𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 [Xiao x Aether]

[9] Symphony of Night

Everything after that went well. Xiao's wounds were taken care of, and the team had decided to return back to Wangshu Inn for a well-needed rest.

Verr Goldet had been kind enough to lend the team a pretty decently sized room. Inside of it were 3 relatively small beds with silk sheets. On the far corner of the room was a couch with a small coffee table. Beidou had opted to sleep on the couch, leaving the other 3 beds to everyone else.

Aether tried giving the other three the beds, offering to just sleep on the floor. However, he was shut down quite quickly.

"I'll stand watch. You need sleep." Xiao insisted, pressing a pillow into the blonde's hands. Everyone else had already started drifting off to sleep, leaving only the two boys.

Aether, of course, didn't want to accept defeat so easily. "You're injured. You need rest more than I do!"

"You're forgetting something," the adeptus said. "I don't sleep, remember?"

The blonde stared back for a moment, then buried his face into the silk pillow to hide the pink hue stretching across his face. He sighed, stepping towards the bed and carefully pulling back the sheets.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning?" Aether asked, stifling a yawn.

"...Yes."

The adeptus turned towards the door, quietly taking his spear from its leaning position against the wall.

"Xiao?"

He turned back, raising a brow.

"Please don't run off." The blonde said, before succumbing to the comfort of the pillows.

Xiao watched as Aether fell asleep, not taking another step before he could hear the sound of the blonde's gentle snoring.

"I won't, I promise."

------------------

The area around the Inn was quiet. Xiao always preferred how the sound of the wind brushing through the trees was so much more distinguishable when it wasn't drowned out by the constant chatter that day brought. He loved the gentle hush of flowing water and the songs sung by crickets. Above it all, nothing relaxed the adeptus more than the potent smell of the wild. Though its people were asleep, Liyue itself was more lively than ever.

The gentle chill of night was so calming compared to the pulsing heat of the sun. The moonlight was just bright enough to hold the land in its embrace, glistening upon rivers and guiding creatures big and small towards whatever it was they desired.

Although he had seen this same atmosphere time and time again, Xiao couldn't help but savor each piece of it. All throughout history, through each tragedy and each victory, the one thing that never changed was this.

Except for one night.

When his thoughts drifted towards remembrance, Xiao desperately tried to force them from it. Flashes of light resurfaced in his mind, the curtains that the adeptus had spent putting up to suppress it crashing down.

A bright orange light enveloped Liyue, rising from the land and reaching up into the black velvet sky. The wind was howling, sweeping through the land in bursts of unrivaled rage. Flames rose high, weakening support beams and sending buildings tumbling into the ground.

How was this happening?

Xiao searched the crumbling city, looking for anyone, hell, anything that he could. Thick smoke consumed his vision, with only the sound of crackling flames to guide him through the empty streets. Shards of shattered glass flew through the air, embedding themselves into the yaksha's skin. However, that hardly bothered him. No, he had more problems to worry about. He listened for any signs of life, hoping that anyone who still remained in the city could be heard.

That is, anyone who remained and was still alive.

A familiar voice called out to him. "Alatus, there you are!"

The yaksha turned on his heels to find a hand reach out through the fog. He took it and was pulled towards a blurry figure.

"There isn't any time, you need to get out of here." The figure spoke, quickly taking hold of the yaksha's wrist.

"There could still be survivors out there," Xiao argued, ripping his arm from the figure's grasp. "We can't leave them here!"

The sound of the dock collapsing could be heard; the water hissed as fire met its surface.

"The enemy will come back any moment. If we don't leave now, we'll go down with this place."

"It's my job to protect the people of Liyue! Rex Lapis is counting on us. I won't abandon the city."

"Don't you see Alatus?" The figure yelled, taking hold of the yaksha's wrist again. "I called out to Morax, and he didn't answer. You can't protect anything if you're dead!"

"But-"

"We're the only ones left. I can't bear to lose you too, okay?" The figure pleaded. "For once, just listen!"

"...Xiao?"

Xiao? Who was that?

"Xiao! Hey, you okay?"

The yaksha stared at the figure's lips moving, speaking with a voice so unlike the one before.

"Hey, buddy?!"

Xiao awoke with a jolt, feeling something clutched onto his shoulder. The adeptus turned to find a familiar set of golden eyes staring back at him.

"Oh, hello traveler." The adeptus said, taking the other boy's hand and removing it from his shoulder.

"Aether."

"Hm?"

The blonde sighed, stepped up beside Xiao, and leaned forward on the wooden railing. "Please, call me that instead?" Aether pleaded.

The adeptus nodded. "Sure, Aether."

"So, I thought you promised to not to run off?" The blonde turned.

"So far I've kept that."

Aether laughed. "Really now? What do you call this then?"

The adeptus took a step away from the other, gaining a bit of space between the two. "Getting some fresh air."

"I see."

The two stood in silence after that. The sounds of nature took control once again, until they were interrupted.

"Are you okay?" Aether asked.

Xiao turned back towards the blonde with a raised brow. "Of course I am."

"You seemed distressed a minute ago?"

The adeptus didn't reply, instead turned back to face the view.

"You don't have to tell me of course!" Aether rambled. "It's just,"

He took a deep breath.

"I've just been worried about you. I don't know why, but I feel like something is really bothering you. I know I haven't known you for long, but I still consider you my friend. I want you to know that you can confide in me if there's anything you may need help with, okay?" Aether got up from the railing and stretched. "I'll leave you be."

"Wait,"

The blonde turned back.

"Stay, please?" Xiao muttered.

"Sure."