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In the wake of the night, a lone figure is sitting on top of the Barbatos statue, unwary of the cold breeze hitting the cloak gently. Perhaps the breeze is happy to accompany the lonely archon who is staring at the vast sky with an unreadable expression.
Whether he is staring at the bright moon shining over Teyvat, or the constellations guiding the wanderers in lightless night, or even the ever-so-respected Celestia, no one but the windborne bard would know. “My child, I appreciate your concern, but I am okay,” he whispers gently as his eyes linger a little longer at the night sky.
One would never believe that this person with a melancholic look in his eyes would be the same bard who downs dandelion wine like drinking water, and serenades the Mondstadters with flowery tunes as sweet as the cecilias.
As his gaze now falls on Mondstadt City, a small smile graces the youthful face, “The dandelions and windwheel asters are extra chatty tonight. Surely they did not enjoy your attention more than mine, my dear traveller”.
Aether, who is carefully walking along the Barbatos' arms in fear that he might fall from that height (like that one time when Paimon was playing a prank on him by pulling his braid, which resulted in him having to spend another 10 minutes to climb the statue again), looks at Venti sheepishly and plops next to him. Surprisingly, the white haired companion who usually hovers around the traveller is nowhere in sight.
“Paimon said she wanna sleep early tonight because she stuffed too much Sticky Honey Roast for dinner,” as if he could read Venti’s mind, Aether softly explains while trying to find a comfortable position to sit before settling to just lean against the Anemo Archon.
The gesture caught the archon off guard, but not unwelcome, for the golden-haired traveller was never one to indulge in physical affection. Before he is about to provide a word of comfort, the traveller gently grabs Venti’s hand, “I saw you from down the statue.” Aether quietly traces the lines on his palm before intertwining their fingers together.
Venti was a bit surprised when the traveller said that, for he was not aware of the traveller’s presence, not until he stood behind him. He was anything but careless when it came to Aether anyway.
“And so you decided to climb this statue and grace this lowly archon with your divine presence, have you?” Venti adds in a lighthearted tone.
Don’t get him wrong, he loves the presence of the otherworld traveller, especially considering that he rarely visits Mondstadt on his own accord now. However, his comment remains unanswered as Aether stays silent while holding Venti’s hand, avoiding any eye contact.
“Aether? Is anything wrong? Do you-” his worry got cut off when Aether suddenly grabs the Anemo Archon’s shoulder to face each other, “I saw you from down the statue and the looks in your eyes. I don’t like it. I don’t like it when you have that empty look in your eyes. I don’t like that you look like your freedom was stripped away from you.”
Venti’s eyes widen at the sudden upburst of the traveller, as he has never once seen him so worked up over something so trivial. It was a cute sight to be honest.
Venti wishes he had a Kamera now to capture this expression of Aether, which comes only once in a blue moon. But seeing worries and fears decorating the pair of golden orbs tugs his heartstrings, for reasons he cannot explain himself. Perhaps these feelings reminded him of when the nameless bard suddenly cried and apologised endlessly the night before Decarabian’s fall, though that is for another story.
His thoughts were cut off when he felt a pair of rough hands cradling his face, as if he were a fragile dandelion flower.
“Such distresses are unbefitting of you, my dearest traveller. For the empty looks in my eyes are nothing but the ramification of me living so many aeons already. In fact, you yourself are no stranger to these feelings, am I wrong?”
Aether averts his gaze from Venti’s knowing look with a pout on his face. Venti chuckles at the sight and grabs the pair of hands before kissing them with a tender look in his eyes. It is refreshing to have someone to worry over you, especially when you are over 2000 years old.
“You don’t have to tell me what bothers your mind, but just know that I will never leave you alone,” Aether said softly before adding, “Besides, Paimon always pesters me to visit Mondstadt because apparently she needs her monthly dose of Good Hunter’s sticky honey roast.”
Laughter fills the night air, and Venti exhales softly as he returns his gaze towards the sky. He admits that he was feeling down tonight as he reminisces about his past as a tiny wind spirit. Perhaps he was feeling extra down because his memories of that time were no longer as sharp, as he could only recall them through his own recollections of songs.
But now he is no longer alone in preserving these memories, and that assurance alone calms the storm building in his heart.
“Venti?” Aether calls him out, as he did not look away from the sky after some time, feeling uneasy seeing this unfamiliar, melancholic Barbatos.
The Anemo Archon slowly turns to Aether and buries his face in the golden-haired traveller’s neck.
“Aether, though this may be a huge burden, please promise me that you will always remember these memories. For you, O’ witness of the fate, are not bound to the erosion of time.”
His voice shook slightly as if pleading for his god’s mercy, and if he heard little sobs coming from the bard, Aether figured it would be best if he just sat there silently. For when the morning comes, Aether wishes for only smiles and laughter to fill the archon’s day, leaving the thousands of years worth of grieving for him to carry instead.