refroze | ❄ic inbox

[if you think about it, she's kinda giving him a raise bc he'll be getting money from the government for this manna heh]

Not an inconvenience whatsoever, Jean. If it helps ease your mind, I benefit as well. But I'm simply happy to help.

Now, where would be the best place to meet up? Perhaps my own, since I wouldn't dare be so bold as to ask a lady to invite me into her quarters. Ah, but you've just woken up, I'm sure you're exhausted.

My place is fine.

[ she'll send him the address to one of the govt housing apartments. ]

I can't risk someone else seeing me in this state

That's more than fair. It looks to be close by according to this "GPS," so I will be there shortly.

[it's an easy enough stroll over, with some thoughts going through his head about his past iteration here and why he doesn't remember a thing and why he's back after so short a time...

but that's all put on the backburner when he knocks at her door. he's just wearing a simple open blouse and high waisted pants because of course he is. ~the cold never bothered him anyway~]

[ Jean opens the door, looking terribly exhausted and worse for wear. But in her defence, she's only woken up some time ago and hasn't really had the chance to fix herself other than a visit to the bathroom and a change of clothes. She offers him a grateful smile regardless, taking a step away from the door to let him in. ]

Just ignore the mess, but feel free to make yourself at home.

[ Papers litter the coffee table in her living room, and a few more stacks sit on the small dining table. Combination of her paperwork from back at home and the ones that's managed to pile up from the courthouse—she still hasn't sorted them out yet.

Everything else in the apartment is at least tidy. ]

Do you want some coffee? I think that's the only thing in here that hasn't gone bad.

[phew. oh boy. kaeya doesn't think he's seen jean so run down, and he's seen her after some long, long nights in the office. he steps in and places a gentle hand on her back to go ahead and get the synch going... she certainly looks like she could use the boost.

the paperwork... jean............. where's lisa to talk her down from overworking herself even in this strange world.]

I wouldn't mind a cup.

[he hopes that having a cup will mean she'll have one, too. just a little caffeine boost to put some life in her complexion.]

How long have you been asleep for, exactly?

[ Look, working keeps her distracted from the strange incidents in this world—and also from saying embarrassing things, like asking people for synchrony.

She momentarily starts when she feels his hand on her back, faint, prickling warmth spreading across her body. It's not much, she thinks, but it's enough to make her feel refreshed and energized for a few minutes as she busies herself to prepare coffee. ]

A month, I'd say. [ Based on the dates on her device in comparison to the last paperwork she's taken home from the courthouse. ] Not less than that, definitely.

[ Jean's more surprised she's still functioning properly albeit weak and tired even after she's woken up, though sleeping might have kept her manna consumption low. ]

I'm certain you've left before I fell asleep, though. So I didn't have a lot of time trying to look for you.

[a month with no one to look after her body? this place is surely interesting indeed, to be able to sustain her. she looks rough, sure, but he would have expected her to be dead after a month of sleeping. he's grateful that she isn't, and he wonders what in the world could have happened to put her practically in a coma.

he watches her make the coffee idly as a million thoughts and theories form, a list of things he needs to investigate. none of it detectable through their sync other than a hint of concern for her general wellbeing and fond exasperation that jean will always be jean regarding her need to always do paperwork.]

You needn't worry about me - no use in adding more to your plate. I've always proven myself capable, haven't I?

[a cheery smile! trust (?) him!]

Though it is quite curious that I left so suddenly and arrived again only a month later. Is this a common occurance?

[ She does trust him. Kaeya might seem suspicious to most people who meet him for the first time, but Jean's more than aware of his capability, so she's not too worried about him.

A few minutes of bustling around the kitchen, before the coffee maker finally starts percolating and Jean turns back to him once more. ]

It seems like it, [ she admits with a slight nod. ] When I first arrived in Noctium, Sister Rosaria, who was here then, mentioned that you were around. But in truth, you were sent back to Mondstadt only to return a month later, also without memories of being here previously.

[ Jean found it strange, she's not going to lie. But the incidents suddenly start happening one after the other that she couldn't find any time to investigate what had happened. ]

And then it happened all over again, now.

[nani is happening. wow, so he left twice, neither one of them with his memories retained. what the hell. did kaeya perhaps dig into some information he wasn't supposed to know, so the gods sent him back to pull a kaeya from a different timeline? or perhaps the reason is more innocuous than that. in that case, he's got to be careful. while there's things to be done in mondstadt, he needs to watch over the people here as well.]

Well, hopefully I'm here to stay this time. As much as I'd like to get back to Mondstadt, I get the feeling time moves differently here. I never noticed your absence- or Diluc's, Venti's, or the Traveler's. He mentioned something about various timelines, but there are only two that we know of thus far: one with him as the Honorary Knight and one with his sister.

I'll help with any investigation that you need. Just say the word.

[ Jean gives him a slight nod at that. ]

You mentioned the same thing when we spoke last time. How you saw me just earlier that day back in Mondstadt when I've been here for a month now.

[ She has a few speculations on that one piece of information, timelines included. But she's yet to figure out how or why their hosts have decided to do such to them, and working for their government has yet to reveal anything to her.

Then again, she just had to fall into a coma right after she's started working. So perhaps she needs more time to do her investigation. ]

In any case, it's best if we prepare ourselves for now for any strange incidents that might happen this month. [ She sighs, not wanting another repeat of the curse taking advantage of her last time. ] This world is rather unpredictable compared to Teyvat.

Well, I'm nothing if not consistent across timelines, I suppose.

[he trusts jean and the traveler when they say he should be careful in this world, he truly does. and learning that someone can just fall into a month-long sleep is certainly something to be wary of... but god the vagueness of their voiced worries has him a little antsy. he's only been here a week, or so, though, so only time can tell.

or a little more research.]

Albedo's here, too, by the way. I ran into him in the crater before getting transported to the station. Not sure what he's been up to since then, but I've asked him to look into any ill-effects regarding these gems, whether physiological or mental. So we can touch base with him about that at some point. I'm sure he's having quite a time with all these technological advancements we don't have.

[ That's true. His consistency is at least something she can rely on and find comfort in.

Concern crosses her expression, though, when she hears that even Albedo is brought here. It's worrying to know that they're being taken from Mondstadt one after another, possibly leaving the city defenseless from attacks. She'll simply have to trust Lisa and the others to hold down the fort until they've returned. ]

I wouldn't be surprised, knowing him. [ She also wouldn't be surprised if he's managed to lock himself up in his quarters, researching. ] I'll check up on him as well as the others. Hopefully, he won't forget to take care of himself.

[ ahaha, stop being a hypocrite, Jean. In any case, coffee anyone? ]

How about you, though? How are you finding this place so far?

Hopefully between the both of us, he'll better about that. [he can't ignore TWO of his colleagues, can he? surely not!

he takes a cup and sips. it's a tad more bitter than he likes, but she'd mentioned few things were left unspoiled during her sleep, and so he takes it as it is. this is ultimately more for jean's benefit than his own.]

Just fine, actually. Other than the crater taking our memories temporarily, but with Albedo and the Honorary Knight, it didn't end up being an issue in the end. Nothing scary so far, though I don't doubt that they're on the horizon.

[he tilts his head toward the living room.]

Shall we move to somewhere more comfortable?

[ Jean prefers her coffee stronger anyway, even if it no longer has any effect on her. Which reminds her to ask Albedo about that as well, now that Lisa isn't around to help her with paperwork.

She leads him back to the living room, shuffling the papers aside and make it look a little less chaotic. She still can't believe her own work back at home was brought in with her, as if this world knows she somehow needs it. ]

The crater took your memories? [ She sounds surprised by that as she takes a seat, pausing from taking a sip of her coffee. ] So I assume that it got resolved by syncing with Albedo and the Traveler?

[ Because, well, something similar happened to her, too. Except with Rosaria and with Nagiko. ]

[he sits on the next cushion over, a friendly but intimate enough distance for two friends and close colleagues. he's careful to not spill the coffee, a hand braced against the cup as he sits.

a note to himself: even just sitting with jean, he can already feel the manna between them, a vast difference from merely sitting and chatting with total strangers. so the familiarity between two people can affect manna generation, too... interesting.]

That's exactly correct.

[and now for the elephant in the room.] How is Diluc? I can only assume he hasn't handled any of this particularly well.

[ She's certainly feeling much better with him around, though not enough to replenish the manna she's lost for the entire month. That, she thinks, will take some time—or more synchrony. ]

He's surprisingly doing much better than myself.

[ Yes, Jean's surprised too. But that's most likely because he's much more rational and level-headed than she is, no doubt prioritizing his survival and well-being first to be on his guard at all times. ]

The last time I saw him was in a dream, though. [ Okay, wait. That sounded weird. She clears her throat. ] —I mean, a shared dream we had. So I'm not entirely sure how he's faring lately.

Is that right? ['i'm glad to hear it' goes unsaid, lost in his coffee cup as he takes a long, deliberate, thoughtful sip. well, that's one less guy he has to check in on to make sure he isn't dead in a ditch somewhere because he was too shy or something to touch someone's hand.

he raises his eyebrow at 'i saw him in a dream.' it did, indeed, sound a little weird. shared dream sounds better, but he isn't really... sure he understands what that means.]

A shared dream? As in- you both had a similar dream or you truly shared a dream in which you were both, somehow, aware of each other?

[ She should've explained that in better terms, ah.

But Jean can tell he's a little relieved at the thought that Diluc's been doing well in a place like Noctium. Like it or not, the brothers can still be quite open when it comes to their feelings towards each other, no matter how distant they've become. That's good, at least. ]

I think it was my dream of Mondstadt years ago, and he was brought in against his will since he wasn't exactly happy with some of the details in the dream.

[ She's still not entirely sure how they both did it, and it's not like it happened again either. ]

I suppose you could chalk that up as one of the stranger incidents that have happened here.

[these idiot brothers...

oh god damn it, even their dreams can be exposed? is nothing sacred in this world? do the gods here not care about maintaining the integrity of secrets? that makes him slightly nervous, though he doesn't show it other than a shift of his position, slinging one leg over the other.]

Ah, so that's something that can also happen, is it? These gods are truly so preoccupied with our affairs, I'm surprised they can get anything done as gods.

[he sets his half-finished coffee on the nearby table, falling back against the couch with an arm stretched out.]

In any case- come now, don't be a stranger. [a smile! what's a little hug between friends and colleagues, right? but still, he'll allow jean to go at her own pace, refuse if she wants to.]

[ ... She's just relieved Kaeya doesn't ask more about it, equally mortified that she even has to share a dream with his brother.

As much as she wants to ease his concerns about Noctium, well ... she can't. She's far too wary about the world, especially after having been dragged into ridiculous situations in the two-plus months she's been there. At the very least, she can trust the Cavalry Captain to deal with it better than most people.

Jean pauses for a moment, feeling a little flustered by the sudden offer of a hug, but reminds herself that that's what he's here for—even if it feels like she's just using him. ]

Thanks for helping me out, [ she says quietly before she wraps her arms around him, settling her chin against his shoulder and sighing when she finally feels her manna being slowly restored. ] It's been a challenging few months.

[he completes the embrace by resting his hand on her shoulder. like this, she seems small and entirely too human, exhausted not by the weight of her work but by the strange mechanics of this world they've found themselves in. he makes a note to check in on her, to offer help with her paperwork if she needs it, become a manna battery for her if she wants it. he can absolutely tell that she thinks she's burdening him even now.]

I'm happy to do it, Jean. Don't hesitate to ask the next time you need it. [he rests his head against hers, relaxing into the hug. he isn't very shy with touch - he can't be with "friends" like treasure hoarders, who always seem to particularly enjoy slapping his back when they're drunk - especially with people he likes.

if she probes their sync, she will find a distinct mental block other than a general concern for her wellbeing, but that probably isn't surprising knowing kaeya.]

I'm sorry for leaving you when you needed me. [shakes his head. he knows it's not specifically his fault, but damn gods why you gotta be like this.] Hopefully I'll stay this time around.

[ She's not about to, anyway. Jean is more than aware of the secrets Kaeya keeps and has never once decided to probe or ask him about it. If she's to be sincere about saying that she trusts him, then she should be more than willing to show it.

Still, even if he says that and even if she knows that Kaeya means what he says, she thinks it'll take her a while to properly ask the people she knows for any assistance with syncing. It's simply challenging for her to ask for any kind of help and possibly inconvenience others. ]

Not at all, [ she replies quietly, leaning her weight against him and closing her eyes. ] If anything, it would ease my mind more knowing that you're back in Mondstadt.

[ Not that she doesn't want any of their presence here, but who knows what kind of effect their disappearance has on the city and Teyvat? She just can't push it out of her head, worrying about their city and at the same time them in Noctium. ]

I hope Lisa's not enjoying zapping people too much while she's holding the fort for us.

Between Lisa and Eula, I'm sure they've got it handled more than well enough.

[he internally shudders at the thought. those are two women he doesn't want to get on the bad side of. the one time he didn't return a book was enough of a warning for him, thank you very much.

he gives jean a little shake. he can Sense that concern she's piling onto her shoulders.]

There's no use in worrying about something you can't control. [said honestly but gently.] But if I happen to get sent back again, I'll make sure your paperwork gets done. Apparently I have a knack for getting on the gods' nerves.

[ Jean lets out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head. She supposes that that's true. Lisa and Eula are more than capable of handling the knights—and Mondstadt, if anything were to happen, knock on wood. Perhaps she's getting worried over nothing, but then again, she's never been gone this long from the city.

Jokingly: ] Try not to slack off too much just because I'm not around as well, Kaeya.

[ Well, she's confident he completes his tasks anyway, before he supposedly slips away or slacks off to archons-know-where. So it's really something that doesn't need to be said out loud or reminded him about. ]

Oh, that reminds me. [ She briefly lifts her head from his shoulder to look at his face. ] Which gem were you bonded to?

[he laughs at that - jean so rarely makes jokes, so he treasures the few she does make and responds in kind:] I promise to get your paperwork done, anything beyond that is a maybe at best.

[he knows that she knows that he will get whatever she needs done done, but it's a running joke between them that he really is a slacker. it may not be a joke within the rest of the knights, but he doesn't care about what they think, even helps perpetuate the rumors from time to time.]

Sapphire. And yourself?

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