This is not what's supposed to happen. (Genshin x reader )

015 // Lingering eyes

I start to make sure I have everything, I check my watch and I see that it's almost time to leave and meet aether in Springvale.

"Hey Yin, do you think I'm missing anything?" I ask and yin jumps over to a table where my AirPods where.

"Oh what would I do without you Yinny" I say as yin stood on my shoulder and I start to head off.

Ever since the bandages on my chest have been there, my pain 'outbursts' were happening less often. This also meant that I could travel again, so I was ready to go with aether.

I meet up at the windrise tree and I spot them.

"Hey aether!! Paimon!! Me and yin are ready to go!" I yell and they both turn to me, happily smiling.

"That's perfect. Let's start heading to liyue i guess" Aether says and we start to walk. We start to exit but aether told me that in order to "not let me faint again", I should hold his hand.
"Are you sure that's necessary..?" I say, still a bit confused as he just takes it and walks faster.

While we're speed walking, I take my time to enjoy the beautiful scenery, I mean everything's pretty in this game, and I mean everything is pretty.

I see some nice flowers aswell, and every now and then I have to grab a few and keep them for myself .

"Wow, this place is so pretty!!" I mumble and I can hear aether softly laughing.

"Haha, yeah that's what everyone thinks when they're adventuring, we are almost at our first break/stop." He says before checking a little map that he pulled out of nowhere.

I watch aethers expression and I see his face turn a bit sour.

"Oh crap.. y/n we might be lost" Aether says and I start to panic.. because then what do we do?

"Uhh aether what do you mean we're lost... WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE ARE LOST AETHER!!" I scream and he just sweat drops before explaining.

"Uhm I just realised that this map was upside down, and that means we've been heading in a new area I haven't explored yet.. but not to fret!! I can call my friend xiao and he can help us out." He says before putting the map away and trying to clear his voice.

Wow I didn't realise he could just call xiao casually! It seems like they do this a lot as well.
Ehh more time for me to explore and have fun I guess.

"X-Xiao? Are you there?" Aether calls and immediately xiao appears behind him.

"You called?" He says before looking over too see what was around him.

He looked at paimon, then at aether, then at me..? He teleports to in-front of me and holds up his weapon.

"What are you.. why can't I feel your presence?" He snarls and he points his polearm to me. I can feel the anemo energy surrounding it and I don't wanna get on his bad side, he was so scary in game.

Before I can speak aether interrupts " Xiao what the hell? That's my friend y/n." He says sternly before stepping infront of me.
Xiao seems in shock but steps back and puts away his weapon.

"Aha yeah I'm Y/n.. nice to meet you?" I say and he just death stares me. Well, he would be more intimidating if I wasn't taller than him.
I just realised how much taller I am than him, what the hell??

He's still death staring me but tbh
I've had enough of this.. I cant just be scared anymore. I death glare him back and me both stand our ground.

Yin also hops onto my shoulder and hisses at Xiao, and I just pet him slowly.

"Okay guys! Not that this isn't fun but we've gotta go to the inn! Cmon y/n let's go." He says before I power walk past xiao and follow aether, before summoning my polearm to keep on my holder at my waist.

I can tell he doesn't trust me at all, and he follows Us to the forest near the inn.
"Hey Xiao can I ask a question?" Aether says calmly, I just listen intently.

"What" he says before crossing his arms.

Aether gestures for him to come closer, and whispers something in Xiao ears.. and then they both turn to me, make ur contact and then go back to whispering.

This sucks, this feels like I'm middle school when people would gossip.
After their little gossiping session we keep on walking.. but I can still feel xiao eyes lingering on me.

We make it to the inn and aether checks in, luckily since he's the defender of liyue he doesn't have to pay much.

We enter a room and it's pretty big actually! There's a openable window that's big enough for someone to sit on, and there's 1 bed- oh my god not this trope.

Me and aether both look at eachother sweat dropping, before I make the first move.
"Uhh I can sleep on the floor.. you'd don't need to-" I get interrupted by him starting to tell me all about the serenita tea pot but then he realised he hasn't decorated any of it yet.

"Uh ok.. I'll take the left side.. and you can take the right side?" I say before he nods.

I can see the slight blush on his face and I chuckle a little bit.

Then I realise xiao left, so I hug aether and whisper "no homo ok?" And he just looks at me weirdly before slowly agreeing and we lay ok the bed.

I can tell that this is still awkward for him because he's so stiff with his movements, so I let Yin jump on him to cheer him up.

"Yknow aether your pretty short" I say and he blushes a bit more while still playing with yin.
"Maybe your just tall" he snaps back and then I sit up and try to take Yin from him.

"Hey wait nooo! Don't take him from meee!" Aether screams and we have a tugging match with him.

Obviously Aether wins and I slouch in my defeat.

"Aww it's ok Y/n you tried your hardest" he mocks me and then I realise it's dinner time.
I hear aether leave to make the food l and yin hops on my shoulder before hissing behind me.

I turn my head and to my suprise xiao is on the window seal.

"Holy shit i didn't realise you were here" I blurt out and he just scoffs.

"Listen here mortal, I don't know what business you have with the traveler, but if you try to hurt them I will-" he gets stopped by yin pawing his face.

"Oh my god yin don't do that" I mumble and I apologise profoundly and he just continues.

"Anyways" he says with an agitated face, "somethings diffrent about you, I cant feel your presence." He says before getting out a talisman.

He looks down before continuing. "But if the traveler trust you.. I guess I can trust you with this." He hands be a talisman that has "xiao" engraved on it.

It's a noeonish color but it's kinda cute, I hang it on my messenger bag and I smile.

"R-really?" I blurt out and I smile happily.

Xiao just turns a bit red and disappears.

I hear aether come back and he holding some almond tofu.. and I already ate so I knock on the window seal for xiao.

"hey xiao? Do you want my almond tofu?" I call and he teleports behind me again.
I hand him my almond tofu and he disappears again.

"Geez not even a thank you." I mumble and then flop on my side of the bed.

I notice my veins on my right hand look more like that crimson color before. And that it feels more heavy.

"Hey aether I'm just gonna go on a walk" I say before leaving the room and setting out.

But some eyes did linger on me.