"Diluc, we should talk," I say, resting my head on his shoulder. It's been less than 48 hours since the morning in the tavern apartment, and not once have I worried about anything until I told Traveler where I was staying for the night.
"We've been talking?" His breath is hot against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
"I don't want people to know." I blurt, shoving my face into his neck more to hide my face. "Not while we figure out what we're doing."
"What are we doing?" He asks, running his fingers through the hair on the back of my head.
"I don't know yet, what do you want us to be doing?" Diluc pulls me closer, using his vision to warm the cold room, the wind doesn't help but it does give me a reason to cuddle into him.
"I would like to kiss you again if you'd let me." He kisses my hair, and I move my head back to meet his lips. He smells like wood fire and heat, one hand in my hair the other on the small of my back, pulling me closer.
"I would like to know your opinion, Diluc," I say, breaking away from the kiss.
"On what?" He asks, moving to kiss the side of my mouth.
"Now who's the one redirecting who?" I smile at him, not angry, but slightly frustrated. "How do you feel about people knowing about whatever we are, what we're doing?"
"What are we doing, Venti?" He asks, moving back to look at me. "Because all I know is that I want to kiss you again, and again and then some more." He lifts himself, letting go of me entirely and I feel cold without him. "I don't know what we are or if it matters. What I know is that I never want to let go of you."
"Then why did you let go?" He smiles, laying back down, pulling me towards him again.
"If you actively don't want people knowing then I won't say anything. It's no one's business anyway." He smiles before continuing again. "Although, Kaeya and his person probably know."
I jerk up. "Why would Kaeya know?" I nearly shout. "And who is 'his person'?" I feel the panic in my stomach, making me feel sick. Why would Kaeya know?!?
"Calm Wind Sprite, he's my brother." He shushes me, his hand on my shoulder. "I was talking to him and I called you my bard on accident. He knew about us before I did. Albedo, the Chief Alchemist for the Knights, was there. I haven't told them but I'm sure Kaeya knows. He's the one who told me you were at Cat's Tail."
"Why were you talking to him?' I ask my breathing calmer.
"We have an alliance of sorts, though I would never admit it. I was looking for you, he told me to look for Traveler. But I didn't see either of you for days until he came into the tavern and told me you were at Cat's Tail." Laying back down on the red sheets, he puts his arm under where my head would be, so I follow suit, laying my head on his arm. "Who knows on your side?" He whispers, brushing the hair out of my face.
"Just Traveler and Paimon. Maybe, Lisa, I don't know." He gives me a look and I know what he's thinking. Why do so many Knights know? "Traveler, Paimon, and I asked her to help us with flirting." I clarify, moving to kiss him, his face in my hands.
"Flirting?" He laughs, his smile pressed against my lips. "Is that what you were doing?"
"I was trying to, but It didn't work well." I admit, "I ended up drunk and avoiding you for a week."
"I know." He sits up, letting go of me again, an unreadable look on his face. "You're not going to do that again, are you? After this?" He asks, biting his lip.
"I was scared of rejection, I know better now." I kiss him, pulling him back to lay with me again. "Now stop letting go." Diluc smiles, pulling me close again, his arms around my waist.
"I hope you know that I'm never letting go." He whispers, breath hot on my ear.
"Even when people are looking?" I ask though I know the answer I hoping for.
"I will hold you every moment that I can when people are not looking." He says, brushing my hair behind my ear. I nod in approval and he smiles.
"You're really pretty when you smile." I giggling at his reaction. He smirks and then shows me his teeth, his very imperfectly pretty teeth.
"Gorgeous, I'm sure." He laughs, kissing my jaw. I nod, in agreement, mumbling that he's right. Diluc is a very very pretty man.
And I hope he never lets go of me.
