Dive Into Me. [xiaother]

Bond.

When it happened to him, he couldn't believe it.

An adeptus, just like him. Long and beautiful blond hair, skin as white as snow... A sweet smile capable of illuminating the darkest darkness. The golden eyes like sunlight, the body blessed by the gods...

Legends said that Aether had the power of an Archon. It was amazing the way the light and waters bent between his fingers. It was graceful the way he danced every night of the full moon, to the sound of the little birds around. Many said they had been saved from certain death after seeing a blonde silhouette and always with a mischievous little smile on its lips.

Aether's mischievous and carefree manner was what intrigued Xiao the most. Since the Archon War, he has fought alongside Rex Lapis in pursuit of the peace. However, he was never interested in the Archon's crown, as he thought that being a god would be too boring. Xiao, being a warrior, has always been face to face with the conflicts in Liyue and the consequentement, close to him.

He always wondered why Aether liked to spend time with him so much. He wondered how he managed in a simple snap of his fingers to heal all his wounds as he had healed many times. Always wondered why he insisted so much on being beside someone so troubled as a Yaksha like him.

He found it irritating the way he smiled at the smallest of the things, the way he walked smiling through the trees of the Aocang Mountains... A few conversations with Verr Goldet – after, of course, much insistence from the woman – he realized that he was actually in love.

In love. Like a young and foolish mortal. In love with Aether. In love with his smile, his blond hair, the way he had to be Aether.

Amid so many luminous butterflies, there he was, with that mischievous, yet sweet, smile. He had noticed the presence of the Yaksha there. He chuckled. He couldn't hear it, but it echoed perfecty in his mind.

Blinked. He was no longer there.

Was it all an illusion...?

He stared at his reflection in the water, sighing.

"Despite the rain, it's a beautiful night, isn't it...?"

Xiao got scared. Few things were capable of frightening him. One of them was the fact that Aether always managed to surprise him by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So annoyingly lovely.

"Centuries go by and you still do it." Xiao says, crossing his arms.

"Forgive me, my Guardian." The blonde lets out a mischievous and amused chuckle.

"My Guardian". Aether has always called him that. They had known each other for so many ages, but they still had the custom. My Guardian. His heart beat faster every time he heard him say that.

"What brings you here..?" He asks.

"I'm just here. Nothing else." He responds, shortly.

"Don't lie. I know you have a reason. Or do you think I haven't seen you come here almost every night since winter...?"

Xiao looked him in the eyes. The blonde kept a small grin on his lips. That little grin.

"You know you can trust me... Don't you...?" He says, in a gentle way.

Xiao sighed.

"I still hear them. Crying. Screaming. Yearning for my end." He says in a low tone, visibly haggard and tired. "I don't know what this lake has... But it seems to make me a little saner."

"So it's your karma, hm..." Aether ponders, approaching him a little concerned. "This lake is the natural habitat of these luminous butterflies... I enchanted them with the power of Light so that it would be a safe place against the evil spirits of the Wuwang Hills... It seems to have worked for you."