The smell of wine in the wind

final chapter

Venti ran out of the tavern, the cold night wind caressed his face as to comfort him, shortly after him there was Kaeya who was calling for him, but Venti couldn't stop running and sobbing /he hates me! HE HATES ME!/ he thought.

At some point he finally stopped, he was tired of running, so Kaeya reached him and put a hand on his shoulder "Venti... Are you ok...?" "WHAT DO YOU THINK KAEYA?! DO YOU THINK I'M OK?! HE HATES ME" "he... He doesn't hate yo-" "STOP IT, PLEASE! ...leave me alone" "I'm not leaving you alone, you need someone right now".

Venti sat on a bench that was right next to them and so did Kaeya.

"I... I don't think he meant it in a mean way... After all he has taken you home multiple times... Maybe he thought nothing of it" "shut up Kaeya, he meant it, I'm sure of it!" "Listen Venti... He might hate me now, but I know my brother, he does not hate yo-" "I SAID SHUT UP!" he yelled exhausted" I DON'T NEED YOUR NICE WORDS, OK?! SO IF YOU HAVE TO SAY SUCH THINGS KEEP THEM FOR YOU".

Kaeya went silent and there was no other sound other than Venti's sobs.

Kaeya put again his hand on the bard's shoulder "I'm sorry... I'm just worried about you... You're my friend... And I am here not being able to do anything to help... for the archon's sake! I'm even making things worse..." "Don't worry... Just... Just leave me alone, I'll be fine..." "If you insist...".

Kaeya got up from the bench and slowly started walking towards the tavern, while he was walking away he looked back a few times, worried about venti.

He walked till he ran into the nun and the bartender.

"Did you find Venti?" Asked Rosaria "yeah..." "W-where is he?" Asked Diluc worried "he's on a bench some steps ahead" "why aren't you with him?" asked the sister "he... He asked to be left alone" "you're actually dumb, aren't you?!" She said angrily "two brothers two idiots! one is too dense to understand his own feelings and the other one is too blind to see when people need reassurance, I can't with you two!".

"Well, I guess you gave Diluc the best occasion to clear things out with Venti, good job Kaeya" said Rosaria "what do you mean?" Asked the two brothers "now our dense Diluc is going to walk up to Venti and they are going to talk, alone".

"Hey. Stop calling me den- I HAVE TO DO WHAT ALONE!? NO NO NO" he said embarrassed "I- I-" "I I nothing. You do it, is that clear?" Replied sharply the nun "I don't think he wants to see me... That's why..." "Oh shut it, just go" the sister gave him a little push "everything is going to work o-" was saying Kaeya but Rosaria glared at him before he could finish the sentence.

After some moments Diluc finally started walking towards the bard's position.

The bartender slowly walked guided by the sobs of the bard, the moon was shining up in the sky seeming to be judging every step he took.

He finally reached him, Venti didn't notice his presence immediately so he went in front of him and tapped on one of his shoulders, while Venti was lifting his head up, he said "Kaeya if you're here to say some other fake nice things, I'm going to-" he finally saw Diluc's face "o-oh".

Venti rapidly dried his tears and said "why are you here?" "I wanted to apologize and to talk... Can I sit next to you?" "S-sure..." Replied the bard, a little scared about the talk's comeout.

Diluc sat next to the braided bard, he wasn't sure what to do in that situation his heart was racing, he tried speaking again a few times but he simply couldn't.
Venti couldn't talk either, the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth.

So they sat there, in silence for a long time, Venti was looking at his shoes, like he was petrified in that position while diluc was fidgeting with his hair, looking at him.

The silver rays of the moon made Venti look beautiful in Diluc's eyes even though Venti was a mess of dried tears.

"First of all..." Said Diluc, Venti finally looked up from his shoes to look at the redhead, "I'm sorry for what I've said..." Venti still couldn't talk, so he listened.

"That... That wasn't right... I said it not because of what happened but because I thought that it would have... You know... Took things back to nornal".

"Are you going to forgive me, Venti?"

The braided bard looked down again and softly said "of course".

"Do you hate me, Diluc?" Asked Venti still looking down.

"Why would I?".

"I kissed you..." said Venti mortified.

"And? Honestly I wouldn't hate you even if I didn't feel the same".

"You don't hate me?" Venti didn't realize completely what Diluc said.

"Why would I? As I said: I wouldn't hate you even if I didn't feel the same"

Venti finally realised "you... You like me...?".

"If you mean to ask if I'm attracted to you, then yes, yes I am".

Venti couldn't believe his eyes, he thought he was dreaming, Diluc liked him back?! How?!

"It's hard to believe after what I said, I know... But I do like you, you made me realise that with that kiss and I'm thankful for that".

"You're not saying this out of pity, are you?" "No, I'm not".

"...Is it because I...  I am..." He didn't want to say it out loud, it was dangerous to talk about who he actually was in an open space.

"No, not because I don't want to upset who you really are, I just like you".

Venti looked at him and asked "Can I... Hug you?" "Yes, of course" he paused "Dear".
Venti's heart was filled with joy at this point so he hugged him very very tight.

"I can't breathe" gasped Diluc "ups, sorry" Venti let go the hug but Diluc hugged him again "I said I couldn't breathe, not to stop".

They stayed in that hug for a while, until Venti said "maybe we should get back to the tavern, I want to celebrate this night!" "Sure thing, let's go".

They got up from that bench and they got back to the tavern.

The two cryo vision holders were waiting for them at the counter.
"So?" Said Rosaria, Diluc and Venti looked at eachother and the braided bard said "we're happy to announce that we're together now" while taking the redhead's hand.
"Congratulations!" Replied the two "it was about time" added Rosaria.

"Let's drink to celebrate!" Exclaimed Kaeya "yeah, you guys can drink, it's on the house tonight".

The time flied and it was already time to go home, there was only the four of them.
"Well, I guess I'll go home, I'm so tired" said Venti "want me to accompany you? I can stay too if you want to", the bard was happy about that proposal and he immediately accepted it.
The two cryo vision holders looked at the newborn couple and smiled at eachother "then we'll also go home, right Kaeya?" "Yes, goodnight you guys".