College!Xiao: Day to Day (Character Introspection fic)
nightowl + earlybird (bro barely sleeps istg)
caffiene dependent (i'd reckon Monster as his poison of choice)
streetstyle: baggy jeans, loose hoodies and silver hardware
Evil conquering? Conquer your damn paper first bitc-
Y2 Criminology student + part time campus security
The dorms barely flit with activity, yawning sun reflecting in morning dew drops. Cool air sighs through the campus grounds, eventually arriving at a lone figure trudging away in the gym. Dark headphones blast incomprehensible music audible from a block over as their muscles ripple with exertion. For some unknown reason, Xiao always starts his day with extensive exercise — and he hasn't skipped a day since freshmen year. He's not even training for anything, the damn performative male. His borderline masochistic tendencies convince him that exercise first thing in the morning was essential to clear his mind before classes start.
After a quick shower he scans over his wardrobe choices. Black, green, black, green, white, bright yellow. The singular atrocious shirt was gifted by his supervisor as a joke (ehe), a jab at his monotone colour preferences. Amber eyes eventually settle on a comfortable fit, hastily pulling it over before track shoes hit the ground sprinting after the campus bus. (he may or may not have spent way too much time on his eye makeup).
The morning opened with a lecture on criminal justice by Prof Yanfei. Though he skipped most lectures, her's was always well attended. The way she addressed cases with conviction and precision — yet demonstrated a level of empathy for the victims — commanded a sort of respect for her (and by extension her course) by all students. Xiao wouldn't miss it for the world. He clung to her every word; when the bell rung for lunch his notebook was crammed to the margins with messy ink.
Lunch is a simple affair. No need to liase with friends he didn't have. A simple salad with chicken breast is procured from the central cafeteria; enjoyed under his favourite tree on the green. Vigilant eyes track random students as he crunches on his salad, and his internal narration takes over.
"The exchange twins are here. They’re everywhere actually”
"The green haired girl is chasing after her supervisor again. Is she never not in a lab coat?"
"Oh its the bruises kid and- wait- WAIT- damn he tripped over that tile. Someone should fix that."
Scarfing down the last of his lunch, he tossed the empty container into a nearby bin. He was just about to head off to his next class when familiar laughter floated its way to his ears. Eyes narrowed at a green hat bobbing its way across campus; it’s owner gesturing wildly to the tall, stoic man walking beside him. Amber orbs met green, and Venti perked up to wave at Xiao, screaming his name across the green. The tips of his ears reddened, and his shoulders hunched to avoid the curious gazes of students passing by. He raised his hand slightly and nodded his head in acknowledgement before promtly disappearing amongst the crowd, bolting his way towards his tutorials.
The door was unlocked with one hand, while be balanced two cans of Monster in the other. He promptly collapsed in his chair before popping one open, downing it in a single gulp. Sunlight was fading fast, making way for serne moonlight. Though his classes were technically over, he still had one more thing on the agenda. Donning a black mask and slpping into his uniform, he headed straight to the campus security building, reporting to a distinguished-looking lady in yellow. Ningguang handed him his assignments for the night before sending him off on patrol. He faced the usual calls: frat party getting noise complaints, drunk guys sprawled all over the busstop, car parked where it shouldn’t be etc. He’s grateful that nothing too intersting decided to pop up; a mundane night is the best way to end off the day. When nothing happens he decides to just drive around in the security car, taking in the serenity and silence of campus. Eventually he ends up under his tree at the green, gazing across the empty field. It’s crazy how just a few hours ago this place was bustling with activity, only managing to get a moment of respite under moonlight’s glow. The stupid tile Bennett tripped over was still askew, so he walked over and unceremoniously kicked it back into place. Hopefully Bennett wont be getting any more bruises from now on. He does a once over of the field again, driving away to conclude his shift.
Returning back to the dorms, he flops onto his bed, not even changing out first. An eye peeks out from under his pillow to set his alarm for 6am the next morning, before pulling over the covers, slipping into dreamless sleep.
WHEW that was longish, hope your attention span is still alive. This is probably different from what people typically write for Xiao but i dont like my baby getting mischaracterised as just an "emo boy" when he's so much more than that.
