Note: This chapter contains some criticism of jealousy-related tropes. That's not supposed to be criticism of the people who enjoy them - jealousy is a normal part of life, and as long as you're aware that what you're consuming is unhealthy and, in the more extreme cases, incredibly toxic and not to be emulated, more power to you. Life's too short to not enjoy what you enjoy.

If you're the kind of person who genuinely thinks it's romantic to have a partner who forbids you from having your own life because they want you to themselves... please realize that's not love. That's narcissistic abuse. It can be very subtle and hard to see when you're in love and want to believe everything they say to convince you it's fine/the author of a fictional work is convinced what they're writing is romantic and frames it as such, and I don't have the space or time to unravel all of it (and this isn't the place for it anyway), but there are sources. Please look them up. They might save your life one day. (And for everyone who needs to hear it: Don't listen to people who call you stupid or a doormat for not seeing the red flags earlier. They're jerks who need to go back to kindergarten and learn some empathy.)

Hmm... That just took a turn even I didn't expect. Anyway, on to the chapter!

There was no Paimonian scolding. Perhaps there would have been if Elzer had reached the table before Lumine and Venti did, but Paimon knew better than to yell at their generous host's butler. Who also just so happened to be the main reason why their host could afford said generosity.

Still, it had only been a few seconds, and the two teens were still standing up when Elzer arrived, with Venti being busy bouncing on his feet and gushing about the rich variety of culinary delicacies laid out on the table, and Lumine simply watching him with a tender smile.

It was just so precious, and as far as she was concerned, Elzer could've stayed away a little while longer.

But she didn't say that out loud when Elzer apologized for the wait between wheezes, and there was a round of telling him to relax. Which he eventually did, taking a deep breath. "Still, I must make sure to plan my schedule better in the future, especially when we have such distinguished guests."

"Eh, don't worry about it!" Venti replied and dropped into a chair Paimon had saved for them, sideways and with an arm on the backrest. Looking about as undistinguished as it got. "We've only just arrived ourselves. Right, Lumine?" he added with a bright smile in her direction, and Lumine nodded before sitting down as well.

"We're not the youngest anymore, Elzer," Adelinde piped up from behind, and Lumine turned her head to find the Head Housemaid coming over with a plate of steaks. Both the sight and smell made her mouth water, and even her stomach started lodging complaints now. "That can hardly be made your fault. But perhaps you can take this as a lesson in listening to your colleagues. This really isn't the first time we're having this conversation."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right, Adelinde," Elzer sighed with a resigned nod. "I just... never mind. We shouldn't be discussing this in front of guests."

Lumine exchanged looks with both Venti and Paimon, and while none of them said anything, she figured they were all thinking the same thing – professionalism was all well and good, but being shut out like this even after all these years still stung a little. They'd finally gotten to a point where they could all sit at the same table without anyone making a fuss about how it was simply unacceptable for the staff to share a meal with the guests, but it seemed like there would always be some other catch, no matter what. That someone would always insist on treating them as strangers instead of friends, one way or another.

But before long, Venti's face lit up with the usual mischief. It told Lumine in no uncertain terms that he'd gotten some idea into his head, and he twisted in his seat to put his second arm on the backrest as well. He placed his chin on them and looked up at Elzer with bright eyes and an even brighter grin. "So if we turn our backs, it'll be fine? We can do that!" He looked at his seat neighbors. "Right, Lumine? Paimon?"

"Don't involve us in this!" Paimon complained, waving her hands to emphasize her point before calming down and crossing her arms. "Paimon wants nothing to do with your shenanigans!"

"Hey, if it works?" Lumine snickered, lifting her palms. "Anything to make everyone more comfortable!"

"You know exactly that's not how it works! Both of you!" Paimon yelled, then realized she'd uncrossed her arms in the process. She huffed and immediately remedied the situation. "And whose side are you on anyway, Traveler?!"

Lumine smiled innocently. "The right one?"

"I'm on your left, though!" Venti chimed in and Lumine's head swiveled around, but before she could think of an appropriate response, the sound of Elzer chortling drew her attention.

"Thank you, you three. And you, too, Adelinde." He nodded at the Head Housemaid, who smiled encouragingly, then returned his attention to the trio. "I apologize for making you feel unwelcome. Truth is, I simply dislike talking about this topic at all, and having guests is the most reliable excuse I have. I used it out of habit, not because I genuinely meant it."

Venti tossed his head back with a very loud, very showy sigh, then dropped it back into his arms, forehead-first this time. "Some habit that is!"

Lumine shared a resigned look with Paimon, and her tiny companion gave her an 'I'll take this' nod. She smiled gratefully and turned around again to run her fingers through the hair at the back of her friend's head, trying to coax him out of his little Venti world where stuff made sense to his little Venti mind, and back into the human world where nothing did at the moment.

Now that she thought about it, she wondered if Elzer was having another bout of hiding a sickness. He was quite prone to that, after all. But he seemed healthy at the moment, and Lumine figured that someone who knew him better than she did would've spoken up by that point if that were the case.

"Sorry about that," Paimon's voice rang out in the meantime. "Tone-Deaf Bard can be a little... tone-deaf sometimes, but he doesn't mean anything bad by it."

"I can hear you, you know!"

"Oh, please!" Elzer waved them off with a indulgent smile. "It was my blunder in the first place. Besides, I've seen this kind of behavior before." He took a deep, wistful breath. "Brings back memories, doesn't it, Adelinde?"

Adelinde laughed quietly. "So you picked up on it, too."

"Picked up on what?" Paimon asked, taking the words right out of Lumine's mouth. Even Venti tilted his head back up, curiosity placating the miff.

But Elzer simply smiled knowingly and nodded at Lumine. "You found yourself a precious one, Traveler. Cherish him."

It wasn't exactly the answer Lumine wanted, but between the smile on her face, the warmth in her heart and the softness under her fingertips, she didn't even notice the disappointment. Venti still didn't seem in any particular hurry to lift his chin off his arms, but he did turn his head just enough to look up at her with a single suspicious eye. Clearly expecting her to do something only a love-struck idiot would do.

Lumine was about equally eager to prove him right or wrong. She had to admit there was a certain temptation to lean down and plant sweet, feather-light kisses on his temple and those soft, round cheeks, but she wasn't about to give in to it. There were other ways to indulge in love-struck idiocy she wouldn't mind utilizing. But on the other hand, they were in public.

In the end, she restricted herself to stroking her beloved's back and putting zero effort into reining in her smile, and before long, the eye fell shut, accompanied by a small, contented giggle whose vibrations Lumine could feel even through the leather vest. She found herself a precious one indeed. "I'm planning to."

A laugh rang out, cutting through the atmosphere and the moment short. "That's lovely," Adelinde commented and sent Elzer a meaningful look. "And I hope Elzer can sit down now without worrying about our young couple breaking apart in the next two seconds and stop keeping everyone waiting. There may not be a time limit on our lunch break, but I'm afraid that won't slow down the food's cooling process. Besides..." She nodded and lifted her hands. "I'm sure we can all agree that you're the one who deserves a break the most."

"Now that you mention it..." Venti hummed pensively and sat up, a hand raised to his chin and his eyes narrowed in thought. "Ernest isn't here... Did some sort of emergency come up?"

"Really, Tone-Deaf Bard?" Paimon harrumphed. "Why do you even ask if you already know?"

Venti huffed indignantly and dropped his hands on the backrest again, with a look at Paimon that could be described as a glare if one was generous. "What do you take me for, a stalker? I don't know! I just figured Dawn Winery is too well-organized to drop the ball on such a massive scale as to schedule a day off for the warehouse manager right around the time when an enormous shift in routine is to be expected. Explosive profits tend to come with explosive bookkeeping, and Elzer really shouldn't be the one single person to handle all of it."

"You're not wrong," Elzer sighed and nodded. "But Ernest's absence can't be helped. Besides, Master Diluc will join me after lunch. And it's nothing for you kids to worry about, anyway." He looked at Adelinde, then back at the trio with an encouraging smile. "You just focus on enjoying your meal, alright? It does taste better when it's still warm."

The three friends exchanged glances, then Venti slumped forward with a dramatic sigh. "Fine! Just don't overwork yourself. You'll get sick, and that would be in nobody's interest."

Elzer averted his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, and Lumine got the feeling he wanted to say something. Something like Now even the kids are getting on my case!, perhaps. But in the end, he decided against it and walked away to sit in an empty chair while Adelinde turned around to check on the grill, Paimon hot on her heels. Lumine briefly considered getting up and joining them, but then she figured that, if Adelinde genuinely needed help, she'd be taking Moco or Hillie with her.

Instead, she took the opportunity to look over the table. She'd been so busy making goo-goo eyes at Venti before that her brief once-over of the table occupants hadn't actually resulted in any information reaching her brain, but she noted with relief that the conversation with Elzer and Adelinde didn't seem to have bothered anyone all that much. Diluc and Connor were sitting around a corner across and packing up a game of Genius Invocation TCG. The empty chair next to Diluc was probably reserved for Adelinde, with Tunner on its other side. He was talking animatedly with Moco around the other corner, and Hillie... Hillie had her cheeks cupped in her hands, with a dreamy look in her eyes that was directed at Diluc. She sighed deeply, lost in her own world, and Lumine suddenly felt... called out, in a way.

She probably looked like that, too. Completely and utterly smitten, with no hope of those feelings ever being returned.

Except, well... Lumine had hope now. She felt for Hillie, but watching someone else pine away like she had in the past only made her feel all the more blessed in the moment. Venti had since turned around to properly sit at the table, and her hand crept over to him almost by itself, seeking the warmth of another under the table. It startled him for a moment, but before long, the surprise was replaced by a kind smile and he gladly supplied, and it made Lumine feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

She wanted more, sure. But she wouldn't let her yearning for bigger things ruin the small things. She had already won – and she wasn't going to risk it all again. This time, she would hold onto her little jackpot, treasure it, love it, and never stop appreciating how lucky she was that she still had it when things could have easily gone so very, very sideways.

She would never forget that look of terror on Venti's face when he backed away from her, the sheer panic in his eyes. But it was a strange comfort, too, knowing they feared the same thing – losing the relationship they had.

Losing each other.

Still, she never wanted to see that look again, and she would do everything in her power to keep it off her beloved's face. Her dear, sweet breeze who had no idea what he was doing, but was willing to try anyway. For her. To make her happy.

"Venti?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Venti emitted, but the confusion only made him all the more precious in Lumine's eyes. "For what?"

Lumine smiled softly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Everything," she whispered, her eyes closing as the scent of apples and Cecilias washed over her and supplanted the smell of the food on the table. "I know you're scared, and I know how hard it is for you to keep pushing forward. And I want you to know that... it's appreciated. More than you can imagine."

A hum emanated from Venti's throat, and Lumine could feel his head being laid on top of hers. "It's not that hard if it's with you."

Lumine hadn't known it was possible, but the words made her feel even warmer, even fuzzier, and her smile even fonder. So far, he hadn't said 'I love you' by himself, not even once. It had always been in response to her saying it first, and she didn't wish to even try to guess at the reason. Considering how readily and unfiltered Venti's thoughts and feelings gushed forth otherwise, there was a pretty decent chance she wouldn't like it.

But now she realized that she didn't need him to. Those three words were overused anyway – anyone could say them. Scammers, cheaters, even stalkers with knives could say them. But how many people could say that?

No, Lumine didn't need 'I love you's when she had Walking this dark, unknown path becomes so much less scary if I'm walking it with you. When she had What more could I ask for in this beautiful life when I get to share it with you? and It's crazy how being with you makes the rest of the world fade away.

Well, not that badly, anyway... Maybe a teeny tiny bit. But who knew what the future held? Maybe the day would come when he would be comfortable saying it, too.

"Ah, young love..." Adelinde's voice rang out, an indulgent chuckle cutting through the coziness. It was immediately followed by a "Yeah, Paimon's not sure how she's going to tear Lumine off Tone-Deaf Bard. She had to deal with all that pining and sighing and increasingly unsubtle hints about going back to Mondstadt, and let Paimon tell you, that traveler took a long, long bath in extra-strong Venti-glue last night."

Lumine nearly fell off Venti's shoulder when said shoulder started shaking and the boy archon burst into snickers. "Was it made from apples, by any chance?"

Lumine smiled as she sat up. She couldn't deny that she was amused as well. "Apples, birdsong and sunshine."

"And sap," Paimon added the moment she rejoined the both of them. "And not necessarily of the tree variety."

"Hehe!" Venti snorted and pulled his hand out of Lumine's grip to put his arms on the table. "But speaking of apples..."

"Yes, yes, it's finally time," Adelinde interrupted as she walked past with a bowl of roast potatoes to set down wherever she found the space for it. "This is the last of the dishes."

"That's not what I was going for, but..." Venti grinned and clapped his hands. "Amazing news all the same!"

"Yay!" Paimon cheered, somersaulting in mid-air with her hands raised. "Paimon thought her stomach was going to eat itself!"

Lumine chuckled. "I doubt it's quite that dramatic."

"Says you!"

"Thank you, Adelinde," Tunner's voice rang out from across the table, and Lumine turned her head to find Dawn Winery's most senior employee nodding at Moco and Hillie. "And you, too. You have prepared quite the feast for us."

"Well, we do have something to celebrate, don't we?" Connor put in, a grin on his face that could almost be called 'smug'. "Record profits, a visit by three local celebrities, and if I got Paimon's comment right, a newly minted couple's first day."

"That's true!" Lumine nodded, and she caught herself subconsciously straightening her back and puffing out her chest. She didn't like to admit it, but she enjoyed the attention. "It was past midnight when I confessed my feelings, so technically, it was today!"

"Someone's awfully proud of herself all of a sudden," Venti snickered, but the teasing tone couldn't mask the tense undercurrent, and Lumine deflated on the spot.

"What's wrong, Venti?"

The boy archon shrugged and looked away. "Nothing's wrong, per se..." he answered and absently picked up an apple to twirl on a finger. "I know everyone's just happy for us, and I really appreciate that. I would be, too. But..." He sighed and stopped twirling the apple. It promptly lost stability and rolled into his hand, where he caught it and held it out to stare at. He didn't look like he was seeing it, though, and eventually, he put it down and shook his head. "Never mind. I'll just end up oversharing and ruining the mood again."

"Venti..." Lumine murmured as their fight earlier flashed before her eyes. It seemed to have left more of a mark than she would have ever thought possible, so she reached out her hand again and laced her fingers through his. "I love you, okay? Just say so if you're uncomfortable. I'm sure everyone will understand."

"It's not that..." Venti muttered, still looking anywhere but Lumine. His hand was yet to close around hers, too. "I just don't want to make my discomfort into everybody else's, too."

"Little late for that," Diluc deadpanned from across the table, and for a split-second, Lumine could've sworn Venti's brows knitted with a hint of betrayal in his eyes. It was brief – the kind of instant reaction you yourself don't want to have. But it hurt nonetheless.

It hurt because it was her fault, not Diluc's. You're so smart it almost makes me uncomfortable, Venti had told her once. Back then, she'd made sure he was left alone. And now...

She was doing it again. Pushing. After she'd promised she wouldn't anymore.

And she was doing it in front of a lot of people. Putting him on the spot without even realizing it. When did that happen? How did that happen?

It took a second to register with her when Diluc continued, "Might as well tell us now what's troubling you. A problem becomes a lot easier to solve when you know what it is."

"But only if you want to!" Lumine nearly jumped to add. She knew herself that it was too little, too late, but it was something, at least. Right?

Or maybe it was just hypocritical...

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely louder than a breath lost to the wind.

But Venti heard. He finally turned to look at her, and a strained smile spread on his face that made her feel even worse. I know, he projected, and Lumine knew she was the only one who could hear it. You're just trying to help.

He was so forgiving. Too forgiving. She didn't deserve him. He didn't deserve her.

Lumine tried to pull her hand out of Venti's. Except that was the exact moment when he decided to return the gesture, as quickly as a mousetrap snapping shut – and about as tightly, too. It was only a split-second before he relaxed his grip again and Lumine could pull away if she wanted to, but the message was clear and... she really didn't want to.

Venti flashed her one last smile before returning his attention to the group. There were a lot of expectant gazes now, and he took a deep breath. "I don't do well with these kinds of toasts. I'm a bard, I enjoy putting myself on display, but... you know, when I play, I'm the one who decides what part of me gets shown. This feels like... everyone else decides. Which part of me gets ripped out and passed around for people to gawk at." He shook his head. "I don't like it, even if it's just for celebration. It makes me feel commodified. My life is mine, nobody else's. And... I don't feel like celebrating anyway." His hand slipped out of Lumine's and he picked up his apple again, but this time, instead of twirling it, he started tossing it from one hand to the other. It had an almost hypnotizing quality to it. "I understand why you would, Lumine." Lumine automatically sat up straighter and ripped her gaze away from the apple. Venti was talking to her now, specifically. "You probably feel like you finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm happy for you. Really, from the bottom of my heart. And I don't want to ruin it for you." Venti nodded, more to himself than Lumine, but the way he said it didn't exactly help the apprehension. It only made the waiting for the other shoe to drop even harder to bear. "But I... I'm not like you. I didn't spend weeks, maybe even months, sorting through messy feelings and dreaming up some kind of framework for what I want out of this relationship. For me, that trek has only just begun. I don't know what I want, or what I feel. I know that I like you, and that I want to give this whole relationship thing a go, but what if that's not enough? It hasn't even been twelve hours. What if I find I can't handle it in the next? I'm so insecure, and celebrating as if everything's already set in stone just feels so premature." Venti finally dropped the apple back onto his plate and folded his hands in his lap, shoulders tense and eyes narrowed. "Actually, no. It's worse than that," he continued, taking a deep breath. "It doesn't just feel premature. It feels fake."

"Venti..."

Thank goodness for Paimon never being at a loss for words, really. No way Lumine would have been able to break that silence.

She'd grown incredibly tense herself, and so had the atmosphere. It was hard to breathe, let alone speak. A part of her wanted to reach over again and squeeze Venti's hand, but she wasn't sure if she should.

This was it. This was why he wouldn't say 'I love you' unprompted. Because it felt fake.

Because it felt like a lie.

And if Lumine was honest with herself, she had known it all along. She just didn't want to admit it.

It would have been almost funny if it wasn't so painful. He could say all those things that were basically 'I love you' in a different interpretation. He was so sensitive, so reciprocative, that if Lumine managed to make him feel safe and secure, to hold him just right, to make him feel loved... he could believe it to a point where he could say it back. But the moment he was out of that headspace, it all broke apart.

"Well, that's the tea," Venti spoke up again, back to twirling his apple with the tip of his tongue poking out. It almost felt fake, too. Almost unfair how quickly he bounced back from anything. "I'm sorry this isn't the straightforward, saccharine love story you were all expecting, but I'm afraid it's just not that simple with us."

"That's certainly one way of putting it," Diluc commented, crossing his arms. "But I can't say I'm surprised. I was there last night, after all." He waved a hand. "As for not enjoying those toasts, I actually feel quite similarly – I wouldn't go as far as calling them 'commodification', but I wouldn't want my private life to be turned into a spectacle, either. Especially if I were unsure about where I stand."

"Oh, really?" Venti chortled. "You don't seem like the type who would be unsure about these things and dive in anyway!"

Diluc nodded deliberately. "I suppose you are correct."

"That explains so much, actually," Paimon piped up as well, and Lumine turned her head to find her travel companion unfolding from her thinking pose. "You know, Paimon always wondered what was up with Tone-Deaf Bard's birthdays. Most of our friends send us invitations for their birthday parties, but with Tone-Deaf Bard, it's only ever just the three of us having a completely normal day. Like, what was it this year? A Sunsettia fell on his head and it was super inspiring?"

"It did!" Venti chirped, grinning from ear to ear and clapping his hands. "And it was! And we had a picnic at Starsnatch Cliff and watched the sunset!" He harrumphed and his lips curled into a pout. "And Marla and Marvin were hogging the best spot as always."

Lumine snickered. "But stargazing among the Cecilias was nice, too. And they did go away eventually!" Because Dvalin had shown up, but she probably shouldn't say that part out loud.

She remembered that day fondly. Sure, it wasn't the big birthday bash you'd expect from a wine-loving party animal like Venti, but Lumine liked it that way. She'd been so very in love already back then, so any excuse to spend one-on-one time with him was a good excuse.

Still, Paimon was right. Lumine had never given it much thought, but it was strange that the only people Venti ever invited to his birthday... were them. And then all they did was hang out. He didn't even want gifts (although that certainly didn't stop Lumine from feeding him the newest apple recipe she'd come across).

Strange in a good way, though. A very, very good way.

A giggle snapped Lumine out of her memories and she turned towards Venti, who had once again picked up his apple – this time to place it next to the plate. "Anyway!" he called out loud enough to draw everyone's attention, then grabbed a fork and very pointedly stabbed it into the closest pile of steaks. "The food really will go cold at this rate, and that would not only be a tragic waste, but an insult to Adelinde, Moco and Hillie's efforts as well!"

"Hey! Give Paimon a steak, too!" Paimon clamored from Lumine's other side, and slowly but surely, everyone else followed their example. The tense atmosphere had completely evaporated, ruined appetites were restored and the courtyard became lively again, with everyone stuffing their faces and chattering and laughter filling the air.

After all, there was nothing quite like good food and good company to make one forget all one's troubles. And the steaks were really, really, really good!

"So... Venti?" Lumine spoke up again once the worst of her hunger was sated, drawing her friend's attention. He was currently in the process of eliminating a plate of a dish whose name Lumine could never quite remember – a sort of shredded pancake with raisins, sliced almonds and apple sauce – and didn't seem to be in any particular hurry to stop, but he nodded at her with cheeks full of sugary goodness and hummed questioningly.

And Lumine had to once again control the urge to pull him close and cover his face in kisses.

She took a deep breath. "What you said before... about Connor's attempt at raising a toast... Would you prefer to keep everything under wraps for now? Would you rather..." She took another deep breath, careful to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "...not hold hands after all?"

A thoughtful look came over Venti's face that was hard to decipher, but eventually, he swallowed and shook his head. "That's not what I meant." He sighed and returned his gaze to his plate, but Lumine would be surprised if he actually saw it. And after a second or two, he nodded, slowly and deliberately. "But I get now what you were worried about earlier. I like holding your hand, and I don't mind doing it in public. I just don't like everyone acting like we've already sent out wedding invitations." He stabbed another piece of pancake with his fork and absently started munching away on it. "Not that that's ever going to happen anyway..."

Lumine hummed noncommittally and followed her friend's example by staring at her plate and taking another bite of her roasted bread. The crust had been baked to perfect crunchiness, and the herb butter melting into her mouth was the perfect amount of salty, but she barely even noticed.

Of course, marriage had never been on the table. Even if they had parents they could get parental permission from to have a wedding as minors, or the paperwork to hand in to whatever Mondstadt institution was responsible for it, she couldn't see either of them dressing up to exchange vows in front of a crowd. Even Lumine could admit that the idea simply felt off. And who would they even invite? Dvalin? Andrius? The Abyss Prince? The Hexenzirkel, perhaps? Maybe Nahida could be the flower girl, and maybe they could sweet-talk Hu Tao to hire Zhongli off of her and contractually force him to officiate. He would strangle them in his mind for the rest of their immortal lives. And Paimon could be the maid of honor.

Hmm... Actually, Dvalin would be the groomsdragon instead of a regular guest. Yes.

Lumine chuckled darkly. Maybe Dainsleaf could have a ridiculous role, too, just to make the chaos complete.

"Hmm? Are you okay, Lumine?"

Lumine looked up into her friend's worried eyes and nodded with a soothing hum. "I was just imagining what a wedding between an archon with the wildest connections and a Descender who also just so happens to be the twin sister of the leader of the Abyss Order would even look like."

Venti snorted, and a broad but wry grin spread over his face. "Well, it would be quite memorable, if nothing else."

"That's certainly one way of putting it..."

Venti suddenly burst into laughter. "I get that a lot!" he quipped, but then the grin faded and the mirth on his face was replaced by worry. "Seriously though, are you okay? That probably hurt to hear... The whole toast aversion thing."

Lumine sighed. "It did," she admitted, nodding in resignation. "But I understand." She hummed softly and a corner of her mouth twitched into a small half-smile. "And I'm glad you're not afraid to tell me these things."

Venti smiled back – that special smile where he tilted his head and closed his eyes. "I'm glad I don't have to be," he replied and turned away to pointedly take another bite of his pancake, humming a cheerful tune all the while. Lumine took the hint this time and left him to his food, and she directed her attention to the rest of the table instead. Paimon had relocated to the corner between Connor and Diluc at some point, saying she wanted to give the two of them some privacy, and Lumine was grateful for that, but it also left a bad taste in her mouth. Paimon was obviously having fun, talking about all the new snacks she'd had on their last trip to Sumeru, quoting Cyno's most recent 'jokes' at them, and giving a quick summary of the new book Collei had read to her for practice (and also to distract the both of them while Tighnari dragged Lumine off to deal with a pack of rifthounds he'd been tracking, but Paimon didn't know that), so Lumine didn't need to have too bad of a conscience.

But she still felt the wedge, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Do you know the difference between envy and jealousy?"

Lumine reflexively turned her head. Venti must have guessed what she'd been thinking, because he'd followed her gaze and was watching Paimon as well. He'd stuck his fork between his teeth, tines-first and upside-down, and kept pushing the handle down until it snapped back up and caused vibrations that produced some seriously odd sounds. It was a mystery to Lumine how the boy archon could even speak like that. "...What?"

Another push, another set of vibrations. "Most people use them interchangeably, but technically, they're different things. Opposites, even. Envy is coveting something that somebody else has, while jealousy is the fear of losing something you have to somebody else. As far as I can tell, in human relationships, it is rooted in insecurity, a misplaced sense of ownership, or both."

"Uh-huh.."

Venti finally removed the fork from his mouth and laughed. "Sorry, sorry." He turned to face Lumine and smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Slipped into Teacher Mode for a bit there!"

"I noticed..."

"Haha!" The smile turned into a grin, then it disappeared completely and was replaced by a more serious expression. "What I'm trying to say is: I don't get jealous, so if you ever feel stuck between Paimon or me, pick her. It seems to be a fairly uncommon trait, so I didn't want to come right out and say it, but I could never resent anyone for wanting to spend time with someone who isn't me. That said..." He flipped the fork and poked Lumine's nose with the handle, and she automatically leaned back. She had no clue where this was going. "I expect the same from you!" He turned towards his plate again and started stabbing at his leftover raisins. "I don't expect you to not get jealous, mind – if it happens, it happens. And I have no reason to believe you'd start acting like one of those ghastly protagonists from Inazuman light novels who cling to their love interest like wolfhook, sabotage their other relationships and just generally act like being attracted to them entitles them to their time and affection, and somehow we're supposed to believe that them weaving a cage of threats and permanent surveillance around the person they claim to love means the two of them are made for each other..." He trailed off and just awkwardly stared at his plate, blinking and his fork suddenly still. "Uh... Where was I?"

Lumine tried to suppress a burst of laughter, but she couldn't keep it in. Before long, she was snorting and giggling and trying not to double over into her fried egg. "Don't worry!" she gasped out between two snorts. "I find them concerning, too!"

"Uh... yeah. 'Concerning' is a good word..."

Lumine took a deep breath to finally stem the flow of giggles and reached up to tuck a strand of Venti's messy hair behind his ear. His braids were getting fuzzy, she noticed. He would have to redo them soon. "I get you. I had a similar conversation with Paimon before."

"Umm..." Venti emitted, and he finally remembered the raisins on his plate. "I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse..." he mumbled around a mouthful of tines and dried grapes, and Lumine sent her travel companion another glance.

And this time, Paimon noticed. She beamed across the table and waved, and Lumine found herself smiling and waving back. Then Paimon returned her attention to Diluc and Lumine picked up a meat-and-veggie skewer – something she could comfortably eat while resting her head on Venti's shoulder.

"We'll manage."