Chapter Text
The stack of letters sits on the desk, unopened as per usual. From them wafts the distinct smell of perfumes. Of course, even in the sanctuary of the Duke’s office they are not safe, his younger brother quickly skimming through the addresses. None of them catch his intrigue at first glance and his heart sighs, yearning for something of note to happen.
Cream parchment dances between lithe fingers and they begin to repeat as his eye continues to scrutinise the well written lines, hoping that perhaps, somehow, he missed something of interest. His wishes are granted when finds that the address to one of the admissions of love is not from one of the more affluent neighbourhoods. It’s almost familiar to him, or at least a him that was much younger. A brow raises as he turns the envelope over in his hand, curiosity almost besting him as he considers opening the letter when a hand reaches over his shoulder to remove it from his grasp.
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” a voice comes from behind him, putting the envelope back on the stack.
“Perhaps I do, but I’d much rather investigate the contents of that envelope.”
He reaches over for the envelope again but the stack is quickly whisked away from him, causing him to pout.
“How cold of you Duke Ragnvindr. I’d hoped you would have warmed up to me by now,” he chuckles, turning to face the rather stoic redhead.
“It is not a matter of whether or not I have warmed up to you as it is a matter of you having a proposal to act on. You do not need to go and covet one of my admirers,” Diluc scoffs, going to sit at his desk.
“The proposal? If it’s the proposal you are worried about you need not be. She has received permission from her Valet* on my behalf; it's simply a matter of time. Not that she needs his permission. Regardless dear brother, that puts me in a position much different than yours.”
Kaeya, ever incorrigible, sits across from him. He crosses his legs at the knee and places his clasped hands on it, smiling brightly at his older brother. Diluc ignores his presence as best he can to do his work, frowning lightly at the feeling of Kaeya staring at him.
“If you are to be engaged Kaeya you should go and take care of yourself instead of worrying about me. You don’t want as good a suitress as her to slip through the cracks, do you?”
Diluc’s words of concern for his brother are only partially honest. Of course he is mildly worried about Kaeya and the state of his engagement but to say that is his only concern would be a lie. Kaeya, in addition to the other staff, have always been worried about Diluc’s lack of interest in the eligible debutantes of the city. Therefore, they made it their collective mission to see to it that Diluc end up happy with someone.
Of course, this was not something he felt was necessary. In fact, he had believed that the staff would be much better off attempting to fit Kaeya with a suitable match. After all, he was known for flirting and entertaining whoever it was he saw fit when fit. Unfortunately, that seems to have been only a temporary endeavour for he found himself courting a match that Diluc begrudgingly accepted.
“You can’t tell me brother dearest that this letter does not intrigue you?”
Before Diluc can protect the letters from Kaeya’s sly hands the other man has jumped forward and stolen off his newfound toy, clutching it tightly to his chest and twirling out of Diluc’s range of reach, grinning madly.
“Why are you so worried about me reading this letter then? Don’t tell me - you’ve already fallen madly in love with the mysterious damsel who’s written to you? Mayhaps you’ve just been keeping this secret away from all of us for fear that we’d shame your match?” Kaeya taunts, thumbing the wax seal.
“Kaeya, drop it,” Diluc threatens, dangerously close to actually punching his brother. Seeing just how serious Diluc is, Kaeya returns the letter to him, sighing heavily at the action.
“How disappointing. And here I thought I might be able to find something interesting to do for once.”
Kaeya all but collapses into the chair, heaving yet another very dramatic sigh. Diluc ignores it, very well adapted to doing so with just how much attention the other man demands on a daily basis. He taps his heels against the wooden floor, eyes falling onto the small calendar Diluc leaves on the desk.
“Don’t you think you should start planning some sort of gala? It has been a while since we’ve hosted one here and just merely having your presence at the others, while sought after for some reason, it would do you good to begin inviting people to show that you aren’t just some decrepit old man. After all, the next season is beginning soon is it not?”
“Why must I look for a partner during the Season? These are people, not objects.”
Kaeya rolls his eyes at Diluc’s reductionist argument.
“It’s not as though I’m saying they’ve ripened Your Grace, I’m simply suggesting that you partake in the festivities as the mothers shepherd around their hopeful daughters that are all vying for your attention. So much so to the point where you have love letters pouring in despite not officially announcing that you are looking for a match, if I could remind you.”
Diluc’s eyes go back over to the stack of letters with a roll of his eyes.
“And how can you be certain that all of these people are interested in something outside of the fortune and land Father left me?” he grumbles, not wanting to play with Kaeya any further.
“To find a saint like that would be near impossible. Your name precedes you after all. Not to mention that unruly mop you call hair that practically glows at the remembrance that you are a Ragnvindr.”
Kaeya reaches over to ruffle said hair with a grin, ignoring how dangerously close to biting off his hand Diluc looks. He returns to his seat and crosses his arms, watching in silence while Diluc works. It quickly becomes stifling as Diluc’s quill dances over the mass of work and soon enough a sound of frustration leaves the redhead’s lips. The other man’s lips quirk up in a smirk, knowing he’s won this round.
“What will it take for you to leave me alone?”
Kaeya makes a noise of approval, humming happily at his victory.
“Now this is something I can get behind. Will you really be willing to let me have a hand in your affairs now?”
Diluc groans at the words, leaning back in his hair and pinching the bridge of his nose. He knows that staving off Kaeya will only bring temporary respite. The staff have been on his case for a while now, only able to be quieted by the fact that he is head of the household, and not them. However, that did not stop the eldest of the staff to continue pestering him lightly, making offhand comments that only got worse as Kaeya so elegantly removed himself from the market. He feels his ache getting worse at the reminder of how the absolutely desperate please for his attention from hopeful debutantes got worse once there was only one heir of the Ragnvindr clan left to attempt to swoop up.
“If I were to task you to find me a match would that keep you aptly preoccupied?”
Immediately Kaeya’s eyes light up, standing up to rest his hands on the desk.
“Are you serious Diluc? Or just messing with me? You wouldn’t let Adeline, Elzer, hell, none of the older staff do it when you seem to prefer them so much more than my own company and now I’m being given the chance to do the only thing I’ve ever wanted?” he gasps, so excited it looks like he’s about to do some sort of dance.
Diluc scribbles something down on a piece of paper and hands it to Kaeya. His eye scans the list, raising a brow.
“And this is?”
“My request. If you’re going to find me a match then I expect it to be the best of the best. She should match all of the traits I’ve put down here, not one more not one less. If you manage to acquire someone of such disposition, I will marry them no questions asked,” he says with a bit of a smirk, knowing that he’s made it increasingly difficult for his brother.
“And the reason you put “uninterested in the Ragnvindr fortune” and “capable of making me believe in the notion of love” is to mock me? You do realise that even though you are a Duke you must still live here in reality with the rest of us,” Kaeya says with a touch of condescension.
The look on Kaeya’s face tells Diluc all he needs to know. He’s presented him with a challenge that should be near impossible to win. Of course statistically there has to be at the very least one person that fits the bill. However, that doesn’t mean that Kaeya will be able to find them. It is Dluc’s hope that Kaeya will tire himself out in trying to find someone to fit Diluc’s very high standards and then leave him and this seemingly pointless endeavour alone.
“I’d much rather try and strike my luck with this dear lass,” Kaeya says after a minute of deliberation, taking the letter he’s been coveting from the start and tucking it into a pocket.
“And what do you think I’ll gain from marrying someone who’s not even from the nearby estates?” Diluc scoffs, the neighbourhood on the postmarking also having caught his attention the first time he took it from Kaeya.
“Would it not be fun to bring in a commoner? After all, you did bring me in,” Kaeya muses, putting a hand on his hip.
“Besides. Take another look at the address. Perhaps she and I will have something in common,” he continues, putting the letter in front of Diluc.
The redhead looks down at it, eyes widening just the slightest bit as he recognises it before shaking his head.
“That neighbourhood is just near there, and if I recall correctly you were slightly worse off than these people were. Besides, I did not make that decision. Father did. Thanks to that decision it has put us where we have ended up today. At an impasse,” he sighs, throwing his hands up in defeat.
“Fine. Play with the woman who sent that letter. Charm her and see if you can win her over on my behalf. Perhaps if she hasn’t debuted you could even go to the debut and join the audience with all the others as they present themselves to the Queen. I’m sure I could pull a couple strings to grant you entry despite none of us having sisters to chaperone. Whatever you need, I will do so long as it keeps you out of my hair.”
Kaeya opens his mouth as though to speak and Diluc puts his hand up, shushing him.
“No, you will not scandalise the house by showing your face to look at hopefuls. If anything, it perfectly aligns with your eccentricities. I’m sure nobody will bat an eye at your arrival, despite knowing you are courting someone. After all, it is just a courtship right now.”
“Wow, you must really want me out of your hair that bad don’t you?” Kaeya chuckles.
“Of course. It’ll be fun to watch you flounder after all.” At this, the other man raises his brow.
“You think I can’t find you someone like this?” he questions, frowning.
“It’ll be practically impossible. After all, as you said my name precedes me which will hinder a great many of the requests I’m demanding of you. Not only that, but I have no time for something as trivial as love. To find me someone to love well, I think it impossible,” Diluc smirks.
“Come now you can’t be serious, Diluc. You’ve written here that you just want to believe in the notion of it, not that I have to find you someone you’ll love.”
“Is that so?” he responds airily, taking the sheet from Kaeya and adding yet another stipulation.
“There we are. Find me a love match that also fits all these standards. Should you do that there is a high chance both Ragnvindrs will be married by the end of the season.”
“Now you’re just taking the piss aren’t you?” Kaeya groans.
Despite his words, Kaeya can feel himself getting excited at the prospect. Of course a noble with far too much time on his hands would find this endeavour more than intriguing, The thought of filling his days with such a fun little expedition has him antsy to begin drafting out the beginnings of the first response letter to this little enigma, bidding his farewell to Diluc to return to his own study.