Chapter Text
It is not often that People just dissappear without a Trace.
Some, maybe, for a few Days.
Kaeya is a prime example of that. Always dissappearing into the backalleys or Smugglers Routes just to appear vistoriously a few Days later, with either the Information or the Bust needed.
But when he didn't stop by Angel's Share for a whole week, Diluc started to worry. He picked up more evening Shifts, just to get a better chance of meeting the Bluenette.
One turned into two weeks.
The Knights had started to whisper. Apparently, Dottore had started to have frequent meetings with Jean. Diluc didn't like that at all.
"The Doctor is scary. He always looks at me as if trying to figure out the best way to cut me open..." one Knight murmurs into his drink. The others nod.
"I heard him talk to the Acting Grandmaster, you know? When you stand right in the Courtyard, you can hear their conversation through the open window."
"What are they talking about?"
"Something about a Mistake his apprentice did with... an experiment? And something about ideal living Qualitys...
Lady Gunnhildr wasn't happy in the beginning, she even shouted at him. Now, Miss Lisa is also constantly in there, discussing, debating."
Diluc frowns. He didn't like the sound of that. Especially since Jean didn't seem worried at all.
He continues polishing the glass in his Hand.
Tomorrow, he would talk to Jean.
Jean looked up when he first knocks, then Enters her Office Lisa stands behind her by the Window, looking outside. Her usual calm and welcoming demeanor seems... stiff. Jean speaks first. "Ah. Master Diluc. Did you receive my Letter?"
Diluc frowns. "No. I came here to ask about Kaeya."
"That is... actually what I want to talk with you about..."
Lisa turns around. "You might want to sit down."
With dread slowly spreading in his stomach, he does.
"So... Il Dottore has been frequenting my office quiet often recently. I'm sure you've heard rumors."
"Somthing along that. Your Knights love to eavesdrop in the Courtyard."
"What?"
Lisa quickly closes the Window, peeking down. At least three Knights where standing right at the Spot that had been described in the Bar.
"Jop, guilty as charged."
Jean pinches the Bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath. "Hmm. Okay. So what do you know?"
"Some apprentice did a Mistake. And that you haven't even been talking about Kaeya."
Jean smiles, strained.
"Well... no. That is the Problem.
Dottore's Apprentice had been tasked with... taking a human and transform him into something unique. Not a Mammal if possible. And if a Mammal, something not as closely to humans.
And she did. She went all out. Taking one human."
Diluc dreads where this is going.
"Who is it?"
"...Kaeya. He had apparently infiltrated the Lab to rescue the Humans that haven't been experimented on. Another Group of Knights where back here ready, waiting for him to return to take over the Lab and rescue the more... unstable experiments."
Diluc's breathing picks up slightly. He felt cold. "And that's what you told Dottore?"
Lisa chuckles. "We would be very dumb to let him know everything. No, no. In his eyes, Kaeya got wrongfully captured and accidentally chosen."
"Which is also why Dottore wants to return Kaeya. Normally, Experiments get... disposed off once completed. But Kaeya still has alot of Elemental Energy, still able to use his Cryo. Plus he is a very important political Person."
"...and you asked me here because.
..?"
"...Because you have the most access to open fields than all of us.
The Apprentice clearly wanted to impress Dottore. She did not simply transformed him into one Animal.
He is a Beehive."
"...What?"
"A Beehive. Not one singular Bee, not one Queen or Drone, but quiet literally a Hive worth of Bees."
Diluc stares at her. "You're joking."
"I wish. Diluc, I already visited him, since I couldn't believe it myself. I believe he recognized me. Some bees landed on me. And even when I went close to the Hive, none stinged. One even left a tiny drop of Honey on my finger. It felt surreal."
Diluc couldn't process it.
"So... he's gone?"
"No, no. Just... changed. And I actually wanted to ask you to... host him."
"Host him?" Diluc's voice grew thick with grief. "Jean, how? He's just..."
He slouches down, Face in his Hands. Kaeya wouldn't visit the Tavern again. Won't drop subtle Information that Diluc would scoff at, but use everytime. Their last conversation had been a drunk argument. And now...
Jean's voice cut's through the Silence.
"He needs access to Greenery. And your Winery is the biggest, domesticated piece of Land. He isn't happy in the Labs so I want to transfer him as soon as possible. Let it sink in, give it a bit of time. But if possible, give me an answer until the End of the Week. He will be staying in the Cathedral's Yard until then."
--------------
Diluc stands in the Yard by the Wall, on opposite sites of the Hive. Bees were flying out or coming back constantly. He knew it was Kaeya because they were all Blue. Plus, it was the only Hive that was decorated like a little house. When Diluc finally dared to step closer, the humming got louder.
Bees came out of the Hive in an endless stream, sitting down everywhere on him. Coat, Hair, Pants, Hands. One even dared to sit down on his Nose.
They hummed. Jean had warned him about the communication. "Learn Morse Code."
And Diluc was glad he had already known it. Through the humming, a message slowly came through.
"Hello Diluc."
Tears gathered in the redheads eyes when the Bee on his nose reached one tiny leg out and patted him, so soft and light Diluc almost didn't feel it.
"Hi Kaeya."
The Bees seemed excited by that, lifting up shortly before settling down again. A new Morse Code began.
"Missed you."
Diluc laughs quietly. One Tear flowed down.
The Bee reaches for it as if trying to catch it.
"Ah no, wait..."
But the Bee won't listen. And immediatly get's dragged down by it. Immediatly, a few other Bees fly up, pulling it out of the Tear.
Some more Bees start to fly up, flying around Diluc's head before some departed, starting to fly off to some potted Flowers nearby.
"Hmm..."
The rest of the Bees lands back on Diluc's Torso.
"Sorry, Hungry."
"Do you get enough here?"
"For now, okay. Longer, not enough."
Diluc frowns. This is why Jean asked him, he realizes.
"Flowers give not enough food.", the Bees morsecoded, "Hive needs to become smaller then. Not good."
"...smaller?"
The bees hesitate. "Talk to Jean. Takes too long to explain."
-------------
"...Dottore explained to us how it works, partially. Basically, back then, the Apprentice transferred Kaeya's conciousness into the Queen bee. Then, when some Workers hatched, his conciousness got split. The more Bees exist, the lesser the risk of Kaeya dying. We need to be careful with Winter or pests, less the hive dies."
Diluc stares at her, disbelieving. "So he will just die once Winter hits? Or when he doesn't find enough food?"
"Right now, we try to find a suitable area for him. He constantly asks for new flowers or when we will find him a spot. It hurts me to say that we haven't been successfull yet."
A lightbulb goes off in Diluc's head. "That's why you gave me the time limit."
"Yes. We have someone willing to take him, but then he would be in Liyue."
Diluc snaps his head up fast enough to make Pain bloom in his neck.
"What?"
"Diluc, I am out of options. Kaeya is slowly starving."
"You asked me."
"And it's the end of the Week. I won't rely on you not communicating with me."
"I'll take him. We can give him a room and leave the Window open. Or find another solution. I won't let him freeze to Death in Winter."
Jean slouches, relief written all over her face.
"Oh Barbatos, you don't even know how much relief this brings to me. With you, he'll cooperate."