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"Okay, Diluc. Remember to breathe in and out. Stay very, very calm."
The redhead's eyebrow twitched as the tavern door slammed open to reveal the beaming face of a certain eyepatch-wearing lunatic. Diluc let out a long, long breath of air and he turned away, still muttering to himself. He was calm, right? He was-- hahaha, he was totally chill.
"Ah, Master Diluc! How are things at the Dawn Winery?" the Cavalry Captain's voice easily pierced through the loud chattering if the Angel's Share, and Diluc struggled not to crush the glass he was holding. Deep breaths, Diluc. Come on now. "Business is running smoothly, I hope?"
"As smoothly as it can with drunkards like you helping it along." Diluc gritted out, setting down the cup on the counter with a little more force than necessary. "What do you want."
"A drink, of course!" Kaeya smirked, fluttering his eyelashes. Diluc's face contorted into one of utter disgust. "Why else would I come to the tavern?"
"Get to the point, Sir Kaeya."
The blunette threw his hands up in mock surrender, smirking. Diluc's efforts to stay calm suddenly became ten times more difficult. "Fine! I'll have one Death After Noon, please."
Diluc grumbled incoherently and turned away to get the drink started. He heard the door open again and Kaeya exclaimed, "Oh, Albedo! What a pleasant surprise."
"You're the one who invited me here." Albedo sighed wearily. Diluc could relate. "What is the purpose of this?"
"What, I can't just invite my favorite fellow Captain for a drink?"
"I don't drink alcohol." Albedo deadpanned.
Diluc turned back to the two and slid Kaeya's drink across the counter, giving him a venomous glare along with it. Kaeya beamed at him. Albedo hummed.
"Would you like anything, Albedo?" Kaeya asked, tapping a finger to his chin. "There are a few drinks here that don't have alcohol."
Albedo shook his head and said to Diluc, "Just water, please."
Diluc nodded silently. As he poured some water into a glass, he admitted to himself that Albedo might not be too bad, despite seemingly being friends with Kaeya and being a Knight of Favonius. He at least seemed like a reasonable individual.
Kaeya was a couple drinks in when he started to talk a bit more openly-- which was strange, because Kaeya had always been a silent drunk, only speaking when spoken to. No, Diluc didn't know this because he was his brother, not at all-- it was just because Kaeya was the most frequent visitor to his tavern.
"Hey, hey. Psst, Diluc."
Diluc sighed and looked on as Kaeya slumped a bit onto the bar, his usual smirk gone with the wind. That was another thing Diluc noticed-- Kaeya never smiled when he was this drunk.
"Did you know it was raining today?" Kaeya said, resting his head on the palm of his hand and closing his eye. "It's kind of funny, because it's your birthday today, too."
Diluc gritted his teeth and didn't respond. Goddammit. Breathe, Diluc.
"Oh, is it really? Happy birthday, Master Diluc."
"No no no, Albedo," Kaeya hiccuped, "Not happy at all. Don't say happy birthday. Never say that."
Diluc turned around in time to see Albedo tilt his head, like a curious dog. "Isn't it customary for people to say that? Or am I wrong...?"
Diluc let out a strained breath and replied, "It is. But I prefer not to celebrate my birthday for personal reasons."
"Ah," Albedo said, thankfully not prying. "Well, Kaeya, I believe you've already had too much to drink tonight. Why don't I take you home?"
"Aww, but I was just getting started!" the Cavalry Captain whined, and Diluc sighed internally. He moved to help another customer. "Did you know, Albedo, that I own half this business? But Diluc doesn't like to admit it, because he's a sore loser."
"I'm sure that's not the case," Albedo said calmly. Diluc struggled not to hit Kaeya over the head as he mixed another drink. "Perhaps he just doesn't want to give you more work to do."
"He hates me," Kaeya said softly, and Diluc almost froze in place. Why did he sound so sad? "It's pretty clear. He wouldn't do anything like that for me."
Albedo didn't say anything for a few moments, and Diluc didn't realize he was holding his breath before the scientist spoke again. "Well, Kaeya, I don't know what's going on between you two, and it's not my place to find out... but perhaps talking to him will solve your issues."
"But I always talk to him." No you don't. You spew meaningless words and lies, but you never truly talk to me. Why won't you talk to me?
"The bar is closing. Get out."
Actually, I do know why you won't talk to me. We both do. But why can't I talk to you?
The last people to walk out were Albedo and Kaeya, the scientist giving Diluc a contemplative look before closing the door behind him.
Diluc put his head in his hands, closing his eyes. He stayed like that for a few seconds-- or was it minutes? He then continued to clean up, going through the motions robotically. Was it even closing time? He hadn't looked at the clock.
It didn't really matter.
He was back at the Dawn Winery and in bed in the blink of an eye. Which was strange-- wasn't the winery a bit far from the town itself?
Ah. He was disassociating.
He let out a shaky breath and pushed his face into his pillow. He wouldn't sleep tonight, just like how he didn't sleep the last night, or the night before that.
The sound of trembling sobs filled the room and Diluc wondered why. Wasn't he the only one there?
Then he realized that oh, my pillow is getting wet. He cried harder.
He should have taken the day off. He shouldn't have worked at the bar today but he had to take his mind off his birthday somehow, right?
Of course Kaeya had to bring it up. Of course he did. Diluc wanted to hate him even more for it, he wanted to curse him and fight him but he just couldn't. He still loved his brother no matter what he did and it was killing him.
What did Albedo say? That Kaeya should talk to him? Yeah, right. The last time Kaeya tried that, Diluc had almost cleaved him in half. He couldn't blame the man for not wanting to talk to him.
The next morning, Diluc stayed in bed. He was right-- he couldn't sleep at all last night, and he knew it would show today.
"Master Diluc?" he heard Adelinde call from the other side of his door, sounding worried. He mumbled a little and turned to the side, burying himself in his blankets even more. Adelinde sighed. "I'll tell everyone you're taking the day off. Rest up, alright?"
Diluc didn't know what he'd do without Adelinde.
He wasn't sure how long he laid there-- he only knew the time because Adelinde had told him when she brought his breakfast on a tray. He guessed it was around midday or late afternoon, judging by the time that passed since then. He hadn't touched his breakfast yet.
"Master Diluc, Kaeya came to visit."
Diluc opened his eyes-- he had been trying to fall asleep for what felt like the hundredth time today to no avail. He slowly sat up, rubbing his face, and watched blearily as the blue-haired man hesitantly walked to his side.
It was silent for a few seconds before Kaeya finally said something.
"You look like shit."
Diluc gave him a halfhearted glare and muttered, "Did you come here just to insult me?"
"I--" Kaeya sighed. "No. Sorry, it's a habit."
"What the fuck."
"Haha. Really, though... are you alright? You never take days off."
"Well," Diluc said, voice raspy, "I haven't been able to sleep for the past few days, yesterday it was raining and my birthday as you helpfully pointed out last night, I can't seem to stop crying--"
"H-hey, now, calm down, 'Luc." Kaeya said hastily, putting a hand on Diluc's back. The redhead buried his face in his hands and groaned.
"Why are you here, Kaeya?"
Kaeya took a moment to answer and the bed dipped a little as he sat down. Normally, Diluc would tell him to go away, but he was too tired to act like his usual self. "...I was worried. I'm sorry I said that last night. It wasn't... I wasn't thinking."
Diluc sighed and pressed his palms into his eyes, trying to hold back tears in vain. His shoulders shook as he cried silently, and Kaeya pulled him closer in a one-armed hug, looking away.
This is familiar. Diluc remembered how he used to be the one comforting Kaeya, after a horrible nightmare or flashback. He was supposed to be the strong one but here he was, crying into his brother's shoulder and clinging to him like his life depended on it.
"I'm so sorry, Kaeya, I'm so... I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry--"
"Shh, it's alright." Kaeya whispered, rubbing his arm and wiping the tears away carefully. "It's okay. I forgave you a long time ago, Diluc. I just... wasn't sure if you forgave me, too."
"There was nothing to forgive, Kaeya," Diluc said, shaky and vulnerable. "I was such an idiot. I was-- gods, Kaeya, I'm sorry."
They sat there for a long time, hugging and crying, and eventually Diluc pulled away, rubbing the leftover tears from his cheeks.
A pause. And then, "I noticed that you kept that vase, from all those years ago. I guess you really never hated me, huh...?"
"No. Never." Diluc whispered. Kaeya smiled sadly.
"We're so stupid."
"We are." Diluc laughed bitterly.
= = = = =
Diluc went back to work the next day, and when Kaeya came strolling into the bar near the evening, this time he didn't have as much trouble staying calm. Yes, the eyepatch-wearing Captain was still fairly annoying, but now Diluc glared at him with a hint of fondness and a small quirk of his lips.
"Whoa! I've never seen Diluc smile before!" a high-pitched voice squealed and Diluc looked down, surprised. Klee stared up at him with wide, astonished red eyes that almost matched his own and he chuckled. "I've never seen him laugh before, either! Big brother Kaeya, do you think he's sick?"
"I'm fine, Klee." Diluc said, glancing at Kaeya's amused expression. "In fact, I think I'm better than ever."