XVII

You think you blanked out for a second. Darkness spread across your eyes and for a moment you couldn’t feel the rushing air as you fell. It wasn’t until you felt arms wrapped around your middle that you came to.

Wind beat around lethargic form, hands tightening under your knees and circling your back when you shuffled slightly. You struggled to open your eyes, your entire body feeling like it was being weighed down by a hundred pounds. Eventually though, you do manage to flutter your eyes open to gaze hazily at shimmering white hair and dark almonds. You tried a smile to reassure the worried angel gripping you like you were going to die.

“Are you alright?” Your angel rushed out, hovering in mid-air with his large white wings beating around you.

You chuckled. “I’m fine Ariel.” Your voice was gravely from exhaustion and your limbs were completely limp in his hold.

It seemed you underestimated how hard the adrenaline drop would be after fighting Dvalin and how much all that fighting had worn you out. It occurred to you, as the two of you were hovering in the air, surrounded by fluffy white clouds, that everyone else was with Dvalin, flying towards Mond, and wondering where you were.

“Ariel.” You called. The angel stopped his look over of you for any injuries, which had already been healed by Jean. “We have to find Dvalin and land near them. They probably think I’m dead  or something.”

“Why would they think you’re dead?” Ariel furrowed his eyebrows.

You scoffed. “Dude, you picked me up outta nowhere when everyone is falling to their death! I’m with you but they’re waking up on Dvalin’s back without me! Whatchu think they think happened to me?”

Ariel had the decency to look sheepish and immediately began to fly in the direction you assumed he saw Dvalin go in. Never had you ever flown with Ariel, but no you had wished you had done so sooner. The sight of the sun reflecting on the myriad of clouds and the gentle wind caressing your face, Ariel holding you close to his chest was an experience you could only describe as tranquil.

Many times since arriving in Teyvat you had felt happy and relaxed, but such a state of total calm had never caught you until now. The wind was chilly and your eyes were watering so you nuzzled your face into the crook of Ariel’s neck.

You eventually found Dvalin flying near the woods you had first found him conversing with Venti in. You saw the great dragon touch down in a large clearing and Ariel followed close behind. He landed just behind the tree line of the clearing and set you down.

Your legs shook for a moment but you quickly righted yourself as you waited for the green and red snow to leave your vision and the fog of your lightheadedness left your mind. You took a deep breath, shaking the feeling back into your body, wiggling your hands and feet and cracking your neck.

“Okay, let's go figure out how to explain what you are.” You made to step into the clearing but Ariel’s hand pulled you back.

“What’re you talking about?” Ariel whispered harshly, forgetting that fact that nobody can hear him.

You looked at him incredulously. “Ariel, we all fell out of the sky, and I show up outta nowhere? Do you have a reasonable lie to cover up your existence?” You paused as Ariel bluescreened. “Were you supposed to be a secret anyway? You didn’t tell me why you were invisible in the first place.”

“I’m invisible because my only connection to this world is you, I am only connected to you. Therefore, even if I have a physical existence, I can only be heard and seen by you.” Ariel tilts his head to the side. “And I suppose I was never a secret per se, even if I was you didn’t attempt to hide it. You speak to me very brazenly in public.”

“Huh,” you purse your lips. “Guess I do.” You shrugged and started back towards the clearing. “We’ll figure it out as we go. Fake it till ya make it babe.”

“No wait-” You were vaguely aware of Ariel trying to pull you back, no doubt to think of a concise and proper way to explain everything, but right now, you didn’t care.

Even though you knew everyone was okay, a part of you was still worried. Worried that something had gone wrong when Dvalin caught them and worried that they were injured from the fight. That part of you settled when you entered the clearing and everyone was surrounding Dvalin looking A-okay.

Diluc caught sight of you first, swiftly making his way towards you. You were somewhat shocked when he pulled you into a tight embrace. He buried his face in the crook of your neck and you noticed his breathing was heavier. The arms around your waist were tight, but not bruising, and it didn’t take you long to reciprocate the gesture, wrapping your arms around his neck and nuzzling against his fiery hair.

“Don’t ever do that again.” You heard Diluc murmur, his warm breath fanning your neck.

You squeezed back a little tighter. “No promises, but I’ll try.”

Diluc didn’t answer, only tightening his grip around your waist. The two of you stood there for a moment, uncaring of the stares you could feel burning into you, but eventually you two released your grip on each other and walked to the rest of the group.

Aether and Jean had smiled at you, relief clear in their eyes and you conveyed the same sentiment, pulling back the tears that threatened to escape. You were just so overwhelmingly happy that everyone was okay.

Venti was the last. His eyes were swirling with the same relief and happiness of everyone else, but with unbridled curiosity in the mix, and you think you knew why. He approached you and you leaned down slightly, circling your arms around his hips and his around your shoulders, similar to your’s and Diluc’s hug.

Venti pulled back and looked at you with unhidden mischief. “So,” he drawled. “Are you going to introduce us to your friend?”

You winced. Of course he knew, you figured he did, they wind led everything back to him after all. Apparently he was just too polite to say anything, or thought you were crazy, or didn’t care…

Anyway, despite the strange looks you were receiving from the rest of the group, you gestured for Ariel, who had been standing a little ways behind you, to stand next to you. You could tell he was nervous in the way his wings fluttered, expanding and contracting, brushing against the swaying grass.

“What friend?” Aether questioned, crossing his arms and unknowingly imitating Diluc with a confused, yet stern expression.

“Uh,” Your mind scrambled. “This is my friend Ariel,” you waved your hand to what they thought was empty air. “He’s invisible, but he’s there. He’s an… entity that had attached himself to me a long time ago, and has been following me around ever since.”

You figured that was a passable enough explanation without having to go into the Western religions from which angels and guardian angels originated or the levels of angels, and so on and so forth. That would get real complicated real fast, especially in a world that doesn't have said religions.

“You’re pointing at air.”

You sighed, running a hand down your face. “Diluc, please spare me, I am so tired.” Diluc only frowned. You turned to the ‘air’. “Ariel, can you please shake Diluc’s hand or something?”

“Can I smack him?”

“Do not.”

Ariel scoffed and walked over to the skeptical redhead, holding his hand out. “Diluc,” you called. “Hold your hand out, as if you were about to shake someone’s hand.” Diluc didn’t say anything, only complied and held out his hand.

Ariel grasped Diluc’s hand and vaguely, you realized that this was the first person he had touched besides you in almost two years. A smirk graced Ariel’s face as Diluc’s eyes widened. “Huh.” was the only sound that escaped the bar owner.

Besides the two Venti giggled, a hand going to cover his amused smile. Diluc glared at the wind sprite, which only caused him to laugh harder. “Did you already know about this?”

“Of course!” Venti waved his hand in a dismissive manner. “How could I not when our dearest friend is so abrasive with their conversations? Especially the one they had just outside the clearing.”

You felt the heat rise to your cheeks when everyone turned to look at you. Reasonably, you knew Venti heard that conversation, and all your conversations, but having him say it out loud only increased your embarrassment tenfold. “Wait, can you hear Ariel’s voice too?”

“Ah, I cannot. I only have the pleasure of hearing yours.” He winked and you rolled your eyes, fond smile pulling at your lips. “But it is not difficult to guess what the other side must’ve said based on the response you give.”

“[Y/n].” You shifted your attention to Jean. “I assume your friend caught you before you fell, but how did you get here?”

“Ariel has wings, so he followed Dvalin and we flew here.” Jean nodded and you noticed that same longing in Aether that he had when first using the wind glider. Diluc didn’t even look remotely surprised, having dropped Ariel’s hand and returned to his crossed armed position.

“So uh, yeah that’s it with Ariel.” You murmured, purposefully ignoring the ‘oh that’s it? I feel sooo loved’ from the angel to your side. “Oh, this should’ve been the first thing I asked, but, no injuries? Everyone’s fine right?”

Aether must’ve caught the waver in your tone and smile reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we’re all good. Dvalin caught us quickly, and gave us a nice ride.”

“That’s good.”

The discussion went quickly after that, mainly just saying goodbye to Dvalin and reassurances between everyone that it was finally over and that the Abyss Order had no more influence over the great dragon’s mind.

Everyone began to dissipate, either heading back to Mond or elsewhere, but you caught the wrist of a cheerful green bard, now elated that his old friend is finally freed. You felt a warmth gather in your chest to see his smile. Seeing him happy made you happy. That warmth quickly left when you remembered what you wanted to ask him.

“Venti, can I ask you something?” The bard tilted his head towards you, that simple smile easing your fiery nerves.

“You just did.” You raised your eyebrow unimpressed and he giggled. “Yes, yes you may ask me something.”

“You could hear all of my conversations right?” Venti nodded confused, but you just had to clarify. “Like all of my conversations?”

Venti’s smile softened and he grasped your trembling hands. “Yes, but fear not!” His voice was soft yet playful and you knew he was trying to relax you. “I won’t tell anyone, your secret is safe with me.”

You let out a breath, though it sounded more like a wheeze. You were eternally grateful. Truthfully, when you first got to Genshin, you were so shocked and excited you forgot the gods might’ve been able to hear whatever you said about being from another game or anything related. However, you couldn’t help but ask. “Why?”

Venti squeezed your hands. “Just the other day, you asked me to trust that the plan to save Dvalin would work, and it did. Thank you for being someone I can put my trust in.” Your brows furrowed as Venti went on. “Now I ask that you place your trust in me to keep your secrets, secret and to help when you need.”

You smiled, now aware of the tears sliding down your cheeks when one landed on your lip. “Thank you.” You whispered.

Venti smiled back. “Of course.”

-

You laid in bed that night, Ariel on the loveseat sleeping soundly and moonlight streaming through the window. You couldn’t sleep, giddyness filling your being. You never knew how relieving it would be to have someone know and to still trust you.

A part of you, a small one but still a part, was always nervous that when someone found out about you being from a different world, they’d feel deceived by you. Perhaps it was unrealistic to think so but Venti’s acceptance felt like a weight you didn’t know was there being removed from your shoulders.

You were glad everything was working out.

a/n - My feelings about this chapter: *Screaming*

Interpret that how you will.