Chapter Text
Xiao awoke to the clamor across from him in the cave. It was Itto making some impassioned argument to Yanfei about being “unfairly” arrested back in Inazuma. He paid no heed to it, and instead chose to take stock of his health.
His whole body still felt sore from the damage he took in the separate dimension, and he was still fatigued from the exertion of crossing over to this realm.
Lumine sat next to him, with various trinkets and collectibles sprawled around her. He scoffed internally, thinking about the weight of all these useless materials she lugged around across Teyvat. Among other things, were various cooked dishes, as well as herbs, crystals and wood chunks, and vials of colorful potions. Of course, he never needed such mortal junk, as his mask and spear were all that he carried.
Lumine stared at her collection thoughtfully, arms crossed with a finger tapping her chin. As Xiao began to sit up, he winced in pain, attracting Lumine’s attention.
She began to rise to go to his aid, but he simply raised a firm hand in disapproval. She sat back down, eyes trained on him with her eyebrows knitted with worry, watching his move and gauging his state of health.
“OOH I KNOW! WE COULD MAKE SOM—“ Paimon’s shrill voice was cut off with Lumine’s shushing gesture, motioning with her eyes to her that Xiao was up.
“Xiao, how do you feel?” She asked, instantly regretting the stupid question.
“I’m fine,” his voice was hoarser than usual.
“We’re in no rush as we haven’t found a way out yet. So please take your time to rest.”
Xiao said nothing. The silence brimmed with tension. Lumine continued taking stock of her materials, wondering which of these might be effective in helping an immortal almighty Adeptus regain his strength.
Xiao was a man of little words, so he leaned against the cold rock wall and gazed blankly across the cave at nothing. Lumine wondered if his lips were pursed tensely from the physical pain, or if he was remembering something unpleasant he saw in the other realm.
Paimon floated over to her, gently beckoning her to the fire Shinobu had lit. “The food is ready! Now Xiao will be back to normal in no time,” Paimon whispered excitedly.
“I hope so,” Lumine trailed off absently.
Transferring the food from the pot to a serving dish, she diligently blew air on it to cool before serving to Xiao.
“He’s not a baby, you know, he’s just exhausted,” Paimon remarked acridly. “Wish you took that much care while feeding Paimon,” the floating child’s grumbling was tinted with a tone of playfulness. But her comment made warmth rush to Lumine‘s cheeks, and she turned her attention back to the bowl of Xiao’s favorite food to ignore it.
Satisfied with her product, she walked back to Xiao, who looked up to see why he was being approached. She sat down next to him and offered him the bowl.
“I made you some Almond Tofu… your favorite.”
Xiao looked blankly at the food held out towards him. Lumine continued, “You need to eat to regain your strength. And we’ll need everyone in good shape if we want to get out of here.”
Xiao’s jaw tensed at her hopeful words.
“There is no getting out of here,” he said bluntly.
“You don’t know that! Yelan and Yanfei are working on a plan as we speak. I’m sure we’ll figure something out soon, so eat up because we’ll need your help too! As soon as you’re feeling well, of course.” Xiao chose against saying anything that would dull the hopeful gleam in the traveler’s eyes. He took the offering curtly, and held the slightly warm bowl in his hands. Even this light dish felt heavy as a rock in his hands, and his arms trembled trying to hold it up and begin to eat.
“Woah, hey, if you’re too weak, I can feed it to you,” Lumine began reaching out for him instinctively. Paimon made some off hand comment about also wishing to get special treatment after how fatigued she was earlier — Lumine ignored her entirely.
“I’ll be fine,” Xiao snaps, resorting to place the bowl on his legs.
As embarrassing as that just was, the sight of his favorite dessert managed to make him smile. Though no one else in the cave would’ve been able to notice the subtle change in his expression, Lumine was pleased by the tiny upturn of his mouth.
The tofu was was cool, how he preferred it. The sweet aroma of the dessert filled his lungs, and he was surprised to realize that he was actually quite hungry. It looked smooth and soft, cut into perfect pieces and topped with a drizzle of osmanthus syrup.
Paimon and lumine stared expectantly at him as he took his first spoonful.
It was perfect. Well, he at least had never had something she cooked that wasn’t perfect.
Seeing him eat made them both let out a huge sigh of relief. Paimon returned to her regular mischief and gluttony, poking and prodding Lumine for a snack. She gave her some of the leftover almonds, which she happily munched on, floating away to disturb her next victim.
Lumine returned to watching Xiao eat.
“It’s not bad,” he stated dully, but continued to spoon more into his mouth.
Lumine hummed in thanks, resting her cheek on her hand as he went on.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Oh, umm, no reason,” she smiled.
“You didn’t have to go through all the hassle of making this. I know this recipe, so I know how difficult it is to make such a dish, especially in our current circumstances.”
“It’s nothing, Xiao. Just what any friend would do.”
“Did you make enough for the rest of your friends? I hate to be the only one eating.”
Lumine’s face fell at his comment.
“I’ll. Make them something else. And, they’re not even hungry. This space doesn’t allow us to feel hunger, thirst or fatigue. And...”
Xiao looks at her, waiting for her to finish her thought.
“And this isn’t something I make for just everyone you know,” she mumbled, looking away to hide the rosiness of her cheeks.
“I just mean, making the almond milk is a lot of work, so I can’t make a bigger batch.”
Xiao felt his heart tighten seeing the look on Lumine’s face as she said this.
“Anyways, thank you for the meal. It sufficed,” he placed the bowl on the floor instead of outstretching his hand, hoping she won’t notice his arm shaking in pain.
“You’re most welcome.”
Lumine snuck a peak at the gash on his arm. The karmic energy seeped out in black and teal fumes from the cut, and the flesh looked almost blackened by it. She would’ve thought that the gash would’ve been mostly healed by now, seeing as he was an adepti and all, but it seemed that she was misconceived about adeptal healing properties. She decided to take things into her own hands to help Xiao feel better.
Xiao watched with silent curiosity as the traveler searched around the cave for something, picking up various small rocks, appraising them and putting them back. Finally she found two that were satisfactory, and head towards the pool of water the a corner of the cave where it tunneled towards a rocky maze.
“What’re you gonna do with those rocks, Lumine?” Paimon asked.
“I’ll use them as a mortar and pestle.”
Lumine carefully washed the rocks in the water. She then retrieved some mist flower, qingxin, slime condensate, luminescent spines and a vial of frog secretion, and began grinding them to a fine paste-like consistency.
“We know Bubu Pharmacy often uses luminescent spines in its medicine to help people recover strength,” Paimon wondered out loud, “and frog secretions do keep you at full vitality, but why the slime and mist flower?”
“Xiao’s wound seemed to have karmic energy flowing out of it, so the elemental powers in slime condensate could be expected to help that wound on a topical level. As for the qingxin and mist flower, it’s just a cooling agent.”
“Wow, you sure do know a lot about medicine, Lumine,” Paimon said fondly.
“You’d think you’d learn half this stuff by now too, traveling with me for the past year,” Lumine huffed sarcastically in response.
“Hey! Paimon has you for all that, hehe!”
Once the balm was done, lumine ripped up a few strips of of silken fabric to bandage the wound, and head over to where Xiao sat by himself.
“Xiao, I made an herbal balm for the wound on your arm.”
“I know, I was watching.”
Lumine blushed, eyes wandering for something else to look at to avoid his eyes.
“Oh– um, well, can I apply it for you?”
Xiao huffed, looking away, “I don’t need your mortal medicine. I’ll be fine.”
He waited for Lumine’s protests, but was met with silence. He looked up at her, to see her staring sullenly at the little container that she had scraped the balm into, and the fabric along with it.
After a long moment of consideration, he sighed loudly, “It matters not. You may apply the balm.”
Lumine’s eyes widened for a moment in surprise, processing, and then she kneeled next to him and began treating his wounds. Her jaw tensed as she got a good look at the wounds for the first time, and pondered how deeply he was hurting. As an adventurer, she was no stranger to injury, so she knew full well how badly a cut like this could hurt. Moreover, she knew what an adept warrior Xiao was. So, for him to be injured to this extent confirmed her fears about this chaotic space being a most formidable opponent.
Xiao knew that the traveler’s concoction would likely have next to no effects on his healing process. But he watched her carefully apply the ointment to his wounds, holding her breath to steady her hand, lips pursed in concentration, and he didn’t entirely mind it. She held Xiao’s arm gently yet firmly by one hand, applying the medicine with the fingertips of the other. Xiao focused on the warmth and softness of her touch– it was much more tolerable to think about than the pain in the rest of his body.
“Let me know if it f–” Lumine began, looking up to speak to him, and was met with his piercing amber gaze. Her heart lurched for a moment as their eyes locked onto each other. Xiao’s gaze was soft, warm even, a look that Lumine was wholly unfamiliar with, coming from him at least.
Lumine studies his sharp eyes; the golden glow, the diamond pupils, the long and thick lower lashes. He had no business being this beautiful.
His blink snapped her out of it, and she jerked her head to look away and return her attention to the arm. Sneaking another glimpse at him, she noticed him smirking to himself– the expression made her cheeks feel hot.
“There, that should do it,” Lumine said, securing the silk bandage.
“You… have my thanks,” Xiao said, the faintest bit of pink tainting his cheeks.