[He shoots Kaeya a deadpan look at that. It's been so long since he moved past simply tolerating the man, and poorly, that the way he chooses to bring it up now verges on jarring. Besides, as much as Kaeya likes to joke around and act the brat he knows full well that he would take business with as much seriousness as he took his work for the Knights.]

You know I had my reasons. Even if they weren't very good ones. [That's something he can at least admit now. Keeping Kaeya at arms length for so long had only served to hurt them both, when the other man's only real crime was poor timing.

Diluc rolls his eyes and takes another drag of his cigarette, sighing out a breath.]

And if I didn't want you to do this with me, I wouldn't have asked. I just don't want you to feel you have to spend so much of your time stuck to my hip if you have other things you want to do.

[He might joke about it later, but it seems he's looking for a serious answer first.]