The early signs of spring painted Mondstadt in gentle hues of orange and pink, the kind of warmth that settled softly in the breeze without fully chasing away the winter chill. Birds filled the air with their songs, perched on rooftops and branches as if celebrating the slow return of life to the city.

You stood outside the Angel’s Share, broom in hand, sweeping away the remnants of last night’s revelry. The light breeze tugged at your sleeves, carrying with it the faint smell of flowers beginning to bloom. The streets were quiet for now, most of Mondstadt’s citizens still lingering indoors, leaving you alone to work in peaceful solitude.

That is, until you noticed him.

Diluc’s figure emerged from the path leading to the tavern, his crimson hair catching the fading sunlight, giving it a fiery glow. His steps were steady, purposeful, yet unhurried, as though the day allowed him a rare moment of calm. Even from a distance, he seemed to radiate the composed authority that always surrounded him, but there was something gentler in his expression as his sharp eyes found you.

You paused mid-sweep when he approached, caught slightly off guard by his presence.

He didn’t say a word at first, simply observing you with a quiet intensity that made you wonder if you’d done something wrong. Before you could ask, he removed the coat draped over his arm—a dark, finely tailored piece—and gently settled it around your shoulders.

“The breeze is still sharp this time of year,” he said, his voice low, with that unmistakable edge of concern. “You’ll catch a cold.”

His tone was firm, almost distant, but there was a warmth beneath it that betrayed him. He’d told himself countless times that this was just his responsibility—that his workers were under his protection, that he simply cared for their well-being. Yet, watching you now, a faint smile tugging at your lips as you worked, he wondered if that was entirely true.