CALL ME OUT

[circuitice]

this post for CMO for kaeya. new threads and TLs to go here

Comments

— modern au

[ironwind]

[ If Aether is guilty of anything, it's really just that he's a little lonely.

It all started when Lumine got a boyfriend. The feeling of being unwanted — the suspicion that he's always been unloved. On some level, he knows it's all irrational — he knows that he has friends who like him, and that he doesn't need to be tethered to his twin sister, can't realistically be expected to do that anyway — but he can't shake the insecurities off, and he feels, somehow, that he had to change. Maybe what he really needs is a boyfriend so that he can match her, or someone who will understand that he's his own person. Maybe he's just going down a self-destructive path.

But he goes looking. For companionship, in some ways, and for independence, in others. For himself, in a twisted way. At least, that's what he tells himself as he browses hookup apps, trying to find someone who will make him feel different from the person he is now.

Something different takes the form of a handsome stranger named Kaeya, who has posted all the right photos and said all the right things and made Aether feel wanted, and that has sent the blond tumbling dangerously into his arms for the night, in an apartment he doesn't recognize, in a situation where he could very likely wind up disappearing because he hasn't let anyone know where he's gone.

Is Kaeya really 21, like he said he was? He feels older, somehow, older than Aether's own relatively tender 24 — but the real surprise is that Kaeya actually is the same impossibly beautiful man as shown in his photos, and he's real and warm and solid and everything he promised he would be. Aether feels slightly overwhelmed by how handsome he is, and the fact that his hands are on his skin, pushing up his shirt where they've been shamelessly making out on his couch. ]

You really — mm. You move fast, huh?

[ He's been in Kaeya's apartment maybe ten minutes. Maybe this is just how it is with men who are so good-looking, so self-assured, that they can call their hookup for the night straight to their beds without having to think twice about it. ]

[circuitice]

[ aether was cute. kaeya would never swipe right if he couldn't meet that basic requirement-- but he was surprised in other respects. how quickly the conversation flowed.

maybe a little how easily it did as well. all the little hints of evasiveness, or shyness, it just made him want him more. he liked it when people played hard to get, it provided a challenge. and kaeya did love challenges, people who weren't entirely weak to his charms.

which, if it were anyone else, he didn't think they'd even speak again until it came to pathetic attempts at pillow talk. and so, here he was, pushing Aether down to straddle him on his couch. where they had been making out. and so, he laughs against his skin, and nips him lightly along the line of his neck ]

Wouldn't you say this is the fastest way to get to know someone?

[ he says with that mischievous lilt in his voice, as his hands press down against his chest, thumbs rubbing against his nipples. and he takes the chance to adjust his weight, to get more comfortable as it were. ]

[ironwind]

[ It isn't fair — even his voice is unfairly sultry, low and lilting and teasing in the way that men only tease in Aether's fantasies, and the blond finds his breath quickening even though he's only being nipped at and toyed with. Insecurities scream out at him in the back of his mind — not that he thinks he isn't attractive, but he thinks he needs to do something, say something, to be more interesting, to be something, to please Kaeya.

He can't think of anything, though, and his heart is beating too fast in his chest. Aether finds himself seized by a full-body shiver as Kaeya teases his nipples, sending rich sensation crashing down his nerves. ]

I'd say — [ a shudder, a breath, and somehow, even though Kaeya is the most attractive man he's ever seen, Aether feels the need to argue with him ] — all you're going to learn is how fast I can make you come.

[ How fast he's going to make Kaeya come? Where did he come up with the nerve for that? Somehow, though, the bluster just keeps coming, and he looks defiantly up at Kaeya, even though he's visibly pink in his cheeks and tenting in his pants. ]

...Not that I need you to learn anything more than that.

[circuitice]

[ Kaeya had thought, oh, given everything, he might get the usual pushback. Maybe something shaming him, or something expressing embarrassment and uncertainty. The former a mild annoyance, and the latter charming in its own way. But the bluster? That was different. That was a heavy acknowledgment. A challenge.

a willingness to meet him.

he was right in his initial read that there was something about him. and well, he felt like he should reward him by not taking pity on him. Aether didn't seem like he needed that-- if anything... it'd be nice to see him feel confident. ]

How fast, hm?

[ he rocks his hips down against him, teasing him as he leans low, firmly pressing his body against his, his teeth grazing against the line of his neck, followed quickly by his tongue ]

Does it still count if I make you come first~?

reverie WHAT IF for aiden

[circuitice]

[ well.

he's in a bit of a bind, what with the whole... monster thing. and the lack of indulging in his normal inclinations, that it's giving him a bit of a headache. he should-- probably go wander around without a shirt or something.

start a drinking game.

make terrible choices.

But right now, he's just in that ideation phase. ]

[veardant]

[ the dormitories are quiet this afternoon, and the scent of coffee wafts across the space. tighnari is sitting comfortably on one of the squashy sofas, sipping from a mug, with several books open around him. it's a nice afternoon. you know, for reverie.

he hears kaeya's footfalls before he sees him, and they sound.. agitated, uncomfortable, which is always a little bit alarming in this place, but he has no reason to panic, at the moment. one tall ear twitches toward him when kaeya appears, and tighnari glances up from his reading.

hm. his scent is off, too. ]

Everything all right?

[circuitice]

[ Ah, he looks up when he hears Tighnari call out, and sighs dramatically, hamming up his very real frustration. ]

I'm trying to think of what to do to solve a conundrum. How gauche is it to try to seduce someone after the most recent game pitting us up against each other?

[veardant]

[ at that, tighnari snorts, his tone dry. leaning away from his book, he props one elbow on the arm of the sofa, and rests his cheek against his knuckles. ]

Not at all, I think, but that's only my opinion. It's a good way to blow off excess steam while reconnecting with what is most important, here - sticking together.

for dain

[circuitice]

[ His duties back in Mondstadt range from... the mildly interesting, to the boring, depending on who was out and about. And while the field work was, unfortunately, a little less compelling than normal, Kaeya had high hopes that maybe Angel's Share would be more interesting.

Maybe he'd learn something new and of interest, plying his chosen companion with alcohol and needless flattery. And if there was nothing else, at least he would get to hear a song, make an appearance, and then disappear to see if he could guess where their illustrious vigilante might show up next.

He had a few guesses for that.

But, imagine his surprise when he sees a somewhat familiar face? First, in Sumeru. And now, in Mondstadt? Wasn't he lucky. He takes a seat next to him, with a genial smile. ]

Well, we meet again. Could I buy you a drink?

[khaenriahn]

[ his return to the nation of freedom is not one dainsleif had expected to happen to soon. there had been, however, recent developments that led him here; at that same tavern from months past, the same table, the same seat.

this time, it is not golden hair that approaches him. at the corner of his eyes, he sees: dark-blue hair, brown skin, eyes much like his while also not. it is not a coincidence or a work of fate that they have come to meet again. for what other reason, after all, would his feet bring him back to mondstadt? ]

... Apple Cider. [ is the answer he gives him, first.

second, next to him? really? ] I doubt you're surprised to see me here.

[ considering what has last happened back in sumeru, at the very least. he might not be entirely familiar with kaeya, but he doubts this is all too surprising. ]

[circuitice]

Apple cider it is, then. I'll give Charles my best regards.

[ he says easily, preferring to not address the second statement. Is he surprised? Not entirely-- but in the sense that he wasn't expecting today of all days... ]

And we can discuss how surprised I am over those drinks, hm?

[khaenriahn]

[ first assessment: kaeya is one of those people. the kind of person who does not answer questions, and paints a picture according to their own will and whims. dainsleif, here, is simply one of the many colors being used.

he doesn't entirely mind it. there is a bigger picture to be seen. ]

Are you more likely to run your mouth under the influence of alcohol, or keep quiet?

[ it is, despite the wording, not shade, but mere curiosity. ]

For milky

[circuitice]

[ Kaeya is soaked to the bone. And yet, the chill barely even registers as he looks at the light of the mansion in the distance. He had kept himself away from Diluc, ceding that he needed that precious time with his father. That this was all too raw, and yet all Kaeya could do was obsess over the mess of feelings inside.

The relief that what he must do was that much easier. And the guilt that this was how he felt. The grief over Crepus, and the resignation to what he still had to do.

He couldn’t bear it. It was easier to keep up this charade when all things were in balance, and yet that balance had been broken. He could feel how much easier it was to consider betraying Mondstadt to his home— the figurative noose tightening around his neck.

And yet, the idea still filled him with fear. This wasn’t a choice he could make, it was already chosen for him by fate. But… Diluc was a child of the land of freedom. He surely had the capability to choose. The freedom to do so. Kaeya swallowed heavily.

He had to do this. This was his last chance to make things right, before the choice was fully out of their hands. Out of Diluc’s.

And so… he knocks on the door, as though he is a stranger, and this is not his home.

Because it isn’t. It can’t be. ]

[pyronic]

[There's little solace to be found in the pouring rain save for the way it keeps the static from ringing in Diluc's ears, the bleak rattling of his father's final breaths. Diluc hasn't moved from where he's sunken into the mattress, knuckles white where his fists interlink, but he stirs when a knock falls upon his door.

Unusual, he thinks. The maids and butlers have all been informed of what transpired today, and so they know better to knock and disturb Diluc at this time. That leaves only one answer, and it's one that already has some ill feeling settling deep in the pit of Diluc's gut. Kaeya never knocks. This is his home, after all. Has been for some time now.

Stiff when he jerks upright, Diluc pulls open the door, eyes puffy and red. Guess who isn't taking daddy's death well? Shocker.]

...You don't have to knock, Kaeya.

[But I don't need to tell you that, do I? Go on, then. Tell him what's going on here.]

[circuitice]

...

[ he wants to stop the next thing that comes out of his mouth. Wants nothing better than to extend a hand and comfort Diluc, as a brother should.

but he owes him the truth.

he owes him the chance to stop this before it happens. And if he doesn't... then it was as fate designed. He hates it, so much. If only he could have actually been a child of freedom, but there was no way Barbatos would ever extend his grace to him. ]

I've been lying to you, Diluc.

[ he chooses to be harsh, chooses to disregard Diluc's feelings entirely, to make this easier. ]

[pyronic]

[...Why now, Kaeya? Diluc can't simply dismiss this as some sort of awful joke when it isn't the sort of joke Kaeya would make. And as much as it alarms him to hear Kaeya speaking in such a severe monotone, perfectly serious, he can't afford not to take him at his word.

His skin prickles beneath his shirt, unable to stop staring, seeking out answers in Kaeya's eyes. Naturally, he turns up nothing. He has to ask. Speak.

The words are rusty on Diluc's tongue.]

...About what?

wait now; soon you, too, will have peace // canon-compliant

[hotcall]

[ the idea of a bar having after hours is a bit of an oxymoron. taverns exist to serve in the after hours. the definition of after ranges based on its clientele. for a housewife, the after hours is three hours after noon when her child has finally acquiesced to a nap and the laundry is still-fluttering along its seam on its line. for a knight of the favonius, after hours is seven in the morning after an overnight shift watching over the fata morgana rise of a mondstadian sunrise. for a vigilante patrolling the city afterdark, there is no such thing as after hours. there is a reason why rosaria drinks at will. there is a reason why diluc doesn't drink at all, but it has never been said that those reasons must coincide. the after hours of after hours, then, is a world unto a world. in the odd pre-dawn hours before those who live the darkness passes like low-skimming asymptotes those who wakes with live the light, diluc takes the time to fully unlock the back door to the angel's share, before walking back to the bar to continue cleaning after the day's glasses.

there is no misconception about the reason behind the naming of the tavern. there is a misconception regarding its source. charles is quick to explain over a passed pint or the slide of a margarita glass that when distilling liquor in cellars, a small portion of the liquor would inevitably be absorbed by the barrels, or evaporated during distillation. no barrel filled at the time of aging will remain full by the time the casks are cracked open once more, bounty quartered and shared. brewers often refer to this lost portion as 'the share of angels', and thus the name of the tavern. the reference itself is true. truth is often the greatest of distractors. give a scenthound what it is searching for, and it will be pulled by the leash off its trail by its owner.

it was kaeya who taught diluc this, deep in the hush of diluc's room when they were fifteen, gangly limbs thigh-to-thigh in a bed meant for one, luminous eyes in the darkness. it had been kaeya who taught diluc this again on a raining night the day the flame died, leaving behind ash and the sheen of midwinter ice, unseasonably so for an autumn so mild. it follows that it had been kaeya whom crepus had taught the basics of brewing one midsummer day, and who had brought it up to diluc years later, when both of them stood on opposing sides of a cavalry line. that no matter how many years you experience, the evaporation of them leave unseen gaps. you can live a life and not know how you got to where you were. you could get there, and look back, and know that in the gaps, the angels had taken their share after all.

tonight, the tavern is dark save for the illumination of candlelight at a polished bar. diluc listens for and identifies the creak of the back door as it opens and closes. he sets another glass aside, and picks out the mildest of his vintages. the drink is placed there between him and the edge of the bar, innocuous in its balance, as the owner of a set of familiar footsteps emerge.

diluc does not look up. he has never had to. ]

We're closed.

[circuitice]

[ ah, the welcome he was already expecting the minute he stepped in. And yet, it doesn't stop him from entering in the rest of the way. How kind, to have the easy entry long after the other guests have left. To have the opportunity to drink dandelion wine in peace and quiet.

Normally, he would hate it, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sumeru was already a long journey, and he'd spent a week there just... conducting business.

He doesn't hate the quiet. It's one less guardrail that needs to be up. And so, he slides past the bar, and takes the drink, sitting opposite of Diluc. ]

Is that any way to treat one of your best customers, after I've been gone for so long? I surely thought that you would come to miss me by now, Master Diluc.

[hotcall]

[ another contradiction: the glint of kaeya's words directly in contrast with the shadows from which he peels himself. the cool shade of the entranceway pulls away upon the gentle caress of flame. kaeya moves into the lamplight and diluc allows himself to look at him. it is not the revelation of two years ago, when diluc had returned from tearing a bloody gash into the world to a lean shadow along the parapet. but kaeya himself has always been a deliverance from shadow. to describe him solely with darkness is to miss the glint of his knife in flame.

diluc puts down another glass, and picks up another. his fingers travel along its rim, and then his cloth. ]

Miss you? [ as dry as the hypostyle: ] You have not given me the opportunity to. For the Knights of Favonius, two weeks in Sumeru is not enough time to achieve anything of significance.

[ translation: inefficienct. ]

for hotcall;

[circuitice]

[ honestly, this was his favorite type of night. where there was just enough time left over to clean up and hit the club. the music was loud and it was always packed. he could stay up all night, drinking his cares away. flirt with strangers that he'd never see again. maybe even enjoy something a little more tangible.

all in good fun, of course.

all while ignoring the pounding headache and the way he was still seeing two from a week or so ago. ignoring the fact that sometimes, he wished he wasn't the one in charge of negotiations. or of enforcing the contracts they did have. but, he could put those feelings aside, and compartmentalize as much as possible.

and so, he put on his coat, as he stepped out onto the street.

he walked the path he'd walked every night since before he was old enough to drink, relying on other tricks to get past the bouncers into the club. He pulled out his phone to send a text, to let his companions know he was on his way. to put off answering other texts. He had plans.

Nothing interested him more than seeing the flashing neon lights, except as he turned towards the club, he caught sight of a flash of red, and an aching familiarity familiarity hit him. and just like when he was younger, he created a plan. he "allowed" himself the chance to get the other's attention, by crashing into him as he stared at his phone, a totally innocent excuse. ]

Oh! My apologies. And I haven't even had a drink yet-- Are you alright?

three thousand years later...

[hotcall]

[ night in mondstadt has always had a certain kind of connotation to it. the connotation depend on the person. a bar, brimming, with patrons looking to let drink dilute the severity of life. a restaurant, replete, with late-night goers seeking late-night meals. the streets, emptied, save for those who made their living in such emptiness. and diluc - who walks the length of the night because only by walking into the night can you illuminate it. tonight, there is an exchange of information. that by itself is nothing sensational. in this city, information exchanges hands and ears at the speed that which boggles even the most robust learners of logistics. the information highway is a physical thing taken wings. diluc is not interested in wings; he is interested in the feathers left behind. the exchange includes a person. this, diluc cannot condone.

it's only in the aftermath that he allows himself to breathe. it is not, however, a celebration of success. the package had not been delivered tonight; there had been an issue with the suppliers. the unsaid: the package is still intact, but may not be so in a week's time. the exchange will be set at a date and time sooner than later. diluc rolls the stiff joint of his shoulder and melts into the dark of the city. there is nothing to do but to continue to observe and wait. tonight, then, the city becomes more obstacle than shield. the street he meanders down is uneven. the echoes of a local club reverberates. he ignores it long enough to observe a figure rounding a corner. diluc makes to walk around - he does not, however, make it.

a glint of blue. a trailing mane. a leg that hadn't been there, but now was, stretched akimbo - and diluc is careened into with the spurious light of a smartphone. he starts, first, and then, the cold of hoarfrost is like the nostalgic touch of a single snowflake upon the edge of your tongue. it should have been sweet. diluc looks, and then, he continues to look. ]

No. [ diluc says, because a ghost has come to life in this town.

but it is, however, a mere ghost. the beat that follows is filled with the slow rustle of cloth. diluc rises, and then, leaning down, reaches out his hand. ] The fault is mine. I had not seen you.

[ and have not seen you. but that, too, does not bear saying. instead: ] Though I do not take full responsibility.

[circuitice]

I should have paid closer attention.

[ when the other offers his hand, Kaeya takes it easily. something nagging at the back of his mind, beyond the handsome look of this stranger in front of him. but he isn't a stranger, is he? Kaeya can place a red mane of hair, nearly forgotten in the recesses of his mind.

And yet, here he is. ]

Actually... You're a familiar face to me.

[ his phone buzzes needlessly in the background as he puts it away into his pocket, focusing his attention entirely on the man in front of him, that he'd went out of his way to so gracelessly have a chance to talk to. And something tugs on his heart, which almost made him laugh in disbelief. He thought he had shed that long ago. ]

What luck.

[ and then Kaeya studies the face of the man before him, and if not for the cold glare of his eyes, Kaeya thinks it would be a face better suited to smiling. To being carefree. Ah, and that helps him place a timeframe for this ghost of his past.

he doesn't seem as innocent now. ah, kaeya thinks, but he recognizes me too. what had started off as an impulse to get the attention of a handsome man had so much more potential. ]

I don't suppose you recognize me, do you?

[ kaeya asks, even though he's certain of the answer, regardless of what the other says. ]

for amb

[circuitice]

[ leyline disorders aren't unheard of. But their severity is usually what prompts who the knights send out to look into them. And, well, Kaeya loves a potentially dangerous problem that may be as simple as disrupting a Fatui plot, or maybe the Abyss Order.

especially with all the new information rolling around in his head.

But this time, as he looks over the leyline issue near starfell lake, he doesn't see any particular issue causing it. But, he's just getting started. Surely, there are clues? ]

Let's see here... If I were a nefarious plot, where would I be hiding...

[partymagician]

[ Fai could sense the disruption in energy, and in the hopes that it would be his companions that he seems to have landed in this world without, he followed it to its source… only to find a man already investigating it. He frowns, hanging back for a few moments to see if anything comes of his investigation.

Sensing an opportunity to make himself known, he waves from behind a large rock, a falsely pleasant grin on his face. ]

Right here seems like a good spot, don’t you agree?

[circuitice]

Oh?

[ cautious, and yet, with an air as though he isn't, ]

This must be a new form of nefarious.

[ He doesn't look like he's from Mondstadt. Sneznhaya? But he doesn't look like a merchant or the Fatui... ]

Though, I can confidently say that you're a new face.