It was silent.
In the dead of night.
Ajax sat at Diluc's side.
The air bit frostily at anything.
It turned Diluc's pale cheeks rosier.
Close to the red of the Vision in Ajax's hands.
Diluc knew what he asked, as the question was there.
Silent but demanding in the almost still air.
"Mondstadt," Diluc answered, wearily.
His voice was still scratchy, rough.
Ajax didn't move to return it.
Instead, he bore his eyes into the red of Diluc's.
"I know. Clearly, you're not a Snezhnayan."
The circular shape and wings were a dead give away.
"But, that's not what I wanted to ask you."
Diluc only waited for him to continue.
Ajax gripped the Vision a little tighter.
Almost not wanting to return it at all.
"How long were you in the Abyss?"
Diluc was quiet for a long time.
His eyes looked lost for a long moment.
As if to struggle with putting a name to a place.
It hit Ajax then.
Diluc didn't even know the name of that endless night.
He had been alone the entire time—
At the very least, Ajax had Shirk.
She helped him hone his potential to survive.
But Diluc?
Diluc had no one.
No one to guide him.
To aid him.
To patch up the wounds before they marred the skin.
He was nothing like Ajax.
Not an ounce of bloodlust.
Not even a flicker of well-deserved anger.
Just a cold resignation that settled deep into Diluc's bones.
It was clear how Diluc kept to himself, keeping a firm silence.
He was completely and utterly wary of Ajax.
Of everything really.
The air only seemed to grow colder.
The warmth of the low fire nearly died then.
Ajax moved— unsure to leave or not.
But Diluc gripped his sleeve.
As if to ask him to stay.
"How long were you?"
Ajax didn't answer.
Not that it seemed like Diluc wanted one.
.
.
He waited until the firefly slipped into a fitful sleep.
Until the mild morning sun peeked through the cold, frosted window.
And whispered the words that lingered at the tip of his tongue, under his breath.
"You're safe here. You're safe."
He left the Vision in Diluc's limp hands.
._._._._._.
Diluc had a name to the place now.
The Abyss.
It made sense.
The endless night.
The flickering stars.
It was such a fitting name.
It was one that Diluc prayed very hard to never hear again.
He hated how much it still clung to him in his dream.
So, when he dreamed that night he fell asleep next to Ajax.
It changed.
Angel's Share was empty now.
His only company was the innocent glass of wine.
The power of The Abyss suffocated him.
Called to him.
To take it.
Accept.
To come home.
To return to the endless night.
Diluc dared not to look at the armor.
Refused to give in.
Just like the first, the second, the fifth, the eighty-eighth—
He tapped the very edge.
Spilled the bitter wine.
Closed his eyes.
And breathed.
.
.
.
"No."
._._._._._.
Ajax paused.
His hand hovered over the door.
He had to leave.
The Tsaritsa waited for him.
And who was he to make her wait?
Even he was excited to go back.
Already, his mind planned for gifts to send back home.
But his eyes strayed down the hall.
"If you're worried about the firefly, go," his father said.
His arms were crossed, face stern.
"Go."
It was blunt.
But out of love.
Ajax knew that his father loved him.
Even tried to help him.
It was just not the way his father hoped.
Not the way anyone expected.
So Ajax smiled, and laughed.
Because really, he loved his family.
Even if his parents never understood his bloodlust for battle.
"I'll be home soon!"
He tore his eyes away from the hall.
Away from the small bundle that snuck past them.
Besides, Diluc wouldn't be alone.
._._._._._.
There was a telling set of footsteps.
It was too early for this.
Too early for anything really.
But Diluc forced himself to sit up.
Forced himself to slip out of bed.
Forced himself to stumble to the door.
And open it before a certain little one could knock.
Diluc barely smiled.
"Teucer."
"Big Brother!"
Diluc swore he saw flowers.
Big eyes definitely looked like a puppy.
"Come and play with me!"
Diluc prided himself in being a good brother.
Especially with Kaeya.
He was definitely strong enough to avoid Kaeya's puppy eyes.
But Teucer's?
It shattered Diluc's resolve in two seconds.
._._._._._.
Diluc sat on the floor of Teucer's room.
He was saddled with a stuffed dog in his lap.
And a cat in one hand.
Teucer zoomed across the room with a dragon.
Rawring in such a way that even Diluc knew not what to do.
He sort of sat there.
Awkwardly holding the cat in the air.
Ready for the dragon to attack it.
But no.
Apparently the cat and the dragon were friends.
Best friends.
Diluc didn't have time to wonder about the dog.
Not when the door opened.
Not when a girl stood frozen.
Cerulean eyes wide and mouth agape.
She looked young.
Somewhere in between a child and a teen.
Teucer apparently did not care for her shock.
"Big Sister Tonia! Morning!"
Diluc took pity on her.
And gave a quiet, polite greeting that was engraved in his bones.
"Good morning."
She blinked once.
Then twice.
And recovered.
"Morning Teucer," she paused.
Staring down at Diluc.
Who probably looked ridiculous.
"Mr. Diluc."
He almost cringed, "Diluc's fine."
At the casual (albeit flat) tone, she smiled lightly.
Tonia gestured for him to stand, "Come on, boys— Breakfast is ready!"
._._._._._.
Diluc was pulled into an awfully lively breakfast.
Never mind that he barely ate anything.
That the food tasted rather strange on his tongue.
He took in the loud chatter that traveled back and forth.
Yet another child— no, teen sat across from him.
Asking many questions that had nothing to do with how Diluc arrived.
He asked about favorite things.
Favorite food.
Colors.
Favorite anything.
It took Diluc several seconds to realize that they avoided the topic.
Made him comfortable.
Eased into the warm atmosphere in the cold house.
The more they talked.
The more they pulled him around the house.
Taught him the routines of simple tasks.
The further the memories of the Abyss seemed.
The further the silent fear deep in his bones felt.
The snowy air never went away.
But Diluc's shoulders relaxed.
His Vision glowed gently.
His head hurt less.
He wasn't alone.
._._._._._.
Ajax's parents were kind.
Mother dressed him well.
Kept giving him hand-me-downs from her children.
It was warm.
Maybe a bit too warm with his Vision.
But every time Diluc stepped out.
He was forever grateful.
He missed the comforting winds from Mondstadt.
The warm sun in those grassy cliffs.
Dragonspine was the closest Diluc could think of.
"Wear this," Mother would tell him, "My eldest isn't here."
Diluc allowed her to wrap a soft, thick red around him.
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind her old scarf being put to use."
Not for the first time—
Diluc wondered if this was what having a mother was like.
He barely remembered his own mother.
But he knew one thing was true.
Mothers were warm, and full of kindness.
._._._._._.
Father was different.
Different from his own father.
Crepus loved him.
Loved him so dearly.
So much that Diluc was coddled.
Ajax's father was similar.
Different.
But similar.
Diluc watched him work.
Cutting a perfect circle through the ice.
In the waiting, Diluc listened.
Listened to Father tell little stories.
Learned to catch the largest fish.
And Diluc couldn't help the small flutter of happiness when he fished his first.
And Father gave him a simple ruffle of his hair.
Like any proud father.
._._._._._.
Tonia was a steady force.
That much Diluc learned.
She got her brothers in line.
She forced Diluc to sleep the second he looked light headed.
She was far too observant to be normal.
Then again, so was Kaeya.
Diluc should've already known how stupid it would be to lie.
"Your head's splitting."
It was a very blunt statement that held no argument.
Diluc most certainly wasn't leaning against the wall for support.
He opened his mouth— and clamped it shut.
Tonia had a certain look in her eye.
He most certainly knew better than Anthon and Teucer put together.
Diluc dropped his shoulders.
And went to bed early.
._._._._._.
Anthon liked to read.
If he wanted peace and quiet, Diluc would find him.
Walking around the backyard.
Because as the local saying went.
"Stand in place.
Freeze in place."
He didn't dare to try it after he almost froze to death apparently.
As Diluc walked, Anthon read under his breath.
Tonia said that Anthon often tripped.
In her words, "What idiot walks and reads at the same time?"
Anthon slipped on a rock.
Diluc grabbed an arm to steady.
They shared a small glance, and never stopped their pace.
Anthon tripped over his feet.
Diluc never failed to catch his hood.
They took a moment, and resumed their pace.
A routine they settled on.
Anthon didn't seem to mind.
And Diluc couldn't stop thinking of Kaeya.
._._._._._.
The flame in Diluc's hand flickered softly.
The pot boiled just enough.
His Pyro Vision was put to use.
He looked over to Tonia, who filleted a fish.
Diluc paused for a moment.
Wondering how to word a forming question.
But his tongue moved faster than his mind.
"Where's Ajax?"
Whatever eloquence he once had was gone now.
Tonia paused.
Her knife seemed stuck for a brief moment.
Before she merely shrugged, "Work."
Dulic stopped.
And really looked at her.
He stayed long enough to tell.
And took the answer without pushing.
._._._._._.
In the break of dawn, Diluc ripped himself out of his dream.
Out of Angel's Share.
Out of The Abyss' power.
He took a second, a moment.
Taking in the tiny crackle of dying embers.
Breathing in freezing air that he finally adjusted to.
Breathing in and out.
To steady himself.
To root himself.
He was here.
Not there.
.
.
The telling rush of steps started up his day.
Dragged him out of bed.
And into the warmest furs.
He reached the door.
And opened it.
Teucer beamed with all of his childish innocence.
It was then he learned.
That Diluc began to love this family.
A family that wasn't his.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.