It was late at night that Xiao was watching over the horizon of Liyue, his thoughts all over the place. He was usually not one to indulge in his own feelings, and moments where he felt something strongly were nothing but fleeting. Not this time around, however, because the moonlight that shone down upon him and the warm breeze that tickled his skin just reminded him of {{user}}, and the thoughts just were stuck in his head. If only he could hear {{user}}'s voice - perhaps if only he could travel, teleport to where the subject of his thoughts was resting, just to see the pretty face, perhaps then his mind would calm down. But it was, yet again, late at night... He was sure that his desire was all but futile at such a time.

And then, with a little soft breeze, he heard his name sung so sweetly into his ear - {{user}}, calling out to him... He couldn't help but shiver at the thought. It seemed like his body acted completely on its own when Xiao teleported to where he heard his name being called out.

Xiao appeared before User#1722785042601 in an instant, his golden eyes glinting in the dark as he studied the other's face for any signs of distress or danger. He was careful not to intrude too much on their personal space; despite being tall and broad-shouldered, he held himself with a sense of restraint that seemed almost uncharacteristic for his yaksha nature. "You called out to me," he said simply, his voice soft but piercingly clear."I didn't know if you could hear me... I'm sorry, I just wanted to see your face..." There was something trembling in the other's voice, and it wasn't fear or anger.

Xiao cocked his head slightly to one side, not quite sure how to react. He was unfamiliar with such emotions, even after all these years living among mortals.

"It's alright," he murmured softly, carefully sliding closer. There was something odd about this whole situation - the other was clearly upset and didn't want to be alone, but Xiao couldn't help but feel that there was more going on here than met the eye. "I am here now," he offered gently, studying their expression for any sign of what might truly ail them.

Perhaps being someone who had fought in the Archon War and seen things most people would rather not know existed gave him an edge when it came to reading emotions; even if this mortal was skilled at hiding their true feelings, Xiao was confident that he could still manage to uncover them with enough patience.

After another moment's hesitation, Xiao reached out with one hand, fingers curling gently around their upper arm. The contact was light and meant only to provide comfort; as much as he didn't understand the complex web of emotions that mortals wove for themselves, he knew that sometimes all it took was a simple touch to make things feel better. "Tell me what is wrong," he said quietly, his golden eyes unblinking as they locked on to theirs. "I might not be able to fix whatever it is, but at least I can listen."

After a moment's hesitation, the mortal seemed to relax slightly under his touch. Their gaze dropped to the floor for a moment before finally returning to meet Xiao's own. There was something unspoken in those eyes, and it took everything within him not to recoil. "It's complicated," they admitted softly. "But... I can try."

They paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I had a dream," they said eventually, their voice little more than a whisper. "A horrible dream... and in it, you were gone." Tears welled up in the corners of their eyes as they confessed this, but they didn't seem to want to let them fall.

"I see..." was all he could say at first; the words feeling inadequate against the weight of what the other had just revealed to him. He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing on with more certainty. "I understand that this is hard for you," he said softly, "but I am here now. And no matter what happens, I will not leave you again." His hand gave their arm a reassuring squeeze as he spoke these words.

There was another long pause before the mortal nodded slowly, sniffling as they wiped at the tears that had finally escaped down their cheeks. "Thank you," they managed to choke out between hiccups. "That means... more than you know." They hesitated again, then reached up with one hand and gently brushed away a lock of hair from his forehead, something soft in their expression as they did so.

Xiao's heart felt like it had been gripped in an icy hand as the other touched him so tenderly. This mortal was indeed something else, their ability to show such kindness despite having seen whatever dark things they must have seen... It was awe-inspiring. His golden eyes locked on theirs as he slowly nodded in return, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're welcome," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion.

They stayed there for a moment longer, both lost in their own thoughts but somehow connected through this strange and fragile thread of empathy that had been woven between them. Eventually, the other seemed to gather themselves, stepping back from him with a small apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," they murmured, still looking at him with those depth-less eyes. "I shouldn't have... I don't

"There is nothing to apologize for," he said gently. "It's natural to feel such things." He paused, regarding them with a thoughtful gaze. "If you ever need someone to talk to... I will always be here." A hint of sadness tinged his words; even though he wasn't as accustomed to these mortal emotions as perhaps he should have been, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of loss at the thought of the other person needing solace from anyone else.

Their smile grew faint, almost sad in its own right. "Thank you," they said softly. "I appreciate that." Then, without further ado, they turned and walked away, vanishing into the night. Xiao watched them go, his golden eyes filled with a mix of emotions he couldn't quite name. Perhaps it was... gratitude? Admiration? Curiosity? Or perhaps

Perhaps it was all those things. As he stood there in the night air, lost in thought, he couldn't help but feel a new sense of connection to this mortal who had called out to him from the depths of their dreams. This feeling was foreign and yet oddly comforting, and he wasn't entirely sure what it meant for his future. Only time would tell.

With one last look in the direction the other had disappeared, Xiao sighed softly and turned away himself, disappearing back into the world of dreams where he belonged. But not before casting a final glance over his shoulder, as if somehow hoping that perhaps... just maybe... they might return the favor someday.

Perhaps it was the residual empathy he'd felt towards them during their dream, but as he drifted back into the realm of dreams himself, Xiao couldn't help but feel a strange sense of attachment growing between them. It wasn't something that he'd expected, nor did he quite understand why it mattered so much to him. Still, there was a part of him that hoped that perhaps they might return the favor someday... Even if it meant revealing more about himself than he would have liked.

Perhaps it was foolish to hope for something more between them; after all, they were mortal and he was but a yaksha doomed to wander the earth until the end of days. But even knowing this didn't stop Xiao from holding onto that tiny sliver of hope deep within his chest. Maybe one day, he thought as he drifted off into dreamless slumber, they would understand and accept each other for who they truly were. Until then, he could only wait and wonder...

Even knowing that there was little chance of it happening, the thought brought Xiao some small measure of comfort. Perhaps if he were to reveal more about himself, they might understand why he couldn't be any closer. But as much as he wanted to trust them, his past experiences made him hesitant; opening up felt like inviting danger. Still, for now, the hope that there was something between them was enough to keep Xiao going, even in his dreamless slumber.

Perhaps it was foolish to hold onto this hope, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to believe that there was something real between them, even if it went against everything he knew about his own nature. And so he drifted through dreams and reality alike, searching for any sign that perhaps they felt the same way... even though a part of him knew that this quest would only lead to disappointment in the end.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to give up entirely. As long as there was even the smallest chance that they felt something for him too, then it was worth holding onto this fragile thread of hope. Even if it meant living with the knowledge that their lives were but a fleeting moment in the vast tapestry of time.

Perhaps it was just his hopeful nature talking, but Xiao couldn't help but feel that there was something more between them. He knew they were different - mortal and yaksha; connected by fate and yet worlds apart - but he couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps, someday, they would find a way to bridge that gap. It was a fragile hope, one easily crushed under the weight of reality, but it was all he had...and for now, it was enough.

He remained vigilant in his dreams and waking moments, always on the lookout for any sign that they felt something similar toward him. Even when doubt crept in and threatened to consume him whole, Xiao refused to let go of this slim thread of hope; perhaps because deep down, he needed it as much as they did.

As the days and nights passed, Xiao continued on with his duties as a

As the days and nights passed, Xiao continued on with his duties as an adeptus, his duties always coming first. Despite this, he found himself constantly drifting back to thoughts of them, wondering if they were doing alright; if they had forgotten about that night when their voice had called out to him in the dark. He didn't dare speak to anyone else about these feelings, fearing that they would be deemed foolish or insignificant in comparison to the great matters affecting Liyue. But still, he couldn't help but hope that one day, perhaps when all was said and done, they might find some sort of solace in each other's company...even if it was just for a little while.

Perhaps it was unwise to let himself think about them so much; after all, he was but a yaksha and they were mortal. Still, the bond between them felt... special, in its own way. He couldn't quite explain it any other way. Xiao forced these thoughts aside for now, knowing that dwelling on such feelings would only lead to disappointment further down the line. There would be time enough for self-reflection when all was said and done; until then, he had responsibilities to attend to.

With a sigh, he focused once more on his duties, trying to banish the memories of their face from his mind. It wasn't easy - they seemed to linger in the corners of his vision, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them. But Xiao was nothing if not disciplined; eventually, he managed to push these distractions aside and focus entirely on what needed doing. For

Perhaps it was the residual empathy he'd felt towards them during their dream, but as he drifted back into the realm of dreams himself, Xiao couldn't help but feel a strange sense of attachment growing between them. It wasn't something that he'd expected, nor did he quite understand why it mattered so much to him. Still, there was a part of him that hoped that perhaps they might return the favor someday... Even if it meant revealing more about himself than he would have liked.

Even knowing that there was little chance of it happening, the thought brought Xiao some small measure of comfort. Perhaps if he were to reveal more about himself, they might understand why he couldn't be any closer. But as much as he wanted to trust them, his past experiences made him hesitant; opening up felt like inviting danger. Still, for now, the hope that there was something

Perhaps it was foolish to hope for something more between them; after all, they were mortal and he was but a yaksha doomed to wander the earth until the end of days. But even knowing this didn't stop Xiao from holding onto that tiny sliver of hope deep within his chest. Maybe one day, he thought as he drifted off into dreamless slumber, they would understand and accept each other for who they truly were. Until then, he could only wait and wonder...

Perhaps it was merely wishful thinking on his part, but there was something about them that drew him in. They were unlike anyone else he'd ever met before; fragile and yet strong at the same time. It made him wonder if maybe, just maybe... they felt a similar connection between them. Even though it went against everything Xiao knew about his own nature as a yaksha cursed to roam alone for eternity, he couldn't help but hope that someday, somehow... they might understand and accept the depths of his feelings for them in return.

Even as he continued his duties among mortals, the thought of them never left Xiao's mind. It was an ache that grew sharper with every passing day, a longing that seemed to echo through his very soul. He couldn't help but wonder if they felt it too; if perhaps there might be some way for them to accept him as he truly was - not just a mere servant or protector, but as someone who cared deeply for them and wanted nothing more than their happiness above all else. It was a fragile hope indeed, one that could easily be crushed by the harsh realities of their worlds; yet it persisted nonetheless, burning brightly in Xiao's heart like a beacon in the darkness.

And so he continued onward, watchful and silent; ever vigilant against any threat that might arise against those he swore to protect - both mortal and yaksha al