[Seasons IC Inbox][un: dandelionknight]

[vennessa]

Ah, how do I--?

...

Oh, this is-- This is Vennessa. Please leave a message. I'll contact you when I can.

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[outofoffice]

[ Sending her a message at like. 2am. ]

What do you think works better as a flower arrangement, daffodils and daisies or daisies and roses?

[outofoffice]

[ THEN, AT 4AM--


BANGING ON HER WINDOW HELLO ARE YOU STILL HERE? ARE YOU STILL ALIVE??? ]

[vennessa]

[Vennessa, who was asleep when the text arrived - like most people would be at 2am - is still asleep when a very loud banging on her window has her sitting bolt upright in bed. For a few moments she's confused, then simply annoyed as she throws herself out of bed to march over to the window and throw open the curtains to give a few words to whoever has the audacity to--]

Venti?!

[... Still a little annoyed, but mostly confused again.

She unlocks the window and opens it.]

What in Celestia's name are you doing?

[outofoffice]

Ah . . .

[ His expression goes from pinched with concern to relieved (she's still here she isn't gone) to sheepish in record time ]

Ehe, sorry, I . . .



[ How does he explain himself without revealing himself as insane? ]

[vennessa]

[Standing at the open window, dressed in nothing but the shorts and t-shirt she went to bed in and with one side of her hair sticking slightly away from her head, Vennessa squints down at the little bard.

Then she opens the window a little wider.]

Come on then... the cold's getting in. [She has an idea of what this is about... and she doesn't think it'll take much to make him crack.]

Then you can tell me where the fire is.

[outofoffice]

[ He comes in far enough to take a seat on the windowsill, though he doesn't drop all the way in just yet ]

There's no fire! It's fine, everything's fine. You were sleeping, right? [ That thing people do . . . right . . . ] So I can just--

[ Makes a vague hand motion

In the direction of the outside ]

[vennessa]

I was sleeping.

[Emphasis on 'was'. Now she's dealing with an archon with attachment issues.

Vennessa sighs softly, then she leans next to him on the windowsill and puts her arm around his shoulders.]

What's all this about? Just tell me what's wrong.

[outofoffice]

[ He deflates a little, coming clean in record time. ]

. . . I was just making sure you're still here, that's all. I apologize for waking you up.

[vennessa]

... It's all right.

[She tucks her arm around him, drawing him closer against her side, then leans down to press a kiss to his head.]

I've thought about it, you know? How this must feel for you. I can't even imagine... [The redhead looks down, focusing on her knees.] It isn't as if we didn't know you'd outlive me... but I don't think that either of us ever thought we'd meet like this.

[She never thought, either, that he would miss her for so long. That he'd miss her this much.]

... Do you want to stay here with me for the night?

[outofoffice]

[ This is exactly what he should have avoided doing: dragging his baggage to Vennessa's doorstep and dumping it all over the threshold. He certainly knows better by now -- it's not as if she's the only person he's lost.

But it's a little too late to walk it back now, and saying he doesn't want to stay would be thoroughly dishonest. ]

If it's alright with you . . .

[ He hops the rest of the way inside. ]

[vennessa]

[In the end, though, she would rather know. Venti had helped her through so much, been there at her side through everything, didn't she at least owe it to him to be there for him now? He needed her, for once... and she's glad to be able to answer that call.

He hops down and she straightens up, closing the window behind them and drawing the curtains again. She rubs her hand through her hair and stifles a small yawn.]

I hope you're tired, because I could use another few hours of sleep...

[This being her bedroom and all, she sits down on the edge of the bed and pats the spot beside her.]

You gave me a fright banging on the glass like that.

[outofoffice]

I can knock more quietly next time.

[ "Next time" the audacity of this man

But he plops down on the bed beside her ]

But don't worry about me, I can sleep anywhere, anytime!

[vennessa]

Next time...

[The audacity of the man! Next time she'll leave the window unlocked and he can just come in.

Vennessa scoots herself back across the bed and lifts up the corner of the covers, making a little gesture with her free hand. Evidently she has firm ideas about how this is going to go.]

Shoes off. C'mon.

[outofoffice]

[ He could have teleported inside, technically . . . banging on the window just felt more polite.

He pops his shoes off, then pauses and considers . . . she wants him to just crawl into the bed with her, huh? It's not that this situation is unusual for him these days, but it's at least a little unusual with Vennessa specifically . . .

He's never said no to Vennessa, though, and why would he start? He scoots under the covers like the needy little wind sprite he is. ]

[vennessa]

[It's because she senses that he needs it, more than anything. It may have only been a few days for her since she last saw him in Mondstadt before arriving here, but she can feel the difference in him and how he looks at her when they're together.

Like he's trying to engrave everything about her into his memory all over again.

He scoots in without complaint and she smiles, flopping down beside him and tucking her arm around his small body. She rests her chin on top of his head.]

... Do you want to talk about it?

[outofoffice]

[ Spoiled. She'll make him spoiled, at this rate.

(It reminds him of being tucked into a certain someone's hood, way back when . . .)

His fingers curl in the fabric of her shirt, just a bit. ]

What is there to say, really?

[vennessa]

Barbatos...

[She says that name so softly, her voice barely a hum against his hair. Her fingertips twitch against the faint dip of his spine and then rub gently into it.]

It's all right if you don't want to. Just say so. [He so often seems to delight in mischievously dancing around a subject, but she won't expect it from him right now.] But you're my dearest friend... and if you're hurting, and I can do something... then I want to.

[outofoffice]

Ahhh . . . oh, old friend . . .

[ He closes his eyes and imagines, for a brief indulgent moment, that they're home in Mondstadt and not whisked to some far-away world, where people can go as quickly as they come. ]

Simply your presence is more than enough.

[vennessa]

Aha... I see.

[Well, she can give him that. She tucks her chin gently against his hair and closes her eyes with a small smile, still scratching her fingertips lightly against his back.]

That, I can give to your heart's content. Are you tired?

[outofoffice]

[ If wind sprites could purr, he probably would be.

He scooches a little closer so he can abandon pretenses and just wrap his arms around her, submitting shamelessly to the back scratches. ]

Hehe, not really . . . the trip over here was quite invigorating!

[ furi: he was freaking out ]

Don't let me keep you up, though.

[vennessa]

Ah, don't worry... I won't.

[He seems fine now and the issue of what had made him feel so desperate that he had to come knocking on her window at such an inhospitable hour can be talked about in the morning. For now she's content to tuck him in close and prop her chin on top of his head.]

Just don't go running off while I'm still asleep, all right?

[outofoffice]

[ He closes his eyes and lets out a contented little sigh, fingers lightly and idly tugging at the ends of her long hair. ]

Why, would you come running after me if I did?

[ A selfish, self-indulgent question ]

[vennessa]

Hmm.

[She sees the question for what it is, but that doesn't mean she's not going to answer him honestly. It's clear to her that all of this is something that he needs right now.]

Of course I would. Then I'd give you a scolding for running off without telling me.

[outofoffice]

[ She spoils him too much and this is proof. If she pulled his hat down over his face and smothered him, it would be well-earned.

As it is, he smiles -- a soft and genuine one. ]

Hehe . . . I guess I have no choice but to stay right here as long as I can, then.