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The dark of the night had already consumed Mondstadt's cold streets completely, some windows brought light to the outside, some flowers decorated pots placed carefully on windows. One noisy street stood out within the others. Noise coming from the inside of Angel's Share, a well-known tavern where knights, hunters and adventurers spent nights drinking and singing altogether.
Diluc Ragvindr owner of the winery and bartender of Angel's share stood behind the counter, carefully cleaning thin wine glasses and serving the wine-demanding folk inside. There wasn't many people in the tavern tonight, Kaeya and Rosaria never missed nights were Diluc served fine dandelion wine or Snezhnayan fire-water, even apple cider. Venti performed every night with wine as payment for his performances, a reward for his efforts as he assumes. And a couple usual customers which often were found talking and mumbling between one another.
"Diluc, why don't you hand me another bottle please~" Venti sang, his laugh resonating along people's voices. "That last song was one of my best, better reward me for that one."
"You will be paid in Mora. Then, with those Moras you will buy a liquor of your liking." His voice sharp as a knife made Venti sigh, and he sat right in front of the counter.
The bard fiddled with an empty shot glass, groaning and sighing loud enough for Diluc to notice. Annoyed by this, Diluc places one bottle of dandelion wine in front of Venti.
"Just one bottle, but please don't ask for more."
"Ah~ now we're talking! Nothing like the best wine in Mondstadt." Venti opened the bottle, pouring the reddish liquid inside a glass followed by his lips sipping the wine.
"So our respected bard gets invited by the bartender himself? And what about me?" Kaeya lodged a complaint, standing next to him Rosaria rolled her eyes at him.
"What a nuisance… Night does not last forever, let us have some fun while there's time remaining." The jewelry in her fingers shone under the lights and sounded when she flicked her hands.
The door behind them creaked open, eyes stabbing through the person coming inside the tavern. Everyone and everything was submerged in the loudest silence. Rosaria took a step back, Kaeya's eyes widened, Venti observed with the utmost attention.
"Welcome to Angel's Share, may I serve you a… " When Diluc turned around, the sight in front of him filled him with rage. Not the kind of anger you express but the one you keep to himself because no one else should see. "What are you doing in my tavern, Harbinger."
Childe could feel it. He feels the hatred Diluc holds against him. He walks towards the counter, standing in front of Diluc. "Can't I enjoy a local specialty?" His voice sounds awkward, it trembles.
"Those of your ilk are not welcomed here… Fatui." Diluc's eyebrows frown as his voice grows deeper. His vision lights up and glows within a red-ish light.
"No need to get in such an offensive manner." Childe reaches out for the red mask in his head, removing it from his ginger hair and placing it down in front of Diluc. "I don't let my affiliation interrupt my personal duties." He offers an honest smile.
Diluc's eyes scan Childe's features, his smile had no lie leftovers, his nose and cheeks sprinkled with barely visible freckles, blue eyes deep like the ocean, clear and pure like water. His mind refused to let him stay but something deep inside of him didn't wanted to let him walk away.
He took a deep breath. "What may I serve you." indecisiveness ran through his voice. He carefully observes the Harbinger's moves as he sits.
"A bottle of snezhnayan fire-water, if I may." Childe confidently speaks. Venti averted his eyes, not even him could handle more than two or three shots of that liquor.
"As you desire." Diluc turned around. His fluffy red hair was firmly tied in a ponytail. He stretched his arm to reach one of the shelves where a bottle was filled with a transparent liquor. He placed the bottle carefully next to a shot glass in front of Childe. "Directly imported from Snezhnaya."
"Oh? will you even be able to stand still after a couple shots?" Venti laughed at him. Childe gave him a curved grin and a smug gaze, opening the bottle and pouring the liquid in the glass.
"Do not underestimate my limits. I am from Snezhnaya after all." Placing the shot glass aside, he swallowed a large amount of liquor straight from the bottle. The strong flavor quickly burned in his throat, making his face twitch an expression and making his body shiver. Everyone's faces shifted to impressed and surprised expressions. "This drink brings me so many memories… It tastes just like home."
"Why would you pour it into the glass if you were going to drink straight out of the bottle…" Irritation emanated from his words.
"This shot is just for you." Childe smiled at him. Diluc was shocked at his words, he could see those stupid features in childe's face again; his pink lips, the freckles on his cheeks that were now dusted with red blush, and his eyes now staring at his own.
"You will have to swallow that whole bottle down your throat if you want me to drink it." Diluc crossed his arms, looking down at the Harbinger with furrowed brows.
"That does sound like a challenge…" Childe whispered. He grabbed the bottle and drank what was left inside. It was now an empty crystal bottle, in the hands of a visibly drunk man. "Your turn."
"I'd rather be crushed to death by a meteorite than doing what I'm about to do…" Diluc took the small glass and downed it in an only shot. It burns, his whole throat burns. He knows he could have refused, but he didn't.
"Good, now let's play a little game." The Harbinger's words echoed inside Diluc's head. The ginger took the bottle, laying it down. "Why don't you spin first?"
Diluc leaned over the counter, leveling his face with Childe's. "I don't play stupid games."
"You don't play stupid games…" Childe's eyes made direct eye contact with Diluc's, then he lowered his gaze slowly, from Diluc's red eyes full of Irritation, which were covered slightly by his bangs, to his lips. "... When sober, I assume." he finished.
"Spin the bottle." Those were his last words.
"Even if I'm aware of my actions, I will not-" He was cut off.
"Spin. The fucking. Bottle." His voice was more serious now, which made Diluc sigh and hesitate before placing his hand over the bottle.
He looked all over the place, the customers, Venti, Kaeya, Rosaria and he looked down at his own hand. It was one possibility. One in an uncountable amount of possibilities to land in the person in front of him. But he couldn't let go now, after all he had already taken the bottle in his hand. And he made it spin.
Venti.
Childe.
Kaeya.
Rosaria.
Himself.
Venti. Childe. Kaeya. Rosaria and Himself.
The bottle spinned slower each time until it stopped. Diluc looked at the person the bottle pointed at.
"Looks like the bottle has finally stopped, am I right?" Childe laughed under his breath at the bottle cap pointing at him.
"Do I really need to…" He was tired. Exhausted. And his eyes kept avoiding Childe's. He looked at Rosaria, seeking for some kind of answer.
"Well that's how the game works. Of course you are not obligated to do anything." She answered.
The Harbinger stood up from his seat, he now was the same height as the bartender. "What's wrong, scared that you can't handle a kiss?" He smiled.
"I am not scared." He replied, leaning against the counter and approaching the other's face.
"Then why don't you kiss me, master Diluc?" Childe's last words were a whisper just for him. There it was, a burning feeling in his stomach that tingles inside his body. Anger? Embarrassment? But to his mind a clearer feeling appeared, desire.
"I will kiss you until you're left breathless." Diluc's hand reached out for the Harbinger's collar, pulling it forwards closing the space between the two.
Both their lips collapsed together, Diluc's nose furrowed along with his eyebrows and Childe gave in. It was awkward, uncomfortable even, but warm. Warm because of the contrast from the cold outside, warm because of the taste of alcohol in their tongues, warm because both their chests swirled and pounded.
And Diluc pulled apart. Not too far from Childe's face but close enough to feel his warm breath against his mouth.
Childe was frozen in place, Diluc's vision being Pyro definitely honored how he was. Fire. Warm. Passionate. All that hidden behind a cool and stoic facade, Childe longed for more, yearning for another kiss or another moment of brushing their skin together once again.
Kaeya and Venti's jaws dropped unbelievably the moment they saw Diluc pull his collar. Rosaria's eyes widened from the boldness of the kiss.
"You got what you wanted, now get out of my tavern." Diluc's fluffy bangs covered his eyes, but he clearly avoided visual contact.
The Harbinger smiled victorious. He stood up, picking up his mask and placing it back on his head.
"It was a pleasure playing with you, master Diluc. I am hoping for a second round another time." He laughed, opening the door yet standing still. "But next time…"
-
"I will be the one spinning the bottle."
-
Those were his final words, the words that resonated in the whole room. Right before the door shut closed behind him.