Chapter Text
The world sounds as if it’s underwater to Kaeya.
Everyone but us wants you to die.
Everyone but us wants you to die.
“How…” Kaeya mutters, so softly that he can hardly even hear his own words.
“We’re not killing Kaeya.” Albedo says, steady and self-assured as always. He grips Kaeya’s arm as if to keep him from falling. Good. He feels about ready to faint.
“Well, that’s an unfortunate development, cutie.” Lisa says, sucking her teeth. “We’ll have to find the real culprit and…” Kaeya knows that Lisa keeps talking, but her voice fades into a dull hum.
“How…” Kaeya says, this time more loudly. “How do they know? All M1 News reported was that there was a murder. I saw it on the subway.”
Lisa looks mildly annoyed at being interrupted, but quickly smooths her facial features into a mask of contemplation. “They always have the jump on news. No one knows how, and it doesn’t seem as if anyone cares.”
Jean grits her teeth. “I tried investigating long ago, but Varka told me to ‘stand down.’” Her eyes narrow at the memory. Kaeya doesn’t remember this particular incident, but he does remember that Varka always tried to make everyone happy. But how can you make everyone happy when you’re the police? Their whole job was to arrest and investigate; the priority was justice.
“Varka left on an expedition a while ago.” Albedo says bluntly. The statement hangs in the air, waiting for someone to act upon it.
“Time to have a little *chat* with them.” Jean says, standing up. “Let’s go, guys.”
…
Yeah, Kaeya almost forgot there was a whole protest outside. Thank Barbatos Albedo actually has a good memory and stops him before he walks out the door to Jean’s office and went outside. With his luck, he’d probably be flayed alive.
“We need to get Kaeya a disguise, or at least make a public statement that he’s innocent, darling,” Lisa says to Jean.
“I doubt the people care that he might be innocent,” Albedo says, a bitter undertone to his voice. “They just want some sort of justice for Diluc, whether it’s true or not.” Kaeya thought that Albedo had a point. Unlike the nation of Fontaine, not everyone in Mondstadt was concerned with justice.
“You could make a distraction.” Kaeya says, turning to Jean.
She purses her lips. “Perhaps. A speech about how you’re innocent, while you sneak out.” She nods her head, as if affirming the idea to herself. “Alright, let’s do it. Me and Lisa out front. You and Albedo out the back. Put a coat over your head, walk fast, meet us at the headquarters.” The headquarters is right outside the city, a tall windmill in Springvale that can somehow transmit news to the whole city.
As if there was nothing more to say (and there really wasn’t,) Jean and Lisa walkout the front doors to face the mob that encirclesthe whole building.
“How was the whole city empty one moment and full of rioters the other?” Kaeya muses to himself more than to anyone else. He turns to look at Albedo, just to see the alchemist turn his head away, a sheepish expression upon his face.
Strange.
“Let’s just go and figure it out later,” Albedo says after a long pause. “I don’t know how long they can hold us for.” If Kaeya stops and listens, he can hear the muffled voice of Jean and the roar of the crowd.
…
After making a few more preparations, Albedo and Kaeya are ready to go. A tattered brown coat lies over both of their heads, and they’re stopping as to appear shorter.
“Ready?” Albedo asks.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Kaeya says quietly. He can’t help but feel a growing out of dread in his stomach. Something tells him this isn’t going to work, but he can’t pinpoint exactly why.
Albedo grabs his hand and gives a tight lipped smile. “Don’t worry, Kaeya. I’m here for you.” With that, he silently opens the back door (thankfully no one has congregated around there) and sneaks out, Kaeya in tow.
Okay, so far, so good. Everyone is more focused on booing and screaming at poor Jean than focusing on the two people walking out of the crowd.
Albedo looks down at his watch. “It’s already been fifteen minutes since she started talking.” He flips his wrist toward Kaeya. “See? 11:15.” Kaeya makes a mental note to thank Jean later. This can’t be easy, talking for fifteen minute straight and dealing with the looks of hatred.
Creeping through, Kaeya thinks he can maybe see the end. The stone gates seem to not have very many people by them. From there, they just have to cross the bridge and they’ll be home free. The guards, if they’re actually there, won’t stop them. After all, Jean has hopefully said that Kaeya isn’t wanted anymore.
Until Kaeya feels something slimy hit his cheek, exploding all over the robe. Something red and pulpy.
“Tomatoes.” Albedo hisses. “They’re throwing tomatoes at us.” He looks the angriest Kaeya has ever seen him.
“THERE THEY ARE!” A tall man with black hair shouts. “KILL THEM SINCE THE ACTING POLICE CHIEF WON’T!” Kaeya could feel the heat of hundreds of gazes upon him suddenly.
“Run!” Albedo screams. “They’re going to honest to god kill you if they catch you!”