Glass of dandelion wine in hand, Sakura raised an eyebrow when Kaeya Alberich took a seat across from her at one of the tables nestled in one of Angel Share's quieter corners.
"Captain, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Kaeya's uncovered lilac eye twinkled under the tavern's warm light as he smiled at her charmingly. "Why, I saw you here and could not in good conscience let a lady sit by her lonesome in a tavern."
Watching him closely over the rim of her glass, Sakura's lips quirked up in knowingly. "Oh my, it appears you aren't as devoid of chivalry as I thought you were."
The man seemed unaffected by her jab, resting his elbows on the table with the self-assurance of someone who knows he's going to get what he's after.
"I am a Captain of the Knights of Favonious. Chivalry is in the job description, no?"
The woman chuckled, flicking her loosely woven braid over her shoulder. "Is that so? The Knights sure are lax when it comes to assessing candidates."
"Thinking so lowly of me? You wound me."
"And you underestimate me if you think your little act is convincing enough to make me believe you care about what I think of you."
His lone eye swept her face for a few seconds, and perhaps a few years ago the intensity in his stary pupil would have unnerved her. But the woman she was, the woman who had had everything taken away from her, chased away from a home she had grown to hate…It would a whole lot more to unnerve her.
He chuckled, bringing his glass to his lips. "Your tongue is as sharp as the dagger at your hip, my lady."
Snorting in reply, Sakura rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "We've worked together enough times for you to know I am no lady, Captain."
Kaeya hummed in his glass, eye trained on her as if she were the most interesting subject in the entire room. "Do I know though? We've collaborated on a number of occasions, and yet, I dare say I don't know you at all."
The medic kept her eyes from narrowing, perfectly aware of the captain's prowess with words. After all, it was no secret that Mondstadt's Frostwind Swordsman was as skilled with his tongue as he was with his blade. He knew his strengths and he utilized them to the fullest, luring his targets into a false sense of security with honeyed words, pleasant smiles, and the potent taste of quality wine. It was remarkable how quickly he had managed to set up such a long-reaching, intricate network of informants in a mere three years of service as Cavalry Captain, and Sakura had to admit that she admired him for it.
It had become a sort of game between them, an unspoken competition to see who would outwit the other first. Kaeya was determined to get her to talk about her past and she was resolved to keep him guessing just to see the beautiful façade of this skillful liar crack. He was a master deceiver, she knew, but everyone had been in her previous line of work. It was amusing, to say the least, and she quite enjoyed the verbal matches that always ended up with the two of them sharing a drink or two at Diluc's tavern. Not quite friends, but more than mere acquaintances.
However, she did not quite appreciate being thought of as so gullible that she'd so easily fall for a handsome face and a silver tongue.
Plastering a relaxed smile on her face, she hummed audibly, regarding her companion with thinly veiled interest. "I could say the same about you, Captain. Why, I believe I have patched up your wounds enough times for us to have breached the wall of being mere acquaintances. Look at us, sharing drinks in your brother's tavern," she said pleasantly, and as much as she did not particularly like bringing Diluc into a conversation he had nothing to do with, it was worth seeing Kaeya's brow twitch at the realization that she was aware of their history, courtesy of Paimon's inability to keep a secret. "That makes us friends, correct? Tell me about you, Captain, let's make this friendship a tad more intimate."
Kaeya chuckled, not quite taking her bait but still eyeing her over the rim of his glass. "I'm afraid there's not much to tell. I'm a fairly uninteresting individual."
Had she been unaware that he was trying to charm information out of her, Sakura would have laughed. "Are you, now? Let me think," she trailed off, tapping her cheek with her finger. "You're a Cavalry Captain with no cavalry to speak of, a remarkable swordsman tasked with training green knights who wouldn't know how to hold a sword properly even if it hit them in the face. You walk in the sun and bask in the company of the people, yet you live in the darkness, navigating an admirable network of informants that you managed to set up and nurture all on your own, refusing to take credit for the things you really do for Mondstadt. Hidden away like a nocturnal creature that hunts when the shadows are long."
He watched her in silence, lilac eye focused on her as she spoke. Though he kept his glass close to his lips, he was not drinking, and Sakura counted that as a win.
"More importantly, you and Diluc act as if you can't stand being around each other, and yet, as much as you refuse to acknowledge it, you both go out of your way to pull the right strings behind the scenes to keep one another safe," she continued, taking a sip of her wine, eyes catching the slight twitch of his brow that would have gone unnoticed had he be having this conversation with anyone else. "A master of whispers, you picked up the slack after your Grand Master left with the cavalry but not its captain, doing the Ordo's dirty work, bearing the brunt of it all, only to allow Jean to take the glory. You willingly plunge yourself in the darkness to pave a smoother path for others, knowing that you won't be getting the credit, not what you deserve, at least. And now you sit here, wielding your tongue as skillfully as you wield your frozen blade, with no clear goal but to pick me apart and dig through what you find for scraps of information that may or may not be of use to you," she continued, emerald eyes pining him in place. "So, tell me, Sir Kaeya, who are you?"
XxxOxOxOxxX
The next time Sakura found her herself within the walls of Angel's Share at the same time as Kaeya Alberich was a few weeks after their little…conversation.
With more and more people commissioning members of the already short-staffed Adventurer's Guild, her skills had been in high demand. She had even gone on a few assignments herself despite her position as the Guild's resident medic requiring her presence at headquarters most of the time. Still, she wouldn't lie by saying that she hadn't enjoyed it. Her job was significantly less demanding than most things she had ever done back in Konoha, and while that meant less people sustained injuries that demanded medical attention, it did get rather boring at times.
Sighing into her drink from her place beside Master Cyrus, her eyes scanned the crowd absently, not really paying attention until a flash of blue entered her peripheral.
The first thing she noticed was the lack of his usual cheer. Kaeya was the life of the party, always ready to make some noise either to amuse himself or to annoy his brother, which, now that she thought about it, were pretty much one and the same.
Leaning against the bar counter with an untouched glass of alcohol in hand, the most jarring thing about him was the slight frown marring his features. She knew him well enough to know that the Cavalry Captain rarely ever let his true feelings show in the company of others, so the furrowed brows were rather telling. If Kaeya was distracted enough to break character, then things were probably more serious than usual.
Standing near him behind the bar, Diluc appeared as stoic as ever, mixing drinks with expert hands. And yet, one scrutinizing look was all it took for Sakura to pick up on his agitation. Shoulders tense, his vermillion eyes scanned the crowd, and whispered something to Kaeya, whose brow barely twitched. Whatever the issue was, both men looked troubled.
Sakura hummed thoughtfully, not paying Master Cyrus' lively retelling of an old tale from his adventuring days any mind. Excusing herself from the table, she made her way to the bar.
"Captain, Master Diluc. 'Tis a lively night, no?"
Diluc nodded at her in greeting and Kaeya smiled, though it lacked his usual mirth. "My lady, always a pleasure to behold your fair countenance. What brings you to Master Diluc's humble watering hole this fine evening?"
Leaning on the counter beside him, she angled her body in a way that allowed her to scan the tavern's patrons. "Entertainment, Captain Alberich. Though I can't say the same about you."
He glanced at her in the corner of his eye, eyebrow slightly raised. "Oh? Whatever do you mean? Surely, one who visits the taverns does so to be merry."
Rolling her eyes, she subtly turned her head, making sure that no one watching would be able to read her lips. "You're being rather obvious, Kaeya, and anyone with an average eye will notice. You're frustrated, you're slipping up, this is not like you. If you want to catch whoever you're tailing here, you need to start being a bit more subtle."
If her words alarmed him, he did not show it, sipping from his glass calmly and with the elegance one would expect from a noble. The way he held himself was telling, making it quite clear that he had been raised amongst Mondstadt's upper echelons.
A flash of red in the corner of her eye made her glance to her right to see Diluc setting a glass of wine near her arm and nodded at him thankfully. Raising it to her lips, she caught his eye and smiled, mentally congratulating him for his quick thinking. With Kaeya clearly tailing someone in the tavern, it'd seem strange if she just stood there near him and talking in hushed whispers. At least now she could pretend she'd made her way over to grab another drink.
Taking another sip, she leaned back against the counter, smile still in place. "Who is it? And don't try to deny it, you know it won't work."
Kaeya remained silent for a few seconds, likely contemplating whether to tell her or not, before bringing his glass to his mouth, using the heavy sniffer to hide the movement of his lips.
"On our right, table in the corner right underneath the window. Six people, the one dressed in browns is the leader. Ties to illegal markets that import and distribute deadly poisons. We have reasons to believe he is trying to set up a side business with the Treasure Hoarders around here."
"Treasure Hoarders? That's nothing new. Why are you so worked up over this?"
He sent her a sideways glace, expression unreadable. "They are importing and circulating materials from Khaenri'ah."
The name gave her pause, her mind immediately bringing forth the crumbs of information she'd found in some of Lisa's old tomes in the library. Khaenri'ah, the Godless land, the cursed continent where death and ruin reigned supreme, the civilization that Teyvat's Gods decided to destroy. The Cursed People. Kaeya's people.
His agitation makes a lot more sense now.
She bit her tongue to keep herself from asking more questions. She was well aware that Kaeya was rather cryptic, especially when it came to his wasteland of a home country or his past. The people who knew had come to a silent agreement not to press, save – perhaps – Diluc.
Well, you're not one to talk, are you, Saki? Aren't you equally as tight-lipped about the Shinobi Nations as he is about Khaenri'ah?
"What kind of materials?"
"Plants, animal parts, poisons. The deadliest substances you can think of. Not much else grows in Khaenri'ah."
That's not good. Unknown poisons mean no known cure, and no known cure means a lot of people could die. She hummed, deep in thought. "What do we know so far?"
"Our inside man says the leader has a list of locations and names that could help us catch the head of the operations. He keeps the list on his person at all times and never goes anywhere without his little party of bodyguards."
"Why would he carry it around like that? Isn't that unnecessarily risky?"
"Leverage. He knows he's expendable so he's holding a trump card in case his higher ups decide he's no longer useful."
"Where on his person does he keep the list?"
"We do not know, I am afraid."
Sakura hummed, absorbing his words. "Considering you're sitting here instead of charming the information out of them, they are not very receptive of your company, are they?"
"They know I am with the Knights and keep their distance. I have yet to draw more than one or two sentences from them, even in a relaxed environment like this. They are careful, they have not given me any excuse to arrest them either."
She kept her muscles relaxed as she mulled over his words, feeling Diluc's eyes on the back of her head. She wasn't sure if he could see the cogs in her brain turning, though she was certain his elusive, blue-haired brother could.
Setting her glass on the counter with a bang that had both brothers looking at her oddly, Sakura grabbed a serving tray and winked at Diluc.
"What are the gentlemen in the corner drinking, Master Diluc?"
"Dandelion wine and ale. Does it matter?"
Sakura grinned. "Pour them another round on me. Make the drinks extra strong."
"What-"
"Trust me on this, Diluc."
The young man stared at her for a few seconds, questions swimming in his vermilion eyes, but complied, deft fingers reaching for the glassware and the appropriate bottles of alcohol.
Sakura hummed in thanks and untied her braid, fluffing up her long pink locks and sweeping them over one shoulder. Gulping down the last of her own drink, she loosened the string keeping the dip of her shirt together, exposing her cleavage to the tavern's warmth and the gazes of the patrons.
"What in the world are you doing?"
She raised her eyes to Kaeya to find him examining her closely with a furrowed brow. Shrugging, Sakura fixed her clothes, tightening her belt to accentuate her waist even more.
"Just lending a hand."
"Here," Diluc said, pushing the tray with the drinks towards here.
She picked it up, offering him a thankful smile and a wink. "Watch and learn, boys."
Plastering a smile on her face, she made her way to the table, one hand holding the tray, the other twirling a lock of her hair.
The tap of her boots on Diluc's well-polished floor grabbed their attention and they turned to look at her, first in question, then in unconcealed interest.
Making her way to the table, she leaned forward over the shoulder of the man Kaeya had named as the leader, resisting the urge to smirk smugly at the way his eyes immediately strayed to the exposed skin of her cleavage.
She winked at him, her flirty smile widening. "Gentlemen, these drinks are on me."
The leader raised an eyebrow, reaching out to grab one of the wine glasses. "What's the occasion, pretty lady?"
He was not a particularly big man, but she could see the muscles of his arms straining the sleeves of the pine green shirt he wore, which indicated he had at least some combat experience. A dagger dangled from his belt and if the outline against the leather of his boot was any indication, he kept a smaller knife there for emergencies.
For someone with ties to the Treasure Hoarders and the black markets, he accepted that drink way too easily. Tsk, amateurs.
Crossing her arms to keep his attention on her chest rather than any suspicions he might have, Sakura leaned even closer to him.
"Today's my birthday. I'm buying everyone a drink to celebrate with me."
"Everyone? And here I thought I was just special."
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at that, she placed her hand on his shoulder, dragging her finger down his bicep.
"Would you like to be special?"
The smirk he sent her was predatory as his dark eyes swept her from head to toe. "Have a seat, pretty lady," he said, patting his lap, "Let's celebrate together. We have all night."
XxxOxOxOxxX
Kaeya watched over the rim of his wine glass as she made her way to the table in the corner, hips swaying dangerously.
She set the tray down, and exchanged a few words with the men, offering them enchanting smiles and filling their vision with the exposed skin of her collarbone. She played them expertly, all fleeting touches and flirty looks that left the company of men hanging onto her every word.
It was equal parts alarming and spellbinding to observe, setting off warning bells in his mind but at the same time keeping him enraptured.
His eyes left the scene occasionally, lest any of the other men noticed him staring, but he knew Diluc was observing them carefully too. They were both determined not to miss anything. A look, a move of the hands, perhaps even a nod to each other could potentially give them clues. Kaeya was well-versed in how these organizations communicated, he knew what to expect most of the time.
What he had not expected however, was Sakura making herself comfortable on the leader's lap and throwing her arms around his neck.
"What in the world…" Diluc grumbled under his breath from behind him, his voice barely audible over the sounds of the patrons and Six-Fingered Jose's singing.
Kaeya sent him a warning glance over his shoulder, knowing his brother's penchant for letting his emotions control his actions. Fortunately, their years apart had not dulled their ability to communicate wordlessly, and Diluc held his tongue, picking up his cleaning rag to dry some more glasses.
Setting his own glass down, Kaeya smirked at his brother. "Mix me another Death After Noon, Master Diluc. 'Tis a fine night. Let us be merry!"
To his credit, Diluc complied without needing any more convincing, preparing his drink in record time. Taking a sip, Kaeya's lone eye swept the room seemingly without much focus, settling on the table in the corner with practiced indifference.
Sitting in the man's lap, Sakura was all giggles and flirty smiles, tracing his shoulders teasingly, fingers resting at the nape of the criminal's neck.
Kaeya wasn't sure whether to be impressed or uncomfortable. A bit of both, he supposed. After all, she had managed to get where he hadn't, though it'd never been in his plans to let his target cope a fill.
The light from the chandelier above his head glinted off the polished surface of the bar counter, and he could feel the frustration rolling off Diluc in waves. It would be a lie to say that he was not a tad agitated himself for reasons he'd never admit aloud. If he were to be completely frank, as rare as that was, he was quite disappointed in himself.
How is it that this woman has a whole bunch of criminals wrapped around her little finger with barely a glance and a bat of her eyelashes?
He should have dug deeper into her past. While he was no stranger to how gathering intel often worked, and women more often than not could reach places men like himself couldn't, an outlander like Sakura with this type of skillset residing in Mondstadt for reasons no one apparently knew was alarming. Taking another sip of his drink, he made a mental note to keep a better eye on her. If not for the satisfaction of his own curiosity, then certainly for the safety of Mondstadt.
Sakura carried on her little act for a while longer, and by the time she stood from the criminal's lap, most of the patrons had already left. Kaeya liked it better that way. Less bystanders meant less collateral if a fight ended up breaking out. He stole a glance at the outlaws, and he couldn't help but snort in his drink. They made for a sorry sight, passed out on the table, with most of their mugs toppled over and dripping ale and dandelion wine on the floor. Diluc was going to be furious.
The sound of clicking heels snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to look at the woman approaching him with a grin that was equal parts pleased and smug. For just a moment, he allowed his eye to roam her figure over the rim of his glass, and he couldn't help but appreciate the flushed skin of her cleavage and cheeks. Swaying dangerously as she walked, the fullness of her hips was truly a sight for sore eyes.
"Here," she said, snapping him out of his rather uncharacteristic thoughts. His hand shot out to catch what she tossed him out of instinct more than anything else, and he took a moment to examine the object in his palm.
"A locket?"
She hummed and nodded, leaning against the bar counter and positioning her body at an angle that kept his hands hidden from prying eyes. "Open it."
He didn't know what he expected when he unclasped the two halves, but he most certainly did not expect to find a small piece of yellowed paper hidden within the rusted, round locket. His eyes flicked to her, noticing the self-assured smile on her face, before turning back to the matter at hand. He removed the paper and unfolded it carefully, only for his good eye to widen.
"This is…"
A total of twelve names stared back at him, obviously written in haste by an uneducated hand, but still very clearly discernable.
"You list," she finishes for him, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back off the bar counter. "Getting it was quite troublesome too. Do all Treasure Hoarders have such a high alcohol tolerance? Good thing I told Master Diluc to make those drinks stronger than usual." She giggled to herself, strands of long rosy hair falling in front of her eyes, and then raised her eyes to meet his. "Well, my work here is done. You got your list, and I get to have the Cavalry Captain indebted to me. Isn't that exciting?"
Had Kaeya been any less composed and level-headed than he was, he would have certainly said something about the way her eyes sparkled mischievously as she spoke about his debt. Instead, he plastered a smile on his face, full of charm and amicability that he knew she saw through and inclined his head.
"But of course. Let it be known that us knights never forget those who have aided us, especially when that someone happens to be a beautiful lady." The words rolled easily off his tongue, weaving their silver spell like they had done numerous times in the past, only they seemed to have little to no effect on her.
Sakura pushed herself off the bar counter, flipping her long locks over her shoulder as she pressed the palm of her hand on his chest, her fingertips lightly grazing his exposed skin. It sent shivers down his spine.
"Oh no, no, no, Captain," she said, voice low and eyes half-lidded. "This one will be a favor to me from *you*. Let's see what those skills of yours can get me."
Kaeya could count the times he'd been taken aback in his life on one hand, but as he stared into the emerald eyes of the Guild's elusive medic, he could tell he'd probably have to add the other hand too to his count. Gathering his thoughts, smiled charmingly at her.
"In that case, milady," he started, taking her chin between his fingers, "I hope you are prepared."
TBC
Heeeeeey, guys!
Phew, it's been a while!
How are you all faring? Work has been kicking my butt lately, so I haven't had much time to write. My apologies for the late update!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Part two of this will follow soon so stay tuned~
Also, something I'd like to get off my chest…. HAVE YOU ALL SEEN THOMA?! That man currently holds my heart, my mind, and my soul. If you think I'm going to C6 the moment they release him, then you are absolutely right.
Of course, Thoma's chapter will come very, very soon too, 'cause he's adorable and I love him.
If you'd like to talk about anything and everything, you can catch me on Discord. Let's get to know each other better!
Discord link: :/ /6kbhCTf5
Just remove the spaces! I look forward to meeting you all! :)
Until next time,
Lots of love!