(open) kid kaeya kid kaeya kid kaeya

[calla]

🧊 WHO: Kaeya and anyone
🧊 WHAT: Bonus effects!
🧊 WHEN: Dec 12 ~ 14
🧊 WHERE: Throughout the island!
🧊 WARNINGS: Lots of crying

[ Perhaps you're walking through town, heading from one place to another, when you come across a child. No older than ten, he wanders around doing the following things: ]

[ i. crying his eyes out. Correction: crying his single eye out because even at this young age, he still has his eyepatch, but the point is that there's a kid in the middle of the street and crying. ]

[ ii. sniffling while tugging on your sleeve. In his other hand is the pamphlet. In a quiet voice, he asks for help. ]

[ iii. picking out dandelions. To kids, dandelions are flowers, not weeds, so he's ripping them out and collecting a little bundle in his other hand. When someone passes by, he'll hold one out and ask if they want one. ]

[ iv. shooting at birds with his slingshot. Who gave this child a slingshot? The local grocery store, after promising that he'll bring crops when he's older. What they didn't know what he'd do with it is attempt to catch lunch so... look at that boy go. ]

[ v. wildcard. hmu and i'll write out a starter!! ]

Comments

iii

[pyronic]

[Whose sassy lost child is this?

Except Diluc knows exactly who this boy is. His heart nearly stops in his chest when he sees Kaeya, a complicated expression knitting his brows into a scowl. Another one of the Goddess' tricks, he's certain, and she's chosen again to target Kaeya. In an indirect way, she's stabbing him with the same blade. He hasn't forgotten what Kaeya was like as a child, too young to know how to hide his lies behind a smile and so quick to take any scrap of affection he could get... and he misses that boy dearly. What a farce.

The shock passes and he smooths the wrinkles out of his expression with a huff, but he still looks rather frustrated. His arms don't budge from where they're tightly wrapped over his chest.]

What do you think you're doing?

[calla]

[ Kaeya's peacefully picking out dandelions when a scary grown-up approaches! Although that long red hair bores a remarkable similarity for the boy he's picking out these weeds for (not realizing that the Diluc in the pamphlet is not one he remembers), the expression does not. Crouched down, he grips his little dandelions a little bit tighter as he looks up at man. ]

Flowers.

[pyronic]

[Hm. That telltale glint to Kaeya's eye isn't there anymore, that carefully manicured sharpness, so is it possible he doesn't remember him...? Moreover, does he even recognize him?

Reminding himself that Kaeya's current state is the Goddess' fault more than Kaeya's, Diluc settles down on bent knees to meet him at eye level. He sees those knuckles and how they've blanched white, but he doesn't reach out a hand to smooth the tension out of them. Not yet.]

They're lovely. Who are you picking them for?

[calla]

[ The Diluc he knows is young, the same age as him, and almost always with a smile on his face. This man looks serious and kind of scary, so even if his hair resembles Diluc's, Kaeya is wary of any strangers, especially in unfamiliar territory. ]

My friend. [ He speaks softly. ] The book says that he lives here, I think.

[ He's referring to the pamphlet. He still doesn't really get how this works, how Diluc was living with him in the estate, but now that he's living on this island. They were just together too, so he's terribly confused about this whole jamjar nonsense. ]

[pyronic]

[Kaeya isn't dense — never was, not even as a child — so the possibility that he simply doesn't acknowledge the man he's become as being 'his' Diluc is seeming more and more like a possibility. It feels a bit... no, he won't think about how it makes him feel. Instead, he digs out his pamphlet and opens it to the residents list.]

Can you point him out to me? Your friend.

[calla]

[ While he still grips the dandelions with one hand, the other hesitantly points to the name. It reads Diluc Ragnvindr. ]

[pyronic]

[...Yeah, that's what he thought. Diluc is silent for a moment, staring down his own name in the pamphlet, before sharply rising to his feet.]

Why don't I take you to him? That house isn't far from here.

[calla]

[ He immediately brightens. ]

Really?

[ ... he's still wary about wandering off with a stranger, but he just picked out these flowers so he'd like to give them to Diluc. The faster he can see him, the faster he'd feel much better about this entire situation, so he stands up too, looking at the Diluc-lookalike. ]

[pyronic]

Really. I'm sure he'll be eager to see your gift.

[Oh Kaeya, you should know talking to strangers is bad... but he stands, offering him his hand, and sets off in the direction of home.]

Are those his favorite flowers?

[They're just dandelions and other weeds, but it doesn't hurt to test baby Kaeya's knowledge a bit.]

[calla]

[ He looks at the hand for a second before deciding to take it. As they walk, he looks upwards. At the question, he shakes his head. ]

No, I couldn't find his favourites. Do they have them here? They glow at nighttime.

[pyronic]

[...Ah, how sweet and just a little heartbreaking. Kaeya always was one to notice little details even as a child. That much hasn't changed.]

You must be talking about lamp grass. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any growing here... but I'm sure your friend will be happy just knowing you thought about him.

[calla]

[ Kaeya nods enthusiastically and looks down at his handful of "flowers" before he looks back up. ]

I hope he likes them. I wanted to bring something to his new house.

[pyronic]

I'm certain he will. The best gifts are those that come from the heart.

[And when they reach home, he'll notice that Diluc has the keys to open the front door. Hmm!! Curious.]

[calla]

[ Very curious! Kaeya watches closely. ]

Do you live with him? [ ... ] Are you a relative?

[ It would make a lot of sense. They look a lot alike! But Diluc has never mentioned any uncles or aunts... ]

[pyronic]

[With Kaeya being such an astute observer, it really is incredibly telling that he doesn't recognize him as being himself. Stepping inside, he shuts the door behind them and sinks down to eye level with Kaeya. For the first time in a long while, he genuinely smiles, soft and gentle.]

I am Diluc, Kaeya.

[It's painful to go unrecognized this long, but... perhaps this will help.]

[calla]

[ Kaeya looks at the man and pauses. He's Diluc? That... both makes a lot of sense and also doesn't. He looks exactly like Diluc, especially when he smiles at him like that, but how is that even possible? Only moments ago, he was with Diluc, who was as small and young as he was. So, in short time that they've been apart, Diluc grew up? That doesn't make sense, but also suddenly appearing to this new area doesn't. ]

[ There's a long silence before he quietly speaks up. ]

... can you prove it?

[pyronic]

[Prove it... He really doesn't believe him, does he? But rather than getting hung up on that, Diluc nods, settling cross-legged on the floor. There are a number of ways to go about this, but he's starting simple.]

Remember when we used to go to the beach and collect shells together? You were quite fond of the large, spiky ones. I still have a collection of the shells you gave to me sitting on my mantle at home.

[calla]

[ Kaeya remains standing, still unsure, but the proof is starting to help. Biting down onto his lower lip, he asks one more question. ]

Do you remember why I gave them to you?

[ Because he knew which shells were Diluc's favourites. Diluc's were the smooth and shiny ones, ones that reminded him of Kaeya's eyes. ]

[pyronic]

[Of course he does. How could he possibly forget when his most precious memories were made with Kaeya? His smile widens, a touch bashful. He was so proud to proclaim that he loved those shells because of how much they reminded him of Kaeya. Saying so aloud is just a little embarrassing.]

Because they reminded me of you. That's why I wanted them and why I've kept them as long as I have. Just like you, they're still beautiful after all these years.

[He's praying Kaeya won't remember any of this.]

[calla]

[ Well, that's enough proof that Kaeya needs! Asides from the memories, no one else is as gay with him as his big brother! ]

You are Diluc! [ He giggles with a big grin as he rushes over to tackle the man into a big hug. ] How'd you get so big?

[pyronic]

[He opens up to take Kaeya in his arms, hugging him tightly. He'll do him one better and pick him up, letting Kaeya sit so he's balanced in his arms at ear-level with his heart.]

It's you who's gotten younger, Kaeya. Normally, we're the same age.

[calla]

[ He giggles again as he's picked up, holding onto Diluc's shoulders tightly so he doesn't fall over - not that he doubts that his big bro would drop him! ]

Really? I don't remember. [ His memories have been reverted back to when he was a child. Unfortunately, for Diluc (and for Kaeya later down the road), he will remember all of this. ] How old are we?

[pyronic]

[He'd never drop precious baby Kaeya...! Now obnoxious, grown adult Kaeya? That's a different story. Diluc combs his fingers through Kaeya's hair, picking out any leaves or bits of plant that've managed to get stuck here.]

We're 22, but I'm a few months older than you. [Speaking of...] Do you remember the first time you celebrated your birthday? You were so happy that you cried.

[calla]

[ 22?! That's practically a full-fledge adult to a child. Kaeya can't help but show his surprise. That's a long time! Before he can say anything about it though, Diluc brings up his first birthday celebration and a quick flush of pink spreads across his cheeks. ]

I-I didn't cry that hard! [ He did. ] It was just really nice... you made me feel so loved and special.

[pyronic]

[...How cute. He hasn't seen Kaeya blush like that since, well, their childhood. He goes from smoothing the leaves out of Kaeya's hair to gently ruffling it, but it's fine. He'll comb it all flat again after he's gotten all the cute aggression out of his system.]

That's because you are. I spent all day in the kitchen with Adelinde making your cake because I needed you to know just how precious you were to me... to all of us, really.