To you

A gentle wind blew through Mondstadt carrying the scent of the falling rain throughout the city.

Erion shuddered a little as it ruffled through his hair even where he was huddled under the colonnade around the church square. He shifted the scarf he wore around his neck higher to block the playful breeze, frowning as he gazed out into the drizzle that had descended on the city. His fingers plucked gently at the strings of the lyre cradled in his arms, almost in time with drops that fell from the tips of the fingers of the large statue that dominationted the courtyard.

Plip-pilp-plip

As the last notes faded he considered Lord Barbatos’ stone face with unusual intensity.

“You know,” he said out loud to the god, the rain almost drowning out his voice, “a little help would be nice.”

But there was no response to his words, no sudden burst of inspiration or song that dramatically sprang from his lyre. No moment of perfect clarity about the melody he had been chasing all morning. Only the continued sound of rain, and Barbatos’ gentle expression gazing out over the buildings. Erion heaved a sigh. You would think that the Archon of Mondstadt would give a little more consideration to one of the bards that had made his city famous, and give him just a tiny little hint.

Or maybe , he thought as he dropped his hand from his lyre to rest it on the Vision hooked onto his coat, he thinks I’ve already had enough help.

Which, while he supposed he had been given more than most people, didn’t really help his position at the moment. He had come up here to practice, hoping that if nothing else the change in scenery would help him crack the block he was having. A lot of bards actually did that, or hung around the statue square to find playing space. The church itself actually seemed to approve of it, as long as you didn’t do something uncouth like asking for money while you were playing or disturbing outside services. Maybe they saw it as another way of honoring Lord Barbatos himself, letting the music of the bards speak for the city.

Unfortunately, his own brief concert had lasted only as long as the good weather had.

At that thought he moved away from the pillar, trying to get a clear glimpse of the sky overhead, without the indignity of being rained on. He had been hoping that the showers would only be brief, but judging from the color of the clouds it wasn’t going to be ending anytime soon. Which was just great.

He muttered a vague curse about his luck and pulled back under cover. There was no way he was going to be able to work here in this weather. Oh, sure, he was dry but the humidity was not going to do his strings any favors, plus the entire mood was ruined. How was he supposed to finish his song like this!?

Yes, he could compose in other places but it was the principal of the thing. He didn’t want to have come all the way up here just to be forced to go back down without having accomplished anything! But as he looked around the courtyard, he realized that he was probably going to admit defeat this once.

Aside from a lone Sister making a mad dash for the shelter of the Church, he was the only one still in the square and this was not a song he was going to be able to work on without an audience.

Besides it was lunch time, and his stomach was reminding him he hadn’t eaten much this morning while he was preoccupied with trying to get the composition to work. Carefully he put his lyre back in its case and gave a long look at the drizzle. He sighed. Food was going to require him getting wet he supposed. Maybe if he ran…

“ Eri!” The voice interrupted his thoughts, and he went from staring listlessly at the rain to trying to peer through it. Only a few people ever used that particular nickname casually, and when he caught the flash of red dashing over to him he couldn’t help but break out into a grin, his gloomy mood forgotten.

“Look who’s back from the wars!” he said teasingly as Diluc reached his shelter and slowed to a walk, “You’re…..” he paused as he realized that his boyfriend’s fiery hair was darker and bedraggled from the rain. Normally he rather liked the effect but...

“War?” Diluc laughed as he reached him, “It was a patrol to check for hilichurls! You don’t have to worry that...what’s that look for?”

“You’re soaked,” Erion said flatly as he took the last few steps to him and reached up to brush a few wet strands away from a cheek that felt worryingly cool. “I thought a Knight would know to get out of the weather.” Diluc still managed to look surprisingly handsome even now, but he was edging slightly closer to ‘drowned rat’ for once. Erion wasn’t sure he approved.

Diluc actually leaned into his touch for a second, and chuckled, “It’s just a little rain, Eri, I’m not going to…”

“It looks more like you jumped in the lake than got caught in a rainstorm,” Erion couldn’t help but say, even if that was a bit of an exaggeration. Well maybe more than a bit. But his point still stood! “And if the Cavalry Captain catches a cold it’s not going to be a good look for the knights, you know?” He started to get through his bag looking through something dry to give him. Diluc flipped a few strands of wet, red hair over his shoulder sending water drops flying, “I don’t get sick that easily,” he said in exasperation, “And it’s not like I’m the only one here that…”

Erion meanwhile, barely heard him. His handkerchief, he judged, was not going to be enough for this.

But fine.

Drastic times called for drastic measures.

A few tugs pulled, and the scarf he was wearing was pulled loose. “Here.” The piece of cloth settled over Diluc’s head.

Diluc froze. “What are you…” he started to say but ended an undignified ‘ack’ as Erion started rubbing his head briskly. “Eri!” he sputtered.

“You’re the one that came up here all wet,” Erion said with as much dignity as he could muster, even though he was trying not to laugh, “you’ve wandered a bit far from your headquarters, you know. Why didn’t you stop there to dry off?”

“Because you were up here!”

Erion paused in his drying efforts, “What?”

Diluc took the opportunity to pull away, pushing the scarf back as he straightened up. It left him looking almost adorably disheveled which Erion did not object to at all even if only half his mind was on that.

“I heard you were up here,” Diluc repeated, giving him a wry little smile, “and since I was already wet I thought I might as well deliver these.” He brought his hand out from behind his back.

For a long moment all Erion could only stare, then reached out to gently take the bundle of three delicate white blossoms, “Cecilia flowers?”

They were cool, and wet, with stem broken off unevenly, a ribbon wrapped hastily around the middle. It didn’t look anything like what one of the shops would do. “Where did you even get these?”

Dilcu had one of his rare, shy, smiles and Erion felt his heart do one of those funny little flips again. “I saw them as we were coming back from patrol, and thought you would like them. Ever since you wrote that song for me I’ve been looking for something that would show my appreciation. I’m not sure this is the same but…”

“You know,” Erion said, burying his face in the flowers for a moment before looking back up at the red-head, “I thought I was the charming one in this relationship. Now you’re making me blush,” he felt giddy, and couldn’t stop smiling. Moments like this were when for a moment it struck him that he was dating Diluc. That of everyone Diluc had wanted to be with him. It gave him a strange fluttery feeling whenever he realized it. “I love them,” he said, “thank you.”

“Good,” Dilcu let out a breath, his smile going soft, “it’s not as much effort as a song. I promise I’ll find something that really…”

Erion shook his head and stepped closer, sliding his free hand up over his boyfriend’s shoulder draping his arm across it. “This, “ he waved the flowers in front of his face , “is more than enough,” he said firmly. “Don’t worry about anything else. I didn’t write that song so you would feel like you owe me.” He draped the flower-hand over Diluc’s free shoulder, his wrists resting against each other lightly behind his head, forgetting for a moment how damp Diluc was.

All Diluc did was chuckle, his hands moving to rest lightly around Erion’s waist. “I know that,” he said, “But it’s something I want to do. It’s something I like to do.” He leaned forward to rest their foreheads together.

Erion had to steal a kiss. It would probably have been illegal not to when Dilcu was that close.

“You’re going to spoil me,” he muttered once they parted, “again. And I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to match the romance of rushing through the rain just to give me flowers”

Diluc pulled away a little and laughed, “You’re making it sound more dramatic than it was,” he said, “I just didn’t want the flowers to wilt, and since my patrol got caught in the storm before we reached the city, I was already soaked. When I heard you’d headed up to the church, I just decided to follow since I couldn’t get any wetter.”

“It’s still romantic,” Erion declared loftily, “and given I’m the bard here, I think I’m the one that gets to make that call.”

“Fine, fine, you’re the expert,” Diluc said teasingly before looking around, “but what is the Great Bard Erion doing up here anyway? I thought you had gone to the Church for something, but I found you hanging out here in the rain.”

“Hey, I was under cover,” Erion protested, “and I was out here,” he pulled away enough that he could gesture grandly behind them, “seeing if the great god Barbatos would see fit to grant one of his lowly disciples a mere crumb of inspiration.”

There was a pause. “...What?”

Erion giggled at the blank look on his lover’s face, despite everything. “I was hoping that a change of scenery would shake loose the creativity and let me finish a song I was working on,” at that memory he couldn’t help but grow more serious and sigh. “I am on a bit of the deadline, after all. Even I could use a little help.”

“Oh. For the music festival?” Came from Diluc after a moment of thought. “I didn’t know you were working on another song. The one that you made for me seemed like it was…”

“That,” Erion pressed a finger to the red-head’s lips for a moment, “was your-ears-only, love. A private concert sort of thing,” he said quickly, feeling his cheeks flush. Normally he didn’t care about sharing any of the songs he’d written - even if he did cringe when someone requested one of his very first pieces. But that song? He’d poured more of himself into it than he realized until he was playing it. It was just...something he’d hoped that Diluc would understand when he heard the song. That it had apparently gotten his feelings through to him was more than enough. But if anyone else heard it, followed that path into his heart...he didn’t want just anyone to be able to walk that path. It left him feeling vulnerable.

But he still had a job to do, which meant he needed something “this is one I’ve been working on for the festival. I need something new if I really want to make a splash.”

That got a chuckle, and Erion leaned a little into Diluc’s touch as he reached up to tuck a few stray strands of his hair behind his ear. “I thought you were already making a splash? I’ve been hearing nothing but praise for your singing” he said. “Isn’t that why you got invited to this Rising Star Festival?”

“Yes. ‘A celebration of Mondstadt’s young upcoming bards’,” he repeated the words that had been said so enthusiastically when the idea had first been pitched for him, “and as excited as I am to have my name featured on the advertisement poster, it’s also one of the reasons I really have to get that song done. Wouldn’t do for the headline act to come on with any old song I’d be forgotten in no time.”

“You?” Diluc said teasingly, “It’s hard to imagine anyone actually forgetting about you.”

Erion paused, “you know I don’t know if I should say ‘thank you’ or be insulted about the way you said that,” he said loftily before shaking his head, “but I’ll take the compliment side of it.”

“That’s what I was trying to say!” was the response, “Your other songs are good so you’ll…”

“Diluc,” Erion said gently, “do you know how many Bards are in Mondstadt? Were the city of music, love.” He slid the Cecilia blossoms into the straps that held his lyre case, making a detached mental note to press them later, when he got home.

Thankfully it was Diluc he was talking to, so confusion so gave way to a thoughtful look and he gave a slow nod. “You have a point,” he admitted “I honestly hadn’t paid much attention before, but I can’t remember a moment when I haven’t seen one around. They’re just part of the background of the city.”

“Exactly!” Erion grinned at him, “Mondstadt is just lousy with us.” He took a step away from his boyfriend and spread his hands dramatically. “Which is why it’s so easy to be forgotten! There’s always someone among the multitudes waiting to take your place. Even I’m a bit like that. If I get better than the Bards that I studied under, who’s name do you think will come up? “
“And it’s just as easy to fall. If the song you’re so proud of is a dud that’s what you’ll be remembered for, no matter how many other songs you have.” The last came out so bitterly he was surprised at himself. That was a fact that was always lurking at the edge of his mind, but he was usually good at ignoring it. Was it just because of this festival? It was the first time his name had been so prominent in things and it felt like people were just eyeing him because of that. Those that wanted him to succeed. Those that wanted him to fail.

Everyone.

Apparently it caught Diluc off-guard too because he took a step forward, “Eri?” he said uncertainly, “I haven’t heard of anything you wrote failing, and you haven’t told me…”

Erion could only shake his head, “Because I’ve been lucky so far,” he said, “and I’ve worked to keep it that way. And they’re watching…” he trailed off as he tried to put the feeling into words. A sorry state when a Bard was so shaken he couldn’t speak, “...they’re watching me more than most.”

The next thing he knew Diluc had reached out to take his hand, and he realized his fist was clenched. He made his hand relax. Maybe...this was weighing on him more than he realized This was the largest festival he had been asked to perform solo for, and they were using his name for it. Oh, he was thrilled, but he was a reminder for him what was at stake. “Is it because you’re one of the draws to this festival?” Diluc said, sounding unusually quiet for him. Erion gave him a wry smile.

“Well, a little bit,” he admitted it and if that was all it was he could have dealt with it, “but it’s also because of this,” he lifted up his Vision from where it hung on it’s deceptively delicate looking chain.

“Your Vision?” Diluc said, frowning a little.

“I’m a bard from the city of Mondstadt, who was given an anemo Vision,” Erion replied quietly, “A blessing from Lord Barbatos. One of the chosen few. Everyone is expecting that it means something about my talent, even if they aren’t sure what. They’re watching, waiting, to see what I'll do. When I do well - place in a competition, make a new song that people like - there’s always the nodding and ‘Lord Barbatos must have known’. But when I slip up…”

“People are so used to expecting perfection from you that people treat it as your normal. Even a minor failure is treated almost as a disaster because you're supposed to be better,” Diluc finished for him, a tinge of his own bitterness in his lover’s words. Erion looked at him in shock for a moment, then wondered why he was at all surprised. A genius who had been made a Cavalry Captain at the tender age of fourteen, and was in charge of patrols that kept monsters away from the city….perhaps of all people Diluc was the most equipped to understand what the pressure of a Vision and success meant. Although the price of Diuc’s failures, which might well mean others were hurt, far outweighed that of an off-tune song. For a moment Erion felt bad about even comparing his own minor problems to what Diluc dealt with on a regular basis.

But still. It was a nice feeling to know that he didn’t have to explain.

“Something like that,” he said outloud and gave Diluc a more genuine smile, “Sorry for ruining the mood. I really need to get better about my timing. I’m not going to last long if I can’t learn to read a room.”

“Don’t be,” came the reply, and Diluc reached out to teak Erion’s other hand, “honestly, you try to act like you’re so confident all the time, I sometimes wonder how much is an act and how much you get to be yourself. I’m glad to know you aren’t acting around me.”

Erion’s eyes winded for a moment. It was true that projecting an aura of confidence was just something you learned to do as a bard. Of course, that also meant you got...used to acting like that. Couldn’t let an audience when you were feeling off after all. The show must go on and all that.

But...maybe that wasn’t completely healthy.

At least with Diluc, he didn’t feel like he had to keep up that performance.

“Guess you get to see me, warts and all,” he said teasingly, giving Diluc a shy smile as he squeezed his hands. “Surprised it didn’t chase you off.” Diluc could have anyone he wanted, Erion was sure of that. Why the youngest Calvay Captain in the history of the Knights of Favrvonious had decided on him was still a mystery. Yet here they were, and Diluc didn’t show any signs of being annoyed with him, even though here he was complaining after Diluc had gone through all the trouble of bringing him a gift.

“It won’t,” Diluc said with complete conviction, “ever. I just said I was happy that you could let your guard down around me, didn’t I? Don’t worry about being perfect around me.”

There was a pause, and then Erion pulled his hands free from Diluc’s, reached up to grab his jacket and pulled him into another kiss. For a moment his boyfriend was frozen, but eagerly melted into it a heartbeat leather.

After a while they pulled apart, and Erion smiled at him. “Thank you, love,” he said and Diluc just beamed at him. “And you know the same applies to you right?” Because it hadn’t escaped him how often people relied on Diluc, needed him to be that perfect Calvary Captain because they found it reassuring. “You can be yourself around me, with all the messiness and imperfections,you know? Not just Sir Cavalry Captain.”

Diluc pulled him into an almost painfully tight hug. “I know,” his reply was quiet and there was a hint of something there that he hadn’t heard before. Erion tried to turn his head to see his face, but then Diluc looked up behind him, and chuckled.

“Eri,” he said, his voice much steadier than he had been a moment ago, “look.”

“What?” Erion twisted to look beyond them as Diluc let him go, then promptly burst into laughter. The statue of Lord Barbatos that loomed in the courtyard was caught in a beam of sunlight, as if the god was trying to make a statement. He moved to the edge of the overhang, and a peak at the sky showed that the clouds were rapidly giving way to blue.

“It’s like the clouds were just waiting for us to look away,” he said as he turned back around to find Diluc looking at him with a soft smile on his face, and no trace of the emotion that had been there earlier.

“I guess,” the red-head, sounding amused but then he sighed, “and without the rain as an excuse, I should go check in with Headquarters. Kaeya told me he would give an initial report, but I’m expected to add my own.”

Erion didn’t try to disguise his surprise. “What? You skipping out on a report? I’m in shock!” He placed a hand over in his heart.

That made Diluc laugh, at least a little, which was good.

Besides.

It really did make him a bit giddy that Diluc would, at least temporarily, think of seeing him first and his knightly duty second.

“Should I be flattered that you wanted to see me that much? I feel flattered.”

That made Diluc flush and Erion felt some triumph in that, “it’s only because nothing happened while we were out on patrol,” this boyfriend said, “Kaeya reminded me that meant I won’t have to speak to the Grandmaster until later, when he takes general reports. Usually I run a quick patrol around Mondstadt when I’m not needed right away in cases like this, but I thought since it was raining and I had some spare time…I would just...find you.” He actually looked a bit embarrassed about being caught taking a break like this. Erion couldn’t think of a single person who would have begrudged him a chance to catch his breath after a long patrol, but this was Diluc. He took his duty almost concerningly seriously in Erion’s view. Though the fact that he was willing to go against his first instinct just to find him was something that Erion was going to treasure.

Besides, seeing Diluc looking even the tiny bit flustered was adorable, and Erion made a mental note to thank Kaeya later.

“But now I have to go at least check in at Headquarters and make sure there’s nothing else that needs to be done,” Diluc said, and Erion let out a slight sigh. He knew that technically these had just been stolen moments for them, it still felt too short. Then he had an idea.

“I suppose duty calls,” he said. He moved over and hugged his boyfriend’s arm, snuggling up to his side, “but you’ve also been working hard. So, how about this? You go check in, get dried off, and then you meet me down at The Good Hunter. I’ll buy us lunch,” He winked at Diluc, “my treat.” Maybe it was a bit selfish, . Diluc had to get back to work. He had a performance to prepare for.

But he just wanted to carve out a little more time for it to just be them. Together. Maybe it would even help with this horrible block of his.

Besides, Diluc had skipped out on a patrol just to come dashing through the rain with flowers for him. That was more than worth a meal.

Diluc gave him a small smile in response, “We can try to do that, sure. It’s been a while since we’ve managed to get lunch. But I could p…”

“You paid last time,” Erion said firmly, “and the time before that. And before that. I appreciate the thought love, but let me spoil you for once.”

Diluc stared at him in surprise for a moment then chuckled, “Sure, okay,” he said smiling, “we can do that.” He looked down to where his arm was being strangled. “But you do realize I have to check in before we do anything?”

Erion heaved a dramatic sigh, “I suppose you have a point.” He let go of Diluc’s arm, but trailed one hand d and tangled their fingers together. “Let me walk you to headquarters?” He suggested it without thinking about it, but then his heart leapt to his throat. They hadn’t really announced to anyone that they were dating yet. Not that either of them had denied if they were asked, but somehow they had come to a mutual understanding that they weren’t going to let the general public know. Here had been fine, since there hadn’t been anyone around but if anyone around the Knight’s Headquarters saw them…

Diluc gave his hand a little squeeze, “Sure,” he said and didn’t pull away. Erion smiled, relaxing as they started walking down.

Erion knew that he still had work to do. So did Diluc. But for just a bit longer the sun was out and it was just the two of them. That was more than enough.