Chapter Text
It's taken years of trial and error, but after all this time, Xingqiu is ecstatic to finally launch his very first book signing. It takes all the willpower in his body not to bounce off the walls of the small venue and maintain his usual poised demeanor. That gets easier over time as, after setting up his table in the center of the little hole-in-the-wall of a bookstore and sitting there staring at the front doors for half an hour, the excitement slowly peters away. The cashier behind the desk hasn't even glanced his way once, busying flipping through the newest stock of comic books to care who's in the store with him.
He'd heard that book signings, particularly for new authors, can be a waste of time with most selling little to nothing, but the cruel reality of it is slowly crushing him.
Xingqiu folds his hands over the desk, his eyes downturned in disappointment before the little bell at the front door chimes. Then it's sparkles and hope again, at least for a few minutes before he realizes it's just a mother and her three-year-old browsing the picture book section. They don't even buy anything and leave shortly after. It feels like the little flower garden that had blossomed in his heart quietly wilted and, with only two hours left on the clock, they aren't blooming again anytime soon. An hour and a half left, and so far only an old man has passed by the store, again leaving without making a single purchase, or even looking Xingqiu's way. In fact, Xingqiu finds people tend to avoid his gaze if anything. It's terribly lonely and awkward, to the point he starts reading an ebook on his phone to pass the time more quickly. He'd gone from childlike enthusiasm to dejected gloom and doom in the span of a lunch break.
He's so distracted, he doesn't notice the pair standing in front of him until one of them taps the desk.
With a jump, he snaps up to find Albedo looking down at him with a gentle smile, as well as a cute stranger hanging on his arm. Maybe his lover? "What a surprise to see you here, Mister Albedo!" exclaims Xingqiu with genuine surprise. Last he'd heard, Albedo was on an extended expedition for his research.
Albedo laughs softly at the reaction, "I couldn't pass up your first book signing. May I buy a copy?"
"Me too, please," says the stranger beside him.
As though remembering there's a whole person hanging off his arm, Albedo waves at him vaguely, like he's unsure what to make of him. "He's a fan of yours. He would also like a copy."
"What kind of introduction is that?" the stranger laughs awkwardly, giving Albedo's arm a squeeze. "We're friends, by the way. My name is... Just call me Venti. I'm a huge fan of your work."
"And your looks," Albedo mumbles.
"What was that?"
Xingqiu can't help but smile. He doesn't care how someone comes to like his work, he's just glad there's someone out there besides his own personal friend group interested in reading it. He plucks two copies from the nearest pile and dusts them off before signing each. Even though his first signed book is going out to a friend, he still can't help the swell of pride in his chest. This is something he's always dreamed of, after all. It is pretty funny that it's also his very own illustrator... "Thank you for your continued support," he says with a wide smile, handing them both their copy.
Venti turns the book over in his hand a few times before opening up to examine the fresh signature and giggling. "I love your handwriting."
Ah... really, so soon with the jabs. But he can't deny his... unique penmanship. Xingqiu rubs the back of his head, "Ahaha... Please, don't mind the small details."
"Mm, I'm not being sarcastic. There's a charm to it," Venti nods to himself before sliding the book into his oversized tote bag. "I know someone like you must be very busy, but I was hoping to take you two out to dinner tonight to celebrate~ I mean it, I really am a huge fan, ever since Albedo introduced your work. I have the first volume, too. I'd love to talk plot with you--oh, no spoilers, of course."
Albedo is on the verge of rolling his eyes, "Please don't feel obligated."
"What! I'll have you know I'm a writer myself," Venti puffs up his chest. "
"Haha, thank you, thank you," Xingqiu finds himself glowing from the unexpected praise. Perhaps that's why he agrees so easily. That, and he also figures if the guy's a friend of Albedo's, then he can't be bad at all. After hammering out a time and place that suits all three of them, the pair bid their goodbyes and Xingqiu is left alone once more. It remains like that for the duration of his allotted time, and it's with a heavy heart that he packs up his stand. He's more heartbrokent than he really should be, but the promise of talking to someone who's actually enthusiastic about his writing later tonight is just the lifeline his spirit needs to go on.
The shopkeeper actually looks up from their comics to bid him a good evening, which is pretty nice of them.
Later that evening, as Xingqiu approaches the meeting place, he finds he's the first one there. It's not a big deal, though, considering he's more than five minutes early. To be honest, his mood is in the bin, even more so when minutes later Venti comes jogging to meet him, panting and out of breath, "S-Sorry... Albedo said... he can't make it..."
Oh, great. Well, he can't say it's uncharacteristic of him. That man could never stay away from work very long. Xingqiu waves a hand, "Don't apologize. I'm sorry you felt the need to rush."
"N... Not at all," Venti leans back, getting his breath under control before wiping the sweat from his brow. He looks tired but hopeful, "So do you still want to have dinner, or..."
Xingqiu couldn't possibly say no. "Of course, I would love to."
"That's great," Venti brightens slightly. He must have really been looking forward to tonight. It's a thought that admittedly has Xingqiu feeling a touch shy. Once they're seated inside the restaurant, Venti jumps right into talking shop and his curiosity knows no bounds. What are your inspirations? Why did A attack B and not C? Is there anything else he's interested in writing? How is his relationship with his editor? Would you consider writing romance? Literally, everything.
Xingqiu has to admit he does enjoy the attention, and though Venti gets a little too personal at times, he genuinely has a wonderful time conversing with him. So much so, that they plan another dinner date after that. And another after that. And another...
He isn't sure when, but Venti's become a contact on his phone, mutuals on social media, and most recently his writing coach. Whenever he feels stuck writing volume three, he finds himself reaching out for advise when before he never would have dreamed of asking anyone for help. It's only because Venti is an accomplished writer in his own right, though not necessarily full-length novels, he has expertise in many other areas. Songwriting, playwrights, teaching material... he wasn't lying when he said he knew a thing or two. That's why a couple months later Xingqiu finds himself seated at a ritzy bar with a fruity drink in his hand when he doesn't even like alcohol much to begin with. Venti drops into the stool next to him, flagging down the bartender to order his first two drinks for the night before turning to Xingqiu all exasperated, "I couldn't get off work when I planned! Hope you weren't too lonely without me."
"Pfft, not at all," Xingqiu scoffs, even though he definitely was. He's still not willing to admit how attached he's grown to his very first real fan, though he's proud to say he's attracted quite a few more since then!
Venti folds his tote bag in his lap, leaning his cheek into the palm of his hand as he appraises his companion, "Well? What's the problem this time? I may have a crumb of wisdom to bestow upon you... for a fee, of course."
"Naturally," Xingqiu swirls his drink a few times with a sigh. "They're really pushing for a romantic subplot this time. I don't know what to do... I don't have interest in romance. Why does everything have to involve that..."
With a short laugh, Venti nods sagely, "There's a reason it's so popular. People relate to it. Are you sure you're entirely disinterested or perhaps it's your lack of experience talking?"
"My lack of... I don't see what that has to do with anythin--"
"Be honest," Venti pauses here to polish off his first drink before picking up the second. "How many times have you been in love?"
"..."
"Have you ever had a crush?"
Xingqiu pouts, raising his glass to his lips without really drinking. "This is ridiculous."
"You know as well as I do how valuable a resource experience is to people in our professions," Venti persists. He's already finished off his second drink and ordering another, which prompts Xingqiu to bite the bullet and down his, as distasteful as he finds it. With a smattering of praise, Venti orders him another round as well, much to his chagrin.
And he's not ready to drop the topic just yet. "Experience isn't a guarantee. Besides, must you be a doctor or nurse to write a hospital drama? Have you ever dodged a literal bullet for your art?"
"As a matter of fact, I have," Venti raises a finger to emphasize this. "Twice. Ex-boyfriend, don't ask."
Well shit.
He will need a little more time and another drink to formulate another argument. It's actually three drinks later, when both their cheeks are stained red and their visions hazy, that Xingqiu deigns to defend himself once more. "Ok... Let's say for the sake of argument that I've never been in love before... What if... what if I'm asexual? Are you s-seriously implying... that *hic* asexuals cannot comprehend romance enough to write it..."
"First of all," Venti nearly drifts off his stool. "You meant aromantic. Shecond of all... Are you asexual?"
Oh. Hm. Xingqiu has to think long and hard on this one. It's not like he's never felt attraction toward anyone. He's just never felt the need to specifically categorize those feelings, much less act on them. But now that he really thinks about it (much as he can in this state), he supposes it is a possibility but... "I don't know," he finally answers, not more unsure of himself than ever.
"Then," Venti pauses, blinking a few times in a vain attempt to clear his blurry vision. "Wanna try it out?"
Xingqiu narrows his eyes. "...With you?"
"W' me."
It's an absurd proposition, and an absurd amount of time passes before Xingqiu offers an equally absurd answer. "Mkay."
What's the harm? Venti is cute, mild-mannered, and of sound judgment most of the time. Who better to share a first kiss with? At that, Venti slinks off his barstool, nearly falling forward against the other drunk but quickly steadying himself by grabbing the younger man's shoulders. He has to lean up a bit because he's damn short, and Xingqiu is kind enough to lean down, and they sort of bump together clumsily. It doesn't hurt--they're too drunk for anything to hurt--but it's not very nice either. Venti is quick to brush that aside, saying "that one didn't count" before pressing their lips together again, more carefully this time.
And Xingqiu has to admit... it's pleasant.
Venti's soft and warm in a way he hadn't expected, and aside from alcohol, he smells nice too. Even the way their noses smoosh together feels pleasant. A warm tongue probing Xingqiu's lips prompts them to part, and the next moment he's closer to Venti than he's been to any other human being in his entire life. The sweet and spicy flavors from all those drinks blend together with every pass of their tongues, messy and wet. Xingqiu gives into the kiss completely, letting Venti control the flow even as it's getting harder to breathe. They part wetly, though not by far, and Xingqiu finds the cool fingers caressing his cheeks to be a nice contrast to the heat of their mixing breaths.
Venti's long lashes flutter closed as he hesitantly asks, "How was it..."
There's a long pause. Much too long. Until finally, Xingqiu replies, "I don't know." Venti's crestfallen expression is absolutely priceless. "Might need to try a few more."
The implication takes a moment to sink in, but when it does, Venti lights up. "Ahh... Then we should move somewhere else, don't you think?"
Xinqiu blinks slowly a few times before nodding in agreement. A bar isn't exactly the ideal place for this sort of activity if you ask him. That, and all this liquor is really getting to his head. Venti kindly helps him down from the stool and the pair cling to each other for support on their way out, passing amused patrons on their way. Xingqiu isn't exactly sure what route they took, or what mode of transportation they used to get there, or even how long it took because he sort of blanked out and is only now waking up in an unfamiliar room. The walls are blue... or white, he's not sure, and he seems to be lying on a couch or something. Just the act of sitting up sends the world spinning, but a body sinking into the couch beside him lets him know he's at least not alone.
"Drink this," Venti's voice floats through the air.
"You have such a nice voice," Xingqiu mumbles as a glass of water is brought to his lips. He takes a sip, but isn't really thirsty, and turns away before long. That's not what he wants right now. The memory of that kiss is still at the forefront of his mind, and without thinking, he leans hard against Venti, nuzzling against the man's chest and blurting out, "Let's try some more."
"Mmmm..." Venti hums.
Xingqiu frowns at that and pushes off to glare at him. His usually neat blue hair is somewhat tousled, but he does his best to smooth it out as he grumbles, "Don't tell me you changed your mind... You started it..."
"That's not it," says the other softly.
He can tell by Venti's eyes that the older man is just as plastered as he is, and yet Venti's acting all reluctant and clearheaded all of a sudden. Xingqiu isn't sure why but it's pissing him off. So he grabs the glass of water from the man's hand and slams it on the coffee table, not caring how much of it spills, before leaning forward to kiss him. He misses the mark of course, but that doesn't stop him from kissing something.
Venti can't help but giggle as he leans back. "Okay, okay!"
Cool hands make their way to Xingqiu's cheeks once more as he's drawn into a proper kiss. Not as hot and messy as the one in the bar, yet somehow more intimate. This one has his heart pumping, flooding his body with an unfamiliar warmth wholly divorced from the liquor. Xingqiu closes his eyes and leans in further only to accidentally break it and fall face forward into the crook of Venti's neck. Venti moves to get off the couch and Xingqiu follows with some effort (they fail once or twice). Stumbling into another room, this one dark and cooler than the living room, Xingqiu finds himself being guided to a plush bed. He sort of falls into it, unable to keep up with the flow of movement until the ceiling stops spinning. The sensation of someone crawling over him is... suffocating. Short bursts of tingles prickle his skin as Venti gingerly plucks the buttons of his dress shirt all the way down, leaving his abdomen exposed. Pushing open the shirt completely, Venti runs both hands along the boy's sides, enjoying the subtle shiver before bending forward, planting a featherlight kiss to his collarbone.
"What... what are you," Xingqiu fumbles for words, not quite sure what he's asking when a hot tongue passes over a nipple and he gasps.
Ok. That was weird.
"You taste sweet," Venti muses aloud, as though it were just a taste test, before dipping down to wrap his lips around the nub, sucking gently.
Weird. It's weird. It's weird. It's weird. But Xingqiu can't get the words out. He raises one knee uselessly, throwing his head to the side with a grunt. Each roll of the tongue sends a jolt of electricity straight down to his groin and it's not long before he's painfully erect. Is this... Is this what romance is?! It's weird!! As if things couldn't get any worse, a thumb presses under the other nipple, rubbing gentle circles till it too is erect. It's like Venti wants his whole body ramrod and standing on end. Xingqiu grabs at his hand with a grunt of protest, prompting Venti to pull away with a lick of his lips.
"So sensitive... you're already like this," he says, pressing a knee between Xingqiu's legs.
Xingqiu can't help the soft mewl at the unexpected contact, softly grinding up into the touch without a thought to how shameless that is. "...hurts..." he murmurs softly, sounding like he's on the verge of sleep.
"It hurts?" repeats Venti with a hint of humor. He wastes no time unbuckling the boy's pants and tugging it all down, freeing the springing erection. A cute, pink dick flops upward, hitting Xingqiu's stomach. Venti contemplates whether to use his mouth or his hand, before deciding the pants are hampering his train of thought and stripping it off completely, tossing the garment carelessly to the floor. Xingqiu's legs are long and smooth, a pale glow against the dark bedsheets. He takes Xingqiu in one hand and holds him steady, relishing the small gasp as the body beneath him stiffens. Venti quirks a smile, bending to press his lips hard against the exposed head. A bead of cum meets his lips and he sucks it up, drawing out a crude groan. With a soft chuckle he decides to use his hand after all--Xingqiu would come too soon if he used his mouth.
He pumps painfully slow, watching with wide eyes the boy writhing and twisting, grabbing onto the sheets in a futile attempt to ground himself. Xingqiu bucks up, his voice cracking every garbled word.
"You like it?" Venti asks, cheeks flushed anew.
Xingqiu hums, arches his back. He's breathing heavily now, on the verge of coming when Venti stops completely. It takes a moment for Xingqiu to catch on, but when he does, he's clearly not happy about it. "Hey..." he grouses, shakily pushing himself up on his elbows to glare ahead, though his vision is fuzzy. "Finish what you started," is what he wants to say, but the words come out slurred.
A light laugh meets his ears, making them burn red with embarrassment. What's there to laugh about, exactly? He'd really like to know.
But Venti is occupied with something else now, moving off somewhere to the side to fumble around with a side drawer. With each passing second Xingqiu grows more and more agitated, until finally the fog of lust has cleared enough that he can bite out, "Your clothes."
Venti finds what he's looking for and crawls back over, blinking in confusion. "My wha?"
"Take your clothes off." It's totally a command.
Venti laughs at that. "Wanna do it for me?" The glare he gets in return is nothing short of punishing. He cowers. "Alright, alright..." Dropping the few items he'd scavenged to the bed, Venti struggles to get his sweater off. The thick, stretchy material is playing hard-to-get-off and things get real disorienting when the thing is up over his head. Eventually, Xingqiu gathers his bearings enough to help him drag the damned thing off, leaving nothing but a loose dress shirt underneath. That too, has to go, as they both fumble over the other's hands to rip it open. Really, the whole process takes a whole lot longer than it ever needed to, and by the time Venti's naked, Xingqiu is panting from the effort and more than a little ticked off. Venti smiles crookedly, "Thanks, love."
Looking unimpressed, Xingqiu huffs and collapses back onto the bed. He's not sure what's next and he doesn't care as long as he can feel that sensation aga--OH--"What the fuck--" he gasps at the cold fingers prodding his asshole.
"It... It'll hurt if I don't," Venti offers lamely. One hand is holding a leg up from the back of the knee while the other continues poking around where it's got no business poking, but Xingqiu's too tired and confused to even bother trying to stop him.
Instead, Xingqiu scoffs, tossing his silky hair aside to glare down his nose. "I'm drunk. It won't hurt or feel shit."
"...That doesn't make sense. And you're a mean drunk," even as Venti complains, he's got a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.
It's so fucking annoying.
Xingqiu hisses as two digits push deep inside, bringing with them a slick, cold fluid he can't even begin to name. "Ugh..." It doesn't hurt, but it's not the most pleasant sensation either. Suddenly all of this doesn't seem all that fun.
Venti pushes his knee up slightly further and has the nerve to ask, "Does this hurt?"
No. No it doesn't fucking hurt. "Yes." Xingqiu folds his arms and glowers at the ceiling.
"Sorry," is the reply he gets, but Venti doesn't stop. In fact, he's doing even weirder things like thrusting and curling his fingers.
Xingqiu's about to complain when a sudden bolt of pleasure clamps his mouth shut. What was that? No, no, no, but what was that? Another press has him sucking on air, his back arching slightly at the strange sensation. Venti seems entirely too pleased with this reaction because he keeps massaging that spot over and over, eliciting the lewdest sounds Xingqiu's ever heard--he can scarcely believe they're coming from him. "Unn... A-Ahh--that's enough," he stammers, hands now gripping at the sheets for dear life. He's not liking this new development at all, but his cock is aching to be touched right now and it's quite literally blotting out his thoughts.
"Mm, I think... you're ready."
Ready? Ready for what?
Were Xingqiu less drunk he could have guessed what. But right now he just stares down in dazed confusion as Venti pulls out his fingers to mess with something else entirely. It's a small packet of some sort which peels away to reveal... some sort of balloon. He honestly has no clue, but Venti's hard as a rock and he's sliding a balloon on his penis--what is the meaning of this. Xingqiu furrows his brows, only becoming more alarmed to see Venti lining himself up with his ass. "Wait a moment," he says surprisingly clear, but Venti doesn't wait.
The next moment is hard to describe.
"Hnng--!" Xingqiu bites his lip, his eyes blown wide as something long and hard plunges deep inside him. It's a very snug fit, leaving him feeling oddly full. Oh. Now he gets it. He's being fucked. "V-Venti, I don't know--" he gasps as Venti starts to move, hands planted firmly on Xingqiu's hips as he thrusts forward. Xingqiu chokes down the rest of that sentence, his throat tightening as every nerve lights on fire. Each pump leaves him feeling warmer, his skin tingling pleasingly. It's strange--but not bad.
Venti's eyes squeeze shut as he hisses, losing himself to those warm walls clenching around his throbbing cock. It feels so good, he never wants to pull out. Each breath is shallow as his pace gradually quickens--until he feels his balls tighten and he forces himself to slow. He moves slow enough that he's able to lean down, kissing Xingqiu square on the mouth. It's a sensuous kiss that's all too short, and he moves down in favor of mouth Xingqiu's slender neck. He smells good, his skin is so smooth, and his gentle mewls are like music to his ears. He could listen to this song for ages.
Xingqiu on the other hand isn't so keen to draw this out. He grabs a fistful of inky black hair and pulls gently. "Faster," he breathes out, his entire body flushed pink with heat. And his demands don't stop there. "Touch me, too."
"So greedy," laughs Venti, but he does comply with one demand. Reaching down, he takes hold of Xingqiu's member, stroking it gently in time with each thrust of his hips. The way Xingqiu bucks to meet him is honestly the cutest thing, and he can't help laughing softly. "Don't come, ok... You have to wait for me."
Groaning at that, Xingqiu replies stubbornly, "No." A buck of the hips punctuates the sentiment, but Venti squeezes him in hand until he gasps and whines.
Xingqiu was already so close, to begin with, so Venti presses a thumb to the head. "Just a little longer," he coos, leaning in to kiss Xingqiu hard on the lips while rocking into him. Xingqiu moans into his mouth the most pitiful sounds, finding it harder and harder to cope the longer he's denied, yet melting into the kiss all the same. It's not right--it's not fair--but Venti holds all the power, and he's a right dick about it. Venti slides a hand down to cup Xingqiu's ass hard, taking advantage of the boy's parted lips to plunge in his tongue. For all Xingqiu's whining and cattiness, he lets Venti do as he pleases. The sweetness from those earlier drinks is much tangier now, and their mixing scents are heady, leaving Xingqiu lightheaded. He doesn't process them parting, only feeling those soft lips sucking harsh against the flesh of his neck as the rhythm shifts from gentle rocking to pounding--hard and fast. His voice comes out strangled, each jerk of his body making him want to come but he fucking can't. "Nn--! L-Let go--" he throws his head back, mouth falling open as they jerk together back and forth.
Venti doesn't seem to hear him, growling into his neck as he plunges deep. Xingqiu clenches tight around him, threatening to make him spill, but Venti stills every time. It's a harsh, erratic pattern that leaves Xingqiu crying. Tears spill down the boy's cheeks only for Venti to lap them up greedily, panting hot against soft skin. The air is filled with sounds of them, wet slaps and ragged breaths. Xingqiu can't see anything at all, only holding onto Venti's neck for dear life and praying for it all to end.
He swallows hard and chokes out, "C-Come, Venti..."
"Fuck," the curse slips past his lips as Venti buckles, unable to hold out any longer. One last thrust buries him deep as he comes with a violent shudder. He blanks out momentarily before quiet sobs remind him to remove his thumb. With two strokes, Xingqiu spills hard, hot cum splattering between them in spurts as the younger male cries out. Venti's too woozy to feel bad, though, slumping limply over Xingqiu's body to wrap his arms around him. Xingqiu's shirt is all sweaty beneath him and crumples awkwardly from the embrace, but he's too tired to complain.
There's no talking--no afterglow. They both simply pass out in an entangled heap.
It's not until many, many hours later, long into the next morning, when Xingqiu awakes. He's a blurry-eyed mess and he can't breathe all that well because of the deadweight pressing him into the mattress. Groaning softly, he blinks several times, trying to dispel the sleep from his vision before instantly freezing. It all comes back to him--all the important parts, at least.
Good heavens above, what have they done.
Not only that--but Venti is still inside him--
"Mmm," Venti stirs on top of him, on the verge of waking.
But Xingqiu couldn't be assed to care. In the light of day, with the cobwebs of sleep swept from his eyes, he's surrounded by something more horrible than he could ever imagine. He hadn't noticed them last night because it was so dark, and so much was going on. But now, they're everywhere he looks. On every wall, covering almost every surface, are pictures of him.
Venti shifts slightly, and just that small movement stirs a sickening shudder of pleasure.