Because She Chose You

Part 2

2 Years:

"Pow, pow, pow."

There's babbling going on beside him. The traveler sits nearby, working on crushing some lavender melon with a mortar and pestle. She's added a small dash of sugar flower given the lavender melons bland taste. Xiao doesn't mind, but the little one has rolled her nose at the purple paste before, and he'd much rather she eat the food than waste it.

"Does Xiao go pow, pow, pow?" Paimon muses, Yili clapping her hands as she repeats the noise.

She's been repeating a lot of noises she hears, so it doesn't surprise him in the least. She's taken to calling him Pow. Though it is nowhere near his name, he takes no offence to the matter. The traveler explained to him that perhaps Yili couldn't yet pronounce his name in full, and that Pow was easier. He had wondered, at the time, if Alatus was easier to pronounce, but quickly dismissed the thought as Yili had started making weird faces at him. Maybe she can read his thoughts. The notion is chilling. He hopes that she never has privy to his inner most thoughts. They are not a space that a child should prattle.

"Oh!"

Xiao turns his golden gaze towards Yili, watching as the infant rolls onto her stomach and away from Paimon. The traveler's companion floats about, her arms motioning around Yili but not quite touching her. From where he sits, he can see Yili getting close to the expanse of water, though he makes no move to stop her. She wouldn't be harmed from the inch deep water, and should something happen, he prides himself on his speed and efficiency in keeping her safe.

What he isn't expecting, however, is for Yili to push herself up onto shaky, stubby, little legs. He's entranced by the way the child pushes herself up on her two legs, swaying slightly, ignoring Paimon's worried flailing behind her. He watches as those viridian eyes focus on the ground before her, arms stretched out as if she planned to cross a fallen tree trunk over the edge of two cliffs. Determination sets in those viridian eyes, moments of silence passing before she put one foot before her. Her tiny toes sink into the wet sand surrounding the water, making her question the action before determination sets in yet again. And she puts another foot in front of that one. Until, soon enough, she stands before him, a smile on her face. She claps her hands, as if to praise herself for a job well done. He wonders if she understands the concept. Paimon has been clapping a lot when Yili seems to do something that she believes is praise worthy. He sits up a bit straighter, bringing his hands together in a gentle clap. He understands that she whishes praise for her achievements. Walking for the first time is something he's willing to praise her for.

"Good job, Yili." He offers her, watching as she preens at the compliment.

She gets a little too complacent and teeters before falling into his outstretched arms. Her giggles have stopped and she's looking up at him with a slight guilt lighting up her green gaze. He wonders why she looks like a kicked puppy as he straightens her up.

"Go on." He says, and though his voice may be flat, he's encouraging her in his own way.

The traveler sets down her tools, pulling a canister of water from her bag before adding it to her mix. There's sugar in the air that Xiao assumes he can smell because of the sugar flower she added to the mix. There's also the smell of the lavender melon, though it's overshadowed greatly by the other ingredient.

"Yili. I have some lunch ready."

Viridian eyes bounce back to life as the two year old stumbles her way towards the traveler. It's been nearly a year since Xiao found her in the middle of those ruins. He remembers the way she clung on to him and refused to let go. She still gets upset when he leaves her alone. Paimon's told him as much. He worries that she has an attachment issue. He worries what will happen when the Adventurer's Guild finally finds something. He supposed if he doesn't make it a habit, he could visit her. He's loath to admit that he'd miss her too. A direct consequence of spending every day together since their meeting. She's yet to show any signs of his karmic debt. He's happy to say that she's rarely in a terrible mood. He's had time to grow accustom to taking care of a young infant. Paimon had chastised him quite often when he'd first started taking care of Yili. How was he to know of the multitude of needs a young, mortal child would have?