UNNOTICED 🌖 (Xiao×Venti)||Genshin Impact

Miracle

"If we have a son, what will you name him?"

The man sat beside the woman. The two gazed at the night sky full of stars in the blessed silence of nature.

"I won't be the one naming our child Guizhong.", the man looked at the woman's long, flowing gray hair that faded into a cerulean-blue. She resembled a Glaze Lily, as it is in many hues of white, blue, navy, and gray.

On hearing the words of her lover, she smiled and kept her head on his broad shoulders.

"I want it to be you who names our child", the man said with his amber eyes glowing in the dark.

"Hmm? That's a difficult task though!", the woman yelled and got closer to her lover. The man caressed her hair and looked at her as if she meant everything to him.

After a long pause, the woman slowly spoke, "Xiao..."

"Hmm?"

"If we have a son... I'll name him Xiao.", the woman said with a radiating smile which made the night seem like broad daylight.

But the beautiful days did not last long.

The woman died as she gave birth to the undernourished child. And the child too died in the arms of his father.
The man could do nothing to save the one person who meant everything to him. And now, even their child had died just after a day of being born.

With nothing left and his world destroyed, the man decided to continue to live. He would continue to live and keep his lover alive within him.

He would continue to live so that he too may die one day and be reunited with his love.

-

"I... I apologize for my mannerisms...", said Xiao as he wiped his tears which he was ashamed of.

To end up crying out loud in front of someone he had just met-
how embarrassing...

But Zhongli had a kind and subtle smile. A smile which had perhaps withstood many hardships. The boy in front of him looked nothing like Guizhong or himself. Xiao was cleary not his son. And yet he could feel the fatherly urge to hug the innocent boy and give him every bit of love he deserved.

He had often heard Hu Tao, his niece, talk about this boy named Xiao. 'Xiao', a name he had long since kept in his heart.

"If my son was still alive... he would be the same age as you.", Zhongli said,"But he died. He died the day after he was born. Even before his birth certificate could be issued. And so... I could not name him. But that is a story for later. For now, remember this my child. Always do what you want to. I will look after you. Afterall, we will be family if you agree to be my son."

"I will... I will be your son" , Xiao said in a low but grateful tone of voice.

Perhaps because all he ever craved for was a proper family. A father who would take him to places he had never been to. Someone who would love him. Someone who would stay with him.

Perhaps he had always been hoping for a miracle to happen. And so when he had finally found Zhongli who was ready to accept him, his heart could feel an emotion he had never felt.

-

The process of adoption is a tiring one.

The day following the death of the woman was the day of her funeral. Everyone dressed in black arrived at the sorrowful occasion and offered flowers to the dead.

As soon as the remains of the woman were gone under the ground, Ayaka handed over the death certificate to Xiao. Even if only a little bit, everyone was glad that Xiao was not going to become an orphan since Zhongli would be adopting him and the procedure for that was ongoing.

Everyone left as the sun moved from one end of the sky to the other. Xiao stood staring at the still water beneath the bridge built across lake Cider. Was his life slowly coming together with Zhongli adopting him?

Maybe yes.

But there was still someone... someone who was yet to accept him.

"Xiao..."

Xiao looked at the direction from where he could hear his name being uttered with a very soft and familiar voice.

"Venti..."

Venti stood right across the bridge with his head low. Perhaps to avoid eye contact with Xiao. His head was just as much of a mess as Xiao's.

"Xiao, are you feeling alright?", Venti finally spoke and looked up at Xiao.

The moonlight fell on Xiao's dark green hair which made the tealish undertones at the roots of his hair glow. His golden irises and purple marking on his forehead in the shape of a diamond also shined brighter than usual.

"I am quite alright. Her death was not the most unexpected thing now that I think about it.", Xiao replied.

"He really does look alright... his aura has calmed down. And now he has a proper home to return to... he has a family now... and yet... why am I this puzzled...? Why... Why was I not the one who comforted him first? Why was I not the one who stayed beside him when he needed me? Why was I... why am I still..."

"Venti?"

Venti's head was filled with thoughts and regrets. Xiao calling out his name snapped him out.

"Why did you suddenly become so quite?", Xiao asked as he started approaching Venti.

Venti felt conflicted as Xiao came closer and closer with each step.

A part of him wanted to yell. To yell his real feelings. To express his love clearly. To tell Xiao that he loved him as well.

While another wanted to run. To hide in the depths of the lies he makes up at times to hide his past. To forget that love exists.

But before Venti could let any one of his feelings take over and win, Xiao was already standing in front of him with his eyes intently fixed on Venti.

The fact that he loved Venti was always so clearly visible in his eyes. Venti could not look away from those eyes.

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