Chrysalism

Words: 580
Warning: Established Relationship, Fluff
Prompt: Chrysalism: The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.
 

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The storm was tearing the sky above the Dawn Winery with lightning and lightning. Each thunder made the windows of the estate vibrate ominously, and the explosion of light that followed the fall of lightning even went to illuminate the rooms.

It was the perfect mirror of the stories that Kaeya had heard about Inazuma's Archon as a child.

«Inazuma's Archon is very angry! Inazuma's Archon is very angry! If you go out in the storm, she could catch you and electrocute you!!»

It was a way like any other to keep children from leaving the safety of their homes during downpours and storms. The classic 'bogeyman', used to nurture children's common sense through fears.

Kaeya himself as a child had felt a little intimidated by those fairy tales, he had to admit, but he had always had Diluc next to him and the reassuring warmth of the Dawn Winery to protect him.

The years that had passed, however, had drastically changed every aspect of his life, and was only when Kaeya had re-entered Diluc's life that he felt he could truly appreciate what he had feared he had lost forever.

He had missed the warmth of that house and the constant presence of Diluc, and Kaeya could not help but derive pleasure and serenity from the feeling he felt in being right inside those walls while outside was unleashed with that storm.

And Kaeya also had to admit: there were a lot of little details that made him love those thunderstorms every time.

Such as, for example, returning home completely soaked with Diluc. Which allowed him to shut himself up in the bathroom with his partner to enjoy the relaxing hot water of the bathtub.

Kaeya used to sit on the edge of the tub, with his back half leaning against the wall to keep the balance. His bare legs were immersed in water up to his knees, and between them he welcomed Diluc, completely comfortable.

It was a moment of intimacy, and with a calm but focused expression on his face, Kaeya was accustomed to dedicating himself first to Diluc's thick, unruly hair, washing and combing it very carefully.

Diluc always kept his eyes closed during that treatment. His forehead was relaxed and reflected the sensation of total abandonment of his body, embraced by the water and delicate bubbles of foam.

Deaf to the storm, Kaeya would spend hours and hours watching him, dipping his fingers in that soft hair that smelled of Calla Lilies.

He loved those moments, in which he could pour all his feelings onto the body of his partner without having to express them in words.

He smiled to himself, and after pulling Diluc's hair into a bun, Kaeya patted him lightly on the shoulder.

«Come on, make room for me,» he murmured, moving his legs a little to make his intention clearer.

Diluc groaned, lazily opening his eyes. He was clearly tired from the day's work, but nevertheless he moved just enough to allow Kaeya to slip behind him into the tub.

Their bodies, embraced by the hot water, soon relaxed against each other. And without feeling the real need to wash themselves or to hurry to free the bathroom, Kaeya and Diluc remained in that position for a while, enjoying the mutual closeness and the feeling of security that those four walls were able to donate to both.

They didn't need anything else.

You can’t love someone unless you love yourself first

Words: 525
Warning: Established Relationship, Fluff
Prompt: ‘You can’t love someone unless you love yourself first.’ Bullshit. I never loved myself. But you, oh God, I loved you so much I forgot what hating myself felt like.

Kaeya had heard the phrase: "You can’t love someone unless you love yourself first," many times in his life, but he had always considered it bullshit. Or, at the very least, not applicable to himself.

Because Kaeya doubted he would ever be able to love himself. His existence, in fact, was based on lies.

Love and lies were hardly compatible. Kaeya on the other hand had come to Mondstadt as a spy, Khaenri'ha's only and last hope.

He had been forced to pretend to be someone he wasn't, and when Kaeya first tried to be truthful... the weight of all the lies had crushed him - certainly helped by his bad timing.

No. It was impossible for him to love himself.

On the contrary, Kaeya knew he could love someone so much that he was able to forget the hatred and disgust he felt for himself.

Those were the feelings Kaeya had for Diluc. Emotions so strong able to allow him to live almost peacefully with that past that he would hardly ever leave him.

Was it overly romantic? Probably yes, but Kaeya felt he could allow himself that sort of 'peace of mind' from time to time... at least in his thoughts.

Because Diluc was perfect even in his imperfections that complemented everything Kaeya owned.

It was with those thoughts that Kaeya began to slowly take off his glove, without stopping to look him in the eyes.

Neither of them wanted to break that eye contact, not even when the fabric of the glove left Diluc's hand entirely, showing the scars he was used to hiding.

The Delusion had left indelible marks on the skin, once marred only by calluses and small training wounds. A kind of warning that constantly reminded both Diluc and Kaeya of the painful price of that power.

Kaeya showed no curiosity for those scars, but his gestures immediately betrayed his real interest. In fact, with his lips he touched those signs in kisses as light as caresses, going through them one by one as if to study their depth and position.

He continued to kiss Diluc' skin like that, and lifting the sleeve of his shirt slowly went up from the hand to his wrist, in that imaginary path of scars.

Kaeya accepted all of Diluc's scars because Diluc was able to make him forget everything.

Diluc barely held back a sigh but couldn't stop his body from being shaken by a shiver for those delicate but at the same time sensual attention, accompanied from the beginning by Kaeya's gaze chained to his.

Kaeya would watch him for hours. His face increasingly red, his lips parted in frequent sighs, his scarlet eyes half closed. The sweet and relaxing scent of Calla Lily and Lamp Grass. And Kaeya would continue to kiss and touch Diluc without ever being satiated, never wanting to find himself somewhere else.

That was his way of showing his feelings, without speaking but only with small gestures.

Yes, he was more and more convinced: the phrase "You can’t love someone unless you love yourself first" was really bullshit.

Liberosis

Words: 640
Warning: Secret Established Relationship, Fluff
Prompt: Liberosis: The desire to care less about things.

Kaeya had felt watched ever since he hurriedly left the Dawn Winery to return to Mondstadt. He was used to being the center of attention but somehow those looks were different, so much so that he came to consider the hypothesis that Diluc had left some annoying mark on his chest or neck.

To be honest, Kaeya was partly ready to rule out that hypothesis, because he had looked in the mirror before sneaking out the window to avoid being seen by the Dawn Winery staff, but on the other hand he couldn't be totally sure.

He would have liked to care less about things, but Kaeya knew he was an extremely curious person. He could not ignore it, especially when he was the one directly concerned. It was impossible.

For that reason Kaeya found himself almost forced to go to the only person who, somehow, would never have judged him in the case of some hickey: Lisa.

No one was aware of his relationship with Diluc, not even the librarian, but Kaeya was certain that Lisa wouldn't ask too many questions about his lover's identity.

At the most Lisa would have questioned him to get the 'dirtiest details' of the night of passion just passed. Something that Kaeya would have told her more than willingly, obviously omitting the name of Diluc.

Kaeya still ignored the curious, and sometimes amused, glances of the people he was passing along his path, and sneaked quickly inside the Headquarters. He walked into the library and, after making sure he was alone with Lisa, asked her a simple: «Do I look strange to you?»

Lisa looked at him in surprise at that question.

«Strange, you say?» she repeated looking at him from head to toe. The librarian immediately smiled, clearly showing herself pleased and amused. «You're normal... let's say.»

That 'let's say' promised nothing good, but never as good as the young woman's expression. Maybe he didn't have any hickey but... there must be something 'wrong' with him.

Kaeya stiffened a little, and tried with a smile not to be nervous... which he found quite difficult to conceal when Lisa nonchalantly asked him: «You know you're wearing Diluc's gloves, right?»

He looked down at his hands, covered in black gloves with red palms. Totally different from those he used to wear because, as Lisa had said, they were precisely those of Diluc.

In his haste to get dressed and leave the Dawn Winery, Kaeya had taken the wrong gloves, and Diluc would have killed him since everyone had seen him with those gloves on.

He sighed and looked at the librarian again.

«I can-»

«Don't you dare say 'I can explain'. The situation is clear enough,» Lisa promptly exclaimed. «I'm deeply disappointed in you. First of all those gloves look terrible with your outfit. And second... how could you not tell me anything?!»

Kaeya smiled nervously, pulling off the gloves to hide them in his pocket. He couldn't help but feel annoyed and even embarrassed, for any other subject he could have laughed at it, but not with his life as a couple with Diluc. It was a private and sensitive subject, and it was impossible for Kaeya not to care.

«There is a thing called privacy, you know.»

Lisa ignored him, dropping that answer with a wave of her hand.

«I want the details now. You owe them to me, Alberich,» she added, indicating the empty chair beside her with a nod. «And, of course, I promise nothing will come out of this room. But now: speak.»

Kaeya sighed and took a seat next to the librarian, aware that he could no longer escape the explanations the young woman was demanding. After all it was the fault of his inattention.