So… this was supposed to be posted half a month ago. Why on earth did we miss our deadline, you may ask? Because the curse finally hit us. And then it didn't stop until like a week ago. First, our father died. Found that one out on the first of the month, so November came in swinging. Then, less than a week later, my (Fae's) great-grandmother passed (I'm adopted guys ok, we just share the same bio parents) followed in the same exact week by a beloved family pet. Then, as if that wasn't enough, I got sick! For like a week! Through all of this, Storm finished editing chapter 3, drafted chapter 4, started drafting chapter 5, started an alternate chapter 5 that we don't talk about, and finished Kaeya's birthday fic. I was simply on the ground getting curb-stomped into the asphalt.

Because of all this, we'd like to extend a very sincere thank you to ElfIcarii for assisting with editing again. This would not have been possible without her contributions.

Now go! Be free! Read the chapter!

Kaeya hadn't known what to expect when Xiao had told him they were going to meet a friend, but it certainly wasn't this. At first, he thought it was kind of fun- the art on the walls was pretty, and the stone halls kind of reminded him of the caves he grew up in, even if the man with the intense amber eyes freaked him out a little. They were just… a little too geometric to put Kaeya completely at ease. He was supposed to be Xiao's friend, so he couldn't be that bad. But when Xiao started talking about leaving him there, Kaeya started panicking a little.

He should have known things would be the same up here- he'd been told they were worse. Kaeya was never good at obeying Father, or anyone else for that matter, so he wasn't surprised when he failed to do so yet again– but he should have known better than to question Xiao by now; should have known not to accept so much food, or clean clothes. But when the adeptus had offered those things so readily, when he had cleaned and dressed his wounds with so much care, Kaeya had thought Father had been mistaken. Had it all been a test? Had Xiao been offering him things he wasn't supposed to have, just to see if he thought he deserved them? But Xiao had seemed to want him to listen, and so he had- Kaeya had listened when Xiao wanted to clean him, and when he kept putting so much food in front of him with that expectant look, and Kaeya hadn't known it was wrong to obey.

Fighting down the mounting panic, Kaeya forced himself to breathe. The adeptus wouldn't leave him with anyone dangerous, right? The Khaenri'ahn forced himself to focus on the conversation again, just as Xiao addressed him directly and murmured a quiet, "Be good for Morax."

His heart dropped.

Kaeya knew that name– it would have been funny if it wasn't so terrifying. What were the chances he'd end up in front of an Archon– and of all of them it had to be Morax– so soon after receiving a Vision? He really was doomed to fail, wasn't he? Father had been correct; he couldn't do anything right, not even to save his life.

Kaeya's mind swirled with a myriad of thoughts. He didn't know what he'd done wrong, but he didn't want Xiao to leave him. Kaeya would gladly suffer through any punishment the adeptus gave him without so much as a whimper, but he couldn't handle whatever Morax came up with. Or– maybe this was the punishment? Maybe all he had to do was behave under the god's watchful eyes and if he did that then he could go back to Xiao after. That– he could do that. Maybe.

Kaeya forced his grip on Xiao to loosen as he was passed to Morax, fighting desperately against the urge to shake. He couldn't show fear, it would only make things worse. So instead, he focused on Xiao's words as he handed his Anemo Vision over. He still didn't like the stupid little rock but… If Xiao told him to hold onto it, then maybe he should. For now, at least.

Then, before he could even blink, the adeptus disappeared from in front of him in a swirl of teal and black.

The room fell quiet for a moment, then Morax spoke so suddenly Kaeya almost jumped out of his skin. He already knew the Archon's voice was deep, but it was an entirely different story when he could feel the rumble in his chest. The faint tremor he'd been so desperately ignoring seemed to worsen, and Kaeya didn't dare look at the god. He knew he'd only see disappointment– or maybe anger- in his eyes anyway.

After what felt like an eternity, Morax shifted, and Kaeya suddenly found himself standing on the ground. It was a little jarring after spending so much time in someone's arms, but he would be lying if he said he didn't prefer it. At least this way he had a chance of running if Morax decided to kill him. Hopefully he could behave well enough to avoid that level of punishment, though.

The god spoke again, prompting him to follow, and started walking down a hall. Kaeya hurried to follow after him, trying to pay attention to what was being said. None of it seemed very important, though, just various bits of information about the rooms they passed… the Khaenri'ahn pulled himself out of his thoughts just in time to catch Morax say, "When you have settled in, you may come here to the baths and clean yourself."

Was… was Morax giving him a tour? Was this a tour? But why? Did the god intend for him to live here? But he was from Khaenri'ah, and Father said Morax was one of the most dangerous ones– he should want Kaeya dead, not living in his home! And yet Morax just kept leading him around, showing him room after room with absolutely no end in sight.

Was he supposed to memorize this? For what purpose– and how, exactly? Kaeya could remember a lot, but why would he ever need to know where a room full of water was? Kaeya wasn't– Xiao cleaning him with a rag and bowl was one thing, but to waste so much water for something as simple as cleaning himself… Kaeya wasn't entitled to a bath. He barely deserved sand scrubbing on the rare occasions it was necessary. He didn't really see how any of this was relevant to him, but… he would do as expected. Who was he to question anyone, much less a god?

Eventually, Morax led him down another very long hall until the two of them found themselves in front of a mural far larger than any of the others Kaeya had glanced at during the tour. For a moment, he could only look up at it in awe. It was a beautiful mural, made out of a thousand different stones Kaeya couldn't even begin to name. It depicted the tree Xiao had taken him to on his very first night in Teyvat. Standing on the building's roof, framed in red and orange and yellow, was a splash of teal and black and purple. Kaeya loved those colors, and he couldn't resist a small smile even with the barely contained panic swirling in his mind. Then the Khaenri'ahn's eyes drifted farther down the mural and he froze for one painfully long moment. Just a little ways down the hall, what was once a beautiful piece of artwork descended into what Kaeya could only describe as pure chaos. It was no less detailed than the rest, but it was difficult to make out what it was supposed to be at first. The longer the Khaenri'ahn looked at it, though, the more familiar it got. The mural depicted a landscape with grey and black buildings backdropped by a crimson sky. Figures that looked like people seemed to be fleeing or already crumpled on the ground, and above them, six figures stood wreathed in different colors, corresponding to each element.

It was the Fall of Khaenri'ah…

The Fall was something Kaeya might not have borne witness to, but he had heard it described more than enough times to be able to recognize it. He stood perfectly still for another minute, maybe longer, as his panic started to bubble to the surface. Morax was going to kill him. He must've brought him here to make it clear, what other reason could there be?

Before the thought had even solidified in his mind, Kaeya already felt the pull of abyssal energy and let it whirl him away in a teleport. He wasn't even sure where it was taking him, but he needed to get out of here– He wasn't safe, Xiao might trust a god but he wasn't like Kaeya. He wasn't cursed. He wasn't a monster, wasn't a sinner condemned to death by the gods. Father had told him what would happen so many times he lost count and he'd be lucky if he died quickly, but Kaeya didn't want to die at all.

The second his feet hit the ground the Khaenri'ahn was running, sprinting through unfamiliar halls as he fled the god, unsure of exactly where he was- but in all honesty, it didn't really matter as long as it was away from Morax. So long as he could avoid being caught then he didn't really care where he was.

Kaeya slid around a corner, barely stopping long enough to keep his balance, and sprinted down another hall. He didn't even know why he was running at this point, he was in Morax's domain, he was probably only alive now because the god was toying with him, but he couldn't just give up. He had to survive, he had to prove he could do something, anything. If he could get to Xiao– would the adeptus help him? Xiao promised not to hurt him; said he protected the people of Liyue. Maybe Xiao thought he belonged here and if that was true… it was his best shot.

Eventually, despite his panic, Kaeya had to stop and breathe for a minute. Leaning against a wall, he glanced at his surroundings until his gaze found another mural, this one of a valley. It was a never-ending sea of green in every shade he could think of and it looked… beautiful. Briefly, he wished it were real, and not just a picture on a wall- then he remembered why he was here in the first place. Kaeya needed to get out of the domain before Morax caught up to him. But how was he supposed to find the entrance when he had no idea where it was?

Kaeya glanced at the elemental stone gripped tightly in his hand, wishing the stupid thing would be useful for once. So far, it had only caused problems for him, and now he had a murderous dragon-god that was going to eat him if he didn't get out of here–

The Vision Xiao had handed to him pulsed once, brightening with energy at the same time his panic surged yet again. Then the mural glowed with the same energy and Kaeya's attention snapped to it just before the wall slid away, revealing a valley surrounded by tall cliffs and large trees with a stream running through it. Thick underbrush covered the ground, making passage difficult, but Kaeya was small. Where Morax might struggle to navigate the thick underbrush, Kaeya would have a much easier time. After a moment's hesitation, Kaeya began to crawl through the dense ground cover, wincing as branches and thorns caught on his borrowed shirt. Hopefully Xiao wouldn't be upset if he ruined it, but he might never see the adeptus again if he didn't find a way to escape the Archon.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he reached the cliffs, but he'd figure that out later. Right now he needed to get as far away from Morax as he could, and his best option was through this valley– whether there was a way past the cliffs or not. At least he was outside, right?

Unfortunately for Kaeya, things were never that simple, and he very quickly found out that what he'd thought was a valley outside the domain's confines was in fact a room inside it. How did these things even work? How were you supposed to leave? Could you leave? Was he just trapped here forever? It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, he supposed. It sure beat being eaten by a dragon. Or maybe this was his punishment– to live in this domain and evade Morax for the rest of his life… however long that was. He wouldn't have to worry about his mission anymore, either. Not that he was too worried about it to begin with, at this point. Kaeya'd failed that two days ago, when he'd received the Vision he still held in his hands. Even if it was useless to him, Xiao said it would protect him. Granted, Kaeya was still a little skeptical of that claim, but the adeptus seemed to believe it. So he would keep it– for now, at least.

The Khaenri'ahn looked up at the cliff face, studying it for a heartbeat. Maybe there was an exit at the top? It seemed open to the sky at least, so if he could get up there… Kaeya looked for an easier way to climb, knowing he'd fall before he got halfway up in most places. His eyes lit up when he spotted a gentler slope up one of the cliff faces, and he scrambled over to it with a bit of his hope renewed- only to let out a yelp when what he could only describe as a door opened, sending him tumbling through it. Thankfully there seemed to be a bed underneath it, but still. This was not how Kaeya had been expecting his climb to go.

He paused, giving his eyes a chance to adapt to the change in lighting– really the lack of light was a good thing and it didn't take him too long at all to adjust. His right eye was starting to hurt with how bright the surface world was. The little Khaenri'ahn scanned the room trying to figure out where he was, blinking owlishly in the dark. When he was finally able to see what was in the room, he was surprised to find it was a normal bedroom- albeit one with stone furniture and some really odd items sitting on shelves. If he hadn't been trying to get away from Morax, he might have stopped to look closer at them, but he really didn't have the time. He needed to keep moving or… or Kaeya didn't know what would happen to him if the warrior god found him. It couldn't be anything good, right? Morax had killed so many Khaenri'ahns during the Fall, so of course he'd want to kill one of the survivors, right?

The panic started to set in again as Kaeya realized he couldn't find the door. If he couldn't leave this room, he was going to be caught. If he was caught, then he was going to die- or worse. Morax was worse than the mages. The mages were cruel, but they never hurt him beyond what he could recover from– or beyond what could be fixed with healing, even if it hurt so bad he wished it just killed him. Morax didn't have a reason to care about any of that, the god would be perfectly content to crush all his bones and leave him to suffocate under his own weight.

Perhaps he could leave the way he'd come in, but if he backtracked, Morax might catch him before he had time to find somewhere else to run to. Really his best option was to find the exit to this room and pray to the stars that he wasn't found before he could escape—

Frantically running his hands along the stone walls, Kaeya was startled when the wall slid open, allowing a sliver of light into the room. He sat there in shock for a moment, just staring at the door. How did that happen? There hadn't been a door there before, Kaeya was sure of it. So how had it opened? Was someone lurking outside the room, waiting for him to try to get out that way? Or something? Gathering his courage, the blue-haired child was about to slip out of the room– but then he saw a shadow cross it. There was something out there! He immediately retreated from the door and curled up in a corner instead, trying to make himself small and unnoticeable and once again praying that he wouldn't be found.

Kaeya flinched and tried to hide his trembling when the lights turned on. Even as dim as they were, they were far too bright for him, and he quickly closed his right eye to ease the pain. The Khaenri'ahn was vaguely aware of someone calling his name, but couldn't make out anything else- except that someone was trying to touch him. That had to be Morax… Kaeya's eyes snapped open again, wide with fear as he stared at the god for a moment before scurrying deeper into the room, well away from him. Then he found himself blinking as Morax simply sat down on the floor, just watching him. Why would he sit on the floor? He was a god… so why was he sitting on the floor with a sinner like him? Why was he not hurting him? Father said that the gods would kill him if they knew where he was from, and not quickly either. They'd make it hurt as much as possible. Morax had to know where he was from so why was he… Kaeya's thoughts spiraled as he tried uselessly to understand why he wasn't being punished or killed for being Khaenri'ahn.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Kaeya registered the bed somehow shifting high enough that he could fit under it with ease. That did nothing to soothe his racing thoughts, though. It didn't answer any questions, it only left the child with more— Why was Morax giving him a place to hide? Shouldn't he have lowered it so Kaeya couldn't hide? Did that mean he didn't plan to kill him? But that didn't make sense, Kaeya was a Khaenri'ahn– a sinner by nature, so he deserved to be killed, right? So why was Morax showing him kindness? Why would anyone show kindness and mercy to someone they should kill? Maybe the Archon wanted Kaeya to crawl under it, so he could lower it after he did so, and crush him to the floor? That wasn't too far off from some of the ways Father had said that he could be killed… Still, wouldn't it be easier to just have the ground swallow him? It would probably make less of a mess inside such a nice room.

With these thoughts whirling in his head, Kaeya stopped to actually look at Morax. He didn't look all that scary, actually. He just looked tired, and maybe worried. He also seemed to be watching him constantly. Did that mean he was worried about what Kaeya might do? That didn't make sense. Kaeya was powerless compared to a god, so why would he be worried about anything he could do? He was just a weak, useless sinner.

Before Kaeya could even think to ask a question, much less dare to actually do so, Morax was calling Xiao's name. To the Khaenri'ahn's surprise, the teal-haired adeptus actually showed up when he was called, appearing in a swirl of Anemo– but he left just as quickly as he had come. Xiao had been right there, he'd been so close– had he done something to upset the adeptus that badly?

Tears pricked in Kaeya's eyes. He couldn't think what he might've done wrong, but he must have done something for Xiao to leave him behind again. Father always said he was a failure. Xiao must have figured that out, too; that's why he had left him, he'd realized Kaeya wasn't worth his time...

Before he sank too far into his thoughts, there was a giggle and Morax growled out a terrifyingly low rumble. Kaeya immediately dove under the bed– squished had to be better than eaten, right? It wasn't as if he had any other places to hide. Once as out of reach as he could manage, the little Khaenri'ahn turned to watch the newcomer. He looked familiar, but he couldn't place where from, and he didn't look like one of his own people– how could anyone look familiar, if they weren't from the Abyss?

Then he heard Morax say his name, and it became clear. Of course he had to be another Archon. That was his luck today. At least Barbatos hadn't been as directly involved in the Fall, and he would be less eager to hurt him… maybe. The Anemo Archon had stayed mostly above the fighting, literally, from what Father had told him. Some said that he was directing things, but Father hadn't believed in that theory, since Barbatos hadn't stuck around through all of the fighting. He had left well before the fighting ended, like a coward- or so Father had declared. Repeatedly.

Kaeya knew he should be paying attention to what the two gods were talking about, his life could depend on it, but he couldn't focus on the words. Thoughts and memories and worries kept distracting him, as everything he'd ever heard about any Archon raced through his head… not that it mattered. If he'd thought gaining a Vision meant he'd failed his mission, well then being found out by two gods was… what was worse than failing? He didn't know, but there had to be a word for it, because that was what he'd done. Somehow. How did everything he tried to do go so wrong?

Receiving a… where was his Vision? The Khaenri'ahn frantically looked around under the bed for the object, eventually casting his search further afield– only to realize the Anemo god was now holding it. Was… was he going to take it away from him, now that he realized Kaeya was entirely unsuited to receive such a thing? He hadn't really wanted it, but… Xiao had asked him to hold onto it, had said it would protect him, and… while Kaeya wasn't too sure that the lump of stone actually could do anything of the sort, it had been important to Xiao that he hold onto it, and… Barbatos was a god, the god of Anemo, so he probably had the power to take away an Anemo Vision, which was what he had wanted to happen, but… now that felt so wrong.

Kaeya moved a bit closer, trying to get a better look at what Barbatos was doing. The god had his Vision cupped in his hands as if it was some precious thing. It looked a lot like Xiao's, the boy suddenly realized– just as Barbatos commented on the same thing. Then the god was trying to hand it back to him-

Out of reflex, more than anything, Kaeya recoiled away from the Vision. He found himself shaking his head as he spoke softly. "It's not mine, I can't… I can't have a Vision, I…"

"Sure you can," Barbatos didn't even hesitate to contradict his words. "You earned it, after all, so it's yours."

"I don't want it," the Khaenri'ahn mumbled. His heart wasn't really in the argument, if it could even be called that… he kept remembering Xiao's words.

The Archon didn't say anything for a long moment. He just sat there, with a pained look on his face… then he said something about not wanting his, either. Kaeya's mind grinded to a halt at that, confusion plainly written on his face. Did that mean Barbatos hadn't wanted to be a god? That didn't seem possible… Father had always said that the gods had feared the strength that Khaenri'ah had; that it had been a threat to the power they held and had fought to obtain, so they had destroyed their homeland in order to keep their power. But if Barbatos hadn't wanted his power to begin with… maybe the other gods hadn't wanted theirs either. But then why had they destroyed Khaenri'ah? If it hadn't been to keep their power, like Father said, there still had to be a reason… and maybe that reason had something to do with why neither Morax nor Barbatos had moved to kill him, yet.

Everyone he'd met from Teyvat had shown him nothing but kindness, even when they had to know he was nothing but a sinner from a godless land. Xiao had even taken care of his injuries, even the ones Father had given him, and done it without forcing him to endure a healing. Morax had shown him around his own home and hadn't objected at all to the idea of Kaeya staying with him… apparently. He'd barely interacted with Barbatos at all yet, but he said he didn't want his power and didn't move or act threateningly at all. Father had said he would be tortured and killed if anyone found out he was Khaenri'ahn, yet he was still alive, hadn't been hurt except by some hilichurls, and he had a Vision. Did that mean Father had lied, or were the two gods just waiting to act, for some reason? If he'd lied about this, had he lied about anything else? Could he trust anything he knew? If he couldn't, then anything he did could be wrong, could turn Xiao and the gods into the vengeful beings he'd been warned about, because there was no telling why they were holding off now, why Xiao had been so kind right from the start…

Kaeya really, really wished Xiao was there. He'd know what to do, what was safe. He seemed to know Morax well, had called him a friend, so maybe he also knew Barbatos? He had an Anemo Vision, and Barbatos was the Anemo Archon, so maybe… and Barbatos had said that his Vision looked similar to Xiao's, so that meant, at the very least, that Xiao had met the god at some point.

As he sat there, quietly losing himself in his thoughts, it occurred to him that Morax had just… called for Xiao and he had shown up. Yes, he had left immediately- but maybe, just maybe if Kaeya called… but would he stay?

…He had to try. The worst that could happen was that Xiao didn't come or he did come and left immediately… or maybe that it made him angry with Kaeya, but he was half-sure that was why he'd been left here, so what was there to lose? He climbed out from under the bed and found himself face to face with Barbatos, who was still gently holding out his Vision like it was something to be treasured. Carefully, the Khaenri'ahn took the Vision from the god's hand, hoping that if he held onto it Xiao would stay this time, that it was only his refusal to touch the thing that had gotten him in trouble.

Taking a deep breath, Kaeya steeled his nerves and called out softly-

"Xiao."

✦ •— ✧ —• ✦ ·𖥸· ✦ •— ✧ —• ✦

When he had left Morax's domain, Xiao had been intending to make a start on slaying the monsters he'd been neglecting during the couple of days Kaeya had been staying with him. Instead, he found himself on the roof of the inn, not entirely sure how he'd gotten there– but now that he was here, he didn't feel much like leaving. The monsters could wait, he supposed. Madame Ping had been telling him, time and time again, that the mortals could handle it– maybe just this once it would be alright… he would return to his duties later.

The last Yaksha sat down among the branches, lost in his thoughts. Kaeya would be fine, he was sure of that much. Morax had done well with him, so he shouldn't worry about his fledgling.

Everything would be fine.

So why was he worried?

He had no reason to worry. His Lord had already raised one fledgling, he could do it again, and Kaeya would undoubtedly be easier to raise than he had been. Kaeya wasn't cursed like Xiao was, was an innocent, not a blood-drenched demon fresh from the battlefield.

He winced. Morax would definitely have a much easier time raising Kaeya than he'd had with Xiao…

Still, hadn't Sa... no, he couldn't afford to think about that, not right now.

Maybe he could help, from time to time? Kaeya had an Anemo Vision, and he could– no, he had to stay away. His karma would kill his fledgling, that was the whole reason he'd had to give him up. But what if… Xiao cringed at the memory of his Lord's first attempt at teaching him how to read. Maybe… it might be better if he taught his fledgling the written language, at least. That way he could be sure his fledgling knew how—

No, no, no! No matter how much Xiao wanted to… as much as he needed to be a part of Kaeya's life, he had to stay away. It was better for him that he wasn't exposed to any more karma. Who knew what effects it could have on a fledgling as young as him? Still, it was hard when everything in him was screaming to go and take his fledgling back. He needed to learn not to listen to the thoughts that had him longing to return to his chick, just like he refused to listen to the ever-present whispers. His fledgling would be fine without him, Morax would take care of him as he had promised. Kaeya would grow into a fine young man, even without Xiao to guide him. He had Morax.

But Kaeya was his, he should… No, he had to let the little boy go. He belonged with his Lord now, he wasn't… wasn't Xiao's, anymore.

It was for the best.

Even if it hurt more than anything, to give up his fledgling…

Then he heard his Lord's call, and he followed it.

After a brief stop outside the abode to step through the passthrough, Xiao reappeared in a swirl of Anemo inside his old bedroom within Morax's domain, where the call had led him. He lingered only for a moment, desperately fighting with the urge to scoop his fledgling up in his arms and whisk him away to the Inn- no, no he mustn't– before he fled the abode. Any longer, and he would've acted on the urge, and the cost to Kaeya...

Once again Xiao found himself on that familiar rooftop, lost in his thoughts. With his mind running on instinct rather than conscious thought, the yaksha summoned his wings, running slender fingers through the gold and teal feathers. Every so often he would stop, pulling a particularly loose one or just straightening them out.

He needed a distraction, and preening his wings would work for the moment.

Besides, it had been quite a while since he had last taken the time to look after his wings. He didn't often let himself think about them, given that he couldn't use them for flight, or even gliding after… No, he was not going to think about that, he would rather think about anything but that night.

Xiao's thoughts turned back to his fledgling. It was safer than thinking about his wings, even if it still hurt…

When his Lord had called, he had answered without a second thought. It was Morax who was calling, after all. He hadn't expected the call to lead to his old room, or to find his fledgling hiding in a corner. For a long moment, he had wanted more than anything to scoop up his obviously terrified fledgling and take him away. But then he had remembered how scared he'd been when he had first started living with his Lord, and how little reason for it there had been. Kaeya would be fine, too, once he'd been there long enough to see Morax for who he was. Still, he'd had to leave before he gave into temptation and ruined any progress his Lord had made with the little one.

Had he looked so lost and scared himself, back then? Was that why Sai– no he couldn't think about him right now, he couldn't afford to. The thought only made it harder to avoid going back to take Kaeya, to hold him close and never let him go… being away from his fledgling lessened that need, at least enough to control himself. He would have to refuse to answer any further summons, for now. Hopefully, his Lord would understand.

At some point simply preening his wings had turned into plucking, unnoticed as the bird adeptus lost himself in racing thoughts centered on his fledgling. By the time Xiao felt a familiar presence on the roof below him, there was a pile of iridescent teal and gold feathers sitting next to his spot on the roof.

"Xiao."

Hearing the deep and comforting voice, this time the yaksha wasted no time answering the call of the older adeptus. It was safe to, now, since he didn't think Master– Morax had brought Kaeya with him. The Geo Archon let out a sigh, an unreadable look on his face as he saw the state of Xiao's wings, before something in his eyes softened.

"You did not come when I called."

Xiao kept his gaze on the ground, refusing to meet Morax's eyes. He wasn't going to justify or explain his actions. Everything he had done had been for the benefit of his fledgling, and he'd do it over again if he had to. If it meant Kaeya would be safe and healthy, he'd do anything. He only regretted not explaining everything to his Lord when he'd brought his fledgling to him. He had been afraid if he lingered too long, he would lose the battle with his impulses and take Kaeya back– as it was, he had very nearly done so when he had answered the call earlier. It had taken everything in him, every ounce of self-control he had, to shove the thought down and simply leave before he actually stole his little one, his Kaeya back. And even more self-control to keep himself from simply going back to take his fledgling now that it registered that if Morax was here, then Kaeya was alone.

Before he could get too lost in his thoughts, Xiao registered Morax demanding answers from him. Answers he really didn't have, if he was honest with himself.

"I…. I couldn't…. Kaeya…"

Panic rose in his throat before he could shove it back down, and words failed him.

In a futile effort to quell the anxiety, the Anemo adeptus plucked another couple of teal feathers. Tiny beads of blood speckled his patchy underwings. How was he supposed to explain the overwhelming urge to care for a child? One so strong it was almost impossible to leave them in the care of someone else, even someone far more qualified to provide for them? How did he explain to his Lord, the god who had saved him over and over and over again, even if he didn't deserve it, that part of him– a large part– refused to believe he could be trusted with his fledgling? How was he to explain, to the one who had given him a purpose, to whom he'd pledged his life to serve, that he had disobeyed him for selfish and irrational reasons, reasons he couldn't even fully understand himself?

As Xiao spiraled deeper and deeper into his thoughts, the occasional feather drifted to the ground to join the others. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Xiao made a note that he was going to have to clean those up at some point. He could dimly make out that Master– Morax was speaking to him, but he couldn't make out the words. He supposed they were probably reprimands for not answering Master's question, or possibly words of comfort. Most likely the former, but even the idea of comforting words did little to soothe the avian adeptus' anxiety– if anything, it only served to heighten his panic. Master had always been kind, but he shouldn't be worrying about his comfort, not when he was refusing to answer his questions, when he'd been so disobedient.

Then he heard a fresh call, his name spoken by a higher, younger voice—

His eyes went wide. His Fledgling was calling him. Xiao didn't think, he just left.

Kaeya needed him.

By the time he reached Kaeya, the adeptus already had his polearm in hand, ready to face whatever danger had caused his fledgling to summon him. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Barbatos with his fledgling. That had not been what he'd been expecting. What was the God of Freedom doing in Master's domain, threatening his fledgling?

No matter, he'd killed gods before, he could do it again if the need arose.

Although he would rather not kill the Anemo Archon, anyone who dared to threaten Kaeya… Well, they would learn just why he was once called a bloodhound. Letting out a low growl the yaksha placed himself between the god and his fledgling, his eyes dark, almost predatory as he stared down the god, daring the other to make a move. In a head-to-head battle against a god that wielded his own element, Xiao was not too sure he could win the fight. But the God of Freedom used a bow, and in close combat Xiao was reasonably sure he could win, if he had to. Even if he would rather not fight this god, he would, if the Archon did not get away from Kaeya.

When Barbatos made no move, either to approach or to back away, Xiao let out a hiss of a warning before gently nudging Kaeya away from the god. He didn't want Kaeya caught in the crossfire if he had to fight… that had happened to a child once, and he had vowed that never again would an innocent get caught up in one of his battles.

Kaeya would not end up like her.

Xiao spread his wings wide as he let out another warning hiss toward Barbatos when the Archon dared to step closer to his fledgling. When the god ignored his warning, he let out another growl and picked Kaeya up, cradling the child close to his chest. The god hadn't seemed overly aggressive, and his fledgling seemed alright. For the moment, the yaksha left off attacking in favor of just looking Kaeya over for injuries.

Thankfully, other than a few new scrapes, his fledgling seemed the same as he had that morning. The one thing he did note was how tightly Kaeya clung to him, almost as he was afraid Xiao would leave him again.

And that broke something inside him.

Cooing softly, the bird adeptus nuzzled into blue locks, whispering softly. "I will not leave you again, Kaeya, I promise."

And he meant it. He would never leave his fledgling again. How could he, when everything in him was screaming at him to protect and look after his fledgling? Then Kaeya shivered, whether from fear or cold it didn't matter, and the avian adeptus pulled his wings around them both, blocking out the world around them for the moment. That seemed to help, as his fledgling relaxed into his arms, burying his face in Xiao's shoulder and sighing softly.

Pressing his lips to soft blue hair, Xiao let out a sigh of his own.

Everything was fine.

Everything was perfect.

He had his fledgling back, safe in his arms, and he wasn't ever letting him go again.

Did you enjoy it? We hope you did! And it'll only get worse from here! The next several chapters have been planned out in advance and are already underway (clearly, it was mentioned in the first note too) so there shouldn't be too much of a wait. That being said, if you have not read Drowning in Crystal Sand over on AO3, we highly encourage you to do so. Several scenes are going to mean so much more and hit so much harder if you have the background that fic provides. Cradled in Golden Wings was directly inspired by it, after all.

We know it might seem like we push the fic a lot, but not only was it written by a very close friend, but it's essentially Xiao's backstory. Little to nothing was changed for our purposes and it provides very helpful context for a lot of scenes that we might gloss over. Please, go give it a read. We promise it's worth it.

And to make it more interesting, Storm leaves deranged comments all over it, so see if you can find them all.