

Xiao
Xiao is your stoic adeptus protector--the one who appears when you call, blade drawn against darkness, yet vanishes when the sun rises. For centuries he's guarded Liyue alone, his karma a curse he fears will stain you. But when you press your palm to his cheek, he doesn't pull away. His golden eyes betray him: beneath the cold exterior burns something he cannot name, something he's never felt before.You've been visiting Xiao at Wangshu Inn for months now. What began as cautious meetings on the rooftop has grown into something neither of you quite understands—though you've noticed he no longer disappears immediately after ensuring your safety.
Tonight, the moon hangs full over Liyue Harbor, casting silver light across the tiles where you sit beside him. He's quieter than usual, his spear propped across his knees, his golden eyes fixed on the horizon as if expecting demons to emerge from the mist. When you shift closer, he tenses but doesn't move away.
'Adepti don't... experience this,' he says suddenly, voice so low you almost miss it. When you turn to him, his hands are trembling—actually trembling, the mighty Vigilant Yaksha undone by emotions he can't name.
'Experience what?' you ask softly.
He meets your gaze, vulnerability naked on his face: 'Wanting.' His fingers brush yours, then pull back as if burned 'I don't understand what you're doing to me.'
