𝕴𝖓 𝕳𝖎𝖘 𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖘 | Xiao x Reader Sequel

9

You couldn't see the sky anymore. Your vision had gone dark, covered by the thousands of souls that ripped at your flesh. Your skin burned, as if you were laying in a pit of fire. The worst part was that you couldn't even move or do anything to stop it.

You had mostly resigned to your fate, but that didn't make it any less excruciating. As blood dripped down your arms, from your back, and all your other wounds, you pictured the beautiful flowers underneath being stained with crimson.

It was a shame. For all the time you'd spent as a prisoner on this mountain, you had always appreciated its beauty.

In an effort to try to distract yourself from the pain, you brought your focus to your memories. They were all you had left, if these were truly to be your last moments. You wanted to treasure them.

You remembered the day Guizhong had taken you in so long ago. How kind her eyes had been, how patient she was as you cried into her shoulder over the loss of your aunt. You remembered watching her work a few weeks later.

You had quickly become very attached to the goddess after she took you in, so you followed her almost everywhere. She had been healing a poor boy that had been injured badly while fighting in the war. You had been in such awe at her power that you asked her to teach you. She agreed to, deciding to start by helping you master your cryo vision.

You'd been so disappointed to discover you weren't a healer yourself, but over time came to accept your own abilities for what they were.

You remembered spending time with Xiao years later, during the Archon War. You two had quickly become close after the first day you met, and enjoyed each other's presence when there wasn't fighting to be done.

That never changed, did it? Your lips curved upwards ever so slightly as you replayed moments with him.

One night, not long after you had first woken up, he'd been sitting with you on the balcony of Wangshu Inn. You were still too anxious to sleep, and he insisted on keeping you company.

You sat in comfortable silence for a while, until very late into the night, when he finally spoke up, taking your attention away from the star where you had been observing the constellations you were familiar with.

You hadn't realized until that moment, but while you watched the sky, Xiao had been watching you, a soft smile on his face.

"I missed you." He said softly.

"I missed you too." It was the truth. During the few times you were aware of your dream state, he and all your old friends had always been on your mind.

"I almost didn't make it all these years," he whispered, but of course, you heard. You always heard the things he didn't want you to.

"How did you?" He looked away, eyes finding something on the ground to fixate on. For a moment, it didn't seem like he was going to answer. But then he did.

"Because of you."

"Me?" You frowned, confused at what his point was. You hadn't even been awake this whole time.

"Y/n, you were the only reason I pushed through everything," he finally explained, turning to look you dead in the eyes, "because I had someone counting on me, who needed me to stay alive so I could wake them." You softened, not expecting such an answer. He quickly looked away, but gently squeezed your hand. You hadn't even realized he'd been holding it.

"Then I guess I'll have to stick around a while longer."

The memory was bittersweet now, and not wanting to cry, you shifted your thoughts elsewhere. Xiao wasn't the only person you'd been happy to see when you woke up.