Xiaoven college/modern AU

Chapter 1: Normal day

Cover by @xiaovenarchive on twitter 💕!
(No sexual things and swear words in this fanfic, may include fluff :3)

Narrative POV:

Xiao was quietly waiting for his friend, Venti, who appeared to be late again. Maybe he was playing a tune, a sweet melody.
"Sweet like him," Xiao whispered, "wait—he's my best friend! I-I can't think that!"
"Your actually whispering it, Xiao."
Xiao nearly had a heart attack; he thought it was going to be Venti, though it was only Hu Tao and her girlfriend Yanfei.
"Ehe~, looks like someone's got a crush~!"
"N-no, it's not like that! I-I..it's a friend way!"
"Hmm.. I'm still gonna tease you about it!"
"Taooo!"
"What? He doesn't mind, right, Xiao?"
"Uh..sure I don't.."
"Seee?"
"Come on, Tao, let's sit down."
Xiao suddenly realized that the teacher wasn't there yet. Typical of Ms Jean, waking up late.
Venti suddenly burst through the door, and very clearly, Xiao's face turned red with blush for a second.
This only attracted a few eyes, and thankfully Hu Tao wasn't looking.
"Heeey, how's my bestest bestie doing?? I got you lunch!!"
"Lunch..? You didn't have..to," Xiao mumbled, but loud enough for Venti to hear, "I.. don't want to cause you the trouble."
"Heeey, it was no problem! I'm your best bud! That's what friends doo~!"
"Friends..." Xiao murmured.
"Besides, I got sweet almond tofu and—"
"There may be room for exceptions." Xiao suddenly said.
"Ehehehe~!"
Venti's laugh was so enthusiastic and sweet. Xiao could just listen to it over and over again, without getting bored.
Suddenly Aether also burst in.
"Hey Venti, hey Xiao whatcha doin'??"
Ugh. Xiao thought. I already have to deal with one over-hyped person. Could you not add to the list??
"Oooooh, did you guys kiss yet??" Aether asked eagerly.
Xiao nearly spat out the water in my mouth.
It came out with a weird choke noise.
"H-hey, you don't wanna make Xiao choke, do you? Ehe..ehe.."
"You just made things a lot more awkward.. traveller.."
"Eheheh, have you been traveling more?" Venti quickly changed the subject.
Ms Jean came in and said, "Oh, wow! Ten minutes late! I mean it's not wow in a good way, but.." she started to pant.
"Lisa—I mean, Ms Lisa, insisted on having breakfast together and.. I couldn't find my sheets.. huh..
Xiao, you are more red than I am, is it really that hot in here?
The whole class suddenly turned at Xiao.
"Um, it's nothing.." though he was still bright red.
"If you say so, but do tell me if—"
"I'm fine."
"Oh, uh, great!"
Xiao had just realized: when Aether had made that joke, Venti didn't seem to imply that they were 'just friends'. He just tried to change the subject.
Does he like me?
What
What
Am I still red??
"Xiao? You're still red.." Ms Jean said.
All eyes were upon him. Again.
"I guess it must be the karma issue!" Someone shouted.
The whole class started whispering.
Xiao couldn't but be struck with a wave of sadness.
He could never forget or forgive for what happened that day.
Xiao had a small group of friends. They were friends since forever.
They had quite the movements. They eliminated threats. But one day, a massive threat appeared; a demon. It was made out of goo and was formed by chemicals.
They defeated it but at a cost. Some sort of thing had infected them. Little had gone on Xiao, but he still suffered from it. A lot of it had gone on his companions.
They attacked each other. It turned them vile. They died from it. In a minute.
Only him and Zhongli knew.
He didn't dare to tell anyone.
"I need not any sympathy." He thought.
"Karma does not make you go red. And I don't have karma, where did you hear such rumors?" Xiao spat.
The class sighed, as if they wanted more gossip to feed them.
The karma still infected Xiao, he had flashy nightmares about it still.
He feared that one day act out against his friends.
"Alright class! I think we'll have some different partners this time... I think we'll have Chongyun and Lumine, Yanfei and Amber, Aether and Venti, Xiao and Hu Tao!"
Xiao was surprised. He wasn't with Venti for this project. He couldn't bear to be with Hu Tao who would endlessly tease him. He didn't want Venti near Aether at all too, which was possibly worse that being partnered with Hu Tao.
5 minutes later, Xiao saw them talking and laughing and having fun. Aether looked at Venti in a way that Xiao despised.
"As soon as this lesson finishes the better." Xiao thought.
"How's Venti?" Hu Tao said in a singsong voice.
"You know I don't have a crush." Xiao replied, clearly annoyed.
"I know, I know, as if you'd ever get one."
"Well thanks."
"Hey! Your the one who said you didn't have one!"
"Whatever."
"I think we should be about done now. Oop, it's already time! Yanfeiiii! I have a gift for you~~!"
The truth is, Xiao wanted Yanfei and Hu Tao's relationship with Venti.
He quickly tried to rush and grab Venti to their next lesson, before Aether could say anything.
"Wait Xiao! I need to go get something reeeeaaaaal quick!"
Venti appeared holding strange hats.
"They're frog bear hats! I bought us matching oneesss~!!"
"I..uh.. thanks Venti.."
"No prob—"
Suddenly Scaramouche ran right past us, attacking Gorou and Kujou Sara along the way.
"Y-you can't send that!" Scaramouche stuttered.
"Why not, Scara?" Gorou called.
"Yeah, why not?" Sara declared.
"Cuz!! It's private!!"
"That's just life. We all get exposed eventually."
"I'll let you send it on one condition. You to the same to Kokomi, Kujou. It'd only fair.."
"I-I!! I'll only do that if Gorou does it to Itto."
"H-hey! This is.. your fight! I'm staying out of this!"
"Ugh, fine, I'd do anything to see you embarrassed, Scara."
"Wait, you're actually gonna do it?"
"Uhhh.."
"Good." Scaramouche snatched his phone quickly from his sister, running faster than both of them ever could.
"Wow, that's the fastest he's ever ran—" Venti said.
"He's a pretty fast runner, so I don't see the difference. Must be something like a crush on this phone." Xiao said.
"Ohhh! It's Kazuha!"
"What?? Wouldn't he kinda hate Scara.. cuz Scara's mom..his friend.."
"No idea, I saw it on his phone the other day though. Let's get to our lesson."
"Hey Venti, did you know Xiao likes Ganyu?" Aether whispered, but Xiao could hear.
"What??!!" Xiao and Venti said in unison.
"BAHAHHAHAH!!! Look at your faces LMAOO!!"
"Let's get going, Venti," Xiao said, annoyed.
Venti was laughing so much he was hyperventilating.
"BAHAHAHAHAHAH! GOOD ONE, AETHER! Your so funny LMAOOO! You got me there for a second!!"
Venti was not faking or trying to hard.
He was actually laughing.
Xiao hurried of to his lesson.
"If Venti wants to hang out with Aether, so be it."

So I tried to make Xiao's backstory, didn't turn out great but uh—This school AU is modern AU. Ok bye.