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Diluc noticed the man approaching Kaeya before his brother did.
It was a busy night at Angel's Share. Not packed, but steady. Kaeya had been nursing the same glass of wine for the past hour, sitting at the bar, occasionally chatting with Charles when the bartender had a free moment.
Kaeya, for once, was completely sober, which had become more common lately. Their slow reconciliation had included a lot of unspoken agreements, and "Kaeya doesn't get dangerously drunk on Diluc's watch anymore" seemed to be one of them.
The man was tall, well-dressed, probably a merchant from Fontaine based on his clothes. Mid-twenties. Handsome, objectively speaking. He'd been watching Kaeya for the past twenty minutes before finally making his move.
Diluc polished a glass and tried not to eavesdrop.
He failed.
"This seat taken?" the man asked, gesturing to the stool beside Kaeya.
Kaeya looked up, that automatic charming smile sliding into place. "It is now."
The man sat, ordered a drink, and within minutes they were deep in conversation. The stranger was witty, made Kaeya laugh. Genuine laughs, not the performative ones he used for information gathering.
Diluc's jaw tightened.
"Master Diluc, the storage room," Charles started.
"I see it. Handle it."
"But you usually-"
"I'm busy."
Charles followed his gaze to Kaeya and the merchant, then wisely said nothing.
The conversation continued. The man- his name was apparently Laurent- was clearly interested. He leaned in when Kaeya spoke. Laughed at his jokes. Ordered another round and insisted on paying for Kaeya's next drink too.
Kaeya accepted gracefully, eye sparkling with what looked like genuine interest.
Diluc gripped the glass he was polishing hard enough it almost cracked.
"You're being obvious," Charles murmured.
"I'm not being anything."
"You're glaring at that merchant like he insulted the wine."
"I'm not glaring. I'm observing."
"You're going to break that glass."
Diluc set it down with more force than necessary.
Laurent said something that made Kaeya laugh again, and his hand, very deliberately, brushed against Kaeya's arm.
That was it.
Diluc moved down the bar, positioning himself directly in front of them. "Another round?"
"Oh, we're fine for now-" Laurent began.
"I was asking my brother."
The temperature in the immediate vicinity seemed to drop several degrees. Laurent's smile faltered slightly.
"Your brother?"
"Yes. My younger brother." Diluc's voice carried just enough emphasis on 'younger' to be a warning. "Kaeya, don't you have an early meeting tomorrow?"
Kaeya's eye widened slightly, then narrowed. "No, actually. I have the day off."
"Are you sure? I thought Jean mentioned-"
"She didn't."
"Hm. Must have been mistaken." Diluc turned his attention to Laurent, and his expression could have frozen wine. "You're new to Mondstadt."
"I- yes. Just arrived this week. I'm a textile merchant, here to establish trade relationships."
"Trade relationships. How interesting." Diluc's tone suggested it was anything but. "And where are you staying?"
"The Goth Grand Hotel."
"Expensive. Business must be good."
"It is, we specialize in-"
"How long are you planning to stay in Mondstadt?"
"I'm not sure yet, it depends on-"
"Family back in Fontaine?"
"Diluc," Kaeya said, voice tight. "What are you doing?"
"Making conversation. With the merchant who's been buying you drinks." Diluc crossed his arms. "It's called being sociable."
"It's called being invasive."
"I'm being thorough."
"You're being a menace."
Laurent looked between them, clearly trying to gauge if this was normal sibling behavior or if he should be concerned.
"I should mention," Diluc continued, ignoring Kaeya's glare, "that my brother is the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. Very important position. Very busy schedule. Very-"
"Very capable of speaking for himself," Kaeya interrupted. "And very close to causing a scene."
"I'm preventing a scene."
"You're creating one!"
"Am I? I'm simply having a conversation with your- what is he exactly? New friend? Acquaintance? Someone who's been staring at you for twenty minutes before working up the courage to approach?"
Laurent's face reddened. "I wasn't- I mean, I was just-"
"Right." Diluc leaned forward slightly. "Let me be very clear. My brother is intelligent, capable, and more than able to handle himself. However, that doesn't mean I won't be watching. Closely. Do you understand?"
"Diluc!" Kaeya stood abruptly. "A word. Now. In the back."
"I'm working."
"Now."
The tone left no room for argument. Diluc followed Kaeya to the storage room, very aware of every eye in the tavern tracking their movement.
The moment the door closed, Kaeya whirled on him.
"What in the name of the Archons was that?"
"What was what?"
"You interrogated him like he was a suspect! Asked about his family, his business, his- you practically demanded his entire life story!"
"I was being friendly."
"You were being terrifying! The man looked like he wanted to flee!"
"If he's that easily scared off, he's not worth your time."
Kaeya stared at him. "Are you- ugh, are you seriously doing this whole routine right now?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do! You're," Kaeya stopped, something shifting in his expression. "Wait. Are you actually trying to protect me? From a perfectly nice merchant who was just flirting?"
"He could be anyone. Could have ulterior motives. Could be-"
"-a normal person interested in having a conversation?"
"You don't know that."
"I'm the Cavalry Captain. I interrogate people for a living. I think I can tell when someone's being genuine."
"That's different."
"How?"
"Because," Diluc struggled for words. "Because you're my brother. And I'm not going to let just anyone..."
"Just anyone what? Talk to me? Show interest? Archons, Diluc, I'm not a child. I'm twenty-six years old and perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"
"I know you're capable. That's not the point."
"Then what is the point?"
"The point is," Diluc stopped, jaw working. "The point is that no one is good enough for you."
The words hung in the air between them.
Kaeya's expression softened. "Oh."
"You're the Cavalry Captain. You're intelligent, skilled, valuable to Mondstadt. You deserve someone who sees that. Who appreciates that. Not some merchant who probably just thinks you're attractive."
"Diluc."
"And who doesn't know anything about you beyond surface charm, who hasn't bothered to learn that you're afraid of spiders and you sing when you cook and you-"
"Diluc."
"-and you still check your bed for monsters even though you'd never admit it, and you have nightmares about being abandoned, and you-"
"Stop." Kaeya's hand on his shoulder. "Just- stop."
Diluc stopped, breathing hard, realizing he'd been rambling.
"You noticed," Kaeya said quietly. "All of that. You noticed."
"Of course I noticed. You're my brother."
"We haven't spoken properly in years. We're still figuring out how to be in the same room. And you," Kaeya's voice was rough. "You still know all of that about me."
"I never stopped knowing. Even when we weren't speaking. Even when everything was broken. You're still... you've always been-" Diluc couldn't finish.
"Your little brother?"
"Yes."
Kaeya was quiet for a long moment. Then: "He seems nice. Laurent."
"Too nice. Probably hiding something."
"He's a textile merchant, not an Abyss agent."
"You don't know that."
"Diluc, you can't interrogate everyone who shows interest in me."
"Why not?"
"Because it's insane!"
"It's thorough."
"It's going to guarantee I die alone!"
"Better alone than with someone unworthy."
Kaeya laughed, wet and a little broken. "You're impossible. You know that?"
"I'm protective. There's a difference."
"Is there?" But Kaeya was smiling. "For what it's worth, thank you. For caring. Even if your execution is absolutely terrible."
"I don't know what you mean. My execution was perfectly reasonable."
"You asked about his family within thirty seconds of speaking to him!"
"Relevant information."
"You're going to scare off anyone who tries to approach me."
"Good. Then they're not brave enough to deserve you."
Kaeya shook his head, but he was still smiling. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Let me continue protecting you? It's what older brothers do."
"Most older brothers don't interrogate potential romantic interests like they're suspects in a crime."
"Most older brothers aren't as thorough as I am."
"That's one word for it." Kaeya moved toward the door, then paused. "For the record, I wasn't actually that interested. He was nice, but not my type."
"What is your type?"
"Not sure anymore. But definitely not someone who runs at the first sign of an intimidating bartender." Kaeya's smile turned mischievous. "Though watching you go full protective mode was entertaining. Haven't seen that since we were teenagers and you chased off that boy who asked me to the Windblume Festival."
"He was inappropriate."
"He asked if I wanted to share a table!"
"Inappropriately."
"You're ridiculous."
"I'm consistent."
They returned to the bar. Laurent had already left, probably fled, more accurately. A few patrons were still staring. Charles looked amused.
Kaeya reclaimed his seat at the bar. "You owe me a drink. You scared off my entertainment."
"You said you weren't interested."
"I wasn't. But the principle stands."
Diluc poured him a fresh glass of wine. "Anyone else I should be aware of? Anyone else planning to approach you tonight that I should vet first?"
"Archons, no. Please. My reputation can't handle any more of your 'vetting.'"
"I'm just being-"
"If you say thorough one more time, I'm leaving."
"Protective?"
"Better." Kaeya sipped his wine. "Though you know, eventually someone is going to pass your impossible standards. What then?"
"Then I'll make sure they know exactly what will happen if they hurt you."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not meant to be. It's meant to be a warning."
"To them or to me?"
"Both."
Kaeya laughed into his wine. "We're a disaster, you know that?"
"I'm aware."
"But," Kaeya's voice softened. "Thank you. For caring. Even if you're absolutely terrible at showing it."
"You're welcome. Even if you're absolutely terrible at accepting it."
"We're working on it."
"We are."
They sat in comfortable silence, Kaeya drinking his wine, Diluc polishing glasses. The tavern settled back into its normal rhythm.
And if Diluc kept a closer eye on anyone who looked at Kaeya for too long, well. That was just being thorough.
"Stop glaring at that woman," Kaeya said without looking up from his glass.
"I'm not glaring."
"You absolutely are."
"She's been staring at you."
"She's probably trying to figure out why the bartender looks like he's planning a murder."
"I don't look like-"
"You do. You really, really do."
Diluc forced his expression to relax. Slightly.
"This is going to be a problem, isn't it?" Kaeya asked. "The overprotective brother thing."
"Only if you keep attracting inappropriate attention."
"I work in intelligence and I'm conventionally attractive. I'm going to attract attention."
"Then I'm going to be a problem."
Kaeya smiled into his wine. "Yeah. You are. But," He looked at Diluc, eye soft. "I kind of missed having someone care enough to be a problem."
"Well. You have me. For better or worse."
"Worse, definitely worse. But I'll take it."
"Good. Because you're stuck with me."
"The overprotective, interrogating, terrifying older brother?"
"Exactly that one."
"Archons help me."
"Archons help anyone who tries to date you."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
But Kaeya was smiling. And Diluc was smiling back. And for the first time in years, the word "brother" didn't hurt to say.
It felt right. Natural. Like coming home.
Even if Diluc was absolutely going to vet anyone who showed interest in his little brother from now on.
Some things, after all, never changed. And maybe that was okay.