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“So, Lumine gave me an idea for my birthday celebration this year.” Kaeya seems so thrilled by whatever he is about to say that Childe can't help but tease him a bit before.
“Spending it alone, so you won't get us into trouble this time?”
He is obviously making allusions to the party they had last year, where they ended up at the police station because they tried to break into a governmental building just because Kaeya had told them it was a disaffected one.
At least, now, all their little group know listening to and trusting whatever Kaeya says is a really, really bad idea.
“Sorry, I forgot you were such a goody-two-shoes,” Kaeya replies with a smirk. “If you don't know how to properly have fun, I'm not forcing you to come.”
“You'd be bored without me.”
“You wish.” Kaeya's smirk grows wider as he notices Childe has nothing to answer to that last sentence, and he keeps talking like he hasn't been interrupted in the first place. “She told me it would be a good idea to do karaoke.”
The ginger boy raises an eyebrow. “Karaoke? She suggested that?” He wouldn't have guessed it was her kind of thing. But if he was allowed to make a guess, he would say it's probably not her case, but her girlfriend’s.
“Yeah. I think it can be fun.”
“It will almost be boring compared to your previous celebration.”
“Oh, don't worry about this~”
Kaeya has the face of someone who's planning to have fun nonetheless; and Childe knows he should be worried. But for once, he decides to not ask too many questions as he isn't sure he will like the answer.
Furthermore, he isn't against a good night of fun. He enjoys new experiences and, according to his siblings, he doesn't have a bad voice when it comes to singing. Tonia always asked him to lull her to sleep when she was younger ― the problem is that he doesn't know many songs other than lullabies, but he brushes this concern off because he knows in a karaoke, he will have the lyrics displayed.
“Who's gonna be there?” He asks instead of worrying about whatever Kaeya is planning.
“You.” Childe raises an eyebrow, amused.
“I don't mind being alone with you, but I need to warn you that you're clearly not my type.”
“Good, because you're not either.”
Kaeya is quick to retort, a smile still painted on his lips ― Childe knows that very well, he keeps hearing his friend complaining about how hard he's trying to get a certain blonde student's attention.
“I still need to ask a few people, but Lumine, Amber and Venti will probably be coming too. The maximum capacity of the room is six, so I can't bring too many people.”
“That's only five people,” Childe observes. “Who's the sixth?”
“That's where it gets complicated.” The ginger boy blinks, clueless of what his friend means. “Do you mind if I invite Diluc?”
Oh.
Oh.
Now he gets why Kaeya was beating around the bush since he started talking about his birthday.
“He’s your brother,” Childe shrugs after a ― way too long, he knows it ― hesitation. “Why do you ask me?”
“Because you hate him.”
“He’s the one hating me!”
His reply comes out of habit; to how many people has he told that since he started going to Mondstadt’s high school around a year ago? Although he arrived a month after the beginning of all classes, he has the pride to say he was able to integrate himself pretty well in this little high school where almost everyone knows everyone since childhood.
But Diluc ― Diluc is the only person he isn’t able to get along with, even after a whole year.
Some people would say it’s rather odd: Kaeya, Diluc’s brother, is one of his best friends in high school ― although you can’t really guess it from the way they’re always bickering with each other. Yet, he’s truly unable to spend more than five minutes with the red-haired boy without him getting on his nerves. And it seems it’s the same for the other student; he always looks utterly annoyed when seeing Childe anywhere near him and isn’t slow to reply to any of his barbs when they get started.
So, he guesses it's a mutual dislike. Diluc hates him ― and so does he, although he was, at first, curious of what kind of person the red-haired was. Always getting the best grade of their class ― always a A, sometimes even a A+ ― but also often found alone. He didn't seem close to anyone in their class; he kept talking to them politely, with a smile that pleased many women around him, but Childe felt like none of them could really be called friends of his.
So he tried at his turn to understand what kind of person Diluc Ragnvindr was ― and he had failed, to say the least.
That is, the whole school seems to find the way they hate each other amusing.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, you've been telling me for months,” Kaeya comments upon hearing his exclamation. “This is why I'm asking. We'll have a proper celebration together, so he won't mind if I don't invite him. Just sayin’ in case you have a heart and feel bad for not allowing him to be there.” The dark-haired man adds the last sentence with a sarcastic tone; his ginger-haired friend rolls his eyes.
“I don't mind him coming,” he replies. “He's your brother, so it would be natural for him to be here. And he gets along well with Lumine, right? So he should come.”
Kaeya grins at him. “I'd never have imagined you'd be so eager to see Diluc.”
Childe raises an eyebrow ― he hopes his face is showing clearly what he thinks, something like Stop saying nonsense or I'll punch your pretty face all the girls love. To be honest, he doesn't wish that much to see someone who despises him at such a celebration. The year before, Diluc couldn't come to his brother's birthday festivities for an unknown reason to him, so such questions weren't asked beforehand. And Childe was really, really fine with that.
But as someone who values family a lot, he doesn't feel like he can just ask such an egoistic thing to his friend. Himself has a lot of siblings and always wants to celebrate birthdays with them ― he guesses it might be the case for Diluc and Kaeya too, although they don’t seem to share the same type of relationship.
He's just an outsider to this family ― he isn't going to ask Diluc to stay away from this little celebration just because they don't like each other.
If the red-haired boy hates him that much, he doesn't have to come ― it won't be Childe's problem.
In any way, the ginger-haired student is sure there won't be any trouble. Because Diluc Ragnvindr, the always-so-serious top-student, in karaoke at night?
No way he is going to come.
— ༉ ࿐ྂ。
He comes.
He comes and Childe regrets every single decision he has taken since Kaeya told him he was going to invite his brother. He should have seen it coming, really.
Especially when Kaeya stayed at the entrance because I need to welcome my guests and to make sure they'll find the room. Yeah, right.
Childe isn't going to forgive him for letting him stay alone with the only person he doesn't get along with. Should there be a murder on his birthday party, Kaeya doesn't have the right to complain.
Diluc looks as annoyed as he is when he raises his gaze from his phone to look at the newcomer; his lips form a tight line of disappointment and he quickly gets back to whatever he was looking at on his screen. Childe is in the same mood, and he makes sure to sit as far to the red-haired as possible, on the opposite seat and not quite in front of him.
There is a long silence between them, one that is awkward and unwelcomed ― but what can he say? Diluc and him have little in common from what he knows, and he's certain the other doesn't wish to talk to him.
… Too bad, Childe hates silence as much as he hates Diluc.
“Did you come here for fun or for work?”
He noticed it immediately: Diluc is still wearing their school uniform. That isn't surprising considering they came right after class, but both Childe and Kaeya had got out of their jackets and opened their shirts a bit on their way to the karaoke to be more at ease.
He also got his sleeves up; he's contrasting with Diluc who's still fully dressed as if he was going to tutoring. Not that it surprises him or anything, but he can't resist the urge to tease the boy a bit...
“And you? Did you come here to celebrate Kaeya or to be an annoying dumbass?” Diluc retorts ― Childe probably shouldn't be happy to hear his always passive-aggressive replies, but he is; some things never change after all.
“For the first reason, obviously. The other is a lifestyle.”
The red-haired winces. “You shouldn't feel proud of yourself for this.”
“I am though.”
He might be an idiot ― but an idiot with good grades. Diluc is a top-student, but Childe is too, and he's proud of this fact because he knows it's part of the reasons the other hates him that much. He told him once that he couldn't 'stand the way you don't give a fuck about anything, but still succeed somehow'. And well that's not wrong; not entirely at least.
While he’s lost in his thoughts ― that’d be quite impolite in front of anyone else, but Diluc already dislikes him and probably cares as little as he does ―, he misses the moment in which the red-haired open his jacket and loosen his tie around his neck. That’s unexpected from the always-so-serious boy, and it’s probably why Childe feels kind of flustered when he notices this change in his appearance. He’s still far from showing as much skin as Childe or even Kaeya ― but it is surely the first time the ginger-haired boy sees that much of his bare neck.
“Why isn’t Kaeya with you?” Childe must get hallucinations ― Diluc Ragnvindr is willingly talking to him? It takes all his energy to not tease him for this and to reply to his question:
“He’s waiting for the others at the entrance. He said something about them not getting lost that way.”
Diluc mumbles, unconvinced by his explanation: “They’re grown-up though.”
“Lumine is. Amber and Venti…” As much as he likes these two, he's convinced that they wouldn’t do much without Lumine.
“Amber is probably more capable than you.”
The barb is so unexpected for once that Childe’s eyes widen, and he finds himself quite speechless. He throws a glance at the red-haired man who's obviously avoiding his look in a very unnatural way by looking at his phone, as if he hasn’t just insulted ― in a hidden way ― his conversation partner.
“That hurts, you know,” Childe complains. “Since when have you been so eager to insult me?”
“I’m not. I’m just reminding you of a few truths you seem to have forgotten.”
Childe narrows his eyes. “I never knew you were interested in stealing your friends’ lovers.” There are a few seconds of silence, during which Diluc seems clueless about what he means. Comprehension eventually crosses his ruby eyes, and he glares at the other.
“Don’t be stupid. Amber is just a friend.”
Although Childe only puts on a teasing and unconvinced face, he’s rather surprised by the information Diluc just gave him. He has never noticed any kind of friendship between the energetic brown-haired girl who also happens to be Lumine’s girlfriend, and their class’ top-student. And, sincerely, he has trouble believing these two can get along.
Amber is this always joyful student after all, and she has so much energy that it can be hard to bear with her everyday ― he doesn’t say that to be mean, but simply because this is a fact they all are aware of, except Lumine probably. And Diluc is… Diluc.
If he can’t get along with me, how can he get along with her?
It’s not like he’s jealous, though. He just doesn’t understand the other’s standards.
“They’re taking their time.” He eventually speaks again after a long and awkward silence ― Diluc is still throwing glares at him.
“Not surprising coming from Kaeya.”
He mutters in hushed tones and Childe isn’t sure of what he means by that but doesn’t have the time to ask; the other suddenly raises up from the sofa and takes the door's direction, passing in front of the ginger-haired boy without a glance.
“Where are you going?” Childe asks, unsure if he will even get an answer.
“To look for them.”
“I think they'd have come, if they had arrived.” He remarks on a neutral tone.
“I know my brother,” Diluc sighs while giving him a side look, “and I don't trust him when he...”
Childe's ringtone cut him through his sentence; the other looks at his phone, dumbfounded, suddenly realizing he still has it in hand. He quickly looks up the message he has just received; it's from Kaeya.
They say, ‘Walls have ears’ and this ear has a blue shining earring looking like a diamond.
“Kaeya says, 'Venti has trouble finding the karaoke, so we went to look for him. Try not to...'” Childe's stops upon reading the rest of the message ― Diluc looks at him again, arms crossed on his chest.
“Try not to what?”
“Try not to kill each other.”
Yeah, to kill. Kaeya must have been a bit confused and made a typo. He mistook the L and the S. No other explanation. Luckily, Diluc doesn't ask why he paused in his sentence and just rolls his eyes before getting back on his seat.
“Great. They better not take their time.” Childe smiles a bit, witnessing the other's childish reaction. It's funny to see the always-so-serious Diluc acting like that. When he notices his amused smile, the red-haired winces.
“What?” He mumbles almost aggressively. “Do you have something to say?”
“I always have something to say, but rarely to you.” The ginger-haired boy counterattacks ― he can't resist the urge to slightly roast his comrade.
The other rolls his eyes again, “I do not wish to hear it in any case.”
There is a long silence after this remark, and Childe dwells in it for a second. It's not as awkward as the previous ones, so he allows himself to not break it immediately for once. He isn't one to stay silent for a long time, he'd rather talk or at least to be surrounded by noise, voices and joy. He has grown up in a huge family ― he has five siblings and his grandmother lived with them until she died a few years ago ― and he tends to dislike quiet places that let bad memories come back to him.
He knows Diluc is a man of silence, though. He has seen him with others, or even with his brother. They don't need to talk much to understand each other, and it must be of great help for the red-haired because it utterly looks like he hates any kind of idle talking.
The only times Childe has ever seen him saying idle things is when he's arguing with him.
(He's somewhat proud of that.)
“What did you buy to Kaeya?” He finally asks when he can't stand the silence anymore, and lets himself fall on the sofa. He can hear a sigh coming from the other's mouth, but Diluc replies nonetheless:
“A bottle of wine and an eyepatch.”
Childe blinks in surprise before repeating: “An eyepatch?” Their friend tends to hide his right eye with his hair, he knows it, but he's quite surprised at the other's idea. Why did Diluc choose such a present for his own brother?
“He keeps complaining he has to wear his hair the same way every day.”
“But why doesn't he just stop hiding his eye?”
Diluc shrugs, “He said, 'It makes me feel like I'm a pirate. I like it!' I've stopped trying to understand him years ago. I just felt like he would like it.” Childe stares at him without saying any thing — he feels like there is more, but he guesses he should ask Kaeya instead of the brother who despises him — and he quickly raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just relieved to see that you’re caring sometimes.”
Diluc rolls his eyes with annoyance, “I will have you know that I treat people properly. Unlike a certain someone.”
The ginger-haired young man raises up from the sofa suddenly and glares at him. “I’m the one treating people properly between us. Do I need to remind you how coldly you’ve been treating me since the day I introduced myself to you?” He asks, offended.
He’s aware he isn’t the most polite man in their high school, but he dislikes the way Diluc makes it sound like he’s way more of a gentleman than him. Between the two of them, the red-haired is the one who never bothers to act with courtesy in front of him and simply ignores what he has to say ― or attacks him with barbs.
“You introduced yourself to me by saying that you were the smartest student in our promo, just because you got the top grade on your first exam.”
“It was with Mr. Varka! The one who never puts top grades!”
“That doesn’t make it any better.”
Childe narrows his eyes. “Aren’t you just jealous because I managed to get a better grade than you? You never got an A+ with Mr. Varka. I asked Kaeya.”
Diluc mutters what looks like an insult towards his brother before counterattacking: “I’m not jealous of you. I just dislike the way you brag about every single one of your grades. Having A and A+ without studying doesn’t make you the smartest person here.”
Once again, the ginger-haired man looks at him with amusement. “You’re definitely jealous.”
He can’t refrain himself from provoking the other: he knows he's hitting the truth with this assumption. He can see how deadly the glares Diluc is giving to him are; and he low-key enjoys it, because it’s nice to see the other truly reacting in anger to his provocations.
(Still, he kind of regrets it when Diluc raises up and stands in front of him, arms crossed on his chest.)
“I’m not jealous of a dumbass like you” he finally hurls. “But thanks for showing me how unbearable you can be; it convinces me that I’m doing the right thing by disliking and avoiding you.” He turns away from Childe once he has said that and goes to the threshold, but before he gets to the handle, the door opens itself, showing Kaeya’s amused face, laughing happily with Venti.
“Oh, Diluc!” The blue-haired man says upon noticing his brother. “Where are you going?”
“Bathroom.” The other mumbles while moving to let them enter, before going out of the room under the five other’s gaze.
“Well, at least, you’re staying.” Kaeya finishes while looking at his brother going away. He then gives a side look to Childe, a smirk on his face. “So? Did you two call a truce for my sake?”
Childe lets an unamused chuckle escape his lips. “Sorry, Kaeya, I’m afraid your brother and I are a lost cause. We can’t and will never get along.”
The other pouts. “My bet is that you don't really try either.”
Childe ignores his last sentence and greets Amber, Lumine and Venti instead. The three of them seems to suddenly brighten the room’s mood ― he can’t say Diluc is much of a joker ― and he appreciates the change. When the red-haired boy comes back, he seems more serene too and starts arguing with Kaeya for no specific reason; as they always do.
“It’s my birthday, I get to choose the songs.”
“Theoretically, your birthday was two days ago.”
“I’m celebrating today so whatever. Let me choose.”
“Your tastes in songs are awful.”
“You’re the one to speak! You only listen to sad songs!”
“At least they’re good. And not always sad.”
“Yeah, yeah, right.”
It’s weird to see Diluc acting like that with someone. He isn’t like he was before, when talking to Childe; he seems more lightened and maybe even a bit teasing, although it’s a big word for him. He seems a little annoyed by his brother’s antics, but Childe knows enough what it’s like to have siblings to guess it’s their usual acting. Kaeya being Kaeya, and Diluc being desperate by him.
(He’s never been like that around him, Childe thinks. Not even when they first met.
But it’s normal, isn’t it? They don’t get along.)
“Children, stop fighting.”
Lumine stands in front of them, arms crossed on her chest. She gauges the two brothers with her golden eyes and they immediately stop ― that's how it always goes. Every time Diluc and Kaeya go for a fight, their mom― friend he means, is always there to stop them. Amber giggles at her side.
“It's Kaeya's birthday. He should choose.”
Diluc raises an eyebrow, facing her. “You'll regret it when you'll hear his song selection.” He warns. Childe smirks to him, jumping into the conversation.
“For once, I'll side with our top student here, Kaeya only chooses cheesy old songs no one ever listens to anymore, except grandparents.” He deliberately ignores Diluc's death glare ― it looks like fresh air didn't make him forget what the ginger-haired boy said earlier.
Luckily, Kaeya's complaint is enough to bring attention upon him. “Hey! Traitor!”
“Poor Kaeya,” Venti giggles. “Looks like no one here trusts you, except Amber and I. Lumine, do you want to put an end to this by choosing a side?”
The blonde girl sighs before replying: “I don't care. Let Kaeya choose, or else he'll sulk for the whole night like the six years old he is.”
Childe feels impressed: that way, she gets a happy Kaeya and an amused Diluc who found the little roast quite funny and accurate. He should take lessons with her on how to handle Diluc Ragnvindr and Kaeya Alberich at the same time.
“You’re the absolute best, Lumine!”
Kaeya tries to hug her out of joy, but she avoids his embrace, deadpanned, and just goes and sits at Amber’s side, near Diluc. Venti goes on the other part of the sofa, at Childe’s side, and the five of them casually waits for their friend to pick the first song.
When he hears the first notes of Don’t Stop Me Now, Childe can't help but chuckle; both Diluc and him were right to say he was going to only choose old songs. (At least, it’s not a cheesy one). Yet, he finds himself singing Freddy Mercury’s notes without really focusing on the screen displaying the lyrics; he doesn’t quite understand how come he knows it that well, but he guesses it’s one of his parents’ fault.
They all sing along, sharing amused looks during the five minutes it lasts; and Childe notices only Diluc isn’t singing with them, simply watching them with his usual deadpanned face. So, when the song ends, he can’t help but provoke him ― maybe he has already done it too much today, but he isn’t one to refrain himself from pushing anyone else’s limits.
“Are you afraid to show us how badly you sing, firefly?” He teases, using a nickname he found to the boy when he noticed how his red hair could shine sometimes under the sun and the moon. He knows Diluc hates it because it's childish and somehow patronizing; this is why he loves to use it. The top-student frowns while Kaeya chuckles:
“My brother isn’t fond of karaoke.”
“But don’t assume I’m a bad singer.” Diluc adds firmly. Childe looks at him, eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Then, prove it to me.”
Without paying attention to Kaeya’s complaint, Childe goes on the screen to select the next song. He hesitates a few seconds before making his choice ― he’s going to humiliate himself a bit, but it is worth it if he can hear Diluc’s voice singing.
When they hear the first notes, their friends all let a laugh escapes their lips ― only Diluc seems ready to protest, but Childe starts singing before he can say anything:
Tonight I wanna give it all to you
In the darkness
There's so much I wanna do
And tonight I wanna lay it at your feet
'Cause, boy, I was made for you
And, boy, you were made for me
He deliberately changes some words, adapting the lyrics to the one standing in front of him, who still doesn’t sing and seems ready to murder him anytime.
Yet, when the chorus begins, Diluc starts singing as well ― and he plays the same game as Childe’s to the latter’s surprise.
I was made for hating you, baby
You were made for hating me
It isn’t the point of the song ― Kiss originally sang in the honour of love stories, not hate ones. Nevertheless, Childe plays along, changing every ‘love’ mentioned in ‘hate’.
That way, it makes the song suddenly way more accurate for them.
That way, it allows him to hear Diluc’s singing skills and to admit he sings better than he thought.
And that way, it allows him to indulge himself for a second ― and to sing the last part of the song like it was supposed to be.
It’s not like Diluc will hear it anyway.
I was made for loving you, baby
You were made for loving me
And I can give it all to you, baby
