When Diluc "asked," Ajax gave.
It was a story he dared not to speak of.
Even to his own parents.
The ones who loved him so dearly.
They wouldn't understand.
He was so different before he fell.
In the dead of the night, he spoke of getting lost.
Of the gnashing jaws of bears and wolves.
Of the sights he saw.
He told Diluc of his teacher.
How she found him.
Honed his skill.
Taught him to use a certain ability.
His thirst for blood grew in that darkness.
It didn't fade.
Even when he encountered an enormous beast.
One he couldn't beat down.
One that nearly killed him in that endless night.
Diluc listened.
Ajax knew he did.
Even though neither looked at each other.
He could feel Diluc clinging to him.
Providing some comfort when he didn't need it.
Ajax tipped his head back.
Rested his head against the edge of the bed.
And glanced at the red in the edge of his sight.
"Did you see it?"
The monster, he didn't say.
There was a long pause from Diluc.
A pause too long.
Until the Firefly finally lifted his head.
And stared at Ajax in the eye.
"I don't think I did."
Ajax laughed then.
Almost too loud in the dead of night.
He grinned at Diluc.
Confidently.
Arrogantly.
"Mark my words," he promised, "One day I'll kill that beast."
He reached over, covering Diluc's eyes with hand.
"That way, you don't ever have to see it."
It was one promise Ajax knew he wouldn't break.
._._._._._.
Diluc noticed how often Ajax looked at him.
He could see the question that was just at the edge of his lips.
But those cerulean eyes would glance at his blackened wrist.
And the question would fade.
Which is why Diluc grabbed Ajax.
Tugged him out of the door.
"Fight me."
At Ajax's look, Diluc frowned, "I'm getting antsy."
"Your wrist—"
Diluc waved his other, pale scarred hand.
Twisting it around to prove a point.
"I have two hands. Not one."
Ajax blinked.
Then snorted.
And broke into laughter.
"I know just the place."
._._._._._.
It was funny.
Really.
They stood across from each other.
A grand distance in the snow covered forest grounds.
Ajax only saw a lick of red from the amount of trees that stood between them.
They counted twenty paces.
Thirty seconds to prep.
They decided two rounds of first blood.
A suggestion Ajax gave.
Because though Diluc was the one to ask—
Months of inactivity always held consequences.
Ajax knew that better than anyone.
But that certainly didn't mean he'd hold back.
Not once did it cross his mind to give Diluc a handicap.
So once the thirty seconds were up.
Ajax brandished his short blades.
Made of reinforced steel.
Laced with water.
And leapt into toward the red.
It was even funnier.
Really.
Diluc wasn't there.
Not until he dropped down from the pine trees.
(Mother would probably have an aneurism if she found out about that.)
Already burning away the snow.
The claymore that he held surprised Ajax.
To think that the short Firefly had a weapon like that.
It made Ajax's blood sing when the other matched him.
Blow for blow.
It was almost scary, if not awe inducing.
How Diluc had been brutal with his attacks.
How he fumbled and picked himself up.
How he seemed off at first, and adjusted quickly.
How he even managed to throw Ajax off balance.
With a simple twist of his body.
Diluc had flowed with a certain grace.
One that Ajax could tell was forged in the Abyss.
Until Ajax slipped past Diluc's guard.
And nicked the pale, exposed cheek.
A small bead of blood dripped.
They backed off.
Diluc lowered his claymore.
Crimson eyes looked livelier than earlier.
"Did Shirk teach you that?"
And Ajax lowered his own blades.
Cerulean eyes shined with adrenaline.
"Very much so."
It wasn't a long spar.
Barely past two minutes.
Ajax was barely winded.
But Diluc leaned on his claymore.
Yet quiet indifference stayed on his face.
"One more time."
Ajax agreed all too quickly.
All too excited to start up again.
Because in those few short seconds.
Diluc pulled in his attention, and made it bloom.
How much better would the Firefly be at full health?
With a fully healed wrist?
With a full night's sleep?
Ajax was right.
Diluc had a latent burning passion buried deep into his bones.
Maybe that was why it blinded them both.
When Diluc nicked Ajax's outstretched arm a minute into their next bout.
Ajax felt his blood sing at the challenge.
He forgot that split second.
Drew upon his Vision, pulling Hydro into sharp edges.
Diluc hefted his claymore.
And vaporized the water.
Ajax stilled his blades then.
The steam flooded his vision.
A chance that Diluc could take to get the upper hand.
But he didn't.
Instead, Ajax heard a strangled choke.
And a spluttering cough.
And it didn't stop.
It was only when the steam cleared, that Ajax saw it.
The dull glow of Diluc's Vision.
The haunched form of the Firefly.
The red that dripped from his pale, pale hands.
Ajax realized how much he messed up.
How much they messed up.
When Ajax scrambled to Diluc's side, the other laughed.
Haltingly.
Hauntedly.
Blood still dripped from Diluc's lips as he spoke.
"Mother is going to kill us."
._._._._._.
Diluc was right.
Mother was downright livid.
Enough to ground Diluc twice over.
And Ajax fifty times over.
Work as a Fatui be damned.
It was only after Ajax appeased his mother with a stack of new fabrics.
And swore to never spar with Diluc for half a year.
That she ungrounded him.
But still grounded Diluc to doing Anthon's chores for three months.
After being sentenced to bed rest for a week or two.
If Diluc had a problem with it, he most certainly kept his mouth shut.
Because if he learned anything over the past weeks.
Mother was never to be disobeyed.
._._._._._.
Diluc stopped one night.
Angel's Share was always the same.
Still and dead.
The armored figure still loomed before him.
The voices still echoed in his head.
Still told him to give up, go home, return to me.
Diluc still sat at his chair.
Just this once.
Diluc stayed where he was.
Didn't reach out his arm.
Didn't touch the wineglass.
Didn't tip the bitter wine.
Instead, Diluc looked up.
Quiet, and observing.
"Why me?"
For once, the figure moved.
An armored hand came closer.
And closer.
And caressed as lock of red.
As if it treasured him.
Wanted nothing more than to hold him again.
Diluc felt his heart beat faster.
Maybe in horror.
Maybe in dread.
A voice fluttered softly.
But he couldn't understand a thing.
Couldn't decipher the words—
And that terrified Diluc down to his bones.
In his horror.
He reached out.
Touched the wineglass.
Spilt the bitter wine.
Felt the armored hand wrap around his neck.
.
.
.
.
.
And woke up.
._._._._._.
"You're not telling me something."
Diluc didn't look at Ajax.
Even as he fiddled with the paper in his hands.
Tonia wanted him to make a paper doll.
Even though their Mother had many.
She never dared to let them play with it.
Tonia's solution was to make their own.
Diluc didn't know how to make one.
Too bad Tonia was herded out of the room.
By Ajax.
Who didn't look happy with him.
"How do you make a matryoshka?"
Ajax definitely frowned, "Not whatever you're doing."
Diluc definitely did not roll his eyes.
"I told you everything."
It was a lie.
One that sounded rather convincing to Diluc's ears.
It certainly wasn't to Ajax.
The paper was stolen from his hands.
Cerulean stared down at him.
"You're not getting better."
The evidence of his latest fit was still in the corner of the room.
Still bundled up to hide the red from prying eyes.
Waiting to be washed clean.
Diluc's voice was fine.
Rough, but fine.
He was tired.
But fine.
Ajax dropped the paper.
"There's something wrong."
Diluc dropped his own hands.
Looked at Ajax.
And sighed.
"You won't believe me."
Ajax laughed then.
Almost hysterical.
Disbelieving.
If not a tad desperate.
"Try me."
The look in his eye was dead serious.
And Diluc found himself shrinking back.
As much as he prided himself in being a good brother.
He could never resist that look of blunt honesty.
Ajax reminded him too much of Kaeya.
Diluc bit his lip.
Chewed on it.
And dropped his gaze.
Diluc held himself and spoke.
.
.
"I don't drink."
.
.
.
.
.
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