Chapter Eleven

There was quite a bit of grumbling in the Fatui team when their leader elected to sail all the way around Dragonspine and travel upriver through Liyue.

"Why can't we just cut through here?" The Electrohammer Skirmisher complained. He dropped his hammer onto the deck and sat on it with a thump, frowning at the icy mountain as it slipped by on the starboard side.

"Because I am not climbing a towering, frozen cliff with a prisoner in tow, thank you very much," the Pyroslinger responded dryly. He didn't look up from the firearm he was meticulously cleaning. "Captain Vlad said the woods around Springvale are crawling with knights, probably looking for this one," he nodded towards Kaeya. "It might take longer to travel the Liyue route, but it will be safer."

The Hydrogunner shivered. "Besides, I don't want to take my cat through Dragonspine. The sheer cold might not be good for him."

Pff. Between my Vision and this fur, I'd survive a lot better than you, Diluc thought flatly. He leaned against his brother's side, watching the Pyroslinger tend to his weapon.

"Hey, we're far enough out to sea now that I can get my cat out," the Hydrogunner said hopefully. "Could you help keep an eye on the prisoner, Bjorn?"

"Absolutely not," the Electrohammer Skirmisher said without hesitation. "I'm on cooking duty, actually." He stood and swung his hammer up, still shooting resentful glances up at Dragonspine. "Good luck getting your cat out. Let me know how it goes." He strode off without a backwards glance.

Deflating, the Hydrogunner stared at Diluc for a moment. Diluc glared right back. The Hydrogunner lit up as another thought hit him, and he turned to his remaining companion, asking hopefully, "Want to help me, Pieter?"

The Pyroslinger glanced up skeptically. "Did Vlad say you could let him out?"

Hesitating, the Hydrogunner hedged, "No-o… not exactly… but as long as we don't let the prisoner out, it won't matter, right? And besides, my cat doesn't look very happy to be in the cage right now…"

The pair of Fatui stopped and looked at Diluc, making him realize that a dangerous snarl was building deep in his throat. His claws flexed at the thought of being separated from his injured brother, but then Kaeya's gentle hand alighted on his head, silencing him. He looked up questioningly.

Kaeya's eye was closed and his body was relaxed as he leaned back against the bars. A slight smile tugged his mouth up, but he didn't say anything. His hand still lay placatingly atop Diluc's head, though, preventing him from fully voicing his resistance to the planned outing.

Reluctantly Diluc quashed his reaction. Fine. If Kaeya thinks it's a good idea to play along with this, I suppose I can try to gather intel while we're here. He took a deep breath and perked his ears up from under Kaeya's half-gloved hand in an inexperienced attempt at looking docile and friendly. Do cats smile? How do they show that they're willing to put up with certain people? His imagination reached its limits, but his feline instincts took up the slack as Kaeya discretely stroked the back of one pointed ear with his thumb. Diluc felt a slight stab of irritation at his body's telltale reaction as a purr reverberated through his bones. I can't even sit through someone petting my head without this annoying purring giving away my emotions! How do cats put up with all this ridiculousness?! With a huff of annoyance, he added mentally, Well, if I ever get a cat after this fiasco, at least I know exactly what will make it happy.

But the trick worked. Pieter nodded to his friend. "All right. Let me get this reassembled, and I'll cover you while you get your pet out." His bandaged hands pieced his firearm together with rapidity, and in just a minute he loaded it and stood, shouldering the weapon and taking aim at Kaeya. Only the way Kaeya's fingers stiffened in warning against Diluc's head kept him from launching up to defend his brother.

Nervously, the Hydrogunner slotted the key into the lock and opened the door just a sliver. "Here, kitty kitty kitty!"

Diluc's jaw dropped. He expects that to work?! Is this how people normally talk to cats? No wonder Diona's always so irritable.

He didn't move at first, reluctant to abandon his brother. But Kaeya's hand slipped off his head and nudged his side, and he shot one more narrowed glance up at him. The knight remained motionless.

Carefully Diluc stepped over his brother's long legs and made his way to the exit. He looked back to promise silently, I'll be back.

The Hydrogunner looked absolutely thrilled as Diluc edged past the door warily. "Look! He came when I called him! What a good little kitty!" He reached down for Diluc. The former knight nearly exploded indignantly at the preposterous assumption.

"Don't forget to lock the door, Sven," the Pyroslinger warned, his weapon still trained steadily on their passive prisoner.

"Oh, right." Hastily Sven closed and relocked the door, barely glancing at Kaeya. "Isn't this the best cat you've ever seen?!"

Pieter lowered his weapon, letting the stock drop to the deck with a thump, and watched Diluc skeptically. "That seems to be overstating things a bit for a cat that you've only had for one full day."

His friend scoffed, scooping Diluc up in his arms and cradling the startled vigilante. "But just look at him! He's so soft and cuddly, and obedient, too!"

Diluc distinctly heard Kaeya snicker at that last one. He glared over Sven's arm, catching his brother's gleaming eye for just long enough to see the smothered laughter before Kaeya instantly returned to his façade of slumber.

"I mean, Celestia itself granted this cat to me, from the very stars! It felt just like a golden wish being bestowed upon me." He sighed with contentment. "I can't believe Celestia favors me so much."

Diluc blinked. Actually it was an Abyss Herald, but close enough, I guess.

"All right, all right. I won't shed any more doubt on you," Pieter said, relenting.

Sven didn't respond, too busy cooing to Diluc and running a surprisingly gentle hand over the cat's head.

Resigning himself to his temporary fate as a beloved pet, Diluc tried to relax. What have I gotten myself into this time?

oOo

Time passed quickly aboard the small ship, and as the days faded into each other, the brothers fell into an uneasy routine with the Fatui. Kaeya remained mostly silent, electing to sleep or at least feign slumber most of the time to avoid questions about his rank in the Knights. Sleeping was probably the best thing he could do for his broken arm anyway, so it wasn't a bad tactic. Diluc was released every morning for a few hours, then returned around noon. Near evening, Sven would usually allow him out again while Pieter kept a close watch on Kaeya. The former knight didn't like being separated from his younger brother, but he noticed that Sven grew disquietingly hostile towards Kaeya anytime Diluc showed preference for his brother.

"All right, Mondcat. It's time to go back to bed for the night. Don't get too cozy with that snoozing Favonian now, you hear me?" Sven opened the cell door and nudged Diluc inside, shooting Kaeya a glare as he did so.

Diluc managed to avoid rolling his eyes at the ridiculous nickname that Sven had chosen for him. Instead he elected to spring lightly inside, darting to Kaeya's side and running a quick examination over him. He never strayed out of eyesight of his brother during his forays on deck, but he still always wanted to reassure himself of Kaeya's wellbeing when he returned.

The door clanged shut a little harder than usual, and he glanced cagily over his shoulder. Sven locked the door and crossed his enormous arms, studying Kaeya with a silent scrutiny. Pieter quietly took the keys from him and hung them up, unnoticed. The tall Pyroslinger leaned against the railing, crossed his arms with a comfortable ease, and waited patiently.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for Sven's complaint to burst forth. "I don't understand! I feed him the best fish, brush his fur until it glows, and let him run all over the deck! Why doesn't he warm up to me instead of that motionless prisoner of ours?!"

Pieter's glowing eye ran thoughtfully over Diluc without stirring from his relaxed position. Diluc sat down defiantly beside his brother. Finally the Pyroslinger said, "It's possible that the knight is his owner. It would account for a lot of his habits. He has a tendency to check on our prisoner several times during his free time, and he shows a surprising awareness of any attempt to interact with the prisoner. Adding in the way he immediately checks on the knight every time you return him, it's quite clear that there's a strong bond of some sort there."

Diluc eyed him. Hmm… this one notices a lot of things. I'll have to be more wary of him. His tail slid fluidly from side to side behind him, a sure sign of his agitation. He saw Pieter's gaze follow the movement. Quickly he jerked his tail forward and wrapped it around his paws. Curse the infernal propensity of cats to show off their every emotion!

"But I'm supposed to be his master!" Sven whined.

Pieter shrugged. "Cats are mysterious creatures. They can be fickle or loyal, lazy or hyper, friendly or aggressive. There's not really a cut and dry way of handling them." He considered Diluc for a moment, then added, "I wouldn't be surprised if your cat grew up with his master and considers him family."

Sven sat down with a thump. "How am I supposed to compete with that?! Kill off his owner?"

Diluc couldn't hold back a startled snarl, but the Pyroslinger shook his head. "That would really have the opposite effect. The best method would probably be simple; keep trying to win your way into his affections. Find something he likes and get it for him."

Dourly Sven glared at Kaeya again. "I can only think of one thing he's attached to."

"So work with that," Pieter suggested calmly, his arms still crossed. "Caring for his master might prove to the cat that you can be trusted."

There was a long silence after that. Finally Sven nodded. "That sounds like a great idea!" Suddenly energized, he lumbered to his feet and pumped his massive fist in the air. "I'll take excellent care of our prisoner!"

"Great." Pieter shook his head with amusement, his voice wry. "I guess you're on guard duty, then."