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— I. recalling advice —
Zhongli sipped his tea, appreciating the wind that circled around the stone table. Alas, after a while, he realized it was lingering for a few minutes too long.
He inhaled a sharp breath, "You dare show your face here?" A high-pitched 'yahoo' was let out, Venti bursting out from the breeze and a loud 'plop' when he fell on one of the chairs. "Come on, the length from my home to yours is not that far, dear Morax."
The ex-archon sat tall, looming over the other. "You'd be wise to address me as Zhongli. Though, I'm surprised you remembered this place at all." Venti leaned forward, smiling. "My memory does me justice when necessary. How have you been, by the way?"
"Barbatos," Zhongli let out what was not dissimilar to a scowl, "This best not be another one of your tricks."
"Venti."
The brown-haired man looked up. "What?"
"Please, this isn't a formal arrangement. Call me Venti!" The bard grinned cheekily. "And really, I just wanted to...check in with a friend. Is that so wrong?" Zhongli had his suspicions, but there was no reason to hold any grudges. "I apologize, then, Venti. You had interrupted the silence."
"Technically, you started the conversation!" He glared at the anemo user, who rose his hands in defense. "Sorry, sorry! No, but really, how are you doing?"
"I have been alright," He sighed. "The traveler visited earlier today. If my intuition serves me right, he plans on heading to Inazuma."
"Oh," Venti quietly laughed to himself. "I hope the Shogun isn't too harsh on him."
Zhongli sipped his tea. "Only fate shall tell. What about you? I trust no more mishaps have occurred?"
Venti knitted his brows. "You really have no faith in me, old friend."
"No, frankly."
He sighed, "Well, Mondstadt has been as bright as ever. The tavern wine is always getting better, too!"
"Yes," Zhongli tapped his wrist. "You reek of wine." Giggly fits of laughter came from the bard, the consultant eventually joining in.
"Actually, I wanted to ask a question." Zhongli nodded. "Ask away. Though, I may not answer."
"Er," Venti clicked his tongue, "I heard you retired. I'm curious as to why." The Adeptus closed his eyes, tapping his foot. "You certainly did not beat around the bush."
Venti coughed into his fist. "Maybe. So...Why did you retire?" Zhongli looked up into the sky, a long thread of silence before his answer. "It was not a quick decision—It simply is that everything that I could have done, had been done." He pursed his lips, a multitude of questions coming to mind. He looked at Venti, who hung his head low in shame. "Be honest... Why do you ask?"
"Ah..." Venti put something under his hat. "I don't know."
— II. dandelion wine —
Diluc finished wiping the glass, looking up to see two patrons babbling near the entrance of the tavern. Both of them being bards, and one of them being Venti. "You two, it's past closing time."
José hiccuped, "We shall battle someday, amigo!" Venti laughed, "I look forward to it!" As he walked out the door, he yelled, "And...and you wear too much green!"
Diluc breathed out a heavy sigh, pinching his nose arch. He walked over to Venti. "You should leave too."
"Wha- But he, too, wears a heavy amount of green! Simply...darker!"
"Venti, you said you would leave around two hours ago." Diluc crossed his arms, the expression on his face ever so stern. "I think your actions should match your words, frankly."
"Aww, but what's the fun in that? Besides, I barely drank a sip, don't you think?"
The silence cut through their conversation for a minute.
"Sheesh, tough crowd, huh? Oh! I heard from Captain Kaeya that you used to have your hair up in a ponytail. What does that look like, if I may be bold to ask?"
Diluc flinched and looked away, probably embarrassed. Venti grinned. "I think I struck a chord there! Lucky me!" The winery owner groaned, pushing the bard out of the tavern. "That's enough. Everyone has already gone home."
Venti looked up at the redhead. "I'll go home. Eventually."
— III. chalk snow —
Venti peeked in the cave, smiling when Albedo noticed him. "Ah, the genius himself, in action! Quite the fellow, aren't you?"
Albedo looked up, nodding towards the bard. "Hello, Venti. I think I'm better known as the chief alchemist, however. Did you come to deliver a message?"
"Fortunately for you, yes!" Venti spun over, placing a package next to the desk, a note attached. "From Sucrose. She's working on something at the moment, so she couldn't deliver this to you personally."
Albedo hummed with a low tone. "I see. Thank you. You may go now."
There was some uncomfortable tension when Venti loomed over the alchemist. Albedo turned his head, raising a brow.
"What are you working on?"
"One of my safer experiments."
"Can I—"
"Venti, you've really nothing better to do?"
The question hit him like a jab to the side, and Venti cleared his throat, patting Albedo's ashy white hair. "Why would I not want to observe Mondstadt's most beloved alchemist?"
Albedo sighed. "You come here often, but for the most part, you do not interact with me or Timaeus nor do you inspect our work up close whilst we are away. I find this most interesting indeed. I imagine you would have many friends, no?"
Venti gulped down the dryness in his throat that made it hurt. "You know, if you just asked me a third time, I would have left..."
"Apologies." Albedo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, yet no sign of emotion showed. "Relationships are...complex. I suggest you might tap into an old one?"
"Ehe, that's quite unlike you to say." Venti smiled softly. "But I do have something in mind."
— IV. look me deeply in the eyes —
Venti placed the last artifact down, adding a small burst of anemo energy in the center of the circle. Rhodeia rose from the waters, looming down on the bard. "Barbatos."
He got up, bow ready in hand. She laughed softly, "No, no. We needn't fight this time. It has been quite some time, anyways."
Venti nodded and whisked the bow away, watching the water form in front of him.
"Haha, what?" The boy smiled, as if they hadn't a care in the world. "I'm being serious!" The elemental wisp circled around them, stumbling every few moments. "It can be fun! The rebel team hides from the hunter, and if the hunter doesn't catch them in time, they win!"
"Hmm..." They tilted their head, furrowing their brows and tapping their cheek as if it was the most interesting concept they've been told. Finally, they smiled. "Okay. But I'm gonna be the rebel!"
The wisp 'pouted,' circling around once more. "How is that fair?"
"It shouldn't be fair at all! You can fly even faster than I can think!" The boy put a hand on his hip, quickly running off. "So, I'm getting a head start!"
"Hey! Now, that really isn't fair!"
Venti watched as the water fell down in droplets. The former archon dropped to his knees and hugged his sides, pain throbbing in his chest, exactly the one he's been feeling the entire week.
Rhodeia frowned, lowering herself down to somewhat Venti's level. "I am sorry, Barbatos. If you wish it be, you do not have to give any items the next time you visit."
He hugged his sides tighter. "No."
"There won't be a next time, after all."
— V. do you love me? you can lie —
Venti grinned upon seeing Aether. He waved his hand in the air, "Traveler! You've come back, at long last!" The traveler swallowed thickly, approaching the bard. "Hello, Venti. How are things?"
"Quite nicely, in fact!" Liar. "But of course, it's just that much better in your presence." Aether smiled. "That's good to hear. But I've got to leave. Paimon and I are checking Liyue for something."
Venti winced, as if in pain. "Ah...I actually wanted to—" Aether waved him off, "Sorry. Maybe another time?"
"Aether-" As if it was just a dream, Aether had already left the room. Venti heaved, falling to the ground, groaning. He heard the light sounds of falling pixie dust and looking up, Paimon in front of him. "Sorry about that! He's been like this ever since—" Paimon cleared her throat, clapping her hands. "Paimon can pass on whatever you want to tell him? Just for you, tone-deaf bard!"
Venti looked up with lidded eyes, too much hurt in his chest to call upon his bubbly persona. "So, what would you like to tell him?" He gulped. I love you, he wanted the traveler to know. Would you help me? I want to tell you so many things.
In the end, he smiled graciously. "Could you tell him that I said goodbye?"
— VI. and the one time he does. —
Venti stepped on the grass of Stormterror's Lair, humming a soft tune that shouldn't be recognizable to anyone but a select few. He looked up and kicked himself up into the air, a wind current simultaneously carrying him up onto a platform extended from one of the upper pillars. He felt the breeze pass by, the whispers and prayers that were once sent to him calling out, some louder than others.
The god summoned an arrow, letting anemo flow through the wood. He felt it in the air. It was fate. Venti recalled when he saw the arrow pierce through the boy's chest, all the hurt that came after. He smiled, taking a deep breath, and stabbing it through his own. Somewhere deep within, a memory that wasn't his resurfaced. He stumbled backward, expecting to feel the cold stone at his back.
Instead, there was warmth.
"Shhh," A sweet, though monotone voice whispered. "It's alright." Venti stared up, looking at the blonde that softened his fall. She didn't smile as Aether did, but that didn't mean it was any less familiar, to be in that embrace.
"I'm sorry," He choked out. "I wanted to protect them. All of them. I didn't—I couldn't—" Lumine hugged him closer. "You know that nothing is fated to last forever, Barbatos."
Venti whimpered, looking down. Blood spilled on his cape, and it was seeping onto Lumine's arm. "Aether would be upset."
"He would, with any outcome. Aether doesn't agree with either of us."
The bard sighed, his fist relaxing. "Sorry. When you reunite...Don't be inclined to tell him about this."
"No," Lumine pat his shoulder. "First and foremost, you were his friend, God or not. But, only when the time comes."
Venti closed his eyes, letting his breathing slow and pain ache throughout his body. Soon, the only sound in the air was a dragon's roar. Lumine looked up. "But I don't think the next Anemo Archon could ever truly replace you in the people's eyes."