Chapter V

SewaTheOtaku: No, thank you so much! I'm just glad that you liked it so much!

I don't own Genshin Impact.

Jurian was nowhere to be found. Diluc had looked all over Windwail Highland but he couldn't find a single glimpse or a single clue as to where the treasure hoarder could have gone. And any chance Diluc had to possibly find a hint got washed away when the storm came. Diluc groaned as he rubbed his eyes in frustration.

Storms...why was it always storms?!

Diluc sighed wearily as he put his hand down and looked at Mondstadt ahead of him. He hadn't planned on coming to the city today, nor did he want to, but Diluc wasn't sure if he had another choice. Jurian might have been already in the city, and if so, Diluc had to stop him before he tried to assassinate anyone. Jean also needed to be warned that a treasure hoarder with a Delusion was in Mondstadt.

Though, now that he thought about it, maybe he should drop by Angel's Share for a second. Maybe Charles would know-

Diluc heard someone's voice far off in the distance. He stopped and listened carefully but only heard the sound of pounding rain and the sky rumbling. Diluc was about to wave the sound off as something from his imagination when he heard it again. And more clearly this time.

A man was yelling. And he sounded far from happy.

Concerned, Diluc raced towards the voice and it wasn't long until the words became coherent. And the voice became somewhat familiar.

"Why can't you just leave me alone!" Now behind a tree, Diluc cautiously peeked out and saw Fynn fighting off some Hydro and Cyro slimes. While he seemed physically fine, Fynn was quickly getting overwhelmed by the slimes and his frustration was starting to affect his attacks in a bad way. Diluc sighed because as much as he didn't approve of the Knights of Favonius, he couldn't just look away and not help.

After making sure that his 'Darknight Hero' mask was off (seriously, who was the one that coined that cringey name?), Diluc jumped into the fray without a battle cry. He heard Fynn call out his name in surprise but he didn't respond, his mind focused on defeating the slimes around him. The sooner Diluc did this, the sooner he could get back to protecting Kae...stopping Jurian.

Within a couple of minutes, the slimes were thoroughly defeated and both Diluc and Fynn were standing, unharmed but soaking wet since the rain hadn't let up yet.

"Master Diluc...thank you," Fynn said with something in his voice that Diluc couldn't tell if it was out of exhaustion, relief, or something else. Perhaps embarrassed that he lost his cool with slimes? "I-"

"Whatever, I know that the Knights of Favonius are inefficient," Diluc said coldly as he put away his sword. He was about to go ahead to Mondstadt without another word when Fynn said something that stopped him in his tracks.

"Yes...we are inefficient." Diluc looked back at Fynn and while he couldn't tell if the young soldier was crying because of the rain and distance, he definitely looked upset enough to be crying. Despite himself, Diluc felt some guilt as well as some dread. This wasn't the first time Diluc said the knights were inefficient. So why would Fynn cry about Diluc's choice of words now?

But before Diluc could wonder if he should ask if something happened, Fynn continued.

"I...I was supposed to go straight to Jean but you're...you are Captain Kaeya's brother, aren't you?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Diluc snarled, not even attempting to be kind. Who did Fynn think he was, bringing up something like that right out of the blue? Wasn't it clear to everyone that they weren't brothers anymore? So why-

"Because he's dead sir."

Thunder crashed as Diluc felt his anger wash away with the rain. Everything seemed to slow down as Diluc stared at Fynn as he tried to make sense of what the young soldier just said.

"W-What?" Diluc asked, hoping, wishing, praying that he heard Fynn wrong, that he misunderstood him.

"We heard of Abyss Order activity by Starfell Lake, so we went to take of it," Fynn said calmly, though his voice was full of emotion. "However, when we got there, we found that Klee, Diona, and Razor were already fighting them. We rushed in to help and things seemed to be going well enough but then Kaeya got hit with a Hydro Mage's giant bubble attack that was meant for Klee. And...before he could escape...lightning struck the bubble. He didn't make it."

Unable to hold onto denial and desperate hope anymore, Diluc could only stare as Fynn let out a choked sob while he covered his eyes with both hands.

"I'm sorry...you're right...we are inefficient. We relied on Captain Kaeya too much. If we hadn't...he might...he m-might…" Diluc didn't want to hear anything else. He silently turned around and walked away from Fynn and the city of Mondstadt. He heard Fynn call out after him but Diluc didn't say anything. He couldn't say anything.

If he did, the only thing that was going to come out of his mouth was a scream.

Luckily, it became clear after a few minutes that Fynn wasn't following him so Diluc was free to go back home in peace. Unfortunately, that meant that Diluc was going home alone. All alone….

A broken whimper escaped Diluc's mouth, forcing him to stop and cover his mouth, his eyes shut tightly closed as he tried to focus on the sound of the rain.

And not the sound of his breaking heart.

Diluc inhaled and exhaled long, deep breaths through his nose as he tried to control his emotions and thoughts. After a minute, though it seemed much longer, Diluc finally felt like he could continue walking without crying so he did. However, Diluc didn't get far before he came across an apple tree. A familiar apple tree.

"Be careful Diluc!" a young Kaeya called up to Diluc from the ground. "You're pretty high up!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" Diluc called from the apple tree's highest branch before he plucked the shiny red apple. Then, without worry, Diluc climbed down the tree successfully and handed the apple to Kaeya with a proud smile.

"Here you go! Now we both have one!" Diluc said as he took another apple out of his pocket. Holding his apple gingerly in his small hands, Kaeya giggled.

"Yeah! Thank you Diluc!" Kaeya said gratefully. "Cheers!"

They then clinked their apples together before eagerly biting into them.

Diluc felt tears rush to his eyes but before they could fall, Diluc put his hand over his eyes while taking a deep, shaky breath.

What...what happened? They used to be so close. What happened to him? Why couldn't he have controlled his anger that night? Why...why couldn't he have apologized sooner? Why?

As he asked himself those questions, Diluc realized that he knew the answer. In fact, he knew the answer for a long time, he just didn't want to admit it.

Pride. The reason why the apology never got past his throat whenever he saw Kaeya was because of his stupid pride. Because apologizing would mean admitting that Diluc had been in the wrong too. No, scratch that, that Diluc had been the only one in the wrong that night. Sure, Kaeya's timing could have been better, but it was clear now that Kaeya had been struggling with his secret for years. Seeing their father dead must have been the last straw, he must have not been able to keep it in anymore.

And what did Diluc do to his brave little brother who decided to entrust him with his secret? Diluc almost killed him. No wonder Kaeya always made snarky comments and teased Diluc whenever they saw each other after that night. No wonder Kaeya had been so defensive around him. The last time Kaeya had been vulnerable, Diluc had almost taken his eye out. It was a miracle that Kaeya kept the fact that Diluc was the Darknight hero a secret. It was a miracle that Kaeya never once tried to kill him, even on that night.

Diluc had been a horrible brother.

The skies boomed once more, causing Diluc to uncover his eyes and look up at the dark and rainy clouds.

Rain...his father died in the rain too.

He really hated rain now.

Diluc gritted his teeth and he felt tempted to yell his anger at the sky but in the end, he just sighed, shook his teeth, and continued onward. Yelling at the sky wasn't going to bring his family back. He had to control himself, just in case someone was watching him.

Wait, Jurian!

Diluc stopped once more and turned his head towards Mondstadt. He...he had completely forgotten about the treasure hoarder. The reason why Diluc didn't go to help Kaeya earlier.

A fresh wave of guilt washed over Diluc, even though he knew that it was highly unlikely that he could have gotten to Starfell Lake in time to save Kaeya.

But at least Diluc would have tried.

Diluc bit his lip as he turned away from Mondstadt and continued on his lonely, miserable trek back home. He would just send a note to Jean from the Dawn Winery. He...he was not in the best shape to fight Jurian right now.

He just wanted to go home. To go to his room, and stay there until the funeral.

Oh gosh...Diluc was going to have to stand there and watch as the knights lower his brother's casket to the ground.

Diluc inhaled sharply before he quickly shook his head clear of the image.

He just needed to concentrate on getting home. He just needed to think of home.

The memory of Kaeya eating a big stack of pancakes across from him with a big smile crossed his mind but Diluc refused to dwell on it as he walked forward. However, little memories like that fluttered by in his mind, unwanted and prompted by the smallest thing. Like a hill that they used to roll down as kids. Like a puddle that looked similar to the one that both got Diluc and Kaeya soaking wet when they jumped into it.

But even though each memory made his heart ache, Diluc managed to keep it together and move forward.

He just wanted to go home.

And finally, after what felt like an eternity, Dawn Winery was in sight. Diluc would have sighed in relief if he wasn't so exhausted. Another few minutes later, Diluc was right in front of the front door and was about to open it when he realized something.

He was going to have to tell his staff about Kaeya's fate.

For a very long second, Diluc just stood there, his hand hovering around the doorknob. His hand trembled at the thought of Adelinde and the others' faces. He...He didn't want to tell them. Diluc didn't want to be the one to break their hearts, to utter those awful words from his lips.

But...Diluc had to.

Diluc let out a shuddering breath before he closed his hand around the doorknob and turned it. A second later, he was inside with the door closed behind him.

"Master Diluc! What happened?!" Diluc, who had been looking down at the ground, looked up to find Adelinde rushing towards him. When she reached him, Adelinde's hands hovered in front of him as her eyes roamed up and down. "Where are you hurt?!"

Ah, right. It was April 30th. For the past few years, Diluc had made it a point to come home very late on this day. It would stand to reason that Adelinde thought that Diluc was hurt.

Well, she wasn't wrong.

As several of his concerned staff ran over to them, Diluc opened his mouth, only to close it. The words wouldn't come out. Not without him sobbing.

But they need to know. From him.

Diluc took a shaky breath as he closed his eyes.

"K-Kaeya's...gone. He's…with Father now." While he was somehow able to say the words without crying, Diluc knew that he wouldn't be able to take it seeing his staff's reaction. Especially Adelinde's.

So with his eyes open but fixed downwards, he gently pushed through the small crowd and rushed upstairs before he could hear them cry. Once he reached his room, Diluc quickly got inside and all but slammed the door behind him. At his destination finally, Diluc closed his eyes as he leaned his back against the door. His clothes and hair steadily dripped water to the floor, but Diluc didn't care.

He was too focused on breathing.

Because Diluc couldn't break down, not now. His staff would hear him. And they deserved to mourn without having to also worry about him. He also needed to write to Jean about Jurian.

After a moment, Diluc opened his eyes and instantly knew that something was wrong. But what? Everything was as he left it. There was nothing else besides a lamp on his bedside table, the wardrobe and window were closed, and his bed was made as normal-

Diluc's eyes widened.

There was supposed to be present on his bed today.

"No," Diluc whispered as he rushed to his bed and rapidly looked all over it just in case he somehow missed it. When he failed to find a present wrapped with brown paper and a red ribbon, he looked down at his feet in case it fell over.

He didn't see it.

Diluc knew that he didn't deserve the gift but...but...

"Please," Diluc pleaded as he got down to his knees and lifted the blanket, scanning carefully under the bed. Finding nothing, Diluc dropped his blanket and rushed to the other side. "Please, just let me have this…"

Kaeya's birthday present for him wasn't on the other side.

Diluc stared at the empty spot as the truth truly hit him.

There wasn't going to be a birthday present this year. Or the next year, or the year after that.

Because his baby brother was dead.

And just like that, his heart shattered.

"Kaeya…" Diluc said with a quivering voice as tears fell down his face. "K-Kaeya..."

A sob broke through his lips as his tears fell faster, Diluc staggered forward before collapsing onto his empty bed.

"I-I'm so sorry...just...p-please…" Diluc cried as he dug his face into his pillow, his body trembling and heaving with each heart-wrenching sob. "Come back. Please Kaeya. I'll treat you better, I promise. I promise."

As he expected, he didn't hear Kaeya's voice. But even so, the silence agonized Diluc. Wanting so badly to hear his brother's voice just one more time, Diluc squeezed his pillow with both hands before wailing into it. Despair, anguish, guilt, regret, and longing filled his soul and there was nothing Diluc could do about it except cry.

So cry he did, until he fell asleep. The last clear thought he had before sleep claimed him was that he didn't hate his birthday anymore.

He abhorred it.

Yeah...sorry. I have nothing else to say. That and poor Diluc.

So...what did you guys think? Was Diluc (and the few others in this chapter) in character? Did the chapter narratively flow well? Please leave a review on the way out and I will update shortly. Until then, see ya, and have a good/safe day or night.