[ The key to hiding a lie, Kaeya knows all too well, is to bury it within more of its kind. Too many people make the amateur mistake of pretending they hide no skeletons in their closest, never realizing their shallow attempts at denial only makes it easier to funnel out their dirty little secrets. No, true deception requires effort, requires dedication - thousands and thousands of little lies and half-truths and whole truths twisted the wrong way around, each one individually thin and translucent as a sheet of frost, layered over each other and packed so tightly until they form an impenetrable glacier. Until it's impossible to tell where one ends and another begins, melting away only to refreeze into another form entire.
And so tucked away in a drawer in the nightstand by his bed is a discreet little wooden box, the lid firmly sealed shut with a complicated lock - but not so complicated that a person cunning enough to break into a knight captain's personal chambers wouldn't be able to pick given enough time and dedication. Within, they would find a crystalline bottle filled with what a single sniff would tell them is undoubtedly omega pheromones - and there it would be. Kaeya Alberich's greatest secret: that this man who flaunts his secondary gender so shamelessly is no true omegaborn at all.
Not a particularly exciting scandal, given how such a thing is hardly unheard of in the City of Freedom, but a satsifying one nonetheless. Word would spread across the entire city within the day; how embarrassing, how pitiable, that the sultry Captain Alberich who struts his scent and beauty wherever he goes has had to rely on artificial pheromones all this time! Tongues would waggle over whether he'd been born a beta or alpha, speculations on what his natural scent would consist of. His stupider enemies would attempt to blackmail or taunt him over the reveal; his smarter ones would simply reorganize their strategies against him, calling a halt to all the aggressive alphas and the heat-inducers sent his way thus far. Whatever the case, everyone would leave happy and smug believing they've finally gotten one over their notoriously slippery foe.
And thus, no one would think to check the jar labeled as hair oil sitting innoculously with all his other many beauty products on his vanity table. No locks, no safes, just an ordinary jar left unguarded out in the open - certainly nothing to suggest that within contains the results of an ancient recipe devised by the Khaenrians when they could still walk amongst the people of Teyvat, seeking to mingle amongst the populace by replicating the pheromones emitted by what they called 'beta'.
The contents of the jar are still mostly full - it isn't often that Kaeya finds himself in need of it, after all. The first time had been on his fourteenth birthday (or the date he'd claimed it to be, and whether or not that's a lie too even he doesn't remember anymore); he'd furtively dabbed the potion in the dead of night against where his scent glands should have been had he been normal, then later that day crept into Master Crepus's study and whispered with downcast eyes that he didn't feel like a beta. Afterwards, he's only needed to reach for it twice a year, when his supply of omega pheromones starts running low and he has to drop by the library for another of Lisa's marvelously discreet decoctions.
There's certainly no trace of beta on him tonight as he heads down to Angel's Share, just an extra layer of his usual pheromones, the thickening scent a signal of an omega near pre-heat. A group of alphas purporting to be treasure hoarders are temporarily in town, and while normally he wouldn't pull out all the stops for such small fry, the hint of a Snezhnayan accent behind their words makes him think that perhaps they deserve the...extra friendly welcoming committee. Diluc isn't on shift when he enters the bar, which isn't surprising given the man's nocturnal extracurriculars but is a bit of a shame; it's always amusing watching him try to hide the way his nose crinkles in disgust whenever Kaeya swans about absolutely swimming in pheromones.
(Which is frankly a bit overdramatic of him, because Kaeya has been informed on multiple occasions by his many, many admirers that he smells great. Some enticing combination of a moonlit icy night carrying the subtle fragrance of calla lilies, the sharp chill warmed by a rich exotic spice - and while his noseblind self can't see what's so appealing about what sounds like the smell of a confused cryo whopperflower wandering into an overenthusiastic kitchen, he's had no complaints as of yet. He'd think Diluc's obvious repulsion is just another sign of the tension between them, but the nose-wrinkling's been a thing even in their youth, so clearly the man either has some serious prudishness to work through or his taste in omega pheromones run as boring and bland as his taste in drinks. Probably both.)
At any rate, Diluc's not behind the counter tonight and he's certainly not who Kaeya's targeting anyway, so he forces his thoughts back on track, lounging casually as he sips his drink until his gaze lands on the group of alphas in the corner. All of their eyes are already on him, have been so the moment he opened the door; he gives them a casual wave, smile curling at the edges as he watches the wariness on their faces war with their instinct to impress and possess and own. He waits a heartbeat, lets the tension draw out like a string on a harp, before sauntering over with hips swaying and taking a seat.
Noseblind though he may be, the language of the body is one Kaeya is as fluent in as Teyvat, as his own mothertongue. Impress me, says the cock of his hips as he splays himself over the barstool. Dangerous but tameable with the right price, says the tilt of his wrist as he props his elbow on the table. Give me what I want and perhaps you may just get what you want for the night, says the arch of his neck as he angles it just enough to put the long line of it on display.
(They won't, of course. But where's the fun in knowing?) ]
New in town, gentlemen? I do hope you've been enjoying the sights of our fair city.
[ It isn't long before he's talked them into playing a round of cards with him, and from there the game's over nearly as quickly as it begun. Trained though they may be, there's simply too many distractions for a poor alpha to deal with; an omega thick with pre-heat on offer, adrenaline pumping hot from competition with other alphas, focus stumbling between cards in hand and a wicked smile in front - is it any wonder that a few extra words may carelessly slip the tongue during casual conversation? Nothing as substantial as a name or confession of course, but Kaeya has gotten very good at painting a vivid picture with only a few wisps of information in hand.
He's just about gotten what he's needed and is about to move on to fleecing these suckers of at least half their mora when Hoffman comes rushing in with a report of yet another sighting of Mondsdadt's local vigilante. With an exaggerated sigh, Kaeya stands up from the table, waving regretfully at the flushed faces staring dazedly up at him. ]
Sorry to rush out on you when we've been having such fun, but I'm afraid duty calls. But don't worry, I'm a fairly common face amongst these parts - if you extend your stay here longer, you may get to see a little more of me.
[ Whistling cheerfully, he makes his way out of the bar and into the streets and alleys of Mondsdadt - and if he happens to stop a few times along the way to help out various citizens with their tasks and thereby give that wretched Darknight Hero a window of opportunity to escape, well it can't be helped, can it? He's just fulfilling his responsibilities as a knight, after all. ]
( the sun will melt a field of sorrow ) @anbruch
And so tucked away in a drawer in the nightstand by his bed is a discreet little wooden box, the lid firmly sealed shut with a complicated lock - but not so complicated that a person cunning enough to break into a knight captain's personal chambers wouldn't be able to pick given enough time and dedication. Within, they would find a crystalline bottle filled with what a single sniff would tell them is undoubtedly omega pheromones - and there it would be. Kaeya Alberich's greatest secret: that this man who flaunts his secondary gender so shamelessly is no true omegaborn at all.
Not a particularly exciting scandal, given how such a thing is hardly unheard of in the City of Freedom, but a satsifying one nonetheless. Word would spread across the entire city within the day; how embarrassing, how pitiable, that the sultry Captain Alberich who struts his scent and beauty wherever he goes has had to rely on artificial pheromones all this time! Tongues would waggle over whether he'd been born a beta or alpha, speculations on what his natural scent would consist of. His stupider enemies would attempt to blackmail or taunt him over the reveal; his smarter ones would simply reorganize their strategies against him, calling a halt to all the aggressive alphas and the heat-inducers sent his way thus far. Whatever the case, everyone would leave happy and smug believing they've finally gotten one over their notoriously slippery foe.
And thus, no one would think to check the jar labeled as hair oil sitting innoculously with all his other many beauty products on his vanity table. No locks, no safes, just an ordinary jar left unguarded out in the open - certainly nothing to suggest that within contains the results of an ancient recipe devised by the Khaenrians when they could still walk amongst the people of Teyvat, seeking to mingle amongst the populace by replicating the pheromones emitted by what they called 'beta'.
The contents of the jar are still mostly full - it isn't often that Kaeya finds himself in need of it, after all. The first time had been on his fourteenth birthday (or the date he'd claimed it to be, and whether or not that's a lie too even he doesn't remember anymore); he'd furtively dabbed the potion in the dead of night against where his scent glands should have been had he been normal, then later that day crept into Master Crepus's study and whispered with downcast eyes that he didn't feel like a beta. Afterwards, he's only needed to reach for it twice a year, when his supply of omega pheromones starts running low and he has to drop by the library for another of Lisa's marvelously discreet decoctions.
There's certainly no trace of beta on him tonight as he heads down to Angel's Share, just an extra layer of his usual pheromones, the thickening scent a signal of an omega near pre-heat. A group of alphas purporting to be treasure hoarders are temporarily in town, and while normally he wouldn't pull out all the stops for such small fry, the hint of a Snezhnayan accent behind their words makes him think that perhaps they deserve the...extra friendly welcoming committee. Diluc isn't on shift when he enters the bar, which isn't surprising given the man's nocturnal extracurriculars but is a bit of a shame; it's always amusing watching him try to hide the way his nose crinkles in disgust whenever Kaeya swans about absolutely swimming in pheromones.
(Which is frankly a bit overdramatic of him, because Kaeya has been informed on multiple occasions by his many, many admirers that he smells great. Some enticing combination of a moonlit icy night carrying the subtle fragrance of calla lilies, the sharp chill warmed by a rich exotic spice - and while his noseblind self can't see what's so appealing about what sounds like the smell of a confused cryo whopperflower wandering into an overenthusiastic kitchen, he's had no complaints as of yet. He'd think Diluc's obvious repulsion is just another sign of the tension between them, but the nose-wrinkling's been a thing even in their youth, so clearly the man either has some serious prudishness to work through or his taste in omega pheromones run as boring and bland as his taste in drinks. Probably both.)
At any rate, Diluc's not behind the counter tonight and he's certainly not who Kaeya's targeting anyway, so he forces his thoughts back on track, lounging casually as he sips his drink until his gaze lands on the group of alphas in the corner. All of their eyes are already on him, have been so the moment he opened the door; he gives them a casual wave, smile curling at the edges as he watches the wariness on their faces war with their instinct to impress and possess and own. He waits a heartbeat, lets the tension draw out like a string on a harp, before sauntering over with hips swaying and taking a seat.
Noseblind though he may be, the language of the body is one Kaeya is as fluent in as Teyvat, as his own mothertongue. Impress me, says the cock of his hips as he splays himself over the barstool. Dangerous but tameable with the right price, says the tilt of his wrist as he props his elbow on the table. Give me what I want and perhaps you may just get what you want for the night, says the arch of his neck as he angles it just enough to put the long line of it on display.
(They won't, of course. But where's the fun in knowing?) ]
New in town, gentlemen? I do hope you've been enjoying the sights of our fair city.
[ It isn't long before he's talked them into playing a round of cards with him, and from there the game's over nearly as quickly as it begun. Trained though they may be, there's simply too many distractions for a poor alpha to deal with; an omega thick with pre-heat on offer, adrenaline pumping hot from competition with other alphas, focus stumbling between cards in hand and a wicked smile in front - is it any wonder that a few extra words may carelessly slip the tongue during casual conversation? Nothing as substantial as a name or confession of course, but Kaeya has gotten very good at painting a vivid picture with only a few wisps of information in hand.
He's just about gotten what he's needed and is about to move on to fleecing these suckers of at least half their mora when Hoffman comes rushing in with a report of yet another sighting of Mondsdadt's local vigilante. With an exaggerated sigh, Kaeya stands up from the table, waving regretfully at the flushed faces staring dazedly up at him. ]
Sorry to rush out on you when we've been having such fun, but I'm afraid duty calls. But don't worry, I'm a fairly common face amongst these parts - if you extend your stay here longer, you may get to see a little more of me.
[ Whistling cheerfully, he makes his way out of the bar and into the streets and alleys of Mondsdadt - and if he happens to stop a few times along the way to help out various citizens with their tasks and thereby give that wretched Darknight Hero a window of opportunity to escape, well it can't be helped, can it? He's just fulfilling his responsibilities as a knight, after all. ]