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“Did you hear? The Darknight Hero was spotted again last night!”
‘Ah, another sighting.’ Kaeya leaned back on the wall, letting his eyes scan the papers in his palms as the knights continued their gossip.
“Where were they spotted this time?”
“Near the back entrance of Mondstadt! Captain Hertha caught sight of them as they fled the scene on the docks!”
“On the docks?”
“I don’t know all the details, but from what I have heard, it was an abyss mage!”
‘A mage?’ Kaeya shook his head. ‘My dear brother certainly has his work cut out for him…’ It was only a few days ago the Darknight Hero - or known to Kaeya, his brother Diluc Ragnivndr - had taken care of a mass hilichurl camp that had flew under the knights radar, and the night before that he had captured and tied up some petty thieves attempting to raid Good Hunter for its supplies. Truly, why couldn’t Diluc simply report these to someone? (Kaeya knew why; he still didn’t like the fact his brother was working all on his own.)
“- Hertha may have identified the Darknight Hero as well!”
Oh no.
“Really?!”
“Well not really ‘identify’ them, but she thinks she’s narrowed it down.”
Oh no.
“How so?”
“Captain Hertha suspects that the Darknight Hero is a woman.”
… Huh? Kaeya perked up at this detail. A woman? He knows the Darknight Hero is Diluc; what made Hertha mistake him as a woman?
“Wait, a woman? Was it their outfit?”
“I think so? We’ll get more details from the Acting Grandmaster sooner or later, but if I had to guess, the Darknight Hero was probably wearing a skirt or dress.”
‘... That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a woman.’ Kaeya wanted to interject, but decided to keep his mouth shut.
“Huh. Who would’ve guessed it was a young lady running around all this time. Who do you think it is?”
“It could be anyone! Majorie? Sara?”
“What? No! It has to be-”
Kaeya decided those knights had provided enough information for him and promptly left.
‘A woman, huh?’
“Captain Hertha.” Hertha swiveled on her heel, hands full of paper.
“Ah, Captain Kaeya! What brings you here?”
“I heard that you were the sole witness to our Darknight Hero sighting from last night?” Hertha made a face.
“Captain Kaeya…”
“Now now, I’m not here for any new details,” Kaeya quickly interjected. “I just need some clarification on something in your report.” Hertha sighed, plopping her paperwork down.
“Don’t tell me I misspelt something again…”
“Nothing like that. I simply wanted to know why you think our Darknight Hero is a woman?”
“Oh, that?” Hertha scratched her chin. “Though it was dark, I clearly saw her wearing a long skirt or dress, and could hear the clacking of heels.”
“Heeled boots, or regular heels?”
“Heeled boots.”
“Hmmm…” Hertha gave Kaeya an apologetic look.
“I apologise, it’s not the best description-”
“Why a woman?” Hertha blinked.
“Huh? What do you mean ‘why’, Captain Kaeya?”
“Someone wearing a skirt or dress and some heels does not automatically mean they are a woman.” At that, Hertha fell silent for a brief moment, blinking as if she had to register what Kaeya had just said.
“... Why not?” She asked, confusion laced in her voice.
“Does someone wearing pants automatically make the wearer a man? Or someone wearing makeup automatically make them a woman?”
“Well, no-”
“Then we cannot make that assumption, Captain Hertha.” Kaeya spoke, steady but stern.
“But the majority of the women in Mondstadt wear such clothing, and no men do!” Kaeya kept a neutral expression as he gritted his teeth. No, he was not going to yell at Hertha, she doesn’t know after all.
“You don’t know that.” He simply replied. “We cannot assume someone’s gender on what they wear.”
“Then how are we supposed to narrow this investigation down?”
“That is a question for our dear Captain Albedo to figure out, and one you need not worry about. All you should worry about is amending your report and clarifying that the gender of the Darknight Hero is still unknown. Simply stick to what you saw, OK?” Hertha sighed, but gave a nod.
“Right, I’ll do that right away.” She gave a salute. “My apologies for my misstep Captain Kaeya, and my apologies for my ignorance.” Kaeya waved her off.
“You know now, Captain Hertha. Don’t fret. Just make sure to get that amended for our Chief Alchemist, OK?”
“Yes sir!”
“Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.” Kaeya gave her a nod, before leaving her office. Once he was out of sight, he finally let out a sigh.
“That was infuriating…” He muttered. He gets it, he gets that there’s an established norm of the women of Mondstadt wearing skirts and dresses, while the men stick to pants, coats and jackets, but it still bothered him. It wasn’t exactly a secret (But not so out in the open either) that Kaeya himself quite liked wearing makeup, dresses and skirts whenever he felt like it, but it's… Not ‘taboo’, nor is it frowned upon, but it certainly gets you some weird looks. It made him feel uncomfortable, being stared at for merely wearing a piece of cloth that is for ‘women only’. It's why he tends to stick to makeup for work, and wear what he likes in the privacy of his own home.
Kaeya doesn’t know how Diluc feels about all this, or if Hertha’s description was even accurate, but if Diluc truly was wearing a skirt or dress that night… Well, why wouldn’t he do so in the cover of night? This may be the land of freedom, but it is certainly not free of judgement. Kaeya would absolutely do the same thing. But it did beg the question on ‘why’ Diluc was wearing such an item. Of course, he can wear whatever the hell he wants, and Kaeya ain’t gonna stop him, but something… Bothered him, tugged at him, like there was something that he was missing. Yet he couldn’t place his hand on what exactly.
He decided his investigation hadn’t ended just yet.
Time to make a trip to Angel’s Share.
Bothering Diluc as he tended to the bar became a pastime for Kaeya. It was a great way to unwind from work and simply see how his dear brother is faring, especially after his emergence as the Darknight Hero; the town may be unaware of their identity, but Kaeya isn’t. The Darknight Hero is undoubtedly Diluc. So colour Kaeya intrigued when he saw no reaction from Diluc the entire night as the tavern gossiped about the Darknight Hero being a woman. It was the talk of the town, and yet he didn’t flinch.
Interesting.
“We’re closing.” Groans filled the tavern at Diluc’s call. Kaeya only chuckled. “You are to leave too, Sir Kaeya.” Diluc narrowed his eyes.
“Ah, but I have something to ask you, my dear brother.” Diluc flinched.
He flinched.
It was small, but Kaeya noticed it.
Usually, Kaeya would chalk this up to their… Less than stellar relationship, but with what he’s discovering today? It might have to do with something else…
“You can ask me another time Sir Kaeya, I am closing the tavern.”
“It’s important.” Kaeya pushed.
“Then why didn’t you ask me before I began closing?”
“It's more of a… Private matter.” Diluc gave Kaeya an annoyed look, but eventually relented and sighed.
“Fine.” He spoke. “But you’re helping with the clean-up.” Kaeya caught the dampened rag thrown at him.
“Fine by me.” Diluc began ushering out the last stragglers of the night, while Kaeya began wiping down tables. Once everyone was out, Diluc locked the door and grabbed a cloth of his own.
“So?” He asked. “What did you want to ask, Sir Kaeya?”
“You’re the Darknight Hero.”
“That’s not a question.”
“You didn’t deny it.”
“What do you want Kaeya?” Kaeya decided to just bite the bullet.
“The Darknight Hero was spotted last night, and from the witness testimony, it is now speculated that the Darknight Hero is a woman. I am aware that you are the Darknight Hero, and simply wanted to know if there’s something I am not aware of.”
…A deafening silence fell.
Diluc had stopped his work, letting the damp cloth sit on the counter as he curled up his fists. Kaeya could sense the tension in the room.
“... They’re mistaken.” Diluc finally spoke, yet Kaeya didn’t miss the slight hitch in his voice. “And you don’t need to know anything.” Diluc began his work once more, faster and rougher than before.
“Diluc-”
“No.” Diluc’s tone was firm, yet desperate. “I’m not… We’re not talking about this, Kaeya. Just clean up, get out of here, and pretend this discussion never happened.”
“I can’t do that.” Kaeya stood his ground.
“If you can turn a blind eye to my activities, you can forget this entire conversation.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Kaeya, I swear to Barbatos-”
“What do you identify as, Diluc?”
“That’s none of your business!”
“You’re my sibling, Diluc.” Diluc blinked, their anger fading slowly.
“... You didn’t say brother.” Kaeya raised an eyebrow.
“Would you like me to call you ‘brother’?” Diluc paused, their gaze falling to the ground. Kaeya decided to push further.
“What about ‘sister’? Is that better?” Diluc stayed silent, refusing to look up at their brother.
“... Are you making fun of me?” Their voice was quiet yet sharp, still on the defensive.
“Of course not.” Kaeya answered sincerely. “I may tease you for many things, but this? This is something I take seriously, and I would never tease you - or let anyone else tease you - for what you feel.” Diluc raised their head, yet avoided Kaeya’s gaze. It didn’t escape Kaeya’s notice how glassy Diluc’s eyes looked.
“... You’re being serious.” It wasn’t a question.
“I am.” Kaeya walked closer to the counter, taking a seat across from Diluc. He took Diluc’s hand, squeezing it gently. Diluc’s breath hitched.
“Are you OK?” Diluc shook their head, burying it in their free hand. “This has been bothering you for a while, hasn’t it?” A nod. Kaeya’s expression softened, seeing his sibling in tears. He understands how overwhelming such feelings can be, how euphoric it can feel to be who you are, yet how crushing it is to hide it. In this moment, Kaeya put any and all transgression he had with Diluc to the side; he had to be there for his sibling.
“Come on, sit down.” He gently guided Diluc around the bar, sitting them next to him. “It’s OK, you’re safe…” Kaeya gently pulled Diluc into a hug. “You’re safe…” He assured them. Diluc buried their head into Kaeya’s shoulder, tears staining his clothing.
“... Promise you won’t tell anyone?” They sounded so scared.
“I promise.”
“...OK.” Diluc fell silent for a bit, their quiet sniffles subsiding. Kaeya simply held them, gently rubbing their back as they began talking.
“There… There are days where I don’t feel like a man. I don’t know how to explain it… Sometimes I just wake up and feel so… Disgusted with myself. I dread having to listen to people call me ‘Master’ or ‘Sir’, but it’s not everyday. I like it somedays, and it just… Changes. Sometimes I am a man, but other times I’m not. I… I know it’s weird-”
“Shhh, hey, none of that.” Kaeya was quick to interject. He gently broke from the hug, holding his sibling by the shoulders. “What you are feeling is not weird. It’s OK to feel this way.” Diluc still refused to look Kaeya in the eye, small tears still trickling down their face.
“It’s not normal.”
“Yes it is.”
“No, it’s not-"
“Diluc, it is completely normal for you to identify as a man or a woman interchangeably. It can change, that’s completely normal. Some people don’t identify as a man or a woman, and some identify as both simultaneously. It isn’t ‘weird’; it’s a normal, human thing to be and feel.” More tears streamed down Diluc’s cheeks. It was clear that this had been overwhelming them for a long time, and had no one to talk to. Or - if Diluc had confided in someone - had been told what they felt was ‘unnatural’.
(Kaeya would like a few words with those people…)
“How do you feel now?” He asked. “Man? Woman? Neither?” Diluc took a breath.
“W-Woman.” She replied. “I… I’ve felt this way for a month now.” She admitted. “It… It hurts so much to be called ‘Master’ and ‘Sir’ and I know, I know I’ll feel like a man once more, but it still hurts…”
“Of course it does,” Kaeya said. “Because that’s not who you are. You’re a woman, not a man. You may be a man later, but you’re not in that moment; it’s OK to feel hurt.” Diluc let out a sob.
“Shall I call you my sister, Lady Diluc?” Diluc paused for the briefest of moments, the words sinking in. The tears continued to flow, yet Kaeya could see that a weight seemed to have been lifted.
“... Please.” She replied. “Please do.” Kaeya gave his sister a nod, before pulling her into a hug. Diluc returned it immediately, burying her head into her brother’s shoulder once more.
“Thank you for trusting me with this, my dear sister.”
Diluc simply hugged her brother tighter.
When Diluc broke from the hug, she looked much calmer than before. Though tears still stained her cheeks, she seemed much more at ease than she did when Kaeya first asked her about her darknight hero identity.
“Do you feel better?” Kaeya asked her. Diluc nodded.
“A little, yeah…” She let out a shaky sigh. “I’m sorry for my reaction beforehand, I simply didn’t…” She trailed off. “I didn’t want you…” Kaeya could tell what his sister was thinking.
“Diluc, I would never hate you for who you are, and I will not tell a soul until you are ready to tell them yourself.” Kaeya assured her. Diluc only nodded, looking somewhat ashamed of herself. Kaeya couldn’t pinpoint why. An uneasy silence fell, before Diluc abruptly stood up.
“Diluc?”
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
Diluc rushed up the stairs, leaving Kaeya waiting on the ground floor of the tavern. He sat in stunned silence for a moment, wondering why his sister ran off so quickly. And why did she look so ashamed before?
‘I guess she’s not used to someone knowing her identity…’ Kaeya concluded. He could understand that; it feels shameful at first, at least he did when one of his dear friends first caught him wearing a dress. Even after they made it clear they supported him, it still felt… Awkward, for a while. He felt his friend looked at him differently, but in time, that anxiety subsided - maybe that’s just what Diluc is going through, the anxiety of someone you’re close to viewing you in a different light (Even though Kaeya wouldn’t say he and Diluc were particularly close anymore…).
Kaeya’s musings were interrupted at the telltale sound of the clacking of heeled boots. Kaeya looked up to see his sister descending the stairs in her Darknight Hero outfit; her hair was let loose, messily hidden behind the hood of her cape. She wore a long, dark skirt paired with a lighter corset, and of course, heeled boots, just as Hertha had noted in her witness report. Diluc adjusted her cape, sheepishly looking away from her brother.
“... I was getting uncomfortable.” She admitted. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Kaeya was quick to assure her. He got up from his seat, excitement bubbling within him; to actually see his sister express herself the way she wants to… It made him happier than he thought he would be.
“You look great, Diluc.” He complimented her.
“... Really?” She sounded so unsure of herself. “I just got what I could without raising any suspicions…” Now that Kaeya got a closer look, the skirt did look like it was fashioned from an old maids dress, but adjusted for Diluc’s size.
“Did someone give it to you?” Diluc shook her head.
“No. A maid needed to replace her dress, so I took her old one and made the skirt from it. I tailored the dress to fit me, but I didn’t like how it felt…”
“What didn’t you like in particular? The fabric? The feel? The style?”
“The feel, I think. I don’t like the feeling of the sleeves…”
“If you could choose to wear a dress, what would you wear?” Diluc hummed, thinking for a moment.
“I think… I’d like to wear a longer dress, just under my knees, but above the ankles. And short-sleeved too.” Kaeya nodded along.
“Noted.” He smiled. “Now I know what to get you next Christmas.” Diluc blinked.
“... What?”
“You heard me. I’ll get you that exact dress next Christmas, or even your birthday, if… If you’re willing.” Kaeya hesitated on mentioning Diluc’s birthday, knowing that it was still - and always would be - a sore spot for her. Diluc fell silent.
“... I’ll think about it.” Is what she replied. Not an outright ‘no’. Kaeya will take it.
“Then I’ll make sure I get that exact dress for you, my dear sister.” Kaeya didn’t miss how Diluc’s expression seemed to light up at being called ‘sister’. It really did make a difference, being referred to and accepted as who you are, didn't it?
He was happy he could help his sister.
“Now…” Kaeya switched topics. He walked up to Diluc, adjusting her hood. “Hmmm… Do you want to keep your hair down?” Diluc only raised an eyebrow at the sudden switch.
“Yes. I’d prefer that.” She replied.
“Then we’ll need to pin it back, so it doesn’t fly out of your hood when you're running around.”
“I don’t have any pins on me-”
“But I do!” Kaeya merely pulled out some hairpins from his pocket. “I always have some on me.”
“Dare I ask what for?”
“For hair maintenance, of course.”
“And lockpicking?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Kaeya grabbed Diluc by the shoulders, guiding her to a seat. “Now, I don’t have a hairbrush on me, so I’ll just comb your hair with my fingers. Apologies if I hit any knots.” Diluc only grunted in response, sitting quietly as Kaeya began to thread his fingers through his sister’s hair. The two sat in a comfortable silence, barely a sound between them. It had been awhile since either of the siblings got to sit in such silence with one another.
“Kaeya.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you helping me?”
“Whatever do you mean?” Diluc let out a sigh.
“Kaeya, we can barely be in the same room on a good day. How can you…” She trailed off. “Why would you…” She tried again, losing her voice once more.
“Because,” Kaeya spoke, still combing Diluc’s hair. “You’re my sister.”
“You just found that out! How are you so quick to accept this? That I… That I…” Diluc lost her words again. She shook her head. “I’m not… That I haven’t always been your brother…?” Is what she settled on, her voice quiet. Kaeya stopped combing Diluc’s hair, before he grabbed one of the hairpins.
“... Why wouldn’t I accept who my sister truly is?” Kaeya merely replies, as if it was such an easy answer to give. It wasn’t one Diluc could comprehend.
“Because I couldn’t accept who my little brother was when he confided in me first.” Kaeya stopped in his tracks.
Ah.
That’s what all this is about.
“That’s different-”
“No it isn’t-”
“Diluc, please let me speak.” Diluc went to reply, but stopped. Kaeya sighed.
“Diluc, you didn’t know that you felt this way the entirety of your life, did you?” Diluc fell silent for a moment.
“... No, I didn’t.” She admitted. “Looking back, I… I think there were signs, but I either ignored them or couldn’t focus on them because I was so busy…” Kaeya nodded along.
“And there’s the difference; you didn’t know. Self-discovery takes time. You never lied to me about your identity, you simply didn’t know.” He paused. “I knew I was a spy the entire time, and chose not to say a word. It’s different.” Diluc bit her lip.
“Kaeya…” Diluc didn’t know how to reply to any of that; whether the scenario was different or not, it didn’t justify her actions that day. Their relationship has been strained since that very day… How can Kaeya so gleefully help her when she’s the one who pushed him away all those years ago? Why choose to help the older sibling who chose to abandon the youngest?
“... How about we talk about this another time?” Kaeya suggested. “It’s been a long night for you, and if you’re going out tonight Miss Darknight Hero, then it’ll be even longer.” Kaeya finished pinning Diluc’s hair up, keeping it neatly tucked behind her neck, yet still nice and long. “I want to first focus on helping you; once you’re comfortable enough, we can talk about that night. Does that sound good?” Diluc was silent for a moment, before giving a small nod.
“...Yeah.” Kaeya smiled.
“Good.” He stood up. “And your hair is all done! Here.” Kaeya pulled out a small makeup mirror from his pocket, handing it to Diluc. She let out a small gasp at the sight of her hair, still flowing down her back as she liked it, but pinned back and out of her face.
“Looks good?” Diluc nodded, an ecstatic smile on her face.
“Yes! It looks wonderful! Thank you!” Kaeya only smiled.
“I can do your makeup too.” Diluc’s eyes lit up.
“You have makeup on you?!”
“I only have some eyeliner and blush - which wouldn’t suit your complexion - but I am more than happy to duck back to my apartment and grab some other items you’d like to try.” Diluc looked thrilled.
“Yes please! I haven’t really been able to try any makeup; I hover near any of the stalls and the owners assume I’m buying for a potential partner…” Kaeya huffed at that.
“Well how rude of them! Do they not know that makeup can be worn by anyone? Man, woman, neither, both… Makeup is an artform anyone can use.” Diluc chuckled.
“Indeed. If I remember correctly, I think even father used a bit in his life…” The mention of their late father sombered the mood a bit, but not for long.
“Then truly, those stall owners should know better!” Kaeya exclaimed. “Now, is there any particular makeup you want to try?” Diluc blinked.
“Uh… I haven’t thought too much about it since I never thought I’d get the chance to try…”
“Then let’s start out light; I don’t have any foundation or powder in your shade, but I do have some blush for lighter skin tones, and some lipgloss?”
“Yes, I’d like to try that please.”
“Wait here then, I’ll be back in a jiffy, my sister.” Diluc rolled her eyes at Kaeya’s antics, but smiled. He really didn’t have to keep calling her ‘sister’, but the fact that he did made Diluc’s heart warm. It felt… Nice, being so openly accepted by someone she cares about. As Kaeya left the tavern, Diluc looked at her reflection in the mirror again. She… Liked this. She liked her hair like this. How would makeup make her feel? Prettier? More comfortable as a woman? Or maybe she’d forgo it? Either way, she was excited.
It seems that tonight, the Darknight Hero was having a night off.
When Kaeya returned, makeup in hand, Diluc’s faint smile was her practically bouncing with excitement. Kaeya had in fact brought not just the blush and lip-gloss promised, but so much more; nail polish, eyeshadow, eyeliner, brow pencils, mascara… He even brought some foundation, although it clearly didn’t match Diluc’s skin tone.
“Have you worn any makeup before?” Kaeya asked her as he began unpacking the makeup, laying it and all the utensils out in a neat line.
“I think I’ve worn blush before?.” Diluc replied. “I remember Adelinde would sometimes put some on us when we had a ceremony or celebration to attend.” Kaeya chuckled at that.
“Ah, I remember that. I also remember her telling a story of you breaking into a maid’s makeup box? My, how mischievous.” Diluc groaned.
“Oh come on, I was five!” Kaeya only laughed once more.
“Where do you want me to start? I can start with your nails.”
“Nail polish takes some time to come off, doesn’t it? Even with gloves on, I’ll have to take them off during shifts at the bar, and I don’t want anyone to notice them…”
“We could do a clear coat then? It’s usually used as a finisher, but we can use it today so you can get a good feel for it?” Diluc nodded at this. “Alright then, gimme your hand.” Diluc let her brother take her hand, before he grabbed a clear bottle of nail polish. When Kaeya applied the first coat, Diluc shivered.
“That feels…”
“Cold?”
“A little?” Kaeya chuckled.
“It feels a bit weird at first, but nail polish is a fantastic way to express yourself. Alas, it’s against the knights uniform policy, so I can only wear it on my days off…” Diluc fell silent for a moment.
“... Can I ask you something, Kaeya?”
“Sure.”
“Why do you have all this makeup? It is yours, right?”
“Yes, it is mine.”
“So do you…” Diluc paused. “Are you… Like me?” Kaeya hummed.
“No, I’m not.” he replied, still focused on doing Diluc’s nails. “I do not feel like a man or a woman interchangeably. I am a man, and that’s who I am.” He smiled slightly. “But I do like makeup, and I quite like wearing skirts and dresses. They’re comfortable.” Diluc nodded along to her brother’s explanation.
“No particular reason why? You don’t feel… Sick when someone calls you a man? You don’t ever feel like you’re a woman?” Kaeya shook his head.
“I do not.”
“So you wear this stuff just because you can?”
“Exactly. Although…” Kaeya’s steady smile disappeared. “I rarely do it in public. The makeup is fine enough, but wearing a skirt or dress gets me some… Not so nice looks.” Diluc gave her brother a stunned look.
“You wore that in public?” She didn’t sound mean, simply surprised, and somewhat in awe.
“Only once.” Kaeya admitted. “After that… I try not to now. Not easy to fight in, y’know?” He joked, but Diluc could tell it was to mask the pain the topic brought.
“They shouldn’t look down on you for wearing that.” Kaeya only hummed.
“They’re free to judge me as they please.”
“They’re free to shut their mouths and mind their own business.” Diluc huffed. “You can wear whatever the hell you want, no one should care.” She sighed. “They shouldn’t…”
“... But they will.” Kaeya finishes her thought for her. “They will care how their dear cavalry captain presents himself, won’t they?” Diluc bites her lip.
“And they will care how the Ragnivndr heir presents himself too…” Her voice came out cold, referring to herself as a ‘him’. “If they saw me now…” She trailed off. This time, Kaeya didn’t finish her words. They both fell into an uneasy silence as Kaeya began painting the nails on Diluc’s other hand, bitterness lingering in the air. For once, said bitterness was not aimed at one another, but the situation they found themselves in; both Ragnivndr siblings were not what the public perceived them to be, and coming out would destroy their reputations. They would lose any and all respect, guaranteed. But hiding away… That’s not living, is it? Diluc was currently running around as some vigilante, using the cover of darkness to hide her identity and present herself how she wanted. Kaeya could only wear bits of makeup in public and hide in his home for anything else. That wasn’t living, and certainly not living free in the nation of freedom. What irony, feeling trapped and conformed to societal norms in the land where the god of freedom reigns.
What the hell were they supposed to do?
Soon, Kaeya finished up doing Diluc’s nails. As she examined the clear coat, Kaeya began digging through his makeup again. The weight of their previous realisation still laid bare.
“So, what next? Lip-gloss? Blush?” Kaeya attempted to keep the tone light, but Diluc didn’t reply. “Diluc?” Kaeya turned back to his sister, who was still admiring her nails, a small but sad smile plastered on her face.
“... I love this.” She admits. “It’s not visible, but I can feel the weight of the polish, I know I have it on, and others will not.” Diluc looked up at her brother, her eyes shining a variety of emotions, all which broke Kaeya’s heart; she was happy, she was excited, she was scared and sad and terrified…
“Are there more?” Diluc asked. “More discreet makeup, I mean.” Kaeya gave a nod, quickly picking up what Diluc was looking for.
“Yes, plenty.” He pulled out a clear lipgloss, along with some eyeliner. “Clear lip-gloss is barely visible, and you can add a little bit of eyeliner to feel the weight of the makeup, but not make a distinct look per say. I also have some Mascara and a neutral eyeshadow palette - although I think some bold colours would look amazing on you.” Kaeya paused for a brief moment. “But you’re trying to avoid that, aren’t you…?” He surmised. Diluc only nodded.
“I want to try wearing makeup during the day.” She explained. “But that proves… Difficult, with how ‘flashy’ it can be. I think staying with more subtle or clear colours will do for the time being.” Kaeya nodded along to his sister’s explanation.
“I can do that.” Diluc’s eyes lit up once more; it was subtle, but for a brief moment, Kaeya saw all that fear within her disappear.
“Can you teach me?” She asked. “So I can do it at home someday?”
“But then when would we get to have another bonding moment like this?” Kaeya exclaimed, his tone teasing and light. “Plus, it’s not everyday I get to do someone else’s makeup!” Diluc sighed.
“We can still do this, you idiot.” She spoke, giving her brother her signature annoyed look. “But you can’t do my makeup everyday. Plus, there will be times when I probably don’t want to wear makeup.” Kaeya blinked, stunned for a moment. Was Diluc actually willing to hang out with him? They usually can’t be in a room together without throwing barbed insults at one another!
Then again, this was a completely different circumstance; Kaeya was (likely) the only one who knew of Diluc’s identity, much less the only one who’s accepted her. Who else could Diluc safely turn to? No one.
Except Kaeya.
The siblings aren’t on good terms and this incident hasn’t exactly brought them closer, but it has given them common ground to stand on, an understanding of one another they didn’t have before. If Kaeya is the one person Diluc can turn to for this, then he’ll be there for his sibling.
“Well, if you insist, my dear sister.” Diluc just rolled her eyes.
“You can stop calling me that.”
“Why? I can see it makes you happy.”
“It is nice, but you don’t have to say that each time.”
“Why not, dear sister?”
“Kaeya.”
“OK, OK. I’ll refrain!”
“Thank you.”
“... Dear sister.”
“Kaeya-!”
Kaeya could only laugh.
Yeah, he could get used to this.