delusion • diluc

xxxii

• third person •

"You can't just go around fainting anywhere! Are you insane?! Imagine a fucking Knight found you instead of me!"

"Stop being so loud..."

Maria staggered to her feet, stumbling back a little as she attempted to regain her balance. Childe grabbed her arm, yanking her towards him.

"Get your act together! You're not here to drink, you're here to get (Y/N) back home! Does the Tsaritsa's orders not mean anything to you-?!"

"Shut it." Maria ripped off his grip. "You know what? Give me a week. She'll be where she belongs by then. I give you my word. It'll be done sooner than you expect." Her voice sharpened, her eyes piercing through the Harbinger. She tore away her gaze, stepping away. "Now leave me be. You're not needed anymore."

Childe's eyebrows furrowed as he let her walk away. A week? A week to do what – drag her back?

They've had so much time. Too much time. And Childe wasn't even sure of her true intentions.

But whatever happened, Childe was sure to be there.

• next day •

(Y/N) fumbled with the door handle, only to find it was already open. She blinked, her head flooded in confusion.

She wasn't sure why she'd woken up in the comfort of her own bed. She was pretty sure she was nowhere near her house the last time she remembered being awake.

But no matter how long she thought about it, she just couldn't remember anything at all. Surely she didn't drink, right? She didn't feel hungover.

(Y/N) slowly pulled open the door. It was the knocking she heard that woke her up, and it hadn't stopped since she'd gotten out of bed.

Her eyes widened.

"Wh-what are you doing here–"

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

A soft, jewelled hand gripped hers. "Close them or I'll make you."

(Y/N) hesitated. Her heart began to pound. No...

"...Just trust me."

(Y/N)'s eyes clamped shut. All of a sudden, her body felt light, like nothing at all. She heard the door shut behind them– her feet, her feet?! Where was the ground?!

"Don't open your eyes."

She could hear the voices of Mondstadt, every single one, chattering, their conversations: she could hear it all.

"What's- What's happening?" her voice trembled.

"Just wait."

(Y/N) grasped onto her hand. It felt like nothing but something at the same time. (Y/N) just knew she was not going to open her eyes.

A while passed before her body began to feel like a body again. Was this... the ground?

"You can open them now."

Hesitantly, her eyelids finally fluttered open. Anemo particles scattered around them, disappearing into thin air.

Her pupils darted around. This was no longer the city of Mondstadt.