Chapter Text
Lumine's fever reducing potion is so sour it burns. Kaeya winces when he swallows the drops in his mouth--it really doesn't feel good against his throat.
"Sorry," Lumine murmurs, watching him. "Albedo said... said he and Sucrose didn't want it to be bitter, because I... anyway... but they thought... 'an unpleasant flavor will disincentivize misuse.'"
Kaeya shakes his head. "You don't need to apologize about that," he says. There's a better, smarter way to put it, he's sure, one that would actually wipe the guilty look off her face. But even though all he's done since arriving is being mostly-gently shepherded into a guest room, he's too exhausted to come up with something more clever. "Have you taken a dose since we got here?"
Lumine nods. "And the other," she says.
"Then go ahead and lay down," Kaeya says. "I'm going to go check in on Aether."
Paimon sets her hands on her hips. "You just took medicine for a fever and you want to go do work?"
"It's not work," Kaeya argues. "And I'll come back and rest when everything is settled."
"I don't approve," Lumine murmurs. But she's really in no shape to try to stop him, and she clearly knows it. She sets the pair of potions down on a nightstand and inelegantly drops onto one of the beds.
"Don't you want some blankets?" Paimon asks.
Lumine shakes her head. "Too... restricting," she says, curling onto her side.
"You'll get chilled," Kaeya says. "Just one."
"Fine," Lumine mumbles without moving.
Kaeya pulls a blanket off the other bed, the one that he'll use later, and drapes it over her. "Get some rest," he tells her.
Lumine hums softly, already well on the way there. Good. She really needs her rest.
After a quick glance at Paimon to make sure she's going to stay, Kaeya clears his throat, and opens the door. Albedo's potions are good. The shivering is already tapering off.
Settling the door closed behind him, Kaeya looks around. It's been a long, long time since he's been here. Since... since Father died. But very little has changed. Diluc hasn't redecorated much, though Kaeya noticed on the way in that the ugly vase is on display in the foyer. He walks down the stairs one at a time, taking his time.
"Ah, Sir Kaeya," says an unfamiliar maid as he makes the turn. "Can I assist you with anything? Master Diluc is introducing his new ward to the rest of the staff, but he told me to ensure that you and our other guest have all your needs accomodated for."
And this is another strange thing, being treated as a guest at a place where he's slid down the railings. But it was always going to be this way eventually, wasn't it? Diluc would marry, and then Kaeya would be expected to find his own housing.
"We should be fine," Kaeya says. The maid seems young and inexperienced, and he doubts Diluc has a lot of guests. It'll be a lot easier to explore if he doesn't have a tail. "You can run along to that meeting if you wish. It's late, and if Master Diluc is going to be occupied for some time, I might as well get some rest."
"Ah, are you certain?" the maid asks very politely. "Master Diluc said you might be a touch indisposed."
"I'm fine," Kaeya says, putting on his most charming smile. The headache is fading now that he doesn't have a fever, and that makes it a lot easier. "Don't worry about it." He turns and climbs a few steps at an easy pace.
"All right, sir," the maid says. "I wish you well!" She scurries down the rest of the stairs. Kaeya is already turned back around to watch her turn the corner toward the office.
Kaeya continues to take his time. It's all so familiar. There's the scratch in the wallpaper from that time he and Diluc had a scuffle. There's the single glass pane in the chandelier that had to be replaced, noticeable from its slightly different hue. There's the faint stain on the carpet that's been there since before Kaeya arrived, the one he always thought was kind of shaped like a duck. There's even a tea service set out on the table, when he gets to the ground floor again, and it's the same one Father used, too.
It's like walking into a memory. Kaeya feels awfully sentimental. To ground himself a little, he looks around until he finds the ugly vase again.
Maybe he should buy Diluc some more hideous vases.
Kaeya makes his way to the kitchen. As expected, they're abandoned. He decides it would be a little obvious if he made a cup of tea, but a glass of water would do his throat good, and he feels like it will taste better if he doesn't have a stranger pour it for him. Everything in the kitchen is exactly where he expects, too, and it's only the work of moments to have something cool running down his throat. Then he sets the empty glass with the rest of the dirty dishes and leaves.
Then he sits down at the dining table. There are papers scattered around, something Diluc was working on that he must have asked to leave out. It's nothing incriminating, of course. He'd never work on anything of actual interest at the table, and Kaeya gives it only the most cursory of glances. But it feels right for it to be there... though not to have none of Father's handwriting there.
Somehow that's what pushes the sense of loss to the forefront. Father should still be here, complaining that they're still unmarried and praising them for their success in their careers. This isn't how it was supposed to be.
Kaeya doesn't cry, but he feels like it might be nice to do it. He sits there in the quiet for a moment, instead.
Then there's a bit of a commotion, and Kaeya realizes he's stayed in place too long--but it's too late. The servants filter out of the office, with Adelinde pushing Aether's wheelchair at the front and Diluc at the rear. The maid who let Kaeya out looks a little horrified. Diluc just looks annoyed.
"I thought you would be asleep," Diluc says. His tone falls short of accusation, but Kaeya knows that's what it is anyway.
Kaeya tilts his head cheerfully. "I'm refreshed from napping on the way here," he lies.
Diluc comes to a stop. "Well, I didn't have that opportunity," he says. "And I would-" Then he shakes his head. "Are you uncomfortable here?"
Yes. Extremely.
"I'm fine," Kaeya says. All the servants are looking at him, and Aether has this deeply interested expression that he's probably forgotten is impolite. "But I can take a hint. Good evening." He's really botched this. But Aether doesn't look distressed, and Diluc probably really is planning on going to bed soon. There's not a lot more meddling he can do tonight, and now that he's been caught, there's no way he'll get to poke around on his own any more tonight. He gets to his feet quickly--too quickly, and he sways on his feet before catching himself. He hopes no one notices, but-
Tough luck. Diluc is by his side in an instant, grabbing his arm. Most of the irritation is gone from Diluc's expression, replaced with concern. "Kaeya..."
And Kaeya... doesn't know what to do. He feels like the hand of a stopped clock, knowing the gears should be moving and sending him to the next position, except even that's a failure of a metaphor because he doesn't know what the next position is, and also, everyone is staring at him. He huffs a laugh and shoots for nonchalant. "Perhaps I'm more tired than I thought," he says, making sure to smile.
"Honestly," Diluc mutters.
"I was promised the flannel blanket," Kaeya tries.
At least Diluc smiles a little. "I don't recall promising anything," he says. "But I'll get it for you." He's also kind enough not to go up the stairs still holding on to Kaeya's arm, though the fact that he's a few steps behind and almost certainly ready to catch him is almost as embarrassing.
Kaeya gets out of the way and leans against the railing overlooking the ground floor. He aims for a casual pose, but after all of that, he's sure that fatigue is shining through.
Diluc hurries up the final few steps and around to his bedroom. He reappears only moments later, with a neatly-folded yellow blanket tucked under his arm.
"You weren't using it?" Kaeya asks, shifting forward.
Diluc shakes his head. He unfolds the blanket with a snap and wraps it around Kaeya's shoulders. "Better?"
"I wasn't cold," Kaeya says. He doesn't hit the amused tone he was hoping for. This close up, he can tell the blanket still faintly carries the scent of wolfhook berries.
"Cryo holders are always cold," Diluc replies. "Please go to bed."
"All right," Kaeya says. "I will. Good night, Diluc." And this time he really does return to the guest bedroom.
"Everything okay?" Paimon asks. "Paimon heard a lot of fuss out there."
Kaeya closes the door firmly behind him, then sighs. He sits down on the bed and fingers the soft fabric of the blanket. "It's all fine," he says, and coughs softly.
"Then you should go to sleep!" Paimon says, definitely too loud.
Lumine stirs, but doesn't open her eyes.
"Oops..." Paimon says, more softly.
"You're right, though," Kaeya says. He spreads the flannel blanket out over the bed and crawls under the covers, tugging the blanket under the sheet enough so that he can hold on to it while encased in the warmth.
"Sure, leave Paimon to turn out all the lights," the fairy play-grumbles, but she goes and blows out the candles anyway. "Good night."
"Good night," Kaeya says. He closes his eyes and lets his mind drift.
In Kaeya's memories, he's eleven, only a few months into the year but on his third cold. (He was sick often those first years, in a new place and terribly stressed about his mission.) Diluc's father, who's rapidly just becoming Father in his mind, serves him a cup of tea steeped in wolfhook juice while he sits in bed, warm flannel blanket wrapped around his shoulders. When Kaeya coughs and drops the cup, splashing tea on the blanket, he freezes. He expects angry screaming. Instead, he gets rubbed on the back while he coughs, until the coughs give way to sobs and he's wrapped up in a solid, grounding hug. He feels safe.
He will never feel that safe again for the rest of his life. But when the memories fade into dreams, they are kinder than they have been in a long time.