𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨 ―𝐠. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

14 || Teaside Stories

Xiao stared at the flowers in front of him, his arms crossed and his eyebrows furrowed. In the small room of Wangshu Inn where he kept his belongings, he placed a vase of flowers near the window so they could receive sunlight. But, he had no idea what to do with them other than give them water, and the number of flowers was increasing rapidly as you gave him one almost whenever you met. His room was slowly filling with things he didn't know how to care for.

He didn't hate it, however.

Starting last week, he stopped meeting you every morning. You said that it was time to work on weaning him off of the medicine and ensure that it stayed in effect long-term. Remembering that your health is directly linked to the health of the flowers, he found himself making sure that they were still in full bloom every morning in place of seeing you.

He brushed the tips of the petals and hummed, feeling the good condition of the flowers, before he hopped out of the window for another day of protecting Liyue. There was a sound of a large hoard of demons a bit south, close to a road leading to the harbor, and he wanted to purge that camp first.

With his polearm in hand, he arrived at the scene of the monsters, fully prepared to adorn his mask at the face of the demon hoard. He was surprised to see, instead, the disintegrating monsters and a destroyed camp. Looking around, he noticed a little girl sniffling and a figure crouched in front of her. He recognized your robe and stood where he was behind a tree.

"There there," you murmured as you plucked a daisy from the grass. "They were scary, right?"

"Where's my mommy? I was so scared," the girl wailed, one of her tiny hands clutching onto your robe. You smiled gently and tinkered with the flower stem in your hand, creating a small ring out of it.

"We'll find your mother, don't worry. Here, give me your hand, little one. You were such a brave girl...here's a reward." Following your words, you slipped the flower ring onto her finger, and the girl's expression immediately brightened. She giggled as she raised her hand into the sky to get a better look at the ring.

"Wow, is this really for me?" she beamed, spinning in the sunlight. "Thank you, stranger!"

Xiao leaned against the tree and crossed his arms, his expression softening as he watched you interact with the child. There weren't many times when he saw you treating others, but each time he did, he could tell you treated them all with genuine kindness. It's hard to come across someone who is willing to give so much to others in this cruel world. And yet, here you were, entering not only others but also his life in a way he never thought anyone could...

It was then that the mother ran out from the direction of Liyue Harbor, shouting out to her daughter and snapping Xiao out of his thoughts. You rose from your crouched position and returned the child to her parent, and she bowed multiple times in gratitude.

Apparently, the girl had seen a butterfly and followed it away from the road while her mother was negotiating prices with a street salesman. When the girl realized that she strayed from her parent, she was already in the midst of a monster camp. Thankfully, you were nearby and quickly eliminated the monsters before they could harm her. And now, you were standing next to Xiao, watching as the mother-daughter duo walked down the path, hand in hand.

"What a coincidence, seeing you here," you greeted warmly. "How do you feel? No withdrawals today?"

"Straight to business. How like you," the Adeptus remarked. However harsh his words were, his voice was lighthearted and his eyes were soft. You definitely wouldn't have recognized him a month ago.

Chuckling at the thought, you said, "Well, I am your doctor."

"Only my doctor?"

The wind blew hair across your face and whispered in your ear, drowning out his quiet voice. You, genuinely unable to hear his words, tilted your head to ask if he said anything, and the Yaksha turned his head with a "hmph." He wasn't sure what came over him to ask such a thing. He was glad you didn't hear.

"I was going to visit Cloud Retainer for some tea," you commented, unaware of the loud thumping of his heart. "Would you like to join me?"

"I must continue my duty of protecting Liyue," the Adeptus answered monotonously.

"Oh, but resting is essential for recovery, and I have already dealt with the camp. Come with me, why don't you?" The gentleness of your eyes eased Xiao's mind, and he found himself lifting his hand for you to hold despite his logical mind telling him to do otherwise.

"To Mt. Aocang?" he muttered as you took his hand. You smiled.

"To Mt. Aocang."

⊱ ────── {⋆❀⋆} ────── ⊰

"My, one is surprised to see the Conquerer of Demons once again." 

"Cloud Retainer," you greeted as you felt the cool stones beneath you. Anemo energy departed from your body, but you continued to hold Xiao's hand and led him to the table at the center of the pond, knowing that he wouldn't want to sit if he were given the choice. "Do you have an extra cup? Little Xiao will be joining us today."

"Of course," the Adeptus crooned, magically flying over another teacup set from her abode. You sat down where your designated seat was--at the base of the tree--and Xiao stood beside you.

"That place is not for me," was his response when you asked him to sit. You knew better than to argue with the uptight Yaksha, especially when that seat belonged to Guizhong. It would feel odd to have another person sit there.

"One urges the Conquerer of Demons to take the cup," Cloud Retainer requested after pouring some tea. You, too, took your tea set and inhaled a bit of the scent flowering the air, relaxing as you closed your eyes in contentment.

"I remember this fragrance," you murmured. "These tea leaves are so rare...you haven't used them in a while."

"Because Adeptus Xiao is with us, it is a rare occasion, fit for the tea today supposes one," the crane remarked with an airy laugh. 

"Rare tea leaves?" Xiao echoed, staring hesitantly at the dainty cup in his hand. Although he was now used to hearing about the motley of rare herbs you used to treat him, those were for his health. Rare tea leaves, on the other hand, were simply an unnecessary luxury item. He didn't think he should be drinking it.

"Oh, you must be thinking that these leaves are from across Teyvat," you smiled when you saw his quirked eyebrows. "Fear not, little Xiao. They're actually right from Liyue."

"The Chasm, to be exact. These leaves were discovered in the deepest of the caves when Buer created the underground mines," Cloud Retainer piped in. Xiao paused, his cup hovering right by his lips as he looked up at his fellow Adeptus.

"...(y/n) created the Chasm?"

There was a pause. Then there was a burst of laughter when both you and Cloud Retainer observed the baffled expression on Xiao's face. His mouth was agape, and his amber eyes flickered from your eyes to your hands and back to your eyes again, looking for any sort of sign that you were lying. But you were not--indeed, you were the one that formed the region known as the Chasm.

"There are many things you have not told the Adeptus," Cloud Retainer commented innocently, earning a curious gaze from Xiao. She looked at you for approval, and when you nodded, the Adeptus flapped her wings and relaxed into her seat.

"Very well. One will tell you of the creation of the Chasm."