✔ choosing you - old ver.

choice twelve

xiao walked home, lifting his feet to try and not get his feet wet. it took him a bit longer since it had snowed more than before, but hey, by no time he was at home. 

"damnit.." he said, rubbing his hands together, then ringing the doorbell. the ginger opened the door, smiling happily at xiao. 

"xiao! welcome back!" he said, zhongli peeking over him. 

"yeah hello." he said, slightly annoyed. 

"come on, let's go in." xiao took no time to slip into his home, immediately feeling warmer as the heat was clearly on. childe turned, closing the door as he did. 

"welcome home, i know you're going to another kids house but i had one last present!" xiao nodded. 

"okay." he ran one hand through his hair, sighing heavily. zhongli walked pat childe and xiao and sat down on the couch, motioning childe to come sit beside him. the ginger happily accepted, walking over and plopping down laying his head on the taller man. 

"your present is right here," childe pointed. "it was a pain to get it. you better be happy about it." he pouted, zhongli covering his mouth with his hands to prevent him from saying anything more. xiao walked over, taking the decently sized box. 

"err..thank you childe." he said, childe nodding after zhongli had removed his hand. xiao shook the box lightly, and to his surprise there was a sound that made it seem whatever was inside, was something bigger. xiao looked up, childe nodding for him to open it. 

xiao looked back down taking the top off of the box and removing the item inside. it was covered in white tissue paper, and xiao was getting a little impatient. he continued removing the tissue paper from the gift, setting it down on the table. he took a better look at the gift before dropping it onto the coffee table. childe looked at xiao face and he looked- terrified. childe started to stand, zhongli grabbing his hand and seating him back down. childe looked to zhongli with worry. 

"what is making him act like this?" childe whispered, zhongli closing his eyes, clearing knowing why. 

"what-what the hell.." xiao muttered, looking to childe and zhongli. zhongli stood up, leaning over and picking up the present. 

"you shouldn't throw around such important things." he said calmly, picking up the lyre which was on the table. zhongli stood up, holding the simplistic lyre in his hands. 

"xiao." xiao shook his head. 

"no, no i'm not taking it.." he told his father, turning his head and quickly running out of the house without his coat dispute it snowing. he ran where ever he let himself go, just anywhere away from that lyre. anywhere.

+

venti stared at his phone, waiting until xiao texted, xiao called, or xiao rang the doorbell. why is he not here? he rolled off his bed, standing up. 

"i finished his present," he said, looking down at the horribly wrapped dish. "and klee made him a drawing," he said pointing at the peice of folded paper. "that's all, right?" he questioned, nodding his head and agreeing with himself. 

"okay." suddenly there came a ring to his door, and he perked up. 

"xiao?" he asked himself, running to his door, and swinging it open. he ran downstairs and went to his front door to open it. he swung it open, to be greeted by xiao who was covered in snow. "xiao?" xiao looked up at venti, and they stared at each other. 

"what happened to you-" venti asked, xiao looking down in embarrassment. 

"nothing, i just had to walk here." venti looked unsure, but he opened the door wider so he could come in.