Work Text:
At Stormterror's Lair... Dvalin was hosting a young dragon. The little one was recounting an enchanting fairy tale he had discovered in the Knights of Favonius library.
"The playful little squirrel was finally caught by his mother. She tried to put him to bed, but the stubborn soul wouldn't listen. Eventually, Mother Squirrel came up with a plan.
After a bubble bath and a hearty, delicious meal, the little squirrel finally grew drowsy. But he wasn't about to give in that easily! So, his mother used her last resort: a lullaby.
Go to sleep, my dear, for the night is late~
Tomorrow, many acorns await your touch~
Sink into a peaceful dream, my little one~
And just like that, the little squirrel fell fast asleep in his mother's arms. She then tucked him into a cozy bed, humming softly as she watched over him."
Durin snapped the book shut, looking utterly satisfied as if he had just achieved something monumental. He frequently visited Dvalin at the ruins, sometimes bringing fruits, sometimes books, or even glittering trinkets he had found. Dvalin couldn't read the books himself, they were far too small for a dragon, but he loved listening to stories, a habit born from his long friendship with Barbatos.
"Dvalin, what did you think of today's story?" Durin asked eagerly, looking up at the Great Blue Dragon.
"...It’s a children’s tale, isn’t it?" Dvalin commented. "Not bad at all."
Durin beamed, clearly thrilled that his gift was well-received. After bidding Dvalin farewell, he took his leave, and silence once again reclaimed Stormterror's Lair.
"...A cozy bed... huh?"
Dvalin had never really had trouble sleeping, one spot was as good as another, though he preferred the quiet of the ruins. Yet, the story had piqued a small curiosity in the thousand-year-old dragon: what did it feel like to sleep like a tiny creature?
And so, the Dragon of the East took flight to find a place where he could experience that very sensation.
[Wolvendom]
The territory of the Wolf of the North had a secluded spot that seemed quiet enough for a nap. Sadly, it wasn't very soft. To fix this, Dvalin uprooted a few dozen trees, attempting to use the leaves as a makeshift mattress.
"..."
Getting leaves stuck between dragon scales was not a pleasant feeling. Moreover, Dvalin was being watched.
"Dragon of the East, what brings you here?" Andrius, the Lord of Wolvendom, appeared.
"Sleeping," Dvalin replied curtly.
"..."
"..."
"You are disturbing the pack," Andrius stated. "Go elsewhere."
As it turned out, a dragon simply couldn't sleep in a wolf’s den. With a silent sigh, Dvalin took to the skies once more.
Dvalin decided to head to Dragonspine - the very place where his sworn enemy had fallen - to find a "snow mattress" to sleep on. Snezhnaya was simply too far. According to the Knights of Favonius, the birth of Durin had completely ended that evil being's life, so he figured it was safe enough to scout for a nap spot.
[Dragonspine]
Dvalin knocked down a few trees to clear a space large enough to lie in. Once finished, he settled contentedly onto the snow. It was, indeed, very soft. Unlike leaves, snow didn't poke uncomfortably between his scales. Being a dragon, he was more than sturdy enough to withstand the biting cold, making this place both quiet and cushiony. He decided to close his eyes and give it a try.
But things went south again. After a short while, the snow began to melt from Dvalin’s body heat. His "cozy mattress" lasted barely fifteen minutes before turning into a puddle. Now, he was not only wide awake but also soaking wet.
Finding a truly cozy spot to sleep is surprisingly hard for a dragon, isn't it? But as one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt, Dvalin wasn’t about to give up so easily. And so, the Stormterror’s quest for the perfect bed continued.
[The Sumeru Desert]
After ruling out countless locations that lacked a "mattress" big enough for his size, Dvalin took a long flight to the distant deserts of Sumeru. Sand had a texture quite similar to snow, with the added bonus that it didn't melt. Plus, the nighttime temperature there was just right for a nap.
Dvalin found a vast, secluded spot, touched down safely, and curled up to sleep. In theory, as long as he didn’t breathe the sand into his nostrils, everything should have been fine. Or not.
Dvalin was soon shooed away by the intimidating aura of another dragon - Apep, the Dendro Dragon Sovereign. Even if he wanted to ignore it, it wasn't wise to provoke such a fierce, ancient being. Thus, Dvalin was forced to end his journey right then and there.
By the time he flew back to Stormterror’s Lair, the night was already deep. Dvalin curled up on his usual stone platform for a nap. After all, sleep was sleep regardless of where it happened, why make such a big deal out of it?
"Hmph... I should go find Barbatos tomorrow," he thought to himself.
The faint hum of a lyre vibrated through the air, stirring the great dragon from his slumber. Dvalin immediately soared away from the ruins, following the source of that clear melody.
The bard, clad in the colors of the wind, stood atop Starsnatch Cliff, lost in his music. He knew his best friend had arrived, of course, but the song still had a few notes left to breathe. Dvalin said nothing, simply hovering nearby to listen.
"The winds told me you’ve had something on your mind lately, old friend," Venti began.
"..."
"I must say, that fairy tale was quite charming," Venti continued. "It’s impressive that Durin managed to find something like that."
The lyre sang once more, and this time, the winds began to gust with more fervor. Venti looked toward his colossal companion and flashed a mischievous grin.
"How about I give you a hand, my dear friend?" he asked.
"Hmph. Do whatever you want."
"Eh... so cold!"
Under the guidance of the Anemo Archon, Dvalin flew toward Windrise to begin the "Good Night" plan. Venti refused to spoil the surprise, typical of his flair for the dramatic.
"Alright, first, we’ll need this," Venti said, pulling out a small orb of light and placing it on the grass. "Give it a little tap with your claw, Dvalin."
At the dragon's gentle touch, the orb instantly shattered into a thousand shards. Before Dvalin could even panic, the fragments erupted into a brilliant glow, enveloping him entirely. The light was blinding enough to make the dragon wince, and it took a long moment before he could open his eyes again.
"What on earth was that, Barbatos?" Dvalin grumbled, squinting. He tried to give his Archon friend a playful swat on the head, but his hand slipped, and he tumbled to the ground.
Strangely, for one of the Four Winds, there was no tremor upon impact. In fact, Dvalin himself was baffled. As he finally opened his eyes, he realized something was very off...
"Why are the Windwheel Asters so... massive today?" Dvalin wondered aloud.
"They aren't, my friend. You’ve just shrunk!" Venti explained. "Up we go!"
Venti scooped his tiny companion up, cradling him gently, a feat that would have been impossible moments ago. Dvalin flailed slightly in the firm embrace, struggling to find his balance.
"The Hexenzirkel helped me out with this one!" Venti beamed. "Now you can finally do what you’ve been longing for. Oh, but it only lasts for 24 hours, so make it count!"
I must say, the Hexenzirkel’s shrinking magic was impressively thorough. Dvalin hadn’t just shrunken; he had essentially reverted to a hatchling version of himself. His horns were stubby, his wings tiny, his claws blunt, and even his scales had lost their rugged hardness. His large, round eyes looked up at Venti with utter helplessness, as if saying: "So this was your big plan?" If this were still the era of chaos, having one of the Four Winds turned into... this... would have caused a total meltdown.
Venti pulled his little friend close, burying his face in Dvalin’s head and taking a deep breath, looking as blissful as someone huffing a kitten. Well, for us, at least... Venti certainly can’t huff actual cats, or he’d sneeze himself to death.
And so, the "Good Night" operation, masterminded by the Anemo Archon, officially commenced!
"..."
Dvalin sat tucked inside a wooden tub filled with water and soap suds, resigned to his fate of being scrubbed like a toddler. On one side, Venti was busy brushing him down; on the other, a certain Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius - who was clearly slacking off from work - was helping pour the water.
Splaaaash!
Dvalin was given one final rinse, leaving him completely soaking wet. He gave his body a vigorous shake, drenching both of his "bath attendants" in the process.
"Hey! Achoo!" Venti sneezed.
Next, Dvalin was swaddled in a fluffy towel to be dried off. Sigh. Why did this feel exactly like giving a dog a bath? He shot a disgruntled glare at the two men responsible for this indignity.
"Oh, come on! Hygiene is a priority! It’s probably been five hundred years since you had a proper bath!" Venti pointed out defensively.
Dvalin continued to stare, his annoyance radiating.
"Ahahaha! I have to say, bathing Stormterror is quite the novel experience!" Varka laughed boisterously. "If you were your normal size, I suppose we’d need the entire Cider Lake for this, wouldn’t we?"
Venti’s plan was clearly following that fairy tale to the letter, Dvalin could put two and two together. That meant the next activity was dinner, right? But it was still broad daylight.
As if reading his friend's mind, Venti piped up:
"Don’t you worry, my friend. This plan is going to be magnificent!"
And so, the trio - two men and one dragon - made their way into Mondstadt city to continue their "magnificent" plan. However, the group of three quickly dwindled to two. The moment they stepped through the main gates, Jean intercepted Varka and dragged him back to the Knights of Favonius headquarters to finish his paperwork...
"Oh, is this some of Lady Alice’s magic?" Jean asked curiously. "I never thought I’d see the day Dvalin could visit the city without accidentally bumping into the buildings! Well, have a wonderful time, you two. Please let me know if you need anything!"
Jean bid farewell to Venti and Dvalin before hauling Varka away. Despite being much smaller than the Grand Master, she handled him with effortless authority. Truly impressive.
The first stop on Venti and Dvalin's itinerary was... Angel’s Share. Well, of course, Venti was the tour guide, after all. But getting tipsy first thing in the morning probably wasn't the best idea, was it?
Behind the bar stood a familiar face. A young lady with golden hair tied back, two stray locks framing her face. The Traveler from across the stars, the Honorary Knight, Tumaini... along with a dozen other titles.
"Ah! A familiar face, what luck!" Venti grinned smugly. "Greetings, shopkeeper! I’ve come to support your business!"
Venti placed Dvalin onto a high stool before hoisting himself up onto the seat next to him. Paimon appeared out of thin air and immediately piped up:
"Ah! It's the Tone-Deaf Bard! We aren't serving wine toda- wait, what is that?"
Paimon stared at the tiny Dvalin sitting quietly on the stool. Unable to contain her curiosity, she began circling the strange, emerald creature, even going as far as to poke the baby dragon’s cheek.
"...It's me, Dvalin," the dragon said, his voice laced with resignation.
"Whoa! Why are you so tiny?!" Paimon gasped.
Venti proceeded to explain the whole situation from start to finish to the Traveler and Paimon.
"Oh, I see," the Traveler nodded. "So the plan for today is to make sure Dvalin has a wonderful time? In that case, the drinks today are on me."
"Ah, thank you so much my friend! We'll be comfortable then.!" Venti cheered.
Throughout the entire exchange, Dvalin sat obediently, saying nothing. To be honest, he had no idea how to even act anymore; that bard hadn't told him a single word about the actual plan.
...
"This is Valberry juice for Dvalin, made from berries grown near the Anemo Hypostasis," the Traveler said, placing a glass in front of Dvalin. "I’ve also added some fruits harvested from Natlan, along with special ice cubes made from Cider Lake water. Please, enjoy!"
Wow, so professional! Truly worthy of the Honorary Knight.
Dvalin held the glass with both of his front claws and took a sip. The blissful expression on the little dragon’s face said it all.
"And this is for Venti," the Traveler placed a glass of crystal-clear liquid on the counter. "A Fontaine specialty recommended by the Iudex himself. He even personally selected the finest essence to send as a gift."
"Eh... but this is just plain water!" Venti grumbled, looking dissatisfied. "I’d take grape juice over this any day!"
Despite the complaints, the four of them enjoyed a wonderful moment together in the tavern.
The next stop for Dvalin was the Knights of Favonius library. Venti’s main idea was to let his friend experience reading a book with his own eyes for once - and if there was a word he didn't know, he could just ask. Lisa didn't mind at all, only reminding them to keep it quiet.
"The Boar Princess", "The Drunkard's Tale", "The Little Witch and the Undying Fire" and various other literary works. Dvalin used a gentle breeze to flip the pages, deeply absorbed for the entire afternoon.
Midway through, Varka suddenly appeared out of nowhere to say hello, chatted for a bit, and then scurried off to hide in a corner behind the bookshelves. A few minutes later, Jean burst into the library. After greeting Venti and Dvalin, she marched straight to where the Grand Master was attempting a midday nap and dragged him out to get back to work.
Sunset arrived as the two of them strolled through the Cathedral Plaza. Venti had hoped to sit upon the hands of the Anemo Archon’s statue to take in the view with Dvalin, but unfortunately, the Traveler was already up there... wishing(?).
Thus, the excursion moved inside the Favonius Cathedral. Technically, animals weren't allowed within the sacred halls, so they slipped in while no one was looking - luckily, there weren't many visitors at that hour.
"The nuns don't even know I’m the Anemo Archon, Dvalin!" Venti whispered mischievously.
Suddenly, Durin appeared out of nowhere, his excitement hitting the roof when he saw Dvalin’s current form. He eagerly asked to "clink horns" with the dragon he so admired, and Dvalin actually gave him the green light.
"Waaaaaaaah!" Durin cheered in pure delight.
The two dragons then decided to hold a flying race. Though Dvalin was clearly at a disadvantage due to his current size, it didn't slow him down one bit. The race ended in a spectacular draw. The two dragons finally touched down at the Great Tree in Windrise, bidding each other farewell.
By then, the curtain of night had completely fallen.
Venti was already perched on a nearby stone platform, plucking the strings of his lyre. The pure, ancient melody echoed through the open space. Dvalin glided over and settled down beside him.
"Did you have a good time?" Venti asked. "It’s high time for bed, you know!"
"Mm," Dvalin replied.
"Ehhhh? You’re supposed to say you’re not tired and that you want to keep playing!!!" Venti grumbled. "How else is the plot supposed to move forward?"
"..."
This guy... so he’s literally following that fairy tale to the letter, isn’t he? But the little dragon was truly exhausted; he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Still, he decided to play along with this troublesome Anemo Archon.
"I am not tired. I want to play more," Dvalin said in a flat, monotonous voice.
"Ah! We can't have that! You must go to sleep!" Venti began to act. "Well, I suppose there’s no other way."
"!"
Venti scooped Dvalin up, pulling the baby dragon into a warm embrace, stroking his head and patting him gently.
"There, there. Sleep tight, Dvalin!"
Dvalin let himself sink into the warmth of the hug, his heavy eyelids gradually fluttering shut. His tail swayed back and forth in pure contentment. This is the first time I’ve ever been held like this, isn’t it?
Venti laid his small friend down on a pre-prepared mattress, softly strumming a lullaby...
"The Great Blue Dragon, master of the towering stone halls,
Where the winds howl day and night, guarding your rest...
But those same gales made you lonelier than ever before,
Until you simply ceased to care...
Little Blue Dragon, one of the four mighty winds,
Has finally opened his heart today...
Falling into slumber in a fluffy place~"
The music grew fainter and fainter until only the sound of the breeze remained in the quiet night. Beneath a crystal-clear starry sky and atop the lush green grass, Venti comforted his friend before moving on to another gentle tune.
"Good night, Dvalin."
Waking from a dream, Dvalin found that the sun was already high in the sky. His perspective had shifted once again, his colossal form had returned at some point during the night.
The blue dragon lifted himself off the now-flattened mattress, and also... the flattened Anemo Archon...?
"..."
"Ah... I think I need a little help over here, ehe," Venti said with a strained smile, lying motionless and squashed against the grass.