Chapter Text
"Happy New Year!”
The tavern was bustling with chatter, laughter, and glasses clinking together, a typical sight during holidays. The colorful lights decorated on the walls and Venti’s drunken duet with Kaeya of all people only added to a fun and warm atmosphere, attracting more amused customers to the business. Admittedly, Diluc wanted to tell the two idiots to knock it off, knowing they were only pretending to be drunk to draw the rest of the patrons to the pace of their stupidity, but he couldn’t complain to more business.
He would be sure to mercilessly dump them the bill of whatever property damages resulted from this though.
“There’s one more hour until it’s New Years, Klee.” Diluc heard Albedo gently correct the child who had announced the coming of the holiday too soon.
Right, at one of the tables at the corner of the tavern were a group of knights. Along with the aforementioned knights, Jean, Eula, and Lisa were lounging in their chairs, savoring sips of their wine as the former two dueled each other to a game of Genius Invocation TCG. To the side, Paimon and Aether were regaling tales of their adventure in Sumeru, with Amber, Sucrose, and Noelle as their captive audience.
The sight of so many knights almost gave Diluc a headache, but at least most of the ones present were competent.
“I’m surprised you allowed the bunch of them to party here, I thought you disliked them,” Rosaria commented from her seat, languidly placing her empty glass on the counter and sliding it towards him.
Diluc huffed, pouring more Dandelion wine into the glass. “I still dislike them, but I’m not one to turn away profits.”
“You say that, but I see no signs of the Fatui here.”
She wasn’t entertained by a response as Diluc turned his attention to a bell chiming, seeing Barabara enter the tavern with a bright smile on her face. Her eyes landed on Rosaria first and the direction her toes were pointed at indicated that she wanted to talk to the nun, but her wrist was snatched by someone else before she could take a step.
“Hey Barbara, care to sing with us?” Venti asked, a derpy smile on his face. The other drunken patrons cheered and urged her to show them what real singing was. The poor girl looked surprised, unprepared for the request.
Rosaria rolled her eyes as she stood up from her seat, looking like she was about to smack all them upside their heads. Coincidentally, Jean also stood from her seat with a similar aura of intent. Despite both their efforts, however, Klee asked if she could sing with Barbara, bringing another thunderous wave of cheers.
With Patton turning off all the overhead lights except the ones shining down on the singers, the only light sources were the rainbow light decoration and the small lampgrass sitting in a vase on each table, mimicking an atmosphere one would only find at Fontaine concerts. It was a sight to behold, especially from Diluc’s place behind the counter where he could capture everyone’s excited faces in his line of view.
There was a flash to his side, drawing his attention to the kamera in Charles' hands. Noticing Diluc’s gaze, Charles nudged his elbow with a smirk.
“Master Diluc, care to join in on the fun?”
Diluc stiffened, a smile he didn’t even know was there slipped off his face. Giving thought to the question, he scanned the chaotic antics going on in the entire tavern and wondered what exactly he could join. Even with some friends there, a sense of wrongness was crawling up his spine at the thought of leaving his place behind the counter.
They all seemed quite content without him there. Unlike Barbara, whenever Diluc was added to the mix, he didn't always add to the excitement of the group. Not a surprise, considering that being drunk, cheering like an idiot, and talking in general were all things Diluc didn’t exactly find joy in.
Just as that thought sunk in, a heavy, suffocating feeling descended onto his chest.
How funny, despite how he owned this place, he was the one who felt like the outsider here.
"Actually. Charles." There was a hint of strain in his voice as he pushed through the ticklish feeling in his throat. "Take over for the rest of the night."
Ignoring the man’s concerned look, Diluc made a swift exit to the backroom, immediately closing the door before leaning against it. The sounds of lively songs and clinking glasses faded away, leaving behind only soft wheezes to occupy the silence.
Bracing his lips against the crook of his elbow, he coughed.
And coughed.
And coughed.
Until three white petals fell out of his mouth.
It must have been a surprise to Kaeya when Diluc agreed to allow the knights to host a New Years party in Angel's Share. To be honest, Diluc was initially reluctant to agree to the idea because he didn't want the incompetent knights to think he approved of them. The main driving factor behind his acceptance was—other than wanting a friend and his nuisance-of-a-brother to get rest—the fact that he was running low on time.
Because Diluc was likely to die soon.
The first time he spat out his first petal at the bundle of paperwork sitting at his desk in Dawn Winery, he immediately reached out to all of his contacts. It didn't take a genius to know that coughing out flowers was not a normal phenomenon. And, while self-care wasn't always at the top of his priorities, Diluc wasn't an idiot.
It had taken less than a week for most of his contacts to get back to him.
1. He's inflicted with a condition known as Hanahaki disease
2. Its cause is unrequited love
3. The flowers he coughs out are a symbol of whoever he feels doesn't love him back.
4. The cure is that his feelings are returned.
His first thought had been: This is stupid. This had to be the dumbest disease to ever exist in the history of Teyvat. Seriously, unrequited love? Diluc had other things to worry about that were more worth his time.
He would bear it until he had any free time, if ever. Well, he would, if not for the most glaringly ridiculous complication of this disease.
5. If it's not cured, he will eventually die.
He was sure Barbatos would be waxing rhymes to the stupid poetic justice that was his life if not for the fact that he was currently drunk off his ass in the tavern right now. If not Barbatos, then Celestia was surely laughing at him. This felt like it would suit the comedic tastes of the divine; having this disease sure felt like a curse from the gods anyway.
Whatever. Since Diluc had an actual deadline for his life, he couldn't waste much time pathetically complaining about his woes. If Diluc was good at anything, it was eliminating problems, pride be damned if efficiency was at stake, so he had gone off to do so in the past week.
Lotus flowers though… who were these flowers supposed to represent?
He didn't even love many people in the first place, not like he used to at least. Thankfully, however, this was an advantage; Diluc could count on one hand the amount of people he technically loved and it wouldn't be so hard finding the source of his disease.
On the not so bright side, suspect number one was Kaeya.
Their relationship may have been sliced and diced and tossed into a bonfire to burn for three years due to bad decisions on both their parts, but they still—begrudgingly—trusted each other. Diluc would take Kaeya's secret to his grave and Kaeya would always help hide the Darknight Hero's identity. They never talked about the status of their current relationship but they knew the other cared to an extent, or else they wouldn't keep working together in secret.
Personally, Diluc didn't feel displeased by whatever they were to each other right now. With how involved he was with messing with Fatui and Abyss Order plans, he preferred it if Kaeya just stayed away. He preferred it if everyone just stayed away so they could be safe. He didn't even mind if Kaeya actually disliked him if it meant his estranged brother took care of himself.
But if that was the case and Kaeya was truly the cause of his Hanahaki disease… Well, there was only one way to find out.
So, it was an incredibly awkward and traumatic moment for the both of them when Diluc asked Kaeya to stay in the tavern after closing time, starting an odd conversation with the intent to cure his disease.
"I love you," Diluc had said through his teeth, gaze unwavering as his voice held the emotional range of a brick. These words were probably too strong with how their relationship was at the moment, but he was not going to accidentally fail to activate the conditions of his disease. If declaring "love" was the easiest way to get his half-lying brother to open up, then Diluc would.
Even if he was internally dying at the moment.
In response, Kaeya nearly spilled the drink in his hand while his lone eye widened in disbelief.
"What."
"I love you." Diluc's voice did not break its monotony, as if repeating this statement with this tone would help Kaeya understand. It had been so easy to say these words when they were young; now, Diluc had to exert nearly all his mental energy to grit the words out.
"I—"
For a moment, he could pride himself for making Kaeya lose his composure, reducing him to a tongue-tied fish out of water. This was such a break in his usual shady, smooth-talking persona, that it spoke volumes to how shocked his brother was.
Glancing between the glass in his hand and Diluc, Kaeya finally muttered under his breath, "I swear I didn't drink that much today."
Diluc huffed, offended.
"No, you're mostly sober and I mean every word. I love you means I love you, dumbass."
Kaeya nearly stood up from his barstool as he tightly gripped the surface of the bar counter with his hands, the sound of the chair's scratching against the wooden floor doing nothing to calm him.
"See, when you say all that with a straight face, I find it nearly impossible to believe you."
"Kaeya, as much as I hate to admit it, we both know you can read my lies."
"Fair, but…" There was a fragile shine in line his eye, something Diluc tried to not react to. Despite how Kaeya was a master at wearing a mask, he could be so expressive when he let himself be vulnerable. "Why?"
Of course his brother had to make this more difficult for him, forcing him to actually confront his feelings instead of saying it and then being done with it in a single moment.
"Because." Diluc shifted his eyes away, finally overcome with embarrassment and awkwardness, unused to being sincere around this man. "Despite everything…" he gulped, mouth suddenly feeling dry while his voice became soft. "Despite what I did... And despite what you did… You're still here. With me. As your true self no less."
It was a sorry excuse of an apology for how he had reacted to Kaeya's honesty years ago.
"I really appreciate that, Kae."
The room had been silent for a minute. Diluc still couldn't meet his eye, but he did watch Kaeya's mouth open and close in the periphery of his vision.
Barbatos or whoever isn't blackout drunk in some tree right now, please strike me down.
After what felt like a never-ending atmosphere of awkwardness, Kaeya finally let out a light, genuine laugh.
"I… appreciate you too, 'Luc."
Oh.
Good.
That was… good.
Before Diluc could contemplate why he was so relieved to hear that or why it felt like a weight was lifted from his chest, an empty glass had been pushed closer to him.
"I'd appreciate it more if you give me a drink to forget this whole night though."
Crossing his arms, Diluc grunted, "If I'm not drinking, then you're not drinking either."
"Oh come now, Diluc! We've essentially just renewed our brotherly vows, don't you think that calls for celebration?"
"No."
Despite his statement, Diluc's hands had already been moving to pour liquid into the glass.
Kaeya gladly grabbed the glass once it was filled, a content grin on his face. "See, this is why you're my favor—" The grin immediately fell, replaced by a disgusted deadpan shot at the bartender. "This is grape juice."
"It is," Diluc matched his stare after he poured some grape juice for himself. With a small smirk, he tapped his glass' base against the rim of Kaeya's. "Cheers."
"You're actually the worst," Kaeya clicked his tongue as he reached over the counter and grabbed a bottle of Dandelion Wine. Diluc only rolled his eyes as he let it happen. "If I have to ingest your sad excuse of a drink, then you're going to partake in the fine art of liquor with me."
"I refuse."
"Come on, this is the price for our continued brotherhood, Diluc."
Diluc sighed, though he stared at his brother with gentle eyes.
"You're so insufferable, I hate you so much."
There was a smug smile on Kaeya's face, different from the ones he'd been wearing every day since Diluc had returned to Mondstadt. It was… so honest.
"And I love you too, dear brother of mine~"
.
.
.
Unfortunately, despite getting drunk and teased relentlessly by Kaeya, a couple of petals were amongst the mess of vomit from his awful hangover the next morning.
So, Kaeya wasn't the cause of his Hanahaki disease. That left only two more people.
"Adelinde, I love you."
The head maid of Dawn Winery had only been fazed for two seconds, muscles stiffening as she stared back at him with wide eyes.
"Thank you." Her smile blossomed into something brilliant as she pulled him into a hug. Diluc stiffened in her arms; they hadn't shared much physical touch since he returned, but he was suddenly overcome with the desperate urge to hug back.
To hold onto her.
Tightly.
.
.
(He didn't.)
.
.
"I love you too, Master Diluc." Her voice was so fond; she didn't even mind Diluc's lack of response.
Once again, he would ignore the warm feeling in his chest, putting more focus on how he appreciated Adelinde for being more efficient with this conversation than Kaeya.
The following day, five petals of a lotus flower fell from his mouth.
One more person then.
"Elzer, I am deeply grateful for all you do for Dawn Winery. If not for you staying in this business, my family's legacy would have fallen with Father."
"I'm honored to hear your gratitude, though I must admit that I don't continue my work just for the Ragnvindrs. I continue to work for you, Master Diluc, not for any name. I'm proud to have watched you grow into the man you are today." Elzer paused, mouth tightening as if he was reluctant to speak his mind, before eventually unfurling into a fond grin. "Ah, forgive me for being unprofessional for saying this, but remember how I said that I saw Master Crepus' like a father? Well, you are like a little brother to me."
Oh.
There it was again.
That warm feeling.
Was he deserving of such a thing when he had abandoned them all once upon a time?
"I… There's no need for forgiveness when I see you as something akin to a family as well." Then, with a faint frown, Diluc admitted, "But… You do realize that nothing about my personality or what I do is… ideal. I wouldn't consider myself anything worth such pride."
Elzer placed a hand on his shoulder, his expression the opposite of Diluc's, a smile so confident and reassuring.
"In a world like this, we don't need what's ideal. What we need is hope and happiness, and I think you do a great job of protecting both things in this country."
As if the tips of Diluc's ears weren't already red, Elzer hit him with another blow.
"I know Master Crepus would be proud of you."
.
.
.
(That night, Diluc went to his father's grave and asked if Elzer's words were true, a rhetorical question borne out of fleeting and futile longing for the past. All he received was a gentle breeze in response, reminiscent of the breezes during harvest season in the late summer and early fall.)
(How peculiar, considering it was late December.)
The next hour, more petals ended up in his trash.
Diluc had been sure that Kaeya, Adelinde, and Elzer were the only ones he had some level of affection akin to love. Jean and the others were people he respected, not loved. Unfortunately, however, since he didn't know how Hanahaki disease defined love, he couldn't take any chances by ignoring them.
After all, who was he to know the line between appreciation and love?
Who was he to know the definition of love when his heart had already been incinerated by the cruel flames of a Delusion?
…
"Jean, you're one of the best knights in this sorry excuse of an organization and I'm happy you were the one who took the position of Acting Grandmaster. Mondstadt couldn't be left in more capable hands than you."
It was rare that Jean visited the winery, even rarer that they both had the free time to chat and enjoy each other's company. He had been genuinely surprised that she would use her limited free time to even see him.
Was that what friends did? See each other for unnecessary excuses? It had been too long since they had last talked without either of them slipping information or favors in the mix.
Regardless, there was really only one reason why Diluc allowed her to visit.
"Diluc, I— Thank you," Jean smiled at him, eyes wavering with relief. "That is high praise to hear from an esteemed Ordo Favonius critic such as yourself. If I may say something myself, I want to let you know that I'm glad that Mondstadt still has you to protect it in times when the Knights of Favonius can't."
Diluc huffed as he reclined in his chair. Raising a cup of tea to his mouth, he feigned ignorance.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Acting Grandmaster Jean."
His friend only smiled, eyes crinkling in amusement before she herself took a sip from her cup of tea.
"I'm going to pretend you're telling the truth, Master Diluc."
…
"Aether. Paimon. Are you aware that I care deeply for you both?"
The two froze in synchrony, slowly turning to stare at him with wide eyes.
"Wait a minute Master Diluc! We're literally one minute away from burning down that massive Fatui camp over there! Don't you think there's a better time and place to say this stuff— Not that Paimon is rejecting your question because Paimon isn't, but—"
"Are you alright?" Aether cut in with a tone of seriousness and concern, slapping a hand over Paimon's mouth to prevent her rising voice from catching any unwanted attention. "Sometimes the only kinds of people who say things like that in these situations are people who know they're going to die soon."
Well, they weren't wrong, but Diluc hadn't asked because he planned on dying anytime soon. He refused to die by Fatui scum or to this ridiculous disease.
"My apologies, I suppose my timing is off."
He blamed it on actually talking to Kaeya more often now.
Once Diluc and Aether made quick work of the Fatui, he forgot about his earlier question. He only remembered after the traveler brought the topic up, when they returned to Mondstadt and he whipped up a glass of juice for the two.
"I don't think you would offer to name a drink after me if you didn't care," Aether started before he took a quick sip from his glass. A content smile graced his face. "So yes, I'm aware you care. And I hope you know that I care too."
To his side, Paimon made a scandalized gasp before she crossed her arms with a pout on her face. "You offered to name a drink after Aether but not Paimon?! I can tell you right now you're missing out on some big business, Master Diluc!"
"Paimon juice doesn't exactly sound appetizing," Aether snickered. "But at least I'll get a hint to what my emergency food tastes like."
"Hey!"
"Emergency food…" Diluc muttered, feigning deep contemplation and hiding a small smirk. "I don't suppose Emergency Paimon Juice sounds any better…"
"Not you too, Master Diluc!"
…
"Charles—"
Diluc was interrupted by the empty glass that was placed into his hands. He gave the bartender a pointed, confused look, keeping silent as the man poured grape juice into his cup.
Once his cup was full, Charles pulled out another cup and poured juice into it as well.
"Master Diluc, I've heard about your recent agenda."
"Oh? I didn't realize I had an agenda."
Shrugging, Charles placed the bottle back onto the shelf and then grabbed the other glass of grape juice. "I've heard stories of you going out of your way to show your appreciation of others."
Diluc hummed, contemplatively wondering how and why such actions would appear in the rumor mill.
"I don't know what caused the sudden change, but I just wanted to change things up for you," Charles smiled, letting the edge of his cup clink against the rim of Diluc's. "You're a great employer, Master Diluc. I couldn't ask for a better job in a better workplace."
"Just doing my job," he huffed, mentally trying to stop the praise from making his ears red.
"You know, not every employer looks out for their employees, nor do they ever take up shifts for employees."
Raising his drink to his lips, Diluc inquired, "...Is this your roundabout way of asking to take off a shift?"
Charles chuckled, shaking his head fondly. "Actually, it's the opposite. I'm asking you to take off this shift."
Diluc's hand stilled, only allowing a drop of juice to sit on his tongue.
"What."
"You've been working nonstop recently, Master Diluc. You need to look after your own health."
Diluc could feel a small frown marring his features. "I'm perfectly fine, Charles."
Besides the fact that he might be dying to some kind of flower disease.
"Well, I've already talked about it with the rest of the staff and contacted Adelinde and they all agreed that you need a break. Sir Kaeya said he'd personally escort you home himself if you refused."
An exasperated sigh escaped Diluc's throat as Charles watched him in amusement.
"You can't be serious."
"I'm dead serious, sir."
Diluc glared at the man before downing the rest of his grape juice.
…
"Oooh, I hear that our very own Master Diluc has been spreading the love in Mondstadt~"
The bard's eyebrows had been annoyingly bouncing up and down like a wave of water, a playful gesture that meant the Archon was up to no good again.
"I'll give you one Dandelion Wine for free if you shut up, Venti."
Diluc was not having it today, especially after he reached a dead end on curing his Hanahaki disease. It just didn't make any sense. His feelings were (surprisingly) returned by all the people he considered close to him.
So why..?
"Oh, your words are piercing like the cold, sharp shards of Dragonspine ice, when all I ask is for you to play nice~"
"Free Dandelion Wine, Venti."
"It would be so very blind of me, to think alcohol is worth skipping out on the love and affection from the one and only!"
"Tch."
"You only need to be a little bold to shed your feigned indifference and reveal your fiery heart of gold!"
"..."
"I can do this all day, ehe."
"..."
"The winds blow much—"
"I have little devotion for beings of divine nature because I hate the idea of being a mere pawn for the gods," Diluc started, though he was unsure where he was going with his words.
He rarely thought of Venti as anything more than another eccentric patron; even in the case with Dvalin, Venti asked to be treated as any other human and Diluc respected those wishes whenever he continued to act like a complete idiot. Which was nearly all the time.
That was also why Diluc had yet to seek Venti's consultation on the cure to his disease. Doing so would treat him as the all-knowing god that he preferred not to be.
While wiping an already clean glass, Diluc finally continued, "I also refuse to ask for help because I don't want to be indebted to beings so whimsical."
With a tilt to his head, Venti laughed awkwardly, "Erm… You might want to reevaluate your definition of a compliment."
Diluc rolled his eyes, but his voice grew softer.
"That being said, I am only able to hold such opinions so openly because of a certain god who continues to let this country be free and welcoming. I'm glad that Mondstadt is my home, and I'm glad the winds guided me back here when I was lost."
A wide grin spread on Venti's face. "Aw, you flatter me!"
Diluc snorted. "I wasn't flattering you. I was talking about the winds, not the resident drunk in my tavern."
"Your words are stinging with a pain so wrong; it would be disappointing of me to not return your warm words with a just as thought-out song~"
"I'd prefer it if you just drink the damn wine and let me relax in silence."
"Nay, Master Diluc! My muse has taken ahold of me, I cannot stop now!"
With a lyre appearing in Venti's hands, he pulled at the instrument's strings as he turned to face all the patrons in the tavern. His foot was tapping and his strings were strumming, creating an energetic tune before a melodic voice joined the sounds.
In dark, many sleep unaware
To the monsters who seek to create despair
The owl watches in vigil
Before taking flight to eliminate evil
Casting aside thoughts of a family so long gone
While yearning for the sweet splendor of dawn
Such a strong longing blooms into flowers
But to stay bright, the light needs protection
Chaining the owl to a path of disconnection
Until death in the endless dark hours
The cheery vibe of the music was a stark contrast to the meaning of the lyrics. Only those who weren't listening or completely drunk tuned more into the upbeat rhythm, which was almost everyone in the tavern.
The song was not anything the bard had ever performed before, nor could it be any coincident timing that the song's message closely aligned to Diluc's current situation. Carefully catching that green gaze while the other patrons cheered, Venti's eyes shined with something sad.
That confirmed it then.
Venti had just shared the mystery of the cause of Diluc's Hanahaki, but it didn't sound like something either of them had the power to fix.
Diluc pinched a petal in his hand, glaring at its brethren on the floor.
The lotus flower, also known as the flower of dawn, symbolizes purity, commitment, and optimism for the future.
How ridiculous. His unrequited love was apparently for the literal concept of dawn. If only Diluc wasn't so jaded, then he would question how he was supposed to get a non sentient thing to accept him? Unfortunately, he'd seen enough things in the world to know that sometimes there aren't any solutions.
Sometimes, people can't be saved.
Maybe it was Diluc's turn now.
As much as he didn't want to give up hope or believe Venti's clue, he unfortunately had been noticing that staying outside under the sun made his throat more ticklish. Not to mention, every time he saw the knights gather around and laugh like family, an aching weight would settle in his chest, just like now after watching the knights' table cheer during the New Year's Eve party.
Diluc was painfully aware that he was only human. It was natural to long for the good times and hope that the future was just as bright. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss going on patrols with Kaeya or Jean. He would be lying if he said the thought of joining them at their table didn't cross his mind.
(He would be lying if he said that he didn't sometimes feel lonely.)
And it wasn't like he couldn't join them; the knights were clear that they would welcome him back at any time, despite how everyone knew that was never going to happen.
The knights were simply too restricted in what they could do, repelling Diluc from wanting to have any business with them. Because they shone in the light, they couldn't risk doing anything controversial with so many eyes to see them. They had a public image to maintain and Diluc could never get over that policy after what their public image demanded of his father's legacy.
The Darknight Hero thing, as awful as that name was, was his own choice. It was a responsibility he had given to himself. To compensate where the incompetent knights lacked. To keep Mondstadt safe.
To let the others continue to shine bright.
It didn't matter to him if he had to distance himself from others to achieve such a dream.
.
.
It didn't matter.
.
.
The ache in his chest only grew heavier as more petals fell from his lips.
Ugh.
Regardless, the fact was that he still had this dumb curse. There was no point arguing about the nonsense of him receiving such a thing, especially when there were more important things to focus on. With all the knights celebrating the New Year, Mondstadt's security was bound to be near non-existent.
He cleaned up his floral mess before grabbing a dark cloak and a mask from beneath one of the floorboards. Then, he made his way to the back exit. He stepped outside, pausing for a moment to feel a soft breeze against his skin.
"You took your sweet time inside."
Diluc grunted, only sparing a glance to the man leaning against the wall besides the door. "I went through all the effort of giving you a venue site at my tavern for you knights, at your request mind you, yet I find you here outside instead of there."
"What can I say?" Kaeya wore a devilish smirk as he playfully shrugged his shoulders. "I thought I could spice the holiday up with a short night patrol."
"A night patrol, huh? Then why did you imply that you were waiting for me?"
"Perhaps I was hoping for some company."
"I'm sure the knights inside my bar were hoping for your company."
"Oh my, it almost sounds like you don't want me to be here."
"That's because I don't want you he—" the words died in his throat, sounding too much like his once broken voice in the past. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed. "You deserve a night off to celebrate and relax. You needn't worry about the city's protection tonight."
"Oh, but would it be so much to request—"
"Big brother Kaeya!"
It was suddenly becoming difficult to breathe.
Diluc slunk into the shadows at the cheerful sound of Klee's voice. "Go on, don't keep your family waiting."
"Diluc—"
"There you are!"
Excited footsteps echoed through the night, toward their location until Diluc saw Klee stop in front of Kaeya, a small hand grabbing his.
"Come on, we're going to miss the countdown!"
Kaeya's hesitation was invisible, but Diluc could sense it all the same. The man was so confusing, what could cause the Cavalry Captain to be reluctant to join the others?
It wasn't long before he patted the girl's head, who responded with a free laugh as she jumped up and down in glee. "Right right, how silly of me to get lost in the middle of the party. Let's return to Angel's Share, shall we?"
"Yeah!"
Diluc leaped from rooftop to rooftop the moment he saw the two re-enter his tavern. There were only twenty minutes left until midnight.
His patrol route today was larger than usual, extending to most of the city because he expected half the knights to be drunk while on duty. After taking a peek at one of the main entrances and seeing an armored man dance ridiculously in front of his clapping comrades, Diluc knew his predictions were right.
He threw a pebble at the wall nearest the dancing idiot, catching the attention of one knight who looked around his surroundings in confusion. Good, at least one of them was alert enough to notice something amiss.
Diluc continued doing the same thing, checking in on every gaggle of knights he could find and making sure there was at least one who was doing their job. Now, he didn't know how long those sober knights would last, nor did he know if any of the groups were capable of dispatching any threats at the moment. He could only hope that the Abyss Order decided to spend this day drunk as well. He wouldn't mind letting the Abyss Order be the one problem he solved by using alcohol.
Huh. Maybe he should try that. Go with Ella Musk and offer some wine as peace offering. In a crazy world, the Hilichurls would love the alcohol, share it with whoever was bossing them around, spread the love for alcohol through the whole Abyss Order, and they all prioritize drinking over vengeance while the wine industry flourishes. There would probably be an Abyss version of Diona who hates him for introducing wine to their people and messing with their priorities, but Diluc would probably be too dead by then to care if Hanahaki disease had any say.
If only the world was that si—
Diluc stopped and crouched down, hiding behind a chimney on the roof. His nose scrunched up; a familiar scent was in the air.
Mist flowers.
His ears then picked up the faint sound of frosting, like ice was freezing over a window. His head immediately turned to find the source where, a few buildings away from him, he caught sight of a purple glow.
No doubt it was a Cryo Abyss Mage.
But the position was strange. It was right in the center of a well frequented patrol route, plus the location was easily visible from the guards at the gate. Someone should've noticed it by now.
Diluc sighed in annoyance.
The knights could be so useless most of the time.
Tucking his hood further over his head and adjusting the mask, he practically glided over the rooftops with how silent his footsteps were. The moment the entire form of the dancing Abyss Mage entered his sights, Diluc leaped into the air, summoning his claymore. The weapon glinted from the reflection of the moon before it was suddenly engulfed in flames, its wielder gaining momentum with a spin and aiming his attack at the mage.
It was over before the Abyss Mage knew what hit it, frozen shield melting into mist the exact moment its body was reduced to ashes. In that exact moment, the sound of a bell tolling rang loudly throughout the city, followed by a multitude of booming fireworks.
The New Year.
Diluc’s thoughts briefly flashed to how everyone was doing at Angel’s Share, until one of the fireworks chased away the shadows in front of him. Chills crawled up every inch of his skin as his body stiffened in shock.
A couple of armored bodies were laying on the ground, the red blood gleaming against the moonlight as it pooled beneath them. Crimson eyes raked over their forms, quickly spotting stab wounds on their sides and their thighs where they had no metal protection. Seeing no signs of any other wounds, they clearly died of blood loss… But if that were the case, how come no one heard them while they were bleeding to death? Even with the festivities going on, Diluc was sure someone would notice a scream.
Surely they did try to scream for help, right? Because the stab wounds didn’t look inflicted on any vital organs, they should’ve been able to stay conscious for a few minutes after the initial stabbing. Perhaps they tried to scream, but they couldn’t? Upon further assessment, their necks had no signs of strangulation. The only odd thing was that the ground beneath their head and hands were wet.
Clearly the Abyss Mage was not the culprit. Elemental sight proved that the mage only passed through without lingering around the knights. It was hydro, not cryo, elemental energy that polluted the area around the knights. It couldn’t be the work of a Hydro Abyss Mage either because those bastards killed others by drowning and immobilizing them in bubbles. Bonus points for if they had friends to attack the person while they were trapped.
The lacerations in the thighs were precise and deep, cutting major arteries that would grant a slower death than just chopping their heads off. Meanwhile, the stab wounds on the knights’ sides were messy and overlapped over each other many times, like the murderer went on a stabbing frenzy without much thought of where the blade cut.
So, it couldn’t be the doing of an Abyss Mage. It couldn’t be a Treasure Hoarder either because their methods were much less personal and they tended to stay away from the city. Could it be—
"Happy New Years!" An excited voice called from behind him. "Ah, why am I not surprised that the infamous Darknight Hero is the first one to arrive on the scene. The knights really are an incompetent bunch."
Red hairs stood at the back of his neck as Diluc immediately summoned his claymore and turned around, quickly falling into a defensive position as he looked up at the newcomer standing on the building. Fireworks were still dancing in the air, bright colors illuminating a black cloak and a helmet resembling a crow’s head. Each piece of clothing shadowed over any discernible features of the man, though Diluc’s attention was more focused on the white-haired hostage struggling in the man’s arms.
“Wait, that’s the Darknight Hero?” Bennett gasped in awe, not seeming concerned as he was trying to move his neck away from the knife pointed at it. “Uh, sorry for getting captured on New Years! I guess my bad luck struck again…”
The awkward laugh from the kid made Diluc think he feared no death. Or he was stupid and didn’t realize he was in a life-threatening situation.
Raising his claymore higher, Diluc’s gruff voice demanded, “Let him go.”
"Relax~” There was a mocking lilt in the man’s voice as he drew the knife close to Bennett, drawing a single drop of blood. “I only want to speak with you, Mister Hero. Allow me a peaceful chat and I'll allow this young lad to live."
The grip on his sword was forced to relax.
"No, that's still too hostile!” the murderer complained. If not for the murders, Diluc’s hackles would be raised from this man’s personality alone. “You see, I was hoping to have tea while we chat. Such intimidating weapons have no place during such pleasant activities."
"Tea would taste foul in the company of a cold-blooded murderer."
"Oh, but aren't you a cold-blooded killer yourself?" For a moment, a red gleam was visible at the eyes of the crow-like helmet. "Unlike most of the ignorant masses in Mond, anyone with a brain can connect you with an infamous mass murderer in a certain frozen country."
Beenett’s skin paled, looking straight at Diluc in shock.
"Oh, did I reveal too much?" The killer tightened his grip on the teenager. "I suppose I'll have to kill you then. I do respect the Darknight Hero's reputation after all."
"That won't be necessary," Diluc quickly interjected when he saw the knife dip deeper into Bennett’s neck. "I doubt a renowned adventure like him is foolish enough to believe the words of a foreigner."
He ignored how Bennett’s eyes lit up at the compliment, still ignorant of the fact that he could quickly die if that knife pressed just a little deeper.
"Hey, what gave it away? My accent?" The murderer’s disappointed tone received only a crimson glower as a response. "Aw, don't be like that. Even though I was mostly raised in Snezhnaya, Mondstadt is still my birth place."
"I don't care where you're from. Let him go," Diluc growled.
He swore he could see a grin under the helmet.
"I'll consider it if you have tea with me."
Diluc wanted to chuck his claymore at the head of the murderer. Since Bennett was a head shorter than the man, such an act would only cleave this guy's head off. The only thing that stopped him from doing so, however, was the fact that it might cause psychological trauma to the kid and the fact that his claymore would probably land on some unfortunate soul.
Just as he was about to dispel his sword away, his head turned to the sounds of chatter nearby. The other knights’ patrol group must have been approaching.
"Or nevermind, it looks like time's up,” the man sighed, drawing the knife away from Bennett but tightening his grasp on the kid. “What a shame, I guess we'll have to continue this later."
In a burst of hydro, the murderer and Bennett disappeared. Diluc didn’t hesitate to give chase, activating elemental sight to follow the traces of hydro. Behind him, a group of gasps could be heard as they probably caught a glimpse of the ‘mythical Darknight Hero.’ Such shouts of excitement upon seeing him quickly morphed into screams of terror.
They must’ve seen the crime scene.
Diluc could only hope they weren’t foolish enough to think that he was the one responsible for the murders, but he knew he had no such luck. Especially when the knights were so incompetent. He internally groaned, knowing that Kaeya was going to hunt him down for answers in the future.
Such issues would have to wait as he ran back over the roofs, periodically seeing the murderer and Bennett’s forms reappear whenever they leaped across the buildings. Only then did the stench of mist flowers hit him again, and Diluc’s mind ran wild at the implications.
The murderer’s elemental powers must’ve come from a Delusion. It wasn’t entirely surprising since he confessed earlier that he was from Snezhnaya. However… Did that mean the murderer was part of the Fatui? Were these murders part of some orchestration that the Fatui were plotting again?
His thoughts suddenly halted the moment he realized that the murderer stopped in his tracks, no longer concealing himself in hydro energy as they stood at top of one of Mondstadt’s five windmills.
“I wonder what kind of hero you are.” Diluc could hear the smile as the man walked to the edge, Bennett still struggling in his hold.
In one swift movement, the knife was plunged into Bennett’s side, causing the teenager to howl out in pain, clueless to the feeling of being kicked off the building. Diluc cursed silently, ignoring the murderer’s ringing laughter as he leaped after the boy who was plummeting towards potential death. Catching Bennett with one hand and holding him close, a claymore appeared in his other hand as he swung it hard against the ground the moment before they landed.
Their landing was softened somewhat from the action, but pain annoyingly flared up his arm and lungs.
Great, not only did he probably have a fracture but his frustrating disease decided now was a good time to mess with him.
“Thanks, Mister Darknight Hero,” Bennett said with a grimace, hands moving to clutch his injury. Diluc wanted to say there was no need, but his throat acted first, forcing him to cough hard. “Wait, are you okay?!”
It wasn’t long before the petals of dawn were ejected out of his mouth, leaving Diluc with a heavy sense of shame and frustration. However, the lasting ticklish feeling in his throat demanded his attention quickly again, forcing round two of a coughing fit.
How humiliating.
“What a hero.” A chilling voice was heard behind them. Diluc didn’t turn around, knowing he couldn’t fight while the urge to keep coughing forced him to drop his weapon, so he decided to be the barrier between the murderer and Bennett.
Fortunately, Bennett wasn’t as useless as the knights, seeing as he pulled away from Diluc and summoned his sword. The sight seemed wrong as Diluc expected to see some flames, knowing that Bennett was a Pyro Vision bearer. Wasn’t he also capable of healing?
Only then did he see the lack of a red shine by Bennett’s side, realizing he was not wearing his Vision.
“Stand back, Mister Darknight Hero!”
"Stand back, Diluc!"
"Wait, Father—"
Blood dripped down from his lip as Diluc tore his mind away from that particular memory.
He would rather die than be protected by a child.
With sheer willpower, his shaky hand grabbed Bennett’s wrist before mentally screaming at his legs to run into the shadows. A few more petals streamed away from his lips, the white glinting ethereally in the moonlight.
With one glance back, the murderer’s figure was gone. His voice, however, was lasting in the chilling air of night.
“Tea would taste wonderful with you, Master Darknight Hero.”