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Morning comes faster than he would've liked. It was only a few hours prior when he returned to the manor after his night activities, greeted by Elzer and Adelinde as always when he's out late. As much as he would've preferred to sleep in, Diluc's trip starts today; he's already sent his owl to inform the ship that he'll arrive in a few hours. At least he'll be able to sneak in a couple of winks once he's on board.
There's a knock on his door. "Master Diluc, breakfast is ready."
Diluc nods despite the closed door. "Thank you, Adelinde. I'll be down soon."
Diluc looks in the mirror. He's dressed, with all the necessary documents ready in his inventory. He hasn't worn this outfit since the mess from the Ley Lines three years ago, but the trip warrants him to dress up a bit. The last thing he needs to tackle is his hair, but frankly, that's a different beast on its own. For a moment, Diluc contemplates.
He grabs his coat and hair ties, then marches to the stairs. He should probably check with Elzer one last time, just in case.
Coat over his shoulder, Diluc tries to gather his hair as he descends even when he knows it's a lost cause. For years, Diluc grew up attempting this every morning in hopes he'll be able to save time for more work. Eventually, Diluc accepted his hair is simply too finicky for that, and that taking time to ensure his hair is presentable for the day isn't as bad as he makes it seem. Still, Diluc tries from time to time, just to see if maybe one day he'll get it right.
Mid attempt, Diluc reaches the bottom of the stairs, hair slightly more tangled in his attempt to smoothen what he's gathered. Diluc sighs, letting his hair fall, then looks up to see curious, amber eyes watching him.
Diluc blinks. "You're here earlier than expected."
Lumine smiles, showing a letter between pinched fingers, the Ragnvindr seal catching glints of light. "We got your letter and decided to come before you left."
"Is that Master Diluc?" A familiar voice calls. From the corner, Paimon zips forth, face brightening when she sees him. "Happy birthday, Master Diluc!"
Chuckles rumble from his chest, hand moving to pat the pixie's head. "Thank you, Paimon. What were you doing?"
The pixie's eyes take on a ravenous glint. "They're bringing out breakfast and there's soooo much food! The servants are really going all out today!"
So Adelinde knew they were coming early and didn't inform him. Diluc shakes his head, part fond, part exasperated. "Well, breakfast is ready, so please, take a seat."
Paimon cheers, floating several feet higher. She then charges back into the kitchen, no doubt curious about the entrées. When Diluc turns to Lumine, the girl tilts her head.
"...You wish to wait for me?" Diluc infers from her silence. "Very well, I'll get myself ready."
He places his coat on his chair, then walks to the sofas by the fireplace. When Lumine sits beside him, Diluc becomes acutely aware of how long it'll take him to do this properly. "...It always takes some time to tie my hair, so pardon me."
But Diluc has forgotten his tangled hair from his last attempt, which means he needs to brush out the knots again. Aggrieved, he moves to get up, but stops when a brush is offered.
He looks at Lumine who extends her hand. "May I?"
Diluc almost declines out of instincts, but considers the offer. For some reason, he nods.
Lumine ushers him to turn around, beginning to brush from his ends. She's experienced despite her and Paimon's length being on the shorter side, and Diluc recalls that her twin's hair is much longer based on her description. Perhaps Lumine does this for him too, which would explain how she's gathered his hair neatly in less time than she brushed it. "Do you want to keep it a high ponytail?"
Diluc hums. "What did you have in mind?"
The girl sticks out her palm beside his head, where he places the hair ties. “Perhaps a high braid."
He mulls it over. "Do as you please."
It's quiet as she makes quick work of his hair, not a single snag pulling his scalp. It's... a lot more comforting than he thought; he almost wishes he has more time to relish the feeling. Diluc can't remember the last time someone played with his hair, aside from Kaeya when they were little.
From the corner of his vision, Diluc finds the vase. He wonders what nefarious schemes Kaeya will undoubtedly bring him upon this day.
"I'm done," Lumine suddenly says, sitting back further on the sofa. Diluc doesn't move, allowing her to evaluate her work. "It amazes me how full your hair is. I don't think I've seen a braid this thick aside from Ei's."
Another one of her companions, if Diluc has to guess. He would ask, but he's learned that Lumine's companions range anywhere between a Harbinger and a god, so he's not sure he wants to delve into that this morning. "It's a trait from my father, though I've heard my mother also had thick hair," he comments, turning around. His fingers trail along his braid, marveling at the firmness. "Thank you for your help, Lumine."
"Don’t mention it, it was my pleasure." Lumine waves him off. Then, she softens, stroking his head not unlike him to Paimon earlier. "Happy birthday, Diluc. Where shall we go today?"
Diluc can't help but laugh at how easily she integrates themselves into his plans, though he's in no way annoyed. He’s long gotten used to how easily the Traveler comes and goes, yet somehow always making time for Mondstadt. In the five years since her arrival, Lumine has somehow become a steady fixture in Mondstadt’s normal. It’s entirely bizarre, but Diluc doesn’t really mind. Not when Lumine purposefully enters Angel’s Share on the nights she knows he’s on shift.
Though he was ready to spend his birthday on business matters, it seems Diluc will still be celebrating after all.