one last time -- xiaoven oneshot [completed]

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Xiao looked out the slightly grey tinted swindows of the jade chamber. Rainy weather in Liyue was rare but the few times it did rain, it rained hard. It was near impossible to sense enemies through the thick fog that engulfed the city. As the adepti mourned his unusual free time, a soft knock was heard. It must be Zhongli or Ningguang.

"Adeptus Xiao, may I enter?" Zhonglis voice rang through the door like a calming melody.

"Yes, you may," Xiao replied, turning to face the door and not the window.

When Zhongli entered, he was not alone. By his side was a shorter male with twin braids and light blue tips. He carried a lyre in his hand. A bard. There were not many bards in Liyue, however. So, the foreign man must be from Mondstadt. The teal clothing and feather in his hat sort of gave it away.

"This is Venti, a bard from Mondstadt, the city of freedom," Zhongli explained while gesturing to Venti.

Xiao nods curtly in Venti's direction.

"He is going to be assisting you in tracking down the Abyss Order and Fatui and defeating them," Zhongli adds, his amber eyes piercing into Xiao.

Xiao whipped his head around to stare at Zhongli.

"What? Oh for god's sake, I don't need a little buddy just because of what happened last time. I'm fine, Zhongli. I don't need a partner, okay?" Xiao snarls at Zhongli. Seriously? Did Zhongli think he was that weak?

"Xiao," Zhongli's voice had a pitying undertone to it and Xiao hated that, "Just take Venti along with you for a while, hm?

Venti offered an apologetic smile and Xiao scoffed.

"Fine."

Zhongli smiled, "Thank you. As you know, good teamwork requires knowing each other well. Please take this time to get to know each other and get familiar with each other. Knowing each other is vital when fighting together on the battlefield."

With that, Zhongli left and the room was suddenly filled with a tense ambience.

"So-"

"Well-"

Xiao huffed and Venti laughed.

"Well do you wanna go first or should I?" Venti asked, taking a seat next to Xiao on his mattress. The sudden proximity made Xiao flush a little. The fact that the bard was staring at him so intently didn't help either.

"You," Xiao spluttered, "You can go first."

Venti hums in content.

"Well, my name is Venti, well not really but for now you can call me Venti. I came from Mondstadt, obviously. I love, and I mean I absolutely adore, wine! Oh, apple cider is my favourite. I have an anemo vision and I adore making poems and performing them on my lyre! Oh and..."

Xiao observed how Venti's eyes lit up while recounting his favourite pastimes. It was endearing in a way to watch how the other talked so animatedly about the things he liked. Xiao looked down at his hands. What was he thinking about? Why did he feel strange in his abdomen? Xiao furrowed his eyebrows as Venti slightly leaned into him while rambling about how annoying this "Di luke" person was. Why was Venti so close?

"Anyways! That's enough about me. Tell me something about you, pretty boy," Venti grinned.

Pretty boy.

"Oh- well," Xiao begins, "I am an adepti. I also have anemo vision."

Silence filled the room once again.

Then, the small tinkling sound of Venti's laughter filled the cold room.

"Why- why are you laughing?" Xiao murmured, a playful pout forming on his lips.