She was greeted by a familiar figure, and didn't know if the person she's seeing is the same one she thinks they are
"Claude?" Y/n called out for the person standing in the dimly lit room, awaiting confirmation of any sorts, and to her surprise, she recieved a nod.
"Long time no see, Y/n" The man spoke, taking a breath from his cigarette and slowly letting the fumes leave his mouth as a hot cloud of ill-smelling smoke, "How many years has it been?"
Y/n shrugged, "I don't know, I don't count"
Claude snickered, "Still as witty as ever, aren't you, girl?"
Y/n remained quiet for a few seconds, thinking of how to respond to that, but she immediately gave up, "How am I supposed to reply to that?"
The man dropped his cigarette on the floor then stomped on it, putting it out, "Don't think about it too much" He said then eyed her outfit from the corner of his eye, "Had a taste of the overworlders' life, eh?"
(her preformer clothes. and dayum, aint she mothering?)
"It's great. In fact-"
"You haven't forgotten who you are, have you, kid?"
Y/n's placid expression did not waver, as Claude coughed and gave her a stern look.
"Everyone back down been complaining aboutchu... At first I didn't believe them, but now, looking at you... You've changed." He stated, his brown eyes glaring into her soul.
"I got a job, so now I'm a changed person?" She stated than asked, looking back at him with a nonchalant gaze.
"Don't talk smart with me, kid... You're a dirty thief, and don't you forget.." Claude stated, his words aggresive, but his tone gentle and strict, as if talking to his own child.
Claude then shoved past Y/n and outside the small room, almost knocking her off her feet.
Y/n couldn't help but chuckle, "If I'm a dirty thief, then what would you be?"
He then stopped in his tracks, and turned to Y/n who wore a condescending look on her face, and that just made him angrier, "You dare talk back to me, Y/n? Have you forgotten who I am? I raised you, I taught you how to read and write, how to use your hands! Or have you forgotten?"
Y/n's expression remained unbothered and her smirk did not waver as Claude turned back and grabbed Y/n by the collar.
"I fed you when you were being stingy with yourself and only fed your mother! I gave you connections in the Fleuve Cendre so you can survive on your own! And this is how you return the favour?! By betraying the first thing I taught you?!" He slightly yelled through gritted teeth.
Y/n then kneed him in the stomach, and once he let go, she punched him in the face, sending him a few meters back, "And you also happened to be the one who taught me how to use my fists."
"Or have you forgotten?"
Claude wiped his mouth with his sleeve, chuckling a bit, "Heh, dare use my own words against me now, traitor?"
"Traitor? What sort of traitor am I because I stopped slipping my fingers into people's pockets?"
"The first thing I taught you, kid. 'Once a thief, always a thief, and there is no turning back'.."
"Hmph, if I'm a traitor because I left that life, so be it." She huffed, "I am not going back to that disgraceful life" Y/n shrugged and turned around so she can leave and go down the ladder and back to her mother.
"Tch, just like your dumbass father.." Claude murmured, which made Y/n stop in her tracks and turn to face the man again.
"Excuse me?"
"You and your father both... You know how to get on my nerves"
"Don't lump me in with that incompetent fool."
"Oh but you are the same.. Except you're the fool here. Unlike you, he knew how to play his cards" Claude chuckled, and Y/n remained still in her spot, awaiting him to further elaborate.
He noticed her curious gaze, and chortled, "Hmph, at least you're also the same in that sense. Jean was the same as you, a thief."
"Are we talking about the same person?" Y/n tilted her head, "His name is Chaoxiang, not Jean-"
"Let me speak."
Y/n sighed, and waved her hand in an apologizing manner, "Go on then."
"Jean grew up stealing and gambling at casinos, hoping that it'll turn evrything upside down, but it never did. Eventually, he got tired, and decided to run away from this life." Claude stated, "He took whatever he had left in savings and fled to Liyue"
She stood quietly and listened intently to whatever that man had to say to her.
"I don't know what happened in those ten years, but one day, a couple from Liyue moved into the Court of Fontaine. A man called Chaoxiang, and his wife, Mei."
Y/n's eyes narrowed upon hearing the name of her mother mentioned, "Go on.."
"He changed his name and took up a new identity, but his face didn't change with him." Claude snorted, "He ran away from us, and when he knew we were coming for him, he prepared a handsome sum of mora for each of us so we can get off his tail."
"And you're telling me this whole story for what? Trying to scare me?" Y/n sighed, rubbing her head, "Or trying to get me to sympathize with him?"
"Th-" He attempted to answer, but the girl immediately cut him off, not letting him speak, and spoke in a much more aggresive tone compared to usual.
"Well, I don't care what it is you're tryna do, but I'm not a pussy! I'm not running away from your gang of good-for-nothing thieves. If you want something from me, then face me head on, and I'll take you any time of the day"
Claude huffed and shoved past Y/n, now finally leaving, "You've got guts, Y/n, I'll give you that. But those will be the reason for your downfall, kid."