Xiao x Traveler fluff

Hurt while defending him (pt. 1)

Please be warned, this chapter contains mentions of blood/gore and violence that might be disturbing for some readers. Take care!

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I was fighting side by side with Xiao in a battle more intense than any I'd been in for a long time. Hilichurls and mitachurls came first, bearing jagged blades and enormous shields. I darted wildly around a wooden-shielded mitachurl, slicing at its exposed body. Roaring in pain, it hefted the shield into the air with one hand and swung downwards. I lunged forward just in time, fighting back two normal hilichurls with flaming clubs. 

A flash of green caught made my head snap up- I saw Xiao unleashing his elemental burst and jumping into the sky, shooting back down spearpoint first. I was a fool to look away for more than a second- a wooden club smacked me hard, again and again, sending me flying backwards- right into the spiked staff of a geo samachurl. I shoved myself up, fighting like a cornered animal- because I was. I stabbed and slashed at anything that got too close, finally fighting my way out of the circle of monsters. My gaze darted around the battlefield. Xiao's elemental burst had faded but he was still on his feet, pole arm slicing through the air so quickly it was a blur. I ran in his direction, cutting down a slime that was stupid enough to get in my way.

"Traveler, keep your distance!" Xiao yelled when he saw me, pole arm sending up a spray of blood as he finished off an axe-holding mitachurl. It toppled to the grass, making the ground shake.

"Fine!" I snapped back, whirling around to unleash my own elemental attack, clearing the area around me for a heartbeat. I caught my breath as one of the few archers was thrown off their platform. Wait. Archers. How many- I've seen lots of arrows flying by, but I need to take them out now that I have time. I thought, eyes narrowing. There- only one more on a rocky outcropping. Pyro. It was loading a crossbow... but it wasn't aiming at me. My head whipped around and I started running. "Xiao, there's an archer-" I tried to call to him, but the ground violently shook underneath me and yet another rocky shield smacked me into the air.

"Y/N!!" Xiao screamed. I spat blood as I crashed back down again. My fingers dug into the earth as I pushed myself upright. Xiao was being swarmed by enemies- less and less of them were seeing me as a threat. A glance confirmed my fear- the pyro archer's loaded arrow flared with red and orange and fear took over my mind.

"Xiao!" I sprinted forward, not caring if anything hurt me. He spun around, eyes widening as I got closer. I threw myself in front of him, summoning all my strength- and enormous spikes of rock erupted from the ground, along with lethal blades of air that spun outwards from me. An attack I'd only ever managed once before... anemo and geo... Xiao was frozen in shock as we both slammed into the ground. I let out a breath, my eyes closing from relief. I didn't hear any movement around us.

"Y-y/n...?" Xiao's fingertips skimmed my cheek. I opened my eyes, seeing his shell-shocked expression. All around us lay dead monsters. "H-how..." he stammered.

"Are you okay?" I asked, urgently touching his face, wiping away blood and tucking hair behind his ear. 

"No." All the color drained from his face. "No." He was staring at my torso. Confused, I leaned back to look down... and instantly regretted it. A crimson spot was expanding on my stomach, slowly seeping outwards. "H-how did this happen-" his shaking hands reached outwards, skimming over the wound. I leaned back with a sharp intake of breath, pain lancing through my body. The sudden movement made more blood ooze outwards. "Stop moving! I need to put pressure on it." Xiao said, voice trembling nearly as badly as his hand that he pressed against my torso. I flinched, crying out in pain. 

"Stop it please, that hurts-!" I hissed through clenched teeth, grabbing his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I can't!" he said, face paling even more. "Th-there's an arrow in your back- w-when did you get hit?? It was because of me." His expression darkened and he pressed harder against my wound. A desperate scream escaped me and I threw my arms around him, squeezing my eyes shut. "It's my fault, I'm so sorry y/n, I don't want to hurt you." he said in a rush, his other hand pressing against my back. I cried out again, feeling hot tears well up.

"We need to go some-somewhere." I stammered, my fingers digging into his back.

"I can help- I promise." he sounded terrified; each one of his words tore at my heart. "I have to focus-" his voice broke off with a sob. "I-I can't do this, y/n-"

"Don't-" I inhaled again, searing pain coursing through my whole body. "Don't give up on me." I said as his warm tears fell onto my back. "I trust you." I said as firmly as I could.

"This is going to hurt. But I need you to stay with me. Okay?! I need you to stay!" he cried, putting more pressure on the wound.

"A-Ah-" I shuddered, tears of pain streaming down my face. "I- I'll stay. Please, hurry..." The sound of my pulse seemed to be amplified in my ears, blocking out all other noise.

Pain like I'd never felt before made me scream my throat raw. In a haze of half-consciousness I clawed at Xiao's back, begging for him to stop between sobs. I couldn't hear him. My whole world went red. I saw it pouring from the sky, making the water rise and take over the land, coming even closer... it seeped closer to me and I clung to Xiao, terrified.

You can't take me. I thought at the roaring wave of red. You can't, I promised I'd stay with Xiao. The wave rose even higher, so high I couldn't see the sky. It loomed over me, trembling with fear. You can't. I thought in a shaky voice. At that, the wave crashed down, swallowing me in boiling waters and ripping me apart, limb for limb. I didn't know if I was dead or alive.

Several times, I saw some light... golden yellow. Like Xiao's eyes... I wanted to see Xiao's eyes again... I wanted to see his face. I wanted to see him sitting alone on a roof under the moon, and see his head turn as he realized I was there. More than anything, I wanted to see the warm smile that split his face, and the gentle, warm embrace he would catch me in. I wanted to hear his voice, saying...

"I'm here."

But not in that taunt, scared tone. Anything but hearing him in pain.