Old Sweethearts [Diluc x Reader]

&-Chapter 1-&

Chapter 1: Small Lamp Grass Brings Distress

(Not edited. Lazy lol.)

It was just by coincidence that (Name) met her old sweetheart by accident couple of times. She couldn't help but sigh, leaning against the railing while lighting up one stick of smoke. Fire danced from the lighter, burning the edge of the sweet and addicting taste of cigarette.

She glanced out. Returning back to her hometown after being drowned in academic achievements, she was clueless on what to do. Her whole life was planned out back then, yet it all crumbled apart.

As the h/c haired girl placed the cigarette in between her lips, an older woman purposely let out a loud cough under the balcony. It was a way to tell (Name) that she shouldn't smoke. (Name) let out a sigh again, placing away the cigarette.

"What is it, Missus?" (Name) bluntly asked the coughing woman, receiving back a light glare from her.

"You ought to stop smoking, girl! I'm here to visit you, we haven't talked in a while. Come down and treat me properly as a guest!" the older woman yelled back.

Truth to be told, after leaving Mondstadt for years, (Name) barely able to remember anyone here. Only a few that played a part in her life did she remember.

(Name) sighed, her breath smelled of the faintest cigarette she managed to inhale one time. She turned around and head to her living room, not exactly surprised to see the older woman had invited herself in her house regardless.

"Look, I don't even remember you, so you shouldn't just barge—," she cut herself off. The older woman had wrinkles all across her face, her hands were veiny, signing of her old age. Something started to click inside of (Name). "Giselle? You're old—pardon, I mean, you're here. But still, as I was saying, don't just barge into my house like that."

"Oh, please! I was the one who raised you with my wrinkled hands! Who else cleaned up after your diaper when you were just a kid?" Giselle said. (Name) pursed her lips, not knowing how to reply to that one.

"Anyway, you're back in Mondstadt now. Why though? You know, you could've had a better job in Sumeru, now that you've graduated with honors from the Akademiya," said the older woman. She probably made herself a tea already, seeing that she'd settled down the hot cup on her table.

"You need to stop drinking tea that's still blazing hot. It's not healthy. Secondly, thanks for asking but I just thought I could take a gap year here first." (Name) walked towards the older woman, sitting beside her but far away at the edge of the couch.

Giselle was her old nanny. She was rather strict and never afraid to say what's in her mind, they pierce through (Name)'s ego sometimes.

"I actually had a few offers from the Akademiya. They said they could guarantee me a position if I'm able to work together with them. But judging by their shady business, I rejected it." A few renowned scholars, elders, and the Akademiya people had offered a position for (Name). She could've sit as one of the administrators that could control the whole Sumeru, yet she rejected. It was wiser if she kept her life as simple the way it is.

"Bah! You're going to waste your potential. So I assume you got no job now? An unemployed?" Giselle, as usual, struck right into (Name)'s heart again. Yet, (Name) knew it's best to just stay silent instead of refuting. "Currently I am. I plan to search for a job I can do for the meantime."

"Kid, you got a life ahead of you. Just slow down. This is Mondstadt, you get to do whatever you wanna do here. You're still young too."

"I'm almost nearing my thirty, Giselle," (Name) replied, sighing. Most of her friends would have probably gotten married, had kids, led a successful life. And here she was, just finished her education and she planned to go for another.