Acquaint fate

To spoil a traveler

Ever since the Inazuma debacle Xiao had been extra sure to spoil the traveler in whatever he could provide. Buying items, killing those who needed to be purged, as well as assisting him with commissions.

"Nothing seems to aid the pain I feel," Xiao explains to his former master. Zhongli leans against the railing of the top floor of Wangshu inn. "You are too focused on physical labor to spoil the traveler. Human ways are to spoil the heart, figure out what the traveler appreciates most and provide it for him.

Xiao raises a brow, 'Spoil the heart? What an odd phrase.' He thought to himself, nodding his head. "Understood, I shall do as you advised, Morax." Xiao then disappears into a puff of black and teal smoke.

-

Aether waddled around Liyue, collecting flowers, trinkets, pretty things, all sorts of items. The way Xiao stalked the traveler was not something the average person would do. He followed his every move, being within at least a 20m radius.

"Collection.. interesting." Xiao murmurs, watching the traveler continue along his route. The blond was a simple man, choosing to travel by foot, he walked from Wangshu inn to Qingce village.

"Where is he going?" Xiao pondered, whilst sitting on a tree branch. He watched the traveler make his way through the bamboo grove to make it into Qingce. "He's so cute," Xiao muttered, a small smile gracing his lips. To have this man be his fated soulmate is a blessing.

Then suddenly Aether tripped on a rock, falling forward. Xiao acted quick, teleporting to the blond and grabbing him by the waist. Aether gets pulled into Xiao's muscular arms. "Are you alright?" The Yaksha asked, his voice stern, eyes glossed with worry.

"Xiao, what are you doing here?" Aether cocked a brow, looking around for enemies. "I am not here on official business.. I simply missed your company." Xiao's bluntness never failed to make the blond blush. Aether quickly composed himself, "Xiao, I don't need help with anything." The blond grumbled, Xiao had just realized that Aether did not wish for his help. The frown on his face was apparent, was this due to Inazuma's events?

"I know, I let you down, I want to spend time with you. I want to show you I can change." Xiao smiles, not his regular smiles, one that shows his adorable dimples. The blond looks to Xiao with an unsure gaze. "Alright.. I'm here to purchase some items for the teapot. Feel free to follow along." Aether pulls away from Xiao's grasp, not hearing the whine his lover makes after pulling away. "Wait.." The Yaksha quickly grabs Aether's hand, another stunt the blond couldn't have guessed.

He didn't hate Xiao being unpredictable, it was just unexpected. "Okay, we're off then." Aether chuckles, leading the way as the two trek through the mountainous terrain. Xiao finally had the time to truly admire his lover. The one thing in his life that has gone right somehow, despite all he's done. He wasn't deserving of this view, Aether should've left him to rot.

"Traveler.. why would you forgive me?" Xiao asks, it certainly breaks the ice, as Aether stops in his tracks.
"Xiao," the blond sighs, turning around, "Perhaps, in such a unfamiliar world maybe there's peace in another's arms. Albeit them being far in many areas, in heart they remain close. To hang onto hurt will only bring more hurt. By trusting you, by understanding you, and vise versa, we could've never been here."

Xiao is absolutely awestruck, the power of the blond's words hit him right in the heart. If only Xiao trusted and understood him more maybe he wouldn't have been hurt. The Yaksha hangs his head low, looking down at the ground. The pebbles were stained a dark grey. Little splotches of grey, and before he knew it his eyes stung.

"I'm sorry." Xiao mutters weakly, looking up at Aether. How he longed for comfort, for words of reassurance, that in all his wrong he did something right.

"Let's keep going Xiao, we're almost through the bamboo." Aether hums, picking up the Yaksha into his arms. Xiao was compliant, wrapping his legs around Aether's waist and let his head rest on the blond's shoulder.

It was unbefitting for an adeptus to be so submissive. To Aether, however, he found Xiao's submissiveness as something quite cute. "You don't always have to be the cold hearted, difficult to get along, mean person you try to make yourself seem. I know it's for safety that you don't want others to come close to you. We both have to grow in different ways, but know that I am here for you. You don't need to avoid me to protect me."

Xiao remained silent, this conversation was more brutal than a beating. Xiao cries softly, hugging the blond tightly, "I swear to you, all of what I wish to say will be said to you. I promise you I will help you won't your journey. Lastly, I promise, among all else, I will always love you."

Some say that right before the sun sets, if you look to the peak of Qingce village, you might see two. Two figures sitting over the ledge, two soulmates whose love is engraved into the stone hedge. The towns say it must be a formidable warrior and a valiant traveler. Fate must have acquaint the two. The villagers say if you listen closely, you can hear the music of a flute and the chatter of love.

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The end :)