"murder", he says | xiaoven x reader

chapter thirty nine

okay- you enjoy being right, sure. but not when what you foretold was unending agony. maybe that's a bit much, but after the news of yet another sacrifice- you're abliet a bit disgruntled. this isn't good, at all. even if you don't really know what it means. you just kind of know you're in deep shit.

"so, what does this entail?" you ask. venti sighs, looking down.

"I wish I didn't have to tell you..." he admits, eyes searching the splintered wood covering the walls of your room- perhaps for an easy way to break this to you. "youre a god of war, that much is known- its going to get more difficult to control the calamity that came with your godhood."

"that's a pain..."

"that's putting it lightly. what can we expect? are they going to start massacring akin to the archon war?" xiao says, casting you a disapproving look to your casualty.

"if more sacrifices are made by the dozens, maybe- for now it's going to be a case of 'make sure no one defenceless is around them during a minor inconvenience'." venti explains

"the usual then." xiao mutters. you gasp in feign hurt.

"watch it, I might get mildly offended and strip your bones from your skin-"

"you two, please! this is serious! jean doesn't know who's doing this, more people at home are missing and this could get worse any second! there's no time to joke!" venti scolds and you mutter an apology. he's really stressed out, too.

"sorry, venti- but it's okay, yeah? insatiable bloodlust is nothing I haven't had before. many sacrifices like that were made to me during the war and we coped okay with that, right?" you say, rubbing his back from where he sat, head in his hands.

"we coped because you were killing hundreds a week... there was no intent to disperse when you could rip people apart..." he says, staring intently at the ground. the descriptions of your violence are a bit unsettling- do they still view you with your violent actions attached? even when all you wanted was to survive and protect? it puts a frown on your face. your hand trails from ventis back, coming to fidget with the other.

"I never... enjoyed killing, never found peace in causing harm- I'm only filled with regrets that I could not build each of them graves. alas, their bodies feed this land. what's changed now...? despite the trials I face... I can control myself..." you frown further, teeth pulling on your lip anxiously. "I will come to mondstadt to help find the culprit of what's happening... its my job now, right?"

"Maybe... social interactions should be reduced? just in case-"

"in case I pounce on someone and rip their throat out with my teeth? I'm no animal, venti."

"I just don't think its a time to take risks!"

"there is no risk! it's just me!"

"but there is! what happens if you're biting off more than you can chew?"

"then I deal with it! like I always have! do I lock myself up whilst I go mad and just hope that someone else fixes it? is that what you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to be reasonable!"

"not everyone can ignore things and hope they go away, venti!" you snap- and the atmosphere in the room changes. you all know what it was a dig at- but you don't regret it. not right now at least. venti stills.

"now. I am going to mondstadt. I am helping Jean find out who is doing this and then,  putting an end to it. but I'll be damned if I allow my self to sit here and cry about it." you finish, pausing for a few seconds before grabbing your pre-packed travel bag and dissapearing. back to mondstadt.

after a moment, xiao looks at venti- unsure what to say.

"i-"

"I don't need comforting xiao, everything they said was true- I can't do anything but respect that. if I want them protected I'm going to have to do it myself. no time for a 'quick nap'." venti admits, standing up.

"I'll be joining you both- but... please do make up." xiao says.

"there's no making up to be had- were not mad at eachother. I commend them for their drive, really. I just worry- and they know." venti finishes- xiao linking their hands together then teleporting. ooh. quoozie.

mondstadt was quiet. the streets that once bustled at this time of day were dull, citizens and kin missing from the cobbled paving. xiao takes another small glance at venti, who looks guilty.

"there hasn't been murders here for decades. my people and their kin have taken to their homes- to not be the next sacrifice. some are angry, directing it towards the idis' decent." venti explains, making his way upwards towards the knights headquarters. xiao follows closely- monds layout is still a bit confusing.

"we will find the acting grandmaster here?" xiao asks

"we won't- she's out working on the case but captain kaeya will be there. I should suppose he knows where miss jean and our dear are." venti admits, xiao nods.

"...you shouldn't feel guilty that people are scared, or about what's happening." xiao says and venti stops at the top of the steps- xiao staring at him from the bottom. venti looks away.

"I'm their ruler. everything that happens is my responsibility."

"it's human nature. a god-given right that allows them to be mortal. morality is insignificant to them because they don't have to care about 'the bigger plan'- they're not part of it. that's what separates us and them."

"does that abstain me from worrying?"

"no... worrying is part of the job for entities like us. we don't get the same freedom your people do- I fear... we will always be trapped by the gaze of celestia."

venti pauses, then sighs. "and a watchful gaze it is... come, let's not waste time any longer. we should move before another of my people joins those eyes."

chapters will be short for a while! bare with me ♡♡♡