Thanks everyone for the wonderful response to the last chapter! This fic has really been keeping me sane these last couple of weeks. It's been a lot of fun to write, and I'm glad that you're enjoying reading it.

Anyway, on with the show. (As always, I do not own Genshin Impact.)

"Diluc! Diluc, come here!"

Diluc spun toward the sound of his father's voice, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Papa!"

He ran toward the king of Mondstadt as quickly as his little five-year-old legs could carry him. It wasn't often that his father came to visit, as busy as he was with running the country. He needed to make the most out of every moment. The warm summer sun beat down on him as he rushed through the grass, not stopping until he'd collided with King Crepus's legs. Diluc hugged them and looked up at his father.

"Did you come to play? Can we have another riding lesson?" Diluc bounced up and down, thinking about the black mare with the white spot that had been gifted to him for his most recent birthday. "I wanna try to climb up myself this time!"

Crepus reached down with a wide palm and caressed the top of his son's head. "Not today. I need your help with something special."

Diluc's eyebrows shot up, his entire body quivering with excitement. "Really? You need my help?"

"Yes," said his father with a soft chuckle. "This is very important, so listen carefully."

"Okay!" Diluc chirped, taking the hand offered to him. "What am I doing? Is it a secret mission?"

Crepus smiled. "Sort of."

He led Diluc to the edge of the garden, where one of the castle guards stood waiting with a man unlike anyone he had ever seen before. As they got closer, Diluc could just make out a small hand, the same size as his own, gripping the cloak of the stranger.

"You see, Diluc," said the king. "I need you to make a friend."

The little hand on the stranger's cloak tightened its grip, its owner beginning to move out of their hiding place, just as the afternoon sun reflected off of the garden's pond. It's golden glow lit up Diluc's vision like a starburst. He blinked to clear his vision and in that moment his whole world shifted.

Suddenly, he was no longer five, but eighteen, and it wasn't the sun that was blinding him, but a raging fire. Diluc looked frantically from side to side, desperate for a friendly face or a comforting hand. Instead, he found only flames, screams, and bodies. His eyes stang from the smoke and the smell. His ears rang with the residue of some explosion. And his legs felt like jelly.

The garden and its carefully manicured hedges were burning. Favonius and Fatui bodies littered the once pristine paved paths. In the distance, the cathedral bell tolled to warn of an attack. Too late, Diluc thought. Finally, a yell brought him to his senses. He turned toward the sound and found some of the younger knights, recent recruits of Ordo Favonius, battling with the Snezhnayan infiltrators. He rushed toward them, snatching a sword from the hand of a fallen soldier along the way. He slashed through two of the Fatui before continuing on. He couldn't be sure if the knights in the doorway would be okay, but the sounds of battle rang from the throne room. Diluc was certain that's where his father would be.

The expansive hall rang with the sound of metal striking metal when Diluc reached it. He froze for a moment between the massive wooden doors, taking in the scene before him. Knights and Fatui agents battled each other desperately, tripping over the bodies of their fallen comrades as they fought. The white marble floor was streaked with blood and viscera, and the ornate wooden throne lay broken on its side. In the center of it all was King Crepus. His ceremonial sword was proving to be meant for more than decoration. The golden crossguard flashed in the candlelight as the king cut down his enemies, wielding his weapon with deadly precision. Diluc watched as he parried the thrust of one sword, kicking its owner away, and then spun to block the attack of another. Given his age and station, Crepus was holding his own, but Diluc could tell that he was tiring. Sweat rolled down his brow from beneath his fiery red hair, and his grip on his sword was loosening. Diluc had seen enough. He sprinted into the room, pausing only for a moment to dispatch a Fatui agent that was on the cusp of overwhelming a young knight.

"Father!" Diluc's voice echoed above the din of battle.

King Crepus turned to face his son, his mouth opening to respond only to close in a grimace as a Fatui blade pierced through his back and emerged just under his collarbone.

"No!" Diluc screamed and ran to his side, quickly beheading the Snezhnayan that had stabbed his father before felling the rest that surrounded him. As he pulled his bloodied sword from the last of the Fatui, he felt Crepus fall back against him. Diluc twisted where he stood, catching his father just as he slumped toward the floor.

"Diluc…" Crepus coughed, blood bubbling at the corners of his lips. "...my son. Mondstadt is fallen…"

"Don't say that." Diluc put his father's arm around his shoulder to help him stand. "There's still some fight in us. We can win this."

Crepus shook his head and coughed again, his breaths coming shallow and ragged. "We've lost this battle. But...there's still hope."

"That's nonsense. Don't say we've lost until we've actua-"

"Run, Diluc."

Diluc froze. "What?"

His father coughed again, his entire body trembling. "Run. We can take Mondstadt back, but only if you live. You have to survive, my son. Run."

Diluc opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the battle cries of more Fatui as they approached the hall. Even at a distance, he could tell that the Snezhnayan reinforcements were far more than they could handle. The very few knights that were still alive could barely stand.

"Then come with me," said Diluc, looking back at his father.

"No."

"I'm not leaving without you!"

"This is an order from your king," Crepus said firmly, pulling away. "Go. Live. Reclaim Mondstadt when you are ready."

"Then what are you going to do if you're not coming with me?" asked Diluc. His chest tightened as the words left his mouth. He already knew the answer.

Crepus pulled an odd-looking glove from his pocket and threaded his hand through it, dropping his sword in favor of the strange artifact. "I intend to give these Fatui bastards the fight of their lives."

Diluc awoke to birdsong and a splitting headache. He had fallen asleep sitting up, his head tilted back against the boulder he'd used for support. The odd angle had exacerbated the soreness caused by the last day's travel. His neck and shoulders were stiff, and his head throbbed. He groaned softly and cracked an eye open, finding a darkened sky that was just beginning to be streaked with the golden light of dawn. He blinked to clear sleep and the remnants of his nightmare from his vision. The moments leading up to his father's death were common in his dreams. As much as he tried to forget, they revisited him almost every night. But the scene in the garden from his childhood...that had been new. Diluc furrowed his brow and frowned. He was certain that it was significant in some way, but he couldn't be sure how.

He huffed softly, banishing the thought for the moment, and looked across the camp to where his captor lay. Kaeya had rolled over in his sleep so he faced away from him. The Khaenri'ahn was curled on his side, his fur-lined cape draped over him. If Diluc listened closely, he could hear Kaeya snoring softly.

Diluc sighed. He found himself wishing he hadn't been so impulsive in his first escape attempt. Now would have been the perfect time. He glared at his bandaged feet, the battered appendages still aching. Diluc, you idiot.

A soft snort drew his attention away from his feet and to the side of the camp where Kaeya's horse was quietly grazing on soft spring grass. Diluc quietly watched the animal for a few minutes. In the midst of his capture and attempted escape, he hadn't had the chance to appreciate its beauty. Kaeya's horse was a dappled grey gelding with a mane and tail that started white at the base and then gradually transitioned to black. It was tall and well-muscled. Diluc imagined that if it were taken to a wide, flat area, the horse could probably outrun almost anything. The captive prince tilted his head. That gave him an idea.

Moving slowly so as not to wake Kaeya, Diluc stood, wincing as he put weight on his damaged feet. He leaned against the rock for a moment and shot his captor a glance, finding that he was still sound asleep. Breathing a soft sigh, Diluc hobbled over to the horse. It raised its head and chuffed softly as he drew close, watching him carefully through large brown eyes.

"There, there, that's a good boy," whispered Diluc, reaching out to pet the animal's nose. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The horse hesitated for a moment and then took a step forward, pressing its nose into his palm. Diluc petted it as best as he could with his wrists still bound together, flattening his hands against the warm skin and gently scratching the fine hairs. The horse nickered and snorted in response, blowing hot breath in Diluc's face.

"I'm a friend, see?" he added just as quietly. "What do you say we go for a little ride?"

The horse simply snorted again.

Diluc smiled. "I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

Moving cautiously, he limped around to the side of the animal. Kaeya had removed its saddle and bridle the night before, leaving the equipment and other supplies in a pile near the fire. Diluc knew it would be impossible for him to saddle the horse with his wrists still tied. He looked up at the horse's back and heaved a tired sigh. It had been years since he'd last ridden a horse, let alone ridden a horse bareback. And he had never tried to mount an animal this tall. The shoulder of Kaeya's horse was nearly level with Diluc's nose. It would have been a challenging climb in the most ideal conditions, and here he was considering it while bound and injured.

Diluc stroked the horse's neck and shoulder, slowly moving into the perfect position to jump up. He knew he would only get one shot at this. He needed to make it count. Reaching up, he gripped a handful of the dark mane in his hands as he tensed his legs to jump. Then he felt the cold sharp edge of a blade press against the side of his neck.

"Are you trying to steal my horse?" asked Kaeya, his voice sounding somewhere between annoyed and amused.

Diluc froze. He felt the blade press closer.

"Do you enjoy being punished? Because, if so, I would be happy to oblige."

Diluc shook his head and slowly let go of the horse's mane.

"There's a good little princeling," cooed Kaeya.

The sword was withdrawn and sheathed with a sharp click. Then Diluc felt a hand wrap around his arm with a bruising grip as he was dragged away from the horse and back to the fire.

"Really, I don't understand why you'd still try such nonsense after yesterday," muttered Kaeya as he tossed Diluc to the ground. "I mean, I get it, but you know that it's pointless, right?"

Diluc glared up at him, but made no attempt to pull away as Kaeya picked up another length of rope and bound his ankles together. The last thing he needed was to provoke a beating.

"If this happens again, I'll have no choice but to truss you up like a boar." Kaeya smirked at him, his eyes roving over his body for a moment. "Though, I can't say that I wouldn't enjoy that."

Diluc snarled. "You're disgusting."

Kaeya's eyebrows shot up. "Would you like a gag too?"

Diluc snapped his mouth shut, earning a satisfied smile from Kaeya.

"That's what I thought." The Khaenri'ahn stood. "Now be a good prince while I pack up camp."

Diluc glowered at him. The worst part was that Kaeya was right. He did know better than to try. As much as he was loath to admit it, the Khaenri'ahn was smart. He had predicted his every action so far. Hell, he had even been able to track him down despite his efforts to cover his trail during his escape from Mondstadt. He had spent three years cultivating his new identity in Liyue Harbor, fooling everyone around him. Furthermore, he had spent a full year travelling around the country before ever entering the city, ensuring that even if someone picked up his scent near the border, that they would be thrown off before they could ever find where he'd landed. It baffled him that Kaeya had so deftly seen through everything.

"How did you know where to find me?" Diluc asked.

"I didn't," responded Kaeya, stooping to pick up the saddle and blanket.

"What?"

Kaeya tossed both over the back of his horse and tightened the straps. "I wasn't in Liyue Harbor for you. I was tracking down some Inazumese pirates. Lucky for them that I ran into you."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," said Kaeya. He turned back toward the camp to retrieve the bridle. "Honestly, when will you royalty learn that everything isn't about you?"

Diluc had to take a deep breath to control his temper. If nothing else, Kaeya was adept at getting under his skin. "Then, how did you-"

"How did I know it was you?" Kaeya laughed. "I knew there was something off about you from the moment you opened your mouth."

"What? How?" Diluc frowned and furrowed his brow. "My Liyuen is perfect."

"And that's the problem," explained Kaeya. "No one on Chihu Rock speaks in that dialect, especially a waiter who's been relegated to delivering menus at Wanmin Restaurant."

Diluc could only stare at him with his mouth agape. Kaeya paid him no mind, continuing to pack up his things and load them onto the horse.

"I almost bought your story at first," he continued as he kicked dirt over the dying embers of the fire. "Thought you might be some mixed highborn from Feiyun Slope fallen from grace, but then you never came back with my wine. You really shouldn't have done that."

Diluc wanted to pound his own head into the rock beside him. He should've been more patient. He groaned, which made Kaeya laugh.

"You sure made some stupid decisions."

Diluc buried his face in his arms, his sleeve muffling his voice. "Don't remind me."

"But now we get to have this fun adventure together," said Kaeya, crouching beside him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Just think of the wonderful connection we'll make."

Diluc shot him a glare.

Kaeya laughed again and then picked him up, slinging his captive over his shoulder. Diluc grunted as the Khaenri'ahn's shoulder dug into his ribs, his ears burning as he felt a hand grip his buttocks.

"What are you doing?!" Diluc gasped, trying to shift away from the hand.

"All the rest of the luggage is loaded," said Kaeya. "Now it's your turn. Or, did you want to walk again?"

Diluc scowled and then yelped as he was tossed over the back of the horse as he had been the morning before. "Why can't I ride on the saddle with you?"

"Because you stink," Kaeya said matter-of-factly as he secured his captive's wrists and ankles to the saddle straps, stretching him across the horse's rump. "I will not have you up here where I can smell you until you've had a bath."

"I...That…" Diluc squirmed, causing the horse to chuff unhappily. "That's not f-"

"Be quiet," ordered Kaeya, quickly stuffing a bit of cloth in Diluc's mouth and then tying the gag around his head once again. "The last person I want to tell me about what's fair and what isn't is you."

Diluc sighed and dropped his head, his world going dark as Kaeya threw the woolen blanket back over him. Then he felt the saddle shift beside him and the horse began to move.

"Luhua Pool is only about an hour from here," Kaeya said after a few minutes of silence. "If you behave, we'll stop there to clean up and reassess your privileges."

Diluc made no effort to respond in any way, which earned him a gentle pat on the rear.

"Good boy."

The next hour passed agonizingly slowly. His position and the motion of the horse made Diluc feel almost as sick as it had the first time. His only saving grace was that the cool spring morning kept him from overheating beneath the blanket. He supposed that he should count himself lucky. At least his nausea was nominally easier to control.

As they traveled, he tried to force himself to sleep, but found it nearly impossible. Instead, he counted the threads of the pattern that had been stitched into the blanket. With the proximity, it was impossible for him to tell what the pattern was supposed to be, exactly, but whatever it was had 157 blue stitches and 125 white stitches within his narrow line of vision. Or, that's what he'd gotten on his first count. He was only halfway through his second count when Kaeya finally drew the horse to a halt.

"We're here," Kaeya said in a mocking singsong as he dismounted. He flipped the blanket back and tilted his head to look Diluc in the eyes. "Are you ready for your bathtime, Your Highness?"

Diluc glowered at him. Someday, he was going to wipe that smug look off Kaeya's face and, better yet, convince him to call him by something other than all the obnoxious nicknames. Diluc narrowed his eyes at Kaeya as he leaned in and sniffed.

"Ugh, yeah, you really smell."

In a repeat of the day before, Kaeya untied Diluc's wrists from the saddle first and then moved around to his legs, but this time he left his ankles bound together. Diluc groaned softly as he was lifted from the back of the horse and dropped on the ground. He grunted as he landed and then rolled onto his side, looking around.

Kaeya had brought them to a bend on the eastern bank of the river that flowed into Luhua Pool. A high wall of rocks blocked the view of the lake to the south and a grove of wisteria trees encircled the rest of the area. The trees had already begun to bloom, their drooping branches looking like thick lavender curtains that swayed gently in the breeze. It turned the river bank into something of a private outdoor room, difficult to find and impossible to see from any of the nearby trails.

"The easiest way for you to bathe will be for me to untie you," said Kaeya as he pulled a bar of soap wrapped in wax paper from a saddlebag. "Can I count on you to behave yourself?"

Diluc pulled his attention away from the beautiful setting to look up at his captor. It took him a moment to process the question. When he finally realized what was being asked, he nodded his head enthusiastically.

Kaeya laughed. "Good."

He untied Diluc's ankles first, followed by his wrists. Diluc sat up and rubbed at them, wincing as he ran his hands over the raw flesh, while Kaeya loosened the gag.

"Well, what do you have to say, Your Highness?" asked Kaeya as he plucked the wad of fabric from Diluc's mouth.

"I thought I asked you to call me 'Diluc,'" Diluc replied with a frown.

Kaeya threw back his head and laughed loudly. "You have spirit, I'll give you that."

Diluc scowled at his captor.

"Ah, that was funny. You're really funny." Kaeya wiped at his eyes and then stood and held out a hand. "Here, let's get you cleaned up."

Diluc huffed and clambered to his feet on his own. "Well?"

"Well?" asked Kaeya, his eyebrows rising. "You can't easily bathe with your clothes on."

"Aren't you going to turn around?"

"And risk you trying to escape again?" Kaeya shook his head with a light laugh. "Sorry, Your Highness. You'll have to deal with having me as an audience. I'm not letting you out of my sight without some security."

Diluc sighed. As much as he wished he could deny it, he really did need a bath. The last day of travel and the day of work before that had left his skin caked in dirt, sweat, and blood. He could feel it crack and flake every time that he moved. He hung his head. "Fine."

Moving slowly, Diluc began to undress. His Wanmin Restaurant uniform crinkled softly as he pulled off each piece, betraying just how dirty the fabric had become since his capture. Kaeya's single visible blue eye never left him as he undressed. Even without looking, Diluc could feel his cool gaze, shivering in the spring air as he dropped each filthy layer to the ground beside him until the only thing he still had on were the bandages around his feet. He saw Kaeya's focus flick down for the briefest moment before he raised his gaze back to his face.

"Not bad," said the Khaenri'ahn with a smirk. He shoved the bar of soap into Diluc's hands before he could drop them to cover himself. "Here. I believe you know where the water is."

"Thanks," Diluc mumbled, finally breaking eye contact. He could feel his ears burning and hoped that his captor couldn't see. He was already too exposed as it was.

"Aw, you do know how to use your manners," he heard Kaeya tease as he limped over to the water's edge.

Diluc counted his blessings that the trees and rock wall afforded him some level of privacy, even if he had to deal with the damned Khaenri'ahn watching him. He paused as he reached the river bank, catching sight of his reflection in the gently rippling water. He looked like hell. There was no other way to describe it. Blood and dirt caked every bit of skin that hadn't been covered by clothing, creating a stark contrast to his pale flesh. Even with the water moving, he could see the deep purple bruises forming over his ribs and the red stains that colored the skin around his nose and mouth. His wrists and ankles were equally discolored, and the ink he had used to hide his natural hair color had almost completely faded, leaving dark streaks running down the sides of his face and neck. Diluc heaved a sigh and stepped into the water.

Despite the cool spring air, the water was decently warm. It was nowhere close to the temperature of a hot bath house, but it was bearable. He walked into the river until it rose to his waist. There was a rock nearby that stuck just far enough out of the water for the top of it to remain dry. Diluc set the soap on top and then reached back to untie the ribbon in his hair. As he tugged it free, his hair fell around his shoulders in a greasy, matted, reddish-brown curtain. Diluc shuddered and dropped the ribbon beside the soap. He couldn't help but to think that one bath might not be enough.

"Hey, hurry up out there!" Kaeya called to him from the bank. "I don't want to be here all day!"

"Yeah, yeah," Diluc grumbled.

With a bracing breath, he dipped his head under the water. He very briefly considered just swimming away before banishing the idea. He reminded himself that now he was not only Mora-less and injured, but also naked and being guarded by a violent Khaenri'ahn with Cryo powers. He didn't relish the idea of getting frostbite under any circumstances, especially not in the areas that were now very visible. Diluc let out his lungful of air, watching it bubble to the surface before he joined it. He could see the ink, dirt, and blood swirling dark brown in the water around him as he waded to the soap. Working it into a thick lather, he massaged it into his scalp, through the tangled strands, and onto his skin. Even though his injuries still hurt, some of the weariness of travel seemed to wash away with all of the dirt, leaving Diluc feeling lighter. As he bent to rinse the soap from his hair, he suddenly felt a rush of frigid air and the water beside him froze.

"What the hell?!" Diluc yelled, stumbling backwards to avoid being hit. He shivered as the temperature in the water around him dropped.

"I was bored," Kaeya said nonchalantly as he strolled out onto the ice, Diluc's dirty clothes bundled under his arm. He stopped when he was level with him and smirked down at his captive. "And I want you to wash these. They smell as bad as you do."

Before Diluc could come up with a retort, he found his uniform dumped on his head. He nearly gagged, ducking under the water again to get away from them. Kaeya was right; his clothes did stink. He gasped as he popped back out of the water. It was getting really cold with the ice surrounding him.

"And what am I going to wear when I get out?" asked Diluc, collecting his clothing before it could float away and piling it on the rock. "Did you think of that?"

Kaeya shrugged. "That's a bridge we can cross later. You almost done?"

"I was," grumbled Diluc.

"Well then quit playing around and finish up," said Kaeya, turning and walking back to shore. "Too much longer and I'll just freeze you into a royal naked popsicle and drag you back to Mondstadt like a statue."

Diluc cursed the Khaenri'ahn bastard under his breath as he snatched one piece of his uniform after another from the rock and washed them, the water growing murky from all of the dirt. The magically created ice had begun to melt by the time he'd finished. Diluc shivered as he picked up his now clean but soaking wet clothes and walked toward the riverbank.

"Finally!" Kaeya exclaimed, throwing up his hands in mock frustration. "I thought I was going to die of old age over here."

"You're an ass," muttered Diluc.

"So you've mentioned." Kaeya gave him a bright smile and took the wet clothes from him, slinging them over some low branches to dry. Diluc watched him, trembling in the cool air. When Kaeya returned, he had the rope in his hands once again.

Diluc frowned. "Can't I dry off first?"

"You can air dry," answered Kaeya, motioning for his captive to hold his wrists out. "And before you try to argue, don't. Remember who here is in charge."

Diluc scowled and held out his arms, watching as Kaeya bound his wrists together once again. Then his captor led him to the same tree that his clothes hung from. Picking a branch that was a little out of arm's reach, Kaeya tossed the end of the rope over it and pulled until Diluc was forced up onto his toes before fastening the end to another lower branch.

"That ought to do it," said the Khaenri'ahn with a satisfied smirk. He stepped back to admire his work, looking Diluc up and down. "And would you look at that, the drapes finally match the carpet again."

Diluc felt a blush that rivaled the red of his hair rise on his cheeks. "You son of a-"

"Now, now…" Kaeya pressed a finger to Diluc's lips. "...that's no way for a prince to speak. If you hurt my feelings, I'll have to gag you again."

Diluc glared at him, but held his tongue.

"Good boy." He turned away and began to undress. "You sure do train easily. Shame that I have to turn you in."

"Wait, what are you doing?" Diluc asked, ignoring the jab to his pride. "Aren't we going to leave?"

Kaeya scoffed. "And what are you in such a hurry for? I want a bath too. Little princes aren't the only ones who get a little ripe from being on the road."

Diluc frowned and averted his gaze, trying his best to avoid looking at the Khaenri'ahn as he removed his many layers of clothing. But try as he might, he couldn't tully tear his eyes away. As Kaeya's pile of neatly folded clothing grew, he revealed a tanned torso whose leanness betrayed the strength that it held. Long turquoise hair draped over a defined shoulder and chest, the end of it hanging just below his navel and above where a trail of identical-colored hair began. Diluc's blush flared brighter as Kaeya dropped his pants, revealing where the shorter hairs ended. He turned his head away completely, burying his face in his arm. He heard Kaeya laugh.

"Aw, embarrassed on my behalf?" Diluc felt slender fingers grip his jaw and turn his head. "Have you never seen another man's body before?"

Diluc knew he was trembling. He wished he could stop it. Kaeya was standing close. Too close. He could feel the heat of his flesh against his own. Feel something brush against his leg. Feel tension pool like lava in his stomach.

"Oh, ho, ho, what's this?" asked Kaeya. He reached down with his other hand and trailed his fingers over a part of Diluc that no one other than himself had ever touched, a part that was starting to grow hard. "Could it be that you actually do like me?"

Diluc jerked his face from Kaeya's grasp. "Shut up."

Kaeya laughed and raised his hands in surrender. "Very well, Your Highness."

With a mocking bow, Kaeya turned and marched into the river, not seeming to mind the temperature at all. Diluc did his best to will away his erection, but Kaeya kept drawing his gaze. The way he moved as he splashed water over his head, the way it trickled down his face and neck, the way the soap clung to his hair. Diluc was mesmerized. He was mesmerized and he hated himself for it.

He forced himself to look away as Kaeya finished up and walked back out of the water. The Khaenri'ahn whistled a tune as he made his way to his horse, wisteria petals clinging to his wet feet. He pulled the blanket from behind the saddle and draped it over his head, letting it drape over his body as he wandered back over to his captive.

"Like what you see?"

Diluc swallowed and clenched his jaw.

"Okay, okay." Kaeya laughed and went back to where he'd left his clothes, picking up his pants and pulling them on. "We can circle back to this conversation later."

Kaeya finished dressing himself and dried his hair with the blanket, letting the turquoise strands stick out in all directions and cling to his cheeks. Then he returned to his horse, dropped the blanket on its back, and reached into one of the saddlebags. When he returned, Diluc saw another set of clothes in the Khaenri'ahn's hands, the very set of travel clothes he had packed for himself in his apartment back in Liyue Harbor. Diluc felt rage bubble up in his chest.

"You had those this whole time?" he asked through gritted teeth, his voice getting high. "Why did you make me stand here like this?"

Kaeya shrugged. "I was enjoying the view."

"I...you...godsdammit, you're insufferable!"

Kaeya laughed softly. "Guilty. Anyway, how about we get you dressed?"

"I can dress myself."

"Not right now, you can't," teased Kaeya. He set down the clothes and picked up the pants. "Right leg first, c'mon."

Diluc scowled at him and lifted his right foot, allowing his captor to thread the pant leg on.

"Good, good. Now, the left."

Diluc clenched his fists. His hands were beginning to go numb, but he could at least feel the pressure of his nails digging into his palms.

Kaeya looked up at him. "The left?"

Diluc huffed and lifted his left foot. He shivered as he felt Kaeya slide the pants up his legs, pausing to tug them over his hips, leaving the fly open. He felt his chest tighten when Kaeya stood to his full height and moved in close, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Diluc tried to move away, but found it impossible to gain purchase on the slick petals beneath him with only his toes.

"Helping to keep you from falling, Your Highness," Kaeya said with a small laugh as he reached over and released the knot with a yank of the rope.

Suddenly, the tension that held him aloft disappeared, sending Diluc back to the ground. He hated to admit it, but, as sore as his feet still were, if Kaeya hadn't been there, he would have collapsed.

"See? No harm done," said Kaeya, gently lowering him so his feet were flat on the ground. He kept a steadying arm around his captive's waist while he found his balance. "Your clothes are right over there. Once you're dressed, I'll take a look at those wrists and feet."

Diluc pushed him away, stumbling a little. He scratched the back of his head, refusing to look at the Khaenri'ahn. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome, Diluc."

He was certain that if he glanced back, that Kaeya would have the same weird look on his face that he had the night before. Instead, Diluc focused on the stack of clean clothes as he limped toward them. As he picked up the shirt and put it on, he couldn't help but notice how different it felt. His travel clothes were in the Mondstadt style. The black pants were higher-waisted and slimer cut than what was worn in Liyue, and the loose-fitting black collared shirt had to be pulled over his head and tied closed at the neck with a thin cord as opposed to the folding and fastening done with typical Liyuen fashions. These clothes felt familiar, and Diluc was pleased to find that they still fit, though the sleeves and pant legs were a little too short. He wasn't sure what had driven Kaeya to bring these along after capturing him, but a small part of him was grateful. The Khaenri'ahn had even set out the spare hair ribbon that had been in his captive's bag. Diluc tucked it between his teeth, turning to watch his captor as he untangled his hair with his fingers.

Kaeya was packing up the bathing supplies and cleaning up the little clearing. He was diligent, working to leave no trace of their presence in the little alcove. The sun, now high in the sky, filtered through the branches of the wisteria trees. Its light pierced through the thick petals in bright beams, making the pollen in the air glow. As Kaeya passed under one of them, it had the same effect. His tanned skin appeared golden, his turquoise hair revealed a whole spectrum of greens and blues, and the flamboyant white and silver clothes he wore shone like armor. The sight took Diluc's breath away. When Kaeya reached up to pull the last of the Wanmin uniform down from the branches, the sunlight caught the pommel of his sword, bouncing off of it in a bright burst, and Diluc was suddenly reminded of his dream from the night before. Once again, he was struck by that strange feeling of familiarity. It was as if he had known the Khaenri'ahn before, long ago, when his life had been totally different.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that it's rude to stare, Your Highness?"

Diluc startled. He hadn't realized that Kaeya had finished packing. The Khaenri'ahn stood before him with the salve and fresh rolls of bandages. The smug look on his face made Diluc want to pull his hair out.

"For someone who claims to hate me, you sure do spend a lot of time looking at me," Kaeya added with a laugh. He suddenly bent and grabbed Diluc's left ankle, causing him to lose balance and sit on the stump his clothes had been on. "One might almost think that you actually like me."

"Don't flatter yourself," muttered Diluc. His tailbone ached from his landing on the stump, but he refused to give Kaeya the satisfaction of knowing. Instead, he pulled the ribbon from between his teeth and used it to tie his hair back in a low ponytail before leaning forward and propping his elbows on his legs. "Besides, who are you to call me rude for staring? You do it all the time."

"See, this is where your inexperience shows," Kaeya explained as he finished redressing Diluc's left foot and moved onto the right. "I'm supposed to be rude. In fact, it's one of my most useful personality traits."

Diluc snorted. "I don't see how that could possibly be true."

"Really?" Kaeya set down Diluc's freshly bandaged right foot and grabbed his right hand, pulling back the sleeve to reveal the abused skin around his wrists. "Think back on your experiences in the last couple of days and tell me that it hasn't aided me at every turn."

Diluc opened his mouth to deliver a retort, but found he had none. Once again, Kaeya was right. His ability to make his captive uncomfortable had effectively disarmed him every single time. Diluc was beginning to see a pattern in their interactions, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"And you're saying that I can't use this rudeness like you do?" he finally asked.

Kaeya chuckled and began to bandage his other wrist. "Yes."

"Why?"

The Khaenri'ahn was silent for a moment. Diluc couldn't be sure if he was trying to think of a good answer, or if he was simply making him wait to build tension. Either way, Kaeya didn't speak until he'd totally finished bandaging the last of Diluc's injuries. Then he set aside his supplies and placed his hands over his captive's, his fingertips gently brushing over the fresh gauze on his wrists as he looked up at him.

"It's because you're too earnest." Kaeya smiled. "In fact, it's one of your more useful personality traits."

For what umpteenth time that day, Diluc felt his ears burn. He pulled his hands away from Kaeya's grasp. "We should go."

"Right you are," said Kaeya. He stood and offered Diluc a hand, pulling him to his feet.

They walked over to the horse in silence. The whole way, Diluc was keenly aware of Kaeya's presence behind him. He had earned a little more freedom, but there was no chance to escape. He couldn't shake the sense that this too was part of his captor's plan. When they reached the horse, Diluc realized that Kaeya had repacked the luggage in such a way that the only space for a person was the saddle. He turned toward his captor with a look of concern.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to make you walk," said Kaeya. "I promised that I would let you ride in the saddle once you were clean, and clean you are. Go on, climb up. And don't think that you'll be able to ride off without me. I'm pretty sure that Favo is the last loyal creature in this world."

"Your horse is named Favo?" asked Diluc, looking back at the animal. "Like 'Favonius'? Are you a knight?"

"I was."

Diluc returned his gaze to Kaeya. "But, I never saw you around the castle."

"No, you didn't." Kaeya's tone was cold enough to make hair on the back of Diluc's neck stand on end. "Now, get on the horse."

Diluc nodded silently and climbed up into the saddle, shifting forward when Kaeya tapped his ankle, indicating that he should take his feet out of the stirrups. He kept his head down, his hair obscuring his face from view, as Kaeya settled in behind him. As roomy as the saddle was, it wasn't so big that they didn't touch. For a moment, all Diluc could think about was how warm Kaeya's chest was as it pressed against his back.

"Now, Your Highness, if you would pardon me," Kaeya murmured. He reached around Diluc, grabbing his wrists and locking them within a set of shackles that had been fastened to the horn of the saddle. "I'm sure you understand why this must be done."

Diluc swallowed and nodded again. He knew that being in the saddle was far better than his previous modes of travel, but he somehow felt far more trapped now than he had before. As Kaeya grabbed the reins and turned Favo toward the path they had been traveling, Diluc couldn't help but to wonder if this had been part of Kaeya's plan as well.

That's chapter four! It was the longest one, but my favorite to write so far. What did all of you think? I would love to read your thoughts!

I would like to give a HUGE shoutout and thanks to everyone that has commented and left kudos. I really appreciate it a lot. So much. (And big thanks to everyone that suggested horse names. You really got the gears turning.) I've been so motivated by your feedback that I haven't played Genshin since starting this fic. Every time I open my computer, I consider playing and then pull up the fic document instead, haha.

I actually sat down and planned out this fic the other day. Strap in, it'll be at least 22 chapters. I hope y'all are ready. If you'd like to find where I am when I'm not updating fic, come and join me on twitter kumi_sama_chan. I retweet lots of art and sometimes post about my WIPs (writing, cosplay, and otherwise).