Chapter 1
Kaeya's drunken consciousness stirred as he felt himself being carried up a flight of stairs.
He became aware of a hard chest under his cheek and the nostalgic scent of fragrant cedar wood, spice and smoke. "'Luc?" Kaeya whispered wonderingly.
"Hold still." A stern voice rumbled out from that chest. "This is your fault for getting drunk."
Kaeya teased, "To have the great Master Diluc himself carry me. I feel like a bride." His words slurred. His tongue felt clumsy in his mouth.
"Sir Kaeya, if you don't shut it, I will drop you, "Diluc retorted.
Kaeya's heavy lidded eyes scanned the man's profile, lingering on the hard slash of his lips, his clenched jaw, and his red eyes looking straight ahead. Diluc had always been beautiful, but the brooding aura surrounding him took away any of the prettiness.
He was cuter when we were younger.
Kaeya leaned his head on Diluc's shoulder and breathed in his scent. It evoked tender feelings and faded memories of them lying down on the soft grass in each other's arms.
Kaeya's throat closed over as he felt a well of sadness rise up.
As his thoughts wandered, Diluc pushed open a door and proceeded into a darkened room. A bed dominated the space. The bed squeaked as Diluc threw him on its bouncy surface.
Kaeya whined under his breath, "Dumping me like trash again, huh?" He just couldn't resist pulling the tail of the angry lion. He knew he was lashing out at the wrong person but it was all he could do to guard himself from the turmoil inside his chest.
Diluc gritted his teeth in annoyance. "I come to my respectable establishment and the first thing I see is your drunken backside passed out on my floor. I had half a mind to just leave you there. Prattling nonsense even in your sleep." He was standing beside the bed looking down at Kaeya sardonically. "My father wouldn't have —" Diluc shut his mouth, leaving Kaeya to imagine the rest of his sentence.
If Kaeya was soberer, maybe he could have schooled his anguished expression better but he was currently too inebriated, too exhausted to hide behind the mask where he usually hid his turbulent thoughts.
Diluc observed with astonishment the myriad of emotions that crossed Kaeya's face.
"I just miss you, Luc…" A corner of Kaeya's mouth turned up in a small movement that wasn't quite a smile. "But being served a drink or two by you would have to be enough."
Diluc's breathing seemed to stall. Something ambiguous was swirling in his red gaze. "You… you don't have to drink yourself into oblivion every night for that."
Diluc turned to leave but Kaeya reached out a hand towards him. "Stay with me? Just for a while," Kaeya entreated.
Diluc seemed to hesitate but to Kaeya's sleepy delight, Diluc obliged the latter by placing his hand upon Kaeya's own and letting himself be pulled down to sit on the bed.
Kaeya blinked drowsily at Diluc. Was the warm gleam in Diluc's eyes a trick of the moonlight filtering through the open window?
Kaeya pushed himself to sit up. He raised a hand to gently cup Diluc's cheek.
Just for tonight. Please just let me have tonight, Kaeya thought.
"Kaeya, you're drunk," Diluc murmured but made no move to pull away.
Did he say his feelings out loud?
"Just a kiss then." Kaeya placed his forehead against Diluc. Their breaths mingled. "Then tomorrow, we'll get on with our lives again."
The firm line of Diluc's lips softened and Kaeya took that as permission to place his lips against his. The kiss was slow, searching, and almost tender.
So painfully nostalgic.
Their lips parted and Diluc gently pushed Kaeya back down on to the pillow. "Sleep," the red head instructed.
Kaeya closed his eyes and buried his cheek into the pillow. He thought he heard Diluc mumble before sleep took him. "Why can't you be this honest when you're sober?"
