[Diluc gives chase, hot on the escapee's heels as he reaches behind to summon his weapon. In one split-second glance they disappear off from one of the lesser known alleyways and into the wilderness, where they give no more than a breath's start into the forest. Diluc follows, listening to the crunches of his boots against the dry grass. He slows down as soon as he enters, blinking as the shadows he followed now merged into the stillness among the trees.
He takes a cautious step onward.
Rustle.
Diluc lunges forward. The glimpse of a uniform - ragged and camouflaged with muted colours, gives him enough to assume this was not Mondstadt's.
His world turns.
He falls forward.
Weight presses hard onto his back, and he grunts with effort.
Displeasure crawls unpleasantly along his skin as he's yanked up by his hair. Something clamps around his wrists, firm against his back.
He's dragged up to his knees. The gleam of a knife catches his eye.]
Ha. Turning to dirty tricks now? I know not to expect much from you Fatui.
[Diluc spits, but his vision blackens once, and pain erupts at the side of his head. It isn't anything he's not used to, but the throbbing pain along with something suspiciously wet at his head means they meant business.
He hears something about betrayal, and revenge for their now dead-Harbinger.
Diluc scoffs. So he's supposed to be collateral damage. Supposedly a victim to the Fatui's ploy. He shifts his weight once, twice, but is afforded no more with the hand tightening around his hair that his head spun.
His throat throbs against the cold press of the knife. Blood drips from the small cut. He dares not to move.
[Kaeya gives chase, the protective cover of the night's shadows simultaneously working on his side and against him as the assailant runs out of sight. He curses internally as they leave the threshold of the city walls and enter the forest. He's as light and quiet on his feet as the grass allows, which doesn't matter much when Diluc is making enough noise for the both of them in front of him-
Until he isn't.
Kaeya tenses as Diluc lunges forward, his attack immediately cut short by the assailant, who makes quick work of immobilising Diluc. He lets the Fatui say their piece, mind racing through their options as the Fatui spews their nonsense. He has to try not to roll his eyes at their words, considering they had absolutely nothing to do with that Harbinger. For all the excuses they could come up with to kill Diluc, this was a weak one.
Not that it mattered; he wouldn't let that happen.
Finally, Kaeya stalks towards the pair, arms crossed in a manner that appears casual, despite the threateningly icy air around him.]
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
[His uninterested pretense is laced with a warning tone, topping it off with a shrug as he lifts his gaze from Diluc to the Fatui.]
Unless of course, you want to sink Monstadt's allyship with the Fatui at one go.
[He knows Kaeya's there without having to search for him. On another day, when danger isn't looming near them, he'd have gotten to Kaeya's location and save him inches from death.
Despite his heart racing, he calms to his presence, gaze meeting once before he watches his face contort into grave, just below the surface icy anger.
Diluc thinks of his own position, and Kaeya's, and concludes that it's only because he's a figurehead at Mondstadt, if only unofficially. He knows it's more than that.
He feels hesitation coming from the assailant with his knife pressed against his throat. One of them whispers, another grits their teeth. Hmm.
"Just kill him! We can take him on!"
Ah.
But the second he yells at the assailant, whose grip loosens around the knife, Diluc tugs back and pushes on his feet with as much strength as he could. The top of his head hits what feels like a chin, followed by a surprised yelp and a stagger. He spins on his feet and kicks at them, the night air swishing coolly to his movements long embedded in his muscles. He watches them fall back, knife disarmed.]
[The moment Diluc’s movement catches Kaeya’s eye, his heart skips a few beats. He immediately closes the distance between him and the group, sword in hand even though Diluc was already standing and kicking the assailants away.
A quick, near unnoticeable glance is cast over Diluc - just to be sure that the man was, in fact, okay - and then Kaeya's stepping forward, sword pointed towards the assailant who'd had the knife to Diluc's throat moments before.
The temperature had dropped.]
Not so nice being on the receiving end, hm? Ready to surrender or are we going to have some late-night fun?
[His eye glances from one to the other assailant, expression seemingly daring them to try anything. It would give him an excuse to grant them a more fitting treatment, rather than the more boring alternative of taking them in without a scratch. And if they tried to run, he'd ensure that they fail.]
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retributionflame) wrote2028-12-30 09:20 pm
no subject
He takes a cautious step onward.
Rustle.
Diluc lunges forward. The glimpse of a uniform - ragged and camouflaged with muted colours, gives him enough to assume this was not Mondstadt's.
His world turns.
He falls forward.
Weight presses hard onto his back, and he grunts with effort.
Displeasure crawls unpleasantly along his skin as he's yanked up by his hair. Something clamps around his wrists, firm against his back.
He's dragged up to his knees. The gleam of a knife catches his eye.]
Ha. Turning to dirty tricks now? I know not to expect much from you Fatui.
[Diluc spits, but his vision blackens once, and pain erupts at the side of his head. It isn't anything he's not used to, but the throbbing pain along with something suspiciously wet at his head means they meant business.
He hears something about betrayal, and revenge for their now dead-Harbinger.
Diluc scoffs. So he's supposed to be collateral damage. Supposedly a victim to the Fatui's ploy. He shifts his weight once, twice, but is afforded no more with the hand tightening around his hair that his head spun.
His throat throbs against the cold press of the knife. Blood drips from the small cut. He dares not to move.
Dammit.]
no subject
Until he isn't.
Kaeya tenses as Diluc lunges forward, his attack immediately cut short by the assailant, who makes quick work of immobilising Diluc. He lets the Fatui say their piece, mind racing through their options as the Fatui spews their nonsense. He has to try not to roll his eyes at their words, considering they had absolutely nothing to do with that Harbinger. For all the excuses they could come up with to kill Diluc, this was a weak one.
Not that it mattered; he wouldn't let that happen.
Finally, Kaeya stalks towards the pair, arms crossed in a manner that appears casual, despite the threateningly icy air around him.]
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
[His uninterested pretense is laced with a warning tone, topping it off with a shrug as he lifts his gaze from Diluc to the Fatui.]
Unless of course, you want to sink Monstadt's allyship with the Fatui at one go.
no subject
Despite his heart racing, he calms to his presence, gaze meeting once before he watches his face contort into grave, just below the surface icy anger.
Diluc thinks of his own position, and Kaeya's, and concludes that it's only because he's a figurehead at Mondstadt, if only unofficially. He knows it's more than that.
He feels hesitation coming from the assailant with his knife pressed against his throat. One of them whispers, another grits their teeth. Hmm.
"Just kill him! We can take him on!"
Ah.
But the second he yells at the assailant, whose grip loosens around the knife, Diluc tugs back and pushes on his feet with as much strength as he could. The top of his head hits what feels like a chin, followed by a surprised yelp and a stagger. He spins on his feet and kicks at them, the night air swishing coolly to his movements long embedded in his muscles. He watches them fall back, knife disarmed.]
no subject
A quick, near unnoticeable glance is cast over Diluc - just to be sure that the man was, in fact, okay - and then Kaeya's stepping forward, sword pointed towards the assailant who'd had the knife to Diluc's throat moments before.
The temperature had dropped.]
Not so nice being on the receiving end, hm? Ready to surrender or are we going to have some late-night fun?
[His eye glances from one to the other assailant, expression seemingly daring them to try anything. It would give him an excuse to grant them a more fitting treatment, rather than the more boring alternative of taking them in without a scratch. And if they tried to run, he'd ensure that they fail.]