iv

                                    

                                          
• third person •
                          
A chilling breeze whistled through the air. Diluc sighed. 
                          
"Hey."
                          
(Y/N)'s shoulders jumped. 
                          
She was on the ground, her hands soiled with... soil, the dirt gathered in a small pile while she struggled to get it all back into the baskets. Most of it had gone through the gaps between the stone slabs of the pathway, or was blown away through the night.
                          
A cold sweat trickled down the side of her face. 
                          
What was he doing here? 
                          
She refused to turn her head to look at him.
                          
"M-Master Diluc... ahah... What brings you here?"
                          
She couldn't look at him. Not after what happened the night before. 
                          
A drink and a lovely hangover would've drowned out all of that embarrassment by now. Fuck's sake. 
                          
Diluc stared down at her back. She wasn't in her usual bright outfit today, instead a short-sleeved denim dungaree: maybe because it was the morning and she was yet to get dressed or- ah anyway...
                          
"Your bow," he stated. "Here."
                          
(Y/N)'s eyes narrowed, her lips pursing. "Oh, thanks... Just leave it there."
                          
She watched from the corner of her eyes as Diluc placed her rose-gold weapon beside her. 
                          
Diluc glanced at her, before quickly standing straight again. "Have a good day. Make sure you tend to your wounds – you could get an infection."
                          
"M-my wounds?"
                          
"You have a burn on your arm."
                          
(Y/N) suddenly felt the urge to cover it with her hand. 
                          
"Oh... hah... this wasn't from last night-"
                          
"I know. You had it before that."
                          
Unexpectedly, (Y/N) turned to face him, her scowl almost piercing through Diluc.
                          
Diluc immediately noticed the redness beneath her swollen eyes. 
                          
God, (Y/N) couldn't stand that unwavering straight face of his. 
                          
"Okay," she grumbled through gritted teeth. "Now can you leave? I don't really want to see someone like you right now."
                          
(Y/N) couldn't stand him in general. Always showing off, always trashing on the knights. Couldn't he shut up for once?
                          
Diluc's eyelashes fluttered in silence.
                          
...That was what (Y/N) would have liked to think. But the thing was, Diluc only ever talked when he felt like it. 
                          
He was so fucking awkward. (Y/N) couldn't stand that either. 
                          
"Okay. Take care," he said. He slowly stepped around, and (Y/N) folded her arms when she watched him stroll towards Angel's Share. 
                          
She conveniently lived practically opposite to the tavern. Not so convenient anymore. 
                          
The clouds above blocked the light of the morning sun. (Y/N) tucked her flying hair behind her ear. 
                          
"You can come out now," she mumbled. 
                          
A familiar chuckle erupted from the corner of (Y/N)'s home. He peeked out, a mischievous smile adorning his tan face. 
                          
(Y/N) breathed out a sigh, pouring the remaining soil into her flower baskets before her house that had been trashed by the storm yesterday. "What are you doing here? I requested a day off... Didn't you get it?"