𝕎𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕊𝕒𝕪 𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕓𝕪𝕖 | 𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕆𝕔 𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕥

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 18: 𝐵𝓎𝑒 𝐵𝓎𝑒 𝐿𝒾𝓎𝓊𝑒

͙✧˖°࿐ It was dusk when they reached the Stone Gate, with Childe's head still being bruised from the beating Xiao gave him. Yue had woken up during Xiao's assault on the Harbinger and calmed him down before a murder occured.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to spend the night here."

Childe glanced around, looking for a place to camp out.

"No," Xiao stated.

"No?"

"Xiao, what do you mean?" Yue cocked her head to the side.

" We're not spending the night here. You are spending the night here."

Yue was really confused now, "Xiao?"

Childe sighed, "Listen, I know I took the sex jokes too far but--"

When he looked back up, he was talking to nothing but air.

"Oh that asshole..."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Xiao had picked Yue up again and teleported across the border into Mondstadt. With the Dawn Winery just ahead, it would take no more than two days to reach the City of Freedom, but that was not Yue's destination.

"What was that for?"

"He was annoying," Xiao deadpanned.

"I understand that! But that was rude! No more teleporting with me away from people without my permission."

Xiao pouted the slightest bit, "Fine. No more teleporting."

"Good. Now we need to find a place to stay."

The Adeptus nodded his head towards the Winery, "Why not there?"

Yue paused, "I mean... Maybe? Diluc seems like he would be nice enough to let travelers stay in his mansion. I guess it's worth a shot."

The two began the short walk to the mansion of the Dawn Winery, with Yue becoming distracted by the crystalflies that were around. She was definitely not thinking of Xiao's birthday message, no siree.

"They glow so brightly! And they're adorable! I love them!" Yue giggled as two crystalflies came up to her and fluttered around her head. Shortly after that, they lightly landed on her horns, which caused Yue to giggle more.

"They... are nice."

"Aw come on Xiao! They're better than just-"

She had turned around to see Xiao's head covered in crystalflies. He was trying to keep a straight face, his eyebrow twitching occasionally. Yue let out a full laugh at the sight.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I don't know whether to think you look ridiculous or radiant!" she paused, "Or both!"

Xiao's cheeks lit up slightly as he turned to the side. He knew that the crystalflies flocked to him because of his abundant anemo energy, but seeing Yue happy always made his heart skip a beat.

It was quiet for just a moment until a deep voice called out, "Who's there?!"

The crystalflies were spooked, and they began to scatter to various parts of the Winery.

Above Xiao and Yue, coming down from a path from the Mansion, was a lantern that was barely illuminating its carrier. But the small amount of light was all Yue needed to know who it was.

The fiery red hair was a dead giveaway.

It was Diluc.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Xiao and Yue were now inside the mansion at Dawn Winery. The two were sitting in front of the fireplace on the lower floor of the mansion, with Diluc staring at the two of them.

"What were you doing in my vineyard?"

Xiao simply looked to the side, leaving Yue alone to explain the situation.

"Well, we were just passing through! But then I got distracted by the crystalflies and we just... you know, were playing with them?" she nervously finished off, as Diluc's eyes narrowed.

"And who are you?"

"We're from Liyue," Xiao butted in, "We heard about that... Storm... something or rather."

"And the Qixing were worried about trade between Mondstadt and Liyue!" Yue picked up, "I'm the Secretary of the Qixing, and Miss Ningguang sent me to check if anything would change! My friend here is just a bodyguard that Miss Ningguang assigned to me."

THANK YOU XIAO GOD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Diluc's eyebrow rose, "And how can I trust you? You were moving late at night which is suspicious in and of itself."

"Unfortunately, the Fatui ," Xiao spat, "delayed our travels quite a bit."

Well, I mean, he isn't wrong.

The winery owner nodded slowly, seemingly accepting the answer with Xiao's clear contempt for the Fatui.

"I see. You can stay here for the night then make your way to Mondstadt tomorrow. The third room on your right upstairs is open to use," with that, Diluc stood up and made his way over to the door.

"Oh, thank you, sir!"

Diluc glanced back and nodded in acknowledgement before leaving.

"Well, Xiao, it looks like we got ourselves a free room!"

She hopped up and pulled Xiao along with her to the room. She pushed the door open and one thing stood out to her.

THERE'S ONLY ONE BED

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Xiao had said he would've been perfectly fine with either sleeping on the floor or not sleeping at all. Yue had been adamant that he (what with all the karmic debt) needed to sleep on the bed. The argument went something along the lines of:

"Yue, I don't need to sleep."

"You do!"

"I don't."

"You do!"

"I don't."

"When was the last time you slept?"

"..."

"Exactly! Now lie down! I don't care if we're in the same bed! Just means free cuddles!"

It was after that when Xiao had begrudgingly lied down with Yue on the bed. Apparently all he wanted were cuddles, and that's what Yue was going to give him all night. She snuggled up to Xiao and wrapped her arms around his torso.

Xiao froze before slowly relaxing and hugging Yue back. She smiled into his shoulder before slowly falling asleep, oblivious to the erratic beating of Xiao's heart.