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"Xiao!"
Inside the magic teapot, the Traveler Twins, Aether and Lumine with their little companion Paimon walked towards their friend, Xiao. They even noticed the yaksha staring at five portrait paintings in front of him.
"Aether, Lumine" Xiao greeted him.
"We've already informed Alhaitham about the artifact we found earlier" Aether said.
"And he'll arrive here in a few minutes!" Lumine added.
"Okay" Xiao slowly nodded.
His eyes then focused again on the painting.
"Why are you keep staring at this painting?" Paimon was curious.
Xiao didn't responded even a bit.
"HEY! ANSWER PAIMON'S QUESTION PLEASE!" Paimon was furious.
According to the twins, it was Albedo who painted the portraits. He most likely got inspired from his own portrait paintings of the Five Kasen, the yaksha thought.
"Have you ever wondered..." Xiao began to speak.
The Traveler Twins and Paimon were staring at him.
"If we got to live happily with our beloved ones, without worrying about them...dying as mortals?" Xiao said in solemn manner.
Aside from the portrait of Xiao himself, there are other four familiar figures included in the painting, portrayed as adepti. And when the twins turned their faces towards the portraits, they clearly could understand it.
Xiao would never pay his attention at the portraits, only if Albedo chose to not portray a certain beautiful mortal girl who successfully conquered the yaksha's heart in the latter's latest masterpiece.
Hu Tao - the Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. The one who taught Xiao what is peace, what is happiness and what is love. His personal butterfly.
"Perhaps it sounds ridiculous and absurd for a yaksha like me to fall in love with someone, but...it's totally wrong if I kept denying my own feelings" Xiao stated.
"Xiao...
Xiao turned his face towards the twins.
"You do love Hu Tao right?" Aether said.
Xiao was a bit embarrassed, yet he knew Aether and Lumine were already aware of it.
"Yeah..." Xiao slowly nodded. "She cares for me a lot"
"Xiao, it doesn't matter if you're a yaksha or not to fall in love" Aether said.
"Really?"
"Come on, Xiao! Even a yaksha deserve to live a better life!" Lumine cheered up her friend.
"I'm so happy that you finally find someone who loves you, buddy" Aether chuckled.
Xiao began to smile a bit.
Aside from Xiao and Hu Tao, also present in the portraits are Keqing - the Yuheng of Liyue Qixing, and Childe - the youngest of Fatui Harbringers.
"We also never experienced love during our previous journeys across the worlds" Aether stated. "But I guess everything has changed after our arrival in Teyvat"
"So...you want to say that you love Keqing, brother?" Lumine teased.
"And what about you? Falling in love with a sadistic pretty ginger guy?" Aether replied.
"Aether!" Lumine's face puffed in embarrassment. "Don't say anything mean about Childe, please!"
"I don't care, I'm still found him as idiotic"
"Why everyone are keep talking about love? Paimon don't understand"
"Hu Tao..I love you..." Xiao muttered happily.
Xiao began to wonder if he's sharing the very same wish with the twins.
The end.
