Cross-posted on AO3

Day 6: Insomnia

Another sleepless night.

With a tired sigh, Diluc sat back in his chair as he looked out of the window to his room. The sun was setting and painted the sky an arrangement of orange and purple as it disappeared over the horizon. When it rose in the morning, however, it would bring with it a day that he very much hated.

Ever since his eighteenth birthday, all the joy that usually came with the day had completely drained away. Nowadays, he spent the entire day avoiding everyone – even his staff – and staying in his room. But today, he felt like doing something different.

He couldn't keep doing this every year.

Taking his leave, he left the manor for what he hoped was just going to be an uneventful stroll. Not that he would have minded running into a stray group of Hilichurls or some Fatui members for a little misplaced aggression. Even those annoying Abyss Mages would do.

He knew that his destination wasn't far from the manor and was still on the property. However, he hadn't expected the sight he was greeted with when he reached it.

Kaeya was knelt down before his father's grave, a bouquet of flowers sitting in front of the headstone. His head was bowed in what seemed like a silent prayer. He had half a mind to stomp over and tell Kaeya to leave, that he wasn't welcome there, to scream for him to get out.

But something stopped him.

Even though it was faint and hard to see, he could see the captain's shoulders shaking.

Kaeya was crying.

Sighing, Diluc realized that it was actually pretty dumb to think that he had been the only one affected by his father's death. Kaeya had been raised by the same man and – now that he's calmed down and thought it through during his return – not even Kaeya couldn't have faked everything.

He even wondered if it was him who should and give his brother some privacy, but thought better of it. If both of them have been keeping this to themselves, he knew what he needed to do.

Even if he was reluctant to do it.

Not giving himself the chance to chicken out, Diluc walked right up to Kaeya and – not giving him a moment to think – snatched his arm in a tight grip and began dragging him towards the winery.

"Diluc?!" he could hear Kaeya call behind him. It was actually a little funny how startled he sounded and the older had to hold back the urge to grin. He was starting to see the appeal of screwing with people. Or at least with Kaeya.

He felt him try to pull away a few times, but Diluc held on tight and didn't break his stride. By the time they made it back to the manor, the blue-haired man had stopped asking questions and had gone pliant in Diluc's grip, just letting the other drag him along.

He honestly tried not to feel smug about it.

Not giving Kaeya any chance to ask any questions, he marched right inside through the front door. He noticed Adelinde and gave the head maid a nod, but didn't stop as he made his way upstairs. As he walked up to his room – their father's old room – he felt Kaeya give one last futile attempt to pull away, but it was weak and half-hearted.

Diluc led them inside, made his way to the bed and – without any warning – physically threw Kaeya onto it. The unexpected action earned him a yelp from the younger as he bounced on the soft mattress. Diluc climbed in too, settling down on the pillows. Kaeya looked stunned for a minute (Diluc could have sworn he saw fear in his eyes?), sitting up in the middle of the bed. Annoyed that he couldn't just take a hint, Diluc grabbed Kaeya's wrist and yanked him down onto the pillows next to him.

"Go to sleep."

For a moment, the younger just stared at him, like he was searching his eyes for something before he finally relaxed and settled in as well. They weren't exactly too close, the bed was big enough for that at least. He watched as Kaeya's eye fluttered shut and it didn't take long before Diluc noticed that his brother's breathing had softened and evened out, having already fallen asleep.

He must have been more tired than he had thought.

With a mirthful chuckle, Diluc slipped away into a dream filled with two young boys laughing happily and freely with their father.

N/A: The draft for this was originally written on the 27th of January. I just wanted Diluc and Kaeya to be brought back together by a piece of the past that they both still shared.