Rainy Day Tavern // A Chaeya Fic

Other-Worldly Meetings

Summary: Jean takes a break, Diluc is sad, and then everyone is happy.

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The burst of a Vision surprised him, that small moment of clarity beneath the resentment and anger as he lowered his claymore, the flames extinguishing with it. The newly enVisioned traitor is desperate, tears clinging to his face and blending in with the rain. He clutches the Cryo Vision close to his chest. Diluc doesn't care for the blood running down his forearm, or the way Kaeya desperately clutches a hand over his eye, the eye he had almost destroyed. Instead, he grips his hand into a fist and lets the anger fuel his words.

"Leave and never come back."

He remembers two years ago when he had first come back from his trip to Snezhnaya to learn the truth behind his father's death. He remembers walking through the harbour and admiring the scenery of Liyue. He would be home soon. Just a few more days, and he would have returned back to home. Diluc had already planned out what he'd do after his journey, mainly just looking over the Winery and perhaps occasionally working at the tavern, just as Kaeya had.

"Kaeya! I'm back!" Diluc yells as he bursts into the tavern. The bartender flinched at his brother's appearance but smiled softly as Diluc shuffled onto one of the barstools, eagerly waiting for his glass of grape juice. The glass is handed to him without a word; Diluc sighs happily as the refreshing drink runs down his throat.

"How was training, Cap'n?" Kaeya asks curiously, leaning over the counter to check his brother for any injuries. Diluc merely grinned, swatting Kaeya's worrying gaze away.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Diluc mumbles. "Training was the same, people are a bit reluctant to follow my orders, but Grandmaster Varka gave me this position for a reason, right?" Kaeya nods easily in agreement, having always thought his brother was a great candidate for Captaincy. He was a strong leader with devotion and loyalty, he wielded a claymore like it was nothing and had excellent mastery of his Vision.

"Let me worry," Kaeya sighs. Diluc huffs and Kaeya rolls his eye. "Maybe be more um... Assertive?" The child bartender suggests. The Cavalry Captain shrugs, finishing off his glass before speaking again.

"I guess..." Diluc mumbles. "Whatever, I'll figure it out."

Kaeya... He had wondered what he was doing. Diluc was sure Kaeya would have fit into his role of Cavalry Captain easily, even without the prior training. He had been skilled with a sword due to trying to keep up with Diluc, and at the time, Diluc was sure Kaeya had mastered his Vision as he did. The Knights of Favonius... Well, they were always desperate for anyone with a Vision, an easy win for Kaeya. Though, he had felt a bit guilty for dumping his old job onto him.

...The night still burns in his mind. Back then, he thought he still had a chance to apologise, to make things right, to get that weight off his chest. Back then, he thought he could right his wrongs, anything to restore his relationship with Kaeya.

It wouldn't hurt to visit him, he had thought. If not him, then Jean. Just to see if she was holding up as Acting Grandmaster. He had a feeling she wasn't, judging from the incompetent knights she was forced to handle. He had only hoped his friend had been taking the breaks she deserves. If not, the Diluc of the past would've made sure to drag her out of her office for some pizza at the Cat's Tail.

He had wondered if Angel's Share had done well. It was a recent investment from his father at the time, an investment made before that fateful night. He had been surprised by the number of patrons when he had first entered. It had felt like almost all of the patrons from Rainy Day Tavern had migrated here. He had recognised a majority of the old regulars.