Chapter Text
For once Diluc was in the Angel's Share, not behind the bar, but sitting at a table with Kaeya and Jean under strict rules that none of them talk about work.
A little ironic considering the setting, but not really an issue considering they both carried the conversation for him as he sipped his juice and watched Venti perform.
"Archons, you're smitten. How long have you two been together now?" Kaeya asked.
Jean choked on her drink, leaving Kaeya to pound on her back as she gasped for breath.
"You're dating Ba-Venti?!" She whisper yelled.
Diluc stared at them in confusion. "No? Where in the world did you get that idea from?"
Idly, he remembers Venti mentioning Kaeya giving him the shovel talk, but he thought at this point Kaeya would have realized nothing was going on between them.
"You live together, you let him hang off of you like a monkey, you constantly stare at him in public, you're in a noticeably better mood when he comes in," Kaeya counts out on his fingers. "Need I go on?"
Diluc stubbornly ignores the blood rushing to his face as he turns back to the conversation at hand. "I fail to see how that determines the nature of my personal relationships."
"I don't know, Diluc." Great, and now Jean is blushing too. "I think Kaeya might have a point. We're friends but you certainly don't act like that with me."
"You're just... Different," he deflected.
If looks could kill, or at least cause elemental reactions because the dual unimpressed stares cut through him like a cryo swirl.
"If you aren't already together you should at least consider the possibility you want to be together. And that he does. He seems like he has it bad for you too."
"This is ridiculous-"
"I think you should at least talk to him about it," Jean said, ever the voice of reason. "Don't leave things to simmer for too long."
"I'll think about it..."
Luckily, he's spared from any further interrogation by Venti handing over the stage to José and coming to join them at their table. Unluckily, he pulls his chair right up to Diluc and rests his head against his arm.
"Greetings friends! Sorry for such the low energy greeting but-" he cut himself off with a yawn. "This bard's night is coming to an end."
"No worries. You really put on your best tonight," Kaeya said with a sly glance at Diluc.
Either Venti didn't notice, or he didn't care, as he simply giggled out a thanks while reaching for Diluc's glass, who wordlessly complied and let him have a drink.
Jean's mouth was agape and Kaeya's eyebrows looked ready to climb off his face. Diluc only sighed as he was in for a long long rest of the night.
Somehow he makes it home without Jean and Kaeya forcing him to confront the elephant in the room in the middle of his own tavern. Really, he didn't even know it was there until they pointed it out. Venti is touchy and likes to joke, but that's just what he's like, isn't it? So what if they lived and worked together, took care of each other, and sometimes shared a bed-
Ah. He was beginning to see where the misunderstanding came from.
Diluc turned to look at Venti, fast asleep with his head tucked against his arm. The moonlight streamed in, illuminating his face in an ethereal glow.
Diluc's heart felt warm knowing his friend was safe and at peace.
Was this romantic love?
Before he could find his answer, the gentle rhythm of Venti's breathing lulled him to sleep.
The next day Diluc was embarrassingly jumpy. Yesterday's comments lingered at the forefront of his mind making him question the intent behind every interaction.
When they ate breakfast he thought about how they did this together every day.
When Venti helped clean the manor he thought about how long they had this arrangement going, and how much he wanted it to last into the future.
And as they walked home from work Venti bumped his hip against his playfully as he chattered on about the songs he was working on.
"You know that girl Donna? Of course you do. You wouldn't believe what happened last week! She asked me to write a song that she could sing to woo you in exchange for some moon pies. I almost said yes just for the food but-" he shook his head. "I think if someone is going to try to win your heart with words they should use their own."
"Is that what you're doing with me?"
The words were out of him before he could even fully process them, and the moment he did Diluc was tempted to shove them back inside his mouth as Venti stopped walking.
"Is that what you want?"
Diluc stopped too and for a moment there was silence as they stood out in the middle of the dirt road letting the cool night air wash over them.
"You don't get to flip this on me. I'm the one who asked first, I want to- I need to know what it means. The way you look at me and talk to me."
"It's what it's always meant Diluc, I don't get what suddenly made you question it," he said nervously. "Do you not want this to go on anymore? You know I'll stop if you don't like it."
"No, it's not that I don't like it, it's just," he groaned and brought his hands up to cover his eyes. "Gods, Venti, I don't know what I want."
Venti grabbed hold of his elbow and started tugging. He made a weak noise of protest only for Venti to ignore him and sit him down on some boulders on the side of the road.
"You don't have to look at me, it's fine. I know this is hard for you but... I think we really need to talk about it. You've been weird all day, can you at least tell me what brought this on?"
Diluc remained stubbornly hidden in his hands as he mumbled something incomprehensible.
"Sorry, can you repeat that?"
"Kaeya thinks we're in love" he repeated, still a little muffled as he pressed his palms into his face.
"Oh... well, are you in love with me?"
"How the fuck am I supposed to know what that feels like?!"
Venti can't help it. He leaned his weight against Diluc and his shoulders started to shake as he tried to reign in his laughter. Feeling him tremble against his arm, Diluc finally looked up to see what was wrong with him.
"Are you laughing at me?" he asked incredulously.
"N-no pfft- haha," he said through tears. "I'm sorry it's just- Diluc you're so stupid!"
Mostly, Diluc was just confused. And maybe a little angry. But before he could grab Venti by the shoulders to shake some answers out of him his laughs trailed off and he sobered up.
"Worrying so much about what other people think… So unlike you. Diluc, I love you a lot. And I'm really happy with what we have going right now no matter what you want to call it. I don't really see a need for things to change from the way we are right now, but if you want it to, that's not a dealbreaker."
"I don't get it. Aren't... are friends supposed to be like this with each other?"
Venti shrugged. "They can be. I mean, it’s not expected, sure, and if one day you found yourself a lover they might not be the biggest fan of us sharing a bed but that would be a problem for the future."
Diluc scrunched up his nose, almost offended by the idea of having anyone else in his bed.
"What if you're the only one I'm like this with?"
"Would it bother you if I was this close to anyone else?"
Diluc leaned his head on top of Venti as he sighed. "No. But I would hope you stayed some nights with me."
Venti laughed as he intertwined their hands. "Then I think we're alright. And don't worry, Zhongli can't stand me staying over for more than a week and I wouldn't want to spend that much time away from you anyway."
“Oh. Good.”
They sat together in silence looking up at the stars and taking a moment of refuge in each other's company. It was only when Venti complained about the rocks hurting his butt that they got up and began to walk home.
“By the way, who the fuck is Zhongli?”