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Xiao wasn't welcome with the humans. He knew it, he wasn't like Ganyu, kindhearted and hardworking. Although he spent his cursed life sitting atop an inn full of humans, watching the birds sing, he found that he felt lonely.
-
“Xiao. You have to be kidding me.” Venti crossed his arms from where he was perched, at the edge of an abandoned hilichurl tower. Xiao’s eyes flared for a second.
“Bar- Venti.” The adeptus said dryly, “To what do I owe your acquaintance?” His eyes met Venti’s briefly, and he quickly looked away.
The bard giggled. “No need for formalities, I’d say we’re close enough now.”
“Ah, are we now?” Xiao raised an eyebrow.
“You wound me, are we not friends, Alatus?” Xiao had a hard time answering this question, but he pretended not to.
“I thought I told you to call me Xiao,” he lifted his spear from where it was impaled in the ground. “After all, I’ve gone through the effort of calling you Venti now, although it is a stupid name.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Then he added like an afterthought, “It is not stupid!” Many people have called Xiao things like emotionless and serious, but in reality, he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes and make a crude remark every few seconds in the presence of people like Venti.
“Gotta go do some godly stuff-”
“Get drunk.” Xiao corrected.
“Maybe,” he winked. “Catch you later, Xiao .” This time, he really did roll his eyes, not noticing that the childish archon had called him Xiao, the name so generously given to him by Morax. He stood there for a moment, paralyzed as he tried to take in the conversation.
-
“Xiao, you really should not overexert yourself,” Zhongli’s stern voice came from above him. He opened one eye to see the taller man standing over him from where he was, which he realized was the couch that he must have passed out on.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize-”
“You are forgiven, Xiao. Please don’t overwork yourself like Ganyu, I can see it even if you try to hide it.” He chuckles.
Xiao knows. He’s seen him prove many wrong about the history of Liyue. They may not see it, but he sees everything and knows everything.
“Barbatos and I are having dinner with Hu Tao and Ganyu, would you like to join? We are missing a person, Ningguang cannot make it.”
“Oh I couldn’t intrude,” Xiao gets up to leave but is stopped.
“Don’t worry, no one cares that you arrive uninvited. You are welcome, you know.” His kind words shock Xiao, with nothing to say, he merely nods.
“I don’t get why you’re allowed to call him Barbatos,” Xiao mutters on his way to the Jade Chamber, not particularly mad at Zhongli himself, but more at Venti. No, he was not jealous. At least, that’s what he told himself. He sighs. It was much more tranquil at Wangshu Inn.
At dinner, he finds himself not speaking a word, and occasionally making eye contact with the blue-haired adeptus in the seat next to him as Hu Tao says something concerning such as advertising her business, which everyone knows is a funeral parlor.
“As I was saying, as the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, it is my job to make sure people get their coffins at a reasonable price when their loved one dies!” She says it in such a normal way that Xiao can’t help but raise an eyebrow at the odd girl. He doesn’t know how Zhongli can deal with her every day.
He turns to look at Venti, nodding at Hu Tao’s every word. He continues drinking from the seemingly never-ending bottle of wine in his hands, and Xiao can’t help but think, he’s beautiful.
Shit. What has he gotten himself into, he thinks.
And of course, like something out of a cliche romance novel that he would find Zhongli secretly reading at times, he catches Venti’s eyes every time he pays a visit to the brooding Yaksha and quickly averts his amber eyes. Of course, Venti never notices, he’s never paid any special attention to him.
“Xiao? Are you alright?” Xiao turns his head to find the bard’s face much too close for comfort, Venti doesn’t notice.
“I’m fine .” They’re both sitting next to the other, a fair amount away from each other. Venti doesn’t say anything, but he doesn't need to say a word to make it known that he was worried. Xiao tenses next to him. “I better go.”
Not waiting for a response, he leaves with a breeze of wind.
How dramatic, Xiao can hear from the annoying voice in his head that sounds much too similar to Venti’s.
He very much wanted to ask Zhongli what to do about it but feared that he would think less of him, even though inside, he knew he would never do anything to harm Xiao. Tired of sitting around, he decides to go visit him, not to talk, but then he sees the taller man part with a familiar ginger face.
“Childe- he’s-”
“Morax, what has he done? I shall make him pay.”
“No, no. What I want to say is that- he’s more than.. a friend to me.”
“Okay, thank you for the clarification, he shall be dead by sunrise.”
“Wait, Xiao!”
Of course, Xiao would never do anything to upset the God of Geo, but seeing the Fatui Harbinger angered him. Like Venti , he dared to say, but he didn’t. Not like Venti, there is so much more than that. Maybe Xiao wished that he could see it, maybe he didn’t. Either way, when Venti visited him once again, the god handed Xiao an apple.
“What-”
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”
“I am perfectly healthy, thank you.”
“Your loss.” He bit into the apple, chewing slowly as they sat together in silence until one of them would speak up or leave. It was usually Xiao, but not to talk.
“Do you think I would win a fight against Zhongli?” Xiao looked at him oddly.
“I think that Zhongli would win.”
“I am betrayed, Xiao.” Venti mocked hurt and clenched a handful of his shirt at his chest. Xiao chuckled.
“You laughed!” Xiao could help but giggle again.
“Shut up, you shit,” Xiao replied in a very polite tone; which was the opposite.
“Never.” He stuck out his tongue.
“Venti.”
“Hm?”
Xiao saw the surprise on his face as he looked at him, but as they made eye contact, Xiao saw trust in his eyes. He couldn’t bear to break that.
“Nevermind-” he looked away, trying not to let the blood rush to his face.
“Well, fuck you, Xiao, because I really thought you were going to say something kind!” He whined, wrapping his arms around the shorter boy.
“Are you drunk ?”
“What? Of course not!!” Yet, he was clearly intoxicated.
-
“Yep! You’re fucked, my friend!” Hu Tao said cheerfully. “Careful with your feelings. They can hurt you and others very badly.” She smiled, but it was a sad smile this time.
“What should I do then? Throw them in a hole?” Xiao said, confused.
“What? No! Confess, give them to whomever you please!”
“Why are we talking about my ‘feelings’ like it’s a ball of glitter or something?” Hu Tao giggled, adjusting the umbrella they were under.
“Maybe it is!”
“But.. what if this.. person doesn’t like me back?” The girl shrugged.
“Move on, if they’ve clearly said no, don’t try to convince them, or change yourself into what they might like, that’s not good.” Xiao raised an eyebrow.
“How do you even know this? Why am I even talking to you about this?” Rain dripped off the roofs of the tall Liyue buildings and from the dark clouds above them. Perfect weather to be disappointed, Xiao thinks, amused.
“Maybe because I know more than you think.” Xiao looks at her with concern for her wellbeing. “Go get that little tiny shit who calls himself an Archon.”
“Wait- what? How-” She winks.
“Wait- Hu Tao- will you- not mention anything about this?” Xiao makes sure he’s caught her eye. “I don’t want- people to feel bad or-”
“Of course, Xiao. I appreciate you opening up to me, I know doing that is really hard for you.” Xiao frowned.
“Why do you know more about me than myself?”
“Oh, the adeptus, so painfully oblivious.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
‘Exactly! Archons save me!” Hu tao sighed and waved a half-hearted goodbye. Xiao hated her optimistic personality sometimes.
-
In the beginning, Wangshu Inn made him feel trapped somehow. Then, Xiao was taken away from the inn, and he missed that feeling.
Sometimes, it was best to just sit around eating tofu and moping around like a teenage girl instead of getting your shit together. Honestly, Xiao thought, it’s more fun that way.
Of course, Xiao was getting tired of waiting for who knows what. He was more or less acting like he had just broken up with someone he had been in a 10-year relationship with, but the better word was longing.
Maybe everything would be better if he had never taken that contract with Morax, and if he had never been rescued by the sweet music of the anemo archon.
“Xiao!”
“Archons!” He hissed, “You scared me, you ass.”
“Are you alright? You look like you just broke up with someone that you’ve been in a 10-year relationship with,” Venti chuckled, but when Xiao’s eyes widened Venti gasped in shock.
“Wait seriously? Who was it?” He took way too much joy in Xiao’s suffering.
“No, it’s not that. I was actually just thinking the same way.” Venti giggled, adjusting his small round hat on his head.
“Great minds think alike, huh?” He said, “But seriously, are you sure you’re okay? Did you step in some shit after a hard day or something?”
“No.. I’m just feeling.. exhausted, even though I haven’t moved.” Venti moved closer so that their shoulders were touching. Xiao tried not to flush at the contact.
“Yeah,” he says quietly. “I know what that feels like.”
Their faces are so close. Their breaths mingle, and Xiao can’t utter a word, starstruck. He can’t stop staring at his fucking lips, and his fucking hair, and marveling at the way faint dimples flash when he smiles.
“Venti.” It comes out barely a whisper.
“Yeah?” He whispers back.
Xiao can’t say what he’s been wanting to say for so long after that night at dinner. I love you. As Hu Tao would say, he’s fucked. Surprisingly, it’s not him that acts, it’s the taller boy next to him.
Their lips touch for a second, and Xiao rushes to put his fucking hands somewhere, they find themselves under Venti’s loose shirt that he’s wearing. He kisses back, desperate.
“Xiao.” I will be here when you call.
When he wakes, he finds that the other half of his large bed is empty. Of course, he didn’t stick around, why would he?
Xiao mumbles under his breath, dragging himself out of bed and steeling himself to show up in Liyue for his monthly visit, which was slowly turning into weekly visits.
“Xiao?” Zhongli says once he opens his door. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” That was a lie. “I can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
“I can’t keep running.”
“Xiao, listen-|
“It’s just that Venti kind of- left.”
“Wait-“ Zhongli frowned, “You haven’t heard?”
“No?”
“Venti was hurt near Wangshu Inn, he’s in my guest room right now, I thought that was what you were here for.” Xiao freezes and promptly runs into the apartment.
“Venti?”
“Xiao? About time.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Venti intertwined his fingers with Xiao’s.
“For not knowing.” Venti laughed.
“How could you have known? I was going to pick up something from Mondstadt, but I was attacked by some abyss mages. I didn’t mean to leave you.” Xiao couldn’t help but squeeze Venti’s hand tighter.
“Should I leave?” Zhongli asked casually, causing Xiao to blush.
“No.” He says.
“Yeah.” The bard says at the same time, and Zhongli sighs, turning around and closing the door behind him. Xiao gets lost in Venti’s green eyes as he’s being pulled down. Venti kisses him softly.
“Is this a thing now?” Xiao asks, lips tingling.
“If you want it to be.” Venti smiles when Xiao nods. He ends up lying next to the other boy, talking mindlessly and stealing kisses.
When Xiao wakes up in the morning he feels like he’s never had that much sleep before. He blinks and finds a shirtless Archon in his bed, head buried in Xiao’s shoulders. Oh, shit, Xiao thinks, his hair is soft.
It’s a very dumb thought, but Xiao had never really been this close to him before. He finds himself smiling as he shifts his numb hand underneath Venti. He notes that all of his injuries seemed to have healed already.
“Venti,” he says gently. “Do you need to be somewhere?”
“With you,” Xiao screams on the inside because this was what he was missing? On the outside, he turns very red, averting his gaze. “Xiao, when did you know?” Even without context, Xiao understood.
“Have you not noticed, Venti? I’ve been wanting to touch your lips for so long. The only reason I have not until now is that I didn’t think you liked me.” Venti laughs.
“You’re so stupid.”
“So are you,” Xiao points out, which earns him a blush.
“Xiao, I lied.” He looks at him, confused. “When I was walking back to Mondstadt, I thought I saw an old friend.”
An old friend? One from the Archon War perhaps? Xiao thought.
“I panicked.”
“Venti.” Xiao says softly. “It’s alright.”
The god squeezes him tight, not letting go.
“I love you,” he mutters. Venti smiles.
“I love you too, Xiao.”
-
“Holy shit, Xiao!” Hu Tao interrupts the lovely moment Xiao was having with his almond tofu. “Were you ever going to tell me you got your man or did I have to find out through him?” Xiao looks up, playing dumb.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Hu Tao screams silently, and Ningguang looks very confused in the background.
“Thank you.” He says.
“No problem, dumbass.”