Through Thick and Thin- Diluc x (female) Reader

Chapter 57: Aether and Paimon

I watched the sun rise from the balcony. I hadn't slept at all, and still wasn't tired. After all, I did sleep for four days prior.
Clinging to Diluc, I felt his chest rise and fall as he slumbered peacefully. He had cried the night before, and hadn't slept for four days prior. Had I ever seen him cry? All because I wouldn't wake up...
I sighed as I held onto Diluc, draping myself over him. Diluc had fallen asleep shortly after his breakdown. I had never seen him so upset. How guilty was he? Was he still guilty about the incident, like I had been?
I closed my eyes, just happy to be within his warmth again. However, my ears picked up footsteps approaching the door. I sat up, not knowing who to expect.
I relaxed when Xiao walked in, attaching his mask to his side. Had he worn it? He looked over to me with surprise.
"You're still awake?" He asked quietly, noticing Diluc was still sleeping. I nodded, and he glanced at Diluc again with surprise. "He hasn't slept in a while."
"I know, he fell asleep not long after you left," I confirmed. He fell asleep before dark, and was still sleeping after light.
"Can you stand?" Xiao asked me, and I shrugged.
Deciding it couldn't hurt to try, I removed the covers, revealing my bandaged legs. I winced a little at the sight of them. I understood now how Diluc had felt about his wound. It symbolized how close I had come to death.
I remembered something he had said to me a few weeks prior.

"At least you'll probably end up with a cool scar, right?" I had said jokingly.
Diluc chuckled a little in return. "Maybe. I'm just glad we won't end up with matching ones."

Well, so much for that.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and carefully swung my legs over. They stung as I did. What did they look like under the bandages? Did I even want to know?
My bare feet touched the floor. They were slightly bruised, but otherwise fine. I noted how some of my torso was bruised as well, but you can't just wrap me head to toe, right?
At first I flushed a little. How much had Diluc seen when he was bandaging me? And then, I realized again that that really didn't matter. We did go there already, after all.
As my feet hit the floor, I carefully stood up, although I was a little wobbly. Xiao hurried to my side, holding onto my arm as I steadied myself.
"Thanks," I said quietly, taking a helped step forward. He guided me to the table, where I sat down. My legs were already sore again, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the pressure was taken off of them.
"I know it hurts, but you have to walk at least a little bit each day," Xiao said, letting go of my arm as I sat down. "Otherwise, you'll never get used to it."
I nodded, looking over at Diluc. Feeling a little worried, I couldn't help but watch him with uncertainty. He's been sleeping for a while now...
"You're looking at him the same way he looked at you," Xiao said, still standing. He glanced at Diluc as well. "I know you're worried. Let him rest for a bit longer, I'll be back in a moment."
With that, Xiao walked out the door. I hadn't expected him to let me stay in his home, much less help me walk to the table. Just a few days ago... no, it was about a week since I had met him now.
Before, he couldn't speak to me without agitation present in his voice. His attitude matched the energy that dripped from his mask, and sometimes it still did. But now, he was really helpful to me. While I was a little confused at the change in tone, I was extremely grateful for his help.
I rested my head in my hand as I watched the sunrise outside the open balcony. How long would it be before I could go home? I certainly couldn't walk in this condition.
I didn't know how long I had been staring outside before the door opened again. I looked over, my eyes widening in surprise as two familiar faces walked in before Xiao.
"Y/n! You're awake!" Paimon shouted with joy.
"Paimon, quiet," Aether shushed her, pointing to Diluc. He looked to me and smiled warmly. "I'm glad to see you're okay."
"Sorry!" Paimon said in a hushed tone. "Y/n! You had Paimon worried for a bit there."
"I'm okay," I said, glancing at Diluc. "It's nice to see you guys. It's his turn to sleep in now, I guess," I chuckled a little, pointing to Diluc.
"We were here for a commission, but I thought it couldn't hurt to stop by again," he said, closing the door behind him and sitting at the table. Paimon floated beside him, smiling at me with relief. "Xiao was downstairs, but he said to come up. He's been unusually cautious about your health."
"I know," I said, smiling a little. "I had met him on my way into Liyue. He didn't seem quite fond of me then."
"Who knows. It's not my place to question him," Aether shrugged. We kept our conversation hushed, as to avoid waking Diluc.
"Hey, so what happened... after?" I asked, still not knowing the full story of that night. "After... this," I pointed to my eye.
Aether winced a little. "I'm sorry, y/n," he said, although I shook my head and smiled to show I was fine. "Well... Xiao brought you back up to the chamber, and we tried to stop the bleeding. When it didn't, him and Diluc took you to the hotel you were staying in and called Baizhu over. A really strange girl that we had met at Bubu Pharmacy came, too..."
"Qiqi, I know her. I bought medicine for Diluc there when he got sick," I said, remembering the little girl fondly.
"Yeah. We came to check on you after the battle, and both Baizhu and Qiqi were there. Ningguang had to sacrifice the Jade Chamber, but Osial is sealed again for now," Aether said, filling the blanks in for me. "Qiqi seemed fond of you. She had your name written in her book."
"She did, huh... So in the end, Rex Lapis never showed up," I said, confirming my suspicions. "So he really is dead..."
Aether was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Yup, dead..." Paimon said, looking away.
"Man. Sucrose is never going to let me leave Mondstadt after this," I said, sighing. "It looks like Kaeya and I match now," I laughed, cheering myself up a little.
"Yeah! Cryo vision and a missing eye!" Paimon said, able to smile despite the situation as well.
The door creaked open again, Xiao returning. In his hands was a tray, which had a teapot and plates of food on it. He set it down on the table, Paimons eyes lighting up.
"Visiting time is over, go on," Xiao said, shooing at Paimon. "Y/n needs to rest, she'll be back in Mondstadt soon. Why don't you two come back this afternoon?"
"But... food!" Paimon said disappointedly.
"It's for Diluc and y/n, you can't have any," Xiao said, trying to keep Paimon away from our breakfast.
"Come on Paimon, we'll come back later," Aether said, smiling in amusement. "See you later, y/n!" He waved, dragging an incredibly disappointed Paimon out with him.
Xiao sighed in relief. "She really is stingy, it isn't even her food," he said, annoyed.
Although, I couldn't help but laugh. "She sure is something," I shrugged, unable to stop chuckling.
I sighed with a smile as I calmed down, looking over to Diluc. "We should probably wake him up, huh?" I said.
Xiao nodded, walking over to the sleeping Diluc. Putting his hand on Dilucs shoulder, he began to shake him lightly at first. "Wake up. Breakfast."
Diluc began to stir, but was still deeply asleep. Rolling his eyes, Xiao shook Diluc a little harder. "Up. Y/n is already at the table."
Groaning, Diluc sat up groggily. He rubbed his eyes, which came to rest on me for a moment. Looking out the open balcony, he stretched.
"It's morning already?" He said, standing up. "How did you sleep?"
"I didn't," I said, smiling. "I was already sleeping for four days."
"I suppose that's true," Diluc said, sitting at the table. "How much do I owe you for this, Xiao?"
"They don't charge me here anyways," Xiao said, removing a plate of almond tofu from the tray. A desert?
"Desert? It's still morning," I said, surprised. Did Xiao have a sort of sweet tooth?
"It's the one mortal food I can actually manage to stomach," he said, and I nodded. Who was I to judge anyways? I was staying in his home.
As we began to eat, I sighed. "How are we going to get home? I could barely walk to the table, let alone by myself," I said, remembering how Xiao had helped me.
"I asked Aether and Paimon to come back for a reason," Xiao said, taking a bite of his almond tofu.
I saw his eyes light up with joy for only a moment, although he didn't let it show for long. He must really like that stuff, and I couldn't blame him. I had foods I loved that much, too. Does he not want to admit it?
"So, are they going to carry me all the way to Mondstadt?" I said sarcastically.
"You aren't too far off, but no," Diluc said. Did he already know about what to do? "I arranged for a transport balloon, and they will be there to make sure nothing happens on the road back to Mondstadt."
"Like the stuff they use to move goods?" I asked, raising an ear. "That's not a bad idea. Sucrose is going to be real shocked to see me like this, though. She'll never let me leave Mondstadt again... how will I explain this to her and Albedo?"
"I already took care of that as well," Diluc said happily. He seemed much better now that he had slept. Heavy bags no longer hung under his eyes. "I sent a pigeon to her the day we got to Wangshu Inn."
I sighed with relief. "You guys thought about everything, didn't you? I just can't wait to go home. Maybe someday I'll come back to Liyue, but for more than work."
"And then we can go back to Wanmin," Diluc said, smiling.
"I never got to ask Chongyun why he liked cold noodles," I said, sighing sadly.
"Don't worry about that right now," Diluc said, enjoying his food. "Why don't you send a letter when you get home?"
"Home... my bag. Where are the flowers?" I asked, a little panicky. We had come so far for those. Loosing them would suck.
"It's alright, I brought it with," Diluc said, pointing to the corner of the room. "We'll give the flowers to Sucrose and Albedo later."
"Flowers?" Xiao asked, confused. "You came all the way to Liyue for flowers?"
"Mist flower and flaming flower," I explained, trying not to go into a tangent like I had with Zhongli. I wondered where he ended up. I'd have to send a letter to him, too.
"All this way for those?" Xiao said, still confused. "Don't you have those in Mondstadt?"
"Well..." I began. Seems like I'm going on a tangent anyways...