Ascender || A Xiaother fanfiction (AU) {UNDER REWRITING}

Chapter 10 (OLD)

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Aether's POV:

The next morning as the sun shot it's light at my eyes through the window of my room. I squinted before opening my eyes and sitting up. I placed my hand in front of my lips and let out a yawn. Then once I put down my hand, my heart got taken away by the sudden feeling of emptiness. I looked around and once the realization of Paimon's absence caught my eyes, I realised where this loneliness was coming from.

Then I got up as I rubbed my eyes and began to start changing. After I was done I got up and headed outside of my room. Once I opened my door and looked up, my eyes met Xiao's which sparkled up as soon as that interaction happened. I suddenly froze and opened my eyes wide, waiting for him to look away but he did not. By the seconds passed I got reminded of what happened yesterday and as soon as the image of him kissing my hand yesterday popped into my mind i felt my cheeks suddenly get warmer and my heartbeat getting louder.

"Good morning..." - X

Xiao nodded and said with a quite low voice as if he was nervous of something.

"Good morning...." - A

He then looked away finally and spoke before leaving.

"Meet me at the balcony as soon as you're done." - X

"Okay...." - A

With that he walked away. I guess he pretended like nothing happened yesterday. I let out a relieved sigh and then headed down to Chef Yanxiao's kitchen to get breakfast. Breakfast without Paimon felt quite lonely but I just went with it and finished my food quick. Once I finished I thanked Chef Yanxiao for the food and headed upstairs to the balcony.

"I'm here." - A

I said once I spotted Xiao sitting on the railing, looking down.

"Good." - X

He said with a little trembling voice and then he cleared his throat. I walked closer and looked at him with curiosity.

"So what is it?" - A

Xiao slowly brought his eyes to me and spoke.

"I will ascend to Celestia today." - X

I opened my eyes wide as I heard that and then asked.

"Today?" - A

He immediately responded.

"Yes. I'd like to get over it sooner than later." - X

"What's up with the sudden positivity?" - A

I asked as I linked my hands behind my back and smiled lightly towards him.

"I had a dream where Morax taught me the meaning behind being an archon. I got more confidence towards the matter. I want to be someone he can be proud of choosing so I'll do my best in leading this land forward." - X

He said as he looked straight into the distance with an ambitious look in his eyes.

"I'll help you as much as I can." - A

Xiao suddenly snapped his look back at me and then nodded.

"I appreciate it." - X

I smiled towards him and closed my eyes. Once I opened my eyes, they immediately met Xiao's, causing him to look away immediately with a tinted cheek.

"Can you... Accompany to the border of Sumeru and Liyue?" - X

"Wait... Right now?!" - A

I opened my eyes wide and then Xiao hopped off the railing.

"Yes." - X

I thought for a bit and then responded.

"Okay. I'll accompany you." - A

With that he raised his hand as he walked past me and did a swift motion with it, hinting at me to follow. I quickly caught up with him and then we made our way towards Liyue side by side. The sun was shining brighter than ever that day and that made the view of Liyue exceptionally beautiful. As we headed towards the border me and Xiao sometimes shared a glance but whenever we did we looked in opposite directions instantly.

After a while we arrived to the cave that leaded to Sumeru in the Chasm. Xiao looked ambitiously at the cave's entrance and said.

"We're here." - X

"Yeah..." - A

I said awkwardly as I looked to the ground on my side. I heard that Xiao turned around and faced me so after a bit I gathered up my courage and looked into his eyes one last time before we headed off. To my surprise I found him standing a bit closer to me than before and his mind was seeming to be elsewhere as he was analyzing my eyes carefully.

"Uh... Xiao?" - A

I called his name as I eventually gave into the awkwardness. I began fiddling with my fingers behind my back as my eyes uncontrollably avoided his gaze. The tension grew thicker by the time he didn't respond. After a bit I gave in and faced him but right when I was about to speak again, he placed one of his hands on my cheek and cause of that movement I realised how his face was now only a few inches away from mine. He gently slid one of his hands behind my back, stealing one of my hands and taking it in his own. Eventually our eyes met and as soon as that happened, Xiao spoke.

"Traveler." - X

"Yes?..." - A

I responded with awkwardness evident on my face.

"Before I head out I wanna tell you something." - X

After that he slowly leaned next to my ear and spoke into it

"I'm tired of trying to make you notice so I'll be honest with you." - X

Slowly the noise of the nature got louder and after a bit of silence he said the following words.

"I treasure you, Traveler." - X

Once his whispering voice rang in my ear the noise of nature went mute. Once he said the last word a soft breeze began to blow as I opened my eyes wide, staring at the entrance of the cave that led to the nation of wisdom. As I was about to look at Xiao to ask something I noticed his closed eyes dangerously close to mine and seconds later I felt as his lips gently pressed up against the corner of my mouth, kissing it.

In that moment I felt like time froze and along with that, so did I. But something that wasn't frozen was my heart. It beat loudly, just like a ticking bomb that was preparing to explode. My cheeks immediately felt hotter than ever before, but the most confusing think about my body for me was my mind. My mind was all over the place. I didn't know how to take this as, what does Xiao mean and I had many different questions I wanted to be answered.

Soon he pulled away, caressing my cheek and the back of my hand with his thumbs. I then noticed as his gaze slowly traveled down hesitantly and his cheeks tinted. Soon his hands began to let go of me as well and he quickly turned around. He was about to run off but before he could I managed to grab him by the wrist, stopping him and making him turn his shocked face towards me. As that same motion happened I yelled.

"Xiao!" - A

Suddenly he began to panic and his face finally turned into an angry one as he jerked his hand away and then pushed me, causing me to fall to the ground cause of the sudden movement. Then I reached my hand out as I was about to get up and yelled.

"Wait!-" - A

Suddenly he began running away and during it he vanished into thin air. Then there was I, alone and confused, sitting on the ground. Once my hand began to tremble I slowly lowered it and placed it near the corner of my lips, where he planted a gentle kiss earlier. As my eyes sparkled and I felt my cheeks burning, I looked down to the ground, trying to process what just happened.

1286 words!

(A/N: Ayeee double chapters today too less goo!! 😍🙏)