wrote this with a lot of things on my mind, i hope it doesn’t mess up the final product too much. a little bit of pining, a little bit of self-indulgent writing, and a lot of kaeya alberich. enjoy!
Keywords: SFW; spoiler-free; gender-neutral reader; ambiguous relationship; Kaeya Alberich x Reader
Perhaps it was merely an instance of fortuitous intuition; perhaps it was the uncharacteristically disjunctive sound of heavy boots again cobblestone warmed by the morning sun; perhaps it was the hushed whispers of Mondstadtian children as they fought among one another for the best view of the highly-esteemed Knights of Favonius.
To some, Kaeya Alberich was nothing more than a pretty name attached to an even prettier title. The Cavalry Captain’s reputation was built on the most extravagant of tales— tales that coursed through the people like water from a spring. Tales of a charming hero, whose wit was as refined as his taste, whose gaze was as unrelenting as his Vision.
But to you, Kaeya Alberich was a man of many, many faces. The eighth wonder of the world, the hidden secret of the universe, the idiosyncrasy to trump all other idiosyncrasies.
In the daylight, he was a dear companion, braving the unknown like the valiant knight he claims himself to be— distilling your sorrows like a shot of alcohol that left your head in a strange, fuzzy blur.
In the pleasant cool of the evening, he enveloped you in a dangerously gentle warmth, as if you were lovers. He always took you to where the moonlight could never reach, gazing at you so longingly that you never want to imagine what would happen if you dared look back. ( The mornings after, you wake up to an empty bed— and an even emptier heart. )
You find Kaeya by himself, quite a ways from the crowd that gathered around the other Knights. Even from this distance, you could hear the Mondstadtian folk as they cheered in earnest adoration. In the empty ( almost lifeless ) streets of the bustling city, Kaeya stuck out jarringly, like treasure in the hollow of a sunken ship— he always carried himself with that same prideful grace, the easiness of it captured in his every movement.
He greets you with a smile, playfully bumping into your side when you finally match his pace. You squawk unceremoniously, glaring at him as he laughs to his heart’s content. The farther you two walk from the crowd, the more his voice— his laughter echoes around you. The sound of it lured you deeper, and like a fish, you always took the bait.
“And here I thought you weren’t the type of shy away from praise,” you say, more to yourself than anybody else. Kaeya chuckles, tracing his hands over the soft petals of an aster as he passes it by. Even the flower leans into his touch, swaying uselessly after the tips of his fingers eventually slip away.
“Am I not allowed to enjoy a peaceful stroll around the City of Freedom?” Kaeya looks into your eyes, as if he could find an answer before you do. His smile never leaves, even as he watches you think.
“Is this what you like to do now? Peaceful strolls around the city?”
He turns to the direction of a narrow alleyway, squeezing into the tight space with a quick shuffle of his boots. You aren’t even spared a moment to question him, his hand wrapping around yours as he gently tugs you behind him. His shoulders rise and fall with his steady breaths, striding through the alleyway as if he’s done so a hundred times before.
Just like lovers, you tell yourself, squeezing his hand just so you could burn the memory of his touch into every nerve of your body.
“I suppose I could use some company,” he looks at you, “Come with me to the tavern?”
“Always.”