A Barbz Brainrot~🤍
Still thinking about Venti and a composer/performer windblume ngl~🎶
Maybe you meet him at the Irodori festival, later at night at Ritou, a light and pleasant breeze enveloping you as you sit on the dock, facing the sea. Most people have turned in for the night except for you and a most peculiar green clad bard who had caught you humming to yourself, notebook and pen in hand, trying to create a melody to accompany the harmony you had composed.
"I don't think I've seen someone write music without a lyre in ages! Ehe..." He chuckles, you trying to compose yourself and be rid of the bright pink dust on your cheeks. It's surprising how you managed to not fall into the water.
"Uhm, yes! Yeah, I'm not...I'm not that good with a-a lyre...to be honest?" You say awkwardly to the stranger with pretty braids and a flower you don't think you've seen before in his hair.
"Aha...I'm just messing with you. But if you've ever stepped foot in Mondstadt..."
He gives you a cheeky smile and takes out a lyre, prettier than you had thought one could be.
"You'd know exactly what I mean."
"So I take it you're from Mondstadt?" You ask, already able to match his energy for some reason.
He daintily strums the lyre, his face turning into a posh smirk. "Guilty as charged."
As you laugh softly into your hand, you take more notice of his features. You could have sworn you could have seen him before...
"So!" He announces as he plops down right beside you. "What's a little poet like you doing all alone out here? It may not seem like it, but the night is still so young!"
"Oh...no no no, I'm not a poet, see, this is just a bunch of nonsense and vomit in the form of what I like to call "lyrics." You anxiously giggle, already alert of his emerald eyes dangerously eyeing up the journal stuffed with sheet music in your lap with a growing chaotic excitement.
"I-im also a bit shy when it comes to performing and the like, so..."
"Why? You've got one of the most beautiful voices I've heard since I've been here! And trust me-there is way too much talent here."
Your heart skips a beat.
"But I wasn't even-"
"Don't be silly, humming counts." He says sing-songingly.
"Well, I- uhm, thank you, Mr. Bard." You finally give in, a small blush dusting your cheeks.
"Ah, that's more like it." He sighs with a relaxed smile on his face.
...
He looks at you expectantly, knowing what you're going to ask him.
"I'm sure your voice is lovely too! Uhm... Mr...Bard...uhm... Wouldnt you prefer if I called you anything else?"
"Other than the 3x winner of 'Best Bard of Mondstadt?" He can't help but laugh at how your mouth forms an o shape.
He leans over and props his elbow on his knee, raising his eyebrows dramatically. "You, Cecelia, may call me "Venti."
He leans a little closer, shoulder to shoulder with you, and gives dramatic jazz hands. "Venti the Bard..."
You try to do the jazz hands along with him, but you just can't help but look at him in awe. Was he bluffing? Sure he was kind of flamboyant, but...
"Allow me to soothe your troubled mind~a Cecelia is a flower from Mondstadt...personally my favorite, but..."
You're still staring at him, kinda confused.
"ah, I see." He smiles. "A flower is a plant that grows out of the ground! It's got pretty peeetaals, and steeemmms, and-"
You lightly bop him on his head so his hat falls slightly over his face. "Not that!"
He fixes up his hair as he smiles goofily at you. "I'm just messing with ya!"
"it's just that your...are you actually..."
"What? Don't trust me?"
"No, no! I-"
"I'll have you know that I have a multitude of compositions to my name, thank you very much!" He playfully yells, whipping out some sort of book and flipping the pages so they all brush against your nose. You crinkle your nose and close your eyes, trying to stifle your giggles. Who even is this person?
"Here. Hold my lyre for a moment." He says, plopping his pretty lyre in your lap softly before thoroughly digging through his music.
"Mein FrĂĽhlung is a dear thing, but she's seen some things. Feel free to play a little bit! Go on! We've a performance in a while, she needs a good warm up."
"Why so late?" You ask, letting your fingers delicately grace the strings of the lyre.
"I told you. The night is still is still so young. Taverns are thriving, and the locals have not even had an ounce of their fair share of Mondstadt music."
"I suppose that makes sense. Also isn't tonight one of the nights where performers get free drinks or can at least guarantee someone's gonna buy a drink for them?"
"Oh! That's even better...hehehe..." The Bard recalls deviously as he seems to have located the music he was looking for.
"Alright, cecelia~ I'm gonna prove to you that I can make pretty music too, just like you~"
"I don't doubt you, "Mr Venti the Bard." You giggle as you look at the music now laying in your lap. He takes the lyre from you, and then already looks prepared to play.
"Ready?!”
You look back up at him as he adjusts himself to the key. “Wait, what?!!!”
He huffs. “Well, how will you know if you like my music if you haven’t sung it?”
“But-“
“And it’s a dueeettttt~”
“Wait, really?”
“Sure is, silly! Now… top or bottom? Both voice parts are closer in range to each other, but the top is definitely the main melody for most of the song. Personally I think you could go either way, but I kind of want your voice to stand out…”
You giggle, still in disbelief that he’s actually getting you to sing. “Okay, fine~ I’ll take the melody. It looks quite pretty.”
He smiles warmly and doesn’t waste time in playing a delicate intro to his piece.
The first verse belongs to him-his voice catches you off guard with how smooth and soft it is. There was something so unique about it too. You had heard so many male performers with beautiful voices, but there was just something so different about Venti’s. It was almost as if it were the wind itself-so innocent and free, yet it knew all the secrets of the world. Before you can get too lost in the beauty, his eyes lock with yours, cueing you in.
Now it’s his turn to hear your gift. You’re sight-reading~ he knows this. It doesn’t phase him one bit when your voice is a bit shakey. He doesn’t understand how you could be so nervous with a beautiful and consistent voice like yours. It’s so distinct, but just fits perfectly. Something about it resonates with him…but he’s going to contain his excitement so he doesn’t ruin your flow.
When your voices meet in the chorus, it’s a dance. Two beautiful voices intermingling and breathing life your waltz, only supported by a harmony of arpeggiated chords on the lyre. When you repeat the chorus one last time, the bard decides to play the chords together-one reason being variety, the other just being…it feels right.
The last chord settles, and all you can do is look into the bards eyes. You had no idea someone could sing like that…even with such a simple song, he put so much life into it.This clearly wasn’t a gig just for money, or a silly title like “Best Bard of Mondstadt” to him.
“Well, what do you say?” He says, cocking his head. “Is it worth my title?”
“That was so pretty…how did you make that all by yourself?”
He chuckles. “Well, I can’t take all the credit…your voice truly is something, my dear.”
You put your hands on your cheeks. “Oh please… even then, I didn’t write it!
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asks, gently strumming his lyre.
“I mean-“
“Ah. You’ve never played a lyre. I’d love to teach you!”
“That’s not what I meant…but wait, you’d do that?”
He puts a friendly arm around your shoulder, and you allow him to pull you slightly closer.
“Of course I would! You’re already clearly a talented musician, so it wouldn’t be too much trouble-just a lot of dedication on your part.”
He takes your hand with his free hand and inspects it. “And you’ve got some good hands, by the way. They would be perfect for lyre playing.”
You blush deeply, eyes widening at the out of pocket compliment. “Uhm, thank you!”
“So, how would I repay you? I’m far from rich, but I’ll do anything to return your kindness!”
He smiles cheekily, his cheeks turning slightly red. “Ehe~”
“Mr. Venti the Bard?”
“So…first of all, may I have your name? We’ve a deal to strike.”
“Oh dear…”
“Come on, come on! You just said…” he says.
“It’s (y/n).” You respond with a huge nervous smile. With this bard, he could be asking anything.
He takes your hands in his. “Well, fair (y/n)… in exchange for me taking you under my wing, would you be willing to do me a few favors from…time to time?”
You still are smiling, eyes now closed. “What type of favors?”
“Ehe~”
Archons help me.
“So… remember that performance I was talking about?” He asks, twirling his braid in his fingers.
“Yes…you were referring to you and you’re lyre, right?”
He just smiles. It’s a very pretty smile.
“Right?”
He raises his eyebrows.
“Oh archons, I should have known!” You say, laughing nervously into your hands.
“Please (y/n)? I promise, I know what a beautiful voice is. I’ve been there and done that, I have a lot of experience! More than you would think!” He begs. He gently takes your hands back into his own.
“I’m gonna mess it up…”
“No you’re not! And even if you do, nobody has a clue. Only me. And I think the performance has much more to do with quality rather than memorization and using the score as a script…okay?”
…
“Pretty please?”
“Promise you won’t get mad?” You ask shyly.
He holds out his pinkie to you. “I promise.”
The deal was made, and he instantly pulls you up with him and links his arm with yours.
“I’m so happy you’ve decided to join me!” He says, beaming. “Now let’s go!”
"Its now?
“Archons help you…”
