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“So what do we do now?”
The two boys were seated on the tallest branches of a large tree, its earthy scent prominent among the fleshy green leaves. Gentle gusts of wind ruffled his hair. Wind had always been a huge comfort to him. After all, it was the only constant in his life. Peering through his fringe at the green-clad boy next to him, he wondered if that would change.
“We can do anything you want. We do have all the time in the world.” Barbatos replied, his signature grin gracing his features. Alatus allowed his eyes to flutter shut, considering his companion’s words.
He was tired.
Tired of seeing his friends and comrades die all around him, tired of seeing his beloved harbour develop to the point that he was not needed anymore. He was tired of his need to have a purpose just to stay alive, be it to be the protector of Liyue or to serve Rex Lapis.
Next to him, a flute’s melody started to play, caressing and calming the deepest crevices of his mind, like balm for his wounded soul. He cracked open a golden eye, stealing a glance at the archon next to him. Perhaps this was purpose enough.
As if reading his mind, Barbatos gently manoeuvred his head so that Alatus was lying down on his lap, then began playing a tune of a time long gone, when everything was much simpler. When he hadn’t yet experienced true suffering and grief, when humans still celebrated and worshipped him, when his fallen friends still roamed on solid ground. The tune evolved into another tune, and another and another and another. The melody told tales of war, love and friendship, of regret, hope, and death.
Alatus closed his eyes and let his tears flow freely. Around him, the music started to die down until it eventually stopped. He felt Barbatos shift beneath him, before finally articulating the exact thing on Alatus’s own mind.
“Let’s just stay here. We don’t have to do anything. Even for a brief moment, let us leave our past behind and just live in the moment. Alatus and Barbatos are no more. We’re just Xiao and Venti, relaxing on a tree without a care in the world.”
Xiao liked that idea. So with Venti’s hand threaded in his hair and his scent all around him, the duo sat. They sat for what could’ve been hours or mere minutes, as the coral sky gave in to a deep purple and stars emerged, scattered over the entire spectacle.
Time passing did not worry them. After all, it was all they had left.