The Star and The Yaksha | XiaoLumi One-Shots and Mini Stories [DISCONTINUED]

Confession Among Lanterns and Starlight

"As he watched the smiling, blonde traveler, he wondered what that feeling in his heart was. It wasn't the coldness or karma that he held, but a warmth. A warmth that he held in his heart for her." - Me

Xiao Pov:

Xiao never understood the concept of love and never felt it. He had been tortured by a cruel god for years who always told him love was a weakness, so Xiao never gave it much thought.

It was a moonlit night on a hill of Liyue's days when the five yakshas protected the young nation. Xiao sat there gazing at the moon, his mind still sharp and aware as a yaksha should. He heard someone sit down next to him and it was Indarias, the pyro yaksha. Xiao turned to look at his smiling companion. Indarias let out a content sigh and gazed at the moon with Xiao.

"Have you ever loved someone, Alatus?" Indarias asked "No, I have not. What made you ask?" Xiao replied, curious as to what brought such a topic up

"I came across a romance novel in Liyue today. You'd be surprised as to how well mortals describe the land and feelings themselves in such vivid detail!" Indarias said brightly. That made Xiao wonder about what love was like.

"Indarias, what does love feel like? What does it feel like to be loved?" Xiao asked softly. It was a bit of a strange topic for him. "What does love feel like?" Indarias sat in thought for a moment. 

"It's like a warmth, an urge to care for that person and see them smile, to protect them from anything that would harm them. And to answer your other question, being loved makes you feel like the most special person in the world! That person who loves you cares about you deeply, and it makes you feel warm." Indarias replied and turned to Xiao with a smile.
 "Don't worry Xiao, I know someone will love you and that you'll find love someday!" Indarias assured. Xiao sighed. 

 "...I'll take your word for it." Xiao replied

That memory never left Xiao, even after the fall of all his comrades with blood and his tears shed. Thousands of years have passed since then and Xiao always pondered over Indarias's words, could they really be true..? It was now modern day Liyue where Rex Lapis and many adepti had fallen and now the rule of Liyue was left to the Qixing and the people of Liyue.

It was another one of those moonlit nights in Liyue as Xiao stood by the balcony of Wangshu Inn, gazing at the moon like those days of old, still as sharp and alert but he heard familiar footsteps. He turned around and saw that blonde traveler, Lumine. Immediately his gaze softened as he saw her and she walked over to Xiao. 

 "Lumine, what brings you here?" Xiao asked. Lumine turned to him with a smile.

"I wanted to see you." She replied happily and her golden eyes sparkling under the moonlight, and Xiao couldn't help but gaze at her, blushing subtly at her response.

"...You wanted to see me?" Xiao asked. Lumine nodded. 

 "I did. And I wanted to ask if you wanted to come with me to Lantern Rite?" Lumine asked. Xiao gave it some thought, after all, he despised being around crowds and people but if it was with her? He didn't give much thought to the people around them.

"I'll go with you." Xiao replied. Lumine smiled back and it warmed his heart to see her smile.

"I'll be looking forward to it then." Lumine said, gazing at the moon with Xiao. 

 "And so will I."

~At Lantern Rite~

The sun began to set beneath Liyue and the lights from the lanterns and the lights from the harbor illuminated the starry night sky and reflected in the harbor's waters were the lanterns and the decor and laughter and festive music rang through the air. Through the city, Xiao and Lumine walked through the festival, their gazes never leaving each other. Xiao remembered Indarias's words of what love was like, of how it felt to be loved. Could her words be true...? Was he really falling for her? This had Xiao confused, as he didn't understand his own emotions but just one look at her... that blonde hair and those golden eyes... perhaps he was falling for her...

Shortly after the two sat together on a hill with a view of the city below. They sat in a comfortable silence next to each other until Lumine spoke again.

"Xiao, could I tell you what my wish was?" Lumine asked, gazing at the night sky with a smile as she sat next to Xiao, her hand in his. Xiao nodded and Lumine turned to look at him with a smile and sparkling eyes that made his heart flutter.

"My wish was to be with you." Lumine said softly yet those words made Xiao's heart flutter. Xiao turned back to Lumine with a soft gaze

"I'm quite sure..." He leaned closer to her and after some hesitation, he took her hand and kissed the back of it "That wish can be granted" He said calmly though internally he was far from calm. But when he turned his gaze back up to her, she smiled at him and he smiled softly back at her and in that moment, it felt as if all was right with the world.

"Can I confess something to you Xiao?" Lumine asked softly, Xiao holding her hand and he nodded in reply.

Lumine took a deep breath of the crisp night air, gathering her confidence.

"Could I confess that... " Lumine pauses for a moment with a blush and a smile on her face "You are someone I care for deeply." Lumine confessed. This had Xiao surprised.

"You care for me? Even after all I have done?" Xiao asked. Lumine nodded in reply.

"Of course I still care for you! You are someone I care deeply for and that will always be true." Lumine replied with a smile. Without even thinking, Xiao pulled Lumine close, cupping her face with his hands.

"If I can confess something as well?" Xiao asked and Lumine nodded and Xiao softly smiled at her as he gazed into her eyes. "Lumine... you've always been the light in my life. You make all of my karma and all of the darkness fade away. Even though there are thousands of shining lanterns here tonight, the only thing I see that shines here is you." Xiao confessed softly and Lumine smiled and leaned into his touch and the two stayed there in each other's embrace.

Though it was unspoken, the love the two had for each other was deep and everlasting and at this point in time, they knew as they gazed into each others eyes with both of them holding only them inside their gaze with love and affection in their eyes. Holding each other close with lanterns above and moonlight illuminating them. A single tear fell from Xiao's eye.

"This must be how it feels to be loved... isn't it?" He said to himself. Lumine nodded as her head rested on his shoulder, she then grasped his hand.

"It is." Lumine replied. Xiao pulled her closer as they gazed at the lanterns above and lively harbor below them, with only each other in their minds.