Kaebedo || Where The Cold Doesn't Touch

Angel's Share - 7

Kaeya doesn't know when he slipped out of the cave but he did. It was very early and he was shivering when he left. He knew he had been gone from Mondstadt for too long and the knights would have noticed his absence by now.

He sighed a breath of relief as he walked back into Mondstadt, the warm air regulating his body heat. By the Archons, he needed that warmth.

Before he knew it he was walking into Angel's Share, it's unconscious really. He usually goes to pry information out of the drunkards that attend regularly but that might be an excuse for his rising alcohol intake whenever he attends.

Upon arriving, he was going to ask for a drink. But instead was met by a glare, half-hearted but still very angry, from his good friend Rosaria.

"Well, mister-I'll go to dragonspine for a day and come back to deal with the treasure hoarders tomorrow- has finally arrived." She raised her eyebrow to enunciate her sarcasm.

He waved his hand at her to dismiss it completely, "I came back and that's what matters." He then went over to the counter and asked Charles for a cold beer. Rosaria annoyed that Kaeya completely ignored her, goes over and sits next to him. "Kaeya," her tone of voice serious and unnerving, to get his attention.

He makes a sound of acknowledgment but he's half paying attention, more focused on getting the beer that's being handed to him. She eyes him as he takes a generous sip to soothe his mind. She sighs, begrudgingly, and asks, "Did you fuck the Alchemist?"

Kaeya spits out his beer which makes the whole bar go quiet. Rosaria tries her hardest not to laugh whilst Charles wipes the table with a tired look on his face. Kaeya apologizes to the bartender before giving a cold stoned glare to the nun.

"Were you disappointed or something," she laughs, "You never look this terrible after a session out."

"For the love of Barbatos, no! Klee was there, I would never stoop that low. I didn't go to dragonspine for that. Cut me some slack," he takes a sip and leans on the table, "Besides I don't think he's interested, in anyone really."

She shakes her head, "Seems something happened if you stayed for four days."

He looks at her with shock and she chuckles, "What?"

"I was gone for four days?" he asks in disbelief.

She raises her eyebrow again, confusion setting in, "Yeah, I had to inform Master Jean that you might've been caught up with helping the Chief Alchemist or something."

He shakes his head, "I didn't even know."

A wave of concern washes over the nun's face, "What happened out there Kaeya?"

She knows him too well, he wants to wave it off, wants to leave it locked away in his mind until he can forget it but she won't let him. "Let's go upstairs."

She nods, knowing that they need privacy. He goes up first, dragging his feet along the stairs and settling for a table in the far corner. The nun finishes talking to Charles, speaking with him about making up for the beer being spat all over the counter. She asks for a glass of dandelion wine and heads up to meet the Captain who awaits her.

"Now tell me what happened." she isn't budging, he knows that so he takes in a sharp breath and starts.

"There was a storm, it was freezing more than it already was. Klee got lost out in the snow. Albedo and I went out to get there but because the air was thinning and the temperature dropped so low I couldn't do it and so I lost consciousness." His body shakes from just remembering.

"I then woke up in a freezing lake that I fell into, Albedo saved me. When we went back to get warmed up I think I disturbed him, made him uncomfortable and now I think he's angry at me. I think he just wants to be left alone." The alcohol is mostly talking now but he made sure not to mention his nightmares.

Nightmares are too personal to Kaeya and though he trusts Rosaria with his life, he can't disclose some things. He isn't looking at her, only at his beer that is now almost empty. He knows she's evaluating him though, her eyes always do that and he feels like an open book.

She moves then and taps her fingers on the table. "You're an idiot you know that."

He's glad she is letting the heavy atmosphere become lighter because he looks at her then, his face with a smirk. "And why's that?" his sly remark coming back, it's much more like him.

She just chuckles, "You can't decide if he already hates you, and he saved you Kaeya. You know as much that many people wouldn't go out in the cold just to save someone, especially someone they barely know."

He nods and thinks about it, he can't assume things and Albedo seems like a very reserved person, especially about feelings. He doesn't want to admit it but Rosaria is right, she seems to always be right but he doesn't want to keep track of all the times she got him out of stupid shenanigans he's gotten into.

She knows him all too well and says, "You know I'm right," a sly smile on her face as she takes a sip of her wine.

He groans, "You say that every time!"  "Because it's always true! You can't lie to me." she can't help but counter back.

He knows he can't and so he finishes his drink and slumps down onto the table in defeat. There is silence with only the loud bar and music downstairs to fill it.

"He is very attractive though." Kaeya mumbles. Rosaria stops drinking and looks at him, playful disgust on her face, "You are a dirty whore Kaeya."

He scoffs at her, "You know, for a nun you speak with such vulgar language."

"I'm simply speaking the truth," her smile hidden behind the sip she takes from her wine, "But I know you can't communicate your feelings properly to the person who actually needs to hear it even if they fight you about it."

"Ouch, hard blow to my ego," he dramatically sighs, "Can't you be nice to me for one day?" he gives her the best puppy dog eyes he can muster and she laughs.

"Not a chance."

He groans but it's all in good fun, she's one of the only people he can really talk to. She understands him and in turn, he understands her. She takes the last gulp of her wine before looking out the window, it's undoubtedly late. They've talked for a good while now and tomorrow they would have to get back to their busy schedule as if this night never happened.

She picks up their empty glasses before looking at the Cavalry Captain, one last time in this privacy that they have finally been given.

"I know you know you can't keep avoiding things. You'd rather run away or run around the problem but people are not objects Kaeya. You've run from Diluc, so don't make that same mistake again. You can't stay stagnant forever, this is only the beginning."

She leaves then, her heels are loud going down the stairs. Her voice muffled by the noise of late-night drinkers and then the tavern door opens and shuts and he's alone upstairs. He closes his eye and he really does want to disappear. Running always worked, hasn't it?

No, he knows it hasn't. It only stops time for just a little while, but time never stops for anyone and it aggravates him. But he can't help but keep up his habits, but those habits will only come back to haunt him.

"I can wait," he tells himself.

Then the tavern noise drowns out his thoughts for the night.

(AN- You guys are so nice, I appreciate the amount of love that this fic has been given. I promise I'll give them a happy ending but they just need to workout stuff before then. :p You guys are so funny tho when I do make it angsty, it makes my day. Also, I'm asking for a hand in marriage from Rosaria. I love this woman -^-)