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bunnyscar · 5 months

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The Siliven's Request: Part 19

“Is she waking? Is she waking? I want her to wake up!” a child’s voice exclaimed, somewhere above Alaine.

“Quiet, Fanny! You want the soldiers to hear us?” a boy’s voice muttered, sounding irritated.

Alaine groaned. Her head ached, and she felt sluggish and weary. Even opening her eyes felt like an impossible task. “She said something!” the child cried. Suddenly, she felt water being forced into her mouth and poured down her throat. Swallowing and lifting her head slowly, she struggled to open her eyes and saw two Siliven children, a boy and a young girl, kneeling next to her and peering at her curiously. They started as Alaine sat up suddenly, looking about herself in confusion. They were in what appeared to be a small shed-like building, barely lit by a dim lantern.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Alaine asked in bewilderment.

The girl squealed in delight and bobbed up and down on her knees. “Oooh, oooh, she woke, Chess, she woke!”

“I know, I can see,” the boy said, rolling his eyes. He frowned at Alaine and answered her, “I’m Chess, and this is my little sister Fanny. You’re in a little cabin near the Siliven army lines. We found you out in the field and brought you here, before any of the soldiers could find you. You were lucky you fell into a hole in the ground and somehow got shielded from the bombs.”

“Soldiers? Bombs?” Alaine repeated dazedly. “What bombs?” Suddenly she remembered the loud sound and the flash she had seen just before she lost consciousness. The color drained from her face. “Wait, you said the Siliven army—is this a battlefield?! But, the war shouldn’t have been that close yet,” she said in a trembling voice. She looked anxiously about the room. “Did you find anyone else? A human and another Siliven?”

Chess cocked his head. “No, you were the only one out there.”

Alaine clenched her hands. Were Manas and Pim dead then? Manas might be able to escape, since he could use his metal abilities, but Pim would have no protection. And what about Alf and the others? Had the bombs reached their camp? She shook her head. No, she had to believe that they were still alive, that they had somehow escaped. The alternative was too horrible.

“But, why did you bring me here?” Alaine asked. “If you’re on the Siliven side, aren’t I an enemy to you?”

Chess shifted uncomfortably. “Well, technically you are,” he said slowly.

Fanny interrupted, “But we want to talk to a human! We don’t never get to see or talk to any humans! What do you eat? Is it true you’re all weak and can’t do any magic?”

In annoyance, Chess lightly rapped his sister on the head. “Fanny, don’t ask such stupid questions!”

Alaine smiled. “I don’t mind. I would assume humans eat pretty much what you do. And while there are a lot of humans who don’t do magic, there are some magicians,” she said.

“Can you do magic?” Fanny asked, her red eyes sparkling with delight.

“Err, well, yes,” Alaine stammered. Changing the topic, she asked quickly, “But, if I’m your enemy, why are you keeping me alive?”

“Grandpa says killing people, even humans, is bad,” Chess responded. “Besides, killing a defenseless girl is one of the most shameful things a person can do, isn’t it? I’m not about to be like Uncle Ven or Aunt Chen, who kill just for fun,” he said savagely. Alaine blinked. Uncle Ven?

“What were you doing out there, anyway? You really didn’t know the war was heading this way?” Chess asked.

“We had hoped we could get to the capital before it reached us,” Alaine sighed.

“You were traveling with someone, then,” Chess said, watching her keenly.

Alaine nodded. “Yes, I’ve been traveling with my friend Manas, and we recently joined a group of refugees heading to the human capital,” she explained.

“Oooh, you know Uncle Manas?” Fanny asked eagerly.

“Uncle? Are you somehow related?” Alaine asked in surprise.

“Fanny, it might not be the same Manas,” Chess scolded his sister, who was bouncing about with excitement. Warily, he said to Alaine, “We do have an uncle named Manas, but he’s obviously a Siliven, and used to be part of the royal family at that.…”

“Yes, that sounds like the Manas I know,” Alaine confirmed.

Chess stared. Fanny cried, “How lucky! You got to see Uncle Manas! Does he really have weird eyes like they say?”

“They’re not weird,” Alaine replied. “They are a bit different, but they’re actually kind of beautiful, once you get over the first shock of seeing them.”

“Why are you traveling with a Siliven? And why with that particular Siliven?” Chess asked with a frown.

“We made a deal together, to help each other find a place to live and work,” Alaine said hesitantly. Even to her ears, it did not sound convincing; but she still remembered Manas’ warning to not reveal her magic ability, and though these children seemed nice, she was still uncertain what their intentions were.

Chess considered a moment, then shrugged. “Kind of strange, but I guess I’ll take your word for it. Not like it really concerns us,” he said, surprisingly indifferent.

“Did you know him very much?” Alaine asked.

“Not really. He’s our mother’s brother, but they never let us near him when he was still at the palace. And then he got in trouble, and, well, he was banished,” Chess explained.

So Manas had a sister. Alaine vaguely remembered from his memories that he had a couple sisters, but they had not been as prominent as Ven in the memories she had seen.

“You mentioned your grandfather….does that mean he’s…” Alaine hesitated.

“Grandpa is her highness the queen’s father. So, he’s really our great-grandfather, but we just call him Grandpa,” Chess replied. “He’s the one who takes care of us. Since mother doesn’t care about us at all,” he said bitterly.

“Surely that’s not true. Every mother feels something for their child,” Alaine responded, then immediately regretted what she had said, seeing Chess’s glare.

“You don’t know our mother. Once we were born, she didn’t want to have to do anything with us, said we were too troublesome and passed us off to nurses and then to Grandpa. She doesn’t care about anything but herself and being comfortable,” he snapped. Alaine bit her lip. She should not have assumed things; hadn’t she seen how Manas’ mother had rejected him? Not every mother was as nice as hers. And it seemed there were a lot of problems within Manas’ family. Though, if this great-grandfather had told Chess and his sister that killing was bad, perhaps there were Silivens even among the royal family that were not all mean and cruel.

"Your Grandpa has rather different views than some of the other royal family," Alaine said cautiously.

"Yeah, you could say that. Part of it's because he wasn't born royal," Chess said. Seeing Alaine's confusion, he explained, "In the Siliven land, you don't necessarily have to be royal or even nobility to become part of the royal family. Magic ability is more important in determining who you marry. Grandpa was actually a doctor before he became the queen's father, but when it was discovered that Grandpa's daughter had the same magic ability as the king, she was chosen to be the king's wife. Grandpa became part of the royal family as a result, but that doesn't mean he thinks like the rest of them."

"I see," Alaine murmured.

Chess sighed. "But, they also know he doesn't see eye to eye with them, so as a result he doesn't get much respect or authority in the royal court. Even though he deserves it," he muttered.

There was a pause as Alaine digested this information. A new thought occurred to Alaine, and she asked in concern, “By the way, what are you two doing here? Isn’t it dangerous for children to be so near a battle?”

Chess smirked, in a way that was quite reminiscent of Manas. “We might not be as young as you think, considering that Silivens live a lot longer than humans,” the boy replied in an amused tone, then said more seriously, “It’s a Siliven tradition that children in the royal family attend battles in order to learn how to fight and lead the soldiers, since eventually they will take charge of the army. Not that anyone is really teaching us or even paying any attention to us, besides Grandpa.”

“That seems rather harsh, to have children go to war,” Alaine said in concern. “For us humans, we try to shield them from war.”

Chess shrugged. “It’s only a tradition for the royal family, though. Most Siliven children don't go to the front lines. Grandpa didn’t want us to come either, but we had to, so he compromised by coming along with us so he could make sure we were safe.”

“Yeah, and we’d be in biiiig trouble if he found out we actually went out onto the battlefield and brought you here,” Fanny giggled, half nervous, half excited.

“Indeed, I’d say you are in big trouble,” a deep voice spoke. The children froze, turning to the door guiltily. Alaine looked up to see that another Siliven had noiselessly entered the cabin and was standing to one side of the door, in a dark corner of the shed. How long had he been there? She hadn’t noticed him come in at all. He appeared to be a much older Siliven, his face wrinkled and his hair a rusty orange. His purple eyes looked over Alaine with a piercing gaze, inspecting her closely, though not with hostility.

“Grandpa!” Fanny cried, jumping up and running over to the man. He patted her head tenderly, but said sternly, “Didn’t I tell you two to stay away from where they were bombing?”

“We didn’t go out when they were launching the bombs,” Chess said quickly. “We made sure they were done, and we only went a little ways. Besides, we found this human and brought her here to be safe.”

The old Siliven considered Alaine, who bowed her head slightly in greeting. Though he did not carry himself regally as Alaine would have expected of royalty, there was something about this Siliven that made you want to respect him, a certain wisdom and experience that showed in his eyes. A shiver ran down Alaine’s spine. Despite what Chess had said, she felt a little fear of what the queen's father might do to her.

“Very well, I’ll let you off this time, but there won’t be a next time, got it?” Grandpa admonished the children, looking them both in the eye. They nodded. He turned his piercing gaze back towards Alaine and asked, “And who might you be?”

“My name is Sara,” Alaine answered a bit nervously. “I was traveling with a group of human refugees, and we got caught in the front lines, it seems.”

“I see. You were trying to escape the war, is that it?” the Siliven said. Alaine nodded.

Fanny interjected, “Grandpa! Grandpa! She knows Uncle Manas! She says she’s friends with him.”

The Siliven gave Alaine a curious look. “Manas? What would he have to do with a human female?”

“Well, we made a deal to travel together and look for jobs,” Alaine said awkwardly.

She wanted to shrink under the scrutinizing look the Siliven gave her. Finally, he said, “I highly doubt Manas would join you just for that purpose. Not after what he did. Sara, is he trying to take advantage of you?”

“N-no. I mean, maybe at first, but not now…,” Alaine stammered. It was hard to keep her composure under those piercing eyes. It was not that they were mean or accusing, more that she felt like they could see into her mind and tell that she was not revealing the whole truth. Yet there was something in them that caught her gaze. They were stern eyes, hardened by the harshness and of the world, yet deep within them Alaine could see something else, something gentle and compassionate. And suddenly she wanted to tell him everything.

The Siliven sat down next to her. “My name is Kelsin,” he said. “You seem to have a history with Manas. Why not tell me?" Seeing Alaine hesitate, Kelsin assured her, “You needn’t worry, I don’t plan to use the information against you or Manas. Though I was never allowed to get close to him, and so I have no personal relationship with Manas, I still have some interest in his whereabouts. He is my grandchild.”

Alaine’s eyes widened at those words. In all Manas’ memories, she had not heard his parents ever call him their son, and he had never really been treated as family by them or his siblings. Yet this man had just called him grandchild....

“I—Manas found me first, when I was living with my uncle,” Alaine began haltingly, and she ended up telling Kelsin the whole story, from when Manas had taken her out of her uncle’s shop until they had been gathering firewood just before the explosion happened. She told him about her magic, about Manas’ abilities, even about Manas’ past and the deal they had made. She left nothing out, except for her true name.

When she had finished, Kelsin regarded Alaine with a softer expression and said kindly, “You’ve had quite an adventure, haven’t you?”

Alaine nodded, tears popping into her eyes unexpectedly. She suddenly felt drained. It had been a long time since she had confessed so much to someone besides Manas, and telling Kelsin felt like a weight had just been taken off her back. She had not realized how heavy it had become to carry the knowledge of Manas’ past as well as the fears of both her and his futures.

“So, is Uncle Manas a good person?” Fanny asked. She had started braiding Alaine’s hair while they had been talking, and now peeked around Alaine’s head curiously.

“Yes, deep inside at least,” Alaine said, wiping her eyes.

Kelsin asked, “You trust him? Even if he’s murdered people? Your people?”

“I know...most people would say it’s unwise, maybe even wrong to forgive him. I know he’s done bad things, and I’m not saying they should just be ignored. But he doesn’t want to do those things again. He wants to change. Is it wrong for me to choose to trust and help him, to give him a second chance?” she said, looking earnestly into Kelsin’s eyes.

Kelsin regarded her a moment, then rested a hand gently on Alaine’s shoulder. “That is for you to decide. I won’t stop you if you still choose to follow Manas and try to help him. As I never knew him personally, neither when he lived in the palace nor now, I cannot say whether he is really changing or if he is a murderer at heart. Though for your sake and his, I certainly hope he is as you believe. And to forgive others is good. I would caution you, though, to be wise. You cannot always save a person, no matter how much you desire to,” he said, a note of sorrow entering his voice.

Alaine gazed up at him and smiled somewhat tearfully. “Thank you,” she sniffled.

“You intend to look for Manas, I suppose?” Kelsin asked.

“Yes. I can’t give up hope that he’s alive,” Alaine said determinedly.

"Yes...If that is the case, then I should let you know of his condition,” Kelsin said slowly.

Alaine blinked. “His...condition?” she asked in confusion.

Kelsin paused, then said, “You already know that the color of his eyes are connected to his ability to see the magic aura of others. There’s more to it than that. While it may seem his eye color is a side effect of that ability, it’s actually due to a sort of disease.”

Alaine started. “Disease? Manas never seemed sick,” she said uneasily.

Kelsin continued, “It’s a very rare disease, one that most people have never heard of. I only learned about it, because I was asked by a certain person to research it back when Manas was just a child. The disease occurs at birth, for unknown causes. It’s a cruel disease, one that slowly kills its victim by poisoning them.”

Alaine’s eyes widened in horror. Kelsin said, “You may know that each race has their own innate ability. Elves have an ability to communicate with plants, dwarves can mold rock into any shape, faeries can change their size at will, and we silivens can turn our limbs into weapons. This disease, however, causes these natural abilities to poison the body. The more the ability is used, the more poison accumulates within the individual, and the sicker they will become. If the ability is used moderately and only once in a while, the disease can be slowed and does not show many side effects. But if an ability is used too much at one time, that person could become seriously ill and die suddenly. And even if a diseased individual uses his ability very sparingly, the disease will still progress, simply because the person has the capability to use his or her ability. Whatever one does, eventually it will kill him or her.”

Alaine began to feel like an iron claw was slowly closing around her heart. “You mean—Manas is—slowly dying?” she said, her voice trembling.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Kelsin said grimly. “Frankly, it's a miracle that Manas has survived this long. The disease shortens an individual’s life severely. Of the few cases that I could find information about, none of them survived past adolescence. And judging from how much they forced Manas to train his ability as a child, his life span has probably been cut in half—perhaps even more.”

“Half?” Alaine said faintly.

“It’s very dangerous for a diseased child to use the ability when young, since he or she is still developing. But Siliven teachers are notorious for pushing their pupils to the limits” Kelsin replied solemnly.

“But—Manas never seemed ill, even when he did turn his arm into a sword or an axe. He said that he could use regular Siliven abilities for ten minutes without feeling sick. I mean, he seemed a bit tired whenever he used his liquid metal, but still…” Alaine murmured.

“He may have trained himself to endure the immediate effects for a few minutes, but it would still progress the disease,” Kelsin responded. “Though I don’t know about his liquid metal abilities; they are rather different from the usual Siliven qualities, and may affect him differently. Even among the few diseased Silivens I was able to find in my research, none of them could do what Manas could.”

Alaine stared at the wooden floor boards beneath her, her mind spinning. Manas was dying. Had been dying, right in front of her, and she had never known. Perhaps he didn’t even realize it either, for in his memories she had seen nothing about this disease nor had Manas mentioned it. Was there no way to cure it? Nothing they could do? What would Alaine do if he did die? At that thought, a dark chasm of despair opened in her heart.

Seeing Alaine’s pale and troubled face, Kelsin gently put his hand on her shoulder and said kindly, “I am sorry, I did not mean to worry you. If Manas has survived this long, he may yet have many years to go, at least as long as a human life.”

Alaine took a deep breath and nodded, her mind retreating from the black pit of despair it had almost fallen into. Yes, she had to cling to the hope that Manas would be alright. That he would live. For now, she just needed to find him and keep him from using his metal abilities as much as possible.

“Come, you should leave,” Kelsin said, standing.

“Aww, but I don’t want Miss Sara to leave!” Fanny pouted.

Chess, who had been frowning thoughtfully this whole time, scolded his sister, “Don’t be like that, Fanny. Do you want her to get in trouble with the queen?”

“No,” Fanny said miserably.

Alaine smiled and patted Fanny’s head. “It was really great to meet you. Maybe we’ll meet again someday,” she encouraged.

Fanny brightened. “You will visit, won’t you? Once the war is over?” she said eagerly.

Alaine hesitated and said falteringly, “Y-yes, when the war is over.” But even if the war did end soon, would it really be in a state that she could visit Fanny and Chess in peace?

Chess turned to Kelsin and asked, “Grandpa, how are we going to get her away without the soldiers seeing? Our army is crawling all over the place here, except for this cabin and the bombed field.”

Kelsin smiled, a somewhat mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Haven’t you noticed? The way out is right underneath us.”

The others looked blankly at him. Kelsin reached down and pulled some of the boards up off the ground, revealing a large gaping hole that sloped downward into a tunnel. “How did you know that was there?” Chess exclaimed.

“I noticed it when I entered. It’s easier to see when you first come in,” Kelsin responded, then turning to Alaine said, “I don’t know where this tunnel will take you, nor how far it may go, but I think it might be your best bet at getting away.” Alaine nodded. Handing her the lantern, Kelsin smiled gently and said, “May the light guide you, child, and may you find Manas soon.”

Fanny hugged Alaine and squeezed her tight. “Do come back sometime!” she sniffled.

“Um, if you ever need help and we’re nearby, know that we’re happy to help,” Chess said somewhat awkwardly. Alaine smiled and thanked them. She turned to the tunnel, took a deep breath, and entered its dark depths. She would survive and get out of this battlefield. She would find Manas, and she would not let him die.

Link to Part 18:

#fantasy #original story #siliven #had to rewrite this so many times trying to avoid info dumping #hope it makes sense and is not boring/overwhelming #big reveal

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babychoko · 2 years

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🌺𝔸 𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥🌺

Part 11

Note: Edited the last part because sentences were somehow deleted.

Pebbles crunched as I walked limply around the corner to my flat. I thought that the winter time would be quieter and more relaxed. But this did not seem to be the case. Things had become more stressful at my work because drinking coffee was especially popular during the cold season. Usually I had a little time to sit down. But I stayed on my feet almost the entire shift. My headache from the seminar didn't help at all. I'm through for today.

I have to mention that my seminar is not as much fun as before. Mr. Zhongli is no longer leading the class and is taking his post as a guest elsewhere. I haven't seen him for quite a while. And when I do, it's rarely in the hallway, on the second floor. I really missed his methods and found him interesting.

That reminds me, I still have his contact details. He gave me these back then when I was worried about Venti. Should I come to an emergency, he would help me.

Through all my worries, I didn't notice what he said. But...emergency? I suppose if it has something to do with Venti. After all, they're very close. I learned then that Mr. Zhongli helped him out of a jam.

Exactly.

When Venti got to a very low point in his life and lost control of himself. It tears my heart to think about it. Every now and then I think, what would have happened if we had met earlier? Most likely not much. After all, we have a bit of an age difference. No kidding, I thought he was in his early twenties.

But he isn't.

Blessed with a round face, wrinkle-free, he's proudly...

Oh, never mind his age.

What I do know is that he's been through a lot. And if he needs my help, that I will be there for him anytime. With these thoughts, I trot up the stairs to my flat door. It took me quite a while to get there and open the door. What I needed now is to put my feet up. They're bound to fall off any time now if I don't do that.

Winter time..yes yes. One is always sad there. And in autumn, you're still full of joie de vivre.

I suppose so. The colourful leaves still radiated life in nature. And now the branches are standing all bare and blowing away. The new year has already started and I don't feel like new.

As the saying goes: new year, new me.

This and that.

But I can promise that I am exactly the same person at 00:00 as I was at 11:59.

My bag emitted a dull sound as dropped on the floor and took off my shoes, followed by my jacket and other stuff.

I just want to lie down. That's all. Tomorrow I'm sure I'll be re-energised.

I finally sat down on the sofa with my house clothes on and ate my warmed up dinner. But after only a few seconds I was interrupted by a phone call.

Huh?

I answered the call without looking to see who it was.

"(Name)! Long time no hear." I furrowed my eyebrows in irritation.

"To hear from you again..."

"Ehh... aren't you glad? There was a reason for that! Now listen carefully."

"I'm all ears." I sighed and took another bite. He gasped for air.

"I'm allergic to cats, after all..“ Then he exhaled.

"A fact, yes."

"When I was on my way to university, a cat wouldn't budge. I bet it knew I was allergic to them. Roadblock, I tell you. And here's the thing: I wanted to get to the other side of the road..until this beast attacked me! She was looking for trouble!"

Pause.

Oh, he's done? Does he want me to respond?

"Venti, you mean to tell me that a strange cat tried to mess with you of all people?"

"I didn't have time to cuddle with that one. That could have ended fatally. So I was going to decline, then my phone fell out of my hand: it got broken! Uh, hello?"

I struggled to keep from laughing out loud. Him and his stories! Wait a minute...

"So how did you call me now?" I looked at the screen at that exact moment. Oh, his home phone. "It's been taken care of. So your phone didn't survive?"

"And I almost didn't either! Imagine that, (Name)." The thought of Venti rejecting cuddles from a cat made me laugh.

"Can your phone be fixed?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately, no. That's why I have to buy a new phone. What a waste!" I put my plate down on the table. "I think it's about time for a new model. It doesn't have to be expensive." He was always sending me sms. He could make things easier with a smartphone. There are apps that cost nothing. He can send me endless messages or make long phone calls. Besides, nowadays you're almost forced to walk around with a smartphone.

You can't do much without apps any more. But no matter how many times you mention it, Venti was never really convinced. He booked tickets or anything else directly from a shop, office or wherever.

"Maybe I should get one similar to yours."

"That would be good..wait, what?" Venti and a smartphone? I should call the reporters. He'll make headlines.

"Let's look at some models. How about this?" A good opportunity, and to see again. How many weeks has it been? The last time was when he finally met my mother. One day I went to see her and introduced Venti to her. So, a long time ago. Before Christmas.

Her reaction was completely different from what I expected. She was very relaxed, calm and happy. He has a certain charisma that you can't hate. Luckily he didn't let out a line like, "Oh, I didn't know you had a sister!" He would have blown her away with that. Also, I was relieved that she didn't ask about future plans..

After all, he and I didn't bring this up any further. But it was clear that we were leaving everything to fate.

When Venti agreed, we went looking for a smartphone in the shop the very next day. There was a cheap model with a camera from every brand.

"This one costs more than a whole rent to a capital city..how many lenses is that? Huh..THREE?" He looked more closely at the back. "And where's the back button?" I swiped at the screen. "That's how you do it. They don't have those on the newer ones-"

Click

"Wow! Really detailed is this camera!"

"Venti, d-delete that!" Another reason why I won't get one of these. Besides, I can hear our wallets howling.

Sighing, I deleted the picture and also the ones taken by some teenagers. They seem to have forgotten to delete their pictures. It could be that I did a favour for them.

"And a lot of people buy that? Aren't they all practically the same?"

"Well, this brand is popular. Especially among the younger ones. Let's go to the other section. They're cheaper there." I forgot he lives under a rock. Further away from the city, no TV, little internet use... I already envy him for that.

And what a joy that he is not picky. We found the right model for him after not long. In the very next shop, I was allowed to choose a new mobile phone cover for him. It was a light shade of green with a dandelion inside. He liked this cover very much.

After the successful shopping, we sat down in a café and ordered something to drink. I showed him some functions, which he quickly learned to use.

"Hmm... sending you endless messages. That doesn't sound bad." I can get ready for something. But of course I would be delighted. I'll admit that.

I sipped my cocoa in silence and put my phone back on the table. "What have you been up to lately, Venti?"

"Quite a lot of typing. I think my fingers are going to fall off. Not to mention I've had a lot of gigs." So he's been busy too. Poor guy.

"And what about you? (Name), you don't overwork yourself..do you?" If I lied to him now, would he believe me?

"I..I'm still trying with the balance.." He looked half-satisfied. But then he smiled. "Oh, really? As long as you don't overwork yourself, that's fine! After today, you can call me anytime~"

"How's the iron infusion going?" He looked to the side as he drank his cocoa.

"It's finished. I'm following protocol with the diet. But the improvement... is minimal."

"At least it's better than nothing, right?" Looks like we'll continue to do our best.

There was a brief silence between us. We were running out of things to talk about. That's what I thought, at least, until Venti tapped me and pointed to a baby in a highchair.

"Look. He's been staring at you for quite a while..." He whispered with a grin.

What..at me? I looked over Venti's shoulders and sure enough, the baby was looking at me. An older man who could be his grandpa was trying to feed him. But the baby was far too distracted by me and didn't turn to his spoon.

His eyes were a warm emerald colour and his hair was very light in contrast to his skin colour.

When we made eye contact, he smiled at me. It felt very familiar. I didn't feel tense at all.

After that, he finally let his grandpa feed him. Normally I had a feeling that children were afraid of me. But this time it was not the case.

"Ahaa..are you hiding something from me?"

"I-idiot..no way!"

Venti turned to the baby and held out his snow-white hand. The child stopped munching on his bib, let it go and tried to reach for his hand instead.

It was an unusual sight in a café, but Venti could make fast friends with anyone. In the next few seconds he squatted in front of the baby chair and held the baby's little hand with a warm smile. The grandpa couldn't help grinning and put the spoon aside. He probably gave up trying to feed his grandchild and watched. He seemed to have said something because Venti turned to him and nodded, then replied.

I was still sitting a little further away, watching in silence as I rested my cheek on my hand. Seeing them interact so familiarly warmed my heart in a way. Yesterday I was a mess and now a joy awakened me.

I know those emerald eyes will not be forgotten.

We paid after a while and left the café.

"You've made a new little friend, I take it?" I said jokingly and put my hands in my jacket pocket.

"You could say that! There's nothing purer than a child's smile and desire. I love them!"

"You're very kind, Venti." It's no wonder no one feels uncomfortable around him.

He smiled at me, which was contagious. But then I had a suspicion.

Venti...could it be that with me he wants a.. no, no. I'm overthinking everything! But come to think of it, he's older than me. You might have different plans after a few years. Besides, he'll be done with his studies very soon.

After all, life comes with responsibilities. Should I take on another responsibility when it comes my way? When it comes upon us.

Maybe one shouldn't always live a blanket life after all. It's what I used to firmly believe in.

"Venti, do you think... that someday..." Oh, it's not easy to ask.

"Yeah?" He bent down to me. I could feel the warmth in my cheeks.

"Forget it! It doesn't matter now."

"Oh, is that so?" He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Then ask me another time~"

Is he trying to tell me that he knows what I wanted to ask? I'm sure he's just pretending! A quirk of his to make me feel uneasy.

"Are you staying at my place tonight?" I didn't see what was stopping me. So I said yes. It's another opportunity to spend time together.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

The long bus ride didn't bother us at all. On the contrary, with him, the time passed quickly. This time, I was the one drawing something with my fingers on the fogged windows.

"(Name), can I ask you something?"

"Anytime? Yes."

He then drew with me at the window. A sun.

"Do you..believe in reincarnation?"

"I think so. I'm still very unsure about it." Reincarnation is one thing that has remained unanswered for me until now. But why was he asking me that? Then I remembered that he can start conversations about anything.

"What about you, Venti?"

"I used to be very unsure about it. But for a while now, I've believed in it."

"Only for a while?" I asked, confused. "What made you do it?"

"I'd say... a sudden change of heart. Funny, isn't it?" He leaned his head against me.

"Changes of mind are like swings of emotions for me. At some point you harden up and let it slide."

"Now that you mention it. There were a lot of things I didn't like to accept for some reason. But when you get used to it..." I reflected.

"But you know, I've always believed in incarnation. Even before reincarnation."

It didn't look like Venti was expecting an answer. So I said nothing and painted a face on the sun at the window. But the misting on the window dripped down. Now it looked like the sun was crying with a smile.

When we got out, we went to his house. It was already late and he switched on a lamp. "Shall I turn up the heater?"

"It's okay, I'm not cold. You can leave it off." I then pointed to the embroidery on the living room table.

"Have you got on with it yet? Let me see it."

Excited, I sat with him and he took out the small piece of fabric. A purple flower was visible on it.

"What kind of flower is that?"

"The Hyacinth. But unfortunately you can't see it clearly. I'm not that good. You‘ve got me beat. Look at yours!"

I shook my head with a laugh. "I still can't embroider the rabbits in detail! I'll never get a little pillow like that. Or a tissue..."

"Well, I think you've really improved. If you keep it up, you will!"

I nodded and stroked the small half-finished embroidered fabric.

The purple hyacinth..what does it stand for again?

"Shall we continue? Now that we're at it." He suggested and took a needle in his hand.

We had nothing else to do, so we embroidered together as usual. It was a relaxing hobby for the two of us. Much better than watching TV at my place and making fun of hosts or stupid decisions on blind-date shows. Those were the ones that upset us the most.

A few times my thoughts were interrupted because I pricked my fingers with the needle with my clumsiness. But I didn't prick myself too deeply, which was good. Otherwise he would dramatise and come at me with a first aid kit.

"Listen, about earlier... I wanted to apologise. I forgot that supernatural subjects scare you." Said Venti softly.

"It depends on what kind of subjects..." I corrected, not wanting him to feel guilty.

"(Name), may I ask what exactly are you afraid of?"

What exactly am I afraid of? As soon as night falls and you're alone, I suppose. That's the problem with me.

"During the day, I can work things over just fine. But as soon as it gets dark... then I almost lose control. I can't see anything. I don't know what can suddenly come out of the darkness. And most things... they happen at night. That's how it is in stories. I think that's what it is." I confessed frankly. "And now, add paranormal things."

"I see. Thank you." He says thank you? Now that's an unusual response.

"Uh..here you go." A fitting response for him.

"There's something I actually want to show you." He whispered, lowering the embroidery to his lap and closing his eyes. "But... I don't want to scare you." Is that why he was asking about my fears?

"Why should I be afraid of you? I'm sure you don't want to scare me. What do you want to show me?"

"About this.. I cannot explain to you exactly. But I want to trust you with it!"

"All right... please show me, Venti."

It was something he couldn't show me in his home. He said to me that he should take me for a walk first. In his area, you can see the stars very clearly. The city lights are very far away for that, which makes it possible.

"What about tonight?"

I shook my head. "When I'm outside with you... then I don't feel fear. Only when I'm alone." I then looked at the moon as I walked. Today it was shining brightly and cloudless. We walked along the pebble path. "I find this night particularly beautiful. More beautiful than when I look out of my window. There I only see darkness in the sky."

I put my arms around myself as the wind pulled the cold breeze past us. Then I stopped in front of the forest. If you go deeper in, there's a hill. And far away, you can make out a source of light. That's when you know it's the city. But I've never seen it. Venti has always told me about it. But we never got to go in together.

"You are not alone, I am with you. Please let me show you the background of darkness."

I hesitated and looked at Venti.

"It's like a murder movie, you know."

He sighed and looked to me. "And that's where the problem starts..." I scratched the back of my head, grinning slightly.

"You're right about that. But I trust you." (Name), think of something nice! Otherwise, you'll never make it.

It's a short way, which seemed long to me. He and I walked deeper and deeper through the small forest. But as it turned out, the forest was not so dark. Further back, it was even light.

It was never completely dark. And when I looked up, the sky was still there.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the hill. The view of the city far in the back was actually very wonderful! I don't know if I've ever seen anything so beautiful on a night!

"It's amazing..." I murmured and continued to look.

"Light is stronger than darkness." He said and smiled at me. "Look, you made it! You're here."

I nodded and looked away from him as well. "It's not as bad here as I thought." How could I doubt the night...? Of course, it doesn't mean my fear is completely gone. But a small part..it does. "It's a small step, thank you."

I breathed into my hands to get some warmth off, hence not putting on my gloves.

"Do you come here often?"

"Once in a while, when I need inspiration or to empty my head."

"And what about other people?"

"Unfortunately I'm the only one, I haven't seen anyone else here except myself. But I'm glad you know the place now." He said quietly, looking up at the sky.

Then I remembered that he wanted to show me something. Or was it just this place? Because Venti looked like he had something else in his heart. Something he wants to let go of.

I then turned to him. He was now looking calmly at me. "Was that what you wanted to entrust to me?"

He shook his head. "Not quite. But I think you had a hunch a few times."

"A hunch?" I asked.

"Mmm." He nodded. "Maybe if I show you, it will come back to you?"

"Oh, okay."

He approached me and put his hands down as a sign for me to put my hands on top. When I did so, he held them tightly.

He closed his eyes.

And at that very moment, something happened that I could not explain. Something that no one seems to be able to explain. I couldn't believe my eyes. And I couldn't feel anything else at that moment except the wind.

The wind was getting stronger, but not colder. My whole body warmed up and the branches on the trees rustled louder.

I could have sworn that his eyes lit up slightly when he opened them. His hair swayed and I looked around. He could easily lift himself above the ground, it was as if gravity did not exist.

Then I remembered what he once said:

"With the power of the wind!"

"I only had to swing my arm once and a strong gust of wind can blow everything away. Down to the last lint!"

Wind...

Wind?!

"V-Venti..." I could only get out in a whisper. I couldn't believe anything. What I was seeing wasn't an act.

It was real.

Venti could control the wind.

These thoughts occupied me as we walked back home without words after a while.

He said nothing, I said nothing. It was as if nothing had happened at all.

Words only came when I took off my shoes at his door. Venti beat me to it and walked slowly into the living room. I asked him not to turn on the lights and didn't do it myself. When I entered the living room, he was standing in front of his balcony, which is very wide.

Only the moon gave us light.

I approached Venti and gently put a hand on his right shoulder. After my gesture, he turned to me.

Then he unbuttoned his shirt and I looked at his bare chest where the mark was, which glowed slightly. So it really wasn't a tattoo?

"This..I've always had this." Were the first words he spoke after a while.

I swallowed once. "Do you have any more?" Now my heart was racing as he turned from the balcony again.

"I will show you this one. (Name), are you afraid of me?"

I shook my head.

"You... don't want to go?" He asked in a whisper

"I want to stay with you." I just want to be here, nothing more and no questions asked. What I want now is... to be with him.

At that moment I took him in my arms.

"Please, show me the other m..mar..k..mh."

He released his lips from mine.

"(Name), thank you."

Actually, my heart should be racing again at this moment.

But I felt so numb that the fear and nervousness were not there. We parted our lips, eyes still half open. It was as if time was passing quickly. Although it took a while for us to settle down on the carpet of the living room, not paying attention to other rooms. Probably because there might be an interruption or because it would be uncomfortable. I was already lying face down, hips raised a little.

Small breaths could be heard from him and I pressed my head deeper into the sofa cushion that lay on the floor. I was too embarrassed to look at him. After feeling a slight sting, I clawed my right hand into the fabric of a shirt lying next to the cushions. It was probably his. Maybe it was mine too. But in this darkness, I couldn't really tell. After all, our clothes were somehow spread around us. One could guess what we were doing? Or rather, what we were trying to do.

My unfitting, distracting thoughts about our clothes were interrupted when I felt a stinging sensation inside me again. I pushed a small sound from my lips at that and lifted my head from the pillow.

"H..hyah..!!" It hurts. I don't want to lie. Ahahah..those may not be tears of joy. They're tears of pain. I was about to tell him to go ahead.

Then his grip loosened around my hips, one hand stroked from my hip higher and higher to my head, and with it a slight strand of hair was brushed from my face. He leaned down to me and rested his chin on my shoulder, his chest pressing against my back. I whimpered softly.

"(Name), that hurts you, doesn't it?" A whisper. I swallowed once and nodded, still feeling a little hazy. „Please, try a-again..“ I think right now I started to feel nervous.

"I don't want to stop..not at this moment." I confessed embarrassed, turning my head to the other side, giving him more room to brush his lips against my neck in a comforting way. Wouldn't I feel connected to him then? Now that we came this far..we didn‘t even properly start..

"There's always a next time, agreed? Besides, there are other ways~"

"Other... Ways?" I tried to look over my shoulder at him. But my head isn't that mobile.

Venti slowly detached himself from me and I turned onto my back. In shame, I still hid my bust with my arms. He looked down at me and pouted.

"Exactly! I don't want to cause you any pain." He now had a cat-like grin on his face and put his hand in front of his lips. "Or is (Name) that desperate..?"

I smiled at him instead of being teased. "If you say so." He's right, after all. There are other ways to show your love. Just being with him might be enough. Intimacy... yes. It's not about being intimate only in that way!

I sat up carefully and at that moment he surprised me with a deepening kiss. It felt good to put my arms around him. It soothed me and I had not thought that direct physical contact, skin on skin, could feel like this.

As our kiss ended, I noticed that I could see his face a little more clearly. At first I thought I had got used to the darkness. But it turned out that morning was coming very soon. He seemed to have noticed this and looked towards his balcony. "Oh dear. Have we been up this late?"

"Looks like it."

We looked at each other again and almost snorted. We were aware that we were going to sleep through the morning. So we lay down again. On the carpet, of course.

As long as there were blankets and pillows, we didn't mind sleeping on the floor. It was surprisingly not uncomfortable. He pulled the blanket over us and intertwined one hand with mine.

"You know...I'm relieved we didn't..“ I murmured.

He looked at me innocently. I sighed.

"I didn't..prepare anything." I managed to get out awkwardly. He blinked a few times. Then his face changed to one of realisation. You could read the "Oh!" clearly from his expression. Then his eyes sparkled with excitement. Before he could say anything, I interrupted him.

"Hey. Just.. don't comment." My cheeks grew warm and I stared at the ceiling. Never would I have thought of not thinking of risks.

He chuckled softly. "I'll see you at noon then?" He then asked with his eyes closed.

"A new way of saying goodnight?" Maybe it was too late to say goodnight now. And a good morning didn't sound any better.

"You could say that."

"I'll see you at noon then, Venti."

But as it turned out, I was the one who fell asleep. What I didn't know was that Venti was still awake, brushing little strands of hair out of my face.

Then he looked at the window with an unreadable look.

"I am very sorry, (Name)." He murmured softly to himself.

Masterlist

Part 12

#no talk to me I‘m embarrassed #:D #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #romance #fanfic #venti x reader #love #mentions of nudity #kisses #kissing venti #risk #suggestive content #big reveal #lime #venti x reader lime #guys I wrote IT

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