“I got you an apple strudel.”

“How sweet of you! Oho, do I see something for yourself as well? What is it~?”

“It's a mini cheesecake!”

“Ew!” Venti chirped half-jokingly.

“Hey, just because you don't like cheese doesn't mean I have to hate it too.” Eurus said, taking his seat on the outstretched blanket. “Plus, It's not like you've ever tried cheesecake for yourself, maybe it'd be an exception.”

“You don't actually think that, do you?” A laugh escaping Venti's lips as he replied.

To that, Eurus broke off a small piece of his dessert and brought it towards his partner with a smirk. “Not really, but why not try it anyway~?”

Suddenly he felt Venti's hand wrap around his wrist and try to push it back down.

“Ew, no!” Venti reiterated, his face a strange mix of disgust and amusement.

Feeling that he had teased his partner enough, Eurus relented, popping the piece of cheesecake into his own mouth instead. “Your loss.” He said, gaining a playful eyeroll from Venti.

“Don't expect me to kiss you until you've brushed. I don't want to taste cheese residue either.”

“So, what do you think~?”

Despite the many months Eurus had spent in modern Mondstadt, there was one thing he was hesitant on; clothing.

He had grown up in an era where elaborate clothing had been near impossible to find, with even nobility struggling to find them at times. As someone from more meager means, being caught in extravagant clothes was just asking to be sent to jail for theft–whether you actually had done so or not.

It was enough that, even now, the bard wanted to avoid such designs like the plague.

Yet here he stood, in front of a mirror reflecting the outfit his partner had picked out for him. Each piece decorated with just a bit more flair than he was comfortable with.

“It's… a lot…” He answered.

“Really? You know, compared to other clothes I considered, I thought these were the tamest ones.”

Ah, so his Little Elf was trying to keep his feeling in mind while modernizeling his style after all... It'd be rude to completely rebuff his efforts, the bard thought.

“Aw…” Venti said with mock disappointment that was completely undercut by his mischievous smile.

“I mean, I can keep it for special occasions. Just don't expect me to wear it all the time.”

Venti had learned a lot over the centuries he'd been a god. He knew about the firmament that blocked the true sky, he knew about the celestial nails that were allegedly meant to heal the land yet destroyed civilizations as they did, and he knew of the heavenly principles paranoia that anyone would get strong enough to pose a challenge to them.

And every time he thought of it all, he was reminded of Decarabian and the Windblume Rebellion. They were just a bit too similar for his comfort, as if the tragedy of his past was a microcosm of what the world at large was going through.

If he didn't know any better, he'd probably say that Time purposefully got rid of any trace of his bard for that exact reason. Even if his own experiences using her ability did to the simpler explanation.

Regardless, all this knowledge meant he was eerily aware of one thing; His promise to his bard–to see the true sky for him–would go unfulfilled so long as things stayed as they were.

He always tried his hardest to push that revelation down, to stop it from consuming his thoughts. Yet with winter rolling in and a dusting of snow falling from the sky, that became nearly impossible to do.

…

He wondered what his bard was thinking right now…

If the people he ferried to the afterlife over the years were correct, then his frequent dreams were indeed a connection to his long forgotten bard.

At first, it was a relief that some part of his bard had been able to know peace beyond the thousand winds, yet… This arrangement wasn't exactly peaceful.

Whether Venti liked it or not, he was opening his beloved to the horrid truth of the world as well… How did he feel about all of this? How was he holding up after centuries tied to a god?

Venti let out a sigh. How he wished to curl up in his bard's cloak once more, or at least have him sitting here beside him. To see his smile while still awake, rather than in hazy dreams. Or at least to not be the only one carrying his memory…

…

Barbatos always tried to avoid sleep–not the hibernation he knew he'd be forced into eventually, but regular old five-to-eight-hours-at-a-time sleep.

At first, he told himself it was because the land he had just inherited was still fragile. It was only recently that he had cut down the mountains and moved the people of Mondstadt to Cider Lake, after all. They were still in an adjustment period!

But the truth was far less selfless.

With his new level of power, he was far more aware of every sound around him: Some comforting, like the sound of waves hitting the coast, or the chirp of birds, others not so much. He would put the sputtering and screaming he would hear from people in the middle of the night firmly in the second category.

From what he'd learned this was part of the rebellion's cost. Not just the loss of innocent life, but the haunting nightmares for those who lived.

He… often wondered what kind of nightmares he'd have, while being too scared of the possibility to face it. So, he'd stay awake for as long as he could, even as he felt his eyes getting heavier day by day.

When sleep did finally catch up to him, it took him a moment to register what had happened. One moment he could've sworn he was watching over the new settlement, the next, he was on a cloud, standing directly across from someone who shouldn't be there.

“Huh…” The bard broke the silence as he looked around at the scenery, “This is definitely… Unexpected…”

Barbatos just stood there, paralyzed with fear as the Bard's eyes finally landed on him.

His old friend didn't seem to show any ill will to him, but he knew deep down he must hate him. He stole his face in his absence and became a god like the one they had fought against, how could he not?

A creaky “I'm sorry…” left the gods lips as tears welled up in his eyes.

So sure of his friend's feelings, he was completely caught off guard when he felt arms wrap around him. The warmth from the Bard's body felt far more real than he'd ever imagine a dream to be.

“There's nothing to apologize for, My Little Elf.” The bard comforted with the same soft voice that had always soothed him in the past, “I know you've been doing your best, both for the people, and for my memory.”

Barbatos let out a whispery laugh, “Really?”

“Yeah,” He replied, looking at the god softly until a flash of hesitation crossed his face, “Well, it's a bit complicated… I've actually been looking through your eyes, somehow?" It almost looked as if he didn't believe thw words coming out of his own mouth, yet he continued, "And I guess now I'm here… I'm not sure how any of this works.”

Well, that was a weird thing to say, the god thought as he quietly observed his friend. Dreams were known to have their own logic… was this an example of that, or was it true that he was somehow communicating with his bard from beyond the grave? He couldn't tell.

In the end, he gave the bard a smile, “If that's the case, then could we lay here for a while? I've really missed doing that lately.”

It took a handful of agonizing seconds before a thought crossed his mind. Maybe it didn't matter that much. After all, If this was truly his friend, then he should enjoy his company as much as he was allowed to, and if not, then at least it wasn't the nightmares he was dreading, right?

Mondstadt had weathered a lot in recent times, from one of the Four Winds being decieved, to attacks from the Abyss, to the Tsaritsa's rebellion.

Despite it all, the nation remained, yet their archon did not.

It had been… hard learning of their god's passing, even more so when they realised it meant the Best Bard in Mondstadt was gone as well. Leaving them nothing but a mysterious letter detailing his “return to the thousand winds”, and a promise to an unnamed bard forgotten by time itself.

Still, the people continued on the best they could, even as life decided to throw them two even stranger curveballs.

The first was a small doll-looking elemental creature that some Angel Share regulars found hiding in the tavern's rafters.

Tired and malnourished, it quickly warmed up to the drunks that tried to take care of it. Its bell-like cries and beady white eyes charming any who saw it, even Master Diluc, who allowed the creature to stay there, so long as it didn't cause trouble.

Soon enough, people were calling it an "Unofficial Mascot”, and then “The Little Wine Steward” when people found out that the creature gave surprisingly good wine recommendations.

The second was a strange young boy who looked like the spitting image of their dead god if he was dressed in even-more-outdated clothing.

It didn't help that he had flown into town on the back of the East Wind, or that he wouldn't give anyone his name, stating he “wanted to make sure of something first.”

Nevertheless, he was welcomed into the fold with open, if a bit cautious, arms. His face and music–becuase of course he was also a bard–becoming a common sight around the city.

Mondstadt wasn't ready for the day these two met.

No one was quite sure who invited the bard to Angel's Share that day, if anyone, but as soon as he laid eyes on the creature, the night got a whole lot more interesting.

Apparently, he knew the language creature spoke for some reason. The creature even confirmed that his translations were correct though fervent nods.

“Fair enough, I guess,” everyone thought, assuming the oddities would end there.

Then the bard invited the Little Wine Steward to perform a duet. 

Before anyone could raise an objection, the sound of lyre strings and bells filled the air as they began to play a classic song for all in attendance.

Over the course of their performance, the patrons around the pair fell into the familiar rhythm of any tavern music, shouting out requests as one song ended and clapping along as the next started to pick up. And in turn, the sound of merriment drew even more people in.

Then after a few songs, the bard spoke up. “It seems my partner here has a request for our next song, if none of you mind.”

The applause from their audience seemed to suggest they did not, so they began, the creature taking up the main melody.

“So, the creature wanted to show off its skills.” many people thought as they listened in.

However, that idea was quickly shattered when the song got to the bridge, and instead of the Bard, the creature took over singing with a voice that was a bit higher pitched, and very, very familiar.

No one dared say what they were all thinking. But by the end of the section, they didn't have to…

As the creature ended it with a cheeky wink, and signature “ehe~!”

Although the two of them continued to play as powerfully as they could, they were immediately drowned out by the sound of those around them going feral over the reveal.

The song had been over for minutes before the room calmed down enough for the bard to speak once more.

“So, I believe a proper introduction is in order, or at least a reintroduction.” He said, pointing to the wind wisp, “As you now know, this little guy is Venti. Looking a bit different from what you're used to, I'm sure, but definitively the same person.” 

Then he gestured to himself, “As for me, I did go by that name in the past, alongside a few others. However, nowadays I tend to go by something else…”