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"Where is that girl..."
It was the Lantern Rite again and a few nights before, Hu Tao, the forever excited funeral parlor owner had asked Xiao to go with her to the festival.
"We don't have to meet in the city, I'll see you at the cliff by the entrance to the harbour!" And Xiao, ever weak to Hu Tao's charms, accepted.
Hu Tao had always intrigued Xiao, ever since they met. He had no idea why, but Xiao always felt warmer around her.
Probably just side effects from her pyro vision.
"Adeptus Xiaooo!" Xiao turned just in time to see her before she jumped and enveloped him in a tight hug. "You actually came! Zhongli warned me, he might not show up, so don't be disappointed." She imitated Zhongli's deep voice and laughed.
"Of course." Xiao mumbled, pulling Hu Tao off of him. "I wouldn't break a contract."
"It was a contract?"
"A promise is a type of contract."
"Hmm~ I guess you're right." Hu Tao put a finger on her chin.
"Oh right, are you alright with going to the harbour or should we just watch from here? The view is perfect anyways!" She said that, but her arm tugged Xiao towards the entrance.
"... We could go to the city." "Really!? I never thought you'd agree to that! It's so crowded this time of the year you know~" She pulled him past the big archway excitedly.
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The smell of seafood and chillies filled the air as they walked by stall after stall, meeting people along the way.
"Adeptus Xiao?" Chongyun called out, popsicle in one hand and Xingqiu's arm in the other.
"Chongyun! Xingqiu!" Hu Tao rushed over to the boys. Xingqiu greeted them. "Hu Tao! And Adeptus Xiao! Lovely to see you two here."
Xiao tuned out while Hu Tao and Xingqiu chatted to each other.
Chongyun tapped him on the shoulder. "Adeptus Xiao, can I ask why you're here with Hu Tao?"
"We're friends. She asked me to come here."
Chongyun asked again. "Friends?" Xiao thought.
Were they friends? Xiao liked to think they were. Just friends? ...Sure, he could live with that.
"Yes."
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Eventually Xiao pried Hu Tao away from Xingqiu and they continued. Hu Tao said a good place to watch the Lantern Rite was from the top of the docks.
Hu Tao dragged him to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to meet the Ferrylady and Zhongli. Xiao had leaned over and asked if she had a name. "Of course she has a name! It's Ferrylady!"
Zhongli had stared at Xiao, sighing when he pulls away from Hu Tao with a flushed face. He just hopes Xiao will be okay.
They met Yun Jin at Heyu Teahouse with Xinyan. Hu Tao had teased them until Xinyan blushed a deep red, and Yun Jin gave her thanks to the adepti for helping to keep them safe.
Xiao simply gave a curt nod in her direction and the four fell silent for a while. Yun Jin offered to perform another play for them, Hu Tao declined and they left, weaving their way through the crowd that formed the second Yun Jin uttered the word play.
Xiangling and Beidou waved them over when they reached the docks. Xiangling had remembered last year's Lantern Rite and pulled out a plate of almond tofu.
"Where did you even get that?!" Hu Tao questioned. "I always keep an extra plate of food with me!" Xiangling laughed while Xiao ate the tofu.
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"Haa~ ughh..." Hu Tao moaned and rolled onto her back.
"That's dangerous." Xiao pulled her back up by her vest collar and sat her down properly.
They were on the giant roof over the docks and the Lantern Rite was beginning.
Hundreds of Xiao Lanterns overlooked the harbour already, and for a moment they just sat and stared at the dark sky, lit up with gold.
"You didn't bring a lantern right?" Hu Tao pulled two unlit Xiao Lanterns out of her sleeves.
"How did you fit those in there?"
"Magic! And Zhongli helped stuff them in." Hu Tao giggled as she popped her fingers into the lanterns to light them.
Xiao chuckled as he took a lantern from her.
"...What?"
"I've never seen you laugh."
"Don't look at me like that."
"Sorry~"
Hu Tao looked away and Xiao thought he saw her blush. Trick of the light.
"We'll let them go together on the count of three, alright~?" Hu Tao held her lantern up and Xiao imitated her. "Remember to make a wish when you let go!"
A wish... Xiao thought. What did he wish for? Freedom? Happiness? Xiao shook the thoughts out of his head. The one thing he wanted more than anything else in the world...
"3, 2, 1!" They gently pushed their lanterns up into the sky, watching them merge with the cloud of others' wishes.
"So, Xiao, what did you wish for?"
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