Iridescent Ice

Yours and Mine

Jasmine was up early the next morning, the gentle sunlight through the window having woken her up. The events of last night flashed through her head, and she got up, halting her thoughts before they dug her into a grave. Sighing, she walked out the door, ignoring the itching in her arm knowing that it was because the injury had begun to heal. She started cutting up vegetables to cook when Kaeya walked in, half-dressed and bleary-eyed.

"What's under the eyepatch?" asked Jasmine, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nothing at all," he said, his hand drifting to his eyepatch. "My eye is fine." He walked over to Jasmine and peered over her shoulder and she was very conscious of the scent of wine on him. A bittersweet scent. "Soup?"

"That's right."

"There's some for me too, isn't there?"

"It's the least I could do," she answered as he took a seat at the table. Jasmine handed him a bowl of soup, before settling in beside him, a bowl in her own hands.

"This is great," said Kaeya, taking a sip and looking at her. "Your skills as a cook are impeccable."

"Thanks. They told me they'd chop off my fingers if I didn't cook properly."

Kaeya blinked, putting his spoon down. "Was that a jest?"

Jasmine tilted her head before shrugging. "You're free to consider it that way."

Kaeya's eye darkened for just a second, a second that made Jasmine think she had imagined it. "Come with me to the headquarters today."

"Sure."

His answering smile was amused. "You're not even going to ask why?"

"Considering what happened yesterday, it probably has to do with becoming a Knight of Favonius."

Kaeya pushed his empty bowl aside. "Your deduction is correct. However, the selection exam won't be for a few months."

"All the better time to train," said Jasmine, pushing her bowl away as well.

Kaeya grabbed his coat and walked out the door, Jasmine following. She closed the door gently behind her and Kaeya reached around her to lock it, his arm brushing against her.

Jasmine looked around as they headed up the stairs. She had never taken the time to stop and observe the area despite growing up in Mondstadt. There were so many people she didn't know, so much she didn't know about the place. She watched people searching the fountain, their pants pulled up to their knees. Vendors called their wares, and a blind girl sat on the bench, perhaps listening to the world go by. Jasmine bumped into Kaeya as he stopped in front of the headquarters.

He pushed open the door with the flair of a villain entering a room. "Come on in."

Jasmine stepped in, and he let the door fall shut behind her. He led the way into a room.

"Jean?" he called as he walked in.

A woman with her blond hair tied back in a ponytail looked up from her desk. A desk which had a mountain of paperwork on it. Her eyes moved from Kaeya to Jasmine. "You've brought a girl."

"I would like to recommend her for the next tryouts."

Jean looked at Jasmine, who held her unflinching stare.

"You look underage."

"I'm seventeen."

"What's your name?"

"Jasmine."

Jean waited, but Jasmine didn't elaborate. "Who are your parents?"

"Irrelevant."