The arrival of a new person at the restaurant interrupted Childe and Zhongli again, but in a much more pleasant way than with Signora.

"XINYAN! Here you are, finally! Are you ready? I have prepared the tickets!" Xiangling exclaim loudly, running toward a girl dressed in black and red with her hair tied in two thick pigtails. Xinyan had dark skin and eyes as scarlet as two open flames, highlighted by thick lines of eyeliner and eyeshadow. On her shoulders she carried a guitar case, which she placed carefully on the table next to Chongyun and Xingqiu, who greeted her in turn.

Zhongli knew her, even if she had always spoken little to him: she was a famous rock musician, who had learned her art directly from Fontaine, the nation of hydro. Her energetic and sometimes aggressive songs were not appreciated by many people, especially Liyue adults, who were accustomed to more calm and traditional melodies. Zhongli, however, absolutely loved her music. Her charged voice, the roaring of her guitar, and the fast-paced rhythm. It was an explosion of sounds that many did not suppose would appeal to someone with a calm temperament like his own, but which he appreciated precisely for how much it made his soul resonate.

"No, there's no need. I don't think many people will come," Xinyan murmured, her expression suddenly dejected, contrasting the bright makeup she wore. "I know what they think of me. I've heard them. I play weird stuff and scare everyone with my looks and—"

"We will come, don't worry!" Xingqiu immediately intervened, to which Xiangling gave a look of gratitude. She was fully determined to encourage her friend.

"Yes, indeed," Chongyun intervened. "I'll be there tonight, too."

"Here are the tickets!" Xiangling exclaimed enthusiastically. Xinyan watched, trying to hide her emotions, when her friend moved toward the center of the room. She announced in a booming voice with the printed tickets in hand.

"CUSTOMERS OF THE WANMIN RESTAURANT! THIS EVENING MY FRIEND, XINYAN, WILL PLAY FOR US ON THE HARBOR!" Her shouts attracted the attention of everyone around. "SHE LEARNED THE ART OF ROCK 'N ROLL IN FONTAINE AND WILL BRING IT TO US TONIGHT! DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS HER INCREDIBLE TALENT AND DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!"

"I would like to participate, if possible," Zhongli intervened quietly, receiving a look halfway between surprised and amused from Childe.

"Of course! Thank you, thank you!" Xiangling exclaimed happily, as if they were talking about her own concert. Then she followed the calls of other customers who began to ask her for tickets in turn.

Zhongli took advantage of that moment to address Childe, who was still busy sipping tea, thinking that the concert would be a good start to showing him some of the entertainment Liyue had to offer.

"Would you like to go out on a date with me, Childe?" he asked in a calm tone, lowering his voice so as not to disturb Xiangling. However, he must have phrased the request wrong by how Childe nearly choked on his hot tea, looking up at him in surprise.

"Well, Xiangsheng," Childe replied after he took a moment to compose himself, using a more honorific title that he must have learned by studying their language. He tried to laugh it off without much success, too amazed and confused as he was. "I had no idea I've impressed you so quickly. We've only known each other for about one hour. Anyway...why not?"

Realizing there must have been some kind of misunderstanding, Zhongli blanched, his fingers glued to the too-hot cup of tea. Xiao was right when he told Zhongli he needed to update his jargon and pay attention to the more modern ways of speaking.

"I meant would you like to go to the concert. Since you told me you like shows," he hastened to correct himself.

"Of course, I know. I was just kidding," Childe replied just as quickly, laughing with a little less emphasis as embarrassed as he was. "It's ok. I'll be there."

****

"Do you think he will come any time soon?" Ganyu asked Xiao, sitting next to the window with her eyes glued to the city clearly visible from Zhongli's living room, illuminated by the light of the high sun.

It was almost four o'clock. It wasn't like Zhongli to be late, and Xiao was almost afraid he wouldn't return until evening. He found himself at Zhongli's house with the other adeptus, Ganyu, awaiting his return. They had let themselves in using the copy of keys Zhongli had left only to them.

Xiao still had to get used to spending time alone with Ganyu, the woman Zhongli was as fond of as he was. Before Zhongli took human form and decided to live among them on the streets of Liyue as a mere mortal, Xiao had had very few opportunities to talk to Ganyu, as with most people. The other adeptus shared with him the fundamental task of protecting Liyue, following the contract she had with Rex Lapis, but she was more used to interacting with humans, working directly alongside Ningguang, the Tianquan.

Ganyu's friendly and caring personality initially left Xiao quite dumbfounded. It was the kindest people whom he struggled to interact with the most, as if he were afraid of shattering them just by looking at them. He was not afraid to say what he thought—even in no harsh terms—to those who annoyed him. But with those who insisted on treating him well, he often struggled to get close to them, fearful of influencing them negatively.

The years he spent hurting people against his will, when a cruel ruler forced him to get his hands dirty, had marked him like a scar unable to heal. The way he saw himself in the mirror, even after Zhongli had saved him from slavery, was always the same: a person who was dangerous and harmful to those around him.

Zhongli had helped him find a new home, a new goal, a new life, by making him the protector of Liyue. When Zhongli had proposed that he start seeing him once a week with Ganyu, Xiao had decided to make an effort. Little by little, he had come to appreciate the genuine courtesy of his new friend, even though he still distanced himself from her, still failing to accomplish what seemed so simple to humans, like a hug or even just a smile.

"I have no clue," Xiao admitted, letting a note of concern betray him. "He made up his mind to talk to that red-hair Fatui and, at this point, I think he had so many questions to ask him"

He had nothing against Childe, at least not personally, but the Fatui were too much of a threat to Liyue. The way Zhongli was trying to find a logical explanation behind their existence, to understand the design of the plan they were following, worried him terribly.

Zhongli had an unshakable tendency to observe everything and everyone in search of an answer, and he had a more compassionate soul than he wanted to admit. It was enough to see how he had freed Xiao, when any other god wouldn't have thought twice about eliminating a dangerous creature as unfortunate as he was.

What worried Xiao the most was that the Fatui had no goal that could be somehow understood or justified, and that Zhongli was simply getting too attached to the long-gone memories of the goddess who guided them. If that had been the case, Childe would have been far more difficult to understand and control.

"He probably wants to understand who this Fatui man is and what he is doing in his life. As usual," Ganyu deduced, a slight melancholy smile curling her lips. She, herself, was no ordinary creature with her blue curls and large horns poking out of her hair. Half human and half qilin, she was often chased away, ignored, or derided by both her species for her dual nature.

Zhongli, however, had given her his complete trust, making her an adeptus. He helped her find a respectable name and a respectable job in the city, making sure that no one hurt her anymore. He succeeded, considering that Ganyu found two trusted colleagues and friends in Ningguang and Keqing. But behind her kindness, Ganyu still hid fear and suffering, Xiao was sure. They were bound by the same fate of immortal creatures different from the others, both taken under the same protection of a god who—after years of being in awe of him—he was lucky enough to treat as a brother and not a boss. Xiao had turned up his nose and made a mock irritated sound when Zhongli once dared to call them his "family," but inside he had felt tremendously moved by the sentiment.

"Yeah. We know how he is," Xiao sighed. "He is the kindest and stupidest person I've ever known. What if that Childe—?"

"He will know how to stop him if he has to, do not worry," Ganyu reassured him.

Indeed, although the inhabitants of Liyue tended to forget him due to the magnanimous treatment they had received, Rex Lapis also had the reputation of a god capable of fighting with great strength. He certainly would not be crushed by a Fatui he had only just met.

"What's he like, that Childe? I only saw him for a few minutes while I was taking him into the city with Ningguang and Keqing," Ganyu asked thoughtfully. "He often smiled and seemed nice. I can't tell you much more."

"I would say he's unpleasant. Arrogant. Direct. He does not hold back at anything," Xiao answered, remembering their aggressive exchange of words at lunch. "He doesn't seem to know fear. He even responds to my accusations with equal energy." He noticed Ganyu widening her eyes and he felt the need to specify. "But you know what surprised me, though? He doesn't have a negative aura around him. I usually perceive it easily when it is there."

The sound of keys being turned in the door interrupted their conversation. Zhongli entered, waving at them in greeting and joining them near the window. He had set up wooden tea-drinking tables right where the sun illuminated the hall, surrounded by an almost ridiculous number of plants.

The archon loved flowers as much as he loved precious stones, precious jewels, books, and paintings. Although he was not particularly good at managing his money, his house was anything but simple or modest. A riot of bright colors, shelves to exhibit antiquities, and large surfaces occupied by the luxuriant leaves of the plants that he cared for with attention and patience, making sure that they were constantly kissed by the rays captured by the large windows.

"Good afternoon, dear friends. Take a seat. I'll set the water to boil," Zhongli announced quietly, failing to mention where he had been or what he had been doing.

"Ganyu and I have already made some. We've been waiting for you a while," Xiao replied, heading to the kitchen to take the already-brewed tea.

Zhongli settled down at the table. When he took his first sip of the lukewarm drink, he frowned. When his followers joined him, he mentally gathered all the information he had, ready to be revealed.

"So...Childe is twenty-six. He has been in the Fatui since he was fourteen," he began in a completely calm tone, as if he were telling one of his favorite legends. "He comes from a small village in Snezhnaya, Morepesok, where he has a country house. When it's cold, he likes to skate and run in the snow. He has younger siblings, a father to whom he sends medicinal herbs, and a friend who is also a Harbinger named Scaramouche."

"Scaramouche?" Ganyu repeated, with a note of concern. "They say he is the most dangerous and strongest Harbinger of the Fatui. His fame has reached overseas. Great start," Xiao retorted, ironically, then gestured for Zhongli to continue.

"He also drinks a lot of tea. He has a jovial character but also has a great thirst for action. He often mentioned fights, beatings, expeditions in dangerous forests," recalled Zhongli, remembering the reckless thrill that had crossed Childe's eyes when he had proposed for him to look for four ruin guards to defeat. "Also, he likes the theater and he said that they do a lot of shows at court. I don't know much more about what Tsaritsa makes him do," he admitted, adjusting his unusually dishevelled hair behind his ear. "He doesn't talk much about his work. However, when I showed concern that he had joined so young, he s
eemed troubled. He told me it was the right choice to make and immediately changed the subject. He seemed almost..." Zhongli paused, taking a sip of tea as he searched for a suitable term, "...fragile, for a moment. I wonder what he's been through."

"No news of the Tsaritsa, then," Xiao deduced, frowning.

"Not very much," Zhongli confirmed. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I would like to understand why Nadja has sent the Fatui here, but I certainly can't ask Childe directly. Yet I keep wondering how Nadja is, how she has reduced her reign, how much she has changed.... Perhaps what happened to us in the past really has changed her forever."

Over the months spent in his new form, he was starting to seem more human, even in his weaknesses. He could not help but notice Xiao as he watched how hard Zhongli was holding back the melancholy that crossed his mind.

"Please, be careful," Ganyu intervened, sensing the feelings of guilt he was going through. "I know how much you loved her. I know you and Barbatos used to consider her a little sister. But...the war was cruel to her, to all of you, and now she is not who she was. She may no longer feel any pity and have educated her Fatui with the same principles. Maybe Childe is acting."

"I wonder if Barbatos and I could not have helped her more," Zhongli admitted, expressing a concern he did not usually expose. One of his best friends, Barbatos, the god of wind and freedom, had been as involved as Zhongli was in the disaster that led to Nadja's madness. "Or if the Fatui's presence here does not represent a way to get back in touch with the Tsaritsa."

"Haven't you always said that I shouldn't be blamed for the bad things I had to do? So why do you keep blaming yourself? You're taking responsibility for things you shouldn't. They hurt you. You are a victim. Just like Nadja," Xiao told him in a more abrupt but necessary tone.

Zhongli raised his head, his gaze vulnerable for a moment before returning still as stone. Used to having people rely on him, the god found it hard to show signs of hesitation. Even at that moment, he displayed a certainty that Xiao was not sure he possessed at all, given how he had stung him to the quick.

"I was lucky enough to have you by my side. To have already been tempered by war. To have Liyue. I promised Guizhong that I would take care of all the little humans who live there. But Nadja had nothing." Zhongli moved his gaze to the window at his side, observing the outline of the city below that he loved so much, that they all loved as a home. The defunct goddess, Guizhong, who had long ruled that land.... With all those losses behind him, Zhongli was scarred by so many hits that Xiao sometimes feared he might break. Used to believing that the tough rock could not suffer pain and fractures, he had filled himself with small cracks ready to send him into pieces. Guizhong's death, the goddess of dust who had been at his side centuries ago, had been a scythe strike on Zhongli's soul.

Since then, Zhongli had never stopped reiterating how much he should follow Guizhong's example and protect their people, and Xiao knew very well how sincere he was. For that very reason, he was also willing to take dangerous action. Zhongli still wore a proud and determined expression, as resilient as his willingness to pursue his ideals.

"Nadja was not able to overcome that tragedy as I did. She was alone, young, knew little about the world, and the darkness of the abyss devoured her mind," he continued with a melancholy tone. "Now she reigns without knowing any form of love anymore, and what will become of her? What will become of the humans she can no longer take care of? I look at the Fatui and know that I should consider them a threat, but I can only think that maybe some of them need help. They are just fragile creatures, thrown into a cruel context. Talking to Signora doesn't seem easy to me, but I was able to converse easily with Childe."

Ganyu winced, worriedly meeting Xiao's gaze. Zhongli's speech made total sense, but she feared it might push him in the wrong direction. Xiao snorted lightly, silently sharing her thoughts.

"This hobby of yours, wanting to save everyone, will get you in trouble. You know that, right?" Xiao asked, disguising his apprehension with an irritated tone.

"Well, so far it has led me to making very good friends." Zhongli shrugged, motioning at them. Xiao rolled his eyes.

"What's your plan, then? Try to make friends with the Fatui while investigating them behind their backs?" Xiao asked, slightly wrinkling his nose when his friend nodded. He had faith in Zhongli's actions but much less in Childe's. Frowning, he couldn't help but ask, "Sorry, but...how many things did he tell you? How long had you two been talking?"

"About three and a half hours," Zhongli replied, just then realizing how much time he had actually spent with the young man.

"He stayed that long?" Ganyu seemed shocked.

"He was an unexpectedly nice person to talk to, actually," Zhongli said with a smile. "When someone tells him something, he listens. He also took an interest in my talk about plants, though I hope I have not confused him too much. Oh, and you know we've been reading the same books recently? I did not think that literature, or even theater, was promoted among the Fatui. I think I'll show him the sights here in Liyue, maybe even take him to some performances." He spoke with too much enthusiasm for Xiao's liking. "It can't be easy being alone in a foreign land. I think a little company would be good for him."

"Well, what do you want me to tell you?" Xiao gave up, making Ganyu laugh softly. "You are far too adult for me to tell you what to do. But if he makes a wrong move against you, the only sight he'll see is the bottom of the ocean where I'll kick his ass."

Zhongli laughed slightly in turn, used to Xiao's humor and protective character. But he rose his eyebrows in amazement when Xiao added, "And I'll give him the benefit of the doubt only because I didn't perceive any negative aura in him. But he must treat me with more respect, or I'll create a negative aura myself—"

"Not even a trace?" Zhongli wondered. He wasn't naive enough to believe that Childe was harmless and innocent just because he had shown a friendly personality.

"Yeah. Strange, isn't it?" Ganyu replied thoughtfully.

"I didn't sense a single bit of cruelty in him. I only felt that cruelty in his colleague, Signora, when I met her. So, although Childe intentions don't seem obscure, be careful anyway," he admonished him severely. "It does not mean that his actions are not. When will you see him again?"

"Tonight," Zhongli replied in a completely careless tone, dipping a biscuit in tea. "Ah, right. I also asked him to go out on a date with me. Is that the correct term used nowadays for meetings? I wasn't sure. When I asked him that, he looked puzzled but accepted. I'm also sorry that he offered me lunch, too, since I had forgotten my wallet. He was really kind with me, he heavily insisted that I accept his offer," admitted the god with a sigh. He was so precise in remembering insignificant details about history and nature that he often forgot the simplest things, such that humans needed to pay for everything with money.

The stunned silence that followed his words left him with a confused expression, so much so that Xiao sought Ganyu's gaze to help. The woman's amethyst eyes had widened, showing a shocked reaction before she decided to intervene.

"You...used those exact words?" Ganyu asked in a broken voice.

"Precisely. May he have misunderstood something?" Zhongli commented thoughtfully. "In fact, he made a joke about impressing me so quickly."

"Are you serious!?" Xiao wanted to slap himself in the face. "I cannot believe that. I think you invited him on a date by mistake. Like, you know, two boyfriends."

"Well, I realized that later." Zhongli did his best to hide the hint of an amused smile, probably ashamed of that gaffe. "But I told him right after I said it about the Xinyan concert tonight."

"Yes, and how long did he stay to talk to you after this misunderstanding?" Xiao pressed, incredulous of how naive his friend could sometimes be, especially where relationships with humans were concerned. "Only to offer you lunch? Seriously? I can't even imagine how expensive the tea you ordered was. You must have really bewitched him. Or he must be a fucking rich man," he observed, shaking his head.

For as long as he could remember, Zhongli—and like many immortal creatures like him—hadn't particularly bothered to look for relationships that went beyond the friendship or partnerships typical of his contracts. Xiao had experienced a similar feeling once many years ago before meeting Zhongli for a young musician called Venti. He had eased the pain of his battles, keeping him company with the sound of his flute and laughter. He often wondered where he had gone, or if he would ever come back to him, though he doubted it strongly. He had disappeared like the wind in the trees after giving him one last quick goodbye.

Zhongli, on the other hand, had realized that he felt something for Guizhong in the past, and had only realized it after her death. Perhaps love was still an open wound for him, and he hoped that it wouldn't be too painful to hear them joke about it now. Fortunately, Zhongli seemed more carefree than usual and more inclined to make jokes with them.

"That tea actually cost a lot, unfortunately," Zhongli admitted, shrugging. "I'll try to return the favor in some way."

Ganyu didn't hold back from laughing slightly. "You made a good impression, I guess."

"With a Fatui. Six thousand years..." Xiao growled, "...you've never gotten involved in these situations, and now you drop everything...for a Fatui?"

"Well, I am human now, you know? You are exaggerating. Childe and I are just going to a concert. It will be an interesting experience." Zhongli cut short, speaking again in a calm tone. "By the way, will you come with?"

"Yes, Ningguang asked if Keqing and I want to accompany her. It will be fun! At eight, I'm going to her place to change my clothes and have dinner, and then we can join you," Ganyu replied, showing some enthusiasm at the idea that the two friends wanted to involve her.

"I do not know. Sounds like too many people for my taste," Xiao muttered uncomfortably. He liked the music itself, especially what Xinyan played. What didn't excite him was the crowds, feeling terribly out of place among people enjoying themselves when he still felt like he didn't deserve it.

"We will all be there," Zhongli pointed out gently. "Don't feel obligated, of course."

"Is Hu Tao coming, too?" Xiao inquired.

"She's already at Xiangling's house getting ready. She wants to help Xinyan with the dark scenography," Zhongli commented, amused.

"I suppose I'll come, then. If it comes to it, perhaps Hu Tao can help me throw Childe into a grave," Xiao joked with one of his rare smiles. It was during moments like this he wished that time would stand still forever; in Zhongli's living room with his two friends, safe from the outside world. He hoped all the new changes in the city would not upset his slightly more stable life for the umpteenth time.

***

Hello everybody!! How are you? Thank you so much for your comments, you're the best ❤️❤️
This is the first time I tried Xiao's pov, did you like it? I was feeling pretty insecure about it, but I love Xiao as a character so much, so I wanted to give it a try. Xiao is such a caring and kind person, despite his behaviour, and I like to think Zhongli, Ganyu and him are really good friends
Have a nice week ❤️❤️
Skylar