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Master Diluc’s words were always so bitter, so hard to digest. It didn’t matter what he said, no matter how neutral, the sheer apathy and disdain with which he regarded Kaeya was painful. It was scorching in how numb it was, Master Diluc’s attitude towards him. It was blindingly agonizing how gently the ashes of nothingness tickled his heart with a soft breeze.
Master Diluc was a cruel man solely to Cavalry Captain Kaeya. He held such a disdain towards him that hate was too strong a word to use. He didn’t bother to hate Kaeya because even doing that was a waste.
Master Diluc hated wasting things. He hated wasting his time, his company, and certainly his love.
Kaeya, being a waste himself, was simply drainage Master Diluc sought to avoid.
He didn’t love Kaeya. Not one bit. Not anymore. Kaeya knew that very, very well.
All the reasons were endless.
Master Diluc had never once referred to Cavalry Captain Kaeya by name since that fateful night. He always purposely used his title, or ‘Sir’, or at the very closest ‘K’. Establishing distance between them because he lacked loathing the thought of them having any sort of proximity.
Master Diluc treated him like an outsider. No, Kaeya was an outsider.
No matter how nicely Adelinde treated him, or how welcome he was at the winery, the truth is everything lies upon Master Diluc’s whim. He was simply not petty enough to deny Kaeya’s nostalgic trivial pleasures.
After all, when he ordained it, Adelinde called him ‘Captain’ too.
Kaeya knew very well that during the Weinlesefest Master Diluc hadn’t extended the invitation to him. He never would have. Adelinde had misunderstood, out of the goodness of her heart, that was all. Master Diluc was too kind to correct her.
Throughout the dinner, Kaeya had just blabbered nonsense attempting to make himself feel less outcasted, and Master Diluc absolutely didn’t appreciate Kaeya’s jesting. Internally, Kaeya had been begging himself to stop while the words spilled from his lips without control, almost panicky if he could dare say. He felt so ashamed every single moment and long after he returned home. He hated himself, more than Master Diluc could ever bother to do.
Despite Master Diluc’s lack of care for Kaeya specifically, he didn’t tolerate him as much as it seemed. He had just as much of a lack of hesitation in retorting or rebuking him, as he did joy in doing so. They ‘bickered’ as it was often put in an attempt to soften the situation, but Kaeya knew that truly… it was just hard arguing. Not about the subject matter at hand, but there was a boiling spite beneath the surface. It bubbled and churned, splurting with every barb uttered between the both of them. He didn’t know about Master Diluc, but he was so drained.
Too drained in fact, he realized as his brain reeled, cheek stinging painfully. His neck ached with slight whiplash as Master Diluc looked at him with pure rage.
He had slapped him?
Master Diluc slapped him?
The absolute venom radiating from the older man was enough to drive cold tremors up Kaeya’s spine as he remembered a past not so distant as it flashed through his mind.
“You never seem to understand the limit.”
He did, he understood it well enough to not abide by it, out of an uncontrollable desire for attention— affection unattainable.
“You’re a fucking nuisance.”
Nuisance. Nuisance. Nuisance.
The word rang in his head. Damn. Master Diluc’s ability to shatter him with only a few words was incredible.
And Kaeya, for all the glory of his silver tongue, couldn’t even give the weak apology he so desperately wanted to give.
No matter how pure his intentions were, Kaeya always appeared filthy. He hadn’t been trying anything to cause trouble, quite the opposite. But his intentions didn’t really matter when he had ruined things.
Master Diluc is the Darknight hero, as not many but quite a few people knew— Kaeya included.
Kaeya always worried about the Darknight hero. He was scared something would happen to him, with his reckless nature. He felt bad for all the work he had to do. He tried helping however he could, mainly by providing intel, and it was… not exactly appreciated but not refused.
However this time, his ‘intel gathering’ had cross-aligned with someone the Darknight hero wanted to ‘deal with’ and unfortunately this person was too wary and got away because Kaeya ended up alerting him.
Kaeya wasn’t perfect. He tried, but he simply wasn’t.
The Darknight hero hadn’t been happy with him, and they argued. Kaeya had no right to say anything when he had messed up, he knew it, but the concern he buried within him fueled him to continue.
Which had been a big mistake, clearly.
Emotionally and physically bruised, Kaeya had gone to work the next day, only to be reprimanded by Jean. She was never cruel, never mean, but it hurt.
“Kaeya, you’re not normally like this. While I still have full trust in you, you… this mistake makes things difficult for us. I’m not blaming you for anything of course— it’s just, you don’t seem like you’re in top condition right now. I’m just… worried.” Her eyes softened, “While I did talk to Master Diluc, I know he doesn’t blame you either despite what he might’ve said— though I don’t know exactly what… But, the point is you seem unlike yourself,” she continued to speak softly, “I think a break would do you good— you don’t have to of course— but I still think you could take a few days off?” She questioned, awkwardly chuckling.
“Okay,” Kaeya answered stiffly, leaving her office without another word.
He was so fucking done. The emotional weight that was the sole thing tethering him by body to the earth was pulling him down like he was a spirit. He certainly felt like one.
Quietly, silently, he took his stuff from his office and went to the door. He paused under the overhang, staring into the rainy weather. He didn’t stand alone.
“Captain Kaeya,” he was greeted with a lack of warmth.
He didn’t bother to smile, mind thinking thoughts he would never dare to think willingly. “Amber,” he responded curtly, mind lost in the downpour.
She scoffed, shaking her head. “You don’t have the respect to call me by my title.”
“…I was simply being casual. No intent behind it.” He hadn’t even thought about anything like that, though he wasn’t surprised the girl reached the conclusion that he was patronizing her. He knew she didn’t think he was a good enough example of a Cavalry Captain, yet she still called him that, so maybe her usage of titles was flawed.
“Don’t make me laugh. You? Saying something without intent? Please.” She huffed.
She really didn’t like him, huh? That was okay, Kaeya didn’t like himself either.
“Sorry, Outrider,” he replied earnestly.
She neutrally replied. “It doesn’t matter.” Giggling before continuing, “Eula’s here to pick me up, have fun walking alone in the rain. And… don’t cause any more trouble for Acting Grandmaster Jean, please. She has too much to do in her life to deal with you.” She teased innocently, rushing off to join her friend under her umbrella.
Kaeya watched alone as they walked off, chatting with one another. He didn’t have an umbrella nor someone to bring one to him.
He could feel his cheek sting in the chilly wet wind. His eyes stung too. Weird.
Back when he had been young, there were days when he didn’t have to walk home in the pouring rain. He never had to because he had never been alone.
He was always alone now though. The responsibility fell onto him to bring his own umbrella, as it always should have been. He never remembered though, so he always walked home drenched. Just like today.
The rain did a good job hiding his tears, so that was good at the very least.
.
.
.
Reaching home, Kaeya clicked the door locked behind him before sliding down and crying. He barely had the energy to cry, but that was all he could do anyway.
He was so exhausted. He was so lonely.
Always alone, always.
Nobody loved him much either, not as much as they loved anyone else. He knew it. He was either painfully neutral or a… nuisance.
Nothing else.
It was hard to find a reason to continue living. It had been hard. He tried, tried his hardest, but… why struggle so much if nobody else really wanted him around?
The thoughts of ending his life appeared, and instead of shaking them away like always, trying to bury them and pretend they didn’t exist, Kaeya allowed himself to think deeply about it.
He allowed himself to plan his suicide. Soon… soon he’d do it. He was just too tired right now, so he’d rest first.
It had been three days, and Kaeya hadn’t done a single thing but wallow in his bed.
He hadn’t eaten a thing, but he was too numb to bother. He barely drank any water, certainly dehydrated from how much he had been crying.
He felt absolutely miserable, and of course, like always, alone.
Completely disappearing from the world for three days, yet nobody checked on him. What was he supposed to make of that?
He wanted to die. Even though he knew he wasn’t desired, he couldn’t be bothered to think of the savior crap. He was going to do this because he himself truly wanted to disappear.
The next few moments were an out-of-body experience. He didn’t bother to write a letter. Master Diluc wouldn’t want to receive it, he didn’t like wasting his time on Kaeya. He didn’t feel close enough to anyone else to write them either.
Klee wasn’t an appropriate person to write a letter to, and she was a young child. It didn’t matter if it was Kaeya, anyone who was good to her would be enough.
Hell, he was just a bad influence. He had heard that many times.
He swallowed thickly, his tears resting heavily in his throat.
He hadn’t ever cried so much before. Maybe brushing off and burying everything inside of him had finally backfired and now everything was overflowing. How interesting.
It was okay though, he’d be gone soon.
Hands trembling, he grabbed the rope he attached to the ceiling, adjusting it and tying a noose. The thick braided and frayed rope made his hands sore.
He set the chair underneath it, and on the floor, next to it, he placed his will.
That would be enough explanation.
…But, he…
He grabbed a small notecard and wrote a very small note. He knew it wasn’t going to mean anything, not when Master Diluc didn’t care in the slightest, but for his own sake, to avoid leaving any tethers to the world.
“I’m sorry, Diluc,
for everything.”
That would be good enough.
A bitter smile dawned on his lips as he imagined Diluc sneering at the card, tossing it on the floor.
Hm. He hadn’t realized he dropped the ‘Master’. Hopefully, he could be forgiven for that.
Oh who was he kidding, he was unforgivable.
Regardless, it was time to…
He carefully stood upon the chair, placing the rope around his neck.
3…2…1….
.
.
.
Diluc loved Kaeya more than anything. He was terrible at showing it, but the truth of the matter was that nothing in the world was more precious to him than his little brother.
He regretted it deeply, what happened between them. All because he reacted so badly. He never felt like he had the right to be close to Kaeya after everything.
Still, the bitter emotions between them were no help and Diluc often found himself doing things he regretted with Kaeya so often.
Like how he slapped him a few days ago.
He’d been so angry, and Kaeya… he hadn’t made things easy. It was no fault of the younger man, Diluc just lost control far too easily where he was concerned.
That was no excuse though, absolutely not, so he had been waiting for Kaeya to visit the tavern. He deeply wanted to apologize to him.
He had felt so guilty— still did, when he thought about what happened with a cool head and realized Kaeya had only been trying to help him, and he had just made a mistake.
Honestly, he hadn’t even made a mistake. How was he supposed to know the guy had been too on guard for him to coax information from him?
Anyways, he desperately wanted to apologize to Kaeya and make things right, at least for what happened yesterday. The guilt was pounding on his chest.
But Kaeya never came. One night, two nights, then even three, but Kaeya didn’t show up.
He wasn’t surprised that Kaeya might not show up for a while, probably avoiding him. So he decided he’d find Kaeya.
He had gone to the KOF Headquarters, seeking out the blue-haired Captain.
Which is why he grew a bit more concerned when Jean told him Kaeya hadn’t been coming to work for the past three days, on a break.
He hadn’t seen Kaeya at all, but that wasn’t unbelievable. They didn’t typically run into each other outside of the tavern or sharing intel, so he had no other choice but to go to Kaeya’s house.
It would certainly be awkward, but Diluc had to swallow that awkwardness and deal with it.
He found the familiar house— one he paid special attention to during his late-night activities— and took a deep breath before going to the door.
He had been planning to knock but paused when he saw the door open by a crescent.
The air felt eerie and still, and a shiver ran down Diluc’s spine as he softly pushed the door open.
He had never felt tendrils of fear hold his heart in such a tight grip as he did when he saw what was behind the door.
An empty, hanging rope with a knocked-over chair and two pieces of paper lying next to it on the ground.
He rushed over, blood hammering in his veins. His heartbeat was loud, but not as deafening as the ringing in his ears.
There was a smudge of blood on the ground, a will, and a small note.
The note read,
“I’m sorry, Diluc,
for everything.”
Diluc had never felt fear like this ever before in his life. What the hell was this? Where was Kaeya? Surely he… no, no way, right?
“Kaeya?” He called, looking frantically. “Kaeya?!” His voice cracked, eyes stinging badly. He rushed around the house, checking all the rooms for his brother.
He found nothing.
“Kaeya! Kaeya, please, if you’re here, answer me!“ he sobbed. There was no response.
He never imagined this. He never thought— he always prayed and hoped that his little brother would be healthy, safe, and happy, even if that was without him. Never in his worst nightmares had he ever thought Kaeya would end up— hurting himself. Or trying to, at least.
Diluc didn’t know. He had absolutely no idea where his little brother was.
Still, Diluc was a man of action, and he refused to waste time lamenting over what could happen. He needed to find Kaeya.
He had to— he wouldn’t allow this.
He recalled the bitter— demented in the sense of how sad it was— smile Kaeya had given him after he slapped him.
Kaeya should have never been left alone.
He began to rush outside, pausing as he reached Kaeya’s door.
His shoes were still here.
But Kaeya wasn’t.
That meant… Kaeya had left without his shoes.
Oh, fuck.
Just what kind of state was his baby brother in right now?
…Leaving without his shoes— he clearly, he wasn’t in the right state of mind.
Well… obviously not, since he had even considered ending his life, he wasn’t thinking clearly.
The blood had been somewhat fresh though… meaning Kaeya could not have gone that far, especially not without his shoes.
So if he was anywhere, it was not too far away.
The door slammed shut as Diluc left. As he ran around, heart thumping in every step, calling out Kaeya’s name like he was a madman, drawing extremely concerned attention from all the people around, his mind ran through all the past interactions he had. Things that seemed off about Kaeya, things Kaeya said, anything that could potentially help him find his little brother.
The rain started again, and Diluc was utterly terrified. Images kept flashing through his mind. Kaeya, lying brokenly at the bottom of some sort of height— his baby brother with a sword or knife or something sticking from his chest, or throat, or his arms slit open.
Kaeya with no light in that beautiful pale blue eye.
Kaeya… Kaeya being dead.
No. No. No no no, please god no.
Diluc found himself praying to any archon that would listen that he would find his brother— safe, alive .
It was cold and wet, Kaeya noted deliriously. He was lying under some random tree, and he felt terrible. He was still in his pajamas, soaked and probably ill. Still alone, he was always alone.
It was fine.
He didn’t know what possessed him to just leave after setting up everything, but he had.
His head was bleeding. He had taken the rope off his neck, felt weak, slipped, and slammed his head on the ground.
Maybe that’s why he couldn’t think clearly.
That was fine. He didn’t need to think clearly anymore. He didn’t need to think at all. The only thing that came when he thought about anything was problems and sorrow.
All he needed to do was close his eyes and sleep, and maybe, just maybe, pray he never woke up.
And since that was unlikely to happen, he could only pray he had the strength when he woke up to walk back to his house, put the rope around his neck, and finish the job this time.
.
.
.
Kaeya mumbled weakly, his eyes slightly cracking open as the world in front of him blurred. Everything was tilting on its axis, and he had absolutely no idea where he was or what was going on. He barely had any cognition at the moment to identify who he was himself, but he could just barely feel something warm touching his face, then his neck, and the rumble of a familiar voice.
Someone’s hand was touching his cheek, his poor sore cheek, and he felt cold tears running down his face like the rain.
Somebody was holding him in an embrace, pressing kisses onto his face and whispering loving things in his ears. If only he could tell what.
Barely, just barely, he felt himself being wrapped up in something warm.
Despite the cold, wet clothes sticking to his body, the warmth was enough to lull him back into sleep's grasp.
Instinctively, he grasped the warm hand with his own cold clammy hand and allowed himself to relish the way the calloused fingers squeezed his own as he let the darkness consume him again.
He could sense that he was being taken somewhere, carried like he was loved and wanted by someone.
Diluc felt like he had been searching for hours, although that was not really the case, when he found Kaeya slumped against a tree. He looked limp, like a doll, and Diluc’s heart squeezed, blood stilling.
The skin under his eyes was red and tears were staining his cheeks. His cheeks and nose were dusting pink, and the skin was ever so slightly peeling.
He must have been crying so, so much.
His feet, bare, were scratched raw and bloody. He was completely soaked, thin black pajamas sticking to him.
He had a scrape on his forehead that left a trail of blood dripping down onto his brow.
And his cheek… Diluc knew the reason behind the fading, light bruise resting on it.
Had he really hit him that hard? The regret hit him deeply.
He leaned down, tracing his finger upon the cheek. Despite being so soaked in rain and cold on the surface, there was an elevated warmth behind his skin.
He noticed the younger man’s eye crack open, pale blue, dimmed yet not dull.
“Kaeya?” He tenderly called, continuing to delicately touch his face.
His little brother attempted to look up, tears spilling weakly from his eyes despite his lack of awareness. Diluc felt something in him break as he tearfully held Kaeya, pressing soft kisses on his face while holding him tight.
He had been so scared. He had been so fucking scared.
Diluc found himself telling Kaeya everything he had been desperate to say, apologizing profusely. Not just for what had happened three days ago but for everything.
He told him how much he loved him, how he could never stop seeing him as his brother.
Kaeya didn’t respond, just whining a little as Diluc spoke. Diluc shook his head, he’d tell him everything later, and checked his pulse, just continuing to give him reassurances.
The pulse was normal, thankfully. But still, he couldn’t be too assured. He had no idea what Kaeya had been doing, whether he could have possibly poisoned himself or not. So gently, he told him that he was going to take him to the cathedral. Though, he doubted that the blunette was conscious enough to register what he said.
Diluc took his coat off. It was thick, and despite the rain, the inside was dry and warm. He carefully placed it on Kaeya, wrapping him into the coat. He had always had a thin frame so it blanketed him with ease. Still, he seemed especially frail right now. Diluc wormed the other man’s arms through the holes, and when he had gotten Kaeya’s right hand through the sleeve, paused.
Kaeya had grasped his hand, fingers trembling as the grip was weak and unsteady. Diluc squeezed back, rubbing his fingers over the cold and wet skin. It certified to him that the moment was real, that Kaeya was safe, for now, and it grounded him.
He carefully picked up Kaeya, assuring him that he was fine, and set off to go to the cathedral.
The chest-tight worry didn’t subside as Diluc kept questioning what brought this on, why Kaeya would do something like this, why he would even think of ending his life, why’d he run off— why he— Diluc genuinely had no clue.
But answers could come later, as long as Kaeya was okay. He needed to be rational and cool-headed. Even later, he could not behave rashly and risk wounding Kaeya emotionally anymore.
Kaeya felt feverish as he woke up, but he didn’t feel cold anymore.
He also wasn’t alone anymore, he noted blankly, listening to the chattering of voices near his door.
“He’s physically alright… was just weak from…”
“…Okay… dehydrated so…”
Kaeya wasn’t interested in listening further, as the urge to sleep beat his desire to find out what was going on.
.
.
.
He woke up again, presumably hours later, as the evening light shined through the window. He slowly sat up, peeling a wet cloth from his forehead.
He… remembered everything. Up to a certain point at least. He remembered slumping against the tree and sleeping, but that was it.
How he got here, he had no idea, but it wasn’t surprising considering he was very much alive when he slept.
Honestly, anyone could have found him and taken him to seek medical attention.
Shit.
He probably looked absolutely fucking insane. He felt insane.
The depressive haze that had pushed him towards this point had lifted, and he just felt stupid.
It wasn’t like he was overjoyed at the prospect of living, but he wasn’t so suicidal that he’d behave completely irrationally like this.
He noted that there were tubes sticking in his body. He wriggled his arm, looking closer at them.
Was all of this really necessary?
Whatever… he was pretty thirsty, he noted, throat feeling horrendously achy.
He shifted, hanging his feet over the bed, realizing his feet were bandaged. Not surprising considering he ran around without shoes like a maniac.
He stood up, face paling as his vision swam. He stumbled, slamming upon the tiled floor with a loud thud.
Ouch. That fucking hurt.
He touched his forehead, feeling a bandage where he had hit after falling off the… chair at home.
He slowly sat up, as he heard people urgently rushing into the room. He felt someone helping him up, freezing as he registered Diluc.
“Kaeya! Shit, are you alright?!”
Kaeya?
He was referring to him by name?
“Dil— Master… Diluc?” He asked, his voice too sore to support him.
Diluc was looking at him all over, frowning when he saw the bruise beginning to form on his chin. He winced.
“…You should’ve called someone. Does it hurt?” He asked softly.
Kaeya nodded, dazed.
Another wince. “Why did you get up? What did you want?”
“…Thirsty..” Kaeya mumbled sheepishly.
Diluc sighed, pulling him back onto the bed.
“You sit here.” He directed sternly. “Jean, can you please get him some water.”
Kaeya’s eyes widened as he realized Jean was there. She nodded and left.
“…Kaeya, you— are you okay?” Diluc started. Kaeya didn’t like just how soft and tender he sounded. For someone who didn’t care in the slightest about him, it was too kind. Kaeya cared too much about Diluc for him to do this— because Kaeya would get his hopes up then—
“…I already said—!” He answered but Diluc shook his head.
“…That’s not what I meant. You… I saw what you tried doing… in your house…” He carefully picked up Kaeya’s hand.
Oh.
No— no way.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck–
Is that what this was all about?
Kaeya snatched his hand away, glaring at the red-haired man.
“ So what? What? Did you come here because you felt bad about it? You don’t have to pretend to care about me just because I’m so pitiful and lonely I tried to kill myself! ” he shouted. Tears welled up in his eyes, and the skin underneath stung badly.
Diluc looked pained as if he had been wounded.
“Kaeya— What? What do you mean ‘pretend’ ?” he pleaded.
“You—! Are you serious?! How dare you ask me that?!” He continued to shout, unexpected rage pushing all his emotions to the surface.
Kaeya weakly slapped Diluc, grasping his shirt attempting to shake him but failing miserably so he settled for smacking the man with his fist instead on the chest.
“You always wish I’m not there! Whenever I am, you want me to leave as soon as possible!” He sobbed.
“Kaeya—“
“You’ve never once referred to me by name since we had our fight—!”
“…”
“You always hate small talk— so— so you tell me…” his breath hitched, “you’re always telling me— to— to be quiet and that— I need to— to shut up but— but I never get to talk to you— you— besides small talk so that means…” his hands drew back as voice warbled and he wailed, pitifully rubbing at his eyes.
“I hate you!” He cried childishly. “I hate everyone — I hate,” he stammered, voice considerably quieting. “I hate myself the most because— because— if everyone is loved and I’m— I’m not then… then that means I’m the problem and…”
“Kaeya,” Diluc called softly, tightly wrapping his arms around the bluenette who was shaking like a leaf. “No, no I don’t, I—“ he took a deep breath to calm himself down from hysterics. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you feel like that, I promise you I never once even could imagine thinking that I don’t want you here.”
“…” Kaeya shook his head, “...You don’t need to say things just because I caused a scene. I’m… I’m being a nuisance right now…” his shoulders curled, and he swallowed, sniffling, “I’ll just do whatever you– everyone wants me to do without bothering anyone ever again. ”
Kaeya looked up at Diluc, expecting to see the older man look even slightly relieved that he didn’t have to keep entertaining this ‘tantrum’, but he only seemed horrified. Confusedly, Kaeya began to ramble in a panic.
“If you don’t want me to die– then I’ll just do my job… and, and I’ll never disturb you again, I’ll be quiet as a mouse and be invisible if that’s what you want–?”
“Kaeya!” Diluc raised his voice, and Kaeya flinched, breathing in tremored gasps.
“Sorry, I’m sorry, I can die too if you want– I don’t know, I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do–!” Kaeya buried his face in his hands, refusing to look up as he cried.
Diluc took a deep breath. He hadn’t been angry, just scared, but losing control over his emotions only scared Kaeya more.
Carefully, he pried Kaeya’s face from his hands and held it, forcing him to look at him. Kaeya closed his eyes shaking his head.
“Kaeya, let me tell you. You— I don’t want you to be dead. I’ve never once wanted that, even when our relationship was at its worst. I’m sorry for calling you a nuisance. I didn’t mean it. You’ve never been a nuisance. You…” he gave a sad laugh, “...I’ve always thought that you were a blessing that our father happened to find. I never tell you, because I’m an idiot, but I’m so fucking grateful for you. I’m not making things up out of pity,” he continued, “Have I ever needed to pity you? You’re too important for me to do things with you out of sheer pity,” he choked up on the next words, “Kaeya, you’re all I have, you’ve been my world since all those years ago, and you thought–?” he shook his head, “I don’t ‘tolerate’ you, Kaeya, I seek you out because I love you .”
Kaeya opened his eyes, shocked by those words, and truly looked at his older brother properly. Teary eyes, messy hair, damp shirt— this wasn’t the appearance someone who couldn’t be bothered to give a damn about him would have. He inhaled sharply.
“...Do you understand now? I’m so sorry for letting you believe otherwise and letting you suffer with these misconceptions.” Diluc tried to give him a shaky smile. Kaeya slowly nodded, swallowing tears and placing his hands on his lap.
“I’m sorry too,” he said hoarsely, “...I shouldn’t have behaved so rashly.”
Diluc shook his head again, “You have nothing to apologize for. ...Something is obviously bothering you, beyond just me. I just want to understand… what— what prompted this?”
Kaeya let his head flop onto Diluc’s shoulder, burying his face into the crook of his brother’s neck. “...I’ve just been so lonely… I guess. Nobody else really likes me either– and the sentiment that I’m a burden isn’t new… so I guess, I just got sent over the edge…”
“What do you mean the sentiment isn’t new?” Diluc asked, quite alarmed. “...Did someone–?”
“...So many people, they don’t like me. I’ve heard all sorts of things— There’s no point in going into it now…” Kaeya rubbed his eyes.
“Who the hell dares–?!”
Kaeya tearfully laughed, “It’s okay, forget it.”
Diluc silently made a note to identify each and every person who had wronged Kaeya and to “deal” with them depending on who it was. He tenderly brushed Kaeya’s bangs back, to which Kaeya flinched. Diluc slightly frowned, brushing back the bangs again.
“I hope you’re aware you’re going to be spending a lot more time with me from now on. So, hopefully, you won’t be so jittery soon.”
“...Am I being punished?”
“No, unless you consider spending time with me punishment?” Diluc raised an eyebrow.
Kaeya playfully placed a finger on his lip, pondering. Diluc flicked it away.
“I’m trying to be sensible—” Kaeya started, before pausing. Diluc raised his eyebrow again. “...I’ll be quiet,” he stated, actually sensible for once.
Diluc sighed, “Do you have any idea what you did to yourself? You worried me so much that for my own sake, I beg you to stay with me.”
Kaeya shook his head. “Interestingly, I don’t remember a ton of how I got here. I can recall the past few days, though that’s kind of hazy, but not at all how I ended up here. So…” he trailed, waiting for Diluc to fill in the space.
“I found you practically passed out lying against a tree in the Whispering Woods. You were so delirious and feverish. Running out of your house without shoes, not eating a single bite of food for the past three days, dehydrating yourself… you… I honestly don’t know what you think you’re doing sometimes,” Diluc scolded without any bite.
“...I wasn’t thinking,” Kaeya answered, sighing.
Diluc’s eyes narrowed, “I can see that!” He pinched Kaeya’s cheek tightly.
“Ouch… Diluc you’re so mean…”
…
Jean chuckled, the requested glass of water in her hand. She didn’t want to interrupt them, so she had to… just stand here… holding water like a water girl…
Sigh.
.
.
.
The end.