Winter Moon | Xiao x Fem Reader

From stone to life

"So, ojou-chan, where are we off to next?" Childe asked you. You were still around the fire, everyone was still too wound up to really sleep - and that meant Childe, seeing as he was the only human in a company of non-mortals that needed little to no sleep.

"We're looking for leads as to where she might've gone. My stars- I followed her until Liyue and lost track of her. We need to find clues on whether she's still in Liyue or if she left it."

"And she's a yaksha, she wouldn't dare mingle with the mortals of Liyue Harbour. Most likely she's as far from them as possible. Not many mortals can withstand a yaksha's energy." Xiao continued for you. The teacup Zhongli had handed him remained untouched.

"I'll take that as a compliment, shortie." Childe mocked from his place beside you. You could almost immediately see Xiao lose his temper, weapon conjuring in his hand.

"Hey, hey, there's no need for that. We should rest and continue on our way once the moon sets." You tried to reason but Childe had already conjured his own dual water blades.

"Come, have some tea with me." Zhongli patted the seat beside him. You sighed in exasperation as you sat beside him. He handed you a new, hot cup of tea that you gladly accepted as your eyes followed Childe and Xiao out of the cavern.

"This is going to be a long journey." You said, listening in on the sounds of blades clashing.

"Are you sure Yin really is here?" The sudden change of topic startled you and you looked at Zhongli quizzically.

"What do you mean?" Why would he suddenly bring up your yaksha?

"My loss of gnosis is very recent. I don't believe I would've missed it if someone as powerful as a yaksha stepped onto my territory. Perhaps she is no longer here or she never was in the first place." He stated as he calmly sipped his tea. "Or perhaps have you come here seeking something else?" He knew something wasn't right with you. He noticed it the moment he saw you, saw it in the way you talked and the moment you had first laid your eyes upon Xiao.

"I-..." He was as perceptive as always, that or because he'd known you since you were a newborn god, had trained you and watched you grow into the feared yet respected Celestial Goddess you once were. "There is something else, that's true," you replied.

You didn't know how to continue though. How do you explain the sudden desire you'd felt to come back to Liyue, the weird nostalgic feeling you had once you finally stepped in its borders, the constricting of your lungs when you'd first seen Xiao or the mysterious agony that had overwhelmed you when you'd seen the half-frozen tree.

Was Zhongli's trust in you wavering? So soon? On another hand, perhaps he was right. He couldn't have missed the fact that a yaksha had stepped into his domain. He would've definitely felt it. Or was it something else? It seemed that since you'd arrived in Liyue there always was something else.

"Nonetheless, my priority is Yin. I've never been this close to finding her. I can't give up now, Zhongli." You said, turning to him with pleading eyes.

"You know I'd never refuse to help you, you don't need to look at me like that. No matter what you say, you are still the current God of the Moon and I would never disobey you." He stated, as a matter of fact, continuing to sip on his tea ever so calmly.

A silent rage swirled in your chest as you turned your whole body towards him. "I want you to help me because you're you and I'm me, not because of your duties as an Archon to obey the Celestials. I want you to help me because Yin fought for you in the Archon war when she swore she'd never fight again just because of what you meant to me. Because I know how much she hates herself that she wasn't there when I-" You cut yourself off, you didn't want to finish the sentence.