Xiao's Birthday

Part 1 (Chapters 1-2)

Premise: Hi. You, the reader, are going to be referred to as __ for the sake of understanding. You're a little nugget who dropped out of the sky near Mondstadt, from your home world. You were a part of ours, you have no idea how you got there. While being much healthier than you had been here, you're still in pain. Yeah sorry, have fun joining the chronic pain gang that I wrote this for <3

You're a Cryo user, which puts you in standing with Kaeya, Childe, and Rosaria. You seem to have abilities far beyond that of a normal person, even a normal Vision holder. When you first landed, you were thrust into a fight with the fatui, forcing you to use your power the best you could think of. You summoned a large snowstorm from the sky. It was an area effect, within which you also froze the ground. You turned the falling snow deadly.

From there you helped out Monstadt in a similar way to Traveler, meeting Albedo and being gifted that uh spoiler item. From there you came to Liyue, getting in the fight against the giant sea creature. You survived, which will be written elsewhere, and this takes place a short time after discovering that Xiao lives his life in pain.

Please enjoy!

Chapter 1

"Hey, Zhongli."

"Yes?" The tall man turns towards me, having to look down to meet my eyes.

"I was wondering. You know those painkillers you get for Xiao?"

"I know of them, yes."

"Where do you get them?" I'm practically bouncing from foot to foot, but Zhongli takes his time thinking.

His hand characteristically comes up to his chin. "Well, I obtain a small amount of an adeptus nearby. But I'm afraid if you're looking to get your hands on more, they don't deal well with humans."

My bouncing stalls.

"Hm. I was looking to get him different kinds, and perhaps stronger ones."

"Oh?"

I don't really want to explain the reason.

Kids run along the connecting boardwalks, carrying kites flying over their heads. They're so carefree, so gentle.

I don't want to explain how my body aches, how every part of me glimmers in pain.

When Xiao caught me during that last fight against the fatui and the god in the water, I felt how tense he was. Not just from fear, but the familiar tension that comes with being in pain.

"Regular human painkillers aren't going to work." It's more of a statement than a question, coming from me. "I just...want to get him a variety."

"That's quite ambitious of you." If Zhongli suspects, he says nothing. I assume he can tell, using whatever powers of a god, or simply of experience and deduction, that he has. He's still thinking.

The wind picks up and even that causes me pain. I swallow it for the sake of conversation.

"Is there someone else who is willing to make painkillers? Even if I have to go far."

"Yes, there is. But I'm afraid they're beyond Liyue. To the far North there is an adeptus with the power to make healing salves for other adeptus."

I frown, already guessing his next words.

"I'm afraid those won't work on him."

"Of course. Anything to treat the pain?"

"She might be willing. She doesn't normally meet with humans."