[Kaeya, please, of course he knows where you live. As much as anyone who might have casually seen him walk in and out of the same place on repeated occasions might be able to easily surmise that he lives there.
Dainsleif lets out a little laugh then and shakes his head.]
But... yes, too busy, I suppose... I have often found myself almost envious of people able to live a simple, uncomplicated life. I was busy back then, but my life was not complicated.
[His eye goes wide as the first statement sinks in. He had been very careful about his comings and goings from the tea shop.
Careful in keeping tabs on Dain each time he came to Mondstadt. He feels he had made a clean break from the past. But there is always the worry that he has been lying to himself and that the past will grab him eventually.
He swallows. Then sighs,] I see the life of a high ranking knight will never stop being busy. I had my hopes of some days being not so full of tasks.
[He takes a sip and closes his eyes. The scar over the eye normally covered itches a little. He rubs at it then opens his eyes.] While I know it is unlikely, I still hope you get some peaceful uncomplicated days ahead.
You’ll have at least one. I want you to be at my wedding in whatever capacity you want to be. Mondstadt weddings are very free form.
[If there was one thing that Dainsleif had not expected to hear, it was that. An invitation to a wedding is not something that has been extended to him in a long time and even with their relationship being as good as it is now, he would not have been offended had Kaeya not extended that kind of invitation to him.]
I, uh...
[He distracts himself with his drink for a moment, having still not touched his food, and looks down at the table.]
Hmn. [A few responses push their way to the front of his mind. 'Are you sure that's a good idea', he thinks, knowing of the kind of danger that tends to follow in his wake and the possible problems that can come attached to openly associating with a pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn.
But Kaeya knows all of that.]
I'll be there. I cannot say in what capacity, but even if you don't see me, rest assured that I was present.
[There is a heavy thumping sound. Kaeya pretends it isn’t his tail wagging but the stupid smile on his face gives him away.] I know it is a lot to ask. Thank you.
It won’t be heavily formal or anything. Neither of us want that. [Considering what their wedding would be like at Mondstadt this will be so far from that. He gets a cold sweat thinking of all the decor and formality he would have to have as a knight captain marrying an old noble family noble.
He drains half of his drink. He waves a hand.] Sorry, sorry. I thought of how it would be if it was in Mond and had a moment.
[They were talking about that, weren't they. He puts his mind back to it... and, stars, he's finding himself so strangely fretful that the memories returned to him will begin to slip away again. The erosion of time and the curse on him is not something that he has ever been able to fully combat, although things to resurface now and then and sometimes concentration in examining what recollections remain can turn up something new, but he has never recalled anything in such startling clarity as these fresh memories of places long-since destroyed.]
Where was I... ah... the books.
[He gives a small shake of his head.]
The kitchen was not often used... I tended to prefer to eat together with my men and the meals served there were more than serviceable. I preferred to foster a sense of family amongst us, rather than keeping myself aloof as their superior.
[Over time he's learned that Dain really isn't someone to be wary of. He still worries sometimes about his own family. He suspects a lot, but. This...it reminds him his knights look at him like he could battle the heart of the abyss and come out fine.] ...that sounds lovely.
[And familiar. But his lips twitch as he adds,] A kitchen rarely used...well, that used to be the case for me too. Luc is the king of ours, mm; it's enough to make a man feel a little competitive.
[He couldn't let Diluc have all the fun.] While I'm not surprised some things overlap with knighthood, it is nice to see.
It may have been five hundred years, but how humans connect with one another hasn't changed that much. I needed the trust and confidence of those under my command... I never felt that I could achieve that by keeping myself distanced from them.
[So he would sit with them, eat with them, laugh and show them that he was human too, and they would know that when it came down to it he would always be there at their backs just as they were at his.]
They followed my orders without question to the very end. I've always been very proud of them. [Ah, and there's something there... some little sting of pain that he skims over with a small smile.]
Aside from that, there was a bedroom, a bathroom, everything you might expect. As I said, I didn't live extravagantly.
It suits you. [His tail thumps against his seat again. He smiles.] I like it too. That’s something I miss here. I liked eating with my men and sharing drinks off duty.
Time in a tavern after a long day…it was always nice. [He smiles fondly and sips his drink. Then he settles.] Thank you for sharing that with me.
[Suits him? Hm... he supposes it does. It's the kind of life he had missed, that he sometimes envies the ability of others to have, and now...
Now he has that very thing, yet he finds it difficult to be grateful for it as he would be were he ever able to attain such a thing in Teyvat. But that's the thing, isn't it... he's never going to be able to have this in Teyvat.]
I'll admit... I feel like I've regained something lost by having spent time with you.
[It's not the first time he has expressed to Kaeya that he appreciates having him around, but the words come out regardless.]
You have no idea what it's meant. To just look into eyes like my own and not see hatred or suspicion in them.
[He sets his drink down and gets up. He comes within reach as he says,] I can say the same.
I don't...feel the weight of legacy and duty when I look at you. It's nice just to be and feel the ties of kinship. [Without the weight of what he suspects. Dain said his family weren't involved. But...he suspects that isn't true.
He sighs,] It's one of the things that makes this time very special. It will always live in my heart.
There are, admittedly, many things he has not told Kaeya. Things he would hope not to need to tell him, with how close they have become... it would have only been a reason to be suspicious of him before. By now, Dainsleif is fairly confident of where Kaeya's allegiances lie.
As for his family... that's complicated. He hadn't entirely lied. But... he hadn't been truthful, either.]
Likewise. It's good, to not feel isolated... don't you think?
It’s wonderful. It makes me happy we both get to experience it. [His eyes are bright as he lifts his drink up in a toast.
He is content here. He knows he has to go back eventually, but this world isn’t so bad sometimes. Especially for moments like this where he and Dain can enjoy a bond they never thought they would have with their own people.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-03-01 06:35 pm (UTC)... I know.
[Kaeya, please, of course he knows where you live. As much as anyone who might have casually seen him walk in and out of the same place on repeated occasions might be able to easily surmise that he lives there.
Dainsleif lets out a little laugh then and shakes his head.]
But... yes, too busy, I suppose... I have often found myself almost envious of people able to live a simple, uncomplicated life. I was busy back then, but my life was not complicated.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-01 07:33 pm (UTC)Careful in keeping tabs on Dain each time he came to Mondstadt. He feels he had made a clean break from the past. But there is always the worry that he has been lying to himself and that the past will grab him eventually.
He swallows. Then sighs,] I see the life of a high ranking knight will never stop being busy. I had my hopes of some days being not so full of tasks.
[He takes a sip and closes his eyes. The scar over the eye normally covered itches a little. He rubs at it then opens his eyes.] While I know it is unlikely, I still hope you get some peaceful uncomplicated days ahead.
You’ll have at least one. I want you to be at my wedding in whatever capacity you want to be. Mondstadt weddings are very free form.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-04 01:32 pm (UTC)I, uh...
[He distracts himself with his drink for a moment, having still not touched his food, and looks down at the table.]
Hmn. [A few responses push their way to the front of his mind. 'Are you sure that's a good idea', he thinks, knowing of the kind of danger that tends to follow in his wake and the possible problems that can come attached to openly associating with a pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn.
But Kaeya knows all of that.]
I'll be there. I cannot say in what capacity, but even if you don't see me, rest assured that I was present.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-04 05:33 pm (UTC)It won’t be heavily formal or anything. Neither of us want that. [Considering what their wedding would be like at Mondstadt this will be so far from that. He gets a cold sweat thinking of all the decor and formality he would have to have as a knight captain marrying an old noble family noble.
He drains half of his drink. He waves a hand.] Sorry, sorry. I thought of how it would be if it was in Mond and had a moment.
Can I keep hearing about your place?
no subject
Date: 2023-03-05 06:32 pm (UTC)[They were talking about that, weren't they. He puts his mind back to it... and, stars, he's finding himself so strangely fretful that the memories returned to him will begin to slip away again. The erosion of time and the curse on him is not something that he has ever been able to fully combat, although things to resurface now and then and sometimes concentration in examining what recollections remain can turn up something new, but he has never recalled anything in such startling clarity as these fresh memories of places long-since destroyed.]
Where was I... ah... the books.
[He gives a small shake of his head.]
The kitchen was not often used... I tended to prefer to eat together with my men and the meals served there were more than serviceable. I preferred to foster a sense of family amongst us, rather than keeping myself aloof as their superior.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-07 07:11 pm (UTC)[And familiar. But his lips twitch as he adds,] A kitchen rarely used...well, that used to be the case for me too. Luc is the king of ours, mm; it's enough to make a man feel a little competitive.
[He couldn't let Diluc have all the fun.] While I'm not surprised some things overlap with knighthood, it is nice to see.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-11 08:57 pm (UTC)[So he would sit with them, eat with them, laugh and show them that he was human too, and they would know that when it came down to it he would always be there at their backs just as they were at his.]
They followed my orders without question to the very end. I've always been very proud of them. [Ah, and there's something there... some little sting of pain that he skims over with a small smile.]
Aside from that, there was a bedroom, a bathroom, everything you might expect. As I said, I didn't live extravagantly.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-12 07:37 pm (UTC)Time in a tavern after a long day…it was always nice. [He smiles fondly and sips his drink. Then he settles.] Thank you for sharing that with me.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-17 07:14 pm (UTC)Now he has that very thing, yet he finds it difficult to be grateful for it as he would be were he ever able to attain such a thing in Teyvat. But that's the thing, isn't it... he's never going to be able to have this in Teyvat.]
I'll admit... I feel like I've regained something lost by having spent time with you.
[It's not the first time he has expressed to Kaeya that he appreciates having him around, but the words come out regardless.]
You have no idea what it's meant. To just look into eyes like my own and not see hatred or suspicion in them.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-18 09:17 pm (UTC)I don't...feel the weight of legacy and duty when I look at you. It's nice just to be and feel the ties of kinship. [Without the weight of what he suspects. Dain said his family weren't involved. But...he suspects that isn't true.
He sighs,] It's one of the things that makes this time very special. It will always live in my heart.
think we can wrap this one up? :3
Date: 2023-03-24 12:09 pm (UTC)There are, admittedly, many things he has not told Kaeya. Things he would hope not to need to tell him, with how close they have become... it would have only been a reason to be suspicious of him before. By now, Dainsleif is fairly confident of where Kaeya's allegiances lie.
As for his family... that's complicated. He hadn't entirely lied. But... he hadn't been truthful, either.]
Likewise. It's good, to not feel isolated... don't you think?
Ye!
Date: 2023-03-25 01:41 pm (UTC)He is content here. He knows he has to go back eventually, but this world isn’t so bad sometimes. Especially for moments like this where he and Dain can enjoy a bond they never thought they would have with their own people.
His tail wags and he smiles. It’s a good day.]