Light to My World || Xiao x Fem!Reader

2 - Melodious Flute

Laying down on your bed, you snuggled comfortably, succumbing yourself to the land of dreams...

-/-/-

The next morning...

"C'mon! You don't have to go without me, you know!" Xiangling yelled you. Her cheeks puffed in anger as she said that. And as expected, she wasn't very fond of your proposal.

Last night, you made a decision on adventuring on your own. That is, adventuring without Xiangling. Once you told her that, she immediately turned down your decision. Giving reasons on why you should travel with her instead. But you immediately rebutted her arguments, you reassured her that you can fend for yourself. You were a skilled fighter and Vision holder after all.

"I'm really sorry," you said apologetically "I just want to explore and learn everything on my own."

"If that makes any sense..." you whispered that at the end.

Although you felt lonely, you wanted to be independent. Back in Inazuma, you relied on your family members and friends too much. You wouldn't be able to make your own decisions, and that was due to your reliant personality. Eager to change that, you went on an adventure outside of the closed nation.

Xiangling huffed in frustration, admitting defeat. "Fine... I can somewhat understand you." she said as she defaulted to a warm smile. "Before you leave, I could at least give you one of my maps..." Xiangling said, and in a quick second, she handed you a map marked with a couple of symbols on different areas.

"Oh, don't worry about those markings!" She told you, waving her arms in dismissal. "Those are just marked locations for rare ingredients."

"Rare? If that's the case, then you probably need this." You told, handing the map back over to her. But she simply shook her head and waved out her hands in refusal.  "No it's fine. I'm used to going to those locations," she stated "so I don't think I need that map anymore."

"And if I ever forgot, I could just search for it again!" She voiced, rubbing the back of her head gently.

"This girl, she really is a hardworking person, isn't she?" You mentally noted. After a few minutes of chatting, you two parted ways from Wangshu Inn. She was headed back to the Harbor, while you headed towards Dihua Marsh.

For a final goodbye, you waved back at her and yelled; "See you later!"

You could see the smile on her face from afar, as she waved back at you briefly before disappearing into the distance.

In these types of situations, you would always say "see you next time" instead of "goodbye". No matter how long it will take, you will definitely meet that person again soon. You thought the same with Xiangling. She does frequent journeys around Liyue, so it is possible to encounter her in your adventures once more.

Those thoughts lingered in your mind, as you walked along the stone pathway in Dihua Marsh. You left Wangshu Inn at noon, so the sun was smiling down upon you. It's shining rays kissing your skin with a warm touch.

The scenery around you was stunning. It looked unique compared to Inazuma. The huge shoal surrounding the area had thick grass growing on it. There was a certain purple plant sticking among them. It's resemblance to a feather made you wonder what purpose it served. Having no idea what it was, you picked it up anyway and placed it in your bag.

Passing through the Stone Bridge, a Millelith soldier greeted you with a curt bow. You bowed back, as it was a custom back in Inazuma as well.

Inazuma shared some cultures with Liyue, bowing and showing signs of respect was one of them. Inazuma making the most use out of the gesture.

As you walked, you could hear the sound of frogs croaking near the shoal. The bushes ruffled against the gentle wind, with it's leaves falling off of them one by one. Looking at the bushes, you spotted a tree standing among the foliage. Although it wasn't autumn season, the tree's leaves were golden orange. A leaf fell off from a branch. It glided along the wind and landed on the floor in front of you.

You picked it up, and held it in your hands. The orange leaf reminded you of a friend back home. He was an incredible sword user just as you were. And you can never forget the maple leafed-clothing he wore. This leaf from the tree reminded you of him. Making you miss Inazuma, your home, once more.

" ♪~~♪♪~♪♪~~~♪ "

A melodic sound echoed through the plain, catching your attention. You didn't know where it was coming from, but you were certain it was nearby.

" ♪~♪~♪~♪♪~~♪~ "

The sound played once more. You walked further along the path, the sound getting louder as you walked. Somehow, you recognized the sound to be that of a flute. It sounded like a Shakuhachi back at home. But it felt more rustic.

The melody was calming, but at the same time, it felt melancholic. You searched frantically for the source of the sound, and eventually, you met with a maze of shoal grass. Parting the grass away, your eyes met with a familiar pair of gold.

As soon as your eyes both met, the individual playing the melody ceased the activity. In realization, you frantically whaled in embarrassment and fear. Parting the grass back to prevent you from seeing the person.

"I-I... uh..." you muttered aloud "I-I'm... I'm very sorry!"

You closed your eyes shut, and started blindly walking towards the direction of the individual. Once you thought you were close enough to the person, you stopped in your tracks.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Xiao!"