#writing.xiao

[favoniuscodex]

-> prompt: after an incident in qingce village, xiao has questions for you. (aka you hold xiao's hand and he combusts into flustered flames upon asking you about it.)

-> pairing: xiao x gn!reader

-> warnings: none

"earlier," the yaksha begins slowly. "what you did earlier, what was that?"

you look up from your book owlishly, staring up at him with wide eyes. whenever you read, your longtime companion chooses not to interrupt you. instead, he usually opts to survey the scenery beyond the wangshu inn balcony that the two of you are nestled in, constantly looking for further action. but now, his amber gaze pierces past the cover of your book and directly into you, complimented by a faint dusting of pink on his cheeks.

"huh? what do you mean?" you ask, watching as the ruddy hues blossom even further across his face. xiao's gaze averts from yours.

"when..." he trails off, before turning his head to the side, gaze briefly flitting towards the familiar scenery of dihua marsh. there is an unfamiliar shyness to his voice, and it piques your interest more than any mystery novel plotline ever could, so you set your book down.

"when?" you ask patiently. the yaksha is gruff, sure, but you cannot remember a time that he has ever been lost for words in the way he is now. his lips part, and you watch the slight heave of his chest as he inhales deeply before continuing.

"it was when we were in qingce village earlier, when the market started getting busy," xiao says quietly. you do your best to pay no mind to the furious blush that adorns his cheeks, but it softens the sharpness of his cheekbones into plump, red apples you wish you could take an affectionate bite out of, if only to see his reaction.

"yeah?" you ask gently, voice no more than a soft breath on the wind. "what about it?"

"you..." he pauses, running a hand through his hair. it is a nervous tic he's most likely picked up from you, and your heart swells with affection at how xiao pays attention to the little things, even when you think he isn't looking. "you took my hand in yours."

you blink up at him, watching as cor lapis irises meet yours for the briefest of moments before snapping back to the mundane horizon sprawling out beyond the two of you. is that why he's been so quiet today...?

"oh. i'm sorry if that made you uncomfortabl-" you begin, but xiao is quick to cut you off with hurried words.

"it did not make me uncomfortable." his words are hurried, albeit a bit flustered, and the realization of the impact you've had on him slowly begins to dawn over you.

"oh." the single syllable falls heavy from your lips. you're unsure of where else to put it, so you let it hang heavy in the air between the two of you, before testing it out once more, albeit in a more lilted tone. "oh."

the silence stretching out between the two of you now seems more endless than the horizon.

"why?" xiao, ever the fighter, pierces through the veil of silence with a battering ram of a question. his shy gaze now hardens in the midst of inquiry, despite not being hidden behind his usual battle mask. yet, at this stage in your partnership with him, you no longer find fear in his fierceness. instead, the steely nature of his gaze provides comfort that he will always be there for you, no matter what the answer to your question might be. "why did you do it?"

so, you choose to answer xiao's question honestly.

"i was fearful of us getting separated in the crowd, so i took your hand in mine," you say evenly, despite the way your heart hammers against your chest under the intensity of his gaze. it is though xiao is picking apart your thoughts with just a simple glance, and yet, his eyes still drink in your expression as if the answers to his unspoken questions will be found in the curve of your lips or the furrow of your brow.

"you know that if you call out my name, i will always appear to protect you." xiao's reminder is muddled with emotions you cannot place, but you decide it is in your best interests to not read to much into them. instead, you smile sweetly at him.

"i know. but if i can keep you close without having to call your name and startle a crowd full of people, then i should hold your hand, right?"

xiao falls quiet as you inspect his features, watching and waiting for something within the stoic yaksha to crack and give you the reaction you've been silently craving since you first met. instead, you watch as his hand wraps around the balcony railing for a brief moment before letting go, as if seizing the base of his polearm in a familiar gesture. perhaps, just perhaps, the fearsome yaksha is nervous in your presence. the thought causes adoration to rise within you, threatening to spill forth from your lips in platitudes and reassurances.

but, you know xiao better than to startle him by bursting forth with emotion. so, you press your lips together, and you wait.

"could you-?" he asks, cutting himself off before taking a step towards you, fingers unfurling in your direction. he hesitates, before finally deciding to dive in, splaying his hand out and holding it just above where your book sits on your lap.

xiao's question goes unfinished, but you understand it nonetheless. a soft, breathy laugh, one that xiao finds more enticing than any of barbatos's melodies, escapes from the confines of your lips.

"of course," you say, lifting your hand up to meet his own as you lace your fingers through his. his gloves are roughened from battle, and you wonder if the skin is underneath as well, but you feel divinity from his touch nonetheless.

you stare at your conjoined hands before looking up at xiao, whose gaze still lingers on your interlocked hands. a soft smile graces his features as he looks down fondly.

you realize that the yaksha returns your affections in this moment, but perhaps it is best to leave confessions unspoken for this moment, if only to savor it for just a bit longer.

[favoniuscodex]

MYTHOS : LETHE, PART THREE . [ xiao, kaeya, albedo ]

series : mythos, a mythology au - [ info & series masterlist ] series description : you are fated to save the world by assembling a team of the supposedly dead gods of ancient teyvat to stop the apocalypse. great. sounds easy enough, right? [ previous chapter ] - current: prologue pt. 3 - [ next chapter ] pairings: xiao x gn!reader, kaeya x gn!reader, albedo x gn!reader word count: ~3.5k [ ~0.8k / ~1.1k / ~1.4k ] warnings : dream sequences / surrealism . brief instances of claustrophobia (i think) . canon-typical violence . mentions of death . albedo designed to be unsettling (in this part only) . (let me know if i forgot anything please) author note : great news! the prologue is done, which means this is the last installment with dreamlike prose... this is a bit shorter than the previous two. i hope you all forgive me for that. hoping to have chapter one up within the next 2 weeks. :') thanks for reading! input is always appreciated.

SECTION INTRO ::

liyue harbor celebrates lantern rite with fantastic festivities. fireworks illuminate the sky as you bury your head into a pillow, desperate to tune them out in order to get a few more moments of precious sleep. apart from your chronic fatigue as a direct result from your work, you wonder if your tiredness stems from the fact that you cannot remember your dreams.

there is an old fable that is still exchanged around from time to time. it dates back to millennia prior, from the era when gods ruled without a care and great heroes could still achieve celestia. granted, belief in the tale has faded with time, but perhaps there is something to be learned from the story of ancient sumeru that fills numerous picture books for children.

it goes a bit something along the lines of "when the former god of wisdom disappeared from her constituents, dreams did as well, and it took the courage of humanity to allow everyone to dream once more." you doubt it is real, and if it is, it surely did not happen in such a succinct manner. words of individuals get twisted with time.

but, as the warped tale of sumeru's history bounces around in your mind as you fall asleep once more, you wonder how different your life would be if you were wise enough to remember your dreams.

VII. GOD OF EQUILIBRIUM - alatus (xiao)

the god of equilibrium has not yet reached divine perfection.

by now, he has resigned himself to the idea that balance is a fool's dream. evil will one day consume all, and alatus was never the god destined to hold up the skies of atrocity from collapsing upon the earth. perhaps his negativity betrays the balance of apathy, but the mortals he watches over retain positivity with ease. they believe that the world will get better, and that balance shall always prevail.

there is a darkness coming. xiao can feel it in the callouses formed from centuries of wielding his spear versus evil. he can feel it in the uncontrolled winds from the east, who travel with fervor and lament the death of their lord. however, xiao senses the greatest darkness when you awake.

"oracle," xiao murmurs as he looms over you.

as your eyes flutter open, yellow eyes pierce into your own. a bed of clouds cushions you from plummeting through the air, but the knowledge of such salvation provides you little comfort as you feel the the sharpened tip of xiao's spear hovering just over your heart. it threatens to shred through your existence, yet xiao has not determined whether balance is found within the death of your dreams or their survival.

"i did not bring you here." the words of the yaksha are firm, but melt into the cold vapor of the cloud nonetheless. they are spoken for only you to hear, but such intimacy proves ominous rather than comforting.

"is it time for judgement?" you ask, words spilling forward before you can wrap your mind around them. they are pushed forth by a mind that is not your own, yet it is surely your tongue speaking them. xiao's brow furrows.

"judgement is not my jurisdiction. only-" he begins, but your lips are quick to cut him off.

"only balance," you finish for him. you've heard this before. you've met the god of equilibrium before. yet, there is a void of recollection of such encounters in your mind, soothed over with an uncomfortable sense of deja vu. your tongue feels heavy as it moves on your own. this isn't you. you are not the one speaking, although it is your voice, your mouth, your body that says the words that dare challenge the god above you.

there is silence that falls between the two of you as the yaksha calculates his next move. the blade pushing further into your chest, pressing against skin harshly, but not quite piercing the skin. you cannot control your actions. you cannot control the yaksha above you, the notorious dream eater, who is surely only here to force you to rest in nothingness until the sun rises. you cannot control fate, which awaits you outside of the dreamscape.

the only thing you can control is the dream. thus, the cloud supporting you disappears, and you watch as xiao's eyes widen with alarm. the pressure of the blade leaves your chest as you remain in the air for just a moment. the dreamscape lags behind your whims, but gravity is quick to catch up, as the blue of the sky swallows you whole.

freefalling through the air is a new experience. perhaps experiencing it once is best. your insides twist as your hair ruffles in the harsh winds of gravity. xiao falls after your descent begins, far more graceful than your pitiful attempt at escaping. yet, you find freedom in your ineptitude to fully control your dreams.

xiao shouts something towards you. the wind turns his words into indecipherable melodies. yet, as you look up, the god of equilibrium is nowhere to be found. perhaps that is what is best. you are destined to hit the ground soon. your dream will end and you will wake up.

thus, you tear your eyes from the endless blue above you, letting the sky flip you on your stomach with ease that only partial lucidity could provide. you stare at the earth below you, watching as beautiful green grasses rupture down the middle. the soil churns as the earth parts its jaws.

you feel the hand of equilibrium grab at your shirt, a feeble attempt to stop you from reaching your demise. the fabric tears instantaneously. xiao cries out once more, a syllabic outcry of your name, but you pay it no mind. your fate awaits you below.

the earth swallows you whole, but perhaps it wasn't supposed to.

VIII. GOD OF ROMANCE - kaeya

"easy there," a gentle voice croons as strong arms wrap around your figure. it is not the god you were escaping. his touch is gentler, as if not encumbered by countless eons of violence. "can you stand?"

the stranger helps you stand, and you blink owlishly at him. every feature on the canvas of his face aligns to create the most grand and familiar art piece, except the name of such a painting dies on your lips. his revealed ice-colored eye looks at you with patience as the two of you stand in the warm summer sun. he is beautiful and enticing, charming even the sunbeams that dance along the darker flecks of his iris.

his outfit is a far cry from the traditional fighting gear of the yaksha you encountered before. the god before you wears a deep maroon button-up, sleeves rolled up to the top of his forearms, sleek black pants, and dress shoes. he is certainly dressed for a special occasion, as if awaiting something grand.

"who are you?" you ask softly. there is a wistfulness in his expression as he reaches out for your hand, gently grasping it in his before bringing your knuckles to his lips. he places the gentlest of kisses against your fingers, never breaking eye contact with you the entire time. you inhale softly at the intensity of his gaze, butterflies frenzying through your stomach.

once he pulls away, you are able to answer your own question.

"kaeya," you breathe. there is levity in the two syllables spoken, before a joyous giggle escapes you. of course you know who the man in front of you is. it is kaeya, your loving and kind boyfriend of many years. kaeya's grip on your hand loosens slightly, but you catch his hand before it can fully escape, threading your fingers through his own.

you briefly glance down at your outfit. it is no longer torn. rather, it is instead accented with hints of maroon. you distinctly remember picking such an outfit out this morning to match your boyfriend's, but the memory turns hazy, as if not actually lived. at kaeya's side, there is no longer any foreboding sense of danger. you were escaping from something earlier, weren't you? why can't you remember who that was?

there's a wistfulness in kaeya's expression that pulls you out of your confusion. you squeeze his hand reassuringly and smile at him. he returns your smile with one of his own, a thin mask hiding his sadness. but you know kaeya better than to pry. when he wants to talk about an issue, he'll be the one to bring it up.

"is this where we're going for date night?" you ask, turning to look at the restaurant behind the two of you. you don't remember it being there before, but kaeya hums in agreement.

"only if it's alright with you," kaeya says. "i wouldn't dare try to disappoint you, sweetheart."

"it's perfect," you say quickly. "i've always dreamed of going here."

kaeya's brow furrows slightly at your words, but he dares not question you. instead, his hand leaves your own, instead wrapping around your waist as he guides you inside the venue. he is a perfect gentleman in every way -- assisting you with your chair, being kind to the faceless waiter who floats by, as if not fully rendered in your mind, and holding your hand over the top of the table as the two of you sit across from each other.

it is as if the two of you have known each other forever. he makes flirty conversation, never hesitating to shower you in subtle praises. the food is delicious, although you cannot remember what it actually tastes like. for all intents and purposes, it is a perfect date, but there is a scratch at the back of your mind that the conversation just can't reach. perhaps it is the way you are struggling to remember what happens. weren't you just eating a salad just a minute ago? why is it suddenly a side of rice? the waiter hasn't come back around, and the flames of the candles on the table never seem to flicker, despite the air of each of your breaths floating past them.

as kaeya pays for the check, you watch as the centerpiece flowers upon the table begin to wilt. color fades from their petals as they turn into shells of their former vibrancy. kaeya falls quiet, choosing to stare at you as you process the scene before you.

"what's happening?" you ask, and wistfulness returns to kaeya's expression.

"romance isn't always perfect," kaeya says. "it's rather hard to keep this type of façade running for a few hours. i'm not as powerful in this realm as i am in others."

you tear your eyes from the flowers, looking up at your lover. the candles on the table illuminate his skin with a warm glow. the scene is nearly perfect, if not for the way your vision warps on the edges, as if the world around you seems to understand that it doesn't quite have to fully load for you to be immersed in it.

"'realm'? 'façade'?" you echo. "what are you talking about?"

"i would much rather for us to meet in the real world, but..." kaeya evades your question with the ease of a professional as his fingers play with one of the stems of the dead flowers. "it seems as though fate isn't quite ready for that, darling."

"kaeya, what are you talking about? this is the real world, silly," you laugh nervously, but something inside you urges to remember something, but you can't quite remember what. "you're starting to scare me, kae."

kaeya stands up from the table, walking around to meet you. gently, he guides your chin so that you look up at him. he flashes you a crooked grin, still as lovely as ever.

"don't fret, sweetheart. nothing bad can happen to you here, i promise. if anything does, you'll wake up as if nothing ever happened."

your mind races through a million thoughts a second, but it is as if there is a barrier on your knowledge, unable to come to a conclusion. it bothers you immensely, frustration threatening to burn away at your patience.

"be safe, darling." kaeya leans down, kissing the crown of your forehead. "i'll be thinking of you always."

"kae-" you begin, reaching out for the collar of his shirt as he pulls away. as soon as your fingers touch the silken fabric, the dream that houses the two of you shatters, and the warmth of the god of romance is nothing more than the memory of a comforting blanket on a cold winter's night.

IX. GOD OF LIFE - albedo

your mind lurches forward, and you find yourself suddenly falling through the air once more. your body unceremoniously thuds against a bitterly cold stone floor, but pain does not ricochet through you. instead, you roll onto your back, staring up at the dark ceiling. the air is laced with frigid humidity, and a smell of wet moss and aged buildings permeates through the air. there is a fleeting feeling of warmth in your mind, but you can no longer remember what it is from. you cling to it nonetheless as you stand up.

the hallway you now stand in seems endless, sprawling out in two directions. to your left, darkness lingers, and there is no sign of light further down the hall. to your right, several torches illuminate a path, as if urging you along. not wanting to resist fate, you turn to your right, ignoring the darkness as you quietly look for something, anything inside this foreboding location.

the noise of your footsteps echoes through the hallways, but in the distance, you can hear water dripping. no matter how far you walk, the noise of water never seems to change in volume, so you give up paying attention to it. with each step you take, the plants covering the walls only flourish, ivy winding through cracks in the walls that lead to gods-know-where.

the air is suffocating as you approach the end of the corridor. a dead end provides you with no other way to turn but backwards. surely, darkness is not where to turn, but there is nowhere else to go, right? the moss patterns on the wall are nonsensical, but you are drawn to them nonetheless. after all, there is one similarity between you and the plants: you are both alive.

when your fingers make contact with the moss, it hisses loudly, before curdling into brown death. it falls off the wall miserably, shriveling up as if stranded in a desert for eons. without the moss fusing the stone together, the corridor begins to shake, and you watch as the stone crumbles into nothingness, and falls into the void below.

now, you are surrounded by darkness. perhaps this was your destiny all along.

you take a step forward, feet finding purchase on a surface that does not exist. the air is still frigidly humid. you are still there. apart from the moisture in the air and the company of your own flesh, you are completely and utterly alone.

"hello?" your voice echoes throughout the void. it does not speak back. you wonder where the stone ended up.

a hand grabs your shoulder and you swear your heart stops.

"you should not be here," the voice says, eerily calm as fingertips press into your shoulder. without turning around, you wonder if the darkness comes from your assailant. his action towards you are not intrinsically evil, yet you shudder under his touch nonetheless. you do not consider yourself the reactionary type, but you cannot refrain yourself from jerking your shoulder away from him and roughly swatting his hand off you.

you whirl around to face him, incensed, and you almost wish you hadn't. standing before you is most certainly a deity, but there is a vacancy in his eyes that makes you stumble back.

"do not touch m-" you begin to spit out venomously, despite knowing better than to provoke the figure in front of you. at your repulsion, an ambivalent expression crosses his face. the ambiguity of his smile reminds you of a painting that you cannot recall as your mind is weighed down by the call of the void surrounding you.

"oh," he says softly. "it appears as though i have forgotten to introduce myself. i am albedo."

the name invokes fear within you. it is primal, as if the name has been spoken through thousands of years of cautionary folktales, only to end up intertwined in your dna. albedo's gaze is clinical as he studies you, staring you down like a child does towards an ant on a playground.

"you are shaking," he observes. "it is not quite cold enough here to induce hypothermia upon a human. however, your pupils are dilated, which indicates a sense of heightened emotion. the area we are in currently does not lack or contain light."

you do not respond, but you take a step back, wondering if there is any escape from the foreboding presence in front of you.

"are you are frightened of me?" albedo suggests, and you glower at him. "do not be afraid. it would be counterproductive for me to harm you."

you notice that his chest does not heave with each breath he takes. in fact, you don't believe him to be breathing at all, apart from the inhalation and exhalation required for speaking. his hand upon your shoulder contained no warmth either. the radiance of his blond hair and the frigid brilliance of his eyes promises godhood, but he doesn't quite seem to be alive.

"what are you?" you ask firmly, voice unwavering despite the tremble that permeates your bones. albedo tilts his head.

"that is most certainly a profound question," albedo says.

you notice that the movement of his lips does not match the words that exit. you also notice that he blinks precisely every three seconds, and the rest of his body is perfectly still. you are both alike in appearance, and yet you long for the company of the moss you destroyed not so long ago.

"if you let me study you, then perhaps my discoveries with you can answer that question," albedo says. he takes a step towards you.

you take a step back, only to stumble into the invisible wall behind you. you have reached the edge of nothingness, yet all you can focus on is the rush of adrenaline that surges through you as albedo takes yet another step towards you.

"do not be afraid," albedo echoes, which only serves to escalate your fear, because nobody normal has to say that as they approach. but albedo isn't normal, and that's abundantly clear. there is no familiarity in his presence that you experienced with kaeya, nor the remembrance that you recalled with the god you were running from before. the yaksha. the dream eater. the god of equilibrium. the -

"alatus," you breathe as albedo's hand stretches out towards you.

in an instance, the void illuminates with a startling radiance, and everything turns white. the scraping of a weapon being freed from its sheath is quiet in the distance, but still audible. as albedo's hand makes contact with your skin once more, you feel the burn of life and death escape from his gloved fingertips.

a mere breath after albedo's touch forces you to witness the truths of creation, you are thrust back into reality, floating upon a cloud in the endless blue of the sky once more. you watch as a familiar spear collides with the hand of the god of life, and you experience a thousand deaths as albedo is ripped away from you.

the spear is followed by a flash of green, slamming into the figure of albedo. you watch as the blond-haired alchemist of life explodes into a cloud of dandelion seeds, fluttering about the air. in the wake of the supposed death of life, you watch breathlessly as the dandelion ashes embed themselves within the green locks of equilibrium personified. xiao's chest heaves with exertion, and he turns to look at you over his shoulder.

a glower mars his expression.

"oracle," xiao growls. "avoid the kriedeprinz if you wish to keep the world in balance. disregard my words and i shall finally be forced to truly use my weapon against you."

you part your lips to speak, but all that escapes is a cough as dandelion seeds escape from your throat. xiao's expression softens at the sight.

"it is dawn. it is time for you to wake. rest well in future nights, and do not dream of the gods if you wish to experience peace."

you awake heaving for air, fingers curling into your sheets as you stabilize yourself. you are awake. you are safe. watching as the memories of the night slip through your mind, you are left with no memory, despite the desire to never fall asleep again.

[favoniuscodex]

hello m' wifey !!!!!! congrats on ur milestone !! it is what u deserve, may u have many more !! i am Formally requesting forget-me-nots, white hyacinths, and hydrangeas w brown wrapping paper please :3c

prompt: a bouquet that represents loveliness, fidelity, and heartfelt emotions, presented to you by a suitor: xiao. pairing: xiao x gn!reader wc: ~0.6k

xiao rarely grants himself the luxury of rest.

for an adeptus like him, he strives not to indulge in the opulence of what life could be and rather focus on what life is. past sins and regrets have accumulated into an existence of suffering, but xiao pushes forth and uses his own wretched immortality to defend those who will blossom with the spring and wilt by the century's winter. yet, no flower has quite managed to catch his eye like you have.

xiao wishes to pluck your petals and imprint your leaves between the sheets of history, in the way humans do with the blossoms of glaze lilies in an attempt to salvage that which is destined to die. but, he knows that the most successful blooms are the ones which remain untainted from the avarice of the living. he settles for admiring the silky fragility of your petals up close, praying to dead deities that the karmic debt that plagues him does not befall you as well.

in the presence of such beauty, xiao sheds former habits and rests underneath the coverage of an old tree. he performs a newfound duty of his, rather than engaging in the constant destruction of the demons that traverse the lands of liyue. rather, xiao rests, and, in this action, provides you with a place to rest as well. your head rests upon the muscled expanse of his thighs as you look up at him, expression blissful and sweet. your lips slowly curl upwards to reveal the whites of your teeth as your eyelids flutter shut. in the absence of a weapon in hand, xiao's hands busy themselves by gently carding through your hair.

"xiao." a faint breeze sweeps across the two of you as you exhale. "promise to remember me once i'm gone?"

xiao's heart twists at the thought of being unable to indulge in the floral splendor that is your existence. yet, while he cannot physically hold you forever, xiao knows that both celestia and the abyss themselves could not prevent him from holding the memory of you close to his heart forever. for now, you are by his side and xiao is nothing short of grateful for that fact.

"it will be impossible for me to forget."

the words come out terser than he planned for, but you fall asleep with a content smile on your face anyways. xiao watches over you as you snore almost imperceptibly. in this moment, xiao enacts the wordless promise of forever, one that extends far beyond your lifespan and one that surpasses even his own. he will love you until the earth of teyvat swallows itself whole, and his love will endure in the ashes that ensue.

xiao cannot convey such affection with words, so he settles for lifting your sleeping hand up to his lips and kisses the spot on your ring finger that he soon plans to claim as his own. as he cradles your hand in his, xiao tears his gaze from your figure to stare out at the horizon. where the endless blue meets mountainous peaks of green, xiao finds hope in the thought that in another life, the two of you will meet again.

in the comfort of your existence, the vigilant yaksha closes his eyes and dances with the indulgence of slumber, knowing that you will be there to greet him once he awakens.

[favoniuscodex]

protective actions with xiao? 😳 tysm ;33

pairing: xiao x gn!reader

"you reek of demons."

the unexpected voice of xiao no longer makes you jump in surprise. instead, you don't bother to look at him and instead rest your forearms on the balcony railing of wangshu inn, focusing on the scenery instead as you lean forward. you sigh in response to his words while embracing the slight breeze that pushes past you.

"yeah, well, that's what happens when you fight them. also, you're the only one that can even smell demons, so it's not like i'm inconveniencing anyone else." your grumbles turn into a mini-rant, but xiao doesn't interrupt you. instead, he teleports to stand by your side, amber eyes piercing into you.

"you fought demons?" he asks.

"yes." you brace yourself for the incoming lecture from your adeptal companion, yet you are greeted only with silence.

when curiosity gets the best of you, you glance over at xiao, who glances away from you. a faint hint of pink dusts his cheeks and, oddly enough, he's fumbling with the necklace that he typically wears. wordlessly, he pops a bead off and you watch as it glows briefly before returning to normal. he extends his hand out to you and, as you do the same, drops the bead in your hands.

"what's this?" you ask out of curiosity and his cheeks blossom with even deeper flustered shades of red.

"calling my name does not seem to be a skill of yours," xiao notes and you narrow your eyes at him, choosing to let him continue rather than erupt. "it serves as a protective charm. keep it on you at all times and demons will be unlikely to attack you."

oh. you look down at the bead, rolling it between your fingers. you doubt he hands out gifts like this often, so you clutch it tightly in your hand, vowing silently to keep it safe. the yaksha glances away from you.

"if you are ever in trouble, calling my name does not inconvenience me," he says gruffly. "in fact, i rather enjoy being in your company."

before you can react, xiao teleports away, leaving you with only the company of his gift as you process his caring words.

wait. you think, adding up everything. does he have a crush on me?

[favoniuscodex]

reverse au scenarios [ diluc, childe, scaramouche, xiao ]

prompt: in which you're the popular one and the genshin character is nothing to you but a fan of your work, but hey, he can dream, right? characters: diluc, childe, scara, xiao w/ a gn!reader a/n: each guy is a different au ;;; technically a modern au! :D omg i had to cut myself off on diluc's part i think its such a cute idea. might do a pt. 2 with some other characters but no guarantees

diluc

-> you're a painter and diluc cannot get enough of your work.

diluc takes a liking to your work when he arrives at the newest local museum art exhibition. born into a high-class family of wealth and prestige, diluc's father was determined to instill a love of the arts within his only son. it worked and, even shortly after his father's death, he finds himself wandering down the sleek halls of his favorite hometown city museum, navigating through the crowds of people who arrived to view your art.

as one of the youngest artists to actually obtain their own exhibition in one of the nation's most prestigious art museums, the arrival of your artwork to the museum's walls has drawn the attention of many, including diluc. he knows little about you, yet the moment he stands before one of your pieces of work, he feels transported to another world. it isn't until he feels the presence of someone looking at him with curiosity that he snaps out of his daze.

"do you like the artwork?" they ask with a tilt of their head. "you look as if you've seen a ghost."

"it... speaks to me," diluc says softly, eyes flickering between the intruder and the art.

"oh? pray tell, what exactly lures you in with this piece?" they ask with a smile and, much to his own surprise, diluc finds himself drawn in by the person in the same manner that the painting does. a sadness sparks in his heart as a third person interrupts his conversation, but when he hears the name of his talking partner fall off the third person's lips, he realizes that he has been speaking with you all this time. heat flushes to his cheeks, but before he can say anything else, you're whisked away to another part of the exhibit, flashing diluc an apologetic smile and wave.

as his heart beats rapidly in his chest, diluc makes an impulse decision to buy the painting before him from the temporary exhibit. when his heart (and the plethora of money in his wallet) lead him to buy more artwork, diluc doesn't mind spending the money. after all, that short conversation with you sparked a flame of interest in diluc. he only hopes that he can see you again, but he also isn't quite sure how to approach you when the walls of his home are adorned with some of your best pieces of artwork.

childe

-> you're an athlete and childe can't help but want to be just like you.

a notification lights up the screen of childe's phone, announcing that you have just won the national championship of your favorite sport. however, childe pays it no mind, eyes fixed solely to the screen before him as he watches you step onto the podium, a bright smile on your face. childe can't help but mimic it as a wide grin breaks out across his face, before being interrupted by the whines of his younger brother.

"i wanna watch cartoons, this is boring." teucer whines and usually childe indulges him, but not today, not when you're competing. tonia seems to understand this and thwacks her complaining brother in the head and tells him to shut up. teucer sulks away, but childe pays him no mind, instead focusing on the way you hop off the podium and walk over to the interviewers.

you and childe compete in the same sport. his ambition to get better is fueled in part by you, his absolute idol, who has never given up in the face of any struggles that might have come their way. if he has a poster of you right next to his bed, that's nobody's business. he might have bought a box of cereal just because your face was on it and he might have begrudgingly ate it, but childe won't say he's obsessed with you. he likes you a perfectly healthy amount, even if his siblings disagree.

maybe one day childe will get the chance to compete against you and show you what he's got, but for now, he's more than happy to see you get your rightful trophies and top every podium as you sweep the competition before you. one day, you'll meet, childe tells himself, interlocking his pinkies. after all, he's never broken a pinkie promise before.

xiao

-> you're a singer on youtube and xiao finds peace in your voice.

with a heart burdened by the various contracts he's taken on over the years underneath his boss, zhongli, xiao's free time is spent looking for something to distract him from the everlasting fatigue that seems to plague his bones. he just... doesn't expect it to come when he's swiping through tiktok mindlessly, absolutely baffled by half the videos that come his way. however, the sheer calmness of a video that pops up on his feed causes him to pause in his incessant scrolling.

you appear on his screen, softly crooning the words to an old love song and gently strumming a guitar. your voice is timeless and the comments praise your ability, yet xiao is... stunned. the video loops at least three times before he finally snaps out of it and moves to your profile, clicking on the link to your youtube page where you actively post. he watches your covers and original songs and xiao feels as if he's been tucked in with a warm blanket and an affectionate kiss to the forehead.

xiao falls asleep with your videos on a loop and nearly panics when he awakens to the sound of your voice still singing the next morning, but calms when he realizes it's just you, as if the two of you are long-term friends. he lets out a relieved sigh before realizing just how weird that is. so, like any normal person, he subscribes to your patreon, downloads your music, and blasts it on the way to work as well. as soon as he's able to use headphones at work, he's playing your music as well.

when spotify notifies him at the end of the year that he's in the top 0.05% of your fans worldwide, xiao realizes he might have a problem. but, a notification pops up announcing your newest concert tour date situated right in his city, and xiao realizes his personal crisis can be dealt with later. for now, he's ready to fight for one of the limited meet and greet tickets so he can tell you just how much he enjoys your work.

scaramouche

-> you are an anime character and scaramouche's darkest secret.

when asked if he likes anime, scaramouche rolls his eyes and scoffs. how could he ever like those childish cartoons? do people really think so lowly of him as to be a fan of drawings? he's awfully haughty in his egotistical responses to people, especially when his time spent off work is watching anime. not just any anime, but his favorite show: a little romance show, in which you're the main love interest and he watches the protagonist hopelessly scramble after you.

scaramouche adores your laugh and the way you feel like a breath of fresh air in terms of characterization. while the protagonist bothers him greatly, he agrees with them on their affection towards you. after all, who wouldn't fall in love with you? you're so lovely and intricately crafted that scaramouche can only wish that you were real. he fills the y/n-shaped void in his heart with a plethora of his merch.

the only people that know of his obsession with you are scaramouche himself and the poor bank associate that called him to verify that it was scaramouche who was spending $600 on imported merchandise of an anime character. figurines of you litter scaramouche's bookshelves and posters surround his computer workstation. when other people come over to his house, scaramouche locks the door to his bedroom, especially when it's his coworkers.

much to his demise, scara's secrecy towards you comes crumbling down one day when he leaves his personal phone out on his desk with its screen facing upwards. tartaglia, the coworker he loathes most, traipses over to scara's desk, paperwork in hand.

"hey, i had a quest-" tartaglia begins, yet is cut off by the ding of scaramouche's personal phone receiving a notification. his eyes wander over to the screen and tartaglia's eyes widen as he sees your face on scaramouche's screen.

"i'll do all of your work for a week if you never speak of this again," scaramouche blurts out as he fumbles for his phone. tartaglia's eyebrows raise before a smug smirk breaks out across his face.

"sure!" tartaglia agrees far too happily and scaramouche worries that this will almost certainly not be the last scaramouche hears of this incident, especially since he's spoken down to tartaglia before for watching the same exact show you star in.

[favoniuscodex]

first time you get mistaken as a couple when you’re just friends + xiao

axia’s 6k follower event -> xiao + gn!reader + first time you get mistaken as a couple when you’re just friends

getting xiao to come to liyue harbor with you was almost as difficult as moving a mountain. however, you still somehow managed to get him to arrive with you, saying that you had something “really cool and exciting” to show him. dragging him by the hand, you eagerly trot up the outdoor steps with the yaksha trailing behind you. upon seeing the elderly woman and her stand of goods, you sprint forward, causing xiao to let out a soft noise of surprise as you speed up. standing before the woman with xiao in tow, you enthusiastically gesture to the teapot on the table before you.

“ta-dah!” you say proudly, ignoring the way xiao bewilderedly looks at the woman before you. “xiao, this is madame ping, madam ping, this is xiao!”

“my my, an adeptus in the flesh,” madame ping greets with a hearty laugh. “to what do i owe the occasion?”

xiao stares blankly at her before looking down at the teapot and over at you. the only way this could be worse is if you dragged him to the funeral parlor or the qixing headquarters instead to meet one of the other two people in this godsforsaken city that would recognize him. at least madame ping is the least awful of the three options to recognize him, especially when she seems to be playing along with your belief that she and xiao have never met. xiao glances over at you, who smiles innocently, and begrudgingly realizes that he has to go along with this unless he wants to burst your bubble of surprise.

“i wanted to show him your wonderful gift to me!” you blurt out and xiao stares at the object before him. a teapot. wait, is that-?

“it certainly is a wonderful possession for two lovers.” madame ping says with a knowing laugh. immediately, both you and xiao reel back as you shake your hands worriedly in front of you, as if attempting to clear up the misunderstanding.

“no, adeptus xiao and i aren’t-“ you begin, but madame ping shakes her head knowingly.

“i know young love when i see it. a yaksha certainly doesn’t enter the city limits for just anyone.” madam ping declares. xiao feels mortification seep into his bones as he glances over at you to see you equally as flustered as he feels. you peek at xiao out of the corner of your eye and spot crimson hues of embarrassment blossoming across his cheeks.

“uh, anyways!” you say, desperate to change the subject which just makes madame ping chuckle more. “thank you for the lovely gift, we’ll be entering the adeptal abode now!”

your words are hurried and before xiao can stop you, the two of you are transported into the private adeptal realm, away from madame ping’s prying eyes. xiao regains his bearings almost immediately and, despite his flustered state, reaches a hand out to steady your dizzied form from the whirlwind of teleportation. his brows furrow in frustration before a bird-like voice chirps from behind you.

“welcome to the adeptal abode! i’m tubby, the keeper of this teapot. it’s been a while since we’ve had a pair of lovers enter, but if you’d like, i can show both of you how to grow and maintain this area!” the blue teapot creature, self-identified as tubby, proclaims. xiao feels himself flush once more and you don’t appear to be doing much better. archons, why does everyone think the two of you are dating? xiao wonders, until he realizes you have an arm slung around his shoulder to support yourself after teleporting for the first time and xiao’s own arm is wrapped around your waist.

oh. xiao thinks, mind blanking. you straighten your posture, yet your hand seems reluctant to leave xiao’s shoulders, almost as if you’re nervous of your new surroundings. is that why you brought him along? his hand falls from your waist, but before it can fully escape, you nervously clutch his hand with your own, holding on to him in a silent plea for him to stay close. xiao nods and decides to assuage your fears with one of his rare smiles, which immediately seems to lighten the mood. you look away, a bit flustered, yet xiao somehow finds the courage to squeeze your hand back.

“c’mon!” you say, pushing past your fears and shooting him a smile. “let’s explore!”

with xiao’s presence comforting you, you begin to trot over to tubby proudly, but your hand doesn’t fall from xiao’s. in the newfound tranquility of the abode, xiao smiles to himself as you walk before him once more, tugging him along. you viewed him as a protector, yet xiao finds comfort in your touch too, reassured by the weight of your hand in his. his heart begins to beat a bit faster and xiao realizes that maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t mind if people misinterpret you as a couple. after all, he hopes for it to be true one day, even if he can’t yet find the words.

[favoniuscodex]

I’d love Xiao & first kiss please and ty! <3

axia’s 6k event -> xiao + gn!reader + first kiss

xiao wants to kiss you. he just... isn’t quite sure how to broach the subject. since the start of your supposed friendship, xiao has always been the one to withdraw first. he would withdraw at the simplest of touches, whether it be a reassuring hand on his shoulder, an accidental brush of hands, or a relieved hug post-battle. yet, xiao hadn’t withdrawn entirely. he still eats dinner with you on the balcony of wangshu inn, a luxury he provides to nobody else, not even the ex-archon to whom he is eternally contracted with you. he teaches you how to use a polearm, going so far as to train you as to how to wield your vision to maximum effect and utilize the additional range a polearm gives you in comparison to a sword, something he has never done for a mortal prior to you. xiao has even reached out to those whom he has not spoken to in many years in a desperate attempt to learn about mortal whimsies and understand exactly what causes you of all people to stir crystalflies in his stomach that xiao didn’t know existed.

and, in an attempt to solve and sort these long dormant feelings that you awaken in xiao, he wants nothing more than to place his lips on yours and get rid of all of these confusing, utterly human feelings that xiao is sure that he, as an adeptus, has no business feeling. for all that he does know after thousands of years of existence, xiao isn’t quite sure how to approach this. he watches as you lean over the balcony of wangshu inn, breeze blowing through your hair as your elbows rest on the wooden railing.

“it’s a beautiful day,” you say and xiao, who leans near the entryway to the private balcony. he grunts in response and you let out a soft laugh. to xiao, it’s melodic, nearly as sweet as those songs the mondstadtian bard played all those years ago, yet it only leaves him more confused. you turn towards him and gesture for him to come stand by you. xiao has never been one to listen to the orders of mortals, yet he heeds your call anyways, walking over to silently stand beside you. you glance over at him, watching as the breeze slightly ruffles his hair.

“your eyes are even more beautiful when the light catches them.” you say and xiao feels his heartbeat accelerate. he keeps his composure, praying to any archon that will listen that his blush stays away, yet the knowing twinkle of your eyes lets xiao know that he’s failed. nonetheless, he presses his lips into a tight line and turns away from you slightly with a huff.

“i have no concern as to whether or not i fit mortal beauty standards or not.” xiao huffs, blush only growing as you laugh once more, playfully nudging him with your elbow.

“it’s a compliment, xiao. not everything i say is a battle. you can relax around me, y’know?” you say, tone lighthearted. xiao doesn’t understand how you can carry such a carefree aura at all times, yet even his own karmic debt is eased in your presence. other burdens arise in your presence, but they are matters of the heart, not xiao’s past.

“i relax too much around you.” xiao confesses, staring off into the all too familiar horizon of dihua marsh. out of the corner of his eye, xiao can see your shoulders relax and a satisfied smirk appear on your face in response to his words.

“i enjoy your presence too, xiao.” you say cheerily and xiao is far too gone to hide his blush any longer, letting his cheeks darken even further in their reddened hue. the two of you fall into silence once more and xiao stares out at the horizon for several more minutes, mind racing at the thought of you. instinctively, he glances down at your hands, noticing how your pinky and his own are nearly brushing against each other, but not quite. fear settles into him and xiao cannot remember the last time he was nervous about something. for the conqueror of demons, this feeling is utterly loathed. at this point, he can stare at the horizon and your nearly joined hands for no longer.

“y/n,” xiao says and his words are commanding, but you turn towards him with a kind expression. for once, the yaksha initiates contact, raising a hand up to your cheek. you give him a subtle, reassuring nod, eyes glowing with hope that xiao has not seen in his own for years. before he can come to his senses, xiao leans in and puts his lips upon yours, sealing the promise of all of his unspoken feelings towards you in a kiss. your hand steadies your figure on his forearm, holding him with a gentleness that xiao doesn’t deserve. his other arm encircles your waist, holding you as if you’ll break if he holds too tight, but still worried enough that you’ll slip through his fingers.

when the kiss finally ends, xiao finally understands what mortals mean when they say that love leaves them breathless. you let out a kind laugh once more at his awestruck expression, moving your hand to cradle his face in the same way his own hand gently splays itself across your cheek. the two of you stare at each other in silence and xiao wonders what thoughts are racing through that beautiful mind of yours. yet, you answer him by leaning in and placing a softer kiss to his lips, short and sweet, before pulling away.

“you are wonderful,” you breathe and xiao does not believe himself to be deserving of your compliments. however, if you see some part of in worth believing in, then perhaps he can follow your lead.

“i...” xiao struggles to find the appropriate words, yet you look at him as if the two of you have all the time in the world. “i care deeply for you.”

you stroke your thumb back and forth along his cheekbone and the yaksha instinctively leans into your touch.

“i know,” you say and xiao feels yet another weight lifted off his chest. “i feel all the same and more.”

xiao wonders if that is possible, yet, for the first time in years, he places his faith in another and, in your gentle hold, he leaps, knowing that you will be there to catch him as he falls. he’s nervous, yet he cannot stop himself. for the first time, xiao smiles at you and you quickly decide that it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.

[favoniuscodex]

"touching/pressing foreheads together" for xiao !!

pairing: xiao x gn!reader cw: reader is badly injured :) blood, etc. angst. major character death lol.

-----

xiao crouches before you, hands hesitant to place themselves anywhere on your frail mortal body. blood seeps out of wounds that are only showcased by gashes in your clothing, while a broken protective amulet that xiao once gave you sits a short distance away, shattered to bits. fear creeps up xiao's throat. this isn't happening, this isn't supposed to happen, he tells himself.

by the time you had uttered xiao's name, he was too late. now, your breathing is labored and xiao is simply thanking the archons that you're breathing at all.

"i can get you help, i can-" xiao begins in a panic, but you shake your head slightly and cut him off.

"i love you. it's not your fault. just... don't leave me now, please," you murmur and xiao is baffled. shouldn't he be the one begging you to stay? nonetheless, he listens and sits next to you, trying to ignore the way your blood stains his outfit. you turn your head to face him and raise a feeble arm to pull his head towards you. with a slight clumsiness, your foreheads bump into each other.

"xiao, you were the best part of my life," you say in a soft voice. your voice is oddly calm, providing a sharp contrast to the panicked tears that well up in xiao's eyes. xiao isn't sure if he's ever cried before.

"don't say goodbye," he begs. "please."

"i have to," you say with a sad laugh. "we'll meet again some day, okay? but until then, you gotta keep going, alright?"

your hand finds his and you give it a reassuring squeeze. your grip is far weaker than it normally is.

"i want to go with you," xiao's voice finally cracks. "i love you, don't leave me."

"protect liyue. they need you. we will always reunite in the stars. our constellations are right next to each other, remember?" you remind him and, with his forehead still pressed to yours, xiao nods slightly. he stares into your eyes, trying to memorize their vibrancy despite the tears that blur his vision. crying. weak. xiao thinks, before remember that he's always been weak for you.

"i love you," xiao promises and you smile.

your grip slackens around his hand and you slump forward into him.

for the first time in over a millennium, a yaksha cries.

[favoniuscodex]

not a request but I had xiao thoughts and I had to share Imagine Xiao trying too hard and overcompensating with physical affection He doesn't like it but that doesn't mean he wont try it for his s/o, BUT he grossly overcompensates with PDA because he assumes that all mortal couples do this and S/O gets super flustered, but are they going to stop him? obviously not

pairing: xiao x gn!reader

it starts when you reach for his hand one day. xiao instinctively pulls away and, while you don’t think much of it after the fact, the brief look of hurt on your face is permanently ingrained into xiao’s memory.

even in his pride of being an adepti, xiao can acknowledge that even mortals have lessons to teach him. you’ve already taught him more than he can count on both hands. with few people to confide in, xiao finds his solutions in a rickety building on the edge of qingce village. inside, books line the walls, hastily stacked into piles when the bookshelves no longer have room. knowledge of subjects xiao has yet to master are stored within their pages.

so, the yaksha reads.

you return after a series of commissions, a hefty pouch of mora secured safely in your bag, to find xiao waiting for you at wangshu inn. you greet him with a wave. you know he isn’t one for pda and you don’t wish to push his limits, especially in the lobby of the inn where verr goldet isnt too far away. yet, xiao’s hurried steps towards you make you tilt your head in confusion, but before you can ask if anything is wrong, one of xiao’s arms encircles your waist and he presses a firm kiss to your lips.

his hands on your back are shaky and the kiss is clumsy, yet his lips are reassured and his grip is firm. you kiss your lover back and only pull away when he renders you breathless. quickly, xiao diverts his gaze from you in embarrassment. he pulls back slightly and lifts up his free hand, which holds a bouquet of beautiful silk flowers, their red and pink hues matching the ones that stain xiao’s flushed cheeks. your own face heats up in surprise at such brazen actions of his, including the kind gift, but the sight of verr goldet watching you two (and promptly looking away when you look over at her) has you even more flustered.

“welcome back,” xiao murmurs. “i missed you.”

yeah, you think. i can tell. yet you bite back your internal thoughts and smile at your lover, who is typically not the type for such sweet gifts and bold gestures. you interlace your fingers with the hand wrapped around your waist and gently pry it off your skin, giving xiao’s hand a reassuring squeeze. before you can drag him upstairs, xiao takes your joined hands and presses a kiss to your knuckles. heat rises to your face once more as the typical flustered wooziness sets in.

“is something wrong?” xiao asks at your silence, worry in his eyes.

“oh, uh,” you stammer, not sure exactly how to point out his sudden penchant for pda. “just feeling a bit tired after all of these commissions.”

“oh, is that so?” xiao muses, taking your words as genuine. he hands you the flower bouquet and you take it in your free hand, yet before you can stop him, he drops your other hand and immediately picks you up in his arms. he places a bold kiss to your cheek, yet you can tell that the yaksha is 100% pushing his own comfort boundaries to do this.

“i will carry you upstairs,” xiao says and you don’t have the heart to tell him that you’re perfectly fine walking.

[favoniuscodex]

mm goodbye kisses + xiao please if no one still sent it maybe?

pairing: xiao x gn!reader

---

"when will you be returning?" xiao asks as you finish packing your weapon and essentials required for your upcoming commission.

"a week and a half, give or take," you say, snapping your backpack closed. "the commission is in liyue harbor, but it will likely take me to guyun stone forest."

"be safe," xiao wishes, yet it sounds more like an order. "should you need me, do not hesitate to call out my name."

"oh?" you tease as you slip the backpack on. "i thought you liked it better when i called you darling or sweetheart or-"

"'xiao' is what will summon my attention if we are not close in proximity," xiao interrupts you before you can turn his cheeks into a flaming swirl of pinks and reds. "i can escort you out of wangshu inn. are you ready to depart?"

you tilt your head. really? you ask yourself, yet xiao only returns your blank stare.

"aren't you forgetting something?" you ask, confused.

"there is... nothing that i need to take with me at this moment," xiao responds and you laugh before shaking your head.

"no, silly, aren't you forgetting to give me a goodbye kiss?" you ask and xiao glances away, blatantly flustered. yet, before you can gently tease him for his reaction and forgetfulness, his hand grabs your wrist as he closes the distance between the two of you and presses a searing kiss to your lips.

cute, you think as xiao finally pulls away, cheeks thoroughly flushed.

[favoniuscodex]

hmmmmmmm...! temple kisses + xiao if thats okay?

pairing: xiao x gn!reader cw: major character death (AGAIN)! xiao is injured this time. mentions of blood n death and stuff idk

----

every time xiao leaves, he presses a kiss to your temple beforehand. the featherlight touch of his hand can be felt on the other side of your head as he gently holds you in place while his lips brush against the intimate area. when you had asked him why he always did, xiao had flushed and looked away. a gesture of good luck. a promise to return.

which is why, as you run in the rain beside the ex-archon who arrived to your doorstep already drenched by the water, you curse yourself for not demanding a kiss before xiao left earlier this morning. you knew his duties to protect liyue were dangerous, yet he had survived thousands of years. never once had you thought that you would outlive him.

zhongli guides you to xiao's location, immediately asking if there's anything he can do to help. yet, you simply fall to your knees in the mud besides xiao. there's too much blood. golden ichor drains from his body. you had never stopped to consider that xiao consisted of anything but the red concoction that circles throughout the human body, yet here you are, finding out that your lover bleeds the same color as his eyes. it is a horrendous sight. gold stains the whites and greens of his uniform, sullying the mud and grass below with watered-down cor lapis hues.

gold, you realize in this very moment, is the worst color to have ever been invented.

"hello, crystalfly," xiao croaks as you kneel down next to him. you're unsure if you're crying as water pours over your face from above. "you shouldn't see me like this."

even in his battered state, xiao can still find it in himself to lecture you. you want to laugh. you want to scream. you want to lay down next to him and rot away in this putrid weather with him.

for all of his years of undying duty, of managing his karmic debt, of suffering, xiao deserved no less than to die under a beautiful blue sky, surrounded by those he loves. yet, now he will only die in the presence of a single mortal and the former god who forsook him only a few years prior under a treacherous sky that shows no forgiveness. no forgiveness for a sinner like xiao, even if he's spent hundreds of years in an attempt to repent. the universe is cruel. the only time he was able to experience heaven was by your side and now, you can't even provide him with the sustenance to carry onwards.

you can't find it in yourself to beg him to stay. to plead for him to be by your side is a desire crafted purely of selfishness. the nightmares that plague him, the fatigue that never seems to leave his bones, and the eternal loneliness in his eyes all seem to scream about how xiao's time on this earth has long since expired. you? you are only a distraction from the pain.

xiao's hand gently cups your face as he looks up at you. he looks at you as if you are celestia itself, as if you are the weaver of the night sky who crafted all of the beautiful, far away galaxies and stars that he's memorized over his lonesome nights, and as if you are salvation. you provide no salvation. you can only provide him with company as he departs this world. so, you swallow your sadness and manage a shaky smile.

"hi, sweetheart," you greet, lifting his hand and placing a weak kiss to his knuckles. "you look beautiful, even in the rain."

xiao smiles. his eyelids are heavy.

"i am tired," he confesses.

you both understand what this means.

"are you nervous?" you blurt and xiao shakes his head.

"my duty has been fulfilled. it is time to reunite with old friends," xiao states solemnly. "i love you."

the three little words the yaksha scarcely says. over the roar of thunder, you do your best to memorize the intonation of his words as they fall from his lips. you want to beg for him to repeat them, yet you know that you should not taint your final moments with him.

"i love you too," you murmur, before leaning down and placing a kiss to his temple. you swallow a sob that threatens to erupt from your throat. xiao glances at you with lazy eyes as you move to brush his hair out of his face. "safe travels, my love."

xiao's smile returns to his face as he feels your lips on his wet skin. he closes his eyes.

they do not reopen.

[favoniuscodex]

tw: death

xiao watching you grow old and die and staying faithfully by your side the entire time, despite the way his stomach churns when he sees wrinkles on your face yet his remains smooth. time is forcing you to slip through his fingers and this is the one thing he can’t protect with brute force.

when you pass, all he has left of you is the wedding band you insisted upon and the contract of monogamy that the two of you agreed upon when becoming married. with you gone, xiao follows the contract tied to a dead person, therefore he can’t fall in love with anyone else. through the ties of a contract, his heart is sworn to you forever, even if the only place he can speak to you is at your gravesite <3

[favoniuscodex]

lol imagine xiao working really hard with aether/lumine && even reaching out to zhongli to make sure that he can confess his feelings to you properly. he doesn't really understand human tradition when it comes to these sorts of things, but he just really wants to hold your hand in his and hold u close at night. with you, he starts thinking romantically in ways he's never felt before.

his face flushes when he sees you walking into wangshu inn, hoping that it's because you're here to visit him (when was the last time he experienced true desire, anyways?) but, like clockwork, you arrive to help verr goldet with her posted commissions instead. xiao always makes an excuse to talk to you instead, even if the conversations are short. your smile makes his heart beat faster and xiao longs for the day he'll hear his name roll of your lips, but it never arrives.

when he finally confesses to you, bouquet of beautiful qingxin flowers in hand, xiao stumbles through his confession with red cheeks. he's mortified at his own weakness. him, a yaksha, brought to a loss for words by a mere mortal? you smile at him and wait for him to finish, but he recognizes the look in your eyes. it's pity. you, an unimportant, insignificant human, pitying the last standing conqueror of demons for having emotions. xiao doesn't understand. isn't this the vulnerability humans want?

"i'm sorry, xiao," you say and the sound of his name is akin to nails on a chalkboard. no, no, it wasn't supposed to go like this. the traveler said- "i do not return your feelings."

---

a/n: @kaeya-kisser <3

[favoniuscodex]

tw: yea u get the drill by now. death. @kaeya-kisser

xiao falling asleep at night, finally able to get a good night’s sleep for the first time without you in his arms. the protective amulet he gave you allows him to rest easy. you have his protective charm around you, therefore you must be safe. for once, the guardian yaksha can rest, knowing that if you are in danger, he will awake.

however, on your journeys, the amulet slips off. despite your best attempts to find it, you can’t, and you must continue without it. you’re a seasoned traveler by now. what’s the worst that could happen? a few hilichurl archers? however, an ambush by treasure hoarders goes awry. chaos outbreaks among you and those who you are protecting. a knife hits your chest in all the wrong places and, despite the simple attack, it’s enough to send you flying down. those who journeyed with you cannot take you to receive help in time and your whispers of xiao’s name fall on sleeping ears.

xiao never quite forgives himself, nor does he ever find it in himself to sleep restfully again. the only time he can sleep is when he rests by your gravesite, leaning on the tombstone as he protects the one he initially failed to.