Second Lead Syndrome || Diluc R. x Reader

Caged Bird

The warm bath seems to clear her hectic thoughts. Why did I try to escape the inevitable? 

The freedom she tasted in Mondstadt was like a drug. For someone who has lived chained to her family, freedom was a new high. Freedom became a norm in her life, and like an addict who craves to continue their high, she tried to fight the obstacles preventing her from obtaining it. Now that she's been given a reality check by her family and the court, she's having withdrawals.

Y/N lets out a sigh. I'm not meant to be free. Her eyes land on a bird perched on the windowsill of the bathroom. The dove coos softly before spreading its ashy feathers and soaring away. Compared to a bird out in the wild, Y/N supposes she's more like a domestic bird caged under the roof of the L/N estate. She is doomed to sit in her position as a L/N, decorating their perfect family tree.

A knock on the door pulls Y/N out of her thoughts.

Shit, it's Diluc. He's here already? Y/N quickly drains the tub. "Coming!" She calls out, her voice hoarse from all her crying.

Y/N scrambles through her routine, glancing over herself briefly in the mirror. She smooths down her wet hair in an attempt to tame it somewhat. Though her eyes are still puffy, she looks a hell of a lot better than before her bath. Y/N slips on a bathrobe before walking over to the door.

As soon as Y/N opens the door and her eyes land on the scarlet-haired man standing beyond the doorframe, she throws her arms around him. Diluc reciprocates her hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in. 

The familiar scent of grapes and faint alcohol fills her senses as Y/N sinks into his warmth. The two stay like that for a while, frozen in place as they enjoy the feeling of each other's presence- something they've been deprived of for far too long.

"I missed you," Y/N mumbles.

"I missed you too," Diluc responds with his face still buried in the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her neck as he speaks. 

They pull apart slightly to see each other's faces. Diluc casts a wary look over his should, peering down the hallway of the inn. "As much as I would love to stand here like this forever, let's go in. We need to talk." 

Y/N nods, catching the serious shift in Diluc's tone. She lets him in, closing the door behind them before leading him to the couch. Diluc's eyes flicker to the blank letter on the coffee table as he takes a seat. Y/N plops down beside him, dreading the news she's about to break.

Y/N takes in a deep breath. "Let's address the elephant in the room, shall we?" She starts.

Diluc notes the despair in Y/N's tone and the lifelessness of her eyes, already predicting her response.

"I lost," Y/N states, her voice full of defeat. "The contract is still valid." 

A beat of silence passes before Diluc takes her hand in his. His hands are warm and comforting as he soothingly rubs his thumb across her skin.

"I don't know what to do." Y/N sighs. "I don't know enough about the law to do anything, and my lawyer basically gave up." 

Diluc frowns. "What was your lawyer's name again?"

Y/N raises a brow, a bit surprised by his question. "Lilia Moreau. Why?"

Diluc's frown deepens. "Well, I don't know if this is exactly good or bad news, but I overheard a conversation today. I think your lawyer might be a Fatui."

Y/N furrows her brow in confusion. "What?"

"I'm not completely sure, but I definitely heard the names 'Percival Vontdour' and 'Lilia Moreau.' If my memory serves me well, Percival was one of the Fatui members involved in the Light Refractor incident," Diluc states. "Unless you know any other Lilia Moreaus, chances are she's associated with the Fatui."

Contrary to Diluc's expectations, Y/N's eyes light up. "My lawyer might be a fraud?!" She exclaims excitedly.

Diluc almost cracks a smile at her response. "I don't think anyone has ever said that with the face you're making right now."

Y/N chuckles. "We need to investigate this lead immediately!" It's been so long since she left her post as Investigative Captain that she's itching for a case to crack- never mind a case that could change the tides of her impending doom. Revitalized by this small glimmer of hope,  Y/N jumps up from the couch. "Let's go!"

"Hold on!" Diluc quickly grabs her wrist before she can rush off. 

Y/N casts him a look of confusion.

Diluc lets out a soft chuckle as he stands up. "I love you." His fingers around Y/N's wrist move to her hand, lifting it to his lips for a kiss. She flushes. She can feel him smirking against her skin. "But you might want to change before we head out."

Y/N looks down at herself, seeing the fluffy bathrobe still tied around herself and nothing underneath. Heat rushes to her already hot face, her cheeks and ears glowing pink. 

"Oh."

-----

A/N:
I'M BACK! Thank you to the readers who waited over a month (holy I didn't even realize it had been that long 💀) for your patience. 

Also, HAVE U GUYS SEEN DILUC'S NEW SKIN??? DAMNNNN😩 Shit's fire. Literally.

-Bora 🌌

P.S. fun fact: Lilia Moreau's first appearance was in Chapter 18 "Strangers."