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Hopefully Jean would forgive him, Kaeya thought pitifully. He was currently slumped against the wall of his apartment, too weak to move, his muscles barely listening to his demand to make it to his bed. So there he was for.. was it two days now? He was losing track of time with how sick his body felt. And he was cold, so cold. It felt like internally he was burning up and would melt from the intense heat, but his cryo vision flared up viciously trying to combat the heat flowing in his body.
It wasnt this bad at first, he was able to push through on the first day and just assumed one night of bed rest would do him good. But by morning the sickness seemed to hit him full force. Kaeya was stubborn by nature though and forced himself to get out of bed and just try to get through the day, but the wooziness soon overtook his body. He had braced himself against the wall, the room spinning until his body completely gave in. He had fallen in and out of consciousness in that time, barely registering much through the ache coursing through his body. Luckily a lone bottle of wine sat discarded on his nightstand close by and decided eventually, if he was already going to suffer he may as well need a way to get through it.
And thats how he found himself in this current predicament. He groaned, head leaning against the wall to peer up at the ceiling in self-pity. It would be hilarious if this is how he goes out, not from the abyss or from any treasure hoarders. Just.. slouched against his barren apartment wall, a bottle of wine half gone dangling from one hand. He chuckled darkly. What a sight he was.
The setting sun was the only light in the room, shining dully through the window and leaving everything in a peaceful kind of glow contrary to Kaeya's own predicament. Maybe, it wouldn't be too bad to go here. He wouldn't have to face destiny or make any hard choices. He wouldn't have to face Diluc with his failures anymore. Kaeya took another swig from the bottle, hoping by any chance it would heat up his frigid skin, but it only seemed to make his state worse.
He should really try to make it to the bed, cover himself from the world and sleep till its all gone. What that was he didn't care to debate about in his head.
Placing the bottle down, he tried to push himself up with a small effort, body shaking violently. He barely made any sort of progress before his arms gave out. Fuck, he really was pathetic. Deciding to give up, he curled up on the floor, back against the wall letting the drowsiness from the effects of the alcohol wash over him and put him in a fitful sleep.
A loud noise broke him suddenly from sleep, he felt like he was barely gone for long at all. He stayed still, his body protesting now more than ever from his position on the floor. Were those.. footsteps? Did someone break in? He internally panicked, there was no way he could protect himself in this state.
He made an effort to prop himself up, atleast if he was going to die he might as well face his attacker head on. His vision was fuzzy, head feeling like it was full of lead. He wouldn't make it long anyways.
The heavy footsteps stopped at his door, and he tensed. A few knocks sounded at the door, "Kaeya? Are you here?" A gruff voice sounded, it was very familiar but Kaeya couldn't make sense through the haziness in his head. Every part of his body just felt weak and unwilling. He made a small noise in acknowledgement, starting to think this was just a dream brought on from his fever.
The door handle turned and Diluc stepped through, the slight irritation on his face face quickly falling as he took in the sight of the man on the floor. He froze, one hand still holding onto the door, dumbfounded. "What are you doing?" Kaeya leaned heavily against the wall behind him, managing to give a vague gesture of his hand around him, "yknow, just hanging out." He spoke raspily, wincing at how frail the words sounded sounded coming out of his mouth.
Diluc's eyes scanned over Kaeya, staying silent as he seemed to be lost in thought. "Kaeya.." Diluc spoke dejectedly, taking steps over and kneeling before the blue haired man. He glanced at the bottle laying a little ways away before his eyes snapped back to Kaeya, a frown etching his features.
"Jean told me to check on you, are you sick?" He reached out a hand to touch Kaeya's skin and pulled back with a low hiss. "Fuck you're freezing cold, what are you doing?"
"Just thought the floor was comfy is all," Kaeya replied, the sarcasm being quickly lost as coughs over took him, shaking roughly all over his body from the motion.
"Bed, now" The other demanded, and before Kaeya could even protest Diluc gathered him in his arms and picked him off the cold wooden floor he had grown a little too friendly within the last.. few?.. hours.
The sudden motion had Kaeya's head spinning viciously again. He gulped hard, squeezing his eyes closed and leaning heavily into Diluc's chest.
"You know, in any other context one would assume you were trying to get in my pants," he chided.
"For the love of god Kaeya, shut up," Diluc groaned as he carried Kaeya through the room. Kaeya smirked to himself and settled into Diluc's hold, barely daring to open his eyes lest the room would spin sideways.
Gods, Diluc was so warm; it was a welcome contrast to the frigid misery he was stuck in previously. If he was in any right state he'd have half a mind to be embarrassed. But right now, he could get lost in that enticing heat. Too quickly though he was deposited back in his bed, a low whimper escaping his lips from the loss of contact.
He hazily opened his eyes to the other as blankets were piled onto him, it was all still so cold. A small sweat had broken out on his skin from the all too varying temperatures going on around him. His body fighting itself between burning and cooling him down, and he found all he wanted was the comfort that Diluc temporarily brought him.
Diluc turned as if to walk out the room and a slight panic surged in Kaeya's chest, his arm shooting out to clasp at the end of Diluc's coat.
"Wait, stay please," he rasped, knowing all too well that with the state he was in it wouldn't be hard for the other to pull out of his grasp. Diluc turned to look down at him, features turned soft. He moved closer, a hand ghosting over Kaeya's cheek.
"I'm getting you some water and hopefully some medication." His voice rumbled quietly but to Kaeya it seemed to reverberate through him, Diluc looking at him too soft, too caring. Kaeya hoped now it wasn't a dream cause now his chest longed for nothing more than being close to the other, yearned for contact he hadn't had in years.
"P-please don't go," he whispered. Diluc hesitated, hand soothing over Kaeya's cheekbones, his forehead, before slipping gently under his eyepatch to remove it. Kaeya blinked up at him, his mismatched eye easily adjusting to the growing dark in the room. Diluc's expression was mixed, his mouth moving in a fine line of discontent, but his gaze full of worry.
"Okay," he murmured, before moving to shrug off his bulky overcoat and removing his tie to get comfortable. Kaeya soon felt a dip on the bed, the back of the redhead facing him as he discarded his shoes quietly. His long hair cascaded down his back, lit in the perfect shade of dusk light that it could almost look like a dull flame. Kaeya reached out without a second thought, running his hand through the soft locks.
Diluc's shoulders visibly relaxed from the contact, turning to face Kaeya who was laying on his side staring up at the other, "scoot over."
Kaeya obeyed, wincing with the small movement, body still raked with small shivers as he made room for Diluc. The taller man clicked his tongue at the motion, opting to say nothing as he settled in beside the bluenette.
"Come here," he whispered in the stillness of the room, a warm arm wrapping around Kaeya's waist and pulling him closer. Without being told twice Kaeya tucked his head under Diluc's chin, hands grasping tightly at the cloth shirt he wore as if the red head was going to change his mind and run at any moment. He sighed in relief, the warmth between them being the closest solace Kaeya could get from his sickness.
Diluc huffed, cheeks brightening where Kaeya couldn't see as he rested his chin on the top of the other's hair.
They laid like that for awhile, both of them comforting the other in silence, and soon Kaeya stopped shaking as violently, body succumbing to a peaceful hazy feeling. Fingers reached up to comb through his hair slowly, a low whimper leaving his throat at the intimate gesture.
"Honestly Kaeya, you need to take better care of yourself," Diluc scolded, the hand around his waist tightening slightly.
Kaeya chuckled, "Well I wouldn't have you here if I did would I?" Above him, Diluc rolled his eyes fondly, "You're such a handful," he groaned, arms pulling Kaeya tighter against his frame.
"Well my favorite past time is to make your life difficult."
"You don't even have to try hard to do that."
"Hey!" Kaeya protested, dislodging diluc as he looked up at the other. Diluc laughed lowly, looking down into the mismatched eyes he's come to love for so long, a low warmth blooming in his chest. He leaned down, leaving a soft lingering kiss to the blunette's forehead.
"Get some sleep Kaeya, you need to get better so you can get back to annoying me at the tavern." Kaeya huffed, his body still felt weak but in that moment his heart felt like it would explode from all the feelings inside of him.
He kissed the crook of Diluc's neck before curling back into the soft warmth. He felt at home for the first time in years, and he hoped it could stay like this forever. Fingers ran through his hair again, the coziness and comfort finally lulling Kaeya into sleep.
Diluc kissed the crown of Kaeya's hair, lost in thought, "I love you," he whispered, before following the other soon after into a peaceful rest.