𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨 ―𝐠. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

17 || Unfinished Burdens

a/n: do u guys know that "Cassie- Caassieeee" sound on tik tok? that's exactly how I imagined (y/n) saying Xiao's name in the bonus chapter. ack my heart
also, this story is slowly coming to an end! slowly. bc updates for everything will be slowed as classes start. ah. ha. ha. ha....I'm literally out from 8 am to 1 am every day for this week for an orientation group. it's really fun but I'm so tired...

⊱ ────── {⋆❀⋆} ────── ⊰

"So," Xiao spoke up, changing the conversation topic, "you've stayed long at Inazuma."

Paimon, who was glancing at your bag and wondering if you had any other tasty herbs, answered, "Oh, yeah, there was a war and we ended up fighting the Raiden Shogun herself! Lumine was struck by her lightning though, and it took a long time to recover..."

Inazuma.

The land ruled by the Electro Archon.

The island country was to be your next destination, and although you had no set date for when to depart, hearing about the war made you wonder if your journey would be sooner than you expected. The last you were at Inazuma was about a thousand years ago, so you weren't aware of the war. And despite your longing to stay in your home country, you could not ignore the help needed by victims of war.

"Struck by an Archon's power. It must have been painful," you remarked, shaking away your thoughts. You could make plans to leave after you ensure that Xiao is treated for years to come.

Something tugged your heart at the thought of leaving.

You shook that feeling away too.

"I can create a salve for you, if you'd like, to get rid of scarring and some pain." You paused and opened your bag, taking out a small vial. "Oh, speaking of medicine, here's your week's prescription, little Xiao."

"It looks so pretty!" Paimon chirped, reaching for the elixir you placed on the table; however, you gently shielded it with your hand.

"It is made specifically for his karmic debt," you explained as you shook your head. "Nothing in this world can withstand its power...although it's quite diluted now."

"Uhhh that doesn't really sound safe," the floating child muttered, slowly drifting away from you. "Can you really make a salve for Lumine that will help?"

"Their medical skills are the best in the world," Xiao suddenly countered rather confidently. "(y/n) has been recognized by Rex Lapis and has been treating me thus far."

"Well, if Xiao says so...Wait, so the long-term patient (y/n) was talking about is..."

"Indeed," you smiled, leaning slightly closer to the Adeptus. "We seem quite close, don't we?"

The Yaksha sighed and turned away impassively, but his heart was beating louder and faster than he'd like. For a second, he was glad that the sun was long gone, hiding the heat rising in his face. You laughed airily and shifted back in your chair, looking at the Traveler for a reply.

Lumine nodded her head gratefully and said, "I'd appreciate it if you made the salve. How much would it cost?"

"Just a parcel of food or water," you replied, closing your eyes as you felt the gentle breeze of wind. "It will take a few days to harden, but I will deliver it to your room before the week ends."

"Great!" Paimon cheered. "Lumine's food is super tasty!" She continued to babble about the satisfaction of eating a cooked meal after days of dried meat during a long journey, and you nodded your head in agreement.

As Paimon and Lumine continued to recount their journey in Inazuma, you and Xiao sat in comfortable silence, both with drifting thoughts in mind.

⊱ ────── {⋆❀⋆} ────── ⊰

Something was clawing at Xiao's heart and mind.

You could almost feel it yourself.

The night you met the famous Traveler and her flying companion, they had talked about exploring the Chasm as it was beginning to open back up. Xiao's hand unconsciously clutched yours the moment they mentioned going underground. And a few days before that, when Cloud Retainer, too, talked about the Chasm, Xiao had tensed ever so slightly so that one wouldn't notice.

Of course, as his doctor and the God of Treatment themself, you did notice.

His mind always seemed to be distant from the conversation at hand, and he would stare out into the fields, the sheen in his eyes gone. When the two of you would sit together beneath a tree while you played melodies out of leaves--something you realized Xiao liked and therefore did more often--he would close his eyes and lean into your shoulder as if comforting himself with your presence.

You never asked what was wrong; Xiao was someone who loved his privacy, and you knew that to blatantly question the sources of his distress would only serve as a souring moment for him. But was it really alright to leave it at that?

Frowning, you wondered what you could do to alleviate the strain. The troubles of the mind and heart were far more complicated than the troubles of a body, and even as a god you could not heal him so easily for such matters.

"Doctor (y/n)," a voice called out, nudging you out of your thoughts. "Doctor (y/n), you seemed distracted."

You looked down at the elderly lady you were sitting with, smiling as you hummed, "Do I? I apologize, Madam Bo, to be so distracted in the presence of a beautiful lady such as yourself."

"Aye," she chuckled airily, handing you a hot cup. In return for your back pain salve, she was treating you to some tea as payment. You sat on her porch as you waited for the tea to brew, watching the neighborhood children play a game of soccer.

"Aye," she said again. "I am but a grandma now, and as a grandma, I can sense when you youngsters are troubled. Tell it to me, child. Perhaps my wisdom may help."

You brushed the rim of the cup with your thumb and closed your eyes, enjoying the aroma of the tea.

"Someone precious to me seems to have something holding them back. I'd like to help them realize whatever it is, but I am lost at how to do so," you muttered as you took a sip.

"You must love them very much," Madam Bo said, the wrinkles on her face creasing in a genuine smile. "I know that feeling very well. You know, child, that is how I met my husband. I had a wish I was afraid of pursuing until he made it come true. Do you know how?--" you shook your head-- "He took me to this village lantern festival."

"The lantern festival?" you repeated. The elderly nodded her head.

"It's not as impressive as the Latern Rites of Liyue Harbor, but this village also holds a yearly festival for our ancestors. The lanterns hold our wishes, you know. Perhaps letting your person send their wishes to the skies above will help them."

You pondered her suggestion for a while and nodded your head. Although you tended to avoid crowds and festivals, a small village celebration shouldn't be too bad, and the lanterns were quite beautiful, even from the far mountain tops where you would watch the Lantern Rite. To see them up close with Xiao...

"How beautiful it must be," you thought as you looked down at your cup, feeling the warmth of the tea.

Comforted by the elder, you decided to stay a bit longer, asking for a second cup of her brewing and talking until the sun set. It was when the kids ran home for their curfew that you realized how quickly time flew by, and you rose from the porch to leave. There was still a quota of patients to be helped, after all.

"Thank you so much," you said politely, dipping your hat in a curt bow.

Madam Bo smiled warmly as you returned the cup and said your goodbyes.

"I am sure you two are as precious as the sun and moon," she whispered as you walked away. The festival starts in two hours...See you later, lovely child."