[Venti quietly giggles to himself as he sees that glimpse of a blush. It's such an old, prude of a man's response to what he said. The bard takes great pride in his ability to fluster the unflappable Zhongli.
He falls silent again, hesitating. His eyes drift upwards to the sky like it's a source of comfort despite the weather. When Venti finally speaks again, his voice is quiet and just... melancholic.]
Before the rebellion in Mondstadt, there once lived a bard. He never knew sky or bird, but he dreamed of freedom. You could hear it in his songs, in every note he plucked from his lyre. A little wisp from the thousand winds met him one day, and they became best friends. The bard taught him all about the power of music, friendship, and what freedom really means.
The little wisp told him about the eagles outside the wall of storm, and resolved to find a feather as a gift for his friend. When he came back with feather hidden, the war of rebellion had broken out. The wisp joined his friends in the fray as the bard sang his songs to bolster the rebels' spirits.
[His hands tighten their grip on his arms. Venti's green eyes get a little misty as he takes a quiet breath before continuing.]
Decarabian's tower was broken, but the arrows of an enemy archer had found the bard. Though freedom was attained, the bard died with a broken lyre and never saw his dream realized... and the eagle feather was unable to be gifted. When the little wisp suddenly gained the power of an archon, he knew he needed a human form. So... he took the form of his fallen friend as his divine vessel.
[He closes his eyes.]
I haven't looked in a mirror since remembering.
[Venti falls silent, awaiting whatever judgment or reaction Zhongli has to that information. He's smart. He can probably figure it out with little help from the black-haired man.]
no subject
He falls silent again, hesitating. His eyes drift upwards to the sky like it's a source of comfort despite the weather. When Venti finally speaks again, his voice is quiet and just... melancholic.]
Before the rebellion in Mondstadt, there once lived a bard. He never knew sky or bird, but he dreamed of freedom. You could hear it in his songs, in every note he plucked from his lyre. A little wisp from the thousand winds met him one day, and they became best friends. The bard taught him all about the power of music, friendship, and what freedom really means.
The little wisp told him about the eagles outside the wall of storm, and resolved to find a feather as a gift for his friend. When he came back with feather hidden, the war of rebellion had broken out. The wisp joined his friends in the fray as the bard sang his songs to bolster the rebels' spirits.
[His hands tighten their grip on his arms. Venti's green eyes get a little misty as he takes a quiet breath before continuing.]
Decarabian's tower was broken, but the arrows of an enemy archer had found the bard. Though freedom was attained, the bard died with a broken lyre and never saw his dream realized... and the eagle feather was unable to be gifted. When the little wisp suddenly gained the power of an archon, he knew he needed a human form. So... he took the form of his fallen friend as his divine vessel.
[He closes his eyes.]
I haven't looked in a mirror since remembering.
[Venti falls silent, awaiting whatever judgment or reaction Zhongli has to that information. He's smart. He can probably figure it out with little help from the black-haired man.]