#Said fine cider would be stolen from Diluc's winery

[gifted-cardinal]

Between freedom and life - Yandere Venti x Traveler Reader

"People would kill to be loved and protected by a deity. And yet all you do is hurt me more and more."     TW: yandere, posessive behaviour, unhealthy relationship, imprisonment WC:1408

    Mondstad's breeze and green plains were the first things to welcome you into this world. A safe place to train and get ready for the next big steps in your adventure. Taking care of Mondstadt's troubles, fighting great battles for the dragon's freedom and helping the deity himself - it all felt as if it originated straight from the pages of some fairytale. But you still had to move forward, to reach your goal, no matter how idyllic this place was.

"You wish to leave?" asks Venti one day, unexpectedly. As if he knew what was going through your head lately. Perhpas you've been stocking too much on weapons and food.

"That'd be a shame" he sighs as he looks at you with those big, melancholic eyes, he turns his eyes somewhere else as he smiles a sadly.

"You know, there's a festival coming soon. I hoped you'd attend it with me. There'll be food, music and alcohol...not that the last part is the most important of course" his chuckle filled the air, but soon his eyes got this saddened glint again 

"Can't you really stay a bit more? Pretty please?"

And just like that, new events unfolded before your very eyes as Venti dragged you everywhere with him. Hanging off your shoulder, holding you as he drinks and laughs, pouring you yet another cup. Festival passes and yet the archon is still by your side. It looks like he took interest in adventuring, asking you to bring him to some comissions and huntings. Telling Venti that you're leaving next day always ended up the same, with him telling you that he hoped you'd stay just for a little longer. He has some trouble, you know? There's this hilichurl camp that needs to be taken care of and who'd be better for this, than the renowned hero of Mondstadt? He'll treat you to some fine cider after this too! Just help him out this last time, okay?

Day and day again, the same story kept happening. Your goal seemed to be more distant each time you spoke to anemo archon. So one time you decided to simply go and leave, no matter how guilty you felt doing this. You'd visit eventually anyway. With that thought in mind you crossed the green plains and kept marching until you saw massive lands of yellow trees and tall mountains. Wind blew gently in your face, bringing a cool aid from the long walk. As you took a step forward, it felt like a new adventure awaited you, and you shouldn't worry about a thing. That is until a wind changed direction and strenght, as it violently blew from behind you now.

"Are you okay?!" When you turn around, you see Venti running through the border as he quickly catches you, looking around for anyone or anything. Turquise light of anemo power leaves him as he takes his physical form

"Why are you here? What happened? Who brought you here?" His questions quickly spill out of his mouth as his grip on your arms tightens.

It felt wrong telling him that you need to go. As if you were abandoning him. Uncalm winds around you two will reflect on his demenaour as his fingers fidget, pressing further into your flesh.

"I...had no idea that you wish to leave so badly..." his eyes look away betraying his sadness, but soon they change into more determined look

"But it's dangerous now. Please just stay a bit longer and I will take care of it. I've promised I will help you after all." he looks at you, not even demanding an answer. Simply stating how things are going to be.

But still he refuses to mention what danger awaits you beyond Mondstadt's border. The more you dwell, the less he'll talk. Soon you won't even notice him around you at all, but you are aware of the winds that can carry his thoughts through the whole land. You couldn't mention to people Venti's weird behaviour. But it still didn't hurt to tell some of your friends about your fear of Liyue. Diluc seemed like the best person to talk about it as his people often cross the border with wine.

"Dangerous? Liyue? Why would it be?" he asks you as he wipes the cup and places it back on the counter of his bar

"My traders cross it weekly and so far they mentioned no trouble. So where did you get these informations?"

Diluc doesn't recognize any danger that would befall on anyone for crossing the border. Neither did other people. If you wanted to go further, you'd have to escape archon's gaze first, and to do that, you'd have to escape the wind itself.

You were free to roam his land, but you couldn't leave. Yelling out his name in the wind didn't make him appear before your very eyes, as it usually did. It was obvious, he was evading you. He must be aware that you know about his lie. Sometimes you even thought he abandoned his idea of protecting you at every step and let you go.

But whenever you got close to a border the winds wouldn't let you through, like an invisible barrier that pushed you away. The more you tried the further they threw you back, but there always was a gentle breeze on your back that'd ease the fall.

Perhaps it is that desperation that has led you to this situation. You thought you'll be able to climb that big mountain near the border, and then somehow try to fool the archon again. But now you were stuck on the mountain's wall, with barely to no strenght to even keep yourself on it and not fall down. If only your glider didn't get lost. If only you didn't made that archon want to protect you with such strenght.

This fall surely will be a fall to your death, no doubt about it.

"You wish to leave so badly?" a voice comes from the wind itself that formed near you.

"What is it that you wish for so much? Liyue?" this time you hear a scoff above you. There, on the rocky shelf sat Venti, looking down at you

"What else do you want from me? Have I not given you enough? You're protected, you need not to worry about a thing. How many people can live the life you live?" his eyes seem darker as he looks down at you, as if you should be thankful for being in this cage. Your fingertips started going numb from hanging onto the rocky wall for so long. He must have noticed it too, because he scoffes as he tears his eyes away from you 

"Well, it's not like I'm so awful" his voice changes to lighter tone, but it became more disturbing too

"Want to do as you please? Alright, I will not keep you safe anymore. From today on, you're on your own. That's what you wanted anyway. Now you're free to cross the border and go to Liyue or wherever you want. It's time for you to prove how you don't need me" he says and disappears in the wind.

Immediately the wind stilled. All became quiet and you could only hear your uneasy breathing and it's echo coming back to you from the mountain wall, you tried so desperately to cling onto.

And just like that your cold fingers stopped holding onto the wall's creak, and your whole body fell down. No more wind under your back, no more adventures and no more anything. Once your body falls, it's the end.

Out of pure fear, you reflexively called Venti for help.

You could see the trees near, meaning you've been very close to the ground.

A loud noise was heard underneath you as the whole hill cracked in half, getting rid of the ground that could kill you. Winds safely guide your fall onto the ground with your head on someone's lap. You saw Venti's face light up in a grin of satisfaction and the cracked hill walls above him.

"See? This is how things end when you're so stubborn and act so stupid. So eager to prove yourself" he smiles as he strokes your hair. Then he brings you closer with a dark chuckle as he hugs your form, his mouth next to your ear

"The only thing you've proved today is that you need me"

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