maid • kaeya

xxxi

• third person •

Soon enough, Luca and Leon managed to grab anything they needed from the hotel, before making their way downstairs. Surprisingly, the receptionist was still there, just pacing about near her desk.

"Hey," Leon greeted, lifting the one arm he could.

Of course, she jumped, startled by the sudden voice in a building piled with dead bodies.

"Let me do the talking," Luca whispered to Leon, approaching her.

"Don't worry: we're not going to hurt you," Luca spoke softly. "You saved us, so we're indebted to you."

"You should probably leave before more Fatui are sent and they find out that you've betrayed them. They will probably be less lenient since you're not from Snezhnaya."

The receptionist huffed a little, looking away, her fingers trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry that you've been startled. Did you expect this?"

"I was warned," she murmured, "but I didn't know it was you. I didn't... expect it to be you either."

Luca smiled warmly. "Were you a fan, back then?" he asked, amused.

"Well..." her eyes wandered, "more of Lucien than you. But all of my friends had crushes on you. Until you left, that is."

"You guys make it sound like he was in a boyband or something," Leon intervened, very much unamused.

Luca ignored him. "Oh? My parents made it seem that Lucien was always in my shadow. I wasn't aware that she also had fans. I'm sure she would have loved to meet you."

The receptionist blushed. Though, rapidly, she cleared her throat, folding her arms.

"Well, anyway," Luca sighed, "do you perhaps have any idea where they might have taken our friend? He was injured and they took him during the battle."

She tapped her chin. "The pretty boy they were dragging across the floor? Nice hair, brown skin?"

Luca nodded. "That's him. Did you see?"

The receptionist exhaled, shaking her head. "I only saw them drag him out... I have no idea where they might have taken him. Probably a hideout somewhere; I don't really know how the Fatui work..."

Luca nodded. He didn't expect much. "That's alright. Thank you for your help. We should probably get away from you now, for your safety."

"Mm..."

She rubbed her arm in silence.

She watched quietly as Luca and Leon spoke between themselves for a moment, noticing how one of Leon's arms was just hanging limp as Luca carried their things in a rucksack.

And, just as they were about to leave the building, she spoke again.

"Are you injured?"

Both Luca and Leon turned their heads.

Luca glanced at the torn fabric in Leon's shirt where he had been shot.

"I... can heal you, if you would like."

Luca's gaze fell. Only then did he realise the anemo vision within her glove.

Mini vision... he thought to himself.

With a smile, Luca looked over to Leon. Leon only stared back at him, as if waiting for Luca to make the decision, like usual.

"You can also stay at mine and hide, if you want... It's eating at me to leave you to freeze outside when I could help."