Chapter Text
Weeks have passed since Kaeya's last appearance.
He hadn't disappeared for the whole world, leaving everything behind and sinking into his own misery.
In reality he was just hiding from Diluc.
It was to Diluc who avoided his presence at all costs. Even so, he no longer went to angel's share, giving up his favorite drink and resigning himself to going to other taverns to quench his thirst and drowning his thoughts.
Diluc only heard this from the conversations of the drunken knights; they said that they preferred to pay the cat’s tail a visit so they could meet the captain and have a good time.
No doubt, in a couple of days diluc’s tavern dipped in popularity, not enough to worry about, and still had customers of course thirsty for their amazing drinks, but the news of the captain leaving the tavern seemingly for good came as a shock. It was hard for the drunks who decided to leave the warm tavern and go to the one that is infested with cats.
The wine tycoon's mind was confused. Although he and Kaeya had countless discussions, the captain always came back no matter how awkward the conversation was, his peculiar chair was always occupied by him.
But now, he glanced over at that particular seat as he cleaned a dirty glass and sighed at the emptiness that abounded in that specific seat. It's not like Diluc missed him, how could he? after everything kaeya did, it's almost like he asked to be abandoned, and diluc was the one who granted him that wish.
What if he really missed him?
Was he allowed to miss...?
Any nostalgic feelings were left out of his body, or at least covered by work problems and business calculations, since he has much more important things to worry about than a traitor abandoned by the godless lost lands.
He forced himself to think that his presence was just a nuisance and that not having him here was a miracle and something he should be glad about.
Days passed, even more days than before, and even so Kaeya did not pass even once through the large wooden door that led to the entrance to the tavern, and Diluc did not know why he felt disappointed.
He didn't know if he was disappointed in Kaeya or himself.
At the moment when Diluc was beginning to take on his worries, it was when the said door mentioned before was opened once more it revealed the flamboyant captain himself, who without admitting it, he longed to see.
He was in his usual captain attire and with that smile plastered on his lips like always. He entered the tavern like any other customer and sat down in front of Diluc.
He did not sit in his usual seat.
His attitude made Diluc almost feel bad for worrying, since the captain looked totally fine while he was dying of anxiety. Seeing him with a smile made him feel angry. Still his neutral expression did not waver.
“What do I offer you?”
"Me? nothing, I'm just here before my departure.” Kaeya looked directly into Diluc's eyes still with a kind smile, as if he hadn't announced his farewell a few seconds ago.
Diluc didn't really want to sound interested, he tried with all his might to suppress his interest but still he couldn't resist. "Departure? Are you going to leave? Where, if I may ask?"
“oh no you know, work and stuff. I will go to liyue for knight business, nothing to worry about.” At Kaeya's vague response, the redhead felt alarm bells ringing in his head, but he did nothing to turn them off.
"oh I see." Without much more to say, Diluc simply continued to clean a glass that was empty and indeed clean, but his hands were restless and thirsty for work. "I hope there will not be any inconvenient."
"I hope so too." Kaeya's gaze lowered and he stared at a point, as if he had a blank stare. His mind was spinning and he had trouble concentrating, he felt that the air in his lungs was uncomfortable to store and his heart was racing. His body in general felt heavy and he just couldn't find the energy to move.
But still he did. After a few minutes in silence with Diluc, sharing nothing more than thoughts and lack of communication, kaeya tried to calm down, but he found it difficult. He got up from his seat and quickly said goodbye to Diluc to go to a specific table.
It was the same table where he sat alone a few months ago.
Diluc continued to work, following his ignorant ways deciding to ignore Kaeya and go back to what he had to do. Time flew by, and even though it was relatively late, the customers were still chatting as usual and Kaeya didn't move from his seat.
Another customer entered the tavern, he was hooded and Diluc couldn't see his face. Still he shrugged it off as he was currently mixing a drink for another customer.
The hooded man went directly to the table where Kaeya was and sat down next to him. The captain didn't even look up, he just stared at the wood of the table in silence and there wasn't much movement after that from either of them.
Diluc looked from him to them and noticed how the hooded man's jaw moved from time to time, implying that they were having a little chat. Kaeya for some reason was visibly sad, although his small smile remained on his face. Of course, Diluc couldn't hear what they were saying, and he didn't know how to read lips either, so not finding anything more interesting he decided to abandon the sight and continue with his work.
The mysterious character took a glass that was on the table and poured wine. Then from his pockets he managed to take out a small container with an unknown substance and poured it into the drink in the same way. He didn't even bother to do it on the sly, in fact he did it right in front of Kaeya's eyes, who didn't flinch.
The one who had the glass in his hands looked at kaeya hesitantly, pursed his lips and asked the blue-haired man a question, who only answered with a silent nod and a sad look.
He sighed and handed the glass to Kaeya. He took the glass in his right hand and immediately drank the drink. They shared seconds of silence and the hooded person finally left.
Kaeya was left alone, again. With that stuff coursing through his stomach and the sweet taste of wine on his taste buds. He stared at the now empty glass and it was the only thing he did in his last minutes.
Time passed, and customers began to leave. They left the tavern dizzy and cheerfully saying goodbye to Master Diluc to come back the next day and empty their pockets on alcohol.
Now the tavern was deserted, or at least Diluc could swear it was, but he was fooled again by the captain's presence just like a while ago at the same table, only this time he was unconscious and slumped with his arms dangling in the elegant wood.
Diluc left the bar and approached to Kaeya, just as he intended to take him out of the tavern that night. Only this time, he wanted to do it in a friendly way and promised himself not to raise his voice or swear like he did last time, so he could avoid situations more awkward than they were.
"Kaeya, we're closed." his tone was soft now. Not like a mother trying to put her little son to sleep on stormy nights, but it was sweet enough for the two of them who didn't have a good relationship. When he got no response, he decided to try again.
"Hey, we're closed, I'll ask you to leave the tavern please." His friendly tone didn't waver. But even with a subdued tone, Kaeya didn't seem to react. Diluc, understanding that with his words he was not going to wake up, he raised a hand to rest on his shoulder and shake him slowly.
"Kaeya, you have to wake up come on-" No response. he tried to shake his shoulder a little more forcefully but still being insistent he got no answer.
The slight jerk on his shoulder was useless, so he now grabbed both of his shoulders and pushed them back to make the man stay in a sitting position. But that position did not last long.
Kaeya's head fell forward even with Diluc's grip on his shoulders. Diluc confused, he let a hand run over kaeya's cheek to lift his head and look at his relaxed face.
“Kaeya…?” no replies again. He began to worry. His confused expression had been replaced by one of concern, even a hint of anguish.
Diluc, just by his sharp instinct, directed two fingers to the captain's neck to check his pulse, seconds passed when he realized that he felt absolutely no throbbing in the area.
"...Kae?"
Impossible, this must be a joke. Now it was his head that moved toward his chest and he caught his breath as he realized he achieved the same results.
An absolute void.
With both eyes wide with anguish, he turned his head away from his chest and turned his gaze back to Kaeya now feeling something wet roll down his cheeks.
"Kae talk to me!" he gritted his teeth as he looked at the lifeless body of his brother and began to move his hands desperately over his body trying to hold back the trembling and rising anguish in his chest. Imagining that so he can bring it to life. “..Kaeya! Talk to me god dammit!"
Diluc's tears now that they began to trickle down showed no signs of stopping their way onto Kaeya's now pale face. The older one began to sob as he repeated over and over the childhood nickname they made up a few months after Kaeya had been taken in by Crepus.
The redhead hugged Kaeya in a tight hug and whispered to himself. "why is this happening?" Diluc clung even closer to his brother, wishing that his now interest in making things better would bring him back, but he knew he was wrong.
Because of his childish attitude, he had now lost the man he called brother only in his mind and showed absolute contempt to the outside, even if it was just a lie.
Kaeya had left thinking he hated him.
And Diluc couldn't do anything since now he has been a victim of his own actions letting him know that the death of one of them was the only thing that managed to make the other apologize.
And all that was left in the tavern that night was a corpse and a lonely brother sobbing on his shoulders.