Chapter Text
The night before, Kaeya, as usual, came to the Tavern and drank his usual drink of Death After Noon. It was Diluc who was on shift that night.
When Kaeya entered with an air of smug and confidence with a bit of hesitance and awkwardness, Diluc has grown to dismiss those observations but he can't help but internally scowl at Kaeya's exposed chest.
He had made quips about it here and there, desperately hoping that Kaeya would listen for once and cover up himself for Archon's sake. He was never like this when they were in their younger days as a night, Kaeya opted to wear turtlenecks despite the weather because he always 'felt cold' no matter the season.
The first time he saw him after four years of being away from Mondstadt, his face was openly scowling, brows furrowed at the sight of his exposed chest. Wondering why he's not trying to cover himself as much as before when he received a Cryo vision of all things. A Cryo, cold vision. But then again, Diluc has been away for four years, he doesn't know what happened in those years that could've impacted his brother's choice of clothing-
Right. They aren't brothers now, aren't they? That settled sourly on Diluc's thoughts and tongue. He was blinded by grief the day Kaeya came clean to him. It was only during his journey did he realize that Kaeya had been carrying that burden since young. Diluc knows genuine expressions when he sees one and Kaeya had been nothing but genuine towards them as they grow up. He must've been torn on choosing between his loyalty and duty. But that stormy night, Kaeya had come clean to Diluc, implying that he put his loyalty to Mondstadt and choosing to tell this to the person he trusts the most, his brother Diluc. And what did Diluc do? Be an emotional asshole.
Maybe it was also Kaeya's fault for not finding the right time to talk about it when everyone has emotionally settled over their father's death, but Diluc's reaction should've been better than that. They were both emotionally distressed, they should've comforted each other that night rather than clashing swords.
Diluc pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh, why is he even thinking about this?
Instead, Diluc raised his head to meet the Cryo user's eyes with a blank stare, "Here to destroy your liver, Cavalry Captain?"
Kaeya let out a chuckle as he sat down the stool in front of Diluc, "You wound me, Master Diluc. By doing this, I'm also helping people's lives, you know?"
Diluc raised a brow at him as he prepares Kaeya's usual drink Death After Noon, "Helping people's lives by drinking?" He repeated, exasperated, as he casually slides the glass to Kaeya who catches it with practice, "Is that a new excuse you Favonius Knights use today to show you so-called efficiency?"
Kaeya took a sip before answering in a low tone, "Hmm.. I wonder if you know about the cases connected to this same Death After Noon..."
"Of course I know about it," Diluc sighed and doesn't even add more, to the Captain's displeasure.
"When Death After Noon is out of season, the number of reported incidents inside and outside the city show a drastic decrease, and this remains the case until Death After Noon returns to the market..." Kaeya recited, "Truly an interesting case."
Kaeya pointedly ignored Diluc's sharp glare to his way, "So you mean to say that you intend to drink my wines dry because of this case?"
"I could've worded it much better, but yes." Kaeya's smile was wide with mischief.
"Three bottles and go home," Diluc snarled to which Kaeya uncontrollably pouts that Diluc had to look away to not be swayed, "I don't want to see a Cavalry Captain be slumped asleep over my counter due to being drunk."
"I'm not a lightweight like someone," Kaeya was quick to counter with a knowing smirk to which Diluc replied with a death glare, "Honestly, did you really have to hide every Fire-Water bottle you have because of that incident? Was your pride that wounded because you passed out for three-days over a glass of that alcohol?"
"If I passed out over a glass of some alcohol, then it's only rational that no one should drink it because of the fact that even I passed out over it." Diluc did not back down.
"Now you're just claiming you're the better drinker," Kaeya's eyes genuinely look offended.
"Drinking isn't competition, mind you," Diluc sighed, re-filling Kaeya's glass for his second one.
Kaeya hummed a satisfied tune as he drank from his glass, "Everything can be a competition, good sir."
A comfortable silence etched over them for a while and only the sound of Jose's strumming and the other Tavern drunkards conversations rang around.
They're both actually trying but are just too blind to even notice the other's attempt for reconciliation. Their conversations would always start with a scowl or a snark, and would end with unresolved conversations and heated moods. That's Diluc's way of knowing if their conversations are done or not.
Diluc had given Kaeya his third glass of drink when Kaeya finally initiated another conversation.
"Have you heard about the situation of the Ley lines lately?"
Diluc did not turn his head back from cleaning the glasses, but his attention was on him, "I've heard from whispers since the knights seemed to not be as adept they are at they're work as they think they are." That was not entirely true, Diluc had actually eavesdropped on their outside meetings in his, dare he say, Darknight duties, but his point still stands.
Kaeya snorted from his drink, actually knowing the truth but how could he point it out when Diluc had turned his head on him with a glare, "Grandmaster Jean has put me in charge in investigating about this since this seem to only occur on Mondstadt and not on other regions."
"But you don't have your own people?" Diluc pointed out, remembering that the Grandmaster Varka had taken them with him in Archon-knows-where.
Kaeya gave him a shrug, "She actually wanted to bring Amber with me since they found two of it in different places, but I insisted to do it alone." Kaeya gave him a pointed look to which Diluc had leveled with his own.
"Do pray tell," Diluc adjusted his high ponytail, "Where are the locations of these two?"
"Have you heard of the domain our dear Honorary Knight had just recently activated in the middle of Dragonspine? I think it's that one and that one domain near Wolvendom," Kaeya answered as he downed his glass, "Say, Master Diluc, if you were to pick, which domain would you do for last?"
I'll let you pick on what you want to investigate.
Diluc squints his eyes at the question. Kaeya is no doubt asking for his assistance on this one, the lazy manipulative bastard. But still, Diluc gave his answer.
"I'd say the one in Dragonspine first. It's the hardest one after all, since it will be hard for you to finish given that you have a Cryo vision and the enemies are immune to it to a degree."
In short, I'll do the Cryo enemies and you deal with the hydro ones. It's an obvious answer, are you dumb?
Kaeya snorted as he puts down his empty glass, "What a coincidence, I've thought of that too! Leave the easiest for last, don't you think? My, we have a lot more in common than we think, Master Diluc!"
"And that's where you're drunk," Diluc grabs the glass and bottle away from him, "It's time for you to go home now, Cavalry Captain, you're getting delusional now."
"How cold-hearted," Kaeya slumped his shoulder, but he nonetheless stood up and stretched.
"You're the one with a Cryo vision, not me," Diluc waves his hand in dismissal as if shooing the person.
Kaeya heads out to the door, but before he shuts the door closed he said, "Nothing is hot about you either, Master Diluc."
Diluc put his palm against his forehead in annoyance.