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“Brother, slow down!” Kaeya yelled while frantically running after his older brother, his shoes making a squelching sound with each step.
The little boy’s face was covered in splashes of mud and cold, winter rain. It was one of those rare Mondstadtian days where the streaks in the sky seemed barely visible through thick fog. One with a downpour so furiously in a whirlwind, it seemed as though the Anemo archon himself was enraged.
The gloom of days like these would usually stay locked outside. Inside the winery, adorned with the warmth of candles, soft yellow-light chandeliers, a cozy fireplace and the presence of two redheads, Kaeya felt safe. Adelinde would fix his family bowls of cream stew or warm goulash, and thoughts of what was happening outside his window would fade into the background.
On this particular day, his older brother decided it would be fun to play outside and to run around among all the different grape vines. He had dragged Kaeya along with him, telling him it would be like an adventure.
“Brother, where are you?” Kaeya shouted into the air, his voice strained and shivering from both fear and the merciless cold. His face had turned a subtle shade of blue, matching his hair. He could barely see through the mist and the instinctive squinting of his eyes to keep the rain out of them. He couldn't make out where his brother was, nor their house.
Kaeya forced his eyes to widen, growing desperate, he continued shouting for his brother, praying that his clouded, grey vision would make way for a sparkle of red. His worry grew– out of concern for the person he cares about most– but, selfishly, also for the fear of losing the life he had been granted and feared so much of losing.
Kaeya stilled, deciding to sit on one of the carts the harvesters use. He was the timid kid, the one who didn’t dare, as opposed to his courageous brother. He wanted so desperately to stay strong for him, but now he felt he was reaching his limit. A drop of water ran down his face that was warm, unlike that of the harsh rain. The cart shook violently, throwing Kaeya off of it. Before he could even properly react, a figure towering over him spoke.
“Do you think you can get rid of me that easily, brother?” Kaeya’s older brother, Diluc, said with a big grin plastered on his face. He laughed while extending his arm out to his sibling.
While pulling himself up, Kaeya mimicked his brother’s laugh, which ended up sounding more strained as he recovered from the aftershocks of his fear.
“No.”
~~~
The sun hung low in the sky of Mondstadt, hues of orange and red hitting Kaeya’s face as he stepped out of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, accompanied by acting grand master Jean. They started walking their way down the city together.
“It’s strange…” Jean murmured, seemingly lost in thought.
"Hm?" Kaeya looked over at her, processing her words, since he wasn't focused. “What is?” Kaeya asked.
“How is it possible for a gang of so many members of the abyss order and treasure hoarders to retreat like that?” she started, while sneaking glances left and right, making sure no civilian was overhearing their conversation.
“I’m not trying to doubt the Knights’ abilities, no, but it is simply not believable that they would be the reason for this retraction.” Kaeya carefully listened to her words; she didn't need to finish speaking for Kaeya to figure out the answer to her question. However, he let her continue.
“I mean, the gang most certainly knew of the Knights’ capabilities beforehand, yet they still decided to threaten–” She added, before abruptly cutting herself off.
“Acting grand master. Cavalry captain,” Jeannette, a Monstadtian painter, greeted the pair along with a polite nod. The two politely nodded their heads in return and continued their walk along the various shops and houses in the city centre.
“Why would they suddenly change their minds?” Jean finished verbalising her thoughts from before.
“Oh, Jean, I surely thought you were smarter than me,” Kaeya responded. Jean slightly slowed her pace and gave the other a quizzical look. “The only thing that stands against a threat, is one just as fierce, if not fiercer,” he added. Jean stayed silent, suspecting Kaeya had more to say.
The two were passing Angel’s Share when the large wooden door, opened by an entering patron, let way for the bar’s exuding warmth and a glimpse of red behind the counter. Kaeya shifted his gaze and attention back to Jean.
“Surely,” he paused, “It was the Darknight Hero.”
~~~
Crepus made it clear from a rather early age that Diluc was to become the greatest knight in Mondstadt. His wish for Diluc was further enhanced when, around the age of 10, Diluc received his vision, something his father had never gotten, and wished so dearly he had. Crepus lived his vision-bearing dreams through his son.
Kaeya witnessed how the fire in his father’s eyes shone brighter than the pyro emerging from his brother’s greatsword. Kaeya saw how dearly his father loved two things: his firstborn and his business, the winery. He wasn’t blind to the love he received from the man; in fact, he thought it was greater than he deserved, but he couldn't help but feel that it would never measure up to his fondness for the other two.
Kaeya wished to join his brother in his combat training, which his father supported, since he believed it would be beneficial for him, regardless of not having a vision. However, Crepus only allowed him to train with Diluc on occasion; the rest of his time was filled with other activities. Kaeya's strength wasn’t like Diluc’s– although they were both still young– that’s why his weapon of choice was a sword. It was much lighter and allowed him more agility, and was therefore easier to manage. Still, he had never won from his brother in a training session. Kaeya wasn’t jealous; in fact, he looked up to Diluc, and he saw traits in him that he wouldn’t ever allow himself to dream of having. He couldn't help that sometimes his heart betrayed his mind.
“Yes, just like that,” Crepus spoke. “Stir gently on low heat.” He instructed Kaeya, who was standing next to him, stirring a pot of grapes. Kaeya nodded at his father and continued to do as he said.
“Is Diluc still training, father?” Kaeya asked.
“Yes, but I believe they’ll be done soon,” his father replied.
“Hm,” Kaeya hummed in acknowledgement.
The aroma of the bursting grapes filled the kitchen. Kaeya squished them in the pot, as he had been taught, the colours of the different grapes mixing together like a potion. He often found himself lost in thought during this process.
“Father…” Kaeya started tentatively, continuing to squish more grapes before he paused, carefully considering his choice of words.
“Why do I have to learn all of these tasks while Diluc gets to train to become a knight?” he asked, his words coming out soft and fragile. “Is it because I don’t have a vision?” He didn’t want to look his father in the eyes. He felt afraid asking these questions, wanting to know the answers, but fearing they were the same harsh ones that crept into his mind.
Kaeya heard his father’s laugh, followed by a strong grip on his shoulder, making him turn to face his father.
“It is not what you think at all,” Crepus started. He gave Kaeya’s shoulder a squeeze before continuing. “My son,” he smiled, “I want you to take over the winery. I want you to take my place when I can no longer manage,” he finished, his deep voice dripping in sincerity.
As Kaeya looked into his father’s eyes, he saw the fire he’d seen ever so often, for the first time, directed at himself. He realised then and there that his father didn’t have dreams only for Diluc, but also for him. It had been that way for so long, but for the first time, Kaeya allowed himself to acknowledge it.
With wide eyes, he looked up at his father, at a loss for words. He watched Crepus turn off the heat before speaking once again.
“Now, I trust that you can finish this juice by yourself,” Crepus spoke, no trace of doubt detectable in his voice. “I’ll go fetch your brother in the meantime, and then you two can enjoy it together,” he said before giving his son another smile and seeing his way out.
Kaeya did know how to finish the drink, only this time, he felt it had purpose. It wasn’t some meaningless task on his itinerary anymore. He placed two glasses down in the living room before the two redheads burst inside through the front door.
“Brother!” Diluc shouted while running over to Kaeya. “Whoa, you made grape juice?” He exclaimed upon seeing the glasses on the table. Kaeya affirmed his question.
“Awesome!” Diluc said, then took a big gulp of juice and wiped a drop from his chin. “You will never believe what we did today,” his brother started, rambling into a story about the new combat technique he had learned earlier. Kaeya listened intently while drinking from his own cup. From the corner of his eye, he saw Crepus smile down at them both. His gaze shifted from one son to the other, the warmth in his eyes remaining unchanged.
~~~
After a not-so-interesting workday, Kaeya wrapped up his tasks. He suddenly remembered he had plans to meet with the traveller later, which made his day already a whole lot less boring. He decided to stop by his apartment first to drop off his things. Afterwards, he headed into the city centre, towards Good Hunter, where he and the traveller planned to have dinner.
“Hello, Sara,” Kaeya greeted the chef. “I would like a table for three, no– two will do.” He corrected, since, well, Paimon wouldn’t need a chair since she flies right?
“Of course!” Sara replied. “Are you waiting for a lady, perhaps?” She asked, her eyes glistening with curiosity.
“Haha, not this time,” Kaeya answered, amused. He was on good terms with Sara since he often frequented her restaurant; naturally, she took an interest in the women Kaeya brought along with him.
Sara directed him towards a table outside and started him with a glass of water, which he thanked her for. He sat waiting for the traveller’s arrival, basking in the remainder of sunlight left in the day and the soft breeze of spring. The season was certainly best enjoyed in Mondstadt. Kaeya felt as though spring was the Archon’s favourite.
“Kaeya!”
He heard the shriek, which he recognized as none other than Paimon’s voice. He looked up, seeing her and the traveller walking towards him.
“Traveller,” he said, looking at Aether. “Paimon,” he added, turning to the little creature. “It’s a pleasure.”
“Right back at ya!” Paimon replied as Aether got seated opposite Kaeya.
“Does she ever let you speak?” Kaeya asked, looking at the traveller, ignoring the sharp ‘Hey!!!’ coming from his left.
“Not really,” Aether responded before softly chuckling. Kaeya smiled back at him before putting his hand under his palm, his arm leaning on the table.
“So,” he started, looking between the two in front of him. He noted that, yes, Paimon indeed did not need a chair. “How have you been?” he asked.
“It’s nice to be back in Mondstadt,” Aether started, before thanking Sara for the glass of water she placed on his side of the table. “Especially during spring, it’s just lovely here,” he continued.
“Mhm,” Kaeya hummed in agreement.
“Other than that, it’s been the same, you know,” The traveller said, to which Kaeya cocked an eyebrow.
“Oh?” He responded with a tilt of his head. “I’ve heard quite the buzz coming from Fontaine, and your name certainly came up a lot.”
Aether sighed before taking a sip of his water and putting the glass back down on the table. “How do people always know what I’m up to?” he asked, his eyebrows scrunched like this isn’t the first time this has happened. Kaeya laughed at his question and urged the traveller to share his adventures. They sat talking and dining– Kaeya ordered a Sweet Madame for them to share– until the sun had long set.
“You know what I always crave after a hearty meal?” Kaeya said, because, well, he wasn’t actually asking. Aether decided to respond anyway.
“Wine?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing the answer full well.
Kaeya clapped his hands together. “Well, yes!” he exclaimed, again, ignoring the shrill ‘don’t you always?!’ from Paimon. Seriously, could Aether not leave that thing at home?
“We should head to Angel’s Share. My treat,” Kaeya added with a wink.
“Sure,” Aether smiled warmly.
Kaeya pulled the door of the establishment open, after which the three got hit with a wave of warmth, chatter and the strong aroma of liquor. The feeling inside was borderline suffocating, since the place was packed and the weather these days didn’t help with the stuffiness. Kaeya could already feel his cheeks heating up. As he looked around the room, he noticed the same flush adorning most patrons' faces, which could likely also be by their drunkenness, who knows.
“Traveller!” a voice called. “Paimon!”
Kaeya didn’t catch who the voice belonged to, but he did see Aether get dragged away by Paimon towards the figure calling out for them– he guessed. He waved a dismissive hand towards Aether in response to the blonde’s apologetic expression.
Kaeya sat down by the bar alone, plopping on one of the high chairs before resting his chin on his palm once again. He looked in front of him, directly at his brother and waited. He knew Diluc saw him and could tell he was decidedly ignoring him. After a short while, Diluc gave up and decided to shift some of his attention to his younger brother.
Diluc sighed. “What do you want?” He asked, his voice low and monotonous. Kaeya could barely hear him through the sound of clanking glasses and laughter.
“Oh, just the usual please,” Kaeya responded, smiling widely. The bartender poured him a glass of red wine and slid it across the bar to the other man.
“Anything else?” Diluc asked while pouring a drink for another customer. The redhead’s focus was never fully on the other. He never looked Kaeya in the eyes, not unless he was doing something else in the meantime. Kaeya never received his undivided attention anymore.
“Yes, how about a song?” Kaeya asked sarcastically.
Diluc let out an unamused chuckle. “Oh, so, you’re funny now?” he asked in return.
“Quite hilarious, actually,” Kaeya responded, moving the wineglass in his hand in a circular motion before taking a sip.
“Sure,” Diluc said in a sarcastic tone. “If you’re so hilarious, why did the Traveller leave you to sit alone here?” Diluc asked, looking Kaeya in the eyes while drying off some glasses. “He didn’t find your jokes very funny then?” he added.
“Hey,” Kaeya said, setting down his glass. “That’s completely unrelated,” he added, “And mind you, he’ll be back in a moment.” Kaeya hoped that was true.
“Oh, sure,” Diluc responded. Kaeya could swear he saw a slight smirk on the other’s face, before seeing Diluc put a glass of liquid to his own mouth.
“Archons, is that grape juice again?” Kaeya asked, his eyebrows scrunching in mild disgust and disappointment. “I don’t know how you drink that stuff,” he said.
“You used to drink it too, Kaeya.”
“Sure, as a child,” he started, “But I’ve long changed since then, Diluc, so have you,” Kaeya added with a smile.
“No,” the other responded, to which Kaeya’s smile dropped.
“Not really.”
~~~
Kaeya plopped onto his back on the matted floor, his chest heaving. He wiped the sweat trickling down his face with the sleeve of his white shirt and pulled himself up to lean on his arms. A greatsword made its way under his chin. Its sharp tip sat snugly against his throat, positioned to keep the teenager still, but careful not to hurt him.
“Surrender,” Diluc spoke, his voice steady despite the fact that he was also trying to calm his breathing.
Kaeya stayed quiet, not wanting to give up. His mind was desperately searching for an escape, but with his sword lying limp on the other side of the room, far out of reach, his chance at victory was very slim.
“I said.” Diluc lifted his greatsword up, forcing Kaeya’s head up with it.
“Surrender,” he commanded, his voice laced with venom this time.
If Kaeya didn’t know Diluc, he’d be terrified to be in such a compromised position. “I surrender,” he said, admitting defeat.
“Good,” Diluc said, his voice low and serious. He removed the weapon from Kaeya’s body, extended his arm out to his brother and pulled him up. “Now…” he continued, “I’m starving,” Diluc laughed shortly. He put an arm around his brother’s shoulder, and together, they left the building. Crepus had transformed a small barn next to the estate into a sparring room for Diluc. He said it would be safer, since having him ‘play’ with fire inside the house certainly wouldn't end well.
“I have to say,” Diluc started as the two made their way through the sunflower field on their way back home. “You’re getting so much better,” he added, “You lasted so long today.”
“Ugh, that is such a small achievement, it’s not worth praising,” Kaeya responded, annoyed, not with his brother, but with himself. “One day,” Kaeya started, his voice sounding hopeful, his face lighting up. “When I defeat you–”
“Pfft–”
“–I will decorate the entire winery in flowers!” Kaeya said while quickly gathering some daisies and sunflowers from the ground before throwing them in the air, of which a daisy landed in Diluc’s hair. Kaeya fished the flower out of his hair, held it up, and said:
“Ah-ha!” he snapped a finger. “I will wear a flower crown, I’ll be like royalty,” he continued. Diluc wore a proud smile while looking at his brother walking in front of him, basking in his whimsy.
“Yes!” Kaeya said while whipping around quickly to face Diluc. “You’ll be my servant,” he finished, his voice lowered in a jokingly threatening way.
Diluc laughed warmly at him, his chest vibrating with the noise. “That sounds very nice, Kaeya,” he said, ruffling his brother’s hair. “Unfortunately, that day will never come, so maybe you should save this idea for your birthday or something, hm?”
“Just you wait, Luc, I will– Ah!”
Before Kaeya could finish his thought, Diluc swiftly pinned him to the ground, two arms behind his back, and his chest blocked with a knee.
“What were you saying?” Diluc teased him. Kaeya protested and tried to fight his way out of Diluc’s lock with no success. Diluc released his hold on him and lied down next to his brother on the grass. Kaeya turned over, his back now also on the grass underneath them.
“I hate you,” he said quietly after a beat of silence.
Diluc laughed, his chest bouncing up and down. Kaeya looked over at him while Diluc's gaze was fixed upwards.
“How am I ever supposed to fend off monsters on my own if I can't even defeat you?” Kaeya asked. His vulnerability was showing, but he didn’t care. Kaeya’s attention was pointed at his brother while he waited for a response.
“As long as I’m alive,” Diluc said, his gaze didn’t move away from the clear, blue sky above.
“You won’t ever have to.”
~~~
Mondstadt’s summer was often short-lived. Autumn arrived quickly and harshly. The nation’s usually colorful scenery shifted: leaves turned brown, and outside surfaces were covered in mud. The sky was accompanied only by rain and grey clouds, with faint hues of blue barely peeking through. While the winter days were colder and darker, Mondstadtians were still cheerful for the holidays. The streets were covered in fairy lights and other festive decorations. Autumn had none of that energy; it was plain depressing. At least, that’s what Kaeya personally believed.
His day had started rather usual. He woke up too late, as he does, and rushed to get dressed for work. Upon his arrival at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, he entered Jean’s office for instructions on the day’s excursion.
Kaeya, along with a group of knights, headed out to a treasure hoarder camp in the south of Mondstadt, near Dragonspine. Normally, clearing these camps is a piece of cake; he could easily do that on his own. Jean, however, informed him that the treasure hoarders residing there had ties to the abyss and, along with that, had summoned abyssal creatures and powers. These were the same thugs who threatened to invade Mondstadt before their cowardly retreat.
“Stand back!” Kaeya shouted to the team positioned behind him. He drew his sword and carefully stepped onto the terrain, scanning the area. There was no one, no Hilichurl, no treasure hoarder, no Abyss mage. He motioned to the knights with his hand that they could proceed.
“Captain,” one of the seniors started. “Should we search the area?” he asked his superior. Kaeya nodded in approval. He made his way to the stove and hovered his hand over the black pot. The fire was out, sure, but there was still warmth radiating off of it.
“Karl and Frieda, stay behind and search the camp,” Kaeya told the two men before moving over to the rest.
“The rest, search the surrounding area. I want everyone to spread out!” He commanded. “If you find anything, you know what to do.”
“Yes, Captain,” the men responded before heading into their respective positions.
Kaeya was left behind for some time, wondering how those criminals knew of the knights’ arrival. Did they, even? Was it perhaps a coincidence that they left right on time? None of the possible explanations in his head fully made sense.
“Captain,” Karl spoke up.
Kaeya turned around to face him. “Did you find anything?” he asked.
“No traces of elemental or abyssal energy, Captain,” he replied. Kaeya furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He looked down on the ground in thought.
“And no footsteps or fingerprints,” Karl added.
“What?” Kaeya’s head snapped up. "None?" he asked.
“None.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, Captain,” Karl said. “We searched the camp twice.”
Kaeya couldn’t wrap his head around the situation, it was too out of the ordinary. The man felt something cold on his face, a raindrop, which quickly turned into many more. The rain was then accompanied by a bright flash of purple and blue, followed by a loud rumble.
“Captain!” The dispatched knights had returned from their search.
“No Hilichurls, treasure hoarders, or abyssal creatures, and no traces of elemental or Abyssal energy!” He yelled, trying to be audible over the loud storm. “Within a kilometer radius, that is!” he finished.
Kaeya and the knights made their way back to headquarters after the captain reasoned they couldn't get much done in the storm. He reported the squad’s findings, or lack thereof, to Jean, who agreed with him on the strangeness of the situation. Kaeya then headed home, storm still raging. Kaeya couldn’t fall asleep that night, and when, around 1 a.m., the storm died down, he put on his uniform, grabbed his sword, and escaped into the night.
Kaeya stood in the centre of the camp, flashlight in hand, and looked around the area. It looked the same as that afternoon, save for the damage caused by the storm. The wet, squishy sound of his boots on the ground made him cringe. The man walked over to one of the tents, opened its flap, and the next thing he knew, he was engulfed in a thick, black smoke and was rendered unconscious.
When Kaeya’s eyes fluttered open, the first things he noticed were the darkness surrounding him and the sharp pains in his head. His vision was blurry, and his breathing rapid and shallow, the air around him heavy and stifling. He wanted to speak, to scream, to call out for help, but his mind refused to cooperate. Panic flooded over him as he realized he couldn’t even form a single sound. His hand shot up instinctively to clutch his throat, only to be stopped by a short chain binding both his arms.
The man looked around him, trying to find a clue that could help him figure out where exactly he was, or how he could get out. He figured he was in a cave, judging by the dark, stone walls and stalactites hanging from the ceiling, dripping something that didn’t quite look like water to him. He could hear the faint, eerie sound of waterdrops falling into a larger body of water. There was barely any light other than some shades of purple bouncing off the walls.
He suddenly remembered his vision, which was thankfully still hanging tight on his body. He focused on activating it, the blue colour radiating from it, illuminated more than anything else in the cave. His eyes lit up as he felt the elemental energy surge through his body. He could form an icicle to break his hands free from the chain.
Kaeya held his palm out before himself, and despite his exhaustion, formed an icicle that hovered over his hand. Before he could even think about moving it, the object disintegrated into a thousand little pieces before him, still hung in the air. The pieces all flew, no, were pulled into the centre of the cave and disappeared as if there was a gravitational core that stripped away any object of elemental energy.
Kaeya stared bewildered in front of himself; he had never seen something like that before. He formed another icicle, a small one this time, so as not to overexhaust his energy, but the same thing happened once again.
“Don’t bother,” a deep, robotic voice spoke, the sound bouncing off the walls. Kaeya frantically looked around him, trying to identify the source, when suddenly a large figure appeared before him.
The creature was tall, inhumanly so. It was covered from head to toe in a cloak and mask, not an inch of skin or scales or whatever it could have been, visible. Next to it, proudly stood a greatsword of the same height. The creature radiated a purple energy adorned with stars, flooding around the creature like a liquid. This was no electro energy, but certainly Abyssal power. Kaeya’s head hung low, not being able to properly lift it up. His energy seemed to have worsened since this thing made its appearance.
“Ah, I forgot you probably can’t talk,” the creature spoke once again, followed by a chuckle that sounded like it rumbled from the depths of the Abyss itself. It made Kaeya’s skin crawl.
“Now, let me see those eyes.” The creature grabbed its weapon and placed it under Kaeya’s chin, lifting his head up. If his voice worked, he would've hissed at the sting of the blade slicing a piece of his skin open.
“Ah…” it said, amused. “Just as I had hoped,”
Kaeya felt his eyes droop, his heart racing even faster, fighting to stay conscious. Breathing became increasingly more difficult. His vision’s blue glow was long gone along with the elemental energy that once surged through his body. The more he was around this creature, the more he was being drained.
“I have been looking for you,” the creature told Kaeya, the words barely being processed by the man. The last thing Kaeya saw before his vision blackened was the violent slash of a greatsword.
Kaeya slowly opened his eyes. He was greeted by a soft synthetic light and the warmth of a bed underneath him, and blankets on top of him. His head still ached, but it was bearable, at least he could breathe regularly. Most importantly, he tested his voice by letting out a quiet Mm and smiled weakly upon hearing it.
“Kaeya?” A worried voice, belonging to his brother, softly spoke into the room.
“Diluc…” Kaeya slurred, his energy clearly not fully replenished.
“Shh.” Kaeya heard before everything turned dark again, this time not unpleasantly. He figured Diluc turned the light off or his eyes closed or something, he couldn't tell.
“Go back to sleep,” Diluc whispered.
When Kaeya awoke for the third time, seriously, he was done with these surprises. He squinted his eyes in response to the sun shining too brightly for his liking. He quickly recognized the room he was in, considering he had lived in the building for over a decade. He was feeling okay, which was considerably better than last night, which he was grateful for.
Kaeya carefully got up and left the room, heading towards the main living room, where he found Diluc sitting at the dining table on one of the chairs. The living area had barely changed. Kaeya took note of Crepus' portrait on the wall and the blue vase he had gifted Diluc years ago. He wondered how a person could be as self-sabotaging as himself.
Kaeya walked to the chair opposite his brother’s and sat down. The air in the room was almost as thick as in that cave. After a minute, Diluc still had not looked up at him. Kaeya didn’t blame him.
“How are you feeling?” the redhead asked, his eyes still not on his brothers’.
“I’m… fine,” Kaeya answered. He hesitated thinking about his answer. “I feel well.”
“Good,” Diluc muttered.
“Adelinde,” Diluc called out, his head facing the direction of the kitchen where she was standing. “Bring us some scrambled eggs and a glass of grape juice, please.”
“Yes, Master Diluc,” the maid replied before hurrying her way to the kitchen to do exactly that.
“I don’t want grape juice, actually,” Kaeya said.
“It’s not for you,” Diluc replied curtly.
“Oh,” Kaeya murmured. He wanted to leave, the anger and coldness radiating off of Diluc, although understandable, were unbearable. He wished he knew what to say, for the guilt was eating him alive.
After a few minutes, Adelinde came and put down the grape juice and the plate of scrambled eggs on the table. Diluc thanked her before dismissing her upstairs. He picked the plate up and put it in front of Kaeya, the cup remained in front of him. Kaeya picked up his fork, but before he could start eating his meal, his brother spoke up.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Diluc snapped with his head in his hands, thumbs resting on both of his temples.
“Diluc,” Kaeya spoke softly. He didn’t know what he could even follow up with. He wished Diluc hadn’t sent Adelinde away so she could witness how his brother was most likely going to kill him.
“No, don’t speak,” Diluc demanded. Kaeya could see his brother’s furrowed brows through his fingers. He wanted to say he had enough experience not speaking from last night, but decided to keep his mouth shut as requested.
“Do you have any idea,” Diluc continued. He finally looked up at Kaeya, giving him the look that Kaeya recognized from a time he didn't want to think about. “What could have– no, what would have happened if I hadn't shown up on time?”
Kaeya figured this was a rhetorical question, and if it was genuine, he probably should still keep his mouth shut.
“What on earth has gotten into you?” The older man yelled, accompanied by a hand slamming against the table. The usually comforting, warm fire in Diluc’s eyes blazed aggressively at him.
After thinking for a moment, he opted to take the safe approach. “I know I shouldn’t have done something so reckless. I’m sorry,” Kaeya apologized. It was genuine, yet no excuse.
Diluc’s gaze was still on him, but other than anger, Kaeya couldn't figure out what the other was feeling or thinking.
“I genuinely didn't think that would happen,” Kaeya carefully added.
“Kaeya.” A shiver ran down the mentioned man’s spine. “I don’t expect that you knew you would end up in a cave that drains elemental energy with Archon knows who,” Diluc started. “But you knew– and do not try to lie to me– you knew there was something strange going on there,” Diluc added. He was completely right, Kaeya did know. Diluc sighed, sounding exhausted.
“So, why would you decide to go there in the middle of the night, alone?” Diluc asked, bewilderment plastered on his face. Kaeya wondered how, over the years, he managed to change the fire in Diluc’s eyes from comforting to indifferent to aggravated.
Any response Kaeya could think of was trivial, as he knew he was in the wrong. Saying nothing seemed like a better option.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Diluc asked, the undertone of his voice now being strained. “You could have come to me, you could have written to me. You knew I had dirt on those guys, you knew. We wrote to each other after I threatened them…”
“We used to do everything together.” It seemed Kaeya wasn’t the only one thinking about the past. “And now it seems you distrust me so much that you would rather risk your life–,”
“I do trust you.” Kaeya interrupted, his hands clutched the side of the dining table. He had wanted to deny many of the things Diluc said, but this one he couldn't sit still for. “I do. Diluc, tell me you don’t actually think this,” he added, looking at his brother with a look of desperation.
“Well, what am I supposed to think, Kaeya? Because it certainly doesn’t seem like it,” Diluc snapped back.
Kaeya sighed. The consequences of his own actions were so infuriating. “I’m sorry. I messed up. I should’ve been more careful.” He still believed this was the best thing to say.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Kaeya kept his gaze mostly on Diluc, desperately trying to read him with no success. The man wasn’t locking eyes with him, but even if he had, Kaeya doubts he would've figured anything out. Kaeya noticed the eggs that had long gone cold, along with the glass that was still full. He figured Diluc had also lost his appetite.
“Your things are on the table by the door,” Diluc informed the other, finally breaking their silence, but not their lack of eye contact.
Kaeya knew that was his invitation to leave, so he did. Before closing the door behind him, he stared for a moment at the back of his brother’s head, but it showed no sign of moving. He exited the house and started walking back to his apartment. The feeling in his chest was more agonizing than any pain he had felt the night before.
~~~
At the age of 18, Diluc became the youngest Cavalry Captain the Knights of Favonius had seen. A true prodigy, he had far exceeded his father’s expectations. Crepus, a former Knight himself, still held close ties to the organization, both professionally and emotionally. His affection for the Knights was similar to that of the Dawn Winery, both being the result of years of hard work and dedication. He couldn’t have been prouder, knowing that his sons would carry on his legacy on both fronts.
On a seemingly regular evening in Mondstadt, Crepus and his son, Diluc, along with other Knights of Favonius, were escorting a merchant convoy into the city.
The lids of the crates rattled and flapped violently in the wind, barely holding their place. In Mondstadt, people believed that when the wind turned wild, it carried a warning from the Anemo Archon, a sign to stay indoors. The wind didn’t come alone. It dragged with it dry soil, sharp grains of sand, and loose pebbles, stinging exposed skin and clouding vision. Down near Springvale, where the mountain’s foot met the rough, uneven roads, the terrain was always unpredictable and rocky
A trip like this one was therefore tedious, sure, but rarely particularly dangerous. However, Crepus decided to tag along. He had recently heard whispers of strange monster activity. His instincts had told him that he needed to keep his son out of harm’s way.
“What is on your mind, father?” Diluc asked, snapping Crepus out of his thoughts.
“Nothing, son,” Crepus replied before offering his son a soft smile that was harder to catch in the dark. “I’m happy to be here by your side, Diluc.”
Diluc smiled back at his father, his heart feeling full. The younger redhead never doubted his father’s love and pride in him. He lived for these moments when his father was vocal about it. He only wished his younger brother were here as well, that would complete the picture.
The knights continued their walk, the sound of the wind howling in their ears, until the howling didn’t sound like wind anymore, and instead sounded a whole lot like wolves. Behind the shadows of the trees and stones, abyssal creatures emerged, their sounds threatening and loud. As if coordinated, they attacked the group in one swift move. The knights drew their weapons and started fighting the monsters.
In the midst of the battle, Diluc and Crepus lost each other. Crepus stood with a large group of the creatures before him. He clutched his delusion in his hand. He had to protect his son, and he saw no other way out than to use it, despite having never done that before. He activated the delusion, causing violent purple flames to emerge from the object, creating a blast so big that it killed the abyssal creatures out of corruption almost instantly.
Diluc witnessed the purple flash, his eyes widening in shock at the sight. He quickly defeated the creature in front of him before rushing towards the blast. Against a tree on the floor, he saw his father lying limp, bleeding out, his body rapidly corrupting in the artificial power of the delusion.
“Father!” Diluc yelled with a horrified expression on his face. He ran towards his father before kneeling next to him and holding the other's head up in his hands. Diluc moved the crimson locks away from Crepus’ face, feeling the cold skin on his palm.
“Father, please!” Diluc pleaded, hoping the other would say anything. Diluc wished he didn’t possess the knowledge he did about delusions. He wished he were oblivious enough to believe there was any way his father could recover.
Crepus coughed, a sharp sound. Some purple liquid escaped from his lips, cascading down his chin.
“This can not be happening,” Diluc cried out, his heart clenched tightly, tears starting to stream down his face.
“Diluc…” his father let out in a hoarse voice while weakly pulling on his son’s sleeve.
“I’m… so proud of you, my son,” Crepus uttered, smiling weakly. His last words and last expression were so soft. His last gaze was so warm, but short-lived. Diluc saw the fire in his father’s eyes disappear, then he saw them close, for the last time. The only thing he could do was scream.
A horrified Kaeya watched as his brother held their father while screaming in agony. He watched as half of his entire world crumbled down. He watched, knowing he'd be the reason the other half would soon fall down with it.
~~~
A week after his near-death experience, Kaeya still hadn’t spoken to Diluc. He didn’t want their first meeting to be a casual encounter in the tavern, not before they’d had a proper talk. He wanted that talk—he really did—but he couldn’t find the words for everything he wanted to say or the feelings he needed to convey. Kaeya had never liked looking back; he hated facing the past. He’d always assumed Diluc felt the same, since they had never truly spoken about it. Their relationship had been steady: they trusted each other, cared for each other and relied on each other.
That is, until Kaeya went and ruined it.
The blue-haired man got up from his bed with a sigh and walked over to his closet. He stretched his arms up to grab something from on top of it. In his hands, he held a velvet red box with gold details, engraved with His Royal Highness — a gift he had received from Diluc for his sixteenth birthday.
There it was, in front of him: his past. Kaeya carefully sat down on the edge of his bed and wiped the dust off the box before opening it with a soft click. He picked up the first thing he saw, a small dagger — his first training weapon. Beneath it lay a wax-sealed letter, untouched, marked with a familiar crest. Diluc had sent his younger brother this letter after returning from Snezhnaya.
Kaeya had waited four years for him to come back—four long, hollow years. He had forced himself to move on, convincing himself that his brother was gone for good. When Diluc finally returned, Kaeya was relieved, but he never opened the letter his brother had sent. Part of him had been furious with Diluc at the time, while another part couldn’t bring himself to blame him for leaving. When their relationship slowly rebuilt itself, Kaeya saw no reason to reopen old wounds. Now, however, he was tempted. He wanted to hear from his brother, and if this was the only way, then so be it.
Kaeya opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.
My dearest brother,
I pray I still have the right to call you that. There are nights when I fear I do not. Nonetheless, I beg you to read this, even if you would rather not. I will not try to justify myself, nor make excuses for what I’ve done. There are none to be made.
After that night, after losing any family I had in the blink of an eye, I convinced myself that vengeance would fill the hollow left behind. I thought if I cut down enough Fatui, if I threw myself into danger, if I punished the world that had taken Father from us, perhaps the ache would fade. I was a fool to believe that. I was a fool to think that leaving Mondstadt would bring me peace, or that distance could cleanse me of the guilt.
I left because I could not bear the weight of what I’d done. I was the reason our father’s life was taken in such a cruel and abrupt way and then I almost took yours too. Kaeya, there are no words strong enough to express how deeply I regret my actions. Grief blinded me. I mourned Father as if he were mine alone, forgetting that he was yours too.
In trying to avenge him, I betrayed him. I see that now. I believed he would be proud if I devoted myself to destroying the Fatui, but he would have despised what I did. He would never have wanted me to treat his son with such cruelty and then cast him aside.
I cannot apologize to him, not anymore, but apologizing to you would be a start in earning Father’s and your forgiveness. I would not blame you if you cannot give it. Still, I selfishly hope that in time, you might find a way to trust me again.
I pray you are safe and well.
Your brother, always,
Diluc Ragnvindr.
With slightly shaking hands, Kaeya carefully put the letter back in the envelope and in the box before returning it to its original place. Kaeya’s heart was clenched and his eyebrows furrowed while thinking about Diluc’s words. He couldn’t believe how wrong his brother was. He needed to talk to him. Immediately.
~~~
“Diluc, please, talk to me!” Kaeya shouted, trying to catch up to the redhead. He always seemed to be in this position, chasing after him.
“Brother!” he called again, desperate to get the other’s attention.
Diluc stopped walking and turned around. “Kaeya,” he began, his voice low as he met his brother’s eyes. Both of them were soaked from the rain. “We can talk later. I need to be alone right now.”
“No, please—it’s important. I can’t—”
“What could be more important than my father’s death!?” Diluc snapped, his tone sharp and cutting through the sound of the storm.
Kaeya tried not to flinch at the words ‘my father’ and instead forced himself to speak the words that had been stuck in his chest.
“I’m a Khaenri’ahn spy.” Once he started, he couldn’t stop. “When Father found me, I’d been dropped here as a sleeper agent. I never even knew what it truly meant, Diluc, but still, I knew.” He took a shaky breath, grateful for the rain that could hide the tears already forming.
“I was just a child…” he croaked weakly. “I should’ve told you. I should’ve told Father. And now he’s gone, and I can’t ever– I’m so sorry.”
Then, for a while, only the sound of the rain, the whistling of the wind, and the rustling of the trees could be heard.
Diluc’s gaze was unreadable. Kaeya expected his eyes to blaze with anger, but they weren’t; he didn’t know what that meant.
“So, all of this time..?” Diluc started, his hand traveled to the right side of his head as if he got hit with a sudden headache. “All this time, you’ve been lying to me. To us?”
“Diluc, please—”
“Don’t.” Diluc’s voice cracked through the air like thunder. “Don’t you dare try to justify it.”
“I’m not! I just,” Kaeya took a step forward, trembling slightly. “I wanted to tell you, I did, but—”
“But you didn’t,” Diluc cut in, his tone low and shaking. He paused for a moment. “He loved you.”
“I loved him too,” Kaeya said quickly. “I love you, Diluc,” he stressed, voice cracking. “I stopped caring about what was expected of me—I haven’t in so long. All I cared about was you. You and him, my family.”
Diluc said nothing. The rain filled the silence between them, heavy and relentless.
“Diluc,” Kaeya tried again, his voice small. “Please say something.” The silence was thick and suffocating.
“Diluc, please—hit me, yell at me, do something!” he pleaded.
Still, Diluc didn’t move nor speak.
Kaeya stepped closer and reached out, his hand trembling as it closed around Diluc’s wrist. “Brother, please.”
Diluc immediately pulled his arm free, his eyes flashing. “Don’t call me that.”
Kaeya stared back at Diluc, meeting his eyes. They were cold, so cold it sent a shiver down his spine, worse than any chill the storm could bring. He was used to warmth in that gaze, the auburn glow that once felt like home.
Kaeya was a weak man; he always gave up too easily. But after losing his father, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing his brother too.
He stepped forward again, desperation twisting his voice. “Diluc, talk to me, I beg you.”
The redhead shrugged off his grip.
Kaeya reached out once more, grabbing him by both arms. “Please! I need to know what you’re thinking!”
This time, Diluc shoved him back, harder, sharper.
“I can’t lose you, too, please—”
Smack!
The sound echoed louder than thunder. Kaeya’s hand flew to his face, touching the spot where Diluc had hit him. It stung, but Kaeya soon realised this was a way to get his brother to convey his emotions.
Kaeya’s breath trembled. Slowly, he drew his sword, holding it in a familiar stance. His expression shifted, challenging.
Diluc’s eyes widened in disbelief. Then his face hardened, shadowed and low. Without a word, he drew his greatsword.
The two lunged at each other, sparks scattering in the rain. Kaeya knew he’d never win; he never had. That wasn’t the point. He just wanted Diluc to feel, to let the anger out, to stop burying it.
With every strike, Kaeya pleaded, words slipping between blows. “Please, just, talk to me–” but Diluc said nothing.
Soon, Diluc had him in a position that was all too familiar, sitting on the ground with the other towering over him, greatsword in hand. This was usually the moment he’d willingly surrender or was forced to.
Kaeya panted, exhaustion and grief blurring together. He had always trusted Diluc completely, believing he would never hurt him. But now, staring up into his brother’s eyes filled with something close to hatred, Kaeya’s chest tightened with a fear he’d never known before.
He gripped his sword tighter. Before he could even process what he’d done, icicles erupted from the ground between them, sharp and sudden, cutting through the rain and the space that connected them.
Diluc froze, his weapon lowering as he stared at the frozen shards, disbelief in his eyes. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Diluc turned away and without a word, he withdrew his greatsword and walked off into the storm, leaving Kaeya alone in the rain.
~~~
Kaeya paced around the big tree in Windrise, his boots crunching over the crunchy fallen leaves. The usual crowd that lingered here in the warmer months was nowhere to be seen now that autumn had settled in. They preferred staying in the warmth of their homes, or at least near them.
“Kaeya?”
The blue-haired man recognized the voice instantly. He turned and came face-to-face with Diluc.
“Are you alright?” his brother asked, concern lacing his voice. “I checked you for any Abyssal remnants that night, but if anything–”
Diluc was cut off by Kaeya’s tight embrace. He froze, startled, before tentatively hugging back. Kaeya’s eyes were closed, his brows furrowed. After a moment, he let go, taking a small step back to put some distance between them.
“Will you sit with me for a bit?” Kaeya asked quietly. It was an odd request, but Diluc nodded, and together they sat against the rough bark of the tree.
“I read your letter,” Kaeya said after a pause.
“Mm,” Diluc responded. “Which one?”
“The one you sent after, you know,” Kaeya replied. He could tell from Diluc’s expression that he didn’t understand. “After you came back from Snezhnaya.”
Diluc gave a short, humorless chuckle. “You really read that again?”
“No,” Kaeya said. “I read it for the first time.”
Diluc blinked, bewildered. Back then, he had considered the possibility that Kaeya wouldn’t want to hear him out, but after they reconciled, he assumed his brother had read it. He couldn’t quite grasp why Kaeya would have forgiven him otherwise.
“You hadn’t…” Diluc trailed off. “So that’s why you sent for me? It’s quite overdue, isn’t it?”
“Well, we never talked about it,” Kaeya shrugged.
“We moved on.” Diluc looked at him steadily. “I didn’t want to revisit the past with you. I always feared you’d start resenting me again.”
Kaeya chuckled softly. “I never did, and I never could.” He sighed, letting his head rest lazily against the tree. A few amber leaves drifted down beside them. “But it’s funny you say that, because I thought the same thing.”
Diluc frowned. “Why would you ever think I would hate you?”
“Oh, I don’t know… hm, off the top of my head, I lied to you your entire life and told you about that lie shortly after your father died—”
“—Our father.”
“—It’s you who should’ve hated me. You didn’t do anything wrong, Diluc,” Kaeya finished quietly.
“Did you read that letter with your eyes closed? You don’t think almost killing you and then abandoning you for four years was bad?”
“I deserved that.”
“Kaeya,” Diluc said firmly. “What I did was horrible. I wanted you to forgive me out of kindness, not out of some misplaced guilt.”
“I forgive you,” Kaeya said simply. “I’m sorry I never actually said it before.” He sighed, voice low. “Do you… forgive me?” Kaeya always wondered whether his brother forgave or just chose to forget.
“I do. Although you didn’t do anything wrong, really.”
“Neither did you.”
Diluc let out a short laugh. They were both far too stubborn for this.
After a moment, as the wind rustled through the branches above them, he spoke again. “You will always be my little brother, Kaeya.”
Kaeya smiled faintly, although he knew that, it was a nice thing to hear. “I’m also sorry for last week,” he added, deciding that if they were being honest tonight, he might as well continue. “I was really, really stupid.”
“When are you not?” Diluc teased, and Kaeya lightly smacked his arm in response.
“Eh, I don’t make the best decisions when it’s raining,” he said.
Diluc gave him a puzzled look.
Kaeya glanced up at the sky, the clouds heavy and grey but not spilling rain. “It reminds me of him.”
“Father,” Diluc confirmed with a soft hum.
Kaeya chuckled bitterly. “You still call him that?”
“Of course,” Diluc replied. “He loved it.”
“He really did, didn’t he?” Kaeya said quietly. “Sometimes I wonder what he’d think of us now.”
“I think about that every day.”
“I would too if I had to see, like, three portraits of him just to get downstairs.”
Diluc’s lips twitched upward. “I quite like that, actually," he said. “Father was a simple man anyway,” he went on, following up on Kaeya’s question. “He wanted us to be happy.”
Kaeya hummed in agreement, then smirked. “Yeah, but he also wanted his son to be a Cavalry Captain,” he said teasingly, glancing at Diluc.
“And he is,” Diluc answered.
Kaeya’s breath caught. He hadn’t really thought about it that way, he always imagined that Crepus wanted Diluc to take on that role. “And you took over the winery…” he said slowly, as if realizing it for the first time.
“Mhm.”
“You do like that, right?” Kaeya asked. Sometimes, he still felt as though he’d stolen his brother’s dream.
“Yes, a lot actually.” Diluc smiled faintly. “It feels good to take care of our home, to continue on his legacy.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.”
Silence fell between them again. Usually, Kaeya would try to fill it, but this time, the quiet wasn’t uncomfortable. He basked in the feeling of it along with the evening breeze on his face. It was getting dark by the time Diluc finally stood, brushing stray leaves from his coat. The sudden rustling broke Kaeya’s calm. Diluc extended a hand, and Kaeya took it, letting himself be pulled to his feet, something they’d done countless times before.
“Should we go home?” Diluc asked, his gaze warm and steady.
“Yes.”
Together they walked in the same direction, no doubt where they were headed. They were going home.