Second Lead Syndrome || Diluc R. x Reader

Hatred

Y/N follows Ida into a thinly wooded area behind the winery. Y/N can still hear the sounds of chatter from the party and she's sure that if anything were to happen to her, someone would hear her as well. Most of the light from the setting sun is obscured by the trees, but it's still bright enough for Y/N to see.

Ida stops after a few more minutes of walking through the long grass. She turns around to face Y/N with a complicated expression full of frustration, anger, and disgust. Y/N meets her glare with a glare of her own.

"What is it?" Y/N asks.

Ida eyes Y/N carefully before replying, "So, you were investigating me and my group's acitivty that whole time."

"Yes, and?" Y/N responds. "I was just doing my job."

A bitter smile creeps onto Ida's face. "You're so responsible now! Look at you taking care of your own career!"  She aggressively ruffles Y/N's hair, though not in an endearing way. "My dear sister isn't a helpless little baby anymore!" She seethes out through gritted teeth.

Y/N quickly swats her hand away. "Don't touch me." She spits. "And you don't get to call me your sister anymore after you almost killed me." Y/N hisses.

Ida crosses her arms, her cynical smile still not dropping from her face. "Oh, please! I was just doing my job- as you just said."

Not a single shred of remorse. Y/N notes before shaking her head. "Whatever. Just cut to the chase. Did you bring me here just to taunt me?"

Ida huffs. "Fine, fine. I truly did come here for a chat-" Ida fishes something out of her pocket. "And to return this."

Y/N's eyes land on the familiar lilac envelope with the Fatui symbol and Fontaine stamp in Ida's hands. "Why do you have that?" Y/N demands.

"I let myself into your home a few days ago since you didn't answer the door. I didn't have a chance to return it because of all the shit you've caused me these past few days." Ida explains. "To think those measly Mondstadt buildings cost so much."

Y/N snatches the envelope from Ida's hands, feeling the weight of the tiny package of paper in her hand. "Is that all?"

Ida scoffs, "Why in such a rush? In a hurry to go find that redheaded loverboy?" She sniggers. "It's all futile. You're going to leave him anyway."

Y/N glares at her. "I'd simply rather be with anyone but with you."

"Fine. I was hoping you'd say it on your own, but I'll just cut to the chase." Ida huffs. "You don't have a single thing to say to me?"

Y/N pauses, trying to think of what Ida wants to hear. "I noticed you dyed your hair again. I liked it better before."

Ida rolls her eyes. "Aside from my hair colour choices, you don't want to apologize at all?"

Y/N's brows fly up in disbelief. "Apologize?!"

"Of course! Do you know how much shit I got for failing that mission and getting so many of my subordinates injured? Do you know how expensive the repercussions were? I have to go to court when I go back to Fontaine!" Ida hisses, slowly closing the gap between her and Y/N. "Do you have any idea how much ridicule I'm going to face at the next family banquet?!"

"Oh, I can't possibly imagine what it would feel like to be shit on at a family event!" Y/N sarcastically hisses.

Ida lets out an incredulous chuckle. "Right. I forgot what a disappointment to the L/N name you are."

Y/N clenches her jaw, holding herself back from punching Ida square in the face.

"Right, right, right." Ida mutters. "Who am I kidding? Asking Y/N L/N for an apology? Really, I am the idiot here! Y/N L/N never apologizes."

"What are you talking about?" Y/N asks, her voice quivering furiously.

"You haven't apologized for a goddamn thing you've done to me!" Ida spits. "Leaving me in Fontaine to carry the weight of this family on my own. You know exactly how horrible it is living in that house filled with sky-high expectations and toxicity! How could you leave me there to bear it alone?! After you disappeared, I became the new target of all the shit mom and dad put you through!" Ida exclaims.

"So you missed me only because I was your scapegoat?! You missed me because I would suffer instead of you?!" Y/N shouts with disbelief in her voice. "If it was so bad, you could have left too!"

"Leaving is the coward's way out! Do you know how much shit they talk about you at family banquets because you ran away? You are the only one weak enough to do that! Unlike you, I'm not selfish and weak!" Ida shoots back.

"Selfish?! Weak?!" Y/N laughs cynically. "You want me to apologize for not being the favourite child? Then, I guess I'm sorry I was left in your shadow. And I'm sorry that you think I'm weak because you're so blinded that you couldn't even tell how suffocating it was to be around you all!"

"You are so overdramatic! As if you're the victim here!" Ida scoffs. "My life started going to shit after you left! The pressure and expectations doubled and it's all your fault."

"Well, I'm sorry that you went through such a rough time that was completely out of my control!" Y/N hisses out, her face livid. "Was that apology good enough for you?"

Ida's fists shake with anger. "Why are you treating me like I'm the villain when you're the one who ran away to enjoy your merry little life like you forgot all about me? You don't deserve to be living happily like this! Not after you hurt me and our family so much!"

Y/N's eyes start to well up with frustrated tears. "Of course I haven't forgotten! If I forgot, I would have returned a long time ago. It's because I can't forget that I'm continuing to live here!" Her voice trembles and cracks as she tries to hold back from breaking down and sobbing.

"Are you crying?!" Ida ruefully laughs. "Oh, I'm such a horrible person that I'm making my own little sister cry!" She sarcastically exclaims. "I can't wait until you're back in Fontaine and get a reality check. You aren't the innocent little girl you're pretending to be! If anything, I'm the victim!" Ida lowers her voice again seeing Y/N not being able to retort. "Y/N L/N, I hate you."

Y/N's chest aches and her legs want to give out. With every word Ida utters, Y/N's ribcage feels like it's closing in on her organs closer and closer and strangling her lungs of air. "Okay." Is the only thing Y/N can choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. Tired of rebutting, all she wants is for this argument to end. "You can..." Hate me.... Y/N's words get lost in her throat as Ida walks past her, leaving Y/N in the woods alone.

The cold, night breeze blows past Y/N's shaking figure. The sun had set, leaving Y/N in the dark and only emphasizing the overwhelming sense of loneliness. The air that was once so tense, it could snap has now been quelled. Only the sounds of crickets dare to interrupt. Quietly, Y/N takes a few deep breaths and tries to suck in the tears threatening to spill. Adjusting her blazer to keep her warmer in the cold night, Y/N begins to walk back, hoping to not run into Ida again.

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A/N:
Sorry for the late update!!!! I was super busy with school and didn't have time to properly check this over during the week.

Btw I wrote this chapter while listening to Motion Sickness by Phoebe Bridgers, Juliet by Cavetown, haunt me (x 3) by teen suicide, and Kids by Current Joys. All awesome ugly-cry songs that are included in the SLS Playlist that's linked on my Tumblr or Wattpad profile for those who don't have Tumblr.

-Bora 🌌