Tugging at my Heart Strings || Venti x Reader ||

Breakfast!

A yawn escaped (Y/N)'s lips as they stirred awake, the light from outside shining into the room they rested in.

It was early, good. That meant they should hopefully reach Liyue Harbour by midday or so.

They rubbed their eyes, blinking a few times as they sat up on the bed whilst their vision began to adjust to the waking world that surrounded them. It was a pretty nice sleep despite it being somewhere else.

Nice dreams...

"Mm..." Not long after slipping out of the bed they had just lay in, (Y/N) soon remembered all the previous days events that flooded in fast. Where was Venti...? Well- Of course not here, why would he? Maybe the bard was an early bird or something of the sort. They really had to get to know him better- Maybe they could be friends! Good friends! Close friends...?

Did it matter?

The Apprentice cut their train of thoughts off there and then, why did they have to be so concerned with the Bard? They were on this Journey to visit Xingqiu, that's the only reason they came in the first place. For their friend Xingqiu! To visit him and bring him books, maybe spend some time in the harbour with him if he was interested in a walk...

That's all (Y/N) would've thought to plan. But they also wanted to do those things with Venti, it was a small feeling in their chest, and they never took notice because it was so small. Minor. Perhaps it was just out of excitement of having a potential new friend, espcially it being someone they held admiration for.

It's not like they'd be sticking together after anyway, they'd likely be leaving at different times and all too, part ways once they settled down in Liyue Harbour and onwards.

Why did that seem to make them a little sad? Ahh, silly questions, silly questions...

(Y/N) looked down to the nightgown they now wore that night after changing from their usual clothes.

Clothes, clothes...They should get changed before leaving, ahh this'd take a good ten minutes. What a pain every morning! Alas it had to be done didn't it? They should just start sleeping in their clothes or something- Or well, no. That was a little gross.

As (Y/N) removed their nightgown, they remembered the books again left behind on their journey here. It still peeved them off. They weren't particularly mad or upset with Venti for it at all, besides, he's the one who helped them to get away from certain death! (Y/N) was very grateful to the Bard for it and that was for sure, but...

Agh, why must they be getting so worked up about some books? Lisa would understand! She'd just be er...Disappointed.

"Mm, what kind of apprentice am I..? I'm letting Lisa down.." They mumbled in a sob with a small sigh of defeat with acceptance of the predicament.

(Y/N) may stay a bit longer in Liyue than planned, you know, so they didn't have to dread the thought of having to tell Lisa the truth so soon. It was embarrassing to be unable to do such a simple task asked of them.

=~=<>=~=

Venti strummed his Lyre as he sat on the fencing of a balcony up high in Wangshuu Inn, it was morning now...

"The morning sun drew itself forth as the travellers had rested from their journey from the north. One bows to light doted across Teyvat, and noble knights from across the land prepare for daily training of combat.
Across the streets of Mondstadt, dogs will tredge, barking upon desert stray cah- c-caa..- ACHOO!"
...
"Agh.. I walked right into that one huh..?" Venti sniffled, annoyed with his little cat allergy. He could hardly think of cats without even sneezing! What a pain.