Work Text:
The sun had long since set under spiny mountains, the last vestiges of golden light dissolving from the valley in which Dawn Winery was planted. Shadows stretched along the endless rows of grapevines, undeterred by the lanterns from the manor.
“Diluc! Wait for me!” Kaeya called out as he untangled himself from some vines he had ducked under.
He stumbled and scrambled to his feet. Glancing up, he saw the red haired boy standing just a few feet away, waiting patiently. Kaeya smiled with relief and quickly joined him. They had played hide and seek in the vineyard a few times, but Diluc had different plans that day.
“Over here,” he said and stood behind a trellis.
“What is it?” Kaeya asked.
Diluc only smiled and brought a finger to his lips. Then he nodded in the direction of the sloping rows of grapevines ahead of them. Following his gaze, Kaeya stood on his tip toes and stared out over the vast vineyard all the way to the lakeshore. It looked like the usual sprawling lush green vines nestled with plump purple grapes. Night was quickly falling, stars beginning to wink in the sky. They would have to return for dinner soon.
“There!” Diluc cried softly and pointed. “Do you see it?”
Kaeya kept his eyes wide open, looking around eagerly. He closed his fingers around gaps in the trellis to pull himself up just a bit higher. As the sky darkened further, small orbs of light bloomed near the tops of the grapevines. Only a few, but they glowed beautifully, a soft shade of blue and green. Small bright wings peeled back from them like petals, and they beat in a slow rhythm, floating along the leaves.
“Woah,” Kaeya breathed. “What are those?”
“Crystalflies!” Diluc said with a grin. “They show up at night in our vineyard and around some other places in Mondstadt.”
All along the vineyard, more and more crystalflies appeared until the field was a near mirror of the starry night sky.
“Master Diluc!” A voice rang from the direction of the manor.
“Oh, it’s dinner time!” Diluc stepped back from the vines and brushed the dirt from his clothes. “Let’s come out again tomorrow. We can try and catch some!”
“Really?” Kaeya asked, eyes filled with wonder.
Diluc nodded and held out his hand. The glow of the crystalflies danced in his soft ember eyes. Comfort washed over Kaeya as if he were sitting by the fireplace. He took the outstretched hand, and they walked back to the manor. It was still scary, being in a new and unfamiliar land, but he liked Diluc. Diluc was kind and warm, a solace Kaeya could turn to.