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The wind whips through the valley these days, a mockery of the pleasant breeze that Kaeya and Diluc grew up knowing. These days don’t share much with the world Kaeya used to know aside from the same rocks and soil. Everything else is a twisted, corrupted mess, and everything is difficult, from the energy he has to spend to scavenge for food to the long, drawn out process of locking all points of entry into the winery before the sun goes down. At least he still has Diluc to lean on. That didn’t change.
Diluc, who is currently whittling away at a spear of some kind, looks up when he feels Kaeya’s eyes on him. He quirks an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
Kaeya smirks before turning away again. “You wouldn’t actually use that,” he responds, though he knows that’s not true. He and Diluc have both used all kinds of weapons, even from childhood, since their father didn’t want either of his boys unable to defend themselves from whatever might harm them. There are worse things in the valley now that everyone that they know has perished. It brings a bitter taste to the back of his throat. “Who are you going to impale on that, hm?”
“Andrius, if necessary,” Diluc replies without missing a beat. Kaeya scoffs.
“Andrius? Why, to end his misery? You saw the state of him the last time we ventured that far out.” The last time they had gone far enough into the wolf’s territory, they were met with the sight of poor Andrius bloody and weak in the cave he’d been forced to call his den. He had regarded them warily as always but didn’t move to get up or lunge at them. The sight made Kaeya’s stomach turn at the idea that the once formidable and terrifying Wolf of the North reduced to… that. They don’t even hear his howls anymore. The night used to be his domain, but now…
“You don’t give the wolf enough credit. He’s older than both of us and he’s much more resilient than either of us know,” Diluc counters. He finally stands, seemingly satisfied with his spear. “We have less than five hours remaining before sundown. Let’s go.”
Kaeya bites back a snide comment about how they’d have more time if Diluc hadn’t been so intent on making himself a fancy wooden spear so late in the morning. Making a quip back at him will only serve to start an argument that will take up more of their precious time. It’s already past noon, and they still need to find something to eat that will last through the night.
Their venture is somewhat fruitful, though it could have been better. It’s been better before, but not as much recently. Squirrels are easy to catch by hand now that they move at the speed of molasses, and they capture three before turning their attention to an apple tree not far from the Winery itself. They’ve continued growing vegetables through everything, so pulling a couple of carrots and radishes is the easiest part of their day. In all, they have plenty for a nice stew tonight.
They’re making their way into the Winery just as the sky is beginning to change. Both pause on the stairs as they hear a howl in the distance. “I told you,” Diluc tosses at Kaeya, who offers him a bark of a laugh. Maybe Andrius would be fine, after all.
Diluc is the better cook between the two of them, so he sets to work butchering the squirrels and preparing their dinner. That’s normally how they operate - Diluc cooks while Kaeya checks for any issues around the Winery. Every door, window, or other possible point of entry has to be sealed every night to prevent anything from getting inside. If there’s a crack in the wall, something will find its way in. The night isn’t safe and if anything can worm its way in, they’re both as good as dead. Dawn Winery is old, having been passed down from generation to generation in their family, and there are so many places Kaeya has to check every day just to make sure they're safe overnight.
Hearing Diluc in the kitchen is comforting. It reminds Kaeya of their father and how he’d busy himself with making a meal while Kaeya and Diluc romped around as young boys do - or did. Back when things were normal, and before their father died along with so many others when the wind changed. Now, it's almost as if Diluc and Kaeya have reverted back to their younger selves. Each one is all the other one has, now. They even share a bedroom on the second floor like they used to as boys. It keeps the fear at bay to know there’s another person beside you in the dark, Kaeya knows. There’s no one to judge them for wanting comfort one way or another.
Family is the one thing that Kaeya loves more than anything else. He loves his family more than he loves himself and he’d sooner die than lose another loved one. Loss is a recurring theme in Kaeya’s life - first his birth parents, then his father, then everyone else save for Diluc, who has managed to survive alongside him. Diluc obviously knows loss, too. Kaeya can’t bear to think of either of them losing the other, and so he pushes the thought far, far away.
He goes window to window, door to door, scanning and locking down everything. He slides cloth under the doors and in the cracks until there’s not even a hair’s width left between. Tonight will not be the night they die to the outside if he has any say in the matter. By the time he’s finished locking down the Winery, Diluc joins him in the foyer, offering slices of apple.
“Eat. The stew won’t be ready for a while, yet.” He pushes a plate of apple slices into Kaeya’s hands and sits in one of their armchairs, gesturing for Kaeya to sit across from him. Kaeya does, and the plush cushion serves to remind him of how tired his body truly is.
They snack on apples in silence - another testament to Kaeya’s exhaustion. They really need to do some thinking on where they could find tea, or maybe coffee. There’s bound to be places in the city that would have left behind some, right? Saving coffee grounds probably wasn’t the first thing on their minds when their lives were in jeopardy.
Kaeya drifts, thinking of quaint cafés and trying to remember the scent of hot tea and freshly brewed black coffee.
When he wakes, it’s to Diluc shaking him by the shoulder abruptly. Kaeya hisses at the feeling of Diluc’s fingers digging into his collarbone and the pain has him turning to Diluc to see what has him in such a frenzy so suddenly. He has fear in his eyes and that’s enough to have Kaeya clutching his side for the sword he no longer carries.
Diluc starts to say something that gets cut off with a loud bang against the front doors - something heavy enough to make the old wooden frames rattle. It sounds big, thick, and it then makes a sound like it’s dragging across the stone walkway outside. Underneath that, Kaeya hears a small, broken little whimper.
Kaeya stands, shifting closer to Diluc. “It’s Andrius,” he says in a hushed voice. “We have to-”
“No.” Diluc steps in front of him - between Kaeya and the doors, like the protective older brother he always has been. Then he’s stepping backwards, forcing Kaeya back towards the staircase. Kaeya can see now that he’s holding a dagger in his dominant hand. Kaeya’s heel hits the first step and he stops, making Diluc stumble as their momentum halts. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you think you’re doing? It’s Andrius; it’s not one of them.”
Diluc jabs his elbow back at his brother’s stomach. “It isn’t Andrius. Go up the stairs. Now.”
Kaeya jabs him right back, harder. “I heard him!”
“You don’t know that,” Diluc argues, the voice of reason between them. “And neither of us are going out there to check. Now, go up the stairs. We’re both going up.”
The human part of Kaeya wants to fight with him, but realistically, what good would that do? They can’t bring a wolf inside the Winery, and if it turns out not to be Andrius… Kaeya shivers. He starts backing up the stairs and towards the bedroom they stay in, all the time watching the front doors as whatever’s outside continues to slam itself against them. They’re almost to the second floor when the left door finally gives in, cracking along the spot where the bottom hinge meets the wood.
Something dark and almost insect-like begins to worm into the crack and crawl up the door. It sprawls across the floor, twisting and searching for him and Diluc, who grabs Kaeya by the arm and shoves him toward the bedroom whispering Go, go, go.
He goes easily, not wanting to spend another minute with whatever the hell that was. They lock themselves in the bedroom and start piling what they can against the door and at the gap between the door and the wooden floor. Kaeya, never one to panic under pressure, feels his resolve slipping uncharacteristically. The air doesn’t feel right anymore and it’s making him sweat despite the cold. His only consolation is that Diluc also seems rattled, so he isn’t alone in this.
He’s never alone when he’s with Diluc, he knows.
Regardless, it was his job to lock the Winery down. It was his responsibility, and something got in, so it must be something he did wrong. He knows he checked everything thoroughly, including the front doors. What did he miss?
“Kaeya,” Diluc’s quiet, steady voice interrupts his thoughts. Diluc can always read him like a book, no matter what cocky, self-assured facade he puts on. He’s always been able to.
“Diluc,” he replies, surprised when his voice cuts and breaks. He hadn’t realized until now that he’s crying. How unfortunate. “I’m sorry, Diluc.”
Diluc softens, extending a hand to him. Kaeya takes it and falls back against the wall farthest from the door, sitting beside his brother. The room is dark and they can feel the thumping of something making its way up the stairs.
“It’s not your fault,” Diluc tells him. Kaeya wishes he could believe him. He shivers again, feeling the temperature of the air around them dropping rapidly in the darkness. He knows Diluc is looking at him, but there’s nothing else they can do now other than sit in silence.
Kaeya finds himself finally acknowledging that he’s going to die.
“It’s not your fault,” Diluc repeats just before the bedroom door cracks, and everything goes black.