WARNINGS: Drinking
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"This is where you must stay. You are our only hope."
The tossing and turning finally came to an end, jolting out of bed covered in beads of sweat. Everything was pitch black. Kaeya rubbed his eyes a few times before they finally adjusted to the darkness, a light grey outline on everything. You were still sleeping soundly, sleep-talking every once in a while.
You must have been having a good dream. The thought of that comforted him, yet he also envied how you could sleep peacefully almost every night while he would be haunted by memories.
"Forgive me, Kaeya."
He felt uncomfortably warm all of a sudden, regardless of the fact his vision was right next to him emitting coldness.
The room felt humid and he felt as if his skin were to melt off his bones. His own skin felt uncomfortable. His next actions were done in a daze, not realising that he had grabbed a bottle of liquor from the kitchen and sat on the sofa, taking small sips of wine while rubbing his forehead. Everything felt incredibly sticky, the nightmare playing in his mind in an endless loop.
"Kaeya?"
His train of thoughts broke, turning his head to see you stumble out of the bedroom, sleepily rubbing your eye.
"Oh darling, did I wake you?"
He scooted a bit on the sofa, patting the sit next to him. You plopped down, stretching your limbs and cracking your back, leaning into his warmth, "Well it's easy to notice when you're gone, really."
A low chuckle left his lips, taking another swig of his wine.
"Drinking at 1 am?" You hear the bottle clank against the glass table, "What's the special occasion? Finally got a break from Jean?"
"If that were the case, I would have hung banners." He cracked a tired smile.
Kaeya wrapped an arm around your shoulders, bringing you closer as he put his head down on the armrest bringing you down with him.
The scent of wine filling your nostrils everytime he exhales. Usually, it should feel like home, reminding you of a warm fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate on the table waiting for you after you get off a a very tiring day of work. However, this time it smelt distant. That warm home getting further and further away from your senses.
"Then why are you drinking?" You asked him straightforward, yawning into his arm, the weight of your eyelids too much for you to bare.
A silence took over the room, not knowing whether he was too lost in thought to hear it, or he chose to ignore your question. Probably the latter.
"You should go back to sleep darling, you've got a busy day ahead of you." He gently rubbed your arm, taking another sip.
Your voice slurring, "As if you don't, Calvary Captain," you try to joke around, "Besides, I can't leave you drinking in the middle of the night."
You'd already guessed the reason for him waking up. Another nightmare, they've been common for him recently.
"Come on Kaeya, I'm so very exhausted and I can't sleep without you." A whine left your lips as you tugged on his arm, drowsiness coming over you again.
"Actually I have some work left by Jean that I should get to, really. Just taking a little break you know" A small smile toying on his face before disappearing again.
Another excuse. They were common too, finding anyway to prevent him from going back to sleep. And you couldn't blame him. You knew what awaited for him in his sleep.
His loved ones bodies turning to abyss mages, screeching in pain. His home tearing down, attacked by Gods who promised them peace. And his father leaving him in a nation in which he knew no one. All that which was experienced by just a little boy.
It wasn't fair of how much he had to endure from such a young age, and you couldn't blame him.
Yet, you couldn't leave him to drink his troubles away.
"It'll be okay, I swear." He says to you with tired eyes. The bottle was already nearly empty. A bottle of strong liquor, was nearly empty. He's bound to do something foolish.
You sighed, sitting up on the sofa, knowing winning against him was difficult. But you wouldn't give up just yet. Crossing your legs and grabbing his shoulder, you guide his head down to your lap. He shoots you a confused look, but you give him nothing but a gentle smile. You take the bottle from his hand and place it on the floor next to you, where he couldn't grab it even with struggling.
"[Y/N]--"
"Don't you worry, Kaeya."
His body goes limp in your lap, feeling the muscles around his neck relax and shuffles a bit to find a comfortable spot, legs curled up. You hand in his hair, combing through the strands with your fingers.
He studies your face, your own eyelids finding it difficult to stay up.
"I'm okay, I just need--" he tries to grab the bottle but you slap his hand lightly.
You massage his scalp lightly, trying to release as much pressure possible from his head, "No, you're not. And the first step to getting better is to admit that you are not okay. Understood?"
He gently nods his head in you lap, his back facing you. "It's hard to sleep when all you get is..."
His mind starting trailing off to his nightmares again, and you sensed that easily.
"I know," you whispered, "But I'll be here if it happens again this time. I'll be with you whenever it happens."
He takes longer breathes. His hand droops down the side of the sofa. He sighs heavily, bringing himself closer to you.
You're aware of how he thinks the responsibility of his homeland is left on his shoulders, you're aware of how he constantly thinks what side he should take if Khaenri'ah and Mondstadt were ever to go to war, you're aware of the last words his father ever said to him.
Yet that didn't stop you from fixing his wounds. As much as he doesn't like to admit to it, even Kaeya Alberich needs help, and you'd be more than happy to provide him with all the support he needs.
"Okay," he said, more of a breathe than a word.
Drowsiness fell upon you once again as you checked if Kaeya was truly asleep, feeling if his breathe is calmer than usual. Once you were sure, your shoulder slouched against the sofa, getting a bit comfortable yourself, before slipping your eyes shut.
All you could hope for now is that he knows he's safe with you.
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