Reqder discovers Gangle distraught because her comedy mask broke again. So they take it upon themselves to make her a new one! It's just a paper plate with a face scribbled on with crayon, but it's the thought that counts.
a job well done
summary: after finding gangle upset over her newly broken comedy mask, you decide to take matters into your own hands.
word count: 789
c/w: jax is a bit of an asshole but what’s new
a/n: my first tadc fic, i hope i did okay ^_^
Gangle’s comedy mask broke again.
Jax, typical Jax, had ended up tripping her as she quietly walked past him. The poor girl hadn’t even said anything to him, he was just being an asshole because he felt like it. She yelped as she quickly felt herself fly forward without any warning, landing face first onto the hard floor. He only grinned cheekily and chuckled to himself as he watched Gangle sit up in a disoriented manner before gasping and tearfully scooping up pieces of her now broken mask.
Maybe, at this point, she should be used to this happening now. You’d think with the amount of times her comedy mask has snapped in half or straight up shattered into pieces, she would know to carry spare masks around with her just in case. But alas, she is still yet to do such a favor for herself. So there she remains, crying about her smashed comedy mask whilst Jax does nothing to aid her in any way. He eventually ends up casually strolling away without shame, stepping over the broken pieces in the process and ignoring Gangle’s further upset whines.
For a while, she sits alone in the hall, only the sound of her soft cries and sniffles can be heard. Everyone else is already long gone, having left to see whatever the new girl that arrived just yesterday was up to. Gangle truly felt alone in the hallway, no one to help her keep her head up.
That is until she hears quiet footsteps approaching from the far side of the hall. At first she only ignores it, keeping her head down as she continues to weep into her hands.
Then, before she could even process it, a sweet voice called to her, “Hey, Gangle,” which finally led her to lifting her head up, seeing you stood a few feet in front of her. “You okay? What happened? Did you fall?”
Gangle stares at you for a moment, before she whines loudly and goes back to sobbing into her hands. You sputter quietly, quickly kneeling down to eye level with Gangle in an attempt to comfort her.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you. You’ll be okay, hm?” You do your best to reassure and comfort her, hushing her gently, but it seldom seems to have the intended effect. “We’ll fix your mask, okay?”
“How?” She asks, her voice hoarse from crying.
You think about her question for a moment, trying to come up with a solution, before a lightbulb suddenly goes off in your head.
You quickly jump to your feet, startling Gangle as she yelps in surprise at your sudden movement, “I’ll be right back!” You yell with a smile as you begin to jog back in the direction you came from, “Wait there!”
She does not reply to you, but she ultimately decides to sit still and wait for you to return. Better than getting up and leaving to face everyone else with her broken mask in her hands.
Gangle almost would have thought you just abandoned her as some kind of cruel joke, but soon enough, you did come back. She noted that you had something in your hands, it looked like a paper plate or something of the sort. You seemed to be holding a roll of tape as well.
Once you reached her side, you immediately kneeled back down next to her with a wide grin on your face. “Look what I got you!” You beam excitedly as you place the paper plate into Gangle’s hands, and that’s when she fully takes in what you’ve given her.
You had given her a paper plate with a small smiley face scribbled onto it in thick black marker. It seems you tried to resemble her comedy mask. Her mouth hangs open, and she says nothing to you, only staring at it with an unreadable expression.
Noticing Gangle’s quietness, you let out a slightly embarrassed chuckle. “Ah, I know it isn’t much, but I tried. I hope it’s okay for now. It— it’ll be temporary. Until Caine can get your comedy mask fixed again.”
For a split second, you swear you saw a small smile appear on her tragedy mask. It appeared as quickly as it disappeared. She does her best to wipe her tears, yet they still keep coming. She turns to you, her mask still wet with tears.
“Thank you…” she sniffles, her body leaning over and resting against yours. Her ribbons wrap around you gently, careful not to squeeze you too tight. Hugs from Gangle were always a bit… different to what you were used to, but it's not like you ever disliked them. You smiled, tracing your hand over her ribbon arm.
synopsis: you help diluc patch up a wound—hilarity ensues.
word count: 1061
c/w: none !! i mean if you exclude diluc being a loser … they kiss !
a/n: im sorry for being inactive …!! i wrote this in january please take this as compensation
“Finally,” You’re wiping the sweat off near your cheek, breathing heavily. Your lungs almost feel as if they’re about to stop working. You certainly didn’t expect The Abyss mage to call for backup—lots of backup. That was probably the most tiring fight you’ve had in a while.
With your throat dry and desperately needing water, you croak, “Where do they get so many reinforcements from?” Although your skin was barely scathed, all of your limbs felt weak. You could barely stand, so you collapsed onto a dark patch of grass.
Your breathing begins to slow down as you finally catch your breath. “Well? Aren’t you going to sit as well? I can’t believe you still have the energy to stand.” You question Diluc’s stamina. Either that, or maybe he’s just stubborn. Sure, he was standing perfectly fine since he was using his massive claymore as some sort of walking stick, but nobody can deny the fact that he was panting. A lot.
“I’ll be fine. There might be more of them coming.” He replies, fixing his gloves nonchalantly.
“That should’ve been the last of them. Come on, stop being so anxious!” You insist that the horde you and Diluc fought off just now was the last of them and pat the area beside you, gesturing for him to join you. He sighs and crouches down next to you, a weak attempt at complying with you.
“You should really take it easy, you know?” You sigh, glancing at the patches of black on the ground–a result of Diluc’s Pyro vision. “The last thing I’d want is you getting hurt ‘cause you want to help me take care of The Abyss.”
“There’s no need to worry about me.” He assures you, but his argument is beyond weak.
You roll your eyes. “Everytime you come back from one of your ‘trips,’ you manage to get hurt somehow.” You lean back, looking up at the sky.
“Speaking of…” You help yourself up using your sword. “You got hurt earlier, didn’t you?”
“It’s just a minor scratch—” Before he can finish his sentence, you cut him off.
Shushing him, you scold, “Shut it. I left some bandages in my bag back there. Just wait here.”
Making sure he understands that he needs to stay put, you venture into the previous area to rummage through your bag. It’s already midnight. Most citizens of Mondstadt are probably already all cozy in their homes by now, maybe with a few exceptions.
Jean is probably still in her office working. Kaeya’s probably in the tavern drinking again…and Diluc is still waiting for bandages. With that thought, you decide to walk a little faster to your abandoned bag.
Bandages in hand, you make it back to Diluc within a few minutes.
“Back,” You say from a couple meters away from him. “Let me see the wound.”
“Back so soon?” His eyes suddenly open; It seems that he was on the verge of falling asleep. You feel just a little bit guilty about interrupting him.
“Aw, did you want me to be away for longer?” You tease.
He doesn’t reply, but you notice a thin smile forming on his face.
“Just show me your wound.” You roll your eyes, gesturing for him to roll up his sleeves. He reluctantly does as he’s told.
“It really is just a scratch.” He sighs, looking away from you.
“Who cares? Just let me help you for once.”
The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes as you finish wrapping his arm up. It may have just been a scratch this time, but he would’ve said the same about a hole in his stomach.
“Alright, there.” You finish wrapping the bandages around his arm, tying a tight knot to secure it.
Before you know it, it’s already the next day. Of course, it wasn’t daybreak yet, but the two of you should definitely head back.
“I have to return to the winery,” Diluc says, getting up from the patch of grass. “You’re heading back to the city, right?”
“Yeah, I have to wake up early tomorrow.” You sigh, picking at your skin. “Extra shift from my boss.” Right as you finish your sentence, you let out a yawn.
“You should go. At least get some rest before you go to work.”
“Trying to get rid of me so quickly? I’m hurt, Diluc.” You tease. “Nothing in return for bandaging you up?”
Diluc lets out a soft chuckle. “Alright, what do you want?”
Giving it some thought for a few seconds, but coming up with nothing, you joke.
“Mm, how about a kiss right here?” You chuckle, pointing to your cheek.
Honestly, maybe it was better you didn’t make jokes like that around Diluc. His sense of humor isn’t known to be the greatest. Because unlike Kaeya, who definitely would’ve flirted back, Diluc’s eyes widened and his face turned red. Incredibly red. And for a second, he looked like he seriously considered it.
You can’t help but laugh uncontrollably, “Did you actually think about it?”
Averting his gaze, he purses his lips.
“I’m just teasing, relax!” You sigh, a grin still plastered on your face.
“Do you want me to?” You look up at him, eyes widening slightly. You didn’t think he would say that. Diluc isn’t the type to joke around about this stuff. No, he would never.
Suddenly, he crouches down right in front of you. “I was joking! I…” You clear your throat, desperately looking away. You’re embarrassed. By Diluc, of all people.
He slides his hand onto your cheek, cupping them, and leans in slightly. You glance back at him and immediately look away again.
You bite your lips. “...If you want to, yeah.”
Instead of responding with a nod or a simple ‘okay,’ he cups your cheek with his hand. Despite wearing gloves, he could probably feel just how warm your cheeks were.
…
His lips were really soft. It was a kiss that lasted longer than either of you expected, but it’s not like you were complaining.
Your heart was on the verge of exploding as you walked home. You couldn’t even tell whether your body was burning because you were exhausted or if it was because you were flustered. It was probably both.
It was only then that you remembered: you told him to kiss your cheek.
synopsis: you find diluc returning to angel’s share on a cold winter night in mondstadt.
word count: 713
c/w: none !!! all fluff :3
a/n: this is kind of reposted from my ao3 BUT ! yeaapp
It wasn’t uncommon for you to see Diluc returning to Mondstadt in the dead of night. The sky was dark although the small bits of snow floating through the sky urged Mondstadters to stay home. Even the usual night owls stayed in the comforts of their own home. This was the peace of winter nights in Mondstadt. The white of snow blanketed over the roofs of homes, small icicles hanging from the eaves. When you saw Diluc returning to the tavern despite the snow, you threw on your coat and left your abode to greet him.
“Diluc!” You yell, struggling to catch up with him through the winter cold. Although the weather in the city was nothing like Dragonspine, citizens of Mondstadt were never really accustomed to the cold. The days in Mondstadt were typically warm and summer-like.
Hearing your voice call for his name, he stops and turns to find you. You catch up with him as he stands there, waiting for you.
“Did you just get back?” You ask. Diluc is always out somewhere, whether it be for business or…other matters.
Diluc nods, giving you a simple answer. “The Abyss is taking advantage of the cold.” Of course he was out taking care of the Abyss. You didn’t understand why he would go out practically every night to protect Mondstadt. Of course, it’s a good thing, but you worry for his own wellbeing at times.
“In this weather? You’re not even properly dressed.” He’s wearing his usual attire, which may keep him warm regularly, but definitely not in weather like this. A puff of smoke-like mist comes from your mouth as you exhale.
“You’re not wearing much yourself.” He replies. “Aren’t you cold?”
You were, indeed, cold. In fact, your hands turned more and more numb by the second. What were you thinking? Throwing on a coat and calling it a day? You sigh, another puff of mist coming from your mouth. “A little. It’s not super bad though. Anyways—”
Before you finish your sentence, Diluc cuts you off. “Here,” Diluc takes off his scarf and begins to wrap it around your neck. “You need this more than I do.” The scarf muffles your words slightly before you pull it down to speak clearly.
“No, I’m fine. Here.” You begin to unwrap the scarf from your neck before he grabs your arm to stop you. You look at him and he immediately pulls away. You’re met with a quiet ‘sorry’ from him as he looks away.
Now that his scarf is off, his face seems red. You can’t tell whether it’s the cold or something else. “Anyways, we should probably get out of this snow.” You finally say after a few seconds of silence. “You’re heading to the tavern right? I’ll join you.”
Diluc nods, and the two of you begin to walk toward the tavern in silence. A few minutes into the walk, your hands are frozen stiff. With no place to put your hands—since whoever designed this coat apparently forgot that coats should have pockets—your hand naturally migrated towards Diluc’s Pyro vision which emanates a soft warmth, desperately seeking any warmth whatsoever.
Diluc didn’t seem to be affected by the cold, which might be because of his time in Snezhnaya that made him accustomed to the cold, or it might be because of the vision that hung near his thigh.
Despite the numbness residing in your hand, you suddenly feel something soft brush against your knuckle. And again. This happens a few more times before you realize that it’s Diluc’s gloved hand that keeps coming in contact with your knuckle. It wasn’t particularly a long walk to Angel’s Share, but the thought of having to endure this cold made you shudder more than you already were.
Then, you realize. Diluc is wearing gloves, which should make his hands warm, right? Surely he wouldn’t mind if you hold his hands for just a few minutes. Without thinking more, you grab his hand. He flinches a bit as he turns his head to look at you. “…Excuse me.” You clear your throat, not letting go of his hand.
The two of you venture down Mondstadt’s empty streets to the tavern, hand in hand.
synopsis: you help diluc patch up a wound—hilarity ensues.
word count: 1061
c/w: none !! i mean if you exclude diluc being a loser … they kiss !
a/n: im sorry for being inactive …!! i wrote this in january please take this as compensation
“Finally,” You’re wiping the sweat off near your cheek, breathing heavily. Your lungs almost feel as if they’re about to stop working. You certainly didn’t expect The Abyss mage to call for backup—lots of backup. That was probably the most tiring fight you’ve had in a while.
With your throat dry and desperately needing water, you croak, “Where do they get so many reinforcements from?” Although your skin was barely scathed, all of your limbs felt weak. You could barely stand, so you collapsed onto a dark patch of grass.
Your breathing begins to slow down as you finally catch your breath. “Well? Aren’t you going to sit as well? I can’t believe you still have the energy to stand.” You question Diluc’s stamina. Either that, or maybe he’s just stubborn. Sure, he was standing perfectly fine since he was using his massive claymore as some sort of walking stick, but nobody can deny the fact that he was panting. A lot.
“I’ll be fine. There might be more of them coming.” He replies, fixing his gloves nonchalantly.
“That should’ve been the last of them. Come on, stop being so anxious!” You insist that the horde you and Diluc fought off just now was the last of them and pat the area beside you, gesturing for him to join you. He sighs and crouches down next to you, a weak attempt at complying with you.
“You should really take it easy, you know?” You sigh, glancing at the patches of black on the ground–a result of Diluc’s Pyro vision. “The last thing I’d want is you getting hurt ‘cause you want to help me take care of The Abyss.”
“There’s no need to worry about me.” He assures you, but his argument is beyond weak.
You roll your eyes. “Everytime you come back from one of your ‘trips,’ you manage to get hurt somehow.” You lean back, looking up at the sky.
“Speaking of…” You help yourself up using your sword. “You got hurt earlier, didn’t you?”
“It’s just a minor scratch—” Before he can finish his sentence, you cut him off.
Shushing him, you scold, “Shut it. I left some bandages in my bag back there. Just wait here.”
Making sure he understands that he needs to stay put, you venture into the previous area to rummage through your bag. It’s already midnight. Most citizens of Mondstadt are probably already all cozy in their homes by now, maybe with a few exceptions.
Jean is probably still in her office working. Kaeya’s probably in the tavern drinking again…and Diluc is still waiting for bandages. With that thought, you decide to walk a little faster to your abandoned bag.
Bandages in hand, you make it back to Diluc within a few minutes.
“Back,” You say from a couple meters away from him. “Let me see the wound.”
“Back so soon?” His eyes suddenly open; It seems that he was on the verge of falling asleep. You feel just a little bit guilty about interrupting him.
“Aw, did you want me to be away for longer?” You tease.
He doesn’t reply, but you notice a thin smile forming on his face.
“Just show me your wound.” You roll your eyes, gesturing for him to roll up his sleeves. He reluctantly does as he’s told.
“It really is just a scratch.” He sighs, looking away from you.
“Who cares? Just let me help you for once.”
The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes as you finish wrapping his arm up. It may have just been a scratch this time, but he would’ve said the same about a hole in his stomach.
“Alright, there.” You finish wrapping the bandages around his arm, tying a tight knot to secure it.
Before you know it, it’s already the next day. Of course, it wasn’t daybreak yet, but the two of you should definitely head back.
“I have to return to the winery,” Diluc says, getting up from the patch of grass. “You’re heading back to the city, right?”
“Yeah, I have to wake up early tomorrow.” You sigh, picking at your skin. “Extra shift from my boss.” Right as you finish your sentence, you let out a yawn.
“You should go. At least get some rest before you go to work.”
“Trying to get rid of me so quickly? I’m hurt, Diluc.” You tease. “Nothing in return for bandaging you up?”
Diluc lets out a soft chuckle. “Alright, what do you want?”
Giving it some thought for a few seconds, but coming up with nothing, you joke.
“Mm, how about a kiss right here?” You chuckle, pointing to your cheek.
Honestly, maybe it was better you didn’t make jokes like that around Diluc. His sense of humor isn’t known to be the greatest. Because unlike Kaeya, who definitely would’ve flirted back, Diluc’s eyes widened and his face turned red. Incredibly red. And for a second, he looked like he seriously considered it.
You can’t help but laugh uncontrollably, “Did you actually think about it?”
Averting his gaze, he purses his lips.
“I’m just teasing, relax!” You sigh, a grin still plastered on your face.
“Do you want me to?” You look up at him, eyes widening slightly. You didn’t think he would say that. Diluc isn’t the type to joke around about this stuff. No, he would never.
Suddenly, he crouches down right in front of you. “I was joking! I…” You clear your throat, desperately looking away. You’re embarrassed. By Diluc, of all people.
He slides his hand onto your cheek, cupping them, and leans in slightly. You glance back at him and immediately look away again.
You bite your lips. “...If you want to, yeah.”
Instead of responding with a nod or a simple ‘okay,’ he cups your cheek with his hand. Despite wearing gloves, he could probably feel just how warm your cheeks were.
…
His lips were really soft. It was a kiss that lasted longer than either of you expected, but it’s not like you were complaining.
Your heart was on the verge of exploding as you walked home. You couldn’t even tell whether your body was burning because you were exhausted or if it was because you were flustered. It was probably both.
It was only then that you remembered: you told him to kiss your cheek.
synopsis: neuvillette is in love—he wishes he wasn’t.
word count: 758
c/w: angst, no comfort
a/n: i wrote this in like. maybe an hour and did not edit it at all please bear with me
He had always known there was a great divide between the life of a human and a life like his—a dragon. His days seemed to be endless, yet, one of a human’s was so short lived. Was it pity that he felt? No, humans still managed to make the most of their short life. So what was this feeling that resides in his chest now?
It was almost suffocating, the thought consumed him for days, weeks, even. The concept of love, a novel idea made by humans—or so he thought. It was until he met you, which seemed like yesterday. It’s been a few years since the two of you met. It didn’t seem like a long time until she mentioned it almost a month ago.
“That’s right…a month. It’s been a month since my Lady Furina—” He immediately cut himself off before he could finish his own thought. These frivolous thoughts have been plaguing his mind for no good reason, he thinks.
He clenched his fist, unable to focus on the documents that lie neatly across his desk. You haven’t visited in a while. Though, nobody in their right mind would. It’s been pouring for the past two weeks, which is usually no surprise for most citizens of Fontaine, but this was different.
Archons above, this wasn’t just rain. It was practically a flood, to put it lightly. The trees were blown by harsh winds, the few functioning Aquabuses left delayed. There wasn’t a single soul in sight if one were to look out the window, if you could even see anything beyond the heavy rain.
It didn’t hit him until recently, but give him some time. He’s not good at these things. Love: a distant, alien concept to the unmovable, unbiased Iudex of Fontaine. And yet, there could be no other possible explanation for this—this feeling. He thought he was ill at first, yes, illness was the only possible answer. He went to every doctor in Fontaine and, no, not a single proper explanation. So he turned to his last resort—Furina.
“Dear Chief Justice, you can’t possibly be serious.” Is what she had said to him. “You’re in love!” And as stupid it sounded to him, it was the only logical explanation. His cheeks flushed when he saw you, his heart beating at abnormal rates whenever you say something cheesy to him…Yes, it was love.
Typically, humans would be flustered. They were in love? It isn’t to say that he wasn’t flustered at first, but then reality hit him. You’re a human. He’s…not.
It simply wasn’t meant to be. Humans are fragile—their lifeline only a tiny fraction of his. Even if you were to return his silly feelings, what then? What would come of a relationship? He doesn’t understand how he could possibly be a good lover, nor could he ever even be loveable at the least. What would become of him once you leave this world? The mere thought of you dying—leaving him—scares him. He lowers his head, gripping his pen harder, staring at the puddle of ink he left on the page.
“That’s right, there’s no use pondering this matter… I’m thinking ahead of myself.” Is what he thought.
Every single day, he reassured himself. If he was the only one that was affected because of his unrequited feelings, then that’s fine by him. He could bear it. So why does he still feel this crushing feeling on his soul—his very being? After all, there’s no chance you could even begin to love someone like him. Someone as awkward, unfeeling as him? There’s no possible way.
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how someone like you could ever—!
No, forget it. Self-deprecating thoughts aren’t any good for him.
“Don’t always think so low of yourself, yeah? It doesn’t do any good.” That’s something you told him. Something you told him.
***
Something you told him. Yet another month had passed, this time, things were drastically different.
Why did you have to make things so hard for him? You could have just kept it to yourself, like he had. So why? Why did you tell him how you felt?
It poured harder than ever before when he saw the look of complete and utter disappointment on your face when he said the words he did. He didn’t think he’d ever feel such despair, but he did.
“It’s okay.” You smiled, pursing your lips.
No, it wasn’t okay. How could any of this ever be okay? He didn’t understand anything, nothing at all.
synopsis: after 3 years, diluc finally returns to mondstadt.
word count: 608
c/w: angst sorta… hurt/comfort
a/n: yet another repost from ao3 because i do not have the time to write anything these days… didnt expect my last post to get so many notes THANK YOU!!!! thank u for reading :3 (ps might open reqs soon. idk im working on a lot of stuff for tumblr)
It was dead silent. In a small alley in Mondstadt stood you and Diluc, standing parallel to each other as your face burned, tears sliding down your cheeks. No words have been exchanged ever since tears started welling up in your eyes. The lack of words was awkward and almost deafening, yet it didn’t matter to you. You were furious and you hadn’t even a clue as to why. The man that stood in front of you was clearly frustrated as well, but his frustration didn’t seem to be directed towards you. Rather, it was a frustration directed towards himself. Why? Why couldn't he say anything?
Biting your lips, you start, “Seriously, what…what is wrong with you?” Your voice is trembling, almost as if your words are struggling to escape. Whenever you got angry, you could never put your thoughts into words. Your only reaction to anger was to cry. To cry, and to never stop crying until you had sorted out these thoughts. Knowing you for so long, Diluc has taken note of this peculiar habit of yours. Even if he could say anything about the current situation, he would know best to not do so.
Words were practically stuck in your throat. You didn’t want to say anything to hurt him, yet you can’t help but be upset with him. That’s only natural, right? You inhale. “You leave Mondstadt for so long and—and you come back just to not be able to say anything.” Your voice is breaking in between each word. “Say something!” Your voice was hoarse, despite not having said much at all. Your attempt at a shout was more of a meek yelp. Diluc didn’t say anything, nothing at all. He just…stood there. You wipe your eyes quickly, your breath hitched, and attempt to regain your composure.
After a few minutes of absolutely nothing, you manage to regain your composure. You knew it wasn’t his fault. You knew that leaving Mondstadt wasn’t something he wanted to do. So why couldn't you forgive him?
“I hate that you left us. I hate that you left me. But I hate myself for wanting to hate you, too.” Diluc looks up at you, surprised. “I know you didn’t have a choice to leave. I couldn’t even imagine what you went through when Crepus died.” You sigh. Crepus was more of a dad to you than your actual parents were. You know how much worse Diluc had it. “So why do I feel this way?” Diluc clenched his fists. What is he going to say? Was he even going to say anything at all? You shut your eyes.
Finally, Diluc opens his mouth to say something. “I’m sorry.”
You held your breath, not knowing what to say. “…Huh?”
“You have every right to hate me.”
With this, your eyes started pouring again. Though, the tears felt much lighter this time. What is he talking about? You let out a small laugh at the stupidity of this situation. How is it that both of you feel sorry? You step closer to him, ignoring his apology. “Do you understand how much I missed you?” You look him in the eyes for the first time in three years. Three years. “I can’t bring myself to hate you, even after this. There wasn’t a day that went by where I haven’t thought of you.” You grit your teeth, clenching your fist slightly before relaxing your body. With that one statement, Diluc’s eyes widened. It’s a rare sight, really. “Promise me you wont leave me ever again. Please.”
Diluc pulls you to his chest and gives you a tight embrace. “I promise.”
synopsis: you find diluc returning to angel’s share on a cold winter night in mondstadt.
word count: 713
c/w: none !!! all fluff :3
a/n: this is kind of reposted from my ao3 BUT ! yeaapp
It wasn’t uncommon for you to see Diluc returning to Mondstadt in the dead of night. The sky was dark although the small bits of snow floating through the sky urged Mondstadters to stay home. Even the usual night owls stayed in the comforts of their own home. This was the peace of winter nights in Mondstadt. The white of snow blanketed over the roofs of homes, small icicles hanging from the eaves. When you saw Diluc returning to the tavern despite the snow, you threw on your coat and left your abode to greet him.
“Diluc!” You yell, struggling to catch up with him through the winter cold. Although the weather in the city was nothing like Dragonspine, citizens of Mondstadt were never really accustomed to the cold. The days in Mondstadt were typically warm and summer-like.
Hearing your voice call for his name, he stops and turns to find you. You catch up with him as he stands there, waiting for you.
“Did you just get back?” You ask. Diluc is always out somewhere, whether it be for business or…other matters.
Diluc nods, giving you a simple answer. “The Abyss is taking advantage of the cold.” Of course he was out taking care of the Abyss. You didn’t understand why he would go out practically every night to protect Mondstadt. Of course, it’s a good thing, but you worry for his own wellbeing at times.
“In this weather? You’re not even properly dressed.” He’s wearing his usual attire, which may keep him warm regularly, but definitely not in weather like this. A puff of smoke-like mist comes from your mouth as you exhale.
“You’re not wearing much yourself.” He replies. “Aren’t you cold?”
You were, indeed, cold. In fact, your hands turned more and more numb by the second. What were you thinking? Throwing on a coat and calling it a day? You sigh, another puff of mist coming from your mouth. “A little. It’s not super bad though. Anyways—”
Before you finish your sentence, Diluc cuts you off. “Here,” Diluc takes off his scarf and begins to wrap it around your neck. “You need this more than I do.” The scarf muffles your words slightly before you pull it down to speak clearly.
“No, I’m fine. Here.” You begin to unwrap the scarf from your neck before he grabs your arm to stop you. You look at him and he immediately pulls away. You’re met with a quiet ‘sorry’ from him as he looks away.
Now that his scarf is off, his face seems red. You can’t tell whether it’s the cold or something else. “Anyways, we should probably get out of this snow.” You finally say after a few seconds of silence. “You’re heading to the tavern right? I’ll join you.”
Diluc nods, and the two of you begin to walk toward the tavern in silence. A few minutes into the walk, your hands are frozen stiff. With no place to put your hands—since whoever designed this coat apparently forgot that coats should have pockets—your hand naturally migrated towards Diluc’s Pyro vision which emanates a soft warmth, desperately seeking any warmth whatsoever.
Diluc didn’t seem to be affected by the cold, which might be because of his time in Snezhnaya that made him accustomed to the cold, or it might be because of the vision that hung near his thigh.
Despite the numbness residing in your hand, you suddenly feel something soft brush against your knuckle. And again. This happens a few more times before you realize that it’s Diluc’s gloved hand that keeps coming in contact with your knuckle. It wasn’t particularly a long walk to Angel’s Share, but the thought of having to endure this cold made you shudder more than you already were.
Then, you realize. Diluc is wearing gloves, which should make his hands warm, right? Surely he wouldn’t mind if you hold his hands for just a few minutes. Without thinking more, you grab his hand. He flinches a bit as he turns his head to look at you. “…Excuse me.” You clear your throat, not letting go of his hand.
The two of you venture down Mondstadt’s empty streets to the tavern, hand in hand.
synopsis: after a tiring day, you and diluc decide to watch a meteor shower together
word count: 1,323
c/w: none !!!
note: hi !! this is my first time posting on tumblr >_< please enjoy !! i dont post super often but yeah :3
There wasn’t a single cloud in sight that night, the stars littered the vast ocean in its reflection. “Hey, do you believe in wishing upon a star?” You asked as the two of you returned to Mondstadt after taking down a few Fatui camps together in the evening. Diluc lowers his head slightly and ponders his response. His steps across the ground are soft, yet they still hold a sense of authority to them. It’s quiet. Crickets chirp in the warm summer breeze, the sky turning dark at last. Mondstadt has mostly fallen asleep by now–the city that’s filled to the brim at the brink of dawn has not a flicker of light in sight. The windmills continue to spin, as does the wind blow, and the summer dew trickles from the petals of the Cecilias.
“I’ve never thought about things like that. I suppose I don’t.” Diluc responds after a few seconds of thought. “Why the sudden question?”
Right before you set out on your adventure with Diluc, Mona happened to be at the main gate. As it turns out, she briefly informs you that there’s a meteor shower tonight. It was Mona you’re talking about, so of course you’d trust her words.
“I heard there’s a meteor shower tonight,” You explain. “It reminded me of when my parents gave me mora to toss in the fountain in exchange for a wish, I guess.” And to that statement, Diluc’s lips faintly tugged upwards. You reminisce back to when you were just a small child, when Mondstadt seemed so much more peaceful compared to now. The idea seemed rather childish now.
“Do you want to check it out?” He says, head facing the sky to look up to the stars. When he says that, your eyes light up accompanied by a bright smile.
“Well…it’s true that I haven’t seen one in a while. It wouldn’t hurt to check it out.” You say, trying not to sound overly-excited. You clutch your bag tightly, fiddling with the strap.
“We’re not too far from Cape Oath.” Diluc mentions so quickly that if you hadn’t been paying attention, you would have missed it. Nobody is out this late anyway, so it’d be a nice break from all the battling the two of you have been facing.
“Then let’s go to Cape Oath!” Suddenly, you realize the implications of the two of you going to Cape Oath—‘The Lovers’ Oath’—together.
After a few seconds, it hit you. “Ah,” You mumble under your breath. “Maybe we should just stay here to watch?” You turn back to him, desperately trying to avoid any misunderstandings and awkwardness. He looks at you and tilts his head innocently, seemingly confused as to why you’d change your mind so fast. He stares at you as you try to explain yourself without making it obvious you were a flustered mess. It doesn’t work very well, as your hands begin to fiddle with the strap of your bag once again. Your eyes dart around as words just seem to pour from your mouth, neverending.
After some more sputtering from your side, Diluc lets out a soft laugh. He clearly put two and two together in the time you tried, and failed, to explain yourself, understanding why you’d want to stay put instead.
“It’s okay,” He smiles at you and begins to walk towards Cape Oath, gesturing for you to follow. You quickly catch up to him, the grass crunching quietly beneath your feet. After several minutes of walking in silence, Diluc points out a light in the sky.
He seemed to frown, “It started already.” Diluc purses his lips, looking back at you. Though, it’s hard to tell when he’s actually frowning since his resting face always seems to be so…somber.
“Isn’t it good that it started so early?” You ask, curiously. You looked up at the sky, shards of space rock shooting down into Teyvat.
He stops in his tracks and turns to you. “You were quite excited to see this meteor shower.” He glances back to the sky, admiring it for a few seconds before looking toward Cape Oath. He seems to be lost in thought, brows somewhat furrowed and squinting toward your destination.
“We’re still seeing it, aren’t we?” You were never a believer in ‘special locations’ that much. Superstitions didn’t make sense to you. After all, is fate really real? What matters is that you live the life the way you want, right?
He stopped in his tracks, finally turning back to you. “You wanted to see it at Cape Oath, no?”
But he was right. Cape Oath was a scenic area, and it would definitely be a better view than in the middle of nowhere. Just imagine: The meteor shower filling the sky with dozens of warm tones as the color is reflected into the large body of water below the cliff as you’re surrounded by greenery.
“Well, yes. But it’s not much of a difference. Besides, you’re here with me and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?” Diluc’s eyes widen for a second and look away from you.
“We can still make it if we run.” He mutters to himself. It was just the beginning of the show, it definitely hasn’t gotten to the best part yet. As the shower continues, you grab his arm out of sheer impulse.
“Then…let’s go.” You weren’t exactly sure why you did what you did, but you did it. You dashed across the grassy plains, feeling the grass crunch beneath your feet. You felt Diluc being pulled along with you before he finally managed to balance himself again, running with you. You felt the wind brushing past your face with each step you took, covering a large distance in a short time. You felt your breath getting irregular and your throat felt dry, but you didn’t stop.
Your eyes weren’t focused on the meteor shower anymore, just on your destination—Cape Oath. You looked back at Diluc occasionally, the two of you rushing toward the cliff with no words exchanged. Perhaps it was to save some breath, or perhaps it was the fact that there were no words left that needed to be said.
Luckily, the two of you weren’t that far from the cliff. It was only a few minutes of nonstop, high-speed running. But before the two of you know it, you've arrived at the cape. Panting from all the running, you immediately fall onto your knees, your legs were provided a somewhat soft yet rough landing by the vast field. A few dandelions surrounded your being, a few crushed under your leg. The broken stems left a trail of water dripping down your lower leg down to your ankle.
Still catching your breath, you finally speak. “You were right, Cape Oath really is a good spot for this stuff.” You lean back, your palms flat on the ground. Diluc gives a quick nod before sitting down again. His breathing is quiet, but he’s definitely panting. You find it a little silly as to how he would try to hide the simple fact that he’s tired. After all, anyone would be.
“Did you make a wish?” You break the silence again, catching Diluc off guard. Your gaze is stuck to the sky, the bursts of colors before your very eyes.
“Yeah,” As you were about to ask what it was, you remember your parents saying that the wish won’t come true if you say it out loud.
“Did you?” He asks, finally turning to look at you.
“I did, but I’m not telling you.” You turn to him as well, giving him a cheeky smile.
“Of course,” He closes his eyes for a split second before they flutter open once again just to take in the view. Together, just near the edge of the cape admiring the spectacle that nature staged for Mondstadt, there’s a comfortable silence that can't be broken between your pair.
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