Finding The Real You - Kaebedo

Chapter II - Dating Advice From a Bard

"Well hello to you too."

Kaeya could barely get a word out before Rosaria continued speaking,

"C'mon, spill the tea. Did you almost die or did ya hook up with Albedo?"

Kaeya glared at Rosaria, speaking through his teeth while smiling, "Sorry to disappoint, but-"

Only to be cut off by Venti, yelling a little too loud to not attract attention, "I VOTE ALBEDO!!!". He got many stares and an angry look from Diluc, who quickly came over to scold him for "disrupting the peace in the tavern", if there was any peace at all.

Kaeya also gave an angry glance as he cleared his throat, clearly flustered. "Again, sorry to disappoint, but neither." This time he wasn't interrupted, the only thing coming from the others was anticipation, so he continued. "I'm sure that some of us," He spoke as he glared at Diluc, "would've wanted me to die but I'm sorry that it won't be happening anytime soon." he looked down as he started to address the other matter. "And again, no, I didn't sleep with Albedo." He could feel the heat crawl up his neck and onto his cheeks as he unintentionally imagined scenarios with Albedo.

Rosaria watched him with a disgusted look, all this 'love' nonsense really was getting to him. Diluc, now also caught up in this conversation, did the same thing, except he actually tried to think of ways to help him.

"Hey, why not just ask him out if you're so desperate? Surely it can't be that difficult for 'Mr. Loverboy'"

Kaeya was quick to snap back with another remark,

"Don't say things like that when you couldn't even get the girl you wanted."

Diluc looked embarrassed and averted his eyes.

"It's.. Not my fault." He soon looked up, slightly irritated. "But atleast I tried, you have yet to even attempt a relationship with him."

Kaeya decided to give up before Rosaria got irritated, and Diluc followed, deciding to stay and participate in conversation for once, before tomorrow happened. Kaeya looked at Venti, silently asking for any advice that he had, and Venti delivered. Except it was in the most embarrassing way possible, and to top it off, it was yelled across the tavern because of course he couldn't control his volume while drunk. Who was even paying for his drinks anyway?

He wrote a song. A song out of all things. And he sang it. In front of everyone. It was clearly directed to Kaeya since he was red and wishing to sink into the ground while the others were laughing their heads off.

The song was basic, and not very helpful. It was about some dude simping for a girl who clearly wasn't interested, when another girl comes and takes the girl. What a great way to tell Kaeya that he has a chance.

The plot of the story was just the guy asking the girl out in various different ways, and the other girl just subtly hinting things. Was the moral to just not ask him out? Isn't that what he was being told to do earlier? He was beyond confused, and concerned because it seemed prepared, rehearsed and everything. People even started clapping afterwards, as if the show was directed towards them.

Kaeya was left there, wishing to disappear as the others appeared to be having the times of their lives, making jokes with non-stop laughter, almost crying with it.

"Anyway, Kaeya, did you understand?" Venti tried to hold in his laughter, failing miserably, speaking through giggles.

Kaeya, now incredibly fidgety, didn't respond. Probably trying to get his mind off of this embarrassment. Because the whole tavern witnessed it, he probably wouldn't be able to escape it, but he could at least try to save some of his dignity.

He cleared his throat, checking the time while doing so.

"How about we move on with the topic?" He tried to speak in his usual manner, but failed terribly. You could tell that the group was trying to hold in their laughter while they silently agreed, afraid that they'd burst out laughing if they opened their mouths.

The group was silent for a while, only listening to the people around them speak. None of them could think of a topic suitable for the situation, or really any topic. All of them would give anything to start speaking about something normal to get rid of the awkward air around them.

Kaeya's thoughts wandered, the silence allowing them to go wherever they pleased without interruption. He checked the time again, he didn't want it to hit 12.

It was definitely a surprise when he just got up suddenly and rushed off, leaving everything. Usually he'd stay until at least 3 in the morning, but it was only 11:55 in the night.

He rushed home, careful not to slam the door of the tavern to not attract attention. The walk was short, but his thoughts made it painful.

They were mostly of the night his father died, he really didn't want to be near Diluc on the anniversary, not even for the first minute of the day.

The sight of his dead father in Diluc hands, and the thought that he smiled through it. He regretted it, he felt like he didn't deserve such a wonderful adoptive father if he was going to treat him like that.

His thoughts stayed at that for a while, before slowly twisting into Albedo. But not good thoughts about them.

"What if he hates me? Does he already know about my feelings toward him? What if he's aware and hates me for it?"

More thoughts of this kind flowed into his mind, all coming to a halt when he found his door and slowly unlocked it.

:)

Word count - 959

For some reason I can't even comment on my own work lmao