alatus nemeseos「xiao x reader」

gratitude

The night that settles across Dihua Marsh is violent with bouts of storm and fury. Torrents of rain pound relentlessly on the gable roof of Wangshu Inn.

The Yaksha that sometimes lingers on the upper floors is nowhere to be found.

Pensively, you stare out into the heavy storm, the beckon of dread that lingers outside the safety of the inn's perimeter. It would be reckless to search for him, in this archon forsaken storm — he could be anywhere — but that irrational notion remains at the forefront of your thoughts as time drags on.

Lightning strikes the ground with a thunderous crack, illuminating the wetlands with a flash of electro energy. And almost imperceptibly, there is a shift in the wind.

A quiet, choked gasp has you startling before you finally recognize the figure that appears before you, his face twisted in a pained grimace.

"Xiao!" Your body moves faster than your mind can comprehend, forcing your feet forward as you scramble to his side, bearing his unsteady weight with both arms as he slumps forward. The adeptus tenses when you touch his skin, but otherwise doesn't offer any resistance as you carefully set him gently under the eaves and away from the storm.

"I'm fine," he grits out slowly, cheeks dusting a faint pink as you gently prod him for severe injuries. "Stop poking around."

As expected, you ignore that particular bit until you're satisfied with your examination. "Nothing too severe. You just pushed yourself too far... again." With that, you let out a well-worn sigh before retrieving the first aid bag to treat his wounds like usual. Xiao watches quietly as you work scrupulously to apply the cool medicinal salve over various cuts before bandaging each one up neatly; even minor scrapes are sent off with a plaster to avoid any further kind of irritation or discomfort.

His amber eyes seem to glow in the darkness, reflecting the dim candlelight tenfold as he meets your gaze.

Like a cat, you note.

They flicker to your face, scrunched in concentration as you methodically address each injury with practiced ease, and a question forms in his mind. "This is pointless. As an adeptus, these will all heal without a trace in due time. Why do you bother yourself with these minor injuries?"

The words hang in the air uncomfortably. You pause, and there's a bitterness in your voice when you finally answer: "Because there's nothing else I can do. I can't fight alongside you or protect you while you're out there, alone against archons knows what. So at least, allow me this."

Your eyes are piercing in the moonlight, he thinks distractedly, and nods.

Your lips tug upwards faintly as you return the first aid bag to its proper place. But before you can move towards one of the spare rooms to set it up, his hand latches onto your wrist firmly, tugging you back. Caught off guard, you trip over his legs and land squarely into his lap with a surprised yelp.

"Just... stay with me for a while."

There's a note of hesitancy in his words that makes you dip your head as your cheeks flare with scarlet. "Alright."

Xiao radiates a welcome warmth that wards off the chill of the storm and as you relax into his hold, you can feel the exhaustion slowly but surely settling into your bones.

The following morning, Verr Goldet finds you curled up asleep against the Yaksha's chest, his arm resting protectively over your shoulders. Under her amused gaze, Xiao stirs. He glances up at the woman, before bringing a finger to his lips while the other arm drops to encircle your waist. She nods imperceptibly; an understanding is reached. He scoops you into his arms, careful not to jostle you as he rises to his feet and vanishes before her eyes.

He reappears in your room and sets you upon the bed, dragging the blanket over you as he does so. A sense of déjà vu hits him as he draws the blinds down low, before returning to sit beside you on the edge of the bed. The mattress dips to accommodate Xiao's weight as you shift towards him, still sleeping soundly as he absently rearranges the knickknacks on your nightstand (he recognizes the charm he'd made for your birthday amongst them with a hint of foreign pride). It's become a routine for you to wait for him to come back from his nightly endeavors and tend to his wounds — one that he has come to begrudgingly accept.

And something that he'll not admit, even to himself: There have been nights where he looks forward to it. To see your face when he reappears on the balcony, your warm eyes betraying your harsh admonishments as you fuss over him.

"Idiot." Xiao chastises quietly as he ghosts a hand over your cheek, a familiar scowl etching itself across his face. "You couldn't leave it well enough alone. I've told you that there was no need for you to wait about for my return." There's a bit of petulance bleeding into his voice, almost pleading with you to stop before it can destroy you both.

Still, he knows you're too stubborn to listen to his countless reprovals. And selfishly, he no longer wants to convince you otherwise either.

Xiao sighs, running a gloved hand through his mussed hair while the other seeks yours. It's a pathetic, the way he wants to lay down and entangle himself with you as the sun rises to dye your bodies gold in the morning light, to bind your souls so close together that they could never part.

After all, he's grown far too fond — too reliant — of you, Xiao acknowledges bitterly, the thought curling in his stomach with the weight of a sin. But when his gaze falls upon you, he finds himself softening just the same at the sight of the expression on your face as you doze peacefully beside him.

"...thank you, nonetheless."

Half-asleep, you grip his hand a bit tighter and mumble, "You're welcome."There's something else he needs to tell you, but it can wait until you're properly awake to hear him say it (or alternatively, when he's figured out how to voice it aloud). For now, Xiao is simply content to watch over you, fingers interlaced with yours as you dream.