The Winds Bring with them Change (Volume 1)

37: A Perfect Day

AN: This Chapter is purely fluff.

Venti was soft and warm in his arms the next morning, mumbling sleepily into his neck when he attempted to leave the embrace. They were cuddled up in Xiao's room, the furnishings minimal, the furnace on the other side of the room making them almost too warm. But it's not like he was going to turn down holding his partner as they slept, as both their nightmares increased in intensity it was becoming a bit of a comfort. He tried to get up once again, rolling to the side in an attempt to escape the arms imprisoning him there.

"No, no, stay here. It's warm." Venti sounded like he was still asleep, voice lower than usual and demanding. Xiao sunk into the plush blankets for but a second, letting the warmth and comfort surround him before he tried to get up for a third and final time.

It didn't work. Venti was surprisingly strong for how small he was with arms like iron, and his muffled giggles and protests against Xiao's neck only served to make him want to stay in bed even longer. Granted he did want to stay in the bed, but just the thought of lazing around all day whilst Aether was possibly in mortal danger made him feel guilty.

"Stop acting like the world will end if you spend another hour cuddling me." His eyes were open now, and he blinked owlishly at the light streaming in through the large open window. Perhaps if this were a place in the actual world it would get cold at night, but considering the adeptal state of the teapot, it stayed a temperate warmth all night long. Even then, Venti lifted a wrist to flick the curtain across the opening at an attempt at reprieve from the blinding light.

Once the room was dark again, Xiao gave in, letting his limbs lay loose and useless once more as he groaned.

"Just an hour, then you get up with me." His answer was but a tired nod into his throat before the both of them were drifting off again.

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He awoke later to the blankets twisted around his legs, making escape nearly impossible. When he leant up to attempt to unravel himself, Venti blinked at him. His eyes were off. Though they normally leant further toward turquoise, today they seemed different. The color was a little too warm, such a small difference that it really shouldn't have meant anything to him.

However, there had been a lot of little differences recently. Just enough to warrant a bit of concern. He was aware of his partner's identity as a mere wind spirit before his ascension to Archon-hood, and of how he had taken on his first friend's body as a tribute to his sacrifice and a way to remember him always. But with the way erosion worked, it would not be surprising if Venti was forgetting even him and thus losing hold on his appearance. He decided it would be best to ask.

"Venti." When he had the man's attention, he continued, "Your appearance has been changing in little ways recently. Is that on purpose?" Thankfully, the other man's eyes lit just a bit.

"Ah, recently I have remembered what it was you asked me when you died." He paused, a serious air covering them like a veil. He remembered. In his awakening, he had asked his now partner if freedom had become a prison to him. "I feel I should let my friend go. This form has done well by me for many a year, but I would like to change things a bit I think. "

It made sense. He remembered the immense guilt Venti had spoken of feeling over 'living his friend's life,' and though it had been nearly thousands of years, if he felt it was time to simply let him drift into the wind, that was his choice. It was not as if any child of Mondstat dreamed of death any other way, they're prayers consisting of adoration for their god and well whishes for their families.

Venti smiled up at him, wrapping his arms around his waist to kiss him gently on the cheek.

"I love you A'Xiao."