Cross-posted on AO3

Day 4: Impaling

Once again, it had been an evening of Diluc and Kaeya being locked in a furious exchange of words.

The setting for this fight had been in Angel's Share.

Thankfully, nobody was in since the bar had recently closed. The only people that had been left were some employees that were helping Diluc close up. Charles was still behind the counter while some waitresses were still downstairs cleaning some tables.

That night had been especially rowdy, a drunken fight had broken out. Diluc was forced to kick them out when they refused to leave and one had broken a chair, leaving the legs destroyed. Diluc had would up setting it aside to throw out later and resolved to buy a new chair when he went into town later.

Of course, Kaeya just had to come in just at closing time. Diluc had tried to ignore him, but Kaeya had been persistent saying that he had something really important to tell him. He had tried going to the second floor in an effort to avoid him, but that had just ended in the captain following him to the second floor. With his irritation growing with every minute that Kaeya had refused to leave, his voice had wound up rising, telling Kaeya to just leave.

Probably nursing his dumb bruised pride at being ignored, Kaeya had grabbed his arm and had started to say something again. Diluc, fed up and point and beyond angry, had ripped his arm from the man's grip and had turned to face him.

Kaeya hadn't been deterred, moving closer and with a strange look on his face – was that concern?

It had all happened so fast.

With a shove, he had sent Kaeya over the railing and to the first floor below.

Stunned for a moment, Diluc had just stood there in shock before everything seemed to catch up with him when he heard a waitress scream. Running to the railing, he looked over and felt his stomach roll. Kaeya had fallen directly onto the broken chair and had been impaled in the abdomen.

His mind seemed to stall for a moment – he was bleeding so much – before jumping into high gear. Withgoing the stairs, Diluc leaped down from the second floor, landing in a crouch as he ordered Charles to go get Barbara and Jean immediately.

The man seemed to snap out of his shocked daze as he frantically moved from behind the counter and out the door.

Knowing that moving Kaeya would be a bad idea, Diluc ripped off his vest as he pressed it firmly to the wound. Thankfully, only one leg had actually pierced any flesh, the other three broken too short to really be a threat beyond some scratches.

He heard Kaeya chuckle wetly as he told Diluc not to waste his time.

The older man barked, telling Kaeya to shut up and sit still until help arrived.

It earned him another wet laugh, but Kaeya actually decided to stay quiet. He grew alarmed, however, when Kaeya's eye slipped shut a few minutes later.

Frantically slapping his cheek, he told Kaeya to stay with him and to not fall asleep. The man seemed to try at first, valiantly at that, but it didn't last long until he seemed to lose consciousness.

Diluc screamed, desperately telling Kaeya to wake up. His attention was so focused on Kaeya that he didn't notice the door being swung open and Charles returning with the two healers he had requested in tow.

Acting quickly, Charles grabbed Diluc's arms and dragged him away so the healers could start their work. It was a struggle, with Diluc fighting desperately to get loose, but Charles held strong and dragged his employer back. Thankfully, he was quickly aided by Lisa, who had been with Jean and Barbara when he had found them. She was quick to also grab one of Diluc's arms as she whispered reassurances in his ears, telling him that help was here and that Kaeya would be alright.

At first, it was like Diluc was ignoring her, his crimson eyes locked on the place where Kaeya's figure was hidden behind Jean and Barbara's backs. This didn't deter Lisa, who kept the whispers going until Diluc finally stopped struggling and went limp. The librarian was quick to pull Diluc into her arms as she kept telling him that everything was going to be alright.

She didn't say anything when she felt the shoulder of her outfit grow wet, she merely held on tighter. Eventually, Diluc passed out just as he heard Barbara suggest moving Kaeya to the cathedral for further care.

His last thought was a prayer that Kaeya would forgive him for this.

A/N: Written 1/27/2021.