Oh, Brother Of Mine

Prologue

It was raining. 

Diluc liked the rain. It was calming, a constant thrum at the back of his mind as he read. Something about sitting near his fireplace, curled up on the couch with a good book as the rain hit the windows with a quiet pitter-patter was impossibly relaxing. Adelinde had stopped by his room with a tray of tea and biscuits a few minutes ago, and he couldn't think of a place he'd rather be right now.

Somewhere at the back of his mind, he found himself wondering where Father was - it wasn't like him to work this late, especially considering the weather. Then again, perhaps it was exactly why he was working late, to make sure that the vineyards weren't going to get damaged in the rain. If that was the case, then maybe Diluc should prepare some tea for when he gets back. Yes, that would be best. 

He slid a scrap of paper into his book to mark the page before hopping off the couch, his body moving on autopilot as he made his way to the kitchen. Quietly humming some tune to himself, he tugged out a still-warm pot that Adelinde must've used for him earlier, setting it on the stove and lighting the fire to heat it up again. He was faintly aware of the shuffle of footsteps from somewhere behind him, no doubt Adelinde and the other maids going about their usual nightly preparations, but he paid them no mind. 

He heard the front door creak open just as the water came to a boil, and he quickly took it off the heat and tossed a few tea leaves to brew before rushing to the door, giddy with excitement. Father had promised to play chess with him today, and Diluc had found himself looking forward to it throughout the entire day.

Sure enough, in the front hall stood Father, drenched to the bone and his usually-fluffy red hair dripping wet. His boots were caked in mud, and Diluc felt himself wince at the incoming lecture that both he and Father would certainly receive from Adelinde. Still, Father was back, and...

And he brought some girl with him.

She looked quite small, maybe the same age as Diluc but impossibly thin and with eyes as wide as saucers. Her long blue hair was matted and tangled, as if it hadn't been touched with a comb in weeks, and her whole face looked sunken. Her clothing was torn beyond recognition, with Father's massive coat hanging off of her tiny frame and swallowing her whole. Most curiously, though, were her eyes - or more specifically, her eye. It was strikingly blue, unlike any Diluc had ever seen, with a... star on the pupil. An eyepatch covered the other, its fabric dirty and rough. 

Diluc blinked once. Twice. He hoped he wasn't staring. Father had told him several times that it was rude to stare. He turned to Father instead, eyes wide with confusion. Father gave him a wide smile.

"This is Kaeya," he said, as if that was enough to explain everything. "She'll be staying with us until further notice. Say, do you think Adelinde still has some leftover dinner?"

It was as if he got pulled out of a trance. Immediately, he nodded, leaving Father and Kaeya to deal with the rain. He didn't bother getting Adelinde, instead rushing straight to the kitchen to warm up the meatloaf that they hadn't been able to finish, and another pot of tea. Father and Kaeya came in minutes later, both dressed in dry clothing. Diluc tried to ignore the fact that now it was his shirts hanging off of Kaeya loosely, but that was okay. He had enough to spare some clothing for someone in need. 

For several awkward seconds, he stared at her, not quite sure what to make of this... ragged child. Then, just as awkwardly, he cleared his throat. "So uh, do you like meatloaf?"

No response.

Kaeya stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. Okay, noted, Kaeya wasn't the talkative type. Wordlessly, he piled a small heap of food onto a plate and set it onto the table. She stared at the plate with the intensity of a starving wolf. Then she looked up, her gaze settling on him in a way that was almost pleading. Was she... asking for permission to eat? He gave her a small nod and an encouraging smile, and apparently, that was more than enough - she pounced on the plate like it was her first meal in weeks. Then again, considering the state she was in, he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

The portion was gone within less than a minute, and without even thinking, Diluc put another small mountain of food in front of her, followed by a mug of hot tea. He was faintly aware of Father standing above him with a fond smile, but he couldn't bear to look away from the girl. Something about her captivated his attention, made him feel oddly on edge but relaxed at the same time. 

Slowly, as he watched her eat her fill, Diluc felt his heart melt.

She couldn't be any older than him, and yet, she looked like she'd been through so much already. What kind of child shows up in front of a winery in the middle of a rainstorm, looking like flesh and bone covered in ragged cloth? What kind of child asked for permission before eating? What kind of child treated kindness and warmth as a foreign thing?

This wasn't right. No, not at all. Diluc wasn't certain about a lot of things in his life, but right now, he knew one thing for sure. From this day on, he would protect this child as best as he could, and he would make sure that from now on, Kaeya will not have to be this afraid, this alone ever again.