Unforgettable Memories | Xiao x Reader

Chapter Four

"Moping around filled with sadness and sorrow.... what will come out of it?
If we are to die one day,
wouldn't it be better to have no regrets?"

~~~~~~

Xiao ran from valley to cliff eradicating all the monsters in his way. No matter what he did though, no matter how much he fought and tried to distract himself, he couldn't remove the picture of you in his head. Even though he always thought of you through his life, this was something different. It was like your existence was trying to overtake his.

He tried and tried, killed and killed but the only thing that was on his mind was you. Facing a group of abyss mages that had activated their shields, Xiao quickly dashed forward and with a burst of power from his anemo vision, he broke the shield with ease leaving them vulnerable.

"Insignificant," he muttered as he attacked the fallen mages with his spear.

After finally defeating his opponents, he walked away as if nothing had happened. He was feeling awfully irritated and couldn't help but release a deadly aura that made even the surrounding monsters run away in fear. 

"Why am I like this?" Xiao growled as he kicked the dirt.

"Like what?" a child-like voice called out.

Xiao quickly turned his head only to be greeted by a familiar black-haired boy with green-tipped braids in the front of his face. That was Venti, a bard in Mondstat, the city of dandelions and freedom. Although Venti was widely known as a bard who constantly drank, he was also none other than Barbatos, the anemo archon of Mondstat. Similar to Zhongli, that was simply a secret identity that they kept from the world.

"So what are you like?" Venti repeated from the stone that he was sitting on, or more like lazing around on.

"It's none of your business," Xiao coldly replied before walking away.

Venti let out his usual cute laugh, "Oh the fleeting nature of young love."

"...What?"

Xiao had stopped in his tracks after hearing Venti's comment. What did the anemo archon mean by fleeting? And what was with the term "young love"?

"Interested now are we," the anemo archon teased the adeptus.

Despite his childlike and lazy nature, Venti was still an archon that had lived for thousands of years. Due to this, he had a large amount of knowledge that even Xiao could not overturn. Maybe, just maybe the archon would be able to make light of Xiao's conflicting emotions.

"Not really," Xiao immediately started walking away in embarrassment. 

Venti gave a sigh as he watched Xiao's reaction to everything that was going on. The archon couldn't help but want to encourage the adeptus who had no understanding of his own feelings. Even though Xiao had confessed that he loved you many times - even though it was simply towards the wind - he still didn't understand all his feelings. After all, love was one of the many more troublesome feelings of the heart.

The anemo archon had heard the confessions of Xiao many times through the wind and couldn't help but feel pity. He wanted to bestow his knowledge to best help the adeptus understand his own feelings better. 

However, even Venti was confused about how you were able to come back to life - without any memories but come back to life no less - after what you had given up. Usually, giving up your own soul would cause you to completely disappear. Life would be able to be reborn as long as one still had their soul but the fact that you had given it up to save Xiao's and you had been reborn with the same face shocked him to no end. It was without a doubt a mystery of the times. Even with that in mind, Venti still wanted to help the two of you. After all, you were the only one that was able to give the young adeptus true happiness.

"You know," Venti started. "If you don't chase after her, she could fall for the traveler Aether. He does have his nice qualities."

Xiao's eye twitched in annoyance as he felt jealousy bloom in his heart. He didn't want you falling for Aether. He wanted you all for himself. He wanted your smiles to be because of him.

"Even though she doesn't know you consciously," Venti continued. "I think her subconscious still remembers you. Don't you remember how she cried as if her heart had been broken after you left her."

Xiao was speechless. He did in fact recall how you had cried the moment that he left, the moment that he had run away. You would have never reacted that way had you not actually known him. Those tears that had fallen were because of him. Those tears that you had shed had been your fault.

"It's all my fault," Xiao muttered as he mentally beat himself up for being too blind to realize it.

"It's not too late you know," Venti advised him. "You still have time."

"I-" Xiao didn't know what to say.

"If you really love her as you say then don't leave her like that."

Finally having an understanding of the situation, Xiao ran towards Liyue Harbor having a feeling that he should go there.

"I wish you luck on your love," Venti smiled as he watched the adeptus run in hopes of finding you. "You're going to need it."

As Xiao ran, he thought of multiple scenarios that could happen the moment that you saw him. She could run up to him and hug him, she could stay away from him in fear. You could hate him for what he had done. All of the scenarios that were going through his mind got darker and darker as he started to fear looking for you. But even then, he loved you and wanted to see for himself if you would love him back. 

He refused to give up. He wouldn't let himself make the same regret that he had made all those years ago. He would protect you even if it meant giving up his own life because he was never able to be there for you.

"Y/n," he said to no one in particular as he finally made it to Liyue Harbor.

He had ran as fast as he could. He didn't want to be late. He didn't want to regret anything anymore.

"Hey y/n," Xiao heard the voice of Aether. "Lets go to Wanmin restaurant now. I'm sure Paimon's looking forward to it. My treat."

Paimon flew around the two people, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "Can't wait. I'm so hungry."

"Ok," you had grinned at Aether to Xiao's distaste.

Clenching his fist, Xiao built up all the courage he had to go up to you. He had to fix all his wrongs and change the mistake that he had made. Jumping towards the road to the gate of Liyue Harbor, he followed you, Paimon, and Aether.