maid • kaeya

lxxv

• third person •

It was a gloomy morning in Mondstadt, rain droplets splashing against the window outside. A young maid had a wet towel and a bottle of cleaning spray in hand, yet couldn't help but gaze out of that window she was meant to clean. Her lips were pursed, her heart clenching each time her mind returned to the past hour.

"U-um," a small voice mumbled. "Hello..."

The maid lifted her head in surprise at that voice. She turned on her feet, before her eyes softened.

"Young Master Kaeya. Are you alright?"

The little Kaeya shuffled on his feet. The maid gazed down at him attentively, her head tilting.

"You're... (Y/N)'s mom... right..?"

"Ah..." The maid seemed to immediately know where this was going. "That's correct. You can just call me Ilse, Master Kaeya."

Kaeya's head dropped. He rubbed his arm, swallowing, before he realised (Y/N)'s mother had knelt down to reach his gaze. She had a gentle smile on her face, though it seemed to carry some sort of bittersweetness, as if there were a sense of guilt hidden in her eyes.

"You want to ask about (Y/N), don't you?" she guessed, her tone gentle.

Meekly, Kaeya nodded. "Where is she..? I wanted to play with her..."

Ilse swallowed. Her heart clenched yet again, a small breath escaping her.

After the argument she had had with her daughter that morning, she really didn't want to break another child's heart today. Surely, it was for (Y/N)'s own good, but...

Kaeya frowned when (Y/N)'s mother didn't reply. "I...is she not coming back..?"

"I..." A shaky breath left Ilse's lips. "I don't know..."

Kaeya's starry eye widened. Ilse avoided his gaze as she bit her lip.

And then, Ilse's head shot up. All of a sudden, she heard the tiniest sniffle. Without even giving her a second to react, Kaeya had ran.

"M-Master Kaeya!" Ilse exclaimed, hurriedly pushing herself back to her feet. She winced as she clutched her chest, a sharp pain ringing through it as a cough escaped her. "Wait-..!"

Ilse stumbled back, her eyes tearing up as she pressed her hand over her mouth in attempt to hold back anymore coughs.

"Ilse? Are you okay?"

Ilse glanced weakly at the maid who approached her, another small cough leaving her before she nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine... I'll get back to work now..."

Heaving a breath, Ilse took a moment to regain her strength, before her eyes became fixed upon the direction Kaeya had ran. A frown remained on her lips, though, with a deep sigh, Ilse simply picked up the cleaning supplies once again.

• • • • •

It wasn't long until Kaeya had acquired some glue to fix the canvas that was sitting in his room. However, right now, Kaeya was in anything but a fixing mood.

To think that he had caused (Y/N) to be concerned about him to the point of her asking Jean about him...

Kaeya's eye narrowed. An anchor yanked down his heart.

How... pitiful.

Soon enough, Kaeya had returned to the Knight's Headquarters. It appeared (Y/N) and Jean had been talking since he had left, as (Y/N) had only just left her office just as he arrived. He hurriedly slipped the tube of glue into his pocket the moment they met eyes.