Chapter Text
Diluc had been sitting at his desk for the past few hours poring over old letters, ones he hadn't read in years, he did not like to be reminded of his time in that snowy desolate land. He shuddered to think of the sheer cold that crept into his bones without his vision to keep him warm, of how his soul felt as if it was being torn from his body whenever he used his father's delusion. How utterly alone he was, only spurred on but the anger deep seeded in him and his need for answers. No, he would very much like to leave that all in the past, yet it seemed it would not leave him.
It was strange, he had no real reason to be reading these now, he had no reason to keep them in the first place, yet something compelled him too. He could lie to himself and say it was because of the recent strange ley line occurrences but he did not truly believe he would find anything of value in these pages.
Diluc shook his head to himself before rising and heading back towards the record room, the candles litter around all burning at different heights, one looking to be on its last few minutes of life seemed to be beckoning him, guiding him like a moth to... well a flame. It sat atop a chest he had not opened in years. Slowly as if scared he may startle the box if he moved too eagerly, he removed the candle and opened it.
He could not silence the harsh shudder that left him when he saw his old uniform laying there, still in pristine condition.
Adelinde must have been taking care of it all this time.
He felt the soft leather in his hand and allowed his fingers to glide over the material tracing every scratch and mark etched into it. Each one holding different stories of a time not that long ago, yet it felt as if it had been decades. Diluc raised the jacket he once wore with so much pride and held it out in front of him, the bright red made seemed to stand out in the dimly lit room. It was almost glowing, the silver embellishments sparkling in the candlelight. Before he even fully realized what he was doing he began to slip it on, feeling the soft lining grip his arms and shoulders. It is fit slightly tighter than it once did, given the years it makes sense, but not uncomfortably so.
He flexed his arm feeling the stretch of the fabric, he allowed himself to wonder, to think of the person he once was. He moved his hand to smooth out the collar when he brushed up against a zipper near the top of the collar. He unzipped the pocket, reaching in expecting to find nothing. But instead, he pulled out a small envelop, a Ragnvindr wax seal indicated it has never been read. Curiosity won out as he flicked the envelope open, slide out the letter and unfolded it.
Hey Firefly
Diluc felt his throat clench.
How’s your exhibition going. Has celeste knighted you yet?
I’m hoping you find this letter on the fourth or fifth day of the exhibition but knowing you it will probably years and years.
Archons Kaeya if only you knew.
Archons, you haven’t even left yet, and I feel as though my heart has been ripped out of my chest!
I tried so hard to convince your father to let me join you but alas it seems he has finally built up a resistance to my puppy dog eyes.
At least it still works on you, what did you say the other day? ‘My heart yearns so deeply for you that any moment we spend apart it threatens to jump out of my chest entirely’. Always the poetic, I am afraid I will never let you live that down.
Diluc winced at his younger self’s dramatics. A small part of him can’t help but wonder if Kaeya still remembers that line.
I kid, I have no doubt you are having the time of your life, slaying Hilichurles and Abyss Mages left and right! Defending our nation in the name of Barbados!
Diluc couldn’t help but smile at Kaeya’s mocking of Vraka’s signature line.
Though a small, tiny part of me hopes you’ll feel at least a fraction of the pain of missing me as much as I know I will be missing you.
Please take care of yourself Luc, drink plenty of water and don’t get in a frenzy in battle and allow that vison of yours to give you a heat stoke again! I can’t help but feel like a mother hen, you better not come back with as much as a scratch or so help me Barbados I will let Addie pull you by the ear and give you one of her fabled lectures.
Seriously, return in one piece my love.
I put this letter into your chests pocket, that way through it all I will be right there by your heart, protecting you.
Always yours,
Kae
Diluc stood there for much longer than he would like to admit, gripping the letter that still somehow smells like Cally Lilies up to his chest.
When he eventually composed himself, he slipped the letter back into the chest pocket. He reasoned that he did not know where he would file it, it’s just simpler this way. He then picked up the whole outfit, his current black coat is beginning to look worn out so it would not hurt to wear something different for a change. He was a practical man after all, theres no need to buy more clothing when he had a perfectly good clothing here. As he walked out of the room holding the outfit and a few new letters to go over, he almost believed himself.
~
Diluc’s interaction with the traveller has left him concerned to say to least. For a younger version of himself to appear from a Ley Line Outcrop so clearly to the Traveller and Paimon that they were able to tell his difference in age could not just be by chance. The Abyss must be tampering with them, trying to harness their energy or power. For the occurrence to happen so close on Mondstate furthered the anxiety he felt.
He spent the better part of two days out in the forests of Wolvendom, hoping to find any signs of what the Abyss order might be planning, but frustratingly there seemed to be no sign of abyss activity at all. He took out his energy and frustration on the Hilichures and Slimes that are no doubt causing issues for the all the animals of the forest.
After finally resigning his hope in finding anything Diluc made his way back to the Winery. He must get himself ready, he had a shift after all. And he wasn’t one to off load work to others. He was exhausted after barely sleeping and frustrated at the fruitlessness of it all, he was in no state to socialise and he knows he will make a lousy bar keep but there was work to be done.
He just hoped it would be a quite night.
~
34
That is many time songs that damn bard had played tonight, it seems everyone and anyone was willing to spare some mora just to make sure the ringing in his head does not cease.
He almost whispered a prayer to Barbados for it to stop before he realised the irony.
He could not be here, he felt as if he could snap and burn the whole bar down at any moment. He had to take a break.
“I need a breath of fresh air.” Diluc shot to Charles before quickly ducking out the back exit of the bar.
As he leaned there across the wall, he allowed his mind to wonder, to all the strange occurrences that happened lately, that for some reason as strange as it is, seem to be surrounding him.
Before he could give that too much thought, he heard the all too familiar sound of those tell-tale boots hitting the ground. Kaeya rounded the corner, sliding over to him with his long slow steps, almost like a cat. Or a lioness.
“What’s awrong Master Diluc? You seem even more stoic than usual; I didn’t even realise that was possible.”
Diluc simply gruffed in response.
“Isn’t it around the time when your prized grape juice should be ready” Kaeya simply continued “I would think your spirts would be lifted.”
When he did not get a response again Kaeya simple leaned up against the wall near him and looked out to the stars, humming one of the songs Venti had played that evening.
“Do you remember when we would connect the dots of the stars?” Diluc asked suddenly.
“I- um yes?” Kaeya gawked, clearly not expecting to be addressed at all.
“Do you think the stars have stayed in the same place, could we still draw the lines we drew all those years ago.”
Kaeya turned and looked him with that deep blue eye, a genuine smile danced on his lips.
“Ah Master Diluc, always the poetic” Kaeya mused. That echoed something much too familiar to Diluc.
“I never used to be much of a night person you know, so you keeping me up stargazing was quite troublesome” Kaeya complained.
He couldn’t help the snort that left him. “Ah yes, I seem to remember, you falling asleep face first into Adelindes porridge.”
“Oh, Archons that’s not even the half of it, she gave me a three-hour lecture on the importance of sleep and made sure father gave me extra duties that week.”
Diluc felt his whole body stiffen.
Father.
His barely suppressed frustration and rage all seemed to be bubbling to the surface at that very moment.
Kaeya seemed to realise what he said and the shift in mood. He was rambling out something about having too much to drink and forgetting himself, but Diluc wasn’t listening. Waves of heat sliding off him as he stalked forward toward Kaeya, slowly backing him into the corner.
“Do you think just because I speak light with you, I have forgot what you did. How you betrayed him” Diluc spat.
“I-I’m”
“You ruined everything good I had, you stripped me bare and left me with nothing and now you think you have the right to call him father.”
He knows his getting too angry, he knows his reaction isn’t justified, but he can’t help it. He can feel his vison pulsing with pyro, heating up every part of him, begging for a fight.
“P-please, I’m sorry your right, I was out of line. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I ruined everything I know but p-please le-lets just…” Kaeya fades off, clearly unsure what to say to calm the beast in front of him. He raised his hands as if to defend himself, shaking at the thoughts of the flames he was about to encounter.
The sight of Kaeya shaking, clearly terrified, was like a bucket of ice water. The fact that this usually so confident young captain could look so scared because of him made him realise how shameful he was being.
His vison stilled as he lowered his arms and stepped back. Kaeya clearly not wanting to give Diluc a chance to change his mind dashed off as soon as he saw the opening.
Gods what is wrong with me, is all Diluc could think as he made his way back into the tavern, ready to kick out the reaming patrons and finally get some sleep.