A/N: I'm close to finishing the part after this, that's why I'll upload this here too. Remember to keep those eye drops close, in preparation for the next chapter. ehe~
And yes, it's like the parent story... I didn't notice the number of the footnotes got screwed up somewhere until it was posted, ack. /hides face/
Bull-headed, that's what she is. The people around her keep giving her good advice, but she never listens; never learns.
Arlani should have learned her lesson by now. Now, there are three red, glowing eyes trained on her and a beam of light, the same menacing red as the eyes, shining down on her.
When Soraya dissuaded her from researching ancient treasures, she disregarded the advice and was imprisoned by Treasure Hoarders. When she was advised to take up studies on the Elements, she abandoned it [28] and started on a new one; therefore, missing the deadline of submission.
Her unfinished draft on Ruin-series Research did gain the interest of her professor and a few others, which allowed her another year to continue.
Now, that was a close call.
But this… This is something she cannot escape from at all, let alone escape unscathed.
To make matters worse, she was already injured from a misstep on the dilapidated stairs of this eroded ruin [29]. If the pain from her fall were anything to go by, then she must've fallen high enough to have sprained her ankle and bruised her hip.
She was impatient—unable to wait for the members of the Adventurers' Guild for their report on the temple ruins and its guardians. She stubbornly had to go to the site itself. It's not like it was her first time traversing Lingju Pass.
She hears the booming voices again and the sound of projectiles hitting the walls surrounding her and the winding staircase above her. The barrage made the ground shake. She curled into a ball, cushioning her head in between her arms in an attempt to both cover her ears and shield the crown of her head.
Why wouldn't they just leave her be? All she wanted was to learn more about them. The specimen she was scrutinizing was nothing but a shell of what it used to be. She was naïve to assume the Ruin Hunter beside it was in the same state of disrepair.
To have caught the attention of two more Ruin Guards as she ran was certainly plainly extraordinary bad luck. Or was it karma for always swatting away good advice?
Arlani grit her teeth as her weak muscles screamed at her and her joints cried in unison. Her body blames her for pushing herself too far. Aside from her injuries, the strain of journeying to the site and all the running from earlier had worn her down completely. She had the average stamina of any non-adventuring scholar after all.
And really, she wants to scream too, had it not been for the way her throat closes up when she attempts to do so.
It was a stupid survival instinct. Yes, she is prey, but screaming will not draw the 'predators' to her. Her research about these ancient contraptions has revealed that motion and vibrations on the ground rouse them into wakefulness and draws their attention—not sound.
Her fear is about to get her killed.
All the running and hiding she has been doing to dodge those missiles was futile. Exhausted and injured, her chances of escaping are nil. As it stands, either the tower caves in on her, blocking them off, or the Ruin Guards and the Ruin Hunter would eventually stop hounding her and she would escape then.
She believes that the former option is most likely to happen.
The cracks on the walls surrounding her only grow longer and deeper with each missile barrage. She knows they will not hold much longer. With maybe three more sets of missile barrages aimed at her, she will be blown, along with the walls, into smithereens
Unable to scream to the very end, she lets the tear flow along with a silent prayer.
"Please, someone… anyone, please help me."
Wracked with fear and defeated acceptance, she closes her eyes tight when she hears the sound of launching missiles, along with a chorus of thundering mechanical voices.
If she had listened to those around her, she wouldn't have her life forfeit, would she?
"Pathetic."
Alrani's eyes open what she feels her body picked up swiftly off the ground. She does not see the ruins' ceiling that she thought would be the top of her coffin, but the starlit sky and the pale moon above head.
Her gaze lowers and sees the face of a young man with a set of golden eyes with a piercing gaze. He looks at her with indifference. She registers that the young man is wearing an eccentric set of clothes. Part of it resembles an ancient warrior's clothing yet it is laden with regalia related to purification and exorcism.
"Stay here and stay out of my way," the young man commands when he sets her down atop one of the ruins' flat roofs.
Arlani's mouth hangs agape when she sees her savior don a terrifying mask that glows of teal and creates a swirl of black mist. She misses her opportunity to reply or thank him. Her eyes helplessly follow the young man's—no, the last Yaksha, the Golden-winged King's—figure as he makes his way back to where the Ruin Guards and a Ruin Hunter lie in wait.
Awed by his great leaps, she scrambles up to her feet, forcing herself to hobble to the edge of the rooftop.
She has to witness this fight.
With their initial target so far away, the Ruin Guards and Ruin Hunter deactivated their attack sequence, and started to head to their original posts.
One cannot call machines naive. They do not possess the cognitive skills that true living beings do. They do not think of the possibility of a bigger threat heading their way, and take a passive stance—reacting only when prompted.
It is no wonder that the first Ruin Guard fell so quickly.
"Worthless!"
The Yaksha spared no moment targeting the front and back glowing red eyes with his Lemniscatic Wind Cycling. The sheer force of an Adeptus' strength and the boost of Anemo in this form allows him to pierce through ancient glass and metal alike as though they were nothing but a sheet of crepe paper. With a loud groan, it stumbles forward and hits the ground. Most of its body remains intact, while some segments of what looks like branches lay scattered on the ground and bulbs of blue roll away.
Xiao's nimble feet land on a post. Unlike a certain somebody, he does not have the urge to taunt its brethren after felling one of them.
He knows they will come for him without having to waste any more energy, barking.
Just as expected, the other two recognize him as a threat, and switch back into attack mode.
The Yaksha briefly entertains a thought; he would have a swifter time disposing of these oversized garbage if Venti were around, providing support with his archery skills. He does not dwell in it, as the first challenger moves, eager to eliminate him from sight.
The Ruin Hunter is the first to come swooping in. It replaced its near human-like hands with its sharp, scissor-like metal hands, swooping in to cleave him. Its ability to take flight allows it to attack more freely unlike its Ruin Guard friend on the ground, who has its red light marker trained on its opponent. The Yakha simply jumps high enough to avoid it. Missiles heading his way miss when he uses that opportunity to plunge down, his Anemo spears piercing through the Ruin Guard's. It staggers back, starting to glitch.
The Ruin Hunter, which was just out of reach from the earlier attack, approaches and swings its scissor-hands at Xiao once more. He dodges with a dash to his left. With the Ruin Hunter recovering from the failed attack, he closes in on it and begins a relentless assault. His spear, along with the Anemo ones mercilessly pierce and tear down the ancient machinery. Every little step backwards the Hunter takes is a step closer to its destruction as each step allows freshly skewered holes to grow.
It does not take too many thrusts for the Ruin Hunter to be rendered immobile and shredded to pieces.
There is a red mark trained on him once more. He waits for the missiles to come close enough before dodging, so that their auto-correcting trajectory cannot activate.
There is no wind in the area, and yet, even without it, Xiao could hear his name clearly.
Xiao's head snaps towards the direction of the voice who calls for him, hoping that person would utter it once more. He closes his eyes, remembering it when the call doesn't come by.
It is enough of a distraction to send him flying. He doesn't notice when the Ruin Guard groans, knocking the breath out of him as the cold, blunt fist of the Ruin Guard connects with his torso.
Loosened, jagged, metallic arms swing clockwise in unforgiving revolutions, threatening to pummel him to the ground as he is backed against a wall.
Coming back to his senses, Xiao ducks lows and dashes out of the Ruin Guards's trajectory. He climbs to higher ground and waits for it to settle down. Once it does slow down and comes to a stop, he leaps into the air and uses anemo to forcefully lunge forward, striking hard at its core before plunging down, allowing Anemo spikes to spear through its body. He repeats the process of jumping and plunging—grunting all the while as the use of his mask wears at his own health—until he hears the machine's groan of defeat.
From where Alrani stood, she could help gawking, still unable to process the series of events. An Adeptus saved her life. She was saved by the legendary Yaksha—the sole survivor of the Five.
And she even had the honor to witness him in battle. Extraordinary, that is what this night has been.
Defeated, the last Ruin Guard's body falls forward, dust rising up once its bulky body hits the ground.
Arlani's eyes eagerly train on one spot where she believes the Yaksha would land after his last jump.
The dust settles.
The seconds tick by.
But no figure lands onto the spot.
She crumples to the ground when she realizes that the Yaksha has disappeared just as quickly and unnoticed as he came. Regret, shame and exhaustion piled up on her. How was she unable to utter a simple 'thank you' to her savior?
•○●○• ◇ •○●○•
Venti grabs the two salads he was asked to bring out and conditions himself to have a cheerful disposition by the time he steps back to the serving floor. He beelines to the table that ordered them.
"Why hello there, you lovely ladies." The barmaid puts on an easy smile while serving the two Satisfying Salads and refiling the patrons' glasses with water. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
"Not at all, Venti!" one of the girls speaks up.
"I-I can't wait to hear you sing!" her companion blurts out, a bit flustered.
"That's good! Can't have Charles telling the Master I've been slacking off, can we?" Venti giggles and gives them a wink. "Hm, the singing will have to wait, I'm afraid—not with all these orders to be taken by this lone barmaid."
He sighs defeatedly and completes the act with an exaggerated shrug.
"Pfft, then you shouldn't have slacked off earlier!" The more energetic of the two lady patrons began slapping the wooden table in a moment of unrestrained amusement.
"You admitted it so easily too," her companion chimes in, her hand to her mouth, stifling her giggles.
"Oh, you're right! How clumsy of me, ehe~" Venti sticks out his tongue and lightly bonks his hat.
A round of laughter resounds from the three of them. Ah, interacting, putting on a silly show for the patrons, and seeing them have a good time does serve as a good pick-me-up!
Venti wished them a wonderful evening before heading over to the next table to take their orders. Once that's done, he heads back to the kitchen to relay the new orders.
He waits for some of the easier to assemble dishes to be laid on the counter before going back out.
"Venti," Charles calls out to him as he emerges from the kitchen with his arms full of plates of food. Venti turns to him and follows his finger to a customer by the tavern's window. "That gentleman over there has bought you a glass Apple Cider in exchange for a song."
The customer winks at them and offers a finger salute.
Venti walks over to where the customer is seated. It's important to show one's appreciation to their fans after all—especially those willing to buy him some booze!
"Good evening, kind sir. Aren't you a sweet fellow?" he greets the blond man, who looks somewhere in his thirties. He lifts up his arms a little higher and gives him a tight smile, his brows furrowing slightly, explaining his little predicament. "I hope you don't mind my inability to draw up my lyre, seeing as my hands are a bit full at the moment."
The man shakes his head slowly, flicking his wrist dismissively as he downs a shot of liquor.
"It's fine. All I want to hear is your beautiful voice."
"Gotcha," Venti winks at the man—Adalbert, his mind finally supplies [27]—with a business smile. "What song of interest do you ask of this bard as a request?"
"Whatever you feel like singing, little Cecilia." He smiles warmly, as though he's remembering something fond.
'A… ha. Little Cecilia, huh?'
He subtly rolls his shoulders in slight unease. He assumes that it may just be because he is used to being the one to hand out the nicknames—not the one to receive them often. His mind definitely does not entertain a flight of fancy where a certain Adeptus would call him by a pet name. He does it enough for the both of them.
Venti lets that thought pass him. A dandelion carried by the breeze passing through entire landscapes without making its mark.
He places the ordered food on the table nearby with the practiced ease of a month-old Angel's Share wait staff. [30]
The crowd gives an appreciative whoop when they hear their little songbird start humming. By the time the first few words of the opening verse leave his mouth, a more sincere smile sets in.
Six-fingered Jose may give him a glare for hijacking his performance, but he couldn't resist an attentive and lively audience such as this one. It is always a pleasure to have.
The crowd claps to the beat of the Angel's song. When there are but two dishes left, he even gives his audience a twirl. His eyes idly drift towards the bar area and his breath almost hitches at what he sees.
Above all else, he is a professional. He continues to sing as though that little slip up is all part of the performance. He hurries through serving the last of the orders and thanks his former self for choosing a short song rather than a full-on ballad that would take ages to finish. He transitions to the end of the song—artfully and skillfully skipping a chorus repetition and a verse.
With his hands free of food to be served, Venti weaves his way across the tables.
The patrons did not mind his hurrying too much, or the fact that the performance was cut short.
They understand.
The tavern is packed full, and he must be way over his head on how to deal with so many people, especially with one absent staff member. Their hearts go out to their poor, hardworking Angel.
Once Venti squeezes his way out of the last cluster of tables, he is delighted to see that his visitor still has not spotted him. He jogs a couple of steps before leaping and throwing himself onto the unsuspecting back of his special someone. His arms lock in place, at once, around Xiao's neck.
"Xiao!" Venti whispers into his beloved's ear, quickly stealing a peck on his cheek. The bubbling excitement and joy within him couldn't be contained. "You really came!"
He swings himself in front of the Yaksha and pulls him into a tight embrace.
"Celestia, I'm really turning into that Mora Bag, but don't hate me for it, okay?"
Xiao is still processing the sudden turn of events and the change in his surroundings. Having plunged at least a dozen times in quick succession in battle has joggled his brain too much. This, coupled with the disorientation from teleporting into an unknown location straight out of said battle, is making his head spin.
His mind does register that Venti is clinging to him as if he were the former Archon's life line. His arms move on their own, slowly curling them around the bard, but catches himself in time.
"I… take it that you are not in some peril," Xiao begins after regaining his ability to put thoughts into words. As the daze begins to clear, his senses register various things. The warmth of the room, and the assault of the fetid scent of alcohol, making him wrinkle his nose. And a wall of noise; there was a clatter of utensils somewhere that for some odd reason that made Venti grin widely against his chest. But looking down, he softens at the sight of Venti nuzzling his chest. He could make out the faint glow on the tips of his braids. He uses one hand to gently rub the bard's back. "Or in dire straits that you need my assistance on."
The question makes Venti pull back and look at him with his head tilted to the side, a finger over his lips.
"What made you think of that?" he asked, incredulous. "So gloomy, yet so like you, ehe."
Xiao's expression remains stoic even when he uses a finger to poke the Yaksha's cheek.
"Should I take that gloom as the extent of your constant worrying and deep affection for me?"
Xiao keeps his lips pursed and flicks Venti's forehead. He should be used to that brazen mouth of his, yet he is still surprised every time he spouts nonsense such as this.
Venti's eyes are on him. He always thought that those jewel eyes are a sight to behold, yet he turns his gaze away from them.
Only one thing is definite: he cannot trust himself not to look like an idiot in front of this imp.
"Oh come on, don't clam up now. It's been a while, hasn't it? And you didn't come here to keep a lid on it." Venti digs his finger deeper into Xiao's cheek, wriggling it in hopes of inciting a reaction. He puffs up his own cheeks when the other refuses to look at him, looking so calm and collected, while here he is, giddy and unsure how to keep himself calm.
On second thought, Xiao is the type who would be content with just soaking up another's presence without a word being uttered between them. While that sounds sweet and all, that isn't what he has in mind for tonight. Well, there are no plans per se, but he'd prefer something more exciting than that at the moment.
Venti perks up as the sound of more utensils hitting the tableーothers hitting the floorboardsーreaches his ears. There is even some stuttering caught in it. He could only imagine how wide those sneaky eyes must be.
"What are you sniggering about?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
If he weren't smiling before, he would be now. He takes a hold of the Adeptus' arm, as a sign of assurance, when he feels a wet and sticky substance cling onto his thumb. The bard's gaze drifts downward and sees the wooden floor stained with small red droplets. He traces the rivulets of blood back to the source.
"Xiao, you're bleeding!" He takes the other by the shoulders and maneuvers him to sit onto the nearest unoccupied bar stool. He points a finger at him in warning, accentuating each word. "Stay put."
Charles and the other still somewhat sober patrons jump in surprise at Venti'sーand another person's(?)ーsudden appearance. Has he been near them all this time?
"It's just a friction wound. Nothing to fuss over." Xiao rolls his eyes.
Venti ignores him and goes around the bar counter to take a clean hand towel from one of the counter's compartments. He hands it over to Xiao across the counter, frowning when the Adeptus does not immediately take it from him. He offers it again, and the Yaksha eventually accepts it then starts dabbing it onto his skin as he mumbled something about Venti overreacting again.
"I'll go fetch the first aid kit, my darling knight." Venti pushes himself upward and plants a quick kiss on Xiao's temple before looking to his left to address the stunned barkeeper. "Charles, please give Xiao my share of Dandelion Wine for tonight, and make sure he sits tight."
The barmaid watches him nod slowly, putting down the glass he has been polishing before he himself gets a move on. He walks past one patron who was choking at the moment. He shakes his head lightly, unhappy that he might need to clean the mess up later as this patron coated the bar surface with the beverage he just spit out.
He walks past the Yaksha and makes a mental note to also clean up the droplets of blood on the floor. He did not know the composition of Adeptus blood, but one thing is sure: Diluc will kill him if it becomes an unremovable stain on the tavern floorboards.
Personally, if it did stain, he'll consider it a memento whenever he comes back after this whole thing's done and over with. And it would be worth the possible earful of a scolding and ass-whopping to come (assuming he would let himself be caught).
He heads into the back room with a literal skip to his step, and giggles in delight when he feels a particularly heavy stare from behind.
Seems like a certain someone finally noticed the elephant in the room.
•○●○• ◇ •○●○•
The two patrons that sat in between the foreigner and a seething Venti fan to their right chugged their drinks and left their payments onto the counter before waving off to Charles.
They do not want to be involved in whatever trouble that's about to happen, that's for sure. It would just ruin the festive moods they've acquired.
The patron at the other end of the counter watches Venti's elusive and eccentric guest with the greatest of efforts. He did not know he needed this much brain power and concentration to keep tabs on someone.
He swears, the kid just vanishes from sight when he does nothing more than blink.
Just who is this person? He didn't quite catch the name. It sounded like a greeting from Fontaine.
For the Angel to give up his beloved share of Dandelion Wine, to call him 'darling' and to… to k-kiss this… boy—he is no man, not with that height! Lord Barbatos! Even Venti's taller than him!—with such affection.
A glance at the dining hall lets him know that he's not the only one who has noticed the appearance of this boy. He could spot at least three sets of strained eyes locked onto this stranger.
The counter of eyes trained onto Xiao goes up to four as the man joins the other three in watching him with equal parts burning jealousy and curiosity.
Xiao does not notice the holes being burned into his being or the piece of bloodied fabric slipping from his hands.
Venti… He's wearing something decidedly different, isn't he?
His eyes remain transfixed on the figure heading to the far end of the tavern, taking in every skip he makes and each time the dress flutters. He does not notice when his mouth has gone dry, from letting his lips part and remain that way for an extended period of time, or when he started holding his breath for his lungs began their protest in his ribcage.
His mind only has one goal, and that is to keep Venti in his sight.
The fact that he is standing now and is slowly putting one foot before the other does not register.
Charles sighs and shakes his head. He knows that look all too well. He just finds it unusual for the young man to wear it, considering he is already acquainted with Venti.
Could he consider him another victim of the bard's charm?
"'Xiao', was it? Come sit and have some of Mondstadt's finest!" A deep but friendly voice, along with the thud of a full glass of Dandelion Wine hitting the surface of the counter before him drags the young man back into reality.
When Xiao does not heed his words, the barkeeper reaches out to grab the poor, lovesick puppy by the shoulder when his hand is slapped away with a growl. A blade-sharp glare is thrown at his direction, making him raise his hands in surrender. He could feel cold sweat trail down from his forehead down to his neck.
"Do not touch or order me around, mortal. I have not given you permission to do so."
The barkeeper is stunned at the coldness and authority in that statement. There are a few things in Teyvat that he finds unnerving, and this is one of those things.
He is definitely not the lovesick puppy from a few moments ago.
"Easy there," he starts as though he is faced with a wild animal, ready to pounce and have at him. "Venti just asked me to make sure you stay put, since you seem to be wounded. And besides, I can't have you going in there. It's a staff-only area."
The young man seems to consider the bartender's words and intentions carefully. He picks up the discarded towel—and upon seeing the mess he had made, wipes the droplets of blood off with said towel—with a huff and sits himself back down when he sees no malice or ulterior motives in them. He folds the towel neatly and sets it beside the glass of Dandelion Wine. He looks away before taking the beverage in his hands, and takes a tentative sip.
Charles lowers his hands, but almost flinches when sharp gold eyes turn their way over to him.
"You over there, the one Venti called 'Charles'."
Charles watches this strange young man take another sip from the glass. He gulps dryly.
"I apologize for the brash display, and thank you."
"A-ah… Think nothing of it." The bartender's hands lower and reaches out to a glass in need of polishing along with some cloth. He lets out the breath he doesn't know he was holding once the stranger closed his eyes as he drank some more of the beverage in his hands. Admittedly, he couldn't take his eyes off of him.
He could not tell if this 'Xiao' person was enjoying his drink or not.
Venti's 'darling knight' has a serious and uptight feel to him. He looks like a seasoned fighter for sure, with that well-built physique, despite his short stature. If not for that, the plate of spiked armor on his shoulder gives that much away. As for his weapon… Charles could not spot one on the young man's person. Is he one of Liyue's Millelith? He has seen a handful of them when a few Liyuen dignitaries came over some time ago, but they seem to follow a certain color palette of earth tones.
He makes a noise of confusion as he notices all these jewellery and… incense(?) hanging on Xiao's person. He swears he had seen Venti bringing out something similar to admire from time to time, during his breaks or after hours just before they close up for the night.
Is this kid an exorcist perhaps? And then there's a mask on his hip.
The barkeeper shakes his head. It is ridiculous to assume he is one with the Fatui. The features on the mask don't seem to fit their style, nor does his clothing fall into that category.
If Venti is well acquainted with him and wears this outlandish ensemble of clothes, then it would not be a stretch to assume he is a performer of sorts.
His manner of speaking is formal, albeit a little haughty and curt. Yes, calling this guest an 'odd one' is an understatement.
'Mortal'. Really?
He sincerely hopes this kid is not in the same league as 'Prinzessin der Verurteilung'.
He also hopes this kid is no minor and that he is suffering from the same case of being blessed-cursed with a baby face like Venti. He does not want to have an earful from the Master regarding serving alcohol to minors, even at the resident barmaid's request.
No, it is because Venti requested it that makes it all the more precarious.
He knows this seemingly young foreigner is not normal. If there is one thing he learned from witnessing a bit of that confrontation with Stanley, it's that Venti is no ordinary bard himself.
Glancing over to the patrons in the bar, he could tell that he is not alone in speculating as to who this mysterious guest is.
Something heavy in his gut tells him this is going to be a long night. To think, there are still four hours till the end of his shift.
•○●○• ◇ •○●○•
Xiao could pick out a handful of eyes trained on him—a few from the tables in the dining hall, and one at the very end of the bar counter—scrutinizing him. His eyes narrow when those people from the dining hall show the audacity to walk over the bar and take over the unoccupied seats beside him.
He does not see why he would be a subject interesting enough to garner attention. He does find it unusual for these mortals to have spotted him. Are they more susceptible to the presence of the unknown?
"I suggest you avert your eyes. All is not what it seems to the blind."
The man at the end of the counter seems to bristle at his statement, judging by the way he began nibbling at his thumb in an effort not to outright pick a fight. The newcomers blink in surprise and proceed to glare at him.
Are his words enough to inspire this much ire? It is the truth.
He scoffs and dismisses the dagger-like stares still trained on him. He would appreciate it if they would mind their own damn business. They are wasting their energy battling with their senses. A trivial thing this all is. It is these fools' fault if they were to feel unwell later on. They chose their own poison—disregarding their bodies' attempts at self-preservation.
With a cold beverage in hand, Xiao tries to find peace in the midst of the liveliness inside the tavern. He savors the sweetness and hint of bitterness of the Dandelion Wine. It does not taste the same as the variety that Venti has bought with his wine allowance [31], or the kind that the Traveler brought some time ago. The drink allows him to focus on his thoughts instead.
He does not understand how he could have missed such an obvious change in clothing.
For one thing, Venti is not wearing his usual ensemble of dress shirt, shorts, and cape.
He is wearing a one piece dress—a flattering one at that. (Not that Venti would look bad in anything he wears.)
The absence of the cape should have been telling enough, despite how muddled his mind was earlier. And if that was not enough, the fact that the area below the neck is exposed was a sure giveaway. He clicks his tongue in disappointment at his lack of observational skills. He has grown too dull and unguarded. It simply won't do.
It is unreasonable to hold Venti responsible for distracting him with his clinginess.
He could feel his pulse rising at the memory of the warmth of Venti's embrace and those soft lips brushing against his cheek.
…
It has been a while, hasn't it?
No, only a mere month has come past—an insignificant amount of time for beings such as them. Yet, why did a mere month feel as long as a century?
A century since he had regarded Venti's playful and energetic demeanor; since he had a whiff of the Cecilias the bard is so fond of; since he had been touched with gentle affection by the very same one that had weathered his walls with such force that they had no choice to crumble and let him in.
The Adeptus was content with hearing the serenades and lullabies Venti would send his way. Was. How regrettable it is to attribute it to the past. Now, the sense of touch that daunted him of ever craving has manifested. And now that it has awoken—
Xiao stiffens at the sound of someone clearing their throat. His eyes darted to where it came from, and quickly withdrew the hand on his cheek back to the cold drink on the counter.
Pathetic. Is this what he has become—a pathetic fool, enamored by a useless, free-spirited bard?
Xiao spares a glance at the bartender who seems to want to draw some attention to himself.
"What will it be, fellas?" Charles asks three newcomers since they have not even spared a glance at him after taking their seats. He knows they were drawn in by Xiao's presence, but he had a bar to run.
"Oh… ugh, Wolfhook Juice for me!" the first one stammers, reciting the first thing his eyes land on. He mentally slaps himself; he hates Wolfhook Juice. Why did he order that?
"A glass of Dandelion Wine infused with Flame Flower Stamen, if you will," the one beside him orders with a smirk.
"Applebloom Cider for me, boss!" the third pipes in happily, also savoring how their friend is hitting his head on the counter surface at his poor decisions.
"A refill on the Death After Noon, please." The man who was nibbling on his thumb stopped to place his order in as well. He didn't exactly enjoy his first glass of the cocktail after witnessing… that.
"Coming right up!" Charles is just happy to have dispersed the suffocating atmosphere building up in their little portion of the tavern. He can't let it spread to the dining hall.
"So, Xiao, I take it that you're Venti's friend?" Charles asks as casually as he could as he prepared the requested beverages.
Four heads turn towards the mysterious guest's direction. Oh, they want to hear this.
They frown when they hear him click his tongue at them. Just how anti-social is this 'Xiao'? What does Venti see in him to be showered with affection like that?
"Yes, you may consider me as one," he says after a beat.
"Lies," at least two of them say in unison. The answer should come as a relief, yet they cannot deny what they saw with their own eyes.
If the others want to stay in denial, well, that's on them.
"Where are you from?" the regretful fan who ordered Wolfhook Juice asks.
"How did you two meet?" The fan who ordered Dandelion Wine follows up, standing up to get a closer look at the young man.
"What are you really to Venti?" The fan who ordered Applebloom Cider jumps out of his seat and decides that invading Xiao's personal space is the way to go.
"Are your intentions pure?" The thumb-nibbler asks with narrowed eyes as he completes the semi-circle that corralled the stranger, making escape nigh impossible (for a normal human, at least).
Xiao averts his gaze and focuses them on the impressive array of alcohol on the shelf behind Charles. With each wave of questions, his grip on the glass tightens.
The Yaksha treats this as a test of patience. He is not liable to provide answers to their questions.
What right did these humans—no, pests as they have proven to be—have to question, let alone speak to him in this manner? Why are these pesky flies so eager to pry into his and Venti's private matters?
It is exasperating. The Adeptus is surprised to consider even his 'bonding time' with the Fatui bastard more bearable than this.
Venti bursts out of the backrooms and walks into the serving area with his arms full of plates. He shakes his head when he sees Xiao surrounded by his fans. He should save him; or rather, the fans lest they get lashed out on.
Really now, this isn't a stage the Adeptus would be comfortable with. Sweet Xiao isn't used to all this enthusiastic attention and must be terribly stressed and wrought over. He feels guilty having called him here to the tavern—a place filled with people. It was a poorly thought out request on his part, so when they have the place to themselves later on, he has to make sure his beloved lightens up.
"Hound him with your questions any more than that, and I'll get angry. No one gets to bully Xiao other than me."
Like metal to a magnet, the fans' attention is drawn to the Angel of Angel's Share. They take a moment to relish the sight of the hardworking barmaid with his cute brows slightly knit together and those adorable cheeks puffed in annoyance.
The threat did not sound like one to their ears with how playful it is delivered, and so they don't understand why they could feel a sudden chill travel down their spines.
Their mouths zip closed in an instant. They even step aside to allow the barmaid access. They watch with wide eyes as he sidles close to the anti-social brat, who has taken to standing up and pinching Venti's cheek with two hands.
"Who is getting bullied?"
"This is why you don't have many friends, Mr. Grouchy Loner."
"There you go again with those nicknames," Xiao chastises him in a whisper, taking a side glance at the gawking fools behind them, before the grip on Venti's cheeks tighten, making him flinch. "Quit it."
"Argh, okay, I'm sorry! Careful, don't pull so hard! I almost dropped the food." Venti pleads the best he can as he bears his punishment while keeping things in check. "I'll stop the teasing—just let go, please? Let's try not to make my debt any deeper than it already is."
"Sorry." A little guilt takes hold over Xiao. He did not intend to be a nuisance. He releases his hold on the bard's now puffy red cheeks slowly and even takes the initiative to gather the plates the other is precariously balancing on his arms. "But, know that I do not require 'more friends', as you put it."
Venti's look softens at the words unsaid. Really, he wants to look all sullen and pouty from the treatment he just received, but he finds it easier to giggle instead.
"You're cute when you're shy, you know?"
He bristles for a second, but then schools his features back to placidity, resigning himself to the teasing. To see the beginnings of a smirk, in tandem with that cheekiness, felt oddly refreshing and fulfilling on its own.
"Hey, what's the hold up over there?" Someone from the dining hall calls out when he sees a small crowd over at the bar.
If Venti were to give in to his impulsiveness, he was sure he would've told the patron to go screw himself. Damn it, he was having a moment here!
His eyes travel to the bartender, and Charles gestures for him to go over to the complaining patron. A meaningful nod to that direction is all that is needed to get the point across. The barmaid watches as his coworker sets down the beverages he prepared, as if that unsatisfied patron is not his problem. (And really, it isn't).
Venti winced at the lack of empathy. His eyes meet with curious gold ones.
"Ah, I almost forgot I'm still on the clock with a great many patrons waiting for their fill," he explains to the Yaksha. "We're a bit understaffed, so I gotta get these to them on the double… It would be terrible if a delay in service causes a customer to refuse to pay their bill!"
He leans into whisper: "Tending your wound will have to wait."
"I'm fine; it's healing. It could wait." Xiao brings the injured arm for Venti to see. "Tell me where these go instead. I shall assist you."
"Bu-but Xiao, what do you know about customer service?!" Venti did not see this coming. He offers his arms for the Yaksha to place the plates back on them.
"Nothing, but you are logistically impaired." Xiao refuses to give the trays up. "I have nothing else to do. All I need are directions as to where these go."
Venti looks at the food in their hands and the waiting customers on both the first and second floors. He sighs in defeat. He supposes it's fair to have Xiao work in exchange for being an effective distraction.
Quite frankly, he is over the moon with his handsome workaholic knight actually coming to see him. If only he could ditch work… but no, that's not fair to any of the staff here.
And besides, if the situation were a bit more ideal—say, no one got sick because of too much playing in Falcon Coast—he'd rather the Yaksha rest.
"Okay, you win. You won't budge even if I try to dissuade you anyway." He slightly tilts his head to a side to aid with his following request. "At least greet them with a pleasant evening before you go on your way?"
He knows it's a tall order to ask Xiao to smile at customers, so he isn't going to bother bringing it up.
Xiao nods, but Venti isn't buying it. The barmaid gives him the directions to where the plates he is holding go to anyway and tells him to meet him in the kitchen which he points to with his elbow.
When the directions are all clearly given and received, Xiao wastes no time following through. Venti watches him lay the plates down with such ease and precision that he thinks Adelinde wouldn't mind having Xiao working part-time tonight.
He looks behind him where the four patrons who were hounding Xiao with questions just now are standing as still as stone, with their mouths agape and their eyes trailing the newly self-appointed food server.
"As for the four of you, stop ogling at him or I'll get jealous."
There it is again, the chill running down their spines… Just where is the animosity coming from? The one from earlier surely came from the glare from the anti-social brat who was shooting at them, but this… this is truly an inexplicable sensation of dread.
"Enjoy your drinks, everyone." Venti tells them before joining Xiao in the exciting world of customer service.
•○●○• ◇ •○●○•
It does not matter if Xiao greets the patrons or not, he would have moved onto the other table by the time they notice that their ordered food is spread out before them.
Preferring efficiency and the lack of an actual exchange of words with the customers, he finishes his tasks ahead of Venti. Instead of holing up in the hallway near the kitchen entrance, Xiao took his previous seat at the bar, ignoring the pests behind him.
He is grateful their attention is focused elsewhere.
With his elbow on the bar counter surface and his palm cupping his cheek, his mind idly takes note of the expressions on Venti's face, and the small gestures that accompany them.
For most part, Xiao believes that Venti is enjoying himself, as short conversations beyond ordering would crop up, more often than not. Sometimes laughter or light teasing would quickly follow a greeting. Other times, he'd be asked for a short impromptu performance—as someone's dedication to their companion or even to help ease the irritability of a child sent by their other parent to fetch the drunk parent who couldn't be pried off the table he had slumped over on.
There is a smile ever present on his face, only the type and degree differs depending on who he's facing.
"You should keep that on. A smile suits you much better than that irritable scowl."
Xiao raises an eyebrow and directs his gaze at the bartender who has taken to leaning on the counter right beside him.
"Keep your opinion to yourself." He makes sure his tone is harsh.
It seems that Mondstadters are the sort to quickly assume to have befriended someone after a few exchange of words, even if there was apprehension in the air prior.
"Hm, suit yourself." The bartender shrugs. He really shouldn't care, but he feels like cheering him on. He wants to think that his chances with Venti are slim. Yet, he feels that if he puts up a betting pool on who wins the Angel's affections, then this dark horse will win it all. "But Venti would appreciate it more if you did."
Xiao chooses not to respond or take the advice into account. Venti smiles enough for the both of them.
His eyes drift back to the dining hall, and dutifully stands when he sees Venti make his way to them.
"Well, aren't you quick on your feet?" The barmaid greets him before handing the customer payments to Charles. He places a hand on his shoulder and gives him a thumbs up—a toothy grin in place as a reward. "Good job!"
"It was nothing," Xiao starts, looking away as though the half-empty glass of Dandelion Wine is the most eye-catching item in the room. It is ridiculous to feel flustered at the expression Venti is throwing at him; it lasts only for a second. He turns his attention to the bard who had a glint in his eyes. It was enough to bring him back to sorts. "Unlike you, I—"
The sentence hangs off in the air as someone from behind dares to push Xiao roughly out of the way (without a second thought!) to have his turn to speak with Venti.
Caught off guard, the Adeptus stumbles a step back, which was enough of an opening for the other three forgotten people to follow suit and crowd over Venti. Praises came flowing out, as bountiful as the wine stores in the tavern.
"You did great out there!"
"Venti is such a hard worker!"
"Don't push yourself too hard!"
"Take a break, you de—"
The rest of the words die on the last person's mouth as he is met with a petrifying glare. He and his comrades felt the air turn cold. They gulp drily upon hearing the order barked at them.
"Move."
They stay very, very still. Even if they feel compelled to obey, their bodies simply refuse to move.
"Do not make me repeat myself. Get out of my way," Xiao says in a steady voice. He refuses to acknowledge the simmering anger from within. "I have been nothing but patient, but you pests have no respect for—"
"Xiao, dear, forgive them. They're just a bit too overzealous, is all," Venti cuts in, shrugging, before any… uninteresting information gets out.
Surely, no one needs to know that an Adeptus—technically, a deity from Liyue—has come to grace them with his presence. (Rather, inadvertently gracing them with his presence since he came to see their Archon who was currently serving as a waitstaff in this very tavern.)
Very uninteresting knowledge, indeed.
Venti, for most part, has kept mum and actively pushed back the laughter that threatened to erupt from within. It was a refreshing sight, unique, novel even—to see an Adeptus getting literally pushed around by mortals in their ignorance.
He felt a tinge of pity there. His cute Yaksha is so terribly out of his element. So unused to society, as a whole, that he could only stand there and process what just happened.
But, he couldn't deny that he is enjoying himself.
Celestia! He didn't know how he needed to see Xiao pitted against his fans until tonight. Just look at him! He's staving off the fans with his ice-cold superiority and general prickliness. He's impressed that the Adeptus hasn't brought out his polearm to emphasize the severity of the order.
Precious, simply precious.
Seeing as this is going nowhere—neither party getting a move on, Venti thinks that it is best to continue with his intervention.
"Gentlemen, as much as I appreciate your praise, you should know by now that flattery won't get you anywhere," Venti addresses the four at the bar while wagging his hand. He leans in closer to them and cups his hands around his mouth as he stage-whispers: "Not unless you buy me a drink in exchange for a tune."
The wink that follows has them all flushing red.
Except for one who is starting to grasp the situation before him.
This brat.
As the new-found sense of awareness and understanding settles in Xiao's mind, rather than responding to the imp's smirk, he chooses to silently observe the men.
Two try to string words to form something coherent, but fail miserably. They decide to obediently follow the request and take their respective seats. One of them seems to have fallen into a daze, having to stagger his way to his seat. And upon sitting, he buries his head with his hands, tittering at odd intervals. The other tries to cool himself down by fanning himself with his hand uselessly and tugging on his shirt to the same effect.
To get this flustered over something as simple as a wink, are these bumbling nitwits...
"Xiao! Those tables aren't going to serve themselves!" Venti takes the Yaksha by the arm and drags him into the kitchen to get the other orders out into the dining hall.
Venti snickers. Judging by the way Xiao quickly ducks his head, a realization must have hit him. The action wasn't quick enough as he still caught a glimpse of the pretty Valberry-pink Xiao's cheeks had taken on.
The Adeptus can hide his expression all he wants, but the former Anemo Archon could practically see the steam coming off the top of his beloved's head and the same pink creeping up his neck and ears.
He couldn't not feel smug about that.
•○●○• ◇ •○●○
Two rounds of service and three delayed orders [32] later, the two indoor dining area servers could finally catch a break.
Xiao is seated on a stool as he lays his hand on the food serving counter, as per Venti's instructions. He waits for the sprightly barmaid to come back with the first aid kit. His eyes roam around the supplies, comparing them to what is seen in Wangshu Inn's pantry. He ignores the not-so-subtle glances thrown his way.
The two cooks couldn't help throwing glances at the newcomer. His clothes were unusual, the way he talks is sharp and to the point, and there is no way he had been hired last minute without a proper uniform ready.
If Adelinde were to hire him, given the benefit of the doubt, she would make sure that tattoo stays hidden under a long sleeved dress shirt or some other article of clothing, and that the jewelry comes off as well.
If those points weren't eye-catching enough, then the way Venti acts and talks around him are. They saw how troubled the young man was when he left the kitchen with two salads in hand, yet when he came right back in, his spirits were definitely lifted.
Muffled as they are, sounds from the service area could still reach the back rooms. They could hear bits of the commotion at the bar, yet they didn't expect to see the cause of it in the flesh. Less so seeing the troublemaker help out in the food serving department.
"Do you have something you wish to say to me?"
Laila, one of the cooks, straightens her posture and almost lets go of the ladle she was holding. Jacob, the other cook, is quick to look away and doubles his efforts in plating the order he is working on.
"Oh, ah, a-are you perhaps Venti's friend?" Laila stammers as she quickly takes out a piece of meat—that has, admittedly, been simmering a bit longer than it should have—and arranges it onto a plate with a neat array of apple slices on it. She was obviously caught, how embarrassing. Before the young man could answer, she continued, "Thanks for coming around to help at such a busy time. An extra pair of hands is much obliged."
She wipes the stray splatter of sauce from the edges of the plate. Deeming it ready for service, she places it atop the counter. She catches sight of the wound on Xiao's forearm, and the small bruise near it. It is not bleeding nor is it big enough to fuss over, and yet she can't help but feel an inexplicable desire to care about this stranger.
"Does it hurt? Your injury, I mean. You do look a bit roughed up, now that I've gotten a good look."
"It's nothing, and it is best if you do not concern yourself with me."
"That's no way to talk to someone you just met!" Venti drags a nearby stool and plops himself onto it with the kit on his lap. "Well, then. Let's get you properly acquainted, shall we?"
The kitchen door swings open, drawing everyone's attention at the force it had. The waitstaff that enters is in a rather sour mood.
"Save the introductions later. There's still a hungry crowd waiting outside." Lottie comes over, and takes the trays filled with Golden Fried Chicken, and Golden Chicken Burgers as Jacob pushes them out of the kitchen window, along with the plate of Northern Apple Stew on the counter. She turns to the stranger, and the corner of her lip curls up. "But thanks for helping out, newbie. You can take clumsy Thea's place if you decide to stay and work here."
Lottie turns to Venti with a knowing look.
"And you, less flirting and more working. That may have gotten you a bit of help," she snaps as she nods to Xiao's direction. "But we can't be sure if the next one you fish out will be as efficient or become a complete deadweight."
Lottie brisk-walks off with her armfuls of orders, using a hip to nudge the door open with practiced poise as she leaves.
Venti's mouth hangs agape for a second from the implications from that accusation before standing up to fume at her.
Xiao is different!
By the time he gets to the door, it closes on him. He sighs.
This isn't like him. Not at all. He slaps his cheeks with both hands before returning to his seat, and opening the kit of medical supplies.
Venti felt Xiao lean toward him. He looks up at him and sees a tinge of mirth in those gold eyes. A little further down, the smallest of smirks settles.
"I assume she sees me as quite a 'catch', then."
Haughty, that is what the Adeptus is. Venti could pout, but he doesn't want to back down from a challenge. He puts on a self-satisfied smile himself.
"Oh, but that's only because the fisherman has the skill to reel one to shore," Venti plays it cool as he takes out some cotton balls, and saturates one with disinfectant.
"So about this self-proclaimed 'skilled' fisherman, how many had he caught?"
Venti whips his head. The words that came are something he has expected, and yet the tone… It is similar to the disinterested one he uses when he tries to be polite as Venti went on and on with his gossip or idle chatter.
But this… It possesses a sharpness that isn't accompanied by the coldness of rejection or disinterest. He couldn't describe it well—put his finger on it, so to say—for it was the first he had heard it from Xiao.
It is… warm, in the sense that there is a certain underlying heat. A heat that is meant to burn.
He breaks eye contact and recaps the vial.
"You… shut up, you piece of Tigerfish," Venti says after a bout of silence, aggressively dabbing the wet cotton onto the afflicted areas.
Xiao is jealous.
The person himself does not know it, but the millennia-old bard knows it to be true.
He couldn't look him in the eye a second longer without kissing him silly the very next moment.
He's still on the clock, and he really needs some alcohol right now. Self-restraint is not his forte.
"There's only you," he mumbles as he takes out the roll of bandages.
"Even if the sea was teeming with eager schools of fish waiting to be hooked, no one else is worth bringing to shore anyway."
Venti takes a peek and sees Xiao tilt his head to the side, doing his best to discern his actions.
"It's nice that it's healing this quickly," Venti changes the topic immediately as he places some gauze onto the wound. "But how did you get this injury anyway?"
"A Ruin Guard." The Yaksha offers no further elaboration.
"Ooookay, a Ruin Guard got you, then." Venti frowns as he sees Xiao turn his head to the shelves of the pantry. He continues to wrap the bandages around his forearm. "Bulky as they are, you pin them down just as easily as a flyswatter against, well, a fly!"
Xiao does not comment.
"Just the other day, you were calling me an airhead for taking so long to defeat one." Venti stops wrapping as something clicks in his mind. "Don't tell me you lost concentration when you heard me say your name."
Xiao withdraws his hand from Venti's, as though he were burned.
"Ah, bullseye." The former Archon reaches out his hand, coaxing the Adeptus to let him finish what he started. "At least you're honest. That's what I like about you."
Venti snips off the excess and ties a neat ribbon to keep it secure. He doesn't look up just yet, giving his precious some leeway.
"At any rate, you should know better than to turn me into a distraction, Mr. Lost Puppy!~"
Five forehead flicks emphasized each syllable of the newly bestowed nickname.
"I know." Xiao pauses, determining which point needs to be addressed first. "It's just… you haven't called for me up until now."
Venti's head snaps up. He is surprised to see something other than the thin line of pursed lips or the downward pull of a frown.
Are his eyes deceiving him or is that truly a pout on Xiao's face?
"You have been adamant on calling for me to do the most trivial of tasks all this time," the Adeptus sighs; he didn't think he had to explain the obvious. "For you to stop so suddenly made me expect the worst."
The tips of Venti's braids start glowing again. It was nice to see him in good spirits like this. It… puts him at ease.
"Close your mouth, it's unappealing," Xiao reprimands without much bite. "You're not a catfish."
Venti immediately does as ordered, but instead of keeping his lips pursed, he breaks into a toothy grin.
"You do miss me," the barmaid coos, letting go of Xiao's now bandaged arm. He carefully inches closer until their foreheads touch. The Adeptus' eyes dart to the left, and that simply won't do. His hands slide to cup his beloved's face, making sure the other knows that he wants his undivided attention. "I'm sorry for making you needlessly worry. I was just properly receiving my punishment."
He rubs small circles on Xiao's cheek, an apologetic gesture. "Won't you tell me that you're proud of me?"
Xiao covers one of Venti's hands with his and closes his eyes. He allows an amused chuckle slip.
"Were you pretending not to act spoiled?"
Venti pulls back and puffs his cheeks.
"I wasn't 'pretending'! How rude!" He huffs, crossing his arms and looking away with his nose held high.
"You did call for me in the end," Xiao points out as he tentatively raises his hand to poke one of Venti's puffed up cheeks.
Would acting playful help Venti's mood?
The action makes the bard crack an eye open. Hedidn't seem to like what he saw so he turns around. He huffs again.
Xiao withdraws his hand, unsure how to proceed. He knows the bard's waiting for an apology, but he does not see the need to. Changing topics is Venti's method of avoiding a topic…
"Could you tell me more about this 'lost puppy' nickname?"
The Adeptus thinks there's no harm in applying the same methodology if it helps improve the former Archon's mood.
It works. The bard excitedly turns towards him once more, a look radiating smugness in place.
"Lumine's been talking about how much you miss me when she dropped by and she described you as such," Venti giggles, slipping in a white lie to see if the serious Adeptus could catch it.
Xiao doesn't.
"Is that so?" the Yaksha says as he assumes his signature brooding pose. "I recall Paimon saying something similar."
Venti bites the inside of his cheek, he couldn't crack here. Maybe he has it all wrong. Maybe he wouldn't need the alcohol inside the casks nearby to get drunk.
He jumps off of his stool and skips to the most spacious area of the room.
"Anyways, as you can see, I'm perfectly fine," the barmaid says, drawing Xiao's attention to him. He intends to keep it, so he does a little twirl.
He drinks in that look of awe on the Yaksha's face. He likes it when Xiao's eyes are on him—and only him.
"Hm, what's this? Cat's got your tongue?"
The Adeptus is back to being unable to form words—or any coherent thought—at the moment.
Ironically, he has become the catfish that he scolded Venti for emulating just moments ago.
Xiao was not able to truly appreciate the intricacies that came with Venti's current outfit until now.
He viewed clothing, in general, in a functional sense. They serve as protection to the body. Furs and multiple layers provide warmth when it snows. Thin cotton allows the wind to cool down the body under the summer heat. Armor provides durability and can serve as a weapon in the midst of battle. Clothing also is used to represent one's occupation—one's status.
He did not put much importance in clothing's aesthetic capabilities. Vanity is the least of a warrior's concerns.
He mutely realizes he may need to revise his view on clothing. He couldn't place a finger on it, but the outfit is special—that it was tailored for Venti specifically. Each detail the outfit was made to compliment traits the wearer possesses.
The billowing of the skirt portion of the dress allows for freedom in movement. The dandelion embroidery is meant to represent Venti's carefree nature. He knows that the pinwheel on the apron, and the black and gold ribbon were personal playful touches that Venti himself placed. He knows the bard's handiwork.
Achoo!
He blinks.
Venti's sneeze is enough to bring him back to reality.
"You never learn, do you? Using colorful expressions like that will only get you sick." Xiao quickly snags a towel lying around, stands, and wipes Venti's nose clean. He won't let the bard wipe the snot away with his sleeves, ruining the ruffles there. Not on his watch.
To think this man is handling food to be served to others outside… It is for the best that they do not know how atrocious this bard's manners are behind the kitchen door.
"Thanks," Venti says with a giggle. "Do you think I look cute in this? People tell me that I do, but…"
He leans closer to Xiao's ear.
"Their opinions don't hold much weight. Yours do."
The bard's arms drape around the Yaksha's neck for the second time that night. He buries his head on the other's shoulder and went back to nuzzling.
He'll admit it once more to himself: it's embarrassing how touch-starved he is. He is delighted with getting a reciprocating gesture this time. He almost squeals. Arms lock him into place and one of Xiao's hands snakes to the back of his head to gently caress it.
"And to answer your question..." Xiao whispers in his ear. "You-you look good in everything you wear, but this dress really suits you."
Venti lifts his head to look straight into honeyed, molten gold eyes, and drowns in the sincerity and affection he finds in there.
Xiao picks up the soft thud of a tray full of food on the counter. He is finding it difficult to tear his gaze away from the shining jewels he has fallen captive to.
But, duty calls.
He [regrettably] slips out of Venti's embrace and withdraws away from the happiness radiating from the bard. He is relieved to see that the dopey smile on the other's face stayed even after he went to fetch the freshly made food.
"You did well," Xiao whispers in Venti's ear in passing. His hand slips into Venti's to give one quick squeeze before taking the freshly made food out to the serving floor.
The door opens and closes. Venti needs to get himself seated as steam rises up his head.
He doesn't know how much time has passed, but soon enough, the door opens none-too-gently.
"Venti, why aren't you out here?" Lottie's head peeks from the door frame. She makes a face upon seeing her co-worker's face all flushed and at least one cook gawking. "Ugh, in the name of Lord Barbatos—I told you to stop flirting earlier and now look at you, sitting there uselessly."
Just how good is that pretty boy from earlier to get Venti—the master charmer—to overheat like this?
Lottie sighs, not really in the mood to deal with all this.
"Just please get back to work."
The door closes.
Venti shakes his head, letting his braids smack against his face. He gently smacks his own cheek, telling himself to pull it together.
It's near closing time anyway. He could hold out for a bit more, right?
"Is the next order ready?" He asks, peering through whatever it is that Laila is cooking. He frowns upon seeing charcoal on the stove where it shouldn't be.
"Ah.. oh." Laila blinks herself awake and back into reality.
Goodness, she didn't think Venti had a boyfriend so sweet and level-headed.
She takes in Venti's unamused stare then looks at her work station. A black mass of something that was decidedly not steak greets her. "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!"
That… looks and sounds like yet another delayed order for the night. Venti face-palms. He hopes that he won't get an earful from the tavern owner because of this.
They're all becoming messes tonight.
—○ ● ○ ◇◇◇ ○ ● ○ —
FOOTNOTES:
[27] Venti knows all the names of Mondstadt's citizens, and has interacted with them all, at least once during his time posing as a wandering bard.
He may not have an impressive memory like Morax does, but give him a minute, and maybe something to jog the good 'ol noggin and he can give you the correct name, for sure. [back]
[28] Note: This is not canon! We don't know what happens with her research there, but… this is a nod to Omake 2 of the Parent Story.
TL;DR: She is now researching Ruin Guards, Ruin Hunters, and Ruin Graders, even extending it to formulating theories on the reason that none of them are designed to harness an element (thus, not fully abandoning her previous research endeavors).
[29]
i . ibb . co / nL0TQSj / b99b73c5-585c-439f-8c90-cc5187950fd9 . jpg
(If the URL with spaces doesn't work show well, it's basically an SS of the missing steps in (where Arlani would've fallen) one of those dome-like places with the spiral staircase in Lingju Pass where the Ruin Guards are.
[30]
Adelinde made sure to train him well before his debut as a barmaid.
All waitstaff in Angel's Share have been under her tutelage for at least a week before they are to be employed at the tavern.
Venti did not know how his crash course was encompassed within a day. He had, one way or another, learned the skills he had to know and passed her tests all under six grueling hours.
It still baffles him how he managed.
[31] It was Venti's hare-brained money making scheme for the Lantern Rite. He even roped in the Traveler. Xiao and Lumine would make the Xiao Lanterns, and Venti would inscribe a couplet or a wish.
Admittedly, Venti's Liyuen calligraphy leaves much to be desired, which led to the Traveler to do the actual inscription process. Needless to say, with the Traveler contributing more to this side job, she took a higher cut of the earnings at 65% of the total profits.
Xiao had taken it upon himself to manage the bard's finances, just to make sure he doesn't spend it all on alcohol.
(Also referenced in Ch 5 of the fic in Footnote #26)
[32] The delayed orders are due to Venti asking Xiao to take the orders for a handful of tables.
He forgot that Xiao writes in Liyuen script and had to translate all of it to Teyvatian script before hanging them onto the line of orders. He did voice out the orders, but with the frenzy, the quantities were all mixed up.
Xiao looked guilty, and Venti took it upon himself to tell him that it wasn't his or anyone's fault. He ruffled his hair and kissed the back of that gloved hand, where the teal Vision lays, hoping it was enough to melt that guilt away.
A/N:
[1] [strike] As for if I'll be able to post Childe's birthday fic by the end of the month like, that remains to be seen. [strike]
Nope, that doesn't look like it's happening. Sorry, dear Childe.
[2] The Angel's Share featured in the fic is bigger than what is shown in game. Remember the door right beside the bar that leads to the outside? Push it back to make room for at least 2 more rows of seating and a few added rooms (like restrooms, an actual kitchen, staffrooms and a manager's office), making it a hallway.
[3] This chap and the one after is what is supposedly the 'punchline' I lost called 'Xiao's reaction'. When I first thought of the basic outline for this back in Feb, it's really called 'Xiao's reaction' because I didn't know what it would be.
When I finally got to it... I realized that it's not that simple.
Because Xiao is more of grandpa than /
Why, you ask?
Because Zhongli can appreciate cosplay/roleplaying thanks to his attempts to 'walk with his people' multiple times incognito.
Xiao is a pure boy with very little human interaction and is focused on just his duty.
He has no concept of crossdressing/cosplaying/cross-playing is. (Venti will happily teach him about this slowly, off cam.)
Hence, this tavern experience became a journey to enlightenment for Xiao.)
(If you could, maybe share your thoughts with me? )