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The first thing Diluc sees when he enters his manor is you, swaddled up in a blanket and nursing a cup of hot tea. He's slightly confused as he sees the many balled up tissues littering his carpeted floor.
"Sweetheart? Are you alright?" he asks timidly.
You turn your head to see him, smiling despite the weary look on your face. Your nose is red and chafed, your eyes tired looking. Diluc is concerned. For one, you rarely ever get sick. And even when you do get sick, you're still energetic to a fault.
He hears you sigh, "I'm fine. I just caught a cold, that's all."
But your words do nothing to reassure him. He lets out a sigh of his own, pacing around the sitting room. What can he do to help you?
"I'll go make you some soup," he finally concludes. Before he heads into the kitchen however, he sends a maid off to Mondstadt for medicine.
You honestly feel a bit bad for the maid. It's freezing outside and all she has to wear is her uniform. You silently pray to Barbatos that she won't catch a cold like you have. Only after the maid has left the manor does Diluc start cooking.
He's quite skilled in the kitchen, though he rarely has time to cook anything. The head of the wine industry is a busy man after all.
About half an hour passes and Diluc hasn't emerged from the kitchen. You stand up, almost falling into the floor due to your high fever. Your head aches and you feel sluggish, like your body weighs a ton.
The trip from the couch to the kitchen is the hardest trip you think you've ever had. But that would be an exaggeration. You've encountered far worse in the past. The memory of adventuring in Dragonspine makes you shiver.
Peeking into the kitchen, a delicious aroma fills your nose. Surprisingly enough, you can actually smell it even though your nose is stuffy.
"Diluc?" you call, voice small from fatigue.
The redhead turns around, a small smile on his face. The kitchen is warm, most likely from him cooking, and it makes you feel ten times hotter than before.
"You should be resting. You're sick. I promise you'll feel better after taking some medicine and eating soup, okay? Go lay down," he tells you.
But you're stubborn, taking a seat on the stool that sits beside the counter. Diluc shakes his head fondly, stirring the pot slowly. He doesn't push you, knowing that you wouldn't listen to him anyway.
He turns off the stove, grabbing a bowl and filling it with soup. He places it in front of you along with a piece of hard bread.
"Eat all of it for me."
You obey him, eating the entire bowl of soup. When asked how it tastes, you hold up a thumbs-up. This is the first time you've seen him smile so much.
~(✿)~
Diluc insists on carrying you to your bedroom. And you cave, knowing he won't take no for an answer. When you first got together, Diluc had designated one of the many guest rooms as your room. Throughout your entire relationship, the room filled with your clothes and other objects in your possession.
About a month ago, he had asked you to move in. It was almost like you lived there anyway, so you sold your apartment. Kaeya had teased his poor brother about it at the time.
"What are you thinking about?" Diluc asks curiously, holding you tightly as he walks to the bedroom.
"You."
Your reply is short and honest, but it has an impact on Diluc. His fingers grasp you tighter, his face turning a shade of crimson like the pyro vision he possesses. He hides his face, clearing his throat.
There's a sudden silence between you two. But it's not awkward. It's never awkward. You get the feeling that he's simply enjoying your presence, the same as you.
"You know..." he breaks the silence after a few moments. "This reminds me of that wedding vow. "In sickness and in health"."
His comment surprises you and you turn to look at him with wide eyes. You know he didn't mean it in that way, but you decide to pull a Kaeya and tease him.
"Is this your way of asking me to marry you, Diluc?"
He chokes, "I um... I mean- Archons, you're teasing me, aren't you? I think you've been hanging around Kaeya too much. His bad behaviour is rubbing off on you..."
You laugh, "You should be nicer to him. He's trying."
Diluc frowns, sighing, "Nevermind that. I- who's to say I wasn't serious in saying..."
He stops talking, looking away in embarrassment. You know he's bashful. When you first got together, you were the one who had to ask him. It was adorable to you.
"You want to marry me? I'd be happy to."
"Really?"
A look of surprise crosses over his face. Is it really that shocking that you want to marry your boyfriend of all people?
"Someone like me?" he asks. "Someone who has far too many secrets? What if I can't provide for you? I'm always busy as well. What if you get tired of me because I can't make you happy?"
He rambles on and on about the reasons marrying him might be a mistake.
"Diluc," you cut him off. "I've been with you for what? Three years? If I was tired of you, I would've left already. But I haven't. I want to marry you. If you'll have me as your spouse that is."
You smile at him, right as he sets you down on your bed. It's funny how the two of you have completely forgotten about your sickness. But Diluc doesn't mind catching your illness anyway.
He's hesitant, smiling nervously. He takes a deep breath before reaching into his pocket for something. What he pulls out is a small velvet ring box. He opens it, not bothering to get down on one knee. But it doesn't matter that he's not on one knee, the only thing that matters is the pledge he's making to you.
"We've been together for a long time, and I think- no. I'm sure that I want to spend the rest of my days with you. However many that may be."
He hold out the diamond ring, placing it on your finger, and you can feel the anemo energy imbued in it. He must have gone to Venti after buying it. Or perhaps he crafted it.
"In sickness and in health?"
Diluc finally relaxes, laughing, "In sickness and in health."