho. Flying over Wolvendom, they spotted Sucrose gathering herbs and Razor, who was watching his surroudings from a tree.
Wind was rising them up everytime, when they almost touched the ground. But at some point, when they were flying above the lake, they were close to falling into the water.
"Don't worry about that" said Kaeya and froze the lake, letting them slide on the surface and they landed on a small island in the middle.
Traveler just laughed, when they both tripped and fell on the grass.
"It was funny" they said, sitting down. "So, it's a date, isn't it?"
"Probably?" Kaeya looked at the cloudless sky.
He hadn't felt so calm for ages.
"Will I get flowers or should I give them to you?" asked Traveler and looked at Kaeya in surprise, when he made an aster from ice. "Wow. I didn't know that you can do that."
"I can do a lot of things" announced Kaeya and sat down. "How was your day?"
"Did it end already?" asked Traveler.
"Day? Yes. It's dusk already" replied Kaeya. "But evening and night are before us."
"Are you planning to keep me awake for the whole night?" Traveler looked at him, surprised.
"Have you known me since yesterday or what?" Kaeya laughed and looked straight in their eyes. "I would keep you here for the rest of our lives, but I know that you have to find your sibling."
Traveler put their hands on Kaeya's cheeks and kissed him.
"Don't worry. When I find them, I'll come back."
"Won't you travel anymore?"
"I won't" confirmed Traveler. "I don't know, what are the chances that my powers would come back to me. And even if, I need a long rest after everything I'll go through."
"Right" Kaeya brushed their hair with his fingers. "Are all your people so beautiful?"
"You don't have to use your pick-up lines anymore, Kaeya."
"I'm not using my pick-up lines, I state facts" Kaeya laughed and put their foreheads together.
It was dusk. Street lamps in Mondstadt started to light up slowly.
"Promise me you'll be careful, when looking for your sibling" whispered Kaeya. "I can't even think about that you could never come back."
"Don't worry about it" Traveler stroked his head and laid down beside him. "Worry about yourself."
"Antidote is working. I even have a bottle in my pocket just in case" replied Kaeya.
"And I have sunsettias and apples in my bag, if we get hungry" replied Traveler.
"Just sunsettias and apples?"
"And fruity skewers."
"And you’re telling me about it only now?!"
Traveler smacked his shoulder.
"You're a glutton."
"Hey, I need more proteins than you, petite youngster" Kaeya laughed.
"I'm not young" Traveler leaned to him.
"You look nineteen" replied Kaeya. "Or at least seventeen. Because you're not younger, are you?"
Traveler chuckled and whispered their real age into his ear. Kaeya froze for a moment, then sighed with relief.
"Well, it's a lot to handle, but at least I'm not breaking the law" he said, brushing hair from their cheek.
Before they ate all fruit and before Traveler won a fight with Kaeya for the last skewer, sun hid behind the horizon and stars appeared on the sky.
"When I was a child, we would sit like that with Diluc and our father" announced Kaeya and bit the last sunsettia.
"I didn't know that little Diluc liked stargazing" said Traveler.
"He didn't. But he liked to sit with us and reading one of his books" replied Kaeya. "I couldn't remember every detail about which dad told us. And probably I didn't want to. I was reckless. He wasn't a Knight, so he wasn't in danger, right? And he totally wasn't going to die, when me and Diluc were eighteen."
"I'm so sorry" whispered Traveler.
"Our relationship with Diluc isn't the best since then, to be honest" continued Kaeya. "I know, how it feels to lose a sibling you love. That's why I want you to find yours. Mine is just behind a corner. He's sitting in his tavern and pours wine for local drunkards. And sometimes I feel like he's very, very far away. Just like he was here in Mondstadt and I was in Khaenri'ah again. Alone with my own thoughts and my always scheming something old guy."
Kaeya streched and cracked his knuckles.
"I don't know, why I'm telling you all of this. Usually I don't talk about such things. Especially that when I told Diluc everything... You well know, what happened then."
"You trust me" Traveler smiled to him.
"Not only that" replied Kaeya and put his hands on their cheeks, kissing them.
Passionately.
As the beggining of the night.
* * *
Kaeya frowned, when he felt that someone nudging his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw Paimon.
"Paimon is just checking, if Kaeya is alive. Paimon is glad that he is" sqeaked Paimon.
Kaeya blinked. Rising sun blinded him for a moment.
Daybreak.
Day.
Light.
And they were laying there, in the tent, in a public place, naked.
For Anemo Archon's sake, they have to put their clothes on as fast as possible!
"Paimon is glad that Kaeya and Traveler at least used a coat as a quilt" said Paimon, covering her eyes. "And now Paimon is going to pretend that she didn't see anything and wait for Kaeya and Traveler to dress up."
"Good idea" praised her Kaeya and looked at Traveler, who was staring at him with a sleepy face. "Breakfast?"
"Of course" they said, sitting up. "But first I have to put on my clothes."
"Good idea again" Kaeya ruffled their already messy hair. "We have so much grass in our hair that I don't know, how to explain this to others."
"We fell into the bush, because Hilichurls attacked us" replied Traveler, putting on their gloves. "It's not that difficult, Kaeya."
"Diluc would say that I have a problem with thinking clearly, even if he knows that it's not true" Kaeya laughed, buckling his belt. "But we still have another problem."
"What problem?"
"Paimon."
They both looked at Paimon, who still was covering her eyes.
"Do you think she knows, what happened between us?"
"I doubt it, but she can tell someone that she saw us naked."
"I have a plan" Traveler said something to Kaeya's ear.
Kaeya walked to Paimon, putting on his coat.
"Paimon, my dear" he embraced her shoulders.
Paimon looked at him through her fingers.
"Paimon listens to you."
"Very well" Kaeya laughed at looked at her firmly. "Do you remember, when Diluc was burning that Abyss Mage?"
"Paimon remembers, but Paimon doesn't want to" squeaked Paimon.
"And when Lisa shocked another one with the power of Electro?"
"Paimon doesn't want to remember that too."
"Do you want to see the Cryo version?"
"Paimon doesn't want it for sure!"
"So you can't tell anyone, what you saw there."
"Paimon won't tell anyone! Please, let Paimon go!" cried Paimon.
Kaeya released her and she hid behind Traveler.
"I think that it worked" Kaeya smirked and froze the lake's surface. "Should we go back?"
Traveler nodded and gave him their hand.
They would follow him everywhere.
* * *
The next day Traveler said "goodbye" to everyone. Lisa gave them a book, Jean asked them to be careful, Sucrose said something about potions for scratches and Noelle wished them a safe trip. Even Razor appeared for a moment. He waved his hand and vanished among the trees again.
They also tried to find Venti, but he disappeared like always. They won't be surprised, if they meet him on their way in the least expected moment. It would be in his style.
Amber told them that she would lead her to Liyue. She was suppoused to go on a patrol anyway.
Kaeya was waiting for them in the gate. They had an impression that he was stressed.
"Is it a farewell?" asked Kaeya, when they walked to him.
"Yes and no" replied Traveler, climbing on their toes. "I'm not leaving forever. So I don't say >>goodbye<<, just >>see you later<<."
"I like this version" Kaeya smiled fondly and pulled them in for a kiss.
Knights guarding the gate blinked in confusion. Amber and Paimon just chuckled.
Amber embraced Traveler with her arm and they started walking away with Paimon flying nearby.
"Are you really in love with them?" heard Kaeya behind his back.
He turned around and saw Diluc leaning against the wall.
"Is it so hard to believe it?"
"That any of us have feelings for someone? Yes" admitted Diluc.
"What about Eula?"
"Why I even started this conversation..." Diluc sighed and walked away, probably to his tavern.
Kaeya smiled and looked at Traveler, who's shilouette was fading away over the horizon. He sighed and headed towards the Headquarters. Firstly, he has to take his antidote, because his left arm started to hurt again. Secondly, he has to find as many tasks as he can, until his light starts to shine through the ice again.
The end
