Different.. | Xiao x Lumine

Chapter 17

"Hey, are you listening?" Lumine's eyes widened as she heard a voice she knew to well.

She quickly turned around to see the face she wished to see everyday.

"Aether..." She stared at him for a moment. It was him. He looked just as she remembered, not like she'd ever forget.

She quickly ran over to him and hugged him tight. She began crying as he hugged her back.

"Why are you crying? Was it somethings I said?" You could hear the panic in his voice as he spoke.

"I.. I thought you left me because of the abyss! We got — separated!" Lumine cried as she sniffles between a few words.

"I didn't leave you because of the abyss." Suddenly, the scenery began to change. His voice seemed serious and straight unlike before.

He began to back away from Lumine as she finally recognized where they were.

"M-Mondstadt?! What happened? Why is it all broken and burning?" She began to look around as she was looking for anyone.

"That Albedo guy did something then the anemo archon joined him. I don't know what happened after that." Aether sighed as he watched his helpless sister.

He began to follow her as she ran down some broken stairs.

"The fountain is here... so the lab is... here!" She quickly ran over to what remained of the lab.

Luckily, the flames were already put out.

She pulled on the door until it opened and fell sideways. She climbed over a flame beam as smoke filled the room.

She coughed and waved her hand in front of her face as she frantically looked around.

"Sucrose!" Lumin ran over to her.

She was sitting on her knees with her body leaned on the pillar in front of the door. It looked like she was trying to escape, but the pillar was to heavy to move.

Her glasses were broke and she had smoke and burns on her skin. He cloths and the top of her ears and hair were burnt.

Lumine cover her mouth with her hands and tears began to fall again.

She looked over to the bookshelf to see some in the floor. She grabbed one near her feet and quickly skimmed through it.

It was a children's book. It had stories of princesses and knights, monsters and hero's, there was even a custom story in the back.

The hand writing was messy and uneven.

The picture were heartbreaking however.

It was a picture of Klee and Albedo. The text said, "Big brother Albedo and I went to fish today! We caught some really really really big fish!" Lumine gently closed the book as she held onto it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something else.

She slowly turned her head as her feet trembled below her.

She ran over to a smaller pillar that had fallen and quickly pulled it away.

She gasped as she was correct, klee was there to.

She was laid under the pillar as he hat and backpack were elsewhere in the room.

Lumine pulled Klee towards her as she examined her.

Her face had smoke and burns on it as well. Not only that, there were tear stains on her cheeks.

Her hair was burnt and uneven. Her ears were tinted black on the ends as her clothes were all burnt to a crisp.

Lumine hugged Klee as she gently cried.

"I never expected Albedo to kill someone be cared about." Aether gazed over Lumine's should to look as Klee.

Aether began to leave the building but soon felt a tug in his scarf.

He turned around to face Lumine. She gently held the end of his scarf in the tips of her fingers.

"Why... Why are you leaving again." Lumine mummbled, barely audible.

Aether just stared at her.

A static sound began to play in her ears. It grew louder, and louder. Until it stopped.

Everything turned black and the sound was gone.

She felt like she was falling. Anytime she could hit the ground. Anytime she could die right then and there. Anytime she could—

"Lumine." Until a voice woke her.

She quickly sprung up. Her breathing was heavy and uneven as she kept gasping for air.

"Are you ok?" Xiao placed his hand on her shoulder as she slightly jumped.

Her breathing began to calm down as she felt Xiao slowly and gently pull her back down.

His hand was warm on her shoulder. Her shoulder felt cold as the sting of the warmth soothed her fear.

"I'm.. ok." Her voice was shaky as she stared straight up at the sky.

Xiao slowly removed his hand as she calmed down.

"Did you have a nightmare?"