everlasting lament | Aether

001

Two figures, one of looks like a teenager and one that looks like an adult woman, stood at the top of a mountain as they looked down at the sea below them. One face was exposed for all to see but the other was hidden from all.

A strand of hair that was an unusual hair color, sways in the win gently as the figure tilts their head upwards to look at the star gazed sky above.

A flash of [E/C] color flashes as a shooting star goes by.

The figure said nothing, they both say nothing as they sigh. The masked one looks back to see the other holding a Xiao lantern towards them and the masked one smiles slightly.

"The moon...is beautiful, isn't it?" The unmasked figures says, unintentionally not knowing the meaning of this phrase, for he was a rather dense one.

The masked one stays silent before nodding as they slowly let go of the lanterns and watch them as they float up into the dark of night.

The masked figure stands up at this as a sign to leave, for they had to return to the nation they called home for a couple of eons.

"Wait, here take this. It's a butterfly amulet made from crystal flies."

Xiao places the gift on the palm of their hand before taking a step back, watching as the masked figure removes the mask from their face. Their face now visible to him and he could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears as they smile at him.

Placing the mask on him and ruffling his hair gently, just as they were there, they were now gone with the wind into the dead of night.

Xiao takes off the mask and traces it with his finger before smiling...

who knew that would be the last time he ever saw this person, who he called his only friend, become one corrupted with revenge. But that was roughly 500 years ago.

—

"Seriously, not even Zhongli will tell us who this person is as well?" Paimon sighs, crossing her arms before accepting defeat after weeks of trying to gather information only after remembering the one person they didn't interrogate—uh, she means asked.

"Let's go ask Xiao!" Paimon drags Aether who just lets her, after all, if it meant her finally finding the remaining gossip then she would just drop it sooner or later.

They both arrive at the Inn and Verr greets them as usual, "hey you two, here for a room?"

Paimon says no, "actually, we're here to see Xiao!"

Verr nods and tells them he's on the top floor balcony as always.

Paimon was excited to see if Xiao would actually spill about this mysterious person she kept trying to figure out.

"I refuse to talk about this matter, now leave."

Paimon's face fell upon hearing this, Aether sweatdropping from the side as Xiao had his back faced to them, an empty plate beside him before Paimon yells at him.

"You're gonna tell us whenever you want to or not! How is this masked person we saw the other day?!"

Xiao sighs, rolling his eyes before looking up at the stars in the night sky, "This masked person you are speaking of, is someone that should be talked about with pure respect and nothing else."

Paimon waves her hand at this, not caring for it since she just wanted the juicy stuff. "Respect, blah, blah....onto the important things."

Xiao glances back at her with a glare, "if you do not care for such an simple thing as respect than you will receive no answer from me." He says and his voice ends there, not paying attention to Paimon who immediately apologizes at this.

"Paimon is sorry! Please continue, Xiao!" She pleads, whining to Aether who just watches the scene unfold before him. He was actually quite entertained at this, Paimon was actually interested in something that wasn't treasure nor food, it was quite refreshing for him. But in the back of his mind, he too was a little curious on who this 'jingwei' person was. Maybe she had information of his sister or maybe his beloved.

"Every well, she is nothing more than a being closer to the heavens in terms of power and knowledge. Being on this world for more than serveral eons, she has learned the importance of many things of life and had achieved many great things. In short terms, she is a remarkable woman with power and knowledge, it's surprising she isn't an archon herself."

Xiao says, speaking more than he had intended too as Paimon listens in.

"But even she had suffered her great deal of losses over time."

"So, do you think we can meet her?" Paimon brushes off the last part and leans in.

Xiao immediately recognizes that he should have just stayed quiet at this time, "....forget it, I've spoken more than I should have." It was clear Paimon had only interest in jingwei and not who she was entirely.

He disappears from the balcony, ignoring how Paimon was calling out for him.

"Wait! Piamon still has questions!?"

—

Xiao arrives at Guyun Stone forest at a specific spot and he spots a familiar figure sitting on the edge. He teleports faster and stumbles on his feet as if he was going any slower, the figure would leave before he could get there.

"It's you...." Xiao breathe out, approaching the figure and they stop their movements before looking back at him.

He feels his blood run cold as his amber eyes meet a single [E/C] eye while the other is tainted with a color of sea blue as there is little remaining of [E/C] color.

Parting his lips, he reaches out and carefully touches their face as if they would break at his touch. "W-what happened to you.....[Y/n]?"

He mutters out jingwei's real name without thinking and [Y/n] smiles at this but he could see it held no meaning. "My beloved Xiao, how long has it been since we met face to face?"

The empty smile still plaster on [Y/n]'s lips made Xiao grit his teeth and pull her into a hug, "more than 300 years, you idiot."

[Y/n] doesn't return the hug as her arms stay at her side and she averts her eyes away before burning her face into his shoulder. "Sorry." She mutters out, closing her eyes at this rare chance of pure bliss.

After this little reunion moment between them, Xiao brings it upon himself to buy her new clothes since he had taken notice of the long, old coat that she wore.

"Hm? But, where would you get the Mora for it, Xiao?" She asks as they walk back to Wangshu Inn but remains silent, basically answering her question.

She grins at this, "it's alright, you don't have to buy me anything."

Xiao looks at her before thinking of something, "no, I'll find a way just comeback in three days."

"Alright, I'll be back in three days exact so I'll see you later, Xiao." She vanishes into the night just as two pair of familiar voices are heard in the distance, making Xiao sigh.

"There you are! Paimon has been looking for you and calling your name for hours!?"