Work Text:
Xiao was alone.
The destruction, the leftovers of the war, were all around him. An ugly mixture of blood and tears was covering his face, and he was barely able to keep himself up. He was sitting against a broken wall because his legs gave up to hold him, and he was pressing his hand on his side.
With his eyes closed, Xiao concentrated on his breathing pattern. Slow and deep. There was no way he could end up dead here now. They won the bloodiest encounter, but there were so many things to do for him now. Xiao needed to make sure everyone was safe.
The promise between them.
He couldn’t break it.
Though it got harder and harder to keep his thoughts running, the breaths steady and his head against the wall. The pressure on his side got lighter and his hand sunk into his lap. Maybe he should sleep for a few minutes to get back some energy.
“Xiao!”
His head moved a little bit but his mind told him that he was imagining things. Nobody was calling for him now. He should rest more, take in the soft light around him.
“Open your eyes, Xiao!” The same voice called for him again, but he couldn’t follow the order. They felt heavier any passing second while his body relaxed more, the pain disappearing slowly. “Xiao!!”
Why was that voice that persistent? Didn’t they understand he was feeling light? Though when Xiao was grabbed on his shoulders and shaken awake, he couldn’t stop himself from opening his eyes slowly. Xiao was merely able to open one eye, his vision blurry and the other eye blocked by dried blood. He squeezed his eyes shut at the bright light and when he opened it again, he was able to determine Zhongli in front of him, occupying all of his personal space. “Ah-”
Yet, before Xiao was able to say anything, Zhongli cupped his face and pressed his lips against Xiao’s while sitting on his lap, supporting his weight on his own legs.
Xiao’s eyes widened and for a brief moment, he only tasted a sick mix of metal and salt. It took him seconds to realize that he was tasting a mix of his blood and Zhongli’s tears. It was messy and not at all how he closed his dreams away but if it was his last seconds would be, Zhongli safe in front of him, who was he to complain.
“Xiao,” Zhongli cried, his usual calm voice drowning in sobs. “I’m so glad you’re alive.” Gently, he brushed over Xiao’s cheeks. “So please stay with me here.” He kissed him again, not as fierce as their first kiss.
Xiao smiled against Zhongli’s lips. “I’m glad you’re safe. I did my job right, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Xiao,” Zhongli answered him and swallowed the lump in his throat down. “You were- you are amazing and that’s why you have to stay with me.”
There was no moment Xiao could remember where Zhongli sounded like that. He was unable to find the right words to describe it, his mind all clouded. “I’ll always stay with you.”
Zhongli’s body relaxed and his forehead was touching Xiao’s now. “Stay with me because you want to, not because a contract is binding us together,” he said, not sure if Xiao was getting the grip of it in his condition. “Stay with me as my partner,” he added. “As my lover.”
“I always wished for that.”