Text | UN: makeitaventi

[venti_late]

WHO: Venti and all of y'all!
WHERE: Network
WHEN: Near the end of May
WHAT: There's a new grandpa in town, and he's marginally more well-adjusted than Zhongli! Marginally. This one at least knows how to manage his finances.
WARNINGS: This will be a little cursed most likely, and probably language!

So this is a weird, new app! Since I can't delete this thing, I'm gonna guess that it's not some weird community thing for Kaisou, right? Like a FB group for people to get strongarmed into--I mean join?

Guess it wouldn't hurt too much to intro myself since I'm new here. I'm Venti! I just moved here like. Today. Lovely place, the Spirit Vein up above really sets the mood!

Okay, so here's an icebreaker for you guys, just to have a little bit of fun!

Is cereal a soup? Alternatively, how do you say the word 'pecan?'

And a friendly reminder that bananas are berries, but strawberries aren't berries!

Comments

[venti_late]

[Venti giggles at that.]

Then I should leave it here. After all, we opened this bottle together, and it's a gift to you. It'd be a shame if we couldn't finish together.

[He's meeting Xiao on the rooftop, as all Anemo cryptids should.

That Zhongli hugs him back is a step forward, though his words do bring great comfort to him. He's grateful for that, just as he's grateful to have a friend like him in his life. Both lives, Venti suspects, but that's introspection best left when he's sober and has gotten some sleep.]

Oh, you looked so helpless back then that it felt wrong to leave you alone! [That's definitely a joke and not the real reason. They both know that much.] The world's greatest bard gets to sing and tell stories to the most majestic mountain. Whether it's from within his own home or in the form of serenading him from his window is left to the whims of the bard!

[lapislazily]

Very well. You'll have to return sooner rather than later, in that case.

[He pushes out some more intrusive reminders that the wind stopped coming around for a long time. This is a different world, and the wind did return, so he has no reason to think that would happen again.]

The bard is always welcome inside if the weather is disagreeable. [But here, if they're going to keep talking, he'll grab a big Starbucks-ish plastic cup for the wine, fill it, and give it to Venti.] But the mountain knows better than to cage the wind, so it's fine if it's temporary.

[He smiles a little.]

Do you need a boost? Or will you be leaving the same way you came in?

[He knows his cryptids.]

[venti_late]

I see absolutely no downsides to that arrangement.

[Perhaps the winds stopped coming, but they never truly forgot the mountain they so adored.

Venti takes the cup gratefully. This is exactly what mama wanted. He's a tired old man who'll drink wine from a Big Gulp cup. He doesn't care anymore.]

Mm, the wind doesn't see it as a cage so much as a home to come back to.

[After all, he did admit in sincerity that Zhongli has been missed in all this time.]

Oh, I'll leave a good first impression on your landlord and go up the normal way. For now.

[All bets are off for the second visit onwards.]

[lapislazily]

[It's a fancy one imported from China, but that's not a big surprise, seeing as he likes pretty things.]

A home...? [He wasn't expecting such a warm word, but he doesn't... dislike it.] ... Then that's what the mountain will be, as long as the wind needs it. [He knows that home can look like a person rather than a place. And he isn't too proud to admit that Venti and Xiao are that for him.]

I'll be sure to leave the door unlocked for next time.

[He knows what he's in for. He walks Venti over to the front door and opens it for him.]

Take care, Venti.

[venti_late]

Thanks, Zhong.

[Venti starts to walk out, but then he stops.]

Oh! Almost forgot....

[The black-haired bard walks back over to Zhongli. He rests a hand on the taller man's shoulder to help brace himself as he lifts onto his tiptoes, and barely makes himself tall enough to kiss his friend's cheek. Venti grins as he practically dances out of reach.]

G'night, Zhongli! See you soon!

[He heads off to the stairs to walk up to the roof to meet up with Xiao. No regrets had, here.]

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli tries to figure out why Venti's hand is on his shoulder. He leans forward out of habit, expecting him to want to say something in his ear...? But that is. Not what happens.

And then he's gone. Zhongli silently raises his hand in a wave, but he's so damn confused. What the fuck just happened?????

... He touches his cheek. There's nothing there, so it wasn't a prank... but maybe it was?

.... Venti is so fucking weird. He closes the door and goes to make some tea.]