8 (Eight)

Chapter 12: Erosion

A/N: Oh yeah, it's FINALLY time. This is one of my main ships, and I sail on it proudly~ these two will be back with more and more and more...

Check out the commissioned artwork that goes along with this chapter here: (warning - explicit)

https://twitter.com/AnileeKayne/status/1542718023563325440

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"It really is crazy in that house."

"You asked for such a burden."

"I did not ask—it was assigned to me."

"If anyone can handle it, you can."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Xiao."

"Do you need me to keep them in line?"

"I'd like to see you square off with Morax," laughed Venti, who knew that that would shut his friend up a few seconds. As always, Xiao was laying in his lap, head cradled by the softness of Venti's thighs. He remained still, occasionally closing his eyes, but only momentarily; the weary warrior never closed them for long.

"Rex Lapis should be the least of your troubles. It's those humans..."

"They're not all bad. Just prone to secrets and suppression. Same with all of us, I suppose."

"He should be above that."

Venti sighed. As he spoke, he felt the rise and fall of Xiao's frame underneath his palm, which rested gently on his back. "He's incredibly forgetful of late. And... he's soft on one of them. The new guy I told you about."

"Fatui? Disgusting."

"Maybe. He's just a human though. Don't be too hard on him."

"This is the one who tried to drown Liyue? He's not a human, he's a monster. I should punish him for his crimes."

"Cute as ever~" Venti chuckled.

"He... he knows better..." Xiao looked away, as if regretting having said the words.

"Don't you trust your Lord?"

"It's not a matter of trust..." he sighed. "This isn't the first time."

Venti knew enough without him needing to say more. "It's been awhile. Interesting, isn't it. He's been in rare form lately."

"Is he... starting to remember?"

"Perhaps. It's hard to say. He's good at keeping secrets too, like the rest of us."

"Does he know?"

"About you and me? I don't think so. Do you want him to?"

"Hmph. It makes no difference to me."

But actually, it did. Venti knew this too.

"Barbados... why did you agree to it? Aether, he—"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"When will he come back?"

"He does what he wishes. There's no way for me to really know."

Xiao sighed and settled his face into the wind god's thigh even more. Resting in his lap this way was one of the few solaces he created for himself, given he had even fewer outlets provided for him in-code. "How long do you plan on doing this? I can't leave Wangshu Inn for too long, you know."