Xiao X Reader [A Fragment of My Memories]

[19] A Storm Brewing

"W-Wait, Alatus..." you mumbled, grabbing onto his sleeve. Your vision was blurry for some reason, and you couldn't see his face very well. 

A certain uneasiness took over. You trembled, engulfed in an unbearable silence that made your ears ring.  

"Alatus?" you called again. You weren't sure if he replied. To be honest, the voices ringing in your ear were getting too loud for you to hear anything going on. You looked up, seeing his blurry figure right in front of you, face seemingly inches from yours. 

A tingle of relief swept through your body. The voices seemed to quiet down, and for a second, your vision cleared. You let out a shaky sigh as you gripped his hand tightly. 

"Please... please don't leave me."

_____________________

The uneasy feeling stayed even after you woke up. A bead of cold sweat ran through your back as you panted heavily. 

Your 'dreams' have been getting weirder these days. Before, you vaguely remembered much longer dreams that filled you with warmth and comfort, though the reason for such dreams still remained a mystery to you. 

These days, however, the dreams are much shorter. You still couldn't remember what happened in them, but one thing was certain: They always left you feeling crippling fear, or intense uneasiness. 

'If this keeps happening, it will start affecting my day.' You thought to yourself, stumbling out of bed. 'I need to start figuring out why this keeps happening' 

All your life, something told you in the back of your mind that these 'dreams' were not dreams at all. But each time you saw those visions of gold, any needed details seemed to be out of your reach, as if fleeing from your memories. Each time, you struggled to grasp them, but to no avail. 

You thought that by coming to Liyue, some of those questions would have been answered. But each new 'dream' that kept coming only left more questions than answers. And you pushed it all to the back of your head each time.

This time, however, something told you that you couldn't afford to run away from them any longer.

_ _ _

"Sorry, I'm late!" You hurried outside the inn, seeing Xiao waiting for you near the bridge.

He turns to you right as you catch up to him. "Don't mind it," he says, watching as you bend over to catch your breath. 

You chuckle. "Thanks for taking me to the Harbor. You didn't have to." 

Xiao shook his head. "It's getting more dangerous to travel long distances alone. It's best if I come with you."

You tilted your head. 'More dangerous?'

"Let's go. Did you bring everything you need?"

"Oh!" You nodded. "Yup! Thanks again!"

He sighed as he went ahead. "You don't need to keep thanking me, you know?"

You follow, making sure you weren't too far behind. "Well, then maybe you should accept my gratitude once in a while, Xiao!" 

Xiao raised a brow. "But your thanks is not necessary. I'm doing this because I wish to." 

You sigh deeply. 'It's no use. He's never gonna get it...' you thought, slumping your shoulders in defeat. In the corner of your eye, you spot Xiao staring at you, gaze unwavering. 

"What?" You raise a brow, turning to him in confusion.  

Without warning, he leans closer to your face, staring straight into your eyes. Your breath hitched as you felt sudden heat rise to your cheeks.

'W-Wha–'

 "Just stay beside me and I'll keep you safe, alright?" Xiao almost whispered, gazing at you ever so gently. 

"Ah..." You stared back with your mouth slightly agape. Upon looking at those eyes, you found yourself nodding without even realizing it. 

...It's a strange feeling. Ever since Lantern Rite, there have been times when Xiao would have the most gentle expression when talking to you. It's as if the burdens he carried on his shoulders were weightless. And each time, they made your heart stop for a moment, and you would stare at those amber eyes.

"Good." Xiao nodded, satisfied with your answer. Slowly, he came closer, reaching out to touch your face. You felt your heart beat faster as you remained frozen in place. 

But just as his fingers were inches from your cheek, he hesitates. For a split second, he looks away, moving to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear instead. 

'Huh?' Suddenly, the warmth across your chest went cold. Strange. Why would you feel disappointed at a time like this?

After, he steps back and continues on. "Let's get going. You have a lot to do in Liyue Harbor today, don't you?"

"...Ah, yeah!" You snapped out of your trance, running to his side as you two made your way to the Harbor.

_ _ _

You traveled across Liyue in silence, which was odd considering how talkative you usually were around Xiao.

Of course, Xiao took notice of this right away. Even though you faced forward with a neutral expression, he knew. You were right beside him, but it's as if you went off to a world of your own.

"(Y/N)?" He called, checking on you from the corner of his eye. A part of him thought that if he didn't, you'd drift far away from him... again. 

The thought scared him a little, but he didn't know why. 

"Hm?" You turned to him, almost by surprise. "What's up?"

He furrowed his brows. "What's bothering you?" he asked. Before he knew it, you had both stopped walking. 

"Huh..?" You were taken aback by his sudden question. 

"Tell me." 

'How did he kno–' you shook your head. It's best if you didn't question an Adeptus' instinct right now. 

"It's... well..." you looked away. "It's just about some dreams I've had lately." 

'Maybe he knows something about what's been happening?' 

"Dreams?" Xiao tilted his head. "Are you having nightmares?"

"W-Well, actually, I-" you sighed. "How do I explain this?"

Xiao narrowed his eyes, keeping a close watch on your actions. 

"It functions like a dream, but it... doesn't feel like one?" you stammered. "It feels more than just a dream. But the funny thing is... I couldn't remember much of what I saw. They just leave me feeling a certain way."

Xiao's eyes widened as he stepped closer. "How... long has this been happening?"

"It's only recently that I've felt uneasy from these... dreamlike things," you replied, before chuckling. "But believe it or not, I've actually had them my whole life." You cracked a smile at him. "Weird, isn't it?"

Xiao stood there in silence, staring at your sheepish smile. 'She calls them dreams, but... could they be–' 

But before he could finish the thought, before the possibility settled in his mind, he felt an ominous presence creeping from behind. It was a presence he knew all too well. 

Without hesitation, he grabs your hand and grips it tightly.

"Xiao?"

The next words that left his lips sent a chill down your spine. 

"Demons are nearby. Run."

__________

(A/N) - Hey everyone! I'm really sorry i basically went on an (unannounced) hiatus for like a month. I didn't want to keep everyone waiting any longer, so here's the new chapter! I hope you all enjoy!