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“Say Master Diluc, care to spare this bard with a glass of your finest wine? I’ll pay you with a tune worth your time.” Venti winked from where he was sitting next to Kaeya, legs spread out as he refused to sit still on his barstool.
Venti was on his left, smiling brightly with his lyre in hand as the bartender in front of them huffed, turning away and only sparing the poor bard a side glance. Rosaria, to his right, snickered from the mug she was holding, downing the booze just as quickly as she tends to do. The metal claws on her fingers shone amidst the dim tavern light.
“Perform if you want. Your reward can range anywhere from an apple to your desired wine.” Diluc narrowed his eyes, having grabbed a glass to clean for the next patron who ordered.
Kaeya stared, his Death After Noon forgotten momentarily on the counter as he watched Diluc act. The tight frown, his tense shoulders, the way his hand gripped the wine glass so tightly it looked like it could break. Something was bothering Diluc, and it was with that revelation that an idea sparked.
Could he make Diluc smile like he used to? He couldn’t remember the last time he saw the man grin as he did when he was a teenager.
Diluc seemed to notice his incessant staring, his frown deepening significantly, “Are you going to drink your Death After Noon instead of staring at me, Sir Kaeya?”
He snapped out of his daze, Venti no longer sitting next to him and Rosaria already asking for a refill. The sound of a lyre played softly in the background, filling the room with a lively atmosphere whilst the drunkards clinked their glasses together and chattered amongst themselves. Venti’s ballads were hardly heard over the mass conversations happening in the room.
“Ah, I suppose not. Perhaps I’m just not in the mood for it yet.” Kaeya grinned, tilting his head a little to get a better look at Diluc.
Though the lighting certainly didn’t help, he could see the dark bags under Diluc’s eyes. Seems he hasn’t been sleeping either. Diluc swiftly turned away, his back facing Kaeya to avoid his gaze.
“Stop staring at me like that, just spit it out already,” Diluc hissed, Kaeya sighed in response.
“Say, Diluc, I have a question. When was the last time we went seashell collecting together?” He rested his cheek against the palm of his hand, deciding to pick up his wine glass and take a sip.
Diluc raised an eyebrow, “We haven’t gone seashell collecting in years. Why are you bringing it up now?”
“The summer is here and the weather is perfect for the beach,” Kaeya took another sip of his Death After Noon, “We should go again, like old times.”
Kaeya could feel the alcohol making its way through his system quickly, the strength of the wine working wonders to muddle his thoughts even more. The room felt a little hotter than it was before, his cheeks flushed a light pink the more he drank.
“I didn’t think seashell collecting still interested you,” Diluc admitted quietly, the aura around him changing so quickly.
Kaeya almost didn’t register it. Almost. He hasn’t completely slipped into drunken oblivion just yet.
“You know…” Kaeya paused, clumsily taking another sip. His glass was almost empty now. “I still have a seashell from back then.”
This caught Diluc’s attention. His eyes widened in surprise, “You still have one? I thought all of them were tossed out.”
“Not quite!” Kaeya laughed breathily, pushing his empty glass towards Diluc for a refill.
Now he was in the mood. Reminiscing on old times always brought back a bitterness in his heart that he wished to drown out. No matter how drunk he had to be to forget. It didn’t matter if he and Diluc were in good relations now, it still hurt.
It all hurts to think about.
“It has… Obviously lost its luster now, it hardly.. Hardly looks like how it used to.” He watched hazily as Diluc hesitantly mixed him another glass of Death After Noon.
“But you still kept it,” Diluc whispered, sliding the glass with a soft look on his face.
“I still kept it. Because it meant the world to me.” Kaeya immediately quieted, realizing he was spilling a tad bit too much for his liking.
He took the new Death After Noon and downed it as Venti finished his ballad, the patrons erupting into cheers for him. The glass was placed down shortly after, Kaeya’s head slumping onto the counter. He really didn’t feel all that great.
“Oh, Kaeya… I think that’s enough.” Diluc pulled the glass away, watching the other man huff.
“What? Going to carry me home again?” Kaeya muttered, his words hardly heard over the sea of voices.
“No. But I’ll help you. Come on, get up.” Diluc moved towards the end of the bar, exiting and walking over to stand behind Kaeya.
He slowly lifted his head off the table, pushing the barstool behind him with a screech as he stood up sloppily, nearly tipping over in the process. Diluc reached out to slide one of Kaeya’s arms over his shoulders in support, holding him up.
“Charles! Handle the bar while I’m gone. I’ll be back shortly.” He called out to his subordinate, slowly walking Kaeya out.
“I tried really hard..” Kaeya mumbled incomprehensibly, his head slumping as the warm, midsummer night air hit them after exiting the Angel’s Share.
“I didn’t know you were the sentimental type Kaeya, I’m sorry,” Diluc started, biting his lip, “I shouldn’t have let you get this drunk. Still…”
“Still?” Kaeya repeated questioningly, letting himself get dragged along the cobbled roads of Mondstadt.
Diluc smiled softly, barely seen through the dim streetlights, “Remembering those days truly does make me happy.”
“I’m glad, ‘Luc.” Kaeya smiled in return, a silent victory in his head.
He managed to do it. Diluc smiled.