No Matter What

42

                                    XIAO'S POV:

7 Year Later

I take a deep breath as I watched the tall, barbed-wire gates come into view once more. My head rest against the window, as that wave of both excited and anxiousness fills my stomach—it happens every time, no matter how long it's been.

Aether lowers his window slightly to give me some air, as he know I'll ask otherwise because I always get a little carsick when I see that large, dull-coloured building. He places a hand on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze as his other steers through the narrowing road.

"You alright?" he says softly. I just breathe in response, letting it out harshly, and I feel another squeeze, followed by a rub. "I know it's hard. It'll always be just a little hard, baby."

I don't know why it's still so hard. It's been 7 years. Seeing my dads should be easy by now, but it only seems to get harder every time, because seeing them again is like a reset. I'm fine for a while, I take life day by day, and then I see them, and it reminds me that I miss them more than anything. They didn't get to see me graduate. They won't see me get married. They won't be with my children.

A single tear trails down my cheek. Maybe I don't want to see them. All it does it hurt. To know that they did all of this for me in a way. Sure, Childe was always in the business of murder, but he risked so much for me. And now he's in prison for life.

They arrested all of us that day, even Freminet. Of course, they let him go—he was just an innocent kid wrapped up in his parents crimes in the eyes of the law. And eventually, so were Aether and I. It took a minute with us, but they let us go. They ended up contacting a family member of Zhongli's, and Freminet and I were taken in by her until I turned 18 and moved out with Aether.

As for Freminet, he drove himself to the prison today. He wanted to stop by Lyney's grave first. Everything has been a lot harder on him. He's never really spoke much, but now it's hard to get a single word out of him. I get it, though—he's lost his entire family.

He usually visits Childe first, as Aether and I visit Zhongli, and then we swap. Aether drives through all the security checks and the two of us make it inside the building. The staff know us by now, and don't ask as many questions anymore.

They let us into the room I know all too well now, and the two of us sit behind the glass barrier and wait. My heart is racing, and Aether holds my hand, his thumb brushing the back of it gently.

Pretty soon, I catch a shadow, and my eyes glance up to find the door behind the glass open, and there he is. He doesn't age much. He still looks quite young, but stress has peppered some grey in his hair that hadn't been there before. He smiles big when he sees us, shuffling toward the phone and sitting in front of us with it pressed at his ear.

I hesitate, feeling my eyes growing damp. Shaky fingers reach for the phone on my side, and slowly, I bring it to my ear.

"Hey Nugget," he says. "I'm so happy to see you."

My lip trembles, another tear trailing down my cheek. "Dad..." I say, but it comes out in a croak.

Zhongli's smile slowly falters and is replaced with a frown. He looks down, a hand gliding over his face to cover it as if shielding himself in shame. His shoulders start to bounce, and this does nothing to help the tears now pooling from my eyes. God, this shit happens every time. Why can't I keep it together during my visits? I just miss my parents so much...