Corrupted Love| XIAOVEN

Chapter 20: A desperate request

"Xiao...please..." Venti broke into loud sobs. Pantalone looked at the two in dismay, then cursed. His smile had disappeared, and he was about to run to the two when he suddenly stopped.

 Xiao took the Archon in his arms, who practically collapsed onto his body, still crying loudly. The Adepti held Venti tighter than he had ever held anyone before.

 "You...have to leave..." the archon sobbed. 

Xiao knew he shouldn't love Venti. He knew it better than anyone. But he couldn't, he refused. He couldn't help himself. 

He knew what he was doing. He knew he shouldn't look at him like that, hold him like that, love him like that. He knew all this but was too selfish. This one time. Right now.

 If he was going to die here, at least he was going to die with him in his arms. That was all he wanted. He had never wanted more.

Though Venti was not Venti anymore. He might have still been one of the Archons, God of Wind and Freedom, but the person Venti truly was, was no longer there.

 As beautiful as it would have been, Xiao only held the bard's body, but someone else now lived inside Venti's mind.

 And so it came to pass that he made the biggest mistake of his life, with his decision to let the Archon get close to him. 

A whipping wind came up and air as sharp as real blades spread in the room. Pantalone backed away in fright and flee behind the stones cut by the air like butter.

 At first, Xiao received only light cuts, but it wasn't long before they became deeper. It was torture. With each passing minute, the Yaksha's body was destroyed more.

 The Archon, who by now was flying mightily in the center of the open tower, did not receive a single cut as the cutting wind blades came from him. 

The yaksha closed his eyes. He would die very soon. 

He had failed to fulfill his oath to Rex Lapis. He had not been able to protect Venti, and he himself would have liked to spend more time with him.

 In the end, he had still been a failure, no matter how hard he tried. 

Just before he lost consciousness, an infinitely bright light blinded everything. He could no longer see anything but blackness. Infinite blackness when he finally passed out.

Silence.

A voice.

Darkness.

Light.

Xiao's eyelids flickered. His whole body ached. He could not move; he could not speak. The daylight was incredibly bright and only slowly did his eyes adjust.

 First as a silhouette, then more and more clearly, he saw a very familiar person. Zhongli stood over him with a stern look, regarding his body worriedly. 

Xiao opened his mouth but could not say anything. Zhongli instructed him to be quiet with a gesture. 

"It's all right, you will survive. Nothing more can happen to you here." The Yaksha still looked around worriedly. "Venti is fine too." Sighed the Archon, "For all our safety, I have made sure he sleeps for now. But don't worry, he's not hurt."

 Xiao nodded in relief then said hoarsely, "How did you know about the Harbingers...and what would happen..."

 Zhongli was silent for a while, thinking. Then a warm smile came to his face,

 "Not too long ago, a beloved friend wrote me a letter. Although it was risky for him, he knew everything beforehand, and I trusted him. That's how I know."

The sun was just setting and Mondstadt lay in a warm reddish light. Peacefully and quietly the evening set in. Venti lay sleeping on the grass. Relieved, Xiao crawled over to him and lay down beside him.

 Now that he was lying there quietly, he didn't look at all like the monster he had been just a few hours before.

 Xiao's whole body was wrapped in bandages, while Venti only wore Zhongli's coat since by now his wings had disappeared again and he hardly wore anything else. 

Side by side, the two lay exhausted on the grass. Xiao gently stroked Venti's cheek and let his hair slide through his fingers. The Archon was still unconscious, lying peacefully in the warm light of the sun.

 Zhongli sat a few feet away, gazing absently into the distance. His look was thoughtful and sad at the same time. Xiao knew what would happen to Venti next, but he was still glad that the boy was safe for now. 

He would have liked to kiss him again, but he knew that now was not the right time. He squeezed Venti's hand and prayed that he would wake up soon.

 Hour after hour passed as the three walked back to Mondstadt. Zhongli carried his friend while the yaksha alone struggled to stay upright.

 It probably took them twice as long as it would have otherwise taken, but as the first dusk fell, the figures arrived at the gate of the city.

...

Night had fallen and thousands of bright stars illuminated the black ceiling. Venti lay completely alone in his bed, his room dead silent and empty. 

He could hardly see anything because the night was so dark despite the stars. His body felt a little heavy, but otherwise, he was doing amazingly well. 

Physically at least. 

It took him a while to realize all that had happened, and a suffocating feeling spread through his chest. He felt no sadness or fear, however; he felt nothing.

 His head was as if turned off. Shakily, he held his hand in front of his mouth as if he wanted to scream. 

With a blank look, he looked at his hand. It was just a hand. Nothing more, nothing less. He felt like he was going to throw up, although physically he didn't even feel sick. 

Rigidly he sat in his bed and stared into the darkness. Seconds, minutes. Suddenly, the wooden door swung open and a smaller figure entered.

 Xiao almost dropped the tray of food when he saw that Venti was now awake. He ran over to the bed and then stopped abruptly. "How are you, Lord Barbatos?" After all this time, he still felt obliged to pay divine respect to his friend.

 "..." 

Venti didn't even look at the Yaksha and continued to stare at the wall with a deadpan expression. Xiao stood there uncomfortably and asked again, "Are you hurt?"

Again, only silence.

 Xiao was now seriously worried, "Damn it, Venti, talk to me! What's wrong?!" His voice trembled. 

Slowly the Archon's head turned towards him and with blank eyes, he looked at the Adepti. "...Hey...Xiao..." he whispered slowly and monotonously. 

The latter quickly came closer and held Venti in his arms. "I'm here, I'll stay, don't worry, I'll take care, I'll never leave you like this again, I promise, I promise, forgive me, please, I'm sorry." Xiao's voice trembled and tears gathered in his eyes. 

Venti didn't hug him back, still sitting on the bed as motionless as before

. "...I have ...a request..." the bard murmured. 

Xiao looked at him, puzzled. "If it is possible for me, I will gladly fulfill it." He said. 

Venti was silent for a while and Xiao thought he would not answer at all. Then he opened his mouth again and in a cold voice he spoke the words that Xiao would never forgive him for: 

"Please...kill...me...kill me, Xiao."

A/N: Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while, I am currently feeling a little down and writing has been more difficult. I still want to give this story a proper end, so please excuse my updates ☹