Chapter Text
The subway ride continued smoothly, the gentle noises of the wheels against the track providing a soothing backdrop to the quiet car. Inside, however, the air was warm, sweet, and filled with playful laughter.
"You seem pretty excited," Venti giggled, leaning heavily into Oliver's side and looking up with a soft, affectionate smile.
Oliver blushed shyly before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Eh... I just kind of like trains a little... heh."
Venti beamed. "Aww, that's cute! Had no idea you were a train nerd, ehe!" He nuzzled closer into Oliver's arm. "You'd really like Snezhnaya, then. They have a hugeeee railway system!"
Oliver's eyes widened. "Huh?! Trains? In Teyvat?!"
Venti giggled at his reaction. "Yep! They're all over the northern nation!"
Oliver blinked, processing this new piece of lore. "Hold on... you mentioned that place back at the lab, but at first I didn't understand what you meant." He looked down at Venti, who had his cheek pressed comfortably against Oliver's arm with a fond expression. "Now that I'm thinking about it, it was mentioned before. I totally forgot who said it, but the Fatui come from there, right?"
Venti nodded against his arm. "Spot on!" He smiled warmly. "Heh. Guess you do know a thing or two after all. Once we're completely through with this mess, I might just have to take you up there so you can see those locomotives in person! Heheheee—just make sure you bundle up! It's way colder than Dragonspine!"
"Orrrr..." Oliver countered, raising an eyebrow, "you could just cover me up in that Anemo shield thingy you used on me earlier today."
Venti giggled. "That works too!"
The bard let out a soft sigh as he glanced up at the overhead digital display, which tracked their journey toward Doctor Barclay's office. According to the screen, they still had well over thirty minutes left on the ride.
Venti groaned dramatically, draping his arms all over his boyfriend and sinking even lower against him. "Ugh, and here comes the most agonizingly boring part of the whole trip!"
Oliver shook his head with an amused smile. "Considering everything we've just been through, half an hour of absolute nothingness sounds like an incredible blessing..."
"Eh," Venti conceded with a soft huff. "I suppose you've got a point there." He pulled back slightly from Oliver's arm and turned his head. "Say... do you wanna play with my belly button?"
Oliver's face instantly flared bright red the moment the words left the bard's mouth. Naturally, Venti found his bashfulness endlessly amusing and broke into a soft laugh. "Oh, come on, haha! Don't give me that look, Ollie! You love my belly button to the moon and back, so I'm one hundred percent certain you're craving it right now!"
Oliver blinked, caught off guard before letting out a defeated nod. After the chaotic madness of the day, a little bit of sweet, comforting intimacy with his boyfriend was exactly what he needed.
Venti beamed in triumph. "Yes! He confessed!" He teased softly, before shifting his expression into a more cooperative one so Oliver could actually reach. "Okay, let me just get this out of the way..."
Venti then scooted forward slightly on the subway bench, reaching behind his back to untie the laces of his corset.
Oliver watched as his fingers worked at the intricate knots. "You know, I could've sworn that corset had buttons on the front?" A warm blush crept across his cheeks as he recalled the intensely charged moment back when Venti had made him undress him while Oliver was in his avatar in Teyvat. "You... remember when you made me undress you?"
Venti paused his movements for a second, then burst out laughing. "Oh! Hahahaha!" He shook his head with a fond smile. "Oh, the ridiculous things I made you do just to watch your reaction. Every single one of them was just so endlessly adorable and funny!" He beamed up at Oliver.
Oliver felt a fresh wave of embarrassment wash over him, offering Venti a mildly embarrassed look.
Venti snorted lightly. "Hehehe! Yeah, so, the secret is that I actually have two different versions of this outfit. You remember when I said I have multiple copies of the same clothes? Well, except for this corset, eheh. One style uses laces, and the other uses buttons..."
With a final tug, Venti untied the last lace, slipped the corset off completely, and set his Vision strap aside.
"Speaking of buttons~," Venti purred, turning back to Oliver now that he was dressed only in his bard shorts and frilly shirt. "Behold my belly button!" He pulled the hem of his shirt up, baring his smooth, pale stomach to the open air. "Ready for fingers to play with it!"
Oliver rolled his eyes at Venti's theatrical flair, but his expression instantly softened as he realized he finally had the chance to play with his boyfriend's tummy in private since the last time he was able too, was when he was in the avatar.
Venti gently pushed his stomach out just a fraction as he saw Oliver's hand moving toward him.
The human reached out, resting his palm gently against Venti's midriff and rubbing his thumb across the soft skin, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breath. He glanced up to see Venti watching his hand with a soft, content expression.
Returning his gaze downward, Oliver brought his index finger over to his favorite spot. He traced a slow circle around the outer rim of Venti's navel, drawing a quiet giggle from the bard. Once he finished tracing, he gently dipped his fingertip right into the soft crevice, pressing in with a light wiggle.
Venti let out a breathy giggle, his posture instantly relaxing. "Hehehe! It's still super ticklish, but it honestly feels amazing."
Oliver blushed deeper at the confession. "Y-You're telling me the truth with this, right? It really does feel good?"
Venti nodded enthusiastically, a bright smile crossing his face. "It really does! I never would have expected it myself, especially considering how ticklish I was when you first started playing with it. But now it's become so sensitive in the best possible way—having you press and dig your finger in there just makes my whole tummy flutter inside."
Oliver felt a warm wave of joy wash over him, though he tried hard to keep his expression cool. Finding a partner who genuinely loved participating in his favorite niche fetish was practically a dream come true. "You... have my fetish then I guess. At least, the receiving end part,"
"Ehehe, though who knows—maybe I don't just love being on the receiving end," Venti added playfully. "I might just enjoy being the one playing with a belly button just as much as you do!"
"O-Oh," Oliver stammered, blushing furiously. "Y-You mean you want to..."
"Play with yours too?" Venti giggled, giving him a cheeky wink. "Why yes! I gave yours a few playful pokes when you were trapped in the avatar body, but I haven't gotten to see it now that you're your real self. Plus, your everyday clothes are completely different now—no revealing cutouts like before. So I can't just sneak a poke whenever I want~."
A nervous, humorous grin tugged at the corner of Oliver's mouth. "Hahaha... yeah, I remember that. Haha, the avatar definitely let me live out my ultimate Hoyoverse femboy potential with how thin that thing was..."
Venti giggled behind his hand.
Smiling down at his own gray shirt, Oliver made up his mind. "All right, fine. I'll show you—"
With a quick motion, Oliver grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it straight up. He wasn't feeling shy anymore; he didn't just flash a sliver of skin—he hauled the fabric up high to bare his entire stomach to the bard.
Venti's cheeks flushed a matching shade of pink to Oliver's own blush. "Ooh my~," he fanned himself dramatically. "Who gave you permission to have a waist like that, huh~?"
"Ventiiii~," Oliver whined gently, though he kept the shirt firmly out of the way. "You've seen me... naked before. You already know what I look like."
"Why yes~, I certainly do," Venti agreed, his eyes softening. "But you were right before, you look a little different in this body than you did in the avatar." He smiled warmly. "Don't take it the wrong way, though—I still adore you! No matter what form you're in."
His gaze dropped back down to Oliver's stomach. "Hmm~," he murmured, leaning in closer to inspect it.
Keeping his shirt lifted, Oliver watched as Venti stretched himself out lengthwise across the opposing subway seats, resting on his own stomach to get a better look. "Hehe, I think your belly button might actually be deeper than mine," Venti noted, reaching across to press his finger right into the center.
Oliver's belly quivered slightly as contact was made, a soft giggle escaping his lips as Venti gave his navel a gentle wiggle.
"Still just as ticklish, I see," Venti laughed softly before withdrawing his finger to admire the rest of Oliver's torso. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, glancing up with a tender smile. "And your face is just the cutest."
Oliver promptly averted his eyes, suddenly finding the vertical metal handrail by the door intensely fascinating.
"Hehe," Venti chuckled softly. "I've seen plenty of people with darker skin tones all over Mondstadt and the rest of Teyvat, but none quite like you. You are really stunning."
He sat back up on his knees, reached out, and cupped Oliver's cheeks in his hands. "Such pretty skin. It honestly reminds me of a really nice piece of rich, tasty chocolate~."
"Ventiiii~," Oliver groaned, turning his head away in an embarrassed huff.
"What~? I'm just giving you a well-deserved compliment!" Venti teased with an innocent smile.
Oliver peeked back at him through his fingers. "Do you... want to play with my belly button some more?" he asked hesitantly.
"If you're offering, absolutely!" Venti giggled.
Without wasting a second, he stretched back out across the seats on his stomach again, wriggled closer to Oliver's midriff, and pressed his finger straight into Oliver's innie. "Boop~," he chirped playfully before wiggling his finger inside. "That is what you love doing to mine, eh~? Just wiggling and digging right in there~?"
Oliver burst into a fit of giggles. Just like Venti, his navel was remarkably sensitive, and the ticklish sensation made the laughter bubble right out of him.
"So cute~ Your giggles are the absolute best!" Venti pulled his finger back out and admired his boyfriend's stomach once more. "Heh. Yeah, maybe you really are rubbing off on me with your little kinks after all~."
Oliver smiled warmly down at him. "Do you actually love my belly?"
Venti nodded without hesitation. "I'm pretty sure I'm starting to! And honestly, Oliver, it's just such a fun little fetish to have."
Oliver blinked. "You really think so?"
Venti sat back up, then Oliver pulled his shirt back down over his waist. "Of course!" Venti declared. "Ollie, look at how fun it is! It's got tickles, it's got gentle touches, it's funny, it's cute, and it's completely playful! And it can be really sexy when it wants to be~!"
Oliver looked away shyly. "V-Venti, but that's just... us. And it's just me—my personality wrapped up in it. Other people with the same fetish probably view it or play with them totally differently."
Venti's smile grew gentle and affectionate. "Babe, who cares? You aren't them. You're you, and we're together. This is what you like, and it fits with me so well! We're honestly a perfect match. I've been with people in the past, and—," Venti suddenly stopped himself, shaking his head and waving a hand dismissively. "Ah, never mind, you don't need to hear about my past lovers... Sorry I brought it up."
Oliver furrowed his brow, leaning in. "Hey, no. Don't worry about that, Venti. Please."
The bard let out a nervous little giggle, scratching the back of his neck. "Babe, come on, you really don't need to sit here listening to me talk about old relationships."
Oliver placed a reassuring hand on Venti's shoulder and locked eyes with him. "If you want to talk about them, it doesn't bother me at all."
Venti blinked, caught slightly off guard by the maturity of the response. "I'm kinda confused, ehe," he smiled softly. "No jealousy?"
"It's not like you're a mortal," Oliver pointed out. "You're an immortal being, and like you've told me before, you've cared for and outlived many people across your long life." He looked down thoughtfully for a moment. "Even though the game's official story didn't go into all of that detail about you, it completely makes sense. You're approachable, and you cherish the people you're with—just like what I'm experiencing with you right now."
Oliver shook his head with a small smile. "Ugh, I'm getting of track—my point is, those people you cared for in the past must have been incredibly important to you, helping you through difficult times. You lived past them, and now all that remains are memories. I'm just a mortal, so I'm going to die someday too... hopefully not anytime soon, haha..."
Venti listened intently to every word, though a sudden pang of internal guilt struck him at the mention of dying. He still hadn't told Oliver about the incident involving the Bolt of Judgement, and he wasn't entirely sure how he was ever going to break that news to him.
Oliver finished his thought smoothly. "I wouldn't want you to stop talking about me once my time comes naturally... so I wouldn't want you to cut yourself off from talking about your past loves either."
Venti stared at him in silence for a long beat before a slow, profoundly tender smile spread across his face. "I feel so relieved hearing you say that, Oliver." He looked down for a second, his smile lingering. "I've always held that same view deep down. I always felt it was deeply disrespectful for immortals to just erase or forget their past human companions. Even among mortals, people lose loved ones to tragedy and carry those bonds for the rest of their days..." Venti let out a soft sigh, his hand gripping the edge of the seat.
He looked back up into Oliver's eyes. "You are so wonderfully different from anyone else I've ever known, babe," Venti murmured, leaning his head against Oliver's shoulder. "And not just in regards to this—with everything. Heh... even though I teased you mercilessly about your belly button fixation when we first met, when I finally gave you the chance to play with it, you were so gentle and considerate." He pressed a quick, affectionate kiss against Oliver's arm. "Don't think I forgot about that, honey. You were so attentive to my needs and made sure I wasn't uncomfortable. Though, how could I ever possibly feel uncomfortable around you, my love~?"
Oliver giggled shyly, his cheeks warming. "W-Well, like I said, I wanted you to feel good too. It wouldn't be fun if you weren't enjoying it. I need to hear you laugh or sigh when I'm playing with your belly button... n-not scream."
"Ehehehe~," Venti giggled. "You were just the sweetest. Remember when I was debating whether I should show you my Archon form in the cathedral? Hahaha... that outfit was basically holy ground for your specific fetish, and you didn't force me to change into it at all. Not one bit!"
Oliver leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you. I'd hate to see you uncomfortable."
Venti threw his arms around Oliver in a sudden, tight hug. "You deserve all the best things in the world~!" he chirped. "And as a starting payment, you get tons and tons of kisses~!"
Before Oliver could react, the bard scrambled onto his knees right there on the subway bench and began peppering Oliver's face with rapid-fire, enthusiastic smooches.
Oliver could do nothing but just sit there, looking like a ripe tomato about to explode. "Ehheeee...," Oliver squealed gently from getting his cheek absolutely abolished by bard smooches.
Venti giggled triumphantly, pulling back just enough to plant one big, solid kiss right on Oliver's lips. "You're the absolute best! Now that I know you're completely cool with it, you'd better prepare yourself for me talking about my past lovers even more often!"
Oliver smiled warmly, his giggles returning. "I can't wait," he said. "Seriously, it'll be nice to hear about your history."
Venti let out a soft sigh, letting his upper body drape limply over Oliver's side. "My past is mostly pain wrapped up in extraordinary moments. Being an Archon is an awfully heavy burden to carry most of the time."
Oliver paused, a realization dawning on him. "You know, you've been opening up a lot more lately. I've noticed."
"Heh, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Venti murmured, keeping his eyes closed as he stayed pressed against his boyfriend.
"You said things to... Dottore, too," Oliver recalled. "You said things about Celestia that I honestly never expected you to say out loud."
"Of course," Venti replied softly. "I'm not in my old world anymore, Oliver. I'm in yours. Well, technically not even yours right now since we're trapped in this bizarre 'Backrooms' place you keep talking about—"
"Well, not really anymore—we're on a train right now," Oliver gently corrected.
"Hehe," Venti smiled. "The point is... I'm far away from Celestia's reach. Like I told you, I can barely connect to the ley lines of my own world just enough to use a fraction of my true power, but I can't feel Celestia at all. That means I'm finally free to say whatever I damn well please about them."
He lifted his head from Oliver's shoulder and opened his eyes. "When I first arrived here, I definitely noticed their absence, but out of sheer habit, I didn't make any rash moves just in case it was temporary. But even when I knew for certain they were gone, I still hesitated. Old habits die hard, I suppose, ehe..."
Oliver thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I understand. I always figured you were hiding something, but I figured you had good reasons."
"Celestia isn't... a good thing," Venti said, his tone turning somber. "They're going to be the real reason of the downfall of Teyvat one day. I can feel it in my bones. Back when I had my Gnosis, I could see it vividly, but now that it's gone, those glimpses of the future have faded into nothing. I can't remember the specifics anymore, but I know for a fact it was Celestia's doing because Teyvat was simply growing too advanced..."
Oliver stared down at the floor beneath them. He vaguely remembered pieces of lore concerning Khaenri'ah—whether from the game itself or from lore videos he'd watched on YouTube. "Grown too advanced... like Khaenri'ah?"
Venti blinked, turning his head to look at Oliver in surprise. "Oh... you know about that?"
Oliver nodded.
Venti sighed heavily. "Yeah... over five hundred years ago, an entire nation was wiped off the map by Celestia. Not because they were doing anything inherently evil, though even if they had been... Celestia doesn't care about morality. They just cannot tolerate mortals advancing past a certain threshold. That's the only reason."
"Hmm," Oliver murmured. "You're telling me a lot today."
"Trust me, babe, I am still holding back quite a bit. Ahaha, like I said—old habits die hard. Sometimes it still feels like they're watching over my shoulder." He looked back up at Oliver with a fond expression. "You're lucky your world doesn't have any gods lingering about. You're truly free here. You can advance and build as much as you want without divine interference."
Oliver nodded slowly. "I agree, but... the downside is that it leaves dangerous people like Doctor Barclay completely unchecked."
Venti sighed in agreement. "Such is the price of true freedom, I suppose. But in my opinion, it's still infinitely better than an entire planet getting exterminated over one man's ambition, which is almost certainly what Celestia would have declared for that man's sins." He glanced at Oliver. "Besides, from what I've seen, most of the trouble-makers in your world are just ordinary mortals anyway. All they really need is a good thrashing."
Oliver giggled. "Yeah. And you definitely delivered on that front."
"A thrashing with a zap! Ehe!" Venti giggled happily, pressing a finger to his cheek with his eyes closed in a bright smile.
~~~~~~~
This stop is... Doctor Barclay's Office.
Oliver let out a long sigh and stretched his arms over his head. "Phew, that felt like way more than thirty minutes."
Venti giggled, stretching upward as well. "Well, it was a much-needed break! Now I feel fully refreshed and ready to take on whatever comes our way. Bring on those stormtroopers or the Fatui—we're ready!"
Oliver stood up, dusting off his clothes. "Just no more Backrooms voids, please."
"Ehe!" Venti giggled.
The doors slid open with a chime, and the two stepped out onto the station platform. Directly in front of them stood a food stall built into the wall, featuring a menu printed across the back tiles. The stall itself was entirely abandoned—no staff, no counter service, and absolutely no food.
"Shit..." Oliver muttered, shaking his head. "I think we're still stuck in the Backrooms, Venti," he sighed.
The liminal, uncanny valley atmosphere was still undeniable. While it didn't look quite like Level 0 anymore—the oppressive yellow wallpaper and damp carpets were gone—the eerie emptiness remained.
"Well, no use standing around here! We have to keep moving!" Venti smiled brightly.
Before Oliver could protest, he felt himself being grabbed and pulled along as Venti dragged him down the platform. Behind them, the train doors chimed a warning tone.
Doors closing.
"W-Wait, Venti, hold on a second—," Oliver stammered.
Venti stopped dead in his tracks. "Eh? What is it?"
Oliver blinked, turning around to look back at the train. The subway cars were beginning to slowly pull away from the platform. "I uh... I kind of wanted to watch the train leave..."
Venti let out an amused, bubbly sound and laughed. "Pffft~ hahaha! Okay, fair enough!" He stepped back to Oliver's side and watched the rest of the subway cars vanish into the tunnel. "Hehee, I really had no idea you were such a machine nerd. Is it just trains, or do you love all things mechanical?"
Oliver offered a shy, bashful giggle. "I dunno, I've just always found trains fascinating, I guess."
Venti smiled softly. "So cute~," he murmured, gently poking Oliver's cheek. "But seriously, come on! I'm sure we're getting close to the office now."
~~~~~~~
They didn't find an office waiting for them when they exited the station. Instead, they walked straight out into a massive, completely abandoned, and deeply liminal shopping mall.
"Oh no..." Oliver groaned in despair. "We really are still inside the Backrooms. This has to be one of the other levels..." He turned to look at Venti. They were standing on an upper mezzanine level, looking over the railing down into the cavernous, multi-story mall below.
"Hmmm," Venti hummed, tapping a finger against his chin. "Is this what you'd call a massive shopping complex? Teyvat had a few of these back in the day—I believe some are still operating, mostly down in Fontaine." He pointed down toward the empty storefronts below. "Is this what 'liminal' means, Ollie?" he asked, leaning his weight against the railing and peering over the edge. "You'd expect a place like this to be bustling with life, all those shops filled with people walking around... but it's completely empty when it's supposed to be full of activity, and somehow looks intact and clean."
His boyfriend stepped up beside him to share the rail. "Yeah, that's a big part of the feeling. Though everyone experiences it a bit differently, I think. For me, it's just... deeply unsettling. I really hate liminal spaces. Especially this."
Oliver turned his head to the right. A set of escalators sat right beside them, leading down to the lower level. There was another matching set of escalators on the far right end of the bridge, and two more mirroring them on the opposite side behind their backs.
Oliver gripped the railing tighter. "This has got to be another distinct level. Ughhhh... I seriously hope we don't have to wander through all of them..."
"Hey, don't be so gloomy!" Venti encouraged with a bright smile.
"Babe... there are potentially over a thousand Backrooms levels out there. And there's no telling if this one is endless. Doctor Barclay definitely would pick something completely unhinged to protect his damn office," Oliver whined.
Even Venti's optimism wavered slightly at that number. "A thousand...?"
He was about to suggest to Venti that they should cautiously explore the mall section and look for an exit, ready to call it quits if it led to yet another Backrooms level.
But before he could take a single step forward, a heavy sound echoed from directly behind them. Oliver whipped around and caught sight of something massive and towering creeping up behind them in the gloom.
Already stretched to his absolute limit, the sudden appearance of the strange, looming entity shattered Oliver's remaining nerves.
"AHH, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!"
Instinct taking over, Oliver instantly summoned his diamond sword and swept it forward in a wide, sweeping arc. The Cryo energy stored within his earring Vision flared to life, unleashing a freezing wave of frost that slammed directly into the towering creature, launching it backward onto the escalator. The beast tumbled violently down the long flight of stairs before crashing into the ground floor below with a deafening metallic bang.
Oliver blinked rapidly, before carefully creeping to the edge of the mezzanine to peer down.
Through the frost, he could make out a giant, grotesque figure with a bizarre face and unnaturally long arms and fingers, lying entirely motionless on the tile floor, completely encased in ice.
"What on earth was that?" Venti asked, jogging over.
Oliver blinked, his heart hammering. "Venti... the actual horrors of the Backrooms are here now..."
Seized by sudden panic, Oliver grabbed Venti's arm and yanked him into a sprint.
"WOAH!" Venti gasped. "Hey! Haha, normally I'm the one dragging you around! Hehe!"
Oliver bolted down the opposite set of escalators, hauling the bard toward the bottom floor. But as they raced past the storefronts, Oliver spotted something dead ahead blocking their path—a plain back wall with a single wooden door built right into it.
"Venti! Look!" Oliver yelled over his shoulder as he pulled him toward it. "That's got to be it, right?!"
"I dunno, maybe! Hey, haha, slow down!" Venti laughed, stumbling slightly behind him. "Ugh, you really, really hate this place, don't you?"
Oliver threw himself against the wooden door, desperately grabbing the handle and twisting it. But no matter how hard he jiggled and pulled, the latch wouldn't budge.
"Hehe!" Venti giggled, gently nudging his boyfriend aside. "Allow me!"
With a flick of his wrist, Venti summoned his bow, nocking an arrow and aiming it straight at the heavy wooden doorframe.
"Wait!" Oliver yelled, panicking.
Venti froze, lowering the bow slightly to look at Oliver.
"If you blast the door down, we won't be able to lock it behind us, and that Rolling Giant thing can get us!" Oliver shouted.
Venti looked skeptically up at the frame. "Babe, come on. That giant thing wouldn't even fit through a doorway this size once we're inside."
"Babe, please! I... ugh, I just don't want it left wide open!"
"Okay, okay, point taken!" Venti relented quickly. He tapped his chin in thought, then looked down at the brass doorknob. "Oho, it's got a keyhole... aha! I've got an idea!"
Without warning, Venti reached up into his twin braids and pulled out a long metallic hairpin.
Oliver blinked in shock. "Wait, you actually wear hairpins?"
"Sometimes the divine hair just doesn't want to cooperate!" Venti laughed.
Dropping to one knee, he slipped the hairpin straight into the lock mechanism and began fiddling with it.
Oliver gasped. "W-Wait, you actually know how to pick locks?!"
Venti giggled over his shoulder. "Ehe! Did nobody write that into your universe's game about me?"
"Uh, NO?!"
Venti snorted. "I'm apparently so secretive with myself that even the people writing stories about me in another dimension get confused. Hehe!"
With a soft click, the lock finally gave way. "There we go, it's open!"
"YES!" Oliver turned the knob, and let Venti in first.
"Oh why thank you~ letting the 'femboy' in first~?" Venti winked.
Oliver blinked. "S-Shut up," he blushed. "I'm a femboy too you know-," He quickly got inside and shut the door, and turned the lock.
Pressing his back flat against the heavy wood, Oliver let out a long, ragged sigh with his eyes squeezed shut. "Oh god, we actually made it... Wait, did we?"
He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.
It was unmistakably an office. Rich wood furnishings, polished desks, and wooden wall paneling gave it the feel of a high-end corporate suite. "Holy shit, look at this place..." Oliver breathed.
He turned his head to the left, and the moment he saw what occupied the corner of the room, he knew Venti was about to lose his mind.
Stacked high against the wall was a massive, towering shelving unit loaded entirely with rows of fine wines and spirits.
The second Venti spotted it, he clutched his chest and let out a sound somewhere between a gasp and an overexcited squeal. "EEEEH?!" The bard promptly dropped straight to his knees. "Oh, I'm in heaven..." he wheezed from the floorboards. "Wine... so much wine..."
Oliver burst into loud laughter. All the residual terror and stress from the mall evaporated instantly at the sight of Venti having a spiritual awakening over alcohol. "Oh my god, Venti, you're so ridiculous, get up!" he laughed, clutching his stomach.
"All these spirits! Are these from your realm?" Venti scrambled back to his feet like an overexcited puppy about to receive a mountain of treats, giggling like a manic. "I have to try them! I've gone without wine for far too long, it's officially time for my much-needed wine break!"
Venti didn't know what to choose. "Ooh! Look at all these labels! I definitely don't recognize any of these, but UGH, they must taste amazing! I wanna try this one! And that one! Oooh~ and maybe this one! No—wait! No-no-no! THAT ONE!"
In seconds, Venti was frantically cradling nearly ten different bottles in his arms. "EHEHEHEHE! I can't wait to taste every single one of them!" He turned around to share his excitement, only to find Oliver leaning against the desk, laughing uncontrollably.
"Eh?" Venti blinked. Then he just shrugged, entirely unbothered and utterly unashamed.
Oliver finally caught his breath, wiping a tear from his eye as residual giggles shook his shoulders. "Oh babe, you are a sight..."
"Ehe!" Venti beamed proudly.
Oliver turned his attention back to the cabinet structure. "He had a private wine cabinet. Of course he did," Oliver muttered.
"He clearly lived like a rich guy! Which, I suppose, makes total sense for a guy like Barclay!" Venti said, already attempting to wedge a cork out of one of the bottles with his teeth. He took a sip, immediately winced, and went, "Bleh! Ugh, that one is way too bitter! EW!"
Without missing a beat, he shoved the opened bottle directly into Oliver's hands.
"Woah!" Oliver yelped at the sudden handoff.
"You take it!" Venti declared, turning back to the shelf. But halfway through, he froze, gasped, and whipped back around. "Wait, don't take it!" and snatched the bottle back out of Oliver's grip.
Oliver just stood there blinking with his hand still stretched out. "What just happened?"
"You're a total lightweight, aren't you? If the alcohol content doesn't knock you out cold, the sheer bitterness definitely will!" Venti giggled.
Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Venti, I'm not actually a lightweight. That was just my avatar messing up—"
Venti blinked. "Oh..."
Oliver shook his head. "Yeah. I mean, I was never a heavy drinker back home, but I could at least handle a glass or two of wine without passing out."
"I see! Still, this particular stuff is shockingly bitter, hehe!"
Curiosity getting the better of him, Oliver turned his attention to the lower cabinet doors beneath the main shelf. Venti wasn't paying attention anymore, entirely lost in reverie over his massive armload of bottles.
Oliver knelt down, pulled open the cabinet door, and peered inside. Rows of wine bottles sat neatly aligned, but these didn't look anything like the ones displayed on the upper shelves. They had a strange, slightly animated sheen to them. Taped to the interior wall was a small sticky note in neat handwriting that read: "Wines harvested from fictional realms go here."
Curious, Oliver shifted a few bottles around until one particular label caught his eye. He gasped softly, wrapped both hands around the glass, and pulled it out into the light.
Venti was still standing in front of the main shelf, struggling to decide which bottle to prioritize while balancing five of them in his arms. The bitter one he'd popped earlier was left abandoned on the bottom wood plank. "Hmmm~ it's just so hard to choose—"
Oliver couldn't quite fathom why Venti didn't just drink the entire lot—knowing his Archon boyfriend's supernatural capacity, he probably could. But the moment Venti would lay eyes on the label of the bottle in Oliver's hands, he knew the bard was going to lose his mind again.
"Babe?" Oliver called out.
Venti whipped around with the widest, most ecstatic smile imaginable. "Yeah, honey?" he chirped in an overly excited tone.
Oliver giggled, holding the bottle up for Venti to see.
Dawn Winery — Dandelion Wine.
Venti literally froze. A soft, breathless "Eee—" escaped his lips. Then: "EEEEH?!"
A fraction of a second later, he dropped every single bottle he was holding. The glass shattered instantly against the floor, sending dark wine splashing across the expensive rug below his shoes in a ruined mess.
"Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!!!!" Venti shrieked, making frantic grabby hands in the air.
"EEEEE! DAWN WINERY'S DANDELION WINE!!!!" Venti screamed at the top of his lungs. "Where on earth did you find that?!"
"Haha," Oliver laughed nervously, his eyes wide at Venti's sheer, unadulterated frenzy. "It was just tucked away in a secret compartment down here. Guess Doctor Barclay collects imported stock from entirely different dimensions."
Venti popped the cork with his teeth without a moment's hesitation, tipping the bottle back and taking massive, echoing gulps of his absolute favorite vintage. When he finally lowered the bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he let out a deeply satisfied sigh. "Mmmm-MMHHH! Ahhh, that completely hits the spot!" He set the precious bottle down on the shelf and gave his stomach a happy pat.
"Wanna pat it too~? Since you love my tummy and all~," Venti teased with a wink.
Oliver's face instantly flushed deep red. "B-Babe..." he stammered, shaking his head. "Ugh, are you actually drunk right now?"
"Drunk? Hahaha! Babe, I can barely get drunk—I'm an Archon! Twenty bottles wouldn't do it, remember? I'm just incredibly happy! I'm so happy I could literally strip naked right now and dance around this room for you!"
"I—Waha—EEA—HUHHH?!"
It wasn't even a coherent word—just a pure, unadulterated noise of sheer flusterment.
Venti burst into a fit of laughter.
"Babe, this is definitely DRUNKNESS talking!" Oliver protested.
Venti laughed even harder. "Ahaha! Nope! Just pure, bard joy!" he cheered, taking another enthusiastic sip from the bottle. Suddenly, he summoned his lyre. "Let me sing a few notes about this fine day!!!"