Art: ???

"Xiwangmu, the lady, and goddess of humanity. Who mustn't be spared. A coward who killed the many of the innocents, to escape from her death and execution. Thou must never worship such a god."

"The fight in the Archon War, she slaughtered the gods to rule for her own. To ruthlessly eliminate any kind in her way of her peace. And her peace shall not be granted, for she does not deserve it."

"The people who have worshipped her, were only killed in the end, as she spared no mercy to the village. Showering the fields with her powers in concealment, and of her appearance. Her caring nature is a facade. Her outer persona is only a facade, a disguise, to hide her true self from humiliation."

"An indescribable one. A deceiving goddess. Compared to the other gods, they are incomparable to her sins."

"She does not deserve justice. She deserves to be contained, and killed. To repent for the lives of the ones she took. And I believe so."

"Tch." Xiao slammed the story shut. It was not a story, it was a mere opinion based worthless journal, of some madman. Is what Xiao would love to think. He stopped himself from burning such a thing, as Zhongli would not appreciate it.

She's mentioned that she has killed many before. And she meant it.

He didn't dare to not believe. He only didn't believe as that was not what she was intending to do. To mercilessly slaughter them all, out of distaste.

He didn't think much of what it said.

But he still thought about it.

He turned his attention to the other adeptus in the place. Who was standing extremely still, afraid of disturbing the yaksha.

"Ganyu, I'm done." She moved her eyes up, and curtly nodded taking the torn up paper covered book, and walked down to somewhere else inside of the golden house, disappearing from sight.

Xiao turned back around to where the fake body of Rex Lapis, was in. And grimaced at it. Seeing his own gods fake dead body wasn't something he wished to see.

Turning his head elsewhere, he saw nothing that had piqued his interest. And while waiting for Ganyu to return, he looked like a lost toddler.

The guards outside of the golden house wouldn't dare move as the two left from the doors.

"Was that enough to satisfy you, Mr. Xiao?" Ganyu nervously asked, but still with a calm expression, she faced him.

"I got what I needed. I'll be off then."

Before she could wish him farewell, he was already gone. Swift as always.

Xiao faced forward, not bothered by the wind blowing on his face, and as his fringes slapped him in the process.

After reading that he's got an idea of what she may be thinking. He's not bothered by what she had done, he's worried she may take it upon herself about it.

When Xiao returned, she wasn't in her usual place. And feeling a need to go down the mountain through his gut feeling, he did. And found Y/N sitting down on the ground on the grass plains where the village used to be. She held an old ragged stuffed toy in her hand, while sitting still in front of the only old house that was left standing.

Xiao slowly walked over, and sat down on the spot next to her, not sparing a glance her way.

She sighed. A sad sigh, as she felt lonely. Then slumped in her seat, laying her head on his shoulder.

Xiao turned his head to see she looked tired. And with an expression that he didn't want to see on her own pretty face.

Sadness... and loneliness...

He wasn't very sure on how to make someone feel better. Let alone Y/N, considering she's almost never sad. Mainly she's the one cheering up people.

He felt slightly awkward. But he placed his head on top of hers softly, his hair tickling
Y/N's neck. The two stayed close with each other until she felt like talking.

"You're hair is so soft, Xiao."

"...really?"

"Mhm." She nodded her head.

"Do you feel any better yet?"

"I do actually. Thank you. Did I look that sad?" She turned her head into the crook of his neck to get more comfortable.

"Yes." Xiao answered while slumping his shoulders slowly, relaxed, and liking the close contact.

"I guess I just miss the comfort of so many people down here to go and visit openly."

"...I talked to Re— Zhongli..." He fixed himself again.

"Did you now?"

"I went to the golden house and read the 'Uncharitable Goddess.' It wasn't worth my time..."

She didn't reply.

"Zhongli, told me whatever was inside that you did was true. I would like to hear them from your own mouth, tell me. Please tell me." Xiao brought his head up from hers. And she slowly retracted her head off of his shoulder.

Xiao saying please for her to talk? That's a first.

"I hate having to bring this man up..." She grumbled first. "Dolos, again. He, after the Archon War, I noticed he wasn't active at all during the actual war. He dared threatened to use my people as slaves under his own rule, with torture and ever slowly killing them off. He had the guts to stoop so low." Xiao saw her pupils narrow, like of a cats.

"Lower than his ba—"

"Y/N." Xiao reminded her. And she quickly stopped and coughed in her fist again. Then put her hands on the ground leaning backwards, taking a look at the sky as it was setting.

"I was more insecure and naive during that time, and panicked. Not thinking straight, I felt guilt instead. Those people had to suffer because of me. I'm facing consequences because I let myself care for other people other than myself and this mountain. They were my weakness, they were used against me." She rambled on and on, while Xiao silently listened, to her patiently.

"I'm sorry you have to listen to me ramble all of the time..."

"I was the one who asked, I don't deserve the apology." He shook his head, and as he did, his hair swayed to the left and right.

"I think I might have a slight phobia of caring about people... but when you said so yourself, that you wouldn't let yourself be my weakness, I felt more, how do I put it... glad? Happy? Relieved?" She tried using her hands to think of words to describe what she was feeling, and Xiao noticed the small hand movements, and found them cute somehow. It was a unique little quirk of hers. But snapped out of it, looking back up to her face.

"I killed them. I killed them all... I— I did that. What's more, is that they didn't mind. They were more at peace to be killed like this... by me. I didn't understand! I thought they would be scared, but they said they were happy that their deaths would be in the hands of 'Xiwangmu', in an act to be protected, and seeing all of these showering stars topple on top of them." She looked at her hands. She was in horror, with herself as she remembered everything. The rain that was pouring along with everything, and the puddles of water mixed with their blood. And the ruined wooden houses...

"Someone saw, calling it a genocide. I felt helpless. Once they had arrested me... a god. Me. Arrested... they sentenced me to be executed. I was walked up on the small platform. Somebody was going to use their vision, or something to kill me in any way. Was it fear that coursed through me? I still don't know... but I felt a sudden urge to leave that place immediately. I panicked again... and killed all of the people there, escaping my death like a fucking coward... I saw Morax. I'm assuming he was there to try to give me an opening to leave the place... truly. I'm a murderer."

Xiao grunted upset. And didn't like her calling a murderer.

"Then we're both murderers. You say all of this as if you're the only one. You said I shouldn't feel bad about myself. That 'Everyone has done something that was wrong. But I think what matters is what people become after that.'"

Y/N was surprised at his upset outburst towards her.

"Speak for yourself. You've become someone I can love for. And I thought I would never have that feeling. You've become a better immortal."
He had held onto her hands.

Why was he this upset for her? How could he be mad for her? Y/N didn't know. But she didn't complain.

Xiao calmed down when he heard her laughs. Then was confused.

"Why are you laughing now?" He pouted.

She suppressed her remaining laughter and giggles, then took a deep breath to calm her breathing down. Looking into his eyes, she had the best smile Xiao has ever seen.

"Thank you... again. Xiao. I didn't realize I was being such a hypocrite to my own words that I have told you." She chuckled at his red face again. He reverted his look to his embarrassed-but-shy-and-also-upset, look.

But soon stopped when he felt her lips on his. It was sweet and short.

Y/N chuckled seeing she caught him off guard.

Xiao clicked his tongue, with still a flushed face, and softly tugging her long strand of hair he leaned in himself, and placed his lips on hers.

He inclined his head to the side to deepen the kiss, as she stayed still and let him kiss her, but started kissing back.

He pushed his tongue to her bottom lip asking, and she let her mouth open a little more. Soon the two were having a make out session, for dominance as to say the least. But in the end, Y/N managed to win, and she smirked at Xiao while he looked away, covering the bottom half of his face. She was smiling at him not from her winning, but from the initiation.