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“You don’t have to push yourself to be faster than your opponent if you wield a cyro vision. The frost field created by your strike can be used for more than infusing your weapon with the element. Create a cold so intense your opponent cannot move.” Xiao told Chongyun. He nodded to him and he swung down his sword at the ground. The impact caused snow to form over the grass and Chongyun looked to Xiao for approval. He looked a little disappointed when he only said: “Better.”
The young exorcist had requested that he sparred with him and give him advice. He decided to train him out of respect for his family. Xiao had fought along generations of exorcists in the endless fight against demons. Their power couldn’t compare to that of an adeptus but he admired their dedication to protecting Liyue. He hoped that training Chongyun would keep him alive during battle so he could return to his friends. He knew the pain of losing a comrade all too well.
Xiao sensed a familiar presence approaching him and he turned towards Ganyu in the distance. He would train her occasionally but he was certain she wouldn’t arrive for a few more days. It would be exhausting to train two people in a day and he needed his strength to fight demons. He also limited how often he spoke with people because he didn’t want his karmic debt to affect them.
“Are you here to ask for Cloud Retainer?” Xiao asked curtly when Ganyu reached them. He stabbed his spear into the ground and the wind that resonated from his weapon cleared the frost of Chongyun’s field so they wouldn’t be cold. His action contrasted his cold voice. “Human’s entitlement to an adepti’s blessing is unsightly and I hope you haven’t adopted that. You’re half adeptus and you should show your ancestors respect.”
“Oh, I was returning from my training with Cloud Retainer and I saw you sparring with Chongyun. I wanted to ask if I could join. That was presumptuous of me to interrupt but I hope we can still practise together.” She said and he answered her with a heavy sigh.
“Training both you and Chongyun will be a waste of all of our time. This boy is human and his body cannot endure your adeptus training. You will not be properly challenged if I give you the same tests that I created for him.” He thought his words were reasonable and practical until he saw how their expressions fell. Xiao had never been the best with words and he would unintentionally speak more harshly than he intended.
Then, he felt a small hand grab his ankle and persistently tugged on it. He stretched his neck to look behind him and he found a small girl holding his shoe. He recognized the zombie, QiQi, because he was present for her revival and she worked in Baizhu’s pharmacy. Xiao silently wondered why he was being bombarded with so many people that day. She looked up at him and said, “Collect sweet flowers.”
Xiao realised that she was trying to pick the flower he was standing on and he lifted his foot for her. Baizhu would often send her to collect flowers and herbs for his medicine. He was glad that she was able to find a normal life after her sudden death centuries ago. He doubted that she recognized him though. A part of Xiao was relieved that she didn’t remember him because it would be troublesome if she felt indebted to him. He didn’t need thanks for saving her because protecting Liyue was his vow to Morax.
“QiQi, where did you go? I told you not to leave my side!” A voice from across the field reached them. Usually, Xiao would be irritated that he needed to deal with another person. He recognized the voice as Aether’s and he felt his heart skip with anticipation. In the distance, Aether noticed them as well and he waved to them as he walked up the hill. Xiao hoped his face didn’t reflect those feelings and he hardened his face to hide his reaction to Aether.
Xiao heard countless love stories throughout his life but he never expected to fall in love. He avoided spending time with people and making bonds with them. He believed his life would be defined by slaying demons. A part of Xiao understood that Morax didn’t wish for him to feel indebted to him. However, fighting to protect Liyue was the only way he could think to repay the man who rescued him.
Then, he met Aether and he fell in love.
“There you are, QiQi. Oh, hello, Ganyu, Chongyun, Xiao.” Aether said once he reached them and he gave each a nod. His gaze fell onto Xiao and his smile softened. “It’s rare to find you outside of Wangshu Inn. I hope I’m not interrupting your training with Ganyu. Baizhu asked me to help QiQi collect sweet flowers and qingxin flowers. It’s easy to get lost in these mountains.”
“I’m finished training for the day so we can help you collect flowers. They grow on the top of the mountain and they’re hard to reach. You can finish quicker if we work together.” Chongyun offered. “I’m a little sore from training so I hope we can use the mountain staircases.”
“It will be best if I collect the flowers on my own.” Xiao said and he looked up at the steep mountains. He didn’t wait for the others to respond before he seemingly disappeared. While the others looked around the hill for Xiao, Aether instinctively searched the sky for him. He spotted him near the top of the mountain and he smiled to himself.
“He’s truly a kind person, isn’t he? I wish he could be more honest so others can see that.” Aether felt Ganyu’s gaze and he realised that he had spoken his thoughts out loud. He blushed and he stepped away from them. “Xiao said he could collect them on his own but I should go help him. Can you two stay here and watch over QiQi? I’m worried she’ll wander off.”
“Collect sweet flowers and Qingxin flowers.” QiQi repeated and she started to climb to follow Xiao and Aether. She was stopped when Ganyu gently lifted her off the mountain wall and then placed her on the ground. She appeared confused and Ganyu explained.
“I don’t know Xiao very well but I think he has special feelings for Aether. We should give them the chance to be alone together.” Ganyu didn’t know if the child could understand even as QiQi nodded back to her. “With Xiao’s duty to Liyue and Aether’s search for his sister, they don’t get to spend time with each other. He has supported me during my training so I want to help him with this.”
“I was scared of Xiao when I first met him but then my grandfather told me stories of how he helped my family fight demons. Aether’s also a good person and I would like to support them too.” Chongyun said. He thought of Xingqiu and an idea suddenly came to him. “I read this book, Young and Hopelessly Smitten, and I think we can create a scenario for Xiao and Aether to become closer.”
He took the book out of his bag and he held it open between them so they could go over the different love poems. They discussed the possibilities until Ganyu felt a small hand pat her leg. She looked down at QiQi. “QiQi also wish to help. Xiao… feels familiar. A friend that QiQi forgot?”
“Xiao often fights to protect Liyue so it’s possible that he has helped you in the past.” Ganyu spoke in a patient voice because she understood why QiQi struggled to remember things. “Oh, I know the perfect role for you in our plan. You can stand outside and cave and make it cold. You only need to make snow.”
“Make snow.” She echoed. QiQi was determined to help the plan so she wouldn’t forget the singular task. “Make snow.”
“How deep is this cave? QiQi’s so small that I doubt she walked this far inside.” Xiao said as he walked through the cave with Aether. When they returned from picking qingxin flowers, Chongyun told them that QiQi had become lost in the cave and they couldn’t find her. They urged Xiao and Aether to search the cave while they looked for her outside. It was logical for them to split up and find her quickly yet their behaviour seemed odd to Xiao.
“Ganyu said they saw her enter this cave so we should check just to be certain she’s not here. Afterall, I promised… Baizhu that I would protect her.” Aether’s brief pause caught Xiao’s attention and he couldn’t help but feel protective. Loneliness passed over his face so quickly that most wouldn’t notice it. He wanted to ask him why he looked sad and comfort him. Xiao stopped himself because he was scared it would make him uncomfortable.
“We will find her. She’s strong and capable so we don’t need to worry about finding her before she gets hurt.” Xiao reassured him. He wished that he was better with words and he knew what to say in that moment. He held a torch in front of them and he pointed to two uneven rocks. “Watch your step.”
“Thanks, Xiao. It’s a little strange to have someone fret over me like this again. Well, not since…” His words faded into a forced laugh. Xiao wondered if Aether would often help people before he thought of himself. Then, Aether said: “My sister would point out every rock on the ground so I wouldn’t trip over any of them. We’re the same age but she treated me like a baby brother. I thought we would protect each other as we grew but…”
“You’ll find her again.” Xiao spoke more confidently than Aether felt. He had told him that he was searching for his sister but he never went into detail about the day they were separated. Each time he told the story, he would feel more guilty.
The cave suddenly became cold and Aether hugged himself for warmth. He instinctively moved closer to Xiao and their arms brushed together. He was slightly surprised that he didn’t pull away from him and he held him closer instead. Xiao wrapped his arm around his back and he gently rubbed his arm. He didn’t have a jacket to offer him because he rarely needed to wear one with Liyue’s warm weather.
Was Xiao only holding him so he wouldn’t be cold or was the gesture to comfort him? He didn’t know which it was and his mind raced with the question. His warmth was comforting to Aether and he leaned his head against his shoulder. “When Baizhu asked me to watch over QiQi, I couldn’t say no. She reminds me of Lumine when we were children.”
Xiao wondered if that was also the reason Aether would offer his help to people, no matter how small or outlandish their request was. He admired how strong he was but he also worried that someone would take advantage of that kindness. “You made me repeat this three times already but we will find her. Both of them.”
“Thank you, Xiao.” He whispered to him even though they were the only two in the cave.
The snowstorm became more intense and its power made Xiao narrow his eyes. The power behind the snow was similar to that of an Adeptus. QiQi was capable of wielding adepti energy because he gave her a portion of his power to revive her. There was a chance she was fighting someone within the cave. He turned to Aether and he saw that his lips were pressed into a firm line. He probably had the same thought as him.
Aether took his hand and he pulled him towards the entrance where the blizzard was strongest. He concentrated his power in front of them and he summoned wind to counter the snow so they could walk forward. He found it difficult to maintain his footing with ice coating the ground. Xiao stood beside him and he placed his hand on his back to keep him from falling backwards.
“QiQi, you’re making too much snow.” Xiao and Aether were able to hear voices from outside the cave after he weakened the blizzard. They recognized Chongyun’s voice but Ganyu’s panic and words confused them. “The plan is for them to be alone in the cave and then hold each other once it gets cold. They’ll freeze to death at this point.”
“Make snow.” QiQi repeated the only part of the plan she was able to remember.
After they listened to the three banter outside of the cave, the situation became clear to them. Aether laughed good heartedly. “It looks like they wanted to give us time alone. They really care about you, Xiao. Isn’t it sweet?”
“They didn’t need to go through so much trouble. I don’t know what made them think I have the time for human courtship. Sorry they dragged you into this mess.” Xiao said but Aether had to note that there was a blush rising onto his cheeks. “Let’s go and stop QiQi before Liyue becomes like Dragonspine.”