d. ragnvindr // noteworthy booze
the one where young diluc cannot take ahold of his curiosity after a mysterious stranger enters the tavern..
eventual smut // fluff // warnings: incredibly suggestive, minor swearing, drinking
d. ragnvindr x afab! reader // 2.46k
ANGEL’S share tavern was simply booming with business every single night, as bustling patrons made their way through the wooden doorway — hoping to be merrily intoxicated for once another night. the constant chattering partnered with drinks clattering against one another every so often, along with the warm lighting above gave a somewhat relaxed, yet entertaining atmosphere.
“another drink, bartender!”
“and so I said, you’re as brainless as a ruin guard!”
“this may be the first date, but allow me to say how you have enchanted me, my lady”
while bartenders felt overwhelmed by the amount of attention the establishment had been receiving recently, the steady flow of profit slightly reveled the owner of the business, Diluc of the Ragnvindr clan.
oh Diluc, the fiery yet puzzling bartender of the tavern. only attending to the bar as of recently, he drove off drunkards with a firm glare, prohibiting from furthering their insobriety of the evening — if he saw it to be fit. however, he still maintained a level of composure around those excited by being inebriated, attending to their needs while gaining his required financial interest.
nevertheless, this professional manner did not halter him in inquiring about foreign strangers — unless they themselves drove him off with a glare equal towards his. he found this reaction to be rare, but to entice him, as instead most foreign strangers being rather, open, to talk to the barkeep.
the tavern door opened slowly once more, the hinges crying out softly as a cloaked figure stepped into the space. adorning your side was an unfamiliar vision design, along with a sharpened dagger tucked away in your belt.
scanning your cramped surroundings, you finally settled upon an open seat directly parallel to the oak bar — the tables at the back having too many persons at the moment.
Diluc carefully examined you, trudging towards the bar stool, raising an eyebrow as you shrugged off your cloak onto the chair.
you, the person underneath was rather, attractive, even to Diluc. you looked to be hand-crafted of Celestia themselves, descended to the beings of Tevyat alike an angel, bestowing upon them a glance at your beauty, perhaps for a mere second to encounter what true eternal artistry was.
you promptly notice his curious expression, before swiftly examining him up and down. Trailing your gaze from his spirited crimson hair, all down to the intricate metal detailing upon his attire.
“take a picture, it’ll last longer,” you assert with a small grin, peering into his red eyes before looking back upon the menu in front of you. you pick at it carefully with her fingernail, before dragging the paper closer to check what “divine” alcoholic drinks the infamous business would have at this hour — as proclaimed by knight Alberich.
slightly flustered at your statement, Diluc shakes the emotion off relatively quickly, clearing his throat before responding with modest cockiness.
“don’t flatter yourself, I don’t work to look at good-looking ladies all day,” the bartender retorts, turning around and polishing off a clean wine glass in his hand with a used cloth in the other.
you gingerly chuckle at his comeback, dragging your finger along the paper menu — as if checking it for any faults it may have.
“so you think I’m good-looking, barkeep?” you fire back, glancing up from the menu bashfully, interested by his professional(ish) demeanor.
his crimson-red eyebrows furrow at your continuing question, not bothering to glimpse back but tempted by the thought. Diluc continues to wipe down the glass thoroughly, lost on what to say until he finds a decent antiphon.
“i do not plan to explain my thoughts on the matter. nor did I imply you were simply an attractive lady,” he emboldens back, a sudden confidence covering his voice as he hides a smirk from your inquisitive eyes.
at your absence of an answer, his voice slightly tinges with a hint of laughter, teasing evident in his voice — he was attempting to get under your skin. Diluc poses a question, turning around to lean unto the wooden bar, closer to you.
”what brings you to my bar anyway? People like you don’t usually come here at this hour,” he inquires, staring deeply into your eyes, hidden emotions swirling beneath its red exterior.
“oh, so what do people like me usually do?” you utter, returning his stare with an intense one of your own, as a small grin lies upon your smooth lips.
he grins at your response, not most patrons of the tavern replying with the same — credence in their voice. his mischievous smile doesn’t leave his face, setting the clean wine glass to the side while still keeping his eyes on you.
“well, that depends on the reason they come in, no?” Diluc challenges, resting his head atop his palm as he continues to admire your conduct, appearance, behavior — everything about you had allured him towards you.
“i suppose it does, does it not,” you flirtatiously conjecture as your gaze flits down from his face, down his brawny frame, and back towards his eyes. His smile grows at your endless gaze, cocking an eyebrow while your eyes wander curiously over his body — but he returns to a more professional and business-like tone, straightening his posture. Diluc grabs the used cloth he had so carelessly thrown to the side, in favor of teasing you further, and throws it across his shoulder.
”well then, what is your drink of choice?” your lips purse in return, glancing back at the menu before tilting your head at the man.
”I can’t seem to decide — could you help me, barkeep?” You question, a playful emphasis on what you’ve nicknamed him, as you are entranced by him, sharpening your attention back to him, watching him like a hawk rather than a mouse.
a smile curls his lips once again, amusement breaking against the business manner he had adopted mere seconds ago. Diluc heartily chuckles, the mischief coming back into play as he taunts you back.
”i have a special selection, some not many of my customers would be willing to try. Do you think you’re brave?” His words bordering on the territory of mockery, leaning against the bar counter and glancing back to see the expression — if you were truly able to turn down his offer.
you return his glance with one of her own, entertained by his approach to this situation — as a smirk grows atop your lips.
”give me your best, bartender,” you reply with, as Diluc’s lips curl into a wide smile, his gaze unblinking and unsteady, as his eyes hold a certain glint to them, at this promise.
“well then,” the bartender says, faintly grunting as he bends down to search below in the dark oak cabinet for a certain special wine. he finally pops up from behind the bar, cradling meticulously in his gloved hands a hand-crafted bottle of wine, with no label. “a special wine, i brewed it entirely myself.” he continues, as he pulls out not one, but two clean wine glasses out for the pair — clearly intent on advancing their conversation over the evening.
“you do have quite the experience, don’t ya?” You playfully tease, as you linger on how the muscles in his arms flex as he pours them both some vintage wine from his personal collection.
“i wouldn’t say I’m quite experienced, perhaps four or five years?” Diluc conveys, confusion evident in his voice as the time prior the Fatui has become quite hazy for him. he sets down the glass of wine back under the counter, before pushing the wine glass towards you. “well then,” he suggestively utters, steadily lifting up his glass to toast with you.
”cheers, barkeep!” You remarks, excitement evident within your statement, raising up your glass to meet his as you stare into his eyes while taking a sip of the liquid.
the wine is rather sweet and acidic at the same time, the two flavors balancing each other out considerably well — the vintage potency of it, while having been brewed moderately recently is quite strong, you putting down the glass for a second to savor what you have taken. diluc reclines back in his bar stool behind the counter after finishing more than half of his share — awaiting to see the your reaction to the bitter yet fruity taste.
after studying your features as you continues to languidly sip the wine, appearing to relish in the oncoming taste of it, Diluc’s grin gets large, speaking volumes in their extant silence.
Diluc queries you in front of him, enticingly uttering, ”how do you like it?” his head falls once again atop his palm, looking straight towards you as if you are the only person, only thing, in the world that held magnitude towards him. he attempts to anticipate your response, a devious smile falling upon his face as he enduringly awaits a comeback.
you gently set down the wine glass, the well-crafted taste still dawdling on your soft lips as you reciprocate a feedback, chastely saying, “tastes almighty to be hand-crafted by you.” while a jesting tone drips from your exaggerated words, slight admiration is hidden within your amusing nature while Diluc quirks an eyebrow up at your statement.
“oh, is it that well-done?” the bartender cockily fires back, teasing at how you look to cherish the taste of the accomplished vintage beverage. a twinge of a sneer encompasses his expression comparatively — simply adoring how your taunting could vex even the most tough of adventurers.
”are you doubting your own capabilities, barkeep? this personal collection may as well be worth the finest mora of Tevyat,” you tease back with a flirtatious grin crossing over your face — how you sell out the description of the wine may as well be that it’s worth the best material held in Celestia, even.
he heartily howls in laughter, attracting the attention of some nearby patrons before they go back towards their drunken antics.
”if i may ask, what name do I have the pleasure of addressing? i feel as if I have to know whose truly behind these endless compliments,” he questions, leaning forward slightly in the chair — intrigued to see how you would retort.
you bend your upper body over the wooden counter, in an effort to be closer towards him while a small grin graces your features. you gesture for him to come closer with a beckoning of your finger, and Diluc gladly complies — lending you his ear to speak into.
you utter softly, words taking on a slight teasing and provocative tone, “i don’t feel as if you’ve earned it yet, bartender..”
a crestfallen expression evident by your reply, he captures the budding emotion and transforms it to match the your own, flirtatious and teasing — while adding his own personal touches towards it.
he mocks coyly, grinning as he moves in unbearably close enough for you to apperceive the warmth his breath trails from your neck to just barely below her ear.
“i feel as if I have earned it, don’t you,” Diluc fires back with an intense yet magnetizing gaze into your eyes as he leans back, desiring to see your reaction. he cautiously brings a scarred hand up towards yours, moving to sensitively trace intricately figures atop it while allowing you to pull away if you so coveted.
you irresistibly grin at the hand exquisitely pursuing the creation of shapes atop yours, while Diluc cannot seem to tear his eyes away from you. your skin feels smooth as silk, while holding some scars from what he assumed to be quarrels outside of Adventurer commissions. you flirtatiously flit her eyes from the hand tracing hers, to his crimson eyes, affirming, “what made you come towards that?”
you coyly tilt her head, enough for him to notice how you are attempting to tease him, to provoke him enough to do something.
“well, i already see how far you’re willing to go” Diluc retorts, confidence paired with mischief evident as his gaze drawls across your body, before returning to your wine-stained lips.
your eyes narrow in response to his avowal, taking this as a challenge of sorts rather than an invitation. he grins at the narrowing of your eyes, a stark contrast between your two expressions.
opposed to his prior action of leaning away from you, he drifts toward you — moving his hand that was previously tracing the lines of yours to your neck. his tepid breath is adjacent to your neckline, nearest to the bottom of your ear as he breezily caresses the side of your jaw, stroking it affectionately as he utters, “i could tell you, but if you prefer..”
he seems almost hypnotized by you, your conduct, your appearance, everything about you has enraptured his entire being, captivating him the moment you arrived at the tavern. he then resumes his words, lips barely brushing your neck as he lovingly confides, “i could show you.”
at the slightest hitch of your breath, the smallest inconsistency, a large sneer appears on his face, for he had finally flustered you. you could feel the smugness radiating from him as he remained with his head almost tucked into your neck, before softly plucking the hand that had caressed your jaw — holding it as he removes his head from the confines of your neck to properly, and shamelessly, ogle at you.
the dirty tavern cloth still remains onto his shoulder, not dirtying his clothes in any way as you support his hand within your own, looking at the numerous scars, scratches, that littered his damaged hand before expressing rather teasingly, “and how could you show me, bartender?”
your words are like honey to him, encapsulating him as he remains lost staring into the abyss of your eyes. suddenly, his voice starts off rather clear, stating, “there’s a simple way — i could…” before he trails off without a second thought, his mind rampaging with alluring situations.
“if you’d so entertain me,” Diluc continues, while pointing at the third floor of the Angel’s Share. “we may go somewhere more private if you so want,” Diluc provocatively declares, keeping his seductive intentions coherent for you.
you do not seem to give in easily to his words, but are still rather, intrigued — at the prospect of being alone with the bartender.
“well, lead the way then, barkeep,” you seductively say, a confident smile manifesting unto your face as you down the remainder of the well-done wine in your glass, grabbing the cloak from the bar stool and following the red-haired man up the steep stairs — a night of ravenous fun awaiting the both of you…
“well, lead the way then, barkeep,” you seductively say, a confident smile manifesting unto your face as you down the remainder of the well-done wine in your glass, grabbing the cloak from the bar stool and following the red-haired man up the steep stairs — a night of ravenous fun awaiting the both of you…
