Chapter Text
It's a sunny day when Xiao gets released from the hospital, almost all of his friends are there to congratulate him on his discharge. They leave not too soon after to go to their respective workplaces.
Venti leads him by the hand towards Dvalin (the car) and drives Xiao to the flower shop.
He covers Xiao's eyes with his hands and leads the way, gently nudging Xiao in what he hopes is the direction of the flower shop.
When they stop, Venti slowly removes his hands which are covering Xiao's eyes and goes, "Tada!" Xiao takes in the sight of the flower shop. It's been rebuilt.
Venti takes him by the hand to bring him inside and says, a bit sheepishly, " I got the place rebuilt while you were at the hospital, well by that I mean I had Jean help me get this place rebuilt - the whole thing was kinda my fault after all." He nervously giggles. "Told Zhongli about the situation too! Barely managed to convince him not to murder Diluc. Dude started preaching about the wrath of the stone and whatnot."
Xiao wants to look around at the rebuilt shop but ends up having his eyes kept glued onto Venti. He's glad the flower shop was rebuilt, since it was a gift from Zhongli, but the only flower that catches his attention right now is Venti.
His eyes soften and a small smile forms on his face, he approaches Venti and hugs his waist. "Thank you." He can feel Venti's grin against his shoulder, "I'm glad you're happy!" he says as he kisses Xiao on the neck and cheek then pulls away, still with his hands wrapped around Xiao's neck.
Venti then plants a chaste kiss on Xiao's lips and cheekily opts to walk around the shop while feigning innocence as he looks at the flowers. Xiao's face is warm.
He approaches from behind and snakes his arms around Venti's waist and kisses his nape until he sees something- someone in his periphery. He turns his head to look at the window and sees Hu Tao, with her face and hands pressed against the glass window of the flower shop, like a kid outside a candy shop.
She makes her way to the door, the wind chime jingles loudly with how fast the door wooshes open, and she heads inside the shop in a hurry. "SINCE WHEN?! No, more importantly, WHO CONFESSED FIRST?!" She says as she starts dialing someone on her phone.
The couple shares a look then Xiao says, "Venti."
A huge grin spreads on Hu Tao's face as she starts cheering and whooping loudly which catches the attention of the people nearby. Beidou comes running out of the tattoo parlor still holding a tattoo gun. "What?! What is it? We won?" Hu Tao nods and Beidou starts singing a sea shanty as she and Hu Tao have their arms around each others shoulders.
Venti and Xiao share a look of confusion.
Xiao then sees a red Ferrari park in front of the flower shop. Zhongli and Childe step out of the car, but Zhongli stops in his tracks when he sees Hu Tao's devilish grin.
"Ah, it appears we've lost qīn ài de. I must say, for the first time, I am a bit dissapointed in you Xiao." Zhongli looks sullen as he takes out his black credit card.
Childe looks mirthful, "Lost? Oh no, Mr. Zhongli, you must be mistaken, I bet on Venti!" He has a foxy grin as he places an arm on Venti's shoulder.
Zhongli has a look of betrayal on his face. "But, I had watched you place your bet on Xiao." Childe grins wider, "I only bet 5 mora on him."
"Whaaat? Do I get a cut out of this bet money?" Venti whines.
"Don't worry, I shall treat you to the finest of cuisines my friend! You have made this already rich man, a richer man!" Childe boasts.
Venti whispers to Childe, "How much did you bet on me?" Childe holds up two fingers in a peace sign and responds, "200 Million Mora." Venti gapes as a quiet woah escapes his mouth.
"Who else is in on this bet?" Xiao crosses his arms. Not too pleased that they were bet on, and a bit hurt at Zhongli's dissapointment. You can see Zhongli's cheekbones thinning as he hands Hu Tao his card.
"Ganyu bet like 500k on you, Keqing bet 20k on Venti then got coerced by Ganyu to bet 200k on you. I think all your brothers and sisters bet too," Hu Tao lists. "There's more but they'll probably stop by in a bit so you'll get to meet the other bettors."
A black limousine stops in front of the shop. Ningguang steps out, her heels clacking on the pavement. "Hello," she starts, kissing Beidou on the cheek, "Losers." She smirks.
"Woah Ningguang did you bet on me too?" She nods, "500 Million Mora. Beidou believed in you and I believe in my wife so I bet on you." She chuckled into her finger, "Kazuha, my son, also bet on you, so it felt wrong not to go along with my family."
"Just how much did you bet on me Zhongli?" Xiao asks. Zhongli looks more sullen when Hu Tao brandishes his black card around, "400 Million Mora." Zhongli looks like he's about to pass out where he stands. He is in disbelief that he's lost the bet.
Xiangling, Xingqiu and Chongyun then arrive, still in their school uniforms. Xinqiu and Chongyun collectively bet 26k Mora on Venti (20k from Xingqiu and 6k from Chongyun as per Xingqiu's puppy eyes), Xiangling bet 2k on Xiao and pouts as she takes out 2k from her Guoba wallet.
Then a quiet knock on the glass window of the flower shop is heard, Venti turns to see a familiar face, "Kaeya?!" Venti goes outside to greet him.
"Hey there ex-boss, I see the bet's been won." He waves at Hu Tao who waves back. "Only came here to tell you that my brother's facing probation right now as per Jean's order. Kinda messed up what he did, but I'm glad no one died." Kaeya glances at Xiao apologetically.
"I guess I just came here to say, don't hate him too much? He's in therapy right now, no excuse for having someone get beat up to near death but - yeah." Venti pats Kaeya's shoulder and nods in understanding. "Thanks. Tell Hu Tao she can just wire me the money. I bet 100k on you after all ex-boss. See ya around." Kaeya waves goodbye.
A few more of the bettors arrive to receive and give their dues.
--- ❀ ---
A few months pass. This time, Xiao takes Venti out on a date.
He walks into the tattoo parlor and sees Kazuha, as he's come to know, at the reception smiling at his cellphone. Xiao catches a glimpse of his screen, a picture of a frowning Scara and a smiling Kazuha. Once he sees Xiao, he points to Venti's direction with his head, Xiao nods at him in thanks. Recently, Kazuha has been courting Scara, the grumpy coffee shop employee.
"Hahaha! So what did you tell them?" Venti is piercing Scara's ear. "I told them to fuck off, but respectfully." Venti laughs a song-like laugh that Xiao believes he'll never get tired of.
He turns his head and sees Xiao by the door, "Oh! Xiao bǎobèi!" Venti stands up and walk towards Xiao and pecks him on the cheek, "Are these flowers for me? How sweet!" He hugs the bouquet of Cecilias Xiao brought, the white of the flowers a stark contrast to Venti's black attire.
"I wanted to take you out on a date. Are you completely booked today?"
"Nope! I always have time for you!" He throws his arms around Xiao and hugs him tightly. Venti calls Kazuha over and says, "Hey Kazuha! Take over for me will you?" and he drags Xiao out of the tattoo parlor to go on a date.
--- ❀ ---
Xiao moves into Venti's apartment, now permanently staying at the room he borrowed before.
Not that there's much use in having separate rooms with how they always end up in each other's bed (and arms). They go grocery shopping together and have mini dates everyday even if it's just watching a movie.
Xiao's come to find out that Venti must stay away from the stove unless he's to cook his famous (as he proclaims) ratatouille. But he can help in prepping ingredients.
He's starting to get used to waking up next to Venti every morning, sometimes having to pinch himself to make sure it isn't a dream. Life is well.
--- ❀ ---
Zhongli visits Xiao's flower shop to order some flowers for his and Childe's wedding anniversary.
He orders a bouquet of Glaze Lilies and waits as Xiao prepares them. He gracefully walks around the flower shop looking at the flowers until his eyes land on the potted white flower.
"Ah. You still kept this flower." He approaches the window side.
Xiao looks up from the flowers he's bunching together, "Yeah, you gave it to me when I opened the shop. I kept it because you gave it." He wrestles the flowers together.
"Ah. The funny thing is, this flower did not come from me. I do remember potting it out of spite." He chuckles, "If I am to remember correctly, this flower was given to me by Venti. On one of the days where you were hospitalized due to your stab wound, he had visited and brought a flower that looked as if it was plucked out of a backyard. It still had some soil on it, the audacity." He shakes his head,
"He had handed it to me as an apology, he claims, and then proceeded to challenge me and say that the flower was something I am not knowledgeable enough to take care of, and then he started fighting me about why I was berating him for bringing a freshly- freshly plucked flower."
"So I had handed it to you when I realized how silly the challenge was, knowing Venti, it was most likely something he had just said in passing. You did a good job taking care of it, the flower looks healthy even if it is not in its usual environment."
(The potted white flower, a Cecilia, now sitting by the window side of the flower shop, taken more care of by Xiao as it is his boyfriend's favorite flower, is now looking as healthy as ever.)
The End.