Kaeya - Frost and Flame

The late afternoon sunlight fell over the rooftops of Mondstadt, painting the cobblestone streets in warm hues of gold and amber. You leaned against the city's large stone wall, watching the faint outline of Windrise on the horizon.

The breeze tangled through your hair, though it was no match for the main beside you.

"You've been quiet recently," Kaeya began. He was standing much closer to you than you recalled. His gloved fingers traced lines on your wrist, feather-light. "Should I be worried?"

You smiled faintly. "No, it's alright. Just… Thinking, is all." You said, assuring him.

"Dangerous habit." His voice was teasing, though there was a trace of caution in his tone. You turned to face him, catching the way his eye narrowed slightly as he gazed at the horizon. Like usual, his lazy smirk was set into place, though his grip on your wrist seemed to be more firm than normal.

"Kaeya?" You asked softly, your brows furrowed.

He glanced down at you, his grin returning to its usual, wolfish shape. "What?" he asked lightly, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "Can't I admire you a bit before we head back?"

You sighed, being used to his antics by now. Though before you could press him, a sharp, distant whistling cut through the air. Soon, it wasn't distant.

An arrow.

Without hesitation, Kaeya grabbed your arm, pulling you behind him in a heartbeat. The arrow embedded itself in the wall behind where you had once stood. Your breath caught as you stared at it for several moments, much longer than necessary.

"Stay behind me." Kaeya commanded, his voice low and serious, leaving no room for argument.

You barely had time to react before two treasure hoarders burst from the tree line. Their mismatched armour and crude weapons were laughable by Mondstadt standards, though Kaeya's drawn sword told you that he wasn't about to make any chances.

"Shouldn't you be robbing some poor traveller?" he taunted, his blade catching the glare of fading sunlight on the horizon. "Or did you come all this way just to annoy me?"

One of the hoarders suddenly lunged. Kaeya moved fluidly, almost effortlessly, dodging the strike with near perfect form. His sword flicked out, and in mere seconds, a thin layer of ice crawled up the attacker's leg, rooting them in place.

The other hoarder, however, was already quickly moving towards you.

You stumbled back slightly, heart pounding. You impulsively reached for your weapon, but before you could draw it, a gust of icy wind surged past you. Ice splinted across the ground, encasing the other hoarder's feet as well, and keeping him in place.

Kaeya was suddenly there, much too close for you to breathe properly. His hand immediately grasped your wrist, yanking you behind him with force that would bruise you if he wasn't careful.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put?" He hissed over his shoulder, silently refusing to let go of you just yet. His sword was still drawn, though the glint from the evening sun had all but faded away. His eyes were sharp and hard, a glimmer of raw, lethal intent behind them.

But you saw it - a flicker of fear when he glanced over at you.

The fight was over in seconds. The hoards fled as soon as Kaeya's sword grazed one of their arms, the ice biting at their heels. They both vanished into the woods, cursing under their breath.

The silence that followed was jarring.

You released a breath that you didn't realize you were holding. Slowly, you glanced up at Kaeya again, noticing how he'd sheathed his sword.

"Hey…" You mumbled, struggling to gently free your wrist from his grip.

Though, he was much more urgent. He spun around, cupping your face in his gloved hands, his grasp almost desperate. His thumbs gently traced your cheekbones, as if searching for any wounds, his eyes flicking over your features in frantic assessment.

"Are you hurt?" He asked gently. Though, his voice was rather hoarse, far more raw than someone who had just single handedly taken care of two hoarders.

"I'm fine, Kaeya." You tried to assure him, placing your hands on his own.

He exhaled shakily, pressing his forehead against your own. You could feel his heart pounding through the elegant folds of his coat.

"You're too reckless, " he breathed. "You should've run."

You pulled back slightly, just enough to look in his eyes - his playful demeanor all but gone. All that was left was something achingly vulnerable and raw.

"I didn't have to run," you whispered, gazing deep into his eyes. "You were there."

His eyes darkened at your words. And without warning, he kissed you.

Though, it wasn't his usual, painfully slow kiss meant to draw you in. It was rough - almost desperate - as he kissed you. His lips were against yours as if you might vanish if he let you go. His hands moved to your waist, pulling you flush against him.

When you both finally parted, your cheeks were flushed with embarrassment as you turned your head away, too flustered to look at him directly. Though your breath was stolen, your fingers grasping the front of his coat.

"Don't scare me like that again," he murmured, not forcing you to look in his eyes just yet. "I couldn't…" He began, the words catching in his throat.

You placed your hands over his own gloved pair, grounding him. "...I'm right here." You whispered softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Kaeya exhaled slowly, his arms tightening around you, pulling you tightly against his chest. You could hear his heart beating rhythmically. He pressed a soft, gentle kiss to your forehead, brushing a strand of hair from your face.

"I love you," he whispered, so softly that it was almost lost to the wind.

You smiled against his chest, tightening your hold on him,

"I love you too, Kaeya," you whispered, feeling his arms tighten around you as if he imagined never letting you go.