#the ship name | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

100beep · 8 months ago

Text

When the Wind Stayed

Bennett first encounters Xiao after a disastrously failed commission. The hilichurl camp in Dihua Marsh he’d been assigned to clear had a Stonehide Lawachurl in it that, somehow, no one had thought to mention. Or maybe it had arrived after the scouts left. Regardless, Bennett had walked right into the camp expecting a few mages at worst, and had almost immediately been knocked unconscious by a wave of earth.

He reawakened in a bed in Wangshu Inn (although he didn’t know that), heavily bandaged. Surprisingly, he was fully awake almost instantly, rather than drifting in and out of consciousness like he’d expect after an injury like that.

A moment after Bennett wakes, a woman walks in the door. “Oh good, you’re up,” she says.

“Where am I?” asks Bennett, trying to be on guard.

“Wangshu Inn,” the woman replies. “I’m Verr Goldet, the owner of the place. You got knocked out by a bunch of hilichurls.”

“I do remember that much,” Bennett says.

“I’m rather surprised you survived, even with Xiao’s intervention,” Goldet continues.

“I always survive, somehow, no matter what scrape I end up in,” says Bennett, struggling to get up and ending up sitting. Then “Wait, who’s Xiao?”

“He’s the adeptus that saved you. Most know him as the Vigilant Yaksha. He took out the hilichurl camp - if you were commissioned to do it, which by the looks of you, you were, don’t worry, we have an arrangement with the Guild. Anyways, he then saved you.”

“I see,” says Bennett. “I don’t suppose I’ll be able to thank him?” Goldet laughs. “No. He's most often here, and still, barely anyone sees him. He much prefers solitude.”

“If you see him, will you pass on my thanks?” Bennett asks. Goldet nods.

She doesn’t have to, however. The next day, when Xiao brings in another body, Bennett manages to catch him and thank him in person.

“No need. Protection is my job,” Xiao replies. Then he’s gone in a gust of wind.

The second time Bennett encounters Xiao, they’re both watching the Rite of Descension. Bennett had heard that it was a much better vantage point to watch the descending dragon from above the city, rather than within it, at least if you didn’t care to hear Rex Lapis’s predictions for the coming year. And Bennett, with no business interests whatsoever, is only here for the view. (Businesspeople from all over Teyvat came to hear the predictions. Diluc had hired Bennett, along with three other adventurers, as bodyguards, then told them in no uncertain terms to be out of the city during the actual Rite. Bennett had heard rumors that this was because he was involved somehow with Rex Lapis, but he’d dismissed those as just rumors.) Regardless of why, he’s pleased with the outcome - watching the dragon from below, the city from above, and… the adeptus that had saved him from the side? He considers a greeting, but decides against it.

The two watch together as the dragon descends into the city, taking on a human-like form. They can’t hear the predictions or the reactions to them, but one of them does cause quite a commotion. (The two of them would later learn that, bound by a millennia-old contract to reveal such relations, Rex Lapis had announced he had taken a lover.)

When it’s over, Xiao gusts away and Bennett starts climbing back down the mountain.

(It becomes quite clear why Diluc wanted so many bodyguards when Bennett fends off three separate attempts on his life on the two-day journey home.)

The third time Bennett encounters Xiao, it’s in a cave inhabited by Abyss Mages. They had been causing significant trouble on Dragonspine, and someone had commissioned him to clear the mountain of the mages. Given that his Pyro Vision made him rather suited for the work on the snowy mountain, Bennett accepted. (The extremely deep pockets of the anonymous commissioner also had something to do with it.)

On the fourth day, having summited the mountain and coming down the other side, he discovers a rather extensive cave system.

Throughout most of it, there are no traces of Abyssal activity, but some of the entrances were inhabited.

It’s in one such opening that he finds a heavily-wounded, unconscious, tied-up Xiao. He quickly frees him, uses his Vision to cauterize the worst of the wounds, and tries to wake him up without shaking him too much.

Xiao does wake up. As soon as he does, his spear manifests in his hands against Bennett’s throat. When he sees that it’s Bennett - or more accurately, that it’s not an Abyss Mage - he releases Bennett, then turns around warily.

Not a second later, the cavern fills with the popping sounds of Abyss Mages teleporting in. Unlike the rest of the mountain here, there’s more variety of elements than Bennett’s ever seen, at least among the mages.

Xiao tackles Bennett out of the way of a Hydro bubble, then says “Run.”

Instead of running, Bennett strikes at the nearest mage - which happens to be a Dendro one, setting its shield on fire - and casts his Inspiration Field on the ground. He’s not going to abandon someone who once saved his life.

Xiao growls, then dons his mask and begins attacking. His Anemo doesn’t do much to the shields on its own, but it swirls them into other shields with great effectiveness.

As soon as Bennett steps outside of his field for a strike of opportunity, he feels some sort of oppressive presence from Xiao. As well as the sense of foreboding, his attacks are weaker, his reactions slower, and the mages’ attacks that hit are more impactful. Once he’s back inside the circle, the physical effects wear off, but the foreboding remains.

When the last of the Abyss Mages are defeated, Xiao turns to Bennett. Removing his mask and dismissing his spear, he asks “How did you survive?”

Taken aback, Bennett replies “I can handle a few mages, and you did most of the work.”

Xiao sighs. “Not the mages. How did you survive me? I was holding back, and you still should be near-dead by now.”

“You weren’t attacking me,” Bennett answers, thoroughly confused.

“It’s not me attacking you. It’s me in any sort of combat that harms anyone that sees it.”

“You mean that… presence I felt outside the ring?” Bennett asks.

“Your field must protect against it,” Xiao says in wonder. “I’ve never seen anything like it. You are extremely lucky. And I am lucky that it was you that found me. And also that you stayed.” A moment’s silence, then “Why did you stay?”

“You saved me once. I won’t abandon you after that,” Bennett answers, quite seriously.

“As I told you, no thanks are required. Protection is simply my job. But you have my thanks.”

“And it was my job to hunt Abyss Mages,” Bennett answers.

“Then your job is finished. Every mage from here to Port Ormos came when you freed me.” And then Xiao is gone once more.

Bennett scouts the rest of the mountain just to be sure, then returns to Katheryne. Included in his payment is a Fatui recruitment letter inviting him to Tartaglia’s personal guard. He doesn’t take up the offer, preferring to keep an adventurer’s independence, but frames the letter.

The fourth time Bennett encounters Xiao, it’s intentional. After conferring with Verr Goldet, he makes a gift of almond tofu and waits on the balcony every night for the yaksha to return. After four nights, he finally catches Xiao.

Before Xiao can disappear again - not that he would, though Bennett doesn’t know that - he blurts “I have a gift,” holding out the plate.

Xiao accepts the dessert, though he mutters about “that damn woman giving away my secrets.” Once he starts eating, he sees Bennett watching him and offers to share the dessert.

“That one’s for you,” says Bennett. “I had to eat the six failed attempts I made.”

The start of a smile can be seen on Xiao’s face.

The fifth time Bennett encounters Xiao, it’s on business. A strangely well-connected and well-informed consultant had asked him to deliver a message to Xiao. For purposes of this delivery, and this delivery only, he was given directions to a floating pagoda in Jueyun Karst, and a Sigil of Permission.

“He can tell when someone’s there,” Zhongli tells him. “He won’t be expecting you, but with that sigil, he won’t be able to harm you if he shows up a bit paranoid. And he will show up - no need to wait four days like you did last time.

Bennett doesn’t question how he knows any of this - or how he got his hands on a Sigil of Permission - but simply accepts the message, sealed with a scintillating Geo symbol carrying a strange energy. Following his directions, Bennett climbs to the top of a mountain, then jumps, his glider catching the updraft. He arrives on the pagoda, then, seconds later, Xiao appears.

“What are you doing here?” he exclaims, manifesting his spear.

Bennett raises his hands nervously, then digs around in his bag for the letter. “Delivering a message,” he says, handing the envelope to Xiao.

“Who - oh, it’s him again. Such useless ceremony - why he can’t talk to me in person I don’t know,” Xiao mutters after accepting the letter.

“He what!? And he only tells me now?” Xiao shouts after reading the letter, which dissolves into golden motes when he’s done.

Bennett steps back, then nervously asks “Who did what?”

“Rex Lapis has taken a lover,” Xiao growls, anger still smoldering. “Apparently, they’ve been together for a year now. And he only now tells me!”

“Is it that much of an occasion?” Bennett asks. “Only in the sense that it happens twice a millennium,” Xiao answers. “And of all people, he chooses a Mondstadt businessman?”

“Wait - he’s really involved with Diluc?” Bennett asks, surprised and remembering the rumors surrounding Diluc’s last trip to Liyue for the Rite of Descension.

“Yes. And no one thought to tell me!” Xiao exclaims. Then he gusts off angrily to find Rex Lapis.

Bennett waits for the air currents to clear before gliding down from the floating pagoda.

On their sixth meeting, Xiao finds Bennett. When he gusts into Mondstadt, he finds Xiao talking to Katheryne. He waits for Bennett to finish talking, then as Bennett walks out the gates of Mondstadt, greets him.

“Hi!” Bennett answers.

“I have a gift for you,” Xiao says somewhat awkwardly, manifesting a jade sword.

Bennett reaches for the sword, then shudders as it attunes to him. “Primordial jade? Where did you get this?”

“I made it,” Xiao answers. “With some help.”

“Thanks…” Bennett says, nearly speechless. “But… why?”

“Because I have found myself fascinated by you,” Xiao says. “I’ve encountered many people over two thousand years. And none of them are quite as unique as you.”

Bennett blushes slightly. “I would like to join you on your adventures… and, perhaps, in peace as well,” Xiao continues. “If you’ll have me, of course.”

“Of course I’ll have you,” Bennett answers. He hadn’t considered them working together with any regularity or living together before, but he knows it’s the right choice.

Xiao sighs in relief. He’d surprised himself with how much he actually cared.

“What would you like to do?” Bennett asks. “I have my commissions, but they’re rather simple for someone like you.”

“You’d be surprised at how much time I spend clearing out hilichurls. I think us Vision holders forget how much power we gain from them. And even the greatest adventurer can be defeated by hilichurls on occasion.”

Bennett blushes at the memory of their first meeting, then smiles. “Will you join me then?”

“Today, I will. And as long as I can protect Liyue as well, I will stay with you.”

#bennett #genshin xiao #bennexiao #star crossed lovers #the ship name #and the original sense of cursed #zhongluc subplot #5+1 things #5 + 1 fic #genshin fanfic #genshin impact #my writing

5 notes · View notes