#and it being zhongli's son just as makes him :eyes: JDFOGSKDOG

[xheartpages]

@towercursed​ asked: " And if you look over there, at the Yaksha who thinks I haven't seen him - that's your brother, Xiao. "

She's talking to the newborn cradled in her arms, but her coy smile and the way she slyly watches the door just confirms that her words aren't solely for her son. A faint laugh emerges, an amused grin still on her tired face as she waits for him to enter. Why he doesn't just come in and say hello like a normal person, she'll never understand - but if he's so determined to prove he isn't part of their family, she's just going to push back that much harder to show him he already is.

" Xiao, why don't you come and meet Xingqiu? " She calls, not raising her voice too much in case it startles either of the boys. " He's been waiting for you to visit before his nap. "

“I keep telling you to stop calling me his brother.”

If he was embarrassed at getting ‘caught’, Xiao doesn’t show it; although there’s a bit of sheepishness to his body language as he leans in towards the door, making himself visible, amber eyes seeming to stare directly at the bundle in her arms.

Upon learning that Rex Lapis’ --- well, Zhongli’s --- child had been born, curiosity pulled at the adeptus to the point where he visited Corona; a place he was becoming more and more accustomed to coming to. As far as he was aware, this would be his first biological child; part god and part mortal, and while immortal beings having children with mortals wasn’t anything exactly new... well, they weren’t Zhongli. He hadn’t thought that he would ever actually... get married and have children.

He wished it wasn’t so, but it made Xiao interested. Made him... want to see.

But he had hoped that Rapunzel wouldn’t of noticed he was here. He knew she would do exactly this -- beckon him closer with a gentle smile; trusting him as though people around him didn’t end up worst off than they were prior.

What if his karmic debt negatively affected the child? Or even Rapunzel while she was in a weakened state? There was a number of worries that ran through him, but his expression remained consistent. Neutral as he looked from Xingqiu, squirming just slightly in his mother’s arms; making small sounds of contentment and curiosity, to Rapunzel’s face, arms crossing over his chest.

“-- I’m sure he doesn’t care either way.” Or that the child even knew who the Yaksha was; logically. “And you know why. It would be... unwise to get close. You two are better off.”

Something tugged at him, a small, tiny fire of desire; a whisper that perhaps he did want to get closer, to peak into the tiny mortal’s face... but he squashed it. “I... I just came to give both you and Zhongli my blessing. I’m... glad that the delivery appeared to have gone smoothly.” Arms uncrossed as he turns towards the door once more; his back towards her. “That said, I’m going to go find him to tell him so myself and then take my leave.”