#vampire!diluc

I frowned up at the grey clouds overhead that were currently hiding the usually glorious sunset that no doubt painted the sky the same colors as the autumn leaves that clung to trees in a show of their final glory before they fell under the pressure of the strong October winds.

But I wasn’t frowning because I couldn’t see the sunset. No, I was frowning because the forecast called for it to be overcast for the entirety of October, which meant one thing. 

And that one thing was the very subject that I could already hear being discussed loudly at Angel’s Share as I approached the tavern to meet up with my friends. 

“It’s bad enough that it’s October, but it's supposed to be overcast for the entire month now! How are we going to survive the annual influx of vampires when the bold ones will even be out during the day?!”

I sighed at the overly loud shouts from the other people at the tavern, but it came as no surprise. The normally laid-back people of Mondstadt had gotten into the habit of becoming uncharacteristically tense in October, when I’d still been young.

It was back then that they’d come with the Fatui, the vampires. A plague from the cold lands of Snezhnaya, where they thrived in the terminally overcast conditions. They had followed the Fatui, probably laying hidden within their ranks, and come to Mondstadt in my youth. And ever since then, there had been vampires in the land of freedom.

They usually remained quiet, with few attacks ever being heard of. But for unknown reasons, they always seemed to become agitated around the time of Halloween, with October being noted as a month full of attacks. 

Usually everyone got their work done during daylight hours and stayed indoors with every conceivable entrance locked as soon as dusk came. But this year it would be overcast throughout October, and, just as the man had loudly explained, some vampires would inevitably take advantage of the lack of sunlight.

“Loud crowd tonight, hm?” I lifted my shoulder in a half-shrug at Kaeya’s words. It was nice to see that even now Kaeya was managing to be as relaxed as ever, despite the gossip flying around about vampires.

“I can’t really blame them, but I’m sure it’s rowdy with the Knights of Favonius too,” I smiled sympathetically at the calvary captain as I sat down next to him. Watching as he swirled the liquid in his mug.

“When is it not? Jean is taking precautions, though,” Kaeya leaned back in his seat, giving me a look that told me everything I needed to know. Just like always, poor Jean was probably overworking herself and doing her very best to soothe a public who would not be soothed.

“I just hope this doesn’t get in the way of the festivals,” Venti frowned poutily at his wine bottle, earning a grin from both me and Kaeya as we both looked towards the sulky bard. But Venti did love festivals. It was a good time for him to perform for joyful festivalgoers and also get wine for cheap.

“What’ll it be, Y/n?” I blinked in surprise at the voice that sounded from behind me, causing me to twist in my seat to look wide-eyed up at the redhead that I definitely had not been expecting to see but who was currently looking down at me as calmly as ever.

Even though he owned the establishment, it was odd to see Diluc at Angel’s Share. He was usually busy dealing with his massive wine business. Either from abroad, dealing with local merchants, or at the Dawn Winery, one.

“I’ll…. Just some Sweet Cider Lake... Thanks,” I faltered under his expectant gaze, but if he noticed, he didn’t react. Instead, he just nodded and headed off towards the counter to prepare my drink.

But unlike his lack of noticing my faltering, I twisted to find my two friends wearing matching grins as they watched me.

I scowled slightly at the two men, only for Venti to let out a mischievous giggle as Kaeya chuckled and held up his hands as if he were surrendering, “Alright, sorry. I should’ve warned you he was here today.”

I crossed my arms, watching Kaeya closely as he smiled far too smugly down at the warmed wine that he continued to swirl in his mug even as I began to question him, “And is that why you wanted to meet up here today?”

The man’s single visible eye widened at my words, and he pressed one hand to his chest, “What? Of course not! I simply wanted my good friends to partake of these delicious seasonal drinks, that’s all.”

His honeyed tone was impressive, but I was hardly convinced. 

I didn’t get to say anything, though, since Venti spoke up before I could. Leaning forward with a grin as he eyed Kaeya, “Oho, So you’re going to be buying our drinks then?”

I twisted to look towards Kaeya, so that me and Venti were both looking at the cavalry captain expectantly as he raised his hand in laughing surrender, “Just one round.”

“You’ll all need to be headed home at that point anyway… It’ll be getting late,” Diluc’s voice came from behind me, and it caused me to still once more as he sat down my mug.

His bright red eyes flickered my way from where he’d leaned over to set down my drink, meeting my gaze as he gave the slightest of head nods, “Enjoy.”

It was odd. Speaking to him this way. Ever since that day all those years ago, he’d become more withdrawn. 

Just like everyone else in Mondstadt who’d been close to him as a child, I’d awaited his return from his journeys. Praying that, with time, he’d recover from the wounds of his past. But when he’d finally come back, he was still changed, and I suppose I shouldn’t have expected any less considering what he’d experienced.

By now, I was used to it, so in no way was his distantly polite behavior strange to me. But, nonetheless, it was still odd when I talked to him considering that, unlike our other friends, the two of us had never managed to reconnect since our youth.

It was a distant sensation, speaking to someone I’d once been so close to but now seldom saw. Almost like I was looking at him from a long way off, even though he was right next to me.

And I didn’t even know which one of us maintained the distance. Only that it remained between us.

I nodded though, my voice coming out unintentionally soft as I responded with a quiet, “Thank you.”

It was this strangeness, I was certain, that had caused so many to believe that I was smitten with Diluc. And though it was true that I did like Diluc, it was also true that, for the most part, the strange taint to our interactions was what made the atmosphere so awkward.

If anyone realized that, it was Kaeya. Because even though he teased me, he would sometimes go out of his way to have the two of us meet up. Almost like he was trying to ease that strange tension.

Even now, he watched the two of us closely. His brother as he walked away from the table with his usual calmness, and me as I looked away from my old friend and down at my drink. 

The sweet mixture of fruit juice and milk I recalled getting when I was young and always begging Crepus for a decorative cinnamon stick just like the one that currently swirled in my mug lazily.

It seemed that even despite this distance, Diluc still remembered things from our shared childhood. Even the little things.

Conversation flowed freely between me, Venti, and Kaeya. With the cavalry captain keeping his promise and buying each of us another round of drinks before we began to trickle out the door with fond farewells on our lips. 

I lingered the longest, my brain having been preoccupied ever since I’d begun pondering what it was that had changed all those years ago in my interactions with Diluc. 

Was the reason our relationship had not progressed since then my fault? It was possible, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t made an effort. In fact, I’d been one of the first ones to go and welcome him back home when he’d first returned.

I couldn’t blame him either, though. He hadn’t been cold or tried to drive me off in any way. Rather, it was like we drifted apart in the most natural of ways. But it still left a sadness in my heart when I thought about what, exactly, had become of our friendship.

I stood, turning to head towards the door, only to be stopped by a cautious hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Diluc looking at me, his other hand resting on the table that he’d no doubt just come to clean before closing the tavern for the night.

“Be careful going home. Night has already fallen.” Unlike his usual words, these seemed to be tinged with unsteady awkwardness. Almost like he, too, was at long last feeling that same tension that I’d felt all this time.

But I was relieved nonetheless, and I smiled at him, “I will be. But you ought to be careful as well. After all, you’ll be leaving even later than I will.”

A smile flitted across Diluc’s face, so fast that if I’d blinked, I would have missed it before he shook his head, “No, I’ll be fine. Thank you, though. Take care Y/n.”

I left Angel’s Share with a smile still on my face and a brief wave towards the young man, who was once a close friend and now wasn’t quite a stranger. I knew him too well for that to ever be the case.

 Even if the Diluc I’d gotten to know had been the young one, some of the same things still held true for the man that had been true for the boy. And, strangely, it was a comfort to know that. 

I glanced up at the sky as I strolled down the street, noting how the clouds had cleared so that the starry sky was perfectly visible. I smiled to myself at the common sight.

 Perhaps all of October wouldn’t be cloudy, and it would be just as normal as could be, with one only having to be careful of vampires at night.

No sooner than those thoughts had registered, than the sound of something on the rooftops just next to me had me freezing in the darkened street. 

I frowned almost immediately as the sounds stopped at the very same moment my footsteps had halted. But those sounds had been too heavy to be one of the cats from the Cat’s Tail.

With a creeping feeling of dread as all of those comments about vampires came back to haunt me, I turned and looked up.

I swallowed thickly as I gazed up at the ominous silhouette that I was almost positive did not belong to the rumored Darknight Hero. And when the man leapt down, landing easily on the stone pathway in front of me, I didn't wait to find out. Instead, I turned and ran. Bolting down the pathway only to hear the sound of heavy footfalls that signaled that I was indeed being chased.

Internally, I cursed myself for having become so lost in my thoughts earlier that I let the hour get so late. If I hadn’t been so busy thinking about the past and how it had led to the present, I wouldn’t have been in this situation. I would be at home, safe and sound. Free to mope over Diluc in safety.

But thinking about it wouldn’t change anything now, and it certainly wouldn’t help me get away from the creature chasing me.

My hand grasped a light pole as I practically threw myself around a corner and used the pole to help myself keep up my momentum.

The only reason I hadn’t been caught yet was the adrenaline I could feel pumping through my veins, but it would only last so long, and the moment it ran out, I’d be caught. 

After all, it was common knowledge that vampires could go at incredible speeds, and, judging from the lack of heavy breathing to accompany the racing footsteps behind me, my pursuer wasn’t entirely mortal. Or at the very least, if they were, they had incredible stamina.

I slipped on the cobblestones but kept going, my feet digging at the smooth pathway that usually made for nice strolling. But it wasn’t enough. 

Arms snatched at me, forcing me to the ground as I fought back. Kicking out and rolling all at once. As if looking up at my assailant could help.

And, sure enough, the fanged face that greeted me confirmed my fears. Despite the warnings I’d heard for the better part of my life, I’d gotten myself caught by a vampire. 

There were no questions as to what was going to happen next, even as I struggled in its inhumanly strong grasp. Doing everything I could to break free, even though every logical part of me knew my chances were slim at best.

For unknown reasons, I didn’t scream. But tears stung at my eyes as it bared its teeth at me, a hissing sound emitting from its mouth before it made a mad dive for my neck.

I jerked my chin down and over my neck in a feeble attempt to protect myself, even as I squeezed my eyes shut. But the painful sensation of its bite never came.

Instead, the vampire was ripped off of me with a howl of rage that had my eyes flying back open almost immediately, only to see the creature get flung across the street.

I scrambled backwards, looking up with wide eyes, to see the incredibly familiar but unexpected sight of flaming red hair that clearly gave away my savior’s identity.

A curse fell from the vampire’s lips, causing me to flinch slightly as my gaze darted back where it crawled out of the now-cracked fountain with a snarl, “You have no claim on them. Find your own food.”

Food…? What?

My eyes darted back towards where Diluc stood, calmly fixing his glove as he stayed between me and the vampire, “As if you have some sort of claim to them. It’s high time you crawled back into whatever hole you came from.”

His voice was beyond cold. Far icier than I’d ever heard him sound before, but then I’d never seen Diluc like this either.

The vampire gave a wheezy snort of laugh as it shook itself off, patting at its sleeves in an almost mocking way, “As if a child like you could make me. You aren’t even a clan leader, just a pathetic loner who's in denial.”

It stepped back with one foot, rolling its shoulders in a way that could only be described as predatory, and had me grimacing as I pressed myself back further still, even as I kept staring at the scene before me. Somehow unable to look away despite desperately wanting to escape this moment.

“I suppose some before-meal exercise is in order, though,” Its voice was haughty as it spoke, a glint to its eyes right before it dove forward. Arms outstretched and fangs bared as it launched at Diluc, who, at odds with the creature, stood firm.

In fact, he seemed utterly calm as he reached and grabbed the hilt of the claymore that appeared out of thin air the very moment he needed it. 

“Very well,” His voice was calm but held an undertone of irritation as his hand curled firmly around his weapon's hilt. But then, as he swung his weapon, I could see that his face set with a special sort of rage as the weapon sliced through the creature and flames ignited along its blade right as he bellowed, “BURN!”

And in the light of those flames, I saw something so incredibly simple that made my blood run cold. Because as I looked at his enraged profile while he shouted that condemning word and the vampire caught fire and incinerated at unnatural speeds, I stared at a sight that horrified me far more.

The two sharp fangs, that perfectly explained what the vampire had meant when it had mentioned food earlier.

*Sweet Cider Lake is a drink from the Drink a-dreaming event. It was made with juice and milk.

I blinked up at Diluc, not entirely sure of what to say, as the vampire that had just attacked me collapsed into ashes mere seconds after ignition.

Thank you? You’re a vampire?! How on earth did you get here this quickly??! 

They all seemed like reasonable reactions, but I faltered as he turned to look down at me, backlit by the remains of the burning pyre behind him.

His face was a mask of worry as he looked down at where I remained. Sprawled on the ground from where the vampire had tackled me.

He dropped down into a crouch at a distance that I realized was to ensure I felt safe with him. Almost like he somehow knew that I’d seen his fangs and was worried that I was afraid.

 It was a realization that brought a pang to my heart because it was true. Even though he’d just saved me, I was afraid.

“Are you alright?” His voice was cautious, but the undertone of worry was there, and I could clearly see the concern in his eyes.

And slowly, I nodded before, at long last, finding my voice, “Yeah… I’m okay.”

I watched as some of the tenseness left his frame and he stood once more, reaching down towards where I still sat on the ground, “Can you stand?” That was a very valid question, I realized, as I finally noticed my legs were trembling from the adrenaline crash that I was currently experiencing. 

A crash that I really didn’t want to be dealing with right now since I’d just found out that my childhood friend, who’d just saved my life, was a vampire.

“I… I don’t know.” He frowned at my words and started to lean down before I panickedly started trying to stand. My legs were still trembling, but they held me up as I straightened and took a step backwards, “I’m good, yeah… I’ve got it.”

Diluc frowned at my words, watching me closely as I wrapped my arms around myself in some sort of feeble embrace.

 I slowly steadied my breathing and looked back over to where he stood. The worry in his red eyes was still easily visible as I forced myself to get a grip on the situation and calm down.

“Thank you,” I at last managed, squeezing my arms slightly as if to ground myself. It was surreal, though. 

I’d just been thinking about how, even despite the distance between us, Diluc would never truly be a stranger simply due to our shared childhood, but here I was learning he was a vampire. And who knew how long he’d been one? It made me wonder what else I’d been wrong about.

Perhaps I didn’t and hadn’t known him as well as I’d thought, and perhaps that was why a distance had sprung up between us.

I exhaled, my gaze still holding his as I wondered what he was thinking. I knew that I should probably be thinking about how I’d almost been killed just now, or perhaps about how to get away from the potential new danger that came in the form of an old friend.

But instead, I just quietly voiced the question that I already knew the answer to, “You’re a vampire?”

He tensed almost immediately, his eyes widening slightly, before a guarded expression washed across his face. And for a brief moment, I thought that was going to be it. That was going to be the end of it.

But then he turned away with a sigh, almost like he was trying to hide what I’d already seen as he spoke, his voice quieter than it had been, “Yes. It happened quite some time ago.”

Some time ago…. My mind immediately took me back to that rainy day when Crepus had died, when Diluc and Kaeya had their falling out, and when the distance between me and Diluc had first made its appearance. 

But had it really happened then? It was true that Diluc had not changed much in appearance since that day, but that didn’t necessarily mean that was the day that he’d been bitten and forever changed into a creature of the night. 

Perhaps it had happened while he was away? After all, Mondstadt wasn’t the only place with vampires; it was just that ours were less well-controlled. A fault of the Knights of Favonius, I was sure Diluc would argue. 

I watched him, though. Finding that since I’d calmed down from my incredibly recent brush with death, I was not actually afraid of Diluc, even though he’d just confirmed my suspicions. 

I’d been terrified of the vampire that had attacked me, but not of Diluc.

It was possible that it was because Diluc had saved me, but it was more likely that it was just because Diluc was Diluc.

 Because, for better or worse, I cared for Diluc. Even if I’d failed him in the past when he’d needed comfort and, despite everyone’s best efforts, had decided to leave home to find it elsewhere, I still cared.

“Did you get hurt?” My voice was quiet, but it had Diluc turning to look at me with obvious surprise. 

And I supposed that made sense. Any other sane person would’ve fled his presence rather quickly after finding out his status as a vampire. But I couldn’t. Not when he’d saved me mere moments ago, and not when he was my friend. Even if, to him, I was just a friend from the past.

“When it dove at you, I mean.” I gestured vaguely towards where the vampire had been as I attempted to fill the heavy silence with my voice and explain my previous question all at once, “Did you get hurt then?”

Something about his stare changed, almost like it softened as he continued to look at me before he shook his head. Twisting so that he was facing me fully once more. “No, I’m fine.”

He frowned as he finished, looking off towards something in the distance that only he could see. But perhaps there really was something there. I had heard that vampires could see in the dark far better than the average human.

“You should get home…. I’ll walk you there,” His voice was firm, confirming that he had indeed seen something that he didn’t like.

I hesitated, almost wanting to refuse and go on my own, but the memory of that vampire showing up and chasing me was right there in the back of my mind. A reminder of what was out there and what it was that Diluc might have seen.

“I… thank you,” I at last accepted and I saw a frown flicker across Diluc’s face. But he was no doubt realizing that I was hesitant to be near him, and the information that he was a vampire was still fresh and new in my mind.

Though, admittedly, it wasn’t his status as a vampire that made me hesitant, and more my general awkwardness around him.

But he turned, without any further words, and started leading me down the path towards where I lived. 

And I followed him silently. Glancing nervously behind me before trotting after him and falling into a steady stroll once I caught up. 

Similarly, he remained silent, adding to the weighty atmosphere. But somehow I still couldn’t help but recall that when we were young, we would come dashing up this very same street hand in hand. 

It had been different then. A bright smile on Diluc’s face had been a common thing, as he would hurriedly ask my parents, with shining eyes, if I could go to his house. 

But we’d also been kids then. Frolicking together alongside Jean, Barbara, and Kaeya, when he wasn’t sick, in the vineyard under Adelinde’s watchful eye.

“Um… I really can’t thank you enough,” I started, only to be cut off as Diluc stopped to look back at me over his shoulder. Seemingly unwilling to face me fully.

“There’s no need. Anyone else would have done the same. There was no way I could just leave you there while you were under attack,” His words were polite, but the unsaid meaning was there as well.

‘Don’t push yourself. I know you’re scared now that you realize I’m a vampire.’

I frowned, my fingers curling into my palm as I watched him turn away and start down the path again. It wasn’t a strange sight to see Diluc walking on his own. But I now wondered if that was by choice. 

Perhaps, after being turned, he’d gotten into the habit of shunning the presence of others in order to keep his secret. It couldn’t be easy, after all, to avoid sunlight, run the winery, and keep up with day-to-day life.

And perhaps those thoughts were why I found myself trotting after him and reaching out as I grabbed him by the arm impulsively. Causing the young man to turn with wide eyes as the words came rushing from my mouth, “I won’t tell anyone!”

I faltered under his gaze, withdrawing my hand from his arm as my voice softened from one of desperation to awkward reassurance, “I won’t tell anyone that you’re a vampire, I mean.” 

My gaze flickered up to meet his, watching him carefully and hoping my words put him a bit more at ease. Because I didn’t want this gap between us to grow any larger. It was awkward enough as it was, and if I didn’t handle this carefully, it would only get worse.

“So you don’t have to worry about that, at the very least,” I finished quietly, forcing myself to keep looking up at him despite how awkward I felt.

 And Diluc stared at me, half-startled, before his gaze softened once more. Almost like he was relaxing as I pushed myself to accept this change and let him know it was fine. 

Because even if he was a vampire, he was also still Diluc. And the Diluc I knew would never hurt anyone in Mondstadt. Not me nor anyone else. 

The only people he’d ever be a threat to would be those who threatened his home. And if what occurred a few moments ago was anything to go by, that number included the other vampires.

The rest of that night had passed largely in a blur after I got home. I’d almost immediately collapsed into my bed and fallen asleep as exhaustion from everything I’d just experienced kicked in.

The next day came with the ever-present patter of raindrops falling from the cloudy sky. The sun almost seemed like it did not exist as people rushed around the city trying to get all of their work done so that they could hide away indoors from both the rain and vampires that they feared were in their midst.

In my case, the day largely seemed to go by in a blur, with me pondering the events of last night. I’d been attacked by a vampire, gotten saved by Diluc, and found out that more had changed since my childhood than I ever could have realized. 

Not only was Diluc no longer rambunctious and constantly getting into trouble, but now he was also a vampire. An undead creature of the night that lived off of others’ blood. 

Perhaps stranger still was that he had somehow maintained that sort of gentleness that he’d always had. 

Gentleness that was now hidden behind a cold exterior, but that came through in moments like when he would walk me home just to ensure I was safe, or like how he made sure that everyone in Angel’s Share was always comfortable.

A rhythmic knock on my door roused me from my thoughts and brought a frown to my face as I glanced at the clock. It was getting late for visitors considering the time of year, but stranger things had happened. In fact, they’d even happened recently…..

As I opened the door to peer out onto the usually cheerful street that was now dreary with the prolonged rain, I was greeted by Kaeya.

The cavalry captain was smiling, but it was not one of his relaxed ones. Rather, it was one that he used when working that I seldom saw directed at me. One of those crafty ones that could hide any number of things.

“So, I hear you’ve learned of Diluc’s little secret?” My eyes widened at his words, but I pushed my door open a little wider and gestured for him to enter. 

Even if I didn’t necessarily care for the slippery tone of his voice, this wasn’t a conversation to be had outside where others could hear. Especially since I was fairly certain that Kaeya was not talking about some harmless secret but rather the one relating to Diluc’s immortality.

“You knew?” I turned to face him as I shut the door back, eyeing him closely and looking for any signs of his all-too-frequent acting. But I needed to be careful, just in case we weren’t discussing the same ‘secret’ that I thought we were.

Kaeya’s lone visible eye glistened as he crossed his arms, totally relaxed, as he replied in a perfectly innocent tone that had me frowning exasperatedly, “Surprised that I knew of Diluc’s exciting but lifeless nightlife?”

His tone was not one of judgment. In fact, there was even a smile on his face as I shook my head at him. Frowning at him as I crossed my arms, “You know good and well that asking him about that timeframe is like asking a wall how it's doing. He won’t talk about it, and I respect that. For all I know, it could have been traumatizing. Especially if he did get turned into a vampire then.”

I walked past him, letting him follow me down the hallway and into a sitting area. At least he had confirmed that he was talking about Diluc being a vampire. I shook my head at his words, though, “I don’t think I would’ve been surprised either way, really…. Do you know when it happened?”

He flopped down in a chair, perfectly relaxed as he crossed his legs, “Shouldn’t you be asking him that?”

 I met Kaeya’s gaze, cautiously gauging him for a reaction but he simply nodded. Smiling slightly at my words before answering, “Snezhnaya. It was while he was there. That’s all I know.”

Kaeya’s singular visible eye slid to the side so that he was staring at me, a crafty smile still on his face, “But like I said… You should ask him about that.”

No sooner had those words left his mouth in a characteristically paradoxical tone, than yet another knock sounded on my door. Causing me to narrow my eyes at Kaeya, who just continued to smile at me like he had a terribly amusing secret.

I frowned suspiciously at the calvary captain one more time before taking off down the hallway and peeking out my door.

The moon was already hanging in the sky, which wasn’t really surprising since it had been late when Kaeya had gotten here. The moon may have already been visible, and I just hadn’t noticed. 

What was surprising, though, was the sight of the red-haired man standing just outside my door, who looked at me expectantly as soon as I opened the door.

“Diluc?” I peered out at him in confusion until I recalled Kaeya’s words, and their full meaning hit me just as Diluc himself explained the situation with a tired-sounding voice.

“Kaeya called me here. He said we needed to explain the situation to you….” He sighed, but met my gaze as he frowned slightly, “He hasn’t said anything strange to you, has he?”

I slowly shook my head as I recalled what all Kaeya had said. He hadn’t said anything strange per se… But he had just confirmed my suspicions about when Diluc had been turned, and I wasn’t entirely sure about how telling Diluc that might go over.

So instead of outing my friend, I opted to instead open my door a little further and step to the side, “Come on in. He’s still here, so you can talk to him if you like?”

Diluc’s eyes went wide at my words, and for a brief moment, I didn’t know why. After all, it wasn’t like he hadn’t ever been inside my house before when I’d been young.

But then I recalled it, one of the whispered pieces of information I’d been given when I was young as a means to protect myself should I ever encounter a vampire: “Vampires can’t come into your home unless you invite them. So always be careful about who you invite in.”

As soon as I recalled those words, Diluc’s reaction made complete sense. He was no doubt surprised that I was so willing to invite him into my home. But in truth, I was still getting used to the idea of him being a vampire, and I’d completely forgotten those instructions up until now. 

And even if I had remembered them, I would have invited him to come in anyway. 

For better or worse, he was Diluc. And that meant I trusted him, even if he was something I’d been warned about ever since my youth.

He tilted his head slightly as he stepped through my door, keeping his eyes on me as he entered, “Thank you.” 

With only those words, he turned and walked down the hallway, almost like he didn’t know what else to say.

It was a thought that made me smile to myself. Diluc always had been a bit awkward when it came to anything that might even appear as a compliment or kind act if one squinted at it.

While I didn’t think hardly a thing of letting him come in, evidently enough, he did.

Kaeya awaited both of us with a smile, sitting forward almost eagerly as we both came in, “I still say you should get a cape and really just go for the whole look of being a vampire.” 

His jab at Diluc came almost immediately and had the redhead scowling as he came to a stop in the room, crossing his arms at Kaeya. 

But the redhead didn’t say anything to his brother. Instead, he looked towards me, “What all did he tell you?”

“I haven’t said a word,” Kaeya leaned innocently back in his chair, glancing my way with a subtle smile that promised that he would keep telling me about the events of Snezhnaya a secret. 

Diluc continued to ignore him in favor of staring at me as I slipped by him to take a seat. Almost as if he were petulantly giving his brother the silent treatment.

“He hasn’t been here much longer than you have, so we haven’t talked much… But what is this all about?” I sat as I glanced between the two brothers. Not entirely nervous, but not totally calm either.

When the two were young, seeing them together usually meant there was a scheme of some sort in the works, and the same could be said now. Even if they didn’t like to admit it, the two still worked together well.

“Why, to talk about Diluc’s special constitution. That’s all,” Kaeya leaned forward with a grin, propping his chin in his hand as he looked at me before his gaze slid over towards where Diluc was still standing.

“You may as well sit. I’m sure Y/n has many questions for us,” With those words, Kaeya gestured to the spot next to me on the loveseat, and, after narrowing his eyes slightly at his brother, Diluc joined me.

And all of a sudden, it was almost like nothing had ever changed, and the three of us were just good friends getting together to chat.

It's just that now we were going to be talking about Diluc being undead and what all that entailed.

 For some reason.

“So what do you want to know about first, Y/n? His eating habits? Whether or not he sleeps in a coffin? Or perhaps how he’s still keeping the winery business going even though he can’t be out in the sun?”

Kaeya took the lead as he grinned at the two of us, who were now sitting side by side with only a slight bit of awkwardness.

Diluc, for his part, looked perfectly annoyed, and I couldn’t really blame him. He practically growled out Kaeya’s name, which didn’t seem to phase the cavalry captain in the slightest bit.

“Well this is important, Diluc. They have a right to know these things, and you can’t blame them for being curious,” Kaeya’s visible eye was filled with utter delight as he glanced towards me knowingly. But then he’d known that the rumor about my feelings for Diluc was far more accurate than I pretended it was for quite some time. Longer, in fact, than the rumor had been in circulation.

Diluc let out a sigh, which seemed to be a common thing for him when around Kaeya, before he twisted to look at me, “I don’t drink human blood.”

I stiffened slightly at his words. Surprised that he’d chosen that topic to start with, but I nodded slowly, “You aren’t starving yourself, are you?”

Diluc’s gaze softened from a mildly annoyed one to an expression that spoke of a certain degree of fondness. The same way he’d always looked at me, and that had never helped the feelings that I held for him.

Kaeya, for his part, was silent as he watched the two of us. But then he often was. 

Ever since we’d been young and he’d first found out how I felt for his brother Kaeya had, in his own way, been a sort of helper to me when it came to interacting with Diluc. 

Diluc shook his head, completely focused on me and ignoring his brother, who already had a smile starting to creep across his face, “No, I’ve been drinking animal blood.”

“Boars are a big issue for the farmers here, and, after Adeline pointed that out, I’m afraid they’ve been having a rough time,” Kaeya broke in with a grin that had Diluc looking over at him with an almost impatient expression.

But I looked between the two of them with no small amount of surprise, “So Adelinde knows too? Does anyone else, like Jean, or-”

“No. Everyone at the Dawn Winery, Kaeya, and now you. That’s it,” Diluc looked back at me as he explained patiently, and I fell silent. Surprised that Jean, of all people, didn’t know. After all, her and Diluc had always been so close.

“How's it feel to be part of such an intimate little group?” Kaeya’s eye sparkled as he looked towards where I sat. Both his expression and his words promised at least a little bit of trouble, which had Diluc frowning at him.

“Don’t tease them, Kaeya,” I almost smiled at Diluc’s stern tone as he eyed his brother. Because even after all this time, he still looked out for me in his own way. Shielding me from even Kaeya’s teasing, despite the fact that it hadn’t bothered me in a very long time.

But Kaeya shook his head, “Oh no, Diluc. I’m not teasing them; I’m just pointing out the truth. They’re one of the few in Mondstadt who know of your unique dietary restrictions, and I’m quite curious as to how they felt about that.” 

He turned to look at me, his eye narrowing as he smiled in an amused fashion, “It does make them quite a bit closer to you than they were before, after all.”

“Nonsense,” Diluc’s single-worded, firm response had both of us looking at him. Kaeya with steadily increasing amusement and me with confusion. But Diluc merely crossed his arms, continuing to frown at his brother as he finished, “I’ve always trusted Y/n, and that hasn’t changed.”

I could feel my eyes steadily widen at his words. I hadn’t realized that all this time he’d regarded me as someone he’d trusted. Especially since it had felt like there was such a vast distance between us for so long now. 

Perhaps it really had been me that was keeping their distance from him even, if I hadn’t realized it.

Kaeya shook his head, ever the devil’s advocate, “Things haven’t changed for you, but they might have for Y/n.” Again, he fixed me with a pointed look, and I realized the exact purpose Kaeya had for this entire visit. Meddling man that he was in his own caring way.

“No, I trust Diluc. I always have, and I always will.” I turned to look at Diluc as I spoke. Glancing his way just in time to see him looking at me in surprise. Mirroring my previous reaction to his words.

Perhaps neither of us had known the other as well as we’d thought. He’d surprised me numerous times these past few days, and I seemed to be doing the same to him. But it was only natural that we’d changed over the years. And though we might have grown apart, given enough time, I was sure we could grow back together.

At the very least, I knew I was willing to put in the effort to make that fact. And that was enough for me.

I found myself smiling at him, startling him even more as I tilted my head slightly and finished with amusement creeping into my voice, “A change to his diet isn’t near enough to change that.”

Diluc let out an exhale, almost like he’d been holding his breath, as a small, amused but relieved smile appeared on his face. Flickering across his features before disappearing quickly as he looked towards Kaeya, “Satisfied?”

I grinned at the dry question he posed, amused to find that even after all these years, he could be quite shy about showing gratitude or any other soft feeling in front of others. Especially if that other person was Kaeya.

The cavalry captain grinned though, leaning back into his chair as if he’d just experienced something incredibly satisfying, “Quite.”

Diluc stood, and I wasn’t surprised that he was ready to go. Poor fellow never had handled bearing his soul or showing too many emotions very well. It was a miracle he hadn’t gotten all flushed over the course of our discussion.

“It’s time I left then, I’m afraid I still have things to do before the sun rises.” He paused and twisted to glance down at me. A smile appearing on his face as soon as he was sure Kaeya couldn’t see it, “Thank you for having us over and putting up with Kaeya, Y/n.”

I flapped my hand at him, smiling up at him warmly, “Not a problem. Take care though; I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His eyes widened slightly before his expression softened once more, “Yes… Take care.” He twisted away, and I stood to walk him back down the hallway. Ignoring his protests about how he could find his way, as I led him back to the door.

“Just call if you need anything,” I smiled at him one final time, knowing perfectly well that there was no way he was going to bother me for assistance. Not when he far preferred to be the one taking care of others.

But he didn’t reject my offer; he simply thanked me and stepped out the door before pausing to glance back at me. 

But before he could speak, I stepped forward, reaching out and grasping his arm carefully, almost like I was afraid he would run away, “And just so you know, I’m not pushing myself. I’m not afraid of you, and I never will be.”

He held my gaze for a moment, a myriad of emotions flashing through his bright red eyes. The same warm color that had also been a source of comfort to me even when I’d been young. 

After a brief moment of seemingly searching for words, he smiled, and his gloved hand reached over to gently cover mine, “Thank you.”

His voice was infinitely soft as he gazed at me, with a certain warmth to his gaze that was so often there whenever he was with me and unconcerned about what others might think. And it was that gentle warmth that gave me the sensation of home and allowed me to place so much trust in this man.

Vampire or not, I would always trust Diluc, and I had an inkling of a feeling that I would always feel the exact same way for Diluc. 

How could I respond to him with anything other than overwhelming affection when that was the same emotion I’d always seen within him in our interactions?

He almost seemed reluctant when he pulled away, nodding his head as a final, gentle “Good Night” slipped from his lips and strolled off. His comfortingly familiar form lit up by the moon until he at last disappeared into the dead of the night.

It was then that Kaeya spoke from his hiding spot just by the door, “So you still love him, even now? I smiled at Kaeya's soft-spoken words from where he’d crept up behind me after Diluc left. There was no telling how long he’d been listening just to ensure that all was going to be well.

“Yes, I don’t think that will ever change…” I paused and turned to look up at the calvary captain, who was watching me closely as I continued, “Is that why you arranged for him to come over tonight? To make sure nothing had changed?”

Kaeya let out a hum, telling me that he would never just give a straightforward answer, even as he smiled at me. Ever a puzzle, even as he was watching out for both me and his brother, “Just making sure you won’t go hurting my brother after he did his best to shield himself from his biggest weakness.”

His biggest weakness… Kaeya had already laid out all the clues, and his expression gave me the answer I needed.

Me. I was Diluc’s weakness.

“Are you trying to tell me that he wouldn’t be able to handle me being afraid of him?” I crossed my arms as I looked up at Kaeya, half-smiling at the man who was so like a brother to me, even as he constantly did his very best to set me up with his actual adoptive brother.

“Who can say? I think you know the answer to that, though,” He bumped me lightly on the head with the back of his fist. Chuckling slightly as I frowned at his actions, before he too disappeared. With his matchmaking work done, as he strolled away on the same path his brother had taken.