Work Text:
“I remember you.”
The humid air of a summer day in Sumeru, the percussion of the wooden chimes. Looking up from her clipboard, Elysia meets her client’s jaded turquoise eyes; an elderly woman from Fontaine who radiates an aura of refined grace and elegance.
“My late husband and I watched your performances in the Opera Epiclese. The tickets didn’t come easy. But it was worth it, every single time.” The elderly woman closes her eyes. “It’s been a long time since then.”
“... Indeed it has.” Elysia chuckles mirthlessly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Don’t be. I know my husband is more than happy to wait until he can welcome me home in our abode above the stars.” The woman gazed at the golden band around her finger before meeting Elysia’s eyes with a smile once more. “Forgive me for my nosiness, but do you still play?”
“That depends on how much others are willing to pay.” Elysia jests lightly, using the same reply whenever asked that all too familiar question.
The woman did not take offense at her dismissive reply and laughed. “I’m sure the amount of mora would be enough to put one in debt.”
The gray of the woman’s hair, the creases and wrinkles of her skin a testament of flowing time. For a brief second, Elysia wonders just how much her own Mother’s appearance has changed over the course of time.
“It must’ve been difficult.” The woman says gently.
Elysia keeps her smile. “Not as difficult as learning the vibrato for the very first time.”
“Haha, I suppose not.”
They resume talks of business and the negotiations end in a success. The woman thanked Elysia for her time and the consultant sent her off with a smile. Job done for the day, Elysia strolls the crowded streets of Sumeru to clear her head.
The orange glow of dusk, the sea of people walking about. Some were with friends, others with family. It must’ve been difficult. The woman’s voice rings in her head. What would she know?
The setting sun, the hustle and bustle of the city. A familiar sight in the crowd, Elysia’s heart jumps at those familiar strands of ashen-colored hair.
“Alhai — !”
She stops, ocean-violet eyes widening ever so slowly.
Two figures in the crowd. Alhaitham’s hand on the back of a woman with lovely pink-locks.
Lips curved into a small smile, Alhaitham guides the woman through the sea of people. From the distance, Elysia watched as he listened to her words attentively, letting out a quiet chuckle as the woman’s slender fingers reached to pinch his cheeks in an all too affectionate manner.
The bitterness of her tongue, the ache of her heart. Elysia waits for Alhaitham to push her away, to refuse her affections like the Alhaitham she thought she knew would.
But he didn’t. So, Elysia simply walks away.
“It’s been a while since Elysia last visited, huh?”
Turning the page of the proposal, Alhaitham spares a glance at his roommate before resuming his work. Already used to his friend’s lack of verbal responsiveness, Kaveh paid him no mind, lifting up the porcelain flower vase for closer inspection.
“The flowers are starting to rot already. Sure you don’t want to replace them soon?”
“Why should I be the one to ‘replace’ them when I wasn’t the one who brought them to begin with? And put that vase down before you accidentally drop it and make a mess of my office.”
“Someone’s cranky.”
Kaveh laughs and Alhaitham rolls his eyes. Sensing the Scribe’s worsening mood, Kaveh cuts his teasing short and returns the porcelain vase back to its designated spot in the corner of the office; the expensive ceramic material sounding a quiet thump.
“You know,” Kaveh starts. “If you miss her so much, all you need to do is pay her a quick visit.”
“Just as I have my reports, she has her dealings with her clients.” Alhaitham replies. “Visiting her will only impede both our productivity, something you seem to be lacking.”
“You know I can’t get back to work until you approve my request, right?”
“At the end of the day,” Alhaitham stamps the final page of the proposal, sounding a loud thump that echoes in the room. “We are both independent people with our own independent lives. She has no obligation to visit, nor do I have the right to impede her professional life. Here’s your proposal.”
“You … nevermind.” Sighing, Kaveh takes back his proposal and gives it a quick skim. “I’d like to give you a two hour lecture about the importance of understanding others' feelings, but I’ll spare you from that and just say this instead,”
Putting the proposal aside, the two men meet each other’s eyes; Kaveh’s sharp pair of rubies and Alhaitham’s cold emeralds.
“Keep this up and Elysia might as well be snatched away by someone else.”
Alhaitham does not reply. With a long sigh, Kaveh walks out of the office.
“Stop taking her for granted, Alhaitham. I mean it.”
The door is shut.
The last time Alhaitham saw Elysia was more than three weeks ago.
Like a sunshower on a bright summer day, she came without prior notice; knocking on his door before making herself at home in the comforts of his office. She greeted him with her singsong voice that never fails to carry a lilt of unadulterated joy, the afternoon sun reflected on the locks of her snow-colored hair.
Alhaitham, like a willing victim who had been swept away by the torrents of her summer rain, simply watched as she circled around his office; emerald eyes never onced parting from the sight of her slender fingers arranging the flowers in the porcelain vase she gave him years back.
“... Just how long are you planning to stay here?”
“Until I finish this chapter!”
Extended visits had never been rare in Elysia’s case. Like the carefree wind, she does whatever she pleases; including lounging on his office’s sofa while squealing every now and then.
There was once a time that such a display may have annoyed him. But upon the years of sharing each other’s company, it had become another inextricable part of his precious life.
“Just what are you reading to get you reacting like that?”
She shoved him the book, her fox-like ears twitching as she grinned mischievously. Predictably, it was a romance novel, with the particular extract portraying a typical scene for its genre. The male lead stepping between the main character and the love rival, him dragging away before pinning her against the wall and furiously making out instead of communicating like adults.
“A masterpiece, right?”
“It's a mediocre rendition of a trope as old as time.”
“Well, there’s a reason why it was able to persist as long as it did, no?”
He recalled Elysia snorting at his flat expression, her laughter echoing through his office like the gentle rustle of the leaves and trees.
“Things are going to get busy at the market with my clients so this might be the last opportunity in weeks for you to see this pretty face. I’ll see you again, Alhaitham. Try not to miss me so much, okay?”
She grinned as she walked away, leaving behind a trail of light in her wake.
In the end, Alhaitham decides to go to the market.
“You’re Elysia’s friend aren’t you?”
“I am. Is she currently available?”
“She usually is around this time. But looks like she’s got her hands full with the client from Mondstadt today.” Elysia’s boss, the merchant who took her under his wing many years ago, shrugged. He looked at him inquisitively. “Want me to pass on a message to her?”
“No need.” Alhaitham says quickly. “Please keep my visit a secret as well. I’d rather not distract her from work.”
“Got it.” The man smirks, twirling the pen in his fingers. “Elysia’s lucky to have someone like you in her life.”
Alhaitham didn’t understand the purpose of those words. He pursed his lips and bowed curtly before moving on.
The summer heat, the afternoon breeze. Walking through the market, Alhaitham passes a corner where Elysia would sometimes drag him. The hustle and bustle of the city, the sound of familiar laughter that made him stop in his tracks.
That was her laugh. Perhaps she was finishing up with her client and —
Blinking, once and then twice, Alhaitham re-examines them again and again to make sure his own eyes were not fooling him. But every examination yielded the same result.
On that street’s corner was Elysia, accompanied by an unfamiliar man with a tanned complexion and long navy blue hair; standing beside each other in a proximity that was all too close to be considered professional.
Wasn’t she supposed to be with her client? Or was that man supposed to be her client? If so, why are they chatting so casually? Exchanging inaudible words while eating Sumerian ice cream in this blasted Sumerian Summer?
A chorus of laughter, the man’s gloved hand that settles all too comfortably on the firm of Elysia’s back. The two of them continue to talk, to banter like two people with a fond history.
Alhaitham seals his lips into a thin line before walking away.
“Thanks again for being such a kind host, dearest. Having a beautiful woman like you for company really does add some sunshine in this otherwise dreary business trip.”
“I’m flattered you think that way, Captain Kaeya, but it's no worries. It's the least I can do for my client.”
The cling and clang of cutlery, the smell of alcohol and freshly cooked meals that perfectly compliments the lively atmosphere of Lambad’s Tavern on a Friday evening. Captain Kaeya Alberich, her current client from Mondstadt, chuckles at her retort, taking a swig of his drink.
“As honored as I am to receive such treatment, can’t help but be disappointed that you’re still fixated on calling me a client.”
“Shall I remind you that it’s my policy to not date my clients?”
“Believe it or not, I was hoping for a more platonic reply. Unless, I was the only one who thought we developed a good sense of camaraderie from the time you came to Mondstadt last month for business? That being said, I think we also have some solid chemistry and I’d be more than happy to —”
“You made your point clear, Captain. No need to finish that sentence.”
Chuckling, Kaeya took no offense at her prompt manner of cutting him short and instead casually took another swig of his drink. Shaking her head in amusement, Elysia mirrors his actions, her eyes drifting around the tavern.
Scholars, merchants, administrative staff. Some with friends, others with colleagues or lovers. They all partook in the festive atmosphere of the tavern on this lively Friday evening. How nice. They all look so happy.
“Trouble in paradise?”
Her fox-like ears twitching, Elysia regards her companion with a curious look that was perfectly balanced with the blankness of her eyes.
“I apologize in advance if I’m crossing some boundaries here, but I couldn’t help but notice you’ve been a bit …” Kaeya paused. “Dispirited? Depressed? Down the drains? Disconsolate —”
“Your point being?” Elysia asked with a sweet smile.
“My point being,” Kaeya mirrors her smile. “If you need an ear, I’ll be happy to lend mine. No need to worry about our professional relationship. We’ve basically sealed the deal, haven’t we?”
The white haired woman does not reply, wholly unprepared for the next words that escapes from Kaeya’s mouth;
“Missing home?”
A shot in the dark, just a few inches from a perfect score. Her polite smile still plastered on her lips, Elysia silently drank from her mug.
“What made you think that?”
“A simple guess.” He leans back against the chair. “Quartermaster of the Knights of Favonius, sweetheart. I know a thing or two about reading people’s emotions and … gathering information about others’ backgrounds.”
So that’s how it was. She should’ve guessed something like this was bound to happen.
“Something like that.” Elysia shrugs, gazing into the bottom of her half-empty mug. “Maybe, it’s closer to questioning my place in this world. Whether or not I have a place to belong in somewhere I’ve long considered home.” Looking up, she meets his eye and offers him a perfectly designed smile. “Nothing special. Just your usual existential crisis.”
“Ah, true. I’ve had my own fair share of those woes back in the days. Still do now, actually.” He hums. “Our place in this world, whether or not we belong in the place we consider as home. It’s easy to say that’s for us to decide on our own, but that does little to alleviate the hurt and anxiety, no?”
A laid-back tone, a casual response. Perhaps it was the booze, but Elysia saw a hint of sorrow behind his periwinkle eye.
“They say we have to take the first step. To reach out, open up and welcome the possibility of rejection … all in hopes we’ll find affirmation that we truly belong.” Kaeya shuts his eye. “It’s terrifying, but some things are worth fighting for. Even if … the end results aren’t what we expect.”
“Something tells me you’re speaking from experience.” Elysia chuckles mirthlessly, her gaze gentle.
“Families can be pretty messed up sometimes. I know mine is.” Kaeya whispers, just loud enough for her ears to catch. “Oop, that got a bit dreary, didn't it? Sorry, go ahead and project my problems onto you. Red flag on a first date, am I right?”
“Red flag as it is, I won’t deny that it was nice to hear.”
Straightening her back, Elysia offers him a smile, this time, more sincere than the ones before.
“Thank you for sharing your story, Kaeya. I suppose it has helped me in dealing with my own set of problems. Which, for your information, isn’t all just about my unresolved past.”
“Aw, was it not? Ah well. I’ll still give you these anyway.”
Fishing his pocket, Kaeya offers her two letter sized envelopes adorned with a red seal. Though momentarily enraptured by the familiar elegance of the object, Elysia quickly recomposed herself and looked to the man.
“Two invitation letters to Dawn Winery’s special Fontaine-styled Masquerade Ball. Not exactly a ticket home, but hey, couldn’t hurt to bask in some familiarity, no?”
“A masquerade ball, huh?” Elysia echoes, taking both the letters in her hand. “One for me and one for …?”
“Your beloved, maybe? Which, just putting it out there, I am more than happy to be.”
“Mhm. Sure.” Fingers grazing the elegant cursive writing, Elysia smiles softly. “Thank you, Kaeya. I appreciate it. Really.”
He returns her smile in full. “You’re welcome, Elysia.”
“Hey, isn’t that Elysia?”
Following the direction of Cyno’s gaze, Alhaitham saw the back of those familiar snow-colored locks; the warm, orange lights of the tavern like an ethereal glow wrapped around her figure.
The sight of her smiling face, the sound of her laughter that his ears easily picked up even in the loudness of the tavern. He wondered just what made her laugh so freely, so jovially as though she is the happiest woman in Teyvat.
It was then he noticed she was not alone.
“Oh. She’s with that man again.” Came Tighnari’s voice.
“A-Again?” Kaveh asks, sneaking a glance at Alhaitham who stood beside him.
“I’ve seen them together a couple of times while in the city. Once in Pardis Dhyai as well. They seem pretty close. He seems kind of familiar though.”
“Kaeya Alberich. Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius.” Cyno provides. “Didn’t know those two were acquainted.”
Tighnari laughs. “Well it’s Elysia we’re talking about. Who is she not acquainted with?”
“True. Still, judging by the way those two seem pretty comfortable with each other, I wouldn’t be surprised if they turned out to be closer than just mere acquaintances.”
The dim lighting of the tavern, the bitter taste of his own tongue. Elysia’s laugh, the sight of her smile that he felt like he had not seen in so long. Inhale, exhale. Alhaitham turns his heel.
“Alhaitham?” Kaveh reaches for his shoulder. “Hey, where are you —”
“I just remembered I had other plans tonight.” He shrugs his hand away. “Sorry, but I’ll have to cancel today.”
He ignores Kaveh’s subsequent attempts at getting his attention and pretends he does not feel Cyno or Tighnari’s eyes boring holes on his back. Alhaitham walks onwards, not once looking back.
Standing in front of the door with a particularly daunting aura, Elysia brings the bouquet of flowers closer to her chest. The erratic beat of her heart, the foreboding anxiety like cold sweat on her palms.
Pushing away the image of Alhaitham’s back disappearing from sight, Elysia gives the door a knock.
“Come in.”
Inhale, exhale. She grabs the handle and swings the door open.
“Hello to my favorite Scribe! Can you believe it’s been more than three weeks since we saw each other?”
Predictably, Alhaitham does as little as turn his head towards her direction, unmoving from his standing position by the shelves. Though her palm felt distractingly clammy, she managed to put together that the Scribe was currently reading a book about Mondstadt’s history and culture. Maybe that was a sign of goodluck. She is about to bring Mondstadt up later in the conversation.
“Look what I brought you!” She shows him the bouquet. “Since I was a bit busy, I didn’t have time to weave them into a flower crown but hey, I think they’re perfectly fine as they are now, right?”
Elysia walks towards the corner of the room where the porcelain vase she gifted him years before was settled comfortably.
“Oh, you got rid of the old flowers already? I bet you got sick of waiting three weeks for me to come visit, huh? I got you Sumeru Roses and Padisarahs this time. Try not to use them for science experiments again, okay? I mean, you’re free to do whatever with them, but still.”
She chuckles at her own words and waits for Alhaitham to say his usual sarcastic retort. It did not come.
“Hey, aren’t you going to ask me how I’ve been?” Elysia prompts, sighing when he does not take the bait. “Fine. Since you won’t then I will. Alhaitham, how have you —”
“Just how long do you intend to keep blabbering and wasting your time here?”
A sharp cut, a scathing stab. Her heart seemingly stopped, Elysia slowly turned to meet the foreign coldness of Alhaitham’s emerald eyes.
“... Excuse me?”
“Instead of spending unnecessary time talking, it would be best for you to use your energy efficiently and focus on increasing your productivity.” Alhaitham responds in his usual unperturbed tone, gaze already drifting back to the book in his hand. “That should be easy enough to understand, no?”
“Yes. Indeed.” Elysia scoffs in disbelief. “It is most certainly easier to understand compared to where this hostility is coming from.”
“Hostility? All I’m doing is stating facts.” Alhaitham sighs, putting away his book. “Unlike you, some people would prefer to remain professional in working hours in order to maximize their productivity within said hours.”
“I don’t like the implication of what you just said.”
“Did I ask?”
“An excellent counter. Well here’s my rebuttal; I’m telling you anyway.”
The slow rising anger, the apathy in Alhaitham’s eyes that only serves to fuel the fire. Her clenched hand shaking, Elysia stands her ground.
“I don’t care how much of a bad mood you’re in, but you, of all people, don’t have the right to judge me or my work ethic in such a degrading manner.” She spats, venom laced in her tone. “You know how much care I put in my work, how much time and energy I spend all to sustain my own lifestyle —”
“Do you see yourself in him?”
“What? Who the hell are you —”
“The man who you’ve decided to use as an escape from your problems.”
A pause, a stop. Emerald eyes bore through her soul and Elysia felt her blood grow cold.
“Are you talking about,” She breathes. “Kaeya?”
“Yes. Captain Kaeya of the Knights of Favonius. Cyno told me a bit about him, including some unsavory details of his past.” He leans back against his table, arms crossed as he looks her down. “I can see several similarities between the two of you. It's understandable why you — no, the both of you, chose each other as a willing victim. It’s none of my business, of course. But the fact that you were blatantly flirting with your own client shows a clear level of unprofessional behavior.”
So many wrong things in his statements, so many things she wanted to scream. Yet in the midst of it all, the fire turns into something ice cold.
“Instead of wasting your time pointlessly arguing with me, how about you spend time engaging in self-reflection? Perhaps after that, you’ll know how to conduct yourself better in the future —”
A toss, a vicious collision.
Soundlessly, the bouquet of flowers she threw at his face fell to the floor.
The stinging silence, his unmoving emeralds meeting her discordant ocean-violet hues. The scattered flowers by their feet, the unspoken words that have no more meaning in this lost conversation.
“... Bâtard. ”
The door slams shut.
“You’re a real asshole, you know that?”
Alhaitham did not have to look up from his glass to know it was Kaveh who took a seat across from him. He didn’t particularly want to, perfectly content with staring at his own blurry reflection on the surface of his half-empty drink.
“Wanna talk about it?”
“No.”
“Fine. Since you won’t talk about your feelings, I’ll talk about Elysia’s.”
“Who gave you the right to talk about her feelings as though they’re your own?”
“And who gave you the right to lash out at one of my dearest friends and still act as though you’re not in the wrong?”
Alhaitham opens his mouth —
“No, shut up. I’m not done. You know how much Elysia trusts you. How much she cares about your sorry ass that can only express your vague emotions through cryptic actions like putting her flower vase in a place that’s directly in your line of sight when you look up from your table. Would it kill you to be more honest? To actually tell her that you care for her as much as she cares for you ?”
“Honestly,” Kaveh massages his temple, a long sigh escaping his lips. “I don’t understand how Elysia developed feelings for an asshole like you.”
A pause, a moment of clarity. Alhaitham’s eyes widened ever so slightly, as though awoken from a sudden dream.
“What? Don’t pretend that you don’t know how she feels about you.” Kaveh glares. “The question is; how do you feel about her? Because by the way you treated her, I honestly don’t know anymore.”
“How I feel about her is none of your business.” Alhaitham averts his eyes. “Just like this petty trifle between us.”
“How long are you going to be this way, Alhaitham? Until Elysia faces her past and changes into someone we may no longer recognize?”
Despite the exasperation Kaveh felt, the man was still capable of sympathy. And sympathy was the emotion he felt upon seeing Alhaitham’s coldness turn into something akin to conflicted, turbulent waves.
“People change. Even more so when they break free from something that has shackled them to the past. Elysia is no exception. So, I would rather not invest so much feelings and future planning on something unstable.” Alhaitham takes a chug of his drink. “I don’t expect you to understand.”
“... I get it. At least, I think I do. But … if it were me, no matter how much Elysia may change, it’ll never change the fact that she is, and always will be, my dearest friend.” Kaveh gazed at him with a frown. “That much even you should be able to understand, no?”
Alhaitham does not reply. Sighing, Kaveh pulls out an envelope from his pocket and places it on the table. Dawn Winery Masquerade Ball , it reads on the top corner.
“She wanted to invite you, but since you were being difficult, she gave it to me instead.” Kaveh took a swig of his drink. “Captain Kaeya gave it to her by the way. High chance he’ll be there.”
Alhaitham’s grip on his glass tightens. “And I should care because?”
“Because you don’t want to lose her but you’re just too prideful to actually acknowledge the possibility of her finding someone else?”
An ungraceful thunk, Kaveh places down his glass and rises from his seat; his shadow casted over the Scribe.
“Between a sweet talker who could be genuine with his feelings and a dense and blunt scribe who kept giving her mixed signals for the past years, just who do you think she’ll choose? If I were her, certainly not the latter.”
Alhaitham glares, but Kaveh simply laughed and waved his hand as he walked away. Left alone, Alhaitham stares blankly at the white invitation letter on the table before taking another shot.
Opulent lights, the crystals of the chandelier glimmering like stars in the night sky.
In her regal, snow colored dress, adorned with ornate diamonds and silk ribbons, Elysia felt as though she had been brought to a land where fairy tales always have happy endings.
Adjusting her mask, Elysia excuses herself to her current crowd of company and saunters across the room. Heels light on her feet, the white-haired woman takes a moment to appreciate the world around her and bask in the grandeur that is the Dawn Winery’s Masquerade Ball.
It was similar to the balls the nobles of Fontaine adored. There was socializing, networking, dancing, a few flirting here and there. What impressed her the most was the wine, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering what sort of business the host of this event forgoes. The other thing that impressed her, would be the music.
“Well, well. Unless I’m wrong, could you be my dearest Miss Elysia?”
A suave, and flirtatious tone. Elysia turns to be greeted by a familiar man wearing a modest white masquerade mask.
“I think saying my name out loud goes against the thrill of this Masquerade Ball, don’t you think, Captain Kaeya?”
“Guilty as charged.” Kaeya laughs playfully. “Are you alone tonight?”
“I gave the ticket to a friend, but he says he’ll probably be late. I won’t keep my hopes up though. He’s not exactly the type to indulge in these things.”
“Bummer. Shall I keep you company for a while, then?”
Seeing no reason to refuse, Elysia accepts and the two of them chat in this secluded corner of the ballroom; Dawn Winery’s finest wine in their hands. The lively waltz; the bassist, cellists, and violinists that play together in perfect harmony.
Eyes glancing back to the orchestra, her eyes linger on the violin. Silently, she wonders.
Just how liberating would it feel to pour one’s heart and soul to play that beautiful instrument once more?
“What is spoken in this ball, stays in this ball.”
A blink, Elysia turned to her masked companion.
“I’m here if you need an ear, my dear.” Kaeya smiles at her, sincere and true.
Be it the effects of the wine lowering her inhibition, or be it the flood of emotions overflowing from the dam, Elysia finds herself saying;
“I got into an argument with the person I like.”
Kaeya’s kind expression remains unchanged. Maybe, that was the push that got her to speak.
“He said some pretty hurtful words. Maybe he was having a bad day, but that doesn’t excuse his attitude. Most of the things he said were wrong. Maybe they had a degree of truth, like the part about self-reflection amongst other little things.”
She paused, throat suddenly clogged.
“A part of me wanted to believe he was saying it out of jealousy.”
The words escape her lips like a quiet confession. Now that it was out, she could only continue speaking.
“It was scary thinking that way. What if I’m wrong and just deluding myself into thinking he feels the same way for me as I do for him?”
Emotions spilling, Elysia lets out a self-deprecating laugh.
“What if all this time I never meant as much as I thought I did to him? What if all this time the place that I considered to be home … was nothing but a figment of my imagination?” She closes her eyes. “Those thoughts … terrify me more than I ever thought it did.”
The crescendo of the orchestra, the murmur of conversations of the people around them. Opening her eyes, Elysia turned to Kaeya who, despite being victim of her long-winded vent, was still smiling kindly at her, albeit with a hint of sadness behind those periwinkle eyes.
“Sorry.” She smiles wryly. “I didn’t mean to get so personal there.”
“Not at all.” He shakes his head. “It’s painful isn’t it? To question whether the people you care for feel the same as you do.”
Detaching his back from the wall, Kaeya steps in front of her. He takes both their glasses of wine away and hands it to the butler wandering about.
“I’m afraid I can’t do much to alleviate your worries, but I’d be happy to keep you company for the night.” He offers her his hand. “I won’t force you into anything. We can just start with a simple dance and see where it goes from there.”
“... A dance, huh?”
There was not a hint of deceit behind his eyes; all there was is that same sincerity and perhaps even a glimpse of empathy and understanding. It was just like Alhaitham said. For better or for worse, she and Kaeya shared more than several similarities between. How ridiculous. Despite everything, she still found herself thinking about him.
Kaeya’s extended hand, the steady sound of her own beating heart. Elysia opens her mouth —
“Sorry. But I don’t think that will be possible.”
A voice she did not expect to hear, the back of the very man she had longed to see.
Now standing between her and Kaeya is none other than Alhaitham, dressed in a simple, yet entrancing black tuxedo. His eyes almost perfectly hidden by his dark mask accentuated by the color of silver, Elysia wondered how exactly he sees the world around him now.
“Alhaitham.” His name escapes her lips unconsciously. “You …”
“Oh? And why is that, good sir?” Kaeya interjects, smirk on his lips. “Last time I checked, it’s supposed to be the Lady’s decision on who she can and cannot spend time with.”
“Obviously.” Alhaitham retorts in usual, unperturbed tone. “But there are important matters that she and I must settle. If the lady still desires to dance with you afterwards, then she is free to do so.”
How arrogant. How very typical of him. And yet …
“Captain Kaeya.”
Both men turn to her and Elysia’s heart swells in ugly happiness at the fear that flashed in Alhaitahm’s eyes for a brief second.
“Thank you for your offer, but it seems … I have to deal with this matter first.”
Kaeya’s eyes widened ever so slightly, before his lips curve into a smile. “... I see. Well then,”
Without warning, Kaeya took her gloved hand and brought it to his lips. A cold kiss, a playful smirk that graces his lips. Elysia blinks, before smiling wryly.
He releases her hand and, in that very second, Alhaitham immediately takes her hand in his. Without waiting for Kaeya to finish his line, he tugs her along with him into the crowd.
Unexpectedly, Alhaitham brings her to the center of the dance floor.
Neither of them spoke, simply staring at each other as the orchestra played another waltz; lively and energetic. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Alhaitham releases his hold on her hand. She had no time to feel relieved, however, seeing as the Scribe merely did so to bow his head ever so slightly; a common courtesy before one engages in a ballroom dance.
Sighing, Elysia replies to his bow with a curtsy. She takes one of his hand in hers and positions the other around her hip.
“You do know how to dance, right?” She asks, her voice calm and curt, as though addressing a stranger she feels no strong emotions for.
“I know my way around it.” Alhaitham replies, his tone just as curt and unperturbed as hers.
“So that’s a no.” She resists the urge to roll her eyes. “Follow my lead. If you step on my foot just once, I’ll never let you live that down.”
Alhaitham does not reply. So, Elysia takes the first steps.
“ Un, deux, trois. Un, deux, trois. Usually this is the part where you’re supposed to spin me.” Tightening her grip on his shoulder, Elysia shoots him a warning glare. “Don’t you even dare to spin me. If you do, I’ll stab your foot with my heel.”
The mask does little to hide the hint of exasperation behind Alhaitham’s eyes. “If you truly resent the idea of dancing with me, all you had to do was say no.”
“If you truly didn’t want to talk to me that day, all you had to do was send me away.” Elysia looks away. “I’m not someone who just let other people walk on me, Alhaitham.”
“... I know.”
The wistfulness of his tone gives her a twinge of hope. For what, Elysia was not sure herself.
“Why are you here?” She asks, guiding him to sway towards the side.
He follows her lead, and despite her warning, makes a movement to guide her to a spin.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Clicking her tongue, Elysia begrudgingly accepts his whims.
“No, it isn’t. I gave the invitation to Kaveh. Not you.”
“According to Kaveh, it was meant for me. And even if it wasn’t, he gave it to me anyway. So I’m free to do whatever I please with it.”
“You are so infuriating, you know that?” She spats, meeting his face once more with defiance in her eyes. “Can’t you just stop acting so high and mighty and just answer the damned question?”
“The answer is obvious.” Alhaitham narrows his eyes. “I’m here because of you.”
The skip of her heart, Elysia refuses to let herself fall to his honeyed traps.
“Why?” She scoffs. “So you could criticize me again? Stop me from making my own decisions? I’m more than capable of —”
“Why must you always jump to conclusions?”
“And why must you always find ways to irritate me?!”
The spillover of emotions, both of them startle at the crescendo of her voice. Several eyes turned towards their direction; curious about what may soon turn into a commotion.
Unable to withstand the weight of her emotions, Elysia retracts her hands from him; quickly averting her eyes.
“I changed my mind. I … can’t dance with you after all.
“Wait — Elysia. Elysia.”
She tries to escape from him into the crowd, but Alhaitham chases after her. He reaches for her, his hand reaching to grab a hold of her wrist.
“Elysia.”
He calls her name; softly, tenderly. As though she is something precious; as though she may slip away from him at any time.
“ Please .”
She turns to him and is met with those beautiful pairs of emerald eyes, gazing into her pair of ocean-violets; a rare emotion akin to desperation reflected in his eyes.
The weakness of the heart, the warmth she longed to feel.
“... Let’s go somewhere else.”
She yanks her hand from him and walks away. He follows her, only a few steps behind.
Out of all the places, they end up in the garden area where Elysia knew they would be less likely to be disturbed.
Standing face to face, both parties remained silent as they waited for the other to speak. Red roses, the muffled sound of the orchestra coming from inside the building. The flickering light of this rustic gazebo, Elysia sighs and decides to be the one to start.
“Well? Are you going to keep wasting my time here or should I leave and forget this all happened so we both can focus on maximizing our respective productivity ?”
“You’re angry.” Alhaitham states. “It’s natural that you are. I said multiple hurtful things to you.”
Elysia does not bother to reply. A few moments pass, and Alhaitham speaks once more.
“I’m sorry.” He finally says, expression downcast as he wears a look of regret. “I shouldn’t have said the things I did. You don’t have to forgive me. But I’m sorry all the same.”
There. It was the apology she wanted to hear.
She should’ve been happy to leave it at that. To accept his apology and give it some time before all is forgiven.
Yet, she finds herself asking, “... Is that all?”
Alhaitham blinks. “What else are you expecting?”
“I don’t know. An explanation on why you said all those hurtful things?”
She takes a step closer towards him, as though to display the hurt he bestowed on her; all so he could understand just how much pain his words that day had caused her.
Alhaitham does not say a thing as she does so, simply watching her with those riveting pair of emeralds she could never fully read.
“The Alhaitham I know can be blunt, brusque and pretty foul tongued, but he was never the type to lash out to someone close to him without any reason.” The shake of her voice, Elysia inhales sharply. “It's going to sound so pathetic, but I — I spent so much time thinking about all the possible reasons why you acted the way you did.”
He continues to observe her with those unmoving emerald eyes.
“And what was the conclusion you came to?” He had the audacity to ask.
She can’t take this anymore. “Tell me yourself.”
“Is that truly necessary?”
“You’re so irritating, you know that?!” Elysia shouts, giving up on the possibility of a civil conversation with a man who is so keen on playing games. “Just — Just who do you think you are?!”
Alhaitham does not falter, but instead takes it a step further. “Before you ask that, maybe you should ask yourself who am I to you.”
“Who are you to me?” She scoffs. “Who am I to you?!”
“Is that a question you are ready to hear the answer to?”
He steps towards her and Elysia immediately shuts her mouth.
Bated breaths, the rise and fall of their chests. The realization of their proximity; small inches between their warm bodies. Alhaitham takes another step closer, and Elysia instinctively moves backwards.
“... Why are you doing this?” Elysia whispers; her heart racing uncomfortably in her chest.
Alhaitham keeps his eyes on her, taking in every single breath. “Do you dislike it?”
“Why won’t you answer my question?” She doesn’t know what to think.
He continues to step towards her. “Why are you evading mine?”
The coldness of the night, her back meeting the pillar of the gazebo. Cornered, Elysia could not do anything else but stare back at those pair of emeralds that seemed to burn brighter than any fire she has seen in her life.
“Why are you acting like this?” She whispers, her gaze lowering to where his lips were.
He rests his hand on the pillar behind her, caging her in. “Like what?”
“Like you want me.” She meets his eyes once more. “In every meaning of the word.”
“And if I say that I do,” He leans closer towards her. “Would you despise me?”
She does not answer and the world is silent. They are still and unmoving, their breathing slow and tantalizing against each other’s skin.
Then, she cups his cheek and their lips meet in an all consuming kiss.
“I was jealous.”
The soft fabric of the blankets over her bare skin, the dim lighting of the room that flickers every once in a while. Staring at the plain wallpaper of the room, Elysia listens to Alhaitham’s admission of guilt while pretending she does not feel her heart tighten like a vice grip.
“I knew, rationally, that I had no right to be jealous.” Alhaitham continues slowly, his shifting causing the sheets to be pulled closer towards him. “It's not as though the two of us have that kind of relationship. If you wanted to be intimate with that man or even enter a romantic relationship with him, who am I to intervene?”
The silence of the night, the race of her heart that slows into a steady beat.
“But deep down, I knew I wouldn’t like it.”
A slow exhale escapes his lips.
“So, I lashed out on you. Even when I knew I shouldn’t.”
The silence of the night, their exposed backs facing one another. There it was. The explanation she wanted to hear. She should feel happy, or something amongst those lines.
Yet, all she felt was a strange hollowness in her heart.
Neither of them spoke after that. But then, Elysia musters the courage to ask.
“Can I ask you something?”
“You already are.”
The audacity of that man to act so casually after an entire night of passionate kisses and intimate physicality. Well, it’s perfectly on brand for him. That’s one comforting familiarity.
“Who was that woman you were with in the markets?” She asks in a single breath.
“Woman?”
“She had long, pink hair. You seemed close with her. Put your arms around her while laughing without a care in the world and let her pinch your cheek like that’s something you’d let anyone do.”
There was a pause. Until Alhaitham finally responds; “You saw that?”
He asks it so casually and he almost sounded as though he was holding back his own amusement.
“Don’t sound so surprised.” She spats, annoyed at his attitude. “Am I supposed to feel guilty about sleeping with someone else’s lover now?”
“Do you really think that I would tell you the things I did if I had a lover?”
The absolute audacity of this man. Doesn’t he know how much courage she needed to ask —
“That woman was Auntie Nadira. She’s my late Mother’s sister.”
“... Wha —”
Shocked by his unexpected answer, Elysia turns her entire body to face him. Unexpectedly, Alhaitham had already been facing her; a serious expression on his face, not a single hint of a lie to be found.
“My late Mother’s family was strict on Academics. While my Mother was more than happy to continue the legacy of Scholars, my Aunt was more free spirited and chose to become an adventurer; always coming and going from Sumeru to all over Teyvat.” He explains. “She would often come to visit me and my paternal grandmother after my parents died. Probably out of her sense of duty towards her younger sister.”
A story she has never heard, the patient sincerity behind his words.
“She’s a practical person who taught me about hands-on survival skills, including how to fight. My grandmother didn’t approve at first, but I truly enjoyed spending time with her whenever she was around.” Alhaitham closes his eyes. “She reminds me of my Mother. Of how she would’ve been if she was still here.”
“I … see.” Elysia’s heart wavers. “I didn’t know about that.”
“Not a lot of people do. You’re the first person I’ve ever told.”
“Oh.”
There it was again, those sentimental emotions that blossom so easily whenever he says those heart fluttering words.
Turning away from him, Elysia stares up the blank ceiling of the room.
“Alhaitham.” She calls. “What will happen when tomorrow comes?”
He does not answer immediately, perhaps considering her words.
“Tomorrow,” He eventually starts. “We reap what we sow.”
Yet another cryptic and vague Alhaitham-like answer. It should’ve annoyed her, but despite everything, Elysia only felt mildly amused. She understood the meaning behind his words, after all. Words that hold weight, hinting towards a future that neither could fully foresee.
“Rest.” Alhaitham says. “Tomorrow will be another long day.”
“Alright.” She closes her eyes. “Goodnight, Alhaitham.”
“Goodnight, Elysia.”
The table lamp is turned off and the room is consumed by darkness. They settle into a sleeping position; their backs only a few inches from grazing.
“Fancy seeing you here at our After Party. Not with Miss Elysia today?”
One look at the ever pleasantly-smiling Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius and Alhaitham was just about ready to pack up and leave Mondstadt all together.
“Come now, no need to be so cold.” Kaeya says smoothly, taking the glass of wine in Alhaitham’s hand and replacing it with the one he brought him. “Can’t two guys have a casual conversation over some drinks?”
Alhaitham scoffs, taking in the scent of the drink. It was strong. “I’m afraid I have little idea on how to entertain you, Captain .”
“Ahaha, no need for that. I’m plenty entertained.” Kaeya joins him in his corner of the ballroom. “Managed to work things out between the two of you?”
Enough for him to actually be roped into attending the Dawn Winery’s After Party event which he wasn’t at all interested in. Though the man didn’t need to know that.
“That’s none of your business.”
“So that’s a no. Though … I already knew the answer to that question when Miss Elysia approached me again this morning.”
“You —”
“Haha, no need to be so tense!” Kaeya raised his hand in surrender. “Let's enjoy the next performance, shall we?”
Kaeya smiles a strange and indecipherable smile. Deciding to conserve his energy from this unnecessary conversation, Alhaitham simply sips of his drink and returns his gaze to the stage in the center of the ballroom.
As the Master of the Dawn Winery took the stage and said his final thanks to all the guests, Alhaitham’s thoughts wandered to Elysia; of their shared night together.
The morning after, both of them acted as though nothing was unusual.
Elysia told him that she’ll be doing some networking and socializing with last night’s guests, and that she’ll try to meet him at the after-party after she is done. She was smiling then. Not her usual sun-kissed smile, but one that was plain, small and simple. And when that was done, they went about their separate ways, each doing their own separate thing.
And that was fine. Nothing wrong with that.
Except, he actually wanted to talk more with her. About all the possible paths they could walk towards their future.
But maybe, the time wasn’t right. Maybe, he’ll have another chance.
Maybe —
The audience’s applause, the Master stepping down from the stage. Kaeya says something about the closing performance being from a violinist, but Alhaitham pays him no mind.
Another round of applause, and the musician steps on stage —
“… Elysia?”
The white of her dress, the polished violin in her hand. A mask to conceal a part of her face, but that could only do so much to hide her identity from the crowd. She looks around the room and before he knows it, those pairs of ocean-violets found his pair of emeralds.
The curve of her lips, a small yet sincere smile. Then, she draws her bow and begins to play.
The accompaniment of the orchestra, the murmurs of the crowd around him. Elysia continues to play her song, a slow winter sonata carrying away the sorrows of yesterday. Her slender fingers, the perfection of her form; her long white locks swaying freely from side-to-side. Alhaitham could not look away from her. Could not avert his gaze from the magnificence of the woman whom his heart had come to adore.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Came Kaeya’s voice.
Unconsciously, Alhaitham replies; “She is.”
“Next time you see her, tell her.” Kaeya chuckles. “I’m sure she’ll be happy.”
Happy — yes. He’s sure she will be. Though, perhaps not as happy as she feels in this present moment; standing center stage as she plays her beloved instrument not for the sake of anyone's ears, but for own.
Somehow, that was enough to reassure him that no matter where the future will take them, they’ll be okay.