✧ʟᴜᴍɪɴᴇ ʜᴀʀᴇᴍ ᴅʀᴀʙʙʟᴇꜱ/ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ✧

♥ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍꜱ♥

It all happened too quickly. Too fast. Just a moment ago she and her brother were joking about various matters but then that wretched God appeared. ''Outlanders, your journey ends here.'' She remembers exactly what that god said to her and her brother. She called herself 'The Sustainer Of Heavenly Principles' and that 'the arrogation of mankind' would end. 

That Unknown God made a cube-like structure to capture her brother, Aether. She ripped away her powers and threw Lumine into Teyvat once more. Her memory had faded, she couldn't remember what Aether and herself did in Teyvat before meeting that God . She remembers nothing but the Sea of ​​​​Flames in Khaenri'ah and how that God had ripped her other half from her, her dear brother. Where was he know? Was he okay?

Ah yes, The Abyss. Her brother was with the Abyss. Why? She doesn't know. That man Dainsleif, he had left her with more questions than answers.

''Where am I?'' she questioned as her eyes opened to nothing but darkness. There was nothing, she was standing on nothing. She looked ahead and saw, ''Brother?'' Aether, her brother, who was standing in front of her, he was a little far away but he looked at her with the same eyes that held nothing but kindness.

Her brother, he was here, but where were was 'here'? ''Aether?'' she struggled to stand up, some sort of force was weighing her down. 'Goddamnit! Not now, please!' Lumine grunted as she slowly stood up, one hand reaching out for him, but when his shoulder made contact with her hand, he had vanished. ''No.. Please don't leave me again! Please come back!'' Lumine cried.

Suddenly, the invisible floor she was standing on disappeared, she was falling down. She gasped at the speed at which she was falling, she tried to activate her Glider but it wouldn't budge. 'This is not the end, is it? I can't die here, my brother, he's still in the Abyss, I have to save him!' 

The darkness surrounding her seemed to increase, she couldn't see anything, everything was black. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate but then, she remembered.

''If you awake to a knife at your throat, if monsters dig their claws into you, if death comes knocking at your door, call out my name. Adeptus Xiao. I will be here when you call.'' 

''Xi..ao'' Her voice was barely above a whisper as she called out to him. Though nothing happened. She was still falling. Darkness enveloping her. 

Of course he had many more important duties to fulfill. He was probably out there conquering demons while defending Liyue and it's people.

She opened her eyes weakly and to her surprise saw a cloud of white smoke engulfing her and the sweet aroma of Almonds. 

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Lumine jolted awake covered in cold sweat, she touched her face and 'Tears? Was all of it a nightmare?' She thought as she wiped her tears and looked forward, she was at Wangshu Inn, she was in her room which she had booked for the night , Paimon was probably in her own little dimension. She looked to her side and saw a pair of amber eyes peering at her.

''Xiao!?'' She gasped as she looked straight into his glowing eyes, now that her eyes had adjusted itself to the dark, she could make out his form. ''What are you doing here? It's quite late at.. night'' She said as she looked around, small rays of faint sunlight had made it's way into the room through the curtains. 'Not really late at night but it is still dark'

''You called out my name, did you not?'' Xiao said in his usual tone. Normally people would consider him rude for speaking like he does but Lumine knew it's just how he speaks. ''You were having a nightmare, weren't 't 't you? Hmph'' He looked offended⎯ kinda. ''You should have spoken my name sooner'' He said, he was really caring when he wanted to be. ''Sorry'' Lumine said sheepishly as she scratched her hair but continued ''Thank you Xiao, thank you for waking me up'' She smiled at him who looked away from her.

''You needn't thank me. I didn't wake you up, I..'' he hesitated a bit ''I ate your dream.'' Xiao said as Lumine looked at him with curious eyes '' Ate ? You ⎯ you ate my dream?'' She probably looked stupid right now. Of course he could eat dreams, he WAS an Adeptus but  wait 'Could Ganyu eat dreams?' Lumine probably said that aloud as Xiao looked at her and said ''I am the only Adeptus who can eat dreams.''

Lumine looked at her hands which was in her lap and asked ''Hey Xiao? How do dreams taste?''

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He remembers everything, he remembers 'him'. That God made him do cruel deeds which included devouring others' dreams. He was forced to do it. 

Dreams were sour, nightmares were sour. He didn't like to eat others' dreams but if he did not then he would have gotten killed.

He was so thankful for Morax, he was so grateful for him as he saved his life from that merciless God. He owed his life to Morax and swore to protect his people. He was given the title ''Xiao'' by him.

As the last of the Guardian Yakshas, ​​​​he watched his friends get succumbed into darkness, Karmic debt mired them and at last they gave up their lives. He was thankful for Barbatos and his sweet music, for they had saved him from death. 

Even though he still suffers from Karma, he was saved from the pain of death. 

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Xiao hadn't meant to tell Lumine of his past, but something about her presence made all of his pain vanish and made him open up to her. He didn't know why but he didn't dislike the comfort she brought him. 

''Xiao..'' She looked at him with sorrow in her golden eyes, her eyes shined so bright even though he knew she was sad. He didn't mean to make her more sad than she was before. He was supposed to comfort her but she was the one comforting him .

She reached out to him, her hand merely inches away from his face, Xiao visibly flinched at that but didn't make the effort to move away, he knew she wouldn't hurt him. He trusts her. Lumine halted in her movements for a bit, but after a while her hand made contact with his right cheek. He didn't know why but he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. She was naturally warm and it felt nice. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes but then he abruptly stood up ''I should leave now, I have more duties to attend to'' His tone was a little harsh but Lumine could see the light blush on his face. ''You should get some rest too when you get the time'' Lumine said as she looked at his back.

''Adepti do not need rest'' He said and quickly vanished into green smoke. Lumine couldn't help but sigh, he was stubborn.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯Next Day

Lumine and Paimon went to bid bye to Verr Goldet, the Inn's boss when ''Good morning Lumine and Paimon, hope you slept well last night'' She smiled ''Paimon slept great! Thanks for asking boss!'' Paimon looked at Lumine ''I slept great , thank you for asking'' Lumine smiled back at Verr.

She was about to leave when Verr called out to her again ''Hey Lumine, Xiao came here and told me to deliver this to you'' She smiled again, this time that smile was a bit cheeky. ''Huh? For me? '' Now Lumine was curious, it was a box covered in a light green cloth, when she opened it ''Almond Tofu?'' Lumine said surprised ''Nuh-uh, not just any Almond Tofu, I'm pretty sure Xiao made that because I saw him coming out of the kitchen early in the morning'' 

''Xiao can cook !?'' Paimon squeaked, Lumine couldn't help the smile that was forming in her face, a silent 'Thank you' and 'You don't need to thank me' were exchanged through the wind.

⎯⎯⎯⎯The End⎯⎯⎯⎯

Notes : Xiao did indeed make Lumine his specialty dish aka ''Sweet Dream''

Xiao wishes Lumine a sweet dream! Hope you enjoyed! (●ˇ∀ˇ●)