12 CHAPTER XII
In the end the both of them were carried away, even spending time as far as the closing hour as the master had to kick both of them out. Lisa had quite the appetite for alcohol when challenged. A Mondstadt never backs down from a drink offer.
"Rin~ Please carry me, I'll rely on you, fuuuu~"
He was forced to carry the Librarian in his arms. He'd won the bet money when other patrons started to encourage them to have a drinking contest. Though it immediately went to pay the tabs…
"What should I do? Bring her back to headquarters?"
Rin is in predicament. He didn't know Lisa's address, and he was quite sure the knight HQ would be empty at this hour. It's not like he knows their schedule.
"Rin, c'mon, hurry up…" She was slurring at this point.
"Damnit woman, don't send the wrong signal when you're drunk."
"Eh~ what's wrong anyway? Not like anyone else would have taken my offer other than Jean that is…" She half-pouted as bringing her hand up, tracing the delicate finger on his firm chest. Rin could only set his inner-side in turmoil.
She must have been drunk and didn't realize what she said. That's right. That must be it. There's a certain part of him, both united, mind and heart, to listen to what the other him had said. Remember, she's an important member of the Knights, and if something were to happen to her, Rin certainly didn't want to relocate to another place.
Lisa didn't care about the conflicting expression he put up as both of them stood awkwardly in the empty street, illuminated faintly by the street light. There's barely any patrol since their ranks were stretched thin after the dragon attack and resurgence of Hilichurls encroaching human territory.
The flirty librarian certainly didn't mind the man's company so far, his age maybe could rival the grandmaster, but it was still within her strike-zone. The innocence of a young boy but the determination of a man. Hehehe. She brought her head closer, hiding it well beneath his sight.
It only needed one, final, little, push.
She shakily breathed, frosting the skin beneath the white cloth he wore. "Take me." She whispered.
It had the intended effect, maybe it was too effective, Lisa thought. Rin practically jumped to his high-horses, reason's lost, and walked with her in his large arms, in an impatient gait.
.
.
.
He screamed. His very being shouted-out to take the opportunity. He will not be a man should he cower. There will be no progress if he doesn't take the first step.
His soul is burning bright, fueled by his utmost desire.
"You'll stop there."
Of course, there will always be that one hero to the dragon. The wall in his path. The obstacle, the mountain, the seas, to his journey.
"Move away, Kaeya."
The man who had been idly observing shook his head, always sporting that damnable faux smile.
"I'm afraid, I can't do that. For what reason do you have our Librarian, unconscious in your hand? Surely not for a very nefarious purpose, yes?" Unconscious? He looked down only to see the witch had closed her eyes, must be enjoying the skit in front of her.
Rin took a deep breath and matched the relaxed smile of the knight captain with his glare.
"You won't understand. You, young man, wouldn't, and never would, understand. Move."
Admittedly Kaeya had been observing them since the afternoon. From the sound of it, Lisa was gathering the what about, fishing information from the mysterious man. At first, he wanted to step in earlier, but the boisterous festivity in the tavern held him considerably so. Then he saw the man carrying Lisa, half-expecting that he would go to the Headquarters to bring her back, but instead Rin took the opposite direction with a very suspicious movement.
Rin had become defensive, bristled, when confronted by him. In Kaeya's mind this only reinforced the fact that Rin is about to shed his lamb skin with Lisa as his first target for whatever purpose that is.
"I will not say this again. Drop Lisa and we'll talk about this nicely in the dungeon."
Rin respond is in the form of hail of bladed weapons manifesting behind him. Is he going serious? The man carried Lisa in one hand, and used the other free hand to grip the other blade.
Unlike with the spar, Rin utilized the brunt of his knowledge against Kaeya. The sword aimed towards the knight captain's vital spot. Hails of blades were met with spike of ices.
Kaeya couldn't afford for the man to go near him, he kept Rin at bay using his vision by creating carapaces of ice that jutted on the ground. Both of them had handicaps in the form of Lisa. Rin had his hand occupied with her, and Kaeya couldn't risk injuring his colleagues.
"You've left me with no choice!"
"The feeling is mutual."
Rin threw the blade to Kaeya who simply summoned one of his ice to block it. The ice was destroyed but it created a blanket of mist in its place.
Using the mist to his advantage, Kaeya followed up with a close counter-attack to Rin's blind spot.
Got you!
The captain aimed the sword at his opponent's arm, intent to separate it with its main body. Contrary to his expectation, the figure of Rin blurred immediately.
"A feint?" His eyes darted behind but no attack arrived. Above?!
Bam.
Rin reinforced his leg and dropped a kick straight to the captain's head. The street was gathering dust as splinters of rocks flew to all direction.
All attacks have failed. Neither of them were willing to reveal more, as the consequences could be disastrous. Both eyes met under the gaudy streetlight.
Kaeya poised his blade, ice started to manifest and coalesced into the trim of the sword. Rin traced another set of swords then strengthened it with reinforcement until a faint line of crack on the surface started to glow.
"Yes, that's enough."
"Lisa?"
She had her fill of misunderstandings and at this point it would spoil the fun. She'd set it up so it shouldn't fail.
"Kaeya, move." Lisa commanded, still hugging the towering man.
"But!"
"This is the business of two adults. Surely you understand, right?" At this point her tone becomes threatening.
Kaeya was struck with realization. He cancelled his vision and sheathed his sword. He began to laugh.
"This- This is so silly. Hahahaha. Fine, I understand. Have fun." He flipped his attitude in an instant, adapting the faux smile the man always sported. He smirked at the uncomfortable gaze Rin sent him as they passed the captain.
"I'll pay for the damage."
"It's fine. It's fine. My apologies for intruding."
Ugh, Rin internally groaned. He wouldn't hear the end of it later, would he?
