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A thousand sounds filled your ears. The sound of children laughing, crowds cheeting, dishes and kitchenware cluttering; even the rustling of leaves being blown around by the wind could be heard from upon your perch. You were sitting peacefully on the balcony railing, your legs swinging along to a tune playing in your head.
The golden star deemed by astronomers to be the sun was going lower and lower, more of its beautiful glow dipping below the line created by the horizon. It was almost that time of the day once more. You're going to get to see him again.
Humming a merry tune, you rotate so your feet hit the sold orange wooden planks. Taking a deep breath, you try to get your emotions under control. Seeing him after a tiring day filled with labours and commissions always made you feel sickeningly sweet butterflies in your stomach. It made you want to jump into his arms, become swallowed by his embrace, take in his scent that you've grown to crave.
Yet you couldn't. You didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Never in an everlasting eon. He was extremely shy when it came to showing physical affection. He used to have difficulties expressing his feelings even verbally, although he'd grown to become almost addicted to it now.
Occasionally, he would make the first move. Wrapping an arm around your waist, holding your hand (or rather fingers, usually intertwining your pinkies together), or sometimes even resting his forehead around yours. The last one's extremely rare, though.
Over time, he became more comfortable with you initiating the physical contact, though most of the time you would have to ask him, as a way to "warn" him. You found it rather adorable, but you knew that you couldn't speak your mind to him about the matter, as there were many reasons behind his behaviour. Some more serious, more darker than others.
You let out an exhale, closing your eyes. Should you really call him? He is quite literally a godly entity, serving directly under Liyue's archon, who just so happens to be the oldest and strongest out of the seven. Shouldn't he have better things to do than to be here, talking to you?
You physically shake the doubts from your mind. He cares. He wants to be with you.
"Xiao."
Without spending another second in doubt, you call his name.
Completely unbeknownst to you, Xiao was already there, at Wangshuu Inn, watching over you. He had finished his duties a bit earlier today, giving him time to prepare a gift for you. A gift for your birthday. The Vigilant Adeptus never fully understood the sense behind celebrating somebody's date of birth. With how many years he'd lived to witness, it's only natural that the days blend together. So, he'd missed his own birth date on numerous occasions.
Xiao stood on one of the many branches of Wangshu's luxuriously golden tree, carefully observing you. A smile crept up on his face the moment you'd called his name. He could feel his cheeks heating up and heartbeat quicken. Hopefully this will be enough.
"You called?" You jump ever so slightly in surprise as Xiao's voice spoke from above you.
"Welcome back, Xiao." You smile and watch as he jumps down onto the balcony without making a single sound. It still amazes you to this day how he could be so strong, yet elegantly agile, not to mention silent.
"You seem tired. Don't you mortals care about your health?"
"It was an emotionally draining day, that's all." You sigh, turning so your back is to him. You lean over the balcony railing.
"I'm here. Talk to me." Xiao's voice drew nearer as he joined you in your reminiscent position. His eyes never left your face. Odd. He usually averts his gaze from you. You glance at him to see that he's holding a neatly wrapped box beteeen his hands.
"I will. But first, you're going to tell me who's lucky enough to receive a gift from you." You already knew the answer. Or rather, it wasn't really that hard to guess.
"I-" Heat rose to his cheeks, and you swear that you could see his ears reddening, too. With a swift clearing of his throat, he continued, "I heard it was your birthday yesterday, and I...figured it would be-" Xiao gave up trying to form a reasonable sentance. He turned to face you, you did the same.
"Here." He extended his arm out, placing the small orange box in the palm of your hand. You lifted the box up to examine it.
"Open it." It was worded like a command, yet there was a hint of worry and uncertainty behind them.
You carefully work your way around the silk fabric, until a mere black chest was left. Xiao's gaze never faltered, golden eyes trained on you, taking in every reaction.
The chest's lid gets lifted. Inside, you see a jade pendant. The jade itself was shaped like the symbol of Ying, and white glistening pearls decorated the string, with the occasional red bead showing up every couple sets.
"Xiao..." You didn't know what to say. You couldn't find the words. You turn your attention back to the Yaksha to see a rare sight. A smile was making its way to his face. A genuine, happy smile. The kind that would make your eyes wrinkle when you do it.
Your heart fluttered at the sight, feelings soaring to new hights, ones that you had always been too scared to reach.
Without thinking, you approach him, and plant a kiss on his chesk. As you withdraw, you see his expression. Eyes wide, taken aback, hands unwittingly reaching out to you. For you.
"Thank you, Xiao...Could you help me put it on?"
Xiao quickly gathered his composure, returning to his stoic expression.
"Sure. Come here." He was totally still processing the whole ordeal. It made you giggle internally. You turn around. Xiao lowered the pendant so it rested neatly on your chest, and began to fumble with the strings. After a brief moment of struggling, he got the clasps together.
"There. Turn around." You follow the command, dramatically turning around.
Oh, the poir Adeptus could do nothing but stare in awe at the sight of you, donning his gift.
He'd seen you wearing many things, during various occasions. After all, how could he forget the gorgeous dress you wore when taking him out to see the Lantern Rite Festival from afar? Or the way you tied your hair up with a butterfly hairpin he made for you that one time while sparring with him?
Xiao loved every little thing about you, even the miniscule details that you, yourself fail to see. They were all things that he would go to great lengths to protect, to preserve.
The bond between the two of you has grown too strong, and it's far too late go sever it. As much as Xiao hates to admit it, especially to others, he can no longer bare to be apart from you. You're just as an essential to his life as he is to you, maybe even more.
"You...look stunning." A soft laugh made its way out of your mouth. Archons, is there anything you do that doesn't make his mind go into a giddy frenzy? "It compliments you well."
"Why, thank you." Playfully batting your eyelashes as you spoke, you couldn't help but burst out in laughter. It is a rather endearing moment, but Xiao's bewilderment mixed with your exhaustion kicking in made taking anything seriously unbearingly difficult.
"What's humoring you so?" The voice of the Adeptus snapped you back to reality. You take a moment to catch your breath, straightening yourself out.
"Nothing, Xiao...Absolutely nothing."
"Laughing aside, you're hiding something. Look me in the eyes, Y/N."
Your eyes lock with his golds. Beneath their rich depths lay innocence ridden with worry.
"I'm not hiding anything bad, I promise."
"But you're keeping something away from me." Xiao decided to step outside of his boundaries. He approached you, wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you into a half-embrace. He pressed his lips to your hair and let out a sigh. "If it isn't anything bad, why can't you tell me?"
You clenched your hands into fists on his chest, struggling to find the right words. You wanted to say something along the lines of: "Is the Mighty Adeptus Xiao warming up to somebody? What is this witchery?" and be a complete tease, but you could tell that this wasn't the time for that.
He was showing geniuine concern for you, going to lengths that would usually be outside his comfort zone in an attempt to help soothe your worries.
"Like I said, it's nothing bad. It's just that-" You paused as Xiao kissed your hair again.
"I've been thinking about us." You pull away from the embrace, looking at him, "About what we are, and will be. We've shared physical and verbal affections, yet..." You look down, swinging one of your legs absentmindedly, but being careful to not kick Xiao, "Are we even dating? What do you think of me? I want to do so many things with you, to you...but I want to respect your boundaries."
Silence. Xiao was trying to form a reply. Truth be told, he never really knew what to do with his feelings. He's aware that he has them, but if it came to showing, he'd went to the other Adepti for guidance.
Cloud Retainer found it rather amusing, and the Yaksha knew very well that she would hang it over his head for a long time.
Ganyu was shy about it all at first, but soon she ended up spilling a lot more than Xiao had been prepared for. Many phrases which she'd used he didn't understand, and needed more clarification. He regretted that request. When he'd asked the half-Qilin just where she acquired such information, she said "Well, I had overheard a few things exchanged between Lady Ningguang and Miss Beidou. The rest is of my own knowledge."
Mountain Shaper didn't have anything to add - more so he refused to comment on the matter.
You felt a finger and thumb cup your chin, lifting your face up to see him. The stoic expression he usually displays was gone, in it's place being a look of extreme fondness.
"Y/N, I don't exactly know how to convey all of my thoughts into words," the hand that was holding your chin moved gradually to your cheek, thumb slowly caressing your skin, "But over time, I've grown very fond of you. I love you, more than you'll ever know. My actions will never suffice to show just how much I care. You mean everything to me. You mortals would call it...dating, correct?"
"I-uh, yeah, I suppose so."
"Then we're dating."
You'd figured as such, but hearing the words spoken to you by him made you tear up a bit. Not from sorrow, heavens no. You couldn't possibly be feeling sorrow when you're happier than you'd ever been before.
Xiao looked at your lips, and then your eyes. The message was clear. The space between your lips was bridged without any further questions. His lips pressed firmly, yet oh so gingerly against your own. It was passionate. It made you feel so many things at once.
You break the kiss to catch your breath. Xiao's face was flushed red, eyes glimmering with newly found adoration.
"I love you, Xiao." The words left your mouth in a hushed whisper, as a confirmation, a pledge to forever be his.
"I...love you, too." Your hands intertwined, "However, one day, I hope for us to be more than just dating."
The words he spoke made you blush.
"I mean it."
"I know you do. It's just that, this is all so...amazing. Hard to believe any of this is real. I feel like you're about to disappear at any given moment."
The sun cast a brilliant auburn glow on your lover's face.
"For you, the world. Even if I am to strike down a millennia's worth of demons to ensure your safety, so be it. You are my life, my everything."
Xiao leaned in and kissed your forehead.
"My mortal."