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April 30th was no longer a day to celebrate for Diluc. Instead of a birthday, there was only a sad memory of what he and Kaeya had lost. He was happy when, after his run-in with Kaeya a couple of days ago, the bluenette had said nothing about his recent birthday. Diluc would just rather pretend it didn’t exist and Kaeya seemed to be in agreement.
Diluc only recently returned from being absent for several years and was just beginning to come back into the city and interact with people again. He wanted no form of a celebration, and had made sure to tell his staff this was the case. He did, however, want to visit his father’s grave. He felt that doing this in the middle of the night was the best time, so he would be left alone. He was quite shocked to find Kaeya there. He had sat back and listened to his brother speak to their father’s gravestone, and Kaeya was none the wiser to his presence.
He probably should have let Kaeya know right then that he had returned. Instead, his brother had run into him at Angel’s Share a couple of weeks later and Diluc had accidentally scared him off. Diluc had found him and apologized. Both of them wanted to mend their relationship.
Things were running as smoothly as one could expect, considering he was just getting back into daily life. Or so he thought, until one blue-haired cryo user came to visit carrying a very large, very ugly vase. When he had opened the door, Diluc could only stare, making a mental note to never let Kaeya choose furniture of any kind in the future and leaving his brother standing there holding the monstrosity.
“Diluc,” Kaeya grunted, “I could use a little help here…”
Diluc stepped forward and Kaeya shoved the vase into his arms.
“...Umm, thanks.” Diluc said. He was nearly speechless. “Kaeya, I… uh- I don’t…”
“Happy Brother’s Day!” Kaeya said, patting him on the arm and smiling, genuinely. Before Diluc could say a word, the bluenette turned and called over his shoulder, “Well, I have to get back!”
Diluc was left holding the vase, mouth open and blinking at his retreating brother’s back. Happy Brother’s Day? Despite the vase not being the nicest thing he’d ever seen, he did feel it was the thought that mattered. Not that he’d admit it to Kaeya.
“Would you like me to take that, to Master Kaeya’s old room, perhaps?” Adelinde’s voice brought him back to reality.
Diluc pointed at a small end stand next to one of the couches, “Actually, could you move that table over here, by this pillar?”
Adelinde cleared off the little round table and moved it with Elzer’s help. Diluc thanked and dismissed them before moving to set the vase on the small stand. As he sat it down, it rattled. Looking through the top he could see a red glow. No, that can’t be…
He reached into the vase and wrapped his hand around the small object. It immediately began to pulse with familiarity, warmth, power and love. He stood looking at the vision sitting in his palm. His Vision.
He’d been told that Kaeya was the last to have been seen with it, but he hadn’t planned on asking for it back, nor did he expect it. Now that he was holding it in his hands, he couldn’t imagine ever being without it again.
He smiled at the other man’s antics as he sat at his desk, reaching for a quill and paper. This was Kaeya’s way of re-inventing his birthday. A way to start anew. A way to forgive. It was everything.
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Kaeya was walking up the steps to the Knights building when he heard a bird chirping for his attention. Diluc’s bird, specifically. He’d missed her and she nuzzled his hand as he reached out to pet her before removing the note attached to her leg.
She chirped her goodbye and flew away as he unrolled the small piece of paper.
Thank you. - Luc