Erythrophobia

Chapter 3: A Long Day

The sound of a pen scratching away on paper fills the quiet room as the faint creaking of the windmills can be heard outside.

Dusk light shines through the large window, coating everything it touches in an orange hue.

It has been 3 days since Kaeya had last spoken to Diluc. Tomorrow is the dreaded weekend, yet he is still not mentally prepared.

He won't deny he has been avoiding going to Angel's Share since then—in hopes of giving himself time to think—yet his mind is still jumbled despite the lack of alcohol.

Sure, Kaeya has gone to the Cat's Tail, but he hardly drank, nursing away at the same glass for hours as he ruminated his thoughts. He went with Rosaria twice, then by himself the day before as he sat in silence.

Should he go again today..? There is no point for him to, really, he would rather just not sit in his office, and he knows Diluc wouldn't ever visit the Cat's Tail...

Maybe this whole thing is pointle—

Ink bursts from his pen. He didn't realize how hard he was pressing it.

"Shit." Kaeya hisses.

He needs to stop spacing out at work, it's causing him to make clumsy mistakes like this.

Begrudgingly, he sets the ruined paper aside and grabs a new one, starting the letter over.

Curse diplomatic responsibilities.

After a moment, there's a knock at the door.

"Captain Kaeya, may I come in?" A familiar voice comes from the other side.

"You may," Kaeya replies.

The door creaks open as the woman steps inside the room.

"Acting Grandmaster. How may I help you?" He inquires.

"I have an incoming request for you... One of Margaret's cats is missing again; this time it's Butterfly though, not Prince."

Kaeya holds back an exasperated sigh. Another minor issue for him to deal with despite his rank. He wonders how he, the cavalry captain, has been reduced to these menial tasks.

He deals with important missions plenty, but unfortunately, with the entire cavalry gone, he has significantly fewer things to do in his daily schedule.

"So, I assume she wants me to find her?"

Jean nods slowly. "Yes... I would normally assign Amber for these things, but she's out dealing with a hilichurl problem in Springvale, Eula and Mika are doing reconnaissance, Albedo is in Dragonspine, and Lisa is—well, taking a nap. You know how she is..." She appears to grimace at a memory.

Kaeya nods. "I'll get right on it after I finish writing this then, Acting Grandmaster."

"Alright." Jean nods as well.

He gets back to writing, but after a few seconds pass, he notices Jean hasn't left.

Looking up slowly, he raises an eyebrow at her.

"Is there... anything else?" Kaeya leans back in his seat and puts the pen down.

Jean hesitates. "I... I don't mean to pry, but is there something going on? You've been acting strange lately."

Ah.

Kaeya held onto the futile hope she wouldn't notice, but he knows Jean is more observant than that.

"My, I'm perfectly fine. Whatever could make you think otherwise?" The words slide off his tongue with no pause, as if he has said it a hundred times before.