The morning is Diluc's favorite time of the day. He enjoys rousing from a deep sleep, the sun peeking through his east-facing window, in bedsheets that are smooth and comfortable against his skin. If he doesn't busy himself everyday, he would laze in his bed for hours, watching the sunrise and the city waking up slowly.
But the fact that he only has a few minutes makes it all the more precious to him. He turns to stretch his limbs.
Then, he realizes something.
He's not alone.
That makes no sense. Diluc is Mondstadt's most eligible bachelor. And he lives by that. He's single and keeps it that way. He doesn't even take people home for one-night stands. And considering how he doesn't drink, he definitely does not have alcohol-fueled sex with others.
Besides, Diluc was not at a bar last night. He had gotten home before dusk, ate his dinner then went off to clean his Barbatos memorabilia. What Diluc likes outside of work is limited to that and taking care of his pet tortoise.
His penthouse should be secure. Besides the security detail downstairs, no one can access it without a keycard. And there are only two people who have a keycard: him and his housekeeper Adelinde.
Adelinde is not the type to sneak into his bed. Then again, what kind of intruder could break into a well-guarded penthouse only to fall asleep next to the master of the house? Some kind of pervert?
Slowly, Diluc turns to the person next to him. And upon seeing his visage, his breath hitches.
The young man next to him is completely naked. His slight build is covered with soft, glowing lines that make him seem not quite human. Not to mention, his face is too beautiful. In fact, he's probably the prettiest creature that Diluc has seen in a while, if not ever.
But that still doesn't change the fact that he's a stranger, and he's in Diluc's bed.
He looks too comfortable for someone sleeping in a stranger's bed. As Diluc watches this stranger sleep, he also sees how he nuzzles into the pillow, making himself all the more comfortable.
Diluc clicks his tongue.
"Hey," he says, shaking this stranger's shoulder. "Wake up."
Slowly, the stranger opens his eyes. His eyes are the prettiest green, and even though they're hazy with sleep, they look like gems with such delicate features. Slowly, he yawns, stretching his limbs.
"Good morning," he says.
"Good morn--," Diluc is about to get carried along before he realizes he shouldn't. He shakes his head to collect himself. "Who are you?"
The man looks at Diluc with a coy smile.
"You don't recognize me?"
Is Diluc supposed to recognize him? He doesn't think so. He had gone to bed alone last night and he expected to wake up alone. Instead, he has this beautiful creature by his side.
"We have never met before," Diluc says sternly.
"But you know a lot about me," the man says.
"What do you mean by that?" Diluc furrows his eyebrows together.
"I'm Barbatos."
With that, Diluc goes silent.
Barbatos, as in the god? Barbatos, as in the myth that he's so infatuated with he collects all that memorabilia?
At least, that would explain the glowing lines on the stranger's body – something mythical instead of some new-fangled tattooing technique that Diluc has not heard of.
