Work Text:
For the first time in a while, Diluc had finally managed to relax. Settled down with a new publication from the harbor, he had managed to get about a chapter in before his attention was pulled by a frantic winery worker.
“Master Diluc- the cart!”
“What about the cart?” Diluc asked as he stood, the book set aside with reluctance. “It only just left, did it not?” Wait, wasn’t this man supposed to be with it?
“Yes, but at the fork to Liyue, we were ambushed by Hilichurls. They spooked the horses and took off with the whole thing!” The worker explained. “They went towards Stormterror’s lair, but we...”
Diluc sighed deeply. “You didn’t wish to give chase due to the danger it posed?” He finished.
The worker bowed deeply in apology. “Yes Sir, I’m sorry, Sir.”
“It’s fine, you made the wise choice. Cargo can be replaced,” Diluc assured the man. “I’ll go check it out and see if anything can be salvaged. You and the others remain here until I send word.”
“Are you sure, Master Diluc?”
“It’s just some Hilichurls, I’ll be fine.” Diluc was confident in his abilities, and walked out of the winery without another word.
-
The cart truly hadn’t made it far. Just as he was told, it was right at the fork that signs of a fight became evident. A single Hilichurl laid dead on the ground; likely collateral from the runaway cart. The tracks in the sand were easy to follow, but he only needed to walk a few steps before he found what he was looking for.
The cart had been steered with a spooked horse, and had clearly been run into the stairs. The spokes of the wheel were broken, and there was going to be no moving it until a new wheel was installed.
A quick scan of the area revealed that the horse was nearby; clearly having gotten free from the wagon and shuffled anxiously several meters down the beach.
He decided to come back for it once he was finished, to give the poor animal a chance to calm down before he tried wrangling it back.
With an irritable huff, Diluc began to follow the road; the cart had been looted and, while he doubted he would be able to retrieve much, it really was the principle of the matter. He would be teaching those Hilichurls a lesson about stealing from his people.
The Hilichurls had been sloppy, and dropped bottles and spilled wine created an easily followed trail. A small handful of Hilichurls were along it, and all of them attacked on sight. They fell easily to his blade, though it was clear they were likely not the ones he was looking for.
He continued his search. He cut down any Hilichurls he came across, and was grateful that there didn’t seem to be any Mitachurls in the area. Sometimes one napped at the gate, but he was fortunate in that it wasn’t there when he passed by.
Eventually the trail led him off the main path, and he could see signs of sloppy climbing attempts up the shallow series of cliffs. He could easily traverse it. To the side he could see the ruins of an old stone building, and inside it was a small camp of Hilichurls.
He decided to not risk being shot while he scaled the rocks, and took a few minutes to clear them out. Only once the area was clear did he begin his climb.
He could begin to hear the sounds of them above him as he got closer and, once he came to a particularly tall cliff, he opted to make his life easier; and safer. A Wind Catcher was any adventurer’s best friend, especially in a place like Mondstadt.
The powerful updraft grabbed his glider and yanked him into the side, up and over the ledge where he could see the small group of Hilichurls he was looking for. A small pile of stolen goods sat to the side, and two of them fussed over a particularly well sealed bottle.
Disinclined to play fair, Diluc tilted himself forward until he was over them and retracted his glider. He twisted in the air as he summoned his sword, and descended upon the center of the camp.
The shockwave of the impact sent them flying, two of them not getting back up after that initial strike. The three survivors took up arms and charged, but were painfully outmatched by the far stronger Allogene. They were cut down down like so many before them, with Diluc not giving them even half a thought more.
The small canyon fell silent, only the sound of rushing wind filling the air as he moved to the pile of goods. He doubted anything would be salvageable, but felt it was worth a look. He knelt in the grass and set his sword to the side, then began to sift through the bags in hopes of finding something intact.
A faint ‘whoosh’ behind him was the only warning Diluc got. He whirled around quickly, snatching his sword up and slamming it against the Riftwolf that had appeared behind him. The beast was knocked to the side, and Diluc turned just in time to see two more appear beside their stunned ally.
They howled and snarled, their disembodied claws poised to main and kill with their corrosive poison. They only lingered for a moment before they struck, charging Diluc as a group.
He knew full well the threat they posed and was forced to dance and parry around them, getting in what strikes he could without being hit himself. It was a slow and arduous process, flame going up in large bursts as they reacted with the wolves’ natural Electro.
Still, Diluc was not a man easily defeated, and eventually two of the three construct monsters laid dead in the grass. The third was inches from the same fate and it, faced with its own impending destruction, became even more ferocious. It attacked as though it wished to take Diluc down with it.
Its attacks were erratic and swift, and it forced Diluc to dodge constantly. Eventually he found himself backed against the edge of the cliff, the small ruined building below him.
He didn’t have time to dodge before the beast leapt upon him, and all Diluc could do was summon his last hail mary.
“ Burn!”
A massive phoenix of flame erupted from his blade, ripping into and slaying the last wolf before taking off high into the sky. The attack came at a price, however, and his balance was lost. His boot slipped off the edge of the cliff, and he found himself tumbling down into empty air.
It was too short a drop for him to stop his fall with his glider, but he deployed it anyway; a last second bid to save himself from a very hard and stony end.
The glider couldn’t catch him, but it picked up enough drag that his descent was slowed to something far more survivable; however because of it he found himself whipped around almost randomly as he flailed, the world a dizzying blur of color.
He felt his right leg strike something and all color faded from his vision; replaced by searing white agony.
Then everything went black. He wasn’t out long, and slowly came back to his senses. His leg was screaming, but the rest of his body was only mildly angry, as a thick bush had cushioned his fall. His glider was ruined, but he wasn’t dead; a fair trade, in his opinion.
He sat up slowly and felt around his head, and after a few minutes of assessment concluded that he had not struck his head; a great mercy. Another mercy; one he had given himself, was that there were no Hilichurls nearby to try to pick a fight with him, which allowed him to take his time to recover from his fall.
Once the ache in his body eased, he decided to try to get up. He used the nearby stone wall as support and he hauled himself to his feet, but buckled instantly as blinding pain lanced up his right leg and into his chest. He fell to the ground in a heap with an agonized noise, and had to resist the urge to clutch his screaming leg. His breathing fell ragged, and he was forced to sit dead still as he waited for the pain to ease.
Once it abated enough that he could see straight, he cautiously rolled his leg at the hip to inspect the damage, and saw a deep gouge in the leather of his boot, and the faint glisten of something wet seeping through the holes.
“Brilliant.” He grumbled as he laid back down on the ground. He remained still and waited, trying to focus on anything except the pain that demanded his attention. Eventually he found himself able to block it out, and once more attempted to stand.
This time he was careful, and used his sword as a crutch to help his balance keep weight off his bad leg. He was sweating profusely by that point, and used his sleeve to wipe his face dry before he took a steeling breath. He was unsteady, but he had no other choice; it was either limp back to the winery, or sit in hostile territory and hope someone helpful would come along before someone hostile did.
His progress was slow and grueling, each step a monumental effort that tired him further and further. He was stubborn, however, and persevered. He managed to make it a notable distance before he was forced to stop and catch his breath, and leaned heavily upon his sword as he rested his forehead on the pommel.
His moment of reprieve was cut short as the sound of a footstep reached his ears, and immediately Diluc attempted to lift his sword defensively. He felt his balance wobble, and knew he would manage to get maybe one solid hit in before he tumbled to the ground; he was ready to make it count.
When Kaeya rounded the corner, Diluc felt equal parts relieved and annoyed; of all people to run into, it had to be him.
Still, knowing it was Kaeya was enough to let him lower his guard and drop his sword back into the dirt, using it to reclaim some semblance of balance. His body shook from exhaustion; the fighting, the impact from the fall, and the excruciating pain from the injury was sapping all of his energy. The adrenaline that had kept him going finally petered out as salvation found him.
Kaeya seemed to sense Diluc’s state, and was by his side just as the redhead had begun to sway. Gripping his shoulders tightly, Kaeya helped guide his brother to a nearby rock to sit. Still, Diluc had to fuss, and tried to shoulder Kaeya’s grip off.
“What are you doing here?” He almost demanded.
Kaeya huffed softly, dropping to sit on his haunches. “I could ask you the same, you know.”
Silence passed, and Kaeya was the first to give in.
“Official business. Knights were sent to cull the Hilichurl population, and force them further away from the city; they were beginning to encroach too closely,” He explained. “at first I thought the warpath of dead bodies was another knight’s doing, but then I saw a familiar fire bird in the sky, and I realized who the culprit was. I decided to come check on you and began walking to where I thought the source was. And now here we are.”
Part of Diluc found it difficult to believe Kaeya’s words; he wouldn’t have sought him out simply out of concern, right?
He exhaled heavily.
“Care to tell me what happened, now?” Kaeya probed with an annoyingly gentle voice.
“...Hilichurls attacked one of my shipment wagons; my staff,” Diluc started to explain. “I decided to get even and see about recovering the lost goods. Tracked them along this road and up a small cliff on the western border of Wolvendom. Slew them, but was ambushed by Riftwolves. Last one knocked me off the cliff; that’s why my burst flew high.”
Kaeya listened quietly and, at the end of the explanation, simply nodded. Without a word he turned his focus to Diluc’s leg, taking his heel in his hand and tilting his head to inspect the wound.
“H-Hey! What are you-”
“Your leg might be broken, and if we don’t clean it you might get an infection. It needs to be splinted, as well.” Kaeya replied, his voice terse.
Diluc could only exhale deeply, and glanced aside as he silently gave in; Kaeya was right and he knew it.
Kaeya’s hands were deft but careful as he unlaced the boot, pulling the laces out entirely to open it as much as he could before he delicately slid the injured limb out of it.
It looked bad, and it looked even worse after Kaeya rolled up his pant leg to inspect it. It was covered in blood, though after a closer look Kaeya was able to offer some good news.
“Your boot and pants managed to protect it from debris, from the looks. I’ll wash it anyway, but as long as it’s kept clean, it shouldn’t get infected.”
That was relieving, at least. He watched as Kaeya pulled out his Knight issues first aid kit, and began carefully cleaning his leg.
“You shouldn’t have been walking on this,” Kaeya broke the silence. “you could have made it worse.”
Diluc knew that. Kaeya knew he did, too, and so he did not reply.
Once the wound was clean, it was clear that it wasn’t quite as bad as it initially looked, but the bruising was massive, and the pain severe enough that even Diluc couldn’t argue with the possibility of a break.
“How did this happen?” Kaeya asked, pointing to his leg.
“I’m not sure. It hit something on the way down. A wall, I think.” Diluc answered, his fatigue slowly catching up with him.
“Makes sense.” Kaeya said as he bandaged and splinted the injury. Once he finished tying it off, he stood. “Alright, put your sword away.”
Diluc looked up. “Why?”
“I’m carrying you back, obviously. There’s no reason for you to have it out and weigh us down.”
“I will not-”
“Diluc, are we really having this argument? You could barely make it this far, you really expect to be able to make it back to the winery?”
Kaeya had a point, but Diluc didn’t want to admit it. They stared one another down, before finally one admitted defeat.
With an irritable scowl, Diluc dismissed his blade into his Vision and waited. Kaeya moved into position with a faint grin and knelt with his back to Diluc.
Embarrassed and frustrated, Diluc wrapped his arms around Kaeya’s shoulders and held tightly as he felt arms loop under his thighs. He was lifted with ease, a weightless feeling turning his stomach for a moment before it settled.
Once he was sure he had a good grip, Kaeya began to walk down the road. “Us Knights tore a bit of a warpath of our own on the way here, so the roads back to the city should be clear.” Kaeya informed.
“Wh- I’m not going to the city-”
“You need proper medical treatment, and you and I know full well that isn’t going to be found at the winery.”
Kaeya needed to stop winning these arguments. Diluc went silent for a while, and just simmered in his irritation.
“-can’t believe I have to be carried back like some sort of invalid-” He wound up muttering.
Kaeya chuckled. “It’s quite alright,~” He smiled. “It is my knightley duty to look out for the citizens of Mondstadt, after all.”
Diluc could only groan in annoyance, which earned another cheerful snicker from the Captain.
“You know, it’s perfectly okay for even the great Master Diluc to need help. I’m quite delighted to be of service.” Kaeya continued to tease.
“Leave me alone.” Diluc said almost mournfully, burying his face in his hand as he draped further on the man’s shoulders.
“No,” Kaeya said, humor in his voice. “I’m going to bring this up over and over, for sure.~”
Diluc peered through his fingers. “You wouldn’t dare .”
“You can buy my silence with a glass of Death After Noon.”
“Of course, you drunk.”
Kaeya only laughed.
-
Despite the near relentless teasing on the way to the city, Kaeya made it a point to be discreet once they reached the border. It was late, so the streets were mostly empty. Giving the order for the gate guards to be quiet, he slipped them around through the side gate and scooted to the Angel’s share, which was closed due to the hour.
It was a little bit of an ordeal to get the door unlocked, as Diluc had to fish the key out while Kaeya held him, and then kneel enough so he could reach the keyhole and undo the lock. This had to be repeated once they reached the second floor as the door to the third story was also locked.
Finally they reached a safe place and, with immense care, Kaeya lowered Diluc onto the cot in the corner.
“Give me a moment and I’ll go fetch Barbara. You’ll be okay for a little bit?” Kaeya asked as he stretched his muscles, sore from the long walk with Diluc on his back.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be back soon, then.”
Kaeya made Diluc lay down and propped his leg up on a pillow before he left, leaving the injured man alone with his thoughts.
Or he would have been, if he hadn’t almost immediately fallen asleep.
He was woken gently by a worried Barbara, who inspected the injury carefully.
“An incomplete fibula break, non-displaced,” She declared. “It won’t need setting, and I can heal it right now. It will ache for a while, but you’ll be able to walk on it.”
By the time the Deaconess was done, Diluc felt worlds better. The sharp pain in his leg had dulled to an ache; easily ignored.
Barbara ensured Diluc could actually walk on the leg before she agreed to leave, and Kaeya was right on her heels after giving a polite farewell.
“Reports to fill out and all that.” He cited.
-
It was two days before Kaeya was able to return to the Angel’s share. He had been up late the night after he rescued Diluc, both catching up on reports as well as giving his estranged sibling a chance to decompress after what was, likely, a harrowing experience.
Still, he couldn’t ignore the alluring call of alcohol, and so on the second night he stepped through the familiar doors to see a familiar man behind the bar.
For a moment Kaeya considered leaving, but in the end decided to simply commit to his visit.
He slid easily onto a stool and smiled at the bartender, noting that Diluc didn’t look as grumpy as he tended to when he walked into the room.
Kaeya’s mouth hadn’t had a chance to even open before a glass was set in front of him, cold and smelling heavenly; Death After Noon.
“Thank you.” Diluc said, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper. He didn’t look at him, his gaze averted to the rest of the bar.
With a soft smile, Kaeya brought the glass up to his lips.
“It’s no trouble.~”
Kaeya felt Diluc's eyes move to him, but it only lasted for a moment before the man turned his focus back to his work. Unlike before, the silence that stretched between them felt less lonely, and more like one born of mutual understanding.
It was nice.