The night we said goodbye || Kaeluc/Rewritten

23-The Eleventh Fatui Harbinger

He didn't know why he kept walking forward through the snowstorm, or why he was there either. His hands were freezing, his body was shaking uncontrollably, and he could barely see where he was going as the snowflakes got into his eyes and the wind kept hitting his face.

After a few more steps, when he looked down, he finally found the reason for his continuous march: a trail of blood. There weren't just a few red spots on the snow, though, and it seemed like the animal or person who left it didn't have to be so far.

Although it felt like a long time had passed since he started walking.

No more than a few meters away, a boy was lying down, his hand tightly clutched at his chest, the snow around him crimson red, and the expression on his face full of pain.

"H-help me… please…" the boy barely whispered, but he was able to hear it even amidst the raging snowstorm.

He crouched down, trying to take a better look at the wound, but then, when the boy looked at him, he suddenly seemed familiar.

That hair… those eyes… 

***

When Kaeya woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky, light pouring into the room. He didn’t expect to sleep so much, but he was glad that he did, as he finally felt rested again after so many days full of unexpected things. It felt peaceful, just like the days before he started this madness.

Birds chirped outside, probably enjoying the warmth of the sun. Maybe he could ask Diluc to go for a stroll outside after he was done with his work, Kaeya needed to regain his trust, after all. Of course, he didn’t think it would be easy, but with small steps and lots of time, he could gain anything he wanted.

And Diluc’s trust and love? Kaeya was willing to sacrifice anything for it.

That was one of the reasons he let Diluc sleep alone in the master bedroom, content with sleeping in the room next door. He needed to be close to the red-head if anything happened, as no one under this sky could be trusted, be it Dainsleif, who barely came to his senses yesterday, Albedo, who possessed a power so great that it could bring Mondstadt to ruin, or even Adelinde, who looked fearful every time Kaeya faced her.

They were all humans, and as long as humans were alive, they were capable of doing anything, no matter how impossible it may seem.

With a sigh, he got out of the bed. It certainly wasn’t as comfortable as the one in the master bedroom, but he would’ve still lied there for a few more minutes, or maybe hours, if it wasn’t for the things he needed to get done.

***

When he went downstairs to eat, the sight of a man with ginger hair talking to Diluc was certainly something Kaeya didn’t expect to see. He couldn’t see his face from where he was, but, of course, he wouldn’t let some stranger walk in so freely in his mansion. 

“Come on, I only asked what your name is, you don’t have to glare at me like that.” Kaeya heard the man say. He didn’t sound annoyed at all, but rather amused.

How bothersome, his day was already ruined.

“And who might you be?” Kaeya asked, walking over to them and stopping at Diluc’s side, facing the stranger.

Although the man had a smile on his face, his blue eyes looked dull, almost lifeless and he didn’t hesitate when he answered:

“Me?” he laughed. “I think you heard of the Eleventh Harbinger, no?” 

“Fatui scum…” Diluc mumbled, barely audible.

“What was that, firefly?” the man asked, amusement in his eyes as he looked at Diluc again, who shifted only a little bit closer to Kaeya. “What’s his name?” the stranger asked, looking at Kaeya. 

He tried to refrain from the urge of killing him right then and there.

“Nothing concerning you.” Kaeya responded. “More importantly, you still haven’t told me who you are and what you're doing here uninvited.”

“No. 11 of the Fatui Harbingers, Childe. Ring a bell?” the man said, this time a little annoyed, then, before Kaeya could answer, he added: “Pleased to meet you too, Alberich.”

The fact that he was a Harbinger was not alarming, but that he was here, in such close proximity to Diluc.

“It looks like I made myself known.” Kaeya said, furrowing his brows.

He felt Diluc's gaze on him, but Kaeya didn't turn to face him.

"Well, Mondstadt was destroyed, it's only natural I come to see who did it." Childe said. "If you were able to destroy a city just to join the Fatui, then you must have a good reason to do so."

"I did it because I wanted to become a Harbinger, but I can forget all of this happened if you're just gonna offer me the position of some lowly slave." Kaeya said, poison in his words. 

Childe's smile faltered for a moment, falling silent for a few seconds before saying:

"What about we continue this conversation later? It's been a long journey from Snezhnaya to here, so I'm quite exhausted, you see."

"Fine, I'm not one to treat a guest badly." Kaeya said, a hint of annoyance in his seemingly out-going voice as he gestured for a maid to lead the man to a spare bedroom. "After you've rested, feel free to come find me. Oh, and of course, if you need anything just ask."

Childe didn't say anything else, and he just glanced at Diluc one more time before leaving.

Kaeya certainly didn't want that man anywhere near the red-head, so he needed to do everything in his power to keep them apart.

"Why do you want to be a Harbinger?" Diluc suddenly asked after a moment of silence.

He didn't look surprised at all.

"Because I want to know the truth." Kaeya said, looking at the other's red eyes.

"You want to know the truth?" Diluc asked, bitterness in his words. "What do you want to learn from those bastards?"

Now it looked more like the reaction Kaeya expected. Diluc's father died because of them, so his hate for the Fatui only grew over the years.

"Do you remember the Delusion Crepus left you?" Kaeya asked, calm and collected. 

Diluc's eyes widened for a split second.

"Let's talk later, you came here to eat anyway." he said, avoiding eye contact.

When Diluc tried to go past him, Kaeya grabbed his wrist, making the red-head look at him.

"Do you have somewhere you have to be?" Kaeya asked him. "Or rather someone you need to talk to?"

Diluc only looked at him with a stunned expression.

"I don't think so." Kaeya answered his own question. "You were here to eat too, weren't you? So why don't you join me?" he asked, letting go of his hand.