𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘵. / 𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘤 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘳

Hail barbatos

After a few weeks passed by, Caelus grew comfortable around mondstadt. he found himself friends around the city and the knights of favonius-- a lot has changed eversince the victory of saving the archon which was finally revealed to you.

Nothing changed, your value and your mission remained at its failing mark, you were sad and depressed to the point Diluc started to notice it. Everyday, you weren't eating at good hunter, just accompanying Both him and Caelus. She talked a few times with her bright smile, but reality would hit back on her once every few minutes. 

She would purposely come home late because she would be praying in the cathedral to windrise to apologize, she was nothing more but ashamed when she found out Barbatos was venti. she couldn't face him once again.

So he had a plan.

He hated seeing her frown, her smile melting upside down. He wanted her to melt into him and share the burden she felt. after all; he let it happen all because he was too weak and vulnerable. He wasn't the same anymore.

he bought a ring, a huge purple gemstone sold and shipped all the way from inazuma. 

-

You walked slowly, looking down to the ground with a frown, you never greeted the two knights guarding the entrance of the city anymore. you were too focused on your mistakes and your sins you did.

you were walking your way to windrise, walking past a few empty hillichurl camps you cleaned off from a teen to when you came back to mondstadt. The wind made your hair flow to the left along with your skirt, mixing with the sweat on your neck, you felt cold.

You didn't know how to overcome this feeling, distant from your so called family, and feeling like a disgrace from the city. You didn't feel free.

as you approached the tree slowly, a figure wearing a vest could be seen from afar. he was leaning by the statue, looking at you with adore.

His red hair was tied into a high pony tail, he looked absolutely beautiful with the wind stroking his hair to the side with his big darling eyes. "Hey." You approached, stepping into the tiles of the statue. "I thought i'd find you here." You raised an eyebrow when he stopped leaning and pulled you into a hug.

"I figured we should pray together." The wind blows harder. "Be careful, Barbatos might blow me far away." You said, leaving everything in silence, the two of you put your hands into the statue, hoping it would heal the pain building up in your chest. "Wait."

"Where's Caelus?" You looked at him confused when he ignored you.

Dilucs hand was shaking, he was red and hagard. 

"O'Barbatos, segne uns durch die nächsten Tage der Rettung von Mondstadt. Segne die Menschen und ihre Freiheit, die du geschenkt hast." He recited the traditional prayer.  "o' barbatos, cleanse the cold hear of this girl with warmth. Forgive the sins she commits to even though its not true." You raised your eyebrows.

There was more to it? You were never aware. 

The wind blew harder, the clenching of my heart loosened, my face was kissed with the wind and brushed my hair o the side. "As I take this girls hand in marriage, let her melt into my warmth and melt into me, let her share the burden she carried on her shoulders and die with it together."

His hand on the state moved to mine as he kneels down, his hands were cold and shaking. his eyes never left mind, my eyes were twitching, matching the speed of his hands. My heart felt free yet it ached for some reason.

"Can I marry you, Please?" the tears from my eyes dropped on his cheeks, he was crying. 

Our tears collided, I struggled to say the very words. "Yes." Due to the sobs mumbling every word I wanted to say. "You know the answer." My chest rose up and down rapidly when I saw the biggest smile he had on his face, sliding in the ring into my ring finger and kissing the knuckle where the ring was on.

He stood up, his hand still interlocked with yours while he pulled you into the tightest hug- not with you snuggling him. but his tears drenching the cloth of your uniform, his sobs mumbled together with yours.

The wind blows once again, drying the tears on both your faces, purposely trying to stain the promises into the person you are from now till the end. 

-

barbatos was watching the whole moment, letting the guilt of yours go once you prayed. He watched the two of you cry into each others arms without having to hold back.

He stained the two of yours cheeks with your tears and the wind so the two of you wouldn't break the vows the two of you made for each other- the both of your tears that intertwined and melted together.

Diluc never proposed casually.

He wanted to be genuine and propose while praying so your gods would guide the two of you.

intertwining tears, falling from both of them as if their eyes were melting.