It Must be Love

Lies

"Because brothers don't let each other wander in the dark alone." ~Jolene Perry

"Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie." ~Anonymous

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"Okay, let's begin reading."

The two of them were sitting outside on a blanket and at the side of the winery. Noelle thought it was a good idea to get some fresh air. Kaeya liked the idea because he could welcome his brother back home.

Most of the sections were easy. Being vigilant at all times, how to treat traveling merchants, foreigners, and Monstadters, and the proper way to speak. But one sticks with Kaeya.

"Section Eight. '...be self-effacing in conversations with comrades, and be open and truthful with them...'" Noelle reads.

"What does effacing mean?" Kaeya asks.

"To be self-effacing means to be retiring and modest," Noelle answers.

Kaeya goes quiet, looking down at the blanket. It's a simple red and white checkered blanket. If not for the book they might look like they were going to have a picnic.

"Do you have something on your mind?" Noelle asks, setting the book down, pages spread out to save her place.

"Do I have to be honest about everything?" Kaeya asks his head facing Noelle's.

"Well, I guess so," Noelle says. "It's not good to lie about anything. There are a lot of types of lies out there. Even concealing information is a lie. Most times the lie will catch up with you and bad things will happen. That's why I try not to lie; ever."

The two of them hear footsteps and look to see Moco and Hillie behind him.

"Hello," Kaeya says, sitting up from the blanket and sitting Indian style.

"Hello, Kaeya," Moco says. Hillie jabs the maid with her elbow. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Adelinde will kill us if she doesn't hear us call him 'Master Kaeya'," Hillie explains.

"Well you don't have to call me that. My name's just Kaeya, not Master Kaeya." The two maids laugh while the maid of Favonius stifles a chuckle.

"It's a title, Kaeya," Noelle explains. "That's why they call your brother 'Master Diluc'."

"I wondered about that," Kaeya confesses. He looks up to the two maids. "What are you too do here if Adelinde's going to kill you now that you called me by just my name."

"Oh, please don't tell her!" Moco and Hillie beg.

"I won't," Kaeya giggles out.

"To answer your question," Hillie says. "We thought that we should give Kaeya his old sword and sheath back."

"And you guys your lunch," Moco cuts in. Both of the maids take their hands from behind their backs and place the items on the checkered blanket right in front of Kaeya and Noelle. Noelle gets the picnic basket while Kaeya gets his sword. (I forgot what's Kaeya's original sword was so the sword I'm giving him Cool Steel.)

The sword is indigo hued. The handle is wrapped with white cloth in a cris crow pattern. A rhombus shaped gemstone sits between the handle and the blade.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Noelle asks while Kaeya grabs his old sword, unsheathing it and pointing it toward the sky.

"Umm... we're not sure, but if he's going to become he has to learn how to fight," Hillie says.

"Aren't you a knight?" Moco points out. "Why can't you teach him while Master Diluc is away?"

"Well, the Acting Grand Master said that Diluc would teach him, not me," Noelle tells them.