Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was another day for school.

Which meant more torture to the students.

Xiao sighed, rubbing his eyes as he awoke, only to find his friend in brown pigtails sitting on top of him.

"AHHH!" Xiao screamed, pushing the girl off him.

The girl just giggled. "Sorry Xiao~" she teased. "I am just waiting for you to wake up~"

"Don't you ever try to do that ever again, Tao." Xiao said weakly, killing his alarm clock. "And how did you break into my house?"

His older sister from outside the room just chuckled. "Your friend climbed over the pear tree right outside your window," she said.

"Come on!" Hu Tao whined. "We're going to be late!"

Xiao only rolled his eyes, fixing his bed. "Wait for me downstairs." He said. "And don't try to do anything!"

●●●

As Xiao and Hu Tao entered the school building, someone was running towards their classroom, crashing into Xiao on the process.

"Ow!" Xiao hissed.

His eyes suddenly softened at the figure in front of him.

"Oh. It's just you," he said.

The love of his life, Venti, only giggled, grabbing his things on the floor.

"Hi there," Venti said flatly, standing up at once and quickly rushing to his classroom.

Hu Tao frowned, her eyes trailing after him. "That's weird," she noticed. "He's usually cheerful..."

"Shut up, Tao," Xiao grumbled, slapping her arm. ("Hey! Meanie," Hu Tao pouted.) "He's also going through a lot outside of school. Don't talk like that,"

"Let's just go inside our classroom," Hu Tao said, yanking Xiao away and inside the classroom.

●●●

History was a bit neater than usual, especially when it's Xiao's father teaching it. Also, it's the only subject he didn't share with Hu Tao, which means no one annoying him (in a friendly way.)

Besides from the girl, he also has his own squad, which consists of his little crush, lovers Kazuha and Scaramouche, the sly Heizou, and the admin Aether. Xiao usually hangs out with them on school hours, for Hu Tao was busy flirting with a law-obsessed person, the love of her life.

"Why isn't Venti joining us?" Aether noticed, seeing him sit alone on one lunch table and writing something on his diary.

Heizou sighed. "Those blokes Signora and a few others must be making him again," he muttered. "He's been quite distant lately."

Xiao only remained silent, eating his food as Venti walked away. The group knew it was better to let him be with his thoughts, rather than bother him more.

"Anyways, we're going to eat out later," Kazuha said, lying on his boyfriend's shoulder. "Are all of you in?"

"My mom doesn't give two fucks about me away," Scaramouche said with a chuckle. "How about you three?"

"Of course! I hate missing out!" Heizou whined like some little kid.

Aether nodded. "Sure,"

They turned to Xiao. "Hey... maybe you can invite Venti over so he can forget his problems for a while," Heizou said. Then excitedly, he added. "Maybe, just maybe, you can confess to him!"

"Stupid," Xiao grumbled, although he was also blushing at the idea. "Well... I'll think about it,"

"Of course you will!" Aether said, pumping his fist in the air.

"To ruin the moment, can we get all of our notebooks so we can review on our upcoming test in mathematics?" Kazuha requested.

The others groaned. "You don't have to remind us, Zuha," Scaramouche groaned.

●●●

It was dismissal, and Xiao was waiting for his friends outside. (They have biology and were dissecting frogs for a while).

Speaking of frogs, Venti came into view, wearing a frog sweater. Sometimes, Xiao wondered if Venti has a thing or two for frogs.

And he realized; this could be the only chance to ask him.

"Venti?" He called out softly.

"Oh!" The latter giggled, turning on to him. "Hello there!"

"You look cute in that frog hoodie by the way,"

Venti blushed, slapping Xiao lightly. "Cheesy of you to say so. You rarely give compliments."

Xiao nodded, before saying. "I was wondering if you could come with us to hang out,"

His heart pounded, waiting for the response.

"I would love to, but..." Venti frowned.

Xiao only placed his hands on both the shoulders. "Look. Signora and the others are just trying to make you feel bad about yourself. Just ignore them. You have us you know," he muttered.

"Thanks," Venti chuckled. "I don't know why they keep picking on me,"

True to his word, Xiao, Aether, Heizou, Kazuha, and Scaramouche had known each other for long before Venti arrived.

"You don't have to isolate yourself. Loosen up,"

"Like you ever tried to loosen up yourself,"

Xiao frowned, while Venti giggled. "Well, I have some assignments to do, so... maybe we can hang out tomorrow?" He said.

"Of course," Xiao said.

Venti nodded. "Thanks,"

Then he ran away, which exactly timed the end of third period.

"Man, it's like the frog is going to attack us or something!" Heizou complained.

"Poor frog," Aether agreed.

"I forgot, is Venti coming?" Kazuha asked to Xiao.

Xiao shook his head. "Nope. He has some tasks to do,"

●●●

After hanging out, Xiao baded goodbye to his friends, to see Childe pulling over towards him.

"Hey there!" He said. "Lets go,"

Xiao sighed, boarding in the car before Childe drove off.

And something caught Xiao's attention. A crowd was surrounding a building, and a nurse was pulling a dead body inside the ambulance.

"Witnesses said it was suicide," a news reported was saying. "Here is the note.."

Suicide? Xiao thought, his heart beating anxiously.

By the time the two had got home, Xiao tossed his bag onto the corner of his room before face planting in the bed.

He knew that someone in the stretcher was a familliar face, although he tried sleeping it off.

Chapter Text

Xiao had a strange dream.

He dreamt of someone. And by someone, I meant Venti.

The dream was strange. Venti was running, like someone was chasing him. Then he jumped off something, but before Xiao can tell, the dream consisted of a few other weird things. A notebook in flames, and someone saying.

"You do not deserve to live,"

As the dream continues, it was getting more intense. Bloody. And screaming.

"GAHH!!" Xiao yelped, sitting up straight on his bed. It was still 4 in the morning, and school doesn't start till 7 in the morning.

"What happened to Venti?" Xiao whispered to himself.

His eyes still felt heavy, and he was gazing outside the dark sky tiredly.

His eyes then widened. "No, he can't- no..."

The thing the dream Venti jumped off- it must be a building. In realization, was Venti the familliar figure he had seen in the stretcher?

Then he slipped under the sheets, crying himself back to sleep.

●●●

Xiao felt weird. It's like someone was on top of him (go cleanse your minds idiots >:()

He opened his eyes. Someone was on top of him. It's-

"HU TAO!!" Xiao yelled, nearly smacking her face with his pillow. "I told you- stop doing that!!"

"I don't remember the last time you have told me that," Hu Tao said with a chuckle. "Anyways, I'm sorry Xiao, I am just waiting for you to wake up~"

Xiao only sighed. "Don't ever try doing that again this time, or else,"

Hu Tao giggled, hopping off him as Xiao proceeded to stretch, standing up from bed.

Ganyu poked her head around Xiao's bedroom door. "Just a fun fact, your friend climbed over the pear tree right outside your window," she said with a giggle.

"Come on!" Hu Tao whined, tugging at Xiao's arm. "We're going to be late!"

Xiao stiffened, feeling a strange sense of deja vu as he swatted her hand away like yesterday.

"Wait for me downstairs, and don't try to do anything," Xiao grumbled.

Hu Tao then proceeded to skip downstairs as Xiao hoped that his dream is just a dream.

●●●

"Venti isn't dead," Xiao muttered to himself, as he and Hu Tao entered the school building. "Don't think about it. Don't-"

He was cutted off by someone running into him, crashing directly into Xiao.

"Ow!"

Then his eyes widened. There was Venti in the same frog sweater he had wore yesterday. Confused but also relieved at the same time, Xiao sighed in relief.

At least he didn't actually leap off the building. I know it's just a dream, he thought.

"Hi there," Venti said flatly, getting his things from the floor and quickly rushing to his classroom.

Hu Tao frowned, watching hm go. "That's weird," she said. "He's usually cheerful..."

Xiao sighed, slapping her in the arm.

"Hey! Meanie," Hu Tao pouted.

"He's going through a lot outside of school. Stop talking like that," Xiao scolded.

Hu Tao shrugged. "Let's just go inside our classroom," she said, yanking Xiao away and inside the classroom.

As they entered the classroom, Venti was writing something on his diary like yesterday. That's when Xiao started to freak out. But he didn't say anything, as he sat next to Hu Tao like yesterday.

And there, Science class has began.

●●●

After history class, Zhongli taught the same topic. The smallest detail Xiao remembered is that Xingqiu attempted to prank Chongyun for the kth time before class, and it went too far because Chongyun's pen was flung outside the open window.

Xiao for the first time, noticed that there is a commotion by the lockers. But the boy decided not to get involved. So he ran towards his squad, and sitting across the two gays as usual.

They chatted about stuff for a while, before Aether frowned.

"Why isn't Venti joining us?" He noticed.

Xiao craned his head around to see Venti sitting alone like yesterday, his back faced towards the group as he scribbled something on his diary.

A sigh escaped from presumably Heizou. "Those blokes Signora and a few others must be making him again," he muttered. "He's been distant lately,"

Xiao was now getting a bit more anxious, spinning around and eating his food. Why are they all saying the same thing as yesterday?

This must be a set-up. Xiao thought, watching Venti walk away from the corner of his eyes.

"Anyways, we're going to eat out later," Kazuha said, lying on his boyfriend's shoulder. "Are all of you in?"

Xiao turned to Scaramouche.

He will say his mother doesn't give a fuck or two, he predicted.

To his horror, he was correct. "My mom doesn't give two fucks about me away," Scaramouche said, chuckling. "How about you three?"

"Of course! I hate missing out!" Heizou whined.

"Sure," Aether nodded.

Xiao looked down, knowing that everyone will turn to him at that moment.

"Hey... maybe you can invite Venti over so he can forget his problems for a while," Heizou said. Then excitedly, he added. "Maybe, just maybe-"

"I can confess to him," Xiao finished unconsciously. "Yeah, I know that,"

Heizou pouted, while Kazuha, Scaramouche, and Aether looked at him in surprise.

"Anyways... I'll think about it," Xiao muttered, his face bright red in embarassment.

Aether chuckled. "Of course you will!" He said, pumping his fist in the air to cover the awkward moment.

Xiao then grabbed his math notebook, as Kazuha said "To ruin the moment, can we get all of our notebooks so we can review on our upcoming test in mathematics?"

The other three groaned. "You don't have to remind us, Zuha," Scaramouche grumbled.

Kazuha glanced at Xiao, who was scanning his notes.

Xiao on the other hand, felt that someone is watching him. He looked up to see a pair of calm red eyes watching him.

Kazuha only nodded, making Xiao a bit surprised.

That didn't happen yesterday.

●●●

It was dismissal, and Xiao proceeded to walk outside, texting his other dad that he will just eat out with his friends.

Then his eyes jerked upwards to see a sticky note on his locker.

He didn't really notice that yesterday. So he decided to take a look.

'BNK BUILDING, 7:00PM'

Isn't that Kazuha's building? Xiao thought, before heading outside.

Kazuha's parents, Beidou and Ningguang, worked hard enough so they are rich. Beidou sells cars, while Ningguang's a fashion designer. They met in an area behind Kazuha's house. Kazuha found them kissing on his yard.

So that's when they claimed Kazuha as their son.

As Xiao went outside the school premises, Venti came into view.

"Venti?" Xiao called out softly.

"Oh!" Venti giggled, turning on to Xiao. "Hello there!"

"Uh... you look cute in that frog sweater, by the way," Xiao said flatly, knowing well that he has said this yesterday.

Venti only blushed, slapping Xiao lightly on the shoulder. "Cheesy of you to say so," he said. "You rarely give compliments,"

Xiao nodded, before saying. "So... I was wondering if you could hang out with us," he said, scratching his nape knowing that Venti will say no, but indirectly.

"I would love to, but..." Venti frowned.

Xiao decided to change his wording. "Forget all your issues for a while okay? One day, we will run away together and start a new life, mmm?"

Venti only chuckled, deeply moved by his words. "Thanks," he said. "I don't know why the world is like this,"

That changed. Xiao thought.

"Loosen up," Xiao said simply, pulling Venti's hoodie over his face.

"Hey!"

Venti laughed. A small smile formed on Xiao's facd.

Then the laughing faded. "I have some assignments to do so... maybe we can hang out tomorrow?" Venti suggested.

Back to normal. Xiao thought.

"Of course," was all he could say.

"Thanks,"

Venti then ran ahead. Then a soft voice chuckled by the gate.

"That changed,"

Xiao jumped, seeing Kazuha leaning against the gate.

"How-"

"Man, it's like the frog is going to attack us or something!" Heizou complained.

"And you went ahead of us!" Scaramouche grumbled, giving his man a playful shove.

Aether only chuckled. "Poor frog," he said.

"I forgot, is Venti coming?" Kazuha asked to Xiao.

Xiao only deadpanned. "You know-"

Kazuha only stared back at him. The other three watched them in confusion.

"Nope," Xiao said with a sigh. "He has some tasks to do,"

"That's sad," Heizou muttered.

"Maybe he needs his alone time," Aether scolded, yanking the other off.

"Hey!"

"We'll talk about this tomorrow," Kazuha whispered to Xiao. "The moment you enter school, I must be by the fountain. Go there instead of following Hu Tao. Remind me of what happened today."

"But-"

"Shhh," Kazuha only said, as he chased after his boyfriend.

Things are getting stranger.

●●●

After hanging out, Xiao remembered the sticky note on his locker earlier. He texted Childe to pick him up there.

Then he studied the time. 6:50PM.

Then he ran, following Kazuha who was just chatting with Scaramouche.

Like some snatcher, Xiao ran past them and headed straight ahead.

"HEY!!!" Scaramouche yelled.

Xiao didn't look back.

●●●

It's Xiao's first time breaking and entering, for he never committed a crime on his life. There, he ran up the stairs, ignoring the security guards running after him.

Then, he reached the very top floor with an empty helicopter pad. And there, he saw a figure in a green frog sweater, standing by the edge.

Xiao's nightmare has came to life.

"V-Venti?" He called out shakily.

Venti looked back at him, his eyes blank and lost. "You mustn't be here Xiao. You will get us into trouble," he said lightly.

"What are you doing?" Xiao whispered, taking a few more steps forward.

"You don't understand," Venti said softly. "I can't bear with it anymore,"

"Look," Xiao said shakily. "Step off the edge and we can talk about this."

"You can't stop someone who is about to die," Venti muttered. "Get away now. You will get falsely accused for murder,"

Xiao didn't move. He stood there as a statue.

"Young man, what are you doing there-"

As light as a feather, Venti then jumped off the building.

"VENTI!!!"

Xiao cried, rushing over by the edge of the building where Venti has stood.

There he saw him, a pool of blood by the building.

"What happened there?" A purple-haired cat-like girl said irritably.

"Someone committed suicide," Xiao whispered, looking down at Venti's broken form.

The girl stood next to him and looked down. Then her eyes widened, before turning towards-

"Sister?" Xiao whispered again.

Ganyu looked at him, shcoked. "Oh Xiao!"

The next thing that happened, Xiao cried on Ganyu's shoulders, as his older sister hugged him back. "It's okay..." she whispered comfortingly. "He's in a better place now,"

"Call 911. Quick," Keqing muttered.

"What's going on here?" Childe's voice questioned. "What- Xiao?"

"His friend committed suicide in front of him," Ganyu muttered, letting go of her brother. "He'll need to go home and rest. This will be a traumatic and a horrific experience for him,"

Xiao's mind went blank. He can feel Childe comforting him on the ride home. He staggered like a zombie, dumping his bag on the couch and went straight to his room.

A few moments later, Zhongli's voice came.

"Son? Are you doing alright?"

"Yes," Xiao croaked.

"You'll need to get some rest. You have seen a lot today,"

Xiao sniffed, sinking underneath the sheets.

Ganyu can comfort him, but she works till midnight, making Xiao feel a bit lonely.

Hoping that he can reverse time, he cried himself to sleep.

Little does he know, everything will take a reset tomorrow.