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If someone were to talk about Xiao and Venti’s relationship, they would probably call it a bit atypical. Venti was what people would call a sunflower in a way: bright, cheerful, and oddly attentive to the ones around him even when it appears he’s goofing off. Of all the members of 4NEMO, Venti had the second biggest fan following next to Xiao. Speaking of Xiao, he was a contrast to Venti on all accounts, often referred to as a mysterious guy with an awkwardness around strangers and a bitter attitude. Fans like to compare him to a cat, someone who comes and goes while picking and choosing his handlers carefully. Really its this cool and cold behavior that netted him the most groupies. Still, if there was one thing you could say that they shared, it was a dedication to music and putting out nothing but the best for 4NEMO’s fans. The two were actually a duo before being drafted into their current company, and their prior popularity was a good head start for everyone.
Xiao was inherently protective over all of the current 4NEMO members, they had grown to be his family over the couple of years they’ve performed together. However, he was especially protective over Venti, though he liked to claim that it’s mainly because Venti get up to the most troublesome behavior. Aether comments that he doesn’t go out of his way to stop the ‘troublesome’ behavior either. This was exactly the problem tonight, where Venti had gotten caught up in a drinking game with Kaeya from their fellow group DCKZ. ‘A childish name.’ he thinks; an he isn’t alone given the look of absolute disdain Diluc gave them when their manager introduced them.
If Venti was drinking, that meant Xiao would have a long night ahead of him trying to keep Venti from making a mockery of himself. For awhile, He was accompanied by Diluc who was monitoring his own share of trouble...i.e. Kaeya; but after about half an hour one of his group mates came to fetch him. Xiao had to fish a bit for his name, but eventually landed on it, ‘Childe’. It was a stage name, but when questioned he said its because his name was a trade secret that only his close friends knew. Xiao had scoffed and rolled his eyes, he didn’t do well with Childes personality type and he didn’t trust the guy no matter what Zhongli told him. The guy came and collected Diluc, and upon noticing the redhead was conflicted on leaving Xiao to monitor them on his own the distant man shoo’d him away.
This left him to watch the two impossible drunkards alone, but it wasn’t too long after when they both wound up calling it quits due to the barkeep cutting them off.
“Thank Fuck.” He said under his breath.
Venti looked like he was going to fall over so while Kaeya wandered over to go sit with Zhongli and watch whatever show was going on at the dancefloor, Xiao lead his friend towards the clubs bathroom. ‘Friend’. Yeah, that’s what they were, and thats all that Xiao would allow them to be, even if his heart yearned for more. He knew the dangers of dating within the group and he was reluctant to break his personal rule; the members of DCKZ did not appear to have the same restraint if the arm he saw his old friend slip around that drunkards waist was any indication. Not that it was any of his business of course, and he returned his focus to Venti as they reached the bathrooms.
The moment they were in, Venti made a break for one of the stalls and Xiao panicked briefly, at least until he heard the familiar hurling noises. Xiao rolled his eyes and let out a small sigh.
“What did you think was going to happen, drinking with abandon like that. You shouldn’t have let him goad you into going on. I know you can hold your liquor but even I know that was past your limits.”
He got a groan in response.
“Lecture later, Water now~”
The mans voice was light hearted but didn’t care the usual airy quality, likely due to the fact he just upheaved everything he’d eaten. Xiao walked over to the stall and scrunched up his nose at the stink, he hated the smell of it but had unfortunately grown used to it over the years. The first thing he pulled out of his bag were wipes.
“Like hell, clean your face up first, Ven.”
Handing the drunk mess on the floor wipes, he watched the other pout as he wiped down his face and hands. Only once that was done did Xiao produce a waterbottle and unscrew the cap; Venti’s movements were uncoordinated so Xiao knelt down to help him drink. It was a slow process as Xiao was worried drinking too fast would only unsettle Venti’s stomach more but eventually he got the man to get everything down.
“Ehehe~ thanks, Xiao. You’re the best!”
Xiao gave a noncommittal noise in response and lightly pat Venti’s head before moving to toss the bottle. The Ideal situation would be to rest until Venti was well enough that they were confident he wouldn’t puke all over the floor, but unfortunately if they were absent for too long someone would come looking. He was contemplating what to do at the sink when a foriegn weight pressed itself against his back and slipped their arms around his midsection. Amber eyes hardly shifted at all, recognizing it immediately, but a faint blush still creeped up onto his face.
“Xiao~! Lets go party!! Everyone’s probably having loads of fun without us, you know.”
A deep breath, and then he settled down a bit, reaching to try and pry off the unfortunately very cute leech. From the loud sounds of cheering over the music he could hear, Venti was probably right.
“Well we can’t go anywhere if you don’t let go of me.”
The arms tightened and his eye twitched hearing the other hum into his back pretending to contemplate the idea of letting him go.
“No. I wanna stay like this~” Came the whiny reply.
‘He’s going to kill me. One day he’s actually going to kill me, I know it.”
Xiao wasn’t stupid, he knew Venti was doing it on purpose. They’ve had this conversation before, 3 times actually, that they couldn’t act on anything now that they were better known. Part of him never let him forget how much it sat in the back of Venti’s mind, troubling him. Sometimes Xiao caught him looking dejectedly at an old photo the two of them took their first year of university before they dropped out to perform. It was a self inflicted poison, and the shorter man claimed to understand and tried really hard to respect it; but it was hard. Because of the deep seeded guilt perhaps, he allowed Venti to cling to him, Venti was a touch more clingy when he was inebriated.
Venti kept him there, awkwardly working to organize the bag again for maybe five minutes if Xiao’s mental clock could be trusted. Finally, the vocalist released Xiao and the rapper finally remembered how to breathe again. Face still flushed he slung the bag over his shoulder again and looked over at Venti. He saw the normally cheerful male stare at his own hands with longing, as if missing the warmth Xiao produced but just as quickly as he saw it, it was gone and Venti was grinning with newfound joy.
“Alright~! Let’s go!”
Xiao watched him book it to the door and he hurried after him with an exasperated expression.
“Hey! Wait up, if you move too fast you’ll make yourself sick again!”
By the time Xiao had gotten out of the bathroom, Venti had mingled in with the other guests and Xiao lost sight of him. Anxious, he walked around a bit, taking note of the new surroundings as he went. The members of DCKZ were chatting over by one of the far tables next to the dancefloor but notably Diluc wasn’t with them. Had he left early? Xiao didn’t blame him, he wasn’t much of a party person either. He wouldn’t participate much in the either if it wasn’t for Venti. Speaking of…
“Where did he go..?!”
“If you’re looking for Venti, Xiao, he ran out towards the crowded part of the dance floor.”
Looking to his left he saw Aether, smiling wearily.
“What did he go all the way out there for? He just finished spitting up everything we ate back home.”
“Hate to break it to you, man? But he’s probably running from you.”
“Me??”
Aether raised a brow at the others confusion.
“Uh, Yeah. Look, It’s probably hard for outsiders to notice, but the two of you reek of unresolved feelings. You’re not the only one who pays an ungodly amount of attention to others. Kazuha’s been fretting about Venti all week because of it.”
Xiao felt a sour taste settle in his mouth, and it must’ve shown on his face because Aether let out a laugh.
“What are you laughing at?!” He snapped.
“You. Listen, Xiao. I know about your rule, all of us do considering you and Venti have the same conversation every 6 months; but maybe you could relent? You’re not children, and Venti understands the risks.”
Being lectured by Aether was new. Not that Aether was meek or anything, but it wasn’t often he was so forward either. Xiao let out a frustrated sigh.
“Its just not a good idea, if it gets-”
“If it gets out, we’ll handle it. We’re not DCKZ, fanservice isn’t our sell point and never has been. Hearts’ll break but its not as if you dating him is going to get in the way of anything.”
“And if we broke up?” He supplies as a last effort to get out of it.
“You’d die first.”
‘Fair point.’ Xiao’s brain supplies unhelpfully.
Theres a sigh from Xiao and Aether cheers mentally over the little victory he’s just won for both himself and Venti.
“So?”
“I’ll...talk to him. Probably.”
“Close enough,” Aether starts, throwing an arm around Xiao and smiling brightly.
“Now lets go have ourselves a release party!”
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. 4NEMO .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
Xiao stared at his reflection in the mirror of his bathroom, checking himself over for the night. Frankly the most he’d done was shower and change, so there wasn’t a need to think this hard but he was stalling. Venti hadn’t talked to him for the entire night and even after they dropped Kazuha as well as Aether at the apartment just below them it had been quiet. Xiao tried small talk but Venti would only reply shortly before going back to humming the new tune he’d been working on recently. He tells himself this is ridiculous and with a final look in the mirror he leaves the bathroom and goes looking for the other.
He found him, leaning against the railing outside on their back porch and for a moment Xiao didn’t want to bother him. Venti looked peaceful; swaying to whatever imaginary song was playing in his head. Amber eyes were downcast as he realized Venti was looking at the picture again, maybe Aether was right. This was cruel to them both, and Xiao was willfully ignoring how much more it hurt Venti than himself. Xiao sighed for the umpteenth time and slid open the glass door.
Venti jumped, and instinctively locked his phone again before turning around to awkwardly wave at Xiao. Unlike Xiao, Venti was still dressed in party clothes, so he must’ve been out here for awhile now. At least the other was sober...enough?
“Hey…~”
“It’s the middle of the night, aren’t you cold?” Xiao asked, walking over and leaning against the railing to Venti’s right.
The city was really pretty at night, and he often found himself grateful that their apartment level was so far up.
“Psh, you know better than that. While i’m drunk? I’m unstoppabl-”
Venti’s comment was cut off by a loud sneeze, causing Xiao to smirk.
“Oh yeah? Unstoppable are you?”
“Shut up..!”
No. He doesn’t think he will.
“Look, I…”
Xiao wasn’t used to being open or vulnerable, and even though it was Venti he was talking too it was still hard. Hard to admit that he was being unfair, and cruel. Hard to admit that he was wrong. His right hand balls into a fist as it dangles over the railing.
“I’m sorry, Ven.”
Now that got the others attention, and Venti looked over with mild confusion. Still, Venti knew how Xiao worked and if Venti cut him off then the other would never finish. So he let him continue when he was ready.
“For the past year, and how I’ve acted in regards to…”
Vaguely, he gestures to the other and then himself.
“Its...scary. It used to be just us. Just you and your voice and me with my bass, against the entire fucking world.”
Xiao’s brows furrowed slightly as he genuinely thought about how long it’s been.
“Now we have a group, and theres so many people watching us. There’s so many more eyes than there used to be, and stardom comes with new responsibilities.”
Venti wanted to laugh, but held it in. He knew where Xiao was coming from, always had, and that’s why he always tried so hard to put up with it.
“If this is another ‘we can’t-” He started.
“It’s not.” Xiao voiced quickly, straightening up and gripping the rail with both hands.
“It’s not,” He says again, almost as if to reassure himself.
“Aether got me thinking earlier, when you ran off.”
‘Ah,’ Venti thinks. ‘So thats what the knowing gaze was for.’
“Go on.” The vocalist supplies, relaxing his posture.
“He’s right. We’re not kids anymore, and you’re not totally irresponsible. I was being unnecessarily tough on you over something that shouldn’t have been a big deal. Whatever happens, we’d deal with it, like we always have.”
Venti felt his chest squeeze, and his breath stopped. He watched Xiao fidget anxiously, running his fingers through his own hair as if he was prepping to pour peroxide on an open wound. Even this, Xiao, open and scared, was so lovable to him. It didn’t matter to him that they were opposites or whatever the heck people online talked about. Not once did Venti ever regret calling out to the other that day in the rain where Xiao was screaming his heart out like no one could hear it. The sound was so raw and Venti wanted to hear it more, now he could, all the time whenever he wanted.
“So…?” He supplies, hoping the excitement doesn’t show in his voice.
“Ugh..you’re really going to make me say it aren’t you?”
“Mhm~ I’ve waited at least a year, I deserve that much.”
Finally, Xiao face Venti completely, his face aglow with the lights of the city and the red of embarrassment.
“Fine. I am...unfortunately very in love with you.”
“Unfortunately?!”
The two men broke into laughter. It was one of the hardest fits they’ve had in awhile and Venti almost couldn’t bring himself to stand up again. Reaching to grab Xiao for support, the pair finally managed to catch their breath. Now that it was over with, Venti hoped Xiao realized how stupid it was. As the silence drew on, Venti moved first to break the tension, settling his arms around Xiao’s waist and leaning up to press his lips to Xiao’s. A gesture that was returned earnestly, and for awhile the world disappear, leaving no one but them. It was a kiss holding years worth of emotion and both were loath to cut it short.
“Alright, Alright. Lets get you inside and to bed.”
Xiao said while making face.
“Hey! There’s no way im a bad kisser.”
“No, but I can still taste the brandi, and it’s disgusting.”
Venti let himself be lead inside by Xiao, definitely laughing at the mans face.
✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. 4NEMO .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿
The moment he heard the door closed, Aether gagged.
“Now Aether, that’s not nice.” Came the soft voice of Kazuha from behind him.
“Please. It was so sweet I wanted to choke, Kazuha.”
“It was hard for him, you know that.” Kazuha chides.
“Yeah yeah..” A sigh.
“Man, this is so unfair. When am I going to get a cute partner?!”
Kazuha hummed in the appearance of being thoughtful but offered nothing else up.
“Come inside Aether, Xiao’s right. It’s cold.”