𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 ; diluc ragnvindr

𝐎𝐍𝐄 ; of karma and taverns

"DRINK SOME ALCOHOL."

"I don't drink alcohol."

"Why?"

"I've told you a hundred times and I'll tell you again: I don't like it."

As his "friend" sat upon a stool drinking himself senseless, Diluc watched him and sighed.

For what seemed like the millionth time, Kaeya Alberich had once again drunk himself... well, drunk.

He hadn't wanted to come along, of course. He never did. He was Diluc Ragnvindr, with his power and authority and those 'courageous red eyes' as the Tone-Deaf Bard had called it; most of the time, he was much too busy- as well as short-tempered- to deal with whatever shit Kaeya had stirred up. These particular shits involved drinking, drinking, and getting drunk.

But today- today, he had gotten himself involved. Somehow.

He knew it involved a bit of blackmailing, and something about him purring in his sleep, and he was much too annoyed to care but he had threatened to tell the Bard about it, and the Bard would definitely laugh at him and make a song out of that for his customers to listen to. He should have stopped him from drinking in his place, but unfortunately Angel's Share had been for all.

So instead of spending his time actually doing something productive- now, he stood here listening to Kaeya's lengthy rant about his job, his friends, and his life in general.

...he hated small talk.

"-so you see, I shouldn't have been blamed for whatever shit." He pushed down his glass on the table with a large thump. Diluc glared: Kaeya had an annoying problem with setting down glasses he obviously did on purpose just for the sake of irking him, and he always insisted on being, well... annoying in general when he came to these things. "Karma's such a bitch."

"You're a bitch. Don't you have anywhere better to go to?" He pointed out, scathingly.

"Do I look like someone who has anywhere better to go to?" Kaeya groaned, and pointed at him accusingly. "You haven't been listening to me!"

"I wonder why."

"But I told you!" He snarled, and dived at him; he shifted away and his brother- adopted- fell face-first on the table, mumbling something inaudible.

Oh, the things alcohol did to people.

He gave the wasted man another glare as he pawed at the table. "Stupid... it's always my fault."

"Amazing." He said, not amazed at all. "I wasn't aware anything was ever your fault. What are you doing here again?"

"Drinking!" He held up a finger, a sheepish grin on his face. Diluc knew that sign all too well: one more. It was something he did not need on his free night. He barely ever served customers himself, but to do so because of Kaeya-

"No."

"Why not?"

"Go to the Cat's Tail!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because the Angel's Share is better." He held up a finger. "One, the drinks are always free: because it's you. And if there's anything remotely good about you, it's that you own the place I like."

"You just refuse to pay."

"Two," Kaeya continued, completely ignoring him, "The girls always come to your inn. And they look fine."