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Kaeya strolled into Dawn Winery casually, a routine he found himself repeating more often these days. He wasn’t there with any particular purpose—besides spending time with his favourite person, of course. But something felt different this time. The place held a more formal, almost business-like air, accentuated by how the décor had transformed from its usual rustic charm into something refined and meticulously arranged.
The typically spacious, welcoming halls were now occupied with long, polished tables adorned with elegant candelabras, their flames flickering warmly yet precisely, casting shadows across the room. Burgundy drapes, deep and regal, lined the walls, hiding away any personal touches or warmth that usually gave the Winery its homely character. The subtle grandeur seemed a deliberate nod to the old days, a time when the Winery hosted formal gatherings—occasions Kaeya hadn’t seen since their father’s time.
He spotted the familiar red hair of the one he was looking for: Diluc, leaning against one of the tables with a clipboard in hand, scanning its contents carefully. Though Diluc seemed collected on the surface, Kaeya could tell there was a simmering tension beneath, a trace of old burdens trying to resurface.
“What’s the occasion?” Kaeya announced his presence as he approached, taking in the rare, formal set-up around them. The last time the Winery looked like this, their father had been alive. Crepus had prided himself on hosting formal gatherings, revelling in any opportunity to blend business with Mondstadt’s nobility, surrounding himself with influential figures. Kaeya had always admired that part of him, but he knew Diluc felt differently, preferring the quiet independence that came with distancing himself from such displays. Seeing the Winery dressed up in such a way again… well, Kaeya couldn’t help but feel curious.
Diluc looked up, his expression softening for a brief moment before he exhaled and returned to the clipboard. “I’ve decided to host this year’s wine industry meet here,” he answered simply, his attention still fixed on the list, though Kaeya noticed the slightest flicker of reluctance in his voice.
Kaeya raised an eyebrow. “I thought you preferred travelling to these sorts of things, to, you know, avoid all this?” He gestured broadly at the transformed room. It was true—Diluc usually went to great lengths to dodge hosting duties, not from a lack of capability but to avoid associating himself with memories he preferred to leave behind. Even if Diluc didn’t speak of it openly, Kaeya knew how deeply his brother resented the traditions their father had upheld. Formal gatherings in these halls often came with unrealistic expectations, expectations that had weighed on Diluc far too heavily as a young man. Back then, any perceived shortfall was met with unfair consequences. The memories were not pleasant ones.
“True,” Diluc muttered, finally lowering the clipboard onto the table after one last, careful glance. “But I don’t feel like travelling for this one.” His words were as vague as ever, leaving Kaeya to piece together his brother’s reasoning.
With a smirk, Kaeya leaned against the doorframe as Diluc turned to head toward the wine cellar. It wasn’t difficult to guess the unspoken motivations behind his decision. Their recent trip to Fontaine had left Diluc unsettled if not outright “travel-traumatised,” as Kaeya liked to call it. The lingering stress from that journey and the looming threat of the Delusion had likely convinced Diluc to avoid any unnecessary travels. Hosting the event here was, at least in part, a way to bury himself in work—a common coping strategy for his older brother.
As Diluc began hauling large barrels of wine from the cellar, Kaeya stepped forward, crossing his arms and eyeing his brother with a mix of genuine concern and playful bravado. “Are you sure it’s… safe?” he asked hesitantly, aware that the question would likely earn him a scowl.
Diluc paused, giving him an exasperated look. “Yes, it is. Of course it is,” he replied, clearly impatient. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought otherwise.” With a glance that implied he was more than capable of handling any threats, he hoisted a barrel onto his shoulder and moved it to a designated spot.
Kaeya shrugged off Diluc’s irritation, his lips curling into a teasing grin. “How could I ever doubt the great Master Diluc?” he said with a flourish. “Besides, with me here, everything should run perfectly. I’m quite the good luck charm, you know.”
Diluc gave him a sceptical look, raising an eyebrow.
Kaeya huffed, feigning exasperation. “Oh, come on. You know you need Knights for security, don’t you? Guess who happens to be one!” He gestured to himself dramatically.
“Perhaps,” Diluc admitted, albeit begrudgingly. “But I didn’t want to trouble you with something so… trivial.” There was truth in his words, but Kaeya knew Diluc was only mincing it into his opinion. Hosting an event like this with his history and vulnerabilities was anything but simple.
“Nonsense!” Kaeya declared, throwing an arm around his brother’s shoulders in an exaggerated, playful side hug. “Nothing is trivial when it comes to you, dear brother.”
Diluc allowed himself a chuckle before he gently shrugged Kaeya off. “Fine,” he relented, a slight smirk betraying his usual stern expression. “Why don’t you make yourself useful and help the maids with the final preparations? And, please—for the love of all that’s reasonable—wear something sensible.”
Kaeya pretended to pout, though he mentally acknowledged that Diluc had a point. “My outfits are stunning, thank you very much,” he quipped, though he could see how Diluc’s preference for understated elegance might clash with his flair.
Tonight was going to be interesting indeed.
***
Naturally, as soon as all the guests made their way in, it became increasingly busy. There was a careful plan concocted to make sure nothing was out of order; after all, this was strictly for business. Diluc didn’t want this to go on longer than it should, but he wasn’t going to half-ass the event either. Making a good impression on the wine industry, even if they were already well recognised, was important. Maintaining good relationships between merchants and other foreign investors was the top priority.
Diluc didn’t exactly like to engage in small talk, but it was unavoidable when he was the one hosting. Guests will always thank him for the wine, talk to him about other affairs, and gain his opinion. That was about all he did for the first half of the night. Exhausting, to say the least. That is why he preferred not to be the centre of attention. He wasn’t sure how his father was able to regularly keep up with something like that.
“This must be the first time I’ve seen you busy in a while,” Kaeya commented behind him, nearly startling Diluc. His attention had been divided to the point where anything unplanned would catch him off guard.
Rolling his eyes, Diluc turned around to face Kaeya directly. “Aren’t you supposed to be on guard duty?” And, wow, Kaeya did have sensible wardrobe options. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he had to dust cobwebs off the outfit though, seeing how they were rarely worn.
Kaeya shrugged, “I’m not the only Knight, the system won’t collapse as soon as I leave for a short moment.”
“Yeah, right,” Diluc scoffed, leaving the conversation at that. He didn’t have time to mingle uselessly, and talking to Kaeya was far from anything productive. Instead, he made his way over to where all the wine barrels were set up for the guests to sample and drink at their leisure and poured himself something non-alcoholic.
Before he could get back to what he was doing, someone swiftly collided into him with surprising force, almost knocking Diluc over, but luckily he managed to catch himself. His coat, however, was not so lucky, getting cold wine spilt all over it.
“Oh! I’m terribly sorry, Master Ragnvindr,” the man sputtered, hands fluttering around Diluc as if to offer assistance. The culprit—a well-dressed gentleman with a look of mild panic—produced a handkerchief, dabbing at Diluc’s coat.
Diluc took a breath, suppressing a flash of irritation. “It’s all right,” he replied curtly, stepping back to keep some distance. Of course one of the most cliche things ever had to happen to him. Another reason why he hated large gatherings.
He felt someone else brush past his back but before he could look, the man started talking again.
“There we are, I think I got most of it,” the man said, pocketing the handkerchief and glancing back at Diluc with a unique expression, one he couldn’t quite decipher. “Here, please—at least allow me to reimburse for the suit. I know this wine isn’t easy to get out.”
“No need,” Diluc replied, collecting himself, “I’ll handle it.” He took his glass back, barely noticing anything amiss as the man stepped aside with a polite bow, blending into the crowd again as though nothing unusual had happened.
Something felt incredibly off about that. If he wasn’t the one hosting, he would have taken time to investigate that suspicious-looking man. But, right now, Diluc could only brush it off as an accident and nothing else.
He quickly downed the rest of his drink before getting back to doing what he was before.
***
It wasn’t long before Diluc started to feel incredibly wrong. He had tried to engage himself in polite conversation with a merchant, but he found himself occasionally losing the thread of their talk. The merchant took notice and decided to see himself off before Diluc could say anything to defend himself. As far as he was aware, he didn’t consume any wine… so he wasn't quite sure what had him acting this way. Was it the stress? Is the heat of the crowded halls finally getting to him? The sounds of the room were getting louder, and the faces around him were oddly distorted.
Diluc gripped the edge of one of the tables, the bustling hall around him a distorted blur. His head was swimming, heart pounding against his ribs with an unnerving sense of dread he couldn’t explain. The walls felt like they were closing in, each laugh, each clink of glass a sharp needle pressing against his skull.
The man from before–the one who spilt wine on him–appeared next to Diluc, leaning closer than he had any right to be. “Master Ragnvindr,” he murmured, voice deceptively smooth. “You look unwell. Why don’t I take you out for a breath of fresh air?”
Diluc’s pulse spiked, irritation flaring into a deep-seated anger. Who was this man, to assume he needed help? And the tone—that condescending voice—felt like nails scraping against his patience. He took a shaky step back, barely able to focus, yet unwilling to be pitied or treated like he couldn’t handle himself.
“I don’t need anyone's assistance,” Diluc snapped, his voice rougher than usual. His fists clenched as he forced himself to stand taller, refusing to give in to the dizziness overtaking him. “Back off.”
The man’s depression barely shifted, as if he had been expecting a reaction like that. “It’s no trouble at all, let me at least-”
“No!” Diluc’s voice rose, a mix of frustration and denial tainting his words. The fact that this man had coincidentally been by his side this entire time was enough suspicion to rule him untrustworthy. They must’ve done something to Diluc to get him like this. Some.. elaborate plan to get rid of him. He could feel the fog in his mind growing thicker, but he wasn’t about to accept this man's help, in fear of a greater plan here at play.
He could feel his fear underneath, a desperate need to regain control—he didn't want to slip into a state where he was in an inconsolable rage, especially around all these people. He swore to himself that he’d never let it happen again.
Noticing the flicker of confusion and surprise on the man’s face only fed Diluc’s irritation, and he almost bared his teeth. “Step. Away,” he hissed, his voice a low threat. Every attempt the man made to touch him pushed Diluc closer to his breaking point, his hand itching with a heat that flared like an urge to strike, to end the looming threat that pressed around him.
But as the man reached out again, Diluc’s control snapped, and he instinctively stepped back, colliding harshly into someone behind him. He tensed, bracing for a fight—only to hear a familiar voice break through the haze.
“Easy there,” Kaeya said smoothly, catching Diluc by the shoulders before he could stumble into anyone else. “Looks like someone had a bit too much to drink,” he added with a chuckle, a note of feigned amusement meant for the man standing before them. Even through his haze, Diluc could sense Kaeya’s guarded alertness, the barely-veiled message that he had things under control.
“I was just about to escort him outside, Sir Kaeya. You don’t need to trouble yourself—”
Kaeya waved him off, keeping his tone light. “Oh, but I’m here for precisely these sorts of things. You can go back to your other duties; Master Diluc’s in good hands.” His smile was placid, but his grip on Diluc’s shoulder was firm.
The man muttered something under his breath before turning away, casting an annoyed look over his shoulder. Diluc watched him disappear into the crowd, but the moment was fleeting as his vision started to swim again. Something pricked at the edges of his mind, an uneasy sense of both anger and fear, but he couldn’t pin down why.
As Kaeya guided him toward a quieter corner, Diluc resisted, irritation flickering into his dazed expression. “Why did you let him go?” he muttered, stumbling slightly as he tried to pull back. “I could’ve handled it myself… he was clearly up to something…”
“I know,” Kaeya replied calmly, steadying Diluc with a firm grip. “I’ve been watching him since he bumped into you the first time. He has a partner across the room that he keeps glancing at.” Kaeya’s voice was casual, almost teasing, yet edged with concern as he added, “I told the other Knights to handle it. Besides, you were about to light him on fire in front of everyone.”
But Diluc barely registered the reassurance, his focus narrowing on Kaeya’s hand, firm and controlling on his shoulder. The grip felt suffocating, like an old memory clawing to the surface. He blinked, and for an instant, the dimly lit room of the Winery was gone, replaced by a darker, harsher memory—the stern, unyielding gaze of their father, who had often held Diluc’s shoulder in that same firm grip, guiding him with unspoken command and expectation.
His breath caught, panic beginning to rise, the lines between past and present blurring into a whirlwind of discomfort and mistrust. “Don’t… don’t do that,” he rasped, his voice strained, edging on a plea. He recoiled from Kaeya’s touch, his eyes wild and darting as though searching for an escape, feeling trapped between the weight of Kaeya’s hand and the fog clouding his mind.
“Diluc?” Kaeya questioned, worried evident through his tone. He hadn't realised the actual issue at play. He cursed under his breath before speaking again, “Diluc, it’s just me.” His tone was gentle. “No one is going to hurt you,”
But Kaeya’s reassurance only deepened the tension knotting in Diluc’s chest. The soft yet unyielding voice—it sounded too familiar, like a faded echo of words once whispered by their father to “compose himself,” or to “not embarrass the family.” The memory hit like a strike, jarring him back, and Diluc’s eyes flashed, a hint of fear slipping through his usual composure.
“You’re lying,” he said in a low, tremulous voice, clinging to his anger as his last defence. “You… you sound just like him.” Desperation coloured his tone, his mind too cloudy to separate friend from foe, past from present. He took a shaky breath, instinctively reaching to his side for his weapon, but his hand came up empty, leaving him defenceless.
Kaeya’s expression softened as he recognized the panic lurking beneath Diluc’s anger. He released his hold, stepping back just slightly to give him room, his hands raised in a gentle, non-threatening gesture. “Diluc,” he murmured, grounding his tone with reassurance. “It’s me. I’m right here. Just take a breath.”
Diluc’s vision swam as he stared at Kaeya, his breathing uneven, his body tense and ready for a threat that wasn’t truly there. But the calm patience in Kaeya’s gaze didn’t waver, and slowly, Diluc’s eyes began to register the familiar—his brother, steady and unmoving, waiting with that touch of concern only Kaeya ever wore. The barest flicker of recognition softened the hardness in his stare, though the fear lingered, stubborn and haunting.
“I think… he put something in my drink,” Diluc managed, his voice barely more than a whisper, as his strength ebbed with every passing second. The adrenaline that had fueled his anger and kept him standing now dissipated, leaving him sinking further under the drug’s effects, his eyelids heavy as his grip on consciousness wavered.
“No kidding,” Kaeya murmured, his tone tinged with forced levity as he carefully pulled Diluc away, guiding him toward a more secluded hallway, away from prying eyes and any lingering threats. He kept a firm but gentle hold on Diluc, leading him to a small, private antechamber tucked just off the main hall.
Diluc stumbled, nearly collapsing as Kaeya helped him to a cushioned seat. His breaths came in shallow, uneven pulls as he fought to stay alert, though his gaze was unfocused, slipping in and out of reality. For a brief moment, his hand clutched at Kaeya’s sleeve, an unconscious, instinctive gesture, as though seeking some last thread of reassurance before succumbing to the haze.
Kaeya knelt beside him, pressing a steady hand to his shoulder. “I’ll be back shortly, alright? I just need to take care of this… situation.” He motioned toward the door, glancing toward the main hall with a look that promised retribution for whoever had the nerve to target Diluc in his own home.
Before Diluc could object, Kaeya quickly called over one of the nearby maids to take care of him. “Stay with him,” Kaeya instructed in a low voice, meeting her eyes with an unspoken command to keep him safe. “Make sure he’s alright until I return.”
The maid nodded, immediately stepping to Diluc’s side, softly adjusting his posture so he could rest more comfortably. Kaeya gave Diluc one last glance of reassurance before his vision turned black.
***
Kaeya was far from happy. If anything, he was glad he had been there tonight—who knew what might have happened if he hadn’t been.
He’d already alerted the other Knights about the suspicious behaviour of this pair, and they’d taken the two into custody. But they wouldn’t be going anywhere until he had a word with them.
“Captain Kaeya,” one of the Knights on duty called out, approaching as Kaeya emerged. “We have the two perpetrators detained outside to avoid any panic among the guests,” the Knight reported, falling into step beside him as they made their way to the courtyard.
“Did you identify them?” Kaeya's tone was one of a kind, one he used when he wasn't messing around. The Knight's expression flickered in surprise at the sudden seriousness but quickly returned to business.
“Fatui. They snuck in under the guise of other guests to slip the guest list. We're working on finding the unfortunate members who got caught in the crossfire.”
Kaeya clicked his tongue in distaste. Of course, it was Fatui. They seemed to worm their way into every dark corner of Mondstadt, and they’d come here with a purpose tonight. There was no question now that this was a deliberate attack.
The two Fatui agents were kneeling in the cold dirt outside, their hands bound behind their backs and two Knights standing guard over them. The woman of the pair looked up as Kaeya approached, her expression souring as she took in his icy glare. She rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “plan ruiner.” The man beside her kept his head down, staring daggers into the ground.
“What did you give him?” Kaeya demanded, not beating around the bush. If they’d used something dangerous, he needed to know now.
“Relax,” the woman replied, her tone saccharine and mocking. She gave him a long, almost hungry lookup and down, a sly smile curling on her lips. “That tense look doesn’t suit you,” she purred, leaning forward slightly as if to close the distance between them.
Kaeya’s patience wore thin. He drew his sword and levelled it at her throat, eye hardening. “What,” he repeated coldly, “did you give him?”
The woman scoffed, leaning back reluctantly, her playfulness vanishing. “It was just supposed to be a mild sedative. We didn’t expect him to react like that.”
“If we’d just done it my way and given him something lethal,” the man finally spoke up, glaring at his partner, “we wouldn’t be in this mess now.”
The woman hissed, her expression flickering with anger. “Did you want to get killed too, dumbass? You know we can’t disobey orders!”
“Well, now we’re going to be locked up for who knows how long,” the man snapped, “How is that any better?”
“Orders?” Kaeya suddenly interrupted their useless squabbling. “What orders? Who sent you?”
Both of them went silent at once, realising their slip. The woman, who’d been so talkative a moment ago, looked away with a scowl, biting her tongue.
“Answer me!” Kaeya snapped, but neither of them moved a muscle. He cursed under his breath. If this was part of a larger plan, they had more trouble on their hands than he’d initially thought. And right now, that meant Diluc might still be in danger.
After a moment, Kaeya sheathed his sword and directed his attention to one of the Knights. “Take them away. Have them held until the interrogation.” He’d just have to hope they would spill something valuable under questioning, though if he could be honest, Kaeya had half a mind to run his sword through them then and there for attempting something so bold in the first place.
The other Knights moved quickly, securing the prisoners as Kaeya watched them disappear from view. He made a mental note to follow up on their questioning—no matter what it took, he’d get the information they needed.
***
When Diluc finally began to wake up, he felt a wave of grogginess lifting like a fog. He was warm and comfortably situated under a thick blanket, the dim light in the room casting a soft glow over his surroundings. As he shifted, trying to gather himself, he noted with relief that the worst effect of the drug seemed to be a mild headache and a strange sense of disorientation. His memories of the evening, however, were hazy, and maybe that was for the best. The last thing he needed was a recollection of whatever he might have done while under its influence.
As he tried to sit up, Diluc noticed Kaeya, head resting on the side of the bed, fast asleep. It was an odd sight—Kaeya looked oddly peaceful, his usually guarded expression softened in slumber. Just how long had he been out for Kaeya to fall asleep by his bedside?
Reaching out, Diluc cleared his throat, his voice raspy as he murmured, “Kaeya…” There was no response at first, so he tried again, louder this time. “Kaeya.”
At that, Kaeya jolted awake, blinking rapidly, his face showing a flicker of panic before settling into relief when he saw Diluc was up. “Oh, good. You’re awake.” Kaeya let out a sigh, visibly relaxing.
Diluc attempted a small, tired smile. “As are you,” he noted, a faint hint of amusement in his tone.
Kaeya rolled his eye, seeming to brush off the remark. “Anyway, before you ask, everyone went home. The maids are handling the clean-up, so everything’s under control.”
“Okay,” Diluc replied, reassured by the thought of his capable staff managing things.
“But there’s something else,” Kaeya continued, eyeing him cautiously. “I’ve got good and bad news. Which one do you want first?”
“There’s always good and bad news.” Diluc sighed. “Let’s start with the good.”
“The good news is… you’re not going to die.”
Diluc rolled his eyes. “Well, that is very good news indeed. Thank you for that revelation.”
Kaeya shot him a dry look. “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm right now.”
“What’s the ‘but’ to this?” Diluc asked, bracing himself.
Kaeya’s expression shifted, becoming more serious. “The bad news is that you’re being targeted by the Fatui. And I mean big time.”
Diluc fell silent, a hint of fatigue creeping into his expression. It wasn’t exactly new information. The Fatui seemed to have him in their sights more days than not.
“Do you… have anything to say to that?” Kaeya prompted, a trace of worry in his gaze. “Or is that sedative still affecting you?”
Diluc shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Just… not particularly shocked.”
Kaeya narrowed his eye. “Why’s that? Are you hiding something else from me?”
“Of course not.” Diluc sighed, knowing how paranoid his brother could get. “I’ve just done plenty to keep them holding grudges. It isn’t exactly rare that they’d want me dead.”
“That’s just it—they didn’t want you dead. They needed you alive. For some reason.”
That was more concerning. Diluc shifted, the gravity of it settling over him. “Oh.” He looked away thoughtfully, realising just how close they’d come to succeeding. He’d need to take this seriously.
Kaeya crossed his arms, lips pressed into a thin line. “Yeah, ‘oh.’ Not a good thing.” He shook his head in frustration. “And that’s all the information we have for now, so you’re going to have to play it safe.”
But Diluc opened his mouth, about to argue, before Kaeya held up a hand. “Which means you can’t go anywhere alone.”
Diluc frowned, irritated. “Contrary to your popular belief, I can handle myself just fine. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“You ‘handling’ yourself backfires a little too often, don’t you think?”
Diluc bristled but could hardly deny it. He had made some missteps recently, tonight being the latest. “Fine.”
Kaeya’s face softened, though his tone remained serious. “I don’t want to risk you getting taken without anyone knowing if it ever comes to that. And it won’t come to that, not if I can help it. But if the Fatui are going after you for something specific… just be smart about it, alright?”
Diluc raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realise you were so concerned.”
Kaeya rolled his eye, exasperated. “Sue me for worrying, then.”
Diluc’s stern expression softened slightly, and he nodded. “Alright, alright. I’ll stay safe. I won’t… do anything I’d normally do alone. Just this once.”
Kaeya looked at him with an unreadable expression before nodding. “Good. I’ll hold you to it.”
The room lapsed into silence, and for a moment, Diluc almost felt reassured—though he’d never admit it aloud.
Kaeya stood up a moment later, stretching and adjusting his clothing with a tired sigh. “I best get going,” he announced suddenly, glancing toward the door.
“Why?” The question escaped Diluc before he could stop himself. “You can stay,” he added, feeling the words slip out with an uncharacteristic urgency. It was usually Kaeya who insisted on staying longer, not him.
Kaeya paused, visibly surprised, then gave a small smile. “You know I would if I could. Unfortunately, paperwork waits for no one, and I’ve got an incident report to write.” He grimaced at the thought, the lightness fading from his expression.
“So late?” Diluc asked, brow furrowing. It wasn’t often that Kaeya let the duties of his position weigh on him like this. “Can’t it wait?”
Kaeya shook his head, the look in his eye almost apologetic. “Trust me, it’s better if I handle this sooner rather than later.” He gave Diluc a reassuring smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eye this time.
Diluc opened his mouth, then hesitated. “Well… at least let me see you off—”
But Kaeya raised a hand, stopping him. “It’s fine, really,” he insisted. “You need to be resting. After a night like this, the best thing you can do is focus on getting better.” His expression softened, though his voice took on a teasing lilt. “Besides, I’d rather not be responsible for you stumbling around.”
Diluc exhaled, reluctantly relenting. “If you insist,” he muttered, casting one more look Kaeya’s way.
Kaeya gave a short nod, lingering for a beat longer than necessary. “I’ll see you soon, alright?” With that, he turned and made his way toward the door, footsteps barely audible against the stone floor.
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the room in the same quiet as before. But now, without Kaeya’s steady presence, the silence felt emptier, almost unsettling. The shadows along the walls seemed to grow, stretching across the room in the low candlelight. Diluc lay back, the warmth of the blankets that once brought comfort now feeling oddly cold. He sighed, trying to brush off the strange sense of loneliness.
Diluc stared at the ceiling, the memory of the night’s events swirling in his mind that refused to settle. The whole thing with the Fatui gnawed at him. What could they possibly want with him alive? He certainly wasn’t known for being cooperative, let alone someone they could manipulate easily.
Could it have to do with his Delusion? No, he’d rather not think about it. He’d fought for so long to ignore the pull of that dark power, and he wasn’t about to stop now. Not when Kaeya was working so hard for his safety.