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It's been a long time since Diluc had been to Mondstadt. Maybe three, four years since the night his father passed away. It was a rough couple of years since he left, but it has gotten easier.
Most of his time he spent away was exploring and working with others to try taking down the fatui. But now he's almost done. He'll probably head back to Mondstadt soon.
He wasn’t too close to Mondstadt, maybe a month or too away by walking. Probably could even make it within a few weeks if he rushed himself. But he’ll take his time. He doesn’t need to be back right away. He can look around more as he slowly makes his way home.
During his time away, he came across a few flowers. A light purple, almost blue, color. It reminded him of an old friend back in Mondstadt. It's been a long time since he's seen him.
They loved the flowers they would see in Mondstadt. Diluc always enjoyed the small lamp grass. They always had such a nice blue color that reminded him of his friend. And his friend loved the calla lilies with their orange and red color he always said reminded him of Diluc.
It's been a few years since they last talked in person, and it wasn't the best time when they did. They still talked a bit now. Just a few letters back and forth during the past few years. He did get one recently, too, that he hasn't responded to yet. Now might be a good time for that.
Picking a couple of flowers on his way, Diluc carried them with him as he found a spot to camp and rest for the day. He’ll continue walking home the following morning.
After unpacking a few things, Diluc finds a book that should be suitable for what he needs. The flowers were beautiful, but unfortunately they may not survive a long trip. So pressing them within the pages of the book would give them a better chance.
He set the book aside and moved on to his next task. Took out some paper, a quill, and a pot of ink, as well as the latest letter he received. He read through it again to remind himself of the contents before writing out his reply. Something about a “businessman” showing up at Angel’s Share that might have been looking for him. There was also the mention of notes left there written in some sort of code. Very interesting. Something he would definitely have to look into when he got back to Mondstadt.
"Whatever the case, it took quite a lot of effort to see those blurred words with only one eye, you know?"
Diluc sighed. Of course he wasn't going to let that go. He was going to talk about that for a while. At least the teasing let Diluc know that he didn't hate him after what happened between them. And Diluc had planned to apologize and talk to him again when he got home.
So perhaps it wouldn't be wrong to tease him back a bit in his reply.
Diluc spent some time wording his reply before finally writing it all down on his paper. Read back over the letter a couple of times, then rolled it up with a ribbon.
He looked over the flowers he pressed, decided they needed a little more time. So it would be a good time to rest and eat before sending off the letter.
After a couple of hours or so he checked them again. Not perfectly pressed yet, but he decided it was a good time to send them if he wanted to give a timely reply.
Reread the letter. Concise. Acknowledging the situation and that teasing comment. And another comment about the flowers he was sending.
He brought the flowers out and laid them against the paper. Rolled them up as tightly as he could and tied it up with a ribbon.
Seemed like everything was secure. He held the rolled letter and shook it around to be sure the flowers wouldn't fall out. Seemed fine. Might as well send it now before he regrets it, though.
Whistles to his falcon. He figured she would still be nearby, following him from afar. He waited a moment and soon, sure enough, heard her call back. And after a few more minutes, he saw the falcon in the sky.
Diluc raised his arm and let the bird land. Like normal, he pet her and gave her treats. She rested there for a bit as Diluc tied the letter to her leg.
After he was sure the ribbon was tied securely, he gave the falcon some more treats then sent her on her way.
He watches her fly off into the distance with a small smile. "Hope it finds you well, Kaeya. I'll see you soon."
–
Kaeya was doing some paperwork in his office at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters when the falcon came in from the window and landed on a perch left in the office.
"Why hello there, little one." Kaeya smiled as he greeted the bird. He stood and walked over to the perch. Started to pet her as he reached down to bring out some treats.
He noticed the paper tied to the falcon's leg and smiled wider.
As he let her eat and rest, Kaeya started to untie the ribbon and carefully pull the rolled up paper away from her.
He brought it back to his desk with him and unrolled it.
A couple of flowers immediately fell out from the paper when it opened. Kaeya stared for a moment at the purple flowers lying on his desk and chuckled. How sweet.
He picked one up and inspected it. Probably been pressed for the long journey so they would survive and maybe to even help with transporting them. He knew he could easily figure out what type of flower they were. He knew he had even seen them before, but he decided he didn't care to find out. He'll let it continue to be a mystery where his dear friend was, even if he was just given the answer on a silver platter.
He carefully laid the two flowers on his desk and finished unrolling the paper so he could read the message.
"To K:
Message received. Thank you.
I suggest that you stop mentioning eyes in your letters. Don't think that I don't know that your right eye wasn't blinded.
And that little gift is for you. Thought you might appreciate them.
-D"
Despite the nice gesture of giving him flowers from a distant country, Kaeya still felt a bit hurt. It's just a joke, right. That's all it is.
He sighed and sat back in his chair. He still should give something back. Even if that was his reaction to that previous letter. Kaeya should just be glad he even got a response in the first place. And especially a response with a little gift for him.
He just didn't know. That's all. It's Kaeya’s fault for messing around anyway.
He'll give something back in his next reply at least. Something he knows would be appreciated too. Maybe some more flowers. That might be nice.
Now to just get some flowers he would like.
Kaeya pet the falcon on his way out, making sure as well that she had enough food and water to rest and recharge before flying back to her master. Hopefully she’ll at least stay long enough for Kaeya’s reply.
He leaves his office, walks through the knight headquarters, and makes his way outside.
Walks through the town, greeting others with a smile as he passed by. Such a false smile, though. Less real than the normal smiles he gives everyone. He still couldn't stop thinking about the words left on the letter.
Of course that was the response. But he was the one who started teasing about it, that's all. So of course it would be seen in that way. Of course a tease would only be taken as a joke.
It hurt.
He stopped by the small flower shop at the front of the city. He would much prefer picking fresh flowers himself, but he may not have enough time. Buying them was simpler anyway.
He first asked to buy the small lamp grass. They were his favorite after all. Maybe not the best to press and send on a long journey, though. But Kaeya would still keep them. It would be a nice reminder to keep at his desk at least.
The calla lilies, though. Those might be nice to send. They were Kaeya’s own favorite, he should enjoy seeing them too.
He asked for two of each and handed the mora to the woman at the table, then took his small bouquet and brought it back to his office.
He separated the flowers once he was inside. Leaving the lamp grass in a vase he grabbed on his way in and brought the calla lilies to a book to start pressing them.
Then finally writing his letter. He took the quill at his desk and found some blank pieces of paper. Dipped the quill in the ink pot in front of him and started writing his thoughts. A few minutes passed, and he quickly pushed the paper aside and grabbed another one to start writing again. The first attempt on the side was his reference, telling him exactly what he should, and shouldn’t write. Many things he wrote on that first page were just not right. He couldn’t show him how stressed that one comment made him.
After another few minutes had gone by, he felt it was complete. Read through it a few more times, making sure everything was good and none of his pain would be evident, and determined it should be okay.
Should be good. Should be completely fine. He wouldn't know. He probably shouldn’t even know the truth at all now after he reacted in such a way.
He pushed the letter aside and tried to return to his paperwork. The calla lilies needed more time to be pressed. Might as well try to get something done while he waited.
A couple of hours passed when he finally got bored of that work. He pulled the book with the lilies over to him. Flipped to the page the lilies were left in and checked over them. Not the most flat, but better than nothing. He pulled them out and laid them against the letter he wrote.
"Hope you at least enjoy these. Thought I should give you a gift in return for the sweet one you gave me."
It worked at least. Not too bad. And as long as this doesn’t result in him getting another letter that pains him.
He rolled the calla lilies up with the letter and tied it up with a ribbon. Brought it over to the falcon, still resting on her perch and carefully tied it on her leg after petting her some more.
"Thank you for your work." Kaeya muttered to . "Whenever you're ready, okay girl?"
She left only a few minutes after Kaeya sat back down. He stared at the window as she flew away.
It was a mistake to send that letter out. This was only going to make things worse for himself. He still had hope that Diluc cared about him, but he shouldn’t think that. Why would Diluc even care about him after ignoring his injury like that?
While he was still teasing about what happened, he never lied. He only hoped that teasing Diluc about the injury would show that he never hated him. He could never hate Diluc, even after Diluc attacked him, injured him. And partially blinded him.
But Diluc must have misunderstood. Diluc saw Kaeya’s words as only a lie. Just a way for Kaeya to tease him. Diluc doesn’t know. That’s why Diluc must have responded like that. That’s the only reason. Diluc just didn’t know.
It was a stupid excuse. Kaeya shouldn’t defend him like that. Not when Diluc hurt him. When Diluc almost blinded him.
But Kaeya still loves him.
Once the falcon was far out of sight, Kaeya sighed and turned back to his desk. Stared at the lamp grass in the vase in front of him and he started to tear up. Picking up one of the pressed purple flowers Diluc got him, he left a small kiss on it.
"Miss you, Diluc. Hope you come home soon." He tried to smile as his tears dripped on the desk. "Love you…"