welcome home

[outofoffice]

Who: Venti, Yuri, Saya, Lumine, and Kantera
What: A moment of respite
When: March 4th
Where: A house at the far edge of Blossomcrown
Warnings: Probably mentions of previous game trauma/violence


[ Venti has always been the type who wanders to the beat of his own drum, dipping in and out of people's lives as easily as the blowing wind. But Tokyo-F . . . changed things, somewhat.

Though his initial instinct had been to sleep under a tree and call it "home," an invitation to live with old friends put a halt to those plans. For starters, it would be protection from the unpredictable weather in the segments. For another, maybe he did get used to having a bed and a room to call "home," in no small part because of the teammates and friends who inhabited it with him. Now that solitary tree feels . . . lonely, in a way it didn't before.

And so here he is, standing at the threshold of a house full of people he loves and trusts, who asked him to stay . . . it makes him feel his age, but not in a bad way, for once. Nor does he feel that nagging urge to disappear into the wind.

Should he catch anyone watching him, the pensive expression dissolves into a smile. ]

Hehe, is this the part where we fight over bedrooms?

Comments

[at_heart]

[ Snort. ]

Right, not like you're a world-class singer who can probably play instruments I've never even heard of. Why would anyone give you more than a moon coin or two in your little plastic cup on a street corner.

[outofoffice]

Those things are all true, of course!

[ #HUMBLE ]

But even in the city of winds and idylls, appreciation for the art of music is rarely shown through money. I won't set myself up for disappointment by assuming this world will be any different in that regard.

[at_heart]

I mean, you could just get people to buy you rounds.

[outofoffice]

How exactly do you think I funded my hobbies back home?

[ Hobbies being drinking. Of course. ]

[at_heart]

So, there you go.

Let the rest of us worry about food and shelter.

[outofoffice]

[ Yuri might be expecting another quippy response, but . . . he's quiet for a moment, instead. ]

Hehe . . . you're all so kind.

[ He's still not used to it, to be honest. ]

[at_heart]

[ A blink, then a pause, then a faint frown. ]

You okay?

[outofoffice]

[ Perceptive people are really the fucking worst.

He reaches out and bops Yuri's nose. ]

I'm just fine. There's no need for such serious faces.

[at_heart]

[ He's gonna chat up Zhongli at the opening ceremony in a couple weeks, realize it's not the Zhongli he knows, and immediately slot that part of the puzzle into place, you know. Add in your post looking for more genshins, and...

Anyway, the boop doesn't deter him. It does very clearly communicate that you don't want to talk about it right now, though, so he leans back and says: ]

We'd be working just as hard anyway, and we wouldn't get the pleasure of your company.

[ With a beat of very serious eye contact. So that he can be sure you hear the bit about it being a privilege to have you around. ]

[outofoffice]

[ Yuri: the goodest of beans, even if he wouldn't accept the accusation. ]

Surely you don't think I wouldn't be bothering you all the time anyway?

[at_heart]

[ rude!! ] [ And also you are only prolonging the deliberate eye contact. ]

I think you'd bother us none of the time. On account of not being a bother.

[ Then he turns away, breezy. ]

What do you want for lunch, anyway? We should figure out some kind of a schedule.

[outofoffice]

[ Wow!!! Gosh.

Venti might be a little relieved when the eye contact breaks . . . ]

Vegetable stew! I bet plenty of plants around here are edible.

[at_heart]

[ That's okay, there'll be more eye contact later. ]

Man, we're gonna have to pay for groceries here. Both — weird and very normal.