(psl) we all got secrets, so are you gonna keep it

[indolentaxe]

Everybody’s got something they're hiding
And the best secrets are the ones you don’t keep

[x]

Comments

[indolentaxe]

((continued from here))

[Hilda sets her phone down and rises off the couch to get ready for her guest's arrival. There isn't much to prepare: the promised bottle of vodka, ice, two glasses, and a bottle of tropical fruit juice. The juice is mostly for her--even if the liquor is high-quality, she's not able to drink it straight like Kaeya can.

Once that's accomplished, she slips into the bathroom for a few moments to fluff her hair, freshen up her lipgloss, and dab a bit of perfume on her wrists and behind her ears. She knows how these nights tend to go, and it's important to balance the line between gussied up and 'I looked like this already.'

They're not dating, so getting too dressed up would make things weird.

Satisfied with her appearance, she returns to the living room, pours herself a drink, and waits.]

how did this happen i'm sorry

[cicle]

[ No, they’re not dating. Kaeya Alberich doesn’t do the whole dating thing. Sure, he’ll flirt and carry on and charm his way into many a bedroom, but it never means anything. None of this means anything.

Still, he does like Hilda. For better or worse, he sees a lot of himself in her - a shallow and unflattering assessment if there ever was one, so he certainly doesn’t share that with her. They click well. They share drinks and gossip, Kaeya slowly collecting every dirty secret she shares with him, while he’s sure she does the same. He doesn’t mind the exchange, it’s what any good partnership would be built on.

The flirting usually takes a turn before the alcohol can really take the icy edge off his personality and make him say something he regrets, and they stumble their way to bed - or the couch, or the kitchen counter if they’re feeling especially impatient. That’s a part of this partnership as well, a bit of fun and stress relief without strings or messy feelings, or the need to steal away in the dark hours of the morning before the other party wakes.

It isn’t long until an all-too familiar sports car pulls up in front of Hilda’s place, all sleek silvery-blue with black accents, and Kaeya makes his exit. He’s riding the same line between “dressed up” and “I definitely woke up like this” that Hilda is, part of the balance they tend to strike with their interactions. He gives a cursory glance around, no doubt the neighbors have taken note of his frequent visits, but if they want to gawk they’re more than welcome to.

He sidles up to the door before long, giving a quick, sharp knock. ]

Special delivery~ ♪

I mean, same tho

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda is perfectly content to avoid the whole dating thing herself. Dating brings in complicated feelings, lofty expectations, and opportunities to screw things up. Or, put otherwise, it encompasses everything she's been avoiding for more or less her entire life. It's better for this not to mean anything. So it doesn't.

Not to say she doesn't enjoy his company. Of course she does--they wouldn't keep doing this if she didn't. They're alike in a lot of ways, unflattering as the observation may be, and are in this partnership for the same reasons. With him, she's free to gossip and be shallow and have meaningless sex and indulge in her worst tendencies. Hilda already has a great many friends who make her a better person. Kaeya Alberich doesn't need to be among them.

It's better that he's not, if you ask her.

She hears the knock and takes her time getting to her feet. Eagerness is not part of their partnership.]

Coming~

[After one last glance in the hallway mirror to make sure everything's in place, she opens the door and greets Kaeya with a flirtatious smile.]

Oh good, I was wondering when my order would get here.

[With a wink, she steps aside to let him in.]

[cicle]

[ He’s certainly in no hurry, himself. There is a time and place for a certain kind of eagerness, and when he shows up at her door is certainly not it. When Hilda swings the door open, there’s Kaeya looking casual as you please, one hand on his hip, smirk already on his lips. ]

I hope I made it within the “30 minutes or it’s free” window. I was really counting on that vodka.

[ When she steps aside to admit him, he breezes past, turning on his heel to walk backwards a couple of paces as he waits for her to join him. ]

I’m quite curious to learn what quality of alcohol your cleavage is worth.

[indolentaxe]

I think you managed to make it in time.

[Although even if he hadn't, it's not like she has any intention of withholding anything from him. Otherwise, what's the point in having him over in the first place?

She locks the door and moves around him to grab the bottle off the coffee table, handing it to him for inspection. The vodka is a luxury brand from Faerghus, with a blue whale embossed on the front of the bottle.]

Only the finest, I assure you. My breasts are top-shelf quality.

[After a pause and a chuckle, she adds:]

The fact that he's a lordling's son with more money than sense helps, too.

[cicle]

[ True, his visits would get rather old quickly if all they did was sit around and, heaven forbid, talk to each other. The exchange is part of what makes it so exciting, makes him willing to keep coming back here again and again.

He takes the bottle in hand, eye sweeping over the label in appreciation. He’s familiar with the brand, since his dearly distanced brother runs a bar on top of a winery. The price, he knows, is no laughing matter. He lets out a low whistle. ]

I guess you really can’t underestimate a pair of good tits.

[ He passes the bottle back, a silent request for her to do the honors of cracking it open – she earned it, after all.

Something wicked glints in his eye. ]

But a lordling’s son, you say? How scandalous. Tell me more.

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda takes the bottle back and returns to the couch, where she has a seat and pours them each a drink: neat for him and with a splash of juice for herself. She hands him his glass and holds out her own.]

Damn right. Cheers.

[She sees that look in his eye. She loves that look in his eye. After a long drink, she happily responds to it.]

Minor title, new money, you know the type. The family's name is Lere or whatever.

[They both know her flippant attitude about it is an act. Hilda is keenly aware of how the Lere family fits into Fódlan's ever-more-convoluted system of nobility. She's a daughter of one such noble house herself, and despite her carefree life as an artist she's well-connected and even better informed. It's part of why Kaeya's here--she's not so naïve as to believe that this arrangement of theirs is just about the sex, as good as it is.]

Their eldest, Boy Toy, has decided he wants to have a rebellious phase before he takes on the duties of the house.

[His name doesn't matter. Kaeya knows it, anyway.]

I sincerely can't figure out if he sees me as a future wife or as a plaything. I don't think he even knows at this point. Honestly, he's not very good at the 'stick it to daddy' thing, so I'm guessing it's 'future wife that I can pretend doesn't matter right now.'

[She shrugs and takes another sip.]

Either way, I get free stuff.

[cicle]

To an especially… fruitful evening. Cheers.

[ He would wink, but… you know. Instead he clinks his glass to hers and downs his first drink. Damn, it’s good. How much money did he just pour down his throat?

Taking his glass lightly in his fingers, he settles back on the couch to listen. Though his expression is cool and mildly interested at best, he grabs hold of each and every little detail to store away into his ever-growing file of Fódlan’s messy politics.

For Kaeya’s own part, he hails from Mondstadt, the nation of freedom. There are no nobles to contend with, no royalty to impress, but that doesn’t mean Kaeya doesn’t know how to do that dance, himself. Being the adopted son of one of the most affluent families in the region comes with its own share of expectations, as does his holding the rank of Captain with the Knights of Favonius, sworn protectors of the realm in the absence of a ruling class. It’s because of Hilda’s position, and Mondstadt’s proximity to Fódlan’s borders that they can even carry on like this at all. ]

It’s very sweet of you to let him continue to believe he’s the one playing with you.

[ They haven’t even slept together and the man is buying her bottles of vodka that cost more than some people’s rent. She has him right where she wants him. ]

But what will you do if he ever gets it into his darling head to pop the question?

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda laughs and shakes her head in response to his question.]

Ooooh, I have no intention of letting it go that far. Why do you think I haven't slept with him?

[The absence of the word "yet" suggests that she has no intention to do any such thing. A girl has to be careful when playing these kinds of games, and she recognizes easily enough that escalating this particular relationship would be a huge mistake. Boy Toy would be down on one knee before he even managed to get himself off.]

Right now I still have plausible deniability that he thinks we're in a relationship, believe it or not. Once the word "dating" or "courtship" comes up, I'll play it dumb and cut him loose. [She bats her eyes at Kaeya, her expression the very picture of innocence.] He'll be heartbroken, of course, but it'll probably help him get his act together. I'm doing him a favor, really.

[Much as she's loathe to admit it, Hilda's not immune to the games that nobles play. Lere is a vassal to her brother, and making sure the family doesn't fuck things up comes under the responsibility of House Goneril. Holst wouldn't approve of her methods, but he doesn't have to know what she's up to. Somehow, he's the easiest person for her to pull the wool over his eyes.

That's probably for the best.]

[cicle]

Personally, I figured it was because he was lacking in certain… departments.

[ He makes a vague hand gesture, certain she realizes what he means. It’s a joke, of course, because he has realized why she hasn’t dragged the poor boy to bed. Best not to tie any strings one can’t quickly sever - especially when dealing with nobility and the politics thereof.

He’s also certain her brother has little to no idea just how she carries on, which is an impressive feat in it’s own right. Kaeya might go so far as to call Hilda a much more formidable ally than even her brother. ]

So… [ he remarks idly, swirling the liquid in his glass around with a lazy motion of his wrist. ] Are we placing bets on just how much longer this little arrangement will last?

[indolentaxe]

You're terrible.

[But it gets a giggle out of her all the same.]

I'd put my money down on "soon" if I were you. I'm not totally heartless.

[Which is the truth, more or less. The game is fun while it lasts, but after a certain point it becomes too cruel to continue and it loses its appeal. Plus, she has her own reputation to consider--the longer it goes on, the less control she has over the situation and the fallout from when it inevitably ends.

In her experience, the most important part of any scheming is to know when to call it quits. Her old partner in crime would agree if he weren't all the way in Almyra these days.]

But enough about me. How are things on your side of the border?

brotherly interlude (no beta, we die like glenn) | 1/3

[disdelusioned]

Diluc doesn't much care for Hilda.

She reminds him too much of Kaeya, full of charm and careless insincerity. With a put-upon sigh of feigned helplessness and a few targeted platitudes, he's watched her pass her burdens onto others without a second thought--and sometimes receiving their gratitude for the privilege. It's all an act, and a frustrating one to witness. She's far from stupid or fragile, a high-ranking noble from her homeland of Fódlan who is both a veteran of war and a very astute diplomat. And yet it seems that most people conveniently forget those details the moment she bats her eyelashes.

As if they specifically conspired to give Diluc further headaches, Hilda and Kaeya joined forces practically as soon as she settled in the city. Their relationship has become the talk of the city, especially with the recent annoucement of their engagement. Publicly, the story is that a politically-motivated union to better unite Mondstadt (and Teyvat as a whole) with her homeland, building stronger relationships. That they care for each other as much as they do is a wonderful bonus, and one that they've certainly leaned into.

The happy couple will have to forgive him for doubting the sincerity of their romance.

What Diluc doesn't know is their game. Or rather, he doesn't know Hilda's game--with Kaeya, he knows far more about than he'd care to. There's no shortage of information available about her through the underground information network, but nothing comes up as especially troubling or nefarious. Most of what there is to know is directly tied to Fódlan's recent history: that she was a high-ranking officer in their recent conflict with direct ties to war commanders Claude von Riegan (now King Khalid of Almyra) and subsequently-ascended ruler Byleth Eisner. That she's the youngest child and only daughter to House Goneril in the easternmost part of the country, a noble family with a lot of power but few expectations of her specifically. That she arrived in Mondstadt due a combination of a free-spirited need to see the world and a diplomatic mission related to the defrosting of Fódlan's long-standing isolationism.

Shy of infiltrating and invading Teyvat from within, Diluc cannot think of a motive for her alliance with his erstwhile brother. But even that theory falls apart under scrutiny; none of the information he's been able to secure suggests any kind of conspiracy to that effect from Fódlan, and the two nations are too distant for that sort of move to make any sense besides. Although it's possible that she's been recruited to another's cause...

No, he'd rather not consider that.

2/3

[disdelusioned]

Regardless of her reasons, the fact remains that she intends to stay. And with the company she keeps, she's picked up a few bad habits along the way. Like showing up at the Angel's Share unannounced to annoy him. Which is precisely what she's doing with herself at the moment.

Chin resting on her hands, Hilda furrows her brow and pouts over the counter at him. He pays it no mind. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to be a bit warmer. We're going to be family soon."

Diluc's response is flat. "No, we won't. And I treat you just fine." This is in response to him merely serving her the dandelion wine she ordered and not taking her bait to engage in gossip. Judging from the eyeroll he receives from her, she's not at all impressed.

"Seriously, Diluc, it wouldn't kill you to lighten up a little. It has to be exhausting, being a paragon of virtue and nobility all the time. Do you even sleep?" The last sentence is far from the flippant dismissal of his work ethic that she makes it sound like. This isn't the first time she's hinted to him that she's aware of what he gets up to at night. He's certain he can thank Kaeya for that, although to her credit she seems content to merely be in the know and not interested in spreading the word. "I'd hate to be in your position. Isn't it difficult, having so many people look up to you?"

Why is she even even bringing this up? Is she hoping to goad something out of him, or is she just speaking to hear her own voice? "I don't mind it. And luckily, you have few responsibilities or people looking up to you to worry about, Miss Goneril."

The barbs in the comment hit their mark, although Hilda herself is only momentarily fazed by them. "Harsh, but fair." With a shrug, she finishes her glass. "Hey, would it be possible to just pay for the bottle?" The answer is typically 'no,' but Diluc is happy to allow it just this once if it will shut her up. Wordlessly, he sets the open bottle down in front of her and accepts the mora she hands him in exchange. "Thanks. You're the best."

"Don't get into trouble with it. I have business to attend to in the back."

"Business business, or--"

"Inventory."

"Oh." She has the audacity to look disappointed. "Well, I'll be here."

He hopes she won't be, but he doubts he'll be that lucky. Without another word, he disappears into the back.

3/3

[disdelusioned]

Diluc returns some time later to find Hilda several glasses deeper into the bottle, which she's currently examining with an uncharacteristically pensive expression. It takes her a few moments to realize she's no longer alone at the bar, and when she does she doesn't address him with her usual coquettish antagonism.

"Can I ask you something?" She doesn't wait for him to answer, slurring onward. "Where did you come up with the name for the Dawn Winery?"

The question takes him aback--it's common knowledge and has been for longer than he's been alive, and it takes a few moments for him to realize that her question is sincere. She's still learning the nation's history and lore, and therefore doesn't have the frame of reference. "It's named after an ancestor, the Dawn Knight. The name has been in use for generations now."

The title seems to jog something in Hilda's memory, recognition lighting in her eyes. "Oh right, Vennessa and all that." And then, just as quickly, the light seems to go out as her gaze falls back to the label. "I know Mondstadt's history has its dark part, but that all seems so... distant, you know?"

"How do you mean?" Diluc knows the probing question is unkind. That he should cut her off and see her home. But her façade is slipping in her inebriation, and this may be the only opportunity he gets to get into that head of hers and see what is going on. He refuses to squander it.

If Hilda realizes what he's doing, she doesn't show it. "We called what we fought for 'Fódlan's New Dawn.'" That doesn't answer his question, exactly, but he lets her keep talking rather than interrupt her line of thought to point that much out. "A better world, without all of the..." She pauses, twirling a hand in circles as she searches for the world. Ultimately, she gives up. "Everything bad in it. And I get letters from Claude, and the Professor, and Marianne." That last name in that list isn't any more of a surprise to hear as the first two. She's Margavine Edmund, a longtime friend of Hilda's and by all accounts a just and compassionate leader. "They say things in Fódlan are great and that they wish I had stayed to see it. But..." She sighs heavily, her expression grim. "There's too much darkness in the memory of it all for my taste. Like, I go to a place and all I can think about is what happened there during the war. No thanks."

With that admission, the missing pieces fall into place. Hilda's agenda is personal, and one he has no right to judge her for: she's running. Using the auspices of wanderlust and politics, she's fleeing the trauma of the war that tore her world apart. And in her retreat, she's run right to Kaeya Alberich--the one man in Mondstadt who has the potential to tear her new home to shreds.

Diluc is pulled from his thoughts from a huff from Hilda, and she waves a hand dismissively and laughs. Her mask is back on, which is just as well. "Listen to me, getting all depressing at you like this. Forget I said anything." She has to know that he won't. "I should get going. Thanks for the wine, Diluc." She gives him a wink as she gets to her feet, more steady than he would have expected her to be given all she's had to drink.

"Are you going to be all right getting home?"

"Oh, yeah. Don't you worry about sweet little me. I'll be fine."

For once, Diluc isn't tempted to roll his eyes at her. He considers for a few moments, and decides there's one last thing he has to say. Knowing what he knows now, he can't in good conscious leave her in the dark--assuming that she doesn't know already. "One last thing: what do you know of Khaenri'ah?"

Hilda blinks at him a few times, clearly confused. He trusts that her reaction is genuine, given that none of her usual tells are apparent. "Kha-what now?"

She doesn't know. That's both dreadful and a relief.

For a moment, Diluc considers telling her everything then and there. But instead he hesitates, and instead shifts the burden to the person who should bear it. "Khaenri'ah. You should ask Kaeya about it, when you get the chance." It's not fair to use Hilda against Kaeya like this. But that doesn't stop him from doing it.

"... yeah, okay." Hilda doesn't sound especially convinced or even interested, but it doesn't matter what she thinks in the moment. She's drunk, feeling a bit maudlin, and caught off-guard. The seed's been planted, and Diluc knows her well enough that it will take root in good time. She, like her fiancé, doesn't like not knowing things.

"Goodnight, Hilda."

"Goodnight, Diluc. Say hi to Charles for me." And with that, Hilda leave Diluc behind the bar to wonder if he's done enough to give her a fighting chance.

wow this got away from me a bit

[indolentaxe]

[Even to a land as far from Fódlan as Teyvat, Holst's letters are relentless.

Hilda's long past the point where the letters irritate her--on the contrary, and to her own surprise, she's found that she enjoys the correspondence. It's a good way to keep her connection to her homeland while maintaining much-needed distance, and there's no shortage of subjects that she's excited to share. The freeness and openness of the people in Mondstadt who have more or less accepted her as one of their own. Gliding on the wind with the Knights of Favonius's single remaining Outrider (and standing by awkwardly while said Outrider lost her gliding license as a result). The bard who inevitably convinces her to pay both their tabs at the tavern, but she doesn't mind because he's great company. Her first visit to Liyue, a city with a sprawling commercial port that nearly overwhelmed her with its size and activity.

However, recently the letters arrive with a sense of dread. Holst has started talking marriage, and the thought causes a tightness in her stomach that's becoming more difficult to ignore. She had hoped that Fódlan's New Dawn would give her the freedom to do as she liked into perpetuity, not bound by noble expectations, but she supposes that's on her for expecting change of such magnitude to happen instantaneously. And she's sure that, at least in part, Holst is doing this in an attempt to bring her home and having someone who isn't his little sister do the diplomatic legwork between Teyvat and Fódlan in her stead.

Hilda doesn't want to go home. Home is full of memories of warfare and a complicated tangle of emotions involving what she now knows of Fódlan's history and the Church that has written it. Home is where she helped kill old schoolmates, where she saw Dimitri fall, where her whole family's legacy is built on a foundation of lies that no one who knows the truth knows what to do with. The longer she's been away from it, the more easily she's been able to breathe. It's selfish to have bailed from the reconstruction of her homeland as soon as she was able, but it's not a decision she regrets in the slightest.

In her last letter, Hilda had attempted to terminate the topic altogether by stating in no uncertain terms that she's already found someone in Teyvat and therefore discussions of marriage aren't necessary.

Really, she should have expected the response she's received with this most recent letter:

Why hadn't you mentioned that sooner? I hope it wasn't out of fear that I'd show up on his doorstep and demand a confrontation. I'm much too far way for that, dear sister. Since I'm not able to assess the man myself, you'll have to tell me all about him.

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

While it's not a lie to say she's been involved with someone in Mondstadt, to call him a "romantic partner" is greatly overstating the circumstances of their relationship. Kaeya Alberich is a friend, co-conspirator, fuckbuddy, and all around bad influence. He is not her lover by any stretch of the imagination. But backed into a corner like she is, she's hoping she can make the case to him to pretend to be.

Luckily, the tavern they find themselves in tonight isn't the Angel's Share--this is a conversation she wants to have far from where the Darknight Hero might hear. Hilda returns from the bar to the table they've claimed, tucked into a dark corner, and hands him a glass of wine. Her demeanor is as relaxed as ever, but the glass that she keeps for herself as she retakes her seat--full of a vintage much stronger than her usual fare--is the first indication that something's amiss.]

I'm glad you were free tonight. It's been awhile since we've gone out drinking like this.

[cicle]

[ Unlike most people, Kaeya knows why it is that Hilda chooses to play diplomat in Mondstadt. Responsibility scares her, expectation scares her, and her obligations to her homeland were fulfilled when she played her part in the war. So now here she is, running away from home under the guise of politics.

He has to admit that she’s taken to the City of Freedom like a fish to water, spreading her proverbial wings without the burden of responsibility on her shoulders. Kaeya can hardly judge her for any of it with the way they carry on, drinking and gossiping and fucking whenever they find themselves together, the worst in him bringing out the worst in her and vise versa.

But the thing about running is that eventually the things you’re running from gain some ground and come snapping at your heels. Kaeya knows that very well, and it’s a notion that haunts his darkest dreams.

Knowing Hilda as well as he does, he also knows when something is wrong. Liars can so rarely fool other liars. Tonight, there’s something anxious in the air, the casual tone belied by the strength of the alcohol in Hilda’s glass.

He won’t say anything, not yet. As ever, he’s curious to see how this plays out. ]

It has, hasn’t it? The Knights have kept me dreadfully busy lately. What a pain.

[indolentaxe]

They really do work you too hard.

[Hilda tsks with sympathy as she takes her seat. For now, their chairs are decently separated. On a normal night, they'd somehow find a way to push them closer and closer together until one or the other makes the first pass, at which point they'd drop the pretense and begin plotting their escape to somewhere they could continue uninterrupted. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't tempted to scrap the whole conversation of marriage and just fall back into their usual pattern. But all that would accomplish is her having to start this whole business with him anew, or having to figure out a Plan B. For the good of her future self, she needs to stay the course.

After a long drink of her wine, she shrugs a little.]

Just as well. There's been a lot coming in from Fódlan that I've had to sort through, between the trade route and my brother apparently having nothing better to do than write me letters to see how I'm doing.

[The trade route isn't anything surprising or interesting. There have been discussions of routing goods from Fódlan via Almyra and Liyue for some time now. There was some talk for awhile of relocating Hilda to the City of Commerce, but she successfully wriggled her way out of that by convincing all parties that it would be much more beneficial for her to stay in Mondstadt and have a different appointee in Liyue--as soon as they can get the Liyue Qixing to agree to it. It's been something of a hard sell so far.

The mention of Holst, by contrast, is another tell. While she has no issues bringing him up in conversation with other friends in the city, it's a topic she mostly steers clear of around Kaeya. Maybe she's being too sensitive, but it seems cruel to bring up her relationship with her brother in casual conversation when his relationship with Diluc is so broken and complicated. Hilda doesn't know what happened to cause the rift, and she has no intention of asking. But she's experienced enough with living around other people's familial trauma to know when it's best to steer clear.

She's a noble from Fódlan, after all. This sort of thing is almost normal for her.

Tonight, however, bringing up Holst is a prerequisite for the rest of everything. While Hilda is certainly easing into the subject, she has no intentions of burying the lede too far beneath drinking and merriment. The longer she waits, the more likely she is to not bring it up at all.]

[cicle]

[ From Kaeya’s perspective, any work is too much work, but he can only foist so many things onto Noelle before the poor girl buckles under the weight. Kaeya may be cruel, but he’s not that cruel. Besides, the only reason he holds so much respect within the Knights is because he does actually pull his weight and then some – no matter what some people might think.

Kaeya is taking it slow with his wine to start, if only because she’s already raised his suspicions from the word go and it would be remiss of him not to stay sharp for at least a bit so he can sus out just what her aim is tonight.

The instant she mentions her brother, something clicks into place – Holst must be putting some kind of pressure on her. For what, he couldn’t say just yet, but that would certainly drive Hilda to dive into a bottle of something stronger. She wouldn’t have brought him up otherwise. He knows all to well why Hilda avoids talking about him to Kaeya as much as she can, and he can’t say he minds.

He idly swirls his wine around in his glass before taking a drink – much smaller than Hilda’s last few by comparison. ]

And what does your darling brother have to say these days, hm? Surely more than idle curiosity about how you’re doing.

[indolentaxe]

[With that probing question, it's clear that Kaeya's onto her. But then, Hilda expected nothing less. Even keeping each other at arm's length, emotionally speaking, they both know each other well enough to know when the other is full of shit. She could save time by just being upfront rather than going through this whole song and dance.

But that's far too honest for their relationship, and this conversation is going to be uncomfortable enough as it is. No need to make it moreso.]

It's just typical Fódlan noble family stuff. 'I hope this letter finds you well, I miss you, blah blah blah. Make sure you behave yourself and represent House Goneril well while you're in Teyvat. Oh, and by the way, it's about time for you to come home and fufill your noble duty by marrying into a good family.'

[And there it is. She glances his way to get a read of his reaction to the information even as she sighs dramatically and keeps going as if this is still casual complaining.]

Apparently there are a few lords that are reluctant about this whole unification thing. Fódlan politics being what they are, it's easier to throw a wife at the problem than actually dealing with it. Or so Holst thinks, anyway.

[And with that, Hilda finishes her glass. She's fine.]

[cicle]

[ Oh.

Kaeya had of course anticipated that the rather… antiquated politics of Fodlan would try to get their claws into Hilda eventually, namely by forcing her into marriage. What he didn’t anticipate was how he’d feel about it. It strikes him rather suddenly that he doesn’t want to lose her, and he very quickly decides he needs another drink.

That’s attachment. An attachment that neither of them can afford to have.

Besides, he shouldn’t get too worried, right? Hilda’s resourceful when she wants to be. No doubt she’ll find a way to weasel out of her brother’s designs for her.

(Famous last words.) ]

My, my.

[ His tone is as airy as it ever is, his brief moment of panic buried before it can even surface. ]

If I recall, aren’t you all the way out here to avoid that very thing? What are you going to do?

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda doesn't notice a reaction, but that doesn't mean he didn't have one. On the contrary--his response is almost too controlled to be genuine.

Before responding, Hilda waves a hand to get a nearby server's attention. Rather than call him over, she points down to their drinks and holds up two fingers to order another round. She needs it, and Kaeya will. The server nods, and Hilda smiles and waves in thanks.

That accomplished, she returns her attention to Kaeya.]

That's exactly why I'm here. And I'm not leaving, if I have anything to say about it.

[Her statement is matter of fact, as if it's a foregone conclusion that this plan of hers is going to work. It's presumptuous, to say the least--Kaeya hasn't even agreed to it, let alone helped her set it into motion. But she needs to believe in its success for her own sanity.

As she continues, she drops pretty much all of her usual coquettish affectation. She needs Kaeya to understand that this is a scheme, and that she's serious about it.]

I have an idea, but I'm going to need an accomplice.

The only way to cut the conversation off entirely is to beat Holst at his own game. He wants me to get married for political reasons? Well, it just so happens that I'm in a foreign country for political purposes with no shortage of potential marriage candidates.

[Their drinks arrive, and Hilda turns her charm back on long enough to accept them with a wink and a smile. She sets Kaeya's drink next to his still-unfinished glass and takes a sip of her own as the server walks away. Once he's out of earshot, it's back to business.]

You have first dibs on the job, if you're willing to help a girl out. And honestly? You're probably the best candidate. You're a fellow schemer and a liar. I don't have to worry about hurting your feelings with the whole 'I'm using you' part of it.

And, of course, I'm not asking you to do this for free. I'm asking you something huge, and I'm giving you full permission to call in a favor. Any magnitude. No questions asked. No expiration date.

[It's a dangerous offer, and even more dangerous to put all her cards onto the table from the start like she has. But desperate times call for her to go all-in, no matter the consequences. She is not going back to Fódlan.]

[cicle]

[ He starts to put the pieces together faster than she can lay them out – call it a consequence of just how well he knows her, how much his own mind works like hers – and before she even offers him the position of her husband something like dread sinks into the pit of his stomach, cold and heavy.

She’s asking far too much of him – this is a breech of every silent and not-so-silent agreement they’ve made with each other. It’s one thing to fall into bed together when the mood suits them, because they have the option to simply leave before the sun rises the next morning. There’s distance there – or at least the illusion of it – and having to play the part of happy husband and wife will remove it altogether.

And Kaeya doesn’t know if he can keep the deepest, darkest parts of him a secret in that situation.

He doesn’t realize it, but he’s gone utterly still, staring at her in a mix of fear and betrayal that he doesn’t think to mask until it’s far too late. Their wine arrives and the presence of the waitress snaps him out of it, but the damage has been done.

Fuck.

He glances away, trying at his usual airy tone and failing miserably. ]

I don’t recall marriage being on the table in this little arrangement.

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda notices the way he stiffens and the expression on his face, and she hates it. Even more than that she hates the effect that it has on her, her insides twisting with guilt and sympathy and a desire to reach out and ask him what's wrong. It's an urge she quickly bites back. She's violated their agreement enough already.

It takes her a moment and a sip of wine to collect herself, but she stands her ground.]

Circumstances have changed.

[Desperate times, and all that.]

The way that I see it, not that much has to change between us. We'd have a fancy ceremony, make things official, and go back to behaving like we always have. I don't think anyone would question it if we don't hang on each other's every word or act like we're the most romantic couple in the world. Our respective reputations will see to that.

[Hers as a free spirit, and his as the dashingly eccentric captain. Not to mention the reputation of their current relationship, which townsfolk generally perceive as close despite their pointed emotional distance. They get along well, and there has always been chemistry between them. That fact alone can take them far.]

And, of course, we'd make sure to have places we can retreat to when we're sick of each other's company. No need to start sharing a room or anything like that. I happen to like having one to myself.

[If it isn't obvious from the way she's able to quickly and easily provide these contingencies, she's given plenty of thought of how best to maintain the distance between them even under the auspices of marriage. Maintaining that illusion is just as important to her as it is to him.]

I don't want a husband, Kaeya. I need a co-conspirator. And you're the best one I know.

[cicle]

[ Everything she’s saying seems sensible enough. She’s clearly thought this through, taking care to keep within the parameters of their existing relationship as much as she can, given the circumstances.

Desperate times, and all that.

Still, something in Kaeya decries the mere idea of marriage. A cold, heartbroken and lonely thing that crawls up from the darkest depths of his heart and tells him he shouldn’t do this. Can’t do this. He doesn’t deserve it.

Doesn’t deserve what? Another part of him is quick to counter. A “marriage” built on necessity and lies. A loveless farce. That’s precisely the one thing he does deserve.

Kaeya is quiet for far too long, his eye pointed anywhere but Hilda’s face while he wrestles with old hurts that have no place in this conversation, and wonders why they’ve chosen now of all time to show themselves. ]

I’m flattered you think so highly of me.

[ He doesn’t sound it. He’s long dropped his breezy pretense - a first in their relationship, to be sure, though the reasons for it feel so very wrong. At last, his gaze flicks back up to her. ]

How long do you have?

[ This isn’t a decision he can make lightly, let alone right now. ]

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda doesn't know why Kaeya is the way he is. She's not privy to the thoughts that go through his head, and she only knows the most basic details of his history. But she's much more astute and perceptive than she lets on, and she knows well enough that people don't become like he is without cause. with that in mind, she can guess that she's coming very close to something sensitive that he doens't want her to see.

It's time to take a step back.]

Not long, but it's not like he's showing up in Mondstadt tomorrow to drag me off.

[She takes her nearly-full glass of wine and finishes it in one go. It's not the classiest move, but like hell if she's going to waste it. And if she has to be truly honest, her nerves are still shot--moreso, perhaps, knowing that she's going to have to wait for an answer.]

Take a few days to think about it. You know how to find me.

[With that, and a smile that is in contrast to how she's actually feeling, she makes her retreat, first going to the bar to pay their tab and then disappearing out into the night.

It's in his hands now; she's made her argument and has to wait and see if she's managed to convince him. While part of her hopes that he'll come around, she realizes she needs to start working on plans B and C in the meantime.

Just in case.]