Work Text:
There was something sadistically pleasing to Kaeya watching someone fell for one of his traps. Like a spider's hungry gaze while as studied the fly that had unknowingly flown into the web, Kaeya enjoyed watching the exact moment when a person realized there was no escape from the situation. That they had cornered themselves before even realizing they had entered a room.
Trickery and deceit were not traits often given to knights, but Kaeya felt no weight on his shoulders doing the dirty work for the knights of Favonius. Not all knights can be moral upstanding figures, some needed to get their hands dirty. As long as Kaeya worked in the shadows where only his victims would know his wrath, he had no issue bending his morals.
The man who sat in front of Kaeya at his desk was but another man who hadn't realized Kaeya's true intentions for the meeting. Kaeya had asked for a simple meeting to go over some property issues the man had brought up. Issues, like water not coming out of his faucet and hilichruls finding themselves right outside his door. Kaeya would frown and offer his sympathies as if he wasn't the one who froze his pipes and pushed the hilichruls towards the property. All that effort to bring the man into a private room to talk.
Kaeya always wondered what his gaze looked like as he approached the climax of his plan. He wondered if the hunger that burned through his mind showed on his face. Kaeya's leg bounced as he pretended to read over the documents, in just a minute, he would point out a discrepancy on the paper. He would watch the man squirm in his seat as he tried to explain himself out of blame.
Kaeya's eye lingered on the fraudulent number. His heart rate spiking at the moment he lifted his head with fake confusion. All it took was one word, and his trap would be set.
"I'm sorry Mister Sablefeild," Kaeya started as he lowered the document to the desk, "I believe there is something off about this document. Would you be so kind to-"
Kaeya didn't get to finish as the door to his office was opened. Jean stood in the doorway. Her hair was slightly frazzled on one side, evidence she had taken a nap at some point in the day. Something Lisa likely made her do. As pissed as Kaeya was that his plan was interrupted, Jean was his boss and he couldn't tell her to leave. And, based on her expression, she wasn't interrupting for no reason.
"Acting Grand Master, what do I owe the pleasure?" Kaeya smiled but knew it didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to talk. He had prey in front of him that needed to be dealt with.
"Mister Sabelfield is under arrest for fraud," Jean spoke with a commanding tone. The man startled in his seat, but Kaeya kept his gaze forward. Had someone figured out Mister Sablefeild's tricks before he had? Kaeya tried not to frown at the thought of his plan slipping out of his grasp. Jean was avoiding eye-contact with Kaeya. A sickly feeling built in his gut.
"A lawyer, I request a lawyer!" The man announced before turning to Kaeya with wide eyes.Wide pleading eyes. Kaeya's hunger only grew. "You have my documents, surely you could defend me,"
Sometimes life leaves you alone in the woods on a rainy night hoping someone will have the kindness to bring you out of it, and sometimes life presented you with a feast so beautify crafted it would be a sin to deny it.
"Of course I could," Kaeya smiled at the man as excitement fluttered through his chest at exposing the man in a court room. "After all, you were a close friend of my father, were you not?"
"Yes!" The man blatantly lied to Kaeya. He was no friend of Master Crepus. They were around the same age and social standing, so they often when to the same events, but Kaeya knew the only conversations they shared were pleasant formalities. Kaeya would typically be offended by a man using a dead man as leverage in a conversation, but in this scenario, it only fueled Kaeya.
"Sir Kaeya I highly recommend not-" Jean spoke put bringing her hand to her chest. Kaeya put his hand out to shut her up. She was far more honest of a knight than Kaeya was.
"Jean, you should have more confidence in your Calvary Captain," Kaeya hummed. "Would I really lead the knights astray?"
Despite how long Jean had known Kaeya, she still didn't seem to understand his monstrous nature. You would think since she witnesses his descent away from moral codes, she would catch on much quicker when he so easily lent a hand to a stranger. He was not that kind.
"I understand," Jean looked away with pursed lips. "I will inform Master Diluc that you will be defending Mister Sabelfield in court."
Of course he was involved. The only one who could catch a horrid rodent faster than Kaeya was Diluc. Kaeya and Diluc sometimes scarily thinking the same thing. Diluc was not the same kind of hunter that Kaeya was, although they both avoided the light of day when catching their prey, Kaeya was more subtle about leading his prey into a trap, unlike Diluc who swooped down like a bird of the nnight and snatched them up before anyone could notice.
It seems they had their sights on the same rat this time around. Kaeya was unsure what would lead Diluc to trying to get the man arrested instead of dealing with it himself, but he would have to thank him for bringing Kaeya such a rare opportunity.
"Master Diluc would be acting as the prosecution for my client?" Kaeya hummed. That would be an interesting scene to witness.
"No," Jean stared steady forward. "It will be Albedo,"
That's a twist, but not a surprise. Albedo was the investigation unit for the knights meaning he had brought the evidence to Jean and she had decided to continue with the arrest. Kaeya wondered what exactly this man did to have the knights of Favonius themselves be the prosecution. The man was starting to sweat in his seat.
"So then why must you inform Master Diluc of this matter?" Kaeya asked tilting his head to the side at the woman.
"Because Mister Sabelfield is accused of committing fraud in order to receive some of the late Master Crepus Ragnvindr's assets," Jean admitted after a moment of hesitation.
Kaeya was dumbfounded for about five seconds until he had a moment of realization. Only a few days ago Diluc had been questioning him intensely about what Kaeya had done with his share of the inheritance. Kaeya had no response, as he never claimed his share aside from a bit of sentimental items and some money so he wasn't sleeping on the streets. He never claimed the proper half he had been entitled to. He didn't feel like he deserved it and so he left it for Diluc to figure out.
It became very clear why Diluc had gotten his hands on the case before Kaeya since it was more personal. Mister Sabelfield had somehow conned his way into getting Kaeya's half of Master Crepus' will. Kaeya gave a glanced to the sweaty red faced swine who turned to him with fear in the light of his eyes.
"I was your father's friend," The man repeated, "I would never. You can prove it in court I assure you!"
The audacity to lie to Kaeya's face about stealing his late father's money. Kaeya smiled widely at the man because he would want nothing more to see this man torn apart from the inside out.
"I believe you Mister Sabelfield," Kaeya beamed as the lie fell off his tongue. "My late father has nothing to do with my personal connection with this case,"
Mister Sabelfield relaxed putting his hand over his heart. Kaeya wondered if he could make the man's heart stop on the stadium when he finally got exposed. That would be a sight to see.
"Kaeya," Jean looked at him with an unwavering look. "You do understand the situation don't you?"
Kaeya understood perfectly well what he was doing. "I assure you that I will do nothing less than give Mister Sabelfield the defense he deserves."
Kaeya had barely stepped into the knight's headquarters when he was grabbed harshly by the shirt and pushed against the wall. Angry red eyes bore into him. Seems Diluc was very angry about Kaeya going to Mister Sabelfield's defense.
"Master Diluc," Kaeya greeted politely as if he wasn't in the mist of being attacked by the man."Good morning to you too,"
"What the hell is your angle here?" Diluc spat out. "You do know what's at stake here, don't you?"
Kaeya's grin twisted. Diluc often had a lot of audacity as well. "For someone who abandoned Father's legacy and sold his home, you sure seem to care a lot about this lost inheritance."
"You think this about Father?" Diluc stepped away as his gaze inspected Kaeya's own carefully. Kaeya stepped to the side so he would no longer be pressed against the wall. The confusion only stayed on Diluc's face for a moment before his anger returned in full force.
"Why are you defending him?" Diluc's fists curled up into balls.
"Why did you come to the knights to handle this?" Kaeya shot back crossing his arms. Diluc had no right to interrogate him at the knight's headquarters about his choices. "I thought we were too inefficient. I thought a certain vigilantly would have handled this instead,"
"I can't-" Diluc brought his hand up to rub his temples. "I need to go through the proper channels to make sure the money is returned to it's rightful owner,"
Kaeya rolled his eyes. "You still could have avoided the courts. You could have pressured him into handing it over to you."
Diluc stared at him, really stared at him. The kind of stare that he held during the long nights where Kaeya would get himself absolutely wasted. His face twisted into a combination of disgust and disappointment. He was looking at Kaeya like he was the stupidest man in the world.
"Kaeya," Diluc's voice held the same tone that his face displayed, though Kaeya thought it also sounded exceptionally tired.
Diluc didn't finish his thought before Mister Sabelfield entered the room and rushed over to Kaeya. He only gave Diluc a glance before pulling Kaeya away by the arm. Kaeya saw Diluc look at Mister Sabelfield with a rage that Kaeya hadn't seen on his face since they were younger.
Kaeya was briefly reminded of a time when they were young knights. A boy had been trying to play a trick on Kaeya. Kaeya was thankfully cautious enough not to trust anyone at that age and wasn't able to be pulled into what he could only describe as a form of public humiliation the boy had planned for him. The kicker though was when Diluc had found out what the boy wanted to do with Kaeya, his face went bright red with rage and turned the boy all kinds of black and blue all over.
Kaeya shook his head slightly ridding himself of memories of their past. Kaeya wasn't sure why he was reminded of Diluc's old over protective nature. Diluc no longer cared for Kaeya as an over protective older brother. Kaeya glanced back at Diluc and tried to force himself to believe that his expression at the other side of the room wasn't the same rage he had seen all those years ago.
"You have the documents?" Mister Sabelfield asked rubbing his sweaty hands on his very expensive suit. A suit that Kaeya insisted he wear. He looked like a rich asshole dressed in the velvet suit.
"Of course I do," Kaeya brought his hand to pat Mister Sabelfield on the back before leading him into the court room. He couldn't wait to get this public exposé started.
He sat the man down in the appropriate chair and let the show begin. Kaeya could equate his experience in the courtroom like a wonderful orchestral piece. Many instruments coming together to make a beautiful melody. Albedo starts with presenting the accusations with Diluc seated next to him, and Kaeya watches as the eyes of the jury along with Jean who was acting as the judge bore into the velvet suit of Mister Sabelfield. A beautiful start, in Kaeya's personal opinion. And it was amusing to see Albedo and Diluc work together on an assignment. Kaeya didn't know what else could bring the two together other than seeking the truth.
The discussion continued as such. Albedo would present evidence and question the defendant, and Kaeya would come back with a shaky defense, each one of his words carefully pulled apart by Albedo's arguments. Like a strange playful duet between the two of them. He knew exactly where to pull Albedo's attention to have the other's argument stronger.
It didn't take long at all for Kaeya to see the sweat stain that horrid velvet suit. Mister Sablefield's head was between his hands as his breathing was shaky. Kaeya's hand shook as he started feeling the adrenaline build up in his body. The climax of the show was soon to come. Kaeya only had to wait a little longer and he would get to see this man's world crumble around him.
Kaeya hoped he would cry.
"Judge and jury," Albedo spoke up as he read through the documents in his hands. His eyes darted inhumanly fast upon the page. His ability to intake information was scary. "The prosecution is urging you to come to the logical conclusion from the evidence presented. Mister Sabelfield had no connection with the late Crepus Ragnvindr and we have proven he had forged his claim on his inheritance."
Albedo's eyes flickered to Kaeya for just a second and his resolve strengthened. An unfamiliar feeling pooled in Kaeya's gut as he considered Albedo's actions. He didn't have to wait long to discover why Albedo had chosen to look at him.
"The prosecution insists that the inheritance goes to it's proper owner, Crepus Ragnvindr's son, Kaeya Alberich," Albedo spoke as he spoke firmly to Jean.
For a moment, the room span for Kaeya before he blinked his way back to reality. His head shot towards Diluc who sat with his arms crossed in his chair. He didn't flinch or move at all. Did he know Albedo was going to do that? What reason would Diluc have to bring this to court if it was only going to benefit Kaeya.
Kaeya turned to Albedo and studied him sharply. The walls of the building started to remind Kaeya of cage, and Kaeya wondered if this whole court was a set up for him. If anyone were to catch him off guard, it would be no other than Diluc and Albedo. Was the money supposed to bring his guard down? Or was it supposed to be the cheese in a mouse trap.
Kaeya stood up sharply. He would not allow himself to be captured so easily. "The defense requests a recess,"
"Denied," Jean spoke firmly, "The case is over anyways. That was the prosecutions last words."
Kaeya carefully sat back down. He turned to Mister Sabelfield who was looking at Kaeya with nothing but fear and guilt. Kaeya knew he was guilty, that was no surprise, but why had Albedo involved Kaeya directly into the case.
It was Diluc's money. Kaeya had told Diluc as much. He wanted no claim on it. So then why would he force it into Kaeya's hand?
A chill ran up Kaeya's arm as he stared at his desk with furrowed brows.
Was this a ploy? Did Diluc bring this to the courts as a way of dragging Kaeya out? Kaeya looked over at Diluc and Albedo who were talking quietly.
A horrifying thought became the only thing Kaeya could think of. He curled onto himself instinctively. The only reason Kaeya could come up with that Diluc would ever come to the knights and with Albedo at his side would be to expose Kaeya as the traitor he truly was.
The walls of the room felt close to than before, the courtroom was locked to keep the defendant from running, but also trapped Kaeya in. Sabelfield had been bait for Kaeya to bite on, and once his teeth had sunk into the man, he didn't notice the hunters with bows pointed right at his forehead.
"You did this," Mister Sabelfield's voice shook. Kaeya whipped his head at him in confusion.
"You wanted the money so you set me up," The man sneered as he stood up from his chair. Mister Sabelfield was a pitiful man, but something about his expression caused dread to bleed into Kaeya's mind.
"I didn't know," Kaeya insisted, much quieter than he had spoken in years. Even he could hear the tremble in his tone.
"Bullshit!" The man roared. Kaeya had been spiraling in his own world he hadn't noticed Mister Sabelfield taking something out of his bag, nor did he notice the man hide it within his coat.
Kaeya stood up from his chair as his eyes landed on the device, a new hunting device that had been making it's round, a crossbow. It was already too late for him to properly react, but he saw the arrow loaded into the crossbow for only a second before it was shot into his chest. Kaeya stumbled back, tripping over his own feet before he fell onto his back on the floor.
He couldn't breathe. His chest hurt and he felt like he couldn't breathe. He gasped for air as he looked down to see red spreading from the arrow that was in his chest. Something was wrong with his lung. It had to have pierced it. He couldn't breathe because the arrow had pierced his lung. Kaeya had seen death before in his life, he had seen soldiers go in an instant. Kaeya couldn't pull his eyes away from his wound as he felt lightheaded. He wondered if this was how he died.
A voice calling his name pulled his attention to the side. He wasn't sure when Albedo had come to his side, but his hand was resting on Kaeya's chest. Kaeya's eyes felt heavy and the world spun as he moved them but he pulled them up to see Albedo's worried expression. Albedo never worried. He was far to put together to worry about pointless things.
"Everything is going to be okay Kaeya," Another voice spoke pulling Kaeya's attention to the side. Diluc was there grabbing on tightly to his arm. Kaeya hadn't even noticed the pressure. How long had it been since he was shot?
"Jean is healing you," Diluc spoke with a shake in his voice. For a moment Kaeya thought Diluc may actually be worried about him. Kaeya couldn't even see Jean, so he had no clue if he was being lied to or not.
It didn't matter anyways. His heart rate was too high and he couldn't breathe. If he made it out of this, it would be a miracle.
"Kaeya stay awake!" Diluc yelled at him.
Kaeya never listened to Diluc's direction's anyways.
Diluc paced outside the room of the infirmary that Kaeya was being worked on. Albedo was leaning against a nearby wall with his eyes closed. Diluc envied how quiet his anger was come paired to his own. Diluc wanted to do nothing more put tear Mister Sabelfield to shreds. He was the one to take the man down in the court room, but his brother bleeding out on the floor meant he couldn't take his time punching the soul out of the man.
Maybe once Kaeya was healed the Dark Knight Hero would finish what Diluc couldn't in the court room.
Once again, the knights failed spectacularly. And once again, it could cost Diluc his family. Diluc pushed away the guilt he felt bringing Kaeya into the courtroom. It had meant to be a gift. A peace offering to Kaeya. A step forward in the right direction for the both of them.
Kaeya deserved his portion of their father's inheritance, and the only way Diluc thought Kaeya would accept it was if it was forced upon him. Diluc was infuriated that Kaeya's inheritance had been taken without him knowing. He has assumed Kaeya had taken it and can not fathom why he didn't. Then, after finding some forged documents tucked away while investigating Mister Sabelfield for a different reason, he realized that Kaeya had not received his fair share.
And after forcing Kaeya to talk about it, he found Kaeya did not seem to care in the slightest and assumed Diluc had taken his share. Diluc would have been offended if he wasn't so heartbroken that Kaeya wouldn't take it.
It was Diluc's fault that Kaeya was no longer apart of the Ragnvindr household. He understood why Kaeya would want to sever the connection, but it was in Father's will that Kaeya got that inheritance. That wasn't something between Diluc and Kaeya but between Father and Kaeya. Diluc may have destroyed their relationship, but he didn't want Kaeya to believe that Father did not see him as his own son.
The inheritance was Kaeya's right as Crepus Ragnvindr's son.
Diluc pressed his lips together as he thought back to how Kaeya looked in the court room. He seemed so pleased during most of the trail. He wasn't trying in the slightest to actually defend Mister Sabelfield, which made Diluc convinced he must have known the entire time that the man had stolen from him. But then, when Albedo dropped his final line, Kaeya's expression shifted.
He looked scared.
And then he got shot.
Diluc looked towards the infirmary door and wondered how he would even begin such a conversation with Kaeya. It was supposed to be a step in the right direction, but Diluc feared they would only be pushed further apart by the situation.
A nun left the room and looked at the two standing in the hallway. For a moment, it seemed like she may have wanted to send them away, but with another glance of the hallway, she decided not to.
"Kaeya is alive and is stable," The nun spoke bringing her hands together in front of her. Her expression lead Diluc to fear the worst despite her words.
"And?" Diluc insisted, the nun gave him a small glare for raising his voice at her, which he agreed was deserved, but he needed to know how his brother was.
"We believe he will make a full recovery," She looked off to the side, as if waiting for someone to appear in the hallway. "But he will need someone to look after him for a while."
"I can do it," Diluc spoke up just a second before Albedo had a chance. He saw the way the alchemist shifted off the wall to speak. Kaeya was his younger brother, and he wouldn't let a knight take care of him. Especially when he got shot in the knight's court room.
"We prefer that family takes care of him," The nun spoke bluntly.
"I'm his brother," Diluc spoke not tearing his gaze away from her.
The nun didn't respond immediately. She glanced over him with confusion apparent on her face. Diluc really hoped she believed him, because he wasn't sure that he would be able to prove it. Kaeya must have removed any sign that he used to be a Ragnvindr.
"Master Diluc speaks the truth," Jean spoke from behind Diluc. He hadn't even heard her coming. Behind her younger sister Barbara was holding a covered basket. "Please let him through,"
The nun nodded and stepped away from the door. "I will ask that everyone else stays outside for the time being,"
"Of course," Jean agreed. "Only family."
Diluc turned towards Jean to see her expression. She was pissed as well, it was refreshing to see. Diluc supposed if he stood outside the door for a moment longer, she would push him through the doorway herself. When Diluc entered a bunch of doctors left the room to give them some privacy.
Kaeya was surprisingly awake. Diluc didn't think that he would or even should be awake. One of the doctor's closed the door behind them leaving the two alone in the room to talk.
"I'm not dead," Kaeya spoke looking up at the ceiling. His voice sounded rough.
"I'm glad," Diluc replied, not knowing what else to say. Kaeya turned his head to look at Diluc and he realized that Kaeya must have been on cloud nine with the medication he was given. Diluc felt his shoulders relax. It seemed like talking to a drugged Kaeya would be easier than his normal self.
"You'll be staying with me for a few days while you heal," Diluc spoke as he pulled a chair to sit on next to Kaeya's beside.
"Just like old times," Kaeya let out a small huff of laughter. "I can't wait to sleep in the winery's beds. They're so soft."
Diluc chuckled dryly as he brought his hands together in his lap. His voice was rough, but he also looked just as rough with bandages wrapped around him and his eyes puffy from crying. His hair could also use a brushing. He really wanted to kill the man who put his younger brother in this position.
"I'm sorry I messed up your plans," Kaeya spoke, his tone suddenly scarily even.
Diluc looked at him confused. "You're still going to get the inheritance Kaeya,"
"No," Kaeya frowned. "I mean your real plans. Why you trapped me in the court room."
"That-" Diluc blinked at his brother in confusion. "That was the plan, Kaeya. To force you to retrieve your inheritance."
Kaeya stared at him for a moment. His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. When he spoke his voice was shaky "So you weren't planning to out me as a traitor?"
Diluc just stared at him. Did Kaeya truly believe he was still angry about that? Diluc sighed as he supposed this was what he deserved for never properly communicating with his younger brother.
"I wanted to take a step to fix things between us," Diluc admitted, "So we could be close again."
"You wanna be brothers again?" Kaeya asked with wide eyes. Perhaps Diluc should have waited until he wasn't high to have this conversation. He may need to repeat this again at a later time.
"We never stopped being brothers, at least not to me," Diluc spoke quietly. Kaeya would forget this anyways.
Kaeya moved to look at the ceiling with a smile on his face. "I'm really happy I got shot,"
Diluc put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You are not allowed to get shot again."