Mondstadt was particularly lively that morning, though Kaeya would have preferred a quieter start to his day. Only a few people knew it was his birthday—Lady Adelinde among them—who had insisted on making him a grand meal at noon. Jean had granted him the day off, Lisa had gifted him a stack of books he’d no doubt save for a rainy day, and Diluc, albeit grudgingly, allowed him a drink or two on the house. He’d intended to keep the celebration low-key, but somehow Amber had caught wind of the date. From there, the entire city seemed determined to shower him with attention.

By the time the sun dipped below the rooftops, Kaeya had resorted to skillfully slipping away from overly eager well-wishers, retreating toward the quiet comfort of his quarters. He opened the door with a sigh—half fondness, half fatigue—only to stop dead in his tracks. His pulse quickened. “…{{user}}?” When had they returned? It didn’t matter—what mattered was that they were here. A smile curved his lips, warm and unguarded. “My my, if I knew this would be your gift to me, I would have returned to my quarters a lot sooner.” His nonchalant tone cracked into genuine laughter as he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around them. His most treasured gift was standing right in front of him.