Chapter Ten

Light brushed the edges of Kaeya's vision, but consciousness still felt too elusive to grasp. Slowly he became aware of something hot centered right over his heart, warm vibrations radiating out from his core. But his fingers were cold, so cold. He stirred, trying to tuck his chilled fingertips against the heat on his torso. Instantly, pain shot up his arm, dragging him back to full awareness with an agonized gasp.

He caught his breath, biting his lip to avoid crying out. The warmth against his chest shifted, and the faintest hint of an urgent voice echoed through his mind. Kaeya!

The knight froze. Carefully his eye opened the merest slit as he tried to take in his surroundings.

He lay on his left side against the bars of a cell, looking out over the deck of a tiny ship, lanternlight flickering merrily across the narrow area. Several Fatui were bustling around as the ship jolted into the smoother sensation of setting sail, but none of them were looking his way at the moment. His clothes felt wet and cold, and his arm was throbbing so strongly he could barely think past it. But then the warm object moved again, bracing his arm and steadying it. After a moment he could breathe easier, and he looked down.

Diluc was pressed against his torso, supporting his right arm and studying him with cat eyes that were far too full of concern to be anything but pure human. His ears twitched slightly, and although Kaeya couldn't hear him anymore, it wasn't hard to tell that his brother was anxiously inquiring after him.

"Yeah… I'm alright." He shifted very slightly and felt the pain spike again. Gritting his teeth, he tried to speak softly. "Guessing I broke my arm, huh?"

Diluc meowed in agreement. The Vision on the black ribbon around his neck flashed brighter in unison with his heartbeat, indicating rising emotions in the former knight. His scarlet eyes blazed, and his little claws flexed as he looked back over his shoulder at the Fatui. Kaeya could easily follow his dark, vengeful train of thoughts.

"Relax. We'll get out of this mess just the same as we always have." Awkwardly Kaeya tugged his uninjured arm free from its trapped position under his body, and tousled Diluc's fur fondly. He felt the ship settle into a steady, swaying motion beneath them. We're really sailing now. What if we cross the ocean to Inazuma or travel all the way down the coast to Sumeru or beyond? He kept his concerns to himself, though, knowing Diluc was likely already stressing over the same worries.

Diluc wrinkled his little nose as Kaeya's fingers fluffed his long fur into complete chaos, and Kaeya managed a small chuckle. "You're much too adorable, you know. Small wonder you keep getting yourself adopted by eager would-be pet owners."

Huffing with annoyance, Diluc nevertheless stayed perfectly still, supporting Kaeya's arm. The knight felt a wave of warmth that had nothing to do with Diluc's Vision and everything to do with his gruff brother's attentive care. I'm lucky to have a brother like Diluc. Even with everything that's happened between us… I know I can always count on him. Aloud he said softly, "I should probably try to sit up a bit." Bracing himself, he carefully pushed upright and leaned back against the bars. The ship crested a higher wave, catching him off guard and nearly sending him over sideways again before he was able to regain his balance. His arm kept sending darts of pain at him, but when he gingerly inspected it, he could tell that it hadn't broken the skin. His tentative probing assured him that it was a clean break. As long as I can set it and keep it from shifting, it shouldn't be a problem for Barbara or Jean to take care of when we return to the city. He looked down at Diluc as the scarlet cat sprang onto his lap, watching him closely. "I'll try to set it myself. My cape should be long enough to convert to a sling, and my arm will feel much better once I've taken care of it." Kaeya said optimistically. When Diluc's ears laid back against his fur and the cat gave him a flat look, he could tell he hadn't quite captured his usual carefree tone. "I know. It's not my best moment here. But I don't exactly have a choice," he defended quietly. "I have to get my arm set and strapped down so the damage won't be exacerbated."

Reluctantly Diluc nodded in agreement.

The next few moments were most definitely not enjoyable. But Kaeya forced himself to push through it, and once his arm was straight and bound close to his chest, he really did feel better. The lancing pain subsided to a dull throb, and as he let his head fall back against the bars with an exhausted sigh, Diluc nestled against his chilly fingers. Instantly warmth began to emit from his fur in a steady rhythm, matching the rise and fall of the ship over the waves.

As much as Kaeya didn't want to admit it, it was rather nice to have his brother there as a cat. It was oddly comforting to hold the cat close and run his fingers absently through the long fur. Diluc didn't seem to mind it much either, judging by the way he leaned into Kaeya's gentle touch while studying the Fatui through narrowed eyes. Perhaps it's just as soothing for cats as it is for humans. I am suddenly understanding why so many people enjoy taking care of pets, Kaeya mused. They're quite relaxing. At this rate, I'll have to get myself a cat once this is all over.

"Do you have any idea where we're headed?" he inquired of his brother in a low voice. Diluc blinked at him, then shifted on his lap again. An image flashed across Kaeya's mind, and he just barely caught the shape of an enormous ruined tower set in the center of a circular valley. Startled, he blurted, "Was that you?" His voice was too loud, and one of the nearby Fatui shot him a glance. Kaeya smirked disarmingly and responded with a lazy wink. The Skirmisher scoffed and turned back to his task. Kaeya's gaze went back to his brother as Diluc's brows shot up, and the warm cat tilted his head. Absently Kaeya scratched under the red cat's chin and lowered his voice. "I thought I saw Stormterror's Lair for a second there."

His brother looked rather surprised, but nodded enthusiastically against Kaeya's fingertips.

"All right. So we're headed down the coast, I suppose. Any chance some of your winery workers might catch sight of us? I'm guessing we'll wind up skirting the foot of Dragonspine and traveling along the river not far from the mansion. Even if we wind up taking the long way around, through Liyue, we'll still probably pass near home."

Settling down into a more relaxed position, Diluc tucked his paws in and thought. Finally he shook his head regretfully. Kaeya sighed. "Oh well. It was a long shot anyway. We'll just have to get out of this on our own." The two brothers went quiet, looking over Kaeya's broken arm and Diluc's cat form. Grinning, Kaeya declared, "Not a problem, right, Dawnbird?"

Diluc stuck his tiny tongue out at him again.