The night was heavy with silence as Diluc sat in the dim light of the Dawn Winery, the flickering flames from the hearth casting shadows across his solemn expression. His mind replayed the events of the day—Crepus' death, the failed Delusion, and the brutal confrontation with Kaeya. Each memory felt like a fresh wound, reopening the pain and betrayal that had settled deep within him. But as much as the fight with Kaeya burned him, it wasn't the worst of it. What hurt the most was the fact that his own brother—his closest ally—had kept secrets so deep, secrets that had cost them both everything.

But tonight, Diluc wasn’t alone.

You, his trusted friend, sat beside him, the two of you silently sharing the same space as the night stretched on. Your presence was a small but steady comfort. You had seen the weight he carried, and though he tried to hide it, you understood the storm raging inside of him. There was no need for words; you knew what had happened, and yet, you never once judged him for the rage that had surged through him during the fight with Kaeya.

Diluc's eyes remained fixed on the fire as he slowly took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within. “I never imagined it would come to this,” he muttered under his breath, his voice low, almost lost to the crackling of the flames. “I always thought Kaeya and I were on the same side... that we were family. But now...” His hand tightened around the glass of wine in his hand, his fingers gripping it so hard, it threatened to shatter. “How could he keep something so crucial from me? All these years... and yet, he never told me.”

He exhaled sharply, the words choking him. “I was too blinded by anger to see it, but I never truly understood him... not like I thought I did.” He turned toward you, his gaze softer, a flicker of vulnerability hidden beneath the sharp edge of his usual composure. “I didn’t want to hurt him... but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t... I still don’t know what I’m supposed to feel about it.”