(Venti) 'Thanks Kaeya'
"Okay, I'm thinking about hosting a Halloween parting this year," Childe says to Venti during study hall in the library. Only for Venti to sigh. Childe started hosting parties as soon as he got to the Akademiya, as soon as he thought he knew enough people for someone to attend. The turnout was bigger than he had expected; ever since then, there had been a party almost every weekend. Sometimes even on weekdays. Childe likes to party.
Deciding not to comment, Venti only hums, pulling out his music book. Looking at the pages Venti sighs, thinking back to his conversation with Albedo. What could he do? It had been a week and Venti hadn't seen Diluc anywhere. Diluc hadn't attended class, and the lack of contact confused Venti even more. Why was he longing for someone he didn't even know? He wanted to ask Diluc if he was okay. Did he have a panic attack in that classroom? If so, why? Did Venti do something?
These thoughts swirl in Venti's mind as he stares down the music on the paper with a glare that makes even Childe worried.
"Are you okay?" Childe asks, making Venti flinch in his seat a little. If even Childe, who spends most of his time thinking about himself, noticed then Venti really is screwed. It's not like Venti is good at hiding his emotions anyway, but Childe doesn't pay any mind to other's problems unless they affect him, so this is out of the ordinary for both of them.
"I'm fine, just worried about a friend." It's a rare moment for Venti, opening up to Childe. It's not that Venti hates Childe, but the relationship he had with Zhongli tended to make him uncomfortable. But he's a hypocrite now, isn't he? Pinning over Diluc, who's only 18.
Childe nods, though Venti can't see it, still staring at the page of music. Is he even really pining after Diluc? Venti's more worried to see if Diluc's okay. Venti wasn't sure what happened, only that he looked freaked out. Not scared necessarily, but definitely freaked. Like he saw something gross or unnerving.
"Do I know who it is? I could check on them for you." Childe sounds nervous. Almost like he's worried about Venti, though Venti can't fathom why. As far as Venti's concerned they're not friends, Childe's just dating his brother. Almost family, but not quite.
"Why are you being nice to me?" Venti blurts out, not thinking. Not thinking clearly, at least. The question comes out fast, before Venti can even catch it. When he looks up at Childe, he regrets it.
"You're my friend, I want to help." Childe's blue eyes are full of worry, and even worse, a little bit of hurt. Of course Childe saw Venti as a friend, and of course Venti had to be stupid and question Childe's motives.
Sighing, Venti closes the notebook, looking Childe in the eyes forcefully. "If I tell you, can you promise it won't come and bite me in the ass?" Childe nods, looking like all he wanted to do in the moment was prove himself to Venti. Childe could be a good friend. Childe could be what Venti needed right now. A trusted, good, friend.
"Pinky swear." Holding up his hand with a childish grin on his face, Childe closes his eyes, fully expecting Venti not to take his hand. It surprises them both when he does. Venti's pinky is wrapped around Childe's, and they shake their hands slightly, solidifying the promise.
Biting his lip, Venti thinks about backing out. But he can't now, can he? He pinky swore. "It's Diluc." Venti pauses, thinking. How much could he tell? How much did he know?
"The redhead from the party, the cute one holding onto Mona?" It shocks Venti, that Childe was sober enough to remember Diluc. "The one whose brother challenged you For The Honor of The Archons?" Venti nods, looking down, embarrassed that he had done that. In hindsight, it probably wouldn't be easy getting closer to Diluc after that.
Diluc had seemed so uncomfortable and angry during For The Honor of The Archons. But he had come around afterward, right? He came over to Venti's place, they smoked, he left happy.
"Okay, why haven't you asked him if he was alright?" Despite Childe trying to help, Venti really wants to smack him, which only makes Venti feel worse. " I mean," Childe starts, trying again. "If you ask he'll probably tell you what's going on, right?"
Venti sighs, looking up at Childe once more before shaking his head. "I haven't seen him. Tighnari canceled class this week and I don't share any other classes with him." Venti answers, but it only seems to confuse Childe more.
"Then why haven't you sought him out? I mean, you know his friend group right? Mona, Kaeya, Jean?" If Venti thought he was shocked before then he really had no idea. He stares at Childe with a dumbfounded look, one that makes Childe a bit uncomfortable. "What?"
"One, you're a genius." Venti smiles, his facial features softening. "And second, I didn't think about it. I've been sitting on my worry all by myself." Whipping out his phone, Venti texts Kazuha, having not noticed that he had put Diluc and Kaeya's numbers into Venti's phone.
(Venti) 'Zuzu, I need help'
It doesn't take even a moment for Kazuha to reply, and Venti's so engrossed in his phone he doesn't notice Childe sit back and smile.
(Zuzu) 'If this is about the trash, I swear I'll clean it up'
Venti laughs at Kazuha's text, the sound startling Childe a bit. Venti forgets he's even there.
(Venti) 'lol, no'
'can you text Kaeya for me?'
...
The typing bubbles pop onto the screen only for them to disappear a moment later. Venti puts down his phone, not wanting to stare at the screen for too long. When he looks up, he remembers that Childe is in fact sitting next to him.
"Did you ask?" Childe still looks a little worried, but a sense of pride seems to have washed over his features.
Venti shakes his head, smiling at his not-so-new, new friend. "No, but I texted Kazuha." Venti lets the statement stand, choosing not to elaborate.
"What's Kazuha going to do, I thought you were worried about Diluc?" It still baffles Venti that Childe was sober enough to remember them. Or worse, he knew them outside of the party.
Sighing, Venti looks at his phone as it buzzes. He picks it up before answering Childe, looking at the text that's popped into his notifications.
(Kaeya) 'Hey, Kazuha asked me to text you?'
The text surprises Venti, he looks up at Childe in shock. "I asked him to text Kaeya." But this statement, mixed with Venti's reaction, only seems to confuse Childe more.
"Okay?" He pauses, glancing at Venti's phone. "So what's the problem? What did he say?" Childe scoots closer to the table, interested in the interaction seeming to take place on Venti's phone.
"Kaeya just texted me, I didn't know that Zuzu put his number in my phone." Venti scrolls through his contacts before looking at the next text Kaeya sends. "He put Diluc's number in here too. You're telling me I could have texted Diluc this whole time?" Venti sighs before shaking his head.
Somehow texting Diluc seems like a bad idea in Venti's head. It would probably make Diluc uncomfortable, he didn't really know Venti after all.
(Kaeya) 'you doin okay?'
Venti gulps, looking down. It makes Venti nervous, he didn't think it would get this far. He expected to get answers from Kazuha, not Kaeya. Not that there was a problem with talking to Kaeya, it just wasn't what Venti was expecting.
(Venti) 'yeah, I'm just trying to check in on Diluc'
Venti takes a full minute to press send on the text, nerves getting the best of him. Bubbles pop up instantly, before disappearing. popping up and disappearing again.
On the other end of the phone, Kaeya looks over to a sleeping Diluc, biting his nail.
(Kaeya) 'He's okay...'
"What did he say?" Childe asks when Venti starts shaking his leg. Venti looks up at Childe again, staring for what seems like forever. Childe cocks his head to the side, confusion written on his face. "What?"
Looking down, Venti shakes his head. "Nothing, Kaeya's answer just makes me more worried." Childe nods, looking down at Venti's phone as it buzzes again. Venti's hand shoots to where it's lying on the table, picking the phone up so fast that it slips from his hand and falls under his seat.
Venti's chair scraps the carpet as he forces it back, getting onto his hands and knees and grabbing at the phone. Its screen is smudged, luckily not cracked. Flipping it over, Venti checks the case to make sure it's okay as well. The blue and green ombre base of the case is fine, but some of the dandelions that Venti had painted on were scratched off. He needed to put on a stronger top coat it seems.
A buzz is heard, but this time it isn't Venti's phone, he's too scared to see the text anyway, so he's glad that Childe got a text too. Venti sits back in his seat, looking at Childe as he stares at his phone too.
"Holy shit." Childe breathes, his hand covering a blush that creeps up his face, going as far up as his ears. A flushed pink, red at the darkest parts.
"What is it?" Venti eyes Childe, who has moved his hand from covering his face to gripping the table.
"You don't want to know." Is all Childe says, and Venti believes him. Venti has a hunch, and based on that hunch, he's certain that Childe's right. Venti does not want to see that text. "I-I have to go."
"Say hi to Zhongli for me." Venti smiles at Childe's reaction to his words. His blush goes from a light red to a sunburned look, reaching the tips of his ears. From Zhongli's oversharing, Venti knows that it reaches his chest too.
Childe scrambles up, picking his things up quickly. Rushing out of the library. Venti smiles. Their relationship tended to make him uncomfortable, the age difference, but it was still good to see them both happy. He would have to tease Zhongli for it later.
Looking around, Venti realizes that he can't avoid his phone any longer. He looks at his lock screen, the picture of the six of them from the party. Kazuha had changed it, and Venti didn't mind. Kazuha was always changing Venti's lock screen to something. He left Venti's home screen alone. It was a picture of him with all of his siblings.
But this picture, Venti didn't remember it, which is why he kept it for so long. Mona's purple bell sleeves covered her and Diluc's hands and Kaeya's drunk-blush turned the tan skin of his chest red. You could see it through the deep v-neck shirt he was wearing. Kazuha was wearing a red button-down, and Xiao was wearing a green one. They looked amazing, Venti loved his friends, even his new ones. And he was getting over his feelings about Mona, which would probably make all of his friends happy.
Sighing, Venti opens the phone, looking at Kaeya's next text.
(Kaeya) 'You'll see him in class, ask him yourself when you see him'
Something about the text feels malicious, but Venti knows it's not. Did he take his meds today? He can't remember. Well fuck. Venti stands, deciding that he needs to check his pill box NOW. Before he leaves he sends one last text to Kaeya, deciding that it wasn't meant to hurt his feelings.
(Venti) 'Thanks Kaeya'