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The smell of old books, wood polish, and earthy smoke from the crackling fire hit Aether's nose as he enters the room. Pearly moonlight cascades in beams through the panes of the large window on the opposite wall, the chair in front of it carving out a silhouette as though it were imprinted on stained glass. Waterfalls of fire drape over broad shoulders as sturdy as the oak of the chair, small streams spilling over a bright white dress shirt unbuttoned to the upper chest. The figure is poised carefully, engrossed in piles of papers, books, and documents strewn across the desk, one hand clasped firmly around a wine glass. The fire casts warm shadows across a stern looking face, highlighting a strong jawline and high-bridged nose, and thick eyelashes framing eyes of crimson. Aside the crackling fire, only the steady ticking of a grandfather clock could be heard.
"Diluc?" Aether finally speaks, cutting the silence.
Diluc looks up, straightening his back as a hand flies to his unbuttoned collar.
"Traveller." He says, an element of surprise in his baritone voice. "It's late, I wasn't expecting visitors." He stands up, his figure eclipsing the moonlight behind him, "would you like a drink?"
Aether gently shuts the door Diluc hadn't heard him open and nods. "Grape juice?" He grins, and Diluc nods, a hint of a smirk on his stony face.
Glass clacks together as Diluc pours the juice from its decanter into a clean wine glass.
"Say," Aether starts, "why do you use wine glasses for grape juice?" He takes the glass from the other man before settling into an armchair by the window, letting out a content sigh as he feels the tension of a long day leave his muscles. Diluc tops up his own glass, choosing to lean against the desk rather than sit, one hand tucked into his pocket as the other swirls the grape juice around the glass.
"Would you rather I drank from a child's glass? Or a baby's bottle, perhaps?" He says sarcastically, taking a sip as he locks eyes with Aether, who hides his smirk by raising his glass to his lips.
"I suppose you're right – it would look pretty odd. The wine glass certainly suits your aesthetic better." The grandfather clock continues to tick.
Diluc nods in agreement, setting his glass down and folding his arms across his chest, the fabric of his shirt straining at the pull. "Why are you here, Aether?"
The switch from 'Traveller' catches Aether off guard, and he shuffles slightly awkwardly in his chair. "I, uh, need somewhere to live for a short while." The redhead raises an eyebrow, but doesn't seem put out.
"Does this look like a hotel?" He says jokingly, well aware of the number of empty rooms Aether would have passed to reach his office. "Of course, you can stay as long as you need. But... what's caused your living circumstances to change? I hope you're not in any bother? Is it a money issue-" Aether could see Diluc mentally reaching for his claymore, ready to fight a problem he was making up in his own head.
"My room at the inn I've been staying at has flooded." Aether says, quickly, "don't worry I'm not in any trouble."
"Oh," says Diluc, "right... how?" He raises an eyebrow as Aether sighs.
I was out taking a walk with Amber, and came back to my entire room filled with several inches of water – Paimon had been trying to 'escape' a bee that was supposedly chasing her, and err, decided to call Mona. I think the rest is obvious." Aether sipped his drink. While this story was true, he had to admit that the Dawn Winery was not his first choice due to its location – if he was after practicality, any of the Knights of Favonious would have been his best option – rather, he found it a good opportunity to see Diluc... he missed him.
"I see. I did wonder where that flying creature had gotten to." Diluc remarked, admittedly a bit confused.
Paimon was staying with Mona for a few days to give Aether space. He hadn't been the most impressed by their antics.
"Anyways", Aether yawned, "I don't suppose this massive, not-hotel has somewhere I can sleep?" He stretched his arms wearily and stood up, handing Diluc his glass. The red-head smiled.
"Don't panic, princess, there are many pillows here on which you can rest your fair head." After Aether didn't immediately respond, he turned on his heel and headed for the door, his untied hair spilling down his back. Aether's eyes stuck to it, not realising how long his friend's hair really was.
But his sentence took Aether by surprise. He hadn't seen Diluc for a while – not since their run in with the Abyss Order and the rigmarole of concealing the wine tycoon's alternative identity as the Dark Night Hero. They had definitely grown their bond through their teamwork, but perhaps Aether hadn't quite realised how close Diluc felt to him now; a soft smile played on his lips, to think that perhaps he wasn't the only one missing someone.
They chatted idly about mundane things such as the weather, the wine business, and Venti's rampant alcoholism as Diluc lead Aether up a set of dark wood stairs. Their footsteps were muted by the soft, deep wine-coloured carpet, the wall-mounted lamps casting warm glows; Diluc's hair liquid fire and the shorter man's liquid gold. Servants hurried past them despite the late hour, presumably ensuring things were in order for the next day. Eventually Diluc came to a stop outside two doors, placed either side of a large portrait of a baby-faced Diluc and his late father. He turned the handle and gestured Aether inside.
"This should be sufficient for your needs," he said warmly.
The room was large, a four-poster bed against the far wall its main feature. A dressing table and mirror stood to its right, and a sizeable wardrobe to its left. The walls were decorated with ornate wallpaper and portraits of unfamiliar faces. A moss green rug covered a dark carpet. A gentle breeze came through an open window.
Aether wandered in quite happily, perching on the edge of the bed and running his fingers over the soft sheets. A welcome change to his usual accommodation, satisfactory as it was. Diluc watched him, a smile tugging at his lips.
"I'll find you some night clothes," he suddenly remembered Aether was without his belongings. He shut the door and entered the room on the other side of the portrait, which he would never admit was his own bedroom.
Aether, while admiring the room, sat himself at the dressing table. Noticing his weathered appearance after a long day in the woodlands of Mondstadt, he quickly untied his plait, cringing slightly at the state of it - fly away hairs defying gravity around his face and what seemed to be a leaf nestled between the layers of the plait fluttering to the floor as he worked his fingers through his hair.
The door opened once more and steady footsteps came to a sudden halt.
"I brought-" Aether glanced up in the mirror at Diluc's reflection. He had stopped mid sentence, "a shirt of mine that should fit..."
"Thanks, Diluc" Aether smiled, mightily aware of the flush across Diluc's face.
The larger man moved unusually awkwardly toward the bed, his eyes flickering between Aether's loosened hair and the floor, his own hair falling across his face and concealing the emotions written across his cheeks.
"Does it look weird?" Aether prodded, and suddenly Diluc's posture was straight.
"No. No, of course not." He stepped toward Aether, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "I was just taken by surprise. Ah..." Aether jolted slightly as he felt Diluc's fingers against his scalp, a tingling sensation fluttering down his spine. "A leaf," the red-head placed it on the dressing table. Aether feigned a smile, the sensation of Diluc's hand still on his hair and his face feeling warm. His friend started giving him slightly jumbled instructions about where to find the bathroom, and what time he might want breakfast the following morning, but Aether was not paying attention.
"Say, Diluc," he started, biting his lip as a lie formed in his head. "Would you do me a favour?"
"Always," his friend responded.
"You see, I have a lot of hair," Diluc scoffed at the observation, "so I, uh, get Paimon to brush it in the evenings so it doesn't get too tangled."
There was silence for a moment.
"Paimon brushes your hair?" Diluc asked rhetorically, an eyebrow raised and the corners of his mouth turned down as a dull feeling pulsed through him. 'I am not jealous... just confused,' he thought to himself in vain.
"Yes," Aether said quickly, falsely fearing Diluc had seen through his lie. "Seeing as she's not here, would you do it for me... maybe?"
"Yes." There was no pause this time, Diluc's answer was immediate. "I will fetch my hair brush." He left the room promptly.
Aether stifled a laugh while he was gone. Diluc's rigid hospitality combined with his blatant state of fluster read as nothing short than comical.
After a few moments, the renowned business owner returned, a silver handled brush in hand.
"Apologies, my own hair is in this as well, so you may find pieces of red in your plaits for the next few days."
"That's not a problem," Aether smiled, observing a tear in his gloves, "I guess in a way you would be with me on my adventures." When Diluc didn't respond, he looked up at his reflection in the mirror. Face flushed to high heaven, his friend remained silent, slowly moving to run the brush through Aether's hair.
The traveller bit his lip slightly, wondering whether he had overstepped a boundary. They remained in silence for a while, Aether not wishing to stir anything further and Diluc carefully brushing the tangles out of his golden hair. For the size of his arms and the firm grip of his palms, Diluc was gentle, as though handling fine china. He worked methodically, gathering sections of hair between his fingers and working out any knots, tangles, or debris. Aether relaxed after a while, his eyes fluttered closed, the sensation of Diluc's delicate touch making his head fuzzy and his body feel heavy. After a while, once Aether's golden hair laid perfectly neat down his back, the hair brush was laid quietly aside. Diluc watched Aether's peaceful face, his own lips slightly parted in content and concentration as he turned to just playing with the traveller's hair, inching closer to him until a weary head rested against his chest.
"That feels nice..." Aether murmured, totally blissed out. Diluc paused, glancing into the mirror. He breathed out slowly when he saw his friend's eyes were still shut, a smile forming on his lips. Something about this interaction felt dangerous to the red-head; secret, even, as he reflected on his time with the traveller and the other men and women who may have shared experiences like this with him in private. The thoughts tugged at his heart, but quelled as after a few more moments of his fingertips tracing along Aether's scalp, the weight against his chest grew significantly heavier.
'He chose to come to me. That must mean something.'
He leaned over Aether, now dead asleep, his own hair falling downward. Fire mixed with gold as he carefully placed his lips on the traveller's forehead, smelting a small ring of happiness within the usually stone-faced man.
Quietly, he scooped Aether into his arms. The traveller's head flopped into the crook of his neck and the taller man felt that he could explode at any moment, relishing the soft breath he could feel against his skin. Placing Aether on top of the sheets, he removed his shoes and gloves, silently cursing himself for not making sure his guest had changed into something more comfortable to sleep in. He gently rolled Aether onto his side so he could remove his cape, consciously keeping his glance away from his friend's exposed midriff as he removed the clothing. He knew his own limitations, and made the wise decision to not undress Aether further. Besides, he hadn't had Aether's permission to change him.
A few minutes passed. Diluc ensured the traveller's head was appropriately supported by a pillow and brushed his hair away from his face, his eyes lingering on golden eyelashes and slightly parted lips. Eventually, he removed his own shoes and nestled himself onto the other side of the bed, his legs crossed and his hands clasped in his lap, but his head turned to watch Aether, who continued to sleep soundly.
Suddenly, Aether rolled over, golden hair splaying out on the pillow like liquid as he rested his head against Diluc's arm, his hands falling next to the red-head's.
Diluc froze once more, unsure of what to do. He held his breath for a moment, terrified of waking his friend, but when Aether let out a deep, content sigh within his sleep, he let himself relax. After a good few minutes of giving himself a mental pep talk, Diluc finally shifted his arm, gently pulling Aether into a soft embrace. He let their heads touch as he grew more comfortable, the steady rhythm of Aether's breathing guiding his own. His free hand found its way back to the traveller's hair, resuming its running through the golden locks.
To Diluc's surprise, tears pricked his eyes. Although they did not fall, they felt hot all the same. For a man who wields a pyro vision, the warmth in his heart was alien, as was the heat from his companion.
His eyes starting to feel heavy, he held Aether closer, before joining him in blissful sleep.