Work Text:
Silk flowers and white pansies
Chongyun can’t be considered a person of many interests. He likes some things like going to the theatre, taste Xiangling’s (not spicy) cooking, reading exorcism books and going out with Xingqiu to new places he discovers.
He can also be considered an innocent person, since he always falls for Xingqiu jokes. But Xingqiu has always been like that, mischievous but thoughtful when he wanted to. He can be passionate about things he loves, like writing and martial arts, and also can be the worst person at his work with the Feiyun Commerce Guild. Maybe it is because he’s the second, and never had the responsibility over his shoulders (something he is thankful for, in reality). Chongyun usually goes there to find him and make him go out when he hasn't seen him in a while (like two days are enough to worry him, he never passes that long without making him a joke).
“Oh, Chongyun” Xingqiu's father receives him. “I’m sorry, but my son isn’t here today neither… But thank you for walking him home yesterday.”
Yesterday?
“I think you are wrong, sir. I didn’t see him yesterday.”
“Oh, how strange. I would have bet it was you, you’re the only boy I know he’s friends with aside from the Traveler, and I’m sure it wasn’t him because I didn’t see little Paimon through the panels…” He says, thoughtful. “Now that I think about it, I think I saw him to have some green hair so yes, it doesn’t make any sense it was you…”
He truly has seen someone yesterday on his way back home after doing an exorcism in an old mansion. Someone he knows because he is a legend, but it was so quick he had thought it was only his imagination and why would an Adeptus be in Xingqiu’s house? It didn’t make any sense.
“No, sir, it wasn’t me.” He confirms. “Those boxes seem pretty heavy, can I help you?”
After helping him with some boxes, he goes out sighing. It is the third day he doesn’t get to see him. The first one, his father told him he was writing and he prefers not to be disturbed. The second one, he was out (at least, he is out. Chongyun checks on him because he can spend an entire month enclosed, and it’s not good for him). This time, he’s out again.
He can’t say he doesn’t miss him. He misses him so much… And who can be that guy? He didn’t hear about some green haired boy around Liyue, and less from Xingqiu.
“Chongyun!” Xiangling saludates him when he’s back on Liyue main path. “How are you? Are you doing well with the ice cream plan?”
That was Xingqiu’s idea after hearing he made some popsicles for kids. He said it would be good for him and his reputation as an exorcist, but they gifted one to some kids and after, Xingqiu started to disappear.
“Yeah…” He sighs, and that obviously doesn’t convince Xiangling.
“There’s something wrong?” She asks.
And really, he wanted to give her an explanation, but he doesn’t understand either Xingqiu’s sudden behaviour.
“No, it’s nothing.” He says, and looks at what she has on hands. “Are those bamboo shots?”
“This? Yes! I went to recollect some for a new recipe. On my way back I saw Xingqiu, but he seemed to be in a hurry. I thought he was going to meet you…”
“Really? Did you see him?” Chongyun asks, and she nods. “Where?”
“Well, he was heading to the bamboo forest near Qingce Village…”
“Thank you, Xiangling!” He gives her the back and starts running.
“Oh, wait—!” She says, but it’s already too late.
Qingce village is not too far from Liyue Harbour, but it’s a distance, so he had to stop running soon. Anyways, he follows the path the quicker he can… Until he realizes it’s not okay, and he stops. If Xingqiu doesn’t want to see him, isn’t he in his right? Yanfei would say he’s totally in it. And Chongyun doesn’t have any right to be upset, Xingqiu doesn’t owe him anything...
“Chongyun!” A familiar voice calls him, and he sees Xingqiu’s brother. “Finally I found you… Do you know where my brother is?”
“Mmm, yeah, I heard he’s around Qingce Village…” He says, and looks at his worried face. “It’s something wrong…?”
“He has to come back now… to the Guild, my dad… needs him.”
“Has something happened?” He worries.
“Yes, he has… He has fallen from the stairs while archiving some papers…” He hides his face. “Now he’s being attended by Dr. Baizhu but I need him badly, there’s so much work and someone has to take care of him…”
“It’s terrible… I will find him, you can go back with him.”
“Thank you so much, Yun…” He smiles at him. “Please, tell him to hurry up…”
He nods and runs again, heading to the direction given by Xiangling. He has to hurry up, because it’s something urgent but he wonders what on the stars would Xingqiu do in a bamboo forest. Maybe he’s practising blade techniques? But Xiangling said he was in a hurry…
He gets to see the navy blue hair of Xingqiu and screams his name.
When he arrives, he finds the answers to his questions.
He sees such a scene. Xingqiu is nervous, like he’s hiding something and the same Adeptus Xiao is looking at him with his golden eyes, like he has interrupted.
“Yunyun?” Xingqiu says, as he didn’t expect him to be there. “What are you doing here?”
The same question he has for him.
"Your brother is looking for you. It’s… your father… It’s important.” He answers, almost without air. “I… apologize if I interrupt something…”
He looks at the Adeptus, who is seeing the scene with a serene face. He doesn’t like that face. He is the same one that said exorcists can’t deal with evil spirits by themselves, and it’s always making their job seem useless. He doesn’t like his manners.
“Oh, don’t worry!” Xingqiu smiles. And his smile makes him feel a warmness in his heart. “He’s a friend of mine. His name is Xiao!”
Clearly, Xingqiu doesn’t know anything about the legendary adeptus. He wouldn’t be confident if he knew he’s in front of someone divine. Probably he would be asking a thousand questions.
But what he didn’t expect is him telling he’s a friend.
“He’s… your friend…?” He looks at Xiao, wanting his response. He’s sure he’s a lone worker, he doubts he befriends any mortal.
“I wouldn’t say friends,” Xiao replies. “But neither foes.”
That sounds better for the Adeptus infamous for his rarest view and almost never granting a wish.
“We have a deal, but don’t worry, it’s nothing bad!” In another circumstance, he would be pleased to see the Conqueror of demons, but now his presence only irritates him. “And also I can’t tell you because it is in the contract.”
“Contract…?” They made a contract? What in the skies would want an Adeptus from Xingqiu?
“Anyways, if my brother is looking for me, something should be really wrong.” He almost forgot about that. He nods. “I’m sorry we couldn’t finish today, I’ll see you tomorrow! And you have to tell me his favorite food!”
Finish? So he was interrupting something. And he said “tomorrow”? That was he was doing all that time? Meeting an Adeptus in the middle of a bamboo forest no one usually passes?
“He doesn’t know who you are, does he?” He asks, and the adeptus seems to give his attention back to him instead the path Xingqiu used to go.
“Do I have to answer you?” He asks. He’s so frustrating.
“No, you don’t have to.” He admits. “But even for all the respect I have for you, I wouldn’t forgive you if you hurt him.”
He is trembling, not believing he has talked that way to the Conqueror of demons himself. What happened to him? He doesn’t know. But what’s done is done and he just turns back to follow Xingqiu steps.
“You’re jealous.”
Chongyun almost chokes with his tea when hearing Xiangling words.
“Excuse me?”
“What you heard.” She smiles. “Like… Well, when I was little, my father sometimes took my plushies to wash them and I thought they might love him more than me.”
“Xingqiu is not a plushie.” He states.
“Yeah, but he’s your best friend… And maybe something more.” Xiangling laughs when she sees his red face. “And well, if you ask me, you are jealous of that guy that seems to be so cool.”
Cool? He is an Adeptus. A divine being. He can be whatever he wants to be. He’s powerful, the best of the exorcists. He’s what he aspires to be, but in a mortal version. The only thing even similar to him is that both have a vision, and Xingqiu has one also.
“What do you think I should do?”
“First? Let him be. Xingqiu has been with you since I met you both, I don’t think that will change. He’s only busy with everything about his father…”
“Yeah, I know…”
His father is okay, fortunately. It was only the fall and some injuries, but he would be at his best in a few days. In fact, it has been two days and Chongyun has already seen him attending in the Guild along with Xingqiu and his brother, even if both were telling him to rest. Xinyan, who was visiting Xingqiu, told him he seems better than ever after the obligatory rest.
“And after, make sure about what you want.” She continues. “You know, you can confront this guy, but you have to make sure that you want to.”
“What does that mean?”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Xiangling sighs while chopping off a Jueyun Chili. “Which kind of relationship do you want with Xingqiu?”
He doesn’t know what his face looks like, but he feels like he has eaten three Jueyun Chilis in a row.
“Well… I…”
What does he want? He doesn’t know. He just wants to see his smile… To make him laugh. To see him happy, to be at his side, to hold his hand, to…
“Chongyun? Are you okay? Here, drink some water.” He accepts it and drinks it immediately.
“I… I think I might like him…”
“Might? Archons, how are you so blind? I have never seen you jealous about anything… Gods, I haven’t seen you angry before!” Xiangling sighs. “Okay, now you finally know what you want, then you have to make the second step: a plan.”
“A plan…?”
Xiangling smiles, and Chongyun doesn’t know if he likes it.
Finally, he has ended the poem.
Xingqiu looks at his recently ended work. It’s perfect. He makes a copy just in case Xiao needs a backup or something, and saves it in a drawer of his desk. He’s proud of his work, and he folds it carefully to keep it in a belt pouch on his hip. After, he takes the flute he has brought. He’s getting better and better at it (his brother is tired of hearing him practising), and Xinyan has agreed to help him with his idea of a love song. He has to finish the lyrics still (and find someone to sing it, because he can’t and it’s not Xinyan style. Maybe Hu Tao?)
But his great plan is starting to take form and everything thanks to Xiao. Undoubtedly he’s in love with that Venti guy, and he really hopes that he loves him back. Xiao really deserves it after all he is passing through for it.
Excited, he goes out earlier than ever to do a little trip to Dragonspine. Yunyun once told him he wanted to see flowers that only grow there, and Albedo has told him where to find the best white pansies in the place. Aside from being a good illustrator, he’s such a researcher. What does that guy do wrong?
He grabs some pansies from the limit between Dragonspine and Sal Terrae, and puts them in his bag. The best of those flowers is that they adapt to cold and warm weather, and they’re so pretty. He’s sure Yunyun would love to see them more than in books, and also they haven’t seen each other in a while. With everything he has to do, he hasn’t even seen Xiangling’s restaurant in a long time… And he misses Yunyun so much. He misses his laughs, his eyes, the way his cheeks move when he’s angry with some of his mischiefs, his voice calling him, his smiles and his fluffy hair that seems like candy…
He thinks of him all the way to the bamboo forest that seems to be their point of encounter. He thinks of him when he plays the flute. He always thinks of him.
“That was good, wasn’t it?!” He says with emotion after his performance. He felt it was really good. One of the best at least.
Xiao is not an emotional person. He always maintains the same face, except when he talks about Venti.
“Yes, it is pretty good.” Those are big words for someone like him, and he’s good with it if Xiao sees it well. “I keep saying you hold it like it’s a sword, but I think it can’t be helped.”
No, it’s not. He really tries, but he does it unconsciously, he guesses.
“Hehe, now it’s your turn!” He gives him the poem. “You have to read it to see if you like it.”
He waits excitedly for his reaction. Xiao is not expressive either, but he seems to really like it when he sees it. Is he even blushing?
“It’s perfect.”
Oh, that really was unexpected.
“Do you really think so? I’m still unsure about the rhythm...” He confesses and takes the paper. “Overall this part: “I would spend all the windy nights by your side, and as long as our fates collide, I would pray to the sky to give me the chance to always see your emerald eyes.” I think that…”
Suddenly, Xiao puts a hand over his mouth and gets close. He’s between scared and confused, if he’s acting like that, something is happening but what…?
“Silence.” He whispers. “Don’t make a move.”
He doesn’t even nod, and waits for his return with many questions ready for when he comes back.
“Is something wrong?” He asks when he sees him, with a flower on his hand he recognizes as a silk flower. His favourite.
“I think you should talk with your… friend.” He gives him the flower. “He was here, but when I reached the place where he was, he ran out.”
His friend…? Yunyun? He was there? He ran out? What happened? He doesn’t understand, but judging Xiao’s words and expression, it seems like Yunyun was angry or really upset.
"He was here?" Xingqiu looks at the flower, and then the way to Liyue city. Could he have gone back to the city?
"He has gone that way." Xiao points out the way and Xingqiu doesn’t doubt a second.
"Thank you." He smiles and gives him back the paper. "And good luck!"
He sees Xiao nodding before running behind Yunyun. That way… Can he be heading to Wuwang Forest? It’s an infamous ghostly place, he doesn’t doubt he goes there.
Why is Yunyun running from there? From him?
He doesn’t know but he’s going to discover it.
He has been such a fool.
Chongyun sits on a rock, the ignis fatuus around him like they’re laughing at him. The silk flowers are still on his hand, even if one or two have fallen while running there. He should have known better.
Adeptus Xiao was better in any aspect, at exorcism and personal it seems. He’s divine, he’s out of his reach, he could never compete with something like that. Xiangling tried. She has helped him to make his favourite seafood and even some baked things, because Xingqiu is not used to them because of his family, but he loves them. The plan took seven days to take shape (he is not good at cooking aside from his popsicles) and he was supposed to bring him to Wanmin Restaurant, give him flowers, a good meal and confess his feelings. Now, he can’t compete with what he has seen.
He has understood everything. Why an Adeptus is in front of his house, why Xingqiu seemed to be nervous that day, why he spends more and more time with him more than with his friends.
Xingqiu was literally in the middle of a poetic confession and the adeptus seemed to be okay with that. The way he approached him and even cut his declaration to… Gods, he didn’t even want to see more. He ran out the faster he could, and now his only company is himself and some spirit he’s scaring because of his positive energy.
“Yunyun!”
Great, now he’s hearing his voice. Something more? What else can go wrong that day?
He stands up and tries to get far from that voice.
“Hey! Wait!”
Wait for what? He doesn’t even turn his head. He’s pretty sure it’s some spirit joke to get him away, and he’s doing it so well.
“Yunyun! Hey!”
Something grabs his arm. Something alive, warm. Something like a hand that it’s so similar to Xingqiu’s one.
“Are you… deaf or something?” Xingqiu recovers air. “I was calling you, you idiot Yunyun!”
“What are you doing here?” He asks.
“That’s my line. Xiao told me you were there but you suddenly ran off” Of course, the Adeptus had to see him. “Something is wrong? Xiao said I should…”
Tired. Sick.
“Xiao this, Xiao that… Can you please don’t talk more about him?” He is tired of hearing him talking about him. “I get it. Really. I get you like him so much but… Just don’t with me, please”
“What…? What are you talking about?”
“You don’t have to hide it… Oh well, he’s an Adeptus so maybe you really have but not from me. I heard your confession and…”
“My what? And Xiao is what? I don’t understand you… Wait, are you angry?”
“I’m not angry!” He shouts, and Xingqiu cocks an eyebrow. He doesn’t care. “I just want you to tell me the truth! I won’t interfere in your relationship, I am happy for you, really…”
And it’s true. He is happy for him.
“Yunyun I don’t know what…”
“You don't have to lie. Don't do it, please." He puts his hands on his shoulders, the flowers falling in the ground. He looks at them, and at the beautiful white flowers he has on his hip. A gift, maybe?
"Yunyun, I'm not lying…"
"He is better than me, in everything. And I know but I just… I just wanted hope." He says, and it's true. He blames the broken heart, but he doesn't have any shame now.
He looks him at the eyes. "I just wanted to love you…"
He gets red like a silk flower. So beautiful, and still not reachable. He thought about stealing a kiss, but he is not a thief and less knowing he loves another.
"Yunyun… I…"
"I like you Xing. More than you can ever imagine, but I…"
Xingqiu grabs his face and kisses him. He feels like in a cloud. And he starts to think he is really into an illusion or a dream. It's too perfect to be real.
"Now are you going to hear me?" He says when they separate, and Chongyun nods.
Xingqiu explains everything that happened. Since the poem to the love songs. Who would have said Adeptus Xiao would be in love with someone enough to ask for help? And he's planning a song only for him?
"I'm sorry for telling you without them, they were so excited but…" He laughs, and Chongyun laughs with him. "These flowers are for you. They are white pansies. They support any temperature..."
He grabs the flowers and thanks him.
"The silk flowers were for you… even if there's only one for you know." He says, seeing the only silk flowers that remain. "And Xiangling is going to be so mad at me…"
He tells him his plan. Xingqiu laughs.
"Yunyun, you idiot…".
Xingqiu kisses him under the pale light of ignis fatuus, and he can't make it more perfect. It's already perfect. The spring breeze, the flowers, the place, the kisses... Too perfect.
He wouldn't change anything.