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Diluc stumbled out of the Angel’s Share and into the pouring rain. He didn’t really know why. It’s not like he was expecting to brave the storm that had already brought the city to a halt. Still, he yanked the door open and staggered across the uneven cobblestone before finally slipping. Diluc laid there unmoving, trying to catch his breath. It didn’t matter that the rain was pelting him.
It didn’t matter. He wasn’t sure why.
Slowly and shakily, Diluc lifted himself off of the ground, struggling to find his balance. He held back a bout of nausea and walked a bit further, unsure of where he was or where he was heading for that matter. He wasn’t sure if it was the heavy rain or his blurry vision that caused his confusion, but for some reason it didn’t matter. The only feelings he was really sure about at the moment were those of a debilitating headache and some sort of primal instinct to get away from something.
He fell once more to his knees and gagged. The strain added even more pressure in his head, feeling like it would literally explode. By this point he would have been fine with that if it meant the pain would finally go away.
Move.
Keep moving.
Was he being chased by someone? Was he chasing someone?
It doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter.
Diluc picked himself up off of the ground and pushed forward, hardly registering as he made his way up a staircase. With each step it felt hotter and hotter. Diluc pulled at his shirt collar, finding little reprieve. He peeled his soaked jacket off and tossed his gloves. Why was he so hot when it was pouring out? Not caring how little sense everything made, he struggled with undoing the buttons on his shirt.
Eventually, Diluc stopped. He could only undo a few of the buttons before he gave up. Fatigue washed over him quicker than the rain currently drenching him. Even with the relentless throbbing in his head, he struggled to keep his eyes opened. He stood still and debated going to sleep right then and there until something bumped into him from behind.
“Huh? Master Diluc!?” a man shouted from behind. Diluc turned as saw Huffman holding a heavy blanket over his head—a poor attempt at keeping himself dry. The guard had to shout over the sound of the pelting rain. “What are you doing out here!?” The redhead stared at the guard for a moment. Why did he come here? Where was here anyway? He could barely make out Huffman’s face let alone where he was.
“C’mon! The HQ is right here! Let’s get you inside!” Diluc couldn’t argue as Huffman firmly grabbed one of his arms and pulled him along through the downpour until they reached some steps. For some reason, Diluc struggled to lift his foot in order to go up them, resulting in yet another fall. Huffman shouted something but what did it matter? He was already on the ground, he might as well just go to sleep.
His eyes drifted close before felt a stinging sensation on his cheek. Diluc startled, realizing he no longer laid outside on the steps, but now on the floor of the Knights of Favonius’ headquarters.
“Kaeya!” Jean hissed in a worried tone. Diluc finally recognized the audience that amassed in front of him despite his blurred vision. Kaeya kneeled next to him with Huffman and two other guards behind him. Jean sat on the other side of the redhead. Albedo also lingered behind her.
“Oh, it worked,” Albedo hummed.
“What’s going on with you, Master Diluc?” Kaeya asked.
“Something’s wrong…” Diluc muttered.
“We can see that,” Kaeya sighed warily.
“Master Diluc, I tried healing you but I couldn’t sense what was wrong with you since you have no injuries. Can you tell us what happened?” Diluc gazed at her for a moment before closing his eyes.
“The room’s spinning,” he groaned. He felt a cool hand touch his forehead, but it didn’t relieve him of any pain.
“What other symptoms are you having, Master Diluc?” Albedo sounded closer than before.
“My head’s killing me.” Another hand on his head, this one softer and not as cold to the touch.
“Anything else?”
“Nausea. Tired.”
“Combined with his shortness of breath, altered mental state, and probably loss of muscle control…” Albedo rambled.
“Wait,” Jean interrupted him. “That sounds like—
“Carbon monoxide poisoning if I had to guess,” Albedo cut her off. A moment of silence passed through the room. Diluc almost fell asleep before he felt someone shaking him.
“Try and stay awake. Please.” Could Kaeya just leave him alone and let him rest?
“How can that be possible? I’ve only heard of carbon monoxide poisoning when caving in Natlan,” Jean said.
“Can we worry about that a little later? What can we do for him?” Kaeya asked impatiently. Jean apologized before bringing her hands over Diluc’s chest and face, using her anemo to help him breathe.
“We don’t know if it actually is co poisoning, but it’s very likely. We can’t know for sure unless we do a blood test, but I think it’s best we treat it like it is. He needs to be put on oxygen.”
“Then we have to get him to the cathedral,” Kaeya surmised.
“The weather outside isn’t getting any better,” Huffman spoke up.
“That doesn’t matter. Diluc needs to get to the cathedral. If I have to take him myself then I will.”
“Relax, Kaeya,” said Jean. “We’ll get him there. Don't worry.” The acting grandmaster looked down at Diluc, though he couldn’t really tell if she was making eye contact or not. “Master Diluc, we’re going to take you to the cathedral. Can you tell us where you came into contact with carbon monoxide?” The redhead just stared at the ceiling. What was Jean even talking about?
“Master Diluc?” Has the ceiling at the headquarters always looked so mesmerizing?
“Master Diluc?” Why was it so loud?
“Diluc!”
Diluc. Diluc. Diluc.
Why did his name sound so weird to him right now?
“Master Diluc.” Something was off. Something wasn’t right.
“Master Diluc?” Diluc blinked and held back a gasp when he came face to face with a healer.
“Mast—”
“What?” The redhead interrupted her. She breathed a sigh of relief and backed away from his face. That was when he noticed he was lying on a bed in the medical wing of the cathedral. Barbara was nearby, attending to someone hidden behind a curtain. Kaeya came into view as he leaned over Diluc’s bedside, taking a good look at the bedridden man.
“Well, that’s a good sign,” the healer rejoiced. Kaeya turned to her, apparently unexpectant of Diluc’s ability to answer questions at the moment.
“How long will he have to be here?”
“Well, he’s going to have to stay on oxygen until he no longer shows any symptoms.” The healer paused and leaned back toward Diluc. “Speaking of symptoms, can you see clearly?” Diluc blinked a few times.
“Better.” The curt response didn’t satisfy her, but she no longer pressed him on the matter. Turning back to Kaeya, she continued to key him in on the details as Diluc laid motionless on the bed. He took the time to relish in the comfort of it. It felt as if he’d been taking out hilichurl camps all night. How nice it would be to finally just fall asleep.
“Hey,” Kaeya said, shaking him out of his thoughts.
“Hm?” Diluc hummed, not minding how Kaeya nervously fidgeted with a coin in his hands. The healer had somehow disappeared and the cavalry captain was now sitting in a seat.
“Where were you before you came to the headquarters?” Diluc thought for a moment.
“Outside. It was raining.”
“Before that.”
“I was…” Diluc trailed off. Kaeya waited patiently for an answer, but Diluc never obliged him. Kaeya furrowed his eyebrows in worry.
“It’s really important, Diluc. Think. Where were you? You weren’t in a domain, right?” A domain didn’t feel right. Diluc shook his head before quickly stopping—the movement making his dizziness worse. “You couldn’t have possibly made it from the winery to the headquarters…” Diluc said nothing as Kaeya ruminated on his thoughts.
“You were probably at the Angel’s Share…still I don’t see how you could have gotten carbon monoxide poisoning. We’re going to have to check it out once the storm lets up. Hopefully no one else wanders in there…” Diluc tried to study Kaeya’s expression, but for some reason he couldn’t focus on his brother’s face.
“You can go to sleep now, Diluc. The healer said it was okay.”
Sleep sounded really nice right about now.
*****
“I’m feeling normal, really. There’s no need.”
“With all due respect, Master Diluc, you don’t know enough about carbon monoxide poisoning to make that judgment.”
“Just listen to the healer, Diluc. She knows what she’s doing,” Kaeya said. Diluc crossed his arms and sighed.
“There’s a possibility of other symptoms that can come on after recovery, so we need to conduct some neurological exams,” she said.
“Can I go after that’s done?”
“Well discharge you later today, but I’m afraid we’ll have to do the tests everyday for a week, so you’ll have to come back.” Diluc wanted to be angry at being forced to rest, but it was hard when both the healer and Kaeya looked so concerned. He relented and let the subject matter drop. He’d wait for when he could finally be released at the end of the day.
Kaeya thanked the healer and took his seat by the bed.
“Did you find out what happened?” Diluc asked. Kaeya frowned before nodding.
“Someone seemed to tamper with all of the oil lamps in the tavern. Instead of the regular oil, it was some sort of manufactured agent that certainly didn’t come from Mondstadt.”
“That was certainly a creative way of getting rid of somebody,” Diluc mused.
“If you hadn’t left the tavern, you likely would have fallen unconscious and then died.”
It’s not like Diluc hadn’t been thinking of that—of what would have happened if he’d actually died there. Who would have walked in to find him dead? Would it have been Kaeya? Charles? What would happen to the winery? Adelinde and Elzer would be heartbroken.
And Kaeya?
Kaeya would…
“We need to have a serious talk, Diluc.” The redhead noticed the uncharacteristically serious tone in Kaeya’s voice. “You’ve been getting hurt too much recently.” Diluc looked down at his hands, shamefully aware he had no place to argue with that statement. “I’m afraid, ‘Luc. I’m scared.”
“I’m sorry, Kaeya. I—”
“‘Sorry’ doesn’t cut it!” Kaeya snapped. “You don’t understand what it’s been doing to me to wonder if you’re going to make it through the week!” Kaeya paused for a moment, regaining control of his volume. “Please stop doing reckless things and making enemies with such crafty people. You’re strong, okay? I know that first hand, but things can’t keep going the way they’ve been.” Diluc felt an ache in his chest at Kaeya’s slight jab. Swallowing the lump in his throat and the rebuttal on his tongue, Diluc finally made eye-contact.
“...You’re right.” Kaeya seemed to wait for the redhead to continue, but Diluc didn’t know what to say.
“So what are you going to do differently?” Kaeya asked.
“I’ll…start by apologizing.” The bluehead looked at Diluc wearily.
“That’s all?” Diluc studied Kaeya, truly noticing just how much the bluehead was saying without uttering a word. Subconsciously holding his breath, Diluc hesitantly held out his hand, and without any hesitation, Kaeya took it.
Instead of tensing up, Diluc was surprised at how his stress seemed to leave his body as Kaeya wrapped his arms around him.
Diluc didn’t think twice about returning the hug.