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[ Ah ... of course he'd ask about that. Jean briefly hesitates, a little uncertain how to explain it to him. It was also her first time transforming, but it didn't seem as severe as the others—especially considering the others' transformations that she's witnessed. ]

Sometime before I fell asleep, [ she admits with a slight nod, a little grateful that he can't really see her reddening face. ] But it wasn't very drastic, I'd like to think, compared to the others. I only had a few physical changes. Much of the change was with my ... habits.

[ Such as seeking companionship, to put it gently. Not that she'd admit it out loud to Kaeya, nor did she even try either, suppressing any and all desire to find a partner. It was just too mortifying. ]

[partial transformation is also a thing, is it? okay, okay, he can probably handle that at the very least.]

Were you able to tell which monster you were transforming into?

[he happens to look at her, catches sight of reddened skin. he smiles at that- never change, jean. keep that pure spirit!!]

[ Jean hesitantly nods, still burying herself against Kaeya's shoulder.

Even she never told Diluc or Venti or even the Traveler about this, unwilling to be seen as less dignified than she usually is. Which is more than enough to tell how much she trusts her second-in-command and his silence on the matter. ]

Some of the transformations seem to share certain traits when I read about them in the library. [ Guess who practically slept in the library for the first few days of her arrival in Noctium. ] But there's only one transformation that had a forked tongue, so.

Oho- that sounds like it'd be a pretty handy thing to have around here. [he says with a bit of a purr. sorry he can't help but be lewd sometimes, jean.

god, that trust though. if kaeya knew to the extent she trusted him unconditionally... that she hadn't told anyone else... well, he'd be incredibly touched, for a man often viewed as sussy as fuck by a great number of people.]

It does call into question- what determines a full transformation versus partial or no transformation?

[ Why are you like this, Kaeya!

Jean gently hits his arm, pulling away just slightly to give him a scandalized look, her cheeks red. Honestly, of all things to say and of all people to say it to—not that she's unused to his promiscuity and Noctium is all sunshine and rainbows. See, this is why even Diluc is faring better than her in these circumstances. ]

That, I have no idea. I've only experienced it once so I'm sorry that I can't really give you more information about it. I don't think there's a pattern either, or if there is, I haven't found any information about it.

[ She pauses, looking thoughtful. ] It might be best to ask the others who have been here longer than I have, like Venti.

[he can't help but laugh as she gives him a little smack. what else do you expect from the man who is tits and ass out all day! he does give her a token apologetic pat on her arm, though and "sorry but it was funny" look on his face]

It's fine, I'll do a little research myself and ask our favorite bard to join me at a local tavern if I have to. If I find anything, I'll be sure to share.

How long has he been around, anyway?

[ Fine, good point. But she's still allowed to be embarrassed; she supposes that it's at least less horrifying to talk to Kaeya about these things compared to their other friends and acquaintances. ]

He arrived months before I did, according to him, [ she replies, sitting back on her haunches. ] Which I'm sure you find strange since I have a feeling you've also recently seen him at Angel's Share.

[ See? Timelines are a mess in this place. ]

Anyway, what are your plans moving forward? I'm not the Acting Grandmaster in this place, so I won't really hold you to your responsibilities here.

[timelines sure are a mess. but if he recalls, that venti is from lumine's timeline. he'll definitely have to grab a keg of wine with him and pick his brain - he's sure to have a lot of info on him. kaeya already resigns himself to picking up the other's tab in exchange for it.]

Ah, the usual of course. [a smirk] Checking out the taverns is first on the list. Perhaps take a stroll here and there - I've been seeing some decorations go up, I'm curious to see them when they're done.

[translation: he's gonna be trolling around for any scraps of information in the taverns and stray conversations on the street. he won't say it, but he knows that jean can pretty much guess that this is what he's doing. he won't confirm her suspicions, though.]

And, of course, keep my manna supply steady. [he'll leave the details out... he's done enough teasing to jean in one night.] So don't you waste your time worrying about me on that front.

[ Jean offers him a faint smile, pressing a hand against his cheek. ]

Since when did I stop wasting time worrying, anyway?

[ Even if he tells her not to worry, her tendency to worry is still going to be there. It never goes away, Kaeya, even more so while they're here in Noctium. But at least she's more than certain that her second-in-command is capable of taking care of himself one way or another in this place; she'll definitely have fewer worries with him. ]

Can I ask your help to check on Master Diluc as well?

[he leans into that touch- and then she mentions checking in on diluc.

kaeya's control over his expressions and emotions is impeccable, his grip on them like stone. he can't allow anything to slip in his expression lest anyone read too much into it and use it against him.

but when she asks about diluc, there's a little involuntary twitch of his hand resting on her arm. otherwise, his smile is placid.]

Of course, but I can't guarantee he won't slam the door in my face. [he laughs, mostly joking.]

[ Well, his reaction, no matter how faint it is, is not surprising. She's more than aware of the rift between their relationship and it isn't as if it's improved over the past year since Diluc has returned to Mondstadt; if anything, it seems to have gotten worse and is only getting worse.

But it isn't as if she's unfamiliar with Diluc and his temperament, either. ]

I'm sure he won't, [ Jean reassures him quietly, shaking her head. ] He might not serve you wine, though, since I don't think the place he works at has wine.

[ Unless KFC now serves wine ... Who knows! ]

But if he does slam the door in your face, let me know so I can talk to him.

[it's a sliding scale. if diluc is already in a bad mood, kaeya puts it at 70% likely the door's getting shut. if kaeya annoys him in that already bad mood, the possibility is likely at 90%. or given the equivalent of kfc grape juice instead of what he actually ordered.]

And where might I find Master Diluc on an average day?

[he promises not to be a nuisance during work hours like childe... or team up with childe if he's also around to become the ultimate Bother Diluc squad...

...maybe.]

[ Properly talking will reduce that percentage, Kaeya. Honestly, these two—does she need to mediate just so they can sort of get along while they're here in Noctium? They're both adults, aren't they? ]

He works in a restaurant downtown.

[ She rummages for a blank piece of paper from the coffee table, sighing when she can't find one from the mess she's managed to make. She needs to at least clean up before she goes back to work. ]

I'll send the information to your device instead, since I don't seem to have anything I can write on at the moment.

A restaurant, is it? I suppose it makes sense, given his tastes.

[that diluc doesn't actually like alcohol - it figures since he doesn't have a legacy to uphold here, he'd switch jobs (ah, but how strange it might be to not see him at a tavern with that carefully neutral look on his face! there was some routine in that that he'll... miss.)]

That's fine. It's not as if I'm planning to go immediately.

[it's absolutely amazing how two grown men who grew up together can utterly fail at communicating with each other.]

What's his restaurant serve? Maybe I'll go grab a bite to eat while I'm at it.

[ It does make sense, in a way. Then again, Jean never really questioned the man what made him decide to switch to working in a restaurant rather than a tavern or bar. It's in the food industry anyway, which is something Diluc's most familiar with, so it isn't as if it's too strange for him.

And it's not like he would ever decide to work for this world's government, not when his heart has always been loyal to Mondstadt. ]

Uh, [ she pauses thoughtfully, furrowing her eyebrows as she tries to recall the name of the dish. ] Fried chicken? It seems like seasoned fowl and then deep-fried. It's a little too oily for my taste, but I can see why the natives here enjoy it.

[ Because it seems very indulgent despite seemingly unhealthy ... Not that she'll ever say that out loud. She's not raised to be a picky person when it comes to food, after all. ]

You need not worry. He's not much different from when he's bartending back at Mondstadt.

[ a.k.a. he's as churlish as ever ]

[the look on kaeya's face when jean says the restaurant diluc works at is a fried chicken joint. what?? he can't help the laugh that comes out of him, genuine in its mirth and surprise. not knowing what kfc is, he wonders if diluc is a server or a chef - the man's always been good at making those pile 'em ups, fried chicken can't be too far a stretch.]

Oh, wonderful. I'm looking forward to getting ignored or served what I ordered only half the time.

[a shake of his head, but it's out of fondness rather than irritation or anything of the like. despite all their bickering, kaeya does like his old brother. it's Complicated (tm), mired with many emotions and miscommunication, but at the root of it all, they did used to be close once. there's some meaning in that.]

I wonder if he can make chicken-mushroom skewers the way I like them. Does he even do any of the cooking?

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