Inspired by Drowning in Crystal Sand by ElfIcarii over on AO3
Hi, and welcome back to our personal little hell corner! We are happy to present the newest (and longest) project; Cradled in Golden Wings! This story honestly started out as nothing but a fun thought experiment, but then Elficarii and Storm started getting more and more into it, and it very rapidly snowballed into this gloriousness- so much so that we just had to start writing.
Elficarii has been so helpful, in fact, that she allowed us to use her fic, Drowning in Crystal Sand, as a springboard for Xiao's backstory. Some things will be slightly altered for our purposes, but on the whole, it's our basis for why Xiao acts and feels the way he does.
One more thing, we will have a glossary of sorts in the end notes, translating any Chinese words we use. Please, if we get any wrong, correct us in the comments so we can fix it! While we are learning, neither of us are fluent in the language and are bound to make mistakes.
As always, enjoy! We will be back to our regularly scheduled bullshit soon.
Why had Kaeya been chosen for this mission- out of everyone Father could have picked, why did it have to be him? Kaeya was not particularly strong, or fast, or skilled with a blade, nor was he talented in Abyssal arts like he was expected to be. He was clumsy and froze too easily, he showed too much weakness, and he wasn't good enough for something this important.
Besides, he was pretty sure he'd already failed.
Father had given him very clear instructions. Kaeya was to walk down this path until he came across a family living nearby, then integrate into the household and gather information. Simple. So he did as he was told, even when it began to drizzle and soak his clothes. Surely it couldn't be that far of a walk. But then he saw some slimes and then they saw him, and by the time he lost them he was all turned around and he didn't know where he was anymore. It… didn't look the same though. Father had left him in a forest, with big trees that were real and little glowing flowers. This place had towering stalagmites- no, they were mountains, right?
He'd been told about them, and the grasslands, and the deserts, and of snow. But he barely learned a thing about the surface world from Father, who was more interested in pounding combat techniques into him. No, it was that older boy… what was his name? A… it started with an 'A', didn't it? Kaeya didn't remember, not very well. The boy from his memories was hazy and out of focus, the only things the Khaenri'ahn could remember about him were his smile, the freckles smattered across his cheeks, and the stories he told. Even if Kaeya only managed to sneak away a handful of times, he cherished those stories.
It was from that boy- his… friend, he supposed, that he learned that the surface world had a name; Teyvat. It was his friend who taught him the names of all seven nations, his friend who had told him tales of his homeland. It was a place even colder than the caves he'd grown up in, where water froze like an Abyss mage had touched it and gathered on the ground in heaps of tiny crystals.
It was he who told him about the weather and sun– it was like a star, but bigger and brighter. How cool was that? And it was his friend who told him about the plants that grew there- plants just grew there! On their own!
Teyvat had sounded so pretty when he listened to his friend's stories. Now he knew the other boy wasn't lying just to entertain him. He liked it up here.
Kaeya wanted to see snow the most, but mountains were pretty cool too, he guessed. He didn't think he was where he was supposed to be, though. Father said it was a short walk, but he'd been on this path for a while now and had yet to encounter a single person. He just hadn't been able to get past those slimes and even if he was sure he could now, he didn't remember which direction they were in. He refused to give up though, eventually he had to run into someone. Even if it wasn't the people Father wanted him to find, something was better than nothing.
Kaeya looked up at the sky, squinting through freezing rain to study the clouds. Were they darker than before? Was night falling or– a strong gust of wind abruptly slammed against him, interrupting his thoughts and almost knocking him off his feet as he struggled against it. Why did the air suddenly feel so solid?! It didn't make any sense. Letting out a sigh, he raised an arm in an attempt to keep the wind from hitting his face and forced himself to press forward. The wind, however, never quite abated. It seemed to push harder against him as the rain grew heavier; tripling its efforts to drown him. Okay... maybe Teyvat wasn't that pretty. At least the caves back home never drenched him like this. But... they also came with mages that were a little too happy to zap him so… he'd take this instead.
Kaeya continued down the path, ignoring the chill creeping into his bones. It was fine, he'd lived through worse. A little bit of bad weather was preferable, honestly, to his endless training.
Father would be angry. Nothing good ever came when Father was angry, Kaeya knew that better than most. The last time he'd been disappointed… Kaeya could still feel the phantom tremors of Electro in his limbs when he thought too hard about it. It was his fault though. He should've been faster, stronger, better than he was. He should have been the son he was expected to be.
So then why had Father chosen to send him, of all people, on this mission? He wasn't fit for it, not when Father kept raging about his failures. Was he just supposed to die– end up like the hilichurls that used to be his people? Was he really that useless? No, he had to try. Father entrusted this mission to him so he must be worth something, surely. Maybe once he completed it, Father would finally be proud of him. Kaeya was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed when the path split, following the sharp curve to the right onto a smaller less traveled path. It was only after he heard a distinctive "YAAH," and the sound of approaching footsteps that he realized his mistake.
Kaeya's head snapped in the direction of the sound, eyes wide with panic as the hilichurls approached. He must've wandered too close to a camp, but how? He'd been following the path, hilichurls were supposed to make camps further away– he wasn't on the path, not the same one. It was too narrow and there was too much shrubbery. Had he really strayed that far away? His panic swelled and for a split second Kaeya froze. He didn't have a weapon, he couldn't defend himself without one. The Khaenri'ahn's eyes scanned the ground, searching for something, anything he could use. He knew it was a bad idea to take his eyes off an opponent but he didn't have a choice- there.
The blue-haired boy darted forward, snatching a sturdy-looking stick up off the ground. It wasn't perfect, but it was about the same size as the sword he trained with and it was far better than nothing. The moment it was in his hands, Kaeya spun around and assessed his opponents. There were two, no, three of them. One with a club- already approaching, what looked like a mage, and another with a crossbow. As if on cue it shot at him and the Khaenri'ahn just barely leaned out of the way, the arrow flying so close a feather grazed his cheek. He wasn't out of danger though, not yet. Using his momentum Kaeya jumped out of the way of the club, then raised his weapon to parry the following swing. While he achieved his goal of creating an opening, the stick shattered on impact.
Maybe it wasn't as sturdy as he thought. The hilichurl recovered fast, swinging at his head again, and Kaeya was forced into a roll to avoid getting hit. As he came out of it, his hand found another stick and he picked it up. It was longer than the first, and heavier. There was no way he was swinging it around with any semblance of accuracy with only one hand. Unless… He needed a weapon if he was going to fight back. Kaeya adjusted his grip, sliding his hand towards the middle rather than the end. Even if he was weak and clumsy and failed at every task put in front of him, he could still win this fight.
Suddenly a blue-tinted glow surrounded him and Kaeya yelped, throwing himself into a teleport to avoid the unknown attack. He dropped out behind the clubbed hilichurl and thrust the end of his weapon into its back, knocking it a few feet away where it ate the mage-hilichurl's attack.
Before he could think about a next move, Kaeya found himself leaning back and to the right as another arrow whizzed past his face, with another already flying through the air towards him. That one, too, was dodged with a smooth flip. He took one step, then whirled around at the sound of more yelling and footsteps as a new wave of panic slammed into him. Then he cried out in pain as a third arrow lodged itself in the back of his left shoulder. Kaeya stumbled, catching himself only because the end of his stick lodged in the muddy earth beneath him, and choked back a sob. Worthless- he couldn't get even this right, and now more of them were coming. Their battle cries rang in his ears and stars they were going to kill him–
No. Kaeya wouldn't die here, he couldn't. He wanted to live, even if Father didn't think he deserved it, even if he didn't deserve it. No one else was going to step in and save him, not this time, so it had to be his choice. And Kaeya Alberich refused to die.
A clubbed hilichurl, perhaps the same one from before, leaped forward and swung at his head again. Kaeya moved as soon as he saw it, but it was too late. It was already upon him, so close he could pick out each crack and scuff in its mask and he just needed it away-
Anemo burst in the space between him and the monster, knocking it back. Even some of the other hilichurls seemed to slide back some, though he wasn't paying much attention. His focus was all on the blinding bright glow of… a Vision? No. No no, he couldn't have one, how was he supposed to complete his mission with Celestia watching him so closely? What if they brainwashed him, then Father really would kill him. He'd be a traitor to his home, he had to get rid of it.
Kaeya snatched the stone up, only to throw it directly into the head of an approaching… stars, that thing was huge! How did a hilichurl even get that big? The Vision tinked off the side of its mask and it didn't even slow it down. At least he was rid of the cursed stone but now all he had was his stick, and could he even fight that? The big hilichurl advanced on him, axe in hand, and raised it to swing. Kaeya braced himself, reaching for a teleport he knew he didn't have in him, because he never had enough energy for two, and stared down his imminent death with all the courage he could muster.
But it never came. Instead, a streak of Anemo slammed into the side of its head and suddenly a person was there, teeth bared in an angry snarl as they plunged the end of their polearm through the monster's skull. Kaeya fell to his knees, suddenly unable to hold his weight even with assistance, as the new person yanked their polearm free and disappeared in another whirl of elemental energy.
The hilichurls never stood a chance. In a matter of seconds, each was struck down. The only evidence they'd been hit was a streak of teal and purple dancing between them followed by a flash of jade before they hit the ground and though Kaeya never got a good look at what they were doing, he was entranced by those colors. It was almost enough to distract him from the screams of pain.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, the world fell quiet and all he could hear was the rain.
✦ •— ✧ —• ✦ ·𖥸· ✦ •— ✧ —• ✦
Xiao dropped to the ground with a sigh of relief, dismissing his polearm with a wave of his hand. Now where was it… ah, there. Xiao turned, walking the handful of steps to a brightly glowing Vision on the ground, and picked it up. Then he paused because this was a Liyuen Vision, an Anemo Liyuen Vision. He'd seldom come across another Anemo Vision, especially in Liyue, and it had been centuries since the last. So to find one now…
Well, no matter. He should get this one back to its owner. Xiao turned again, this time to face the boy kneeling in the mud. The adeptus tilted his head to one side, momentarily lost in thought. He looked… young. What was he- six, maybe seven years old? It was difficult to tell, Xiao was never very good at guessing the age of mortals, but for a child so young to obtain a Vision of any kind was unusual. And while Visions were not inherently negative, he couldn't help but remember the last time a child had received one within Liyue's borders.
And Anemo was hard on its allogenes. He would know better than most.
Furthermore, he was injured. That arrow appeared to be buried deep and needed medical attention sooner rather than later. Humans were not like adepti, even one wound could be enough to cut their already short lives down further.
Xiao was suddenly jolted out of his musings when the child let out a shuddering breath and asked in a strained tone, "Why?"
Oh, right. Staring was rude. He made a quiet hum-chirp sound and approached, crouching in front of the boy and holding his Vision out to him. "Here. This is yours." Of all the reactions he could have received, Xiao was not expecting his hand to be knocked to one side, launching the Vision several feet away while the child scrambled back with clear fear on his face. Strange.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao teleported to the elemental stone and picked it up again before returning to his place in front of the boy, this time kneeling. He made sure to keep his distance though, maybe he was just a little scared. Again Xiao held out the Vision and said, "Child, it is your Vision. You need to take it."
If it was at all possible, he seemed to react even worse to that and visibly recoiled, eyeing his Vision with clear distrust. Xiao made to move closer but was stopped when the child spoke- er, well, yelled, "IT'S NOT MINE!" The force of his voice startled the adeptus and he paused, eyes wide. Before he could think to do anything else the boy continued, his voice quieter but no less fierce, "It's not mine, it can't be. I don't want it!"
For a moment neither said anything, and Xiao couldn't help but notice how the fledgling shook. He looked scared, terrified even. After a second longer he dropped his hand, smothering the Vision's glow in the curl of his palm. "My apologies. I should not have pushed." When the child didn't respond Xiao shifted uncomfortably. It was wet and cold and actually, why was there a child out here alone? Why had he been close enough to a hilichurl camp to be in danger in the first place, why was no one close by to protect him? Clearly whoever was supposed to be in charge of him was doing a terrible job, he was already injured! Didn't mortals know how to look after their fledglings?
He needed to get this fledgling out of the rain. It would do no favors for his recovery, and something needed to be done about that arrow. It'd be easiest to take him back to Wangshu Inn, but… he wasn't trusted. There was no way he could just pick the boy up and carry him there, not yet. Xiao was bad at talking to people, he was worse at earning their trust. But he had to try. Seconds ticked by as he considered his words, trying to select the right ones that could get him even one step closer to getting both of them out of this storm. Finally, he settled on, "My name is Xiao. What may I call you, little one?"
At first, he thought he might not get a response. It wouldn't surprise him, after all, Xiao had very clearly terrified the fledgling. He could be patient though. The adeptus waited, still as a statue while a series of emotions flashed in the child's periwinkle eye. Finally, he spoke, voice quiet and soft, "Kaeya."
The sound was barely louder than the pounding rain, but Xiao was still able to pick up on it. "Kaeya," he tested the name on his tongue, tilting his head to one side again. A lovely name, but not Liyuen. Truth be told he wasn't sure where it originated. Perhaps… no. He could contemplate it later. Xiao mentally shook himself, banishing his stray thoughts so he could focus. Maybe… maybe if he explained who- or rather, what he was, it would help. Granted, he could be wrong, but the benefits outweighed the negatives. Either he got Kaeya's trust or he didn't.
"I am an adeptus of Liyue," he started, "and I protect the people of this nation." When trepidation still shone in Kaeya's eye he added, "I will not hurt you, little one, I promise you that."
Kaeya's gaze still held trepidation, even at Xiao's assurance that he would not be harmed. Was it the wrong thing to say? Archons, what was he supposed to do? Had Morax had this much trouble with him, all those millennia ago? Surely not… actually, his lord probably had it worse. At least mortals couldn't teleport.
Focus. He wasn't making any progress, and Kaeya was still terrified of him, how was he supposed to–– suddenly lightning struck nearby, illuminating everything in a ghostly white-blue for just a moment before thunder crashed around them. In a heartbeat, he found Kaeya curled in his lap and clinging to him tightly, shaking with terror and cold in equal measure.
Xiao's first reaction was to pull away, unused to anyone holding on to him, but no, this was what he wanted. Hesitantly, the adeptus wrapped his arms around Kaeya, though he tried to avoid his back out of habit. When the fledgling's grip loosened slightly and he stopped shaking so much, Xiao let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Maybe… maybe he'd made a little progress after all.
Okay, they had to get out of this rain. Xiao quickly clipped Kaeya's Vision around his waist and stood, pulling the fledgling up with him and trying not to jostle his shoulder too much. A teleport would be easiest, it was faster and safer, he wasn't sure how long that arrow had been lodged in Kaeya's shoulder and every second counted. But what if it scared him, what if it brought him right back to square one and then he couldn't treat the child's injuries?
He had to do it, if it scared Kaeya then he could deal with it back at the Inn. The only warning he gave was a distracted, "Hold on tight," before reaching for another teleport and disappearing with a swirl of Anemo.
They dropped out of the teleport in the middle of the top floor room at Wangshu Inn and immediately Xiao regretted not explaining what he was doing a little more. He stumbled, nearly falling over because tiny arms were wrapped around his neck and exerting more force than had any right to in a mortal that small. The adeptus made a desperate sound and tried to pry him off, "Kaeya– Fledgling, let go-"
Suddenly the pressure was gone and Xiao no longer felt like he was in imminent danger of being choked out. He took in a deep breath, steadying himself on the bedframe with one hand while rubbing at his throat with the other. Okay, the kid was stronger than he looked. Speaking of…
Xiao looked up, scanning the room until he caught sight of a blue head of hair and sighed. The fledgling had managed to scramble halfway across the room and wedge himself in a corner and… Xiao couldn't actually blame him. It was stupid not to explain so yeah, his fault. He unclipped Kaeya's Vision from his waist and set it on the nightstand, then got within a few feet of the fledgling and sat down on the floor.
"Fledgling," he started, "Kaeya, I apologize for scaring you. It was not my intention to do so, I should have explained better." When he received no reaction other than a distrustful look, Xiao glanced up and tried to think of a way he could regain the trust he just lost with his stunt. Silence stretched between them for several seconds before Xiao finally broke it with a sigh. "I… know you do not trust me," he started, "and you have every right not to, Fledgling, but please, allow me to take care of your injuries." He glanced at the arrow again, a flash of concern in his eyes before he continued, "I would prefer to get them cleaned before they become infected."
"What are you going to do?" Kaeya's voice was small, wary, and for a moment Xiao thought he was imagining it. He'd gotten used to the fledgling's hesitance to speak, so it was a bit of a surprise that he answered so readily.
He thought about jumping straight into an explanation, but he knew there was a first aid kit somewhere around here… perhaps it would help to show him as well. "One moment," Xiao got up and tracked around the room, digging through drawers and opening cabinets in an attempt to find it. It took longer than he would have liked, but he did find it, hidden underneath the bed of all places. It was far back too and forced him to crawl half underneath to pull it out. Xiao reclaimed his spot on the floor across from Kaeya and set the kit between them.
Taking another breath Xiao prepared himself to at least try explaining this. "I am going to use the contents of this kit to treat your wounds– whatever they may be. That arrow… is the most important, so I will start there. It will hurt," Kaeya's eyes flashed with a note of fear and he quickly added, "but I will try to be fast. Can you trust me enough to do that, at least?"
After what felt like an eternity the fledgling nodded, crawling out of his little corner toward Xiao. He stopped a foot away from the kit resting between them and asked, "Can I see what's in it first?"
The adeptus nodded and opened it, revealing a neat array of nearly untouched supplies. Xiao rarely used it himself, it had been a long time since he had been seriously injured in battle. Most of the wounds he sustained were not physical anyway.
Kaeya studied them for a moment, then seemed to relax a bit. Xiao shifted, reached out, and then stopped himself short. "May I begin?" When the child nodded, finally Xiao moved properly. This time, he told Kaeya everything he was about to do, just in case the fledgling freaked out again. If possible, he wanted to avoid that. The adeptus tried to be gentle while cutting away the fabric of Kaeya's shirt. Hm. He'd have to find a replacement– even if it wasn't cut to ribbons, the shirt was frayed and torn, stained with blood and mud. No one should be forced to wear anything like that.
Now for the painful part. Xiao took a breath, then said, "I am going to push the arrow through your shoulder. This will hurt, but will be over soon." Once Kaeya nodded he started, sliding the shaft of the arrow through the fledgling's shoulder as quickly as he thought was safe. Once the arrowhead exited the other side, he broke the feathers off and pulled it the rest of the way through.
Kaeya's gasp of pain made Xiao's stomach churn, but he knew that sometimes, it had to get worse before it got better. Dropping the broken arrow off to the side, Xiao pulled some antiseptic out of the kit and began cleaning the wound, trying to be as careful as he could. While he worked, Kaeya made another pained sound and tensed, holding his upper arms in a death grip. The adeptus knew it hurt, things like this always did, but he hoped he wouldn't have to make the fledgling suffer much longer. Once he'd cleaned it as best he could, Xiao began packing the wound with gauze. Then he used the last of his bandages to wrap it up before dropping his hands and letting out a relieved sigh. "There," he breathed, "done."
Now that the hard part was done, the adeptus took the opportunity to get a read on any other injuries Kaeya might have. The fledgling had a few more fresh scrapes and scuffs- a few crescent shapes carved into his arms where he gripped them too hard earlier, what looked like an irritated patch of skin on his cheek, and some scuffed hands, but nothing he couldn't get cleaned and bandaged. What had him worried was the older marks. Kaeya's body was riddled with bruises and cuts, most of which were half-healed and angry looking. They didn't seem infected but… no happy and healthy child would sustain injuries like these. Xiao glanced over at the first aid kit. He was running out of supplies- he'd only agreed to have one in the first place to appease Morax, so it was small. He never thought he would have to use it.
Bandages were the most pressing item. Xiao was pretty sure he had enough of everything else to squeeze by, at least for the night, but he was completely out of bandages. Perhaps Morax had some… but what would he do with the fledgling? It wasn't like he could just leave the kid here, not without anyone to keep an eye on him, and taking him into Morax's abode was entirely out of the question.
…Actually, maybe there was someone he could ask.
Xiao tilted his head, then pushed himself up. He checked to make sure the windows were secure, glancing out over Guili Plains as he did so. It would only be a few minutes. Turning back to Kaeya, he returned to the child's side and finally spoke again. "Little one, I will be leaving," when Kaeya whipped around to look at him, panic flashing across his features, Xiao added, "It will only be for a few minutes… fifteen at most. I assure you, Fledgling, I keep my word." Though the boy still looked uneasy, he did eventually nod and Xiao pat his head once before disappearing in a swirl of Anemo.
The adeptus didn't go very far though, instead dropping out before Wangshu Inn's front desk. The woman behind it looked startled, but not entirely unsurprised. Good, he didn't need her asking a thousand questions. She offered a polite greeting, then asked what she could do to assist him. Xiao barely waited for her to finish, then said, "Watch the fledgling for me," and looked up towards the room he'd left Kaeya in.
She followed his gaze, then started to speak. "Oh-" he didn't wait to hear what she said though, instead jumping straight to his actual destination; Morax's abode.
Xiao dropped out of the second teleport with practiced ease and immediately started moving. His lord shouldn't mind if he took a few necessities, and he'd replace them later. Besides, his fledgling took priority, Morax could punish him later and that would be perfectly fine. Just as long as Kaeya was safe. So off he went, first searching for fresh bandages. It took longer than he would have liked to find them, but eventually, he found a whole kit comprised of bandages in different sizes and lengths tucked neatly in a cabinet. Kaeya needed new clothes too… at least for the night. He was not about to allow a fledgling to sleep in dirty clothes.
Morax was significantly larger than Kaeya, so Xiao didn't bother with finding anything but an oversized shirt. If he tied it right… Yes. This would do. He set it, neatly folded, on top of the kit.
He was about to leave, but then it occurred to him that he wasn't sure when the bed sheets were last changed. His fledgling couldn't be sleeping in a dirty bed, better to change them entirely. He set the other items down, then started searching for fresh sheets, leaving every fruitless cabinet and doorway wide open so he knew not to check it again. Finally, he found where they were kept, but none seemed to be a correct fit. Maybe in the back? Xiao tore through the side closet, knocking stacks of fabric aside until he came across a set that looked correct.
Ah, but he needed blankets to go with the sheets, otherwise his fledgling would freeze, and he couldn't have that. Without skipping a beat Xiao snatched up an extra blanket or two from the closet, then decided that wasn't enough and trotted over to his lord's bed. He eyed it for a moment, deciding what he could take without getting into too much trouble, then grabbed a few softer ones off the top. While he was there, he also grabbed a few pillows. His fledgling would like those, surely. Xiao even thought about… no. He couldn't take the comforter, no matter how comfortable it looked. Even he knew that was a little too far.
Instead, he returned to his things and contemplated how he was to get all of this back in one trip. He tilted his head again, narrowing his eyes as he thought, then eventually settled for wrapping everything in one of the bigger blankets so there was no risk of anything falling out. A handful of minutes later, his bundle was ready and Xiao was about to leave when he stopped.
Oh why not, he could take that too. Xiao reached over, pulling Morax's comforter off the bed and adding it to the pile before he vanished in a swirl of Anemo.
When he returned to the Inn, Xiao wasn't sure what to expect. He was wholly unprepared for the little fledgling, who had previously been so wary, to be curled up and soundly asleep on the bed. His decision to grab replacement sheets appeared to be the correct one, then.
The adeptus quietly separated out the different things he'd brought back, piling the blankets and sheets in neat stacks off to one side before approaching Kaeya and reaching out to gently shake him awake. As much as he'd love to let him sleep, Xiao needed to get the rest of his wounds cleaned and wrapped. As soon as he touched the child though, Kaeya was up and moving, scrambling away and staring wide-eyed.
Xiao paused, then murmured, "It's alright, Fledgling, it's just me." This time, thank the Archons, Kaeya seemed to actually relax a little. "May I treat the rest of your injuries?"
The boy dropped his gaze, refusing to even look at Xiao, much less his face. After a moment he asked, "Why? I'm not– it's not really worth wasting supplies on?"
That… was concerning. Who in Teyvat had put such a notion in his head- that he wasn't worth the resources? Xiao knew that mindset far too intimately not to recognize it, but what could this child possibly have done? Xiao was… he had too much blood on his hands, he had killed too many innocent people. Xiao was responsible for countless deaths, he'd been the one to eat their dreams, drive them to the brink of insanity- and he was still repenting for his sins, but Kaeya? Kaeya was innocent.
The fact someone had warped his worldview so much already made Xiao's blood boil. He wanted to hunt them down, break them as they'd so clearly tried to break Kaeya, his little fledgling, and watch them writhe in pain like the worm they were. Instead, he held onto his composure. Rather than allow anger to seep into his voice, Xiao remained calm and said, "You are always worth it, Fledgling."
It didn't look like Kaeya believed him, but then, Xiao still didn't quite believe it when Morax told him the same thing. It was just… Xiao had skeletons in his closet, but Kaeya did not. And if it were up to him, he'd rather keep it that way.
Luckily, the fledgling still went along with his wishes, inching closer until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Xiao smiled softly, he'd take what he could get. The adeptus rested a hand on Kaeya's head, "Stay right here for a minute, Kaeya, I'll be right back." He just needed to get a few more things.
Xiao moved quickly, taking a bowl of warm water and a washcloth from the bathroom, then bringing the new bandages and antiseptic closer. Once everything was set up, he carefully held his fledgling's arm and, after confirming that Kaeya was unlikely to freak out, began washing away the dirt and blood. Thankfully, there wasn't much of the latter.
Each time he cleaned the area around a cut or scrape, the adeptus applied some antiseptic and bandaged it, that way they stayed clean. It took a while to complete since he was doing the same for half-healed cuts as well, but finally, he worked his way up to Kaeya's face. The mark on his cheek, though irritated and angry, didn't seem to be open. He wiped it clean but otherwise left it alone. He almost stopped there, but then decided to check the other side, the one his fledgling kept covered.
Xiao gently pushed the hair away and paused when Kaeya flinched at the action. Was something wrong? He didn't look injured, but… It had been a long time since he'd seen eyes quite like Kaeya's. He'd grown used to the left one, a periwinkle blue with a whole galaxy trapped inside, but his right was a sparkling gold. Kaeya held his gaze for a moment longer, then dropped his eyes. He looked… afraid? Was he ashamed of his eyes?
The adeptus stared for a moment longer, then hummed and backed off, allowing midnight blue locks to fall back in front of Kaeya's eye. "Done," he said, "if you would like to change, you may wear this." Xiao handed him the shirt, "I apologize that it is too big, but it should service for the night, at least."
Hesitantly, Kaeya took the shirt and trotted off to the bathroom, presumably to change. In the meantime, Xiao got to work on his other task. He tore at the bedsheets, pulling them off the bed and heaping them in a pile near the door. One particularly stubborn corner even got an annoyed hiss out of him when it refused to budge on the first yank.
Once it was completely cleared, the adeptus started replacing them with the fresh sheets he'd borrowed from Morax. It took a bit to get everything in order, but soon he had the bed reassembled, this time looking significantly more comfortable. Xiao eyed the pile of discarded sheets. He could take them out to the hall, but that looked like more effort than he was willing to put in. Instead, he flopped down on his back with a sigh, closing his eyes and allowing himself to just relax.
Then, a minute later, he heard the bathroom door open. It seemed his fledgling had finished figuring out the shirt situation, but the adeptus didn't open his eyes. Instead, he stayed perfectly still and just breathed. Kaeya pattered around the edge of the room, then stopped and Xiao picked up the sound of fabric falling. He assumed, based on the location, the boy had dropped his discarded pants somewhere. Then the pattering picked up again and this time came right up to the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped and then suddenly Kaeya was next to him. Xiao opened his eyes.
His fledgling was right there, mismatched eyes wide, and he looked about ready to bolt. Before he could, Xiao reached over around him and grabbed a loose blanket, pulling it around Kaeya's shoulders. "Get some rest, Fledgling. You look like you need it."
Xiao had thought that maybe- just maybe this might calm his child down. Instead, his fledgling looked about ready to cry. Xiao sat up, propping himself up with one elbow. "Kaeya?"
His voice strained, quiet, and confused, Kaeya mumbled, "Why… are you being so nice to me?"
That… was not a question he'd been expecting, but at least it was one he could answer. Xiao considered his words for a moment, then replied, "I suppose… it is because I was once like you." At his fledgling's surprised expression, he added, "Not everyone will be out to hurt you, Fledgling, even if it seems like they will."
Still, Kaeya seemed unsure. After a moment Xiao reached out, brushing blue locks out of his fledgling's face. "Go to sleep, Kaeya," he asked, "you'll feel better in the morning."
This time, his fledgling didn't say anything more. Instead, he scooted closer, flopping down on the mattress and cuddling up against Xiao's side. The adeptus stared for a moment, then wrapped his arms around Kaeya, running his fingers through blue locks.
His little fledgling was out in a matter of minutes.
✦ •— ✧ —• ✦ ·𖥸· ✦ •— ✧ —• ✦
Xiao woke to the sound of birdsong outside his window. Normally he found it a little annoying, but today… it wasn't so bad. He yawned, then a thought crossed his mind. When had he fallen asleep? It hadn't been his intention… but then, it hadn't been his intention to procure a child last night either.
Well. He better do something productive now that he was awake. Kaeya's bandages would need to be changed soon, and he'd need to find him something to eat. He'd likely be in a lot of pain too, once he woke up. Maybe that qingxin tea Morax kept sending him could help with that. He couldn't really do much until his fledgling woke up, and he hesitated to wake him. Maybe he could just go get some food from the kitchen and bring it up? But what could he give to a child?
For Xiao, most foods upset his stomach, and the rest were downright repulsive to him. His knowledge of the dietary requirements of a mortal fledgling was therefore severely limited, and he hesitated to feed him only almond tofu. Xiao might be able to survive off the sweet, but he doubted many others could. Then his eyes lit up with an idea. Kaeya was a fledgling… wait, no. He was human, not a bird but… maybe? No no, it was better he didn't, his fledgling was probably too old for that anyway.
Well, he'd have to guess, then. Maybe there would be some clues if he went down to the kitchen and at least then he could make that tea. So Xiao moved to get up, except… he couldn't. Upon further inspection, he found Kaeya clinging tightly to him, and for someone who was clearly asleep, his grip was strong.
The adeptus tried all manner of escape, from carefully inching his limbs out to trying to pry himself free. None succeeded. In the end, Xiao had to sacrifice one of Morax's pillows to facilitate his escape, and even then it only barely worked.
Upon earning his freedom, Xiao smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes and sighed softly, then quietly teleported down to the kitchens, where he started boiling some water for tea and rummaging around for something that looked halfway edible. He didn't get too far before the chef drew his attention away, mumbling a quiet, "Here," before practically shoving a tray full of food in his hands. He looked down, studying the contents. The largest plate was filled with various things Xiao either didn't care for or had never wanted to try. It had eggs and toast, along with sliced apples, sunsettia chunks, some orange wedges, grapes, and a handful of other fruits he didn't recognize. It all looked edible… he set it aside so he could fill the teapot he'd picked out with hot water.
The chef looked like he wanted to say more but… Xiao had more pressing things to worry about, and conversations were never his strong suit.
He then promptly turned on his heel, grabbed the tray of food and the rest of his tea set on the way past, and walked back upstairs. He could dig out that tea now, and get some steeping. Only when he got to the door… he had no hands. Xiao stood there for a minute, trying to solve this problem. Perhaps he could kick the door down…? No, terrible idea. He liked having a door, it meant no one could just stare into his room. Then how to get inside…
Oh. Right. He could teleport. Xiao promptly disappeared in a swirl of Anemo, leaving no trace he was there at all.
When he reappeared in his room, Xiao was surprised to find Kaeya awake. He'd half expected his little fledgling to still be asleep, all things considered. He didn't let his surprise show for too long though, instead setting the tray of food on the nightstand. "You may eat whatever you wish," he said, walking over to a table in one corner of the room so he could get the tea steeping, "the tea will be ready soon."
When he turned back around, Kaeya was sitting on the edge of the bed, munching on an apple slice. Good, at least he was eating something. After a few minutes of silence, Xiao poured them both a cup of tea and brought them over to the bed, setting one on the tray and keeping the other for himself. "Qingxin tea," he clarified, "it should help with the pain."
Silence fell between them again, with Xiao sipping his tea and Kaeya picking at his breakfast. It wasn't uncomfortable, just peaceful, and his fledgling didn't seem to mind. After a few minutes, he lowered the cup to his lap and asked, "Kaeya, may I ask you about something?"
The boy flinched almost immediately and Xiao almost rescinded the question altogether. Before he could though, he took a deep breath and nodded. Xiao swallowed, then spoke again, "Your Vision. Why didn't you want it?"
"It's not mine," Kaeya snapped, and his voice was almost cold, desperate in a way Xiao wasn't expecting.
"If it's not yours, then whose is it, Fledgling?"
Kaeya completely shut down at that, pulling his legs up to his chest and pointedly looking away. His silence was an answer in and of itself, though, so Xiao stopped pressing. Instead, he added in a soft voice, "A Vision is a part of your soul. Even if you never want to use it, it would be wise to keep it with you. I would not like to see you lose your ambition, Kaeya." Predictably, his little fledgling didn't respond, but that was okay. Xiao would still be here when he was ready.
✦ •— ✧ —• ✦ ·𖥸· ✦ •— ✧ —• ✦
The rest of the day passed quietly, with Kaeya spending the majority of it asleep. Xiao was perfectly happy to let him rest, seeing as it would no doubt aid in his recovery, but he did find out that his little fledgling seemed to have a sixth sense for when he left the room for any period of time. It meant monster hunting was suddenly out of the question. So he stayed, trying to find new ways of occupying his mind.
Around sunset, he woke his fledgling, putting another tray of food and tea in front of him while he worked on unwrapping, cleaning, and rewrapping all his wounds. It was good to see he had a relatively healthy appetite, at least.
After he'd eaten, Kaeya insisted on dragging Xiao into bed, under the false impression that the adeptus needed to sleep right this second as well. He allowed it though, because if it meant his fledgling got rest, it was worth it.
Now, said fledgling was curled on his chest, wrapped in blankets and dozing peacefully while Xiao hummed a soft melody. He felt… relaxed. It was a sort of peace and quiet he rarely let himself have, what with all the monsters there were to fight, all the karma he'd accrued over the millennia.
Xiao's heart nearly stopped.
His karma. How had he forgotten about it? He couldn't keep Kaeya, his fledgling, because if he did he'd be condemning him to a short life of pain and misery. But how could he let this child go- who could he possibly trust him with? His birth family was out of the question, given the bruises, the cuts and scars, and Kaeya's reactions to kindness, to receiving help- there was no doubt in his mind that this poor fledgling had been abused. But Xiao could not look after him. Even with a Vision, a blessing from Celestia, his karma would eventually seep in.
It would kill his fledgling.
Xiao's anxiety swelled and he let out a low, desperate whine. He couldn't. He couldn't give him up. There were so few people in Teyvat he knew could raise a human child, even less he trusted with someone as precious as his fledgling. But what other choice was there? He pulled his fledgling closer, wrapping his wings around both of them and blocking out the world.
Think. He needed to think. Perhaps he could give him to another adeptus, many had taken in a human on at least a few occasions and there he was guaranteed to be safe and cared for, but there was every chance his little fledgling would grow to hate him. However, if Xiao kept him, Kaeya would succumb to his karmic debt sooner rather than later and that was worse.
He released a shuddering breath, letting the calm space provided by his wings calm his nerves while he rationalized that no one he truly trusted would hurt his fledgling, because they hadn't hurt him all those centuries ago. It'd be fine. He'd be fine, and so would Kaeya.
Xiao breathed, in and out.
Morax.
Morax could help him- would help him, and he'd never dare hurt Kaeya. His lord had the means to raise a child, wouldn't poison them with his very presence, and he'd done it before. Besides, Morax lived more closely among humans these days more so than any other adeptus- aside from Madame Ping. If anyone was equipped to raise a human, surely it would be him.
And, unlike with certain other adepti, Xiao could be certain Kaeya wouldn't be turned against him.
Come morning, he would take Kaeya to Morax and ask him to raise the child in his stead. The god had done a good job with Xiao himself, he'd do perfectly well with his fledgling. He'd bask in Kaeya's trust for now, then mourn having to give him up as the sun rose.
✦ •— ✧ —• ✦ ·𖥸· ✦ •— ✧ —• ✦
When morning finally came, Xiao hadn't slept at all. He was too anxious, too worried about how best to convince Morax to accept Kaeya. Logically he knew he shouldn't be this worried, his lord was kind and cared deeply for the people of his nation. He would help in any way he could, but it didn't help the anxiety as much as it should.
He put off waking his fledgling. The longer he stayed asleep, the longer Xiao had with him. Oh, how he wished this could be the rest of his eternity. If only he didn't have to pay his karmic debt, if only he could shield even one person from its effects. He'd protect Kaeya for the rest of time if he could.
He couldn't wait forever though, the sooner he got to Morax, the sooner he'd be safe. Xiao pushed himself up, gently rousing Kaeya. "Fledgling, it's time to wake up. Are you hungry?" It was sure to be a little jarring, meeting the prime adeptus and all, but having something in his stomach should help. Kaeya was having absolutely none of it though. Despite his best efforts, no amount of reasoning or coaxing worked and eventually, he gave up. Xiao wasn't about to push his luck, he still wanted Kaeya to like him after all this.
However, that meant he had even less time with his fledgling, and Xiao was dreading what came next. He didn't want to give Kaeya up, he wanted to keep his perfect little fledgling here with him, not let someone else raise him– Morax was fine, great even, but what if he hurt Kaeya? What if he never got to see his fledgling again? What if-
No. He needed to stop thinking. Xiao took a deep breath, then turned to Kaeya. "Do you remember what I did to get us here two nights ago?" The child nodded and Xiao continued, "We're going to do it again, to meet a friend of mine." He picked Kaeya up, settling him on his hip, "Are you ready?"
When Kaeya nodded, Xiao grabbed the Anemo Vision off the nightstand, clipping it to his waist, then braced himself. Then he teleported before he could second guess his decision. Again.
Xiao dropped out of the swirling Anemo and nearly stumbled. He wasn't quite used to the extra weight of a child yet, but at least this time he wasn't getting strangled. An improvement. Cooing softly to soothe his fledgling, Xiao approached the rock wall in front of them, running his hand over the rough stone. Morax's abode was just in front of them, now all that was left was to request entry. He sent a pulse of Anemo through the rock. Normally he would have bypassed this step altogether since his lord was familiar with him, but Kaeya's presence complicated things a bit. It usually took a minute or so for Morax to grant a request like this, so at least he had time to-
Xiao's fingers hadn't even left the wall when Geo thrummed under his hand. Had Morax been expecting him? Well. So much for waiting. He entered the abode, trepidation lighting his eyes. If his lord truly had anticipated his arrival, what did that mean for him? What did that mean for Kaeya? The last thing he wanted was to scare his little fledgling, but if Morax was as furious as Xiao thought, that might not be possible.
Still, he pressed forward. Best not to keep a god waiting. The adeptus rounded exactly one corner before he saw said god hurrying in his direction, and that had him on edge. He was about to say something, anything to appease his lord, but Morax beat him to it.
"Xiao," the word was rough around the edges, desperate in a way that was distinctly unusual. Morax closed the distance and reached for him, but Xiao took a step back, turned to keep his body between the god and Kaeya, and hissed a low warning. No one touched his fledgling, not until he approved.
To his surprise (and satisfaction) Morax backed off, instead hovering a few steps away. Silence stretched for several seconds and Xiao could feel his fledgling tense, burying half his face in his collarbone. Finally, his lord spoke again, "...Very well, come with me then."
The god started back the way he'd come, and Xiao followed. The path was a familiar one; for all he rarely stopped by these days, Morax's abode was still a familiar place. Even if it wasn't, following his lord was, which meant he didn't really need to pay attention to where he was going. Instead, he turned his focus to Kaeya.
His fledgling seemed terrified, and that worried Xiao. Absentmindedly he ran his fingers through Kaeya's hair, cooing softly in an attempt to soothe him. If it helped the adeptus stay calm too, then that was no one's business but his. Though- Morax kept glancing at him, kept giving him strange looks. It was weird. He'd never seen the Archon act like this and it was difficult to tell if it was a good or bad sign. Rather than dwell on it, he decided to refocus on the abode itself.
Morax's abode was as grand as ever, each wall decorated with a seemingly never-ending series of murals, but Xiao had long ago gotten used to it. Kaeya, however, seemed rather impressed if the way he kept peeking at them was any sign. He stared at each one they passed, no doubt trying to figure out the story behind them, as they walked through stone corridors. It was adorable, and Xiao would love to stop and let him stare longer, but his request to Morax was pressing and if everything went well, his fledgling could stare all he wanted soon enough.
When Morax finally stopped walking, it was in the sitting room. While his lord took a seat, Xiao remained standing and instead continued running his fingers through Kaeya's hair. His fledgling still seemed so nervous… perhaps Xiao's own anxiety was rubbing off on him?
"What is this about, Xiao?" When he spoke, Morax sounded tired. Still, his golden gaze was just as piercing as ever and Xiao didn't miss the way he lingered on Kaeya for just a moment longer than necessary.
"I have a request," he started, "this is… I found him– Kaeya- I can't-" Xiao faltered, unable to bring himself to say it. Kaeya was his fledgling, he was supposed to protect him, and yet…
He took a breath, then tried again. "I came to ask if you would look after him for me. I- I am too dangerous. My karma will kill him and I-" Xiao's voice cracked and he looked away, holding Kaeya that much closer.
Morax's expression remained unchanging, still as stone aside from his piercing golden gaze flickering between Xiao and Kaeya. Once again the Anemo adeptus' anxiety swelled. He knew Morax would judge him fairly, but he couldn't help but worry he would refuse.
If that happened, he might never see his fledgling again.
Finally, Morax closed his eyes and sighed, "Very well. If that is your wish, I will raise Kaeya as you have requested." Then, the god stood and took a few steps forward. "I am Zhongli, but you may call me Yéye if that is easier."
Xiao blinked in surprise, and he had half a mind to argue, but a sharp look shut him down before he could get the words out. Instead, he pulled his fledgling a little closer, pressing his nose to the top of Kaeya's head. It was better for Kaeya, it was all for him. He took a breath, then murmured, "Be good for Morax, okay? He'll be looking after you for me, little one."
He closed the distance between himself and Morax, desperately ignoring the way Kaeya clung tighter and tighter with every step he took, and extracted himself from the child's grip so he could hand him over. With his hands now free, the adeptus unclipped Kaeya's Vision from his waist and gave it to the child.
"Kaeya, my little fledgling," he murmured, "please, keep this with you. It's protected you once, it'll protect you again." For a moment, Xiao considered telling Kaeya to call him if he needed him. But he knew, if his fledgling called, that he would answer in a heartbeat and he would never, ever let him go again.
Because Adeptus Xiao was weak. Weak to this tiny little fledgling that in less than two days carved out a place in his heart.
Xiao took a step back and looked at Kaeya in Morax's arms. He looked so small next to the Archon, like he'd shatter in a particularly stiff breeze, and Xiao warred with the urge to take Kaeya, his fledgling, back.
And then he was gone.
Do we apologize for ripping people's hearts out? Absolutely not. We appreciate your donation and will store it alongside the remnants of Xiao's. Oh, and Zhongli/Rex Lapis/Morax are all the same person, but for Xiao, Morax is the most comfortable name. To him, Rex Lapis is akin to a title, and Zhongli is the name he's supposed to use around humans. When in doubt, he will default to Morax. This is important because like... only he does this.
Glossary:
Yéye- (paternal?) grandfather