Rose Colored Boy~ (A Xiaoven Fanfic)

Chapter Six

Xiao was snapped back to the jarring reality of what he did when Venti cupped his cheek with his hand.

"Xiao? Are you okay?" He asked, batting his eyelashes innocently while looking both concerned and amused. Xiao cursed himself as he felt his ears turning red.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He replied, hating how clunky his voice sounded in his own ears and undoubtedly in Venti's ears as well. Venti just smiled.

The smell of sweat and something inexplicably sweet tickled Xiao's nose as he took in Venti's appearance. He was wearing a sweat damp gray shirt with multiple wine stains and one questionable looking white stain, along with an incredibly ugly pair of basketball shorts that looked like they were from Dollarama, but that only made him more beautiful to Xiao somehow. It was something about the way he shined like a diamond even within that disgusting outfit.

Physically, he was beautiful as ever. His pale cheeks were flushed, probably from the running, his hair was mussed, greasy, and sweat damp, and his unfairly beautiful skin seemed to glow in the sunlight coming from the window, despite the eyebags and few dry spots. His lips were colorless and slightly chapped, but their shape was still stunning.  Xiao thinks he might pass out if he looks too long, because the thought of Venti alone is enough to make him weak in the knees, let alone his presence.

"...Xiao?" Said Venti cautiously, snapping Xiao out of his dreamy trance. When he realized he had been staring at the other boy, he flushed even more red and finally stood up, offering Venti his hand just so he could feel the rough, calloused skin of a musician and archer once again. Venti laughed and accepted, grabbing his hand and pulling himself up with ease. He looked down at his outfit and laughed sheepishly.

"Ehe, I know I don't look my best today, I really wasn't expecting to meet anyone... Especially you! If I knew I would have prettied myself up, really!"

Xiao was too transfixed by that angelic giggle to respond at first, but once he processed what Venti had said, he quickly objected.

"No, of course not, you look..." He trailed off, regretting starting his sentence already.

"I look..?" Venti egged him on, trying and failing to look serious even as his sugar sweet albeit mischievous grin got the better of him, clearly enjoying flustering him. Xiao steeled himself.

"You look fine." He choked out, immediately regretting his bland choice of words. Apparently Venti did too, because he groaned playfully.

"Fine? Awwww c'mon, cut me some slack, aren't I naturally cute?"

Now, Xiao thought, was his time to grow some balls.

"Yes, you are. You look lovely, Venti," He managed to say with a straight face despite his ears burning fire hydrant red. Venti seemed caught off guard, and Xiao didn't fully exhale until his surprised expression melted into a charming smile.

"And you don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Conqueror of demons," –Xiao internally groaned at the use of his old nickname– "Now could you be a sweetheart and help me with my luggage? I assume we're going to be roommates now."