Unsung Battles (Corrupted Venti x F! Reader)

-7-

Me and Venti sat there for a bit. Every so often, one of us would strike up a random conversation, but those quickly died out and we fell back into silence. It wasn't a bad silence. Not like the awkward silence at a dinner with family you don't like. A comfortable silence. Like we'd said all we needed to and we were now just enjoying each other's company.

I don't know when or how but at one point in time, Venti had discreetly reached for my hand. His fingers were loosely intertwined with mine. His skin felt soft and his hand was warm. His skin was so soft, I thought I was running my hands through sunlight. Even though I thought it was unusual, his black nails suited him.

A breeze was flowing through the air and slowly, hesitantly, I relaxed, my head resting on his shoulder. Just like the old times. I remembered faintly when I was younger, the nights spent in his hold. It was usually when life was getting to me, that he'd lay with me on my sofa, holding me close and whispering sweet melodies in my ear, humming softly. He was like the big brother I wished I had.

Suddenly his head shot up, and he looked back at the forest behind us. His face betrayed nothing, and I couldn't decipher whether he'd sensed something that pleased or worried him.

"Wait one second, I'll be back, I promise." His voice was calm, measured and betrayed no emotion at what was happening. 

He stood up and shaking off dirt from his clothes, started walking towards the trees, whistling a soft tune as he walked. My favourite tune, he used to sing it to me when I was younger. Lover's Oath.

I couldn't help but wonder what he was going for, and deciding against the safer option, I stood up as well and started following him.

He hadn't gone very far in and I hid behind a tree as I watched him curiously. He seemed to be talking to someone, but there was no one around.

Looking at Venti now, I was confused. There was no one there for him to talk to. Was there another being entirely that only he could see? I didn't think so, I thought. I observed him, his hands seemed to be shaking and he was muttering softly.

I couldn't see his face well so I shuffled to the left a bit. What I saw unnerved me.

His eyes were coloured black and they had that purple tint again, this time it was stronger since I could see it from where I was standing. His beautiful green braids had streaks of the same purple and as I moved, I started to hear his mutterings better.

"Yes. It is nearly time. Everything is in place," his voice was a monotone, bland, "Soon they will fall and I will rise. The people will answer to me."

(IK ITS SUPER CRINGEY SOUNDING IM SORRY)

Nearly time? Nearly time for what? Who will fall? Who will answer to him? My mind slowly flooded with questions and my curiosity got the better of me yet again as I took a step forwards to hear better.

My foot landed on a stick.

It snapped.

The noise could be heard, clear as a bell, cracking through the forest. You could almost imagine the flock of birds scaring off as the loud snap reverberated around the trees.

Venti's head whipped around, his purple-tinted eyes meeting mine. But they weren't black anymore. They were the same toxic purple as the corrupted Statue of the Seven, glowing eerily. 

I wasted no time turning and running as fast as I could back to Mondstadt City.

When I last looked back, he was just standing there.

Watching.

{A/n: IM SORRY VENTI'S PLAN SOUNDS SO CRINGEY, IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT ACTUALLY MADE SENSE IN THE STORYLINE, I PROMISE U PPL IT WILL START TO MAKE SENSE LATER ON IN THE STORY}