Kaebedo || Where The Cold Doesn't Touch

Trapped - 40

(TW Needles, Emotional Damage :3)

Work is tedious, it's something Kaeya repeats over and over in his mind. He does it because he has to, no more than the bare minimum though. Working overtime or gods forbid, however much Jean does, is beyond Kaeya's thought process.

And so he mulls over his paperwork, it had piled up over the series of events that occurred beforehand but Jean didn't put it against him. His office is uncharacteristically quiet, murmurs can be heard beyond his door but nothing more than that. The Captain flops against his desk, groaning like a child would when they get bored.

He's trying to distract himself from the inevitability of talking to Albedo. Anxiety spiked through him just thinking about it. He needs a drink. Papers fall to the floor, half of its work being done. But the Captain disregards it and leaves in a haste.

The tavern is quiet. There are only a few people chatting away in the far corners, whispers too quiet for Kaeya to listen into. "Red wine?" Charles asks.

Kaeya nods, his head hurting from the stress of his own overthinking. "Charles, you have it easy," he mutters.

"What do you mean sir?" He pours a generous glass of red wine and slides it over to Kaeya.

"It's as if your life isn't made to be complicated, the days go by like nothing but not in a bad way."

"I wouldn't say that, I mean sure I just work at the tavern but that doesn't make my life any less complicated."

Kaeya snorts, "I beg to differ."

"Whatever you say sir, the glass is on the house. It seems you've gotten yourself caught up on something, I won't put anymore on your tab." Charles gives a polite nod and disappears into the back room of the tavern.

Kaeya exasperates a loud sigh but it's muffled by the front door opening. "Charles!"

It's Diluc.

"I'm going to the headquarters to find Kaeya to- oh."

Kaeya blinks at him, then slightly laughs, "Ta-da, I'm here. What's going on?"

"Are you dense? You fought with him didn't you?"

The Captain swirls his drink, the red staring right back at him, "That is none of your business, frankly I don't need you to nag me about my relationship."

Diluc groans and rubs his temple, "By the gods, everything has been so difficult. The city is being bombarded with more abyss creatures. They're getting smarter, more secretive. I don't know what they're planning exactly but it has to do with him."

Kaeya grits his teeth, "It's not his fault if they do!"

"Is it not? Then explain to me why he has those purple marks everywhere?! Do you think I'm dumb?"

Some people in the tavern start to whisper amongst themselves.

"Every single one of you out of my tavern." Diluc demands.

The people don't hesitate to obey, each leaving in a haste. Charles also takes it as a sign that this conversation will not be pretty and leaves accordingly as well.