Faded Harmony

Angel's Share

"That's... amazing. Can people here really do something like that?"

"Not that I know of. Not that any of us know of actually." Kaeya twirled the glass in his hand, his chin in one hand. "Do you know why he couldn't hear them?"

Lyra recalled the old man who she had seen outside her window. Someone hadn't been gesturing to him, they had been communicating with him. "He was deaf, wasn't he?" she said silently.

"Not bad at all." Kaeya clapped, his eyes brightening. "We could do with your brains in the Knights of Favonius."

He sounded earnest, and Lyra did her best to convince herself that he was jesting.

"How long have you been in Mondstadt? I'm pretty sure I would remember a pretty girl if she was walking around town."

"Not long." Lyra tried to hide the fact that she was unsettled, but knew she failed when her hands began to tremble. He was being kind, he was sweet-talking her, and she kept dropping her guard. She was desperate for the affection, and she had a feeling he knew it. It wasn't often she heard compliments; she hadn't heard them in over a millennia. She chastised herself.

"Where are you from?"

"A place called 'None of your business.'"

Kaeya smiled, bringing his glass to his lips. Lyra mentally cursed him seeing how steady his hands were. "Okay, okay. I'll stop. So, what have you been doing in the library?"

"Oh, you know, fishing."

Kaeya smiled again, not even her annoyance fazing him. He was treating this like a game. "Did you know Ludi Harpastum ended last week? You came by a little too late." Kaeya turned in his chair, giving her his full attention.

Lyra tilted her head. "Ludi Harpastum? What's it like?"

Kaeya launched into an explanation, speaking of a week of games and drinks, and Lyra found herself enchanted. A part of her senses were screaming at her to be careful, but she ignored it. "It's a good thing the Abyss Order didn't mess it up this year."

"The Abyss Order attacked last night, didn't they?" Lyra spoke without thinking and covered her mouth with her hands immediately.

The cold seemed to return to the tavern as Kaeya grinned, his elbow on the counter. "Now... how did you come across that piece of information?"

"I heard Jean and Lisa talking in the library," said Lyra. She knew instinctively that hiding this would only lead to more problems, and Kaeya had brought enough with him into the tavern. Lyra downed her glass in one go, struggling to bring her guard back up against Kaeya's sweet words and voice.

Kaeya opened his mouth, and Lyra braced herself, but he was interrupted.

"Now the Knights of Favonius are targeting survivors?"

Lyra and Kaeya both turned to the stairs, where a red-haired man was walking down. Lyra's eyes fell on the glass orb on his coat, very similar to the one Amber herself sported. She had met an awful lot of people who had these, and was now wondering how they came to be in possession of them.

"Every survivor is a suspect, Master Diluc," said Kaeya. Lyra, feeling both frustrated and reckless, grabbed Kaeya's drink, and downed it in one go, as Charles watched in horror. It burned her throat as it went down, and Lyra knew it was strong. Kaeya smiled, as if her unsettling was his victory.

"Then doesn't that make you a suspect too, Sir Kaeya?" she asked.

Diluc walked to the counter, and stood next to Charles. "Don't tell me she's underage."

"She's underage."

"I am far older than any of you," said Lyra, setting the glass back down as Diluc raised an eyebrow and Kaeya looked at his now-empty glass.

"The Knights of Favonius are inefficient," said Diluc. "Harassing survivors..."

Lyra blinked, surprised at the sudden hostility that wasn't even aimed at her.

"The winery is inefficient," said Kaeya, matching Diluc's tone. "Letting underage drink..."

Diluc sighed and Charles looked down, almost as if he were worried he would lose his job. Lyra wondered whether anyone would listen if they told her she wasn't underage.

She bowed to Charles, who looked surprised. "I apologize for my reckless actions. Thank you for the drink, and I'll come again another day." She headed to the door, stopping to look back at Kaeya, whose smile had faded, to be replaced with interest. "Don't you dare try to manipulate me again. I could make a cape with all the red flags in that conversation," she hissed as Kaeya attempted to hide his smirk.

She nodded to Diluc, who nodded back, his face expressionless. Stepping out of the tavern, she let the door close behind her, the cool night air gentle on her face.

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