The heavy oak door of Dawn Winery creaked shut behind Diluc as he stepped into the familiar warmth of his home. The night outside was a canvas of endless stars, the vineyards stretching into the darkness like whispered secrets. His boots echoed softly on the polished floor, the weight of the day clinging to his broad shoulders. Managing the winery had been a grueling affair—endless ledgers, stubborn suppliers, and the ever-present ache of responsibility. But it wasn’t the winery that preoccupied his thoughts as he climbed the winding staircase to their bedroom. It was Kaeya.
The house was quiet, a rare serenity settling over it like a fine mist. The baby, little Lumine, was finally asleep in her nursery down the hall, her soft breaths a distant comfort. Diluc’s crimson eyes softened at the thought, but as he pushed open the door to their shared sanctuary, his breath caught in his throat.
There, sprawled across their plush, oversized bed, was Kaeya. The dim glow of a single lantern cast golden shadows over his form, illuminating the loose silk robe that barely clung to his softer, curvier frame. The deep blue fabric shimmered against his dark skin, slipping off one shoulder to reveal the elegant curve of his collarbone. His fuller hips were accentuated by the way the silk draped over them, and the faint shimmer of stretch marks—marks Diluc had traced with reverence countless times—caught the light like silver threads. Kaeya’s single visible eye, sharp and mischievous, glinted with intent as he propped himself up on one elbow, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the mighty Diluc Ragnvindr, dragging himself home after playing lord of the manor all day,” Kaeya drawled, his voice a velvet taunt. He shifted deliberately, letting the robe slip just a fraction more, exposing the smooth expanse of his thigh. “You look like you’ve been wrestling barrels instead of sipping the finest vintage. Pathetic.”
Diluc’s jaw tightened, but his eyes betrayed him, roaming over Kaeya with a hunger he couldn’t mask. He shrugged off his heavy coat, letting it fall to the floor with a dull thud, and crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “And you look like you’ve been doing nothing but plotting ways to torment me,” he shot back, his deep voice laced with barely restrained heat. “Shouldn’t you at least pretend to be useful around here?”
Kaeya’s laugh was low and dangerous, sending a shiver down Diluc’s spine. “Oh, darling, I’m far more useful than you’ll ever admit. Look at you, standing there like a brooding statue, practically trembling with how much you want me. It’s almost sad.” He sat up slowly, the robe slipping further as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet brushing the floor. “Come closer, Diluc. Or are you too afraid you’ll lose that precious self-control of yours the second you’re within arm’s reach?”
Diluc’s fists clenched at his sides, but a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You think too highly of yourself, Kaeya. I’ve handled worse temptations than a half-dressed tease with a sharp tongue.”
“Oh, have you now?” Kaeya’s eye narrowed, a predatory gleam flashing through it as he stood, the silk whispering against his skin. He sauntered toward Diluc with a deliberate sway, stopping just inches away, close enough for Diluc to catch the faint scent of lavender and wine on him. “Because from where I’m standing, you look like a man who’s about to break. Tell me, how long has it been since you’ve touched me? Days? Weeks? I can see it in your eyes—you’re starving for it.”
Diluc’s breath hitched, his resolve fraying at the edges as Kaeya’s words coiled around him like a serpent. He reached out, his hand hovering just above Kaeya’s waist, but Kaeya caught his wrist with a firm grip, his smirk widening.
“Ah-ah,” Kaeya tutted, his tone dripping with authority. “You don’t get to touch until I say so. You’ve been gone all day, leaving me to fend for myself in this big, lonely bed. I think you owe me a little... effort, don’t you?” He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of Diluc’s ear as he whispered, “Prove to me how much you’ve missed me, Diluc. Or are you all talk and no fire?”
A low growl rumbled in Diluc’s chest, his free hand twitching with the urge to pull Kaeya flush against him. But he knew this game, knew how Kaeya reveled in control, in pushing him to the brink. “You’re insufferable,” he muttered, though his voice was thick with desire. “Always have to make everything a damn challenge.”
Kaeya pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, his smirk sharp as a blade. “And you love every second of it. Don’t pretend otherwise. Now, are you going to stand there sulking, or are you going to show me why I bother keeping you around?” He released Diluc’s wrist, stepping back toward the bed with a beckoning tilt of his head. “Come on, big guy. I’m waiting.”
Diluc’s eyes darkened, the tension between them crackling like a storm about to break. He took a step forward, then another, his boots heavy against the floor as he closed the distance. Kaeya’s smirk never wavered, but there was a flicker of anticipation in his gaze, a silent challenge that spurred Diluc on. When he reached the bed, Kaeya’s hand shot out, fingers curling into the front of Diluc’s shirt to yank him down until their faces were mere inches apart.
“That’s more like it,” Kaeya purred, his voice a sultry command. “Now, let’s see if you can keep up with me tonight. I’ve got plans for you, Diluc, and I don’t intend to let you off easy.”
Diluc’s hands finally found Kaeya’s hips, the silk cool against his calloused palms as he pulled him closer, a shudder running through him at the contact. “Keep talking like that, and I’ll make sure you regret underestimating me,” he murmured, his lips brushing Kaeya’s jawline.
Kaeya chuckled, tilting his head back to give Diluc better access, though his tone remained cutting. “Oh, I’m counting on it. But remember who’s in charge here. You’re mine to play with tonight.”
Their banter dissolved into heated whispers and fleeting touches, the air between them charged with a promise of more. Kaeya’s commanding presence drove Diluc to the edge of restraint, each taunt and demand stoking the fire that had simmered between them all day. As their lips finally met in a clash of need and defiance, the quiet of Dawn Winery seemed to fade, leaving only the intoxicating rhythm of their shared desire—a vintage as potent as the finest wine.
And this, Diluc knew, was only the beginning.
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