The Spark [Xiao x Aether]

Crystalfly

He had teleported away from the Bird and the Traveler. Discussing topics about feelings was still a difficult thing for him to do. He knew if he had stayed any longer Cloud Retainer would be annoying him with strange and uncomfortable questions about mortal emotions. She herself didn't feel much emotion, only little things, but she only showed it around friends and other Adepti sometimes.

Xiao immediately started feeling a little better after leaving, but yet again without Aether by his side it felt strange. They spent every moment together ever since the Yaksha asked him to. Being able to not feel alone for some time really brightened up his mood by a bit. Knowing somebody is there for him no matter what made him feel warm. It was similar to the feeling when he and his siblings spent their days chilling around places and fighting side by side trusting that everyone will protect eachother no matter the cost.

It had been many years since he learned to accept the truth that all of them were gone. Moving on isn't easy but the blonde boy's presence has helped a lot. Even his past of when he was owned by a tyrant god felt like it was forgotten deep within him. All those bad memories seem to have slowly started fading away.

Of course this was a good thing. It greatly calmed down the pain and suffering he had been through for all those years. It wasn't fully gone though, he knew there was no way for the karmic debt to fully stop torturing him. And even if there was a way, it would make him feel guilty for making it end all of a sudden.

The thoughts of how much The Traveler had helped him never started coming to him when they were together. He tried his best to focus on what was Aether doing and to understand his body language. After all, his companion understood mortals way more than he did. He had learned a lot and still hoped to learn a lot more.

He started walking around, patiently waiting for him to come back, he knew it would take a while considering how that bird is. It could even take an entire day. But Xiao didn't mind, he could wait a decade if needed.

Sometimes he started to feel like he was giving the blonde boy too much attention. Even so, he always brushed it off as a thing very good friends do. Friends were meant to care for eachother and give one another as much attention as needed.

Except Aether was the only thing he could think of. It was such a distraction it started feeling like an illness. Ever since the moment they met on that roof on Wangshuu Inn, he knew there was something about him that was special. It wasn't his unusual way of dressing, his long blonde hair or the flying creature that was next to him at all times. It was his golden shining eyes that the Adeptus was so amazed of. And that smile that could easily melt anyone. Not to mention his friendly and calm personality. He understood the Yaksha's boundries very well. And he also was always willing to cook almond tofu for him. There were a lot of things Xiao admired about him. You could say he was perfect in the eyes of the black-green haired guy.

"...stupid." he muttered to himself after noticing how he had been staring at the ground for quite some time now, doing nothing but admiring his comrade and his appearance. This same exact thing happened the day at the lake. First these unknown feelings started forging in his head making him feel light in the head and heavy in the chest. Then afterwards some odd thing in his heart that felt like it skipped a couple beats. Before the lake incident this was always happening but it never got too serious.

The main reason he hurt himself that day was to quit thinking about his dear friend. But to his surprise, it turned out the exact opposite way, pretty ironic.

While Xiao was still gathering his thoughts a yellow crystalfly appeared right behind him and landed on top of his head. He immediately sensed it and tried shaking it away with his hand. But no matter how hard he tried it just wouldn't go away. He eventually put it on his hand and stared at it for a while. The glow that bug had seemed similar to the Traveler's eyes.

"Are you also having troubles with your emotions?" he asked knowing well that the crystal fly won't respond.

"Forget it... this is useless"

The fly flew and stood on his nose as it slowly fell sleep on there. It's wings weren't too big so it didn't bother him much. The only problem was that it did tickle him. A lot.

Having a bug fall asleep on his nose like that was very unusual to happen. Most creatures ran away from him due to his threatening aura. Crystalflies were one of the creatures that liked him. Those things didn't really have a soul. They just fly wherever feels safe to be at.

This reminded him of the time when he gathered lots of those flies for Aether's birthday. He sent him a package full of them but never got the chance to see him put one in his hair. The Yaksha really thought they would look beautiful on him. Especially those Geo crystal flies, since they match his eyes perfectly.

The one the Adeptus had on his nose seemed like an even better fit than those he gathered the last time it was Traveler's birthday. This specific one has more glow to it.

He waited for it to be fully asleep to be able to make it into an accessory. Adepti were taught to make hair pieces out of those incredible glowing bugs. It was a Liyue tradition most people knew about. The immortals would make those and gift it to children or people they really cared about. The trick was really useless unless you wanted to make a special gift for someone. It didn't hurt the bug nor didn't it take much energy either, just a simple touch on the crystalflies wings.

Once the little thing fully fell asleep he tapped on it and it immediately died. Unlike others this one didn't lose it's glow. It just kept on shining like gold.

This one really was as special as it seemed. Small wings, yet amazingly working glow. He had never seen anything like this before. And by now he was an expert at catching those ever since he got multiple for the blonde boy every time it was the day of his birth.

"I hope he'll admire you as much as I currently am." Said Xiao as he started to walk up and around the mountain to waste time while holding the crystal fly in his hand temporarily until he gives it to Aether.