It's that time of the year again. The lantern rite, a big festival in Liyue city to commemorate heroes of the past and symbolizing bidding farewell to the old year, welcoming the new. Hundreds of Xiao lanterns have been released to guide the fallen heroes and pray for peace and good fortune.

Among the crowd of people stood a lone figure. A fontainian civil visiting Liyue during lantern rite, not unusual. It's a beautiful festival, after all and often affects people from all over teyvat. But this lantern rite is the civils first lantern rite. Their eyes practically shone with sheer amazement. All these Xiao lanterns flying in the wind was a truly mesmerizing sight. It has been their first time visiting a different nation, mostly because it was quite dangerous to wander around teyvat with no combat skill at all. Especially for people who weren't granted with a vision.There are simply too many hilichurls, abyss mages and monsters.

Unbeknownst to the tourist from Fontaine, they had been under the eye of one of the protectors of Liyue. The sole survivor of the yakshas–adeptus Xiao. An introverted and reserved creature who often keeps his distance from human society. And despite his preference towards solitude he found himself curious over this unknown civilian from Fontaine. Maybe it was the naivety in their eyes, the sheer amazement in their eyes when they watched the Xiao lanterns, or just something entirely else.

While being distracted with the thoughts running through his mind he didn't even notice the person he had been thinking about running into him, until it was too late. Luckily he was able to catch them by their arm before they could fall. "My apologies." He muttered, though didn't let go of their arm, finally shifting his golden eyes to look at the person he had caught, and if on cue he felt his breath hitch in his throat. It was the person he had been watching all this time now and they were even more beautiful up close.