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“I’m sorry, but we only have one room left.” The innkeeper looked at Lumine apologetically.
“Oh, I see.” Lumine trailed off as she looked around the busy inn. The tables around the bar area were filled and many were looking out the windows to the huge storm raging outside. The wind was howling, the rain coming down so hard that she could still hear it even in the bustling inn. “I’ll take the one room then.”
After exchanging money and getting the key, Lumine walked back over to Xiao, who stood in a corner, as far away from people as possible. Usually he would camp outside but the storm was raging too hard even for him.
As Lumine approached, the tension in his eyes abated ever so slightly. “Do we have a room?”
Lumine nodded. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Once they reached the second floor and the hustle and bustle of the first floor faded to background noise, Lumine saw Xiao’s shoulders relax. This was probably the most interaction he had with humans in a long time now that she was thinking about it.
Quickly finding their room, Lumine opened the door and stepped into the space. A very small, modest room with the bare minimum of furniture, namely a bedside table and a bed.
A single bed.
Lumine silently cursed, she should have asked clarifying details from the innkeeper. She watched Xiao out of the corner of her eye, wondering what he would say.
Xiao uncrossed his arms and walked to the farthest corner of the room from the bed and sat on the floor with his back to the wall.
“What are you doing?” asked Lumine slowly.
“Sleeping, obviously.”
Lumine looked to the bed and then at him. “But the bed?”
“You can take it.”
“But you work harder than I do.” It didn’t feel right for her to take the bed while Xiao slept on the floor. He was always fighting against the demons, if anyone deserved the bed, it was him.
“It’s fine Lumine,” he said gruffly. “I’m used to sleeping like this.”
Well, he might say that but she wasn’t fine with it. “Seriously. You take the bed. I’ve camped many times as well. Probably more times than you, let’s be honest.” She put her hands on her hips, waiting for him to protest but knew she won that conversation. She had traveled countless worlds with her brother by her side and she was much, much, older than she appeared.
Xiao sighed. “I honestly would feel bad if you were on the floor and I was on the bed.”
“Well, why don’t we share it then?”
Xiao froze and glanced at her with nervous golden eyes. “Where….it isn’t proper for a man and a woman to lie in the same bed.”
Lumine rolled her eyes. She sometimes forgot he was originally from ancient Liyue. Customs had changed in the country over the years after all and well, she had years of travel in other worlds. “We can put our packs and weapons in the middle if that makes you nervous. Nothing’s going to happen.” Not like she would complain if it did but Xiao had a lot to overcome before a relationship could even happen between them. It was getting there, albeit very slowly.
Xiao shook his head. “No, I’ll stay here.”
“Seriously?” Lumine let out a long sigh. “Come on Xiao, really. You can take the bed. I know you won’t attempt anything, I trust you.” They were going to be sleeping in the same room after all!
“That’s where you’re wrong!” he snapped.
Lumine blinked, surprised by the denial in his voice.
Realizing what he had done, Xiao got to his feet. “Forgot it, I’ll sleep outside.”
“Sleep outside? In this?” She gestured to the window. The rain was pelting it so hard that the pane was shivering in place. She walked over and gently took his hands in hers. “What’s wrong Xiao?” She tightened her grip as Xiao attempted to pull away. “There’s something bothering you, I can see it in your eyes.”
“I could hurt you if we’re in the same bed,” he mumbled.
“Xiao I know you won’t—”
“I will!” he snapped. “I will because I am close enough to eat your dreams.”
“Huh?” Lumine stared at him blankly.
He looked to the ground, his expression dark and Lumine knew he was thinking of the time he was under the control of a powerful yet cruel god. “Do you know why I like Almond Tofu?”
“Because it’s your favorite food?”
A quick shake of the head. “No. It’s the texture. The texture reminds me of the dreams I used to eat when under that god’s control. When you sleep tonight and I’m right there, I will be able to smell your dreams. When I smell them I…I want to eat them. It’s an intoxicating taste, one that I will never forget.”
“Oh Xiao…” Lumine put her arms around him in a hug.
“I don’t want to eat your dreams Lumine. I don’t want you to lose what makes you the person you are.”
“You won’t Xiao.”
“You’re too optimistic.”
She shook her head. “I know the kind of person you are. You are not the person you were back then. You wouldn’t do it.”
“But…”
She pulled back and gently cupped his cheek with a hand. “I trust you Xiao. You wouldn’t do it.” She pulled him over to the bed. “Come on, let’s get into bed. And besides, if you do try something I’ll just clock you to stop it.” She showed off her bicep to prove her point.
A tiny smile twitched at the corner of Xiao’s mouth as he kicked off his shoes and removed his armor and other accessories before climbing into the bed. Lumine grabbed a blanket from her pack and rolled it into a log to work as a makeshift divider between them. There wasn’t much space on either side when all was said and done but there was enough for them to sleep, even if they couldn’t move around much.
After removing her own armor and accessories, Lumine settled down on her side of the bed, her back to Xiao. “Remember, I trust you,” she said softly. “Oh and you better not wait until I fall asleep and then sneak back over to the floor, got it?”
“Right,” he said in a weak, soft voice.
The room fell silent and Lumine became hyper aware of the low murmur of the crowded first floor of the inn and the rain slamming against the window. At first her plan was to stay awake until Xiao fell asleep but she was exhausted from the day’s travel and before long she drifted off to sleep.
***
Xiao knew the exact moment Lumine fell asleep.
At first he thought he was going to be okay. If he fell asleep before she did then he would be fine. He doubted in sleep the dreams would taunt him.
She had fallen asleep before he did.
A nectary, sweet smell came from Lumine. An enticing smell, a familiar smell. It was calling him, tempting him to come and get it. The ache triggered in the back of Xiao’s throat. The familiar want and need, the taste of dreams that he hadn’t had in a long time. Her dreams smelled so sweet, so perfect. His teeth ached at the thought of biting into them, the slightly hard texture giving way to softness. He wanted to feel it again, the taste of dreams. She was right here after all. All he had to do was reach over and grab her. He needed to have it. He needed to take it. Her dreams, he needed them.
She stirred slightly, a small sigh escaping her lips.
Xiao froze, it stirring up something within him. Lumine. She trusted him. He couldn’t. He couldn’t do this to her. In that moment he realized he was leaning over the blanket divider, his hands reaching for her head.
He pulled back and curled into a ball on his side of the bed, his hands clutched tightly to his chest as he bit his lip so hard the blood began to flow. It helped clear his mind somewhat, a bit of the haze of the dream going with it. He had almost eaten her dreams. What would have happened if she didn’t move? Would he had gone through with it?
He couldn’t stay on the bed with her. He got up and ran his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to calm himself down. It wasn’t working. All he could picture was how he had loomed over Lumine, ready to devour the dreams within her. Also her scent was too close. Her dreams were there, taunting him, begging for him to eat them.
He got up from the bed as quietly as possible and hurried to the corner of the room to sleep. This far, the intoxication scent of her dreams didn’t reach and Xiao could relax a little.
Just a little.
He could still remember the scent in his mind. A yearning, a beautiful intoxicating fragrance that begged him to come back. His teeth ached as he dug his nails into his palms to fight it. Normally he would run away and have the night air cool his head but he couldn’t even do that with the storm raging outside. All he could do was wait here until the feeling past and hoped he didn’t give into it.
***
Lumine woke up and saw the other side of the bed was empty.
“Oh Xiao,” she whispered with a sigh. Maybe it was too much to push him that far. She really did want him to fear sleeping next to her though. She glanced at the corner but much to her surprise he wasn’t there either, all of his things were gone.
After getting dressed, Lumine hurried out of the room and down the stairs to the first floor. It was quieter down here as compared to yesterday, with the storm past, everyone had probably hit the road or were sleeping in.
After dropping off the key at the front door, Lumine stepped outside and barely was able to avoid the large puddle that was right outside the door. The sky was a clear blue, no clouds in sight, the air crisp. Birds chirped from the nearby trees, water droplets falling from the leaves. It was a picturesque scene. There was just one person missing for her to share it with.
“Xiao?” she called. “Are you there?”
She heard a thud behind her and turned to see Xiao stand up. His ability to fall from great heights and not get hurt was impressive like always. She was about to make a quip about it when she noticed the haggard look in his eye. “What’s wrong?” She reached for his cheek but he backed up a step.
“Don’t touch me. I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“What do you mean what you’ll do? What are you talking about?”
“I tried to eat your dream last night. The smell, it was exactly like how I remembered it. If I hadn’t came back to my senses in time…”
Maybe Lumine was a fool for pushing Xiao when he wasn’t ready yet. She wanted to hold his hand to tell him it was okay but he was already on edge, best to not push him further if she didn’t have to. “But you didn’t do it Xiao, you need to be proud of yourself for that.”
“I could have. I would have.” He ran his fingers through his hair as if he could erase the memories of last night.
“I knew you wouldn’t.” She set her hands behind her back and kicked a loose rock. “I’m sorry I did that to you. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Don’t try and make me feel better about it, I know it happened because of me. I convinced you. I’m sorry I did that to you Xiao.”
Xiao rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it,” he murmured.
“Maybe we could go slower in the future? Much slower I mean, to help you not want to do that.”
“Maybe,” he mumbled. “Uh, can you get back to the harbor on your own?”
Lumine nodded. “I’ll do that.”
“Good.” He turned away but before he jumped, he looked back at her, pointedly not looking her in the eye. “Remember, call my name if you need me.”
“Of course.”
Once Xiao was out of sight, Lumine began the long walk towards the harbor. Sure she could teleport there but for now she wanted time to walk and think. That was a terrible decision on her part, how could she be so stupid!? If it was something he wanted to work on in the future then she would help him with that. If not, well, they would figure it out, she was sure of it.
For now though, Xiao probably needed space to think.
Oh! Perhaps she could ask Zhongli for advice! Together they could think of something to help Xiao. With that thought in mind she teleported to the harbor and headed for the funeral parlor.