Abyss Aether × Xiao || You can try to escape ||

After Five Years

(No one's POV)

Before any of you can say something about my day counting, I don't believe that leap years exist in Teyvat. Just saying.

"365"

"730"

"1095"

"1460"

"1825 days" Xiao mumbled, looking up at the night sky. Behind him, Ganyu had entered the room.

"Conqueror of Demons. What are you doing? Every time I come here, you're counting days" Ganyu questions. Xiao doesn't turn to look at her. He remains silent for a while, until he decided to answer.

"It's been 1825 days since he disappeared. Exactly five years without Aether" Xiao whispers. He's voice is dry. He sounds even more emotionless then normal.

Ganyu shivers slightly at his tone. It sounds so sad. She looks down at the ground.

"I'm sure he'll come back soon, so how about yo-"
Ganyu is cut off by Xiao.

"I'm waiting right here. I won't move until I'm in his arms again" Xiao states. Ganyu looks at him.

"But the monsters have been-" Ganyu tries to reason but is once again cut off by Xiao.

"I don't care. Nothing is more important then Aether. I won't go deal with those monsters. Rex Lapis already told me not to worry about it" Xiao interjects. What he says is true. He has not left the Inn, nor has he slayed any monsters since Aether left.

Ganyu gives up trying to convince him to leave. She just wants him to not be sad, but she's never been good at these kinds of things.

She turns around and leaves the room, leaving Xiao alone once again.

Xiao continues to stare up at the sky. When Aether disappeared, his body chipped away and floated into the sky. Xiao likes to convince himself that Aether is in the sky.

Little did he know, two more people entered the room.

"He still isn't paying any attention to his surroundings" Childe sighs. Him and Zhongli had been coming around every week or so to check on Xiao. Zhongli thought it would be best to let Xiao stay here for as long as he wanted.

Him and Childe took over his job, killing monsters around the Inn or city.

"Let's leave him be" Zhongli whispers. Childe was about to protest, until Zhongli gave him a pout. Childe smiles slightly and the two of them leave the room, deciding not to disturb the Yaksha.

"Aether....Aether please. Come back" Xiao sniffled. Once again, no tears were able to fall. He had once again cried away all his tears.

"Zhongli shouldn't we tell him?" Childe questioned. Him and Zhongli had made it back to Zhongli's home, sitting down to talk. Zhongli looks at Childe and shakes his head.

"We should let him wait until he sees him" Zhongli smiles. Childe raises a brow.

"And you're 100% sure that he's coming back today?" Childe doubts.

"I can't prove it, but based on how the sky and ground have been feeling, I can make a guess. They are both coming back today" Zhongli smirks. Childe let's out a sigh and pulls Zhongli into his arms.

"Fine, fine. I won't tell him on one condition" Childe grins. Zhongli feels his cheeks heat up slightly, but he smiles and complies none the less.