Winery Of Dawn

Is This Love?

After Venti had fallen asleep that night, Diluc had headed downstairs to his desk to get the paperwork at the winery in order before he took out a blank paper, writing down Venti's words in his own wording, how he would say it out loud in a penning form. They'd been together and not separated for about... four days now. Of course, even though it had been that long, Diluc wanted to figure it out. He sighed and even though it was his wording, he couldn't figure out what Venti even meant by the words he was told. After staring at it for a longer amount of time, he blushed upon realizing what he had written on the paper. He shook his head, not even sure what to say back to the bard. He decided to take the time in the middle of the night to write a letter for Venti. It took him awhile to figure out what he wanted to write to the other because it was easier than attempting to say it out loud about how he felt. He didn't realize how long he was writing for, because it was just too hard to even stay awake by the point he finished writing.

"Hmph... A little rest won't hurt." He spoke out loud to himself. He prayed that Venti was still asleep, so that he wouldn't peek at the letter so that he could give it to him formally because he wasn't even able to sign it yet. Little did he know that Venti was going to wake up soon and take a peek at what he wrote anyway. For now, however, the bard was still asleep.

Once Venti had awoken from his sleep, he walked downstairs. He saw that Diluc was asleep at his desk. It didn't worry him, it was just interesting how he had been writing something a little before he had walked downstairs. He was a little confused as to why he had been writing or what he wrote.

('What did he write? I'm so curious! I wonder what it's about. I'm sure he doesn't want me to look, but my curiosity is killing me!') Venti walked closer to the table and tried slipping the letter out from underneath Diluc's arms, but it was too difficult since all of Diluc's weight was on the paper itself.

"C'mon, let me look at it-" Venti ripped it from under him, even though it didn't tear the paper, and he was glad it hadn't ripped or tore, because that was going to be bad if it did. He sighed and looked at the paper. ('Finally, okay. Let's see what it says.')

He skimmed the contents of the letter, a blush crawling up to his cheeks and to the edges of his ears when he saw what it read:

>I don't expect you to read this, Venti, but those words you told me earlier made no sense to me, until you meant love? Isn't that right? Wasn't that what you mean to tell me? That you love me? Or am I wrong? If I'm incorrect, I apologize. However, if it's the case that you love me, I love you too. I can't say it out loud, but that's the truth towards you bard. I promise to never make you regret being mine.

~Diluc Ragnvindr.

('He was going to give this to me.... later. Wasn't he? He loves me though, this is... embarrassing...') He covered his face with the paper for a moment and then placed it beside Diluc, leaning down and kissing him on the temple of his face, he couldn't exactly reach anywhere else. Afterwards, he just decided to walk over to one of the chairs and sit there, strumming at his lyre, having been bored.

Shortly after, Diluc had awoken to the sound of the lyre, looking over to Venti.

"Venti..." He stood up and walked over.

"Oh! You're awake, that's nice to know. I'm glad to see you. How'd you sleep?"

"I slept all right. Now, why do you look red?"

"O-oh, no reason! I promise. It's nothing, Master Diluc.." He shrugged it off, trying to pretend as if he didn't read the letter.

"Venti, tell me now. Did you read the letter?"

"Maybe."

"You know you weren't supposed to? Do you want to know what being grounded feels like?" an empty threat from the bartender's lips. He wasn't actually going to do it, he was just a little annoyed with the young bard.

"No! I don't! Why are you being a big meanie, Master Diluc?" Venti pouted, puffing out his cheeks and crossing his arms. He was annoyed with him.

"Stop pitching a fit, I'm just messing with you."

"Hmph!" He was still pouting, being upset with him. "Why? You're the one who said you'd punish me for looking into what your letter said!"

"That's not what I-" Diluc grumbled, putting a hand to his aching head."You're being annoying, you know that?"

"Am I?" Venti huffed and looked at him, his face being clasped in between Diluc's fingers.

"Yes. Now shut up..." He slowly leaned in and locked lips with Venti, throwing the bard off guard. Venti was practically frozen, red in the face and very flustered about what just happened. Once Diluc pulled away, Venti stared at him with tears in his eyes and a glow that looked like love.

"That was..." Venti gasped a little, trying to catch his breath for words to say. "D-Diluc..." All he could muster to do was wrap his arms around Diluc and lean against his chest, trying to figure out what to say... After a moment, he took in a deep breath and looked up to him, "I love you."

Diluc blinked, having a look of love when he stared down at him, a loving look smothered on his face and not just in his eyes, "I love you too, Venti." A smile crawled up to Venti's lips. That precious smile, so loving, so happy, so adorable. That's the smile Diluc wanted to see. He didn't get to see it much, so it made him so happy to see that very smile on Venti's face. "Keep smiling like that. I hate seeing you sad, my love..." Diluc wasn't used to using pet names yet, so it was quite hard for him to say it without stammering a little with his words, but now... he didn't have to worry.

"I'll.... try." Venti smiled faded. He couldn't help that he kept getting sad, it was just something out of his control.