𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨 ―𝐠. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

13 || Sunlight and Music

Sunlight. 

Under a tree, basking in the gentle streams of warmth without a care in the world--that was where Xiao would most often find you when you weren't at the Inn or treating another patient. It made him wonder on multiple occasions just how comfortable it was for you to sleep in the open that way. In the past, he would dismiss your actions as incomprehensible mortal activities, but he knew better than that now; you were a god who went through the harshness of a world war and traveled all of Teyvat by yourself. Maybe sleeping in the sunlight had a deeper purpose.

It was to his misfortune that he was thinking so often of you right under a tree in the marsh, which was perfect to test it out. 

"..."

He glanced once, twice, at his surroundings, making sure no one was nearby to witness, and tentatively slumping against the base of the sandbearer tree. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to try your habits, simply to get to know you a little better. He had purged the monster camps nearby as well, so he was not going against his contract. This would only be a quick moment anyways.

Brushing the olive-colored grass beneath his hands, Xiao looked up at the sky and watched as a few birds flew by. He remembered the feathers he found twice, both of which led to you, and took them out of his pockets. Although slightly ruffled, they were still as beautiful as ever, the (f/c) glistening in the streaks of light peeking through the tree leaves. His eyes drooped as he twirled a feather in his hand.

"I don't know where you came from, but I must thank you," he said earnestly, leaning his head against the tree. "You led me to someone important on two occasions."

He yawned and rubbed his eyes languidly, listening to the answer of silence from the feather in his hands. "Serene" was the only word the Adeptus could think of to describe the scenery. Liyue was indeed a place of beauty, and he forgot this fact many times, too busy protecting it to bother taking a second to admire it.

Birds chirped in the distance, and the grass ruffled in the wind. Without realizing, Xiao's eyes closed, and his muscles relaxed. 

He fell asleep to these calming sounds, basking in the sunlight he knew you loved.

⊱ ────── {⋆❀⋆} ────── ⊰

"Oh?" An amused sound of curiosity escaped your lips as you stopped in your tracks. You were on your way back to the inn after drinking tea with Cloud Retainer (who you reprimanded and forgave for exposing your identity carelessly), deciding to walk on a path because the weather was nice, when you noticed a familiar figure lying at the base of a tree.

Never have you seen Xiao sleeping out in the open. Quietly, you walked closer and examined his peaceful expression, your eyes tracing up and down his relaxed figure, only to notice something peculiar. In his hand was one of your tail feathers. Raising your eyebrows, you leaned in for a better look, only to confirm that indeed it was yours. A ghost of a smile formed on your lips as you plucked a leaf from the tree, testing its strength, bending it slightly, and pressing it in your mouth.

You blew and created the first note of your melody, playing quietly at first as you gradually became louder. Xiao, in turn, stirred from his sleep with slow blinks. His eyes widened when he processed where he was, and his eyes widened even more when he saw you standing in front of him. However, your song calmed him down, prompting him to relax back into the tree.

When you finished the tune, you removed the leaf from your lips and smiled, tipping your rice hat up to uncover your face.

"Good evening, little Xiao. I'm surprised to see you sleeping here," you said as you sat down next to him. 

The Adeptus looked away, his cheeks as flushed as a rose, and blurted, "S-sleeping? You are mistaken."

Bursting out in laughter as Xiao's face continued to glow red, you removed your hat and set it to the side, letting your hair free in the breeze. The two of you bickered a while about the truth of his sleep until the Yaksha finally changed the topic, thoroughly embarrassed.

"So," he stammered, trying to regain his composure, "how did you play that song?"

Taken aback by the sudden topic change, you took a second to realize that he was referring to the melody you played with the leaf to wake him up. You smiled and said, "The leaf of a sandbearer tree is rather sturdy, perfect to act as an air chamber when you blow wind in it. If you press it and use your voice in certain ways, you can change the pitch."

Holding the leaf back in between your lips, you played an octave to demonstrate. You released the leaf and let it flutter away in the wind once you were finished, turning to Xiao once more.

"Fun fact: I taught Barbatos how to play, and now he's quite skilled, maybe even more so than me."

"Barbatos?" Xiao echoed, his eyebrows slightly raised in surprise. He muttered something about a flute from the Dihua Marsh and how you had saved him once before indirectly, but you couldn't hear him clearly.

"Yes, Barbatos," you decided to say, pulling him out of his thoughts. "He gave you your vision, yes? Do you remember that moment?"

With a sudden solemn expression, the Adeptus murmured, "I do not. It matters not, only marking the beginning of my battles."

You noticed the sad air around him and held his hand, earning his attention. You hated to see him remembering negative things, and you didn't want to pry any further into his sensitive past. Bringing his hand up to your face, you gently kissed his knuckles and smiled, deciding it was your turn to change the topic.

"Do you have any more questions for me?" you hummed, teasing him for his attempt to stop talking about his nap. The Yaksha coughed in response and, glancing at you bashfully, looked down at his hand once you let go.

"...Do you not take notes anymore?" he inquired. He remembered how you always had a small journal with you, how you would open to a tattered page, jotting whatever needed to be written for the day. It was hidden in the inner fold of your robe, but you had yet to take it out for the past few days.

It was true that you haven't been taking notes of his morning results after you lost your journal from the village incident, but you didn't think that Xiao would notice such a minuscule thing. You plopped your head on his shoulder, feeling his body stiffen at first before relaxing once again.

"I seem to have dropped it in the burned village, but no matter. I will make a new journal soon. Plus, I have the ability to remember everything about my patients," you answered truthfully.

"Why write then?" He cocked his head in confusion, adding, "It is tedious and unneeded."

"...Writing on the paper made by the land returns them to the earth and leaves a part of them recorded in history. I do not wish for my patients to be forgotten...Though, as you aren't mortal, it's not necessary for me to do this," you replied, forming a small, teasing smile. "And, I would like to know you on a more personal level than just my notes."

You saw the faint rosiness on Xiao's ears and chuckled. The Yaksha, you found, blushed easily, contrary to his stoic facial expressions. Perhaps a stranger wouldn't notice them, but as someone who detects any change in others from years of medical practice, the rosiness of his cheeks never slipped past you.

You found it to be quite endearing.

As you raised your head, you asked, "Anything else, little Xiao?"

The Adeptus thought seriously for a moment, putting a curled finger to his mouth in concentration. That was when a leaf fell from the tree and onto his lap.

"Could," he murmured, raising the leaf, "you play another song?"

He handed you the leaf, and you took it with a smile. The sunlight fractured through the branches of the tree, and for a second, you could see the amber glow of his eyes.

"How serene," is all you could think as you closed your eyes, pressing the leaf between your lips.

"How serene."