"Oh, there you are!" The familiar bard exclaimed upon noticing my presence. "Happy Halloween, Y/N!"
"Happy Halloween." I replied, sitting next to him. We were sitting in the packed tavern; people were always fond of drinking on Halloween night, and we were one of those people.
Venti pushed a glass of wine towards me. I thanked him and took a sip.
"So, what're ya doing for this special occasion?" He asked with a grin. I chuckled and placed the glass down.
"Same as usual - absolutely nothing. And you?"
He lifted a brow after hearing my answer. "Is that so? If you'd like, spend time with me! I'm not the worst guy, right? Ehe!"
"Hmm... Alright, sounds good. What're you up to, Venti?"
"Well, Diluc here thinks I'm not entitled to free wine, so I'm trying to convince him otherwise!"
Before I could respond, Diluc exhaled deeply and turned around.
"That's because you're not. Who told you that you could drink for free just because you're not who you say you are?"
Venti giggled and pressed his palm against his chest.
"Hey! I'm exactly who I say I am - the greatest bard to ever walk the streets of Mondstadt! Don't ya agree- Y/N?"
He spotted me staring at a group of guys sat at the table not too far from the main bar. One of them was gazing right back at me, and it made it quite awkward.
Venti lifted his eyebrows and waved a hand in front of my face.
"Y/N! You might not wanna talk to them, they're drunk off of their faces. Talk to me instead!"
"He's staring at me and it's creeping me out, so I'm staring back until he stops." I replied, drinking my wine.
Diluc peered at the people I was looking at. "For once, listen to Venti. If you keep staring he'll think you've invited- oh? Too late."
He stumbled towards me; I sighed and rolled my eyes, preparing for a school girl crush confession.
"H-Hey, ummm...."
"She's not interested." Venti told him. It sounded so stern yet calm at the same time, I had no clue what to do.
"S-Shush, bard...!! Hey, umm, you wanna come sit with us? We don't bite? Unless, yknow..."
Diluc was pinching the top of his nose. I knew he wanted the guy to just evaporate, pretty much.
"Erm... no, th-"
"Great! C'mon..." He reached over to grab my hand, Venti stuck his arm out to stop him. His drunken tone was beginning to irritate the bard if it hadn't already.
"Like I said, she's not interested. Sorry, but you're excused now."
Venti sipped his Dandelion wine, and upon realizing he still hadn't left, his aura became a lot more intimidating.
"I don't exactly mean to be rude, but you're spoiling my wine. Leave, or I'll make you leave."
Even Diluc's eyes had widened at that threat. The once joyful bard was now in an attempt to shoo off a drunk.
"W-What do you mean, bard? She was... staring right back at me! S-She's practically asking for it! Why would she... do that... if she wasn't single?"
"I'm... not single?" I responded. Venti turned his head slightly, but kept his fixated glare where it was.
"T-Then prove... it!" He replied through quite a few hiccups.
I looked over to Diluc. His back was turned, and it seemed as if he wanted nothing to do with the situation; I didn't blame him. Nobody else except Venti and I were sat at the bar, so I was pretty much busted.
...Or so I had thought.
"See, y-your... boyfriend is-"
Venti cleared his throat and muttered an apology to me, followed by his familiar giggle.
"Right here!"
"What?"
"Yep! 'Tis I, you can leave now!"
He exclaimed with a confident grin. It gave me butterflies, over the many years I had known him never had he acted this way.
"I.. don't believe-"
Diluc sighed once again and turned around, eyeing all three of us.
"Why are you pestering us? They both said leave, so why don't you do so?"
"B-But... Master Diluc-"
"Ugh. It was rhetorical. Leave them be, or get banned from my tavern."
With a pissed expression, the guy left and Venti huffed.
"Finally! Well, to celebrate his leave, how about I buy you- I mean, give you another drink?"
I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Give? You mean beg Diluc?"
He smiled and nodded - at least he was honest. "Of course, but why so mean, my dearest girlfriend?"
My face flushed and the room suddenly felt really hot.
"Wh... what? You literally meant that...?!
"Maybeeee?~ Anyway, Diluc, about that dri-"
"No."
"But...?!"
"No, bard. If you want to treat your new girlfriend, buy it yourself."
"Diluc! Why?! I'll pay you with a song!"
"Please feel free to count every grain of sand in Teyvat while you're at it."
I laughed and shook my head.
"It's alright, Venti, I'll buy one for you."
His eyes sparkled and he quickly pressed his lips against my cheek.
"Aww, thanks, Y/N! You're truly the best!"
