Chapter Text
"Give us another one, Bard!” Jack called, slamming his fist on the table in what one could only assume was a good-natured gesture.
“Yeah, come on, music man!” Cyrus added, before going to flag down the bartender.
“Ask and ye shall receive. Yet another wind-blown ballad I now weave,” Venti giggled drunkenly, before giving a small bow as the tavern members clapped for him. He pulled out his lyre, starting to sing his eighth- no, ninth song? He couldn’t remember, but he’d been playing for a while, and he’d been drinking for longer than that.
No matter how drunk he was, Venti’s songs never wavered. The tempo may have a mind of its own, at times, but he never missed a note and that was something he was very proud of, tonight especially.
Once his song was finished, he bowed again, going back to the bar to flag down the barkeep. Diluc was bartending tonight, Charles having taken the night off. As Venti sat down, beginning to open his mouth, he was immediately cut off.
“No, Venti,” Diluc said, crossing his arms. Venti pouted in response, flopping onto the bar.
“Aww, come on, Master Diluc! I know I’ve drank more than this before, so why now must we settle the score?” He asked, hiccupping slightly as he spoke.
“You haven’t drank this much before, that’s the issue,” Diluc sighed, stopping his glass cleaning and turning fully around to face Venti
“Then tell me, how much have I had to drink, exactly,” He smirked, almost giggling when he saw Diluc tense the slightest bit. Diluc was so fun to tease.
“Twenty eight glasses of Dandelion Wine, fifteen glasses of hard apple cider, and three shots of Bärenjäger. You’ve beaten your previous record – which was thirty seven glasses of wine at Jean’s celebration a month ago – by nine, if we’re counting glasses. In terms of pure alcohol content, I don’t even know how much more you’ve had.”
“You… certainly have a good memory,” Venti said, pouting down at the bar. He hadn’t expected an exact number, and he didn’t have a comeback.
“It tends to peak my interest when a single customer blows through my supply so quickly; and you’re the quickest I’ve ever met.” Diluc said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Venti could only imagine what his tab would be if Diluc would ever charge him.
“It does tend to take more than the average Mondstadt citizen to get me inebriated, let’s say. Drunkenness fills life with such a sense of whimsy; even the winds feel nicer when one’s had a few drinks.” Venti tipped back in his barstool as he spoke, a dumb smile on his face.
“I wouldn’t call what you’ve had ‘a few…’” Diluc mumbled under his breath, before glancing over at the bard.
“Watch-” he tried to warn, though he was a bit too late, as Venti leaned back too far in his chair, toppling over.
He hit the ground hard, though he was far too drunk to feel it. Instead, he laughed, a sound not unlike that of a timbrel. He heard Diluc scoff, though that didn’t stop his laughter.
His laughter transitioned into coughing with little warning, as he apparently laughed a bit too hard. Diluc quickly came out from behind the bar, seeming to sense what was going to happen, though he wasn’t quick enough, as Venti turned to his side, vomiting up several hours worth of drinks.
He barely registered the gloved hands holding his braids back, more focused on the tears rolling down his face as he gasped for air. He heard Diluc’s voice ordering the other patrons out of the bar, but it didn’t matter as he threw up once more, vomit splashing onto his clothes.
Once he was done throwing up, he was left sobbing. His head felt a bit clearer drunk-wise, though it was replaced with the same fuzziness he had felt that night with Xiao. The realization made him sob harder. The last thing he wanted was to be little right then, drunk on the floor of Angel’s Share, with Diluc…
“There we go, you’re okay,” Diluc shushed, one hand still holding Venti’s braids as the other rubbed the small of his back. His tone made Venti want to melt into the floor. He sounded so gentle and caring, and it only made Venti feel worse.
When it became clear to both of them that Venti wasn’t going to stop crying anytime soon, Diluc guided him until he was sitting upright again, shifting him away from the mess.
“Can you get yourself cleaned up?” He asked, looking Venti over. Venti curled in on himself, shaking his head slightly.
“I’ll take that as a no, then,” Diluc said, standing up and offering a hand to Venti. “Come on. The floor can’t be comfortable.”
Venti sniffled wetly, looking up at Diluc with wide eyes. Walking was a huge task, but he didn’t want to get Diluc’s nice clothes dirty. He didn’t know what to do, so he just stayed seated, whining up at Diluc in hopes that he’d understand.
Diluc’s hand retracted a bit at the sound. Venti knew he’d seen him drunk tens of times, so it must’ve finally sunk in that this wasn’t normal Drunk Venti behavior. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for Diluc to finally give the word and kick him out of the bar.
Instead, Diluc knelt down again, placing a hand on Venti’s shoulder.
“I’m not mad, y’know,” He said, causing Venti to look up at him. “I’m just worried. I think anyone would be if Barbatos just threw up all over their hardwood. Except, you don’t seem like Barbatos right now, you seem like a guy who needs help. So, will you let me help you?”
They looked at each other for a good while, before Venti slowly nodded. He took Diluc’s hand, letting himself be helped up. He immediately stumbled, leaning into Diluc’s side. He may have a clearer head, but obviously, he wasn’t sober yet.
“Do you think you can make it to the manor?” Diluc asked, supporting most of Venti’s weight.
“Mm-mn…” He shook his head, clutching Diluc’s arm like his life depended on it.
“Okay, we can get you cleaned up here, then if you feel less sick, we can use a Waypoint, alright?” Diluc said, tilting his head to make eye contact with Venti. The bard nodded slowly.
Diluc helped him up the stairs, then sat him on the spare bed. When he went to grab a wet cloth, however, Venti whined again, grip firm on Diluc’s arm.
“P’ease don’ leave…” He mumbled, avoiding Diluc’s eyes. He knew if he looked at Diluc and saw how concerned he was, he probably would have started crying again.
“Venti, I have to. You don’t want to stay in those gross clothes, do you? I need to find a cloth to clean your clothes up until we can get back to the manor, where we can get you changed.”
“Scary…” Was all the bard responded with, eyes shining with more tears.
Diluc hummed for a second, before hoisting Venti into his arms, making an exaggerated strained sound as he picked him up.
“You’re lucky you’re so light, y’know that? Any more and I don’t know if I could pick you up,” Diluc said, prompting a small giggle from the bard. His claymore probably weighed more than Venti did, though that was irrelevant for the moment.
Diluc carried Venti to the restroom, wetting a cloth, before carrying him back to the bedroom, setting him down and starting to dab at the mess on his clothes.
“Adelinde will take care of the washing when we get there. You’ll be staying at the manor until I’m sure that you’re alright,” Diluc explained as he worked, and Venti was grateful for the noise.
“’m sorry…” Venti mumbled, wishing he had something for his hands to do to distract himself.
“No need to apologize. Alcohol isn’t a good coping mechanism, but we can talk about that when you’re…” He hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with the correct word.
“Bigger,” Venti filled in, ever the poet that he was.
“Precisely,” Diluc hummed, before standing up, tossing the cloth into a nearby basket.
“That’ll have to do for now. Do you think you can handle using a Waypoint? The closest one to the Winery is a Statue, and then it’s a short walk from there.” Diluc said, giving Venti a bit of time to process the information.
“Can do it,” He nodded, before holding his hands out so that Diluc would pick him up. The redhead chuckled under his breath as he hoisted Venti into his arms.
“Ready?” He asked, pulling out and adjusting his map. Venti nodded into his shoulder, burying his face into Diluc’s cloak.
Suddenly, they were at the Statue, and Venti had to take a few moments to stop his head from spinning. By the time the world was right again, he was sitting in Diluc’s lap. Diluc must’ve shifted them down to the ground after they teleported.
“You alright now?” Venti felt the question more than he heard it, nodding against Diluc’s chest. He was warm, which made sense for someone with a Pyro vision, but all Venti cared about was how comfortable and safe he felt in Diluc’s arms.
Diluc’s safety was different from Xiao’s. Xiao was distant, yet fierce. Venti knew Xiao would do anything to protect him, and that deep down he cared, even if he had trouble expressing it. Diluc, while still maintaining the air of protectiveness, was anything but distant. He showed his care in every action that he made – and Venti couldn’t get enough of it.
Suddenly, Venti was shifted as Diluc stood up, beginning the short walk to the Winery. The spring air was cool as they walked; not cold enough to be bothersome, but just the right temperature to make Diluc’s warmth very much appreciated.
The walk seemed to lighten his mood, as well. He didn’t feel the overwhelming need to cry anymore. Instead, he wanted to explore. He rarely visited Dawn Winery directly, and while he knew his nation like the back of his hand, everything seemed so big at the moment! He’d only ever regressed when he was upset, but this felt fun!
Before Venti knew it, they were there. The vineyards were littered with crystalflies, and Venti watched them flitter about in awe. He shifted in Diluc’s arms as they walked inside, trying to get one last glimpse of them before the door shut. When it finally did, he whined up at Diluc.
“I know, but we need to get you cleaned up, remember? They’ll still be there tomorrow, and we can go see them then, alright?” Diluc said, meeting Venti’s gaze as he explained. Venti pouted heavily, but nodded.
“Master Diluc?” A woman’s voice spoke, and Venti turned to see who it was, tilting his head curiously.
“Adelinde. Excellent timing, as usual,” Diluc said, and Venti looked up at him, still confused.
“Who’s she?”
“Ah, yes. Venti, this is Adelinde. She’s the head maid here, and I’ve known her for a long time. Adelinde, this is Venti. He’s a friend of mine, and a popular bard at Angel’s Share,” Diluc gave Venti a nod, and the little one waved at her.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Sir Venti. It’s not often that Diluc brings guests home, especially his friends,” She sent a playfully exaggerated wink Venti’s way, and the little bard giggled. Then, the conversation caught up to him, and he gasped loudly.
“We’re frien’s, Diluc?” He asked, eyes wide. Diluc knew that he was the Anemo Archon, of course, and he had never charged him for any of his drinks, but Venti had always thought that he tolerated him at best.
“Well, I wouldn’t carry just anyone to my home, now would I?” Diluc replied, a soft smile on his face.
“Yeah…” Venti nodded slowly. He supposed that made sense.
“How about we get you out of those clothes, hmm?” Adelinde asked, her tone soft.
“That’s what I was going to ask. We need to get him changed, and probably fed,” Diluc said, looking down at Venti, who pouted at him.
“Don’ need food!” He declared, crossing his arms the best he could while still being held by Diluc.
Diluc huffed a laugh at how adamant Venti was, before looking at Adelinde. They seemed to share a silent conversation for a moment, before Adelinde nodded, turning to Venti.
“Go get changed, little one. Maybe I’ll have something for you when you’re all clean,” Adelinde said playfully, before bowing slightly, excusing herself.
“She’ll have something?” Venti asked, eyes practically sparkling.
“If you’re good. Now, let’s go get you clean.”
Once they made it to Diluc’s room, Venti was sat down on the bed. It wasn’t as scary this time, so he took the time to look around. Diluc’s room was fairly plain, yet elaborate at the same time. It felt cozy. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt cozy…
As Venti’s eyes trailed around the room, he eventually settled on the bookshelf. He had the usual books from what Venti could tell. Reading was a bit hard at the moment, but he thought he saw The Legend of Vennessa, among others. Then he saw a brightly colored spine that seemed to stick out from the rest. He was just about to go over to investigate when Diluc re-entered the room.
“I had this made a while ago. It was for someone else, so it’ll probably be a bit big on you, but I figured you would like it,” Diluc explained, but Venti was barely listening.
The onesie was Dvalin themed, complete with two sets of wings sewn onto the back, and Dvalin’s signature tail and two tendrils sewn on as well. Venti could barely contain himself upon seeing it.
“Dvalin!” He gasped, practically throwing himself off the end of the bed in his excitement. Diluc caught him, chuckling.
“That’s Stormterror’s name, isn’t it? Very smart,” he praised. Venti smiled, ducking his head to hide it.
“Dvalin is my friend…” he mumbled, still looking down at his lap.
“You must be very grateful to the Traveler for helping. Have you said thank you?”
“Mmhm!” Venti nodded, finally looking up at Diluc again. “He’s my friend, too!”
“I’m very glad to hear that,” Diluc smiled, before looking at the objects in his hands again. “Now, I have a question to ask you. Think you can answer it for me?”
When Venti nodded, Diluc continued.
“You seem pretty young, and I know better than anyone how alcohol affects the body. So, do you need any protection tonight?” Venti could tell that Diluc was trying to keep things simple for him, but he still tilted his head, confused.
“‘tection from what?”
Diluc sighed, though it wasn’t angry. He sat down on the bed next to Venti, making the little one look at him.
“Venti, do you know what alcohol does to the body?” Diluc started.
“Makes things fun!” Venti said, bouncing a bit on the bed. “An’ makes you forget bad things!”
Diluc seemed taken aback by the answer, pulling a face Venti couldn’t decipher. He quickly recovered, however, continuing.
“Well, it can do those things, yes. However, it can also cause some bad things to happen. It can make you sick, or make everything spin, or it can make you not sure when you need to go to the bathroom.”
Venti just stared, blinking up at Diluc. What did any of this have to do with a Dvalin onesie? Diluc pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Venti, I’m asking you if you’ll need a diaper tonight.”
Venti’s eyes widened, and he was immediately shaking his head.
“Nn-nn! I don’ need it!”
“I know it sounds scary, but you don’t want to feel gross again if something happens, right?” Diluc tried reasoning.
“‘M not a baby!” Venti huffed, hitting the bed.
“Big kids can wear diapers, too, Venti. I have to wear protection sometimes because of an injury I got a while ago. It can be scary, yes, but it’s better than having to wash tons of clothes.” Diluc explained, slightly lowering the waistband of his pants so that Venti could see the top of a deep scar across his abdomen.
Venti reached forward hesitantly, and when Diluc didn’t object, he ran his fingers over the scar.
“So… ‘s okay?” Venti asked after a moment, looking up at Diluc.
“Of course it is. I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“You don’t joke at all!” Venti giggled. Diluc smiled softly back, before standing up, walking over to a closet to grab a diaper.
“Alright, kidlet. Let’s get you out of those gross clothes.”
Once Venti was padded and changed, he felt a million times better. The fabric was much softer than his usual attire, and it made him feel so small and safe. He never felt this good, not even when he was buzzed.
Then he remembered the bright book he saw on the bookshelf earlier. Diluc was putting the changing supplies away, so Venti slid off of the bed, toddling over to the shelf. Sitting down in front of it, he noticed that there were several books that didn’t seem to match the others. Pulling the bright one out, he flipped it over to read the cover. The words were a bit floaty, but he recognized it as one of Mondstadt’s children’s books.
Looking down at the bottom of the bookshelf, he noticed some containers. Pulling one of them out to look inside, he noticed even more odd stuff. Small wooden toys, stuffed animals, and little clear-ish things that he didn’t recognize.
“Ah, I see you’ve gotten into the storage,” Diluc chuckled, sitting down next to Venti on the floor.
“Wha’s this?” Venti asked, tilting his head.
“Well, you’re not the first regressor I’ve taken care of. Mondstadt has a lot of regressors, being the City of Freedom – which I’m sure you knew already – and I happen to take care of a few of them when they need it. Remember how I said that onesie was for someone else?” Diluc explained. Venti’s eyes went wide, nodding.
“So… this stuff‘s for kids?” He asked, looking back into the container.
“That’s right. You can pick out a few items, if you don’t already have your own.”
Venti gaped up at him. He’d never even considered getting stuff for when he regressed. He didn’t think he would regress again after that day with Xiao…
“I… I’ve never been a kid… I dunno what this stuff is…” Venti mumbled, fidgeting with the tail of his onesie.
“Ah, yes, that,” Diluc hummed, before shifting a bit so that he was facing Venti.
“Well, stuffed animals are the easiest to explain. They’re really soft, and lots of people – even adults – like to hug or cuddle with them. Then there’s a few toys in there, which you all play with in different ways. If you want any of those, I’ll explain how to use them. Then there’s some teethers and pacifiers. You chew on teethers, and pacifiers have a part that you can suck on. Lots of regressors find them very comforting, and these are some extras I have, since the littles I look after have their own. Then there’s some bottles and sippy cups, which are for drinking. There may be some more things in there, too,” Diluc explained, his tone unbelievably patient and soft. Venti nodded along, staring into the box with sparkles in his eyes.
When Venti continued staring, Diluc gave him a small “Go on,” and gently moved his hand into the box. Once Venti was assured that he could have something, he bounced in place, letting out a small squeal before digging through the box.
He ended up picking out three items: A small stuffed calico cat, a teal pacifier, and a blanket with two sides – a white side with cecilia patterns on it and a silk texture, and a teal side with a super soft fabric on it.
“Good choices!” Diluc praised. “Does your kitty have a name?”
“Elke…” Venti said shyly. He’d never been able to be around cats due to his allergies, but he’d always wanted to. Himmel always used to tease him, saying that he acted like a cat half of the time.
Thinking of Himmel made Venti pout, gripping Elke tighter.
“Hey,” Diluc interjected, wiping a tear – when had he started crying? – off of Venti’s cheek. Venti nuzzled into Diluc’s palm, and Diluc smiled softly. That smile was enough to have Venti throwing himself into Diluc’s arms, clutching him tight.
“There, there,” Diluc shushed, rocking them slightly. “I won’t pry, but just know that I’m right here. You’re not alone.”
It took a minute for Venti to calm down, though once he did, he sank into Diluc’s embrace, the pacifier and blanket falling out of his hold. Diluc let out a small laugh, picking up and dusting off the pacifier, before prompting Venti to open. Venti did as he was told, and Diluc slipped the pacifier into his mouth.
The effect was immediate, Venti’s eyes sliding shut as the soother did his job. He was so comfortable, and his small breakdown had drained all of his energy. Couple that with the fact that it had to be well into the night, and Venti was tired. He was almost asleep, before Diluc spoke up.
“Let’s get you and Elke downstairs, alright? Adelinde said she had something for you, remember?” Diluc said, tapping the button of the pacifier to make sure Venti was listening, before shifting so that they were both standing, grabbing Venti’s blanket off the floor as he did so.
Venti shook his head slightly, waking himself up. He’d completely forgotten about the surprise!
As they made their way downstairs, the smell of Northern Apple Stew started to fill the air, as well as a sweeter smell that Venti couldn’t place. Walking into the dining room, Venti could feel the warmth; not just from the fire, but the warmth of a lived-in home.
Adelinde was setting the table as Diluc set Venti down in an appropriately sized high-chair. His guess was right, as she was plating stew. Venti’s plate had little dividers, separating his stew from his cabbage. He was grateful for it; he always hated when his food touched.
“I’m glad someone’s using that onesie. It looks adorable on you, Venti!” Adelinde cooed, making Venti ‘hide’ behind Elke. He wasn’t used to all of this positive attention. Of course there were people who enjoyed his music, but this was different; more personal.
“Su’prise?” Venti asked around the pacifier.
“After dinner, honey,” Adlinde said, starting to affix a bib around Venti’s neck. He squirmed a bit, going to protest, but then she started humming. Venti was quickly enthralled, too distracted by the song to put up much of a fight.
“Thank you for doing all of this, Adelinde,” Diluc said, taking the seat next to Venti.
“Not a problem, Master Diluc. I couldn’t let our little guest stay here without giving him one of Adelinde’s famous dinners!” She smiled, ruffling Venti’s hair as she finished tying the bib on.
“His clothes are on the bed,” Diluc called. Adelinde, who was already heading up the stairs, gave him a nod.
“Now,” Diluc turned to Venti, gently taking the pacifier out of his mouth, “Time to eat.”
Venti opened his mouth to complain, before a spoonful of stew was placed there instead. It was delicious, and as much as Venti wanted to pout about having to eat, he found a large smile on his face. He hadn’t had food this good in… well, he couldn’t even remember how long.
Eventually, the food was all gone, and Venti felt smaller than ever. Diluc quickly wiped his face clean before Venti could throw a fit, giving him Elke back. He nuzzled against Elke (who had been sat on the table next to Diluc, to avoid getting dirty), making a small happy noise. Diluc gave him a look as he did so.
“You can purr?”
Venti tilted his head, humming. As a wind spirit, he’d always make little warbles and chirps – and purrs, he supposed. He really only made them when he was really happy, which he was! So, he nodded. He did purr!
“Huh,” Diluc chuckled, before going to gather Venti’s plate.
“Ah ah ah,” Adelinde tsked, swooping in from behind Diluc to place the plate back down with one hand. “Someone’s forgotten about the surprise.”
Venti’s eyes went wide, and he clapped excitedly, babbling.
“Adelinde, what did you do?” Diluc asked, raising an eyebrow at her other hand, which was behind her back.
“Well, maybe I made a special someone an apple pie,” She smiled, revealing the pie behind her back and placing it on the table.
“Pie!” Venti parroted, reaching toward the pastry. His chair prevented him from touching it, however, and he whined in frustration.
“Patience, kidlet,” Diluc chided, going to cut a small piece of pie for the little. “Can you tell Adelinde thank you for the surprise?”
“T’ank you Mama!” Venti exclaimed, beaming up at her. The nickname came naturally to him. Adelinde was so sweet to him, and she made tasty food, so of course she was Mama!
Adelinde gasped, taken aback for a moment, before smiling widely.
“Of course, baby! I hope you enjoy it. A little birdie told me that apples were your favorite, so I had to make you a treat.”
“How know?” Venti gasped. Adelinde winked at him in response.
“I have my ways,” She smiled again, before nodding to Diluc, heading toward some other place in the manor, leaving the two of them alone.
Venti went to reach for the pie again, starting to whine, before finding a piece already cut up on his plate. He smiled, turning to Diluc and opening his mouth wide.
“Smells that good, huh?” Diluc smiled, before spooning up some pie for the little.
Venti practically squealed when he tasted it, bouncing a bit in his chair. It made Diluc’s smile a bit wider.
Once the meal was finally done, Diluc cleaned Venti’s face again, then pretended to clean Elke’s face as well. She’d stayed with Venti during his pie, as it was clear the little wouldn’t be letting go of her any time soon.
Diluc helped Venti out of his highchair, picking the little one up. Venti rubbed at his eyes with a fist, yawning loudly.
“Sound’s like someone’s a bit tired,” Diluc said softly. Venti shook his head, trying to explain that he was not, in fact, tired. It came out as babbles even to him, however.
“Oh, I know. It’s so unfair that after a good meal you get sleepy,” Diluc responded. Venti just headbutted his shoulder grumpily, before squirming in his hold slightly.
Diluc quickly realized what was wrong, starting to take them upstairs. He was stopped on the staircase by Adelinde, however.
“I’ll be quick,” She started, seeing how sleepily uncomfortable Venti looked. “But I figured our little guest should get a nighttime drink.”
Venti watched as Adelinde passed Diluc a bottle full of milk, eyes lighting up through his tiredness.
“Yummy, huh? You go upstairs and get changed, and Master Diluc will help you drink it,” Adelinde soothed, ruffling Venti’s hair. Venti leaned into the touch, warbling his thanks.
“Thank you, Adeline,” Diluc said, before swiftly taking them upstairs. Once they got there, he laid Venti out on the bed, making quick work of getting the little changed. Venti was too sleepy to mind, and he had Elke with him, so it was over before he knew it.
However, once it was over and Diluc started to fasten up the onesie, Venti let out a whine. He still felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t know why!
“What’s wrong, kidlet?” Diluc questioned, switching from buttoning the onesie to gently helping the little sit up.
Venti pouted up at him, whining, before shaking his whole body out, not unlike a cat. When he was done, he found himself in his archon form. He was still padded and half-in the onesie, though the ends of his hair were glowing and his wings had formed. He shook again, this time letting his wings unfold. That’s what was wrong.
Diluc was left blinking at the little, mouth slightly open in awe. It must’ve been quite the shock to see Venti in his archon form for the first time, but the little didn’t think about that. Instead, he tugged on Diluc’s sleeve.
“‘reen,” He mumbled, shaking his wings slightly in discomfort.
Diluc blinked again, coming back to his senses.
“What was that, kidlet?”
“‘reen!” Venti insisted, wings flapping a bit in agitation. Thankfully, Diluc seemed to understand.
“You… want me to preen your wings?” Venti nodded quickly, hands flapping a bit as Diluc got it right. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d preened his wings – or the last time he took this form, for that matter. He usually just ignored any discomfort their lack of care caused, but right now he was little, and all he wanted to do was fix the weird feeling that happened when he moved and then have his bottle and sleep.
“Alright. I will warn you, though. Valkyrie has only let me preen her wings a couple of times, so I don’t have much experience. I am knowledgeable in the subject, however, so if you trust me, then I’ll do it.” Venti nodded again, and Diluc climbed into the bed, sitting behind Venti.
“Do you want your bottle now or after I’m done with your wings?” Diluc questioned, and Venti thought about it for a second.
“Af’er,” He declared, the thought of holding it on his own making his head feel funny.
“Alright, little seelie. Can you stretch out your left wing for me?” DIluc prompted, and Venti did as he was told, smiling softly at the nickname.
Diluc worked quickly, yet with an impossible tenderness. The feeling of warm fingers working old feathers and debris out of his wings was incredible, and he let out happy chirps and trills in thanks. Diluc chuckled whenever Venti made noise, though continued working.
Venti’s wings were large, so it was taking a while to get through them, especially with the state they were in. Just as Venti started to get bored, sleep seeming tempting, he felt the teat of his pacifier against his lips. He quickly took it, turning to look back at Diluc, before the red-head started talking.
“Down every street in Mondstadt have I strolled.
The air was filled with the stench of misery and the buzz of revelry…” DIluc recited, and Venti perked up immediately. He knew these ballads; he knew who wrote these ballads. Diluc was reciting Ballads of the Squire…
Diluc’s rich voice and the nostalgia that came with the tales were enough to keep Venti occupied until his wings were finished. Exhausted, he leaned back into Diluc’s arms, curling into the larger man.
“We still have your bottle to finish, and then you can go to sleep, I promise,” Diluc placated. Venti whined, until he saw something red glowing out of the corner of his eye.
Diluc, using his free arm, had summoned a small ball of fire, rolling it across his knuckles before letting it dance across his palm. Venti was mesmerized, reaching out for it, though Diluc gently pushed him back. Unwrapping his arm from Venti, he grabbed the bottle off of his nightstand, warming it a bit with the fire, before closing his fist and extinguishing it.
Venti blinked, in awe at what he had just seen. Throughout his existence, he had seen much more impressive feats, though for that moment, Diluc’s small mastery of his Vision was the most awe inspiring thing Venti had ever seen.
Slowly, Diluc guided Venti into his arms, removing the pacifier and helping the little drink. Venti closed his eyes, allowing the warmth of the situation to wash over him. This evening had been more than he could have ever asked for, and as his wings reflexively curled around him and Diluc, he fell into a blissful sleep.