Rainy Day Tavern // A Chaeya Fic

Fallin' Into Your Ocean Eyes

Summary: Ajax meets the Knight who talks shit about the Knights.

~

Childe passes the examination. It was a breeze compared to the Fatui training if he was being honest. The only hard portion of the exam was the questions on the Knights of Favonius Rulebook, and Childe swore some of the questions weren't what he had read in the rulebook! Turns out that using some common sense and his knowledge helped him pass through those questions.

He's put under the current one-eyed Cavalry Captain (with no cavalry to captain), Diluc, who also happens to man the bar at Angel's Share and owns Dawn Winery. Ajax had heard about him during his days as Tartaglia, though he went under the alias 'Darknight Hero' and was a vigilante in Mondstadt. One man, four jobs? Someone, please inform the ex-Harbinger how this guy was still alive and functioning because Ajax would've passed out by now.

Of course, unfortunately, Diluc seems to recognise him too because he's been glaring at him during the whole ceremony and can hear him as he mutters 'Fatui scum' under his breath. Ajax has zero idea what this guy has against the Fatui, has only heard how he became persona non grata in Snezhnaya after a huge massacre of Fatui soldiers. Either way, it wasn't Ajax's business, and Diluc had to deal with him now.

He's not surprised when Diluc drags him off to a corner of the Headquarters, dagger at his throat and demanding answers. "What are you doing here in Mondstadt?" Diluc all but snarls. Ajax raises his hands in surrender, not wanting to cause a diplomatic crisis for an organization he was no longer a part of. After all, he was still loyal to the Tsaritsa as his Archon, even if she wasn't his boss anymore.

"I'm not here to cause trouble!" Ajax says and then winces because that's what everyone suspicious says. Diluc seems to realise that too because he only digs the blade into his skin more. "No, seriously! I resigned from being a Harbinger, I'm no longer part of the Fatui."

"Like I'll trust you," Diluc snarls. "For all I know, you could just be lying, worming your way into the Knights to exploit our weaknesses, then making your way back to Snezhnaya to tell your Tsaritsa your master plan to destroy us and take over Mondstadt."

Ajax winces a bit at the suggestion. "The Tsaritsa already has everything she wants from Mondstadt, that being the Gnosis. Tell me, what would the Tsaritsa even want from Mondstadt? We have plenty of resources, Mora, soldiers, diplomatic power... What could Mondstadt ever give us?"

Diluc falls silent at that. Ajax looks away sheepishly. "Sorry," he mumbles. Even if he didn't like Diluc, he was still technically his senior in both age and position. The Cavalry Captain doesn't say a word, and Ajax sighs. He needs a drink after this.

He makes his way down the staircase and maybe uses his Wind Glider to get there faster... A secret only for him to know. Not like there were many people, anyway, since it was way past evening. His feet instantly dragged him towards the tavern before he knew it. Ajax stands outside the door, unsure of what to think as he's met the wooden door.

What brought him back here? It could've been any other tavern, but Ajax had instinctually walked over here. Ajax supposes it was because of the free Chicken Mushroom Skewers, or the amazing customer service. He could argue it was the amazing Death After Noon, though he knows if that were the case, he'd have made his way over to Angel's Share. Deep down, Ajax thinks he knows why he's here, though he doesn't want to admit it.

The sole reason why he wanted to visit this tavern was because of the pretty bartender.

Kaeya, the man that consumed his thoughts. Lately, he's the only thing Ajax can think about. Whenever he's distracted, Ajax finds his mind wandering over to the bartender, to the memories of just sitting beside him and ranting on about his work. He finds himself admiring his appearance, the little things that Ajax would normally never notice.
Like whenever Kaeya was happy, he often closed his eyes to try and hide how the star pupil dilated (which Ajax thought was cute). Or how whenever he was nervous, he fiddles with the end of his ponytail. Sometimes, when Ajax walks in, he finds that Kaeya has braided it to perfection, and Ajax can't help but wonder how soft it is.