Lumine bounced her leg as Noelle returned to her seat, and despite the fact that it wasn't their secret Xingqiu understood her nerves. Divinity wasn't something easy to grapple with, and in truth he still hadn't completely sorted everything for himself. These days he kept most of his emotion behind lock and key; Chongyun wasn't one to do the same.
"Your suspicions are valid, and I admit there's much you haven't been told. You must also understand that this information hasn't been excluded for any malicious intent. It simply happens to be sensitive."
"And Lumine and Xingqiu, they know?" Chongyun looked between them, as if he could discern the secret's nature from their stoic expressions.
"You are correct. They learned the truth through the course of recent events, and they have since agreed to contractualized silence," Zhongli paused in thought, "You both have fought valiantly on Liyue's behalf, so I believe you deserve to know. The question is, do you want to?"
Noelle folded her hands in her lap, "If you are comfortable to share it, then I accept. I am often trusted with sensitive information as I come across it in my line of work," she removed her headband, "to me a rose symbolizes that trust. My dependability is what I believe to be my greatest strength." Zhongli nodded, the faintest of smiles tracing his face.
"I believe you may be right about that. What of you, Chongyun?" The exorcist smiled deviously at Xingqiu which disrupted the butterflies in his stomach,
"If Xingqiu can handle it, then I doubt it's something I can't," his expression grew more stern, "I accept." The room seemed to hold its breath as the restaurant continued its life below; Lumine's foot shook the surface of the tea on the table.
"Then I will be candid. My interest in this case has stemmed in part from my own personal curiosity, but also a sense of responsibility. To the people of Liyue, as I was once their archon," neither of their expressions changed, "Through the staged death of Rex Lapis, I assumed the position of a mortal. The one you see now. Though I retain some of my previous strength, my body is no longer capable of fulfilling the same divine feats. But this is the choice that I've made. I've lived long, and it has become clear to me that Liyue has matured. It can stand without me, and I believe it will continue to do so long after I depart."
"So you were the one who brought Xingqiu to Liyue, by taking the form of the exuvia, I assume?" Lumine asked.
"Yes," Zhongli continued his previous thought, "I don't want this to change your perception of me, but I understand if it does. Humans act differently when they learn of divinity, whether they mean to or not. It has become my wish, and it has long been Venti's, to live amongst people rather than rule them. This is logical of course, as Venti is the god of freedom. He has stepped down like myself, but he still retains some residual strength as Barbatos."
Lumine pursed her lips and set her head on her palm, "He flew over here since I called. If it weren't for Xiao's attempted sacrifice, I likely wouldn't have. But as it stood I didn't want to lose him, and I feared we couldn't handle the ley line on our own. Especially after all…that."
"Over the course of this week, Barbatos has worked hard. If you can believe that. His mortal form could no longer maintain itself, and so he resides now with Adeptus Xiao. Truly, he is a wind sprite; he will likely be forced to stay as one while he regains his strength."
"Oh." Chongyun didn't even take out a popsicle.
"Incredible," Noelle thumbed the edges of a rose, "I never would have suspected. Venti." Incredulously, Xingqiu furrowed his eyebrows.
"You don't seem surprised." Chongyun shrugged,
"To be honest, I've had some suspicion ever since I heard of Zhongli's relationship with Xiao. But I don't believe it really matters. Spirits come in all forms and people are no different," he smiled as he turned from Xingqiu, "What matters is a person's aspirations and how they work to achieve them. I thank you, Rex Lapis, for your service."
"I concur. It is an honor to be able to serve you."
"You're welcome. While it has come with its fair share of trials and tribulations, I believe it has been worth it in the end." Lumine yawned,
"Thank god that's over. Can we call Xiangling back? I want ice cream." Zhongli laughed,
"Even in his absence you act so much like Barbatos."
"Barbatos," Xiao grumbled. Even as a wind sprite he still managed to pull his nerves. From the moment he returned to his position atop the inn he hadn't stopped moving. First he had to examine him for more fractures, then he had to fly through the branches of the tree overhead, and when he found no apples that suddenly became his issue.
All Xiao wanted was to resume his usual routine, yet Venti insisted he stay put; he protested any time he began to leave. Still, Hilichurls conglomerated at the base of the inn, and Verr Goldet wouldn't have to commission anyone if he did his actual job. He frowned.
Probably in response, Venti paused right in front of his eyes just inches from his nose. Truly, he couldn't win. Despite the evening darkness that obscured most of his details, Xiao knew his expression was stern.
For some reason he compromised with a sigh and only a half grumble.
"No, I don't want to talk about it."
"Yes, I'm aware I almost died. I fail to see why that should prevent me from continuing to live."
"I…don't want to rest." Venti knew it was a lie, so he followed his turning head and prodded his cheek with his own hooded face. It didn't feel as intrusive as the usual hand that poked him, so he allowed it. "Maybe we should talk about why you aren't resting. Last I checked, your presence is still requested by the Traveler." Of course Venti didn't say anything, but now he couldn't anticipate what the bard would say.
The wind sprite only stared at him now as he floated on his invisible breeze, so he had no idea what he expected. Even without his sudden muteness, Barbatos had never been easy for him to understand. And then he was always talking, always joking, always singing, always playing the flute. Now he had nothing to work with. Was this what talking with him was like?
It's not as if he could help it.
Venti was the antithesis of everything Xiao was. What he wanted he did, and what Xiao wanted, he didn't. Even if he wanted to speak, he wouldn't know what to say. It dawned on him that perhaps that's what Venti waited for; usually when he visited he worked to find what Xiao repressed. He could only guess what he wanted, which usually resulted in pleasant, but ultimately unnecessary excursions.
Because if Xiao had his way, he'd stay here all day listening to that flute. He'd fall asleep without his polearm locked in his hand. He wouldn't say a damned thing.
But now wasn't the time for that. His mind was too shaken to believe Liyue could be left to her own devices, even if Zhongli insisted that was true. He couldn't fall asleep even if he tried, and though he wasn't contractually held by anything, especially since he learned about Bosacius, he couldn't stop the hand that itched to fight.
Like the whimper of a dog, a discouraged whistle pulled him out of his trance. Apparently Venti could make noise, he just couldn't make speech.
"You should sleep. You do sleep, right?" Xiao rolled his eyes, "I don't know why you expect me to know everything about you. I'm a bird not a mind reader." In response, Venti only shook his head and motioned for him to follow. As he drifted over to the balcony no one seemed to be around given the hour, so Xiao complied.
Barbatos floated off the banister and turned back. He was leading him somewhere.
"Fine. But after this you're sleeping."
"Yes, you can come over to my house."
"I'm not inviting myself, 'yun. I can go with Lumine." Chongyun stopped in the middle of the street,
"You have literally jumped through my bedroom window at two in the morning, because you had to tell me about the plot of a novel you were reading. You've done it before, you'll do it again for far more benign reasons. I'm not letting you mope alone in a bedroom, even if it's not yours. Now let's go." Lumine snickered beneath her breath, and Xingqiu punched her arm.
"Good luck!"
"Oh shut up!" He second guessed himself and turned around again; Lumine didn't seem offended. In fact her expression softened,
"It's fine. Remember, my teapot is on the terrace outside Zhongli's." A bit embarrassed, he nodded and returned to Chongyun's side.
"I don't know what's gotten into you lately. You're all…weird."
"This is news to you?" He sighed,
"That's not what I meant and you know that." Xingqiu let his implicit question settle for a moment, because he knew he could, and frankly he just wanted the silence. Liyue harbor was growing sleepier, and the suburb that Chongyun lived in always stayed charmingly lit. He wanted to see all of it. It didn't hide anything behind false appearances, because it didn't need to. They were just houses. Houses where people lived.
People unlike him.
"A lot has happened. I'm not even sure where I could start."
"Then we don't have to start anywhere. Say what's on your mind." Xingqiu swallowed. Chongyun's house grew closer to the point he could actually see it now, his front step charmingly decorated with a pot of Qingxin.
"I-we're a bit close to your house now."
"Later then." They entered through the side door, where Chongyun's parents sat idly chatting. They immediately rose when they saw Chongyun, and Xingqiu smiled as he watched him try and fail to fend them off. His mother immediately wrapped him in a crushing hug.
"You're lucky you had your Aunt Shenhe to vouch for you! If it weren't for her, we'd have stormed to the Chasm ourselves." They also wouldn't have found him at the Chasm given the fact they weren't nearly as fit anymore, but Chongyun didn't say that.
"I'm sorry. I know, I should have told you. I got wrapped up with what happened at the harbor, and then I didn't want to hold everyone else up." As he recounted the events, they stopped him halfway through.
"Xingqiu! You should have said something, dear. I almost didn't see you there." He was never sure how to act around his parents, so he usually stayed silent intentionally. The last thing he needed was more parental figures upset with him.
"Oh, sorry. I-"
"What are you wearing?" His father laughed, "Sorry, that's probably rude. It's just, I've never seen you in anything besides silk. That's not a new Liyuen style I haven't heard of, is it?"
"Oh! This," he had forgotten he was still wearing Venti's borrowed (and stained) shirt, "I'm borrowing this from a friend of mine. My own shirt got a bit ruined, and I haven't had the time to go home yet." Calling Venti a friend was a stretch, but even more so was the fact his parents hadn't heard the news. If they did, they seemed far too calm about it.
"Have we met this friend of yours?"
"Well I doubt it's something Xiangling would wear." Chongyun slapped his own forehead,
"You don't have to interrogate him, Mom. Look, we're just going to head up to my room. We had dinner at Xiangling's."
"Alright, alright. I'm just making sure." As Chongyun began his exit Xingqiu reflexively bowed. His parents laughed, and his cheeks heated. They said something that he didn't quite catch over his embarrassment, and he nervously laughed, pasting himself to Chongyun's backside. He nearly pushed him over in an effort to escape the scrutiny.
"That was so embarrassing. Ughhhhhh." He immediately sat on the ground, burying his face in his lap. Chongyun closed the door behind them which only mildly quelled his fears.
"A'qiu it's fine. They were just teasing you." When he didn't say anything, Chongyun sat next to him. "It's just something parents do. They embarrass you. If it makes you feel better, I'm also embarrassed."
"You're always embarrassed."
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, and instead be a good friend right now," he smiled, "Now, we have a lot to catch up on. Let's start with the fact you were arrested."
