The Grim Reaper is Often Beautiful (Xiao x Venti)

Chapter 4: Fall

It happened so fast.

So sudden.

Before Xiao knew it, he was clutching Venti's hand so tightly that his hand could've been ripped off.

"Xiao-" Venti's face was full of shock, terror- or even sadness.

"Quiet!" Xiao growled, a bit too aggressively, but he didn't have time to think about that.

How could I have not realized sooner?

Xiao secretly cursed at himself. Nobody could take more than 20 minutes to just put on a new shirt and go. Xiao knew that he was an idiot for thinking Venti would be okay after he saw what he tried to do.

He pushed Venti up, inch by inch, until his body was halfway leaned on the fence. Then, with one strong push that Xiao put every single ounce of strength into, Venti made it back safely on top of the roof once again.

Xiao huffed, catching his breath as he laid beside Venti who was silent.

He tried to move, but Xiao latched onto him, "Not yet, stay here." He whispered.

Venti stared down, perhaps thinking of something, but quietly obliged as he sat back down beside Xiao.

After a few huffs and gasps, then mentally preparing himself- Xiao apologized, "I'm sorry Venti, for not realizing that you weren't okay yet."

"There is nothing to be sorry about." Venti said, gazing upon the milky white clouds, "You were there, though not admittedly, you were still there to lend out that hand."

Xiao looked at him, a bit guilty, "My hand couldn't convince you to stop this time, I don't deserve praise."

"Hah..." Venti slightly chuckled, "You saved me from falling, and now I thank you for that."

"I was just lucky... I can't save you all the time, I can't guarantee something so simple," Xiao squeezed his hand tightly, he spoke with great guilt and sorrow.

Venti laughed, "Something so simple? Strength may get you so far, but it is luck that ultimately decides your outcome, your fate, your life. Don't cry about luck, don't cry about promises. Praise yourself for saving a life, even if it's just once, twice, or a maybe even few dozen. Praise yourself everytime."

But luck is like sand... Xiao thought to himself.

No matter how hard you clutch onto it...

Sooner or later...

It will eventually run out.

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Xiao carried Venti like a princess, making him quite embarrassed about the scene, "Xiao! I can walk!"

Xiao shook his head stubbornly, "I must make sure you make it to the nurse's office safely."

"Aw..." Venti whined. His wrist was stiff from Xiao clenching it so hard, which he wished he didn't tell him about if he knew that Xiao would do something like this.

With almost perfect footwork, Xiao made it to the nurse's office with little to no effort.

Bursting the door open, Xiao called for the nurse, "Nurse! I have a classmate that broke their wrist."

"Erm," Venti butted in, "I don't think it's broken..."

Xiao glared at him, causing Venti to shut himself up.

Beidou, a sailor who for some reason, keeps showing up in Teyvat as a substitute teacher. Xiao guessed that she was acting as the nurse today.

"Yo! Xiao, lay him right down here," Beidou pointed to a bed. She was one of the few people that knew his name.

"Thank you," Beidou said, then grabbed out some tools that you'd definitely not use for a student that 'broke' their wrist, "How about you hang out with that kid behind the curtain?"

Xiao nodded, then despite having second thoughts, left Venti with Beidou.

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