Far Apart || Kaeluc/ Genshin Impact fanfic

16. 𝕾𝖎𝖝𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

I'm pretty proud of publishing in 10 days— though I think normal people publish three chapters a day—

Let's not sweat the details.

I hope you enjoy qwq

- - - - -

Kaeya massaged his temple and rubbed his right eye, groaning.

This was fine.

The headache and the pain in his right eye.

This was nothing, just— just a slight hangover from getting dead drunk last night. Oh, wait, he didn't even go to Angel's Share— he hadn't been going for days— and he certainly had not been drunk last night.

The paperwork sat untouched on his table. To be frank, though Kaeya'd been sat at his office for hours, he hasn't really been working on the documents at all.

Thirty years.

Happily ever after" turns out to be a joke.

A nation falling to ashes.

Sacred rules and consequences and curses—

"That's just depressing, man," Kaeya said to himself, rubbing his temples again.

He'd been contemplating the lyrics of the song again, but no matter how hard he thought and how long he stared at the words, the answer wasn't coming to him. There was no magical ding of a lightbulb. The lyrics didn't give him an explanation to why Khaenri'ah was suddenly going after Mondstadt, or Dainsleif's sudden appearance.

It didn't tell him how to drive Khaenri'ah away, how to stop whatever they were planning against his beloved, wind-blessed land... or against Kaeya.

Anyhow, it only served to tell a really sad and not very understandable story, one that Kaeya was real tired of reading.

There was this one piece of the puzzle missing. Just one piece— but this piece happened to be the face of the mystery and without it the puzzle was utterly incomplete.

Sitting in an office had never been Kaeya's style of action, and he was certainly tired of having his butt glued to a seat. It was due course for some action.

"Haah..." The sun had just risen: he had a day to hopefully gather some more intel. Maybe he'd meet with his personal network, or go down to the alleyways to see some informants... or maybe he'd crash a few hilichurl camps.

"Now then..." Kaeya stood and pushed his chair back, stretching, a hint of a dim smile on his face.

"...Where should I start?"

- - - - -

It'd been a few days since... the night... they'd... kissed.

Diluc had trouble even voicing the thought. It felt like a dream, like it didn't exist. And Diluc didn't know if Kaeya was avoiding him or if it was mere coincidence, but he hadn't seen the other the entire time. Not even at Angel's Share, when Diluc bartended.

Speaking of the kiss...

Diluc touched his lips unconsciously, a small blush over his face. He wondered when he could taste those lips again.

Heavy pants and quick, uneven footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Then the door to his office burst open, and there was a low laugh.

"Diluc," Kaeya said, breathless.

Diluc looked up from his documents, his eyes widening in shock. "You look like shit," he managed to utter, stumbling to his feet.

"That's the—" Kaeya closed the door behind him and stumbled over to the door. His hand was pressed against his other arm, which was oozing bright red blood. "—understatement of the century." He laughed weakly at his own comment.

That was true. Kaeya looked horrible, like he'd just gotten out of a fight against ten abyss mages, one against ten. And if Diluc were to judge, it seemed possible.

Diluc took a deep, calming breath that did not help calm him at all. Kaeya... he really was the cause of a big chunk of his troubles. "I'll get you some bandages."

"Just— uh— get me a Sweet Madame," Kaeya stuttered. Diluc frowned, though he decided that the question was for later. Kaeya never stuttered. Certainly not even when injured.

"Definitely not," Diluc stepped out the door, "I'm getting Adeline. This isn't something that should be solved with a fucking Sweet Madame."

- - - - -

"Are you sure you're okay?" Diluc frowned as Kaeya prepared to leave the Dawn Winery.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine!" Kaeya stretched and turned his body with a grin, though he notably still let out a slight wince when he moved his arm, "this isn't anything I haven't underwent before, now, is it?"

"I know that," Diluc gave him a look, "it's just... rare for you to come to the Dawn Winery instead of the Cathedral, and you looked... wild last night. " Did something happen?, he didn't need to voice.

"The winery was closer," Kaeya answered with what Diluc deduced was a blatant lie.

"Hm." Diluc decided not to push it.

"I'll get going, then. I did miss a morning of Knightly duties~" Kaeya grinned, though the smile seemed a little forced.

Kaeya made to turn and leave.

This is it, Diluc thought. If I let him leave now, we'll return to the past few days.

I don't want that.

I thought we'd gotten over that phase, of dancing around each other. I don't want to go back there again.

"After you leave," Diluc grabbed his shoulder from behind, "are you going to keep on avoiding me, Kaeya? Are we going to return to this awful dancing around like the past few days?"

Kaeya didn't reply.

Diluc bit his cheek. If Kaeya was keen on not doing anything, then Diluc had to take the initiative. And he would— just this once.

So Diluc pulled Kaeya around to face him, leaned in...

And all in one swift movement, Diluc pressed his lips against Kaeya's, arms wrapping around Kaeya in a hug. It was all awkward until Kaeya slowly returned the gesture, melting into his arms, back drooping over.

"Thank you," Kaeya whispered as he pulled away.

"Mm," Diluc pulled back, his face no doubt a bright red mess. "If there's anything wrong you'll tell me, right?" Diluc wouldn't pry— he would wait for Kaeya to tell him when he wanted to.

"Of course." Kaeya broke into a smile. A real, genuine one now.

"You're all red, Diluc," Kaeya burst out laughing, breaking the atmosphere, "I didn't know you had the guts to be so bold!"

Diluc felt his face heat up. "Shut up, Kaeya," he grumbled.

"Okay, okay!" Kaeya straightened up.

"My dearest Darknight Hero~"

- - - - -

HAVE YOU REALIZED? That, although Kaeya and Diluc has kissed twice now...

THEY STILL HAVEN'T EXPLICITLY SAID ILY TO EACH OTHER, FACE TO FACE.

I like the thought of that, so I'll keep it that way for a few more chapters >:D

I hope you enjoyed QwQ, activity on Far Apart has been going down, maybe because of how little I post, so now the Wattpad algorithm hates me— but it's still a saddening fact QwQ

S-Scarlet qwq