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It was a beautiful day in Liyue. Two blue-haired Vision bearers were cooling off in Luhua Pool, laughter echoing off the water.
The Hydro user was Xingqiu, whose carefully selected words were as fluid as the element he commanded. His companion was Chongyun, a Cryo user. Despite his usually cold expression, Xingqiu knew just how warm-hearted Chongyun could be.
Xingqiu was telling increasingly corny jokes in an effort to make the exorcist laugh, as they had a particularly tiring day of chasing spirits and fighting hilichurls.
"Tell me, Chongyun, how is it that you always have such a good mood after exorcizing spirits on Wuwang Hill?" Xingqiu asked, giving a sly glance in the direction of his friend, who sighed.
"I don't know, Xingqiu, what do you think?"
The aforementioned boy grinned widely. "Is it possible that you're in... high spirits? "
This earned a hearty laugh from Chongyun, who gently shoved Xingqiu’s shoulder.
“Oh my Gods, you are an absolutely terrible comedian,” Chongyun said, rolling his eyes. “You’re even worse than Xiangling. ” True, their mutual friend could be funny at times, but most of Xiangling’s puns were food related and incomprehensible to anyone but her.
Xingqiu gasped. “How DARE you! My dear Chongyun, I thought you cared for me. But I suppose you do not...” He pretended to faint, acting utterly offended. “I shall never recover from this most heinous offense… You have killed me...” He collapsed dramatically into Chongyun’s lap with a sigh. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but he couldn't suppress the grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.
Chongyun giggled and tried in vain to shove Xingqiu off him. "Xingqiu, Xingqiu, get off, you're not dead, so move!" Chongyun could hardly talk with how much he was laughing.
"Oh, come now, 'Yun, I wouldn't have expected such a cold reception to my wonderful jokes," Xingqiu said, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "I guess my puns aren't n- ice enough for you."
Chongyun sat still for a moment, blinking, as the jokes landed. A heavy, heavy sugh escaped his lips as he brought a hand to his head. "I don't even know why I bother." Chongyun leaned back on his hands with a laugh and a soft smile. "Your sense of humor, or lack thereof, shall never cease to elude me." He imitated Xingqiu's frivolous vocabulary as a way to get back at him. Only book characters and the nerds who read about them talked like that, as far as Chongyun was concerned.
They sat there in relatively peaceful silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the nice weather and soft rippling of the water.
"Hey." Chongyun looked at an unusually serious Xingqiu, who had just sat up and looked at him.
"Yeah? What do you need?" Chongyun sat up as well, a questioning look on his face.
"Well, I. Uh. Hmm." Xingqiu fiddled with his hands and avoided Chongyun's gaze, which was extremely out of character.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you. I don't know exactly how to go about it, forgive me, so I'll save the extravagant words and get right to the point. I... like you. A lot. And I have for quite some time. I know this is entirely out of the blue, and I expect nothing of you, but I didn't want to keep this from you for any longer."
A tense silence followed his words. Xingqiu took it as an extremely bad sign. "Oh, Archons, 'Yun I'm sorry, I never stopped to think about how you may feel. I didn't consider what you may think of me now… Its perfectly alright if you no longer wish to be around me, as it's your choice." Xingqiu seemed to shrink with his last statement, a look of utter defeat on his face.
Chongyun slowly brought his hands up to his face. He shook his head and muttered, "This is low, even for you, Xingqiu."
"Wh- what?" Xingqiu spluttered, completely caught off guard.
Chongyun looked up and caught Xingqiu's eyes, expression akin to that of a kicked puppy. "Why would you joke about something like that?" He blinked rapidly and looked away. "Its not funny."
Xingqiu's jaw went slack as he processed what Chongyun said. "You- you think I'm joking? My dear Chongyun, I thought you knew me better. I would never in a million years prank you on the grounds of something like this." He slowly, carefully, brought a hand up to cup Chongyun's cheek, thumb gently wiping away the tears that had formed there. "Please believe me."
Chongyun averted his eyes, looking pointedly at the ground. "Prove it."
He spoke so quietly that Xingqiu almost missed it, but the words hung in the air like a thick fog. The open invitation to prove himself sat squarely in his head as he decided what to do.
But really, there was only one option. A surefire way to get his point across.
"I- ok." Xingqiu murmured. "Close your eyes." Chongyun gave him a quizzical look, before doing as he was told. Xingqiu let out a soft sigh. "Oh, 'Yun, please don't hate me for this…"
Chongyun pooped an eye open. "Wait, what are y- mmph!"
His words were cut off by the sudden pair of lips on his own.
This was the best thing Xingqiu could think of, surely a kiss would get his point across, right?
Chongyun sat stock still for a second, not reciprocating whatsoever, so Xingqiu promptly broke off the kiss.
" Archons, I've done it again. I've messed it all up. Chongyun, I'm sorry, I should have asked you first. I'll… I'll go. I don't want you to think I'm forcing myself on you. I'm sorry, again."
Chongyun continued to sit motionless on the ground, which Xingqiu took as a sign that Chongyun hated him, that he wanted him to get lost, for him to never show his face in Liyue again.
Xingqiu sighed in defeat and stood, wishing to forget the kiss had ever happened. Maybe he could save whatever shreds of a friendship he may still have with Chongyun, if he left now.
"Wait."
Chongyun reached up to grab Xingqiu's wrist, preventing his escape. Xingqiu glanced down at him, to see that Chongyun's eyes were staring, unfocused, off into space, pupils blown wide. He reached his free hand up to gently brush his lips, as if reliving what had just occurred.
"Did you… really mean it? The kiss, I mean." Chongyun looked up and held Xingqiu's gaze.
Xingqiu let out a soft chuckle. "Of course I meant it, my dear Chongyun." He helped Chongyun to his feet. "I told you I wasn't lying, didn't I?"
He nodded slowly, releasing his grip on Xingqiu's wrist. Chongyun shook his head, as if to clear it, before grabbing the sides of Xingqiu's face.
"Uh, 'Yun, what-" It was Xingqiu's turn to be interrupted, as Chongyun crashed their lips together with all the emotion he hadn't shown the first time. It was messy and rushed, but it was perfect. Xingqiu's hands found their way to the back of Chongyun's neck, gently threading into his soft blue curls. He felt Chongyun smile against his lips before he pulled back to breathe.
"Did that answer your question, my dear?" Xingqiu murmured, drinking in the sight of the red-faced Chongyun before his eyes and committing it to memory.
Chongyun hummed in response. "Hmm, I don't know… maybe you need to prove it to me again." He giggled, moving his hands to Xingqiu's shoulders. "If you don't mind reminding me, that is."
Xingqiu laughed softly. "Lucky for you," he said, leaning in, "I don't mind at all."