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It came to Venti as a belated realization. That the man before him possibly liked him more than he, himself understood. That somewhere, in the months to year, they knew each other. Diluc’s mild annoyance, tolerance, and then respect, had morphed into something more. Something a little softer, a little more sweet, and very much unwitting.
It took the archon an admittedly long time to realize it on his own. But now that he sees, the signs were always there. Weaved in all the times he cared when he could have been impartial.
Venti wondered if Diluc knew exactly what he was doing every time he tucked his coat around him when he fell asleep at the bar. He wondered if the younger man even knew the way his huffs of annoyance were too soft and his gaze too gentle for someone supposedly annoyed with him. The archon had wondered, with a degree of mirth, if Diluc realized how incriminating his actions were when he occasionally took him home and tucked him into a guest room after finding him passed out in the orchard. Even now, as Venti was tucked behind the safety of Diluc's broad back as the other shielded him from the flames, Venti had to wonder if the red-haired winery owner understood the implication of his protectiveness over someone he knows is god.
That Diluc's gaze, soft at the corners, and smile so small but rare, speaks emotions he seemed to not realize. Feelings that he had for Venti.
Venti could not help but feel a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the fire they were facing. He noticed how Diluc's muscles tensed, ready to spring into action at any sign of danger. Even in the aftermath, where he lingered a little too close, his hand hovered a little too intimately, Venti knew that Diluc had no idea he was toeing the line of propriety. That his actions spoke of something more than mere respect and adulations. The bard couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, hidden by the crackling of the fire. He watched as Diluc's eyes scanned their surroundings, ever vigilant. It was endearing how someone so strong and composed could be so unaware of his own heart.
Venti's thoughts flitted back to all the times Diluc had gone out of his way for him. The extra glass of wine after hours, the long-running bill that he never had to pay, the quiet company on the slower nights where he sat and listened to his drunken stories. Each gesture, each moment, was like pieces of a puzzle that Venti had not realized he was putting together until the picture was almost complete.
And it was not just the actions. It was the words left unsaid, the lingering looks, the concern laced in every frown. The sheer silliness of some of his actions when it came to anything of him . How could Diluc not see what was so clear to Venti now?
The archon knew he should say something, perhaps tease Diluc gently to bring light to his feelings. But part of him enjoyed this dance of unawareness. It was a sweet melody, a song only he was privy to. And Venti, the god of freedom and song, found himself wanting to savor each note in its most untouched, unbridled form. Love, after all, could be expressed in the way a bird's wings took to freedom, and in the way a breeze would weave between leaves, gentle and coaxing. As the flames died down and the danger passed, Diluc finally turned to Venti, his expression softening. "Are you alright?" he asked, voice tinged with genuine worry.
Venti met his gaze, his own eyes twinkling with unspoken knowledge. "Thanks to you, I am, but…" he replied, his voice carrying a melody of gratitude and mischief.
He feigned a sneeze as he slid closer to the red-haired man. “But…I am cold.”
“For an archon, you get cold quite often.” The familiar brow was quirked yet at the same time he watched as Diluc shrugged off his coat with a huff. Tucked into a jacket that was three sizes too large, he could hide his smile behind the collar. The corner of his lips stretched wide.
“Shh~ I’m just a humble bard, a very exhausted one at that. Would you mind, Sir Ragvindr,” Venti teased, “lending me your strength.” Perhaps he was pushing his luck but he wanted to see the extent of Diluc’s affection. He watched as the taller man stilled. His exhale was a little sharp as his eyes narrowed at the blatantly not innocent expression on Venti’s face.
“Please?” He watched the brows twitch and an exhale filled the air between them.
The wings inside his heart fluttered as Diluc knelt. “Get on then.” He buried the laugh as he slipped his arms around the other’s neck and latched his legs across his waist.
“Venti?” The surprise mutter of his name was met with a dramatic yawn. He slotted his head against the crook of DIluc’s neck. “Onward back to Mondstadt my dear knight.” His answer was a snort that was laced with a fondness he now knew how to look for.
For now, Venti decided, he would keep this secret. He would watch and wait, for the day Diluc's realization dawned on him as it had for him today. And when that day came, Venti would be there, ready to welcome him with open arms and a love that had been quietly growing, nurtured by the very man who had not noticed it at all.