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“Well, that’s official then!” Varka laughed, placing a quite expensive looking quill down beside a contract and leaning back in his chair.
“You didn’t even read it.” Nefer cocked her head to the side from where she sat opposite Varka, behind her desk. She reached out with one clawed hand and plucked the paper up to examine his signature.
“Ah, no need. I know you wouldn’t do me wrong, Miss Nefer. We’ve got history now, don’t we?” Varka grinned lopsidedly.
“This is why I asked her to send me a copy before this meeting.” A figure sat on the windowsill commented, a hood pulled over their hair as it obscured their face.
“You’re too good to me, Kaeya.” Varka turned his grin to Kaeya.
“What would you do without me, Grandmaster?” Kaeya sighed, flipping a small knife in his hand. “Thank you for obliging him, Nefer.”
“It was no trouble.” Nefer’s stoic expression gave way to some fondness as she addressed Kaeya. She could admit she had a bit of a soft spot for the man, for he had grown on her in the months since the Knights arrived in Nod-Krai. He was a good worker, efficient whenever Varka loaned him out to Nefer to scout or gather information; she liked him.
“I suppose this means your informants across the nations will be making their way here to sign their own contracts and appraise the Knights?” Kaeya swung his feet down off the windowsill, tucking his knife into a holster.
“I have their invitation letters drafted already.” Nefer confirmed.
“Hear that, Kaeya? Diluc’ll be here soon.” Varka said and Kaeya’s face went through several different expressions as he winced. “And no, you cannot be excused for the entire duration of his visit.”
“After everything I’ve done for you, Grandmaster.” Kaeya sighed.
“As it so happens, I’m sending Jahoda out to get a look at the situation up north. I hear the Lightkeepers have cleared out the contamination but it can’t hurt to confirm things. I’d feel better if she had someone to guard her back.” Nefer offered, tapping a single claw on the table gently.
“Miss Nefer.” Varka gave her an exasperated look.
“It’ll only be a few days long mission.” Nefer continued. “Quick scouting. We can schedule your departure for the day the contingencies arrive.”
“I suppose that’s fine.” Varka relented. “Is that what you want, Kaeya?”
“Yes, Grandmaster. Thank you.” Kaeya bowed his head to both of them.
“Just business.” Nefer smiled. “Well, off you go then. Jahoda’s just out the front so she’ll give you all the details.”
“Anything you need before I go, Grandmaster?”
“Nah, go ahead kiddo.” Varka shook his head, dismissing the blue-haired man who disappeared silently through the door. “These two…”
“Complicated history I take it?” Nefer asked.
“It’s not all my story to tell but yeah. They had a fight the day Crepus died; that is Diluc’s biological dad and Kaeya’s adopted dad. I don’t know the details, but I saw the aftermath and it was not pretty. If Kaeya wants to divulge them he will, but Diluc disappeared to Snezhnaya for three years to hunt Fatui and he only came back a couple months before our expedition was set for.”
“It doesn’t seem they reconciled.”
“They did not. I don’t know if they were able to even have a proper conversation. Kaeya wasn’t even supposed to be on this mission, actually. He’s the Cavalry Captain but I assigned him to stay behind and lend Jean a hand. He asked to join after Diluc came back, so I reworked the whole thing and found a way to bring our cavalry with us.”
“I see.” Nefer hummed. “Well, families are complicated.”
“That they are.” Varka snorted. “Kaeya’s a good kid, he deserves a happy one.”
Diluc furrowed his eyebrows as he walked through Mondstadt, noticing a distinct lack of horses belonging to the Knights.
“Knights cutting down on costs or something?” He asked Albedo that night when the alchemist came in to buy some alcohol for an experiment.
“Sorry?” Albedo looked up from the bottles placed in front of him.
“Haven’t seen any horses around lately. The Cavalry off or something?” Diluc repeated.
“Master Diluc, the Cavalry set off to Nod-Krai as part of Grandmaster Varka’s expedition.” Albedo explained. “If you’ll excuse me, I have something urgent to do.”
He disappeared just as quick as he came and Diluc was left with more questions than he had before and an odd feeling in his chest, almost like his heart was being squeezed. He resolved to confront Jean about it in the morning.
“Where is the Cavalry?” He demanded the second he walked into her office to find her sitting behind her desk with a pile of papers.
“Good morning to you too, Diluc.” Jean replied mildly. “I’m good, thanks for asking. How are you doing?”
“Fine. Where’s the Cavalry?” He gritted out, throwing himself into the chair in front of her desk. Jean sighed, putting her quill down delicately and linking her fingers together.
“The Cavalry are on their way to Nod-Krai as part of Grandmaster Varka’s expedition.” Jean explained.
“The Cavalry weren’t supposed to be on that expedition.” Diluc shook his head. “I checked the list recently.”
“It was a recent change. Grandmaster Varka believes the Cavalry would be immensely useful on an expedition like this.” She replied.
“Jean.” Diluc gave her a look.
“Diluc.” She returned. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Why is Kaeya on the expedition?”
“I. Don’t. Know.” Jean said. “As a Captain, Kaeya reported to Grandmaster Varka directly. He didn’t have to run his reasons through me. All I know is that he asked to join and Grandmaster Varka reworked the whole thing to fit the Cavalry.”
“They’re going to fight the Abyss, Jean. The Abyss.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” Jean said shortly. “Kaeya is more than capable of taking care of himself. He’s one of the most talented Knights we have and although I’m the Acting Grandmaster and he’s a Captain, I know for a fact he’s stronger than I am.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Don’t underestimate him, Diluc. He’s not the same boy you left behind all those years ago.”
“You didn’t want to be in town when Boss Nef’s informants got in, did you?” Jahoda asked as her and Kaeya roasted meat over a small fire in the wilderness.
“What gave it away?” Kaeya sighed.
“This is a really easy mission, and I definitely did not need a guard.” She deadpanned. “It was pretty obvious.”
“You’re right.” Kaeya kept his eyes on the swirling flames in front of him, trying to ignore how much they reminded him of his brother’s fire. A shudder ran through his body as he recalled the ire of that flame directed towards him and his gaze shifted to the girl in front of him instead. “I didn’t.”
“Talking about it helps.” Jahoda offered.
“It’s… a long story.”
“We have time.” Jahoda cast a glance around the abandoned camp they were in. “We can’t head back until the morning anyways.”
“Diluc is… one of Nefer’s informants. The Owl.” Kaeya said.
“The Mondstadt informant.” Jahoda nodded. “Gotcha.”
“He’s – his father took me in when I was little. And I was raised alongside Diluc. We spent every moment together, joined the Knights together too. He was Cavalry Captain before me and he had… he had a Pyro Vision and a claymore and – the way he used them in tandem… he was my hero when we were little.” Kaeya admitted.
“A few years ago when I was seventeen, on Diluc’s eighteenth actually, Crepus was killed.” Kaeya paused for a second, hearing Jahoda gasp and cover her mouth with one hand. “It’s a long story but I – I, stupidly, told Diluc something that night. A secret of mine, that I held onto for years, one that no one knew although I suspected Crepus did at some point.
“He didn’t take it well. It was my fault, to spring it on him in that moment when his dad just died but… I couldn’t take keeping it a secret any longer. We fought. Well… he tried to fight me and I couldn’t attack back because I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting him. The only reason I didn’t lose my life that night is because I was granted my Vision.” He patted the Vision from where it hung off his belt, half-hidden by his cloak, a bittersweet expression on his face.
“Kaeya…” Jahoda whispered.
“Diluc went away after that. He spent three years in Snezhnaya hunting down Fatui and he only came back around a year ago. I wasn’t supposed to join the Grandmaster on this expedition but I asked and he fit the Cavalry into it for me.” Kaeya’s smile turned more fond now; softer.
“I’m glad you came on the expedition.” Jahoda said honestly, patting his warm hand with her cold metal one. “I’ve never seen Boss Nef smile as much as she does around you.”
“I’ve been told I can be charming.” He joked. “I’m glad I came too.”
“Didn’t you say you had a girl working for you?” Diluc asked as him and Nefer made their way to the Favonius Keep towards the northern part of Nod-Krai.
“I did.” Nefer said, burrowing further into the scarf she had wrapped around the bottom half of her face. “Jahoda is doing a little scouting for me. She set off two days ago so she should be back tonight.”
“Won’t she be coming back to an empty Curatorium?” Diluc raised an eyebrow, subtly warming himself up with his Vision.
“No, I’ve told her to come to the Keep. Grandmaster Varka will want to hear her report too.” Nefer replied. “Oh, I see the camp.”
“Thank Barbatos.” Diluc sighed.
“Not a fan of the cold?” Nefer gave him a look.
“Not particularly. I’ve never been good in the cold after I got my Vision.” He explained.
“How curious.” Nefer commented. “Well, if I know the Grandmaster, he’ll have drinks for us.”
“Of course he will.” Diluc almost sighed in relief as they entered the vicinity of the camp and were surrounded by campfires. “Will it snow?”
“It snowed this morning.” Nefer replied. “I heard the night should be clear.”
“Good.”
“Diluc!” Varka boomed from across the camp, walking over to throw an arm around the red-haired man.
“Grandmaster.” Diluc greeted. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s been a while!” Varka ruffled his hair. “I trust the journey was alright, Miss Nefer?”
“As well as it could be in this weather.” Nefer sniffed.
“Come in, come in.” He led them inside one of the larger tents where a table was covered in maps and various figurines laid out in different places on the map. Varka busied himself pouring them both a drink as they took their coats and layers off to hang on some chairs set out. “Drink, it’ll warm you up.”
“Thank you.” Nefer accepted a glass, sitting down on one of the chairs with one leg over the other. “Hm, dandelion wine?”
“Shipment got here this morning. Miss Yelan accompanied it actually.”
“Is she around?” Nefer asked.
“I set her up in one of the tents so she’s still there. I don’t think she does very well in the cold.” Varka replied.
“Hydro Vision wielders usually don’t.” Diluc chimed in, downing his drink.
“True that.” Varka nodded. “Our scouts are due back any time now, aren’t they?”
“Indeed they are.” Nefer finished off her drink, dabbing at her lips with a handkerchief she pulled from her pocket.
“More than one?” Diluc questioned.
“Two scouts. We had someone accompany Jahoda as a guard.” Varka waved it off nonchalantly. “Of course she’s more than capable of taking care of herself so it’s more of a precaution considering the area she’s scouting.”
“Which is?” Diluc quirked an eyebrow.
“Kipumaki Cliff.” Nefer said delicately. “It’s been cleansed of filth recently by a group of Lightkeepers but I thought it prudent to get a second look at things just to be sure.”
“Better safe than sorry.” Varka agreed. “Now, Diluc, tell me how everyone’s been.”
An hour into the conversation, the tent flap opened and Jahoda came in, shaking snow from her hat. Varka stood immediately to pour out two more cups as a second figure entered, following Jahoda. Diluc watched silently as the second person brought down the hood of their cloak and he was greeted with blue hair and an eyepatch.
“We’re back!” Jahoda greeted.
“Yes, yes, welcome back.” Nefer rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
“Drink. It’ll warm you.” Varka handed them both cups filled to the brim with dandelion wine. Jahoda took hers and threw herself into a seat beside Nefer, tossing her coat over the back of her chair haphazardly and her gloves onto the table. Kaeya, meanwhile, took his cup to the corner of the tent and leaned against a desk with his coat still on.
“Your findings?” Nefer asked, and Diluc turned his attention away from his estranged brother to listen to the blonde speak.
“Captain Illuga’s report were accurate.” Jahoda said after a large gulp of wine, the colour returning to her face. “All traces of the Abyss were wiped out, and all that’s left now are some small monster encampments. Kaeya ran into one of those encampments while he was scouting ahead so he probably has more to say than I do.’ She shrugged and everyone turned to Kaeya.
“They’re not hard to beat.” Kaeya said simply, placing his cup down on the desk behind him with a soft thunk. “I hear Captain Illuga is heading a small force with the Traveler to wipe out those encampments. We could offer some of our troops, Grandmaster.”
“Well said!” Varka boomed with a grin. “I’ll send him a letter in the morning.”
“He said he would be in Piramida for a few days so send it there rather than Cliffwatch Camp.” Jahoda informed him.
“Is that all?” Nefer raised an eyebrow.
“That’s all, Boss!” Jahoda replied brightly.
“Grandmaster.” Kaeya said and Diluc furrowed his brows at the odd expression Kaeya directed Varka’s way. He seemed to be fidgeting with his hands before they disappeared behind his cloak.
“Dismissed, Kaeya. Get some rest, we’ll talk in the morning. Yelan said she was looking forward to seeing you.” Varka patted him on the shoulder.
“She just wants me to do jobs for her.” Kaeya rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Goodnight Grandmaster.”
“Goodnight Kaeya!” Jahoda waved.
“’Night Jahoda, Nefer.” Kaeya turned his back to them all as he headed to the entrance of the tent, but just as he was about to exit, he turned around and gave Diluc a brief nod. “Diluc.”
Diluc could only watch, speechless, as Kaeya flipped his hood over his hair and disappeared from his site. “Goodnight.” He murmured under his breath, not noticing the exchange of looks between Jahoda and Nefer.
“He’ll still be here in the morning.” Varka reassured Diluc. “He won’t go anywhere.”
“I didn’t say anything.” Diluc denied, frowning.
“You didn’t have to.” Varka replied softly.
The following morning found Diluc meandering out of his tent and squinting at the bright sunlight that greeted him. The camp surrounding him was abuzz with Knights running around and his eyes zeroed in on Yelan and Kaeya sat by a campfire.
The Liyuean woman spotted him from afar and her lips curled up in a smirk as she waved in his direction. She seemed to say a few words to Kaeya before dragging him up with her into one of the tents.
“Diluc!” She called behind her. “Took your time, didn’t you? Come on.”
He rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation before he followed her. This tent was open on one side, letting in the sunlight and allowing it to illuminate the large table in the centre. He could see Varka and Nefer already sat in some chair, with the latter nursing a steaming teacup. Yelan took a seat beside her while Kaeya hovered behind Varka.
“Sleep well?” Varka greeted when he saw Diluc.
“Well enough.” Diluc nodded. “Just us?”
“Jahoda doesn’t attend these meetings.” Nefer clarified. “The only reason Kaeya does is because the Grandmaster needs someone of expertise to accompany him.”
“You could stand to be nicer about it.” Varka grumbled.
“She’s not wrong, though.” Kaeya’s lips quirked up. “I don’t need to be here today, though. I’ve already looked over the contracts that involved the Grandmaster; the rest have nothing to do with me.”
“Are you fishing for a mission?” Yelan raised an eyebrow.
“Do you have one?”
“I could if Grandmaster Varka would allow me to borrow your skills for a bit.” She cocked her head to the side.
“It’s none of my business what Kaeya does during his free time.” Varka lifted both of his hands up in surrender.
“Then, here. Take this.” Yelan unveiled a file from inside her cloak and handed it over to Kaeya who flicked through it briefly before bowing his head to everyone in the tent and ducking out. “Such a good worker, that boy.”
“One of my best knights.” Varka said proudly. Diluc had never felt so conflicted; part of him still remembered the events of that night all those years ago, of the betrayal he’d felt when Kaeya dropped a figurative bomb of information on him right after he’d had to kill his own father. But the other part of him languished over a Kaeya he had never gotten to see grow up and into his skills, a Kaeya he never got to see learn to use his Vision and become the Cavalry Captain of the Knights. It was an odd position to be in, he thought.
“You can ask, you know?” Nefer said after the meeting and subsequent signing of contracts, a teasing tone in her voice that she directed to Diluc.
“About?” Diluc asked, wiping his quill clean.
“Kaeya.” She said casually. “I’d be a fraud to call myself the representative of this Intelligence Network and my Curatorium if I didn’t pick up on the tension between the two of you.”
“How much do you know?” He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
“Only the basics I gather.” She shrugged. “I know your father adopted Kaeya. I know you were away for a few years. I know he wasn’t supposed to be on this expedition but here we are.”
“Nefer cares about Kaeya, she’s not out to hurt him.” Varka assured Diluc.
“He’s a good kid.” Yelan added in. “Smart, silent, good with a sword.”
“And other weapons.” Nefer mused, crossing her arms over her chest. “So ask. I don’t bite… much.”
“How… is he?” Diluc asked, stiltedly. “In the six months between me coming back and him leaving, we didn’t really…”
“Talk? We noticed.” Varka said, his tone light-hearted but with a touch of seriousness to it.
“I can’t speak for Kaeya prior to meeting him in Nod-Krai but he’s been a great help to the Curatorium and the Northern Intelligence Network both.” Nefer said. “He has a way of sneaking into places he shouldn’t be in and getting me information no one else can. It’s why I trust him with Jahoda too, if she ever needed backup he would always be the one I sent.”
“Relatively the same for me. We met when I was investigating something in Mondstadt and he was supposed to be my Knight escort, showing me the ropes and the area.” Yelan waved a hand nonchalantly. “Caught my eye how good he was at my job and I kept in touch with him after. He helps me out whenever he can.”
“That’s our Kaeya.” Varka said fondly. “After you left, it took him a while to perk back up again but he threw himself into training his Vision and as he does all other things, mastered it. He was meant to stay back and be Jean’s second-in-command before he asked to join this expedition.”
“Why did he ask to join?” Diluc asked.
“’Fraid that’s a question for the man himself.” Varka shrugged apologetically.
“I do need to be back in Nasha town tonight.” Nefer frowned. “Will he be back by then?”
“It was a quick mission. He should be back soon.” Yelan said and just as she spoke those words, a figure entered the tent once more. “Speak of the devil.”
“It’s in your tent.” Kaeya said simply.
“Perfect timing, Kaeya.” Varka stood, clapping him on the shoulders. “Escort Miss Nefer and Diluc back to Nasha Town, would you? Jahoda’s arm needs fixing so she’ll be on her way tomorrow I assume.”
“You need an escort?” Kaeya asked Nefer, his eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. “You.”
“Is there a problem?” Nefer asked, a deceptively sweet smile on her face.
“You’re aware who you’re travelling with, right?” He gestured to Diluc.
“I’ve long since hung up my sword.” Diluc replied dryly, knowing full well he was lying right to Kaeya’s face and by the disbelieving look on his face, the blue-haired man did not trust a single thing coming from his mouth.
“Right.” Kaeya drawled slowly. “Sure, whatever. An escort, okay.”
“Wonderful! Shall we set off, then?” Nefer clapped her hands together. “Thirty minutes and we leave?”
“Sure.” Kaeya sighed. “Goodbye again, Grandmaster, Yelan.”
“Safe trip, kiddo.” Varka ruffled his hair.
“Stay safe.” Yelan waved him off with a two-fingered salute.
True enough, thirty minutes later saw Diluc and Nefer approaching Kaeya with a bag each, larger than the smaller backpack he had slung over his shoulder. “If we hurry, we can make the next boat leaving to Lempo Isle. I’d rather avoid the one that stops in Paha Isle.”
“Not keen to see the Fatui?” Nefer asked as they began walking.
“We might be on better terms but I’ll never be truly comfortable around them.” Kaeya shuddered. “The Traveler might be able to look past everything but it’s not that easy for some of us.”
Diluc might have made a noise of agreement but it was swallowed by the howling wind that surrounded them and Kaeya quickened his pace, calling to them to hurry up as well so they could avoid the storm. They ended up making the boat for Lempo Isle and several long hours on the boat later (most of which Kaeya spent in silence at the bow), the boat docked. As soon as the boat docked, Kaeya disappeared after a short word to Nefer and reappeared on a horse, leading two others behind him.
“We use the stables here for some of our horses.” He explained as Diluc and Nefer got on their respective horses. “We’ll get to Nasha Town by the time the sun sets with these.”
“I knew it was a good idea to have you escort us.” Nefer gave a smug look. “Lead the way then, Cavalry Captain.”
Riding at Kaeya’s swift pace felt like a blast from the past, and if Diluc closed his eyes he could see himself riding side-by-side with a younger version of his brother in the grasslands surrounded the Winery. He could see them both laughing in his mind’s eye, so young and carefree. But that was before and this was now.
True to his word, the horses came to a stop in front of Nasha Town as the sun was setting. Kaeya led them to the stables by The Flagship and Nefer disappeared after pressing a bulging bag into Kaeya’s hands. He sighed as he handed his horse over to the stable hands before tucking the bag into the pockets of his cloak.
The blue-haired man disappeared into The Flagship and sat himself right at the bar, ordering a drink. It was only minutes later that he felt someone sit beside him and looked over to be greeted with a shock of red hair.
“Stalker.” Kaeya grumbled, downing his Fire Water.
“I have a room here.” Diluc deadpanned, waving Demyan over and ordering a beer.
“How Mondstadian of you.” Kaeya said into his second drink.
“Why did you come on this expedition? You weren’t supposed to, were you? I saw the list.” Diluc asked suddenly and Kaeya coughed as his drink went down the wrong way, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
“What?” Kaeya turned to look at Diluc, wide-eyed.
“I asked why you’re on this expedition when you weren’t supposed to be.” Diluc repeated. Kaeya’s fingers tightened around his drink before he loosened his grip, tapping them in a nonsensical pattern while he pondered how the fuck he was supposed to begin this conversation.
“Because… you’d been back for months and it hurt too much to see you around all the time and remember what happened between us.” Kaeya said, gazing into his drink. “We didn’t talk. At all. Which in hindsight I knew would happen, and I know I deserved it, but knowing and feeling is different.” He gave a shrug.
“Deserved it?” Diluc repeated, sounding the words out as though they were foreign to him. “What?”
“Of course I fucking deserved it.” Kaeya scoffed. “Every time I remember that night, I wish I had done things differently. I wish I hadn’t told you in that moment, that I’d told you before but I was a coward. Or maybe that I’d never told you because at least you’d have still stuck around.”
“You didn’t fucking deserve it.” Diluc said fiercely, grabbing Kaeya’s shoulders to turn him in Diluc’s direction, earning himself a wide-eyed look of surprise. “I have many regrets about that night but you didn’t deserve what I did to you. I was stupid, I was an eighteen year old idiot and I overreacted unbelievably. I hate that you told me then and I hate that you kept it a secret from me for so long but for me to raise a hand against you? God, I wish I’d never done that.”
“It made sense why you did. I understood.” Kaeya mumbled, avoiding making eye contact with Diluc.
“No. It didn’t make sense.” Diluc denied vehemently. “I… I was your big brother. I was meant to keep you safe, not hurt you. Not attack you until you’re so close to death that Celestia granted you a Vision to keep you alive. Archons, I –” He laughed hysterically.
“But I lied to you.” Kaeya whispered, sounding so much younger for a second.
“That doesn’t matter!” Diluc shook his head. “I – I should have reacted better. I shouldn’t have even thought of raising my blade, of using my Vision, Archons Kaeya.”
“It’s okay.” Kaeya was quick to say. “I – it’s fine.”
“It really isn’t.”
“I’m telling you it is. It’s… it’s been years. Forget it.” Kaeya twisted himself out of Diluc’s grip and finished his drink. “It’s been years.” He repeated, sounding choked.
“I shouldn’t have left you alone.” Diluc said gently. “We were both young, we’d lost Father and – and I left.”
“Yeah, well…” Kaeya scoffed. “Not the first time.”
“Your father didn’t know what he was giving up because if he’d have known, I refuse to believe he would have chosen to leave you.” Diluc said, glaring at the bar. “But him leaving you with us was the biggest blessing he could have given us.”
“Stop.”
“No, Kaeya. I’m going to keep talking until you stop this whole aloof act and show me how you really feel. You’re mad, aren’t you? You’re upset at me, at your father, at the world? Stop hiding behind your mask.”
“What do you want me to say, Diluc?” Kaeya put his glass down with a loud thunk and looked up, eyes blazing. “That I’m angry? I’m fucking angry, happy? I’m mad Crepus died; I’m mad at myself for choosing that night to tell you the truth; I’m mad at you for attacking me for that, for scarring one side of my body beyond repair and forcing me to relearn how to use my sword; I’m mad at you for leaving me alone for three fucking years while you chased ghosts in Snezhnaya; I’m mad you ignored me when you came back to Mondstadt and acted like I didn’t exist.”
“Kaeya…”
“Fuck you, Diluc.” Kaeya said, a tear rolling down his cheek and he wiped it away angrily. “Fuck you.”
“Yeah.” Diluc nodded, inching closer.
“You suck, I hate you.”
“I know.” Diluc said, tugging Kaeya closer by the crook of his elbow to fold him into his arms and wrap an arm around him while his other palm cupped the back of Kaeya’s head tenderly. “I know.”
“Why’d you leave me?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You left me alone.” Kaeya’s hands clenched around the fabric of Diluc’s shirt tightly as he went practically boneless against his brother.
“I know, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“I know, Kaeya. It’s okay.”
“You’re my brother. I love you.”
“I love you too.”