The Winds Bring with them Change (Volume 1)

He had wondered if he should simply leave to go back to Liyue after Aether's disappearance, but was convinced by the Kamisato girl that it would be best if he stayed with Venti. Who was sleeping nearby on a futon Thoma had brought to the teahouse for him. He sat against the wall now, only watching the ex-Archon as he slept. For a moment he debated if this was creepy or not, but settled on that he was only guarding his sleeping friend. Venti would probably only tease him about it; a sly grin on his lips as he would get much too close to Xiao's face, breath grazing his cheek when he leaned closer to whisper in his ear. And Xiao was getting carried away.

Though his memories of centuries past were blurred and missing bits, every meeting he had with the man before him was clear as day. He had traveled to Mondstat thousands of times in a corrupted haze, and each and every time he felt himself slipping, the Archon was there to pull him back off that edge. He took him by the hand, broke his bindings so many times that Xiao had never even considered that he might need his own hand; that the man he had looked to for saving him had his own darkness, his own abyss he was slowly suffocating in.

This was the only moment of true silence he had had in months now. The only time to actually examine his friends behaviors, the terror on Venti's face when he had called him Xiao, when he warned him about freedom becoming unachievable. The way he had looked at Aether being the same way Xiao found himself looking at Aether. Maybe he ought to check in on the ex-Archon more than he did currently.

Thoma peeked his head through the door, an easy smile playing on his lips while he asked if Xiao wanted anything before he left for the night. When Xiao protested, he furrowed his brows and left, coming back minutes later with a warm cup of tea and a small plate of assorted sweets. When he went to leave, Xiao mumbled a thank you, which earned another of the smiles that made their way onto his face much too easily.

"Don't worry about it, we're both friends with Aether, and I figure that should make us at least closer than strangers." Xiao wasn't sure his logic tracked all that well, but his energy was infectious, and Xiao nodded at him. After he had left, Xiao glanced down at the plate, examining the desserts for anything that looked appetizing. There was a pink thing filled with something that smelled like Sakura. He hazarded a nibble at the edge, decided he liked it well enough, and tore it in half to eat the one end while saving the other for Venti who hadn't eaten in hours. It was sweet and filled his senses with the chewy mochi and the creamier fillings. It wasn't too bad. Not bad at all actually.

When the treat was gone, the taste in his mouth lingering still, he glanced back over at Venti. He was shivering now, having thrown his blankets in the farthest corner earlier. Xiao stood with a groan, his body sore and his shoulder still aching from having dislocated it nearly a week ago, and now only hours ago having literally run into a tree. He made his way over to where the blanket laid, picking it up roughly, muttering some form of a curse under his breath. When he got to Venti's side finally, he placed the blanket over his shoulders gently, careful not to disturb him when he pulled it down to cover his stockinged feet. After watching him breath for a minute, he sat back against the wall near his head.

If Aether was gone, then freedom was truly out of his grasp. He cursed his own head, if he had been here, with him then he could have protected him. But with Venti laying near him, safe and ok, he could breath at least a little easier. When the man next to him moved with a huff, it startled Xiao out of his thoughts enough to recognize that his tea was beginning to get cold.

As he sipped at the rapidly cooling drink, he watched his friend again. Venti now tossed and turned, eyebrows furrowed and small whimpers escaping him now and again.

Xiao grew more worried every second he didn't wake up, finally giving in when tears began streaming down his face. "Venti, wake up now." He was always concerned when he was around anyone who was dreaming, as merely his presence was disturbing to mortals. But since the man lying before him was no mortal, he couldn't be the cause of this particular fear. He reached out a tentative hand, tugging on the fabric of his shirt and calling his name again, more loudly that time. When he didn't get a response, he sat back on his heels, his chin resting in one hand while he tapped at his friend's shoulder with the other.

"Venti, you're scaring me. Wake up."

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the very man he was worried about held his wrist tightly, his grip definitely tighter than his usual loose hold. Xiao was sure it would bruise, but he wasn't as concerned about that as he was about Venti.

He had never looked more like an Archon, his hair and eyes glowing teal, a raucous wind blowing through the teahouse. Marks were glowing through his shirt and stockings, and he looked disoriented. He tilted his head, seemingly not recognizing the Adepti he held at his mercy. Xiao calmed himself for a moment, a sense of knowing coming over him.

This was the thing his own Lord was so afraid of. Erosion. Slowly losing their memories, their minds. Knowing nothing but base feelings. Xiao knew his job, he was aware of what he was meant to do in these circumstances, but he wouldn't do it. He would do it for his Lord, for his fellow Adepti, but not his friends. Not when they had just found each other. Not when he had finally left Liyue.

So he only brought his other hand up to brush his fingertips gently over Venti's knuckles, trying to convince his confused friend that he was not a threat in any way. "Lord Barbatos?" He was trying to keep his voice low, calm enough that he wouldn't cause himself or Venti to panic.

His eyes, still glowing in the darkness of the room were watching Xiao's every move, flitting from his hand to Xiao kneeling over him. A strange sense of recognition appeared in his eyes, his grip loosening a little. "Alatus," then, again, the glow fading, he spoke the name Xiao had only heard from him once before, "Xiao." The wind almost immediately died down when Venti dropped his wrist with a quick gasp of breath. Without the aid of the ex-Archon's glowing, they had only their breathing to tell them where the other was. Xiao waited until Venti finally spoke, voice shaky.

" I'm sorry. I wasn't myself. I didn't..." He trailed off, tone sad when he continued," I don't know what happened." Xiao made his way back over to the wall, and leaned his head back, feeling the gentle breeze brush over his face. He was hesitant to tell Venti, who was now shaking beside him from either the breeze or his own apprehension, his assumptions about his condition.

"My Lord," He started, stopping at Venti's scoffed retort.

"Don't give me that bullshit, I am not your lord. I am no ones lord. Not anymore." Though he spoke the last line under his breath, Xiao was not mortal, and so he heard him perfectly. When he spoke again, it was a not to say the things he knew he should be saying.

"Are you hungry? The red haired boy brought food not an hour ago, I saved some for you." Though he knew that the Anemo Archon was more fond of drink than he was sweets, he figured a snack might help give him a break. The plate was still sitting next to him, and he took Venti's hand and guided it to where he held the half of the pink thing.

Xiao could hear him sniffling quietly beside him as he ate, his shoulder brushing Xiao's as he moved a bit closer. He didn't speak, opting to just lean against the wall again. He was tired. Emotionally tired. Though his mind craved rest, he knew it wouldn't solve a thing, and so he simply stared up at the boards that made up the ceiling, listening to his friend's sniffling beside him.

It had been silent for so long that Xiao assumed Venti had fallen asleep next to him. Until he spoke from much closer than he thought he was, his voice a tentative whisper in the perfect quiet of the room.

"You are a good person, Xiao." Xiao turned toward him, a startled sound leaving his throat when Venti's soft mouth was on his. He tasted faintly of wine, and more prominently of sakura. The ex-Archon's hands found their way around his waist.