1 Chapter 1

They draw their swords as they used to do together but this time it was against each other. Fire and ice contracting each other because of a secret that was revealed.

It was a cold stormy afternoon as the father and his son are walking on the muddy ground and stepping on puddles. The father was looking for a place where he can hide and protect his son, not from the rain nor the thunder and lightning but from his self.

"Father, why did we stop? Aren't we going home?", the little boy asked his father with his innocent eyes.

His father didn't say any word. Hatred and disappointment were written all over his face. They sat for a little while as the dark sky is flashing lightings and roaring thunders. The father carried his son under a huge tree in front of the winery. He cared his face and looked at him with both hope and hatred in his eyes and squeezed his son's shoulders.

"This is your chance. You are our last hope"

The young boy's eyes are innocent yet the words that his father said have been engraved on his brain and understood what was happening. The father left his son and distanced his self.

Master Crepus, the owner of the winery immediately took the little boy in and dry him.

"Why are you standing under the storm poor child? Where are your parents", he asked as he continued to wipe the rain from the little boy's hair and face.

"..."

"Do you have a name?", he asked.

"K-Kaeya", the little boy shyly replied, he was trembling because of the cold.

"Diluc, let Kaeya barrow some of your clothes. Those that are too small for you", Master Crepus said to his son.

The young boy Diluc quickly fetched the clothes for Kaeya without questions and handed it to his father. Master Crepus gave the clothes to Kaeya and let him change his clothes.

Since that day, Kaeya became a part of their family, Master Crepus gave him love as if he was his child and Diluc become his closest friend.

Diluc act like Kaeya's big brother since he was older, he also influenced Kaeya to become a swordsman as he told him stories about how great the knights of Favonious are and on how they save monstadt. So every afternoon when the wind is peacefully blowing and the sun is hiding behind the clouds, they will head into the the facade of the winery under the trees with their swords made of wood and play together.

One afternoon while they were playing, Kaeya suddenly remembered his father's last words to him. His smiling face was erased and became upset. Diluc was so focused on Kaeya that he quickly notice the changes on his mood.

"What's wrong?" , he asked as he walked towards him.

Kaeya made a huge smile on his face and said, "nothing", and ran passed through him acting like nothings wrong.

Diluc knows that something's off about him and he can't stand seeing him sad or hurt so he made a move.

"Why are you suddenly sulking?", young Diluc asked.

Kaeya pointed his finger towards the tree, "the spider ate the butterfly..."

Diluc stood beside him as they watched the spider devouring the poor insect.

"The spider is bad", those words came out of Young Kaeya's mouth.

"No, it's not, eating when you're hungry is not bad"

"But the butterfly is crying"

"How could you even tell?"

"Well.. people cry when they're hurt", Kaeya said as he remembered the people in his origin crying in pain.

Diluc sat on the meadow and patted the ground next to him inviting Kaeya to sat beside him. Young Kaeya obediently sat next to him and listens as Diluc explains about the act of nature and the reason why the spider ate the butterfly. They talked and talked, the breeze of wind made them sleepy in a warm afternoon under the tree that send them to fall asleep. Leaning against the tree with their heads against each other, feeling warm.

Soon Adeline, the head housemaid of Ragvindr household, came out to call the young boys to get ready for dinner but what she found made her feel bad if she's going to call them so soon. Two young child sleeping in the meadow with head against each other looking so cozy and comfy despite the dirty ground melt her heart for while.

She waited for a few moments. When the sun was starting to sink and the skies turned into crimson and pink, Adeline decided to wake them and to prepare them for dine.

"Master Diluc, Master Kaeya... time to prepare for dinner", Adeline said in a soft voice.

The young boys slowly woke up and rubbed their eyes. Their energy came back in a whim and raced back inside the winery, laughter echoed inside the empty hall.

"Master Diluc, Master Kaeya, I think it's time to clean you boys up"

"I can do it alone now", young Diluc said,

Adeline chuckled softly," Master Diluc grew up so fast that I didn't recognize you are a young man now"

"I can do it myself too", Kaeya said enthusiastically.

Adeline laughed, "are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Okay then", she smiled ,"I'll be right here when you're done".

The young boys entered the tub and washed themselves. Young Kaeya is struggling washing his his hair because of it's length and thickness.

As Diluc watched his struggling, he laughed softly and rubbed Kaeya's hair.

"You still can't do it propperly. You should've let Adeline to wash you", he said.

"Wah! But... I'm just copying Diluc"

"No, you're doing it wrong"

"Haaaah", he sighed wearily, "I want to be like Diluc", "Diluc is so good at everything, Dilu-"

"Shut your mouth, water will get in there if you keep talking", young Diluc said. His face was blushing.

The young boys' voice, laughter and splashing of water muffled inside the damp dim room.