Work Text:
It's a quiet afternoon when Xiao decides to take a reprieve. It's been a few years since the passing of Rex Lapis, and the threats that consume his every moment quickly fade to near nothing as the mortals prove themselves diligent in leading Liyue to peace and prosperity. He never expected his duties diminishing to this extent. It proves the Qixing are truly worthy. As it is, the circumstances lead to Xiao getting much more free time than he knows what to do with.
Today, he perches on a cliff, and from there he can see the entirety of his sworn nation. So he thinks.
The landscape of Liyue is bathed in golden hues of red and yellow. Its only constant is its ever changing nature. Xiao closes his eyes against a sudden breeze that flutters friendly against his face. He recollects a memory of when the sight was much younger, thousands of years ago.
Morax stands beside him, looking over a little village which had been Liyue in its earliest days. The archon was merely an adepti at the time. His habit of droning on and on stays the same. He speaks of his plans with the little village, how he would build it to grandeur. He was always so ambitious. Xiao loved that about him.
"Will you be here, little dove? To see it?" Morax asks. Will you stay here with me, to the end? The implication is left unsaid, hanging in the fragile air between them.
Xiao thinks of amber irises, flickering in the light, glowing ever so faintly. He thinks of strong hands, grounding him. He feels his heart against his chest, beating, alive, and he is unworthy of it. He turns to look into those amber irises that gaze back at him with conviction, with power, and he thinks, these are the eyes of a god. When he speaks, he knows he has never been more sure.
"I will."
He opens his eyes, letting the memory fade. The prospering nation returns to his sight, seeming to be glowing now, softer against the setting sun. He kept his promise. He has painstakingly protected this place for thousands of years. A foreign feeling blossoms within his chest. He lets himself stare at the glittering scene for a few moments before daring to acknowledge the feeling as pride.
He gazes at the scene until it becomes a sea of brightly lit lanterns against the dark night. The moon sits high above the sky. A few beats. Then, he hears a familiar tune produced from a dihua flute, and smiles. He shifts. In a burst of green, he leaves.
---
Cold, nimble hands immediately thread against his nape. Xiao can feel the circular indents that resulted from use of a woodwind instrument on the ends of the fingers as they languidly sweep against his skin. He catches the encroacher in a kiss. Then there is soft laughter against his lips. His lover speaks without moving an inch away.
"You're in quite the good mood today. Did anything happen that I could thank for such a cute sight? Apart from me, of course." He is as cheeky as ever, Xiao drily notes.
Venti's lips would brush ever so slightly against his as he spoke. In some overdue reaction, he flushes at their proximity. Venti peers at him, amused. He bats his eyelashes teasingly and Xiao is hit with a wave of half exasperation and half affection at the display. Before he could reply, a brown head of hair appeared into view. He feels the soft fabric of a night gown press against his back as strong hands wrap around his waist before he hears reprimanding words, not directed at him. He processes the rumbling vibration from within the chest pressed against him before he processes the words.
"Must you steal him away all for yourself the second he returns?"
He can't see if it is so, but he imagines the pout on Zhongli's face. He flushes even more.
"Greedy blockhead." Venti murmurs, and is promptly rewarded with a shove to the face. He squawks in outrage, shooting out choice insults in full volume as Zhongli calls him out for being a hypocrite.
Xiao's sigh is buried beneath the barks of his lovers' bantering. He tries to stop the fond smile threatening to make itself known as he leans back into Zhongli's solid chest.
The banter ends abruptly as amber irises occupy his entire field of view. With Venti out of the way, Zhongli moves in front of him. The ex-archon smiles, ignoring the affronted harrumph from the bard as he turns and steps away, finding something else to entertain himself. Xiao moves first, taking Zhongli's palm and pressing it to his lips. His eyes never leave him. He watches as the amber grows bigger as they move nearer until they completely disappear behind closed eyelids and he feels the hand on his mouth glide across his cheek, and soft lips take its place.
They don't part even when Xiao's lungs beg for air. They kiss until Zhongli gasps and pulls away, leaning his forehead against Xiao's, cheeks flushing a pretty color. Xiao pants, struggles to steady his breathing. Zhongli smiles brilliantly, and Xiao can't help getting caught breathless at the sight, his pants ceasing for a moment. He thinks he hears a faint puff of amused chuckles from across the room.
"Welcome back, my dove." Zhongli says.
Xiao buries his head in Zhongli's neck, breathing deeply. He feels his heart threatening to burst. His lungs still ache from their kiss. Despite that, he thinks he can breathe a little easier now, these days. And he's well on his way to believing he deserves it. He listens to the steady thrum of his pulse reverberating within himself, and for once, he's glad for it. He thinks of Liyue, of that little village that seemed so far away, and of the beautiful harbor that it's become now. He thinks of a dark hand reaching out, saving him anew, who shattered the chains holding him back and gave him freedom. He thinks of that night, when he could feel the splintered pieces of his ragged soul escape his body in heaving breaths, until the sound of a gentle tune thrums his veins back to life. He thinks of himself, now, how far he's come. Of his lovers that made that possible. He is grateful beyond words. And he breathes again. Eyes crinkling at the corners, he replies,
"I'm home."