Extending the Olive Branch - Kaeya x Reader

Accountability, Consequences, and Probation

You fidgeted nervously in your chair under Acting Grand Master Jean's glare, twisting the burnt bottom of your skirt in your hands. You quickly shot a glance over at Kaeya, who was leaning his badly bruised cheek into his fist, which was supported by his elbow on the armrest of his chair. He yawned out of boredom.

"Do I even need to tell the two of you why you're here?" Jean asked, looking between you and Kaeya. You weren't even able to look up from your shoes, let alone speak. Kaeya remained silent too. You knew your face was beet red as you tried to keep your breathing even, for fear of bursting into flames.

"Screaming profanity in the streets. Assaulting each other. And to top it all off, being arrested by your own subordinates," Jean listed, getting angrier with each item. She stood up and started to pace behind her desk.

You winced at her harsh tone. You were always a model citizen. You hadn't ever been called into Jean's office to be scolded. Kaeya, on the other hand, was regularly being yelled at by the Acting Grand Master for forgetting meetings, pawning his work off on other people, not meeting deadlines, getting caught sneaking out of the girls' dorm, and the list goes on and on. He knew if he just sat there and let Jean say what she had to say, he would keep quiet until the end, schmooze a little bit, then be done with it.

"What am I supposed to do with you two?" Jean asked exasperatedly, "I can't change your departments because there's no one else in Mondstadt qualified to fill your positions. You two have put me in such a difficult situation, I'm considering sending a letter to Grand Master Varka." You both looked at Jean in surprise. Even Kaeya looked a bit worried.

"Wait, Acting Grand Master Jean, you really don't have to do that," you said quickly in a worried tone, "Listen, it was just a very stressful weekend with me getting my vision and all and emotions were very high and—" Jean put her hand up to silence you.

"You need to start taking accountability for your actions," Jean continued, her anger and volume reaching a peak by the end of her sentence, "Taking accountability means accepting consequences so we don't learn that it's okay to assault our co-workers in the streets!" Kaeya sighed.

"You're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to," he remarked, "It wasn't that bad." Jean looked at Kaeya with fury in her eyes. You tried to sink further into your chair and disappear. You never wanted to see Jean like this again.

"Captain Kaeya, you were strangling her in front of an entire tavern full of people when Raymond and Huffman found you," Jean exclaimed with intensity. Kaeya rolled his eyes.

"Please," he replied casually, "I was barely squeezing." You shot him a side-eyed glare.

"Yeah? Well, I couldn't breathe..." you muttered. Kaeya faced you to return your hateful stare.

"That's because you're a weakling," he shot back harshly.

"Oof, if I'm a weakling, what does that make you?" you asked smugly, "I mean considering it only took one punch-"

"Enough," Jean demanded. You suddenly remembered where you were and felt your face flush as your gaze returned to the floor. Jean inhaled sharply.

"Probation," she stated simply. You and Kaeya looked at her in disbelief.

"Probation?" you squeaked in fear.

"Oh, come on! You're blowing this out of proportion," Kaeya protested, "It was a bar fight. These things happen all the time."

"As officers of the Order of the Knights of Favonius, I expect a higher standard of decorum," Jean snapped, "Like I said, it's time to face the music and accept your consequences."

"What does this 'probation' even mean?" he asked insolently, using air quotes. You looked at him nervously, then back at Jean. Did he even care that he was in trouble?

"You two have to start doing real work," Jean stated, "Captain Kaeya, you've been lazing around doing nothing since Grand Master Varka left. And Major Y/N..." She turned to look at you, her mouth open as she tried to think of what she wanted to say. She thought for a moment, then sighed.

"You've been such a hard worker but your teamwork skills are lacking," she said, looking over at Kaeya, causing you to blush deeply, "You two need to bury the hatchet. I don't care who started it and I don't care what it's about. The grudge between you two needs to end. Otherwise, I'll have to consider a harsher punishment such as suspension or even expulsion from the order."

Your stomach was doing cartwheels you were so nervous. You felt like a little kid getting in trouble at school. You couldn't be expelled from the Knights! This was what you had planned your life around; to be a Knight of Favonius, just like your dad. Even if you didn't get to be captain, you still wanted to be a part of the order for as long as you could. You were willing to do anything to stay a knight. Even... You shuddered to think of it... Even getting along with Kaeya.

You stood up, a determined look on your face.

"Don't worry, Acting Grand Master Jean," you assured her, "we will serve our probation perfectly and you won't have to worry about us anymore." Jean sighed and finally sat again behind her desk.

"I hope that's the case, Major Y/N," she stated, "I really do. In the meantime, I'll be watching you both closely. I want you to take as many commissions as possible. And I want you to do them together. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" you replied.

"Captain Kaeya?" Jean asked expectantly, looking behind you to your captain. Kaeya gazed at Jean flatly for a moment before sighing deeply.

"Fine," he grumbled begrudgingly. You breathed a sigh of relief and smiled brightly at Jean.

"And NO FIGHTING," Jean commanded firmly. You nodded as Kaeya stood up.

"No fighting. From here on out, we're teammates!" you agreed, looping your arm into Kaeya's and pulling him towards the door, "You can count on us!" You quickly exited Jean's office, dragging Kaeya behind you. As soon as the door shut to Jean's office, you dropped Kaeya's arm, as well as your cheery demeanor, shooting him a glare.

"I knew you couldn't keep it up for long," Kaeya remarked, smirking down at you as he inched closer. You glowered at him for a second before grabbing his collar and pulling him behind you again.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kaeya snapped, struggling to follow you with his shirt being yanked in front of him.

"We need to talk," you stated when you reached the door to his office. You quickly opened the door and shoved him inside, then followed behind him.

The sound of a lock clicking echoed in the quiet hallways of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.