within the private confines of your shared bedroom you would litter kisses along the expanse of his bared skin, along the trails of his scars both old and new— your lips a lowly pilgrim and his body the holiest site.

yes, perhaps that’s the first thing you should do as soon as the pair of you settle in for the night. kiss him into a stupor.

a small thank you in exchange for how often he pampers you— which, in fact, is very often indeed. physically and emotionally speaking. financially too, if you were being completely honest.

not that you were complaining. no, never.

you bask in his love and adoration like a flower under the sun.

“tell me, my dearest darknight hero. was this your way of courting me? taking me on a moonlit stroll by the lake.”

there’s that familiar lilt in your voice that diluc knows all too well. he sours at the mention of his egregious alibi, grimacing at you with his pretty face before sighing halfheartedly.

he’s cute, really. he always is. especially when the tips of his ears glow just the faintest hue of carmine.

“how strange,” diluc grumbles lightly at your jest. there’s no malice in the sound, though. only that of feigned exasperation. “i was under the impression that what we have is merely platonic.”

you truly do love it when he takes your bait. diluc is a lot of fun like that, not that anyone else would know given his stoic demeanour.

it’s one of your many guilty pleasures, having the privilege of experiencing this side of him.

there’s a grin stretched across your face that you can’t seem to quite control. “i don’t suppose you go on scandalous, romantic rendezvous like this with your other platonic relations?”

“this is hardly anything scandalous.”

“perhaps. but,” you drawl, “you don’t deny that this is rather romantic, then?”

a minute hitch in his voice as he tries to counter your accusations satisfies something within you. you can’t really help but snicker.

diluc gifts you with another unamused frown as you beam and titter at him cheekily.

with your need to pester him somewhat sated, your arms snake upwards to wrap themselves around his bicep as you snuggle into his warmth.

you’re quite sleepy now that you think about it. diluc is terribly cosy, too. who could blame you for your growing drowsiness?

“i’m only teasing you, ‘luc.”

the man shakes his head softly, fluffy bangs swaying with the movement. “you always do, love.”

well, he wasn’t exactly wrong. a small yawn slips past your lips— a telltale indication of fatigue. diluc doesn’t miss it despite the way you attempt to hide it behind your free hand.

“yeah… ‘m sorry,” you offer.

“somehow i question your sincerity.”

there’s a soft pressure against your head. you know the feel of his lips more than you know the sound of your own name, and you recon you know diluc well enough to discern his innermost thoughts voiced through his actions.

but i forgive you. i’d let you tease me forever if that’s what you so please.

it wasn't always so easy to figure him out. truthfully it was quite the struggle initially, what with how guarded the man is considering his past. you couldn't be more grateful for the patience and trust he's extended to you.

alas, your train of thought is cut off short when diluc suddenly stops to scoop you into his arms, one hooked below your knees and the other around your back. to his credit it was a seamless action, but it doesn’t stop the startled yelp that jumps out of you as you instinctively cling to his neck.

“now this is definitely scandalous, you brute! a warning would be nice at least.”

“my apologies,” he chuckles, securing you tighter in his hold. “want me to put you back down?”

you feign annoyance with the furrow of your brows, pretending to ponder for a moment, before pecking his cheek. “don’t even think about it.”

diluc is kind enough to heed your wishes (he almost always does). though, you doubt he would’ve set you down regardless actually.

the two of you lapse into a comfortable silence as diluc continues the journey home, and you take this time to finally rest your eyes. it’s easy to let yourself go like this with him around.

diluc had always exuded such dependable warmth but it was even more noticeable now, what with you being nestled in his arms. you’d have fallen asleep right then and there if it wasn’t for the sudden recollection that hits you.

when the both of you were lazing beneath a tree by the city’s waters just half an hour ago, you couldn’t help but notice a strange bump on his finger as you played with his gloved hands.

you didn’t need to see it to know what it was, though. after all, the physical manifestation of diluc’s devotion to you is not too dissimilar to the one on your own finger.

a simple golden ring.

it was a pleasant surprise to discover him adorning his wedding band. the both of you had agreed upon hiding your marriage for a number of reasons, but the greatest by far was to do with your safety.

unbeknownst to many, diluc is an enemy to a large number of dangerous individuals. an entire nation's military, even. he cannot afford, cannot bear, to place a target on your back.

perhaps it was for the best.

with your head resting comfortably against his chest, you slowly lift your left hand towards your husband’s face, just beneath his nose.

no words are exchanged as diluc reverently presses his lips on your ring finger. it’s nothing but a chaste kiss, but diluc seems to linger on your skin even as you try to pull away.

you can’t help but sigh contentedly.

“someone wore their ring today. when we were by the lake earlier— i could feel it. underneath your glove.”

“hmm? ah,” it takes diluc a moment to figure out who you were referring to, but he gives you a simple nod once it dawns on him. “i did, yes. it seems that you did, too.”

“mmm.”

diluc doesn’t bother to stifle a smile at the progressive grogginess of your voice. silence ensues for a moment or two until another thought crosses your mind.

“it’s really pretty.”

your husband hums. it’s a low and soothing sound, one that comes from deep within his chest. “mine or yours?”

“my one, of course,” you quip matter-of-factly. “but yours is pretty too, i suppose.”

diluc finds himself chuckling at your forwardness. “ah, i see.”

usually you tend not to think too hard about the tenderness often heard in his voice when he speaks to you, lest you end up bursting with intense emotion.

you swear to the archons you’re normally not this emotional, but diluc seems to have a knack for rendering you so.

you're glad the sentiment is mutual.

it took a great deal of time, patience and understanding to get this far in your relationship. diluc isn’t, has never been, an open book. it was a privilege to even skim through a few of his well-worn pages, so the fact that he willingly let and still lets you read and indulge in all his chapters is something you hold most dearly in your heart.

you've seen countless pages blotted with the tears he had shed in his past. pages stained in crimson with the blood of his late father, his brother. his own. diluc held you close that night as you wept for him and his tragic past, wiped your tears with your face cradled in his palm.

you couldn't have guessed the significance of that vulnerable moment at the time, nor could you have guessed the impact it would have on your budding relationship.

following that night you noticed certain pages within his novel that had your name etched in graphite within them. sometimes smudged and illegible, other times neat and with clear purpose.

what you found out much later was that he hadn’t just written you in pencil— hadn't just left you as a scribble amongst the sea of ornately written words.

diluc had inked you in. engraved your name into the parchment of his skin, into his very soul.

with the sound of your husband’s steady breathing, coupled with the rhythmic rise and fall of his firm chest, you're finally lulled to sleep.

kissing him stupid will have to wait until morning comes.