Echoes of the Dihua Flute:

A Start

Only a few centuries

An Immortal's Slumber

Reunion

Just a note, even though Echoes of the Dihua Flute is a 'series' of sorts, each story is an independent short story (as in each title. The chapters within each title will be connected) and you will not need to read the stories before it to make sense of what is going on. There may be some light references to other tales, but they do not hinder your understanding of the plot

Xiao turned, thrusting his anemo-infused spear into the body of a mist-daemon, the spirit dissipating with a muffled, cut-off scream, like that of a boiling teapot. His work was done for the night.

He returned to the large tree he usually slept in, which would in later days become Wangshu Inn. Currently, however, it was still only a large tree, and he rested his head against its trunk, staring off into the dark of Guili plains.

It had been a just over two months since he had spent the Lantern Rite with Venti, and he hadn't heard a word of him since. This was unexpected, as the night had ended with as friendly a relationship as Xiao ever had with someone (in only one night, that is). Moreover, with the way Venti had beamed when Xiao told him of his love for almond tofu, he had thought it a clear sign that he was going to return. Xiao would undoubtedly be glad if Venti came back, a part of him even wanted him to come, but if the Anemo Archon decided that that night at the Lantern Rite was enough, Xiao could live with that too.

As he closed his eyes, he told himself he would not hope for Venti to come back. It had already been two months, a pretty clear signal he wasn't going to return. What was there for him to return to anyways? A glum yaksha heavily burdened with karmic debt? Hardly an exciting prospect.

...

Xiao was awoken by the humming of his vision. He immediately opened his eyes, any grogginess normal people experience right after waking up completely lost on him.

"BOO!"

Shouted someone so close to his ears he had to wince, shutting his eyes once again. However, the little pocket of time in which his eyes were open showed him a familiar face with deep jade eyes and dark hair tipped with the same colour as his eyes.

"Grrr. You are so loud"

"Ehe~"

Xiao looked around and saw that though at first he thought Venti was sitting on the branch with him, it turned out he was in fact floating next to him. His wings were so quiet that their constant flapping sounded like only a small rustle of the wind through the grass.

Xiao opened his mouth to ask why he was here, when Venti, oblivious to his intentions, rudely interuppted.

"So, where's the wine?"

"What?" (???)

"The chrysanthemum wine you told me about last time. I couldn't stop thinking about it! But eh… we had a little problem in Mondstadt hehe. A dendro god ("That God of Fungi, do you know him?" "I've heard of him, but we've never had any trouble") thought he could just mess with Mondstadt however he pleased!"

Immediately concerned, Xiao asked "Do you need any help? As Mondstadt and Liyue are allies, attacking Mondstadt is like attacking Liyue"

"It was nothing we couldn't deal with", he waved it off.

If he hadn't known better, he would have thought Xiao was doubting his ability. He knew the yaksha was only being kind, but it still stung his ego. He quickly changed the topic,

"Back to that wine…"

"Hmph Rex Lapis told me where you got the mora from last time, and I doubt he would give you more this time."

"That old blockhead! Well, I guess I've been exposed. But…"

Venti suddenly whipped out a plate of almond tofu which he had been artfully hidding behind his wings

"…would this be payment enough?", he finished, a brilliant smile on his face.

Xiao took in a sharp breath. There is was again, that smile.

Putting on a serious face, "I will take the almod tofu, seeing as you've been so thoughtful", he did as he said, "but it is not me you need to pay, but the man who sells the wine"

Venti's eyes widened, "Hey! then give me that back!" he tried to reach across to grab the plate back, but Xiao was already taking a bite.

...

Xiao found that despite having not seen each other for over two months, the easy manner betweeen them was easily picked up again (well, 'easy' in Xiao's eyes. If it were any normal person talking to him, instead of the incredibly, almost miraculously persistent Venti, they would have found Xiao's answers colder than that of a wooden brick). Sure, Venti once teased him to the point where he literally growled and ran off, but that only happened once.

Soon enough they were watching the sky turn orange (pink at its edges).

"When the sun from the canvas sky falls,

the duty of a Yaksha calls"

Venti turned to face Xiao, ready to say his goodbyes.

"I hope you liked my almond tofu", there is was, that mischivious smile again, accompanied by a wink "I added a little something special in it"

"Hmph. I could tell you had twinkered with it the moment it entered my mouth"

Venti chose to take this as a compliment, "Hehe~ Morax did say my cooking was unique!"

(author's note: Morax sat staring at the dish in front of him. He knew Barbatos sometimes spent time in the kitchen, but he never expected that he would be one of the 'guinea pig test subjects' for such an event. He eyes the contents of the bowl suspiciously. It was a soup. At least, he thought it was a soup. He sat staring a moment longer, then took the bowl, walked out of his abode with dignity, and dumped the contents of the bowl splat on the floor – with dignity of course. He then proceeded to write a letter to the neighboring Archon, telling him how he tried the dish, and tought the flavor very unique. The next morning he found that the grass around the dish had withered)

(author's note again: Picking someone up by trying to poison them is not exactly the traditional way, so let's assume venti's almond tofu did taste good)

Venti turned to leave, thinking the conversation over, when Xiao spoke with unexpected sincerity,

"Thank you for the almond tofu. I will make sure I get some chrysanthemum wine before your next visit"

Venti stopped in his tracks, and when he turned Xiao could see a smirk on his face.

"Oh? Is that an invitation to come back that I'm hearing? Why, have you fallen for my wondrous cooking and irresistible charm?"

Xiao resisted the urge to roll his eyes (it was unseemly of an adeptus to do so), and settled for a half 'hmph' half snort.

...

Since then, visits by the wind to Liyue have become more and more common. Sometimes he came once a month, sometimes once a week, sometimes for days on end. Each time he visited he had a different excuse, be it drinking more wine, traveling to spread the fame of Venti the Bard, or even just "the clouds are prettier in Liyue", he always had an excuse, and he always had almond tofu.

No Xiaoven fanfic is complete without almond tofu! (｡ì _ í｡)

for those that are curious, what venti added in the almond tofu was a Qingxin he picked last-minute on the way. He had no clue of its medical properties, only wanted to muck with Xiao.

Hi I also just realised that I meant Osmanthus wine not Chrysanthemum... But I'm too lazy to go over and edit the fic so now it's become a footnote