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The rain pouring down hard and heavy fog was making the path almost unrecognizable. Diluc trudged through the puddles, his hair and clothes drenched in water. Lumine and Paimon walked alongside him, holding umbrellas over their heads.
"Come on, Diluc, take the umbrella," Lumine said, holding out the umbrella towards him.
"I don't need it," Diluc grumbled, shaking his head. "I'm fine."
"You're going to get sick," Paimon added, her voice laced with concern. "Please, just take the umbrella."
Diluc wouldn't budge. He stubbornly continued to walk, ignoring the rain and the chill that was starting to seep into his bones as the air had become steadily cooler. Truly, he only wanted to get home and they still had a long way to go and he was becoming grumpier by the minute as a headache set in.
As they walked, Diluc's steps started to falter. Lumine noticed him shivering and his skin turning pale. "Diluc, you don't look well," she said, worry etched on her face.
"I'm fine," Diluc insisted, his teeth chattering. "Let's just keep going."
They walked for a while longer, Diluc becoming steadily slower and less aware before he suddenly collapsed onto the ground, his body wracked with coughs. Lumine and Paimon rushed to his side, trying to shield him from the rain.
"We have to get him somewhere warm," Lumine said, her voice urgent. "But we're too far from anywhere that could help."
Paimon thought for a moment, eyes widening as an idea struck her. "Paimon knows!" she exclaimed. "Isn’t there a small cave nearby here? Maybe we can get a fire going and can keep Diluc warm and dry!"
Lumine nodded, her heart racing with fear for Diluc's health. "Let's go," she said, helping Diluc to stand and pulling his arm over her shoulder. He was a heavy, nearly limp weight. She could feel heat radiating from his shivering form, despite the cold rain soaking his body. Paimon led the way, her movements fluttering with urgency and worry.
They arrived at the cave, Paimon helped get out Lumine’s knapsack and lay it out . They pulled off Diluc’s soaking wet coat and boots and settled him down, tucking him in with a spare extra-warm blanket she carried for Dragonspine, and went about making some hot tea and soup to warm them up. Thankfully, some previous adventurers had left some dry wood for a small fire here some time before.
For the next few days, as the rain didn’t stop, Lumine and Paimon took turns taking care of Diluc, bringing him food and medicine and kept the fire burning to keep him warm. Diluc slowly recovered, his grumpiness fading away as he realized how much Lumine and Paimon had done for him.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice weak but sincere. "Thank you for taking care of me."
Lumine smiled, "Of course," she said. "We'll always try to be there when you need us, Diluc."
“That’s right!” Paimon added. “That’s what friends do! And by the way, DON’T BE SO STUBBORN NEXT TIME!” She squeaked, crossing her arms and stomping her tiny legs in the air.