Dear (Genshin Impact X Reader)

Fate (Venti)

Many things have occurred during his long years of existence.

From the rise and fall of prominent families to toppling oppressive regimes and the like.

Yet none of those events have ever prepared him for an event such as this.

"Say hello to Papa, Libertus"

The anemo archon stood unblinking as he was presented with a wrinkled newborn baby swathed in a soft blue cloth. His little face is scrunched up, probably after just being born into the world less than an hour ago. Like all newborns, he didn't look all too good because of the reddish hue of his skin, but that was something that would remedy itself in the coming months.

The bard is no stranger to children, even small ones. He's lost count of all the newborns he'd blessed over the years, but it is a first for him to hold his own offspring.

His son is warm in his arms and so utterly tiny that he feels like he'd break at the slightest movement, but this child is a strong one if his piercing wails when he was birthed from his mother was any indication. Venti is silent for several moments as he allows himself to digest the fact that this was his son, his child who was created and born with the best parts of you two.

Never had he imagined himself settling down. He was the god of freedom so something such as marrying and assuming the responsibilities of a husband and a father seemed so alien to him not too long ago.

But here he is now, cradling his first-born and for once speechless as the very air in his lungs seem to have disappeared and rendered him breathless. He'd likely have stayed that way if not for Libertus opening his eyes, revealing a pair of very familiar orbs Venti thought he'd never see again in his life.

Though exhausted from having just given birth, you are all smiles when your lover beholds the fruit of your union with such care and trepidation, seemingly fearing bringing harm to your baby even if that was the last thing you knew he'd ever do. Despite the initial fears you both had, the joy of finally being able to hold Libertus in your arms is next to none.

"H-Hey, buddy. Nice to finally meet you...I...We've been waiting a long time for you..." the dark-haired male's voice is uncharacteristically shaky, but you chalk that up as him being overwhelmed by being a new father. "...You really took your sweet time to get here, huh?"

As he spoke, tears seemed to gather at the corner of the bard's eyes until he was crying as he spoke to the clueless baby he held. "That's really unfair of you, you know? I thought I already prepared myself enough with all those parenting seminars your Mama and I took before, but..."

Though he wept profusely, he wore an ear to ear smile the whole time as he spoke to the tiny tot.

You expected him to get emotional like any new parent, but you honestly didn't expect Venti to start crying of all things. However, the sight of the young man clutching your child and speaking to him so tenderly made you feel that all the sacrifice and pain you went through to bring Libertus into the world was worth it. Barely an hour outside the womb and he was already reducing both his parents into weeping emotional children.

"I'm almost afraid to imagine how Bertie will fare once he grows up into a big, strong man. I'm sure he'll become such a strapping young gentleman that we'll have to beat the young ladies off with a stick," you muse, quite sure of yourself that your son will truly grow up into quite the heartbreaker.

Though you honestly do hope he won't become a former skirt-chaser like his father...

"Of course he'll be the most charming man in all of Mondstadt. I guarantee it!" Exclaimed the bard, having wiped off the tears and returning to his usual exuberance. "He's our son after all! And he'll definitely take after me in all aspects!"

"Let's just hope he doesn't take after your...less appropriate qualities, dear."

He smiled embarrassedly, "Well, I believe that the qualities I lack will certainly be made up for with your own stellar ones."

Looking back at the now sleeping babe, the new father presses a kiss to his forehead as warmth fills his eyes. "This time, I'll make sure to watch over you carefully. I'll raise you into a good man and watch over you until the day this body can no longer do so. That's my promise to you, son."

The archon remembers a young boy whom he'd come to befriend and whose life ended prematurely due to circumstances beyond his control. He remembers despair and regret which he had to bury in order to take up his duties as the divine lord of his scarred homeland.

Barbatos embodied freedom and the wind, but sometimes even freedom seemed to be an illusion when he was still shackled by the regrets of yesterday. No matter how far he ran, he can never outrun the past.

But now...now was his chance to finally free himself from that which chained him to what has already passed. This was his chance to start anew, and look towards the bright future he fought so hard to protect for all his people and yet never allowed for himself.

"I know you can't understand what everyone's saying yet, but I want to say that I love you anyway. I loved you from the moment your Mama and I learned that we've been blessed with you. I loved you during all those moments you kept waking us up in the middle of the night with all your kicking...."

Venti trailed off and took a deep breath before continuing. "And I love you even more now that we're finally able to meet you. Fate or chance, I choose to love you for everything you are and will be. Thank you for being born, Libertus."

That night, the little family of three slept peacefully.