The Winds Bring with them Change (Volume 1)

43: How to Love You?

It felt wrong, to be so overwhelmingly happy and yet need such a destructive outlet. He knew Aether was right, that his best should be enough. But this helped him to not feel as useless as being around Venti could sometimes make him feel.

He had no bad feelings towards Venti, none at all, in fact he hadn't felt this happy in as long as he remembers existing. But sometimes watching him struggle in pain and knowing he couldn't help at all just made his heart clench in a way he didn't know how to solve any other way.

And now, because he couldn't deal with Venti's pain in person, the very man he was so in love with was wandering the wilds of Mondstat, running on likely nothing but instincts. Since he wasn't here, in this place with so many newer, pleasant memories, Xiao decided to look somewhere with a bit more history.

He felt his Adeptal power cover him fully, consuming him and spitting him back out under the wide branches of an ancient tree. Windrise was genuinely beautiful, leaves fluttering peacefully in the breeze, scenting the whole area of windwheel asters. The tree itself was huge, trunk nearly as big around as the little cabins Xiao'd seen dotting the Liyuen countryside, leaves as green as the ones he'd seen in Sumeru.

The wind blew harder, whipping around at Xiao's clothing, calming a bit as he reached a hand out to it. He was no danger, he was nothing to be afraid of. Even as the wind calmed at his thoughts, his mask shimmered at his hip, reminding him of the exact opposite.

As the wind slowed a little, he caught a glimpse of bright braids, delicate fingers playing an instrument that he heard as he drew closer. It was a devastatingly similar melody to the one Xiao had heard that first night he nearly succumbed; haunting in its beauty, mournful and kind. It felt so incredibly familiar that it nearly brought Xiao to his knees.

A dull pain that Xiao hadn't even noticed over the past couple of days began to ease under the lyre's gentle caress. As he drew even closer, a voice drifted towards him, expressing even more of the feelings the music had evoked. He sounded confused, but overwhelmingly sad.

Xiao's chest hurt once more.

"Venti, I," His voice stuck in his throat, a painful lump forming the longer he tried to coax words out. "Venti, are you ok?" He was answered with a low hum, and a draft of wind forming under his feet. It was as much of an invitation as he was likely going to get, with his partner in pain like this.

He wondered briefly what was keeping Aether, but then again he probably needed a private conversation with the ex-Archon. He took the wind, drifting up to the branch where Venti sat with his legs crossed.

Xiao took his seat next to Venti, very carefully placing his hands on his knees and carefully glancing over at Venti. He looked wrecked, his eyes puffy and confused. He goes to speak, twisting his hands in the fabric of his cape, effectively wrapping himself up in it in the process.

"I'm okay now, I was a little out of it earlier." He attempted a smile, doing that thing he so hated when Xiao did. Xiao just shook his head, trying his best impression at Kazuha's usual mellow tone when he responded.

"You don't have to lie to me. I care for you." The lump in his throat grew as he spoke the last couple of words. Obviously it wasn't the full truth , as he was well aware at this point that he loved the man before him. He just wasn't sure that he was ready to say it out loud yet.

Venti shook his head, speaking to his hands again.

"I don't really remember all that happened. Just that I didn't know where I was or who it was that was with me." He turned, all wide eyes and fidgeting, "A'Xiao, I don't think I knew who I was."

Xiao shook a little, knowing he probably had to bring up the thing he'd been so distraught over for the last couple of weeks.

"I wish I could help you more dearest, but Aether and I have been everywhere, looked for anything, anything at all to help you, to keep you from being in pain, from forgetting." Venti looked a little shocked, likely because even in his closest relationship, Xiao wasn't the most talkative. "And it hurts almost as much as my Karma, feeling this helpless."

Venti's eyes softened, the smallest of grins forming slowly over his lips.

"My love, I have told you so many times, this doesn't bother me as much as the strange tension that been between us these last few weeks. I suppose we can be just as foolish as mortals when it comes to these things, yes A'Xiao?" Xiao smiles a little at the attempt at a jest, pulling himself closer to Venti to link their hands carefully.

"Do you want to go back to the teapot yet?" At Xiao's strangely soft-toned question, Venti nodded, yawning.

"Do you suppose we should get a bottle of wine as a peace offering first?" Venti's tone was back to being fully him, and he was nearly pleading as he asked the question. Xiao sighed in a way he hoped wouldn't come off too harsh, although with Venti it usually didn't matter.

"Whatever you want."

*

When they returned to the teapot not a half an hour later, it was to a newly cleaned and reorganized living room, and Aether and Kazuha working on different projects quietly.

When they step through the doors, Aether's head shoots up, a ridiculous grin forming on his face at the sight of the two of them, safe and bearing gifts. Diluc had given them a jug of dandelion wine and a basket of strange pastries he said he'd been trying to make in his free time. It felt like a lie, but extra gifts couldn't hurt.

Aether was on his feet and pulling Venti into a hug in the next moment. Thankfully Xiao was the one saddled with the basket of gifts, though he didn't miss the grateful, loving look the blonde sent his way.

The basket was put down carefully in the kitchen, and Xiao heard the enthusiastic kiss one of his partners gave the other. A tiny shot of almost jealousy went through him, but it was overshadowed by the happiness he felt at the thought of the two of them happy.

Kazuha joined him as he was placing the wine up with Venti's stash, although of course separate from his special wine, the others would likely die if they drank that. Xiao could stomach it, but he didn't even like ordinary alcohol, besides maybe Inazuma's rice wine.

The samurai hummed as he helped, finally plucking a lavender melon from the shelves and taking a large bite. He looked like none of the events of earlier had even happened, unruffled as per usual.

"I'm glad you made up. You're good for each other." And there he went with that divination that none of them could explain, so very kind in his weird future knowledge.

"I'm not angry either, I was simply a little shocked at his sudden lashing out." Xiao was infinitely grateful to know this man, even as a mortal he managed to teach Xiao things. In that moment Venti entered the room, using the wind to lift himself to the wine.

"Enough serious conversations, let's drink!" Kazuha laughed lightly, and the ex-Archon joined him, his laughter the most wonderful thing Xiao had ever heard.