Corrupted Love| XIAOVEN

Chapter 21: Under these stars

"Kill you?" asked Xiao seriously. 

Venti did not even nod, but Xiao could see it in his eyes. Those empty eyes that could not see light or shadow.

 He knew those eyes. He had once looked up at the sky in the exact same way. But then he had been able to breathe again for the first time in so long, after drowning for so many years. 

In the beginning, he hated Venti for what he had done. He hated him, he hated him, he hated him. But he only lied to himself. In reality, he was probably as grateful to the Archon as he was to Zhongli.

"You want me to kill you?" he asked again, coldly and soberly. 

It was bizarre, as one never asked such a question. 

Venti took Xiao's hand and nodded gently. Xiao's mind went blank. At that moment, the realization truly hit him, and he clenched his hands into fists. The dim room was silent and tension as thick as stone was in the air. 

The Archon stayed still staring absently at the wall. Xiao trembled with rage and only with difficulty could he stop himself from hitting the Archon. 

He grabbed Venti by the collar of his shirt and dragged the seated boy into a half-standing position. Venti stared at him with eyes widened in surprise, while Xiao pulled Venti's face close to his. 

With dangerous golden eyes, he looked directly into Ventis. His breathing was quick and shallow. 

"HOW DARE YOU? YOU SERIOUSLY EXPECT ME TO KILL YOU?" he screamed at Venti. His fist tightened around Venti's shirt. 

He was still staring at the Archon with sharp golden eyes. He shook the other violently, "Why? Why me? What the hell do you want from me? I..." Xioa's voice broke and tears formed in his eyes, 

"Listen I'm sorry." 

Something warm ran down his cheeks,

 "Maybe I wasn't enough for you and surely I disappointed you but please...you can't ask something like that from me...ever." Now he cried harder, "I love you. I know I shouldn't say it or feel it but that's the way it is and that's the way it's always been." 

Angry at himself, he wiped away his tears and let go of Venti. With a sad look on his face, he turned away. "Please...stop. There are people who love you, who should love you. Not just me."

 Xiao's voice was hoarse and toneless "Remember your pact with me. Remember? The day we saw each other again. On the statue. Do you remember what you said to me?" Venti was silent and Xiao answered for him "Do not just throw your life away. Even if it's for someone else."

Xiao's voice trembled, "You agreed not to endanger yourself if I took care of my life. I did. Now you have to hold up your end of the bargain. I'm talking to you, please stop throwing your life away just because you made mistakes in the past. Who has not? Everyone regrets something in the past. But it is long gone. They are just memories, nothing more. They can't hurt you now."

The room was quiet. Dark and silent. It was still the deepest night and the bedroom lay shrouded in darkness.

 No one would have seen the two figures as they stood together in the darkness and argued. Whereby one only listened motionless and speechless to the other.

 This black night was like a hiding place for the two, where they were safe from any others. 

The only ones they were not safe from, however, were themselves. They were trapped in this terrifying cage of thoughts. The wind brushed gently along the windows and the stars shone.

 Infinite expanses laid above them and yet these two were still one soul. They breathed the same air, looked at the same stars, and cried in the same darkness. As much as both were afraid to express their feelings, here under these stars they were safe, they were together.

Xiao stood stiffly in the room, completely enveloped in blackness. He bitterly wiped away the last tears and was about to leave when he felt a hand on his.

 Delicate, gentle fingers enclosed his. The hand was cold and small yet loving and tender.

 Another hand landed gently on Xiao's shoulder and turned him around. Now he was standing directly in front of Venti. Their eyes met. 

Xiao drowned in the deep blue-green of Venti's eyes and looked spellbound into the tear-filled eyes in which the starlight shone. His heart warmed and he touched Venti's cheek.

 Neither of them dared to take the next step and so they remained together in the darkness of the night. A light wind came in through the open window and surrounded them both.

 They wanted more, but an invisible wall still seemed to separate them. That wall, however, was equally shattered by both of them as they fell into each other's arms. 

Venti buried his face in Xiao's shoulder and cried hard. He held the yaksha as if he could disappear again. Xiao had no intention of doing so, however, but took Venti's face and kissed him gently on the forehead. 

Venti sniffled once and then chuckled, "You're an idio-," he said, kissing Xiao lovingly on the mouth. 

The latter was startled at first and suspected that Venti had lost his mind again, but the boy looked at him with clear, deep blue eyes. 

"I-I don't understand." Whispered Xiao, continuing to hold Venti in his arms.

 "That's why you're an idiot," laughed Venti. Xiao looked at him in confusion and then suddenly fell silent. 

His face turned as red as the morning sun and ashamed, he looked away. 

"Did you honestly think I wouldn't like you back? After all that?" The Archon chuckled again as Xiao still looked to the side. "You're cute," Venti muttered in amusement, gently boxing Xiao against the chest.

Xiao became serious again. "But coming back to your request..." He fell silent. 

Venti just sighed. "As long as you stay with me, I'm sure nothing will happen.", 

"But I can't protect you from yourself." 

Silence.

 "No, that's true." Venti murmured softly, "No one can." They were both silent. "But I'll stay anyway," Xiao said seriously. The archon smiled. "Then I will do the same."

"Uhmmm .... Xiao...?" Venti suddenly said. 

He looked around the room in surprise and then down at his body. Xiao looked at him worriedly, "What's wrong?", "I-I don't know, but somehow I feel so light. My body no longer hurts. I think...my head is back to normal." 

Xiao looked at him with widened eyes, "You mean you're fine again? You do not feel that pain anymore?" 

Xiao pondered. He also felt much stronger than before. Venti nodded. , "Have I been healed somehow?" Xiao shook his head. "Neither Zhongli, I nor anyone else who was around could have healed you." 

They looked at each other. "Then why? Why don't I feel any of the heaviness from before?"