Chapter Text
Diluc stands behind the counter, wiping a glass.
He eyes the door, Kaeya was late. Over a few months, Kaeya’s become scarce in the early hours of the evening. If the knight does appear in Angel’s Share, it’s shortly before closing and a silent seat.
It was likely he’d been assigned to the increase in fatal crime, even the Darknight Hero was at a loss for how to help Mondstadt and its victims.
If Albedo and his team have been unable to form any leads, then perhaps he would need to step in, much to his dismay over working with the knights. Or Kaeya.
Their relationship isn’t nearly as tainted as it once was, but their speaking terms were… debatable. Most nights were distasteful bickering, one or the other throwing jabs to purposefully aggravate.
The bartender has entertained the thought of reconciling, but believes it to be a wasted effort. Neither have the time to reforge themselves nor does it seem Kaeya has the will to do so, with the knight insulting him whenever possible.
It’s not as if he deserves Kaeya’s kindness, anyways.
Diluc’s thoughts are interrupted by the screeching of a barstool on hardwood, “Good evening, Master Diluc.”
The redhead lifts his head, “Sir Kaeya, how lovely of you to join us right before closing.”
“My apologies, I will be sure to be quick.” Kaeya smirks, “I’m not seeking much, perhaps something sweet.”
“I was jesting.” Diluc corrects, “Switching it up for the night? Very well, would you like Dande-”
Kaeya waves his hand, “No, no. Just a glass of juice, please,” he pauses, “No grape juice.”
Diluc stares at him momentarily, raising an eyebrow, “Juice?”
Kaeya tilts his head slightly, “Yes? I trust your judgment of specifics, as long as that judgment does not include grape.” He giggles at the man.
“Very well…” Diluc turns away, “I didn’t take you for the non-alcoholic type.”
He hears a sigh from behind, “What can I say, Master Diluc, perhaps I’m seeking a change of pace.”
Diluc hums, tuning him out in favor of pouring the drink.
Silently, he places it down on the counter, eyeing Kaeya as he smiles at the elder of the two. “Thank you.” The knight murmurs while grabbing the glass and a yellow folder unnoticed next to him, shuffling to an unoccupied table in the corner.
The instant he sits, his smile drops from his face, and a tired frown dragging his expression downward.
Diluc stares at the man, watching as he spreads multiple papers across the table, reading each carefully with a glazed look in his eye. The knight puts his hand over his mouth, visibly disturbed. It’s rare to see the other this expressive, his face normally exulting neutrality or an empty smile.
If his previous assumptions are correct, his work has shifted to the recent murders.
Diluc himself has investigated the various the cases, but all were cold. The knights have kept their investigation under tight wraps.
He grabs at the broom, sweeping the base floor of the tavern. as well as raising the table's chairs face down on their surfaces.
He glances at Kaeya’s glass, noting its emptiness.
With a sigh, Diluc grabs the jug and waltzes to the only occupied table, “Refill, Sir Kaeya?”
The knight startles, “Ah…” he lowers the sheet he was holding, “That would be lovely, thank you.”
Diluc cannot tell if it’s pleasantries, or if the captain’s behavior towards him has shifted as a whole. Either way, an internal smile hides behind the scowl adorned on the bartender’s face.
He pours the drink and studies the papers littered on the table’s surface. It seems he was right, Kaeya has joined the investigation revolving around the now infamous murders.
Diluc straightens, placing the jug on a table to the side. “Any luck?”
Kaeya sighs, disheartened.
“No.” He rubs at his temple, “It’s clear there’s a connection, but not a viable one.”
“I see.” Diluc makes a grabbing motion to a report, his head tilted slightly.
Kaeya presents it, his free hand rubbing circles to the side of his head. “Have at it.”
Diluc takes a seat next to the knight, reading over the report.
13 victims. None having a direct correlation, and all having different perpetrators. His face scrunches, “Nelson?”
Kaeya perks up, “Yes, unfortunately. One of our original perps.”
“That is… odd. Nelson was many things, but not a murderer.” Diluc replied, “The same could be said for the majority of the arrested persons.”
“If you’re implying we’ve condemned the wrong people, each was found directly next to or near the body.” Kaeya glares, “That, plus bodily evidence, is what makes this case so… difficult.”
Diluc hums, “Then it’s likely they’re under influence.”
“Yes, but how and why remains unanswered. Albedo’s reports continue to come back negative on oddities in the systems of the perps as well.” Kaeya replies, “I do appreciate the feedback, but we have covered everything. The only thing we can unfortunately do is wait for another victim and pray to Barbatos for a lead.”
“Then I’ll let you get back to it,” he rises from the chair, hovering over Kaeya’s hunched form. “And—” Diluc starts, but grimaces to himself before he can utter any further syllables.
“Nevermind.” He grumbles, turning his head. Kaeya raises his eyebrow but shrugs it off, too exhausted to press anything.
Diluc returns to the bar, his only task left being to pack away the wine and clean Kaeya’s lonely table.
Exiting the tavern’s foyer, he organizes the opened bottles of alcohol into their place on the shelves, storing others in a crate beneath the bar. He gets it done swiftly, then carries them to their storage to the tune of bottles clinking together inside.
Reentering the tavern, he checks on Kaeya briefly before wetting a cloth and tossing it onto the bar’s top, wiping it down in practiced motions. His eyes shift to Kaeya, still intently looming over the reports. It’s strange, Diluc thinks. Kaeya’s reserved nature is on display, as it has been the past couple of months. The insults have chilled to a stop, freezing over into a calmness that washes over their conversations in a notably more pleasant manner.
Originally it had been caused for concern. But now it’s sparked into a hope that Kaeya’s obnoxious facade has come to an end.
Diluc shakes his head, squeezing the held rag and feeling the soapy water pool underneath his hand. Thoughts like those are unnecessary, it’s not up to him whether forgiveness is given.
He aggressively swipes the cloth across the bar, feeling a slice across the palm of his hand.
“Fuck!” Diluc exclaims, “What the hell…?”
He peers under the now ripped cloth, a lone reddened pin rolling across the countertop.
His head snaps from the pin to Kaeya's now unoccupied table, an empty glass resting on its top. When had he left? Why didn’t he say anything before leaving?
Diluc grunts, suddenly angrier than before, before pressing the used cloth against the profusely bleeding wound. He glares down at it, his eye twitching in annoyance at how such a small pin caused a commotion.
He stomps over to a drawer, dragging it open with unnecessary strength. The items inside bounce with the force, his free hand diving through until he finds what he was looking for. He wipes it clean with antiseptic wipes, wrapping it delicately with a roll of bandage. Blood immediately pools the once-white gauze, dripping moderately onto the floor.
Where had Kaeya gone?
Home, of course. It was near closing after all, and the captain appeared exhausted.
His mind flooded with questions revolving around the younger man, his mind warring between these thoughts and the confusion itself of why he was having them.
... Why did he leave silently? Why has he stopped drinking? Is something wrong with Kaeya? Yes. He is clearly overworked, and these cases bear too much weight on him.
He should have prompted Kaeya to discuss his troubles. Knowing his brother, he has bottled his emotions.
Diluc stills momentarily, shock blowing across his face.
Brother?
It had been a long time since he had slipped up, even in the confines of his own mind.
They are not brothers.
Are they?
Diluc sweats, his thoughts racing at the implications of the slip-up.
Something is wrong with Kaeya.
Yes, there is.
In a hurry, Diluc swings his coat from the rack, then across his back, pulling it over his shoulders. He exits the tavern, intent on heading to the Winery.
His feet do not cooperate.
Perhaps checking on him would do no harm.
Diluc absentmindedly nods along with his thoughts, as if it were common sense to follow Kaeya home.
He tries to think coherently, but the fog in his mind makes it easy to get lost, returning to Kaeya once more.
A cool shade of blue filtered his thoughts, a familiar building coming into view.
He hastily climbed the steps, his fist coming to a halt inches from knocking on the door.
What is he doing...?
With a sharp suck of breath, he staggers away from the closed entrance.
Check on him.
No. Kaeya does not need a babysitter, on the contrary, he seems to be trying to do better for himself.
His conviction falters, just as the bleeding stops.
Diluc observes the building, eyeing a lone window.
Shakily, he shifts his way to it.
A look wouldn’t hurt. A quick peek.
He places his bloodied hand on the window sill, quietly peering in through the sparsely closed curtains.
Inside, Diluc watches Kaeya stretch near his bedside table, covering his mouth with a yawn. His unblinking eyes follow Kaeya's movements, seeing him place the reports on his bedside before climbing into the silked bedding.
Diluc sighs, the fog clearing as he takes in his surrounding.
He should not be here. He should be here. Diluc shakes away the thought.
This was a stark overreaction on his part. Arriving at his residence for… not drinking? Looking a little tired? This is ridiculous. Diluc turns, briskly walking from the scene without a glance at the handprint left behind.