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When he was younger he didn’t even know he “had” a constellation. It wasn't something he had the luxury of thinking about or even learning about in Khaenri’ah. It was Diluc who had told him, it was always Diluc.
“What’s your constellation?” a small bundle of red asked in a whisper. The whisper was loud enough to be heard by the entire table but it was still treated as one.
“Diluc, it’s not polite to whisper at the table.” Crepus corrected and Diluc straightened in his chair and mumbled out an apology. Kaeya idly continued eating his food, pondering his friend’s question. Constellation… he’d never heard of that before. And what did he mean by his constellation? Was it something in his new room he hadn’t discovered yet? Everything in there was his apparently, maybe he just hadn’t found it yet? It seemed he didn’t have to wait long for an answer, because as soon as they were dismissed from the table Diluc grabbed him and dragged him outside.
It was a nice summer night, the mugginess of the afternoon gone with the sun and in its place a nice warm breeze. Diluc paused and looked at the sky, his nose scrunched funnily and Kaeya giggled a little. Red eyes flickered to him in confusion before he smiled. Diluc went back to staring at the sky and huffed seemingly dissatisfied and pulled them further away from the house. Kaeya held back anxiously as the lights disappeared the further and further they walked away but Diluc turned and gave him a reassuring smile and despite himself he smiled back and relaxed slightly.
They stopped at the edge of the lawn of the manor. Diluc looked up once more and nodded, happy with what ever he saw. Kaeya followed his gaze curiously and looked at the thousands and thousands of stars. He had spent many nights staring at them amazed every time, it was hard if not impossible to see them in Khaenri’ah, the sky perpetually dark. Diluc tugged his sleeve and pointed to a specific cluster of stars.
“See that’s my constellation, Noctua! It’s an owl.” Kaeya squinted at the mess of stars trying to make out an owl.
“I don’t see it.” Diluc squawked as if offended. He pushed into Kaeya’s space and tilted his head this way and that trying to figure out how Kaeya couldn’t see the obvious bird shape. Kaeya shuffled away slightly uncomfortable with the closeness, Diluc instantly notices and hopped away. Then he points to the constellation.
“Ok, look. Do you see where my finger is pointing?” Kaeya nodded. “Now follow it.” He dutifully follows his finger as it traces out the shape. When Diluc drops his finger Kaeya continues looking at the line of stars trying to conjure up an image of an owl but failing to do so. He shook his head.
“I still can’t see it.” he whispered out, afraid of disappointing Diluc once more.
“It’s ok. You probably just haven’t seen enough owls!” The red head declared. Kaeya, who spent a large amount of time studying the bird because Diluc seemed to like them so much, didn’t disagree. “Anyway, which one is yours?” Diluc asked turning his beaming smile on Kaeya. Kaeya looked up at the sky and frowned.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? How come?”
“W-we didn’t have stars at my old home.”
“No stars?” Diluc asked incredulous. Kaeya shook his head and Diluc huffed, pondering how this could be. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what a sky without stars would look like. He felt sad for Kaeya but as he observed the smaller boy staring at the stars in awe he vowed to show him the night sky every night. He turned excitedly to Kaeya and grabbed his hands startling the other. “Kae, we’re going to find your constellation.”
“How?” Diluc paused at that a flicker of confusion passing over his face before it brightens once more.
“Let’s ask father!”
Kaeya sighs as he swings his legs back and forth mindlessly kicking the wall he sits on as he stares up at the stars. He remembers that week fondly. It was only a couple days after Diluc’s declaration that a fortune teller showed up at their door and discovered his constellation for him. He looks up at Diluc’s now, and he laughs a little to himself as he spots the owl. It had taken him an awfully long time be able to visualize the owl, his childish imagination taking a while to manifest. He closes his eye and imagines his own Pavo Ocellus, it’s the wrong season for his constellation to be out but he can see the peacock nonetheless. It had taken them months to figure out what a peacock was, none of their books having a picture of the elusive bird. It was a traveling circus from Fontaine that had introduced them to the flashy bird and spawned a month long obsession with the bird. He’s broken out of his thoughts when he hears the clatter of wheels, and he looks into the darkness to see a lone carriage slowly driving by. He kicks off the wall and glides down to meet it.
He hits the ground and rolls, a horse whinnies before he hears hooves land beside him as he stands.
“If I didn’t know any better I would have thought you’re trying to get me killed.”
“If I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought you’re trying to get killed.” came the quick retort and Kaeya brushes his clothes off and looks up at Diluc who’s glaring at him.
“Is there any room on that carriage for me?” he asks teasingly. Diluc isn’t entertained, he never is to Kaeya's amusement, and rolls his eyes but he motions with his head for the other to get on.
“You know there is.” Kaeya smiles and hops on to the bench beside Diluc and then they’re off, reigns slapping and horses huffing as they continue on. Kaeya leans over and presses a kiss onto a pale cheek, Diluc grimaces. “I'm filthy.”
“This mouth has been in worse places.” Diluc turns red at that and bumps Kaeya harshly with his shoulder, he almost falls off with the force as he laughs. The ride to the Winery is silent after that, both of them exhausted from the day. Servants greet them as they pull in, none of them say a word at Kaeya’s presence simply nodding at him before taking care of the horses and carriage. Diluc heads to the house, Kaeya dutifully following. They lean into each other lightly and only break apart when they enter the bathroom. They wash up quickly despite their exhaustion and hurriedly get ready for bed.
Diluc is walking to the bed when he feels his hand being tugged away from it. He looks backward to see Kaeya standing next to the open window and he raises an eyebrow in question.
“You’re not leaving are you?” he asks quietly, unsure. Kaeya frowns a little at that but shakes his head.
“Of course not. I just- humor me will you?”
“I always do.” Kaeya smirks before climbing out the window and up onto the roof. Diluc shakes his head but follows him nonetheless. Kaeya extends a hand to help him up and they end up laying side by side on the roof. It had been years since they had snuck out and laid on the roof, but Diluc doesn’t question it afterall Kaeya always did questionable things. He turns his head the sky with a small smile. The stars were bright tonight without a single cloud to block them and with most of the lights on the property blown out, it left an even clearer sky. Kaeya points his finger and traces Diluc’s constellation.
“What are you doing?”
“Tracing Noctua.” At the name, Diluc’s eyes immediately search for the sky for his constellation finding it quickly. He follows the familiar shape and imagines the owl staring down at him.
“You never could see shapes in the sky.” Kaeya kicks him for that before rolling on his side to watch Diluc.
“I finally managed.” The red head snorts.
“It took you long enough.” he teases but it’s fond. Kaeya flicks him for that before he turns his head back to the sky. When they were younger this was often a favorite past time of theirs. The stars, after all were always their witness. Witness to the first words spoken to each other, first kiss, first confession and what followed after, and witness to the first goodbye they meant. And here they were once more, together, under the same stars.