Opposites Attract | Diluc x Reader

Let The Challenge Begin

You immediately buried your emotions and wiped the small tear that fell from your eye the moment that you felt a cold aura completely fill the room. It was the same aura that you have felt millions of times. Always the same. It was a aura that was filled with greed and coldness.

You and Childe immediately went on your knees and lowered your head in reverence. Loyalty to the Tsaritsa is above all. That was what you were constantly reminded of. Loyalty to the Tsaritsa so that her desire would be a reality.

“So you wish to be free?” the Tsaritsa questioning voice echoed through the room. “What does freedom mean to you?”

“I recently learned of new things that I had never experienced before. A different kind of happiness that I had never known before. I want to experience it more,” you looked up at the Tsaritsa with eyes full of light. “I met new people that I want to grow closer to and I found a new person that I want to support.”

Narrowing her eyes at you, the archon studied you. There was something new about you, a new variable that made you seem more “human”. Your eyes didn’t seem clouded anymore and you didn’t look like a mindless robot. You looked like someone who had a will of your own.

“After all that I did for you,” the Tsaritsa raised her chin. “This is how you repay me?”

You lowered your head more, “I will do whatever you want. All I ask is that you let me live a life of my own. I know I have no right to ask this of you after you gave a roof over my head and trained me but, I… I want to walk my own path!”

“So you learned to be more selfish,” the archon chuckled. 

“Forgive me if that displeases you, Your Majesty,” you could feel a sweat drop rolling down your forehead. 

You know exactly how she was when it gets mad and you did not want to see it. A cold aura of murderous intent that would make your blood turn cold. A glare so intense that if glares could kill, you would be dead within less a second the moment she looked at you. Power so strong that you couldn’t even stand from the force. This was the Tsaritsa. A leader of unbeatable power.

“Very well,” she stood from her throne. “Then you must complete a challenge. I’m sure you full well know how I do things y/n. Prove to me your strength of mind.”

Shoulders tensing up, you gulped down your fear and stood up through your willpower alone. You would complete the challenge no matter what. Winning and beating her challenge was the utmost important thing for your future. It wasn’t something that you could just throw away. Victory at whatever cost.

The archon of Snezhnaya is well-known for her pure and powerful desire. That was the reason why the Fatui were created. It was to make her desire a reality. To her, desires and one’s will built someone up and her Harbinger’s one goal in life was to make her desire come true. Challenges showed the will of the challenger and thus, whenever a Harbinger wanted something, a challenge was decreed.

“As Her Majesty desires,” you declared.

Giving a glacial smile, the Tsaritsa announced to everyone in the room, “To gain one’s desire, one needs to show their will. And through this, a challenge will be decreed. My left hand, the 12th Harbinger, your challenge is to defeat the 6th and 11th Harbinger, Childe, and The Balladeer.”

“Two versus one,” Diluc suddenly interrupted his claymore out and covered in flames. “Isn’t that unfair? You are pitting numbers 12 verses 6 and 11. The strength of the Harbinger is based on their number. Y/n is the last one and your challenge for her is that! Allow me to fight by her side.”

The Fatui agents who were placed around the room brought out their weapons and pointed it towards Diluc immediately after his outburst. Before anything more could happen, the Tsaritsa raised her hand in a motion for the agents to stand down.

“Strength in this challenge is on her will of what she wants to do with her life. This is her decision and she must stand by it. If she stands down, it shows that she has no will.”

“That’s not for you to decide!” Diluc growled.

You walked up to Diluc and shook your head, “Thank you Diluc but it’s fine. Let me do this. This is the challenge that Her Majesty has bestowed upon me and I have to live up to it.”

“Y/n,” Diluc’s face softened.

“It means a lot that you came here for me,” you grinned before walking back to where you had stood a few minutes earlier. “Thank you. Your kindness knows no bounds. It gives me strength and my heart feels so warm. Thanks to you, I’m sure that I can win.”

“Y/n,” Childe walked up to you. “Don’t do this. Why do you want to leave? I… You’re like a younger sister to me. Stay with me and the other Harbingers and serve the Tsaritsa. I don’t want to fight you and you know what happens once you leave the Harbingers. It’s too painful.”

You shook your head, “I’m sorry Childe but I need to. You were one of the people I looked up but I don’t want to continue on like this. I want to find my own path even with the cost of leaving the Harbingers.”

“Are you sure about that?” a voice echoed in the room. “The cost is great.”

“I’m sure Scaramouche,” you smiled at him. “I want this. I’m fine paying the price.”

“What are they talking about?” Lumine whispered under her breath.

“What price?” Diluc walked up to you and held your wrist.

The Tsaritsa looked down at the five of you in impatience. She was tired of all the sentimentality. You, Scaramouche, and Childe were already in front of her, and Diluc and Lumine were standing behind armed agents to keep them in place. Now was the time to battle.

“Enough,” she declared. “Let this challenge begin.”

New chappie is out! Thank you everyone for all the support that you gave me. I'm not really fine but I am somewhat at a better level than before and it's a lot thanks to all your kind words and support. I really mean it.

I'm really grateful to you all. Reading the comments and seeing all your thoughts really made my day.

I'm so happy that you all continued to support me here! Thank you bows with a large grin hehe.

Look forward to future posts and Opposites Attract is almost done so look forward to the upcoming x reader that is coming out after. Kazuha is winning btw!

Have a great day everyone (and if anyone wants someone to talk to, whether for support or just to chill, my dms are generally open!)