The adeptus from the fight (Xiao x Aether)

Lantern Rites Wishes

a/n: Hello crystalfies! Sorry it took me so long to get the next chapter done. The whole writing thing is new for me haha! Slight TW! Anyways... Let's start chapter two 'Lantern Rites Wishes'
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Xiao POV:
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As I viewed upon Guili Plains I heard footsteps that only became louder. They stopped eventually... I turned around to see Aether and Paimon behind me. They looked at me as if they wanted to ask something and wouldn't stop asking until I agreed to it. And what do you know... I was right. "Please Xiao! Just this Lantern Rite... So many Lantern Rites have passed and you still won't go and take a look...", Aether tryed to convince me but it didn't work out. "Even if than festival is all about me and my past allies... I don't want to go because I detest crowded places. And if the people of Liyue were to hear that the Vigilant Yaksha is in Liyue Harbor I would only draw attention to myself even more than Lantern Rite already causes." "But what else are you going to do? The Millalith are taking care of possible threats and there's nothing else the Adepti are really used for except protection...", Paimon and Aether really wanted me to go but I still wasn't sure if I should...
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Eventually I agreed but only if we stayed at the outskirts of Liyue Harbor. We still had a day until the Minxiao Lantern would be set off so we decided to stay at Wangshu Inn for the night. Verr Goldet said we could stay but we'll have to share a room...
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As we were getting ready to rest I noticed something on Aether hand... He usually has his gloves on so I guess he doesn't want anyone to see it. I was already finished with getting ready so I was waiting for Aether. Paimon was also already done. When he walked in I looked at the hand that I noticed something but it was wrapped in bandages. "Uhhm Aether...", I started, "What happened to your hand?" He looked at me as if no one has ever asked that before. "U-uh I was... Fighting an abyss mage and scratched my hand!", he tryed to lie about it... I could tell. "Don't lie to me. You can tell me anything and I'll try to help the best way possible.", Aether was just staring at me and I didn't know if I said anything wrong. "It's nothing I swear!" I knew it wasn't 'nothing' so I kept asking over and over but he would keep denying that something is wrong. After a few more tryed he gave in. I could see that he started to tear up a bit and started saying what was really going on. I noticed Paimon fell asleep so I thought he waited for that so she wouldn't hear what was going on with him. "I... How do I say this... Uhm- you see I don't think you'd understand!" He was buying time. "You cut don't you?" he was shocked. "H-how do you..." "I've done it too. That's why I figured that the first thing you said with the abyss mage wasn't true" Aether looked down to the floor and just stood there not moving an inch. "Come here...", I said as I opened my arms, welcoming Aether into a hug. Tears fell down his face as he fell into my arms hugging me tightly until we fell asleep...
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Aether POV:
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"Aether~ Xiao~ wake uuuppp!" Paimon was shaking my body and when I awoke fully I noticed me and Xiao fell asleep cuddling each other. I was shocked and my body shot up into a sitting possision which woke up Xiao. "Huh..? What's wrong Aether?", Xiao said in his sleepy voice. "O-oh uhh it's nothing! Just- I didn't expect you to you know..." "To actually kepp my arms around you the whole night?", Xiao asked and I was supprised that he figured it out so easily.
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After we put on our normal clothes we started our journey to Liyue Harbor. On the way there we got ambushed by a few Hillichurls but they were no problem to deal with... By the time we arrived it was already evening so we quickly looked for a spot to sit and enjoy the show without interruptions.
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When it was time for the grand finale of this year's Lantern Rite I gave Xiao a Xiao Lantern to make a wish. "How does that work?" "When the Minxiao Lantern flies off you release the lantern and make a wish meanwhile. The lanterns will reach the heavens where all the gods are and they will make your wish come true!", I explained how the Xiao Lanterns work and even said why they were named after him." Look the Minxiao Lantern is flying!", Paimon said which cought both of our attention. We set off our lanterns and made our wish. When the Minxiao Lantern passed us we all looked amazed.
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"Let's go get some food! Paimon is starving!", Paimon said with a huge smile on her face. "Sure! Where do we go? Oh wait. Hmmm...", I looked at Xiao when I realized that we promised to stay at the outskirts. "It's fine I'll just go back to Wangshu Inn." "No if you go back we will go too", I said as I smiled at Xiao.
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Back at Wnagshu Inn we asked Verr Goldet if we could use the kitchen downstairs and she said yes as long as we use our own ingridients to cook. "What should we make?", Paimon asked as she looked at me and Xiao. "Maybe some grilled ticker fish?", Xiao asked. "ooo good idea!", I answered. We cooked the dish and sat down at a table. After we ate we still talked for a while but after that we parted ways again for a while...
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a/n: omg this chapter had so many mood swings- anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter even tho I wasn't very creative with it... I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in the next chapter! Btw this was 2021 lantern rite so if you haven't played genshin back then then I recommend you watch the ending cutscene to avoid confusion. Bye for now my dear crystalfies!