#ventiweek2024

The traveler’s breathing was steady but her heart wasn’t. He loved listening to its melody in sunny afternoons like this one. It was so perfect, a selfish part of him yearned for it to last forever. A wish that he could dream of this moment every single time he closed his eyes. No amount of words nor metaphors could ever convey the sheer peace his mind felt holding his beloved like this.

A rational part of his brain reminded him that they were no longer inside of her teapot, but the thousand other parts chirped about the speckling of the sun’s warmth. “My warrior…” he whispered to Lumine as she moved her hands from his head to his wings. He let out a little giggle as she toyed with every single feather. A jolt going up his spine the way she would trace it from the beginning to the tip. “Mh…”

Lumine did not say anything, but he could tell had a smile on her face without ever looking at her.

She had just finished her commissions by the time they reunited, having already talked to Katheryne for the day and now he had all the time in the world to hold such a lovely lass in his grasp! They had an impromptu picnic by his statue, and while Paimon ate half of his own plate, he didn’t mind it at all as long as he could hear Lumine’s voice. She has been so quiet as of late, something must have happened in the other nations that she did not want to tell him yet. He reassured her that he loved listening to here and that she was free to vent her worries to him.

He wanted to stare up into those golden honey eyes, but his own were growing tired. The lullaby that was Lumine’s silence was unparalleled, and there was no way he wouldn’t fall asleep.

Pulling up his wings closer to Lumine, he pressed his face deeper into her.

“Good night.” She muttered to him, closing her own set as she enjoyed the breeze.

-

Before long, the couple was awake. Sure Venti took a couple minutes to just stare up at the metaphorical goddess resting, but soon even her eyes would open- meeting his own.

She pressed a soft kiss on his forehead as she leaned, “How long did we sleep..?”

“About an hour and a half.” Venti didn’t need to double check, “Give or take ten minutes.”

She hummed, running her soft fingers into his hair once more. The bard practically purred at her movements, his wings twitching as she moved.  “You might want to change back,” She looked into his teal eyes as she spoke. Venti let out a mummer and burrowed his head deeper and deeper into Lumine’s body. “Venti…”

“I love holding you like this~” He whispered.

“Venti… someone from the church might see you. I know that one of the researcher who hangs around the knight’s library studies the tree would be coming by soon. Honestly, it’s a miracle she wasn’t already there beforehand.”

“My warrior… my starlight… the sun to my moon….” Venti flipped to be on his back, his wings disappearing as he did- revealing his underlayer. Thankfully, none of the grass stained his white socks or shirt. “Where did I leave my cape?” He looked around.

“I think Paimon is sleeping on it,” laughed the knight as she pulled him close. In this new position, he could see Mondstadt in the distance while feeling his beloved’s warmth breath on his neck. It tingled more pleasant than any drink.

“Want me to carry her?”

“No that won’t be necessary,” Lumine replied, Waking up the sleeping fairy, the white-haired girl let out a sleepy sigh and then teleported away. “She is going back to the teapot to take even more naps.”

As much as he hated to move, Venti stood up, holding out his hand for Lumine, Taking it, Lumine began to dust off any leaves that fell on her as Venti picked up his cape. Venti leans forward for more kisses, and his knight happily obliges.

She stretched, “We should probably head back now, I have some time sensitive ingredients I need to use the alchemy bench for.”

Venti smiled as she tightened her grip, and the duo began to walk. The sun wasn’t going to set for a while, but Lumine looked like she needed more rest. Perhaps once they were done with whatever they were going to craft, he could spend the evening making her dinner.

“…”

Venti paused in his step, and Lumine looked at him, “Is something the matter?”

“The… wind…” He muttered, furrowing his brow, “It’s talking but refusing to say anything.”

“Huh?”

“It’s like.” Venti placed his free hand on his chin, “two people exchanging notes right in front of you but the letters look blank- however, you can smell the invisible ink from your position.” He titled his head, “I wonder what’s going on…”

Lumine frowned and quickened her step- letting go of Venti’s hand as she pressed on in a sprint. Venti would have loved to enjoy the scenery and the passing pigeons- but this was bothering them both.

The first clue should have been when Venti passed the two knights at the gate, whispering to each other with excited but shocked expressions. The second clue would should have been how the breezes in the city laughed and laughed- something they haven’t done since Alice last stepped foot in the city.

“Is there something going on?” He thought as he weaved throughout the city. There were way more people walking in the streets today- something big must have happened. Yet considering how they didn’t seem sad, it might not be a bad thing.

“--- Barbatos and --- “

“saw --- “

“--- it makes sense how- “

“Such a natural with the glider --”

“---beloved ---- “

“Excuse me!” Venti chirped, catching the eyes of the group in front of him. Marjorie, Timaeus, Cyrus, Draff, and Margaret were gossiping.  “Did you all mentioned Barbatos?”

“Oh!” Margaret’s eyes widened, “Did you not hear?” the owner of The Cat’s Tail was a friend to the bard, who almost surpassed her status in being one of the esteemed drunkards of Mondstadt. “Lord Barbatos was spotted by Draff here and a couple hunters.”

“Huh!”

Draff nodded, “I was showing Jack an alternate route when we and a couple other hunters passed by The Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero and there laid the traveler, that fairy of hers, and who was no doubt Barbatos!”

“Ah?”

Cyrus frowned at the hunter, “Until there is further proof, it would be unwise for people to talk about his return.”

Margaret laughed, poking the leader of the adventure’s guild’s branch in the side, “But what if it IS true. Could you imagine that? One of your adventurers has brought back our archon!”

“I mean he was always with us…” Timeus tried to speak up.

Margaret rolled her eyes, “You are no fun. “ She turned to Marjorie, “How long do you think they have been close?”

The shopkeeper closed her eyes, “I haven’t seen her buy gifts of such variety, unless you count her lyre. Still she had an older more vintage one with her- it could be from him.”

“Eh?” Venti mind was racing, “Are you referring to the lyre she got in Sumeru?” the group of people turned to look at him, and he raised his hands up in defense, “She asked me for tips on how to tune it.” He trailed off, attempting to think of something “Do you think Barbatos would give her an untuned lyre without at least teaching her?”

Margaret giggled at his response. “Oh? You are close to the traveler, perhaps she wanted an alibi?” The tavern owner teased.

Draff’s ears twitched, “The traveler is coming right over here, why don’t we ask her?”

Right on cue, all of them spotted a blushing traveler being questioned by an enthusiast outrider. Amber was practically leaning over her with glee. Venti quickly moved closer to his beloved, and Lumine’s face got even brighter.

Amber smiled at Venti before speaking, “Venti! Did you hear the news?”

“Is it about… Barbatos.”

“Yeah!”

“You can say they got me informed,” He motioned to the group of people standing behind him. He would have said something about they should be getting back to work, but that would be hypocritical of him.

“…” Lumine stared at him and then moved her glace towards the exit of the city.

Margaret smiled at the honorary knight, “So, Ms. Lumine? Is it true that a certain winged man was spotted next to you?” Lumine’s eyes looked like she was promising disaster upon who spread the rumor, and so Venti did the wise choice and looked towards Draff. Following his gaze, the knight frowned.

Cyrus stepped in, “Margaret we should give them some privacy! Lumine has the right to not tell us and-“

“Actually I think Barbatos would be ticked at whoever spread such a half-truth,” came Lumine’s voice.

It was silent.

Then it was loud.

Amber was jumping up and down, “Lumine! You actually know him???”

“I told you I heard a voice when Dvalin sent me flying during the stormterror stuff, right? “ Lumine tried to avoid staring at Venti’s eyes, “It was such a kind and gentle voice, I managed to catch up to him again after the whole thing and we.. talked.” She laughed, “He visits my teapot sometimes.”

“Yet you mentioned.. half-truth..” Timaeus spoke, “Was that truly Barbatos with you?”

“No.. just a relative of his.” She lied.

“Huh.” Amber put her hands on her hips, “The archon has kin.”

“The anemo archon considers everyone of Mondstadt to be his children, “Venti automatically said. The group seemingly ignored his sincere words in favor for whatever Lumine was saying. As she improv-ed more and more, he listened to the breezes no longer concealing their words.

Ugh, how troublesome. It would appear that even the sisters in the church had heard the hunters’ words. Oh? And one of them had traveled back to Springvale and now the story is spreading there as well.

“I think we should give Lumine a break-“ Venti placed himself in front of the growing crowd. He could spot the pink ears of a bartender in one by one of the windows and the blue mane of the a spindrift knight listening in.

“She just took a nap.”

Lumine looked up at the sun, “Oh look at the time I got to do commissions!” and then prepared to teleport away. Subconsciously, Venti kissed his girlfriend on the cheek and then froze.

Oh of All The Times he let habit take over.

….

At least Lumine got to run away before things got worse.

“Venti.” He could feel Amber’s pryo vision warm the air, “Do you like the anemo archon’s beloved?”

“She said that wasn’t him!”

Marjorie snickered, “She was clearly fibbing.”

Ugh. Venti hated how astute his kids could be sometimes especially when it came to him. Then again he also loved it. Just.. not right now.

“I am going to tell Jillian.” Draff muttered before excusing himself to leave.

“Lumine and I passed by her earlier, “ Amber spoke again, “She was wondering if the traveler and Lord Barbatos got wed if they both would spend more time in the city-“

“WED?” oh so that’s why her face was like a tomato.

Cyrus patted the bard on his back, it was such a shame that his ‘love rival’ as the kids called it nowadays was the windblume festival was practically dedicated towards. ‘Huh,’ the adventure thought, ‘What was the flower the star had gifted the statue? Could that be the true windblume?’

He noted how the bard fiddled with his lyre as Marjorie, Draff, and Amber yapped, ‘Perhaps this love triangle is why he sings such silly songs about the archon.’

Venti let out a sigh, this was going to be a rough couple of weeks til the misinformation died down.

It was the evening after... that. Everything that had happened still hadn't fully sunk in for her. Her imprisonment. Facing the dragon again. Someone she thought was a mildly obnoxious bard, the ancient god of Mondstadt, descending on her people and healing their wounds and laughing in the faces of her captors. Her people's silence as they trudged back to their homes in the aftermath, words beyond them.

-

Wind gently rustled the grass around Vennessa's feet. She stood near the edge of a cliff overlooking Mondstadt.

The exchange after he asked them to make good on their word had been short but heavy with meaning. Venti had left, but not after implying- a hint of sharpness under his playful tone like a knife tucked under a carpet- that the nobles would change the way they do things or he would be back.

She hadn't expected him to be back this soon. He stood ahead of her, back turned and quietly watching the city. Should she be surprised? Her brain still wasn't working properly.

Venti turned his head to glance at her, the green of his hat and cape dulled in the setting sun's glow. Attire that had been shed for something white and radiant and revealing hours earlier.

She continued to stand there. Staring.

He inhaled.

"So."

She blinked. "So."

He glanced away, perhaps fidgeting slightly; it was hard to see much at this angle.

"I should start by thanking you again." he said, head turning back. "You caused quite the scene back there! It gave me the perfect opening to step in."

"Opening?" she replied. "Did you need one?"

"Technically no, but I prefer to help Mondstadt in a way that involves its people," he said, "and I'm reluctant to replace one tyrant with another."

"Right. Because you're... the god of freedom."

He winced at that. "...Yes."

Both of them stood in silence for a moment. Vennessa tried to pull herself together.

"I should thank you for helping my people as well. If you had come seconds later... I don't want to think about what would have happened there."

"Your role shouldn't be underestimated either! The fire burning in your soul is unparalleled. I suspect your prayers are what finally shook me awake."

...Awake?

"You were asleep?"

"Indeed," he replied, before turning back to stare at the city, "though I'd thought I would wake up somewhat sooner than this."

He paused.

"It's really been this way for centuries, hasn't it?"

"It has."

Venti didn't speak further. The breeze tousled their clothes, cold against Vennessa's bare skin.

Vennessa paused, wondering if she was about to cross a line.

"Venti."

Venti turned back to face her.

"Yes?"

"Are you... okay?"

He smiled.

"Of course! My energy reserves are regrettably somewhat depleted, but my public reappearance will accelerate my recovery significantly. I'll be right as rain within a-"

"I meant emotionally."

He froze mid-sentence. If not for her experience reading people she would have missed his eyes widen almost imperceptibly- just for a second.

"Venti?"

"It's fine." A pause. "I'll fix things."

"That wasn't a yes."

He laughed. It sounded a little strained.

"You shouldn't worry about me. You said it yourself; I'm a god, remember? I exist to serve Mondstadt's people. And I haven't been doing that. It's their feelings that matter here."

That last part was oddly familiar. It brought her back to countless sleepless nights before matches, stroking her sister's hair as she rested, crushing down her fear and telling herself she just had to hang on a little longer. She could feel once they were free.

Clearly Venti hadn't let things become this way on purpose. From what little she'd heard about him in legends...

"...You left to give them freedom, right? I guess that included the choice to-"

"Have they been free?" Venti snapped. The breeze suddenly intensified. "Free to express themselves? To self-govern? To live?"

Vennessa didn't know what to say to that. He was right, but...

Suddenly a dam broke, words pouring out of him.

"Do you know what a thousand people praying in desperation sounds like, Vennessa? Because I do. They've been flooding in since my little stunt earlier. But Mondstadt was so quiet before. How many generations did that take? How many people begged and begged for my help, still believing someone listened and cared?"

Wind whipped wildly around them. Sparks of teal in his eyes and hair grew in number and intensity the more he spoke.

"Venti-"

"And that includes you! And your people! You've suffered for generations and I did nothing! Why aren't you angry?"

Vennessa paused at that.

Should she be angry?

Her head was still swimming with everything that had happened. Emotions had swirled around her psyche like dust, the air too turbulent for them to settle into anything coherent.

Maybe she should be furious- should call him spineless and a coward and demand justice for everyone that came before her. But that somehow felt wrong. Like there was more to this.

Something in his face reminded her of Lind outside the city's gates. Trapped. Terrified.

"Did you actually choose to leave? Or was there some god business that-"

Venti laughed almost hysterically.

"Oh, that's it. Are you making excuses for me because I'm Barbatos? Because I could smite you where you stand? It's okay, you can still leave! I'm not even your-"

Screw worrying about lines. While she still couldn't say she knew him, god or not, he clearly needed help.

Gathering her resolve, she marched through the cutting gale between them and threw her arms around his shoulders. He made a sound almost like a squawk.

"V-Vennessa?"

"You asked if we could be friends."

"But-"

"Friends help each other when they're struggling."

"But you don't have to be-"

"And I'm not doing this because you're Barbatos. I'm doing it because I want to and you helped me."

"Only after-"

"I don't care what fuckups you've made in the past. All I've seen is you trying to fix them in the present. And I could do that with you."

He was as stiff as a board. The winds around them thrashed, confused and warring against themselves. He tried to push against her chest, push her away, but she squeezed him harder.

"You don't owe me anything. You could die! Your people could too!"

"That's always been the case, Venti. You've given us the first glimmer of hope that things could change. And do you know the most important thing my elders taught me?"

"That the gods should be there for you?" he mumbled into her.

She pulled back a little to look him in the eyes. He was like a deer in torchlight.

"That we shouldn't do everything alone."

Something within him tore. His face crumpled as he pulled himself back into her, a quiet whine escaping his throat.

"I'm sorry." He was almost inaudible.

"I told you-"

"It's just-" he paused- "it's been so long since anyone said that to me."

She hugged him tighter, raising one hand to rest on his head.

"Maybe people should do that more."

"But they need me-" he said quietly, his voice cracking, "to be perfect for them. To not do this. I'm their last line of defense, I can't be weak, I-"

"But you're not perfect."

He went silent again.

"At this point I'm not sure anyone can be," she added. "But that's why we lean on each other. To cover each other's weaknesses."

"You're genuinely not leaving?" he choked out.

She laughed gently. "We both have people on the line if this mess isn't fixed, right? And didn't someone say they owed me some keys?"

His breath hitched. His hands tightened their grip on her clothes.

"It's okay, Venti. I'm not going anywhere. You can be a person around me."

As Venti, archon of Mondstadt, person with feelings, her friend, lost the last of his composure and sobbed into her chest, she knew that her life would never be the same again- that the world would never look the same to her again.

But if even the gods were fallible, so were the Lawrences.

Things could change for the better.

The grass under Venti’s feet rustled with a soft sigh as he sat down on the mound, the dappled sunlight that slid lazily through the canopy of trees above them casting a rippling glow over the clearing. Almost absentmindedly, he brought a hand to his lyre, strumming a few chords and watching as the bustle of the children of the forest ceased, just for a moment, as the gentle notes lingered in the air, their sudden stillness practically thrumming with anticipation.

A soft, bright laugh rang from where his companion was sitting cross-legged on the plush forest floor.

“It seems like they really like that one - you’ve truly outdone yourself if you’ve managed to enthral the Aranara to that extent, Barbatos.”

Rukkhadevata’s fingers were playing idly with the fronds of grass, a certain light seeming to pulse through them just at her touch. She glanced up at him, her lips curved in a knowing smile.

Rolling his eyes, Venti flicked a light gust of wind in her direction, the blanketing warmth of the rainforest air serving to grant it a softness that completely removed any and all possibility of actually annoying its recipient.

“Aw, you flatter me - truth be told, it would be remiss of me to not admit that a lot of the inspiration for that tune came from those lovely dreams of yours.” Humming, he plucked out a few more notes, the Aranara’s hesitance seemingly giving way to their curiosity as they began to crowd around him in expectation. “Nevertheless, I’m glad that your friends are enjoying my little impromptu performance.”

She raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh, is that so? Well, I’m truly flattered that they were able to be of such use to you in your creative endeavours. It is only right that the wisdom found in dreams should be able to inspire some of the purest expressions of emotion.”

Venti nodded, her almost immediate understanding of his intentions tugging at a certain hollowness in his chest - one that he knew could never be filled again in the same way; and yet, Rukkhadevata’s respect for the value of song still served to ignite a similar warmth in the absence; it was, in some ways, enough.

“Perhaps that’s why they seem to be so fond of this number in particular then, huh.” He mused lightly as he cast over the lushness of the clearing that was absolutely brimming with life. “Well, if it is able to remain in their memory and the memory of this forest, then I’d be glad of it.”

He glanced back towards his friend, and just for a second, the serene smile on her lips seemed to falter, a flicker of uncertainty showing through for just a second before it returned, though it now no longer shone quite as brightly with the relaxed joy that it had done so with earlier, when all that had been hanging in the air in the clearing between them had been jovial music and laughter.

“Yes,” she breathed, almost inaudible against the constantly thrumming backdrop of life in between the trees and the leaves. “The forest will remember these songs - it will remember the emotion and the wisdom carried within them, even if the one who first inspired them is no longer present.” 

The strands of wind rustling in the branches stilled as the suddenness of her words started to seep through, slow yet creeping like the chill of the morning dew that still clung to the blades of grass beneath them, like the almost unnoticeable piercing of the subtly sharp fragments of shattered magnifying glasses. On the surface, he of course knew what she was referring to; the endless, repeating flow of memory through the wind, through the trees, through the ley lines; the communal ownership of such memories, and how the stories they told would eventually come to belong to those who told them, and not those who first penned them. They both knew this as an irrefutable fact of this world, but the quiet conviction with which she said it caused Venti an unnamable pause.

For once, the words felt stilted, as though they were tripping from his lips, as he dared voice a question.

“You… you mean that…”

“Barbatos,” she said firmly, suddenly, her eyes meeting his in a look of steady assurance, “if everyone in this world were to forget that you were the writer of the songs they love so much; if they were to forget you, and still enjoy the gifts of music that you gave them without a second thought for who the giver of those gifts might be, what would you do?”

Would you resent them? Would you allow them to resent you for leaving?

He pondered the question for a handful of seconds, the meaning of her previous statement seeming all the clearer now. The thousands of responses he could give sat heavy on his tongue, before he took the one that felt right, and carefully laid it out between them.

“I think that I would be glad that they had found meaning in those songs without feeling as though they had to because I was the one who gave them to them; I think that I would be glad to see them still enjoy and share those songs together, not because someone made them, but because in doing so they would be able to create new meanings from them together.” He paused, breathing in the scent of ancient wood that hung in the air, before continuing, a light smile playing on his lips. “After all, isn’t that what knowledge is all about, o mighty God of Wisdom?”

He watched her eyes flicker with slight surprise, a small gasp escaping her lips before they curved ever so lightly into a smile, her hands folding over one another as she chuckled.

“Thank you. I think you’re right - I simply hope that whatever’s left will be enough for the provocation of the enlightening discussions of which you spoke.”

Venti huffed. 

“You know, I’ll do my best to remember and contribute in all the ways I can, too.”

Her newfound certainty seemed to lighten something in the space between them, or perhaps cause it to slide into place, or at least the light laughter that rang out in response to that made it sound that way.

-

Kaeya yawned and stretched, sunlight gently warming his back from behind his kitchen table. Venti sat across from him, engrossed in his breakfast. The two of them were having pancakes courtesy of Kaeya. There were still soot stains on the wall from Venti's attempt the previous weekend.

As Venti drizzled even more syrup onto his stack, his eyebrows furrowed adorably in concentration, Kaeya couldn't help but stare. Mornings like this, where neither had work to go to and his braids glistened different shades of teal in the sun's rays and his expression was unclouded by his past, were his favourite.

Last night Venti had finally felt comfortable showing Kaeya his archon form. He'd been jittery with anxiety, Kaeya holding him and stroking his wings and murmuring sweet nothings to him, hoping it would- if only a little- help gently untangle the millennia of baggage he'd accumulated. He knew Venti was a god. Seeing him like that drove it in more, but despite literally glowing last night he looked far more radiant in this little moment of domesticity.

Venti glanced up from his stack- now half the height it was before- and gave him a bemused look.

"What are you thinking about?"

Kaeya shot him a smug look back. "You."

Venti snorted, looking away in a poor attempt to hide the blush dusting his cheeks.

Kaeya was tempted to say nothing and not ruin the moment, but there were things he needed to ask.

"So..."

Venti looked back at him. "Hm?"

"About last night."

Venti's expression curdled. "What about it?"

"Don't worry, I meant everything I said back then." Kaeya hastily replied. "Nothing has changed."

Venti hummed. He didn't sound convinced.

"I was just wondering..." he continued, "if that's your true form, is that what you're most comfortable in? Do you only go around wingless to maintain an image? If that were true I wouldn't mind if... you know..."

As he trailed off- archons, he was still awful at sincerity- Venti's shoulders relaxed again. He put down his fork and hummed thoughtfully.

"Technically neither are my true form. I don't really... have one? Unless you count how I looked before ascending, but even that was an ephemerally-formed concentration of anemo for the convenience of other-"

"Hang on. How you looked before you ascended?"

Venti shifted awkwardly in his chair. "Right. Well. I didn't always look like this."

Kaeya raised his eyebrows. "You didn't? I know you're not human but none of the specifics; what were you?"

Venti sipped some of his apple juice. "A small spirit coalesced from a thread of the Thousand Winds. I couldn't even play the lyre at the time; I don't know how I managed."

Kaeya leaned in; it was rare to hear much about Venti's past. "Is that why you made yourself look human, then?"

Suddenly Venti's expression darkened. He looked down at his pancakes, something unreadable in his eyes. "Not exactly."

Ah. Difficult subject?

"We don't have to talk about that now," Kaeya said softly, "or any time soon. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks." Venti replied, a little stiff. The atmosphere was still off. He should distract him.

"Your old form, though. Can I see it?"

Venti was still focused on his plate but his expression shifted slightly- was he blushing again?

"It's a bit embarrassing."

Now he had to see. "Nonsense, I'm sure it's majestic."

Things were still awkward but Venti's expression was less clouded now. He could afford to push a bit.

"I'll pay for your drinks for a week? But one bottle max per night, I know how you are."

Venti furrowed his brows again, torn between preserving his dignity and the offer Kaeya knew he couldn't resist.

He sighed.

"Anything for you, mein Liebling."

Kaeya opened his mouth to reply but flinched and covered his eyes as Venti disintegrated into teal light. A soft breeze, simultaneously warm and cool like Venti's skin was to the touch, emanated from his form as it shrank and recoalesced above the table.

The light cleared. Kaeya blinked its echoes from his eyes. Another tiny pair of eyes blinked up at him.

Holy shit, he was adorable.

The dark amorphous face those eyes sat on, half the size of his palm, was framed by a frilly white cloak with teal accents, crowned with two pieces of fabric that reminded him of his usual cecilia accessory's leaves. Tiny teal legs dangled in the air as a vaguely winglike trio of floating things fidgeted behind his back.

Kaeya couldn't stop a laugh from escaping his throat. He slapped a hand over his mouth but couldn't hide its widening corners.

Venti was unimpressed and tried to give him a deadpan look but it made him even cuter.

"Don't laugh!" he said in what Kaeya could only describe as a chirp. Dear Celestia, he was going to asphyxiate. He couldn't hold back the laughter anymore.

"I'm sorry-" he forced out between inhales- "it's just too much! You're like a kitten. I want to smoosh your little face."

He reached out and poked Venti teasingly. He was soft like a marshmallow.

Venti sighed, his deep exasperation done no favours by his higher pitch. "I'm not going to hear the end of this, am I?"

"Nope!" Kaeya replied, grinning. "You can have your dignity back in a second, but can I do one small thing first?"

Venti moved his eyes in a vague impression of rolling them. "Fine. Sure."

Standing from his chair, Kaeya leaned over the table and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Venti's face flushed teal; Kaeya smiled even wider, gazing at him fondly.

"You should take that form again. I'd love to do that more often."

His lover turned his face away from him, but something about him made Kaeya think he'd be smiling if he was able.