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Xiao followed behind Zhongli, keeping his eyes open, glancing side to side. Was there danger? Was there some monster going to attack them? He clutched his weapon closer to him.
“Xiao, please, you don’t need to be on high alert all the time, relax,” Zhongli sighed.
Xiao ignored the archon.
Xiao had never been this way to Mondstadt, or to Mondstadt at all. He wished he could have prepared more for this journey, but this trip was very last minute. Zhongli had decided that he wanted to go to this bar for some reason… Xiao wasn't really interested, he just went to protect Zhongli, like he had done for hundreds of years.
“Almost there Xiao,” cooed Zhongli, taking another step towards the city.
Xiao's eyes widened at the view, there in the middle of a lake was a city, not like Liyue. Walls so high you could only see the top of the Cathedral and the spinning windmill. Xiao squinted trying to work out what the grey pillar was next to the cathedral but they were too far away to see properly.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come and get a drink with me Xiao? I heard the traveller will be serving the drinks, I know you have taken a particular liking to them,” he smirked.
“No. It’s okay. I’m only here to protect.”
“If you say so,” Zhongli flicked his hand in the air almost as if he was knocking away Xiao's words, or swatting a fly, Xiao wasn't sure.
They continued to walk toward the city, slowly getting closer, the statue became clearer and sharper to Xiao's vision.
A boy with his hood up, two plaits framing his face, his hands reaching out almost cupping the sky.
It was the man who granted his wish, freedom.
Yet he was still trapped. Trapped with this archon in a contract he had no say in. He had been doing this for far too long, but his contract didn’t have an expiry date. It’s not like he could even tear it apart and just run away. That wasn’t an option. Not right now.
The city drew nearer and nearer, Xiao could see the entry gates, the bridge stretching across a beautiful blue lake. A guard posted on either side of the gate looked a little silly to Xiao, they looked like they couldn’t even kill a slime.
Xiao chuckled to himself.
Zhongli shot him a glare.
“What’s got you laughing Xiao?”
“Nothing sir,” he sighed. They walked across the bridge and into Mondstadt. Zhongli took a sharp right turn after entering.
“I’m heading this way to Angels Share… Are you sure you aren't joining me?”
“No sir”
“Alright, I’ll come fetch you when I’m done.” Zhongli turned on his heels and walked off waving his hand back to Xiao.
Xiao looked up the staircase. There at the top was a little fountain the people were surrounding, throwing mora into. There was a Katherine, just like in Liyue, and a shopkeeper on the other side. Houses towering over the little adeptus.
Xiao spotted the top of the Cathedral. “The statue…” Xiao thought to himself as he took the first step up the stairs. Dodging people as they walked down the stairs and moved across landings, but Xiao’s eyes were set on seeing that statue. Going around the fountain and up more stairs, Xiao wondered if it was easier to climb the walls, sure inconvenient but would be so much quicker.
Turning right going up yet another staircase.
Xiao still fixated on that statue, coming more and more visible with each step. Until finally it was there, right in front of him. Pillars circled the statue with a pond in the middle, people preaching the word of Barbados and bards singing his praise, telling stories of heroes and love.
Xiao scoffed at their foolishness, seriously who are they fooling? He pondered to himself.
Yet something was just so striking about that statue, that face, Xiao really admired the craftsman ship. He was drawn closer and closer, reaching out his hand to touch it.
“What do you think you’re doing?” cooed a voice.
Xiao shot a look towards the direction of the voice. He looked left and right and behind him… No one was looking at him.
“Yoohoo, up here!” sang the voice again.
Xiao looked up, there in the statues hands was a person, plaits like the statue, a green beret and a green cape lightly brushing the wind.
“Are you lost? Do you need a hand?”
Xiao just looked up at him, in silence.
“Wow, don't reply to me then. Rude,” he sang. He turned away to pick up a lyre and started strumming it. “You could always join me up here!”
“H… how?” Xiao replied.
“Oh you finally answered me! Just climb the statue, duh!” the bard hummed to himself, loudly enough that people around the statue could hear.
They looked very annoyed. Xiao could hear whispers of “ugh that bard again”, “what’s he even doing?” “did you hear that he hasn’t paid the Angels Share in months! He drinks there all the time!” “he’s so broke, maybe he should get a job!” Xiao gripped the statue with his fingers as he started to climb, getting more and more concerned as to how this bard got up here. Gripping harder as he finally pulled himself up onto the status arms he saw a figure sitting in the hands playing away, humming to himself.
“Welcome to Mondstadt stranger!” sang the voice as he turned to look at him, his plaits floating in the wind, his cape fluttering behind him. “Come sit next to me, tell me your story and I might write you a song eheh!”
Xiao shuffled towards him, with every step along the statue's arms a new sensation grew in his stomach. This person felt familiar, despite not remembering him at all, but he felt safe around him. He sat down next to the bard of the statue's hands.
“So,” the bard cooed. “Where are you from?”
“Liyue”
“Ooh I have a… an acquaintance in Liyue, we haven't spoken in a while. Do you like it there?”
Xiao shrugged in response.
“This song is going to suck if you don’t give proper answers, now what do you do in Liyue? Any hobbies? What’s your job?”
“I… fight?”
“A WARRIOR! Ooh exciting! Tell me about some battles you’ve won!” the bard strummed a little on his lyre humming a bit louder as he tried to figure out the perfect song.
“Well,”
“WAIT…” the bard interrupted. “Don't tell me. Not just yet I need to figure out this chord…” He plucked away at strings, making different songs each time. “Okay I think I have the base for this song! I can’t wait to perform it for master Diluc, he might finally forget about my little debt to him” he winked at Xiao.
Xiao blushed looking away from him.
“Well tell me your life’s story!”
“Uhm… That's a very long timeline,”
“Well then how about just the most important parts?”
“Fine,” Xiao replied. He started telling the bard about his life, starting life as a bird, the five yaksha’s, his debt, Zhongli and Lantern Right. The bard listened closely, noting every detail in his mind creating a beautiful picture within.
“Wow, that's so fascinating!” he gleamed. His eyes sparkled with ambition and wonder at each word that left this beautiful person's lips. “How did you get your vision?” he cooed.
“I…” Xiao stuttered.
“It’s okay, I already know” the bard hummed.
“How?”
“Isn't it obvious?”
“No?”
“Oh well allow me to introduce myself to you then!” He stood up and brushed himself down as he hummed a little tune. He started to sing lightly as he spoke “My name is Venti the Bard! Well, currently. You however might know me as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.” He turned to Xiao and winked at him. “So it’s technically my fault you have that vision!”
“I wouldn't call it a failing?”
“Oh really? So what would you call it then?”
“A… surprise?”
“I see! Well I’ll keep that in mind.” He paused. “So why are you here?”
“Well, Zhongli is-”
“ZHONGLI IS HERE? Goodness we have to go!” He grabbed Xiao’s wrist and bent his knees, looking like he was ready to pounce.
“What why?”
“I do not want another mountain in my face!” He leapt from the hands of the statue, pulling Xiao down with him. As they fell Xiao gripped Venti’s hand harder, he squeezed his eyes shut putting all trust in this tiny bard… God? Xiao wasn’t sure what to call him. Suddenly Xiao was jerked up in the air and felt his whole body go from slightly horizontal to completely vertical. Floating calmly through the air.
“Flying is always faster!” Venti cooed down to him.
Xiao smiled a little, blushing slightly to himself.
Xiao looked around the city, the buildings were gorgeous from above, he saw people interacting together, buying this from shops, petting cats and throwing pennies into the fountain. They dropped by the gates and venti sprinted for the bridge. “Come on slowpoke” he giggled as he ran.
Xiao smirked and ran alongside him, Xiao was a good runner, taking little sprints every now and then, passing through a flock of pigeons and reaching the other side way faster than Venti. He turned around, hands on hips looking quite proud of himself. Venti slowly jogged up to him.
“Wow, you're really fast!!!” Venti said panting, putting his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.
“Yup.”
“Not much of a talker are you?”
“No.”
“Right well… Want to go to my favourite spot in this country? Well second, the first is Diluc’s bar, but Zhongli is there so we’ll just avoid it for now! Well, shall we?” Venti held out his hand, Xiao’s eyes widened in surprise, he blushed slightly as he took it. Venti jerked him forward towards his spot.
They followed paths, dodged some hilichurls and some slimes, and finally they reached it. A huge tree towering over them both, with a statue of Venti in front of it.
“Here it is! The Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, my second favourite spot!” He skipped up to it and sat down carefully on the grass at the base of the trunk, beckoning Xiao to come sit next to him. Xiao wandered up slowly and sat next to him, leaning against the trunk. Venti shuffled closer.
“Thank you for coming here with me! It means a lot.”
“Thank you for bringing me here. It's so calm.”
“Yeah, it makes me happy, sitting here, beneath the tree, the sun gleaming through the leaves and the view is spectacular!”
Xiao glanced out at the view, it was indeed spectacular. He could see the city in all its glory, the river around it and so many fields filled with flowers and the breeze making the grass and trees dance. Xiao never felt so at peace, he shut his eyes slowly taking in all of the atmosphere around him.
Xiao felt something touch his cheek. He wasn't sure what but it jerked him up and he looked at what was causing it. Venti had his lips puckered slightly next to him, leaning into Xiao. Venti quickly stood up, feeling a bit embarrassed for himself.
“Come visit me again, Xiao? I missed you.” He winked as he scattered off into the woods. Xiao reached out to him as if to call him back but he was still too stunned to speak. He turned his hand to his cheek, a kiss? His first kiss on the cheek. The first sense of yearning, happiness and excitement. Was this love? Surely not, they had just met that day.
But something in Xiao stirred. Like he wanted to spend more time with Venti, to explore more worlds with him, to take him to his favourite place, he wanted… more Venti.
He definitely was in love.