Bang!
Durandal pushed Venti away with great force. If she hadn't deliberately controlled her strength, Venti might have been pushed out of the room by Durandal due to the excessive force... by breaking through the wall.
"You idiot... what exactly are you doing?!"
"Doing what? Cough! Cough! Of course, it's to make you understand why the protagonists in the book have such feelings. The best way to understand those feelings is to understand a lover's feelings. The best way to understand how a lover thinks is to have a lover. So... the only way has appeared. And that is for you and I to become lovers."
This was Venti's purpose, this was his intention, this was the emotion he had developed during thousands of years of companionship with Durandal.
Originally, there was nothing. If Lumine hadn't appeared, Venti would probably have remained in that state of 'trouble-making friends' with Durandal forever.
But... even gods get jealous.
Initially, he was happy to see Durandal forming bonds with more and more people, becoming closer to more and more people.
Compared to Durandal's past solitude, he wanted to see Durandal make friends, overcome past shadows, and experience happiness.
But as he saw more and more people around her, the position that should have been his was taken by others, and the smiles that once belonged only to him were now shared by more and more people.
This was originally nothing, he could understand it. It should have been something to be happy about, so why? Why did it turn out this way?
He was so jealous, he was truly so jealous, especially when he heard those children say in the daytime that Durandal's best friend wasn't him. This jealousy reached its peak.
So he couldn't hold back anymore. If he didn't seize such a good opportunity, he might never have another chance. He had to grasp it.
"Do you know what you're doing? Everything I usually come into contact with is because I deliberately control it, so no toxins are left behind. Your actions just now could easily get you contaminated with my toxins. If you accidentally get contaminated, what will you do?!"
Millions of deadly toxins, what if there were some that even the Seven Archons couldn't resist? Did this guy even think about that?!
"Even if that's the case, so what? Do you think I would refuse to get close to you because of that? Don't forget, I pestered you to death to become your friend back then!"
It seemed he was well aware of what he did back then. He approached Durandal knowing she was dangerous, and during the millennia they spent together, he knew the danger of the toxins within Durandal. He understood everything about Durandal.
It was precisely because he understood these things that Venti still chose to take that step, ready to advance their relationship further.
"Is it necessary to go to such lengths just to make me understand that feeling?"
Durandal didn't understand. If it was just to help her understand human emotions, was it necessary for Venti to go to such lengths? It was completely unnecessary!
"Hehe~ It's not necessary, but... but I want to become your lover. Do you think that reason is enough?"
Without any beating around the bush, Venti very directly stated his thoughts, his purpose.
All the talk about helping Durandal understand human emotions was just an excuse, merely a pretext to achieve his goal.
He... wanted to become Durandal's lover, to be like the characters in novels, the one who accompanies the protagonist.
Durandal's first reaction was that Venti was teasing him, but seeing that he showed no signs of joking, she knew he wasn't joking; he was serious.
This, in turn, made Durandal unable to get angry. If he were acting as usual, she could have easily disciplined him, and in a few tens of seconds, they would have reverted to their usual relationship.
She didn't know what to do now. Such strong emotions, such obvious feelings, made Durandal retreat.
"I... you doing this... makes me not know what to do."
Durandal wanted to get off the bed, wanting to put some distance between herself and Venti temporarily, to calm down.
But how could Venti let go of such a good opportunity? He knew Durandal had been affected by his actions just now and was currently in a state of bewilderment.
If he let her recover, then his actions just now would be in vain; he had to strike while the iron was hot.
He stepped forward and grabbed Durandal's hand, preventing her from pulling away from him.
Venti's action successfully stopped Durandal. She tried to break free, but found that Venti's strength this time was greater than usual, making it impossible to easily break free.
"Are you trying to run away from me, Durandal?"
"No, I just want to give you, and me, some time to think. I don't understand your feelings, Venti. I don't understand what love is, and I don't know how to respond."
"It's precisely because you don't understand that you need to experience it. Did you really feel nothing after hearing my words and after I made that move?"
Venti looked nervously into Durandal's eyes. She didn't understand human emotions, but she would have the reactions a normal person should have.
If... if Durandal didn't dislike him, she would definitely react. If she disliked him, she wouldn't feel anything good.
Did she feel anything at all? This was something Venti was very concerned about right now. If she felt nothing, or if she strongly disliked it, then he would have failed.
"...I'm not sure what's going on with me. Besides feeling flustered by your actions, there are indeed other feelings in my heart."
Durandal covered her chest in confusion. She didn't understand what this feeling meant, didn't understand why her body would react that way.
Venti's eyes lit up, and he leaned in, anxiously asking, "Then... then do you dislike that feeling? Do you... do you dislike doing that with me?"
"...I don't dislike that feeling. As for what just happened, I don't know."
Just now, she was only concerned about whether doing that would affect Venti, and she wasn't in the mood to care about other things.
So, if asked to evaluate whether she liked that feeling, she couldn't really say.
"Since that's the case... how about we try again? Durandal."
With a hint of shyness in his tone, Venti tentatively asked, "Since you didn't feel it, then experiencing it again will surely help you understand."
He had been too nervous just now, only focused on getting closer to Durandal, and was pushed away by Durandal before he could properly experience it.
He didn't want to miss such a good opportunity. As a Bard, he had sung countless moving stories, but he himself was actually a novice in love, completely unaware of how to do these things.
He had witnessed many people's romances, seen them make their vows. In the past, he blessed them as the Anemo Archon, witnessing their happiness.
But this time, it was his turn to find happiness, and the first way to find happiness was to start with the initial vow, to start with a kiss.
Before, he was too nervous and couldn't properly experience that feeling. This time, such a problem could not happen again.
"Did you not understand what I just said? So much... it's very easy to get contaminated with my toxins."
Durandal looked at Venti with some dissatisfaction. Did this person even hear what she just said? She had already warned him, so why was he still like this?
"But I'm perfectly fine. It's been so long, and I still don't have any adverse reactions. Does this... does this mean your worries are unnecessary? Perhaps your lips aren't actually contaminated with the toxins inside you?"
Saying this, Venti even reached out and touched Durandal's lips. Her lips were very soft. Although this was something everyone had, Venti found them extraordinarily alluring.
He saw them every day, yet at this moment, he found them particularly enticing, even more so than his favorite dandelion wine.
Durandal didn't react. She just sat on the bed, looking at Venti, her gaze as calm as usual, but if one observed closely, one could see other emotional fluctuations contained within her pupils.
This was what friends who had known each other for over a thousand years could observe. Venti truly understood Durandal so well that he could keenly notice even her slightest changes.
"Whether you want to deeply understand human emotions, or respond to my feelings for you, you need to experience it. Of course... if you dislike me, I'll leave now."
Venti held Durandal's hand, waiting for Durandal's answer.
But... in fact, even if Durandal didn't answer, he already knew Durandal's meaning. The reason he asked was simply to see her interesting reaction.
Looking at Venti in front of her, feeling the warmth from his palm, Durandal, though not understanding what was happening to her or what the feeling filling her heart was, still spoke those words.
"I... I hate you."
"Is that so? That's truly a pity."
While saying it was a pity, Venti pulled himself closer to Durandal. This time, there was no excuse for her to close her eyes. He simply closed his eyes directly and slowly leaned in.
Venti's meaning was already very clear. Durandal knew she should push him away now, but both her hands were held by Venti, so she could only watch Venti approach her.
"Ugh!"
Finally, Venti successfully got close to Durandal. Durandal's body stiffened for a moment due to nervousness. After confirming there was no problem, she slowly relaxed.
The entire process lasted about ten seconds. To avoid being disliked by Durandal, Venti voluntarily separated from Durandal.
Looking at Durandal, whose expression remained unchanged, Venti smiled. He saw the blush on both sides of Durandal's face. Was this a sign of shyness? Or some other reason?
"If you dislike it, why didn't you push me away?"
"Because you're holding my hand, I can't push you away. Is that it? Then... I'll hold these hands all night."
"What do you mean?"
"What do you think... I mean?"
Venti had finally found such a good opportunity and didn't want it to end so quickly.
Just like the drunkards in Mondstadt, they wouldn't stop drinking until they were completely intoxicated and passed out on the table.
"I won't stop until you push me away."
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