Diluc Ragnvindr, owner of the Dawn Winery and the larger share of the entire alcohol industry, didn't like to drink. It was actually a little known fact to many of the citizens of Mondstadt, perhaps because of the sheer unlikeliness of it. This was the city of ballads and brews after all. Kaeya, on the other hand, did. As such, finding himself in the unlikely position of being seated next to the teetotaling wine tycoon at the gala Dawn Winery was hosting, he didn't find it much of a self sacrifice to snag the glass of wine his brother had been served and down it in one go.

At least until he realized it wasn't wine at all. It was grape juice. Bleh.

The immaculately trained wait staff disappeared the glass, and it was replaced before Kaeya even had the chance to tease Diluc about his drink choice. He didn't get a chance to see where the new glass was served from however. The look Diluc gave him at seeing his antics told him that his brother had gone to some trouble to procure the grape juice instead of the wine that was flowing freely tonight, and he likely wouldn't have to face the same fate again if he were to filch another glass.

The party continued well into the night with Kaeya surreptitiously stealing his brother's wine, because Diluc had appearances to keep up and Kaeya didn't see any reason to waste a perfectly good drink. Over all, it was a win-win. As the evening continued on, Kaeya realized he would have to slow down or he would be considerably more affected than the other guests due to his double share of drink, despite his considerable alcohol tolerance. The servers nor guests appeared to think anything was amiss though as Diluc's wine consumption dwindled into nothing. If anything, the servers had been somewhat surprised how much more than usual the winery master had drank, and with so little effect.

Mission accomplished, Kaeya thought as he sipped what he decided would be his final glass. It really was a fine vintage.

Gradually guests excused themselves, many being safely escorted out and accommodations made for those who had overindulged and shouldn't be traveling by themselves. Kaeya knew the time had come for him to make himself scarce. While somewhat reconciled, he and Diluc didn't get along so well anymore that it would be wise to spend excess time in each other's presence, especially after he'd had so much to drink. It would be too easy to say something he didn't mean and ruin any progress they had made.

The evening's indulgence seemed to catch up with him all at once as Kaeya made to get up and found the room spinning around him. He could do this… he just needed a minute. All he had to do was make it out the door gracefully enough. After that, if he ended up falling on his face, that was his problem.

Diluc was making his way back toward the table from his mingling with guests and talking trade. He didn't look all that pleased considering how well the party had gone, and the flush to his face said he'd been pressed into drinking at least a bit. Definitely time for Kaeya to make his exit.

Instead he was pinned with a heavy sigh and mixed expression of emotions from his brother.

"Upstairs," Diluc directed. He knew how much Kaeya had drunk, much of it to save him. He also knew the blue haired man had no business traversing the potentially dangerous roads all the way back to the city alone. And the last group of escorted guests had just left.

"I'll be f-fine…" Kaeya said, only slightly slurring his words.

It would have been a much more convincing argument if Diluc didn't have to save him from falling on his face as soon as he left his chair.

Once the darkness had abated from his vision and he found his feet, Kaeya noted Diluc had already guided him halfway to the staircase. Guess he was staying after all.

Arm around the redhead's shoulders, they slowly made their way up stairs, requiring more concentration on his part than he could remember since learning to walk. Left foot step. Right foot follows. Left foot steps up… and finally they were on the second floor.

Diluc navigated him into a familiar room, and let him drop ungracefully to the bed of his childhood bedroom, lingering briefly.

"Thanks," he finally said, "I know what you were trying to do."

"Was good wine," Kaeya complimented after taking a moment to process what he had done again.

"Yeah," Diluc agreed.

"I know you don't like it."

"I don't actually hate the taste," Diluc admitted, though he still thought grape juice far superior, " just the feelings."

Now who was the drunk one? Kaeya found himself thinking.

"Adelinde's hangover remedy works wonders on those."

"Not those feelings…" not that hangovers were any fun, and considering his low tolerance, they were a likely one, "the regrets."

Crepus had always enjoyed a good vintage, but he died the day Diluc was officially of age to drink, before he could teach his son to properly savor a good glass of wine.

The knights shared camaraderie and often celebrated a job well done with a round, or several, of ale, but he had long been disillusioned from the innocence of the organization.

He had a friend and brother to stumble home together with after drinking a few too many, but in a fit of rage and anger he had attacked his only remaining family member and ruined the trust between them.

Some days, living and working at the winery was as much as he could handle, surrounded by the legacy his father had built and he had done little but irreparably damage. Of course, if he drank enough, he could drown the regrets and numb the pain they caused. But he couldn't work with that cloudiness of mind, couldn't afford the lack of coordination. And the morning after just provided opportunity for those failings to well up doubly.

It was easier to not be constantly reminded of his failures.

Kaeya had learned to use drink to his advantage, and seemed to actually be fond of it. Or maybe he was just stronger, willing to face his demons head on, rather than hiding from them while trying to put on a good show. Either way, his intentions to save Diluc from an unpleasant evening had been clear. And for that, he was grateful.

"I'll see about getting Adelinde to make some of her famous remedy," Diluc offered, turning to leave the room. At least that way one of them wouldn't have to live in regret in the morning.