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“Penny for your thoughts, firefly?”
Diluc inclined his head, turning slightly to meet Childe’s eyes. They sat curled up on a loveseat they had dragged close to the fireplace in Diluc’s home office. Soft music floated around them, coming from the record player on Diluc’s desk. A Christmas tree was the only other light source besides the fire, glistening with lights and ornaments. There was an even larger one in the main foyer of the winery. However, the one in Diluc’s office had been decorated by just him and Childe earlier that day.
In all honesty, Diluc was thinking about family. Due to schedules, Childe was nearer to Mondstadt than his home for the holiday. So both had decided to spend Christmas together for the first time. It wasn’t that Diluc was upset Childe wasn’t with his family this year…he supposed it was more the idea that Childe had a family to go home to. To spend holidays with, to see after a long mission away from his homeland.
When Diluc came home from his three year sojourn he was only greeted by Adelinde and a cold, empty mansion.
And a pile of unopened letters from a certain cavalry captain.
“Luc?”
Diluc blinked. Childe’s eyebrows drew together slightly in concern. He smiled in an attempt to disperse the worry.
“Nothing much.” Diluc said, turning away again while leaning back into Childe.
“Liar.”
A gentle touch to Diluc’s face guided it back to look at Childe, whose eyes seemed to sense Diluc’s thoughts. “Talk to me, baby.”
Diluc sighed, closing his eyes. “I’m just thinking about things I can’t change, I suppose.”
“I love you.”
Diluc’s eyes flew open at the sudden outburst of words. “What?”
“I don’t know. I just thought you might need to hear it. Since you aren’t telling me specifics.” Childe leaned closer, his nose brushing Diluc’s. “The best I can do is remind you I love you.”
Diluc chuckled and pressed a short kiss to Childe’s lips. The song that had been playing faded out, a new one slowly taking its place. Childe pushed up from the couch, disrupting Diluc’s comfortable position on top of him.
“Hey,” Diluc grumped, trying to rearrange the blankets around himself.
“Dance with me?” Childe held out his hand. The proposition caused Diluc’s cheeks to burn. He shook his head, but Childe didn’t take no for an answer. He yanked Diluc to his feet, causing him to stumble into his chest. Childe held him there, starting to sway slowly to the old-fashioned love song.
Diluc was stiff at first, but began to relax as the song went on. Childe held him so tenderly, whispering the lyrics along with the music softly into Diluc’s ear. He suddenly felt so safe, safer than he had in years. He looked up at Childe’s blue eyes, oceans he had braved to be rewarded by a partner that understood him like no one else. One that managed to save him from his own pit of simmering anger and resentment.
A partner who became his new family, and loved him like he’d never lost anything at all.
“Diluc, what’s wrong?”
He hadn’t noticed the tears brimming in his eyes until one fell onto his cheek. His misty eyes glistened in the shimmering lights, so incredibly gentle they made Childe’s heart skip a beat.
“I love you.” Diluc whispered, suddenly choked up.
Childe tilted his head, smiling. He lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Diluc’s ear, but the other held it in place as he pressed his cheek into the palm. Childe’s thumb caressed his soft skin, and archons he was so loved.
The record spun to the end and a soft silence fell over them. Childe leaned in and kissed Diluc, his other arm snaking around his waist. Diluc’s hand cupped the other’s face, kissing him back fervently.
When they broke from the initial kiss Diluc moved to press soft ones to Childe’s nose and freckle-covered cheeks, causing the harbinger to smile all over again.
“Shall we retire, dearest?” Childe teased, eyes aglow.
“Hm,” Diluc pulled back, checking the fire briefly. “I suppose.”
“The sooner you get to sleep, the sooner you get to see your surprise tomorrow.” Childe offers, making Diluc raise an eyebrow. But in the end he acquiesced, and they fell asleep content in each other’s arms.
“Diluc. Firefly. Darling. Diluuuuc. Wake up!”
Diluc groaned, rolling over to face away from the noises waking him up.
“You leave me no choice.”
Suddenly he was being hoisted up, and in his shock he even let out a surprised sound. This made his attacker laugh. Diluc glared at Childe, holding onto him tightly to avoid falling. He hated when Childe picked him up.
“Put me down.”
“Are you going to get out of bed?”
“It’s barely nine. I assumed we were sleeping in, considering the holiday.” Diluc grumbled.
“Your surprise is waiting! Get dressed.” Childe set him down, then began to bounce around like an excited puppy. Diluc finally noticed he was fully dressed for the day. How long had he already been awake?
“Whatever you’re planning, it better not cause trouble.” Diluc said, pulling on a dress shirt, followed by a nice sweater.
“You’re gonna love it. Hurry!” And with that he skittered out of their shared bedroom. Diluc shook his head, but a small smile appeared on his lips.
Ten minutes later he emerged from the bedroom, presentable. Childe wasn’t in the hallway, so he made his way towards the main stairway. He was about to round the corner to view the foyer when suddenly hands covered his eyes.
Much to his chagrin, Childe was one of the few who could successfully sneak up on him. Though the same could be said the other way around as well. At the same time, he didn’t feel threatened (at most, a little annoyed), so he stayed rather relaxed.
“Ajax, what is this all about?”
“Oh hush, you grump.” A kiss to his neck. “No peeking! Down the stairs we go!”
Diluc grumpily let Childe guide him down the large staircase into the main area of the winery. His suspicions only heightened as the smell of warm food began to surround him. There was the sound of a fire in the fireplace…he sensed more people around him. And was that…children stifling laughter?
“Merry Christmas!” A loud cheer when Childe lifted his hands from his eyes. Diluc stumbled back in slight shock, into Childe’s comforting presence. All around them there were lights and decorations. Much more than there had been before. A long table was in the center of the room, covered in all kinds of homemade dishes. There were presents overflowing under the Christmas tree near the door. And most shocking of all…Childe’s mother stood a few feet in front of Diluc, along with his entire family. And Kaeya, a slightly smug glimmer in his eye.
“What…” Diluc turned to Childe, mouth agape. He truly couldn’t comprehend it. “How…?”
Childe just smiled and turned him back around to face everyone.
“Diluc! Your home is so lovely.” Childe’s mother pulled him into a tight hug. She smelled exactly like he remembered from the first time they met in person, almost a year ago on Childe’s birthday. He’d gone along to meet them in Snezhnaya, partly as a birthday gift to Childe.
She smelled like homemade food, a soft floral perfume, and home.
When she pulled back she quickly cupped his face in her hands. “Have you been eating enough? You look pale.”
“Mom,” Childe spoke, and she just patted his cheek and backed off.
“We should eat before the food gets cold!” She moved to take a seat at the table, along with Childe’s father and siblings. Diluc let Childe lead him in a daze to sit down.
“They got in yesterday.” Childe explained as he scooped food onto Diluc’s plate.
“Mr. Eyepatch let us stay in the Knight’s place!” Teucer piped up.
Diluc’s gaze flitted to Kaeya, who was smiling softly at the child beside him. “It was no trouble at all.”
“Kaeya, I…” Diluc began.
His brother looked up at him, a distant sadness in his visible eye. But then he smiled big, waving Diluc off. “Jean was happy to have them and I-”
“Thank you,” Diluc said, cutting off his explanation. “Thank you for being here.”
Kaeya blinked, seeming a little shocked. He smiled again. “Anytime.”
During breakfast it was explained that Adelinde, Childe, and Kaeya had cooked up the grand plan to surprise Diluc with a family Christmas at the winery. If anything, this taught the man he would have to be much more careful now that Kaeya and Childe would occasionally work together against him…
After breakfast was cleared away it was time for gifts. Diluc profusely apologized for not having prepared many (due to the fact he wasn’t expecting guests), but he was quickly brushed off and showered in many gifts from Childe and his family. A handmade scarf he was guaranteed to use…along with matching knit hats that tied at the bottom. Very embarrassing, but anything for Childe’s mother. Toys from Childe passed around for the children, as well as a few tasteful things for his parents. Diluc shyly presented the gifts he’d gotten for Childe (one or two of which had to be discreetly hidden away for later opening in private…), and accepted the many gifts Childe had collected for him on his travels.
And then there was Kaeya’s gift, slipped to Diluc right before he snuck out around noon.
“Just a small token, I guess.” He said. Diluc had been sitting near the fireplace watching Childe play with his younger siblings when Kaeya approached. “I’ll be heading out. Some business to attend to at the HQ.”
“Thank you again.” Diluc stood, holding the small wrapped box in both hands. “I’m really happy you came too.”
Kaeya smiled and nodded, turning to leave. “You owe me double the gifts next year!” He teased before moving to say his other goodbyes.
Diluc shook his head, smiling a little, before sitting down again. Childe, who had been discreetly observing the conversation between the brothers, excused himself from his own siblings to head over to Diluc.
“What’s that?” He asked, plopping down beside Diluc.
“Kaeya’s gift to me.” He murmured, rubbing the red ribbon of the package between his fingers.
“Well open it! I wanna see.”
Diluc carefully untied the ribbon and removed the simple wrapping paper to reveal a wooden box. An ornate letter R was carved into the lid, along with a falcon perched on top. Inside he found a few seashells and a new pair of reading glasses. Diluc’s heart clenched.
He must have heard me tell Charles about my old ones breaking…
He lifted them from the box to try them on. They fit perfectly. He hunched over, staring hard at the seashells. He knew Kaeya had carefully chosen them, wondering if Diluc would remember doing the same as kids.
Childe didn’t say anything. He just wrapped Diluc up in his arms and held him tightly, massaging reassuring shapes into his back. After a while Diluc was able to raise his head again, meeting his lover’s eyes.
“What do you think?” Diluc tilted his head, smiling slightly. “Did he pick a nice pair?”
“You look good in anything, Luc.” Childe said, and Diluc very much caught his hidden meaning.
“You’re insufferable.”
“But you still love me.”
“Debatable.”
“Hey!”
Childe stuck his lip out in an exaggerated pout and didn’t stop until Diluc kissed it away.
They spent the rest of the day with Childe’s family, taking the kids sledding and then eating a lunch made by Adelinde. Afterwards they sent them off back to Mondstadt, leaving Childe and Diluc to spend the night alone together. Childe would have to leave in the morning, back to work for his current mission. For the first time, however, Diluc truly pictured a domestic life for them. Kaeya had helped him see it could be possible.
Archons, he was hopelessly in love, wasn’t he?