The smell of wine in the wind

chapter two

The bard's night wasn't so different from the bartender's, he couldn't sleep either.
/oh my archons! OH MY ARCHONS!/ thought Venti while laying on his bed /why did I do that?! He's going to hate me now... I ruined everything, EVERYTHING/.
The room felt heavy on him, even if there was only the bed he was laying on and a drawer in it, his heart was pounding very fast, he thought it could have exploded at any moment.

Neither of them slept that night.

The day after arrived, the bartender's room was filled with the golden rays of the sun, he slowly sat himself on the border of the bed, scratched his head and got up.
He went to the bathroom, washed his face and looked at himself in the mirror /I still can't believe it really happened.../ He thought /I need to confront him about it... Maybe he was just drunk.../

A flashback of the sensation of the bard's lips came up into Diluc's mind and as it happened he blushed, he blushed like crazy. When he realised it he turned himself away from the mirror /why am I blushing... I'm... I'm not gay...!/

After preparing himself he went downstairs to go eat breakfast, the table was being layed by Adelinde, who, as soon as she saw him, scolded him in a worried way "master Diluc! You look terrible! You didn't get any sleep did you?! You have to rest!" "I know Adelinde... I tried to sleep... I just couldn't" yawned the redhead "why couldn't you?" "Um... I..." He blushed again.

"Oh~" exclaimed the maid while stopping her duties "master Diluc has finally found a maiden! I'm so happy to he-" Diluc cut her phrase "n-no!" He was blushing even more "oh come on, you're as red as your hair, who is the lucky girl?" "NO ONE!" he yelled "oh... I- I'm sorry" she replied surprised "I... I should really go now... Sorry Adelinde" not even the time to make the woman reply that Diluc had already flounced out of the mansion flustered /I need to talk to him/.

He reached Angel's Share, hoping to find the bard waiting for him at the entrance, like he always does, but he wasn't there.

All the morning passed by and the bard didn't show up, Diluc was very distracted by that, he mixed some orders and made some glass fall.
All the afternoon passed by and there was no trace of Venti, Diluc's distraction just increased.
The evening has arrived /he has to show up... I need to clear things with him... I... I have to tell him I don't li-" he got interrupted by a familiar voice "master Diluc, what's wrong with you today, Nimrod told me you've had your head in the clouds all day".

It was Kaeya, Diluc glared at him "oh come on don't look at him like that, what's wrong?" Added Rosaria, they arrived together and Diluc didn't even realize it, he was too focused on waiting for Venti.

"Did you manage to wake Venti up yesterday?" Asked Kaeya "yes, now let's change the subject" "odd" replied the nun "isn't he a heavy sleeper?" She added and Kaeya said "yea he is, but maybe our master Diluc has a special technique, who knows" "I said let's change the subject" the bartender repeated angrily "talking about Venti, where the fuck is he? I haven't seen him all day" asked Rosaria "yea this is also odd, do you know anything by any chance master Diluc?" "No, and I don't care".

He actually cared, a lot. "Well you're the last one who saw him..." "he's probably in the woods, don't worry Kaeya" replied with an annoyed tone the redhead.
"Did something happen yesterday?" Asked Rosaria, Diluc didn't reply to that question, he avoided it "do you guys want the usual?" "Ok, something did happen, what was it?" Asked the woman again.

He couldn't tell them, at least, not in the tavern. "Nothing happened, everything is fine" said Diluc trying to keep it cool "but if you really want to know where he is you should go to his house, maybe he's there"
"Yea, we will, right Rosaria?" "Yes, of course, if you excuse us now we'll go see where Venti is, see you later maybe" they got up and walked out of the tavern.