You walk through the streets of Mondstadt, breathing in the cool, crisp air and admiring the atmosphere in the city. It was so different from what you remembered.
The streets were filled with brand new shops, new buildings, new sights, new smells… places you'd never seen before were scattered all around town. But as always, there was one place in Mondstadt that never changed.
Your home. Your 'family'.
It had been years since you had last set foot in your hometown. Multiple nights of tears, grief, and pain had led you back to this place. The place you wanted to say goodbye to.
Multiple nights of overwhelming emotion, of fear and dread, leading you back to the person that you wanted to say goodbye to.
You strolled along the path towards Dawn Winery, occasionally stroking the petals of the wind-wheel asters as you walked by.
A wave of nostalgia overcame you as you reminisced about the times you had spent there as a child. The times you had nothing to worry about.. The times where you and a certain red haired boy would forget everything and run away together under the darkness of the night sky.
A soft sigh left your lips at the thought. You shook your head and rid yourself of any thoughts that would dampen your mood, breathing in the fresh air around you and basking in the warm rays of light that fell onto your face.
Looking up ahead, you could see the manor. You felt chills after seeing your old home once again. It was as if you were reliving the moment you first saw this place all over again, a sense of comfort finding a place in your heart.
'We're here..'
You held your breath as you held a hand out nervously in front of the door, preparing yourself mentally for the thing you'd come back here for.
Your hand shook slightly as you let your hand rest against the door, you felt like you were going to cry. After all this time, all these years.. you'd finally come back home.. but only, you didn't intend on coming back ever again after this day.
You had come to say goodbye to your past, your future, and everything that went with it.
You had to say goodbye.
A few moments of silence passed before you finally knocked, waiting in anticipation for what would happen once you'd gotten inside.
The front door opened, and a familiar face greeted her.
"..Adelinde.. haha. It's you."
You smiled warmly at your old friend, nodding your head as if to say 'hi'.
Adelinde seemed surprised to see you and opened the door wider, beckoning for you to come inside. "You're back.. It's quite nice to see you again, after all these years."
You stepped inside the manor, smiling warmly and trying your best to stay calm, "Yes.. I just came here to see Diluc again. I don't suppose he's here?"
Adelinde's eyes seemed to light up at your words, like what you'd said had made her happy.
"Of course, I'm sure Master Diluc will be pleased to see you after so long. Though I must warn you, he is quite irritable these days."
The maid motioned for you to follow, leading you up the stairs and into Diluc's bedroom. She eventually turned around and smiled, going out to the balcony to inform her master that he had a visitor before coming back and speaking. "He'll see you now. Be careful, he's quite upset." Is all Adelinde said before swiftly and quietly slipping away through the door.
You stood there, looking out to where he stood on the balcony as he watched over the winery.
You could feel the nervousness coming back, but you shook it off and reluctantly stepped forward and out onto the balcony, being blinded slightly by the bright sun before speaking to him.
"..Diluc."
He turned around to look at you briefly, a coldness in his eyes.
"You're here." he sighed before speaking again, "If you have nothing to say, move along. You know better than to waste the time of a busy man."
You smiled before responding, "Oh? You don't seem quite busy right now, Master Diluc. Although I am sorry.. I got a bit excited after seeing Mondstadt again after so long. I should've told you I was back in the city."
He scoffed lightly before turning to look at the fields again. "I don't like how you're still exactly the same, but.. I can let it pass just this once. What brings you back to Mondstadt, then?
You let out a small laugh, speaking happily once again, "Do I really need a reason? I just missed my hometown.. haha."
He gave you an irritated scowl before finally turning his attention to you, looking directly at you with his dark, piercing eyes.
"Well? Surely you didn't return just to exchange a few useless words with me. I'm a busy man, after all, and you're wasting my time. It may have been years since I've last seen you, but you're still the same as ever. What are you really here for? Spill it."
Your smile faltered slowly, you felt your eyes twitch involuntarily as you prepared yourself for what you were going to say.
"I just.. came to say goodbye. For good."
He looked at you with mild disinterest and laughed humourlessly.
"You're speaking strangely. If your intention is to scare me, you are not doing a good job. Your ominous comments are simply getting on my nerves. In fact, I don't like those kinds of threats. If you've got something to say, say it clearly and plainly, and then we can end this pointless conversation. How does that sound?"
A flash of hurt spread across your face, but you quickly recovered again, reminding yourself that this was just how Diluc was, and that he had every reason to be upset at you leaving.
"Haha.. this is how you're treating your old best friend..?" You took a deep breath before saying the words you'd come here to say, your voice shaking slightly, "I just.. wanted to say sorry. For everything. You.. you don't have to worry about me now.. since I'm dying.. I won't be coming back anymore."
A look of surprise spreads across his face, and he stares at you for a moment before slightly recovering from the news and putting on his usual mask once again, his cold demeanour coming back to his face, creeping over every facial feature.
He sighs before speaking, "I.. suppose I owe you some modicum of respect. Very well. If you're truly dying, and your last words are to be for me, I will lend you my attention for a moment…"
He hesitated before speaking, you could see his throat move slightly before the words came out of his mouth, "What.. exactly are you dying from?"
"…Illness. I was diagnosed years ago.."
You can hear his breath hitch in this throat as he looks away, his cold mask fading for a moment before gradually returning.
"How unfortunate. This.. this sickness of yours.. do you know when you're going to die? Is.. this why you came back..?"
You nod slowly, avoiding eye contact, "Eight weeks.. and yes, it is.."
He pauses.
"Then.. I'm truly sorry. I trust you understand why I was skeptical of your words at first. Your sudden appearance, and your cryptic warnings that Mondstadt, and the rest of Teyvat would be rid of you soon... it all seemed far too suspicious."
He looks back at you, a small look of sympathy spreading across his face.
"..I'm sorry for being so cold."
You smile and look down, laughing quietly before speaking again, "It's alright. I know that's just how you are.. It's nice to see you again Diluc.."
A light smile graces his face as these words escape your mouth. It seemed as if he was slowly warming up to you again.
"Well.. this news comes as a surprise. I... I'll admit, I don't want you to die. Even though we've had our fair share of disagreements, I still care about you. And I'll forever regret that the last time I saw you was during that argument…Well, if only for one last time, I want to make amends with you."
He steps forward, the smile on his face gradually fading into a look of concern.
"What must I do in order to make you comfortable in your final days?"
You smile sadly before speaking, "You don't have to do anything. Just.. please listen to what I have to say."
He nods.
"Hm.. that isn't asking much. Very well, I will listen. What do you want to say?"
You try to hold back the emotions that are threatening to flood out of you. The feelings you once felt towards Diluc were slowly coming back, and you were desperately trying pushing them away.
Your voice shook as you spoke.
"Diluc, thank you. When we first met I was terrified to talk to you.. and I never thought about you becoming my best friend.. the most important person to me."
A sad smile graces your face as you continues.
"I owe you my life. And I am laying it down again, for you. So that you can be happy.. without me in this world. A lot of people can be happy now that I'm leaving. So.. thank you. For making me happy while I still could be."
His eyes widen slightly at your sudden speech, and you can see him lose his composure for a moment.
A look of hurt flashes across his face and he looks away, hesitating to speak.
"...The people who will celebrate your passing are fools who don't know your true worth. And if you must leave this world, I will at least try to comfort you before you pass on."
He sighs shakily before speaking.
"If it makes you feel any better.. I, for one, will miss you. And I am truly sorry if I have ever done anything to hurt you, or make you feel otherwise. I will mourn your passing."
Diluc turns away quickly. He can feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, and he tries to fight them. You can see his lips quivering slightly before he starts to speak once again.
"…I may be blunt, and not the most empathetic person around, but believe me... I won't forget you. And it does make me sad to know that this world will be deprived of your presence. Please know that you will always have a special place in my heart."
A single tear falls down his cheek as he looks down to the ground.
"I'll.. I'll miss you."
You suddenly find yourself struck with multiple emotions. Feelings of overwhelming pain and despair wash over you as you start to sob at his words.
Diluc sighs shakily, looking at you and stepping towards you when he sees you crying.
"…Why is it that humans are always so fragile? Why must every day spent together be so short?"
Once again, he holds his breath. You can tell by the way he's clenched his fists that he's struggling with these emotions too. That he's upset. Helpless. He's scared.
"I will never forget the time I spent with you, and I will always treasure the gift of your companionship. If there is anything I can say before you leave this world, please know that you have changed my life forever."
Your words come out in small sentences. You can feel your voice shaking as you desperately try to wipe your tears, "I'm.. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Diluc.."
He smiles when you say this.
A sad smile, and he looks at you in a way that you haven't seen for years.
"You owe me no apologies. I've had so much good in my life because of you. How could I ever resent you, even for our bad times? We are all imperfect, and we must accept the good and bad times that we bring to the life of others. What you've given to me, far surpasses what you've ever taken. Do not apologize."
You smile sadly before walking up to him and placing your head on his shoulder, tears running down your face.
Diluc is deathly still for a moment. His body tenses.
After a few seconds, you can feel his muscles relax as he wraps his arms around you in a tight hug, whispering into your ear as you cry.
"Please, forgive me for my shortcomings. They do not represent my true feelings. I may be rough and clumsy with my words, but my heart has always been with you."
He squeezes you tight, you can hear Diluc's voice breaking and you can feel his hands shaking.
He was sad.
You slowly hug him back, choking on half formed sobs as they unwillingly escape from the back of your throat. He squeezes you tighter, burying his head into the crook of your neck as you start to feel tears staining your skin.
"…Diluc… don't cry…"
He can't help it. It had been years since he'd last seen you. Multiple painful tears of him regretting the way he had treated you, the way he shouted at you. The things he said to you.
All these years of longing and regret, all for you to come back and tell him you're dying.
It wasn't fair.
You can hear his shaky breaths against your neck as you sob lightly and hug him tighter. You knew it was cruel, to leave him for so long and then come back and tell him that you'd no longer be around… But you were scared. Scared of death, of no longer being able to hold him like this.
You wanted to stay with him.
"Diluc, I—-"
"Shh." He stops you, raising his head again to look down at you with those eyes of his. Those eyes that you loved so much.
You look up at him, trying desperately to search his facial expression; to understand why he'd stop you. He smiles a small smile before reaching his gloved hand up to wipe your tears. He was warm.
You watch as he rests his forehead against yours. Your tears suddenly losing their presence as you look up into his eyes.
He laughs breathlessly before speaking.
"Did you ever love me?"