Thread by @mondstatknight

#luckae the kids in mondstadt always found interesting ways to distract themselves, whether be it flying, archery, music, or joining the knights, there were many activities that let them play outside. one particular game diluc had in mind that day was windtrace. he had --

briefly introduced it to kaeya, who had no knowledge of playground games whatsoever, with greatly exaggerated stories of brave rebels and ruthless hunters. kaeya was immediately intrigued and joined in once diluc assembled a team of ragtag kids living around dawn winery. kaeya --

greatly adapted to the game, he got caught twice on the first two rounds as a rebel but as the games progressed, he just kept getting better and better.

diluc discovered that kaeya's a talented strategist, easily attuned to diluc and his fellow rebels, giving them pointers on -

where to hide. kaeya's even outsmarted diluc on several rounds, surprising everyone especially diluc with his skills.

they've played so many rounds that the sun has started to set. many of the kids are frustrated with kaeya's skills and have decided to choose him as the final --

hunter of the day much to diluc's dismay. the two of them are farther away from the winery and diluc knows he's going to get hell from his father for dragging kaeya all the way out in the woods without protection, but hes here and diluc knows he can shield kaeya from any harm.

the round goes off without a hitch, the other kids start snickering, hiding and camouflaging themselves as barrels, wooden crates of stacks of hay. diluc runs up to a tree and hopes for the best, he knows kaeya would easily find him without the camouflage, but the faster he --

finds him, the earlier they could both get home.

and so, diluc waits. and waits. and waits. one minute has passed and diluc sees the sky paint a beautiful shade of warm colors. two minutes have passed and the night starts creeping in, hues of blues and purples seeping into the

night sky. diluc wonders if he should go down the tree and hide somewhere a bit more visible but decides against it. kaeya's a smart boy, he could find him.

from the corner of his eye he sees five of his fellow rebels walk away from their supposed hiding spots, leaving the --

promised range on where they could hide. diluc wants to yell at them but he cant, he's still playing with kaeya. diluc supposes they dont want to play anymore, but that's okay, he'll play with kaeya.

three minutes pass and diluc decides its time to show himself. he tries to --

listen to footsteps but all he hears is gusts of wind enveloping the entire forest. diluc picks up the pace, panic coming into the back of his mind. its dark, too dark for kaeya. diluc's done something bad, he's left him alone for too long and now he cant go back home.

diluc -

shouts kaeya's name, searching for him until he hears crying behind a tree next to him.

"kae?" diluc asks, walking around the tree with no hesitation. there he sees kaeya huddled, clutching himself into a ball, sobbing. even in the dark, diluc can see that his eyes are glassy -

with tears.

"diluc?" kaeya cries out, his voice is worn down and scratchy. he's been screaming for him for a while now. diluc immediately hugs kaeya, soothing him as kaeya starts bawling even harder than before.

they stay like for what diluc thinks is hours until kaeya -

passes out out of exhaustion. diluc carefully carries him on his back and starts to walk back to the winery.

kaeya wakes when diluc's halfway through the treck, he's quiet and subdued, reminding diluc of the night when he first met him. diluc breaks the silence by apologizing -

to him. kaeya doesnt verbally respond but diluc does feel him nod against shoulder, which is as close to an accepted apology from him.

diluc sees the winery up ahead and smiles, they're almost finally home.

"diluc?"

"yeah?" diluc smiles wider, kaeya's finally talking again.

"i got you," kaeya mumbles.

diluc snorts, the last round was hardly a win but he lets it slide, "yeah, you got me."

/end