In The Mountains

Chapter 3

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

Asleep.

This chapter - Pov: Diluc

I dream that I am racing through a field of grass, my brother by my side.

I don't remember why we were running, or where we were running to. The only think I know are the deep-rooted , certainly now matter where I go, Kaeya will be there right by my side, matching me stride for stride. Not as my younger brother or subordinate, overlooked for his prodigious older brother, as many of the knights did, but as equals.

Suddenly, Kaeya stumbles. Maybe it was a root, or a bump in the ground. But I had been watching Kaeya, and saw it happen before it did, and I stretch out my hand and catch Kaeya by the arm before he can fall.

Kaeya looks up, and suddenly I'm staring at a much older Kaeya, who has switched out his stuffy uniform for a more exposed one, who wearing an uncharacteristically sad expression on his face, with tears in his eyes, present day Kaeya. Who opens his mouth and-

Pov: Author

Diluc slowly opens his eyes. He rubs his eyes, blinking and yawning. Looking around, he sees the scenery hasn't changed much, just exchanging a cliff view for another cliff view.

"How long was I out?" He asks, guiltily.

"Oh, not long." Kaeya says breezily, although they both know they didn't have a way of keeping track of time in a place where the sun didn't shine. He swipes his cheek and sniffs, like he had caught a cold. "Sorry. Did i wake you?"

"Ah... no." Diluc says hastily. "It was good. My sleep, I mean. I slept well."

"That's good, how are you feeling?" Kaeya asks.

Diluc frowns. "Still a little bit of a headache, but better. Never mind that, I should be saying that to you. Are you okay?"

"Oh, dom't worry about me." Kaeya deflects, and Diluc's frown deepens, because Kaeya deflecting usually means he doesn't want to worry Diluc, which means he is definitely more injured than he is letting him in on, "A little bit more, and we'll reach a place where we can rest for a while. Just bear with it for a while, okay?"

"You know where we are?" Diluc asks, surprised. He remembers Kaeya saying something about an avalanche sending them into unmapped territory. Then again, should he really be surprised? This was Kaeya, a side to the Acting Grand Master and her right hand. Any and all obstacles to Monstadt were dealt with swiftly and discreetly by him, contrary to general expectation. Even his backup plans had backup plans.

"Yes. Well, at first I didn't." Kaeya corrects. "But I figured if we kept heading north, we'd eventually hit Monstadt. So i kept going until we eventually hit upon a trail."

"North?" Diluc says.

"I used the stars." Kaeya clarifies with a soft smile, looking up at the sky, admiring the bright specs of light scattered around the evening sky. "You know how i was pretty interested in the stars and moon, well, astrology, when I was a kid? Well, this was my first time using the stars as a compass, but I found it easy enough. Even from here, Noctua shines brightly." He explains, looking back ahead of him.

"Does it?" Diluc asks, squinting at the sky. To him, the stars are just stars and nothing more. "Wait. You mentioned that you know where we are. Then wouldn't gliding down be faster than walking?"

"Sounding like Venti now, are we?" Kaeya chuckles. "Check your back."

Diluc patted the space just below the back of his neck where his gliding device was.... Well, should have been.

"...Then couldn't you create a ramp of ice for us to slide down? I know you have practice; you make ice bridges for Albedo all the time."

"Hmm," Kaeya hums, "I can't tell whether that was a compliment or an insult. But sadly, I cannot."

"You can't? Or won't?" Diluc asks, a little annoyed now.

"I cannot " Kaeya says firmly. "As in, it is not in my ability to do so. For the same reason why our gliders are not in our possessions."

Diluc takes a while to digest that. Then he blanches.

"You lost it?" He demands. "You lost your Vision??"

Kaeya winces audibly. "Yeah, well, in my defence, it's kind of hard to find a glowing light blue stone among all that snow. Not everyone has a Vision like yours that shines like a damn beacon even in the middle of a snowstorm, Diluc."

Diluc clamps down on his tongue.

He imagines it: Kaeya digging in the snow for Diluc, tears rolling down his cheeks from the pain of his arm and whatever else may be wrong, realising his Vision was gone. And the weighing his Vision against Diluc's life, and choosing the latter. Diluc closes his eyes, and feels hot tears slide down his cheeks.

Sensing Diluc's guilt, Kaeya speaks up. "Ah... Don't worry about it, Diluc. You've only lived without a Vision for three years. I've lived without a Vision for most of my life. I'll be fine, you don't need to feel bad-"

"Of course I will!" Diluc shouts, interrupting Kaeya. He clutches Kaeya's sleeve in frustration. "DO you remember where we fell after the avalanche? I'll send someone there later to search for it, use their Vision to find it with elemental tracing. Or- no, I'll do it myself. I swear."

Kaeya shrugs. "It's probably buried ten feet under the snow by now, but sure.. We can discuss it later when we've gotten out of here. Oh, look - a ruin braizer. Perfect. Let's take a break. Do me a favour and cut the ropes your self. My arms are killing me."

At this point, Diluc is too afraid to ask whether Kaeya is exaggerating or now. This time when he reaches for Kaeya's belt knife, he takes much care not to jostle Kaeya's arm. The knife is sharp, and well maintained, and slices through the ropes in one well-practiced motion.