Xiaoven Royal Au

31

"Ain't no way. What the fuck are you on?! Is your head still okay? Is this a side effect of eating sunsettias for one whole week?"

"Hey! I'm still fine you know? I just believe that... The place where it's most unlikely gonna be, will be the place they will actually be on."

"I don't know but that sounded so stupid. Mondstadt is right here in front of us! One more step and we'll leave Liyue's borders, and now you want to go to Inazuma?!"

"What about it?! I know more information about him unlike you! You don't even know anything about him." The argument then stopped once they saw two sentinels from the castle wandering around, and Xiao cursed mentally, drawing out his sword just in case. "Hold my hand."

"Huh?"

"I said hold my hand are you deaf or what!" The girl hesitated for a bit, but gulped before holding it anyway. The prince pulled her, like so fucking fast that her bones could break. "Bro tryna pull my arm off or what?! That fucking hurts! I'll get you to jail, that physically hurts me and you didn't give me a warning at all! Were you planning to break my bones?!"

"Girl shut the fuck up guards from the castle were literally behind you, dumb bitch! Just tell me if you want to get caught and I'll happily give you to them."

"Stupid! If you handed me to them then you would've been forced to come with me too!"

Xiao only clicked his tongue as he dragged the girl with him, only to keep the both of them from getting caught. Ugh, the things he does for this forsaken woman. Hu tao just stares at their hands that were grasped together, staring at it as if there was nothing else in the world.

"We're at Mondstadt now. You have no choice, look for them here." He wouldn't miss the way the girl rolled his eyes at him, making him a little angry. "Look I'm here to help you because you said that only I can, stop complaining about it. I'm trying my best to be a helping hand. And it seems that we would stay hidden here in Mondstadt for a while because guards from Liyue are getting everywhere."

He dragged Hu tao once more. They're all scattered everywhere. Every mistake can lead to them being caught, they had to find Hu tao's person quickly.

"Ah... You saved our asses again."

-

They spent the rest of the day, of course, searching for this unknown person. But when the sun sets, they knew they had to find shelter. Hu tao came up with the idea to kill a hilichurl camp and steal their base, but Xiao disagrees with this - not because he didn't have the strength to kill a whole camp, but because he doesn't want to sleep in a stinky place where musty, and crusty hilichurls once slept on. Talk about being sensitive.

"Forget about your prince instincts! Learn how to survive in the wilderness."

"But Hu tao there are bugs on the ground!"

"Then don't sleep! Fuck you." The prince was left with no choice but to go follow her inside the hilichurl hut, also not forgetting to light up a fire for warmth. "Tell me more about Venti." They were sitting on the ground, it smelled so funky, it smelled so rotten. There were even some spoiled cabbages on the ground. Xiao had never thought he would ever sleep in such a place like this.

"Again?"

"We're friends now aren't we? I demand you to tell me something about Venti." Xiao sighs, I guess there was no denying that he had grown closer to this woman to the point that he didn't even feel uncomfortable talking about Venti to her anymore. "He's... My first love, my first kiss, my first dance. Heck, we even danced in the rain. He was so beautiful that I once accused him of being a woman, but despite the gentle face he had... He was dangerous. I could not forget how he stepped on that one treasure hoarder when he helped me with a mission I was assigned to do."

He was... Smiling. Hu tao realized how genuine the prince was while talking about Venti, he really love him.

"He had this voice that can calm down anyone even in the most difficult times. It's just so... beautiful." It really was a waste to just let the both of them end here. Hu tao had to find Venti, she'd do anything to make this lost heart happy once more. "And his aqua eyes... They're too warm, and they make me feel so lost whenever I stare at them"

"The way you describe him... You look so happy. You really love him."

"Of course," there was not a single hesitation to saying that, as he chuckled calmly. "Xiao, I want you to be happy." Xiao almost jumped when he heard her call him by the name he didn't allow her to ever say - though this time, there was no anger building up inside of him. "Once the time comes where you will be reunited with Venti, please, don't ever hesitate to fight against the castle. I'm on your side." There was a warm feeling that ignited in Xiao, he was thankful for Hu tao, he really was. Despite her being, stupid, and annoying, he was still thankful for the hope she had given to him.

There's a chance.

I'll meet you again, Venti.

And this time, I'm ready to protect you.

I will love you forever.

Because that's what we promised.

-

I'm actually quite sobbing 😧