[he hasn't seen kaeya cry since they were children, when kaeya was so small and scared, when his clothes looked like they could swallow him up if diluc didn't hold tightly onto him. the sight hits diluc like a mitachirl swinging his axe, and it's instinct that moves his legs forward, searching kaeya for any injury as if it were anything physical, like when kaeya scraped his knees and wept until diluc kissed it better.
there's no wound for him to sooth this time.
he takes kaeya by the shoulders, hoping he can discern who the hell told kaeya these lies just by looking into his eye. his expression firm but his tone uncharacteristically gentle, he asks:] Who told you that? I'm here now, aren't I? Don't believe such lies so easily.
[he's out of practice, but he tries to console the best he can with the words he thought he'd lost long ago. truly, he hadn't seen kaeya so much as sad since he returned to mondstadt. kaeya was careful in his portrayal, carefully crafted so as to be friendly but remain distant. even with their strained relationship, diluc could see that much.
but to see him in a moment of vulnerability like this- well, diluc has spent his entire lifetime protecting kaeya during these moments, and the mere sight of it sparks his muscle memory. all thoughts of cordiality and tense relationships and spies and rainy nights are but flickers of thoughts compared to the heavy reality of kaeya before him, looking just like he had the night he was found.
softer, almost an afterthought, he says:] Who did this to you...?
no subject
there's no wound for him to sooth this time.
he takes kaeya by the shoulders, hoping he can discern who the hell told kaeya these lies just by looking into his eye. his expression firm but his tone uncharacteristically gentle, he asks:] Who told you that? I'm here now, aren't I? Don't believe such lies so easily.
[he's out of practice, but he tries to console the best he can with the words he thought he'd lost long ago. truly, he hadn't seen kaeya so much as sad since he returned to mondstadt. kaeya was careful in his portrayal, carefully crafted so as to be friendly but remain distant. even with their strained relationship, diluc could see that much.
but to see him in a moment of vulnerability like this- well, diluc has spent his entire lifetime protecting kaeya during these moments, and the mere sight of it sparks his muscle memory. all thoughts of cordiality and tense relationships and spies and rainy nights are but flickers of thoughts compared to the heavy reality of kaeya before him, looking just like he had the night he was found.
softer, almost an afterthought, he says:] Who did this to you...?