【Ｌａｍｅｎｔ】

ɳιɳҽ.

You stood on that rooftop alongside Xiao, hands held behind your back, as the moon reached its peak. The city below was still just as bright, and the way it hit your face made you look just a bit older than you really were. Xiao looked down at his hand, and took the bracelet off, and offered it to you, not sure what to say.

"Oh.. You fixed it. But how did you even get here? This isn't the same timeline that you remember me from." You took the bracelet, and stared at the cracked jade engravings. Why had he fixed that dreadful thing?

"You really want to know? It's not exactly a very pleasant story." Xiao would usually just tell you right away. He was more aware of you now, knowing that you might be torn away again. He couldn't let that happen. Not again.

"Please tell me, Xiao. This cursed bracelet has caused enough heartbreak, which is why I shattered it, but you went and fixed it." You gripped it in your hand, not tight enough to break it, but tight enough to leave indents in your skin from the engravings. Xiao grabbed your hand, and you looked at him. And he finally told you what he'd done.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

When you vanished in a burst of light, Xiao sat there in shock. Your presence had completely vanished. The only thing left of you was the bow.. and those bracelet pieces. He picked up the pieces, and your bow, vanishing before the karmic debt could sink in. When had it returned..? He didn't know. 

He appeared at Wangshu Inn, body shaking, the karmic debt becoming a visible dark aura. He fell to his knees, unable to breathe, the mix of emotions getting to him. The pieces of the bracelet fell to the ground, making light noises against the wood. Xiao heard footsteps, and he quickly grabbed the pieces and vanished again. There had to be SOMEWHERE to go where he wouldn't be seen. No one could see him like this..

Xiao collapsed on the top of one of the peaks in the stone forest, the karmic debt seemingly fighting him entirely. He was going to lose control of his body, it was too sudden. He was about to accept his fate when a faint orange glow crossed his line of sight. Xiao reached for it, but missed. He could hardly see. Everything was going dark.

When Xiao opened his eyes, he hadn't moved from where he'd collapsed. The sky was filled with stars, and something was brushing against his wrist. He glanced over, and saw a single crystalfly. So that was the source of the golden glow. Xiao went back to looking at the sky. There was no point in going anywhere anyway.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

As time passed, more crystalflies came to the place where Xiao was laying, flying around like the spot needed to be protected somehow. He sat up, and looked at the pieces of your bracelet. He couldn't bring you back, but he could fix it in your honor. He started piecing it together, little by little, not noticing how much time had passed. When Xiao was done, the bracelet just sat in the grass. It didn't feel the same. He held it in his hand, half expecting to hear you. Magic in Teyvat was always strange..

"Your deepest desire is to see them again, isn't it?" Xiao nearly dropped the bracelet in shock. But the voice didn't come FROM the bracelet. It echoed around him, making his head hurt. "Don't answer that, you'll sound crazy. You're.. Alatus. The last yaksha in this timeline. The last yaksha in a lot of timelines. You're quite lucky. It seems your role in all realities is virtually the same.. But this timeline is strange. You changed it."

"What is that supposed to mean-" Xiao's head exploded in pain, the moment he tried to speak.

"I said don't talk. Hmm.. Perhaps you'd like a little offer? One chance. You get to keep your memory in the timeline I send you to. The same timeline our dear (Name) has been sent to for her final life. If she dies, I get to take your soul. If you die, she dies. Our contract is broken if you can truly find each other, and recognize each other from memory. Ohh, of course you want to agree, I see it in your eyes! So good luck!"

The crystalflies flew away, and Xiao felt a stinging pain in his arm. Then he passed out.