The Flame That Burns Eternal (xiao x female yaksha reader)

~Chapter 10-Dreams~

I let him change the subject and grin, pushing myself up off the ground and grabbing my daggers.
"Always."
I saunter to the edge of the clearing, tossing my daggers.  Xiao does the same, spinning his  polearm.
"Ready?" He asks, shifting into his fighting stance.
I nod, lowering myself into an almost crouch and send heat coursing down my arms into my daggers, watching them start to glow white hot. It won't matter either way, I could never manage to get a single scratch on him before.
His brow furrows.
"Be careful okay? Don't reinjure yourself." He mutters.
"Right back 'atcha." I said, gesturing with one of blades to the arm I had bandaged. Then I launch myself at him.
I still don't manage to catch him by surprise, he holds his spear up, sending my daggers sliding down it and throwing me off balance. I spin on my heel, bringing both of the locked together down on the spear again, my arms shaking as I push all my weight down, forcing Xiao to a crouch.
"Wanna yield?" I seethe through gritted teeth, my blades steaming against the cold spear.
"Not a shot." He grins, and sweeps his leg into mine, causing my leg to buckle as I manage to avoid the spear swinging at my neck.
We dance backwards, exchanging blows in a deadly flurry of metal. Loud clangs echo throughout the clearing.

When we are done, I lie on the ground, soaked in sweat and completely exhausted. And very much a loser. It was an interesting fight, with both of our fighting styles having been adapted to cover each other's weak spots during the Archon War.
Xiao is sitting nearby in a tree, barely even breathing heavy.
"Stop...." I gasp. "Using... youranemopowers"
He drops down to the ground, sitting beside me.
"I'm not."
"Liar." I wheeze, setting a hand on the tree trunk and standing up. When I pull my hand away, my handprint is scorched into the wood.
"Great- No Lesser Lord Kusanali would not be happy with me." I laugh.
I notice the skin where Xiao had gotten injuries in the cavern is red, and I reach out and grasp his upper arm, pulling him closer.
"You're hot." He tries to slide his arm out of my grip, and I can feel his muscles flexing beneath my hand.
"I know." I smirk, and he rolls his eyes. However not risking wanting to burn him, I let go.
"Is your arm okay?" I ask, waving my head over the red skin.
He looks down.
"Must've scraped it in the fight. I'm sure it's fine."
I realize how close we are standing, but I don't move away.
I tilt my head up, meeting his eyes. Our noses are almost touching. Again, I don't move away. Maybe I'll allow myself this one indulgence.
"Good fight." He murmurs.
He smells like Qingxins.
"You too." I utter softly.
The silence stretches, and he takes a deep breath, his eyes darting away before making their way back to mine.
"Thank you, Indarias, for coming back."
My heart skips a beat.
"Xiao... I-" There's so much I want to say. Apologize for all the pain I caused him in my absence. Thank him for all he's done for me. Reminisce about the day we were freed. Maybe even tell him how much I-
Yet everything I wanted to say is cut off, my heart in my throat as he presses a finger to my lips.
I take a deep breath, intent on still talking, but he widens his eyes meaningfully and I keep quiet.
He taps a finger to his lips before removing his finger from mine and dragging us behind a tree, effectively pressing me against it.
"What is this?" I whisper jokingly, but he cuts a worried look down at me.
"Something's wrong." He looks terrified, and he's frozen to the spot..
I sober up instantly.
"What is it?" I ask, keeping my voice low.
He tilts his head and rests his forehead against mine. His breathing is rapid and uneven.
"Xiao." I whisper harshly, feeling a blush creep up my neck. I reach up gently, cupping his face in my hands, and pulling him away, so I can look him in the eyes. I get a strong sense of deja vu.
(ahem prologue when Xiao did the same thing for her)
"Are you in pain?" I ask. He shakes his head no.

(A/N: I'm gonna be going out on a bit of a limb here. I saw a conspiracy that Xiao lived on the border of Liyue/Sumeru, and grew up with the dream theme, hence why he was forced to devour them in his captivity. Basically here, he feels the Traveler ending the Samsara that the Sumeru City was in. Lumine got there fast because she stopped in Liyue to buy food before a potential boss fight after ending the Samsara (I did this so I'm claiming it as valid) Anyways back to the story~)

His knees buckle, and I can barely support him, my arms weak from our sparring session. I grit my teeth and teleport us back to Wangshu Inn in a rush of heat. I teleported us to "my room" and I dump him to sit on the bed while I haul a chair in front of the door.

My heart is beginning to race now too. What if his karmic debt is catching up with him? I see Bonanus and Menogias in my mind, and I can almost hear the screams and feel the blood splatter against my cheek.
My hands are shaking as I check the latch on the door, and it's all I can do to sit next to Xiao on the bed. I can feel tears sliding down my cheeks, steaming on their way down.
"Something's off..." He mutters. My heart skips a beat and I feel a lightning bolt of pain sizzle down one of the scars one my back.
"Xiao, look at me."

He obliges, his eyes not as sharp as usual, but still have the glint of intelligence.
"It's not karma, right?" Another jolt of pain.
"No." He says slowly.
I let out a deep breath. He continues watching me, his eyes still hazy.
"It's with the dreams." He stands up and begins to pace.
"Where?" I stand with him, but stay still.
"Sumeru. It's getting better."
"Can you explain? Or not yet."
"I'm not sure."
He turns and looks at me, alarm flashing through his eyes as he sees my still teary ones.
"Were you crying?" He's at my side in an instant.
"No." I lie. Not that it does anything. He can see right through me, always could.
He reaches out and brushes a hand against my cheek. I lean into the touch slightly.
"Liar." He rasps, and I feel a shiver run up my spine.
I don't make him remove his hand, but I stop leaning into his hand.
"You're the one who is hurt here." I remind him.
He opens his mouth to explain.

When he's done, my head hurts, but I think I grasped it all.
"So, the samsara is ended?" I clarify.
A nod.
"When they drew attention to the Samsara, it caught my brain off guard." He admits, shaking his head to clear it.
"Everything's good now though."
I take a deep breath.
"I'm glad."
He tilts his head, looking at me closely.
"I'm sorry, I know I probably scared you." He admits. He doesn't step closer.
"You did." I admit, but I'm just glad he's okay. I don't know what I would do without him. I would deny ever thinking that though.
"I'm sorry." He murmers again.
This time, I close the gap and wrap my arms tightly around him.