the sun shone in through the glass doors of your balcony, making your eyes open by themselves. dust particles danced in the air and came to be seen where the sun slipped in. you groaned, turning on your back while fighting with the sheets.
you sat up straight when the memories of the night before came flooding in like the sun did into the room, an intense blush swarming over your cheeks. you shivered, looking at the empty space in bed next to you.
you sighed in relief, getting out of bed and walking to the doors. at least diluc wasn't here now, that fact in itself saved you from any additional embarrassment.
–"something's wrong" you mumbled to yourself as you looked at your bedside table through squinted eyes and raised eyebrows.
there was something strange about it, but you just couldn't for the life of you remember what was missing from the nightstand. you eventually just shrugged it off, trying not to think much of it.
you walked downstairs barefoot, hoping diluc wasn't actually just hiding in another room and waiting for you to wake up. luckily, he wasn't, but much to your shame, amber was.
she spit her drink out of her mouth and started laughing the second she saw you. slapping her hand over the table repeatedly, the girl just couldn't stop.
–"what? what is it?" you asked the girl in anticipation, a frown on your face.
the girl was crying of laughter, pointing to her own neck then to you while saying something unintelligible while regaining her breath. "oh no" was all you said, more to yourself, as you turned around to look into a mirror.
just as you expected, deep red blotchy marks were present on your neck. you covered your face with both your palms, hearing amber continue to laugh. you tried pulling the collar of your shirt to hide the hickeys but so desperately failed.
–"it's not funny!" you dryly chuckled underneath the palms of your hands.
you felt like you wanted to sink into the ground, never to be seen again.
–"so much so for hating him, huh?" she teased, an eyebrow raised.
–"you didn't-" you began, looking at her from the side, "last night, you didn't hear-"
–"what? oh no, i didn't hear anything last night," she started, looking out the window, "in fact, i spent it somewhere else" she admitted shyly.
you perked your head up towards her, your fingers still subconsciously tracing over the hickeys on your neck. your eyes widened and you went to guess who she was talking about before she interrupted you, wanting to admit so you could spare her her own dignity.
–"yes, with lumine," she crossed her arms defensively, "but before you get too excited, nothing happened unfortunately" she said the last part quietly.
–"i heard that" you grinned teasingly.
–"no you didn't" she said.
–"amber you're not fooling me" you told her as you sat down next to her with a plate of food, ready to dig in.
the brunette girl huffed, looking away once again.
the day passed by quickly, turning dark easily. a cold wind slammed on the windows of angel's share, the warm and exciting atmosphere of the inside was a magnet to people.
everybody seemed to be having a great time, but you. you were annoyed to say the least, rolling your eyes too many times at the random drunk man who was trying to flirt with you.
he was hiccuping, waving around a cup of wine that was only partly full. he reeked of alcohol and it was making you gag. you wanted nothing to do with the drunkard, and you made that very clear.
–"aw come on, it's not like you're here with somebody" he slurred his words, getting closer to you by the second.
all you could think about was how you were seconds away from punching him, but you knew you'd get kicked out of your favorite tavern if you did so.
–"actually, i am" you said, thinking it would get him to stay away from you and go bother someone who's more patient.
–"oh yeah? with who?" he insisted.
at the same time he ended his question, diluc walked into the tavern through the back door and you couldn't be more thankful for the universes timing. diluc was making his way to the bartender to start up a conversation.
–"with- with him!" you expressed, pointing a finger at the red haired man.
the drunk man turned around to look in that direction, barely and slowly moving his head. his eyebrows raised and he looked back at you.
–"yep, that's my man" you said, hoping he would just drop it and leave you be.
well, of course he didn't. in fact, he shouted over everybody in the tavern as he pointed to the red haired man who looked back at him then at you once he noticed you. there was a hint of something in dilucs eyes as he looked at the space between the two of you.
–"you! come here!" the drunk man waved to diluc, setting his drink back down.
as if you couldn't have been more embarrassed today, you covered your eyes with a hand that layed on the table by the elbow. you sighed, shaking your head then removing the hand from your eyes when you heard footsteps getting nearer to the table you were sat at.
diluc approached the two of you, standing by your side before you made space for him at the bench to sit down at. the drunkard smiled, his eyes turning into crescents. he looked at you then at diluc, and back at you.
you tried playing along with your own lie, leaching onto dilucs arm and only hoping diluc would get it. he turned down to look at you with a raised brow, but didn't seem to be bothered by your sudden touch.
you placed your head on his shoulder, chest pressed against his arm. you looked up at him with the best loving smile you could manage to pull off and winked at him with the eye that was away from the man across the table.
he seemed to have a blank stare, much more blank then his usual aloof one. you pursed your lips then nodded towards the drunkard, to which diluc rather faintly nodded his head.
diluc wrapped an arm around your shoulder after you let go of his arm, making you lean into his side. you tried your best not to lose your breath after his timber pine scent reminded you of last night's situation. it made you blush, and you tried to cover it up by grabbing your drink and putting it to your lips.
–"right," the drunk man began, hiccuping, "the second captain of the knights of fahffonius-" he hiccuped once more, "is with the diluc ragnvindr"
his laughter boomed throughout the entirety of the pub, as he laughed with a hand over his chest. diluc stood silent, menacingly staring at the man with a dead serious face.
–"indeed we are," diluc started, "is there a problem, sir?" he asked.
the mans face dropped in emotion, visibly gulping.
–"no no, absolutely not," he started again, "you've misunderstood me, it's just hard to believe it if i'm being frank"
diluc curtly raised a brow at him, quickly understanding what the man meant to say. it was well known that diluc didn't have a liking towards the knights anymore, so it raised the question of "why is the man who despises the knights so much, in a relationship with a knight?"
the red haired man then looked over at you with furrowed brows and pursed lips. he scanned your features as you covered your pink face with the mug, a million thoughts running through his mind.
his thoughts weren't negative, on the contrary in fact. he asked himself if this was what he's been fighting for this whole time; if this was why he tried hard getting your attention; if a relationship with you was his goal in life?
he knew in this current state it was only a game of play-pretend, but he thought, "why can't it always be like this?" as he looked at the way you were wrapped under his arm and in his safety. it boggled him, but before you knew it his hand was under your chin and your lips on his once again.
the two of you stayed like that for a bit until you kissed him back with closed eyes. diluc pulled away to look at the man, once again with a neutral face and you wished he kissed you longer.
you turned to look at the drunk man, a look of terror in his eyes.
–"not that it's really any of your business, but yes, i am courting her," diluc stood his ground, "now if you'll excuse us"
diluc got up from the bench, holding a palm out for you which you gladly took. the two of you left after you gave the drunkard a sour and petty smile.
you thanked diluc as soon as you met his eyes once again, he lightly smiled in return before walking you back home.
–"you know, about last night-" you began, looking over at him as you walked through the cold, dark and empty streets.
–"hm?" he hummed in question, looking back to you in anticipation.
–"do you- i mean are you," you stammered, feeling heat over your cheeks and nose.
–"i like you," he said, "you know that, right?"
you felt your heart drop to your stomach with how easily he said it, as if he wasn't ashamed to admit it.
–"oh," you replied, "well i do too" you said, taking his hand into yours.
–"well then why are we pretending to not?" he asked.
you looked ahead of you, seeing your house only a few feet away from the two of you and you felt disappointed that you'd probably be parting ways here.
–"i'm not sure, it feels like i'm just used to being mad at you all the time" you said.
–"old habits die hard, it seems" diluc chuckled and you smiled apologetically.
–"would you like to come in? maybe even spend the night?" you asked him as you stood in front of him.
he looked down at your hand that he was still holding, bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it. diluc exhaled in disappointment, clasping that hand with his other one.
–"i'm afraid i can't tonight, elzer and connor are expecting me there," he seemed sad, "i'm just glad i could bring you back home safe"
–"oh" was all you could muster up as you lowered your sight, yet kept your hand in the hold of his own.
–"would you be willing to join me some other time?" he asked, looking into your eyes.
–"as in, a date?"
he nodded as the ghost of a smile played along his lips, honesty in his eyes. you nodded as well, feeling your cheeks go pink once again.
a chilly wind flew at the two of you, and before you could leave to head into your home diluc pulled at your hand once again and bringing you closer to him.
diluc kissed you, which surprised you for the second time tonight but nonetheless you gave in and closed your eyes.
your lips moved in synch and your warm bodies fought the cold wind that was almost pushing you both away.
🔺🔻🔺
a/n: aaaaa hello and thank you for reading this chapter! i hope you enjoyed it, leave a like and comment if you wish ^^
also i absolutely hate the fact that i'm getting writers block just as this book is blowing up🏃💨 hope it passes soon,,