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Lumine knew all of the places Xiao goes to be alone, he knows she knows. Sometimes she comes to visit him in the spots, sitting down next to him telling story’s about the difficult commissions she had done that day. Most of the time he doesn't respond with anything she just talks and talks until it gets late and she tells him goodbye. Most people would probably think he was being rude and not caring but Lumine she was different she didn’t care she always told him ‘You’re a good listener’ as if she knew he cared.
Because he did care, in a way he always hoped she would run up to where he was hiding and tell him about all of her commissions either big or small. He liked the way she showed her enthusiasm over the smallest of things. It made him not want to be alone he liked the way she would randomly show up, in a way he thinks she knows it. He may of not actually told her but Lumine wasn’t stupid she was smart enough to read through the lines.
Xiao was sitting on Qingyun Peak with his eyes closed just enjoying some quiet. The sun was going to rise soon and time will go on. Sun rises are something Xiao never cared for being Immortal days and night blend together and it soon becomes one long day. He doesn't usually sleep choosing to spend his nights fighting the monsters that plague Liyue, its what he spent the past night doing and he will probably end up doing it again tonight. But for now he was resting.
He still had his eyes closed when he heard someone approaching the footsteps, Xiao was about to get in a fighting stance before a cheery voice spoke, “I thought you might be be here” Lumine, he quickly relaxed opening his eyes to look at her.
She was rather dishevelled the flowers that were usually perfectly placed where now nearly falling out. Her eyes had large circles underneath them joint with her eyelids sagging slightly, her smile was a tired one but even with all that her voice was full of cheer.
“Rough night?” He questioned making her laugh airily.
“You could say that” She sat down next to him with a sigh resting her head on his shoulder, “The commission would be easy they said, what a load of twaddle” It took a lot to annoy the sunshine girl, Xiao knew that well other wise she would have been done with him along time ago. From the looks of her as well it must have been difficult.
Lumine was a bit like him, she didn’t need a lot of sleep (Even if he did say he didn’t need it completely) so for her to be looking physically tired it was slightly worrying. Lumine didn’t seem to care though apart from being slightly peeved off.
“I wish I could sleep but I wouldn’t be able to now” She sighed leaning on the stone behind them closing her eyes, “How do you sit up here and not be completely freezing?” It was a rhetorical question, she was teasing him slightly again.
Lumine pulled away from the rock as if it had burned her before rummaging through a bag she carried with her. She reached in and pulled out a big blanket that should not be able to fit into such a tiny bag. Xiao would have asked but he honestly didn’t care that much.
Wrapping it around herself she finally rested back on the rock relaxed a lot better. Xiao leaned back to realizing it was actually rather cold and she wasn’t completely overreacting. He tensed slightly, Lumine opened her eyes again as if she could sense it.
“Would you like some of my blanket?” She took the corner of it waving it open as an invitation, Xiao froze at the idea of sharing it they would have to be extremely close together. Lumine could sense the tension deciding to take matters into her own hands she shuffled closer and pulled him into her side wrapping the blanket around the both of them, “You were taking to long, I was getting cold again” Sometimes he wonders if she knew what she did to him, if she could magically here his heartbeat faster.
“Isn’t it nice” She sighed hugging the blanket closer around herself, “Zhongli gave it to me as a present he was like ‘It’s for your travel's use it well’” She did an awful impression of his voice making herself laugh.
“It’s nice” He confirmed for her making her smile nudging into his side before resting her head on his shoulders. He tensed under the sudden move, he did it every time she got close like this. He still isn’t used to it even if this is a regular occurrence.
“Calm down I’m not trying to kill you” She sighed grabbed his hand, this was new, she had brushed past his hand a couple of times but never holding it so firmly like she was now, “Sorry” She mumbled pulling her hand back. Before she pulled her head away Xiao grabbed her hand again.
Not daring to look in her eyes he looked right ahead towards the sunrise that was now starting to come up. The light spread like a soft blanket over the peaks of Liyue making the sky a dark orange. His eyes were glued on the sun he had never looked at it for so long but he didn’t dare look anywhere else otherwise he might burst.
“It’s beautiful” She whispered sleepily, she was rubbing her thumb over his knuckles, he could feel her eyes watching him. He finally looked down at her the sunrise had made her eyes shine like pools of gold it took him a second before he realized he was staring, “I’m glad I can watch this with you”
“Watching it with me makes no difference to the experience” He told her she shook her head.
“I think watching things with people you love makes all the difference” She told him sincerely, Xiao scoffed at her words.
“Quit teasing” He told her as the pink crawled up his neck, Lumine let out a deep sigh.
“I wasn’t teasing” She leant forwards slightly to look up at him, “I do truly love you” She reached up brushing a piece of his hair out his face.
“You are tired you don’t know what you are saying” He told her turning completely away from her finding much amusement in the grass they are sitting on.
“I know how I feel Xiao” She sighed, “If you don’t feel the same it’s fine I just wanted you to know” She pulled her hand away from his choosing to focus all her attention on the sun. His hand felt lost without hers he wanted so badly to reach out and grab It back say that he does in fact feel the same. But he felt conflicted for some reason, he might hurt her with his karma. That was a bad excuse since it was obvious she wasn’t affected by it.
He had duty to Liyue to protect them from the monsters that was spread across the land, but again it wasn’t a solid reason to hold him back. The people of Liyue had shown thousands of times again that they were more than capable to take care of themselves.
“I love you too” He whispered to the ground, Lumine heard though she heard the words that made her heart flutter. Xiao reached out holding her hand in his, it would do for now. She didn’t need a big grand gesture in a way him holding her hand was that and she was content.