#doublemasked

He's fighting himself.

"EUGH!!!!"

Unfortunately, the moment there's someone in view, Oliver's monster side is now targeting him.

"Ru--," and before Oliver can even warn him, his body is already MAKING a haste move to kill.

they've crossed paths once before so it hardly comes as a surprise they might do so again. she has no idea what he could have found interest in, whatever he appeared to be looking at, but perhaps this is the perfect chance for them to catch up properly this time, have a quiet chat over some drinks so long as he finds it agreeable. "Childe." she greets him politely of course, just as she does any other person unless they happened to get on her bad side. "would you care to join me for some refreshments? I was just on my way to a small café for a warm drink. consider it my treat."

yet this only works when it involves one angle of it, doesn't it? had it been him who had been stolen away, well... one knock on the door is all it takes to silence the thoughts racing through his mind, waiting patiently before the face of the red head soon shows opening the door at his surprise visit, a few wrapped items in hand at his side.

❝ You're not busy today, are you? Given our mutual friends being in such close proximity and how they know of your family situation, I would think on your birthday... ❞ he can only assume they might have made plans to keep the harbinger's mind at bay for the day.

Seeing Childe in this city, his first instinct was to turn and walk quickly away pretending he hadn't seen him, but when they made eye contact it was clear that Childe had seen him. Freminet knew 'Father' would be disappointment in him if she found out he ignored a Harbinger and a previous guest of the House so he unwillingly locked his legs in place, knees quivering already. He swept his hat off and clutched it nervously to his chest as he bowed.

"M-M-Master Childe! I-I would like to apologize on behalf of my siblings for our f-failure to retrieve you from the Fortress of Meropide! If- if we had a little more time... or if I had been stronger...!" He knew he was ranting a little but found himself unable to stop.

"P-please don't hold the results of our mission against m-my siblings or the House of the Hearth!"

Despite having somewhere to work from, there’s still plenty of things that require attention before a proper opening. Currently the tavern is only for those within his small circle of friends, yet someone apparently thinks otherwise. “We’re not open—” When he turns to see who decided to enter, without taking the sign outside into consideration, his disappointment is quite clear. “It’s you...” Surely the Harbinger has better things to do with his time than make an appearance here of all places. The last Diluc remembers seeing the man is that one unfortunate and very brief time they had been housed together. Whether Childe shares that memory is another matter entirely.

Setting down the cloth he’d been cleaning shelves with, he places both hands on the counter, watching Childe carefully. “I doubt you could possibly have anything you wish to say to me, so I admit I’m curious as to why you’re here — or perhaps you just intend to bother me for ‘fun’.” Ignorance is much easier when the person in question isn’t in front of him.

Before he could fully fall into his resting state, the wind carried to him an unfamiliar scent sooner than he could even hear footsteps approach. The person himself was unfamiliar yes, but clinging to him was the familiar iron tang of old blood or newly forged weapons, and the sharp smell of cold, deep, running water. A practiced fighter.

“If you’re looking for solitude, I’m afraid this area is taken. If it’s companionship you seek, my mind is open to all honest warriors.”

He alerted the other to his presence and did not mention that if they sought to attack him, they would be met with more resistance than just a wooden sword.

now if only his sword didn't feel so heavy 一 weighted by some knowing that his body seems to retain while his mind can't seem to quite comprehend.

❝ I would've thought the Fatui would be smarter than this. ❞ kaeya knows that they can be, deceptive masks aplenty for each one, which is why he finds himself particularly alert. ❝ But to wander into a Favonious captain's home without so much of being undercover? Why, it leaves quite a lot to the imagination. ❞

though, in truth, he hadn’t thought to be faced with a conversation so soon when eyes fell upon the familiar hair of red as the door clicks shut.

❝ Oh? My, and here I thought you’d be out on the town after everything not long ago. ❞ not that childe wasn’t invited into his own home, but the knight couldn’t help but feel how poor the timing was. ❝ Any special occasion I should know about? ❞ something easily casual, laying out the elaborate position for the harbinger to set the mood of the conversation before choosing his own course of action.