― 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖘𝖙. 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐮𝐩. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐲𝐯𝐚𝐭. ―
"i swear to the archons, if you do not get your hand off mine right now, i will cut off your fingers and feed it to pigeons."
immediately, kaeya removed his hand, clutching it close to his chest. he looked horrified. "my fingers are valuable."
the air was thick with the scent of alcohol and sweat. the noise was deafening, as people talked and laughed and glasses clinked together. surely enough, one too many glasses of dandelion wine easily made my once clear head turn fuzzy. another had joined us, an acquaintance of kaeya.
the bard strummed his instrument and chatted loudly. although he joined us late, he seemed to be a particularly huge fan of the nation's most famous wine. pink hues quickly decorated his face and he excused himself late into the night.
kaeya waved him off, already looking out of it. "what's your favorite colour?"
i looked at him confused. what kind of small talk is this? not feeling bothered to have a snarky conversation, i replied. "purple."
"did you know purple is the colour of royalty? i like your earring."
i laughed at the quick change of topics. he was clearly more drunk than i was. i felt grateful to the bard who stole my drinks. i would save myself some embarrassment tonight.
at his look, i touched my right ear, feeling the sharp edges of the gem on my fingertips. "it was a gift from my father. he had it handcrafted from one of his trips overseas." he sipped his water and nodded at my response, "it's purple. the same as your eyes."
"where did your smart mouth go? perhaps i should sneak some alcohol to you whenever you piss me off."
"if you mention it again, i'll start to think you miss this smart mouth of mine."
i called the bartender, asking for the bill. "you're insufferable."
"miss, the bill has been taken care of."
the two of us looked at him confused. "by who?"
"me. the tavern is closing. it's time to leave." i felt a presence behind me and so i turned around, looking up to catch the crimson eyes i met with earlier today.
"diluc? it's alright. let me pay."
he waved me off. "do not worry about it. you are our guest. it's the most i can do after the suffering you must've faced with this lad all night."
kaeya placed his chin on the palm of his hand. "my, my, diluc. do not taint my image in front of the new recruit."
diluc crossed his arms, "judging from her expression, i believe there would be no need for me to taint what is already tainted."
i laughed, nodding in agreement.
kaeya crossed his arms, playfully looking angrily to the side. "don't gang up on me, you two. i did not even know you were acquainted with each other."
"he was my escort. from liyue."
diluc nodded, grabbing the empty glasses off our table, "jean asked me for a favour. pierre was sick."
"i was in liyue too! why didn't jean just ask me?" kaeya huffed.
"clearly, i was more capable. now, hurry off. i need to close for the night."
i stood up, pushing my chair back to its original position. "can you stand?"
"what do you take me for, ysabelle? i am no weakling. let's go."
kaeya walked down the stairs, the clinkling of his ornaments around his outfit echoing throughout the tavern. i followed suit, before letting out a yelp in surprise when a hand was placed of my forearm.
"are you alright to get back safely? if you wait a bit, i can escort you after i clean up." diluc's voice was low, his captivating eyes pierced through mine. a gentleman as ever, some things never change.
before i could reply, kaeya's booming voice echoed. "diluc, i hope you're not trying to steal my recruit away from me!" his voice was teasing, but it also felt like there was another meaning behind the statement.
i moved my arm away from his grasp and smiled. "i'm alright. thank you for your consideration. goodnight, diluc."
as i turned my back, i couldn't help but feel a pang in my chest. the subtle tenderness was not something i was unfamiliar with. all those days, all those nights came flashing back to my mind. that summer. that one summer.
how could he have forgotten all of it just like that?
__
"sometimes when i stare at the moon, i feel like everything around me just stops."
kaeya (forced) asked if he could bring me somewhere right after we left the tavern. a secret spot, he said, that is the best view for the fireworks. it was a few minutes until the last show of the night, the once busy streets already starting to die down as vendors start to close and the citizens start to return to their homes. i leaned my back against the concrete wall.
the wall that encircled mondstadt was not one i have been on top of before. i didn't even know the upstairs was accessible, but i guess being the cavalry captain has its perks.
"my father used to say the moon was some sort of treasure chest." i laughed, "people would tell her their secrets, and she'd lock them up. the safest place in all of teyvat."
i turned to look at kaeya who was playing with a mora in his hand, a habit i believe he has. he visibly sobered up, no longer blinking slowly and having a dazed look in his eyes.
"that sounds nice. you seem quite close with your father."
at the mention, i immediately smiled. "yeah, he was my everything. i miss him a lot, especially on nights like this."
"how long has it been?"
"two, maybe three years? we keep on the low for the most part, people didn't start finding out until a while ago."
kaeya nodded, not pressing further. maybe he caught my curious eyes, but he answered the lingering question i had in my head. "my father left me in mondstadt when i was a young boy."
he didn't continue, and it felt like he did not wish to. i didn't press further. my yawn interrupted the silence. "i'm tired. are you sure there are still fireworks?"
"of course, do you think i'm lying?" he playfully acted hurt.
"if it's you, i wouldn't be surprised."
he stopped playing with the mora in his hands. "fine, you got me there. you're half right. we missed all the shows while we were in the tavern. however, using my handsome looks, i was able to ask the organizers for one last show."
"your handsome looks? is today april fools? that's a great joke."
"you wound me. fine, you got me. there's just an extra show for the 10th anniversary."
right as he finished his sentence, the sky lit up. the sky, previously pitch black, illuminated only by the sparkling stars that were scattered across the vast expanse above. a loud boom echoed through the night sky, causing me to jump in surprise. i looked up to see a burst of bright, vibrant colors cascading down from above. it was the first firework, and it signaled the start of the show.
as i watched, more and more fireworks exploded into life, each one more stunning than the last. reds, greens, blues, and yellows all blended together in a beautiful dance across the sky, like paintbrush strokes across a canvas. the explosions were deafening, filling the air with a thunderous boom that reverberated through my chest.
as the fireworks continued, i couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the sheer beauty of it all. it was as if the world around me had melted away, leaving only the magnificent display of color and light in its place.
kaeya mumbled something. i placed my palm on the ground, leaning closer to the side, "what did you say?" he turned his head, lips scarily close to my ear. "this good enough for an apology?"
i leaned away, pretending to ponder. "hmm, i guess i'll be nice. i'll take it."
he laughed and rolled his eyes, "don't be so hard to please. i might find it fun."
as the show drew to a close, the final firework erupted into life, illuminating the entire sky with a brilliant white light. it was a breathtaking finale, a perfect end to an unforgettable experience. as the last echo of the boom faded away, i felt a sense of longing and sadness, wishing that the moment could last forever.