Chapter Text
The smell of rotting skin wasn't normal.
No matter how hard he tried, a little odor of rotting could be smelled on him. Nothing about himself seemed normal to him.
Capitano had to be in Good Hunter at ten to meet with his son's future-mate-to-be' other family members. This event was too important for his son, so for him too. Having a shower and rebandaging everywhere he could reach three times carefully. The burning scars were too scary (and sometimes smell bad) to see even knowing the existence of it. Capitano's life was a good one, according to the people who don't know the truth behind his clothes, mask and online-working policy. Everybody thought that this was a movement catching future, but he barely wanted to isolate himself from others as much as possible since that horrible plane crush which made him lose one of his sons and current life. According to the investigation and engineers, false data about airspeed came from a detective pitot tube caused the accident. After the crush, his face became unrecognizable.
His face and body burned with aviation turbine fuel, giving him unbearable pains everyday when he's fighting for his life in hospital. Blood and pieces of dead skin were visible whenever he open his bandages to rebandaging them. Even the nurses and doctors looked him with disgust, always gossiping about how ugly he become at shady corners that they thought Capitano didn't hear them.
He had heard all and accepted them without any offense. They merely told the truth.
Then, his life rolled down from hill to depths of misery. His wife abandoned him, taking only alive child of theirs, saying that Capitano's side was too dangerous to stay. Capitano know the truth, he still remembered the moment how she threw up when she saw his face. She left his husband at his worst days, breaking their marriage vows (but still took the alimony given to her). Capitano saw his son eventually, trying to build a bond between them. It might not be the best but still enough for him. At least his son wanted him to meet with his boyfriend's (or mate's because his boyfriend was a half-blood) family.
Kaeya had found his love in the shape of a dragon half-blood, famous Lapis Company's current president Rex Lapis's and another very famous ex-idol current's popular singer Venti' son: Albedo Kreideprinz. Twenty three seemed too early to mate but Capitano guessed his example only made him more eager to mate earlier. At least, their mating and upcoming marriage at the future will benefit the company. After a month actually because probably his father didn't want his precious son's belly round with offspring during the wedding. It would be a scandal. Capitano could imagine magazines headlines even now. 'Albedo Kriedeprinz is pregnant! Is the husband of him really the father?'
After wearing the suit and mask he left the house. He grabbed car keys to open the door but-
"I apologise, is that your house?" A young man standing front of him. A black leather biker jacket was thrown over his slightly faded, ripped jeans. Around his neck were the noise-canceling headphones that most half-blood preferred. He was weird, even for Capitano judging by glowing eyes at dark and pale skin. Capitano was about to answer when the young man licked his lips slightly and a trace of red gone. Capitano saw that, clearly. "Sir?"
"Oh, yes. That's my house."
"Then you are mister..." Capitano realized the younger man gulped but tried to not let him see that. "Capitano Alberich, I presume?"
"Yes, I am."
"I guess you were about to go somewhere, I'm glad that I catch you before it. I need a sign too. Please wait a minute, I'll go get the papers." Younger man closed to him handing over the boquet before quickly grabbed a piece of paper and pencil from his motorcycle. "Here and here please. Thank you for your time. Have a nice day."
As quickly as he arrived, he got on his motorcycle, put on his helmet, checked his next address on his phone, and set off. But Capitano's mind was on one thing: How the younger man licked the trace of something that had remained on the corner of the his lips, slightly and quickly. How he gulped and inhaled when he closed to him. Capitano didn't understand anything. Why he gulped, ibhaled the air slowly but surely? Was he still smell bad? Should he have shower once more, but he had no time for it. Capitano smelled himself though he couldn't find anything unordinary. Cologne smelled good enough to hide it.
Without wasting another second he went to the place they were supposed meet.
Good Hunter might not be for VIP people but certainly had some class and more importantly privacy. Since Zhongli's wife— mate, Capitano corrected himself mentally— was the most popular singer on Teyvat, he must've chosen a place like that. If Capitano remembered correct, Venti's hometown was Mondstadt, Land of the Birds. Almost every half-blood came from Mondstadt had a pair of wings.
"Mister Zhongli must be jealous..."
A huge poster of Venti covered the west side of the building. He was wearing an outfit consisting of white, which was his trademark color and Capitano must say that he seemed quite...inviting in it. He was wearing very short and tight looking shorts and a short crop-top on top. His white socks were a few inches above his knees, his sleeves were unsurprisingly white, and he had white wings sticking out from his back. His left hand rested sweetly on his leg as he tucked a strand of hair from the right one of his signature braids behind his ear. There was a bottle in his lap and he was smiling. It wasn't hard to tell that this poster was actually an advertisement for a perfume scented with cecilia flowers, since the background was a field full of cecilia flowers.
There must have been a lot of make-up and photoshopping to make a thirty-seven year old look so young and appealing. Actually it would be lie if Capitano said that he wasn't surprised to see them as a couple. Dragon hybrids were known for being jealous and possesive and choosing a mate known by everyone? What's more surprising was seeing them with that many children. Sure, having so many offspring wasn't unsual for hybrids but having eight was something else...
He'd arrived Good Hunter at time.
Capitano saw Kaeya's motorcycle and Albedo's family car parked. There were other cars too but he immediately recognized the snow-white motorcycle covered with gold decorations. That must belonged to Venti, undoubtedly. He'd never saw something more obvious. His future co-in-laws were there, waiting Capitano to arrive.
"Oh, finally you're here!" Capitano looked the source of the voice. With his green attire and cute hat, Venti was there. He waved and rushed to him. He was cuter at real life. His eyes had a mischevious side Capitano could easily tell and like an angel, he smiled while tucking his hair behind his hair. "You are mister Capitano Alberich, aren't you?"
Capitano had to swallow his own words. Venti certainly did not look thirty-seven at reality. Let alone, there was no way someone who had given birth to eight children could look like this.
If Capitano had seen him without knowing him, he would have said twenty or twenty-two. Perhaps that was how he had retained his popularity for so long. Nearly for twenty years. Capitano still remembered the news when he debuted, it was a bomb. After the infamous idol Istharoth's retire news, Venti'd beaten all of his rivals in the industry. His cuteness, beautiful voice and angelic white wings matched the idol image in people's minds. His tickets started to sell out in a short time, and her popularity grew like a flash in the pan. To those who said that the faster it burns, the faster it fades, he gave the best answer by still maintaining his popularity from twenty years ago.
"I certainly am."
"I'm Venti, Albedo's dad. Nice to meet you!"
Venti seemed so casual and relaxed. Under his white shirt, he was wearing light green shorts that reached his knees. He had a light green sweater with a diamond pattern that matched his shorts, and for shoes, he had chosen high-top sneakers. But the most striking part was definitely its snow-white wings. Capitano just blinked once and Venti was no longer there. There was a loud flapping sound, and Venti was beside him, soaring gracefully in the air beside Capitano. He raised his hand as if to measure the difference in their heights.
"Hee, you're so tall for a human!"
Another second later, he was no longer there. Someone caught him and Venti let out a little yelp. Brown, long straight hair with eyes like Cor Lapis and small hints of scaled skin caught Capitano's eyes. He was tall and built, unlike his wi— mate, wearing a suit just like Capitano. You didn't need two eyes to see who he was. Rex Lapis, Venti's mate and Lapis Company's current president.
"Venti, what did I tell you about hosting guests?"
"Oh come on! I just said hi!"
"And tried to climb on him at first sight?" To that, he just cutely pouted. Rex Lapis sighed before releasing him and kissed the back of his hand "He's our guest, my dove. You shouldn't greet him like you're greeting a friend of ten years. Imagine how bad Albedo would feel if Kaeya's father thought badly of us. Would you want that?"
"Of course not!"
Bird hybrid pouted cutely, looking away with guilt. His mate sighed before gently caressing his hand with his thumb as if saying him to not worry. That move earned him a small smile.and some silence. He kindly asked him to see if others arrive yet and Venti accepted it but didn't forget to give Capitano a 'see you soon' too. After done with Venti, he turned Capitano again.
"I am Rex Lapis but please call me Zhongli."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"That pleasure is mine. I must apologise for my mate's earlier actions. Venti is tend to be excited whenever he meet with someone."
"There is nothing to apologise for. Though it is true that he's quite...energetic. he's also seems honest to me."
"His best and worst feature I must add." Capitano didn't need any further explanation to undertand what he meant. Honesty was a virtue that should not be shown to everyone and Venti seemed lack of that. What an uncharacteristical feature for a celebrity.
"Let's go to the room Venti has prepared for tonight."
"Of course." Capitano nodded.
There was no further conversation, the two simply silently walked towards the dining room reserved for tonight. As far as Capitano knew, The Good Hunter restaurant was a restaurant that provided maximum security and privacy for celebrities who were well-known to the public. Capitano wasn't sure if he fit into that group. His face was almost unrecognizable, making him unpopular with the paparazzi but Venti and Zhongli? They were the stars of high society even their children were raising stars among them. They were a perfect family. Nothing like Capitano's pathetic love and family life.
"It looks like Venti still hasn't arrived. I'm going to check on him." After politely asking for permission, Zhongli left Capitano in the room to look after Venti.
"Welcome, sir."
A blonde, pale blue-eyed man at least four inches shorter than Kaeya greeted Capitano. Although he resembled his mother in clothing style, his prominent scales and eyes resembling Zhongli's made it clear that he was not a bird hybrid. That must be Kaeya's boyfirend and mother of his future grandchild.
"You must be Albedo."
"I am. You are Kaeya's father, I assume?"
"I am."
Albedo was surely Zhongli's child more than Venti's. He seemed calm and quiet. It's like he's badmouthing his own son, but Kaeya was flirty, cunning, and a good talker. Capitano guessed it's true that opposites attract each other. Fortunately, before those two could talk any further, the others entered the room: Zhongli, Venti, Kaeya, and two other people Capitano didn't know.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Xiao-Xiao was being naug—"
"Venti?" Zhongli frowned.
"I mean, it was an accident!" Venti corrected himself. "Xiao-Xiao was just—"
"Xiao crashed his car. We couldn't see the owner of the car, so we have to leave a phone number between the wipers. When they see it, they will call us and we will compensate them for the damage." Zhongli corrected. "This was the reason for the delay. We apologize again…for this inconvenience, such inconveniences on such an important day...What one fears always happens really."
"Oh please, accidents can happen all the time. The important thing is that everyone got here safely."
What a political answer, Kaeya would tease him like that if they weren't at the middle of such an important meeting. Venti was the one who had the most knowledge of Mondstadt's cooking, so he ordered on everyone's behalf. There were six people at the table now, and since it was originally set up for eight, it was a bit too big for them, but even that didn't stop Venti from teasing his mate at every opportunity.
They were a truly happy couple even though twenty years together. It was normal for celebrities to have love scandals. It was often implied that they cheated on their lovers, even if it was false, it would stick to their names like mud, but Rex Lapis hadn't had a single scandal of this kind in twenty years. Even if Venti had a few, they were obviously fake.
Returning to the table, Kaeya was unsurprisingly talkative, chit-chatting with Venti. Zhongli, Xiao and Albedo quietly eating their dinner. Capitano was something between them. He didn’t talk too much but too less too.
“Kaeya, when are you having the wedding?”
Xiao finally asked the question everyone was waiting for. The purpose of this meeting was for everyone to get to know each other, but the first purpose was to plan Albedo and Kaeya's upcoming wedding. Capitano really couldn't help but feel grateful to Xiao. Venti was really too energetic for Capitano.
“It's time for the Cecilia flowers to bloom in Mondstadt. How about having your wedding in Mondstadt?” Venti offered, quite excited and already imagining it.
“Oh that’s…Well, we-”
“We don’t plan to have a wedding ceremony.” Albedo completed it. “I know how much you desire to have u a wedding but we don’t want that.”
For a few seconds, the table was silent. Zhongli guessed from Xiao and Kaeya’s expressions that Venti’s gaze was the calm before the storm. Venti and Albedo exchanged glances for a few seconds. He gently placed the wine glass he was holding back onto the table. It was impossible not to feel the tension rising at the table. The main reason for this tension was Venti. Capitano didn't know why, but he had a feeling that this innocent looking little bird hybrid was the one in charge of the family.
“You must not forget to go to the Mondstadt Cathedral and receive the blessing of Lord Barbatos. We cannot close the cathedral all day, so everything must be at the appointed time.”
“Dad, we don’t want to hold a wedding.”
“We must find right attires too. It is a tradition in Mondstadt to wear white at weddings, the groom needs to wear black though.”
“He doesn’t need because we don’t have a wedding.”
“Oh right! Wedding vows are very important too! That’s an undeniable part of a wedding at Mondstadt.”
Capitano was really curious about where this was going to end. Even though Albedo clearly stated that he did not want a wedding, he was acting strangely persistent. Another action Capitano realized that Albedo never turned his head to Zhongli for support. From the outside, Venti didn't seem like a dominant character, but you can't judge a book by its cover. After several failed attempts, Albedo and Kaeya agreed to have the wedding, even agreeing to leave all the preparations to Venti at the end.
It would be a lie if Capitano says that he wasn’t surprised. He didn’t expect Venti to be that dominant on his family.
“Oh, we never asked you. This is Kaeya's wedding as well as Albedo's. Are there any changes you'd like to make? Maybe we can have a second wedding in Natlan!”
He could feel Kaeya’s gaze on him to say no. So be it, precious son.
“What's suits you suits for me too.” The last thing Capitano wanted was to clash with Venti and cause tension between the two families before the wedding eve. “The Mondsadt traditions you mentioned seem very lovely for the wedding.”
“Right? I’ll hold the prettiest wedding anyone can ever seen! Everything is form my son and my grandchild!”
Oh right, Albedo was pregnant with Kaeya’s child too. Venti had gotten so into the topic of the wedding that they hadn't even been able to talk about it.
“Your belly will show up within two months the earliest, so we have to hold the wedding before it. Is the gender unknown yet?”
Shouldn't you know this better? As the father of eight, he should’ve known that better than Albedo or Kaeya.
“Of course not blockhead! As if it could be known before three months! Aww~ my little boy already grown up and having his first one! I’m so emotional right now! I wonder when Xiao-Xiao will have one?”
“Durin’s mate already pregnant.”
“That’s not the same! Me, Xiao and Albedo are the only Omegas in this family so naturally I will be more excited for their babies!” Capitano had a chance to look at Albedo. The poor child looked like he was praying for the ground to open up and swallow him. “If there's anything you're wondering about, you can always ask me, Albedo. You too, Kaeya. Although Zhongli might be able to help you more, after all, he was the one in your position.”
Capitano knew this night would drag on even longer. It was rare for Capitano to have wrong predictions. Capitano's predictions were usually accurate, except for tonight.
Venti was truly unpredictable, a trait Capitano definitely wasn't looking for in a partner. He thought Zhongli was very similar to himself and that was why he didn't understand how he and Venti ended up getting married. From what he could see, Venti was not only unpredictable and elusive, but also as cunning as a fox. Behind his sweet exterior, there was definitely someone else calculating his every action. He was definitely not the type of person he would want as his partner. If his partner had been someone else instead of Zhongli, he would have had him dancing on his little finger.
Fortunately, Venti got drunk. According to Capitano, it didn't take long for him to get drunk, considering his small height and weight, he thought he would get drunk with only two or three glasses, but that wasn't the case. He had drunk thirty-seven glasses of wine.
The night ended with Zhongli carrying his mate who’s hugging a bottle of alcohol. Kaeya went to the house where they stayed with Albedo, Xiao didn't have a car so he went with his brother. Capitano went to where he parked his own car only to see someone hit his car. A note was wedged between the wipers. When Capitano picked it up and read it, he understood better what it was.
“Xiao crashed his car.”
Xiao had crashed into Capitano's car.