A few days. It seems that keeping to myself for any longer isn't going to be a possibility.
[He's already seen Jean, Kaeya has been in contact, and now Venti... well, it was only going to be able to last for so long. At least none of them got to see just how ruffled he was when he arrived. He wouldn't have been of any use at all in a level-headed conversation.
But the bard, despite Diluc's general attitude of irritated tolerance of his presence, is welcome company.]
Can I get you a drink? Stalking me so far must be thirsty work.
[ He probably would have asked eventually, and Diluc probably knows he would have, too. Once a mooch, always a mooch. He cheerfully takes a look around Diluc's space, though he doesn't drift that far away from the man. He smiles towards him. ]
It is very thirsty work! And -- you definitely won't be able to. Not here, at least. There's only so many places to live and I would have run into you eventually.
[ He blinks up at the redhead. ]
Were you wanting to avoid us?
[ He's very pointed about the us because he doesn't know who Diluc knows is here, so he just goes for it. ]
[He gets Venti some juice, only half listening to him while he goes on. His respect for the Anemo Archon is high, but the bard can certainly prattle when he has his head in something.
But then there's that question, and he hands the glass over while he frowns and considers his answer for a moment.]
Not exactly.
[No, he would have made himself known eventually... but why raise your head about the parapet if you're not sufficiently armoured to defend yourself? It's a grim way to think about people who could be considered your friends, but he's already found out that not everyone here from Teyvat is a friendly face.]
I wanted to be sure of my position before I showed my face. [He shakes his head slightly.] It wasn't personal.
[ He keeps close enough to watch Diluc's every movement. If only because he just likes to keep an eye on his friend. It doesn't actually surprise him that Diluc hadn't reached out to him - not really anyway. Venti knows him pretty well, he thinks, and there's still quite a bit he doesn't understand yet. ]
I understand.
[ He returns cheerfully and takes a sip of the juice while looking Diluc over. Despite the cheerful, easy tone - there's a lot of sincerity when he speaks. Diluc knows him well enough to know that it's there, at least. ]
So, if you want me to not tell anyone that you're here, I'll keep it to myself.
[ And another sip. ]
I'm still happy to see you, though, you know? It's nice to see someone I really do like here.
[ Which doesn't sound like a compliment given how much Venti cares for his people, but -- it is. ]
[He doesn't ask if Venti is capable of doing so. In this at least, he's sure he can trust the archon to keep a secret. Diluc gets himself a glass of water and takes a small sip, glancing down at Venti over the rim of the glass.
Someone he likes?
He's already come across Jean, and she'd seemed oddly relieved to see him as well. It had never much occurred to Diluc that other people might view his presence as a source of comfort. His, not that of a hidden vigilante.]
Hmph. [He shakes his head.] You like my coin purse, bard. Don't think you can win me over so easily.
[ It's easy to keep secrets. He's kept many others. Despite his easy demeanor, he isn't about to spoil someone else's time. Freedom doesn't mean ruining Diluc's day, after all.
But the reality was that Venti cares a lot for Diluc. Sure, he cares about all of his people from Mondstadt. But there's some that he's certainly more bonded to. Some that he spends time around and have grown to appreciate and care about differently - more genuinely. Less like a god and more like a friend.
Diluc is among them. ]
Hey, I've managed fine before you were here, too. I don't need your coin purse!
[ Which means -- ]
I want to be around you. Is it so unbelievable that I actually like you?
[He shoots a sidelong glance Venti's way and doesn't immediately answer. Is it that unbelievable that the archon might just want to be around him for no other reason than the enjoyment of his company?
Diluc is relatively sure that no one really enjoys his company for very long, at least in the past year or so. He's sharp-tongued and prone to cutting remarks, and he has none of the exuberance that he had when he was younger. Before--]
No.
[It's not that he doesn't believe Venti. Maybe it's more that he doesn't want to believe him.]
[ He's teasing as he sips at his juice while watching Diluc. He has his typical almost devious grin as he watches Diluc. Yeah, he says that he has great taste, but he doesn't really care if others think that he does or not. ]
[It's completely without thought that he reaches out and gives Venti's hair a gentle ruffle. He realises a moment later what he's doing, his hand stilling on top of his head and then immediately withdrawing, but the quiet fondness has already been conveyed and he can't take it back.]
I make no promises.
[There are... problems there. Ones that Venti can't know about.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2021-08-31 07:50 am (UTC)[He's already seen Jean, Kaeya has been in contact, and now Venti... well, it was only going to be able to last for so long. At least none of them got to see just how ruffled he was when he arrived. He wouldn't have been of any use at all in a level-headed conversation.
But the bard, despite Diluc's general attitude of irritated tolerance of his presence, is welcome company.]
Can I get you a drink? Stalking me so far must be thirsty work.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-03 10:37 pm (UTC)[ He probably would have asked eventually, and Diluc probably knows he would have, too. Once a mooch, always a mooch. He cheerfully takes a look around Diluc's space, though he doesn't drift that far away from the man. He smiles towards him. ]
It is very thirsty work! And -- you definitely won't be able to. Not here, at least. There's only so many places to live and I would have run into you eventually.
[ He blinks up at the redhead. ]
Were you wanting to avoid us?
[ He's very pointed about the us because he doesn't know who Diluc knows is here, so he just goes for it. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-09-03 10:51 pm (UTC)But then there's that question, and he hands the glass over while he frowns and considers his answer for a moment.]
Not exactly.
[No, he would have made himself known eventually... but why raise your head about the parapet if you're not sufficiently armoured to defend yourself? It's a grim way to think about people who could be considered your friends, but he's already found out that not everyone here from Teyvat is a friendly face.]
I wanted to be sure of my position before I showed my face. [He shakes his head slightly.] It wasn't personal.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-04 10:02 pm (UTC)I understand.
[ He returns cheerfully and takes a sip of the juice while looking Diluc over. Despite the cheerful, easy tone - there's a lot of sincerity when he speaks. Diluc knows him well enough to know that it's there, at least. ]
So, if you want me to not tell anyone that you're here, I'll keep it to myself.
[ And another sip. ]
I'm still happy to see you, though, you know? It's nice to see someone I really do like here.
[ Which doesn't sound like a compliment given how much Venti cares for his people, but -- it is. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-09-05 11:25 am (UTC)[He doesn't ask if Venti is capable of doing so. In this at least, he's sure he can trust the archon to keep a secret. Diluc gets himself a glass of water and takes a small sip, glancing down at Venti over the rim of the glass.
Someone he likes?
He's already come across Jean, and she'd seemed oddly relieved to see him as well. It had never much occurred to Diluc that other people might view his presence as a source of comfort. His, not that of a hidden vigilante.]
Hmph. [He shakes his head.] You like my coin purse, bard. Don't think you can win me over so easily.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-06 03:35 am (UTC)[ It's easy to keep secrets. He's kept many others. Despite his easy demeanor, he isn't about to spoil someone else's time. Freedom doesn't mean ruining Diluc's day, after all.
But the reality was that Venti cares a lot for Diluc. Sure, he cares about all of his people from Mondstadt. But there's some that he's certainly more bonded to. Some that he spends time around and have grown to appreciate and care about differently - more genuinely. Less like a god and more like a friend.
Diluc is among them. ]
Hey, I've managed fine before you were here, too. I don't need your coin purse!
[ Which means -- ]
I want to be around you. Is it so unbelievable that I actually like you?
no subject
Date: 2021-09-08 05:09 pm (UTC)Diluc is relatively sure that no one really enjoys his company for very long, at least in the past year or so. He's sharp-tongued and prone to cutting remarks, and he has none of the exuberance that he had when he was younger. Before--]
No.
[It's not that he doesn't believe Venti. Maybe it's more that he doesn't want to believe him.]
But there's no accounting for taste.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-12 04:31 pm (UTC)[ He's teasing as he sips at his juice while watching Diluc. He has his typical almost devious grin as he watches Diluc. Yeah, he says that he has great taste, but he doesn't really care if others think that he does or not. ]
Think better of yourself, Diluc.
[ It sounds like he's chiding him. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-09-15 11:40 am (UTC)I make no promises.
[There are... problems there. Ones that Venti can't know about.]
But I'll think about it.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 08:39 pm (UTC)I'm glad, then. That's all I ask.