Xiao x Traveler fluff

Confessing

"Y/n, can I speak with you?" Xiao's voice snagged my attention and I turned. He stood behind me, arms crossed and gaze averted.

"Yeah, of course." I said with a smile- but it instantly dropped off my face with the smell of burnt fowl. "Oh shoot!" I whipped around again, hurriedly snuffing out my campfire flames. But it was too late- my sweet madame was complete ruined, covered in a crust of charcoal. "Whoops..."

"Sorry..."

"Don't be!" I stood, brushing dirt off my knees. "What did you want to talk about? I haven't seen you in a while. You aren't avoiding me, are you?" I asked. Xiao's fingers tapped against his arm and he met my eyes for a moment. Uh oh... he's nervous. I wonder what's wrong.

"No! I'd never avoid you. You've just... been busy. Around a lot of people. And... I miss you." he said softly, looking down. I felt a pang of guilt and opened my mouth, but- "D-do you have some time now?" he spoke in a rush, squeezing his arms tight against his chest.

"...sure. What's up?" I said, glancing around Mondstadt's busy main square. "Do you want to go somewhere? It's a bit loud here."

"Yeah. That would be nice."

"I heard more Qingxin flowers are blooming around mount Aocang. Or, hmmm, I bet the view from Starsnatch cliff is great right now-"

"Could... could we go to Windrise?" Xiao spoke up, surprising me. He usually never had a preference for where we went when we had time to relax. I always asked... but he always said he wanted to go wherever I did.

"I'd love to." I put a hand on top of his. As I teleported us away, I noticed Xiao looked flushed for such a cool day.

The moment we appeared in Windrise, I saw a change. Splashes of color everywhere- in long strings or scattered speckles. It took my eyes a moment to catch up with what I was viewing. Flowers of all kind- glaze lillies, silk flowers, and qingxin from Liyue were thrown in with cecilias, snap dragons, wind wheel asters, and more were scattered everywhere,  floral scents mixing and drifting in the wind. My eyes widened as I turned in a circle, soaking in the beautiful sight. Some even dangled from the branches of the great tree itself... and there were twice as many crystalflys as usual, drawn by the abundance of flowers. I could barely believe what I was seeing. It looked like a scene from a fairytale... or a perfect paradise for gods.

"Whoa..." My voice was softer than the breeze.

"What?" Xiao's tone dragged me back to reality and I looked down, meeting his gaze. He was definitely flushed, but didn't avoid my eyes.

"Did you do this?" I said incredulously. 

"No." he spoke so quickly I knew he was lying. "B-but... do you like it?"

"It's incredible." I beamed, taking both his hands. His eyes widened when I laced my fingers with his. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. But- I did want to talk to you." He took a deep breath but remained  stiff as wood. He bit his lip, glancing at one of the garlands of cecilias above us. The look in his eyes was almost wary... hesitant.

"...yeah?" I said, tilting my head to meet his eyes.

Xiao gave a frustrated huff, closing his eyes. "I... lost my words. You look... perfect here." The blush on his face spread and he squeezed my hands. "Please wait for me."

"I'll always wait. Take your time." I said, squeezing his hands in return. Now I'm almost worried... what's going on, Xiao?

After a couple quiet moments, Xiao took another deep breath and opened his eyes. "S-so. I wanted to say- you're not perfect just here. You're perfect anywhere you go, whatever you do. You're just... perfect." His thumbs began tracing nervous circles around my knuckles. I felt my heart flutter when I met his amber golden eyes. "You're b-beautiful. And stronger than anyone I know, in every way. You're kind and caring and always there for me. And I-I can never express how much you mean to me in words. You've saved me. So many times." He lifted one of my hands between both of his and kissed my knuckles. 

"Thank you..." I felt heat rise to my own face, and nervousness make the hair on the back of my neck prickle.

 "I still wanted to say more. And now I lost focus." he groaned, making me laugh.

"Oh no, I'm sorry! I'll be quiet again." I said, fighting back more giggles.

"Alright." he said with a small smile of his own. He gazed at me with such a kindness, such a care, that I swear my heart skipped a beat. "What I want to say- what I've wanted to say for such a long time... is that-" he swallowed. "Is that I love you. I love you. I love you so, so much, y/n... I love you more than I've ever loved anything- anyone- in this world." He blinked quickly, trying to stop his eyes from watering. "D-do you hear me-?"

A swell of powerful, beautiful emotions rose in me and I moved my hands to Xiao's face, pushing loose strands of hair away for the millionth time. I leaned closer slowly, in case Xiao was scared- but his lips met mine first, in the most tender, perfect kiss I could imagine.

"I love you too." I whispered, lips brushing his. 

Xiao's eyes widened in pure shock... and a crystal tear rolled down his cheek. "C-come again...?"

"I love you too." I said, smiling so wide my face hurt.

"You love me?" he repeated. My heart melted at the way his whole face lit up with sheer joy.

"I love you." I repeated, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Y/n loves me... y/n loves me!" he said, as if it was just hitting him. His hands found my waist and he lifted me up, spinning me in a circle in the air. "Y/n loves me!" he said, grinning as I laughed so hard I could barely talk.

"Xiao, look out!" I said, too late as his heel caught on a tree root and he fell backwards. His arms were instantly around me, pulling me flush against his chest as he fell on his back with an 'oof.' "Oh, Xiao!" I cried, still laughing. "Are you okay-" I tried to climb off him, but he pulled me back- right into another kiss. My eyes closed as he slid his hands up my back, holding me gently.

"Y/n." he said when we parted a moment later. 

"Yeah?" I said, my face right above his. His emerald hair splayed out like an inky puddle around his head. His beautiful smile was brighter than the sun, happier than I'd ever seen him.

"Will you say it again? Please?" he blushed.

"I'll say it as many times as you want. Xiao... light of my life." His eyes widened. I pecked his cheek. "I love you."

"Thank you." he whispered by my ear, and hugged me close to him. I felt his racing heart below mine.

"Thank you, Xiao. In this strange world, where so many things are scary and uncertain... I knew you were there for me. Stubborn and shy as you were-"

"Hey!"

"I knew you'd be there. And knowing that... made me feel safer than ever. Being with you has always brought me so much happiness. I'm so glad you feel the same way..."

"I've never felt this way about someone." Xiao said, lips brushing my ears.

"Me neither." I laughed. "By the way, I think this is the most magnificent confession ever."

"R-really??"

"Yes. Because you just made me the happiest person in the whole universe."

Xiao laughed, hugging me again. He rolled onto his side and I hugged him back, knowing that the seed of joy Xiao had planted in my heart would never stop growing.