Retrocognition | Xiao x Reader

i.

R e t r o c o g n i t i o n

.~___✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥___~.

PRELUDE

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Xiao had loved someone once in his life.

Wait, was it once? He's certain it's not—but he did love only one, and it was painful to do so. Throughout his years of being an Adepti of the Geo Archon, right from the very beginning of it all was his friend [Name]. 

Naturally, he was given the gift of 'immortality', so when the girl aged, he did not, but he kept her safe. 

Initially, he never saw her as someone he'd take interest in, that is until he becomes aware of the cycle of reincarnation and saw her again one night in Liyue, centuries before the Great Archon War.

She came from the lands favored by wind in her second life, and had deliberately hunted him down after seeing him retreat to the shadows as soon as the mob of hilichurls and abyss mages have disintegrated into ash and nothingness. 

She's always been so adventurous, that even though he was well concealed far from the eyes of mortals, she managed to catch him. Funny, really, for even when she was but a mere child he can never outrun her.

"That was so nice of you," he remembered her saying, "But why do you not claim the recognition you deserve from your heroism?"

Heroism, he had scoffed in wonder.

She didn't know that he was an Adepti back then, for with her new life came a brand new mind fresh and ridden of memories of her past and of him, so he didn't know how to react to her sudden reappearance. 

But alas she still grew onto him, and he allowed her to do so, how could he not? They were friends all those years ago. And just like before, he had protected her as he does to Liyue.

"I'll find you next time." were her last words.

Ah, her death left him a bit down, but he was hopeful.

And after a few more centuries, there she was birthed again, this time in the bustling city of renowned Liyue itself. He stuck true to her words and didn't bother showing himself, knowing he'd be found one way or another, and he was, when she was roughly around the same age by physical appearances. 

She had literally pointed at him from below the streets, exclaiming that she had finally found the man plaguing her dreams.

He remembers quirking up an amused smile, and the flutter of hope in his chest that ate away his bitterness bolstered.

That life of hers was the start of his own falling.

It happened when they were both overlooking the beautiful state of Liyue on the mountains he brought her to. It was at the dead of night, but she didn't want to return back to her home, apparently even if the existence of monsters roamed close to where they are. 

Why would she be afraid when she has him to her side?

"Perhaps I'm always finding you because you're so alone," yeah he took offense on that, but then she turned and—"But you should stay that way! Because," he can still almost envision the shy smile on her face, lit up only by the tender stare of the moon, "Because that gives me the chance to return to you."