Freedom Means Loving You

2

The aftermath of dawn, 5 minutes after 5am Xiao became drunk. Venti watches in amazement, the adeptus asked for more dandelion wine(good thing Venti stole 2 more bottles from Dawn Winery). Xiao leans against the balcony, eyes closing and his body swaying in exhaustion.

Venti strums the finishing note of his lyre. "And finish~ I think you should get some rest Xiao. Look at you, you're actually drunk!" The lyre dissolves into anemo particles via Venti's mental order.

"I'm not" Xiao hiccups. Venti giggles when his golden feline eyes widened.

"I'm delighted that you like my music but I won't play for an audience who's half asleep"

Xiao presses his empty glass against the wooden railing before walking towards Venti. "X-xiao?" Venti stuttered at the adeptus' abnormal behavior. Xiao doesn't speak, he simply slams his hand on the inn's wooden frame. Trapping a confused Venti with their eyes taking in each other.

"I'm not half asleep Venti. Sleep isn't for the adepti, we're immortal so please play me another tune" Xiao slurred but his eyes were wide open.

"Maybe another time, okay? Tomorrow! I'll go back tomorrow" Venti replied. He's still creeped out, is he even looking at xiao- the xiao who conquers demons and avoids physical contact? Apparently, this xiao violates adeptus xiao's personal values.

"I'll be waiting for you then..." Xiao whispers still staring into Venti's soul. Without warning, he leans in. Venti's heart stopped, he stood frozen waiting for something to happen.

Xiao's knees buckle before he could press his lips against Venti's.

"What on Celestia- Was Xiao trying to kiss me?" Venti stares at Xiao's sleeping face in shock. Thanks to his fast reflex, he caught the drunk adeptus before he fell on the floor.

——

Venti opens the door to Xiao's room. Flicking his finger, the invisible force of wind carrying xiao in a laying position brings him on the bed. Venti dismisses the wind with a whisper of thanks before skipping towards the bed.

His energetic movement dies when he seats beside the slumbering adeptus.

"Silly Yaksha... do you even know what a kiss means?" Venti chuckles as he fondly combs Xiao's disheveled hair. Maybe Zhongli taught this poor boy the wrong meaning of a kiss so Venti chooses to shrug the accident earlier. 'I'm really disappointed at Zhongli for not teaching you what is love' Venti shakes his head before tucking the blanket under Xiao's chin. He jumps down the room's window before opening his gliders.

——
'What did I say? What did I do?' Xiao zones out after killing a camp of hilichurls swarming with his karmic demon energy. He should've learned from his past mistakes. The last time he got drunk was 2000 years ago. He was drunk to the point of not remembering anything when he woke up.

"Why are you staring?" Xiao- No, Alatus narrows his eyes at his fellow Yakshas as they walk on the ancient golden plains of Liyue in search of enemies.

"You really don't remember?" Indarias questions, mirth clear in her flaming orange eyes. Alatus shakes his head, he turns his head at Bosacius and Bonanus. The Geo and Electro Yakshas were trying to hide their laughter but it's obvious to Xiao who heard their giggles in the air.

"You two! what's so funny?" Alatus' voice was commanding, glaring like an eagle to it's prey. They all stopped by the huge blue tree in Nantianmen.

Bosacius bursts out from laughter, enough to shake the mountains and wake Adzaha and Liyue from their slumber. Bonanus slaps him on the shoulder to shut him up before laughing himself. Thankfully quieter than the Geo Yaksha. Alatus was afraid they disturbed Morax up in Mt. Aoazang.