Archons of the Elite

Vol.2: Prologue

Venti POV

I woke up with a yawn and groggily began to open my eyes, I'd slept surprisingly well I realised, with Haruka cushioning me throughout the night, before I glanced over at Kiyotaka and Kikyō with a small smile, I went to sit up but found the unconscious girl beneath me dragging me back.

I suppose I could lie here for a while...

I absentmindedly began to think about the recent events, I knew Ei had another motive, her excuse wouldn't have been believed in a million years by me or Morax.

But...

I remembered the gentle hug she'd given me and was reminded of Makato after the two of us had drunk too much all those years back...

Tears built in my eyes before I quickly blinked them away.

If only I'd had a chance to tell you Makato...

I absentmindedly began to frown as I remembered the less favourable memories of being hugged, primarily from that Kitsune when I'd visited Inazuma, who'd used the chance to try and force me into some variation of feminine outfit, I didn't even think she knew me! At first I thought Ei had sent her to mess with me but then I saw that dog looking boy...

Poor fellow, I'll remember your sacrifice~

I let my mind wonder to our current predicament... I had to accept that we might not go back to Teyvat, not now and maybe not when this school ended... Ei had been convinced we'd been sent here to win, a fact that had been confirmed when Zhongli had told me about their argument, but I'd grown worried that maybe we'd arrived here so we could acclimate without worrying about money or the various modern problems of this world.

I glanced at the three friends I'd met during the time I'd spent here.

If I never went back... Never regained my godhood... Do I really want to age and die without ever truly having someone to call my own? I'd fallen in love before but...

I sighed softly, I'd been avoiding anything more than casual flirting here because I knew how old I was in comparison but... I'd never had a body older than that of a teenager so my mind had never developed further... And my body was now that of one but...

I quickly slapped myself, I couldn't convince myself that it was a good idea, I didn't deserve to be with anyone here, they all had their own lives to live, and I'd had more than enough chances to enjoy life than they could imagine anyway...

Maybe... I could just see what it would be like to feel loved.

I leaned down and gently tapped Haruka's shoulder.

This was a bad idea.

"Mmm... Yeah?"

I should stop.

I felt extremely nervous as I began to speak, my voice soft and innocent.

But don't I deserve this?

"Can I kiss you? I really want to know what it's like to kiss someone for real... Y'know?"

To love?

"You kissed Kushida and Ayanokouji though?"

To mean something?

I sighed awkwardly.

I have feelings as well...

"But that was just flirting, I barely thought about it and... Well I-"

Please...

I was cut off by the girl softly taking my lips, a small smile growing on my face as I felt the world slow, finally feeling as if I was more than an archon, more than a bard...