HOME ↪︎ diluc

prologue;

15 years prior --

The kitchen was warm with smells of bread baking and the ever-present aroma of wine. In a deep focus on the current mixture in front of her, it was apparent why the maid didn't notice the pair of brown bear ears that poked on the other side of the large oak table. Slowly, a small human hand reached up towards a smaller loaf of bread, fresh out of the oven. Still warm to the touch, a series of hot hot hot's sounded from the little hands, catching the maid's attention.

"Haru Sove!" The maid fussed, causing the bear-eared little girl to bolt from her hiding place.

Haru, with the warm bread still in her hands, rushed towards the door that led into the rest of Dawn Winery, "Sorry, miss. But the boys told me too!"

A fit of giggles filled the little girl's body as the rush of adrenaline overcame her. Easily dashing away from the scene of the heist and towards the main doors of the esteemed winery, the goods were practically hers; when she heard that "the boys" had put her up to this, the maid gave up in her advances and calculated more ingredients for another loaf.

Dawn Winery was an incredible feat just outside the city of Mondstadt. The winery was such a success that it has effectively represented the entire wine industry in the area. The land in which the estate was housed was immaculately beautiful and was a sight to see for many tourists.

Weaving in between the rows of vines that Haru had become very accustomed to, the nine year old's eyes searched for her cohorts, to share with them the spoils of her bounty. Ducking to avoid the eyes of a nearby worker, a small oof! sounded as the little girl ran into a little boy with fiery red hair.

"Jeez, Ru. Slow down for a- oh, you got the bread!" As he rubbed his ribs, which Haru had practically thrown her body into, Diluc's smile grew. The delectable scent filled his nose with comfort and warmth. The boy, two years her senior, gently took the opposite end of the loaf and broke it in two.

Diluc Ragnvindr, the heir to the Dawn Winery, and Haru's best friend.

The two had grown close over the years, thanks to their fathers' trade and business agreements. Haru often accompanied her father on his trips to the winery, giving the children motivation to go out and play while the adults got down to business. The pair had known each other for many years now, their love for adventure and mischief made them basically inseparable when she visited.

"You should've seen the look on the miss's face!" Haru giggled, breaking off a piece of her half of bread and popping it in her mouth. Warmth overcame her with feelings of familiarity and coziness; they always made the best bread here in Mondstadt.

The little boy smiled as he started eating his half. It wasn't long until another pair of hands grabbed his loaf, breaking into two again. Slightly offended, Diluc looked towards the hands, only to sigh in relief.

Another little boy, with dark blue hair and a toothy grin, took a big bite out of the stolen half before sitting cross-legged in front of the pair.

"Nice stealing, Haru. The bread is perfect this time of day." Kaeya beamed with a mouth full of dough.

"If she didn't have enough for more loafs, she would've had me washing the dishes for the rest of the week!" Haru broke the remainder of her loaf and shared it with the boys.

Best friends. 

Brothers. 

Kaeya and Diluc.

If one was around, the other wasn't too far behind. Haru never knew a time where she was without one of the brothers – every adventure they tackled together. The bond between them was one unlike any other.

Diluc nodded a thanks towards the young girl, taking a small bite. His head tilted back as he basked in the warm glow of the sun. A small breeze picked up, sweeping the nearby vines slightly. These were his favorite types of days. And to have his two best friends beside him, how perfect.

Haru's ears picked up at the breeze, the fur meshing with the rest of her brown locks. Coming to Mondstadt meant so much to her – it became her home away from home. When summer rolled around, she counted down the days until she would see her friends again, writing letters to Diluc planning their adventures together.

Haru's ears twitched slightly at the sound of beats against the earth. Footsteps. Heavy ones. Before she could alert the others, a pair of strong hands grabbed her under the armpits and raised her high above the rows of vines.

"Well well well, I found myself a couple thieves!" Bolin Sove chuckled a hearty laugh as he moved his daughter to sit upon his shoulders.

Fear shook her at first, but the familiar hold and comfort from her father filled her with laughter. She tugged slightly on his own bear ears as Diluc and Kaeya scrambled to their feet. Between her mother and father, Haru got her mother's looks but her father's ears and longing for adventure. As an only child, they developed an incredibly close bond. He taught her how to hunt, fish, and hold her own in a fight; some say it's because he longed for a son to share these lessons with, but Haru didn't care. She was eager to learn everything about this world and felt lucky to have such a great teacher.

"Poppa! We had to take the bread – it would lose its perfect taste had it sat out any longer." Haru defended with the brothers nodding alongside her.

The large man smiled at the trio, patting his daughter's knee as it rested next to his head. Watching the three of them grow up together held a special place in his heart. Bolin remembered when he was their age, so full of life and longing for adventure. Mischief and laughter were bound to follow. He was grateful to watch his kin create these memories with two outstanding young boys.

"Let's go make sure we thank the baker for your snack. Then, we must be heading home."

"Already!? But we just got here." Haru protested.

A sorrowful look came over Diluc and Kaeya: was their time of adventuring and laughter done already?

"I know, sunshine, but I just received word from some colleagues back home. They need us to get this shipment back immediately. I'm sorry to cut your time short." Bolin's voice grew softer, knowing this was absolutely heartbreaking to a nine year old. The world was unfair, and at such a young age there was very little that could be done.

Haru huffed in defeat as her body slumped on her father's shoulders. This went from being the best to the worst day ever. She didn't utter another word as she was carried back towards the winery; she knew there was no fighting this, she had tried countless times in the past to no avail. All she could do was watch her best friends walk behind her with saddened faces. The bread in their stomachs felt heavier.

She attempted to uplift the mood by making a plan of all the things the trio would do the next time she was in the area. All the adventures they'd go on, all the food they would eat, all the creatures they would see. This brought a smile of reassurance to their faces, especially Diluc's. He eagerly added to the list that they should visit the city – since they were getting older, the limits of their travels began to lessen. Haru beamed at the thought of it all.

That trip to the city would never come.

Haru and Bolin would never come back to the Dawn Winery together.

None of them knew that the goodbyes expressed on that day would be their last.

I hope you enjoyed! This is not only my first time writing since 2018, but this is also my first attempt at a Genshin Impact fanfic. How did I do? Let me know in the comments. Thank you for reading. And until next time, keep growing. 🌱