Chapter Text
It was late at night and Venti couldn't sleep. Again.
Fingers too preoccupied with guitar strings, eyes too fixed on a blank wall, mind too lost in his past talk with Mona. He replayed in thoughts certain parts again and again, looking at them from different angles, analysing too much, trying to find a hidden bottom. What was her goal? Did she even have one? And why revealing her knowledge?
He hit strings a little too hard, bringing a little too loud sound out of the instrument.
Fate. That was a nice word. He liked it. The weight of it. The implication. How much power it held in poetry, in music. But did he ever feel fated to something, for someone?
He sighed, closed his eyes and let his guitar rest on top of a dorm bed. Few more minutes and Rosaria would be knocking at his door again. A quick look at the phone told him that it was already past midnight. And that there was still no answer, despite few hours of wait.
Xiao: Hey. Childe finally text me details. Sorry, we had to cancel guitar tomorrow. Next week, ok?
me: oww, that's a shame. good luck with lumine! we can have a lesson on saturday if you're free?
me: actually
me: theres smth i wanted to tell you, can i call?
Well, maybe that was his fault, he was first to replay late. He didn't know what to write and typing good luck wishes costed him way too much emotional stability at that moment. Reaching Xiao was a hit or miss. Sometimes he replied almost instantly and another time he was lost in ether for hours, only to explain later that he was busy. Venti could bet it was the case this time too. A sigh left his lips and he rubbed his eyes. He should rest.
He should rest, he should study, he should think about something, he should stop, he should, he should, he should. So many things. He wanted to rest. He wanted to go on a drink and relax. He wanted Xiao to be here. He should stop. There's a noise outside. He should pretend he's asleep.
Venti quickly switched off the desk lamp and sneaked under a blanket, putting the guitar on the floor almost silently. After a few seconds he realized how stupid that was. He already stopped playing, why worrying now? It's not like Rosaria would blame him for staying late. Many students at this time of semester were doing an all-nighter, so why the stress? Venti sighed, rubbing his eyes again. He really had to be tired. No more thinking today, if his minds would bless him. And tomorrow... Tomorrow he would call.
As long as he would get up early enough.
*
Of course he didn't.
1 missed call: Xiao
Xiao: Sorry, I was busy. I don't have time tomorrow.
Xiao: Something happened? I'm about to start practical classes.
1 missed call: Xiao
Venti almost growled and checked the time again. Right now Xiao was probably in the middle of his class and, except for a short break, he would be unavailable until the end of all of them. Venti probably missed his chance to talk with him, unless texting during his own lecture would be sufficient. But...
He would rather talk about this, not write. Because what would he write? Hey, sorry, don't freak out, but Lumine is dating with Albedo and I don't know why she decided to hang out with you, but pls won't meet her.
Pathetic. Talking face to face was so much easier.
He shoved his face into his hands, before he almost rolled off bed.
But... what if he let this happen?
Something stung his chest almost instantly at this thought, but he bravely continued to explore the idea. The worst outcome? They would discover they are meant for each other. The best outcome? Xiao would realize he really didn't feel anything for Lumine. The most probable one? They just spent some time together and Xiao would be too nervous to make any move on her. That was an entirely acceptable risk, at least logic said that. But it was already here.
A ferocious beast. The one responsible for continuous stinging at his heart, for iron rings tightening around his lungs and throat. Jealousy. He couldn't stand the thought of the two of them together. Smiling at each other. Maybe laughing. He clenched his fist on the hem of his shirt.
Before he could sink deeper into his gloomy thoughts, his phone buzzed. Venti jumped up and grabbed it with a pounding heart, only to sigh deeply a second later.
Keqing: Are you going to attend today's classes? It's not that I'm babysitting you, but we're in a group together, I expect at least the minimum.
Classes. Crisis Management. Oh, gods. If Keqing wouldn't kill him, his professor surely would do.
*
Too late. Too late for everything.
Late for class, late with essay, late with excuses, even though they were excellent as always. Keqing already lost her patience and just after the class she mercilessly dragged him to library to work on their group project. He ended up sitting and staring at the computer screen with a not so interested expression, yawning from time to time and sneakily checking his phone. He was still yet to answer previous Xiao's text's, because... should he? Should he really tell him? What if Xiao got angry? Distrustful? It was so late already, he probably would meet her anyway.
"Venti, do you have anything about this topic?" asked Keginq, but her voice hinted that she didn't expect much.
Venti rose his gaze from his phone and looked at her like he saw her the first time in his life. After a little moment, something in his head connected and he nodded vigorously and opened an e-book on his laptop. Keqing seemed to be pleasantly surprised.
"I guess you are not slacking off as bad as I thought," she muttered and then started reading Venti's materials.
Given a moment, Venti spontaneously typed a message to Xiao.
me: don't worry about anything! ill explain you later. remember, you have to tell me ✨everything✨ what happened later
Jealousy roared wildly, but Venti shushed it. It was too late to stop them anyway. And now, with this burden temporarily out of his chest and with Keqing busy, he could freely think about his own move. And only one thought wandered on the edge of his mind, one small memory.
"You're hiding more than you should".
*
Freedom finally. Away from Keqing claws, away from university building and boring classes, only he, his empty, single dorm room, his instant noodles and way too much free time, which he used to spent differently at Fridays. It was relaxing and lonely at the same time.
Until his phone woke up. Venti reached for it hurriedly, continuing to eat.
Xiao: I'm going to make my brother a widower even before he got married.
His hand stopped halfway through to his mouth. He blinked a few times, read the text again and checked social media just in case something blew up. Nothing. Just mysterious message from Xiao. At first Venti started to typing back question, but after few words he paused.
Screw that.
He tapped the small call icon and waited impatiently with the phone near his ear. Xiao had to be available. He texted him just now. One signal. Two. Three. He could also not want to talk.
"Yeah," a resigned voice echoed in the receiver.
"Xiao?" started Venti with a concern in his voice. "Did something happen?"
There was an audible exhale on the other side of thephone and Venti imagined that Xiao took a deep, soothing breath. When he spoke, there was no sign of any strong emotion in his voice, for now.
"Do you know what Tartaglia did?"
"No?" Hook you up with Lumine, could say Venti, but apparently that was not the case.
Another exhale from Xiao, longer this time.
"He told Lumine we are going to the movies as a group," drawled through his teeth Xiao. "And at the last moment he told her that he and Zhongli won't make it, so we would be alone."
"And it... didn't work?"
"It obviously didn't work. Hu Tao tagged along with Lumine. Apparently Childe promised her movies and she was upset he had forgotten about her so she invited herself. I ended up buying her ticket in place of Childe. After the movie she dragged me all over the mall."
Venti wanted to laugh so, so bad, but he gulped all of the sounds that were ready to escape his lips. Xiao's voice sounded so monotonous and bored, but Venti was sure, if it would be anybody else than Hu Tao, Xiao would be so much more pissed than now.
"This is yet another proof that Childe ideas are dangerous," hummed Venti, maybe a little too happily. "Did you know what was going on?"
"Of course not," growled Xiao. "That bastard texted me this literally the last moment. I would never agree if I had known."
Relief. A big one. The whole universe seemed to be on his side, winking at him. He was feeling bold, but only a little, so he waited with his idea for Xiao to end recounting how Hu Tao chose a horror movie and then she took a middle seat and was whispering jokes to him the entire movie.
"Xiao," blurted finally Venti. He might have won a battle, but not because of his own actions. "Why wouldn't you tell me about it in person? Do you want to hang up on Sunday?"
Silence. Not for long.
"What?" There was a pure surprise in Xiao's voice. Venti suddenly lost all of his confidence.
"Hang out. Together. No working. Relaxing. You know, things people do for fun."
He panicked a little, just a little, hiding his fear behind a sarcasm.
"I know what this mean," snorted Xiao and Venti could imagine his eyes rolling. "I just didn't expect... Nevermind. You know, sure. Let's hang out."
He didn't expect what?
Actually, who cares?
"Great," replied Venti, trying his best to hide his excitement. "The let's meet at noon at that park near campus."
There was a little sound on the other side and Venti couldn't help but wonder what kind of face Xiao did.
"A park?" repeated Xiao with a hint of something light as a feather in his voice. "Should I bring something?"
"Only yourself." Venti smiled, but the only witness of this charming grin happened to be noodles. "I have an idea, you know."