Xingyun Oneshots

93 - Tell Me a Story (Of How We Fall in Love)

"The end."

Xingqiu gives a content sigh after he carefully closes his book, the familiar sound of the pages closing together and being sandwiched between the covers being music to his ears.

The boy nearly asleep in his lap, however, feels otherwise.

"That's it?" Chongyun's eyes flutter open from their peaceful state to look up at Xingqiu, who looks at him curiously while he sets the book aside.

"Why yes. Time flies when you're enjoying a good book." Xingqiu smiles before it quickly contorts into a mischievous smirk, one of which he always seemed to wear only around Chongyun. "Did you enjoy it that much? Or does resting in my lap really have the proper listening effects I told you it does?"

Chongyun thinks back to when they'd first sat down after his training to read (at Xingqiu's request), and Xingqiu had suggested he lay in his lap, saying that 'it helps one to focus their mind when they're laying down'.

He thought it was a bunch of nonsense, but Xingqiu was always too convincing for his own good, and even when he wasn't, Chongyun couldn't help but fall for his big amber eyes and pouty lips that appeared when he tried to refuse, so he always eventually gave in.

"N-no, I'm just surprised it's over so quickly..." Chongyun mumbles under a pink blush that quickly coats his cheeks, making Xingqiu laugh.

"Well I'm afraid I didn't bring anymore books along to read to you. It was just the one." Xingqiu tells him before tapping his chin in thought. "Although, I could make one up. I love making my own stories as much as I like reading other's."

He adjusts himself to sit back a little and look up at the sky while he thinks, resting a hand so close to Chongyun it brushes his cheek, making that pink dusting his face quickly turn red.

"You can help me tell it, too. What say the main characters are a traveling swordsman, and-" Xingqiu moves his index finger to poke his cheek. "-An exorcist."

"So the characters are us?" Chongyun asks flatly, trying to take his mind off how hot his face feels.

"Not exactly. They're inspired by us." Xingqiu explains before he clears his throat. "Once upon a time, a traveling swordsman came to Liyue to hone his skills and protect those in need. There, in the first few months of his journey, did he meet an exorcist."

Xingqiu looks to Chongyun expectantly to add to his own character's story, waiting with a fair smile under eyes that glistened like melted honey and shiny cor lapis.

Chongyun could tell this was going to be more difficult than he thought.

"Th-the exorcist lived in Liyue, and his goal was to improve his training and dispel evil." He says, and judging by the look on Xingqiu's face it's a satisfactory answer.

"The two grew closer as time went on, spending years together as they followed each other on their respective journeys. The traveling swordsman taught the exorcist much about the art of weaponry as well as his passion for literature, both of which he hoped the exorcist appreciated and took to heart." Xingqiu says as he gives him a smile that makes his heart do gymnastics.

"The exorcist taught the swordsman more about his condition and the discipline it takes to exorcise evil, and the swordsman listened to his previous attempts at finding evil spirits." Chongyun adds, his eye contact with Xingqiu faltering a bit when he tucks his hair behind his ear and hums sweetly as his tone shifts more easily into his reading voice.

"The two seemed inseparable by the citizens of Liyue, so much so to the point that when the swordsman was getting ready to leave, the people were surprised they weren't going together." Xingqiu continues softly.