Genshin Impact BL DISCONTINUED

Something in common 2 (Diluc/Aether)

Here's the part 2 you asked for :P

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The day Aether had left had turned into the first night ever in which Diluc was drunk. He hadn't planned to have a drink, he had hated every drop of it tastewise and yet it had happened that he sat next to Venti on the floor in the basement of the Dawn Winery completely wasted. The red hair was disheveled from the hundreds of times Venti had stroked his head, his eyes swollen from suppressed emotions that threatened to burst out of him. All in all, the night was terrible in Diluc's eyes and yet he actually appreciated Venti's company at that moment. It was comforting not to be alone, even if only once. Even if he wouldn't admit it.

The next day was sheer hell. Diluc's head ached to an unknown extent, he felt sick and dizzy, unable to get out of bed. But if he had been honest he just wouldn't have felt like getting up at all, something that wasn't typical for him. Adelinde brought him tea and waffles, but just looking at them had got him out of bed and heading for the toilet faster than he could ever have expected. If Kaeya and Venti always felt this way after every evening in the tavern, then he really didn't understand why they were so obsessed with the wine. For a long time he just vegetated in a state between being awake and asleep, barely able to occupy himself with anything. When this changed again in the evening he caught himself missing the mindless state for a short moment. The silence of the evening reminded him that Aether had really gone, that he was out there somewhere, so close and yet so far. That he hadn't told him what he wanted to tell him and that every moment the chance dwindled that he would ever tell him. A thought with which Diluc did not want to deal, but which clutched on his chest, heavy as the mountains around Liyue. Feelings, something Diluc couldn't handle for a long time, which he couldn't talk about and which he couldn't process, one reason why he tried to avoid them. But in the silence of this starry night they forced themselves on him, threatening to take his breath away until his field of vision began to blacken. All the time he'd given his strength to someone else, all that time the damage had increased inside him, on quiet paws like a cat, completely unnoticed.  The redhead groaned, annoyed by all the thoughts, the trembling of his hands, the feeling in his chest. He should never have let it get that far, he shouldn't have allowed himself to ever approach someone again in such a way that he quietly became vulnerable. With another groan Diluc got out of bed, trying to repair the damage like he had for years. With ignorance, repression and work.

The next day passed quickly, as did the next week. The redhead kept himself busy, working more during the day than before, hunting the creatures of the abyss at night. He only slept as much as was necessary for his body and only ate to be fit enough to sleep so little. Diluc avoided the city during the day, unwilling to meet anyone, unwilling to talk. He wanted to have his peace and quiet, time to concentrate on what was important or what he let himself believe was important, completely suppressing the time he had spent with Aether, telling himself that it was meaningless. The first, second and third month it worked well, but when he heard that Aether had been in Mondstadt but did not come to greet him, it hurt more than he had hoped. It was like a slap in the face, the confirmation that it had really been meaningless, something he honestly never wanted to receive. That night he felt as if the feelings threatened to tear open his chest to let the fire devour him, but the next morning he felt different. His subconscious that had cheated on him all this time in his sleep was silent. He felt calm. No, he felt free. As free as he hadn't felt in years. So free that he didn't hear the voice in his head begging him to notice that this freedom was deceptive.

-

"'Luc, hand me a bottle, will you?", Kaeya asked teasingly, the same smug expression chiseled into his face as always.
"Sure.", the redhead replied and actually reached for a bottle of wine and glasses, completely expressionless and calm. Not in the least how he usually reacted when Kaeya just looked at him.
Kaeya was too irritated to answer anything and Venti stared at the two in amazement.
"Master Diluc, could I get one too? I could pay with a song~", the bard asked expecting to be yelled at, but only received a nod and a bottle of wine in return.
"Who is he and where's the real Diluc?", Venti whispered leaning closer to Kaeya, almost scared.
"I have no fucking clue."