The stars in the sky (xiao x reader)

✧ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒 ✧

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖? : 𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍
𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠

"𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 "

Mondstadt, the almighty city of freedom with its childish archon, Barbatos.

But what exactly is freedom? It's defined as 'the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.' But was that really true?

How could it be, when the archon of freedom himself felt trapped, broken, alone...

You are only as free as you think you are, and freedom will only be as real as you believe it to be.

♪♪♪

"Freedom if demanded of you by an archon, isn't really freedom at all."

How long ago had it been, since I said those words to him? Too long. And yet why was he still on my mind.

Did he remember me? Remember us? Our promise? Would I end up regretting visiting him in dreams- abusing my powers to see him.

But I had to, he stopped visiting me. I continued to stare at the the view of Mondstadt from the hands of the statue.

This city, my city, no not mine, the people's. I oversaw everything that happens on this land, I know that he's coming. He's coming. To see me? No, I doubt it.

He traveled with another, a different companion, that I knew all too well. A mortal. Unusual for the him to travel with someone, let alone a human, it was good for him to open up. But still, jealously rose within my heart even when I knew the truth. Oh, how human emotions had tainted and rubbed off on me.

Was I really nothing more to him but trash on the side of the road? Was I really that replaceable? That easy to get rid of?

I shook my head and pulled out my lyre. This was no way an archon should act. I strummed a soft tune and in turn a slight breeze could be felt. Oh, the beauty of Mondstadt, if only I could move on, and stop thinking about the past.

But how can I..

I felt anxious as I flew down to the city floors. How should I act? Like an archon? Like a stranger? I don't want him to get suspicious of me.