𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ᵍᵉⁿˢʰⁱⁿ ˣ ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ ᵒⁿᵉˢʰᵒᵗˢ//ⁱᵐᵃᵍⁱⁿᵉˢ

· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ so long // xiao x f.archon.reader

synopsis: [y/n], the goddess of hydro, is adamant on fighting in the archon war- desperate to protect her people and nation. xiao however grows to regret letting her take part

warning(s): mentions of injury + blood, mentions of character death, not proof read fully so may be some mistakes

◈ ━━━━━━ 2,000 years ago ━━━━━━ ◈

Wind tapped against the silk curtains, causing them to billow around her figure as she stood on her balcony- looking out at the region she adored so much. But it wasn't the same. The crisp smell of salt water that fluttered through the air had been replaced with the stench of charcoal. The lapis sky had been replaced with dark clouds. Every time more damage occurred to the town, it felt like part of her broke along side it.

"Madame, your weapons are ready" A low voice spoke, breaking her out of her thoughts and causing her to turn her h/c haired head towards them. It was one of her assistants, a large polearm placed on a pillow in their hands.

"Thank you, my dear. I'll be ready in a moment" She smiled in return, walking over to pluck up the weapon. It was light, but she could tell it would pack a lot of punch.

"I've never fought in a war before" She murmured, her e/c hues flickering up to her open window where a figure now stood. This had become the usual thing, she learned to recognise his presence. He huffed in response, taking a few steps inside.

"I still think you're being idiotic, (Y/N). You have no experience, you can't protect them forever" He huffed as his yellow eyes narrowed, and she smiled sweetly in response. By the tone of his voice, she could tell he too was anxious. There had been a rise in the amount of demons spotted in the areas around Liyue, and he was constantly overworking himself to fend them off. She adjusted the polearm in her gloved hands as she stepped towards him.

"You worry too much, Xiao. I'm going to be fine, Fontaine will live to see another day" (Y/N) sighed as she looked back out the window, not noticing his tensed physic. The two had become well acquainted shortly after he was dispatched to fend of the demons, and their bond had only grown since.

"It's not Fontaine i'm worried about. It's you, and you know that" Xiao growled, but she was quick to place her palm on his cheek- which he instantly melted into. He didn't mean to snap like that...he was just worried sick. He didn't want to lose her.

If he lost her, he'd lose part of himself.

"I'm going to be okay. I promise you" She whispered, her palm curling slightly and her thumb brushing over his cheek. Her touch was warm, comforting. Xiao didn't notice that his hands were balled into fists, it was only when he looked down at the floor to avoid her gaze that he realized.

"I'll see you after, Alatus" (Y/N) said softly as she broke away from him, and he so desperately wanted to reach out and throw his arms around her- preventing her from leaving. But all he could do was watch as she walked away.

◈ ━━━━━━━━━━━━ ◈

The war raged for days...and days...and days. And the more she fought, the more she realized the Yaksha was right. She had no battle experience whatsoever, and the most she had ever used her powers for was healing her people. So she was completely and utterly exhausted. Not to mention...she was injured.

A cry left her lips as she collapsed to the sand, feeling numb to the waves of salt water that washed over her as she curled up. Decarabian had gotten the better of her, his attack impaling her and injuring her gravely. He was here to gain yet more power, just to hold over his peoples heads like bait. He was a monster.

Normally for any injuries she may receive, she would just heal them. It was simple and always incredibly effective. But as her life slipped away from her bit by bit, so did her ability to heal. She spluttered as a wave hit her, the water turning crimson as it mixed with her blood. This is what she got for fighting in her human vessel...and for being weak.

"Xiao..." She coughed as the pain she was experiencing melted away, her eyes feeling heavier and heavier with each passing second. Images of the yaksha flashed through her brain as she rested her head on the gritty sand, and a smile graced her chapped lips.

"So long"

◈ ━━━━━━ Now ━━━━━━ ◈

Not a day passed when the yaksha didn't hate himself with every fibre of his being. Not a day passed where he didn't think of the hydro archon. Where was she to calm him down? Where was she to progress through life with him?

Why did her life have to be taken? Why was he the one to come across her lifeless body?

Fontaine seemed to have moved on quickly after her death, even welcoming a new person to take over her power. How dare they? It happened so long ago, but the rage still bubbled inside him like it happened yesterday. The only ones that seemed to care about her death apart from him was Barbatos and Morax- but even then, they didn't fully understand.

They didn't fully understand why he distanced himself, refusing to talk to anyone when he could avoid it. Refusing to take breaks from his work of purging demons off the face of the Earth.

"Xiao, you're scowling" Verr Goldet spoke as she wiped down her desk, causing him to knit his eyebrows even more. All he wanted to do was eat his almond tofu- it was one of the only things he had left to remember her. She had taught him how to make it one day when she was feeling hungry, and it quickly became his favourite thing. He pushed it around with his fork, staring down at it intently. If he ignored the boss, maybe she'd leave him alone.

"Excuse me, I hope i'm not too late. I was wondering if you had any rooms available" A kind voice asked, and his heart skipped a beat. Why was this voice...so familiar? He was just overthinking things, after all- he was just reminiscing on their time together. He heard the boss shuffling around as she flicked through paperwork and finally, he heard the noise of a key.

"Of course. Please take the staircase up next to the young man over there, it's the first room you see" The boss bowed, and he could hear the mystery girl express her thanks. He heard footsteps approach him as she walked towards the staircase and without meaning to, his amber hues looked up- and his body froze.

He was greeted with the same h/c haired hair he loved so dearly. The same e/c orbs that he could get lost in. The same kind smile that guided him away from darkness. How could this be? Her eyes met his, and she sent him a grin- and he quickly jumped up from his seat. He wanted to reach his hand towards her, to hold her in his arms and breath in the salt fragrance he adored so much.

"(Y/N)!" Xiao called as she walked past him, and she froze in her tracks. Slowly, she turned to him- tears rolling down her face as he stumbled towards her.

"I haven't heard that name in so long"