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Chapter Text

It was another scorching hot day in the fine nation of Liyue. Lena had enough of it. She'd wish autumn would hit sooner rather than later. She hoisted her messenger bag over her shoulder and held tightly onto the strap. Beads of sweat had gathered on her forehead as she trekked further into Dihua Marsh. 

“I can't believe I agreed to this commission,” she mumbled to herself as her wobbly legs dragged her towards the bridge connecting to the Wangshu inn. She remembered the words Katherine said clear as day. 

“Miss Lena, Verr Goldet has requested urgent assistance. I know you've said you needed a break, but lately the hilichurls have been incredibly active in the area. They're scaring away the guests and it's too much for Adeptus Xiao to handle by himself.” 

Lena tried her best to hide her disappointment. Had she just received a request to fight alongside the most anti-social creature in history of Teyvat?

“She'll give you a room to stay in until things settle down. However…”  Katherine anxiously tapped her fingers on the form Lena had to sign. “... It's actually the Yaksha’s room- but don't worry! He's hardly ever present. It's rare for him to-” 

“You're joking, right? I have to share a room with HIM?” She cringed at the thought, which didn't go unnoticed. 

“I apologise, it's only temporary. You will be rewarded greatly, miss Goldet promises you this.”

Lena let out a loud annoyed groan as she stomped her way to the inn. The hydro vision on her left hip reflected the harsh sunlight. If she had any energy left in her, she could have just used her vision to keep herself cool. Unfortunately she used most of it to defeat the Geovishap Hatchling along the way. The creature had randomly attacked her when she was eating her salted fish. Not only did it steal her breakfast, it attacked her straight after. Lena’s stomach grumbled remembering the unfortunate event. 

“Ah miss Lena! Thank you so much for coming. I apologise for the short notice. But I truly had no choice.” She clasped her hands together in defeat. 

“It's alright, it's alright. I'll take a holiday after this. Don't worry, I'll make sure those hilichurls won't ever step foot near this inn again.” Lena grinned and placed her hand on her hip. The owner of the inn smiled at her gratefully and gave her the key to the room on the top floor. 

“I'm so sorry I have no other rooms available. Luckily Xiao is hardly ever in his room. Either way, I'm sure you both will get along fine.” Lena could've sworn she saw the corners of her mouth twitch. With a sigh, she took the key from the owners’ stretched-out hand and made her way up the stairs. 

The door closed behind her with a thud and she dropped her messenger bag in the corner beside her bed. Her black hair had stuck to her forehead from all the sweat. 

“I feel so gross. I'm glad I got here a day early, at least I can take a damn break after this long trip.” She groaned before making her way to the shower. It was a medium-sized bathroom on the left of the main room. It had grey and green accents. The whole apartment was basically green and grey. Not that she minded it, it felt surprisingly homey. 

After about half an hour she finally stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in one of the spare towels. She looked in the mirror and winced looking at the dark bags under her eyes and bruises on her neck. She desperately needed rest. The sound of the wind woke her from her daze. She didn't remember the window being open when she entered. 

Lena opened the bathroom door, still wearing a towel and saw a figure kneeled in the back of the room. She jumped up and covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming at the top of her lungs. 

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my room?!” She strutted closer to the figure, summoning her polearm. The figure before her didn't move or flinch at her stance. 

“I said what- wait…” She bent to her knees and focused on the person before her. There was blood dripping onto the wooden floor. Her eyes trailed up to their head and dissipated her weapon.

“...Xiao?” As soon as she mentioned his name, they locked eyes. His brows were furrowed and his fangs showed. He looked incredibly displeased. “Are you okay?” While Lena disliked the anti-social Yaksha, she never liked seeing anyone hurt. 

Xiao groaned in response before lifting himself on his feet. “I'm fine.” Lena too, got back on her feet. She grimaced at the sight of the blood covering his lower abdomen. She reached out to him, wanting to assess the damage. 

“I don't think you are. Let me-” Xiao smacked her hand away, dismissing her. 

“I'm an Adeptus, I don't need your help. It will heal.” He gripped his side as he slowly walked to the bed. He turned his head and took in her appearance. “Why are you dressed like that? Put on some clothes.” His cheeks were slightly flushed. It wasn't every day that the Yaksha saw the bare skin of a woman in his presence. 

He groaned as he lied down on his good side. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he closed his eyes. Lena stood dumbfounded -and a little embarrassed- before rushing to the bathroom to put on some clothes. She returned almost instantly with a glass of water in her hand. 

“Xiao?” She said softly before putting the glass on the nightstand. As she retracted her hand, strong fingers had wrapped around her wrist. Lena raised an eyebrow as she looked into the Yaksha’s open eye. 

“Don't even think about trying anything. I am stronger than you and could easily snap you in half.” He let go of her wrist and adjusted himself so he laid on his back. It didn't take long for his breathing to steady and the soft snores to fill the room. 

“Yeah, it's nice to meet you too,” Lena huffed in annoyance before plopping down on the armchair that was located beside the kitchen counter, in front of the balcony door. She was exhausted, hungry and not to mention annoyed at the man sleeping in the bed she was supposed to sleep in. “There goes my peaceful rest before work starts.” She yawned quietly and closed her eyes. At least she would be compensated nicely for her work, she thought. 

With the sound of the Yaksha's slow breathing filling the room, Lena fell into a deep slumber. She dreamed of her teenage years, of the day she received her vision. It was the same day her sister committed suicide. She'll never forget that day, it was branded into her mind forever. To this day Lena still had no idea why she did what she did, but it was no point fretting over the past. It was time to move on with her life. 

She became a traveler. Always searching for a new adventure, always aiming to become stronger, to help those in need, to save those in trouble. 

Lena was mumbling in her sleep, it had woken up the Yaksha. He stood beside her, his golden eyes illuminated by the moonlight. The darkness of the room only enhanced the glow of his eyes. He'd carefully placed his right hand on top of her head and furrowed his brows. A dim green aura enveloped his body and dissipated as quickly as it appeared. Lena’s face softened and the mumbling stopped. 

“Why does it have to be you?” He whispered to himself before dropping his hands back to his sides. A muffled howling in the distance caught his attention. He summoned his polearm and took one last look at the raven-haired woman before teleporting out of the room, leaving nothing but the sound of a gentle breeze behind. 

Chapter Text

The birds chirping in the far distance had woken the dark-haired woman from her deep slumber. A sliver of drool touched her chin, which she wiped almost instantly. She'd hoped the Yaksha hadn't seen her in her oh-so-ungraceful state. Then again, it wasn't like she was very comfortable either, having slept on the wooden armchair. She wiped the crust from her eyes and slowly got up, stretching as high as she could. Her back cracked in about five places, which made her groan in discomfort. 

"I swear, this guy- wait, Xiao?" She looked at the bed, which was a giant mess with its covers piled up. "I suppose Vanquishers of Evil don't really have the time to make a bed, colour me surprised." She'd decided to go down to the kitchen area and was met with a grumpy masculine face. Lena was about to speak up when Verr tapped on her shoulder. 

"Good morning Miss Lena, I hope you slept well?" The sour expression on the raven-haired woman's face made Verr's smile falter almost instantly. She blinked rapidly before carefully asking, "is something the matter?" Lena turned to her and crossed her arms. 

"Why yes, I was told that the Adeptus would hardly be in his quarters? He basically showed up instantly after I entered the room!" Well, technically it was about an hour after, but she classed that as 'instantly.' She placed her hands on her hips and frowned at the regretful face of Miss Goldet. A strong and savoury smell filled the kitchen, which on cue made Lena's stomach grumble. Her face softened, having no energy to keep up the angry facade. Verr sighed and pointed at the empty table beside her on the right of the kitchen.

"I'll explain everything in a moment, please take a seat." Lena's shoulders loosened before she took a seat, facing the grumpy-faced man who seemed busy cooking. The kitchen was a rounded room with many shelves, cabinets, and counters. The stove was located in the middle, pushed up against a brick wall. It felt very cozy, nothing like the fancy restaurants she'd heard of that were located in Liyue. Verr walked away from her to talk to the cook. 

"Smiley, a coffee for me and this weekly's special for miss Lena." The raven-haired woman cocked her head to the side after hearing that. Did she really just call that man Smiley?! The owner of the inn took her seat opposite Lena and placed her hands on her lap. Her face was sorrowful. She parted her lips twice before actually speaking up.

"Miss Lena, I assume you're aware of the situation in Liyue?" She paused for a moment, expecting the woman to speak up. When she didn't, the owner continued. "Supposedly, something's happening in the Chasm. As of late, they reopened the borders and miners are welcome to get back to work. But since the reopening, there's been... a dark aura covering the area. There have been more sightings of enemies, but not just any. Word has it that the Abyss Order has something to do with it. While I don't know the full story - and Xiao refuses to really tell me anything - I know that it's very dangerous. Xiao has been keeping us safe every since the first enemy emerged from the Chasm, but more Hilichurls have been emerging as of late and they keep coming closer. We require help in keeping the guests and travelers around here, safe." She paused yet again, but this time to take her freshly brewed coffee from Smiley's hands. She nodded gratefully and looked Lena in the eyes again. Her story wasn't done.

"That aside, Xiao has hardly been present in his room. Hardly meaning, he'd show up once or twice a month. He's been away fighting for us for the past three weeks, we thought it would be alright to give you his room to stay in for the time being. I apologise he showed up unannounced, but there isn't much else I can do." The sound of clinking silverware behind Lena caught her attention before she turned to see the cook returning with her main meal. 

"It's on the house," he said in a way with what the dark-haired woman perceived as a hint of annoyance. She eagerly took the plate from his hands and started digging in straight away. She mumbled a 'thank you, sir' after taking her first bite. Her eyes still focused on Verr as her expression never changed. 

"Look, I understand ma'am, it's alright. I originally took this commission - which feels more like an actual job - because I really require the Mora and I was told the reward would be very handsome." Her legs became slightly fidgety as she took another bite. Her brows furrowed before she continued. "My sister- well, it's quite a long story. I feel like, before her death, there was something she wanted to tell me, but couldn't. She had this expression of fear, basically pouring out of her skin. The next day, she was gone. She didn't even leave behind a note... I just want to know what could've possibly made her become so afraid that she'd-" Lena hissed softly. "-end her own life." Verr nodded in understanding and folded her hands in her lap. 

"I cannot possibly understand what you're going through and I'm truly sorry. You will be paid well and the room is yours to use for as long as you'd like and the meals too, will be accounted for." She stared out the window and sighed deeply. "Adeptus Xiao is slowly wearing himself down, fighting all the time. He's not had a good rest in a while, it is easy to tell. I just hope that with your help, he can catch a breath." Lena stared at her now empty plate and bit her lip.

"Don't worry Miss Goldet, I'll make sure everyone gets to sleep safe and sound. I'm not sure what has been going on in the depths of the Chasm, but maybe we can find a way to stop the waves of enemies from emerging." Verr stood up and bowed before taking her leave, presumably to tend to other guests. The dark-haired woman sighed and brought her plate back to the kitchen, where Smiley gruffed and took it from her hands without even looking at her. 

Lena entered her room again and got ready for the job. She slipped on her high-waisted short and laced-up, black crop top. The gloves on both hands were open on the back and fingerless, which completed her outfit along with her black ankle boots. She knew her wardrobe was kind of bare, but all she cared about was comfort when fighting. The dark-haired woman walked over to the bathroom to check her appearance and grimaced at the bags under her eyes. If only she had a good rest the night before, she'd most likely have more energy to spare. However, Hilichurls don't require much and can be disposed of as soon as they appear. She smacked her hands on her cheeks before shaking her head. You can do this Lena! She thought and flashed herself a grin before exiting the bathroom.

With one last glance behind her, she locked the door to the apartment and made her way downstairs. She was greeted yet again by Verr at the entrance of the building. Before she took off, she quickly pulled her hair up in a messy ponytail and took a deep breath.

"Alright Yaksha, show me what you're made of."