➜ fandom: genshin impact ➜ content: kaeya x reader, mutual yearning, childhood/old friends, alcohol, nsfw implied, friends with benefits, the one that got away, oneshot, pyro!reader, mild jealousy, banter, intentional lowercase ➜ words: 1k
↪ 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚.
you had started making specialty drinks for angelshare on tuesday nights. you moved back to mondstadt and spent most of your time arranging the furniture in the apartment above lisa’s. If you weren't settling in, you would read on the balcony or have preparatory meetings with jean.
grandmaster jean had recently appointed you as her medical advisor. years ago, you had been a knight. that was before you went off to sumeru with lisa, a childhood friend, to study.
you studied field medicine and honed your pyro vision. you did groundbreaking research. you created pyro-infused potions that became long-term solutions for trauma survivors, pioneered sutures that saved hundreds of lives and limbs on the battlefield.
after the last few years of horrific injuries and tragic deaths, you liked mixing drinks.
you appreciated the simplicity of drunkards like nimrod. you liked to talk to charles, another one of the bartenders, about the weather in the evenings.
you accepted the gig as a favor to diluc. you owed him a few from years ago, but you considered it a favor to you as well. you liked that your workplace this night wasn’t stained with blood.
“i’m headed out to clean the tables,” charles said.
“okay,” you said, not paying much mind.
you reached up onto one of the higher shelves to put back a skinny green bottle of elixir.
on tuesdays, it was usually the regulars at the tavern. you had come to learn this even in the few weeks you had been back in mondstadt.
you also learned that could take a breath here. with the impending stress as the new medical advisor for the city, you welcomed a few sips on the tavern's dime.
you took a small glass vial from her bag, tipping it bottom up into your liquor concoction behind the bar. the vial was a shot of your own creation, one that helped with hangovers too. as you went in for another sip, you heard the movement of a chair as a patron sat down at the counter.
“what can I get you?” you asked, swallowing and feeling the warmth settle into your chest.
“what do you recommend these days? i trust you haven’t come all the way from sumeru to not impress your patrons.”
the familiar, forever-taunting voice made the fire in your chest turn ice.
“yes,” she said. your tone was still grasping at who was sitting in front of you as you turned to face him. “i do hope i can impress you.”
“well, that depends. are you free to take a hike to starsnatch cliff?” kaeya asked.
you felt her face turn red. you remembered being teenagers again, new recruits for the knights together. those days, you would dream up elaborate dares for each other.
you two always had a case of your beginner potions and kaeya's flask in hand. you would get into trouble all night long and be at training in the morning.
you had made it to a bed of flowers on starsnatch cliff once, the summer before they never saw each other again. kaeya brought strong tavern wine. you brought your latest experimental enchanted berries. your friendship changed forever that night.
“when hell freezes over, kaeya,” she said, as calm as you could.
you hardly stifled her embarrassment. you were unsure if the heat in your face was from the liquor settling into your cheeks or your attempts to keep your memories at bay.
you knew how much he lived to get a reaction from people. once upon a time, you had a foot in front of him in that race.
“i’m sure with your help, i could make that happen,” he said with a smile.
“right,” you said.
you reached up onto her tiptoes to grab a goblet from one of the higher shelves in the glassware cabinet.
“you haven’t grown much,” kaeya said with a laugh.
you could tell from the sing-song of his laugh that he’d been drinking too. you could feel his eyes shamelessly tumble over your body as you reached up.
“would you like some help?”
“that’s okay,” you said, stubborn as usual.
you set the goblet on the counter in front of him.
“i don’t think master diluc would like you behind the bar.”
kaeya scoffed, not bothering to hide the roll of his eyes.
“master?” he drew out. “fancy that. you’re keen on him again.”
you all but laughed in his face.
“again,” you repeated. “that was over a decade ago. besides, master diluc is my boss now. i don’t think that would be appropriate.”
“huh," he said.
he paused for a moment, taking you in your face now too, as if he was tracing over a sketch from his memory with his eyes. you were stricken with the sight of him again too. you couldn't meet his gaze, though. you lingered on the smaller things: the dip in his chin, the long front of his hair that fell over his face.
"you must’ve had a change of heart since i’ve spoken to you last,” kaeya said, tempting your gaze upward to his.
“i didn’t know it bothered you to fraternize with your coworkers.”
you bit your lip down. whether to keep herself from giggling or snapping at him, you didn’t know. you reasoned it was the wine-mix you'd been drinking that made you end up with a smile, but this denial was familiar to you. to you when every time you were with him.
“what am I making you?” you asked.
you slid the goblet down to the other end of the bar. you had tall corked bottles lined between the two of you.
“quite happy,” kaeya said.
his smile looked a little dizzy. his face looked as pink as yours felt, and he leaned into his elbows toward you.
if charles had returned to the bar, you hadn't noticed. the world beyond the space between you didn't seem to exist anymore. like it had always been with kaeya.
“sure,” kara quipped, a beat late from being lost in the feeling of your reunion. “i can make you a ‘quite happy’.”
a few pours and shakes later, your new bestselling drink was born. it tasted snappy, and the aftertaste was sweet. indigo glitter danced around in the stillest of glasses.
when kaeya brought the cup to his mouth for the first time, you felt the warmth in your chest again—like you'd taken a shot from the vial. the drink matched his eyes just right.
