A/N: Hello again~
So with "Venti Incognito" and "Of Exclamations..." up, I told myself: You know what, might as well put up the story in between these those two fics.
You'll prolly need some Right Placed Assumptions (tm) before diving in if you haven't read either stories.
1) Xiao doesn't know Rex Lapis is alive yet,
2) Venti visited Zhongli and was tasked to give him his medicine (cue in their first meeting since the Archon War)
3) Venti spent some time with Xiao after that
As always, I want to thank my friend who somehow finds time to edit with me despite their very busy schedule. (Her direction is amazing, I tell you!)
And yes, footnotes are still a thing here. Since the linking doesn't carry over, it'd be nice if you could search in the number in the parenthesis to allow ease in going back and forth the part you're left off and the actual footnote.
For millennia, the Adeptus Xiao saw himself as a weapon; a weapon for Rex Lapis to wield in whatever way the Geo Archon desired. It gave him the greatest joy to serve the one who had freed him from an evil god's beck and call.
Yes, his name is now 'Xiao', bestowed upon him by his most generous and benevolent master. No more was he Alatus whose innocence was stripped away, forced to crush lives and dreams alike for the sake of some malicious god's revolting greed.
The bloodshed by his hand may never come to an end, but he takes comfort in knowing it serves a grander purpose—the task, no longer meaningless.
As a Yaksha, he kept himself sharp. As the Bane of All Evil, he performed his duty with no questions asked, spending all of his waking hours scourging evil to keep Liyue safe.
Xiao vows to continue to do so, even if his contractor has passed on. He will keep Liyue safe from the shadows.
Even if not one soul offers him gratitude, even if his name will never be called again.
But on that day, when Xiao saw those unmistakable Cor Lapis eyes gaze upon him with emotions he cannot grasp—aside from gentleness, something in him changed.
The Yaksha takes in the man's appearance. He was tall and was dressed in shades of black, brown and gold. His long hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and his facial features were schooled into stoicism. His movements were graceful and he had the air of regality around him.
In a crowded street in the middle of the busy marketplace [1] in Liyue Harbor, he felt his role as a weapon become insignificant. Something stirred within him—a compelling need to question this person. How could a mere mortal make him stop in his tracks? Despite the regality of the man's appearance, he was no better than any other mortal. Anticipation bubbled within him.
As those eyes were redirected elsewhere, he found himself moving towards the impeccably dressed man—only to be halted by a Fatui Harbinger's disgusting hand in his shoulder.
"Just enjoy the view from here," the scumbag says with a wink.
The Yaksha glares daggers at the scumbag and forcibly shrugs his hand off, but begrudgingly heeds the words, staying put. He began to understand the possible actual meaning of the statement when he turned back to the scene before him.
Venti was there alongside the mysterious man.
Xiao watched on with both fascination and second-hand embarrassment [2] until it was time to make his getaway before the two had finalized their purchases from the store.
That was months ago—more than half a year since then.
Xiao never found the courage or a justifiable reason to seek out the mysterious man. If the man truly is Rex Lapis, then surely, he has his reasons to falsify his death and to take on a human persona—to remain undetected by the Adepti. His master's past excursions to blend into human society were never kept secret to them. And yet, for even the Fatui to be involved in this...
The Yaksha discontinues that line of inquiry. He has no right to question the actions of his master. As one of Rex Lapis's retainers, he might, but he also does not dare forget his role as a weapon.
A good weapon does not go against his master's wishes. Rex Lapis treated his weapons kindly, but Xiao would never take it for granted or repay it with impudence. If he is cast away—left in the dark—then so be it.
And yet, those eyes come to mind when his thoughts drift in times of idleness (which began to increase with each visit from Venti). Along with them are those unanswered questions he had stowed away to the farthest reaches of his mind—ones from long ago, and recent happenings.
They create a swirl, and along with those thoughts come the pieces of human emotions he learned from spending too much time with a bard who knew too many songs and stories. He fears it would eventually create a tempest that would be the start of his downfall and spell his doomed end.
Now, on the highest roof of Wangshu Inn, Xiao inhales deeply. In his mind, he makes a wish, remembering Paimon's advice as the Traveler nodded in agreement.
"In Mondstadt, Sister Grace once told us that Dandelion Seeds carry our feelings in our hearts as they fl~y off into the wind. Maybe you'd like to try that?"
He brings his clenched hand close to his mouth, opens his hands and blows. He watches on with a hint of amazement as the Dandelion Seeds disperse and begin dancing in the wind.
"Oh, what's with this scattering of Dandelion Seeds?" Venti catches one dandelion and dangles it in front of the Yaksha's face before landing right beside the shorter man. "You have the real article here for all your venting needs, hehe."
"Ha, ha, very funny." Xiao crosses his arms, giving the bard-turned-jester, who was eagerly awaiting for a reaction, an unamused look. "Does the master wordsmith want to be praised for his pun?"
"A killjoy as always, aren't we, Mr. Grumpy Sweet Tooth?" Venti huffs, crossing his own arms as he starts to sulk. "Well, go on, you haven't answered my question."
"Be aware that I still find that nickname irksome." Xiao clicks his tongue. "If the Traveler is correct then you should know the answer by now, or are you the type to slack off even in listening to your devotees' prayers?"
Venti brightens up after hearing that, much to the Yaksha's confusion. He giggles at both the confused look sent his way and the fact Xiao was oblivious to just admitting he is one of his devotees.
"Alright, alright, let's listen to what this little one has to say." The bard places the Dandelion Seed near his ear and raises his eyebrows. "Huh? You asked for… confidence? You're cocky enough as it is; this doesn't make sense! Or what, are you confessing your love to someone today?"
"How absurd, where did you pull that idea from?" Xiao rolls his eyes at him when he sees the bard wiggling his eyebrows. "If you have the energy to construe that meaning from that simple wish, then why not pour it into today's rounds?"
"See what I mean? You're cocky enough to view my help as if it's a given," Venti retorts in mock spite, but there was a twinkle of understanding in his eyes. Maybe he could push this young Adeptus to spill. "You don't need me to bless you with more 'confidence'."
"But isn't it?" Xiao raises an eyebrow in challenge. He realizes the bard wanted him to come out with it already, but he isn't the type to give in so easily. "You always come here to tag along despite my vehement protests in the past. I don't mind going on patrols by myself; it's what I have always done even before you started visiting."
"Well, that's true… but I could change my mind just as easily, you know!" Venti whines and huffs before mumbling: "And I know how much you like my songs, that's why I keep giving you encores even when you don't ask."
The Yaksha stays silent for a couple of seconds, eyes darting away. He turns his back on the bard.
"Enough mindless chit chat," Xiao says as he walks over the edge of the roof. "Indecisiveness wastes time. If you're coming, come; if not, then stay here."
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Venti rushes to the other's side when he sees Xiao deploying his wind glider. "Would it hurt to spare some concern for my hurt feelings?"
"By the way you've brushed off your sulkiness, I'd say you're fine."
That earns Xiao a pout from Venti to which he responds with a small quirk of his lips upwards.
Together, they glide off Wangshu Inn's rooftop and let the wind guide them to where trouble brews.
—○ ● ○ ◇◇◇ ○ ● ○ —
It might be considered 'the usual' now, but when Xiao first saw Venti summon a ball of wind that drew every last small bodied Hilichurl to it, he had the uncontrollable urge to laugh [3]. It was a magnet that drew people in like a moth to a flame. The uncanniness was too much for him. It was hard not to be pulled in with his sunny disposition, wit, and fun-loving attitude.
The Yaksha himself has to admit that he considers himself one of the victims of that magnetic personality. He couldn't seem to truly say 'no' to the former Archon. So, when Venti insists they take a break because it was 'lunch time', it doesn't take long for him to relent.
It is only Venti who truly ate during those periods. The bard tried to make Xiao take a bite of whatever it was he was having as a meal that day.
May it be an apple, Mora Meat, some Ratatouille, a piece of Crystal Shrimp, or Chicken-and-Mushroom Skewer, the Adeptus would politely decline Venti's offer, preferring to stand by the tree, watching him eat. [4] The bard was not one for strictly following human eating schedules, but this was better than getting an earful from his funeral parlor consultant friend.
Thankfully, he did get some success with Grilled Tiger Fish and some Lotus Flower Crisps. He brings these foods nowadays so that he could get Xiao to eat with him.
For today's lunch on one of the mountaintops of Huaguang Stone Forest, Venti brought both, as Zhongli was very much delighted to hear of the bard's plan of visiting Xiao today. The former Geo Archon was so excited by the prospect that he pushed onto the bard's hands a full picnic set. [5] The consultant whipped up enough to feed two growing boys—which is to say, too much between the both of them, and may very well serve as their dinner to boot. He hopes that the Yaksha wasn't the type to refuse being served the same meal twice in a day.
Oh, wait, scratch that. Xiao primarily eats Almond Tofu anyway; there's no need to worry about serving the same dish twice. That amount of sugar can be worrying, though… Venti shrugs and hands a stick of Grilled Tiger Fish to his companion.
"What is it?" Xiao inquires as he takes the offered skewer.
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering if Adepti ever worry about a spike in sugar levels in their bloodstream." Venti waves one hand as if it could physically dismiss the topic, and uses the other to tap the space next to him. "I question about your seemingly perfect health since two out of the only three dishes you could stomach are desserts."
Xiao huffs before settling down beside the bard. He does not appreciate the nitpicking on his diet. He did not need human sustenance to thrive, and he will not suffer human-related complications for it.
"A bard with questionable drinking habits is concerned about my dessert-centric diet, how noble," the Yaksha sneers, earning him a raspberry blown in his direction.
"Perhaps I was acting foolish. I shouldn't have worried then." Venti takes a rather large mouthful of the Grilled Tiger Fish, chewing on it rather testily.
Xiao turns away, kicking himself mentally for teasing one of the handful of people who cares about him too much.
"I do appreciate the thought," Xiao mumbles after taking a bite into his own skewer. "But there is no need to concern yourself with… such matters."
"Eheh, what's this? Acting all shy in front of me." Venti pokes his cheek a few times, his mood lightening. "Hm, well, I suppose your body would handle human food differently, though do me a favor and spare me from the lecture."
"Cut that out," Xiao hisses as he swats the hand away from his poking-abused cheek.
That earned him a grin and a giggle.
"Oh, speaking of health…" Venti bites into the skewer, his teeth holding it in place as he began rummaging in his little pocket dimension. He could see in the corner of his eye that Xiao was not impressed, the wind telling him the other was muttering something about 'letting him hold the skewer for him'. "I believe you still have some left, but I was asked to hand this to you."
The bard takes out a familiar looking bottle, and dumps it into the Yaksha's awaiting hand. He proceeds to finish the savory meal—the container with the Lotus Flower Crisp already on his lap—as he watches the other hold up the bottle up to the sun.
"Is the man who gave you my medicine doing well?" Xiao asks as he concealed the bottle in his clothing.
Venti hums a little tune and smiles in delight. It seems that Xiao had caught on. So this is where that wish for confidence comes from. He chooses his words carefully.
"He... is more laid back now," the bard starts as he opens that dessert container. "More than he ever was. I believe he is in good hands now."
"Tch, that Fatui Scum," the Yaksha hisses as his grip on the skewer tightens, nearly snapping it in two. "What sort of trickery did he employ to get into Lord Rex Lapis's good graces?"
Venti laughs at the immediate response. Xiao shoots him a menacing glare that only makes his laughter intensify. He was one step away from rolling on the ground were it not for the treats nestled on his lap.
"So you two really did meet?" The bard asks after regaining his composure, wiping a tear that had formed. "Would good looks, witty humor and ability to provide a lavish lifestyle count?"
Xiao looks at Venti with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. Was the bard playing with him? Surely this couldn't be farther away from the truth... The reasons provided were revoltingly human. It was incomprehensible for his master to be attracted to such shallow traits, much less to a human.
And yet… that familiar scent he picked up on that bastard was unmistakable.
Although the Adeptus had come to that conclusion early on [6], he had dreaded it being the truth. The news of his master, Lord Rex Lapis, being alive is most certainly relieving and is deserving of a joyous celebration. Yet the Yaksha cannot reconcile his joy with the tail end of that information. His Liege had chosen a very mortal way of existence and on top of that, has chosen one of the worst possible candidates to be his life partner.
Xiao is fighting the urge to take one of those pills he was just given. He compromises by taking the old bottle out of his clothing and pops the cork off. He protests when Venti swipes it away from his hands.
"Have this instead." Venti places a piece of Lotus Flower Crip on his hands. "A reward for solving that dunderhead's puzzle."
Xiao sighs, not having the strength to argue about the medicine bottle or the fact the replacement isn't going to make the throbbing in his temples disappear. He gingerly picks it up and nibbles on it.
"So, when did you figure it out?" Venti asks rather cheerfully before picking up his own.
"The day you first gave me a new batch of medicine."
"My, my, aren't you a bright one!" Venti offers his already bitten treat with a smile. "Here, have my share, o enlightened one."
"Keep it," the Yaksha says drily, putting a hand up.
"But I feel compelled to reward you somehow." The bard finishes his treat and licks his finger before assuming a thinking pose.
"You don't need to." The Yaksha scoffs at the dramatic display but feels a tinge bashful at the earnest intention behind it.
"How about I play you a song? You could choose whichever one you like," Venti proposes as he summons Der Frühling. "A token of gratitude for playing along. Free of charge, of course."
Xiao stays silent for a few seconds, eyes locked on the lyre. It wasn't the instrument he was hoping to hear. There was another thing on his mind after all.
"I'll think about it," the Yaksha replies in his usual gruff manner. "I'll hold you onto that offer."
"Oh, not up for a performance now, eh?" The bard notes as he dematerializes his lyre with a hint of disappointment. "Pray tell, what is it that still bothers you today?"
"I.. If I remember correctly, he goes by the alias 'Zhongli' now, and by my interpretation, he works as a funeral parlor consultant," the Adeptus starts rather sheepishly for his liking. He continues when he receives no teasing remarks from the bard. "Would he mind if I paid him a visit?"
"Hmmm," the bard hums as he scoots closer to lay his head on the other's shoulder. He smiles when he feels the Yaksha settle down after an initial jolt. It is nice not getting pushed away. "I'm sure he won't. I'll have to let him know first, though. While he can adapt, surprise visits… can be a little tricky."
Venti laughs a bit nervously while scratching uselessly at his cheek. Xiao raises an eyebrow but chooses not to comment. He could already sense that it has something to do with that filthy Fatui Harbinger.
"Are you angry?"
Xiao stared at those familiar aqua pools. He could see them brim with curiosity as the tone the other used suggested. And upon close inspection, he catches a hint of trepidation in their deeper waters.
"At him? No, why would I feel anger towards someone who has shown me nothing but kindness and generosity?" he answers truthfully. There was no contempt to be found in any part of body and soul for his master. "As for his chosen partner… Attempting to doom Liyue to an everlasting flood is a grave, unforgivable offense."
"I understand where you're coming from, but give the guy a chance." Venti lifts up his head to look at the Adeptus in the eye. He found this an effective method to get the other to believe, based on their recent interactions. "I'm not saying his actions are justifiable, but he ain't all that bad. Trust me."
The bard goes back to leaning his head on the Yaksha's shoulder.
"And, I was only half-joking about the credentials I presented earlier. I'm sure he found something special in that Harbinger to put him on a pedestal."
Xiao grunts and makes another disgusted face at that thought. Was his Lord so smitten with that trash for this bard to paint such a scene? He hears Venti giggle before his cheek is assaulted with pokes once more.
"Enough," the Yaksha reprimands the other by swatting the offending hand away and shrugging the bard's head off his shoulder.
"Good to hear you're in a better mood." Venti sits up and draws up his knees. He fixes the placement of his hat before he leans on his makeshift table. "Hmmm, how about me then? Are you angry at me for not saying anything about it til now?"
Xiao regards Venti's new position with a raised eyebrow. This imp was testing him. He could clearly see it with that coy smile on the other's lips. He could play that game too.
"Yes, I am… but for a different reason."
Venti dares to mock a look of hurt, clutching at his shirt where a human heart is supposed to lay. "What slight has this bard done to incur the wrath of an Illuminated Yaksha?"
For a moment, Xiao thought he was part of the audience of some impromptu performance instead of being a conversation partner.
"Ehe, too much?" Venti sits up and flashes an apologetic smile.
Choosing to ignore what just happened, Xiao continues.
"I am disappointed that you would evaluate my reaction to the situation based on disgusting human standards."
"Of course, how could I be so blind? The virtue of the conqueror of demons cannot be compared to mankind's!" Venti teases once more. He didn't get a reply out of that apology-like gesture from earlier anyway.
"How many times do I need to tell you to cut it out?"
"Aw, but this and the poking are two different matters. So this is counted as a first offense," Venti argues playfully but was quick to look apologetic when he was flashed with a withering look. "Should I play you a song as an apology then?"
"That's all you ever offer," Xiao mumbles as he taps the space in between them.
"Why, of course! I'm a bard by trade after all!" Venti exclaims with his head held high, materializing his trusty lyre before he scoots closer to the prissy Yasha and lays his head on its rightful place. How could he deny an outright invitation (subtle as it may be)?
"Do as you wish," Xiao says as though he has no other choice. His actions show the exact opposite as he begins to relax with the lively bard by his side. He notes how the bard must've caught on judging by the way the other also made himself more comfortable.
"I have a song in the works [7] since you began showing me around." Venti's fingers test each string on his lyre to see if they're still in tune. "I'd like to hear your opinion on how it sounds."
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"Alright, alright, lighten up, will you?" After two good pokes on the prissy Yaksha's cheek, he began strumming the notes of the introduction on Der Frühling.
Xiao closes his eyes as the bard begins to sing. He had found this the best method to enjoy Venti's performances. Ballads of adventures in faraway lands are usually the bard's top picks when he sings to him like this. By closing his eyes and with a mind as blank as a canvas, the tales within those ballads come to life within his imagination—from the intensity of a battlefield to chivalric duels for love, from dense jungles that hid unspoken treasures, to deserts which hid unfathomable wisdom, Venti has an amazing ability to immerse his audience. He will not say it aloud, but he appreciates being told tales of the places he will never venture to; letting his mind to travel this way felt liberating. It was enough to satisfy him.
As the soft notes of Venti's voice reach his ears, he lets the landscape of his mind be painted by the imagery; a palace in the sky and the moon's reflection in the water.
They remain as they are—lost in the song until it reaches its end.
"So, how is it?" Venti asks after he plays the last notes of the song and lifts his head from where it has perched to excitedly look at his companion.
"It is beautiful." Xiao opens his eyes and sees the delight written all over the other's face at his words.
"Is that so?" Venti asks coyly, hiding the smugness in his tone poorly. "Come on, praise me more."
"But I do have one complaint." Xiao straightens his back. "You tell me this is inspired by our excursions yet your descriptions are mostly centered on Liyue Harbor."
The Yaksha pinches the bard's cheek lightly.
"I did talk about rivers and mountains!" Venti retorts as he holds onto Xiao's hand, trying to pry it off his cheek. "And, I said it's a work in progress!"
"My opinion doesn't matter," Xiao sighs and lets go of the cheeky bard. "I know nothing of song and poetry."
"Aw, don't be like that! Audience feedback is always important, you know!" Venti raises a finger to illustrate the point.
Xiao simply huffs and turns his eyes towards the rustling tree leaves. A light breeze passes by, and he briefly wonders; how far did those Dandelion Seeds go?
"Got something on your mind?"
"Would you—" Xiao cuts himself off before his absentmindedness makes him sound like a total idiot. "Nevermind."
"Hm? Go on, I don't mind answering your questions, if I'm able," The former Anemo Archon encourages. "Especially when it's rare to see an inquisitive Xiao, it can only be heard in fables!"
"What, am I an animal now?" The Adeptus glares at the bard, clearly offended.
"Your true form is a bird, no? Hehe."
Xiao pauses for a second, and sees reason behind the retort. He concedes. "Fair point."
They both laugh at that.
"Well, what is it?" Venti is practically beaming at him after that little victory of coaxing laughter out of the stoic young Adeptus.
"Don't laugh," Xiao warns before taking a deep breath. He knows it was a stupid question; it was best to keep it to himself. But he could feel the hesitation whittle down the longer Venti's attention was on him. "Would you… As the Anemo God, would you be able to recognize a specific Elemental Spirit under your domain?"
"Hmmm," Venti props his chin onto his hand. "The short answer is 'yes'. But, even if I could recognize a specific individual, with so many of them and only so few distinguishing factors—and the fact that they are nameless—I couldn't be too sure."
"I… I see." Xiao clicks his tongue. He can't help the disappointment in his reply, but he detests it anyways.
"Sorry if the answer isn't too helpful." The former Anemo Archon scratches the back of his head. "What brought the sudden interest?"
The Yaksha couldn't find himself to face his companion, so he turns his torso sideways to avoid eye contact, and he lets his eyes dart from a random tree from afar to the Sweet Flower on the ground by his feet. The silence told him that Venti was patiently waiting for him to continue. With a tentative glance in the bard's direction, he decides that he might as well go all the way.
"There was an Anemo Elemental Spirit I met some time ago," Xiao starts as he turns to face Venti again. "It didn't have an ounce of self-preservation in its little body. It kept following me around the whole day and even stayed with me the whole night."
The Yaksha raises an eyebrow when the bard flinches in the middle of his explanation.
"I wanted to offer my thanks, if I'm able to see it again. It's strange, but I feel as though I'll recognize it amongst the thousands of its kin."
A smile blooms on Venti's face—one that matches the fondness and gentleness in the Yaksha's tone. He could feel a warm, fuzzy feeling building inside him.
"Oh, I wouldn't dwell on it too much. I'm sure it could feel your gratitude with the gentleness of every touch," Venti says as he leans his back on the tree, with his arms behind his head as a makeshift pillow. "And besides, you can be fun to be around with, and I speak from experience."
Xiao's eyes squint at the bard, making said bard gulp.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"It is hard to chance upon Anemo Elemental Spirits in Liyue. It was you, wasn't it?"
Venti jolts, his eyes widening with panic. He was just praising how smart the Adeptus was earlier, and now he curses it. He mentally does some breathing exercises to calm himself both on the inside and on the outside. He can do this. He can weasel his way out with his words.
"What a straightforward accusation you have there, do you have any evidence to back it up?" The bard challenges, hoping he could still twist words to his favor.
"You said it yourself: 'I'm sure it could feel your gratitude with gentleness of every touch'. I never mentioned touching it, and you shouldn't be able to describe the way I treated it unless you experienced it yourself."
Of course, words themselves are his downfall. Of course it was a slip of tongue that tips the prissy Yaksha off. Venti kicks himself mentally for his careless choice of words. Then again, his lips never did keep the secret of being the Anemo Archon under wraps. It was the ludicracy of the idea that made his people stay blissfully ignorant.
"Inference! That was good old inference at work here!" The tone Venti uses is a poor attempt to sound nonchalant; panic is painfully evident there.
"Heh, inference you say?" Xiao's amusement is shining through. "You wouldn't have reached that conclusion if you inferred using your own experience!" [8]
Venti had no retort for that. It was true, it took months to get this close to the guarded Yaksha as 'Venti'. Ah~hah, he really did screw himself over.
"I concede." Venti slumps and sighs. He takes a look at his companion and sees a smirk greeting him.
He chuckles in response and abruptly stands up. He jumps high into the air, reaching the canopy above, effectively hiding himself from view.
Xiao watches on with confusion. Having come down from the high of a victory against a wordsmith, embarrassment filled him to the core. Since that Sprite and Venti were one and the same… just what sort of shameful display did he let the former Archon see? He burns with embarrassment. He tries to will away the heat on his cheeks, but it persists.
"This is the creature you spent your time with, correct?"
A small white and aqua Sprite descends from the canopy above. Xiao outstretches his hand to serve as the creature's landing spot.
"I appreciate the thought, but I have another spot I prefer~"
Venti the Sprite zooms over to take his rightful place atop Xiao's head.
"You and the Sprite are truly one and the same." Xiao picks Venti up from his head and brings him to his face. "Incorrigible and impudent."
Venti giggles, his eyes turning into upward crescents. The familiar sight only makes Xiao sigh in fond exasperation before he places the Sprite on his shoulder.
"Lightness and agility are all this form has going for it. Sure, it can draw on a bit of Anemo… but that isn't very useful for fighting, is it?"
The Yaksha feels a stab in his chest when he hears the Sprite talk. He could recall how the little one had tried its—no, his—best to support him in battle, all those months ago. He felt that it was unfair to expect more from this creature given his stature, and that Venti is being harsh with himself.
Maybe Venti wasn't drawing the sentiment from their little adventure from months ago, and that it came from somewhere else. There is much he still doesn't know about the former Archon.
Xiao nuzzles the Sprite with his cheek as he is unable to trust his ability to give comfort through words. If he himself has found comfort in touches, then maybe...
The Sprite falls, and not a second too soon, was enveloped in a pale green light. Xiao scrambles to catch him, but what lands in his arms was something much, much bigger.
"Ah… ha…" Venti laughs nervously, trying to hide his face with his hands, a dust of pink settling in his features. Being nuzzled by the Yaksha after revealing himself was truly unexpected. "It's hard to maintain that form ever since I had been elected as the Anemo Archon. The vessel couldn't contain an Archon's power, and well… without fierce concentration, I revert back to this form."
Xiao nods and makes a sound of understanding. He attempts to adjust the placement of his arms to make the both of them comfortable. This only alarms the bard to make haste in scrambling off, only registering the position he's in just now.
"Stay," the Adeptus whispers as he pries off Venti's hand from his face. "If you're hurting inside, I don't mind sharing the burden with you." He looks away to save both of them from further embarrassment, his own cheeks starting to dust with pink once more. "Know that you can depend on me."
Venti doesn't struggle in the Adeptus's hold, but it's a struggle to keep his composure in check. For someone who has kept to himself for the past two millennia, Xiao sure knows how to make someone swoon. And, for better or for worse, the person himself isn't even aware. He smiles and lets his head fall onto the other's chest in resignation.
"I know I can."
Xiao turns to face the bard, hoping he'd continue. He almost missed the gentle yet somewhat doleful smile that graces Venti's face before it changes into a more neutral one as he closes his eyes. It is regrettable that he wouldn't get anymore than that which troubles his friend, but those words held promise, and that should do for now.
"Good."
They spend a few moments just like that; soaking up each other's presence, savoring the newfound closeness between them. It is a novel experience for the both of them—to hold someone with such a degree of reverence and to be held with wordless reassurance.
It is delightfully comforting.
Venti lazily hums a tune as Xiao keeps an eye on their surroundings, but finding himself quite distracted as his gaze would land on the bard in his arms every so often.
He subconsciously makes a list of observations that had nothing to do with the world around them. He could feel a soft yet ticklish sensation on his cheek, and a glance confirms it to be Venti's midnight blue hair. Midnight blue… the bard's hair truly is blue, isn't it? He thought it was black and that the sun's rays were playing tricks with his vision, making them glitter in blue sparks. His previous assumptions are proven wrong under the shade of the canopy.
And the tips of those braids… they really are glowing, aren't they? It was one of the things he notices from time to time, yet has filed under the 'trick of the eye' folder. Venti's hair is truly a living wonder.
Were his eyelashes always this long? He hasn't truly paid much attention to them before, or maybe he has whenever that cheeky drunkard intentionally lets half-lidded eyes slowly flutter in his direction.
It has been a while since he started carrying Venti, yet his arms were not tiring at all. He could probably hold the bard like this for the rest of the day without feeling exerting much stamina.
"You're staring too much." One of the bard's eyes crack open, and sure enough, catches the other red-handed.
"I'm merely observing… our surroundings," the Yaksha says as he lifts his gaze to scan the area once more, not that enemies will come flying in from above at any second.
"Then you're observing me too much." Venti giggles as he pokes the Yaksha's cheek. "If I didn't know any better, I'd reckon you're falling so hard, your mind's turned to mush."
Xiao fixes him a glare, making the bard's offending finger dig into his cheek even more.
"Falling?"
"Falling for my stunningly handsome features, or dare I say, falling head-over-heels for yours truly, ehe." Venti withdraws his finger before it gets slapped away.
"Is hogwash the only thing that comes out of your mouth when you're not performing?" Xiao chastises as he scoffs.
Venti wants to whine in protest but decides to hold it in. He doesn't exactly want to be tossed unceremoniously into the waters below them. With the Adeptus's temperament and strength, the task can be accomplished quite swiftly, should his teasing prove to be too much.
"Speaking of, have you mulled over that song request?" Venti was quick to change the topic, hoping it would diffuse the other's prickly mood. "In offering special performances to an eager audience, a bard does not jest."
Xiao blinks at him before turning his head away.
"Ah, you have."
Ignoring the bard's comment, the Yaksha considers his options more carefully. When he heard the offer to request any song he would like to hear for the first time, he found it too good to be true. It opened an avenue to finally settle an old debt. He would have a chance to ascertain an old inkling with regards to the identity of his savior.
When Venti brought out his lyre, his hopes had been dashed, thoroughly convinced on how conditional the offer truly is—that he could only request songs restricted to using a lyre.
"Go on, tell me! If you hold back, then there's no point~" the bard urges, clearly taking this as a challenge. "With all the songs in Teyvat at my disposal, I'm sure I won't disappoint!"
"If you insist so much." Xiao slowly turns his attention back to the bard. He could not let this golden opportunity slip past him. "Then, would you mind if you played a song for me using the Dihua flute? I have never heard you play a song using it."
Venti's enthusiasm simply dies, and the smile on his lips turns into a tight line. Out of the frying pan and into the fire Venti goes. He has nothing to blame but he and his big mouth. Why is his sloven use of words doubled when it comes to this young Adeptus?
"Ah, about that… does it have to be now?" The bard gulps, his eyes darting elsewhere, anywhere but at that calm yet expectant look being directed at him, his mind trying to quell the rising panic before it manifests in his demeanor. "I haven't played it in a while. I may need some practice."
A lie, one that they both know. Venti the Bard, Mondstadt's three-time title holder of 'Mondstadt's Most Popular Bard' never ever needed to practice before a performance. It was a fact he had boasted to the Yaksha before.
"And, I don't have one on my person right now," Venti adds, hoping it would be enough for the other to back off for now.
He just didn't want things to fall apart… just when things were looking up. When he looks up to see Xiao's reaction, he feels the urge to swear out in the open. The young Adeptus is truly like his master; they both possess the gift of schooling their expressions into a look so neutral, it is completely unreadable.
Xiao stands up, making Venti wrap his arms around the Yaksha's neck for a moment before he is lowered into a sitting position on the ground. He takes a Dihua Flute that he had concealed in his clothing and hands it to the shell-shocked bard.
He does not know the reason for Venti's hesitation and apprehension. He knows he is being cruel, feigning innocence and cornering a friend like this. But he yearns for the truth; he wants to show his gratitude to the one who gave him yet another chance at life.
"Please."
Venti looks at the flute in his hands, and then at the man towering over him. Xiao's expression may not tell him anything, but those golden eyes told him all he needed to know.
He sighs.
There was no weaseling out of this one. Any more lies and tricks may fracture what they have right now. He didn't want to risk that, even if everything will change all because of one lonesome song from the past.
Venti takes a deep breath before he holds the flute to his lips. He gazes straight into those truth-seeking eyes, taking on the challenge. Whatever happens from this moment, happens.
And so, the bard begins his special performance for his equally special audience.
Xiao wanted to close his eyes to savor each familiar note that rises into the wind, to imagine the story being told.
But he couldn't, not when Venti was pouring his soul out into this performance, delivering the sincerest emotions for him (and him alone) to see and hear. Missing even a single second would be a monumental waste. And so he berates himself when his vision grows unclear with tears that threaten to spill. He tries to blink them away, but they were simply encouraged by the action. He dared not make a sound. He wouldn't let the song be tainted by his ugly sobs or hiccuping, so he covers his mouth with both his hands in a desperate attempt to hold it all in.
The song is as beautiful as Xiao remembers it. It fills his heart with joy to hear it once more. His heart swells at the confirmation that it was Lord Barbatos—Venti—who gave him a third chance at life.
When the song ends, Venti's eyes widen with surprise as he watches the Yaksha fall to his knees and hold him in a bone-crushing embrace.
"Thank… you," Xiao manages to whisper, his voice shaking, in Venti's ear before he silently sobs on the bard's shoulder.
Getting over the initial shock, he relaxes into the embrace and leans his head closer to where Xiao has his head buried. He ran his hand up and down the other's back in slow, soothing strokes.
"Woah, there, aren't you getting too emotional? Who are you and what did you do to Mr. Grumpy Sweet Tooth?" Venti finds himself chuckling. This isn't how he expected Xiao to react, but it is by far, way, waaay better. He has never been so thankful for being wrong.
But, he may have been too hasty in thanking Celestia for his error in judgement.
Once Xiao has calmed down, to Venti's horror, he removes himself from the bard's hold and takes a few steps back. With his head down, the Yaksha half-kneels with his knuckle down on the ground.
This is what Venti expected—the stuff of his nightmares as of late. He feared the day that Xiao would return to regarding him with reverence—mindless devotion and absolute loyalty to a fault—the kind of reverence reserved for the Anemo Archon, Lord Barbatos. This is not what he wants; he does not want Xiao's allegiance and dedication in the same way Rex Lapis enjoys.
Venti desires something much, much less, but at the same time, something more.
He tilts his head down and grits his teeth. The hand that wasn't holding the Dihua Flute clenches until it turns white.
"My Lord Barbatos, I—"
The Dihua flute clatters to the ground in tandem with a shout.
"Are the results of a god's whim truly worthy of deep, unwavering dedication and unending gratitude?" Venti cuts him off with such fierceness it makes Xiao raise his head and utter a small gasp. He didn't want to hear it, but he realized his tone was too harsh. He takes a deep breath to calm himself. "It was mere coincidence that my song has travelled as far as it did that night. I had no intentions of saving anyone—a case of being in the right place at the right time."
Venti lifts his head to smile gently at the man kneeling before him. He tries to sound cheerfully nonchalant.
"So, there's no need for an elaborate show of gratitude, okay?" He comes closer to the Yaskha and tugs on the other's sleeve. "Stop kneeling, will you! Unless you have the intention to propose!"
Venti thinks that the distasteful joke should do the trick. The awkwardness will dispel and they'll be back to normal. That little picture of hope he painted in his mind breaks into a thousand pieces with the Yaksha's next words.
"No… Lord Barbatos, there has to be something I could do to properly show you my gratitude." Xiao says as he remains unmoved in his spot. "Please do not think so little of the mercy you have shown me, or my capabilities in paying this debt."
'Debt'.
Venti replays the word in his mind. So that's how Xiao sees the situation: a debt that must be repaid. He should have expected nothing less from a disciple of the God of Contracts. That is precisely why there's an inexplicable ache in his chest.
He kneels right beside the kneeling Yaksha and embraces him the best he could.
What 'payment' is Xiao willing to give? What happens once the 'debt' has been repaid in full? Could they go back just being Xiao and Venti?
"Please don't do this, Xiao."
The words come tumbling out of his mouth, before he could rein them in, as a soft plea.
"Then tell me." Xiao breaks himself free from the embrace and looks at Venti in the eye. He already knew something had gone terribly wrong when the former Anemo Archon lashed out at him. Seeing such a forlorn look on Venti's face confirms his suspicions. He could feel something painfully twist inside him, getting tighter and tighter as each second ticked away. He needs to fix it somehow, urgently. "What is it that I shouldn't do? What is it that you are so afraid of?"
"I'm so stupid… I should've kept you in the dark, never knowing of my identity as the 'mysterious flute player of Dihua Marsh' you sought after so much," Venti blurts out as he ungraciously plops down on the ground and covers his face with his hands, already feeling himself spiralling down into the hole of self-deprecation and existential crisis he wishes to never return to, but always does.
"You're not answering my question." Xiao says a little too harshly as a direct response to learning of the other's intentions, but realizes that Venti did not say this out of spite or malice. He tries to remedy it with a gentler tone. "I… I did not actively seek out your identity."
When the young Adeptus does not receive an immediate reply, he gingerly takes a seat right next to the bard who already has his knees up to his chest. The silence was unnerving and worrying. He says nothing more, but decides, against what he believes to be his better judgement, to drape an arm around Venti's back and pull him close.
That seems to do the trick.
"But you always yearned for that person, all the same." Venti removes his hands from his face, and takes a moment to appreciate Xiao providing comfort. He loved the Yaksha's innate kindness, since day one, and for the very same reason, he feels deep remorse. "I… saw how you gave your whole being to Morax when he saved you—reducing yourself to an accessory of war just to please him and his contracts. Yes, the cause is noble and the methodology, just. Cause and effect have come with a logical conclusion. I can't badmouth him or find fault in it…"
The bard sighs and reaches for Xiao's free hand to begin playing with it.
"With this incident, I earned the title 'Xiao's Savior #2'." Venti chuckles weakly. "Knowing how you responded to being saved the first time, I was afraid that with such a careless act, I may have robbed you of your freedom."
"You speak as though you have committed a sin." Xiao's eyes narrow as he takes back his hand from Venti's grasp. "I don't understand."
The former Archon sits up to fully face the young Adeptus.
"Let me ask you this: Are you truly satisfied with the consequences of that impulsive performance?"
"Yes," was Xiao's immediate answer. There is no doubt in his mind when says it, and that makes Venti flinch. He could see the storm brewing his eyes. Why does Venti look at him so wretchedly? He reaches out for Venti's hand and just lets the other's encapsulate his.
"Your song gave me hope. It made me feel alive—like a living, breathing individual—for the first time in centuries," the Yaksha starts as he locks eyes with the bard, realizing that one word of affirmation is not enough to convince this former Archon. "Your song made me realize that there is a God merciful enough to offer a song for a doomed warrior such as I when it was my turn to face my fate. As you know, the fate of the Yaksha only ends in tragedy. And, it was of great comfort to know that I wasn't alone... in that pitch black darkness."
For a moment, Venti feels overcome with joy hearing the reasoning behind that resolute 'Yes' he received. Yet, the Yaksha himself reminds him of the exact reason he asked his question.
"Dear Xiao… did you ever realize that, at that moment, you could have been truly free? You wouldn't have to suffer so much anymore." Venti uses his free hand to cup Xiao's cheek. "Pain and suffering from the endless battles aside… You needn't have to feel the ache of loneliness whenever you find yourself in a sea of people or the heartbreak brought by isolation. You needn't find momentary relief only from the strongest of medicines. You needn't don a mask to hide those emotions you would call 'pesky' and 'unnecessary'."
The bard chuckles bitterly as he lets his hand fall from the other's cheek to join his other hand in encapsulating the gloved hand.
"Mercy? Hope? How could you offer me such sincere gratitude and paint such an optimistic picture when all I did was prolong that unbearable pain and suffering?"
"Are you implying that I am better off dead?" Xiao raises his voice, venom dripping into every word. He quickly retracts his hand once more as if he were burned. He sports quite the impressive glare. "You mock my pride and my decision to live on."
"I apologize. That is not my intention," Venti quickly apologizes as he bows his head. "Please believe me when I say that I am so glad that you're here with me right now and not anywhere else. I just—"
"Intentional or not, your words tried to make a fool out of me." Xiao cuts him off as he couldn't stand listening to Venti babble uselessly.
"I'm—"
"Save it." He puts up a hand. "I see, so even Gods can have misconceptions."
The Yaksha chuckles, seeing the flaw in Venti's line of reasoning.
"Barbatos," Xiao calls.
Venti responds by whipping his head up. Hearing the lack of an honorific attached to his true name surprises the former Archon, making his mouth form into a small 'o' shape. It quickly turns into a grin when he sees a glint in there. He is about to get scolded.
"You've been around humans for too long. You've adapted your way of thinking to theirs. Stop it. Don't overthink."
Venti's grin just gets wider. The tension in his body slowly dissipates. It brought him immense comfort to find that they could easily fall back to banter like this.
"Pfft, says the Adeptus who found all the excuses in the world to forgive his lying master and whines about being some unworthy bastard, undeserving of an opinion."
"Heh, now, that sounds more like you." Xiao smirks, pleased with the results of his impudence. "Leagues better than that 'optimistic' ox dung you threw at me earlier."
"But isn't it true?" Venti asks sincerely.
Xiao huffs in fond exasperation.
"You insult Lord Rex Lapis by calling him a 'blockhead' on more than one occasion, yet you suffer from the same predicament. Truly a disgrace to the gods."
"If that is so, then enlighten me and show me the truth, O Illuminated Adeptus Xiao." Venti challenges with mock reverence and a little bow to complete the act. He gets his cheek pinched for that.
The Yaksha lets go and breathes in before beginning his speech.
"What you did was not a mistake." Xiao boldly moves to capture the bard into a tight embrace, earning him a little yelp from the other. "Whim or not, you did not wrong me by playing your song. No, that's not how I view it."
He pauses for a moment, thinking on how he could translate his message into Venti's terms. He desperately wants this stubborn bard to better understand where he is coming from. He withdraws from the embrace, staring intently at the bard and takes Venti's hands into his.
"You did give me freedom. It may not have been the freedom brought by eternal slumber, but it was still a form of freedom nonetheless—you gave me a choice. You let me choose to interpret that melody as my funeral song or as my anchor to this world. And I chose to anchor myself here. I gathered strength from each note you played until I had enough to sever the bonds that held me down. Each passage served as encouragement to rise up and fulfil my duty as it is intended. You and your song made me into a better version of myself."
"Su-surely you couldn't mean all of that," Venti whispers, his voice faltering. He tries to look away but the firm squeeze he receives on his hands brings his gaze back to the Yaksha.
"I do. I do mean it for it is the truth."
Venti couldn't deny the sincerity and kindness found in those piercing golden eyes. How could he have ever thought that Xiao would have preferred freedom in death's embrace? Mortification makes him want to bury himself into the ground and never crawl out ever again. He even knew the perfect candidate to make his accomplice in such an act, and he'd bet said candidate is more than willing to help.
"It may be true that Lord Rex Lapis gave me another chance at life, and a new name to uphold. But, you gave me a third chance. It's always been you who has watched over me. It was you who gave me the means to fight. It was you who provided me protection, in the form of a song, when the pain becomes unbearable and the darkness of the night seems impenetrable. It was you who taught me how precious my life is. It was you who taught me that I am worthy of a moment of solace, and the joys that can be found in the company of others—that a simple touch is enough to bring comfort. Aren't those enough to merit my gratitude?"
Venti purses his lips. He could feel heat fill his entire being. His thoughts were a mess, and he struggled to put together a coherent phrase, let alone a sentence. He wants to throw himself into Xiao's arms, to cry, to let ugly sobs escape from him and to let big fat tears roll down his face. But he has his pride too. He couldn't let Xiao see how much of a disgrace he truly is.
With the proper motivation, he mentally pulls himself together.
"When you present such a compelling argument, I can't help agreeing," Venti concedes with a light chuckle. "Just note that blind and self-sacrificing dedication is not what I want from you. That isn't my cup of tea, you know."
"Then, what is it that you desire, Venti? What can I give to show my gratitude for letting a wretched soul be the audience to your private performance? I swear by my free will and by Lord Rex Lapis's name I will do it."
"Could you ditch the formalities? You already dropped it before, why not drop it entirely? That stiffness is making me want to puke." The bard made a disgusted face.
Xiao rolls his eyes and crosses his arms at the antics, but tries again.
"What do you want me to do, Venti?"
The bard gives him an appreciative smile before slipping into a more solemn expression.
"Back then, all I wanted is for you to know me not as 'Barbatos'—one of the Seven, the Anemo Archon, but as 'Venti'—that whimsical bard who's nothing but trouble yet also someone you can rely on as a friend." Venti fiddles with his hands, unsure with what to do with them. "But now, after knowing the truth, I have one simple request: Please treat me the same way you do with 'Venti'."
That is a lie.
Xiao could see it in Venti's eyes. There was more, something much much more than camaraderie that the former Archon desires. The Venti he knows so well is a greedy menace after all.
All Xiao has to do is look deeper into those bright eyes.
The young Adeptus now understands why mortals fall for the charm of jewels. His subconscious had likened Venti's eyes to jewels back then when the bard had delivered his medicine. In hindsight, it was not simply because of their lustrous shine that made him think that way, but the way they tempt mortals with their whispers—their silent pleas.
He could now hear the words being whispered to him by the owner of the stunning pair of jewels staring at him.
"I'm here. Take me home."
He wants to answer that request. The fact he was asked to do so made his chest feel so full, so full that it could burst.
A home, Venti wants a home—a place he can come back to.
But the words, that one word, stop him.
Where is home? He has no home. He merely leaves one battle and heads off for the next. When fatigue sets in, he seeks for temporary shelter to recuperate before starting the cycle all over again. What home could he hope to give this man?
As if the former Anemo Archon could read his thoughts, a warm hand cups his cheek. A thumb rubs comforting circles on the cold surface it touches, melting away the anxiety that started to build up.
"Just tell me 'yes'. Please? Pretty please?"
Receiving no response from the Yaksha, Venti looks away and withdraws his hand. Xiao almost chokes at the sadness pooling in those eyes.
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't impose." The former Anemo Archon weakly scratches his cheek. "How unbecoming of someone who advocates for freedom, huh? Whoopsie, got a little too greedy there for a sec—"
And somehow, it all clicks in place.
Venti may look so cheerful and carefree on the outside—a ray of sunshine to everyone around him—but somewhere behind that ray of light hides a deep shadow. The shadow contains his doubts, his regrets and that small wish to find a place he could belong. He may seem selfish on the surface, but when it comes to the important things, he's willing to take a step back. And now, he's going to do just that if Xiao chooses to stay still like an idiot.
The Yaksha couldn't find his voice at the moment, but finds the urgency to give the other an answer. He lifts Venti's hand back to his cheek and nuzzles it as he closes his eyes.
"Oh," is all Venti could say when he sets his gaze back and sees that serene look on Xiao's face. Maybe he wasn't asking for too much after all? "Oh…"
Xiao opens his eyes when he doesn't hear another peep from the man before him. Was he getting his message across? His eyes widen at the melodious laugh that comes from below him.
"If that's the case, well… I figured we could always figure out the details later." Venti withdraws his hand, earning a small sound of complaint from the Yaksha, and flicks the other's forehead with a giggle. "The important bit is you, so stop showing me a smile that's so bitter."
Xiao tries.
"You're like a cat sometimes, you know that?" Venti teases before he sneezes cutely.
He really does, but he finds himself in tears once more as another wave of realizations hits him.
Jewels start out raw, coarse and dull. It is under the expert hand of an artisan that they begin to sparkle and are shaped into perfection. Venti's eyes shine the way they do after countless years of weathering through the harshest of scenes, relishing the tenderest of sights, and everything in between. They shine bright with emotions so clear that even Xiao could read them. And now, he is being entrusted this precious treasure—one he cannot fathom being worthy of or capable of handling.
"Aw, don't be like that." Venti's teasing voice begins to waver. "That's really… unfair, y'know. You'll… you'll make me cry too, when you show me an ugly face like that."
Xiao huffs in amusement, and sweeps the bard up in one motion, placing the other back on his lap—in the same way he carried the bard before their shouting match. He takes in the sight of those aqua pools as they build up a wall of unshed tears—a sight that has been hidden for who knows how many centuries long—and those braids that have begun to light up as well. He was honored to be allowed to witness such vulnerability. His heart squeezes at the thought, but he scoffs at the words.
"'Ugly', says the bard who takes every opportunity to praise my apparently 'beautiful face' when he's drunk."
"Idiot—hic—I was lying when I said you're ugly," Venti says as he lets his own waterworks spill free while wiping along Xiao's tear tracks with his thumb. He was glad his light-hearted teasing did its job in preventing more tears to spill down those rosy cheeks. Ah, the proud Yaksha's embarrassed, isn't he? How cute. Unfortunately, it was the bard's turn to embarrass himself; he was already hiccuping. "I just didn't want to—hic—to sound like a total jerk—hic—by saying 'you look beautiful when you cry'."
The earth gently rumbles below them for a good minute, silencing the both of them. Venti brings down the hand from the Yaksha's face to cling more onto the other's shirt throughout the gentle earthshaking. Xiao responds by holding him closer with the arm supporting Venti's back and using his free hand to wipe those tears away; he even adds in a kiss on the forehead as a bonus when the shaking stops.
"Your father's—hic—going to kill me—hic—the next time we meet—hic—for making you cry. Twice." Venti burrows his head onto that sturdy chest to hide his ripening face. Having Xiao initiate affectionate contact is doing weird things to his heart, or whatever it was that's supposed to be in that Gnosis-less void. "One for each time I made you cry."
"My father?" the Yaksha blinks and absentmindedly rubs little circles on the bard's back as he tries to remember how he came into being. He doesn't quite remember having parents, per se. "Do you mean Zhongli-daren?"
"Now, that blockhead's your next victim, you heartbreaker!" Venti yells teasingly, lifting head up, once he finds his voice steadying. The change in topic helped reign in the supposedly ugly sobbing that was to come with their heartfelt confessions.
Maybe the old man is really learning with Whipped Mora Bag by his side. Maybe, just maaaybe, he isn't quite the expert he thought he was on the matters of the heart after all (or at least of his own heart). It's a good thing Xiao is easy enough to distract.
Xiao feels conflicted. On one hand, he notes how much he admires the flushed look on Venti's face, but on the other, he makes a face at the sight of a thread of snot that connects the bard's nose and his upper garment. The bard sniffs and wipes it away with his sleeve. Disgusting.
"You utter slob, I refuse to believe you used to be the Anemo Archon. Also, don't insult Zhongli-da—" Xiao pauses mid sentence. "Why would adding an honorific cause him to weep? And… heartbreaker, really?"
"Seeing your crying face would break a million hearts, I'd say," Venti goes on to say in a matter-of-fact manner, a matching index finger out to accentuate every word. "Hm, to see it in person, I'd reckon some degenerates would be willing to handsomely pay. Ohoho, a quick money-making scheme is well on its way~ We'd be billionaires by the end of the day!"
Xiao releases his hold on the greedy little money grubber, taking pleasure in the yelp the other releases as he falls unceremoniously on his back. He flicks the scheming bard's forehead with a smirk and a huff of fond exasperation.
"What nonsense are you spouting this time?" Xiao shifts in position to get a better view of the bard lying on the ground. "Who says there will be a repeat?"
Venti receives another flick on his forehead before he looks away with both hands, tending to the sore spot on his forehead. He could feel small prickly tears form due to the bullying.
"If I admit to making you cry too while providing some evidence," Xiao starts as he dries the tears with his fingers. "Then surely you will be spared from the punishment to be meted out to you."
"Don't talk as if my tears outweigh his son's!" Venti protests as he turns his gaze back to Xiao. He has to thank his lucky stars or the Yaksha's lack of social interactions for him to be able to steer the conversation so offtrack.
He gulps when he realizes just how close the Yaksha's face is to his; the heat that never truly left his cheeks intensifies. Alright, now this, his heart could probably take this.
Xiao openly chuckles as he plays with one of Venti's braids.
"If you are so unwilling to accept help, then I wish you the best of luck getting out of this one. Heh, how do they say it again? 'May the wind—"
Thoroughly annoyed, Venti cups his hand around the other's mouth to shut him up. Maybe he bestowed too much confidence on this one after all. Feeling it rather than seeing it, the corner of the Yaksha's mouth curls into a smirk before the other's hand yanks the one he was using to shut this cocky bastard up.
Venti realizes he screwed up. Scratch 'maybe' out. He truly did bestow too much confidence on this man. He muses on this as he felt a clumsy mouth trying to get a deeper kiss from him. Ah~hah, what sloppy work, maybe he should teach this rookie a thing or two.
Xiao breaks the kiss when he feels a tongue suddenly trying to gain access into his mouth. He sits up, panting and tries to sneak a glance at the bard who was taking his sweet time to sit up himself. He could see those half-lidded eyes and the self-satisfied smirk on the bard's face. The Yaksha looks away, cheeks burning up to his ears, when Venti goes about making a show out of licking his lips as if he had a good meal.
"I'll have you help out, you know. Let's get to planning that visit!" Venti changed the topic with excitement, giving the other a false sense of security. When Xiao turns to look at him, he goes in for the kill. "Or do you have other suggestions on what we should do with our time now?"
Xiao feels a shiver run down his spine when slim fingers brush against his thighs. He stands up abruptly.
"We are not done with the patrols," the Yaksha announces with his back turned from the bard. "Best we make haste in compensating for the time lost from our idleness."
Xiao—one of the Illuminated Adepti who presides over Guili Plains, a proud guardian who ensures the safety of every Liyuen citizen from evil—makes a run for it.
Or is glide the correct term? They are on a mountain peak after all.
"Ah geez, wait up!" Venti calls out, huffing in frustration. The Yaksha's confidence must've run out. "For a hot minute, I thought we had something going on there!"
The former Anemo Archon picks up no reply from the young Adeptus, but he has a good feeling that the other's face was as red as a Jueyun Chili. He did shout somewhere close to one of the Adepti's abodes after all. He stands, dusts himself off and looks in the direction Xiao has fled.
Did he glide down or stay on high ground? Ah, there he is—down it is.
He begins to pack up their little picnic set up, along with the discarded Dihua Flute and dumps them all in his pocket dimension.
What a day this turned out to be. He sure wasn't expecting three back-to-back confessions in one day. But, maybe he should've known when he caught the Yaksha blowing on Dandelion Seeds in hopes of getting blessed with 'confidence'.
He peers over the edge again and sees Xiao swimming towards the shore.
He feels pride swell up in him at the sight of the young Adeptus. He didn't want to claim all the credit and stroke his ego, but he believes that his presence made Xiao grow.
Just look at what happened earlier! Xiao stood his ground and faced him, a person of supposed higher authority, head on. The Yaksha had completely discarded the idea that he had no right to say what was in his mind because he is nothing but a mere weapon. Venti could only hope that Xiao would bring that confidence with him when he goes off to meet Zhongli.
It would be a fun sight to see Xiao rip Zhongli a new one for the fake death and for choosing such a distasteful mate. He couldn't wait—what a show it would be. Oh, and if Whipped Mora Bag's around, it would be pure, utter chaos.
Venti jumps from the edge of the mountain and deploys his windglider. He had a good idea where Xiao was heading. There was a cave full of mineral ores nearby. He spots a flower by the side of one of the mountains when a thought occurs to him.
Ah, but he should consider gathering Violetgrass before coming back to Zhongli's house. They make good tea, right? He might get buried alive the moment he sets foot on the premises. He could only hope that the tea would, at least, let him get unearthed once the old man's anger subsides.
What would the blockhead think if Xiao got himself a boyfriend? He could count the hand-nuzzling and the initiated kiss as double 'yeses', right?
Wait. Could any of those be considered as love confessions?
Well, sure, they're not in that kind of relationship now… But if that kiss is anything to go by, maybe it isn't much of a pipe dream?
And Venti wouldn't exactly be opposed to that.
Well, he guesses he could use a bit more practice in the patience department.
He did say they could work out the details later on. Oh geez, that sounded just like they're working on a contract.
Venti chuckles mid chase.
Maybe it was his turn to take a page out of Morax's book. This contract or whatever it is they're dealing with can progress at its own pace.
They do have all the time in the world; they'll just do it with one confirmation at a time.
—○ ● ○ ◇◇◇ ○ ● ○ —
FOOTNOTES:
[1] As much as Xiao detests the crowds, and the person who called his name (in the most impertinent manner, might he add), out of his outstanding sense of duty, he responds.
The trip was not the complete waste he imagined it to be. [back]
[2] The Yaksha cannot comprehend why must an Archon (even a former one) comply with the insistent demands of a mortal (in the event this mysterious gentleman truly is nothing but a mere mortal) to dress him. [back]
[3] "Let me handle the next camp," Venti offers with a sickly sweet smile. "You must be tired from handling ten of them already."
Xiao raises an eyebrow.
"I won't let a single one get away." The bard winks. "I won't cause you any delay."
"Fine, do as you please. Just make sure none of them escape with their lives."
Venti giggles and follows the Yaksha's lead into the Hilichurl camp.
The next camp had a few Hilichurl Warriors and Samachurls enveloped with the tell-tale signs of corruption. They were having a ritual. The warriors danced around the flame of a stake as the Samachurls led them. Their voices were ringing into the air.
Venti visibly flinches.
Seeing the bard's reaction, Xiao dons his mask and materializes his spear. He'll make quick work of them. He was about to approach the settlement when he felt a hand tug in his sleeve.
"No, let me handle this," Venti whispers in a serious tone. "I was just taken aback by their chant… They seem to worship the Anemo Archon."
"But how—?"
"There's no one more fitting to put an end to their suffering, right?" Venti smiles, cheer present in his voice again. He summons his bow and finds the perfect spot to take aim.
"Time for take off, ehehe~" Venti looks behind him, smug at how well his skill swooped off the Hilichurl mobs into the air. "So, how's that for a performance from a sleep-deprived bard?"
The fire from the stake reacts to the winds brought upon by his skill, creating additional damage. He adds in a few shots of his bow into the mix to make sure there are truly no escapees.
The smugness turned into unamusement as he found no signs of awe from the Yaksha. Mask and spear out of sight, Xiao was covering his mouth to prevent his laughter from spilling anymore than it already has.
"Eh? What's with your cackling?"
"It's nothing," the Yaksha says after half a minute has passed. His face was schooled back into neutrality and composure. "Forget it."
"Uh… huh…" was all Venti could say, deflated, as he looked back at the site he released his skill upon to see the charred remains of what used to be a cursed Hilichurl camp.
Time to move on then.
Venti doesn't help out again for the rest of the day. But hey, at least, that's one memory made in Nantianmen! [back]
[4] He did try to bring some Almond Tofu, but with portable food storage techniques of this world having been proven to be lacking, the dessert had considerably warmed to the point of being rejected entirely by the prissy Yaksha.
On another note, maybe if the tofu was treated differently, say, served warm with small translucent tapioca pearls with an equally warm dark syrup, maybe it could be enjoyed as a different take on an old favorite.
[Imagine that the author placed an image of Taho here. Because she did, but it did not carry over]
No, the author did not just describe Taho. [back]
[5] In Venti's humble opinion, settling down (or well, the equivalent of enjoying retirement with a seemingly never-ending engagement) has brought out more of Morax's fatherly nature. If the consultant just stopped procrastinating, [5.1] he need not hide anymore and he wouldn't need a bard to act as a middleman. (Not that he's complaining about being a middleman.)
[5.1] No, you're not hallucinating. Venti does think all this 'leaving subtle clues' thing is utter ox dung and just a sorry excuse to mentally prepare for an awkward reunion. There's no two ways about it; things are going to be awkward when you announce that you're not actually dead to someone who grieved about your loss. [back]
[6] Xiao has had the inkling of the truth after Venti had delivered his medicine.
(Could be referenced in the Parent Story "Ruin Guards are so Hard to Photograph" Chapter 4, Scene 5, and the notion is further explored in the extra/omake Venti Incognito) [back]
[7] There is an original fan song about Liyue that Venti's CN VA (Miaojiang) sang herself. As far as I know, the title is "Liyue". (I linked it in the oriiginal, but again, things don't carry over here that well)
Yes, it is a shameless reference on Genshin content that the author found joy in while writing the parent story. [back]
[8] It took two months of awkward brushing of fingers before they could hold hands. Another month of slowly inching closer to be able to stand next to each other without a polite distance between them. Another month before Venti could freely touch anywhere else other than Xiao's hands. And then another month before Venti has permission to use Xiao's shoulder as a pillow. And another month before Xiao would willingly let himself use Venti's lap as a makeshift pillow for the times the bard insisted that he rest when they are outdoors (about two weeks to accept that it was okay even if it wasn't in the great outdoors). [back]
I swear, I don't have the emotional maturity to handle angst. I cried writing some of the dialogue here. Did I make you cry? (maybe it's just me)
But in case I did, here a box of tissues. Sorry if it's not a fresh pack. I pulled a few for myself.
Thank you for taking the time to read this~ I hope you've enjoyed it.
I appreciate any and all feedback I could get! (Reviews would be awesome!)Thank you, in advance!