WARNING: ANGST UNDER THE CUT
It was warm. The cold night air stayed outside as a warm and fuzzy atmosphere settled inside. You looked up at Xiao, a smile gracing your lips in the darkness. The two of you were laying in silence, your head resting in his lap. There was Only a small candle placed on the wooden table, barely illuminating Adepti’s face. The candle light danced off his eyes soft and warm as he looked down at you.
“Hey Xiao… wanna know something funny?” He hummed in response to your question. He startled a little when he felt your hand lift up and cup his cheek, then leaned into the touch, enjoying how warm your hand felt on his cheek. You giggled at his gentle action, Feeling it rather than being able to see it in the dark room. “I can barely see you right now. Isn’t that weird?”. He blinked almost owlishly at this.
“Is human vision that poor?” He questioned softly, almost murmuring. You hummed an affirmative in response and watched his face as closely as you could in the dim light. His eyes really were beautiful. Xiao let out a content sign and leaned forward, his nose brushing against yours as he placed the softest of kisses in-between your eyebrows.
“There you are.” you commented softly. He allowed his guard to drop, a genuine smile ever so slightly creeping to his face. Xiao was happy.
It was warm. The humid air clung to Xiao and it was suffocating. He could barely breathe, and the sight of your head, bloodied and resting in his lap caused his lungs to tighten to an excruciating amount. The last of his breathing trickling its way into his lungs stopped when he felt your cold hand reach up and cup his cheek. He leaned into it.
“Hey Xiao… wanna know something funny?” it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t funny. Your voice was horse and torn from the battle recently fought, and the battle for your life that was currently still waging war.
“No please” he whispered, a strong emotion tearing at his voice not letting him talk any louder. You let out a pained chuckle, that quickly turned to aggressive coughing. Xiao tensed as soon as you started coughing, his brain panicking on how to help, still knowing he couldn’t.
“I can barely see you right now….. Xiao” he wanted you to stop. Stop saying his name like that. Stop looking at him with those tear filled eyes. Stop smiling at him when it looked so sad. It was killing him. His body leaned forward against his will, nose gently brushing against yours. He felt your blood touch his face and his shoulders shook.
“There you are……” Were the last words to leave your mouth. Xiao desperately pulled the now limp hand back to his cheek, leaning against it. It was cold. Unmoving.
The people inside the walls of Mondstat knew not of the Adepti. That night, even they could feel, rather than hear the anguished scream that followed your death.
