To stand in the Supreme Court of Fontaine is both the luckiest and unluckiest thing in the world. You either have the blessing of standing in the elaborate building worshipping the God of Justice or the curse of facing divine punishment at the hands of the people and the Judge.
Y/N is no stranger to the palace-like establishment. She has been dragged along to many family meetings discussed in one of the numerous private rooms reserved for settling more minor legal matters that don't require the full courtroom.
The last time she set foot in the glorious Supreme Court was four years ago when she signed the contract with her parents in one of those very rooms.
She remembers the feeling being significantly different from all the other drab family meetings she had attended previously. The marble-tiled floors were colder, and the sparkling, golden chandeliers weren't warm and golden at all. The grand wooden door her parents stood behind felt a thousand pounds heavier, and the glares of her other family members standing outside the room pierced into her like blades.
At the oldest she had ever been walking into the court, she felt the smallest she had ever been.
And now, Y/N is willingly going back there, hopefully, to never return.
Y/N rests her head on the shelf behind her as she sits on the cold library floor. Y/N flips past the last page of the third and final book she found on Fontaine Law.
These books seem to be more interested in the legal system's history than the actual law. Y/N sighs, but she somewhat expected this outcome. Fontaine's law is extensive, complex, and highly detailed. All of these books were barely two inches thick. There's no way they could have covered much material.
"Boo!" A voice reverberates in Y/N's right ear, causing her to jump in surprise.
She turns to see Kaeya peeking his head out from the books on the shelf behind her.
"Kaeya!" She hisses at him for scaring her. He simply chuckles before pushing the books aside to make more space for his head.
"What are you up to?" He asks.
"I'm looking into Fontaine's law," Y/N responds, gesturing to the books. "I'm hoping I can fight my parents on joining the Fatui."
The silver-eyed man hums thoughtfully. "By the looks of it, you haven't found anything useful yet?"
Y/N sighs. "Nope. I'm starting to think the only books with accurate information on Fontaine's law are in Fontaine."
Kaeya doesn't respond, simply staring at her with a grin on his face.
"What?" Y/N asks.
He shakes his head. "It looks like you sorted things out with Diluc. You're actually motivated and not dragging your feet lifelessly behind you as you wander around."
Y/N's mind wanders back to last night, biting the inside of her cheek. A smile spreads across her lips, and her cheeks grow ever-so-slightly pink. "Yep! We're alright now."
"You know what that calls for?"
I swear on Barbatos if you say a dr-
"A drink!"
Y/N groans, a chuckle slipping past her lips. "You just came to find me for an excuse to drink, didn't you?"
He shrugs with a smirk on his lips. "Of course not." He hums out in a tone that indicates he definitely did.
Looking around, Y/N realizes the sun is starting to set outside the library windows. Her joints slightly pop as she gets up to stretch. It seems like I spent nearly my entire day reading. She thinks.
Y/N quickly places the books back in their original positions to avoid receiving an earful from Lisa before turning to Kaeya. "Come on, then. Let's go to Angel's Share."
-----
Kaeya and Y/N step into Angel's Share, the warmth of the building providing immediate respite from the chilliness outside. It's expectantly bustling with people at this time of the evening.
"Y/N!" Charles calls from behind the bar. "Guess who's here today!" He gestures to Diluc standing next to him, scarlet hair tied in a high ponytail and lips curved into a small smile at the sight of Y/N.
Y/N quickly walks over to the bar, taking a seat as Kaeya follows behind.
Diluc's eyes flicker over to his brother, whose eye is gazing at him and Y/N curiously. Diluc shakes his head, turning his attention back to Y/N.
"I heard you've been coming here every day to look for me." Diluc says teasingly.
Y/N's face flushes as she narrows her eyes at Charles who simply shrugs.
"Cute." Diluc mumbles under his breath.
Y/N's face erupts into blush. "S-Shut it."
Kaeya obnoxiously clears his throat. "Are you going to serve us or just keep flirting with your girlfriend?"
Diluc glares at Kaeya. "I'm not his girlfriend yet." Y/N states.
"What?" Kaeya blinks blankly at her.
"I want to wait until everything with Fontaine and my family is cleared up." Y/N explains.
Kaeya hums in understanding. "I see. So you're just dating without the official labels." A playful smirk crosses his lips. "Well, you better take good care of her." He says to Diluc.
"What, are you her father-in-law, suddenly?" The redhead scoffs.
Kaeya shrugs. "I can't help but be worried. I mean, did you see her these past few weeks? I guess you haven't since your absence is what drove her insane. She was practically a walking corpse! Started learning hilichu-"
Y/N elbows Kaeya, harshly cutting him off. "Did you drag me out here to embarrass me, or drink, you alcoholic pirate?"
Kaeya chuckles. "I'll have a Death After Noon."
"I'll have a Dandelion Wine." Y/N orders.
As Diluc briefly turns his back towards Y/N to quickly make their drinks, Y/N feels a burning stare boring holes into the side of her head. She glances around and spots the usual group of women whispering amongst each other a few tables away and sending deathly glares at Y/N.
Y/N sends them a long stare back, and they quickly turn their gazes away, realizing they've been caught. This is to be expected, I suppose. Y/N thinks, her eyes drifting back towards the red-haired man behind the bar. I'm not the only one who appreciates his pretty face.
Y/N notes how the golden lights of the tavern reflect in his ruby eyes, and his eyelashes cast long shadows over his soft cheekbones. His long, red hair seems so fluffy in that high ponytail as loose strands frame his sharp jawline. Her eyes wander down to his lips, recalling how soft and warm they felt against hers last night.
"...Y/N...?" Y/N blinks, noticing that Diluc had finished her drink that is now standing, ignored, on the bar. Diluc fights the smirk creeping onto his face as Y/N finally realizes she's been staring.
Y/N quickly occupies herself with her Dandelion Wine, ignoring the embarrassment flushing her face.
Kaeya groans. "Next time, I'm not going to bring you, Y/N. You two are gross." He complains.
The bell near the door of the tavern jingles, signalling that someone has come in. Y/N sees Diluc's face fall falter for a split second before he turns his attention back to wiping down glasses.
Y/N looks over her shoulder to see Donna staring back at her with an abstract expression that can't decide between shock, embarrassment, and envy.
Donna quickly tears her eyes away before marching towards the group of girls who were whispering about Y/N earlier.
"Looks like she's not doing so hot." Kaeya mutters into his drink.
Y/N glances at the table of girls from the corner of her eye, seeing them talk animatedly with Donna while stealing glances at Diluc. Despite not wanting to eavesdrop, Y/N strains her ears to pick up on their conversation.
"Don't give up so easily." One woman says, followed by a "You were the closest to all of us to getting him."
Donna laughs nervously before attempting to sit down at the table.
The girl next to her quickly grabs her arm, stopping her from sitting. "I say you go over there and give that woman a piece of your mind."
'That woman' being me. Y/N notes.
"I-I don't know, girls..." Donna sheepishly responds.
"Come on, Donna! We're all fine on giving up on Diluc as long as it's you. Clearly, that Knight of Favonius isn't you." Another pipes up.
They shoo her away from their table. Y/N's can see Donna's brows knitted in distress. Donna looks up, casting a glance towards Y/N, Diluc, and Kaeya.
Y/N and Kaeya quickly turn to their drinks, pretending like they haven't been shamelessly spying on her.
"Don't tell me she's coming over here." Kaeya whispers to Y/N as Donna starts walking towards them.
"Um, Y/N," Donna says sheepishly, and Y/N turns towards her as if she didn't realize Donna was standing behind her.
"Hey, Donna." Y/N meets Donna's gaze. Her sea-green eyes are swimming with nervousness.
"You probably don't want an apology from me, but I'm really sorry. Everything you said last night was right, and I'm such an idiot. I think it's time for me to," Donna hesitates as if she's choking out the words forcefully. "move on."
The pain is evident in her voice. Giving up on someone your entire world revolved around for the past few years isn't easy.
"And sorry for annoying you so much, Diluc." Donna doesn't even wait for Y/N or Diluc to respond before scurrying off back to the table full of women looking at her with confused expressions.
"We wanted you to talk to the man you love, not the Knight!" One of the other girls exclaims in frustration.
Donna shakes her head. "I never loved him." She states with a tinge of sadness in her tone.
"WHAT?!" The women collectively shout loud enough for Kaeya and Y/N to hear without purposefully eavesdropping.
"Are you crazy?!" One girl shakes Donna by the collar.
"Not anymore," Donna says before reaching for one of the glasses of wine the other girls had ordered.
Donna had forgotten how much she loved the taste of Dandelion Wine after she gave it up for Diluc. She almost tears up at the sweet taste.
"What was that all about?" Diluc asks curiously.
Y/N shakes her head. "I think she's finally going to leave you alone." Y/N jokes lightly.
Admittedly, Y/N feels a weight has been lifted off her chest. With a grin, Y/N lifts her glass to her lips. The bitterness of the wine is quickly drowned out by the sweetness.
Finally, things seem to be falling into place.
-----
A/N:
Someone recommended this fic to someone else on Twitter and I just sobbed 😭
It's crazy seeing my work being talked about on other platforms. I'm actually so thankful for all of you guys who read my work 😭
-Bora 🌌