Second Lead Syndrome || Diluc R. x Reader

Moving Forward

To stand in the Supreme Court of Fontaine is both the luckiest and unluckiest thing in the world. You either have the blessing of standing in the elaborate building worshipping the God of Justice or the curse of facing divine punishment at the hands of the people and the Judge.

Y/N is no stranger to the palace-like establishment. She has been dragged along to many family meetings discussed in one of the numerous private rooms reserved for settling more minor legal matters that don't require the full courtroom.

The last time she set foot in the glorious Supreme Court was four years ago when she signed the contract with her parents in one of those very rooms.

She remembers the feeling being significantly different from all the other drab family meetings she had attended previously. The marble-tiled floors were colder, and the sparkling, golden chandeliers weren't warm and golden at all. The grand wooden door her parents stood behind felt a thousand pounds heavier, and the glares of her other family members standing outside the room pierced into her like blades.

At the oldest she had ever been walking into the court, she felt the smallest she had ever been.

And now, Y/N is willingly going back there, hopefully, to never return.

Y/N rests her head on the shelf behind her as she sits on the cold library floor. Y/N flips past the last page of the third and final book she found on Fontaine Law.

These books seem to be more interested in the legal system's history than the actual law. Y/N sighs, but she somewhat expected this outcome. Fontaine's law is extensive, complex, and highly detailed. All of these books were barely two inches thick. There's no way they could have covered much material.

"Boo!" A voice reverberates in Y/N's right ear, causing her to jump in surprise.

She turns to see Kaeya peeking his head out from the books on the shelf behind her.

"Kaeya!" She hisses at him for scaring her. He simply chuckles before pushing the books aside to make more space for his head.

"What are you up to?" He asks.

"I'm looking into Fontaine's law," Y/N responds, gesturing to the books. "I'm hoping I can fight my parents on joining the Fatui."

The silver-eyed man hums thoughtfully. "By the looks of it, you haven't found anything useful yet?"

Y/N sighs. "Nope. I'm starting to think the only books with accurate information on Fontaine's law are in Fontaine."

Kaeya doesn't respond, simply staring at her with a grin on his face.

"What?" Y/N asks.

He shakes his head. "It looks like you sorted things out with Diluc. You're actually motivated and not dragging your feet lifelessly behind you as you wander around."

Y/N's mind wanders back to last night, biting the inside of her cheek. A smile spreads across her lips, and her cheeks grow ever-so-slightly pink. "Yep! We're alright now."

"You know what that calls for?"

I swear on Barbatos if you say a dr-

"A drink!"

Y/N groans, a chuckle slipping past her lips. "You just came to find me for an excuse to drink, didn't you?"

He shrugs with a smirk on his lips. "Of course not." He hums out in a tone that indicates he definitely did.

Looking around, Y/N realizes the sun is starting to set outside the library windows. Her joints slightly pop as she gets up to stretch. It seems like I spent nearly my entire day reading. She thinks.