@musehotpot poked the adepti

  a tingle runs along his spine just as he steps foot back onto his terrace, breath catching in surprise. while a fairly normal thing for him to feel, he can’t help but be perplexed as to why he feels it here, at the Inn, when his very presence should keep the area clear of such things. it feels close, as if the offending presence is beneath his very feet, and he growls a bit under his breath at the idea. does he not ward off such entities well enough?

  still, it is easy to leap over the railing of his balcony, the cool night wind breezing against his cheeks as he lands on the lower level. what he doesn’t expect this late is to land right in front of someone, although it relaxes Xiao’s senses before his toes even touch the lower level’s railing.

  ❝  you return to Liyue.  ❞

@requiemofrebellion wrote, " why is it so damn difficult for you to believe you're worthy of love? " ( Venti to Xiao )

  ❝  ...Lord Barbatos.  ❞  the irritation was thinly veiled, clear as day in the way he speaks Venti’s godly name. he doesn’t normally bite back so plainly to any archons, let alone the one to rule over his own element, but he doesn’t always have the patience for Venti’s antics.

  it’s not even necessarily any sort of antics; it’s just that when it comes to the topic of love, he’s always wildly out of depth. Xiao isn’t even sure if he himself is capable of love, rather peaking out somewhere beside the sentiment of dedication. he doesn’t dare to look the Archon in the eye, despite their somewhat close relationship. he sort of regrets the bite already, but decides to gloss over it with a real answer.

  ❝  just as you do not love a monster, you do not love a yaksha. our purpose is not to be adored, but to guard without complaint of the horrors we face. love is simply...lost on us. it’s best not to try.  ❞

@momdstadt wrote, " admit it. you had FUN today! "

  the yaksha’s eyes narrow just slightly as he regards the blond woman, trying to decide how he was going to refute her statement. the whim to travel to Inazuma had been a fleeting one; he’d nearly given up on the sentiment until his lord had approved his request. it was surprising to him how little he’d been questioned, how he’d been let go without even a forewarning. the trip, of course, had been little issue and he’d meant to make it as quick as possible. there were some fireworks the Traveler enjoyed, and with Lantern Rite fast approaching, he’d thought they’d give a...unique feel for the Traveler. what he hadn’t expected, he supposes, was that the Traveler’s friend was so lively.

  he’d arrived early in the morning, hoping to beat most local Inazumans, less his karmic debt begin to fester, but upon the slip up that the gift was for the Traveler, the pyro vision holder had immediately begun to accept him as if they themselves were close.

  ❝  this was an extremely dangerous idea,  ❞  he sighs gently, pursing his lips as he regards the Inazuman scenery; with dusk having long settled and the throngs of people having thinned, he felt more comfortable. he finds his Narukami Inazuman has improved, having brushed it up with the times while he’d been dragged from place to place.  ❝  but. I suppose it could have been worse.  ❞

@lunarscorned sent a meme : ❛  come any closer and you'll regret it.  ❜

  golden eyes flicker in something that could potentially mimic surprise but stay mostly stoic regardless. it is not the first time he’s known a harsh word, but the sting of a sharp tongue from Lumine of all people is…unexpected, to say the least. he dares not to step any closer just yet, but also does not retreat. this is a precarious situation, to which he must consider his next move carefully.

  in the grand scheme of things, it’s not particularly clear if Lumine poses any real danger to him. he can’t be sure that her power does not grant her certain abilities, regardless of whether or not he’s had to save her in the past. people grow and change all the time, as he’s learned time and time again, and he can’t be sure how much she’s changed since they last met.

  ❝ you are precarious as always. trust that I mean you no harm. ❞

tag dump : Xiao