"Back again, Y/N?" Charles greets Y/N as she steps into Angel's Share for this week's seventh time. The warm air of the tavern provides a small respite from the autumn cold outside.
She sighs. "Still no sign of Diluc?" She mutters, and Charles shakes his head.
Where the hell is he? Y/N thinks. He's got to be avoiding me.
Every morning before work, Y/N visits the Winery only to be turned away by the maids. Every evening after work, she visits the tavern only to see Charles at the bar instead of Diluc. Ever since she decided to make up with Diluc, he has disappeared from her sights.
She lets out an agitated groan, earning a few odd glances from the other patrons. Is this the Archons' way of telling me not to approach him?!
Y/N dejectedly plops down on a barstool, resting her head wearily on her arms.
Charles gives her a concerned glance as he wipes down a few glasses. "Did you two fight?"
"Something like that." Y/N mutters out in response.
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Charles says reassuringly. "Couples fight all the time."
"We aren't a couple." Y/N sighs out for what feels like the hundredth time this week. Rumours about Diluc and her have spread like wildfire, and at this point, Y/N doesn't think she can stop them.
"Oh, my apologies." Charles replies. "Would you like a drink? On the house."
Y/N shakes her head. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood."
Y/N can hear the door of the tavern swing open. "Captain Y/N!" Amber's ever-so cheerful voice rings through the air.
Y/N sits up in her seat, turning towards the Outrider. "Hey, Amber."
"Are you busy right now?" Amber asks. "I could use a little help."
"Oh, of course." Y/N stands up from her seat. "Help with what?"
"Margaret asked me to find her cat again, but it keeps running from me. Then, I remembered how much that cat likes you." Amber explains.
Y/N's eyes light up. That cat always somehow brings me to Diluc! "No problem!" Y/N enthusiastically responds. "Let's go!"
"Thanks!" Amber smiles, seeing Y/N's face brighten.
Amber leads Y/N to the spot she saw Prince last, in front of the front gates.
"Swan, Lawrence!" Amber calls out. "Did you happen to see a black cat leave the city?" They both shake their heads.
"Prince must still be in here." Y/N remarks. "Come on."
-----
The cold evening breeze soon turned into a bitter night wind as the sun had slipped behind the horizon. The number of people out and about has significantly decreased as most shops are closing up by now. Y/N and Amber's pace had slowed down to a slow walk. Both of their legs are too tired to carry on for much longer.
"Captain," Amber asks in a haggard voice. "Should we stop for today?"
"Where the hell does this cat disappear to for so long?!" Y/N exclaims exasperatedly.
Suddenly, a hiss echoes through the street, accompanied by a panicked shriek. Amber and Y/N look at each other with wide eyes and a grin on their faces. "Prince!" They both exclaim as they run towards the sound.
The two turn the corner to Floral Whisper, Flora's flower shop, to see a familiar black cat hissing at Donna, who is hiding behind a display of plants.
"L-Leave me alone!" Donna cries out, carefully balancing the plants in her hands as she cowers behind the wooden shelves.
Y/N can't help but let out a small chuckle at the scene. Though Y/N isn't in the mood to help Donna, Y/N decides she should rescue her from Prince in order to return Margaret's cat.
"Prince!" Y/N calls out, and the black cat turns his attention towards the Captain.
As if he forgot all about Donna, Prince approaches Y/N, purring as he rubs himself against her legs.
Y/N scoops him up. "You're such a trouble-maker." Y/N mutters, scratching his head before handing him off to Amber. "Amber's going to take you home, okay?" Y/N tells the kitty as if he understands English.
"What about you, Captain?" Amber asks, taking the cat cautiously.
Y/N's eyes flicker over to the woman adjusting the plants on display quietly. "I have a few things to take care of."
"Alright! Thank you, Captain!" Amber says, a little amazed by how calm Prince is now. "I'll have to repay you later!"
Y/N waves to the Outrider as she walks off, leaving Y/N standing outside Floral Whisper. Y/N turns to Donna, who seems to have darted inside the shop and hastily switched the 'open' sign to 'closed'.
Y/N knocks on the door of the flower shop. Is she avoiding me? What, does she have a guilty conscience or something?
Donna opens the door with a nervous laugh. "Oh, I didn't see you there, Y/N. We're closed right now, so-"
As Donna tries to shut the door, Y/N juts her foot out, her boot jamming between the door and the frame. "Don't worry. I'm not here to buy flowers. I want to talk."
Y/N can see Donna visibly become anxious. "O-Of course, Y/N." Donna lets Y/N in.
The shop is surprisingly well-lit for this time of the evening. The large, glass windows let in bountiful amounts of moonlight. A flowery scent like a potent perfume washes over Y/N as she enters.
"So," Donna starts, already shaking like a leaf in the wind. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I think you know what I'm here for." Y/N replies. Every movement of Donna's doesn't go unnoticed in Investigator Y/N's eyes. "Did you really think you could fool the Captain of the Investigative department? I don't think I'm all that good, but people like you make my job a little too easy."
"W-What do you mean?" Anxiety bubbles in Donna's chest.
"A little birdie told me you know about my departure to Fontaine. You also happened to tell Diluc about it." Y/N states. "This past week, I've been thinking about that. I've also been thinking about how Ida was in possession of a little purple envelope."
Donna shifts her stance uncomfortably.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Ida told you about Fontaine and showed you the envelope as proof. Knowing your feeling towards Diluc and your insecurity when it comes to my relationship with him, you decided to sabotage his trust in me by telling him." Y/N explains. "Isn't that right?"
Donna doesn't respond, her fists clenched and her eyes trained on the hardwood floor of the flower shop.
"Well, I don't need your approval. I know I'm right." Y/N mutters. "Anyway, my point is that you aren't slick. I also want to apologize for developing feelings for Diluc even though I was helping you. It probably made my efforts as your wing-woman half-assed."
Donna says something under her breath.
"What?"
"I don't want your apology!" Donna exclaims, her fists clenched.
"You don't have to accept it. I'm telling you to be transparent." Y/N states. "And I don't want an apology from you either."
Donna looks up to meet Y/N's gaze. Her sea-green eyes are stormy with tears. "Good, because you won't get one!" She shouts. "I trusted you, Y/N. When you told me you didn't like Diluc like that, I believed you. I didn't know you were so two-faced. You went behind my back and seduced him! You took him away from me!"
"Was he ever yours to begin with?" Y/N asks, her tone comparatively calm. "He's a person, Donna. Did you even think about how he felt about you?"
"Of course I did!" Donna retorts, her voice breaking as she shouts through her tears. "I know he would never settle for someone like me with you around! You're pretty, smart, and a Captain of the Knights of Favonius! Why do you have to take Diluc, too?" She exclaims, desperation seeping from her words. "You already have it all!"
The shop is still, only Donna's furious sobbing filling the store. Y/N's blood begins to boil as she shakes with fury. I have it all? Y/N resists the urge to lash out, afraid she won't be able to control whatever colourful emotions explode from her. Y/N keeps her composure, though her victorious grin has long gone from her face.
"So you admit using my contract with the Fatui to sabotage my relationships?" Y/N asks.
Donna wipes away her tears. "Did it work?"
Y/N doesn't respond.
Donna lets out a bitter giggle seeing Y/N's reaction. Her mood flips like a switch. "No wonder Diluc has been in a sour mood. Gods, all it took to break his stone-cold composure was hurting his little side-bitch!"
Slap.
The sound of Y/N's palm colliding with Donna's cheek echoes through the shop. The skin of Y/N's hand stings as she glares at Donna's face of complete shock. "I don't belong to anyone, you possessive freak." Y/N hisses out venomously.
Donna's hand gingerly caresses her reddening cheek with her jaw still open in surprise.
"People don't own other people in relationships. Maybe once you get your head straight, Diluc will even think about you." Y/N states.
Sickening. The scent of flowers is so sweet that it's bitter. Y/N turns on her heels to leave. "Oh, and thanks," Y/N stops at the door. "For showing me what kind of monster is born from envy."
Who knows. Maybe if I had stayed in Fontaine, that is what I could have become.
-----
A/N:
I'm so sorry for the late update!!! It's been over a week, but I haven't gotten much time to write/edit/update lately.
But the good news is that I'm not dead! 🤡
Tbh I might as well be at this rate 💀
I just got back to school this week after winter break and they told us last minute that we're going back to online 😭. It's also finals month so everything has kind of been a mess lately lmao
That being said, updates might slow down but they won't stop!
I'm sorry!!!!
-Bora🌌