In The Mountains

Chapter 2

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"No." Kaeya says with acid in his ton. "It's because my arm is broken and I dont want to move it anymore than I  already am."

That shuts me up.

After a while I finally speak up, "You're hurt..?" I ask, a hint of guilt in my voice.

Chapter 2- Pov: Diluc

"Same reason why you have a concussion." Kaeya sighs. "You really don't remember do you? I guess I can explain." He starts walking again. "You got a tip-off from one of your informants that the Fatui where researching that massive pillar that's floating in the sky. You went to investigate, got into a fight with them, then triggered an avalanche that sent us tumbling off the path into unmapped territory." He explains.

"'Us?'" I echo.

"Yes, 'us'. I saw you walking up the path to Dragonspine alone and followed you because I was curious. Are you going to shout at me again?" Kaeya says tiredly. "You're always like this. So-" He cuts himself off. He sighs and rubs his eyes with his good hand. "Sorry. I'm not in the mood for our usual verbal exchanges right now. You'll have to save it until we get out of here."

I stay silent, and take a minute to fully examine Kaeya. Sweat is trickling down his nape. despite the cold, and the breaths that he takes sound more painful than pants.

I didn't notice it before, but Kaeya sounds.. exhausted. I've never seen Kaeya show this side of himself to me before. A weak side. He sounds like he's been walking for hours in the middle of a cold snowstorm with a deadweight on his back.

The same deadweight, who, upon waking up, acted like a concussed idiot that couldn't sit still to save his life.

I swallow the lump in my throat, trailing a hand down Kaeya's back to apologise.

"Kaeya," I struggle to find the words, "I'm.."

"It's fine." Kaeya cuts me off curtly. He must have sensed my guilt, because his next words come out in a more cheerful ( really fake ) tone, "It's just a broken bone. Nothing the deaconess can't heal. I've had worse."

Like a Pyro burn? A voice in my head whispers mockingly.

I swallow. "Is that so?"

"Yes, yes." Kaeya assures. "Thankfully, my beautiful face came out intact. Wouldn't want the grannies back in Monstadt to cry. Oh - right. If you have the energy to talk, use your Vision to warm yourself up. Spares the deaconess the effort of having to cut off your toes if they get frostbite. I'm sure Jean will thank you for it."

My.. Vision. Of course. I should have done that the moment I woke up. I mentally slap myself. Closing my eyes, I reach for the source of my Pyro - and frown. Hm?  My vision is tucked into my coat pocket and not in its usual place, clipped to my belt. That's strange.. but not important at the moment. Ignoring that, I draw Pyro from within, summoning just enough heat to warm up the surface of my skin, and melt the snow off of my clothes.

Infront of me, I hear Kaeya sigh in relief, unconsciously leaning into me like a cat rubbing against warm legs.

The warmth, however, also makes me sleepy, and my eyelids start to flutter and droop. I fight back a yawn and scowl, pinching myself furiously. I can't sleep now! I have to convince Kaeya to let me down so that Kaeya can rest, and-

"It's fine, Diluc. Go to sleep." Kaeya says softly.

"But, I can still.. walk.." I argue, my tounge growing leaden with every word.

"I'll let you lead the way when you wake up," Kaeya assures. "Just take a good rest, and leave it up to your reliable younger brother."

Brother. Its been a long time since Kaeya last called me - them - that. It catches me off gaurd, and a warm, fuzzy feeling blooms in my chest. (Not in a romantic way :| This isn't a Diluc x Kaeya fanfiction)

Its been five years since we fought, and Kaeya still continues to distance himself from me. Even though, when I returned, I tried so hard to get a chance to talk to Kaeya alone - but any attempts at reconciliation were met with a cold, hard wall of shade.

Talking to Kaeya was never easy, especially when Kaeya tried to get on my nerves at any opportunity he could. Laughing with a smile that did not reach his hidden eye and he flung veiled barbs at me, it was as if he was waiting for me to snap, and then Kaeya would point to him and say, "See Diluc? This is your true nature. This is the face of a man who draws his sword on his brother, and burns his skin like a farmer branding his cattle."

So I assumed that Kaeya was still angry with me, and dropped it altogether. Kaeya was no longer living with me, and we rarely saw each other in passing, much less sought each other out.

I had thought, for the longest time, that he'd been the only one to continue thinking of us as brothers.

And Kaeya would mock me if he ever knew I still felt this way, because I didn't deserve to, after I had hurt my brother so badly.

I want to tell Kaeya many things. I want to know how Kaeya truly feels about them. I was to say sorry for the ten thousandth time that I'm sorry for drawing my sword of my own brother. I want to say, that as the older brother, I am supposed to be the reliable one, and that Kaeya should rely on me. But then.. Kaeya starts to hum. It is a lullaby from their halcyon childhood days, and his voice is soothing and hypnotic, and, well, I can't really interrupt him now, can I?

So I rest my head against Kaeya's back, and, lulled by the low rumbles and vibrations, I slowly.. fall..

Asleep.