A Barkeep And His Poet

Flirt

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Traveler?" Sitting at the top of the windmill, Traveler watches for Diluc.

"Why is he entering Kaeya's house?" Paimon asks, floating next to Traveler.

"I don't know, maybe to beat the shit out of him?" Traveler muses. "We need to find out what he likes. I know, I know. We've been asking for days. But I have a feeling we need to listen to that conversation."

"No way. I'm not entertaining this anymore." I say, pulling at Traveler's arm.

"Please, Venti? We have got to get him to like you back. What if we get you some different clothes, or we could-"

"No! I like my clothes. Besides, we could always leave it. Let me like him from the back of the tavern. Yaknow, not say anything?" I plead. I want his to be over. We've been planning for days.

"No way Venti. We have got to get him to like you back."

"Paimon agrees!!"

I sigh, realizing it's no use. "Why don't we play it by ear? Ok, we can't just flat out ask him what he likes."

"We could always.."

"No. I'm not going to change for some guy." I interrupt

"I was going to say 'we could always just tell him'" Traveler finishes

"NO!" I shout, almost falling off of the windmill. Paimon has to grab my arm and pull me back up.

"Fine, no need to yell." Traveler shrugs. Hanging off of the rail. "I don't know why it's such a big deal. You can shape shift. Just make slight changes."

"I took the form of a friend, remember?"

"Shit, sorry Venti. I didn't mean it." They flinch a little.

"It's ok. I'm not mad. But why do I feel like you have something else you want me to shift into?" I ask, and Traveler looks a little guilty.

"We need you to shift into a wind sprite so we can eavesdrop on their conversation." They say sheepishly.

"No. If you have any better ideas I'd love to hear it. But I'm not eavesdropping." Traveler's face seems more determined now. But I can't tell what they're thinking.

"Paimon is starting to think that we bit off more than we can chew." Paimon's cape flows in the wind as she talks, the constellations around her popping in and out of view.

"No," Traveler says. "I think we can do this."

"You really believe in your matchmaking abilities, don't you?" I ask. Getting slightly irritated at the conversation. I want to leave it alone.

"You could always just flirt with him, Tone-Deaf Bard," Paimon says, shaking her head.

Traveler and I stare in shock.

"How did we not think of that? You're brilliant, Paimon!" Traveler almost yells. "A breakthrough, finally. That's what you'll do. Flirt with him!"

"Flirt how, Traveler?" I squeak. "I haven't seriously flirted with anyone in hundreds of years."

"We could ask Lisa for some tips. She flirts all the time, and she knows Diluc well." Paimon suggests.

Traveler nods, and I'm stuck. I'm starting to feel hopeful. Could this work?

"Ok, fine. We'll ask Lisa." I don't like conceding, but I'm starting to feel excited.

"Awesome, Let's go. Come on, come on, come on." Traveler says and they pull at my arms, pulling me down the ladder to the bottom of the windmill.

The three of us running to the library, looking for Lisa. Or floating to find Lisa.

When we get there Paimon's out of breath. "How much energy does it take to float?" I laugh. Paimon sticks her tongue out at me, causing both Traveler and me to giggle.

"Well, hello darlings? What can I do for you?" Lisa asks when we run into the library.

"We need to know how to flirt!" Paimon says, floating around Lisa.

"Oh? Does someone have a crush?" She smiles when my face flushes red.

"Please help us, Lisa." Traveler asks. No one can say no to Traveler.

"Of course. What do you know about flirting?" She asks, sitting down at her desk, pouring some tea for us all.

"Absolutely nothing," I answer. Again, I haven't flirted with anyone in hundreds of years.

"I'm going to throw out some things you should do. And then we can go down the list and practice. Ok, Sweeties?" We all nod and Lisa Keeps talking. "You need to make her laugh."

"It's a boy." I can't help but interrupt. I'm not trying to flirt with a girl.

"Oh, it's pretty much the same process. Thank you for trusting me with that Venti. Although," I yelp as a shock goes through my arm. "Don't interrupt your teacher."

She laughs a little, sipping on her tea. Traveler, Paimon, and I take it as a hint to drink ours as well.

"You need to make him laugh. Laughter is the way into someone's heart, and you need to make sure you have something in common. If you can talk about one thing you can talk about anything. Make eye contact. No matter how nervous you are, make eye contact."

The three of us nod, following along.

"Alright, let's practice."

So we practice for hours, a shock going through us every time Lisa wasn't satisfied. At sundown, Lisa's yawning and it's time for us to go.

"Thank you, Lisa!" Paimon calls as we leave the library.

"Thank you, guys. I'm starting to feel hopeful." I say as we leave.

"Of course, do you wanna spend the night in the teapot? Sleepover?" Traveler asks.

"I would love to, my favorite being." I giggle.

Traveler smiles and we walk out to Windrise, as to keep the teapot out of view of those who don't know.