LANTERN SKIES ( xiao ) ✓

𐐒𐐚 22 : allay of gloom ˎˊ˗

•| ⊱ CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ⊰ |•

❛❛ an intimate moment to be spent ❜❜

Days passed consisting of endless hammering noises from the day and people indulging in the appetizing food to the evening, everything surprisingly, is going smoothly.

You laid wide awake on your bed, eyes darted on the plain, wooden ceiling up ahead. There's no denying that participating in redecorating the Inn is not gratifying in any way, but an empty part inside you still remained that no one could ever fill.

That particular hollow part can only be suffused by a one person, or rather, an adeptus- and it was none other than Xiao.

Back then when you were on a date together or spending some leisure time together as how Xiao described it, you sparked up a question while the two of you drowned from the thoughts of daydreaming. "What are we?"

Gazing intently at his golden yellow orbs, you felt a little uneasy from what Xiao's response would be.

He pursed his lips, like he usually does, and some time after, he speaks up. "What do you want us to be?"

You whined, not expecting the question to be fired right back at you. "Um, come again? I'm the one who's asking you here."

"I have no experience of anything like this, so asking me about us would only stir more confusion or worse, misunderstandings." He sternly answers.

The flashback fades away from your mind, bringing you back into the reality without feeling the adeptus' presence near you.

Shifting to the other side of the bed, you decided to get lost in the vista of the stars outside the Inn instead.

An enormous, illume silver disc reigning over the dark vast sky in which billions of flickering stars twinkled made you distracted from the downer thoughts for a moment. Where ever Xiao could be, it matters not for you both are under the same sky.

Your eyelids feel heavy a minute after, a waft of exhale coming out from your mouth made you realize- you're actually staying up so late.

Half an hour later after debating with yourself whether to go get some rest or go all nighter for today, a faint gentle knock on the door you heared that cut you from dawdling any further.

Who in their right mind would disturb someone at 3 in the morning?

Probably someone who's attention starved.

Approaching the door with caution, you decided not to swing it open right off the bat, for safety reasons.

"Who is it?" You asked while standing at the doorstep in your room, your words a bit inaudible from your slurring tone.

"It's me."

And with those two words, you felt your heart rejoice from the sudden boost of dopamine it produced.

You turned the doorknob to the right and opened the door sideways, revealing no one but the adeptus you've been longing for to see and touch.

Without any hesitation, you leaped into his arms and snuggled him tight, not letting any space remain between the two of your bodies. Xiao panics and successfully catches you with his gloved hands, heaving a sigh of relief after what you just did.

"I missed you." You mumbled as you brought your face deeper on the crook of his neck, inhaling the scent of him that never failed to lure you in. Who would've known someone would still smell pleasant after the dangerous battles day and night? "I guess I can really summon you just by thinking of you, heh."

Xiao pulls you tighter, you can feel the upward carve on his lips by your gut feeling. Hearing those words from you made Xiao feel he is wanted, not just needed by the people who only come to him when it's about wishing for materialistic things and unheightened, arrogant dreams.

"I'll stay here for the night." He says, earning a jaw drop kind of reaction from you.

You pull back from his chest and looked at him straight in the eyes, tightening your grip on his delicate shoulders with your hands, "Did I hear that right?"

"Yay!" Your voice rose triumphant, hopping from one place to another in your room. You did not bother one bit to restrain your feelings, life's too short for that, it'll be much better to let it out.

The male watched your actions, his arms across his chest and a shy smile painted on his face.

"I'm heading in." He says and steps inside, the tread of his footsteps were not exactly loud and harsh but actually light.

You nodded and watched him pace towards you as you sat on the edge of your tiny bed. He stops at his tracks, and slowly removes his jewelries from the arms to the neck.

From your instincts, you immediately turned to the opposite side, facing the other way from Xiao.

"What are you suddenly stripping for?!" You blurted, arms across your chest. Great, now you're starting to adapt the adeptus' habits as well.

"I'll use the bathroom for a while, I've been drenched in sweat for so long and- dried blood clots as well." His voice cracked in his last words, in which you faced him after hearing his answer. Your eyes widened.

"You got hurt?" You asked as you helped him remove any other embellishments he wore. He nods simply, while you only grew worried.

You clasped your hands with his, now bare hands, to stop him from doing any work from now on. You've decided to help him with what you can offer for now. You pointed to the bed on his front, and he complied to your request. He sat down as you picked up where he left off. Carefully removing the necklaces, the Yaksha mask he always dons and his sleeveless shirt with some parts smeared in blood that mixed with sweat on it.

After a few minutes later, the only clothes he practically was wearing is his dark purple pants and the boots of the same color.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." He says, before entering the bathroom as he swings the door close.

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You sat patiently, the adeptus taking a whole 20 minute bath. When suddenly, the door sways open, revealing the adeptus with his drenched, wet raven and teal-streaked hair, and a covered bottom with the aid of the towel you gave him earlier before he stepped inside the shower.

Perking up a brow at his bizarre choice of appearing in front of you out of the blue, he asks, "Actually... Can you lend me a hand?"

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