Far Apart || Kaeluc/ Genshin Impact fanfic

12. 𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖑𝖛𝖊

Thankyou peepaw for the arttttttttt QwQ it's beautiful Zhongli <3

If you were to set up a short fluff modern AU for kaeluc first meeting, what would it be? Coffee shop? Others? Because I'm having a hard time deciding and my brain won't let me let go of that question so now there's this shoot

Also it'd be very awkward if nobody replies so if nobody replies I guess I'll just wilt and yeet

- - - - -

Generally, Kaeya disliked revisiting his past— thus his reluctance to meet Dainsleif. But after an hour of tossing and turning in bed, falling asleep in difficulty just to be awakened by a nightmare after he left the tavern, Kaeya sighed and got up, deciding that sleep would not be an option that night.

Changing into proper clothing and tucking his white shirt into his pants, he slipped his boots on, put on his dark blue vest, and headed into the night.

Dainsleif had told Kaeya his address when they'd met the second time, a casual piece of information thrown in during their tense and short conversations.

Kaeya had to learn the truth— and he would get it from Dainsleif. The fact that he was at Mond was strange to begin with. He wouldn't emerge from the shadows of Khaenri'ah just to arrive at Mond to meet Kaeya— there must be some mission, quest, whatever he was being sent on, and whatever that was...

It was most likely linked to the Abyss attack a few days ago.

Khaenri'ahn blood might flow through his veins, but Kaeya is a child of Mondstadt. He spent most of his childhood here— everyone accepted him and welcomed him, Khaenri'ah had kicked him away, his own father had abandoned him. So Kaeya will forever be loyal to Mondstadt, will forever stand his side along with Diluc and the Knights, his "homeland" be dammed.

And that was precisely why he was now knocking on the door of a small house at a corner of Mondstadt City, where Dainsleif was staying in during his visit to Mond.

Two sharp knocks on the wooden door, loud and clear in the quiet knight. Kaeya stepped back and folded his arms, waiting.

The lights inside were closed, no hint of anyone awake inside. After a while of waiting, Kaeya frowned and knocked again, hugging himself when he started feeling chilly. "If that man makes me wait for any longer, I will slice his head off, I swear to Gods—" he fumed.

"Slice my head off?" The door opened slowly, and a head poked out, "that can't be any fun, I'm afraid I'll have to decline the offer," came Dainsleif's low, amused voice.

"...Dainsleif. Did you plan on making me wait the whole night?"

Dainsleif chuckled, "oh, I would never. Come in, come in, what brings you here?" He closed the door behind him.

Kaeya looked around. The living room was simpler than he would've thought Dainsleif would like, but now that he thought about it, Kaeya had never really knew him that well, had he? Most of Dainsleif's "personality" was probably fake.

Kaeya shrugged off the pang of... was it disappointment? Sorrow? And turned to address the other man in the room, who handed him a warm mug of coffee— why does that seem so out of character? Kaeya thought, eyeing the brown liquid suspiciously.

"Rest assured, if I wanted you dead you would've been already," Dainsleif plopped down on the chair by the dining table.

"That doesn't make it anymore re-assuring," Kaeya raised an eyebrow, "anyhow, I came to ask about that Abyss attack on Mond a few days ago."

Dainsleif gestured for him to continue.

"Tell me. Did it have anything to do with Khaenri'ah? I might've been young when I left, but I know of Khaenri'ah's connections with the Abyss." The King could've easily sent the Abyss to Mond, he didn't need to say.

Dainsleif tilted his head, as if pondering. After some time, he answered, "What if we did?"

"Then Khaenri'ah will become an enemy of Mondstadt, and I will have no choice but to remove you from our wind-blessed lands," Kaeya replied simply, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Dainsleif laughed lightly, as if Kaeya wasn't posing a death threat, but he didn't answer Kaeya's question. He thought of the King, who was no doubt listening in on their conversation through the chip inserted in his body, and considered his choices.

He had to be careful. He couldn't reveal too much, he couldn't directly expose Khaenri'ah's secrets. So he would have to hint it.

"Do you remember the children's tune we used to sing all the time?" Dainsleif said, looking up at Kaeya.

"... while we sat on the branches of that sole tree in the middle of the plains?"

"Yes," Dainsleif smiled at the fond memory of young, innocent Kaeya, smiling and humming songs. How Dainsleif had felt pure affection and care for him at the time.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kaeya frowned at Dainsleif.

"It has to do with everything."

- - - - -

Seven archons, seven blessings
Seven powers, await your claiming

Kaeya remembers. He remembers the song he used to sing. He knows the tune Dain mentioned.

Girl in blue gown, don't you see?
Time gifted from the Gods aren't free
Everything goes back and to the sky
Sins committed can't ever be denied

He remembers singing it while he hung from the branches of a tree. It resurfaced in his memory and he remembered— how the leaves were too bright and the trunk smelled of paint. It was artificial.

Thirty years and the clock struck midnight
The fantasy's ending for Cinderella tonight
"Happily ever afters" don't exist—
What do you mean you thought miracles occur?

Kids in Khaenri'ah sung this song all the time— we didn't know much other songs, after all. The light tune and the repeating stanzas disguised the dark theme of the lyrics.

He'd been too young to understand the true meaning of this song, and now that he thought about it— it did seem there was a meaning behind it.

The King strived for humanity,
And his nation fell to ashes
He betrayed the heavenly principles
And suffered the consequences

And as Kaeya walked home that night, he softly sung the lyrics he hadn't heard in so long, imagining he was back in Khaenri'ah, six years of age, singing this very song innocently, not giving a care slightly about the world.

Don't take the Gods lightly,
Don't defy their sacred rules,
The curse they place can never be removed

...

......

Under false stars the children danc
A nation fallen and the God slain
The water frozen, the sky an illusion

...

Seven left from the original eight

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Oh? What's this? Scarlet posted? WhT???

Yeah so anyway Dainsleif yay he's appearing more than Diluc oh no :(

It's been, what, two weeks? Three? Since I last updated whoops anyway school so here's my excuse— I'm sowy hahaha—

I know I never said so but constructive criticism is very welcome especially cuz I'm so bad at this—

Anw ily next chapter will probably take another 3 weeks <3

Scarlet~