Through Thick and Thin- Diluc x (female) Reader

Chapter 15: I Don't Know How to Shoot a Bow!

"You've got to pull the string pretty far back, like this!" Amber said encouragingly, pulling back the string on her bow effortlessly.
I nodded, trying to pull back the string of an older bow she gave me. She said that it was the she used before joining the knights, and I felt a little bad about using something that was so important to her.
As I pulling string to me, the bow began to shake a little due to my unstable hands. Although it seemed effortless for Amber to draw her bow, I struggled a fair bit.
"It's a little tough," I said, struggling before finally pulling it all the way back. Sighing, I put the bow down. "Now to try it with an arrow, haha..."
"You can do it!" Amber said, releasing her arrow. It whizzed through the air and hit the bullseye on the hillichurl target perfectly.
We had invaded a small camp of them, as planned for her patrol, and Amber decided the targets were great for teaching me. However, it hadn't gone well so far...
"See! Just relax, you'll be fine."
I took a deep breath as I notched the arrow, pulling the string back. Concentrating, I did my best to aim before releasing the arrow. I watched as it flew through the air gracefully... and then planted itself in the ground a few feet away from us.
"Oh..." I said disappointed as I stared at the stray arrow. "Maybe I'm not cut out for bows?"
"You've only shot one arrow!" She said, putting her hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "Keep trying! I didn't hit my first target on my first try, you know."
I sighed. "I guess you're right," I picked up the arrow and tried again, achieving a similar result.
"While you're doing that, I'm curious," Amber began. "Even though you've got the hardest part done, telling him, why are you still so nervous about talking to him?"
"I don't know, I could talk to him fine before last night," I said, trying again. The arrow bounced off a stone and planted itself in a different tree. "Oh man, that one was bad..."
"Yeah, you did seem to have some trouble earlier," Amber laughed a little at my attempt, and at my nervousness prior. "But seriously. Maybe I don't get it because I'm not in that situation, but what is there to be worried about if you've both already got it out there?"
"That's true, but..." This time, the arrow whizzed right past the target. "Oh, so close," I notched another arrow. "I felt at first like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, but now it feels like fog in my brain. I just can't think right, and my mind just melts when I'm near him, and then—"
"Slow down," she chuckled. "I know it's not that easy, but you've just gotta stay calm, don't take too long to make your decision."
"Stay calm? I can't!" I pulled back quickly and released an arrow in frustration, taking no time letting it fly. "What the—"
"Look at that!" Amber said, walking towards the target. My arrow had hit right where hers did, splitting it down the middle. "While I was talking about staying calm with the bow, you could try that with Diluc, you know."
"I... how did that even happen?" I put my hand to my head. Shaking my head, I returned to the subject. "I just can't stay calm, I start to think about all the different ways I can say something wrong and—"
"You're overthinking it!" Amber said, grabbing my arrow out of the target. The split arrow fell the the ground, and she picked it up. "Let's take the archery you just did for example. You spent wayyy too long aiming, and your grip became shaky and inconsistent. But when you just went for it, it was a perfect shot. You aren't bad at all. You're a natural!"
"I guess maybe you're right..." I said, putting a finger to my chin. "But that's archery, so maybe I'm okay at that, although it was probably just a lucky shot. But it's completely different from real life. If I just said what I was thinking all the time—"
"Then maybe things would be easier for you," Amber said, walking over. "You overthink what you are going to say, and it becomes counter productive. If you're thinking something you shouldn't say, that's your own fault, right?" She smiled jokingly. "I think you just need to say what you mean."
I sighed, unable to come up with a counter argument. "Maybe I should. I feel fine and level headed when he's not around, but when he is-"
"That's okay!" Amber said, handing me the split arrow. "That's pretty normal, I think. If you start to freak out, just keep our little conversation in mind, okay? Maybe it'll help you."
Twisting the split arrow in my hands, I brought my bow up to my face to observe it. "Man... I really did that?"
"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Amber said, notching an arrow. She shot her bow, hitting another perfect bullseye. "Do it again!"
"Again?" I exclaimed. "I'm pretty sure this was a one in a million chance. I've never even shot one before this!"
"Yeah yeah, try it!" She said. "It won't hurt!"
Sighing, I notched an arrow. "I suppose you're right."
I pulled the string and aimed, trying to adjust the arrows trajectory. Releasing the arrow, I sighed as the result I expected occurred. "I told you," I said, studying the arrow hitting the ground.
"Ugh! You aimed again!" She said flustered. "Just shoot! Don't think about it!"
"Okay okay!" I said, grabbing another arrow. I rolled my eyes as I pulled the sting back, letting the arrow loose. I was prepared for that expression to remain, but it turned to a look of shock as the unbelievable happened. "What in Barbatos— I did it!"
"Ah! I told you!" Amber said, jumping excitedly. "I knew it! I was right again!"
"I— don't be so full of yourself!" I exclaimed, flustered. "I-it was chance again! That's gotta be it!"
"Do it again!" She shrieked. Reaching for an arrow, she handed it to me and pointed at the target. "Hit the arrow again!"
"I hear you, I hear you..." I sighed. It wouldn't happen again... surely? I quickly pulled the string back and sent the arrow flying, and dropped the bow in shock. "A-again?"
Now there were two split arrows and an intact one on the target. "There's no way that's real! Did— did you curse the bow or something? That's gotta be it! I don't need the ego boost Amber!"
She ran to the target and studied the results. "This isn't a curse! It's a blessing!" Amber jumped with her fists in the air in celebration. "I've never seen this before in my life!"
"I- me neither?" I said, my brows furrowed in confusion. "What in the name of Barbatos is this?"
Amber ran up to me, grabbing my hand excitedly. "You have so much potential it's unbelievable!"
"I- let's not go that far..." I said, still not believing that I could have done that. "It's gotta be coincidence..."
"I have an idea!" Amber said, dragging me away.
I barely kept up while holding the bow in my other hand. "Slow down! Where are we going?"
She grinned at me like a maniac. "We're testing you out on some hillichurls!"