#xiaovenweek

[fleurissimoo]

Free Day [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 7]

—Because without you, there’s no me.— Best of Me by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

The awkwardness filled the air as they continued their supper after the Lantern Rite festival. At least, that was Xiao felt. He had no idea that Venti, who he just met several days ago, would actually come and hang out with both mortals and adepti. The way Venti and Zhongli just pretended like they didn't know about each others surely made Xiao and the traveler a little uneasy.

Venti said that he would go to the Alcor, talking with his other mortal friend. Zhongli enjoyed taking a stroll in the harbor, a place that he had protected for thousands of years, so he did just that.

After bidding his farewell with the Traveler, Xiao went back to Wangshu Inn, to (presumably) take a break. These days, he felt more tired than before. The words from the traveler and a certain bard that we already knew who surely lived rent free on his mind.

"Happy Lantern Rite, Adeptus Xiao." Verr Goldet greeted from behind the counter, just like she did years ago.

"Happy Lantern Rite too." He answered and it surely shook her, because Xiao always replied with a "hmm" or "you too", not bothered saying the festival name.

Verr Goldet smiled, "I'll ask the chef to prepare the best Almond Tofu tomorrow morning."

"You don't ha-- uh, ... thank you."

Swiftly, Xiao made his way to his room, located on the very top of Wangshu Inn. He put his spear back to the assigned place and went to his bed. A sigh escaped his mouth, a mixed of relief, disappointment, happiness, and a hint of sadness.

"Knock, knock! Can I come in?"

The familiar voiced of a certain bard came to his ears. Jolting, Xiao sat straight on the bed and replied. "Yeah, you can."

The door opened and a twin-braided man popped out from behind it. "Are you gonna sleep, Xiao?"

"Just now, I want to."

"Good! When did you have this kind of thoughts? To rest, I mean. Do you remember the Traveler's words or ... my words too?"

"Both, actually."

"You surely fond of the Traveler, don't you?" Venti asked and sat down besides the Conqueror of Demons, before continuing, "I'm kinda jealous!"

"W-Why are you jealous? I—" Xiao was at loss of words.

"I mean, you took their advice seriously, but when I said it, at least 70%, I think that you ignore me all the time!" The Anemo Archon pouted.

"N-No!" Xiao replied, panic could be heard, "Don't ..., don't ever said that again, Barbatos!"

"Why did you say that?"

"You may think that your contribution in ... "changing" me, that word surely feels a little weird ..., was small. I just want to say that it was not true."

Xiao, who was captivated before by Venti's gaze, diverted his eyes from Venti. He couldn't bring himself to look at the older's.

"Because without you, there's no me."

"Xiao ...."

"You are the one who truly ... makes me better each day. Your melody saved me from my karmic debt, letting me to live longer and protect Liyue. You are the remedy that I need."

Venti was left speechless by Xiao's sudden words. Slowly, Venti could see Xiao's cheeks were getting more and more red each second. The tone-deaf bard, as Paimon called him, cupped Xiao's face into his palm and their eyes met.

"Thank you so much, Xiao. The wind will always bless you, no matter where you are."

"And please remember, that it was not just my tune that saved you, but you still had the power inside you and you never gave up on the first place."

An embrace was given and Xiao could not stop thinking that the figure in front of him was indeed his savior and his ultimate remedy.

And definitely someone that he respected, cared and loved for the rest of his life.

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

Dreams [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 6]

—A remedy, a melody. That memory that only I will remember.— Jamais Vu by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

It came back again. The dream.

He was alone, laying down near the burnt grass near Dihua Marsh. His blurry eyes spotted corpses of abyss mages and other demons all around him. He lifted his hand, seeing so much blood and bruises and having no idea whether it was his or his victims. The aching started to creep from his legs to his head. Everything was spinning and he was about to lose himself completely.

Then, he heard a melody. It was from a flute, a Liyuen flute.

The melody was soothing and he was sure that his aching wounds were healed. The melody was calming that he could not contain himself to not be engulfed with sleepiness.

"Are you awaken yet?"

"Did I oversleep again?"

"You sure did, buddy." Heizou patted, more like slapping, the sleepy person's back several times.

"Heizou, stop it."

"Sorry, Xiao! Let's go back to the class. Also, how can you sleep when the canteen is so noisy?"

Xiao sighed and took his backpack, then walked alongside the confused looking Heizou. "Homeworks make me tired. I guess that is why."

"Is being an engineering major that hard?"

Rolling his eyes, Xiao answered, "You can repeat your question again, slowly."

Xiao sped up, leaving Heizou behind. Right before he turned left on the intersection, Xiao heard something familiar.

A melody from a Liyuen flute.

Xiao didn't even think about his next class and ran to find the source of that melody. He was having a similar dream for several months, about his supposedly "former life" and he always heard this melody played by someone with twin-braided hair who he called "Barbatos". The melody was played not only when he was in pain, but in many different occassions.

Panting, Xiao finally arrived at the university garden and found the player of that melody.

"Barbatos, is that you ...?"

The melody stopped and "Barbatos" turned around. Xiao was sure that the twin-braided hair man he saw right now was Barbatos. He might sound crazy but they definitely met in their previous life.

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

Yearning [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 5]

—How long do I have to wait? How many nights do I have to pass to see you?— Spring Day by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

Legend amongst the people lived near Wangshu Inn said that they could see a figure sitting down on the top of the inn's tower every night. This happened for more than several centuries. There was no idea of who was the figure, but what they knew that figure was a yaksha that guarded Liyue. People thought the figure looked like it was watching or ... waiting for something.

One night, a soft melody could be heard by those who were awaken. Soon, those people fell asleep soundly, like there was nothing that could disturb them. The faithfully waiting yaksha was not alone this time, but with the accompany of a bard with a flute on his hand.

"Have you been waiting for me here the entire time, my love?"

"I told you, I will wait. No matter how long it is."

The bard swang his dangling feet and the yaksha leant on the fence. The breeze that night was not cold at all. "I'm sorry that I could not come earlier."

"It's fine. As long as you come."

The bard came down and touched the yaksha's hand, then leading him inside the inn. "I'm here now. Your wait is over, my love. I will not go anywhere else. No more lonely night for you to bear."

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

Unspoken Words [#Xiaoven2023 Day 4]

—Come home and lie in bed. Thinking if it was my fault?— 00:00 by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

Clack!

The sound of door opening and soft footsteps were the only things breaking the silent night. No light shone the room besides the moon. Xiao put his guitar near the sofa and came to the bathroom to clean himself. He was holding himself back to not let a sigh escaped. It was truly a tiring day. Nothing went well and his professor ended up scolding him again for a small mistake he did in the class.

When he opened the bedroom door, he could see Venti sleeping peacefully, curled up like an armadillo. Xiao came and positioned himself beside Venti and held him tight. Finally, letting out a sigh, Xiao broke down into a sob. Shits went down bad because of him, his bandmates failed to qualify to the competition because of him, his university presentation group was crumbling too.

He didn't notice that Venti wasn't actually sleeping. The twin-braided man turned around and cupped Xiao's cheeks.

"V-Ven—"

"Shush ...."

Venti didn't let Xiao speak a single word. Instead, he continued to caress Xiao's cheeks and ruffled his hair, then bringing Xiao into his embrace.

Without a word that night, Xiao's mind and heart was healed by Venti.

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

Injury [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 3]

—Goodbyes are even more painful. I can’t go on if you’re not here.— Outro: Love is not Over by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

"X-Xiao ...? Can you hear my voice ...?"

The person who was called 'Xiao' finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was

the beautiful teary eyed Venti, cupping and caressing his face softly like there was no tomorrow.

"Ven ... ti ...."

"Oh, Xiao .... I-I'll get Zhongli, okay? Or ..., I can get one of my children in Mondstadt—!"

The karmic debt was surely taking a toll in his body. All the good deeds he did could not remove his bloody past from the massacre he had done. Now, after thousands of years fighting and fighting, his body was not able to handle the pain anymore.

"No— I ... I want you ... t-to stay ... here ...."

"Yes ..., yes. I'll—I'll stay."

Xiao let out a smile. "I ... guess, I have ... r-reached my limit ...."

His skin was darkened and the black mist surrounding him became bigger. The yaksha closed his eyes, feeling his consciousness slowly decreasing.

"Xiao ... hey. Don't ... don't sleep, 'kay?"

"I'll ... t-try, Venti ...."

Venti's hand trembled as he grabbed Xiao's. "I love you ... I love you so much ..., Xiao. Please ... don't leave ...."

"H-How am I suppose to live ... without you? Who will stop me ... from drinking too much wine, hm?" The Archon's breath was short and painful.

"You ... You c-can live ... without me ..., and have a ... g-good—" A cough, followed with blood. "—life ...."

"I ... lo—"

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

I'll Love You in Every Universe [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 2]

—And they said we can't be together, because, because we came from different sides.— My Universe by Coldplay x BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

"Xiao, don't you think the lanterns are super pretty?"

Venti's cheerful voice filled up the balcony of Wangshu Inn. Xiao, the Vigilant Yaksha, was 'forced' to be there and accompany the Anemo Archon. Xiao was supposed to do his duty, protecting Liyue Harbor, but when he was done fighting, Venti came and pulled him away. And now here he was.

"It is." Xiao replied with a small voice. However, his eyes didn't focus on the lanterns flying from Liyue Harbor, but to the Anemo Archon. "It is ... pretty."

"Should we go to the harbor? If you want to, of course." Venti's question was then followed by a soft giggle.

Xiao didn't seem to think much and said the first thing came into his mind, "I would prefer to spend time with you, wherever you are."

This left Venti speechless before he laughed. The Archon came closer and rested his head on Xiao's shoulder.

"You are so—cute. I—love—"

==[]==

"What a magnificent painting!"

A voice, somewhat familiar, filled with adoration seeped through Xiao's ears, who was standing in front of the painting for a solid 10 minutes. Xiao glanced to the sweet voice, before his eyes widened and now giving his full attention.

Just like love at first sight, Xiao's heart filled with relief. He, then, looked back to the painting of the two people, one with twin-braided hair and one with a yaksha mask, in front of him, with a title: Eternal Love in a Universe.

"I've finally found you."

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fleurissimoo]

Wings [#XiaovenWeek2023 Day 1]

—I knew these small feathers would become wings. Flying, flying, with my reddened wings.— Outro: WINGS by BTS

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

It was begun with a single feather, growing on his back. The teal-green coloured feather shone bright in the dark night. He, like most of the children in the world, caressed and loved that small feather. Then, more and more small feathers were formed. He had the faith and belief that these feathers would grow bigger and stronger, so he could protect other people.

"Heh ..., haha ..., HAHAHA!"

The invisible red strings, trapping and tainting, made him dance with the bloodstained polearm. His mind was blurry as he crushed everything beneath him. His majestic wings helped him fly even higher as he devoured his victims' dreams.

The wings he thought would protect, ended up destroying everything.

The teal-coloured wings, stained red and filled with blood.

==[]==

"Xiao ...?"

"Hm?"

"You ... okay?"

A small touched cleared his mind and brought him back to reality. The blue sky greeted and a teal-haired person came to his sight.

"I ..., I'm fine. Do not worry." He gave the person a slight smile before gazing back at the blue sky, remembering the time when he still had his wings.

And the time where he had to let go of it.

Like a mind reader, the person beside him said, "I think I'm done resting! Should we go now? We will miss the Lantern Rite if we keep stopping like this!"

"I remember it was you who asked to take a break and it was you who wanted to go to the Liyue Harbor by foot. I could just hold you and teleport there."

"It will be no fun then! Um, how about we fly?"

Xiao froze for several seconds there before replying, "You understand that I have no wing anymore."

Right after he said that, a beautiful and majestic pair of white wings opened in front of him. Xiao could see gold sparkles around them and it was mesmerizing.

"Hold my hand, Xiao." The person reached out to him. "I'll hold you tight and be your wings."

"And we can fly wherever we want."

The wings flapped with excitement, ready to make them soar high in the sky. Xiao grabbed that person's hand and smiled, before the person gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

"As you wish, Venti."

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨ END ୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

[fer7adami]

“Freedom is when you call my name”

2022 Xiaoven week sketch comic