The cold air blowing through your hair made you shiver, causing you to close your eyes. The snow storm died down, but there was still signs of it happening again which made you and Childe decide to leave before another wave hits.
Paimon was inside your big coat and peeking underneath your chin, "Y/N how far is Albedo's place again? I'm getting hungry." She grumbled, you could feel a pout coming from her.
You told her it wasn't too far now and you looked at the side of you, seeing Childe with a cheerful grin and whistling.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"Obviously, I just love the cold." He grinned and placed his hands behind his head.
Paimon snuggled in more inside your coat and you smiled, then turn to face Childe. "Of course you do.." You mumbled underneath your breath, earning a laugh from Paimon.
...
"You really fucked up my eye, Diluc." Dainsleif whispered lowly and Diluc heard.
Last night after the fight and everything that happened, they both eventually cleaned themselves up but earning a low growl from the blonde, causing Diluc to roll his eyes.
"Least your lip isn't busted up." Diluc laughed and walked by him, standing there next to him in front of a mirror.
"Now I look even more scary. You basically left a scar over my eyebrow." Dainsleif looked at Diluc and back at the mirror, finishing up cleaning over his eye. A black and a cut.. Great.
Diluc's face was in the okay, unlike Dainsleif, it was hard for him to speak as he had a split lip, for now.
Both of them made up last night and are in good terms again. They laughed it off when they had seen each others, messed up faces.
Albedo came into view in the mirror the tall men were at and examined both their faces. He pulled them both by the wrist, taking out a medical supply box, taking out ointment.
As soon as both the men were sitting in front of him, he got out a q-tip and placed some ointment on it and brought it over Diluc's lip first.
"Don't move." Albedo mumbled underneath his breath, carefully moving the antibiotic substance around, coating it over his split lip.
He soon then finished up with Diluc and moved his attention over to Dainsleif. Albedo told him to close his eye as he grabbed another q-tip with the same ointment and placed it over the big cut that was over his brow.
Dainsleif winced and almost grabbed the alchemist's wrist but balled his fist on his lap, it hurts, he thought and let out a breath once he felt Albedo was done.
"Thank you for aiding us," Diluc stood up and was about to go outside when he saw you and Childe together, breathing heavily from the cold air.
"My god! I'm so fucking exhausted." Childe let out another deep sigh and hung his arm around you.
Upon hearing your arrival, Dainsleif stayed in his seat and moved around, ashamed? He didn't really wanted you to see him, but a loud yell from you quickly made him turn around.
"The fuck HAPPEND?" You were looking at Diluc's face and then went around him, seeing Dainsleif behind him with the same equal beaten up injuries.
You face palmed and shook your head, peeking through your hand and looking at the two, beaten up men. Your hand went to your hip and looked at them intently, "You two are childish. Care to explain what happened?"
"Well..." Dainsleif let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his neck out of anxiousness.
"We fought." Diluc chimed in and crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes for a moment and looking at you.
"I can see that, but why?" A sarcastic response to Diluc's answer, but you could have guessed what really went on. Childe had told you what was going on between them, it was clear now, you just wanted hear it directly from them but it wouldn't be easy.
"Just over complicated issues," Diluc's voice unwavering, "We're okay now so, don't worry." He lightly chuckled, pointing at his injuries and at Dainsleif's.
Diluc's chuckle set shivers to your spine, the feeling was unusual as it didn't feel like a genuine one. Although his facial expression was just stoic and calm, his eyes expressed pain and hurt. Those crimson eyes were unhappy and you walked up to him, without knowing you were.
You pulled on his long black sleeved shirt he was wearing, making him look down at you and your expression on your face made him furrow his brows. That alone made him slowly nod and you walked out with him.
...
Once you found a place away from entrance of the cave, you sat down on the snow and looked up at Diluc, motioning him to sit next to him but he waved his hand and leaned against the wall behind him.
The sudden cold breeze around blew through your hair, it felt nice, it urged you to be the first to talk but Diluc beaten you to it.
"Is there something you want to talk about?" He spoke above the strong wind that went by, his eyes were on you.
"How are you holding up?"
"I've been better." A short answer. You could tell he was uninterested in what this conversation was going to be.
"And your injuries?" You now looked behind you and up at Diluc, he had his usual stoic, uninterested look on him but it hurt you this time around.
"Cut to the chase already, what do you want?" He knew he was being cold towards you, but he kept his walls up.
"What happened?" The expression on his face never changing, but his eyes did.
He replayed the fight in his head, closing his eyes for a few seconds and letting out a sigh. He had to tell you anyways, you were here now. It was his chance to get his feelings to reach you, or at least, tell you how he felt.
"Guessing you could tell or that Childe had given away a few hints," A chuckle left him and he looked to the side, watching a bird fly in the cold wind. "I can't really explain how it happened, but when I see you... I feel at peace. There's a warmth to you that draws me in and I've never felt that in so long."
You were watching him now, intently. The focus on your eyes had urged him to continue and you carefully listened to the man in front of you.
"I know when I first met you, there was this invisible pull that made me want to know about you." He paused, biting down on his lip hard trying to push away the hurt.
The movements in your legs were having a mind of it's own, brought you now closer to Diluc.
"Ever since I lost my father, I never were the same. My attitude and everything changed and I was no longer the same until, you." He took a deep breath in and now his eyes were on you, watching.
He had wanted to stop rambling to you, to stop, talking about how he felt because simply, he hated- no. He just wanted to stop feeling the pain he had right now by explaining.
"To put it simple," Diluc looked down at you, a hand brought to your cheek and his thumb rubbing against it. "I have deep feelings for you. I can't exactly say it's really love, but just a strong connection, if that makes sense."
Your breath hitched a little, making you swallow and look right in his eyes. His gaze on you was, intense but his eyes turned soft upon seeing you now smile at him.
"Honestly, I can get a grasp on what you mean," You placed a hand on his and looked at it, "I have them exact feelings for you.. but."
"But you love him. I know." Diluc was quick to reply before you, "And that's, okay with me. As long as I can be around you, and to see you happy is enough." His genuine words and the way he said them made your heart clench, it hurt but in a good way.
You wanted him around and to just see him even if it wasn't in the romantic way, there was just a connection between you two that words can't explain. Nobody but only you and him.
"I would love that. Very much.." You took in a shaky inhale and hugged him tight, him reciprocating the actions back.
Your heart was set.
Set on one person and that was Dainsleif. But now wasn't the time to now tell him that. Least not now when your quest wasn't done.
Your objective is about the Dragon and the regions behind it but what you didn't know was there was something dangerous about it.
...
sorry for the long chapter I JUST HAD TO