Chapter Text
"Hey, glad you could make it!"
Amber skips up to you and slings an arm over your shoulders as she leads you to the entrance of the building. She has invited you to a fancy little bar called the Angel's Share to wind off from your already busy first month of work. According to her, the Angel's Share is the most popular place to be, with Cat's Tail following close. Your interest is piqued when Amber mentions their drinks are mind blowing enough for you to forget your worries―and you are definitely holding up to that reputation.
It appears the rumors were wrong, however. Because the moment you step foot into the bar, the first thing you saw was not the fancy lighting or the elegant decorations. No, your eyes dart over to the red high ponytail of the person behind the counter. The closer you get, the more certain you are that the man is none other than one of the people you will inevitably meet again.
Diluc Ragnvindr. Your best friend whom you had abandoned.
Looks like no amount of alcohol will ever be enough to make you forget about your worries. One of which was literally manning the bar.
Hopefully he wouldn't recognize you, right? Eight years is a long time. A lot could happen within those years―
Amber tugs on your wrist as she (loudly) calls you by your nickname. "You gotta try their Dandelion wine! It's one of their bestsellers."
You are very certain Diluc has heard your nickname being called because he turns around at that exact moment and meets his eyes with yours. You inhale sharply; what once were eyes filled with liveliness and emotion are now dull and blank. Just what happened during those eight years? Was it because of his father's death?
Was there more to that?
You are the first to break eye contact as you sit beside Amber on the counter. As she raises a hand to grab his attention, you do your best to remain calm and act nonchalant about the whole thing. Even though it does hurt that your best friend, with good reason, now hates you.
"Heya Master Diluc!" Amber greets him, to which Diluc returns with a small nod. "Two dandelion wines for me and my friend here, please!"
Thr red haired bartender begins preparing your drinks as he initiates some obligatory small talk. "It's rare for you to bring in someone other than Eula here."
"Oh, that's right." Amber gestures to you. "Diluc, this is my friend at work. They're new to this area, but they were born and raised in Mondstadt." She then faces you. "This is Master Diluc, the owner of Angel's Share and Dawn Winery."
You want to laugh at how ironic everything is. Sure, you may not have known about Angel's Share, but a small twinge in your chest makes itself known at how you and Diluc were being introduced. It's not as if you were complete strangers... but at the same time, you are.
You try to force out a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, sir Diluc."
Diluc's eyebrow raise ever so slightly, but he decides to indulge you in this little game of yours. "Nice to meet you too."
Oh, how badly you want the floor to swallow you whole.
You and Amber spend almost an hour drinking and chatting, and while she already has her head on the counter, you begin feeling light headed. Maybe you shouldn't have bitten more than you can chew, as you still have to bring a clearly drunk Amber back to her apartment.
After washing your face to try to sober yourself up, you step out of the washroom, only to see the person you most definitely did not want to be alone with leaning against the wall. You didn't think he'd want to talk to you so you step to the side, but you are proven wrong when he speaks up.
"Is this how you treat an old friend?"
You wince at the sarcastic way he spits out your nickname. If your eyelids had been heavy with sleep earlier, you certainly are wide awake and alert right now. "Not really, but surely we've put all that behind us, haven't we?"
"So that's how you saw our friendship?" He crosses his arms. "Forgettable and easy to throw away?"
You don't really understand why and what he's trying to get out of you. Normally, you don't seek out your ex best friend whom you haven't had contact with for years just to demand answers out of them, right? It's usually the awkward, walking on eggshells type of atmosphere first before easing up to each other again―and only then do you ask the truth. So what exactly does he want from you?
"I don't know what you want me to say, Diluc." You mumble, still afraid to look him in the eye when you had felt his on you the entire time. "I know that a simple apology will never suffice, especially when I left you when you needed someone to talk to the most."
You then muster the courage to finally meet his dull red eyes before forcing out a chuckle. "But that's why you and Kaeya have each other, right? I'm pretty sure my absence didn't make much of a difference since you could just, you know? Talk to Kaeya and vice versa―"
"I left the mansion not long after father died. True to my word, I took over our business and had to travel to various places for my meetings with partners and clients."
"Without Kaeya?"
Diluc purses his lips before flicking his eyes to something on the floor. "We fought on the night before I left. I figured I'd give him space after that."
"Oh."
"During my travels, I ended up at Liyue Harbor and met your mother. She told me everything."
Your eyes widen. "...Oh."
Diluc drops his arms to his sides and tentatively takes a step towards you, his eyes softening. "Why didn't you tell us you were going through all that?"
Why is it, that no matter how hard you try to hide a secret, it always reveals itself in the most unexpected of times?
"Like I told you before, you guys were going through so much already. I didn't want to add in my problems which obviously don't compare to what you and Kaeya had been going through. What you two are still going through."
Contrary to your expectation, Diluc is the least bit fazed at your explanation. "Just because losing a parent to death is a different aspect from losing one through separation doesn't mean they're not any similar. You had also lost your father. You shouldn't invalidate your own feelings just to adjust with ours."
"Diluc..." You sigh. So he has known all this time of your predicament and yet... "You're not mad at me?"
"Though I understand your feelings and reasons as to why you decided to keep quiet about it, I am still quite upset at you for saying nothing about your... abrupt departure." He gives you a small smile which disappears in the blink of an eye. "However, assuming that Kaeya still doesn't know of this, I can't say the same for him."
You nod in understanding. "I see."
"But since you're back, I believe you'll have plenty of time to explain your situation to him."
You wanted to scoff at that. And what? The three of you will be friends again and laugh about the whole thing over wine? As if that will ever happen.
"Yeah, no, I don't think he'd want to talk to me after all that. I'd... I'd rather not walk into his life again when I know I'm not welcome in it anymore."
"I know you'd say that. Which is why, I'm putting all the drinks you had tonight on a tab. And before you ask, I won't accept your payment no matter how much you persuade me." He smirks discreetly. "That way, you'd think twice before running away again."
You feel dread in your stomach as all the plans you had been stirring up about leaving Mondstadt the next day goes out the window. There is no way he's doing this just to get you to reconcile with Kaeya―he's out for your head (and quite possibly, your wallet) as payback! "Damn you, Diluc."
The redhaired Ragnvindr simply chuckles as he pats your shoulder playfully. "Welcome back to Mondstadt."
~~~
(Present...)
Diluc checks his watch, impatiently tapping his fingers on the counter as he awaits the notification from his phone. It's currently half past two but you still haven't called him, and he's starting to feel uneasy. Did you get caught up in an accident? Did you go somewhere else despite him telling you not to? He would prefer the latter to be the case. Honestly, why were you so hard headed?
His device finally vibrates, and he almost jumps as he struggles to unlock his phone (damn these gloves). When he sees your name, he swipes to answer the call. "What the hell took you so long? Are you alright? Do you need any help?"
"Master Diluc!" You grumble out, only fueling his worry. What have you been doing?! "I'm sorry I didn't call, I got lazy, haha..."
Diluc nurses his head as he assesses the situation. As he had expected, you didn't go straight home and instead went to drink some more. Could you have gone to the Cat's Tail instead? "Stay right where you are, I'm picking you up―"
"You don't have to! I just called to tell you I'm fine," a pause, "that, and I really like this dandelion wine. Why don't you serve this version often?"
Dandelion wine? He doesn't remember giving you any dandelion wine. "Are you drunk?"
"No! I'm being a thousand percent honest! For real though, this is way better than the usual ones you serve, and―no, Kaeya, I told you to give me the bigger slice! And I think it would sell more, you know?"
Diluc stares into midair as he processes your words. First of all, the wine you are singing praises about is one of his best ones that he saves to gift people during special occassions. If you wanted one, maybe he could just give a bottle to you on your birthday. And two, you really couldn't be bothered to give him a quick text saying you were at Kaeya's?
"I'll consider that." He grunts out. "Anyway, it sounds like you're fine, so I'll be heading home. Be safe."
"Yeah! Thanks Diluc!"
"And... send Kaeya my regards."
"Will do!"
Before he ends the call, he catches Kaeya's voice calling his name, causing him to wonder what his brother wanted to tell him.
Maybe he should invite the two of you here some time....