The Winds Bring with them Change (Volume 1)

18: Honesty makes for Easier Relationships

"I don't like when you do that." The words left his mouth without his permission, turning the god's eyebrows up. "Put on 'Venti' with me, I mean. It makes the both of us uncomfortable, so why not just stop?"

The look on Venti's face showed that this was a conversation Xiao would probably have avoided had he known the outcome.

His face fell for but a moment, before the small smile came back, and he was walking towards the main plaza again. Xiao followed behind him quietly as the ex-Archon picked up tiger fish from the lady at Good Hunter, shoving one into his hands without ceremony, and made his way between the homes to a small tavern.

"Would you like to speak in a less mortal capacity, Alatus?" His tone was somehow biting but still the soft one of Venti. It irked Xiao. He had seen more of the Archon in the past day he spent in Inazuma than he was seeing now. It felt ingenuine. Awful.

Venti looked displeased as he led him into the tavern, the warm lighting easing Xiao's eyes after the Mondstadt sun. He hopped over the counter, much to the red haired man at the counter's dismay, grabbing a key with a look. The man didn't protest as they made their way up the stairs, only leveling a knowing look towards Venti. Xiao was sure now that he wasn't going to like this.

Once they were securely in the room, Venti slumped against the table, lifting a drink he hadn't seen him buy to his lips. "Xiao, you don't know why I still put on Venti, so I'm going to explain it to you," His eyes were burning, from either pain or anger, Xiao couldn't tell," He was... kind, and good." Xiao could tell from his tone that he'd opened up a box he didn't want to open.

"I don't know if it was during the Archon War, or after. We were held here under Decarabian's rule, and he felt that it was wrong. I was but a wind spirit then, and I helped as much as I could, but it was clearly not enough, as after victory had been declared." He paused, drinking again, and shuddering as if the memories still haunted him.

"We collected the dead. And he, he was one of them. Gods, he was so young Alatus, and he was my best friend. I took his appearance. In some sort of twisted way of honoring his memory or some bullshit." Xiao was taken aback at the ex-Archons admission. He was suddenly guilty. This was none of his business, he had basically forced it out of his friend. This was not correct. Unkind.

"Wait Venti, you don't have to-" He was cut off by a sigh as his friend leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's high time I told someone. I trust you Xiao." It felt good, if a bit forced on his part. He liked being trusted by the old god. But if he forced it every time, then was it really trust?

"Genuinely Xiao, I, I was trying to think of a way to tell you anyway. It feels wrong to be 'honoring him' without anyone knowing who it is I'm honoring. Might as well be you." He looked tired, but less burdened than he'd been looking in a while, so perhaps it was a good thing. He took yet another drink before setting down the bottle altogether.

"Wow, Master Diluc knows how to make strong cider!" He winked when he passed Xiao on his way to the door. "He makes it special for me you know, Archon's tolerance and all." Xiao felt himself flushing as he watched the man watch him over his shoulder.

"You coming or not?" Xiao honestly couldn't imagine a world where he didn't follow him out of that tavern. Though every time he was around the ex-Archon, he couldn't help but wonder if the kiss was genuine, it didn't matter. He felt good, as if he had nothing to hide around him.

Venti plucked the one of the tiger fish from Xiao's hands, eating with one of his arms stretched out behind his head. Xiao looked down at the fish remaining in his hands, and decided that he really didn't like the smell of fish at all. At the look that must have been on his face, Venti giggled. He lifted the other fish while Xiao was distracted watching him.

"Come on, there's a grove of apple trees not too far from here with the sweetest apples in all of Mondstadt." Venti was a bit tipsy, and Xiao wondered if perhaps the 'special' alcohol the Master of the Winery made for Venti was a bit too strong. The breeze was a bit stronger the further they went into the grove, and his friend settled under a tree with his fish and yet another bottle. He patted the ground next to him, calling Xiao over. Xiao knew that it was out of character, that for anyone else he would simply cross his arms and turn away, but he still sat beside Venti.

His returning smile was like literal sunlight directly in Xiao's eyes. He had to blink a couple times afterward 'till he was able to see again. Looking around, whilst in the shade Mondstadt was beautiful. The blue sky was brighter than it was ever in Liyue, and the grass was green everywhere he looked. A squirrel ran towards them for a second, stopped once it saw them move, then ran towards them again.

The little thing sat there, nose twitching for a moment while Xiao watched it, then turned towards Venti. Xiao turned to look at Venti, and noticed that he'd been looking at him. He was about to speak before Venti did.

"Did you not want me to kiss you?" Xiao froze. He had thought that maybe Venti hadn't remembered the whole incident, after the other man hadn't brought it up or even seemed off at all. He knew that he hadn't answered his friend yet, but he wasn't sure how to answer.

"Well. It's um, I'm just, I'm not entirely sure. I didn't want you to kiss me then, because you were distraught, and I felt like I was taking advantage of that. I, um.." Venti's look was serious now, and he looked down at his food before looking back up at Xiao.

"Would you want me to kiss you now?" Xiao felt his heart speed up a bit, and his face burn. He would be lying if he were to say that he knew if he did or not. But perhaps actually kissing him for real would help to figure it out.

So he nodded. Venti's hand on his cheek was firm, but still gentle as he guided Xiao's face closer. Had his eyes always been so vibrant? They shone like the sea, with a brightness comparable to a sunrise, and Xiao barely even noticed when the gap between them was closed and he was kissing the Anemo Archon. His eyes drifted close and a soft noise came out of his throat when Venti moved his hands to the back of his neck. He was sure now. He really liked kissing Venti. He really liked Venti.

The ex-Archon pulled back then, smiling as Xiao gasped for breath against his skin.

"So? Was it good, or do you not feel that way towards me after all?" Xiao could only nod as he caught his breath against Venti's throat.

"Is that a yes, or a no? I can't be entirely sure without words Alatus." Xiao was still breathing heavy, so he simply pulled him down into another kiss. He felt Venti smile against him before he pulled away again.

"So a yes then?" He had the biggest shit-eating grin Xiao had ever seen on his usually mischievous face.

"Obviously." He mumbled, crossing his arms again and leaning back against the tree.