Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"On the rocks, just as you like it." Charles flashed a friendly smile as he slid you a chilled glass.

"Oh, great, now I'm a regular," you mumbled sardonically into your glass before tossing the liquid towards the back of your throat. It was at that moment you remembered how intolerant you were to shots, and proceeded to gag so hard that your diaphragm cramped.

A hard hand slapped your back and you coughed again. "Rough day, Godless?"

That stupid nickname. It was a mockery Kaeya oh-so-proudly came up with after you denounced your faith in the Archons; it might have sounded far-fetched, but Celestia and its ideals struck a wrong chord with you. Nihilism began to sound more and more enticing as each day passed; especially the days where Kaeya made himself known to you.

"I came here for some peace," you remarked. "So if you wouldn't mind, please share your laments with the brothel nun instead."

"So cold!" He spared no dramatics. "At least say hello before you cast me off to the side."

You had hoped to gather intel at the Angel's Share, but you weren't about to let the captain-of-no-cavalry know that. You heard a rumor about a stranger dressed in black that had come to town in search of commissions relating to the Abyss. It just so happened that you, too, wished to know more about the subject.

So far, you have had no luck finding him. Each corner of Mondstadt has been burned into the back of your eyelids and the mystery man had not been anywhere. It was as if he never existed at all.

"Don't you have a job to slack off at?"

"What do you think I'm doing now?" Kaeya said pointedly. "I jest. As much as I wish I could, I simply came because I wished to meet the subject of the guild's gossip."

You took another sip of the atrocity in your hand and raised a brow. You wanted to be on your way, but you couldn't help but feel inclined to quench your curiosity. "And whom might that be?"

You followed Kaeya's gesture towards the back of the bar. A spray of alcohol flew onto the front of his uniform when you realized who the "subject" was.

"No fucking way." You happened to miss Kaeya's displeased expression during your crisis. "Here of all places?"

"I presume you are no stranger to the rumors?"

"Oh, how could you tell?"

"Just a wild guess." His gaze flickered between you and the stranger you were so entranced with. "I suppose your matters are more impertinent. Come find me once you have talked to him."

You ordered another round as Kaeya made his exit. While Charles prepared the drink, you couldn't help but feel a little nervous. You hoped the next drink would settle you down enough to make you seem even slightly competent.

You tapped your fingers against the counter, eyes searching every crevice of the bar as a distraction. Even the bard strumming away a few seats to your side was no help. Eventually, you couldn't help but drink in the stranger's appearance from afar.

He had blond hair and striking blue eyes. The collar of his jacket managed to conceal the majority of his side-profile, but you could still see the mask that hid the right side of his face. He was... kind of attractive. Not kind of. Extremely.

Suddenly, he looked in your direction. A string of curses resonated in your mind as his gaze met yours.

May as well fess up to your actions.

"Is this seat taken?"

Not waiting for an answer, you pulled out the chair across from his and sat down without so much as a greeting. That seemed to be a common theme tonight.

"It is now," the attractive man murmured.

"You're the talk of the town as of late, mystery man," you said after a moment. "Whatever is your name?"

He scanned the room cautiously, weighing the impact of his words by deducing any ill-intent from your end. What? You're an empath. You just know these things.

"Dainsleif."

"Your name is rather unique. Which nation do you yield from?"

A grimace fell over Dainsleif's countenance for a brief moment, then returned to its previous frown. You took a slow drink and perceived his silence as he was not going to tell you. Your hands raised in the air.

Instead, you told him your name. "I do not come from anywhere in particular, either."

That piqued his curiosity. "Is that so?"

"I did not come into this world with any sort of celestial blessing, Dain. No, no, no." Your head felt a little fuzzy, perhaps due to the quick succession of alcohol intake, but you brushed it off. "I do not intend to gain any favor from the Gods because they abandoned me from the start."

You stopped before your vexation claimed you completely. Silencing yourself with another sip, you noticed the gentle curiosity that had claimed his expression. The blondie studied you and you felt embarrassment creep up on you.

"That gun over your shoulder," Dainsleif commented. "Is it of Fatui origin?"

Oh, right. You laid the weapon onto the table so he could take a closer look at it. "Being visionless and all, I cannot afford to run amok weaponless. I made a few modifications to it myself."

"Impressive."

His lack of words throughout the entire conversation made the compliment feel a lot more flattering. His gloved fingers ran along the barrel in such a way that your face got a little warm.

"How did you manage to obtain such a device?" he asked.

"How else, other than to pry it from their hands myself?"

A small smile upturned the edges of his lips as he explored the weapon. He picked it up and turned it around, even going so far as to prop it against his shoulder and experiment by looking through the scope. You gulped and pushed the barrel away from your face.

"Careful there, edgelord, you might take me out with that thing."

"My apologies," he hummed thoughtfully and handed it back to you. You swung it over your shoulder and let it hang by the strap, focusing on analyzing his impeccable stature.

"You are looking to research the Abyss, are you not?"

"Perhaps. What might that mean to you, Godless?"

     You almost missed the nickname he spoke under his breath. You swiped a hand down your face and slumped into the table.

He almost looked satisfied with himself.

"Do you have excellent hearing or something?"

"Not that," Dainsleif corrected. "That Knight of Favonius was not discreet, nor were you."

"So the mystery man has jokes. Fine, that's fine," you exasperated, standing to your feet. His gaze followed you as you adjusted your shirt. "If you wish to learn more, I suggest you come with me. I have something to show you."

You were actually rather surprised that Dainsleif obliged. You took him to your temporary lodging located above Marjorie's gift shop. He seemed slightly wary as he trailed a short distance behind you. He looked more like a stalker than someone who was acquainted with you.

You unlocked your door with the spare key and walked straight inside, allowing him to enter at his leisure. Once he had determined there was no threat, he came inside and closed the door behind him.

"Well, this is it." You motioned towards the wall of papers pinned by multi-colored tacks. Books were piled in stacks, their pages marked by small wedges of papers and various notes. It looked like a hurricane had rampaged through a library and left some haphazard mess.

"...What is it?" Dainsleif looked out of place as he stood stiffly in the center of the living room. You sat down at the table after stowing away the shotgun and crossed your arms.

"Take a closer look."

     That he did. He took the time to skim over the various pages of notes scribbled at the edges of the texts, eyes widening at each new marking he read.

"This information... how did you manage to get your hands on these?" Dainsleif asked as he pressed his palms to the wall to get a closer look.

"Some I stole from the Favonius headquarters, others from Kaeya's personal belongings, some came from abandoned belongings I came across throughout Teyvat—"

"I don't understand. I have spent years searching and have only come across faint traces of anything useful, yet you have a wall of secrets dedicated purely to the Abyss." He approached your diligent form, effectively cornering you in your chair. "How?"

You distracted yourself from the intensity of his gaze by coughing into your palm. Then, you shrugged. "I have a knack for detective work."

     He laughed in disbelief, and your stomach fluttered. Stop it. Now is not the time! you scolded yourself. "Feel free to stay here as long as you like. I doubt you will be able to look over everything in just one night."

Maybe it was a bad idea to invite a stranger into your home, but at least he was attractive. That did help his case a tiny bit.

Dainsleif shook his head, and his long blond strands gracefully fell out of place. "I will book a nearby motel."

"No need. You can stay here for free," you pressed. "Plus, motel rates here are unbelievable. Mondstadt may be the city of freedom but the taxation laws are imprisoning enough."

"Surely you are uncomfortable knowing a man is in your close quarters," he countered. It was a clever tactic, you had to admit, but you simply grinned.

"Come now, don't conform to creepy man standards. You are better than that."

He sighed in defeat. I win.

You let out a yawn and stretched your arms over your head, wasting no time in rising to your feet. Placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, you leaned close to his ear.

"What is mine, is yours, Dainsleif. Make yourself comfortable here." With that, you retired to your room in search of a good night of sleep. You only hoped he would remain when you awoke.

He must have taken what you said to heart, because weeks later, he was basically a second tennant to the apartment. You were not used to having roommates, much less a handsome blondie at your disposal, but you weren't complaining. Kaeya wasted no time jumping on the tease train once he found out and you found yourself avoiding him more often than not.

"Dain, are you hungry? Good Hunter had a sale today so I brought you something." You nudged the door closed with your heel as you attempted to balance the bags in your arms.

Hs dropped the book he was studying to rush over and take half of your load. "I had forgotten to eat today," Dainsleif mumbled distractedly.

You used your arm to clear half of the table in order to make room to set up the dishes. The amount of papers had grown tenfold since he started staying here and it all hardly fit in the small space. You feared you would have to get a bigger place to accommodate everything.

"I believe I have discovered a hideout not far from us," he told you between bites. "I went out this morning and found elemental traces near Brightcrown Canyon where it shifts into Stormterror's Lair."

You couldn't help but observe him as he described his findings in depth. He had been reserved when you first met, but you soon found out that once he had the opportunity to share his knowledge, he became quite talkative.

He even removed that flamboyant cape after you bugged him about how uncomfortable it must be to sleep in. Dainsleif was down to his undershirt and black pants, but curiously, he never removed his mask or his gloves. Not once in the few weeks he had resided there.

"Is something the matter?" Dainsleif's diamond pupils locked onto yours. You failed to realize he had finished updating you on everything already.

"No." You picked at your food and looked away from his scrutinizing gaze.

"You lie," he said after a pause.

"Do you..." You didn't know how to phrase your question. "Do you have a skin condition?"

Dainsleif looked surprised at the question. He set down his silverware and sighed.

"My apologies, I shouldn't have pried."

"That's alright," he reassured. To your surprise, he got up from his seat and moved to your side of the table. You couldn't help but shy away as he kneeled down in front of your chair.

"What are you doing?" you stammered.

"Since you have shared so many secrets with me, I believe it is only fair that I share something with you," Dainsleif took your hand and gently pressed it to his mask. "I have never showed this to anybody, and I intend to keep it a secret from everyone aside from you."

You were beginning to get a little nervous. However, as he looked up at you with bright azure eyes, you admittedly felt a little touched. Whatever it was, he finally trusted you enough to expose himself. You weren't about to pass up this opportunity.

"What is it, Dain?"

"Go ahead. I will not stop you."

You had to assume he wanted you to remove the mask from his face. You did just that.

A strange charcoal-colored pigment stretched across the length of his cheek; it reminded you of the galaxy that stretched across the night sky. It could have looked like any old scar had it not been the array of color it was. He gauged your reaction with an unreadable emotion painted on his face. It was as if he expected you to fear what you had seen.

Silently, you reached for his hand, and he did not pull away. You removed his glove to find that the entirety of his hand looked the exact same, except the pigment covered every inch of his pale skin. It disappeared into the opening on his sleeve, and you surmised that it went all the way up his arm.

While it may have been abnormal, it was not enough to scare you away. You felt emboldened enough to cup the side of his cheek with a feathered touch.

"Dainsleif, I knew you were no ordinary man." A small smile overtook your lips. "Is this meant to surprise me?"

His hand came to rest on your thigh, and even though it was probably subconscious, goosebumps rose on your arms regardless.

"Are you not?"

"I mean, it's not what I was expecting. I figured you had some sort of scar that you were scared to show me, but..." You stopped to turn his face slightly with your thumb. "It is as if the galaxy imprinted its mark on you. You truly are special."

The distance between you became shorter as you marvelled at the sight of him. A quiet chuckle escaped his lips, and it was safe to say you were swept off your metaphorical feet.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I look this way?" Dainsleif susurrated. You pretended to think.

"No, I do not think so." You experimentally brushed against his galactic scar. "If you choose to tell me of your own free will, then so be it. I will not press you to spill your secrets. Then you would no longer be mysterious, and what's the fun in that?"

You felt the tickle of his whisper as you leaned to meet him halfway. "I appreciate your discretion, Godless."

You didn't pull away when his lips met yours. Dainsleif was gentle. His hand traveled from your thigh to your waist, slowly but surely, as your fingers ran through his soft blond locks. Neither of you had intentions of separating anytime soon.

Just wait until Kaeya finds out about this one.

Chapter Text

You have been craving social interaction for weeks now. However, the only way you were going to do that is if Ganyu were to join you so you could have a great night together. That would be the case if she didn't work overtime seven days out of the week.

You had to save her.

Ganyu was once again one of the only employees remaining in the Qixing public relations office, huddled at her cubicle with slumped shoulders and tapping her nails on the desk like clockwork. She hadn't even noticed you sat on her desk until a pair of palms slammed down on the documents she had been reading through.

Your name slipped from her perfectly pink lips. "What are you doing here?"

"A little birdie told me that Beidou is throwing a party on her yacht tonight," you replied casually, leaning closer to tuck a blue strand of hair behind her ear. "Care to accompany me, my lady?"

Ganyu's violet eyes shimmered briefly, as if begging you to sweep her away from everything, but it left as quickly as it came. "I'm sorry, there's still so much I have to do..."

You frowned, looking around at the empty cubicles. "If it was so important, then why isn't anyone else around helping?"

"They all had such a long day, it's only fair to let them go home to see their families."

"And what makes your situation any different?" You knew you made a valid argument. "What, I don't deserve to see my dearest Ganyu after a long day of awaiting your return?"

The pout on your lips added a dramatic effect to your words. Ganyu placed her hand atop yours, sympathy lining her soft features. She was on the brink of being convinced, you only had to try a little harder.

"But Ningguang—"

"Ahh-tut-tut-tut!" you cut her off. You hopped off of Ganyu's desk, taking initiative by rolling her office chair towards the door. She whipped her head back and forth, clearly conflicted, but eventually gave in.

"Wait! Let me get my things!"

"Beidou never falls short of grandeur," you whispered in Ganyu's ear as you docked the ship. Music blared from inside but the people on the deck still seemed to enjoy it at the way their bodies moved to the beat.

"You got that right," she agreed.

You had the girl under your arm as you weaved around odd groups, and she closed the distance further by pressing into your side. Despite her noticeable curves, she still fit into you like a puzzle piece. A subconscious grin upturned the edges of your lips as pride filled your chest.

     I have the prettiest girl here, you thought.

You were alerted when somebody called your name from afar. Squinting, your eyes swept across the room and noticed Beidou waving to you from the bar. You wasted no time in walking to her.

"You made it! It's been a while since we partied together," Beidou gave your shoulder a hard squeeze and pulled you into a side hug. "And you brought your girl tonight, did ya?!"

You pulled Ganyu back to your side with a gentle hand at her waist. She fell into you with an embarrassed look on her face. "It was hard enough convincing her to leave the office."

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" Ganyu responded softly. You pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Indeed you are."

"Drinks are on the house tonight, lovebirds. Open bar for everybody," Beidou cheered and held her glass in the air. You wasted no time in turning to the bartender, a red-headed man with a permanent frown etched onto his face.

Ganyu sat down on the stool to your right, adjusting the straps on her silk top. You eyed her from the side, pretending you hadn't watched the whole endeavor.

"Need help?" you offered teasingly. A blush coated her cheeks as she swatted you away, only to clutch your hand tightly when she noticed a certain woman walk into the room.

"Oh Archons," she muttered profusely and hid her face in your shoulder. You quirked an eyebrow, looking around for who had coaxed such a reaction from your girlfriend and who had simultaneously interrupted your flirting.

A woman clad in a short golden dress and long white hair tied up into a bun appeared to be the culprit. She seemed to recognize Ganyu from afar and approached the bar. You watched, hoping you looked as intimidating as you felt.

"Ganyu," she greeted when she arrived. "I don't believe I've ever seen you outside of the office, much less in a setting like this."

"I did not expect to see you here, either, miss Ningguang." Ganyu was clearly nervous at the way her hand clutched her thigh. You put your hand over hers and crossed your legs, leaning protectively over her shoulder to determine if this Ningguang was bothering her.

"My Ganyu deserved a break from work, so I stole her from her prison to have fun. You two coworkers or somethin'?"

Your girlfriend elbowed you in the ribs, and it was then that you noticed the amusement on Ningguang's face.

"Ningguang is my boss, dear," Ganyu told you. You swallowed and tugged at your collar as Ganyu laughed awkwardly.

"All the better," you remarked. "Does your company usually run its employees to near death with overtime?"

Ningguang answered swiftly after sipping her champagne. "Not many are as capable as Ganyu. She is the star of our PR department."

"Stop it," Ganyu begged in your ear, clearly fearful that you would make her lose her job. You wouldn't let that happen. You pressed on.

"She would be a star in any department. Why must she bother holding your company on her shoulders when she could find something ten times better somewhere else?"

Ningguang seemed to consider this. Her bejeweled finger brushed against her chin as her crimson eyes stared into her drink.

"I would like to offer a proposal," you said after a moment, squeezing Ganyu's chilled hand. "No more overtime. Five days a week, paid days off, as well as any employee benefits you have available. She deserves no less than any of this."

"Very well." The smile on her face was unexpected, to say the least.

"What?" Ganyu enunciated, eyes wide with surprise.

"I value the effort you put into our company." Ningguang rested her cheek in her palm. "You may take the rest of the week off."

You extended a hand to the woman and she shook it. Rising to her feet, she swiped her glass from the counter and moved to visit with Beidou.

"You picked a good one, Ganyu. Keep her around," Ningguang called over her shoulder as she sashayed away.

You turned back to your girlfriend, clearly happy with yourself. "So? What'd you think?"

She surprised you with a kiss instead of an answer. It caught you off guard at first, as she was usually too shy to initiate affection, especially in public. But by the Archons would you be an idiot to pass up this opportunity. You skillfully returned the gesture, hands resting on her hips while hers had grabbed the sides of your face to keep you in place.

Ganyu pulled away after a moment and excitedly seized your hands.

"You just did that!"

You pretended to think, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"I have an entire week off!"

"Yeah, you do." You brought her hands up to your lips and peppered them with light kisses. "What are you planning to do with all that free time, hmm?"

She had to avert her gaze to avoid the intensity of your stare. Archons, she was cute. How had you managed to bag someone like her?

"I'm always an option, if you don't manage to find anything."

Her jaw dropped. "What—"

"Ganyu, is that you?" A new voice chimed in, miraculously interrupting Ganyu's reaction. You pretended you hadn't said anything and casually sipped your drink.

Keqing was apparently a close friend of Ganyu's—from work, of course, because where else? They had gotten lost in conversation and drinks to the point where it crossed the line from buzzed to absolutely shitted. It was amusing to watch your meek Ganyu turn into a social butterfly under the influence.

You were no exception, though, as your head was beginning to feel a little fuzzy as well. While Keqing and Ganyu were whisked off to the dance floor, you started a conversation with an emo-looking guy who sulked at the bar not too far from you. His name was Xiao and he was brought against his will.

After some time had passed, you began to search the room for your beloved and eventually saw her amidst the crowd. Colored lights flashed in line with the music and Ganyu's eyes were closed. She looked completely carefree as her limbs moved gracefully to the music. As if she sensed your gaze, her violet eyes opened slightly and gave you predator eyes from across the room.

Your eyes widened and Xiao noticed. He followed your stare and sent you an inquisitive look.

"You look surprised," he remarked.

"My girlfriend just gave me a look."

"The bad kind?"

You gulped down your drink and stood up. "Quite the opposite, actually. I have to go."

Hs waved you off and you found yourself joining the masses in the center of the floor.

You may have accidentally stumbled into a few people due to the amount of liquor you had ingested, but you paid no mind. The music was almost deafening and it was uncomfortably warm, but the vibes were immaculate. You recognized the voice—because who couldn't—as Mr. Worldwide in all his glory. Fun by Pitbull blared through the speakers, triumphing over the sound of your own voice in your head.

Familiar blue hair bounced in front of you and you wrapped your arms around her from behind, planting a kiss to the crook of her neck. Ganyu stiffened at the touch, thinking it was a stranger, but quickly relaxed when she noticed strands of your hair tickling her shoulder.

"It looked like you needed some company," you said into her ear. You grabbed her hands and twirled her around, a sweet smile appearing on your face as she laughed gleefully.

"You seem to be the perfect candidate," she shot back.

You loved it when she was carefree like this. It felt as if you were the only two people in the room; all you could focus on was the way the lighting accentuated her round features. It was as if the Archons had hand-crafted this woman and brought her into your life. Good karma, or something.

Fortunately, dancing was no problem for the two of you. It was one of the things you took pride in; your ability to dance with anyone anywhere led you to some interesting conversation starters. It was how you met Ganyu in the first place.

Ganyu couldn't stop giggling as you mouthed the lyrics, shimmying in her close quarters as you locked hands. Being under the influence made it easy to have fun, but even sober, it would have been a dream.

Eventually, the song came to an end. The DJ lowered the music and announced to "grab your partner, because the next song is a slow jam." How cliche.

You extended your hand and bowed. "Care to join me in this dance, my lady?"

"It would be my pleasure."

The dance floor's previous wild crowd had been replaced with a swarm of couples, the two of you not being an exception as you swayed together perfectly in sync. It reminded you of the three A.M. nights where you both found you couldn't sleep. You sometimes slow-danced in the kitchen, only illuminated by the nightlight plugged into an outlet above the sink.

Ganyu's arms were draped over your shoulders while yours rested comfortably on her waist. Your forehead rested on her shoulder and her head leaned against yours.

"Remember when we first met?" you murmured.

Her shoulders shook slightly as she chuckled. "Of course. You said some cheesy line about your shirt—what was it again?"

You cleared your throat and imitated what you had said. "Feel my shirt. Go on, guess what it's made out of."

"Girlfriend material," you both said simultaneously, breaking into a fit of giggles.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" you remarked.

"I suppose it did," Ganyu said through a smile. "No one has ever said anything like that to me."

"You're joking—surely, the masses fell at your feet when they laid eyes upon your beauty."

"Oh, no such thing. I couldn't help but meet you at that cafe the next day, I was blown away..."

"And here we are now, one year later." Your fingers brushed against her cheek, admiring the way her hair framed her face. "Dancing together on a yacht in Liyue-freaking-Harbor."

She leaned into the touch. Her skin was warm, concerningly so, on the contrary. The inside of the yacht had gone up several degrees with everyone's movement and it was beginning to get stuffy.

"Let's move somewhere else, shall we?"

Outside was much more suitable. A cool breeze that smelled of the sea wafted by, and the stars reflected off the water as well as the lights of the city. The area was mostly empty aside from a few stragglers littered around the deck.

You and Ganyu leaned against the railing, enraptured by the scenery. She had cooled down to the point where she rubbed her arms together to keep warm. Being the wonderful partner you were, you shrugged off your jacket and adjusted it around her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Of course."

"Not just for this. Thank you for bringing me here tonight." Ganyu turned her gaze to the sky. "It's so suffocating in the office sometimes."

"I thought I was going to lose you to the department," you admitted.

"If it ever came down to it, I would choose you over my job no matter the circumstances. Please remember that."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am!" Ganyu responded quickly.

"Then prove it."

She finally looked back at you to see that you had gotten on your knees. A black box rested in your palm, and when you flicked it open, a ring glinted in the light. Her hands clasped over her mouth and your eyes begged her not to reject your proposal.

"Marry me."

When she fell to her knees to kiss you, you knew what her answer was. Ganyu never looked better. Who would have guessed that a ring on her finger would be the change?

Chapter Text

You had meant to rest your eyes only for a few moments. You had been reviewing notes and catching up on chapters from your textbook in order to jog your memory before finals. This had lasted the entire night, and it was when you sank into your seat in class when you realized that probably wasn't the best idea you've ever had.

     You suddenly regretted signing up for the eight A.M. classes instead of the ones in the afternoon. As you waited for the professor to show up, you laid your head down in your arms and listened to the faint snippets of conversation from your other classmates. Before you knew it, you fell into a deep slumber.

     Unfortunately, when you finally came to, you only caught the very end of the lecture you slept through.

     "That should wrap everything up for today. Remember to follow the study guide we reviewed this morning, finals are in two days, don't forget! Have a great rest of your day."

     You blinked the bleariness from your eyes and attempted to comprehend his words when it came to you in a panicked jerk.

     The study guide!

     Of all days to miss an entire lecture, you had managed to miss what may have been the most important one.

     "Oh no, oh no, oh no..." You made your outburst known by shaking your head back and forth. This went on for a few seconds until you calmed down, suddenly attuning to a rustle coming from the seat at your side.

     A blond boy with half-way tied hair was neatly organizing the notes he had taken. You watched as he silently flipped through the pages, as if recounting what he had written down before putting it away entirely. At least someone had been paying attention.

     Wait...

     "Hey, um... Alfonso, right?"

     Bright cerulean eyes flickered to you in surprise. He moved to take off his thin-framed glasses and put them in their case.

     "If you're referring to my name, then it's Albedo."

     That could not have been a worse way to begin asking a favor. "Right, sorry about that." You introduced yourself in return.

     "I see." He slung his bag over his shoulder as he rose from his seat. "You may want to consider staying awake for lectures. College isn't exactly cheap."

     You weren't sure if that was well-intentioned advice or a jab at you. It was hard to tell when his voice was so monotone all the time. Your attention was diverted when a female voice beckoned to him from the doorway.

     "Albedo, are you coming?"

     A petite girl with green hair waved from the distance, while a brunet man hovered over her shoulder. You had seen them around campus before; the trio were seen often studying together in any space they could find. You were certain that she was either Albedo's girlfriend or simply overly friendly.

     "Coming," he answered. Albedo gently pushed in his chair, but before he could leave, you grabbed his free hand to prevent him from going any farther.

     "Listen, I was so preoccupied with schoolwork last night that I only slept for about an hour. If you help me out just this once, I will do anything to pay you back. My grade relies on this, so please..." No one could resist the puppy dog eyes and the prayer hands. This reigned true when he hesitated briefly, only to retrieve a piece of paper from his bag and scribble something down.

     When he handed it to you, you noticed the splotches of dried paint that decorated his hands.

     "That's my number. We can figure out the rest over text." Albedo readjusted his bag. "Go home and rest first, we'll talk soon."

     He left you staring wordlessly at the piece of paper. The ten digits were written in a cute, small font in black ink. Was it possible to be attracted to someone's handwriting?

     You fished your phone out of your back pocket and entered his information, saving him under the name 'alfonso from chem'.

you
albedo alfredo~
i really appreciate your cooperation <3

alfonso from chem
Sure thing. We should get you caught up
as soon as possible. Are you available this
evening?
read 9:34 a.m.

     You laughed to yourself as you began the walk back home. He texted like an old man. After rereading the message a few times, you drafted your response.

you
hmm, i suppose i can clear my schedule for
you... what time are you thinking?

alfonso from chem
My last class ends at around 5. We can go to a
local cafe a few minutes away. I'll pick you up,
what's ur address?

you
how about we just meet there? i only met
you today, what if you're a serial murderer?

alfonso from chem
You prove a point. Although, it would be easy
enough to find out where you live. Just saying.

you
you wouldn't do that...

alfonso from chem
You're right, I wouldn't. I only kill people who
pay attention in class.

you
oh come on T-T i already told you i had
a late night

alfonso from chem
If you say so. The place is called Coffee Club,
search it up and it'll list the address. I'll be sure
to bring my murdering tools.

you
hah! i'm counting on it
i shall see you at 5 o clock sharp :)

alfonso the murderer
See you at 5.
:)
read 9:56 a.m.

     And that settles that. You set an alarm for a few hours later and practically dove under the sheets, dozing off in a matter of minutes. Despite your few interactions with this Albedo person, he seemed to be amicable enough. Plus, he was kind of cute. What was there to lose?

     You met Albedo right on time. After a nap, you felt a lot more energized. It had already begun to get dark, something you had always hated about wintertime. Needless to say, December was one of your least favorite months. Your low tolerance to the cold didn't help much either.

     He was kind enough to hold the door open for you on the way in, mustering a soft smile when he noticed the red tinting your cheeks and nose from the chilly air.

      Thankfully, the inside of the cafe was a lot warmer and smelled of freshly roasted coffee beans. Since it was evening, there were significantly fewer customers lounging inside. Albedo picked the perfect study atmosphere, you had to admit.

    "Coffee's on me!" you chirped cheerfully, pretending you weren't the broke college student you were. "I dragged you all the way out here, after all."

     Albedo peered up at you from his seat as he carefully rolled his sleeves from his forearms. He had already begun to take out his neatly organized notes and splay them on the table, chemical formulas taking up the majority of the lined pages.

     "Hurry back," he said softly.

     The next two hours were spent listening carefully to his explanation of his notes. It was almost entrancing to listen to him speak. His voice was soothing, and his words themselves were eloquent and collected. You didn't think you heard him stutter once throughout the entire time. At one point, you had fallen silent as he allowed you to copy his work onto your own notebook. He couldn't help but watch you make subtle facial expressions as you jotted down as much as you could.

     After a few moments, you released a deep sigh and stretched your arms overhead. It was then that you noticed he was mindlessly analyzing your face as he sipped his coffee.

     "What's so interesting?" you prodded, dropping your chin into your palm.

     "Your face has an amazing structure," he responded casually. "Definable, yet not in a way that is impossible to encapture in a sketch... you would be quite an interesting muse."

     You blushed. How could you not?

     "Are you an artist, Albedo?"

     "You could say that."

     Your gaze flickered to his hands again. You grasped his wrist and pulled it closer, turning it around to get a closer look at the various smudges and smears of color.

     "I can respect that. It takes a lot of effort to produce art," you said. "Surprisingly enough, there's this one artist I've kept up with since I graduated high school. That said, I would love to see your work someday."

     You retracted your hands and grabbed your cup instead. Something twinged in Albedo, and he squeezed his bicep until it went away.

     Outside the window, crystalline flakes swirled onto the pavement until it was coated in a layer of white. You grabbed your coat and heaved it over your shoulders, hoping to get home before it thickened any more. Albedo kindly offered to walk you home in case of any chance encounters with creeps on the way back.

     You trained your eyes on your feet, listening carefully as the snow crunched beneath your shoes. Before you knew it, the two of you stood in front of your apartment complex. Shuffling in hopes to gain warmth through action, you switched from foot to foot in hopes to counter the cold.

      "Thank you for everything today. Would it be too much trouble to have another study date tomorrow? I'm not quite sure I fully grasp everything yet, and you seem to know what you're talking about, so you know..." you drifted off absentmindedly.

     Albedo looked slightly wide-eyed. His face was a faint red, but you didn't know if it was from the cold or something else.

     "What? Was it something I said just now?"

     "A study date... Is that what you called it?"

     You hadn't thought about it before you spoke. "Oh, my bad." You rubbed the nape of your neck with a bashful grin. "I didn't mean to phrase it like that, I know you're with that one girl."

     He tilted his head. "What girl?"

     "Y'know, miss green hair and cute face?"

     "Sucrose? She's just my friend, nothing more."

     Why was that kind of a relief to hear? You hummed thoughtfully and kicked up a small amount of snow. "Well, in that case... I'll see you tomorrow, Mister Murderer?"

      "See you tomorrow," your name followed his words. Albedo made sure you made it inside completely before he turned in the opposite direction towards home. He couldn't help but allow a small grin to turn at the edges of his lips as he looked to the streetlights above.

     The next morning leaked over the horizon and in a bright and energizing fashion. You, however, did not share the same sentiments. Your backpack basically dragged along the floor as you meandered to your seat, throwing it beneath the desk and falling into the chair with a tired sigh. Albedo had his notes open and was pretending to skim over them when in reality, he had been waiting for you to show up without even realizing it.

     "Morning, sunshine," he greeted.

     "Ehhh..." you groaned into the hard wood of your desk. Turning your head to face him, you rested your cheek over your folded arms and stared.

     "Did you not learn from your previous mistakes?"

     "It's not that, it's just—" you rubbed your eyes. "I couldn't fall asleep because of the coffee I drank. I tried everything. Even warm milk, which by the way, is a lot more disgusting than movies make it seem."

     Albedo hummed in response, eyebrows knitting together in concern. "I can only imagine. I apologize, I should have known better than to allow you to have caffeine so late."

     "Hey, don't worry about it. We still have one day to keep working so it honestly doesn't bother me one bit."

     As the minutes passed by and the conversation had gone silent, Albedo noticed your eyes fluttering shut for longer intervals than normal blinks. He nudged your arm gently to get your attention.

     "What? I'm awake, I was just resting my eyes..."

     "You can have the rest of this if you'd like."

     You opened one of your eyes to see him sliding a cup your way. With a curious sniff, you determined that it was the same culprit that kept you awake the night before.

     "You have any cooties I should know about beforehand?" you asked, popping off the lid to peer into the murky darkness. Albedo exhaled sharply through his nose to stifle a laugh.

     "Why don't you try it and find out?"

     He sounded unintentionally flirty, yet you knew that was just how he acted. You sent him an incredulous look before taking a sip. It took a few moments but the realization that he was soulless finally kicked in.

     "This is basically black coffee. Did you even add any sweetener to this?" Your face scrunched as the bitter taste coated your tongue.

     He shook his head. "A few sprinkles of sugar was all."

     "This... makes sense. I should have guessed." Despite the complaining, you opted to sip on it anyway. The utterances of your classmates fell silent as the professor strolled in with a briefcase in hand. Albedo scooted his chair back into its rightful place and it was safe to say that you were slightly disappointed at the distance between you two.

     Almost two hours later, class ended and you were snoring away. Turns out that the effects of today's coffee canceled out with last night's and ended up not taking effect whatsoever. You awoke when a voice whispered in your ear.

     "Time to wake up, sleeping beauty. Text me later and we'll get together again."

     The rousing scent of his cologne was enough for you to rise from unconsciousness slightly. It disappeared just as quickly as it came. After a few moments passed you slowly sat up, causing something to slide off your shoulders and onto the ground. A familiar jacket lay crumpled and you attempted to dust off whatever debris might have gotten on it when it fell.

     It was definitely Albedo's by the signature white fabric. You whipped your head to the door—did he seriously let you use it as a blanket when it was the middle of winter? He was already long gone by the time you realized.

     "What an idiot," you murmured with a grin. It smelled exactly like the fragrance you sensed earlier. It was nice, to say the least.

Chapter Text

It was only for appearances that you bought a beverage at the Dawn Winery. Your fingers traced the golden rim of the glass, silently willing it to make some melodious noise as you had seen done in the movies. No such song was produced.

You clicked your tongue in disappointment. Bringing the cup to your lips, you tilted your head and allowed the liquid to moisten your throat.

Grape juice, you praised, swiping your tongue across the remnants gathered near your mouth.

An odd choice for a wine tasting event, perhaps, but at first glance, it was one of the few things that could pass as alcohol. You needed to be sharp to carry out your objective tonight.

Scrutinizing eyes swept across the room, searching for a head of crimson among the sea of brunettes and blondes. Your laissez-faire expression made it seem as if simple curiosity was the true purpose behind your actions. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

A woman in twin braids appeared at your side, flagging down the bartender who had just begun to walk elsewhere. She ordered a strong drink that wasn’t on the event menu. The way her eyes darted from person to person made you seem normal in comparison.

“Diluc is going to be here, right?” she whispered into your ear, claiming your attention in the process.

Another maiden hoping to catch the eye of Mondstadt’s most eligible bachelor, you supposed.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“Oh, good.” A nervous laugh escaped her throat. “I hadn’t seen him anywhere around here yet. Late to his own event, isn’t that something?”

You averted your gaze elsewhere and sipped your juice. “He’s a busy man, I’d imagine.”

She ignored your attempt to shake her off by claiming the stool next to yours. Her drink arrived in a short, crystalline glass. From the looks of it, it was a simple whiskey on the rocks.

“Too busy for romance, as well, it seems,” she snorted. After a deep breath, she downed the drink faster than you thought possible. “I’m Donna. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise,” you said, eyeing her with a quirked brow. “You should slow down if your goal is to make an impression on him. I’m sure he’s seen enough drunkards in his days.”

“Ugh, you’re right. Hey! Can I get some water please?”

You ignored her from then on by closing your eyes and drifting off into your own world. The din of the winery blended in a cacophony of eloquent laughter and clinking glasses. A small sigh left your nose and you tried to suppress your growing irritation of having to wait for the esteemed Diluc Ragnvindr to show up to his own wine tasting. You were beginning to understand Donna’s frustrations the longer you bided your time.

It was when you felt the burn of a stare that you finally stirred from your dormant state. Your eyelashes fluttered—maintaining your innocent facade—as you examined the attendees with curiosity akin to a feline. Across the room, a male with hair as dark as the twilight sky set his sights on you and refused to concede.

You tilted your head slightly. He smiled, then roused from his matters with the woman conversing one-sidedly with him. Suddenly, your glass was the most interesting thing in the world.

A faint passing of cologne brought your attention to your right peripheral, where the man now seated himself. His voice was light as he ordered two wine glasses offered from tonight’s selection. You hoped the other wasn’t for you.

“A fine night, isn’t it?”

Perhaps you hadn’t hoped hard enough. A faux attentiveness spread across your features, and the man analyzed your countenance for every possible detail. He seemed to have the disadvantage of missing his right eye. Or perhaps he wore the eyepatch just for fun, which then led to your next question: in this day and age?

You looked to the windows and farther beyond toward the vineyard, blanketed in the silvery beams of the moon. “A fine night indeed. I only hope the temperature hasn’t dropped since nightfall.”

“I hate to disappoint a woman such as alluring as yourself, but I fear the darkness always brings with it a chill you can never seem to shake off.”

“Disappointing.” You licked your teeth briefly. “I didn’t bring a jacket along with me tonight.”

He seemed slightly disheartened that you didn’t seem to catch on to the metaphor behind his words, but his lips quickly uprighted themselves into their previous smirk. It was so subtle that a normal person may not have noticed. That said, you were far from ordinary. It was only because you were so well-versed yourself that you could recognize it in others.

Appearing thoughtful, he slid one of the two glasses toward you. “This is a Brightcrown Cabernet Sauvignon, my favorite discovery of the night. And, so you have a name to attach to this delightful beverage, I am Kaeya Alberich of the Favonius Detective Agency.”

You feigned surprise at his words. You already knew that, of course. If you had to, you could probably name every well-off bastard in this room. He was just another rich boy trying to make a difference using unjust methods beneath the noses of his superiors. From the intel you had gathered on him, he merely joined the agency because it piqued his interest. Kaeya had plenty of funds to rely on without having to lift a finger.

“A detective? How curious.”

“In what way?”

You ignored the wine, reaching for your juice instead. “How do you get anything done with that… vigilante running amok?”

Kaeya erupted into a fit of chuckles. “Ah, the Darknight Hero. Equally my ally as he is my foe.”

“It strikes me as some sort of self-serving bias. What’s so heroic about wearing a cape and parkouring over rooftops at night?”

“It may seem a little strange, but he surely has his reasons,” Kaeya sighed softly. “I personally couldn’t fathom doing such a thing.”

You couldn’t help but eye him from the side. “Not many would say the same about him. Especially in your line of work.”

“Perhaps.” He looked amused at your half-accusation. “So long as it rids our streets of criminals, I don’t see it as an issue. His methods are… unseemly, but he is able to do what we can not. Haven’t you heard of his latest endeavors?”

“Of course I have. It’s all over the news.”

Kaeya subconsciously leaned towards you. “That wretched Fatui gang has done a number in our city. The Darknight Hero has made it clear that those terrorists—” The way he spoke the title was laced with venom. “—are his next target, and I can only hope he succeeds.”

The annoyance you felt was immeasurable. How dare he say those things, in front of you, no less. You were lucky that your glass didn’t shatter with the way you gripped it so intensely.

“Yeah, well, when has he ever let us down?” You brought it to your lips, intending to take a sip and wash the tightness from your throat.

Someone bumped into you from behind, and the contents spilled across your front. The coldness shocked you into silence for a brief moment. You felt your veil slip slightly as anger ran like ice through your veins.

“Oh, shoot, I am so sorry!”

Donna’s hands flew to her mouth when you turned to face her. Kaeya stood up from his seat at the same time you did, hand grazing over your elbow as if to comfort you. The look in your eye gradually diminished until you released your frustrations with a deep breath.

“Do you want me to—”

“No, I got it.” You waved Donna off and pulled yourself away from the detective.

Your back was already turned when Kaeya gave you a puzzled look. For one, what had spilled on you was not wine, rather, it was grape juice. He could recognize the scent anywhere. Secondly, the spill had revealed a peculiar tattoo below your collarbone, stained blood-red beneath the fabric of your cream-colored blouse. His eye never left your back until you disappeared from his line of sight.

Truth be told, you had no idea where the restroom was. The winery had no sort of signs on the walls—or if it did, you had missed them entirely. As you wandered the halls, your feelings got the best of you. Your first mission and archons you were blowing it already. The Fatui provided you with the resources to get things done, yet here you were, sitting idly while the Darknight Hero failed to show up like he was supposed to.

In a fit of rage, you tore the closest bookshelf to you away from the wall. Pages and book spines scattered across the marble floors and echoed throughout the corridor. Your harsh breathing filled your ears as the clatter finally settled down.

A cold breeze blew past your cheek.

“What..?” The word came out as a mere whisper.

Behind the bookshelf you had destroyed was a passageway of stairs. Lights illuminated each step and you could see that at the bottom was a concrete floor. You looked towards each end of the hallway, ensuring no one had come to investigate the commotion, and quickly took the opportunity to slip through the entryway.

The faint sound of whirring became more apparent the farther down you descended. Your right hand brushed against the cobble-stone wall as an instinct, and your other was occupied with the blade that you had loosened from the confines of your sleeve.

What you had not anticipated to stumble across was the Darknight Hero’s underground lair.

Motion lights activated when you set foot on the final step and stretched across the length of the room. Various computers showed different tabs with valuable intel, displayed openly for those with access to enter the room. You were an exception. Who used the lair-behind-a-bookshelf trope, anyway? Perhaps there was security in that no one would think it true. The emo bastard.

You warily maneuvered around the mess of modern gadgets and file cabinets. The desks beneath the computers were piled with messes of papers and their crumpled counterparts, making it evident of his frustrations. It was almost endearing to imagine such an austere man throwing a tantrum over his midnight escapades. A chuckle resonated from your chest.

At this point, you were certain there were no booby traps to keep watch for, so you let yourself relax slightly. After pawing through some files, you kept note of the tabs, keeping in mind the keywords you recognized. A certain folder caught your attention, and your heart leaped from your chest. Fatui was scrawled across the front in thick black ink, underlined obnoxiously to the point where the material seemed to be indented from the effort. You held it out in front of you as if unsure of its authenticity.

If you destroyed this, it would set the Darknight Hero back in many valuable steps. Your superiors would recognize your efforts and praise you for your excellence. This could be the thing that set you apart from the others within the organization. Your anger issues would no longer be a problem since you would be their saving grace, capable of no wrongs, or impulses—as Childe had put it once. You would wipe that sorry smile from his face when you reported your efforts from today.

You went to tuck it beneath your shirt but found yourself hesitating at the prospect of its contents. One little peek couldn't hurt… perhaps there was something inside that you could use as leverage to uphold your authority. With this as your final decision, you flipped open to the front page. Every muscle tensed simultaneously when you saw what was printed in the text.

Found you.

Before you could leap into action, a force suddenly wrapped around you from behind, tearing you away from the desk. You let out a surprised yelp before coming to your senses. The man who had taken ahold of you grunted when you propelled your head into his chin. He was thrown off guard but didn’t let you go.

Once your feet were able to touch the ground again, you grabbed tightly onto the clothed forearm around your neck and flung the man over your shoulder. A flash of red passed your eyes as he ducked into a roll instead of hitting the ground as you had planned. He landed a safe distance from you, locking onto you with a liquid ruby gaze.

“It’s you,” you said breathlessly. The Darknight Hero’s lips upturned slightly with what you assumed was something akin to amusement. The top of his face was hidden behind a black mask, but you already knew the identity of the man poised before you.

“You seem to have gotten lost. Guests shouldn’t be down here,” he said. “Allow me to escort you elsewhere.”

The end of his sentence turned into a growl as he lunged at you once more. You narrowly dodged his jabs as he did to yours, keeping high alert of the objects in your surroundings. It seemed the two of you were evenly matched—him with his brute strength, and you with your lithe agility.

He thought he got the upper hand when he managed to grab ahold of you once more. You twisted around in his muscular arm until you faced him, then propelled your legs out from the side until your thighs found the sides of his head. You snickered before using that leverage to send him stumbling backward.

The two of you crashed into the desk and it moved with an ear-splitting scrape across the hard floors. He lay winded, fighting to sit up, but you quickly straddled him while he was down.

Breathing almost as heavily as he was, you summoned a cocky smile and leaned close to his face. “You were expecting me.”

“With a little nudge in the right direction, it was only natural for the lot of you to come crawling right to me.” His voice was husky with adrenaline. Any other day, you would have been thrilled to have a man at your mercy the way Diluc was beneath you now. Unfortunately, the current circumstances were unideal.

You quickly retrieved your knife from the floor nearby, where it had clattered when he had first caught you. Your shirt clung uncomfortably to your skin and reeked of grape juice. The Fatui symbol to the right of your sternum seemed to draw his gaze, and you tutted.

“Don’t you know better than to stare at a woman’s chest?”

He was beginning to catch his breath again. “I would never hold Fatui scum on the same pedestal as a decent woman.”

This irked you slightly, but you held your composure. Using the tip of your blade, you flicked the mask from his face and exposed his make-up-streaked eyes. Diluc’s lip curled into a scowl when it fell to the side.

“You know, Diluc, you’re kind of handsome when you’re not making those unbecoming faces,” you remarked.

“Am I supposed to feel flattered?”

You shrugged. “Feel whatever you want. It’s not gonna last long, regardless.”

His eyebrow furrowed slightly when your arm raised above your head, knife in tow. A sadistic expression made the shadows on your face seem to deepen in the lighting.

“Kaeya,” he said sternly.

You stopped in your confusion. “Why are you saying another man’s name when we’re in the middle of something?”

A familiar chuckle came from behind you. “I wanted to see if you could hold your own, brother.”

A pair of handcuffs were slapped around one of your wrists. You proceeded to be yanked to the ground when the detective chained the other to the leg of the desk. His boot-clad foot crushed your hand until the knife came loose from your grasp, which he then kicked a good ten feet away. You barely had time to react to the exploit until you had already been disarmed.

You blinked in disbelief as Kaeya extended an arm to the red-head, who scornfully accepted the gesture. It took you a moment, but when you came to the realization, it stuck with you.

“Brother?”

Kaeya smiled complacently at you while Diluc swung his sore arm in slow circles. “Yes, that’s right. We’re similar enough, aren’t we?”

Your gaze switched between the two, from Diluc’s pale skin to Kaeya’s significantly darker skin tone. They were opposites in every sense of the word. The detective dealt with public affairs, while the vigilante worked under the cover of night, where prying eyes couldn’t see. They were a symbiotic pair. No one would have been the wiser about their connection. You certainly weren’t.

Despite the seething glare from Diluc, he knelt next to you and grabbed your chin. Delirious from the excitement of the evening, you grinned. You should have felt scared. You should have been wracked with anger, shame, or even helplessness. You felt none of these things.

He frowned. “You’re so young. How did you get wrapped up in this?”

“I’m the same age as you. Why is that a problem?” you retorted, letting him turn your face side to side in a solemn inspection.

“Yes—why is that a problem, Diluc?” Kaeya chimed in. He was an instigator. You liked this quality about him.

Diluc scoffed and stood up again. He swiped his mask from the floor and tossed it onto the desk, clearly aware that there was no use for it since you already knew who he was. “Elzer, please inform everyone that the event is over. Our job is done here.”

“Yes, sir,” came a male voice over the intercom.

You made a clicking noise with your tongue. “What are you going to do with me now? Turn me into the police? You know, I haven’t done anything wrong—at least, I hadn’t yet.”

“You broke in and were about to steal something. That’s wrong.”

“I’m just a guest who got a little lost. You said it yourself earlier,” you refuted. “Kaeya, we had a connection. You can’t let him keep me here like this.”

The man shrugged. “I may be a detective, but I never said I didn’t also use unseemly methods.”

“Bastard.”

“I get that a lot,” he said nonchalantly, crossing his legs in the chair he now occupied.

Diluc pulled another chair towards you, sitting a few arms lengths away from his brother. He crossed his arms and leaned back, staring you down with his mesmerizing red eyes.

“Do I get a chair?”

“No. You get to be questioned,” Diluc said plainly. Kaeya’s light laugh was like music to your ears.

“This is going to be a long night,” you pouted.