Xingqiu took a slow deep breath as he stared at the door to the Wansheng Funeral Parlor. He held his hand up in front of it just a breath away from knocking, but his whole body was shaking. The last time he and his friends had talked... Well, it was a long time ago now... Maybe they would forgive him. Maybe, once all of this was over, he could forgive himself. Maybe.
Steeling himself and setting his shoulders, Xingqiu rapped his knuckles against the wooden door and waited.
"Come right on in!" A cheery voice called from inside. Xingqiu couldn't stop himself from flinching at the sound of it.
He slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside. He was almost immediately face to face with Hu Tao. Wow, she had changed a lot in four years. Her hair was longer, and she was much taller. Not to mention, the rest of her had grown up as well. Yet, she hadn't really changed all that much. The joy and laughter that had always danced in her eyes was still there. She was still the same inside.
"O- oh," Hu Tao took a step back and looked Xingqiu up and down before her eyes trailed over to the rest of his party. "You- You're here after all this time with..."
"Hi, Hu Tao," Xingqiu murmured. "Look, I- I need your help."
"I- Of course," Hu Tao's eyes were locked on the people over Xingqiu's shoulder. "What- How can I help you?"
"I..." Xingqiu rubbed the bridge of his nose. "These people behind me... This is Hisaya and Tartaglia, and they-" Xingqiu looked up at Hu Tao. She knew where this was going and Xingqiu already knew that she thought that he was being delusional. Xingqiu continued anyway. "They found Chongyun. It's real this time, I just know it. He was taken by the fatui and experimented on and now he's stuck as some little kid with no memory, but I swear it's still him."
"Xingqiu..." Hu Tao shook her head. "You know you sound crazy, don't you? I want Congyun to come back just as much as you do, but I saw him. He was already on the other side. You need to move on-"
"No, Hu Tao, this is real." Xingqiu grabbed Chongyun from Hisaya's arms and Chongyun tilted his head to the side in confusion. Xingqiu held up the small boy in front of Hu Tao. "Just- just look at him! You remember what he looks like, don't you? Tell me this isn't Chongyun."
"Xingqiu..." Hu Tao repeated his name more quietly this time. She reached out and cradled Chongyun in her arms. "This is just a child with light blue hair and blue eyes. I want it to be him too, but..."
"Hu Tao?" Chongyun reached up with his small hands for Hu Tao's hat and managed to get it on his head. It didn't fit at all, but the small boy giggled as it fell over his eyes. "Hu Tao, Hu Tao!" Chongyun giggled more until he lifted the brim of the hat and looked up at the director. "What are you doing, Ms. Hu Tao?"
As a matter of fact, Hu Tao was crying. She wiped at her eyes as a smile stretched across her face.
"Nothing you exorcists need to worry about." Hu Tao barely managed. She pulled Chongyun closer towards her and squeezed her eyes closed as tears rolled down her face.
-<>-
Hu Tao held Chongyun as close to her as she could. She was scared that if she let go, she might never be able to find him again. She remembered when she had last seen him in the afterlife. His hand had gone right through her. How was he here now?
"What- How did you-?" Hu tao looked up at Xingqiu. "It's really him, but what- what happened?"
"We- well, we don't really know..." Xingqiu looked at the two people behind him. "The spirits of the gods that fell during the archon war are somehow attached to his soul and sometimes take over. I was wondering if maybe... Do you know a way to help him?"
"Maybe..." Hu Tao looked down at the boy, and Chongyun looked up at her and smiled. In that small moment, something inside Hu Tao burned brighter. She didn't care what it would take. She was going to get Chongyun back to the way that he was meant to be.
"Thank you," Xingqiu said with a small sigh of relief. "Will you be needing any materials? I'm sure I could find a way to get anything that you need or-"
"Oh my archons!" Hu Tao suddenly cried out. "We need to tell Xiangling!"
~author's note~
Sorry these chapters keep being short. I'm trying to find more time to write. Welp, hope you enjoyed. Leave a comment or a vote if you did :)
chapter art posted by u/ErrozTheWhite
(this was meant for tomorrow, but I clicked teh wrong button. Whoops.)
YOU ARE READING
Cold Blooded
ФанфикChongyun has been burdened by his pure yang energy from the moment he was born. He never had a place in his clan, not when he was the only exorcist that has never actually seen a demon. Things have never worked smoothly when his job is practically i...
