a teyvat mystery － diluc x venti / diluven / venluc | fanfic / one shot

chapter 9

The sun had just started to rise above the horizon when Diluc left the manor. That morning was particularly cold, every time he would breathe his breath would linger in the air as if it was smoke from a pipe. Diluc was walking on the street which ran parallel to the harbor. The great harbor was covered in a misty fog which rose up from the sea and faded off towards the sky. He was looking for someone, a person who he had exchanged a signal with last night at the party. This person was no one of importance, but they could just have the answers he was looking for regarding the stolen wine bottle. Diluc arrived at the shop Scent of Spring, their arranged meeting spot. At the door the shopkeeper Ying'er gestured him inside. Sitting at one of the tables in the corner was a woman wearing traditional fatui clothes. Diluc sat down in front of the woman without saying anything. The mysterious woman spoke when he sat down, "Hey, it's been a long time. I was surprised to see you last night."
"Mhm," was all Diluc responded, not being in the mood for small talk.
"Are you back in?"
"No."
"Heh, then why come to this meeting?"
"I was wondering if you had some information on a certain object?
"Okay, but I can't stay for long. Don't want to risk my cover being blown."
"I understand. Have you heard anything about a wine bottle being taken through Liyue?"
"Oh that? In fact I have. It's set to be taken back to the homeland, the group escorting it leaves this afternoon. I think their course to leave is through the Tianheng Pass and then up by the Dunyu Ruins."
"I see. Thanks."
"May I ask what interest you have with the bottle?"
"It's mine."
"Hmm, I guess I should tell you the reason for its high priority then, it settles a rather large debt."
Diluc grimaced, it all made sense now. He knew who stole it and why it was stolen, but he still didn't know what made the wine bottle so special. "Thanks again," Diluc said as he got up from the table and left the shop. Once outside he headed back towards the manor to pack up his things and try to catch the Fatui envoy before it got too far away. He decided on the way to the manor not to tell Venti about any of this and to leave without him, as he wanted to keep Venti  far away from his father's sins. He creaked open the front door and tiptoed about the house trying to wake anyone up. However, he was surprised to find Venti already wide awake and awaiting his return.
"Hey, Master Diluc!"
"H-Hi..."
"What are you doing up so early?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well it's hard for me to sleep... ummm without you."
Diluc felt his face getting hot as he stuttered out, "E- A- R-Really?"
"Mhm, so I woke up soon after you left. Where'd you go?"
"To talk with someone."
"Oh."
"Well, I have to go out again. I might be gone for a while."
"Master Diluc, are you leaving me here?"
"Uh I guess."
"But I'm your partner..."
Diluc stopped for a second, but shrugged off Venti's words and headed towards his room to collect his things, namely his weapon. Venti swiftly followed after him hoping to not be left behind. As Diluc was picking up the bag, which held his money, Venti came up behind him and grabbed onto his jacket.
"Please take me, pleeeeeease."
"No."
"Whyyyyy????" Venti said in a saddened voice.
Diluc, putting the bag and sword over his shoulders, left the room heading for the front door. Venti, deciding not to give up, quickly stuffed his dress and maid uniform into his bag before chasing after Diluc.
"Diluc, please wait. I want to come with you."
"Just stay here. It's better if you just stay here."
"But we're part-"
"Just whatever. Come with me, I don't care at this point." Diluc no longer had any patience left, he just wanted to start heading for the envoy.
Venti smiled like a cat, jumping up and down with happiness.
"Be quiet, you're gonna wake up Qiu and Yun."
"Oooo should we wake them up to say bye? Actually on second thought maybe we should let them rest together."
"Let's just leave a note."
"That works, here let me write it."
After Venti had finished writing the note he left it on one of the coffee tables in the living room, then together Diluc and Venti left the manor. They made good time getting to the Tianheng Pass, since Diluc left Venti no opportunities to hold them up. As they were walking by Bubu Pharmacy, Diluc figured it was time to tell Venti what they were doing, "We're gonna be intercepting a Fatui envoy, if anything happens just stay out of it okay?"
"Eh? Why are we going after the Fatui?"
"A reliable source told me they were the ones who stole the bottle."
"Why would the Fatui steal the bottle?"
Diluc continued walking, ignoring the question. The sun was peaking in the sky by the time they caught sight of the Fatui envoy. Diluc stealthy positioned himself and Venti on the knoll of a grassy hill that overlooked the Fatui agents. Diluc took count of the members he saw;  one vanguard, two mages, and four legionnaires. Quite the impressive envoy for a single wine bottle, Diluc thought to himself upon seeing seven agents. Then turning to Venti, Diluc laid out his plan, "You stay here, I'll go down there and handle them."
"But-"
"Don't argue with me."
"Fine," Venti said, pouting.
Diluc headed off down the hill with his weapon in hand. He'd rather avoid fighting, but he knew that when it came to the Fatui it was inevitable. He approached the envoy as if he was a mere normal adventurer, "Excuse me, do you know how to reach Jueyun Karst?"
None of the Fatui even acknowledged him. Diluc tried again, this time going a little closer to them, "Excuse me-"
A person wearing a hood spoke, "Step back!" Diluc somehow thought the voice was familiar, he also realized he had not seen this person from the hill. As the person stepped out from behind the rest of the agents, Diluc recognized who the voice belonged to, it was Xingqiu's contact that they had met in Liyue. The hooded person spoke again, "Master Diluc, you shouldn't have come here."
"And why not?"
"We had no orders to kill you, but now that you are here I'm afraid it's unavoidable."
"Hmph, I knew what I was doing by coming here. I have no reason to kill any of you either, except for the fact that you belong to the Fatui."
One of the other Fatui laughed, "Haha, do you really think you can take us all on at once?"
"We shall find out I suppose."
Diluc firmed his grip on the sword's handle; set one of his feet back a little bit; positioned his body, so that it was ready to fight. The first person to come at him was the cryo legionnaire. Diluc would have fought him individually, but he didn't want to waste any time. So, with all his might he channeled the fire of his vision into his sword, forming a hawk-shaped flame. He proceeded to draw his sword back, then swung it forward releasing the flames. Like a bird his fiery flames soared through air, incinerating the agents in front of him, leaving a path of scorched ground and burnt grass. Diluc counted the injured bodies that lay on the ground: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... One of them had escaped. Where did they- Before he could finish his thought, he noticed a glinting object in the bushes of a nearby cliff.
" Look out!!!" a panicked Venti yelled, running down from the hill.
Diluc turned towards Venti's voice only to see the hooded man rushing at him, dagger unsheathed, going for the kill.
Diluc swung his sword, hitting the man in his gut and knocking him back. Again Diluc summoned fire into his sword, this time it enveloped the entirety of the sword allowing him to swing it as a fiery blade. Diluc swung downwards, missing as the agent jumped up out of the way. Diluc anticipated this possibility and was quick to recover. He planted his foot staunchly in the ground; turned around, swung his sword across his body, slashing the Fatui agent with the fiery blade. However, the Fatui agent seemed to resist the flames and was merely knocked back by the hit. Now they launched at each other face on. Diluc used all the strength in his muscular arms to grip his sword as he ran forwards. The agent drew back their dagger and rushed towards Diluc like a wolf would towards its prey. Though, little did the wolf know that its prey was actually a predator more monstrous than itself. Rushing at each other their blades met, but Diluc's overwhelming strength caused the agent's dagger to shatter into small shards. With nothing left to stop Diluc's might he sent the agent flying back into a tree. The tree splintered upon impact, and the agent slumped over. As the agent lay there Diluc went over to check whether the agent was dead or not. While the fight had been going on Venti had been rushing towards Diluc afraid he might be hurt, however, he was completely unaware of what lurked in the bushes of a nearby cliff.
"Diluc? Diiluc? Diiiiluuc?" Venti called out, trying to find where Diluc had gone.
Diluc rushed towards Venti knowing what was about to come, but it was already too late. The aflamed bullet had already been fired from the gun which was aimed directly at Venti.
Venti stood, and watched as Diluc ran towards him, going so fast that he was stumbling over his own feet. He stood there frozen as the sound of the gunshot rang about the air, and watched as Diluc finally reached him; as he fell, motionless with nothing but a fainting smirk on his face. Diluc's limp body fell right against Venti, preventing him from moving. Maybe he couldn't move or maybe he was unable to move. Either way he stood there as motionless as Diluc, not understanding what had just happened. He timidly raised hand, that had been under Diluc, up so he could see what was the cause of the wet feeling. His hand was covered in a distinct red that could be only one thing, blood. Horrified at what he saw, his breathing became more rapid, he was full of fear, and scared. What happened finally set in, and he let out a heart-wrenching agonizing cry, "WHY? WHY!!!!!!? Why do I always lose the person I love?" Uncontrollable tears of both anger, and sadness spilled out, dotting the ground like blooming raindrops. Venti's voice was shaky, "I- I- I can't handle it- again. I can't do this- again. This can't be happening- again!" Feeling helpless he silently cried out to what seemed like no one, "Pleas- please, somebody, anybody please... help me. " Amongst the traveling winds his perilous cries were carried to the one being in existence who sat always listening for them. From the nearby cliffs another Fatui regiment appeared, this time numbering more than twenty. After Venti let Diluc gently down to the ground he withdrew his golden bow. Venti looked up from where Diluc lay, his cheeks still glistening wet with tears,"I...won't forgive you... I can't forgive you."
Constant questions flowed through his mind about why he had hesitated, why he had lied to himself, after all he loved Diluc; he had known that for a while, he had just never wanted to say, because he was afraid to have his happiness become dependent on another person. For years he had just ignored the tiny hole inside him which slowly ate its way through him to become a gaping pit. But, meeting Diluc changed that, his flames had seeped through the thousand year old wall which Venti built around himself. At first his flames came in little flickers through the wall, then a steady stream, now they had engulfed it entirely. Nothing could be done, the wall had already fallen, he now needed that flame to always be by his side, after all he had experienced its unimaginable warmth. And now behind Diluc lay motionless, and in front of those that had harmed him marched on. Thus, the only thing Venti had now was a fiery hot flame which burned inside him, a flame which could never be quenched. The winds stirred up into a raging, regretful fury as Venti's grip on his bow tightened, he had become determined to make sure those who had hurt Diluc would not leave alive. Planning to wipe out the Fatui in a single swoop, Venti condensed all of the wind into a single arrow, and with his delicate fingers hooked it into the bowstrings. His eyes and the ends of his hair lit up a miraculous emerald green. As he prepared to fire the arrow his normal bard like clothes disappeared with a gust of wind which surged from the ground so powerfully it tore up the earth which he was standing upon. As the swirls of wind disappeared it revealed pure white feathered wings sprouting from his back with a same white colored crop top and shorts. All signs of the playful, innocent Venti had been swept away by the tearful winds; he was now Barbatos the Anemo Archon, killer of many, who brings destruction with his fearful might.
The Fatui regiment was startled by the tempest winds which whipped about, destroying trees and rocks alike, sucking in everything in its path, destroying all which dared to be present there. However, their wavering was brief as soldiers were only taught one thing, to complete the mission. It mattered naught to them that they were marching towards certain death. And as they walked, some were swept away by the frightening winds, others continued towards Diluc's motionless body which was guarded by a distraught Venti. However, he no longer had much power left in him after his archon transformation and ultimate attack. He now could only use his human abilities which would do little against the lumbering Fatui that were left. As the Fatui were closing in on both of them a sudden darkness sprung up over the land, it was as if a massive cloud had blanketed the sun. Then Dvalin ferociously descended upon the earth, crushing the Fatui agents beneath his claws. And with a vicious roar that could probably be heard throughout Liyue, he warned all others that anyone trying to hurt his god would be committed to a merciless death.
"D-Dvalin..."
"My lord, hurry him to my back, I shall fly us back to Mondstadt."
Using all of his might Venti managed to half-carry and half-drag Diluc over to where Dvalin had laid down. While getting Diluc to Dvalin proved troubling, getting him onto Dvalin's back proved to be even more troubling. Dvalin ended up having to let his tail be used as a pathway to his back. As Venti finally reached the center of Dvalin's back he collapsed from exhaustion and overexertion. With both of them collapsed on his back Dvalin took off into the sky, ascending through the clouds, and into the threateningly blue atmosphere.
They were halfway to Mondstadt before Venti woke up again, his eyes were a little blurry and his mind was a little fuzzy. The bright sun uninterrupted by any clouds dazed Venti as he struggled to get his bearings. Once he finally realized where he was, he rushed over to Diluc who was still lying motionless on his back. Venti quickly checked Diluc's pulse, it was faint, but still there beating steadily. An immense feeling of relief and happiness overwhelmed Venti, tears started to roll off of Venti's cheeks, dropping down onto Diluc's face. However, almost as soon as Venti started crying an arm reached up to stop his tears from dripping down.
"D–iluc...?"
"Huh... where are we?" Diluc asked in a weary, tired voice.
"We're headed back to your manor."
"Are you okay, Venti?"
"Mhm, you?"
"Nothing I haven't been through before."
"Hey Diluc, can I tell you something?"
"Sure."
"I love you..."
Diluc didn't bother responding, those words were all he needed to hear. He gently moved himself and Venti, so that they would be more comfortable. Diluc was now pressed between a laying Venti's legs and was softly running his fingers throughout Venti's hair. Their hearts were both beating fast as they anticipated the moment to come, the moment they had so longed for, the moment they dreamed about in the heat of their adventure's hot nights. Then their lips  met softly, but passionately as they shared their first kiss. They explored the bounds of each other's lips; kissing for a little bit, then stopping, as if to make sure they weren't dreaming; however, they would always go back for more of each other, desperately craving each other's touch. So, finally high, high above the clouds, where it was once thought no human could ever be, a conclusion was reached, and a mystery was solved, all with a kiss between a human and a god.

Notes:
The last part was so poetic I'm proud- I wonder what mystery was solved with the kiss? What conclusion was reached?

Word count: 2983
Whole story word count: 26,764
Thinking of posting a Kaebedo fanfic or a diluven + kaebedo angst/fluff
Anw if u want me to continue w some small sequel lmk!