Thread by @Skymori_

#Kaeluc Hybrid AU but with a cool ass plot and special abilities per each animal + with visions???
I wanna make something out of peacock Kaeya and Owl Diluc.
Thoughts + small story 🧵

I see Diluc being such an intimidating figure in this, and Kaeya being his smoochtzy, pretty, sweet talking, usual self. But having to work a little harder at it because everyone can see now, right from the start, that he's a peacock. He's pretty and alluring. And thats the point

It'd be the same thing as walking into a car dealership and being met with the car salesman, only Kaeya now has to wear his car salesman uniform everywhere he goes so everyone contstantly treats him like he's trying to sell them something. Which he is asdfggjhfgfd😆

Which would piss Kaeya off a little because he's not ALWAYS lying!!! Well. Most of time. Half the time. A little bit of the time- FINE he's more or less always telling a fib here or two, but it doesn't make him a Bad Person!! / ect ect. he'd be so dramatic about it.

Which is ironic because Kaeya seldom ever actually lies so much as he speaks in half truths in canon which makes it Sound like he's lying, when really, he's just.. being kind of infuriatingly vague about everything.

ppl; youre lying
Kae: No, I'm actually speaking so generally that you could take what I say to mean anything you'd like it to mean ♥
ppl; So you're lying,

I suppose lying by omission is a thing as well, but I digress. I'll think more about that later. What I really wanna talk about in my mind is Diluc right now and who'd he'd be because right now I have What he's Like in my mind and oh man. it's a lot.

Diluc has so much in common with his constellation animal that its a crime there's not more Owluc around because it fits so well.

He swoops down from steep castle walls in the dead of night, silent and threatening, and tells Kaeya "Go. Leave. Go back where you came from. Forget you ever came here." Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, because his wings are so silent in flight.

Owl's are nocturnal hunters. He would be devastatingly threatening, given he probably only comes out at night and has very little to say except "gtfo". His wingspan making up for his short stature, long and threatening, making him look bigger than he actually is.

Diluc is already deadly enough as it is. Adding flight to the mix would be overkill. And it'd be so good.
He would leave Kaeya secretly thrumming with both intimidation and jealousy, both for the way Diluc manages to sneak up on him, as if it were easy--

Leaving Kaeya both terrified and hating himself. Thinking he could be dead right now, that he could've been killed, had this owl decided not to make an example out of him. And angry, oh so angry, that he'd attempted at all.

But Kaeya relaxes his face and smile past it easily, like it means nothing to him. Not the soundless way Diluc snuck behind him with his knife, or the beautiful and elegant way that owls take flight. Trapezing through the air like they were born to own the skies.

Something Kaeya personally lacks, as a peacock. His wings barely managing to glide, but never take flight. There would be some undercurrent of jealousy to him, I bet.

"Now now, there's no need for that, is there?" Kaeya says, holding up his hands in surrender. "Do I really look like I came to attack your humble home?"

A moment of silence, and then, Diluc lowers his knife from Kae's throat. Allowing Kaeya to turn around to face him.

He's clad in a hooded robe. Coupled with the already dark hour, Kaeya can make out nothing of his face with the hood over his head. What he does notice, is that this owl is quite a bit smaller than he expected. His head reaching just a bit over Kaeya's chin, and little else.

"What do you want?" Is all the stoic figure asks.

"What do I want?" Kaeya scoffs. "Honestly, do you even need to ask?" Kaeya says, fluffing and fanning out the train of light-reflective feathery eyes behind him. "Is that anyway to treat a prince?"

Prince Kaeya of Khaenri'ah. Professional honeypot. A mysterious figure soaked in intrigue. Outwardly, a handsome and popular prince of a mysterious nation, whose needs and purposes are unknown. A nation shadowed in darkness, where no light can penetrate it's depths.

Every nation has been vying to gain their trust. Better the enemy you know than the enemy you don't, and it's only in recent years that the explorers of the depths have discovered a Nation within the land of darkness at all. Mixed peoples, with incredible technology.

Inwardly, Kaeya was a skilled spy and assassin. Though he was, in fact, a Prince, there was a reason that Khaenri'ah still had no allegiances to speak of. For Khaenri'ah wanted none to begin with.

It was Kaeya's mission to take advantage of their nation's relative newness in the world, introducing himself as their prince after they'd been sent formal letters asking for talks of alliances and trade, only to cull damn near every castle and fort he'd been sent into.

It would often leave the royals and court assuming that Kaeya had been lying to begin with, if they could organize their leadership in time to regain what little power over their crumbling nation that they had left.

Kaeya tilts his head towards the moonlight, letting it reflect off the deep starry eye of his pupils-- Veritable proof of his lineage-- and watches the way the armed owl lowers his weapon, before sheathing it under his feathers.

"You, are the Khaenri'ahn Prince... ?" The owl questions.

Kaeya makes a show of bowing his head, flaring his pretty train out again. His expensive earring jangling near his cheek. "The one and only."

"You came alone." The owl observes. Kaeya astute enough to recognize the statement for the question it is.

He smirks. "I did. Us Khaenri are very well equipped to take care of ourselves. Our land is most dangerous, you see. So there's little need to send more than just myself."

The owl regards him silently for a moment-- The beat so long that Kaeya wonders if he's going to say anything at all, before he simply responds with a serious, "Understood. Then, please follow me." And without another word, spreads out the width of his wings.

It happens to fast and so silently it nearly makes Kaeya jump where he stands. The owl turning to take flight, before Kaeya stops him. "Ah ah ah- No can do, you see." Kaeya says, and moves the tarp of his cape back to reveal his wings. While large in and of themselves,

nothing compared to the expanse of him. "My flying isn't exactly made for scaling buildings, you see." More gliding than anything else, Kaeya doesn't add.

The owl stares at Kaeya for moment, before softly retracting his wings to his back and turning ahead.

Though Kaeya cannot see it, he blinks, and then cranes his head to side. "Ah, I see. In that case, I will escort you to the main gates. Follow me." He says, and turns his head towards the castle, and the long path up to it ahead of them.

"With pleasure."

The castle itself is build on a mountain disconnected from the land by a steep gorge from all around it, and the bridge to it on which they walk is held up by stone pillars hundreds of feet above the ground. The only way to enter is through flight, or front door.

As they approach the front gates, Diluc calls out in code. The signature deep hoot of his horned owl lineage echoing in the silent knight. A beat or two passes, and then a loud clanking of chains precedes a deep rumbling, as the door before them lifts open.

And Kaeya smiles, easy and elegant as he steps through the doorways. His mission no different than the last, guaranteed of success as soon as he enters, the door of the gates closing behind him as he begins making his acquaintances with everyone around him.

In this light, Kaeya can just make out some of the bright red of the owls eyes, even under the shade of his hood. Curiosity fills him despite himself.
"This is Prince Alberich, of Khaenri'ah. Please escort him to see the King. I still have work to attend to."

A chorus of "Yes Sir's" echoes, and Kaeya make's a small Hming sound as he watches the guard owl stalk off down a dark corridor. Must be a commander general, or Captain of the rest of the guards.

One of the sentry guards escorts him straight down the red carpeted hallway, past great portraits and tall drapery hanging down from the ceilings, adorned with family emblems and pictures that tell tales of legends of this noble clan.

They come to a tall set of doors, no doubt leading to the Kings throneroom. A signature knock from the sentry grants them access. Kaeya memorizes the pattern as he enters alongside the sentry, who announces his presence.

A figure nearly as tall as Kaeya stands with his back turned to him. The sentry clears his throat, and Kaeya bows before his presence.

"King Crepus of Castle Noctua, fore father of the coming night birds, overseer of the Kingdom of Mondstadt, I present to you, Prince Kaeya Alberich. Here on behalf of his Kingdom of Khaenri'ah."
Kaeya takes a knee, slowly looking up to meet Crepus's eyes as he turns to see him.

He can see the surprise and curiosity across the owls face-- Almost everyone blanches in something like awe and curiosity for Kaeya's beauty, for the wonderous stars in his eyes-- but Kaeya too, finds himself reflecting the surprise taking in Crepus himself.

He looks younger than he should be, given his age, but it's the eyes that really do him in. Large, bright red things, that only seem smaller for their hooded shape and the way his brows hang over them in a relaxed, calm expression. That's not the only thing though.

It's the hair too that really draws the eyes. Most owls run brown to grey, but the Ragnvindir lineage runs a deep red that has drawn in passerby for decades. This king seems to run a deep, rust-red-- Long length that's tied up in the back, and runs down his shoulders in waves.

He's heard that his son, Diluc, is colored even brighter.

He'd heard it would be a very special sight to behold, but the rumors truly didn't do it justice.
"Welcome, Prince Kaeya. We were worried you might not arrive." He greets, as he steps down from the large map of

the continent, of which he had been planning. Kaeya stands to meet him as he approaches, and Crepus takes his hand in both his palms and shakes, gentle an slow. "How very good to see you have arrived unharmed."

King Crepus was one of three kings of Mondstadt-- which was both the term for the city as well as the land. It lied just ahead, encircled by three castles defending it from outsiders.

Castle Noctua, long held by the Ragnvindirs, protected the land and it's people from attackers at both land and sea. It was a pivotal sentinel of the land, and easily the strongest of the three clans.

No harm would pass through to Mond as long as the Mond's nightly guardians remained watchful. The other castles, held by the Gunhildr and Lawrence Clans, worked closely on land, with forces that worked more within the city than outside of it.

It would be Kaeya's job, to see that Mondstadt's birds of prey, who so diligently plucked any threat to their city silently out of the air, be it day or night, would be taken care of.

"I take it you made it here without much trouble."

"Oh, nothing we Khaenri'ahns can't handle." Kaeya waves a hand. "Thank you for having me."

"Well of course, of course. Such is expected, if you are to be my future son-in-law."

"Come, come. Sit. We have much to discuss." Crepus says, guiding him to the table in the center of the room. For the remainder of the night, Crepus introduces him to basics of what will be his arrangements for the foreseeable month ahead.

As promised in the letters, he will stay here for a short period as he courts Diluc, and whilst they are getting to know each other, they will begin opening up trade routes and trading information through their new allyship with Mond.

This of course, is just biding time for Kaeya to get to know the kingdom better before inevitably stabbing his would be spouse in the back, and bringing the tower down with him. Feeding their kingdom false information of his dark homelands

and making little headway up to a marriage that will never occur.

Crepus feeds him wine and local delicacies that, for what it's worth, are absolutely incredible. Almost enough to make Kaeya regret his coming plans.

They make small talk, and Kaeya finds the King to be responsible, kind, but stiff around the edges with expectation. He does manage to get a chortle out of him here or there though, to which Crepus comments that "You and Diluc should get along just fine."

"Speaking of the young bachelor, where exactly is he? I've been dying to meet him since I arrived."

At that, Kaeya catches a mircroexpression of surprise on the older mans face that lasts for less than a second. "Oh? I'm surprised you didn't see him already."

"He should be out on the front lines tonight." He muses, taking a sip of his drink. "Ah well, I'm sure you'll come across him eventually. There isn't a single place in Mond my son doesn't watch over." He says, pride in his voice.

"We can arrange for your formal introductions tomorrow. Tonight, you should rest."

Crepus has the same sentry who guarded the door escort him up to his chambers, who asks him if his room will be to his accommodations-- And they are-- And to knock if he needs anything.

Kaeya, of course, sneaks out that same night, restless with curiosity and need to get a lay of the land.

He would sneak out with his guard following to quietly roam the castle as peacocks do. Having himself a small walk about the castle as if it were just a nice walk in the yard, and eloquently losing the guard as daytime neared.

Hours pass, and no Diluc in sight.

He figures the other prince must have retired to his own quarters by now, but is distracted when he catches a glimpse of the rising sun through the windows, over the great many hills and valleys in the distance. The great sea separating this castle from the world beyond.

He thinks, why not, and settles himself to lean over one of the open windows. Watching in a calm silence as the new dawn greets him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Asks a voice, which scares the ever loving shit out of him.

Kaeya thuds backwards onto the ground. The cloaked figure-- The same one as before, in fact-- Flutters from his perch outside the window to look down,

finding the peacock splayed across the floor. Fresh from a damn near heart attack.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He says, jumping over the ledge to offer Kaeya a hand up.

"It's not a problem, ahaha. I just wasn't expecting you to be here. Surely, your shift ought to be over by now." Kaeya says, looking up. This close, with the sunlight making it's way into the world behind them, he's able to make out the shape of the smaller mans face this time.

He pulls Kaeya to his feet, and shakes his head. The fabric of his hood flowing left to right with the motion. "Justice never sleeps."

Kaeya snorts.

"My, how dedicated you are. Nothing gets by you, does it?" He comments. If the owl guard see's the humor in Kaeya's response, he doesn't comment on it.

"I would hope so. I wouldn't be a very good Knight if it did."

This, perhaps, is a little too irresistible not to play with.

"I hear that where you're from, you do not see the sun often." The guard continues, turning towards the sunset.

"No, that we do not." Kaeya says, following his gaze. "Few from my kingdom are lucky enough to breach the surface at all. "

Most may never see the sun within their lifetimes. Truly, a sight to appreciate." He says.

"I see. Then in that case, would you join me in watching?" He asks.

And so, like it were nothing, the cloaked guard hops onto the window ledge and extends a hand. Kaeya extends his own, and the owl leads him up from the window onto a perched ledge of a stationed look out. Barren now, save for himself and the guard.

Together they sit and watch, making idle chatter amongst themselves for a sparse few minutes, as the light chases the last bits of night away to shine brightly in the sky.

Somewhere in the middle of it all, a large gust crops up with the rise of the warm winds, and blows back the hood from the guards face. Revealing all at once, bright red eyes and hair that flings back to dance in the wind behind him-- Prince Diluc himself.

Kaeya stares, bewildered for a moment at the sight of him. His hair and eyes a matching bright vermillion, and even tied up in a ponytail, it thrashes wildly about in the wind before settling in beautiful waves behind him. Repeat: Kaeya /Stares/.

His skin is fair and damn near reflective how pale it is, save for the tattering of freckles just below his eyes-- A promise of more surely, under his armor and clothes. His face round and thin, the under doings of more red and pinks yet coloring him.

His ruby eyes settling on him finally, after far too long to ask, "What?" like it's fucking nothing.

"Is something the matter?" He asks, blinking at him.

Kaeya breaks the gaze to scoff. "Is something the matter, he says. Unbelievable."

"I'm... sorry?"

"You're Prince Diluc."

"... Yes?"

"My betrothed. The one I am to marry."

"Yes.. ?"

Kaeya buries his face in his hands.

"You were him, this whole time."

"You didn't know?" Diluc tilts his head, craning it slightly to look at him. "Our letters indicated we would meet at the gates."

"Yes, and by knifepoint no less. Who greet's their potential lover with a knife?"

At this, Diluc blushes slightly. "Well, I do, I suppose. You are a prince as well, aren't you? Surely, you understand... Some measure of safety must be taken, before letting in guests."

"Yes, by our guardsmen!" Kaeya laughs. "Not by ourselves! Let alone ones as pretty as you. "

And oh, his blush runs even deeper at that. Kaeya grinning ever wider at the display, making no attempt to hide his pleasure at it.

Diluc turns his head away, shoulders rising shlyly. The tip of his ear turning red even as he says staunchly, "Speak for yourself."

and /oh/, that's precious.

Kaeya thinks he's going to have a lot of fun here, in this castle.

/ fin

idk if I'll fic thread more of this tonight but like, the meager plot plan for this is that they chat and flirt a little in that morning, and the next day the rest. And the day after they have their first courting date. Diluc is adorably sleeping because he's

courting Kaeya in the daytime, which he hasn't seen in quite a bit, and he's very done up in a fancy outfit with his pretty red hair down and everything to walk Kaeya through courtyard after courtyard, showing him around.

They talk and chat about the different Kingdoms. Diluc has a lot of questions about the kingdom of darkness, to which Kaeya answers that there isn't a lot to say about it, other than how depressing and dangerous it is.

He has more questions about Mondstadt, and has Diluc show him around a lot. Diluc initially asks Kaeya if he'd like to glide down to the forest, before taking a walk to Mond-- Only for Kaeya to insist trekking on foot, because Kaeya has a cute little fear of heights haha.

Their first day is basically a cute ass date. Kaeya and Diluc spare somewhere in between in which Kaeya gets to show people not to underestimate him-- but Still gets a bit thwarted by Diluc because it turns out no amount of pre-planning or preparing will

actually allow you to trump Diluc Ragnvindir, he's a bit too good-- and that's already one flaw in Kaeyas plan, so he's a bit anxious about having to prepare for that already-- And the skinship gets him closer to Diluc than he minds.

There's absolutely a moment where someone makes a misstep and they go tumbling down over each other, face to face, cheek to cheek, and it ends in blushing. They throw the weapons away instead for wrestling, which ends in laugher

Diluc is deceptively strong, and it tickles him stupid to see Prince Kaeya so ruffled by it, who curses and spits out a lot of "How in the nine archons are you this strong?!" during it, which makes Diluc laugh and make's Kaeya's heart flip one or two or three hundred times.

Someone tells him, as they stop and dust themselves off afterwards, that no one has made Prince Diluc laugh like that in quite a while. And a kin of warmth pools in Kaeya's stomach.

There's dancing, slow and elegant. There's a kind of folk dance signature to mondstadt which involves a lot of footwork and swinging, often with the wings out, in single or in partners, that Diluc gets to show him. And it punches the breath out Kaeya.

At night, Diluc is a deadly force to be reckoned with. Who hunts his prey with such silence and accuracy that they don't even see him coming. Terrifying.
But in the day, he is a golden phoenix. His bright red hair and rustbrown wings dazzling as the day itself.

And Kaeya tells himself, he's just pretty. That it's a damn shame, it is. That it means nothing.

Kaeya in turn, shows him the dances of his lands. Often with partners as well, focused on the shoulders and rhythm between partners. They are more sensual and romantic, alluring and provocative, and it turns Diluc bright red to watch.

His peacock lineage really comes through when Kaeya gives a performance with his chest open and his arms flowing about, grazing over himself as he dances. It turns Prince Diluc bright red, and Kaeya adores that.
Kaeya gives him the full display of his train, just for him.

On the seventh night, Kaeya takes him to bed with the intent to kill-- Diluc putty in his hands, so soft despite the cold the exterior he'd greeted him with. And when Kaeya goes to strike the deathly dealing blow-- He can't.

He fucking can't.

He's actually, really, in love. And has to comes to grips with that realization, wholly and emotionally, right in the middle of their first night together.

Instead of slitting the young Ragnvindir throat, he makes the sweetest love to him possible. Blowing his mind and his cock, before opening him up and fucking his cute little owl knight on his back, wings strewn wildly about on the bed in his ecstasy.

Kaeya gives him the best fuck of his whole life and then cuddles and kisses him sweetly to sleep, and then has to figure out how exactly he's going to tell his homeland not to wage war on Mondstadt.

And how he's going to tell Diluc not to wage war on him, should he tell him.

Not pictured; Kaeya smooching his forehead while they cuddle to sleep together
Also Diluc and Kaeya preening each other and helping each other groom their feathers when they molt.

Kaeya marveling at Diluc's vast expanse of wingspread and flight feathers, which are easily longer than Diluc is tall
Diluc intimidatingly getting to groom and marvel and brush through his pretty blue feathers, the different colors, -- Kaeya's long long tail feather train,

staring perplexedly at the eye patterns of his tail feathers.
So Kaeya can whip around smugly at him like "Do you like them?" All teasing, only for Diluc to blush and nod and go "Yes. I do.🥺" which sends an arrow right through Kaeya's heart he's too cute and too honest to handle

Diluc starting out a very intimidating, terrifying, Military leader and predatory owl captain who can slit your throat with his wings faster than you can spot him in the air.
Diluc by the end of this: blushing bride who loves his beautiful peacock husband.

He dreams about Kaeya dancing together with him on their wedding night and gets lost remembering all the time's Kaeya held his hand or kissed his forehead.