Work Text:
He is dying.
That is the first coherent thought Adeptus Xiao managed after removing his mask. Embarrassingly enough it was from a physical wound. Maybe fighting four ruin guards and Mitachurl at the same time hadn't been the best idea. He should have planned this better.
With a pained grunt, Xiao picks himself up, having to use his polearm as a crutch, legs wobbling as he tries to gain his footing. More blood dripped from the open gash across his chest. The Mitachurl had managed to catch him off guard, getting in a good hit with its blazing axe. He can tolerate the pain; after all, he had felt greater than this before.
Both hands gripped his polearm tightly as Xiao attempted to focus. Channeling what's left of his energy to teleport himself to the inn. And for a moment he sighs in relief as it feels like it's taking hold, reality-warping around him— it snaps before he can do it, all of his power drained and he feels hopeless as he falls on one knee. Still holding on to his polearm like a lifeline Xiao bits down hard on his lip until it bleeds, doing his best to hold back an anguished scream at both the situation and the pain that had suddenly flared up. The sky was slowly turning dark as the wind carried over the cold air from Dragonspine. If Xiao's body cared for the cold, he might have shivered.
He could never reach Rex Lapis' statue in such a state.
He looks up to where he can vaguely see the ice mountain. Well, at least the last thing Xiao lays eyes on is this rather wonderful view, he would have preferred it if he was standing on something higher than a hill but it will have to do. As his eyes drift across Mondstadt landscape his eyes widen in realization.
Lord Barbatos' statue is right there. It was close enough. Xiao can get to it.
With newfound hope, Xiao gets back up still clutching his trusty weapon close to himself. He starts making his long track toward the Anemo Archon's sculpture.
Saved twice by lord Barbatos. Xiao should be truly ashamed of himself, for needing his aid. Again. And again. He wonders if lord Barbatos can see him, weak and raged from battle. Thankfully the statue didn't make him feel like he was being judged. More like he was being looked after. Cared for even.
Xiao was never good with feeling but if there was one thing he understood it was that here, under the Anemo Archon's statue, Xiao was at peace. Peace, that he had only ever felt once before while listening to the sound of the flute carried to him by the wind.
He looked up at the statue, wind brushing against his skin, as his pain was slowly eased away. Xiao didn't want to move— and that night he didn't. He had seat there in front of Barbados' statue for hours, admiring its beauty. Feeling obliged to whisper lord Barbatos’ praises even if he himself wasn’t there to hear them. No, it was because he wasn’t there that Xiao had the courage to say them.
It was different from lord Morax's, for the geo Archon's statue made Xiao feel the need to push forward, to pick himself back up and fight no matter how tired or darned he felt. The Anemo Archon doesn't fill Xiao with such urges. The opposite actually. It made Xiao's heavy soul feel lighter. It made him pause in place and just breathe, to just stop and feel the wind caressing him ever so gently. The statue lessened the loneliness he never dared to acknowledge. It made his karmic debt a smudge easier to bear.
So that was the start of Xiao's new tradition. Once a year he would let himself be taken with the need to visit the lone statue by Springvale. To say the smallest of prayers to Barbatos, to offer him what little he can.
Xiao suddenly had something new to look up to in his dull life. Something that wasn't his duty. In the blink of an eye, over five hundred years had passed and he never broke that tradition. Of course, no one knew of this. Not even Rex Lapis himself and maybe that had given it all the more meaning. It was something only between him and Lord Barbados.
This year was no different. In spite of all the new changes, from Rex Lapis' stepping down to meeting the traveler. Xiao still went to visit the statue when it's time.
Standing under the moonlight, the wind blowing through his hair as he places down the Qingxin he had picked, sitting down to gaze up at the divineness of the statue wondering if it truly captured Barbados' beauty or if the Anemo God's charm was far too great to be carved in stone.
"Hey! Is that Adeptus Xiao!"
It felt like a cryo slim had just fallen on his head as chill encased his body. He had to force himself not to teleport away. It was far too late to run, and he can't have rumors about him being here spread out.
He turns, hoping the disgruntled look on his face would serve to make them go away faster.
The traveler and his bizarre companion were jogging up toward Xiao. Of course, it had to be him. This conversation suddenly felt like it's going to take much longer than he had thought, considering that his threats most likely will not work on Aether.
"Xiao, what are you doing here?" The traveler asks as he stops in front of the Yaksha, there were cuts and bruises all over him and it was obvious what the young man was doing here.
"Yeah! I thought you can't leave Liyue!" Yelled the annoying food-looking thing, pointing her tiny hands at Xiao. He refrains from biting them off because he has manners and mortals get sad when you eat their pets.
"It's not that I can't, it's simply that I don't." Xiao huffs, crossing his arms angrily. "My duty to Liyue always comes first."
"Oh… then Paimon doesn't understand what you're doing here?!"
Xiao tries to subtly hide the offering laid next to Barbatos' statue but his movements seem to backfire as it draws the traveler's eyes. They widen with realization. Xiao turns his back to them in a desperate attempt to hide his embarrassment.
"I should get going." Sadly, before he can teleport away Aether's hand grips his arm, stopping him. He reflexively jerks his arm out of his hold, sending a harsh glare in the traveler's way. Aether raises his hand as a peace offering.
"You should come and join us a bit at camp." Aether askes with ease, determination sparking in his eyes.
"No." Xiao doesn't even have to think about it. Just the idea of spending this treasured day with mortals made his head hurt.
"Hum, then maybe I should accompany you back to Liyue and ask Zhongli what you were doing here in Mondstadt." Aether crossed his arms with a smug little grin on his face. He was blackmailing a Yaksha. The audacity of this mortal! And he worst thing is that it was working! He even guessed Xiao hadn't told Lord Morax— Zhongli of his whereabouts!
The playful look on Aether's face fades soon enough as a more serious look takes over. "You really should come along… there is someone you would want to meet."
A breath passes as Xiao contemplates the sudden change of the man's tone, the softness in his eyes. Who would the traveler think Xiao wanted to meet? Who could be at these mortal's camp? He felt like he should have known who already. But Xiao couldn't put his fingers on it.
Paimon gasp. "The tone-deaf bard!" She turns to Xiao, her small hands balled up into fists, shaking with excitement. "This is your chance!"
A tone-deaf bard? How could someone be tone-deaf and yet chosen to be a bard? And The traveler thinks Xiao would want to meet them?
Xiao squints at them in confusion but before the odd pet could explain anything Aether places a hand on her mouth. "Shhh— shhhh!" He says purposefully until Paimon nods and he removes his hand.
He turns back to Xiao, a smile back in place like none of that just happened. Xiao desperately wants to refuse but his intrigue was peaked and there was the threat of Zhongli finding out about his visits to Barbados' statue and then asking him about it— and Xiao just can't.
He sighs. "If I must."
Their camp was farther down the hill, hidden by a rock formation and a small cluster of trees. Where a small fire was going and— no one was there.
Xiao was annoyed and rightfully so, he leaned back against a tree so he could glare at Aether. "Traveler. Were you just attempting to waste my time?"
"What?! Wha— we Left him here, where did he go?" Paimon yells, looking around them frantically.
"Yahoo! Up here!"
All three of them looked up. There. On one of the tree's highest branches sat a green figure. Xiao was startled away from the tree. How had he not noticed the person sitting up there?
He smiles down at them, a soft breeze jostles his braid drawing Xiao's attention to the aqua green tips of his hair.
"Venti! Can you please come down?" The traveler asks. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
Venti? The name sounded familiar but Xiao couldn't put his finger on it…
"Huh?! Why should I? The breeze is so nice up here!"
"I will give you an apple!"
A strong wind blows around them as the figure jumps off the branch, it wraps around him, and he gently floats down right next to Aether. Catching sight of Xiao.
"Oh?! A new face has joined us!" He smiles at Xiao, his bright eyes shining with delight, and with him standing there in front of Xiao it finally clicks.
Heart stuttering, butterflies fluttering in his stomach, Xiao felt like he would have choked on his breath if he was still breathing at the moment. There was no mistaking it. Xiao had spent far too long staring at his statue to do so. And that damned statue but his beauty to shame.
"Xiao, this is Venti the bard." Said the traveler nonchalantly, though there was smugness dripping in his voice. Prompting the Anemo Archon to step forward. "Venti, this is Xiao, one of the Adeptus from Liyue. He's going to join our camp for a bit."
The full attention of the Anemo Archon was directed at Xiao. "Hehe, glad to meet you!" Said Lord Barbatos—Venti with a smile. "The traveler told me a lot about you!"
Xiao grunts at Venti, the only thing he can say without his voice cracking to pieces. Thankfully the Anemo god didn't seem offended. Likely Xiao's non-existing social skills were one of the things the traveler told him about. As Xiao was contemplating killing the traveler and his companion, bathing in their blood then throwing himself into the sea, Venti stepped closer to him. "Ah, though I will admit I was already aware of who you are before Aether here told me!"
His eyes slip past Xiao, somewhere behind him—where he knows the statue stands— and back up to his face. He wags his eyebrows at Xiao. Xiao begs his karmic debt to finish him off right here and now. He just knows his face is a red flustered mess and he couldn't even open his mouth. If he does he is sure all that would come out is in incoherent noises.
"What?" Paimon perks up at that. "You said you didn't Know who Xiao was when we asked!"
Venti blinks innocently at her. "Ehe!" He laughed, giving the traveler and his companion a playful wink. Said companion didn't seem to be taking this as light-heartedly as Aether was considering she seemed to shake with repressed rage.
"That's it I had enough of you, tone-deaf bard!" She tries to lunge at the bard but Xiao grips her by the blue cape she was wearing. She let out a startled gasp as she was tugged back to meet Xiao's sharp glare.
Barbados might not be insulted, but Xiao still felt insulted on his behalf, to stand there and listen as he was disrespected. Lord Barbatos is as far from tone-deaf as an immortal can be and Xiao had witnessed that firsthand. His music had saved the Yaksha from certain doom. And this thing! Dares to say such an insult!
"Um— I was just joking!" She shouts as she trembles like a leaf under Xiao's stare. "It was just a joke! Right Aether?! Venti?!"
Venti winks at Paimon. "Ehe!"
Despite Xiao's grip, she tries to lunge again at the Anemo God. "Let me at him!"
"Venti please stop bullying her." Gently Aether pulls her out of Xiao's grip. There was a strange glint in his eyes as he turned his gaze back to Venti. "Though I also might ask why you lied."
Venti gasps, placing a hand on his chest in mock offense. "I did no such thing as lying! I merely know the young Yaksha by appearance and not his name!"
"Young?!" Paimon questioned loudly. "Isn't he like over two thousand year?!"
"Yes." Xiao finally got a hold of himself and opened his mouth, his voice sounded faint. Well, at last, he sounds the same way he feels. "But lord Venti is centuries older than I am."
"Aww, you make me sound like an old man!" He whines and to Xiao's —and the traveler and Paimon's— ultra-shock Venti flicks him on his forehead. "Drop the lord it sounds so stuffy!"
Xiao lost all the words he had managed to collect and just gaped. If it had been anyone else Xiao would have broken their whole hand and probably cut their head off but— this is the Anemo Archon himself. He squeezes his lips together and looks down at his feet feeling like a scolded child, his ears heating up to match his cheeks. The traveler and Paimon kept gaping at him.
Venti thankfully seemed none the wiser to this. "Anyway! Aether Where is my promised apple?"
Aether laughs awkwardly. "About that, I should probably go and pick some for you." He says with so much cheer. "You should look after Xiao and keep him company while I do just that!"
"Aww, do we have to?!" Paimon complained. "Why can't he do it himself?!"
All Venti has to say is. "Ehe."
As Paimon screams out in rage and begins arguing with the Anemo Archon, Aether quietly shuffles closer to Xiao, before the Adeptus can move away Aether pushes something into his hand, and Xiao for the second time stops breathing as panic takes over. Because those in his hand were the stems of very familiar flowers.
He hurries to hide them behind his back. Aether gives him a pointed look toward Venti. Xiao growls at him. The nerve this mortal has! He didn't seriously expect him to give those to Venti. When had he even managed to steal them without Xiao noticing?
"Come on Paimon, the sooner we go the sooner we can come back to have dinner." Aether calls out and immediately catches his companion's attention, she floats after him. Heading away toward that old winery. "Food! What are we going to make?! Is it a Hotpot? Oh! Oh! or—" Her voice slowly fades out the farther they walked.
Venti spins on his tiptoes so he is facing Xiao, clapping his hands excitedly. "Xiao! Do You want to see who is the fastest at climbing this tree?!"
The thought of competing against the Anemo Archon makes Xiao pale. Even worse, the thought of Venti catching sight of the Qingxins behind his back makes red bloom on his cheeks. His heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest. “Um… I don’t—” Xiao was sweating. He doesn’t think that he had ever been this nervous before.
“You don’t want to?” Venti asked, his brows knitted together in a clear sign of disappointment. “I can’t force you so I guess we can just go sit.” He grumbles, foot kicking a random rock that had been next to him. Xiao panics thinking that he had managed to upset him. He doesn’t have any time to fix such a grave mistake because suddenly the Anemo Archon was linking arms with him and Xiao— is having a panic attack.
It doesn’t even cross his mind he can push him away. His hand was warm against Xiao’s chilled skin and the Yaksha had to suppress a shiver. It’s stunning how Venti would just touch him when others would hesitate. Morax himself never did more than shake Xiao’s hand that one time and that had been millennia ago. “Come on then, let’s sit by the fire, ehe.”
“Okay...” Xiao crocks out, voice choked with so many emotions, even as he clutches the flowers behind his back. He really hopes Venti can’t see them.
Venti leaned closer, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “I will even play you a song or two.” He whispers into Xiao’s ear and this time can’t help how every part of him shivers. Venti is truly different from Zhongli, but Xiao should have expected that. Anemo and Geo were as opposed as anything can be. Zhongli had even talked —complained— about the Anemo Archon and his antics to Xiao before. But that didn’t mean Xiao was prepared for how carefree he was. The God of freedom? Being carefree? Why was that catching Xiao so off guard?
“You will?” Xiao didn’t mean to sound awestruck but he couldn’t help it. It had been so long since he had heard that song. Xiao still knows it by heart and had even dared to play it himself a few times, but no matter what he did it nerve sounded right.
Venti blinks his big eye up at Xiao, lips tugging into the kindest smile Xiao had ever seen. “Yes. You had waited a long time for me, didn't you?”
Xiao’s steps faltered, his eyes rounding in surprise. Panic flaring up in his chest. “huh?”
Venti doesn’t elaborate as he sits down in front of the crackling fire, dragging Xiao down with him. Ungracefully settling down next to Venti in the green grass, wiping his sweaty hand on his pants. His head was reeling with unanswered questions, but he would never dare ask.
“Normally I would ask for a price in exchange for a song—”
“Anything.” Xiao doesn’t even miss a beat. Because he would do anything to hear Venti play. Actually, scratch that he would do anything for Venti even if he deems Xiao unworthy of his music. All the Archon has to do is flatter those long pretty lashes at him. Xiao swallows and pushes such thoughts to the back of his mind. It is unbecoming of an Adeptus to look at a God that way.
Venti’s cheek flushed the sweetest shade of pink, he adjusts his hat, clearing his throat loudly, and keeps talking like Xiao had said nothing. “—but since you’re well, You, I think I will hand you the first few for free.”
Xiao tilts his head to the side, confused by his words. “Since I’m me…?”
The pink in Venti’s cheeks doesn’t dim but seems to darken even as he chuckles, averting his eyes away from Xiao. “An Adeptus of course! What else could I mean?”
It was weird the way he was wording it, but Xiao doesn’t have any reason to doubt his words. Xiao watches as Vento moves elegant hands into the air and a golden lyre materializes in his hands. His fingers run through the strings creating a melodic tune. Disappointment burns in Xiao's chest. He had some hope Venti would play the flute.
Venti smiles at him, and what a beautiful inviting smile that sweeps his disappointment away. Xiao holds back a sigh. The Lyre will do, Xiao spouses. “Do you have any requests?”
Yes— “No.” Xiao takes a slow calming breath, trying to get himself back under control. “Whatever you see fit.”
“Let me think…” The wind blows gently around them, playing with the locks of Venti’s hair. The bard rearranges the way he’s sitting so he is more comfortable. With a hum, Venti starts gently playing, an unfamiliar melody to Xiao’s ears. And yet— and yet Xiao’s eyes stung as the heavy darkness that always loomed over him retracted its grip on his soul. Venti parts his lips and sings. The beauty of lord Barbatos’ voice makes Xiao’s whole being tremble. Xiao clutch his hands together, in hope that would make his hands still.
There is now ease with every breath he takes that hadn’t been there before, his heart had never been lighter. It was truly only under lord Barbados’ careful watch that Xiao felt the true meaning of freedom.
Tears slid down his face as he listened.
Venti peeks one eye open to sneak a look at Xiao. The stoic Yaksha was slumped over. His hands clasped together, trembling. Shoulders tense and—
Xiao doesn’t make any sound, the tears sliding down his cheeks and his chin.
Venti for the first time in centuries hits the wrong note, his lyre slipping out of his grip. “Huh? You’re crying? Why?!” Xiao hides his face between his hands, attempting to get up. “Wait!” Venti pulls on his forearm to tug him back down, thankfully Xiao does sit back down without much of a fight.
Venti rubs a hand on his back soothingly, hoping the touch could bring him some comfort. “Hey…” The bard was struggling to calm the Adeptus down. What could have possibly made him cry? Venti leans closer and does the only thing he can think of. He hums a tender lullaby.
It takes a second, but eventually, Xiao calms down, his hands dropping down to show pink cheeks and pouty lips. “My— please accept my apology, for losing control of myself in front of you like this. Your music is just—”
“—Oh no, it’s fine, you’re okay.” Venti uses the end of his sleeve to dry Xiao’s eyes. The soul-wrenching sadness he can see reflected at him in those stunning pools of melting gold makes his breath hatch. Venti can just tell the unending suffering this Adeptus has gone through.
The second his eyes landed on him, Venti had felt the darkness that was dragging him down, had hoped to play for him something that would calm his injured soul, to do what he couldn’t do for Dvalin. He hadn’t known how much Xiao was yearning for such a relief.
Venti flings himself at the Yaksha, engulfing him in a hug. Said Yaksha lets out an ‘oof’ while still holding up Venti’s weight. Arms wrapping around Venti instinctively, not wanting him to drop to the floor.
Venti doesn’t know for how long he stays in the Yaksha’s arms, all that he knows he snaps out of it when Xiao calls to him. “Venti.” Despite how hoarse his voice was Venti found it soothing, grounding even as he pulls back the flood of emotion that threatened to drown him. The bard tightened his hold for one last time before quickly letting go of him, running a hand across his eyes to wipe a tear. Slowly backing away, though still having a hand on Xiao’s elbow. “Anyway, ahem—” He forced a smile back on, determined to lighten the mood, picking his discarded lyre back up. “—What did you think about the song?”
It seemed like Xiao had calmed himself, his face had that impassive stare back on. The only giveaway that he was still affected is the pink that was coloring his cheeks and the confusion still spiraling in his eyes. “It was really beautiful. Are you sure there is nothing I can give in return for such a blessing?”
Venti fumbles for a second, surprised by him insisting to repay. How sweet. “You don’t have to,” Venti tells him, making sure Xiao understands how earnest he is.
Xiao rests his hand on top of Venti's. “I don’t have to but I want to.”
The image of the stoic Yaksha, beat up and bleeding, wobbling his way up a hill toward Venti’s state comes to mind, saying dispirit thanks for blessings and apologizing for trespassing. For a time Venti had been unsure if these images were real or just a creation of his imagination. After all he had been asleep at the time, and his subconscious was bleeding outward to watch over his people through the statue.
Over five hundred years he had seen this Yaksha over and over, every time he looked a bit more tired but eager to come and see him, to leave one more gift, simple but heartwarming. Even as the human who had worshiped him dwindled, this Adeptus never failed to come. Shy praises on his tongue as he laid down his favorite flower as an offering.
“Then,” Venti tugs on his braid, biting his lower lip, peering up cutely at Xiao through. “How about instead of leaving me flowers at my statue you just come and give them to me?”
Xiao pales, his lips part and his eyes widen. Any calmness that he had before evaporated. “Huh—?”
Using the hold, he still has on Xiao’s arm Venti pulls him closer so their shoulders are pressed together. Looking up at him with those pretty eyes. The smile Venti has on was cheeky, his heart fluttering with amusement and childish joy. Peeking behind him at the Liyue flowers that were dropped on the ground. “It was rather rude of Aether to steal them.”
Turning back to look at Xiao— thu-thump— oh.
Venti’s heart gives a startled throb to see the flustered expression on Xiao’s face. Cute. This was the same Yaksha straight-faced that acted nonchalant in front of the traveler a while ago, now a complete mess just from Venti acknowledging the sweet measures he takes to leave him offerings.
“How—?” He forces the words out, a hand covering the lower half of his face. “How did you know?”
Could it be Xiao was unaware— “Archons are connected to their statues of the seven, I can always tell what happens around it.” Venti is embarrassed by how his voice cracked.
“Everything?!” Panic was flashing in his golden eyes, the sharp end of his fangs digging into his lip. “I— didn’t mean to offend you with—“
“Calm down.” Venti cuts him off with a laugh, sits up on his knees so he is facing Xiao. “I’m not offended. I’m actually very flattered.”
“Flattered? “Xiao says it slowly as if testing the feel of the word in his mouth. Almost as if he didn’t hear this word in association with himself before. Can he stop tugging at Venti’s heart in such a painful way?
“Yes! And as I was saying, I would like it more if you give me your offering personally.” He winks at him and gets a blank look in return.
“I can’t… my duty to Liyue comes first.” Xiao averts his eyes to look at the dying fire across from them. “It’s not acceptable of me to ignore my contract to go searching for you.”
Venti buffs his cheeks, annoyed that Morax’s stupid contract is getting in his way but he doesn’t back down, he had hoped to develop a friendship with this handsome Yaksha so he wasn’t going to let that stop him. “How about I come to find you then?”
“But, lord Barbatos—” Venti was about to flick him again but Xiao quickly corrected himself. “—Venti, you can’t come all the way to Liyue for a silly offering.”
“I don’t think it’s silly, but you’re right, I guess you will have to show me around too.” Xiao looked dazed, shyly leaning away from Venti. “And to even things out, I will sing you a song for every bouquet you hand me.”
“You don’t have to.” He mumbles to the ground, fidgeting with his necklace.
“Um? What was it you said a while ago, I don’t have to but I want to.” Xiao finally raises his eyes to lock with Venti, and they just sit there looking at each other for a while, a delightful breeze blowing by them. “So? Do you accept?”
Xiao finally picks up the Qingxin bouquet holding it up to Venti with trembling hands, bright eyes, and a red face. “If that’s what you want I could never deny you.”
What sweet words, they might be directed at the Barbatos and not Venti but that is to be expected they didn’t know each other that well yet, but Venti knows that they will have time. And maybe one day Xiao would be saying them to Venti the bard and not the Anemo Archon.
Venti giggles, his own cheeks heating up for a reason he couldn’t understand. He takes the flower from Xiao. “It’s a promise then, you should expect my visit next year.”
Aether listened from afar, Paimon sleeping in his arms. Contemplating how he can get these two a chance to see each other sooner than they planned.