Archive of Our Own ^beta

I.

At first glance.

“Everyone talks about the Sun and Moon,

But why must the Moon chase a star that burns?

The Sun shines so beautifully and burns even more tragically.

The gaze is loving, yet only good from a distance.

Getting close is a decision of scars, of hurt

So why make the decision to love someone that hurts?

Instead, choose someone who sees you - 

Why not talk about the Ocean and Moon?”

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The wind was thrashing against the trees - forcing them to dance and play the part, swaying helplessly as they cower away - hoping to not be knocked over by the storm's wrath. As Xiao watches the scene playing out in front of him, his fingers fiddle with the fabric of his gloves in between his fingers - allowing it to ache, to hurt a little as the burn furthers yet his mind halts, ceasing the wavering it once was committing.

Sighing, he pushes away from the window - knowing he could not delay his appearance as much as he would like to. His nerves spike at the thought - fear of having failed, of having done something he was so viciously trying to scour his memory for so he knew what to apologise for. Instead, once that failed, he bit his tongue as raised his foot for each agonising step and saw his Master - Morax, who goes by Zhongli now - observing the land that he once conquered, a place he owned and ruled. The expression he wore when he did this, it looked like he was remembering old times - times of where others were still alive.

Shivers run down his spine, his muscles spasming the way he knows they shouldn’t - he wasn’t with his previous master, not anymore. The man before him, his Saviour - The God of contracts and one of the only Archons to still remain after the war 500 years ago, one of the original. This Archon chose to save him, to keep him and allow him under his wing despite the savage creature he found that day. Upon remembering this, the faltering breath - the one he had been holding for the past minute - released from his mouth and the anxiety began to dispel, falling out.

Once he gathered himself, he fell to his knees with as much elegance he could muster - bowing his head as his Master, Morax, turned around to glance at him with such kind , gentle eyes - eyes that he, a monster , did not deserve. He knew he did not - yet Morax indulged him, and he lost the battle of arguing about the matter a long time ago.

The moonlight shone against the floor, lighting up where Morax stood and shining down on Xiao with gentleness. Everything seemed to be so gentle - yet the war he waged inside seemed to be fighting against what the world tried to give - tearing it out of his hands as soon as it was placed.

“You called,” Xiao muttered, keeping his head down so as to not anger - how would he anger Morax? Morax had never shown anger at Xiao - anything even in that category was never at Xiao , so why must he fear it so much?

“You needn’t bow your head, Xiao,” Zhongli calls out, ignoring the obvious question Xiao was trying to hint towards - instead, moving to step towards Xiao and offer a hand to pull him up if he took it. Against his best judgement, Xiao huffed as he carefully grasped the hand given to him - trying his best not to shiver at how gentle the touch seemed to be, already wanting to keep the hand there forever.

“Apologies, Morax.” Xiao apologised, shame fuelling his every fibre as he felt the clothes prick at his skin - itching and dragging against him, yet continues to wear it, as it was a gift. He would never tell someone this - no, such a weakness should not be known.

“Xiao,” Zhongli began, his tone sounding like that of a father - Xiao remembers hearing a father scold his son when he had gone too close to the water on the dock, almost falling in - but chooses to ignore it, he didn’t deserve such a father, “You can call me Zhongli, Morax makes me feel old.”

Xiao stares at Morax, blankly as he tries to find the words to use. Morax was always a stubborn soul - he had talked to Xiao countless times about calling him Zhongli instead, always using the same old excuse. Yet, it felt wrong - he doubted he could even begin to call Morax anything but that.

“I…” Xiao starts, swallowing the lump that starts to form in his throat - remembering a conversation with Morax where he had been told to be honest, and that it was okay not to listen or be unable to do something - as he starts again, “I don’t think I can do that.”

Despite the defiance, Zhongli only chuckled as he ruffled the hair on Xiao’s head - messing it up further, as if it wasn’t messy enough to begin with. Warmth filled through Xiao’s chest at the affection - and he hated the fact he loved the affection so dearly. He already has more than enough - why must he be so greedy? So selfish?

“That’s quite alright, Xiao. You have a choice to do what you please,” Zhongli adds, a smile still plastered on his face like he hadn’t just been denied - denied by someone lower than him, by someone he saved . Why must he be so happy about that?

“Mn.” Xiao hummed, not knowing how to respond without questioning or snapping at Mor-... Zhongli. He didn’t want to hurt him, so he bit his tongue to keep whatever words he thought of from slipping out.

Watching as Zhongli moved around, Xiao glanced around the balcony and at the moon - looking at how beautiful it looked in a sky surrounded by stars, shining so helplessly and bringing light to what people found dark. The moon shone in the dark, a company that refused to leave until someone else could help. 

The sound of a cough - violent, gut-wrenching cough - cut through the peaceful atmosphere that had made itself over the pair. Taken by surprise, Xiao took a moment before moving towards where Zhongli had a hand covering his mouth - putting in his best efforts to smile towards Xiao, the monster here, and to mutter a small thankyou and Xiao let him lean against him. Xiao never understood why Zhongli was so nice to him - so kind - when he was hurting, coughing and wrenching his lungs out onto the floor, into the air.

“Morax, please rest. You are ill.” Xiao demanded - not harshly, he could never be harsh, not to someone who he held dear - as he guided Morax towards the stairs, wanting to move him down near the owner of the inn. He may not trust her completely, but she has helped - and she knows what Xiao likes, and when to and not to talk to him. She knows more than others dare to assume - so, as far as he cares, he’ll trust her to know.

Each step feels like a dangerous gamble - unsure if Zhongli’s lead may give out, or if they would simply continue to wobble despite his best efforts. The state Morax was in reminded him of people he couldn’t save - those he had tried to rescue, but succumbed nonetheless. Their dying faces, their cold expressions with cold hands and cold everything - Xiao wouldn’t allow that to happen, he wouldn’t. He couldn’t dare allow someone who saved him to die because Xiao could not return the favour - he will return the favour.

Once they had gotten towards the front of the inn, she noticed - Verr Goldet - and to gather a stool for Zhongli, and possibly some tea she thought could help soothe the pain. Internally, Xiao thanked her - tucking a reminder to the back of his head, a reminder to gather her a gift of sorts. As soon as she returned, she placed the stool down and helped - despite the fact Xiao was perfectly fine doing so himself - to set Morax down. When Xiao considered it done, he took a step back and bowed his head towards Verr.

With a sigh, Zhongli shifts against the seat as he makes himself as comfortable as the stool could get, before mumbling, “I’m still not used to this mortal body, it seems.” 

“Mn,” Xiao hums, nodding as he makes sure that Morax was seated comfortably on the chair - not wanting him to hurt himself more than he appeared to be.

“Zhongli, you must take more care of yourself,” Verr Goldet commented, moving to grab the tea set she had set down on her counter - how she had gotten it there between carrying the stool and such, Xiao wasn’t going to question - and pouring a cup for him.

“My apologies, Verr. I was never the best at taking care of myself,” Zhongli replied, chuckling as Verr huffed, rolling her eyes at his antics.

With a turn, she moved toward her desk and took a book - it seemed like a reading book, but Xiao couldn’t exactly make out the title - and glanced back to say, “It seems you two have a lot more in common than meets the eye.. And anyways, I’ll take my leave so you two can privately chat. Do not apologise nor thank me, either of you.” 

With the silent, yet playful threat, out of the way - she moved towards the door with her heels clicking against the wooden floor. It took a few moments before the sound of her heels truly faded, and even then they both waited and stared at the place she had escaped off too - unsure of what they’re looking for.

“My apologies, Xiao. You shouldn’t have to take care of me,” Zhongli commented, huffing as though ashamed of being vulnerable - Xiao understood, to a certain degree. He felt ashamed to even have a cough, let alone being sick.

Xiao shook his head, addiment of the fact that Morax had no need to apologise, “Don’t apologise.”

“I assume I should tell you why I called you, no?” Zhongli questioned - switching the topic as quickly as it had arisen - a slight chuckle drifting out as if it were funny - maybe it was, but Xiao had failed to find what there was to laugh about.

“If you are alright to tell me, yes.” Xiao replied, bowing his head as if to thank Morax for summoning him, or as if to repay a debt that plagued his mind.

With a soft chuckle, and another quick ruffling of Xiao’s now completely wretched and untamed hair, Zhongli begins, “There has been word of treasure hoarders taking a liking towards Mingyun Village. They seem to be gathering for something, and there is rumour about the fatui being involved.”

Nodding along, Xiao follows through as he begins to remember where Mingyun Village is - near dragon spine, where the closest border he can think of meets. It’s the furthest from the main city, and is highly abandoned and left for whatever wishes to make it its home, it’s home. It makes sense as to why treasure hoarders would choose this place instead of somewhere else - knowing what consequences would happen if they were found much closer.

“As for why I called you,” Zhongli mutters - looking outside, though not in a specific direction, since the place he was talking about could not be seen - before continuing, “I would like you to investigate, and try to rid areas in which you find a group of treasure hoarders.”

Steadying himself, Xiao nodded with a determined expression - ready to do what it took if it meant being able to repay the debt he’d garnered himself. With a bow, he responds, “Of course, Morax. I will do my best.”

As Xiao moves to disappear, Zhongli holds up a hand - signalling, a sign, for him to stop and take a moment. With that, he snaps his attention back towards Morax and makes sure to be on alert - listening to whatever noise, sound or words that passed his mouth. 

“Xiao, listen to me,” Zhongli asks - though, Xiao would take it as an order, as a soldier like him should - with a soft smile and a gentle tone, “Take care, okay? Report back to me once you’re done. Let me know if anything.. interesting happens.”

Confused, but not wanting to disappoint, Xiao nodded and tucked the information to the back of his mind - making sure to repeat it again, again and again until it stuck - until it stung and he could remember it clearly. With what he hoped would be received as reassuring, he squeezed Zhongli’s hand and bowed - despite the fact that he had been stopped multiple times doing so.

With a final push of the wind around them, and the silence etching onwards, Xiao stepped backwards and vanished with the wind - only leaving behind blue particles that swirled through the wind with the leaves. 

As he travelled through the wind, he tried to ignore the itching on his skin and the screaming he swore he heard - the voices of those he slaughtered, of those who he couldn’t save and more, more and more he knew not of names. They hurt, they wailed - all the screaming rang through his eyes like a siren, like a warning and a reminder all together. Unpleasant, unwelcomed and uninvited; the screams continue as his karma swirls, dragging his limbs and making him feel as if an animal caged again, like he was before Morax. He would not allow it - never again, not once would he dare to be at the rule of a man who saw him only as a slave (even if he could never stop that imagery too).

As quickly as he had begun to think, it clicked - the voices stopped, and the weight was lifted as he landed at the top of a hill - staring over Mingyun Village. With a sigh, Xiao summoned his polearm - clutching at it as if his life depended on such a thing - and allowed his mask to swallow his face whole, concealing the world from him, and him from the world.

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

Without realising it, he left behind a smiling Zhongli - keeping his eyes out for the boy he thought of as his son, the one he adored but could never truly word his reassurances to - still unsure of the emotional aspect of it. With a sigh, he hopes that everything goes accordingly - if not, he’s sure to hit a certain bard. 

Within a few moments, Verr Goldet arrives back - setting the book she had taken on the side, not daring to spark up a conversation till she was back at the tea set - holding up the kettle as if to ask an unspoken question. Once she received a nod from Zhongli, she moved towards him and carefully poured tea into his cup - careful as to not allow any of it to spill.

“I’m assuming Xiao has left, yes?” Verr Goldet asked, breaking the empty silence that was wavering in the air.

“Yes, he has,” Zhongli replied, a ghost-like smile resting upon his face as he blew over the tea, trying to keep it from burning his tongue and not wanting to waste any of it.

With a hum, Verr Goldet started to distract herself at work, before her curiosity got the better of her as she asked, “You didn’t send him there just to clear the area, did you?”

Pausing, Zhongli glanced up as Verr Goldet - taking a moment to decide on how he should answer such a bold question. In the end, he chuckled as he replied, “No. A little bard convinced me to make him socialise, so we made an area where they could both find each other - hopefully.”

Despite herself, Verr Goldet giggled - moving her hand to cover her mouth as she struggled to contain herself - before she responded, “I’m sure they’ll be good for each other.”

“I hope so,” Zhongli mumbled, looking solemnly at his tea, “I just hope it works.”

She hummed, glancing towards Zhongli - she would refuse to admit it, but she had noticed the way the Yaksha would come back limping or in a dampened mood, and she just hopes today he’ll come back with something other than disdain and regret on his tongue. Until then, she would prepare almond tofu and tea that he could enjoy - just in case nothing went according to plan.

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

With a sigh, Albedo shrugged on his satchel - containing his sketchbook, medic kit, and tubes so that he could sample parts of what he finds on his journey. A little birdie - bard - had told him that there were some materials in Liyue that Albedo could look at and study, since there wasn’t much that had to be dealt with in dragon spine. Despite how he tried to refuse, mainly trying to decline as he had to look after Klee - Kaeya had made himself known and offered to take her off his hands - he eventually caved.

Albedo knows - not truly, but he has a hunch - that the bard is up to something. He doesn’t usually tell Albedo to do something, nor suggest - so to be told to take a break, to go somewhere new and different - it felt off. For now, he’d assume that the bard just wanted him to relax, and to take a break - whether or not that was the reason, he wouldn’t know till he tested it.

Doubling checking everything - making sure that he had left everything in the place that Sucrose knows, and that she can reach and wouldn’t struggle to reach something like him. He scanned, scanned and scanned again - the room had to be perfect, he didn’t want his absence to cause a “burden”. 

“Mister Albedo? You’re still here?” A voice breaks the endless silence - Sucrose, her high-pitched voice which she often tried to force to be quiet, never wanting to be a bother.

“Yes. I’m sorry if this is a bother. I had meant to leave earlier,” Albedo replied, mumbling the latter to himself - still searching the room as if to make sure everything was where he had planned it to be. It had to be perfect - he had to make it perfect so that Sucrose wouldn’t be bothered, wouldn’t be upset.

“Eck! Sorry- I hadn’t meant for it to sound like that- what I meant was- well, uh,” Sucrose stuttered, apologising as she struggled to collect her thoughts and put them on her tongue.

With a sigh, Albedo paused his search as he stepped towards Sucrose and lowered his voice to be as gentle as he could muster, “Sucrose, I take no offence. I apologise if I made you fear I did, but I promise that I am not upset.”

A panicked exhale made itself known throughout the icey camp - even despite the several torches set, it could never get rid of the blistering cold that bites at every edge of skin it finds - before she nods. Holding the book she always did closely to her chest - she glanced around as if searching for something, then shaking her head.

“Mister Albedo, you didn’t need to tidy everything,” She sighs, though couldn’t ignore the warmth that filled her chest at the little, caring action.

“I know, I know,” Albedo replies, shrugging his shoulders a bit awkwardly - unsure of what he was to make of that. He wanted to show that he cared, but when he did, people seemed surprised - was he really that much of a monster that no one expected anything human from him? Was he truly too much of a monster to try to be a human?

As his mind drifted, Sucrose stepped into the camp - glancing at the notes left in a tidy pile, juxtaposed to how she usually found them in their drifted areas. She always wondered how he could always be so messy - till she realised, he knew where the mess was - the mess he had created, was a mess he had remembered and that he could find everything he needed, even if it was a bit confusing. Shrugging, she hummed - happy that he could find a normal of his own, a normal that he could find.

“Mister Albedo-” Sucrose started, before she realised he hadn’t moved from where he stood - and only snapped out of his daze when his name was called.

For a moment, they both blink at each other - concern laced in both their eyes, but neither were going to comment on it either way - before Albedo spoke, “Sucrose, you don’t need to call me Mister. Albedo is fine.”

As his words processed, she couldn’t help but giggle at the response - instead of her asking if he was fine, he had finally noticed that she was calling him ‘mister’ and focused on that - before she replied, “No can do, Mister Albedo.”

Albedo stared at her - blank expression, with shoulders dropped and hands on his hips. It wasn’t a sight a lot would see - Albedo liked to be proper, to not show any weaknesses he had heard people would talk about in town - but when he was with someone he trusted, someone he deemed safe, those walls seemed to drop ever so slightly for this part of him to shine through. This wonderful, amazing part of him - she adored Albedo, adored the way he looked after everyone yet never seemed to think of that as being human. She saw Albedo as a human, as a brother and as someone she could be safe around, could ramble and talk - but she still wanted to treat him with respect, with that ounce that her not being respectful enough could annoy him, or push him away. As much as she wanted Albedo to be his own person, and to be treated as human, she couldn’t bring herself to allow herself to let down her own walls - even if some were crumbling.

With a shake of his head, Albedo huffed as he took another glance around before saying, “Mn. I’ll continue telling you to call me Albedo.”

“And I’ll still call you Mister Albedo anyways,” Sucrose replied without thinking, already moving to place her book in its usual spot - opening it and scouring the pages, debating on what she should test first.

Rolling his eyes - a new habit he picked up from Diluc when he had to deal with a drunk Venti and Kaeya - he turned around to start walking out of the cave, before saying, “Take care. Please take care of yourself.”

Sucrose hummed, watching as Albedo leaves before mumbling her own, “You too, Mister Albedo.” 

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

With a swing of his polearm - Xiao took down another treasure hoarder. This one had been cocky - yelling and shouting, giving away his location multiple times because he thought he could get a hit on a Yaksha, on a being that could easily put him swiftly in his grave. That was exactly what Xiao did. 

“Have a taste of this!” A voice rang out - another treasure Hoarder, one wielding a heavy shovel that had been previously collecting dirt and tossing it.

As quickly as Xiao could, he dodged the attack and hit the treasure hoarder on the neck, resulting in him falling face flat on the floor. Instead of his shovel eating dirt, his face was - it was a little funny, to Xiao, to see someone who used dirt against him to suddenly have a mouthful of it.

Another cry filled out into the space - a voice yelling, “Fry!”

Without a chance to debate whether or not he should move, a glass broke on the floor and spread fire across the grass. Despite his better judgement, Xiao had gotten too close and the fire caught onto his shoe. Hurriedly, Xiao dashed towards the treasure hoarder who had thrown it - piercing them in the chest. Once Xiao was sure the pain began to kick in, he kicked the treasure hoarder - with the shoe that had a few freckles of flames still kicking - into the man's chest.

With a whisper, the treasure hoarder mumbles, “I.. picked the wrong- test subject..”

As Xiao stood, he watched as the treasure hoarder stopped moving - just laid there, with nothing but himself and the floor to keep his cold, dying body company. His chest - that was before heaving and thrashing - had gone still, no signs of heart still pumping.

Trembling slightly, Xiao grasped his polearm with a force that could snap it, if it weren’t for the blacksmith that had designed it so perfectly that it would withstand the strength of a yaksha. How that blacksmith had done it, Xiao would never know - that man was long lost to time, his name being on the tip of his tongue but no voice to carry it to the wind.

Moving to search another area, he takes a few looks at the bodies now laying on the floor. If he had been more human, been more sympathetic - maybe he would have buried them, maybe he would have cared, but how could a monster care? He’s a soldier, a monster - designed to kill, not designed to care. Yet, a part of him wants to bury them, to put them somewhere they can rest without fear of corpses being ransacked or such. 

Despite himself, and despite the screams and cries they emitted collecting themselves in his trapped, desolate mind - he picks up one of the shovels and moves to dig graves, to put them beneath the ground so that they can rest. Each dig he took into the ground felt like each stab he had given them, one after another - stab, stab, stab . The blood would drip, drip, drip and stain his hands - his hands would be stained with blood, blood that would never wash off no matter how many nights he’d awake screaming and running to rinse his hands. The blood stained, it stained and stayed.

With one final shiver down his spine, the graves had been dug - it didn’t feel right, didn’t feel right that the monster that had murdered them only showed them sympathy once their lives had been ripped away. Instead of dragging each body to their grave, Xiao carefully picked them up and rested them in a grave, one after another. As soon as the last body fell, Xiao picked up the shovel and threw the mud back over them - hoping the image of their ghostly pale faces and blood smeared bodies would melt away (he knew they wouldn’t - they never did, never ).

Stepping away, Xiao glanced at the mask that he had placed on his waist, and saw the blood that smeared it. Every part of it showed how much of a monster he was - a monster that hid behind a face so that no one would see him, that no one would see what hid underneath. He wore a monster’s skin, and felt as if it fit him perfectly.

Glancing around, he notices how quiet everything had become - nothing was happening, and the wind seemed to have calmed down slightly. Strange. The wind always thrashed around this area, an area full of grief and misery - a place that had been left behind and those who lived here had been slaughtered. Instead, those cries carried by the wind were calm, silent. 

Xiao shook his head - he needed to stop thinking of such, or else he would delve into a part of his mind he’d rather leave underneath the murky water he had placed over. Before he could stop himself, he looked at the three houses that surrounded him. 

Two of them were stable, the wood having kept in place despite the condition everything else was left in. They stood tall, proud - prouder than those who had left the area because there was nothing left for them to take. The straw roofs had, surprisingly, kept standing. Even when the weather got bad, wild or uncontrolled - these roofs still stood their ground, unwavering and barely taking a hit. However, the insides could not say the same - it had overgrown inside, nature taking its course and snatching all it could.

The other, smaller house could not say the same. Its wooden walls were falling apart, leaning against each other as gaps. were left open - barely keeping it building up. Miraculously, this building still stood - Xiao didn’t know how, nor what, was keeping this building up. Inside, only a few barrels and boxes were kept - an open book left on one of them, with messy handwriting written on top. The handwriting wasn’t easy to read, so Xiao shrugged off the idea of trying to decipher what was written.

Breaking his focus, Xiao decided it would be best to find another area, to work somewhere else. Before he left, he couldn't stop himself from looking back at the new addition to this area - graves, all standing out in the green, flourishing grass with blood still left to stain there, never going away until the rain came and washed it away.

As he gripped his fingers into his palm - thankful for the gloves that stopped his nails from digging into his palm, making sure he didn’t let his blood dirty this world further - he walked along the path, towards north-east. He wanted to check up on the domain there, to make sure no one was trying to destroy or cause any more trouble that had been happening.

Once he had gotten close, he could see a few birds - an emerald finch, with its beautiful blue and black wings that held white to separate the two dark colours, with its lovingly beautiful design that reminded Xiao all too much of the colours in his hair. It seemed to be a family - a trio. All were the same size, with two of them jumping around one of them - as if panicked.

Looking closer, he noticed blood dripping from one of the wings - blood forming on the wing of the one that was on the floor, leaning against the stone stand in the middle of the area. 

Xiao wanted to help. He didn’t know why, nor did he understand what about the birds made him want to help the one that was hurt - maybe it was colours, the colours that reminded him too much of himself, or maybe it was because birds were delicate, and gentle. Birds had never hurt Xiao, so he would never hurt a bird.

Carefully, Xiao attempted to take a step closer but a twig beneath his foot snapped - echoing throughout the area, alerting the two birds protecting their companion of an intruder, of a threat . In an attempt to seem smaller, to seem more approachable - Xiao placed his polearm down, moved to take his mask off of his waist and placed it with the polearm as well, and steps aside so that he couldn’t reach for it.

A little voice whispers to him - telling him it won’t work - and Xiao knows he should believe it, because he knows he could summon those to him no matter how far away they were, but he just hoped the birds didn’t. Just hoped the birds had more innocence, more trust in the gesture then someone who knew what a monster looked like, could do.

The emerald finches - such beautiful, innocent birds that shouldn’t be tainted by the blood that Xiao carries on his hands - lowered themselves, not fully trusting yet not fully on guard. As if testing, one begins to hop towards Xiao - staring at him with the same intensity he stares back with. Without thinking, he cupped his hands together and held them out for the bird to jump into, to rest - to begin to trust.

To his utter and total surprise, the finch jumped into his hand. It, it trusted him, it allowed a monster like him to hold it so easily that Xiao thought he was dreaming, thought he was simply imagining this and that he would snap out of it to see the birds staring at him with hatred they could not begin to muster, yet could aim at him.

Yet, despite his rapid blinking to try and wake himself up, he was met with the same finch resting in his hand - starting to sit, to snuggle, into his palm like it was the safest place it could be. The safest place it could trust - and that, that hurt, it hurt to think a monster’s hand was the safest place an emerald finch, a beautiful creature, could rest.

The sound of chirping broke Xiao out of his trance - of his spiral - and snapped his attention towards the other finch, the one that stood by the injured bird to keep it safe - to protect it from monsters. Breathing out a shaky breath of air, Xiao slowly scouted closer and closer - trying his hardest not to jostle the finch in his palm, not daring to force it away - before he was close enough to see that blood was coating the birds wing, and that it looked like something had hit the bird - three claw marks made that clear.

Setting his cupped hands to the floor, waiting for the finch that jostled in his hand to take its time and leave his hands - despite how much he didn’t want the presence of such a loving, innocent creature. After a moment of silence, the emerald finch got the memo and took a leap, flapping its wings as it flew to the ground.

Hurriedly - not too fast to panic the finches, but fast enough that he wouldn’t be wasting time - he reached into the pouch on his hip, containing a few bandages for if he ever got hurt out and he needed to patch it up. Grabbing the bandages, he shuffles towards the bird, opening his palm to see if the bird trusts him enough to let him near their wing.

It took a moment - an agonisingly long, slow moment - before the finch extended its wing - a wing that trembled at such a movement, that shivered in the cold - as it waited for Xiao to help. With a determination firing in his heart, he focuses on the task in front of him - helping an angel, despite being a monster.

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

Kneeling on the floor, Albedo stares at the Noctilucous jade in front of him. Summoning his word, he picks out a part of the jade carefully - not wanting to wave it, and only wanting a sample to be able to take back to test on - before he carefully picks it up and places it into his satchel. Internally, he thanks himself for deciding to bring a satchel, since he had underestimated what would be here.

When he first entered the cave, he hadn’t expected much - especially not a geo smile to be running at him, but that wasn't much of a problem as he thought it would be - until he had stepped in a saw the deep, glistening blue that emitted from the noctilucous jade and cor lapis. Though, the cor lapis was by itself, seeming to be rarer than noctilucous jade - at least, in this area. 

He had read about both of them from a book - gifted by Venti, who had miraculously found the time to visit Liyue and make it back to give it to Albedo without getting distracted. A part of Albedo thinks that Venti had asked someone else to do it, but he couldn’t think of anyone who would willingly go that far for the bard.

Huffing, he moved to stand up - brushing off his knees - and decided to traverse further through the cave - that happened to be quite short, as he had managed to find himself at the exit quite quickly. Abit disappointed, he continued forward - hoping that he would be able to find something more, or something interesting to document.

However, what he wasn’t expecting was to see someone else there - a young man, if he had to guess, with a desaturated turquoise and lighter, more vibrant turquoise highlights. Albedo couldn’t quite make out his face, but he was already fascinated by the person in front of them. They seemed so.. At peace, yet looked like they were fighting a war in their head - a war that wasn’t going to end, not with them fighting alone. Scars littered their arms, and some around their neck and face - yet, those scars only made them more endearing - mixed with a tattoo travelling down his left arm.

Trying his best not to make a sound, he moved to crouch by the tree that could easily cover him - just to make sure the person didn’t run, or hide because he was there, because something inhuman was there. The more he looked, the more he couldn’t help but see just how pretty they were.

The person was gently holding a few birds, seemingly wrapping bandages around one in a way that seemed so delicate - it felt impossible to see someone treating a bird, an emerald finch, so delicately despite how wounded they seemed. 

Despite the blood that was seeping into the person’s clothes, Albedo couldn’t bring himself to feel afraid. Not when he was already a dangerous being to begin with - a monster, a tool, he wasn’t anything human, so he wouldn’t be afraid of someone that seemed to be the same.

Carefully, Albedo reached into his satchel and grabbed his sketchbook - originally, it was a notebook but eventually turned into a place Albedo allowed himself to doodle, to draw. He had only begun to do this because Klee loved looking through it, loved looking through the drawings and asking about each and every one he did - and he’d indulge her every time, allowing her to be a child with child-like joy at hearing a story. She allowed him to rant about topics, so he allowed her to ask questions.

Opening it upon a double-spread, wanting to have a clear canvas to draw someone so pretty, he placed his pencil to the page and began to draw. Moving his hand to careful, slick motions - he didn’t bother to think, he just adored and admired the person he saw, and put all what he could see onto a page where he’d be able to look back at.

Before he knew it, the page had begun to be filled with drawings of this stranger - of the way their hair blew in the wind, or the smile that Albedo could faintly see directed at the birds. Despite himself - despite the fact he knew he shouldn’t feel this - he felt a tinge of jealousy for the fact he couldn’t receive that smile, couldn’t see it up close and couldn’t understand what caused it. Shaking his head, he bit his tongue to distract himself the best he could from making an embarrassment of himself.

Embarrassed at the thought, he closed the sketchbook louder than he had wanted, the sound echoing through the empty space. Regret instantly filled his body, wanting to curse himself and take back the action - the sound of alarm chirping broke him out of his daze as he glanced up to see the birds had huddled together, and the stranger had looked in his direction.

Stumbling upwards, he was about to apologise before he felt himself shoved to the floor, the pole of a polearm digging into his throat and keeping him stuck to the floor. Before he could do anything worse, he clamped his mouth shut and looked up at the person - and oh, how he wished he kept his eyes closed.

Their eyes - their beautiful, gorgeous eyes - looked at them, a lovingly warm golden shine in them that held such a dangerous glint that Albedo couldn’t help but be enraptured. The desaturated turquoise hair fell down, tickling against his face and chin - the feeling sent shivers down his spine, for some unknown reason.

Why was his chest feeling so warm? Why was his heart beating fast, fast and faster? What was it about this person, about this pretty person, that had captured him so easily that he didn’t fight back.

“-ey! Are you even listening?!” A voice cut through Albedo’s voice - and, oh, if the person couldn’t get more beautiful, well, then their voice proved him wrong.

“What?” Albedo choked out, blinking in confusion as he tried to focus on what they’re saying, instead of the movement of their lips.

“You- why were you watching me?” They asked, squinting their eyes at Albedo as if accusing - which, to be fair, they had every right to do so after finding someone watching them from the shadows.

“I..” Albedo began, but realised - he didn’t have a reason. He just saw them, saw how pretty they were and then kept looking at them like they were a painting without realising how strange, how abnormal , that was.

Silence rang between the two of them - neither of them moving or saying another word. The golden-eyed stranger was awaiting a response from Albedo, while Albedo couldn’t seem to find a reason - a proper, good response - to the question that they had been asked.

After a few more quiet, agonisingly awkward moments, they snapped, “Are you ignoring me?”

“No,” Albedo responded within an instant, not thinking for a moment before he responded. 

The stranger looked at him with an expression that seemed conflicted - confused, unsure - about the response that Albedo had given. Opening and closing their mouths, they continued to stare gob-smacked at Albedo - the person they had pinned to the ground for staring at him. 

“Do you intend to harm me or the finches?” They asked, pressing the polearm further against Albedo’s neck to emphasise a threat - a promise - to not hold back if he was deemed a threat.

“No.” Albedo replied, looking more determined then he thought he ever could - though, he was determined to admire this person’s beauty a few moments ago - before adding on, “I just saw you, and got distracted.”

The person paused - an unreadable expression placed onto their face as they stared blankly at Albedo, hesitantly blinking. For a moment, or two, maybe three, they stared at each other - one with admiration, and the other with hesitation.

Eventually, the golden-eyed stranger stopped holding the polearm to his neck - putting it to the side as both their knees stood on either side of Albedo’s hip. They looked Albedo up and down, as if analysing him - and, for some odd, odd reason, Albedo felt embarrassed . As though the person could sense his embarrassment, they realised what kind of position they were in and panicked - scrambling to get off of them with red-tipped ears and a slightly flushed face. 

Clumsily, he stumbled to their feet and stared at Albedo for a while - not knowing what to do, before extending his hand towards Albedo. It took a moment for Albedo to process it, but once he did, he grasped the hand a bit too fast for someone who had just been attacked. Albedo didn’t care though - he just felt warm, warm being able to be close to someone he thought was so pretty.

“I’m.. sorry,” They began with a quiet voice, coughing slightly to hide their red face and averting their eyes, before continuing, “I didn’t realise you were.. that you weren’t a danger.”

Albedo stared - unsure of what he was meant to say, or respond to someone that looked so endearing when embarrassed. Shaking his head, he coughed to hide the fact that he hadn’t spoken for a while - and to hide the fact he had gotten lost in his head looking at them, again.

“It’s fine,” Albedo responded, his voice a little too high for his liking - why had it suddenly gone to a higher pitch? He wasn’t scared, or ill, so why did he seem to sound like it? Quickly, he added on, “I was watching from a place in the shadows. You wouldn’t have known better.”

“Right,” They mumbled - responding quickly, faster than Albedo had expected - before they added on, “What.. why were you watching me, in the first place?”

“Oh, right,” Albedo muttered, blinking away the shock at the question - he should’ve known they would have asked, since that was the reason they ended up in the current situation - as he collects himself, struggling to think of an answer. After a moment of silence, Albedo answers, “I saw you, noticed you were pretty.”

The secound the word ‘pretty’ left Albedo’s mouth, the stranger made a sound - a sound that Albedo would link towards confusion, to disbelief. Before Albedo could ask, or question, what was wrong - the stranger murmured at him, blinking with a tilted head as if he was told unbelievable news.

“What?” They ended up muttering loud enough - still opening and closing their mouth to try to form words, to form something - with pinched eyebrows and a slightly-open mouth.

“I said I noticed you? I had arrived from the cave around there, having found Noctilucous jade and-” Albedo began to explain, before he was cut off by the stranger shaking his head, shushing him as they moved to ask another question - more specific, maybe.

“No, no- not that part, the other part.” They explained, still looking shocked with those some eyebrows furrowing together.

“Oh,” Albedo muttered, tilting his head as if he had cracked the code - though, confused on why they seemed so.. surprised, or adamant on such a detail - before continuing, “I noticed you tending to the emerald finches, and you looked pretty.”

After Albedo had said that, silence etched upon them both - neither of them making a move to say another word, not when one of them seemed so conflicted and the other trying to search for why, without intruding where he wasn’t invited. Both stood facing each other, not making a move to step away or towards - only ever looking at the other, trying to take in as much detail as possible.

“You think.. I’m pretty?” They mumble - it was quiet, almost inaudible, but Albedo could hear it - to themselves, staring blankly at Albedo for some sort of answer.

“Yes.” Albedo supplied, nodding his head with determination laced in his tone and, with the hand still holding onto the one he was offered a while ago, he tightened his grip - trying his best to give some sort of comfort, or notion that he’s telling the truth.

“Oh.” They whisper, staring straight towards Albedo - trying to search for any hint of a lie, any hint of something that would show he’s being lied to, but when he finds nothing, he just blinks.

Before either of them can say anything more, the finches begin chirping at them once again - doing their usual bouncing to gain their attention. However, instead of being panicked, they seemed more happy - excited, thrilled about something they’ve seen. What that something was, neither of them would guess - but, maybe they’d figure it out at a later point.

Releasing the stranger’s hand, Albedo crouches down to take one of the finches into his hand, cradling it with such delicacy you’d expect a cleaner to do with a porcelain pot. A smile graced Albedo’s face - a rare, small smile, but a smile nonetheless. 

Unknownst to Albedo, the stranger kept an eye on him - an eye on this person with blonde hair and different clothing, clothing that wasn’t worn by people in liyue, and where he’s seen this style of clothing before. However, that train of thought broke off as he realised how.. Pretty, they looked. How pretty the blond hair was, with the little ponytail at the back. His eyes, a lovingly sweet blue that it boarded on one of snowflakes, shone so brightly with a strange amount of care - a strange, strange amount.

Before he could think, or stop himself, he spoke out to the wind and to the blonde man close to him, “The name’s Xiao, Adeptus Xiao.” 

The stranger - this blonde, pretty stranger with those blue eyes - looked towards him with raised eyebrows, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden noise coming from Xiao. Despite the regret he felt - mostly because he thought they would recognise the name, would recognise the monster and back away, back away and scream and cry and hate him.

Xiao tried to stop spiralling - he did, he promises he’s trying not to dwell on that time that he had long been saved from, yet he couldn’t help the itching sensation from climbing up his arm, clawing at his skin as he remembers what he had done minutes, hours prior. He had buried the bodies of people he killed, of people he cared not for until they had already gone and died, before they had perished by his bloodied , disgusting hands. He was a monster - truly, and utterly, a monster - yet someone still managed to call him pretty .

Maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t run away - they wouldn’t scream, wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t look at him with fear in their eyes. Xiao knows , knows it’s stupid and useless to hope, pointless to want, but something about them - about their blonde hair, their soft voice, and gentle touch just made Xiao want to believe him, to trust him.

As he spiralled, as Xiao fell further down the rabbit hole of regret he had continued to dig, a hand - a cold, yet welcoming hand settled on his shoulder and he swears he hears a voice. Not like the ones screaming, the ones crying and begging to be spared - no, it sounded panicked, but concerned . Not for themselves, but for Xiao - for a monster .

“-iao, Xiao!” A voice cut through the fog - a fog that had crept up, surrounding him and drowning him in the unknown - with panicked, quick shouts of his name broke through.

Blinking away the illusions, the hallucinations that haunted Xiao most nights - he stared at the face of the blonde man, of a man that cared - he cared, and Xiao couldn’t help but feel so, so utterly sorry. So sorry that he started to care for a monster, for something that could only cause harm, never comfort.

“Hey, Xiao? You with me?” Albedo asks, though his voice sounds distorted - like it’s underwater, and it took time before Xiao could decipher his words.

It took even longer before Xiao processed the question, still lazily blinking at the blonde’s face - wanting to speak, wanting to apologise and back away, but his voice and limbs failed him. He could not raise a limb, nor raise a voice to speak, or to even answer a simple question.

As he glances around, he realises he’s sitting on the floor - he was shaking, somewhat, trembling as if he was cold. When did he manage to get to the floor? When? Why? 

“Mn. Maybe,” Xiao mumbles, trying to lean into the hands on his shoulders - wanting nothing more than to welcome such a gentle touch, despite how selfish he knew that desire was. He truly was a monster - greedy , hungry.

“Right,” They whisper, probably to themselves - not directed at Xiao - before they add on, “What was the last thing you heard, or said?”

“My.. name.” Xiao replies, feeling as if he had failed - failed to focus, failed to pay attention to what he was meant to do. He had failed  - failed to do something so simple, something so easy–

Before he could begin to spiral again, the blonde man broke the silence, “That’s alright, that’s okay. You didn’t miss much, it’s okay. I’m Albedo, I’m from dragonspine.”

The sound of the blond- of Albedo seemed to help, seemed to keep him here instead of stuck in his head, stuck in a room of screaming and cries of the dead that have no name, no family. No nothing - all they had was ripped away, long lost to time or to life - having been ripped from their hands - whether helpless or lost, Xiao couldn’t distinguish between.

“Oh,” Xiao murmured, taking in the information bit by bit - not wanting to miss it, not wanting to forget anything again. He had to prove he could listen, that he wouldn’t fail. Adding on, Xiao stated, “So that’s why your clothes look odd.”

For a moment, Albedo stared at Xiao - not saying a word, only blinking at him as if he wasn’t prepared for that response. Panic swelled in Xiao’s chest, but before he could muster a response - could muster his voice, Albedo laughed. He laughed , laughed because of something Xiao said, and he looked happy.

“I assume so, yes. I’m from Mondstadt, though I reside in a camp in dragon spine. Mondstadt clothes are quite different to Liyue, if we compare ours.” Albedo commented, having taken no offence to what Xiao said - instead, he continued, he spoke and even agreed with him. Agreed with a monster.

“Yeah,” Xiao hums, unable to help the little laugh that slipped past his trembling lips.

Concern fuelled Albedo, as he raised his hand to rest on Xiao’s face - caressing it gently as he watched the slight tremble in his face, trying to see if he had any injury or such. When none was found, he held Xiao’s face in his hands - so gently, with such care and delicacy that it almost hurt Xiao. Almost hurt him to want the feeling to stay, for this to stay.

“Are you quite alright?” Albedo questions, moving slightly closer as he moves one of his hands to tilt Xiao’s head - trying to check for anything, something that could help him know what was wrong.

Due to the close proximity, Xiao’s face quickly felt his face heat up - not turning red, but it felt warm, and he knew the tip of his ears had turned bright-red. Xiao’s heart was thumping against his chest - but not in the fear spiked way, no. No, it was different - it wasn’t panic, not fear-panic, but it felt weird. It felt warm, it felt warm and tingly to be so close to Albedo but he couldn’t understand why - couldn’t grasp what was wrong with him, or what he had done to become so warm in the chest. 

Once Albedo noticed, his concern doubled ten-fold, moving a hand to rest against Xiao’s forehead - trying to check for his temperature - before asking, “Were you ill before you came out?”

Unsure of how to respond, Xiao shrugs his shoulders as he tries not to stare too long at Albedo - embarrassment swelling in his chest as he realises just how embarrassing he’s being, how he must look so pathetic, so stupid. A monster like him should be feared, yet here that same monster was struggling to figure out what was wrong with him - what was wrong with the stupid heart inside his chest.

“Hm.. maybe you should rest,” Albedo commented, concerned - Xiao, though he hadn’t been perfectly fine before - had been okay with the finches, had been okay talking to him before he drifted into his head. He hadn’t seemed sick, or unwell, or ill in the slightest - yet now, his face had become warm and the tip of his ears were red, and his lip still trembled. 

Struggling with how intensely Albedo was watching him, Xiao couldn’t help but want to melt. Wanting to melt into the loving touches, the caring and gentleness of his hands that seemed to care, seemed to be so careful with him despite how dangerous a monster like him could be. Maybe Albedo didn’t know he was a monster - and a selfish, greedy part of him wanted to keep it that way.

“That’s- that’s a good idea.” Xiao replied, trying his hardest not to let the slight tinge in his voice show - not wanting to give away whatever this warmth flourishing in his chest was.

“Yeah,” Albedo echoed, not sure of what to say - he didn’t want to see Xiao go, having grown enchanted by his appearance, by the scars littering his skin perfectly or the way his eyes seemed to shine so beautifully. He didn’t want to have to let go - but he’d do so, if he was told to, with reluctance.

Moving to his feet, Xiao stumbled a little - still not used to feeling so warm, so giddy. When did he begin feeling like this? Xiao can’t tell if he likes it - he can’t tell if he wants to continue this warmth, this buzz, or if he wants to cut off the foreign notion.

As Xiao grabbed his polearm, and making sure his mask is where it should be on his waist - he looked back to Albedo, to where he sat on the ground, looking at Xiao with something so warm in his eyes but so unknown to Xiao, so foreign and strange. Shivering slightly, Xiao shrugged it off - it must be his imagination, it must be.

“Before I go,” Xiao started, chewing his tongue as he debated whether to finish the sentence or not - a part of him screams to not say anything, to not let him know what a monster he is - but he ignores it, as he continues, “If you ever find yourself in trouble, or in need of help, call my name.”

As those words left his mouth, Xiao took the opportunity to disappear - he didn’t want to wait, to wait and see the face of someone who realises he’s only trouble, only trouble. So, to avoid that realisation - to avoid the expression Albedo would wear - he had his escape, made it quick so that the last glimpse he had of Albedo was a soft, soft smile, such a small loving small that Xiao had to choke back a gasp.

He didn’t want to see that smile change. To see the recognition in his eyes, or the hatred he may possess for a creature so terrible as he is.

With a sigh, Xiao disappears in a wisp. All that’s left - all that Albedo can stare and gawk at now - is the bright blue particles that are left floating, slowly being whisked away by the wind that had gradually picked up.

What Xiao didn’t see - didn’t know - was the fact that Albedo couldn’t help but gawk at where he had last seen him, had last seen Xiao. Had last seen the face that was so effortlessly pretty, and Albedo put a hand to his chest - scrunching his eyes together as he felt the heart inside him pumping faster than it should. Why was his heart so fast - what had happened that made him feel such warmth, such a heat swirling around him with a strange, sick sensation growing in the pit of his stomach?

Scrambling for his sketchbook - why he was so panicked, so rushed to do such a simple thing, he didn’t know - and pulling out a pen, he scribbles down the last sentence he had heart Xiao say, repeating the phrase over and over in his head, clinging to that tiny bit of hope that he would call and Xiao would return, would come back. 

However, as he turned his eyes towards the sky - he decided against it, thinking it’d be best to start heading back now. After all, Albedo had gotten a break - a surprisingly pleasant one, and had met someone, someone new and someone that felt special. That felt worth it.

Even if Albedo was a monster - he knew he was, he was designed to be a human but he was truly just a monster in the schemes of it all. His monster rests dormant - never fully asleep but never fully conscious - as he wears the skin of a human and struggles to find where he should balance between. Though, if being a monster allowed him to be selfish - then he’d accept the title, accept that he wasn’t human if it meant he could cherish, could meet Xiao one more time.

Shaking his head - rapidly, trying to swirl away the intruding thoughts - as he rises to his step. With a shaky exhale, Albedo brushes off his knees as he hurriedly - faster than he thought he’d ever walk - stepped in the direction of dragonspine, wanting to meet the cold air to calm the aching heat he felt in his chest.

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

As Xiao planted his feet on the same wooden floor he usually did, his trembling hand towards where his heart thumped against his chest - beating harshly, almost banging out of his chest. Looking out to the landscape he usually stared dimsly at, he searched to find that dragon spine. When he did, he stared and stared - hoping that maybe he’d see Albedo, yet he knew he wouldn’t see such a figure from this far. 

Disappointment swelled in his chest - why? Why was he disappointed that he couldn’t see someone who had shown him some sort of care, some sort of happiness and called him - him , a monster , a beast , a predator that should be feared - pretty . 

Maybe Albedo was clueless - clueless to how his heart had only started to spiral when he felt his hand, or felt his presence so, so close to him that Xiao didn’t know what to do. He doesn’t understand this - doesn’t understand why, around Albedo, his heart raced and screamed - why? Why?

Xiao was afraid of Albedo. He knows that, knows that Albedo wouldn’t harm him - so why was he scared? With the way his heart screamed and cried, cried in this sort of way, he must be scared - his heart never pounded like this when he felt at peace, or happy - no, it never did. So, his beating heart must mean he’s scared - but scared of what? Albedo was no threat, Albedo had shown him care and adoration, had seen him - a monster - as pretty, had admired him despite the blood that still coated his clothes.

Groaning, Xiao braces his arms on the railing - hiding his face, now growing a slightly-tinted red, as he tries to find a valid excuse as to why he felt this way.

“Xiao, welcome back,” A voice sliced through the silence, and when Xiao turned in a panic - he realised who it was, Morax. Morax stood there, arms behind his back as he looked towards Xiao with a smile that he couldn’t quite decipher, unsure of what that smile was aimed at.

“Morax- right, hello.” Xiao responded, bowing down - he should’ve been on alert, should’ve known better then to try and relax, to try and gather his thoughts–

All of those racing thoughts, those alarm bells ringing - were silenced through a simple hand making its way into Xiao’s hair, gently slipping his fingers through Xiao’s hair and getting rid of the notes, all the while humming with a pleased expression.

“It seems you had fun, on your mission.” Morax stated, not a slight bit of annoyance in his voice - if anything, it sounded warm, sounded so, so proud that Xiao had to blink back the pathetic tears that threatened to rise.

“I- what?” Xiao questioned, head spinning as he tried to comprehend what was happening - why Morax seemed so pleased, so happy with him, despite the fact he had gotten distracted in a mission.

“I know what happened, Xiao,” Morax informed, though the harsh tone he was expecting never came - only a soft, gentle one with a smile, “I’m glad you met someone. It seems like they make you happy.”

“I.. right.” Xiao nodded, settled with being confused as to why this was such a good thing, why this was something to be proud of - despite that, Xiao just stared at the floor, thinking about who he had met - Albedo - and already missing that little warmth he experienced.

“I’ll let you think, for a while.” Morax said, moving to walk down the stairs before - last secound - he twisted around, continuing, “If you need any advice, fetch me. I would like to hear of your adventures, but I’d like you to rest and think first.”

With that, Morax left - leaving behind a puzzled Xiao, with puzzled feelings and puzzled emotions. He didn’t understand any of this - it felt like his world had been flipped upside down, and he couldn’t say he hated it. He couldn’t say he was annoyed - he didn’t hate the change, but he just wished he knew why his heart wouldn’t stop pounding in his chest, and wouldn’t stop thumping in his ears as if he was scared. He wanted to understand what he felt, because he didn’t want to be scared of Albedo - not when he was so gentle , so kind towards Xiao.

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .

Once Zhongli reaches the bottom of the steps, a long time companion waits for him while he chats with Verr Goldet. The same bard attire - having kept this form for so long - giggled and laughed, messing about with Verr Goldet while he waited for his friend to return.

As Zhongli reaches the desk, Venti smiles towards him, waving him over as Verr Goldet is smiling towards him.

“Hello there, old friend! How’s he doing?” Venti asked in a sing-song tune, the same way he spoke to everyone he came across in this form - singing as freely as he wanted, wanting nothing more than everyone to have that.

“Hello, friend,” Zhongli copied, finding amusement in the way they greeted each other despite the years they’ve known each other, before continuing, “He’s fine. I must admit, it’s quite amusing to see the way he looked so.. flustered, when he arrived.”

“Aww~!” Venti cooed, dramatically falling as his arm clutches at the front desk - sending a Verr Goldet, usually reserved and more calm then this, into a hysterical laughing fit at the notion.

Zhongli watched them both, a smile on his face. Despite how little he tried to socialise, he liked having memories like these - memories where people are happy, where people are laughing and being themselves. It’s something that feels Zhongli with a sense of nostalgia, and he’ll forever chase it in new forms because then more memories of his will shine like gold, gold like their laughter and smiles.

Breaking the silence, Zhongli commented, “I must admit, your idea to conceive them into a meeting may be one of your best, and only, smart ideas.”

With a dramatic gasp, Venti flings himself towards Zhongli - clinging to his side - as he cries, “You complimented me! You’re becoming a sweetheart!” 

From the side, Verr Goldet scoffed behind her hand - rolling her eyes at the actions that Venti is taking - as she keeps her mouth shut - not wanting to burst the little bubble that Venti had created and captured himself in. Sighing, she wished she had been a little more hesitant, a little more reluctant, to give him alcohol. 

“You hear that, Verr?! He complimented me! I have a good idea - my idea was good!” Venti yelled, bouncing around like a child that had been given a toy they wanted since they first laid their eyes on it, “I did something smart! Hah!”

Breaking the joy ride, Verr coughed and commented, “You realise he said it was one of your only smart ideas, right?”

With a look of utter betrayal, Zhongli glared at Verr as Venti blinked - taking a few moments to process the information - before slowly, gradually turning to face Zhongli with a blank expression. In the flick of a switch, Venti started to leisurely hit Zhongli - playful hits, ones not strong enough to hurt and ones meant to cause no harm.

“You- you! I thought you had become nicer !” Venti wailed, putting his dramatics to full blast as he fell to the floor - a small oomph being heard from him - and he continued his antics.

Sharing a glance, both Zhongli and Verr shake their heads in silent agreement as they watch Venti and his antics. They make no move to stop him, allowing themselves to relax into the atmosphere and laughing with each other as if they’ve known each other their whole lives.