Days in Mondstadt

Chapter 18- Nerves (short)

"Oh Master Diluc!" Y/n called. "A little help here?"

She was buried beneath a pile of clothes and couldn't open the door. Diluc's boots clipped through the hallway and his arm snaked awkwardly around her to get the latch open.

Y/n quickly dumped the clothes in a pile at the bottom of the wardrobe and squeezed the door shut. Diluc raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't going to fold those?"

"What, you're going to tell me what to do with my clothes now?"

Diluc sighed but said,
"My apologies. I should know better."

Y/n didn't respond. She left him standing in the doorway of her room and marched around moving boxes and setting knickknacks on her desk and dressers. She busied herself with dusting off the window sill but Diluc still stayed rooted to the ground. Finally, she couldn't ignore his gaze.

"May I help you, Master Diluc?"

"Hm?"

"You're staring holes through the back of my skull. May I help you?"

"Jean is coming for supper tonight. We will dine in the formal dining hall. Be prepared to answer more questions if needed."

"Oh- okay."

He turned swiftly and marched out. Y/n heard him walk down the stairs and snap the door to his office shut.

What is going on with him. He clearly has SOMETHING he wants to say, but what could it be? He already won. I'm moving in, what else could he want. At least my parents will be happy.

She had finally caved and moved in the day before, but any sort of expected civility that usually comes with close quarters was lacking between her and Diluc.
He still answered her with short replies and the occasional critical remark. If he wasn't critiquing her, he was lost in thought. He was spending more time in his office than y/n had previously thought possible for a person and Master Jean had already come over in the two days y/n had been there.

None of the other knights knew what was going on, but y/n had heard through the grapevine that Amber and Eula had a bet going on who would confess first.

"Confess?" Y/n had said.

"Duh. Confess their love ." Amber sighed.

Eula nodded.
"It is highly likely at this point, but my vote is on a less-hasty confession."

Damn.

...

Y/n's brush snagged on a tangle as she prepared for dinner. She was taking her time, dreading the hours she would have to spend listening to whatever Jean and Diluc talked about. It would most likely be ages and ages of them discussing-well, arguing over-the state of the city and what the knights could do better, if not the elusive Darknight Hero.

Kaeya's suggestive voice popped into her head.
"Oh? Are you sure that's all they talk about?"

Get out of my head, dammit.
She hit the side of her head with the hair brush.

Sighing, she got up and rummaged through her closet.

"Hillie?" She called.

The maid popped her head in the door.
"Yes miss?"

"Um, this is awkward, but I have no idea what to wear to dinner tonight."

"Don't you have quite a few boxes of clothes? Surely there must be something."

"Well," said y/n. "That's the thing. I left my formal wear at my apartment along with some other non-essentials. All I have are my work clothes and some pajamas."

Hillie rested her chin on her hand, trying to find a solution.

"Ah! I've got it! That dress Master Diluc gave you before. You left it here. I'm sure it's still clean. I'll just go steam it and bring it right up."

"Don't you think it'll be too much?" Y/n asked.

"Nonsense." Hillie winked. "Nothing is too fine for a Ragnvindr dinner."
...

Y/n sighed and fixed her strap as she walked towards the dining room. She heard a few low voices and even some laughter wafting towards her but she couldn't shake off the nerves that had her in an iron grip.

How many are in there? He only mentioned Jean. What's going on?

She picked out Jean and Lisa, as well as Eula's musical voice before she was stopped dead in her tracks.

That voice- what is he doing here?