Rose Colored Boy~ (A Xiaoven Fanfic)

Chapter Five <3

"Venti?" Xiao asked in disbelief. He had spent his entire day fanboying over that one singular encounter he had with Venti the other day at Zhongli's place. He remembered the twinkle in his eyes as he laughed, the firm, sturdy handshake he had given him, specifically how rough and calloused the skin of his slender hands was in comparison to Xiao's softer but less delicate looking ones, and how stunning his smile was.

And now there was that smile again, gleaming at him with the intensity of a thousand suns, overwhelming his senses to a complete lack of substance as he looked up from only a few inches from Xiao's face.

That was when Xiao finally processed how close he and Venti truly were in that moment.

He dropped Venti's head abruptly. The poor boy groaned as his head clunked against the ground.

"Heyyy Xiao. Great to see you 'round here..?"

Xiao looked down in horror as he realized what he had done, trying to find the right words to apologize without sounding like an idiot, which was really hard because for god's sake here he was, face to face with the man he had adored ever since he first heard him play in highschool.

On that fateful day he saw Venti for the first time, Xiao had been contemplating jumping off of the rooftop. His day to day was getting worse and worse, like an already rotten apple growing mold, and there seemed to be no escape

Other than what he was about to do.

And then he heard the sweetest, most calming sound to ever grace his ears.

First humming to get into the tune, and then the sound of a flute being played softly to a song Xiao had never heard before but could suddenly not get enough of. It was intoxicating, and he was transfixed. He didn't notice the tears in his eyes until they were rolling down his cheeks and he didn't even attempt to wipe them away. He felt as though he was intruding on something holy and angelic, but couldn't tear himself away from the calming beautiful noise.

Eventually his eyes had traveled upwards to the angel blessing him with this melody sent straight from the gods, and good heavens was he a sight.

Xiao recognized him as the leader of the Mondstadt gang, and as one of Morax's (As he was called back then) friends. He knew they were distantly related in some way or another, but had never really noticed the man. He distantly remembered being annoyed by his rambunctious antics and loud voice. He had never paid his appearance that much attention before either.

But now it was like whatever blindfold Xiao had been wearing was yanked off, as if his head was underwater and now that in was out, he could finally truly hear and truly see, and the first thing he saw and heard in his new and enlightened state was Venti

Not his loud voice, not his rambunctious attitude. Not his smug face or annoying grin.

Just...Venti. In his truest form.

He saw how his soft, silky locks were flowing in the wind.

He heard all the passion being poured from his chapped lips into the mouthpiece of the unworthy instrument.

He saw his slender silhouette against the darkening sky.

He heard the divinity and liveliness of his soul, bursting out of the confines of his admittedly beautiful mortal vessel and sharing its glory with the world, spreading like dazzling light in a dark, dingy chamber, putting the sun to shame.

He saw Venti.

And after that moment, after he experienced enlightenment, when his head was pulled out from under, only to be plunged back in the second Venti was out of his sight, his grace no longer blessing his ears, he had been smitten.

Absolutely, shamelessly, abhorrently, almost painfully smitten like never before.

And, dare he say it, he was content.