Chapter Three

I'm going to start a fire." Diluc says, quiet.

Kaeya hums tiredly "Okay,"

Diluc moves around in the immediate area, collecting loose sticks and old logs. He uses his claymore to break through a few of the larger dry logs.

As he rummages around, evidence of the fierce battle Kaeya went through become more evident.The foliage is trashed and broken in places, skid marks and marks of desparate footwork litter the ground. The trees also bear marks of the fight, with one of them sporting gouges in the trunk at the height of his own neck and the remnants of a concealed talon are embedded in the trunk of another.

Diluc wrenches the claw out of the tree and examines it. A memory comes to mind from his travels; 'the unlikely remains of a powerful rift wolf, advanced in its unnatural development' a wizened old shaman had said to him once as he had scrutinized a similar object.

On a tragic occasion during his trek through the highlands of Sumeru, Diluc had nearly witnessed the mauling of a very small town by a pack of rifthounds. He'd arrived on the tail end of the incident only in time to see the damage. The injuries left behind had been gruesome and a few left over pieces like the one he was now holding had been scattered about. The shaman, being the oldest and most learned person in the village was the only one to have survived.

Diluc turns the broken set of talons over in his hands, contemplative. He glances at Kaeya. To think he had come so close to such an horrendous death; cut down by a monster of the Abyss while Diluc had been merely a stone's throw away.

Diluc pockets the reminder of what his brother had faced to perhaps show him if and when he recovers.

Diluc continues his search for fire wood while growing weary of Kaeya's silence. "Kaeya?" He eventually calls while looking up at a tangled dead branch that would make for good kindling. He listens attentively for Kaeya's response.

"Hmm" Kaeya forces his eye open. "What is it?"

Diluc snaps the branch overhead and then looks back at Kaeya. "If I can't treat your injury, I can at least keep you awake. Tell me, how did this happened?"

Kaeya groans in tired frustration.

Diluc drags down the piece of wood and breaks it into manageable pieces, patient.

"I was busy,… doing treasure hoarder…" Kaeya sighs and properly looks at Diluc, trying to focus through the haze of fever.

Diluc arranges the pile of wood at a safe distance from Kaeya and lights the whole thing. Then he gives Kaeya his full attention.

"I was investigating treasure hoarders nearby." Kaeya tries again. His voice sticks in his throat.

Diluc is by his side instantly, placing his canteen on the ground right by his hand before he has to ask.

Kaeya takes it with shaking fingers and drinks, gulping noisily.

"Hey take it easy, " Diluc nearly grabs the bottle but Kaeya stops himself and moves his hand out of reach.

"Thank you," he seems to strengthen slightly, watching Diluc with clearer eyes.

"Of course,"

"Then Abyss mages suddenly ambushed me here," Kaeya continues quietly

Diluc listens while watching the blood drip distressing frequently from the saturated jacket.

Kaeya smiles slightly, oblivious. "I ended them all without a problem though," Diluc finds himself rolling his eyes affectionately at the note of pride in Kaeya's voice. Kaeya had always considered just overcoming, barely winning by the skin of his teeth to be equivalent with 'having no problem'. Diluc belatedly wonders if that has changed.

.

"But then the rifthound came out of nowhere."

Diluc nods, grim. He tends the fire for a moment lost in thought. "So when did you get… that?" he asks hesitantly.

Kaeya grins ruefully "Oh, you mean this near evisceration?"

Diluc shakes his head grim, "Please don't joke."

Kaeya shrugs one shoulder. "Why not, if I don't, I'll remember that I'm actually dying and that's one of the most depressing things one should be made to dwell on don't you think?"

"You're not going to die Kaeya." Diluc says as though the notion insults him.

Kaeya huffs, growing quiet and pensive, staring into the fire. "I tried my best to evade the hound. I knew exactly what its touch would do." He resumes "Near the end, the dark made it hard to track it when it becomes near invisible,"

Diluc looks up startled, "I didn't know they could that."

Kaeya nods solemnly. His hands have become restless again. "It came out of nowhere and…well"

Diluc notices that Kaeya's hand is hovering near the wound again and his eyes have grown distant. He suddenly regrets asking him to relive it. Before he can say anything though, Kaeya continues.

"I used all the elemental power I had left and finished it but it was too late." He looks up at Diluc briefly, "Pretty pathetic right?"

Diluc looks surprised "Not at all. I… well…" He looks back at the fire "I'm surprised and glad that you survived."

Kaeya looks up, suspicious.

"Now I know I'm done for." He says smiling regretfully.

Diluc opens his mouth to argue but Kaeya doesn't pause "But I'm glad you came," he coughs and winces "and stayed," he finishes quietly.

Diluc doesn't know what to say to this, so he stays silent. Only eventually reaffirming that Kaeya isn't going to die.

Kaeya hums but doesn't answer anymore, instead growing listless and despondent again.

They sit quietly for quite some time after that. Each of them lost in their own thoughts. At one point, Diluc takes out a small piece of parchment from an inner pocket of his coat and tears a strip from it. He proceeds to write on it using a pencil he also keeps with him. Kaeya watches all this curiously, but does not comment. Afterwards Diluc rolls up the little note and tucks it into his pocket as well. He doesn't elaborate on what he's doing. Shortly after Diluc rises to go about the business of constructing a makeshift shelter for them. Kaeya remains still and silent.

The area they have been occupying is largely devoid of any usable debris since he's gathered it all to make their fire, so Diluc has to venture further, sometimes out of sight of Kaeya, to get suitable material. At those time, he anxiously hurries back only to find Kaeya mostly unchanged except for a disturbing air of detachment as though he is no longer fully aware of his surroundings.

Diluc searches the sky from time to time, but finds no comfort.

Once he's finished gathering what they will need, he works on binding the branches together into a crude wall to keep out the damp and wind. Its mindless work that he has become skilled at over the years when his money and status had not been sufficient to prevent certain inconveniences. He's thankful for the skills now and spends the time thinking of the best strategy with which to get Kaeya down from the isolated cliff that is the region of Wolvendom.

Going back to Cider Lake is out of the question, the trip would be unnecessarily long and arduous with multiple hilichurl camps along the way. Not to mention the fact that sailing across the lake back to Mondstadt would take too long.

On the other hand, the winery is very close to their current position. But to get to it would require gliding. Diluc is normally fine with this, even preferring to do so instead of climbing back down, but can he manage that with Kaeya in tow?

The additional weight won't be an issue. Diluc always has his gliders custom made and reinforced to bear the added weight of his heavy claymore. Temporarily removing that weight will be sufficient to offset Kaeya's additional bulk, but the issue of maneuverability while carrying someone still remains.

His fledgling of a plan still needs work.

He gets up to assemble the leanto with the walls he has made, continuing his constant visual checks on his brother. Kaeya has definitely grown weaker, sagging even more heavily against the tree he has been leaning against, but for the time being, he maintains, with surprising lucidity, that Diluc must keep his distance every time he even seems to get too close.

Later, as Diluc works to secure the two sturdy walls against the cliff face, moving around Kaeya to enclose him in it, he notices Kaeya watching him with intense curiosity and eventually confusion. Not because he is too close but as though puzzled by him himself . It reminds Diluc, rather unnervingly, of the very first night when they had found Kaeya, outside and absolutely drenched. He'd spent the entire evening watching both his father and him with a frightening intensity. Silent and weary, until he grew accustomed to their movements and had succumbed to exhaustion.

Diluc is mystified as to why Kaeya would look at him like that again.

"Are you real?" Kaeya asks suddenly.

Diluc looks down to him, startled.

What?

Kaeya stares at him simply, his wide dark rimmed eye shining with raging fever, waiting for an answer. He seems genuinely unsure. Diluc's chest tightens.

"Yes Kaeya, I'm real." He remains outwardly calm.

"You found me?" Kaeya asks

"Yes, that's right."

Kaeya's confusion grows "When did you get here? Did I call you then?"

Diluc steps out of the area around Kaeya so he can attach their roof. His hands are not as steady as they were. "I found you by accident." He says carefully. "I've been here with you for a few hours." Kaeya opens his mouth to respond but is beset with a coughing fit that leaves flecks of blood on his lips.

Diluc clenches his fists, frustrated at his lack of helpfulness. He's unable to carry him away to safety, indeed he's unable to even touch him. His presence here is almost inconsequential. The urge to ignore the potential consequences and go to him to set everything aright has not surfaced in many years, yet it is the strongest it has ever been.

Kaeya, still watching him wearily, notices the stormy look on his face and asks "Are you angry at me?" he gestures to himself "Because of all this?" Diluc's eyes widen in self-recrimination.

"No Kaeya, of course not. This isn't your fault."

Kaeya doesn't seem to hear. He chuckles, then winces and coughs again. "Of course you are," he sighs "This is one of the most ridiculous situations I've ever gotten myself into and here you are bogged down with the mess as well. Why wouldn't you be? I'm certainly furious with myself."

"Kaeya, I'm not mad." Diluc insists trying to meet his eye, but Kaeya is listlessly looking around, sometimes peering out into the dark. He looks pained at Diluc's words instead of reassured.

"So…" he pants and clenches his fist, tensing with pain. "So why are we still here then?" He looks around distressed. "We shouldn't still be here." He finally focuses on Diluc's troubled face. "We need to go home, Diluc. I'm sorry about everything that's happened. About all this." He gestures tiredly "This was never supposed to happen, and I sincerely apologize. But you have to help me."

Diluc gulps, angry, frustrated and hurt.

Does Kaeya truly believe he's keeping him here out of anger? That he would be this cruel?

Is this what his confused mind has supplied as the reason for his continued suffering despite Diluc's capable presence? Does he truly think him capable of that?

Their relationship has not degraded to such a point. Diluc is sure of this. They have not become enemies. Kaeya would never draw such a conclusion in his right mind. The fever has obviously ravished his mind excessively.

Diluc swallows thickly and crouches in front of him. "I'm not mad at you Kaeya, I would never leave you here if I could help it. We will go as soon as we can, but in the meantime, we have to camp out in here, ok?" He gestures to the shelter around them.

Kaeya groans and shifts slightly, he's not hearing what Diluc is saying or isn't listening,

"But why are we still waiting? I think…I…," he shakes his head "We really shouldn't be here Diluc." He focuses on Diluc for a second before his gaze continues to roam. Its terrifyingly evident that he's losing the battle against the wound and the night is still very young. "It's too dangerous, we need to go."

"Kaeya, look at me." Diluc implores him.

Kaeya finally makes eye contact, confused but seemingly trusting, "I promise we will leave as soon as we can. I know its dangerous, but we can't leave just yet."

The wave of pain that has rendered Kaeya so uneasy and miserable seems to pass in the next few moments. Kaeya still doesn't understand but nods, "Okay,"

Diluc nods "We will Kaeya," he reaffirms, without offering further explanation. He loathes the idea of explaining to this feverish muddled version of his brother that they aren't leaving, that he has been confined to bleed out on the cold ground in the forest, because Diluc can't touch him for fear of getting sick himself. The notion straightly disgusts him; He could never be that selfish. But Kaeya isn't going to understand. Not in this state.

Kaeya doesn't question him though, another anomaly, apparently content to trust his judgement.

The respite from the pain doesn't last very long. Bursts of dark, draining energy sap Kaeya's strength as the night slowly progresses. He sits there fighting to stay awake, clenching and unclenching his fist. His face contorts in pain from time to time. He glances at Diluc nervously and then their surroundings before biting down on his hand again, it's not enough to completely stifle a scream of frustrated agony. Diluc feels his eyes burn.

"Why does it hurt so much?" Kaeya asks sounding angry and worn-out. "It burns no matter what I do."

"I don't know for sure Kaeya but it will pass. I promise you'll be OK. "

Kaeya just frowns and looks away.

Diluc patrols and cleans up their space and feeds the fire with more logs at times; anything to keep from watching Kaeya struggle. But eventually he runs out of things to do. He settles himself under the low roof and maintains a painfully safe distance from Kaeya.

Kaeya acknowledges his presence with a nod.

"Are you still cold," Diluc asks after a minute.

"Not as much," Kaeya answers quietly. He appears to be in between waves of agony.

"That's good, it shouldn't be too much longer.

"Why are we waiting again?" Kaeya asks lightly, apparently aware of the fact that he should know but too addled to recall.

Diluc studies his ashen face. "We're waiting for the poison to pass out of your system, so you won't feel so bad when we move. "

Kaeya nods remembering, "Ah yes," he seems to have regained some clarity "Don't get too close."

They sit there in silence for awhile. The ambient sounds of the forest much louder now. Woodland frogs and crickets infuse the night with noise. Diluc tenses at the distant howl of a wolf.

Next to him Kaeya sighs softly.

"This is nice," He looks over at Diluc smiling ruefully.

Diluc looks wounded. "It's really not."

Kaeya huffs what is probably meant to be a laugh. "Well not the dying part no, but just sitting here beside you quietly; that's nice."

"You're not going to die Kaeya." Diluc answers as though if only he says it enough times Kaeya will believe it.

"I think I am, "Kaeya says matter of factly "I know," he stares into the fire "well… I can feel it." He looks back at Diluc. "But I'm glad it was you who came and not someone else. I'm glad we got a chance to talk a little again. "

Diluc steadfastly looks ahead, ignoring the moisture gathering in the corner of his eyes. He has never in all their life as brothers wanted to touch Kaeya so fiercely, to pull his entire annoying being into a shielding embrace. They were never particularly affectionate children, but they were never distant or starved for touch either.

He realizes that he has not been close enough to actually touch his brother in years. Not a handshake or a pat on the back. The yawning chasm between them seems to have outgrown itself. Stretching and spreading to taint aspects of their lives that needn't have been damaged. They could have been civil. They could have shared a meal now and then.

Now its possible they've run out of time, because Kaeya's right; he's dying.

"You're right, " Diluc answers after a moment, "This is nice." He finally looks at Kaeya, his eyes sparkle with unshed tears.

Kaeya beams at him, his bloodstained teeth are visible in the light of the fire.

Diluc smiles back.

They sit like that for a while longer, Diluc continually scanning the treetops until Kaeya abruptly sighs and wavers. Diluc looks at him, alarmed.

"It's finally gone." He says suddenly, his eyes falling shut.

Diluc grabs him immediately before he can fall and hit the ground, he waits a mere second to confirm the darkness has passed. "Alright Kaeya, I've got you."

Kaeya doesn't respond. He doesn't budge.

"Kaeya!" Diluc shifts him into his arms so he can adjust his position to lay him down. Kaeya's head falls back, limp. "Kaeya!" Diluc shakes him harder. Kaeya's face pinches in discomfort and he groans softly.

"I'm sorry," Diluc gently lays him out under the brush covering and unties the mess around his middle. "I had to make sure." The cloth squelches with blood when he touches it.

He examines Kaeya's slack features, his skin is so pale he looks grey. Then he removes his gloves and carefully lifts the poorly set bandaging away. Its so slick it doesn't even stick to the wound. It hasn't clotted at all.

When Diluc gets it off completely, he gasps loudly at the severity of the gashes.

The three gaping slashes in his side bleed profusely. An evil sickly darkness recedes before his eyes, and he realizes it must be the visual remnant of the corrosion.

Diluc gathers the meager supply of bandages he carries with him and sets to work cleaning the wound as best as he can. The fever raging in Kaeya seems to have cooled very slightly from the heat he'd felt pouring off him while they sat together. But it is still a dangerously high body temperature especially for a cryo vision user. He also takes a peak at Kaeya's Vision, now made visible again after the tied cape was removed.

Its alarmingly dim and flickers frighteningly. Diluc hurries to clean and pack the wound the best he can and tightly bind it, so he won't lose any more blood.

Kaeya doesn't budged despite how painful the whole operation must be. Diluc lays two bloody fingers on his neck to check the pulse of what little lifeblood he has left. The small thready beat he feels is barely perceptible. Then he leans his cheek over Kaeya's partly opened mouth; his breath is just as ethereal in nature; it almost doesn't exist.

"Come on Kaeya," Diluc whispers, pulling back to gather him into his arms. "Come on, you can make it till morning."

Diluc holds on to him fiercely, settling him into his lap. "You can make it." He whispers again, looking out into the dark.

They have no less than three hours to go before dawn. Maybe more.