If, and Only If || (Xiao x Reader)

二

Art: @Kaskia_Nioh on Twitter

"Lady Xiwangmu."

"Yes, Ming?"

"The Yaksha has come to see you."

"Oh...? Really?" She got up and saw Xiao standing with his arms crossed facing the side.

"Xiao. You've come to visit?"

"Hmph. I just really liked the almond tofu you made yesterday." He faced her.

"So you've missed my taste?"

"...I guess so."

"I actually have left overs from yesterday. I made extras in case you wanted some more."

"I would like them."

"Of course. Come."

Xiao followed, as he looked around the place. Well, the mountain.

"Well? How are you?"

"Good."

"Oh! And after you've eaten, let's go around Liyue, shall we?" She seemed excited. Abnormally.

"Huh?"

"Uh...is that not okay with you?"

"N-no. Just was wondering why you wanted to all of a sudden." His voice grew smaller near the end. And he fiddled with the spoon.

"I wanted to spend some time with you."

"Huh?"

"Hm?"

"Never mind."

'Fufu~ he sounds so nervous. How cute.' She beamed a huge smile, as Xiao had finished his food, grabbing his spear.

"Your jade spear suits you."

"Does it?"

"Of course. Just like how the color green suits you in whole."

Xiao glanced at his spear. He felt a liking to his weapon.

"Green has a calming effect. Maybe that's why I feel tranquil whenever I see you."

He felt... happy. And it made him feel good about himself. He felt happy to hear such words from her. She is much respected. He's never been told in his 3,000 years of experience, that green suits him. But even if it was only said, and not felt, he'd still feel happy.

"Let's go to the big tree." The big tree near Mt. Hulao.

The tree had blue tips. But it still looked beautiful.

"Hello, Jiu." Xiwangmu greeted the, 'little girl.'

"Hello Xiwangmu. Are you here to witness the resurrection of the most ancient, most awe-inspiring individual in Liyue? If so, you're a little early."

"No, unfortunately."

"Hm. I see." Jiu went back to her own business. What does that girl do anyway?

Xiao and Xiwangmu sat under, well on one of the large branches.

"She's, odd." Xiao commented.

"Many people say that. And she seems much older than she looks."

"?"

"Is there any other place you'd like to go to?" She asked while slightly swinging her feet back and forth. Was there somewhere he wanted to go to?

"It is fine if you do not have a place in mind."

"Guili Plains." He answered after a small pause.

"Guili.. haha. You picked a very historic spot. There might be naturally grown glaze lilies still there." Her stare was on the view outside of the tree, to see all of the nature that grows there.

"Alright. I've gotten bored, let's move to Guili Plains."

Once they've made it. It was... so pretty? Xiwangmu felt nostalgia hit her straight in the gut.

"Did you have a specific reason to come here?" She asked, while fiddling with a glaze lily.

"No reason. Just like how you didn't have a reason to go to Mt. Hulao."

"Weeeell. The first part is a lie. What's the reason to come here?"

"I want to know the real you. About you, and your history with Guili Plains, in a way..."

"Oho? Real me? Well I cannot say. I've only met you for a short period of time. So I don't go blabbing about it all in one day, for one."

Xiao didn't look very happy with that answer. She seemed like the type to blab.

"You expected me to talk, didn't you~" Xiwangmu's gaze focused on a very contemplated Xiao. And her gaze seemed to pierce through his own skull.

"Well you answered my questions last time." He knitted his eyebrows together.

"Those, are common things everybody knows about, among the archons and adeptis." She snickered.

"Then how can I get you to talk?"

"What is this? And investigation?"

Xiao stared intensely. Or rather with a strong sense of determination.

"Hm~" she hummed in thought. "Then, if you visit and spend time with me everyday. Perhaps I'll tell you a few tales." A smirk formed on her lips.

To say Xiao was excited would be an overstatement. But to say he was confused at the same time as curious, would be about right.

"That's all?"

"Oh dear. 'That's all?' You say?" Xiwangmu mimicked. "Spending time with me is a rather high demand. And not a lot of people can keep up with my antics other than Morax and Ming."

"What antics?"

"As in, my daily routine."

"I don't follow."

"Well it's no surprise you'd be confused." She stood up from the padded grass beneath her feet. "But I'm sure you'll manage."

Xiao stood next to her.

"What do you do?"

"Well, I check on Liyue. And get some food at Wanmin. Jump around the mountains. Patrol for fun, it makes me feel more like an adeptus."

Xiao still didn't follow. The strong, powerful, goddess he's heard from the others. Playing around...

"Then I like to go to Mondstadt. The famous winery owner's wine, is great. Oh! And the mountains in Dragonspine. I've wanted to go there sometime."

"Do you ever do anything, serious?" Xiao spoke up.

"Serious?"

"Like kill monsters. And other things." He spun his jade spear around, and abruptly stopped its movement.

"Xiao." She spoke sternly. Earning his attention almost immediately. "I'm the goddess of humanity. Not a vigilant Yaksha. Yes, I've fought in the archon war, slaying many beasts. But that doesn't change my position as 'Xiwangmu.'"

The wind seemed to stop. It grew quiet. Only for Xiao to speak again.

"Sorry. You have your own duties."

"You're not the only one, considering you've, 'heard' of me." She chuckled. But it sounded more like a tired chuckle. The sound of someone who is expected of doing highly things.

That's how Xiao heard it.

"Let's head to another spot." Xiwangmu stated.

"I have another place I want to go to."

The goddess turned around to Xiao with a smile.

"Really? Where to?"

"Dihua Marsh."