Music to my Ears [(Y/n) x Venti]

Chapter 23

  "Morax." Barbatos began, voice low and even. "You forget she's no longer your subject, but mine. I will ask again: what don't I know about her?"

  The other also stood up, eyes flaming silently. His face was set in stone, giving nothing away. His figure towered over the other, daring him to make his move.

  "She will tell you in her own time. If it's really important to the problem at hand, I can coax her into telling you, but not without her approval first."

  The anemo archon paused, trying to remain calm. There was something (Y/n) didn't tell him- something big. And she had the confidence to tell Morax and yet not him. He wanted to trust her, but it was futile to do so, he knew.

  It would be so much easier if she had another shoulder to lean on. Someone else to tell of her sorrows- to break apart slowly with her little problems and despairs. Someone else to lend her heart to, free of suspicions and restraints, yet full of naivety. Someone else to rely on. But now that she had grown so attached- now that his last effort to pull back had hurt her so much, how could he bear to do it again. For every time her heart broke a little, his aches with the same pain, although it was whole.

  "I'll tell you tomorrow, when (Y/n) is there, and when my head is clear." He began, eyes lazily scanning his fellow archon's face. "I want to give her the benefit of the doubt."

  "I'm glad you're still as merciful as I remember. She needs someone like that in her life."

  Barbatos jumped at those words, heart aching. His eyebrows furrowed in confliction as his face debated whether to get red or pale.

  "Morax, my 'mercy' doesn't last forever. If I have to, I will shatter her heart into pieces, all for the sake of my title. I hope you didn't forget who we are..."

  And in that moment, it felt as if his heart had done just that- shatter into pieces.

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  "Good morning Venti, Mr. Zhongli. How did the two of you sleep?" I asked, stifling a yawn.

  Zhongli looked me up and down, a pleasant smile on his face seeing me free of the weariness that had so taken a toll on me yesterday. I felt as if fatigue would never catch up to me at this rate!

  "Come have a seat!" The taller man responded, getting up to bring over a steaming teapot. "And please, call me Zhongli."

  I nodded, although he turned his head before I could see him. The man was busily running to and fro, stacking dainty teacups and preparing aromatic herbs.

  "You look well rested!" Venti said, smiling. "Your fever didn't return, did it?"

  "Nope! I feel so much better after last night's sleep."

  He nodded, holding his head up with the palm of his hand. Although he seemed happy, his turquoise eyes looked crowded with thoughts, as though he weren't as carefree as he usually was.

  "We'll talk to Zhongli today and see if he knows where the traveler is."

Oh! So that's what he was busy thinking about! And here I was forgetting all about why we're here in the first place.

  "So how did you two meet?" I asked, taking a seat. "You and Zhongli, I mean."

  "That's a long story. You could say we were in the same profession for a while."

"So Zhongli was a bard as well?"

The man in question perked up at his name, letting out a confused murmur.

"No, no..." Venti had to stop halfway through, trying to contain his laughter. "He's a storyteller, I'll give him that! But no, he was not a bard."

"Oh..." I looked away, the back of my neck growing warm with embarrassment.

That got me thinking. What did Venti's past look like? And how different was it from his present? If I had the chance to take a glimpse at the former, would I recognized the person I saw?

  "The tea is ready." Zhongli announced, walking towards the little round table carrying a steaming teapot. He set it down gently, returning a moment later with some pastries. "You'll have to excuse the measly meal. Director Hu is out buying more food as we speak."

  I smiled politely, delicately reaching for a biscuit. I hadn't noticed how hungry I was. After yesterday's long trip and the fever that had hindered my health, I was in much need of food.

  "Zhongli," Venti began, grappling for a pastry of his own. "Do you by any chance know where Mondstadt's Honorary Knight is?"

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  The city of Liyue was lively today. Scintillating sun warmed up patches of cobbled pavement, radiating light on the passerby. Soft silken clouds swirled up the pale cyanic sky, bringing brilliant weather with them. Upturned murmur carried through the warm air, interrupted only by joyous spikes of laughter. It seemed that the people of Liyue were happy nowadays- at least, happier than when we were around.

I tried not to fixate on the warm wave of anger restlessly caged in my heart towards the people of Liyue. It seemed such a sinful thing. But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder why everyone was thriving and happy when they'd caused me and my siblings so much grief! Why were the people who brought on suffering rewarded with a deficiency of it in their own lives?

  "And to think we could've had a prosperous year! How can this have happened?!" A voice startled me from my thoughts, anxious and urgent.

"Hush! Lady Ningguang said not to go around spreading rumors! We hardly know if they're true or not!" Another whisper-shouted.

"More than half of Liyue was there! Everyone saw it with their own eyes!"

A moment of silence.

"He's dead, alright?! Our archon is dead, and you're over here in denial instead of worrying about the future of Liyue!"

The woman starting crying slews of worries, but I barely heard it. I had stopped in my tracks, and so had Venti. I was glad my hood covered the look of pure shock on my face right now. What happened while I was away!?

Turning back to the crowd of joyful people, I noticed something with a start. The smiles I had so envied were simply illusions, hiding a deep wound of distress and anxiety, trying with little avail to be a comfort to others, straining to keep their wearers together in one piece. They were all fake...

I could feel my breath hitch in my throat. Vertigo itched at my head, eating away at my stability. Blotches of static danced before my vision, blocking the world in front of me.

"(Y/n)!" Venti murmured, snaking a hand around my waist in an attempt to provide me with steadiness. I clung to his figure, melting like wax before a candle as my mind tried comprehending what I'd heard.

"There's no way Rex Lapis is..."

Venti's brows pressed together. "Zhongli never told me anything had happened." He paused, looking around at the distress-ridden people. "Come on! We have to find the traveler and figure out what happened!"