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There were times when time itself was fleeting. A leaf floating in the breeze, a butterfly flapping its wings. The seasons came and went and came and went. Then humans walked the lands, to and fro.
Old wooden steps that spiral to the skies, worn with age and use. He walked up these rickety stairs, a bundle in his arms and Inazuman lullabies upon his lips. The bundle shifted, sniffled, and snuggled further into his arms.
Sweet little one.
It brought a smile to his face. A breeze carrying the scent of spring – of silk flowers and, oddly enough, Qingxins – blew. It was far warmer than those from the months marked by a stern cold.
Higher and higher, up the steps he went. Gently, carefully, for the one in his arms must not wake. Putting a newborn to sleep was not an easy feat after all.
The newborn stirred and the young man stilled. In the middle of the steps, he paused, gently rocking the bundle from side to side. The child settled back into slumber and relief flooded the wanderer's veins. He treaded even more carefully and wondered if he should have taken the lift instead.
His life so far comprising of a little over two decades had taught him many things. Within the walls of an estate trapped in autumn, he learned how to make blades sing. At a young age, pens littered his room as he taught himself how words should ring. Poetry, he discovered, was just as sharp as the katana he wielded. And it was just as beautiful as the themes it encapsulated.
In the premises of an old home where generations came and went, the next thing he learned was how to manage – to rule. A sole heir, that was what he was. The lone successor to a clan, the only one who could prevent its impending rot. Yet it did not interest him all that much. His heart sung, reached for the views beyond those high walls. A bird yearning for the freedom to heed the wind's call.
Time, the merciless mistress of mankind. Fate who was known to be the will of the divine. They came for him, for them, with a current oh so strong. And their raft crashed and sunk – all was thought to be gone. He alongside his family bid adieu to many – to people, to material things. The man was neither sad nor to be looked upon with pity – he was free.
Nature became his home soon enough. Traveling the land of his birth, grilling fish and sleeping on warm rocks. All he ever truly required was a blade in one hand and a cup of sake in the other. It was the simpler things in life that he grew to treasure.
Then he met her, a traveler who carried the scent of the stars. On that fated day within the confines of Guyun Stone forest surrounded by the sea, the stars aligned for Kaedehara Kazuha and Lumine. The former would not have it any other way.
Almost a year they have known each other. More than ten months prior, they reached the point of no return. Around nine months ago, they gave into a sweet surrender. Seeds were planted and nurtured with time. Bit by bit they blossomed into a garden full of blooms, a testament to their bond. The little bundle in his arms too, in all honesty, was yet another culmination of the threads binding their hearts.
To reiterate, Kaedehara Kazuha had experienced many things throughout his wanderings but nothing had prepared him for this. Absolutely nothing could have prepared him for parenthood and for the thankfully no longer fussy little one who was sound asleep in his arms.
Being a parent was far from easy. Being a father at his age was definitely not ideal as dictated by some odd Inazuman traditions that he paid no heed to. But so long as he had both his child and his wife, he would be alright.
Wife. He would never tire of calling her that even if it was only in his head. Though the wedding itself was small and only put together after both Lord Kamisato Ayato and Lady Kamisato Ayaka whacked him with their scabbards in addition to a long lecture from the former, it was a moment he would never forget. By Inazuman law, they were married – tied together until death parted them.
Death. The concept was far from new to him. He had watched people die – strangers, family members, acquaintances, friends. At times they were stolen by diseases but most were casualties of war. Inazuma, as he knew it today, was a graveyard – had been one for centuries.
The man recalled that long talk once upon a time beneath the Sacred Sakura of Narukami Shrine. It was a surprising opportunity to converse with their nation's patron deity. Then again, perhaps it was not given that his wife was a tad bit too well connected with the denizens of Teyvat.
Neither of them said words of apology but the Raiden Shogun, or Ei as she preferred to be called, did commend his swordsmanship briefly. It was then that he mentioned the stories of his then lover from the domain within the depths of the mountain. Ei smiled bitterly before saying that their land was filled with scars – from domestic conflicts, from international wars. Inazuma, like any other nation, was built upon the graveyard of those who laid down their lives for its prosperity – sacrifices made by both divine beings and humanity.
Kinship was what he felt at that moment. A sad sort of mutual understanding – that both had loved and lost many good friends to the tides of war. A nod was his reply before his deity was pulled aside by her own best friend; he too was then dragged by Paimon back to his lover's side.
The bundle shifted once more, dragging him out of the sea of memories. His humming did not cease as the little one's eyes opened. Bright crimson eyes so much like his own but with flecks of gold met his orbs that reflected the trees of autumn. The little one gurgled and scrunched his nose before his features relaxed and he cooed. Truly, the baby was making him tread along the edges of his sanity whenever he thought the little one would burst out crying.
Do not get him wrong, he did not mind his child's antics. The only thing that concerned him was that the little guy was barely a month old and Kazuha still had a very hard time telling what his cries meant. In his defense, this was the first time he even so much as held a babe – the lack of experience was definitely to blame. That did not mean that he would not try his best though.
"Are you hungry again?" He felt silly for asking that but he had bottle fed the little one an hour or so ago. His son was a hungry little guy half of the time, a thing Paimon took pride in for some reason, and very much active or fussy for the other half. And even more so since his father put him on a bit of diet as his mother was still out on an unexpectedly long commission.
Feeling ridiculous for waiting for an answer when he would get none, Kazuha sighed. "I wish I could give you more but your Mama is still working."
The little one seemed to huff and this made his father chuckle, "you can have all the milk you want when she returns, alright?"
Seemingly able to understand and satisfied with his father's answer, the baby settled. He snuggled further into Kazuha's arms. The child's breaths became labored as he was rocked gently to the tune of an Inazuman lullaby. The ronin smiled softly as he resumed his trek to the top of Wangshu Inn.
The journey was shorter than he thought it would be. Then again, he was more preoccupied with ensuring his son did not wake either from being jostled or from the creaking wooden steps this time around. Distractions were truly powerful things as it turned out.
The balcony at the top of the inn was always a sight to behold. It brought back memories from months before – the times they spent wandering Liyue and Mondstadt prior to entrusting their hearts to one another.
At the end of one particular commission where they even had a run in with a certain adeptus, Lumine urged him to join her for a trek to the top. That day too, they took the stairs rather than ride the lift. The traveler had said that time that what awaited them at the top would be more worth it if they took the longer route. Blindly, he trusted her words and judgement – a decision that he would never grow to regret.
Skies of blue littered with cotton-like clouds gently kissing the peaks of the mountains. Bodies of water and canopies of trees that decorated the land, filling it with nature's soft glow. Roads that spiraled in between them all, leading to the heart of the nation of commerce and contracts. Such a breathtaking view was a scene out of a book – an otherworldly yet elegant beauty that seemed to be untouchable. Yet it was tangible as he had time and time again walked those dirt trodden roads, weaved between those trees, and scaled those high peaks.
Now, it remained as a view whose beauty never diminished though it had been months since he last laid eyes upon it. The one in his arms gurgled, alerting Kazuha that he was awake. The ronin hummed as he walked forth some more, drawing closer to the wooden railings that were built as a precaution.
With a few meters in between them and the edge of the balcony, the man looked at his son with a soft smile. Eyes that were a perfect combination of his and Lumine's stared back at the ronin – blinking owlishly, probably wondering why his father looked at him so softly.
A chuckle left his lips, his eyes rose to take in the astonishing view that was the southern half of Liyue. "It truly is beautiful, wouldn't you agree?"
There was no reply and, once more, he thought of how ridiculous it was to wait for an answer. His son, barely even a month old, could not verbally respond yet he found that talking to him was endearing. Perhaps this was one of the many joys of parenthood – forging a bond between you and your child that both shall carry for the rest of their lives.
Eyes bearing the color of Autumn leaves raked over the land briefly before settling upon the ruins of the Guili Assembly. Its history was only one of the many tales from Liyue's bygone past – one laden with friendship and camaraderie from two deities.
It was a story that he knew. When your wife just happened to be the illustrious traveler then you were definitely bound to learn the history of the lands that you walked upon. The story of Guili Plains – of Lord Morax and Lady Guizhong – was one that often reminded him of many bonds he himself had forged through his travels.
Trust. Unity. Camaraderie. Friendship. The two deities who established the Guili Assembly – the settlement that many believed to be the predecessor to Liyue harbor itself – were thought to be polar opposites. A warrior hardened by battle and a strategist who worked behind the scenes – one complimented the other. Yin and yang, a perfect balance. A complimentary pair whose combination of abilities safeguarded their people and allowed them to flourish. Had Lady Guizhong lived to the present day then the young man had no doubt that Liyue Harbor would have grown even further – perhaps into a military power rivaling the armies from the snow-swept land in the north. What he had seen, the battlements guarding the harbor itself, indicated that the goddess was very innovative.
How far could the nation have gone had the goddess lived beyond the end of the Archon War? It was only one of the many what ifs that plagued him. To some extent, none of it was his business for in Liyue he, much like his beloved, was an outsider. But his alienation did not stop him from wondering how things might have become.
Speaking of possibilities, there was another that had a tendency to bother him at random times – their lifespans. Lumine was immortal, there was no longer any doubt in his mind about it. Even though she herself did not possess the same divinity as the archons or those of divine descent, she was, most definitely, an entity with a long lifespan – one who had already lived for eons and had descended upon many worlds. Then there was him. A mortal. One whose life was but a blink in the eyes of his wife, one who would eventually leave her if she chose to spend eternity in Teyvat. It broke his heart and hurt his head just thinking about it.
The ronin's woes were not his alone. Neither were they the only visitors who frequented the highest balcony where an adeptus was said to linger for periods of time.
The echoes came first, a soft pitter patter of soles on aged wood accompanied by a hummed tune – a familiar song he had heard around the docks of the harbor, sung by children who were likely unaware of its grotesque origins. The voice that uttered it was cheery yet soft, playful but not without a tinge of gentleness of sorts. There was only one person he knew of in the nation who spoke with this specific tone – a person who also happened to frequent Wangshu Inn according to his wife.
"Oh? What brings you here, Kaedehara?" A smile graced his lips as he looked over his shoulder. In all of her glory, there stood Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's young director. Hu Tao gave him a rather energetic wave as she walked towards Kazuha with a skip in her step.
Her footsteps ceased once she stood directly beside him. Upon her face, a smile flashed as she leaned down towards the bundle in the ronin's arms. "And who's this little guy?" His son gurgled in response, perhaps he was asking his father a similar question.
"He's mine and Lumi's son."
It was direct to the point, bordering on curt, but the funeral director could hear the pride in the young man's voice. The fondness in the ronin's eyes was also another factor which indicated that he must truly adore the little gurgling bundle in his arms. It brought a smile to the young woman’s face. Life truly was full of beautiful things albeit they were ephemeral – a butterfly fluttering amidst a grassy field before the seasons wreaked havoc upon it.
“Your son…” a hum followed the phrase, one that carried the unmistakable tone of the director’s mischief. Shivers went down the young man’s spine, a nervous chuckle leaving his lips as he nodded.
“Then that means…”
I’m well aware where this is heading…
There was no mistaking that teasing lilt to her voice. It was one that was awfully familiar to the young man at this point, much to his chagrin. One too many times has he had the misfortune of hearing that tone – be it in the nation of eternity, the city of freedom, or the land of contracts – and while he did not mind it much, he was better off not hearing any implications about his intimacy with his wife from other people – especially if they were their friends or acquaintances.
Still, the teases are better than getting hit with multiple scabbards.
Yet another tremor ran through the course of his spine, adding to the tension already plaguing his being. That was one incident that he would never forget anytime soon. It still made him wonder how the Kamisato siblings, who were known for never losing their composure even in the most dire situations, promptly discarded decades' worth of etiquette training and whacked him with their scabbards the moment they saw a then heavily pregnant Lumine. Granted, his friends in the Yashiro Comission did arrange a traditional Inazuman wedding for them afterwards but that did not mean that the trauma from those scabbards coming at him at full speed – and meeting their mark each time – would be gone anytime soon. It was just one of many unexpectedly odd incidents that occurred during the months in-between the showdown at Tenshukaku and his son’s birth.
The somewhat exasperated expression on Kazuha’a face was enough to dissuade the funeral director from continuing what she had planned. By his reaction, she could tell that she was far from the first person to enact such a thing and that took the fun straight out of it. While Hu Tao did enjoy teasing people into the next century, reusing an old joke that her victim had probably heard hundreds of times was a no go. There was no way she was going to employ a shoddy tactic in order for her to receive the results she wanted.
The smile on the young director’s face lost its mischievous glint – turning soft, gentle, as if she were admiring the tragical beauty of life itself. “Congratulations are in order,” came her mutter as her eyes fell shut and a wistful blossomed upon her lips.
It was an unexpected development – the promise of a tease shattering to reveal sincere well wishes.
Perhaps Miss Hu changed her mind halfway through creating the statement.
Either way, Kazuha was more than satisfied with this outcome. A moment of embarrassment was dodged and a friend of theirs had delivered a congratulatory message at the news of the most recent addition to their family – a situation that was clearly favorable to him. The final thing he hoped for was that his wife had the foresight to inform her friends in Liyue and Mondstadt of their marriage too. At this point, the man had to admit that he definitely had a tad bit of an overprotective – there was no other term for it for now – streak when it came to his wife.
There were times when it felt wrong – to be jealous, to be overprotective, to want to be the only man his lover paid heed to. It was a monstrous feeling that crept up his throat – the foulest bile to have ever sat in the pits of his stomach – that he could never truly rid himself of. It was not as if he refused to share his lover with others as he did not mind it when she spent time with a multitude of friend with differing personalities. When others – the people who they were far from acquainted with – get a tad bit too imposing or handsy with her… it was probably best to state that actions like that were more than a thorn at his side.
And what did he do with such annoyances? Whisper thinly-veiled threats with a serene smile gracing his lips. Would he act on them? Probably not but some denizens of Teyvat should learn the concept of boundaries and familiarity.
Lumine was not his possession – nor would he ever attempt to claim or even view her as such – but when the young woman he adored to the skies and back was looking withered from exhaustion or was uncomfortable from any unwanted attention, he would do what he must so all of them could have their well-deserved rest.
The ronin would miss the laughs those moments gave him as both now had a more efficient way of dealing with any odd admirers. All it would take was show either or both of their left hands and any reasonable person would know that two were, romantically speaking, off-limits.
A simple silver band sat upon the fourth finger of his left hand and its partner rested upon his wife’s. The small, shining item was but a symbol of their union, the material proof – aside from their marriage certificate written in Teyvat’s general language for convenience – that they were to be each other’s half for life.
The fist-sized organ in his chest skipped a beat whenever his gave fell upon it. The feeling was akin to electro – exhilarating – but it was also a butterfly who ventured through flowering fields, a leisurely journey that left him with a sense of fulfilment – of joy. Who knew that a material item would hold so much value to him that it brought a smile to his face when his mind drifted to its comfortable existence on his left ring finger?
That small item, no matter how miniscule it appeared on its bearer, did not escape the keen eyes of the funeral director. Given her line of work, Hu Tao had developed an attention to detail. It was a very convenient skill to have when you had to dress corpses in ceremonial garb or when pulling a prank on an old friend. This time, it served its purpose to clue her in on yet another life changing event involving the traveler – a rather private one at that.
“Congratulations on your wedding too.”
Words of gratitude uttered in a soft tone was what she received as a reply.
Because who else could be Kazuha’s bride aside from the outlander? The young woman was certain that Lumine was definitely his wife. Even before a ring sat on the young man’s finger, the two were already tied at the hip. Why she even saw them together leaving Liyue Harbor last Lantern Rite! And where did they end up? At the Jade Chamber if her source (known also as Zhongli who supposedly overheard it down at the docks from a few members of the Crux Fleet) was correct.
Point was, them eventually tying the knot was far from unexpected in the director’s eyes. It was bound to happen at one point and such an event was but another of life’s many wonders. A milestone such as theirs should be met with celebrations yet Hu Tao could not help herself but to wonder what would happen in the long run?
Quite the rain on a glorious parade but the young director dealt with the notion of death and mortality on an almost day to day basis. Kazuha was but a fleeting breeze within the thousands of winds, only a single tide brushing against the surface of a time-weathered stone that had lived for ages. The traveler was immortal, that she was sure of, hence they would eventually part ways.
A somewhat somber smile graced her lips.
Reminds me of my own lover.
For a mortal and an immortal joining not only hands but tying their hearts together was a premise for a tale of tragedy. A beautiful catastrophe. A meaningful cataclysm.
The expression on the director’s face did not escape her unlikely companion’s keen sense of sight. The ronin wondered what could have caused the director’s smile to shift from joy to bittersweetness. Was she ruminating on a thought aroused by the brief mention of his marriage?
“Miss Hu?”
The utterance of her name had dragged her out of her thoughts which had taken a dismal turn, partially that was. Only a fraction of her mind would ever resurface from the that depthless abyss that was her own apprehensions. Sure, she did have tea with death – though that tea time was never truly pleasant – on a daily basis but that did not prevent the unease forming in the pits of her gut.
“Kaedehara.” The call of his name was met with a hummed reply. “You are aware, correct?”
“Aware of what?”
“Of her lifespan.”
Of course, he was. While the topic itself was rarely spoken about, it weighed on his mind often. A pile of stones building up until it shall eventually reach the sky. A broken old record stuck on a single song with a heavy tune.
It was not a taboo yet it was a subject that he never brought up. It was painful, that cruel truth, and best left alone. It was a lion peacefully slumbering in its spacious den and was best left undisturbed.
A nod of his head was a sufficient answer. Succinct. No need for further elaboration.
“Ah.” For what else could she say other than that? The topic was a sensitive one, better if it was untouched. But Hu Tao was always quite the adventurous young woman hence she decided to poke the slumbering lion with the blunt end of her inherited ceremonial staff that doubled as her favored weapon.
“We’re two peas in a pod, are we not?” The words left a wistful smile upon her lips and a partially confused one on Kazuha’s.
Certainly, she could not mean...?
Yet it somehow made sense. Lumine’s mentions of her friend’s frequent visits to the highest balcony of Wangshu Inn where an adeptus resided. Her earlier expression after congratulating him on his marriage. The wistful smile that was left upon her lips just as she had uttered that sentence.
It’s him, isn’t it?
For she knew what it was like to love an immortal – one that seemed to be untouchable. The two of them were in a single boat, navigating the unpredictable currents of relationships that were often the subject of old folktales. Two mortals that would eventually be swept away by the tides of time, turning to seafoam as their lovers stood solemnly on the shore.
“Adeptus Xiao?”
A giggle left the director’s lips, “was it that obvious?”
And a chuckle left the ronin’s, “only when one can piece the subtle hints together.”
It was where they found common ground, their loves who would be touched by time but would not wither away so easily and themselves who mere moments in their millennium-lasting lives. Two differing faces of a pie cut straight through the middle – the fleeting cherry blossoms of spring and their partners that were the ever-enduring trees that shall witness the progression of humanity.
“It’s quite the open secret,” Hu Tao muttered, laughter bubbling from her lips despite the melancholic atmosphere. “Though only a handful know the details.”
“That the infamous funeral director is seeing one of Liyue’s esteemed guardians?”
The young woman burst into full-blown laughter. Kazuha soon followed suit, drawn into the somewhat positive atmosphere that he accidentally created.
“We do make an unlikely pair, no?”
Indeed, they did for who would have thought that the stoic adeptus that had guarded the nation for millennium would choose to entrust his heart to a mortal? One that dealt in death at that. And that was not even considering the arguably long list of questionable antics that Wangsheng’s Funeral director got herself into. The two of them could be considered polar opposites to some degree.
But opposites attract, right? Differing charges were what enabled machines to function – yin and yang. A perfect balance of calm and chaotic. A mutual understanding of those that had dealt with death yet still strive to live.
“Yes. We do as well don’t you think?”
A nod of affirmation came from the director. The child in Kazuha’s arms shifted, blinking at his father, before tucking his head in the former’s chest to shield his eyes from the rays of the setting sun. This caused both of the young adults to smile.
“By the way, what brought you here?” Kazuha hummed in response to the question directed to him. “Waiting for Lumi,” he said, “and you’re waiting for Adeptus Xiao I presume?”
Hu Tao hummed with a nod of her head, “he’s been gone for a few days.”
“Almost a week?”
The response almost caught her off-guard. The slight widening of her eyes was what told Kazuha that he hit the nail on the head.
“Lumine too.”
Now this was quite the coincidence. Not only were they here waiting for their lovers but both had been gone for a few days. And if the ronin’s hunch was correct, both were in a situation where neither of them could leave or contact anyone.
As the sun began sinking further, the air in the balcony seemingly grew thicker – laced with trepidation as both found an abundance of worries taking root and sprouting within the depths of their minds. It was too odd to not receive any contact from either of their lovers. Granted, direct correspondence in Liyue was far from the fastest but news still found a way to spread as if it was a contagious disease. They had heard neither hide nor hair of the two in roughly five days, and that was saying something. Both were quite the decorated figures in Liyue, therefore information concerning them would spread like wildfire. If so, then why has the ever reliable but also questionable news machinery known as “word of mouth” failed to give them even an inkling of where the two were? Had something terrible happened?
“Did he mention where he was heading?” asked the ronin as it would be better to align their information and see the points where they intersected.
“The Chasm.”
Similar to Lumine. What if…
Eyes that showed different shades and combinations of the color crimson met. Those that resembled blossoms grew worried as the silence from the ronin could only mean one thing.
“Kaedehara?”
They’re in danger, aren’t they?
The question was unspoken yet it echoed through every corner of their minds, an electric current that left devastation in its wake. It sent both of them into overdrive and then into auto-pilot. Hu Tao’s staff materialized in her hand, its tip glistening in a deep red as Pyro consumed it. Butterflies made of fire fluttered around it frantically, reflecting their wielder’s mind that was far from a state of tranquility. The scarf that wrapped around Kazuha’s neck came undone as he used it to form a sling, one that would help him safely carry his son without the use of his arms. Hands now free, his trusted blade, that once blocked the -fatal blow of a god, came into being in his right. Anemo dressed the sword in a teal sheen with leaves swirling around its bodice.
The two, who no longer wore the façade of longing lovers but of fierce warriors, exchanged a look. A nod. Then, both turned away from the figure of the setting sun to prepare for their descent from the top of the inn and the journey to the Chasm that would follow.
And they definitely would have gone had two familiar figures not appeared at the top of the stairs that led to their current location.
The traveler tilted her head in confusion, wondering why the two of them had their weapons drawn. The adeptus narrowed his eyes at the still flaming staff in the director’s hand that was eerily close to the balcony’s wooden flooring.
For seconds that seemed to stretch into an eternity, the two pairs of lovers stared at each other. Gauging their states, trying to piece together what had happened over the last few days. It was when the funeral director’s staff disappeared from her grasp in a sea of glittering gold as she barreled towards Xiao at full speed, did the silence finally cease.
In a calmer pace, so as to not jostle his son in the makeshift sling, the ronin walked towards his wife. The sword, much like the staff, faded into particles that mimicked the shine of the stars as a relieved smile rested upon his lips. The traveler beckoned him forth into a hug and he, her husband who was prepared to descend into danger just to ensure her survival, heeded her call.
It was where they belonged – in the arms of their lovers where time became nothing but a distant dream. Here, in their embrace, was where the fleeting thoughts of a long and lonely eternity without them deserted their minds. This was the present – the moment which they lived – and it was far more important than ruminating on what if scenarios and pain-filled futures. The transience of these moments was what made them beautiful as they were to happen only once yet would leave their marks on both them and their partners for the rest of their lives.
All four knew that whatever they had would meet its end yet they would never carry regrets. Why should they when their decision to love brought them happiness? Though the transients would leave the eternals one day, that was a bridge that was far down the road. They would cross it at some point but not now. For now, they shall rejoice in the safe return of their loved ones – and give them a rather long lecture afterwards once they heard their side of the story.
As the family of four (Paimon included) busied themselves with the little one who was now awake and reaching for his mother, the two lovers from Liyue stood off to the side with Hu Tao staring up at her partner.
Though the adeptus’ hand carded through her dark tresses, his eyes were focused on the little family a few steps away. The funeral director took note of the gentle look in her lover's eyes. It was a wistful and longing gaze, as if this immortal lover of hers yearned for something similar. A mischievous smile graced her lips as she freed herself from their current embrace which earned her a look of concern. She then made her way behind the man then wrapped her arms around him once more. Upon his shoulder, she rested her head.
"Tao?" She hummed in response, making sure that her lips were right next to his ear. Xiao was very much aware of her head's position and it left his being in a state of both solace and joy, not that he would openly admit that to her though. "What are you doing?"
A giggle left the young woman's lips. "You're staring at the traveler's family," she whispered. "Would you mind having a little one too?"
It was that statement that broke the soothing atmosphere that surrounded them.
Blush dusted his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears as he tried in vain to sputter out a response. Did this young woman, Wangsheng Funeral's director, just say that she wanted a child with him? The thought caused his brain to short-circuit, leaving him speechless with a rapidly beating heart.
"Xiao?"
The call of his lover fell on deaf ears as the adeptus was still in the midst of processing her words. She wanted a child. With him. She wanted to be intimate. With him. Oh archons, they had just gotten together last Lantern Rite for crying out loud! Things were moving a bit too fast, right?
"Xiao?"
First, he had to court her properly according to Liyue's traditions as she had been the one to initially court him. Next, he had to ask her for her hand and then get the approval of her family and perhaps even her friends. After that, he had to secure a place for them to stay and perhaps even a paying job as the mortals called it. Once he was financially stable – another mortal concept he had yet to fully grasp – only then could he wed her. And only on the bed of their marriage was he to offer her his everything – heart, body, and soul – and, of course, hope for hers in return.
"Adeptus Xiao."
Would she be satisfied though?
Loathe he might be to admit it, Xiao was very inexperienced in both romance and copulation. While he might have one of the most decorated military records in Liyue's history, the same could not be said for his experience in the romance department. In all honesty, Hu Tao, the wonderful woman currently caging him in her arms, was his first in every romantic sense of the word. The first mortal that garnered his attention. The first being he was attracted to. His first and likely only lover for the rest of his life.
As the adeptus struggled to comprehend her words, Hu Tao huffed at his lack of response. Why was he ignoring her call? Did that little tease of hers leave him all hot and bothered or did it have a different effect - one that perhaps sent him off into the far corners of his mind? Once more, the funeral director wondered how her lover was thousands of years old immortal but also very much a schoolboy when it came to romance.
If calling him doesn't work then perhaps...
Crimson orbs glanced at the traveler and her family. Still, they were caught up in their own reunion bubble. Even Paimon was preoccupied with floating and making silly faces at the little one. It was a perfect opportunity.
"Xiao." The name, his name, was whispered in a saccharine tone that snapped him straight out of his thoughts and sent shivers down his spine. The utterance was followed by a soft kiss then a somewhat harsh bite. A gasp escaped him and his blush darkened.
Unfortunately, for the adeptus, the sound he made successfully called the attention of the balcony's other occupants. The traveler and her partner gave each other a knowing glance. Trying in vain to reel in their own knowing smiles, they bid them adieu before descending into the depths of the inn – most likely done to give the other couple some form privacy.
As soon as they were out of sight, Hu Tao burst into laughter while Xiao remained silent while desperately trying to rid himself of his flaming cheeks – and the fire settling in the pits of his stomach but, again, he would never admit that it was there in the first place.
"You're a troublesome woman," he uttered with a sharp glare. His lover responded with a smirk, "but I'm your troublesome woman."
The adeptus shook his head with a sigh. Amber eyes focused on the sight of the setting sun, minutes away from dipping beneath the horizon. Maybe, just maybe, at some point in time he would seriously consider her proposal but not now. For now, there were many things he still needed to settle. Five-hundred years was a long time for old wounds to fester and worsen and he also had a feeling that Teyvat would soon descend into yet another era of chaos. Once those storms had come and gone, only then will he allow himself to rest peacefully in the arms of his lover – only then will he allow himself to ponder upon starting a family with her.
We still have plenty of time.
Time might be a merciless tempest but, after walking these lands for millennia, the man had learned that it would sometimes work in one’s favor. And, just this once, he hoped that the stars adorning the skies would align for him and his beloved just as they had for the traveler and hers.