Captain | Kaeya x Reader

It's a Deal

After what seems like an eternity in the Angel's Share and having to sit through realizing just how fucked you are in having to be stuck with Kaeya for... however long all this'll take, you decide to mull over how to make the most of this experience. It's not like there's much of a way out and asking for a reassignment when you've been assigned to one of the top Captains in the brigade, well it'd just make you look like a fool.

You start to worry if things have gone too far south - - maybe talking back to a Captain of the Knight's of Favonius was a stupid idea. Had you messed it up? No, it wasn't completely your fault... He's honestly kind of a strange guy. And the silence at breakfast? He can talk to everyone around the table but can't hold a conversation with you?

When you finally return to the Knight's of Favonius Headquarters, you feel a little unsure of what your place as a Knight's intern entails. Following Captain Kaeya around all day, while it's anybody's dream really, it doesn't actually help either of you gain anything.

So, as Kaeya continues walking ahead you linger outside your own room unsure of what to do.

Kaeya, perceptive as ever, takes notice finding amusement in your actions for whatever reason.

"You aren't flaking on me, are you?" he jaunts, turning around to meet you. "What's on your mind?"

"Uh- well, I guess I'm just not sure what you'd have me do." You add. "You just don't seem very open to-" Your hands circle around a bit to emphasize your point, "Teaching... and I've already got high marks in combat training so, I don't..." Your voice fades as the cogs turn in his head, his visible eye drifting off in thought.

"Well, being a knight isn't all about hacking and slashing creatures. It's also about being poised and having a presence." Instead of heading upstairs, he opens the door to an office with the names "Kn. Huffman" and "Cpt. Kaeya" engraved into its gold plating.

"Come on in."

So you follow him in, shutting the door behind you.

"See, slip ups as a trainee is expected. We planned for it; just not to the extent that your squadron displayed but, that's beside the point." He steps over to one of the desks and shuffles through a stack of folders until he finds what he was looking for. "See, you can have all the marks you want in training - - But, what happens out there?"

You pause for a second in confusion. Your first lesson from the highly esteemed Captain Kaeya is to stare at some papers.

He offers the folder to you with a slick smile.

"You'll never know what you're truly capable of until your life is threatened... And you? Well you freeze up."

Upon opening the folder you find it's a collection of proctor reports and past grade cards, some performance marks and notes. Fingering through the pages, you're pleased to find promising remarks like 'Squire is highly achieving' or 'Squire deescalates matters well.' But when it comes to performance tasks you're met with a different story. Maybe Captain Kaeya picks up on your worry because he rises from his perch on the desk coming to look too, even though you know he's already read them.

'Squire struggles with hand to hand combat.... Performance lacks.... Squire seems troubled...'

Shutting the folder and tossing it lightly to the desk, you sigh to calm the bubbling anxiety pit in your stomach. Maybe you really weren't cut out for this.

"You brought me here to look at my bad grades?" You say quietly, a hint of frustration peeking through.

"Well the only way to solve a problem is to start at the root of it." he starts, in a tone that surprises you to be honest. It's the most attentive he's sounded since this mess started.

"I had a chat with the Acting Grand Master about the right course of action, which led me to your file." he says, picking the folder back up coming to your side again.

"She also had me talk to a few of your instructors to get a feel for the situation and there was a trend - -" He stops to peer over at you, eye half lidded mischievous as ever.

Your gaze comes to meet his own instinctively and the pit of anxiety shifts to a small flutter of something. Hearing that he took the time out of his day, albeit reluctantly, to figure a plan out for you? Maybe it was the Daddy issues or the lack of self esteem but, that's probably the most attractive thing a man's ever done for you.

If you hadn't been so upset at how South your career was going as a Knight and by whatever feeling was just aroused, you might've not broken eye contact so fast.

He continues on after a second, "You lack confidence in your actions... Which is funny because your words certainly say otherwise... hehe."

Though his joke does steal a smile, you respond in silent processing.

Part of you wants to walk away from this whole knightship thing, another part wants to keep fighting blindly for it. Being a knight, helping the public and being able to be relied on when you couldn't rely on anyone else? The knight's corruption grew slowly over time and seeing how there's not many job opportunities in Mondstadt anyway - - why not try to better the community that once failed you?

"So, what am I supposed to do?" you mumble out, feigning interest in your cuticles to avoid another awkward eye contact episode.

"Well, I was hoping you could do something for me... An eye for an eye, I suppose."

He turns to half sit against the desktop once more, knee brushing along your thigh, but you choose to ignore it.

"You see, I believe the best way to learn something is to really get a feel for it..." This brings back the pit of anxiety, your heart thrumming a little faster because the way he says that last part sounds just a little too sweet coming out.

Your chest betrays you as your breath quickens at his forwardness but, he's known for his antics, this is normal.. He of course takes notice, eye flitting down momentarily to observe and Oh Barbatos maybe you aren't crazy and he actually-

His voice is low and secretive, music to your ears... Until you process what he actually said.

"You help me write up all those reports you caused and I'll help you get that real Knight experience."

Your brows knit up in embarrassment and you fight the urge to smack upside his head for whatever the hell just happened. One thing that's gonna be hard to learn is just how fake Captain Kaeya is but, at least he's trying.

You offer your hand to him like an olive branch, "It's a deal."

He takes it.