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he's so beautiful, beauty like his isn't mortal.
that was the first thing to cross venti's mind when he first met aether.
he had already heard tales of the traveler, and through word of mouth and gossip he gathered more information. another hero, venti thought. another mortal being, he'll be destined for greatness, and then die. that's how it always goes. he didn't mean to be so pessimistic, but deep down he knew how it always went every time. mortal heroes never lasted. even the immortal ones didn't.
seeing aether for the first time caught him so very off guard. hardly ever did venti get distracted by beauty...anything else, sure, but he wasn't shallow. he could admire beautiful humans and beautiful things, but to be taken aback was a different story.
he shined like gold, from every part of him. his hair, his eyes, his skin, the sun-kissed freckles dotting across his face and shoulders. he looked more like a work of art.
venti's mouth went dry and he had to compose himself before even having the chance to speak to aether. not even mentioning how his heart leapt seeing he wielded anemo, wielded HIS element, from HIS nation.
oh archons. he should've prayed to himself to not fall so very hard. unfortunately it wouldn't have worked anyway, something so rare and special couldn't be fixed by his own willpower.
there was no way aether was mortal.
-
the more time venti spent with aether, and the more he got to know him, the more his heart ached for him. it was so dumbfounding to him, that a bard, an ancient archon, a master at hiding emotions too, could be head over heels. the way aether spoke very little, and yet when he did, his words were warm and intoxicating. venti was convinced if he kissed aether's mouth, he'd get drunk. celestia, he could get drunk just looking at him.
venti found himself furiously scribbling down poetry laced with admiration for the traveler he had found himself so enticed by. when he realized how much his cheeks burned when he pondered on him, venti had to admit he was experiencing a crush almost like he was a young mortal human getting their first taste of appreciation for another.
that's certainly what it felt like.
the sun, honey, the feeling of spring, warm evenings, only some of the things venti compared aether to. the quiet, composed, caring, and honest nature he had was so unlike that of venti's. even if venti was known to be outgoing and fun loving though, he felt quite a lot like aether. he knew more than he let on, he liked to reminisce, he preferred his alone time, and sometimes he yearned for silence and fresh air...he could understand aether enough in that regard. not to mention, he was truly the only one who wanted to understand and talk to him as aether rather than the honorary knight or the traveler. of course he did. he was undeniably magnetic.
-
any time spent with aether made venti feel whole again. he almost felt like time stopped. like it was just them.
vanessa's tree was almost like it was their place. aether seemed to like it there, judging from how he lit up when he saw crystalflies or picked windwheel asters. things venti took note of, for later poems written in aether's honor. they typically sat atop the tree and talked, or venti would play a song, or aether would detail his travels or what he remembered of lumine. venti was always so content to listen, it felt like a secret to hear aether ramble on and see him smile and laugh. like a cupid's arrow through the heart.
several times aether had fallen asleep with his head on venti's shoulder or lap, and venti would sit there for hours if it meant aether could comfortably rest without a worry in the world. if it meant he could run his fingers through his golden hair, and for once in the longest time, almost feel the protective streak of an archon watching over something it held dearly with the knowledge in mind he could protect it.
he wondered if aether knew. how very special he was to venti. how very special he was to barbatos. how very mortal he could make venti feel, despite neither of them being mortal themselves.
-
venti had taught aether how to dance, and it was cute how someone so agile could stumble and have two left feet when he tried. he had never intended to teach him to dance, but music in the lower level of the tavern and just the two of them on the upper simply called for it. aether wasn't expecting venti to hold off on his bard behaviors the way he did, because instead of frantic swinging and twirling, venti had danced slowly with him.
maybe his overdramatic tendencies won over, or maybe it was just his heart calling for it, but venti dipped aether then pulled him up and spun him. he felt light and airy when aether smiled at him so warmly as it happened, and even giggled. it was clumsy, especially given venti was rather small. but it was the best thing either of them had felt in a while, somehow safe and thrilling at the same time.
-
aether was an incredibly oblivious man, despite how smart and well-rounded he was. he was responsible, and worked hard, and was always ready to help anyone he could. his guard practically collapsed around venti though, there was no reason to hold his walls so high. he knew venti fancied him, although he never thought much of it. he's friendly, he's always just happy to spend time with someone. nothing more, he was sure of it.
it felt nice for aether to be able to let himself simply be around venti, without a constant asking of favors. besides the occasional asking for an apple, he never put him through one sided things. venti asked aether to go to the tavern with him, or go exploring or gliding, or he asked for his opinions on new ballads he had written, but all of those felt like tokens of his friendship he had won.
aether felt a deep appreciation and admiration for venti. nothing made him as happy and giddy as spending time with him. he was so insightful, and carefree yet grounded, and so, so very beautiful when he smiled or performed.
it surprisingly took up until dancing with venti to realize he felt some sort of way for him. aether didn't even have a clue the bard had reciprocated feelings either. why would he? that's what he thought, because he's an archon, he's a free soul, he could never. but to aether, it felt wonderfully and perfectly right to be so close to him this way. they had leaned into each other laughing many times, and aether had rested on venti, but this was much too different. it made his heart warm up. and then his heart exploded when venti dipped him down, pulled him up, and spun him. had he always been that strong?
and aether was gone in that moment. he knew now, and he understood the way he felt and always behaved with him. of course he liked venti. was he that stupid?
aether had winded up confiding in paimon with very little help, as she acted like paimon of course. she giggled and squealed about how she knew all along, completely brushing over how terrified aether felt. she suggested flowers, and apple pie, and then cider, and dozens of other things.
although not the person he expected to turn to, he eventually turned to the one he felt the most safe entrusting. zhongli. he knew everything about anything, he was honest, and as an archon himself he was sure to have some sort of understanding.
"ah...love, i see." that's what he said.
it made aether burn up. love...more than like. he hadn't even said he loved venti, zhongli simply knew.
"aether...you are aware, being an archon...it doesn't mean one does not experience humanly thoughts and feelings..." of course aether knew that. "barbatos has always been one to hold his theatrics close. but i would not rule out much."
zhongli gave aether a smile and poured him some more tea. even if he knew aether was ancient himself, this was clearly his first experience with the feelings he had, no doubt. his way of going about it said everything.
"i am certain he cares about you. but it's your responsibility from here, traveler."
-
aether didn't expect to find himself so set on winning the affections of one of the seven. it didn't really feel that way though, it felt like he had a puppy love crush...because, well, he did. he knew he didn't need to do anything to impress venti, there was no winning him easily like that. but it only felt right to try.
he baked venti an apple pie and asked him on a picnic, intending on confessing somehow, and yet he didn't.
how funny of venti to be in the same situation.
he wrote many ballads of love for aether, and yet he never performed any of them for him.
it was like the two waltzing around each other, both so very oblivious to the fact they felt the same.
-
being an archon had given venti plenty of time to master the art of controlling his emotions, even repressing them or faking them. he could hold in things like anger or sadness or impulsivity. at least he thought.
he had a dream. one where he told aether how very much he loved him, and he kissed him, and it felt so real and so perfect. his lips were gentle and sweet and his skin was as warm to the touch as he could hope when he finally got the opportunity to feel it against his fingertips. venti had undone his braid and ran his fingers through his hair, reveling in how soft it felt and the way it slipped through his hands so easy.
and then venti awoke. it felt like hot anger had risen up inside of his chest, practically from out of nowhere. like everything hit him all at once.
was he crying?
tears had began to slide down his face, and venti could not recall the last time that had happened. it overwhelmed him entirely, it took over and shook through his body. why did he just sit around and wish? never before in all his time as an archon had he felt so pathetic and weak. practically wasting away precious time. even if aether did not have the same feelings as he did, why not just say it outright anyway? aether would never shun him, he was so sure of it.
he did not care now. it was not reckless, he was not being stupid, it wasn't even a drunken thought (although being drunk certainly would've helped.)
venti had faint courage and resentment towards himself for waiting. that was enough.
aether had a teapot. venti had access to that teapot, he was one of the few who did, one of the few aether had gladly welcomed as a companion that could stay whenever they wished. he almost felt guilty for letting himself in with the sole intention of waking aether up with the tears in his eyes and just letting his emotions fall right out of his mouth. but it's what he did.
he didn't care he was crying and if aether was seeing it. he had awoken him with gentle shakes and repeating his name, until aether rose up groggily and then immediately looked at him with a face of concern.
aether felt like a stab went through his beating heart when he saw venti show up in his teapot crying, coming to him specifically no less. he cupped his face and asked over and over what was wrong, chest dropping more with every second that passed without an answer.
venti looked at aether with tearful eyes and sniffled, then gently rested his forehead against his shoulder.
"aether...i love you."
aether's whole face went red at his words, but he quickly composed himself. surely venti was drunk and something had upset him.
he couldn't smell alcohol on him though.
"uhm...venti...calm down, it's okay," aether rubbed his back softly, "seriously, what happened? are you hurt?"
a soft sob left venti's mouth and he moved his head up, looking aether in the eyes. he took ahold of his face with both hands. he took a deep breath, making his voice as steady as he possibly could.
"no...no, no, i love you, i'm telling you i love you."
aether's mouth went dry.
"i...y-yeah, okay, but why?"
the frown on venti's face made aether's heart lurch, but not as hard as the tears streaming down his face immediately afterwards did.
"aether, you're stupid."
"huh-? what?"
"i do...enough spelling it out already...everytime i write poems and ballads about it..." venti paused and sniffled again, "archons, i'm as stupid as you are too."
aether blinked in confusion.
"you're not getting it..." venti stroked his thumb across aether's cheek, blush rising up as he did.
"no, i'm...i'm not getting it."
venti had full stopped, looking longingly at aether. aether was so full of mixed emotions and yet had no idea what was even happening, or why, or what caused it.
the bard closed his eyes and sighed, decided right then it was now or never, and leaned in to press his lips against aether's.
aether froze. he comprehended what was happening in that moment, he just didn't know why, even with everything else pointing right to the obvious reason. his heart was threatening to beat out of his chest.
given the reaction, or well, lack of, venti began to pull away and face the music, and face the facts aether surely knew now but didn't feel the same way. it didn't particularly go that way though, as aether quickly wrapped his arm around venti's waist and pulled him in, clumsily pressing their lips back together, their teeth clacking against each other.
they were kissing. in some variation, it went through both of their minds that their lips were touching, and it meant a lot of things.
most importantly in that moment though, it just meant they were kissing. aether didn't know how to kiss at all, he had no experience, but it didn't matter. venti definitely knew, but for once a bard had been struck down and turned into a flustered mess.
the kiss broke.
aether looked fondly into venti's eyes, taking ahold of his face with both hands and cupping it, holding it.
"you mean you love me too?" he smiled softly, almost hesitantly.
venti felt like his heart exploded. far too many thoughts were racing through his mind, but most importantly that this meant aether loved him too. it meant they loved each other.
"aether..." venti paused for a moment as he pressed their foreheads together, "i feel that you've stripped an archon's heart down to the very core...i love you too, i truly do."
it's true. aether had. he had stripped venti's heart right down to the very core, in which it was just as sensitive as that of a mortal heart. aether is so beautiful, and beauty like his wasn't mortal in the slightest, but at least in that moment venti could tell their hearts were at least the same. immortal and everlasting but still so fragile maybe they only belonged in the hands of each other.