by your side ! modern venti

For once, Xiao hadn't been looking for trouble, hadn't taken anything, hadn't injured himself, or otherwise done anything that would have caused his heart to act up like it usually did.

So why the hell did his chest hurt so much? And why did he feel all the usual signs to yet another heart attack? It's been happening nonstop lately, and usually he was able to just... Walk it off, but...

Suddenly, everything around him went black, and he fell to the floor with a soft thud, the glass he had been washing shattering on the ground next to him. He could hear his lover's frantic yell of his name, sounding like he was underwater, like Venti was far, far away, before fully losing consciousness.

The next time he woke up, he was at the hospital, hooked up to more machines than he could count, and judging by how he felt, he must've been out for at least two or three days, which sucked. His attention was quickly shifted from that to the warm feeling around his hand, and he glanced down, vision still blurry, only to see Venti's hand holding his own. "Ven...ti?" He called out, as if trying to confirm that it was indeed his lover, voice raspy and weak.

//Comt. From here with @lentlilly 's Venti!

Xiao didn't know what brought him to open up to Venti like this, what dam had broken to have him spilling his emotions, and tears, to the other. "I tried to stop it, I tried my best! I watched my siblings grow mad, try to kill each other, I- I jumped between two of them, only to get pierced through and the scars are still on me." He admits, sniffling and sobbing, hold on Venti's hands so desperate.

"And- And I'm so scared. Scared that- that it's all because of me. That everyone I love will end like this." He continues, tone so desperate and broken. "I don't want the same to happen to you. To you or anyone else!" No, he loves Venti way too much. He's sure he'll die if the other leaves.

"It would be better if- if you just left me on my own, if I was isolated from everyone. That way you- you'd be safe." He says between sobs and whimpers. He doesn't want to hurt Venti, he doesn't want him to hurt because Xiao was too stupid to just leave while Venti was still safe.

//Closed starter for @lentlilly with a ghost hunter Xiao!

"We're locked in an abandoned asylum, we just saw a ball roll on its own, there's weird creaking sounds everywhere, what could possibly go wrong!" Xiao asks, grinning. He's entirely too relaxed and excited for the situation they're in as he wanders around the asylum with Venti, a small camcorder strapped to his chest.

"What's the ghost gonna do! Spook me?" He asks with a chuckle, hopping over one of the holes in the floor. He still keeps a keen eye on Venti though, just to make sure the other was okay, and wasn't too scared. They could easily get out of a window if he was, after all.

This really was just Xiao's typical bullshit, finding little areas that were supposed to be haunted and going in. And somehow Venti seemed roped into it more often than not, which was just. So funny. "Doing okay, Ven? We can easily leave if you're scared, you know I won't tease you for it." He adds gently. After all, Venti's wellbeing is most important here. He can always come back for the ghost.

Venti is coming to hug his bf

Xiao is just, going to melt in the embrace and hide his face so Venti doesn't see the tears. He really needs this right now, needs comfort more than anything, really.

He feels like he's so close to breaking. This hug is the only thing holding him together at the moment.

@lentlilly

hand hold hello - modern venti . look who almost died from alcohol poisoning

Xiao had made the mistake of not being home that entire week, of thinking Venti would be able to handle himself with the money he'd left him.

Well, granted, he was only supposed to be gone for two days, as the note he'd given Venti said, and he'd left money for Venti to do the monthly grocery run through those two days, and to get himself something of his choice for doing so well.

What he couldn't have known was that the people he was working with were impossible, resulting in a much longer stay for him, and no reception whatsoever didn't help.

So when he came back, only to find Venti near catatonic with everything pointing to the other drinking himself to near death, he felt awful. He'd rushed Venti to the hospital, leaving his side only for as long as he absolutely had to, before rejoining him, tears streaming down his face as he held his lover's hand. "I-I'm so sorry, Ven! I shouldn't have left you alone, I-"

“ it’s not you, we can’t kick the bucket together “ I've come to bring tears. modern venti

@lentlilly

"What...what do you mean, Ven?" Was the other saying he was leaving? Was he saying Xiao would be left all alone again?

Had he somehow messed up? Had he not done enough for the other? He should have done something different. But- Ah, what was he thinking? Of course he wasn't enough, of course Venti would need him. He needed someone so much better than Xiao ever could be, needed someone stronger, someone smarter, more capable.

Venti certainly wouldn't need a failure like him.

"If... If you want me to leave, I will, but, at least tell me what I did wrong? What I should have done better?" He loves him so much. This hurts more than he'd ever imagined, and yet he can only obey the other's wishes.

“  ah  !  a  smile  !  i  told  you  i  could  make  you  smile.  ” Venti

Xiao wipes at his teary eyes, sniffling lightly. Despite his crying and earlier breakdown, somehow Venti had actually gotten him to grin, and he still is. "You are... Imposible, Venti. How- how do you manage to make me smile and laugh when the only thing I feel like doing is crying?"

It's a miracle, really, and somehow silly things like this help more than any words of reassurance could at the moment. He sighs softly, shaking his head. "Thank you, though. It- it means a lot."

@lentlilly

“You don’t ask for a lot.” venti

"I don't need a lot." It's true, he doesn't. He's like a plant, in a way, all he needs is a little care and affection. But it's also so difficult to ask for something. He feels so guilty, and like he's a burden.

After all, others need help and affection too, others need his help and affection. It's not right of him to ask for it back. "Just some affection, if it's something you're willing to give. If not, that's fine too." He states with a smile.

@lentlilly

“I am going to give you a hug, and I think you don’t want it right now, but I think it will help you.” venti

How is it that Venti reads him so effortlessly? So easily and readily is the other able to tell he isn't doing well in the least. Frankly, Xiao feels like he's about to break down and he's not sure whether it's the thunder outside making him shiver and flinch, or just his general depression kicking in.

A hug is welcome, really, though Xiao wasn't sure how to ask for it before Venti brought it up. Physical contact usually helps, after all. He isn't going to tell Venti, though, not because he doesn't want to, but because he can't. The fear has pretty much rendered him mute at this point, so instead, he just nods slowly as a sign that he's okay with it.

@lentlilly

“ you know you'll make my life much easier, I'll make your life a mess “ venti. Pensive

"And I don't mind that. Not if it means helping you." He'd live through anything to keep Venti happy. It's okay. He's used to harsh words and cruel actions. He can take them.

He doesn't mind. "I love you." He does. He truly does. And he'll do anything to prove it.

“ without your help I have no hope to survive “ venti

"It's a good job then that I'll always be here to provide the help you need, Ven. I'm sticking around through thick and thin, no matter what." It's a promise.

He doesn't care if it hurts him, doesn't care if it ends up killing him, he'll stick around for as long as he physically can. And when he can't anymore, his ghost will just have to do the job for him.

regress throws venti at baby Xiao

The small adeptus is so lost. Last he remembered, he was falling asleep in papa's arms in the Guili Assembly, so, where was he now? And who was this boy with twin braids? And where was pap in the first place? He can't sense him, or mama. Had something happened? Had they left too?

He just hopes they didn't get hurt. Everything else would be alright, even if they abandoned him, just as long as they didn't get hurt.

He's scared to approach the boy, and instead moves to hide behind a tree, a golden eye peeking out from behind it, long hair and off-white, ripped shirt at least five times his size swaying in the wind. He looks so small, pale and fragile.

The boy didn't feel like he was bad, in fact he almost felt the same as papa, but, Xiao couldn't know. His master hadn't felt like he was bad either, at first. So, for now, he opts to hide.

@lentlilly

Venti just. Sprawls himself out on their bed. He's getting way too skittish from how sober he was. He turns around, to look at Xiao, whining. "Xiaooo.... There's no alcohol in the house.." it almost feels like a stupid complaint for a second, but it seriously bothered him.

"I know. I made sure of that." Xiao replies with a small frown, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "You're gonna drink yourself sick, and I don't want that." He adds. He can't handle the thought of losing Venti, not to alcohol, not to anything else. It's an intervention of sorts, really.

"If you're thirsty, we have apple juice in the fridge. And water, too. You can't live off being drunk." He scolds gently, moving his hand to card through Venti's hair gently.

“You’re really red right now.” venti

"It's hot and we're training, no shit." Xiao quipped back from under the other, trying desperately to figure out an excuse for his flustered state from how close the two were, Venti's braids tickling his cheeks.

Frankly, he didn't even want to move, but he knew it would get suspicious if he just stayed still under the other for too long, so instead, he used all the core strength he had to kind of... Let Venti slide off him by lifting himself into a hand stand, before swinging his legs backwards to get back to his feet and away from the other, who seemed to manage to fluster him no matter what they did.