When Ice Melts Fire

3

A look of depression and surprise crossed over Kaeya's face, his eyebrows furrowing, no doubt not used to receiving this amount of aggression from his step-brother. Diluc kept using Kaeya's feelings as a punching bag, the anger he felt pushing aside the secret fondness he kept for him, his words causing lacerations in the cryo vision user's feelings.

"Why would I ever talk to you like that? You know exactly how I feel about you. After you showed me your disgusting true colours, I know exactly who you are: A good-for-nothing, nosy, smug, stuck-up, uncaring, scumbag bitch spy. Don't bother talking to me anymore, you ungrateful piece of shit."
At this, Kaeya took a step back, the intense sadness in his eyes now being accompanied by fear and shock. The usual smug smirk he wore was now replaced with an open mouth, a small tear of hurt dropping out of his deep blue eyes.
"Diluc... You... Diluc, please..."
"No. Leave.

"Please, please, listen to me-"
"I SAID GO."

"Diluc! Ple-"
Kaeya was cut short by Diluc's furious tone and icy steel gaze.
"I. SAID. GO. I REFUSE TO LOOK AT YOUR IMMORAL TAN FACE ANY LONGER."

By now the whole tavern was watching the ordeal, observing as Kaeya took another step back, the two looking at each other in silence, tears dropping from his eyes before he ran out of the door, followed the thump of Diluc's knees hitting the ground, tears staining his face as well as he sobbed into his palms. He instantly regretted everything he said, wishing he could go to Kaeya and comfort him, wrapping his arms around him and helping through the pain he himself had put him through.

"Master Diluc... are you alright?"
Some bar staff were checking in to see if their boss was okay. Diluc sniffed, and replied hastily.
"...Yes, I am alright. I'll be heading to the Dawn Winery, I need to rest."
"Of course, Master Diluc. We will take care of The Angel's Share while you are gone."
"Thank you."
Diluc stood and and left, going back to his establishment. He entered the wooden doors and stepped in the wide living room, that awful coloured vase Kaeya had given him a while back sitting on a pedestal, looking severely out place and catching his eyes, renewing the choking, lingering pain of the guilt he felt at hurting him. He quickly tore his gaze away, heading to his room and flopping on the bed, burying himself in the soft silken sheets. Diluc loved Kaeya, but just had trouble showing it sometimes. The past and his feelings clashed, a never-ending war between his love and his resent for Kaeya's betrayal. Once upon a time, they had been brothers, best friends, but now they were nothing but strangers, each of the two begging to be cared by the other, their childhoods haunting them endlessly. And, the more Diluc thought about it, the more he realised...
He was hosting unrequited romantic feelings.
It was obvious.
The nervousness, the fuzzy feeling in his stomach whenever he saw him, the tightness in his chest...
It was love.
Just as he found himself and his emotions, a butler burst through the doors of his room.
"Master Diluc! Master Diluc!"
He was panting, clearly from running, so the situation must've been urgent.
"Master Diluc! A-A whole army! Attacking Mondstadt!"
"An army? Of what?"
"A-Abyss Mages! Hilichurls! Eyes of The Storm! R-Ruin Guards! All of it!"
"Shit... I have to go. Now."
Mondstadt being attacked? By a whole bunch of enemies at once... this must have been planned. Most likely the Abyss Order. He had to defend; This place was his hometown, the place he worked, where his friends lived...
He couldn't let them down.
Diluc ran as much as his stamina let him, and as Mondstadt entered his field of view, what he witnessed was a full-on war.
Close to the entire population was fighting, elemental bursts firing everywhere, and those without visions used pitchforks, torches, whatever they could find.
Jean ran up to him, her hair tangled, her overall state distraught.
"It's... it's a surprise attack. We barely had time to hold them off."

Before they could finish their exchange, Ruin Guard missiles exploded around them, cuing them to take the offensive. Jean nodded at Diluc, before running into the heat of battle, her anemo vision going into overdrive. Diluc followed her example, taking on a group of Hilichurls armed with crossbows. He kept slashing his sword, managing to take out the whole troop, before being confronted by a Hydro Abyss Mage. He struck its shield relentlessly, his flaming sword dealing minor amounts of damage to the protective layer. Little did he know, a Blazing Axe Mitachurl was hurtling toward him, preparing to swing.
He heard the subtle woosh of air, and spun around.
A familiar figure stood in front of him, sporting a fur cape and an eye patch.
Time seemed to slow, as Diluc realised what he was witnessing.
The mitachurl would've killed him in a heartbeat, but there was Kaeya, taking the blow for him.
Although he had an axe stuck in his stomach, he had returned the blow with one of his own, his sword sticking through the beast's neck. As the mitachurl crumpled to the floor, Kaeya fell to his knees and to his side, clutching his wound and groaning in pain. Diluc ran toward him, placing the wellbeing of his rival above defeating the abyss mage nearby.
"Kaeya!"
"D-Diluc... are you... alright...?"
Kaeya's breathing was laboured, and blood oozed out of him at a steady pace.
"Quiet. You're bleeding out, goddammit..."

Diluc gritted his teeth in annoyance and grief, his pain showing through his outburst.
"You idiot! Why did you do that!?!"
"You were... It was... going to... kill... you..."
"But now it's going to kill you!"
Diluc began to act fast, tearing off his tie to use it for pressure. The blood soaked the black cloth, making it sticky and giving it a thick, bittersweet stench.

"D-Diluc..."
Kaeya spoke in a ragged voice, and as he he did, Diluc turned his head toward his step-brother, a look of desperation, grief and annoyance meeting the warm, blue eyes he had known and loved for so long.
"Kaeya... what is it?"
By this point, a tear had slipped out of Diluc's usual stoic gaze, listening to whatever the cryo user had to say.
"Diluc... there's something I've been wanting to tell you, but... I've never found a good time..."
"...Kaeya..."
Kaeya lifted a hand and placed it on Diluc's cheek, an action that prompted more tears to fall from crimson eyes to cyan clothing, landing with subtle pats.
"I... Diluc... It's..."
He swallowed, and looked up into his rival's desperate gaze.
"I'm... I'm sorry for everything. For when we were children. For if I did anything wrong these past years..."
"No... no... you did nothing wrong, Kaeya..."
"And I have to tell you... I had to tell you... I missed out on saying this so many years ago... but... Diluc..."
He smiled warmly, pure affection shining out of his expression as his next words would likely be his last.
"Diluc, I... I love you."
The blood loss had reached a point where his eyes fluttered closed, rendering him unconscious.

Woah this part was a bit longer than expected

all good though, I enjoy long anyways

see you in the next chapter