Chilled Grip (a chaeya fanfiction)

Chapter Eight: Noctua

Diluc rarely slept anymore. Plagued by nightmares, he often found himself awake, tired eyes scanning the pages of a hefty novel. Lounging on one of the plush couches in the Winery's foyer, he held a delicately etched crystal glass, which had belonged to his father.

Taking a sip of his juice, he sighed contentedly, enjoying the way the tangy taste of white grapes rolled off his tongue.
Diluc enjoyed sweet drinks, the current he was sipping being his favorite.
Eiswein was costly however, as the grapes had to freeze over the winter to be made into the delicate wine in the spring.

Dandelion Wine was by far the easiest to make, the silver-blue flowers easily accessible.
Dawn winery had by far the most varied selection of dandelion wines; cold pressed, summer dandelion, and others he was unable to remember.

Adelaine was upstairs, making a racket as usual. Heavy footsteps scurried along the ceiling above him, creaking floorboards growing closer.
Hearing a concerningly loud thump, Diluc set his glass and book down, brushing off his trousers as he got up.
Creeping up the stairs silently, he held the fir banister tightly, his knuckles white against the smooth wood.

Around the corner of the stairwell stood the head maid, looming over the unconscious body of Elzer. In her shadow, his face appeared even more wrinkled, eyes sunken from age.
Surging forward, Diluc grabbed the maid by her hair, pulling her away from the older man.
She gasped in surprise, concealing what appeared to be a knife into the folds of her starched uniform.
Releasing her, the redhead knelt on the ground beside Elzer.
Checking the old man's pulse, Diluc spun around to glare at Adelaine, who's eyes were wide with fear.

'What have you done to him?'
He lifted Elzer's unconscious body, gently pulling his arm over his own shoulder. He grunted slightly, as the man was heavier than he looked.

'Master Diluc, it's really not important.'
Hurried the maid.

The redhead raised an eyebrow.
"It must be important, as it includes my consultant. I suggest you go home Adelaine, it's after work hours."
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to speak, but shut it again, as Diluc's glower sent chills down her spine.

As she left, Diluc noticed the small flask she was clutching with white knuckles.
A few fleeting seconds later, it was slipped into the folds of her robe.
Sighing, he was glad that he was able to intervene.

Returning to Elzer, he took a swift account of his condition.
No obvious injuries, but he seemed to be asleep.
Diluc rubbed his temples, trying to soothe the headache that was forming.
Unlocking one of the second floor's doors, Diluc set Elzer into a freshly made bed, ready to get rid of the weight on his shoulders as soon as possible.
As he left the room, he realized what room he had placed Elzer into.

It was Kaeya's old room, the bookshelves still stacked high with novels the knight would've never read.
It had taken everything left of Diluc's patience not to set the whole mansion ablaze.
The memory of that night eleven years ago still stung, as he glanced at the burn marks across his bare palms.

Blood fell upon the soil of the winery, the rain dripping into the two boys' eyes.
Diluc has been 18 then, and his father had been infected slowly by his own delusion, dying in a blaze of unmerciful flames.

Diluc still remembered the look on Kaeya's face.
The guilt in his eyes, as he confessed how he had been placed as a spy, a pawn simply placed to ruin the Ragvindr name.
As rage had mingled with the grief, it overcome him, anger taking the form of a fiery red bird. He had almost lost his brother that night.
Well, he had already lost Kaeya, but not by death.
They had cut ties ages ago.
Kaeya was a needle, a constant thorn in Diluc's side.