vision • diluc

viii

• third person •

If we continue like this, we should reach Snezhnaya by tomorrow.

Diluc glanced around, gently clutching his wife's handcuffed arm as they continued on their route to their daunting destination.

Diluc glanced at her when he realised her flickering pupils, and her increasing closeness towards him.

"Something wrong?" he whispered.

"Someone's staring at me," (Y/N) mumbled.

Diluc raised his head. Immediately, his eyes narrowed.

Soon enough, the guy noticed his gaze, and began to approach them.

"If it isn't Master Diluc."

Diluc raised an eyebrow.

"A cicin mage? That's new." The man before them chuckled, looking her up and down. "Such a shame..."

"I've dealt with many Fatui. Cicin mages included," Diluc corrected.

"What are you gonna do with her? One day you have to spice up the simple question-torture-murder tactic, right? 'Specially with these ones."

"My tactic is more than enough."

The man bent down slightly, staring straight into the Fatui mask. (Y/N)'s eyebrows furrowed.

"I bet she has such a pretty face under that mask. A pretty fuckable face, I mean. Your torture methods don't always have to be straight up violence, you know."

Diluc's grip on (Y/N) tightened.

His eyes glowered upon the man with a bloody crimson.

"Why waste time with something completely unnecessary?" he muttered. "I'm interested in protecting my nation, not pleasuring myself. Set your priorities straight."

The man simply shrugged. "If you say so."

(Y/N)'s hands began to tremble violently the moment he had left.

She stared at the floor, taking an abrupt gasp for breath, as if she had been holding it in the whole time.

Diluc averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Let's continue."

"I-" (Y/N) tugged at the handcuffs. "I'm uncomfortable..." she mumbled.

"Shall I take them off?"

"N-no... I... I mean..." (Y/N) glanced around the area, her heart almost pounding out of her chest like thunder. "I don't want to be down here anymore..."

"It's not long now, I promise," Diluc murmured. "As long as I'm by your side, nothing will happen to you. Don't worry."

"But-" (Y/N) frowned as they continued to walk, "but... does that... does that happen to other... to other Fatui..? This place... it reeks with blood... and... no one cares... No one cares about this stench of blood..."

"I love you," Diluc whispered, "but this is precisely why I dislike working with the Knights of Favonius. Behind the scenes isn't for the soft, like the Knights. I would never have brought you here if I never had to. I wouldn't let you go to Snezhnaya by yourself after all, and the usual entrance to Snezhnaya would immediately get me caught."

(Y/N) fell silent. Her gaze became fixed on the cold stone ground, and soon, the couple had said no more.

Another hour of walking passed. (Y/N) ignored her increasing tiredness this time.

After speaking to someone else, she heard a sharp sigh escape from Diluc's lips.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I know how much the Knights mean to you. It was insensitive of me to say that."