to love to be loved ( Xiao x Lumine )

Chapter 13: Twin Brother

Whether Lumine is in Liyue or Mondstadt, the missing posters are still there. So far, there isn't any news regarding her twin brother. Lumine is still appreciative towards Amber and the Qixing or specifically Keqing for putting up the missing posters on behalf of Lumine.

Sometimes, simply walking past the posters brings out quite the agony. However, she hid it well. Most of the times, she would pretend that there weren't posters being hung up. Irony as it sounds, it just does not help much.

In the end, she can only rely on herself. That was when one day, there came a man who fits the description of her brother.

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"Lumine, what are we doing today?"

No response.

"...Lumine, what are we doing today?" Paimon repeated.

"LUMINEEEE!" Paimon flew to her face.

"–!!" Lumine stopped walking.

"Hey, are you okay...?"

"...h—huh oh yes. I'm just still surprised after meeting that man... Dainsleif...I mean sure, he matches the description of my brother but he isn't him."

"Hmm, Paimon thinks that Dainsleif is a little weird..."

"Something tells me that he might know where my brother is... but I do not want to assume. Getting my hopes high up just to be crushed... I rather not... but still..."

"He shouldn't be trusted." Paimon shook Paimon's head.

"—but if he knows, he might be the closest clue we got to finding my brother."

"We will be meeting him again right?"

"...well, we sort of made an odd deal."

"Then do not worry too much about it! Paimon will be there for you, and will help find as many clues with you." Paimon hugged Lumine.

"Thank you, Paimon." Lumine sighed as she hugged Paimon back.

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Days passed as they went to do the commissions or quests with Dainsleif.

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At Stormterror's Lair

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"—!!" Lumine turned around upon having a gut feeling that someone is up on the cliff.

"What's wrong Lumine?" Paimon asked.

"I sense something familiar.... on that cliff."

"A familiar feeling, you say? It could be someone you know well... or perhaps a monster." Said Dainsleif monotonously.

"The Abyss..?" Paimon responded.

"Whichever it is, we should see for ourselves."

They climbed up the cliff and began to examine the area when Lumine accidentally stepped onto the dandelion.

Sudden flashbacks began to play in her head; both Lumine and her twin brother's encounter with the Unknown God, how they were split up and how Lumine ended up being sealed away by the darkness so as her brother.

"Hey, is everything alright—You were just spacing out!"

"This... This dandelion... I could feel it...it reminds me of him..."

"Your brother? But you only stepped on in for a few seconds!"

"Perhaps, the dandelion has some kind of scent that only you recognise. Do not rush, now that you know that he is in this world, your journey has merely begun."

"I will find him."

"Well then, we shall meet soon again. After all, I did take 500 Mora and those three answers."

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A day later, Lumine told Paimon that she wanted to be alone and that she will come back later at night. Paimon being worried refuses to let Lumine go alone. However, after some thought, Paimon realised that Lumine probably needs it. Hence, Paimon will meet her later in the evening.

———

Back at Stormterror's Lair

———

"...Aether....where are you..." Lumine mumbled under her breath.

"Lumine..." a familiar voice appears.

"—Xiao! How did you find me?"

"That's what you're going to ask?"
Xiao walked towards her. His facial expressions remain the same but she could tell that he felt worried and probably slightly disappointed.

"I mean— I'm sorry I did not call your name for a while... you see, there's this—" Lumine looked down on the ground while playing with her fingers feeling a sense of guilt.

"It's okay." He cut off her lines as he went forward and wrapped his arms around her torso.

"I am not sure what has been going on, but I've been looking out for you, always..."

Lumine couldn't say anything.

"...is this about your brother?" He asked insensitively.

Lumine immediately pushes him away.

"You don't know anything—don't talk about him! Please—" Lumine froze upon knowing that she accidentally snapped at him.

"—I...I'm sorry..." Stress and anxiety start to fill up her head as her body gradually became overwhelmed with emotions. She moved back and forth in place while hands covering her ears. Tears began to fall as she squatted down, shutting her eyes in hope that everything could be back to normal.

Xiao didn't know what to do. Seeing her that way breaks his heart. Is it my fault? He moved forward and starts kneeling to her level. He wasn't sure whether he should comfort her through hugging though she pushes him away or simply sits beside her. Feeling indecisive, he just went with the same thing. He placed his head right next to her. He uses his right hand to pat on her back as his left arm holds onto her body as she had positioned herself shaped like a ball.

"I'm sorry, Lumine. I should have minded my own business... but...I'll always be here when you need me... and I will protect you regardless of the situations. I may not be good of use when it comes to things like this—"

To his surprised, Lumine turns her body sideways and went to open her arms and hug him tightly. Although a large volume of tears flows down steadily, she didn't let out any sound. It must have been really painful to be silently crying while having the urge to scream.