Xingyun Oneshots

96 - Cor Lapis and Silk

"Are you and Xingqiu going back to Liyue now?"

Chongyun turns to see Mika and Noelle approaching him, no doubt getting ready to leave for Mondstadt soon.

"Yeah. Xingqiu has business to attend to, so we're leaving shortly." Chongyun nods.

"Oh. I was almost hoping you guys had more time...I-I completely understand that you have other things to do though." Noelle waves her hand a little in a fluster.

"How come? Did you need help with anything? I can stay back for a little bit if you need." Chongyun offers her.

"You won't come with me?"

Xingqiu comes up to the group and stands beside him, holding a hand to his heart and feigning being hurt. "I thought we'd go together."

"W-we don't need help with anything, you can still go back with Xingqiu like you planned to." Mika reassures him. "We just wanted to say we appreciated the poetry lesson yesterday during our nature walk."

"Yes! And then later on when you completed each other's couplet. Your poetry skills are very admirable." Noelle agrees.

"Oh, poetry's not really my strong suit..." Chongyun blushes and nods in Xingqiu's direction. "That's more so his."

"Now now, don't put yourselves down so quickly. We all had a lot to learn about creative writing during this event, myself included." He tells everyone before glancing quickly at Chongyun, and the way he does makes his stomach do flips.

"Especially you, Chongyun. Whatever do you mean poetry 'isn't your strong suit'? You were almost a little competitive yesterday." Xingqiu shakes his head.

"I don't think I was..."

"Anyway, we just wanted to say thank you. Maybe if they put on another poetry event, we'll meet you guys again." Mika thanks them.

"Of course. May our paths cross sooner than later. Xingqiu nods, waving as he turns to go and finish collecting him things.

"What did he say on the nature walk?" Chongyun asks once he's out of earshot. "I never asked about it now that I think about it..."

"Hmmm...wasn't it something about Cor Lapis? Or...looking at silk?" Mika thinks. "Noelle, do you remember?"

"Oh yes, I remember." She clears her throat to speak. "Looking at Cor Lapis, one can't help but wonder if one's own heart is as bright and clear as jade. Observing silk, so bright and beautiful, one pauses to consider whether it ever feels the sadness and sorrow humans do."

"I can't help but feel like that's supposed to be about us again..." Chongyun thinks while she recites it.

"What's wrong Chongyun? You look really puzzled all of a sudden."

"O-oh, it's nothing, just sounded familiar is all." He waved his hands. "Hopefully we'll see each other again."

"Yes! That would be delightful." Noelle agrees, and they go their separate ways from there.

"There you are. I was almost worried you'd leave me and go to Mondstadt instead." Xingqiu holds a hand to his heart while Chongyun looks at him unamused.

"Are you ready to go?" He asks.

"Indeed I am. Back to Liyue Harbor we go, and back to dealing with business as usual." Xingqiu sighs as they start on their way back. "I certainly don't miss that...dealing with so many people and putting on faces is not a pastime I enjoy."

"Is that what you meant in your poem?" Chongyun asks.

"What poem?" Xingqiu looks at him oddly.

"Observing silk, so bright and beautiful, one pauses to consider whether it ever feels the sadness and sorrow that humans do.' You were talking about yourself, right?" He jogs his memory.

"How did you hear about that?" Xingqiu pokes his shoulder. "Did you ask Mika and Noelle?"

"Maybe...I wanted to know what poem you told them yesterday than they liked so much."

"Ah, I see. Yes, that was what it was about." Xingqiu says.

"And the first half was about me?" Chongyun guesses.

"You're very good at deciphering hidden meanings within poetry, dear Chongyun. Why don't you tell me a poem for once?" He smiles.

"About what?"

There's silence for a bit, because Xingqiu doesn't need to say what it's supposed to be about for Chongyun to know.

"Okay...how about this." Chongyun says after a moment. "Water rushes through streams in DragonSpine, but it still waits for the frost all the same. When the ice catches up and freezes over the lake, the water sits still and watches quietly."

Xingqiu stays silent for a moment and Chongyun looks over at him nervously to find that he's thinking through the poem.

"That's very nice. I, naturally, am the water, and you are the ice, and I always bring you along wherever I go. Then, all the same, when you have somewhere to be, I come along without needing an invite."

"Yeah. Pretty much." Chongyun agrees with his evaluation, blushing that he got the meaning so quickly.

"Here, I've got one you can finish: splinters of ice jut through well crafted water," Xingqiu looks to him.

"...and create rainbows that decorate the silence." He hums in response.

"I think that one's my favorite so far." Xingqiu leans on his shoulder. Chongyun tenses a little from surprise but eventually rests his head on top of his, his heart beating fast from the close proximity and the smell of his hair and the sun starting to set, casting sunny orange-pink shadows over everything.

"Stoic, refined books lining shelves neatly in order." He says quietly.

"And only exorcists know their secrets." Xingqiu finishes.

"What are the secrets?" Chongyun asks, and Xingqiu takes his hand before he can finish, tucking his fingers between his squeezing his hand with purpose.

"I think you already know."

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I didn't finish the third part by the way so I really hope there aren't things that don't match up

Written: November 17th, 2023

Finished/Published: November 17th, 2023

(Word Count: 978)