𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨 ―𝐠. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

25 || Two Years

By the time you reopened your eyes, the anemo energy vanished from your line of sight, revealing the city of Liyue Harbor below. Xiao had teleported you to one of the highest peaks of the buildings of red and gold. Because the sun was still high in the sky, hours from setting, it gleamed in the ocean ahead, creating sparkles in the rippling water.

"Now then," you mused, turning to the Yaksha as he removed his hands from your waist, "why did you suddenly visit me? Already missed me?"

A soft hue of roses dusted Xiao's cheeks as he gazed softly at the harbor hoping to regain his composure. The rest of his expression remained stoic as he reached into his pocket and cautiously took out the amulet. He uncrinkled the leaves before he held it out to you.

"Here. It's an Adepti amulet...it staves off evil." His words were curt, quite archetypical of him, but you paid it no mind and took the gem from the center of his hand. It was an amber one that you thought matched his eyes, and the leaves were red and full of life. You could feel the quiet whisks of his power surrounding it and loved it even more. It was a great coincidence that the robe you were wearing that day was also an auburn color, matching the decoration. With a smile, you clipped it into your hair--hovering your hand beneath it for a second in case it fell--before shifting your eyes to him.

"Why, thank you. I love it. I really do," you smiled as you held his hands, giving them a short squeeze before turning to admire the ocean view. Seeing that the amulet was resting snugly above your ear, Xiao's body relaxed (though he didn't even realize he was tensed before), and it felt as if the entire world had become more colorful. You liked his gift. It suited you well. Satisfied, he squeezed your hands back.

"By the way," you told him, "I am planning to depart Liyue soon." When you looked away from the ocean to Xiao, you could see the disbelief in his open mouth and furrowed eyebrows. It was no surprise, as you had thrown this huge plan to him so suddenly, but you weren't sure of when else to bring it up. You had already learned that to hide a fact from Xiao was not the best course of action, after all. 

To explain, you continued, "There was a war in Inazuma...as Lumine had told us. I cannot ignore the medical help needed after a war as a doctor."

As the silence filled the air, you gave a sad smile and held his hands once more. It was not as if you necessarily wanted to leave his side; after millennials of traveling as a doctor to help others, it was difficult to disregard the potential deaths of people if you weren't to help. You knew now that death is inevitable and came to accept that Guizhong and the many others did not bear anger toward you for not saving them. You didn't have to work as a doctor for atonement anymore, but you didn't have to stop treating others altogether.

Bringing you out of your thoughts, Xiao quietly stammered, "When will you be coming back?"

You smiled and bumped your forehead against his.

"Two years," you whispered. "I promise to be back in two years."

The leaves of the Adepti amulet in your hair brushed against Xiao's head as the wind brought you two closer. Your lips met naturally with his. Upset as the Adeptus was, he found himself relaxing into your body easily, resting his hand on your cheek as he angled you for himself. His half-lidded eyes watched dreamily while your eyelashes fluttered closed. How could you look so beautiful like this?

When you parted from the short kiss, a low chuckle escaped from your voice seeing that Xiao was watching. A blush rose to his face when he was caught in the act, and he turned his head to hide it. Again you were reminded that you were the only one to see such expressions. All of his actions were the same as in the past--he turns away when uncomfortable, crosses his arms when thinking, talks with a monotone voice, and is always curt--and yet you always noticed the rosiness of his cheeks and the softness of his eyes. It was something only you could see. It tugged your heart and told you not to leave the Adeptus, to stay and forever see him like this. But you knew better than to let yourself fall so easily for the honey traps.

"We both have lived for millennials, so two years will not feel like long," you murmured tenderly, saying this both for Xiao and yourself.

The quiet Adeptus slowly nodded his head.

For the rest of the week, he spent more time by your side than usual, purging camps around your vicinity, resting next to you, and even watching as you created whatever medicine a patient needed. For many moments, he found himself staring at the Adepti amulet in your hair, letting himself smile inwardly knowing that you liked his gift.

"Xiao," you said, lulling his gaze from the clip to your eyes, "I have finished here. Did you wait long?"

It was the final day of your time in Liyue. As such, you wanted to visit Mt. Aocang one last time to pay tribute to Guizhong by placing a beautiful bouquet of Glaze Lillies on her seat. You had plucked them from the humble earth rather than creating them from your own powers prior to climbing the mountain, so you chose to do this last in hopes that the flowers will be fresh by the time you left.

Patting the dust off your hands after brushing her side of the table, you looked at the Adeptus, to which he answered with a gruff "No." He was looking blankly at the fish swimming in the pond, and you quietly walked over to watch them with him.

"It is the last day. The ship departs tonight," you murmured--though, you knew that he was aware of this. The sun was already setting over the horizon. There were less than three hours left.

"Two years," Xiao exhaled in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," you replied. "Two years. I will send letters as soon as I arrive at the port, and I will wait in the same city I sent the letters from until I receive a reply back. That way I won't miss a single word from you." 

There was a slow nod from the Yaksha standing beside you. Although he was unusually unresponsive that day, you knew he still cared for you by the way his fingers held onto the edge of your robe. You turned to face him and gently lifted the (favorite flower) hanging around his neck. You pointed to it with your other hand and smiled.

"Don't be so sad. No matter what form I take, I will always be by your side," you hummed.

Again, a curt nod. But as you waited patiently for more, Xiao muttered, "The amulet...it is not of the same paramount, but it is also imbued with some of my powers. I personally cannot answer if you call my name there, but the amulet will."

Your hands reached for the said crystal core in your hair.

"Of course," you smiled widely, feeling his energy whispering around your fingertips. "Thank you, little Xiao."

As the sun disappeared over the peaks of the mountain, you wrapped your arms around Xiao, genuinely happy with his thoughtful gift. You hadn't told him as you felt that it was unnecessary to do, but you had already enveloped the amulet with some of your own powers to protect it from ever wearing, treating it as a mortal would a family heirloom. Was this how mortals always felt when receiving a gift from a loved one? It was a lovely feeling.

"I love you," you let out airily, hugging him tighter. Xiao's arms slithered around your body.

"I love you too."