Tevyat's not-so-helpful travel guide

"Painful Memories"

The adeptus sat still, ever so observant of everything that surrounded him. 

Everything was quiet.

Still.

Peaceful.

Not a single sound was heard, but to be fair he was in the highest peak of Jueyun Karst, so nothing was out of the ordinary. He solemn wondered what could have made this place more...lively, but he never bothered to do anything about it because he liked it quiet. 

Yet some days, he yearned and prayed for someone to share this peacefulness with,

Adeptus do get lonely too, sometimes.

sigh.

then, like a melody, a faint memory begins to play in his mind. 

A good memory, one of which is not tainted by his hands.

...........

"Hm? do you really spend your time up here all alone? Does it not get lonely?"

they said, he still somehow remembered their smile...it wasn't an unpleasant one.

"Yes, i do, i rather not waste time trying to converse with another mortal about useless affairs."

he said, a rather bored expression was on his face that day.

"Eh?! I thought you said you didn't mind my company, has that suddenly changed?"

they said, now saddened and crossing their arms, looking away.

he felt a little bit bad, sighing and putting his hand on their shoulder.

"I do like your company, whenever you speak your mind to me, i  am rather entertained with the ways you speak about nonsense....enjoy that because you will never hear it again."

he said, quickly turning away to whatever he was looking at, while their gaze fixated even more on him when they thought he wasn't looking.

"You know, i think i'll never get tired of being around you, not just because of your beauty but because you listen to me about anything and you give me quite the useful advice."

they pause for a brief moment, thinking about what to say next.

"Even if  I don't call out to you when i truly need it, you always seem to come to my aid, i am ever so grateful for that Xiao, i have no idea how i deserve you..but im thankful  i was able to meet you."

they said, smiling and now drifting to sleep on the adeptus'  shoulder, their steady breathing was the only thing filling up the silence in between them.

"You do not understand how much you mean to me as well Y/N, I thought I would have perished within my own karmic debt and I surely would have been fine with that. Yet, for some odd reason, you came to me like a light, a light in which I do not think I am worthy of.  I am grateful to the archons for putting you in my pathway, because I think by now I would have given in to the darkness that consumes me. Thank you."

he said, as they slept peacefully in his arms, safe from harm.

.............

Though that wasn't the end of  their story.

All good things come to an end eventually.

though he never thought it would ever end like that.

Xiao grabbed at his hair, trying to forget what happened later that day,

It was supposed to be happy