Aether hummed, his feet moving to the pace of the city. Friday nights in Mondstadt were especially busy, and even though it was half past 11, various lights and lanterns kept the village lit as people made their way around the place for personal needs and what not. His floating travel companion had tapped out this time, claiming she was too tired to go out on any favours.

The honorary knight walked down the paths near Flora's flower store set up, eventually reaching the lower levels of Mondstadt near the tavern. Glancing at the barrels in front, he quickly decided that going in for a few hello’s wouldn’t be too bad. With a quiet bell chime, the Angels Share noise set into his ears. With tables full and bard playing a lyre at the back. It set a nice ambiance, as he walked up to the ba-

“Traveller! Wha- *hic* Are you doing here?”

recognising the high pitched voice. He turned to meet the eyes of Mondstadt’s famous bard. Venti quickly spinned the chair around and stumbled off. Though, immediately falling into his dear friend wasn't quite what he was trying to do. But it didn't matter, he wrapped his arms around the knight tightly as Aether tried to pull him up to prevent him from falling.

“Ehe~! Aether..*hic* where.. Where have you beenn~? I haven- *hic* seen you in Mon- Monstadt for like.. ever. ehe..” he slightly rambled, huffing as the traveller finally stabilised his stance. “Venti.. who let you get this drunk?”

“I’m not drrun- drunk! jus- *hic* just happyyy~ ehehe.. Aether i'm all spinny.. you- can you pass my me-.. wait.. me my drink? yeah..” He giggled out, whining as aether threw their hand over his shoulder and led his arm around to their’s. “Come on, let's get you home okay?”

Venti gasped loudly, though not to be looked at twice with all the commotion in the tavern. “Whaaat? no!- nonono.. I still.. need to drink the rest..! Ae- tther.. pleasee? ill tell you a secret if you do!” he insisted, leaning over to the others ear and cupping his hands around his mouth as he spoke-

“I’m.. actually Barbatos. shhh.. you can't tell aannybody okay? its a secre- a secret.” He took his hands away and looked into his eyes waiting for a reaction. Aether couldn’t help but laugh a bit, faking a surprised expression. “Wow, really?” he gasped, his voice dripping in sarcasm. He reached into his back pocket and slipped a couple mora bills under the half filled glass. But knowing Venti, that wouldn’t be nearly enough to cover his tab. Poor master Diluc...

“ye- *hic* yeah! I'm like.. alot old. what's the word.. chemistry?” he mumbled, in deep thought. Which is probably why he didn't notice when Aether slowly led him out the tavern and got his own teapot out, because archons know where Venti spends his nights.

“Cen.. centuries! Yeah.. yeah that- that's the word. it means like.. centurie- oh! that was fast.. you're a fast walker..” he slurred his words, leaning his head on Aether’s shoulder.. “I’ll take you to bed, come on.” he insisted softly, leading him up the stairs and into his bedroom. Within seconds of noticing the bed, he tilted his head up all the way and reached out to it only for his arm to slump back down lazily.

Aether complied, sitting him up on the bed and reaching over to the side table to get a bottle of water. “..you- you're not gonna make me drink that. right?”

….

“..right?”

with a loud groan Venti flopped onto his back and turned away. “Nooo- sont- dont make *hic* -make me..”

“Come on, if you don’t drink this now you're gonna feel especially sick in the morning. Trust me, it's not fun..” he shuttered slightly, remembering the feeling of a particularly bad hangover.

“I don’t care! you- you're bad! you're a bad bad man Aether- you're the worst! i'm not- *hic!* touching your weird, clear, tasteless drink!!”

Aether sighed, setting the bottle back. “..You're drinking it, whether you like it or not. And if it means I have to take some drastic measures, so be it." He said, a serious facade on his face.

The drunkard bard seemingly taking it seriously had wide eyes and a small smile as he spoke;“Huh?! dr- *hic!* drastic! what are you gon- AH! Aethther! dohont- dohohnt yohou dahahare!”

In a swift motion, Aether hand gently moved his hands to scribble across Venti’s upper ribs, giggling softly along with him.

“Oh, I do dare. You know how to make it stop Venti~” The traveller smiled softly, his hands skilfully scratching in between the little bones all the way down to his waist. Venti dug his head into the mattress, kicking his feet out behind him as he squirmed. “ahahE!- noho! Ihi dohon’t wahahant to! goHo awahay!” His hands pressed into the mattress with all the strength he could muster up while like this (Which in all honesty wasnt alot, especially for an archon..) , his wide smile on display.

“Awh, Venti.. Has anyone ever told you that you have a very pretty smile?” He said softly, his fingers massaging into the other’s waist over the lazily tied corset. Venti let out a loud hiccup in between his giggling, shaking his head left to right. “eheno! stohhop teheasing meheee!”

Aether chuckled with a gentle tone in his voice, blunt nails dragging down to where his hips met his thighs, digging in between. “Oh, but I would never tease you, wouldn't even dream of it, Venti.”

Okay, now he was definitely teasing..

Venti’s legs continued kicking, his hands shot up at Aether’s shoulders with a tight grip. “What, you don't like it here? Right here?” The blonde spoke, scribbling his fingers along his lower hips.

“Aehetherrrr~! ihi am- I aham a archon!”

“Yeah, a very giggly one in your case.”

“Aham nohot!” He argued back even through the said giggles, denying any sort of claims. “A drunk one?” Aether counter-offered, his hands travelling down to squish at the sides of his thighs.

“Nohot druhunk! juhust hahappy! I alreheady said that, I thi- wahait wait!” He repeated his phrase from earlier before jolting, his knees trying to curl up to his chest. “What, hm? You're gonna drink some water now?” He asked, fingertips momentarily stilling but continuing to rest on the spot.

“Waihit- juhust wahait..” He insisted, letting out soft breathy giggles as he caught his breath. “Thahats- thats not fair.”

“Ihits not fair?” The traveller repeated, a slight laugh of his own leaving his lips. “And why is that?”

“Because- behecause I have my things on! And thats- its soho bad, so you can’t.” He explained drunkenly, a hand pulling at his own tights to give further example.

“Oh I can’t?” He pressed his finger pads into the small diamonds on the patterned tights, enlightening a giggly gasp from the other. “Are you sure I can’t?”

“..No.” Venti mumbled, a soft squeal escaping his throat when he felt the hands suddenly attach themselves onto his knees and squeeze.

“You're so stubborn, just give upp~ I need to get you to bed, yknow.” Aether shrugged, talking like he was completely oblivious to what he was doing.

Venti didn’t reply, maybe a few babbles about how ‘he wasn’t a baby’, which the blonde simply countered with the reminder that he had his head thrown back because he was just that childishly ticklish. He honestly had never seen him shut up so quickly.. he's definitely gonna use this for blackmail.

“Okahay okay!” He exclaimed dramatically inbetween his squeals, “Stohop, ihim gohonna die!”

“Dramatic, but okay.” He chuckled, rubbing the left over tingles away. “You're done with your little tantrum? You’ll drink it?”

“..I want apple juice.”