Chapter Text
The music of the birds in the trees was the perfect backdrop to Diluc, who knelt down to admire a silk flower bush that was well-kept. He was surrounded by a myriad of flowers in a gorgeous-but-unfamiliar garden. The beauty stunned him, the sunlight wafting through the trees and making the already vibrant colors pop even more. The cobblestone paths that snaked throughout the gardens meeting to a small fountain in the center had to be the perfect touch in his eyes. What he would give to stay here forever...
He could hear footsteps, and an unfamiliar voice. He wasn't alone. Tearing his attention away from the silk flowers, Diluc straightened up and brushed his thick red hair away from his face. His gaze rested on the stranger, but they were blurry, unfocused. Like suddenly trying to peer through lake water, but only if his eyes rested on the stranger. Their surroundings were as crisp and clear as ever. The figure knelt down to tend to a bed of calla lilies, and he could hear a voice, faint and muffled like the water was in his ears as well. Diluc strained to listen, finding himself engrossed in learning more about this individual. He inched closer and was finally able to make out words.
"Luc... Doctor Ragnvindr." Huh? This stranger knew him? But that wasn't the voice he expected oddly enough. It was soft, familiar.
"Diluc Ragnvindr!" Barbara spoke up louder this time, tapping Diluc's shoulder as he was finally startled awake. He blinked his bleary eyes a few times as he straightened up in his plastic chair, grimacing at the bit of drool that had been left in his wake. He wiped off any excess with a napkin from the center of the break table, balling it up. His brain still drifted in the fog of sleep, and he thought back to his dream, only to find it was already starting to fade from his memory.
Oh shit, that's right. He was at work still. Diluc turned to meet Barbara's eyes, who stared down at him with the utmost concern. She looked as if she was about to head home, her duck purse slung over her shoulder, which happened to match the pattern of her scrubs that peeked out from her jacket.
"Diluc, do you need a ride home?" She asked gently. "I don't think you're in any state to drive - you can pick up your car after you get some rest. You can always ride with myself or my big sis in the morning to grab it."
Diluc ran a hand through his rather mussed hair as if mulling it over, but in truth he had no intention of leaving. They still needed him after all. "Hm, I appreciate the offer but I'll be alright. I just need a mug-" or three ""-of coffee and I'll be able to manage a little longer. There's just too much to do right now, you know I can't leave when Zhongli is counting on me."
Silence stretched between them, and Diluc could tell Barbara was debating on pushing further. Her teeth lightly worried at her bottom lip before she let out a sigh. "You've already been here a long time... just make sure to leave soon." With that Barbara hurried out of the break room, the door creaking shut behind her as she left Diluc alone with his thoughts.
He let out another dreary sigh, brushing some of his hair from his face before undoing his high ponytail that had become a haphazard mess at this point. He took a moment to redo it so that he looked more presentable and not at all like he had been working twenty-two hours.
Diluc knew Barbara was right, that he needed rest. But there wasn't anywhere he'd rather be. At home there wasn't anything to greet him but silence, and even if he tried to fill the void he'd find himself drifting back to work instead. So he started working longer and longer shifts, often lying about when he showed up to coworkers in an effort to assuage their concerns. Even Barbara thought he had only been there for about fourteen hours
But they always need the extra help in the emergency ward, so that was his excuse. Not to mention the occasional powernaps and easily accessible coffee aided in his long days. Though he normally didn't have dreams when he rested. And it left such a strange feeling of melancholy in him that he couldn't shake even with the dream itself barely a memory.
Diluc got to his feet, stretching before refilling his travel mug with now-cold black coffee and getting back to work.
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"What do you mean you're still at work? It's a good thing Jean is making the dinner for tonight, you know she won't be happy."
Diluc groaned, wiping the sweat from his forehead before responding, adjusting his cell phone in his grip. "Lisa, it's been real busy today. Some kid shot her dad in the shoulder with an arrow. A fucking arrow, Lisa. She looked like she was only eight! Besides, I'll leave soon okay? It's at seven-thirty, right? I have time."
He could hear Lisa's sigh on the other end of the line. "Sweetie, it's already seven." Shit. He must've lost track of time. "Hurry on over soon, I promise this time it'll go fine. He's a strong recommendation from Venti, not at all like that Donna girl." Diluc winced at the mention of Donna. She had been one of the first in a series of blind dates that Jean and Lisa set him up with, and the worst one at that. Even after he expressed his disinterest she got a hold of his contact information somehow and left him voicemails and texts for days before Diluc got especially pissed and threw his phone in the city fountain. It never recovered, but it gave him a good excuse to change his number.
"Ugh, fine, just don't say that name again please. I don't want to think about her- I'm lucky I haven't seen her since." A laugh from the other end. "Alright, alright cutie. But seriously hurry up, you know Jean hates when you're late."
"Yes, mom," Diluc rolled his eyes. "I just have to speak with Zhongli first and I'll be on the way."
"Good, because you really need to make some friends at least. You can't stay cooped up your whole life, you know." The line went dead as she hung up, leaving Diluc with silence in the break room.
He got up, heaving a sigh. He appreciated their concern, but he was perfectly content with his life now. But... the melancholy from earlier still pulled at his heart. It was just a dream, so why did it leave him feeling lonely for once?
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Diluc got changed out of his scrubs in an employee restroom, now wearing a white button-up and black slacks instead. Nothing too fancy, but it wouldn't be a bad first impression either. He had spoken to Zhongli -"Head home, you've been here for 26 hours. Don't lie, I know all." - and had barely avoided being accosted by the dreadful man that insists on being called Dottore, only for someone else to hold him up to look over some paperwork. He checked the time on his phone and cringed. Nine-thirty. He was beyond late.
He rushed out to his car, pulling his phone out to dial Lisa's number as he pulled out onto the dark street, only the glow of the streetlights and his own headlights to keep him company. Three rings and she picked up, Diluc bracing himself.
"I thought you said you were on your way, sweetie?"
Diluc's response was automatic. "I got a bit held up. But I'm on the way, I apologize for running late."
"Well lucky you, your date is also late. Venti is insisting he'll be here though. Just get here soon dear." There was that telltale click of her hanging up, then silence.
Diluc tossed his phone into the passenger seat before adjusting the radio to some rock station and cranking up the volume. How else would he stay awake after all? He didn't even realize however that he had started to drift, until suddenly he and the car were both awash in a bright light. Panic, the loud continuous blare of a horn, and then...
The world around Diluc ceased to exist.