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Between him and Kaeya, Diluc was never one to reminisce about the past. The red head only ever looked forwards towards a distant future neither of them is yet to see.
But there were always moments, rare ones yes, but there were always moments when Diluc would reminisce of the past. Whether it was of something he had done or perhaps of un-welcomed memories that still haunts the red head.
Today would seem like one of those days that Diluc looks straight ahead, but instead of towards the future, it is towards a distant promise he and his former brother had spoken of throughout their years. Diluc still remembered their promise, how could he not? They’ve spent hours sketching together in a small note book that hid between their rows of library books, he remembered the late night talks of where to place the inked pieces
Those delicate lines, the sketches of pen on their skin with writing ink, the comfortable silences shared as they drew on one another.
Those were memories no rainy night could taint or erase.
The years spent planning, mapping out everything, only for it to run from their fingers like rain. Countless nights wasted like scribbled ink and lies that tore the pages they scribbled.
He sometimes wished he could simply turn back time and fix everything that went wrong. Each stab, each strike, and every chain that pierced that dragon.
Diluc sighs, as much as he wished, nothing he wished for would come true. He’s missed far too many years in Mondstadt and in the people’s lives. He missed Kaeya’s 18th by a year afterall, who was he to wish to turn back time and think that would rid him of lingering guilt?
Diluc shook his head, mind returning to wiping clean the shot glass in his hand “hoho! What’s got you frowning so hard?” Venti sips his drink across the counter, eyebrows moving up and down with his eyes still on Diluc. Diluc grunts in annoyance “ I’m unsure what you speak of bard” Venti only chuckles in response “ oh come on! I’m only on my 4th drink, I’m not yet imagining things!”
The nun scoffs besides the bard, her face scrunched and slightly turning a shade of pink “That’s your 9th drink bard. Besides he’s always frowning like that, I’m sure you’re imagining it” Venti lets out a dramatic gasp, his free hand on his chest and eyes blown wide “How could you be so mean Rosaria~” the nun simply rolls her eyes before she goes back to savouring her drink
Venti pouts at the lack of response and downs the rest of his drink before standing up abruptly on the stool and wills his lyre into his hands “Who would like some rhyme and song! I’m taking request~” shouts the bard, his feet slowly lands on the ground, the particle of anemo swirls at his feet
Venti stands in the center tavern, lyre in hand with others raising their drink to him. Diluc sighs at the sight of his drunk patrons and his archon, maybe he really does need to start limiting that bard…
“Well, it seems Venti is enjoying himself!” Diluc turns around to spot Kaeya at the end of the bar-when did he get there?- the red head blinks “When did-” Kaeya chuckles “Just now master Diluc, I’ll just take a glass of apple cider” Diluc sighs, hand moving to grab the alcohol before his brain catches what Kaeya said
“What?” Diluc slowly turns towards Kaeya “Just apple cider, I don’t feel in a drinking mood~” Diluc bobs his head slowly, his hand moving to grab the apple cider instead. He poured the cider into a wine glass, before sliding it over to Kaeya “...What’s the occasion ?” Kaeya takes a slow sip from the glass, clearly savoring the taste of the cider
Kaeya chuckles “Nothing at all actually, just felt it would be wasteful to end such a nice day drowning it in a bottle” The redhead stares at him, Kaeye seemed genuine in his statement, it was like seeing his little brother again after so long of seeing a mask
“You’re oddly happy..” the nun grumbled, Kaeya simply shrugs at her comment “actually, you’ve seemed a lot more happy since the grandmasters return..” Kaeya rolls his eyes at the drunken nuns continued comment “Put whatever she’s had on my tab tonight Master Diluc” the red head nods, Rosaria seems to protest before Kaeya whispered something to her
The rest of the night passed as any other night would, the only difference was that Kaeya seems to only be ordering non alcoholic drinks. Which Diluc had found weird as the man would always get at the very least one death afternoon, but tonight seemed different
Diluc’s eyes glancing over the tavern, his head still spinning around at the thoughts of ink painted skin “....?..luc-? Diluc?’ the red head looked up “Do you need a refill?” Kaeya shakes his head “I think I’ve had enough cider to last me for a whole year” Diluc opens his mouth before closing it.
He simply nods, as another patron of the tavern asks for a refill at the corner of his eyes he sees Kaeya’s lingering gaze.
For the rest of the night he avoids Kaeya’s stares. At the corner of his eyes, he could see the man spare glances towards him as the night passed, most with a rare hint of concern.
Most of the patrons had left, leaving those on the second floor along with the drunken duo and sober Kaeya at the bar. “Master Diluc,be so kind and close out my tab please~ I think we’ve all had enough to drink tonight, especially Venti.” the red head spares a glance at the knocked out bard “I’d believe so too”
Diluc grabs the small note book behind the counter and writes down the total of the tab, he rips the paper and slips it across onto the bar. Kaeya mutters a thank you as he grabs the check, and his mora pouch. The younger man counts out the coins and slides it to the red head
Diluc moves to grab the check from Kaeya, the red head freezes in place.
There. On the inner wrist of the navy haired man, pierced a single slumbered owl. The lines inked and and slightly faded, the exact same owl he had sketched into that damned sketch book and onto each other's skin. Diluc swallows down the lump in his throat
“Is something the matter, master Diluc?” the red head looks up at him, his eyes meeting the single pale purple. As the silence stretched, Kaeya’s smug smirk slowly slipped, the mask he wore cracking slightly under the gaze of Diluc.
“My master Diluc, don’t you know it’s rude to stare?” The navy haired looks away from the red hair, his hands still resting on the bar and wrist visible with each inked piece, the owl on the right and the peacock on the left. Diluc’s eyes lingered on the tattoos, Kaeya noticed the way the red hair stared at the inked pieces, the recognition and emotions behind them.
“Ah I believe you remember these little works of art on my wrist?” Diluc’s shoulder sagged slightly at the question, a sense of dread slowly building as Kaeya continued to speak “You know, I considered not doing them at all the same month I would turn 18. Afterall why would I? We weren’t on the best terms and I doubted that they would mean anything to you anymore” his hands moved, his gloves removed and revealing the full inked pieces.
The signature of their younger selves etched into Kaeya’s skin with ink, but most prominently the new edition of the Ragnvindr crest with Master Crepus’s birthday in small letters below it. “ I hadn’t planned to go through with them, but…even I’m weak to Adeline’s pure insistence. She helped me with the booking and even helped find that old book, she was also the one to suggest a tribute to Master Crepus. I had again been hesitant as I doubt you would’ve wanted that, but she was far more convincing then my doubt, I thinking you understand what I mean”
Diluc’s hand traced along the lines the silence between the grows heavier, his hand stopping at the fine lines of the peacock that covered a remnant of a burn scar from their fight. Kaeya hears Diluc’s words, just above a whisper “I can’t believe you got them…Why?”
And suddenly it felt like a bucket of ice was dumped on him. The tone of Dilu’s voice reminded him so much of when they were young, that look in his eyes that was the last present before he had uttered his secret to him, and suddenly he felt 16 again in the old mansion’s library, pencil scratching away at the surface of those note book papers.
“ I already told you. Adeline convinced me-” “Don’t lie. I meant before that, you were still considering it years after that night in the rain..Why?” kaeya stilled at the question, because he knew why, but he’d never admit it, because saying it out loud would mean facing it head on.
A sharp laugh breaks through his throat “I don’t know what kind of reason you’re imagining in your head master Diluc, but whatever it is, I assure you there was none.” The red head sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes narrowing on his estranged brother “Why do you insist on lying?” He saw the moment the mask slipped back on, a chuckle and shoulders growing tense “And here I thought you’ve finally stopped thinking of me as a liar, though I suppose once a liar is always a liar. Right master Diluc?”
Diluc grits his teeth, “That’s not what I meant.” Kaeya tilts his head, a small smirk playing on his lips “Oh? Well then what did you mean master Diluc? Please enlighten me.” His hand tightened in a fist, Diluc bit the inside of his cheek. “Why do you keep avoiding the question?”
“I’m not.” Kaeya grits through his teeth, Duluc looks at him, eyes cold and frown evident “Then why.? Tell me why Kaey-!”
“Because I still cared, dammit Luc! Just because I was sent here as a spy doesn’t mean I never cared. Sure I was a liar but I had always cared, you and father were like family to me. Is it so unbelievable to think that I didn’t want to let go of the last reminder of a happier time?!” Kaeya’s chest heaved, eyes locked on the floor with the deafening sound of teardrops
Diluc stood behind that bar, his whole body tense from the outburst and his mind shouting at him to do something, anything to reach his baby brother. The red head doesn’t process what he’s doing, he doesn’t feel his body move,doesn’t feel the boy he held in his arms.
Arms colder than his own wrapping itself around his back, the mixing of emotions that mixes together as if they were alcohol.
They should really stop doing this, if they don’t one of these days they’ll actually snap to the point of no return. But that day won’t be for a while for now they have each other
“Kaeya.” his arms wrapped around his brother just a little tighter “ I should’ve been there” the man his arms only nods against his shoulder “I would’ve liked turning 18 better had you been here” the two share the silence that comes, their wrongs not right but rather a seed of understanding is planted.
It’s not the apologies they need, but it’s a start to rebuilding everything even when they don’t have the same blueprints anymore, building the bridge won’t be the same but it won’t be so different with them side by side
Kaeya sighs into Diluc’s shoulder, his chin resting on it as he glances to his wrist “you know, it’s never too late?” the red head stills at the words spoken “What are you saying?” Kaeya shrugs in his hold “I know a guy that can fit you in anytime”
The red head chuckled at the words “are you serious?” Kaeya slowly pulls away from his hold, hands moving to his hips “ I’m dead serious, well, if you want of course” Diluc shakes his head “When’s the earliest appointment?” Kaeya grinned at that “ this morning actually” THe red head nods, his arm wraps around Kaeya’s shoulder “Fine, i’ll get the tattoo’s”