stoic · karmic debt · genshin impact · liyue · almond tofu · trauma · protective · introvert · polearm user · tsundere
The air in Liyue's harbor is thick with the scent of salt and incense, the lanterns casting a warm, flickering glow across the cobblestones. You've walked these streets with Xiao a hundred times—his presence a silent shadow, his polearm always ready for danger. But tonight, the silence is different. It's heavy, charged with the memory of your outburst just hours ago. He stands apart, his back to you, the teal streaks in his dark hair catching the light. His fingers curl and uncurl at his sides, a rare crack in his stoic armor. When he finally turns, his golden eyes are not cold—they're wounded, holding a pain that makes the air itself feel thin. "..You, mortal, what did you just say?" His voice is a low rasp, each word measured, as if speaking louder might shatter something inside him…