[open] invitation of windblume!

[concierto]

Sender: Venti
To: Everyone!
Subject: A rose by any other name is still a rose!

Hello there! It appears that this world is entering its Spring Solstice and with such a season brings new life and new flowers to everything the sun touches! I'd like to share with you a tradition during this time of year from my homeland, the beautiful and free city of Mondstadt. And that is the Windblume festival.

During this time of year, many will offer flowers in tribute to the god of freedom! Yet, what is more important is the tradition of gifting flowers to those you love and hold dear. The choice of flowers can say a lot about a person's feelings! When gifting precious flowers to those you love and adore the carefully picked flower should be one that means something to you and that precious relationship.

While this time of year doesn't necessarily have to mean these gestures are romantic there is another tradition of sending your most adored one a love poem. A perfect time to be confessing your heart's song to the one who holds your heart! Ehe, isn't that lovely?

I, as a travelling bard, have spent many years seeing the Windblume season! And with it, I have written hundreds of poems and know exactly how to weave love's verse. I would like to offer my assistance in helping you find the words to write your own love letter or poem to the one you hold dear or wish to confess to! Do tell me all about the one you hold in your heart and allow me to help you craft the words to express your heart's feelings.

Please, it would be my pleasure!

[Spill the tea on your love lives and in return Venti will help you confess in a love letter! Come on, get spilling! He loves the gossip!]

Comments

[concierto]

Excellent choice of words! You have more of a poet inside of you than you think!

Now, one last question before I start writing. And do feel free to say no if I've missed my mark or if you just don't know yet.

Do you think you might be falling in love with her?

[grappleking]

Uh.

[YOU CAN'T JUST ASK SOMEONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?]

I haven't really thought about that...

[concierto]

[He's doing it! Anyway! Although he might be teasing a little now. It's hard to tell.]

Ehe? Well? Does she make your heart beat fast, feel as though the air from your lungs is being stolen, your mind fuzzy, your knees like they could go weak?

[grappleking]

[This menace!]

Hey, my knees are perfectly fine! The Ironfisted King of Grappling has knees of steel!

[Right. Because the real concern here is not having strong knees.]

[concierto]

[... Oh. Okay. Well, that gives Venti a huge note about this man's personality. he's kind of erm... himbo?]

Very well! I think I have the poem mostly finished. Does this sound like you?


Sometimes I wonder how I feel about you,
Scared of these feelings because it's still new
I catch myself thinking of the best way to share,
Hoping you'll return my confession showing you care
And then I catch myself again... and drag my thoughts back to reality
I am back at square one, does this just happen to me?

Poems are so stupid I swear I would never do this
But this is YOU, and you aren't like anyone I have met
How much longer do I have to write, can I tell you yet?
When I come back from my thoughts I feel more secure
But then I sleep... and the dreams of you occur

The dreams I have of you are so vivid and clear
I feel TRUE happiness inside and that there is nothing to fear
People say dreams have underlying meanings and not to ignore them
I say we both know what they mean and now I want you to hear
Hear what I am about to say to you, feel it with my body, see it in my face
Hear it in my words and tone when we converse

I like you! I like you more than I ever thought I could
Be with me always just like we should

[grappleking]

[You summed him up in one word, Venti. Nice work.]

That's...

[There's a long, long pause before more writing appears on the page as Balthus takes a few moments to read it through a second time before saying anything more.

There's a lot buried in there. It does sound like it could be him, but there's a lot that he's not sure how to confront just yet, either. Why is this so hard?]

Damn, that's really good. I think it does sound kind of like me.
You must have a lot of experience with this, yeah?

[concierto]

[He quite enjoys the way people seem to take the time to read the poem and react. He hopes he's done his best to spark the strings of their hearts even if a little bit. What they wish to do with the poem is entirely up to them.]

That's right! As a bard it's my pleasure and joy to write poems for stories of all sorts!

I do hope it seems to have touched on your feelings at least in the slightest. Now, if you have the courage to admit and chase those feelings? That's up to you.

[grappleking]

I guess that's the part I have to figure out next.

[It's not like someone else can sort through these feelings for him— they're his.]

It's a lot harder than it sounds. Probably don't have to tell YOU that. You see this a lot?

[concierto]

Yes, quite a lot. There's nothing more thrilling than trying to sort this sort of thing out. Ehe.

Although from the sounds of it you have a good chance! A true heart and an honest will! I think you should go for it. As soon as you can.

[grappleking]

You really enjoy it? Guess you would have to, to do it as much as you seem to.

[Doesn't seem to him like there's a lot of money in it or anything. Gotta be a passion project.]

You really think so?

I'm kind of worried about screwing it up. What's weird is that I've never been worried about something like that before, and I've been with a lot of girls.

A lot.

[A lot.]

[concierto]

[Oh, a harlot too.]

If this is the first time you've been worried of this sort of thing it must mean you're serious about her, don't you think? She's not just another notch on the log? Or am I wrong?

[grappleking]

[Excuse you, he is a ladies' man, not a harlot.]

No, you're not wrong. She's been an important person in my life for a long time. Can't just treat her like any other girl, because she's a lot more than that already.

[concierto]

[Uh huh. Man... sloot.]

If you're earnest with that then I still think you have quite a fair chance at her heart! All the more reason to confess your love for her, I would think! Just be sure she knows that she's more than all the other women you've tried your hand at. That will probably help.

[If Venti trolling now?? It's hard to tell but he's also not wrong.]

[grappleking]

[He's... not wrong, no.]

Probably, but... if you were here, would you want to be reminded that there were other women in the first place? On the other hand, she's been dating all kinds of people, too...

[Sometimes specifically to make him jealous, or so it seems. He doesn't want to assume, but that's definitely been the end result.]

[concierto]

My, that complicates things only in the slightest! Sometimes people do wish to play the field before settling, as the both of you seem to do. Sometimes some types of people care for more than one person. Sometimes they wish to incite certain feelings! Love is a complex and growing thing.

In this case I feel as though the both of you might find the end of your story together. It's only a matter of who will take the first step towards that before it's too late.

a million years late but capping things off here!

[grappleking]

You know, I think this really helped. It at least helped me to figure out where to start sorting things out, anyway.

I'll have to let you know how things go. Thanks, buddy. For the poem, too!