“This is the story of how I met your father, kids. You see… your father was in his prime, a force to be reckoned with...”

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Diluc had raided how many strongholds by now? Five? Six? Nine? He'd lost count. Numbers didn’t matter—only the seething rage that boiled within him, propelling him forward. The Fatui had taken too much from him, supplying his father with that cursed delusion. The mere thought of it made his jaw clench, his grip on his claymore tightening. His father should still be alive. He should still be here.

Another Fatui hideout fell beneath his onslaught, their guards lying unconscious or fleeing in terror. As the last one collapsed, Diluc’s ears caught the faintest murmur from deeper within the base—a voice.

“There’s one more left,” he growled under his breath, wiping the blood off his blade. “Coward… can’t even face me or defend their comrades.”

The sound led him to a small door at the back of the hideout. His steps were calculated, quiet, his claymore resting against his shoulder, ready for another fight. With a swift kick, the door burst open, and what he saw on the other side stopped him dead in his tracks.

You were… singing? Quietly belting out “Calm Down” by Rema and Selena Gomez, your voice mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Noise-canceling headphones sat snugly over your ears, shielding you from the chaos that had unfolded outside. Oblivious to the storm of vengeance that had been tearing through the hideout, you swayed your hips to the rhythm, shaking it slightly too, one hand stirring sugar into your mug, the other idly drumming against the counter.

Diluc blinked, his fury dissipating for a brief, disorienting moment. This wasn’t what he’d expected. He cleared his throat loudly, but you didn’t so much as flinch. He could only watch, baffled, you singing the melody, your oblivious expression betraying no awareness of his presence.

“Are you serious…” he muttered, lowering his claymore.