Work Text:
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏
𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐃𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘. The plethora of disasters nearly toppled the city walls yet the stones still manage to tower over.
The years that Venti had trudged the same steps, memorizing every expression, every conversation until it pushed him over the edge that he began to roam the woods that engulfed the small country.
The change of scenery warmed him, admiring the flowers, the fruits, the little details that he remembered to give when he painted the city together.
He had picked some flowers, cecilia's to be exact, they were the most attractive to him and he grabbed a large one, swirling it and placing it by the side of his beret, completing his outfit that he had make-shifted to be seen by the public.
Things weren't so calm, granted he had been in a couple of close calls and run ins with other gods that he had forgotten how he rose to be one in the first place.
He certainly couldn't forget the time where he couldn't physically mutter words, his hands shrunken to the small wisps of wind yet the young boy still picked him in his arms when he found him lying.
Venti observed him greatly, admiring the look in his eyes and the comfort when he held him close. The boy would tell him tales of the terrors he had faced under the rough hurricanes, teaching the small creature the different tunes on the lyre, the different steps to a good dance.
The day had been clearer then most for Mondstadt at the time and the boy hid Venti in his cloak until he reached an area where no one would find him encouraging in such banned traditions.
He had placed the small wisp down and taught him how to sing, the steps maneuvering back and forth, giggling from the joy.
By the time he went to teach the creature another dance the rain had caught to them. Venti never grew accustomed to the rain, it poured old memories on his head and when he finally attempted to get the young boy's attention he noticed his mood had shifted.
The boy had turned away from him, eyes glaring at the large castle that swirled before the small city.
By the time he could barely remember, the title of archon had fallen to him, no time to relish in his victory as he floated from the top of the castle to the crowded courtyard, the cries and the whispers crowding around the body of the young boy in the pool of blood, his face content and happy.
Without a thought in his mind, he had formed into the body of his old friend, his eyes with the same glow, his ambitions and backlogged dreams falling on his shoulders.
Years had passed before he finally could mutter a word, he had reclused himself to the backside of the large tree and finally spoke what he couldn't, his voice raspy and thin, the same as his friend.
He had quickly fallen into the crowd of the newly made city he had unknowingly constructed.
When he played the lyre himself for the first time, as if he was born to do it, his fingers glided against the strings, mimicking the sounds, the sweet songs that had submerged his premature childhood of a spirit.
Venti never liked to dawn on the past. As he walked he attempted to forget. When Mondstadt had finally been reborn, touching up the loose strokes of his masterpiece his eyes lidded, sleep washed over him, the need to rule had left his body, he refused even if they begged him to.
He climbed the large tree he had grown, the perfect place for a long sleep that he thought was well reserved.
He did not wake up for years, their cries deafened by his loud snoring. The power he had so recently gained straining from his veins yet it only made him toss and turns from the discomfort. He didn't think he made such an impact on the world.
Liyue never was intriguing for him. The nearby country had boomed twice the rate as his, the culture strong that he had visited a couple of times.
He had sat over a pond one night, floating quietly, humming tunes to himself until he decided to play one on a flute he had brought with himself.
He had never played the flute before, yet when he started the music moved with him, his mind detaching itself from the scenery of the unknown kingdom.
He played the soft music until the rustling of the nearby bushes startled him as he nearly toppled into the water. He had only but a chance to noticed a wisp of green before whatever had witnessed his song had disappeared.
He had questions of that night, of what had watched him play a song that had come to be one of his signature pieces. As he returned to Mondstadt, there was much to celebrate.
The city had gathered for the birthday of one of the higher officials of the city that Venti had not come to be familiar with.
Birthdays was never a day he would celebrate, neither was weddings or festivals. He had never pondered on what it would be like to be celebrated that you came into the world.
When he popped into the large party, they gave him looks of uncertainty, yet they thawed as he offered to play them a song.
The moments that the old archon had come to cherish, linger only in his memory. The world had been at his fingertips overshadowed by the need to sleep.
He had gained nothing but anguish from the big fight until he met a large dragon. The dragon gave him comfort til the day it had softened and nudged him slightly, lovingly, incapable of hurting a single strand of his hair and Venti had grew happier, his smile widened as large as he had come to accept the fact that he could still be content and he had realized that he was.
When he awakened he too had remembered, that the rain had not fallen since the day the storms were casted out. He chuckled as he realized, that his change had brought forth a new season, spring, in all its forms.