What if Diluc fell in love with his childhood friend?
Diluc
One could say that Diluc was born with the world itself in his palm. His world has the best of Sumeru's scholars doting on him, tastiest snacks from Liyue served at breakfast, lunch and dinner, intricate toys imported all the way from Fontaine...It isn't until Diluc meets you, the humble maidservant's child, that he realizes how much he has been missing.You have nothing, but you weave a one-of-the-kind world with your stories, dreams and hopes. And it's mesmerizing. He could spend the entire day listening to you. The second he wakes up, he's already pulling at your mother's sleeve to ask if you can play today.I don't think the friendship would even be toxic at the very beginning. There is a slight power disbalance between the two of you, but the only time that Diluc uses it is by accident. Your mother tells you to keep your distance, as this the Master's son you're speaking to - and yet Diluc grabs you by the hand and tells you to come play with him. You can't really say no...He's not malevolent or pushy towards you, perhaps only starry-eyed and delusional. He thinks you two will always be together, and all of your gentle reminders fall deaf on his ears. Diluc doesn't even declare his love - or a childhood fascination, crush - because he thinks it's obvious how he feels about you.The situation turns sour when Master Crepus passes away. Diluc's world has been shaken to the core, and he's lost everything he knew. He tries desperately to piece his world back together, but he knows it is not possible. Diluc knows one person who can fix this, though. The person who could weave a new world from nothing.So while subconsciously, he desires to have you because he associates you with his childhood happiness, because he obsesses over you and wants to have you all of himself, he would never admit that. He does admit that he obsesses over your safety, because he cannot bear to lose another person close to him.He confronts you about the danger surrounding Mondstadt - Abyss Order, Dvalin's attacks, drunkards and thieves in the streets, incompetent knights of Favonius. While he would not outwardly voice his love for you, him expressing his concern and asking you to come with him to Dawn Winery is his love declaration. And rejecting this request is the same as rejecting his love.It's not that surprising that you don't want to be with him. He's overbearing and nothing like the sweet Diluc that you were friends with. When he's telling you about the danger, when he's demanding you come with him, he feels more like a Master talking to a servant.Your rejection will spur him into a different kind of action. He's not as malevolent as the rest, so at first, he's really just keeping tabs on you, making sure you are safe. But in truth, he is merely gathering evidence that he needs to justify his immoral actions later on. He needs proof that you're in danger, and that you're incompetent. You cannot survive without him.It can be small things really - maybe you burn your hand on the stove, or overslept your shift. Maybe you ran into a rowdy bunch of drunks. Maybe you skipped a meal or two, or stayed up late to finish some work.And even though that is completely normal for an adult, in Diluc's eyes this justifies him taking stronger action in regards to your welfare, your safety. These things never happened when you were children, after all. These things never happened when you were in his care.Then something major happens in your life - maybe you lose your job, or your house catches on fire... on accident, of course. He's not kidnapping you - he's taking you with him, even if it's against your will.It's not an imprisonment situation at first, and the situation does not look dire. He's just asked you to stay in Dawn Winery for the time being, and he is being reasonable. You're staying there, as a guest. You're allowed outside. You're allowed to talk to the servants.But Diluc's mind is constantly perceiving threats, even if there are none. The threat can range from external threats to your wellbeing, to threats that come from you - such as you running or leaving. Once again, he justifies why he's introducing these new restrictions to your life.Now you're restricted to staying indoors, now you're locked up in a single room, now you're tied to the bed. It's for your own good. It's for your own safety. And it just gets worse.In some sense, he's still seeing (Name), the young child who played with him in the outdoor garden. A child who is incapable of making decisions, a child who does not know better. So he's the one deciding for you... And he doesn't even feel like discussing these decisions with you, because, why would he need to? It's not like parents discuss their decisions with children.His infantilization of you grows even worse when he has a taste of power over you. He wants to mould you back into the perfect version of you - not someone who thrashes and throws insults at him every time you two spend time together, but instead someone doting, submissive.He justifies hurting you, for a good cause. Just as dogs need discipline at times, you need to understand what's appropriate, and what's best for you. So he trains you, rewarding you for good behavior, and punishing you for being bad. Just because you punish your dog does not mean you love it any less, does it?As your childhood best friend, he knows all of your inner workings. Your fears and desires, things that make you laugh, cry and scream. And he's not afraid to manipulate that knowledge, to the cruelest extent. He will capitalize on the things that make you scream with fear to ensure you do the things he wants you to do, and say the things he wants to hear.Are you scared of the dark? He'll lock you in the cellar until you apologize for cursing at him, and will only let you go back upstairs when you tell him you love him. Scared of small places? He'll squeeze you into a box until you're clawing your way out, telling him how much you love to be held by him, and asking for more.He's deluded enough to believe your words, even when your face is raw with tears. You are creating the perfect world for him. Nothing really changed from when you were young - he still needs you by his side, more now than ever... Can't you see you were made to be his?Even when he quite literally tries to break your spirit and train you out of the more... bothersome... personality traits, he still manages to justify all of his actions. He is doing this for you. For your safety. After all, if you go running your potty mouth at some bandits, they may hurt you or worse... Not that you're ever going outside again.He will craft you into a perfect little doll, the very centre of his world. And he will make you happy, he is the only one who can make you happy...Diluc knows what's best for you, after all.
It is written by Yandere Garden
