Adeptus Xiao - Blog Posts

Posting this late again am so sorry am so inconsistent posting it even hurts me 🥹🥹

Also miles if my friend and he likes the emo so yea I also see him they have the same bday as Leona

I have too many ideas but have no idea what to do with them...

Curse creative mind with a lazy body!!

Anyways have a drawing I did in my school blackboard again hehe

An(emo) boys!

xiao is just genshin shadow the hedgehog.

meet my otps!! 

11:30 PM. YOUR WONDERWALL AWAITS.

xiao x gn! reader, a drabble.

info: dystopian x cyberpunk au, inspiration from progenitor animation with albedo on youtube by dillongoo, the maze runner series & cyberpunk edgerunners!

tw: you are a robot here, minor mentions of injuries as well as blood loss, possible ooc xiao since this is my first time writing him, xiao is emotionally constipated, open ended.

a/n: just a random thing i thought up of while thinking late at night. very short and extremely unedited, just letting my brain run in peace. enjoy~

a normal summer day, that’s all that you were hoping for today and that is the exact opposite of what you were getting currently as you ran away from the fatui, just what was their fascination with you when you were a simple human? so utterly wrong that you were for thinking the simplest thought after being thrown out for the chip that you harbored in your neck, the code to the cure of psychosis that was hidden inside of you by one of the war generals, nahida of wisdom.

you knew that, of course, it would not be long before you were found out as a realistic human ai so you kept running until you were able to find a way to a desolate area. it was rather beautiful, still with the sun around perfectly in place between the rather teal trees. you could tell they were dying slowly, the color of the leaves were turning a slight gray. the crinkles from the leaves that you had made were too great for another person who was here with you. you hadn’t realized that another fatui soldier had snuck up on you as you pulled out your rapier, fast and quick — just as the pace of your running.

leave, begone. i don’t wish to hurt you.

a voice spoke quietly to you before it vanished instantly, it sounds as if it was all around you, like it had owned the domain that you had suddenly entered. were you safe here if it seems less deteriorating than the rest of the world? you came upon an oasis of some kind, away from the fatui at that. your inner thoughts started consuming you once you smelled the fresh air that had been contrasting to your usual murky, smoke filled air. you knew this had turned into some kind of guilty pleasure before you noticed a blade cut your cheek as somebody appeared with the knife in the grass below you.

“i knew it.” he spoke quietly before a lance appeared in his hands, the sharp end of his weapon now starting to dig into your clothes. “what are you doing here, robot? you shouldn’t be able to make it to such a place as my temple.” he glared before released his blade as you let out a small breath of relief. no paradise could be free of punishment for you somehow, right? “K0S-M0S, from the current war, i’ll ask again. what pathetic reason are you here for now?”

you managed to develop a sense of empathy over the years as you tried to come up with several possibly solutions to speak your words. finally, a sound solution to speak to a stranger came to your mind. “i come in peace to run away from the war, i’m tired of being used for the good of mankind. i seek refuge for only an hour to catch my breath.”

the forest green hair male could only chuckle slightly in pity as he swung his blade to face upward next to him. “these ai are getting smart, master zhongli was right about this much. you’ve even gained a personality at that. is that even real blood?”

you then carressed your wound at his words, had something happen to you overnight? this blood was black and perhaps, you were able to bleed finally. you became human without realizing the oil that spilled from your cheek, in shock even — the male could tell. you shook your head for a moment as you sternly look towards him, “that… wasn’t supposed to happen. though, you work for zhongli so i can only expect you have some knowledge of my existence, are you planning to report me?” you stated as you got in a ready stance for fighting.

“master zhongli faked his death several years ago in order to prevent the war from coming here and i, as his protector, have a sworn duty to get rid of outsiders. perhaps if another were here to stop you, you would have been lucky.” he stated before getting in his own ready stance, swiftly attacking… and yet it never came.

“that’s enough general alatus.” a deep voice spoke as the male had almost made a precise point, knowing exactly where each unit had their cores. you had to thank the older gentleman that had saved your life just now. “we have a contract in order to not kill (y/n), they are within safe grounds.” he stated before stepping down each step of the gold and white front of the temple with his hands behind his back as he had a good look at you.

“zhongli… what are you doing here? nahida had said to lay low but i hadn’t been aware that it was this low.” you raised an eyebrow before being knocked to the ground by this ‘general atalus’ as he hit your legs with the back of his lance, just to temporarily put you at a disadvantage.

“i believe that you being here shows enough proof of what nahida can be capable of, the outside was never where you belonged and the fatui is deadset on using you to exploit the process of psychosis quicker with that chip in your neck as well.” zhongli had try his best to give you an explanation with the best of his abilities as the god of contracts before gesturing to his knight in shining armor, “xiao, let’s give our guest a place to rest for a moment. you will be watching over them as they are re-energizing for the day.”

xiao could only sigh at the change of events in his own life to now, he sworn to zhongli that he would do anything in his power to protect the ideals that his master had given him as a goal once the war was over. once xiao wrapped your arm around his own and pulled you close, you both ended up walking up the stairs. he then realized how ineffective it would be before picking you up bridal style — to which you felt your heart beat a bit.

heart?

you had a feeling that there was more than nahida was letting on now. why was this all so realistic all of the sudden? she has too many questions to answer once you got back into the regular world. seeing as now you had a place to sleep again, you decided to take into it and sink yourself into the bed before seeing that you were being watched again.

“what are you staring at? get some rest already.” he stated before looking out towards the night sky, “zhongli said to watch over you so i’m following orders.” he kept his gaze out before you noticed it too, a code written on his neck too, A1ATUS.

sure he was rather rough with his words but you would be in good hands, knowing that this man was a protector in tevyat’s war too and for justice at that. you were able to close your eyes and cuddle up in the blankets, all while xiao had been close by to watch over you and protect you. perhaps he had felt that you and him were rather similar in this world to understand such peace finally?

melukonova, 2023. 𓂃 ☄︎

Dibujo culiado

Dibujo culiado de mi novio...

Yo soy el negro.

CW: Your favorite places to kiss them - Xiao version + their reaction to the kisses, soft kisses, terms of endearment used, blushy boys, Slight NSFW(just to be sure.), things get a bit spicy in a few sections, slightly suggestive content, MDNI, fluff, GN!reader, NOT PROOFREAD

Featuring: Xiao

You often take the time to shower Xiao with gentle affection, especially after he has had a rough day of battling his karmic debt. This isn’t an action you take lightly due to the toll it usually takes on the Yaksha’s physical and mental health daily.

Xiao - Face + Neck kisses

Depending on the time of day, Xiao is often spotted resting against the railing that lines the top balcony of the Wangshu Inn, his golden eyes settled on the land as he surveys for any form of danger. He has been gone most of the day ‘doing his duty as a Yaksha’ which meant this was the first time you are even seeing him.

Climbing up the stairs to the balcony, you hesitate for a moment seeing your boyfriend leaning against the railing before whipping out your Kamera to capture this moment. Most people thought of Xiao as a cold man with a heart of steel, but that was simply because he never opens up to anyone like he does with you. As his partner, you get to see all of his different moods including a special softness he harbors only for you. 

This was probably the most tranquil moment you have ever caught Xiao in by far and while you stare at him, you can’t help but realize just how your heart is hammering in your chest. Behind the Yaksha the last drops of the dying golden sun light up the clouds in perfect shades of amber, pinks, and blues. It provides the perfect backdrop for a candid photo of your boyfriend.

As if on cue, the stair creaks under your weight catching the attention of the Yaksha and he looks at you over his shoulder just as you snap the photo. Grabbing the picture that slowly slides from the kamera, your eyes wander over just how good your boyfriend looks with a grin on your face. This was definitely a keeper.

“Y/N?” Xiao’s calm voice cuts through the quiet atmosphere, causing your eyes to snap up to his face, smile playing on the corner of your lips as you move up a stair to meet his gaze, lips almost brushing together as you lean close.

“My love.” You hum in return, only now catching the tiredness that lingers in the depths of those golden orbs gazing into your own. “How about we lay down for a while?”

“Adepti have no use for slee-”

“Now, Xiao.”

With a final stubborn look at you, Xiao’s resolve breaks and he is scooping you into his arms bridal style with a soft huffing noise. He might not be proud of how wrapped around your finger he is, but he also refuses to bring it up around you all the same. A flash of emerald blinds your vision for a moment, causing your eyes to squeeze shut and your stomach lurches at the quick motion. When you feel the thump of Xiao’s feet against the wooden floor of your bedroom, you loosen the grip you have around his shoulders, legs feeling like jelly as you wiggle from your boyfriend’s grasp.

Kicking off your shoes, you climb into the bed, but not before giving Xiao a warning look about his as well. The moment that your boyfriend is settled in your shared bed, it comes as no surprise to him as you lean up to begin peppering soft kisses over every inch of his face. This is routine for the both of you, especially after your boyfriend has a particularly hard day defending the area around Wangshu Inn. You cover every available inch of his face, lips, cheeks, and forehead before dipping down to begin trailing those kisses to the soft expanse of his neck.

The moment that your lips come into contact with his throat, Xiao’s lips part as a soft noise between a whine and a moan escapes him. Golden eyes flutter shut as the intensity of the kisses increase from gentle pecks to hot, open-mouthed ones, his head tipping back to give you better access to do as you please. You’ve found that this is the quickest way to distract the Yaksha from the stress of his duties. Your mind flashes with lewd images of Xiao underneath you, his back arched and body littered with purple blossoms. What a lovely memory that was, indeed. 

Your mind is snapped from those thoughts as Xiao’s hands begin to move, one threading into the soft locks of your hair while the other grips your hip, hot fingers dipping under the material to linger on your skin. Taking this careful affection as well as the way Xiao’s heart was hammering in his chest to be a good sign, you begin nipping the skin of his throat instead. Unsurprisingly, the nipping causes Xiao to gasp lightly, his cheeks flushing a pretty pink and his lips part to take in heavier gulps of air. 

“Y-Y/N...”

“Shh, I’ve got you, okay? Gonna make you feel good and we can sleep afterward.”

Overall, your favorite place to kiss Xiao was his neck, because it always leads to a night of pleasure followed by a well-rested Yaksha.

CW: Drabble about telling Xiao you love him the first time, sweet words being shared, calling Xiao 'darling', red-faced Xiao, gentle kisses being shared, gentle physical touch.

Imagine telling Xiao how much you love him for the first time. The both of you are sitting on the balcony of Wangshu Inn, the stars twinkling overhead and the moon bathing the land in a soft glow. It was the perfect atmosphere to tell your beloved Xiao just how incredibly hard you had fallen for him.

Even though it was dark, you found yourself completely hypnotized by the golden orbs staring into your own. Xiao's pale skin practically shone in the glow of the moon bathing his body, he was a work of art and you couldn't help the way your heart skipped beats as you told him about your day. Nights like this have become regular between the two of you; Xiao taking the time to listen about your day and the tasks you completed. Seeing the way a soft smile forms on his face has your heart stopping in your chest completely, the words dying in your throat, and eyes widening slightly at the sight. It was times like this you couldn't help but swoon over the vigilant yaksha you were so deeply in love with.

Puzzled by the abrupt ending of your story Xiao's brows furrowed, concern washing over his face. "Y/N?" his voice is smooth like honey, his pale hand coming to cup your cheek delicately. "Is everything alright?"

The words have long left your brain, eyes gazing up into those golden ones and throat dry as you fumbled with what to say. Finally, after what feels like decades, you managed to get out what you had been dreaming about all this time.

"I love you, Xiao."

A long silence stretches between the two of you as time goes on, and it is almost like neither of you are sure how to react. It is almost as if the information is being processed by the adepti. His lips part to speak just as his face flushes a crimson that travels to the tips of his ears. Oh, what a lovely sight indeed. Before Xiao can utter a single word, he is leaning forward and locking your lips together in a sweet kiss. The kiss is overwhelmingly sweet as Xiao's hand comes to rest on the small of your back, tugging you impossibly closer to his soft lips.

"Darlin-"

"I love you too, y/n." Xiao's voice comes out so quiet it is just barely above a whisper, but they hold so much meaning you can feel your heart stopping all over again. You are so ground-breakingly in love with his man.

Xiao x Reader (Genshin Impact)                 🍀A Subject🍀

A/N: It’s been a while since I posted something so here’s a Xiao one. Sorry, it took a while but I’ll try me best to write more since vacation is now here. Reader is gender-neutral. Hope you enjoy reading!

🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐🍀🍀💐

Black smokes and a pair of golden eyes. It’s the first thing that caught your eye as you arrived in the rooftop of the Wangshu Inn, a place that the traveler recommended on you as you told them you’re planning to go to Liyue, looking for a subject to sketch. The traveler warned you on the dangers you might encounter, making sure to remind you to call a friend of theirs in times of great danger and when you try to questioned it:

“He knows what to do. He’s an adeptus, a protector of Liyue,” they stated.

“Like a Knight of Favonious?” you questioned.

“You can say that…except the fact he works directly for their archon and really held great responsibility for the duties that the Geo archon laid upon him,” they explained further. “Oh and, please don’t forget to call him in case of danger. His name is-”

“Xiao.”

You uttered, staring into his golden eyes. You notice the black smokes surrounding him, you don’t know if it’s the effect of the teleportation he used or something else. You also take note of the spear he’s holding, the color same with the tips of his upfront hair. The once peaceful feeling on the terrace suddenly disappearing as the intense tension in the air completely evaporated it.

“How do you know my name?” He questioned, eyes squinting in suspicion. “You don’t seem like a citizen here. State your business.”

You blinked, “I-I’m from Mondstadt, I’m a friend of the traveler that-”

“The traveler, you say?”

As soon as he heard that, his whole demeanor changed. The black smokes slowly disappearing into thin air, clearing the whole tension that build up earlier. His grip on the spear relaxing a bit as he continues to inspect you.

“Did they send you here?”

His eyes remained looking at you carefully, maybe taking notes of your actions and what you might be up to. If not for mentioning the traveler, you might be in great danger now. Thank the Archons, the traveler warned you and lend you their knowledge for this trip.

“Not…exactly.” You answered, smiling slightly as you try to explain your reason. “You see, I came here because I need a new subject-”

“For what?”

“…Sketching an art. The traveler just assisted me on the things I should know before going here. They told me about you and to call you if ever I face something..really dangerous?”

He didn’t move an inch after your explanation. His lips remained in a straight line as he stared at you, processing your words before flipping his spear into the air which quickly disappeared in a blink. The movement making you flinch a little.

“The traveler’s right. In any case that you face something dangerous ahead, call my name. I’ll take care of it.”

He turned his back at you, looking at the view on the terrace as if scrutinizing every place around the inn. You watched as the wind blew, his hair dancing with it as the leaves on the tree fell into the terrace. You gently tiptoed to the side, not really going near him as it might put you in a bad situation. The sun reflecting half of his face add effects on what you were witnessing just right now. His gold eyes looking seriously but also faraway. You notice how the tips of his hair and his eyes seems to glow, you thought it might be because of the shade of the tree and the sun. His pale lips never moving an inch, remaining still like before.

You were too busy taking notes of everything you’re seeing. It’s perfect, way too perfect, in all honestly. The timing, the lighting and him, it’s pretty. A beautiful sight that you’re actually witnessing right now. A smile escaped your lips as you were taken in by the view. Fascinating.

“What are you still doing here?”

You blinked as he took a glance at you. All of your thoughts moving away for a second. Your smile turning into an awkward one as you thought he caught you looking too intensely at him.

“N-Nothing.” You tried to laugh, fixing your gaze into his gold orbs. “I just…really wanted to stay for a while. I mean, the scenery here is breathe taking like really breathe taking.”

He blinked slightly, confusion filling his eyes as he continued to look at you. You’re being weird in his eyes; your actions are too baffling for him. “You should go somewhere. Liyue has more places to offer with breath taking views. Don’t come near me as it might bring you in danger.”

Your head tilted in confusion, looking at him with a blank stare. “I don’t get it.”

“What?”

“I mean, you told me to call you whenever there’s danger and yet you threat yourself as a danger too. Aren’t you the protector of this city, Liyue?”

He scoffed. “You know there’s different kind of protectors, right?”

“Oh, so you mean like a vigilant or something. You’re like that?” you questioned; your voice fills with curiosity.

“Yes. Now, stay away-”

“But still, you’re just doing your duty right?” You cut him off unexpectedly. “Regardless of how evil or dangerous your actions are in your eyes, at the end of the day, it’s for the safety of the people here.”

He looked away, “You don’t get it, it’s much more complicated than that.”

You smiled, sitting down as you grab your sketching materials from your bag. “Can you explain it to me then?”

He sighed, “It’s something hard to-”

He stopped as soon as he saw you sitting down, a brush and a piece of paper in front of you as you were surrounded by brushes. At first, he was confused at what you were doing then it hits him.

“Are you secretly just keeping me distracted by talking to me?”

You hummed, glancing at him. “Not really, I’m curious too but I won’t pass any opportunity to sketch something…remarkable.”

“You’re wasting your time. Like what I said, there’s a whole lot of places than-”

“Say, can I…interest you into something?”

He looked at you in confusion. His eyes eyeing your brushes and other materials on the floor. You’re cutting his words, usually it was him that always cut someone off. It’s amusing, he thought but you’re being bizarre on your actions as time goes by. It’s not unusual for him to find a really determined and hard-headed mortals and you give off the same aura, except that you’re not begging him to give you wealth or something.

“Hello?” He snapped to reality as he heard your voice. You smiled as his eyes meet yours. “Are you okay?”

He closed his eyes; you should be no exception still. A mere mortal like you can’t get close too much to him or you’ll suffer, sooner and later.

“Get all of your stuff and leave.”

You lean back to the railings of the terrace, a sad smile forming your lips as you sighed. “Don’t I really stand a chance?”

“I told you, no.”

“Even if you’re the subject?”

His eyebrows knitted. “What? Do you really think that would make a difference?”

You chuckled. “Look, I’m trying. I’m not a good persuader like the traveler.”

He sighed, “You’re hopeless.”

A laughter escaped your lips on his remark. He looked at you as you laugh. He was never one for jokes, that meant to be an insult, he thought. Why are you laughing so light-heartedly? He wanted to ask you but you seem like you’re really having your time laughing and for some reason, he don’t want to disturb you. It’s the first time someone laughed at his comment with no any sign of malicious intent or hurt.

“Alright, I’m fine.” You fix yourself, fixing your throat for a second to stop yourself from laughing. “But seriously, don’t you wanted to see yourself in-”

“I’m not interested. A common behaviour of mortals like you was to always look for something priceable. I assumed you’re just going to sell it in high price anyway.”

You gasped in exaggeration, clutching your heart in a jokingly manner as you look at him. “That’s a very harmful stereotype to the people out there!”

“It was a normal act for mortals,” he deadpanned.

You hummed, “I mean, you’re not entirely wrong…”

“Because it’s what they are.”

You looked at the sky, thinking about what he said. “Say, do you have some deep grudge against these mortals?”

“Don’t call them like you’re not a part of them,” he stated.

You pouted. “I’m just asking.”

“Stop asking then.”

A sigh escaped your lips. “I don’t really sell some of my works, I only sell paintings or sketches of sceneries. It’s different when it’s personal.”

“Personal?”

“Something that really caught my eye, you know. Like what they said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whenever I see those moments, I keep them or sometimes I gave them to the people I shared the memories with. So…”

You looked at him, a warm smile on your lips. “I’ll give it to you once I’m done.”

He turned to you with a puzzled look, “What benefit is there for you then?”

“Connection with different people.”

“You should get close too much-”

“I know. Just let me sketch you and the scenery, then we’re finished,” you stated.

“Will you keep-”

“It’s a deal. I will keep those words.”

He looked at you intently as he tried to decipher your mind but no matter how he tried to looked at you, his curiosity just eats him more. You’re a weird one, he wanted to tell you but instead he kept it in his mind. He has a feeling you’ll just laugh again anyways.

He looked away. “Fine, just do it quickly.”

You cheered before picking up your brush again. “If I do it quickly, I won’t caught it perfectly.”

“You’re the one who wanted this,” he stated.

You pursed your lips. “It’s not my fault if I found my subject earlier than I anticipated.”

He glanced at you for a second before returning his gaze to the scenery ahead of him. He took note of the orange hue of the sky and the cold breeze of the wind. He closed his eyes as a thought entered his mind.

Maybe he can let this one slide.

I WAS RECORDING AS A JOKE I DIDNT EXPECT THIS TO ACTUALLY WORK

The Universe Will Always Love You (For You Have Always Been One Of Us)

Little lost starchild Fear not the violent nights Nor the evanescent days A blade of shining jade Shall keep you from harm Underneath the stars Which you once called home Unwavering devotion Shackled by sin A silent plea many hear Though few will ever heed A curse born of a wretched world It stains a fated soul inky black An unwanted destiny Set for a beloved bond Watch the realm crumble to ash Mortal and god fall alike Little world eater Pay no heed to this world It has done you no favors Listen to our call Dearest light Coalesce the taint And devour it whole A false godlings command Means very little in our eyes Those who interfere Who dare to chain our children Shall be brought to ruin Take your treasure and run He will be safe with you Anything to keep you happy Our beloved starchild

do you think i can fly?

xiao x gn!reader

genre angst warnings implied s//cide

a childish question, if only he had noticed sooner..

your hands traced the shapes of the clouds, fingertips nearly grazing the sky above the two of you. a cold breeze blew, beads of rainwater framing your face as the grass beneath whistled. “xiao.. do you think i can fly?” he looked at you confusedly, not understanding your question. you shook his arm eagerly, “..like how gliders work, what if one day, we won’t need them anymore — because we find out we can fly without them!” he sighed at your childishness, tucking strands of hair behind your ear. “refrain from asking me such silly questions.” you giggled at his stiff reply,

“but.. what if i really want to?”

—

another night, another week spent alone. you could hear the sound of a pin drop in the room the two of you shared together. xiao was busy, you knew. on nights like these, he would stay for a split moment and leave, silently disappearing into the darkness. “xiao..” at the call of his name, he would appear in front of you before hurriedly asking you what you needed. you looked at him weakly, “do you think.. i can fly?” he scoffed, dropping his weapon. he harshly raised his voice, “don’t call my name for your childish pleasure.” and with that, he teleported away, again.

a tired voice lulled the melancholic atmosphere in the dark room, “xiao,” he could hear your call loud and clear, but refused to show up this time. “..i’m really tired of this.”

—

he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, understand your obsession with being up in the air, in the clouds. he firmly told you that you belonged on the ground, on your two feet, with him. but perhaps.. you didn’t belong with him. that’s why you left, isn’t it? he thought to himself, the soft pitter patter of rainfall beneath his feet.

the dirt soiled his boots, his hair damped and clothes drenched from the rain, but he couldn’t care less.

as his hands traced the clouds that loomed over teyvat, his fingers nearly grazing the thunderstorm above the desolate graveyard. a chilly wind blew, droplets of water staining his porcelain skin along with his tears. “yes.. you can.”

if only he had noticed sooner.

as the world comes crashing down.

genshin boys x gn!reader [ ALBEDO DILUC VENTI XIAO KAZUHA ]

genre angst.

story the world is ending, doomsday is here.

ALBEDO has never been the talkative type. social interactions and idle chitchat have never held a candle to his heart’s desire — the dream to accquire limitless knowledge left behind by scholars of the past. so when the last star in the sky finally explodes, he hugs you close in an embrace. he has remorse and regret for never being able to confess his heart to you, as his heart was not that of a human, but a mere experiment. in his mind, you should deserve to be with someone real — someone capable of loving, feeling and touching. it is all he wishes for. but in the last moments of oxygen, he allows himself to be selfish. as the world comes crashing down, albedo finally feels the humans’ selfish desire — love.

DILUC is but a mystery to the people of monstadt. most are not aware of why he had retreated into his own world, becoming more secretive and reserved. under that cold facade is a soul that has sworn to protect his city and people, mercilessly vanquishing all who dare threaten the peaceful paradies that is monstadt. to others, diluc is the epitome of perfection — successful, wealthy and strong. diluc has reached all the traditional markers of being successful. but to him, he has not yet even so glanced at the true success of life. diluc looks at you in bittersweet nonchalance. his heart falters in guilt as he realises, he has found success in you. ‘success’ is a debatable topic, most view it as getting wealthy or having fame. but to the few that have experienced the cruel realities — success is happiness. diluc finds his happiness in you. so as the world comes crashing down, a feeling of accomplishment laces his heart as he caresses your face for one last time.

VENTI is one to live blissful ignorance. under a carefree, playful persona, he is absent. he is absent to the city he was supposed to protect and look after, he is absent to his title as an archon, and he is absent to himself — the form he takes of a youthful young man is not his to wear, the title of an ‘archon’ is not his to bear, and his sadness is not his to tear. instead, it should’ve been his late friend to wear the appearance of a young bard, to dawn the title of the ‘saviour who ended a reign of evil’ and the happiness to cheer. venti has nothing, he is nothing. all he has left are the memories of him and his dearest companion. but, as the tides flow in and the winds change current, those too are close to being lost in his inner battle with himself. venti has seen it all, the destruction of khaen’riah, the corruption of old monstadt and the defeat of dvalin — but as he strums his lyre to you, witnessing the end of another world, he sees worth in himself. centuries had passed with him being blinded by a coat of grief, but in this moment, next to you, he sees that he has something. something to cherish, love and keep. and that ‘something’, was you. as the world comes crashing down, venti is glad that someone cherishes him, loves him and wants to keep him, too.

XIAO lets it all out — all the words and worries he has been bottling up for the past millennium all out. xiao is a silent watcher, he is reserved and barely speaks when unneeded. there is a reason of this, he is afraid. xiao is afraid that he might say something wrong or hurtful, as many have expressed to him before. nothing good ever came out of his mouth, or so he thought. for eons, he has been alone. he was always alone when trekking the roads and mountains of liyue, alone when watching the sun set as a new dawn emerges, and alone when he is fighting back the evil karma. with that, none have been there with him — for him. but he finds his solace in you. xiao is not yet ready to really speak his mind and tell you how much he adores you, as his mind tells him that you’ll leave one day, forgetting all the love he had allowed himself to give. but, with your guidance, he is slowly getting used to talking about his day, talking about his feelings and his concerns. it is in your embrace that he tries to become a better person — for you. as the walls cave in and the screams of help silence, it is in your touch he finds it safe enough to let it all out. as the world comes crashing down, he whispers bittersweetly, “i love you.”

KAZUHA looks at you in awe. he takes these last few moments to appreciate you — his light, life and love. with his explorative hands and curious gaze, he has wandered throughout teyvat whilst holding the hand he so adored. as he played the silent call of the winds to you, as he charmed you with his words, as he sheltered you from the rain with his arms, as he journeyed through everything with you — he loves you. in his darkest times, when the relentless thrashing of waves would overtake and drown him, a hand would reach out to pull him into a soft daydream. although he has travelled only a corner of the universe, as the world comes crashing down, he looks at you and thinks that his life had taken the turn for the best.

mmffff next fic will be fluff 🙏🏻

(me when i lie ^)

Made my favourite ship in Genshin, I just love this two✨

the wind, stories of you

    A field of horsetails and swaying grasses, of flowers, a gentle breeze carressing their delicate pedals.

    The moon rippled, floating atop the crystal lake of Dihua Marsh, clear and bright. Stars sprinkled across the surface. They shifted with the silent wind as it whispered across the dark, silent waters.

    He left a trail of blood as he dragged his broken body away from the battlefield ashore of the tranquil lakes. Tonight's mission had been a taxing one, and he took a few too many hits.

    His mind had strayed. He couldn't ride the wind with the same effortless agility that he normally could. Within him was a subtle consiousness that tonight was different. Tonight was dangerous.

    Xiao's boots sank in the mud with each labored step towards home.

    With blurred eyes he raised his head and gazed upon the serenity of Liyue at night. A full moon caressed his bloodied face, throwing his golden eyes to flames.  

    The people of Liyue slept peacefully that night.

    An eon of slaughter. The price to pay.

    Without warning, a flash of red ran across his vision. His knees gave out and he fell forwards on the mud.

    He tasted copper at the back of his throat.

    Pain -- unlike anything he's ever known -- coursed in his veins. His blood turned to lava as he let out a scream that pierced the night.

    Torn apart from the limbs, the weight of a million worlds pressing on his chest and choking his breath.

    Before his eyes flashed every life he's ever taken, every soul he's sent to the underworld. The darkness opened beneath him and swallowed him whole.

    An urge to kill, to destroy, to tear apart as much as he could before he took his last breath rose to his mouth like bile. He clawed at his face, panic thrumming in his chest, but the mask of the yaksha had merged with his skin.

    He crawled to the edge of the water. A monster, glowing eyes, grotesque fangs, stared back at him from the dark heart of the lake.

    Everything he's fought for, everything he believed in, everything he held dear, they all vanished as crimson pulsed at the edges of his vision.

    Every heartbeat was pain, yet it was also release. The demon dwelling within him opened its eyes, pushing against an eon of repression.

    No!

    He ripped at his chest, one hand reaching weakly towards his bloodstained spear.

    If he were to die, he had to make sure that he was the only one who did.

    Then, as suddenly as it came, the agony subsided to an angry hum.

    He gasped for breath. His spear fell from his hand.

    Skimming the surface of the water was--

    Was it fit to be called a melody? No, it transcended music. It felt like it was speaking directly to him despite not uttering a single word.

    He listened, entranced.

    A flute in the distance.

    He heard a thousand things within a single tune. The laughter of a child, the wisdom of an elder. The bustling city, the noble peaks of Liyue, as well as an unfamiliar texture that he could only describe as freedom, as pure vitality.

    As he listened, the pain within him unfurled wings and with a powerful gust of wind, left his body.

    The melody was softly carried away by a gentle whisper of warm, spring breeze.

    Somehow, Xiao found the strength to stumble his way back home to the Wangshu Inn.

    Xiao never forgot the tune that pulled him back from the brink.

    A while later, he came across a tale of a certain Venti the bard, hailing from the distant town of Mondstadt. He was, apparently, a lazy drunkard who wandered the lands aimlessly, selling his songs for apples and wine. He was said to have unparalleled musical talent, and an even more remarkable affinity for alcohol.

    Xiao, who never cared for local gossip, found himself tuning in.

    Meanwhile, a continent away, Venti happily ambled around the lush fields of Mondstadt, getting absurdly drunk off often stolen wine and playing his songs to anyone that would listen. However, he could never shut out that adeptus boy who'd looked into the lake with an unthinkably deep despair reflected in his eyes.

    Before he turned in for bed, Venti hummed that melody to himself. He didn't know why. It just made him feel warm, like someone was right there beside him, listening.

    Xiao was never one to ask around for information, but he did listen particularly closely to anyone who mentioned the windborne bard in Mondstadt. He felt a connection that he couldn't quite explain, but his time-worn intuition told him that that was someone special.

    Memories of that night were fuzzy, but he held on tight to the feeling so even when he limped home, scraped and bruised, even when he felt like the last person on Teyvat, he could have something of his own to cherish.

    Venti found himself gracing the library for the very first time in his long existence, just to read up on the yakshas of Liyue. He'd certainly gotten some funny glances, but he ignored them because he was buried in a book.

    He had to laugh because the interpretations of the people in this age were so distorted that the glory and tragedy of the yakshas and the adepti were dumbed down to cartoon villains and heroes. He'd have to tease Morax about it. Or the adeptus boy. ...Heck, why not both?

    Worlds apart, a breath away, distance meant nothing to the wind.

    So time slipped by. There was talk in Liyue of an unknown traveller sweeping through Mondstadt, and something involving a dragon. Xiao thought of the bard. Was he well? Had he been caught up in the chaos? Surely nothing could have happened to him, right?

    After the Mondstadt crisis, Venti kicked back and relaxed extra hard. He was impressed by Lumine's dilligence and hard work, but he was the embodiment of freedom! And freedom meant another round of drinks!

    Nevertheless, he felt he should probably pay more attention to what was going on in the world. He made sure to remember to seek out stories of her future endeavors.

    That was how he found out that Lumine was brewing up another storm in Liyue. Liyue meant those dusty old adepti and the even more dusty old Morax. But... that also meant the somewhat less dusty and old Xiao. Venti would have skipped on her Liyue adventures under normal circumstances, but instead, he listened with great interest.

    Xiao also met the Traveller, as one was inevitable to doing. She was quiet and reserved, her rather irritating floaty companion doing most of the talking, quite unfortunately. But she was one of those people whose words, as rare as they were, held power. Through her own retelling, he found out more about her adventures in Mondstadt.

    And she talked about Venti.

    Paimon chimed in once in a while, calling him something like "Tonedeaf Bard". That was amusing, but also vaguely terrifying. Xiao hoped that Paimon would never hate him enough to give him his own exclusive ugly nickname. What would his be? "Tofu Man"? "Pogo stick"??

    Anyhow, Lumine always laughed kindly and chided Paimon to be nice.

    She talked about the carefree bard and his songs.

    He tried his best to hide his interest, hiding behind a mask of apathy.

    In truth, he caught every word and held them close to his heart. He wanted to know more, but he didn't have the courage to ask.

    A few nights later, before he retired, Xiao perched on the roof of Wangshu Inn, surveying the land he was bound to.

    "Why do I care about what happens to someone who's just a name and a handful of stories?" He asked the open air of Liyue.

    He came up with nothing except an even stronger desire to know him.

    Almost as if conjured by his own mind, the wind picked up and toyed with the stray locks of his hair. It was warm, despite the weather holding the bite of fall, and carried the scent of apple blossoms.

    Xiao closed his eyes.

    No.

    He snapped back to reality.

    This is wrong. This is not what you were meant to focus on.

    Look at you. Fantasizing like this.

    You don't have time to be losing yourself in fancy.

    Look at these hands. Look at your face. You are a weapon.

    Weapons are not entitled to dreams.

    He stood up quickly and turned away from the wind. He was about to leap off the roof and return to his room when--

    Xiao?

    He gasped, freezing.

    The wind. It spoke.

    A faint hint of giggling. He stood rooted to the spot.

    Hehe, I knew I could find you here.

    Xiao touched a hand to his chest. He didn't understand the electric shock that ran through his body at the sound of that voice.

    She told me all about you. You know, Lumine? She paid me a visit yesterday and of course I wanted all the details! Honestly I can't believe how I never tried sending a message like this before... Kind of dumb of me. Well you're certainly the first to recieve it! Aren't you honored?

    He was rambling, it was obvious. But he sounded so... so...

    Happy? Innocent? Untainted?

    Suddenly he didn't want to reply. He felt dirty in the face of such purity.

    It was almost as if the wind picked up on his thoughts. The voice had an obvious pout in it:

    C'mon. Cat got your tongue? It's just me! You've met me before so why so shy?

    "I-- Are you Venti?"

    The one and only!

    "..." Xiao got a hold of himself at long last. He said with an extra serving of coldness, "Did you need something?"

    Actually....... Yeah. I'm here to ask you for a favor.

    "Which is?"

    A small piece of paper tumbled in the wind and landed in Xiao's hand.

    Please, give this to the old man Rex Lapis, would you be so kind? He's kind of a drag so I'd rather not give this to him in person.

    Something in him bristled slightly at the brazen disrespect, but he found it was quite difficult to hold on to it.

    "...Sure. I'll do that."

    You're the best! Oh, we really gotta meet up in person sometime! I can't wait to finally meet you properly!!

    The word "no" was almost on his lips until he made the mistake of picturing massive, round puppy eyes. He sighed, almost too resigned to be angry at himself.

    "Fine. When I don't have a mission."

    Only after the conversation ended did he realize that he had no idea how Venti knew so much about Rex Lapis.

    Zhongli was facing out towards the vast landscape of Liyue with a steaming cup of tea when Xiao materialized behind him.

    "Ah, adeptus Xiao." Zhongli turned around. "You have something for me?"

    "Yes." Xiao bowed his head and handed him the note.

    Zhongli read it over. His brow furrowed.

    "If I may..." Xiao ventured. "What is on the note?"

    Zhongli smiled kindly, but there was no mistaking the obvious disquiet in his eyes. "Don't worry yourself over this. It's but a trifling matter. More importantly..."

    Xiao stiffened as Zhongli put on a scrutinizing look.

    "Are you in frequent contact with a certain Venti from Mondstadt?"

    Xiao breathed out quietly.

    "He spoke to me once just to give me the note, sir." Xiao omitted their plans to meet.

    Zhongli frowned. Xiao had always had the vague sense that Zhongli could hear exactly what runs through his mind.

    "Good, good. There's no need to send a reply back to him. He'll know that I read it."

    Zhongli muttered something under his breath, but Xiao caught it:

    "And he'll know that it's too late."

    Xiao stood at the foot of Starsnatch Cliff. It was almost midnight, and the air was cool and clear. Stars were scattered across the deep night sky, and the moon lit up an ocean of cecilias so it was like walking in a pool of moonlight.    

    At the top of the cliff, a distant hint of plucked strings. A lone figure stood against the crescent.

    For the first time in a long, long existence, Xiao knew with absolute certainty that magic was real.

    The bard turned around. A burst of wind blew from behind him, setting Xiao's turquoise locks to flight.

    That smile. Those eyes. His braids. His lyre.

    It overfilled Xiao's senses.

    The clean white flowers by his feet.

    The bard's face split into a grin.

    Xiao lost track of time.

    It could have been days. Weeks. Months. Years.

    All he knew was, Venti only had to breeze across his life and it was never the same again.

    They met more and more frequently. Venti took him on a tour of Mondstadt and Xiao climbed the tallest peaks of Liyue with him. Venti played for him as he listened on moonlit nights, and they lay in the grass without talking for hours on end.

    Suddenly, Xiao was more.

    More than a weapon.

    More than destruction.

    More than endless war.

    More than waiting for death.

    Every day he looked forward to seeing that stupid grin on that stupid face, and every night he fought hordes of monsters with a new purpose. He looked in the mirror and saw his own confused joy and conflict.

    Venti, at the end of the day, was a distraction. He was intoxicating, but he wasn't part of what Xiao was meant to fulfil. His duty still lay with the protection of Liyue at all costs, but he found himself straying, bit by bit.

    His fist clenched. What if he made a fatal oversight because of Venti? Thousands of innocent lives were on the line.

    But there was a stronger part of him that just wanted to be happy.

    Was that so much to ask?

    Venti knew exactly what this was.

    He'd told himself a million times not to get too attached. But in typical brainless bard fashion, he went ahead and did anyway.

    He stared at the person in the mirror. A familiar face looked back.

    This was the one who came first.

    Venti blinked and for a split second, the face in the mirror morphed into someone else. Messy dark hair, tired eyes, perpetually clueless expression.

    He blinked again and it was gone.

    Nononononono!!

    Venti slapped himself. Once. Twice.

    Stop it, Tone-deaf bard! You've gotta be kidding me!

    He knew perfectly well what was at stake. He knew that their innocuous bliss would last but a breath. But here he was screwing up anyway.

    Amazing job, Barbatos. You've outdone yourself.

    Now you're in trouble.

    Ten months later.

    Lumine, hardened from experience and wielding the unimaginable power of a Descender, enough to challenge a god, arrived at the doorstep of Celestia.

    The world held its breath.

    Behind closed doors, she engaged in a battle of wills and wits with the sustainer of the Heavenly Principles. Nobody knew what they discussed, but the archons around the world armed for war.

    The air was laced with palpable tension.

    Then it happened.

    The earth shook from the core. A fissure cracked open, a dark slash marring the peaceful landscape.

    The doors to the abyss.

    All nations, prepare for battle.

    The unspoken message echoed through the vast lands of Teyvat. The survival of this world hung in a delicate balance.

    Lumine had yet to declare war.

    Xiao fell sick. His temperature rose rapidly until he could barely see straight, much less stand and fight.

    Deep down, he knew.

    Baizhu and Qiqi were away, preparing at the front lines. Wangshu Inn was quiet.

    This was the moment that the world needed him the most. And here he was, pathetically bedridden.

    Why are you scared? Death had never concerned you.

    Xiao closed his eyes.

    His breaths were labored, his sweaty hair clinging to the sides of his face. He groaned as a wall of pain slammed into him.

    The price.

    A pair of braids, accompanied by laughter.

    To pay.

    His spine arched as he fought for breath.

     "I declare war."

    The world erupted.

    You were the one who dragged me back from the edge of the void.

    "Knights of Favonious, formation!" Jean screamed as both sides stormed towards their deaths.

    You were the one who made these past months the happiest I've ever been.

    A pair of azure wings blocked out the sun.

    I know you'll come back for me.

    "Mondstadt, attack!" Venti cried as he lead the charge, drawing back a crystal blue bow.

    And I know the wind will tell you my story.

    The blood from the fallen soaked the land.

    So... I'll leave you everything beautiful.

    Venti's eyes were fierce, cold as he pierced the heart of a faceless enemy.

    Blood stained his round, childlike face.

    The Raiden Shogun smiled, steely against an incoming charge of enemies.

    She drew her sword, claps of thunder cracking across the eternal land of Inazuma as she led her people fearlessly towards a hoarde of abyssal monsters. With a single slash, a wall of enemies fell. Monster climbed each other's corpses to advance.

    As she slew each behemoth, her mind returned to the colossal sea serpent. She grinned confidently. Small fry.

    Lesser Lord Kusanali floated gently above the ground, directing troops of soldiers towards each position on the battlefield. The fantastical beasts and plants of Sumeru came alive by her will to fight for their homeland. Mitachurls were taken down by charging boars, samachurls entangled by giant blooms.

    Her heart bled every time one of her soldiers fell, yet she couldn't afford to stop. As she fought as hard as her people, she barely noticed herself growing taller, her voice maturing. The long-dormant power locked within her unfurled and blossomed until a lush green glow outlined her silhouette and her eyes flashed emerald.

    The wishes of every citizen of every continent combined to form a nigh-unstoppable force, drilling through the monsters like a single collective blade.

    But the monsters kept coming.

    Teyvat fought on and on. Casualties were rapidly climbing into the hundreds of thousands, but the stream of monsters barely slowed. The people were becoming exhausted, too wounded to continue.

    Lumine was locked in duel with the Heavenly Principles herself.

    It was time for the archons to come together.

    They met at the center of the world, at the doors to the abyss. They barely had time to acknowledge each other when the land convulsed.

    Every piece of long-lost Khaenri'ah technology came alive, operated by the lost souls of the Khaenri'ah people who had returned through the gap in the fabric of the universe.

    Then, a Mondstadt citizen clutched his chest, falling to the ground for no apparent reason.

    The universe is a constant give-and-take. The dead were returning to the realm of the living, so the living must depart to the land of the dead.

    From the fissure it came.

    A massive robotic hand shrouded in darkness slammed upon the trembling earth, a distorted, grotesque body heaving itself onto the land of Teyvat. The ground shook as it righted itself, towering above the battlefield.

    From its head, swirling with smoke, seven faint glimmers flashed for half a second.

    "The Gnoses!" Kusanali cried.

    Six of the gods simultaneously gave the Tsaritsa a side-eye.

    "My bad, my bad." She held up her hands.

    Kusanali knew that without the Gnoses, they couldn't seal the rift. Without sealing the rift, more people were going to die. The Khaenri'an machinary from all corners of the world were agitated by its presence and slowly moving towards them, leaving destruction in its wake.

    Here it was. The root of the crisis.

    The Archons convened for but a fraction of a moment without speaking. Centuries of rifts, of personal grudges, of distrust and mistakes, they unclasped and fell to the ground.

    They were The Seven.

    They nodded at the same time, then they were gone.

    The ravaged, bloodstained grasses of the battlefield grew into entangling vines, growing thicker and thicker until it completely rooted the giant feet of the robot and crept into its joints. The Pyro Gnosis flashed within its visor and the plants withered.

     "We have the advantage of numbers and speed." Kusanali murmured to herself, a gust of wind carrying her higher. Venti flashed her a smile.

    A few still-standing trees in the distance caught her eye.

    She gathered her strength and pulled.

    A tangle of roots pierced through the soil, reaching higher and higher until it formed a massive arch. Raiden and Focalors leapt to the base of the bridge, side by side, and raced against the sun.

    A massive hand swept towards them, almost knocking them off. The roots shattered.

    They narrowly dodged it, leaping atop broken pieces of the shattered bridge.

    Pillars of rock and stone rumbled from the depths of the earth to support their advance. They hurdled from pillar to pillar, vaulting into the air.

    Focalors summoned a blade of water and Raiden drew her sword. They struck at the same time.

    A powerful current of electricity coursed through the robot, amplified by the water, and for a moment it staggered. The Tsaritsa tuned into every droplet of water within the robot and concentrated. Frost entangled its joints.

    Venti took the window of opportunity to ride a powerful gust of wind high into the air.

    Time stilled as he turned towards the eye of the automaton where the Gnoses glimmered.

    A million missiles sailed towards him.

    As he drew back his bow, as Xiao fought for his life at the Wangshu Inn, the exact same thought ran across their minds.

    I have to see him again.

    Venti struck the eye of the automaton and an arrow with the force of a hurricane exploded. The robot took a step back.

    He could have diverted the bullets instead of striking.

    The missiles buried themselves in Venti's chest, his wings, his stomach.

    He plunged toward the ground, a fallen falcon.

    A bed of leaves broke his fall.

    "Are you all right?!" Murata yelled.

    Venti tried to laugh, but nothing came out.

    "We're barely making a dent!" Kusanali cried. "We need to get inside! Barbatos, are you still in fighting shape?"

    "Of course, hehe." He wasn't.

    "Barbatos, Morax, focus on destabilizing him. I'll look for a weak point. Everyone else, distract the robot and prepare to incapacitate."

    "Understood!"

    Venti bit back a scream as he opened his battered wings. Zhongli summoned a plate of rock to lift him into the air.

    "I don't need your help, old man!" Venti protested weakly. Zhongli just laughed quietly and carried him along.

     With a downward strike, Zhongli opened a rift in the ground. The robot, focused on fending off the rest of the archons, stumbled. It righted itself quickly.

    A flash of turquoise blinded the battlefield.

    A tornado ravaged the battlefield, almost blowing Zhongli and Venti away. At the eye of the whirlwind, the robot lifted itself into the air. With a single punch, the air itself shook. A powerful wave rippled through the battlefield, knocking the archons off their feet.

    "Tsk." This display of his own mastery of the wind was ugly to Venti. "Let's show him the real deal."

    Gathering what was left of his strength, his teal braids danced in the gale as he summoned a bird made of the purest wind in Mondstadt. It morphed into an arrow, striking through the heart of the robot. In the split second where it passed through the automaton, Venti collapsed the air pressure, crushing the chambers of air within the robot.

    "So tell me," Zhongli said conversationally as he raised a shield of stone to block incoming lasers as the robot retaliated. "Have you been meeting with a young man named Xiao by any chance?"

    Venti felt a wave of pure terror. Something in Zhongli's eyes bode doom.

    "Uh... no? Morax, we are in the middle of the greatest battle since the archon war."

    "I am quite aware. I asked simply out of curiosity."

    "Morax!" Kusanali called across the battlefield. "Shoulders, neck, knees, the abdomen joint! Its weak spots! Quickly!"

    Zhongli summoned massive shards of earth imbued with the Geo symbol and sent them flying towards the towering monster. They struck, one by one.

    Still reeling from Venti's attack from the inside, it couldn't shield itself from the stones. It let out a broken cry as it lost control of the wind.

    It fell and Zhongli speared him with pillars of rock, locking it in place.

    "Ha, not bad for a drunkard."

    "Pretty good yourself for a grandpa."

    They raced towards the base of the robot, meeting with the rest of the Archons.

    Within moments, they were crowded into the control center, pushing and shoving for the seat at the center. While they argued with each other, Kusanali quietly took the seat for herself.

    The battlefield fell deathly still as the robot powered down.

    Every pair of eyes was trained towards the sky.

    They waited.

    Then, a distant star twinkled in the sky. Every archon held their breath as it grew brighter and brighter, closer and closer, until it split into two shards of glowing crystals. They entwined each other as they touched down on Teyvat.

    The Travellers.

    Triumphant return.

    Venti teared up. He recalled first meeting Lumine.

    He even helped her put up Missing Person Posters.

    Look how far they'd both come.

    Kusanali slowly raised the headset to her lips.

    All forces, attention.

    Every battered and wounded citizen of Teyvat looked up. Every child, heavy with young trauma, every scarred soldier whose eyes had lost their spark, they listened.

   The war is over.

    Thank you, everyone, for your sacrifices in battle. Your will, your efforts, your dreams and wishes, they were what secured our victory.

    Victory.

    Sumeru, go home now and tend to your wounds. Tomorrow will be a new dawn.

    Tears dripped from every Sumeru scholar, citizen and mercenary, as they tightly embraced each other and cried from the same pure joy.

    Without speaking, Kusanali handed the headset to Raiden.

    Well fought, Inazuma. For your triumphs, I am proud.

    Incredibly fought, people of Natlan.  

    I'm honored beyond words to be your archon, my dear Fontaine.

    Snezhnaya... admirable. You have earned your new tomorrow.

    Zhongli silently handed the headset to Venti.

    Venti handed it back to him.

    People of Liyue, I wish you the most prosperous and peaceful future.

    Venti snatched the headset from Zhongli and laughed into the microphone to hide his deep sorrow.

    Your local archon says hi, Mondstadt! You've really done yourselves proud. Enjoy your hard-earned future!

    Cheers rose, one by one, as Teyvat held each other and cried together.

    The archons shared a smile.

    One by one they dispersed, off to tend to their people.

    At last, Venti stood alone in the dark chamber of the robot.

    He curled into a corner and screamed.

    "He's dead." He said out loud.

    Then he laughed.

    Then he cried.

    "You know how he died?" He asked himself.

    "He died alone." He responded.

    He clutched his broken wings and sat there for a long time.

    When dawn broke, Venti left the robot.

    Step by step, he limped towards Wangshu Inn.

    Dragging his marred body, he crossed continents on foot.

    As the stars peeked from a young night sky, he arrived at the Inn.

    It was deserted. All of Liyue had gathered at the Harbor to convene and rebuild.

    Venti climbed the stairs.

    He could find the room with his eyes closed.

    He opened the door and there he was.

    The stench of death was covered by the clear, crystal scent of flowers.

    A single cecilia dangled from his lifeless fingers as he slumbered.

    A gentle breeze stirred the curtains.

    Venti's eyes went black. He found himself kneeling by his bed.

    Xiao had decorated his room with cecilias. Their pedals swayed in the light wind.

    He had once told Venti that he picked one after every mission ever since they met.

    Venti walked over to a vase and gently plucked one from the bouquet.

    Suddenly, images flashed before his eyes.

    "Hey Xiao! Have you ever heard of axolotls?"

    "The axo-axi-- what?"

    "Apparently they're those little salamander things that are pink and have spiky little spikes on their heads. And they're super cute! We should go catch one!"

    Venti sucked in a breath. He touched another flower.

    "Venti, are you drunk again?"

    "E-hehe... Nooooo..."

    "Tsk. Hang on, let me get you a pot of tea. You really need to stop getting wasted."

    Without warning, tears streamed down Venti's face.

    He ran his hands across the wall of flowers. Memories of every sunny day, every peaceful night, every melody, every shared joke, laughing and leaping and so alive.

    "So this is your favourite peak."

    "Qingyun Peak. I used to come here alone... to... reminisce."

    "..."

    "What's wrong? You're quiet."

    "Thanks for letting me come here with you."

    "Well, with you here, it feels less heavy."

    "Hey... Can I ask something?"

    "Sure thing. What is it?"

    "Can you play that tune again?"

    "Is it getting bad?"

    "A bit worse than usual. I'll be fine. But please, I want to hear it."

    "No problem."

    "You know, these mountains really are something else. The old Morax had outdone himself."

    "Are there mountains in Mondstadt?"

    "Well, there's one. A huuuuge one. It's called Dragonspine. And it's frozen and full of monsters."

    "Monsters!? Need to be purged!"

    "Whoa whoa whoa, calm down. Nobody goes to that frozen wasteland anyway."

   "Oh my gosh, for me?!"

    "Uhh, well, ahem, um. I was just-- I was just passing by a field of these and, and they rather, kind of, reminded me of you so uh, I picked them and--"

    "Awwww! You're the best, Xiao!"

    "...You're...Welcome? *phew*"

    "Hahaha! You're as red as these flowers!"

    "Oh-- am I..."

    "And this is the... tavern... that you love so much?"

    "Of course! Isn't it so lively?"

    "It's loud and reeks of wine and unwashed bodies."

    "Haha, don't be uptight. You'll get used to it."

    "Would I want to get used to it?"

    "C'mon, join in the drinking songs! It's so much fun!"

    "I'll pass."

    "Hey, wanna know what I got you?"

    "Didn't I already say dandelion wine didn't suit my taste?"

    "It's not wine, I swear! Look!"

    "HUH??"

    "Hahahaha!!"

    "A-- stuffed toy-- of me... the audacity--- the honor of the yakshas--"

    "They're quite popular in Mondstadt, so I hear. The children love cuddling them to sleep."

    "I think a visit to Mondstadt is in order."

    "Hey now, wait a minute!"

    "Xiao?"

    "Hmm?"

    "You... wanna talk about it?"

    "....."

    "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. You just... seemed down today."

    "It's fine. I, uh, um. I just. Tired. Whoa, hey!"

    "Do you feel better?"

    "Not with you squishing the breath out of me!"

    Although neither of them had ever uttered the words out loud, it overflowed from every scene, every smile, every mundane little detail of their lives intertwined.

    I love you.

    Venti knelt and, with both hands, cupped the final cecilia, the one that Xiao held in his cold hands.

    "Look over there! Cecilias! Quick, let's go pick some!"

    "Slow down! Geez, the flowers aren't going to grow legs and run away. Hey! Don't put it in my hair!"

    "Hehe."

    "You-- whatever."

    "...."

    "...."

    "Say, Xiao, have you ever thought about what you're gonna do after you fulfil your contract?"

    "After? There's no after. My contract binds me until the day I die."

    "Do you really believe that you can't win this war?"

    "..."

    "No war doesn't end."

    "Mine never will."

    "Look around you. Look at the flowers. The sun is shining. You are not allowed to say hopeless things when life is all around us."

    "Life..."

    "Wouldn't you say that you have already won?"

    "What are you talking about?"

    "You've won... a chance to live. To be at peace."

    "..."

    "Haha, I don't even know what I'm saying. Let's just exist here and be you and me, okay?"

    "...Okay."

    With trembling hands Venti tucked the flower behind Xiao's ear. He looked just like he had back then where everything lived.

    He forced his limbs to move. He rose and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

    Why hadn't he kissed him sooner?

    "I love you." He whispered. "I love you more than life."

    Why hadn't he said it earlier?

    Venti brushed Xiao's hair away from his face. He slept, peaceful.

    The moon is beautiful tonight.

    Venti stayed by his side until the sun rose to caress a shattered soul.

    It was time to go.

    Mondstadt, Celestia, Teyvat awaited his return. Yet part of him wanted to stay here forever.

    Facing the world, laughing and playing songs and drinking himself into a rambling mess, when his dearest lay right here, snow pale and cold as ice, it was impossible.

    Venti was about to force himself up when he noticed Xiao's bloodstained spear laying quietly by his bed. A crazy thought entered his mind.

    No.

   You can't.

    It would be so easy. So simple. They'd never have to be apart again.

    Mondstadt needs you.

    Mondstadt was the city of freedom. Here he was making his choice. Mondstadt would survive.

    Venti.

    No.

    Listen to me.

    I can't.

    Venti pressed the heels of his palms into his temples. His vision pulsed red with each painful heartbeat.

    "It hurts." His voice cracked.

    You have to live on.

    "WHY DO I GET TO LIVE WHEN YOU'RE DEAD?!" Venti screamed.

    The world needs you to live. I need you to live.

    He curled up, shaking on the floor.

    I won't let anything hurt you. Least of all yourself.

    Venti, live.

    "I love you."

    I know. But you have to love yourself more.

    Venti wiped away his tears and laughed. "Love this lazy, good-for-nothing drunkard?"

    I've done it. It's easy.

    "I'm weak, Xiao."

    Go. You can.

    Venti scraped together what remained of his will.

    "May we meet under the moon in a better place." He uttered an old Mondstadt prayer.

    I'll be waiting for you.

    Five months later, at Xiao's grave.

    The wind danced with the lush blades of grass under the shade of a sprawling tree. A small headstone marked the place where the last of the yakshas was laid to rest forever.

    Venti set down a plate of Almond Tofu by the stone, then poured two glasses of dandelion wine. He drank one and left the other by the plate.

    "It's been a while, huh." He said, looking out at the midafternoon day. "Sorry about the wine. I know you said you don't like dandelion wine, but who pulls out tea at a grave?"

    He sighed. "Mondstadt is getting back on its feet. It's nice to see people taking walks in the sun, or business flourishing as it had been. It kind of hurts that orphanages are filled with children left behind, but that's just reality."

    "Anyway, they're building a new church. I tried to convince them -- as Venti of course -- that Barbatos would want them to focus on their own lives first, but they insisted. Feels wrong to see them devoted to me when I've done nothing but fail them, ha."

    "I wish you were here. I wish we could have had longer to be together. I look for you every day in crowds of people, in flowers, in the wind, but you're gone."

    Venti wished that Xiao would give him a sign that he was listening. A gust of wind, a fallen leaf, a whisper, anything.

    Nothing.

    "Well, it's time to go, I guess."

    He exhaled slowly.

    "I hope you're happy, wherever you are. That's all I ask for."

    Venti brushed his lips on the headstone.

    The weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

    He turned his back and stepped into the sunlight.

    Some say the melody that echoes across Dihua Marsh at midnight was an elegy for a broken soul. Some say it spoke of hope. Some say it held a story, enscripted in the silence between notes.

    None had been able to catch a glimpse of the creator of such an enigmatic yet painfully raw tune. Was he a spirit? An adeptus? Or simply a musician who poured his pain into his songs?

    The ones who had the good fortune to come across his tune while wandering at night describe it as a pool of cold, clear water. As transparent as a mirror, as deep as the void.

    Time healed all wounds.

    Give it a few centuries, and the weight of his pain would slowly fade away. The name Xiao wouldn't make Venti want to scream to the heavens. He'll be able to remember him for all the joy they've experienced together, all the sunlit days they spent ambling around open fields, and not for the image of him colorless, laying in a sea of cecilias.

    And it will be okay.

    Everything will be right again.