Different.. | Xiao x Lumine

Battle Scars

"Lumine's been acting strange lately. Not only has she been jumpy lately, but she also changed the way she dresses." Xiao told Zhongli as he crossed his arms. Zhongli took a sip from his tea as he closed his eyes. "Maybe I just forgot how she acted since she was gone for so long, but ever since she returned from Inazuma..."

"Did she find her sibling in Inazuma?" Zhongli asked before looking at his dear adeptus. Xiao thought for a moment. She never really mentioned her brother.

"She.. didn't mention it." He sighed as his muscles relaxed. They held eye contact for a few moments. Xiao couldn't understand the explanation in his gods eyes, but it didn't seem good.

"Maybe she hasn't found his yet, so it made her upset. That is only a possibility, Xiao." Zhongli hummed before standing up. He gave his adeptus a small smile before leaving him alone to consider his words.

Xiao sighed before standing up himself.

'Maybe I'm just overthinking this. She may just be tired from exploring a whole new nation.' He thought as he teleported away.

He sat on the tree branch of a random tree near the river of Mt. Hulao. He slowly closed his eyes as the winds played their own song through the tall, stone forest.

His eyes quickly opened as he heard a familiar voice. He looked towards the sound, but some of the foliage was blocking his view. He quietly jumped down from the tree branch. He snuck to the edge of the foliage to see the face of his love.

"I-I don't know, Paimon! My whole body was just stopped—and.. and I couldn't move anymore. My vision just went black!" Lumine rambled on as her voice shook as if she was being threatened her life.. no. Lumine's voice wouldn't shake even if she was being threatened.

Her fairy friend, Paimon, was blocking his view. She seemed to be inspecting Lumine's back. She had her new outfit fallen off her shoulders, but it still covered what it needed to.

"Lumine..." Paimon mumbled.

"Then the pain I felt when I woke up—that I still feel—was so much. Too much. I don't want to ever experience it again!" Lumine sobbed as the fairy flew to her face. Xiaos eyes widened. The strange vine pattern on Lumine's back..

The thick branch that went directly down her spine as small branches broke off of it. It was a different color than her beautiful, pale skin. It was far from normal.

He quickly teleported to her, causing Lumine to almost jump out of her skin.

"X-Xiao!" She chuckled nervously as she tried to cover her back up. Xiao quickly stopped her. She froze as he put his hand on her back.

"When?.." He mumbled to her. She looked back at him as she tried to clean her face, but her body was betraying her.

"When I had to fight the Electro Archon.." She sobbed as she continued to cry. Xiao stared at the strange, yet beautiful, pattern on his dearest back.

He gently pulled her shirt over her back to cover her exposed skin before tilting her face up to him. Her eyes were puffy and swollen. He dipped his sleeve into the river before gently rubbing her cheeks with the cloth.

"I can't imagine the pain, both physically and mentally." He told her as he cleaned her face. She closed her eyes before leaning into his touch. She let out a shaky breathe as Xiao gently caressed her cheek with his thumb.

Paimon gently cupped her small hands around Lumine's as her body finally relaxed.

"Take your time, Lumine. You deserve a long, long break." Xiao whispered as Lumine slowly fell asleep with her head on his shoulder.