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They knew this day would come. All of the previous events, all of the appearances and attacks led by the Abyss Order had been enough of a warning. The message had been clear: something bigger was to come one day.
They knew and they tried preparing for it, discretely, as not to cause panic on the common people, with messages being passed from the nations' leaders to their most trusted officials and down to their warriors, but still diligently. There were always groups on patrol, soldiers training, scholars conducting research on any old texts or fragments that were scouted.
Regardless of the effort, resources and carefulness put into it, they were still fully aware they didn't know exactly what they were preparing for, nor for when.
To the extent of their knowledge, the Abyss Order had its origins in the decay of Khaenri'ah, an old Teyvat civilization that had been known for its technological advancements. It prospered by the hands of its hard-working and well-educated citizens, without any aid from the gods.
It had been unfortunate, albeit expected, that it eventually attracted Celestia's eyes, which let to it being crushed without mercy under their wrath five hundred years ago.
The people from Khaenri'ah fell under a curse and their technology was scattered around Teyvat, reprogrammed by the Fatui as nothing but killing machines and with their initial purpose completely forgotten.
Since then, the world of Teyvat continued living, and Khaenri'ah was left in the past.
With Celestia's stern eyes watching them from above, however, all of the nations threaded carefully on the years to come, minding the discoveries of their research parties and keeping everything under wraps, a lesson they learned after experiencing the cataclysm.
Mondsdadt thrived and grew in peace, generations coming and going, with the old history slowly drifting from their memories and conversations, and becoming a subject only found in dusty books hidden deep within the Knights of Favonius library.
It was only at the back of some of the Knights' minds, mainly the Captains and Grand Masters that knew to fear the worse, that history was still fresh and a constant reminder. They had to be careful and watch their steps as not to upset Celestia, and they had to be wary and ready for a surprise invasion led by the vengeful survivors of Khaenri'ah.
The Knights knew it'd all come crashing down one day, but how close that day was, they didn't know.
All attacks had been similar thus far, all messages left behind by lackeys as cryptic as the previous ones. There'd been no specific signs that indicated income danger and now, after centuries have passed, it was impossible to know how strong Khaenri'ah had gotten and what strategies they were willing to use.
One day, however, they finally got the answer to that, as their fears materialized right in front of their eyes.
Although it started like many other small attacks that had occurred in the past, the way it unfolded was one no one could've prepared for.
Sometime in an early spring afternoon, a little after lunch, in that perfect moment one elects to rest before resuming their duties, the sky above the city of Mondstadt suddenly turns to black.
The wind picks up, blowing strong, lifting up dust and hammering against the windows that are hurriedly being closed by the scared residents.
Heavy clouds gather closer and closer together, before thunder flashes through them, again and again, and illuminates the sky in a light bright enough to blind everyone for a few seconds and make them cower and hide inside their houses.
It's similar to the time Dvalin attacked the city years prior, but something feels different now. There are no anguished howls, no new traveler already aware of the issue and ready to step in and save the day.
It's behind a dense cloud of dirt and smoke that the Mondstadt citizens watch as an army of armored soldiers and heavy machines make their way to the city's bridge, aiming for the entrance gate. They hold their breath, eyes wide, and wait for the worse to come.
The ground shakes with the sheer size of the enemy's troops and the intensity of their steps, foliage and debris being kicked off in their wake.
A group of on duty guards, assisted by Barbara and Noelle, quickly spring into action, guiding everyone that's frozen in place in fear to the underground hideout they have under the church, while the remainder of the Knights get in position to fend off the invasion.
The many ruin guards start doing quick work of the walls, while ruin hunters easily fly above them and aim directly at the buildings protected inside.
Jean and Eula lead a group of knights outside, going for close combat against the many soldiers that haven't yet crossed the bridge, while Amber assembles a group of archers to take down the ruin guards and ruin hunters from a safer place.
It's when ruin graders start approaching, looming in the distance, that Diluc finds himself running to the frontlines coming from his tavern, claymore in hands and darknight hero outfit completely forgotten. He makes eye contact with Kaeya, who is running from the opposite side, and immediately coordinates an attack with him.
It surprises him that even after all of the years they spent apart they can still communicate without uttering a single word. During their late childhood and teenage years the feat used to confuse most of the winery staff and bring an easy smile to Crepus and Adelinde's faces, all while Kaeya and Diluc would giggle to themselves uncontrollably, love blooming in each secret they shared.
Their teamwork is as impeccable as ever and Diluc's never been more sure of his decision of reconciling with Kaeya and letting him back into his life before leaving for his journey across Teyvat. It's good to see that it's the same for Kaeya, if the wink he sends Diluc's way is indication enough.
Diluc shakes his head and smiles to himself; leave it to Kaeya to be a flirt even during such tense moments.
His satisfaction is short lived, however, as when Kaeya comes into view of the enemy, sword held high in his hand and ready to strike, everything stops.
The laser beams shooting from the machines cease, the soldiers pause their assault and jump back, as if retreating, and leaving the Knights of Favonius to slash nothing but air with their weapons. Mechanically, and almost in a trance, their heads collectively turn towards Kaeya, who had slowly come to a halt at the riverbank by the side of the bridge.
A guttural voice sounds from behind the enemy lines and Diluc, now carefully approaching the scene, doesn't even need to strain his ears to hear it. It's unnaturally deep and its low rumble sends an unpleasant shiver down his spine, shaking him to the core. He grips his claymore tighter on instinct.
A word is being repeated over and over again and Diluc stops just on the inside of the main gate to pay better attention to it. It sounds familiar and it instantly takes him back to a night many years ago, a night that would turn into a constant after that first one, where Kaeya had felt comfortable enough to teach him the language he'd learned to speak when he was much younger.
It'd been months after Crepus had taken Kaeya in, after Kaeya had finally grown accustomed to his new house and the people living in it, and had gotten closer to his new playmate. At the time, Diluc had thought Kaeya'd been teaching him words based on the books they used to read together, fairytales, with knights and princesses and dragons and filled with words of magic and fantasy. Now, he shivers, realizing that might not have been the case.
Prince. Diluc recognizes as the voice reverberates again, crawling through the ground and up his legs, making him squirm.
He feels dizzy as realization sinks into him. The word taught to him wasn't a translation of the silly stories they used to enjoy, it was, instead, a word Kaeya simply repeated to him, that had been learned by being constantly said to him, long before he was left at his doorstep, dripping wet from the rain, shaking and looking lost and confused. Diluc grimaces at the stark contrast between that frail child and what Kaeya could've become if Khaenri'ah hadn't fallen.
Diluc takes in a breath, hands balling into fists to try steadying himself, but fear and anxiety are already starting to make their way to his heart.
Of course Kaeya had been confused at that time, looking around the winery with big, questioning eyes and a slightly parted mouth. Used to a life of royalty, of servants carefully watching over him, calling him prince, to suddenly have such a drastic change in lifestyle, any child, or anyone in a similar position, for that matter, would've reacted the same, if not worse.
Diluc doesn't know what the enemy's planning, but Kaeya is in their direct line of sight and isn't moving, it's not farfetched to think nothing good can come from that.
"Kaeya?" He calls in a whisper, though as frantically as he can. Nevertheless, there's no answer from Kaeya, not even a sign of recognition that he's heard him.
Diluc grunts to himself, he wants to grab Kaeya's arm and pull him to his side, shake him and ask what's wrong, but what would that even do, as surrounded as they are it'd only put a target on their back.
Despite being as careful as he can, he's forced to stop his calls and seek cover when he catches sight of a man walking from the back of the enemy's lines, making his way in between Abyss Heralds and Lectors that part reverently for him to walk by. He is covered from head to toe in a deep blue cloak, with silver armor peeking through and a helmet obscuring the top part of his face. Diluc sees his mouth opening and his voice, metallic and abyssal, fills his ears again.
"Kaeya, come forth, our prince."
As soon as he hears it, Diluc is frozen in place and dread fills his gut, though not only from what's just been said, also from the recognition of the man's barely visible features.
Diluc's seen that man before, on the years he'd been away from Mondstadt.
He'd been at the end of his journey, deep into Snezhnaya's territory, walking furtively and swiftly to infiltrate the another Fatui base.
Amidst many lower ranked Fatui and some Harbingers, he'd seen him, sitting on an imposing chair behind an equally imposing table. From a distance, he couldn't make out what they were saying, but the man looked stern, calculating.
When their eyes met, Diluc felt his blood freeze in his veins. The man's gaze was ice cold, but intense, powerful and borderline furious.
He was lucky he'd escaped alive.
But this current attack, it has nothing to do with the Fatui, Diluc tries reasoning with himself. His mind has to be playing tricks on him while trying to make sense of what's happening, there's no way the Fatui and the Abyss Order have been working together all this time under all of their noses.
He doesn't have time to dwell on that thought for long, though, since as soon as the words leave the man's obscured lips Kaeya's hidden eye starts glowing in a pale blue light. The eyepatch is barely enough to contain the shine, its brightness spilling over the edges and illuminating part of his face.
Dark blue veins start spreading from the same eye, over Kaeya's cheeks and down to his neck. They remind Diluc of paint dripping down a canvas, messily beautiful.
With his mind reeling, Diluc almost misses when Kaeya starts walking slowly and robotically towards Khaenri'ah's side.
The Knights and Diluc hold their breath; the Knights because they don't understand what's going on, can't process what's the correlation between Kaeya, a prince and the abyss, and Diluc because he can't believe his own eyes, refuses to accept what's happening without seeking a better explanation.
Kaeya is planning a surprise attack, his desperate mind supplies last minute, but the rational part of him doesn't let that thought run for too long. He's walking in plain sight, Diluc's brain screams back at him, how would an ambush even be possible in a scenario like this. It just wouldn't.
Diluc knows he's shaking and he senses Jean looking concernedly at him from the other side of the gate. He doesn't look back at her, he doesn't move, too preoccupied observing Kaeya's movements to even blink.
Kaeya is still making his way to the opposite side, feet dragging through the ground and almost making him falter with each step. At one point it looks like he's losing his balance but something is still forcing him forward, one of his shoulders is slumped in front of him, his legs bending weirdly to accomplish the act of walking and his head is almost lolling to the side.
Diluc can't help but feel worried when Kaeya finally reaches his destination and stands in front of Khaenri'ah's soldiers. He's clearly in no condition to defend himself if they were to jump him and Diluc's about to run for his aid when Kaeya turns to face the burning walls of Mondstadt instead. He removes his eyepatch with a simple flick of his hand, nonchalantly, as if he hasn't been hiding what's under it for years, and throws it to the side, uncaring if it gets stepped on and destroyed in the middle of the battle.
The light emanating from Kaeya's eye dims down and the look on his face is blank. Without being obfuscated by the light, Diluc can see his eyes are unfocused. It's obvious he doesn't recognize his allies anymore and Diluc wonders if, at the very least, there's still a small part deep inside him that's fighting against what's being done to him.
His silent question is answered when Kaeya raises his sword, but, in that moment, Diluc wishes it hadn't been.
Kaeya's entire demeanor changes and a dangerous glint flashes in his eyes, his brows furrow. He looks determined and completely serious, like he's on a mission and he intends to fulfill it without interruption.
That's the exact moment Diluc's world crumbles. Kaeya obviously didn't have a masterplan before. As he stands now, he isn't facing the enemy, he's siding with them.
The clarity in Kaeya's eyes and the determination exuding from him make Diluc wonder if he was even being controlled to begin with or if it had been just a little show to confuse and mock the knights, to confuse and mock him. He knows it's irrational, and unfair, but he can't help it. Why isn't Kaeya fighting back??
Without an ounce of doubt shown on his face, Kaeya's threatening the people he once called friends and the person he once sworn to always love and protect.
Diluc feels himself getting dizzy, losing balance as his mind starts to spiral. He faces away from Kaeya and slumps against the wall framing the gate. His fingers dig into the cold stone behind him, hard enough it would've drawn blood if he weren't wearing gloves. Looking at the situation he's in now, he doesn't want to jump to the worst conclusion. It's unimaginable that Kaeya could switch sides so easily, not after what they've gone through.
Except, this basically is he exact same situation they'd been in before.
For a long time Diluc believed he'd been betrayed on that fateful day on his eighteenth birthday. It was only after a lot of self-evaluating, of calming himself down and talking and listening to each other, that they both accepted it'd been nothing more other than bad timing. Both him and Kaeya had been dealing with a lot and they mistakenly took it out on each other.
They had reconciled after that, Kaeya apologizing for not offering support when Diluc needed it most and, instead, burdening him with even more crucial information, and Diluc for letting anger overcome him instead of listening.
He doesn't want to go through all of that again, he's fought all of these demons once, has blamed himself, blamed Kaeya, blamed himself again until he finally deemed it enough and accepted it was time to finally face Kaeya and talk about it.
He achingly remembers that even with everything cleared up and their relationship patched back together, he still felt guilty as he left Mondstadt to go on his journey. He spent many sleepless nights during that time thinking about their fall out, dealing with endless internal struggles. He tried to reason that his reaction had been understandable, he was trying to protect himself, trying to get through to Kaeya and scream at him not to abandon him, but the scar he left on Kaeya's eye would keep him up, making him grind his teeth and pull at his hair, wishing he'd acted differently.
Diluc thinks about the walls he'd built around himself over the years, thinks of how he'd let Kaeya break them all down, carefully, with the many heartfelt letters exchanged between them and the warm touches shared once he returned.
It took a long time until he finally got to the point where he felt reassured enough that their bond was stronger than anything, until he truly believed their vows to always be by each other's sides, to never doubt each other again and to love each other no matter what.
Except now, the forgiveness he'd been eager to give and to receive, and the self-blame he'd struggled with for years before Kaeya's words made him believe everything was alright, seem like nothing more than cruel jokes, mocking him for being too soft, too starved for affection and too attached.
His initial gut reaction had been right. He should've just kept his distance, wallowing in self-pity and in self-destructive tendencies.
He takes a deep, shuddering breath and his heart clenches painfully in his chest.
Fate is repeating itself and, just like before, he is being pulled into a whirlwind of events he can't control. His thoughts are going haywire and his fight or flight instincts are on overdrive trying to respond to his troubled emotions.
He's being betray- no. No he isn't.
Diluc takes another breath, and another, until he feels his senses coming back to him and pulling him out of the pit he was digging himself into. He berates himself for letting his thoughts run lose and so deep down this awful path he'd never imagined he'd face again.
This isn't Kaeya. This isn't the Kaeya that made those promises to him, this isn't the Kaeya that he knows he can trust.
A new set of emotions fill him and the need to have Kaeya back and be held in his arms is overwhelming.
Unfortunately, he feels he's back at square one, he's at a loss on what to do. He remembers the stern look he saw on Kaeya's eyes and the hard line of his lips, and it pains him to admit it, but there are no traces of his Kaeya left. He doesn't know if he's still there, powerless and buried under this man he doesn't recognize, or if he's been erased and replaced by him.
No matter the answer, though, the truth is that if his Kaeya has succumbed to his fate, then he doesn't have the will to fight anymore either, nor for Mondstadt nor for himself. Without Kaeya by his side, there's no point to anything.
Diluc barely notices when the machines resume their attacks, he can see the fiery trail of Amber's arrows raining on them, can hear Jean shouting orders in the distance and people screaming as they try to get away from the line of fire. Eula runs past him at one point, stops a few meters in front of him. After the initial shock of seeing him there, she frowns. His gloves are scrapped on their underside and he looks disheveled, his face contorted in agony. She probably assumes he's been hit while trying to fend for himself and she's clearly concerned, but she can't stop, she has a duty to fulfill. Diluc sees her hold tighten on her claymore and a worried glance sent over her shoulder as she dashes through the gate.
The interaction twists his stomach into knots. Being seen as a liability isn't something he prides himself on, not even when he wants nothing but to give up, so he tries to pull himself together, look outside the gate and see how bad things have gotten so he can act accordingly.
Kaeya's calm, talking to the commanders at his side, giving orders and changing their strategy to fit with what he knows of Mondstadt's defenses. There's an odd staccato to his voice that Diluc attributes to him trying to remember all the information he was able to gather over the years. Although, and he reconsiders his initial assessment, it's also possible Kaeya doesn't want to share any information, but whatever spell they put on him is forcing him to do it anyways.
Diluc doesn't know what propels him to do it, but he's full on shouting Kaeya's name now and in complete view of the enemy.
It's immediately appalling that no soldiers turn to him, no one acknowledges the desperation laced in his voice, the way his wails are burning in his throat and making it raw. More importantly, though, is the fact there's still no recognition in Kaeya's face.
Kaeya doesn't look at him, doesn't even seem like he's hearing him, doesn't send him a sign to show he's aware Diluc's concerned but it's ok, he has a plan and Diluc should trust him like he always does.
If Diluc could, he would be crying, but his tears dried long ago. Now, he feels nothing but a crushing pain in his heart that makes his body heavy and weak. There's nothing left for him anymore. The city he loves so dearly is burning to the ground, his friends are fighting but it's only a matter of time before they start falling one by one, and the one person left he still loves, isn't on his side anymore.
His claymore clatters to the ground and he uses the remnants of his strength to keep his knees from buckling. Letting his emotions burst for the last time, he yells at Kaeya to get this over with and kill him already.
The reaction is immediate, there's a chorus from Khaenri'ah's side, triumphant grunts, everyone screaming at Kaeya to do it, and Kaeya's turning to him slowly, head tilted slightly, as if he's considering his request. To have a Mondstadt citizen at their mercy like this, asking so politely to be killed, it's too tempting to refuse. They're finally going to get the sweet taste of revenge they've yearned for so long, it's going to be the first step to their victory.
Kaeya blinks, his mind is made. He attempts to walk towards Diluc, raises a leg to take the first step but hesitates suddenly, foot hovering awkwardly in front of him. The look on his face morphs into one of confusion and Diluc can't tell what it means.
Kaeya's eyes are still unfocused, but they're twitching and his brows are furrowing deeper than before. He seems to be concentrating in processing the sounds and blurry sights around him, in a way that contradicts the certainty of the action he'd been about to do.
A sliver of hope ignites inside Diluc. This is the sign he needed to confirm this really isn't his Kaeya, that he's been under a spell all along and when a different order reached his ears, an order that wasn't on the script, he malfunctioned and refused to obey. Diluc can't tell if it's just hopeless wishful thinking, but perhaps Kaeya is gaining some of his senses back.
Sadly, he should've expected Khaenri'ah wasn't going to sit back and watch as Kaeya stopped on his tracks and stood motionless, but he's too distracted by the turn of events to realize that another soldier is taking matters into his own hands and advancing towards him.
The man is fast and even though Kaeya takes notice of him, his bleary eyes can barely follow his steps and his body is too sluggish to properly move and try to stop him. He finds Diluc's eyes just as they widen as the soldier puts a sword through his heart.
It's so unexpected that when Diluc's brain catches up to what's happening he's already lying on the ground, surrounded by ashes and dirt while his life slips through a gashing wound on his chest. He registers the screams, the clattering of swords colliding, the thud of a body hitting the ground, the sound of his ragged breathing and the warm blood flowing out of him.
His vision is blurring by the second, but he can finally see Kaeya's distressed face staring at him from above, the blue marks retreating on his skin, glowing faintly and slowly dissolving until the dim light emanating from his uncovered eye completely extinguishes.
Before everything goes dark, he thinks he can hear Kaeya screaming his name.
When Diluc's eyes close, Kaeya finally finds himself free from Khaenri'ah's control and he sees red.
He encases Diluc in ice before the last breath leaves his body, places a gentle hand on top of it, wishing Diluc to be safe, before he stands up and turns to attack Khaenri'ah's troops. If he wasn't so absorbed in rage, he would've felt a smidge of satisfaction at seeing them halting for a brief second, not fully grasping that he's taken control over himself back, but Kaeya's not paying attention to anything else other than the swift movement of his sword as it slashes through countless bodies.
The conflict gives Jean the opportunity to command the knights that are still standing to also attack and, with Khaenri'ah's defenses completely taken by surprise, Mondstadt wins the battle as Kaeya's sword pieces the helmet of the man that had initially called to him.
Kaeya doesn't know for how long he's been staying sobbing by Diluc's side; having tuned out the last sounds of battle and being solely focused on the man in his arms, he only comes back to his senses when he gets surrounded by a group of Knights.
They have their weapons pointed at him and, from the corner of his eyes, he can tell they're sizing him up in preparation to strike.
Considering Diluc's critical condition, Kaeya doesn't want to leave his side and risk getting himself killed. If that were to happen he doesn't know what they'd do with Diluc, doesn't want to consider the possibility of them pronouncing him dead without a second thought. He glares at the Knights with an intensity he's surprised he can still muster, drapes himself protectively over Diluc's frozen body and growls.
Kaeya doesn't care if he seemed like a threat to them at the moment, the worst he could've done was already, in fact, done. He doubts they'll listen to him, the least he can do is redirect their attention to Diluc and try to get help for him.
With the commotion, Jean soon approaches the group and fixes Kaeya with a hard stare. She doesn't say anything and Kaeya doesn't care if she's trying to understand what's happening or if she's already came to the conclusion that he's betrayed them, and is simply trying to convey how upset and angry she feels. Diluc is his only priority at the moment.
"Please take him somewhere safe," he grits out, "I don't care what you do with me later, just please, save him."
Jean doesn't outwardly answer him, but lets out a heavy sigh that shows she agrees with his assessment despite not fully trusting him. Diluc needs immediate care and whatever punishment she's planning on giving him, it's going to have to wait.
Through smoke, rubble and fallen bodies, Diluc is hurriedly taken to the healers that have set up camp at the city's square and Jean allows Kaeya to stay at his side—albeit under careful and scrutinizing watch—, since the ice conjured by him is what's keeping Diluc alive.
Hours later, the healers announce Diluc's out of danger at last, and Kaeya doesn't react when he's unceremoniously cuffed on the wrists and ankles and taken to Mondstadt's underground dungeons; being imprisoned there instead of being made into an example for a public execution is the best outcome he could've hoped for himself.
It takes almost two weeks for Diluc to wake up and when he does, he finds himself alone, lying on a bed in a room he doesn't recognize.
After staying unconscious for so long he immediately struggles with the brightness of the place, the sunlight filtering through the big window on top of his bed in combination with the light colors of the decoration hitting his eyes in painful stabs.
The walls are painted in an off-white tone that matches the closed curtains, the floor is made of a light hardwood, that he assumes to be maple, and the bedsheets are pure white. There are a couple of chairs to the side, one with more beddings draped over it, and a potted plant with small, white flowers on the bedside table. It's obviously a hospital room, or a room made to look like one, with everything feeling sterile, cold and impersonal.
Diluc doesn't see his clothes anywhere, but after being stabbed he figures it makes sense they were completely ruined and had been disposed of. However, his vision is also nowhere to be found, it's not on his body and it's not on the bedside table either, and that realization worries him.
He wonders if he's been taken to Khaenri'ah, or to one of their hideouts scattered around Teyvat, but the fact that he's apparently being treated brushes that idea momentarily aside. There are wires coming out of his arms and chest, connected to a mechanical device placed against the wall, and an IV bag hung on a stand next to it.
Paired with the disappearance of his vision, his survival instincts kick in again as he considers the IV bag connected to his arm might not be a simple IV bag. He feels sluggish and dizzy and he can't tell if it's due to his recovering body on the fluids being injected on him. His brain gets to work immediately, looking around for more clues on what happened to him. But the memories are slowly coming back to him and that sudden alertness shuts down just as quickly as it hit him.
In any other situation he would've looked for a way to escape without any hesitation, in fact, he would've fought back even before being captured. With years of experience fighting the Abyss Order it'd become second nature to him to always be alert and react automatically to the most diverse situations, but now he has no strength or will fight, and not only because of his physical state.
His heart feels hollow and heavy all at once, his head hurts and the rest of his body feels numb. There are all sorts of thoughts running through his mind, but he doesn't want to focus on any of them. There's no point in trying to make sense of anything anymore, he lost in more ways than he can count and he's been captured, waiting for his demise is all he can do.
He closes his eyes, wishing everything would be over already, but the sound of the door opening and a startled gasp take him out of his trance and make him face his visitor.
To his surprise, Jean is standing there, hands raised to her mouth and tears welling up in her eyes. They stare at each other for a solid minute, Diluc trying to make sense of seeing a familiar face on what he had assumed was enemy territory and Jean trying to keep her emotions at bay, until she ultimately sprints to his side and holds one of his hands in between hers.
"I'm so relieved you're alive." She whispers brokenly after a sob.
Diluc doesn't bother to hide the shock on his face, the way his eyes widen and his lips part at seeing her there.
"What…?" He whispers back, incredulous. What is Jean doing there, isn't he on Khaenri'ah? Had his assumptions been wrong, did Mondstadt actually win the battle?
Jean wipes her tears with the back of her hand and brings a chair closer to the bed so she can explain to him everything that has occurred from the moment he fell unconscious.
He feels his throat closing up and has to hold back tears of his own when Jean tells him Kaeya had regained his senses last minute and used his cryo powers to save him before jumping into battle himself, "He definitely didn't hesitate to cut the head off the man that put you in this state." She mentions with a small laugh.
It's when she tells him that given Kaeya's earlier betrayal they still had to isolate him and keep him locked up that Diluc gets up in a whim and shoots from the bed.
He recalls being almost unconscious, feeling a sharp pain in his chest, blood flowing out of him and soaking his clothes, his body growing cold. There were shouts of his name, warmth coming from hands that were desperately clutching at him, gripping at his arms, face and neck then turning freezing cold. He recalls the feeling of ice enveloping his body before everything faded away.
If it'd been confirmed Kaeya was being controlled by Khaenri'ah but broke free from it in the end, and if Khaenri'ah wasn't a threat anymore, why was Kaeya detained? For the second time in his life, Diluc finds rightfulness in his decision of not trusting the Knights of Favonius.
He starts limping towards the door, dragging the IV stand precariously behind him and almost losing his balance halfway there. His sudden action immediately worries Jean, who pushes the chair back in a hurry and rushes to his side, placing one of his arms around her shoulders for support.
"Master Diluc, please be careful! You haven't fully recovered yet." She pleads, but makes no move to turn Diluc around and take him back to the bed.
Her words do nothing to deter him, Diluc doesn't care if his body is falling apart, he needs to get to Kaeya.
He makes it to the door with Jean's help and starts shouting for someone to take him to where Kaeya is. He rips the IV cord from his arm in frustration and the people scattered outside of the room, if not already startled at the commotion, stop in their tracks and stare at him, some whispering amongst themselves.
The anger Diluc feels escalates tenfold and he's relieved when Barbara comes rushing from a door, lest he would've punched someone.
His relief is short lived as Barbara fusses over him, asking if he feels any pain or if he needs anything, and ushering him back inside the room. At that point, Diluc's mustering all of his self-control not to snap at her or at the other people still surrounding them.
"I just need someone to take me to Kaeya. Now." He says through gritted teeth while trying to walk past Barbara's frantic arms.
Barbara is taken aback by the request and she looks at Jean for help, concern clear in her eyes.
Jean shakes her head solemnly. She knows she can't change Diluc's mind and Barbara trying would be even more of a futile attempt.
"Stay with him while I go fetch some knights to help." She tells Barbara and the nun quickly moves to put Diluc's arms around her shoulders and maneuver him to a nearby bench. "And you, master Diluc, please behave for a moment and don't do anything reckless." She chastises Diluc and sighs as she reaches into a pocket on her jacket and places Diluc's vision on his palm. "I'll be right back." She says before disappearing down a flight of stairs.
When Jean comes back, she has a couple of knights trailing behind her and Diluc's wearing a change of clothes Barbara gave him to replace his hospital gown.
Begrudgingly, Diluc accepts their help and slowly they make their way out of the hospital building and to where Kaeya's being kept.
They end up behind the church, in a corner obscured by the imposing archways, and one of the knights unlocks the heavy door there that leads to the catacombs. It's a place not many people know exists—most of them prefer not to indulge on thoughts of what is done to those captured by Knights—, and as hidden away from the general view as it is, it's extremely uncommon for anyone to accidentally stumble upon it.
Opposed to other secret locations in the city, like the vault and shelter under the church, that were brightly illuminated, with shiny tiles covering every surface and with either expensive or comfortable furnishings filling the space, the catacombs are dark, cold and humid. The floors and walls are made of old stone bricks, that are cracked, moldy and dusty, and heavily gated cells line the hallways on both sides, with iron bars so thick Diluc's sure most knights wouldn't be able to cut through them with their swords if they ever had to.
They walk further inside, down more flights of stairs, until they reach the floor where Kaeya's cell is. Their steps echo in the mostly empty space, only accompanied by the sound of water dripping through the cracks and rats crawling somewhere in the darkness.
Kaeya's clearly in a more secured area, as distant from the entrance as possible and protected by a barrier—or rather, he's being kept behind a barrier so the Mondstadt citizens can be protected from him. His wrists and ankles are bound by chains and connected to the wall, and his vision is obviously not in his possession anymore. His clothes are torn and bloodied, and through a quick once over Diluc doesn't see any major injuries, only a few scratches here and there; he sighs in relief at the fact.
Kaeya's head is hung low, but he raises his gaze slightly to look at them through a curtain of his hair, that's matted, dirty and doesn't have the shine it usually has. He also doesn't show any reaction to them being there other than a gulp in anticipation to what might happen.
Diluc can hardly look at him, he's more than furious at this point. How can they keep Kaeya, the one that helped create the opportunity for them to win the war against Khaenri'ah, locked up like this, in such terrible conditions?
He musters all of his strength to materialize his claymore and he can see Kaeya is growing wary on the other side of the barrier, clearly thinking Diluc is angry with him and not at the precarious situation he's in.
It's only natural Diluc assumes Kaeya's having flashbacks to their fight years prior, the setting is similar enough, Diluc holding his weapon with a resolute look in his eyes while Kaeya doesn't even feel like he has the right to defend himself. The first time it happened, they both knew Diluc had had no intentions of scarring Kaeya, yet it happened anyways, but now, in Kaeya's mind, it might seem as completely justifiable for Diluc to hurt him, he had almost betrayed Mondstadt, after all, had almost betrayed Diluc.
Regardless of Kaeya's possible assumptions, Diluc doesn't want to waste too much time worrying about them, first and foremost he needs to free Kaeya and show him he's definitely not angry or upset with him, quite the opposite. Just like Kaeya had chosen him years ago and during the most recent battle, he's also going choose Kaeya now. In fact, he'll choose him always, no matter what.
Diluc holds his stance, plants his feet firmly on the ground and tightens his grip on his claymore, and Jean steps closer to him, tries to calm him down with a hand on his arm. If she didn't before, now she surely thinks he's about to do something he might regret later, but the look he sends her is enough to make her reconsider her opinion. He's aware that in his current state he might look filled with rage to the unfamiliar eye, but he's confident Jean is one of the few people that can discern the desperation and pleading laced there. He's grateful when she steps back and orders the knights to leave after her.
With just him and Kaeya left, Diluc looks Kaeya straight in the eye, raises his claymore, aims and unleashes an attack.
The barrier breaks in an explosion of light and wind, and Diluc lets his claymore vanish, rushes inside the cell and falls to his knees in front of Kaeya. He doesn't try to stop the tears that well up in his eyes and fall freely down his cheeks as he presses his forehead to Kaeya's.
"I love you, I love you, I love you." He whispers countless times.
Getting over the initial shock from having Diluc barging in and not confronting him, Kaeya breathes shakily in relief. The impact of Diluc's attack was also enough to crack the chains restraining him and he wastes no time removing himself from them with a pull and snaking an arm around Diluc's shoulders, pulling him closer and into a tight hug.
With the clear invitation and acceptance, Diluc grips the front of Kaeya's shirt with both hands, hanging on tight, and buries his face in the crook of his neck. There are so many emotions coursing through him, so many good emotions, that he doesn't know what to do other than to cling to Kaeya like his life depends on it, like he doesn't want to ever let go. And in fact, he really doesn't, and he tells Kaeya as much, muffled against his skin, "Don't ever try to leave me again, I won't let you."
Kaeya chuckles. He can almost hear the pout in Diluc's voice and he can't believe he's acting cute in a situation like this, but he can't deny it, he feels incredibly happy as Diluc's presence and words fill him with pure joy and fondness.
He leans his head on top of Diluc's, resting his cheek against his hair, "As if I would." He replies, "And I love you too, always have and always will."
Diluc pulls back, somehow surprised by the confession, but when Kaeya smiles warmly and lovingly at him, and leans in to kiss him, he doesn't resist.