modernity - xiaoven

56.

as the time for the rite came, venti was getting anxious. he hadn't heard anything about the blond he'd encountered, and xiao was rarely at the inn.

though, he was happy to finally leave the inn. he hadn't really been able to, since he didn't know the area very well, despite xiao's introduction to it on his first night, and because he had to keep a low profile after the fair lady failed to take his gnosis.

xiao led him along a well traveled path, holding onto his wrist, purely in case they were to get into an attack, so xiao can quickly get him out of the way.

"i trust your ability" he had said earlier, "but we need to get to liyue soon, in case you're needed soon."

which brought them to the present, where they stood at the entrance to liyue.

"as much as i would love to leave you here, i need to bring you to th-" xiao went silent, as he heard the rukus at yuehai pavilion. "follow me. now."

as xiao took multiple shortcuts through the harbor, eventually making it to the pavilion, where he stepped backward in pure shock.

laying atop the table, was the exuvia, dead.

"this can't be..." he whispered, grabbing onto venti for the third time in the past hour.

"xiao?"

"rex lapis is... dead."

venti finally took it in.

the man who'd helped him learn of this universe's him life as an archon, was dead.

following xiao's line of sight, venti saw him glaring at a white-haired woman, who looked absolutely mortified.

"he's been assassinated, it's the only thing that makes sense."

"xiao."

...

"xiao."

"what."

"we should leave."

"why?"

"i don't like the feeling of this place, and it's clear you aren't doing well."

xiao nodded, and he took venti through even more shortcuts until they ended up outside of liyue again.

as soon as they were out of the public eye, xiao collapsed into venti, showing his more vulnerable side.

as venti softly hugged him, he realized the other was silently crying, as he shakily hugged him back.

"i can't believe this, i-"

"shush."

"no, fuck you."

"xiao."

"you shut up."

"xiao, you're mourning, i know how that feels."

xiao looked up at venti and sighed. "i'm just surprised, because he's the only one that was left."

"what do you mean?"

"there were four other yaksha's along with myself. but, all but one died, of those four, and the one survivor, we don't know where he is. he's missing."

"xiao, i-"

"i know, i know, i shouldn't be crying."

"no, you deserve to cry, it's fine, i'm just surprised you're willing to share this with me."

"you'll be going back to your universe, so it'll be fine."

"oh."

xiao nodded silently, as he dried his tears, "i shouldn't be expressing emotions, anyway."

"what do you mean, shouldn't?"

"it's not a good idea to. liyue looks up to me, an-"

"and they should know that you're capable of emotions too. that emotions are natural."

"i need to be strong for the harbor after his death, venti."

"and you deserve to be able to cry."

xiao scoffed and turned away from venti.

"we should leave the harbor soon. i have one last thing to do."

"which is?"

"we need to collect his gnosis from the exuvia, before the fatui get it. if i am correct, it should be in the golden house. we should wait a bit before going to collect it, though. if the qixing know what we plan to do, they may stop us."

"what do we do until then?"

"stay in the harbour for a bit. well, you should, until i return from informing the other adepti, the ones who don't enter the harbor as often, or at all."

"are you sure?"

"yes. rumours will likely spread that you were the one i was with when i witnessed his body."

"xiao, i have no idea where anything is here, in liyue."

xiao sighed, before speaking again. "if zhongli trusted him, then i guess i should too. i'll be forced to reveal your identity as someone from another universe, but he should be able to help you around the harbor. and help you learn why your gnosis was almost taken."

"help me learn?"

"he's the eleventh fatui harbinger, and a total fuckwad. his name is childe."

"alright?"

yet again, xiao led venti around the harbor, until they found a ginger.

"oi fucker."

"what? oh hello, xiao."

"hi. we need to speak in private."

"why not right here?"

"because this is an important matter."

----

and that was how venti and childe formally met.

"i have someone to introduce you to. though, if you know xiao you probably know him."

"who?"

"zhongli."

venti stopped walking for a moment, before catching up with childe. "i didn't know you knew him. it'll be nice to see him again."

childe nodded as he turned the corner to find zhongli speaking with a brunette.

"zhongli, hu tao!"

"oh childe! our best customer!"

zhongli chuckled softly and sighed. "director hu, be quiet. hello childe, venti."

"hi!"

"it seems that our conversation must be taken to a close. i should start the preparations immediately as of now, anyway."

hu tao nodded, waved to the three in goodbye and rushed off, presumably to the funeral parlor.