braids
originally published 3 april 2025.
Venti’s hands are so gentle in Xiao’s hair.
The bard carelessly kicks his feet back and forth in that fidgetsome way of his, restless as the wind itself, and sings an idle, little tune with the same sort of nonsense lyrics Xiao often hears patrons singing to Wei the Cat, all while Xiao himself sits quietly on the floor of what is ostensibly his room in Wangshu Inn (but lately has been feeling more and more like Venti’s, judging by its usage) with his back ramrod straight, staring stiffly at the wall so as not to ruin all the hard work Venti is braiding into his hair.
It’s more difficult than Xiao expects, though, sitting so perfectly still. Perhaps it is because he, too, is a beast of the breeze, with hollow bones that forever ache to roam. Perhaps it is because some part of him can never quite shake the instincts which scream of danger whenever anyone or anything dares lay a finger on him.
But, Xiao is also a soldier, through and through: for better or for worse, he can silence it all to obey.
(It helps that Venti has never once led him astray.)
Xiao feels the final finished braid fall gently against his neck.
“There we go; all done,” Venti soon declares. He combs his fingers through the last few wispy baby hairs on Xiao’s neck which he couldn’t quite control, and Xiao shuts his eyes, soaking in the sweet tinglings which ripple down his spine.
(Venti’s fingertips always seem to tease at the borders of his trust, dancing along the lines of comfort and trouble.)
Until, of course, Venti plants a little kiss on the crown of his head.
Xiao makes a tiny noise of surprise, at which Venti only laughs, more delicate than the wind guiding snowfall.
“You can move again,” he reminds Xiao, hands now wandering towards the more sensitive parts of Xiao’s neck (the parts he often marks with his mouth). “Not that I’d have minded if you had while I was working, but I know how strict you are.”
Xiao flushes and ducks away from Venti’s playful touch, made a little too aware of how terribly exposed his most precious pulse is with his hair braided out of the way, and Venti laughs.
Had it been anyone else, Xiao would have teleported away entirely the instant their hands even seemed to approach his skin, but— perhaps embarrassingly— the Last Yaksha has grown soft with the Anemo Archon’s return.
(Not to mention that he is perhaps just a little touch-starved.)
Still, Venti does often delight in making a bit of a nuisance out of himself, so before that can happen, Xiao reaches out and steals the tie from one of Venti’s braids in one swift motion. “Hmph.”
“Sensitive,” the bard comments smugly, almost tauntingly. As if his own neck weren’t exposed for—
Xiao teleports onto the bed and kisses Venti with such intensity, they fall backwards onto the bedding. And although he starts on Venti’s mouth, he soon moves onto his jaw, until he lets the sharpest peaks of his canine teeth delicately grace the tender pressure point on his neck, and Venti lets out a slow, delighted breath as Xiao pulls away to admire the way the pale skin of his beloved darkens with blush.
“I didn’t think we’d have to take these out so soon,” Venti says, reaching out to run his fingers through Xiao’s braids. His touch lingers on the hair ties, as if contemplating whether they’re worth taking out.
Truthfully, it doesn’t matter to Xiao either which way.