Second Lead Syndrome || Diluc R. x Reader

Unexpected Encounters

The midday sun is now high in the sky, radiating warmth down to the town of Springvale below. Y/N wipes some sweat from her brow. It's far too hot for her to be walking around outside for this long.

There really isn't anything. Y/N remarks as she wanders around the fields behind the crime scene, searching for clues. More specifically, searching for more of the footprints she found in the house. A small pond on the outskirts of the city comes into view. Cool air hovers over the crystalline waters as frogs and water fowl bathe in the pond to escape the swelteringly hot sun.

Y/N fans herself as she walks over to the pond, dipping her fingers into the water. She feels relief wash over her as the refreshing water comes into contact with her hot skin. As she gazes at the ripples in the pond, a relfection on its surface catches her eye. Y/N narrows her eyes as she sees a face staring from the treeline across the pond. The distorted reflection shows a vague figure between the trees. She freezes as the ripples die down and the waters still. Y/N recognizes the familiar grey mask over the figure's face. Fatui.

Y/N snaps her head up, glaring into the trees. She scans her surroundings, but there's no signs of anyone around. She looks back down to see that the reflection had disappeared from the water's surface. A duck glides over where the reflection would have been, warping the water's surface again.

She lost sight of the figure, but an unsettling feeling hangs in the back of her mind. The feeling of being watched creeps over her skin like hundreds of tiny insects. She shivers even though she's sweating under the sun. She doesn't dare to move from her position, precariously crouched over the water's edge as her eyes lock onto the treeline where the figure stood moments ago.

"What are you doing?"

Y/N hears a voice coming from behind her and spins around abruptly. Her eyes land on Diluc's figure before widening. Her balance was thrown off by the sudden motion as she begins to fall backwards into the water. Y/N quickly grasps onto the edge of Diluc's black jacket, but it's too late.

"Y/N-" He's cut off as both of them fall into the pond, splashing into the water and scaring away any frogs or ducks nearby. Y/N's back hits the soft, sandy bed of the pond as the water carresses her head. Thankfully, it's shallow enough to not drown her.

She opens her eyes to see Diluc over her, his hands and knees holding him above the water and consequently, above Y/N. His scarlet hair drips down from his side and into the water as he glares at the captain. 

Y/N nervously smiles while muttering out an apology. "S-Sorry..." She mumbles sheepishly. "Why did you sneak up on me like that?"

"I really didn't." He retorts. "You pulled us in." He hisses. 

They glare at each other, not uttering a word or moving from their spot, until a voice speaks up from behind them.

"Captain Y/N?" Y/N looks over Diluc's shoulder to see Lizzie, one of the Knights in her Investigative department. "Is this a bad time or...?"

Y/N suddenly realizes the position she and Diluc are in and blood rushes to her face. The pinkness of her cheeks doesn't go unnoticed by the red-haired man, but he decides not to comment on it. Y/N clears her throat, whispering to Diluc, "D-Do you mind...getting up?"

Diluc glances at Y/N's hand still clutched onto his jacket from earlier. "How about you let go first?"

Y/N flushes with embarrassment- more embarrassed than she already was, as she lets go of his jacket. The two quickly get out of the water and Y/N turns to her junior. "Sorry about that," She clears her throat. "What do you need?"

"I interviewed the two you sent to the Head Quarters, Dagna and Bluma." Lizzie hands Y/N a document. "If you don't need anything, I'll get going." She says after eyeing both Diluc and her captain with her eyebrows raised. Lizzie walks off without saying a word.