Rainy Day Tavern // A Chaeya Fic

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Summary: Ajax seeks employment at the Knights of Favonius and finds a bartender instead.

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Wind winds through the city as Tartaglia – Ah, wait, Ajax, locks up the house. A sigh escapes him as he looks up at the sky. Clear skies, it seems. The City of Freedom was well known for its mild temperature and breezy wind. As Ajax takes in the scenery that he was still adjusting to, he thinks the rumours were right. It seems Mondstadt was a good place to move to after his retirement.

Ajax doesn't think he'll ever get used to waking up and not seeing his usual room in the palace, or not feeling the warm sun of Liyue. In truth, he probably could still be Fatui, but he couldn't bear to stay in that place and deal with the embarrassment of being demoted because of an injury of all things. Tartaglia, the ruthless and fearless Vanguard, was demoted due to an over usage of Foul Legacy leaving him weak and useless.

Ajax fled soon after.

Ajax walks down the streets, greeting the locals with a cheerful smile and a wave. Mondstadt was peaceful, a bit too peaceful for his liking, but beggars can't be choosers. The stone path was a vast difference from Snezhnaya's snow-covered ones, and the walls surrounding him made the ex-Harbinger feel more claustrophobic than safe.

A drop of water on his head draws him out of his thoughts. Ajax flinches, looking up at the sky. Sure enough, the clear sky had somehow turned grey and gloomy. Snezhnayan curses fall from his lips as he begins sprinting down the streets, trying to get to the KoF Headquarters quickly. The rain pitter-patters against the stone and slowly floods the streets.

Before Ajax realises it, he's lost in the Mondstadt streets. In his defence, all the houses looked the same! He was getting drenched, and he could tell that fog was slowly starting to roll in. There was no way he was getting to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters at this rate. With a sigh, the ex-Harbinger accepts defeat and starts looking for shelter from the rain.

A fruitless endeavour, it seems. Somehow, he had wound up in a back alley with nothing but abandoned buildings. Floorboards covered windows and doors, and the hope of finding shelter seemed like a foreign concept at this rate. Barricaded homes, an outsider. Ajax chuckles at the irony, or perhaps the coincidence. Whatever it was, he wasn't welcome here. Or maybe this place was just abandoned, and Ajax was overthinking things (or feeling homesick).

At last, something caught his eye. A small light within the fog and rain. A sign of life. Ajax rushes towards it, noticing a sign. 'Rainy Day Tavern'. Huh, ironic. Without a second thought, Ajax pushes the door open and steps in, the wooden door creaking loudly as if it hasn't been oiled in a while. Pants fall out of his mouth as Ajax shudders, water dripping down onto the wooden floor. The door closes shut behind him, and Ajax refocuses.

And before him, the prettiest person Ajax had ever met, who was quickly adjusting his shirt. Midnight blue hair cascading down his shoulders, that beautiful chest that seemed a little tight in his white blouse, the black leggings and the mysterious eyepatch that seemed to bring out the star-pupil in the lonesome sparkly lilac-blue eye. If Ajax hadn't liked men before, he definitely did now. Or, at least, whoever it was in front of him was way too pretty. Ajax hadn't seen anyone like him here in Mondstadt if the bronze skin told him anything...

An outsider, just like him. Ajax couldn't help but feel a little relieved, comforted.

"Welcome, it's a little early to be drinking at this hour, is it not?" A smooth, saccharine voice sounded. Perhaps a bit modulated, but Ajax might be looking too hard into it. Long story short, the voice was as beautiful as the owner's.

"O-Oh! I was just seeking shelter from the rain," Ajax says with a sheepish grin. The bartender motions towards a small laundry basket, filled with towels, probably for usage. The ex-Harbinger gives a grateful smile and quickly goes to grab one (knowing fully well he probably could've used his Vision).

The tavern is empty, he notices. Probably because it was still early in the morning, though he expected someone might've been eating breakfast in some corner. Tavern food was good here in Mondstadt, or so he heard. Though, if Ajax remembers correctly, no one had ever told him of this tavern, so it was likely that it was overshadowed by the other taverns like Angel's Share and the Cat's Tail.

"I don't suppose you have any non-alcoholic drinks?" Ajax asks as he throws the towel into an empty 'Used Towels' bucket. The bartender nods with a hum, gesturing to a separate menu. The ex-Harbinger picks up the menu, scanning it for anything. The paper seemed a bit dated, with a few creases with use.

"No grape juice, sorry," The bartender quips. Ajax nods. Not like he'd order grape juice anyway. Eventually, he just asks for hot chocolate to warm up. "Order for?"

"Tart- Ajax," he smiles. The bartender nods, taking his Mora and turning around to prepare his drink. Ajax watches him for a movement before tearing his eyes away, instead walking around the tavern. It looked the same as any other, nothing that made it stand out. It seems they imported their wine from Dawn Winery. He wonders why Angel's Share was the only one with customers. Then again, what were the chances someone would find a tavern that was in a back alley of all places?

The cup was placed in front of him, addressed to 'Tartajax', which he found a little amusing. He doesn't bother to correct him, since from the smirk on the bartender's face, he knew fully well he had spelt his name wrong. He didn't expect a Chicken-Mushroom Skewer to be placed next to him. It seemed fresh. From the smell of it, it seemed to be downed in wine. "What's this for?" Ajax asks. The bartender shrugs as if he had no idea how the skewer had magically appeared on his table.

Ajax eats it without a second thought. It tasted... Nice. The wine gives it a slightly fruity taste, and the added onion and cucumber gave it a nice texture. "Free of cost," the voice echoes. Ajax looks back up at the bartender, tilting his head to the side like a lost puppy. The other merely smiles, returning to his post behind the counter.

The ex-Harbinger leaves a small Mora pouch on the table. He didn't know how much was in there, probably 1000 Mora. That's enough for the drink and a tip. Either way, good service was good service.

"Your change," the voice calls after him. Ajax stops at the door, looking down (slightly) at the bartender. In his hand, the Mora pouch. Ajax waves it off with a smile instead, though it seems to make the bartender feel a bit awkward at the situation.

"Your tip..." Ajax's eyes darted down at the nametag. "Kaeya." The other's eye widens in surprise, perhaps? Either way, Ajax thinks it's a cute look on him. After a moment, Kaeya nods, grabbing an umbrella from the side and handing it to him. Ajax takes it gratefully with a smile. "I don't suppose you know where the Knights of Favonius Headquarters are?"

Kaeya's eye widens again. He gives a nod, opening the door for him and pointing north. "Go towards the big building, that's the Church. Go towards the left and you'll see a smaller building. That's the Headquarters... Good luck with your recruitment." Ajax doesn't question how Kaeya knows he's trying to get recruited, just nods and smiles.

"Thanks, comrade." Ajax fiddles with the umbrella for a bit before it finally opens. He steps out and offers a smile to Kaeya, who smiles back almost... Fondly? Ajax couldn't quite place it.

"See you next time, Tartajax," Kaeya calls after him. Ajax turns around with a wave and a charming smile before running down the water-filled street like an idiot who did a dumb thing.

"Shit that was so dumb of me," Ajax groans.