Chapter Text
Diluc felt like he was forgetting something. It was something important, but he couldn't remember; it was like someone or something was waiting for him.
Something was unsettling in his stomach while his strength was draining. His whole body was screaming in pain, yet Diluc didn't feel tired at all.
Why? What was happening to him?
He heard a voice calling for his name, but it wasn't little Kaeya, little him, or Crepus. The voice was cursing a lot, but who?
Why couldn't he remember?
The joyful voice of celebration cut his line of thoughts. Laughters of children were all over the vineyard with the nobility of Mondstadt standing around, holding a glass of wine in their hand and pretending to be an esteemed guest.
Crepus went to greet other guests since it was customary for the host to be entertaining them; however, Diluc grabbed him by the wrist, not sure why he was doing it.
Crepus chuckled as Diluc's red eyes blew wide.
Diluc pulled his hand back, but the wrinkled hands held his hands still. They patted his head while Diluc was confused at his own action.
“It's okay, Diluc. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be back before you know it.”
Crepus smiled at him before turning on his heels, leaving Diluc with the warmth, little Kaeya and little him playing under the shade.
The pair cuddled together as they giggled. The smaller boy turned to his so-called big brother judgingly while little him was confused.
“Don't you need to go greet others with Crepus?” the smaller boy asked. They were hiding under the tablecloth, away from Adelinde's eyes.
The maid was looking for them, but the pair decided to ignore her. Little him swapped his expression for a cheeky smile on his face.
“There is no need to greet them. Only you are enough! And also Jean, Barbara, Thoma, Eula, Patton, Elzer...” His younger self counted his fingers, not knowing that little Kaeya was pouting. He kinda understood why certain someone loved to call him an idiot, not that he would ever admit it. Wait, who was it again? “Yep, that's all I need. I don't need others!”
Little Kaeya sighed. Today's event was one of Diluc's birthdays, judging by the big cake in the middle of the party, decorated with grapes and strawberries. The birthday boy wasn't doing his job properly, hiding from the guests he had to greet.
Diluc always hated his birthday after the incident with his father, so seeing his younger self being uncaring of it gave him a weird sense of relief.
His birthday was the day he lost two important people in his life; it was never a day to celebrate.
In contrast to Diluc, these two were innocent and harmless, smiling joyfully on this day of celebration. They also reminded him of his memories.
This situation wasn't a dream to him anymore. It was similar to a memory of the past more than anything.
A fragment of the past overlapped with the image in front of him.
When they were young, Kaeya was the responsible one out of them, always trying hard to make Diluc do his job, and he would whine a lot before committing to it.
He chuckled before the sight in front of him changed and quieted his laughter.
A man with dark blue hair was standing behind little Kaeya with his arms bleeding down before he disappeared. His lone eye was pleading with him like he desperately wanted him to stop. 'Huh?' The image of that man snapped and disappeared like a wind.
Diluc felt like he knew that man, but he couldn't remember; the man was someone important to him.
His voice somehow attracted a little someone. "Mr. Owl?” the smaller boy turned his head to Diluc like he heard Diluc's voice. His little head poked out from the tablecloth to find him, and Diluc was astounded.
He tried to voice out his vocal chords, 'Kaeya? Do you hear me?' The boy didn't answer.
“Who's Mr. Owl?” little him poked his head out as well, trying to find the source of his friend's curiosity.
Little Kaeya hesitated, “He's —” The sentence was cut short as the boys felt something behind them.
The shadow of a maid loomed over them as her distinguishable form scared the life out of the boys. Adelinde was standing with her hands on her hips with a frightening smile that even Diluc was still scared of.
Little Kaeya tried to duck under the table, but Adelinde was faster. She held him by the collar as she pulled him out, and little Diluc was no one to leave his friend.
“Kaeya! Let go of him, Addy!” He was pulling the younger boy by his legs, and little Kaeya whined in both pain and humiliation.
Adelinde was impressed by their friendship, but she too, had a job to do.
“I will let him go after you go greet other guests, young master Diluc. It's not proper for the host to play inside a table.”
“But I promised to stay by his side!” little him whined, holding his fist to his chest and pouting his mouth like a squirrel.
Diluc could see Adelinde getting soft at little him. Her eyes corners lowered while Kaeya was red and embarrassed at his friend.
Diluc was truly shameless when young.
“Well, in order to protect young master, Kaeya, you need to be a respectable person.”
“I do?”
Adelinde put little Kaeya down before answering, “Of course. Only the strong and respectable ones can protect their one.”
“Really?” his little red eyes glittered
“Yes,” she patted him, smiling at how cute her young master was. “Just like Master Crepus. He is strong and respectable. That's why he can protect you and young master Kaeya.”
Diluc cracked a sad smile. No, he couldn't, but maybe, that was Diluc's fault.
There were so many things Diluc didn't know about his father.
“Okay!” little him cried cheerfully and then hurried to do his duty.
It made both Diluc and Adelinde smile. He envied little him, not tainted by the ugliness of this world, unlike Diluc who would jump at it uncaringly anymore.
He had changed.
People always kept a part of their younger self with them when they grew up, but not Diluc.
Venti always told him to let his inner child out, but Diluc found it hard to do so. He no longer had the child in him nor the situation would let him.
Venti would just smile at him and say, 'You do, Master Diluc, even you do. You just need to find him again, hiding right in front of you, yet you couldn't see.'
'Or maybe, you need someone's eyes to reflect him where he's at.'
“Addy, can I go play?” Little Kaeya's voice stopped his mind track, and Adelinde nodded as fast.
The was a question in his head, but Diluc decided to ignore it and trailed after little Kaeya. The boy flopped onto an outdoor sofa as he sat beside him. His little eye looked around as he pulled up some hidden mushroom skewers.
He beamed so brightly that Diluc couldn't help but grin.
The boy nipped on them quietly to hide from the maids and other kids. His eyes looked back and forth everywhere. Little Kaeya always liked to have some time alone after a big day, so Diluc wasn't surprised.
The little boy voiced out a little muffled sounds as he ate, “Mr. Owl, are you there?” Diluc nodded, tapping on the sofa, and little Kaeya beamed brightly.
He wondered did the boy felt connected to him because he was his father's supposed friend or if was it because he was Diluc.
Since little Kaeya was the only one of his kind here, the first reason made more sense.
If he was alone in this world and a warm familiar hand grabbed him, Diluc would follow that hand until the end of the universe.
It was similar to when he met the observer; he quickly succumbed to the kindness.
“Mr. Owl, have you...” the little boy stopped amid his sentence. Diluc frowned. It took him some time before continuing to say what he wanted. The boy shook his head as he changed what he wanted to ask, “How is father?”
'Why do you want to know?' Diluc knew why, but he wanted to hear from the boy.
Of course, little Kaeya didn't hear him.
The boy continued on his own, “It's okay if you can't tell me! I just... hope he is okay.” His lone eye lingered on the skewers in his hand. “Did he eat something? Was he okay? Has he slept? Did he still have nightmares about Mom? Did he ever miss me? ...Was I a good boy?”
Knowing what he had said, the boy slapped his mouth.
“I-I'm sorry. I talked too much.” His little hands went back to fidgeting with himself. There was a guilty look on his face like he had said something wrong. A growing sense of protectiveness within him grew within him.
Diluc stayed quiet for a full minute. His head tried to think of something.
The vision, he never noticed before, shone brightly at his hip. Diluc had a vision this whole time? How come he never noticed it before?
The vision started channeling its energy, and before he knew it, a ball of flame formed an owl, popped up on his hand.
They both flinched, but they knew it meant no harm, and it was an adorable owl.
Its little head nuzzled little Kaeya, and surprisingly, it was warm. It didn't burn him at all.
Mr. Owl was truly something.
'He... loves you very much, Kaeya. Even now, he is watching over you.' The owl enveloped little Kaeya with its wings. A surprised sound came out of his lips. Its warm blazing light held him inside as the little head nuzzled at his cheek.
'You were always a good boy, Kaeya. I'm sure your father is proud of you.'
His little eye looked directly into Diluc's. He didn't pay it any mind as he continued on.
There was a weird thing the traveler told him about Kaeya that Diluc found interesting.
'Your father has always wanted you to live a peaceful life, Kaeya.'
“He wouldn't, Diluc. I knew him, ” a tiring voice answered him, and Diluc stopped in his tracks.
His head turned to find the voice's source, but he found nothing. It wasn't little Kaeya but someone else.
Someone he didn't remember.
Little Kaeya squeaked, so Diluc turned back his attention to him, worrying his vision had burned the boy; it didn't. The boy kept his lone eye on Diluc, “Can you promise me one thing, Mr. Owl?”
'What is it?' he asked in interest.
“Please promise me you will tell him one thing,” little Kaeya breathed in, gathering his thoughts. “Please tell him, I will become someone he'll be proud of.”
'You already did,' he nodded. His hand hovered above little Kaeya as he smiled, not expecting another word.
The lone eye stared at him, sturdy and determined, “Crepus had always been proud of you as well, Diluc. You are worthy to be his son. Don't ever doubt that.”
'Kaeya—'
“Young master Kaeya! Young master Diluc is about to blow his candles!!” Adelinde shouted, calling her young master from among the crowd.
The determined eye left Diluc's sight. The boy jumped off the couch. He shouted back, “Ah yes, Adelinde! I'm coming!” The boy ran to Adelinde, leaving Diluc with his extinguished owl.
He was stunned. What did little Kaeya just say? Did he misheard?
A spike of pain knocked Diluc out of his confusion. Diluc looked down at his hands while gears turned inside his head.
His gloves were burning. A dust of smoke was forming on his gloves. It was burning the fabric off with its flame.
The flame consumed all of the thread until none was left.
Diluc always burned his hands when learning how to control his vision, so the maids came up with fire-resistant gloves for him. They were so invulnerable that his fire could only burn them if Diluc concentrated enough.
Then, why? Why were they burning?
The clock of death ticked for Kaeya.
His body lay in the rummage of splinter and wall, and he was in no way near winning or surviving in particular.
The gloves that Diluc gave him were all burnt. Kaeya was by no means unfamiliar with burnt scars, but the black flame was like a curse embedded into his body.
Once it slashed him, it toyed with him, slowing down the pain seeping into his skin and spiking it up at any time it wanted.
He was a little game for this delusion.
“Oh, he is forgetting you now,” it chuckled. “Poor little Khaenri'ah being abandoned by his father and his best friend.”
“You have quite a way with words, don't you?” Kaeya laughed back.
The delusion smiled.
After some time had passed, Kaeya started to hear its voice. It was hoarse and soft like a mixture of angry Diluc and a younger Diluc in his memories.
The more time had passed on, the more control the delusion had over Diluc's body.
Could Kaeya even get out of this alive?
“Ah! There you are. I was wondering where you had gone to again. Come stay beside me, Diluc,” Crepus called for him.
Diluc moved to stand beside him, yet his head was in a jumble. The winery master eyed his mature son in concern, “You... have been out of it recently. Are you okay?”
Diluc couldn't even lie. He stood still, and Crepus just knew
The winery master hummed, “Hmm, whatever you're dealing with, I'll be here. You can stay here for as long as you want.”
Crepus' voice was alluring. It made him feel like he belonged, and Diluc did. He could just stay here, couldn't he? There was no need for him to run anymore.
He would willing to stay for years to come.
“Papa!” A squeaky voice of a boy called for Crepus from behind a giant cake, and Crepus smiled in a matter of seconds. “I'm going to blow out the candles now!”
They walked closer to where little him was. Little Kaeya and Adelinde were right beside him. Diluc's eyes landed on the cake as the first thing he saw.
It was a large cake with a lot of frosting On top of the cake were 10 candles.
Diluc's mind stopped.
“It's his 10th birthday. Time really flies by. Before I knew it, he was a big boy now!”
'It's his 10th birthday?' Diluc crooked his head
The words rang in his mind.
Diluc's 10th birthday was the day he first received his vision. He was surrounded by his family and friends, playing not expecting anything special. When the vision descended upon him, everyone was surprised, including him.
The day never left his mind; Diluc could recount the day from start to finish.
It was the reason the desire for power might have grown in Crepus' mind by Diluc's speculation. Crepus could never be a knight and never obtained a vision. Why wouldn't he be jealous of some power when his son could receive a vision? Then, why not a delusion? He remembered the observer talking about it before.
Diluc never thought about it before, so he was angry at the observer for shaming his father. The observer didn't pressure him anymore, but the doubt grew onto him like a vine.
The vision on his hip shone even so bright that Diluc had to hide behind his arms for it before it dimmed. He eyed it intensely.
'What are you trying to tell me?'
“I'm going to blow now! Papa, watch me!” little him called for everyone while Diluc was dumbfounded at his own feet.
Crepus turned back to look at him worriedly before returning to his actual son's side. Diluc was left there with images of his 10th birthday running in his mind.
“Go on, Diluc! Blow it!” a blonde girl with her little sister beside her called for little him.
“Calm down, dear. Ragvindr junior is already excited enough,” the mother shushed her daughter
He remembered them; they were the Gunnhildr family.
Something akin to blue flashed into his mind as he felt dislocated from the event in front of him. The blue thing was caressing his head as it slapped something atop of him, wet and cold.
“Please, just make it quick. I had a lot of things to do. I don't have time for this boy.”
“I would adore it if you're calm with your words,” Crepus turned to the head of Lawrence Clan.
Its lone eye was looking at him. The lilac eye dimmed down with a hint of sadness.
“It's okay, papa. I'm going to blow it now!”
Adelinde interrupted softly, “Well, you need to make a wish after blowing out the candle, young master Diluc.”
The little red eyes looked between his father and his best friend. A light of admiration and ambition passed in his eyes. Little him blew the candles out.
Everyone clapped in unison, and Crepus wiped his tears silently. His little boy was all grown up now.
“I wish...”
Something akin to blue was looking at him. Its mouth formed a question; Diluc remembered now.
There was a message for him, a mission he needed to do.
'Best your strongest desire quickly, Diluc.'
“I want to become someone strong, like a knight, so that I can protect both Kaeya and Papa!”
It was his greatest desire.
“I want to become someone papa will be proud of!” the boy beamed, not noticing the glow on his body; it was forming an insignia of flame. “And I will protect all my family!”
The elemental energy surged through him as everyone's eyes blew wide. His flame was raging with his excitement.
“I'll be the greatest knight you ever know!”
The winds blow down the party. The soaring red and yellow was forming a small storm, yet little Diluc's eyes stayed on the beaming orb inside.
As the winds dispersed, a little red orb popped into the hands of little him. It was beating with flames inside of it as the boy slowly felt his first ever pyro energy.
His eyes twinkled at his vision while everyone around him cheered except the younger boy and his father.
They had the look of confusion and dread in their eyes.
The motto of his family, a bard once told him when he was young, rang in his mind.
Shine true with your brightest flame.
Both visions shone as their masters were in shock.
It was actually so simple, Diluc laughed. His desire wasn't something deep or grand. The desire was so simple.
He never wanted to be back at his father's side to replay the warm memories in his mind or stay together once again.
Playing the role of a fake pretend family.
Diluc was just a boy wanting to protect his family, to make his father proud, to to be true to his friend.
This was all he ever wanted, and Diluc didn't need to do that anymore. He had achieved it long ago.
“Ah,” an air left him. Diluc didn't even notice he was holding his breath. When did he forget such a simple thing? His precious memory? The reason he started all of his journey years ago?
He lost his inner child on his birthday, but it was also the day he was given his passion.
The stench of death and war might have numbed him, making him into a monster, dark and dangerous. But was Diluc truly a monster? He was fighting for something important to him; his family.
Every time the delusion talked to him, he endured it. He told his mind, it was for his father's revenge.
This was his father's legacy.
And when the flame died down and burned everything in its way, he returned right into the welcoming arms of Mondstadt.
Diluc never wanted to be back to Crepus. It was an illusion, created to make him forget what's the most important to him. He had all his family back in Mondstadt, and they were enough.
Diluc didn't need anyone else. He didn't need to be protected by his father nor feel the warmth of his father anymore.
He was Diluc Ragvindr, head of the Ragvindr Clan.
The proud title his father would ever dream for him.
'I need to return.'
Set with what he wanted, Diluc gathered his courage. He could let go of the warmth now.
“Father,” he called for Crepus, and surprisingly, he could hear his voice now. He didn't belong in this dream.
Diluc was his own person.
The winery master turned to him with a sad look on his face, but he quickly ushered it away. “What’s wrong, Diluc? Is there something wrong? You can tell your papa everything. ”
“No, I'm afraid not. ...I want to tell you something,” Diluc looked at the same pair of red pair dead in the eyes.
“Hmm, is that so? Can it wait?” said Crepus, and Diluc shook his head.
If it was the last time he was going to see his father again, it was okay; Diluc was going to be okay.
“I have been through a lot, father. There are a lot of unsavory things as well, contradicting the meaning of justice you have always told me,” his voice was shaking, but Diluc kept on going. “I am so far away from the perfect son, you wanted. I'm not a knight or some grand person. I am a vigilante actually, funny, isn't it? Going around forcing my ways of justice on people.”
Crepus didn't comment on anything as he listened on.
“I'm a disappointment to your name. I tried to live up to your name to be the perfect son, and I failed. I've lost you. The memories eat me inside out like a chain holding onto my neck,” Diluc smiled, he just noticed another simple thing. “I always put a lot of pressure on myself, don't I? ”
“That you do,” Crepus chuckled.
Diluc continued on, “I'm not the innocent and bright child you once remembered. I'm tainted, but even so, I kept on going with the belief that dawn will shine on me once again.” Diluc was feeling weak. His tears were forming in his eyes, but he needed to keep going. “I kept on marching and marching into the darkness, wishing for dawn, which was you. But there was one thing wrong.”
The red pair of eyes stared at him unmoving.
“The dawn was within me all along.”
The image of his father inside his arms, spoking some words he didn't understand at first, flashed in his mind, overlapping with Crepus.
“I blamed myself for being unable to protect you. I was too weak to protect anyone, and when even the knight stepped on us, I was angered. The world didn't feel safe anymore. I even lost my brother and best friend, for God's sake! I—I-I.”
The hand placed on him to calm down, and Diluc found the courage to go on.
“But you never told me to do it. It was all me because, after all, you have always been proud of me.”
'Father?! Please come on, you can stand up.'
'Diluc, it's okay. With the wound on me, I won't survive. End me, dear. You can do it.'
'I can't, father! Please, papa! Don't do this, I'm begging you!”
A warm pat was on his head as Diluc felt tears rolling down his face. The same pairs of red eyes intertwined with each other, and Crepus smiled at him.
'You can do it, Diluc. I'm always proud of you.'
“What is it that you want to tell me, Diluc? You can tell your papa everything.”
Diluc breathed in to stop his voice from shaking. He let out a small voice.
“I'm proud to be your son.”
This was the dream he dreamt for months, him being able to tell his father how much he had grown.
Crepus chuckled. Oh, how much would Diluc missed his laugh? He was going to lose this man once again, but he would be okay. Diluc was sure of it.
“Seem like I can't keep you here, what a shame,” the winery master sighed tiredly. “Are you going to go now?”
“Yes, but I need to do one thing first.”
Diluc felt like he had moved a mountain, he was so tired now. He really wanted to lie in a bed, but he had a job to do.
“I promise a boy one thing.”
He turned around to move and make the boy his promise, but a wrinkled hand held him back. His eyebrows lowered as he gave Diluc one last smile.
“Come and give your old man a hug.”
They pulled together into a hug, and Diluc was damned. He nuzzled into the man's shoulders, feeling his face wetting the fabric as his father slowly caressed him.
The golden star stared at him. They didn't look shocked nor did they try to run away.
They were standing there as Diluc walked towards them.
“Ragvindr, isn't it?” a very deep and powerful voice answered him. The golden star inspected him from head to toe, “You're tainted by the delusion. The trace of it was all over you.”
His eyebrows quirked up at the comment. His mouth moved to speak, but the Khaenri'ah shut him before he could.
“That's not necessary. My vision and hearing hadn't become completely disabled.”
“So you know and see, yet you abandoned him,” Diluc growled. The feeling of anger was boiling under him, but Diluc stayed calm.
He didn't come to criticize the man nor judge them, he was here per request of a boy.
“He wanted to tell you he'll become someone you'll be proud of.”
The man chuckled. His eyes were full of gullible look in it, yet there was also amusement. “This world is truly fascinating, isn't it?”
The brows on Diluc's face knotted.
They stayed quiet for quite some time before the Khaenri'ah spoke again with his form relaxed as if he was happy at the situation.
“Is Kaeya happy?”
Diluc's mind railed to the little Kaeya, but somehow, he knew the man didn't mean him. They meant the other Kaeya, so Diluc nodded hesitately.
Diluc wasn't even sure.
“Alright,” said the Khaenri'ah. His brows quirked up as they looked at him. “Aren't you going to go now?”
“That's it? That's all you wanted to say? That boy wanted love from you, and that's all you're going to give?”
The man laughed out loud this time, “You're funny. If he's my son, he should have known the answer already.”
The vision of Diluc started to blur as the man gave out a smile so similar to his son.
It was a cheeky smile full of teasing remarks.
“I've always been proud of him.”
The vision in front of Diluc became that of a broken home. There were crumbled walls and wood everywhere.
What happened?
He looked down to see his hands full of blood while his whole body was covered in specks of dust. Diluc panicked. His eyes started to look for anything or anyone.
The delusion was lying on his hip. It dimmed, but Diluc knew the delusion didn't go anywhere, sleeping and waiting for a time to strike again.
Diluc snatched the delusion off his hip and placed them on his counter. No matter what, Diluc couldn't throw it away.
Surprisingly, He didn't hear the voice anymore.
A glint of warm light flashed in his eyes, and Diluc snapped his neck. In the rumbles of the wall, the light was shining from within the crack.
His heart sank as Diluc kneeled down to dig into the rumbles. His hands were bleeding, but he kept on digging until the pyro and cryo visions shone in his face.
There was Kaeya, he was lying in the rumbles with his eyes closed, barely breathing.
Dreads took over him. Diluc carefully pulled Kaeya out of his house's rumble while his hands were shaking uncontrollably There was dust and wood splinters all over him.
The worst of it all was the traces of black flame, circling around Kaeya's neck and torso.
The pyro vision shone warmly to calm him, but Diluc was erratic. He tried to wake Kaeya up, but the knight wasn't waking.
'Fuck! Kaeya,wake up! Please tell me this got to be a joke. Tease me like you're used to. Please!'
Kaeya wasn't responding.
Diluc gathered Kaeya up in his arms and ran. All of his vision blurred as the only thing Diluc could think of was the church.
He prayed with his heart, not to let this be his fault again. Not for him to lose his family by his own hands again.
Diluc barged inside with Kaeya in his arms as everyone screamed. Rosaria was the first to first to take hold of her senses as she moved to take Kaeya.
But Diluc growled like an animal, even the nun had to take a step back. The dawn winery master shook his head immediately. He was being taken over by his desires once again.
“I'm not going to hurt him, Diluc. Barbara will take care of him. You need to give him to me.”
She approached, and Diluc took a step back. He was screaming at his mind to stop himself, but his mind wasn't listening.
A light energy set on him with familiar coolness, and he looked down to the cryo vision calming him like it had been this past event.
He breathed in before carrying Kaeya to the ward with Rosaria trailing behind. Barbara was panicking as she jumped out with her pajamas. The deaconess inspected Kaeya, and ordered the ward to be onpened.
He let go of the man as the nuns carried him to get the treatment, leaving Diluc in front of the ward's door.
It would be okay, Kaeya would be okay.
Diluc didn't quite remember how much time had passed. Albedo and Barbara had come to inspect him, and they confirmed that his mental health had returned to normal, or at least.
The trace of delusion was still with Diluc, and it couldn't be undone.
He also met Jean, and Diluc was disappointed in her for letting Kaeya be beside him in his worst mental state. She was confused due to the fact that she didn't know what transpired between them, but Diluc reprimanded her nonetheless.
After the incident, the Dawn Winery went through a lot of repairs. Diluc spent a lot of time catching up with ledgers and missed business delays.
There was a lot, so Diluc was struck clearing his mess.
'How inefficient,' he sighed as he reviewed tons of paper. He was glad the whole incident was over, but coming back to catch up with what he missed wasn't ideal.
Diluc's mind was on the papers until a jingle of the bell rang from the door. A man was standing there with a bell in his hands.
Kaeya smirked obnoxiously, “Hello there, Master Diluc! Look like fate hasn't doomed me yet. Did you miss me? I have a gift for you.”
The knight strode to his side and placed it on the desk. His bum was placed on the desk uncaringly while Diluc's eyes landed on the bell.
It was the same bell Crepus used to have, and the one Diluc threw away.
“You're welcome by the way,” Kaeya smiled. The face of the knight he hadn't seen looked at him, but he didn't say anything, letting Diluc make the choice on his own.
He hesitated for a bit before speaking his mind, “How's your wound?”
“Better than the last time,” His eyes smiled, but Diluc could see the hurt in them. Kaeya eyed him, “How's Crepus?”
Diluc nodded half-heartedly, “Good. I thought I wanted to be back by his side, but I was wrong. My desire was similar to you in a way.”
“The same as mine?”
Diluc smirked this time, “Your father is proud of you, Kaeya. He had always been proud of you.”
Kaeya was staring at him, but he didn't utter a word. The silence was comforting to Diluc somehow as he continued to do his paperwork.
“I know that already.”
They stayed in silence for a while before a knock was heard at the door. He gave the permission, and Adelinde popped out the door.
She smiled kindly at them, “Dinner's ready, Master Diluc. Please come downstairs when you're ready.”
After she finished, the maid left as quickly with a smile on her face. Diluc had made her worried a lot.
“Look like it's my time to go now. Enjoy your meal then.” Kaeya twisted his feet to turn away but a hand locked him in place. The lone eye looked back, and a pair of red eyes looked at him. “What is it, Diluc?”
“You said before, you'll help me best my best my desire, yes? So have dinner with me.”
“How's that related?” the knight eyed him, and Diluc shrugged.
His desire was so simple. He only wanted to make his family happy, and his family was right here.
They were all here in Mondstadt.
Diluc pulled the knight along despite his protest, yet Kaeya didn't make a move to stop him. They went downstairs to dinner with Adelinde preparing the table for them.
She seemed to understand that Kaeya was joining as there were two plates of dining set on the table, and Kaeya just knew he was tricked.
Kaeya hesitated at first, but eventually, he sat down.
They calmly began their dinner with nothing special, but Diluc's eyes were on Kaeya's.
As Kaeya looked up to stare at him confusedly, there was a reflection of him in the lone sapphire; a small boy with red hair.
Diluc chuckled.
The archon never seemed to be wrong. Diluc never changed from that boy after all.