Faded Harmony

Healer

When Lyra awoke, the first thing she realized was that it was dark, that not even the slightest sliver of light could enter through the closed curtains. There was once a time pure darkness was a source of comfort, when the darkness had been Nocturna's favorite, a place of hidden secrets, whispered conversations, gentle touches of sisterly love. But that was before the shadows became synonymous to imprisonment.

With nothing but darkness around her, she screamed, the sound muffled into her blankets as she curled up on the bed. She muttered incomprehensibly under her breath, a mixed jumble of words, over and over and over again, until the door was thrown open, letting in light from a lantern. Diluc stalked in, his mask falling to reveal worry. Lyra had not yet realized she was crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he said gently as he walked over to her, placing the lantern on the desk.

"It was so dark," she muttered.

Diluc froze before he pulled the curtains aside, letting in the light from the lanterns outside to flood into the room as well, as Lyra fiddled with the blankets, pulling them around her like a cloak. Her shoulders lost their tension as she rocked back and forth.

"Are you scared of the dark?" he asked, taking a seat beside her. He threw an arm around her shoulder as she leaned in, realizing Diluc smelled of pine wood, of the fire in the hearth, of warmth and safety.

"Sorry," she murmured under her breath.

He ran a hand through her hair, waiting for her to calm down. When Lyra's breathing steadied, he asked, "Alright?"

"Alright."

Diluc held her gaze, his face half cloaked in shadows and half in the light, eyes both bright and shining, as if they could shine without light as well. "I don't like to pry, so I won't ask you what happened, but feel free to tell me when you wish to. Is there anything else I could do for you?"

"Stay until I sleep."

"Done," he said, as she lay back down, pulling his hand along. The shadow of a smile crossed Diluc's face as she slept, her fingers entwined with his.

                                  *

When Lyra awoke a couple of hours later, the first thing she noticed was that Diluc was not in the room, and then she wondered where he had slept. Well, it was quite a large mansion anyway. Heading over to Klee's room, she sat down at the foot of the bed, listening to the silence as the dawn's light began to enter the open windows. The door opened again, and in walked Kaeya, with Diluc following.

"Hey," said Kaeya, a hand raised in greeting.

"You're awake," said Diluc, studying her face and seeming satisfied as she smiled.

"Morning."

Kaeya walked over to Klee, who was smiling in her sleep. His expression changed to one of tender fondness, the smile on his face hinting at many hidden pranks. "Looks like she's having a nice dream." He took a seat next to Lyra, who had started fiddling with her dress. "What was she doing around here in the middle of the night?"

"She said she was searching for someone named Albedo," said Lyra, wondering if she should mention the letter, or leave that to Klee. If Klee wanted to tell them, she could let them know herself.

"Is that so?"

Kaeya turned back as Klee blinked, her eyes rather hazy as she got up. Seeing Kaeya, she hugged him, leaving him laughing while Diluc and Lyra watched with vague amusement.

"Isn't Kaeya a bad influence?" asked Lyra. Diluc nodded, and Kaeya winced, giving her his best I-feel-betrayed look.

"Have you found Brother Albedo?" murmured Klee.