Diluc had been woken up pretty early by one of his maids but it was nothing out the usual as he was use to waking up this early maybe even earlier but the reason sent a shock down his spine.
Maid 1 "M-Master Diluc!...Master Diluc please wake up!"
D "*yawn*Mm...what is it."
Diluc said while still groggy and his barley opened eyes
Maid 1 "I'm very sorry Master Diluc for waking you up!So sorry!But something urgent has happened and we need your help immediately."
D "It is fine...let me get ready and then I will make my way downstairs."
It was 12 am and still dark outside
Diluc quickly got up,woke himself up,got dressed,and brushed his hair then put it in a low pony tail and made his way downstairs.The maids were already there but something was off once Diluc actually made it down the stairs he walked up to what they were standing around.Once he got there to his surprise he saw a passed out man laying in front of him
and Diona standing beside him.
D "Now...what is th-Diona?!What are you doing here this late?Isn't past your bedtime."
Di=Diona
Di "*Sniff sniff*"
Diona was crying trying to wipe here tears away as she looked at her drunk passed out dad
D "D-Diona are you alright?"
Di "Y-Yea!..."
Diona yelled out while wiping away her tears one last time holding her arm as if she was trying to hide something
Di "Just...just help him!"
Diluc was confused but did as Diona asked and whispered to his maids and motioned for them to take Dionas father to one of his spare rooms.
D "There.I did as you asked...now tell me what happened."
Di "W-What?!Nothing s-serious happened h-he just got drunk is all!"
D "Diona."
Di "F-Fine...my dad came home drunk...again but...something was different he was more drunk then usual?I don't know how to explain it.Anyways...as usual I yelled at him cause I was frustrated he went drinking that awful stuff again!But he threw a bottle at my arm and it shattered everywhere and told me to "Shut up you annoying cat" then he passed out and then I dragged him here.."
D "Diona...im so sorry-We will take care of your dad for you but...can I please see your arm?"
Di "Ok..."
Diona showed Diluc her arm
D "...!"
Di "Is it bad...?"
D "Hm...uh no?We should get this bandaged up though."
Diluc lied about it not being bad it was a deep cuts some being small and some being big and all being full of pieces of glass.He then wiped Diona's face of her tears and picked her up and took her to his medical room and then sat her down on a chair and got tweezers,stuff to clean up the cuts,and bandages.He spent about an hour carefully taking out the glass of Diona's arm making sure to stop and take break when it hurt Diona to much.He then cleaned it up and bandaged it.
And held Diona for hours and listened to her cry at the pain of her arm and at the sight her father drunk and passed out.Diluc couldn't help but feel bad for her his heart sunk as he listened to her cries so he stayed up and held her in his arms and listened to Diona until she fell asleep.But by the time she fell asleep it was already time for Diluc to head to work he was exhausted and very tired himself barely could keep his eyes open but he was determined to go to work.Even though the maids urged him not to he insisted to go to work.So he did.
5:00 am
Diluc is at his tavern putting back down stools and cleaning around the tavern before he opens it at 6:00 am
D "Mmm...stay awake..."
At 7:00 am is when customers started coming in Diluc was behind the counter trying his best to keep his eyes open
D "..."
And hour later Zhongli came in
Z "Hello Master Diluc!How are yo-Master Diluc are you alright!?"
D "H-Hm?...Oh!Hello Zhongli..."
Z "Diluc your not well...what's wrong?"
D "Ohh nothing...I'm alright...no need to worry."
Diluc said while stumbling around and his eyes barley open holding on to counter for support with one hand and massaging the side of his eye with the other but his grip soon failed him and he began to fall but Zhongli rushed to his side to catch him
Z "Diluc!"
D "H-Huh?!"
Zhongli caught Diluc and stood him up right
Z "Diluc are you alright?!"
D "Yea...yea my apologies im just...so tired...im alright now tho.Let me pour you a drink and we can talk."
Z "Diluc no.Your tired and exhausted...you can't work in these conditions!Come on lay on my chest and you can go to sleep."
D "What no im fine,im fine...-W-Wait what?!I c-can lay on your...c-chest?!D-Don't joke with me like that Zhongli...I-I I'm fine I'm awake now I-I can go b-back to work!"
Z "Diluc.Your still stumbling around."
D "Ok...I am still tired and exhausted.But I don't think it would be...appropriate for me to be seen laying on someone's...during my work."
Z "Oh come on your staff can handle your shift.Take a break you need it."
D "F-Fine.Only for a few minutes tho..."
Z "Sure whatever you say."
D "Im being serious."
Zhongli grabbed Diluc's arm and guided him towards a stool and sat down at one and sat Diluc at the one in front of him and laid Diluc on his chest Diluc instantly fell asleep even though he fought to stay awake he couldn't help but feel comfortable in Zhongli's embrace he felt at ease by the warmth of Zhongli he felt something that he had never felt in so long , Zhongli felt the same way he missed being able to hold somebody in his arms dearly so he cherished every moment he stroked Diluc's face up and down feeling his smooth skin under his fingers and ruffled his red hair all messily but before he could continue the tavern door suddenly opened
K=Kaeya
R=Rosaria
A=Albedo
:Warning Cusing:
K "HELLO DEAR BRO-Oh!Your not my brother-"
R "Damn Kaeya shut up your so loud."
K "Well I never!Some people actually like my loudness!"
Kaeya said while putting his hand on his chest all dramatically
R "Who...?"
A "O-Oh u-uhm nobody...just Kaeya being Kaeya."
K "Albedo likes it when me and him are in bed together ~"
R "...!G-God I wished I never asked..."
A "U-Uhm...I...W-What he's just...joking-"
R "Mhm...sure."
Albedo turned ruby and Kaeya laughed his ass off
Z "Uhm...my apologies to interrupt whatever...this is...I'm Zhongli and who are you all?"
K "Ohhh your Diluc's boyfriend he told me all about you!Im Kaeya!"
Z "W-What?!...I beg your pardon?!"
R "He's just joking don't listen to him...I'm Rosaria."
A "And I'm Albedo"
Z "Oh well nice to meet you all as well."
The three of them sat down and got served alcohol by one of Diluc's staff while Diluc was sleeping comfortably on Zhongli and Zhongli continued to messily ruffle Diluc's hair making Diluc occasionally smile in his sleep
Z ":He has such a beautiful smile...:"
Zhongli thought to himself, he thought he was concealing his emotion well but every stroke of his hand in Diluc's soft red hair made his face flush more and more red by the minute he hadn't been in the embrace of someone in so long he forgot how it felt
K "You almost as red as a tomato Zhongli.Y'all sure your not boyfriends?"
Z "I-I what...I'm red?!"
Zhongli said while taking his hands out of Diluc's hair and moving them to cover his face waking up Diluc in the process
K "Hahahaha!"
A "Kaeya stop messing with them."
Albedo said while nudging Kaeya
K "Fine,fine I've had my fun."
D "Hm...why'd you sto-Where d-did you g-guys come from?!"
Diluc said while jumping up from Zhongli's chest in a panic
K "Oh~Did you not want us to see you with your secret boyfriend?"
R "Your not gonna let this boyfriend thing down are you?"
K "Haha nope!"
D "H-He's not my boyfriend!We j-just met for god sake!""
K "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"
R "Right is this the same Diluc who makes it very clear they don't like idle chitchat and who is very antisocial?"
D "Oh shut up..."
Diluc said while getting up from the stool and yawning
D "I will take it from here."
Staff member 1 "Oh ok."
Diluc said to one of his staff that were serving the others and then the staff member walked away and let Diluc take his shift.
For the rest of the night Diluc served everyone drinks but continued to be teased about his and Zhongli's "secret relationship" by Kaeya and sometimes Rosaria but not Albedo,Zhongli and Diluc occasionally getting red out of embarrassment.A few hours later everyone began to get tired and before they all knew it,it was 12:00 am and everyone began to get tired.Kaeya being to drunk to head home by himself Albedo took him to his place,Rosaria was a bit tipsy but she was fine to head home by herself,Zhongli on the other hand was sober a bit tired but could head home but he had a feeling Diluc wouldn't be able to Diluc wasn't drunk but he was exhausted so exhausted he could barley keep his eyes open holding on to the counter for support once again.Once everyone left Zhongli put Diluc on his back and began to head to Diluc's place. (Diluc told Zhongli when they first met that day) Once Zhongli got to Diluc's place he layed asleep Diluc on the bed Zhongli then changed Diluc into a white T and some black shorts as he knew it would be uncomfortable for Diluc to sleep in his every day wear to bed once he was done with that he slowly let Diluc's hair out of its ponytail and let his long hair fall down his back, Zhongli began to do the same also changing into a white T and black shorts and taking out his hair out of its ponytail and letting it fall down his back.Once he finished he then got in bed and layed beside Diluc and fell asleep.