Chapter Text
"Welcome to Komore Teahouse, traveler. I’m Yumemizuki Mizuki, but you may simply call me Mizuki if you wish. Here, every cup of dango milk carries a breeze of warmth and care, crafted just for you. Please, take a seat and let the gentle winds of Inazuma ease your spirit."
Her words are accompanied by a serene smile, a slight tilt of her head, and an elegant gesture with her hand, inviting the guest to feel at home.
"Oh, but do be careful—our dango milk is said to be so delightful, you might find yourself coming back every day. Not that I’d mind, of course.”
His gaze was sharp when he looked at Mizuki.
“My name is Xiao.”
He stated bluntly. Despite giving her his name, it didn’t seem like he was any closer to being more open towards her. His name was the only thing he was willing to give her for now.
Mizuki tilted her head, her smile remaining cordial despite Xiao's cool demeanor.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Xiao," she replied, her voice gentle and soft. "That's quite a unique name."
She paused for a moment, studying him keenly. She couldn't quite read him yet, but there was something different about him - something beyond the initial impression of cold indifference she usually picked up on.
Xiao looked down at her, his golden eyes remained guarded. He was well aware of the fact that Mizuki was studying him, sizing him up as if she were trying to figure him out.
He didn't respond to her comment about his name, instead, he just kept his gaze locked on her. The way she was so gentle and soft with him... It caught him off guard, but he didn't let it show on his face. Instead, he maintained his usual stoic expression.
“You are... unique too, Mizuki.”
Mizuki let out a soft laugh, the sound like a gentle breeze dancing through the air. Xiao's observation didn't escape her notice, but she continued to maintain her friendly demeanor.
"Oh, you think so?" she said lightly. "I suppose there's a bit of uniqueness in each of us."
She tilted her head to the side, her eyes twinkling with a hint of curiosity. There was something about Xiao's gaze, a deepness that intrigued her.
"What brings you here, Xiao?”
Xiao paused for a moment, his gaze flicked to the side in thought before returning to Mizuki. The way her laughed so lightly... It sounded so foreign to him. It contrasted with the cold persona he usually kept.
“I was just passing by.”
He answered in his usual blunt tone. His expression remained stoic, giving no hint of any emotions that he was feeling inside. He wasn't used to small talk.
Mizuki nodded, sensing the curtness in Xiao's tone.
"Just passing by, huh?"
Her smile remained, though she could tell that the small talk was not his favorite form of communication.
"Well, I'm pleased that the breeze of Komore Teahouse caught your attention. Would you like to take a seat and enjoy some tea?”
Xiao thought to himself as he looked at Mizuki. He knew that staying around her could be dangerous for her, but he also couldn't deny the fact that there was something about Mizuki that intrigued him too.
He let out a subtle sigh, the sound coming out like a soft breath.
“Fine. I suppose one cup of tea wouldn't hurt.”
He finally agreed, his voice still cool and indifferent.
"Wonderful," Mizuki’s smile widened slightly, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. She moved to prepare the tea, her movements graceful and precise.
As the tea steeped, she took a seat across from him, her demeanor still friendly, though a hint of caution lingered in her gaze. She studied him carefully, unsure of what to make of this mysterious man.
"You seem... guarded," she observed, her voice soft. "Is everything alright, Xiao?”
Xiao sat across from Mizuki, his gaze remained stoic as he watched her prepare the tea. He could sense the subtle caution in her gaze, but he kept his emotions in check. He was used to being guarded, and her observation only confirmed what he already knew.
“I'm fine.”
He responded bluntly, his voice flat and indifferent. Despite his dismissive reply, the hint of caution in Mizuki’s eyes didn’t escape his notice. He didn’t expect her to catch on so quickly.
Mizuki let out a gentle sigh, her eyes still studying him. She could sense something deeper behind his indifference, a hint of something he was trying to hide.
"You know," she said softly, "it's alright to not be strong all the time. It's alright to let your guard down."
She leaned forward slightly, her eyes filled with a mix of gentleness and concern.
"No one here is going to judge you or hurt you. You can be yourself here.”
Xiao stiffened slightly as she spoke. His expression remained stoic, but his eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and wariness.
“Be myself?”
He repeated, his voice low and quiet. The idea of lowering his guard, of letting someone see through his facade... It was something he had never even considered before.
“You don't understand…”
His words were tinged with a hint of bitterness.
Mizuki's expression remained soft and kind, her gaze still locked on him. She could sense the hesitance and bitterness in his words, the weight of his unspoken burden.
She shook her head gently.
"Maybe I don't," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean I can't try to understand."
She leaned even closer, her voice now barely above a whisper.
"Tell me, Xiao... What's weighing so heavily on your heart?”
Xiao's gaze darkened when Mizuki continued to speak, the weight of his burden growing more apparent with each word. His hands clenched into loose fists in his lap, the action subtle but telling of the internal struggle he was facing.
He was fighting with himself, between opening up and maintaining his usual aloof facade.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.
“It's the weight of duty. Of karmic debt.”
Mizuki listened intently, her expression serious and sincere. She could see the internal struggle playing out in his eyes, the way his hands clenched and unclenched.
She leaned even closer, her voice still barely above a whisper, as if the words they shared were a secret between them.
"Duty and karmic debt.." she repeated, her voice kind and understanding. "That sounds like quite a heavy burden to carry on your own.”
Xiao's gaze darted to the side for a moment before returning to Mizuki, his expression still flat but his eyes reflected a hint of his inner turmoil.
“It is... more than you can imagine.”
The weight of it all, the burden of his duty, of his karma... He had been carrying it for so long that it felt like a part of him now. He wasn't even sure if he could remember what it was like to be free from it.
Mizuki nodded, the understanding in her eyes never wavering. She could see the turmoil and exhaustion in his gaze, the weight of his burden heavy on his shoulders.
Her brow furrowed slightly, concern etched on her face. "Xiao..." she began, her voice soft. "How long have you been carrying this burden? How long have you been trying to shoulder the weight of your duty alone?”
Xiao's gaze shifted and his hands gripped the fabric of his pants tightly when Mizuki asked her question. It dug up old wounds and stirred up a lot of buried emotions.
“For centuries…”
He answered simply, his voice low and flat. He didn't meet her gaze, he kept his eyes fixed on his clenched fists in his lap. The pain of his answer was evident in the way he fidgeted.
Mizuki's expression saddened as Xiao responded, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Centuries? So many years, alone and burdened with duty and karmic debt.
Mizuki's heart ached for him. She reached out her hand, gently placing it on top of his clenched fist.
"Xiao...." she began softly, her voice gentle. "You've been fighting alone for so long... but you don't have to anymore.”
Mizuki thought about her ability to consume his nightmares, but ultimately decided against it, realizing that it could be detrimental to her as well. Instead, she decided to try a different approach.
With her hand remaining gently on top of his, she continued speaking softly but firmly.
"Listen to me. You don't have to carry this burden alone. You have allies, people who care about you. You're not alone anymore.”
Xiao's gaze flicked to her hand on top of his, a subtle hint of surprise crossing his face. The feeling of Mizuki's touch was foreign to him, a gentle and soothing contrast to the harshness of his world.
His jaw clenches for a moment as he fights the urge to pull away. He knows that he should keep his distance, but at the same time, Mizuki's words and the gentle touch of her hand were making it harder to ignore his need for comfort.
“I've been alone for far too long... I'm used to it..”
Mizuki's expression remained kind and understanding, her touch gentle and reassuring. She could sense his hesitance and resistance, the battle between his desire for comfort and his fear of intimacy.
"I know you're used to being alone," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "But that doesn't mean you have to stay that way. Sometimes, even the strongest people need support. And you, Xiao, you've been carrying the weight of your duty and karma for far too long. You deserve a moment of rest.”
“It's not just about the burden... It's about the pain, the memories of the past, the regrets that weigh heavily on my heart…”
His voice wavered slightly, his usual cold and indifferent facade slipping away, replaced by a rare hint of vulnerability.
“No one can understand the darkness I've endured... The battles I've fought... The horrors I've seen…”
Mizuki listened intently, her eyes never leaving his. She could see the pain and anguish in his eyes, the weight of his memories and regrets bearing down on him.
Her heart ached for him, and she wanted nothing more than to ease his pain.
"No one can truly understand the darkness you've endured," she agreed softly. "But maybe that's not the point. Maybe all it takes is someone who's willing to step into that darkness with you, even for a moment.”
Xiao's gaze flickered, a hint of surprise mixing with the pain in his eyes. The thought of someone willingly immersing themselves in the darkness with him... It was almost too much to process. He had spent so long pushing people away, living a solitary life, that the idea of someone willingly stepping into his world felt both foreign and appealing.
He let out a shaky breath, trying to compose himself, but his facade was crumbling faster than he could rebuild it.
“No..”
He whispered, a mixture of denial and fear in his voice.
Mizuki shook her head gently, her gaze unwavering. She could sense his denial, his fear of letting someone too close, his fear of exposing his vulnerable side.
"Xiao," she said softly, her voice firm but not forceful. "You don't have to face this darkness alone. You can share this burden."
She leaned closer, her hand still on top of his. "You can let go for a little while. You can let someone in.”
Xiao quickly pulls his hand away from Mizuki's, his expression hardening once more as he stands up.
He refused to be vulnerable, to let the darkness within him be exposed to anyone. He had spent too much time keeping it hidden, and the thought of someone seeing him at his weakest, and potentially exploiting that weakness, was too much for him to bear.
“I have to go…” His voice was cold once again.
Mizuki watched as Xiao abruptly pulled away and stood up, his expression hardening once more. She could see the walls rebuilding, the barriers being put back in place.
She tried to keep her voice gentle, despite the frustration that threatened to surface.
"Xiao, you don't-"
But he had already cut her off, his voice cold and distant.
"I have to go." he said, his words tinged with finality.
And just like that, he was gone, vanishing into the night like a shadow drifting away.