Chapter 8: Kaeya

Kaeya paced back and forth, eyes squeezed shut and hands pulling at his hair. The sheer force of his emotions was almost too much to bear, so he focused on trying to take deep breaths instead. He couldn't quite decide which was worse, his overwhelming guilt about having hurt Diluc yet again, or his own anguish.

Kaeya stopped for a moment, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes until he saw stars. Finally letting out a pained sigh, he forced himself to blink away the tears and come back to reality.

He was beyond shocked to see Quinn sitting on a nearby log in the clearing. She looked almost bored as she examined her pole arm.

The fact that she was still there fuelled Kaeya's anger even more. He kicked a clump of grass with all his might, then fell to his knees with an anguished cry.

He stayed there for a few minutes, gripping the grass between his fingers. Finally he stood, angrily wiping away his own tears before turning towards Quinn.

"Why are you even still here?" he accused, voice dripping with pain and malice.

She shrugged, not looking up from wiping the hilichurl blood off her weapon. "Same reason as you, I suppose."

Kaeya returned to fiercely pacing back and forth before responding a few minutes later.

"You have no idea where he went either, do you?"

She laughed, finally looking up to meet Kaeya's gaze. "Oh, I know exactly where he went. But I've been on the receiving his anger issues several times before, and somehow I get the feeling I'm not the person he wants to see right now."

Kaeya stared back. "Where is he?" he demanded.

Quinn shrugged again, returning her attention to her pole arm. "The nearest tavern would be my first guess."

The knight's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would he go to Angel's Share?"

"No, not Angel's Share," Quinn sighed, sounding as if she was responding to a troublesome child. "It'd look pretty bad if he passed out drunk in his own bar."

"Diluc doesn't drink."

Quinn gave him a flat look.

"Diluc doesn't drink," he insisted.

Kaeya started pacing again. "That bastard won't even so much as touch a glass of wine, and yet he always manages to berate me about my drinking habits, as if he'd ever care."

He stopped to look back at her, but Quinn had already gone back to cleaning her pole arm.

The realization finally stuck him. Kaeya realized that this Fatui scum actually knew more about Diluc than his own brother.

When they were young, even though Kaeya never talked about his past, the two were inseparable. They grew up together, passed the Knights exam together, they did everything together. Yet ever since Diluc had returned to Mondstadt, he was nothing more than a stranger.

Kaeya strode over and sat down next to Quinn, earning a confused frown from the Snezhnayan.

"You sell information," he stated, although it seemed to be more of a question.

"Yes, that's part of what I do," she replied hesitantly. "Though I don't buy or sell information to Diluc, I'll have you know–"

She was interrupted by Kaeya promptly handing her a silver coin. It was roughly twice the size of mora, and by the way her eyes widened when she saw it, he immediately knew Quinn recognized this currency.

She picked it up, letting our a breath as she traced the star emblem etched on the coin.

"Genuine Khaenr'iahn mint. This is a rare find indeed." She pocketed the silver coin, then turned to look back at Kaeya. "That will surely fetch a high price to the right buyer. What is it you want to know?"

Kaeya paused for a minute, still debating whether he should trust this spy at all.

"Tell me what happened to Diluc during those three years."

Quinn blinked in surprise, though it was clear she understood exactly what Kaeya was asking. "Hm. That's a long and complicated story. For a price as high as Khaenr'iahn currency, there are far more valuable things you could ask me."

"I need to know." Kaeya stared back intently.

Quinn paused, frowning before replying. "Are you sure you want to hear it from me? Not an hour ago you were yelling about how I was a Fatui spy."

Kaeya shook his head, not realizing so much time had already passed. He took a deep breath, then answered.

"Somehow I get the feeling you're the only person who could actually tell me."

Quinn nodded in agreement. "That's a fair point. Well then, where you you like me to start?"

"The very beginning."

The Snezhnayan took a deep breath before starting. "6 years ago, I sold Crepus Ragnvindr a Delusion."

"WHAT?!"

Quinn put up her hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, I warned you that you might not like what I have to say."

Kaeya drew in a shaky breath, fighting the urge to strangle the Fatuus right there and now.

"That weapon killed my father," he growled through clenched teeth.

"I know." Quinn almost looked genuinely sorry. "He had valuable information I needed, and that was the payment he wanted, even after I warned him."

"When I got word what had happened, I knew I needed to get that Delusion back. The problem was, it had already left Mondstadt."

"You do realize the Fatui played a role in Crepus' death, right?" Kaeya sneered. "Why should I trust anything you say?"

Quinn shrugged. "I think you already answered that question yourself."

Kaeya closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe this was a mistake. A large part of him didn't want to know the truth, if it was going to be this muddled.

But still…

"Fine." Kaeya sighed dramatically, then pulled out his flask and downed the rest of his dandelion wine. He swallowed and gestured for Quinn to continue.

The Snezhnayan let out a chuckle. "I guess you and your brother are alike after all."

Kaeya frowned. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Quinn's playful smile faded slightly. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" the knight asked, his stomach churning.

The Fatuus apparently returned to telling her story. "For six months after the Ursa the Drake incident, there was an unknown assassin targeting any and every Fatui outpost in northern Teyvat," she explained.

"Eventually it got bad enough that even the Harbingers got involved. We lost a great many soldiers at the hands of one of our own weapons."

Kaeya swallowed his growing uneasiness. "Diluc."

Quinn nodded. "The Harbingers did their best to cover it up, not wanting to appear weak in front of the other nations. But soon, Diluc's rampage made it inside Snezhnaya's own borders."

"Several Harbingers took it upon themselves to end this threat once and for all, but even drunk and emaciated, Diluc still put up quite the fight."

"Drunk?" Kaeya asked, confused.

"What, you didn't honestly think that Diluc killed hundreds of Fatui sober, did you?"

Hundreds. Diluc had always been a skilled warrior, but to think he went out and murdered hundreds of people unprovoked, even if they were Fatui…

"I'm honestly not sure which would have killed him first, the Harbingers or the sheer amount of alcohol in his system," Quinn stated matter-of-factly.

Kaeya felt sick to his stomach. Diluc had put on such a convincing act that even his own brother had believed he hated alcohol. Kaeya always assumed it was because wine reminded him of Father, but the pieces of the puzzle began to come together in his mind.

I just don't like the way alcohol feels in my mouth. How had he been so blind?

Kaeya processed this information, then turned slowly back towards Quinn. "You saved him," he deduced. "Why?"

She shook her head. "Maybe it was my guilty conscience, or maybe I was trying to save my own ass from the other Harbingers finding out I'd sold a Delusion on the black market. I honestly don't know."

Kaeya stared at his hands. "You're a Harbinger too, aren't you?" he asked.

Quinn smiled mischievously, which was enough of an answer in and of itself. "I'm sure you can imagine Diluc didn't take it well when he found out."

Kaeya snorted, surprised that he could muster any laugh at this point.

"I think deep down, he always knew. But after confronting me about it, he cut ties with my information network and returned to Mondstadt."

Ah. Kaeya had always wondered what had led Diluc to return so suddenly.

"Anyways, I continued to send him information regarding Fatui activities in Mond, which he seemed to put to good use. I hear he's sober now, and doing quite good for himself."

Sober. That was a word that often haunted Kaeya during his hangovers.

"Why didn't the Harbingers just go after him again?"

"As long as Diluc's an asset to me, the others won't harm him."

"Why?" Kaeya asked again. "Why would you betray your own people to help him?"

Quinn smiled again, although this time it seemed far more earnest. "Same as you, I suppose. While I believe in the Tsaritsa's war against Celestia, I don't always agree with the Fatui's actions. I'm sure it's much the same with you and the Abyss."

Kaeya couldn't argue with her there.

"After seeing to what lengths he would go to, I'd far rather have Diluc as my ally rather than my enemy."

The blue haired Khaenr'iahn said nothing.

"Its not the same, you know," Quinn offered, although Kaeya wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about.

"Diluc wouldn't so much as speak a word about you, but I keep track of almost all information that passes through the network. He would periodically request intel about Mondstadt."

Kaeya still said nothing.

"He kept track of all your activities in the Knights, all your promotions," she continued. "I may not be particularly close with Diluc, but cares about you, Kaeya. I know that much."

Kaeya had to squeeze his eyes shut to prevent the tears from spilling over. He wanted to believe Quinn, he really did.

"When did he tell you who I really am?" he asked quietly.

"He didn't. I knew from the moment your father left you in Mondstadt."

Looking over at Quinn, Kaeya realized she was a lot older than she looked. Even though he still didn't entirely trust her, he knew deep down that everything she told him was the honest truth.

Quinn stood up, brushing off her cloak. "Head northeast, then turn right at the fork in the road. You'll find a hole-in-the-wall tavern there, and I'd bet you that Khaenri'ahn coin that's where Diluc is."

"You aren't going?" Kaeya asked incredulously.

She gave him a final farewell smile. "I've dragged his drunken ass out of enough taverns in my time. Besides, I've meddled with this story too much already. It's your turn now, Kaeya Alberich."

As Quinn walked away, she stopped one last time. "A piece of advice before you go. Diluc has absolutely no filter when he's drunk."