Chapter Text
Chapter 1: A blessing in Disguise
Act I: Kaeya and 3 Bomb drops
The tavern was full, patrons chatted loudly to Diluc's annoyance but he brushes it off knowing that their lively chatting is an indication of peace in Mondstadt, he busied himself in wiping the bar counter when the familiar bell jingling rang off, he took a glance at the newcomer and wasn't surprised to see his estranged brother waltzing towards him and sat at his usual spot to order alcohol.
With precise movements, he poured and placed the goblet filled wine in front of Kaeya, the latter nodding and thanking him with his usual shit-eating grin, Diluc notices something amiss from his frivolous brother he couldn't pinpoint it but he knew there was something Kaeya needed to tell him something that only the two of them needed to know and so the two of them waited with no words coming out of their mouth to each other until the drunkard patrons slowly thinned out as the night dragged along when the last of the customers left the tavern, Diluc got straight to the point after placing the 'closed' signboard on the door and got back behind the bar.
"Talk" he commanded wiping the glasses and goblets he had recently washed dry Kaeya only hummed taking his time to sip his alcohol before placing his goblet in front of him on the counter before he dropped the bomb to his estranged brother.
"I'm getting married"
Diluc froze has he heard wrong? He looked baffled at Kaeya sporting an amused but not surprised look back at him and looked at the ring placed on top of the counter. So, he didn't hear wrong Kaeaya was getting married- the same Kaeya that seemed to charm everyone he makes eye contact. Diluc couldn't imagine Kaeya finally tied down. If anything, he thought he's the one to settle down first.
"Why are you telling me this?" He mumbled unconsciously still shocked
"Oh, come now Diluc. . . We may be estranged from each other but you're still the closest thing to a relative I have" Kaeya said back absent-mindedly looking at his half-filled glass "I at least don't want you to hear last that I was getting married"
"You, married, huh?" he scuffed after regaining himself from his initial shock " I suppose Jean finally decided to put a collar on you, not that you haven't already" Diluc commented he had known since they were recruits that Jean and Kaeya have feelings for one another or more like Jean having a little crush on Kaeya from the way her facial features changed whenever Kaeya was around, on the other hand, Kaeya who seemed to flirt and charm anyone had always shown genuine feelings towards Jean
It wasn't surprising for him to know once he got back at the city that the two were dating however, talks of marriage so early is a bit. . . shocking he'll admit.
Kaeya chuckled taking his wine goblet once again swirling it to emit a delicious fragrance from the dandelion wine
"I wouldn't mind if she's the one putting it on me, but other than that I have something else to ask you" Kaeya looked at Diluc behind the bar and the red-haired man regarded him with a stare to say he's listening as he continues his chores.
"Would you mind. . . being my groomsman?"
That was the second shock for Diluc that night practically making him slip and break the glass he was drying the look of shock and surprised on Diluc's face was laughable enough that Kaeya had to hold his laughter in case his brother throws him out of the tavern before he gets his answer
"What do you say?" Kaeya prompted as he noticed Diluc recovering from his 2nd shock of the news. "Though, I won't be surprised if you decline but-"
"I'll think about it. . . " Diluc finally spoke cutting Kaeya from his sentence making the one-eyed man smile. Diluc sighed deciding he should refrain from holding anything breakable at the moment "Is that all you wanted to say?" he said as he walked away from Kaeya who was enjoying his reaction to open the bar flap
The man in question mussed for a moment before he spoke once again and this time Diluc thanked the Archons he was facing away from Kaeya because at that moment he knew his mouth was hanging open
". . .what?" he said almost like a whisper of all the news Kaeya had told him tonight this one was the biggest bomb he had dropped on him even if it was a joke
" I think Jean's pregnant," Kaeya said out loud to Diluc earning him a confused looked at his estranged brother
"No, that's not right" he corrected himself relieving Diluc only but a second when Kaeya re-estated his words
"She's definitely pregnant . . . though she still hasn't noticed *sigh" Kaeya claim mumbling the last part in disappointment
"Don't joke around!" Diluc let go of the bar flap letting it hit the counter with a loud slam as he faced Kaeya once again with knitted brows
"Is this the reason why you're getting married because you got her pregnant?"
"I know you won't trust my words when I say this but 'No'" Kaeya huffed taking his glass once again as he drank not sipped his precious wine "I proposed to her prior 3 months ago"
"Then what's with the ring? Why do you only have it now?" Diluc interrogated
"calm down and let me explain, jeez" Kaeya tried to placate the doubting Diluc his hands up in the air in defense
"It's quite embarrassing but when I proposed to her I haven't prepared a suitable ring"
"Oh, how unlike you. . . " Diluc sarcastically commented letting his brother continue " I know, but the moment was just right, you know how busy Jean is so I kind of just asked her when I felt the time was perfect with nothing on me so I just made a flower ring out of dandelions for the meantime while Wagner finishes the real ring"
Diluc noted how the ring Kaeya had was similar to a dandelion flower very befitting to Jean the Dandelion Knight but it still didn't explain how Kaeya knew Jean was pregnant with their child
"And the pregnancy. . . how did that happen" Diluc continued to interrogate like a parent who caught their kid doing something wrong
Kaeya for his part look dumbfounded by his brother's question 'was Diluc always this innocent?' Kaeya thought to himself before answering
"By having sex of course, what else would a man and woman in a relationship be doing-"
"Not that! I meant when did you notice she's with a child?" 'Archons, Kaeya could be so vulgar sometimes' Diluc thought to himself pinching the bridge of his nose to alleviate the oncoming migraine and suppressing the red blush creeping his neck
"Just a week ago" The vulgar man spoke in all honesty "I wasn't sure at first and we thought she was just sick after she felt nauseous smelling her coffee but then her diet also changed she also started drinking Barbara's Chili brew so I asked a physician and her symptoms were showing she's with a child and I believe she's on her 3rd or 4th month base on her symptoms, does that explain it?"
Diluc was silent for a good minute or so until he finally sighed pushing Kaeya out of the tavern telling him to confront Jean about her pregnancy and convince her to lessen her workload for the sake of their child, he had enough for the night, he needs to compose his head, he still couldn't believe he's going to be an 'uncle' the thought of it alone made him smile.
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Act II: Women need precise answers
Weeks after knowing about the marriage plan from Kaeya himself the news of the Acting Grandmaster and Cavalry Captain getting married spread like wildfire among the gossip mongers and more precisely the aristocrats of Mondstadt had started to barrage Diluc vouching for their daughter to be betrothed to him considering that the top bride candidate from the Gunnhildr is already off the marriage market. Diluc never anticipated the news of Jean and Kaeya would also affect his daily routine.
Nobles making idle chit-chat with him will often end up with them introducing their daughters or sometimes when the elderly spots him would often ask him when will he settle down such questions were beginning to irritate him and thus he had tried to busy himself with works at Angels share to precisely deflect any of the nobles or elders coercion about marriage seeing as he was often tending to the busy tavern.
It was one of those days when he insisted to tend to the bar when he overheard Patton and Charles conversation from the back door of Angle's share
"Sir Kaeya and acting grandmaster Jean who would have thought?" Patton said as he counted the barrels of wine
"Everyone assumed Master Diluc and Master Jean would end up together being that their families had been allies since the downfall of old Mondstadt but seeing sir Kaeya at the picture with master Jean isn't so bad either"
"I'd say!" Charles commented chuckling while he helped Patton "I don't care how aristocrats marry but just imagine if they had kids? Archons! They'd look like dolls"
Suddenly being reminded of having kids, Diluc thoughtfully recalled the baby items he had ordered from Marjorie arriving today. He doesn't have any idea yet if the child will be a boy or girl or if they'll look more like Jean or take after Kaeya so he ordered a bunch for both genders in case.
He called Charles over and asked him to tend for the time being while he ran an errand the man didn't question his boss.
When Diluc arrived at the boutique to inquire about the items he had ordered Marjorie excused herself to bring the parcels from the back. For a few minutes, Diluc was alone but soon after the number of the customer inside the boutique was growing every few second mostly female around his age with their mothers in thaw.
He had a bad feeling about this
"M-master Diluc! What a surprise we didn't know we will find you here!" one woman spoke acting as if she was indeed surprised while another woman was brazen enough to openly flirt with him
"My, my if I had known I would have dressed to impress," another one said before other women from the crowd joined in to get any slight reaction or recognition from him.
He didn't pay the crowd of women any mind and just waited for Marjorie to return assuming that his disinterest in conversing with them would disappoint their spirit, however, it did nothing and only fueled more of the women's interest in him making him annoyed . . . slowly the last fuse of his patience was running short specifically when one woman from the crowd asked him the irritating question
"Master Diluc, are you seeing someone?" that was the last straw
' Fine, you want answers? I'll give you one' he irritatedly thought and looked back at the woman with cold eyes
"Yes, I am and she's a very elegant graceful lady, one that wouldn't be shameless to throw herself to a man so willingly just because he's available and her mother said so"
He had expected the women to shut up and indeed they did shut up but only for a mere second before a barrage of questions was thrown at him one more time.
Diluc made a mental note to himself ' women's curiosity will not deter unless you give them a concrete answer'
when he was asked who was it, Diluc was thinking of the names he was quite close to like Lisa or Sarah, he even considered saying Amber's name but when Diluc's eyes wondered to a beautiful estranged blue-haired woman walking towards Good hunter with Amber beside her he couldn't look at anyone else, from the way she carried herself and how the bystanders on the street avoided her Diluc unconsciously spoke her Clan name
"Lawrence. . .?" he asked out loud though the questioning tone of his voice was ignored by the terrified and shocked women
"L-Lawrence, you mean that vile woman ?" one lady confirmed her tone in disbelief, and Diluc couldn't help but raise a brow at the woman talking "What?" he said plainly to confirm who she was referring to as a 'vile woman' but the women misunderstood the way Diluc spoke they have thought Diluc wasn't pleased that they called his betrothed as a 'vile woman' and hurriedly apologized while some excused themselves scurrying out of the boutique which confuses Diluc even more. One moment they were clamoring him and the next thing he knew they were running off like dogs with their tails behind their legs, he shrugged thanking the Archons for whatever miracle made the women run away from him.
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Act III: Confrontation and Compromise
In the next few days after the women had run away from him at the boutique a miracle happened. The nobles who had been trying to vouch for their daughter as his betrothed seized, the elders who often nags at him to settle down would smile at him pleasantly as they saw him. It hasn't sync in with him that he unconsciously gave the name of his supposedly betrothed not until Adelinde told the gossip swirling about him having a betrothed around the city and the said betrothed is in the manor wanting to talk to him. Hasty, Diluc made his way downstairs where the young lady of the Lawrence clan was elegantly sitting a teacup in one of her hands while the other was dormant on her lap like a noble lady poised in gracefulness all except for the cold, annoyed aura emitting from her.
When they first made eye contact Diluc felt the cold crept at his spine as if he was being buried in the never-ending snow of Dragonspine but he willed himself and stood in front of her with a simple greeting and told his maid to leave them Diluc was ready to explain the cause of the gossip but before he could explain Eula beat him to it
"How dare you claimed to those nobles we're betrothed without my consent, I'll have my vengeance!"
"That I. . . I have nothing to say" he answered stuttering before sitting to one of the chairs massaging his temples
"I believe it was a misunderstanding"
"A very big misunderstanding"
". . . right" Diluc sighed again looking straight at the woman in front of him sitting elegantly though seething with anger
"So, explain to me" Eula started placing the teacup down on its saucer as she crossed her arms in front of her chest perfectly lined brows scrunched to glare at the man in front of her while her beautiful lips uttered factual words "how did I become your betrothed because according to history records our families are sworn enemies, the Ragnvinder along with the Gunnhildr overthrew the tyrannical Lawrence, if you tell me honestly, I'll make my vengeance less painful"
Diluc couldn't comprehend why she uses the word 'vengeance' was being misunderstood as his betrothed really disgusting that'll warrant vengeance from her? Though, Diluc also understood why she would want revenge she has every right after he unconsciously said her family name in front of everyone.
"Firstly, I would like to apologize for dragging your name in this mess it was my mistake I spoke out loud unconsciously while the women in the boutiques were apparently inquiring about who I was betrothed with"
"and why did my name came to your mind?" she further inquired "well, that. . . I saw you walking to Good hunters and my eyes. . . just. . . followed you" Diluc tried to whisper the last part but Eula with her trained hearing was able to hear satisfied with his honest answer
"Hmmp, an honest answer, I like that in a man and as promised my vengeance will be less painful for you" Eula commented earning her a raised brow from the red-haired man she took her cup again and took a graceful sip before looking straight at Diluc an amused smile grazing her lips " But you do know that I'm one of the knights you often criticized and being with me well . . . I already assumed you know what the people of Mondstadt think of me"
"a vile woman" Diluc repeated what the other woman said to him before
"precisely," she said back smiling as if she was already used to the nickname "Being associated with me even if it's just a misunderstanding comes with a few setbacks, for example, the people will warrant you with baseless rumors, they might even avoid you" Eula enumerated a few "Though if we're being honest, you being linked to me is just perfect to bring my vengeance to both our family name" she smirked at him provoking him to understand that it'll be bad for his reputation to be associated with her, however, as Diluc listened to the setbacks she mentioned Diluc was more convinced that being linked to her is a blessing in disguise.
One of the many proofs of being linked to Eula was the sudden stop of marriage offers from other nobles, the nagging of the elders and women seemed to stop throwing themselves at him at the mention of her name and if being with Eula is enough to make the people of Mondstadt avoid him the better he can work behind the shadows to protect the city.
After he weighed the pros and cons Diluc decided by himself that he wouldn't correct the gossip swirling around the city and instead wanted to make use of it
"Then let's make it true that we're seeing each other" Diluc spoke suddenly making the woman in front of her surprised at his proposal
" What?"
"I don't see anything wrong if we see each other for real and the more I look at it the more it's beneficial to both of us- you'll have your 'vengeance' and I'll be able to avoid the nobles and their daughters a fair set-up I would say and even if you're a knight of the order, I won't mind knowing you're. . . capabilities"
Eula only managed to huffed amused after listening to Diluc and deciding to agree with the Ragnvindr head with a smile. She was also convinced that being misunderstood as his betrothed will be beneficial especially once her exiled family knew she fraternized with their family's sworn enemy, oh the look of horror on their faces Eula felt giddy just imagining their reaction knowing that the last blood of Lawrence will end up with her.
"Then, make sure to not disappoint me master Diluc I'm a high maintenance lover or else I'll make sure to return my vengeance ten-fold" she teasingly reminded him and sat up from her seat and Diluc following suit ringing the bell to inform his maids to come to the room and buzz-out the remainder of the served tea
Without missing a beat Diluc offered his arm to escort her like a true lover
"You listened well, don't you. I like that" Eula commented and graciously took his offer placing her hand on his arm like a real lover. Diluc just shrugged at the comment a small grin making its way on his usually aloof face
"My betrothed said she's high maintenance so I have to keep up with her standards or she might leave me" he retorted back earning him a soft chuckle from Eula. Eula and Diluc were almost at the front door when the maids came in to tidy up the room. Diluc was holding the door open when suddenly Eula added another condition to their affair
"Oh! one more thing," Eula said before placing her hand at the side of Diluc's face and pulled him gently towards her for a sweet chaste kiss on the lips, the sound of 'chu' revibrated all over the room making even Hillie and Moco blushed staring where the sound came from and gasp at what they saw
"Get used to this, we'll be doing it more often" Eula continued referring to their 'first kiss' before leaving the bewildered blushing Diluc in front of the door a simple thought running to his head as he watched Eula walked away elegantly from the Dawn Winery
'She really is a blessing in disguise'
The end. . . part 2 maybe?