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the first time venti met xiao after the war, he was dying. no one or nothing could save him who was plagued by a terminal illness.
the wandering bard, who used to be revered as a benevolent god, falls to his knees. the person who lays on his bed, sickly and pale, stares up at him with unseeing and glossy eyes. and venti — venti, whose searched far and wide for his beloved, could only grasp his hand in a futile attempt to ground him back to life.
( xiao passed peacefully; with a tune he swore he heard before.)
the second time venti met xiao, he was wedded to someone he loved with all his heart.
the god that used to be barbatos, the god of freedom who is the patron god of mondstadt, the city of wine, song and love, stares with a timid acceptance as the man he’s loved for thousands of years is wedded to another. the smile on xiao’s face makes his heart churn, and he turns away as they are bonded by the priest.
the third time venti met xiao, he didn’t have the capability to love. clinically apathetic with no regards to human emotions and a cold gaze, colder than the tsaritsa’s own stare. venti took a step back despite his consciousness telling him it is okay.
“i want you to remain the same lovely xiao in my mind.” he whispers to the confused reincarnation. a sad smile graces his lips, aquamarine eyes glinting in a sort of acceptance that the divinity will no longer let barbatos fall for the same person who he has harbored feelings for in thousands of years.
he disappears in front of him with a gust of wind, and when he is finally alone, barbatos weeps.
and now the fourth time venti met xiao — it was in a peaceful world. where he could love xiao freely, where xiao could love him freely and there were no divinity that would stop them. no gods, no divine being that would laugh at barbatos’ futile attempts to save a love long lost. and now — in this world where the divine are no longer needed and they lost their power, who was to stop barbatos from finding the one person who he will forever hold dearly? he’s bidded his time, waited for the right timing to come and fall for the golden eyed adeptus again.
cuddled up against his boyfriend of one year, venti couldn’t help but remember how he couldn’t do this before. they lived in different cities with miles and miles between them, their only source of communication was a god-forsaken bird app where they met. remembering how venti met the love of life would always make him bury his face on his hands and scream. xiao had his own group of friends and venti met him through a twitter thread — out of all places. though venti would never trade it for anything else, it was quite embarrassing.
his gaze turns to his asleep boyfriend, eyelashes gently resting upon soft cheeks. xiao was pretty — is pretty, he corrects himself. with feather light touches, venti lets his knuckles brush upon soft cheeks. he wants to memorize xiao, the beautiful melody of his breathing and how ethereal he looks even in sweatpants and a stained shirt. venti lets himself memorize how xiao breathes, the pattern of something that makes xiao human. the gentle beat of his heart and how human xiao looks.
he thinks being human suited xiao more than being an adeptus.
aquamarine eyes surveyed the sleeping form of his boyfriend. he searches for the right memory, digging in his brain and bringing up long forgotten but never abandoned memories. images of a polearm wielding adeptus and the nightmare that haunts golden eyes. though it is a memory from thousands of years ago, venti could never forget him. could never forget the adeptus that grounded the god of freedom.
he is startled when xiao stirs awake, sleepy eyes blinking into clarity as he stares up at venti. “good morning.” venti hums softly, giving xiao a gentle smile as he cards his hand in soft locks. xiao does not reply and buries himself in venti’s stomach, making him giggle. “had a nice nap, hm?” venti teases the other, playing and twirling with teal dyed hair. “did you not sleep?” xiao asks him, peeking from where he rested his head.
“i’ve slept long enough.” venti replies airily. yes he has slept for approximately only four hours this dau, but he knew it is true. years of sleep and slumber led to this occurence - where he is the only semblance of a world of magic from years ago. only reincarnations of friends and family are brought, yet the god of freedom is chained to a reality where only he remembers the past.
xiao furrows his eyebrows and gently hits him on the head. “were you watching me sleep this whole time? what a creep.” xiao teases lightly, making the braided person huff in indignation. “for your information, you are very pretty. i couldn’t help myself.” he retorts, a smile tugging on his lips as xiao’s cheeks reddens ever so slightly.
venti couldn’t count with one hand on the things that made him fall for xiao, even as years and decades passed by. xiao is xiao, and he will always be the one who will take up the space in his heart.
xiao and his relationship were odd. xiao wasn’t an affectionate person by means which was the complete opposite of him, yet they fit together like two peas in a pod.
perhaps it was because they loved each other and trusted in one another that their relationship worked. there were many times where venti thought it wouldn’t work out, times where he questioned if he was enough for him, if he was strong enough for xiao. it’s only thanks to certain people that helped him realize that xiao loved him for who he is, for everything that makes him venti.
he is snapped out of thoughts when a hand brushes against his cheeks gently, and he turns to xiao as the other graces him with a soft smile.
venti smiles, eyes sparkling and heart warming. “good morning.” he echoes what he said earlier, eyes crinkling with happiness. xiao leans his forehead against venti, his golden eyes staring straight into venti’s.
“good morning, my love.”
it’s always been him. it will always be him. no matter how many days, no matter how many weeks and how many months and years passed, the one person venti will give himself wholly to will always be xiao. the rue to his jules, the lan wangji to his wei wuxian. xiao will always be the person who he will devote himself fully to, the person venti will do everything for. he’ll pick all the stars from the sky if xiao ever wishes for him to do so. even if the world ends and their time has come, venti will never fall out of love with xiao.
because in the end, the god of freedom would gladly take away his title if it meant he would stay with the conqueror of demons.